Your Unpaid Therapists

Besties! If you’re a fan of women with grit and tenacity, then you’ll love today’s guest! Known as “Candy Krush” on WOW Women of Wrestling, Amberly Shaw discusses her experiences before WOW as a future Olympian who stepped away due to the toxic and abusive nature of professional sports. In this intimate discussion she shares the sacrifices she made, the detours she took, reclaiming her mental heal...

We wear many masks and have many identities depending on who's looking. Most of us are also very aware of the stereotypes placed upon us at birth, be it because of our gender, race, sexual preference, financial status, etc. But what happens when you find yourself pigeon holed into an identity that others have place on you in your career? What if playing into that stereotype gets you out of trouble...

That's a wrap on Season One, Besties!!! Valery & Alikona go in on what it means to take up space out in the world and how to have the confidence to boldly claim your right to be seen, heard, and even take up physical space in a society that doesn't always just give it to you. They also have some fun creating alter egos before wrapping it up with a reflection on some of their favorite mome...

We're in the era of manifestation and energy awareness, which is stellar! HOWEVER, there's a fine line between dreaming and waiting for things to manifest and taking "inspired action" to allow things to manifest for us. Today's guest calls BS on manifestation and believes hard work and hustle is the key to success. Returning with Valery & Alikona is Mister Freddie Sheppard, a man of many succe...

Ladies & Queens, don't let those uber tough masculine men fool you. At their core, many Alpha's seek love & tenderness whether they know how to express it or not. This week our guest Freddie Sheppard (World Champion ATV rider, multi-business entrepreneur, monster truck announcer, and father) shares the simplicities of what he feels makes a relationship work with those "a man's man" type of...

No matter who you are or where you're from, someone at some point in your life has imposed their beliefs of what is right for you onto you and possibly even shamed or scolded you for not living within that ideal. Why is that?! Whether it's society, your parents, or the patriarchy, there are so many standards put into place as to how we should live our lives. But at the end of the day, you are the...

Can miracles really happen when you realign your body’s energy? Reiki Master, Sound Healer, and Movement Intuit, Gina Starbuck, discusses her experiences as both a healer and witness to reiki healing injuries, diseases, and terminal illnesses as well as having clients who’ve accepted their time to transition. Valery questions how a child could possibly “manifest” something like cancer while Gina b...

MOST of us dance around the "F" word and wouldn't dare call someone fat to their face, none the less behind their backs. Hurt, shame, and an array of other feelings are associated with that 3 letter word, but not for Yael Tygiel. She sees it as a fact, and she embraces it as part of her beauty. The plus size model and Electric Now on-air host proudly owns her gorgeous body and reminds us all that...

The shame, the guilt, the pleasure...there are so many mixed messages and emotions behind self-touch. Whether it's sexual or soothing, most of us are not taught or encouraged to touch ourselves, especially as women. In this episode Patreon member and special guest, Brandie Velazquez, joins Valery & Alikona for a juicy conversation about getting to know your body so you can be its best friend,...

Losing someone. Most of us have experienced it and all of us deal or will deal with it differently. Sometimes it's comforting to know that you're not the only one processing the complex emotions of seeing someone transition. This week Alikona shares her ability to stay grounded during chaos and process later while also letting us know that it's okay to feel relief when someone passes on. Valery op...

Besties!!! Today’s guest is a MASTER in multiple genres of alternative practices that can realign your body into optimal health, shall you keep an open mind. Alikona and Valery wanted to break the stigma of practices like Reiki, sound baths, and energetic realignment being woo-ey or being “sooooooo L.A.!” So they invited healer, Gina Starbuck, to educate us all on how energetic practices can trans...

Valery & Alikona are hitting some big topics today so buckle up because your moral compass might just go on a ride. And if these topics get under your skin, great! They should. We may not all agree, but listening to different perspectives might just make you think twice or at least be more compassionate and understanding to others beliefs. As Salt-N-Pepa once said, "Let's talk about sex, baby....

This episode Alikona & Valery explore that age-old question, "Why Men Love Bitches" and why do successful, beautiful women love toxic men otherwise known as douche bags! After doing some research, the answers we found were not only interesting, but very relatable!! Ladies, being a doormat isn't a good look on us, but also being a bad-ass boss who's used to working hard for something doesn't me...

