Does your confidence in the boardroom disappear in the bedroom?

 Read the full episode breakdown + show notes: https://www.theselftrustcoach.com/blog/why-high-achievers-struggle-with-intimacy-self-trust

In this episode of The Self-Trust Solution, Dawn sits down with Dr. Laura Jurgens—a dual-certified master relationship coach and host of the Desire Gap podcast—to explore the fascinating "throughline" between how we trust ourselves in business and how we show up in our most intimate relationships.

Dr. Laura shares her vulnerable transition from the structured world of academia (where trust is built on external achievements) to the "wild west" of entrepreneurship and intimacy coaching. If you’ve ever felt like a "legitimate" expert in your field but an "amateur" in your personal life, this conversation is for you.

In this episode, we dive into:

• The "System-Trust" Trap: Why being a high achiever doesn't always translate to internal confidence.
• Building Evidence: How Dr. Laura used hundreds of hours of practice to "borrow" her own future confidence.
• The Desire Gap: Why discrepancies in intimacy are rarely about "sex" and almost always about a self-relationship gap.
• Overcoming Thought Errors: How to handle the fear of not being "legitimate" enough to help others.
• The First Step to Healing: Why self-compassion is the only way to close the gap and end the cycle of shame.

Connect with Dr. Laura Jurgens:@laura.jurgens.coachListen to the Desire Gap Podcast https://laurajurgens.com/podcast/

Visit Dr. Laura's Website https://laruajurgens.com

Get her  5 Steps to start solving Desire Differences without Blame or Shame http://www.laurajurgens.com/libido

Other Resources mentioned in this episode:

The Inner Room Practice

The Self-Trust Coach Website

Chapter Timestamps

00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro

01:33 System-Trust vs. Self-Trust: The Early Gaps

05:47 How to Build Evidence Through Radical Practice

07:47 Leaving the PhD Life: The Identity Shift

10:10 The Transition Plan: Making the Leap

14:10 Understanding the "Desire Gap" in Relationships

17:38 Dealing with Imposter Syndrome and Thought Errors

22:24 "Borrowing" Confidence: How Coaches Hold Space

25:27 Why Business Trust is Different from Intimacy Trust

31:16 The #1 Step to Stop the Shame Cycle

33:45 Advice to the Version of You That Is Still Afraid

36:20 Wrap Up and Next Steps

✨ Explore your own self-trust journey:

Start with the Self-Trust Identity Map👉 https://www.theselftrustcoach.com/identity-map

📩 Have a self-trust story to share?👉 https://www.theselftrustcoach.com/yourstory

⭐ Subscribe and leave a review if this episode resonates — it helps more people find these conversations.

Read the full episode breakdown + show notes: https://www.theselftrustcoach.com/blog/could-vs-want-self-trust-jane-pilgerWhat if the change you’re looking for doesn’t come from trying harder — but from listening more deeply?.

In this Season 3 episode of The Self Trust Solution Podcast, Dawn Ledet sits down with Jane Pilger, whose work centers on helping people understand why they do what they do — so they can rebuild trust with themselves and create change that actually lasts.
After a 25-year struggle with binge eating and perfectionism, Jane discovered that real transformation doesn’t happen through willpower, food rules, or behavioral control. It happens under the hood — in the nervous system, subconscious patterns, and protective parts that shape how we think, feel, and respond.
In this conversation, Jane shares her personal journey of self-trust, including the pivotal decisions that reshaped her work, her business, and her sense of alignment. We talk about simplifying when everything says “do more,” following an internal yes instead of external advice, and holding vision without forcing outcomes.
Jane also introduces The Gathering, a new initiative launching toward 2026 — a slower, more spacious environment designed to help people reconnect with their inner wisdom and rebuild trust with themselves in real time. It’s a beautiful complement to the work explored in The Inner Room, offering a low-cost, accessible place to practice slowing down, listening inward, and cultivating self-trust — especially for those who aren’t ready for, or aren’t a fit for, deeper private work like Claimed.
This episode is an invitation to quiet the noise, soften the urgency, and remember that self-trust isn’t something you force — it’s something you return to.
In this episode, we explore:

