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Would you stay in your marriage if money weren’t a factor? Tracy Tutor gets candid about financial independence, divorce, mom guilt, and the lessons she wants her daughters to carry into adulthood. In this episode of Cake for Dinner, the Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles star joins Keesha Scott for an unfiltered conversation about building a demanding career while raising two daughters—and letting go of the pressure to do everything perfectly. Tracy opens up about co-parenting after divorce, dating younger men, her tendency to choose partners who need saving, and why she believes financial independence gives women the freedom to choose their own lives. She and Keesha also explore whether privileged kids can develop grit, why protecting children from every struggle can hold them back, and what it means to finally choose yourself in midlife. Plus, Tracy shares her unexpected path from acting to luxury real estate, how she responds to being underestimated, and her thoughts on a possible future in reality TV. Honest, funny, and full of hard-earned perspective—this is a conversation about ambition, imperfect motherhood, and finding the courage to start again.   Learn more about Keesha: https://keeshascott.com/ Book Pre Order CAKE FOR DINNER: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0H5CW77FP?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B0H5CW77FP&linkCode=xm2&tag=simonsayscom&dplnkId=ca66e48c-1d99-4095-a35e-8d40794ffd1d&nodl=1 Follow Tracy Tutor : https://www.instagram.com/tracytutor

When does helping your child become rescuing them—and how do you know when they truly need you to step in? Double board-certified child, adolescent, and adult psychiatrist Dr. Samantha Saltz joins Keesha Scott on Cake for Dinner for an honest conversation about parenting anxious kids, motherhood, and the pressure to get everything right. Dr. Sam shares why connection matters when working with teenagers, how she sees social media affecting their emotional lives, and why parents need compassion and validation, too. Keesha opens up about raising a daughter with OCD and why a child’s biggest achievements aren’t always reflected in grades or college acceptance letters. The conversation also takes a deeply personal turn as Dr. Sam discusses fertility treatments, miscarriages, and discovering she was pregnant shortly before a planned embryo transfer to a surrogate. Together, she and Keesha reflect on the loneliness of infertility and what it takes to keep showing up for work and family while struggling privately. Plus, Dr. Sam answers listener questions about sleepaway camp anxiety and nail biting, explaining why understanding the individual child matters more than finding one rule for everyone. Learn more about Keesha: https://keeshascott.com/ Book Pre Order CAKE FOR DINNER: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0H5CW77FP?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B0H5CW77FP&linkCode=xm2&tag=simonsayscom&dplnkId=ca66e48c-1d99-4095-a35e-8d40794ffd1d&nodl=1 Follow  Dr Samantha Saltz : https://www.instagram.com/doctorsamllc/

"I smoked weed when I was a kid and turned out fine." If you've ever said that or thought it, this episode is for you. John Puls is a licensed clinical social worker, master certified addiction professional, adjunct professor at Florida Atlantic University, and expert witness who specializes in addiction and mental health. He joins Cake for Dinner to explain why today's cannabis should be treated as a completely different drug. Potency is much higher now, and vapes are nearly odorless, so teens can use almost anywhere, anytime. We get into cannabis-induced psychosis and why adolescents and young adults are the most vulnerable group. John explains how THC can quietly erode a teen's ability to cope with anxiety, and how parents' instinct to rescue can feed that same cycle. Then we zoom out to the harder questions: how to tell a phase from a real problem, when therapy stops being optional, and how to step in without wrecking your relationship with your kid. We also talk honestly about parenting a difficult teen, why your own nervous system matters, why scare tactics backfire, and what it means to be "honest-ish" as a sober parent. This episode includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you love is struggling, call or text 988 (U.S.) to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Learn more about Keesha: https://keeshascott.com/ Book Pre Order CAKE FOR DINNER: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0H5CW77FP?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B0H5CW77FP&linkCode=xm2&tag=simonsayscom&dplnkId=ca66e48c-1d99-4095-a35e-8d40794ffd1d&nodl=1 Follow John Puls : https://www.instagram.com/full_life_cc

