Bernadette Catalana is one of seven children—six of them daughters. She is also a lawyer, mentor, cooking enthusiast, and avid yoga practitioner. But the role she identifies with most is mother to Carly and Courtney. She grew up in Endicott, New York, raised her girls in Rochester, New York and currently lives on Central Park with her significant other and her Havanese, Jackson. Her daughters, who are now grown and starting families of their own, are both within walking distance. This is a collection of her many essays on motherhood.

Carolyn Sharp always knew she wanted a career in helping people. She earned a master of social work from Portland State University and has extensive training in attachment, neuroscience, trauma, and mindfulness. Today, she is an experienced couples therapist with twenty-five years of training and practice in helping people build vital, vibrant, and secure functioning relationships through one-on-one and group couples coaching, workshops, retreats, and intensives. She combines her passion for helping people with her widespread experience to create the healthiest and happiest relationships possible. 

Holding a B.A. in Cognitive Science from Occidental College and a Master’s in Education and Literacy from the University of San Diego, Corie combines neuroscience, learning, and behavior expertise with a deep understanding of the lived ADHD experience. 

As a certified mindfulness facilitator and certified ADHD coach, Corie integrates mindfulness-based strategies to support resilience, self-compassion, and executive function growth.

Corie presents on topics including ADHD and executive function, self-compassion, Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria, and goal setting specific for ADHDers. Through a strengths-based and compassionate approach, Corie empowers individuals to navigate challenges, embrace their unique brains, and build systems for success.

Deborah Heiser, Ph.D., is an Applied Developmental Psychologist, a TEDx speaker, consultant, author, and Founder of The Mentor Project, and an Adjunct Professor in the Psychology Department at SUNY Old Westbury.

She has been quoted in The New York Times, Seattle Times, Dallas Times and contributes to Psychology Today. Her research covers a wide range of topics related to aging, including depression identification, dementia, and frailty with grants awarded from NIA/NIH and Pfizer. She received an international award for her research on depression identification, as well as serving for 9 years on the Board of the State Society on Aging of New York.

Dr. Lise Janelle is an author and speaker who helps high-level athletes and entrepreneurs understand how tweaking their subconscious beliefs can mean the difference between wins and losses, often resulting in millions to their bottom line. 

Dr. Lise is co-authoring the book ""Unstuck"" with Jack Canfield, co-creator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series, based on her method and offers proven strategies for lasting success.

Dr. Marie Murphy is a non-judgmental infidelity coach, and the host of the podcast Your Secret is Safe with Me. Much of the so-called advice out there for people who are engaging in infidelity is little more than thinly veiled judgment, but that's not what Marie provides. Marie offers guidance and support that respects the fullness of your humanity, and the complexity of your situation - no matter what you're doing in the infidelity department. To learn more about Marie and her coaching services, go to https://www.mariemurphyphd.com.

Just one month shy of their 20th wedding anniversary, Emily was widowed unexpectedly at the age of 37.  She and Nathan have 4 children who were ages 10 - 19 at the time. 

After the devastating death of her husband in 2021, Emily made the life-altering decision to leave her healthcare executive career and founded Brave Widow in 2022, an online coaching program and community dedicated to helping young widows navigate grief, heal their heart, and a build a life they love again.

Emily holds an MBA with a focus on Leadership and Ethics from John Brown University and has earned certifications in coaching and leadership from the Faith-Based Coaching Academy, the Grief Recovery Institute, and Maxwell Leadership.

Heidi B. Friedman, formerly Goldstein and born Eisman, is a successful attorney and partner at a large law firm specializing in all areas of environmental law and environmental, social and governance (ESG) based counseling. Love Lessons is her first book, but Heidi has written related to her professional life and experience as a female lawyer.

Heidi lives in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, with her husband Will, and has four children. Two children she birthed, Morgan (25) and Zach (21) and two are her bonus children, Max (28) and Ben (26). In her life, she has a strong network of amazing women who she treasures and who provide support, guidance and company for drinking wine.

Jeanine Mouchawar is a parenting coach who helps moms and dads be their teenager’s go-to person. Her Parenting Mastery program teaches new strategies to stop battles and create a calm, peaceful home so their children can thrive. Her approach allows parents to stop feeling at a loss and start knowing what to do to feel close again. Parents reduce their frustration and worries and help their children be the best version of themselves.
 
Jeanine earned her B.A. from Stanford University and is a certified professional life coach. She is married and has three adult children.

Jessica Medina is a lawyer turned Accredited Financial Counselor on a mission to help attorneys create the financial freedom they need to do big things. She graduated from Columbia Law School in 2004 as a single mom of twins with over $200,000 in student loans and went straight to work at a Biglaw firm. After eight years she switched roles and became Senior Counsel at the Division of Enforcement at the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. She left the government to work in an area of the financial industry outside of the securities world and now teaches other lawyers how to use their money to finance their dream lives.

Jodi Silverman helps women embarking on the empty nest and midlife transition rediscover who they are, outside of a mom, daughter, and partner. As a mentor and coach, Jodi provides community, tools, and strategies to increase resilience, find happiness, and discover purpose and FUN!

Jodi is your go-to gal for... navigating life's transitions, fostering meaningful connections and bringing the fun back into your life.

John Diggs, Your Mappineering Mentor, is dedicated to helping individuals unlock their full potential through the power of mind mapping. With a unique approach combining strategic self-discovery, goal-setting, and visualization, John empowers students, professionals, and athletes to embrace clarity, focus, and purpose in every area of life. As a motivational speaker, author, and coach, his mission is to guide you to achieve your best life, filled with health, wealth, success, and happiness.

