Half Betty

Last year, in a packed room at the Hello Sunshine Conference, Krista and I listened to Dr. Rachel Goldman speak.Afterward, we had a brief chance to meet her and share what we were building with Half Betty - a space for women navigating midlife, or what we often call centre life, and all that comes with it. She listened with a nod and what felt like immediate understanding - a kind of quiet recognition in the exchange. She spoke briefly about the work she was immersed in, including her upcoming book, and said she would be happy to support what we were building if the opportunity ever arose.And here we are.This conversation is part of something that began before we pressed record - and will continue long after it ends.We’re so glad to welcome her here.Dr. Rachel is a nationally recognized clinical psychologist, a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, and the author of When Life Happens (April 2026). Her work focuses on stress, body image, and sustainable behaviour change - grounded in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and a deep understanding of how change unfolds in real life.Her perspective has been featured in TIME, The New York Times, CNN, and USA Today, and she has appeared on the TODAY Show alongside voices such as Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, and Mel Robbins.In this episode, we explore what it means when life doesn’t follow the plan - how we respond, what we hold onto, and what we might be ready to shift.A conversation about the power of the pause.WebsiteInstagramLinkedinYouTubeDr. Goldman’s Words- Focus on what's in your control- Aligned- Grounded- Mom- Runner- Pause ReferencesWhen Life Happens - Book launched April 7th 2026Sponsor InformationZaleska size-inclusive jewelryUse the code HALFBETTY and receive 20% off your first purchaseConnect with usWebsite link hereInstagram link hereLinkedIn link hereFacebook link hereLeave a voicemail for ushttps://www.halfbetty.com/voicemail/Guest: Dr. Rachel GoldmanFounder/Host/Producer: Andrea RathborneProducer/Co-Host: Krista GruenEditors: Andrea Rathborne & Krista GruenAudio Engineer: Ryan ClarkeEpisode sponsors:  Zaleska size-inclusive jewelry 

What began as an April Fools’ idea has become something much more meaningful.Half George returns as a space for men to move into honest, open conversations about midlife alongside the stories we’ve been hearing from our guests on Half Betty.Co-hosts Chris Rathborne and Kyle Gruen are joined by their first guest, Steve Pratt - writer, entrepreneur, and self-described “weird, kind, creative, enthusiast, experimenter.”At 50, Steve found himself in a strange and profound shift -  leaving the company he built, becoming an empty nester, and questioning long-held definitions of success and identity. Instead of rushing to redefine and make sense of it all, he chose to experiment. Literally. Through his Midlife Field Guide, Steve approaches this mid-chapter as a series of real-life experiments - letting go of old metrics and beliefs and exploring what it means to live with more presence, curiosity, and intention.This conversation is thoughtful, funny, and very honest - touching on identity, purpose, connection, and the evolving nature of work and life in the midlife chapter. A reminder that this time  isn’t about having it all figured out, it’s about staying open, staying curious, and, sometimes, embracing the weird.Bio, Steve PrattSteve Pratt is our first Half George guest after our initial Half George episode in 2024 with co-hosts Chris Rathborne and Kyle Gruen. Steve is a midlife explorer navigating what this chapter of life has to offer with curiosity, courage, and a wicked sense of humour. Quirky, candid, and endlessly inventive, he has spent his career helping others find their voice and telling stories that matter.He is the author of Earn It: Unconventional Strategies for Brave Marketers and the founder of The Creativity Business, a hub for helping companies craft content, marketing, and messaging that actually earns attention. He’s also writing the Midlife Field Guide, a Substack project in which he and his friend Geoff experiment with their own lives in public, trying to decode midlife, one adventure at a time.Steve co-founded Pacific Content, the world’s first branded podcast agency, which he grew from the ground up in 2014 to work with global brands like Ford, Audible, BMW, Shopify, Adobe, and more - eventually being acquired by Rogers Communications in 2019. Before that, he ran a digital audio innovation lab at the CBC, launched one of the first legal music podcasts in the world, and built a highly engaged community for CBC Radio 3.He lives in Vancouver with his wife, Debbie, and their three kids, Cedar, Dawson, and Charlotte. Always experimenting, always learning, Steve describes himself with his five words, simply as: Weird. Creative. Kind. Enthusiast. Experimenter.InstagramYouTubeLinkedinTikTokThe Midlife Field Guide with Geoff Siskind   Bio, Chris RathborneChris Rathborne has spent 25+ years in promotional marketing and branded merchandise, building and nurturing relationships, shaping programs, and delivering results for brands including 7-Eleven, A&W Restaurants, Pacific Salmon Foundation, Pepsico, Indigenous Health and more. At BAMKO, he helps clients turn ideas into meaningful branding experiences. Chris is also the co-host of Half George, where he explores midlife with honesty, curiosity, and humour. A sports lover, Vancouver history nerd, music and pop culture enthusiast and lifelong family man, he lives in New Westminster with his wife Andrea and their daughters Sophie and Bridget. Bio, Kyle GruenKyle Gruen is a product management executive with 15+ years of experience scaling products across startups and growth-stage companies. He blends strategy, data, and operational insight to create solutions that work and more importantly, last. Kyle co-hosts Half George, sharing thoughtful, systems-oriented reflections on midlife, ambition, and life’s unexpected turns. He lives in Vancouver with his wife Krista and their twin sons, Weston and Foster.ReferencesSponsor InformationZaleska size-inclusive jewelryUse the code HALFBETTY and receive 20% off your first purchaseConnect with usWebsite link hereInstagram link hereLinkedIn link hereFacebook link hereLeave a voicemail for ushttps://www.halfbetty.com/voicemail/Half GeorgeGuest: Steve Pratt Hosts: Chris Rathborne & Kyle GruenFounder/Host/Producer: Andrea RathborneProducer/Co-Host: Krista GruenEditors: Andrea Rathborne & Krista GruenAudio Engineer: Ryan ClarkeEpisode sponsors:  Zaleska size-inclusive jewelry 

