Healing Heroines: Real Stories of Purpose, Growth, & Transformation

chandler stroud
  • 4.8 (43)
  • Alternative Health
  • Updated Weekly

Welcome to Healing Heroines: Real Stories of Purpose, Growth & Transformation, a podcast for women who have built lives they’re grateful for, but still feel the pull for something more. Each week, host Chandler Stroud sits down with women who have answered that call, along with the trusted guides who have shaped her own journey, to explore the stories, choices, and turning points that changed everything. From unexpected interruptions and major life transitions to quieter moments of knowing, these conversations explore what happens when we stop ignoring what life is asking of us and start trusting ourselves enough to answer. Because sometimes, the story that changes your life starts with someone else’s. Every woman receives the call. A heroine chooses to answer it.

  1. 6d ago

    The Accountability to Achieve Her Health Goals: Jordan's Story

    Jordan Craig has spent her career at some of the top tech companies, from Twitter to Google, and now LinkedIn. She led high-impact teams while quietly carrying more than any job title suggests. She lost her mother. She navigated postpartum struggles with a high-stakes job and two kids. And through almost all of it, she checked in with the same person every single day. What does it actually look like to have someone in your corner, especially when the grind is too overwhelming? Joined by Accountability Coach and Hero Bonnie, Jordan shares what seven-plus years of daily accountability has actually looked like, what it costs to keep showing up when everything around you is falling apart, and why the only way out is through. What You Will Learn [00:08:35] Jordan growing up as a military brat — born in Germany[00:11:07] Arriving in the US behind academically — and self-correcting fast[00:23:07] Postpartum weight that wouldn't budge — trying everything[00:32:06] Why Jordan wouldn't have lasted without Bonnie[00:34:23] The moment Jordan realized Bonnie was serious[00:40:00] Jordan's mom's illness — losing her in October[00:49:25] "The best way to honor your mother is to take care of her daughter"[00:57:10] Jordan on why you don't have to wait until Monday Let's Connect! Jordan Craig LinkedIn Bonnie Heim Website | Instagram Chandler Stroud Website | LinkedIn | Instagram Feel like life might be inviting you into something more? Take the free quiz to discover where your call may be showing up. Not sure what to do with what you’re feeling? Book a free call with Chandler to talk through what’s coming up—and what your next step might be. Ready to answer the call? Healing Heroines is an intimate sisterhood for women ready to actively create more meaningful lives—together. Mixing and editing provided by Next Day Podcast. Text message us questions, requests, or comments!

  2. Sep 23

    From Wall Street to Sexual Assault Survivor Advocacy: Sharon's Story

    She had the career, the credentials, and a seat at Goldman Sachs she'd fought hard to earn. Then life asked her to reconsider everything. What happens when some of the hardest experiences of your life begin pointing you toward what you're meant to do next? Today, Sharon Walker Epps is CEO of the Rowan Center, supporting survivors of sexual violence and working to prevent it in the first place. But the path from Wall Street to this work was anything but linear. In this conversation, Sharon shares why she walked away from a career she loved, the deeply personal experience that eventually made this work impossible to turn away from, and how she found her second act when she had no idea what she was looking for. It's a conversation about resilience, motherhood, purpose, and trusting the pull toward something more, even before you know where it's leading. What You Will Learn [00:07:30] Sharon's first-grade teacher — and the fire it lit[00:11:30] Why Sharon chose Wall Street — it wasn't prestige[00:15:30] How 9/11 made Sharon question everything she'd built[00:23:30] How trauma quietly shapes an entire life's trajectory[00:27:00] The average age of disclosure — and why it matters[00:30:00] When Sharon simply couldn't turn away anymore[00:35:30] Why every survivor's story is a gift at their own expense[00:44:00] Sharon's advice for women waiting for their second actResources Mentioned The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk  Let's Connect! Sharon Epps Rowan Center | LinkedIn Chandler Stroud Website | LinkedIn | Instagram Feel like life might be inviting you into something more? Take the free quiz to discover where your call may be showing up. Not sure what to do with what you’re feeling? Book a free call with Chandler to talk through what’s coming up—and what your next step might be. Ready to answer the call? Healing Heroines is an intimate sisterhood for women ready to actively create more meaningful lives—together. Mixing and editing provided by Next Day Podcast. Text message us questions, requests, or comments!

