In this rich, heart-centered conversation, Dr. Gertrude Lyons speaks with family law attorney and equity partner Katy Mickelson about following a nonlinear career path, parenting through IVF, and how real life—not law school—became her greatest teacher. Katy shares what it means to bring creativity into a traditionally rigid field, why she values mentorship, and how raising teens has taught her as much as any courtroom.

They discuss balancing ambition with presence, how fertility struggles shaped her perspective on motherhood, and why authenticity is her superpower in both law and life. This episode is an honest, energizing reminder that there is no one way to lead—or to mother.

• (01:55) Mentoring future women in law and creating soul-aligned workplaces
• (05:40) Public relations, late pivots, and starting law school at 29
• (10:50) Combining creativity and law: why it doesn’t have to be boring
• (15:10) Gender dynamics in the legal field and carving a new path
• (19:20) Listening as a lost art in law, and why it matters most
• (24:45) IVF journeys, difficult diagnoses, and the shock of unexpected fertility challenges
• (30:50) Motherhood after 35 and the feisty embryo that made it against the odds
• (36:00) Parenting teens and what it means to watch your children become themselves
• (40:30) Guilt, growth, and the myth of perfect parenting
• (44:50) Real-life experience as an undervalued but essential skill

This episode is for anyone navigating career shifts, parenting complexity, or the unpredictable paths we take to become who we are.

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Learn more about Katy Mickelson:

• Visit her Website
• Follow her on Instagram
• Connect with her on LinkedIn

Follow Dr. Gertrude:

• Learn more on Dr. Gertrude’s website
• Follow Dr. Gertrude on Instagram
• Stay in the loop and sign up to Dr. Gertrude’s newsletter
• Pre-order Dr. Gertrude’s new book “Rewrite the Mother Code”

In this insightful conversation, Dr. Gertrude Lyons sits down with entrepreneur, leadership coach, and podcast host Emily Bronaugh. Together, they unpack what it means to lead with intention, hire with care, and mother a business without losing yourself in the process.

Emily shares her journey from burnout to business ownership, and how she learned to build systems, delegate with trust, and create space for both feminine values and effective leadership. They explore the cultural narratives around control, responsibility, and what it truly means to ask for help.

Whether you run a household, a business, or both, this episode will help you challenge your assumptions and redefine what it means to lead.

• (01:55) Emily’s backstory: early motherhood, military life, and career pivots
• (06:30) Why hiring feels so daunting, and how to overcome the fear
• (09:50) The balance of masculine structure and feminine leadership
• (12:45) Burnout, decision fatigue, and the power of boundaries
• (16:00) Systems that support creativity without suffocating it
• (21:35) Rewriting the "boss" narrative and healing leadership wounds
• (26:20) How emotional charge shows up in hiring and delegation
• (30:40) The mother energy in business: boundaries vs. over-identification
• (34:15) Encouraging autonomy and rethinking the team as family
• (39:50) Letting go of control and hiring with trust
• (44:10) What it means to grow a business that grows without you

This episode is a permission slip to build and lead in a way that aligns with your values—with space, support, and sustainability at the core.

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Learn more about Emily Bronaugh:

• Visit her Website
• Follow her on Instagram
• Connect with her on LinkedIn
• Take the Leadership Journey Quiz

Follow Dr. Gertrude:

• Learn more on Dr. Gertrude’s website
• Follow Dr. Gertrude on Instagram
• Stay in the loop and sign up to Dr. Gertrude’s newsletter
• Pre-order Dr. Gertrude’s new book “Rewrite the Mother Code”

In this powerful and unapologetic conversation, I sit down with Sonali Fiske—TEDx speaker, creative coach, former radio host, and fierce advocate for cultural equity and representation. We explore the intersection of creative expression, sacred rage, and self-mothering, and the courage it takes to tell the truth in a world built to silence it.

Sonali shares her journey of moving from invisibility to global visibility, and why anger became the alchemical force that transformed her life and leadership. We also reflect on the behind-the-scenes process of crafting a TEDx talk that disrupts the status quo—and the backlash that often comes with saying something that matters.

If you’ve ever felt like your story wasn’t welcome, this episode is a bold invitation to claim your space, your voice, and your sacred yes.