• Why lasting change doesn’t come from behavior alone, but from what’s happening beneath it
• How nervous-system-informed work reshaped Jane’s approach to binge eating and self-trust
• The shift from external guidance to internal authority in life and business decisions
• What it looks like to simplify without certainty — and trust yourself anyway
• Why creating space is essential for clarity, confidence, and sustainable change

Whether you’re feeling overwhelmed, disconnected, or unsure which direction to take next, this conversation offers a compassionate reminder: the guidance you’re looking for may already be inside you.
⏱️ Episode Chapters
00:00 – Introduction & guest welcome
01:45 – Jane’s journey to self-trust
04:19 – Defining self-trust through personal choice
06:24 – Professional fulfillment and internal alignment
07:58 – Shifting from food focus to inner work
18:02 – Introducing The Gathering
24:47 – Simplifying business in real time
25:51 – Holding vision without attachment
26:38 – Coaches learning alongside their clients
28:47 – Service, impact, and integrity
32:10 – Energy and its influence on others
34:43 – Trusting yourself through difficult seasons
39:04 – Creating space for self-trust
41:13 – Practical ways to reconnect with yourself
45:14 – Closing reflections & resources
🔗 Resources & Next Steps
✨ Learn more about Jane Pilger & her work
https://www.janepilger.com/
✨ Explore The Gathering
A gentle, low-cost space to slow down, listen inward, and rebuild self-trust — a beautiful complement to The Inner Room
https://www.janepilger.com/gather?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=audio&utm_campaign=dawn-ledet
✨ Explore The Inner Room
Dawn’s book on creating space, listening deeply, and reconnecting with your inner wisdom
https://www.theselftrustcoach.com/the-inner-room-book

⭐ If this episode resonated, please like, subscribe, and share — it helps more people find conversations like this.

Read the full episode breakdown + show notes: https://www.theselftrustcoach.com/blog/the-anchor-that-holds-tricia-sybersmaWhat if the qualities you once blamed yourself for were actually the gifts that would shape your purpose?

This week on The Self Trust Solution, Dawn sits down with Tricia Sybersma—artist, intuitive creator, HeartMath® Certified Trainer, and founder of HeartWorks, a transformational collaboration between humans, horses, and the intelligence of nature. But before Tricia built a business rooted in intuition, coherence, and animal wisdom…she spent years doubting her sensitivity, looking outward for validation, and trying to follow the “right way” in parenting, relationships, and work.

In this conversation, Tricia shares three defining self-trust turning points:

🌿 Socially: How feeling “different” as a highly sensitive person transformed into a superpower for deep listening and connection.

🌿 Parenting: How breaking generational scarcity patterns helped her raise her family from presence, not pressure.

🌿 Business: How trusting an unconventional vision—horses creating healing art—led to the birth of HeartWorks.

You’ll hear what life looked like before self-trust…the exact moments she chose to listen inward…and how everything changed when she stopped seeking permission and started honoring her inner knowing.

This episode is for anyone who feels “too sensitive,” “too intuitive,” or like they’re walking an unconventional path. Tricia’s story is proof that intuition is not irrational—and self-trust will always take you somewhere truer than fear ever will.

In This Episode:

• Why sensitivity is not a flaw but a form of intelligence
• How intuition guides business decisions more accurately than urgency
• What horses can teach us about coherence, presence, and trust
• The shift from external validation to heart-led alignment

