Can I Just Say? with Nikki La Croce

Can I Just Say? is a phrase that I often say and one which is deeply rooted in the essence of who I am. It is how I enter conversations, initiate connection, and invite people to share their stories. The idea being that this is a platform and community where guests and listeners have the freedom to say whatever is on your mind and in your heart. So, when somebody leads with, “Can I just say?”, my answer is an emphatic “YES.” As I embark on this next stage of my podcasting journey, guests will be going beyond what’s expected and diving into the more raw, vulnerable parts of their stories that don’t often get enough air time or perhaps they’ve never shared before. In keeping aligned with my personal values, I am focused on building a community of cycle-breakers who want to connect and grow together.

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Episodes

Tuesday Apr 04, 2023

In this episode, I share the mic with Jenny Hughes. Jenny is a licensed clinical psychologist with a wealth of experience in the mental health field. As the founder of Brave Providers, she offers a safe space for trauma therapists to come together and address the challenges of vicarious trauma and burnout. Jenny's passion for helping others and her personal experiences navigating the hardships of her own life make her an empathetic and knowledgeable advocate for mental health professionals. By providing a platform for connection and support, Jenny envisions a community that can help therapists combat the emotional challenges they face and foster resilience within the profession.During our conversation, Jenny shares:1. The struggle mental health providers face with vicarious trauma and burnout.2. The significance of community support in strengthening trauma therapists' resilience.3. Methods of overcoming compassion fatigue and secondary traumatic stress.4. How & why she decided to start Brave Providers to create connection and support among therapists.5. The importance of mental health practitioners knowing their limits & advocating for themselves.A few of Jenny's quotable moments:"I noticed that especially during the pandemic, there were not a lot of resources for therapists to be able to get that support in a community that's protected and for them.""I think the most important first step is to be able to name what is going on and to name the vicarious trauma, compassion fatigue, whatever it might be." "If we don't have clarity, if we can't name vicarious trauma, then we're not gonna know what to do. And that what to do is a lot of different things, which can include certainly reaching out for community like in Brave, but it's really about going back to basics. that old wisdom that we all know, that we "should do" , but we aren't always able to do that because we're just trying our best to get through each day.""What I want is for people to be even more aware of vicarious resilience so that they can really benefit from those tiny little pieces along the way. Because we get those, those happen much more frequently than we realize. And so, again, just like naming vicarious trauma helps us to see the pathway to what we need to heal. Naming vicarious resilience means that we're more open to noticing those warm fuzzies that we get when these amazing things happen in therapy."To learn more about Brave Providers visit:https://www.braveproviders.com/Join the Brave Providers community on social media:TikTokhttps://www.tiktok.com/@braveprovidersInstagramhttps://www.instagram.com/braveproviders/ Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/thebravevicarioustraumacommunity--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/whothefck/message

Tuesday Mar 28, 2023

This episode I share the mic with Chuck Copenspire, business coach & magical weirdo.Chuck is one of the most interesting people I’ve ever had the privilege of speaking to, with a variety of life experiences that make for a truly dynamic conversation. With a background in software development & social media marketing, Chuck thrives when helping others overcome adversity to achieve their goals. As a self-proclaimed anti-professional professional, Chuck brings a wealth of business knowledge coupled with tremendous empathy to the forefront of personal brand-building. With a mission to make life easier for entrepreneurs seeking fulfillment, Chuck creates content and shares useful resources that will empower those impacted by lay-offs to reach their full potential. In this episode, Chuck talks about:State-funded programs available to help entrepreneurs who have been laid off
Why it’s important to listen to your body to help you avoid burnout
The challenges faced by entrepreneurs in a turbulent economy
The importance of finding a supportive community when growing a business
A few of Chuck’s quotable moments:“I really do believe in that rising tide lifts all boats. And I just want to see more people in my community empowered, with information and with money to realize their dreams, because I've spent so much of my life thinking that'll never happen to me.”“It's all those people who've inspired me that make me want to reach the people who haven't been reached yet or share the message that hasn't been shared.”“That's part of why I want to empower more people with background similar to mine, to take up space and tell their stories and become leaders and join product development teams and change the products so that they're actually accessible for all people.”“If something bad happened to me, it's almost like I have to make something good out of it so that it's not a net loss. And so whenever something bad happens to me or something frustrates me, or something happens to someone I care about, it's like I have to either empower someone to make the solution or make the solution myself because I can't exist in a world where that problem continues to hurt more people after me.”Learn more about Chuck’s coaching business:https://magicalweirdo.com/ Follow Chuck on social:Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/magicalweirdochuck/TikTokhttps://www.tiktok.com/@magicalweirdochuck Youtubehttps://www.youtube.com/@magicalweirdochuck --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/whothefck/message

