Wake Her Up

Why are so many women feeling disconnected—from their partners, their desire, and even themselves?
In this powerful episode of the Wake Her Up Podcast, I sit down with Dr. Mariah Sophocles, gynecologist and author of The Bedroom Gap, to talk about a topic that so many women experience but few openly discuss: the growing disconnect in intimacy during midlife and long-term relationships.
We dive into the real reasons this “bedroom gap” is happening and why it’s not just about libido. Dr. Sophocles shares the physical, emotional, and relational factors that impact desire, connection, and confidence for women—especially in midlife.
In this conversation, we explore:
• Why so many women feel disconnected from intimacy
• The surprising biological and emotional contributors to the “bedroom gap”
• How communication, curiosity, and self-awareness can rebuild connection
• Why this conversation is so important for women in midlife
This episode is honest, eye-opening, and incredibly validating for any woman who has ever wondered, “Is it just me?”
📖 Get Dr. Sophocles’ book The Bedroom Gap:
https://a.co/d/06TlKlQb
💬 Join the Wake Her Up free community of 60,000+ women having real conversations about midlife:
https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18L58RHEVk/
🔥For the fun TOYS we talked about, shop at Oboo.love https://oboo.love/discount/WAKEHERUP
If this episode resonates with you, share it with a friend and continue the conversation inside our community. You are not alone in this journey—and together, we’re waking up to what’s possible in midlife.

In this episode, I sit down with Jessica Frew, life coach, author, and bold decision maker, to talk about her remarkable journey through betrayal, healing, and self-rediscovery.
Jessica shares the deeply personal story of her first marriage and the life-altering discovery that her husband was gay and had an affair with a man. Instead of allowing the experience to break her, she chose a path of compassion, growth, and radical acceptance. Today, they are close friends and co-parents, offering a powerful example of what healing and emotional maturity can look like.
Through her journey, Jessica came to a profound realization: other people do not complete us. We become whole by reconnecting with ourselves. She opens up about releasing expectations, trusting her inner voice, and rebuilding her sense of identity and self-worth. Now, she helps other women do the same by guiding them through betrayal, divorce, and major life transitions.
Jessica is also the author of Shove Your Shoulds, a transformative book about letting go of external pressures and making courageous decisions. You can download the book for free on her website.
Connect with Jessica:
Website: https://heyjessicafrew.com/
Instagram & TikTok: @heyjessicafrew
This conversation is honest, empowering, and deeply validating for any woman navigating heartbreak, reinvention, or the journey back to herself.

Leaving Mormonism, Part 2: Marriage, Motherhood, and Reclaiming Our Bodies
In Part 2 of our conversation on leaving Mormonism, I’m joined again by my sister, Sharon Johnson, as we go deeper into what it actually looked like to unravel our beliefs—and rebuild our lives—from the inside out.
We talk honestly about our past and present views on marriage, motherhood, and our roles as wives, and how much of who we thought we were was shaped by obedience, fear, and the constant sense of being watched… and corrected.
We share what surprised us most after leaving:
Realizing how sacred garments kept us hidden, disconnected from our bodies, and numb to ourselves

How we lived feeling like children who were always in trouble, never quite trusted to make our own decisions

The deep conditioning of not trusting our own minds—because we were taught they could be hijacked and deceived

The disorienting realization that many things we were taught were “bad”… actually aren’t bad at all

And the strange, sometimes funny, sometimes painful experience of learning how to be normal adults—like not knowing how to act at a bar, or navigating everyday things that were once forbidden

This episode isn’t about bashing a religion. It’s about waking up. About grieving what we lost, questioning what we were taught, and slowly learning how to trust ourselves—our bodies, our instincts, our desires—again.
If you’ve ever felt disconnected from yourself, afraid of your own thoughts, or unsure how to live outside the rules you were given… this conversation is for you.
You’re not broken.
You were trained not to trust yourself.
And you can learn how to come home.

So many women are living with pelvic floor dysfunction and have no idea help even exists.
In this episode of Wake Her Up, I’m joined by pelvic floor specialist Jana Danielson, founder of Coochball and co owner of Bloom Better Supplements, for a conversation every woman deserves to hear.
We talk about the deep frustration of women being dismissed, ignored, or never offered guidance when it comes to pelvic floor health. Jana breaks down why the pelvic floor matters far beyond bladder leaks or postpartum recovery and how a healthy pelvic floor impacts confidence, pleasure, posture, core strength, and overall quality of life.
This conversation is about reclaiming power in a part of the body women are rarely taught to understand, let alone care for.
If you’ve ever felt disconnected from your body, struggled with pain, pressure, or intimacy, or sensed that something wasn’t right but didn’t know where to turn, this episode is for you.
Because when women are supported, informed, and embodied, everything changes.
🎧 Listen now and learn what’s possible when you prioritize pelvic floor health.
Support your pelvic floor and whole body wellness with Bloom Better Supplements:
https://bloombetter.life/znw3jq
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Find more resources and support for Perimenopause at www.WAKEHERUP.CO

What happens to women’s desire during perimenopause—and why are so many women being dismissed, shamed, or told to accept it?
In this episode of Wake Her Up, I sit down with Andrea Donsky, a 7-time published menopause researcher and co-owner of Morphus Women’s Nutritional & Supplement Brand, to unpack newly published research on women’s libido during perimenopause and menopause—and the findings demand our attention.
📊 The research shows:
91% of menopausal women report a noticeable decrease in libido

67% report a decreased ability to reach orgasm

These numbers aren’t abstract. They reflect the lived reality of millions of women who feel disconnected from desire, intimacy, and themselves—often while being told by doctors things like:
“You’re just getting old.”

“This is normal—take one for the team.”

In this conversation, we explore:
What actually happens to libido during perimenopause

How hormonal shifts affect desire, arousal, and orgasm

The real-life impact libido loss has on women’s identity, confidence, and relationships

How medical gaslighting keeps women silent and stuck

The role of spiritual trauma and limiting beliefs in suppressing women’s desire

Why libido is not just physical—it’s emotional, psychological, and spiritual

And most importantly, we talk about what women can do.
Because if you feel like something’s missing…
it is you.
You are the answer.
This episode is about helping women reconnect to themselves—not fixing something “wrong,” but remembering what’s been ignored, dismissed, or shut down.
We also talk about Andrea’s new book, Nourishing Menopause: Powerful Nutrition and Lifestyle Strategies to Feel Your Best, which offers research-backed, practical guidance for women navigating perimenopause and menopause.
👉 Pre-order here: https://amzn.to/4rkWikL
This episode is for the woman who:
Feels disconnected from her desire or vitality

Has been dismissed or minimized by medical professionals

Knows something feels missing—but hasn’t been given language or direction

Is ready to reclaim herself, her body, and her truth

If you feel like something’s missing, it is you.
And you are more powerful than you’ve been led to believe.