• What happens when you finally trust the vision that keeps whispering to you

⏱️ Episode Chapters

00:00 Meet Tricia Sybersma

02:16 Childhood Scarcity

04:38 School Struggles

07:44 Rebellion and Numbing

08:54 First Self Trust Wins

10:34 New Country Leap

11:20 Trauma and HeartMath

14:54 Coherence and Gratitude

19:16 Horses and Healing Space

22:30 Heart Works Vision

23:46 Horses Paint Healing Art

25:15 How the Messages Arrive

26:03 Choosing Self Trust

26:52 Doubt And Validation

29:46 Inner Room Framework

31:59 Identity Lag Across Places

35:34 Self Trust In Leadership

37:33 Abundance Starts Within

42:23 Patience In Becoming

43:15 Heart Works Offerings

46:06 Challenge Card Pull

47:14 Closing Reflections

🔗 Resources & Next StepsConnect with Tricia Sybersma & HeartWorks

https://heartworks.horse/

https://www.instagram.com/heartworks.horses/

✨ Explore your own self-trust journey:

Start with the Self-Trust Identity Map👉 https://www.theselftrustcoach.com/identity-map

📩 Have a self-trust story to share?👉 https://www.theselftrustcoach.com/yourstory

⭐ Subscribe and leave a review if this episode resonates — it helps more people find these conversations.

Read the full episode breakdown + show notes: https://www.theselftrustcoach.com/blog/calm-leadership-vs-chaosHigh-growth SaaS often feels like a race where the finish line keeps moving. But what happens when "hustle culture" starts costing you your clarity and your results?In this episode of The Self-Trust Solution, Dawn sits down with tech executive and creator of Build Without Chaos, Colleen Goepfert. Colleen opens up about the exact moment she realized she was shrinking her own voice to keep a dysfunctional room calm—and how she finally decided to stop "matching the dysfunction."🗺️ Know Who You Are Before the Chaos HitsColleen’s shift started with a choice: to lead from her own values rather than reacting to the room. If you’re feeling lost in the noise of your career, it’s time to find your baseline.Take the Identity Map: https://www.theselftrustcoach.com/identity-mapDiscover the core of who you are so you can lead with conviction, not chaos.In this episode, we dive into:✔️The Signs of Misalignment: Why constant motion doesn’t equal progress.✔️The "Transparency Over Spin" Strategy: How choosing honesty during a reorg built more momentum than any polished corporate deck ever could.✔️The Build Without Chaos Framework: A 3-step process to decode chaos, design calm, and build systems that actually scale.✔️The "Slow is Smooth" Myth: Why calm leadership isn't slow—it’s precise.⏳ Chapter Timestamps00:00 – The cost of high-growth chaos02:37 – Are you misaligned? The warning signs04:03 – The breaking point: Stopping the dysfunction06:42 – Leading from inner clarity vs. external pressure09:51 – "Dig at your feet": How to start small12:39 – Why Colleen walked away from roles that "looked great"20:16 – The power of the pause in big decision-making26:19 – Why calm leadership is actually more precise29:44 – Advice to my younger, burnt-out self32:00 – Where to find Colleen Goepfert🔗 Connect with ColleenPodcast: Build Without Chaos https://open.spotify.com/show/6AllE2vYuBYk7ErwtQ7ISwWebsite: https://www.buildwithoutchaos.com/LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/colleengoepfertInstagram: @buildwithoutchaos Ready to build your own self-trust? Subscribe for more interviews on leading with clarity and conviction.

What does it take to trust yourself when you’re leaving a corporate career and building something new?
In this Season 3 episode of The Self Trust Solution Podcast, Dawn Ledet sits down with Alexis Quintal, entrepreneur and branding expert, to talk about the role self-trust plays in entrepreneurship — especially during uncertainty, slower seasons, and moments that test your confidence.
Alexis shares her journey from the corporate world into entrepreneurship, reflecting on the mindset shifts that helped her rebuild confidence, lead with integrity, and choose alignment over approval in both client relationships and business decisions.
In this episode, we explore:

• Trusting yourself during career transitions
• Navigating challenges and slower seasons without self-abandonment
• Building teams from clarity and values
• Why alignment matters more than external validation

