Empowered & Embodied Show

Kim Romain & Louise Neil
  • 5.0 (16)
  • MENTAL HEALTH
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Kim Romain and Louise Neil, alongside their refreshingly candid guests, welcome you to an entertaining and profound journey exploring the human experience. Through everyday ups and downs, The Empowered & Embodied Show dives deep into what it genuinely means to be gloriously, messily human. This isn't your standard self-help podcast—it's an unfiltered exploration of the laughter, tears, and "what the heck just happened?" moments that define our lives. Whether you're riding the wave of success or navigating the swamp of self-doubt, Kim and Louise unpack the complex realities and unexpected joys of personal growth with wit, wisdom, and healthy self-deprecation. Because let's face it—becoming your most empowered self is never a straight line.

  1. Learning to Trust Yourself Starts With Your Emotional Wisdom

    6D AGO

    Learning to Trust Yourself Starts With Your Emotional Wisdom

    Send us a Message Learning to trust yourself starts with your emotional wisdom - but most of us were taught to feel one emotion at a time, rush past the hard ones, and judge ourselves for being "too much." In episode 191 of The Empowered & Embodied Show, Kim Romain and Louise Neil discuss the impact of societal conditioning on emotional expression and the journey towards self-trust and emotional awareness. They explore holding multiple feelings at once, the difference between processing emotions in your body versus your head, and why self-trust is built by tending to your inner wisdom like a garden - not by controlling or fixing yourself. If you're doing inner work and want to move from performing to being, from inherited patterns to your own clarity, this conversation is for you. Key Takeaways: All emotions have a place at the table.Conditioning affects how we express our emotions.Self-trust is essential for emotional awareness.We need both logic and emotion to understand ourselves.Mutual support is crucial for emotional growth.Trust with others starts with trust for ourselves.Key Moments: 00:00 Welcome and Introduction 01:45 Holding Multiple Emotions Without Choosing One 04:34 The Rush to Get Through Negative Emotions 05:33 Growing Up Being Told You're Too Emotional 06:49 The Fear That Lives Around Our Emotions 09:01 When Your Head Tries to Control Your Body 14:20 Building Self Trust Through Emotional Awareness 20:15 Why Control and Empowerment Are Not the Same 29:44 The Garden Metaphor for Tending Self Trust 35:49 Take What You Need and Leave the Rest Join a circle of changemakers committed to leading with purpose, presence and ease inside Kim's Rising Visionaries mentorship program. Reclaim your career and confidence during midlife through Louise's Rise & Redefine program. If you’re loving this show, come check out the Feminist Podcasters Collective, where creators like us are uplifting diverse voices and driving meaningful change. If you’re looking for new shows to fill your feed, head to https://feministpodcasterscollective.com

