Breaking the Ice: Recent Episodes
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Breaking the Ice is a platform created for wives and girlfriends of professional hockey players but has since turned into so much more! We share our stories, our passions, our tips, tricks, do’s and dont‘s for all things hockey and SO much more. Whether you‘re a hockey parent, an athlete, a significant other in the sports world or a person who enjoys podcast, you‘ll be inspired by these women every single day. So lace em‘ up and tune in for a new episode every Wednesday!
This week, I'm joined by Lauren Pronger, wife of Chris Pronger, who is a NHL Hall of Famer. Lauren is a entrepreneur, certified Integrative Nutrition Coach, bestselling author, founder of Super Well and Well-Inspired Travels!
Lauren shares the honest, often unseen side of life behind professional hockey. From meeting Chris at the start of his NHL career to navigating multiple moves, raising three children, and eventually facing his career-ending concussion, she opens up about the identity shifts, burnout, and rebuilding that followed.
One of my favorite parts of this conversation is Lauren's reminder that supporting your spouse and building something of your own are not mutually exclusive. Whether you're in the middle of the hockey grind, preparing for retirement, or simply wondering what's next for you, this episode is full of wisdom, encouragement, and practical advice.
In This Episode We Cover:* Why every hockey wife should nurture an identity outside of the game * How Lauren and Chris first met and built a life together through hockey * Navigating the mental load of motherhood during the hockey season * The devastating impact of Chris's career-ending concussion on their family * Lauren's experience with severe burnout and what finally helped her recover * How she turned a passion for travel into a successful luxury wellness business * Preparing for life after professional sports before retirement arrives * Raising children in the spotlight of professional athletics * Why investing in yourself ultimately benefits your marriage and family
If you enjoyed this episode, I'd love if you'd subscribe, leave a review, and share it with another hockey wife or sports family who could use this conversation.
Follow Breaking the Ice on Instagram @breakingtheicepod for more stories from behind the scenes of professional hockey, and be sure to connect with Lauren to learn more about her wellness journey and businesses.
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Rachael Czarnik, wife of Austin Czarnik, who plays in Lausanne, Switzerland, joins me today on Breaking the Ice!
In this episode, we cover:* Making long-distance work during the early years of professional hockey * Why they chose Switzerland over the uncertainty of the AHL/NHL lifestyle * Raising young children abroad and creating stability through constant change * What to know and what to pack before making the move overseas * The biggest culture shocks after arriving in Europe * Building community in a new country * Processing the loss of her mother * Giving birth in Switzerland and why the experience exceeded every expectation * Rachel's advice for families considering taking the leap overseas
and so much more! This is such a great conversation.
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Brittany Wedgewood, wife of Scott Wedgewood, who is the goalie for the Colorado Avalanche joins me back on Breaking the Ice! Brit is no stranger to the podcast and I am so excited for you to listen in for this conversation.
In this episode we chat about:
- Life updates, more stability in Colorado, and playoff run emotions
- Behind the scenes as a goalie family during high pressure moments
- Dealing with social media negativity and the impact of sports betting culture
- The realities and misconceptions of life as a hockey wife
- Building a support system through the hockey community
- Navigating motherhood with two young children and finding balance
- Hockey life with pets, constant moves, and the everyday chaos of hockey life
- Favorite hockey cities and what makes different organizations stand out
- The importance of veteran leadership, community, and team culture
and as always, so much more!
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Today on Breaking the Ice, I am joined by Jordan Laine, wife of Patrik Laine, who plays for the Montreal Canadiens, and we have a conversation about grief, mental health, and the constant in between. Jordan opens up about losing her mom at 14, navigating this life alongside her husband, and how those experiences led her to co-found with her husband From Us to You.
In this episode we talk about:
- Life before hockey and holding onto your identity
- Grief and how it shapes you long-term
- The mental load that comes with this lifestyle
- The reality of trades, uncertainty, and constant change
- Supporting a partner while managing your own mental health
- Turning personal experiences into something that helps others
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Carley Carrick, wife of Sam Carrick, who plays for the Buffalo Sabres in the NHL joins me today on Breaking the Ice! It was so fun connecting with her IRL after chatting back and forth for years!
In this episode we chat about:
- How the hockey life pushes you out of your comfort zone and shapes your personal growth
- Navigating major life transitions, pregnancies during call ups and send downs and with young kids
- What a NHL housing letter is and what it symbolizes when you get one
- What the NY Rangers set up looks like for the players and families
- Managing solo roadtrips and the logistics and mental load of trades with kids
- The hockey community and the community you build in the city you play in
- Starting over in the middle of the season and how she encourages herself to keep on keepin on!
and so much more!
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Elle Mingoia, wife of Trevor Mingoia, who finished his last professional hockey season playing in Valerenga, Norway, joins me on the podcast today. This episode is real, raw and vulnerable and an episode where I know a lot of women will feel heard.
We chat about:
- Having kids adds a whole new layer to hockey decisions
- The mental load of hockey life (on and off the ice)
- How the business side of hockey is changing for families: Logistics, Needs and being told one thing and showing up to another
- The uncertainty of what comes next after hockey
- Why no one really prepares you for retirement
- The identity shift that comes with this lifestyle
- Thinking about life beyond hockey… before you have to
and so much more! I can't wait for you guys to listen to this episode. If you are struggling in this lifestyle, please reach out or confide in someone you trust. You are not alone!
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Yakira Gill, wife of Sahir Gill, who plays in Hannover Germany in the Del3, joins me on the podcast! Over the past 8 years in Europe, Yakira has such a positive perspective about their hockey journey and this is a must listen if you need a little inspo to make the best of it!
In this episode we chat about:
- What her and her family ask for from teams when making a decision of where to sign
- Finding joy in the small moments
- The European Hockey experience and what that has been like for her and her three kids
- First year culture shock and the adjustment period
- Her birth experiences in Europe vs. North America
- Birth Advice for those giving birth abroad
and so much more!
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Buckle up. Today is the day my solo episode is out and I am catching you up you up to speed on my life. This episode is HONEST. This isn't a universal episode, or an episode where I am speaking for everyone. It's simply me sharing my truth. Whenever I record these solo episodes, I always listen back and think there are more things I wish I said or described! But I sat down one night during an away game, and shared my truth!
In this episode I am chatting about:
- Why we originally went overseas and what drew us to hockey there
- Walking through our Euro journey
- What I enjoy about the lifestyle over there
- Why we made the decision to be done with Europe
- Loneliness abroad and how that deeply affected my mental health
- Sharing our conversations about what life may look like after hockey
- Online noise about the hockey life
- the ECHL strike over Christmas
- How I am staying grounded and what I am focusing on with a crazy North American hockey schedule
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Today on Breaking the Ice, I am joined by Caitlyn Mantha, wife of Anthony Mantha, who plays for the Pittsburgh Penguins in the NHL! In this episode we chat about:
- Navigating Unpredictability in this lifestyle: trades, moves and what they do every season with their living arrangements
- Flexibility and her roll with it attitude for surviving constant change
- How they prioritize and focus on their relationship throughout the hockey season
- Solo parenting and long roadtrips
- How she has evolved throughout her years in the hockey lifestyle
and so much more!
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Today on the podcast, I’m joined by Marianna Theodore, wife of Shea Theodore from the Vegas Golden Knights!
We dive into:
- How they navigated the early days of a long-distance relationship.
- The fun and unique traditions the wives have every year in Vegas.
- Experiencing the highs (and emotions) of winning the Stanley Cup.
- A behind the scenes look at life in a pro hockey family.
- How they find connection and balance as parents amidst a fast-paced lifestyle.
and so much more!
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Today on the Breaking the Ice, I am joined by Caitlin and Chelsea, the women behind the Instagram page @themamapsychologists !
We chat about the unique challenges of motherhood in hockey life. From postpartum anxiety and depression to solo parenting during road trips, this episode will help you navigate life away from your support systems.
We dive into:
- The Importance of Community in Postpartum
- How isolation, especially living overseas, impacts new mothers
- NICU Experience and Trauma
- Differentiating Baby Blues from Postpartum Mental Health Issues
- Partner Preparation and Support
- Social Media Boundaries and Mental Health
- Managing info overload and algorithm driven anxiety content
- Solo Parenting and Self Care
- Practical strategies for managing alone time during hockey season
This is a MUST listen for moms everywhere!
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This week, I’m joined by Clarabelle Knyzhov, wife of Nikolai Knyzhov, who plays for the Abbotsford Cannucks in the AHL. Clarabelle is a former Naval Flight Officer turned graduate student, whose story is nothing short of inspiring! From serving her country to navigating the unpredictable world of professional hockey alongside her Russian husband, Clarabelle opens up about discipline, identity, and the resilience it takes to thrive in both military and hockey life!
What you’ll hear in this episode:
- How military discipline prepared Clarabelle for the unpredictability of hockey life
- Her perspective as a first-generation American and why she chose to serve in the Navy
- Meeting her husband on Hinge and navigating years of long-distance
- Early relationship challenges with international career decisions and Russia opportunities
- Balancing two demanding careers and learning to compartmentalize stress
- Breaking stereotypes about military women and hockey players
and more!
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This week on Breaking the Ice, I chat with Lauren Rodych-Eberle, wife to Jordan Eberle, captain of the Seattle Kraken. Lauren and I dive into what life looks like in the hockey world as a captain’s family, raising three kids, and building a life that changes every season!
We talk about:
- The difference between in season and off season rhythms
- What it means to be “the captain’s wife” (and the role that comes with it)
- Navigating trades and the constant possibility of moving
- Conscious parenting and how to ground your kids in the chaos
- Having real conversations with older kids about leaving and getting settled for the hockey season
- Finding balance and identity outside of hockey while raising three little ones
Lauren also shares about their family foundation, Sticks and Strings, which supports music and hockey programming for kids. From helping provide instruments to funding hockey camps and clinics, it’s all about creating opportunities for kids to find confidence and connection through both sports and the arts.
This is one of my faves, enjoy!
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Today on the podcast, Erin Forsberg joins with me! Erin is the wife to, Filip Forsberg of the Nashville Predators. We talk about how she’s built a life in a city she loves, the balance between two demanding careers, and what it’s like to step into the hockey world.
We chat about her music career, navigating motherhood with a toddler while her husband is on the road, and the friendships that make the hockey community feel like family!
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Kayla Alber, wife of former pro hockey player Patch Alber, joins me on Breaking the Ice today to talk about life after European hockey. She opens up about what the transition back to the U.S. really looked like after Patch’s retirement, everything from navigating an unexpected identity shift to adjusting as a parent without the support of their tight knit hockey community.
It’s an honest, down to earth conversation about change, growth, and finding your footing after such a unique chapter of life.
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Today on Breaking the Ice, I’m joined by Katherine (Kat) Ellis, girlfriend of Jake Wise, who finished last season for the Colorado Eagles in the AHL, freelance sports media creator, on camera host, and the mind behind Out of Her League, a series that highlights women and their unique perspectives in the world of sports.
Kat and I dive into what it’s really like to build a media career while living the ever changing life of a hockey girlfriend. From producing and editing her own show to navigating the shift from college hockey to pro life in Colorado, Kat opens up about the behind the scenes reality of creating something meaningful in a world that doesn’t always know where to place you.
We talk about:
- How Out of Her League started as a passion project and evolved into a space that gives visibility to overlooked women in sports
- The reality of moving through different seasons of hockey even when you’re in the same place
- Balancing ambition with a relationship that’s constantly on the move
- Why staying true to yourself is the most important thing you can do
and so so much more!
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Today on Breaking the Ice, I’m joined by Chloe Skinner, wife to Edmonton Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner, just days before the Stanley Cup Finals kick off. And yes… it’s the exact same matchup as last year!
We talk about what it’s really like being a goalie wife during one of the most high-pressure moments in hockey, how playoff life impacts family rhythms, and what motherhood looks like when everything is constantly moving. From game day superstitions to raising kids in the chaos, Chloe shares it all real, grounded, and in the thick of it.
You’re going to love this one.
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This week on Breaking the Ice, I’m joined by Marissa Lomberg, wife of Calgary Flames forward Ryan Lomberg and mom of three under 2.5.
Before life as a hockey wife and full time mom, Marissa was a Boston based flight attendant, and met Ryan through a mutual college connection. In this episode, we talk about their whirlwind dating days, her transition out of work and into motherhood, and what it’s been like relocating to Calgary with three very small kids.
She opens up about everything from Stanley Cup celebrations while pregnant to finding her rhythm in this chaotic but rewarding season of life. We also chat about the realities of being a hockey family, like adjusting to new cities, asking for help, and navigating toddlers in fire filled arenas.
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Today on Breaking the Ice, I’m joined by Madison Provorov, wife Ivan Provorov, who finished last season playing for the Columbus Blue Jackets, and the face behind the Instagram account for their Golden Retriever, Drake. In this episode, Madison opens up about their elopement, navigating IVF while married to a pro athlete and being a dog momager to Drake!
