Are You Avoiding Failure or Guaranteeing It?
Phoenix and Flame Podcast
In this episode, Dana is joined by Mark DeCarlo, an Emmy-winning comedian and author who makes a compelling case that the most important job you have is to be happy. Mark shares how a near-death experience in high school completely reoriented his life, teaching him to use happiness as the ultimate "North Star" for every decision. He argues that fear is always self-destructive and that failure isn't just an option: it's a requirement for discovering your purpose. Mark offers a simple yet profound framework for identifying what truly brings you joy and challenges the myth that you have to suffer...
info_outline
Why Young Adults Are More Stuck Than Ever
Phoenix and Flame Podcast
In this episode, Dana is joined by Joanna Lilley, a therapeutic consultant who specializes in helping "emerging adults" navigate the overwhelming transition into adulthood. Joanna explains why today's young people are more anxious and "stuck" than ever, often feeling paralyzed by too many choices and a lack of external structure after college. She offers a compassionate yet direct roadmap for both parents and young adults, tackling tough questions like: Will your child be able to survive without you? And is that a real boundary or just distress intolerance? Joanna provides several strategies...
info_outline
How to Trust Your Intuition After Trauma
Phoenix and Flame Podcast
In this episode, Dana is joined by Mandi Pratt, a speaker and self-leadership expert who turned a life-shattering crisis into a powerful mission. Mandi shares the harrowing story of leaving an abusive marriage only to discover her ex-husband was wanted by the FBI for a string of bank robberies, a plot twist that left her feeling completely burned to the ground. She reveals her raw and honest journey of moving from constant survival mode to a life of clarity, confidence, and inner stability. Mandi explains why trusting your intuition is a critical survival skill and offers practical tools, like...
info_outline
How to Reclaim Your Energy When You're Burned Out
Phoenix and Flame Podcast
In this episode, Dana is joined by Dianne Andree, an award-winning speaker and burnout prevention specialist who shares her own journey of standing on the brink of exhaustion. After years in education and leadership, Dianne realized the "hurry culture" and a constant pressure to achieve were draining her energy and purpose. She reveals how she learned to fight back against burnout not just with self-care, but by harnessing the “power of pause,” setting firm boundaries, and learning to say no in order to say yes to what truly matters. Dianne offers practical strategies for high performers...
info_outline
The Hidden Tactics Narcissists Use to Control You
Phoenix and Flame Podcast
In this episode, Dana is joined by Jackie Miller, a high-conflict divorce coach who shares her own story of surviving a 16.5-year narcissistic marriage. Jackie details the nature of covert abuse, from the "frog in boiling water" beginning to the complete financial control that left her feeling trapped and erased. She reveals how the abuse escalated post-separation, with her ex-husband weaponizing the legal system to continue his campaign of control. Jackie shares her rock-bottom moment wandering her backyard in a daze, and the powerful epiphany that allowed her to see the manipulation for the...
info_outline
How to Find Purpose in Your Biggest Struggles
Phoenix and Flame Podcast
In this episode, Dana is joined by Holly Kostrzewski, an international keynote speaker whose life was first shattered by a traumatic brain injury at 18 that forced her to relearn how to walk, talk, and read. Just as she rebuilt her life, she faced a second "burn" when her father became a paraplegic, thrusting her into the role of a caretaker. Holly shares her powerful story of resilience and how losing her federal job became the third flame that forged her true calling. She introduces her "Junk Drawer" philosophy—a transformative guide to stop hiding the hard parts of our lives and instead...
info_outline
How to Reclaim Your Power from Shame
Phoenix and Flame Podcast
In this episode, Dana is joined by Emma Lyons, a trauma-informed healer who exposes the true identity of our harshest inner critic. Emma shares her harrowing journey of being the scapegoat in a dysfunctional family with a covert narcissistic mother, and how that trauma manifested as a paralyzing "shame voice." She reveals her powerful realization that this voice isn't just self-doubt; it's an internalized narcissist that acts like a parasite, sabotaging success, visibility, and peace. Emma provides a revolutionary framework for "breaking up" with this internal abuser, challenging the very idea...
info_outline
How Ego Is Sabotaging Your Leadership
Phoenix and Flame Podcast
In this episode, Dana is joined by leadership advisor Chris Gillen, who shares his powerful journey of growing up in a family of "professional victims." This experience became the foundation for his work in helping leaders escape what he calls "The Villain Trap"—a destructive cycle of blame that erodes company culture and personal power. Chris reveals how ego prevents us from accepting accountability and how this silent pattern plays out in the workplace. He claims that the next generation of leaders must embrace authenticity, humility, and vulnerability to navigate the massive cultural...
info_outline
The Science Behind Trust and Self-Betrayal
Phoenix and Flame Podcast
In this episode, Dana is joined by Clay Moffat, an ex-Navy weapons tech turned behavioral coach and author of The Trust Trap. Clay offers a radical reframe on trust, arguing it isn’t a character trait but a dynamic process of alignment that requires constant evaluation. He reveals why we are the "authors of our own pain" and how we unknowingly fall into the "trust trap" by creating a frozen mental image of others and ignoring real-time data. Clay breaks down the psychology of betrayal, arguing that the most significant betrayals are often the ones we commit against ourselves by ignoring our...
info_outline
Laugh Your Way to Success with Cathy Nesbitt
Phoenix and Flame Podcast
In this episode, Dana is joined by Cathy Nesbitt, an innovator who turned a city-wide garbage crisis into a thriving entrepreneurial mission. Cathy shares her incredible journey from a secretary to the founder of Cathy's Crawley Composters and Cathy's Laughter Club. She reveals how she overcame the universal "ew" factor of her worm business and navigated the profound challenges of entrepreneurship, including losing her family's main source of income right as her business launched. Cathy explains why failure is always better than regret and teaches us how to find our "daily dose" of happiness...
info_outlineIn this episode, Dana is joined by Dr. Victoria Mattingly, an organizational psychologist who is transforming workplace cultures by blending research with lived experience. Dr. Mattingly shares how her personal journeys through cancer, alopecia, and mental health recovery became the bedrock of her professional mission to build more human-centered and equitable organizations. She challenges us to reframe "soft skills" as essential "power skills" and offers a profound, partnership-based model for allyship. This is a powerful conversation about finding strength in vulnerability and using our deepest struggles to lead with more empathy and impact.