Sala Talks with Dr. Kat Besas

What happens when you've done everything "right"—earned the degrees, built the successful career, made your family proud—and yet something inside you still whispers: there's more?

In this episode of Sala Talks, I sit down with Camila Villanueva—award-winning filmmaker, Founder of Cammotion Pictures, psychotherapist in training, and proud Filipino-American storyteller.

Before creating films that amplify underrepresented voices, Cam spent years as a biomedical engineer developing implantable cardiac devices. By every traditional measure, she had "made it." But beneath the success was a quiet realization that the life she built no longer aligned with the person she was becoming.

Together, we explore what it really means to outgrow the blueprint we inherited, redefine success on our own terms, and find the courage to begin again.

Whether you're an immigrant child, an eldest daughter, a healthcare professional, a creative, or simply someone questioning the path you're on, this conversation is a reminder that it's never too late to become who you've always been.

In this episode, we discuss:
✨Growing up Filipino-American and the expectations placed on immigrant children
✨Why so many Filipinos are encouraged toward nursing, engineering, and medicine
✨The hidden cost of chasing external success
✨Recognizing when you've outgrown your career
✨Leaving engineering to pursue filmmaking
✨The grief, fear, and freedom of reinventing yourself
✨Family expectations, identity, and belonging
✨Storytelling as healing and social impact
✨Representation in film and why diverse stories matter
✨Cam's journey into Counseling Psychology
✨Following purpose over prestige

About Camila Villanueva:
Camila Villanueva is a proud healer, storyteller, and dreamer. She is the Founder of Cammotion Pictures, a production company dedicated to telling stories of underrepresented communities. She is also a psychotherapist in training pursuing her second master's degree in Counseling Psychology, where she hopes to help clients feel seen, heard, and find peace in their healing journeys.

📸 Follow Cam: @thecamilavillanueva
🌐 Website: https://cammotionpictures.com/

Follow Dr. Kat Besas for more conversations on first-generation identity, storytelling, purpose, and creative expansion.

✨Host Instagram: @katbesas 
✨Podcast Instagram: @salatalks

If this episode resonated with you...
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✨Share this episode with someone who's quietly wondering if they're meant for something more.

⚠️Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and storytelling purposes only and reflects our personal experiences and opinions. It is not a substitute for medical, mental health, legal, or professional advice. If you're experiencing an emergency, please call 911 or your local emergency services.

#SalaTalks #DrKatBesas #CamilaVillanueva #FilipinoAmerican #FirstGeneration #ImmigrantStory #EldestDaughter #CareerChange #CareerPivot #CreativeJourney #Storytelling #Purpose #PersonalGrowth #SelfDiscovery #RepresentationMatters #WomenWhoLead #WomenEmpowerment #Filmmaking #Entrepreneurship #BuildALifeBeyondSurvival

What happens when you achieve the stable nursing career you were taught to want… and still feel like there’s more inside of you?

Growing up in a Filipino household, nursing represented everything I was taught success should look like: stability, opportunity, financial security, and a future my immigrant parents could be proud of.

I followed the traditional path—RN, BSN, MSN-FNP—and eventually my Doctorate in Nursing Practice. I built a nursing career I genuinely love. And yet, even after landing what I once considered my dream job, I couldn’t shake a quiet feeling of restlessness.

Eventually, I realized: I didn’t need another credential. I needed another expression of myself.

In this episode of Sala Talks, I’m sharing my full nursing journey and what it took to realize that nursing can be an incredible foundation for your life without becoming the ceiling for everything you’re allowed to become.

✨ Why nursing holds such a powerful place in Filipino and immigrant families
✨ My journey from RN-BSN → MSN-FNP → DNP
✨ Why achieving my “dream” nursing career still didn’t completely fulfill me
✨ How I stopped confusing restlessness with needing another degree or promotion
✨ What happens when your professional identity becomes your entire identity
✨ Giving yourself permission to explore creativity and interests outside of healthcare
✨ Why gratitude for your career and desire for something more can coexist
✨ How a stable career can actually create the foundation to explore your other gifts
✨ Honoring our parents’ sacrifices without allowing their definition of success to determine the limits of our lives

You do NOT have to quit nursing or abandon everything you’ve worked for. Sometimes you just have to follow the curiosity. So, take the dance class. Start the business. Create the art. Start the podcast. Explore the part of yourself that keeps asking to be expressed.

Nursing is my foundation—but it was never meant to be my ceiling. And maybe it wasn’t meant to be yours either.