For this episode of Half Betty, Andrea and Krista are joined with Anar Ali an award-winning author, TV creator, and Executive Producer of CBC/NBC Universal’s Allegiance (now on the tail end of Season 3), as she traces her path from Tanzania through small-town Canada, Mexico, the UK, and Toronto. Anar talks through guiding values like freedom over security, kindness as power, collaboration, compassion, and a curiosity that fuels wonder.She reflects on power amplifying character, “sharing it” through politics, incremental community change, and circular storytelling that honours ancestors. As well, the very raw and real moment she left her Procter & Gamble corporate life and first marriage to pursue writing a debut novel (Night of Power, Penguin Random House), as well as TV, sparked by CBC’s Diverse Creators Program.BioAnar Ali is the Creator & Executive Producer of the hit police drama, ALLEGIANCE (CBC/NBCUniversal), and a critically acclaimed short story writer and novelist. Her first book, BABY KHAKI’S WINGS, was a finalist for multiple awards including the Commonwealth Writers' Prize (Best First Book), and her debut novel, NIGHT OF POWER, was recently published internationally by Penguin Random House. She started her TV career when she won a development deal with CBC’s Diverse Creators Program for her 1-hour serialized dramedy, RUBY'S TURN. Soon after, she was a writer on the hit medical drama, TRANSPLANT (Netflix/NBCUniversal/CTV). She left a successful career as a Business Development Executive at Procter & Gamble to pursue her dream of becoming a writer. Anar was born in Tanzania to Indian parents, grew up in small-town Alberta, has lived in Mexico and the UK, and now makes her home in Toronto. She's represented by Altas Literary and Atlas Artists.InstagramIMDBAnar’s Words - freedom, kindness, collaboration, compassion, fearless, adventurous, curiosity and wonder. ReferencesAllegiance (Procedural) - A rookie agent working in Surrey, her hometown, who faces the limits of the judicial system as she battles to exonerate her politician father. Now in its third season and can be watched on CBC and NBC Universal.CBCIMDBSponsor InformationZaleska size-inclusive jewelryUse the code HALFBETTY and receive 20% off your first purchaseConnect with usWebsite link hereInstagram link hereLinkedIn link hereFacebook link hereLeave a voicemail for ushttps://www.halfbetty.com/voicemail/Guest: Anar Ali (Screenwriter/ Author/Executive Producer)Founder/Host/Producer: Andrea RathborneProducer/Co-Host: Krista GruenEditors: Andrea Rathborne & Krista GruenAudio Engineer: Ryan ClarkeEpisode sponsors:  Zaleska size-inclusive jewelry 

Andrea and Krista welcome not one, but two fantastic new guests to Half Betty -  the duo behind the brilliant and fun The Devil Wears SPF podcast, Carolyn Hawes and Diane Brennan. In this episode, we hear from both women about the experiences that have shaped them, the lessons that landed them here, and their visions for full, vibrant, sun-protected futures.Carolyn and Diane explore themes of self-worth, agency, and the power of women, creating space for honesty and care. They share stories of resilience, transformation, and the courage it takes to live life on their own terms - navigating challenges, redefining freedom, and prioritizing health, joy, and purpose.Their podcast blends “Skincare and SoulCare,” tackling topics including aging, self-love, wellness humour and insight. Looking ahead, they share dreams of exploring beauty rituals and cultural definitions of wellness around the world - a continuation of their journey together as friends and co-creators.This episode is a conversation about living intentionally, embracing change, and the ways women support and lift each other while navigating life’s transitions.BiosCarolyn Hawes is a former editor and general contractor whose midlife journey led her to rethink health, work, and identity. After years of people-pleasing shaped by childhood and an early marriage that ended in divorce, Carolyn began the work of becoming “self-authored,” learning to voice her own needs and opinions - both for herself and as a model for her daughter. In her late forties, menopause-related symptoms disrupted her ability to work and prompted a year-long pause to focus on healing and learning. With guidance from women’s health specialists, she began rebuilding her health and, at 53, chose early retirement to design a life rooted in purpose, curiosity, and alignment rather than obligation. Today, Carolyn brings her lived experience, honesty, and humour to conversations about aging, self-worth, and what it means to choose yourself in midlife.Diane Brennan has always taken a nontraditional path, guided by independence, adventure, and a deep trust in her own instincts. She left Canada for the United States without a job to pursue citizenship and later embraced a life without marriage or children, navigating social judgment before arriving at a liberating “who cares” mindset. A pivotal experience with a cosmetic procedure that left her with permanent facial scarring led to a lawsuit and profoundly reshaped her relationship with beauty, aging, and self-advocacy. This moment deepened her interest in skincare and fueled her desire to help other women feel informed and empowered about their choices. Diane brings candour, wit, and compassion to conversations about self-worth, freedom, and redefining beauty on your own terms.Together, Carolyn and Diane are the co-hosts of The Devil Wears SPF, a podcast blending “Skincare” and “SoulCare” with humour and heart, inviting women to care for both their skin and their inner lives -  without apology.Diane’s Five WordsFun, Adventure, Learning, Loving, LaughingCarolyn’s Five WordsSelf Authoured, Intuitive, Design minded, Strategic, Aesthetic, sillyLinksThe Devil Wears SPFYouTubeInstagramDianne BrennanInstagramLinkedinCarolyn Hawes WebsiteInstagramLinkedinSponsor InformationZaleska size-inclusive jewelryConnect with Half BettyWebsite link hereInstagram link hereLinkedIn link hereFacebook link hereLeave us a voicemail (we love to hear your voices and your thoughts!) https://www.halfbetty.com/voicemail/Guests Dianne Brennan & Carolyn HawesFounder/Host: Andrea RathborneCreative Producer/Co-Host: Krista GruenEditors: Andrea Rathborne & Krista GruenAudio Engineer: Ryan ClarkeEpisode sponsors:  Zaleska size-inclusive jewelry 

