Don't Shrink to Fit: Empowering and inspiring women one story at a time.
Don’t Shrink to Fit: The Podcast for women who refuse to play small.Empowering conversations. Inspiring transformations. Limitless possibilities.Are you ready to step into your power, break free from limitations, and create the life of abundance and joy you’ve always wanted? Don’t Shrink to Fit is more than a podcast—it’s a movement.Hosted by Claudia Noriega-Bernstein, an abundance coach, best-selling author, and speaker devoted to helping women stop shrinking to fit, reconnect with their inner power, and create lives filled with purpose, freedom, and abundance.Don't Shrink to Fit isn’t just a podcast—it’s a movemen...
Child Abuse and the Signs We Don’t Want to Miss with Cassandra Love Lambert
Healing from deep-seated trauma is a journey of reclaiming your light. In this featured episode of Don’t Shrink to Fit, we revisit one of our older episodes from the past year. Host Claudia Noriega-Bernstein sits down with Cassandra Love Lambert, a trauma-trained somatic transformational coach and author, to discuss her journey through childhood abuse, the complexities of family dynamics, and the path to emotional empowerment.
Cassandra shares her story of surviving years of hidden abuse, witnessing domestic violence, and how motherhood became the anchor that guided her toward healing. Together, she and Claudia dive into the im...
Valentines Day Lessons in Motherhood and Resilience
What happens when life tells you "no" to your biggest dream? In this deeply personal and emotional episode of Don’t Shrink to Fit, host Claudia Noriega-Bernstein sits down for a rare, heart-to-heart Q&A with her daughters.
Claudia opens up about her journey to motherhood—from being told she could never have children to the "miracle" of returning to her "Plan A." This episode explores the raw realities of parenting: the fear of being an absent mother, the struggle of navigating a divorce with three young children, and the life-changing realization that being "strong" doesn't mean hidi...
The Healing Power of Horses with Sue Willoughby
Horses have a unique way of seeing through our masks and reflecting our true selves. In this soulful episode of Don’t Shrink to Fit, host Claudia Noriega Bernstein welcomes Sue Willoughby—a truth-teller, boundary breaker, and certified Equus coach who helps women over 40 stop playing small and start living with intention.
Sue shares her journey from a childhood shaped by family struggle to finding profound healing and purpose through the spirit of horses. Together, she and Claudia discuss how these majestic animals act as mirrors for our internal stress, leadership styles, and boundaries, offering a pa...
What Happens When Your Body Isn't Heard with Dr. Diana Driscoll
In this powerful episode of Don’t Shrink to Fit, host Claudia Noriega Bernstein sits down with Dr. Diana Driscoll, a leading authority on the autonomic nervous system and its role in invisible conditions that disproportionately affect women.
After a virus left Dr. Driscoll completely disabled, she saw nearly 50 doctors and still could not get real answers. She was eventually labeled with POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome), but what she discovered changed everything. POTS is not a true diagnosis, it is a presentation, like a fever. The real question is what is driving the body to respond th...
Rewiring the Mind, Healing Trauma, Boundaries, and Self-Worth with Anna Hanael
In this powerful episode of Don’t Shrink to Fit, host Claudia Noriega Bernstein sits down with hypnotherapist, energy master, and mentor Anna Hanael to explore how subconscious programming shapes self-worth, boundaries, and relationship patterns.
Anna shares her deeply personal journey, from surviving an abusive marriage to discovering the life-changing power of hypnotherapy and energy mastery. Together, Claudia and Anna reveal why logic and willpower alone can’t create lasting change, and how healing the subconscious dissolves trauma, people-pleasing, abandonment wounds, and self-sabotage at the root.
This conversation dives into inner child healing, subc...
Cancer, Healing, and the Truth About Natural Medicine with Sylvie Beljanski
Cancer doesn’t appear overnight, and healing requires looking deeper than symptoms alone.
