Conversations with Coach LA

🎙️💜 THE POWER OF WORDS: YOUR STORY MATTERS! ✍🏾✨

Some words leave wounds. Others open doors. But what happens when we discover the power to rewrite our own narratives? 👀🔥

This Sunday, November 1st, join your favorite around-the-way therapist, Coach LA, for another powerful episode of Conversations with Coach LA!

🎤 SPECIAL GUEST: COREY YARBROUGH
Executive Director of 826 Boston, a nonprofit empowering nearly 4,000 Boston students annually through writing, storytelling, and publishing!

We're exploring how the words we speak, write, and internalize shape our identity, confidence, mental health, and communities.

☕️ THERAPY TEA: Can storytelling support emotional healing?

✍🏾 NARRATIVE THERAPY: Who's writing YOUR story?

♠️ BET on SELF™: Rewriting limiting beliefs and reclaiming your voice!

🎤 COACH'S CORNER: Literacy, social justice, and empowering the next generation.

Because here's some THERAPY TEA… ☕️

You are NOT defined by the words that wounded you. You have the power to write your next chapter! 💯

📅 Sunday, November 1, 2026
⏰ 11 AM EST
📻 LIVE on Urban Heat 98.1FM | iHeartRadio

💜 TAG someone who needs this conversation!
📲 SHARE this post and SET YOUR REMINDER!

Follow @therapist_coachla @conversations_withcoachla @heat981fm

🌐 www.IamCoachLA.com

🎙️ Thanks for tuning in to Conversations with Coach LA!

Don’t forget to subscribe and turn on your notifications so you never miss a new episode—dropping every Thursday wherever you get your podcasts. You can also listen live every Sunday at 11 AM on Urban Heat 98.1FM or via iHeartRadio.

Want to join the conversation or share your story? We’re always looking for inspiring voices! Email us at [email protected] to be considered as a future guest.

This show is brought to you by Resiliency and Optimism Changes Lives, LLC, where we champion self-awareness, mental wellness, and transformational growth through therapeutic coaching and community empowerment. If you're looking for a therapist or support on your healing journey, visit our website or reach out—we're here to help you BET on SELF:
🌱 Believe. Empower. Transform.

Because when you bet on yourself, you invest in your peace, your power, and your purpose.

Opening Theme song created by Daniel Laurent www.daniellaurent.com

Closing Theme Song created by Nancia produced by Jay Hunt -SmokeHouse Media

🎙️💜🔥 I'M GOOD… BUT AM I REALLY?!

SISSSS! Who checks on the STRONG friend?! 👀☕️

We talk about being strong, but what happens when you're emotionally exhausted from being EVERYTHING to EVERYBODY?

Today, I'm riding SOLO on Conversations with Coach LA, and we're spilling some much-needed THERAPY TEA! ☕️

💜 The pressure of being the strong one
💜 People-pleasing & emotional burnout
💜 Setting boundaries without guilt
💜 Choosing YOURSELF without apologizing!

🎙️ TODAY | 11 AM EST
📻 Urban Heat 98.1FM | iHeartRadio

☎️ WE'RE TAKING LIVE CALLS! 617-238-7111

🔥 QUESTION: Are you the STRONG friend? And who's checking on YOU?

👇🏾 COMMENT, TAG YOUR STRONG FRIEND & TUNE IN!

Because being strong shouldn't mean suffering in silence!

BELIEVE. EMPOWER. TRANSFORM. BET on SELF™! 💜

🎙️ Thanks for tuning in to Conversations with Coach LA!

Don’t forget to subscribe and turn on your notifications so you never miss a new episode—dropping every Thursday wherever you get your podcasts. You can also listen live every Sunday at 11 AM on Urban Heat 98.1FM or via iHeartRadio.

Want to join the conversation or share your story? We’re always looking for inspiring voices! Email us at [email protected] to be considered as a future guest.

This show is brought to you by Resiliency and Optimism Changes Lives, LLC, where we champion self-awareness, mental wellness, and transformational growth through therapeutic coaching and community empowerment. If you're looking for a therapist or support on your healing journey, visit our website or reach out—we're here to help you BET on SELF:
🌱 Believe. Empower. Transform.

