What The Shift

When life collapses, most people cling tighter. Bob Wheatley did the opposite. He surrendered — and everything shifted. In this episode of What the Shift, Gia sits down with USA Today bestselling author, keynote speaker, and former professional athlete Bob Wheatley to unpack the truth about reinvention, identity, and purpose-led personal branding. Bob shares the raw story behind the summer everyth...

Women leaders aren’t burning out because they “can’t handle it.” They’re burning out because the workplace still rewards overfunctioning, perfectionism, and nonstop availability — especially for high-achieving women in midlife. In this episode of What the Shift, empowerment strategist Gia speaks with Johanna Danaher, founder of Anchor to Aspire™ Coaching and former Pfizer global talent leader, abo...

We’ve glamorized burnout. Bragged about it. Normalized it. But here’s the truth: burnout isn’t tired — it’s a nervous system crash. In this eye-opening conversation, Gia sits down with Garrett Wood, clinical hypnotherapist, executive functioning specialist, and founder of Gnosis Therapy, to dismantle everything we think we know about burnout. They unpack the biology behind burnout — how chronic st...

You’ve read the books. You’ve done the mindset work. So why are you still running on empty? Because burnout isn’t just in your head—it’s in your body. In this powerful conversation, Gia sits down with Kathryn Spears, a NeuroSomatic Intelligence Practitioner and Fractional CMO who helps high-achieving women move beyond survival mode and lead from true physiological capacity. They unpack the hidden...

Some conversations are heavy—because they matter. In this deeply moving episode of What the Shift, Gia sits down with women’s rights attorney Alreen Haeggquist, whose story embodies what it means to turn trauma into truth and pain into purpose. After surviving years of abuse and silence, Alreen made it her life’s mission to fight for those who’ve been silenced by power, fear, and shame. As founder...

What happens when the life you’ve built begins to unravel—and no amount of achievement can fix it? In this raw and deeply moving episode, Brenda Zane—former Fortune 500 executive turned family advocate—shares the story of nearly losing her son to addiction, the guilt and isolation high-achieving parents quietly carry, and the moment she realized she could no longer live a double life. You’ll hear:...

Confidence isn’t something you’re born with. It’s something you build—by doing the thing you think you can’t. In this powerful episode of What the Shift, Gia sits down with Kelsey Lensman—sports medicine specialist, founder of Mission48, and creator of the national movement Xpand Your Limits—to unpack the truth behind real, earned confidence. From completing 48 fitness events in 48 states in 48 da...

What if the only thing standing between you and your next level… is you? In this powerful episode of What the Shift, Gia sits down with Nada Lena Nasserdeen, founder and CEO of Rise Up For You, bestselling author, and two-time TEDx speaker, to talk about the confidence gap no one’s addressing—and the nine hidden “confidence crushers” silently holding high-achieving women back. From rebuilding her...

What if the first step to healing wasn’t more effort—but more honesty? In this raw and redemptive episode of What the Shift, Gia sits down with award-winning TV host, author, and mental health advocate Marci Hopkins to uncover the truth behind the high-functioning mask. Now 10 years sober, Marci shares the moment that shattered her façade—and the hard truth that saved her life. From growing up in...

You’ve reinvented your career. You’ve survived life’s pivots. But have you reprogrammed the internal wiring that keeps you stuck? In this bold and illuminating episode of What the Shift, Gia sits down with 3x bestselling author and peak performance coach Hilary DeCesare—named one of Success Magazine’s Top 10 Coaches of 2025—for a conversation that redefines what it really takes to relaunch your li...

What if your greatest power isn’t in adding more—but in undoing what was never you to begin with? In this episode of What the Shift, Gia sits down with powerhouse speaker, CEO, and relationship strategist Barb Betts, whose journey from hiding to healing is nothing short of transformational. From childhood disconnection and hair loss to reclaiming her voice and confidence, Barb shares how the very...

You don’t need more willpower. You don’t need another mindset shift. You need to rewire the operating system that’s been running the show since childhood. In this fascinating episode, Break Method founder and mental health innovator Bizzie Gold pulls back the curtain on why so many high-achieving women stay stuck in patterns they can’t seem to break—no matter how much therapy, self-help, or inner...

You know the addiction that gets rewarded with promotions, praise, and performance reviews? Busyness. In this episode of What the Shift, author and executive Barbara Burgess joins Gia to unpack the invisible addiction plaguing high-achieving women: doing more to feel like we matter. Together, they explore the voices of Enough and Not Enough, how to break the unconscious proving loop, and what happ...