Are we punishing children for being children? And can we set firm boundaries without relying on shame, disconnection, or control? In this episode of Cake for Dinner, Dr. Vanessa Lapointe—parenting educator, former psychologist, and bestselling author of Discipline Without Damage—challenges common approaches to discipline and explores what children’s behavior may be communicating. We talk about raising strong-willed and highly sensitive kids, why kindness during a meltdown isn’t the same as giving in, and how to balance compassion with clear expectations. Vanessa shares her approach to co-regulation, while both women get honest about the gap between knowing about parenting and navigating it with your own child. The conversation also explores ADHD, personal experiences with childhood OCD and school anxiety, the environments children need to thrive, and the pressure to look like a perfect mom online. If you’ve ever wondered why familiar parenting strategies aren’t working for your child—or felt judged, overwhelmed, or like you’re failing—this conversation offers a different way to understand the struggle. Learn more about Keesha: https://keeshascott.com/ Book Pre Order CAKE FOR DINNER: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0H5CW77FP?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B0H5CW77FP&linkCode=xm2&tag=simonsayscom&dplnkId=ca66e48c-1d99-4095-a35e-8d40794ffd1d&nodl=1 Follow Dr Vanessa LaPointe : https://www.instagram.com/dr.vanessalapointe

What if being a “good parent” has less to do with controlling your kids—and more to do with learning how to regulate yourself? In this episode of Cake for Dinner, Keisha sits down with Hunter Clarke-Fields, bestselling author of Raising Good Humans and host of the Mindful Mama Podcast, for an honest conversation about what modern parenting is getting right—and where we may have swung too far. Hunter opens up about discovering her own temper after becoming a mom, struggling with yelling and reactivity, and realizing that knowing the “right” parenting technique means very little when your own nervous system is overwhelmed. They unpack the pressure parents feel to get every interaction right, why moms are taught to sacrifice themselves for everyone else, and why Hunter believes the cultural obsession with the “selfless mother” can ultimately become harmful. They also tackle one of the biggest conversations in parenting today: Have we taken gentle parenting too far? Hunter explains why setting boundaries is not harmful, why it’s completely okay for your child to be angry with you, and why parents shouldn't be afraid to change their minds or say no. The conversation also gets into smartphones and screen time, overscheduled children, achievement culture, parenting through generational trauma, mom guilt, parental anger, and why an entire generation of kids has essentially grown up inside a massive experiment with smartphones. Hunter also shares a powerful three-step practice for repairing a damaged relationship with your child—even if the mistake happened years ago. Because there is no such thing as a perfect parent. You can apologize. You can reconnect. And you can always begin again. If you're exhausted from trying to do everything right, questioning your parenting decisions, or simply trying to raise good humans without losing yourself in the process, this conversation is for you.   Learn more about Keesha: https://keeshascott.com/ Book Pre Order CAKE FOR DINNER: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0H5CW77FP?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B0H5CW77FP&linkCode=xm2&tag=simonsayscom&dplnkId=ca66e48c-1d99-4095-a35e-8d40794ffd1d&nodl=1 Follow Hunter Clarke-Fields : https://www.instagram.com/mindfulmamamentor

