Lisa Lacy is a writer, trauma educator, and author of the upcoming memoir *Notes from a Certified Mad Woman*. After more than three decades working in corporate, education, healthcare, consulting, performance, and storytelling, she now writes and speaks about trauma, addiction, identity, recovery, and the hidden cost of performing strength for too long.

In this raw, honest, and deeply human conversation, Lisa shares:

• What her 20s looked like when she thought she had it all figured out

• The danger of choosing partners who mirror family chaos

• High-functioning survival vs actually living

• Why brutal self-honesty is the first step to change

• Lessons from addiction, toxic relationships, and near-death health crises

• How she finally stopped performing and started telling the truth

If you’re in your 20s (or any age) feeling the pressure to look polished while struggling inside, this episode will make you feel less alone and more understood.

Lisa’s work is about honesty, humor, and helping people reclaim their real selves.

Timestamps below ⬇️

#LisaLacy #TraumaRecovery #NotesFromACertifiedMadWoman #HighFunctioning #MentalHealth #ConversationsWithSekani

Connect with Lisa Lacy

Website: https://www.lisalacy.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisalacycalm/

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

If conversations with Sekani sparks something in you, do well to share to someone who you think might need this. Subscribe so you don’t miss new episodes.

If you have a minute leaving a review helps more people discover these everyday unique voices and the insight they carry. Your support means the world.

Want to be a guest on Conversation with Sekani? Send a message to Joy https://www.podmatch.com/member/conversationswithsekani

Chapters

0:00 - Intro & Welcome Lisa Lacy

1:40 - Life in Her 20s: Thinking She Had It All Figured Out

8:15 - Becoming a Young Mother & Choosing Corporate

15:30 - Choosing Partners & the Cost of Ignoring Red Flags

23:10 - High-Functioning Survival vs Actually Living

31:45 - Addiction, Trauma Bonds & Hitting Rock Bottom

40:20 - The Power of Brutal Self-Honesty

48:50 - Midlife Pivot & Choosing to Tell the Truth

57:15 - Final Thoughts on Feeling Less Alone

Pamela Cass is the co-host of the Reignite Resilience podcast and co-author of *The Quiet Gift* — a powerful story about self-worth, healing, and finding your voice after feeling unseen. Her journey has been shaped by dyslexia, executive burnout, cancer, and the courage to start over.

After stepping away from a successful corporate career, Pamela rebuilt her life with a new mission: helping people rediscover their value, lead authentically, and create success that doesn’t come at the expense of their well-being. Today she works as a professional coach, speaker, instructor, entrepreneur, and realtor.

In this honest and inspiring conversation, Pamela shares:

• ​ How dyslexia shaped her childhood and sense of self
• ​ Why she became an overworker trying to prove her worth
• ​ What success meant to her in the corporate world — and why it became dangerous
• ​ The pattern interrupt that allowed her to walk away and redefine success
• ​ How adversity prepared her for purpose
• ​ Practical insights on rewiring limiting beliefs and living with joy

If you’re in your 20s feeling unseen, burning out trying to prove yourself, or questioning what real success looks like, this episode offers clarity and hope.

Timestamps below ⬇️

#TheQuietGift #PamelaCass #Dyslexia #BurnoutRecovery #SelfWorth #ConversationsWithSekani

Connect with Pamela Cass

Website:

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/pamelacass-realtor/

If conversations with Sekani sparks something in you, do well to share to someone who you think might need this. Subscribe so you don’t miss new episodes.

If you have a minute leaving a review helps more people discover these everyday unique voices and the insight they carry. Your support means the world.

Want to be a guest on Conversation with Sekani? Send a message to Joy https://www.podmatch.com/member/conversationswithsekani

Chapters

0:00 - Intro & Welcome Pamela Cass

1:40 - Growing Up with Dyslexia

8:15 - Feeling Invisible & the Need to Prove Herself

15:30 - What She Wishes She Knew Younger

23:10 - Corporate Success & the Worth Trap

31:45 - Executive Burnout & Walking Away

40:20 - Redefining Success Around Joy & Connection

48:50 - Rewiring Beliefs & Pattern Interrupts

57:15 - Final Thoughts on Turning Adversity into Purpose

More than a decade ago, a virus attacked Galen Wilson’s heart and left him with end-stage heart failure. For three and a half years, he and his wife Heather lived with fear, financial stress, uncertainty, and the loss of physical intimacy while waiting for a miracle. In 2018, he received a life-saving heart transplant. What could have destroyed their marriage instead became the beginning of a deeper mission.