IN THIS EPISODE WE CHAT ABOUT:
- How Madison and Ivan met and their elopement this past fall
- Life as a hockey wife and what it’s really like behind the scenes
- The challenges of IVF and how she managed treatments and stayed positive throughout the process during the season
- Living in Columbus as free agents and finding community in unexpected places
- Learning Russian and being married to someone from a different country
- Growing Drake’s Instagram to over a million followers and turning it into a career
- Tips for anyone going through IVF or managing long-distance relationships
- Why embracing the present matters when your lifestyle is always changing
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Today on Breaking the Ice, I’m chatting with Whitney Kaskisuo, wife of Kasmir Kaskisuo, who is a goalie for the Bloomington Bison in the ECHL. She's a mom and someone who has built such a strong and honest presence online.
We covered so much in this episode — from navigating the constant relocations that come with the hockey lifestyle, to how her family is handling their first season doing long distance. Whitney opens up about the emotional toll this life can have, especially on kids, and how she’s stayed grounded through it all!
She also shared how their social media journey started and how it has become a major part of her and her husbands life.
We chat about everything from supporting your partner through career uncertainty, to planning for life after hockey, to dealing with public perception. We also chat about how crucial it is for organizations to recognize and support the families behind the players. Because these women, these families, give up so much to be there.
Whitney was such an open book, and this is one of those conversations that will really hit home for anyone navigating this lifestyle!
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In this episode, I sit down with Kris Mueller, who moved with her husband, Mirco Mueller, from the NHL to Switzerland, where they built a home and started their family.
We talk about what it was like for her to have kids abroad, the challenges of adapting to life in a different country, and the reality of making friends when you’re constantly moving. Whether you’ve ever felt like an outsider, struggled to find your place in a new group, or just wondered what life looks like after the NHL, this episode is for you.
- Tune in to hear us chat about:
- The transition from the NHL to playing in Europe
- Building a home and raising kids in Switzerland
- The cultural differences in parenting abroad
- Navigating friendships and social circles in a new country
- How to find your people when life is always changing
This episode is a must-listen for anyone trying to find their footing in this lifestyle.
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Cheryl Rosa, wife of Marco Rosa, who finished his career in the AlpsHL in Asiago, joins me on the podcast today! Moving abroad comes with its own set of challenges, but finding a sense of belonging makes all the difference. In this episode, we chat about navigating life in Italy after her husband’s career-ending injury. From adjusting to a new culture to launching a career in sleep training, she shares her journey of resilience, reinvention, and creating a support system in a small town!
- Life in Italy after a career-ending hockey injury
- The challenges of adjusting to a new country and culture
- Transitioning into a career in sleep training and finding her purpose
- The slower pace of life in a small Italian town
- Managing routines, jet lag, and sleep schedules for kids while traveling
- Finding community and support outside of hockey
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Jessica Corrado, wife of Frank Corrado, joins me on Breaking the Ice.
We're chatting:
- Ups and Downs between the AHL and NHL
- The impact that injuries can have and the emotional toll it can take
- Transitioning to a new career after retirement
- Motherhood and being a twin mom
- Navigating the immigration process for Canadian and American couples
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In this episode, Maggie Kestner, wife of Josh Kestner, who plays in Slovakia joins me for the SECOND time! (I will link the first episode down below). Together, we share authentic insights into the highs and lows of living abroad, balancing relationships, and navigating this lifestyle overall.
We chat about:
- January Blues--why this month is hard for most hockey families
- Battling loneliness, OCD + Mental Health Struggles, and the desire for independence
- The challenges of feeling like you don't have much control of your life
- What can impact your experiences + happiness during the season
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We chat about how we were both interviewed for a Netflix Docuseries on Hockey Wives + what our thoughts are on how it went down + what we think about it all!
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more! This is a MUST listen.
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In this episode, I am joined by the Ashley Booth, wife of professional hockey player David Booth, who plays this year in the Erste Liga. Ashley shares her powerful story of navigating so many seasons in professional hockey (never on the same team twice) and moving between teams and countries. From raising children abroad to enduring personal loss, Ashley opens up about her journey with vulnerability and strength.
We chat about:
- Moving teams every year and adapting to new cultures.
- The unique experience of raising children abroad.
- Navigating personal loss during playoff finals last season
- Finding strength through faith during life’s toughest moments.
- Reflecting on resilience and the ability to handle more than you think you can.
Tune in for an honest and deeply inspiring conversation with Ashley Booth!
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In this episode of Breaking the Ice, Noureen DeWulf shares her evolution as both an individual and a partner in the world of pro hockey. Married to retired NHL player Ryan Miller, who finished is career playing for the Anaheim Ducks, Noureen shares the realities of navigating change, supporting a partner’s high-pressure career while maintaining her own. Noureen is also a hilarious actress and you may recognize her from Anger Management, Good Girls and many other shows and movies!
We chat about:
- Hockey Wife Realities: Balancing moves, long-distance dynamics, and a thriving career.
- Retirement Challenges: How their family found new purpose and stability after Ryan’s NHL retirement.
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Parenting: Noureen’s reflections on supporting each other and embracing family life.
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so much more! <3
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This week is a solo episode with your host and we’re diving into what it’s like to navigate the holiday season as a hockey family! From festive traditions to the unique challenges of being away from home, I'm unpacking all the feels and finding ways to make the season special.
In this episode I talk about:
- The highs and lows of being away during the holidays 🌟
- Heartwarming traditions to keep the holiday spirit alive 🎄
- Navigating friendships in the hockey community 💌
- Motherhood, family balance, and juggling it all
Grab your coffee, and join me for this cozy and relatable conversation. You don’t want to miss it!
P.S. Enjoyed this episode? Please put it up on your story and tag my page!
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Past Episodes on Friendships:
Friendships: A Reason, Season or Lifetime with Layne Gibbons
Inclusion, Debunking Stereotypes and People Pleasing with Madison Marshall
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Courtlyn Fazakas, girlfriend of Brett Ferguson, who plays for the Guildford Flames in the EIHL, joins me on Breaking the Ice today! In this episode, she reflects on her journey from small-town life to navigating the perks and challenges of moving abroad with her partner and building a career and sense of purpose in a new country.
In this episode we chat about:
- Shifting from corporate life to fitness and finding her passion.
- Adjusting to life as a hockey spouse, handling shared spaces, and making new friends.
- Her experience with mental health and medication
- Advice for starting your own business
and so much more! Plug your headphones in and enjoy this episode!
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In this episode of Breaking the Ice, Rachel Novak, girlfriend of Michael Cichy, who plays for the Fife Flyers in the EIHL, joins me! Rachel and Michael have been in a long-distance relationship for over eight years. We dive into the challenges, lessons, and strategies of maintaining a strong relationship while apart, focusing on the unique struggles that come with the hockey lifestyle.
In this episode we talk about:
- The emotional rollercoaster of long-distance relationships.
- Managing communication with time zone differences and hockey’s unpredictable schedule.
- The impact of long-distance on mental health and anxiety.
- Practical strategies for maintaining trust and staying busy while apart.
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Today is a minisode with me, your host!
Here are some things I chat about in this episode:
- Missing big life moments during the hockey season (weddings, babies, trips to see family)
- Sacrifices that we make as significant others in this lifestyle
- Not trying to fix or get to the bottom of your feelings and just letting yourself feel them
- Our travel day over to the UK
- Navigating our kids having a hard time with the hockey season transition and how I've supported them with these changes
- Moving and how it affects you mentally
- HOW YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE YOUR LIFE FIGURED OUT IN A WEEK (say it louder for the people in the back)
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We all know it best, the hockey life is chaotic and this absolutely can make it challenging in your relationship when there are always additional stressors at play. Today on the podcast I have couples therapist, Tracy Dalgleish, who is a podcaster, author, and a force in the online space!
In this episode we talk about:
- Learning to tune into your own needs when you are living in constant chaos
- How to express your needs to your partner before you're in a state of overwhelm
- Not letting you partners bad game affect your mood and WHY you let it
- How your early childhood experiences an impact how you feel + communicate in your relationship
- Social media and how it gives us a false sense of closeness
- Ways to prepare for a baby with your partner
- Boundaries
- In Law Relationships
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Dr. Tracy's First Episode on BTI: Resentment, Acceptance + Making Space in Your Relationship
Natalie Miller, wife of JT Miller who plays for the Vancouver Canucks, joins me on Breaking the Ice Podcast today. If there's one episode that will make you laugh, this one is it.
In this episode we talk about:
- Long Distance, Call Ups + Send Downs
- Being A Mom Away from Home + Postpartum
- Losing a Parent During the Hockey Season and Signs She Has Received from Her Mom Since She's Passed
- How Getting Traded + Leaving the House She Built and Designed Led Her to Find Her Passion
- Tips on How to Follow Your Dreams + Start a Career (while also supporting your significant other)
- How to Have A More Inclusive Hockey Season
- What a NHL Wives Fund Is
- How to Get More Involved in the Community
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Sarah Bross, wife of Zack Bross, who finished his last season in the Del3, joins me on Breaking the Ice Today!
In this episode, we chat about:
- Long Distance in college and what she would go back and tell her younger self
- What made them take the leap to Europe
- The importance of getting things in writing + doing your due diligence
- Culture Shock
- Recognizing the positives of this lifestyle while you're in it
- Instagram v. Reality and the biggest misconceptions
- Tips for traveling in Europe on a budget and her favorite place she's ever traveled in Europe
- What she doesn't recommend bringing to Europe and how she packed lightly for the season
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Emmeli Rakell, wife of Rickard Rakell, who plays for the Pittsburgh Penguins, joins me this week on Breaking the Ice! Emmeli and her husband are Swedish and have spent a portion of their lives living in the US, while Rickard plays in the NHL.
In this episode we talk about:
- What it was like for Emmeli moving to the US, while hardly speaking English
- How isolating it can be to not have other people around who speak the same language as you
- What it has been like for her experiencing a new culture + new friends
- How she has changed her mindset in regards to this lifestyle
- Having a baby in the USA, as a Swede, and how things changed for her once she had kids in this lifestyle
- Driving differences between USA + Europe and other hilarious culture differences between Europeans and Americans
and so much more!
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Haley Palve, wife of Oula Palve, who plays hockey in Tampere Finland, joins me on BTI and shares her personal journey with infertility and IVF with me. Throughout this episode, we dive into:
- What it was like experiencing infertility + how it affected her mental health
- What led her to choose the IVF route and the steps that she took to get there
- What she wishes she knew about IVF before she started the process
- Advice on how to support someone through IVF and what NOT to say to someone experiencing infertility
- Finding success with IVF + how she told her partner (via long distance!)
- Her pregnancy + how the healthcare has been in Finland!
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Haley's First Episode on BTI
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Other BTI episodes on IVF:
Her Journey with IVF with Sandra Szczechura
Our Fertility Journey: Miscarriages, IVF and Surrogacy with Terra O'Reilly
Never Give Up, a journey to motherhood with Jamie Machacek
Helpful Podcasts + Accounts to Follow!
Podcast: The Egg Whisperer ShowAccounts: @the.fertilitydietitian @infertilityschool
Join me in this episode of real, authentic conversation with Laura Caggiula, wife of Drake Caggiula, who plays in the AHL for the Bakersfield Condors. If you're a mom or just curious about the challenges of motherhood in the hockey lifestyle with two children under two, this episode is just for you!
Laura and I share our experiences of raising two children under two in an open and honest dialogue.
Here are some highlights from our conversation
- The realities of motherhood and how to balance responsibilities
- Strategies for managing stress and self-care
- Our experiences with raising children in a fast-paced lifestyle
- The importance of community support and building a network
- Nervous System Dysregulation
- Latching onto Schedules because it's the one thing we have control over
- Resentment
- Hockey culture + how it shifts after having kids
- Game Day Routines with Two Under Two
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Megan McIlvane, wife of Matt McIlvane, who is the head coach for the San Diego Gulls, joins me on the pod today for a much anticipated coach's wife episode!
In this episode we talk about SO much but to name a few:
- Leaving her passion and career to move to Europe with her now husband
- Her take on whether coach's wives and player's wives should be friends
- The time commitment of a coach's wife
- A positive perspective on schedule of a hockey player
- The grey area of what the code is for including coach's wives
- How she would handle an iffy situation if one came about
AND BEYOND MORE! This conversation was so much fun to have and I hope you all enjoy!
Megan sits on the board of directors for a non-profit called Megan's Mission, named after an unbelievable girl who fought childhood cancer fearlessly. They are 100% volunteer based and have raised over 2 million for more up to date treatments and cures for childhood cancers. The hockey community is so great and any support would be greatly appreciated! Click here! www.instagram.com/megansmission
Dana Oleksuk, wife of Travis Oleksuk, who finished last season in Rosenheim in the Del3, joins me on the podcast for the third time! Our husbands played together in Austria for two hockey seasons and in this episode we caught up and updated each other on our lives.
In this episode we talk about:
- Not having a contract this late in the year and what that looks like for each of us
- The possibility of retirement and how we each feel about it
- The day to day challenges of this position (living with family, lack of stability or not being able to plan anything)
- How we each would get our stuff back from overseas if we didn't go over
- Mental energy and how it takes so much out of you to have these same conversations every year with your significant other
Regardless of whether you have a contract or not, you will definitely be able to relate to this episode and I hope it brings some light into your week that you are not alone!
