Empower Hour

Empower Hour
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Mental Health
  • Updated Weekly

Empower Hour is your weekly dose of real talk, practical wisdom, and hope-filled conversations—hosted by therapist April and her friend Audrey, a down-to-earth cultural observer with a heart for truth. Together, they unpack life’s challenges with compassion, clarity, and a little humor too. Whether you’re navigating stress, relationships, parenting, or just trying to make sense of the chaos around you, you’ll leave every episode feeling seen, equipped, and empowered. No fluff. No preachiness. Just honest insights and encouragement you can actually use.

  1. Jun 1

    What Your Teen Isn’t Telling You, But Needs You to Hear

    Guest: Serenity Calhoun In this deeply personal episode of The Empower Hour, April sits down with her 19-year-old daughter, Serenity, for an honest conversation about teen mental health, drug use, self-harm, suicidal ideation, and what it was like to walk through that season as both a daughter and a mother. Serenity shares what she wishes parents understood, including: Suicidal thoughts can feel isolating, shameful, and confusing, especially when a teen does not realize they are not alone.Some teens hide their pain well, even in homes where mental health is talked about openly.Drug use is not always “just experimenting.” Sometimes it becomes a way to escape pain, shame, anxiety, or emotional overwhelm.Self-harm can become a harmful coping mechanism when a teen does not know how else to regulate what is happening inside.Parents cannot control everything, and not every warning sign is obvious.When a child is in crisis, sometimes the most helpful thing is not a perfect speech. Sometimes it is sitting with them, staying calm, listening, and not trying to rush them out of the pain. April and Serenity also talk about hospitalization, residential treatment, finding the right therapist, and why healing often takes time, patience, support, and more than one attempt at getting help. This episode is for parents, caregivers, teens, and young adults who need hope and practical understanding in a scary situation. Resources: If you or someone you love is in immediate danger, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.Call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the U.S. Free, confidential support is available 24/7.You can also chat with 988 at 988lifeline.org.Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 for free, 24/7 crisis support in the U.S.NAMI offers education and support for families navigating mental health concerns at nami.org. Please share this episode with a parent, caregiver, teen, or young adult who may need to hear: you are not weird, you are not alone, and help is worth trying one more time

    47 min

  2. May 25

    Stepmom Guilt, Blended Families, and the Weight Women Were Never Meant to Carry

    Episode Guest: Jessica Koptis, The Steady Stepmom This week on The Empower Hour, we sat down with Jessica Koptis, also known as The Steady Stepmom, for an honest and deeply relatable conversation about blended families, step parenting, guilt, boundaries, and the emotional weight so many moms carry. Jessica shared her personal story of walking through divorce, becoming part of a blended family, and learning how to stop carrying everyone else’s emotions. As a mom of three and stepmom to three, she brings wisdom, compassion, and lived experience to a role that is often misunderstood. In this episode, Jessica talks about the pressure many stepmoms feel to be perfect, love instantly, keep the peace, and hold the family together. She also shares the heart behind her guide, The Glue, a method for women who are done carrying everyone else’s emotions and are ready to find themselves again. Follow Jessica on Instagram: @thesteadystepmom Check out her guide, The Glue:The Method for women who are done carrying everyone else’s emotions. Thank you for listening to The Empower Hour. If this episode encouraged you or made you think of someone who needs to hear it, please share it with a friend.

