Further Forward

Ashley Mitchell

Honest conversations on the art of becoming.  Through solo reflections and conversations with soulful, sharp, and courageous guests, Ashley creates room for the stories that don’t always get told—the pivots, the struggles, the magic, and the mess. Part spiritual, part practical, always human—Further Forward is a space for women invested in their becoming, who know growth is both messy and worth embracing.

  1. 1D AGO

    Pelvic Floor Health Explained: What Most People Aren’t Taught with Dr. Maya Lespinasse

    Most people don’t think about their pelvic floor until something feels wrong. Leakage. Pain. Tension. Discomfort. Or the quiet sense that something in the body isn’t working the way it used to. In this episode of Further Forward, Ashley sits down with pelvic floor physical therapist Dr. Maya Lespinasse, founder of How’s Your Pelvis Physical Therapy, to talk about one of the most misunderstood parts of the body. Dr. Maya explains what the pelvic floor actually is, why so many people suffer in silence, and how pelvic floor dysfunction can affect people across the entire lifespan — from young athletes to aging bodies. They also explore the surprising ways the body is connected, including the relationship between jaw tension, stress, and pelvic floor health. This conversation is honest, educational, and deeply empowering for anyone who wants to better understand their body. In this episode we discuss: • what the pelvic floor actually is  • why pelvic floor issues are more common than people realize  • why young athletes can experience pelvic floor dysfunction  • the surprising connection between jaw tension and pelvic floor tension  • what actually happens during pelvic floor physical therapy  • why many people suffer in silence If you have a body, this conversation will likely change how you think about it. Website  Instagram  About Dr. Maya:  Dr. Maya Lespinasse, PT, DPT, is a pelvic floor physical therapist, entrepreneur, and mentor dedicated to transforming the way women’s health and pelvic floor dysfunction are treated. As the founder of How’s Your Pelvis? a boutique practice in Foxboro, she specializes in complex pelvic pain, and women’s health concerns. She prioritizes whole-body rehabilitation, blending evidence-based care with compassionate, patient-centered treatment. Her work has been featured in Cosmopolitan, and she is recognized for her clinical excellence, education, and advocacy for equitable, stigma-free pelvic healthcare. Further Forward: Honest Conversations on the Art of Becoming, is hosted by Ashley Mitchell.  📩 Subscribe to Ashley’s newsletter, Mind & Motion: https://blackgirlmagicmama.substack.com/  🎙️ Follow for new episodes + bts footage: https://www.instagram.com/furtherforwardpod?igsh=MWJuaDFiMjlzcjJ1dw%3D%3D&utm_source=qr   🌱 Support this work and share it with a friend who’s ready to move further forward.

    47 min

  2. MAR 12

    Her Dream Job Didn’t Exist—So She Made It with Kate of Bucket List Boston

    In this episode of Further Forward, I’m joined by Kate Bergman, founder of Bucket List Boston, for a conversation about building a career that didn’t exist until she created it. We talk about rejection, persistence, social media, entrepreneurship, and what it means to build something meaningful without waiting for permission. From getting rejected three times early on to turning a college passion project into a full-time business, Kate shares what it looks like to trust your instincts, stay true to your values, and create your own lane. If you’ve ever wondered whether the work you want is out there, or whether you might have to build it yourself, this episode is for you. Website  Instagram  TikTok  YouTube About Kate:  Kate is the founder and creative force behind Bucket List Boston, a lifestyle platform dedicated to discovering the best experiences in Boston and beyond. She started the brand as a passion project as a freshman at Boston University and spent the past decade growing it into a full-time business and trusted guide for locals and visitors alike. Through her content, Kate highlights hidden gems, supports small businesses, and inspires people to explore their city with fresh eyes. In addition to creating content, she works with hospitality brands and tourism destinations and runs Bucket List Consulting, where she helps businesses refine their brand storytelling and social media strategy. Kate is passionate about building community, championing local businesses, and showing that a creative idea — when nurtured with consistency and heart — can grow into a meaningful entrepreneurial career. Further Forward: Honest Conversations on the Art of Becoming, is hosted by Ashley Mitchell. 📩 Subscribe to Ashley’s newsletter, Mind & Motion: https://blackgirlmagicmama.substack.com/ 🎙️ Follow for new episodes + bts footage: https://www.instagram.com/furtherforwardpod?igsh=MWJuaDFiMjlzcjJ1dw%3D%3D&utm_source=qr 🌱 Support this work and share it with a friend who’s ready to move further forward.