Tuesday Mar 21, 2023

On today's solo episode, I deep-dive into the importance of our connection to ourselves, especially when challenged by overwhelm in our everyday lives.Having spent 15 years in technology, most of the work environments I've experienced have been toxic is one way or more. Even now, when working at a company that exemplifies what it means to care about its employees, I still struggle to manage my overwhelm and subsequent emotions when confronted with constructive feedback. But after giving myself a chance to step away from my intense reaction, I hit 'record' and shared my best advice on how to reconcile past experiences with toxic work environments and toxic relationships to build better relationships with ourselves and others."Accountability is the crux of growth. Self-awareness is the linchpin of human connection." - Nikki La CroceIn this episode, I share my thoughts on:1. How you can establish a connection with yourself and manage stress in times of overwhelm2. How you can move forward with more intention and alignment in your professional and personal life3. What it means to give yourself grace and accountability when it comes to understanding yourselfFollow Who The F*ck?Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whothefck_podFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/whothefckpod/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/whothefck_podTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@whothefck_pod--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/whothefck/message

Tuesday Mar 14, 2023

On this episode, I share the mic with Katrina Widener.Katrina is a business coach, host of the Badass Business Squad podcast, and public speaker. She helps entrepreneurs find alignment within their businesses and to get on the path that they want.Katrina explains the differences between having consistent and inconsistent access to these parts of oneself and the implications of societal and spoken conditioning. Human Design offers an understanding of who we are and how to move through the world with empathy. Katrina understands that no business (or entrepreneur) should be put into a box that doesn’t feel right, which is why her coaching programs provide individualized support, as well as being backed by a strong community of fellow entrepreneurs.In this episode, Katrina shares her insights on:1. How human design-informed coaching can uncover the strategies that work best for you2. Navigating consistent access to your emotions, self worth, and voice3. The ability to work less & earn more when we align our passion with our professional goalsFor more on how to build personal & business alignment, listen to Katrina’s podcast, The Badass Business Squad:https://www.katrinawidener.com/badass-business-squad-podcastA few of Katrina’s quotable moments:"Human Design is a body based approach of moving through the world that gives you permission to be 100% yourself and stand firmly in your own energy, with a sense of confidence and self worth."“I feel so cliche right now, but what's the point of being alive and showing up on a day-to-day basis if we're not enjoying what we're doing?”“We get to go through creating and adapting your business based off of your current needs, but in a group setting with other people who are learning at the same time, other people who are supporting you and providing you feedback.”Learn more about Katrina: https://www.katrinawidener.com/Connect with Katrina:Instagram: https://instagram.com/katrina.widenerFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/katrinadwidener/\Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/katrinawidener/Follow Who The F*ck?Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whothefck_podFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/whothefckpod/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/whothefck_podTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@whothefck_pod--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/whothefck/message

Tuesday Mar 07, 2023

In this episode, I share the mic with Mitch Hankins. Mitch is a software developer, writer, podcaster, and mental health advocate, embarks on a journey of self-discovery to shed expectations of others and cultivate authentic relationships, uncovering a compelling central conflict along the way. By sharing his story, Mitch aims to help people understand how to create space for themselves and for others to show up authentically.Over the course of his young life, Mitch learned to rely on his own independence to maintain a sense of safety. After a moment of disillusionment, he realized he needed to take a step back and explore why he was feeling so isolated. With the help of his friends and family, he was able to gain clarity in understanding his own emotions and build a sense of community that allowed him to show up fully and be secure with himself. His presence has since changed, radiating a positive energy and a newfound understanding of the importance of having a reliable support system. In this episode, Mitch opens up about:1. When did he realize that his feelings of loneliness were impacting his ability to live his most fulfilling life?2. How did he go from a technical mindset to a desire to help people?3. What decisions helped cultivate a sense of community and build meaningful relationships?A few of Mitch's quotable moments:"Are you investing someone because they're available, or are you investing in someone because they have earned your trust?" "And really the best way to explain it is that I have always lived a life of isolation and independence, of believing it is me against the world. And I can't trust anyone, I can't rely on anyone. I have to do this myself, I have to take care of myself, I have to protect myself. I can't count on anyone else to do that for me. And that's how I designed my life.""And then when you talk to people, a lot of times the underlying mindset is just like getting it done immediately. But the realization, the epiphany of it's one small step every single day. If you take just one small step every day, you will walk miles in a decade. And it compounds too for courage, discipline, self improvement. It's just doing the smallest thing I can handle today that puts me just a little bit out of my comfort zone."Connect with Mitch on social:https://www.tiktok.com/@thedebuglifehttps://www.instagram.com/thedebuglife/https://www.youtube.com/@thedebuglife***Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please rate & review wherever you listen!***Visit whothefck.com to learn more about the podcast + check out exclusive content! Follow Who The F*ck? on social: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/whothefck_pod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@whothefck_pod Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whothefck_pod Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whothefckpod/--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/whothefck/message

