The Fight We’re Not Talking About: Trauma, Power & Belonging with Laurien Zurhake
Release Date: 06/10/2025
Boudoir Photography and Body Confidence: A New Way Women Are Healing
The Cycle Advantage
What if the very thing you were taught to hide was actually the doorway to more confidence, power, and freedom in your life and business? Most women don’t avoid boudoir because it’s “naughty.” They avoid it because they’ve been trained to be small. Quiet. Contained. To check the “good girl” boxes and pretend their bodies are something to fix instead of something to celebrate. If you’ve ever felt like your body was something to fight, tolerate, or hide… this episode is going to shake something awake in you. Episode Summary In this powerful conversation, we dive into the deeper...
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The Secret to Making More Money During PMS
The Cycle Advantage
What if your luteal phase became your most profitable time of the month? Wild, I know. But this is the phase that can expose energy leaks, sharpen your message, and double your conversions with tiny tweaks. Episode Summary In this solo episode, I’ll share with you how the luteal phase can be your profit phase. You’ll learn why emotions spike here, how to use that sensitivity for high-converting copy, and which tiny backend edits create big revenue jumps. Expect cycle syncing business strategies, luteal phase profits, and menstrual cycle productivity that actually feel...
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Why Motivation Doesn’t Work and How to Stay Inspired in Your Business
The Cycle Advantage
You know that moment when you sit down at your desk, open your laptop, and think… “Okay, what should I post today?” And then instant energy drop. 😩 You’re staring at the blinking cursor, already exhausted before you’ve even started. Somewhere between “be disciplined” and “stay consistent no matter what,” we forgot the point. And for so many women, we’re forcing ourselves to do things we don’t really wanna do in the attempt to build a life we love (sounds kind of like a sick trick). In this episode, we’re talking about how to stop chasing motivation and start...
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Pleasure, Power, and The Hidden Key to Feminine Leadership Nobody Talks About with Brooke Jean
The Cycle Advantage
Tell me if this sounds familiar: you’re hustling to be the perfect mom, perfect partner, perfect boss… and secretly wondering if it’s slowly killing you. No wonder we’re exhausted, anxious, and quietly wondering if this is really what life is supposed to feel like. In this episode, I sat down with Brooke Jean, therapist and founder of Unperfected®, to unpack the perfection pressure on modern women and how it’s fueling burnout, anxiety, autoimmune disorders, and disconnection from our own desires. Brooke’s mission is clear: it’s time to unsubscribe from “perfect” and reclaim...
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Why High-Achieving Women Burn Out (and How to Finally Break the Cycle)
The Cycle Advantage
If you’ve ever pushed through exhaustion with another cup of coffee, ignored your period cramps to meet a deadline, or worn “busy” like a badge of honor, you’re not alone. You want the thriving business and the thriving body, but right now it feels like success is costing you your health. This week’s guest, Charlène Gisèle, knows that story all too well. Once a high-powered attorney sleeping less than three hours a night, she hit full-blown burnout before discovering how to rebuild her life from the inside out. And her story is a roadmap for every ambitious woman who’s...
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The Hidden Ick in Online Business (And How to Stay in Integrity While Building a Business You Love)
The Cycle Advantage
The online business space can feel like walking through a carnival funhouse. One moment you’re dazzled by shiny promises of “six figures in six weeks,” and the next you’re clutching your wallet wondering if you’ve just been sold snake oil in a Canva PDF. If you’ve ever felt the ick of marketing that doesn’t match the delivery, or wondered whether you’re “enough” to share your gifts yet, you’re going to feel so seen in this conversation with Emily Russell. Episode Summary In this juicy episode, I sit down with Emily Russell to talk about what’s really happening in the...
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No One Is Talking About THIS Reason Women Burnout in Business
The Cycle Advantage
You know that feeling when you’ve been running so hard that suddenly… your body, your brain, and even your bank account are like: nope, we’re done? Burnout isn’t just a buzzword, it’s a full-body STOP sign. And yet, most women entrepreneurs keep pushing through because they think rest equals failure. My guest today, Kelly Brock, knows this story all too well. After building multiple six-figure businesses, she hit burnout again, this time with kids, employees, and a whole lot of expectations weighing on her shoulders. What she discovered in that breakdown is exactly what we’re...