In this eye-opening episode of Don’t Shrink to Fit, host Claudia Noriega Bernstein welcomes Sylvie Beljanski, health advocate, author, and founder of Maison Beljanski, for a powerful conversation about cancer research, environmental toxins, and addressing the root cause of disease.
Sylvie shares her family’s remarkable history in cancer research, the suppression of natural medicine, and how holistic, science-backed approaches can support healing, physically, emotionally, and environmentally.
Learn more about Inner-Abundance Coaching by visiting Claudia’s website.
Sta...
Transform Your Health and Confidence After 40 with Terry Tateossian
Turning 40 doesn’t mean slowing down—it can be the start of your most empowered chapter. In this inspiring episode of Don’t Shrink to Fit, host Claudia Noriega Bernstein talks with Terry Tateossian, founder of THOR Wellness and The House of Rose retreats, about reclaiming your health, confidence, and joy.
Terry shares her journey from a high-achieving career in media and tech to radical self-discovery, overcoming emotional eating, and losing over 80 pounds. Together, Claudia and Terry explore how women over 40 can transform their mindset, embrace self-care, and create lasting wellness habits.
Terry and Claudia remind...
Defying a Terminal Diagnosis and Building a Media Empire with Jen Hardy
What do you do when doctors tell you you have a year to live? For Jen Hardy, the answer was simple—but not easy: she chose to live fully.
In this powerful episode of Don’t Shrink to Fit, host Claudia Noriega Bernstein talks with Jen Hardy—award-winning podcaster, bestselling author, and founder of the 50 Over 50 Podcaster Awards—about defying a terminal prognosis, starting a podcast from her hospital bed, and redefining success through resilience, faith, and purpose at any stage of life.
Jen also shares her honest concerns about artificial intelligence, its impact on educatio...
From Circumstances to Possibility: Embracing 2026
As we step into 2026, host Claudia Noriega Bernstein invites you to pause, breathe, and reconnect with what truly matters. This episode isn’t about doing more or moving faster—it’s about cultivating courage, protecting your attention, and honoring your humanity in a world accelerating toward speed and automation. Claudia shares how small, brave actions build courage, why giving your ideas space leads to clarity, and how embracing your contradictions can fuel creativity. Together, she guides you to step into the new year grounded, focused, and fully yourself.
💡 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
• How courage is de...
How Do We Unpack Trauma and Reclaim Joy? with Chandler Stroud
Success, stability, and achievement don’t always guarantee happiness. In this deeply honest and transformative episode of Don’t Shrink to Fit, host Claudia Noriega Bernstein sits down with Chandler Stroud, veteran marketing executive, wife, mom, and creator of The Healing Heroes, to explore what happens when having it all still feels empty.
Chandler shares the pivotal moment she realized that “coping” was no longer enough. Beneath her accomplishments were anxiety, burnout, and unexplained physical symptoms that led her to seek true healing. She opens up about how reading The Body Keeps the Score radically shifted her understa...
You’re Not Stuck, You’re Searching with Claudia Noriega-Bernstein
If you’ve been feeling stuck, this episode is your reminder that you’re not, you’re searching. Fear may whisper that you’re not ready or not enough, but the truth is, everything you want begins the moment you believe you deserve more.
Claudia shares how to break free from discouragement, redefine what “enough” means, and give yourself permission to reinvent your life at any age. You’ll learn how gratitude and desire can coexist, why settling often comes from fear, and how courage, not perfection, is what creates real change.
This is your invita...
Choosing Peace and Forgiveness After Divorce with Judith Weigle
Divorce is messy — but it can also become a source of fierce compassion, growth, and a new kind of family. In this heartfelt episode, Judith Weigle speaks with Claudia Noriega Bernstein (author of Brighter Days and abundance coach) about the raw, real steps that led Claudia from shock and betrayal to acceptance, forgiveness, and a life rebuilt with love.
Claudia shares the moment she found proof of her husband’s betrayal, how she protected her daughters from the fallout, why she chose to prioritize their emotional safety over “winning,” and how both parents eventually healed enough to become t...
