Chit Chat with the Queer and Creative

Edy Nathan MA, LCSWR is an author, public speaker and licensed therapist. She is an AASECT certified sex therapist, hypnotherapist and certified EMDR practitioner with more than 20 years of experience. In her expertise as a grief therapist she interweaves her formal training as a psychotherapist with breathwork, guided imagery, ritual and storytelling. Edy and I discuss her journey of becoming a grief therapist. Edy shares her views on some way to make it through the loneliness of this pandemic. 

Be sure to connect with Edy:

https://edynathan.com/ 

Don’t forget to subscribe to this podcast for weekly episodes, and follow me on Instagram @realmelissadasilva and check out my website melissadasilva.com

Gina Pecoraro created the LGBTQ company, Seven Even Clothing after being married to a man. When she came out back in 2008, she noticed that there wasn’t many clothing options to represent who she was. Years prior to getting married, a good friend of Gina’s would always call me her seven. Seven standing for the seven letters in the word lesbian. He would call Gina out on being gay way before she was ready to accept it. So after coming out, she put that nickname to good use! Gina and I discuss her journey with her clothing brand and how it came to be what it is now. We also discuss her creativity with the process and what inspires Gina when it comes to creating her clothing. Seven Even actually has a new athletic line that Gina discusses creating with her business partner, Cody. Gina and I discuss her coming out journey and what she feels is the importance of everyone’s story. 

Be sure to check out Seven Even Clothing:

SevenEvenClothing.com 

Don’t forget to subscribe to this podcast for weekly episodes, and follow me on Instagram @realmelissadasilva and check out my website melissadasilva.com

DJ Seeger is the Owner and President of Seeger Water Corporation, a landscape irrigation company based in San Antonio, Texas. At age 26, Seeger is leading Texas’ fastest growing irrigation company and is leading a change in the industry to focus on water conservation and management. Seeger is an openly gay business leader and is an advocate for young LGBT+ persons to step up into positions of leadership. In his community, Seeger serves on several non-profit boards and has taken a special interest in funding and volunteering at domestic violence programs. In this episode, DJ and I discuss his journey in his community, especially as a business owner and Republican. DJ explains what he has gone through as a young, openly gay, Christian Republican. We also discuss the importance of networking in entrepreneurship. It was such an honor to hear DJ’s story, I hope you all enjoy it.

Be Sure to check out DJ’s website: www.seeegerwater.com

Don’t forget to subscribe to this podcast for weekly episodes, and follow me on Instagram @realmelissadasilva and check out my website melissadasilva.com

This week I had the opportunity to interview Seth Lusk. Seth is a health and mindset coach, originally from the U.S. but has been living in Switzerland for the past 5 years. Seth has a passion for helping people and seeing them find their strength and love. He loves showing people how to use that space of strength and love to create their healthiest life from. It is a huge desire of Seth’s to show others that we do not have to go into guilt, shame, or a feeling of "not enough" to choose to want more for ourselves, our lives, and our health. He aspires to guide people into a journey of creating their most healthy and authentic life using self-love, self-awareness, and authenticity. His superpower as a coach is his compassionate insight, and he loves being able to offer this to anyone who wants to start creating, loving, and living their healthiest life, once and for all. Seth and I discuss his journey of what brought him to Switzerland and his current path. Seth and I also discuss what it is like for him to pursue his career in coaching while living in a different country. We talk about Seth’s health coaching and the effect of the food we eat in our bodies. 

Be sure to check out Seth’s socials:

Website:

https://www.slch.ch/ 

IG:

sethlusk_coaching

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/SLuskhealth/

Don’t forget to subscribe to this podcast for weekly episodes, and follow me on Instagram @realmelissadasilva and check out my website melissadasilva.com

Savannah Hauk is an author and podcast host. Savannah juggles a full-time job on top of doing all of her projects! Savannah and I discuss the journey of cross dressing, and what she personally has had to overcome. We also discuss the difference between being transgender and cross dressing. Savannah’s whole experience as a trans woman took a turn when she made the move from New York City to South Carolina. Now, Savannah continuously tries to use her personal journey to help others, like herself grow in her area. Savannah and I also discuss her journey as an author and how her personal experiences have affected her writing. Savannah hopes that people can use her journey to help guide others discover their beauty inside and out. 