✨JOIN THE CONVERSATION: What’s something you’ve always wanted to explore outside of your career? Tell me in the comments—I want to hear it.

✨SUBSCRIBE to Sala Talks for more conversations about identity, ambition, nursing, immigrant stories, and building a life beyond the titles we carry.

✨CONNECT WITH ME: Follow @katbesas for more on redefining success, building a multidimensional life, and exploring who you are beyond the badge.

🎙️ SALA TALKS — New episodes every Wednesday 6PM PT.

#SalaTalks #NursingCareer #FilipinoNurse #NursePractitioner #NurseLife #FilipinoAmerican #FirstGeneration #CareerFulfillment #LifeBeyondNursing #BeyondTheBadge

What does it really take to chase a dream?

Social media often glorifies the leap—quitting your job, following your passion, and trusting that everything will work out. But for many of us, especially children of immigrants, the reality is far more complicated.

In this episode of Sala Talks, I sit down with Calinnah—Filipino American independent artist, registered nurse, singer-songwriter, content creator, and host of the Cozy with Calinnah podcast.

Unlike many of us who became healthcare professionals before rediscovering our creative passions, Calinnah's story unfolded in reverse. She was a creative first. After years of pursuing art while working retail jobs, she made the decision to become a nurse—not because she gave up on her dream, but because she wanted to build a life that could sustain it.

Together, we explore the realities of balancing creativity with responsibility, building a sustainable creative life, overcoming comparison, preventing burnout, and why stability doesn't have to compete with your purpose—it can actually make it possible.

Whether you're a healthcare professional, creative entrepreneur, first-generation woman, or simply someone trying to balance your responsibilities with the life you're dreaming of, this conversation is a reminder that you don't have to choose between stability and purpose.

In this episode, we discuss:
✨ The reality of chasing a creative dream
✨ Why social media glamorizes entrepreneurship
✨ Using a stable career to fund your passions
✨ Balancing nursing, music, podcasting, and content creation
✨ Comparison, self-doubt, and staying committed to your vision
✨ Building a sustainable creative life
✨ Burnout and protecting your creativity
✨ How nursing influenced her music and artistry
✨ The inspiration behind her new single, Short-Staffed
✨ Advice for anyone feeling "too late" to pursue their dreams

🎵 Follow Calinnah: @calinnah
🎙️ Podcast: Cozy with Calinnah
🌐 Website: https://calinnah.live/

Follow Dr. Kat Besas for more conversations on first-generation identity, storytelling, purpose, and creative expansion.

✨ Host Instagram: @katbesas
✨ Podcast Instagram: @salatalks

⚠️ Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and storytelling purposes only and reflects our personal experiences and opinions. It is not a substitute for medical, mental health, legal, or professional advice. If you're experiencing an emergency, please call 911 or your local emergency services.

#SalaTalks #DrKatBesas #Calinnah #CozyWithCalinnah #FilipinoAmerican #RegisteredNurse #NurseCreator #SingerSongwriter #IndependentArtist #HealthcareCreatives #CreativeEntrepreneur #WorkLifeBalance #Burnout #Purpose #Entrepreneurship #WomenEmpowerment #FirstGeneration #PersonalGrowth #BuildALifeBeyondSurvival

Welcome back to Season 2 of the Sala Talks Podcast! 

In our season premiere, Permission to Take Up Space, I’m introducing this season’s theme: She is Rooted & Rising — a celebration of Filipina women who are honoring where they come from while giving themselves permission to explore who they’re becoming.

We’re talking about identity, creativity, ambition, and what it means to move beyond survival and the traditional definitions of success many of us inherited.

This season is for anyone who has ever wondered: *s there more to life than the path I was taught to follow?

Because we can honor the sacrifices that brought us here without limiting the possibilities of where we can go next.

Survival was the gift our ancestors gave us. Expansion is what we do with that gift.

Welcome back to the Sala. 🤎

🎧 Subscribe to Sala Talks for new episodes.
✨ Follow Dr. Kat Besas: @katbesas on Instagram, TikTok & Facebook
💬 If this episode resonated with you, leave a comment and tell me: What are you giving yourself permission to explore?

#SalaTalks #SheIsRootedAndRising #PermissionToTakeUpSpace #Filipina #FilipinoAmerican #FirstGen #ImmigrantStories #RedefiningSuccess #LifeBeyondTheBadge #FilipinaCreator

Welcome back to the Sala for the final episode of Season 1 of the Sala Talks Podcast. 🌿

In this deeply personal season finale, I reflect on the journey that brought me back home to myself — through faith, creativity, healing, and storytelling.