• Owning your voice and showing up with confidence

This conversation is for entrepreneurs and leaders who are learning how to trust themselves when the path isn’t obvious — and who want to build businesses rooted in clarity, consistency, and self-trust.
⏱️ Episode Chapters
00:00 – Introduction and welcome
00:08 – Alexis’s journey into entrepreneurship
01:11 – The importance of self-trust
04:11 – Navigating challenges and slow seasons
11:07 – Building a strong team
15:31 – Client alignment and values
18:08 – Owning your voice
21:20 – Advice for entrepreneurs
24:35 – Alexis’s work and how to connect
🔗 Resources & Next Steps
✨ Learn more about Alexis and her work
Get Your Personal Brand Score: https://rosarium.work/raise
Website: www.alexisquintal.com
Connect on IG: @alexis.rose.quintal
✨ Explore your own self-trust journey:
Start with the Self-Trust Identity Map
👉 https://www.theselftrustcoach.com/identity-map
📩 Have a self-trust story to share?
👉 https://www.theselftrustcoach.com/yourstory
⭐ Subscribe and leave a review if this episode resonates — it helps more people find these conversations.

What happens when you’ve mastered your field — and still feel called toward something new?

In this Season 3 episode of The Self Trust Solution Podcast, Dawn Ledet sits down with Sarah Guilliot, a longtime UX design leader whose career includes more than 20 years of shaping user experiences for global brands.Sarah reflects on her professional journey, the identity that forms around expertise, and what it takes to trust yourself when you’re stepping into a new chapter without a clearly defined next role. This is a conversation about evolution, curiosity, and listening inward when the old path no longer fits.In this episode, we explore:

• What it means to outgrow a role you’re good at
• Navigating transition after long-term success
• Identity shifts that come with professional change
• Trusting yourself without a fixed plan
• Allowing curiosity to guide what’s next

This episode is for anyone who has built something meaningful — and is now standing at the edge of reinvention, wondering how to move forward without abandoning who they’ve been.

⏱️ Episode Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome

01:06 Sarah's Career Journey and Self-Trust Beginnings

02:40 The Shift to Copywriting

04:18 Embracing Self-Trust in Business

07:45 Returning to Design with a New Perspective

13:42 Practical Advice on Self-Trust and Experimentation

18:07 Sarah's Current Work and How to Connect

19:54 Conclusion and Listener Engagement

🔗 Resources & Next Steps

Check out Sarah's special offer for you dear The Self Trust Solution podcast listener: https://www.sarahdesign.com/self-trust

✨ Learn more about Sarah and her work

Website: https://www.sarahdesign.com/

Connect on IG: https://www.instagram.com/sarahdesignagency

✨ Explore your own self-trust journey:

Start with the Self-Trust Identity Map👉 https://www.theselftrustcoach.com/identity-map

📩 Have a self-trust story to share?👉 https://www.theselftrustcoach.com/yourstory

⭐ Subscribe and leave a review if this episode resonates — it helps more people find these conversations.

What happens when the career you built no longer aligns with who you’re becoming?

In this Season 3 episode of The Self Trust Solution Podcast, Dawn Ledet sits down with Shari Cedar, who shares her journey from executive television production to co-owning and leading one of Florida’s top commercial cleaning companies.
Shari opens up about the pivotal moments that led her to step into a completely different industry — not with certainty, but with self-trust. She reflects on navigating change, facing failure honestly, and learning how to lead with confidence, values, and adaptability as her role evolved.
In this conversation, we explore:

• What it looks like to trust yourself during a major career transition
• Letting go of identity tied to past success
• Leading through uncertainty and growth
• Using self-trust as a decision-making compass
• Why values and instincts matter more than a “perfect plan”

This episode is for anyone standing at a crossroads — questioning a career path, navigating change, or learning how to trust themselves through growth and reinvention.
⏱️ Episode Chapters
00:00 – Introduction & welcome
00:09 – From TV production to commercial cleaning
01:11 – The decision to transition
03:10 – Leadership and identity before the leap
08:08 – Building confidence through setbacks
14:04 – Self-trust in business and leadership
22:42 – Advice for navigating change
27:10 – Final reflections
🔗 Resources & Next Steps
✨ Learn more about Shari and her work
Website: http://www.akbuildingservices.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharisolomoncedar/
✨ Explore your own self-trust journey:
Start with the Self-Trust Identity Map
👉 https://www.theselftrustcoach.com/identity-map
📩 Have a self-trust story to share?
👉 https://www.theselftrustcoach.com/yourstory
⭐ Subscribe and leave a review if this episode resonates — it helps more people find these conversations.

