Breaking Bad Communication

Be honest. Did your stomach just tighten a little?

Those five innocent words can send even the most confident among us straight into defense mode. But what if feedback isn’t something to fear? What if it’s the information we need to stop guessing and finally hit the target?

In this episode of Breaking Bad Communication, we’re taking the fear, fluff, and foolishness out of feedback and getting clear on how to give it, receive it, and actually use it.

Because without the right coordinates, we’re all just guessing where to aim.

Your Next Best Move Might Be Hiding in the Feedback

Feedback is everywhere, in what others tell us, what we notice about ourselves, and even in the emotions that show up along the way. But hearing it and knowing what to do with it are two very different things.

In this episode, Avital Miller and I explore what happens when we get curious, ask better questions, and use feedback as information instead of a verdict.

Because the insight that takes you to your next level might already be trying to get your attention.

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Your Inner Voice Is Showing

The way you talk to yourself shapes how you show up, speak up, and step into what’s next. So what happens when doubt, overthinking, and uncertainty start running the conversation?

Maybe it’s time to stop questioning whether everything around you will hold and start trusting the one thing you can control, you.

Trust Me? Yeah, That’s Not Up to You.
You can have the title, the experience, the best intentions, and all the right words, and still leave people wondering if they can count on you. Because trust isn’t built by what you believe about yourself. It’s built by what other people experience from you. And sometimes, the smallest behaviors are sending a much bigger message than you realize.

If you want people to follow your lead, speak honestly, stay engaged, and bring their best, there’s one question worth asking: What are you giving them to believe about you? This episode might make you laugh, squirm a little, and rethink what earning trust actually looks like.

What if one of the most powerful strategies for growing your business has less to do with what you say and more to do with how well you listen? In this episode of Breaking Bad Communication, Cathy sits down with business coach and entrepreneur Kami Guildner for a conversation about asking better questions, truly understanding the people you serve, and using what you learn to make smarter business decisions.

They also dive into women using their voices, owning their worth, stepping into their power, and building businesses that reflect who they really are. Because sometimes the smartest thing you can do to move forward is stop talking long enough to hear what people are telling you.

Big Breakthroughs Start Here | Kami Guildner Business Coaching

Think You Can Spot a Liar? Think Again.

We’ve been taught to look for the obvious signs, avoiding eye contact, fidgeting, nervous behavior, or a story that just feels a little off. But research shows that many of the things we associate with lying aren’t reliable indicators at all.

In this episode of Breaking Bad Communication, we unpack what the science actually says about detecting deception and why curiosity may be far more powerful than accusation. You’ll learn what to notice, what to listen for, and how better questions, strategic pauses, and deeper listening can help you uncover what’s really being communicated.

Because you don’t need to become a human lie detector. You need to become a better communicator.

Think you can spot a liar? You may want to think again.

We’ve been taught to look for the obvious signs, avoiding eye contact, fidgeting, nervous behavior, or a story that just feels a little off. But research shows that many of the things we associate with lying aren’t reliable indicators at all.

In this episode of Breaking Bad Communication, we unpack what the science actually says about detecting deception and why curiosity may be far more powerful than accusation. You’ll learn what to notice, what to listen for, and how better questions, strategic pauses, and deeper listening can help you uncover what’s really being communicated.

Because you don’t need to become a human lie detector. You need to become a better communicator.

The Swiss Cheese Effect: Infertility, Energy, and Becoming Whole Again

What if the difficult experiences, negative self-talk, grief, and words of others leave little holes in us, until we start feeling a lot like Swiss cheese?

In this episode, Reiki Master Krista Igoe shares her Swiss cheese analogy and how energy work can support people navigating infertility, miscarriage, and loss. We also tackle the conversations nobody seems to know how to have, what to say, what to ask, and how paying attention to your own energy can be part of feeling grounded, supported, and whole again.

Connect with Krista at https://revivewithreiki.com/ 

What I Heard Wasn't What You Said: Have you ever walked away from a conversation thinking, "That’s not what I meant" or "That’s not what I heard at all"?

In this episode, we explore one of the biggest challenges in communication: the gap between what is said, what is meant, and what is actually heard. Through a real-life conversation that almost went sideways, you'll learn why misunderstandings happen so often and three simple strategies to bridge the gap before frustration turns into conflict.

Because great communication isn't about talking more. It's about making sure your meaning lands the way you intended.

What happened to manners? After a recent trip to London, I couldn’t help but notice how often people said please, thank you, and treated others with simple respect, and honestly, it made me realize how much we’ve lost that in everyday communication here in the US.

In this episode, we talk about why manners still matter, how respectful communication builds trust and connection, and what research says about politeness, gratitude, and human interaction. Because sometimes the smallest words create the biggest impact.