Listen Bitch Presents TELL ME WHY YOU'RE SPECIAL

In this episode of Listen Bitch Presents: Tell Me Why You’re Special, I sit down with Colleen Ofsenic, a business owner and wellness leader who walked away from a high-stress corporate career in banking and government to pursue a completely different path.

We talk about what it really costs to change your life—emotionally, mentally, and spiritually—and why so many people stay stuck in environments that are slowly draining them. Colleen shares her journey through abandonment, burnout, and personal transformation, and how those experiences pushed her into doing deeper work on herself.

This conversation gets into leadership, ego, and the reality that a lot of people talk about healing but avoid the actual work. We also unpack fear, self-trust, and what it looks like to take responsibility for your growth instead of waiting for things to magically change.

If you’ve been feeling stuck, avoiding hard decisions, or trying to grow without facing what’s underneath… this episode will challenge you in the best way.

Published Author | CNHP, CST, CYT, RMT | Certified Life Coach (ICF 2010)
 Naturopathic Practitioner | Educator | Divine Feminine Community Leader | Professional Mentor & Advisor | Spiritual Teacher 
Professional Summary
Dynamic and multifaceted professional with over 30 years of experience spanning banking, municipal government, holistic health, and entrepreneurial leadership. Proven expertise in financial oversight, community development, program creation, and operations management, combined with over two decades in integrative health and wellness. Founder of multiple successful ventures and creator of a proprietary quantum healing modality, CranioHeartSync™, integrating multiple therapies with heart-centered coherence practices. Recognized for building community-centered initiatives, leading multidisciplinary teams, and delivering transformative client outcomes. https://www.lovelighthc.com/
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063575503504
Career Highlights
30+ years of leadership across banking, government, and holistic health sectors
Founder of multiple successful businesses and community-based initiatives
Creator of the CranioHeartSync™ healing modality
Published Author October, 2024: Divine Feminine Emergence ~ Women Awakening The New Paradigm Through Self-Love https://a.co/d/0j4Hx8KG
Recognized voice in holistic wellness and empowerment
Extensive experience in community development, program creation, and operational leadership
Proven ability to bridge structured business expertise with transformational healing work
Founder & CEO
 The Lovelight Connection | 2020 – Present 
Founded a transformational wellness and community platform rooted in Divine Feminine leadership and holistic healing
Lead brand strategy, business development, and community expansion initiatives
Design and facilitate workshops, mentorship programs, and immersive experiences for personal and spiritual development
Public Speaking on various subjects geared toward self-love and life transformation
Creator of CranioHeartSync™, an integrative modality based in quantum energetic alignment and heart coherence - 2026 https://www.facebook.com/share/r/16WNykRHdr/

Owner & Director
 Lovelight Healing Center, Grayslake, IL | 2014 – 2020
Founded and managed a multidisciplinary wellness center, overseeing daily operations, facility management, and practitioner coordination
Directed a team of diverse professionals including licensed therapists, social workers, and holistic practitioners
Developed and executed community wellness programs, educational workshops, and revenue-generating events
Oversaw business operations including budgeting, marketing strategy, and client experience
Established strong partnerships with local businesses and healthcare providers to support community health initiatives

This episode of Listen Bitch Presents: Tell Me Why You’re Special features Julie Grimm, a guide who helps people break free from self-imposed limitations and step into their calling—even when they don’t feel ready.

We talk about what it really looks like to stop settling in your daily life, how small compromises turn into big misalignment, and why fear and lack of self-trust keep people stuck in lives they don’t actually want.

Julie shares her personal journey from being an atheist scientist to experiencing a major life shift that led her into guiding others, and we get into the tension between fear vs. discernment, taking action before you feel ready, and why waiting for the “perfect moment” is usually just another excuse.

We also hit on something real—how people abandon themselves trying to do the “right” thing, and how getting honest about what you actually want is the first step to changing your life.

If you’ve been feeling stuck, second-guessing yourself, or waiting to feel ready… this episode will call you out in the best way.
I serve leaders who suffer from the terror that they are not enough for what they are called to do.
As a spiritual guide and multi-business owner, I understand the faith journey of stepping into a picture beyond what you had imagined.

Through sharing about my intuitive nudge to turn my passion for color into a 6 figure business and my bigger faith journey to honor my purpose calling, I can help inspire but as well guide others who may feel a call within them to serve but don’t know how to begin or doubt themselves.

Julie has lived on three continents, holds a Master’s degree in Biology, has written and illustrated a children’s story and owns two businesses.

