Healing does not always start in a textbook or a therapy room. Sometimes it begins in a family story, a breakup, a body that learned to survive too early, or a question we were never taught to ask ourselves. This episode is about what happens when a Latina decides to listen to those experiences instead of outrunning them.

In today’s episode of Amiga Handle Your Shit, Jackie Tapia sits down with licensed clinical social worker, somatic therapist, and holistic healer Norma Garcia, a proud first-generation Mexicana born and raised in Los Angeles. Together, they explore how personal history, cultural identity, and lived experience can be resignified into powerful tools for healing, not just for ourselves, but for our communities.

Norma reflects on growing up as the daughter of Mexican immigrants, carrying responsibility early and learning how to survive emotionally before she ever had language for it. She speaks to the invisible weight many first-generation Latinas carry, the pressure to succeed, to sacrifice, to keep going. That weight followed her into years of community mental health work, where burnout and broken systems forced her to ask a hard question: what does it cost to always be the strong one? Her shift into private practice was not about ambition, but about choosing care that felt honest, human, and whole.

She also shares how a personal breakup cracked something open, exposing patterns of people-pleasing and self-abandonment rooted in culture and survival. That moment reshaped her work, leading her to support Latinas in understanding how they love, how they attach, and how safety actually feels in the body. Through somatic healing, Norma reminds us that healing is not just thinking differently; it is learning to feel safe again. She closes with a simple grounding practice, a quiet invitation to come back home to yourself.

Tune in to episode 268 of Amiga Handle Your Shit for a deeply affirming conversation on Latinidad, self-trust, healing the body, and turning lived experience into a source of wisdom and service.

• How growing up first-gen shapes responsibility, identity, and emotional survival (04:00)
• Why mental health conversations often skip Latino households and how that impacts adulthood (06:40)
• What ten years in community mental health taught Norma about burnout and scarcity (14:30)
• Why entrepreneurship became an act of self-preservation, not ambition (16:00)
• How personal heartbreak revealed generational patterns around love and self-abandonment (20:00)
• What “love blueprints” are and how culture shapes how we attach and relate (21:30)
• Why healing requires addressing the nervous system, not just the mind (27:00)
• How somatic therapy reconnects the body, emotions, and sense of safety (28:30)
• A simple grounding practice to support yourself during emotional triggers (31:30)
• Why Latinas deserve healing that honors culture, body, and soul together (34:00)

Connect with Norma Garcia:

• Website
• LinkedIn
• Instagram

Let's Connect!

• Website
• Facebook
• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• Jackie Tapia Arbonne's website
• Book: The AMIGA Way: Release Cultural Limiting Beliefs to Transform Your Life

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Have you ever found yourself in a season where everything feels quiet, unclear, and a little uninspired?

This episode is an honest reflection on the in-between moments of life. The seasons where you are still showing up, still carrying responsibility, but feel emotionally depleted and unsure of what’s next. It’s a reminder that not every chapter needs to be loud or polished to be meaningful.

Tune in to this new episode of Amiga, Handle Your Shit, as Jackie provides a heartfelt reflection on honoring the in-between season. From caring for aging parents and managing family responsibilities, to navigating motherhood, personal milestones, and moments of uncertainty, this solo episode speaks to the invisible weight many women carry quietly. Jackie shares why it’s okay to pause, to feel uninspired, and to trust that even when clarity hasn’t arrived yet, the path is still unfolding exactly as it should.

Key Takeaways:

✨ It’s okay to feel uninspired sometimes

✨ The in-between season still has purpose

✨ Rest is not failure

✨ Quiet progress still counts

✨ Leadership can feel lonely at times

✨ Trust builds even when clarity is missing

Let's Connect!

• Website
• Facebook
• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• Jackie Tapia Arbonne website
• Buy The Amiga Way's Book

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A year has passed since the Palisades and Eaton fires tore through Los Angeles, but the real story is what came after. The rebuilding. The delays. And the systems that continue to fail the communities most impacted.

In today’s episode, Jackie sits down with real estate developer and community voice Marisela Arechiga for a raw conversation about what the one-year mark after the fires actually looks like on the ground, beyond headlines and talking points.

Marisela brings a builder’s perspective to the aftermath, explaining why rebuilding has stalled, how Los Angeles permitting and planning processes slow recovery, and why Latino families in places like Altadena have been especially affected. From insurance gaps to generational homes being lost, they unpack how real estate, policy, and bureaucracy quietly displace entire communities.

The conversation widens into national and international politics, touching on recent U.S. leadership decisions abroad and how aggressive power moves ripple culturally and economically. Jackie and Marisela question what these decisions mean for immigrant communities, trust in leadership, and the narratives pushed through media and protest movements.