In this episode of the Half Betty Podcast, Suzanne (Zanne) Hollingshead joins Andrea and Krista for an honest and moving conversation about loss, resilience, and finding purpose through life’s hardest seasons. Zanne shares her experience of losing her mother as a child and her sister in midlife, and how navigating these profound losses became a catalyst for transformation.She talks about how her journey through grief led her to create supportive communities for motherless children, adults navigating loss, and women moving through perimenopause and menopause. Zanne’s story highlights the power of facing grief with courage, building connection, and turning personal hardship into advocacy. This episode is a reminder that even in the darkest moments, there is support, understanding, and a path toward meaning and hope.BioZanne Hollingshead is a trauma-informed well-being advocate, certified life coach, and community-builder with a deeply personal connection to her work. Trained through Martha Beck’s Wayfinder Life Coaching program and certified in Mother Loss Support through Claire Bidwell Smith and Hope Edelman’s professional program, Zanne specializes in supporting individuals and groups navigating loss, grief, and the transitions that arrive with midlife.Her own experiences - losing her mother as a child, her sister in midlife, and dear friends along the way - inform her compassionate approach and the communities she has built. Zanne walks alongside her clients and participants with insight, care, and practical tools, helping them navigate life’s challenges while creating space for healing, growth, and new beginnings.In collaboration with New York Times bestselling author Hope Edelman, Zanne co-facilitates weekly Motherless Daughters Community Calls and leads 12-week Support Circles for early childhood, adolescent, and young adult mother loss - programs she helped develop in 2023. Through her work, Zanne is dedicated to making sure no one facing grief or life transitions has to navigate them alone.Zanne Hollingshead Instagram Growingthroughit.lifemidlifemagic.community Motherlessdaughters.comZanne’s Five Words+ Rule Breaker On Purpose Multisensory People ConnectorUnstoppableIntuitiveSoul-diverReferencesWe know the conversations in this episode may bring up strong emotions around grief, loss, and mental health. If you or someone you love is struggling, please know you don’t have to face it alone.In Canada: You can reach out to the Talk Suicide Canada line at 1-833-456-4566 (available 24/7)In the United States: Call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 (available 24/7)If you’re listening from another part of the world, we encourage you to seek out local support - whether that’s a healthcare provider, community organization, or someone you trust. You are not alone, and reaching out for help is a brave and important step.Women's midlife health resources: Dr Lisa Mosconi PhD- Neuroscientist, Author of The Menopause BrainTamsen Fadal - Journalist, Women's Midife Advocate, Journalist Dr. Kelly Casperson MD - Urologist, Women's Midife Physician Dr Kudzai Dombo MD - GYN, Women's Midlife Physician Dr Sharon Malone MD - Menopause Expert, Chief Medical Advisor  Alloy Women's Health Online Medicine PlatformDr. Jayne Morgan, MD, Cardiologist and Vice President of Medical Affairs, at Hello HeartInstagramHello Heart MidiHalf Betty Sponsor InformationZaleska beautiful, size-inclusive jewelry Connect with Half BettyWebsite link hereInstagram link hereLinkedIn link hereFacebook link hereLeave us a voicemail (we love to hear your voices and your thoughts!) https://www.halfbetty.com/voicemail/Founder/Host: Andrea RathborneCreative Producer/Co-Host: Krista GruenEditors: Andrea Rathborne & Krista GruenAudio Engineer: Ryan ClarkeEpisode sponsors:  Zaleska size-inclusive jewelry