What The Shift

When Melissa Lafsky Saleh lost her child days before delivery, everything shattered. Career. Identity. Marriage. Meaning. But what emerged from the ashes wasn’t just survival—it was sovereignty.
In this raw and revelatory episode of What the Shift, Melissa shares the deeply personal story of how unimaginable grief burned off everything that wasn’t her—and unlocked the one superpower the world taught her to silence: her intuition.
We talk about:
What it means to rebuild yourself cell by cell after trauma
How high-achieving women often bury trauma beneath success
The difference between fear and intuition—and how to hear the voice that’s actually yours
Why grief doesn’t end—but it can evolve
The real ROI of reclaiming your inner knowing
This isn’t just a story of loss. It’s a masterclass in becoming unshakable.If you’ve ever been cracked open and forced to find a new way forward—this one’s for you.

What happens when everything that used to work for your health… suddenly doesn’t?
In this episode of What the Shift, Gia Lacqua sits down with women’s wellness and empowerment coach Erin Trier for a no-BS conversation about why the one-size-fits-all model of wellness is failing women—especially high-achieving moms navigating midlife shifts. Erin shares her personal wake-up call after baby #4, when her health hit a wall and everything she’d been taught about “doing the right things” stopped working.
Together, we dive deep into:
The myth of more is better in health and hustle culture
How stress is silently sabotaging your wellness (and what to do about it)
Why listening to your body is the most radical act of self-leadership
What bio-individuality really means—and why it’s your key to longevity
How to stop outsourcing your wellness and build systems that actually fit your life
This episode will challenge everything you thought you knew about self-care, wellness, and success. If you’ve ever wondered why you feel burned out despite doing all the “right” things, this one’s for you.
🎧 Listen now and take the first step toward wellness that finally works—for you.
Learn more about Erin: https://www.erintrier.com/

You’re exhausted, unfulfilled, and running on autopilot— but what if this isn’t burnout? What if it’s betrayal—of your identity, your truth, your needs?
In this unfiltered and fire-starting episode of What the Shift, Gia sits down with transformational coach and TEDx speaker Lora Cheadle, author of It’s Not Burnout, It’s Betrayal. After discovering her husband had been unfaithful for 15 years, Lora was forced to confront not just the collapse of her marriage—but the quiet ways she had been betraying herself for decades.
This conversation is a reckoning.
We unpack:
The silent self-betrayals women commit in the name of success, marriage, and being “good”
Why burnout solutions like yoga and time-blocking don’t work—because they’re solving the wrong problem
How perfectionism becomes a prison What it actually means to stop performing your life and start living it
And how to reclaim self-trust after everything falls apart If you’re doing everything “right” and still feel empty, this is your wake-up call.
You don’t need more discipline. You need a different truth.
🎧 Press play and start unraveling the betrayal—so you can finally come home to yourself.
Learn more about Lora: loracheadle.com

What if everything you’ve been searching for—confidence, power, freedom—was already in you?
In this raw and radically affirming episode of What the Shift, Gia sits down with Liz Hansen, founder of Chicago Boudoir Photography and TEDx speaker, to unpack the truth about embodiment, shame, and the lies we’ve been taught about being “good women.”
From shaking in her boots before her first boudoir shoot to becoming the most sought-after boudoir photographer in Chicago, Liz shares how stepping in front of the camera cracked her wide open—and why she’s now on a mission to help thousands of women reclaim their power, their sensuality, and their damn selves.
This conversation unpacks:
What boudoir photography is really about (hint: it’s not just sexy pictures)
How societal conditioning convinces women to shrink—and how to unlearn it
The difference between performing confidence and actually embodying it
Why your scars—visible or not—deserve to be honored
And the truth about the woman you were always meant to be
This episode is your permission slip to stop waiting, stop hiding, and start becoming.
🎧 Press play—and let her out.
Learn more about Liz and Chicago Boudoir: chicago-boudoir.com

What if gratitude isn’t just a feel-good practice—but a path to healing the parts of you that still hurt?
In this powerful episode of What the Shift, Gia sits down with Dr. Peggy DeLong, a psychologist, speaker, and bestselling author known as The Gratitude Psychologist. But Peggy’s not here to talk about keeping a cute journal. She’s here to reframe everything you’ve been told about gratitude, emotional pain, and what it really takes to reconnect with joy.
After losing her fiancé and father just six weeks apart, Peggy didn’t bypass grief—she met it. And what she found in a simple cup of hazelnut coffee became the foundation of her life’s work.
Together, we explore:
Why gratitude isn’t about ignoring pain—it’s about holding space for it
How emotional avoidance numbs your joy as much as your grief
The real reason high achievers stay stuck in burnout and disconnection
Simple, science-backed gratitude practices that rewire the brain
Why “fine” isn’t a feeling—and how to reconnect to what’s real
This isn’t about forced positivity.This is about integration, healing, and finally allowing yourself to feel—so you can live.
Tune in now and discover why the emotions you’ve been avoiding are the exact doorway to the joy you’ve been missing.
This one hits deep—because you can be grateful for your life and still want more from it.
Learn more about Dr. Peggy: drpeggydelong.com