    1 hr

  3. May 4

    How to Raise Resilient Kids in Therapy-Speak Culture

    Jess Gambill, LCSW and one of Empower Counseling’s Idaho counselors, is back on Empower Hour for a conversation that so many parents need right now. In this episode, April and Jess talk about the way words like trauma, triggered, abuse, and toxic have become everyday language, especially for kids and teens. While it is a good thing that this generation is more aware of mental health, there is also a growing problem: not every uncomfortable, upsetting, or disappointing experience is trauma. Jess shares from both her professional experience and her personal experience as a mom of twin boys, including what it feels like when a child calls a consequence “abuse” or threatens CPS because their phone was taken away. April and Jess talk honestly about how hard those moments can be for parents, why anger is a normal reaction, and how parents can respond with both empathy and clarity. This conversation is not about dismissing real trauma. It is about helping kids understand the difference between true abuse, traumatic experiences, big emotions, normal consequences, and everyday discomfort. When kids learn the difference, they become more emotionally intelligent, more resilient, and better prepared for real life.  April and Jess discuss: What “big T trauma” actually meansWhy social media has changed the way kids talk about mental healthHow words like “triggered” and “abusive” can become shutdown phrasesWhy parents often feel stuck when they do not want to invalidate their child, but also know the label is not accurateThe difference between validating a child’s feelings and validating the wrong labelHow to respond when a child says, “You’re abusing me” over a normal consequenceWhy taking a pause can be better than reacting in angerHow asking “Walk me through how we got here” can help kids take ownershipWhy parents should be willing to ask, “What could I do better?”How uncomfortable moments can build resilience instead of fragilityWhy kids need accurate language so they can recognize real abuse when it happens

    55 min

  4. Apr 13

    8 Truths That Might Change Your Life This Week

    This episode is a little different…and one you’ll probably feel. No guest today. Just us diving into the hard truths people don’t always want to hear… but probably need to. We’re talking about: Why you might not actually be overwhelmed…just overcommittedHow your thoughts are shaping your reality (more than you think)The truth about motivation…and why waiting on it is holding you backWhy guilt doesn’t always mean you’re doing something wrongWhen to stop over-processing and just let things goThe difference between being liked vs. being respectedAnd why healing doesn’t always feel peaceful If something hits, don’t just nod along. Do something with it this week. We’d love to hear what stood out to you! Message us or leave a review… it helps us reach more people and keep these conversations going.

    56 min

  5. Mar 30

    The Communication Mistake Most People Don’t Know They’re Making

    This week we sat down with Megan McCaleb, improv trainer, comedian, and award-winning author of Not My Plan — Sucking it in Until I Had to Push it Out. Megan teaches applied improv and humor to help people improve communication, handle conflict, manage anxiety, and become more confident in everyday life. In this episode, we talk about the powerful improv concept of “Yes, And,” suspending judgment, learning to stay present in hard moments, and how improv is being used with first responders, corporate teams, and everyday people to build connection and emotional resilience. If you’ve ever struggled with anxiety, pressure, communication, or fear of judgment, this episode will give you simple, practical tools you can start using immediately.

    1h 6m

  6. Mar 16

    Train Your Body Without Abandoning Your Mind | Carlie Young

    In this episode of Empower Hour, April and Audrey welcome Carlie Young, a holistic wellness mentor, Reiki Master Teacher, human design guide, and IFBB Figure Pro. Carlie is the founder of Heart and Core Training Studio in Boise, Idaho, where she blends strength training, nervous system regulation, and energy work to help women reconnect with their bodies and build sustainable wellness. The conversation explores the powerful mind–body connection, how trauma and burnout can show up in the body, and why movement, breathwork, and nervous system regulation are essential for healing. Carlie also shares insights about fascia, emotional release through movement, and how keeping small commitments to yourself can rebuild trust with your body. Carlie gives listeners a preview of Human Design, an energetic blueprint that helps people understand how they are uniquely wired to interact with the world. Learn more about Carlie:HeartandCoreTraining.comInstagram: @CarlieYoungFit | @heartandcoretraining

    1h 7m

  7. Mar 9

    Mental Health & EMS: What First Responders Wish You Knew

    Content Note:This episode contains discussion of suicide, self-harm, and mental health crises in the context of EMS work. Listener discretion is advised. In this episode of Empower Hour, April is joined by a special guest: her husband, Jeremy Thorndyke, a firefighter-paramedic with decades of experience in emergency services. Jeremy shares what it’s really like responding to emergencies and why mental health calls are becoming a growing part of EMS work.  Together, April, Audrey, and Jeremy discuss the gap between mental health needs and the training EMS providers receive. Jeremy shares real stories from the field that highlight how misunderstandings around mental health can lead to unnecessary hospitalizations, broken trust in the system, and missed opportunities to help people in crisis. They also explore the difference between self-harm and suicidal intent, why specialized mobile crisis units can make a difference, and how first responders themselves are often carrying heavy emotional burdens from the work they do. This conversation offers an honest look at the challenges EMS professionals face and why better education, resources, and collaboration between mental health professionals and first responders are so important. If you or someone you know is struggling, remember that help is available. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available nationwide for anyone needing support.