What happens when you love your children deeply—but part of you still wants to escape? In this episode of Cake for Dinner, I sit down with author Jessica Guerrieri for an incredibly honest conversation about motherhood, sobriety, addiction, identity, and the complicated truths women are often afraid to say out loud. Jessica shares how her desire to become a mother ultimately forced her to confront her relationship with alcohol—and the moment she looked at herself after another night of drinking and realized she had finally had enough. We talk about why addiction doesn’t always look like losing everything, why you don’t need a traumatic childhood or dramatic “rock bottom” to deserve recovery, and why getting help before your life completely falls apart should be celebrated. Jessica also opens up about what happened years into sobriety when, during the isolation of the pandemic, she began experimenting with THC as another way to check out. That experience led her to one of the biggest themes in her writing: maybe the deeper issue isn’t always the substance itself. Maybe it’s the need to escape. And motherhood can create plenty of feelings we want to escape from. We get real about postpartum depression, identity loss, feeling claustrophobic in motherhood, mommy wine culture, wanting to hide from your children even though you adore them, and why two seemingly contradictory things can be true at the same time. Jessica also explains why she uses fiction to explore addiction, trauma, sexual assault, grief, sisterhood, recovery, and the parts of womanhood that are often considered “too much.” Ultimately, this conversation comes back to one powerful idea: the opposite of isolation and escapism may be connection—the feeling of finally being seen, heard, and understood by another person. If you’ve ever loved your life while simultaneously wanting to run away from it, this conversation is for you. Learn more about Keesha: https://keeshascott.com/ Book Pre Order CAKE FOR DINNER: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0H5CW77FP?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B0H5CW77FP&linkCode=xm2&tag=simonsayscom&dplnkId=ca66e48c-1d99-4095-a35e-8d40794ffd1d&nodl=1 Follow Jessica Guerrieri: https://www.instagram.com/jessicaguerrieriauthor

In this episode of Cake for Dinner, we sit down with Ryan Soave, trauma expert, therapist, speaker, and friend, for a powerful conversation about trauma, addiction, parenting, relationships, emotional discomfort, and the nervous system. Ryan opens up about how his own years of pain, alcoholism, drug addiction, treatment, and recovery led him into trauma work. He explains that trauma is not always about one major life event. Sometimes it is about the way we were shaped, the environments we grew up in, and the survival patterns we carried into adulthood. This conversation explores the difference between big T and little T trauma, why labeling everything as trauma can sometimes move people into a victim state, and how healing begins when we understand the ways our past still drives our present. Ryan also breaks down how unresolved trauma can keep the body in a heightened stress response, why so many people hold stress in their shoulders, jaw, neck, sleep, and nervous system, and why living in survival mode over time can take a toll on the body. Ryan also shares one of the core ideas behind his work: as human beings, we often confuse discomfort with threat, and we react to emotional discomfort as if we are in actual danger. From there, the conversation moves into addiction, relief-seeking, parenting from fear, social media anxiety, marriage, rupture and repair, men’s emotional vulnerability, purpose, and his upcoming book concept around learning how to feel bad. This episode is honest, deep, funny, emotional, and incredibly useful for anyone interested in trauma healing, recovery, parenting, relationships, nervous system regulation, or understanding why we react the way we do. Learn more about Keesha: https://keeshascott.com/ Book Pre Order CAKE FOR DINNER: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0H5CW77FP?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B0H5CW77FP&linkCode=xm2&tag=simonsayscom&dplnkId=ca66e48c-1d99-4095-a35e-8d40794ffd1d&nodl=1 Follow Ryan Soave: https://www.instagram.com/ryan.soave

What if the reason you can’t stop overthinking isn’t because something is wrong with you — but because you’re trying to control everything? In this episode of Cake for Dinner, Daniel Chidiac, bestselling author of Stop Letting Everything Affect You, joins the conversation for an honest look at overthinking, emotional reactivity, comparison, self-sabotage, relationships, gratitude, and what it actually takes to let go. Daniel explains why overthinkers can often be highly driven and passionate people — but why that same intensity can become destructive when we convince ourselves that thinking about a problem long enough will somehow solve it. Sometimes, the solution only appears when we create enough space to step away. They also unpack our obsession with control and external validation, how social media comparison can quietly pull us further away from our own dreams, and why constantly measuring our timeline against someone else’s can leave us frozen instead of motivated. Daniel offers a simple approach: protect your attention, stay in your lane, and remember that someone else’s success doesn’t take anything away from yours. The conversation goes deeper into relationships and emotional awareness, including why growth sometimes requires admitting that you may not be completely right, how ego can disguise itself as certainty, and why healthy relationships should occasionally challenge us rather than constantly validate us. They also talk about grief, personal responsibility, gratitude, manifestation, finding peace in the present, and learning that moving forward doesn’t require forgetting what happened to you. And for anyone currently trapped in anxiety or obsessive thinking, Daniel shares one incredibly simple question: “How is what I’m choosing to think about benefiting my life?” Sometimes you don’t need another answer. You need enough distance from the problem to see your life again. Most importantly, Daniel leaves anyone going through a difficult season with one reminder: You’re going to smile again. Learn more about Keesha: https://keeshascott.com/ Book Pre Order CAKE FOR DINNER: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0H5CW77FP?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B0H5CW77FP&linkCode=xm2&tag=simonsayscom&dplnkId=ca66e48c-1d99-4095-a35e-8d40794ffd1d&nodl=1 Follow Daniel Chidiac: https://www.instagram.com/danielchidiac

