How to Trust Yourself: The Messy, Human Path to Becoming Who You Are

What if your discomfort with leadership isn’t a confidence issue — but an old nervous-system story that’s never been updated? In this solo episode, Anna explores the concept of a leadership wound : early experiences that quietly shape how safe (or unsafe) it feels to step into leadership later in life. Drawing from a personal story from fourth grade — when stepping into a natural leadership role s...

In this inspiring conversation, Anna is joined by Stacey Brass-Russell—performer, yoga teacher, studio owner, master-level coach, and creator of the E.V.O.L.V.E. change system—to explore what it truly takes to reinvent yourself at any age. Stacey shares her extraordinary path from Broadway to wellness to coaching, and how she learned to turn fear, uncertainty, and life upheaval into fuel for the n...

In this short solo episode, Anna explores a gentle, nervous-system–informed approach to getting back into flow when things feel hard. Instead of treating frustration, fear, or burnout as problems to fix, Anna offers a different framework: these states are signals of inner conflict — moments when parts of us want different things at the same time. And it’s that internal tug-of-war, not the emotions...

If you’re a sensitive creative, healer, or entrepreneur, then whether you use the word “launch” or not—you’re always putting something out into the world. A new offer. A group program. A workshop. A book. An idea. And let’s be honest: that visibility can feel vulnerable, overwhelming, and dysregulating. But what if launching didn’t have to feel like forcing yourself into a mold? What if it could f...

This week, I’m bringing you inside a corner of my work that I don’t usually share publicly — my visibility membership, Seen & Safe. Seen & Safe is where sensitive creatives, coaches, and entrepreneurs come when they want to be visible, but also want to feel safe while doing it. We meet twice a month for nervous-system-safe visibility coaching, and between sessions we stay connected inside...

In this episode, Anna sits down with Laylee Emadi —educator, speaker, podcaster, and founder of the Creative Educator Conference —to talk about building a values-driven business rooted in authenticity, service, and real community. A former high school teacher turned multi-passionate entrepreneur, Laylee shares how she transitioned into coaching creatives, and how her love for education continues t...

What if your business didn’t have to be built on burnout? In this heart-centered episode, I sit down with Molly Balint —business mentor, speaker, Instagram nerd, and founder of the SOFT Business Movement —to explore what it means to lead and grow from a place of gentleness, sustainability, and soul. Molly’s journey into entrepreneurship began nearly 20 years ago as a blogger and photographer docum...

The “messy middle” is the part most of us want to skip—after the rush of a new beginning and long before the satisfying finish. In this solo episode, I share why this season is not a mistake, how it shows up in creative work, business, and relationships, and what actually helps you stay with it instead of self-isolating or burning it all down. I tell two behind-the-scenes stories: Subway Dreams: t...

If you’ve ever felt nervous about being seen, unsure how to talk about your work, or stuck trying to grow your business without burning out — this episode will shift your mindset around visibility, connection, and what’s actually possible when you speak up. This week, Anna is joined by Beth Nydick — a former TV producer turned visibility strategist and business mentor who helps entrepreneurs, coac...

In this empowering episode, Anna sits down with Miriam Schulman — artist, author, and founder of The Inspiration Place Podcast — to explore what it really takes to turn your creativity into a sustainable livelihood. After walking away from a lucrative hedge fund job in the wake of 9/11, Miriam chose to build a life centered around her art. Now, through her coaching programs, her podcast, and her b...

This week, I’m sharing something special — a replay of my conversation with Noga Shefi , host of Your Healing Era , a podcast devoted to self-discovery, growth, and transformation. In this episode, we explore how visibility itself can become a healing practice — one that helps us integrate fear, regulate the nervous system, and show up as our full selves in life and work. ✨ We talk about: • The n...

In this powerful episode, Anna sits down with Lindsay Pinchuk —award-winning entrepreneur, marketing consultant, and host of the top 2% podcast Dear FoundHer… —for a conversation about growing your business without compromising your values, your nervous system, or your story. Lindsay built a seven-figure business from a $500 investment, grew a thriving community that reached millions monthly, and...