Be sure to check out Savannah on her social media:

Facebook:

@savannahhauk

Instagram:

@savannahhauk

Website:

http://www.livingwithcrossdressing.com

Savannah’s Podcast:

@thefoxandthephoenixpodcast_

Don’t forget to subscribe to this podcast for weekly episodes, and follow me on Instagram @realmelissadasilva and check out my website melissadasilva.com

Lynn Casper is a certified life coach and has been a podcast host for almost ten years! When the pandemic hit, Casper missed the simple connection of just sitting down in a coffee shop to get some work done. Lynn decided to make an online atmosphere for the queer community to come work together in an open environment. Casper and I discuss their journey as a podcast host and how they have kept the passion for their work for ten years. We discuss how the pandemic has affected all of our lives and how modern technology has really been such a light during these times. We also discuss Casper’s new job working for radio, and how we think radio and podcasting will adapt in the future. 

Be sure to check out Casper’s websites:

http://lynncasper.com/

 Homoground Podcast:

https://homoground.com/

Don’t forget to subscribe to this podcast for weekly episodes, and follow me on Instagram @realmelissadasilva

Jamie Hazelton is the founder of Whole You Health and a proud trans lesbian. Jamie works with LGBTQIA* individuals & allies who are experiencing highly stressful lives and partners with each person to help them feel recharged and rejuvenated. This week, Jamie and I discuss what inspired her to become a health and wellness coach and what that means to her. Jamie uses her personal experiences to help reach people in the LGBTQIA* community. We also discuss the importance of therapy and coaching and what it means to us. Jamie and I talk about the journey of coming out, especially around the holiday season (10:10). Jamie has recently created a YouTube channel that she uses to connect and inspire others in the community. We discuss the importance of connecting with others in your community and ways to do so during these times. Jamie truly believes in creating a space where people can feel open and accepted!

Be sure to stay updated with Jamie:

Instagram: @wholeyouhealth

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

Website: http://wholeuhealth.com/

Don’t forget to subscribe to this podcast for weekly episodes, and follow me on Instagram @realmelissadasilva

Doug Lau is a career coach helping driven professionals to land their dream jobs through career clarity and developing their unique personal brand. In this episode Doug and I discuss our personal journeys in finding our personal brand and the effect it has had on our careers. We also discuss the importance of honoring your own personal values when creating your personal brand. Doug shares what it was like for him to come out in the workplace and ways to ensure that the company you may work for is accepting and diverse. Doug discusses his process of helping his clients build their resumes and personal brands. Doug truly strives to help his clients land their perfect jobs. 

Be sure to follow Doug on Instagram:

@douglaudotcom

And find his guide “6 Simple Steps to an Amped Up Career” on his website:

https://douglau.com/

Don’t forget to subscribe to this podcast for weekly episodes, and follow me on Instagram @realmelissadasilva

Ashish Chopra is a true trailblazer in India. Ashish is a drag queen, entrepreneur and the proud owner of Beunic, he has also starred in India’s first MTV gay reality TV show “Elevator Pitch”. Ashish has had to overcome many obstacles when coming out in India, he still works each and every day for the fight of equality in India. We discuss the process of him coming out to his family and their process of accepting him in a more traditionally conservative country. We also discuss his journey with drag and his prime inspirations for drag and his process of Mr. Gay India. Ashish discusses his brand new brand in which he and his mother create shoes for the trans community! It was such an honor and inspiration to speak with Ashish this week. 

Make sure to check out his platforms:

Beunic website- www.beunic.in

Instagram page- https://instagram.com/beunic_india?igshid=scfmp171zg7v

Facebook- https://m.facebook.com/beUnicIndia/

Don’t forget to subscribe to this podcast for weekly episodes, and follow me on Instagram @realmelissadasilva

Kylie O’Connor is an Australian life coach and loving mother of 4. Kylie and I discuss the hardships of relationships and marriage. Kylie has used her past to persevere into the woman that she is today. She overcame her Catholic background and is a proud member of the LGBTQI+ community along with her daughter. She discusses the journey of being a mother and how her children inspire her. Kylie uses her personal experiences to inspire her career and others. She truly believes everyone should be happy and loved, and portrays that in her coaching!

Make sure to check Kylie out on Facebook and stay tuned for her for her new website!

https://www.facebook.com/barefootwarriorcoaching

Don’t forget to subscribe to this podcast for weekly episodes, and follow me on Instagram @realmelissadasilva