Life (UN)Closeted: LGBTQ & Heterosexual Coming Out Stories & Advice for coming out of life's closets!

We never really understand our inherent bias until we understand our inherent bias. Fellow Podcaster Bruce Anthony, comes clean about his own homophobia and how it has enabled him to step beyond the judgments and open up to empathy and understanding so that he can continue to lean into other perspectives of life. About Bruce As an individual with an insatiable curiosity about people from different backgrounds, cultures, religions, and ideologies, Bruce believes that acquiring knowledge from diverse aspects of life helps us evolve as individuals and become more complete human beings. His journey into podcasting began as people found interest in my thoughts and opinions on various aspects of life. He seized the opportunity to start this podcast as a platform for interviewing intriguing individuals and engaging in captivating conversations. By exploring the intersections of society, politics, and identity, we aim to provide insightful perspectives that challenge conventional wisdom and foster meaningful dialogue. While his academic background includes a degree in history from the University of Maryland, where he initially pursued a career in teaching, the essence of being an educator remains at the core of who he is. Throughout his professional journey, which encompasses diverse roles such as bartender, restaurant manager, part owner of a pro wrestling company, personal trainer, and fitness director, he has had the privilege of interacting with people from all walks of life. Connect With Bruce Website Instagram YouTube Twitter

He spent most his life living to the faith that was drilled into his head, always believing this was the way, until it no longer was. Through this thought-provoking and inspiring conversation about overcoming religious constraints, embracing personal growth, finding peace, and aligning with one's authentic self, Victor Diaz share the transformative power of breaking free from religious bondage, embracing self-love, and finding harmony with his true self. About Victor Victor is a Heroic Performance Coach whose philosophy centers around embracing one's heroic self—the courageous, authentic, and empowered version of oneself. By focusing on Energy Work and Love, clients unlock their true potential, tap into activating their heroic best selves, while navigating life's challenges with grace and resilience. With Victor as their guide, individuals are empowered to live a life that aligns with their values, passions, and aspirations, creating a powerful and lasting impact in their personal and professional spheres. Victor has served as Fortune 100 Corporate and Hospice Chaplain, a Pastor, an Entrepreneur and Real Estate Investor, and is now a Heroic Public Benefit Ambassador and Heroic Performance Coach. Connect With Victor Website

From the scars of life at an early age - literal scars - Gayle Petrillo has dealt with being different. Physically different. yet, in all her life of making first impressions, the one she most had to make with herself, of accepting herself, just as she was. Sharing her closet story of being a burn survivor, Gayle provides an impactful interview that shows, no matter how you've been burned you can always thrive instead of just surviving. About Gayle Born and raised in Albany, New York, Gayle has called Tucson home for 24 years. She is married to her best friend and most avid supporter, Al, for over 43 years. Gayle earned her MBA at 50 and has over 30 years in healthcare leadership roles, much of it in the human resources arena. In 2017 Gayle launched First Impressions, an image consulting firm because “We never get a second opportunity to make that all important first impression, on paper or in person”. As a career and confidence coach, Gayle enhances her clients’ first impressions, from customer service (eye contact, listening skills and body language) to business etiquette; interview preparation, negotiation strategies, and networking skills. She provides personal shopping services ensuring one’s confidence shines no matter the occasion. Gayle’s book, The Accident, released in 2021, shares her story as a burn survivor, being fearful of everyone and everything, to becoming fearless; and turning obstacles into positive outcomes, tackling many phobias in an attempt to gain and retain self-confidence. Gayle gives back to her community as Board Chair for Junior Achievement of Southern Arizona; vice chair and chair of the philanthropy committee of the American Red Cross of Southern Arizona, and helps bring Arizona Burn Foundation support, education and activities to Tucson. Connect With Gayle Website Facebook LinkedIn

