This week, in the spirit of Valentine's Day, I was so lucky to have Lindsey Metselaar BACK on the podcast. Lindsey is the host of one of my favorite podcasts of all time, We Met At Acme. Three years ago, I had the opportunity to interview Lindsey and talk about when and if we should disclose our mental health conditions while dating. (Check out the episode titled "We Met At Therapy" to hear the OG conversation). This week, Lindsey discusses her own journey to sobriety and answers some burning qu...
Feb 13, 2023•45 min•Season 4Ep. 7
I have officially hit my one month of sobriety milestone! For the first time in a really long time, I feel truly proud of myself for putting my mind to something and sticking with it. My conversation with Elizabeth was definitely a motivating factor to help me push through the tough days, and I am so grateful that she agreed to be a guest on Solace and the City. In this episode, Elizabeth talks about her previous life as a party girl and why she decided to stop drinking. We also talk a lot about...
Feb 06, 2023•1 hr 1 min•Season 4Ep. 6
I am officially 29 days sober! This is also an exciting time for me to share my conversation with Chris Shatek, a Life and Sobriety Coach for High-Functioning Drinkers. Before becoming a life coach, Chris spent over 20 years in the radio business as an on-air personality. He entertained hundreds of thousands of people and met celebrities from Taylor Swift, Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Hulk Hogan, and Will Smith. While he loved his job in radio broadcasting, he wanted to do something that was more...
Jan 30, 2023•1 hr 9 min•Season 4Ep. 5
When I first started my sobriety journey, I spent hours scrolling through TikTok to not only search for potential guests, but also to find a sober community that I could lean on in the inevitable tough times that I would face down the road. And then I came across Ally, this beautiful, radiant, successful woman exuding a sense of confidence a self-assurance that I was striving to emulate. At the time, Ally only had one video on TikTok where she talked about her sobriety. However, because she spen...
Jan 23, 2023•1 hr 19 min•Season 4Ep. 4
I'm officially fifteen days sober! When I first decided to create this "Solace and Sobriety" series, I spent hours scrolling through TikTok to find the perfect guests. I came across Crissy's profile and was so inspired by her own journey and decided to take a leap and send her a DM. Within a few hours, Crissy agreed to come on the podcast, and I am overjoyed to be sharing our conversation with you all! In this episode, Crissy talks about the ways in which the alcohol industry has made it seem im...
Jan 16, 2023•1 hr 21 min•Season 4Ep. 3
I am officially one-week sober! In this week's episode, I had the incredible opportunity of interviewing my friend Hope Woodard to learn more about her decision to cut out alcohol from her life. We talked about SO much, including Hope's views on the gray areas of sobriety, the ways in which meme culture has normalized binge drinking, dating while sober, how alcoholism leads to disconnection with oneself and one's friends, and so much more. A huge theme of this podcast episode can be summarized b...
Jan 09, 2023•1 hr 16 min•Season 4Ep. 2
New Year, New Beginnings? In this solo episode, I discuss a recent life choice that I have decided to make after months, even years, of reflection. To be completely honest, this may have been one of the most difficult recordings that I have ever released. However, I truly hope that sharing my thoughts with the world not only holds me accountable for my actions but also resonates with anyone who is going through a situation similar to my own. 2023 is going to be a year of implementing new habits,...
Jan 02, 2023•15 min•Season 4Ep. 1
...But maybe you'll listen? In this 22-minute episode I talk about my return to Austin, my new life as a graduate student, my intense field work placement, my part-time job, and many meltdowns I've had in the past two months. I hope to shed some insight into how I'm navigating a difficult time in my life and share that recovery from anything isn't linear. At the end of the episode, I ask for feedback on what I should be sharing on Solace and the City while I'm unable to have weekly podcast episo...
Oct 03, 2022•23 min•Season 3Ep. 29
This week I had the incredible opportunity of interviewing eclectic jewelry designer and lifetime creative, Natalie McMillan! Natalie is the founder and sole creative behind her namesake lifestyle brand Natalie McMillan. Using her affinity for artistry, Natalie works across a number of mediums focusing on unique and slightly off-beat pieces. In this episode, Natalie walks me through her creative career which began in 2016 by handcrafting jewelry pieces in her hot, crowded garage in the Bay Area....
Jul 25, 2022•57 min•Season 3Ep. 28
This week I had the absolute pleasure of inviting my friend Keauno (also known as Keke) Perez to be on Solace and the City! You may know Keke from his appearance on the Netflix reality show called Twentysomethings in Austin that premiered in December of last year. I've gotten to know Keke personally by virtue of living in this fantastic city, so I was so excited when he agreed to share his story on the podcast! In this episode, I ask Keauno to talk about what led him to apply to be on a reality ...
