Life (UN)Closeted: LGBTQ+ Coming Out Stories & Advice for living out and proud!

There's an uprising that is beginning to happen. It's coming from the depths that says, "We will not be silenced." It also brings about feelings of being alone, lack of acceptance, lowered levels of self-love. All of which, can stir up the rebel within. As queer culture continues to feel that target on our backs, it is good to remember that the rebel within each of needs to be seen, heard, underst...

Life is all about the lenses we look through and how we perceive what we see through that lens. Sometimes that lens, leads us to see ourselves in the truth of who we are. Joining me today to talk about those lenses, and to share their beautiful lens as queer creative, Sophie Kietzmann shares their lens on the world as gender non-conforming individual. About Sophie Sophie Kietzmann is a Berlin born...

Whether you're coming out of the closet or coming out of divorce, the truth is, "You're going to be ok." The reality is, you get to make the being OK happen, if you choose to do so. In her new book, You're Going To Be Ok: 16 Lessons on Healing After Trauma, author Madeline Popelka helps us navigate the path to embracing the ongoing process of being human and being OK! About Madeline Madeline is a...

From bullying to finally accepting their truth as an LGBTQ+ individuals, teens and parents often struggle with the journey and can even think that they are alone. In celebration of National Coming Out Day, we are proving you are not alone. Author and LMFT Psychotherapist, John Sovec shares his new book, "Out: A Parent's Guide to Supporting Your LGBTQIA+ Kid Through Coming Out and Beyond". Let's ce...

There's a simple phrase that if we all embraced, would make the world a better place, "You be You!" Of course, we rarely allow others to be themselves and then we wonder why we have to dress up as being someone we're not to please others. Today's guest has done her fair share of dressing up - cross dressing to be specific - and she's not afraid if someone is not happy about. Savannah Hauk shares h...

We never really understand our inherent bias until we understand our inherent bias. Fellow Podcaster Bruce Anthony, comes clean about his own homophobia and how it has enabled him to step beyond the judgments and open up to empathy and understanding so that he can continue to lean into other perspectives of life. About Bruce As an individual with an insatiable curiosity about people from different...

He spent most his life living to the faith that was drilled into his head, always believing this was the way, until it no longer was. Through this thought-provoking and inspiring conversation about overcoming religious constraints, embracing personal growth, finding peace, and aligning with one's authentic self, Victor Diaz share the transformative power of breaking free from religious bondage, em...

From the scars of life at an early age - literal scars - Gayle Petrillo has dealt with being different. Physically different. yet, in all her life of making first impressions, the one she most had to make with herself, of accepting herself, just as she was. Sharing her closet story of being a burn survivor, Gayle provides an impactful interview that shows, no matter how you've been burned you can...

Many LGBTQ+ individuals struggle with the question, "How do I show up at work, and as a leader, while still being true to myself as a queer person?" The answer, "Your way, on your terms!" Jim Fielding, author of the brand new book, ALL PRIDE, NO EGO: A Queer Executive’s Journey to Living and Leading Authentically, shares he navigated his gay life and roles at t top global brands including Disney,...

There's something absolutely beautiful about stepping into the light of our truth and coming out of the closet. That light is you being you at your soul level. Dr Roger Leslie joins us on the podcast today to shed light on how you can step into the light of you and be your most authentic LGBTQ+ self. About Dr. Roger Leslie Dr. Roger Leslie is an author, editor, publisher, and inspirational teacher...

Guilt, shame, anxiety, depression. These are some of the most common traits affecting the LGBTQ community as a whole. Today, my guest Nick Santo, Psychotherapist, and I share our own experiences on our journeys to combat these issues as well as provide ways to step into self-love and self-awareness to enrich who we are as LGBTQ+ individuals. About Nick Dr. Nick Santo earned his MSW at Fordham and...

We all have trauma. Yes, that's a truth. But if you don't embrace that truth, you are actually causing more trauma to yourself. Guiding the direction of unpacking trauma as a LGBTQ+ individual, Riana Milne (CCTP-II) brings her expertise of facing our traumas and learning the power of holding hands and moving beyond them. This podcast includes the 10 Childhood Traumas that we most experience and is...