In this continuation of amazingness, Jason J. Carter gives us the real-real on what happens after you realize the dream job isn't so dreamy. Despite not having a clear next step, he was able to see his worth well enough to walk away from his cushy job as a network television host and into the unknown with the faith that something better will come. For most of us this would be way too scary. We'd s...

No one can rock spandex better than today’s guest, besties! He’s spent 15 season’s serving as one of RuPaul’s right-hand men on Drag Race, was sought after and hired by Entertainment Tonight, hosted his own Morning Show in Miami, and spent years working for next to nothing before his break. And it was those years that Jason J. Carter and Alikona shared an apartment together! Today we talk about al...

How many times have we heard "celebrate your wins." then wondered, "Well how the fluff do I do that?" We all know how to celebrate someone's birthday or a festive holiday, but do you know how to truly celebrate achievements regardless of the size? Alikona's so focused on the big win she's clueless on how to celebrate the milestones, so she often just eats a "celebration cookie." Valery is the best...

Valery's reverse catfishing men, Alikona's face-flopping from 20 ft in the air, and Matt is...well, he's MATT! Need we say more! After getting out all the giggles we move into an often untapped energy for women, anger. And you might be thinking, "What?! Psssh, trust, I know how to feel angry." You might, but do you know how to unleash it? Like, reallllllllly unleash and feel it to its depths so th...

Happy Valentine's Day Bestie!!! We're celebrating with that age old question, are soulmates legit? Do they really exist or are me romanticizing an idea we hope is true. Do you only get one or do we get a few? Is my dog my soulmate??? Lol. Whatever you believe, we hope you find ways to celebrate love and loving yourself! As always, stay up to date on all things @yourunpaidtherapists on IG and dive...

Writer & Creator of the hits series Hit The Floor has some fun little secrets about his past that we love to hear! From thievery to creating the T.V. Series that both Valery & Alikona have been on- - but mainly Valery- - and led to the creation of this podcast, you're gonna gasp and giggle your way through part one of our sit down with James LaRosa. And if you haven't watched Hit The Floor...

Whoop there it is! Part two of our candid convo with Hollywood writer, James LaRosa. In this episode he shares with us the challenges that came in his career as well a fun stories about casting the show annnnnnd why Valery Ortiz made the cut to play Raquel on Hit The Floor. We also find out which the other surprise celebrity auditioned for the role. James vivacious personality and storytelling kep...

"Oh my god Matt's back agaaaain..." We get to the real-real on his "long horn" past, how patriarchy & patriarchal wounds still have women by the wrists, and how the fluff Ken got nominated for an Oscar in Barbie's movie while she didn't. Okay, so that might sound silly, but there are most definitely some layers to this conversation. We get all sorts of history buff on you, but have not fe...

Besties!!!! We have our FIRST EVER Patreon Perk recipient, Brandie Velazquez, join the podcast as an extra special guest as we discuss the sacrifices SOME of us have made for love and others, not so much! This was such a wonderful opportunity for Valery & Alikona to get intimate with a listener who has supported the podcast from the jump. We're so honored to have her not only on the podcast, b...

How do you handle change? Are you a soldier or do have a complete meltdown? Sometimes life's not about the change, it's about the growth that will come with it and if you're willing to embrace it! Let's take that growth with grace, people! ...But if you're not in a place to be grateful, hopefully you'll at least feel like you're not the only that's had one heck of a 2023! We love you and we get it...

YES! The P stands for what you think it does. Ladies, we're owning our voices, bodies, taboo feelings, and getting loud about being a woman in a mannnnn's world. Cue Christina Aguilera's rendition of It's A Man's World! "Good little girls are seen not heard?!" Not in Alikona & Valery's world. This episode we talk about the shame surrounding a woman standing in the power of her sexuality and ho...

Yogi and all around happy human, Paul Benedict, shares with us how he found his dharma (purpose) and how he helps other people find theirs through yoga practices, meditation, and personal mission mantras. It's an awesome way to kick off the New Year and we hope it inspires you to live your dharma despite natural ebbs and flows. Find Paul on YouTube and social @newrajayoga. For all those extra good...