In this episode of Empowered and Unapologetic, Veronica Cisneros sits down with Nada Lena, two time TEDx speaker, best selling author, and founder of Rise Up For You, to unpack why so many high functioning women still struggle with confidence and what actually helps. Nada breaks down the difference between confidence as a skill and self confidence as a mindset, why perfectionism and impostor syndrome keep so many women stuck, and how our inner dialogue quietly shapes how we show up in motherhood, marriage, and work.

You will learn why confidence has nothing to do with being outgoing or fearless, how to identify the specific patterns that are chipping away at your self trust, and simple, tangible ways to start rebuilding confidence without fake positivity or hustle culture pressure. This conversation is honest, practical, and grounding, especially for women who look capable on the outside but feel unsure on the inside.

If you have ever wondered if you are doing enough, being enough, or getting it right, this episode is for you.

👉 Read the full blog and episode breakdown: https://veronicacisneros.org/episode304/ 👉 Talk to a Therapist: https://outsidethenormcounseling.com

We talk about one of the most powerful shifts a woman can make in her relationship: giving herself permission to be "difficult." Tonya breaks down why so many high-achieving women silence their needs, how resentment builds when we keep the peace at our own expense, and what it actually looks like to communicate with clarity, honesty, and confidence.

If you've ever been called a nag, too emotional, or "hard to deal with," this conversation will help you understand why your voice matters more than you think and how to start using it without guilt.

And if you're ready to go deeper, I want to invite you to join my Marriage Reset webinar series, where we break down the exact conversations, boundaries, and mindset shifts that help you rebuild connection and stop carrying the relationship on your own.

Use promo code REIGNITE50 at checkout for $150 off the webinar bundle.

Save your spot here: https://outsidethenormcounseling.com/marriage-reset/

Tune in, take a breath, and let this episode remind you that asking for more is not the problem. Staying silent is.

So many women struggle to feel truly safe in their relationships, even when everything "should" feel fine. In this episode, Veronica talks with psychotherapist and bestselling author Jessica Baum about why your body might still brace for abandonment, why love can feel overwhelming or distant, and how early attachment patterns quietly shape the way you show up with your partner today. Jessica breaks down anxious, avoidant, and disorganized attachment in a way that finally makes sense—and explains why your reactions aren't dramatic, irrational, or broken. They're protective.

Together, Veronica and Jessica dive into abandonment wounds, emotional neglect, earned security, and what it really takes to build safe, connected relationships as an adult. If you've ever wondered why you keep repeating the same painful dynamics or why closeness can feel terrifying, this conversation will help you understand your emotional blueprint and start rewriting it.

Read more at https://veronicacisneros.org/episode302/

and sign up for the Marriage Reset Webinar Series at https://outsidethenormcounseling.com/marriage-reset/

Feeling disconnected from your partner? Wondering why your desire feels muted, or why intimacy suddenly feels like one more thing on your never-ending list?

In this episode of Empowered and Unapologetic, I sit down with somatic sex therapist Susan Morgan Taylor, MA, to unpack the real reasons women lose desire…and why your sex drive isn't actually the problem.

We talk about the nervous system, feminine energy, pleasure pathways, libido "mismatches," and how to reconnect with yourself so intimacy stops feeling like pressure and starts feeling like possibility again. If you've ever worried that something was "wrong" with you, this episode will give you clarity, compassion, and a new way to understand desire.

👉 Read the full blog and episode breakdown: https://veronicacisneros.org/episode301/ 👉 Join our Marriage Reset Webinar Series: https://outsidethenormcounseling.com/marriage-reset/

This conversation is your reminder that you're not broken ... you're just ready to reconnect.

Ever look at your partner (the person you've built a whole life with) and think, How the hell did we get here?You're not alone. In this milestone 300th episode, Veronica gets brutally honest about the moment every couple eventually hits: the distance, the resentment, the emotional load, the disconnect you can feel even while sharing the same bed. Instead of pretending everything's fine or offering a highlight reel, she breaks down why every relationship needs a RESET ... not because it's broken, but because you've changed, your partner has changed, and the relationship hasn't caught up yet.

This episode dives deep into the real stuff no one talks about: intimacy that fades, resentment that builds, parenting that drains you dry, and old wounds that sneak into new arguments. Veronica walks you through what a real reset looks like: curiosity, ownership, micro-intimacy, and the conversations that can bring a marriage back to life. If you're craving connection, honesty, or a fresh start with your partner, this is the episode you cannot skip. Let's reset: together.