Based in Colorado Springs, CO, John specializes in working with men who feel the pressure to succeed but are secretly battling self-sabotage, fear of success, and the weight of playing small. These are men who lead their families, businesses, and communities—but quietly struggle to lead themselves.

Having lived this journey himself, John knows what it feels like to have potential burning inside you while being stuck in hesitation and insecurity. After overcoming his own internal war with fear, doubt, and a scarcity mindset, he dedicated his life to helping other men break free—without sacrificing family, faith, or financial stability.

Julie Traina is a certified life coach, mother of five, and former teacher with a master’s degree in education. Long fascinated with personal development and the power of perspective, Traina found her life forever altered when her 44-year-old husband suffered a debilitating stroke in 2014. Reimagining a new future and rebuilding a life for herself and her family required her to lean into her belief in the power we possess to embrace, rather than fear change, and find joy, even in difficult circumstances.

As a life coach, Traina relies on her natural ability to connect with clients, and her background as a teacher to share techniques and lessons that transform lives. In her professionally produced workshops, Traina reaches broader audiences with engaging case studies and easy-to-grasp tools.

Traina's passion lies in guiding women through midlife and helping them thrive in the second half of life with excitement, purpose, and yes...joy.

Julie Voris is a Mindset + Habits coach for women who are done getting lost in the minutiae, tired of playing small, and “so over” asking for permission. She helps them to tap into the power of habits to create more impact & income while serving as inspiring role models for their family. 

When Julie isn’t dishing truth, hope & energy to her audience, you can find her soaking in the magic at Walt Disney World in Florida, where she and her husband recently moved, making a lifelong dream come true, as well as traveling to see their three amazing daughters, and buying too many books in a local bookstore. 

Krista Daley is a premier Wellness Strategist and "Wellness Warrior" specializing in the midlife transition. Following a life-altering brain tumor diagnosis in 2010, Krista dedicated her career to studying the intersection of resilience, strength, and hormonal health. She helps high-achieving women clear the confusion surrounding metabolism and stress management, empowering them to reclaim their physical sovereignty after years of prioritizing others.

Krista’s proprietary frameworks focus on muscle as a longevity asset, helping women in perimenopause and menopause build the "Biological Infrastructure" necessary for a vibrant second act. When she isn’t coaching, Krista is an advocate for slow-paced cultural travel and the restorative power of nature.

Michele has a passion for connecting with people as we navigate the adventures of aging and caregiving!

As an experienced family caregiver, with many years in the Senior Living industry, she understands the challenges we are facing as we care for those we love. Michele sets people up for success so they thrive in the caregiver role, not just survive.

Michele has earned her M.B.A., Masters Certification in Gerontology and is a Gerontology Ph.D. student at UNO. She is a Certified Life Coach, Certified Dementia Practitioner, and Certified Conscious Aging facilitator. Michele is an Adjunct Professor at Creighton University, teaching Long Term Care Administration.

Nathaniel A. Turner, known as the Humanity Propulsion Engineer, is a TED speaker, author, and strategist who views the development of a human being as the most critical engineering project a parent will ever lead. 

Moving beyond traditional parenting advice, Nate utilizes The Life Template Method, a backward-design framework that treats human potential as a complex system. By applying these principles within his own family, Nate and his wife successfully navigated their son’s journey from a professional soccer academy in Brazil to earning both a PhD in Engineering and an MBA from elite global institutions. 

Today, through the League of Extraordinary Parents, Nate advises families on cultivating the three pillars of a world-class life: Intellectual Ambition, Global Competency, and Humanitarian Drive.

Nicoa Dunne is a seasoned guide with 20+ years as a Human Resources Executive with General Electric, Thermo Fisher Scientific, and Allscripts. She has excelled as a certified coach through the Newfield Network and the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching all while proudly co-parenting three kids! Over the years, she has consulted with 100s of business leaders and top executives from Fortune 100 companies across the globe, shaping more effective, satisfied leaders through the seven levels of energy, revealing a new awareness of self.

Robert J. Finlay is a Wall Street Journal bestselling author, seasoned entrepreneur, renowned speaker, and father of four. He is a successful entrepreneur and commercial real estate investor. He has built and sold four companies.  He brings strategic insights and inspires the next generation of leaders with his commitment to mentorship, education, and the integration of technology. When Rob is not at his day job, he is passionate about agriculture, exploring new practices and sustainable methods to enhance environmental stewardship in farming.

Susan Athari is an attorney, content creator, and blogger who went from drafting legal briefs to researching the best in midlife travel, deals, foodie finds, and bucket list experiences for empty nesters. She does the deep dive for you, saving you time and money, and her law experience brings both practical and valuable advice. An advocate for rediscovering yourself, she shares insights in turning life’s transitions into new opportunities for adventure. Although becoming an empty nester poses unique challenges, Susan encourages free birds to embrace their newfound freedom and rediscover their personal dreams. With a focus on helping others “spread their wings”, she shares all things travel, fueled by a renewed appreciation of this unique time. Her goal is to inspire each empty nester to start living their best life. 

A renowned author, speaker, and founder of The Coaching and Positive Psychology (CaPP) Institute, Valorie Burton specializes in resilience and happiness. With over 15 years of research and practical experience, she has authored thirteen books including It’s About Time, Successful Women Think Differently, and Brave Enough to Succeed. She is an accomplished international speaker and life coach dedicated to empowering individuals to thrive amidst life's challenges.

Her core belief is that understanding your purpose and resilience are key to living a fulfilled, authentic life. She emphasizes that resilience—the ability to adapt and bounce back from setbacks—is a skill that can be learned and cultivated. Through her work, she helps clients build this vital skill, choose meaning over urgency, and develop confidence to make bold life changes.