Because when you bet on yourself, you invest in your peace, your power, and your purpose.

Opening Theme song created by Daniel Laurent www.daniellaurent.com

Closing Theme Song created by Nancia produced by Jay Hunt -SmokeHouse Media

The Ups, Downs & Unspoken Truths of Women in Entrepreneurship

💜 What happens when the woman behind the business loses sight of herself?

Success comes with a price, but should your mental health, relationships, and sense of self be part of the cost?

In this powerful episode of Conversations with Coach LA, licensed psychotherapist and host Coach LA sits down with Robbie DeBarros, Tech Entrepreneur, Event Tech Strategist, Women's Empowerment Leader, and Founder of GDBIZ LLC and Live Pulse.

Together, we explore the REAL experiences of women in entrepreneurship, from navigating burnout and balancing personal identity to redefining success beyond titles, achievements, and financial milestones.

🎧 IN THIS EPISODE, WE EXPLORE:

• 💜 The emotional cost of entrepreneurship and success
• 👑 Rediscovering yourself beyond professional titles
• 🔥 Navigating sacrifice, loneliness, and reinvention
• 💰 Separating self-worth from productivity and achievement
• ✨ Building a business without losing yourself
• ♠️ The power of resilience and BETting on SELF™

☕ COACH LA'S THERAPY TEA:

Your productivity is NOT your identity, and your success does NOT determine your self-worth.

Whether you're a business owner, aspiring entrepreneur, working professional, or woman navigating life's transitions, this conversation reminds us that becoming HER again isn't about going backward. It's about coming home to yourself.

🎙️ REAL PEOPLE. REAL CONVERSATIONS. HEALING. CULTURE. COMMUNITY.

💬 JOIN THE CONVERSATION: Have you ever felt disconnected from yourself while pursuing success?

▶️ Watch the Live episodes on YouTube: @IamCoachLA

📻 Conversations with Coach LA airs Sundays at 11 AM ET on Urban Heat 98.1FM via iHeartRadio.

BELIEVE. EMPOWER. TRANSFORM.
♠️ Always BET on SELF™!

🎙️ Thanks for tuning in to Conversations with Coach LA!

Don’t forget to subscribe and turn on your notifications so you never miss a new episode—dropping every Thursday wherever you get your podcasts. You can also listen live every Sunday at 11 AM on Urban Heat 98.1FM or via iHeartRadio.

Want to join the conversation or share your story? We’re always looking for inspiring voices! Email us at [email protected] to be considered as a future guest.

This show is brought to you by Resiliency and Optimism Changes Lives, LLC, where we champion self-awareness, mental wellness, and transformational growth through therapeutic coaching and community empowerment. If you're looking for a therapist or support on your healing journey, visit our website or reach out—we're here to help you BET on SELF:
🌱 Believe. Empower. Transform.

Because when you bet on yourself, you invest in your peace, your power, and your purpose.

Opening Theme song created by Daniel Laurent www.daniellaurent.com

Closing Theme Song created by Nancia produced by Jay Hunt -SmokeHouse Media

Everybody wants to be the BOSS, but what does it REALLY take to build a business, overcome setbacks, and create a lasting legacy?

On this episode of Conversations with Coach LA, we're going BEHIND THE BRAND with Euan Davis, Founder & CEO of BarberTime, licensed professional barber, and entrepreneur with over 30 years of experience.

We're pulling back the curtain on entrepreneurship to explore the sacrifices, financial realities, personal challenges, and resilience required to stay in business.

From facing a devastating fire and nearly walking away to finding the courage to keep building, Euan's journey reminds us that sometimes our biggest opportunities arrive disguised as bad news.

In this episode, we explore:

• The man behind the brand and his entrepreneurial journey
• The realities of building and sustaining a business
• Overcoming setbacks, losses, and moments of uncertainty
• Mental health, identity, and entrepreneurship
• The importance of reputation, relationships, and legacy
• What it REALLY means to BET on SELF™

Plus, don't miss our signature segments: Therapy Tea: What Does Therapy Mean to You?, BET on SELF™ Moment, Coach's Corner, and Entrepreneur Spotlight.

