Listen for REAL

I invited Poonan Bhuchar on the pod because I believed her lived experience of marriage, divorce, and career differed from mine and would expand my perspective. Well...Poonan did teach me a great deal - but ultimately, we are more stunningly alike than different.  From overriding our gut instincts, to not listening to our body, to doing the very best we can for our kids…we cover a lot of ground an...

This conversation was a little edgy, but so illuminating for me. I connect with Jaclyn Foster, the insightful author of  "I Touch Myself" and we navigate awkward waters with laughter and REAL talk. There is more to consider with the intricacies of self-love and the art of body awareness.  Plus, we get into the confusing paradox of our response to pleasure; we can desire unhealthy behaviors like ov...

REAL conversation with Alycia Anderson - a wheelchair user who responds with candor to discriminatory assumptions and uncomfortable conversations that happen in her presence or after she has rolled away.  Alycia helped me to remove the fear and pity lens that I was looking at disabled folks through. I was operating from an ableist perspective - a notion that a “normal” body is the ideal - concludi...

I learned so much during this conversation with Emelda De Coteau. Our motherhood journeys look very different - as we talk about the emotional terrain of raising a child with unique needs. Tears were definitely shed in this episode; Emelda speaks honestly about her journey as a mother to her vibrant, neurodivergent child. At one point, she describes how it feels to watch your child struggle to fin...

I am back with the insightful Christie Watrous for a heartfelt conversation on the intricacies of sisterhood.  We get REAL about the social conditioning that often pits women against each other and share our own journeys toward meaningful connections.  Christie and I discuss our shared passion around holding space for other women and the transformative experience of being seen in our most vulnerab...

My conversation with Christie Watrous expands my limited viewpoint…again. We unpack what it means to connect with our bodies and each other, defining intimacy and pleasure in REAL terms. Spoiler alert: intimacy and pleasure are not always sexual and wow sometimes they are - AND it can look different than what the culture dishes up.  As the founder of Embodied Life Transitions, Christie brings her...

Here I am, a white chick, learning what’s appropriate to ask of a black woman when it comes to her lived experience. Thank God for Wanda Smith who is grace and wisdom embodied into one beautiful human. I ask a lot of careful, race-related questions because I am so afraid of doing it wrong - but she gets me. Our conversation highlights the importance of curious dialogue to create empathy and self-a...

A love letter ended up in my hands. It’s the week of all things LOVE and I’m feeling moved to record an impromptu, mini-episode with just us…you and me – as I share a message received on Valentine's Day. I hope that revealing something this personal - and then unpacking all that it represents - sets the stage for deeper love for ALL of us… Join me.  WomanSpeak™ 6 Week Intensive Speaking REAL Maste...

Another REALity check on the couch with one of my besties - Christina and I share honest stuff about our bodies and how to process emotions and the sensations we feel. This episode comes with a CONTENT WARNING given I speak on matters relating to sex and trauma work and Christina discusses her experience around grief.  We unpack my struggle with what can be trusted and acted upon and what can't. S...

This talk with Dr. Sarah Almilli underscores the very reason I started this podcast! We start with my recap of when I was called a racist (among other fun things) on social media – and my determination to pursue conversations that broaden my limited perspective. AND, Sarah delivered a REAL convo to be sure. She moved from Egypt to the U.S. at the age of 17 and reflects on the challenges she faced...

As someone who spent decades experiencing God and a faith practice in a limited, narrow way  - I am always looking to learn and stretch my perspective. Kerri Naber and I delve into an honest chat - touching on various aspects of faith plus the challenges of navigating religious constructs. She and I merge and diverge as we reflect on our experiences - in and out of organized religion.  We talk pra...

Megan explains the struggle of putting on a brave face while wanting to disappear in plain sight - the sheer exhaustion and sense of hopelessness when searching for help. This is the experience of countless individuals affected by post traumatic stress injuries. Megan also shares hopeful insight from her current perspective as a coach and group facilitator for first responder peer support, outlini...

