I’m Fine, It’s Fine

Artist Madeline Kiel joins us to share the winding road that led her back to art after quitting at 13 due to bullying. From missionary work in China to living in public housing and working with addicts, Madeline’s story is anything but linear.

We talk about her shift from music to visual art, the visions of Black, Native, and Mexican cowboys that wouldn’t leave her alone, and how a viral portrait of Snoop launched her unexpected art career.

She opens up about being misunderstood online, wrestling with who gets to tell what stories, and how letting go of outcome is where the magic happens.

Plus, she’s heading to Italy for her first formal art training—and maybe a little Italian love. 💚🤍❤️

Hello friends,

First off, thank you. Each of you reading this. Whether you’ve been with I’m Fine, It’s Fine from the start or just joined our community, it means the world to us. Over the past three years, we’ve poured our hearts into this podcast, and knowing that you are on the other end listening, laughing, and maybe even tearing up along with us is what keeps us going. We feel so lucky to have built this little corner of honesty and support with you.

We wanted to share something important with you, as friends. Right now, I’m Fine, It’s Fine only has enough paid subscribers to cover the cost of recording about one episode a month in the studio. Every other expense — booking guests for additional episodes, marketing the show, creating those fun social media clips, and all the hours our small team puts in behind the scenes, has been paid out of our own pocket. In fact, we’ve been doing that for the past three years, and none of us on the team have ever taken a paycheck for our work on the podcast. We do it because we truly love this show and believe in its message.

We’re incredibly grateful for the support we’ve had so far. Your enthusiasm has allowed us to come this far, and we cannot thank you enough. That said, we’re reaching a point where, without a bit more help from our community, we’ll have to make some tough decisions. This could mean scaling back significantly. Potentially doing fewer episodes or cutting down on the quality touches (like professional editing or studio recording) that we believe make the show special. We really don’t want to do that if we can avoid it, so we’re turning to you, our community, to ask for a little help to keep I’m Fine, It’s Fine going strong.

Here are a few ways you can help us continue to produce the show at the level of quality you deserve:

• Become a paid subscriber: If you’re not one already, please consider supporting us through our Substack. Even a small monthly contribution makes a huge difference. It’s the most direct way to fund the podcast. Your subscription dollars go straight into things like studio time and editing, which means more episodes and better quality content for you. You can become a paid subscriber here: Join our Substack community. (And if you’re already a paid subscriber, thank you so much! Perhaps you could share the link with a friend who might be interested.) And ENGAGE with us on Substack. Join our message boards, comment on the episodes, restack our work. It’s so helpful!

• Share the podcast with a friend (or a few!): One of the best ways to support us is absolutely free — simply spread the word. If each of you tells one friend about the show, our community could double overnight. You can share this link I’m Fine, It’s Fine on Spotify (or on whichever platform you prefer) with friends, family, or on your social media. Personal recommendations are so powerful. If there’s an episode you particularly loved or if the show has ever resonated with you, let someone else know about it. Every new listener helps our community grow and brings us closer to sustainability.

• Rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts: If you listen on Apple Podcasts (or even if you don’t, but have an Apple account handy), taking a minute to leave a rating and a short review really helps us. Those stars and reviews aren’t just for show — they actually boost our visibility. The more 5-star ratings and positive reviews we have, the more likely I’m Fine, It’s Fine is to pop up in search results and recommendations, helping new people find the show. It’s a key part of how podcast platforms surface content to potential new listeners. Plus, seeing your feedback there gives us a serious morale boost! If you could spare a moment, please head over to Apple Podcasts and leave a rating/review. It truly makes a difference in helping others discover our little community.

• Help us find sponsors: We’re actively looking for sponsors to partner with us and support the show. This is another way we can keep the podcast going without sacrificing quality (and maybe even start paying our team for their hard work). If you happen to know of any company or brand that might align with the spirit of I’m Fine, It’s Fine, or if you have contacts at a business that would be a great fit for our audience, we’d love to hear from you. Even an introduction or a suggestion would be incredibly helpful. Feel free to email or reach out to us if something comes to mind.

We share all of this because you’re not just listeners, you’re our community, our friends, and the reason we’ve been able to create this show for as long as we have. We never want to sound desperate or make anyone feel pressured; we just wanted to be open about where we’re at. If you can help in any of the ways above, even a little, it would mean so much. And if now isn’t a good time or you’ve already done what you can, that’s absolutely okay! Just by being here and caring about I’m Fine, It’s Fine, you’ve already helped more than you know.

