One of life’s universal truths is that one day each of us will die. In this episode, Alexis is joined by Jeelise Allen, Bermudian Counsellor and Thanatologist, and Sandy Mayor from Final Steps Bermuda, to help demystify the way we think about mortality, End-of-life conversations, and how to best prepare ourselves and our loved ones for when this time inevitably occurs.

About our guests:

Jeelise is Bermuda’s first and only thanatologist, specializing in death, dying, grief, and bereavement, and is a Counsellor at Mayvera Wellness and the Women’s Resource Centre in Bermuda.
Sandy is a representative and member of Life Steps, an organisation in Bermuda that believes in the need for a healthier approach to mortality and dying in our community to ensure quality of life extends to our end of life.

To learn more about the resources shared in this episode:

Final Steps - www.finalsteps.bm

Mayvera - www.mayverawellness.com
Email - jeelise@mayverawellness.com

Women’s Resource Centre - www.wrcbermuda.com

Blue Lily Consulting - www.bluelilyconsulting.org

Check back shortly for more online resources.

Big Girl Panties Podcast is back with a special live in person interview at The Retreat House launch party with founder Jess Burns in Bermuda.

During our chat, Jess opens up about:

• her beautiful connection to her late mom, Kim Burns and her ongoing grief journey
• the inspiration behind her new business
• insights on wellness retreats available now!

To sign up for upcoming retreats and to learn more about The Retreat House, please visit:

Instagram - @theretreathouse.bermuda
Email - theretreathouse.bermuda@gmail.com

To keep up with all things Big Girl Panties between episodes, please visit:

Instagram - @bgplife
www.bgplife.com

Videography by 7 South Productions.
Instagram - @7.southproductions
Website: 7southproductions.com

In this special in-person episode of Big Girl Panties Podcast, host Alexis Bean is joined by Damika Swan, as she opens up about her journey with miscarriages, child loss, and becoming a mom.

In her story, Damika shares:

• Her heartbreaking experience with miscarriages, pregnancy complications, and child loss
• Neglect and unanswered questions from the hospital and medical staff during and after childbirth
• Grief, questioning her faith, therapy, and the healing process after child loss
• The impact of her support system and what she wishes she had during the healing process after losing her angel baby
• Uncertainty about wanting to try to conceive again, an unexpected Endometriosis diagnosis, and how she prepared for a safe and healthy pregnancy after child loss
• How she feels about Mother’s Day and motherhood with her baby boy after experiencing child loss
• What she is looking forward to with her son in the future

If you have any questions or messages for Damika, or would like to connect with Alexis and Big Girl Panties Podcast, please visit:

Instagram: @bgplife
TikTok: @bgplife
Website: bgplife.com

Videography: 7 South Productions
Website: 7southproductions.com

This is a BGP Life and 7 South Productions collaboration.

In this episode, Jenia Thompson, a Fitness and Health Coach, shares insights on how women can prioritize their physical health in 2024. She emphasizes the importance of taking a holistic approach to health, including exercise, nutrition, and mental well-being.

Join Big Girl Panties Podcast host, Alexis Bean and Jenia to learn about:

• Her process for working with clients, including goal-setting and individualized training plans.
• Common misconceptions and roadblocks that women may face when prioritizing fitness
• Fitness plans for women during their pre and postnatal journeys
• Opening NRG Fitness Studio and how clients can connect with the gym
• Life lessons learned throughout her career
• And more

Connect with Jenia here:

Train with Align Bermuda: alignbda.com
Instagram: @alignbda

Train with NRG Gym Bermuda: nrgbda.com
Instagram: @nrg.bermuda

Connect with Alexis and all things Big Girl Panties:

Instagram: @bgplife
TikTok: @bgplife
Website: bgplife.com

In this episode of Big Girl Panties Podcast, Alexis is joined by author, athlete, and entrepreneur, Phebe Trotman to discuss the journey to writing her first book in a planned series titled, Never Quit On A Bad Day: Inspiring Stories of Resilience.