  3. Sep 16

    Everyone's Grief Personas are Different: Sarah's Story

    Sarah Baldwin was standing in line for coffee with an urge to tap the stranger in front of her and say, "My mom died yesterday." Not because she wanted sympathy, but because of how lonely grief can feel, which was a feeling no one warned her about. What if the way you grieve isn't wrong; it's just yours? Sarah is the co-founder of Restfully, a trusted guide through the overwhelming logistics and emotions of end-of-life and grief. It's everything she wished she'd known when her mom was battling lung cancer and after she passed. Drawing on 20 years in corporate finance and data analytics, she created the "grief persona framework" after noticing a pattern: there's friction in some families after a loved one's death because everyone grieves differently. Sarah explains each grief persona and how they each play a role in the overall grief process. She also tells Chandler why following your intuition is never the unsafe choice. What You Will Learn [00:08:19] Sarah growing up as a self-sufficient eldest of four[00:12:43] Her mom's lifelong avoidance of doctors and the regret that followed[00:14:24] A woman who found her voice two days before she died[00:19:19] Sarah sitting with death from a young age — and what it taught her[00:33:03] What Restfully is and who it's built for[00:36:33] Sarah's four grief personas and the conflict they explain[00:59:15] Why resisting your calling is actually the unsafe path Let's Connect! Sarah Baldwin Restfully | Linkedin Chandler Stroud Website | LinkedIn | Instagram Feel like life might be inviting you into something more? Take the free quiz to discover where your call may be showing up. Not sure what to do with what you’re feeling? Book a free call with Chandler to talk through what’s coming up—and what your next step might be. Ready to answer the call? Healing Heroines is an intimate sisterhood for women ready to actively create more meaningful lives—together. Mixing and editing provided by Next Day Podcast. Text message us questions, requests, or comments!

  4. Sep 9

    When Life Calls You Into More: 8 Women on Healing, Change, & Starting Over

    Sometimes the call arrives as curiosity. Sometimes it arrives as a diagnosis, a loss, or a door closing that you thought needed to stay open. What does it actually sound like when a woman stops overriding herself and starts listening? This compilation episode brings together some of the most honest moments from the Healing Heroines. Their stories are completely different: betrayal, chronic illness, rock bottom, emergency surgery, a slow and quiet unraveling. But the thread running through all of them is the same: a woman choosing to pay attention to what her life was asking of her, and deciding to answer. This is where the Healing Heroines begins. What You Will Learn [00:07:00] Dr. Debi Silber on rebuilding after total destruction[00:07:30] Laura on what she'd tell her younger self[00:08:30] Nerissa on trading "why me" for "what now"[00:10:30] Ashley on surrendering to the right path[00:13:00] Rebekah on making tea a three-minute ritual[00:16:00] Kristen on the body shutting you down[00:18:30] Alayna on healing as an inner world shift[00:21:30] Katherine on coming home to yourself with plant medicine Connect with The Heroines! Dr. Debi Silber Laura Mahoney Nerissa Balland Ashley Koff Rebekah Jordan Kristen Raza Alayna Belquist Katherine Petrullo Chandler Stroud Website | LinkedIn | Instagram Feel like life might be inviting you into something more? Take the free quiz to discover where your call may be showing up. Not sure what to do with what you’re feeling? Book a free call with Chandler to talk through what’s coming up—and what your next step might be. Ready to answer the call? Healing Heroines is an intimate sisterhood for women ready to actively create more meaningful lives—together. Mixing and editing provided by Next Day Podcast. Text message us questions, requests, or comments!