Tuesday Feb 28, 2023

In this episode, Stacia Aashna, a clinical hypnotherapist and life coach, guides us on an emotionally charged journey to discover the power of self-love and resilience as we navigate our unique healing journeys. Stacia's mission and purpose is to help people heal their trauma, attachment wounds, anxiety, codependency, and more.Stacia Aashna was a young person who opens up about her own childhood trauma, which led to insecurity in expressing her feelings. When she entered adulthood, she found that her desire for connection and acceptance was still strong and she felt a deep insecurity around her self worth. Through therapy and self reflection, she was able to recognize these feelings and start to confront them. With the help of her therapist and a strong support system, Stacia learned ways to manage her trauma, attachment wounds and anxiety. She continues to use her own experiences and healing modalities to develop her practice, ultimately helping people to heal and love themselves.In this episode, you will learn the following:Emotional Self-awareness: Why is it important to acknowledge our feelings without judgment? 
Healing Trauma and Attachment Wounds: How can we create a safe space for ourselves to express and integrate our feelings?
Internal Family Systems: How can understanding our component parts help us to evolve and heal?
Resources:Click the link below to download Stacia's FREE Hypnosis Recording to help you release emotional blocks & achieve more peace and clarity in your life.(Even if you’re tired and burnt out from trying to do it all!)
https://staciaaashna.com/release-the-emotional-blocks-weighing-you-down/
Learn more about Stacia & her business:
https://staciaaashna.com/
Follow Stacia on Instagram to help you gain insights and guide you on your healing journey: https://www.instagram.com/stacia.aashna/ Watch the full episode video on Youtube: https://youtu.be/wNTmwV92qfgLoved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here wherever you listen!Connect with Who The F*ck?Website: https://whothefck.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whothefck_pod Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whothefckpod/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/whothefck_pod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@whothefck_pod--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/whothefck/message

Friday Feb 24, 2023

On this episode, I share the mic with Brad Mewhort.After experiencing his own trauma and generational violence, Brad courageously embarks on a journey to support other men in finding peace within themselves, challenging society's norms of 'boys being boys' and inspiring a compassionate resolution to conflict.Brad is the author of The Peaceful Man, a book aimed at helping men heal from violence and find peace within themselves. He holds extensive certifications in various practices, including developmental coaching, somatic practices, group facilitation, and transformative change.Through his experiences, Brad has found that the physical manifestation of trauma was often linked to the psychological and societal expectations of men to not express their feelings. This led him to explore how to manage his own emotions and create healthier relationships. As he continued down this path, he discovered the importance of compassion and empathy to break the cycles of violence and create a more peaceful world.In this episode, Brad shares his perspective on:1. How male on male violence is perpetuated in our society, and what can be done to break the cycle?2. What psychological and sociological factors lead to such high levels of male-on-male violence?3. How can men learn to recognize and address their unresolved trauma to avoid violent responses?If you know someone who would benefit from hearing Brad's story, be sure to send them a link to this episode!If you want to purchase Brad's book, The Peaceful Man, click the link below. https://amzn.to/3Ewf3f1Visit Brad's website to learn more about his mission & message about how to break free from cycles of violence.https://www.peacefulmanbook.com/ Check out Brad's other podcast interviews: https://www.peacefulmanbook.com/podcasts-and-interviews.htmlLoved this episode? Leave us a review and rating wherever you're listening.Follow Who The F*ck? on social:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whothefck_podFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/whothefckpodYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/whothefck_podTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@whothefck_pod--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/whothefck/message

