In this episode of The Art of Imperfect Adulting, Amy Stone speaks with Kristina Heaugh-Avritt about the complexities of school choice, navigating "cracks in the system" of public education, and redefining joyful, values-based learning at home. Kristina, based in Southern Oregon, brings nearly three decades of classroom experience and her perspective as a special needs parent to the conversation. Together, they dive deep into teacher burnout, the shifting landscape of education, and the empowering journey of supporting alternative learning paths for families.

Kristina Heagh-Avritt is the founder of Vibrant Family Education and the co-host of the Bringing Education Home podcast. After over 30 years in education, she now guides parents to create joyful, connected, values-based learning at home. She is dedicated to helping families raise happy, healthy, and successful children who love to learn and feel deeply supported.

Main Topics Covered:

1. The evolving realities and challenges within public school systems, including “teaching to the test” and loss of teacher autonomy
2. How administrative shifts and tech demands have impacted both teachers and families, especially after the pandemic
3. The crucial role of parent involvement and how modern schools have unintentionally created barriers to collaboration
4. Navigating burnout as an educator: emotional shifts, leaving legacy workplaces, and the hard decision to step away
5. The difference between replicating traditional schooling at home versus designing custom home education experiences
6. Demystifying alternative education: homeschooling, unschooling, road schooling, and world schooling—and how to choose the right fit
7. Addressing family values, holistic learning, and handling fears about “missing something” in home-based education
8. How Kristina supports parents through 1:1 coaching, building accountability, routines, and personally tailored plans

Quote from the Episode: “I think a lot of it had to do with helping other people, you know, and just knowing that the children I could impact and help grow and change and be confident and stuff. When I started school, I wasn't very confident, and I grew into my confidence and my capabilities with great teachers. … When you're watching, watching a little kid and they finally get something, their eyes pop open, and you can almost literally see that little cartoon bubble, light bulb above their head going, I got it right.” — Kristina Heaugh-Avritt

Timestamps: [00:00:06] Welcome & intros; Kristina shares her Oregon roots [00:01:20] Snow days: Why Kristina prefers evening walks over outdoor sports [00:02:04] Kristina’s dual perspective—teacher and special needs parent [00:03:06] Why second and third grades are a “sweet spot” for growth [00:04:06] Teaching all subjects except PE, music, and library [00:04:27] Big district restructuring: Shifts, chaos, and adapting [00:05:16] Being an academic “bookworm” and loving school childhood [00:06:01] Mrs. Reynolds: The teacher who inspired Kristina’s journey [00:06:58] Motivation for teaching: Helping kids gain confidence [00:08:13] Hitting limits—“loving kids through the cracks in the system” [00:09:00] From connection to burnout: Policy, tests, and admin changes [00:11:07] Curriculum before “teaching to the test”—what flexibility looked like [00:12:39] What...

In this episode of The Art of Imperfect Adulting, Amy Stone speaks with Emily Paulsen about the realities of being child free by choice. Emily joins from Chicago, Illinois.The audience will gain clarity on how to talk about family planning (or the lack thereof) with sensitivity, learn about the shifting landscape for Gen Z and Millennials, and explore the sometimes unseen ripple effects of opting out of parenthood.

About Emily Paulsen: Emily Paulsen is an award-winning entrepreneur and happily childfree woman shining a light on the often overshadowed childfree-by-choice perspective. Whether interviewing innovative experts or positioning leaders to scale through her Brand Studio, Electric Collab, Emily’s power lies in allowing people to feel seen and celebrated for who they are . She’s spent years honing the ability to deeply understand and amplify others in an honest, high-impact way.

Main Topics Covered:

1. The evolving cultural conversation and data on living child free, including global trends and generational differences.
2. Why representation matters—how seeing alternative life paths enables true personal choice, and the impact of visibility in media, workplaces, and families.
3. Navigating family and friend reactions when "coming out" as child free, and why supportive communities make a difference.
4. Workplace bias, caregiving double standards, and the ripple effects of assumptions about who will (or won’t) have children.
5. The pressure, pain points, and social judgments embedded in conversations around parenthood—and what to say (or not say) to someone who is child free.
6. How internal clarity and confidence develop over time, and the importance of talking about personal decisions openly but respectfully.
7. The nuanced differences between being child free by choice and by circumstance, with discussion about language, labels, and surveys.
8. The value of parallel life paths and rejecting the idea that one way of "adulting" is better than another.

