You know the addiction that gets rewarded with promotions, praise, and performance reviews?

In this episode of What the Shift, author and executive Barbara Burgess joins Gia to unpack the invisible addiction plaguing high-achieving women: doing more to feel like we matter. Together, they explore the voices of Enough and Not Enough, how to break the unconscious proving loop, and what happens when we finally stop performing our lives and start living them.

Barbara shares the story that sparked her book Enough—a simple moment of sidewalk chalk that cracked her open and let the light in.

Inside this conversation:

The identity shift from resume to realness

Why your body knows before your brain does

How to quiet the voice of “Not Enough” (and give it a name)

Why busyness is not a badge—it’s a barrier to presence

What it takes to stop measuring your worth in output

You don’t need to prove your value to earn your peace. Sometimes the boldest move is slowing down long enough to remember—you’re already enough.

Learn more about Enough: corluma.com/enough

You’ve done everything “right”—you’re successful, capable, and high-functioning. But beneath the polished exterior? You’re exhausted. Disconnected. Over it.

In this episode, Gia sits down with therapist, coach, and cycle-breaker Alyssa Scarano to unpack the truth about trauma responses that get rewarded—until they stop working. Together, they explore how coping mechanisms like over-functioning, hyper-independence, emotional suppression, and busyness are often rooted in childhood survival, not strength.

Alyssa opens up about her own identity shift through motherhood, the pressure to be everything for everyone, and the moment she realized being strong was costing her peace. If you’ve ever felt like the success you built came at the expense of your own well-being, this conversation will hit deep.

Topics We Cover:

The hidden trauma behind “doing it all”

Signs you’re stuck in survival mode (even if you look fine)

Why hyper-independence isn’t a flex—it’s a wound

How motherhood exposes generational patterns

The truth about self-loyalty and nervous system safety

What it actually looks like to break cycles and come home to yourself

This episode is for the woman who’s done mistaking exhaustion for excellence. Your coping got you applause. But it also got you anxiety. Disconnection. Collapse. You can’t heal by doing more of what broke you. It’s time to stop performing and start reclaiming.

Learn more about Alyssa here: collective-therapy.com

She had the six-figure job, the global title, the kids, the calendar—and a deep, unspoken sense that none of it actually fit.

In this powerful episode, Dr. Michelle El Khoury shares the story of what happens when your career and motherhood feel like parallel lives—and the moment she decided to stop splitting herself in two. A former pharmaceutical executive turned perinatal wellness expert, Michelle opens up about the burnout, postpartum struggles, identity loss, and the wake-up call that changed everything.

Together, we unpack:

If you’ve ever felt like you’re checking all the boxes but still losing yourself in the process—this episode will meet you right where you are.

You don’t have to choose between your ambition and your peace. But you do have to stop living two versions of yourself.

Learn More about Michelle: smartparentingwithmichelle.com

She wasn’t just a patient—she was a respected healthcare provider. And still… no one listened.

When Dr. Tara Harding faced infertility, endometriosis, and a series of alarming health crises, she expected answers.

Instead, she got dismissal, “it’s just bad luck,” and unexplained diagnoses that went nowhere. That moment changed everything.

In this raw conversation, Dr. Tara shares:

How medical gaslighting shows up—and why it’s so dangerous

The cultural conditioning that teaches women to downplay pain

Why “unexplained” is never an acceptable answer

The shift from playing it safe to building a purpose-driven business and clinic

How to trust your body—and never hand over your power

If you’ve ever been dismissed, doubted, or told “it’s normal” when you knew it wasn’t—this episode will remind you: Your body isn’t the problem. The system is. And you have more power than you think.

Learn more about Dr. Tara: www.drtaraharding.com

Why do so many high-achievers feel like they’re still not enough—even after checking every box? In this powerful conversation, Trevor Hanson joins Gia to unpack how anxious attachment, inner child wounds, and overfunctioning keep us stuck in cycles of burnout, self-doubt, and chasing approval. Trevor is a coach and founder of The Art of Healing. He teaches relationship and attachment skills through the Secure Self Club.

Trevor shares his deeply personal story of career loss, toxic relationships, and the turning point that forced him to confront the beliefs driving his self-worth. Together, they explore:

What anxious attachment really looks like in high-functioners

How to recognize your personal protection patterns—and break the cycle

Why overachieving is often just emotional avoidance in disguise

The Tempo Cycle framework that reveals where you're stuck (and how to shift)

How healing your inner child transforms your relationships, your confidence, and your peace

This episode is a must-listen if you’re tired of white-knuckling your way through life—and ready to feel secure from the inside out.

