The Art of Honesty

In this episode, I sit down with my longtime astrologer and friend, Tara.

What started as a conversation about her path from art therapy to astrology and painting quickly became what tends to happen when the two of us get together: a deep dive into astrology itself.

We talk about why astrology continues to resonate with so many people, what it actually can and can't tell us, and why Tara sees it less as a tool for prediction and more as a language for understanding ourselves. We explore archetypes, patterns, timing, personal growth, and the ways astrology can help us make meaning of our experiences.

Along the way, Tara shares stories from her years as an art therapist, how she began integrating astrology into her work with clients, and what ultimately led her to build a life centered around both art and astrology.

This conversation gets a little nerdy, a little philosophical, and very honest. Whether you're deeply immersed in astrology or simply curious about why people find so much value in it, I think you'll find something here that invites you to see yourself a little differently.Tara's Art: here

This podcast is built around honest conversations and shared experience. If something from this episode resonated with you, or you have thoughts you want to share, feel free to email ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. And if you feel like coming on the podcast for a real conversation, reach out and say hi.

Stay connected and follow along on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@theartofhonestypodcast

In this episode, Austyn and I talk about the winding path that led her to the Modern Mystery School, the inner work that changed her relationship with herself, and what it's like to build a spiritual life while living in Los Angeles and working in one of the most iconic luxury hotels in the world.

We explore the tension and beauty of living between two worlds. One rooted in self awareness, healing, and personal growth. The other surrounded by wealth, influence, celebrities, and high achievement. Austyn shares what she's learned from both, and why she believes spirituality doesn't have to exist outside of everyday life. In many ways, it can make us better at living it.

We also talk about ambition, success, celebrity culture, and the surprisingly human things that connect all of us. At its core, this conversation asks a simple question: what if a meaningful spiritual life isn't something you escape to, but something you bring with you into every room you walk into?

Work with Austyn: here

This podcast is built around honest conversations and sharedexperience. If something from this episode resonated with you, or you havethoughts you want to share, feel free to email ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. And ifyou feel like coming on the podcast for a real conversation, reach out and sayhi.

Stay connected and follow along on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@theartofhonestypodcast⁠

Stephanie joins Allison for a conversation about burnout, intuition, grief, human design, and what it looks like to trust a completely different path than the one you thought your life would follow.

Before building the life she has now, Stephanie was deeply burned out working in the corporate cannabis industry, running on survival mode while slowly losing connection to herself. After recurring dreams pushed her to leave her job in 2019, everything changed. What followed was a season of uncertainty, living on a farm, learning to trust her intuition, discovering human design, and eventually building a business rooted in wellness, energy, and helping people reconnect to themselves.

Together, Allison and Stephanie explore human design as a tool for self awareness, relationships, parenting, business, and decision making, along with Stephanie’s work in water education and why she believes clean, hydrogen rich water can radically impact health and wellbeing.

The conversation also moves through grief, spirituality, energetic connection, surrender, and the strange, beautiful ways life redirects us when we finally start listening.

This episode is about trusting the detour, even before you fully understand where it’s leading

Work with Stephanie for Human Design Readings and learn more about the magical drinking water : @limitless.freeflow

This podcast is built around honest conversations and sharedexperience. If something from this episode resonated with you, or you havethoughts you want to share, feel free to email ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. And ifyou feel like coming on the podcast for a real conversation, reach out and sayhi.

Stay connected and follow along on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@theartofhonestypodcast

This conversation is about what happens when life completely shifts, and you choose to meet it instead of avoid it.

Allison sits down with her friend Elle, who lives between Denver and South Africa and recently left her corporate career to fully step into her work as a breathwork facilitator and retreat leader. Elle shares what it looked like to walk away from a stable life, follow a deeper pull, and build something that actually feels aligned.

They talk openly about the loss of Elle’s mom and how grief showed up in real life, not the version people talk about, but the lived experience of anticipatory grief, exhaustion, and learning to surrender to what is. Elle shares how breathwork became a tool that helped her process emotions beyond words and reconnect with her body during one of the hardest seasons of her life.

The conversation moves through identity shifts, living between countries, letting go of validation, and what it actually means to live authentically. They also explore the balance between self work and actually living life, and why healing isn’t a destination, but a practice of building capacity.