Quote from the Episode: "My goal is for women, for all people really, to understand themselves well enough to make a choice that's right for them. And I think that choice becomes a lot more fair when you see both sides of that decision." — Emily Paulsen

Timestamps: [00:00:05] Amy welcomes Emily; Chicago’s winter wonderland; favorite winter activities

[00:01:57] Child free by choice: Amy introduces the topic; Emily shares her passion for representation

[00:02:30] Data and trends: declining birth rates, international comparisons, and generational shifts

[00:04:23] Survey limitations: why it’s hard to research people’s choices and the categories of child free, childless, and more

[00:08:57] Emily’s personal story: When she realized motherhood wasn’t for her, and how family scripts shape our view of adulthood

[00:14:12] Barbie, representation, and the power of seeing alternatives in childhood play

[00:15:04] Why it’s not about convincing others to be child free, but about informed, personal decision

[00:17:58] The workplace: maternity leave, double standards, and caring for aging parents

[00:20:05] The internal journey: relief, “awakening,” and the complexities of telling others about being child free

[00:24:24] Sensitivity and conversations: Recognizing that choices about family are deeply...

In this episode of The Art of Imperfect Adulting, Amy Stone speaks with Joanne Gates about navigating motherhood, career ambition, and the realities of working in the male-dominated tech industry. Joanne, joining from Scottsdale, Arizona, recounts her move from Boston to Seattle, her nearly 30-year career at Microsoft, and the pivotal choices she made as both a mom and a leader. Listeners will discover how Joanne carved out success in corporate America, confronted workplace bias, and now channels her expertise into coaching women to thrive at work and at home.

About Joanne Gates:

Joanne Gates is a certified executive life coach who helps professional women in tech and male-dominated industries unlock their career potential with clarity, confidence, and purpose. After a 30-year career at Microsoft—rising from entry-level to executive—Joanne now empowers women to overcome imposter syndrome, people-pleasing, and perfectionism while building authentic leadership presence. She’s especially known for helping women get promoted into senior leadership roles and then kick ass once they’re there—navigating high-stakes environments with emotional intelligence, strategic influence, and unapologetic power. Joanne blends deep empathy with sharp business acumen to help her clients lead boldly, drive impact, and rewrite the rules of leadership.

Main Topics Covered:

1. The life-altering impact of motherhood on career paths, especially for women in tech and male-dominated corporate environments.
2. Facing and overcoming gender bias and assumptions about working mothers in the workplace.
3. The challenges and family dynamics of being the primary breadwinner and having a stay-at-home dad partner in the late '90s and early 2000s.
4. Navigating pivotal career decisions, missed opportunities, and the trade-offs of prioritizing family vs. pursuing senior leadership.
5. Advocating for oneself in corporate hierarchies, especially when faced with unfair evaluations or lack of managerial support.
6. The evolution (and limitations) of maternity leave policies and the importance of workplace systems that genuinely support parents.
7. Joanne’s transition from a senior leader at Microsoft to executive and life coaching for women, with a focus on helping others define and achieve their own success.
8. Practical tips for protecting your career trajectory, handling performance reviews, and knowing when (and how) to escalate workplace concerns.

Quote from the Episode:

"I felt like I had to, like, shake him by the shoulders… How many guys have to have this conversation? That just pisses me off. We have to because, obviously, it’s pretty apparent that we’re having a child." — Joanne Gates

Timestamps: [00:00:04] Welcome, Joanne’s location, and adjusting to life in the desert [00:00:46] Childhood winter activities and chasing the sun [00:01:37] Introducing today’s topic: balancing motherhood and career [00:02:29] On generational change—and how much (or little) has shifted for working women [00:03:19] The Covid reset and women leaving corporate roles; Joanne’s new passion for helping women succeed [00:04:24] Joanne’s career start, move to Microsoft in the dot-com era [00:07:21] Early influences, engineering in college, and professional aspirations in a male-driven world [00:11:19] On early career choices, family...

In this episode of The Art of Imperfect Adulting, Amy Stone speaks with Lilli Bewley about breaking relationship patterns, healing childhood wounds, and rediscovering identity through the lens of love and dating. Calling in from sunny Phoenix, Arizona, Lilli shares her transformative journey as a self-described “cycle breaker,” moving from performing life to authentic alignment and connection. Listeners will gain insight into how childhood experiences shape adult relationships, the power of inner work, and how clarity on needs and self-worth can radically transform one’s dating experience and overall well-being.

About Lilli Bewley: Lilli Bewley is a Dating Coach for Finding Love with over 10 years of experience in personal development. She, herself, went from just surviving in life to thriving in love & purpose. Currently, she is helping single & successful women love dating & find true love.