Many LGBTQ+ individuals struggle with the question, "How do I show up at work, and as a leader, while still being true to myself as a queer person?" The answer, "Your way, on your terms!" Jim Fielding, author of the brand new book, ALL PRIDE, NO EGO: A Queer Executive’s Journey to Living and Leading Authentically, shares he navigated his gay life and roles at t top global brands including Disney, DreamWorks, and Twentieth Century Fox.  From his conservative Midwestern roots and a lovingly imperfect family to higher education, travel, advocacy, Jim found how seeing the world through a distinctly different lens is actually a positive way of being in the world, living life without apologies. About Jim Jim Fielding is an acclaimed retail and media industry veteran whose expertise combines storytelling, product innovation, merchandising, and consumer experiences. He is a partner at independent media company Archer Gray, and president of its Co-Lab Division. Having led consumer products groups at the world’s largest media companies, Jim served as president of Disney Stores Worldwide, and transformed global consumer experiences at DreamWorks, Twentieth Century Fox, and more.  His early career experience has included top global brands, from The Gap to Lands’ End, where he mastered vertical specialty retail, product design, store operations, visual merchandising, and supply chain management. Jim later served as CEO of Claire’s Stores, Inc., a leading jewelry and accessories retailer. An active community leader and philanthropist, Jim is a founder of the Queer Philanthropy Circle, the nation’s premier fundraising and advocacy group for the queer community. He also participates in the Women’s Philanthropic Leadership Circle and the Black Philanthropy Circle.  Jim serves on the board of directors for the Indiana University Foundation, and has served as an executive-in-residence for IU’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and as a board member for GLSEN, Make-A-Wish International, and American Red Cross.  He lives in Atlanta with his partner, Joseph. Connect with Jim Website Instagram Twitter LinkedIn

There's something absolutely beautiful about stepping into the light of our truth and coming out of the closet. That light is you being you at your soul level. Dr Roger Leslie joins us on the podcast today to shed light on how you can step into the light of you and be your most authentic LGBTQ+ self. About Dr. Roger Leslie Dr. Roger Leslie is an author, editor, publisher, and inspirational teacher. He discovered his life’s mission from the light he discovered after emerging from the youthful struggle to reconcile his sexual orientation with his spirituality. Once he discovered his soul, he has lived from it to inspire people to live the life they dream and empower them to find their unique spiritual destiny. Dr. Roger's new book is  Light Come Out Of The Closet: Memoir of a Gay Soul. Connect With Dr. Roger Leslie Website Facebook Instagram Twitter LinkedIn

Guilt, shame, anxiety, depression. These are some of the most common traits affecting the LGBTQ community as a whole. Today, my guest Nick Santo, Psychotherapist, and I share our own experiences on our journeys to combat these issues as well as provide ways to step into self-love and self-awareness to enrich who we are as LGBTQ+ individuals. About Nick Dr. Nick Santo earned his MSW at Fordham and his DSW at NYU. He holds a certificate in Advanced Clinical Practice and completed the Psychodynamic Psychotherapy one-year program at the Training Institute for Mental Health. He is currently a psychoanalytic candidate at the Institute for the Psychoanalytic Study of Subjectivity. He has been practicing psychotherapy for 14+ years, and currently maintains a private practice. Dr. Santo’s interests include treatment with sexual and gender minority adults with histories of relational and/or religious trauma. Connect With Nick Website Instagram

We all have trauma. Yes, that's a truth. But if you don't embrace that truth, you are actually causing more trauma to yourself. Guiding the direction of unpacking trauma as a LGBTQ+ individual, Riana Milne (CCTP-II) brings her expertise of facing our traumas and learning the power of holding hands and moving beyond them. This podcast includes the 10 Childhood Traumas that we most experience and is an insightful acceptance of how to see them so we can go do the work with them. About Riana Milne Coach Riana Milne was Selected as “One of the Top Coaches to Follow in 2022” by Wealth Insider Magazine and is also featured in FORBES Magazine and Business Success Magazine. She’s a Certified, Global Life, Love Trauma Recovery & Mindset Coach, Advanced Cert. Clinical Trauma & Addictions Professional (CCTP-II), a #1 Bestselling Author, the Host of her Podcast called Lessons in Life & Love™, an Educational Speaker, and a Licensed Mental Health Counselor for over 23 years living in Palm Beach County, Florida. Riana also won the 2022 GIVA International Award for Top Female Entrepreneur of the Year and Top Global Wellness Coach; and was selected in 2021 as “One of The 100 Most Successful Women Around the World” by The Global Trade Chamber. She was also a Life & Dating Coach for the 12-show Docu-Series; Radical Dating – Finding Lasting Love Over 40 (and her client is now happily married!). Riana specializes in those who have had past Childhood or Relationship Trauma and offers Group & VIP Coaching programs for Singles & Couples globally. Riana’s 5-star rated books; the #1 Bestseller, LOVE Beyond Your Dreams – Break Free of Toxic Relationships to Have the Love You Deserve - and - LIVE Beyond Your Dreams – from Fear and Doubt to Personal Power, Purpose, and Success addresses Life's Difficult Transitions, Personal Transformation, The Mindset for Success, and having Loving, Conscious Relationships with yourself and others. Connect With Riana Website Instagram Facebook Podcast LinkedIn