What happens when you trust yourself enough to walk away — even when the stakes are high?

In this Season 3 episode of The Self Trust Solution Podcast, Dawn Ledet sits down with Paige Arnof-Fenn, founder and CEO of Mavens & Moguls, to explore how self-trust becomes a long-term business strategy — not just a mindset.
Paige shares her 24-year journey of building a global marketing firm, including the pivotal moment when she chose to walk away from a six-figure client because the relationship no longer aligned with her values. That decision — rooted in self-trust rather than fear — reshaped her leadership, strengthened her culture, and ultimately attracted better clients.
An “accidental entrepreneur” after 9/11, Paige reflects on how trusting her instincts, honoring core values, and learning from experience helped her build a business that is both successful and sustainable.
This conversation is a powerful reminder that self-trust isn’t reckless — it’s discerning. And when leaders trust themselves, everything from client relationships to company culture improves.
In this episode, we explore:

• Becoming an “accidental entrepreneur” and building from uncertainty
• The moment Paige trusted herself enough to fire a major client
• How values-driven decisions strengthen leadership and culture
• Why walking away can be a growth strategy
• Learning from experience instead of chasing perfection

• How self-trust attracts better clients and opportunities

If you’re navigating tough decisions, reevaluating client relationships, or building a business that needs to align more deeply with who you are, this episode offers clarity, courage, and real-world wisdom.
⏱️ Episode Chapters
00:00 – Introducing Paige Arnof-Fenn
01:12 – The early days of Mavens & Moguls
04:25 – Facing challenges and firing a major client
18:26 – Learning, growth, and leadership evolution
34:55 – Building a values-driven business & final reflections
🔗 Resources & Next Steps
✨ Learn more about Paige and her work
Website: https://mavensandmoguls.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paigearnoffenn/
✨ Explore the Self-Trust Identity Map
A gentle, three-minute reflection to help you understand where you are in your becoming — and what your next level is asking of you:
👉 https://www.theselftrustcoach.com/identity-map
✨ Learn more about Claimed
Dawn’s private coaching experience for entrepreneurs and leaders ready to trust themselves fully and lead from alignment:
👉 https://www.theselftrustcoach.com/claimed
📩 Have a self-trust story of your own or a question for the show?
Email us at [email protected]
or share your story here:
👉 https://www.theselftrustcoach.com/yourstory
⭐ If this episode resonated, please like, subscribe, and share — it helps more people find conversations like this.🎥 Prefer to watch this conversation?
The full video version of this episode is available on YouTube, where you can see the moments, expressions, and pauses that make this story even more powerful.

👉 Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/@TheSelfTrustSolution

What does self-trust look like when the stakes are high — and the decisions really matter?

In this Season 3 episode of The Self Trust Solution Podcast, Dawn Ledet sits down with Mark Astor, an attorney whose career has spanned state prosecution, complex felony cases, and the founding of multiple law firms dedicated to helping families in crisis.

Mark shares his journey from the state attorney’s office to building mission-driven practices that support families navigating substance use and mental health challenges. Along the way, self-trust wasn’t about confidence or certainty — it was about responsibility, reflection, and learning from decisions that didn’t go as planned.

This conversation explores how leadership is shaped through lived experience, how mistakes become teachers, and how clarity emerges when service replaces self-protection.

In this episode, we explore:

• How self-trust is built through responsibility, not perfection
• Leadership lessons forged under pressure
• Learning from mistakes without being defined by them
• Making decisions when clarity isn’t guaranteed
• Building a career and life rooted in integrity and impact
• Supporting families through mental health and substance use crises

If you’re navigating high-stakes decisions, redefining your leadership, or learning to trust yourself after hard-earned lessons, this episode offers grounded perspective and real-world insight.

