What happens when the life you spent years building no longer feels like the life you actually chose?

In this episode of Real Talk with Dede, I’m joined by Ali Christos for a conversation about identity, personal transformation, and what happens when we start questioning the roles, expectations, and patterns we’ve built our lives around.

We talk about divorce, mortality, perfectionism, people-pleasing, the subconscious mind, intuition, and Ali’s work in Quantum Hypnosis. We also explore past-life experiences, the idea of the Higher Self, and whether you have to believe in these concepts for them to have meaning.

But beyond hypnosis and spiritual experiences, this conversation really comes back to one question: Are you living a life that truly fits you, or one you simply learned to live?

If you’ve ever felt stuck, questioned who you’ve become, or wondered what might be possible beyond the life you already know, this conversation is for you.

🎙️ Guest: Ali Christos

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What happens when faith becomes complicated? When you’re hurting, questioning God, struggling with your mental health, or simply trying to understand what you believe?

In this episode of Real Talk with Dede, I’m joined by author and poet Jeff Dalton for an honest conversation about faith, doubt, vulnerability, and healing.

Jeff shares his perspective on having a real relationship with Jesus, one where you can bring your pain, doubts, questions, and vulnerabilities instead of feeling like you have to hide them. We also talk about mental illness and the stigma it can sometimes carry within the Church, and why struggling doesn’t mean you’ve failed in your faith.

This conversation is a reminder that you don’t have to pretend to have everything together. Sometimes, being honest about what you’re carrying is where healing begins.

If you’ve ever questioned God, struggled with your faith, felt misunderstood, or wondered whether you can come to Jesus exactly as you are, this conversation is for you.

🎙️ Guest: Jeff Dalton
📖 Book: Expressions of the Heart: Poems and Devotionals

What happens when you spend four decades studying terrorism, intelligence, ideology, and global conflict?

In this episode of Real Talk with Dede, I sit down with Mark Silinsky, a former senior analyst in the Defense Intelligence Community and author whose work explores terrorism, Iran, the Middle East, Islam, and international affairs.

We talk about his journey into the world of intelligence, what led him to become an author, and what decades of studying conflict have taught him about the forces shaping our world.

Mark also takes us deeper into his books and the ideas behind his work, including the Hamas-Israel conflict, the term “Islamofascism,” the Green-Red Alliance, the role of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and questions surrounding the growth of Islam in the West.

This is a conversation about looking beyond the headlines, questioning what we think we know, and trying to understand the bigger picture behind some of the most complex issues in the world today.

In this episode of Real Talk with Dede, I’m joined by speech-language pathologist and author Jeaneen Tang for a conversation about children, communication, and the ways we can support language development in everyday life.

With more than 24 years of experience working with children and adults, Jeaneen shares what she has learned about communication, early language development, and why we may sometimes be helping children so much that we unintentionally take away opportunities for them to communicate and learn.

We talk about why so many children need speech therapy, what parents can start doing at home, the importance of giving children space to communicate, and how we can rethink the way we approach language development.

Jeaneen also opens up about how becoming a mother shaped her perspective and the importance of never underestimating what a child is capable of.

The takeaway? Supporting a child’s communication isn’t always about doing more for them. Sometimes, it’s about stepping back, creating opportunities, and giving them the space to try, express themselves, and discover what they’re capable of.

A thoughtful and practical conversation for parents, caregivers, educators, and anyone who wants to better understand how we help children find their voice.

Guest: Jeaneen Tang
Book: Play Dumb & Sabotage

What happens when you’ve spent so much time taking care of everyone else that you lose touch with yourself?

In this episode of Real Talk with Dede, I’m joined by Jena Jake, a Compatibility Strategist and creator of Love Smarter, for an honest conversation about love, relationships, boundaries, and learning to choose yourself.

We talk about why we keep choosing the wrong people, why chemistry isn’t always compatibility, how we ignore red flags, and why setting boundaries can feel so uncomfortable when you’re used to putting everyone else first.

Jena also opens up about her own journey through major life changes and what it taught her about identity, self-trust, and rebuilding yourself.

If you’ve ever questioned a relationship, struggled to set boundaries, or felt like you were losing yourself while trying to make love work, this conversation is for you.

