Becoming: HER with Nikki Spoelstra

In this powerful and practical episode, I am joined with fitness expert and Menopause Coach Unni Greene Feder, a former competitive figure skater, author, and mother of four who has helped thousands transform their relationship with fitness and their bodies.

Unni shares her journey of reinvention after major life changes and breaks down how strength training, nutrition, and mindset can support you through aging, menopause, divorce, overwhelm, and identity shifts.

Let’s get started!

In this episode…
Why strength training is essential during life transitions
How lifting weights impacts hormones, inflammation, metabolism, and confidence
The truth about eating “more” to lose fat and build lean mass
How to approach menopause and midlife shifts with clarity instead of fear
Daily rituals to help you feel strong, radiant, and calm
How fitness helps you regain control and redefine your identity

Quotes

“I always sought to surround myself with women who were older than me because I wanted their wisdom.” - Nikki Spo

“It shouldn’t be more stressful to handle stress.” - Unni Greene Feder

If you’re not important to yourself and you don’t hold yourself in high esteem, why do you expect others to respect you and hold you in high esteem.” - Unni Greene Feder

Timestamps:
0:00 - 3:35 | Intro
3:35 - 8:15 | Unni’s background
8:15 - 11:00 | Transitions
11:00 - 13:35 | Male vs. female trainers
13:35 - 14:50 | Women wisdom
14:40 - 19:00 | Coaching women in different phases
19:00 - 28:55 | Women having the permission to evolve over time
28:55 - 35:15 | Self-pity
35:35 - 38:55 | Feeling emotions rather than feeling nothing
38:55 - 51:45 | Body mechanics & body awareness
51:45 - 57:45 | Brain health
57:45 - 1:01:10 | Tangible everyday steps to get to the space of strong, calm, & radiant
1:01:10 - 1:04:40 | Self-care
1:04:40 - 1:07:20 | Admirable women
1:07:20 - 1:07:50 | What it means to Unni to become her
1:07:50 - 1:10:35 | Outro

Welcome back to Becoming HER, the space where we celebrate women who rise, rebuild, and keep dreaming no matter the odds.
Today’s guest, Dr. Jenisbel Acevedo, is a doctor, philanthropist, content creator, and mother of two whose story is rooted in courage and hope.

At just nine years old, Jenisbel left Cuba on a handmade raft built by her father — a journey that taught her to face change with faith and to hold onto her dreams through uncertainty. Her new book, Un Barco de Sueños — A Raft of Dreams — captures that same spirit of resilience and reminds us that it’s never too late to chase what calls your heart.

Jenisbel, welcome to Becoming HER.

In this episode…
The power of courage and faith in the face of adversity
How to hold onto your dreams even when the odds feel impossible
What it means to start again — and chase purpose later in life
The story behind Un Barco de Sueños and its message of hope
How the Acevedo Foundation is creating impact and changing lives

Quotes

“The antidote to suffering is service.” - Nikki Spo

“Life is about taking chances because if you don’t you will never realize what's on the other side.” - Jensibel Acevedo

“It’s okay to make mistakes, it's okay to be afraid. Just don’t allow anyone to tell you who you have to be. No one can tell you, only you know.” - Jensibel Acevedo

Connect with Jensibel Acevedo
Un Barco de Sueños (A Raft of Dreams)
@jenisbelacevedo | @acevedofoundation

In this powerful and refreshingly honest episode of Becoming HER, Nikki sits down with Keesha Scott, mom of three, certified parenting coach, co-founder of Guardian Recovery, and host of the podcast Cake for Dinner.

What started as a project tied to her upcoming parenting book has evolved into a movement, one that invites women to have real conversations about motherhood, marriage, sobriety, identity, and the messy middle of becoming who we’re meant to be.

Keesha opens up about her personal journey, from early struggles and single motherhood to finding purpose through healing, faith, and self-awareness. She shares how we can release perfectionism, reconnect with who we are in this season, and raise our kids (and ourselves) with more grace and truth.

If you’ve ever felt lost in the roles you play as mom, partner, professional, friend, this episode will remind you that becoming her isn’t about having it all figured out. It’s about showing up as your truest self, one imperfect day at a time. Tune in.

In this episode…
The real reason Keesha created Cake for Dinner — and how it grew beyond a book launch.
Why women lose their sense of identity in motherhood (and how to reclaim it).
The truth about balancing marriage, motherhood, and self.
What authenticity really looks like — and how to stop chasing “perfect.”
How to strengthen connection and communication with your kids.
The mindset shifts that help us thrive in every season of life.

