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The most decorated American track & field athlete in history, Allyson Felix joins Monica this week on Reclaiming for a conversation about what it takes to turn a moment of rejection into a movement. Allyson retraces her path from a shy, 'head-down' competitor focused solely on winning medals to the powerful advocate who risked everything to challenge a corporate sponsor system that penalized women for becoming mothers. She opens up about the isolating experience of hiding her pregnancy from Nike, negotiating her job security when her pregnancy became public, and the terrifying condition that threatened both her life and her daughter's. Allyson reveals how that confluence of personal crisis and professional injustice ignited her voice, leading her to walk away from a sponsorship, publish her groundbreaking New York Times op-ed, and ultimately build her own footwear company, Saysh, from the ground up. Expect a conversation filled with quiet determination and hard-won wisdom. * Since we taped this episode, Allyson made the exciting announcement that she’ll come out of retirement to compete in the 2028 Olympics is Los Angeles Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week on Reclaiming, we’re playing one of our all time interviews with comedian, writer, and host John Oliver— a candid and thoughtful conversation about comedy, shame, and the power of laughter. John and Monica first connected in 2019 when she was interviewed for Last Week Tonight and she shares how that moment ultimately became part of her reclaiming journey. They explore the ethical tightrope of making jokes in a world full of gray areas and how humor can be both a coping tool and a way to call power to account.John shares what really surprised him about interviewing the Dalai Lama and the unexpected way His Holiness threw him off balance. With wit and depth, he and Monica dig into the weight of public shame, the risk of accountability, and why, for John, getting into trouble might just be the point. (And they use the C Word quite a bit!) Get 15% off OneSkin with the code RECLAIMING at oneskin.co/RECLAIMING#oneskinpod #ad Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Emmy-winning creator and star of the TV series Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Rachel Bloom joins Monica this week on Reclaiming for a revealing conversation about turning your personal trauma into creative expression. Rachel retraces her path from childhood OCD and early career love triangles, to creating Crazy Ex-Girlfriend—a show that brilliantly dismantled romantic-comedy tropes and reclaimed the "crazy" label with a raw, honest portrayal of mental illness. Expect a conversation brimming with intellectual curiosity, radical candor, and a masterclass in how to find the perfect punchline for your deepest pain...plus Rachel dishes on her latest role in The Devil Wears Prada 2. Thanks to Grow Therapy for sponsoring the show! Whatever challenges you’re facing, Grow Therapy is here to help. Visit GrowTherapy.com/RECLAIMING to get started! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Actress, entrepreneur, and 90s icon Jennie Garth joins Monica this week on Reclaiming for a conversation about surviving global fame, reclaiming your purpose, and the profound power of choosing yourself. Jennie retraces her path from a quiet horse ranch in Illinois to the center of a cultural phenomenon as Kelly Taylor on Beverly Hills, 90210. She opens up about the personal cost of that fame—developing crippling anxiety and agoraphobia at the height of her success—and how she has since reclaimed the toxic “rivalry” narrative with and her 90210 female co-stars Jennie reveals how a single line from a 90210 script became the mantra for her second act, and how a pivot at 50 offered a different kind of healing than her acting career ever could. Expect a conversation brimming with surprising vulnerability, hard-won wisdom, and a roadmap for how to reclaim your own story, no matter how the world has tried to write it for you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Emmy-nominated writer, actor, and co-creator of the critically acclaimed series PEN15, Anna Konkle joins Monica this week on Reclaiming for a conversation celebrating how dark humor can get you through almost anything. Anna retraces her path from a chaotic childhood to co-creating PEN15—a show that lets everyone process the tragicomedy of adolescence. She opens up about a five-year estrangement from her father that ended abruptly when she became his sole caregiver in his final months, and about the ways she’s been able to recategorize her mom—from a source of eye-rolling to a source of admiration. Anna reveals why now was the time to explore grief and reconciliation in her debut memoir, The Sane One, and how the solitary act of writing offered a different kind of healing than collaborative television. Expect a conversation brimming with laughter, warmth and tragicomic story swapping between Monica and Anna.