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
A Short and Sweet Independence Day Message on Inner Freedom
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Happy July 4th Freebirds!
Today's episode is short and sweet, perfect for this holiday week.
A friend shared a beautiful poem with me and it spoke to my heart. The poem is about embracing all parts of ourselves—the good, the bad, and not-so-favorite parts. I felt so inspired by it and wanted to share it with you.
This poem reminds us that we are like the ocean, vast, powerful, and made up of many different emotions and experiences. It’s a comforting thought that we don’t always have to be strong or positive, we are all of it, and all of it is us.
I hope this resonates with you and helps you find more inner freedom and emotional wellness today and every day.
Stay safe!
Laurie
These guides will help you take the next step in life and check out my upcoming retreat.
Click here to learn about my Women’s Mammoth Retreat.
Click here for my “Somatic Healing for Beginners Guide”
Click here for my “Girlfriends Guide to Online Dating”
Click here for my “Girlfriends Guide to Dating Differently”
Click here to purchase my book: Sandwiched: A Memoir of Holding On and Letting Go
Sign up for my newsletter here to stay up to date on my upcoming offerings and podcast interviews!
Hannah Ro’s contact info:
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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.
Welcome to Confessions of a Freebird podcast. I'm your host, Laurie James, a mother, divorcee, a recovering caregiver, the author of Sandwiched A Memoir of Holding on and Letting go, a therapy junkie, relationship coach, somatic healer, and now podcaster. I'm a free spirit and here to lift you up. On this podcast, I'll share soulful confessions, and empowering conversations with influential experts. So you can learn to spread your wings and make the most of your second half. So pop in those earbuds turn up the volume. And let's get inspired because my mission is to help you create your most joyful, purpose driven life. One confession at a time.
Hey Freebirds. Happy July 4th. This is going to be a short and sweet episode, so stay with me. First, before we get started, I am having a special on my Mammoth retreat $100 off if you sign up this week before Sunday, at midnight. So take a look at that the link is in the show notes. It's a wonderful retreat, full of hiking and delicious nurturing food and get away from the hustle and bustle. Also, I have some great free guides in the show notes to on dating one on Beginner's Guide to Somatic Healing, if that interests you at all, and a friend of mine, shared a poem with me. And it's somebody by the name of Hannah Roe. I'll put the link in the show notes if you want to follow her. She is a writer and the she is on a platform called Substack, which is a platform for writers. And it's titled Until I thought of myself as the sea. And this is my podcast for today that I'm going to read her poem, because it really really spoke to me. So here we go.
I used to separate good days from bad until I thought of myself as an ocean. I used to slice times I felt strong. From when I felt weak until I imagined myself as the sea. Calm and rocky, wild and soft, still am powerful, and vast, and more than any one thing. In the ocean, it's hard to divorce our mood from another one way from the next. Now on my worst days, I think how good life is too. How I still can greet joy while swimming through grief. How fragile strength sometimes feels, how I am not any one thing in any one moment, on any one day. I am all of it. And all of it is me.
This just so resonated with me because we are all those things. We are all of our emotions. We are all of our experiences. And there is freedom in that. We don't always have to be strong. We don't always have to be positive, we don't have to always be one thing. So on this Fourth of July, I hope this speaks to you the way it spoke to me. Can you find just a little bit more inner freedom today and every day. So again, Happy Fourth of July, and I'll see you next week. Until then, Freebirds.
Thank you for listening to this episode of Confessions of a Freebird. I'm grateful to be in your ears and hearts. If you're interested in becoming a free bird, I'd love to support you. Please check out my website at lauriejames.com to learn how we can work together or to sign up for my newsletter. So you can receive tips on how to date and relationship differently and ultimately find more freedom and joy in your life. If you found this podcast helpful, please follow or subscribe rate and review and share it with friends so they can find more freedom in their second or third act also. Until next time.