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What happens when your voice disappears—right when you need it most?

In this deeply human conversation, Lisa Roche, host of the Find Your Flow podcast, joins Lauri to explore what it really means to find your voice when your body says no.

Lisa shares a powerful story of freezing, sobbing, and being unable to speak in front of others—despite years of performing on world-class stages. What followed wasn’t a technique or mindset shift, but a profound reckoning with vulnerability, community, and worth.

Together, Lauri and Lisa weave theater, music, somatics, spirituality, and leadership into a conversation about why so many of us hide behind our own “cellos” like slides, scripts, or peppy masks—and what becomes possible when we drop down into the truth beneath our words.

This is not a conversation about sounding better.
 It’s about becoming more available.
To ourselves. To others. To life.

If you’ve ever felt your throat close, your breath disappear, or your truth hover just out of reach—this episode is an invitation to come home.

Takeaways
1. Your voice doesn’t disappear because you’re weak—it disappears because something tender is asking to be met
2. Performance anxiety is often unprocessed vulnerability, not lack of skill
3. Many speakers hide behind “cellos”: slides, scripts, roles, or personas that feel safer than presence
4. True safety doesn’t come from control—it comes from connection
5. Harmony is not agreement; it’s different truths resonating together
6. Speaking becomes transformational when it’s a two-way energetic exchange, not a projection
7. Community can hold what the individual cannot
8. Finding your voice also means remembering and embracing your worth
9. When we stop trying to heal others, clarity and boundaries emerge

Soul Sucker Quiz

Take the Soul Sucker Quiz to learn which Soul Sucker screams the loudest in your mind so you can release them from being in charge and set your voice free!

https://voice-matters.com/soul-sucker-quiz/

The Speaker Alter Ego Quiz

Take the Speaker Alter Ego quiz to find out which protective mask hides your natural radiance so you can learn how to get present, connect deeply, and share your vision when it matters most!

https://voice-matters.com/speaker-alter-ego-quiz/

Support the show

Thank you so much for listening!

Take the free Speaker Alter Ego Quiz to find out which protective mask is hiding your wild, untamed radiance.
https://voice-matters.com/speaker-alter-ego-quiz/

Follow me on:

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/voice_matters_llc/

Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauri-smith-voice-matters/

YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@voicematters9646

Send Lauri a message

What happens when the life that looks successful on paper no longer feels true inside?

In this episode, best-selling author and real estate entrepreneur Betsy Pepine shares the deeply personal journey that led her to write Breaking Boxes: Dismantling the Metaphorical Boxes That Bind Us. From family-of-origin expectations and gender norms to professional identities and marital labels, Betsy reflects on the invisible structures that shape our choices—and what it takes to step beyond them.

We explore how speaking for her book differs from speaking for a company, why writing was both challenging and healing, and how choosing a more authentic path transformed not only her career—but her voice. This conversation is a reminder that some boxes protect us for a time… and some are meant to be taken apart.

Takeaways
1. Success can quietly coexist with deep dissatisfaction.
2. Some boxes protect us for a season, then begin to confine us.
3. Speaking for a company requires a different voice than speaking for yourself.
4. Vulnerability often eases once the truth is already out in the world.
5. Family-of-origin expectations can shape decades of career and identity choices.
6. Labels and forms subtly influence how others see us—and how we see ourselves.
7. Writing can be both a creative craft and a deeply therapeutic process.
8. Authentic speaking allows the full range of head, heart, and humanity to show up.

Soul Sucker Quiz

Take the Soul Sucker Quiz to learn which Soul Sucker screams the loudest in your mind so you can release them from being in charge and set your voice free!

https://voice-matters.com/soul-sucker-quiz/

Support the show

Thank you so much for listening!

Take the free Speaker Alter Ego Quiz to find out which protective mask is hiding your wild, untamed radiance.
https://voice-matters.com/speaker-alter-ego-quiz/

Follow me on:

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/voice_matters_llc/

Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauri-smith-voice-matters/

YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@voicematters9646

Send Lauri a message

In this bonus episode, Speaker, coach, and Next Level University CEO Alan Lazaros joins Lauri for a raw, high-voltage conversation about fear, intensity, and the courage to be “too much.” From a high-school speech panic (and a hypnotist’s snowboard hack) to a near-fatal car crash at 26 that turned a career into a calling, Alan traces the inner rewiring that let him own his truth on stage and in life. They unpack the peak-performance “Goldilocks zone,” why “slow down” isn’t always smart advice, how shame hides at both ends of the bell curve, and why accurate thinking—not people-pleasing—creates real impact. If you’ve ever been told to be less, this episode invites you to be true.