Today, as founder of the Monument Method Institute and a relationship author, Galen helps singles and couples build stronger relationships that can withstand life’s pressures. Through years of supporting thousands of men and couples navigating erectile dysfunction and relationship struggles, he discovered a powerful truth: relationships rarely fail because of a lack of love — they fail because of a lack of emotional safety.

In this moving conversation, Galen shares:

• How the heart transplant changed his perspective on life and love

• The years of waiting, fear, and loss of intimacy with his wife

• Why emotional safety is the real foundation of lasting relationships

• Lessons from helping men and couples through ED and connection issues

• How near-death transformed his mission to serve others

If you’re in your 20s (or any age) navigating love, intimacy challenges, or wanting to build a relationship that lasts through hard seasons, this episode offers profound insight and hope.

Timestamps below ⬇️

#HeartTransplant #EmotionalSafety #GalenWilson #MonumentMethod #Relationships #ConversationsWithSekani

Connect with Gaylen Wilson

Website:http://www.monumentmethodinstitute.com/

If conversations with Sekani sparks something in you, do well to share to someone who you think might need this. Subscribe so you don’t miss new episodes.

If you have a minute leaving a review helps more people discover these everyday unique voices and the insight they carry. Your support means the world.

Want to be a guest on Conversation with Sekani? Send a message to Joy https://www.podmatch.com/member/conversationswithsekani

Chapters

0:00 - Intro & Welcome Galen Wilson

1:40 - The Early Years of Marriage & Deep Connection

8:15 - The Virus That Attacked His Heart

15:30 - Living with End-Stage Heart Failure

23:10 - The Night He Told His Wife He Was Dying

31:45 - Receiving the Heart Transplant

40:20 - How Near-Death Changed His View of Love

48:50 - Discovering Emotional Safety in Relationships

57:15 - The Monument Method & Helping Couples

For more than 35 years, Marc von Musser has helped businesses grow and taught thousands of entrepreneurs, coaches, and consultants how to sell with heart instead of pressure. A globally recognized sales and coaching expert, he previously served as Director of Coaching and Sales Training for Tony Robbins and Director of Sales for Clients on Demand.

In this practical and insightful conversation, Marc shares:

• How a paper route at age 9 sparked his entrepreneurial journey

• The biggest mistakes and lessons from his 20s

• Why self-image and inner dialogue determine success more than tactics

• How his sales philosophy evolved from features-and-benefits to heart-centered selling

• The danger of taking your foot off the gas when things are going well

• Timeless advice for young people building careers and businesses

If you’re in your 20s learning sales, starting a business, or trying to grow without compromising your values, this episode delivers real-world wisdom from someone who’s been in the trenches for decades.

Marc has helped companies add millions in revenue while teaching people to sell with integrity.

Timestamps below ⬇️

#SalesTraining #MarcVonMusser #SellWithHeart #Entrepreneurship #TonyRobbins #ConversationsWithSekani

Connect with Marc Von Musser

Website:https://www.marcvonmusser.com/mvm

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcvonmusser/

If conversations with Sekani sparks something in you, do well to share to someone who you think might need this. Subscribe so you don’t miss new episodes.

If you have a minute leaving a review helps more people discover these everyday unique voices and the insight they carry. Your support means the world.