    50 min

  3. MAR 5

    Helping Women Rise with Kim Todd of Dress for Success

    Kim Todd has led Dress for Success Boston for nearly 20 years—and in that time, the organization has served 19,000 women with professional clothing, coaching, and support to not only land jobs, but keep them and build financial independence. In this conversation, Kim and I talk about what service looks like when it’s done with dignity—not savior energy—and how leadership is often something we grow into while we’re already doing the job. Kim shares a pivotal early lesson: even “help” can feel degrading if we aren’t listening. We also get into workplace culture, why flexibility is a form of care, how Dress for Success adapted during COVID, and the mobile boutique that’s now bringing confidence directly into communities. If you’ve ever wanted to be part of the solution, but worried you don’t know enough yet—this one’s for you. Follow Along!  Website  Instagram  Facebook About Kim:  Kim Todd has been involved in fundraising/development for over 30 years. As President of Dress for Success Boston, Kim is responsible for running day-to-day operations, fundraising, Board management and strategic planning. She oversees a staff of four, and over 100 volunteers. Kim also serves as spokesperson for the organization, and has appeared on WCVB-TV's Chronicle, FOX 25 News, and has been a guest on several radio shows. Previously, as Grant Writer/Assistant Director of Development at The New England Center for Children, Kim was responsible for researching and writing grant proposals to secure funding for general operations and special programs. In this position, Kim brought in over $400,000 in grants and in-kind technology. Kim earned a Bachelor’s Degree in English/Theatre from Emerson College, and a Certificate in Non-Profit Management and Leadership from Boston University. Kim is an avid reader and fitness fanatic.  She has two children, Ruby and Alexander, and lives in the suburbs with her husband, Chuck. Further Forward: Honest Conversations on the Art of Becoming, is hosted by Ashley Mitchell. 📩 Subscribe to Ashley’s newsletter, Mind & Motion: https://blackgirlmagicmama.substack.com/ 🎙️ Follow for new episodes + bts footage: https://www.instagram.com/furtherforwardpod?igsh=MWJuaDFiMjlzcjJ1dw%3D%3D&utm_source=qr 🌱 Support this work and share it with a friend who’s ready to move further forward.

    53 min

  4. FEB 26

    Stop Outsourcing Your Self-Trust (Solo Episode)

    In this solo episode, Ashley gets into something she's been sitting with for a while- the difference between chasing certainty and building clarity, and why so many of us have spent years abandoning ourselves in the process. She talks about inside-out living, the darker side of wellness culture, her dad, her own ongoing work, and what forward motion actually looks like. Don't forget to follow the show, leave a review, and share Further Forward with a woman in the midst of her own becoming! Further Forward: Honest Conversations on the Art of Becoming, is hosted by Ashley Mitchell. 📩 Subscribe to Ashley’s newsletter, Mind & Motion: https://blackgirlmagicmama.substack.com/ 🎙️ Follow for new episodes + bts footage: https://www.instagram.com/furtherforwardpod?igsh=MWJuaDFiMjlzcjJ1dw%3D%3D&utm_source=qr 🌱 Support this work and share it with a friend who’s ready to move further forward.

