Running Away From Your Life: Dr. Wendi Williams on Rest, Boundaries & The Well

Host Nicole S. Palmer welcomes Dr. Wendi Williams, counseling psychologist, educator, author, founder of The Well, and president of the American Psychological Association. Dr. Williams shares how years of higher-education leadership left her exhausted and “running away” from her life during breaks, ultimately prompting her to leave academia and create The Well. Together, they unpack the bargain Black women are often asked to make between achievement and self-preservation, why depleted leaders cannot lead well, and why rest is ultimately about more than recovery. It is about respecting yourself enough to hold your boundaries.

00:00 Podcast Intro

00:41 Meet Dr. Wendi Williams

01:35 Nicole’s Full-Circle Moment

03:16 The Origin of The Well

04:10 Running Away From Your Life

09:22 Why Depleted Leaders Can’t Lead Well

12:22 Rest, Boundaries & Self-Respect

15:04 Closing & Subscribe

Learn more about Dr. Wendi Williams and The Well:

Website: drwendiwilliams.com

Instagram: @drwendiwilliams

LinkedIn: Dr. Wendi Williams

The Well newsletter: wellwithdrwendi.substack.com

Marry Your Talent, Not Your Title: Loosening Your Soul from Corporate Labels

Nicole S. Palmer and Lynnae Brown unpack what it means to separate your identity from your job title and “marry your talent, not your title.” They discuss reframing “I am” into “I serve as,” recognizing that your skills and impact travel with you, and building a comprehensive CV that captures everything you’ve actually done, not just what appeared in your job description.

00:00 Welcome to the Podcast

00:41 Previously On Recap

02:17 Marry Talent Not Title

03:27 Loosen Your Identity

05:13 DEI Titles and Reinvention

05:57 CV Exercise With AI

09:12 CV vs Resume Explained

12:21 Agency and Staying by Choice

13:44 Nicole’s Corporate Reset

16:28 How to Reach Lynnae

18:37 Closing and Subscribe

Learn more about Lynnae Brown’s work:

- Visit her website: lynnaebrown.com

- Connect with her on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lynnaebrown.

The Rules Were Never Unwritten | Lynnae Brown, Part 3

What happens when everyone at work seems to know the rules except nobody will actually say them out loud?

In Part 3 of Nicole S. Palmer’s conversation with workplace navigation consultant and strategist Lynnae Brown, they unpack the power, politics, coded communication, and unspoken expectations that can shape a Black woman’s career regardless of how well she performs.

Because sometimes the variable changes.

Sometimes the work was never the problem.

And sometimes the rules were never unwritten. They were simply never spoken to you.

Chapters

00:00 Podcast Welcome00:41 Previously On01:51 When The Variable Changes03:10 Petty Grudges In Power04:54 Nice, Polite Culture Codes06:20 Clarity Versus Gaslighting07:23 No One Explains The Game08:29 Pretty Privilege And Preference
11:11 What Truly Belongs To You
11:35 Final Thoughts And Outro

This is Part 3 of a four-part conversation with Lynnae Brown on Black Womaning in Corporate America®.

Playing the Game While Black Womaning in Corporate America is available wherever books are sold.

#PlayingTheGame #BlackWomaningInCorporateAmerica #BWICA

Marry Your Talent, Not Your Title | Black Womaning in Corporate America

What happens when your job title becomes part of your identity?

Nicole S. Palmer continues her conversation with workplace navigation consultant and strategist Lynnae Brown about why Black women in corporate America should “marry” their talent, not their title. Together, they unpack the danger of tying self-worth to a role, what happens when workplace power shifts, and why your talent remains yours even when the title does not.

Chapters

00:00 Podcast Welcome

00:41 Meet Lynnae Brown

02:22 Marry Your Talent, Not Your Title

03:08 Why Titles Are Volatile

04:35 Nicole’s Breaking Point

07:33 Lynnae’s Catalyst Story

09:58 The Core Distinction

10:12 Next Episode Tease

10:29 Final Thanks and Outro

Learn more about Lynnae Brown’s work:

- Visit her website: lynnaebrown.com

- Connect with her on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lynnaebrown.

Taking Rocket Mortgage Fight to the U.S. Supreme Court

Host Nicole S. Palmer welcomes returning guest Zara Northover for a special update on Northover v. Rocket Mortgage. Northover shares that the Michigan Supreme Court declined to review her appeal after eight months, and she is now preparing a petition for writ of certiorari to the U.S. Supreme Court within the 90-day window following the May 22, 2026 decision. She recounts key moments that sparked her legal fight, including workplace threats and receiving a “gorilla” birthday card, and discusses navigating the process as a pro se litigant while also pursuing a separate federal case. The conversation highlights documenting issues, using medical leave for mental health, and learning legal basics, plus upcoming projects including her book The Cost of Justice, a legal-navigation tech startup, speaking engagements, and ways listeners can follow updates and support.