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Renowned intuitive and bestselling author Laura Day joins Monica this week on Reclaiming for a pragmatic and enlightening conversation about turning trauma into a superpower and reclaiming intuition as a practical tool for living. Laura recounts the harrowing story of her traumatic childhood—caring for her younger siblings amidst profound neglect—and explains how the hyper-vigilance she developed to survive became the foundation for her intuitive gifts. She reveals the 16-year journey to writing her most definitive book, The Prism, and shares why her core philosophy is "proof over belief," a principle that earned her the title "The Psychic of Wall Street.” Listen for a masterclass in how to stop looking backward to heal, why the answers are rarely "inside you," and what it takes to reclaim your future by making one small, targeted change today.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Writer, director, and creator of the groundbreaking HBO series Girls, Lena Dunham joins Monica this week on Reclaiming for a candid, profoundly self-aware conversation about surviving public scrutiny, turning pain into art, and the radical act of reclaiming your own story. Lena retraces her path from becoming the “voice of a generation” at 24 to enduring a decade of public dissection, and ultimately to consciously building a quieter, more protected life as a writer and director. She reflects on the surreal experience of Girls being re-evaluated by a new generation and reveals why now felt like the right time to write about the physical and emotional costs of fame in her new memoir, Famesick. Along the way, Monica and Lena forge a powerful connection over their shared experience of becoming global symbols of female controversy—having their bodies and sexualities treated as public property—and the long, difficult work of taking back the pen to write their next chapter. Expect a conversation brimming with unflinching honesty, confrontational humor, and a powerful lesson in what it means to find your voice, lose it under the weight of public opinion, and rebuild it stronger on your own terms.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Business mogul Emma Grede of Good American and SKIMS, joins Monica this week on Reclaiming, for a candid, no-nonsense conversation about building a billion-dollar empire, the myth of work-life balance, and the audacity to define success on your own terms. Emma retraces her path from a working-class childhood in East London and dropping out of fashion school, to becoming the operational force behind some of the world's most successful fashion brands. She reveals how her new book Start With Yourself was created in response to the countless questions she gets from other women about the secret to success. Along the way, Monica and Emma connect on the pressure of public perception, the power of reclaiming ambition from gendered stereotypes, and the hard-won freedom that comes from building a life that is authentically your own, no matter the noise. Expect a conversation brimming with unfiltered advice, tough-love honesty, and a powerful lesson in how to stop asking for permission and start building the life you were meant to live.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feminist artist and activist Marilyn Minter joins Monica this week on Reclaiming for a raw, defiant conversation about dismantling shame, reclaiming the female gaze, and turning public cancellation into a badge of honor. Marilyn retraces her path—from being declared a “traitor to feminism” in the 1980s for her provocative, sex-positive art to becoming one of today’s most revered artistic voices challenging cultural taboos around pleasure, aging, and the female body. In a powerful exchange, Marilyn reveals why she was so determined to paint Monica for her portrait series —which includes Lizzo, Jane Fonda and Padma Lakshimi— and Monica reflects on what it took to finally give up her “portrait virginity” and reclaim her own image through Minter’s fearless work. She shares how surviving public shaming—and getting sober—forged an unapologetic voice that continues to challenge our culture. Expect a conversation brimming with unflinching honesty, defiant humor, and a powerful reclaiming of the feminist spirit. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bestselling author and artist Suleika Jaouad joins Monica this week on Reclaiming, for a profound conversation about creative alchemy, navigating uncertainty, and the defiant joy of living in life’s messy middle. Suleika retraces her path from being diagnosed with leukemia at 22, to writing her Emmy-winning New York Times column, “Life, Interrupted,” from her hospital bed. She reflects on the radical choice to marry her husband, Grammy award winning musician Jon Batiste, the day before a bone marrow transplant and how turning to watercolors when she could no longer write taught her that survival is always a creative act. Along the way, Monica and Suleika connect on the long shadow of narratives held by women, the power of journaling to find your way back to yourself, and the hard-won wisdom that comes from reclaiming a life you weren’t sure you’d get to live. Expect a conversation brimming with insight, gentle humor, and a powerful lesson in how to alchemize our deepest pain into our greatest purpose.Head to cozyearth.com and use my code RECLAIMING for an exclusive 20% off. And if you get a Post-Purchase Survey, be sure to mention you heard about Cozy Earth right here!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices