This season was filled with powerful stories, inspiring guests, and real-life moments that reminded us: this is more than a podcast... it’s a movement. In this heartfelt finale of Season 6, Vanessa reflects on the highs and the lessons, shares fun behind-the-scenes moments, and gives you a sneak peek of what’s coming in Season 7. With 20 incredible guests — including doctors, therapists, entrepreneurs, and real moms navigating real life — this season offered wisdom, validation, and connection in...
Jun 30, 2025•13 min•Season 6Ep. 276
What if you didn’t have to wait for a breakdown or life crisis to start living with purpose? In this episode, Vanessa is joined by Malaysia Harrell, a spiritual transformation coach, licensed psychotherapist, veteran, and speaker. Malaysia shares how a near-death experience became the turning point that led her to surrender, heal, and fully step into alignment with her life’s mission. If you’ve ever felt like you’re constantly putting others first, stuck in survival mode, or unsure how to make t...
Jun 23, 2025•43 min•Season 6Ep. 275
In this heartfelt winddown of the Free to Be Mindful Podcast , Vanessa invites us to explore the very thing so many of us struggle with: rest . Through personal stories, cultural reflections, and gentle guidance, she helps us unpack why slowing down feels uncomfortable — and how to finally find peace in the pause. Drawing from her upbringing in a traditional Dominican household, Vanessa shares how hustle culture, perfectionism, and even trauma can shape our relationship with rest. She walks us t...
Jun 16, 2025•13 min•Season 6Ep. 274
In this episode of the Free to Be Mindful Podcast, Vanessa is joined by dermatologist and mom Dr. Mary Alice Mina to talk about how our skin changes over time—and why taking care of it doesn’t have to be complicated. They break down what really affects our skin, including hormones, stress, and lifestyle habits. Dr. Mina shares practical advice that goes beyond just products. She talks about how skincare is connected to sleep, nutrition, and how we care for ourselves day to day. The conversation ...
Jun 09, 2025•37 min•Season 6Ep. 273
In this thoughtful episode of the Free to Be Mindful Podcast, Vanessa invites you to explore what it really means to be rich, beyond bank accounts and material success. Through reflections on celebrity insights and everyday experiences, she shares how true wealth is often rooted in presence, purpose, and a deep sense of gratitude. EPISODE DESCRIPTION Why money is often tied to safety and happiness What high-net-worth celebrities say about true success How life in simpler settings can reflect dee...
Jun 02, 2025•12 min•Season 6Ep. 272
In this episode of the Free to Be Mindful Podcast, Vanessa De Jesus Guzman talks with Dr. Nichelle Bowes, a leadership coach, mental fitness expert, and speaker. After a life-changing bike accident, Dr. Bowes began helping high-achieving women, especially Black and Brown women, live with more purpose and joy. They explore the pressure many women feel to follow a checklist of life milestones—like getting the degree, the job, the marriage, the family—and how that path doesn’t always lead to happin...
May 26, 2025•41 min•Season 6Ep. 271
In this special anniversary episode, Vanessa De Jesus Guzman — licensed therapist, speaker, and host of the Free to Be Mindful podcast — reflects on six years of growth, resilience, and purpose. What began as a part-time dream has evolved into a full-time mission: supporting others through mindful living, mental health, and personal growth. From navigating licensing setbacks to launching a private practice, from building a national speaking presence to embracing new motherhood again after a deca...
May 19, 2025•22 min•Season 6Ep. 270
In this episode, Vanessa is joined by Traci Peterson—nurse practitioner, entrepreneur, and founder of Woman Lessons, a movement designed to help mothers and daughters build confidence and connection. They explore how busyness can become a woman’s identity, why so many high performers struggle with self-worth, and how those patterns can unintentionally shape the next generation. Traci opens up about the moment her daughter asked for “woman lessons” and how it led to a deeper mission around identi...
May 12, 2025•41 min•Season 6Ep. 269
EPISODE DESCRIPTION: Before becoming a mom, many of us carry a picture in our minds—a version of motherhood built from childhood dreams, cultural narratives, and curated social media posts. But what happens when real life doesn’t match the picture? In this episode, Vanessa gets honest about the gap between expectations and reality, not in parenting—but in the motherhood experience itself. With warmth, humor, and grounded reflection, she explores what it really means to let go of perfection, make...
May 05, 2025•13 min•Season 6Ep. 268
In this episode of the Free to Be Mindful Podcast, host Vanessa had such a meaningful conversation with Lacey Newman—a powerhouse speaker, coach, and top real estate team leader based out of Nashville. Lacey is a high-performing entrepreneur who’s led a top 1.5% real estate team and a mom of two who knows what it’s like to juggle a million things while still trying to stay grounded. Lacey opened up about her journey as a single mom, and how that chapter of her life forced her to get crystal clea...
