#REALTALK with Emma G and Dinah
REALTALK: Honest Conversations for High-Functioning Humans REAL TALK began as a response to a traumatic event that swept the globe. In the early days of the pandemic, when the world felt uncertain and disconnected, Emma G used her platform as a singer-songwriter, coach, and speaker to keep people inspired, grounded, and mentally well. What started as a simple idea — let's talk honestly about how we're really doing — quickly became something more. REAL TALK evolved into a space for curious, compassionate conversations about resilience, creativity, leadership, and mental health — especially for people who are often expected to "hold it together." At its core, the show brings together people from different backgrounds, beliefs, and lived experiences to explore wellness with integrity, nuance, and heart. Season One: Holding Space During the Pandemic Season One was hosted solo by Emma G and featured conversations with creatives, leaders, and thinkers navigating their inner worlds while continuing to show up publicly. Guests included fashion designer Kenny "Kas" Flanagan, motivational speaker Billy Alsbrooks, politician Laila Harré, hip-hop artist King Kapisi, and the Punk Rock Doc herself, Dr. JJ Kelly, among many others. These were conversations about staying human in an inhuman moment — about mental health, meaning, identity, and how we care for ourselves when everything familiar is stripped away. Season Two: Mental Health Sounds Like This In 2025, REAL TALK returned with a new chapter. Season Two was co-hosted by Rawinia Judson (Ra) — authenticity and leadership coach — and leaned more deeply into what mental health actually sounds like for high-functioning humans: leaders, entrepreneurs, creatives, and changemakers. Together, Emma and Ra explored burnout, self-trust, purpose, nervous system health, and authenticity through conversations with guests like Andrew Buerger, Robert Heath, Stephen Warner, and Sam Harvey. Season Two wasn't about quick fixes. It was about naming what's real, reducing stigma, and reminding listeners they weren't alone. Season Three: Raising the Vibration Season Three marks a natural evolution — not away from mental health, but into integration. Co-hosted by Emma G and Dinah Simpson, founder of High Ki Living, this season expands the conversation into holistic wellness — mind, body, and spirit — while staying grounded, practical, and deeply human. Emma's bold, expressive "rockstar-meets-mindful" energy is balanced by Dinah's calm, nourishing presence. Together, they create a space that is both activating and regulating — honest without being heavy, elevated without bypassing reality. This season features conversations with guests such as Dr. Dave Snell, Angela Kingdon, Molly Ruland, and Dr. Robb Kelly — people working at the intersection of mental health, leadership, healing, culture, and systems change. Season Three is about raising the vibration not by escaping life — but by meeting it with awareness, embodiment, and intention. Season Four: Live, In Studio, Unfiltered Season Four brings REAL TALK into its most unscripted form yet. Co-hosted by Emma G and Dinah Simpson, this season is recorded live, in person, in Emma's home studio, streaming simultaneously on YouTube, Facebook, and LinkedIn before reaching all major podcast platforms. Every Monday, Emma and Dinah sit down with executives, healers, creatives, and entrepreneurs for real, honest conversations, no scripts, no teleprompters, just what actually gets said when the mics are on and the cameras are rolling. Season Four opened with rapper, filmmaker, and entrepreneur Erie Ave, exploring the mindset behind "Before The Deal" and what it means to stay grounded through fast, unexpected success. What REAL TALK Is Really About REAL TALK exists because: High-functioning humans struggle too Wellness isn't one-size-fits-all Healing doesn't always look quiet Growth shouldn't come at the cost of your nervous system And honest conversation remains one of the most powerful tools we have This podcast isn't about perfection or performance. It's about presence, perspective, and staying connected to yourself while doing meaningful work in the world. REALTALK livestreams every Monday, live on YouTube, Facebook, and LinkedIn, before dropping on all major podcast platforms, DC Television, and ROKU TV.
Episodes
What if speaking up when it's uncomfortable wasn't aggression, but the most caring thing you could do for someone?
