Elsplend Realities

Many people feel overwhelmed by modern healthcare—uncertain about where responsibility lies, what advice to trust, and how much control they truly have over their own wellbeing. In this episode of Elsplend Realities, we explore what it means to move from passive participation in health to active ownership. Our guest, pharmacist and healthcare leader Dr. Timothy Youkhana, brings over 25 years of ex...

Many people experience persistent anxiety, fatigue, pain, or emotional imbalance without clear answers—even after medical tests show nothing “wrong.” But what if these experiences are not isolated symptoms, but signals from a body under long-term strain? In this episode of Elsplend Realities, we explore the deep connection between physical structure, nervous system function, and emotional wellbein...

Many high achievers reach a point where effort is no longer the issue—they are disciplined, strategic, and consistent—yet something still feels off. Progress slows, confidence fluctuates, and results don’t match the input. In this episode of Elsplend Realities, we explore what lies beneath visible performance: the subconscious patterns that quietly shape decisions, behavior, and outcomes. Our gues...

What happens when the struggle isn’t external—but internal? When rage, trauma, addiction, and ego don’t feel like passing emotions, but persistent forces shaping your thoughts, decisions, and identity? In this episode of Elsplend Realities, we explore the concept of inner agency—the discipline of staying in control of your internal world even when it feels like chaos is in charge. Our guest, Josef...

What if the life you’re living—the responsibilities, decisions, and daily pressures—wasn’t just something to manage, but a place where deeper clarity, purpose, and faith could be formed? In this episode of Elsplend Realities, we explore what it means to live with intention when life feels demanding, uncertain, or complex—and how faith can become a guiding force in leadership, relationships, and pe...

In venture capital, great ideas alone rarely determine outcomes—positioning, clarity, and perception often decide who gets funded and who gets overlooked. In this episode of Elsplend Realities, we go behind the scenes of early-stage investing, PR strategy, and the structural gaps that shape who gets access to capital. Our guest, PR strategist, entrepreneur, and early-stage venture capitalist Liana...

We are living in a moment of rapid acceleration—where technology advances quickly, narratives harden easily, and many people quietly wonder whether we are evolving with intention or simply reacting faster to change. In this episode of Elsplend Realities, we explore what it means to remain consciously human in an age defined by complexity, innovation, and constant transformation. Our guest, Certifi...

In a world where attention is limited and traditional sales approaches are losing effectiveness, success depends less on persuasion—and more on perspective. In this episode of Elsplend Realities, we explore how selling has evolved beyond scripts, pitches, and product-first thinking into a more human, insight-driven practice rooted in trust and understanding. Our guest, sales strategist, consultant...

Motherhood is often described as addition—but for many women, it feels like a quiet disappearance of the self they once knew. In this episode of Elsplend Realities, we explore the emotional and psychological identity shift that occurs in motherhood—the anxiety, self-doubt, and internal disconnection that can surface even when everything on the outside appears “fine.” Our guest, Licensed Profession...

There’s a quiet kind of exhaustion that comes from doing everything “right” for everyone else—until you slowly lose touch with yourself in the process. In this episode of Elsplend Realities, we explore what happens when the person who always shows up for others reaches their own breaking point—and begins the process of coming home to themselves. Our guest, self-empowerment creative, singer, and ho...

Many emotionally intelligent people find themselves repeating the same relational patterns—shutting down, over-explaining, fawning, or becoming reactive—despite years of self-awareness and personal growth. In this episode of Elsplend Realities, we explore why those patterns are not simply communication issues, but nervous system responses shaped by perceived emotional safety. Our guest, creator of...

Many high-achieving women appear composed, capable, and in control—yet internally experience a constant undercurrent of pressure, overthinking, and emotional fatigue. In this episode of Elsplend Realities, we explore what it really means to feel calm on the inside while building success on the outside. Our guest, licensed clinical psychologist and international speaker Dr. Nafisa Sekandari, shares...

There’s a quiet pattern many capable women recognize: they are competent, trusted, and highly effective—yet still not fully seen in the rooms they occupy. In this episode of Elsplend Realities, we explore what it means to shift from quiet capability to grounded presence. Our guest, executive presence expert and founder of Copper + Rise, Joanna Lovering, unpacks the subtle barriers that hold high-a...