Tuesday Feb 21, 2023

When we lost my mom, Deb, unexpectedly two years ago, I read something that said, “You have now become part of a club that no one wants to join.” It was true then and it’s true now.When I woke up this morning, I struggled to get out of bed. I wanted to lay still, removed from the reality of the loss for most of the morning.It took me some time to decide but I knew if I posted the episode I planned to post today, it would not be an authentic representation of where I was emotionally. And made the choice to turn on my mic + camera and record a solo episode to release today.I needed this episode to reflect where I am, my experience processing grief & sharing gratitude as I continue to navigate what it means to have lost my mom. She is ever present in the little moments, every single day. But her physical presence, her smile, her laugh, her comforting words…those things we ache for, are just memories now. So I documented this part of my journey to help me reflect and to honor my mom, the feisty, intelligent, kind, and compassionate person who raised me.Visit whothefck.com for more content & to subscribe for updates.Follow Who The F*ck?: Instagram: https ://www.instagram .com/whothefck_podFacebook: https ://www.facebook .com/whothefckpodYouTube: https ://www.youtube .com/whothefck_podTikTok: https ://www.tiktok .com/@whothefck_pod--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/whothefck/message

Tuesday Feb 14, 2023

In this episode, I share the mic with Jessica Urquhart.Jess is a Decision Empowerment Coach, Certified Deep Transformational Coach and Certified Professional Coach (C.P.C.). Tune in to hear Jess share:Why she left her career in corporate finance to become a decision empowerment coach
How she was struggling with that distance from the impact she was having on individuals
The importance of shedding external expectations when you seek to follow your purpose
Why self-trust is essential when making life changing decisions
How connecting with nature can help us reconnect with ourselves
How being introspective can help you set boundaries & find greater fulfillment
A couple of Jess’ quotable moments from this episode:“We all need support and it's very much okay to ask for support and it's so beneficial to ask for support. But in that space that I was in at that time, that mindset where, you know, it was all the external factors, like all of external perceptions were very important to me. So not admitting to other people that I was like feeling this like disconnection from the purpose of life or the meaning of life felt odd and strange and not comfortable.”“That really is the turning point is when the fear of things staying the same is greater than the fear of something new and unknown and just being able to step into that space.”“To decide, in Latin, literally translates “to cut off”. So I think like people get, uh, anxiety over making big decisions because it feels like they are cutting themselves off from possibility or what they already have. But you can also just choose. Choose to go another direction and know that you can always choose again.” “I find that when you're willing to leap into the unknown, it's because you have established some element of self-trust that you can handle what comes forward.”More about Jess & her coaching business, Altaz Coachinghttps://altazcoaching.comFollow Jess on Social Media: Linkedin Instagram Facebook--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/whothefck/message

Tuesday Feb 07, 2023

In this episode, I share the mic with Sam Mitchell.Sam is the host of the Autism Rocks and Rolls podcast, as well as a motivational speaker, entrepreneur, blogger, and educator who helps individuals and businesses better support neurodiverse colleagues & employees. Sam’s podcast has reached many people worldwide and has garnered the attention of many public figures & celebrities who are also advocates for those with autism. Tune in to hear Sam share:How being bullied inspired Sam to help others gain confidence
Why Sam believes it’s important to educate others on autism
How he has grown his podcast, Autism Rocks & Rolls
What it was like to interview autism advocate, Temple Grandin
How people can best support those on the autism spectrum
The importance of being kind, rather than judgmental
A couple of Sam’s quotable moments from this episode:“I would say that each person on the spectrum is very different. So interacting with them is gonna be a little different as well.”“I just want them to understand that, well, it's okay to be yourself regardless of who you are and what background you came from.”More about Sam & his mission:https://autismrocksandrolls.com/Since starting his podcast in 2019, Autism Rocks and Rolls has become a 503(c) non-profit with a mission to remove the stigma often associated with autism.Sam’s goal is to help parents who might be terrified because their child was diagnosed with autism, someone on the spectrum that feels lost, a business owner that wants to motivate their company, and teachers that want to understand the emotional side of autism for their students.Donate to Autism Rocks and Rolls, the 503(c) non-profit Money donated to Autism Rocks and Rolls, podcast and nonprofit, is not for personal gain. This money will go into building Sam's mission that he wholeheartedly believes in.PayPal - info@autismrocksandrolls.comVenmo - info@autismrocksandrolls.com Check out the link below to see a list of Sam’s upcoming speaking engagements: https://autismrocksandrolls.com/eventsListen to Sam’s podcast, Autism Rocks and Rolls on your preferred platform: YoutubeApple Podcasts I Heart Radio Spotify Podbean --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/whothefck/message

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