Blind Spots with Gail McDonald
Blind Spots with Gail McDonald www.blindspotscoaching.ca See what you've been missing. We all have them—those hidden beliefs, unconscious patterns, or old narratives that quietly shape our thoughts, behaviors, and relationships. In Blind Spots, host Gail McDonald helps you uncover the unseen barriers holding you back from the life, leadership, and impact you truly want. Whether it’s a limiting mindset, a bias you didn’t know you had, or a fear disguised as logic, Blind Spots is a space for radical self-awareness and transformation. Gail draws from decades of experience in leadership coaching and personal development to shine a light on the areas of unawareness that affect our decision-making, self-perception, and ability to grow. Each episode features honest, thought-provoking conversations—with everyday people, experts, and change-makers—paired with solo insights that challenge you to pause, reflect, and see with new eyes. If you're ready to: Get unstuck and move forward, Strengthen your relationships, Make clearer, more aligned decisions, And grow into the person you know you’re meant to be... Then you’re in the right place. This isn’t about blame. It’s about breakthrough. Because once you see a blind spot, it’s no longer in control. New episodes drop regularly. Subscribe now and start seeing differently. www.blindspotscoaching.ca This podcast is for reflection and inspiration—not advice. We explore emotional intelligence, personal growth, and relational dynamics through stories and conversation. What’s shared is meant to spark curiosity, not serve as professional guidance. All views shared by the host or the guests are personal and do not represent affiliated organizations. By tuning in, you agree to engage with this content thoughtfully and with discernment.
Episodes
Gail McDonald sits down with Lisa Purcell to explore a career journey shaped by curiosity, courage, and a willingness to move forward without having everything figured out.
From leaving Canada at 23 with a suitcase and a backpack, to working as a nanny and English teacher in Spain, joining the United Nations Development Programme in Geneva, navigating international banking in London, and eventually returning to Canada to raise a fam...
In this special year-end episode of Blind Spots, host Gail McDonald offers an unscripted, reflective conversation about gratitude, boundaries, and easing the pressure we place on ourselves during the holidays.
Recorded just days before Christmas, this episode isn’t about doing more — it’s about letting go. Gail reflects on the power of gratitude, the gift of time, and why perfection is often the biggest source of holiday stress. Fro...
Gail McDonald sits down with Dr. Joel Rothaizer, MCC, ABPP. He’s a Board Certified Psychologist, a Master Certified Coach through the International Coaching Federation, and a long-time executive coach. Together we explore the surprising overlap between coaching and psychology — and why coaches can safely borrow powerful techniques without crossing ethical lines. With more than 30 years of experience supporting leaders and organizat...
Gail McDonald takes listeners inside one of her favourite personal-development books of all time: 17 Lies That Are Holding You Back and the Truth That Will Set You Free by Steve Chandler. In this reflective solo episode, Gail explores two powerful lies many of us repeat without realizing the impact they have on our confidence, our relationships, our habits, and our future: “That’s just the way I am” and “I’m too old for that.”
Drawi...
Gail McDonald sits down with sisters Daria and Shawna Balas, the powerhouse founders behind SHE-Canada, a coast-to-coast platform built to support, celebrate, and elevate women-led businesses. What began as a simple acronym, Support Her Enterprise, has grown into a national movement giving women greater visibility, confidence, and community in entrepreneurship.
In this heartfelt conversation, Gail, Daria, and Shawna explore the real...
Gail McDonald sits down with Ed Brenegar, leadership thought leader, writer, podcaster, and social catalyst, to explore what leadership really means in a time when old systems are breaking down and new models are emerging.
Ed, author of eight books and writer of The Future of Leadership on Substack, shares why leadership has nothing to do with titles and everything to do with initiative, clarity, and community. Together, they unpack...
Gail McDonald sits down with Dayna Haig-Conway, Registered BC Clinical Counsellor, Certified K-12 Educator and founder of CAMP Mental Health, to explore the real stories and lived experiences that shaped her work in resilience, motivation, and belonging.
Dayna shares her nonlinear path, from outdoor education to youth care to school counselling, and the earthquake in New Zealand that changed everything. She talks candidly about post...
In the previous episode, we uncovered how invisible scripts—our assumptions—can quietly derail connection. This week, Gail returns to close the loop.
In Part 2 of Assumptions: The Unseen Saboteurs of Connection, Gail goes deeper into how we can notice and neutralize those knee-jerk reactions that keep us stuck. From the “lizard brain” to the 90-second rule, she explores the neuroscience of emotion and the everyday tools that help us...
A listener shared: “At my mom’s house, visiting meant nonstop talking. At my husband’s, it meant quiet companionship.”
Same moment. Different meanings.
This episode on Blind Spots, Gail unpacks the invisible scripts we carry into relationships—those default settings shaped by family, culture, and experience. What happens when our assumptions clash with someone else’s? For example, how do we stop interpreting silence as rejection or c...
In this heartfelt and thought-provoking episode of Blind Spots, host Gail McDonald sits down with Colin Smith, known as The Listener, to explore what it truly means to listen — not just with our ears, but with our whole being.
Colin, a specialist in listening skills and psychological safety, shares his insights on why hearing and listening are not the same thing, how being fully present can transform relationships, and why learning ...
In this inspiring conversation, host Gail McDonald sits down with Paul Haury, leadership consultant and founder of Heart-Based Leading, to explore one of our greatest blind spots: belonging. Paul shares why loneliness is less a personal condition and more a symptom of disconnection—and how true belonging is a conscious choice, not just a feeling.
Drawing from personal stories, his years as a teacher, and his work with organizations,...
In this episode of Blind Spots, host Gail McDonald welcomes Andy Vargo—professional speaker, author, life-change coach, podcast host, comedian, and the creator of the “Own Your Awkward” movement. Once described as “Red Bull for your heart,” Andy shares his journey of embracing authenticity after navigating divorce, coming out, and starting over at 40.
Together, they explore why owning your quirks builds trust, how vulnerability stre...
In this deeply moving episode of Blind Spots, host Gail McDonald sits down with her longtime friend, award-winning actress, and career coach Susan Smith for a raw, heartfelt conversation on navigating the “unfathomable” territory of grief after the loss of a child. Both women share their personal journeys—just months apart—of losing their sons, exploring what it means to grieve with resilience, find meaning in absence, and embrace ...
In this powerful Blind Spots episode, host Gail McDonald speaks with Dr. Amy Kirkham, an exercise and cardiovascular health expert, and Dr. Carla Prado, a leading nutrition researcher, about their groundbreaking collaboration at the intersection of cancer recovery, heart health, and lifestyle medicine.
Together, they share why women’s cardiovascular health remains under-researched, how cancer treatments can have long-term impacts on...
In this introductory episode of Blind Spots, host Gail McDonald shares the heart behind the podcast and why uncovering our blind spots is so important for personal growth, relationships, and decision-making. Drawing on over 20 years of coaching experience, Gail explains what blind spots are, how they quietly shape our thoughts and behaviors, and why building self-awareness and emotional intelligence matters.
She also shares her own ...
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