In this episode of Elsplend Realities, we sit down with Susan Siravo, executive media advisor, former TV reporter, and communication strategist, to explore what really happens when expertise meets visibility. Susan brings a rare dual perspective — having been both on camera as a reporter and behind the scenes as a coach for executives and high-performing professionals. Her work reveals a consisten...

In this deeply grounding episode of Elsplend Realities, we sit down with Julie Turner — dancer, trauma-informed movement specialist, and founder of The Movement Effect — to explore how healing can begin not in the mind, but in the body. Drawing from her own lived experience as a domestic abuse survivor, Julie shares how movement became a pathway out of trauma and into safety, agency, and reconnect...

In this episode of Elsplend Realities, we sit down with Micah Logan, business growth and leadership expert, to explore what truly drives or drains a business beyond strategy alone. Micah’s journey began without mentors or formal guidance, shaped instead by early challenges, self-taught resilience, and learning through failure. Today, he helps entrepreneurs move from chaos and cash flow stress into...

In this episode of Elsplend Realities, we sit down with Cory Chadwick, founder of Lyceum — a “mental gym” designed to help high-performers and growth-driven leaders strengthen their mindset with the same discipline used to train the body. Cory’s journey is shaped by personal loss and a lifelong exploration of how people think, adapt, and grow through adversity. His work reframes mental health and...

In this episode of Elsplend Realities, we sit down with Dr. Emily Hensarling, audiologist and creator of Sound Shift, to explore a different way of understanding tinnitus — not just as a sound in the ear, but as an experience shaped by the brain and nervous system. With over 20 years of clinical experience, Dr. Hensarling challenges the outdated belief that people must simply “learn to live with i...

In this episode of Elsplend Realities, we sit down with Janet Dickey, professional mindset coach and creator of Built to Compete: A Mindset Blueprint for Coaches, to explore what truly separates good teams from great ones — confidence. With over 35 years as head Field Hockey Coach at Westbrook High School, Janet has transformed a small program into a consistent competitive force, earning multiple...

In this deeply moving episode of Elsplend Realities, we sit down with Dr. Oluwole Babatunde—physician-scientist, psychiatrist, author, and servant-leader—to explore a life shaped by profound loss and sustained by unwavering purpose. Orphaned by the age of thirteen, Dr. Babatunde’s journey began in grief, uncertainty, and early responsibility. Yet rather than defining his limits, these experiences...

In this episode of Elsplend Realities, we sit down with Michael Newmann, Branch Manager and Senior Loan Officer at CMG Home Loans, to explore the deeper psychology behind one of life’s biggest financial decisions — borrowing. With over 20 years of experience in mortgage leadership and a background in psychology, Michael brings a unique perspective to lending — one that blends financial strategy wi...

In this episode of Elsplend Realities, we sit down with Fuquan Bilal, Founder and CEO of NNG Capital Fund, to explore what it truly takes to build sustainable wealth in real estate — beyond strategy, beyond numbers, and into the realm of mindset, discipline, and emotional intelligence. With over 25 years of experience and more than $50 million in capital raised, Fuquan shares insights from navigat...

In this profound episode of Elsplend Realities, we sit down with Jay U. Jacobson to explore what leadership truly looks like when the stakes are real, the emotions are raw, and there is no room for performance. Drawing from experiences in funeral homes, disaster response zones, and high-trust business environments — as well as testimony before the United States Senate on funeral ethics — Jay bring...

In this powerful episode of Elsplend Realities, we are joined by Dr. Nancy Dome to explore what it truly means to stay present in conversations that feel uncomfortable, complex, or emotionally charged. Rather than focusing on what to say, Dr. Dome invites us to examine how we show up — internally and relationally — when navigating topics like identity, race, belonging, and deeply held beliefs. Thr...

In this deeply personal episode of Elsplend Realities, Daniel Faust — host of the Rhythm of Intimacy podcast — shares a powerful story of collapse, conviction, and the slow, intentional journey toward restoration. What began as a breaking point in 2014 — marked by internal pressure, identity loss, and a marriage on the brink — became the foundation for a new understanding of intimacy. Not as perfo...