Want to be a guest on Conversation with Sekani? Send a message to Joy https://www.podmatch.com/member/conversationswithsekani

Chapters

0:00 - Intro & Welcome Marc von Musser

1:40 - Childhood & First Entrepreneurial Spark

8:15 - The Paper Route That Started It All

15:30 - Biggest Mistakes from His 20s

23:10 - Self-Image and Taking Your Foot Off the Gas

31:45 - How His Sales Philosophy Evolved

40:20 - Selling With Heart Instead of Pressure

48:50 - Lessons on Hustle, Markets & Opportunity

57:15 - Final Advice for Young Entrepreneurs

John Bliss is a writer, thinker, entrepreneur, and lifelong student of life’s biggest questions. A self-described skeptic and individualist, he challenges easy answers and the assumptions many of us accept without question. After more than 13 years of writing, he authored *The False Paradigm of Today and the Timeless Truth of Tomorrow*, exploring meaning, identity, society, and what it means to live a good life.

In this thought-provoking conversation, John shares:

• What kind of kid he was and how curiosity about life began

• Limiting beliefs from his 20s that he later had to dismantle

• A simple cognitive technique that helped silence his inner critic

• What entrepreneurship taught him about fear, comfort, and success

• Why most people stay stuck in comfort — and how to move beyond it

• Reflections on meaning, identity, and living on your own terms

If you’re in your 20s questioning the narratives you were given, dealing with self-doubt, or wondering what a “good life” really means, this episode offers sharp, honest perspective.

John’s work invites people to disrupt false paradigms and think for themselves.

Timestamps below ⬇️

#JohnBliss #FalseParadigm #Skeptic #Entrepreneurship #SelfBelief #ConversationsWithSekani

Connect with John Bliss

Website: https://skeptikapress.com/

If conversations with Sekani sparks something in you, do well to share to someone who you think might need this. Subscribe so you don’t miss new episodes.

If you have a minute leaving a review helps more people discover these everyday unique voices and the insight they carry. Your support means the world.

Want to be a guest on Conversation with Sekani? Send a message to Joy https://www.podmatch.com/member/conversationswithsekani

Chapters

0:00 - Intro & Welcome John Bliss

1:40 - Childhood, Curiosity & Being “Different”

8:15 - Limiting Beliefs from His 20s

15:30 - The Technique That Silenced His Inner Critic

23:10 - Questioning Social Conditioning

31:45 - What Entrepreneurship Taught Him About Fear

40:20 - Comfort Addiction vs Courage

48:50 - Meaning, Identity & Living a Good Life

57:15 - Final Thoughts on Thinking for Yourself

For more than 25 years, Ana Smith has helped leaders and teams at companies like Microsoft, GE, HP, and American Express navigate transformation, elevate performance, and protect their well-being in high-pressure environments. As a leadership strategist, mindset architect, and Chief Learning and Well-being Officer at Bright Flare Performance Solutions, she is also a two-time TEDx speaker and author focused on self-empowerment and mindset intelligence.

In this insightful conversation, Ana shares:

• What originally drew her into leadership and performance development

• Mindset patterns from her 20s that she later had to unlearn

• The power of aligning with your own expectations instead of everyone else’s

• What “Mindset Intelligence” really means and why it matters today

• How to manage attention, prevent burnout, and lead under pressure

• Practical ways to reinvent yourself and drive beyond traditional success

If you’re in your 20s entering the workforce, building a career, or feeling the pressure to perform, this episode offers clear frameworks and hard-earned wisdom.

Ana’s work is about helping people transform their mindset so they can transform their lives.

Timestamps below ⬇️

#MindsetIntelligence #Leadership #AnaSmith #BurnoutPrevention #HighPerformance #ConversationsWithSekani

Connect with Ana Smith

Website:https://brightflare.com/

If conversations with Sekani sparks something in you, do well to share to someone who you think might need this. Subscribe so you don’t miss new episodes.

If you have a minute leaving a review helps more people discover these everyday unique voices and the insight they carry. Your support means the world.

Want to be a guest on Conversation with Sekani? Send a message to Joy https://www.podmatch.com/member/conversationswithsekani

Chapters

0:00 - Intro & Welcome Ana Smith

1:40 - What Drew Her into Leadership & Performance

8:15 - Mindset Patterns from Her 20s She Had to Unlearn

15:30 - Aligning with Your Own Expectations

23:10 - Building Your Own Board of Directors

31:45 - What Is Mindset Intelligence?