Read more: https://veronicacisneros.org/episode299/

Coaching: https://veronicacisneros.org/

Talk to a therapist: https://outsidethenormcounseling.com

What if divorce didn't have to destroy you, or your kids? In this powerful episode, Veronica sits down with author and Google executive Sarah Armstrong to talk about how to navigate divorce with grace instead of guilt. Sarah shares how she rebuilt her life as a single working mom, created intentional boundaries like "Grace Time," and learned that peace comes from presence, not perfection.

Together, they unpack what a good divorce really means, why saying "no" without excuses can save your sanity, and how to take the high road (even when it's uphill). If you've ever wondered how to protect your kids, your career, and your sense of self through one of life's hardest transitions, this episode will show you it's possible.

Read more: https://veronicacisneros.org/episode299/

Coaching: https://veronicacisneros.org/

Talk to a therapist: https://outsidethenormcounseling.com

Ever wonder how to rebuild after betrayal without losing yourself in the process? In this episode, Veronica Cisneros gets brutally honest about her own marriage, the gut-punch of infidelity, and the surprising power of radical acceptance. She shares how heartbreak became her biggest teacher, and how healing doesn't start with your partner, it starts with you.

If you've ever said, "I could never stay after that," this episode will challenge you to think deeper about what healing actually means. You'll learn why suffering is a choice, how to stop being handcuffed to your past, and what it really takes to move from devastation to empowerment—with humor, grit, and a few hard truths along the way.

Read more: https://veronicacisneros.org/episode298/

Coaching: https://veronicacisneros.org/

Talk to a therapist: https://outsidethenormcounseling.com

We've been taught that being selfless is the highest form of love, but all it really did was make us invisible. As Béa Victoria Albina puts it, so many of us learned to earn safety, belonging, and worth by taking care of everyone else first. That's emotional outsourcing: when your nervous system confuses approval with survival. You can't rest if someone's upset, can't sit still when there's laundry to fold, can't stop apologizing just to keep the peace. Sound familiar?

The truth is, reclaiming yourself isn't selfish ... it's revolutionary. Every time you pause to breathe, pee when you need to, or ask your body what it wants instead of guessing what everyone else does, you're reprogramming your nervous system for peace. You're not broken; you were trained to overfunction. Now you get to unlearn it.

Read more: https://veronicacisneros.org/episode297/

Coaching: https://veronicacisneros.org/

Talk to a therapist: https://outsidethenormcounseling.com

Born and raised in one of Nigeria's most chaotic neighborhoods, Eunice Atuejide learned early how to find joy where others only saw struggle. A lawyer qualified in both England and Nigeria, she's spent decades watching ego (not opposition) destroy relationships, reputations, and peace. Now, she's teaching women everywhere how to pause, breathe, and choose curiosity over control. Because being right might win the argument, but it rarely wins connection.

In this conversation, Eunice joins Veronica to unpack why ego loves to run the show, how childhood trauma shapes our need to prove ourselves, and why letting go is the most radical act of strength. From courtroom lessons to kitchen-table wisdom, Eunice reminds us that peace isn't found in perfection, it's found in perspective.

Veronica Cisneros is the Founder and Lead LMFT of Outside the Norm Counseling, where she helps women break free from people-pleasing, perfectionism, and fear of conflict. As the host of the Empowered and Unapologetic Podcast and a sought-after coach, she empowers women to show up boldly in their marriages, motherhood, and leadership.

Coaching: https://veronicacisneros.org/

Therapy: https://outsidethenormcounseling.com/

Feeling stuck in stress mode before the day even begins? Coach Chuck Bernard joins Veronica to help us break that cycle. With over 30 years in education and a lifetime of coaching both athletes and parents, Chuck shares his powerful S.O.W.method (Self-identify, Own it, and Weed out negativity) to help you shift from survival to possibility.

In this episode, you'll learn how to uncover the hidden beliefs draining your energy, create simple rituals that actually stick, and plant the kind of thoughts that change how you show up for yourself, your family, and your marriage. Get ready to stop reacting and start sowing seeds of calm, clarity, and confidence.

More here: https://veronicacisneros.org/episode295/