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What does it take to run the same restaurant for 19 years while navigating motherhood, divorce, and complete reinvention?

In this episode, Aimee Rickabus talks with Lindsay Smith, owner and executive chef of Nirvana by Chef Lindsay in Laguna Beach, about resilience, creativity, and the power of building community through food.

Lindsay shares:
- How she went from culinary school at 19 to restaurant owner at 26
- The pivotal moment at her 40th birthday that sparked her divorce
- Navigating COVID while buying out her husband and rebuilding solo
- Why she shifted from "operator" to "owner" mindset
- The origin of her famous goat cheese ice cream (hint: a backyard fig tree)
- How her monthly ladies' dinner became a movement of 50+ women

Whether you're a business owner navigating a major life transition, a mom trying to balance ambition with presence, or anyone who's ever wondered if it's too late to reinvent yourself—this conversation will remind you that the best chapter might still be ahead.

🔗 CONNECT WITH LINDSAY SMITH:
Instagram: @nirvana.laguna
Website: nirvanlaguna.com

🔗 CONNECT WITH THE MANAGE HER:
Website: https://www.themanageher.com
Instagram: @themanageher

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Pleasure isn't selfish. It's self-care.

In this episode of The Manage Her Podcast, host Aimee Rickabus sits down with Dr. Holly Wood, a sexologist and women's sexual wellness expert, for a bold, honest conversation about intimacy, desire, and reclaiming your sexuality — especially as a woman navigating motherhood.

Dr. Holly Wood shares her journey to becoming a sexologist, the mixed messages women receive about sex, and why so many mothers feel disconnected from their bodies and their desire. She offers practical advice on communicating with partners, creating space for pleasure in busy lives, and gives women full permission to prioritize their sexual well-being.

This is the conversation we wish we had sooner. It's time to dismantle the shame and normalize pleasure.

🔥 IN THIS EPISODE:

- The journey to becoming a sexologist — and why this work matters
- Unlearning the shame and mixed messages women receive about sexuality
- How motherhood impacts body image, desire, and connection
- Navigating intimacy in early motherhood (yes, quickies count)
- Understanding why desire works differently for women
- How to communicate your needs to your partner
- Creating safe spaces for pleasure in your relationship
- Why pleasure is a vital form of self-care — not a luxury
- Evolving sexuality through different life stages
- Permission to pursue the sex and pleasure you deserve

💡 KEY TAKEAWAYS:

✓ Dismantling shame and normalizing pleasure is essential for women's well-being
✓ Reclaiming your connection to your body is a powerful, ongoing journey
✓ Motherhood changes your relationship with your body — and that's okay
✓ Pleasure is not selfish; it's a form of self-care
✓ Open communication with your partner is key to a fulfilling intimate life
✓ You have the right to pursue the sex and pleasure you desire
✓ Sexuality is an integral part of who we are as humans

🎙️ ABOUT DR. HOLLY WOOD:

Dr. Holly Wood is a sexologist, sex therapist, and women's sexual wellness advocate dedicated to helping women reclaim their sexuality, dismantle shame, and prioritize pleasure as part of a healthy, fulfilling life.

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drhollywoodphd/
🔗 Website: https://www.thehollywoodsexologist.com/
🎬 YouTube: @thehollywoodsexologist

🎧 LISTEN ON YOUR FAVORITE PLATFORM:

🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-manage-her/id1809208475
🎵 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/03FuFRyzkaWhZkk5yxFePJ?si=2028b319d55f4177
📦 Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/91c217a5-4245-4b83-8d15-8edfdde06884/the-manage-her

📲 CONNECT WITH THE MANAGE HER:

🌐 Website: https://www.themanageher.com
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themanageher/
🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@themanageher
🎬 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheManageHer

⏱️ CHAPTERS:

00:00 Introduction to Intimacy and Pleasure
03:03 The Journey to Becoming a Sexologist
05:44 Unlearning Shame and Reclaiming Sexuality
08:57 Motherhood's Impact on Body and Sexuality
11:42 Navigating Intimacy in Early Motherhood
15:06 Understanding Desire and Its Challenges
17:46 Creating Safe Spaces for Pleasure
21:03 Communication and Connection with Partners
24:06 Evolving Sexuality Through Life Stages
26:48 The Importance of Self-Care and Pleasure
29:46 Final Thoughts on Sexual Empowerment

#TheManageHer #DrHollyWood #Sexologist #Pleasure #SelfCare #Motherhood #Intimacy #WomensHealth #SexualWellness #ReclaimYourBody #NormalizePleasure #MomLife #Marriage #Relat

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In this powerful episode of The Manage Her, Aimee Rickabus sits down with Amy Bohn — President and Co-Founder of PERK (Protection for the Educational Rights of Kids), one of California's most relentless advocates for parental rights and medical freedom. After suffering a severe brain injury in 2018, Amy couldn't read a page out loud or walk across a room. But when she discovered that California was systematically dismantling children's medical exemptions through SB 277 and SB 276, she refused to stay silent.

What started as one exhausted mom showing up at the Capitol became a movement. Under Amy's leadership, PERK has grown to over 30,000 members and driven more than 5 million emails, phone calls, and measurable actions to legislators. In 2022, her coalition defeated 8 out of 12 extreme bills targeting medical freedom — proving that organized parents can win, even in the most hostile political environments.

This conversation exposes the decade-long legislative strategy that removed personal belief exemptions, religious freedom, and medical autonomy from California families — and how it's being replicated in states across the country. Amy breaks down the shocking reality: 50,000 children in California RIGHT NOW cannot attend school, daycare, or college because of these laws.

In This Episode:

🧠 Overcoming brain injury to become a voice for the voiceless
⚖️ The brick-by-brick strategy behind SB 277 and SB 276
🚨 50,000 children currently denied education access in California
👨‍⚕️ How doctors were retroactively punished for legal medical exemptions
📜 The Nuremberg Code, informed consent, and why it matters NOW
💊 Pharmaceutical liability protection and the 1986 Act explained
🗳️ Why California's laws are being copied in YOUR state
✊ How everyday parents defeated extreme legislation in 2022
🔥 Warning signs every parent in America needs to see

🔗 Learn more about PERK: https://www.perkadvocacy.com/
📸 Follow Amy Bohn on Instagram: @amylbohn
📸 Follow PERK on Instagram: @perk_group

📚 Get your copy of The Manage Her: https://a.co/d/ej9A37z
🌐 Join our community: www.themanageher.com

If you're a parent who's been told "that bill will never pass" — this episode is your wake-up call. What happened in California is coming to your state. The question is: will you be ready?

Share this episode with every parent you know.

#TheManageHer #ParentalRights #MedicalFreedom #SB276 #InformedConsent #PERK #CaliforniaPolitics #HealthFreedom #MomAdvocate #ProtectOurChildren #VaccineExemptions #LegislativeAdvocacy #WomenInLeadership #MomsDontQuit #AmyBohn #EducationRights #GovernmentOverreach #WakeUpAmerica