EPISODES WILL BE OUT TWICE A MONTH!
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Private FB Group for Coach's Wives/Staff Here
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Use the code ICE15 for 15% off their first month or if you sign up for the 6-month/annual subscription payment you can get 15% off the whole plan! Dana's Website: www.dofitnessco.comwww.dofitnessco.com/membership
Hi guys! I hope you all are having a nice summer at home. As always, I wanted to be open with you about some of the things that I have been struggling with postpartum this time around. I am so grateful that I have this safe space to share about my life and hope that I can help someone with this episode.
- How I was diagnosed with Postpartum OCD + Anxiety
- I talk about some of my triggers and how I have experienced "impending doom" and ruminating thoughts
- How my hypochondria has sky rocketed this time around and how I am overcoming it
- How I found a therapist that I LOVE
- How you're not crazy, it's the hormones
Some things that have helped me:
This podcast + this Instagram account has thoroughly helped me with this journey https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/all-the-hard-things/id1526993843
This episode specifically:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/all-the-hard-things/id1526993843?i=1000577362483
Carli Husson is a spirit baby medium and energy healer that I had a session with a couple months before I conceived my daughter. I loved our session so much that I knew I HAD to have her on the podcast so here we are!
In this episode we chat about:
- What a spirit baby is
- How she started with this work and how her spiritual journey began
- How she prepares for a reading
- Signs from our spirit babies
- Gender disappointment and how we should normalize it
- How everything is energy
- How you can start the journey of connecting with your spirit baby
- A mini spirit baby reading on me where Carli connects and tells me the gender of my last baby in the future!
Follow Carli on Instagram @matrescent.mama Full list of offerings & to book a session: https://www.matrescentmama.com/offerings More on SIGN, a 5-week Spirit Baby Group Immersion: https://www.matrescentmama.com/sign
Cheers to ONE HUNDRED Episodes of Breaking the Ice! It has been my absolute honor to be the host of this podcast and communicate with the amazing women in this community daily. In this episode I talk about:
- 100th episode + how there has been EIGHTY THOUSAND downloads since I started!
- Winning the championship + what the experience was like witnessing it in person
- How the starts aligned on the day of Game Six
- Bridging the gap between coaches SO's + players SO's and how it leads to one word: Communication (and preferably at the beginning of the season!)
- Inclusion on Teams + Why this makes such a difference in your overall well being during the season
-
- more!
Please SUBSCRIBE, RATE + REVIEW if you LOVE Breaking the Ice! It's the best way to show your support for my show!
Jackie Gendron, wife of Miles Gendron, who plays in the ECHL for the Greenville Swamp Rabbits, joins me on Breaking the Ice today.
In this episode we chat about:
- TikTok and how Jackie grew her following majorly once she moved to Norway for her husband's job and started sharing about their day to day there
- How Jackie met her husband in high school and has traveled with him for 11 years
- Remote jobs: How to find a remote job, what it's like working North American hours in Europe
- Focusing on the positives of this lifestyle + how it can benefit you overall to not dwell on the negatives
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Maggie Kestner, wife of Josh Kestner, who plays for Rauma Lukko in Finland, joins me on Breaking the Ice today.
In this episode we chat about:
- Losing your identity in this lifestyle
- The challenges emotionally when isolated so far away from home
- The common misconceptions that people have about hockey
- Missing big life moments back home during the season
- Visa Issues
- Trying to get out of Russia right before the war started
and so much more!
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Emilie Blum, wife of Jonathon Blum, who plays for Red Bull Munich in the DEL, joins me for a long overdue episode of Breaking the Ice!
In this episode we talked about:
- The show, Hockey Wives, and how Emilie was cast for it
- One Year Contracts and the uncertainty of it
- Not having any control as a hockey wife
- Schooling for Kids Abroad
- How to make friends outside of hockey
- Transitioning from a house you love back home to a small apartment in Europe
- Mid-Season Burn Out
- Struggling with Mental Health during the hockey season and how going on anti depressants are okay
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Tara Kampfer, wife of Steven Kampfer, joins me on Breaking the Ice today.
In this episode, we talk about:* Her experience going on The Bachelor ABC and all the behind the scenes details * How she felt watching herself back on tv * How she met her husband and moving around in this hockey life * Living in Russia and playing in the KHL during COVID * The war in Russia + Brittney Griner
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Alyssa Flynn, wife of Brian Flynn, who finished his last professional season in the AHL with the Utica Comets joins me for todays episode of Breaking the Ice.
In this episode we talk about:
- Self Care for Moms
- How postpartum is not just the first three months after having a baby
- How to support a new mom postpartum in our lifestyle
- Pregnancy Loss Abroad
- The healing power of food
- Plant Based Nutrition
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Website for recipes, yoga, and motherhood: https://www.alyssakflynn.com/ YouTube Yoga & Meditation Videos: @alyssakflynn Other stuff: Yinova Center: Chinese medicine, acupuncture, women’s health & fertility specialists: https://www.yinovacenter.com/ Thrive by Arianna Huffington The China Study: The Most Comprehensive Study of Nutrition Ever Conducted https://www.amazon.com/China-Study-Comprehensive-Nutrition-Implications/dp/1941631568 Mind Over Medicine: Scientific Proof You Can Heal Yourself by Dr. Lissa Rankin (this book mentions the Roseto, PA community) https://www.amazon.com/Mind-Over-Medicine-Scientific-Yourself/dp/1401939996 Postpartum Support International (including this just in case listeners don’t know about it!) https://www.postpartum.net/
Stefany Jenks, wife of AJ Jenks, who finished his last professional season in the ECHL playing for Fort Wayne Komets, joins me on Breaking the Ice to share all about their experience in the wild wild west, aka the ECHL.
In this episode, we chat about:
- The unpredictability in minor league hockey and what it has taught her about herself
- Being ghosted by a team when it comes to resigning with them
- Friendships outside of the hockey life
- Motherhood
- How your priorities shift depending on which season of life you're in
- Retirement and the phases you go through when you retire
- The fear of both being unemployed when it comes to retirement
- Networking for our S/O post hockey life
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Buckle up, I’m ready to share my birth story! For those of you that have followed my pregnancy journey, my daughter was breech and I chose to have a scheduled c-section here in France. I share the highs and lows of my hospital experience, as always, UNFILTERED.
In this episode I talked about:
-The surgery + what it was like having a c-section
-My childcare falling through a few days before my scheduled c-section
-Being in the hospital alone and struggling with a major language barrier
-The differences between having a baby in Austria and France
-What I’ve learned and done differently as a second time mom: Advocating for myself in the hospital
-The last night with your toddler before the baby comes
-C-Section recovery + (with a toddler)
-The transition from 1-2 kids
& more!
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Want to be a Guest? Fill out the Guest Submission Form here!
My last SOLO Episode leading up to my birth
My European Birth Story in Austria
Layne Gibbons, wife of Kyle Gibbons, who plays in Val Gardena in the Alps Hockey League, joins me on BTI for the SECOND time. I felt we could all use a light hearted and funny conversation and I knew she was my go-to girl!
In this episode, we talk about:
- Visa Issues and Flying Super Late in our Pregnancies
- Finding Dog Sitters + Baby Sitters Abroad
- Funny Situations with Teams
- ALL THINGS POP CULTURE. Bravo, RHW, Vanderpump Rules, Kardashians, Ultimatum + Love is Blind, F***, Marry, Kill. You name it, we went there.
We hope this episode puts a smile on your face!
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Listen to our Episode on Friendships: A Reason, A Season or a Lifetime
Get 15% off your order at my Online Boutique SALT. with the code ice.
Danielle Nyquist, wife of Gustav Nyquist, who plays in the NHL for the Columbus Blue Jackets, joins me for a wonderful episode all about SLEEP. Danielle is a Certified Pediatric Sleep Consultant and owns her own business, Sov Gott Sleep (which means sleep tight in Swedish) In this episode we talk about ALL things baby + toddler sleep including:
- What drove her to create a career around sleep
- Healthy Sleep Habits and when we can begin to implement them
- What healthy sleep habits are and WHY they are so important
- Newborn Sleep, what you can expect and how to know when your baby is tired
- What sleep regressions are and what we can do to help support our kids through these developmental progressions
- Toddler Sleep Regressions
- How + WHEN to move your toddler from a crib into a toddler bed (Lord, help us)
-
The Witching Hour(S)!!!
-
More!
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Work with Danielle:
Website: www.sovgottsleep.comHere you can find more information about booking a free consultation, booking a group experience (parenting group, school group), and shop my sleep packages. Email: sovgottsleep@gmail.comInstagram: www.instagram.com/sovgott_sleep Facebook: facebook.com/sovgottsleep
It's been a MINUTE. I recorded this solo episode because I felt it was about dang time to update you guys on what has been going on for the past month and a half. I wanted to share the real and true hardships of this lifestyle and some of the additional stressors we have been dealing with.
Making a complete lifestyle shift (going from off-season to season and vice versa) can be really draining.
In this episode, I share about prepping for the season, the travel day, my pregnancy and getting adjusted in a new country. I share what helps re-center me when I am going through a hard time and how there is always light at the end of the tunnel.
LINKS:
One of my favorite memories of this podcast + community was our retreat last year and in case you haven't heard, this year it is in CABO SAN LUCAS! May 17-21st, 2023. There are still rooms available so DM me if you have questions or want to sign up today!
Have you made your list for Black Friday shopping? I have one more addition for you! My small business, SALT, is having a HUGE Black Friday sale. starting Thursday November 17th. You can take 30% off all regular priced items and 15% off all Markdown Items. Get some of your Christmas shopping out of the way!
Suz Lundeen, girlfriend of Joe Howe, who is currently the assistant coach at Yale but played his last professional season with the Orlando Solar Bears in the ECHL, shares all about their journey through retirement.
Suz + Joe were both hockey players, who retired at the same time, and faced all the challenges that came with this, together. In this episode we talk about:
- The frustration element that can lead a lot of players into retirement
- Struggling with high functioning depression
- Seeking help for the mental health issues and how they overcame this transition together as a couple
- Tangible tools they learned from therapy
- Leaning on community
- Retirement gifts
and so much more!
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Other Episodes on Retirement:
Knowing When It's Time to Hang Them Up with Sarah Whitmore
Retirement and Life After Hockey with Stefanie Heid
Having a Game Plan for Retirement with Andrea Hanson
Sarita Francis, engaged to Jordan Scarlett, who plays professional football in the NFL, joined me for an episode of Breaking the Ice. One thing I have learned from this lifestyle is that regardless of which sport you are in, our lifestyles are so similar. We experience very unique life experiences, struggles, highs, lows and everything in between!
In this episode, we chat about:
-The NFL and what the schedule is like, the lifestyle + getting drafted for the first time
-The similarities between pro football and pro hockey
-Being Type A in this lifestyle
-Finding balance in this lifestyle
-Having 2020 babies
-Raising kids in the professional sports world
-Never being able to make plans in the lifestyle
-How she created her brand based on a passion that she had
-Creating boundaries within your business
-Advice for those looking to start their own business
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Get 15% off your order at my Online Children's Boutique, Salt with the code ice.
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Sarita would love to offer listeners 15% off their next custom PRESSED design! DM "ICE" to @PRESSED.BYSARITA to activate your savings TODAY!
Brittany Wedgewood, wife of Scott Wedgewood who plays in the NHL for the Dallas Stars, and Emma Winnitoy, girlfriend of Mitchell Stephens, who plays in the NHL for the Montreal Canadiens, join me for a friendship therapy sesh today!
We had so much fun catching up and updating each other about the summer and upcoming plans for the year and season ahead. We chat about new teams, post wedding blues, renting houses, getting kicked out of the US, engagement stories, intentions for the 22/23 hockey season and more!
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Get 15% off your order at my new children's boutique called SALT. Use the code ice.
Annessa Smith, wife of Jeff Smith, who plays for EHC Neuwied in the Del 4, joins me on Breaking the Ice today. Annessa has been living the hockey life for 13 years and in this episode we chat about:
- Her mom passing away during the hockey season
- Embracing the culture that you’re in and leaning into it
- How to find things going on in the city that you live in
- Her birth experience in Germany
- How it works when giving birth in another country and having no one to watch your first kid
- How team cars following players when wives are about to have a baby should be mandatory
- The adjustment from 1 to 2 kids
- How teams can tell you certain things that are false so you’ll sign and play there
- The struggle of not being able to get your kid into a daycare/school
- Kinder Krippe
- Having a home in Spokane in the Off-Season
- Social anxiety and how Annessa has coped with social anxiety while living abroad
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Take 15% off your order at Salt Kids Boutique with the code “ice”
I am scheduling out guests for Breaking the Ice! Interested in being a guest on the podcast? Fill out the Be a Guest Submission here.
Madison Marshall, wife of Ben Marshall, who plays in Ingolstadt, Germany in the DEL, joins me on Breaking the Ice today and I could have talked to her for five more hours. Madison has been doing all of my brand management and has been such an asset, turned friend! If you want to listen to a relatable AF episode….this one is for you.
We chat about:
-
Madison having an identical twin and anything you’ve ever wanted to know about identical twins, I asked!
