Podcast
The Powder Room
Hosted by Ivy Ashley · EN
The Powder Room is a safe space for women to have real, unfiltered conversations about the topics that matter most to us. From relationships and career shifts to wellness, aging, and everything in between, no subject is off-limits. Whether you’re looking for advice, a good laugh, or just the comfort of knowing you’re not alone, this is your place to connect, reflect, and grow. Welcome to The Powder Room, "Where we discover the message within our messes."
© 2025 Ivy Ashley, The Powder Room Podcast. All rights reserved.
32episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Green Flags We Keep Ignoring
Apr 800:48:15Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailAfter unpacking trauma and emotional patterns, it’s time for a reset. In this episode of The Powder Room, we’re shifting the focus from red flags to something we don’t talk about enough—green flags.What does healthy actually look like in dating and relationships? And more importantly…would you recognize it if you saw it?We’ll break down the green flags women often overlook, why emotional safety can feel unfamiliar, and how past experiences may have conditioned us to misinterpret peace as boredom. We’re also introducing yellow flags—those behaviors that aren’t dealbreakers, but require awareness, communication, and discernment.If you’ve ever questioned whether something is “too good to be true” or found yourself drawn to chaos over consistency, this conversation is for you. It’s time to stop overanalyzing healthy behavior—and start recognizing it.
Transcribe →When Trauma Speaks Part 2: Healing What Still Hurts
Apr 100:36:30Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailIn Part 1 of this conversation, we explored how trauma can develop through life experiences and how it sometimes quietly influences our emotional responses.In Part 2, Ivy Ashley continues the conversation by examining how trauma can follow us into adulthood—shaping our behaviors, relationships, and reactions in ways we may not immediately recognize.In this episode, Ivy discusses:How unresolved experiences can influence adult relationship patternsWhy trauma can leave us emotionally “stuck in time”The first steps toward recognizing and addressing unresolved woundsWhat healing can actually look like in everyday lifeWhy experiencing triggers does not automatically mean you haven’t healedHealing is not about pretending the past never happened. It’s about learning how to understand the experiences that shaped us and choosing responses that move us toward growth.
Transcribe →REWIND: Dating Delusions
Mar 2500:42:34Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailToday, we are replaying one of the most played dating episodes in The Powder Room History. We'll be back next week with part 2 of "When Trauma Speaks"In this premier episode of The Powder Room we're posing the question "Are your dating expectations helping or hurting your love life?" In this discussion, we take a deep dive into the cultural influences, media portrayals, and personal life experiences that shape our ideas about love and relationships. From the fairytale of instant chemistry to the myth that love should be effortless, we unpack a list of common but unrealistic expectations—like finding a partner with zero baggage or expecting perfection from day one. Could these beliefs be standing between you and a meaningful connection? Tune in as we break down the delusions and offer a reality check on what truly makes relationships work.
Transcribe →When Trauma Speaks, Part 1 - Recognizing the Voice
Mar 1800:26:45Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailSometimes our reactions feel bigger than the moment in front of us. A comment lingers longer than it should. A situation stirs emotions we didn’t expect. And we’re left asking ourselves, why did that affect me so deeply?In this episode of The Powder Room, Ivy Ashley begins an honest conversation about trauma—what it really is and how it can quietly influence the way we experience life, relationships, and ourselves.In Part 1, Ivy explores:What trauma really is and how it develops from life experiencesThe difference between trauma and everyday discomfortCommon misconceptions about trauma in today’s social media cultureTypes of trauma that are often overlooked or minimizedA personal reflection on recognizing when past experiences may still be influencing present emotionsTrauma isn’t always loud or obvious. Sometimes it speaks through patterns we don’t immediately recognize.
Transcribe →High Standards or High Walls, Part 2
Mar 1100:33:11Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailBy the time you’re over 40, you’ve earned your standards.You’ve lived enough life to know what you won’t tolerate.You’ve healed enough wounds to recognize red flags.You’ve built enough stability to protect your peace at all costs.But here’s the real question:Are your standards creating alignment… or preventing access?In this episode of The Powder Room, we’re having an honest, grown-woman conversation about the fine line between discernment and defense. Because sometimes what we call “high standards” are actually high walls — and walls keep pain out… but they also keep connection out.We’re unpacking:“He has to make more than me” — Is that security or protection?“He should pursue me relentlessly” — The difference between pursuit and ego-driven chasing.“He needs to be fully healed” — Are we looking for growth or perfection?And the subtle ways independence can quietly harden into rigidity.This conversation isn’t about lowering your standards.It’s about refining them.Because mature love doesn’t require armor — it requires alignment.If you’re an accomplished, independent woman who still desires partnership but refuses chaos, this one is for you.Let’s talk about it.