How to Heal the Trauma Your Body Remembers with Aisha Rodrigue
In this powerful episode of the Award Winning Don’t Shrink to Fit, Claudia Noriega-Bernstein sits down with Aisha Rodrigue; a Latina entrepreneur, healer, and co-founder of the global Human Garage movement, to explore how trauma, emotions, and unspoken stories live in the body and show up as pain, illness, and even weight. Aisha shares her journey from Cirque du Soleil contortionist and chronic pain sufferer to self-healing guide, helping millions reconnect with their bodies without reliance on endless medication or surgery. Claudia also opens up about her own healing experience in Peru and the impact of fin...
Healing Beyond Gratitude with Alexis Leigh
Have you ever felt guilty for wanting more from your life?
Maybe everything looks good on paper, yet something inside you keeps whispering that this cannot be all there is.
In this episode of Don’t Shrink to Fit, Claudia Noriega Bernstein sits down with Alexis Leigh, who shares how she moved through shame, conditioning, and buried childhood pain to reconnect with her inner voice. Their conversation reveals what it really takes to stop performing, stop pleasing, and start living as the most honest version of yourself.
💡 What You Will Discover:
• How the...
Infertility, Stress & Hidden Root Causes with Dr. Aumatma Simmons
Infertility affects 1 in 6 couples—but what if the issue isn’t your body, it’s what’s impacting your body?
In this episode of Don’t Shrink to Fit, Claudia Noriega Bernstein interviews Dr. Aumatma Simmons, founder of the Holistic Fertility Institute and author of Fertility Secrets: What Your Doctor Didn’t Tell You About Making Babies.
They dive deep into how stress, toxins, emotional wounds, and lifestyle choices silently influence fertility—and how knowledge can turn fear into empowerment.
💡 What You’l...
Rewriting Your Story in Midlife with Khristin Wierman
Have you ever looked at your life on paper, the career, the house, the image, and thought, “Why am I still not happy?”
In this powerful episode of Don’t Shrink to Fit, Claudia Noriega Bernstein sits down with award-winning author Khristin Wierman, winner of the 2024 IPP White Bronze Medal in Popular Fiction and author of Buck’s Pantry and This Time Could Be Different.
Khristin shares her journey from a high-powered, soul-crushing corporate career, and a childhood shaped by a narcissistic mother, to becoming a novelist who writes about women unwinding the knots of their pa...
How to Heal After Divorce with Judith Weigle
Divorce is never easy, but it doesn’t have to destroy your peace. In this eye-opening episode of Don’t Shrink to Fit, host Claudia Noriega Bernstein sits down with Judith Weigle, divorce mediator, TEDx speaker, and host of The Amicable Divorce Expert podcast, to talk about the power of communication, forgiveness, and self-awareness when a relationship ends.
Judith shares how she went from circus performer to divorce mediator and what she’s learned about turning heartbreak into healing. Together, she and Claudia explore how to separa...
Honoring Your Cycle & Reclaiming Feminine Power with Alyx Coble-Frakes
What if your productivity, emotions, and energy weren’t random, but deeply connected to your natural rhythm?
In this empowering episode, Claudia sits down with Alyx Coble-Frakes, social entrepreneur, wellness educator, and founder of The Agenda. Period., to explore how understanding our cycles can transform the way we live, work, and lead. From menstrual cycles to menopause, Alyx shares how aligning with our body’s natural flow helps us reclaim our power, reduce stress, and live in harmony with who we truly are.
After experiencing her own health challenges, Alyx discovered the power of cycle sync...
Healing After Betrayal, Divorce, and Rediscovering Your Worth with Tara Gross
When everything you’ve built suddenly falls apart, how do you find the strength to begin again?
In this emotional and empowering episode of the award-winning Don’t Shrink to Fit, host Claudia Noriega Bernstein talks with Tara, a mother of four who experienced one of life’s most painful betrayals, finding out her husband was having an affair with a close friend. What followed was a long journey through heartbreak, loneliness, and ultimately, self-discovery.
With honesty, grace, and a lot of courage, Tara shares how she moved through the pai...