They also explore issues many avoid saying out loud: private equity buying up land, homelessness as an industry, the role of AI in modernizing broken systems, and why everyday people are increasingly the ones exposing waste, fraud, and dysfunction.

Tune in to episode 266 of Amiga Handle Your Shit for a grounded, perspective-shifting conversation on rebuilding Los Angeles, questioning power, and why informed Latina voices matter now more than ever.

Episode Takeaways:

• What the one-year anniversary of the Palisades and Eaton fires really looks like on the ground (02:10)
• Why rebuilding in Los Angeles could take a decade, not years (03:30)
• How permitting delays and bureaucracy stall recovery efforts (04:40)
• The hidden impact on Latino families with generational real estate (07:20)
• Why many homeowners will never rebuild and are being forced to relocate (08:30)
• The role of private equity firms in buying up post-disaster real estate (09:00)
• How proposed federal action could shift real estate power back to homeowners (09:40)
• What international power plays reveal about leadership, optics, and consequences (15:00)
• Why protests, movements, and media narratives deserve deeper scrutiny (21:00)
• How everyday people using their voice are exposing fraud and influencing change (28:30)
• What homelessness, leadership, and city policy say about priorities in Los Angeles (34:00)
• Why this moment demands accountability, not silence (37:30)

Connect with Marisela Arechiga:

• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• New Generation Home Improvements Website
• New Generation Home Improvements Instagram

Let's Connect!

• Website
• Facebook
• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• Jackie Tapia Arbonne's website
• Book: The AMIGA Way: Release Cultural Limiting Beliefs to Transform Your Life

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Have you ever felt ready to close a year with honesty instead of pretending everything was fine?

This episode is about telling the truth about what the year actually brought, the lessons it demanded, and the clarity that comes when you stop romanticizing struggle. It’s a conversation rooted in reflection, release, and the intentional decision to move forward differently.

Tune in to this new episode of Amiga, Handle Your Shit, as Jackie and Maricela sit down for an open and grounded New Year conversation about letting go of 2025 and setting the tone for what comes next. Together, they reflect on exhaustion, growth, and the emotional weight of the year, while naming what they are no longer carrying forward. This episode is not about resolutions or pressure, but about truth, discernment, and choosing alignment over survival as the new year begins.

Key Takeaways:

✨ Closure requires honesty, not perfection

✨ You don’t owe loyalty to hard years

✨ Reflection creates emotional clarity

✨ Rest is part of forward movement

✨ Intentional release makes space for alignment

✨ The new year begins with self-trust

Connect with Marisela Arechiga:

• Instagram
• New Generation Home Improvements Website
• New Generation Home Improvements Instagram

Let's Connect!

• Website
• Facebook
• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• Jackie Tapia Arbonne website
• Buy The Amiga Way's Book

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tech is no longer the future. It is the present. And it is moving fast. Today’s theme, Latinas Leading the Tech Revolution, is a reminder that innovation is not reserved for a select few. It belongs to us too, and this moment demands that we stop standing on the sidelines and start shaping the world being built around us.

In today’s episode, we revisit three powerhouse conversations with four mujeres who are rewriting the narrative about who gets to lead, innovate, and take up space in tech. Their journeys are different, but they echo the same message: ownership. Ownership of their voice. Ownership of their path. Ownership of their right to stand in rooms where new ideas take shape.

We begin with Nikki Barua, interim CEO of Latinas in Tech, whose life is a masterclass in reinvention and bold vision. Nikki shows us that obstacles are not barriers; they are gateways, and when you move with intention, your path expands. Her approach to leadership encourages us to rethink what is possible when Latina women fully step into their ambitions.

Next, we revisit Christina Gallegos, leadership strategist and former Google leader. Christina gives us a behind-the-scenes understanding of what leadership looks like inside one of the world’s biggest tech ecosystems. Her message is simple and powerful: leadership without humanity is empty, and women lead differently because we care differently.

Finally, we return to a fire-filled conversation with Marisela Arechiga and Lizette Espinosa, entrepreneurs and AI educators dedicated to bringing accessible tech knowledge directly into our community. They remind us that our community cannot afford to be last in line for the tools shaping the world, especially AI.

Tune in and let these four mujeres show you what happens when Latinas stop waiting to be invited into the future and start building it.