In this episode of Cake for Dinner, we sit down with Dani Beckerman, founder of Jars by Dani, to talk about what it really takes to build a brand from the ground up — and what happens when it's time to walk away from something you've spent more than a decade creating. Dani started Jars by Dani almost by accident at just 22 years old. What began with baking in her New York City apartment and sharing her creations on Instagram quickly grew into a recognizable dessert brand shipping thousands of jars to customers. But behind the success was an enormous amount of hustle. Dani shares stories of sleepless nights, baking out of her fifth-floor walk-up, hand-delivering orders throughout New York City, putting nearly everything she had back into the business, and figuring out how to scale as she went. After nearly 12 years, changing economics and shrinking margins ultimately forced Dani to make the incredibly difficult decision to close Jars by Dani. Now she's entering an entirely new chapter. Dani opens up about starting over as a more experienced entrepreneur, building a new company in the kids and pediatric space, rediscovering her love of creating, and navigating entrepreneurship while raising two young children. We also talk about motherhood, ambition, guilt, social media, comparison, gratitude, maintaining your identity outside of being a parent, and why Dani wants her children to see her building something meaningful. Learn more about Keesha: https://keeshascott.com/ Book Pre Order CAKE FOR DINNER: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0H5CW77FP?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B0H5CW77FP&linkCode=xm2&tag=simonsayscom&dplnkId=ca66e48c-1d99-4095-a35e-8d40794ffd1d&nodl=1 Follow Dani Beckerman : https://www.instagram.com/danibeckerman

We sat down with Dr. Stephanie Rogers, a board-certified geriatric and internal medicine physician, associate chief of geriatrics clinical programs at UCSF, and the voice behind Age Well with Dr. Steph. Dr. Rogers shares practical, evidence-based insights on aging, dementia prevention, brain health, muscle loss, strength training, GLP-1s, social connection, chronic stress, caregiving, and what women can actually do to stay strong, independent, and mentally sharp as they age. This conversation challenges the fear-based narrative around aging. Dr. Rogers explains why life satisfaction can actually improve as we get older, why memory decline is not inevitable, and why two of the biggest dementia prevention factors may surprise you: hearing loss and LDL cholesterol. We also discuss why muscle is one of the most important parts of aging well, especially for women, and why strength training becomes even more important for anyone using GLP-1 medications. Dr. Rogers also breaks down the overlooked power of social connection, why she prefers the term health span over longevity, and how chronic stress impacts the brain and body over time. If you are a woman in midlife, caring for aging parents, thinking about your long-term health, or simply overwhelmed by all the wellness information online, this episode gives you simple, grounded takeaways you can actually use. Learn more about Keesha: https://keeshascott.com/ Book Pre Order CAKE FOR DINNER: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0H5CW77FP?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B0H5CW77FP&linkCode=xm2&tag=simonsayscom&dplnkId=ca66e48c-1d99-4095-a35e-8d40794ffd1d&nodl=1 Follow Dr Stephanie Rogers : https://www.instagram.com/agewellwithdrsteph/

