Épisodes

  • Alua Arthur on Mortality, Grief, and Reimagining the End of Life

    Alua Arthur on Mortality, Grief, and Reimagining the End of Life
    Jul 3 2025
    In this intimate and illuminating episode of Lifted, Tembi Locke welcomes death doula, attorney, and bestselling author Alua Arthur (Briefly Perfectly Human) for a transformative conversation on embracing the end of life—not as a tragedy, but as a portal to deeper connection, clarity, and purpose. Alua shares her unexpected journey to becoming a death doula, and together, she and Tembi explore what it means to truly live in the presence of death. They discuss the shame that often surrounds grief, the fear of death that permeates Western culture, and the courageous practice of preparing for the end with honesty, dignity, and love. With humor, reverence, and radical compassion, Alua reframes death as not something to resist, but something to welcome as a vital part of being fully human. If you're navigating grief, caregiving, or seeking more intention in how you live and love, this conversation is a sacred invitation to rethink your relationship with death -- and find deeper meaning in the present. Key themes: death and dying, end-of-life planning, grief, legacy, caregiving, mental health, cultural attitudes toward mortality, community, living fully Mentioned: Briefly Perfectly Human, Going with Grace Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    35 min
  • Amanda Kloots on Grief, Hope, and Rebuilding Life After Loss

    Amanda Kloots on Grief, Hope, and Rebuilding Life After Loss
    Jun 26 2025
    In this heartfelt episode of Lifted, Tembi Locke is joined by actress, dancer, author, and television host Amanda Kloots for an honest conversation about surviving loss, choosing joy, and redefining what it means to move forward with grief. Amanda opens up about the devastating loss of her husband, Broadway actor Nick Cordero, during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic – a time marked by uncertainty, heartbreak, and visibility in the public eye. She reflects on how she leaned into movement, routine, motherhood, and creativity to stay grounded during unimaginable sorrow. Together, Amanda and Tembi explore what it means to hold grief and gratitude in the same breath, how community became an unexpected source of support and connection throughout her caregiving experience, and how, sometimes, life grants miracles in radically unexpected ways. Her story is a testament to the unpredictable shape of healing and the quiet bravery of showing up after everything has changed. Key themes: grief and public mourning, solo parenting, movement and healing, resilience, fitness, hope, caregiving, motherhood after loss, creative expression, dreams unfolding in unexpected ways Mentioned: Live Your Life (book), Nick Cordero, The Talk (TV show), AK! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    49 min
  • Nina Westbrook on Designing a Wellness Practice That Actually Works

    Nina Westbrook on Designing a Wellness Practice That Actually Works
    Jun 19 2025
    What does it take to turn discipline into joy and inner clarity into impact? This week on Lifted, host Tembi Locke sits down with therapist, entrepreneur, and mental wellness advocate Nina Westbrook for a powerful conversation about identity, ambition, and the long game of self-trust. Nina, founder of the online wellness platform Bene by Nina, creator of the Do Tell card game, and host of The Relationship Chronicles podcast, opens up about how her upbringing, athletic background, and clinical training inform her work at the intersection of emotional well-being and modern entrepreneurship. Together, she and Tembi explore how to sustain mental wellness while building something bigger than yourself. Nina shares the personal pivots that shaped her journey, from navigating transitions and grief to creating a life that reflects her values, and what it looks like when dreams come true in unexpected ways. With warmth, clarity, and strength, Nina reflects on: What healthy competition really looks like and how to redefine it from within Why self-care for Black women is an act of reclamation and power The importance of boundaries in relationships, business, and identity How building Bene by Nina became an extension of her values and expertise The healing power of community, travel, and support systems Key themes: mental wellness, boundaries, mental health advocacy, athletic discipline, licensed marriage and family therapy, travel as self-care, transitions in motherhood and marriage, self-care for Black women, competition, entrepreneurship, grief and identity, emotional clarity, wellness frameworks, community support Mentioned: Bene by Nina (platform), Do Tell card game Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    45 min
  • Pia Baroncini on Italian-American Culture, Authentic Entrepreneurship, and Rooting Life in Connection

    Pia Baroncini on Italian-American Culture, Authentic Entrepreneurship, and Rooting Life in Connection
    Jun 12 2025
    Tembi Locke is joined by creative force and entrepreneur Pia Baroncini – founder of fashion label LPA, co-founder of Baroncini Import & Co., podcast host, and mother – for a heartfelt conversation about culture, loss, identity, and building a life that holds it all. Pia opens up about how her Italian-American heritage, her early years in New York’s downtown art scene, and her deep connection to family shaped her creative path and business philosophy. Together, she and Tembi explore what it means to root your life in love and legacy while still navigating grief, motherhood, and the complexities of public life. From the loss of her father and her mother-in-law to the birth of her daughter, Pia shares how family, food, and ritual help her stay grounded. She reflects on building a business that feels personal, creating a public-facing brand without losing herself, and how travel – especially to Italy – is both a cultural homecoming and a space for clarity and reflection. Key themes: authentic entrepreneurship, grief and family loss, personal branding, motherhood, Italian-American identity, Italian culture, food and ritual, family legacy, supportive partnerships, the intersection of brand and identity, public vulnerability Mentioned: LPA (fashion brand), Baroncini Import & Co. (olive oil company), Pia’s podcast (Everything is the Best), Ghiaia Cashmere Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    33 min
  • Cheryl Strayed on Traveling for Reinvention, Intimacy in Writing, and Listening to Your Wise Inner Sage