She is passionate about helping others express their creativity and beauty and come out of the box to live a life of joy!

She lives outside Boston, MA and loves animals and reading.

https://www.spiritualstudies-institute.com/

I’m Nancy Jasin Ensley author, legal nurse, hospice specialist, and teacher. Writing has always been my way of listening to life, remembering the moments that shape me, and processing the experiences that leave a mark. Over the years, I’ve written across multiple genres including memoirs, literature and fiction, science fiction, mystery, thriller, action and adventure, and children’s literature. Each story I create is rooted in family, faith, service, and lived experience, and my goal is to explore what it means to grow, persevere, and reflect on life through words.
My life and career have been shaped by a commitment to service and a desire to make a difference in the lives of others. In my professional journey, I’ve worked as a nurse, hospice specialist, legal nurse consultant, coding specialist, teacher, and supervisor. Each role has provided unique insight into the human experience from the challenges of caregiving to the lessons of empathy, resilience, and compassion. Those experiences inform the stories I tell, helping me craft narratives that are authentic, relatable, and meaningful across all the genres I write in.
I write because it is how I listen. I write because it is how I remember. And by grace, I will keep writing. Writing has allowed me to reflect on life, family, faith, and the work I’ve devoted myself to, and it continues to be a source of clarity, insight, and creativity.
Living with my husband, John, surrounded by our five children and fourteen grandchildren, I draw inspiration from the everyday moments of family, community, and the world around me. I approach storytelling with curiosity, intentionality, and a deep respect for the human experience whether I am crafting suspenseful mysteries, imaginative science fiction, thought-provoking literature, or stories for children.
My goal in sharing my work and my voice is to invite meaningful conversations, inspire reflection, and explore the depth of human experience. Whether discussing the creative process, the intersection of professional experience and storytelling, or the ways we make sense of life through writing, I aim to offer insight, perspective, and a thoughtful, authentic presence.
Across all that I do, writing remains my constant a way to preserve memory, share perspective, and engage with the world. It is my intention to continue creating, reflecting, and exploring stories that resonate with readers and listeners alike, and to do so with a sense of purpose, curiosity, and gratitude.

https://nancyjasinensley.com/

You know how most people talk about leadership as if it’s a set of inspirational quotes and a few habits? That’s not the world I come from.

I spent years inside organizations where managers were drowning. And the reason was not that they were incompetent, but that the system around them was chaotic, political, and constantly shifting. I watched talented people burn out, teams collapse under unclear expectations, and leaders get blamed for problems they never had the tools to solve.

At some point, I realized something uncomfortable: Most managers don’t fail because of who they are. They fail because no one ever taught them how to survive the corporate machine and be leaders inside it.

So I became obsessed with the mechanics behind leadership:
• What helps us stay focused and centered under pressure
• How our leadership identity influences our decisions and behaviors
• How emotional intelligence makes us more effective 
• And what systems help people stay sane, strategic, and effective

Today, I work as a leadership architect and coach. I help managers design practical, context-specific systems that support them in translating strategy into daily actions, building autonomy, and creating accountability without micromanagement. My work sits at the intersection between operational systems and human behavior.

I am not good at fluffy leadership talk. I help people understand the real dynamics of corporate life: the politics, the emotional labor, the survival instincts, the identity shifts, and the invisible rules no one admits exist.
If your audience wants honest conversations about what leadership actually looks like in the trenches, then I’m a guest who can bring depth, clarity, and a systems-level perspective.

Marta is a former global HR transformation leader and a leadership coach who helps managers increase their impact by removing internal and external blockers, managing their time more intentionally, and strengthening key stakeholder relationships.

She has managed teams across five continents and has helped multiple coaching clients achieve their most important professional goals and become more aligned to themselves in the process.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/marta-simeonova-64949417/?skipRedirect=true

Wes Towers runs Uplift 360, a digital agency for builders and trades. His focus is simple: smarter websites, practical SEO, and growth you can measure. He earned his playbook on real jobs, not in theory, and now helps others skip the painful lessons.

I didn’t learn business or marketing in a lecture theatre. I learnt it on the job, building an agency from scratch, breaking things, fixing them, and keeping what works. I learnt the hard way and I’m happy to share the war stories from business and life.

For 20+ years I’ve run Uplift 360 and helped real-world businesses, especially builders and trades, turn websites and SEO into steady, qualified work. No fluff. No jargon. Clear strategy, clean execution, and results you can see on the calendar and in the bank.

At Uplift 360 we help trades and construction brands get found, get trusted, and get chosen. My approach is simple. Prioritise authenticity and human connection in this AI-driven age, and double down on what moves the needle.

