Conversations with Coach LA

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month — a time to elevate voices, honor survivors, and amplify stories of transformation. Tonight, we spotlight Artice Amor, a Boston-based entrepreneur who turned adversity into artistry. Her journey from pain to purpose — captured in her piece “Becoming Artice” — reflects the essence of reinvention, resilience, and radical self-love. This conversation explo...

This week on Conversations with Coach LA, we’re talking about what it means to transform pain into purpose. After losing her child’s father, Marcus Hall, to gun violence, Shiaka McIntosh could have let grief define her story — but instead, she decided to rewrite it. As the founder of Parties From Above, Shiaka has hosted more than 100 birthday parties and community events for children who’ve lost...

In this deeply moving and empowering episode, Coach LA sits down with creative visionary and health advocate LaDonna Hampton, Founder of The Posh Group, to explore what it truly means to reclaim your health while living with a chronic condition. With over 25 years of experience designing events that celebrate culture, elegance, and purpose, LaDonna opens up about her journey as both a successful e...

  🔎 Episode Summary In this powerful episode, Coach LA sits down with Dr. Kimberly Claude, a nurse practitioner and community advocate, to explore what it means to mother the community. Together, they unpack the intersection of civic engagement, leadership as service, and the critical importance of breast cancer awareness—especially for Black women, who face higher risks and disparities in care....

In this episode, Coach LA sits down with author and Boston native Eric Jones (The Scars That Healed) to talk openly about mental health stigma and Black masculinity. From his childhood in Mattapan during the 70s–90s, to becoming a father at 18, to his journey as an author and professional, Eric shares his story of resilience, growth, and breaking cycles of trauma. This episode explores why so many...

In this episode of Conversations with Coach LA, we continue our Reclaim series with a transformative conversation on faith, healing, and collective freedom. Joining Coach LA is the legendary Queen Sheba—a 2x Grammy®-nominated spoken word poet, author, professor, and activist—whose voice has ignited stages from the Apollo to international festivals. Sheba brings her truth, artistry, and lived exper...

Episode #134 The Strength to Start Over—a powerful dialogue on betrayal, burnout, breakdowns, and building a bold new beginning. 🎙️ GUEST SPOTLIGHT 🎙️ Meet Dr. Lanecha Conner—therapist, speaker, podcast host, and the #1 Connection Coach for millennial women ready to be HER out loud. 🔥✨ Dr. Lanecha blends mental health expertise with transformational coaching to help women stop shrinking, speak w...

Resetting doesn’t mean starting over — it means starting smarter. In this powerful episode, Coach LA is joined by Manda — entrepreneur, yoga instructor, early childhood educator, and host of the Pandagasms Podcast. Together, they explore what it means to reset in real time when life takes an unexpected turn. From BOS Affirmations™ (Believe, Engage, Trust) to strategies for re-framing survival as a...

When you give yourself permission to create, you also give yourself permission to heal.✨ 🎙️ When words meet melody, healing happens. This week on Conversations with Coach LA, we’re unlocking the transformative power of art with two dynamic Poetherapy alumni—Rey Royale @ReyRoyale617 R&B recording artist and radio personality, and Reesa Write @ReesaWrite, author and spoken word artist. From soul-st...

This week, Conversations with Coach LA takes an intimate and empowering look at the journey through grief. Our guest, Tia Washington, will share her personal and professional insights on navigating loss, cultivating growth in difficult seasons, and embracing grace when life’s challenges feel overwhelming. From her lived experiences as a mother, advocate, and seasoned Behavioral Health professional...

Season 8 kicks off with a powerful conversation on rebuilding after life’s toughest transitions. Coach LA sits down with Kym Kan—mentor, caregiver, and author of S.O.S. Stuck on Stupid—to talk faith, healing, and breaking free from cycles that keep us stuck. From divorce and caregiving burnout to finding purpose again, Kym’s story is a blueprint for starting over with courage, humor, and grace. 🎧...

In this powerful and reflective episode, Coach LA is joined by Michael “Chief” Peterson—playwright, performer, advocate, and the first-ever Poet Laureate of New Britain, CT. Known for fusing poetic artistry with social responsibility, Chief delivers insight on how creativity can serve as both a healing force and a call to action. Together, they explore: The intersection of poetry and purpose Chief...