    37 min
  2. How to Change Systems from the Inside Out with Dr. Krystal Rawls

    JAN 27

    How to Change Systems from the Inside Out with Dr. Krystal Rawls

    Send us a Message Feeling powerless against systems that seem too big to change? Episode 190 of The Empowered & Embodied Show will shift how you think about agency, collective power, and your role in transformation. Kim Romain and Louise Neil sit down with Dr. Krystal Rawls, systems strategist, workforce futurist, and Director of the Workforce Integration Network at Cal State Dominguez Hills. Dr. Rawls breaks down why systems aren't separate from people, they're made OF people. That means you have more power than you think. In this conversation, we explore the difference between personal and collective agency, why isolation keeps us stuck, and how finding your community isn't just nice-to-have, it's the actual mechanism of systems change. Dr. Rawls shares practical strategies for moving from feeling like a lone voice to building collective power that creates real impact. KEY TAKEAWAYS: Personal agency is the permission you give yourself to actCollective agency emerges when your community aligns on shared values and directionSystems aren't bigger than people; they're comprised of people, which means you have inherent powerFinding your community starts by finding one person who you align withBelonging is about fully being yourself within communityCHAPTERS: 00:00 Introduction and Welcome 04:02 Understanding Systems and Individual Agency 06:31 The Importance of Community in Systems Change 09:10 Defining Personal and Collective Agency 11:56 Challenging Individualism and Embracing Community 14:58 Navigating Systems and Personal Choices 17:24 Building Community and Collective Action 20:09 The Role of Rituals in Community Building 25:39 The Journey from Individual to Collective Impact 28:26 Finding Belonging in Community 31:04 Rest as a Strategy for Empowerment 33:29 Wrap Up and Call to Action ABOUT DR. KRYSTAL RAWLS: Dr. Krystal Rawls is a systems strategist, educator, and workforce futurist whose work centers on equity, agency, and institutional change. As Director of the Workforce Integration Network at California State University, Dominguez Hills, she leads large-scale initiatives bridging digital access, economic mobility, and community empowerment. Her expertise spans organizational behavior, change management, and digital equity with a focus on how identity and agency shape the way individuals engage and transform systems. Connect with Dr. Rawls on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/professorrawls/ Download pre-release chapters Dr. Rawls' upcoming book - Ambient Learning Models: Civic Learning in a Post AI Pedagogy: https://myseconddraft.notion.site/What-Education-Becomes-2e3057aab8728032a637ee2aa00b0a95 Join a circle of changemakers committed to leading with purpose, presence and ease inside Kim's Rising Visionaries mentorship program. Reclaim your career and confidence during midlife through Louise's Rise & Redefine program. If you’re loving this show, come check out the Feminist Podcasters Collective, where creators like us are uplifting diverse voices and driving meaningful change. If you’re looking for new shows to fill your feed, head to https://feministpodcasterscollective.com

    40 min
  3. Leading Like a Herd, Not a Hierarchy with Abriana Johnson

    JAN 20

    Leading Like a Herd, Not a Hierarchy with Abriana Johnson

    Send us a Message In Episode 189 of The Empowered & Embodied Show, Kim Romain and Louise Neil sit down with Abriana Johnson, host of the Black in the Saddle podcast and founder of Black Unicorn Creative, to go beyond mindset and explore alignment as something you feel deeply in your body. Abriana shares her genius about what horses teach us about leadership, safety, and trust. They dive in about why balance is a myth, why over-focusing can actually create harm, and how leaders lose credibility when their words and bodies aren’t aligned. This conversation weaves together biomimicry, nervous system regulation, brand culture, and collective awareness, offering a grounded reminder that leadership isn’t about control. It’s about attention, congruence, and moving together. At its core, this episode invites you to slow down, widen your awareness, and remember that alignment happens at the level of self, community, and environment. Key Takeaways Balance is a myth.Safety is the foundation of trust, leadership, and collaboration.Over-focusing can be as harmful as distraction.Nature prioritizes efficiency and sustainability over control.Being different only works when people feel safe enough to show up. Key Moments 00:00 Welcome and Introductions 03:43 Abriana’s Path from Animal Science to Biomimicry 06:21 Horses as a Model for Collective Awareness 07:20 Why Balance Is a Myth and Alignment Matters 11:45 Over-Focus, Control, and Missed Signals 15:16 Nature, Efficiency, and Sustainability 23:25 Safety, Trust, and Alignment 31:44 Alignment at the Individual and Collective Level 33:18 Golden Nuggets and Integration  Connect with Abriana Website: http://www.blackunicorncreative.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abrianajohnson/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/in/theabrianaj/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@abrianaj Join a circle of changemakers committed to leading with purpose, presence and ease inside Kim's Rising Visionaries mentorship program. Reclaim your career and confidence during midlife through Louise's Rise & Redefine program. If you’re loving this show, come check out the Feminist Podcasters Collective, where creators like us are uplifting diverse voices and driving meaningful change. If you’re looking for new shows to fill your feed, head to https://feministpodcasterscollective.com

