Confessions of a Freebird - Midlife, Divorce, Heal, and Date Differently with Somatic Experiencing, Empty Nest, Well-Being, Happiness
Hi, I’m Laurie James—author of Sandwiched: A Memoir of Holding On and Letting Go, somatic relationship coach, mother of four adult daughters, divorcée, and recovering caregiver.
I created Confessions of a Freebird as a heartfelt space for women navigating midlife transitions—divorce, empty nesting, loss, dating again, or simply wondering:
“Is this all there is?”
If you're longing for more authenticity, joy, freedom, and purpose, especially after years of putting everyone else first, you're in the right place.
Each episode, I’ll share:
- Practical tools and somatic coaching strategies
- Raw reflections and confessions from my own journey
- Expert conversations on everything from sex, grief, trauma healing, and finances to dating, caregiving, and reinvention
We'll explore what it means to come home to yourself through somatic practices—and how to design a life that feels aligned with who you are now, not who you were 20 years ago or who someone or society has told you to be.
Whether you’re in the sandwich generation, starting over after loss, or dreaming of your next chapter—Confessions of a Freebird is your midlife best friend. Think of it as a permission slip to evolve, heal, and fall in love with your life all over again.
Because the most important relationship you’ll ever have… is the one you have with yourself.
XO,
Laurie
Connect with me:
Purchase my book, Sandwiched: A Memoir of Holding On and Letting Go, https://www.laurieejames.com/book
IG: https://www.instagram.com/laurie.james/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laurie.james.79219754
Confessions of a Freebird - Midlife, Divorce, Heal, and Date Differently with Somatic Experiencing, Empty Nest, Well-Being, Happiness
Who Are You When the Kids Leave? Reclaiming Your Identity as an Empty Nester with Jay Ramsden
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
When your kids leave the nest and the caregiving finally stops — who are you?
That question can stop you cold. And if you've been living it, you already know how disorienting that silence can be. This honest, heartfelt conversation is for every person standing in that in-between space, wondering who they are.
My guest today is Jay Ramsden — podcaster, empty nest coach, and someone who has lived this reckoning from the inside out. After a 30-year career in education and years as a primary caregiver, Jay didn't just adjust to the empty nest. He climbed Mount Kilimanjaro. He walked the Camino de Santiago. And somewhere between the altitude and the miles, he found a philosophy that changed everything: Mpole, Mpole — Swahili for slowly, slowly. One intentional step at a time.
In this episode, Jay and I go deep on what it really takes to rebuild your identity, shed the roles that no longer fit, and step into a second act that finally feels like yours.
In this episode you'll learn:
- Why pivoting your career can feel unsettling even when every part of you knows it's time
- How to rebuild your self-identity and what intentional living looks like day in and day out — not just in theory
- How to use "what's in the way" as your map toward more freedom and self-discovery
- What Jay learned from getting comfortable with going slow — and why lasting personal reinvention requires exactly that
- How to recognize when caregiving has quietly become your whole identity, and what it takes to reclaim yourself from the inside out
- What JOMO is and how shifting your FOMO opens the door to truly liberated living
- How to start trusting yourself again to create a more meaningful, purpose-driven second act
If you've been feeling stretched between who you were and who you're becoming — this episode is your reminder that there is still so much of you left to discover.
This chapter gets to belong to you too.
Cheers to more love and freedom,
Laurie
Click here to learn about my NEW “Nervous System Regulation Starter Kit”
Click here to purchase my book: Sandwiched: A Memoir of Holding On and Letting Go
Free Resources
Click here to schedule a FREE inquiry call with me.
Click here for my FREE “Beginner’s Guide to Somatic Healing”
Click here for my FREE Core Values Exercise
Connect with Jay Ramsden
Website
Instagram
Tiktok
RESOURCES MENTIONED:
Strength to Strength: A book by Arthur C. Brooks mentioned for its insights on managing life transitions and shifting focus from external achievements
The Obstacle Is the Way: A book by Ryan Holiday that explores using challenges as opportunities for growth
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DISCLAIMER: THE COMMENTARY AND OPINIONS AVAILABLE ON THIS PODCAST ARE FOR INFORMATIONAL AND ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY AND NOT FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING LEGAL, MEDICAL OR PROFESSIONAL ADVICE. YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LICENSED THERAPIST IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING SUICIDAL THOUGHTS. YOU SHOULD CONTACT AN ATTORNEY IN YOUR STATE TO OBTAIN LEGAL ADVICE. YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LICENSED MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL WITH RESPECT TO ANY MEDICAL ISSUE OR PROBLEM.