This week on REALTALK, Dinah is back from Bali and joins Emma G for a conversation with attorney and nonprofit strategist Pete Kimbis, who coined a phrase that reframes advocacy entirely: diplomatic aggression. Not conflict for its own sake, but the discipline of preparing so thoroughly, and caring so much, that you're...
Third-degree black belt and Krav Maga CDK founder DJ Stephens joins Emma G for a conversation that starts with self-defense and goes much deeper into mindset, fear, and community. DJ shares why Krav Maga isn't about becoming a fighter, why real fear shouldn't be talked away, and why the goal is learning to be comfortable being uncomfortable rather than eliminating d...
Producer and songwriter Kimberly Shires, founder of Hear Me Roar Studio in DC, joins Emma G solo for a conversation on what it actually takes to build a safe, judgment-free space for creativity. Kimberly shares how she noticed the lack of women in the audio production world and built a studio designed specifically to change that experience, why she treats the artist...
Rapper, filmmaker, and entrepreneur Erie Ave joins REALTALK with Emma G and Dinah for the Season 4 kickoff, live in studio. Erie shares the story behind his mindset "Before The Deal," how writing poetry helped him process emotion as a young Black man growing up in the DMV, and the wild true story of linking up with Rick Ross on the song "We The Ones." He also opens ...
In this episode of REALTALK with Emma G and Dinah, hosts Emma G and Dinah Simpson sit down with Marya Kazmi, writer, educator, and the voice behind Brown Girl Interrupting.
Marya shares her deeply personal journey navigating identity as the daughter of immigrants from Pakistan and Bangladesh, growing up in America while balancing the expectations of family, culture, and faith. From becoming a young mother during college to later fi...
Join hosts Emma G and Dinah Simpson for Episode 10 of REAL TALK: Raising the Vibration — where we explore the practices that help us become stronger, safer, and more grounded in who we are. This week, we welcome a leader in the world of Krav Maga, each with decades of experience empowering people to step into courage, confidence, and personal agency:
Kelly Campbell For more than 26 years, Kelly has taught authentic Krav Maga ...
Join hosts Emma G and Dinah Simpson for Episode 9 of REAL TALK: Raising the Vibration — where vulnerability meets vision, and everyday living becomes sacred. This week’s guest is Liz Strom, DC/NYC–based lifestyle curator, transformational life coach, content creator, and founder of the brand Espressofied. Through Espressofied, Liz encourages people to live life elevated — embracing beauty, self-care, authent...
REAL TALK | Episode 7 — Michelle Jacoby: Love, Authenticity & Finding the Relationships We Deserve Join hosts Emma G and Dinah Simpson for Episode 8 of REAL TALK: Raising the Vibration — where we explore the emotional, relational, and spiritual practices that help us thrive.
This week, we welcome Michelle Jacoby, award-winning matchmaker, relationship coach, author, founder of DC Matchmaking, and co-founder of the M...
REAL TALK | S3 Ep6 Dr. Dave Snell: Healing, Humanity & “Unf*cking the World” from the Inside Out. Join hosts Emma G and Dinah Simpson for Episode 7 of REAL TALK: Raising the Vibration — where we go beyond wellness buzzwords and dive into the real work of healing, mental health, and community transformation. This week, we’re joined by Dr. Dave Snell — counsellor, researcher, strategist, cultural tra...
In tonight’s episode of REALTALK with Emma G and Dinah, hosts Emma G and Dinah Simpson sit down for a candid mid-season check-in conversation.
Now just over a quarter of the way through the season, this episode offers space to pause, reflect, and reconnect—with ourselves, our bodies, and the deeper themes that have been emerging throughout recent conversations. Expect an honest, grounded dialogue around growth, nervous ...