Apr 28, 2025•38 min•Season 6Ep. 267
In this episode of the Free to Be Mindful Podcast , Vanessa De Jesus Guzman, therapist, mom, and speaker, dives into a conversation that’s equal parts real talk and reflection: the blurry line between rest and avoidance . With humor, honesty, and a few unpopular opinions, Vanessa explores what it really means to honor your limits—without using boundaries as an excuse to check out. Whether you’re feeling burnt out, stuck in a lazy season, or caught in a cycle of “I just don’t feel like it,” this ...
Apr 21, 2025•16 min•Season 6Ep. 266
In this episode, I had the pleasure of chatting with Angel Hepp—fellow mom of two, golden doodle lover, and co-founder of Meet Salt Collective, a creative marketing agency that helps businesses connect through powerful storytelling. We talked all about how motherhood and entrepreneurship overlap in the most unexpected (and sometimes messy) ways, and how being clear, whether with your kids or your clients, can make all the difference. Angel shared so many gems—from her favorite mom hacks, like te...
Apr 15, 2025•44 min•Season 6Ep. 265
Life has a funny way of making us feel like we’re always racing against some invisible clock — like if we don’t meet certain milestones by a certain age, we’ve somehow failed. But what if we’ve been measuring progress all wrong? In this episode of the Free to Be Mindful Podcast , we explore the pressure of timelines — the kind we create in our minds, hear from others, and absorb from social media. Vanessa shares psychological insights, personal stories, and mindset-shifting strategies to help yo...
Apr 07, 2025•17 min•Season 6Ep. 264
Welcome to The Consult a Counselor Series , a special segment of the Free to Be Mindful Podcast . Join therapist and host Vanessa De Jesus Guzman, LPC, NCC, as she answers real-life parenting questions to help you find your calm in the chaos of parenting—and not lose your, well… you know. TODAY'S QUESTION: "My daughter is 16 and is definitely smoking weed. What should I do?" Finding out your teen is using weed can bring on a wave of panic, anger, confusion—and guilt. Do you confront her? Punish ...
Apr 03, 2025•8 min•Season 6Ep. 263
In Episode 262 of Free to Be Mindful Podcast, Vanessa De Jesus Guzman welcomes Rebekah Taylor, a real estate investor who transitioned from tech after a near-death experience in childbirth. Rebekah shares insights on mindful living, balancing career and family, and building multiple income streams for financial freedom—all while prioritizing self-care and mental health. As a mom of three, she highlights the power of routines, quality time, and flexibility. She also breaks down real estate strate...
Mar 31, 2025•43 min•Season 6Ep. 262
Welcome to The Consult a Counselor Series , a special segment of the Free to Be Mindful Podcast . Join therapist and host Vanessa De Jesus Guzman, LPC, NCC, as she answers real-life parenting questions to help you find your calm in the chaos of parenting—and not lose your, well… you know. TODAY'S QUESTION: "What can I do when I feel like I’m failing as a parent?" The guilt, the overwhelm, the mental checklist of all the things that didn’t get done—and the ones you wish you had done differently. ...
Mar 27, 2025•5 min•Season 6Ep. 261
Welcome to The Consult a Counselor Series , a special segment of the Free to Be Mindful Podcast . Join therapist and host Vanessa De Jesus Guzman, LPC, NCC, as she answers real-life parenting questions to help you find your calm in the chaos of parenting—and not lose your, well… you know. TODAY'S QUESTION: "I really think my kid needs therapy, but I don't want to put up with family members thinking or saying he's crazy if I take him. Advice?" You know your child could benefit from therapy, but t...
Mar 20, 2025•7 min•Season 6Ep. 159
Confidence... it’s something we all want to feel, yet sometimes, it feels just out of reach. Whether it’s second-guessing ourselves, shrinking in spaces that don’t support our growth, or letting self-doubt take the wheel, so many of us struggle to fully own our power. In this episode of the Free to Be Mindful Podcast , we’re breaking down why confidence can feel so hard to hold onto and, more importantly, how we can shift our mindset to embrace it fully. Because confidence isn’t about faking it—...
Mar 17, 2025•16 min•Ep. 260
In this episode, host Vanessa De Jesus Guzman chats with Courtney Youngs, author of The Waggle Dance , about life's unexpected twists and turns. Courtney shares her personal story—from career shifts to personal challenges—and how she discovered the power of the Waggle Dance: learning from life’s experiences and sharing those lessons with others, much like bees do. She opens up about how becoming a mother changed her perspective, making her realize that she already had many of the answers she was...
Mar 17, 2025•34 min•Season 6Ep. 258
Welcome to The Consult a Counselor Series , a special segment of the Free to Be Mindful Podcast . Join therapist and host Vanessa De Jesus Guzman, LPC, NCC, as she answers real-life parenting questions to help you find your calm in the chaos of parenting—and not lose your, well… you know. TODAY'S QUESTION: "How do I handle the guilt of missing important moments because of work and the feeling of overwhelm from being a working mom?" As a working mom, it’s easy to feel pulled in a million directio...