Throughout this season, we explored the immigrant experience, achievement as survival, perseverance, identity, grief, purpose, and the pressure to constantly strive. But in this final episode, I share the inner transformation that changed my life the most:
learning that success without alignment still leaves you feeling empty.

From therapy and bicultural identity…
to dry January, gratitude journaling, creativity, and rediscovering God…
this episode is about what happens when you finally stop performing and start listening to yourself again.

One of the habits that genuinely shifted my mindset this past year was practicing daily gratitude journaling. It became a small but powerful way for me to slow down, reconnect with myself, and appreciate the life I already had while building the life I wanted. I linked the gratitude journal I personally use below in case it supports your journey too. 🤍

Gratitude Journal Affiliate Link: https://amzn.to/49s2u3S

This is not just the end of Season 1.
It’s the beginning of a new chapter.

If you’ve ever struggled with feeling “not enough,” living between two worlds, or trying to redefine success on your own terms — this episode is for you.

Thank you for being here with me in the Sala. 🤍

Support the mission and wear the message. Explore the She is Rooted & Rising (SRR) collection linked below. Your support helps make future episodes and conversations possible.
✨SHOP HERE: https://sheisrootedandrising.com/collections/all

⸻
✨ FOLLOW & CONNECT

Hot Instagram: @katbesas
Podcast Instagram: @salatalks

If this episode resonated with you, please like, comment, subscribe, and share with someone who may need to hear this conversation. Your support truly helps this platform grow and allows these stories to reach more people.
⸻
⚠️ DISCLAIMER:

The views shared in this podcast are based on personal lived experiences and are intended for educational, inspirational, and informational purposes only. This podcast does not constitute medical, psychological, or professional advice. Please seek support from a qualified professional for individualized care.

If you are struggling with your mental health or experiencing emotional distress, please contact a licensed mental health professional or call/text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline for support.

⸻

#SalaTalks #KatBesas #FilipinoAmerican #FirstGeneration #HealingJourney #FaithAndCreativity #WomenEmpowerment #ImmigrantStory #MentalHealthAwareness #BiculturalIdentity #CreativeJourney #PositivePsychology #FilipinaCreator #PodcastLaunch #FaithJourney #SelfDiscovery #InnerHealing #WomenInMedia #FilipinaAmerican #ComingHomeToMyself

Welcome back to another episode of Sala Talks.

In this episode, I sit down with my good friend Natasha Shrank — entrepreneur, mother, and Founder of Scarlet Rope Permanent Jewelry — for a heartfelt conversation about faith, creativity, motherhood, and learning to trust God with your calling.

Over the last few episodes, we’ve been unpacking perseverance, identity, and the version of success many of us were taught to chase—especially within immigrant families and high-achieving communities. But what happens when the path God is calling you toward looks completely different from the “safe” path?

In this conversation, Natasha shares the story behind Scarlet Rope, the biblical meaning behind her brand, the seasons where she had to pause her dreams, and how becoming a mother reshaped her relationship with creativity and purpose. We also talk about balancing entrepreneurship with motherhood, surrendering control, and learning that creativity is not just something we do—but a part of who we are.

In this episode, we discuss:
✨ Faith and entrepreneurship
✨ Creativity and purpose
✨ Motherhood and identity
✨ Trusting God in uncertain seasons
✨  Redefining success
✨  Building a business rooted in meaning and connection
✨ Returning to yourself after seasons of pause

If this episode resonated with you, don’t forget to LIKE, COMMENT, SUBSCRIBE, and SHARE with someone who may need this conversation.

Support the mission and wear the message. Explore the She is Rooted & Rising (SRR) collection linked below. Your support helps make future episodes and conversations possible.
✨SHOP HERE: https://sheisrootedandrising.com/collections/all

Follow Natasha Shrank & Scarlet Rope Permanent Jewelry:
📍Instagram: @scarletrope

Follow me for more conversations around identity, healing, faith, creativity, and building a life beyond survival.
📍Host Instagram: @katbesas
📍Podcast Instagram: @salatalks 
________
⚠️ Disclaimer: The views and opinions shared in this podcast are based on the personal lived experiences of the host and the guests, and are intended for informational and inspirational purposes only. This podcast does not substitute professional medical, mental health, and legal advice. Please seek support from a qualified professional for your individual needs.

