You Define Beauty

What does it mean to truly embrace your beauty when the world is constantly telling you who you should be?

In this powerful and inspiring, I sit down with Marisa Brown, founder of Fueling Freedom: Healing Our Relationships with Food, to discuss her personal journey through an eating disorder, recovery, self-discovery, and learning to live authentically.

Marisa shares her experience of developing an eating disorder at just nine years old and experiencing a relapse at 19 while competing in her first pageant. Through her recovery journey, she discovered that healing was about more than nourishing her body; it was also about finding her voice, letting go of pleasing people, and embracing the woman God created her to be.

Today, Marisa is using her story to make a difference through her Initiative, Fueling Freedom, encouraging young girls and women to build healthier relationships with food, fitness, and themselves. Her mission is to inspire others to live fueled by authenticity and hope rather than fear.

Together, we talk about body image, unhealthy influences, social media pressures, confidence, faith, recovery, and the importance of recognizing your worth beyond your appearance.

Marisa reminds us that true beauty begins when we stop trying to become who everyone else wants us to be and start embracing every part of who we are.

Her message is simple but powerful: Embrace all of who you are, not just the pieces you like, because that is where true authenticity is born.

Join us for a heartfelt conversation about healing, finding your voice, and redefining what beauty truly means.

In this episode of the You Define Beauty Podcast, I sit down with Jane Godwin, the 2027 You Define Beauty Scholarship recipient, to talk about her journey with alopecia universalis, an autoimmune condition that causes hair loss. Jane opens up about growing up feeling different, struggling with her identity and self-esteem, and experiencing anxiety surrounding the questions and attention her condition brought. For years, she felt like she had to hide parts of herself,  from worrying about her wig being noticed to avoiding showing her face on FaceTime with friends. But Jane’s story is about so much more than hair loss. It’s about learning to separate your identity from the things that make you feel different, finding confidence in who you are, and realizing that you never have to hide to be worthy of being seen. Join Jane and I for an honest and empowering conversation about alopecia, self-esteem, identity, anxiety, confidence, and redefining what beauty means from within.

In this episode, I sit down with Emilee Tucker, Owner of Authentic Leadership Consulting, to talk about her journey of feeling broken, learning to love herself, and discovering who she was meant to be. We dive into self-awareness, healing, curiosity, compassion, and how learning to lead ourselves can transform the way we show up in our relationships and our leadership.

In this inspiring episode, Theresa shares her extraordinary journey from a childhood marked by instability, foster care, and group homes to becoming a licensed therapist and the founder of Aurora Sun Counseling. Listeners will discover how resilience, education, and determination helped Theresa transform her pain into purpose. Her story offers hope to anyone who has faced adversity, reminding us that our past does not determine our future. This conversation explores healing, perseverance, the power of believing in yourself, and what it truly means to redefine beauty through strength, compassion, and creating a life that serves others.

In this episode I sit down with Dr. Andrew Gold, associate professor, emotional intelligence expert, and author of Beyond Emotional Intelligence: Never Have Another Bad Day!. After struggling with clinical anxiety and depression for years, Dr. Gold began studying emotional intelligence and discovered practical tools that completely changed the way he approached his thoughts, emotions, and daily life. Those techniques eventually helped him stop relying on medication and inspired him to write a book dedicated to helping others build healthier, more resilient lives. Together, we discuss what emotional intelligence really is, how it impacts confidence, relationships, and mental well-being, and simple strategies anyone can begin using to better understand and manage their emotions. Whether you're navigating stress, struggling with self-doubt, or simply looking to become the best version of yourself, this conversation will leave you with practical takeaways and a new perspective on the power of your mind. This episode is a reminder that while we can't always control what happens to us, we can learn skills that help us respond with greater resilience, confidence, and emotional strength.  

In this inspiring episode, I sit down with Dr. Gold to have an open and empowering conversation about confidence, self-worth, mental health, and learning how to truly embrace who you are. We talk about the pressures young people face today, the importance of positive self-talk, and practical ways to build confidence from the inside out. Through personal stories, professional insight, and meaningful advice, this episode is all about reminding listeners that beauty is not about perfection,  it’s about authenticity, resilience, and believing in yourself. Tune in for a conversation that will leave you feeling motivated, uplifted, and empowered to define beauty on your own terms.

In this episode I sit down with Gianna, founder of Glow with Gianna, to talk about her deeply personal journey with food, self-image, and self-worth. What started as a quiet struggle during her high school years, feeling disconnected, comparing herself to others, and questioning where she belonged. This gradually developed into an unhealthy relationship with food and body image, fueled by the pressures of social media and unrealistic expectations.

Gianna opens up about how these experiences impacted her confidence and mental well-being, and how she began the process of healing. Not through perfection, but through understanding, self-compassion, and growth. She shares how learning to nourish her body and mind transformed her perspective and helped her rebuild her sense of self.

Now, through her initiative Glow with Gianna, she empowers girls and women to develop healthier relationships with food, strengthen their confidence, and prioritize their mental health. This conversation is a reminder that you are not alone in your struggles, healing is possible, and your worth is never defined by your appearance.

In this powerful episode I sit down with Alyssa to share her raw and inspiring journey. Diagnosed with ADHD at just 14, Alyssa opens up about how that moment shaped her understanding of herself and how it connected to deeper challenges like anxiety, depression, and being diagnosed with bipolar disorder. This conversation is real, honest, and empowering. Alyssa talks about what it’s like to navigate multiple diagnoses, the ups and downs of learning to manage them, and how she continues to grow stronger through it all. If you’ve ever felt misunderstood, overwhelmed, or like you’re fighting battles people can’t see, this episode will remind you that you’re not alone. This is more than a story, it’s proof that your struggles don’t define you… you do. 

In this episode, I bring on Amy and she shares her journey growing up in the spotlight. From competitive dance and pageantry to working as a television news reporter. She opens up about the impact constant comparison, perfectionism, and people-pleasing had on her body image and self-esteem, and how she’s now learning to prioritize her own happiness. As a pageant coach, Amy also discusses how she helps young women build confidence beyond appearances and redefine what beauty truly means.

In this episode, I chat with Faith, Miss Gloucester County 2025, model, and host of the “Got to Have Faith” podcast. Faith shares her journey with mental health, how helping others became part of her healing, and why she chose to get involved with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. We also talk about how pageantry helped her overcome bullying, embrace her confidence, and see beauty through the lens of her culture. Faith gives empowering advice on staying strong, chasing your dreams, and what she would tell her younger self.