Takeaways
1. Your sweet spot isn’t “calm on the couch”—it’s alive, engaged, and just-challenging-enough.
2. Early speaking anxiety can be reframed: pair fear with a domain where you feel powerful (Alan used snowboarding via hypnosis).
3. Being “too much” is often code for “you’re triggering the status quo.” Own it with discernment, not apology.
4. A career becomes a calling the moment you stop diluting yourself to fit in.
5. Alcohol (and other numbing) can mute a future-oriented brain to “blend”—notice what you’re dampening.
6. Boundaries require recalibrating your “respect Richter scale,” especially after chaotic upbringings.
7. Principles beat templates: pauses, tone, story—apply them to your unique style, not someone else’s.
8. Truth vs. social performance: accurate thinking liberates your voice and your life.
9. Shame clusters at the edges of the bell curve; compassion + honesty dissolves it.

Soul Sucker Quiz

Take the Soul Sucker Quiz to learn which Soul Sucker screams the loudest in your mind so you can release them from being in charge and set your voice free!

https://voice-matters.com/soul-sucker-quiz/

The Speaker Alter Ego Quiz

Take the Speaker Alter Ego quiz to find out which protective mask hides your natural radiance so you can learn how to get present, connect deeply, and share your vision when it matters most!

https://voice-matters.com/speaker-alter-ego-quiz/

Support the show

Thank you so much for listening!

Take the free Speaker Alter Ego Quiz to find out which protective mask is hiding your wild, untamed radiance.
https://voice-matters.com/speaker-alter-ego-quiz/

Follow me on:

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/voice_matters_llc/

Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauri-smith-voice-matters/

YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@voicematters9646

Send Lauri a message

What happens when the person who once hyperventilated in middle school at the mere thought of speaking… becomes the woman people ask to take photos with after her talk?

In this episode, Lauri sits down with Kelly Schuknecht, marketing strategist, thought leadership coach, and founder of Two Mile High Marketing, to trace the true origin of Kelly’s visibility: not a strategy, not a brand pivot—a whisper.

Kelly shares the moment she watched other speakers and thought, “I could teach that.” Then the deeper thread: a fear of being looked at—rooted not in dramatic “capital-T” trauma, but in quieter conditioning that says, don’t stand out… don’t make waves.

From a first talk where the tech failed to the day she walked into a room with 1,000 chairs, this conversation is for every “unicorn” leader who’s been trying to follow someone else’s formula—and wondering why it doesn’t fit.

If you’re being called to teach, lead, speak, or create… this episode is a lantern.

TAKEAWAYS
1. The beginning of thought leadership is often a soft inner knowing: “I’m the teacher now.”
2. Fear of visibility doesn’t require “big-T trauma” to be real—conditioning and “little-T” experiences can wire a deep stay-small reflex.
3. Your audience often can’t see your internal storm—nerves aren’t the same as incompetence.
4. Your first talk doesn’t need to be perfect; it needs to be done (also: don’t add unnecessary tech your first time).
5. The moment you survive a “bigger cave” (like 250–300 people), smaller rooms stop feeling like dragons.
6. Speaking isn’t just exposure—it’s a door that opens other doors (invites, summits, new visibility).
7. A “unicorn niche” can actually be an advantage: fewer competitors means more fit opportunities.
8. Building a team can be an act of leadership identity—choosing your way, not the “should” way.
9. Authenticity beats imitation: borrowing someone else’s style instead of your essence is a visibility trap.

Soul Sucker Quiz

Take the Soul Sucker Quiz to learn which Soul Sucker screams the loudest in your mind so you can release them from being in charge and set your voice free!

https://voice-matters.com/soul-sucker-quiz/

The Speaker Alter Ego Quiz

Take the Speaker Alter Ego quiz to find out which protective mask hides your natural radiance so you can learn how to get present, connect deeply, and share your vision when it matters most!

https://voice-matters.com/speaker-alter-ego-quiz/

Support the show

Thank you so much for listening!

Take the free Speaker Alter Ego Quiz to find out which protective mask is hiding your wild, untamed radiance.
https://voice-matters.com/speaker-alter-ego-quiz/

Follow me on:

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/voice_matters_llc/

Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauri-smith-voice-matters/

YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@voicematters9646

Send Lauri a message

What happens when “memorize it” kills your aliveness?

In this bonus episode, speaker and leader Kurt Uhlir shares how forcing a script spiked his stress, shut down vulnerability, and flattened his presence — and how returning to flow changed everything. We unpack small-room freakouts, the body’s signals (hello, stress across the chest), and the simple reframe that turns fear into fuel. Then we put it all into practice with a live coaching moment using my Intend • Align • Invite framework. If you’ve ever felt over-scripted, under-present, or stuck between nerves and excitement, this one’s your permission slip to speak wild, untamed, and radiant — without losing real-world impact.

