Why does stability feel so scary? Strategist Beverley Glazer and Dr. Melanie Sue Hicks deconstruct betrayal trauma, grief, and the ' Everest' of midlife.

Some of the strongest women are the ones quietly carrying the most pain and still showing up. I’m Beverley Glazer, and in this episode, I talk to Dr. Melanie Sue Hicks—workforce expert and author—for a conversation that is different. We aren't just talking about "resilience" (a word that’s been overused into meaningless). It's about the mechanics of survival when your life takes a detour that blindsided you.

Melanie pulls back the curtain on how domestic violence defies every stereotype and why "peace" can feel terrifying when your nervous system has been conditioned for chaos. We dive into the grief of an emergency hysterectomy, the shame of repeated patterns, and the courage it takes to recraft your career after a public divorce.

What we’re unmuting today:

• The Stability Trap: Why we subconsciously sabotage peace and how to reset your nervous system.
• Betrayal Recovery: Practical strategies for reclaiming self-worth when you feel "behind" or childless.
• Human-Centered Leadership: How to turn your trauma into a high-impact, empathetic professional lens.
• The Everest Within: Using Melanie’s memoir, Incongruent, as a blueprint for midlife reflection.
• The "Recraft": Rebuilding your work and identity when the "book tour" of your life destroys you.

If you’re done with "surviving" this conversation offers the honest language and grounded strategy you need to move forward.

Resources: For similar episodes on trauma and healing, - Lifestyle Change at 50 # 174. And Resilience and Renewal # 149 And if you love stories of unapologetic older women - Reinvention Rebels. www.reinventionrebels.com.

Dr. Melanie Sue Hicks – Author, Speaker & Leadership Expert
🌐 https://melaniesuehicks.com
📘 https://www.facebook.com/MelanieSueHicks
📸 https://www.instagram.com/inpursuitmelsue/
💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/melaniesuehicks/
🧵 https://www.threads.com/@inpursuitmelsue

Beverley Glazer, MA – Reinvention Strategist & Transition Coach
📧 Bev@reinventImpossible.com
🌐 https://reinventImpossible.com
💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/beverleyglazer
📘 https://www.facebook.com/reinventImpossible
👥 https://www.facebook.com/groups/womenover50rock
📸

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🎁 BONUS: Tired of 3 AM Overthinking? Get the "Stuck to Unstoppable" Roadmap and receive my weekly strategic insights for women 50+ delivered to your inbox every weekend. GET THE FREE RESOURCE Here: https://reinvent-impossible.aweb.page/from-stuck-to-unstoppable

Have feedback or a powerful story that's worth telling? Contact us at info@Reinventimpossible.com

What happens when your life looks 'perfect' but you're fighting PTSD? Kari Wells shares her raw journey of trauma, healing, and midlife reinvention.

Your life can look "fine" to everyone else while you’re quietly fighting to get through the day.

I sit down with Kari Wells, known to millions as a cast member on Bravo’s Married to Medicine, to pull back the curtain on the private reality behind public success. Beyond the cameras, Kari has navigated a grueling path through grief, an eating disorder, and a violent robbery that left her battling PTSD.

In this deeply personal episode of Aging with Purpose and Passion, we get specific about the mechanics of trauma recovery and the "unmuted" truth about rebuilding your sense of safety.

What we discuss in this episode:

• The Reality of PTSD: Navigating fear in everyday places—from grocery stores to your own home.
• The Victim-to-Agency Shift: Moving from "Why is this happening to me?" to "Why is this happening for me?"
• Healing Tools: The practical power of journaling to reduce re-triggering and the role of a support system.
• The "To-Be" List: Why choosing who you want to be is more important than what you want to do during midlife reinvention.
• The Aspen Legacy: How Kari is using storytelling and her foundation to give back as her children enter adulthood.

If you are searching for resilience tools or a grounded way forward after life has knocked you down, Kari’s story is your blueprint for hope.

Resources:

For similar episodes on healing, check out episode number 147, Finding Your Voice After Trauma, and 154, Reinvention and Healing Through Music. And if love stories of unapologetic women, 50-90 years young, who have boldly reimagined life on their own terms, check out ReinventionRebels.com

Kari Wells – Author, TV Personality & Entrepreneur
📧 kariwells@me.com
🌐 https://www.kariwellsofficial.com
📸 Instagram: @kariwellsofficial | @kariwells_ | @kariwellsofficial

Beverley Glazer, MA – Transition Coach, Reinvention Strategist & Host
📧 Bev@reinventImpossible.com
🌐 https://reinventImpossible.com
💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/beverleyglazer
📘 https://www.facebook.com/reinventImpossible
👥 https://www.facebook.com/groups/womenover50rock
📸 https://www.instagram.com/beverleyglazer_reinvention/

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🎁 BONUS: Tired of 3 AM Overthinking? Get the "Stuck to Unstoppable" Roadmap and receive my weekly strategic insights for women 50+ delivered to your inbox every weekend. GET THE FREE RESOURCE Here: https://reinvent-impossible.aweb.page/from-stuck-to-unstoppable

Have feedback or a powerful story that's worth telling? Contact us at info@Reinventimpossible.com

Is your 'biological clock' a lie? Dr. Dorian Mintzer became a first-time mom at 50 and is reinventing work at 80. Learn how to survive memory loss in marriage and reclaim your 'Bonus Years'.

Who told you the window for 'new' was closed? Most women over 50 are playing it safe, waiting for a permission slip that’s never coming. Dr. Dorian (Dori) Mintzer is the woman who burned the script.

After a near-death accident at 20 changed her DNA for risk-taking, Dori navigated a high-stakes divorce and infertility to become a mother through surrogacy at age 50. Now, at 80, she is a world-renowned retirement expert facing her own "Couple's Puzzle": navigating her husband's memory decline while staying professionally relevant.

The "Why You Must Listen" List:

• The 50-Year-Old Pivot: Why Dori chose surrogacy when the world said "it’s too late."
• The Retirement Crisis: Why most "planning" fails because it ignores the psychological transition.
• Caregiving & Identity: How to stay grounded in your own purpose while a partner’s memory fades.
• The 80-Year-Old Frontier: Why your "Bonus Years" are for growth, not shrinking.

Stop asking if it's too late. Start asking what's next.

Resources:

For a similar episode on reinventing retirement, check out The Leisure Trap episode 167 of Aging with Purpose and Passion. And if you're over 50 and love to travel, the Ageless Traveler is your number one resource for lifelong travel.

Dorian (Dori) Mintzer – Retirement & Reinvention Expert
📧 dorianmintzer@gmail.com
info@unleashinginfluence.com
🌐 https://revolutionizeretirement.com
📘 https://www.facebook.com/dorianmintzer
| https://www.facebook.com/revolutionizeretirement
💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/dorimintzer
✍️ https://substack.com/@dorianmintzer

Beverley Glazer, MA – Reinvention Strategist & Host
📧 Bev@reinventImpossible.com
🌐 https://reinventImpossible.com
💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/beverleyglazer
📘 https://www.facebook.com/reinventImpossible
👥 https://www.facebook.com/groups/womenover50rock
📸 https://www.instagram.com/beverleyglazer_reinvention/

Send us Fan Mail

🎁 BONUS: Tired of 3 AM Overthinking? Get the "Stuck to Unstoppable" Roadmap and receive my weekly strategic insights for women 50+ delivered to your inbox every weekend. GET THE FREE RESOURCE Here: https://reinvent-impossible.aweb.page/from-stuck-to-unstoppable

Have feedback or a powerful story that's worth telling? Contact us at info@Reinventimpossible.com