  5. Sep 2

    The Rebrand We Didn’t Plan: Welcome to the Healing Heroines

    We weren't planning to rebrand.  That is, until Chandler received an unexpected email during a recent family vacation. But what started as an inconvenient problem turned into something she couldn't ignore, and ultimately, a profound realization over breakfast in her kitchen that brought her to tears in the best possible way. What if the disruption you didn’t ask for is actually pointing you in the right direction? Introducing The Healing Heroines Podcast—a place to discover what your own heroine story might look like. You’ll still hear the true stories of women who have moved through life-changing experiences and the trusted guides who’ve helped shape those journeys. But the Healing Heroines is becoming something more: a place for women who’ve built lives they’re grateful for, and still feel the pull toward something more. Listen to this solo episode for the full story behind the rebrand—and what’s ahead in this next chapter. What You Will Learn [00:09:30] Chandler's trademark challenge and what it really forced her to see[00:12:00] Why Healing Heroines wasn't plan B but the real name all along[00:13:30] The heroines were always the center, not a subset[00:15:30] Why Chandler's heart wasn't fully in the membership relaunch[00:16:00] The hero's journey and where the guides really fit[00:19:00] Creating spaces where women can write and share their own story[00:22:30] The reel that stopped Chandler cold and the deep remembering it unlocked[00:26:30] How Homecoming was born and what it's meant to give womenResources Mentioned The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der KolkLet’s Connect! Chandler Stroud Website | LinkedIn | Instagram Feel like life might be inviting you into something more? Take the free quiz to discover where your call may be showing up. Not sure what to do with what you’re feeling? Book a free call with Chandler to talk through what’s coming up—and what your next step might be. Ready to answer the call? Healing Heroines is an intimate sisterhood for women ready to actively create more meaningful lives—together. Mixing and editing provided by Next Day Podcast. Text message us questions, requests, or comments!

  6. Aug 26

    From Weight Loss to Weight Health in the Age of GLP-1s: Ashley's Story | Healing Heroines

    What if the way we think about our weight started long before we ever chose to think about it at all? And what if we're having the wrong types of conversations about GLP-1s? Ashley Koff is a registered dietitian, weight health expert, and founder of the Better Nutrition Program. Her understanding of weight is deeply personal, too—and she's spent her career building the framework she wishes had existed for her. In this conversation, Ashley unpacks the critical difference between weight loss and weight health, what GLP-1 and GIP hormones actually do in the body, and why optimizing your hormones matters whether or not you ever touch the medication. But before any of that, she shares a story she kept to herself for decades—one that will resonate with anyone who has ever felt like their body was a problem that needed a solution. What You Will Learn [00:10:00] Ashley's bully moment at age eight — and 40 years of carrying it[00:15:00] How disempowerment leads to risky behaviors — the research behind it[00:20:00] When Ashley's body started feeling like it was working against her[00:30:30] The bar, the stranger, and Ashley's life-changing rock bottom[00:36:30] What introduced her to GLP-1 hormones in 2004[00:49:30] What GLP-1 and GIP actually do — beyond blood sugar[00:53:30] Right order matters — digestion, hydration, and movement first[01:08:30] What "your best shot" actually means beyond the medicationResources Mentioned Your Best Shot by Ashley Koff, RDBetter Nutrition Program Let’s Connect! Ashley Koff Instagram | LinkedIn Chandler Stroud Website | LinkedIn | Instagram Happiness Academy is now Healing Heroines, a signature space for women who are ready to feel more grounded, more peaceful, and more aligned — inside and out.  Download a complimentary Healing Roadmap to discover our Past, Present, and Possible framework. Want personalized guidance for your healing journey? Book a call with Chandler! Mixing and editing provided by Next Day Podcast. Text message us questions, requests, or comments!