On the mic you get practical playbooks, hard-won lessons, and straight answers. I’m happy to follow any tangent that serves the audience. How to stand out in an AI world without sounding generic. How to stop wasting money online. How to build trust at scale so your website does more than look good. It grows your business.

If you want polished theory, I’m not your guy. If you want field-tested tactics that work when the boots are muddy and the phones need to ring, let’s go. It might get messy, but it will be a blast.

https://uplift360.com.au/

You already know what you want… so why the hell aren’t you doing it?

In this episode of Listen Bitch Presents: Tell Me Why You’re Special, Branden sits down with Lizzie Siegel, a coach who helps people stop hiding behind their own patterns and finally take aligned action.

They dig into the gap between knowing and doing—the internal tug-of-war between your desires and the fear, doubt, and self-deception that keep you stuck. Lizzie shares her raw story of growing up as the “golden child,” performing perfection on the outside while battling shame and self-harm behind the scenes, and how that led her into deep personal awakening.

This conversation breaks down the difference between discipline and devotion, why most people are unconsciously avoiding their own truth, and how real responsibility isn’t about blame—it’s about ownership without judgment.

If you’ve been telling yourself you’re “working on it” but nothing’s actually changing… this episode is going to call you out and pull you forward.
Lizzie Siegel is a Resource & Reality Architect and Subconscious Freedom Coach who works with already-aware leaders and creators who are done looping in their patterns and ready to actually change them.

She specializes in the space between awareness and action—where most people get stuck. Her work brings people face-to-face with what they already know, and holds them there long enough to make a different choice.

Lizzie doesn’t do surface-level healing or endless processing. She helps people stop avoiding themselves, take full responsibility, and follow through on what they already see, so their life actually changes.

Her clients don’t just gain clarity. They become people who act on it.

She’s here for the ones who know they’re meant for more and are done pretending they don’t.

https://www.lizziesiegel.com
https://www.instagram.com/lizzienamasteplantbased/
https://www.instagram.com/heartshomewithlizzie/
https://www.youtube.com/@heartshomewithlizzie
https://open.spotify.com/show/2y8L6exu2GxJeBQSEUSX5K?si=0a10cdc09bec41c4
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hearts-home-podcast/id1648081724
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizziesiegel/
https://www.facebook.com/lilybity

You can be holding everything together… and still be falling apart.

In this episode of Listen Bitch Presents: Tell Me Why You’re Special, Branden sits down with Fanteema Barnes, a licensed clinical social worker and caregiver advocate, to talk about the silent weight so many people are carrying—and why nobody sees it.

They unpack what it actually looks like to be “functioning but not okay,” especially for women juggling caregiving, family expectations, and their own neglected needs. Fanteema shares her personal journey caring for both her mother and husband, revealing how chronic stress, resentment, and emotional suppression can turn into real physical symptoms.

This conversation dives into caregiver burnout, the myth of being the “strong one,” and why asking for support isn’t weakness—it’s survival. They also break down emotional clarity, how people mislabel what they’re feeling, and the importance of building a real support system instead of silently drowning.

If you’ve been holding it all together for everyone else… this episode is the wake-up call you didn’t know you needed.
Fanteema Barnes is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, caregiver advocate, and clarity expert who helps people experience powerful “aha” moments that shift how they see themselves and their lives. An experienced public speaker, she has facilitated trainings, workshops, and community discussions across healthcare, education, and behavioral health settings.
She supports individuals and groups in navigating stress, relationships, and life transitions with greater confidence and intention. Known for her relatable style and down-to-earth energy, Fanteema blends professional expertise with real-world insight to help people feel seen, heard, and empowered.
She is especially passionate about supporting caregivers and making mental health conversations accessible, practical, and stigma-free. In her free time, she enjoys concerts, comedy shows, dancing, and playing games.

Short:
Fanteema Barnes is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, caregiver advocate, and clarity expert who helps people experience powerful “aha” moments that shift perspective and spark growth. A dynamic public speaker, she leads trainings and workshops across healthcare, education, and behavioral health. Known for her relatable, down-to-earth style, she supports individuals and groups in navigating stress, relationships, and life transitions. Fanteema is passionate about empowering caregivers and making mental health conversations practical, accessible, and stigma-free.

What if the thing you think makes you “not interesting”… is actually the exact reason people need to hear you?

In this episode of Listen Bitch Presents: Tell Me Why You’re Special, Branden sits down with Jesse Jackson, a multi-podcast host and creator, to talk about what really makes a podcast work—and why most people talk themselves out of starting.