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The stereotypes and judgment that people have about the lifestyle and our husbands personal lives
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Different pay ranges within the sport and how everyone assumes each person makes millions of dollars
-
Leaving a job that you love to move for your significant others job. It’s a choice, sacrifice and not an easy decision
-
How Madison figured out what she wanted to do and how to start her own business while living abroad
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Learning your value and setting boundaries within your business and with your clients
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Being a people pleaser and cancel culture
-
Inclusion in the hockey lifestyle, this was a long conversation. We each shared vulnerable stories of when we have been excluded by others and how it made us feel.
-
What to take out of your vocabulary when extending invitations to other people to hang out
-
Madison just got married so we chat about etiquette and guest expectations about all the things (plus ones) and people putting you in uncomfortable situations to accommodate them
-
Advice for future brides
-
How people project things onto you if you a choose a life path that's different than theirs
BASICALLY ALL THE THINGS! Don’t miss this epi!!!!
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Work with Madison
Check out Madison's Youtube Channel
Kaitlin Yakura, wife of Dean Yakura, who finished last season in the ECHL for the Greenville Swamp Rabbits, joins me on Breaking the Ice and shares with me her journey of finding out she has Stage 3 Melanoma at age 25.
In this Episode we discuss:
- Getting Diagnosed with cancer and what this emotional process looked like for her
- What she had going on in her life and how it had to be put on hold
- What chemotherapy was like and how cancer affected her confidence and self-esteem
- How growing old is a privilege and the unknowns that cancer can cause in the big picture of life
- The ways in which she felt the most supported by friends and family
- How therapy was a huge part of her healing process
- The importance of being an advocate for yourself and your health
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Resources for Cancer + Melanoma:
AIM Melanoma Foundation:
CancerCare
American Cancer Society
Camilla Emilie Jacobsen, engaged to Emil Bejmo, who plays for the Manglerud Star in Oslo, Norway, joins me on the pod today. Camilla and I met when she flew from Norway to Nashville for the retreat and I was so excited to see her face via zoom and chat with her.
In this episode we talk about:
-How Camilla works as a customs officer in the largest airport in Norway
-Her and her husband are from two different countries and she shares how they communicate
-Living the Hockey Life as a European Import
-How to put yourself out there when you are more shy + reserved going to a new country
-We chat about English
-Maternity + Paternity care in Europe
-Babies being born while sports are going on
-Biggest Fears as a First Time Mom
-People commenting on pregnant bellies whether your bump is boppin or not so much aka STOP doing it
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Get the Retreat Details here
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Kecia Sheehan, wife of Riley Sheehan, who finished last season in the NHL playing for the Seattle Kraken, comes on Breaking the Ice today and we chat about all everything within our lifestyle. Kecia was an absolute pleasure to have on the podcast and I had the best time talking with her!
In this episode we talk about:
- What it was like planning a wedding during a pandemic and how everything turned out the way it should be
- Kecia and Riley are from two different countries and we chat about how they dealt with it during the height of the pandemic
- Living far away from family and the challenges of not having help once you start having kids
- Meeting someone from different sides of the world, different countries or across the country and deciding where you should settle down and plant roots
- Going to Seattle and what it was like going to a brand new organization
- What a free agent is and what that has looked like for them
- Trying not to control the situation when you don’t know where you are going and trust the process
- Mental Health in the Hockey World
- The challenges and rewards of hockey
and so much more!
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Check out Vitality with Kecia
Listen to Kecia's husband, Riley, "Speak your Mind Podcast"
Kayla Alber, wife of Patch Alber, who plays for the Fischtown Penguins (Germany) in the DEL, joins me for the first episode of Season 3. Kayla has been going to Europe for 5 hockey seasons and knows the ropes of packing and preparation for moving overseas!
In this episode we talk about:
- How you can find the essentials in other countries and packing things from home is all about preference
- The current ongoing lost luggage situation going on in Europe
- Our must have items for the big move
- Items we forget + regret to bring each year
- The items you can leave behind + grab abroad
- Must have items for kids (we kept this short + sweet)
- How to mentally prepare for the adjustment, because let’s face it’s an adjustment
Keep in mind, someone's year 10 abroad, is not someone’s year one and vice versa. Let’s remember to help support each other and make each other feel as comfortable as possible!
Resources from the Episode Below:
iHerb (You can order North American products from this website abroad)
German Amazon (We use this all the time in Austria!)
Free Packing List from my Website!
Episode on Packing with Carine Bailey
Apple AirTags for Keeping Track of your luggage!
Postpartum + Hospital Bag Essentials for having a baby abroad
First Few Months with Baby Essentials
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Join the Waitlist for the Retreat!
Follow Kayla on Instagram!
What an incredible season two it has been with you all. For the last episode of season two, I wanted to jump on and share some life updates, recap season two, talk about what's to come with season three and take you along for the ride. Even though the pod is taking a minor summer break, I will still be super active on the Instagram page and chatting with you all! Thank you for being a part of this community, it means the world.
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Abby Grimaldi, wife of Rocco Grimaldi, who plays for the Nashville Predators in the NHL, is a hockey wife and Christian based musician from Grand Forks, North Dakota. Abby is an amazing human and this episode will inspire you all.
In this episode, we chat about:
- Moving and starting over and Abby’s outlook on fresh starts
- Growing up in a traditional home and never moving around to transitioning to the lack of stability that hockey brings
- Going from being a super busy person to struggling with depression once that stopped and hockey life started.
- -The sense of fulfillment that’s affected once you stop working
- What Abby’s experience has been like living in different places away from her core people
- Taking hard times and turning them into life lessons
- Abby’s career as a musician and how she leaned into her passion
And SO MUCH MORE!
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Athletic Greens is going to give you a FREE 1 year supply of immune-supporting Vitamin D and 5 FREE travel packs with your first purchase. All you have to do is visit athleticgreens.com/breakingtheice
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Listen to Abby's music on Itunes
Amanda Wick, wife of Jeremy Wick, who plays in Switzerland for the Rapperswil-Jona Lakers in the National League, and I sit down and have a conversation on all things traveling with kids. In this episode, we each share all the tips and advice to hopefully help you prepare as best as possible.
In this episode we cover:
- Ages 0-5 years old. We break down what you need to bring with you and what you can leave behind
- Where you should be sitting on the plane according to your kids age
- What jet lag looks like and what you can do to stay sane
- Whether you should purchase an extra seat
- Whether you should bring a car seat on board
- Kids 2 and over having to wear a mask on the plane
- and more!
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Get your FREE 1 year supply of immune-supporting Vitamin D AND 5 FREE travel packs with your first purchase of Athletic Greens.
Erinn Hakstol, wife of Dave Hakstol, who is the head coach for the Seattle Kraken in the NHL, joins me on Breaking the Ice today!
In this episode, we chat about:
- How her and her husband met being 8 years apart!
- What covid looked like for them as a family and how her and her kids were apart from Dave for over six months
- Home schooling older kids during a pandemic
- Long distance
- Growing through this lifestyle with kids who are older
- What community means to her and how the hockey life has changed her perspective on life
- Experiencing the Seattle Kraken and what it's been like being with a brand new team and organization
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Visit BTI Website Here!
Claim your FREE 1 year supply of immune-supporting Vitamin D AND 5 FREE travel packs with your first purchase of Athletic Greens Here.
Taylor Cook is a women’s professional hockey player and a mindset coach! Taylor’s boyfriend, Eeli Parviainen, is the strength and conditioning + assistant coach in Bremerhaven, Germany in the DEL.
In this episode we chat about:
- The pay equity between mens and women's hockey
- The U18 World Championships getting canceled for women but mens continuing on
- How she got started in her career
- Men’s mental health: Why men feel like they can’t be vulnerable and why we think there needs to be more resources on hockey teams
- Mental health struggles that happen with the hockey lifestyle and how can we recognize when we are struggling with it
- Tangible things we can do to incorporate in our lives to take us out of the hockey bubble such as a lot of movement, travel, away from life long family and friends and feeling left out
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Check out Taylor's Website: https://www.elitehighperformance.com/
This is the group program that Taylor is running starting April 14:
Take 25% off with the code BTI25 Valid until April 13 at 11:59PM EST**
Inside the Athletic Mind Podcast:
Book reference: Mind Gym by Gary Mack
Stacey Kasdorf, wife of Jason Kasdorf, joins me on the podcast today. Stacey is a mom to three little girls, a business owner, influencer, blogger and wife. With this being a busy time of year, I thought this would be a great time to dive into the topics of motherhood, marriage + me time and how they all are intertwined.
In this episode we chat about:
- One of Stacey's hardest times as a mom
- How once you have kids, it's harder to make time for your marriage and Stacey shares how and her husband work on this
- Love languages and how they change depending on what season of life you're in
- How to take time for yourself when being a mom
- Burn out- how to recognize this before it's too late
-
Stacey's top 3 tips for flying with kids on an airplane
-
more!
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Want to be on the podcast? Fill out a submission here!
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Read her Blog here!
THANK YOU TO VUORI FOR SPONSORING THIS PODCAST. GET 20% OFF YOUR ORDER HERE!
Julie Johnson, engaged to Tim Branham, who is the assistant coach of the Colorado Eagles in the AHL, joins me on Breaking the Ice today! Tim was the head coach of the Utah Grizzles in the ECHL for 8 years and this is their first season making the big move to the AHL. In this episode, we discuss how it seems “against the rules” to co-mingle with coaches wives and players wives and how we can change this storyline.
In this episode we chat about:
- Never being a players wife and stepping directly into this role
- The different mentality between being a head coach vs. assistant coach's wife
- Negativity on the internet about your significant other
- How the relationship varies depending on the team dynamics
- Covid limitations for players and their wives last hockey season in the ECHL
- We both give our honest opinions on these relationships
If you haven't written a review yet on Apple Podcasts, leave one here
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Follow Alphalit!
Other Reference's:
Coach's Wife Life with Wendy Tippett
Victoria Arlen is a ESPN + MBC Host, Gold Medalist, Dancing with the Stars Contestant and Author, to name a few, joins me on the podcast today!
When Victoria was 11 years old, she developed two very rare conditions and lost the ability to walk, talk, communicate but she heard everything that people were saying for FOUR years. She was completely locked in her body.
In this episode we talk about:
- The beginning stages when Victoria and her family knew something was off
- How Victoria and her family got through these four years and the recovery to come
- The emotional ride of being able to hear everything going on but not able to respond
- Winning a gold medal at the paralympics
- Setting goals and never giving up
- Becoming one of the youngest people to become a reporter on ESPN (and female)
- The stereotypes from others being a female working for ESPN
- What it has been working in a male dominated industry
- The experience with Dancing with the Stars and performing while not being able to feel her legs and truly showing people what you are capable of
- Surrounding yourself with people who will lift you up/cheer you on
It was such an honor to chat with Victoria and I know you will leave this episode feeling as inspired as I did!
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Today is a solo episode with me, your host! I started to feel that roadtrip, middle of the season burn out creep in a couple of weeks ago and once I processed my emotions, I wanted to share this episode with you all.
In this episode I talk about:
-
The Mental Load of Responsibilities
- Stepping into the role as the primary caretaker of kids, pets, household responsibilities but also feeling the overwhelm of not being able to take a break if needed
- Long Roadtrips Alone
- Planning Life Around Hockey
-
The Mental Load of Traveling
- Coordinating the Flights To/From the Season and sometimes having to travel by yourself (potentially internationally + potentially with children)
- The end of the season overwhelm: What do we leave behind, where do we leave our stuff, what do we bring home, needing to pack suitcases, boxes and keep everything organized with less than a weeks notice, usually
- Long Exhausting Travel Days, twice a year
-
The Mental Load of Starting Over:
- Making New Friends every 8 months
- Learning a new city or country, with maybe a new language
- The stress of not knowing where you will live constantly
-
What I have learned I needed in these tough moments
Listen to the episode on Coping with Travel Anxiety
Listen to the episode "The Unknowns Made us Stronger"
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Kirsten Bartley, wife of Vic Bartley, who finished this season for Kunlan Red Star in the KHL, is a real estate agent, small shop business owner and mom of two. Kirsten is one of the most hardworking people I know and she joins me to share her knowledge of the real estate world. In this episode we talk about
-Juggling working real estate full time, having two kids, solo momming the last three seasons
-Whether you should rent or buy during the hockey season
-Foreign income
-When you’re married to someone from a different country than you
-What the market looks like currently and whether or not you should buy right now
-Airbnb or short term rentals when renting your house out for the season and we share some funny stories about both
-What are red flags that you should avoid when hiring a real estate agent
-Whether or not you can buy a home if you don't have a set contract for next year
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Listen to the Episode about Resentment!
Gretchen Geraghty, girlfriend of Max Willman, who plays for the Philadelphia Flyers in the NHL, joins me today on Breaking the Ice. Gretchen currently resides in Allentown, PA and her boyfriend is 1.5 hours away in Philadelphia living the hotel life!
In this episode we talk about:
- The uncertainties of the hockey life
- When they decided to move in together
- Long Distance
- Covid and how that affected her day to day
- Learning how to be independent in this lifestyle
- What it's like having a twin and living far away from them
- The comparison game of social media
- Making friends as an adult and how challenging this can be
and more!