Life After Cancer, Motherhood, and Rediscovering Purpose with Tali Lando
What happens when the doctor becomes the patient, not once but twice?
In this deeply moving episode of Don’t Shrink to Fit, host Claudia Noriega Bernstein sits down with Dr. Tali Lando, a pediatric ENT surgeon, author, and two-time breast cancer survivor, whose story will transform the way you think about strength, purpose, and healing.
A high-achieving doctor, wife, and mother, Dr. Lando was used to being the one others depended on until life brought her to her knees. Facing two cancer diagnoses, caring for a newborn, and supporting her father through br...
How to Heal After a Toxic Relationship with Riana Malia
Have you ever asked yourself: “Why do I keep ending up in the same painful relationships?” Or felt stuck in a cycle of heartbreak, ghosting, or toxic partners—no matter how much inner work you’ve done?
In this episode, transformation coach and trauma-conscious practitioner Riana Malia explains why toxic relationships repeat themselves and how to finally break free. With her expertise in neuro-somatic healing and unconscious mind rewiring, she reveals how smart, successful women can release trauma, rebuild self-worth, and attract extraordinary love.
✨ What You’ll Learn in...
How to Heal After a Toxic Relationships with Riana Malia
Have you ever asked yourself: “Why do I keep ending up in the same painful relationships?” Or felt stuck in a cycle of heartbreak, ghosting, or toxic partners—no matter how much inner work you’ve done?
In this episode, transformation coach and trauma-conscious practitioner Riana Malia explains why toxic relationships repeat themselves and how to finally break free. With her expertise in neuro-somatic healing and unconscious mind rewiring, she reveals how smart, successful women can release trauma, rebuild self-worth, and attract extraordinary love.
✨ What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
• Why you keep attracting the...
Postpartum Anxiety & Motherhood Struggles Explained with Gabriella Borres
Are you a new mom struggling with anxiety, irritability, exhaustion, or constant self-doubt after giving birth? You’re not alone. In this inspiring episode, Gabriella Borres, Licensed Therapist and Founder of Moms Mind Matter Coaching, shares her personal journey and professional insights on postpartum anxiety, maternal mental health, and the transformation known as “matrescence”—the becoming of a mother
Gabriella opens up about her own challenges with postpartum anxiety during the pandemic, how perfectionism weighed her down as a first-time mom, and how learning self-compassion transformed both her motherhood and her coaching practice. She now guides m...
Unlocking Confidence & Purpose with Fatima Bey
Do you ever feel held back by self-doubt, limiting beliefs, or cultural conditioning? You’re not alone. In this empowering episode, Fatima Bey—international Mindshift Coach, podcast host, and mentor for teens and adults— shares how to break free from negative conditioning, build unshakable confidence, and reclaim your purpose.
Fatima’s mission is clear: help people shift their thinking so they can rise above fear, conditioning, and old stories that no longer serve them. From transforming the way we speak to ourselves, to guiding teens through the challenges of identity and confidence, she reveals how powerful...
The Strength and benefits in Crying: Redefining Vulnerability with MJ Renshaw
Are you holding back your emotions—thinking vulnerability makes you weak? Suppressing tears could be silently harming your health, relationships, and even your longevity.
In this episode, bestselling author, entrepreneur, and breathwork teacher MJ Renshaw, founder of The Being Method shares insights from her book How to Cry. She opens up about her personal journey through trauma and grief, revealing why embracing your emotions is one of the most powerful steps you can take toward healing and wholeness.
✨ What You’ll Learn in Thi...
Menopause & Hormone Health Explained with Amanda Hinman
Are your menopause or perimenopause symptoms disrupting your life, fatigue, weight gain, anxiety, mood swings, or bloating? You’re not alone.
In this episode, Amanda Hinman, Founder of the Hinman Holistic Health Institute, Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, writer, and speaker, reveals how hormones shape women’s health and what you can do to restore balance naturally. Amanda is also the author of Vibrant Child: 7 Steps to Increase Your Child’s Health & Happiness, with her work featured in Huffington Post, Elements For a Healthier Life, and many other outlets.
