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This week on A Voice and Beyond our very special guest is Cristina Ramirez, a serial entrepreneur who brings her empowerment curricula to audiences everywhere across the United States. Her programs have been implemented across 41 states to over 10,000 individuals, ranging from children to executives. A veteran of Wall Street and Silicon Valley, Cristina is an award-winning coach, the best-selling author of the book Empowered by Discomfort, an Ironman triathlete, and a US Snowboard National Silver Medalist.
Cristina begins by talking about her own personal battles and the journey that ultimately led her to create her brilliant coaching program, which focuses on discomfort as a pathway to confidence. Cristina believes that our words serve as the expression of our inner dialogue, and the stories we consistently tell ourselves become our beliefs, acting as gatekeepers to our actions. She tells us that by recognizing and acknowledging our fears, we can ultimately control our thoughts and responses to life's challenges, leading us to an empowered life. Cristina explains to us that in life, progress often demands incremental steps forward, emphasizing that we should honor and acknowledge each stage of our journeys, rather than fixate on future achievements for happiness.
Christina shares many of the coaching strategies she uses with her clients to help them overcome the various obstacles that are standing in their way of success and how they can be applied to performing artists whose limiting beliefs are holding them back in their careers. This is truly a beautiful and uplifting interview with Cristina Ramirez, one that I learned so much from, and I’m sure you will too.
In this Episode
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This week on A Voice and Beyond, we discuss the impact of mental fatigue and how it significantly impairs cognitive function, decision-making abilities, and overall success. Mental fatigue has been proven to reduce concentration, productivity, and problem-solving skills while disrupting emotional regulation and increasing stress levels. Furthermore, chronic mental fatigue can lead to burnout, threatening your ability to attain long-term goals and live in a state of well-being. Contributing factors to mental fatigue can include poor nutrition, lack of sleep, and cognitive overload from multitasking and simply asking your brain to take on too much throughout the day.
In this episode, we help you identify its causes and share four lifestyle modifications you can make to combat mental fatigue, such as reducing screen time, prioritizing sleep, and maintaining a healthy diet. These adjustments can improve memory, productivity, and creativity while reducing stress and promoting emotional balance. Managing mental energy through rest, stress reduction and mindfulness is essential for sustained success and fulfillment. By removing unnecessary tasks and responsibilities, individuals can mitigate mental fatigue and optimize their chances of success. It's imperative to prioritize self-care and adopt strategies to preserve mental energy for your long-term health, well-being, and fulfillment. If you’ve been finding it difficult to focus, be productive, and ignite your creativity, passion, and purpose in your day, perhaps it is time to check in and see if you may be suffering from mental fatigue.
In this Episode
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Our guest this week on A Voice and Beyond is Giji Dennard, whose journey began with the pivotal moment of meeting her father for the very first time at the age of 17. This encounter sparked a lifelong passion for understanding and fostering healthy father-child relationships, which have become her professional signature.
Giji's speaking prowess first ignited in high school, where she clinched the state championship in oratory, and since then she has dedicated more than five decades to engaging and inspiring audiences with her captivating narratives, candidness, and empathy. With a multifaceted career spanning over three decades, Giji has gained insight into the many aspects of the human experience. Her professional career has included leading roles in multinational corporations and training thousands of professionals over the last 20 years. Giji is also the author of four acclaimed books.
In today’s show, Giji's conversation with me explores topics around healing father-child relationships, unleashing personal and professional greatness, forgiveness, and the pursuit of passion. This is a beautiful and inspirational interview with Giji Dennard.
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In this Episode
For more, go to drmarisaleenaismith.com/153.
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Over the past few weeks, I have been on a teaching tour in the USA, where I have been working predominantly with classical singers and teachers who want to learn more about contemporary commercial music styles. The feedback was overwhelming, and many of the singers expressed they had a deep desire to sing this music, but there was limited opportunity in higher education. Many of the teachers were surprised to learn that many of our philosophies and approaches aligned, but it is just that our teaching is geared towards creating a different aesthetic. I was extremely grateful and humbled by all the positive feedback. I believe it is time for higher education to embrace this music and there needs to be a hierarchical change for this to happen. My trip has inspired to replay segments of a former interview with Matt Edwards and Jacqulyn Zito-Edwards, this week on A Voice and Beyond.