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Danielle Fraser, wife of Jamie Fraser, who plays in Villach, Austria in the ICEHL, joins me today for a late night happy hour! Danielle and I had an absolute blast chatting virtually. We have had so many mutual connections and she has also spent six hockey seasons in Vienna herself! (where my husband plays now). Her and Jamie have been together for 15 years and they now travel the globe with their two kids.
In this episode we chat about everything and anything but a few topics in between all of the laughs are:
-Playing in the US and making the decision to go over to Europe
-Why she doesn’t live in Europe full time and goes back and forth from Canada to Austria
-Giving birth in Austria
-The challenges of living in a foreign country when your kids are older
-How her family has navigated their sons Type 1 Diabetes
-How we discovered we are hypochondriac soul sisters
and SO much more.
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Jenn Army, wife of Derek Army, who is the Head Coach of the Wheeling Nailers in the ECHL, joins me on Breaking the Ice today!
Even though she is a coach's wife now, she started off as a player's girlfriend/wife and they went through long distance for 9 years! Jenn is a teacher and she shares about how difficult it was to get time off to go visit and really having to plan her time off around what worked for the hockey schedule, which also led us to talking about maternity leave for teachers and how unfair it is (and even more stressful with covid times!)
We also talk about:
- Being a Homebody and how this hockey life really pushes you outside of your comfort zone
- Long roadtrips in the ECHL as a mom and how it's basically survival mode
- We talk about how days off, aren't days off for moms (if ya know, ya know!)
- Call ups and send downs when you're long distance and dealing with the frustrations and uncertainties that come with this, especially when you are taking time off from work
- How long distance and the unknowns that hockey can bring can make your relationship stronger, if you're with the right person
- Transitioning into the coaching role
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Brittany Wedgewood, wife of Scott Wedgewood, who plays for the Arizona Coyotes in the NHL, joins me on the podcast today for the seventh time?!
Brit and I really needed a good catch up episode and I know you all love hearing her on the podcast so we had to make it happen!
Some of the things we chit chat in this episode are:
- Brittany and Scott's new home in Arizona
- The January Lull and why it seems to affect us all
- What's been going on for us both: Moving, Sicknesses, Funny Dog Stories and Check your boobs
- Britney Spears and Jamie Lynn Spears drama
- Wedding Prep for Brittany
- The rules and regulations for hockey during a pandemic and why the constant confusion is exhausting
- AND MORE! Tune in for a good convo with your girls & enjoy!
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Jamie Machacek, wife of Spencer Machacek, who plays for Wolfsburg in the DEL, joins me over a virtual glass of wine on the podcast today. Jamie + I have been chatting for so long after we discover the same love for the show Nashville. (Naming her son and my dog after it!) We’ve talked about all the mom things over the past year and I was so excited to finally meet her virtually IRL on the podcast.
Jamie and her husband knew they wanted children from the beginning. After trying for quite awhile and going through a few health issues, they realized they needed to look into their options.
In this episode we talk about:
The transition from babyhood to toddlerhood and how being a mom is always evolving and changing
Jamie opens up about her health struggles and what she went through before her first round of IVF
Male Factor Infertility and Endometriosis
Navigating IVF in a foreign country and how hockey played a factor into their journey
When you’re struggling with fertility and family and friends are getting pregnant around you
Keeping this private and not sharing with anyone around them
After undergoing IVF, they found out they were pregnant with twins and lost one of the twins. She talks about what this experience was like for her and her husband
Never Giving up on your Motherhood Journey
THANK YOU Jamie. You are amazing!
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Dr. Sarah Sweetnam, wife of Erik Gudbranson, who plays for the Calgary Flames in the NHL, joins me on the podcast today.
Before we talked about dentistry, we talked a bit about Sarah's hockey journey, thus far. She shares how her husband got traded six days after Sarah gave birth. She had to wait five weeks before finally joining him in Nashville (They are Canadian!) We also chat about what COVID has been like for her as a first time mom. She shares how her and her husband met her first week of dental school and how they managed both of their busy schedules and careers.
Then, we talked about all things dental.
- I asked her about any dental myths she has heard that she can debunk for us
- She tells me whether or not sleeping with your mouth open can cause cavities
- She answers whether cavities are genetic and what you can do to prevent them
- We talk about fluoride and what she recommends
- Kids Dental- She tells me the real deal of when your kid actually needs to go to the dentist for the first time. She also shares some great tips on how we can prepare our children for their first dental appointment and change the dialogue so that we aren't implementing fear before their first appointment.
Enjoy this episode, I learned so much!
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Ilyssa Alvaraz, girlfriend to Logan Roe, who plays in Vasteras, Sweden in the Allsvenskan Hockey League, joins me today on the podcast. Ilyssa has lived her entire life in Florida and adventured to the other side of the pond for her first season overseas.
In this episode we dive into:
- How you can lose yourself when you begin to date someone new or lose yourself in this lifestyle and how to identify this within yourself
- Darkness and how challenging it is when it becomes dark so early
- Finding what you love to do and learning about yourself in the process
- Youtube. Ilyssa started a Youtube channel this year to cope and communicate with this lifestyle.
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Jeanie Prapavessis, wife of Matt Prapavessis, who plays in Vienna Austria for the Vienna Capitals, sat down with me over wine and we had a great conversation about all of the things.
We dive into:
Lockdowns- What it has been like as Americans living in Austria during yet another lockdown. We chat about the frustration, confusion on rules and of course, what we’re watching during lockdown.
We talk about wine and how cheap it is in Europe
High School- How we feel terrible about what we put our parents through in high school (lol sorry mom) and now we both think nothing will get past us as moms. Watch out kids, we're onto you.
We talk about mom shaming on social media. We find that sometimes there can be useful tips but also we are not robots and there is no such thing as “perfect parenting” You have to do what’s best for you and your family.
Cheating- that taboo topic that no one talks about but everyone wants to know about….what do you do when you know someone is cheating on their girlfriend from back home or who’s there in person…... You’ll have to listen to this completely unfiltered conversation we had about this. We give our opinions on how to address this situation and whether we think this should be a group approach or single approach.
Female Friendships in the hockey world- How there is sometimes a pressure for everyone to be best friends and it’s not always practical with so many different personalties. However, you can also meet some of your closest friends. Same goes for the guys too!
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Hilary Miele, wife of Andy Miele, who plays in Nizhny Novgorod in the KHL, joins me on the podcast today!
In this episode we dive into:
Long Distance: Hilary & Andy met in college and she had little to no idea where hockey would take them! She shares about her experience with long distance and how she wound up leaving her career to be with him
We talk about Russia and she shares a few funny stories. Hilary and her daughter were apart from Andy for four months while they were waiting on their Russian visas.
Language Barriers
Solo Travel- Hilary loves to travel and she loves going on trips with her daughter to experience the adventures that this hockey life has to offer.
Not losing your sense of self while following your partner
We also talk about one year contracts and how it can be stressful when you are always waiting on the next opportunity. Before the pandemic hit, they signed a two year deal in Arizona in the NHL, but with the unknowns of COVID, they made a family decision to head overseas.
This episode was so fun to record. We had a lot of laughs and I guarantee you will feel like you are sitting down with two friends.
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Carley Patterson, girlfriend of Jesse Graham, who plays in Augsburg, Germany in the DEL, is a holistic nutritionist and this is the perfect day for this episode to come out as we head full force into the holiday season.
In this episode, we dive into:
-How she plans meals for the week and the simple basics you can have prepared in your fridge versus meal prepping for the entire week
-Healthy snack ideas vs. crushing a bag of chips mid day ( @ me) and how this brings out the 3 p.m. energy lull
-Staying on track with our nutrition around the holidays without limiting ourselves
-How to avoid the binge and restrict cycle
-We chat about how eating + working out is not a one size fits all because we are all so different
-How your lifestyle can affect your nutrition
-Why Eating Late is no bueno ( @ my husband)
Lastly, we talk about the most random things we have accidentally brought home from the grocery store and how we find random foods in random sections.
Enjoy this episode!
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Other Resources:
https://www.amazon.com/Intuitive-Eating-4th-Anti-Diet-Revolutionary/dp/1250255198/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=intuitive+eating&qid=1638180086&qsid=143-7866670-0039564&sr=8-1&sres=1250255198%2C1626256225%2C1250004047%2C1797203983%2C1684037085%2C1684031443%2C1684038286%2C1612439330%2C1647398525%2C1509893911%2CB009LB5MFM%2C1954605099%2C1945586125%2C0312321236%2C1628604115%2C1090899424&srpt=ABIS_BOOK
Terra O'Reilly, wife of Cal O'Reilly, who is the Captain of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in the AHL, shares her fertility journey with me. Terra opens up about her Endometriosis, several miscarriages, IVF journey and surrogacy journey.
Terra wants other women to know that they are not alone if they are struggling with their fertility. She speaks about how looking back, she really kept this private but as she has opened up more about it, so many women have reached out to her about their struggles.
I also have a very special connection to the surrogacy world, which you will have to listen to hear about it. Terra and I have such a authentic and genuine conversation and connection about this topic and this long episode is worth every minute. Terra has such a beautiful heart and I am so honored she chose to share her story on Breaking the Ice.
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Sandra Boström Hoppa, wife of Sebastian Aho, who plays in the NHL for the NY Islanders, joins me on the podcast today! This is the first time I've chatted with a European expat in North America and we had so much fun!
In this episode we dive into:
-
Her husband getting drafted and how she originally didn't want to go because she was nervous to leave her friends, family and job
-
We chat about leaving your comfort zone to go out of your home country and how tough this can be in terms of planning your future
-
What it was like getting into the United States with the pandemic
-
Sandra is pregnant with her first child and giving birth in the US! We talk about healthcare in the US and we also tap into maternity leave in the US and how unfair it is. We chat about how much support there is for new moms in Europe.
-
We exchange funny stories and talked about tipping in the US vs. Europe
Enjoy!
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Alyssa Malette, daughter of Vince Malette, who was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s at the age of 52, joins me on the podcast today. Vince is a retired DEL + OHL coach. Alyssa is incredibly strong for sharing her vulnerable story on BTI and I was so inspired by her story + her strength. You can feel the bond that Alyssa and her dad have together.
In this episode we talk about
-Alzheimers and what this disease is
-How she could see changes within her dad by watching him on the bench
-The hardest part about the diagnosis for her and her family
-She shares about how important it is to not take life for granted, tell your loved ones that you love them and enjoy every moment.
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The Vince Malette face off to end Alzheimer’s will be held on July 9th, 2022.
Here is a link to donate to the golf tournament:
The 2019 Vince Malette Face off to End Alzheimer’s golf tournament raised over $32,000 and the money was given to the Alzheimer’s Society of Ontario to support younger onset programs. Unfortunately the past two summers we had to cancel the golf tournament in the best interest of public safety and out of respect for the businesses struggling due the COVID19 pandemic.
http://alzheimersocietyblog.ca/fathers-day-why-alyssas-dad-is-her-hero/ https://www.google.ca/amp/s/ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/were-not-going-to-give-up-on-him-hockey-coach-56-facing-alzheimers-with-grit-love/wcm/45b1c06e-279b-4332-949c-490e84d06387/amp/ Get 10% off your first month of BetterHelp
Wendy Tippett, wife of Dave Tippett, head coach of the Edmonton Oilers in the NHL, joins me on the podcast and shares all about her 37+ years in this hockey world!
In this episode we dive into:
-What this lifestyle as looked like for her over the years and the difference between being a player’s wife and a coach's wife
-What it was like for her kids growing up in the hockey world
-How she loves the role of a coaches wife because she is a mama bear by nature but respects the boundaries
-We chat about what it was like for her during COVID when she went home for a quick real estate transaction and wound up doing long distance with her husband for 5 months (the longest they have ever been apart)!
-We chat about funny wives room stories + fans in the stands
-What advice she would give her younger self in this world
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For our final hurrah together, we wanted to bring the community into the mix. Most of you know I host this podcast by myself but wanted to bring on Brittany for a bit to co-host with me! We collected all of your questions and answered them throughout the episode.
In this episode we dive into:
- How to handle people not being supportive in the lifestyle
- Whether you should buy a house during hockey or after it's over
- Our superstitions as hockey wives
- Setting boundaries
- Break ideas with or without kids
- What we do to make extra cash
- When is the right time to start a family
& more!
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Dr. Tracy Dalgleish is a clinical psychologist, a relationship expert, a speaker and an author. After hearing Dr. Tracy on another podcast, I became fascinated with her work and have continued to follow along with her on Instagram and Facebook! This is an episode that will be relatable for women EVERYWHERE, even if you are not in the hockey lifestyle.
In this episode we dive into:
-
Resentment: In this lifestyle, we are uprooting our lives and we carry a lot of the mental load. Resentment is a feeling that can unfortunately creep in. Dr. Tracy addresses what resentment is, ways it can show up and how we can move through it.
-
Acceptance- Finding acceptance within this lifestyle when you feel you have little or no control
-
Long Distance- Little things we can do to strengthen our relationship when we are in a long distance relationship
-
Attachment Styles- We chat about the four attachment styles. I took Dr. Tracy’s attachment style quiz on her website and learned my attachment style and learned the attachment style of my husband. We talk about how to work through disagreements if your partner has a different attachment style than us.