    40 min
  4. Replay: Moving Beyond Labels to True Identity

    JAN 6

    Replay: Moving Beyond Labels to True Identity

    Send us a Message What if the way you introduce yourself is actually holding you back? In this episode of The Empowered and Embodied Show, Kim Romain and Louise Neil start with a simple question: "How do you introduce yourself?" and uncover something much deeper... the difference between putting on a mask and performing who you think you should be and embodying who you actually are. They explore the hidden needs that drive how we show up in the world, why understanding those needs unlocks authentic leadership, and how to stop shrinking yourself to fit into rooms that weren't built for you. In This Episode: Why "Tell me about yourself" may trigger anxiety and what to do insteadThe truth about needs vs. being "needy" (and why this matters for confidence)How Human Design reveals patterns that keep you stuck in doubtMoving from role-based identity to soul-based expressionWhat authentic leadership actually looks like when you stop performingPerfect for you if you've ever felt the gap between who you are and how the world sees you, struggled with introducing yourself authentically, or wondered why networking feels so draining. This conversation gets deep, fast and will change how you think about identity, authenticity, and what you truly need to thrive. Key Moments: 00:00 — Intros and Welcome 04:47 — Identity Starts with How We Introduce Ourselves 05:00 — Human Design: Open Centers and the Spiral of Doubt 08:34 — The Difference Between Wants and Needs 12:34 — Why Needs Are About Fulfillment, Not Lack 15:32 — Unlearning "Too Needy": Reclaiming Our Right to Need 18:07 — Finding the Courage to Name What Fills You 20:34 — Redefining Leadership: Guiding vs. Commanding 27:50 — Holding Space: What It Really Means to Lead Energetically 31:13 — When Someone Else Introduces You (And Gets It Right) 32:48 — The Struggle to Be Seen in Rooms That Aren't Like-Minded 35:23 — Noticing the Word "Need" and What It Reveals 37:24 — Final Reflections: Still in the Messy Middle, Still Growing 38:44 — Embodying Your Identity Join a circle of changemakers committed to leading with purpose, presence and ease inside Kim's Rising Visionaries mentorship program. Reclaim your career and confidence during midlife through Louise's Rise & Redefine program. If you’re loving this show, come check out the Feminist Podcasters Collective, where creators like us are uplifting diverse voices and driving meaningful change. If you’re looking for new shows to fill your feed, head to https://feministpodcasterscollective.com

    35 min
  5. Replay: Creating Ease Through Alignment and Authenticity with Adhya Rose

    12/30/2025

    Replay: Creating Ease Through Alignment and Authenticity with Adhya Rose

    Send us a Message What if creating ease in your life and work isn’t about doing more… but about aligning more deeply with what’s already true? In this replay episode of The Empowered & Embodied Show, Kim Romain and Louise Neil are joined by Adhya Rose, an efficiency and energetics coach who supports purpose-driven entrepreneurs in building sustainable systems that honor both capacity and humanity. This conversation explores alignment, authenticity, embodiment, and the practice of allowing. Together, they unpack why control often feels safer than trust, how misalignment leads to burnout, and what becomes possible when we stop forcing outcomes and start listening to what our bodies, values, and lives are asking for. Rather than offering formulas or quick fixes, this episode invites a slower, more honest inquiry into how ease is created through clarity, self-trust, and supportive systems that work with us instead of against us. In this episode, we explore: What alignment actually looks like in real life and businessWhy authenticity is a practice, not a personality traitThe relationship between control, surrender, and inner peaceHow systems can support growth without depletionNavigating change, chaos, and personal evolution with more easeThe ripple effect of personal alignment on the collectiveIf you’re craving more ease, navigating a season of transition, or re-evaluating how you live and work, this conversation offers language, perspective, and permission to stop pushing and start allowing. Key Moments: 00:00 – Intro & Welcome 02:53 – Alignment and Ease 05:33 – Authenticity in Practice 08:04 – Asking for Support 12:03 – Systems That Support 15:46 – Navigating Change 19:13 – Inner Peace and Trust 21:20 – Growth Through Chaos 24:37 – Karma and Evolution 30:07 – Conscious Creation 33:12 – Control vs. Surrender 39:02 – Collective Impact 43:46 – Final Reflections Connect With Adhya: Website: www.adhyarose.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adhyarose_mentor/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adhya-rose-27960017a/  Join a circle of changemakers committed to leading with purpose, presence and ease inside Kim's Rising Visionaries mentorship program. Reclaim your career and confidence during midlife through Louise's Rise & Redefine program. If you’re loving this show, come check out the Feminist Podcasters Collective, where creators like us are uplifting diverse voices and driving meaningful change. If you’re looking for new shows to fill your feed, head to https://feministpodcasterscollective.com

