Your Body Knows

In this episode, I’m joined by writer, creator, and guide Melanie Santos for a conversation about embodiment, intention, and what it really means to come home to yourself. We talk about Melanie’s journey from disconnection and navigating mental health struggles in silence to building a body of work rooted in presence, integration, and everyday healing. And together, we explore the tension between...

This week, I’m unpacking the “work harder and you’ll succeed” narrative and why it keeps missing the mark. I break down the real reason this messaging doesn’t land for so many women, especially Black women and mothers. Spoiler, we aren't lacking ambition or discipline. But we are lacking acknowledgment around capacity. I explore what capacity actually means, how your nervous system impacts yo...

In this episode, I’m sharing a bit about the season I’m currently in and how it’s reflecting the same patterns I’m seeing with my clients. I also talk about the truth behind feeling “stuck,” why you probably already know what you want, and what actually gets in the way of going after it. Lastly, I'm opening up a few 1:1 coaching spots, beginning in April. Apply here . Connect with me: Resourc...

For National Eating Disorder Awareness Week (NEDA), we’re going beyond awareness and into accountability. Today’s guest, Akiera Holloway-Gilbert, is a national speaker, mental health leader, and CEO of Project HEAL, the leading U.S. organization dedicated to equitable mental healthcare for people struggling with eating disorders. Under her leadership, Project HEAL has delivered millions of dollars...

In this solo episode, I’m breaking down why Sunday Scaries aren’t a mindset problem or a motivation issue, but a nervous system response to how our weeks are structured and what they require from us. We’ll talk about anticipatory overwhelm, why “figuring it out” often keeps us stuck in survival mode, and what actually helps when your body is already bracing for what’s ahead. I also share why so ma...

Last chance to sign-up for The Visibility Shift group coaching program: https://www.shanettamcdonald.com/the-visibility-shift. Starts February 4th! What happens when your body starts telling the truth before your mind is ready to hear it? In this episode, I’m joined by Kristal Howard—award-winning communications and public relations expert, founder of The Howard Method, and former senior communica...

In this solo episode, I’m talking about visibility and why it often feels harder now than it used to. I share how age, social media, and cultural pressure shaped my relationship with being seen, why visibility isn’t a confidence or mindset problem, and how “visibility wounds” form in the body over time. I also talk about: Where visibility wounds come from Why pushing yourself to be visible often b...

What happens when our relationships are driven by wounded energetics instead of grounded, healthy power? In this episode, I sit down with Dené Logan — therapist, group facilitator, and author of Sovereign Love — to unpack how wounded energetics show up in our relationships, our sense of self, and the ways we abandon our own needs to stay connected. Dené shares how healthy energetics are rooted in...

If you are tired of being told the holidays are supposed to be restful,or you're working harder than ever while everyone else seems to be winding down, or you're already exhausted and it's only December then this episode is for you. In this episode, we're breaking down the myth of the holiday slowdown and why high-achieving women actually go into overdrive during this time of y...

The holidays can bring up a lot. Food overwhelm, family dynamics, old wounds, and the pressure to be “on” when our bodies are asking for something entirely different. In this episode, I’m sharing my honest experience with holiday gatherings growing up, how Thanksgiving became especially difficult during my eating disorder, and why the season still feels complicated for me today — especially being...

This week, our guest is someone whose honesty is transforming how we talk about recovery, shame, and self-acceptance. Laura Cathcart Robbins is the best-selling author of Stash: My Life in Hiding , a memoir about her journey through addiction to alcohol and Ambien, and the courage it took to tell the truth about it. She’s also the host of The Only One in the Room podcast, where she’s shared storie...

Today’s guest is someone who isn’t afraid to strip away the fluff and tell the truth about what healing really takes. Aycee Brown is a psychic channel, Human Design expert, and spiritual guide who’s spent over 15 years helping people dismantle illusion, release conditioning, and reclaim their intuition as their greatest power. She’s the host of Is My Aura On Straight? and the forthcoming author of...

