Free to Be Mindful Podcast

In this heartfelt winddown of the Free to Be Mindful Podcast, Vanessa invites us to explore the very thing so many of us struggle with: rest. Through personal stories, cultural reflections, and gentle guidance, she helps us unpack why slowing down feels uncomfortable — and how to finally find peace in the pause.

Drawing from her upbringing in a traditional Dominican household, Vanessa shares how hustle culture, perfectionism, and ev...

In this episode of the Free to Be Mindful Podcast, Vanessa is joined by dermatologist and mom Dr. Mary Alice Mina to talk about how our skin changes over time—and why taking care of it doesn’t have to be complicated. They break down what really affects our skin, including hormones, stress, and lifestyle habits.

Dr. Mina shares practical advice that goes beyond just products. She talks about how skincare is connected to sleep, nutrit...

In this thoughtful episode of the Free to Be Mindful Podcast, Vanessa invites you to explore what it really means to be rich, beyond bank accounts and material success. Through reflections on celebrity insights and everyday experiences, she shares how true wealth is often rooted in presence, purpose, and a deep sense of gratitude. 

EPISODE DESCRIPTION

• Why money is often tied to safety and happiness
• What high-net-worth celebri...

In this episode of the Free to Be Mindful Podcast, Vanessa De Jesus Guzman talks with Dr. Nichelle Bowes, a leadership coach, mental fitness expert, and speaker. After a life-changing bike accident, Dr. Bowes began helping high-achieving women, especially Black and Brown women, live with more purpose and joy.

They explore the pressure many women feel to follow a checklist of life milestones—like getting the degree, the job, the marr...

In this special anniversary episode, Vanessa De Jesus Guzman — licensed therapist, speaker, and host of the Free to Be Mindful podcast — reflects on six years of growth, resilience, and purpose.

What began as a part-time dream has evolved into a full-time mission: supporting others through mindful living, mental health, and personal growth. From navigating licensing setbacks to launching a private practice, from building a national ...

In this episode, Vanessa is joined by Traci Peterson—nurse practitioner, entrepreneur, and founder of Woman Lessons, a movement designed to help mothers and daughters build confidence and connection.

They explore how busyness can become a woman’s identity, why so many high performers struggle with self-worth, and how those patterns can unintentionally shape the next generation. Traci opens up about the moment her daughter ...

EPISODE DESCRIPTION:
Before becoming a mom, many of us carry a picture in our minds—a version of motherhood built from childhood dreams, cultural narratives, and curated social media posts. But what happens when real life doesn’t match the picture? In this episode, Vanessa gets honest about the gap between expectations and reality, not in parenting—but in the motherhood experience itself. With warmth, humor, and grounded refle...

In this episode of the Free to Be Mindful Podcast, host Vanessa had such a meaningful conversation with Lacey Newman—a powerhouse speaker, coach, and top real estate team leader based out of Nashville. Lacey is a high-performing entrepreneur who’s led a top 1.5% real estate team and a mom of two who knows what it’s like to juggle a million things while still trying to stay grounded.

Lacey opened up about her journey as a single mom,...

In this episode of the Free to Be Mindful Podcast, Vanessa De Jesus Guzman, therapist, mom, and speaker, dives into a conversation that’s equal parts real talk and reflection: the blurry line between rest and avoidance.

With humor, honesty, and a few unpopular opinions, Vanessa explores what it really means to honor your limits—without using boundaries as an excuse to check out.

Whether you’re feeling burnt out, stuck in a lazy seaso...

In this episode, I had the pleasure of chatting with Angel Hepp—fellow mom of two, golden doodle lover, and co-founder of Meet Salt Collective, a creative marketing agency that helps businesses connect through powerful storytelling. We talked all about how motherhood and entrepreneurship overlap in the most unexpected (and sometimes messy) ways, and how being clear, whether with your kids or your clients, can make all the differenc...

Life has a funny way of making us feel like we’re always racing against some invisible clock — like if we don’t meet certain milestones by a certain age, we’ve somehow failed. But what if we’ve been measuring progress all wrong?

In this episode of the Free to Be Mindful Podcast, we explore the pressure of timelines — the kind we create in our minds, hear from others, and absorb from social media. Vanessa shares psychological insight...

Welcome to The Consult a Counselor Series, a special segment of the Free to Be Mindful Podcast. Join therapist and host Vanessa De Jesus Guzman, LPC, NCC, as she answers real-life parenting questions to help you find your calm in the chaos of parenting—and not lose your, well… you know.

TODAY'S QUESTION:

"My daughter is 16 and is definitely smoking weed. What should I do?"

Finding out your teen is using weed can br...

In Episode 262 of Free to Be Mindful Podcast, Vanessa De Jesus Guzman welcomes Rebekah Taylor, a real estate investor who transitioned from tech after a near-death experience in childbirth. Rebekah shares insights on mindful living, balancing career and family, and building multiple income streams for financial freedom—all while prioritizing self-care and mental health.

As a mom of three, she highlights the power of routines, qualit...

Welcome to The Consult a Counselor Series, a special segment of the Free to Be Mindful Podcast. Join therapist and host Vanessa De Jesus Guzman, LPC, NCC, as she answers real-life parenting questions to help you find your calm in the chaos of parenting—and not lose your, well… you know.

TODAY'S QUESTION:

"What can I do when I feel like I’m failing as a parent?"

The guilt, the overwhelm, the mental checklist of all ...

Welcome to The Consult a Counselor Series, a special segment of the Free to Be Mindful Podcast. Join therapist and host Vanessa De Jesus Guzman, LPC, NCC, as she answers real-life parenting questions to help you find your calm in the chaos of parenting—and not lose your, well… you know.

TODAY'S QUESTION:

"I really think my kid needs therapy, but I don't want to put up with family members thinking or saying he&apos...

Confidence... it’s something we all want to feel, yet sometimes, it feels just out of reach. Whether it’s second-guessing ourselves, shrinking in spaces that don’t support our growth, or letting self-doubt take the wheel, so many of us struggle to fully own our power.

In this episode of the Free to Be Mindful Podcast, we’re breaking down why confidence can feel so hard to hold onto and, more importantly, how we can shift our mindset...

In this episode, host Vanessa De Jesus Guzman chats with Courtney Youngs, author of The Waggle Dance, about life's unexpected twists and turns. Courtney shares her personal story—from career shifts to personal challenges—and how she discovered the power of the Waggle Dance: learning from life’s experiences and sharing those lessons with others, much like bees do.

She opens up about how becoming a mother changed her perspective,...

Welcome to The Consult a Counselor Series, a special segment of the Free to Be Mindful Podcast. Join therapist and host Vanessa De Jesus Guzman, LPC, NCC, as she answers real-life parenting questions to help you find your calm in the chaos of parenting—and not lose your, well… you know.

TODAY'S QUESTION:

"How do I handle the guilt of missing important moments because of work and the feeling of overwhelm from being a wo...

Saying no shouldn’t come with guilt... but for many of us, it does. From childhood expectations to cultural influences, we’ve been conditioned to prioritize others’ needs over our own. But constantly saying yes can leave us feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, and disconnected from what truly matters.

In this episode we explore why people-pleasing feels so ingrained, how it affects our well-being, and most importantly, how to shift our m...