This episode is honest, grounding, and a reminder that even in the hardest moments, there can be expansion, joy, and a deeper connection to yourself.

Work with Elle : The-courageous-life.com

This podcast is built around honest conversations and sharedexperience. If something from this episode resonated with you, or you havethoughts you want to share, feel free to email ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. And ifyou feel like coming on the podcast for a real conversation, reach out and sayhi.

Stay connected and follow along on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@theartofhonestypodcast

This conversation felt like a deep exhale.

I sat down with Jack, a coach and co founder of Becoming the Bridge, and we got into what it actually looks like to come back to yourself while still building a big life.

We talked about that feeling a lot of us know… where things look good on the outside, you’re achieving, moving, doing all the right things, but internally something feels off.

Not wrong, just… not fully you.

Jack shared his journey from high performance sales into this work, and what it took for him to stop performing and start actually listening to himself.

We got into:

• What it means to find your “growth edge”
• Why slowing down feels so hard, especially for high performers
• The fear that if you pause, everything might fall apartnervous system capacity, and learning when to push vs when to integrate
• The body, breath, and how much we’re actually carrying without realizing it
• This idea that maybe growth doesn’t have to feel as overwhelming as we make it

There were a few moments in this one that really made me pause in real time, and I think you’ll feel that too.

0:00 Welcome to the Podcast

00:23 Meet Jack and His Work

01:19 Guided Grounding Breath

04:56 Where Jack Is Now

05:55 Costa Rica Retreat Vision

09:43 Defining Growth Edges

14:24 Learning to Pause

18:24 Active and Passive Intervals

20:32 Beyond the Nervous System

22:42 Myofascial Release Talk

26:41 Working With Pain

30:29 Gold Medalist Mindset

32:36 From Tech Sales to Self

34:56 Chasing Quota Unfulfilled

36:37 Alcohol Spiral Rehab

37:35 Oyster Identity Shift

39:12 Courage Beyond Momentum

42:04 Beyond Spiritual Labels

43:48 Calling Out Echo Chambers

45:44 Trauma Energy Waking Tiger

49:08 Patterns Community Support

53:16 Presence Choice Daily KPI

59:53 Small Fish Big Pond

01:02:19 Closing Question

01:03:55 Final Farewell Community

This podcast is built around honest conversations and shared experience. If something from this episode resonated with you, or you have thoughts you want to share, feel free to email ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. And if you feel like coming on the podcast for a real conversation, reach out and say hi.

Stay connected and follow along on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@theartofhonestypodcast⁠

Thank you for listening!

This conversation is about choosing authenticity over the life you thought you were supposed to live.

Dom shares his journey from spending nearly two decades in cybersecurity and reaching the C-suite, to realizing he felt hollow, burned out, and disconnected from himself. After a pivotal moment with his wife and an unexpected realization during The Dark Knight, he made the decision to walk away from everything he had built.

From there, he stepped into a new way of living, one rooted in family, emotional connection, and work that actually feels aligned. Today, he leads a coaching and fractional cyber leadership practice built on trust, honesty, and real human connection.

Together, Allison and Dom explore what it means to come back to yourself, from letting go of multiple identities to building deeper relationships through vulnerability. They talk about emotional proximity in friendships, rewriting the narratives we’ve been handed, and creating a life that reflects who you actually are.

Dom also shares his non-negotiables around family, his no asshole policy, how burnout reshaped him, and the mindset shift that helped him see life’s hardest moments as “we’ll see.”

Timestamps

00:00 Welcome to the Podcast
00:27 Meet Dom’s Story
01:43 Where Dom Is Now
03:06 Vulnerability Builds Trust
04:57 Emotional vs Physical Proximity
06:45 When Success Feels Hollow
09:54 The Batman Moment
14:45 Marriage as the Foundation
17:01 Becoming One Version of Yourself
21:29 Rewriting the Story
24:15 Beyond One Career Path
26:08 Curiosity Over Confirmation
26:54 The Future of Work
30:30 Leadership Gaps
32:03 Set Up to Fail
33:44 Burnout and Recovery
34:57 The “We’ll See” Shift
37:59 Surrender and Trust
41:07 Full Spectrum Living
43:25 Boundaries and Non-Negotiables
47:55 Speaking From the Soul
49:25 Closing

This podcast is built around honest conversations and shared experience. If something from this episode resonated with you, or you have thoughts you want to share, feel free to email ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. And if you feel like coming on the podcast for a real conversation, reach out and say hi.