We all have many layers and facets to who we are as human beings. Yet, we hide some parts and voices of ourselves. How fun is that? Instead when we unleash all aspects of ourselves into the world we discover the power of living our truth and being exactly who we're meant to be. Dr. Ronnie Gladden shares their story, and book - White Girl Within: Letters of Self-Discovery Between a Transgender and Transracial Black Man and his Inner Female - and the power of being fully yourself. About Dr. Ronnie Gladden Dr. Ronnie Gladden is an international speaker, actor, and tenured college professor. They regularly speak about identity, diversity, and inclusion for K-12 schools, universities, and nonprofits, including the Ronald McDonald House Charities, the city of Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky University, and more. In addition to advising student LGBTQ+ organizations, Dr. Ronnie has implemented critical diversity and inclusion training curricula and dynamic speaking series across multiple campuses. Their approach centers on fostering identity reconciliation, empowerment, and independent representation via authentic, transformative, and diverse leadership practices. Dr. Ronnie holds a doctorate in educational leadership from Northern Kentucky University, where they defended and published a dissertation on diversity leadership and intersectionality. They have also earned a master of fine arts from Miami University, a master of education from Xavier University, and a bachelor of arts from the University of Cincinnati. They attended the International Summer Schools Study at the University of Cambridge and have been accepted into the dramatic performance program at the University of Cincinnati’s College Conservatory of Music and into a prestigious conference at The Juilliard School. Along with their contribution to Mithu M. Sanyal’s award-winning book Identitti, Dr. Ronnie has been featured in UCLA’s Queer Cats Journal, Medium, POPSUGAR, and Yahoo! Additionally, Dr. Ronnie was mentored by Jackie Mitchard (The Deep End of the Ocean and the first inductee into the Oprah Winfrey Book Club) and Alissa Nutting (Made for Love). Also, Dr. Ronnie appeared in The Rachel Divide, a documentary about complex identity, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2018 and now streams on Netflix. Connect With Dr. Ronnie Website Instagram Facebook

Just because a guy is not the epitome of masculinity doesn't mean he isn't a man. Yet, so many sensitive men get given a bad rap - especially gay men, but even more so the straight guys who get mislabeled as gay because they are sensitive guys. Author William Allen shares his new book Confessions of a Sensitive Man and his journey to his truth and why we need to make more room for sensitive men in the world. About William William Allen is an author with a writer’s heart and researcher’s mind. After getting a degree in Psychology with an eye on doing psychology research, he recalibrated for a career in Information Technology. He found himself in a thirty-year career as an Information Technology manager at Wells Fargo who enjoyed managing highly intelligent, often difficult staff, many of whom were highly sensitive. He retired early from his corporate job to start his Hypno-coaching and neurofeedback brain training business, BrainPilots, in Bend, Oregon. In late 2016, he began his blog, The Sensitive Man, about his experiences, as a highly sensitive man. The blog became the genesis of his first book, Confessions of a Sensitive Man. His new book, On Being a Sensitive Man, is the follow up book, which focuses on how to live in the world as a sensitive man. He feels that HSP males need to take their keen insights and intuition and make them public. He would like to shed more light on highly sensitive males and the much-needed role they need to take in our society. Connect With William Website Facebook Twitter LinkedIn