Transcribe →High Standards or High Walls?
Mar 400:39:06Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailBy the time you’re over 40, you’ve earned your standards.You’ve lived enough life to know what you won’t tolerate.You’ve healed enough wounds to recognize red flags.You’ve built enough stability to protect your peace at all costs.But here’s the real question:Are your standards creating alignment… or preventing access?In this episode of The Powder Room, we’re having an honest, grown-woman conversation about the fine line between discernment and defense. Because sometimes what we call “high standards” are actually high walls — and walls keep pain out… but they also keep connection out.We’re unpacking:“He has to make more than me” — Is that security or protection?“He should pursue me relentlessly” — The difference between pursuit and ego-driven chasing.“He needs to be fully healed” — Are we looking for growth or perfection?And the subtle ways independence can quietly harden into rigidity.This conversation isn’t about lowering your standards. It’s about refining them.Because mature love doesn’t require armor — it requires alignment.If you’re an accomplished, independent woman who still desires partnership but refuses chaos, this one is for you.Let’s talk about it.
Transcribe →Faithful, Healed...& Still Single
Feb 2500:40:30Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailYou can love God, love your life, and still be tired of coming home alone...Are you a Christian woman over 40 (or close to it) who loves God, has done the healing work, built a full life — and you’re still single?In this vulnerable episode of The Powder Room, Ivy opens up about the quiet frustration many faithful, healed, successful single women experience but rarely admit out loud. You pray. You serve. You’ve grown. You’re content. But sometimes, you’re tired of coming home to an empty house.We’re unpacking the tension between faith and longing, why desiring marriage does not mean you lack trust in God, and five things the church needs to stop telling single women about waiting on a husband.If you’ve ever felt guilty for wanting partnership while still trusting God’s timing, this episode will remind you: contentment doesn’t cancel desire — and you are not alone.
Transcribe →REWIND: The Pee in the Dating Pool, Part 2
Feb 1800:38:55Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailIn honor of Valentine's Day and the 1 year anniversary of The Powder Room Podcast, I'm pressing rewind on (2) of my favorite dating episodes. Enjoy!Description: Dating isn’t for the faint of heart — it’s a whole different game with new rules, unexpected hurdles, and let’s be real, a lot of “pee” in the pool. In this episode, we’re diving into why dating gets harder as we get older, what exactly is contaminating the waters (spoiler: unresolved trauma, emotional baggage, and dating drama) and how to navigate the mess without drowning in it. Whether you’re treading carefully or ready to cannonball in, this episode will help you stay afloat and maybe even find a clean corner of the pool. Grab your floaties—it's about to get real!
Transcribe →REWIND: The Pee in the Dating Pool, Part 1
Feb 1800:36:10Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailIn honor of Valentine's Day and the 1 year anniversary of The Powder Room Podcast, I'm pressing rewind on (2) of my favorite dating episodes. Enjoy!Description: Dating isn’t for the faint of heart — it’s a whole different game with new rules, unexpected hurdles, and let’s be real, a lot of “pee” in the pool. In this episode, we’re diving into why dating gets harder as we get older, what exactly is contaminating the waters (spoiler: unresolved trauma, emotional baggage, and dating drama) and how to navigate the mess without drowning in it. Whether you’re treading carefully or ready to cannonball in, this episode will help you stay afloat and maybe even find a clean corner of the pool. Grab your floaties—it's about to get real!
Transcribe →From Rules to Relationship
Feb 1100:33:01Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailFaith was never meant to be a list of rules—it was meant to be a relationship.In this episode, we shift from naming the wound to exploring the healing. I talk about what happens when rules replace the Holy Spirit, and why teaching the Bible without teaching people how to hear God leads to dependency, confusion, and fear-based faith.We’ll unpack the role of the Holy Spirit—how He loves, convicts, teaches, directs, and guides us—and why discernment matters more than blind compliance. I also make a clear distinction between religion and relationship, breaking down how intimacy with God develops beyond the four walls of the church.This is a conversation about reclaiming faith that feels safe, honest, and whole—faith that invites surrender, not shame.If you’re ready to move from fear to freedom…From performance to presence…From rules to relationship…This episode will meet you right where you are.
Transcribe →