The FEEL Podcast: Women’s Empowerment, Emotional Wellness and Self-Leadership with Melissa Crook

The FEEL Podcast
  • 5.0 (24)
  • Self-Improvement
  • Updated Semiweekly

The FEEL Podcast is for women who know they’re overextended, need to say no more, and want to stop allowing everyone else’s needs and expectations to determine their choices, but struggle to actually do it. Hosted by Melissa Crook, creator of the FEEL Framework, conversations explore people-pleasing, boundaries, self-worth, relationships, emotional wellness, and self-trust. Learn to recognize what you need and want, communicate your boundaries and expectations, and make choices based on your values, bandwidth, and capacity. You’re valuable because of who you are, not what you do.

  1. 13h ago

    How Do You Talk to Your Body? Moving from Criticism to Body-Peace with Nina Manolson

    Become a Paid Subscriber and help us continue creating conversations, resources, and community that remind women they are valuable because of who they are, not what they do. -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://substack.com/@thefeelpodcast⁠⁠ How do you speak to your body—and would you speak to someone you love the same way? In this episode of The FEEL Podcast, Melissa Crook welcomes Nina Manolson for a conversation about Body-Peace, body image, self-acceptance, and changing the relationship women have with their bodies. Nina shares what it can look like to move away from body criticism, shame, constant body-management, and the pressure to “fix” ourselves, and toward curiosity, respect, compassion, and greater trust in our bodies. Rather than asking, “How do I change my body?” this conversation invites us to consider a different question: “How am I relating to my body?” Melissa and Nina explore the messages women receive about their bodies, the language we use when talking to and about ourselves, and why Body-Peace isn't dependent on loving every part of your body every day. The difference between body criticism and Body-PeaceHow women learn to judge and manage their bodiesBecoming aware of how you speak TO your bodyMoving from judgment toward curiosity and respectBuilding a more compassionate relationship with your bodyWhat it means to listen to and trust your bodyWhy your body doesn't need to be “fixed” before it deserves careHow our relationship with our bodies can change over time💛 Notice how you speak TO your body this week. 💛 Ask: “Am I relating to my body with criticism, or curiosity?” 💛 Choose one way to respond to your body with respect instead of judgment. What might change if, instead of approaching your body as something to criticize, manage, or fight, you began getting curious about your relationship with it? Keywords: Body-Peace, body image, body acceptance, body confidence, body positivity, self-acceptance, self-compassion, women's wellness, women's empowerment, body shame, healthy relationship with your body, intuitive eating, self-worth, emotional wellness, The FEEL Podcast #BodyPeace #BodyAcceptance #BodyImage #SelfCompassion #WomensEmpowermentTimestamps: Prioritizing Self Care - ( 4:21 ) Confidently Setting Boundaries - ( 14:23 ) Taking Care of Your Emotional Health as much as Your Physical Health - ( 17:41 ) Support self & other women unapologetically - ( 40:26 ) Coming Back to Your WHY and Your VALUES - ( 49:37 ) Accepting the Layered Aspects of Yourself - ( 54:14 ) Living out FEEL, how does it affect your relationships - ( 57:27 ) 5 Activities That Nourish You - ( 1:01:44 ) 5 Words for How You Want to Feel in the Next Six Months - ( 1:03:40 ) Original Music by Rio & Valencia Saint-Louis ✨ Free Download: Embracing a FEEL Fueled Life Sample Freebie ✨- https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:US:02ce6c2f-90ed-4741-bdab-e62e20c2e7ad In this empowering bonus resource, we’re giving you a free sneak peek into the Embracing a F.E.E.L Fueled Life course! This downloadable PDF guides you through reconnecting with who you truly are, beyond your roles, responsibilities, and expectations.

  2. 2d ago

    I Think My Story Can Help Other Women: How Do I Tell It? | Empowerment Tuesday with Melissa Crook

    Become a Paid Subscriber and help us continue creating conversations, resources, and community that remind women they are valuable because of who they are, not what they do. -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://substack.com/@thefeelpodcast⁠⁠ Could something you’ve lived through help another woman navigate her own story? In this Empowerment Tuesday episode of The FEEL Podcast, Melissa Crook revisits Chapter 1 of Embracing Layers Unapologetically and the story of how one realization—“I think my story can help other women”—helped launch what would eventually become The Embracing Layers Network. Melissa shares how a Dream Wall exercise with her husband in March 2021 led her to consider what she had learned from years of stuffing emotions, putting others’ needs before her own, and beginning to prioritize her emotional health and self-care. That idea eventually developed into a podcast built around women sharing their lived experiences and what they were learning along the way. More than five years later, Melissa reflects on an important distinction: Sharing your story isn't about telling another woman how to live hers. It's about recognizing that something you've experienced or learned may help someone else become curious about her own life. You'll also explore the boundaries of storytelling; what you want to share, what belongs to someone else's story, what you're still processing, and what you may choose to keep for yourself. Ways to Engage Name one part of your story you’ve learned something from.Ask: “What might another woman need to hear from my experience?”Choose one way to share it—or decide what is yours to keep.Your story has value. And you get to choose what you do with it. Keywords: women’s empowerment, sharing your story, women’s stories, lived experience, personal growth, self-discovery, self-worth, storytelling, women supporting women, FEEL Framework, The FEEL Podcast, Melissa Crook ✨ Free Download: Embracing a FEEL Fueled Life Sample Freebie ✨- ⁠https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:US:02ce6c2f-90ed-4741-bdab-e62e20c2e7ad⁠ In this empowering bonus resource, we’re giving you a free sneak peek into the Embracing a F.E.E.L Fueled Life course! This downloadable PDF guides you through reconnecting with who you truly are—beyond your roles, responsibilities, and expectations. For more Support reach out to Melissa here - ⁠https://www.embracinglayers.com/contact

  3. Sep 10

    Who Are You Becoming? Self-Trust, Confidence & Embracing What’s Next with Tina B. Coleman

    Become a Paid Subscriber and help us continue creating conversations, resources, and community that remind women they are valuable because of who they are, not what they do. -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://substack.com/@thefeelpodcast⁠⁠ Who are you becoming, and are you giving yourself room to evolve beyond the woman you've always been? In this episode of The FEEL Podcast, Tina B. Coleman joins Melissa Crook for a conversation about identity, confidence, self-trust, curiosity, life transitions, personal growth, solo travel, and having the courage to explore what's next. As with every FEEL guest, we begin with who Tina is, not what she does. From there, we explore what happens as life changes, our priorities shift, and we begin to recognize that something that once fit us may not fit in quite the same way anymore. Because knowing who you are doesn't mean you have to remain exactly who you've always been. We grow. We change. We experience loss, transitions, unexpected chapters, new beginnings, and moments that invite us to get curious about ourselves again. And sometimes discovering who we're becoming requires enough self-trust to step beyond what's familiar and ask: What do I want in this season of my life? 💛 Who we are, and who we're becoming 💛 Allowing ourselves to grow and evolve through different seasons of life 💛 Building confidence and learning to trust ourselves 💛 Why curiosity can be powerful when we don't know what's next 💛 Recognizing when we've outgrown something that once fit 💛 Navigating loss, change, and new beginnings 💛 Challenging expectations about who we're supposed to be at different ages and stages of life 💛 Solo travel as an opportunity for independence, curiosity, and self-discovery 💛 Rediscovering parts of ourselves we may have lost touch with 💛 Making room for adventure, joy, freedom, and new experiences 💛 Giving ourselves space to want something different 💛 Embracing what's next without dismissing or judging the chapters that came before it 1. Identify one part of yourself you're ready to rediscover or explore. 2. Name something you've outgrown without judging yourself for once choosing it. 3. Finish this sentence: “The woman I am becoming is ready to ______.” You don't have to know exactly what your next chapter looks like. Maybe the first step is simply getting curious enough to ask: Who am I becoming, and what might she be ready for? #WomensEmpowerment #SelfTrust #SelfDiscovery #PersonalGrowth #Confidence Timestamps: Prioritizing Self Care - ( 2:47 ) Confidently Setting Boundaries - ( 8:32 ) Taking Care of Your Emotional Health as much as Your Physical Health - ( 11:20 ) Support self & other women unapologetically - ( 18:06 ) Coming Back to Your WHY and Your VALUES - ( 36:50 ) Living Out of Your Own Expectations - ( 39:05 ) Accepting the Layered Aspects of Yourself - ( 44:25 ) Living out FEEL, how does it affect your relationships - ( 56:15 ) 5 Activities That Nourish You - ( 1:00:17 ) 5 Words for How You Want to Feel in the Next Six Months - ( 1:01:26 ) Original Music by Rio & Valencia Saint-Louis ✨ Free Download: Embracing a FEEL Fueled Life Sample Freebie ✨- https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:US:02ce6c2f-90ed-4741-bdab-e62e20c2e7ad In this empowering bonus resource, we’re giving you a free sneak peek into the Embracing a F.E.E.L Fueled Life course! This downloadable PDF guides you through reconnecting with who you truly are—beyond your roles, responsibilities, and expectations.

  4. Sep 8

    Who Am I? How to Define Yourself Beyond Roles, Labels & What You Do

    Become a Paid Subscriber and help us continue creating conversations, resources, and community that remind women they are valuable because of who they are, not what they do. -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://substack.com/@thefeelpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ Who are you when you take away your job, relationships, responsibilities, accomplishments, and all the roles you hold for other people? In this Empowerment Tuesday episode of The FEEL Podcast, Melissa Crook continues exploring one of the foundational questions of the FEEL Framework: Who am I, not what do I do? Last week, we began by identifying the character traits that describe who we are. This week, we're going deeper into what it actually means to define yourself beyond your roles, labels, accomplishments, and other people's expectations. “Defining Who I Am” is also Section 1 of our book Embracing Layers Unapologetically, which celebrates its two-year anniversary this month. That section explores three ideas that have become foundational to the FEEL Framework: accepting the layered aspects of ourselves, living out of our own expectations, and prioritizing self-care. Because knowing who you are gives you information. It helps you recognize what nourishes you, what you value, what you need to communicate, where you need healthy boundaries, where you want to say yes, and where you need to say no. 💛 Who you are beyond your roles, titles, and accomplishments 💛 Why defining yourself is foundational to self-worth and self-trust 💛 How roles and labels can become intertwined with our identity 💛 Accepting all of our layers with curiosity and empathy instead of judgment, shame, and fear 💛 Recognizing when a label that once fit may no longer fit who you are today 💛 Understanding what nourishes you and supports meaningful self-care 💛 Identifying your own expectations instead of allowing others' expectations to define your life 💛 How knowing yourself informs healthy boundaries and your yeses and nos 💛 Giving yourself room to grow, change, and become Ways To Engage: 1. Name 3 roles you hold. Then ask: “Who am I without this role?” 2. Identify one label you've carried that may no longer fit. 3. Finish this sentence: “The woman I am becoming is ready to ______.” Defining who you are isn't about putting yourself into another box. It's about knowing yourself well enough to recognize what fits, what doesn't, what you need, what you value, and what you might be ready for next. Who are you, and who are you becoming? #SelfDiscovery #SelfWorth #WomensEmpowerment #PersonalGrowth #SelfTrust ✨ Free Download: Embracing a FEEL Fueled Life Sample Freebie ✨- https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:US:02ce6c2f-90ed-4741-bdab-e62e20c2e7ad In this empowering bonus resource, we’re giving you a free sneak peek into the Embracing a F.E.E.L Fueled Life course! This downloadable PDF guides you through reconnecting with who you truly are—beyond your roles, responsibilities, and expectations. For more Support reach out to Melissa here - https://www.embracinglayers.com/contact