Quotes

“You can’t outparent genetics.” - Keesha Scott

“People don’t connect with perfection. They connect with reality.” - Keesha Scott

“Resentment is like drinking the poison but expecting someone else to die.” - Nikki Spo

Timestamps:
0:00 - 3:05 | Intro
3:05 - 6:50 | Paths shifting
6:50 - 11:00 | Addiction in young people
11:00 - 15:25 | Parenting from a pure space
15:25 - 17:55 | Coming out the other side
17:55 - 20:55 | Turning point
20:55 - 23:15 | Staying sober through the hardships
23:15 - 26:15 | Rise of the community
26:15 - 37:00 | Resentment
37:00 - 43:30 | The gift of being a mom
43:30 - 45:15 | Different experiences
45:15 - 50:15 | Giving life meaning
50:15 - 51:50 | The desire to be of service
51:50 - 53:00 | Women coming together
53:00 - 56:05 | Cake for Dinner
56:05 - 56:30 | Single mom
56:30 - 58:59 | Outro

Welcome back to Becoming: HER! In this episode, I sit down with Lauren Allan, a proud Miamian, mom, and Team Leader of the Jo-Ann Forster Team, one of South Florida’s most trusted family-run real estate groups. Lauren shares her inspiring path from social work to real estate, how she carries forward her mother Jo-Ann’s powerful legacy, and what it means to lead with empathy, connection, and confidence in business and at home.

You’ll hear a candid conversation about legacy, blended families, and finding grace through change, plus, Lauren offers a peek behind the curtain of the Miami real estate world with practical insights for buyers, sellers, and dreamers alike. Tune in!

In this episode…
Being a facilitator
Relationships
Sales industry
Thrill
Fulfilling a legacy
Energy exchange
Self- awareness/ finding yourself
Grove vs. Gables
Blending families
Accountability & humility

Quotes

“My mom taught me that real estate isn’t about houses, it’s about people, relationships, and trust.” - Lauren Allen

“My parents were very good at letting me be me, and that was a gift and an honor.” - Lauren Allen

“The level of your peace comes down to your ability to face change with grace.” - Nikki Spo

“Every birthday I ask myself, do I like myself more now than I did last year?” - Lauren Allen

Timestamps:
0:00 - 2:30 | Intro
2:30 - 6:50 | Lauren’s journey
6:50 - 11:15 | Facilitator
11:15 - 14:55 | Relationship-centric
14:55 - 19:50 | Legacy
19:50 - 24:00 | Energetic exchange
24:30 - 33:15 | Lauren’s favorite neighborhood
33:15 - 35:35 | South Miami
35:35 - 40:40 | Staying grounded
40:40 - 43:55 | Cash offer
43:55 - 46:45 | Condo market
46:45 - 53:10 | Lauren’s personal life
53:10 - 57:55 | Dating after divorce
57:55 - 58:55 | Accountability & humility
58:55 - 1:01:00 | What does becoming her mean to Lauren
1:01:00 - 1:03:30 | Outro

Welcome back to Becoming: HER, the podcast where we explore the real, raw, and remarkable journey of stepping into who we’re meant to be.

Today, I’m joined by Lisa Candera, a single mom, attorney, ADHD-er, and autism mom coach whose work is changing the narrative around resilience, motherhood, and self-regulation.

Lisa is the host of The Autism Mom Podcast, which ranks in the top 2%, and her upcoming book dives deep into what it means to be a “solid object” for your child, not fixing, not co-escalating, but standing steady in the storm.

In a world that tells moms to “tough it out,” Lisa is helping women rewrite that story, to find peace not through pushing harder, but through accepting change and regulating ourselves first.

We’re going to talk about the myths that keep autism moms stuck in guilt and shame, the “tough it out” mentality that’s quietly burning women out, and what real strength and peace can look like when we lead from self-awareness and compassion. Tune in! 

In this episode…

• Hope to parents 
• Toughing it out vs. not toughing it out 
• Being a GOOD human being 
• Labels 
• The evolvement of autism 
• Support groups 
• The autism umbrella 
• Toolbox 

Quotes 

“It really takes self-aware adults to raise self-aware children.” - Nikki Spo 

“The first step is to understand what your triggers are as a parent. It's never the behavior, it's always so much underneath that.” - Lisa Candera 

Timestamps: 

0:00 - 4:00 | Intro 

4:00 - 4:50 | Bottle lessons up & deliver them 

4:50 - 8:40 | Lisa’s perspective on resilience 

8:40 - 10:45 | The labels…

10:45 - 12:10 | Self-regulation as an adult 

12:10 - 20:25 | How autism has evolved 

20:25 - 23:35 | Community 

23:35 - 28:10 | Thinking its a “phase” 

28:10 - 33:20 | Mothers instinct 

33:20 - 38:05 | Being held captive by your self 

38:05 - 40:20 | A crisis point 

40:20 - 42:35 | Pausing before reacting 

42:35 - 48:05 | Toolbox for parents 

48:05 - 52:40 | Assigning meaning 

52:40 - 53:50 | Difference between our closet & our brain 

53:50 - 57:35 | Qualities that make autism special 

57:35 - 1:00:46 | Outro 

To every mom listening: You are doing your best in circumstances that don’t always make space for softness, and that’s exactly why conversations like this matter.

If today’s episode resonated with you, go follow Lisa and listen to The Autism Mom Podcast, her work is a lifeline for any parent walking this journey.

And as always, thank you for tuning in to Becoming: HER. I’m Nikki Spoelstra, and I’ll see you next week as we continue learning, growing, and becoming, together.

—

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Connect with Lisa Candera