Empowered and Unapologetic: Mastering Marriage, Motherhood, and Business - A Business Woman's Guide to Balancing it all.

Ever feel like balancing career and motherhood is a never-ending juggling act where something's always about to fall?" Hello, and welcome back to the Empowered and Unapologetic podcast! I'm your host, Veronica Cisneros, and today, I'm thrilled to introduce you to Kathy Sullivan—a powerhouse executive coach and change agent. As the owner of Talent Principles, Kathy has spent years empowering women to break through barriers at work and beyond. She's here to share some insight into her journey, her work with high-achieving women, and the wisdom from her book, Moms Eat First: Five Principles to Prioritize Yourself and Create the Change You Crave. Summary Reflection is key to self-preservation and understanding what is important to you. Rediscovering possibilities is essential to feeding your soul and dreaming big. It's never too late to reset your priorities based on what is important to you. Amid adversity, you can reclaim power through choice and perseverance. Peace prevails when you release what you can't control and focus on what you can. Organizations can better support working moms by providing flexibility, support, and pay equity. Maintain resilience and personal growth by defining self-care, knowing yourself, and celebrating wins. Building a Career While Raising a Family Kathy's story is one of resilience, as she balances her successful career as an executive coach with being a single mom of two. "Day by day," Kathy says. For her, it was a journey of self-reflection and learning to prioritize herself. She describes how her background in HR and organizational development, coupled with her own life experiences, shaped her approach to empowering women. Kathy understands the unique challenges women face in balancing career aspirations with family life. "Many women feel guilty about not being able to 'do it all.' But self-care is the foundation that lets us show up as the best version of ourselves." - Kathy Sullivan Common Barriers for High-Achieving Women Through her work, Kathy has noticed recurring struggles faced by ambitious women, especially mothers. Guilt often tops the list, as women juggle professional roles, parenting, and societal expectations. This guilt can sometimes turn into what Kathy calls "mom-gree"—a blend of responsibility overload and resentment from trying to do it all. As a mother and executive, Kathy recognized the need for women to reframe their mindset, letting go of guilt and unrealistic expectations. Kathy encourages women to question: What am I feeling guilty about? Are these responsibilities real, or are they imposed by societal expectations? "Understanding our guilt and our 'responsibilities' lets us release what's not serving us and helps us create a new vision of balance." - Kathy Sullivan Read More

In this deeply personal final episode of Empowered and Unapologetic, Veronica reflects on what it really means to end something that mattered. Not because it failed. Not because it broke. But because it was fully lived. We live in a culture obsessed with beginnings, reinvention, and constant forward motion. What we rarely talk about is the quiet grief of transition. The space between who you were and who you are becoming. The discomfort of outgrowing a role, a season, a version of yourself. This episode is not just about the podcast ending. It is about the endings you may be standing in right now. • The end of a chapter in motherhood • A marriage evolving into something new • A career shifting • An identity softening • A season that no longer fits Veronica explores the emotional in-between that so many women mistake for failure, when it is actually integration. She shares grounding truths about pausing without a plan, releasing old survival strategies, and allowing grief to be witnessed rather than solved. If you have ever felt foggy, lost, restless, or unsure of what comes next, this conversation will meet you there. Some seasons exist to carry us forward, not define us forever. This is not a dramatic goodbye. It is an intentional pause. A reflection on growth, integration, and honoring endings with the same care we give beginnings. Take what resonates. Release what no longer fits. And trust the space in between. Book a therapy appointment: outsidethenormcounseling.com Join me on my next journey: http://veronicacisneros.org/episode313

Veronica Cisneros sits down with intimacy expert Susan Bratton to talk about what's really happening when sex feels like another task on your to do list. They unpack the opportunity inside sexual disconnection, why so many high-achieving women feel numb or resentful in long-term relationships, and how to rebuild desire without pressure, guilt, or "mercy sex." Susan breaks down stealth seduction, yoni massage, the four types of touch, and simple micro actions that shift the emotional tone at home fast. You'll leave with practical tools you can try tonight, plus a mindset reset that brings intimacy back into the realm of connection, not performance. Read more here: https://veronicacisneros.org/episode312 Speak to a therapist here: https://outsidethenormcounseling.com