“How is this going to serve me?” I bristle when I hear that phrase because I once believed words like that were the epitome of “self-ish” — NOT SO!  Julian Sarafian speaks to his high-pressured path from Berkeley to Harvard to a career in Big Law and then his decision to go a different direction. We have romanticized hustle-culture and for what? It often tanks our mental and physical health - and...

Christina reflects on her anxiety and desperate need for control along with the anticipatory grief she wrestled with for nearly 17 years, since her Mom’s first cancer diagnosis. And now, she has the gift of deeper insight and peace - something she never anticipated in the wake of losing her closest person.  Guest Bio: Christina Fichera is one of my (Jen) BFFs and a person with an abundance of role...

With humor and a crazy level of wisdom and instinct that comes only with pain and vulnerability – Erin and I talk about what it is like to build your own life for the first time. AND she is building something incredible, having lived through more than most before the age of 40. Guest Bio: Erin Nichols is the best-selling author of No Matter What: A Story of Unwavering Hope and the Power of Resilie...

It took us a few minutes to get rolling in this episode because I was speaking carefully…and NOT because Tiffany K. Martin makes conversation difficult (quite the contrary - she is an exceptional woman). I was playing it safe. We talk about life’s ever-shifting rules of engagement and our instinct of playing it safe or staying silent so we don’t “rock the boat.” And then, we dig into the value of...

Never underestimate the power of a person who can connect to their truth and bring THAT voice forward! Maybe you relate, as I do, to the individual who is detached from their real feelings and stories. How often do we find ourselves in a battle with the constant chatter in our head - delivering words that represent half-truths, people-pleasing, and performative behavior.  I am a classic example of...

Albert and I are close in age and shared values but we arrive at our conversation with very different origin stories…he grew up as a Mexican-American in LA surrounded by gangs, violence, insecurity and pain. I am a white girl raised in Silicon Valley with all of the privilege that comes with a stable family, education, and opportunity.   We talk about trauma and transformation and navigating the c...

I’m the kind of person who dreams and plans in grand fashion. For years, I operated under a notion that big ideas require even bigger action plans - and that small actions are insignificant and a waste of time. And predictably, my workload became unsustainable and I would stall in overwhelm. Here's a newsflash if you resonate with me  - starting simply is not only incredibly effective - it is a re...

Michelle Raz has a statement on the back of her business card that says, “ADHD is a gift…what’s yours?” Not gonna lie, I am not sure many kids and adults with ADHD would agree with her statement; for many it is excruciating terrain to navigate. There are answers! Guest Bio: Michelle Raz is an accomplished entrepreneur, author, and highly sought-after coach, specializing in ADHD and executive funct...

We have another kind of “me too” movement on our hands. This conversation with Eunice Brownlee blew my mind as she shared her personal experience with domestic abuse and the inequities often found in the family court system. It is enough to experience abuse at the hands of another; but to endure additional pain inflicted by the very system meant to arbitrate justice and provide protection? Dishear...

We have another kind of “me too” movement on our hands. This conversation with Eunice Brownlee blew my mind as she shared her personal experience with domestic abuse and the inequities often found in the family court system. It is enough to experience abuse at the hands of another; but to endure additional pain inflicted by the very system meant to arbitrate justice and provide protection? Dishear...

I decided to converse with one of my besties, Christina Fichera, to unpack the past year and some difficult stuff that we both are processing. We approach the conversation from varied perspectives given our lives are so different; Christina is in her 30’s and I am in my 50’s. I’ve been married twice and have adult kids and didn’t build a career until the last five years. Christina hasn’t married o...

About Jen Oliver: Jen Oliver is a speaker, podcaster, and communications coach - equipping people to speak with greater impact and presence. Whether you are speaking on stage, promoting your brand, or voicing your needs in a relationship - communicating with your truest voice and cultivating human connection with your audience is the key to influence. Jen coaches individuals privately and within h...

The stories we believe shape our lives; even the ones we discard influence us. But what about the stories we boldly decide to rewrite? This past year, I decided that many of my personal narratives were not serving me — they were even harmful at points. Ronna Detrick and I uncover the root of some of our personal stories and how they've influenced us, whether they emerge from sacred spiritual texts...