Baseball and a love for country music. That's about as heteronormative as... Wait that would be generalizing and putting someone in a box, which is not we want in the LGBTQ+ community. So why would you think a major league baseball player, and country singer doesn't really fit the gay box. Because that is making an assumption of what it means to be gay. Breaking the molds is professional baseball player and rising country music artist Bryan Ruby who has a message about assumptions and boxes you get put in as a gay man, and who aspires to inspire others to be themselves, regardless of the box people try to put you in. About Bryan Bryan Ruby is a trailblazing professional baseball player and rising country music artist based in Nashville, Tennessee. In September of 2021 he became the only active professional baseball player to come out as gay, and his story was featured in USA Today as well as 100+ media outlets around the world including CBS, Yahoo, Bleacher Report and Teen Vogue. As a songwriter, Bryan has penned songs that have appeared on the Texas Country Top 50 chart and the iTunes Country Top 25 (#16), and songs he has written have been featured on both Huffington Post and People Magazine. As an artist, he won season 7 of the talent-search competition Nashville Rising Song, and is preparing for the release of his debut EP in 2023. Also in 2023, Bryan will be the subject of a feature-length documentary directed by award winning filmmaker Clay Westervelt (Life In The Doghouse, Miss You Can Do It), which will focus on his underdog path through the traditionalist worlds of baseball and country music. It will also chronicle the founding of his first-of-its kind charity, Proud To Be In Baseball, which supports and encourages LGBTQ youth in the sport. A native of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Bryan grew up “country,” splitting his time between the baseball field, his family’s barbecue restaurant and the local country radio station (92.5 WXTU), where he worked as an intern. He then took his two loves to Vassar College where he studied on a vocal music scholarship and captained the baseball team to First Team All-Conference honors. In college, Ruby won a $5,000 songwriting prize and caught the attention of NYC-based producer and sound engineer Chris Connors (John Legend, Kanye West, NEED2BREATHE). The two collaborated on several projects including commercial music for the New England Sports Network. Bryan relocated to Nashville in 2019, and in-between baseball seasons, has developed an impressive network of co-writers and collaborators. To date he has 12+ professional cuts and has performed the National Anthem at several major events, including for the LA Dodgers. He has worked with several major influencers in support of the Sports Equality Foundation and is becoming a respected voice in the baseball, country music, and LGBTQ+ communities. More than anything, Bryan hopes to write music that “speaks to kids who feel like he did at 14,” when his love for baseball and country music seemed at odds with the secrets he kept hidden away. “Baseball and country music are woven into the fabric of America; I just want to make sure that anyone who loves them like I do feels safe and welcome there.” Connect With Bryan Website Instagram Facebook

Using her own life experience of trauma - coming out late in life, hiding herself for years, and then a traumatic brain injury, Sarah Salisott is now on a mission to helps parents and children navigate past the traumas to live their best lives. Here is her coming out story. About Sarah Sarah is a Certified Parent Coach whose passion is helping families with children who have experienced trauma or struggle with attachment. She started The Foster Lane Parent Coaching in 2016. Her goal: Use coaching to help others avoid some of the parenting challenges my own family faced. She's spent over 5,000 hours researching trauma, children’s brain development, parenting strategies, and foster and adoptive parenting. She successfully completed the graduate-level Parent Coach Certification program through the Parent Coaching Institute®, have completed the initial training in Theraplay, and continues to attend conferences on trauma-informed parenting. Sarah's upcoming book is called "Welcome To The Foster Lane!" Connect With Sarah Website Facebook

Born with the gene of needing to make everyone like you, this Tomboy was afraid of being abandoned and being alone. She lived her life as a chameleon, blending in to keep the peace and make everyone happy. That trauma lead to mental, and physical pain until she finally did the work she needed to do to live life on her terms. Stephanie Serone shares how she broke free from bullying and self-criticism to live her most empowered life. About Stephanie Serone is a licensed Transformologist® an authority in empowering women, and facilitating the worlds only female specific transformation process based on the science of epigenetics to resolve chronic emotional issues and inter-generational trauma to create inspiring, instant and irreversible change. Connect With Stephanie Website Instagram Facebook

Rick DellaRatta is an ally of the LGBTQ+ community, who believes the only way to bring peace to the world is to unite is all in our empathy and understanding of one another. Share himself and his music today on the podcast Rick takes us on a journey of why embracing the LGBTQ+ community is a form of peace on the planet. About Rick Rick DellaRatta is his brand "Jazz for Peace," to bring peace to the LGBTQ+ world and world at large. Now considered by many to be one of the finest Singer/Pianists performing today and one of only a handful of Jazz Artists who can make a successful musical presentation to a large audience without having to abandon the true art form of Jazz. Through his life long endeavor to help advance people to their highest potential through the understanding of Jazz as well as spreading peace worldwide through his "Jazz for Peace World Tour", Rick DellaRatta is considered to be an innovator and a visionary. His unique and original piano playing and composing has been compared in print to Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Bill Evans, McCoy Tyner, Keith Jarrett, Joe Zawinul, Horace Silver, Oscar Peterson and Thelonious Monk while his signature vocal sound and style has been likened to Chet Baker, Billie Holiday, Joao Gilberto, Ivan Lins, Michael Franks and Antonio Carlos Jobim. Dr. Billy Taylor put Ricks impact in perspective when commenting on Ricks "Thought Provoking CD - he said: "Rick DellaRatta is one of the people who is taking Jazz to the next level". Connect With Rick Website Facebook Instagram Twitter LinkedIn   You can also listen to the podcast on…        