Matt and Jacqulyn have been working together on some ongoing research into the roots of the academic bias against popular music. You can go back and listen to episodes #99 and #101 for a full recap.
Jacqulyn is an adjunct assistant professor of voice for the musical theatre program at Shenandoah Conservatory and serves on faculty at the CCM Vocal Pedagogy Institute. Matt has been working at Shenandoah University since 2010 as an Associate Professor, within the Voice and Musical Theatre departments. He is also the Coordinator of Musical Theatre Voice and Artistic Director of CCM Vocal Pedagogy Institute. In this fascinating episode, Matt and Jacqulyn delve deeply into the history of the classism and racism that has perpetuated the status quo in the training of CCM singers. I will let this interview speak for itself.
In this Episode
02:35 - Introduction to Contemporary Commercial Music in Voice Training
05:36 - Historical Bias Against Popular Music in Academia
13:15- Exploring the Roots of Academic Bias
22:37 - Impact of Historical Racism and Classism on Music Education
32:10 - The Need for Inclusivity in Music Education Today
41:20 - Personal Experiences with Resistance in Academia
52:15 - Moving Forward: Strategies for Inclusive Voice Training
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Find Jacqulyn Online
For more, go to drmarisaleenaismith.com/152.
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Many of us enjoy a drink after work, I love having a drink on the weekends, but at what point does our relationship with alcohol become problematic? Our guest this week on A Voice and Beyond is Andrew Culkin, author of Amanda: A Cautionary Tale of Alcoholism, which speaks the truth about alcoholism not only from the perspective of the person who has the addiction but also describes the suffering of those around the alcoholic.
On February 21st, 2020, Andrew’s wife of twenty-five years, Amanda, passed away from alcoholism. During her nearly two decades of decline, Amanda had attended seven rehabs, received four DUI convictions, and had several accidents. The stigma and shame attached to the disease only made her situation more difficult, as it drove her into isolation and depression.
Andrew describes alcoholism as a health disease that is no different from cancer or heart disease because alcoholics have no desire to be alcoholics any more than a cancer patient wishes to have cancer. Therefore, he has made it his mission to promote a different perspective on how we observe a struggling alcoholic. He tells us that the shame and embarrassment of the alcoholic needs to be met with empathy, care, and knowing they have support instead of condemnation and embarrassment.
During this interview, Andrew explains the 4 stages of alcoholism, why some people are more susceptible to succumbing to the disease, and his own traumatizing and exhausting experiences throughout Amanda’s alcoholic career. This interview is surely thought-provoking, and at times, very triggering for me. Whatever you do you don't want to miss Andrew Culkin’s story.
In This Episode
Introduction and Overview - 00:00
The Problem with Alcohol - 02:36
Andrew Culkin's Personal Story - 05:36
Impact on Family and Realization - 25:01
Seeking Help and Rehabilitation - 34:43
Final Days and Reflections - 43:36
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According to research, 80% of people are not practicing their New Year's resolutions by the end of January. Chances are you may be one of those people, but my intention through this episode is to check in with you and help you become one of the 20% who have that winning edge in 2024. I am going to give you four ways you can move the needle forward and stick to the commitment you made to yourself on January 1st.
If you’ve hit a wall, don’t beat yourself up; there is still time to turn this around, and you are not alone in this. Most people don’t know where to start, so in this episode, we are going to look at factors that impact your winning edge. We’re going to look at the building blocks of achievement that will create that mindset for success. So whatever you do, I don't want you to shy away from the stormy seas and sit at a harbor, watching your goals and aspirations go by and thinking maybe one day it will be your turn. No, it's time now to set sail to have that desire to reach a new destination a greater and more meaningful life. You can grow into a person who is ready to experience the journey of achieving all those things you desire. It’s time to reach another level of joy, significance, abundance, and wealth in your life.