Mar 13, 2025•7 min•Season 6Ep. 257
Saying no shouldn’t come with guilt... but for many of us, it does. From childhood expectations to cultural influences, we’ve been conditioned to prioritize others’ needs over our own. But constantly saying yes can leave us feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, and disconnected from what truly matters. In this episode we explore why people-pleasing feels so ingrained, how it affects our well-being, and most importantly, how to shift our mindset to make decisions that honor our time and energy... witho...
Mar 10, 2025•12 min•Season 6Ep. 256
Welcome to The Consult a Counselor Series , a special segment of the Free to Be Mindful Podcast . Join therapist and host Vanessa De Jesus Guzman, LPC, NCC, as she answers real-life parenting questions to help you find your calm in the chaos of parenting—and not lose your, well… you know. TODAY'S QUESTION: "How do I protect my child from online dangers while still giving them independence?" Your child begs for more screen time. They want their own social media account and insist that everyone in...
Mar 06, 2025•9 min•Season 6Ep. 255
Welcome to another insightful episode of the Free to Be Mindful Podcast! Today, we’re joined by Becca Powers—Fortune 500 sales executive, mindset expert, bestselling author, and speaker—who shares her incredible journey from working at a dollar store to thriving in a 20-year career in technology. In this episode, we dive into Becca’s latest book, A Return to Radiance , and explore the concept of “unpotential”—those moments when we feel disconnected from our true selves and passions. Becca opens ...
Mar 03, 2025•38 min•Season 6Ep. 244
Welcome to The Consult a Counselor Series , a special segment of the Free to Be Mindful Podcast . Join therapist and host Vanessa De Jesus Guzman, LPC, NCC, as she answers real-life parenting questions to help you find your calm in the chaos of parenting, and not lose your, well… you know. TODAY'S QUESTION: "How can I handle my child constantly whining?" Whining - it’s like nails on a chalkboard for parents. Whether it’s the drawn-out “Moooooommm!” or the never-ending “But I don’t wannaaaa…,” it...
Feb 27, 2025•5 min•Season 6Ep. 253
Ever feel like you’re running on fumes, but somehow, you just keep going? Like a phone with 1% battery, no charger in sight—yet you’re still pushing through? Eventually, that phone dies, and if we’re not careful, so do our energy levels, our peace, and our joy. In this episode, Vanessa gets real about the mental detox high-achieving women and perfectionists desperately need. She shares her personal experience of juggling motherhood, entrepreneurship, and leadership responsibilities while barely ...
Feb 24, 2025•13 min•Season 6Ep. 252
Welcome to The Consult a Counselor Series , a special segment of the Free to Be Mindful Podcast . Join therapist and host Vanessa De Jesus Guzman, LPC, NCC, as she answers real-life parenting questions to help you find your calm in the chaos of parenting—and not lose your, well… you know. TODAY'S QUESTION: "What are some coping strategies I can teach my child for handling big feelings like anger, sadness, or frustration?" Big emotions can feel overwhelming for both kids and parents. When frustra...
Feb 20, 2025•6 min•Season 6Ep. 251
This week on the Free to Be Mindful Podcast, host Vanessa De Jesus Guzman sits down with Dr. Nikia Smith, an anesthesiologist with a powerful story about moving from burnout to balance and fulfillment. Dr. Smith opens up about the pressures of her demanding medical career, how it affected her well-being, and the brave steps she took to put her health and happiness first. In this heartfelt conversation, Dr. Smith shares the turning point that led her to seek therapy and rethink what success reall...
Feb 17, 2025•37 min•Season 6Ep. 248
Welcome to The Consult a Counselor Series, a special segment of the Free to Be Mindful Podcast. Join therapist and host Vanessa De Jesus Guzman, LPC, NCC, as she answers real-life parenting questions, offering practical advice to help you find your calm in the chaos of parenting - and not lose your, well, you know… TODAY'S QUESTION: "What can I do to help my daughter be more confident?" In this episode, Vanessa shares practical ways to help your daughter develop unshakable confidence. From model...
Feb 13, 2025•5 min•Season 6Ep. 249
In this episode of the Free to Be Mindful Podcast , we’re diving into the topic of emotional guarding—the walls we build to protect ourselves from pain but that often keep us from experiencing connection, trust, and joy. Whether it's fear of rejection, past trauma, or societal pressures, emotional guarding can hold us back in many areas of life. Vanessa shares insights on how these walls form and offers practical strategies for breaking them down. She also reflects on her own journey of emotiona...
Feb 10, 2025•15 min•Season 6Ep. 248
Welcome to The Consult a Counselor Series, a special segment of the Free to Be Mindful Podcast . Join therapist and host Vanessa De Jesus Guzman, LPC, NCC, as she dives into real-life parenting questions, offering practical advice to help you raise confident kids, nurture stronger connections, and find your calm in the chaos of parenting. TODAY'S QUESTION: "How can I get my child to listen without having to yell or repeat myself a thousand times?" In this episode, Vanessa shares strategies to he...
Feb 06, 2025•5 min•Season 6Ep. 247