Main Topics Covered:

1. The role of childhood patterns and family models in shaping adult relationships and self-worth.
2. Recognizing and breaking unhealthy cycles as a conscious, courageous act—and what it means to be a “cycle breaker.”
3. Moving from high achievement and people-pleasing to inner alignment and authentic identity.
4. The importance and challenges of communicating needs rather than just emotions, especially for women who have experienced trauma or dysfunction.
5. How “performing life” and transactional self-worth show up in dating, career, and family—and the work required to shift toward true fulfillment.
6. Faith, spirituality, and overcoming religious trauma as sources of guidance and healing, regardless of doctrine.
7. Why inner transformation is the foundation for success in dating—and how dating apps can be used as a practice ground for self-awareness and boundary-setting.
8. Lilli’s framework for feminine dating archetypes and the “magnetic woman,” and how understanding these archetypes accelerates healing and connection.

Quote from the Episode: “There are parts of us that believe that we have to be bright and shiny, we have to be a certain way, we have to be a certain weight, we have to have a certain number in our bank account. Most women are in this transactional relationship with self, with love, and with performing—meaning, ‘If I’m sexy, then I’ll get love.’”—Lilli Bewley

Timestamps: [00:00:04] Amy welcomes Lilli Bewley and asks about her location in Phoenix, AZ

[00:01:10] Lilli shares her love for Phoenix’s winter weather and outdoor activities

[00:02:10] Pivot to love, relationships, and the theme of alignment and identity

[00:03:26] Lilli describes the impact of childhood patterns, early trauma, and the start of her inner healing journey over a decade ago

[00:06:25] Moving through high achievement, validation-seeking, and emptiness to see root causes of self-worth issues

[00:08:58] Amy and Lilli discuss awareness of recurring patterns and what it means to break cycles, especially as the oldest sibling

[00:10:23] Lilli explains her life situation at the turning point—working in corporate America and in an unfulfilling relationship

[00:12:10] The nuanced challenge of communication: expressing needs and understanding core wounds

[00:14:07] Amy relates mediation and conflict patterns to relationship...

In this episode of The Art of Imperfect Adulting, Amy Stone speaks with Susan Hyatt about the realities and myths of diet culture, beauty standards, and the rise of "menopause culture." Broadcasting from Indiana in the Midwest, Susan shares her journey as a life coach and author, unveiling the motivations behind her anti-diet philosophy and the process of publishing her book, "Bear." Together, Amy and Susan candidly explore the evolving influence of social media, the challenge of visibility for women, and how aging and menopause are newly commodified—and what it means to choose self-support instead of self-policing.

About Susan Hyatt: Susan Hyatt is a Master Certified Life Coach, Bestselling Author, and TEDx Speaker. She’s on a mission to ignite 'Big Yes Energy' in women everywhere. From boosting your bank account to supercharging your self-confidence, from elevating your energy levels to amplifying your joy, Susan is the go-to expert for women who want more.

With 18 years of coaching experience under her belt, Susan has guided thousands of women through their personal revolutions. She's a crusader against diet culture and a vocal advocate for closing gaps – in wages, confidence, and yes, even orgasms.

She is also the creator of BARE - a groundbreaking process that’s inspired women all over the world to stop shrinking their bodies and start expanding their lives.

Susan's impactful work has graced national TV, leading podcasts, and top magazines including O: The Oprah Magazine, Cosmopolitan, Seventeen, Woman’s World, and Call Her Daddy. Her dedication to women's empowerment and entrepreneurship also earned her a spot as a finalist for the prestigious Athena Award.

When she's not hyping up her clients, leading epic retreats, or making a scene, Susan can be found weightlifting, marathon training, globetrotting, or cozying up in her hygge corner. She’s also not shy about advocating for equality at home, regularly reminding her husband about the importance of sharing the "invisible workload," so she can continue to earn big and play big.

Main Topics Covered:

1. How Susan’s anti-diet philosophy was born from personal experience and coaching hundreds of women.
2. Navigating the publishing industry: the challenges, rejections, and creative solutions Susan found on her way to releasing "Bear."
3. Unpacking "diet culture," "beauty culture," and "menopause culture"—what these terms mean and how they impact women.
4. The emotional risk and motivation behind becoming a visible voice for body freedom and wellness.
5. The backlash and online criticism women face when sharing their stories—and how to use privilege for advocacy.
6. Aging, menopause, and influencer advice: noticing the parallels between traditional diet culture and new "menopause fixes."
7. The importance of quality information, body intuition, and skepticism amid wellness fads and changing research.
8. Creating sustainable health and strength in midlife, beyond competitive extremes and compliance for its own sake.
9. Building offline and online communities for support and connection in the age of instant digital feedback.