Stay connected and follow along on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠@theartofhonestypodcast

This episode is about girlfriends and how friendship actually changes as we grow.

Anna shares what it’s like to have a full life and a full circle, and the reality of trying to show up for people while also honoring your own capacity.

We talk about “forever friends” and what she calls “summer camp friends”, the ones who come in for a season, feel really deep, and still matter even if they don’t stay close.

We also get into vulnerability, curiosity, boundaries, and what it looks like to step back from a friendship without making it mean something is wrong.

This is a conversation about loving your friends while being real about your time, your energy, and the season you’re in.

00:00 Welcome to the Podcast

00:27 Meet Anna and the Theme

01:38 Where Anna Is Now

04:18 What Feels Alive

07:16 Fill the Gap and Adult Friends

09:00 Maintaining a Big Circle

11:14 Tiers and Friend Categories

13:46 Summer Camp vs Forever Friends

19:38 Friendships Change and Self Trust

24:49 Formative Years and Middle School

31:27 Core Values of Old Friends

33:55 Making Tier One Friends

39:22 Vulnerability and Authenticity

41:12 Friendship Feels Like Dating

42:16 Hook and Net Connection Styles

45:49 Curiosity Over Rejection

48:51 Be Curious Not Judgmental

51:15 Boundaries and Seasons

01:01:46 Healthy Discomfort and Honoring Your No

01:06:20 Friend Breakups Matter Too

01:10:49 Final Reflection and Wrap

This podcast is built around honest conversations and shared experience. If something from this episode resonated with you, or you have thoughts you want to share, feel free to email ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. And if you feel like coming on the podcast for a real conversation, reach out and say hi.

Stay connected and follow along on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠@theartofhonestypodcast

This conversation is about what it means to be a safe place, for others and for yourself. The kind of quiet, steady support that doesn’t try to fix everything, but chooses to sit with what’s real, especially through loss and mental health challenges.

Allison sits down with her longtime friend Michael, a dad, husband, and social worker who is stepping into a high school role after working toward it for over a decade. Together, they reflect on growing up, the power of community, and how early experiences of feeling safe shaped who they are today.

Michael shares what he’s seeing in teens right now, including struggles with emotional regulation and overstimulation, and how he creates calming spaces to help them come back to themselves. Allison also opens up about a deeply personal chapter from 10 years ago, where Michael was a steady anchor in her life.

They talk about connection, turning pain into purpose, and what it looks like to show up for others in a way that truly matters.

00:00 Welcome to the Podcast

00:24 Content Warning and Support

00:42 Meet Michael the Safe Friend

02:11 Career Layover to High School

06:05 What Feels Alive Now

07:13 Growing Up in Lake Zurich

09:11 The Safe House Rules

12:41 Younger Self and Purpose

14:06 Why Social Work Chose Him

17:01 Teens and Emotional Regulation

24:16 Creating Calm and Safety

26:23 Overstimulation at Home

29:50 Allison’s Dark Chapter

33:33 Finding Safe Anchors

37:08 Being Seen and Heard

39:26 Hotline Training and Healing

43:47 Life Death Life Cycles

46:02 Who Was Your Anchor

47:41 Turning Journals Into a Book

54:31 Legacy and Connection

56:53 Impacting High Schoolers

59:44 Lessons From Teachers

01:02:49 Letting Go of Control

01:08:35 Closing Reflections

Michael's Book: https://www.amazon.com/Hopefully-This-Helps-Michael-Irgang/dp/B0CRT5NWBZ

This podcast is built around honest conversations and shared experience. If something from this episode resonated with you, or you have thoughts you want to share, feel free to email ⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠. And if you feel like coming on the podcast for a real conversation, reach out and say hi.

Stay connected and follow along on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠@theartofhonestypodcast⁠

This conversation is with Jane, a mother and mental health professional, who shares what it’s been like stepping into a season of life where she feels more grounded and more at home in herself.

We talk about how she’s become more comfortable in her own skin, quicker to admit mistakes, and able to meet herself with more self love and forgiveness, especially after growing up with high standards and performance expectations. Jane reflects on how midlife has shifted her perspective, bringing an awareness of time and a return to simple things like joy, curiosity, and trying new things without needing to be good at them.