40:20 - Attention Management & Leading Under Pressure

48:50 - Preventing Burnout While Performing at a High Level

57:15 - Final Thoughts on Reinvention & True Success

For nearly a decade, Samantha Cain (founder of Root Wing Wellness) has helped people reconnect with themselves through self-awareness, conscious living, and practical rituals that support lasting transformation. A certified holistic life coach, she guides clients to break old patterns and live more authentically.

In this grounded and uplifting conversation, Samantha shares:

• What her 20s were really like — the excitement, the mistakes, and the search for identity

• How the world tries to tell you who to be in your 20s

• Why you don’t have to have it all figured out

• What led her to become a holistic life coach and start Root Wing Wellness

• The power of turning lessons into blessings

• Practical ways to let go, regulate your nervous system, and live more consciously

If you’re in your 20s feeling pressure to figure everything out, stuck in old patterns, or searching for a more authentic way of living, this episode offers clarity and encouragement.

Samantha’s work is about helping people move from survival mode into conscious, intentional living.

Timestamps below ⬇️

#HolisticLifeCoach #RootWingWellness #SelfAwareness #AuthenticLiving #ConversationsWithSekani

Connect with Samantha Kane

Website:https://www.rootswingswellness.com/

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-kane-78b870b?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app

If conversations with Sekani sparks something in you, do well to share to someone who you think might need this. Subscribe so you don’t miss new episodes.

If you have a minute leaving a review helps more people discover these everyday unique voices and the insight they carry. Your support means the world.

Want to be a guest on Conversation with Sekani? Send a message to Joy https://www.podmatch.com/member/conversationswithsekani

Chapters

0:00 - Intro & Welcome Samantha Cain

1:40 - Life in Her 20s: Travel, Exploration & Identity

8:15 - The Struggle Between Ego and Spirit

15:30 - Why You Don’t Need to Have It All Figured Out

23:10 - What Led Her to Holistic Coaching

31:45 - Lessons Disguised as Blessings

40:20 - Learning How to Let Go

48:50 - Nervous System Regulation & Practical Rituals

57:15 - Final Thoughts on Authentic Living

After surviving trauma in her 20s, Linda Knipe spent years believing that strength meant burying painful emotions and simply moving on. Decades later, therapy transformed her understanding of healing, vulnerability, and what it means to live an authentic life. Retired school counselor and author of *Braving Therapy: Rape, Buried Trauma, and the Triumph Journey Over PTSD*, Linda now helps others understand trauma and the life-changing power of therapy.

In this honest and hopeful conversation, Linda shares:

• Growing up in a large, loving family

• The trauma she experienced in her 20s and why she buried it

• How unspoken feelings affected her relationships and sense of self

• The moment PTSD symptoms forced her to seek help

• What the therapy journey was really like

• Why moving on is not the same as healing

If you’re in your 20s carrying unspoken pain, struggling to process difficult experiences, or wondering whether therapy is worth it, this episode offers real insight and encouragement.

Linda’s story shows that it’s never too late to face what’s been buried and begin healing.

Timestamps below ⬇️

#BravingTherapy #PTSDRecovery #LindaKnipe #TraumaHealing #TherapyJourney #ConversationsWithSekani

Connect with Linda Knipe

Website: https://lfeigknipe.com/

If conversations with Sekani sparks something in you, do well to share to someone who you think might need this. Subscribe so you don’t miss new episodes.

If you have a minute leaving a review helps more people discover these everyday unique voices and the insight they carry. Your support means the world.

Want to be a guest on Conversation with Sekani? Send a message to Joy https://www.podmatch.com/member/conversationswithsekani

Chapters

0:00 - Intro & Welcome Linda Knipe

1:40 - Growing Up in a Large Family

8:15 - Trauma in Her 20s

15:30 - Why She Believed Burying Emotions Was Strength

23:10 - How Unspoken Feelings Affected Her Life

31:45 - The Moment PTSD Forced Her to Seek Help

40:20 - Starting Therapy After Years of Silence

48:50 - Writing, Journaling & the Healing Process

57:15 - Final Thoughts on Authentic Healing

For more than 25 years, Jeff Grant has experienced caregiving firsthand — first supporting his mother after her stroke and later caring for his wife, Karen. Through those experiences, he gained a deep understanding of the emotional, physical, and often unseen realities caregivers face every day.