Episode Takeaways:

Why Nikki believes obstacles are levels, not limits (2:20)

The childhood imprint that shaped her belief in possibility and impact (3:10)

How reinvention becomes a superpower when you choose curiosity over fear (4:55)

Christina’s path through top global companies and what prepared her for Google (7:50)

Why tech is “like water” and why every industry now depends on it (8:40)

Her role in expanding Google Maps to support users in crisis and emergency zones (10:00)

Why Latina representation in tech isn’t optional, it’s essential (12:50)

Marisela’s callout: our community cannot afford to be the last adopters of emerging tech (16:00)

The truth about AI tools, what they can and can’t replace, and why human connection stays central (22:40)

Connect with Nikki Barua:

X

LinkedIn

Connect with Christina D. Gallegos:

LinkedIn

Gradient Coast

Connect with Marisela Arechiga:

Instagram

New Generation Home Improvements Website

Connect with Lizette Espinosa:

Instagram

LinkedIn

Website

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Have you ever looked back at your life and realized you manifested it long before it happened?

This episode is a powerful reminder that intention, alignment, and belief are not abstract concepts but real forces that shape our reality. Through lived experience, this conversation explores how clarity of vision, authenticity, and deep inner trust can turn dreams into tangible success, even when the path feels uncertain.

Tune in to Episode 263 of Amiga, Handle Your Shit, as Alexia Melocchi unpacks how manifestation has guided her extraordinary journey. From immigrating to the U.S. as a teenager to building a million-dollar career in Hollywood, Alexia shares how intention, alignment, and information became her blueprint for success. Together, they discuss women in male-dominated industries, standing in your truth, navigating power with integrity, and why knowledge is one of the most underestimated tools for confidence and leadership.

Alexia Melocchi is a prolific film producer, marketing and distribution executive, journalist, and business consultant with a long-standing career in the international film and television industry. Fluent in five languages, she has worked across global markets acquiring and distributing film and television content worldwide. Alexia is also the author of The Heart of Show Business, a guide rooted in mindset, integrity, and insider wisdom for turning passion projects into viable, purpose-driven careers.

Key Takeaways:

✨ Intention is the foundation of manifestation

✨ Alignment creates sustainable success

✨ Knowledge builds confidence and authority

✨ Passion fuels long-term vision

✨ Women must claim space unapologetically

✨ Truth is the most powerful currency

Connect with Alexia Melocchi: 

• Instagram
• Facebook
• Website
• Alexia's Book: The Heart Of Show Business

Let's Connect!

• Website
• Facebook
• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• Jackie Tapia Arbonne website
• Buy The Amiga Way's Book

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Some shifts feel like a choice. Others hit you like a jolt that forces you to look at your life and ask, "Who am I becoming?" This week's episode brings together two mujeres whose stories mirror a truth many of us avoid: sometimes life doesn't fall apart, it pulls you forward.

In this episode, we revisit two powerful interviews from 2025 that reveal what happens when a Latina stops moving on autopilot and starts moving with intention. These women's stories are different, yet they echo the same lesson: there comes a moment when you can no longer ignore what your spirit has been asking of you.

First, we hear from Brenda Palache, serial entrepreneur and owner of LVS Creations and Bartender Brenda LVS. Brenda traded a stable banking career for the chance to raise her daughter on her terms and build businesses rooted in creativity, family, and freedom. Her leap was not glamorous or convenient. It was necessary. And it reminds us that responsibility can be an anchor or a compass, depending on how we move with it.

Then we shift into the emotional and deeply resonant story of Monique Loza, interior designer and founder of Losa Space and Design. Monique didn't step into self-worth. She was pushed into it by betrayal that forced a radical internal shift. Her breaking point became her turning point, revealing a truth she had ignored for years: love that doesn't begin within will never feel like enough.

Together, these mujeres offer a message that lands with clarity. Your life expands the moment you stop negotiating with your own needs. Your identity is allowed to evolve. And choosing yourself is not selfish. It is structure. It is healing. It is movement.

Tune in to episode 262 and let these stories anchor you in the reminder that you have permission to change your mind, your path, and your life.

Episode Takeaways:

Why motherhood forced Brenda to rethink what success really meant for her (7:30)

The moment she realized that stability was costing her presence and freedom (9:00)

How leaving corporate life cracked open her creativity and entrepreneurial courage (10:00)

The cultural expectations that shaped Monique's choices and kept her in survival mode (13:50)

How betrayal became the mirror that revealed where she had abandoned herself (15:00)

The breaking point that led Monique to choose self-worth over staying small (18:40)

Why self-love is not a feeling but a practice that rebuilds your entire life (20:00)

Why your story is still unfolding and how to step into the version of you that is waiting (22:00)

Connect with Brenda Palache:

Instagram

IVS Creations Instagram

Connect with Monique Loza:

Instagram

Follow Loza Space + Design on Instagram

Let's Connect!

Website

Facebook

Instagram

Jackie Tapia Arbonne's website

Book: The AMIGA Way

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Amiga, have you ever wondered why some things feel so aligned while others just don’t sit right—no matter how hard you try? It might be time to explore your Human Design.