  5. Sep 3

    How to Choose Yourself Without Guilt: Self-Trust, Boundaries & Living Unscripted with Merit Kahn

    Become a Paid Subscriber and help us continue creating conversations, resources, and community that remind women they are valuable because of who they are, not what they do. -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://substack.com/@thefeelpodcast⁠⁠ What happens when you stop living from the scripts, expectations, and roles you've collected along the way, and start trusting yourself enough to choose what actually feels aligned with who you are? In this Season 11 conversation on The FEEL Podcast, Merit Kahn joins Melissa Crook to walk through the FEEL Talking Points and explore what they look like through the lens of Merit's own experiences, perspectives, and layers. As we do with every FEEL guest, we begin with who Merit is, not what she does. From there, the conversation moves into what it means to know yourself beyond your roles, recognize where you may be overextended, get curious about the scripts you've been following, and develop the self-trust to make choices that reflect who you are now. 💛 Self-care and why making room for yourself isn't selfish 💛 How roles, expectations, and the scripts we inherit can shape our choices 💛 What happens when you become "everyone's everything" 💛 Knowing who you are beyond titles, responsibilities, and accomplishments 💛 Self-worth and separating your value from what you do 💛 Healthy boundaries and learning to say no 💛 Paying attention to what nourishes you and what doesn't 💛 Using your values to guide your choices 💛 Trusting yourself when something no longer feels aligned 💛 Allowing yourself to grow, change, and question the scripts you've been following Ways to Engage After Listening: Ask yourself what script you may still be following. Identify where you've become "everyone's everything." Finish this sentence: "If I trusted myself a little more right now, I would ______." You don't have to rewrite your entire life today. Start by getting curious about what you're noticing. Because knowing yourself, recognizing your worth, and trusting what you know are important steps toward making choices that actually reflect YOU. The conversation may be where FEEL begins, but what you do with it is where FEEL becomes yours. #WomensEmpowerment #SelfTrust #HealthyBoundariesTimestamps: Prioritizing Self Care - ( 3:15 ) Confidently Setting Boundaries - ( 5:28 ) Taking Care of Your Emotional Health as much as Your Physical Health - ( 9:58 ) Support self & other women unapologetically - ( 17:46 ) Coming Back to Your WHY and Your VALUES - ( 25:49 ) Living Out of Your Own Expectations - ( 34:45 ) Accepting the Layered Aspects of Yourself - ( 40:56 ) Living out FEEL, how does it affect your relationships - ( 50:41 ) 5 Activities That Nourish You - ( 56:37 ) 5 Words for How You Want to Feel in the Next Six Months - ( 59:06 ) Original Music by Rio & Valencia Saint-Louis ✨ Free Download: Embracing a FEEL Fueled Life Sample Freebie ✨- https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:US:02ce6c2f-90ed-4741-bdab-e62e20c2e7ad In this empowering bonus resource, we’re giving you a free sneak peek into the Embracing a F.E.E.L Fueled Life course! This downloadable PDF guides you through reconnecting with who you truly are—beyond your roles, responsibilities, and expectations.

  6. Sep 1

    How to Live What You Know: Self-Care, Boundaries, Self-Worth & Choosing Yourself | Season 11 Kickoff