✨ What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
...
The hidden bonds we mistake for love with Claudia Noriega-Bernstein
Have you ever stayed in a relationship even when something inside of you knew it wasn’t right? You’re not alone. Many of us confuse the highs and lows of a trauma bond with love.
In this episode of Don’t Shrink to Fit, I dive into:
✨ What a trauma bond really is and why it feels so powerful
✨ Real-life examples of couples who confuse chaos with connection
✨ The signs that reveal you may be stuck in a trauma bond
✨ How to listen to your body and trust your intuition
✨ Steps you can take to...
Build Unstoppable Self-Confidence & Emotional Intelligence with Nada Lena Nasserdeen
Do you want to unlock the secret to unstoppable self-confidence, emotional intelligence, and true leadership? In this powerful episode, we sit down with Nada Nasserdeen — Founder & CEO of Rise Up For You, international keynote speaker, bestselling author, and globally recognized thought leader — who went from losing everything, to building a seven-figure global business, impacting leaders in over 50 countries.
✨ What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
How to turn pain, failure, and setbacks into fuel for growth and resilience.Why self-confidence is the foundation for success, and how to build it step by step.The 4 critical...How ro release whats holding you back with Ruth Kent
In this episode, I sit down with my dear friend and gifted healer Ruth Kent, a certified practitioner in Emotion Code, Body Code, and Belief Code. Ruth blends her scientific background with deep spiritual wisdom to help others release the emotional, physical, and spiritual blocks keeping them from living a truly abundant life.
Our conversation is raw, honest, and filled with the kind of truths that crack you open in the best way. We talk about how pain becomes a teacher, how physical symptoms are often messengers of trapped emotions, and why true healing starts...
Beyond Body Image: The Untold Truth About Eating Disorders with Mallary Tenore Tarpley
In this powerful and deeply personal conversation, I sit down with Mallary Tenore Tarpley—assistant professor of practice at the University of Texas at Austin, journalist, and author of Slip: Life in the Middle of Eating Disorder Recovery.
Mallary opens up about her own journey with anorexia nervosa, which began at the age of 12 after the loss of her mother, and how grief, perfectionism, and societal pressures intertwined to shape her struggle. She explains the concept of the “middle place”—a compassionate framework that redefines recovery not as a perfect, linear process, but as an ongoing journey where sl...
From Broken Hearts to Gut Healing – A Must-Listen Episode with Jen Yundt Coles
When the Body Speaks: Healing Gut Imbalance from the Inside Out
In this episode of Don’t Shrink to Fit, Claudia sits down with certified integrative and functional health coach Jen Yundt Coles, known as The SIBO Coach, to explore the powerful connection between unresolved emotions and digestive health.
Through their heartfelt conversation, you’ll discover:
The difference between SIBO and IBS—and why so many women are misdiagnosed.How emotional pain, grief, and stress can manifest as gut issues like bloating, fatigue, brain fog, and more.Why tradit...What if YOU are your own soulmate? with Chris Dyer
In this deeply honest and transformative episode, I sit down with Chris Dyer — a multi-dimensional spiritual scientist, speaker, and writer — to explore what it truly means to unbecome everything you were taught to be… so you can finally become the woman you were meant to be.
Chris shares her powerful midlife awakening, her decision to stop living under the weight of conditioning, and how she released 17 years of antidepressants to reconnect with her truest self. Together, we talk about the emotional rollercoaster of midlife, breaking free from inherited beliefs, and the moment she boldly declared: "I am my own...
Are you assuming… or expecting? mini episode with Claudia Noriega-Bernstein
We did it! 🎉
My book Brighter Days officially made the Best Seller list in multiple categories and I couldn’t be more thrilled and grateful for all the love and support I’ve received from this amazing community. 💛
If you haven’t grabbed your copy yet, the eBook is still just 99 cents on Amazon for a limited time!