We also get into what it looks like to nourish yourself in small, everyday ways, the reality of parenting in a rapidly changing world, and how she approaches motherhood with unconditional love while doing her best not to pass down fear or anxiety.

Jane shares what her work in mental health has taught her about holding space for others, setting boundaries, and taking care of herself so she can continue showing up fully. We also talk about vulnerability, repair, and what it means to be human, especially in relationships with the people we love most.

00:00 Welcome to The Art of Honesty

00:27 Meet Jane Today’s Guest

01:55 Where Jane Is Now

04:39 Self Love and Mistakes

06:40 Roots of High Standards

08:58 Ego Softens in Midlife

13:16 Reconnecting With Joy

18:36 Simple Nourishment Habits

20:23 30 Minute Self Care

24:19 Motherhood in a Changing World

25:57 Parenting Without Answers

27:00 Shielding Kids From Doom

29:21 Letting Go As They Grow

31:22 Biggest Parenting Fears

32:41 Anchors And Attachment

35:58 Inside A Therapist’s Work

39:50 Holding Others’ Pain

41:51 Boundaries And Self Care

43:36 Therapist Vs Human Hats

48:21 Vulnerability And Repair

51:22 Closing Gratitude

This podcast is built around honest conversations and shared experience. If something from this episode resonated with you, or you have thoughts you want to share, feel free to email ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠. And if you feel like coming on the podcast for a real conversation, reach out and say hi.

Stay connected and follow along on Instagram ⁠⁠@theartofhonestypodcast

A Soldier’s Journey Through Faith, Doubt, and Intention

Staying Open After Service, Loss, and Shifting Beliefs with Ryan

This conversation is about staying open to connection, curiosity, and life, even after experiences that could have hardened or closed you off.

Allison introduces The Art of Honesty and sits down with Ryan, who spent 27 years in the Army with multiple deployments and nearly six years overseas. His story reflects resilience, growth, and a deep commitment to becoming a present and intentional father after years of service required him to be away. Today, he prioritizes showing up for his kids, building consistent relationships, and creating meaningful time together.

Ryan shares how the military shaped his leadership, discipline, and sense of purpose, from enlisting at 17 to building a career in aviation. He speaks with honesty and respect about his experiences, including the loss of his best friend Alex in the Extortion 17 crash, and how that loss deepened his appreciation for life, connection, and the people around him.

A powerful part of Ryan’s journey is his shift from devout Christianity to atheism. What began as a genuine search for truth became an intentional process of questioning, learning, and rebuilding his beliefs. Rather than closing off, Ryan has remained open, grounded in critical thinking, compassion, and respect for others’ perspectives. His curiosity continues to lead him into conversations and experiences that expand his understanding, including engaging with different cultures and belief systems.

This episode is not about having all the answers. It is about what it looks like to grow, to question, and to stay open. Ryan brings a thoughtful, steady presence to this conversation, offering a perspective rooted in service, lived experience, and a genuine desire to understand both himself and the world around him.

00:00 Welcome to the Podcast

01:48 Gratitude and Perspective

03:50 Fatherhood After Deployment

10:19 AGR Life and Weekend Commute

11:17 What Military Service Misses

13:46 Why He Joined at 17

17:08 Civilian Detour and Aviation

19:23 Back to the Reserves

21:19 Losing a Best Friend

24:58 Roots and Religious Upbringing

28:58 From Faith to Atheism

34:52 Deconversion and Seeking Truth

40:54 Respecting People Not Beliefs

42:30 Mosque Visit for Connection

43:09 Curiosity Over Conversion

45:37 Beliefs Without Harm

46:42 Allison’s Spiritual Journey

52:20 Raising Kids to Think

58:02 Pulling the Loose Thread

01:00:43 Contentment and Legacy

01:08:07 Discovery and Real Dialogue

01:13:57 Stop Surviving Start Living

01:16:34 Joy Resources and Support

01:21:58 Gratitude and Being Okay

01:24:42 Closing Thanks and Community

This podcast is built around honest conversations and shared experience. If something from this episode resonated with you, or you have thoughts you want to share, feel free to email ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠. And if you feel like coming on the podcast for a real conversation, reach out and say hi.

Stay connected and follow along on Instagram ⁠@theartofhonestypodcast⁠