The takeaway: Entrepreneurship isn't always glamorous. Sometimes BETting on SELF means rebuilding when life gives you every reason to quit.

🎧 WATCH. LISTEN. SUBSCRIBE. SHARE.

📺 YouTube: @IamCoachLA
🌐 www.IamCoachLA.com

💬 What's the biggest lesson entrepreneurship has taught YOU? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Conversations with Coach LA
Real People. Real Conversations. Healing. Culture. Community.

🎙️ Thanks for tuning in to Conversations with Coach LA!

Don’t forget to subscribe and turn on your notifications so you never miss a new episode—dropping every Thursday wherever you get your podcasts. You can also listen live every Sunday at 11 AM on Urban Heat 98.1FM or via iHeartRadio.

Want to join the conversation or share your story? We’re always looking for inspiring voices! Email us at [email protected] to be considered as a future guest.

This show is brought to you by Resiliency and Optimism Changes Lives, LLC, where we champion self-awareness, mental wellness, and transformational growth through therapeutic coaching and community empowerment. If you're looking for a therapist or support on your healing journey, visit our website or reach out—we're here to help you BET on SELF:
🌱 Believe. Empower. Transform.

Because when you bet on yourself, you invest in your peace, your power, and your purpose.

Opening Theme song created by Daniel Laurent www.daniellaurent.com

Closing Theme Song created by Nancia produced by Jay Hunt -SmokeHouse Media

What does your money have to do with your mental health? More than you might think.

In this episode of Conversations with Coach LA, Coach LA sits down with financial educator, entrepreneur, realtor, and BossLady News host Brit Johnson for a real conversation about the intersection of money, mental health, and financial wellness.

They unpack financial stress, emotional spending, money mindset, homeownership, generational patterns, and the importance of building both emotional AND financial wealth. Plus, Brit answers the signature question, “What does therapy mean to you?” and shares what it means to BET on SELF™ financially.

💰 Your net worth is not your self-worth—but understanding your relationship with money can be part of your healing.

Listen, share, and subscribe to Conversations with Coach LA for more real conversations about mental health, relationships, culture, community, and becoming a healthier YOU.

🎙️ Thanks for tuning in to Conversations with Coach LA!

Don’t forget to subscribe and turn on your notifications so you never miss a new episode—dropping every Thursday wherever you get your podcasts. You can also listen live every Sunday at 11 AM on Urban Heat 98.1FM or via iHeartRadio.

Want to join the conversation or share your story? We’re always looking for inspiring voices! Email us at [email protected] to be considered as a future guest.

This show is brought to you by Resiliency and Optimism Changes Lives, LLC, where we champion self-awareness, mental wellness, and transformational growth through therapeutic coaching and community empowerment. If you're looking for a therapist or support on your healing journey, visit our website or reach out—we're here to help you BET on SELF:
🌱 Believe. Empower. Transform.

Because when you bet on yourself, you invest in your peace, your power, and your purpose.

Opening Theme song created by Daniel Laurent www.daniellaurent.com

Closing Theme Song created by Nancia produced by Jay Hunt -SmokeHouse Media

What happens when creativity becomes more than expression—and becomes part of your healing?

This week on Conversations with Coach LA, Boston R&B artist, songwriter, and storyteller Hakim Hakim joins Coach LA for an intimate Artist Spotlight conversation about music, mental health, authenticity, vulnerability, relationships, and healing through creativity.

Born and raised in Roxbury, MA, Hakim brings a raw, original, and musically unbound approach to R&B. He shares how life experiences influence his artistry, what it means to remain authentic in an industry built around visibility, and how creativity can give language to emotions we may not always know how to express.

Coach LA and Hakim also dive into Therapy Tea, exploring what therapy means to him and the relationship between masculinity, vulnerability, emotional wellness, and asking for support.