👉 https://a.co/d/dR7K9Xe
Thank you for helping me spread this message of hope, healing, and empowerment. Let’s keep the momentum goin...
When Assumptions Hurt: A Personal Story About Expectations, Reactions & Reclaiming Your Power with Claudia Noriega-Bernstein
In this deeply personal and reflective episode of Don’t Shrink to Fit, Claudia Noriega-Bernstein shares a vulnerable moment that many of us can relate to—a heartfelt gesture misunderstood, and the emotional unraveling that followed.
While planning a dream family trip to Tuscany, I envisioned a beautiful photoshoot with my daughters, complete with dresses and joyful memories but when the idea wasn’t received with the enthusiasm I expected, I was met with disappointment, hurt, and a sense of rejection.
This moment led me to unpack a powerful truth: the difference between expectations and...
Life doesn’t have an expiration date with Tally Koren
My book Brighter Days is now available on Kindle and eBook — and for a limited time, you can grab it for just 99 cents! PLUS — if you email me your proof of purchase, to BrighterDaysbook@gmail.com I’ll send you my downloadable workbook “Unstuck” as a free gift to keep your momentum going.https://a.co/d/axftHbc
The Award-winning Don't Shrink to Fit Podcast has Tally Koren this week!
In this powerful and heart-opening episode, I sit down with the radiant Tally Koren— singer, songwriter, and spiritual seeker who shares h...
Pivotal moments that whisper within with Jennifer Whitaker
It’s here! 🎉 You can now pre-order the 5th Anniversary Edition of my book Brighter Days: 88 Life Lessons for Women Who Want to Grow in Confidence, Resilience, and Courage.
For a limited time, grab the eBook for just 99 cents, and as a thank-you for your early support, you’ll also receive my upcoming workbook Unstuck: A Guide to Finding Joy and Purpose (coming this fall) completely free—my gift to you, with gratitude.
👉https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FH2L82VB?ref_=ast_aut...
Raising Kids in a Multicultural World with Efrat Amira
In today’s episode of Don’t Shrink to Fit, I sit down with someone I deeply admire—not just as a friend, but as a fierce and intentional mother—Efrat Amira.
We dive into the realities of raising kids across cultures—what’s beautiful, what’s hard, and what we’ve both had to unlearn along the way. Efrat opens up about her decision to homeschool, how she built her children’s education around curiosity and connection, and why she’s now open to exploring new educational paths.
We also talk about:
✨ Why structure builds emotio...
What your emotions are trying to tell you (and an announcement!) with Vickie Padavano
Being a woman in today’s world comes with invisible expectations that are quietly making us sick — literally. Did you know women have an 80% higher chance of developing an autoimmune condition?
This month, I want to focus on something we don’t do enough: helping ourselves. Helping ourselves be healthier mentally, emotionally, and physically — not just for a moment, but for real, lasting wellness.
That’s why this week on the podcast, I’m so excited to share my conversation with Vicki Padovano. Vicki is dedicated to helping women with autoimmune issues end the flares...
Could Reiki be the missing link in your mind-body balance? with Siri Baruc Thorton
This week, I’m so excited to share a conversation that feels perfectly aligned with what I want for all of us right now — deep healing for our soul, mind, and body.
Recently, I booked what I thought was just going to be a simple facial — but I left that room feeling completely different: more present, more at peace, and even free of the back pain I walked in with. The magic ingredient? Reiki, sound vibration, and energy work.
I knew I had to bring my dear friend and Reiki Master Siri...
Calling in aligned love without settling with Michelle Chung
In this juicy episode of Don’t Shrink to Fit, I sit down with love strategist and author Michelle Chung, joining us all the way from Australia, to talk about something so many ambitious, self-sufficient women wonder: Can I attract a partner who truly aligns with who I am—without dating burnout or settling?
Michelle shares her powerful journey from divorce to manifesting a deeply aligned relationship, and breaks down why core values—not chemistry or hobbies—should lead the way. Whether you’re single, in a relationship, or wondering why love keeps feeling out of reach, this episo...