Jul 11, 2022•56 min•Season 3Ep. 27
This week I had the honor of speaking with Dr. Julia Steinberg, an Associate Professor of Family Science at the University of Maryland School of Public Health, to unpack the effect of the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe vs. Wade on women's mental health. Julia Steinberg received a PhD in social psychology in 2008 from Arizona State University and completed the Charlotte-Ellertson postdoctoral fellow in reproductive health from 2008 to 2011 in the Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Hea...
Jul 05, 2022•47 min•Season 3Ep. 26
This week I have a very special episode for you all! I sat down with Natalia Ochoa, a Psychic Medium and spiritual mentor, who talked about her profession and even gave me a reading at the end! Through her infinite curiosity in metaphysics, Natalia trained to develop her Psychic and Healing abilities to be able to bring a spiritual and heart-centered spin to media and business. Now she works with clients and companies to strengthen their intuitive power through metaphysical practices like psychi...
Jun 27, 2022•1 hr 5 min•Season 3Ep. 25
This week I had the incredibly opportunity of speaking with Parker Foster, NY-based filmmaker and founder of the mental health organization Be Here Now. Growing up learning how to film in the skate world, Parker quickly found the value of bringing an authentic and raw feeling to his work. In this episode, Parker and I talk about how he came to love and find solace in filmmaking and what led him to create a non-profit that highlights stories of those struggling with their mental health. Much like...
Jun 20, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Season 3Ep. 24
This week I had the honor of speaking with Gigi Robinson, a digital artist, health & wellness advocate, current M.S. Candidate at the University of Southern California, and the first Sports Illustrated Model who openly battles a chronic illness. In this episode, I speak with Gigi about the work ethic, ambition, and tenacity that helped her transition her photography skills into those that create an impact through storytelling. Part of Gigi's story includes a chronic illness that she was diag...
Jun 13, 2022•39 min•Season 3Ep. 23
Maddy Price was born to two Canadian parents which allowed her to compete for the Canadian Team in Track and Field. Maddy is a 400 meter sprinter and 4x400 relay specialist who graduated from Duke University in 2018 and completed a Masters of Management Studies in 2019 while supporting the track and field team through volunteer coaching up until June 2021. Maddy just barely missed the 2016 Canadian Olympic Team, the last race her dad ever saw, but then set her sights on Tokyo. Her road to Tokyo ...
Jun 06, 2022•41 min•Season 3Ep. 22
We are BACK! After a brief hiatus, I am so excited to share the recording of our first live podcast with Joanne Irizarry of A Safe Place Inside Your Head. If you have been following Solace and the City since its inception, you may remember when I first met and recorded with Joanne during March of 2021. This past week, I had the privilege of speaking with Joanne again at Soho House Austin for an event honoring Mental Health Awareness Month. In this episode, Joanne reviews the mission of her menta...
May 31, 2022•40 min•Season 3Ep. 21
First things first, I wanted to apologize for my two-week hiatus from posting episodes for Solace and the City. I discuss the reasons for my absence in the intro, but ultimately I can only attribute this to the difficulties of balancing a full-time job with a self-run podcast! Nevertheless, I am back with an incredible episode featuring the co-founders of Presently, Emily and Lindsay Stetzer. In this episode, I speak with Emily and Lindsay about their history dealing with OCD and how the obsessi...
Mar 14, 2022•58 min•Season 3Ep. 20
This week I am so excited to share my conversation with Alexis Haines. Born Alexis Neiers, this former wild child grew up in the public eye and was involved in the scandal known as "The Bling Ring." Alexis got sober at nineteen years old after facing up to six years in the correctional system due to a burglary conviction. As the star of the E! Reality series Pretty Wild, Alexis became a media sensation after her public meltdown became a viral meme. Her firsthand experience with substance abuse c...
Feb 22, 2022•44 min•Season 3Ep. 19
I am fangirling this week! I had the opportunity to virtually sit down with content creator and host of the new podcast called Bad Vibes, Talia Lichtstein! You probably have seen some of Talia's videos on TikTok, where she lists things that she doesn't like or stuff that annoys her. I have found myself gravitating towards Talia's videos due to the relatability of her content and her unapologetic hot takes on life. After being inspired by an episode of Euphoria, I knew she would be the perfect pe...
Feb 14, 2022•57 min•Season 3Ep. 18
This week I had the honor to record with Vanessa Reiser, 2X Ironman, Ultra-Marathoner, and Licensed Clinical Social Worker focusing on Narcissistic abuse. Last May, Vanessa ran across the state of New York to raise awareness about narcissistic abuse - that's about 23 miles each day! In this episode, I ask Vanessa to provide some red flags to look out for that might indicate narcissistic tendencies, and she shares the story behind her epic 300-mile journey. Be sure to give Vanessa a follow @vanes...