In this honest and heartfelt conversation, Jeff shares:

• What life looked like in his 20s before caregiving changed everything

• The responsibility and honor of caring for a parent

• How caregiving for his wife was different — and more intentional

• The importance of self-care and support systems

• Karen’s powerful belief that creativity sustains the human spirit

• Why caregivers need to be valued, supported, and equipped

If you’re in your 20s (or any age) already in a caregiving role, watching a loved one age, or simply want to understand this often invisible work, this episode offers real insight and compassion.

Jeff advocates for caregivers because when they are strengthened, everyone benefits.

Timestamps below ⬇️

#Caregiving #GeoffGrant #CaregiverSupport #EmotionalReality #FamilyCare #ConversationsWithSekani

Connect with Geoff Grant

Website: https://www.geoffgrantconsulting.com/

LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/grantgeoff

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

If conversations with Sekani sparks something in you, do well to share to someone who you think might need this. Subscribe so you don’t miss new episodes.

If you have a minute leaving a review helps more people discover these everyday unique voices and the insight they carry. Your support means the world.

Want to be a guest on Conversation with Sekani? Send a message to Joy https://www.podmatch.com/member/conversationswithsekani

Chapters

0:00 - Intro & Welcome Jeff Grant

1:40 - Life in His 20s & Early Expectations

8:15 - Losing His Father & Early Shocks

15:30 - Becoming a Caregiver for His Mother

23:10 - The Emotional Weight of Caregiving

31:45 - Caring for His Wife Karen

40:20 - Self-Care, Support & Being Husband First

48:50 - Creativity Sustains the Human Spirit

57:15 - Final Thoughts on Supporting Caregivers

Sleep underpins everything — focus, mood, performance, immune function, and even joy. Dr. Melissa Milanak, clinical psychologist, executive consultant, and internationally recognized expert on stress, anxiety, burnout, and sleep, has spent more than 20 years helping leaders, athletes, healthcare professionals, and everyday people reclaim their quality of life.

In this practical and eye-opening conversation, Dr. Melissa shares:

• What her 20s looked like and the habits that still serve her today

• Why she shifted from trauma work into the science of sleep

• How stress keeps the body from allowing quality rest

• Common reasons people can’t shut their brain off at night

• The connection between sleep, burnout, anxiety, and performance

• Simple, research-backed ways to improve sleep without sacrificing success

If you’re in your 20s grinding hard, feeling burned out, or struggling to switch off at night, this episode delivers clear science and actionable insight.

Dr. Melissa has delivered over 100 keynote talks a year and recently gave a TED Talk titled “Sleep: Not the Impossible Dream.”

Timestamps below ⬇️

#SleepScience #Burnout #DrMelissaMilanak #StressAndAnxiety #RestIsProductive #ConversationsWithSekani

Connect with Melissa

Website: https://www.melissamilanak.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissaemilanakphd/

If conversations with Sekani sparks something in you, do well to share to someone who you think might need this. Subscribe so you don’t miss new episodes.

If you have a minute leaving a review helps more people discover these everyday unique voices and the insight they carry. Your support means the world.

Want to be a guest on Conversation with Sekani? Send a message to Joy https://www.podmatch.com/member/conversationswithsekani

Chapters

0:00 - Intro & Welcome Dr. Melissa Milanak

1:40 - Life in Her 20s & Early Dreams

8:15 - Habits That Still Serve Her Today

15:30 - Why She Chose Psychology & Sleep Science

23:10 - How Stress Blocks Quality Sleep

31:45 - Why Your Brain Won’t Shut Off at Night

40:20 - Sleep as the Foundation for Everything

48:50 - Practical Tips for Better Rest

57:15 - Final Thoughts on Sleep & Performance