00:00 Podcast Intro

00:41 Guest Returns Update

02:56 Michigan Supreme Court Decision

03:37 Taking It to SCOTUS

04:26 Why She Keeps Fighting

09:17 Rocket Mortgage Backstory

10:43 From Trauma to Legal Tech

15:12 Medical Leave and EEOC Clock

16:55 New Book The Cost of Justice

18:22 What the Book Covers

19:39 Faith And Authenticity

20:36 Balancing Lawsuit And Life

21:41 Know Your Rights Advocate

22:53 Despair And Faith Talk

23:44 Why Fighting Matters

25:32 Case Updates And Petition

27:33 Tools For Self Advocacy

29:54 NDA Freedom And Truth

32:32 Trust God Build Business

34:33 Support Subscribe And Events

36:50 Podcast Outro And Book

Learn more about Zara Northover, follow her work, and stay connected to the ongoing Northover v. Rocket Mortgage case:

• Zara Northover: https://zaranorthover.com/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zaranorthover/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zaranorthover/

• Moving in Faith: https://www.movinginfaith.com/

• Support Zara’s work through Faith It Forward: https://www.movinginfaith.com/products/faith-it-forward

• Follow Delnic Media’s ongoing Case Files coverage: https://news.delnicmedia.com/northover-v-rocket-mortgage/

Marry Your Talent, Not Your Title (Part 1) | Black Womaning in Corporate America®

Nicole S. Palmer talks with guest Lynnae Brown, a consultant and strategist specializing in workforce navigation to help people make work sustainable. Brown shares her background training people in mental health recovery to work in social services, and explains her concept “Marry Your Talent, Not Your Title,” warning that titles can’t capture full value and that layoffs for profit make tying identity to a role risky. She recounts leaving a decade-long position after pandemic burnout, concerns about returning in-person with vulnerable populations, and receiving student loan forgiveness, then consulting nationally before grant cancellations disrupted the field. The conversation also distinguishes self-accommodation from self-advocacy and touches on the long recovery from toxic workplaces, teeing up a deeper discussion in part two.

00:00 Podcast Welcome

00:44 Meet Lanay Brown

02:21 Marry Talent Not Title

02:37 Origin in Social Services

05:36 Titles Worth and Layoffs

06:47 Burnout Turning Point

08:23 COVID Work Shift

10:40 Leaving After Loan Forgiveness

11:22 Consulting Then Funding Cuts

12:28 From Social Work to Corporate

12:47 Trauma Informed Management

13:29 Self Accommodate vs Advocate

14:44 Code Switching Survival

17:37 Healing After Toxic Jobs

21:07 Abusive Relationship Mindset

22:17 Exit Strategy Playlist

24:06 Part Two Teaser and Wrap

Nicole S. Palmer continues her conversation with Crystle Johnson, founder of Kinory® and creator of Underbelonging: the hidden experience of being included in corporate spaces without ever feeling fully seen.

Crystle defines Underbelonging and explains why so many Black women spend their careers shrinking themselves, overperforming, and carefully calibrating how they show up at work. Together, Nicole and Crystle examine how Underbelonging manifests in corporate America, including within DEI roles, where practitioners are often caught between executives and employees without meaningful decision-making authority.

The conversation explores why organizations must move beyond performative commitments toward greater clarity and accountability, and how Kinory is creating spaces where Black women can experience genuine belonging through community dinners, workshops, retreats, and courageous conversations.

00:00 Podcast Welcome

00:41 Part Two Intro

01:46 Defining Underbelonging

03:04 Why It Resonates

04:41 Origins Through Kinory

07:19 Taking Up Space

09:42 Kamala As Case Study

12:15 DEI Caught In Middle

15:58 Corporate Honesty

17:26 What Comes Next

19:05 Protecting The Work

21:32 Make Your Own Table

23:58 Where To Find Crystle

25:53 Retreat And Resources

27:47 Closing And Outro

To learn more about Crystle:

Visit Kinory: https://kinory.co/

Follow Her on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/crystlejohnson

Connect With Her on Instragram: https://instagram.com/kinory.co

Find Her on TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@kinory.co

Burnout doesn’t happen overnight. It happens one compromise, one expectation, and one “I’ll just push through” at a time.