⏱️ Episode Chapters
00:00 – Introduction & context
01:00 – Mark’s path into law and leadership
05:00 – Early career challenges and decision-making
10:30 – Lessons learned through pressure and responsibility
18:00 – Shifting toward service and impact
25:00 – Building firms to support families in crisis
32:00 – Self-trust, leadership, and reflection
38:00 – Closing thoughts & next steps

🔗 Resources & Next Steps
✨ Learn more about Mark and his work
Website: https://mentalhealthaddictionlawfirm.com
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@astorsimovitchlaw

✨ Explore the Self-Trust Identity Map
A gentle, three-minute reflection to help you understand where you are in your becoming — and what your next level is asking of you:
👉 https://www.theselftrustcoach.com/identity-map

✨ Learn more about Claimed
Dawn’s private coaching experience for entrepreneurs and leaders ready to trust themselves fully and lead from alignment:
👉 https://www.theselftrustcoach.com/claimed

📩 Have a self-trust story of your own or a question for the show?
Email us at [email protected]
or share your story here:
👉 https://www.theselftrustcoach.com/yourstory

⭐ If this episode resonated, please like, subscribe, and share — it helps more people find conversations like this.

What if building a successful business didn’t require sacrificing your health, values, or capacity?

In this Season 3 episode of The Self Trust Solution Podcast, Dawn Ledet sits down with Marissa Guthrie, a business coach whose journey is a powerful example of what happens when self-trust becomes the foundation of how you work and lead.

Marissa shares how years of operating under traditional business pressure led to chronic health issues that forced her to pause and re-evaluate everything. That disruption became a turning point — inviting her to rebuild her business around intuition, ethical decision-making, and self-care rather than fear or hustle.

In this conversation, we explore how self-trust can guide more aligned pricing, sustainable growth, and a way of working that honors your real capacity — not an imagined one. Marissa also shares how shifting from fear to curiosity allowed her to work fewer hours while earning more, without abandoning her values.

This episode is an invitation to question the rules you’ve inherited and listen more closely to what your body, intuition, and inner authority are already telling you.

In this episode, we explore:

• What happens when success comes at the cost of your health
• Rebuilding a business through intuition and self-trust
• Ethical pricing and aligned decision-making
• Creating sustainability without burnout or overwork
• Shifting from fear-driven strategy to curiosity-led growth
• Honoring your capacity as a leadership skill

If you’re feeling stretched thin, questioning your current business model, or sensing there’s a more ethical and sustainable way to work, this conversation offers clarity, permission, and a grounded path forward.

⏱️ Episode Chapters
00:00 – Introduction & guest welcome
00:16 – Marissa’s journey into self-trust
01:30 – Life and business before the diagnosis
05:12 – The turning point and need for change
08:17 – Facing illness and choosing self-trust
19:00 – Rebuilding with intuition and support
24:19 – Creating a sustainable, aligned business
36:27 – Final reflections & resources

🔗 Resources & Next Steps

✨ Learn more about Marissa Guthrie and her work
Website: https://marisaguthriecoaching.co.uk/
The Reluctant Capitalist Substack: https://marisaguthrie.substack.com/?utm_campaign=profile_chips
Free Masterclass: Ethical, Fair & Fearless Pricing- https://marisaguthriecoaching.co.uk/free-masterclass-ethical-fair-fearless-pricing

✨ Explore the Self-Trust Identity Map
A gentle, three-minute reflection to help you understand where you are in your becoming — and what your next level is asking of you:
👉 https://www.theselftrustcoach.com/identity-map

✨ Learn more about Claimed
Dawn’s private coaching experience for entrepreneurs and leaders ready to trust themselves fully and lead from alignment:
👉 https://www.theselftrustcoach.com/claimed

📩 Have a self-trust story of your own or a question for the show?
Email us at [email protected]
or share your story here:
👉 https://www.theselftrustcoach.com/yourstory

⭐ If this episode resonated, please like, subscribe, and share — it helps more people find conversations like this.