Plus, Hakim shares his BET on SELF™ moment—the moments when believing in his own voice required moving forward before the validation arrived.

In this episode:

• Healing through music and creativity
• The connection between art and emotional wellness
• Authenticity and finding your creative voice
• Masculinity, vulnerability, and mental health
• Love, relationships, and R&B
• What therapy means to Hakim Hakim
• Betting on yourself before others see the vision
• Using creativity as part of your healing toolbox

Coach LA's reminder:
Your creativity can be part of your healing toolbox—but it doesn't have to carry the whole toolbox.

🎙️ Guest: Hakim Hakim
🎤 Host: Coach LA
🎲 Artist Spotlight: Healing Through Creativity

Conversations with Coach LA — real people, real conversations, all in pursuit of a healthier YOU.

Remember to Believe. Empower. Transform. BET on SELF™.

🎙️ Thanks for tuning in to Conversations with Coach LA!

Don’t forget to subscribe and turn on your notifications so you never miss a new episode—dropping every Thursday wherever you get your podcasts. You can also listen live every Sunday at 11 AM on Urban Heat 98.1FM or via iHeartRadio.

Want to join the conversation or share your story? We’re always looking for inspiring voices! Email us at [email protected] to be considered as a future guest.

This show is brought to you by Resiliency and Optimism Changes Lives, LLC, where we champion self-awareness, mental wellness, and transformational growth through therapeutic coaching and community empowerment. If you're looking for a therapist or support on your healing journey, visit our website or reach out—we're here to help you BET on SELF:
🌱 Believe. Empower. Transform.

Because when you bet on yourself, you invest in your peace, your power, and your purpose.

Opening Theme song created by Daniel Laurent www.daniellaurent.com

Closing Theme Song created by Nancia produced by Jay Hunt -SmokeHouse Media

What happens when poetry becomes a space to explore love, masculinity, mental health, boundaries, identity, and healing?

On this Poet Spotlight episode of Conversations with Coach LA, Coach LA sits down with Brooklyn-born spoken word artist, author, curator, and community advocate Darnnell Dorvil, known as Story Teller Gordon, for an honest conversation about the stories we write—and the stories we sometimes have to rewrite in order to grow.

Gordon shares his journey as a poet and storyteller, the vulnerability behind his creative process, and how his work challenges traditional ideas about Black masculinity, emotional wellness, relationships, and mental health. They also explore healthy boundaries, personal growth, community healing, and Gordon’s work creating healthier spaces for men through FORM NYC.

Plus, Gordon joins Coach LA on the virtual couch for Therapy Tea, answers the signature question “What does therapy mean to you?”, and shares the moments that taught him to BET on SELF™.

In this episode: spoken word poetry • Black men’s mental health • healthy masculinity • relationships • boundaries • vulnerability • emotional wellness • storytelling • healing • personal growth

🎙️ Conversations with Coach LA — Real People. Real Conversations. A Healthier You.

🎙️ Thanks for tuning in to Conversations with Coach LA!

Don’t forget to subscribe and turn on your notifications so you never miss a new episode—dropping every Thursday wherever you get your podcasts. You can also listen live every Sunday at 11 AM on Urban Heat 98.1FM or via iHeartRadio.

Want to join the conversation or share your story? We’re always looking for inspiring voices! Email us at [email protected] to be considered as a future guest.

This show is brought to you by Resiliency and Optimism Changes Lives, LLC, where we champion self-awareness, mental wellness, and transformational growth through therapeutic coaching and community empowerment. If you're looking for a therapist or support on your healing journey, visit our website or reach out—we're here to help you BET on SELF:
🌱 Believe. Empower. Transform.

Because when you bet on yourself, you invest in your peace, your power, and your purpose.

Opening Theme song created by Daniel Laurent www.daniellaurent.com

Closing Theme Song created by Nancia produced by Jay Hunt -SmokeHouse Media

What happens when you can see the vision before the world can see it?

On this episode of Conversations with Coach LA, Coach LA welcomes artist, producer, and creative visionary Troi “Elektrik Kid” Durden to the virtual couch for an Artist Spotlight about creativity, identity, mental health, perseverance, purpose, and the courage to BET on SELF™.