Takeaways

1. Flow beats memorization for authentic presence and impact.
2. The body tells the truth: stress across the chest often signals “vulnerability closed.”
3. Treat speaking like a conversation, not a soliloquy (improv > recitation).
4. Counterintuitive truth: small rooms can trigger more nerves than arenas for some people.
5. Fear and excitement feel the same in the body; label it excitement or scare-citement to channel energy.
6. Your “worst talk” can reveal emotional triggers — and your path back to presence.
7. Quick framework for Zoom & stage: Intend • Align • Invite (set the vibe, embody it, welcome them into it).

Soul Sucker Quiz

Take the Soul Sucker Quiz to learn which Soul Sucker screams the loudest in your mind so you can release them from being in charge and set your voice free!

https://voice-matters.com/soul-sucker-quiz/

Support the show

Thank you so much for listening!

Take the free Speaker Alter Ego Quiz to find out which protective mask is hiding your wild, untamed radiance.
https://voice-matters.com/speaker-alter-ego-quiz/

Follow me on:

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/voice_matters_llc/

Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauri-smith-voice-matters/

YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@voicematters9646

Send Lauri a message

What happens to your voice when survival requires silence?

Kat Polsinelli stepped onstage at 10… and years later, found herself slowly losing her voice inside a decade-long abusive relationship she never expected to be in. In this intimate conversation, Kat and Lauri explore the invisible architecture of emotional and psychological abuse—how it isolates, rewrites reality, and convinces brilliant people to doubt their own knowing.

Kat doesn’t just talk about her story—she tells it. Fully. Embodied. Unfiltered. As a living, breathing journey of control, awakening, and the moment choice returned.

This episode is a masterclass in how speaking becomes healing—for both the storyteller and the listener—through the power of repetition (“say it again”), the liberation of not overexplaining, and the sacred pause that lets truth land in the room.

If you’ve ever heard a voice inside you whisper share it… this one meets you there—with courage, clarity, and a path forward.

About Kat:
Kat Polsinelli is a sought-after speaker, bestselling co-author, and host of Real Chat with Kat, a top 10% globally ranked podcast airing on four radio stations and two public TV stations. From stepping onto a stage at 10 years old to reclaiming her voice after a decade-long abusive relationship, Kat’s journey is one of resilience and transformation.

A survivor of domestic violence, PTSD, and single motherhood at 16, Kat speaks with grounded honesty about the invisible impact of emotional and psychological abuse, the power of boundaries, and the role self-worth plays in healing. Through her lived experience, she challenges assumptions about abuse and invites deeper understanding of the complexities survivors face.

Connect with Kat:
https://www.facebook.com/katpolsinelli
https://www.linkedin.com/in/thelotuseffect/
https://www.instagram.com/katpolsinelli/

Soul Sucker Quiz

Take the Soul Sucker Quiz to learn which Soul Sucker screams the loudest in your mind so you can release them from being in charge and set your voice free!

https://voice-matters.com/soul-sucker-quiz/

The Speaker Alter Ego Quiz

Take the Speaker Alter Ego quiz to find out which protective mask hides your natural radiance so you can learn how to get present, connect deeply, and share your vision when it matters most!

https://voice-matters.com/speaker-alter-ego-quiz/

Support the show

Thank you so much for listening!

Take the free Speaker Alter Ego Quiz to find out which protective mask is hiding your wild, untamed radiance.
https://voice-matters.com/speaker-alter-ego-quiz/

Follow me on:

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/voice_matters_llc/

Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauri-smith-voice-matters/

YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@voicematters9646

Send Lauri a message

In this bonus minisode, you’re invited into a grounding ritual — one that rose up unplanned during a conversation with a guest, and insisted on being shared.

This is a moment to pause.
To feel the truth of where you are.
To reconnect with the pulse beneath your voice — that wild, steady rhythm that holds you long before any words arrive.

If you’re longing for a reset…
If your speaking feels scattered or over-efforting…
If your nervous system is whispering for spaciousness…

This minisode is a doorway back to the place your truest voice begins. 

Support the show

Thank you so much for listening!

Take the free Speaker Alter Ego Quiz to find out which protective mask is hiding your wild, untamed radiance.
https://voice-matters.com/speaker-alter-ego-quiz/

Follow me on:

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/voice_matters_llc/

Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauri-smith-voice-matters/

YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@voicematters9646

Send Lauri a message

Voice and visibility coach Evelyne Brink returns with a story that’s part pilgrimage, part primal scream, and fully alive. From being told her voice was “dysfunctional” to getting into (and then kicked out of) musical theatre school, Evelyne follows intuition across continents—Thailand’s Sanctuary, New York cabarets, Brighton pubs—and even into an unlikely season as a #1 Madonna tribute artist. We unpack rejection, rewilding, and the moment you stop auditioning for approval and start embodying who you are. If you’ve ever felt “too much,” broke-but-brave, or called to say no to the shiny path, this conversation is your permission slip. Come for the glitter, stay for the grit—and leave with practices to trust your voice, your body, and your inner Wonder Woman.

