Stumbling Through Growth

In this episode, Minessa shares her journey of decolonization, the importance of community, and how embracing creativity and authenticity can lead to personal and societal transformation. I love how Minessa’s brain works and how they connect the dots of life! 

Achievement can hide conditioning, burnout, and self-betrayal. If you’re a high-performing person who feels successful on paper but still feels stuck, this on...

Ciara Gogan sits down with Minessa for a wide-ranging conversation about identity, trauma, decolonization, creativity, and what it means to build a gentler life while living inside oppressive systems. Minessa shares how they moved from survival mode and assimilation toward deeper self-awareness, and why joy, boundaries, and specificity matter in hea...

Award-winning filmmaker Julie Rubio joins Ciara Gogan for an honest conversation about the hidden history of artist Tamara de Lempicka, the power of documentary filmmaking, and finding the courage to tell stories that have been overlooked. Julie shares how personal hardship shaped her empathy and resilience, how a film-set crisis unexpectedly pushed her into directing, and why she kept fighting to bring The True Story of Tamara de ...

This episode is a wide-ranging conversation with Dr. Anouska Bhattacharyya about what it means to show up fully human in a system that often rewards performance over honesty, the power of play and community, and how embracing discomfort can lead to innovation and growth. They also share personal stories about karaoke, the value of rest, navigating unemployment, and why connection matters more than polish.

Key Topics:

• Workplace au...

In this episode, Dr. Anouska Bhattacharyya shares her joyful, insightful reflections on how upbringing, friendship, and lived experience shape the way we connect with others, handle conflict, and navigate work. It’s a conversation about being seen, being supported, and learning to make room for both grief and joy. I absolutely adored this conversation and know you will too!

Key Topics:

• Anouska's childhood and immigrant expe...

I sat down with Ayanna Freedom for a tender, honest exploration of healing, embodiment, trauma, recovery, and the quiet work of becoming more fully yourself. Ayanna shares how healing lives in the body, why community matters, and how silence, rest, and joy can be powerful forms of resistance. In this episode, we hear Ayanna’s story from childhood loss and addiction to recovery, then into the work of helping others unlearn har...

In this episode, the incredible Heidi Clements shares her journey of embracing aging, self-love, and authenticity. We explore topics like pro-aging, anti-alcohol, smashing the patriarchy, mental health, social media's impact, and overcoming societal expectations.

Connect with Heidi & Ciara:

Check out Heidi's Podcast with Constance Zimmer - Talk Fifty to Me - https://talkfiftytome.com/

Follow Heidi Clements on Instagram - https://i...

Explore how identity, vulnerability, and artistic expression intersect in this heartfelt conversation with drag artist and theater enthusiast, Novaczar. Discover personal stories of resilience, self-discovery, and the importance of authenticity in art and life.

Main Topics:

• The fluidity of identity and the persona as armor
• The transformative power of drag and theater in healing and self-expression
• Navigating criticism, societal exp...

I can’t wait for you all to meet Lawrence, he is a remarkable, fascinating man whose enormous capacity to love and support is truly unique.

He is a fervent supporter of the arts, his former students, his Mom, his chosen family, and he makes the world a better place by being in it. I struggled with what to call this episode, as it was so rich with so many wonderful insights and lessons, but I settled on “Pouring Into Each...

I loved this conversation so much and I’m so happy I get to share it with you. My guest this episode is Wanda Cox, entrepreneur, caregiver, and all around good human!

Wanda has such a warmth about her and a wicked sense of humor! For me the crux of this conversation boils down to this…we don’t have our paths all figured out when we are younger (or as we get older), and that’s ok. Life is going to throw thing...

Welcome to my very first episode! I started this podcast to share honest conversations about life's journey with some of the people that inspire me the most.

We're starting out with the powerhouse that is Madi B. Madi is an author (Let Them See You - Madison Butler), host of the Crash Out podcast, and newsletter of the same name.

This conversation with Madi is full of raw stories, incredible insight, and gems that listeners will cher...