In this episode of Cake for Dinner, we sit down with Sydney Sadick, media entrepreneur, author, fashion expert, and founder of Spotlight magazine. Sydney started a fashion blog as a teenager and turned that early passion into a career that has included interviewing some of the biggest names in the world, appearing on major television shows, writing a bestselling book, and building her own luxury lifestyle publication. In this conversation, Sydney shares how she got her start at just 16 years old, why she has always been motivated by a challenge, and what it really takes to create your own opportunity in a competitive industry. She opens up about growing up in a family with a strong work ethic, learning to hustle early, and building a business in a media world where people often say print is dying. Sydney also talks about interviewing celebrities, working red carpets, launching Spotlight magazine, mentoring younger women, and why success is never as overnight as it may look from the outside. This episode is for anyone with a big idea, a dream career, or the desire to build something of their own. Sydney’s story is a reminder that ambition, grit, and consistency still matter — and that sometimes the best opportunities are the ones you create yourself. Learn more about Keesha: https://keeshascott.com/ Book Pre Order CAKE FOR DINNER: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0H5CW77FP?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B0H5CW77FP&linkCode=xm2&tag=simonsayscom&dplnkId=ca66e48c-1d99-4095-a35e-8d40794ffd1d&nodl=1 Follow Sidney Sadick : https://www.instagram.com/sydneysadick/

In this episode of Cake for Dinner, we sit down with Dr. Doris Day, one of the country’s leading dermatologists, scientist, author, and pro-aging advocate, for an honest and eye-opening conversation about what really happens to women’s skin during perimenopause and menopause. Dr. Day breaks down why so many women feel like their face changes overnight, what collagen loss actually means, and why aging gracefully should never be confused with aging helplessly. From dry skin, breakouts, facial volume loss, and wrinkles to posture, facial expression, inflammation, and hormone changes, this conversation goes far beyond surface-level skincare. We also get into Sculptra, fillers, lasers, Botox, retinol, sunscreen, collagen supplements, red light therapy, cellulite treatments, and what women in their 40s, 50s, and beyond should actually spend their money on — and what they can skip. This episode is empowering, educational, and deeply reassuring for any woman who has looked in the mirror during midlife and thought, “What is happening to my face?” Dr. Day reminds us that it is not too late, 45 or 50 is still young, and there is so much we can do to support our skin, our health, and our confidence as we age. Learn more about Keesha: https://keeshascott.com/ Book Pre Order CAKE FOR DINNER: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0H5CW77FP?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B0H5CW77FP&linkCode=xm2&tag=simonsayscom&dplnkId=ca66e48c-1d99-4095-a35e-8d40794ffd1d&nodl=1 Follow Doris Day: https://www.instagram.com/drdorisday/

What can death teach us about truly living? Bestselling author and spiritual leader Rabbi Steve Leder joins the conversation to share what he has learned from standing beside hundreds of dying people, officiating more than a thousand funerals and eventually experiencing the devastating loss of his own father. Rabbi Leder explains why professional experience with grief could not prepare him for the moment he placed his hand on his father’s chest and confronted his own mortality. That experience changed the way he understood death, memory, compassion and the preciousness of time. Together, they explore why grief is not a linear process, but an ocean of waves that can return without warning. Rabbi Leder shares why we should stop trying to overpower those waves and instead allow them to wash over us until we are ready to stand again. The conversation also examines parenting through crisis, addiction and recovery, imposter syndrome, mental health, gratitude and the people who leave permanent fingerprints on our lives. Rabbi Leder offers a powerful reminder that suffering is never worth it—but we should not allow it to become worthless. Most importantly, he reveals what he has learned from holding the hands of dying people: they are often not afraid of death. Their greatest concern is usually whether the people they love will be okay after they are gone. This is an honest, comforting and unforgettable conversation about grief, purpose and learning to live before our time runs out.   Learn more about Keesha: https://keeshascott.com/ Book Pre Order CAKE FOR DINNER: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0H5CW77FP?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B0H5CW77FP&linkCode=xm2&tag=simonsayscom&dplnkId=ca66e48c-1d99-4095-a35e-8d40794ffd1d&nodl=1  Follow Rabi Steve: https://www.instagram.com/steve_leder/   00:00 Meet Rabbi Steve Leder 00:32 When Grief Became Personal 05:05 Confronting His Own Mortality 08:05 Why Pain Changes Us 10:36 How Loss Changed His Work 13:15 Grief Comes in Waves 16:40 Carrying the People We Lose 20:46 Finding Meaning After Suffering 24:41 From Troubled Teen to Rabbi 31:12 The Power of Gratitude 34:02 What Makes Someone Unforgettable 38:35 Parenting and Imposter Syndrome 43:10 You Only Have 1,000 Sundays 47:17 Why the Dying Aren’t Afraid