• (01:55) The origin of Sonali’s mission to amplify BIPOC women’s voices
• (07:04) How sacred listening and self-mothering become acts of revolution
• (13:30) Feelings buried alive: intergenerational grief and what Sonali did with her rage
• (18:20) Why we need safe spaces for women to express full-spectrum emotions
• (23:45) Her first TEDx talk, audience discomfort, and the power of not diluting your message
• (30:10) How that talk led to her global radio show and 9.5M+ listeners
• (35:40) The challenges of sustaining visibility, and knowing when to pause
• (39:25) Producing the most diverse TEDx events in the U.S.
• (44:50) The radical act of turning anger into creativity, service, and collective healing

This episode is for anyone ready to stop shrinking, start telling the truth, and create from the places we’ve been told to hide.

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Learn more about Sonali Fiske:

• Visit her Website
• Follow her on Instagram
• Connect with her on LinkedIn

Follow Dr. Gertrude:

• Learn more on Dr. Gertrude’s website
• Follow Dr. Gertrude on Instagram
• Stay in the loop and sign up to Dr. Gertrude’s newsletter
• Pre-order Dr. Gertrude’s new book “Rewrite the Mother Code”

In this solo episode, I reflect on the emotional swirl of launching my first book, Rewrite the Mother Code, and everything that came after the sprint. From excitement and fulfillment to overwhelm and uncertainty, I open up about the full spectrum of the experience, and why it reminds me of new motherhood.

This is a conversation about truth, creativity, vulnerability, and the deep work of staying present. I share the beauty, the mess, and the moments of grace that made this journey real.

If you’ve ever launched a project, stepped into a new version of yourself, or tried to savor a moment while holding a thousand details - this one’s for you.

• (01:55) The emotional rollercoaster after book launch and letting go of the sprint
• (05:01) Advice from Marianne Williamson and the call to have fun and be present
• (07:04) Why self-mothering means saying no to things that drain you
• (09:56) The shift from sprint to marathon and the fear of losing momentum
• (14:56) Social media, perfection, and the unspoken stress of event logistics
• (17:50) Self-care in New York and what didn’t go according to plan
• (21:05) Money fears, rainstorms, and the little love shots that kept her going
• (24:03) Doubt, darkness, and choosing to keep showing up anyway
• (26:12) Invitations, outreach, and asking for continued support
• (29:04) Shifting from shyness to pride and standing behind your work
• (31:00) Future offerings, community engagement, and what Gertrude wants to create next

This episode is a love letter to the entire experience, not just the polished launch photos, but the rain, the setbacks, and the heart-opening moments of truth.

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Follow Dr. Gertrude:

• Learn more on Dr. Gertrude’s website
• Follow Dr. Gertrude on Instagram
• Stay in the loop and sign up to Dr. Gertrude’s newsletter
• Pre-order Dr. Gertrude’s new book “Rewrite the Mother Code”

In this soul-expanding episode, I sit down with artist, composer, writer, and TEDx speaker Gregg Stewart to explore creativity as both a path of healing and a lifelong act of becoming. From music to novels, parenting to presence, Gregg invites us to step into our creative selves with curiosity, compassion, and the audacity to do it anyway.

We talk about the emotional labor of sharing your truth on a TEDx stage, the fear and joy of co-parenting, and the inner transformation that comes with giving yourself permission to create. Gregg's wisdom is both practical and poetic, and this conversation is a love letter to creative expression in all its forms.

• (01:55) The magic of sharing the TEDx stage and how Gregg ended up the “wild card”
• (06:00) Gregg’s journey through music, writing, film, and his upcoming novella
• (10:10) Creativity as a form of subconscious processing and personal truth-telling
• (13:45) The deeper value of creativity beyond capitalism and performance
• (17:05) Why you don’t need to be a professional to benefit from a creative life
• (22:30) How fear and curiosity helped Gregg stay connected to his daughter after divorce
• (29:20) The radical parenting lesson of meeting your child brand new each time
• (34:00) Creative expression as an antidote to self-judgment
• (37:40) Letting go of childhood wounds around singing, art, and voice
• (41:25) Reclaiming joy in creativity after years of disconnection
• (45:50) The power of community, reflection, and staying open to being surprised
• (50:10) Why presence, not polish, is the soul of all creative work
• (54:20) How art helps us mother ourselves and meet the moment with heart

Gregg's philosophy reminds us that creativity is not about perfection - it’s about presence, honesty, and the willingness to show up for ourselves and each other.

Learn more about Gregg Stewart:

• Follow him on Instagram
• Order his Book
• Watch his TEDXTalk

Follow Dr. Gertrude:

• Learn more on Dr. Gertrude’s website
• Follow Dr. Gertrude on Instagram
• Stay in the loop and sign up to Dr. Gertrude’s newsletter
• Pre-order Dr. Gertrude’s new book “Rewrite the Mother Code”

In Part Two of our conversation, Jen Pastiloff shares from the beating heart of her new book, Proof of Life - a work that was birthed through grief, trauma, beauty, and a fierce devotion to truth. This episode is a masterclass in living unfiltered, trusting the body, and speaking the unspeakable.

