What happens when a lifelong identity no longer fits the season you’re in?

In this episode of Her Next Chapters, Christina sits down with Kiersten Lortz, former professional violinist turned women’s empowerment coach, author, and founder of the Possibilities Conference. After a 25-year career in music, Kiersten made a bold midlife pivot to support women navigating identity shifts, career transitions, and the emotional complexity of the empty nest years.

Together, they explore:

Letting go of long-held professional identities
Career pivots in midlife and starting over from experience
The emotional realities of the empty nest transition
Reclaiming your relationship with your spouse, your adult children, and yourself
Why women often feel lost after their kids leave home
Coaching vs. therapy and how forward-focused coaching supports real change
Small, sustainable action instead of “massive action” during busy life seasons

Kiersten shares her journey from performing on major stages as a professional musician to launching a women’s empowerment conference and building a coaching practice centered on helping mothers reconnect during the college transition years (ages 16–24). She also discusses the loneliness many women experience during this phase and why community and structured support matter.

If you are navigating a career reinvention, identity shift, or the emotional complexity of midlife motherhood, this conversation will remind you that you are not starting from scratch—you are starting from experience.

This episode is for women who are ready to release old chapters, redefine what’s next, and step into their next season with intention.

Click on these links to learn more about Kiersten’s Possibilities Conference and coaching programs.
Or grab a copy of her book: Possibilities: Partnering with God to Become Your Best Self

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109. Midlife Identity Shift and Career Reinvention with Kiersten Lortz