Advertise on podcast: 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 use them as a source of strength, connection, and humor.  Holly's Instagram Holly's Site Watch the full episode + learn more about Phoenix and Flame

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 of "healthy shame" and offering listeners a path to reclaim their power, their voice, and their right to be "shameless." Emma's Linkedin Emma's Substack Emma's Free Guide

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 shifts transforming our world. The Villain Trap Book Chris Gillen's Linkedin

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 intuition.  Clay's Website The Trust Trap Book

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 through the science of laughter.  Cathy's Linkedin Cathy's Site | Join Laughter Yoga 

In 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. Dr. Mattingly's Linkedin Dr. Mattingly's Site

In this episode, Dana is joined by Sarah Brown, a Christian author and speaker who helps women find hope when life gets tough. Sarah shares her raw and honest journey of navigating an unexpected divorce, the shock of single motherhood, and the crisis of faith that followed. She reveals how her relationship with God shifted from transactional to deeply relational in her darkest moments, and how she learned to find purpose in her pain. This is a powerful conversation about what it means to heal when you feel broken, and how to believe that even from ashes, something beautiful can bloom. Sarah's Linkedin Sarah's Website  

In this episode, Dana is joined by award-winning actress Brianna Brown Keen, who shares her journey of overcoming immense personal obstacles. From battling severe bullying that led to hospitalization as a teen, to facing a career-threatening injury, Brianna reveals how she learned to reframe her struggles as opportunities for growth. She explains how the tenacity and grit she developed became the foundation for her successful Hollywood career and her nonprofit, The New Hollywood. Brianna provides powerful insights on manifesting your mission, the importance of community, and why getting comfortable with being uncomfortable is the ultimate key to achieving your purpose. Brianna's Linkedin Brianna's Website | Manifesting Your Mission

In this episode, Dana is joined by Amy Siegfried, a networking expert and entrepreneur who transforms how people build professional relationships. Amy shares her personal journey from an "awkward kid" struggling to fit in to a master of small talk, revealing how embracing vulnerability became her greatest tool for connection. She explains why the most common networking question—"what do you do?"—is holding you back and offers powerful alternatives to spark genuine conversations.  Amy's Linkedin Amy's Website

In this episode, Dana is joined by Dr. Albert Bramante, a talent agent, performance coach, and Psychology professor who unpacks the hidden mental blocks holding creators back. Dr. Bramante shares his unique journey from studying the human mind to managing performing artists, revealing how he discovered a pattern of self-sabotage driven by deep-seated fears. He explains how subconscious beliefs, often formed in childhood, can manifest as career-stalling behaviors. Dr. Bramante offers powerful tools to overcome these hurdles, from the science behind "power poses" and NLP to the transformative potential of hypnotherapy and the non-negotiable importance of setting firm boundaries to prevent burnout.  Dr. Bramante's Linkedin Dr. Bramante's Website

In this episode, Dana is joined by Rhonda Britten, an Emmy Award-winning master coach whose life was forged in unimaginable tragedy. At just 14 years old, Rhonda witnessed her father murder her mother before taking his own life—an event that sent her into a 20-year spiral of guilt and self-destruction. After three suicide attempts, Ronda had a profound realization: she was meant to live and she had a purpose. She shares journey of hitting rock bottom and how that pain became her greatest teacher. Rhonda also reveals how she developed the "Wheel of Fear" to understand the hidden fears that drive us and provides a powerful framework for moving from a life of trauma and reaction to one of authentic freedom and purpose. Rhonda's Linkedin Rhonda's Site Rhonda's Books Rhonda's Free Course

In this episode, Dana is joined by Jessica Hallahan, a stress management expert who turned a personal health crisis into a powerful mission. At just 24, Jessica was hospitalized due to severe burnout, a rock-bottom moment that became her greatest teacher. She shares her raw and honest journey of how over-commitment and a lack of boundaries nearly broke her, and how she learned to rebuild her life from the ground up. Jessica reveals why saying "no" is a form of self-care, how to break the cycle of people-pleasing, and why clear communication is the antidote to 80% of workplace stress. She provides practical tools for setting flexible, healthy boundaries that allow you to move from a life of constant pressure to one of authentic purpose and peace. Jessica's Linkedin Jessica's Site

In this episode, Dana is joined by Heather Powers, a corporate executive and founder who masterfully navigated the complexities of building a career while raising a family. Heather shares her candid journey from a small town in New Hampshire to the boardrooms of Washington D.C., revealing how the pandemic crystallized her mission to advocate for working mothers. We discuss the outdated corporate structures that hold women back and why leaders must recognize the immense value working parents bring to the table. If you've ever felt torn between your career ambitions and family responsibilities, this episode is a reminder that you are not alone and your skills are needed now more than ever. Heather's Linkedin Heather's Website

In this episode, Dana is joined by Dr. Cali Estes, an addictions coach and entrepreneur who built a new path to recovery after her own journey through an eating disorder and prescription pill addiction. Dr. Estes shares her raw and honest story of hitting rock bottom—and how a doctor's blunt warning became her ultimate wake-up call. She reveals how she discovered healing not in traditional meetings, but on a yoga mat, and used that experience to challenge the one-size-fits-all recovery model. This conversation explores why your vice is a solution, not a problem, and how to create lasting change by finding what truly works for you. Dr. Cali's LinkedIn Dr. Cali's Website 

In this episode, Dana is joined by Kate Semeniuk, a Rapid Transformational Hypnotherapist, to explore the unseen forces in our minds that hold us back. Have you ever known logically what you need to do—like set a boundary or say no—but found yourself unable to act? Kate reveals how subconscious beliefs, often formed in childhood, create these internal conflicts. She explains that fear and suppressed anger are not weaknesses but misguided protection strategies from a younger self. This conversation is for anyone ready to stop fighting their own mind and finally align their actions with their intentions, reclaiming control over their life and happiness. Kate's LinkedIn Kate's Website