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
How to Break Free from Relationship Patterns Using Somatic Tools and Trauma-Informed Support with Riana Malia
What if the patterns you keep repeating aren’t flaws or bad habits, but survival strategies your body learned long ago?
In this episode, I sit down with Riana Malia, a certified Neuro-Somatic practitioner whose work focuses on healing generational trauma through the unconscious mind, nervous system regulation, and trauma-informed care.
Riana shares her powerful personal story of betrayal, loss, and the promise she made to her daughter, that the cycle of trauma would end with her. Together, we explore how the body holds experiences the mind can’t always explain, and how unhealed childhood wounds can quietly shape our relationships, choices, and sense of self well into adulthood.
We talk about why emotional regulation is the foundation of real change, how trauma responses often disguise themselves as personality traits or self-sabotage, and how Riana used quantum healing to shift lifelong pain, without having to relive every traumatic moment.
You’ll learn:
- Why certain relationship patterns keep repeating, even when you “know better”
- How trauma responses can disguise themselves as personality traits or self-sabotage
- What somatic tools actually look like in everyday life, especially when things feel overwhelming
- The difference between emotional awareness and true embodied healing
- Why forgiveness is about reclaiming yourself, not excusing harm.
- What a practical, sustainable healing journey can look like after decades of stored trauma.
- How trauma-informed personal growth gives your nervous system a new story to follow
- How understanding your body creates emotional safety and resilience
If you’re carrying pain you can’t quite name, or if healing has felt confusing or out of reach, this episode offers a gentler, more embodied way forward.
Your body already knows the way. It just needs your attention, patience, and care.
Much love,
Laurie
Click here to fill out my Podcast survey for 2026.
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 Riana Malia
Click here to take Riana’s E.L.I. Assessment
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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.