More than a handshake

Beyond the Uniform: Combat, courage and comraderie

In this conversation, Justin describes himself as a team-oriented person with strong work ethic who tries to “leave things better” than he found them, a value shaped by time attached to Marines as a Navy corpsman. He recounts joining the military after childhood fascination, attempting SEAL training, then serving five years as a medic primarily with 1/9 Marines and deploying to Afghanistan. He discusses difficult reintegration—fireworks triggering cover-seeking, and hesitation to seek formal help due to career impact. Justin traces a “windy road” through college, contracting overseas including Kabul, an MBA, and becoming an EMS/fire supplies sales rep, while emphasizing using VA benefits despite red tape. Justin and Sheena discuss the ways we need to help veterans, and how mental health is served by the buddy system.

Who Am I? Yoga, Dharma, and Identity

In this conversation, Sheena and Megan explore the question “Who am I?” through yoga philosophy, ego, identity, and self-trust. Megan shares her path from early yoga practice to teaching, living in Japan and Bali, running a yoga school, and then losing that identity during the pandemic. She discusses rebuilding through teaching opportunities and then eventually taking over Niantic Yoga Studio after a healer’s prediction and a symbolic owl sighting. They contrast purpose (dharma) with job, emphasizing creating, and what it’s really like to serve without attachment to outcomes. Megan’s shares her daily practice as meditation with alternate-nostril breathing and the Gayatri Mantra. The episode closes with yoga’s guidance for the world: compassion, keeping the heart open, and yoga as accessible to everyone.
Megan can be found at @yogatrotteracademy and @nianticyoga and of course, in person at Niantic Yoga Studio. 
 
00:17 Who Am I Really
04:34 Masks and Self Trust
09:47 Ego and Curiosity
12:34 Japan and Bali Journey
15:53 Pandemic Identity Collapse
21:31 Finding Purpose and Dharma
31:25 Co Regulation and Death Work
34:04 Generational Gifts
35:16 Leaving Bali
35:44 Healer Prediction Comes True
39:52 Owl Sign and Move
41:17 Finding the Yoga Shala
45:54 Ankle Injury Podcast Birth
47:33 Hard Times Become Beauty
49:05 Personal Yoga Practice
50:18 Gayatri Mantra Meditation
56:23 Focus Shapes Your Mind
59:27 Observing Thoughts Power
01:02:49 Origin Story with Yoga
01:03:51 Priest Teacher at Villanova
01:07:14 Embodied Poses Change Mind
01:08:13 What Yoga Pose Are You
01:14:16 Yoga Becomes Lifeline
01:15:37 Mindful Movement Community
01:19:01 Dharma Over Dollars
01:21:45 Create Without Attachment
01:27:41 Heart Led Business Balance
01:38:49 Yoga Is For Everyone

I like myself: Black excellence and World travel

This week, Sheena sits down with Malcolm Archibald, who describes himself as grounded in legacy while aiming to create more love and happiness. He discusses navigating cultural noise, defining manhood as intentional pursuit paired with character, and adopting a growth mindset focused on getting 1% better every day. Malcolm shares childhood anger and reframes happiness as a decision. He explains resilience as built through repeated risk-taking and major life moves, and recounts being drugged in college as a pivotal moment that shifted him away from self-centeredness. He details his journey healing self-hatred tied to Black identity through mentors and Black Men’s safe spaces. He credits restaurant bartending for access to transformative networks, and explains how travel fuels self-discovery. Malcolm shares his Instagram and his community dinner series, Dinner And Discourse.
Malcolm’s Instragram: @whereismalcolmat
 
00:12 Legacy and Love
02:19 What Makes a Man
06:00 Happiness Is a Choice
09:17 Anxiety and Resilience
12:32 Leaps Build Confidence
15:53 Chasing Greatness
22:10 Drugged in College
23:36 Owning Past Anger
25:47 The Angry Truth Seeker
28:39 From Black Sheep to Lighthouse
29:48 Pivotal Moments Behind the Bar
31:45 Healing Black Identity
34:16 Mentors and Men's Circles
35:27 Chasing Money to Self Worth
39:01 Travel as Self Reflection
40:39 Mexico Reset and Alone Time
46:18 Remote Work and Simple Living
49:24 Redefining Success and Family
52:56 Growth Mindset and Closing

