Sylvia & Me
Sylvia & Me, conversations with extraordinary women who are changing the world by making a difference in their lives and the lives around them. Life changing events can be frightening, exciting, overwhelming; a range of emotions. They are usually followed by decisions made by some bold, strong, independent, persevering women who open the door to a new journey. We’ll be taking journeys through conversations with these women. ‘Sylvia & Me’ can be found on most popular podcast platforms including Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Play and iHeart Radio. And our website, https://lifeapres.com/podcast Listen, subscribe for free and take us with you wherever you are.
Episodes
April 23, 2024 • 31 mins
Ann Batchelder is the author of Craving Spring: A Mother’s Quest, a Daughter’s Depression, and the Greek Myth That Brought Them Together. Ann shares her story of her daughter’s journey with mental health and addiction. As mothers we are always looking for ways to be a ‘good’ mother. What if who we need to be is a ‘skilled’ mother? And learn how to ask for help.
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April 16, 2024 • 42 mins
New York Times Bestselling author Lyz Lenz is 'reframing' divorce and getting rid of the stigma. Her latest book, This American Ex-Wife: How I Ended My Marriage - and - Started My Life is a memoir/manifesto. Lyz debunks the myth of the 'happily ever' marriage scenario and gives us the straight talk about divorce. 'The stigma exists because everybody is afraid of a liberated woman'.
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April 9, 2024 • 37 mins
Just a girl from the Bronx. That’s Francine Farkas Sears, the first American businesswoman invited to China after President Nixon re-established trade relations. The groundbreaking trip included twenty-five men and Francine.
Francine's first leap into entrepreneurship began in her teens with a babysitting business. Her second was revolutionizing a salon armed with an idea, $1,000 cash, 7th Avenue and Pucci-like dresses. Next an ...
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April 2, 2024 • 36 mins
Frances Perkins is a woman I’ve come to know, admire and am in awe of through Stephanie Dray’s newest novel Becoming Madam Secretary. The first female cabinet member in U.S. history, she was Labor Secretary to President Franklin D. Roosevelt. In a political time dominated by men, Frances Perkins was America’s leading advocate for workers’ rights and industrial safety. Fair Labor Standard Acts, Social Security…thank you Frances.
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March 26, 2024 • 38 mins
Retail pioneer and global trendsetter, Liz Lange, transformed maternity wear in 1997 and gave women the empowerment to shine. Her brand, Liz Lange Maternity, became a game-changer for celebrities and regular women alike.
In the early 2000s, Liz Lange became a household name as a retail pioneer and global trendsetter. Her licensing deals with Nike, Target, and HSN established her as a fashion icon, with her maternity collaboratio...
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March 19, 2024 • 27 mins
It started with a piggy bank, well sort of. Among Amanda's late husband's passions was financial wellness. Not finding anything but plastic children's piggy banks, Amanda made her own, a solid wood piggy bank. A piggy bank with three compartments: giving, saving and spending. Her son's financial education was not going to start in a plastic piggy bank. It was part of his father's legacy, the Enduring Legacy Bank. And it turned out ...
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March 12, 2024 • 31 mins
March is Women's History Month. Let's take a moment to acknowledge the forgotten heroes of the Vietnam War- the women veterans. Approximately 10,000 women served in Vietnam as nurses, medical personnel, and military intelligence in the Army, Navy, and Air Force. Award-winning author Kristin Hannah's newest historical fiction, The Women, sheds light on the untold stories of these brave women.
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March 5, 2024 • 37 mins
Relinquished: The Politics of Adoption and the Privilege of American Motherhood. The title is quite powerful as is its author, Gretchen Sisson, PhD. Gretchen has been making waves with her groundbreaking studies on abortion and adoption in the US. Her work sheds light on the experiences of women who have relinquished their child for adoption since Roe v. Wade. The Supreme Court's dissent in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health from Jus...
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February 27, 2024 • 34 mins
What ingredients do you need? It really doesn't take a lot for this particular recipe, the Recipe for a Good Life. Bestselling Canadian author Lesley Crewe is making her American debut and we could all use this recipe. This may be her 15th novel for her Canadian readers, but I can definately say, her new American readers will catch up.
For Lesley her writing started as an exercise for understanding her world and in doing so, we ...
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February 20, 2024 • 42 mins
Dr. Brooke Grindlinger, Chief Scientific Officer of the NY Academy of Sciences didn't take the conventional female scientist’s route. Instead of the traditional, academic path, Brooke pursued her passion of science communications. Brooke is breaking barriers faced by women in STEM and works with young female scientists pursuing their own 'unconventional' paths. By leveraging her voice and platform, Brooke engages and educates audie...
