Diva Tonight with Carlene Humphrey

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Turning 40 can bring changes in your body that nobody warned you about. In this archive episode, Carlene sits down with scientist and founder Amy Beckley, creator of the at-home hormone testing platform Proov, to talk about what’s happening with your hormones and why more women need to know about it.

Amy shares her own story: a childhood brain tumor that was caught only because her mother refused to stop seeking answers, then a diagnosis of “unexplained infertility” and a $40,000 round of IVF. Years later she discovered her real issue was low progesterone, which led to a much l...

A lot of us don’t realize we’re depressed until someone gives us the words. That’s where our conversation with author and educator Cathelina Duvert begins—at the moment a lifelong “low” gets named, and a path forward takes shape. We trace her journey from silent suffering to open storytelling, and the five daily anchors that keep her steady: writing, exercise, meditation, affirmations, and a dose of motivational fuel when willpower runs thin.

Cathelina shares how a tight sister-and-cousin circle became her lifeline—spotting spirals, swapping guided meditations, and keeping each other moving. We talk about...

This podcast is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Don't delay seeking care from a health professional for any medical condition. If you're having a medical emergency, call 911.

We talk with Jenny C. Cohen about dancing through chemotherapy, rebuilding safety in the body, and the tools midlife women need to protect their hormones, bones, and boundaries. This candid conversation covers survivorship, gaps in the care system, and movement as medicine.

In this episode:

Originally aired this episode in July, 2025. I hope you enjoy this conversation and learn something new about yourself and the person you want to be at 40. 

We explore the liberating experience of being a woman in your 40s with Jennifer Kowalyshen, discussing everything from the freedom of singlehood to late-diagnosed ADHD and challenging societal expectations.

• Finding freedom from caring about others' opinions after turning 40
• Choosing a child-free life and being confident in that decision
• Discovering and managing ADHD as an adult and being gentler with yourself
• Enjoying single life and learning to do things...

Work boundaries sound simple until you’re the one biting your tongue in a tense meeting, taking on extra tasks “just for now,” and realizing you’re doing two jobs while trying not to look difficult. We get real about that pressure and why so many women default to people pleasing at work even when it costs us time, energy, and confidence.

I’m joined by attorney Cara Tuttle, who works in higher education compliance and sexual harassment prevention, to break down what boundary setting at work looks like in real life. We talk about power dynamics with super...

TIFF doesn’t just show movies, it changes how they land. After some time away, I’m back in the studio with fellow movie lover Kaysen Ward to wrap up the Toronto International Film Festival and talk honestly about what makes a TIFF screening feel so different from a normal night at the theater. If you’ve ever wondered whether film festivals are worth the time, the lines, and the planning, this conversation puts the “why” into plain language.

We start with taste and how we pick what to watch. Kaysen isn’t locked into one genre, even if he g...

Living apart together sounds like a breakup to some people, but what if it is actually a smarter way to stay close? We sit down with Dr. Julie Fam to unpack LAT relationships, how they work in real life, and why “we love each other” does not automatically translate to “we should share a home”. If you crave independence and intimacy at the same time, this conversation gives you language, structure, and permission to design something that fits.

We get specific about the logistics that make LAT sustainable: a weekly date night, daily calls, and prioritizing quality time ove...

You can’t outsource your household and hope it all works out. Carlene sits down with Dr. Shelly Jones Holt, a former teacher turned superintendent and leadership speaker, to get painfully clear about what families are responsible for and what schools can realistically do. The conversation starts with a truth most of us feel but rarely name: your home culture walks into the classroom with your kids, whether you mean it to or not.

We dig into Dr. Holt’s practical “family leadership” framework built around five pillars: personal leadership, relational leadership, financial leadership, home leadership, and professi...

A single friendship can hold your secrets, your history, and your sense of who you are and it can still fall apart over one moment of betrayal. We sit down with author and journalist Susan Shapiro Barash to talk about the real life dynamics that shape female friendship: the trust we expect, the loyalty we assume, and the quiet ways a close friend can stop feeling safe. From the awkward misunderstandings that spark drama to the painful ruptures that end “best friends forever,” we get honest about what women actually endure in long-term friendships.

Susan shares insights from...

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Thanks for listening to Diva Tonight! 

I want to thank my Podcast Editor Sean McAndrew and my Voice Over Actor Bruce Hayward ! 

Thanks to Altered by Mom for sponsoring the music - I truly appreciate you!

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This episode originally aired in August of 2025

Motherhood can be the best thing you do and still be the hardest job you’ve ever had, especially when the systems around parenting make everything heavier than it needs to be. We sit down with Nicole and Marie for a real conversation about what happens before and after the baby arrives: postpartum complications, medical trauma, the fourth trimester that nobody treats like it matters, and the mental load that follows you into every “normal” day.

Nicole shares what a home birth feels like when care is centered on the...

The Best of Diva Tonight ♥️ 

Original air date April 2025

Turning 40 doesn’t magically change who you are, but it can change what you’re willing to tolerate. Carlene sits down with her friend Kimone for a real conversation about the mental switch that happens when you step into your 40s and start asking better questions: Who am I now? What do I actually want? What expectations am I ready to drop?

Camone shares her story as a woman of faith, from growing up in a Christian home to developing a firsthand belief that shapes ho...

Certainty can feel safe, but it can also make you blind. Tonight, I’m joined by coach and speaker Keren Eldad to talk about the moments that flip your story, from a TED Talk lesson on assumptions to the real-world truths of love, abuse, and starting over.

We get into the Tina Turner documentary and what it means to survive an emotionally abusive and physically abusive relationship, especially when people around you “can’t tell” anything is wrong. Keren shares the early red flags she wishes everyone would take seriously, why insulting you is never “small,” and how self-wor...

A tiny island can create a huge moment, and Kirani James is living proof. We talk with the first Olympic gold medalist for Grenada about the real story behind the medals: a childhood in Gouyave, the fishing town routines that shaped him, and the early trips abroad where he realized he could line up with the best in Caribbean athletics and win. 

We get into the part most fans wonder about but rarely hear explained clearly: what happens mentally when the starter pistol fires. Karani breaks down how he stays locked in on strategy, how the pressure b...

She got sent to trapeze school at three years old, and somehow that makes perfect sense once you meet Mari Riesberg. Mari is a creativity cultivator, licensed professional counselor, and the host of the Sustaining Creativity Podcast, and our conversation turns “being creative” from a vague idea into something you can actually use on a hard day.

We talk about what it’s like to grow up performing, what the “starving artist” life really looks like, and why it’s okay to want stability without giving up your creative identity. Mari shares how her path moved from theater and...

Your childhood “village” does not just raise you, it trains you for every relationship you will ever try to build. Carlene sits down with Michael T. Brown, LPC, a licensed counselor and leadership consultant based in Virginia, to talk about how faith communities, family influence, and early belonging shape identity, purpose, and the way we connect with partners, friends, and coworkers.

We get real about technology and modern dating culture too. Social media and dating apps can introduce you to people faster than ever, but Michael challenges us to remember the basics: trust, communication, presence, and people skil...

Comedy isn’t reserved for the loudest person at the party, and it’s definitely not something you have to “be born with.” We sit down with Lynn Harris, creator of Gold Comedy and a longtime journalist, to break down what being professionally funny really takes and why so many capable people talk themselves out of trying it. The big takeaway: comedy is learnable, and the work is often less about forcing jokes and more about finding what’s already true and funny about you. 

We get into the hidden value of stand-up for women in their 40s and beyon...

Carnival can look like pure chaos from the outside, but once you know the story, everything snaps into focus. Kerron Schullere and I talk Spice Mas, Grenada Carnival, with a real Grenadian and Trinidadian lens and all the details people skip when they treat mas like “just a party.” From the first minutes, we get into why this season pulls so many travelers back home and why 2024 feels especially significant with Grenada celebrating 50 years of independence. 

We unpack - Kerron Schullere and I unpac  the traditions that make Spice Mas unmistakable, including Jab Jab and why the black...

Your life can look “fine” on the outside while your inner world runs on panic, people-pleasing, and old survival scripts. We talk with healing coach and mentor Birgita Visser about what self-love actually means when you’re triggered, exhausted, and tired of repeating the same relationship patterns with new faces.

We dig into mindset and energy in a practical way: how negative self-talk becomes a loop, why awareness is the first step, and how gratitude can shift your emotional state without denying the hard stuff. Birgita shares how trauma and conditioning shape what we attract, why dysfunctional relati...

You can love your family, respect your culture, and still choose a different life. Carlene Humphrey sits down with her aunt, Liliana Guadagnoli, for a deeply personal conversation about what it takes to grow through change rather than simply endure it. Liliana shares her roots, from being born in Rome to building a life in Canada, and how those early chapters shaped her grit, her values, and her view of relationships.

We dig into the friendships that last decades, the ones you outgrow, and why choosing your people becomes even more important in midlife. Liliana also walks...