In this soulful episode, Jackie taps into the magic of self-awareness, intuition, and transformation with Human Design coach and astrologer Ilona Pamplona. Together, they dive into how Human Design offers a blueprint for understanding your energetic essence, making aligned decisions, and honoring your unique purpose.

Ilona Pamplona is an Astrology Informed Life Coach who believes astrology is the psychology of our ancestors. Blending coaching, astrology, and integrative wellness, she helps clients uncover deep insights through their birth charts. She’s also the author of Human Design Made Easy, an easy-to-use guide to understanding Human Design.

Tune in to Episode 261 of Amiga, Handle Your Shit, as Ilona unpacks the Human Design system, how it differs from astrology, and why it can be a powerful tool for breaking through resistance, especially for first-gen Latinas navigating deeply ingrained expectations.

Key Takeaways:

✨ Human Design shows how your energy flows best.

✨ There are five main Human Design energy types.

✨ Alignment prevents burnout and resistance.

✨ Deconditioning is part of the healing journey.

✨ Your body holds your inner authority.

✨ Awareness leads to greater self-empowerment.

Ready to step into alignment, Amiga? Let’s dive in.

Buy Ilona Pamplona’s book Human Design Made Easy  

Connect with Ilona Pamplona:

• Website
• Instagram

Let's Connect!

• Website
• Facebook
• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• Jackie Tapia Arbonne website
• Buy The Amiga Way's Book

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Most entrepreneurs chase strategy, hustle, and visibility, but overlook the one advantage they already carry: their culture. When you know how to translate your lived experience into market intelligence, your business doesn’t just grow. It becomes unstoppable.

This week, we revisit one of the most downloaded and transformative episodes of Amiga Handle Your Shit, my conversation with the brilliant Liliana Gil Valletta. Liliana is a former corporate executive turned global entrepreneur, Cultural Intelligence® pioneer, and business commentator whose insights are reshaping how brands understand diverse markets. Born in Colombia, she arrived in the U.S. at seventeen without speaking a word of English, yet built a career that broke ceilings most people never reach.

Today, she is the co-founder of CIEN+ and Human Dot Plus, as well as CEO and co-founder of the Culture+ Group. Her story is not just about rise. It is about intention. It is about refusing the victim narrative, stepping into uncomfortable spaces, and owning the power of identity as a business asset.

Tune in to Episode 260 of Amiga, Handle Your Shit, and learn how Cultural Intelligence® was born, why your background is your competitive edge, and how to stop shrinking in rooms that need your voice. You’ll also hear Liliana’s insights on navigating the dark side of corporate success, how to market effectively to diverse audiences, how to face fear in pivotal moments, and her top strategies for handling your s#it as a Latina entrepreneur.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• Why Liliana’s early years “solita” shaped her leadership and grit (4:50)

• The hidden truth about reaching the top of the corporate ladder (8:10)

• Why rejecting the victim mentality changes everything (13:30)

• How Cultural Intelligence® was born and why it matters now more than ever (21:00)

• How to respond when life hands you a “face the bear” moment (30:20)

• Liliana’s top strategies for how amigas can handle their s#it and lead boldly (40:00)

Connect with Liliana Gil Valletta:

• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• YouTube
• Culture+ Group website

Let's Connect!

• Website
• Facebook
• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• Jackie Tapia Arbonne's website
• Book: The AMIGA Way: Release Cultural Limiting Beliefs to Transform Your Life

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Have you ever reached the end of a year feeling stretched, exhausted, and grateful all at once?

This episode is a raw, unfiltered reflection on a year marked by community upheaval, personal struggle, spiritual grounding, and the powerful reminder that healing and rebuilding begin with honesty. From the LA wildfires to the emotional toll of immigration raids, and from unexpected health crises to moments of deep surrender, this conversation invites you to look at your own 2025 with compassion and truth.

Tune in to Episode 259 of Amiga, Handle Your Shit, as Jackie provides a heartfelt and intimate year-end review that goes far beyond a recap. This solo episode explores the fires that shook our city and our nervous systems, the resilience that emerged in our communities, and the private battles that pushed Jackie to the edge and back into God’s grace. You’ll also be guided through a soul debriefing with reflective questions designed to help you release the weight of this year and step into 2026 with clarity, intention, and a renewed commitment to your well-being.

Key Takeaways:

✨ Your body speaks when you abandon yourself

✨ Breakdowns always hold the seed of a breakthrough

✨ Community rises strongest in moments of crisis

✨ Health must come before the hustle

✨ Reflection reveals what must be released

✨ Surrender opens the door to alignment

Let's Connect!

• Website
• Facebook
• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• Jackie Tapia Arbonne website
• Buy The Amiga Way's Book

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.