Your teen locking themselves in their room, sleeping all day, and blasting “emo” playlists isn’t always “just a phase.” Depression in adolescents is real, common, and often missed (even in loving, supportive families.) The truth? Your kid can have “everything” and still feel nothing. In this episode, I’m breaking down the subtle signs of teen depression, why guilt and judgment shut them down, and how to respond in a way that keeps the door open instead of slamming it shut.

I’m sharing five practical, therapist-backed ways to support your teen without losing your mind or their trust: from truly listening (instead of trying to fix) to finding the right professional help before things spiral. If you’ve been wondering whether your teen’s moodiness is something more, this conversation is your wake-up call.

Read more here:

http://veronicacisneros.org/episode286

So many high-achieving women are secretly living their lives to make mom proud—saying yes when they want to say no, feeling guilty when they dare to set boundaries, and measuring their worth by someone else’s approval. In this episode, I sit down with psychotherapist and author Katherine Fabrizio to unpack The Good Daughter Syndrome—and how it shows up in your marriage, your parenting, and your leadership.

We’re talking subtle emotional control, guilt-drenched expectations, and the exact steps you can take to finally break free from this cycle. If your mom still has the power to ruin your day—or you’re terrified you might be repeating the same patterns with your own daughter—this one’s for you.

Coaching: veronicacisneros.org

Therapy: outsidethenormcounseling.org 

Freebies: https://veronicacisneros.org/resources

You ever open your mouth to yell at your kids and suddenly realize... oh no, I’ve been possessed by my mother?

Yeah, same. That moment when rage enters your body like a heatwave and the words fly out before your logic kicks in? That’s not just a parenting fail—it might be generational trauma showing up uninvited. In this episode, I’m breaking down how trauma can be inherited, how it shapes your reactions (especially the ones you swore you’d never repeat), and the disruptive coping skills that keep it all going.

We’re not here to shame our parents or pretend we’ve got it all figured out. We’re here to pause, notice the pattern, and learn how to parent from a place of healing—not habit. If you’ve ever wondered, “Why did I react like that?” this episode is your starting point.

Need support? Talk to a therapist who gets it at http://outsidethenormcounseling.com .

Not ready for therapy? Start with my self-paced course, Reignite Your Marriage and Reclaim Your Identity. No husband required. Just powerful shifts that change everything.

Learn more at http://outsidethenormcounseling.com/reignite . It's time we stopped pretending everything’s fine—and started getting real. Unapologetically.

Coaching: veronicacisneros.org

Therapy: outsidethenormcounseling.org

Freebies: https://veronicacisneros.org/resources

I wasn’t trying to be controlling… I just genuinely believed I was the only one who actually cared. Sound familiar?

As a licensed marriage and family therapist (and someone who’s had plenty of “heated discussions” in her own marriage), I used to think every decision had to go through me. I told myself he didn’t value it as much. Didn’t think it through like I did. So I took over, because clearly, someone had to.

But here’s the thing. Power struggles don’t always look like yelling matches. Sometimes they’re quiet, buried under resentment and silent assumptions. Why was it so important that my husband be submissive when it came to things I deeply valued? Why did I feel safer in control? In this episode, I break down how we get stuck in these dynamics and how to get out, because sometimes, your partner does want the same things. You just can’t see it when you’re too busy defending your corner.

Need support? Talk to a therapist who gets it at http://outsidethenormcounseling.com .

Not ready for therapy? Start with my self-paced course, Reignite Your Marriage and Reclaim Your Identity. No husband required. Just powerful shifts that change everything.

Learn more at http://outsidethenormcounseling.com/reignite . It's time we stopped pretending everything’s fine—and started getting real. Unapologetically.

Coaching: veronicacisneros.org

Therapy: outsidethenormcounseling.org

Freebies: https://veronicacisneros.org/resources

After navigating two divorces, walking away from financial security twice, and facing the daunting question of what now?, Rochelle realized no one was coming to save her. So, she did what bold women do: she saved herself.

With no job and everything to prove, she started from scratch—turning uncertainty into clarity and building a new career brick by brick. Today, Rochelle is the founder of Tickled Pink, a personal branding agency helping ambitious women stop playing small and start creating bold, authentic brands that open doors and build bankable futures.

Ladies, I’m just going to say it: If you’ve ever looked around at your life and thought, This can’t be it, then today’s episode of the Empowered and Unapologetic podcast is your permission slip to do something about it.

Ever wonder why the Oreos in your pantry are calling your name louder than your toddler on a sugar high? In this witty and refreshingly honest convo, LMFT Veronica Cisneros sits down with Dr. Priyanka Venugopal—OB-GYN turned stress and health coach—to talk about the real reason high-achieving women struggle with weight, burnout, and emotional overload. Spoiler: it’s not because we’re lazy. It’s because we’ve been rewarded for staying in survival mode and never taught how to feel our feelings without numbing out with snacks, scrolling, or hustle.

