From Fastest Swimmer in the Nation to Sobriety, Hilary Phelps on Reclaiming Identity

Hilary Phelps is a holistic performance coach, speaker, advocate, and founder of The Right Room—a platform devoted to guiding high-achieving women through life’s most pivotal transitions.Once the fastest swimmer in the nation for her age, Hilary’s early promise was eclipsed by a 15-year battle with addiction that began at just 14. At 29, she made the courageous decision to enter recovery, not just to put down the substance, but to reclaim her identity, rebuild from within, and begin the work of lasting transformation.After quietly celebrating 15 years of sobriety, Hilary chose to share her story publicly in 2022, recognizing that vulnerability, when shared with intention, becomes a form of leadership. Her voice now serves as a lifeline to others navigating what she calls the quiet collapse—that often invisible moment when outward success no longer aligns with inner truth.Through her private mentorship, group programs, and podcast The Right Room with Hilary Phelps, she creates spaces where women can reconnect with their voice, redefine their power, and live from a place of alignment and wholeness.Hilary lives in Arlington, Virginia with her son, Alexander and partner, Greg, and brings her lived experience, somatic training, and deep empathy to everything she does—blending success with soul to support women who are ready to rise differently.www.hilaryphelps.comInstagram: @hilaryphelps_LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hilary-phelps-6143695/This podcast is hosted by Jessica Buchanan, a New York Times bestselling author, speaker, survivor and founder. Her latest book, How to Survive Survival: A Guide for Turning Life’s Hardest Moments Into Meaningful Contribution for the World was released in 2025.  Jessica is also the author of Impossible Odds: The Kidnapping of Jessica Buchanan and Her Dramatic Rescue by SEAL Team Six, published in 2014, which became a New York Times Bestseller. Jessica is the founder of Soul Speak Press, a boutique non-traditional publishing company focused on stories from women who have been through something, now they know something and can teach us something.When she’s not writing or speaking, Jessica is traveling the world with her Swedish husband and two “half Vikings.” She aims to lead a life shaped by curiosity, culture, and a deep appreciation for the resilience of the human spirit.