Welcome to Permission to Live, with your host, cult survivor and certified life coach, Melissa Lyon West. Hear powerful stories of women who turned their midlife crises into a badass life. We’ll share the good, the bad, and the ugly that comes when you finally say yes to yourself, and why it is always worth it. These stories, from women just like you, are messy, honest and 100% unfiltered.
We'll be dropping new episodes every other Wednesday where Melissa interviews women who found the courage to take a big, scary step towards their dream, the things they would have done differently, and how it looks on the other side. And in-between Melissa will share how she is overcoming the fear of what other people think, rejecting the guilt of choosing herself and the highs and lows or rebuilding a life of joy amidst trauma healing, depression and anxiety.
Unlocking Neurodivergent Brilliance: Embracing Autism and ADHD at 40
Jennifer Alumbaugh is the founder of the Neuro Defiant Collective and owns a coaching practice, Expansive Expressions that exists to transform culture for late identified autistic and ADHD entrepreneurs. Jennifer is a queer, fat, gender expansive, scrappy, hilarious, fiercely kind human that has huge dreams of collective liberation and smashing oppressive.
But to get here, she first had to discover in her forties that she was autistic and had ADHD then retired from her 15 year career as a complex trauma therapist and rebuild her life and work from scratch-- Neuro-divergently. This is her story.
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Find Jennifer here on her website to on instagram.
LINKS for MELISSA:
Get your Free Roadmap to Unlocking Your Bad Bitch Magic!
Learn more about working with Melissa
Follow Melissa on Instagram
She would love to hear from you! - Send an email to melissa@melissalyonwest.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
28 Jun 2023
Escaping Cults and Depression and Starting a Business after Motherhood
In this captivating episode of we dive deep into the remarkable journey of a Sarah Dickenson who escaped a cult and an abusive marriage but lost herself in motherhood, ultimately reclaiming a newfound purpose in life.
Sarah shares her personal story of enduring the psychological manipulation and control within a cult, as well as the challenges she faced in an abusive relationship. After her children graduated, she experienced a profound sense of emptiness, depression, and uncertainty about her identity. Her journey of self-discovery began at a crucial turning point.
Tune in as she recounts how writing became her refuge, helping her navigate the darkness and reclaim her voice. With vulnerability and strength, she gradually unearthed her authentic self and harnessed the power of business as a means of healing. As her passion for writing grew, she took a leap of faith and embarked on a path to support others in their writing journeys, establishing a business dedicated to helping individuals find their own voices and stories.
Whether you're navigating your own midlife crisis or simply seeking inspiration to transform your life, this episode will leave you feeling empowered and motivated to embrace your own journey of growth and authenticity.
Find Sarah here on her website to on instagram.
LINKS for MELISSA:
Get your Free Roadmap to Unlocking Your Bad Bitch Magic!
Learn more about working with Melissa
Follow Melissa on Instagram
She would love to hear from you! - Send an email to melissa@melissalyonwest.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
14 Jun 2023
Is Embracing Your Cycle THE Key to Preventing Burnout in Business and Life?
Get ready to take a deep dive into our guest's incredible journey of self-discovery! In this episode, Cree opens up about her personal transformation, sharing how she went from doubting herself to truly loving who she is. But that's not all – she's also cracked the code on tracking and understanding her menstrual cycle, and now she's on a mission to help other women do the same.
Cree's mission is Is to liberate women from external systems of control by RECLAIMING THEIR POWER WITHIN and tuning into the inherent wisdom of their body and menstruation.
Join us as we uncover the priceless insights she gained along her path and learn how she's empowering women to prevent burnout and live in perfect harmony with their bodies. In a society that tells us to constantly produce and move forward it's a fucking breath of fresh air to hear someone say - REST!
You can find Cree on her website - creeanaiyahcox.com or on Instagram
LINKS for MELISSA:
Get your Free Roadmap to Unlocking Your Bad Bitch Magic!
Learn more about working with Melissa
Follow Melissa on Instagram
She would love to hear from you! - Send an email to melissa@melissalyonwest.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
19 Apr 2023
How the Hell do I find my Purpose: Part 2
Today I'm sharing the top three actions you can take to learn more about who you are, what you want. Because I want your life to be more than sleep, work and taking care of other people!
