For years, Nicole Van Valen was told soft skills didn’t matter—now she’s helping top leaders rewrite the rules on resilience, burnout, and what it really takes to thrive in today’s workplace.

In today's episode, I’m joined by Nicole Van Valen, a licensed marriage and family therapist, behavioral health expert, and founder of Keane Insights—a consultancy dedicated to resilience, leadership, and joyful living. With over 25 years of experience spanning healthcare and human resources, including leadership roles at Fortune 6 companies, Nicole combines deep clinical insight with real-world corporate strategy. She’s also a dynamic speaker, coach, and the author of The Joyful Leader, a forthcoming book that explores how joy can be a transformative force for managing stress, preventing burnout, and leading with authenticity. Known for her uplifting energy and grounded wisdom, Nicole is on a mission to help people reconnect with their purpose and lead from a place of heart and intention.

Throughout this episode, Nicole brings both personal depth and professional clarity to the topic of joy as a resilience practice. She opens up about her own journey—overcoming workaholism, learning to slow down, and rediscovering joy in everyday rituals like dancing, gardening, and quiet tea breaks. Nicole also walks us through her signature “three-step model” (Discover Yourself, Design Your Landscape, Deliver on Your Goals), offering listeners a practical framework for meaningful change. Along the way, she shares behind-the-scenes moments from writing The Joyful Leader, including how she confronted her own discomfort with vulnerability to embrace joy as her leadership superpower. Through heartfelt anecdotes and actionable insights, Nicole invites us to not only reflect on what truly brings us joy—but to prioritize it, unapologetically.

Tune in as Nicole Van Valen shares how joy became her secret weapon for building resilience, setting boundaries, and leading with authenticity—plus how you can rediscover what energizes you and turn it into lasting transformation.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• Resilience reimagined: Dancing, HR, and climbing the corporate ladder (3:44)
• Redefining resilience through joy (5:32)
• Burnout, boundaries, and the joy of saying ‘no’ (10:00)
• The three-step model for sustainable joy (13:27)
• Leading with joy at work - Yes, even in corporate! (18:21)
• The book she was scared to write (19:46)
• “We’re all just people”: The human side of leadership (24:35)
• AI can’t replace this: Why human connection is the true high-value currency (27:26)
• The resilience menu: Why one size doesn’t fit all (33:11)
• Your personalized joy plan starts now (42:41)

Connect with Nicole Van Valen:

• Website
• Facebook
• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• X
• YouTube
• Get Nicole’s book!

Let's Connect:

• Website
• Instagram

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if the very body you once trusted suddenly felt like the enemy—and the only way to heal was to rewrite the story of your loss, one page at a time?

In today's episode, I’m joined by the resilient Madeleine Garner—a writer, children’s literature enthusiast, and former preschool teacher whose work explores the intersection of storytelling, healing, and parenthood. With a background in early childhood education and a deep appreciation for the emotional power of picture books, Madeleine has long used storytelling to help others navigate life’s big feelings. Her debut picture book for adults, Your Baby Will Find You, was inspired by her own experience with pregnancy loss and aims to gently open space for honest conversations around grief, love, and healing. A mother herself, she brings authenticity, compassion, and insight to every story she tells, working alongside acclaimed data designer Giorgia Lupi to pair poignant visuals with heartfelt prose.

Throughout this episode, Madeleine opens up about the miscarriage she experienced in 2022 and how writing became her pathway through grief. Drawing on her lifelong connection to children's literature, she processed the loss by crafting a picture book-style story that could hold the weight of her emotions while offering comfort to others. She speaks candidly about the emotional and physical toll of pregnancy loss, the feelings of isolation it often brings, and the journey toward trusting her body again. Through her collaboration with Giorgia Lupi, the book became a layered visual and emotional experience—one that captures the duality of joy and sorrow. Madeleine’s hope is to provide a resource that is both factual and tender, creating space for healing and helping others feel less alone in their grief.

Tune in to episode 205 of Joy Found Here as Madeleine Garner shares her powerful journey through miscarriage, the healing power of storytelling, and how her debut picture book offers comfort, connection, and hope to anyone navigating grief.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• Meet Madeleine: From preschool teacher to author (3:50)
• Learning to trust her body again (6:30)
• The journey of writing and healing (8:30)
• Creating a book that speaks to all grief (10:15)
• Navigating relationships through grief (12:40)
• The complexity of pregnancy and loss (16:15)
• Finding joy amidst grief (20:32)
• Conception, pressure, and letting go (24:37)
• The importance of community and support (31:25)
• Creating a resource for healing (34:17)
• Final thoughts and encouragement (39:28)

Connect with Madeleine Garner:

• Website
• Instagram
• Get Madeleine’s books!

Let's Connect:

• Website
• Instagram

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Before you torch the whole thing, make sure you've actually had the conversations that matter—because walking away might feel good in the moment, but cleaning up the fallout? Not so fun.

In today's episode, I’m joined by the knowledgeable Dr. Becky Whetstone, a marriage and family therapist, columnist, and author with a deep-rooted passion for helping people navigate relationship challenges. Known as the "Marriage Crisis Manager," Becky combines decades of clinical experience with a tell-it-like-it-is style that resonates with real people in real pain. Her recent book, I Think I Want Out, offers a roadmap for couples facing the possibility of separation, helping them make wise, emotionally responsible decisions. A former journalist and self-described relationship obsessive, Becky uses humor, honesty, and education to guide clients through the messiness of love and commitment.

Throughout this episode, Dr. Becky explains how her painful personal divorce experience and lack of helpful therapeutic support ignited a lifelong mission to understand and fix broken relationship dynamics. Becky outlines key topics from her book, including the stages of marriage deterioration, the impact of unspoken resentments, and the importance of managing the nervous system in communication. She passionately advocates for couples to seek help early and challenges the cultural myths around "happily ever after." She also pushes for therapists to stay involved from crisis to resolution, whether that ends in reconciliation or respectful separation. Her approach is deeply empathetic, educational, and infused with tough love and humor.

Tune in to episode 204 of Joy Found Here as Dr. Becky Whetstone explores what happens when one partner wants out, how to navigate relationship crises, and the keys to better communication and healthier decisions in marriage.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• A childhood obsession with relationships (3:26)
• From columnist to therapist (5:00)
• Why most couples get it wrong in crisis (8:42)
• Nervous systems, toxic shame, and felony words (9:20)
• How to diagnose a dying marriage (18:00)
• The most common marriage mistakes (and how to avoid them) (23:00)
• The journey to authorship (25:36)
• No, divorce isn’t the easy button (30:00)
• The therapist who stays through the storm (33:30)
• Navigating Male and Female Energies (36:17)
• The Importance of Communication in Relationships (43:00)
• Resources for Relationship Guidance (46:12)

Connect with Dr Becky Whetstone:

• Website
• Facebook
• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• X
• YouTube
• Blog
• Get Becky’s book!

Let's Connect:

• Website
• Instagram

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.