Own Your Essence

Unhinged Q&A: Toxic Traits, Discernment, Manifesting, and Embarrassing Moments

Host April DeMille and co-host Stephanie Webb do a lighter, “unhinged” episode of Own Your Essence, asking each other surprise questions. April names over-explaining as a defended toxic trait tied to people-pleasing and needing to justify herself, and both discuss autonomy, discernment vs. judgment, and trusting intuition. April describes a rare mediu...

Host April DeMille interviews magazine photographer and author Brandon Marshall on Own Your Essence. Brandon reflects on turning 40, earning his GED, attending two semesters of school, and publishing his third book (having written six). He discusses quitting alcohol three times and deciding on December 11th to stop for good, while still using marijuana and periodic mushrooms for spiritual grounding. Brandon recounts childhood abuse...

Host April DeMille interviews intuitive guide and truth teller Lara Bokovay on the Own Your Essence podcast about returning to self and living in alignment. Lara shares how leaving corporate work, health exploration, divorce during the pandemic, and becoming a mother catalyzed a deep healing journey centered on self-worth, accountability, and unlearning lifelong “performing” for external reactions. She defines performing as acting ...

Host April DeMille welcomes Royce Morales, founder of the Perfect Life Awakening Program, a multidimensional self-development program designed to help people dissolve subconscious programming, self-sabotage, and lack of deservingness by accessing deep awareness and cellular memory while remaining conscious. Morales describes how her method emerged intuitively during a meditation class about 40 years ago and expanded from living-roo...

Host April DeMille interviews former medical doctor, artist, and author Liz Casper, who retired from medicine in 2023 and now writes and paints. Casper discusses her books, Brilliant, Beautiful, Bipolar (about being diagnosed with bipolar disorder at 54 after decades of depression and seasonal affective symptoms) and Learning to Heal, (covering her medical training and work, plus becoming a cancer patient). She describes how season...

Host April DeMille interviews PhD astrophysicist and mystic, Rosa Hope, about bridging science and spirituality. Rosa says she has been spiritually attuned since childhood and pursued physics in her late 20s after a Saturn return period where she lost major relationships and career plans, seeking answers to existential questions. She later realized physics explains how the universe works but not why, and during early PhD years she ...

Host April DeMille interviews Jim Marshall, author of “Septemics: Hierarchies of Human Phenomena,” about Septemics, a philosophical science he says is based on newly discovered natural phenomena showing many human experiences occur in seven-level sequences. Marshall describes Septemics as 35 unique seven-step “scales” (individual and group) spanning human issues such as basic purposes, motivation, thought, relationships, communicat...

Host April DeMille interviews Sarah Roccisano, a world-traveling author, motivational speaker, and founder of Emboldened Adventures, about her shift from a 20+ year New York City corporate career (investment banking through the 2008 crisis, renewable energy, government work, $30B in transactions, and three layoffs including a two-and-a-half-year unemployment period) to a transformation-driven life after hitting a “brick wall” in 20...

Host April DeMille interviews Lynn Mull, a former Wall Street professional turned holistic career coach, Reiki/energy healer, author, and facilitator, about redefining abundance beyond money as flow, receptivity, and energetic alignment.  Lynn describes practices like clearing clutter as “energetic money hygiene”, tracking where you are financially and emotionally, and using her money archetypes (including the risk-taking “maverick...

Host April DeMille interviews Victoria Icenhower, who calls herself the “self-love scientist,” a public speaker on women’s sexual health, wellness, pleasure, intimacy, and relationships, as well as the host of the Love and Lattes podcast and a Pilates teacher. Victoria shares how she left a male-dominated corporate government/contracts job after burnout and an unhealthy environment, turned to yoga and life coaching, and began her o...

Host April DeMille is joined by co-host Lee Walczak and returning guest Stephanie Webb on the Own Your Essence podcast for an unscripted conversation about authenticity, language, and the difference between healthy compromise and “shrinking” to people-please. April shares recent reflections prompted by a friend and by her podcasting work, including whether to edit vulnerable wording from a story about the dark night of soul an...

Host April DeMille interviews Rachel Baldock, a breathwork and intuitive coach, medium, former nurse, and owner of Restorative Rach. Rachel shares how 16 years in nursing—including working in Melbourne, Australia, during intense COVID lockdowns—plus an abrupt marriage ending, led her to change her life, move states, and embrace breathwork as a grounding tool to help feel and process emotions. She describes early mediumship experien...

In this episode of the 'Own Your Essence' podcast, hosted by April DeMille, guest Leticia Francis, a trauma recovery mentor and survival mode disruptor, shares her deeply personal journey of overcoming trauma and abuse. Leticia talks about her childhood experiences with domestic abuse and molestation, her tumultuous teenage years, and her abusive marriage, which culminated in a life-threatening stabbing incident. Leticia ...

In this episode of the 'Own Your Essence' podcast, host April DeMille engages in a deep, transformational conversation with Jacki Fleniken, an alcohol freedom and transformation coach from Los Angeles. Jacki shares her profound journey from being a daily drinker and bartender to becoming an advocate for sobriety. She discusses the significant turning points in her life, including a major depressive episode, the tragic los...

In this episode of the 'Own Your Essence' podcast, host April DeMille and co-host Lee Walczak engage in a deep conversation with shadow worker Melissa Kim Corter. Melissa shares her fascination with the shadow dynamics within the human psyche, driven by her experiences as a highly empathic child. She discusses her work in shadow psychology, inspired by figures such as Carl Jung, and her unique approach, using dark fairy t...

In this episode of 'Own Your Essence' podcast, host April DeMille, joined by guest co-host Lee Walczack, converses with Sheila Marie, a renowned forensic consultant and psychic medium. Sheila narrates her unique journey from being a police officer to becoming a forensic medium, detailing her process of receiving dreams and visions that help her solve cases. Sheila emphasizes the importance of maintaining professional deta...

A Heart Filled With Gratitude 

As I share some of my favorite moments from Season 1, my heart is so full. 

To every listener who tuned in, every guest who bravely shared their truth, every friend who cheered us on, and every single soul who watched, listened, commented, or shared. THANK YOU.  

I’m grateful for the love that wrapped around this project from the very beginning.

I can not wait to see what Season 2 brings. 

Thank you for be...

In this episode of the 'Own Your Essence' podcast, host April DeMille is joined by her friend and colleague, Stephanie Webb. They recap Stephanie's earlier appearance on episode seven and dive into a candid discussion about the complexities of healing and dating. They explore topics such as the non-linear nature of healing, dealing with grief—highlighted by April's poignant recounting of losing a child—and the i...

In this episode of the 'Own Your Essence' podcast, host April DeMille delves into an inspiring conversation with Tatjana Genys, a conscious entrepreneur, author of four books, and founder of 'The Art and Science of Choosing You.' Tatjana shares her transformative journey from a 15-year corporate career to creating a life of alignment and purpose. She discusses the emotional and physical toll of misalignment, the...