  7. Aug 19

    Resilience from Curing Lyme Disease: Alayna's Story | Healing Heroine

    Alayna Bellquist was bitten by a tick on a trail ride in San Diego. The ER doctor gave her two pills and sent her home. What followed wasn't just a year in bed. It was a time when Alayna's life was abruptly halted, forcing her to reckon with everything that had come before it. Alayna is a marine scientist, author, and speaker who spent two decades studying how ecosystems collapse and how they bounce back. Then her own body became the ecosystem in crisis. A chronic Lyme diagnosis forced her to stop racing, stop achieving, and start looking backward at a childhood that had quietly shaped her into someone who never asked for help and never took days off.  What she found on the other side wasn't just recovery. It was a completely different way of understanding what healing actually requires and how the words we use to describe our healing journey carry the most weight of all. What You Will Learn [00:14:30] Alayna's life scheduled to the minute, always racing[00:18:00] What parentification explained about her patterns[00:28:00] Three years of symptoms she called "stress"[00:34:00] Hiding Lyme disease from her family for months[00:37:30] Calling on a psychic out of pure desperation[00:45:30] Addressing Alayna's true vulnerabilities, not the tick[00:56:00] Why Alayna says "cured," not "in remission" when mentioning her experience with Lyme disease[00:59:00] A simple perspective on what healing can actually look likeResources Mentioned Resilient by Nature: A Memoir of Curing Chronic Lyme Disease by Alayna BellquistMia Magik - Alayna's Intuitive AdvisorLet’s Connect! Alayna Bellquist Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | YouTube Chandler Stroud Website | LinkedIn | Instagram Happiness Academy is now Healing Heroines, a signature space for women who are ready to feel more grounded, more peaceful, and more aligned — inside and out.  Download a complimentary Healing Roadmap to discover our Past, Present, and Possible framework. Want personalized guidance for your healing journey? Book a call with Chandler! Mixing and editing provided by Next Day Podcast. Text message us questions, requests, or comments!

  8. Aug 12

    Cancer, Creativity, and Finding Herself Again: Nerissa's Story | Healing Heroines

    Nerissa Balland was five months pregnant, working full-time, and had a 1-year-old at home when her dermatologist said the word malignant. Her first instinct was to keep going, but of course, cancer didn't care. What happens when a life-changing diagnosis unravels your life and you don't have the words for any of it? After two decades chasing corporate titles and pursuing nonprofit work, Nerissa had quietly set aside the one thing that had always made her feel free: art. A diagnosis of metastatic melanoma at 38 forced her to reckon not only with her health, but with the parts of herself she'd abandoned along the way. Now, she's the author of Canvas of Courage and a therapeutic arts practitioner who reminds people that broken crayons still color. What You Will Learn [00:09:00] Validating herself through every promotion and job change[00:12:30] Cancer diagnosis at 38, five months pregnant[00:16:30] Making the invisible visible without words[00:19:30] Why non-artists have the real advantage[00:39:00] Ranch visit that rewired Nerissa's mindset[00:43:00] Overthinking her return to art[00:47:00] Broken crayons still color[00:58:00] Shifting from "why me" to "what now"Resources Mentioned Canvas of Courage by Nerissa BallandByron KatieLet’s Connect! Nerissa Balland Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTube Chandler Stroud Website | LinkedIn | Instagram Happiness Academy is now Healing Heroines, a signature space for women who are ready to feel more grounded, more peaceful, and more aligned — inside and out.  Download a complimentary Healing Roadmap to discover our Past, Present, and Possible framework. Want personalized guidance for your healing journey? Book a call with Chandler! Mixing and editing provided by Next Day Podcast. Text message us questions, requests, or comments!

See All (126)

4.8
out of 5
43 Ratings

About

Welcome to Healing Heroines: Real Stories of Purpose, Growth & Transformation, a podcast for women who have built lives they’re grateful for, but still feel the pull for something more. Each week, host Chandler Stroud sits down with women who have answered that call, along with the trusted guides who have shaped her own journey, to explore the stories, choices, and turning points that changed everything. From unexpected interruptions and major life transitions to quieter moments of knowing, these conversations explore what happens when we stop ignoring what life is asking of us and start trusting ourselves enough to answer. Because sometimes, the story that changes your life starts with someone else’s. Every woman receives the call. A heroine chooses to answer it.

Information