If you or someone you know is struggling emotionally or experiencing a mental health crisis, please call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
________
#SalaTalks #KatBesas #NatashaShrank #FaithAndCreativity #ChristianWomen #WomenEmpowerment #Entrepreneurship #Motherhood #CreativeJourney #FaithBasedBusiness #WomenInBusiness #PurposeDrivenLife #HealingJourney #FirstGen

For most of my life, perseverance was my survival strategy. As a first-generation immigrant daughter, high-achiever, and healthcare professional, I believed that if I just worked harder, achieved more, and kept proving myself… eventually I would finally feel whole.

But after earning my doctorate, I was forced to confront a painful question:
Who am I outside of my achievements?

This episode is about the hidden side of ambition, the emotional cost of constantly striving, and the moment I realized that perseverance can sometimes turn into self-abandonment.

We talk about:
✨ Achievement as armor
✨ The immigrant daughter/high-achiever trap
✨ Over-identifying with success
✨ Emotional burnout and disconnection
✨ Learning to sit still
✨ Reclaiming identity beyond accomplishments
✨ Coming home to yourself

If you’ve ever felt like your worth was tied to your productivity, titles, or achievements… this conversation is for you.

Welcome to the Sala.

Support the mission and wear the message. Explore the She is Rooted & Rising (SRR) collection linked below. Your support helps make future episodes and conversations possible.
✨SHOP HERE: https://sheisrootedandrising.com/collections/all

⸻
FOLLOW & CONNECT:
✨Host Instagram: @katbesas
✨Podcast Instagram: @salatalks

Subscribe to the podcast for more conversations on identity, healing, creativity, faith, womanhood, and building a life beyond survival.
⸻
⚠️ DISCLAIMER:
The views shared in this podcast are based on my personal lived experiences and are intended for informational and educational purposes only. This podcast is not a substitute for medical, psychological, or professional mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

If you are struggling emotionally or experiencing a mental health crisis, please contact a licensed mental health professional or call/text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) for immediate support.
⸻

#SalaTalks #KatBesas #FirstGen #ImmigrantDaughter #HighAchiever #MentalHealth #HealingJourney #WomenEmpowerment #SelfWorth #TEDx #BurnoutRecovery #FilipinoAmerican #IdentityHealing #PersonalGrowth #ComingHomeToYourself

What happens when the woman who has spent years taking care of everyone else finally decides to choose herself too?

In this episode of Sala Talks, I sit down with my longtime friend Raquel Michel — nurse practitioner, entrepreneur, mother, and Founder of Vida Wellness & Aesthetics.

After 16 years in healthcare and navigating the emotional weight of the COVID pandemic, Raquel opens up about burnout, grief, identity loss, reinvention, and the courage it takes to rebuild yourself from the inside out.

This conversation is for the woman who has always been the strong one.
The caregiver.
The provider.
The one who kept pushing through.

Together, we talk about:
✨ Burnout and survival mode
✨ Reinventing yourself in your 40s
✨ Grief, healing, and identity
✨ Motherhood and choosing yourself
✨ Building confidence from the inside out
✨ Coming home to yourself again

If you’ve ever felt disconnected from yourself while pouring into everyone else… this episode is for you. Don’t forget to LIKE, COMMENT, SUBSCRIBE, and SHARE with someone who needs this conversation.

Support the mission and wear the message. Explore the She is Rooted & Rising (SRR) collection linked below. Your support helps make future episodes and conversations possible.
✨SHOP HERE: https://sheisrootedandrising.com/collections/all

Follow Raquel Michel:
✨Instagram: @np.raquel.1vida and @vida_wellness_aesthetics 
✨Vida Wellness & Aesthetics Website: https://vidawellness.co/

Follow the Podcast & Host:
✨Host Instagram: @katbesas 
✨Podcast Instagram: @salatalks
⸻
⚠️ Disclaimer:
The views and experiences shared in this podcast are based on personal lived experiences and are intended for informational, educational, and entertainment purposes only. This podcast does not substitute professional medical, psychological, legal, or mental health advice. Please seek support from a licensed professional for your individual needs.

If you are struggling with your mental health or experiencing emotional distress, please contact a licensed mental health professional or reach out to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988 (U.S. & Canada) for free, confidential support 24/7.
⸻

#SalaTalks #RaquelMichel #WomenHealing #BurnoutRecovery #ComingHomeToYourself #WomenEmpowerment #FirstGenWomen #WomenInHealthcare #NursePractitioner #FilipinaCreator #SelfWorth #HealingJourney #PersonalGrowth #PodcastForWomen #MentalHealthAwareness

Education became my armor. But what happens when achievement stops feeling fulfilling… and starts becoming the only way you know how to feel worthy?