    51 min
  6. Replay: Decolonizing Leadership - Belonging, Power, and the Systems We Inherited with Shoshana Allice

    12/23/2025

    Replay: Decolonizing Leadership - Belonging, Power, and the Systems We Inherited with Shoshana Allice

    Send us a Message Leadership didn’t become exclusionary over time. It was intentionally built that way. In this replay episode of The Empowered & Embodied Show, Kim Romain and Louise Neil sit down with Shoshana Allice, a neuro-inclusive leadership coach and consultant, to examine how leadership systems are rooted in exclusion and what it takes to lead differently. This conversation explores decolonizing leadership, the myth of belonging through conformity, and how power, privilege, and productivity norms shape who gets to lead and who gets left out. Together, they name the ways we’ve been taught to wear armor, suppress our bodies, and confuse fitting in with safety. This episode covers: Why so many leadership systems are exclusionaryWhat it means to decolonize leadership and unlearn inherited normsBelonging vs. fitting inRest as resistance inside productivity cultureCuriosity as a leadership practiceReclaiming humanity in leadership and workIf you’re questioning traditional leadership models, navigating burnout, or searching for more honest and humane ways to lead, this episode offers language (and permission) to stop pretending the system works for everyone. Key Moments: 00:00 – Welcome and Introductions 07:20 – Curiosity, Writing, and Listening to the Process 13:20 – Introducing Shoshana Alice 15:47 – Land Acknowledgement and Context 21:33 – What Decolonizing Leadership Really Means 25:15 – Safety, Armor, and Brave Spaces 30:04 – Curiosity as the Starting Point 34:45 – Belonging vs. Fitting In 38:32 – Age, Wisdom, and Leadership 44:36 – Key Takeaways and Reflections 49:10 – Where to Find Shoshana and Closing Resources Mentioned: 📖 Rest as Resistance by Tricia Hersey 🎥 This is Water Connect with Shoshana: 🌎 www.decolonizingleadership.com Join a circle of changemakers committed to leading with purpose, presence and ease inside Kim's Rising Visionaries mentorship program. Reclaim your career and confidence during midlife through Louise's Rise & Redefine program. If you’re loving this show, come check out the Feminist Podcasters Collective, where creators like us are uplifting diverse voices and driving meaningful change. If you’re looking for new shows to fill your feed, head to https://feministpodcasterscollective.com

    51 min
  7. Replay: Building Confidence vs. Proving Competence with Becky Mollenkamp