You'd have to be blind, not listening, and burying your head in the sand to not realize LGBTQ+ rights and lives are on the line, as well as other marginalized communities - black, asian, hispanic, jews, muslims, women. It's a crazy time to be "the others." But does that mean we hide and let them win? No we "fight forward" as today's guest Yuval David says. Using his platforms as an actor, filmmaker, host, director, and advocate, Yuval is here to entertain, uplift, and inspire." Here are his thoughts and the state of our "fighting forward." About Yuval Yuval David is a celebrated and Emmy Award winning actor, host, director, and filmmaker, who has won over 100 international film festival awards. His creative mantra "to entertain, uplift and inspire" shapes his approach to “storytelling with boldness, vulnerability, and authenticity in representing characters and narratives.” In addition to his work in entertainment and media, Yuval is a passionate advocate and activist. Advocacy for the marginalized and under-represented is a driving force, along with his focus on Jewish, LGBTQ, humanitarian, arts and creative initiatives. He uses his creative work as a vehicle for the greater good on behalf of highly respected American, Israeli, and international organizations. Connect With Yuval Website Instagram Twitter YouTube   You can also listen to the podcast on…        

Times are insane. It can make you want to hide, stop watching the news, and pretend you are something that you're not. But it's not easy to do that when you are black and queer. Your skin color literally gives you away, and then when it's revealed that your queer...lawd help ya. Breaking the mold and having candid conversations about being Black and Queer on Campus, is Dr. Michael P. Jeffries, Dean of Academic Affairs Wellesley College - ally and advocate for black and queer rights - because it is just morally the place to be. Catch this inspiring conversation about doing what's right for equality in America. About Michael Dr. Michael P. Jeffries is Dean of Academic Affairs, Class of 1949 Professor in Ethics, and Professor of American Studies at Wellesley College. He holds a PhD from Harvard University and works at the intersection of race, culture, and politics. Dr. Jeffries is the author of four books. Black and Queer on Campus (NYU Press, 2023) provides an inside look at Black LGBTQ college students and their experiences. Behind the Laughs: Community and Inequality in Comedy (Stanford University Press, 2017) explores the world of professional comedy, where social and professional demands force artists to build strong communities in an industry divided along lines of race, class, and gender. Paint the White House Black: Barack Obama and the Meaning of Race in America (Stanford University Press, 2013) uses Obama's presidency to demonstrate how race relies on other social forces, like gender and class, for its meaning and impact. Thug Life: Race, Gender, and the Meaning of Hip-Hop (University of Chicago Press, 2011) puts the spotlight on hip-hop fans and describes how everyday listeners define hip-hop and use it in their lives. Dr. Jeffries has published dozens of essays and works of criticism in The New York Times, The Atlantic, The Guardian, and The Boston Globe, and has been interviewed by The Washington Post, The New York Times, NPR, and other outlets. He is a regular contributor on television and radio at Boston's public broadcasting station, WGBH. Connect With Michael Website Twitter LinkedIn   You can also listen to the podcast on…      

Nonbinary. It's simple. Just ask the questions you're afraid to ask, in the right way, and you will learn and you will support our nonbinary community. But we make it so much harder than that. Guiding us to have the candid conversations is Author Ocean Atlas as they discuss their book Nonbinary For Beginners: Everything you’ve been afraid to ask about gender, pronouns, being an ally, and black & white thinking.About OceanOcean is a 30-something explorer of this beautiful planet and the internal landscapes of human beings. Ocean is trans; nonbinary; an inclusivity consultant; an artist; an enthusiast of animals, plants and sunrises; and a friend you have not yet met. Pronouns: they/she/he/none.Ocean's book, Nonbinary For Beginners: Everything you’ve been afraid to ask about gender, pronouns, being an ally, and black & white thinking, is a book about autonomy and allowing people (including yourself!) to be exactly who you are. The book is designed to be so readable that even people who hate reading (and definitely aren't interested in nonbinary people) will finish it. In a world of seemingly increasing division, we can all benefit from a little more empathy and open-mindedConnect With OceanWebsiteInstagramTwitterYou can also listen to the podcast on…