My new class -
Coming Home: The exact steps to know who you are and what you want
APRIL 25th, 6 pm MST /8 pm EST
LINKS for MELISSA:
Get your Free Roadmap to Unlocking Your Bad Bitch Magic!
Learn more about working with Melissa on her website
Follow Melissa on Instagram
She would love to hear from you! - Send an email to melissa@melissalyonwest.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
5 Apr 2023
Death & Grief: She Lost Her Mom and Found Herself
Today I'm talking with Charlene Lam of Curating Grief. Charlene Lam is a certified grief coach, speaker and curator of The Grief Gallery. She helps grieving people feeling weighed down by all “the stuff” after the death of a loved one, both physical and emotional.
After her mother died suddenly in 2013, Charlene leaned into her creativity and instincts as a curator to guide herself through grief. She developed her Curating Grief coaching framework to help people heal in a creative, accessible way.
Originally from NYC, she's now based in Lisbon, Portugal and works with grieving people worldwide.
LINKS for CHARLENE:
Visit her website here
Find her on Instagram
Join Charlene's monthly grief gatherings here
LINKS for MELISSA:
Get your Free Roadmap to Unlocking Your Bad Bitch Magic!
Learn more about working with Melissa on her website
Follow Melissa on Instagram
She would love to hear from you! - Send an email to melissa@melissalyonwest.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
29 Mar 2023
How to Hell do You Find Your Purpose: Part 1
Today I'm talking about what it means to find your purpose and what coming home to yourself means. If you are struggling figuring our what is next for you, if you find yourself numbing because it all feels overwhelming - then please listen!
LINKS for MELISSA:
Get your Free Roadmap to Unlocking Your Bad Bitch Magic!
Learn more about working with Melissa on her website
Follow Melissa on Instagram
She would love to hear from you! - Send an email to melissa@melissalyonwest.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
22 Mar 2023
Dance Medicine: The Hustle Almost Killed Her
On today's episode hear from Sarah Reesor, who left a successful dance fitness career right on the cusp of mega success.
She created and started PHunk Fit in 2016 and trained over 100 PHunk Fit Instructors, with over 32 classes available and in 5 US States. In June of 2020, Sarah and her husband opened PHunk Studio SLC.
But then Sarah was diagnosed with Graves Disease and Thyroid Cancer, which led her to completely pivot her business. She closed down her studio, and stepped away from her dance fitness brand and started Dance Therapy to help others heal. This is her story.
LINKS for SARAH:
Instagram - @phunk_rx and @just_Real_sarah (IG)
Tik Tok - @Sarahphunk (tik tok)
Get a free month of dance medicine with Sarah here!
LINKS for MELISSA:
Get your Free Roadmap to Unlocking Your Bad Bitch Magic!
Learn more about working with Melissa on her website
Follow Melissa on Instagram
She would love to hear from you! - Send an email to melissa@melissalyonwest.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
4 Jan 2023
New Year, More Pleasure
Melissa talks about new year's resolutions and how she's not a fan! Instead she shares a different option and the 4 steps to a year of intention! She shares her personal planning retreat and how it helps her take up more space for herself and plan a year that brings pleasure, joy and fun!
Babe, if you want something different in your life this is a great start!
LINKS for MELISSA:
Get your Free Roadmap to Unlocking Your Bad Bitch Magic!
Learn more about working with Melissa on her website
Follow Melissa on Instagram
She would love to hear from you! - Send an email to melissa@melissalyonwest.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
21 Dec 2022
PART 1: How Curiosity Led Her to Becoming a Sex Doula
Latoya Dixon Smith had to wade through multiple layoffs before finding her passion of activating women to find confidence and self-acceptance through empowering boudoir healing ceremonies and speaking about accessing pleasure, power, and peace through the power of the erotic. Here is her story... or at least part of it, she'll be back for more soon!
LINKS for LATOYA:
Learn more about working with Latoya on her website
Follow Melissa on Instagram
LINKS for MELISSA:
Get your Free Roadmap to Unlocking Your Bad Bitch Magic!