    12/16/2025

    Replay: Building Confidence vs. Proving Competence with Becky Mollenkamp

    Send us a Message In this re-released episode, we explore the crucial difference between competence and confidence, and why understanding this distinction might be the key to getting unstuck. This episode was originally released November 19, 2024. We're resurfacing this conversation because the struggle between external validation and internal confidence is timeless, and these insights deserve another listen. Kim, Louise, and business coach Becky Mollenkamp dive into the psychology of proving energy, the myth that confidence appears before you're ready, and why taking action scared is the only way forward. Becky shares her journey from a "perfect on paper" life to complete upheaval, and what she learned about building businesses and lives aligned with who you actually are. If you've ever felt like you're doing all the right things but still don't feel ready, struggled with self-doubt despite having the skills, or wondered whether fear or wisdom is holding you back from your next big move, this conversation is for you. What We Cover The critical difference between competence (external validation) and confidence (internal belief)Why "proving energy" keeps you stuck in a cycle of seeking approvalHow to act your way into believing faster than you can believe your way into actingThe "Is this new?" framework for evaluating whether fear is protecting you or limiting youHow to resource yourself when taking scary steps forwardThe mediocre white man test: identifying when systemic conditioning (not lack of ability) holds you backWhy sometimes the bravest choice is saying "I could do this, and I choose not to"About Becky Mollenkamp Becky is a business coach for entrepreneurs ready to transition from small business owner to CEO without recreating toxic corporate culture. She's the founder of the Feminist Founders Movement, host of the Feminist Founders Podcast, co-host of the Messy Liberation Podcast, and founder of the Feminist Podcasters Collective. You can find her work at https://beckymollenkamp.com or wherever you listen to podcasts. Listen + Subscribe If this episode resonates, follow The Empowered & Embodied Show for more conversations on confidence, self-trust, leadership, and building a life aligned with who you actually are. Join a circle of changemakers committed to leading with purpose, presence and ease inside Kim's Rising Visionaries mentorship program. Reclaim your career and confidence during midlife through Louise's Rise & Redefine program. If you’re loving this show, come check out the Feminist Podcasters Collective, where creators like us are uplifting diverse voices and driving meaningful change. If you’re looking for new shows to fill your feed, head to https://feministpodcasterscollective.com

    41 min
  8. Replay: Reclaim Your Power with Valerie Freidlander

    12/09/2025

    Replay: Reclaim Your Power with Valerie Freidlander

    Send us a Message In this re-released episode, we dive right into the heart of personal agency, systemic conditioning, and what it actually takes to reclaim your power in a world that benefits from you doubting yourself. This episode was originally released on October 29, 2024. We’re resurfacing this episode because the conversation around agency, sovereignty, and systems is more relevant than ever and it’s worth hearing again. Kim, Louise, and coach + mediator Valerie Friedlander explore how we learn to trust our bodies, advocate for ourselves (and our kids), and untangle the beliefs we absorbed from workplaces, schools, and social systems that were never designed with our wellbeing in mind. If you’ve ever struggled with self-trust, boundary-setting, burnout, parenting in a system that overrides instincts, or feeling “not enough” inside corporate or cultural expectations, this conversation hits home. What We Cover • How systems — not individuals — create the illusion of disempowerment • The difference between agency, abdication, and conscious choice • Why curiosity is a key tool for sovereignty and emotional resilience • Parenting kids to trust their bodies and instincts • How corporate conditioning follows you into entrepreneurship • The role of self-advocacy inside schools, healthcare, and workplaces • What it means to reclaim power without bypassing the realities around you About Valerie Valerie is a Life & Business Alignment Coach with over 20 years in leadership development, mediation, and personal empowerment work. Her podcast can now be found under Mindset Unlimited. You can find her coaching, writing, and podcast episodes at valeriefriedlander.com or wherever you listen to podcasts. Listen + Subscribe If this episode resonates, follow The Empowered & Embodied Show for more conversations on self-trust, sovereignty, leadership, and living in alignment with who you actually are. Join a circle of changemakers committed to leading with purpose, presence and ease inside Kim's Rising Visionaries mentorship program. Reclaim your career and confidence during midlife through Louise's Rise & Redefine program. If you’re loving this show, come check out the Feminist Podcasters Collective, where creators like us are uplifting diverse voices and driving meaningful change. If you’re looking for new shows to fill your feed, head to https://feministpodcasterscollective.com

    46 min
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About

Kim Romain and Louise Neil, alongside their refreshingly candid guests, welcome you to an entertaining and profound journey exploring the human experience. Through everyday ups and downs, The Empowered & Embodied Show dives deep into what it genuinely means to be gloriously, messily human. This isn't your standard self-help podcast—it's an unfiltered exploration of the laughter, tears, and "what the heck just happened?" moments that define our lives. Whether you're riding the wave of success or navigating the swamp of self-doubt, Kim and Louise unpack the complex realities and unexpected joys of personal growth with wit, wisdom, and healthy self-deprecation. Because let's face it—becoming your most empowered self is never a straight line.

Information

  • Creator
    Kim Romain & Louise Neil
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    198
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Kim Romain and Louise Neil
  • Show Website
    Empowered & Embodied Show