Motherhood changes as your kids grow, but no one really prepares you for the emotional whiplash of teens and adult children pulling away. Hosted by Veronica Cisneros, LMFT, therapist, mom, wife, and entrepreneur, this podcast is a space for honest conversations about boundaries, identity, emotional labor, and the grief and growth that come with raising older kids. Each episode explores what it means to love your children deeply without losing yourself in the process. We talk about setting boundaries that protect your peace, navigating power struggles and disconnection, and rebuilding your sense of self when motherhood enters a new chapter. Through clinical insight, real-life stories, and conversations with trusted experts, Veronica helps women move from fear-based parenting to grounded connection—without guilt, control, or self-abandonment. If you are a mom who feels stretched thin, unseen, or unsure who you are outside of caregiving, this podcast is for you. Because boundaries are not about pushing your kids away. They are about coming home to yourself. Therapy: outsidethenormcounseling.com Coaching: veronicacisneros.org

You know what's wild about limiting beliefs? They don't show up as "I'm afraid." They show up as "I'm being realistic." Realistic sounds like: "I'll do it when things calm down." "I don't want to rock the boat." "I'm not ready yet." "Who am I to want more?" But sometimes the real fear isn't failing. It's succeeding and realizing you can't keep living the same way once you see what's possible. Stepping into your light costs you the version of you who survived by staying small. And that's why it feels scary. If this hit a nerve, listen to the Wendy Valentine episode of Empowered and Unapologetic and let it mess with your excuses in the best way. Therapy: outsidethenormcounseling.com Coaching: veronicacisneros.org

Setting boundaries does not always bring you closer. Sometimes it brings clarity. In this week's episode of Empowered and Unapologetic, we talk about the part no one warns you about. When you stop over giving, some relationships get uncomfortable. Some get distant. Some fall away. That does not mean you are doing it wrong. It often means the relationship was built on your people pleasing, not mutual respect. Boundaries do not ruin healthy relationships. They expose unhealthy ones. If a connection only works when you are silent, flexible, or emotionally exhausted, that is not intimacy. That is survival. If this hit close to home, this episode is for you. Therapy: outsidethenormcounseling.com Coaching: veronicacisneros.org

Financial abuse is not "money problems." It is control. It looks like being kept out of bank accounts, having your spending monitored or restricted, being given an allowance, or feeling like you cannot leave because you would not survive financially. It is subtle, strategic, and incredibly effective at trapping women in relationships that are no longer safe. It is also one of the number one reasons women stay. Not because they are weak. Because financial dependence removes choice. This is exactly why this week's episode matters. In this conversation, we talk openly about money, power, marriage, and what it actually takes for women to have financial agency without sacrificing their relationships or themselves. We unpack how financial control shows up, how it impacts intimacy and decision making, and why having access, knowledge, and a plan is not optional. It is protection. If any part of this made your chest tighten, that is your cue to listen. 🎧 Listen to the full episode of Empowered and Unapologetic wherever you get your podcasts. Share it with a woman who carries the financial weight in her relationship. This information saves lives. If you are in immediate danger, call your local emergency number. In the U.S., you can also contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or text START to 88788. Click here to talk to a therapist. Click here to work with Veronica one-on-one. 

Most women I work with are not lazy, unmotivated, or lacking discipline. They are exhausted. They wake up already behind, already needed, already responsible for everyone and everything. By the time they think about themselves, the day is over and the tank is empty. That is why my conversation with Kayla Logue landed so deeply. Kayla is a bestselling author, keynote speaker, multi unit franchise owner of Jet Set Pilates, and the founder of Move Into Words, a nonprofit focused on mental and physical wellness. She is also radically honest about what it actually takes to succeed without abandoning yourself in the process. One of my favorite parts of our conversation was Kayla's explanation of radical responsibility. This is not about doing more, fixing more, or holding everything together better. It is about clarity. Radical responsibility means recognizing what is actually within your control and letting go of what is not. That mindset shift is where confidence begins. Not because life gets easier, but because you stop wasting energy trying to control everything and everyone around you. Read more: https://veronicacisneros.org/episode307/ Talk to a therapist: https://outsidethenormcounseling.com

January has a funny way of sneaking up on your relationship. The holidays are over. The noise dies down. The house gets quieter. And suddenly you can feel things again. This is the month people reassess their bodies, their careers, their bank accounts. New goals. New plans. New habits. But almost no one sits down and asks the question that actually matters. How is my relationship really doing? Not "are we surviving?" Not "are we functioning?" But "are we connected?" Most couples avoid relationship check-ins for one reason. Fear. That is why this episode introduced the Five Pillar Relationship Check-In. A simple framework. No overthinking. No spiraling. Just honesty. Read more here: http://veronicacisneros.org/episode306 Talk to a therapist: https://outsidethenormcounseling.com/  