OCD is one of the most misunderstood mental health conditions in the world—and it's far more than being organized or liking things a certain way. In this episode, OCD specialist Kristina Orlova shares her own journey of living with undiagnosed OCD for years, believing she was simply "losing her mind" before finally receiving answers. Together, we unpack what OCD actually looks like, why intrusive thoughts become so terrifying, the hidden subtypes most people have never heard of, and why reassurance often makes OCD worse instead of better. Whether you're living with OCD yourself, supporting a loved one, or trying to understand what someone is experiencing, this conversation offers practical education, hope, and a roadmap toward recovery. We also dive deep into Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), the gold-standard treatment for OCD, and explain how it helps people reclaim their lives one step at a time. 00:00 Introduction 02:05 Meet OCD Specialist Kristina Orlova 02:50 Kristina's Personal OCD Journey 05:20 What Intrusive Thoughts Actually Feel Like 08:03 Why OCD Is So Different From Everyday Thoughts 10:48 Why OCD Is So Misunderstood 11:39 What OCD Really Looks Like 16:03 How Parents Should Respond to OCD 20:40 Why People Get OCD Wrong 23:13 Lesser-Known Types of OCD 25:12 Signs Parents Should Watch For 30:24 Why Traditional Talk Therapy Can Make OCD Worse 32:17 How Exposure Therapy (ERP) Works 38:48 A Real Success Story With ERP 42:00 When Should You See an OCD Specialist? 44:30 Final Thoughts & Resources Learn more about Keesha: https://keeshascott.com/ Book Pre Order CAKE FOR DINNER: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0H5CW77FP?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B0H5CW77FP&linkCode=xm2&tag=simonsayscom&dplnkId=ca66e48c-1d99-4095-a35e-8d40794ffd1d&nodl=1  Follow Kristina: https://www.instagram.com/ocdwhisperer/

For 20 years, Erin struggled with eating disorders and tied her worth to soccer, her body, relationships, and being chosen. In this episode, she opens up about the shame she carried, the story she almost never shared, and how telling the truth became the beginning of her freedom.   Erin also shares how healing changed the way she parents, how she thinks about alcohol and restriction, what divorce taught her about choosing herself, and why women need safe spaces to talk about the things they usually hide.   This is a conversation about self-worth, motherhood, starting over, and the power of saying the thing out loud.   00:00 — Intro 00:47 — Eating Disorders, Identity, and Self-Worth 03:29 — Choosing Herself Through Divorce and Motherhood 07:00 — Alcohol, Restriction, and Redefining Sobriety 13:35 — From Fitness Content to Mental Health and Therapy 17:16 — Feeling Pain Instead of Escaping It 19:39 — Parenting, Body Image, and What Kids Really See 25:26 — Sharing the Story She Almost Hid 27:40 — Turning Pain Into the Blue Butterfly Foundation 33:20 — Moving From Comfortable to Purpose-Driven 42:16 — Dating, Divorce, and Becoming Her Authentic Self 46:13 — How Vulnerability Became Her Purpose 50:06 — Erin’s Podcast, Books, Foundation, and Where to Find Her   Learn more about Keesha: https://keeshascott.com/ Book Pre Order CAKE FOR DINNER: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0H5CW77FP?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B0H5CW77FP&linkCode=xm2&tag=simonsayscom&dplnkId=ca66e48c-1d99-4095-a35e-8d40794ffd1d&nodl=1 Follow Erin: https://www.instagram.com/iamerinwashington/