In this solo episode, I share a story I’ve never told publicly—the moment I realized that being the most prepared, most helpful, most “good” employee still didn’t guarantee being seen . Years ago, after co-hosting a work event, I found myself blindsided when a vendor lied about my role, and my boss believed them. That experience taught me something powerful about visibility, trust, and what happen...

There’s a certain magic in watching someone move as if they’re completely at home in their body. Sammy Picone embodies that magic. Known worldwide for her distinctive blend of strength and fluidity, Sammy is a pole dancer, instructor, and movement artist who invites people to rediscover confidence, pleasure, and creative freedom through their bodies. Her work has been celebrated by The New York Ti...

In this solo episode, I’m diving into a question so many of us avoid asking: Am I settling? Whether it’s in your relationships, your career, or the way you show up for yourself, settling can feel safe — but it often means we’re living out of alignment with what we truly want. I’ll walk you through three powerful questions to help you spot where you might be accepting less than you deserve, and how...

What happens when the body asks us to slow down — and we finally listen? In this episode, I sit down with Arielle Díaz, a Peabody and GLAAD-nominated television writer and producer whose career has spanned Netflix, Prime Video, FOX, and Disney+. She’s also an angel investor, former Googler, and passionate advocate for inclusive wellness. After stepping away from the grind of a high-performing care...

Crystal Jones is a licensed therapist, Internal Family Systems (IFS) Trainer, and the founder of Life Source Counseling Center in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Her work creates sacred spaces where BIPOC women can feel truly seen, valued, and supported on their healing journeys. As an IFS trainer and consultant, Crystal has mentored therapists and practitioners worldwide, guiding them toward deeper sel...

In this solo episode, I’m breaking down two of the questions I get asked the most: What is somatics? and What’s the difference between coaching and therapy? We’ll explore how your body communicates with your brain (spoiler: it’s way more than you think), why I weave somatic practices into life coaching, and how coaching and therapy can work beautifully together. If you’ve ever wondered which one y...

Chrissy King is a writer, educator, and former strength coach whose voice is helping to redefine wellness—not as a destination, but as a practice rooted in liberation, identity, and radical self-acceptance. In this powerful conversation, Chrissy opens up about her personal path to body liberation and the experiences that inspired her book, The Body Liberation Project . Together, we explore what it...

Daria Burke has lived many lives—fashion executive, C-suite leader, trauma survivor, and now, debut author. In this powerful conversation, Daria opens up about the moments that shaped her new memoir Of My Own Making and the healing journey that unfolded in the process. From growing up in poverty with an absent father and a mother battling addiction, to finding freedom through therapy, neuroscience...

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Tapping back in!  Find out what I've been up to and what's in store for the next phase of the podcast.  Thank you for hanging tight and staying loyal. Stay tuned for more updates on Substack and Instagram .

Listen in as host Shanetta McDonald shares insights into a quick personal story of Surrender and how we can all invite the shift/perspective into our lives, in the season 3 finale of The Motif Podcast. Thank you for your support and for being a vital part of keeping this community alive. We can’t wait to share more with you in season 4. In the meantime, don't forget to check out some of our o...

Award winning executive marketer, investor and educator Tiffany Hardin inspires women of color to become conscious hustlers, as founder of Gild Creative Group, an influencer marketing agency that focuses on bringing conscious marketing to big ideas. Some of Tiffany’s client work has included: Airbnb, WeWork, Target, Microsoft, Cobble, Ovia, HBO, Wethos, Black Girl in Om, Heal Haus and more. Additi...

Entrepreneur Telsha Anderson-Boone encourages women of color to confidently enter spaces that lack our representation, as founder and owner of t.a ., a luxury boutique based in New York City in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District. A former social media consultant for Food & Wine , Hypebeast, and Atlantic Records, and an influencer manager at a Fashion PR firm, Telsha began ideating on the launchi...