What happens when your partner keeps choosing his family over you and no one ever explains why it hurts this much? In this episode, Veronica Cisneros breaks down the hidden childhood conditioning, loyalty programming, and attachment wounds that show up when boundaries with in laws go sideways. With honesty, humor, and zero sugarcoating, she explains why this dynamic feels so triggering, why it is not about jealousy or control, and what is really happening underneath the resentment. If you have ever felt second, silenced, or emotionally unsafe in your own marriage, this conversation will finally put words to what your body already knows. This is not about blaming. It is about understanding, healing, and deciding what changes next. 👉 Read the full blog and episode breakdown: https://veronicacisneros.org/episode305/ 👉 Talk to a Therapist: https://outsidethenormcounseling.com

In this episode of Empowered and Unapologetic, Veronica Cisneros sits down with Nada Lena, two time TEDx speaker, best selling author, and founder of Rise Up For You, to unpack why so many high functioning women still struggle with confidence and what actually helps. Nada breaks down the difference between confidence as a skill and self confidence as a mindset, why perfectionism and impostor syndrome keep so many women stuck, and how our inner dialogue quietly shapes how we show up in motherhood, marriage, and work. You will learn why confidence has nothing to do with being outgoing or fearless, how to identify the specific patterns that are chipping away at your self trust, and simple, tangible ways to start rebuilding confidence without fake positivity or hustle culture pressure. This conversation is honest, practical, and grounding, especially for women who look capable on the outside but feel unsure on the inside. If you have ever wondered if you are doing enough, being enough, or getting it right, this episode is for you. 👉 Read the full blog and episode breakdown: https://veronicacisneros.org/episode304/ 👉 Talk to a Therapist: https://outsidethenormcounseling.com

We talk about one of the most powerful shifts a woman can make in her relationship: giving herself permission to be "difficult." Tonya breaks down why so many high-achieving women silence their needs, how resentment builds when we keep the peace at our own expense, and what it actually looks like to communicate with clarity, honesty, and confidence. If you've ever been called a nag, too emotional, or "hard to deal with," this conversation will help you understand why your voice matters more than you think and how to start using it without guilt. And if you're ready to go deeper, I want to invite you to join my Marriage Reset webinar series, where we break down the exact conversations, boundaries, and mindset shifts that help you rebuild connection and stop carrying the relationship on your own. Use promo code REIGNITE50 at checkout for $150 off the webinar bundle.  Save your spot here: https://outsidethenormcounseling.com/marriage-reset/ Tune in, take a breath, and let this episode remind you that asking for more is not the problem. Staying silent is.

So many women struggle to feel truly safe in their relationships, even when everything "should" feel fine. In this episode, Veronica talks with psychotherapist and bestselling author Jessica Baum about why your body might still brace for abandonment, why love can feel overwhelming or distant, and how early attachment patterns quietly shape the way you show up with your partner today. Jessica breaks down anxious, avoidant, and disorganized attachment in a way that finally makes sense—and explains why your reactions aren't dramatic, irrational, or broken. They're protective. Together, Veronica and Jessica dive into abandonment wounds, emotional neglect, earned security, and what it really takes to build safe, connected relationships as an adult. If you've ever wondered why you keep repeating the same painful dynamics or why closeness can feel terrifying, this conversation will help you understand your emotional blueprint and start rewriting it.   Read more at https://veronicacisneros.org/episode302/ and sign up for the Marriage Reset Webinar Series at https://outsidethenormcounseling.com/marriage-reset/  

Feeling disconnected from your partner? Wondering why your desire feels muted, or why intimacy suddenly feels like one more thing on your never-ending list? In this episode of Empowered and Unapologetic, I sit down with somatic sex therapist Susan Morgan Taylor, MA, to unpack the real reasons women lose desire…and why your sex drive isn't actually the problem. We talk about the nervous system, feminine energy, pleasure pathways, libido "mismatches," and how to reconnect with yourself so intimacy stops feeling like pressure and starts feeling like possibility again. If you've ever worried that something was "wrong" with you, this episode will give you clarity, compassion, and a new way to understand desire. 👉 Read the full blog and episode breakdown: https://veronicacisneros.org/episode301/ 👉 Join our Marriage Reset Webinar Series: https://outsidethenormcounseling.com/marriage-reset/ This conversation is your reminder that you're not broken ... you're just ready to reconnect.