REAL TALK | Episode 4 — Dr. Robb Kelly: Rewiring the Brain, Healing the Soul Join hosts Emma G and Dinah Simpson for Episode 5 of REAL TALK: Raising the Vibration — where raw truth meets soulful transformation. This week, we sit down with Dr. Robb Kelly, Oxford-educated psychologist turned addiction-recovery trailblazer, whose journey took him from homelessness and deep despair to becoming one of the world’s leadi...
Join hosts Emma G and Dinah Simpson for Episode 3 of REAL TALK: Raising the Vibration — where we explore the conversations, creativity, and consciousness that elevate how we live, lead, and connect. This week, we’re joined by Molly Ruland — CEO of Heartcast Media, global strategist, systems architect, and the force behind hundreds of high-impact multimedia projects. Based in Costa Rica and working with clients aro...
Join hosts Emma G and Dinah Simpson for Episode 2 of REAL TALK: Raising the Vibration — where grounded conversation meets creative healing, neuroscience meets storytelling, and everyday people become catalysts for change.
This week, we’re joined by REAL TALK | Season 3 : Episode , educator, consultant, and creator of the HEART Framework — Habits, Engagement, Awareness, Resilience, and Telling Stories. Through Weis...
Welcome to Episode 1 of REAL TALK Season 3: This is High Ki Living — where healing, resilience, and personal transformation meet real stories from extraordinary people.
In our season premiere, hosts Emma G and Dinah Simpson are joined by two powerhouse motivators whose missions, methods, and lived experiences remind us that movement — physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual — is medicine.
Meet Laurent Amzallag...
Join us as we chat with Kari Swenson – multi-business owner, leader of 480 employees, and passionate advocate for people-first leadership – for Episode 16 of Real Talk: Mental Health Sounds Like This.
Kari’s career spans decades in both the retail and restaurant industries, including her role as Owner/Operator of 12 McDonald’s restaurants across Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC. She also owns a thrivin...
Join us as we chat with Terri Long – CEO of T2T Media, cohost of Spotlight Over The City, and creator of the powerful Trauma 2 Triumph Project – for Episode 15 of Real Talk: Mental Health Sounds Like This.
Terri is on a mission to amplify the voices of women who have survived unimaginable trauma and gone on to live triumphant, purpose-filled lives. Through her groundbreaking T2T Project: Trauma 2 Triumph, Terri is shini...
Join us as we chat with Jennifer Hamady – voice coach, psychotherapist, performer, and author – for Episode 14 of Real Talk: Mental Health Sounds Like This.
Singing came naturally to Jennifer since she was a child. But everything changed when her formal vocal training in college left her disconnected from the very thing she loved most - her voice. After losing her voice physically and emotionally, Jennifer began a journ...
Join us as we chat with Eli Lev, singer–songwriter, musician, spiritual storyteller, and founder of the Levitators community, for Episode 13 of Real Talk: Mental Health Sounds Like This.
From the Navajo Nation to the Kennedy Center, Eli Lev is making the world feel more connected—one heartfelt song at a time. The Maryland-based singer-songwriter writes music for everyday enlightenment, weaving together stories of travel...
Join us as we chat with Stephen Warner – husband, father, youth pastor turned entrepreneur, musician, and founder of Young Founders Academy – for Episode 12 of Real Talk: Mental Health Sounds Like This.
Stephen’s journey has been anything but ordinary. From leading after-school programs to building a multiple 7-figure business with Modern Musician, to becoming a first-time dad, and the moment a kid named Jake knoc...
S2 EP11 "Real Talk: Mental Health Sounds Like This" - Defy Constraints Differently featuring Meg Trucano
Join us as we chat with Creative Strategist, Designer, and Marketer Greg Roland for Episode 10 of Real Talk: Mental Health Sounds Like This.
Join us as we chat with Meg Trucano Psychology-based Confidence Coach for Episode 11 of Real Talk: Mental Health Sounds Like This.
With a Phd in Psychology, Meg works with high-...
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