In this unfiltered and powerful episode, Coach LA sits down with creative entrepreneur and branding/institutional change expert   James Lambert III to explore the real meaning of networking in today’s world. Together, they unpack the myth behind “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know,” and dig deep into how authenticity builds better business, deeper trust, and sustainable opportunities. From...

Introduction Welcome to another insightful episode of Conversations with Coach LA! Today, we explore the delicate balance between Purpose, Passion, and Paychecks—debunking myths and discovering how to achieve holistic success in both career and personal life. Guest Introduction Joining us is Comedy Bae, a talented comedian and entrepreneur who shares her journey of navigating the comedic world whi...

What if your money struggles weren’t just about dollars—but about unhealed wounds, inherited beliefs, and societal pressure?   In this powerful episode of Conversations with Coach LA, financial educator James Leveque joins us to unpack the emotional layers of financial trauma and what it really takes to break cycles of scarcity. From his journey as a Boston Public Schools educator to launching the...

Join licensed psychotherapist and radio host Lakisha "Coach LA" Austin on Conversations with Coach LA this Sunday, June 8th at 10pm, for an empowering conversation with author and entrepreneur Vick Breedy. This episode marks the beginning of Series 3 in Season 7, themed “Redefining Success: Personal, Professional & Financial Growth.” Together, they’ll explore how hustle culture perpetuates burnout...

80% of women report struggling with negative self-talk at least weekly (Girlguiding UK, 2022). Research shows women are twice as likely to ruminate, often leading to lower self-esteem (Nolen-Hoeksema, 2001). Black women face additional challenges due to racialized expectations and "strong Black woman" tropes. It’s all about flipping the script in your mind. “Mind Over Matter: Reframing Negative Se...

In this episode of Conversations with Coach LA , we’re unlocking The Confidence Code — because your voice matters and your presence deserves the room. Special guest Author, and aspiring mental health clinician, Siedah Moore joins us to break down how racial scripts, microaggressions, and imposter syndrome affect confidence, especially for Black women.   Key findings discussed: 60% of women regular...

In this episode’s Coach’s Corner, Coach LA highlights how imposter syndrome disproportionately affects high-achieving women, particularly Black women navigating predominately white institutions. Citing data from Harvard Business Review , she notes that this internalized self-doubt often leads to burnout, overcompensation, and a disconnection from purpose. Coach LA offers actionable strategies to b...

🔸 Episode Overview Boundaries are not just about saying "no"—they're about saying "yes" to what truly matters. In this powerful episode, Coach LA sits down with media powerhouse Tonia Magras, COO of Hull Bay Productions, to talk about the sacred act of setting boundaries—without guilt, shame, or apology. From decades of navigating the media world to telling raw and real stories through film, Toni...

🎙✨ New Season, New Series, New Energy! We kick off Series 2: The Self-Work of Conversations with Coach LA with a deep dive into the real journey of self-awareness, confidence, and resilience. Our first episode, Mirror Talk: The Journey to Self-Love and Self-Acceptance , features none other than Boston’s powerhouse vocalist and resilient soul, Angelena "SongBird" Hightower! 🎶 From gracing stages...

From the pulpit to the people, he’s been a voice for healing and hope for over three decades. This week on Conversations with Coach LA, we welcome the iconic Bishop William E. Dickerson II to unpack faith, healing, and what it truly means to BET on SELF. Don’t miss this powerful conversation. Featured Guest Bio: Bishop William E. Dickerson II, founder and Senior Pastor of Greater Love Tabernacle (...

In this deeply personal and thought-provoking episode, Coach LA is joined by the dynamic duo Allysa Cambra and Nicolette Quashie, co-founders of Silver Lining Integrative Psychiatry (SLIPServices). Together, they unpack the complexities of identity and intersectionality, diving into how their personal and cultural backgrounds, professional experiences, and mental health journeys shaped their passi...

This season of Conversations with Coach LA invites listeners to unpack the past—personally, generationally, and systemically—and begin healing from within. In this episode, we move beyond the therapy chair and into the heart of the collective—because healing doesn’t just happen in isolation, it happens in community. We’re joined by a dynamic voice in empowerment and advocacy: Shnell Swain — board-...

Episode Title: Trauma & Triumph: Transforming Pain into Power Series: Conversations with Coach LA – Season 7 Series Theme: Unpacking the Past: Healing from Within   In this transformative episode of Conversations with Coach LA, we’re joined by the radiant Toni Blue Rose—artist, author, mental health clinician, and founder of The Blue Rose Movement and Healing Through Art Therapies. Together, we ex...