    Welcome to Season 11 of The FEEL Podcast! What happens when you know self-care matters, understand the importance of healthy boundaries, and believe your worth isn't determined by what you do, but still struggle to put those things into practice in your own life? That's where we're going this season. In this Empowerment Tuesday kickoff, Melissa Crook shares what's ahead for Season 11 and why The Embracing Layers Network is becoming even more intentional about helping women take the conversations they're hearing and connect them to their own lives. Because hearing another woman talk about setting boundaries is one thing. Setting the boundary yourself is another. Hearing someone talk about self-care, self-worth, trusting herself, or choosing herself can be powerful, but eventually we have to ask: What does this mean for me, and what am I going to DO with what I now know? In this episode: 💛 Get a sneak peek at the women joining Melissa for Thursday conversations throughout Season 11 💛 Learn about the new weekly FEEL Calendar dropping every Monday 💛 Meet Wednesday's FEEL Connection; a weekly opportunity to explore how that week's conversations connect to the FEEL Framework and resources from The Embracing Layers Network 💛 Celebrate the 2nd anniversary of Embracing Layers Unapologetically Book 💛 Hear what's ahead for Volume 2 of the book, coming in 2027 with insights from Seasons 5–10 💛 Discover three simple Ways to Engage as we begin the new season Your Ways to Engage: Choose how you want to FEEL this season. Put FEEL on your calendar. Take one conversation into your real life. The conversation may be where FEEL begins—but what you do with it is where FEEL becomes yours. #WomensEmpowerment #SelfWorth #HealthyBoundaries

  7. Aug 27

    How to Protect Your Peace, Build Self-Worth & Master Self-Care with Carla Perez

    Become a Paid Subscriber and help us continue creating conversations, resources, and community that remind women they are valuable because of who they are, not what they do. -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://substack.com/@thefeelpodcast⁠⁠ Welcome to the Season 10 finale of The FEEL Podcast! In this special episode, Melissa Crook welcomes Carla Perez for an empowering conversation about self-care, self-worth, healthy boundaries, emotional wellness, and personal growth. Carla shares how becoming more intentional and self-aware has helped her recognize when she needs to slow down, protect her peace, and prioritize her mental, physical, and emotional well-being. As a naturally empathetic person, she has learned that self-care isn't selfish—it's essential for showing up authentically for yourself and the people you love. Together, Melissa and Carla explore why listening to your body is such an important part of emotional self-awareness. Rather than waiting for burnout or exhaustion to force you to stop, Carla encourages women to recognize their needs, create healthy boundaries, and give themselves permission to rest without guilt. A powerful theme throughout the conversation is building self-worth from within. Inspired by wisdom from her father, Carla reminds us that nobody else gets to determine our limitations or value. Your worth isn't defined by your career, relationships, accomplishments, gender, mistakes, or someone else's perception of you. There is a seat at the table for you. We also explore authentic living and what it means to embrace every layer of yourself—including the imperfect ones. Carla shares how self-awareness has helped her recognize difficult emotions, habits, and triggers without allowing self-criticism to take over. Especially through motherhood, she has learned the importance of giving herself grace while continuing to grow. Whether you're learning how to set boundaries, overcome guilt and self-criticism, build confidence, or simply prioritize yourself again, this Season 10 finale is a reminder that personal growth doesn't require perfection. You can protect your peace, honor your needs, and become more fully yourself one intentional choice at a time. Your self-worth is inherent. You don't have to earn it or prove it. Give yourself permission to rest, grow, make mistakes, set boundaries, and take your seat at the table. #SelfCare #SelfLove #SelfWorth #SelfAwareness #PersonalGrowth #EmotionalWellness #MentalWellness #HealthyBoundaries #Boundaries #WomenEmpowerment #WomensEmpowerment #EmpoweredWomen #AuthenticSelf #BeYourself #ProtectYourPeace #HealingJourney #Resilience #Mindfulness #Confidence #TheFEELPodcast Timestamps:Prioritizing Self Care - ( 2:19 )Confidently Setting Boundaries - ( 4:13 )Taking Care of Your Emotional Health as much as Your Physical Health - ( 10:49 )Support self & other women unapologetically - ( 14:54 )Coming Back to Your WHY and Your VALUES - ( 22:35 )Living Out of Your Own Expectations - ( 25:02 )Accepting the Layered Aspects of Yourself - ( 29:57 )Living out FEEL, how does it affect your relationships - ( 36:12 )5 Activities That Nourish You - ( 40:38 )5 Words for How You Want to Feel in the Next Six Months - ( 45:20 ) Original Music by Rio & Valencia Saint-Louis ✨ Free Download: Embracing a FEEL Fueled Life Sample Freebie ✨- https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:US:02ce6c2f-90ed-4741-bdab-e62e20c2e7ad In this empowering bonus resource, we’re giving you a free sneak peek into the Embracing a F.E.E.L Fueled Life course! This downloadable PDF guides you through reconnecting with who you truly are—beyond your roles, responsibilities, and expectations. Want to be a guest on The FEEL Podcast? - Send Melissa Crook a message on PodMatch, here:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/feel2021⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or complete our contact form here:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.embracinglayers.com/contact

