Find Your Voice, Change Your Life

Today I interview Leisa Reid, who grew up with a strong sense of independence fostered by her parents’ unique approach to raising her. With her parents divorced and living in different states, Leisa’s early life involved traveling alone between homes, which encouraged self-reliance from a young age. Her father, a hypnotherapist, further nurtured her independence by introducing her to ideas about inner awareness and self-reflection,...

Today, I interview Kathryn Regganie, who grew up feeling different because of her learning disabilities, especially dyslexia. Kathryn shares how she faced challenges in school and often felt disconnected from traditional learning systems. Despite these struggles, her parents, especially her father, were a strong source of encouragement, reminding her she had the choice and determination to succeed, even if others doubted her.
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Today, I interview Katherine Kennedy, who grew up feeling the need to appear like everything was perfect, avoiding hard conversations and hiding behind a mask. As the youngest in her family, she was often seen as the one who brought fun and laughter, but underneath, she struggled to express her true emotions. This sense of needing to present a perfect life, while holding in difficult feelings, left her disconnected from her authent...

Today, I interview Dana Weaver, whose story starts with a pivotal moment during her childhood when her great-grandmother, a woman she adored, moved into a nursing home. Seeing the poor conditions in the facility sparked a realization in Dana that things needed to change. This event, coupled with her father’s encouraging words, planted a seed in her heart that would later grow into her passion for leadership and advocacy in the fiel...

Today, I interview Randall Alifano who grew up in a loud, talkative Italian family where everyone spoke, but no one really listened. Like many of us, Randall often felt unheard and disconnected, surrounded by people but without real understanding. This early experience of being silenced planted the seed for his deep curiosity about human connection and the power of listening.

As he grew older, Randall began asking deeper q...

Today, I interview Maria Semple who grew up in Venezuela as the youngest of five children in a time of political upheaval. Life was filled with challenges from an early age, and Maria often felt the need to shout to be heard in a household full of older siblings. Despite the joyful, community-focused culture of Venezuela, Maria also faced the trauma of losing her brother at a young age. This marked her deeply, instilling a sense of...

Today I interview Jolina Karen who grew up in a household where her voice often felt stifled by the silence and conflict between her parents. Raised in South Africa during apartheid, Jolina experienced the tension between her mother’s spiritual beliefs and her father’s scientific skepticism, which created a quiet but emotionally charged environment. 

This early exposure to unresolved conflict taught her to suppress her own...

Today I interview Linda Dieffenbach, whose personal healing journey from childhood trauma led her to become a devoted personal transformation coach and holistic practitioner. Linda shares her story of growing up with an emotionally distant and abusive father, being severely bullied by peers at school, and the profound impact of having her pain invalidated when she sought help as a teenager. These experiences left Linda feeling sile...

Today I interview Linda Joy Myers, who had a difficult childhood marked by abandonment and an unstable home life. Her mother left when Linda was just four, leaving her to be raised by a grandmother who, while providing a stable home, also struggled with mental health issues that led to critical behavior. Linda had to focus on survival with little permission to have her own voice.

One bright spot was music. Linda's gra...

Today I interview Alison Love David who grew up in South East London in a poor but musical family. Her mother made sacrifices to send Alison to private school, where she excelled academically but felt she had to be a people pleaser to fit in. This led to Alison not knowing her true self for many years.

Alison's journey to find her authentic voice has been a long one. At age 17, she had a pivotal realization that she n...

Today, I interview Louise Gallagher, who faced significant trauma in her early years, including abuse and a lack of support from her family. Growing up, her home life was turbulent, marked by frequent conflicts between her parents. Louise often took on the role of caretaker, trying to shield her younger sibling from the chaos. 

The pivotal moment in Louise’s journey came when she became a mother herself. As her own childre...

Today I interview Pascale Cook-Fernandes, who struggled with feeling stifled and not having a voice in her generation, where children were expected to "be seen and not heard".

In high school, Pascale faced teasing because of her uniqueness, but found her voice and confidence when she auditioned to be the drum major in marching band, despite usually trying to "shrink down" and hide. This experience taugh...

Today, I interview Kadin McElwain, who had significant challenges posed by autism. Diagnosed at the age of two, Kadin's early life was marked by frequent moves due to his father's job and the need for better educational opportunities. 

Despite these disruptions, Kadin faced severe bullying during middle and high school and the removal of his IEP services, which his parents had to fight to restore. The onset of the COVID-19...

Today, I interview Angilie Kapoor, who struggled with being bullied as a child. She was an extremely shy and introverted girl who preferred to be alone, afraid of being made fun of for looking different.

As the daughter of a military father, Angilie's family moved frequently, forcing her to constantly start over in new places. This made it difficult for her to form lasting friendships. However, it also helped her deve...

Today, I interview Jennifer Arthurton, whose childhood was a quest for acceptance and attention within her family. Born in England and raised in the Caribbean, Jennifer's early years were serene until her parents' divorce. Feeling overshadowed by her younger brother, she continually sought approval through conformity and achievement.

As Jennifer matured, she excelled academically and pursued a successful corporat...

Today, I interview Susan RoAne who faced challenges early in childhood marked by her brother's battle with polio, which demanded much of her family's attention and resources. This experience, while difficult, taught her the importance of communication and advocacy, as she often found herself speaking up on her brother's behalf. 

Susan also shared how she was thrust into social situations from a young age, wh...

Today, I interview Julia Stege, who struggled to find her footing amidst doubts about her artistic abilities and societal expectations. Growing up in a family where creativity was both encouraged and stifled, Julia found herself navigating conflicting messages about her abilities. Despite doubts about her artistic prowess and pressures to conform, Julia pursued her passion for graphic design.

As Julia ventured into the wor...

Today, I interview Elona Lopari, who was misunderstood and restricted by societal norms early in her childhood. Growing up in Albania, she grappled with being labeled as mischievous and stubborn for her independent thinking and curiosity. Despite these hurdles, Elona found solace in her innate drive for achievement and a determination to break through limitations imposed by others.

Upon immigrating to the United States, El...

Today, I interview Matt Mueller, who talks about how he went from being a very creative child to facing the tough rules of grown-up life that often stop us from being imaginative. He shares important times when the fear of what others would think made him quiet his own new ideas. 

This story of change is not only about Matt; it's something many of us can relate to when we think about how often we've had to hold b...