-
How your marriage shifts after having a baby
& more!
This episode is truly amazing. If you find yourself resonating with it, please share it to your story and tag the podcast!
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Today is World Mental Health Day and I decided to record a spontaneous episode last night for this topic. I really started to notice that I had anxiety in high school and it has definitely continued into my adult life.
Even though this is a pretty vulnerable topic, I feel it's important to share. I discuss how I have been feeling mentally the last few weeks.
I also shared some past clips from episodes where my guests have spoken out about mental health. Please know that you are not alone if you suffer from depression or anxiety and to always reach out to someone if you are struggling. Your struggles do not define who you are.
Thank you for being apart of this community.
RESOURCES:
www.instagram.com/breakingtheicepod
Jacqueline Chiarot, wife of Ben Chiarot, who plays for the Montreal Canadiens in the NHL, joins us on Breaking the Ice today! Jacqueline and Ben met when they were 17 years old, after being set up on a blind coffee double date and have been together ever since!
Jacqueline is a successful designer so of course we had to pick her brain about design. We asked her how to make your off-season home feel more like you, how to nail down a design style + more. We also chat about how she was able to balance motherhood + launching a business in the middle of a pandemic. Enjoy!
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Stephanie Jones, wife of Connor Jones, who plays for the Fort Wayne Komets in the ECHL, joins us on the podcast today. Stephanie and her husband have been together since 2017 and she has never moved with him for the hockey season. He's been with the Islanders, Bridgeport Sound Tigers, HC Thurgau in Switzerland and Vasterviks, IK in Sweden.
Stephanie is passionate to share with other women in our community about the possibilities of making long distance work and sharing her experience of having the power + drive to build her career in NYC. Stephanie is a producer for ABC on a show called Nightline. Her and Connor are expecting their first baby in February, while she is living in New York + he is in Fort Wayne.
On top of it all, her husband has an identical twin and they have played together on almost every team. In this episode, we all agree that whichever path you take in this hockey life, whether you go with or hang back, trust yourself and your decisions!
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Sara Gretzky, wife to Ty Gretzky + daughter in-law of Wayne Gretzky, joins us on Breaking the Ice today! I can't think of a better way to mark FIFTY episodes of the podcast than with this girl. She is absolutely hilarious.
Her name is very recognizable within our hockey community, however, I wanted to have Sara on the podcast because I have followed her for awhile and feel like she is someone who we would just be friends with.
Brittany and I talk with her about all the things including pop-culture + entertainment, her miscarriage, astrology, her pregnancy (she is due in two weeks!) and so much more. We finish + start the episode with a game. This is definitely an episode where you'll feel like you are sitting down with your girlfriends. Enjoy!
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Emma Winnitoy, girlfriend of Mitchell Stephens, who plays for the Detroit Red Wings in the NHL, joins Brittany and I on the podcast today. Emma and Brittany go all the way back to to when they were kids because their brothers played hockey together. Being from the same city, they would occasionally chat but it became full circle when their significant others both signed in Tampa Bay and they won a Stanley Cup together.
In this episode, we hear about how Emma + Mitchell met, long distance + the NHL bubble and their day with the Stanley Cup. However, the underlying theme was....friendships. One of our favorite topics to discuss. We have all experienced "being the new kid" and talk about how it has shaped how we approach newcomers now. Emma is such a sweetheart and the ideal friend you want in this hockey world. This is one of my fav epis, so enjoy!
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LADIES! I am so excited to introduce to you my co-host, Brittany Wedgewood! Brittany and I will have about 5 episodes together and it will be so fun to have her with me + each guest.
In the episode today, Brit and I catch up about what has been going on her life the last few months which is A LOT! Her and Scott recently brought home another Bernedoodle, they bought a house and they are planning their official wedding for next summer.
I know you will love this girl as much as I do! Hope you enjoy this episode.
Travel Anxiety is a bi!ch. I will be the first to admit I am not a delight to travel with and my travel anxiety gets the best of me basically every single time. It takes me at least a week to decompress from the stress and anxiety when moving for the hockey season.
I am always evaluating and looking for ways to improve myself, which results in a lot of self-reflection. I took a bit of a deeper dive into WHY these feelings arise for me every time I travel and came to the conclusion, that it isn't always the travel itself, but the overwhelming feeling of moving, packing, to-do list, getting the necessities AND THEN the travel on top of it. Add in the kids and dogs and we are done for.
I identify my four triggers when traveling and look into ways I can learn to cope with these triggers because let me tell you, I am not an expert in coping with this anxiety. I also read off some of your triggers, which are the most relatable AF thing I've ever read.
Enjoy this episode!
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Dakota Cameron, wife of Brett Cameron, who plays in Kassel Germany in the del2, joins me for an episode today! If you aren't a mom, don't let the episode title deter you! We chat about SO much more than the #momlife but it was definitely the focus of our episode.
We chat about the off-season, what life was like last year overseas during the pandemic and how it affects our mindsets going into next hockey season, leaving clothes + items over in Europe during the off-season, and of course mom life.
We each share a bit about postpartum and how at the time neither of us really felt like we had postpartum depression or anxiety but looking back we both felt we did. We share some of the symptoms we experienced with this. We talk about how during postpartum, you can experience signs of resentment at times because the guys get to leave and go to practice each day and have a less extreme life change. This is a great episode and I felt like I was catching up with an old friend!
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Autumn Dettmann, wife of Kevin Schmidt, is a pediatric sleep consultant who has been obsessed with sleep since her first daughter was born. After struggling with my son's sleep, I knew I needed some support so I hired Autumn to help our family navigate this.
In this episode, we talk about baby jet lag, sleepy cues, following the 80/20 rule and so much more! As moms, there is a lot of judgment that goes around how your baby sleeps and how your baby eats. This podcast is a judgement free zone and this episode is an informative episode about several topics within the sleep realm and I also chat about our experience with our son's sleep. In no way shape or form is the episode sending the message that you should or should not sleep train! Every family should always choose what feels right and aligns with them.
Autumn is very knowledgable and was very supportive to me throughout working together. Make sure to give her a follow and check out her website!
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Sarah Whitmore, wife of Derek Whitmore, joins me for a new episode today. Sarah's husband, Derek, had played the majority of is North American career in the AHL + ECHL and also several years in Europe.
In this episode, Sarah is open, honest and real about how she knew the hockey life was no longer for her and her family. At the time, she was unhappy and wanted to have a purpose and to feel that she was contributing in some way. She had conversations with her husband about this, which caused tension at times in their relationship.
They wound up retiring before the upcoming season and she shares how that affected her mental health and the overall wellbeing of their family.
Whether you're going through this, have gone through this or may experience this feeling one day, this is an important episode to listen to. Sarah wants other people to find comfort that it is okay if this hockey life isn't for you either. I truly enjoyed hearing her story!
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SURPRISE! The podcast is officially back every Wednesday.
Today, I have two very special guests joining me, Karly and Wade Macleod. Karly and Wade are some of the nicest people ever and their bond and love for each other is so strong.
While Karly and Wade have been in this professional hockey world, Wade has suffered four reoccurring brain tumors, with the last one resulting in radiation and chemo. The first tumor was discovered after Wade hit his head in a hockey game and had a seizure on the ice. Their world was forever changed.
Throughout their journey, Karly and Wade have had two children together and Wade has currently received several hockey offers for the upcoming season, continuing his dream of playing professional hockey. They will be heading to England for the upcoming hockey season.
Make sure to check out their new podcast "A Living Breakthrough" on Podbean and Spotify
SPOTIFY:
https://open.spotify.com/show/6tnaTEoALlCkKrlzQbbOZr?si=_Ntnd1UwQZWuCFFjNy_5Vg&dl_branch=1&nd=1
Read more here:
https://news.northeastern.edu/2020/02/24/cancer-interrupted-his-hockey-career-now-hes-back-on-the-ice/
This Episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Better Help has come up several times by my guests and is a 100% virtual counseling service. Living these lives we do can be very lonely and I truly believe talking to a therapist can make a huge difference in the experience of this lifestyle.
Get 10% off your first month betterhelp.com/breakingtheice
Follow me on Instagram:
www.instagram.com/breakingtheicepod
Follow my guests on Instagram:
www.instagram.com/karly.macleod
www.instagram.com/wademacleod
Sandra Szczechura, wife of Paul Szczechura, joins me on the podcast and shares about her fertility journey, including IVF. She has had 2 IUIs, (2 of which were overseas), 1 miscarriage, 1 successful pregnancy and has one last embryo frozen for their final attempt for a second baby.
Sandra was so open to sharing her journey, in hopes to help someone in our community who needs the support. I learned so much in this episode, including how to support someone who is going through this. She is so encouraging, optimistic and understanding. I hope that this is just the beginning of normalizing this conversation!
Helpful Links:
Instagram: www.instagram.com/breakingtheicepod
Thrive Market is an online membership-based market on a mission to make healthy living easy and affordable for everyone. Enjoy this exclusive offer for our community. I love that you can choose your membership term. For me, I went with the 12 month membership because it comes down to $5 per month. But you can also give it a try for a shorter period of time! https://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-100386896-14461350
Modern Fertility At Home Hormone test is the most comprehensive fertility hormone test you can take at home. The test and online experience include physician-reviewed, personalized reports, access to a weekly "egginars," a free 1:1 consultation with a fertility nurse, and an invitation to a real-talk community for people with ovaries to share their stories and get support. Here is a link to get an exclusive discount if you are interested! http://modernfertility.me/breakingtheicepod
Here are some facts that are good to know:
- 1 in 6 couples struggle with infertility
- Infertility is not a female problem! 1/3 of infertility cases are due to the woman, ⅓ due to the man, and 1/3 unexplained
- Common causes of infertility include:
- Low ovarian reserve (egg count - which we cover in our test)
- Irregular or absent ovulation, often due to polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) - 1 in 10 people are affected and taking our test can help raise red flags here
- Tubal issues, including endometriosis (this can also cause low ovarian reserve)
- Uterine issues, such as fibroids, adenomyosis, or scarring
- Sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
- Male factor infertility
- Unexplained infertility
Danielle Nowick, wife of Darren Nowick who plays for Skelleftea AIK in the SHL, joins me on the podcast today. We recorded this podcast in person and hit it off immediately. Danielle shares the hilarious story of how she met her husband and how he noticed her, finally, after she got her braces off.
Danielle shares what her experience has been like in this hockey world. From meeting in high school, to venturing to college together, from finding out she's pregnant to doing long distance overseas....they have been through it all and more! Now with a toddler and new one on the way middle of May, her husband's playoff run could potentially end the day before her due date (And yes, he is still in Sweden...) I mean this couldn't sound anymore like "I am married to a hockey player" if we tried! We had such a fun time together.
RESOURCES:
Use the code "BREAKINGTHEICE" for 25% off Oliva Swim
www.olivaswimwear.com
www.instagram.com/olivaswim
www.instagram.com/breakingtheicepod
Nicole Quinn, girlfriend of Andrew MacWilliam, of Redbull Munich in the DEL, joins me on the podcast today!
Nicole is a labor & delivery nurse and we talk about all the things including:
-Genetics and how it affects labor & delivery
-Second baby truths and myths, as well as food myths
-Early signs of labor and how you can induce labor naturally.
We also chat about POOP during labor, water leaking vs. water breaking, back labor vs. front labor and so much more! Nicole is SO knowledgeable and has years of experience. I asked her questions about what happened with my birth experience and she answered several of your anticipated questions. I loved chatting with her and hope you enjoy this episode.
There will be no intro from me this week due to technical difficulties.
Follow Nicole on Instagram: www.instagram.com/nkquinn
DISCLAIMER: We are not providing medical services, or attempting to diagnose or treat any condition. Always seek the advice of your own Medical Provider regarding any questions or concerns you have about your specific health. Do not disregard medical advice or delay seeking medical advice because of information you have heard on the podcast.
Meg Smith, wife of Trevor Smith, who played several years between the NHL, AHL and one year in Switzerland, joins me on the podcast today. Meg has always been a career driven person and shared about how she occasionally felt torn between career life and hockey life. She also speaks about how she grew up small breasted and had several self confidence issues. Shortly after having her two daughters, one in Toronto and one in Switzerland, she made the decision to get breast implants. She began to experience debilitating health problems and could not figure out the underlying issue. Meg shares about her experience with breast implant illness and how it led her to create her brand, Love Lexxi, launching in 2021. I love what Meg has created for the community she is building! www.instagram.com/welovelexxi www.instagram.com/torchpro
Brittany Labbe, girlfriend of Drew Hollingshead and Ashley Cramer, wife of Carson Cramer, join me on the podcast today! Brittany and Ashley are the hosts of More Than A Season Podcast and are both significant others of two of the football coaches at Mississippi State.
In this episode, we step outside of the hockey world and in to the world of football. We learn a little about each of them, how the two of them met, what it's like being a coaches wife, pandemic life and how it affected the football season and all about their podcast!