  8. Aug 25

    How to Break Free From Codependency, People Pleasing & Trauma Bonds

    One more week left to join our #Founding500 on Substack! Become a Paid Subscriber and help us continue creating conversations, resources, and community that remind women they are valuable because of who they are, not what they do. -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://substack.com/@thefeelpodcast⁠⁠ Are you constantly putting other people's needs, emotions, and expectations ahead of your own? In this episode of The FEEL Podcast, Melissa Crook explores how codependency, people pleasing, self-abandonment, and unhealthy relationship patterns can affect our emotional wellness, self-worth, and ability to create healthy relationships. Relationships can enter our lives for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. Sometimes a relationship that once provided important support no longer works in the same way as we grow and change. That doesn't necessarily mean the relationship has to end. But healthier relationships require communication, accountability, mutual respect, and a willingness for both people to grow. Melissa also discusses trauma bonding relationship dynamics, why setting boundaries can change relationships, and what can happen when the people around us resist the healthier boundaries we're beginning to create. • Recognizing codependency and people-pleasing patterns• Understanding how people pleasing can become self-abandonment• The connection between self-worth and healthy relationships• Understanding trauma bonds• How to stop feeling responsible for everyone else's emotions• Setting and communicating healthy boundaries• What someone's reaction to your boundary may reveal• Why stepping back doesn't mean you stopped caring• Trusting yourself and your instincts• Building a healthier relationship with yourself One important reminder: Someone else's discomfort with your boundary doesn't automatically mean your boundary is wrong. You can love someone without becoming responsible for them. You can support someone without abandoning yourself. And you can make choices that protect your well-being without requiring everyone around you to agree. Rooted in the FEEL Framework — Finding Empowerment Embracing Layers, this conversation invites you to become curious about your relationship patterns and begin asking: What do I need? What do I value? What boundary haven't I communicated? Am I making this decision because it's right for me—or because I'm afraid of someone else's reaction? 💛 You are worthy.💛 You are valuable because of who you are, not what you do.💛 And you get to choose. Think about a relationship where you regularly compromise your own needs to keep someone else comfortable. Identify one boundary you've been wanting to communicate and, if it feels safe to do so, practice expressing it clearly. Then notice what happens when you choose not to abandon yourself. ✨ FREE Embracing a FEEL Fueled Life Sample:https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:US:02ce6c2f-90ed-4741-bdab-e62e20c2e7ad 💛 Ready for deeper support? Schedule a complimentary 30-minute conversation with Melissa to explore healthy boundaries, people-pleasing patterns, self-worth, emotional wellness, and creating healthier relationships: https://www.embracinglayers.com/contact #Codependency #PeoplePleasing #HealthyBoundaries #TraumaBonding #HealthyRelationships #SelfWorth #SelfAbandonment #SettingBoundaries #EmotionalWellness #RelationshipHealing #PersonalGrowth #SelfTrust #WomensEmpowerment #TheFEELPodcast #EmbracingLayers

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The FEEL Podcast is for women who know they’re overextended, need to say no more, and want to stop allowing everyone else’s needs and expectations to determine their choices, but struggle to actually do it. Hosted by Melissa Crook, creator of the FEEL Framework, conversations explore people-pleasing, boundaries, self-worth, relationships, emotional wellness, and self-trust. Learn to recognize what you need and want, communicate your boundaries and expectations, and make choices based on your values, bandwidth, and capacity. You’re valuable because of who you are, not what you do.

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