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The Secret to How to Run Your Business With More Ease
The Cycle Advantage
You’ve read the books. You’ve followed the strategies. You’ve checked every box the “experts” told you to. And yet… your business still feels heavier than it should. If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re doing something wrong (spoiler: you’re not), today’s conversation is going to feel like a warm exhale. Episode Summary In this episode of The Cycle Advantage, I sit down with Jillian Dolberry to talk about what it really takes to build a business rooted in alignment, not hustle. We dig into the messy middle of entrepreneurship: unlearning outdated rules, finding your...
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Why Trying to Look “Professional” Is Killing Your Business
The Cycle Advantage
Your business isn’t stalled because you’re lazy. It’s stalled because you’re waiting until you “look professional” enough to show up or you’re stuck in the self-help hamster wheel, journaling on your limiting beliefs but avoiding the scary action that actually moves the needle. Sound familiar? (Yeah, me too.) That’s exactly what Kimberly Spencer and I dive into in this juicy, real-talk episode. Episode Summary: Kimberly Spencer, an award-winning coach, TEDx speaker, and bestselling author joined me to unravel the three big traps ambitious women fall into: perfection disguised...
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The Shocking Stories of Women Thriving in Male Dominated Fields
The Cycle Advantage
Have you ever felt like you had to shrink yourself just to “fit” into the room? Like the louder, bolder, more buttoned-up version of you is the only one allowed to succeed in certain spaces? You’re not alone, and my guest today proves that the exact opposite is true. Episode Summary In this episode of the Cycle Advantage Podcast, I sit down with Emily Apollonio, founder of Interstellar Performance Labs and the architect of the STAR Program. Emily’s real breakthrough didn’t come from another credential, certification, or degree. It came from choosing to fully embody her authentic...
info_outlineWhat if I told you your power doesn’t come from being strong, but from being safe?
In this week's podcast episode, I sat down with Laurien Zurhake, a martial arts expert, educator, and absolute powerhouse and we cracked open a conversation that completely flipped the narrative around self-defense, trauma, and what it really means for women to reclaim their bodies.
We talked about trauma-informed spaces, patriarchal systems in martial arts, and how competition without collaboration has hurt more women than it’s helped.
And if you’ve ever felt like the world wasn’t built for your softness, your intuition, your rhythm.. this one’s for you.
We didn’t just talk about martial arts… We also dove into:
✨ Why trauma-informed practice isn’t optional (it’s the foundation for true growth and safety)
✨ How martial arts can be a powerful tool for healing but only in the right environment
✨ Why women still face invisible barriers in male-dominated training spaces and how we can change that
✨ How ecological dynamics reshape the way we learn, move, and relate to our bodies
✨ How collaboration beats competition (and why a scarcity mindset is keeping women small)
✨How healing starts when the nervous system finally feels safe enough to exhale.
✨ How even children pick up on safety cues and what that tells us about the environments we create
✨ Why women make incredible leaders in martial arts and why it’s time we stop asking for permission
🎙️ Listen Now
This conversation is a must-listen if you:
👉 Want to understand how trauma impacts performance + confidence
👉 Are craving safe, supportive spaces to grow your strength
👉 Believe in business (and life) that honors both power and softness
Meet Laurien
Originally from the Netherlands, Laurien studied (Ancient) History in Nijmegen and at Oxford University (Brasenose College) and pursued a PhD in Munich (topic was Pain Behaviour). She met there her husband on the martial arts mats and due to sexual harassment by their headcoach, Laurien and her husband Alex decided to open their own Trauma Informed Martial Arts and Yoga School. Since that approach is still in its infancy in the martial arts domain, Laurien created her online platform Off the Zone, where she helps martial arts coaches, athletes and gym owners become trauma informed and how to implement effective safeguarding measures so that everyone can train hard and thrive safely.
Ready to Grow Your Business in Flow Without Burning Out?
If you’re a coach, healer, or feminine leader scaling to $10K–$20K months and tired of hustle-based strategies, here’s your next step…
✔ Apply for Your Cycle Advantage:
A 6-week business planning program that teaches female entrepreneurs how to create a cycle-synced business strategy, build consistent $10K months, and grow without burnout.
For the woman ready for aligned business planning, feminine CEO leadership, and sustainable income growth…
✔ Join the Flow Collective Mastermind:
A high-level mastermind for women entrepreneurs scaling to $20K+ months using cycle syncing, feminine business strategy, wealth energetics, and embodied leadership
For those cycle curious and ready to get started with understanding your body and its impact on your income and business…
✔ Grab Your Free Cycle Sync Your Business Book:
A guide to planning your coaching business around your menstrual cycle. Designed for women ready to stop hustling and start syncing for more impact, income, and ease.