Because sometimes choosing yourself isn’t giving up on love, it’s learning what healthy love should actually feel like.

🎙️ Real Talk with Dede
If it’s part of life, it’s part of the conversation.

What happens when we stop trying to prove that we’re right and start questioning what we believe?

In this episode of Real Talk with Dede, I’m joined by Mohamed Nabil for a thought-provoking conversation about AI, critical thinking, democracy, and the beliefs that shape the way we see the world.

Mohamed created AIDOP, an approach that uses AI to challenge and debate our own ideas rather than simply reinforcing what we already believe. We talk about what inspired him to create it, whether we’re truly willing to discover that we might be wrong, and why challenging our own thinking can be so difficult.

We also explore Mohamed’s ideas around Enlightened Populism, Direct Democracy, citizen assemblies, and his belief in the need for a single global government.

This conversation isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about being curious enough to question the answers we already have.

If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re really thinking for yourself, this episode will give you plenty to think about.

🎙️ Guest: Mohamed Nabil
🌐 Learn more about Mohamed’s work: mohamednabil.world

Listen in, stay curious, and ask yourself: What if I’m wrong?

Real Talk with Dede — If it’s part of life, it’s part of the conversation.

What does it really take to create a workplace where people don’t just show up, but actually feel valued, supported, and able to thrive?

In this episode of Real Talk with Dede, I’m joined by Yolanda Fraction, author of Joyful Workplaces, for an honest conversation about leadership, trust, burnout, and workplace culture.

Yolanda shares her perspective on what makes a workplace genuinely joyful, why workplace problems can’t always be placed on the individual, and how small everyday behaviors can quietly shape the culture around us.

We also talk about rebuilding trust, the role of leaders and middle managers during times of change, and what people can do to create a better work experience even when they don’t have the power to change the entire organization.

This conversation is for anyone who has ever felt burned out, disconnected, undervalued, or simply wondered if work could feel different.

Because the way we work affects the way we live and the culture we create matters.

What happens when you realize the life you’ve been living may have been shaped more by expectations than by who you truly are?

In this episode of Real Talk with Dede, I’m joined by Christine Ross, author of Beautiful Hell, for an honest conversation about identity, belonging, people pleasing, grief, faith, and learning to trust your own voice.

Christine opens up about the experiences that challenged the way she saw herself and forced her to question beliefs, expectations, and the life she thought she was supposed to live.

We talk about what it means to belong without abandoning yourself, how difficult experiences can change the questions you ask, and the courage it takes to choose a life that feels true to you.

If you’ve ever found yourself wondering, “Is this really the life I want?” this conversation is for you.

Real Talk with Dede
If it’s part of life, it’s part of the conversation

What happens when the life you’ve built looks successful on the outside, but doesn’t feel fulfilling on the inside?

In this episode of Real Talk with Dede, I’m joined by Ted Kopecko, entrepreneur, author, and business leader, for a conversation about rewriting your story, finding joy, and creating a life that feels truly aligned.

Ted shares insights from his book Finding JOY… Journey Of You as we talk about the difference between being “Life-Led” and “JOY-Led,” why success doesn’t always equal fulfillment, how identity shapes the life we create, and why being intentional with our time matters.

We also explore what it means to recognize when something in your life is out of alignment and how you can begin making changes when you feel stuck or caught in survival mode.

If you’ve ever questioned whether you’re truly living the life you want, this conversation is for you.

What if being self-aware isn’t always enough to break the patterns holding you back?

In this episode of Real Talk with Dede, I’m joined by Atira Shoffner, a hypnotherapist who openly shares her own journey of spending 26 years feeling stuck in certain patterns before discovering hypnotherapy and experiencing a major shift in her life.

We talk about what it really feels like to understand your struggles but still find yourself repeating the same behaviors, how hypnotherapy entered Atira’s life, and what happened during the five sessions that changed the way she saw herself and her patterns.

We also get into the truth about hypnosis, what it can and can’t do, whether you remain in control, and why awareness alone may not always be enough to create lasting change.

From self-doubt and shame to people-pleasing, negative thinking, self-worth, and breaking old patterns, this conversation explores what it can look like to finally approach yourself differently.

If you’ve ever felt like you understand yourself but still can’t seem to change, this conversation is for you.