Quote from the Episode: "I'm not gonna shut up because I have big boobs and blonde hair and blue eyes. Like, that's...

In this episode of The Art of Imperfect Adulting, Amy Stone speaks with Kimberly Brown about navigating major career transitions, the search for authentic self-fulfillment, and the power of mindfulness and meditation in overcoming anxiety. Joining Amy from New York City, Kimberly opens up about leaving behind years of psychoanalytic training in favor of a path rooted in Buddhist-inspired meditation. Listeners will learn how Kimberly’s journey through personal anxiety and professional “wrong turns” led her to a sense of belonging, self-compassion, and a thriving vocation as a meditation teacher.

Kimberly Brown is a meditation teacher and author. She leads classes and retreats that emphasize the power of compassion and kindness meditation to reconnect us to ourselves and others. She studies in both the Tibetan and Insight schools of Buddhism and is a certified mindfulness instructor. Her latest book, Happy Relationships: 25 Buddhist Practices to Transform Your Connection with Your Partner, Family, and Friends, was recently released by Rowman & Littlefield. You can learn more about Kimberly at www.meditationwithheart.com

Main Topics Covered:

1. Coping with the pressure and expectations to “get it right” in career and education choices.
2. The impact of post-9/11 life changes and the urgent drive for deeper meaning.
3. Why traditional psychoanalysis and diagnostic labels didn’t resonate—and how compassion shifted her approach.
4. Transforming painful anxiety and panic attacks into motivation for personal growth.
5. The science and practice of mindfulness and meditation, including Buddhist perspectives.
6. How belonging and acceptance—both internally and within a community—can heal and empower.
7. Overcoming the belief that something is “wrong” with you and embracing inherent goodness.
8. Building a business and life around self-compassion, meditation, and helping others connect authentically.

Quote from the Episode: "I began to feel that there was nothing wrong with anybody. And I don't... that doesn't mean we all have troubles. I just never felt like, well, anybody's really broken, right? We just have our stuff and we have to, you know, take care of it and understand it." — Kimberly Brown

Timestamps: [00:00:04] Introduction & warm-up: New York roots, upstate escapes, and favorite flowers

[00:02:34] Career change: From HR and psychoanalytic training to questioning the diagnostic process

[00:09:02] 9/11 as a catalyst for dramatic life transitions

[00:12:07] The essential role of a healing therapist and the inspiration to help others

[00:13:31] The drive to return to school, lifelong learning, and giving oneself grace in change

[00:17:27] Discomfort with diagnosing mental health, and the story of an authentic therapeutic relationship

[00:21:19] Discussion of Freud, medical coding, and the industrial complex of American healthcare

[00:26:56] Struggles with professional modality and the need for real human connection

[00:30:49] Personal challenges: panic attacks, anxiety, and unexpected traumas

[00:34:01] Discovering meditation and mindfulness through yoga and Buddhist centers

[00:37:27] Building a new path—belonging, retreats, teaching, and gratitude for healing

[00:41:12] The power of acceptance, belonging, and Buddhist...

In this episode of The Art of Imperfect Adulting, Amy Stone speaks with Sabrina Harrison about body image, self-acceptance, and the transformative power of boudoir photography—both behind and in front of the lens. Joining from Westminster, Colorado, Sabrina shares her personal experience of gifting boudoir photos to her husband, which unexpectedly became a journey of reclaiming her own confidence and reshaping her photography business. The conversation explores how images impact self-concept, the realities of postpartum body changes, and actionable strategies to build self-love.

About Sabrina Harrison: Sabrina has a degree in photography from the University of Virginia. She moved to Colorado in 2016 with her husband and 2 dogs. She is currently working as a boudoir, retreat, and branding photographer in Westminster, Colorado. Sabrina is a huge reader and personal development junkie. She loves skiing, hiking, tea, tacos, and eclairs. Sabrina is the proud mother of 3 children, 2 bio and 1 bonus. Sabrina is a seasoned expert in confidence coaching and brand strategy, dedicated to empowering individuals to embrace themselves and unlock their potential through art and capturing their true essence behind her lens.