Feb 07, 2022•42 min•Season 3Ep. 17
This week I had the absolute pleasure of sitting down with Tori Penta, a friend, colleague, and overall badass human being. Tori is a certified life coach and works with her clients to cultivate the best practices to maintain physical and mental wellness. I brought Tori on to help me unpack a topic that's been on my mind for a while. Wellness has grown from budding personal health concept to a $4.2 trillion global industry. My question for Tori is: how can we discern fact from fiction? At what p...
Jan 31, 2022•56 min•Season 3Ep. 16
This week I had the incredible honor of speaking with Sarah Merrill Hall, the creator of the popular brand and podcast, Big Kid Problems! For those who don't know, @Bigkidproblems started as an anonymous Twitter account from the basement of Sarah's sorority house during her senior year of college. Applying for jobs and realizing that she was less-than-prepared for adult life, Big Kid Problems became an outlet and one of Sarah's favorite hobbies. Eight years and over 500k followers later, Big Kid...
Jan 17, 2022•48 min•Season 3Ep. 15
Who here made some New Year’s intentions? (That’s right — not resolutions!) This week I had the absolute pleasure of speaking with my dear friend and fellow podcaster Stella Stephanopoulos. We talk about what we learned in the past year, what we want to leave behind, and what we want to bring into 2022! Stella is wise beyond her years, so be sure to take a listen to this episode, as there is so much to be gained! And be sure to check out Stella’s awesome podcast “Everyday Endorphins” wherever yo...
Jan 10, 2022•1 hr 6 min•Season 3Ep. 14
Happy New Year, Solace and the City Family! This week we have a very special crossover episode with Schuyler DeBree and Kat Zempolich of The Mental Matchup! Together we took some time to reflect on this past year and some things that we learned from the various guests we brought on to our respective podcasts. We discuss the common threads between our missions, the topics that kept popping up, our thoughts on the mental health stigma and how everyone copes differently, some of our favorite episod...
Jan 03, 2022•1 hr 8 min•Season 3Ep. 13
This week I had ANOTHER absolutely incredible conversation with Jacqueline Trumbull! Jacqueline is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Psychology at Duke University and was able to share her insight into some very important mental health topics. Being that Jacqueline is both a psychology student and a Bachelor alum, she is able to speak to the ways in which the franchise commercializes vulnerability in a way that's unhealthy for all parties involved. We discuss the differences between authentic vu...
Dec 20, 2021•1 hr 5 min•Season 3Ep. 12
These past few weeks I have been home for the holidays, which means I have been spending a lot of my time in New York City. As some of you know, I started this podcast in many ways to help me find my place in the concrete jungle after a pretty lonely year of my life. Solace and the City was instrumental in bringing me out of my shell and helping me re-fall in love with New York. I truly never thought I would leave. Unfortunately, living in the city during the first year of a global pandemic brou...
Dec 13, 2021•49 min•Season 3Ep. 11
I am TOTALLY fangirling, because this past weekend I got to sit down and record with the host of one of my favorite dating podcasts, Ilana Dunn! Ilana is such a badass -- she went from a successful career in the music industry to working directly with Nick Jonas, and then ultimately she landed a job which essentially made her the face of Hinge. (Anyone heard of it?) Working for a dating app helped Ilana realize how much of an impact she could have by helping the hopelessly romantic navigate the ...
Dec 06, 2021•59 min•Season 3Ep. 10
This week, I had the privilege of speaking with India Oxenberg, activist, author, film producer, and former member of the NXIVM cult. At age 19, India and her mother attended a session of lectures that were part of the "Executive Success Program." Much like Sarah Edmondson, a former guest of Solace and the City , India had no idea that this program would change the course of her life forever. During our conversation, India discussed the horrific manipulation tactics orchestrated by Keith Raniere...
Nov 29, 2021•55 min•Season 3Ep. 9
This week I had the opportunity to record with a local Austin musician, Mitchell Davis! I actually first met Mitchell when I was walking on the pedestrian bridge in downtown Austin. My friend Cole was about to propose to his girlfriend, so I asked Mitchell if he would be willing to play a song for them when he got down on one knee, and he agreed without hesitation! After such an incredible encounter, I obviously had to invite him to come on the podcast! In this episode, Mitchell and I talk about...
Nov 22, 2021•48 min•Season 3Ep. 8
This week I am so excited to be sharing my conversation with Candy Washington -- a writer, podcast host, actor, influencer, and the founder of 1214 Media Productions. In this episode, we about codependency and the ways in which it manifests in all different types of relationships. Candy provides thoughtful insights on how to recover from codependency based on her own experience as well as from the research she conducted on the topic for her latest novel, Triggered. Candy is also the executive pr...
Nov 15, 2021•1 hr 2 min•Season 3Ep. 7