    Cheryl Strayed on Traveling for Reinvention, Intimacy in Writing, and Listening to Your Wise Inner Sage
    Jun 5 2025
    In our Season 3 premiere, Tembi Locke welcomes bestselling author and literary powerhouse Cheryl Strayed (Wild, Tiny Beautiful Things, Dear Sugar) for a heartfelt conversation on the transformative power of travel, writing, and grief. Together, they explore how travel - across landscapes, emotions, and memory - serves as a catalyst for healing and self-discovery. Cheryl opens up about her earliest travel memories, her creative process, and how walking the Pacific Crest Trail became a metaphor for rebuilding after loss. They discuss her latest memoir-in-progress (about the journeys that changed her), her beloved newsletter Dear Sugar, and how writers can stay grounded while navigating the messy process of creation. From navigating grief to mapping out meaning with butcher paper, Cheryl and Tembi unpack what it means to truly listen to your "wise inner sage" and how staying present can unlock the deepest intimacy in art and life. They also discuss Cheryl’s healing trip back to her childhood home in Pennsylvania with her sister, an emotional reckoning decades in the making. If you’re seeking creative inspiration, emotional clarity, or simply permission to begin again, this conversation is a beautiful reminder that healing is not linear, and we can always find our way back to ourselves. Key themes: personal growth, travel as transformation, grief, writing process, healing through creativity, emotional resilience, family, intimacy, self-trust Mentioned: Pacific Crest Trail, Wild (book and film), Tiny Beautiful Things (book and Hulu adaptation), Torch, Dear Sugar newsletter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    44 min
  • COMING SOON: My Audiobook Memoir... Someday, Now

    COMING SOON: My Audiobook Memoir... Someday, Now
    Jun 4 2025
    Hi friends, it’s Tembi. I’m so excited to share that my new audiobook memoir, Someday, Now, is coming this fall—September 30th. An immersive, ride-along audio experience, Someday, Now invites you into a turning point in my life—our family’s life—as we reimagined what it means to hold on while also letting go. Set in Sicily, it takes place during the summer before my daughter left for college—a season of anticipation, reflection, and emotional reckoning. As a blended family, we traveled to reclaim possibility in the face of big changes on an island that rarely changes. If From Scratch was a love story, Someday, Now is a story of re-nesting, reimagining, and reconnecting with trust in a sacred source during uncertain times. Follow Lifted on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen for updates and sneak peeks. And stay connected with me @TembiLocke for behind-the-scenes moments as we count down to the release. #SomedayNow #FromScratch #AudiobookMemoir #NewRelease Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    1 min
  • Jenny Dorsey on The Unifying and Divisive Powers of Food

    Jenny Dorsey on The Unifying and Divisive Powers of Food
    Mar 21 2024
    Join us for a captivating conversation with Chef Jenny Dorsey, a professional chef, author, speaker, and recent graduate of Harvard University's Master’s Program in Education. As the co-founder of Studio ATAO, an award-winning 501(c)3 nonprofit think tank, Jenny is at the forefront of defining more equitable standards for the food, beverage, and hospitality industry. In this episode, she sits down with Tembi to discuss: Her mission to use culinary arts as a platform for introspection, empathy, and real emotion. Jenny's work focuses on making food a driver of social impact and change, challenging social norms and provoking thought through her culinary creations. Her journey from working as a management consultant in the fashion industry and the youngest MBA candidate at Columbia Business School to finding her true calling in culinary arts, and using her experiences to fuel her passion for social change. The role of vulnerability in the dining experience, and how she confronts the complexity of identity in her work, often creating environments that deliberately evoke discomfort as a means to engage in honest conversation. Want even more? Delve into Jenny's recipes and articles here. Want to know more about Studio ATAO? Explore their initiatives and resources here. More from Jenny Dorsey: Website Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    48 min
  • Amelia Rampe on Celebrating the Filipinx Kitchen and The Changing Landscape of Food Writing

    Amelia Rampe on Celebrating the Filipinx Kitchen and The Changing Landscape of Food Writing
    Mar 7 2024
    Join us in a delightful conversation with Amelia Rampe, Senior Editor at Food & Wine, as we uncover the multifaceted world of food and travel. As a food and travel writer, recipe developer, video host, and food stylist, Amelia delves into the intricacies of the Filipinx kitchen and shares how she skillfully brings Filipinx food stories to life. In this conversation, we tackle: The intricacies of the Filipinx kitchen, and why it cannot be defined by just one word. Amelia's mid-life transition into the culinary profession and the transformative power of embracing new opportunities. Amelia's perspective on using grief as an opportunity to embrace life to the fullest. In 2020, Amelia wrote a piece on grief, wherein she discusses lentils and ditalini, From Scratch, and her own process of making the nourishing dish. Feeling hungry? Check out Amelia’s substack Did You Eat Yet? to find delicious recipes for any season. More from Amelia: Website Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    36 min