Freedom at The Mat | A Women's Wellness Sanctuary

What does it mean to feel at home in your body after breast cancer? After diagnosis, surgery, and treatment, healing can involve more than what’s visible. It can mean navigating scars, changes in sensation, intimacy, fear, and a relationship with your body that feels unfamiliar. In this episode of Well Chat from Freedom at The Mat, presented by LCMC Health, Olivia sits down with breast surgical oncologist Dr. Shawn McKinney for an honest, compassionate conversation about reclaiming our bodies after breast cancer—and making room for healing without the pressure to “bounce back.” Together, they explore the physical and emotional realities of survivorship, the importance of being heard by your care team, and the deeply personal process of reconnecting with yourself. In this conversation: Navigating body image and finding a new sense of self after treatment How 3D areola tattooing can support a sense of ownership and reconnection Opening conversations about intimacy, touch, and partnership Making space for mental health, support, and asking for help Understanding breast cancer risk assessments and individualized care Advocating for yourself, asking questions, and choosing a care team you trust At the heart of this episode is autonomy: your right to ask questions, express your needs, and participate in decisions about your body and your care. Whether you’re newly diagnosed, navigating life after treatment, or supporting someone you love, this conversation makes space for the questions that don’t always get asked—and the experiences that deserve to be heard. This episode is dedicated to those we have lost to breast cancer, those living with it, and the families and communities who love them. Presented by LCMC Health. Subscribe to Freedom at The Mat for more honest conversations about wellness, healing, and honoring ourselves. Share this episode with someone who may need it. Medical disclaimer: This conversation is for educational and informational purposes only and does not replace personalized medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Speak with your healthcare team about your individual needs. #BreastCancer #BreastCancerSurvivorship #BodyAutonomy #FreedomAtTheMat #LCMCHealth

Self-care for Black women is more than a ritual—it’s permission to choose yourself. In this Well Chat, Psychotherapist and author Oludara Adeeyo, LCSW joins Freedom at The Mat Founder Olivia F. Scott to discuss her book, Self-Care for Black Women: 150 Ways to Radically Accept & Prioritize Your Mind, Body, and Soul, and how to begin putting yourself first. If you’re always caring for everyone else, struggle to set boundaries, or feel guilty asking for help, this conversation is an invitation to make space for your own needs. Olivia and Oludara explore how childhood conditioning and generational patterns can shape caregiving—and what it looks like to build a relationship with yourself through small, intentional acts of self-care. In this episode, we discuss: Why Black women often struggle to prioritize themselves How to set boundaries and give yourself permission to say no Simple self-care practices you can start today Journaling, self-trust, and reconnecting with what brings you joy Asking for help and building a supportive community Why rest and self-care do not have to be earned You don’t have to figure everything out at once. Start small, honor your needs, and return to something that brings you joy. What is one way you’ll choose yourself this week? Share in the comments. Subscribe for more Well Chat conversations with Olivia Scott on wellness, self-discovery, and intentional living. #OludaraAdeeyo #BlackWomenWellness #SelfCare #WellChat #FreedomAtTheMat Purchase Self Care for Black Women, the book, workbook, cards and other books by Oludara Adeeyo below! https://www.simonandschuster.net/authors/Oludara-Adeeyo/186232633 https://www.simonandschuster.com/search/books/Author-Oludara-Adeeyo/Available-For-Sale-Now/_/N-1z0x51zZpgz https://bookshop.org/beta-search?keywords=oludara+adeeyo&bkshp-astro=t

Can growing your own food become a path to better health, deeper wellness, financial resilience, and freedom? In this powerful episode of Freedom at the Mat: Well Chat, Olivia Scott sits down with Dr. Cindy Ayers-Elliott—urban farmer, entrepreneur, founder of Footprint Farms, and USA Today Woman of the Year—to explore the life-changing power of urban agriculture, food sovereignty, and reconnecting communities to the land. Based in Jackson, Mississippi, Dr. Cindy Ayers-Elliott has helped build Footprint Farms into a community-centered farming and education initiative working across 11 states. She shares why access to healthy, local, affordable food matters; how farming can support healing and self-sufficiency; and why women have an essential role in creating healthier, more resilient communities. Whether you live in an apartment, condo, high-rise, or home with a backyard, this conversation offers encouraging, practical ways to begin growing food where you are. Dr. Cindy explains how beginners can start with herbs, greens, seeds, repurposed containers, raised beds, and tower gardens—without needing a large budget, land, or complicated equipment. In this episode, we discuss: Urban farming and food sovereignty in Black communities The connection between food, wellness, healing, and spiritual grounding How Footprint Farms is creating access to fresh food and agricultural education Growing food in small spaces, balconies, stoops, and indoors Tower gardens, raised beds, herbs, greens, and beginner-friendly gardening Food deserts, healthy-food access, and community empowerment Building health, wealth, and self-reliance through growing your own food Women’s leadership in creating sustainable, thriving communities Reducing food waste through juicing, preserving, canning, and value-added products Dr. Cindy’s message is simple: you do not need acres of land to begin. You can start with one seed, one container, one raised bed, or one small growing space—and grow from there. Connect with Dr. Cindy Ayers-Elliott and Footprint Farms: Website: https://footprintfarms.com Podcast: AG + Culture on YouTube Instagram/Facebook: Search Footprint Farms Learn more about TIME (To Improve Mississippi Economics): https://toimprovemississippieconomics.org If this conversation inspired you, please like, subscribe, and share it with a friend who is ready to grow more wellness, nourishment, and freedom at home. #UrbanFarming #GrowYourOwnFood #FoodSovereignty #BlackWellness #BlackWomenWellness #GardeningForBeginners #SmallSpaceGardening #TowerGarden #FoodDesert #HealthyEating #SustainableLiving #CommunityWellness #FootprintFarms #FreedomAtTheMat #WellnessPodcast