We go deeper into her creative process, the limitations of traditional wellness spaces, and what it means to parent while unlearning self-abandonment. Jen offers an invitation not to perform or perfect, but to pause. To feel. To say what is real.

This conversation is for the humans who are doing their best to stay in their bodies and live from a place of honest belonging.

• (01:55) Why she almost didn’t give her TEDx talk and what happened next
• (05:30) Her relationship to voice, silence, and speaking from the body
• (09:35) Why she tells her son: “You can be mad at me and I still love you”
• (14:20) The energetic power of writing and her new book Proof of Life
• (18:35) How she reclaims motherhood, worthiness, and creative identity

Jen reminds us that healing is not about fixing what’s broken — it’s about remembering who we are underneath the noise.

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Learn more about Jen Pastiloff:

• Visit her Website
• Follow her on Instagram
• Follow her on Facebook
• Pre-order Proof of Life

Follow Dr. Gertrude:

• Learn more on Dr. Gertrude’s website
• Follow Dr. Gertrude on Instagram
• Stay in the loop and sign up to Dr. Gertrude’s newsletter
• Pre-order Dr. Gertrude’s new book “Rewrite the Mother Code”

In this deeply embodied conversation, I speak with Jen Pastiloff - bestselling author of On Being Human, creator of the Shame Loss Movement, and a radically honest voice in the world of healing and presence. Jen brings her whole self to the mic: her deafness, her grief, her humanness, and her fierce belief in truth-telling as a path to freedom.

In Part One of our conversation, we trace Jen’s journey through early loss, chronic self-doubt, and the internalized belief that she had to hide or perform her way through life. We explore the beauty and brutality of becoming present in a body, and what it means to bear witness to others without fixing or fleeing.

This episode is for anyone learning to stay. To grieve. To listen. And to belong.

• (02:10) Jen’s experience growing up with hearing loss and how it shaped her worldview
• (06:35) Why she calls herself a “listener” instead of a teacher
• (13:12) Her early grief after losing her father and how it shaped her longing
• (19:45) The origins of the Shame Loss Movement and the audacity to take up space
• (27:20) Her writing and workshop work as acts of presence and permission

Jen invites us into the sacred messiness of being human, reminding us that shame cannot survive being spoken, and that our bodies are wise, worthy places to come home to.

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Learn more about Jen Pastiloff:

• Visit her Website
• Follow her on Instagram
• Follow her on Facebook
• Pre-order Proof of Life

Follow Dr. Gertrude:

• Learn more on Dr. Gertrude’s website
• Follow Dr. Gertrude on Instagram
• Stay in the loop and sign up to Dr. Gertrude’s newsletter
• Pre-order Dr. Gertrude’s new book “Rewrite the Mother Code”

In this raw and powerful episode, I sit down with Allie Casazza—author, coach, and founder of the “Becoming Her” movement—for a deeply honest conversation about the messy, miraculous process of breaking open and rebuilding.

Allie shares her journey from building an 8-figure business rooted in minimalism to experiencing a profound unraveling of her personal and professional life. We talk about the self-betrayal that can accompany success, the silence of shame, and how illness, burnout, and trauma cracked open the parts of herself that had long been hidden.

What emerged from that dark night of the soul is not just a new business model, but a new way of living, parenting, and leading—with truth, presence, and deep self-respect.

• (01:00) How Allie built a massive brand while suppressing her truth
• (05:45) The illness and emotional fallout that came from not speaking up
• (11:15) Navigating divorce, trauma, and the unraveling of her identity
• (17:00) Her breaking point, and how she rebuilt her inner world
• (23:20) The healing power of hypnotherapy, EFT, and energetic work
• (29:45) Choosing truth over performance in parenting and business
• (36:10) Living the mother code in real time with her four kids
• (42:25) Rewriting everything and reclaiming her power as a woman and creator

Allie reminds us that being a good mother isn’t about perfection—it’s about presence. It’s about modeling healing, honesty, and the courage to become who you truly are.

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Learn more about Allie Casazza:

• Visit her Website
• Follow her on Instagram
• Listen to her Podcast
• Subscribe to her Youtube Channel

Follow Dr. Gertrude:

• Learn more on Dr. Gertrude’s website
• Follow Dr. Gertrude on Instagram
• Stay in the loop and sign up to Dr. Gertrude’s newsletter
• Pre-order Dr. Gertrude’s new book “Rewrite the Mother Code”