Coming out is an act of compassion and courage. But without the clarity to step forward, many of us will continue to hide our beautiful selves from the world. Sensei Koshin Paley Ellison, author of Untangled: Walking the eightfold path to clarity, courage, and compassion, joins us today to talk about his journey out and how it lead him to step into the world buddhism and zen practices to quiet his own mind and live a life uncloseted. About Koshin Sensei Koshin Paley Ellison, MFA, LMSW, DMIN, is an author, Zen teacher, Jungian psychotherapist, and Certified Chaplaincy Educator. After many years as a chaplain and psychotherapist, Koshin co-founded the New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care, which offers contemplative approaches to care through education, personal caregiving, and Zen practice. Today, New York Zen Center’s methodologies are internationally recognized—and have touched the lives of tens of thousands of individuals. Koshin is a world renowned thought leader in contemplative care. He is the author of Untangled: Walking the Eightfold Path to Clarity, Courage, and Compassion (Balance/Hachette, 2022); Wholehearted: Slow Down, Help Out, Wake Up (Wisdom Publications, 2019) and the co-editor of Awake at the Bedside: Contemplative Teachings on Palliative and End of Life Care (Wisdom Publications, 2016). His work has been featured in the New York Times, PBS, CBS Sunday Morning, Tricycle among other publications. Koshin has served as the co-director of Contemplative Care Services for the Department of Integrative Medicine and as the chaplaincy supervisor for the Pain and Palliative Care Department at Mount Sinai Beth Israel Medical Center, where he also served on the Medical Ethics Committee. He is currently on the faculty of the University of Arizona Medical School’s Center for Integrative Medicine’s Integrative Medicine Fellowship, on Faculty of the Integrative Medicine Fellowship of the Academy of Integrative Health and Medicine, and he is a visiting professor at the McGovern Center for Humanities and Ethics, of the University of Texas Health Science Center of Houston Medical School. Connect With Koshin Website Instagram Twitter   You can also listen to the podcast on…       img...

Happy Pride and it's time to celebrate you, your story, and all our queer stories. And why should we tell and share our stories? Because it helps to move you forward into loving and owning your story as a member of the LGBTQ+ community. Joining us in celebration of our stories is Molly Sider, ally, fellow coach and storyteller to help you better tell your story, your truth, and be who you are meant to be in the world. About Molly Molly Sider is the creator and host of I Am This Age, the podcast proving you’re never too old to make a big change. Molly has been making her own changes throughout her 40’s including transitioning from being a long-time wine professional to a podcaster and certified professional life coach. Molly is also a storyteller and believes the most efficient way to create peace in the world and within yourself is by sharing your story and listening to other people share theirs. Molly’s favorite thing to do is to coach people into revealing their true identity and life purpose through, of course, stories. Connect With Molly Website Instagram Facebook LinkedIn You can also listen to the podcast on…        

As a precursor to PRIDE Month, this is a call to PRIDE. To ensure we move forward in the way that we need to, to not have our voices silenced, and our rights taken away. As you celebrate pride, take heed to how we can use P-R-I-D-E as our mantra to celebrate our truth and stand in the face of right-wing insanity. You can also listen to the podcast on…        

Joy, happiness, being in love with you. Sounds great but as humans we find it oh so hard to get there. Until now! Step into the joy zone and uncover your zest for living. Whether you've be through a traumatic coming out experience or one where you just followed your heart and it went really smoothly, you can find your joy in the zest zone. Joining me today are two amazing, loving women who have found their zest for life and can help you find yours. Ilene and Ali form The Zest Zone, share their coming out stories and how they have found a way to be the love experts for loving life, even in the toughest times. About Ilene & Allison Ilene Mitnick and Allison Baldwin have practiced breakthrough coaching, transformational work, large-scale cultural change and leadership development for decades. Whether it’s working with those who want to start up, start over or stand out, or those who need a personal kickstart, they take a creative and unique approach allowing clients to let go of what they know and experiment with new perspectives. Their lives have always been canonized by choosing only those things that bring them joy. They have ignited their own big-life changes trailblazing new careers, launching award-winning businesses and manifesting a life where they play resident Love Experts — because, as they say, “If you’re not in love with your own life, how can you give the best of yourself to others?” Ilene and Alli currently reside in sunny St Petersburg, Fl with their beloved pet family – dog Bōdhi and cats Epstein and Jersey — and are continuously working on their reputation for living an insanely positive life. Connect With Ilene & Allison Website Instagram   You can also listen to the podcast on…