Are you trying to build or scale a business, lead a team, manage a household, or pursue a big vision—but doing too much alone? In this Well Chat episode, Tamika Tyson, Global Risk Executive & Author of Win or Win: Your Playbook for the Starting Five speaks with Freedom at The Mat’s Olivia F. Scott for a candid conversation about business growth, leadership, team building, financial wellness, and burnout. Founder of Scale Advisory, and Co-Founder of TGC Impact —Tamika draws on more than 25 years of experience in risk management, investing, and global business leadership to explain why the teams that win are not always the most talented—they are the best configured. Together, Olivia and Tamika explore how entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, corporate professionals, and leaders can identify the role they are best suited to play, stop confusing perceived success with real value, and build the right support system to scale sustainably. In this conversation, you’ll learn: Why founders should not automatically assume they must also be the CEO The five essential roles in Tamika’s “Starting Five” framework: founder, CEO, operator, marketer, and finance lead How ego can create misalignment, parallel play, and stalled growth Why doing everything yourself may be costing you time, health, relationships, and revenue How to recognize whether you lead with mission, systems, or speed What to consider before hiring a fractional CFO, CMO, CEO, or other strategic support Why your definition of “winning” should be personal—not based on social media, comparison, or someone else’s blueprint How to determine where you add the most value in your business, career, household, or community Whether you are running a startup, growing a consultancy, leading inside a company, or rethinking your next professional move, this episode will help you answer an essential question: What is your real position—and what do you need around you to win? Connect with Tamika Tyson Learn more about Tamika Tyson, get Win or Win: Your Playbook for the Starting Five, and take the free Game Plan Assessment at https://tamikatyson.com Stay Connected with Freedom at The Mat Subscribe for more WellChat conversations on wellness, leadership, entrepreneurship, purpose, and living a truly well life. Share this episode with a founder, business owner, professional, or friend who needs permission to stop doing everything alone—and start building in the right position. #FreedomAtTheMat #BusinessGrowth #Entrepreneurship #WomenInBusiness #Leadership #TeamBuilding #SmallBusiness #FounderLife #BusinessStrategy #BurnoutPrevention #FinancialWellness #OccupationalWellness #WellChat #TamikaTyson

What do you do when your vision is bigger than your current capacity—and life gets messy in the middle? In this powerful episode of Well Chat, Olivia F. Scott sits down with Chicago entrepreneur, leadership success coach, empowerment speaker, and Women of Faith Entrepreneurs Network founder Daniella Coffey for an honest conversation about faith, legacy, entrepreneurship, emotional wellness, grief, healing, and becoming the woman who can carry the vision on her life. Daniella shares her journey of stepping into her family’s business legacy after the unexpected loss of her father—while navigating more than $600,000 in debt, foreclosure, uncertainty, and the internal work required to lead through it all. She opens up about the “messy middle”: the space between the woman you have been and the woman you are becoming. This conversation is for the woman building a business, rebuilding her life, carrying a family legacy, healing through grief, or trying to move forward before she feels fully ready. In this episode, we explore: What it means to build while becoming The emotional and spiritual realities of entrepreneurship Legacy, grief, purpose, and stepping into a family business Why prayer is a tool—and why action must follow How community, therapy, movement, and accountability can support wellness The connection between physical, emotional, spiritual, and occupational wellness Moving from self-doubt and overthinking into intentional action Why “deciding” can be the first internal shift toward change How to ask for the support, wisdom, and community you need Building wealth, capacity, clarity, and alignment as a woman entrepreneur Daniella’s reminder is simple but powerful: you do not have to have everything figured out to move forward. You can be unclear, healing, learning, grieving, growing—and still be becoming. Connect with Daniella Coffey Website: https://daniellacoffey.com Learn more about The Pivot: The Wealthy Woman Building in the Messy Middle at https://pivot.daniellacoffey.com. Visit her Chicago Restaurant. St. Rest #2 Country Kitchen: 727 E. 87th Street, Chicago, IL Restaurant hours: Friday–Sunday, 11:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. What are you building while becoming? Connect with Freedom at The Mat Subscribe for more conversations on wellness, purpose, entrepreneurship, healing, and living a truly well life. If this conversation encouraged you, please like, subscribe, share, and leave a comment. #WellChat #WomenEntrepreneurs #FaithAndBusiness #EmotionalWellness #WomenInBusiness #Entrepreneurship #FaithJourney #LegacyBuilding #WomenAndWealth #MiddleAge #PersonalGrowth #BlackWomenEntrepreneurs #WellnessPodcast #BuildingWhileBecoming #MessyMiddle