I absolutely loved chatting with these two and make sure to check out their podcast! I will be a guest on their podcast on March 31st and taking over their Instagram page on April 1st.
www.instagram.com/morethanaseasonpodcast
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/more-than-a-season/id1517887557
Whitney McParland, girlfriend of Kyle Wood, defenseman in the del2 in Frankfurt, joins me on the podcast today!
In this episode, Whitney talks about hockey trades & how it affects your life and relationship and how it is hard to remain positive and optimistic sometimes. Vulnerability is a such a huge strength and Whitney opened up about a few challenging experiences in her life, including a tough time in her relationship and personal health problems that she went through. She talks about how you have to keep advocating for yourself when you know something is wrong.
This episode is really inspiring, relatable & pure. Whitney shares the importance of really good friends, family, a job and becoming thankful for the things you do have, rather than the things you don't. Enjoy! Xo
This is part two of last weeks episode with Jaime Zajac. In this episode, Jaime starts off by doing a collective reading for our hockey community. She talks about what a collective reading is and how you can apply it to your life!
She also did a mini reading on me and it was amazing. My grandmother came through, who passed away in August and we both got emotional!
Enjoy part two of this episode!
www.jaimezajac.com
Jaime Zajac, wife of Darcy Zajac, joins me on the podcast today. Jaime is an intuitive channel, spiritual guide, healer and mentor. I knew we would chat forever so this is going to be a two part episode (Part 2 coming out next week).
In this episode, I asked Jaime a million questions because I find this so fascinating. She tells me all about how she began her journey as an intuitive guide and some of the signs and synchroncities that started happening to her. We chat about spirit babies, how you choose your family in each lifetime, soul contracts and we talk about energetic boundaries. We talk about some psychics we each have seen and how it's important to go to someone who you trust!
I could honestly talk to her all day long! This episode was SO much fun and I hope you enjoy!
RESOURCES:
www.instagram.com/breakingtheicepod
www.jaimezajac.com
Danielle Shugg, wife to Justin Shugg, forward for Frederikshavn White Hawks in Denmark, joins me on the podcast today! If you follow Danielle's account on Instagram, @themindfulblonde , you already know she is such a wonderful light. She is a holistic health coach, yoga instructor and self-care enthusiast!
In this episode, Danielle opens up about some of the struggles she has faced and some health issues that wound up leading her to where she is at now in her life. Danielle maintains a daily meditation routine and we chat about how manifestation and meditation go hand in hand. We also chat about what it has been like for her in Denmark this year, practicing mindfulness with her daughter, and more!
I definitely needed to hear this episode this week because she is truly inspiring and lives by the mantra "Show up for the things that make you feel good!"
Enjoy! Xo
Danielle's Website: https://www.themindfulblonde.com/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/themindfulblonde
Dr. Joe Dispenza https://drjoedispenza.com/
Layne Gibbons, wife of Kyle Gibbons, forward in Rosenheim, Germany, joins me on the podcast today. We are talking about friendship and I truly loved this episode so much!
Honestly, this isn't something many people talk about and friendship in this lifestyle is SO rewarding but also comes with many challenges. We chat about long distance friendships, friendships back home, in this lifestyle, confrontation, feeling left out and how important it is to reach out to other girls. But we also talk about how when you move around, you aren't necessarily meeting your hockey friends organically, which can be challenging. You aren't always going to be everyone's cup of tea and not everyone is going to be yours. AND THAT IS NORMAL!
However, I know SO many of us meet our lifelong friends through this life.
At the end of the day, it becomes apparent who continues to show up for you. And can we please talk about how couple friends are SO underrated?! It's the BEST. THING. EVER!
Go for a nice long walk & enjoy this episode! Xo
Andrea Hanson, wife of Greger Hanson, who retired in 2019 with the Krefeld Pinguine in the DEL, joins me on the podcast today. We talk about how having game plan for retirement is important and can help take some of the stress of your shoulders when that time comes.
Andrea shares her experience on how her & her husband built their resumes. We chat internships, financial planning, how to address the unemployment gaps in your work experience and more.
Tune in for this episode if retirement is in your near future or if this is something you'd like to start preparing for!
Clarity Engel, engaged to Mason Geertsen, forward for the Hartford Wolf Pack in the AHL, joins me today on the podcast. Clarity & I recorded this episode back in November and I am excited to finally release it! Clarity is American & her fiancé is Canadian so of course, we chat about what that has been like for them from last season up until recently, where they had to spend several months apart (Can anyone relate?)
We also chat about working in this lifestyle (why it's hard to find jobs in cities where you don't have connections) mental health, how to deal with negativity, habits to start your day off right, social media struggles and more!
I've been reading so much about what is happening in Canada right now and I hope this episode is a little escape for you in your week. Xoxo
Blaire Broda, wife of Joel Broda and Dana Oleksuk, wife of Travis Olekusk, join me on the pod today. The three of us are currently living in Graz, Austria this hockey season and we had an unfiltered episode about everything going on right now.
We talk about quarantine, COVID, lockdown, going stir crazy and some of the struggles we are feeling. We chat about what it's like going through this weird time with kids (everything being closed down and cooped up in the apartment) and how this hockey season is just plain bizarre. It is really challenging when you don't have anything to look forward to, including season breaks and having family come out to visit.
I hope this episode brings you a sense of collectiveness that you ARE NOT alone going through these hard times.
Welcome back to the podcast & Happy 2021! Today is an episode by yours truly, me! I had nothing planned or written down for this episode because I wanted to give an authentic version and take you back in time with me. I start off by going back six weeks before my due date and talk about what happened with my husband, the team and covid. Fast forward to how my labor started and the signs I was feeling before it did.
I share with you the great TMI about how my water was leaking and how I had to be induced immediately. Fun Fact: My husband was driving around with a turkey in the front seat when I got admitted to the hospital....to say we were not prepared is an understatement #thanksgivingbaby
I also share what happened with my epideral, how I dilated from a 2 to a 10 in 2 1/2 hours and answer ALL your burning questions. I talk about postpartum essentials and what it has been like having a baby during a pandemic. All in all, it has been an absolutely insane time but I couldn't be more blessed to have by beautiful baby, Crosby, earthside. It has been worth all the hard moments. Buckle up and don't mind my F bombs.
Jillian Cannata, wife of Joe Cannata, who plays in Oskarshamn, Sweden in the SHL, joins me on the podcast today. This conversation to me felt like we were hanging out in a coffee shop and sharing stories. Jill & I are able to relate on so many levels, and a big one being...pregnancy!
We actually recorded this episode on election day and the weight of the world was feeling heavy. We talked about some of the struggles that come with this lifestyle (which is important to talk about so you know you aren't feeling this alone!), including how it's sometimes not so easy to find things for yourself and how it's normal to struggle to find balance in your relationship.
We talk about dogs (and how fun it is being woken up in the middle of the night by your large husband and your dog most likely waking up the entire apartment complex.) It's crazy to think how much of an impact these animals will make on our hearts, going through this hockey life with us.
We also talk about how Jill & Joe's niece got diagnosed & beat stage 4 cancer, while they were away from family. She talks about how it has shaped their perspective and changed their outlook on life.
Grab your coffee & enjoy!
Alannah Liem, wife of Jordan Liem, who played the last three years in China in the VHL, joins me on the podcast!
This was such a fun & interesting episode for me because I have never sat down and chatted with a fellow hockey wife about life in China! Given what is happening in the world with COVID, Alannah was in the middle of it in China and talks about what her experience was like getting home and hearing about it for the first time.
She also tells me some hilarious stories about life in China including hotel living, shopping in back alleys, doing laundry in the tub and not having a kitchen!
Life in china has meant years of tremendous personal growth for Alannah and she handles the set backs with humor. I loved this conversation and I hope you do too! :)
Natasha Bell, wife to Mark Bell, who spent years in the NHL & AHL but spent the last few years of his career in Germany, joins me on the podcast today! I knew I wanted to have Natasha on my podcast after following her on Instagram for quite awhile. She is so inspiring and has such a positive aura around her.
Natasha is a wife, a mom, health coach and an entrepreneur! In this episode we cover so much ground but to name a few we chat about trusting the process, identifying what you need in whatever season of life you're in, learning to say no, her favorite things to bring on her carry on and some healthy habits to bring with you into the holiday season.
This is an amazing episode for women everywhere, whether you are in the hockey lifestyle or not!
natashabell.com (monthly email love note + new blog post) IG + FB @natashabell.co littleicetribe.com @littleicetribe (they can get on the mailing list to know when our shop is re-opened!!!)
3 free months in The Thrive Society membership space for our hockey fam!
This link shares more about what The Thrive Society is all about >>> https://natashabell.mykajabi.com/the-thrive-society
To claim the 3 free months they need to click these two links (they never have to do more than the 3 month trial and can cancel at any time)
3 free months + monthly >>> https://natashabell.mykajabi.com/offers/FZMqXG65 3 free months + annual >>> https://natashabell.mykajabi.com/offers/ow8uiMDq
Haley Ferguson, girlfriend of Oula Palve, who plays in the SHL in Linköping, Sweden, joins me on the podcast today! If you follow the bachelor franchise, you may recognize her and her identical twin sister from a few of the shows.
Haley and her boyfriend started dating a few months before COVID hit and they wound up quarantining together in Las Vegas. She talks about what that time was like for her and how it benefited their relationship in the long run.
After living in Vegas most of her life and being separated for four months due to the US travel ban, Haley finally made the move to Linköping, Sweden! (Their first time living together & her first time living in Europe) Of course, we had to talk about the nerves, excitement, a couple of essentials to bring & what to expects!
She has such a positive attitude and an open mind going into this new adventure and I absolutely loved talking to her!
Today I am joined on the podcast by Lauren Melkus! Lauren is the owner and designer of the brand "The Denim Blonde." The Denim Blonde began as a brand for bridal wear but within the past year expanded to sports wives and girlfriends. Lauren is so creative and is so passionate about what she does!
Lauren and her boyfriend, Tim Boyle, did several years of long distance but he is now retired and the wait is over! In this episode, we talk about her time in the hockey world, we chat & laugh about how the guys never know anything that is going on, including team parties, and of course all things THE DENIM BLONDE!
Make sure to check out Lauren on instagram www.instagram.com/thedenimblonde
www.thedenimblonde.com
Brittany English joins me today on the podcast! Brittany and her husband (she revealed on the podcast THEY GOT MARRIED, so happy for her!) have been the “new kids” on the teams several times. Even though she is super social and outgoing, she admits it is still nerve racking going somewhere new and she shares some great advice on what works for her.
Her husband, Scott Wedgewood, is also a goalie and she tells us what it is like being married to a goalie and how it is different than the other positions. (She may low key wish he was a different position but is so proud of him and his hard work ethic).
Lastly, we chat ALL about WINNING THE STANLEY CUP! She shares all the deets about what actually went on with families being allowed in the bubble and why the girls all stuck by each other and chose to watch the finals back in Tampa. We talk about all of the post season festivities and what it was like being apart of this once in a lifetime experience
Amy Johner, creator of our private Facebook group joins me on the podcast today! Amy created this group years and years ago because she felt that it was so needed for our community. She talks about the importance of connecting with other girls in our lifestyle because they really do become your family for the season. What would we do without our hockey girls?!
Amy and her husband started dating before there were cell phones! We talk about the 90's and early 2000's and how far technology has come since then (thank god for us living away from friends & family!) They did long distance for so many years before making the move to Europe. We chat about culture shock, some of the traditions North Americans bring over, her experiences overseas and her family navigating their new journey of retirement.
Amy recently started her own photography business and I can't wait to see it grow!
Side bar: Our private Facebook group is not searchable. It is for significant others of professional hockey players and you have to be added into it by another member in the group. Please reach out to another girlfriend or wife on the team if you would like to be added!
Alaina Cross, wife of Tommy Cross, who plays for the Charlotte Checkers in the AHL, joins me on the podcast today!
Alaina and her sisters own Balanced Beyars Health and their mission as health coaches is to help women live life in alignment to their cycles. In this episode, we talk about how most of us grow up misinformed about our bodies due to the lack of education and all studies being done on men. She talks about cycle syncing, the four phases of our cycle and how we should eat & exercise during each phase. We talk about hormone imbalances, birth control and SO much more.
Alaina breaks down so much information used analogies that actually made sense for me to remember this info! This is such an interesting episode and I truly learned more about how our cycles work in the hour that we talked than I have throughout my life!
P.S. The best time to go to a hockey game is during the first half of your cycle in The Follicular and Ovulatory Phases. Your energy is going to be high here and you'll feel more outgoing & upbeat, which is perfect for enjoying the game with other girls.
Check out Alaina's business here https://www.balancedbeyars.com/ and use the code: breakingtheice for 10% off their POP (Power of Periodization) program.
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You can also find them on Instagram www.instagram.com/balancedbeyars
Shelby Versteeg, wife of Mitch Versteeg, joins me on the podcast today! Mitch finished last season in HK Nitra in Slovakia and when COVID hit, their plans for this season changed. They have had a bit of a longer summer and have felt the stress of waiting for a contract but making the best of the extra time as a family!