In This Episode:
2:30 – New Year's Resolutions
6:15 – The Ebb and Flow of Life
12:50 – Purpose and Desire is Essential
20:29 – How to Find Your Direction
27:11 – The Why and How of Discipline
36:30 – Self Talk is More Important Than You Think
45:09 – In Closing
Find Marisa Online:
For more, go to drmarisaleenaismith.com/150.
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According to the Journal of Clinical Psychology, over 40% of adults will try to change their behavior at some point this year, and 92% will fail to keep their commitment. This week on A Voice and Beyond, our guest Shelly Lefkoe is going to help unlock the superhuman in us that is stuck in a maze of self-made beliefs that prevent all of us from taking action. Shelly, who is an international Speaker Belief Eliminator Extraordinaire, the co-founder and President of the Lefkoe Institute, as well as the founder of Parenting the Lefkoeway, has made it her life’s mission to set people free from their self-imposed prisons by eliminating one limiting belief at a time. Shelly’s science-based method has helped over 200,000 people in over 120 countries experience profound life shifts by clearing the root cause of people’s challenges and permanently getting rid of hidden beliefs.
Shelly discusses how we can identify and eliminate counterproductive thoughts and emotional and behavioral patterns holding us back from achieving our potential; how we can effortlessly and rapidly remove self-defeating patterns like procrastination, self-doubt, and imposter syndrome; the way to experience breakthroughs without breakdowns and help to achieve natural confidence; and how to gain incredible energy, inner peace, and freedom.
I could relate to so much of what Shelly spoke about and had so many aha moments during this interview, and I’m sure you will too.
Find Shelly Lefkoe Online
In This Episode
2:36 - Intro
11:41 - Changing Peoples Beliefs
26:38 - Why people cling to beliefs that hurt them
36:15 - Shelly’s latest book about beliefs and behaviour
40:54 - Self-esteem, failure, and a growth mindset
1:04:52 - Limiting beliefs and personal growth
For more, go to drmarisaleenaismith.com/149.
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This week on A Voice and Beyond, our guest is ASHOK GUPTA, an internationally renowned speaker, filmmaker, and health practitioner who has dedicated his life to supporting people through chronic illness and achieving their full potential. Ashok is also a leading expert in the field of neuroimmune-conditioned syndromes (NICS) and the mind behind The Gupta Program. With a background in neuroscience and a focus on integrative healthcare, Ashok has captured international recognition for his contributions to treating NCIS, a condition that often baffles traditional healthcare systems. Ashok explains that the various conditions that fall under NICS, including ones such as chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, multiple chemical sensitivities, long-term COVID-19, and mold illness, affect an increasing number of people. Ashok himself suffered from chronic fatigue syndrome around 25 years ago when he was studying at Cambridge University. Through the neurological research that he conducted, he managed to make a full recovery, and Ashok then set up a clinic where he began to treat others.
During this interview, Ashok guides us toward understanding these complex syndromes more comprehensively and why they are rising in prevalence globally. He also offers insights into new, evidence-based approaches grounded in neuroplasticity, substantiated by multiple published randomized controlled trials on Long Covid, ME/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and fibromyalgia. This is a very interesting interview with Ashok Gupta, who has dedicated his life to ensuring others do not go through the same challenges as he has had on his journey to recovery through conventional medicine. I was fascinated by this interview, and I am sure you will be as well.
Find Ashok Gupta Online:
In This Episode:
2:36 - Introduction
7:08 - Gupta’s history
8:47 - Neuroimmune diseases
16:26 - Brain retraining for NICS
21:15 - Neuroimmune conditions and their prevalence in Western societies
23:07 - How many people suffer from NICS?
30:30 - Prevention and treatment of NICS
35:59 - Gut health’s impact on mental health
38:12 - Brain retraining, neuroplasticity, and it’s effectiveness
55:30 - Holistic health strategies
For more, go to drmarisaleenaismith.com/148.