They get into the real reason people believe they don’t have a story, how podcasting creates connection in a world addicted to surface-level opinions, and why sharing your perspective matters more than trying to be impressive.

Jesse breaks down his journey from niche music podcasting into broader conversations about culture, connection, and meaning—plus what it actually takes to stay consistent, build momentum, and not quit when nobody’s listening yet.

They also dive into finding common ground in a divided world, how music shapes identity and healing, and why conversations—not comment sections—are where real change happens.

If you’ve been sitting on your voice, overthinking your message, or waiting to feel “ready”… this episode will call you out and push you forward.

 Jesse Jackson – Podcast Host & Storyteller
Jesse Jackson is a veteran podcaster and lifelong believer in the power of conversation. He currently hosts or co‑hosts four podcasts spanning music, television, fandom, and pop culture.

He is the co‑host of Next Stop Everywhere: A Doctor Who Podcast, exploring all things TARDIS and Time Lord.
🎧 https://nextstopeverywhere.libsyn.com/ (nextstopeverywhere.libsyn.com in Bing)

He also co‑hosts JKL Media, a pop‑culture roundtable currently deep‑diving into The Expanse.
🎧 https://jklmedia.libsyn.com/

On Perfectly Good Podcast, he and his co‑host discuss every John Hiatt song in alphabetical order.
🎧 https://perfectlygoodpodcast.libsyn.com/ (perfectlygoodpodcast.libsyn.com in Bing)

And he is the creator and host of Set Lusting Bruce, a Bruce Springsteen fan podcast where he has interviewed thousands of fans from around the world about the power, magic, and joy of music.
🎧 https://setlustingbruce.libsyn.com/ (setlustingbruce.libsyn.com in Bing)

Jesse lives in Dallas, Texas, surrounded by too many books in his “to be read” pile and a DVR always full of shows waiting for him to catch up. You can find him on social media at @jessejacksondfw.

What happens when you look like you have it all together… but you’re quietly falling apart?

In this episode of Listen Bitch Presents: Tell Me Why You’re Special, Branden sits down with Katie Baker, a trauma survivor, author, and healing facilitator, to talk about the kind of pain people don’t see and the radical choices it sometimes takes to break cycles for good.

Katie opens up about her battle with addiction, childhood trauma, and the moment at 47 years old when everything came to the surface. From there, she made a decision most people are too afraid to even consider—fully committing to healing through therapy, integration work, and guided psychedelic experiences.

This conversation goes beyond the headlines around psychedelics and gets into the real work… the emotional processing, the accountability, and the courage it takes to face yourself without numbing out.

They also dive into motherhood, breaking generational trauma, rebuilding self-worth, and what it actually means to become a safe place for your own kids after surviving what you did.

If you’ve ever felt stuck in patterns you can’t seem to break, this episode will challenge you, stretch you, and remind you that healing is possible… but it requires honesty.

https://www.peaceandfirehealing.com/

What if the most meaningful conversations happen right before it’s too late?

In this episode of Listen Bitch Presents: Tell Me Why You’re Special, Branden sits down with Dan Cohen to talk about one of the most emotional and powerful experiences of his life—walking through his father’s dementia journey and the unexpected moments of clarity, connection, and love that came in the middle of it.

Dan shares what it’s really like caring for a parent with dementia and Alzheimer’s, the emotional toll of watching someone fade, and the surprising truth that people with dementia may be more aware than we think.

This conversation goes deeper than caregiving. It’s about presence, appreciation, and saying what needs to be said while you still have the chance. Dan also opens up about the moment that inspired his book Awakenings in Real Life and how his father’s story became a message of hope for others navigating loss.

If you’ve ever experienced grief, cared for a loved one, or wondered how to show up in hard seasons, this episode will stay with you.
What if the person you thought was lost forever suddenly returned—even for a moment? 
When Dan Cohen’s father, deep in dementia unexpectedly “woke up,” he sent a message that he still appreciated and wanted to live life. For two unforgettable days, Herbie spoke with clarity, shared memories, and expressed his love -gifting his family laughter, wisdom, and hope.  That extraordinary awakening opened the door to a deeper understanding of resilience and connection. In this moving memoir, Cohen weaves his father’s remarkable story with family histories, lessons and moments of joy that shaped their lives together. Awakenings in Real Life is a celebration of memory, love and the awakenings that can transform how we see our lives.
See  the book on Amazon https://share.google/8WDrq8WcjzVkz5KhV