    23 min

  5. FEB 19

    Why Help For Mothers Takes So Long with Jessie Colbert

    Why does it take years for mothers to get the support we already know they need? We’ve had the data. We’ve had the stories. We’ve had the heartbreak.  In this episode, maternal health advocate Jessie Colbert breaks down how policy shapes maternal mental health — and what we can actually do about it. Jessie and I talk about: what “perinatal mental health” actually means why postpartum depression is only part of the storyhow policy quietly shapes the care mothers receivewhat you can actually do (yes, you) This is part motherhood, part civics lesson, part reality check. If you’ve ever wondered why the system feels slow… this one’s for you. About Jessie:  Jessie Colbert is the Coordinator of the Massachusetts Mind the Gap Coalition, a group of health care organizations, nonprofits, community-based organizations, mental health and maternity care providers, survivors of Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMADs) and/or pregnancy and infant loss and other advocates working to improve state policies impacting perinatal mental health.  Under Jessie’s leadership, Massachusetts Mind the Gap was successful in passing the Moms Matter Act – legislation investing in community-based organizations supporting perinatal mental health, particularly in historically marginalized communities – as part of the state’s 2024 omnibus maternal health law. Previously, Jessie was the Founder and Executive Director of the Mass. PPD Fund, a nonprofit focused on improving communities’ capacity to address PMADs through education, training, and advocacy. She has also worked in nonprofit fundraising, and was the first Director of the Ellen Story Special Legislative Commission on Postpartum Depression, now a national model. Jessie is the mom of three kids in college, high school, and elementary school. Although she didn't go through PMADs herself, she brings lived experience as a mom and with other mental health challenges to her work. Resources:  Massachusetts Mind the Gap Coalition Postpartum Support International, including Perinatal Mental Health 101 Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance National MMH hotline: 1-833-TLC-MAMA Bay State Birth Coalition PSI’s postpartum psychosis discussion tool Find your legislator MA MSPCC Further Forward: Honest Conversations on the Art of Becoming, is hosted by Ashley Mitchell. 📩 Subscribe to Ashley’s newsletter, Mind & Motion: https://blackgirlmagicmama.substack.com/ 🎙️ Follow for new episodes + bts footage: https://www.instagram.com/furtherforwardpod?igsh=MWJuaDFiMjlzcjJ1dw%3D%3D&utm_source=qr 🌱 Support this work and share it with a friend who’s ready to move further forward.

    1h 7m

  6. FEB 12

    Leaving What’s Good for What’s True with Catie Macken

    This episode is about reinvention, embodiment, and trusting the inner call even when your life looks successful. Ashley sits down with breathwork facilitator and equine-guided practitioner Catie Macken to explore what happens when the life you built no longer feels aligned-  even when it looks successful from the outside. Together, they discuss reinvention, listening to intuition, working through limiting beliefs, and why slowing down may be the most powerful path forward in a world that constantly pushes us to move faster. Catie shares her journey from leading wellness spaces in Boston to creating intimate transformational work rooted in breathwork, nature, and equine-guided experiences, as well as what it truly means to trust the inner voice that asks you to evolve. This episode is for anyone standing at a crossroads-  feeling the quiet pull toward something different, but unsure how to begin. About Catie:  Catie Macken is a passionate, embodied guide and mentor offering transformative groups, 1:1 sessions, and corporate experiences in Topanga Canyon. Her work is multifaceted, harnessing the power of the horse - human connection, earth based tradition, nature experiences, and breathwork to increase self awareness, unblock patterns, and live with greater ease and freedom through life.  With a deep appreciation for the power of ritual and intentional living, Catie invites you into deeper intimacy with yourself and your life.  Additionally, she supports organizations, business owners, and executives with impactful, innovative content and mentorship opportunities to develop emotionally intelligent leadership.  Website  Instagram  Further Forward: Honest Conversations on the Art of Becoming, is hosted by Ashley Mitchell. 📩 Subscribe to Ashley’s newsletter, Mind & Motion: https://blackgirlmagicmama.substack.com/ 🎙️ Follow for new episodes + bts footage: https://www.instagram.com/furtherforwardpod?igsh=MWJuaDFiMjlzcjJ1dw%3D%3D&utm_source=qr 🌱 Support this work and share it with a friend who’s ready to move further forward.