You know the feeling.That quiet itch for something more.That voice that says, “This isn’t it—but I don’t know what is.”
In this powerful episode of What the Shift, Gia sits down with Xenia Ambatzoglou, former corporate executive turned co-founder of womenowned88—a fashion-meets-advocacy brand built to empower women to own their stories, businesses, and futures.
After nearly two decades in financial services, a sudden career shift forced Xenia to confront what so many high-achieving women ignore: the quiet ache for more. Instead of chasing another role, she built something of her own—from scratch—and turned one forgotten moment in women’s history into a cultural movement.
Together, we explore:
What to do when life kicks you out of your comfort zone
The itch for reinvention—and why so many women silence it
The untold story behind the 1988 Women’s Business Ownership Act
How to stop trying to “do it all” and start building with support
The power of owning your voice, even if it shakes
This isn’t just a story about career change.It’s about finally listening to the part of you that knows you’re meant for more.
Tune in now and get inspired to stop ignoring the itch—and start making shift happen.
Grab your 1988 merch today: womenowned88.com

What happens when the version of you that "succeeds" isn't actually who you are?
In this episode, I sit down with top-ranked podcast host and personal brand strategist, Matt LeBris to unpack the identity crisis so many high achievers face—losing themselves in performance, people-pleasing, and the pursuit of external validation. From childhood black sheep to top 1% globally ranked podcast host, Matt shares the raw, unfiltered truth behind his journey back to self—and the emotional reckoning that came with it.
We talk about:
The hidden cost of being the chameleon in every room
How trauma-fueled achievement eventually runs out of gas
What purpose really feels like (hint: it’s not always peaceful)
The internal shift that separates true fulfillment from performative success
If you've ever adapted so well you forgot who you are, this episode will hit home. It's time to stop shape-shifting—and start soul-shifting.

What if the ending wasn’t the failure—but the invitation?
In this powerful episode, I sit down with Tamara Frankfort Odinec and Shari Joseph, the visionary women behind My Next Chapter—a content and community platform designed to support those navigating divorce and major life transitions.
Tamara and Shari share the personal shifts that unraveled the lives they once protected—and how choosing themselves wasn’t the breaking point, but the beginning. From grief and guilt to clarity and courage, this conversation dismantles the shame around starting over and reframes divorce as a launchpad for reinvention.
Whether you’re in the thick of it or quietly questioning the life you’ve built, this episode will remind you:✨ You’re not failing—you’re evolving.✨ You’re not alone—you’re just early in your next chapter.
This is What the Shift is all about.
Learn more about My Next Chapter: www.mynextchapter.com

From international criminal law to skincare for anxious souls, Dr. Jeanne Retief’s journey is anything but typical—and exactly what this podcast is about.
In this raw, soul-baring conversation, Jeanne opens up about the panic disorder that forced her to walk away from a career she loved, the grief that nearly broke her, and the reinvention she never planned—but ultimately needed.
We’re talking:
Why anxiety doesn’t need to be hidden—or healed to be honored
Grieving the life you thought you’d have
The brutal truth about addiction, judgment, and compassion
What wholeness really looks like—especially when it’s messy
How to honor your pain and still make room for purpose
This isn’t a before-and-after success story—it’s a truth-telling, heart-opening invitation to stop performing and start becoming.

What happens when your perfectly planned life suddenly unravels?
Courtney Youngs—a corporate communicator, mother, and self-proclaimed recovering perfectionist—joins Gia to unpack how divorce, grief, career pivots, and unexpected love cracked open her old identity and helped her step into who she was really meant to be.
In this raw and powerful episode, Courtney shares how the moments she never planned became the ones that shaped her most. From letting go of shame to embracing imperfection, she introduces the metaphor of The Waggle Dance—a call to pay forward the wisdom life gives us.
If you’ve ever felt like your life looks great on paper but feels completely off inside, this is your permission slip to question the plan—and rewrite the story.
In this episode:
Why perfection isn’t the goal—connection is
How breakdowns can become breakthroughs
The gift of the “I’ve been there too” moment
And how to discover your story by listening to your life
Learn more about Courtney: courtneyyoungs.com/author