During their chat, Alexis and Phebe discuss:

• Phebe’s soccer career and how being an athlete has positively impacted her life
• Her career journey as a multi-preneur in network marketing and entrepreneurship
• Why Phebe decided to write a book and who will find the most motivation from it
• The impact of her late father’s passing and how he inspires her today
• How stories of resilience from thriving entrepreneurs will help readers to reflect on their goals and catapult a personal growth journey
• Insights, prompts, and favourite quotes from the book to inspire readers for all aspects of life
• And more!

To connect with Phebe, and purchase a copy of her first book, ‘Never Quit on a Bad Day: Inspiring Stories of Resilience’ please visit:

Website: neverquitonabadday.com

Instagram: @neverquitonabadday

To connect with Alexis and all things Big Girl Panties:

Instagram: @bgplife

TikTok: @bgplife

Website: bgplife.com

Are you living in your truth?

In the first episode of 2024, Alexis is joined by Bermudian born, China trained, multidisciplinary contemporary artist and researcher, Gherdai Hassell. She is a Graduate of the China Academy of Art and currently resides in Manchester, UK.

Gherdai is a 3 time Best of Bermuda Award -Visual Art recipient, and has also been awarded with numerous other accolades, including:

• Best of Bermuda Award -Visual Art recipient
• 2021 Women’s United Art Prize recipient.
• 2023 Jerwood at HOME residency (she is one of the first artists selected to attend)
• 2022 Manchester Open Award winner
• 2021 Masterworks Museum Charman Prize winner for distinctive style

During their conversation, Gherdai opens up about:

• her journey to becoming the truest version of herself and fulfilling her dream of becoming a multidisciplinary contemporary artist
• the sacrifices and hardships she has faced as a full time artist living in China and other countries across the globe
• her creative and research process and what she discovers while preparing for new exhibitions
• the meaning behind some of her greatest pieces
• how listeners can show up as their most authentic selves in 2024
• and more!

To connect with Gherdai, view or purchase original work, and support her journey, please visit:

Instagram - @hassell_free

Website - gherdaihassell.com

To connect with Big Girl Panties between episodes, please visit:

Instagram - @bgplife
TikTok - @bgplife
Website - bgplife.com

Do you know what you want to be when you grow up? Do you know what you want to do in your life?

In this episode, Alexis is joined by Courtney Clay; a young woman who uses her passion for design and desire to give back to her community to create a fulfilling life. She is a Print & Textile Designer with her own design studio; Courtney Clay Studio, and is one of the co-founders of Bermuda Is Love; a community organisation promoting the fulfilment of basic human rights in Bermuda.

During the chat, Alexis and Courtney discuss:

• Her journey post high school, university, and choosing design as a career field
• The challenges she faces as a designer living in Bermuda
• What ‘Bermuda Is Love’ is, the campaigns that the organisation focuses on, and how people can get involved
• How she has combined her passions of design and giving back to the community
• Advice for others who want to make change in their community, or who are on a journey to discover their dreams

To connect with Courtney Clay:

Instagram - @courtneyclaystudio

To connect with Bermuda Is Love:

Instagram - @bdaislove

TikTok - @bermudaislove

YouTube - @BermudaIsLove

Facebook - @BermudaIsLove


To connect with Big Girl Panties, visit:

Instagram - @bgplife
TikTok - @bgplife
Facebook - @bgplifeblog
Website - bgplife.com

Big Girl Panties Podcast is back for Season 4!

In today’s episode, Alexis sits down with Richelle Richards to discuss loss, grief, and the sudden shift that her life took following the untimely death of her longtime partner.

Richelle speaks candidly about her personal life, her career as an Art Psychotherapist, and how she has found herself on her current path. Listeners will learn about a new perspective on death, the power of stepping away to heal following sudden life changes, and taking a chance on creating new dreams.

Richelle’s Book Recommendation:

‘I'm Not Yelling: A Black Woman’s Guide to Navigating the Workplace’ by Elizabeth Leiba

Follow Richelle on Instagram - @mydopearttherapist

Keep up with Big Girl Panties here:

Instagram - @bgplife
TikTok - @bgplife
Facebook - @bgplifeblog
Website - bgplife.com