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As a society, it appears we are simply not coping with today’s work and life demands, and the pandemic has further amplified what seems to be an epidemic of stress, anxiety, depression, and other mental health concerns in our population. This week on Voice and Beyond, we welcome back to the show Heidi Moss Erickson, an acclaimed performer, voice educator, and scientist who first appeared on the show two years ago in episode no. 35. Since then, both Heidi and I have struggled with the grief of losing loved ones, and in this interview, we speak frankly about the impact of our loss, our grieving journeys as survivors of suicide, and our own personal struggles with anxiety and depression.
This is a two-part conversation about healing, the resilience of the human spirit, and shining a beacon of light on these difficult topics, from the perspective of two people who are not healthcare experts, medical practitioners, or psychologists, but rather we speak from a place of experience, neuroscience, and an understanding of biology. Heidi will explain the difference between the brain and the mind, how the two are interrelated, and share science-based information on how we can improve our brain health to optimize our mind health.
It is our intention to give hope to others who are struggling with their own grief or mental health issues; however, I would like to stress that some of the content may be triggering; therefore, if you or someone you know is struggling, we have included links to where you can seek help in the show notes. This episode serves as a timely reminder, as we head into the festive season, to check in and connect with loved ones. Remember, this is part one of a two-part interview with Heidi Moss Erickson, and part two will be released after the holiday season.
In This Episode
2:36 - Introduction
5:36 - The Limitations of Brain Imaging
15:46 - Brain Health and Decision Making
18:52 - The Brain of Addicts
24:09 - Stress and News Consumption
28:07 - Improving Brain Health
32:32 - Teaching Anxious Students
42:27 - Resilience and Hope
Find Heidi Online
Support
For more, go to drmarisaleenaismith.com/146.
Like this episode? Please leave a review here - even one sentence helps!
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Like this episode? Please leave a review here - even one sentence helps! ...
As a society, it appears we are simply not coping with today’s work and life demands, and the pandemic has further amplified what seems to be an epidemic of stress, anxiety, depression, and other mental health concerns in our population. This week on Voice and Beyond, we welcome back to the show Heidi Moss Erickson, an acclaimed performer, voice educator, and scientist who first appeared on the show two years ago in episode no. 35. Since then, both Heidi and I have struggled with the grief of losing loved ones, and in this interview, we speak frankly about the impact of our loss, our grieving journeys as survivors of suicide, and our own personal struggles with anxiety and depression.
This is a two-part conversation about healing, the resilience of the human spirit, and shining a beacon of light on these difficult topics, from the perspective of two people who are not healthcare experts, medical practitioners, or psychologists, but rather we speak from a place of experience, neuroscience, and an understanding of biology. Heidi will explain the difference between the brain and the mind, how the two are interrelated, and share science-based information on how we can improve our brain health to optimize our mind health.
It is our intention to give hope to others who are struggling with their own grief or mental health issues; however, I would like to stress that some of the content may be triggering; therefore, if you or someone you know is struggling, we have included links to where you can seek help in the show notes. This episode serves as a timely reminder, as we head into the festive season, to check in and connect with loved ones. Remember, this is part one of a two-part interview with Heidi Moss Erickson, and part two will be released after the holiday season.
In This Episode
1:15 - Introduction
5:59 - Grief and mental health after a suicide loss
15:57 - Mind vs brain
21:08 - Mental health and circadian rhythms
28:39 - Mindset, emotions, and self-regulation
34:14 - Brain health, mindset, and mental health
38:38 - Trauma and lifestyle interventions
Find Heidi Online
Support
For more, go to drmarisaleenaismith.com/146.
Like this episode? Please leave a review here - even one sentence helps!
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Find Marisa online:
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Like this episode? Please leave a review here - even one sentence helps! ...
From the publisher's feed
A Voice and Beyond isn’t just a podcast—it’s a movement. It’s a celebration of every voice. It’s a space where authenticity thrives, personal transformation happens, and the beauty of individuality…
Each episode is a tribute to the challenges, and triumphs that make us who we are. Through heartfelt conversations and inspiring stories, we take you, our listener, on an incredible journey of connection, growth, and empowerment.
Whether you’re a performing artist, a creative, or someone who is simply searching for
a place where your voice is heard, we invite you to tune in and become part of our global family.
Let your journey of inspiration begin here and now!

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