This week marks ten months since I pivoted How to Trust Yourself from its original focus on chronic pain to the deeper work that had been calling me all along: nervous-system-safe visibility. In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on what that transition has really been like—the messy, nonlinear, beautifully human process of finding clarity through action. I share how I started speaking my...

Episode Summary: In this powerful conversation, Anna sits down with internationally renowned speaker, Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner, and author Brittany Piper to explore how we begin to rebuild self-trust after trauma—not just cognitively, but somatically. Brittany shares insights from her own healing journey as a rape survivor and from over a decade of work in trauma-informed care, including...

Episode Description / Show Notes: I’ve been getting this question a lot lately: what’s the difference between coaching and traditional talk therapy? In this episode, I break it down using a client story (pseudonym: “Kathy”) that illustrates common patterns of hesitation, fear, and overthinking. You’ll hear how coaching is different: we don’t just talk—we take action. I share how taking the first s...

In this powerful and heartfelt episode, Anna talks with Lauren Smallcomb —a certified mind-body practitioner, trauma-informed healer, and author of the forthcoming memoir Golden Child: My Descent to Scapegoat and Rise to Freedom (coming September 2025). Lauren shares her story of growing up as the golden child in a conservative Christian family system—and the painful unraveling that led her to rec...

Have you ever had a moment where being visible suddenly felt… dangerous? In this episode, I share a story I’ve never forgotten—from second grade, when I was the eager kid raising her hand… until my teacher said something that made me shrink. It was one sentence that planted a seed of shame and taught me that being seen might not be safe. That moment became what I now call a visibility wound —an ea...

In this heartfelt and revealing episode, Anna sits down with New York City-based psychotherapist Sean Hershey, LCSW, to explore what it really means to heal—from chronic pain, from emotional repression, and from the lifelong habit of hiding parts of yourself to survive. Sean is the host of the podcast Mind-Body Medicine for Chronic Pain , where he brings raw honesty, depth, and humor to the comple...

Episode Description / Show Notes: Ever feel like your story is messy, scattered, or unclear—and that’s holding you back from stepping fully into your purpose? In this episode, I share a metaphor from my 10 years working in reality TV— soft scripting —and how it taught me to find the through threads in the chaos. I’ll break down how this concept applies to your life and work: How to sift through th...

In this episode, I’m joined by Megan Febuary—trauma-informed writing coach, embodiment teacher, founder of For Women Who Roar, and author of Brave the Page: How Writing Our Hard Stories Brings Healing and Wholeness. Megan shares her journey into storytelling as a healing practice and how writing from a trauma-informed lens can transform not only the stories we tell but who we become in the process...

In this episode, I get real about what it’s like to have a sensitive nervous system—and how that sensitivity, while it can sometimes derail your day, is actually a source of creativity, intuition, and connection. I share a recent experience with our cat, Billie, whose vet visit turned into a spiral of worry about her dental health. Through journaling, self-compassion, and nervous system regulation...

If you've ever looked around at your life and thought, "Is this it?" —this episode is your wake-up call. Speaker, author, and "aliveness evangelist" Jodi Wellman joins me for a bold, funny, and deeply honest conversation about what it means to really live before we die. We talk about what snapped her out of autopilot, how grief cracked her open to a more vibrant life, and w...

Ever had a moment where everything felt fine… until it wasn’t? In this episode, I share a deeply personal story about an emotional blow-up with my husband—how it unfolded, what it triggered, and what it taught me about fear, shame, and self-protection. This isn't just a story about relationships. It’s a mirror for what so many of us experience in business, creativity, and visibility: That mome...

Welcome back, dear listener. I am so thrilled to share today’s episode with someone who has had a really meaningful presence in my own journey—Liz Kimball. Liz and I met about ten years ago in a coaching certification program, and I really looked up to her. She had already been coaching for years and brought this grounded, wise, creative energy to everything she did. After the course ended, I got...

In today’s episode, I’m getting personal and sharing a story that I honestly find a little embarrassing. I’m not always graceful with transitions—especially when it comes to slowing down. Summer is usually a time when my energy and my business naturally slow down, but even though I know it’s good for me, I can resist it pretty intensely. I know this isn’t just me. I see it in my clients and in mys...