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February 13, 2024 • 34 mins
The First Amendment and freedom of speech are being battled daily. But the First Amendment is not just the written or spoken word, it's also the freedom of expression. Lynn Greenky started her professional career as a lawyer. Ten years ago Lynn began teaching an undergraduate course about the First Amendment. She was disturbed about the lack of civics education in the U.S. Lynn is the author of When Freedom Speaks: The Boundaries a...
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February 6, 2024 • 31 mins
This week a fun, interesting, warm conversation with author and fellow podcaster Fern Bernstein. 2019 saw her debut memoir Mah Jongg Mondays: a memoir about friendship, love and faith. And this past October her second book Staunch: The Edies of Grey Gardens. Fern hosts the podcasts Mah Jongg Mondays and Grey Gardens: Don’t Just Be A Lady…Be A Legend.
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January 30, 2024 • 36 mins
Medical bias and discrimination come along with living single in a couple’s oriented society. Dr. Joan DelFattore is single by choice. She had never been moved to do anything, until they tried to kill her. That got her attention.
‘Diagnosed with stage 4 gallbladder cancer, I went to a well-known highly regarded medical oncologist and he really got on a tear about my family situation. When I said no to having a husband, children,...
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January 23, 2024 • 38 mins
Megan Nix is the author of Remedies for Sorrow: an Extraordinary Child, A Secret Kept from Pregnant Women, and a Mother’s Pursuit Of The Truth. Her daughter Anna was born very small and deaf. Anna has CMV (congenital cytomegalovirus). CMV is the leading cause of birth defects in the U.S., a virus contracted through a toddler’s saliva. The medical system doesn’t disclose the existence of CMV to the public. It believes that addition...
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January 16, 2024 • 42 mins
Making love, porn and sex education.
Add access to porn with society's reluctance to talk about sex. The result, porn becomes sex education by default. In comes Cindy Gallop founder of MakeLoveNotPorn. ‘Pro-sex. Pro-porn. Pro-knowing the difference.’ A candid conversation on knowing the difference.
At the 2009 TED conference, Cindy launched the MakeLoveNotPorn web site in a 4-minute TEDTalk. Her talk has been described as "o...
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January 2, 2024 • 29 mins
Debut short story author Kelly Sather's 'Small in Real Life' explores the complexities of the human experience. The collection of nine short stories set in LA, Southern California, blends intensity and humor, invoking the myth and melancholy of L.A. glamour. Each story follows characters searching for power, fame, love, and redemption, no matter the consequences.
Kelly Sather is a former entertainment lawyer and screenwriter. H...
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December 12, 2023 • 31 mins
Sharing voices with a fellow podcaster. A few months ago, I was invited to be a guest on Jackie Tantillo’s podcast. The topic was one that I’ve often mentioned in passing but never delved into…my mom. Should Have Listened To My Mother … wonder what my boys would have to say?
‘Are you here today because of or in spite of your mother?’
How many of us have asked ourselves that question? How many of us are able to answer that que...
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November 28, 2023 • 32 mins
A Trilogy, 3rd Time Around and we have Internationally bestselling author Alka Joshi. The Jaipur Trilogy to be exact: The Henna Artist, The Secret Keeper of Jaipur and The Perfumist of Paris. 2020 saw the publication of Alka's debut novel The Henna Artist, 10 years in the making. The last of the trilogy was released this past October. The rest is, as they say, history.
Named one of Forbes 2023 Women 50/50, Alka says 'Life takes ...
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November 14, 2023 • 38 mins
Molly Wadzeck Kraus is a freelance writer with ADHD who is always looking for an exciting topic or idea to spark her next hyper-fixation. She writes about mental health, parenting, politics, animal welfare, reproductive rights, pop culture, and dabbles in poetry & creative nonfiction. Born and raised in Waco, Texas, Molly currently resides in the Finger Lakes region of New York with her husband and three children.
When there’s s...
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October 31, 2023 • 35 mins
Ana Homayoun's latest book Erasing the Finish Line: The New Blueprint for Success Beyond Grades and College Admission explores erasing the faulty finish line. Explaining how we can help children build their own blueprint for success, Ana discusses important skills.
Executive functioning skills
Building social capital and fostering genuine connections
Buoyancy – the ability to bounce back from disappointments
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