A nurse sits beside an IV chair, a patient says “tell me a story,” and a brand-new fantasy world snaps into focus. We’re joined by author Danielle Orsino, who walks us through the surprising true spark behind A Fool’s Journey, part of her Legacies of Light and Dark series. What starts as a casual conversation turns into a high-stakes urban fantasy premise: a CIA operative called Agent Graham goes undercover, chases a supernatural threat, and discovers the target is not what she seems.

We also get honest about why research and realism matter even when you’re w...

Greasy comfort food can be delicious, but it can also quietly kill the mood. We wanted a smarter, more playful way to talk about libido, energy, and romance, so we brought on Amy Riley, a food critic and author with a master’s in gastronomy who literally “makes food sexy” for a living.

Visit https://Eatsomethingsex.com for more ideas on how to make cooking fun for you and your partner! 

We get into what aphrodisiac foods actually are beyond the clichés: the history and folklore (yes, oysters and chocolate), the sensory side (texture, heat, ar...

If you’ve ever been told to “just deal with it” when your periods are brutal or your energy disappears in your 40s, this conversation is for you. I’m Carlene Humphrey, and I’m joined by Dr. Anne-Marie Regina, a Greatee Toronto-area naturopathic doctor and Menopause Society certified practitioner, to get honest about what perimenopause and menopause can really look like and what you can do before things spiral.

We break down the difference between normal cramps and severe period pain that signals something deeper, including endometriosis and fibroids. Dr. Regina explains why perimenopause can feel like a “zo...

Please see your family doctor or medical practictioner before seeking medical advice from a Acupuncturist, Natural Doctor etc... 

Diva Tonight Podcast is sharing the opinions of special Guest Kirsten Karchmer with hopes of educating you on different options, that are available.

Your cycle is giving you data every month and most of us were never taught how to read it. We sit down with Kirsten Karchmer, a reproductive acupuncturist with 20 plus years of clinical experience and a women’s health tech founder, to talk about what fertility symptoms can reveal about ene...

Most of us bring a spreadsheet brain to work and a wish-and-hope brain to love, then we wonder why relationships feel chaotic. Psychologist, author, and couples coach Dr. Robin Buckley joins us to lay out a practical marriage blueprint that treats partnership like a real plan: clear goals, clear roles, and habits that keep you connected long before you hit crisis mode. If you’ve ever said “we’re fine, just busy,” this conversation is the wake-up call and the roadmap.

We dig into what it looks like to build a couple mission statement and vision statement, so you’r...

Money can feel like math, but the truth is it’s memory, identity, stress, and sometimes even comfort. I’m joined by Amanda Cassar, a financial advisor and author based on Australia’s Gold Coast, and we get honest about why so many of us reach adulthood with huge responsibilities and almost zero financial education to match.

We talk about the money beliefs we inherit and the ones we accidentally build from childhood moments, family comments, and hard seasons. Amanda breaks down how those stories show up later as a scarcity mindset, overspending, or avoiding the numbers entire...

We talk with Simone Kinego about building real confidence in midlife, from surviving chaos at home to choosing the brave thing when self-doubt is loud. We connect the dots between patience, adoption, community support, and the mindset shift that turns “not enough” into “I can do hard things.” 

• managing a busy household by practising patience and staying calm when things go wrong 
• learning resilience from a trailblazing mother in medicine and carrying forward that legacy 
• giving yourself permission to change your mind on careers and still commit to what matters 
• building a podcast with consistency and show...

Forty can arrive with confetti and a quiet crisis at the same time. 

I’m Carlene Humphrey, and I’m now kicking off my This Is 40 series with the real story behind why this milestone changed me: the joy of celebrating with friends, the shock of hearing new health concerns, and the moment I realized I had to advocate for myself instead of accepting one scary answer.

Diva Tonight is a Podcast based in Toronto, Ontario Canada. Carlene Humphrey is not a therapist, nor is she a doctor. The opini...

We talk with ADHD-informed coach Sarah DeGrave about getting diagnosed later in life and why it can bring both grief and freedom. We connect ADHD to creativity, perfectionism, anxiety, and the simple systems that help us stop relying on memory and start building support that lasts. 

• turning 40 as a reset point and a chance to shed old expectations 
• the grief and relief that can follow a late ADHD diagnosis 
• why ADHD often shows up as procrastination, shame, and emotional overload 
• the strong link between ADHD brains and creative work in theater, music, and dance 
• how str...