Ever look at your partner (the person you've built a whole life with) and think, How the hell did we get here?You're not alone. In this milestone 300th episode, Veronica gets brutally honest about the moment every couple eventually hits: the distance, the resentment, the emotional load, the disconnect you can feel even while sharing the same bed. Instead of pretending everything's fine or offering a highlight reel, she breaks down why every relationship needs a RESET ... not because it's broken, but because you've changed, your partner has changed, and the relationship hasn't caught up yet. This episode dives deep into the real stuff no one talks about: intimacy that fades, resentment that builds, parenting that drains you dry, and old wounds that sneak into new arguments. Veronica walks you through what a real reset looks like: curiosity, ownership, micro-intimacy, and the conversations that can bring a marriage back to life. If you're craving connection, honesty, or a fresh start with your partner, this is the episode you cannot skip. Let's reset: together. Read more: https://veronicacisneros.org/episode299/ Coaching: https://veronicacisneros.org/ Talk to a therapist: https://outsidethenormcounseling.com

What if divorce didn't have to destroy you, or your kids? In this powerful episode, Veronica sits down with author and Google executive Sarah Armstrong to talk about how to navigate divorce with grace instead of guilt. Sarah shares how she rebuilt her life as a single working mom, created intentional boundaries like "Grace Time," and learned that peace comes from presence, not perfection. Together, they unpack what a good divorce really means, why saying "no" without excuses can save your sanity, and how to take the high road (even when it's uphill). If you've ever wondered how to protect your kids, your career, and your sense of self through one of life's hardest transitions, this episode will show you it's possible. Read more: https://veronicacisneros.org/episode299/ Coaching: https://veronicacisneros.org/ Talk to a therapist: https://outsidethenormcounseling.com

Ever wonder how to rebuild after betrayal without losing yourself in the process? In this episode, Veronica Cisneros gets brutally honest about her own marriage, the gut-punch of infidelity, and the surprising power of radical acceptance. She shares how heartbreak became her biggest teacher, and how healing doesn't start with your partner, it starts with you. If you've ever said, "I could never stay after that," this episode will challenge you to think deeper about what healing actually means. You'll learn why suffering is a choice, how to stop being handcuffed to your past, and what it really takes to move from devastation to empowerment—with humor, grit, and a few hard truths along the way. Read more: https://veronicacisneros.org/episode298/ Coaching: https://veronicacisneros.org/ Talk to a therapist: https://outsidethenormcounseling.com

We've been taught that being selfless is the highest form of love, but all it really did was make us invisible. As Béa Victoria Albina puts it, so many of us learned to earn safety, belonging, and worth by taking care of everyone else first. That's emotional outsourcing: when your nervous system confuses approval with survival. You can't rest if someone's upset, can't sit still when there's laundry to fold, can't stop apologizing just to keep the peace. Sound familiar? The truth is, reclaiming yourself isn't selfish ... it's revolutionary. Every time you pause to breathe, pee when you need to, or ask your body what it wants instead of guessing what everyone else does, you're reprogramming your nervous system for peace. You're not broken; you were trained to overfunction. Now you get to unlearn it. Read more: https://veronicacisneros.org/episode297/ Coaching: https://veronicacisneros.org/ Talk to a therapist: https://outsidethenormcounseling.com  

Born and raised in one of Nigeria's most chaotic neighborhoods, Eunice Atuejide learned early how to find joy where others only saw struggle. A lawyer qualified in both England and Nigeria, she's spent decades watching ego (not opposition) destroy relationships, reputations, and peace. Now, she's teaching women everywhere how to pause, breathe, and choose curiosity over control. Because being right might win the argument, but it rarely wins connection. In this conversation, Eunice joins Veronica to unpack why ego loves to run the show, how childhood trauma shapes our need to prove ourselves, and why letting go is the most radical act of strength. From courtroom lessons to kitchen-table wisdom, Eunice reminds us that peace isn't found in perfection, it's found in perspective. Veronica Cisneros is the Founder and Lead LMFT of Outside the Norm Counseling, where she helps women break free from people-pleasing, perfectionism, and fear of conflict. As the host of the Empowered and Unapologetic Podcast and a sought-after coach, she empowers women to show up boldly in their marriages, motherhood, and leadership. Coaching: https://veronicacisneros.org/ Therapy: https://outsidethenormcounseling.com/  

Feeling stuck in stress mode before the day even begins? Coach Chuck Bernard joins Veronica to help us break that cycle. With over 30 years in education and a lifetime of coaching both athletes and parents, Chuck shares his powerful S.O.W.method (Self-identify, Own it, and Weed out negativity) to help you shift from survival to possibility. In this episode, you'll learn how to uncover the hidden beliefs draining your energy, create simple rituals that actually stick, and plant the kind of thoughts that change how you show up for yourself, your family, and your marriage. Get ready to stop reacting and start sowing seeds of calm, clarity, and confidence. More here: https://veronicacisneros.org/episode295/