Learn more about Trevor: theartofhealingbytrevor.com

What happens when you walk away from a dream job—and the identity that came with it?

In this honest and energizing conversation, Gia sits down with Tara Clark—author, mental health advocate, and founder of Modern Mom Probs—to unpack what it really looks like to pivot, rebuild, and redefine success on your own terms.

From leaving her corporate media career at Nickelodeon to launching a parenting platform that now reaches millions, Tara shares the unfiltered story behind the polished bio—and what most moms don’t talk about when it comes to ambition, identity, and the emotional load of motherhood.

Together, they dive into:

The identity crisis that hits when you leave a powerful title behind

Why so many women struggle to give themselves permission to change

The “mental load” and loneliness of modern motherhood

The rise of the Type C Mom—and why balance isn’t about perfection

How to stop proving, start living, and lead with self-trust

If you’ve ever asked yourself Who am I without the job, the role, the resume?—this episode is your reminder: you’re allowed to pivot, and you don’t owe anyone an explanation.

🎧 Tune in now and discover what it really takes to redefine motherhood and success—on your own terms.

Learn more about Modern Mom Probs: modernmomproblems.com

What if your drive wasn’t ambition—but addiction?

In this raw and revelatory episode, Gia sits down with keynote speaker, business coach, and bestselling author Kim Rogne to unpack the hidden reason so many high-achieving women can’t slow down—even when they know they need to. From CEO of a multi-million-dollar real estate brokerage to founder of For the Love Of, Kim shares how a ski accident forced her to finally pause—and face the identity she'd been performing for decades.

Together, they explore:

The “fixer” identity and why so many women can’t stop rescuing

How busyness becomes a coping mechanism—and an addiction

The lie of balance and what it really means to live in alignment

What it takes to rewrite your success story after burnout

Kim’s bold move from hustle to harmony—and how you can make the shift too

If you’ve been moving at full speed and still feel like it’s never enough, this conversation will stop you in your tracks—in the best way.

That pain, that fatigue, that anxiety? It’s not random. It’s your nervous system screaming what you’ve been too busy to feel.

In this powerful conversation, licensed therapist and nervous system coach Grace Secker unpacks the hidden root of chronic pain, fatigue, anxiety, and burnout—and how it’s often your body’s last-resort attempt to get your attention.

Grace shares her personal journey from debilitating pain to full-body healing and introduces her Mind-Body Healing Method, a proven approach to regulation, safety, and sustainable wellness. We dig into:

The brain-body connection and why pain is never just physical

The link between emotional suppression and physical symptoms

How trauma rewires your nervous system—and how to gently rewire it back

Why “pushing through” is the fastest path to collapse

What real regulation looks like—and how to come home to yourself again

If you’ve been “functioning” but not truly living, this episode is your wake-up call. You’re not broken. You’re just disconnected from the one thing that can actually heal you: you.

Learn more about Grace at: https://www.elevatetherapywellness.com

What does it really take to walk away from what’s working—and bet on what’s right?

In this episode of What the Shift, I sit down with Leslee Owen, Co-Founder & CEO of Movement Maker Web Design Agency, to talk about the radical decision that changed everything. She was running a profitable coaching business, hosting a podcast, and doing all the “right” things—until she realized none of it felt aligned anymore.

Leslee shares:

The solo retreat that revealed the misalignment in her business

Why she shut down a launch mid-promo—and never looked back

What radical focus looks like at home and at work

How to build a website that works as hard as you do

The mindset shift that took her from burnout to billion-dollar clients

If you've ever felt like the life you built no longer fits, this one will hit deep.

Learn more about Leslee’s work at: https://movementmaker.pro

When Melissa Lafsky Saleh lost her child days before delivery, everything shattered. Career. Identity. Marriage. Meaning. But what emerged from the ashes wasn’t just survival—it was sovereignty.

In this raw and revelatory episode of What the Shift, Melissa shares the deeply personal story of how unimaginable grief burned off everything that wasn’t her—and unlocked the one superpower the world taught her to silence: her intuition.

We talk about:

What it means to rebuild yourself cell by cell after trauma

How high-achieving women often bury trauma beneath success

The difference between fear and intuition—and how to hear the voice that’s actually yours

Why grief doesn’t end—but it can evolve

The real ROI of reclaiming your inner knowing

This isn’t just a story of loss. It’s a masterclass in becoming unshakable.