You’ve done everything “right”—you’re successful, capable, and high-functioning. But beneath the polished exterior? You’re exhausted. Disconnected. Over it. In this episode, Gia sits down with therapist, coach, and cycle-breaker Alyssa Scarano to unpack the truth about trauma responses that get rewarded—until they stop working. Together, they explore how coping mechanisms like over-functioning, hy...

She had the six-figure job, the global title, the kids, the calendar—and a deep, unspoken sense that none of it actually fit. In this powerful episode, Dr. Michelle El Khoury shares the story of what happens when your career and motherhood feel like parallel lives—and the moment she decided to stop splitting herself in two. A former pharmaceutical executive turned perinatal wellness expert, Michel...

She wasn’t just a patient—she was a respected healthcare provider. And still… no one listened. When Dr. Tara Harding faced infertility, endometriosis, and a series of alarming health crises, she expected answers. Instead, she got dismissal, “it’s just bad luck,” and unexplained diagnoses that went nowhere. That moment changed everything. In this raw conversation, Dr. Tara shares: How medical gasli...

Why do so many high-achievers feel like they’re still not enough—even after checking every box? In this powerful conversation, Trevor Hanson joins Gia to unpack how anxious attachment, inner child wounds, and overfunctioning keep us stuck in cycles of burnout, self-doubt, and chasing approval. Trevor is a coach and founder of The Art of Healing. He teaches relationship and attachment skills throug...

What happens when you walk away from a dream job—and the identity that came with it? In this honest and energizing conversation, Gia sits down with Tara Clark—author, mental health advocate, and founder of Modern Mom Probs—to unpack what it really looks like to pivot, rebuild, and redefine success on your own terms. From leaving her corporate media career at Nickelodeon to launching a parenting pl...

What if your drive wasn’t ambition—but addiction? In this raw and revelatory episode, Gia sits down with keynote speaker, business coach, and bestselling author Kim Rogne to unpack the hidden reason so many high-achieving women can’t slow down—even when they know they need to. From CEO of a multi-million-dollar real estate brokerage to founder of For the Love Of, Kim shares how a ski accident forc...

That pain, that fatigue, that anxiety? It’s not random. It’s your nervous system screaming what you’ve been too busy to feel. In this powerful conversation, licensed therapist and nervous system coach Grace Secker unpacks the hidden root of chronic pain, fatigue, anxiety, and burnout—and how it’s often your body’s last-resort attempt to get your attention. Grace shares her personal journey from de...

What does it really take to walk away from what’s working—and bet on what’s right? In this episode of What the Shift, I sit down with Leslee Owen, Co-Founder & CEO of Movement Maker Web Design Agency , to talk about the radical decision that changed everything. She was running a profitable coaching business, hosting a podcast, and doing all the “right” things—until she realized none of it felt...

When Melissa Lafsky Saleh lost her child days before delivery, everything shattered. Career. Identity. Marriage. Meaning. But what emerged from the ashes wasn’t just survival—it was sovereignty. In this raw and revelatory episode of What the Shift, Melissa shares the deeply personal story of how unimaginable grief burned off everything that wasn’t her—and unlocked the one superpower the world taug...

What happens when everything that used to work for your health… suddenly doesn’t? In this episode of What the Shift, Gia Lacqua sits down with women’s wellness and empowerment coach Erin Trier for a no-BS conversation about why the one-size-fits-all model of wellness is failing women—especially high-achieving moms navigating midlife shifts. Erin shares her personal wake-up call after baby #4, when...

You’re exhausted, unfulfilled, and running on autopilot— but what if this isn’t burnout? What if it’s betrayal—of your identity, your truth, your needs? In this unfiltered and fire-starting episode of What the Shift, Gia sits down with transformational coach and TEDx speaker Lora Cheadle, author of It’s Not Burnout, It’s Betrayal. After discovering her husband had been unfaithful for 15 years, Lor...

What if everything you’ve been searching for—confidence, power, freedom—was already in you? In this raw and radically affirming episode of What the Shift, Gia sits down with Liz Hansen, founder of Chicago Boudoir Photography and TEDx speaker, to unpack the truth about embodiment, shame, and the lies we’ve been taught about being “good women.” From shaking in her boots before her first boudoir shoo...