Dr. Priyanka breaks down her science-backed (and seriously relatable) approach to managing stress, cravings, and the emotional rollercoaster that comes with being a woman who does it all. From identifying your stress cycle to reprogramming your brain’s reward system, this episode is packed with “oh damn, that’s me” moments. Get ready to ditch the guilt, reclaim your peace, and maybe even look at your Cool Ranch Doritos a little differently.

Let’s get one thing straight: I love fireworks as much as the next overly scheduled woman running on caffeine and generational trauma. But this Fourth of July, we’re not talking about backyard barbecues and red-white-and-blue jello shots. No, friend. We’re talking about a very different kind of freedom—the kind that comes from laying down your emotional mop and stepping off the hamster wheel of doing the most.

I’m talking about the freedom to not be the CEO of your marriage, your household, your kid’s extracurricular calendar, and your damn group chat.

Because here’s what I know: you are tired. Not just yawn-and-stretch tired. I’m talking the soul-sucked, “Why am I crying while loading the dishwasher again?” kind of tired. You’ve held it together through career curveballs, toddler tantrums, and your in-laws' unsolicited opinions on everything from screen time to the state of your Tupperware drawer. And somewhere along the way, you stopped being the main character in your own life.

Sound familiar?

This episode is for you.

Let’s just be real for a minute—if your self-care routine consists of skipping conditioner and hiding from your inbox, you might be doing too much. I know because I’ve been there. And so has today’s guest on the Empowered and Unapologetic podcast: Lindsey Paulson, CEO of LP Consulting, host of the Mess to Mission podcast, and queen of rescuing overwhelmed business owners from the dumpster fire of burnout.

She joined me from inside a tornado warning (Kentucky, y’all) to talk systems, survival, and how to stop doing everything yourself like you’re auditioning for Superwoman… unpaid.

Let’s start with that truth bomb. Lindsay shared how her breaking point wasn’t some big, dramatic moment. It was the slow disappearance of joy.

“I stopped loving my business. I didn’t want to go to the gym. My hair was always in a clip. That’s when I knew.” - Lindsey Paulson

Sound familiar?

Whether you’re running a business, a household, or both (plus maybe a soccer team and a group chat with 83 unread messages), the signs of burnout are often subtle. You’re numbing out on TikTok. You’re irritated for no reason. You’re too tired to care about the thing you built from scratch.

Lindsey’s story hit me hard. Miscarriages. Managing addiction in her family. Parentin

“We’ve been rewarded for being in control. But love, leadership, and joy don’t come from control—they come from presence.” – Francesca Sipma

Let me set the scene: I’m sitting down with Francesca Sipma, founder of HypnoBreathwork®, and about five minutes into the conversation, I’m already contemplating if I should move to Bali, toss my planner in the trash, and just breathe for a living.

Francesca doesn’t just teach breathwork—she lives it. She’s worked with CEOs, celebrities, and now, lucky us, she’s sharing how high-performing women like us can stop white-knuckling our way through life and start leading from a place of clarity, connection, and confidence. And before you roll your eyes thinking this is another “just relax, queen” moment, hold up. This woman brings science, strategy, and real talk.

HypnoBreathwork® is Francesca’s signature blend of breathwork, hypnosis, and visioning that helps people rewire their subconscious in as little as 20 minutes. It sounds like magic, but it’s deeply grounded in neuroscience.

Tune in to learn more.

If you’ve ever Googled “how to stop spiraling” while eating trail mix with one hand and texting your teen’s principal with the other—this episode is for you.

I sat down with Danita Young, a transformation coach and 20-year health expert who is not here for the hustle culture, fake positivity, or diets that leave you eating air and regret. She’s flipping the script on everything we think we know about anxiety, weight loss, and control—and sis, you’re going to want to take notes.

“Anxiety is your bodyguard. It’s not trying to ruin your life—it’s trying to keep you alive.” — Danita Young

According to Danita, most of us are walking around with our nervous system in full DEFCON 1. That means we’re stuck in fight, flight, or freeze—not because we’re broken, but because our survival brain is running the show.

Here’s what blew my mind: anxiety doesn’t show up to mess with us. It shows up because it thinks we’re in danger. And whether that danger is a toxic relationship, the fear of launching a business, or just the toddler’s silence (you knowsomething’s up)—your body sees it all as a threat.

Instead of fighting your anxiety, Danita suggests you actually talk to it. Yep, like a weirdo. (A weirdo who gets results.)

Let’s dive into what she said that blew my mind—and might just reset yours.