In this deeply personal solo episode of Sala Talks, I open up about the hidden emotional cost of being a first-generation immigrant daughter constantly chasing success. From growing up in the Philippines raised by my grandparents, to navigating bullying, survival, and the pressure to “make it” in America—this episode unpacks how education can quietly become both protection and addiction.

We talk about:
✨ The immigrant pressure to overachieve
✨ Education as survival and emotional armor
✨ Achievement addiction & productivity culture
✨ Why high-achieving women often struggle with stillness
✨ The hidden emptiness after reaching your “dream” goal
✨ Learning to separate your worth from your accomplishments

If you’ve ever felt like you had to constantly prove yourself to feel safe, accepted, or enough… this conversation is for you.

Welcome to Sala Talks — conversations about identity, healing, creativity, faith, womanhood, and building a life beyond survival.

Support the mission and wear the message. Explore the She is Rooted & Rising (SRR) collection linked below. Your support helps make future episodes and conversations possible.
✨SHOP HERE: https://sheisrootedandrising.com/collections/all

If this episode resonated with you, don’t forget to: subscribe to the channel, like & comment your thoughts, and share this with someone who needs to hear it.
✨Follow me on Instagram: @katbesas
✨Follow the Podcast: @salatalks

⸻
⚠️ Disclaimer:
The views shared in this podcast are based on my personal lived experiences and are intended for educational and informational purposes only. This podcast does not provide medical, psychiatric, or mental health treatment or advice. Please seek support from a licensed healthcare professional for individualized care.

If you are experiencing a mental health crisis or emotional distress, please call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
⸻
#SalaTalks #FirstGeneration #ImmigrantDaughter #HighAchiever #Burnout #FilipinoAmerican #WomenEmpowerment #HealingJourney #Identity #MentalHealthAwareness #Overachiever #SelfWorth #Filipina #Podcast #PersonalGrowth #AchievementCulture #DNP #WomenInMedicine #CreativeExpansion #ImmigrantStory

Welcome back to another episode of the Sala Talks Podcast — a space where we unpack identity, ambition, healing, and what it means to build a life beyond survival. 🤍

In today’s episode, I sit down with Daisy De Anda, Founder of Dayz & Co, for a powerful conversation about the first-generation experience, navigating professional spaces without a blueprint, and learning to redefine success on your own terms.

As a proud first-generation Mexican-American, single mother, legal professional, speaker, and mentor, Daisy shares her journey of navigating two worlds, overcoming imposter syndrome, surviving high-achievement culture, and ultimately building the kind of community she once needed herself.

We talk about:
✨ Growing up first-gen and carrying immigrant expectations
✨ Navigating professional spaces where you don’t feel represented
✨ Achievement, survival mode, and identity
✨ Self-advocacy and reclaiming your voice
✨ Mentorship, representation, and community
✨ Building what didn’t exist for you through Dayz & Co.

If you’ve ever felt like you did everything “right” and still found yourself asking, “Is there more?” — this episode is for you.

Thank you for being here and for growing with me through this journey. 🤍

If this episode resonated with you, make sure to like, comment, subscribe, and share it with someone navigating their own journey beyond survival.

Support the mission and wear the message. Explore the She is Rooted & Rising (SRR) collection linked below. Your support helps make future episodes and conversations possible.
✨SHOP HERE: https://sheisrootedandrising.com/collections/all
______
Follow Daisy De Anda:
📍 IG: @dayzandco
📍 LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/daisydeanda/
📍 Website: www.dayzandco.com

Follow me for more conversations around the first-gen experience, womanhood, healing, creativity, and building a life that actually feels aligned.
📍Host Instagram: @katbesas
📍Podcast Instagram: @salatalks
⸻
⚠️ Disclaimer:
The views and experiences shared in this podcast are based on personal lived experiences and are intended for informational, educational, and entertainment purposes only. This podcast does not substitute professional medical, psychological, legal, or mental health advice. Please seek support from a licensed professional for your individual needs.

If you are struggling with your mental health or experiencing emotional distress, please contact a licensed mental health professional or reach out to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988 (U.S. & Canada) for free, confidential support 24/7.
⸻

#FirstGen #SalaTalks #KatBesas #WomenOfColor #FirstGeneration #BIPOCProfessionals #ImposterSyndrome #CareerGrowth #Identity #Healing #LatinaProfessionals #FilipinaCreator #SelfAdvocacy #PersonalGrowth #CreativeJourney #Podcast #MentalHealth #Community #RepresentationMatters