Retirement is something many of us prepare for financially, but few of us prepare for emotionally. What happens when the career that shaped your identity, routines, and sense of purpose suddenly disappears? And how do you rediscover yourself when the role you carried for decades is no longer there?

In this episode, Marianne sits down with George Jerjian, an Emmy Award-winning producer, author, and retirement mindset mentor who helps people navigate the emotional and psychological side of retirement and reinvention. After a life-threatening diagnosis at 52 forced him to confront the fragility of life and the possibility of stepping away from his career, George began exploring the deeper identity shifts that often come with retirement.

Together, they talk about grief, purpose, aging, societal expectations, and the outdated beliefs that can keep people stuck in later life. George also shares insights from studying more than 21,000 retirees around the world and explains why retirement is not about slowing down, but about creating meaning, clarity, and possibility in a new season of life.

If you’ve been questioning what comes next, feeling the pull toward reinvention, or wondering who you are beyond productivity and achievement, this conversation will resonate deeply.

Connect with George:

• Website
• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• YouTube
• Facebook
• X

Connect with Marianne:

• Website: Message In The Middle with Marianne
• Message In the Middle Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/422430469323847/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MessageInTheMiddle/playlists
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marianne-demello-smith-678b9966
• Email: Contact | Message In The Middle with Marianne

Subscribe to Message In the Middle:

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There’s no shortage of advice when it comes to gut health right now.

Parasite cleanses. Heavy metal detoxes. Protocols that promise to fix everything in a matter of weeks.

And if you’ve been dealing with bloating, fatigue, constipation, or symptoms that never quite resolve, it makes sense why those promises are so appealing.

But what if some of the things you’re doing to heal are actually putting more stress on your body instead of helping it?

In this episode of Message in the Middle, Marianne sits down with Dr. Kate Davis, a licensed chiropractor and Functional Medicine doctor whose own decade-long struggle with chronic gut issues led to the discovery of a significant parasite infection that had been missed for years.

Together, they unpack what’s really happening beneath the surface when gut healing doesn’t work, why jumping into detox protocols too quickly can backfire, and how to approach healing in a way that actually supports the body.

This conversation is honest, eye-opening, and deeply validating for anyone who feels like they’ve already tried everything and still isn’t getting results.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why parasite cleanses and detox trends can sometimes do more harm than good
• What’s actually happening in the body during strong “detox reactions”
• The biggest gut health myths circulating right now
• Why gut healing often fails, even when you’re doing all the “right” things
• What “expensive pee” really means and why absorption matters
• The correct order of healing and why skipping steps can keep you stuck
• How gut health connects to stress, trauma, and the nervous system
• Where to start if you feel overwhelmed, discouraged, or out of options

If you’ve ever felt like your body isn’t responding the way it should, this episode will help you understand why and remind you that you’re not as stuck as you think.

Connect with Dr. Davis:

Website

Instagram

DM me the number ‘100’ on Instagram (@drkatedavis) and I’ll give you $100 off an initial consult + labs package

YouTube

Podcast (Unconventional Medicine)

Connect with Marianne:

• Website: Message In The Middle with Marianne
• Message In the Middle Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/422430469323847/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MessageInTheMiddle/playlists
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marianne-demello-smith-678b9966
• Email: Contact | Message In The Middle with Marianne

Subscribe to Message In the Middle:

• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• YouTube

Leave Us a Review: If you enjoyed today’s episode, please leave a review and share your favorite takeaway. Your feedback helps us reach more listeners and bring you even more valuable content.

Keep the conversation going - Join us for more insightful conversations in the Message in the Middle Private Facebook Community & subscribe to Message in the Middle podcas...

There comes a point in midlife that can feel both confusing and surprisingly unsettling.

You've built a life. A career. A reputation. Maybe a family. You've worked hard, made sacrifices, and checked many of the boxes you once thought would lead to happiness and fulfillment.

And then one day you find yourself wondering:

Why doesn't this fit the way it used to?

Not because you've failed.

Not because your life is falling apart.

But because you've grown.

In this episode, Marianne sits down with Crystal Bell to explore what happens when the version of success you've been pursuing no longer feels fully aligned with who you've become.

Crystal shares her journey from growing up in a low-income, unstable environment to becoming a technology executive, entrepreneur, coach, and wellness studio owner. Along the way, she discovered how perfectionism and overachievement helped her succeed while also creating pressure, exhaustion, and the feeling that more was always required.

Together, they explore why so many accomplished women find themselves questioning what comes next in midlife, how to tell the difference between being busy and making progress, and what it means to create a life that reflects who you are now, not who you had to be to survive.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The hidden costs of perfectionism and overachievement
• Why success and alignment aren't always the same thing
• How to recognize when you've outgrown old definitions of achievement
• The difference between motion and meaningful progress
• Rebuilding trust in yourself after years of overthinking
• Finding clarity during seasons of transition and reinvention
• What it means to grow into the next version of yourself

Connect with Crystal:

• Clarity-with-crystal.com
• LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clarity-with-crystal
• IG: @Clarity.With.Crystal
• YT: https://youtube.com/@clarity-with-crystal?si=4noHYQLjQjdPSLGQ

Connect with Marianne:

• Website: Message In The Middle with Marianne
• Message In the Middle Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/422430469323847/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MessageInTheMiddle/playlists
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marianne-demello-smith-678b9966
• Email: Contact | Message In The Middle with Marianne

Subscribe to Message In the Middle:

• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• YouTube

Leave Us a Review: If you enjoyed today’s episode, please leave a review and share your favorite takeaway. Your feedback helps us reach more listeners and bring you even more valuable content.

Keep the conversation going - Join us for more insightful conversations in the Message in the Middle Private Facebook Community & subscribe to Message in the Middle podcas...