    1h 24m

  8. Mar 2

    Postpartum After Surrogacy: What No One Talks About

    Postpartum is already misunderstood. But postpartum after surrogacy? Almost no one is talking about it. In this deeply personal and clinically informed episode, April shares her lived experience as a four-time gestational carrier who carried six babies for other families. She opens up about what really happens after the baby is born, the emotional complexity that follows, and why postpartum support for gestational carriers matters just as much as it does for biological mothers. This conversation is not anti-surrogacy. It is pro-honesty. Whether you are considering becoming a gestational carrier, know someone who has, or simply want to understand the psychological layers of postpartum more deeply, this episode brings compassion, clarity, and clinical insight to a topic that deserves more attention. Why traditional surrogacy is rarely practiced today What “gestational carrier” really means Why language matters in this journey It is rarely about money alone The personality traits often seen clinically Altruism, competence, emotional regulation, and secure attachment Why psychological screening matters We also discuss how organizations like the American Society for Reproductive Medicine set standards for evaluation to ensure emotional readiness and ethical integrity in the process. April walks us through what happens in a psychological evaluation for gestational carriers: Attachment history Trauma history Support systems Motivation Ability to set boundaries Emotional insight and resilience This process is not about passing or failing. It is about preparation, protection, and emotional clarity. After birth, the body does not know the baby is not coming home. We break down: The rapid estrogen and progesterone drop Oxytocin shifts Lactation changes Sleep deprivation The emotional whiplash that can follow Gestational carriers may feel: Pride and grief at the same time Relief and sadness simultaneously Loss of pregnancy, routine, or even relationship with intended parents And often, once the baby is born, the attention disappears. Support fades. Life is expected to resume as normal. But postpartum is not just a moment. It can last 12 months or longer. Sometimes the deepest grief is not about the baby. It is about: Missing the pregnancy Missing the bond with intended parents Missing the shared experience This emotional layer is rarely acknowledged, yet profoundly real. April encourages gestational carriers to plan not just for birth, but for recovery: Create a postpartum wellness plan Take recovery time seriously Consider therapy support Prepare an “elevator pitch” for curious questions Identify real, tangible support Plan something meaningful for yourself after delivery Postpartum deserves intention. Not just endurance. One word to describe postpartum as a carrier: Beautifully complicated Most misunderstood part of surrogacy: Why women choose to do it Advice to future carriers: You will love every minute of it Coffee or nap during recovery: Nap Surrogacy is becoming more common. But postpartum mental health, especially for gestational carriers, remains overlooked . This episode brings empathy, expertise, and lived experience into a space that deserves thoughtful care. If this episode resonated with you: Share it with someone who needs to hear it Leave a review Reach out to Empower Counseling for support You are not meant to navigate postpartum alone. And the things no one talks about?We will.

    1h 7m
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About

Empower Hour is your weekly dose of real talk, practical wisdom, and hope-filled conversations—hosted by therapist April and her friend Audrey, a down-to-earth cultural observer with a heart for truth. Together, they unpack life’s challenges with compassion, clarity, and a little humor too. Whether you’re navigating stress, relationships, parenting, or just trying to make sense of the chaos around you, you’ll leave every episode feeling seen, equipped, and empowered. No fluff. No preachiness. Just honest insights and encouragement you can actually use.

Information

  • Creator
    Empower Hour
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    27
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Empower Hour
  • Show Website
    Empower Hour