Owning Audacity: Yes, I Am Too Much

In this conversation, Sheena talks to Allison Guillbault, a trauma therapist who now also coaches, speaks, and hosts retreats. She shares how embracing being “too much” became a turning point after years of shrinking herself, and reframes “too much” as confidence, vulnerability, discernment, and reciprocity. She discusses cycle-breaking around guilt, perfectionism, and wealth, arguing women should pursue money and talk about it. Allison describes leaving a corporate career to become a therapist, trusting intuition amid uncertainty. She offers retreats in Bali and New Orleans, a 12-week group program “Uncaged,” and the “Woke Bitch” rage room. She also recounts her atypical IVF journey, its cost, and how becoming a mom added new values to her life.
Show notes:
00:00 Meet Alison
01:12 Owning Her Height
02:17 Yes I Am Too Much
03:52 A Moment of rising up
07:28 Confidence Without Armor
10:16 Healing And Uncertainty
13:50 Origin Story Too Much
15:52 Career Leap To Therapy
21:10 Mom Guilt
24:53 Childhood Roots Of Independence
33:38 Cycle Breaker Money Talk
42:08 Breaking Generational Cycles
42:59 Raising a Bold Daughter
43:47 Therapy and Retreat Offerings
46:25 Uncaged and Somatic Audacity
52:35 Betting on Yourself
53:40 Woke Bitch Screamy Calls
57:55 Rage as Regulation
01:02:26 IVF Journey
01:12:07 Motherhood and Slower Living
01:18:28 Permission to Define Yourself
01:21:37 Where to Find Allison

Sex Therapy: Shame, the why and LTRs

In this conversation, Sheena sits down with Georgina “Gigi” Vass, about identity, inspiration, and the pivotal life events that shaped her path into becoming a sex therapist. Gigi describes meaning and purpose as rooted in loved ones, humor, and balancing family needs with self-care. She explains what sex therapy is and clears misconceptions about physical contact. They discuss career origins, training differences, changes in the field (holistic approaches, porn/tech, visibility, neurodivergence), current topics, and why people may be having less sex. They cover BDSM, kink vs fetish, shame and self-compassion, and creativity in sex. Gigi also has great insight about sustaining intimacy in long-term relationships, and the harms of avoidance in communication.
Georgina Vass can be found on instagram and tiktok as @georginavasstherapist and by email at georginasvass@gmail.com
00:00 Meet Gigi
01:49 Roots And Family
03:14 What Inspires You
05:45 Defining Life Moments
11:19 Meaning And Purpose
13:56 Finding Balance
17:19 What Is Sex Therapy
18:56 Why Sex Therapy
27:06 Trends In Sex Therapy
32:38 Why Less Sex
37:04 BDSM Basics
40:19 Taboo Kinks and Labels
42:31 Do You Need a Why
46:09 Fetish Versus Kink
47:18 Misconceptions and Education
49:33 How to Explore Safely
54:50 Sex as Creativity
01:01:10 Keeping Desire Alive
01:06:39 Repair and Consistency
01:11:10 Working Through Sexual Shame
01:14:15 Avoidance and Hard Talks

Nourish Yourself: Human Design, Wholeness, and Breaking the Cycle

In this episode, Sheena sits down with holistic health coach and yoga teacher Bethany for a rich conversation about healing, self-discovery, and what it truly means to thrive. Bethany shares her journey from witnessing eating disorders in high school to building a multidimensional practice rooted in nutrition, human design, yoga philosophy, and ceremony work. Together they explore the power of following inspiration, the importance of foundational self-care, and the beauty and complexity of being a cycle breaker, all while weaving in the deeper truth that real healing happens not in isolation, but in connection with others.
Bethany can be found at @bethanykovo and @empowercollective
00:00 Purpose
02:17 Early Eating Disorder Awakening
03:53 From Clinic to Collective
07:17 Yoga as North Star
16:08 Coaching Clients and Tools
20:59 Nourish Method Explained
25:47 Human Design Basics
36:35 Human Design vs Astrology
45:07 Belonging as a Need
46:15 Soul Lessons and Co-Creation
49:42 Healing Through Relationships
52:39 Disconnection and Basic Needs
55:56 Cycle Breakers and Conforming
01:03:14 Breaking Family Patterns
01:11:05 Future Work and Community
01:16:28 You Are Already Whole
01:20:16 Holding Two Truths
01:28:08 Final Wrap