    55 min

  7. FEB 5

    All or Something: Building a Life You Don’t Quit On with Midori Dowdie

    Midori Dowdie is the founder of MADSoleful, a holistic health coach, strength and conditioning coach, and Pilates instructor—and she’s teaching us how to just go for it.  In this episode, Midori shares how she pivoted from elementary education to exercise science after noticing how movement transformed her mental health. We talk about the “inner voice” (and how it shows up in the body), the power of slowing down and getting bored, and why being fiercely protective of your time and energy isn’t selfish— it’s survival. We also get into the real behind-the-scenes of building a business: leaving a stable job, navigating COVID, turning her parents’ garage into a private training studio, and creating a coaching model that’s personal, not cookie-cutter.  And as we wrap, she gives a loving-but-firm message for women: strength train—because life is physical, and being strong is a form of freedom. Also? Her 2026 challenge: make cooking your hobby. About Midori:  Midori Dowdie is a holistic health coach, strength coach, and Pilates instructor with over 10 years of experience in the health and wellness industry. Her work is grounded in the principles of bio-individuality and evidence-based practice, recognizing that effective health and fitness interventions must be personalized. She specializes in helping women build strength, improve their relationship with food and movement, and develop sustainable habits that support long term health rather than short term fixes. Midori’s coaching programs are collaborative by design, and she considers herself part of each client’s broader care team, integrating movement, nutrition behaviors, and lifestyle strategies to support physical resilience and overall well-being. Instagram Website MADsoleful Instagram  Further Forward: Honest Conversations on the Art of Becoming, is hosted by Ashley Mitchell. 📩 Subscribe to Ashley’s newsletter, Mind & Motion: https://blackgirlmagicmama.substack.com/ 🎙️ Follow for new episodes + bts footage: https://www.instagram.com/furtherforwardpod?igsh=MWJuaDFiMjlzcjJ1dw%3D%3D&utm_source=qr 🌱 Support this work and share it with a friend who’s ready to move further forward.

    54 min

  8. JAN 29

    What's The Story You're Telling About Your Body? with Qiana Drew

    In this episode of Further Forward, Ashley sits down with performer, mother, and diabetes coach Qiana Drew for an honest conversation about bodies, control, shame, and the moment you decide to choose life. Diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in her early 20s, Qiana shares the realities no one prepared her for: the mental weight of numbers, the danger of insulin omission, and how body image, diet culture, and the music industry shaped her relationship with her health. She opens up about motherhood as a turning point—how becoming a parent forced her to ask a life-altering question: What’s the story my body is telling, and do I want it to end here? This episode isn’t about perfection or “doing wellness right.” It’s about learning to see your body as a vessel worth caring for, breaking cycles of shame, and choosing repair—for yourself and for the people watching you live. In This Episode, We Talk About: Getting diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in your early 20sWhy diabetes management is about patterns, not punishmentThe emotional toll of living by numbers (blood sugar, A1C, weight)Insulin omission and why it’s so hard to name—and escapeHow shame disconnects us from our bodiesMotherhood as a wake-up call: choosing life and longevityPostpartum body image and telling the truth without self-abandonmentParenting a teenager with Type 1 diabetes without passing down fearRepair, compassion, and learning to choose stewardship over control Don't forget to rate & review the pod! About Qiana:  Qiana Drew is a recording artist, actress, and motivational speaker who has lived with Type 1 Diabetes for over 25 years. A former Arista Records signee and *American Idol* Hollywood finalist, she has worked with legends like Missy Elliott while managing chronic illness behind the scenes. Today, Qiana is a powerful voice in the diabetes community — a Diabetes Empowerment Coach and CDC DPP facilitator — using her story, voice, and creativity to uplift others. Her original songs, “You Are Not Alone” and “Coast” (an upbeat track that symbolizes ideal blood sugar balance), serve as love letters to the community. With her daughter also diagnosed with Type 1 in 2021, Qiana brings personal and generational insight to every stage she steps on. She's currently producing a motivational series that blends meditation, sound, and physical movement — designed to help people build a strong foundation for sustainable lifestyle changes that support successful blood sugar management.  Wesbite  Instagram  Further Forward: Honest Conversations on the Art of Becoming, is hosted by Ashley Mitchell. 📩 Subscribe to Ashley’s newsletter, Mind & Motion: https://blackgirlmagicmama.substack.com/ 🎙️ Follow for new episodes + bts footage: https://www.instagram.com/furtherforwardpod?igsh=MWJuaDFiMjlzcjJ1dw%3D%3D&utm_source=qr 🌱 Support this work and share it with a friend who’s ready to move further forward.

    1h 3m
See All (20)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Honest conversations on the art of becoming.  Through solo reflections and conversations with soulful, sharp, and courageous guests, Ashley creates room for the stories that don’t always get told—the pivots, the struggles, the magic, and the mess. Part spiritual, part practical, always human—Further Forward is a space for women invested in their becoming, who know growth is both messy and worth embracing.

Information

  • Creator
    Ashley Mitchell
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    20
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Further Forward
  • Show Website
    Further Forward

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