Learn more about working with Melissa on her website
Follow Melissa on Instagram
She would love to hear from you! - Send an email to melissa@melissalyonwest.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
7 Dec 2022
5: Rest and Peace: Saying No to Being Used Up and Drained
Fuck anyone who wants us to be used up for their gain! If you are in the process of building a life that serves you then listen in as Melissa shares how she's forgotten that she doesn't have to do EVERYTHING, remembering she has a choice and her 3 favorite things to restore her energy.
LINKS for MELISSA:
Get your Free Roadmap to Unlocking Your Bad Bitch Magic!
Learn more about working with Melissa on her website
Follow Melissa on Instagram
She would love to hear from you! - Send an email to melissa@melissalyonwest.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
30 Nov 2022
4: Overcoming Two Abusive Marriages
Is it possible to recover from an abusive marriage? What about two!? Angelique shares how it happened for her and also three actions that helped her step into a life of adventure and freedom. PS. I maybe share a story about almost dying from food poisoning in the woods!
LINKS for ANGELIQUE:
Find Angelique and all her hikes, trips and backpacking adventures at the Wine Hiking Society
Follow Angelique on Instagram
LINKS for MELISSA:
Learn more about working with Melissa on her website
Follow Melissa on Instagram
LINKS for MELISSA:
Get your Free Roadmap to Unlocking Your Bad Bitch Magic!
Learn more about working with Melissa on her website
Follow Melissa on Instagram
She would love to hear from you! - Send an email to melissa@melissalyonwest.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
23 Nov 2022
3: A Nervous Stomach and Angry Tears
If you've ever walked into a situation where your hands were shaking, you were
sweating, your stomach hurt. Maybe you had to confront someone and you had those angry tears. If that's ever happened to you, and you know what I'm talking about this episode is for you.
I'm sharing two stories of when I had to confront power and how much one year can change things.
LINKS for MELISSA:
Learn more about working with Melissa on her website
Follow Melissa on Instagram
LINKS for MELISSA:
Get your Free Roadmap to Unlocking Your Bad Bitch Magic!
Learn more about working with Melissa on her website
Follow Melissa on Instagram
She would love to hear from you! - Send an email to melissa@melissalyonwest.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
16 Nov 2022
2: Burn It Down: She left her marriage, career & religion in pursuit of truth
What do you do when your life is killing you, your mental health is in a downward spiral and you don't recognize the person looking back at you in the mirror? How do you rebuild after leaving your career, job and marriage all at once? Collette shares how plant medicine and baby steps made all the difference. PS. She does not recommend burning it all down.
LINKS for COLLETTE:
Find Collette and all she offers on Love Culture
Experience Collette's Monday night cannabis meditations here
Follow Collette on Instagram
LINKS for MELISSA:
Learn more about working with Melissa on her website
Use permissiontolive for $200 off at the Fierce and Free Retreat
Follow Melissa on Instagram
LINKS for MELISSA:
Get your Free Roadmap to Unlocking Your Bad Bitch Magic!
Learn more about working with Melissa on her website
Follow Melissa on Instagram
She would love to hear from you! - Send an email to melissa@melissalyonwest.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
10 Nov 2022
Welcome to Permission to Live
Meet Melissa Lyon West , the host of the new Permission to Live Podcast. Melissa is a cult survivor, storyteller, certified life coach, holder of epic retreats, mom of four and lover of Rasa, taco trucks and curse words. Join Melissa and guests as they share the good, the bad and the ugly that comes when you finally say yes to yourself, and why it is always worth it. These stories, from women just like you, are messy, honest and 100% unfiltered.
We'll be dropping new episodes every Wednesday where we interview women who found the courage to take a big, scary step towards their dreams, the things they would have done differently, and how it looks on the other side.
Look for the launch of Episode 1 of the Permission to Live Podcast coming soon! In the meantime find Melissa on instagram and say hi!
LINKS for MELISSA:Get your Free Roadmap to Unlocking Your Bad Bitch Magic!Learn more about working with Melissa on her websiteFollow Melissa on InstagramShe would love to hear from you! - Send an email to melissa@melissalyonwest.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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