Tuning In: Sound, Intuition, and Creative Alchemy

In this episode, Sheena sits down with Kat Burns for an honest and inspiring conversation about healing, self-discovery, and the power of creativity. Kat is a creative alchemist and spiritual practitioner, using sound healing, Reiki and tarot, based in Lisbon, Portugal. Kat opens up about her journey from struggling with profound self-worth issues to healing her limiting beliefs through somatic work and energy practices. Together they explore the science and spirituality behind sound as a healing modality, what it means to follow your intuition when the world has been drowning it out, and how stepping away from burnout culture ultimately led Kat to build a life and thriving practice abroad. If you're a creative who feels stuck on their own journey of growth, this one is for you.
Kat can be found at https://iamkatburns.com/ and @iamkatburns
00:00 Creative Identity
01:44 Fulfillment Through Service
05:03 From Self Hate to Hope
09:35 Faith as Catalyst
11:32 Tools That Changed Everything
19:11 Somatics and Nervous System
23:10 Becoming Who You Needed
25:14 Sound Healing for Creativity
27:57 Creative Blocks Explained
34:55 Frequencies and Brainwaves
44:04 Reclaiming Intuition
50:54 From LA to Remote Year
56:11 Why Lisbon Stayed
01:00:12 Building Community Abroad
01:02:45 Sound Healing Origins
01:04:23 Family Support and Identity
01:09:55 Business Ease and Flow
01:14:57 Returning to Creative Love
01:22:48 Creative Alchemy Invitation

Making meaning: Love, Weed and Grief

 
In this conversation, Sheena and Daniel sit down to reflect on identity. Daniel explains why he now specializes in grief counseling—personal losses and years supporting caregivers. He emphasizes using direct language about death, the emotional weight and rewards of connection, and the use of rituals to honor loss. They discuss grief beyond death, stigma, trauma, and meaning-making. The conversation turns to his love story: meeting his South African partner online, sustaining years of communication before meeting in person, and shifting from scarcity mindset to investing in happiness. Daniel shares his plans to move to SA, and navigating fears about politics and adjustment. He closes with his best advice.
00:00 Meet the Guest
00:39 Identity Beyond Work
03:18 Rethinking Work Ethic
06:21 Why Grief Counseling
12:47 Talking About Death
16:13 Grief Beyond Death
19:55 Stages and Meaning
24:56 Trauma and Stigma
30:01 Regrets and Relationships
35:54 Heavy Days and Burnout
37:32 Human Connection in Care
38:26 Grief and Joy Together
39:06 Rituals to Honor Loss
42:29 Meeting Love During COVID
45:41 Long Distance to First Visit
48:08 Chemistry and Travel Lessons
52:15 Attachment Identity and Partnership
57:42 Moving Plans and Marriage Talk
01:04:58 Fears Excitement and Gratitude
01:10:47 Closing Advice

End With Ease: A Death Guide's Secret

Sarah, an RN and death guide, shares her background as a longtime bartender who became a nurse out of necessity, and how she sits with discomfort. She explains how she supports end-of-life autonomy, and how her nursing experience and spirituality inform her work. She outlines her business, End With Ease, including guidance on medical aid in dying (not legal in Connecticut) and voluntary stopping eating and drinking (VSED). Sarah recounts early experiences with death, loneliness in the work, self-care amid stress, and how her own cervical cancer led her to slow down and deepen her connection to spirit.
Sarah can be found @good_death_nurse and sarahsparen@yahoo.com
00:00 Meet Sarah
00:55 From Bars to Nursing
04:20 What Is a Death Guide
13:13 Hospice Misconceptions
14:54 Spiritual Side of Dying
17:14 First Death Experience
24:00 Embracing Death Guide Role
28:24 Loneliness and Self Care
33:19 Palliative to Hospice Process
39:55 Private Client Planning
42:05 Dying at Home Explained
50:30 VSED Basics Legality
52:42 Hard Reality Timeline
53:23 Body Natural Dying Process
54:49 Letting Go Not Forcing
55:58 Learning Sharing Evidence
59:24 Hardest Part Family Resistance
01:00:13 Young Fighter Breakthrough
01:06:51 Death Is Beautiful Now
01:12:35 How To Get Curious
01:15:30 Hospice Morphine Myths
01:17:02 Spirit And Body Explained
01:21:22 Cancer Changed Everything
01:26:32 Body As Gift On Loan
01:34:54 Closing Contact Info

Sheena on Identity, Purpose, and Going First

Sheena Knight introduces her unfiltered podcast on identity and purpose, explaining why she’s stepping into vulnerability after years of being more comfortable asking others hard questions. She shares her own identity as a sensitive, risk-taking artist and idea-lover who has long navigated masking and dysfunction. She reflects on choosing a bold, unconventional life. After a recent cancer experience and a period of grief, she commits to rejecting small talk in favor of raw conversations about what’s underneath people’s stories. This show is for those seeking realness, connection, and courage.
Sheena can be found at @thesheenaknight or @morethanahandshake
00:00 Why I Went First
00:29 Who I Am
02:38 Masks and Code Switching
03:25 Family Roots and Survival
04:16 Choosing a Bold Life
05:42 Cancer and the Cave
06:18 No More Small Talk
07:17 Who This Show Is For
07:49 In Motion and Next Episode