Thank you for taking the time to read this (We know it was a long note!). We’re hopeful that with your support, we can keep I’m Fine, It’s Fine going and continue improving it for you. We have so many ideas and plans for the future of the show, and with a stronger foundation, we’ll be able to bring them to life.

Above all, thank you for being part of this journey with us. We often remind ourselves that I’m Fine, It’s Fine isn’t just a podcast, it’s a community effort built on trust, honesty, and mutual support. We’re so grateful to have you as part of our podcast family.

With love and gratitude,

The I’m Fine, It’s Fine Team

Courtney Michelle is a hilarious, silly, and beautiful person who opens up to Amber and Melanie in a lovely conversation. She shares how insecurities and self worth have impacted how she moves through life. From personal relationships she could show up for in a codependent way and feel safe in, to her approach to career and comedy. We are so grateful for the conversation and her willingness to share so much of herself with us. Support Courtney wherever you can!

Aubrey Holden, LPC-MHSP, NCC joins Amber and Melanie to shar her story of her origins and what brought her into becoming a therapist and a member of the Trauma Therapy of Nashville family. She talks about her early career in the music industry and the pivot that happened when she began to unpack her own identity in therapy. Aubrey shares her journey through her transition and how her lived experience now helps inform her approach to helping others.

Cocoa Speaks is a Nashville based comedian who shares her heart and her joyful energy with us. She opens up about the impacts of ADD meds as a child, trying again as a college athlete and now, for the first time in adulthood, she is trying it again and looking forward to the focus it could bring into her life. A self identifying “Hooper” she talks about how different the environment is on a team compared to the sparing within the comedy scene. Seeking out joyous vibes to be her best creative self, she knows that is where she thrives. She also shared the pain that comes with having multiple miscarriages and how the people around her reacted and handled the loss with her. She is truly so fun and wants to live an entire life having fun for a living and we see it for her.

Comedian Brandi Augustus opens up in an incredibly honest way. Sharing the circumstances of her childhood, and the abuse she both witnessed, and experienced directly. She so easily opened up about the impacts it’s had on her life, her relationships and her parenting decisions. Diving into her past relationships, she believed there was safety in a casual non committal dynamic and unpacking now, that she actually wants much more. Presenting a harder masculine energy attracted a certain availability in men, and now the work to soften that guard she has had up begins. She is also the mother to a trans child and she talks openly about how parenting challenges are different when you are facing the emotional, medical, and logistical elements that come with helping your child along the way. From the conversations she had to have with family, to her day to day work advocating for the needs of others, it’s shaped her identity in a truly unique way.

We are so grateful to have had this conversation with Brandi. Please follow and support her where you can!

Hannah is like no guest we have ever had. She’s sharply funny, whip smart, and self actualized. She shares the practices in her life that have shaped her, informed her art, comedy, and wellness. The daughter of a pastor, she has learned how to take the great parts of childhood lessons, and has dismantled the rest all while continuing to love her parents. She’s unapologetic about where her life has taken her and simultaneously kind and empathetic. Easily one of our favorite episodes to date.

Find and follow Hannah on Instagram, Good Reads, and listen to her album now! Her sisters Instagram can be found here for all the kundalini fun.

Madeline Finn joined Amber Autry and Melanie Reese and proved to be one of the most open, self aware, loving humans they have had a chance to sit with and learn about. She brought with her the ideologies and practices of Buddhism shared how that has help reframe her relationship with spirituality. From her emo and pop-punk music beginnings to a sober, vulnerable and honest place in her music now, her growth is undeniable. We loved this conversation and her spirit so much! Please listen to her music here and follow her to see the amazing work she is doing. Watch on Youtube!

Be sure to leave a 5 star review!

Suz Ballout, a hilarious Chicago comedian joins Amber and Melanie in their brand-new studio space for a hilarious and enlightening episode. Suz has had an experience unlike any that an American can relate to and that is being a child in the middle of a war in your homeland. She talks about that experience and dives into what it’s like being the child of conservative Middle Eastern parents who have drastically different ideologies.

Follow Amber Autry!Follow Melanie Reese and Trauma Therapy of Nashville!If you have a story to share email us at [email protected]Produced by Kaylee Harmon - Dewey Comedy ProductionsMusic composed by James Witchell

Our producer Kaylee opens (cries a lot) up about the complicated grief of losing a husband to addiction and how it doesn't play out like the typical loss of a spouse. She shares how it's helped inform her approach the being a death doula and how she shows up in a room for others. Her story is very layered and this only scratched the surface. We are grateful to her for opening up when it's not in her nature to share publicly.

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If you have a story to share email us at [email protected]

Produced by Kaylee Harmon - Dewey Comedy Productions

Music composed by James Witchell