Key Takeaways
1. Rejection redirects: Sometimes being “kicked out” is the first step toward freedom.
2. Different ≠ broken: A unique voice is often your greatest gift.
3. Intuition leads, logistics follow: The how unfolds when you listen to the call.
4. Voice is healing: Sound, song, and primal release move trauma through the body.
5. Art feeds art: Every gig, even the unexpected ones, refines your artistry.
6. Aliveness transforms how we speak and lead. (Yes, even in corporate)
7. Women’s voices are needed now: The world changes when we rewild expression.

Connect with Evelyne:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/evelynebrink/
https://www.instagram.com/evelynebrink/
https://www.evelynebrink.com/

Soul Sucker Quiz

Take the Soul Sucker Quiz to learn which Soul Sucker screams the loudest in your mind so you can release them from being in charge and set your voice free!

https://voice-matters.com/soul-sucker-quiz/

The Speaker Alter Ego Quiz

Take the Speaker Alter Ego quiz to find out which protective mask hides your natural radiance so you can learn how to get present, connect deeply, and share your vision when it matters most!

https://voice-matters.com/speaker-alter-ego-quiz/

Support the show

Thank you so much for listening!

Take the free Speaker Alter Ego Quiz to find out which protective mask is hiding your wild, untamed radiance.
https://voice-matters.com/speaker-alter-ego-quiz/

Follow me on:

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/voice_matters_llc/

Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauri-smith-voice-matters/

YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@voicematters9646

Send Lauri a message

Therapist and nature-based guide Laura Rose shares how an early love of reading aloud and debate gave way to silence after bullying—then slowly blossomed into a wilder, truer voice through chanting, song circles, land stewardship, and community. We explore why language can’t carry all meaning, how sound opens the door, and what shifts when we replace “fit in” with “belong.” If you’re craving permission to express—beyond the rules and into resonance—this conversation will meet you where words begin: in the living pulse beneath them.

Takeaways
1. Your voice often begins before language—in vibration, breath, and sound.
2. High school “fit in” culture can mute authenticity; healing happens in circles that welcome the whole self.
3. Safety strategies (be quiet, take cues, perform “good”) work… until they don’t.
4. Sounding and singing can heal the split between voice and soul.
5. “Presence begins where primal and purpose meet”—and it can take years to find simple, true language for what you know.
6. Nature mirrors our freedom—the wild yard thrives, the manicured one conforms.
7. Speaking your truth gives others permission to find theirs—liberation is contagious.
​

Soul Sucker Quiz

Take the Soul Sucker Quiz to learn which Soul Sucker screams the loudest in your mind so you can release them from being in charge and set your voice free!

https://voice-matters.com/soul-sucker-quiz/

Support the show

Thank you so much for listening!

Take the free Speaker Alter Ego Quiz to find out which protective mask is hiding your wild, untamed radiance.
https://voice-matters.com/speaker-alter-ego-quiz/

Follow me on:

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/voice_matters_llc/

Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauri-smith-voice-matters/

YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@voicematters9646

Send Lauri a message

It’s 2026 — and somehow, we’re still not talking enough about menopause.

In this unfiltered minisode, Lauri and her friend and fellow coach Kelly Myerson swap real stories about navigating hormonal shifts, medical gaslighting, and the mystery symptoms so many women are told to “just live with.”

From sleepless nights to sudden clarity, they shed light (and laughter) on what really happens when your hormones start changing — and why breaking the silence might be one of the most powerful things you can do.

If you’ve ever thought, “Is it just me?” — this one’s for you.

TAKEAWAYS

1. You’re not crazy — it’s chemistry. Midlife challenges are hormonal, not personal failings.
2. You’re not too young. Hormonal changes can start in your 30s or early 40s, and early diagnosis matters, and your body deserves care, not confusion.
3. Self-advocacy is essential. Don’t let “You’re fine” be the final word. Keep asking, researching, and trusting your body.
4. Talking about it helps everyone. Speaking openly about menopause breaks stigma and builds community.
5. There’s hope (and help). From holistic care to hormone therapy, relief and renewal are possible.

Connect with Kelly:

Substack: https://substack.com/@kellymyersonvoiceamplifier?r=3bsi5i&utm_medium=ios
Website: https://www.kellymyerson.com
Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-myerson-b6217843/

Support the show

Thank you so much for listening!

Take the free Speaker Alter Ego Quiz to find out which protective mask is hiding your wild, untamed radiance.
https://voice-matters.com/speaker-alter-ego-quiz/

Follow me on:

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/voice_matters_llc/

Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauri-smith-voice-matters/

YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@voicematters9646