Troi takes us beyond the music and introduces us to the person behind the artistry. Together, Coach LA and Troi unpack a part of the creative journey that people don’t always see: the rejection before the recognition, the self-doubt behind the confidence, the reinvention, discipline, sacrifice, and determination required when you’re carrying a vision that hasn’t been validated yet.

Because you already know—if you sit on Coach LA’s virtual couch, we’re going there.

Coach LA asks her signature question: “What does therapy mean to you?”

The conversation explores the intersection of creativity and emotional wellness, including whether art can be healing, the difference between expressing pain and actually processing it, and why creatives must learn to protect the person carrying the gift—not just the gift itself.

Troi shares his personal BET on SELF™ Moment, the experiences that helped shape Elektrik Kid, and what he has learned about trusting his creativity when the external validation hasn’t caught up with the internal vision.

He also looks ahead to what may be possible in the next chapter of his artistry, purpose, and impact.

This conversation is for every artist, entrepreneur, dreamer, creator, and visionary who has ever wondered:

“Am I crazy for believing this can work when nobody else can see it yet?”

Maybe the vision came to you first because you were supposed to believe in it first.

The applause may come later.
The recognition may come later.
The validation may come later.

But the BET on SELF™ starts now.

What are you willing to believe about your vision before you have the validation to prove it?

Drop your answer in the comments and share this episode with somebody who needs permission to keep betting on their vision.

Follow Coach LA: @therapist_coachla
Subscribe: IamCoachLA.com

🎙️ Thanks for tuning in to Conversations with Coach LA!

Don’t forget to subscribe and turn on your notifications so you never miss a new episode—dropping every Thursday wherever you get your podcasts. You can also listen live every Sunday at 11 AM on Urban Heat 98.1FM or via iHeartRadio.

Want to join the conversation or share your story? We’re always looking for inspiring voices! Email us at [email protected] to be considered as a future guest.

This show is brought to you by Resiliency and Optimism Changes Lives, LLC, where we champion self-awareness, mental wellness, and transformational growth through therapeutic coaching and community empowerment. If you're looking for a therapist or support on your healing journey, visit our website or reach out—we're here to help you BET on SELF:
🌱 Believe. Empower. Transform.

Because when you bet on yourself, you invest in your peace, your power, and your purpose.

Opening Theme song created by Daniel Laurent www.daniellaurent.com

Closing Theme Song created by Nancia produced by Jay Hunt -SmokeHouse Media

Legacy Leadership: The Entrepreneurial Pivot | Featuring Genevieve Angelique

 What happens when the thing you successfully built no longer represents where you're going?

In this episode of Conversations with Coach LA, Coach LA sits down with Genevieve Angelique for a powerful conversation about entrepreneurship, identity, legacy, mental wellness, and having the courage to pivot.

After nearly a decade of building The Other Boston and growing a community of more than 10,000 people celebrating Black culture and experiences throughout Greater Boston, Genevieve is preparing to close that chapter and lean more intentionally into travel, experience curation, content creation, and her evolution as a multi-hyphenate entrepreneur.

The conversation explores an often-overlooked side of entrepreneurship: our work can become part of our identity. So what happens emotionally when it’s time to release the business, title, role, or dream people associate with who you are?

Coach LA and Genevieve unpack professional identity, transitions, the emotions that can accompany closing a meaningful chapter, the freedom to explore what’s next, and why a pivot doesn’t erase your previous success.

They also discuss what therapy means to Genevieve, her journey toward completing her MBA, the transferable skills she’s carrying into her next chapter, and her personal BET on SELF™ moments.

Listen for this reminder:

“Reinvention isn’t always starting over. Sometimes it means taking everything you’ve built, learned, and become with you into the next chapter.”

If you’re an entrepreneur, leader, creative, professional—or simply someone who knows you’ve outgrown an old version of yourself—this episode is for you.

💜 BET on SELF™ — Believe. Empower. Transform.

Share this episode with someone standing at the edge of their next chapter.