We sit down with relationship coach Bryan Power to unpack integrated attachment theory and the six pillars that can change how we love, fight, and repair. We connect the dots between childhood wounds, midlife turning points, and the practical tools that helped Brian rebuild his marriage after a separation.
• six pillars of integrated attachment theory: core wounds, needs, emotional stability, boundaries, communication, behaviors
• how early childhood patterns shape adult attachment and conflict
• why wounds can intensify in your 40s and 50s and show up as “midlife crisis” moments
• what happened leading up to separation and why space ca...

A high-powered career can look perfect on paper while quietly shrinking your world. Carlene talks with Trisha Daho, CEO and founder of Empowered and a former EY partner, about what happens when you stop chasing approval and start building a life you actually want, even if it means leaving the safest path behind.

Trisha shares what it’s like to run a people and culture firm while living outside Paris and serving mostly US clients, plus the mindset shift from being rewarded in a giant organization to hearing “yes” or “no” as a business owner. We dig into the p...

We sit down with relationship coach and author Joni Woods to trace how fear, family pressure, and faith shaped a marriage that never felt healthy and the divorce that changed everything. We talk emotional intelligence, boundaries, and the daily practice of love and kindness as a real strategy for parenting, conflict, and healing.
• Growing up fast after family abandonment and choosing safety over love
• Reframing divorce as fixing an early decision
• Using self-reflection, self-awareness, and accountability to build emotional intelligence
• Repairing conflict with kids through timeouts, honest talk, and real apologies
• Choosing “love and kindness” wh...

A three-week trip to Kenya with no phone, a heavy heart, and a sick parent back home can change what you think “enough” means. That’s where Phebe Trotman begins, and the story doesn’t let go. Phebe is an athlete, soccer player, Hall of Fame inductee, author, and entrepreneur, and she joins me to unpack how service, sacrifice, and simple generosity can reset your priorities fast. We talk about the moments that still live in her body years later, including the kind of gratitude you feel when a community gives from what little it has.

From there, w...

We catch up on summer heat in Toronto, then zoom in on why Grenada’s Spice Mas keeps growing with Jab Jab at the center of the culture. Along the way, we get real about money, music, meaning, and what visitors miss when they chase vibes without learning the history.

• Grenada Day Toronto moving to a new venue and why attendance drives it 
• Jab Jab as the flagship of Spice Mas and why it outpaces chutney 
• the deeper roots of Jab Jab tied to slavery, protest, and resilience 
• why racism and reparations still shape the conversat...

Thanks for listening to Diva Tonight 

Most women think health and wealth are separate battles—Nancy Griffin reveals they’re actually intertwined in a way you’ve never considered. Spoiler: ignoring this connection could cost you more than just money, it could cost your health—and that’s a risk you don’t want to take.Nancy, founder of Women Worth and Wellness, drops truth bombs about how women can confidently step into their power, financially and physically, even when life throws icy weather and health surprises your way. With over 30 years in wealth management, she’s here to show yo...

The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay in obtaining medical advice for any medical condition they may have and should seek the assistance of their health care professionals for any such conditions. If you think you’re having a medical emergency, please contact your healthcare provider or call 911 immediately.

We talk with author and educator Cathelina Duvert about lifelong depression, the courage to speak after years of silence, and how therapy and small daily practices shifted her life. We al...

The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay in obtaining medical advice for any medical condition they may have and should seek the assistance of their health care professionals for any such conditions. If you think you’re having a medical emergency, please contact your healthcare provider or call 911 immediately.

We talk with Jenny C. Cohen about dancing through chemotherapy, rebuilding safety in the body, and the tools midlife women need to protect hormones, bones, and boundaries. Energy, access, and ad...

The checklists are loud—marriage, kids, title, house—but the quiet question underneath is louder: what does a fulfilled life actually look like? We sit down with Babs Faseesin author of Cracking the Life Code, to rethink success after forty, confront cultural expectations, and make space for a life measured by purpose, not trophies. From the aches that remind us time is real to the urge to please family, culture, and our younger selves, we unpack how acceptance and authenticity pull in opposite directions—and how to choose your path without apology.

Babs brings a strategist’s lens and...

We explore how Melissa moved from nonprofit burnout to building Make Ideas Work, a project management approach that turns chaos into systems while protecting family time. We trade practical tactics for buy‑in, boundaries, and single‑tasking, and share small rituals that build strong homes and teams.

• defining the mompreneur and choosing service
• why make ideas work started and what it solves
• reframing project management in plain language
• winning buy‑in with policy, training and accountability
• bridging tech anxiety and generational gaps post‑COVID
• remote work trade‑offs and firm role boundaries
• support systems...