Shelby told me some stories that literally had me in tears. She shares about her experience having her son, Sem, in Slovakia and getting their goldendoodle, Henry, in Japan. We also talk a lot about the different cultures in the cities they have played in. If you want to feel like we are all sitting in a coffee shop together swapping expat stories, you'll want to tune in for this one! :)
Today Meg Graham, wife of Neil Graham, who coach's the Texas Stars in the AHL and Kayla Sheen, wife of Everett Sheen, who coach's the Idaho Steelheads in the ECHL join me on the podcast today!
Throughout me and my husband's time in Idaho (off & on for 5 years) and all three of us living there for the off season, I am grateful to have been able to form relationships with these amazing ladies. It was so fun to catch up and has been a blast for us to see each other go through new life changes over the years; marriage, babies, more babies and seeing where this crazy hockey life takes us.
In this episode, we talk about the differences between being a player's wife vs. a coach's wife, how their husbands got in to coaching, what their day to day looks like, as well as this past season with covid and more!
Ashley Buck, wife of Brandon Buck, who finished last season in Nürnberg, Germany, joins me on the podcast today! Ashley has been in this hockey world for 11 years now and throughout it all has experienced several moves, languages, marriage, babies, injuries, no payments (to name a few!) They have also met some of their best friends in this lifestyle.
Ashley is the owner of Ashley Buck Photography and the hockey apparel line, Beau and Bex. She was an open book and I love her perspective of this hockey life!
https://www.beauandbex.com/
Some of the two most hated words from hockey spouses: Long Distance.
Karlee, married to Parker Bowles, who finished last season in Znojmo, Czech Republic in the EBEL, joins me on the podcast today for our conversation about long distance! Karlee and Parker did long distance off and on for TEN years but are finally together again!
They met at a really young age and throughout their time together had clear communication and really understood each other’s needs and wants. They made it work and came out the other side! That’s not to say they didn’t have their bad days (and they definitely wouldn’t do long distance again!) but overall, feel like it made their relationship stronger.
In this episode, we chat about love languages, time differences and all things long distance. I love how Karlee talks about not putting so much pressure on your relationship when you are apart, and I’m not gonna lie guys...I DEFINITELY did this! I felt this pressure to have these deep meaningful conversations for an hour every night and let’s face it….YOU DON’T ALWAYS HAVE SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT and if your conversations get stale and boring THAT’S NORMAL!!!!
Hope you enjoy this epi!
Katie Joslin, wife of Derek Joslin, who plays for Redbull Salzburg in Austria, joins me on the pod today to talk about being pregnant in the pandemic! After being diagnosed with a herniated disk in her back, she needed to lean on family and get some extra help with their little girl Elizabeth. Katie and her husband made the tough decision to separate for the birth of their second child and she headed back home to Canada, while he stays in Austria.
Her due date is about a month before mine and we spend this episode swapping stories and discussing what it has been like being pregnant during COVID. We share some of our struggles, yet have a lot of laughs and funny moments throughout this crazy new adventure!
Claire Stewart, girlfriend of Lawson Crouse, who plays for the Arizona Coyotes in the NHL, joins me today on the podcast. We talk about her experience in this hockey world and some of the challenges she has endured in her personal life. Before her and her boyfriend met, she had decided to cut ties with the modeling industry, and was cleaning up her life mentally and physically. She was letting go of toxic relationships and focusing on self love, and a positive healthy happy life for herself, by herself. But when the right person comes along, you just know!
Through her life experiences, Claire has really learned to roll with the hockey life punches and make the most of every single experience that this crazy life throws our way!
Katie Anderson, girlfriend to William Rapuzzi, who plays in Dornbirn, Austria in the ICE Hockey League, joins me on the podcast today to talk about all things career. We cover topics such as, getting a working visa as a girlfriend, finding jobs in your summer or season city to imposter syndrome, not knowing how or where to start and ideas to take that first step.
We have to remember to not compare our year one to someone else’s year ten and realize that our individual personalities are what make us unique and make a business unique. Katie talks about how this hockey life has really allowed her to step into her power, in terms of starting her own business and finding something that she is passionate about! I felt like I was sitting down with an old friend for this conversation! She was so easy to talk to and offered a lot of advice.
Here are a few additional resources that Katie provided below:
Finding work as an expat in your respective country (in order to obtain a visa as a girlfriend since not all countries will allow you to be attached to your sig o's):
https://www.inlingua.com/centers/
Facebook Search Prompts
- “Expat Jobs in [your city/town]”
- “Expats in/of [your city/town]”
Google Search Prompts
- “Jobs in [your country/city/town] for expats”
- “Seasonal jobs in [your country/city/town]”
Look up Hotels & Restaurants in your area, don’t be afraid to reach out and see if they’re interested in part-time/seasonal help. You may have to do some of the leg work but oftentimes they will help you with obtaining your visa!
Finding seasonal work at home:
Is there anything in your town that is seasonal or peaks when you are home (i.e. the tourism season in Alaska runs ~April-September), look into what jobs are available seasonally in your hometown.
Have a nursing or other medical license? Oftentimes, private practices will happily take on extra help seasonally.
Bars & Restaurants are also happy to take on seasonal help usually.
Finding online work/building an online career that fits the expat lifestyle:
Facebook & Pinterest are my favorites for finding useful and valuable content/groups.
Pinterest Prompts
- “build an online business”
- “Learn how to…[enter in what you’re interested in doing]”
- “Become a…[web designer, developer, coder, online coach, etc]”
Facebook Groups (these are VA specific but you can search so many other types of groups)
- https://www.facebook.com/groups/howshedidthat/
- https://www.facebook.com/groups/vasavvies/
- https://www.facebook.com/groups/109710112902737/
AND lastly, I forgot to mention on the pod that I know so many amazing women in the hockey community also have online product-based businesses! You don’t have to just offer a service if doing your own thing is your thing!
Stefanie Heid, wife of Chris Heid, who had a career ending injury that immediately led him to retirement, joins me on the podcast today. Retirement from hockey is something that we may be going through now, have either already gone through or will go through at some point in our hockey lives. For most families, this is a rough transition and we want to know the best ways to support our partner.
Stefanie has such a positive outlook on retirement and life after hockey. Her and Chris both believe that hockey was the start to their lives but not the focus and feel it catapulted them into what they were really meant to do. I can’t wait for you guys to hear this episode and I hope it helps someone who may be needing to hear this today!
Stefanie’s husband is now a mental strength coach and helps coach players boost their mental performance so they can become better athletes and people. Check out his website here:
https://underthebucket.com/
Mimi Franco, engaged to Scott Tanski, who finished last season in Glasgow in the EIHL, joins me today on the podcast to talk about mental health. Mimi and Scott have both lost loved ones to mental illness and are really dedicated to mental health advocacy and ending the stigma against mental illness and anxiety.
Mimi's first season overseas was also the first time her and Scott had lived together. It was a complete lifestyle change having to depend on someone and have the identity as "Scott's girlfriend" instead of just, Mimi.
In this episode, she shares her story, including some of her struggles and the way she overcame them. We talk about the importance of reaching out when you are struggling and she shares some of the tips that help her stay grounded.
I loved talking to Mimi and I hope conversation about mental health is something that we can continue to normalize as a community!
Drew Shott joins me on the podcast today! Drew's boyfriend, Jalen Chatfield, plays in the AHL for the Utica Comets & up in the NHL for the Vancouver Canucks. We talk about going from long distance to moving in together, the ups & down transactions of hockey, friendships, the NHL bubble & more!
Tanya Jarrett, wife to Patrick Jarrett, who retired from professional hockey in 2018, joins me on the podcast to discuss all things health. Tanya is a nutritional therapist and she shares her methods to optimize your overall health during the hockey season & in life!
After giving birth to her daughter, Tanya knew she had to make a lifestyle shift. She walks us through several steps you can take to make little switches to start feeling better mentally, emotionally and physically! She also has several great programs for her business, linked below. I learned SO much from her and I can't wait for you all to hear.
http://www.tanyajarrett.com/
Part 2 continues from last week episode so if you missed it, listen back!
Within part 2, Cassie talks about postpartum and how she had to go back to the hospital several times and felt she wasn't getting the help she needed during this new and overwhelming time.
We spend a good portion of the episode talking about the neccessities you need when having your baby during the hockey season overseas. You can really get ANYTHING overseas but it's more for your comfort.
Enjoy!
Cassie Garbowsky, wife of Matt Garbowsky, who finished last hockey season in the EBEL in Graz, Austria, joins me on the podcast today. Being over halfway through my pregnancy and having my baby in Graz next season, I had tons of questions for her and we decided to make this a two part episode!
Cass talks about planting the seed of having a baby to your husband, what you need to have written in your European contract, the benefits of having a baby abroad to first trimester anxiety and her personal birth experience in Europe.
I am so excited to share this one with you! Enjoy :)
Emily Usset joins me on the podcast for Episode 7. This girl was a freakin blast to talk to and I loved her endearing personality! Her and her husband met in college in the states, as he came over from Finland to play college hockey. We talk about the cultural differences of marriage in the U.S. and Scandanvian countries and once they were engaged and planning their big day, BOOM enter a global pandemic!
After blessings from their parents, they decided to elope to a courthouse in Finland. Mind you, Emily came over for a two week trip in March and has been kickin it in Finland ever since (bringing not much more than a winter jacket, doc martens and purple tennies!...see pictured above). We cover so much ground in this episode including what family and friends think when you follow your spouse all over the heck, the travel ban on the US for girlfriends and wives AND stay tuned for a special story about the sauna culture in Finland (and how she had to sauna in her birthday suit with her husband’s entire family, when she visited for the first time).
This is a good one folks, be sure to tune in!
Priscilla met her husband Matt Frattin in 2013 when he was playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs. In 2017, Priscilla and Matt decided to make the move overseas and signed in Kazakhstan, with their 6 year old daughter and she became pregnant, while she was over there.
We talk about what her experience was like living somewhere so foreign, transitioning her daughter to a new school, while navigating everything in between, in addition to being newly pregnant. We also tap into the struggles of going to a new country and some of the difficulties we endure aka the grocery store and how important it is to connect with other hockey girls beforehand.
Prepare yourselves...it’s a LONG one but my hope is that it will be helpful and super informative (also, take a shot every time I say it is what it is, in this episode). From everything I have gathered, it’s so important to still do your own personal research before you travel. This should give you some mental clarity before you read everything online and get overwhelmed. You got this!
We broke this up into four parts, each segment being about 30 minutes.
- I speak to flying with my goldendoodles as ESA (which I’ve done to Sweden and Austria) and within the United States.
- @meghan.schofield talks about flying with her golden in Cargo (to and from Canada). We talk about the steps you need to take to get your dog, their cage and your mind ready because we know there is so much fear regarding putting your pup underneath the plane.
- @evellance clears the air that you CAN fly ESA into the U.K. I hand the floor to her and she breaks down, in order, what you need to do in advance for this. She talks about how there is no quarantine, fees to expect and more!
- @veronicakosarew does not have her dog or cat as ESA but has spent the last two seasons in the U.K. She talks about the alternative methods that you can take to get there with your animals as a “pet!” We also touch on pet passports.
RESOURCES:
https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/services/animal-health-welfare/heathrow-animal-reception-centre/Pages/Assistance-Animals.aspx
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/pet-travel/bring-pet-into-the-united-states/pet-travel-dogs-into-us
Carine Bailey, wife to Matt Bailey, who just signed with Södertälje SK in the Allsvenskan league in Sweden, joins me today on the podcast. This was SUCH a fun conversation to have because we talk about alllll things traveling and packing. We discuss how going overseas for the first time can feel overwhelming because you feel like you need to bring it all but trying to switch to a minimalistic mindset. She also spills all the best travel tips for your next vacation. So grab your notepad and tune in!
Jessica Lynch, wife to Kevin Lynch, who finished last season as a forward for the Montreal Laval Rockets, mom of Emma & Ella, and owner of @yogababyclothing joins me today on the pod. We talk about being a hockey wife pre-kids to post kids and what it’s like being a mom in this lifestyle. She tells the story about how her first born, spent the first 9 months of her life, while on an AHL call up, in a hotel #HOCKEYLIFE am I right?! Jessica handles this lifestyle with grace and her laid-back personality is endearing and inspires me to #coolmyjets when times get tough.
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Kellie Lamoureuex, wife to JP Lamoreoux (goalie of the Redbull Salzburg in the EBEL), mom to Henry and Leah, and children's author of Inside the Net and On the Blue Line, joins me today and we talk about what's going on in the world with COVID-19. We shoot the breeze about what we originally thought about the virus, how it escalated quickly within Europe/our league, getting back into the U.S. and life & hockey moving forward.
You can find her books on amazon today!
Dana Oleksuk, owner of DO Fitness Co, wife to Travis Oleksuk (forward in Graz, Austria in the EBEL) and mom to baby Harvey joins me today in the hot seat! Dana talks about how she quit her career as a meteorologist and moved to Europe with her then boyfriend, Travis. Through this major life decision, she was redirected to her passion and purpose and is dedicated to creating healthy habits for her and her family. Follow me on Instagram! Follow Dana on Instagram!
Welcome to Episode 0! This is a quick solo episode where I lay out my mission, what the podcast is going to look like and I tap into my hockey story a little bit so far! So grab a big glass of wine (or coffee) and tune in for Episode 0!