Christina Steinorth Powell: The Courage to Live Fully and Out Loud After 50

Christina Steinorth-Powell doesn’t talk about aging as something to manage or endure. She talks about it as something to use. A licensed psychotherapist, bestselling author, and nationally recognized relationship expert, Christina is also a woman who has learned, sometimes the hard way, that fear has no rightful place in the second half of life.

“What makes me a Crunchy Lady,” she says to CrunchyTales, “is the fact that very little scares me or ruffles my feathers.”

Lessons in Love, Letting Go, and Living Fully

She says it casually, but she means it literally. Camel riding in the Sahara Desert? “I’m in.” Flying with a stunt pilot in an open-air bi-plane? “Yes—let’s go.” For Christina, adventure is not about proving anything. “Life is for living,” she says simply. “I leave my door open for all of life’s opportunities. Why not?”

That openness has become one of her defining traits as she moves through her late fifties, an age she wears with ease, confidence, and an unmistakable sense of self. What she enjoys most about getting older, she says, is knowing she can handle whatever comes next.

“I like the increased confidence I have in my abilities to handle anything life may throw my way,” she explains.

That confidence didn’t come from comfort. It came from survival. Christina was diagnosed with breast cancer before the age of 40, an experience she describes as transformative in ways that still shape her daily life. “As strange as it may sound, having cancer before I turned 40 was an incredible gift to me,” she says. “From that experience, I learned how things can change in a heartbeat and how important it is to make the most of each day.”

Cancer taught her to speak openly, love deeply, and waste nothing, especially time. “I learned how important it is to tell people you love them and not leave any words unsaid with people you care about,” she says. Just as importantly, it taught her what to let go of. “I also learned not to waste time and energy on things that aren’t important.”

Today, disappointments don’t linger. “If my day didn’t go as planned,” she says, “I’ll have a better day tomorrow. I don’t spend time stewing on things.” Where she once worried about outcomes, she now trusts herself. “Whatever happens, it’s either a lesson or a gift—either way, I’m moving forward.”

That mindset has been tested repeatedly. Christina has watched her husband survive two heart attacks. She has lost her home and everything in it during an earthquake. She has had two cars stolen and, most recently, lost both of her parents. None of it broke her. “I’ve overcome all of it,” she says. “And I’m literally thriving now.”

Thriving, for Christina, looks like momentum. In her late fifties, she signed her second book deal, with a new book scheduled for release in late 2026. Her husband, Dr. Rusty Powell (a Grammy Award–winning songwriter and bassist whose career includes work with The Bee Gees and Bruce Springsteen) experienced his own remarkable second act when he was re-signed by a major record label at the age of 70.

“Between my husband and I, we are over 130 years old,” Christina says. “We are living proof that it’s never too late to make the most of your life,regardless of what life throws at you.”

Living Fully After 50 Is a Mindset

As a psychotherapist, Christina has spent decades studying relationships, identity, and emotional resilience. She holds a Master’s Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy, is a Board-Certified Diplomate of Professional Counseling, and is one of only a handful of therapists in the United States licensed in four states. Her books, including Cue Cards for Men and Cue Cards for Life, have helped readers navigate love and communication with clarity and compassion.

But when asked what advice she would give her younger self, her answer is deeply personal. “Just be yourself,” she says. “Because that’s when you’re the best.” She reflects on how much energy women spend trying to meet expectations that were never theirs to begin with. “When we’re younger, we spend a lot of time trying to meet other people’s expectations and fit societal norms,” she says. “What I’ve learned is that the people who tend to have the most expectations for us are those who are most unhappy with their lives.” With age, that pressure dissolves. “Be yourself and live for yourself,” she says. “This is your life. Make the most of it.”

Christina has always believed in the power of love, and her favorite book, The Bridges of Madison County, perfectly captures the quiet intensity and enduring magic of a true connection. Yet, her belief in wonder doesn’t stop there. There is a childlike joy in her outlook that makes life richer, lighter, and endlessly delightful. “I believe in Santa now more than I did as a kid,” she says. We like to think that for Christina, Christmas is less about the presents or traditions and more about embracing a sense of magic, possibility, and the little moments that make life feel endlessly enchanting, no matter your age.

Christina Steinorth-Powell’s life offers a powerful reminder for women over 50: aging is not about loss. It is about clarity. It is about courage. It is about finally trusting yourself enough to say yes to life. And as Christina would ask, gently, confidently, and without fear: why not?

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