🎙️ Thanks for tuning in to Conversations with Coach LA!

Don’t forget to subscribe and turn on your notifications so you never miss a new episode—dropping every Thursday wherever you get your podcasts. You can also listen live every Sunday at 11 AM on Urban Heat 98.1FM or via iHeartRadio.

Want to join the conversation or share your story? We’re always looking for inspiring voices! Email us at [email protected] to be considered as a future guest.

This show is brought to you by Resiliency and Optimism Changes Lives, LLC, where we champion self-awareness, mental wellness, and transformational growth through therapeutic coaching and community empowerment. If you're looking for a therapist or support on your healing journey, visit our website or reach out—we're here to help you BET on SELF:
🌱 Believe. Empower. Transform.

Because when you bet on yourself, you invest in your peace, your power, and your purpose.

Opening Theme song created by Daniel Laurent www.daniellaurent.com

Closing Theme Song created by Nancia produced by Jay Hunt -SmokeHouse Media

What happens when the therapist gets on the couch?

On this episode of Conversations with Coach LA, licensed psychotherapist Coach LA (Lakisha R. Austin, LICSW, MSW, MBA) sits down with Alphonso Nathan, MS, LPC — better known as Phonz the Therapist — for an unfiltered Therapist Spotlight conversation about therapy, Black mental health, culture, vulnerability, and breaking the stigma surrounding mental health care.

Phonz is a licensed therapist, speaker, author, futurist, and mental health advocate who uses therapy, humor, media, and culturally relevant conversations to make mental wellness more accessible—particularly within Black and Brown communities.

But this conversation goes beyond credentials.

Therapists are human, too.

Coach LA and Phonz pull back the curtain on what it means to be the person helping others heal while navigating your own emotions, relationships, boundaries, stress, and personal growth.

Together, they explore:

🛋️ What does therapy really mean?

And Coach LA asks the question at the heart of the Therapist Spotlight series:

“Who is Alphonso Nathan when Phonz the Therapist clocks out?”

This episode is for anyone who has ever considered therapy, questioned whether therapy is for them, struggled to find a therapist who understands their culture, or wondered what happens emotionally on the other side of the therapist’s couch.

Whether you’re a therapist, social worker, counselor, mental health professional—or simply somebody doing your own healing work—this conversation is a reminder that seeking support is not a weakness. Healing is human.

Alphonso Nathan, MS, LPC (Phonz the Therapist) is a licensed therapist, speaker, author, futurist, and mental health advocate based in the Philadelphia area. His work centers on breaking mental health stigma, promoting self-care, creating safe spaces for healing, and making conversations about mental wellness accessible, relatable, and empowering.

Follow Phonz:
Instagram: @phonzthetherapist
TikTok: @PhonzTheTherapist

Hosted by licensed psychotherapist and executive life coach Lakisha R. Austin — Coach LA, Conversations with Coach LA brings real talk, real healing, and real-life conversations to the virtual couch.

🎙️ Listen, subscribe, share, and leave a review.

And remember:

Believe in yourself. Empower yourself. Transform yourself. It’s time to BET on SELF™.

🎙️ Thanks for tuning in to Conversations with Coach LA!

Don’t forget to subscribe and turn on your notifications so you never miss a new episode—dropping every Thursday wherever you get your podcasts. You can also listen live every Sunday at 11 AM on Urban Heat 98.1FM or via iHeartRadio.

Want to join the conversation or share your story? We’re always looking for inspiring voices! Email us at [email protected] to be considered as a future guest.

This show is brought to you by Resiliency and Optimism Changes Lives, LLC, where we champion self-awareness, mental wellness, and transformational growth through therapeutic coaching and community empowerment. If you're looking for a therapist or support on your healing journey, visit our website or reach out—we're here to help you BET on SELF:
🌱 Believe. Empower. Transform.

Because when you bet on yourself, you invest in your peace, your power, and your purpose.

Opening Theme song created by Daniel Laurent www.daniellaurent.com

Closing Theme Song created by Nancia produced by Jay Hunt -SmokeHouse Media