We all have many layers and facets to who we are as human beings. Yet, we hide some parts and voices of ourselves. How fun is that? Instead when we unleash all aspects of ourselves into the world we discover the power of living our truth and being exactly who we're meant to be. Dr. Ronnie Gladden shares their story, and book - White Girl Within: Letters of Self-Discovery Between a Transgender and...

Just because a guy is not the epitome of masculinity doesn't mean he isn't a man. Yet, so many sensitive men get given a bad rap - especially gay men, but even more so the straight guys who get mislabeled as gay because they are sensitive guys. Author William Allen shares his new book Confessions of a Sensitive Man and his journey to his truth and why we need to make more room for sensitive men in...

Baseball and a love for country music. That's about as heteronormative as... Wait that would be generalizing and putting someone in a box, which is not we want in the LGBTQ+ community. So why would you think a major league baseball player, and country singer doesn't really fit the gay box. Because that is making an assumption of what it means to be gay. Breaking the molds is professional baseball...

Using her own life experience of trauma - coming out late in life, hiding herself for years, and then a traumatic brain injury, Sarah Salisott is now on a mission to helps parents and children navigate past the traumas to live their best lives. Here is her coming out story. About Sarah Sarah is a Certified Parent Coach whose passion is helping families with children who have experienced trauma or...

Born with the gene of needing to make everyone like you, this Tomboy was afraid of being abandoned and being alone. She lived her life as a chameleon, blending in to keep the peace and make everyone happy. That trauma lead to mental, and physical pain until she finally did the work she needed to do to live life on her terms. Stephanie Serone shares how she broke free from bullying and self-critici...

Rick DellaRatta is an ally of the LGBTQ+ community, who believes the only way to bring peace to the world is to unite is all in our empathy and understanding of one another. Share himself and his music today on the podcast Rick takes us on a journey of why embracing the LGBTQ+ community is a form of peace on the planet. About Rick Rick DellaRatta is his brand "Jazz for Peace," to bring peace to th...

You'd have to be blind, not listening, and burying your head in the sand to not realize LGBTQ+ rights and lives are on the line, as well as other marginalized communities - black, asian, hispanic, jews, muslims, women. It's a crazy time to be "the others." But does that mean we hide and let them win? No we "fight forward" as today's guest Yuval David says. Using his platforms as an actor, filmmake...

Times are insane. It can make you want to hide, stop watching the news, and pretend you are something that you're not. But it's not easy to do that when you are black and queer. Your skin color literally gives you away, and then when it's revealed that your queer...lawd help ya. Breaking the mold and having candid conversations about being Black and Queer on Campus, is Dr. Michael P. Jeffries, Dea...

Nonbinary. It's simple. Just ask the questions you're afraid to ask, in the right way, and you will learn and you will support our nonbinary community. But we make it so much harder than that. Guiding us to have the candid conversations is Author Ocean Atlas as they discuss their book Nonbinary For Beginners: Everything you’ve been afraid to ask about gender, pronouns, being an ally, and black &am...

Coming out is an act of compassion and courage. But without the clarity to step forward, many of us will continue to hide our beautiful selves from the world. Sensei Koshin Paley Ellison, author of Untangled: Walking the eightfold path to clarity, courage, and compassion, joins us today to talk about his journey out and how it lead him to step into the world buddhism and zen practices to quiet his...

Happy Pride and it's time to celebrate you, your story, and all our queer stories. And why should we tell and share our stories? Because it helps to move you forward into loving and owning your story as a member of the LGBTQ+ community. Joining us in celebration of our stories is Molly Sider, ally, fellow coach and storyteller to help you better tell your story, your truth, and be who you are mean...

As a precursor to PRIDE Month, this is a call to PRIDE. To ensure we move forward in the way that we need to, to not have our voices silenced, and our rights taken away. As you celebrate pride, take heed to how we can use P-R-I-D-E as our mantra to celebrate our truth and stand in the face of right-wing insanity. You can also listen to the podcast on…        

Joy, happiness, being in love with you. Sounds great but as humans we find it oh so hard to get there. Until now! Step into the joy zone and uncover your zest for living. Whether you've be through a traumatic coming out experience or one where you just followed your heart and it went really smoothly, you can find your joy in the zest zone. Joining me today are two amazing, loving women who have fo...