Main Topics Covered:

1. How boudoir photography can become an act of self-love and empowerment.
2. The emotional journey of stepping in front of the camera as a photographer, including vulnerability, trust, and letting go of control.
3. The impact of postpartum body changes on confidence and identity, and how photography can help reframe these experiences.
4. Specific techniques for cultivating self-acceptance, including affirmation strategies and mirror work.
5. Challenging social beauty standards and learning to see yourself with compassion.
6. How Sabrina’s personal photo session led her to niche her business and help other women transform their own self-image.
7. The philosophy behind presenting images as a “kinder lens” compared to self-critique.
8. Practical tips for anyone feeling critical or uncomfortable in front of a camera, starting with small steps and mindset shifts.

Quote from the Episode: "This is literally looking at myself through a kinder lens than I do maybe in the mirror. And I really wanted to try to create that for other people." — Sabrina Harrison

Timestamps: [00:00:05] — Welcome & introductions; Sabrina shares where she calls home [00:00:30] — Warm-up questions on Valentine’s Day gifts and personal preferences [00:02:18] — Episode focus: the meaning behind boudoir photography and Sabrina’s story [00:02:49] — Sabrina’s roots in photography: family legacy and first camera memories [00:06:10] — The origin story: deciding to gift boudoir photos to her husband after childbirth [00:07:47] — Insights from Rumi: action creates clarity [00:11:00] — What is boudoir photography? Sabrina explains the spectrum of style and comfort [00:12:00] — Facing nerves and the reality of body image post-baby; not being documented in family photos [00:13:13] — Surrendering creative control; empathy for clients’ experience [00:16:06] — How the experience unexpectedly transformed Sabrina’s business [00:17:16] — Shedding mental baggage and embracing new self-love postpartum [00:19:15] — Common body image fears, dysmorphia, and how photography can heal [00:21:25] — Confronting “imperfections”...

In this episode of The Art of Imperfect Adulting, Amy Stone speaks with Brittany Cano about navigating burnout, trauma, and transformation as an ICU nurse during the COVID pandemic. Based in Florida, Brittany shares her shift from hospital nursing to holistic wellness coaching. Listeners will discover insights about nervous system regulation, overcoming grief, and redefining adult identity after major life transitions.

About Brittany Cano:

Brittany Cano is a Holistic Nurse Coach and wellness expert with over 20 years of nursing experience and a decade of running her own holistic wellness practice. Her work was born from her personal healing journey, transforming shame, perfectionism, and self-criticism into self-compassion, embodiment, and wholeness. Drawing from her background in nursing, somatic healing, and holistic coaching, Brittany helps others reconnect with their bodies, regulate their nervous systems, and reclaim their energy and worth. She is passionate about guiding others to move beyond burnout and live in alignment with their most authentic selves.

Main Topics Covered:

1. Facing trauma and burnout as an ICU nurse in New York and Baltimore during the first wave of the COVID pandemic.
2. Navigating cultural contrasts in pandemic response between Northeast cities and Florida.
3. The psychological impact of working in intensive care and why teamwork and humor were survival tools.
4. The move from traditional nursing to holistic wellness coaching—motivated by a desire to focus on prevention, longevity, and emotional well-being.
5. Recognizing burnout through physical symptoms and exploring the deep connection between mind, body, and trauma.
6. Using self-reflection, nervous system regulation, and somatic practices to heal and support others.
7. Overcoming guilt and identity challenges when leaving behind a respected profession for more authentic life and work.
8. Brittany’s approach to holistic healing: biopsychosocial-spiritual, including retreats, coaching, and innovative tools like peptide protocols.

Timestamps:

[00:00:07] Amy welcomes Brittany & introduces Thanksgiving leftovers conversation

[00:01:46] Shifting from holiday talk to Brittany’s pandemic experience as an ICU nurse

[00:02:45] Standing out moments from early COVID, patient stories, teamwork, emotional toll

[00:05:03] Navigating uncertainty, hazmat suits, and contrasting pandemic cultures in Florida vs. Northeast

[00:08:07] Brittany’s holistic wellness side hustle and the motivation to leave bedside nursing

[00:09:43] The importance of preventative health and avoiding hospitalization

[00:13:02] Early career decisions: psychology dreams, practical nursing choices, and college costs

[00:15:01] Grief, personal trauma, and the healing power of holistic coaching

[00:18:58] Defining “holistic”—mind, body, social, and spiritual interconnectedness in wellness

[00:21:16] Brittany discovers the root of her burnout and GI symptoms, and the need for deeper healing

[00:26:27] The challenge of self-awareness during burnout; learning from “rushing woman syndrome”

[00:29:59] Ayahuasca experience, trauma healing, and how divine timing guided Brittany’s journey

[00:33:33] How pandemic trauma reverberates for healthcare workers and all adults

[00:34:28]...