In this episode of Black Womaning in Corporate America®, founder of Kinory® Crystle Johnson joins host Nicole S. Palmer for an unfiltered conversation about burnout, belonging, and the moment she realized her job was something she did—not who she was.

From corporate leadership to building a global community for Black women in Mexico, this conversation explores identity, rest, and the courage to imagine a different future.

Whether you’re questioning your next career move or simply trying to remember who you were before work consumed so much of your life, this episode is a reminder that your value has never been defined by your title.

00:00 Welcome

00:44 Meet Crystle Johnson

02:13 An Origin Story of Belonging

04:47 Why Kinory Exists

05:44 The Courage to Center Black Women

08:45 Recognizing Burnout

09:50 FMLA, Recovery & Finding Mexico

13:49 Your Job Is Not Your Identity

17:03 The Truth About Corporate DEI

20:06 Racism, Visibility & Obsession

22:45 Building Kinory in Mérida

25:32 Casa Kinory & A New Vision

28:14 Why Every Exit Needs a Plan

30:25 Don't Leave Your Benefits Behind

33:46 Coming Next Week...

34:17 Outro

Dr. Chelsey Green on Leading The GRAMMYs, Finding Your Voice & Protecting Creators

What does it mean to find your voice—and trust it enough to use it?

In this powerful Black Music Month conversation, Nicole S. Palmer sits down with Dr. Chelsey Green: artist, educator, advocate, and the first Black woman and youngest person ever elected Chair of the Recording Academy® (The GRAMMYs®).

From her early roots in church and classical music to leading at the highest levels of the music industry, Dr. Green shares how creativity, courage, and community shaped her journey. Together, Nicole and Chelsey explore what it means to lead with purpose, advocate for equity, protect creators in the age of AI, and remain connected to joy in a culture that often rewards burnout.

More than a conversation about music, this is a conversation about visibility, voice, wellness, faith, and the courage to believe in yourself before anyone else does.

Whether you’re an artist, entrepreneur, executive, educator, or simply someone trying to navigate life with authenticity, this episode is filled with wisdom you’ll want to revisit again and again.

In This Episode

00:00 Podcast Welcome00:41 Meet Dr. Chelsey Green02:17 Music Roots and Calling04:53 Village and Mentors05:35 Path to the GRAMMYs Board09:06 Equity and Representation10:47 Black Music Month and Voice12:50 AI, Music, and Creator Rights18:29 Inspiring the Next Generation19:17 Rebuilding Community20:44 The Power of In-Person Connection21:34 Choosing Joy Over Burden23:08 Workplace Breakdown and Perspective25:54 The System Versus Self29:13 Presence, Therapy, and Gratitude32:09 Living an Abundant Life Now33:11 Believe and Trust Yourself35:43 When the Inner Voice Wins36:40 Where to Find Dr. Green37:20 Final Thanks and Outro

Connect with Dr. Chelsey Green

Website: https://www.chelseygreen.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drchelseygreen/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GreenProjectTGP

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/ChelseyGreenProject

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4gYJdJNkyrYyocVfI9LZUM

Continue the Conversation

What resonated most with you from this episode?

Was it the conversation around AI and creator rights? The reminder to prioritize joy? The challenge to trust your inner voice? Or Dr. Green’s reflections on leadership, community, and purpose?

Join the conversation in the comments and share this episode with someone who needs the reminder that their voice matters.

And if you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and follow Black Womaning in Corporate America® for more conversations at the intersection of leadership, visibility, wellness, and navigating systems not built with us in mind.

Want to go deeper? Explore the book that inspired the podcast, Playing the Game While Black Womaning in Corporate America®, available wherever books are sold.

Learn more at BlackWomaning.com.

Travel as Self-Care: Dr. Lisa Pittman on Boundaries, Burnout Prevention & Black Women’s Wellbeing

Host Nicole S. Palmer welcomes Dr. Lisa Pittman, a licensed psychologist and certified travel coach based in the DC metro area, to discuss travel as an intentional form of self-care for Black professional women. Dr. Pittman shares her background, including living in Singapore, visiting all 50 states, all seven continents, and 114 countries, and explains how her therapy experience informs coaching focused on maintaining balance and optimal functioning.

To contact Dr. Pittman…

• ​Email: [email protected]
• ​Website: https://thetraveldoctallc.com
• ​LinkedIn: Dr-Lisa-Pittman
• ​IG: thetraveldocta
• ​Blog: TravelDocta.com