"If You Can See It Mentally, You Can Believe It Physically" -Hillary Marie

This week on Conversations with Coach LA, we sit down with professional dancer and international choreographer Hillary Marie for a powerful conversation about discipline, confidence, anxiety, and what it really takes to BET on yourself.

Born in Hollandale, Mississippi and raised in Detroit, Michigan, Hillary began her professional career at just 18 years old. Now approaching her 8-year anniversary in the industry at age 25, she has worked and toured with legends including Snoop Dogg, Lil Kim, Teddy Riley & GUY, Nivea, Bobby Valentino, Lloyd, and more.

But this episode goes deeper than credits and choreography.

We explore:

• The mindset required to sustain a creative career

• Discipline vs. motivation

• Managing stage fright and performance anxiety

• The psychology of confidence and embodied self-belief

• Why the arts are critical for emotional development and resilience

Coach LA also shares clinical insights and evidence-based research on confidence, public speaking anxiety, and how movement-based practices improve mental health outcomes.

Hillary’s mantra says it best:

“If you can see it mentally, you can believe it physically.”

If you are building something, stepping into visibility, or learning to trust your voice and body — this episode is for you.

Self-efficacy and belief systems

Performance anxiety and fear of public speaking

Embodiment as a confidence-building tool

Emotional regulation through the arts

Exposure and repetition as fear reduction strategies

BET on SELF™ reflections

Up to 75% of people report fear of public speaking

Performance anxiety activates the brain’s fear response (amygdala)

Avoidance strengthens anxiety; exposure builds resilience

Participation in the arts is linked to improved self-esteem, emotional regulation, and reduced anxiety symptoms

Where are you waiting to feel confident before you move?

What would shift if you trusted your body to lead?

What discipline are you avoiding because fear feels louder than belief?

Follow Hillary Marie on social media for upcoming projects and performances.

Subscribe, rate, and review Conversations with Coach LA on your favorite podcast platform.

New episodes air weekly at 10PM EST on Urban Heat 98.1FM and stream on iHeartRadio.

Because confidence isn’t a personality trait.

It’s a practice.

#BETonSELF

🎙️ Thanks for tuning in to Conversations with Coach LA!

Don’t forget to subscribe and turn on your notifications so you never miss a new episode—dropping every Thursday wherever you get your podcasts. You can also listen live every Sunday at 10PM on Urban Heat 98.1FM or via iHeartRadio.

Want to join the conversation or share your story? We’re always looking for inspiring voices! Email us at admin@weroclives.com to be considered as a future guest.

This show is brought to you by Resiliency and Optimism Changes Lives, LLC, where we champion self-awareness, mental wellness, and transformational growth through therapeutic coaching and community empowerment. If you're looking for a therapist or support on your healing journey, visit our website or reach out—we're here to help you BET on SELF:
🌱 Believe. Empower. Transform.

Because when you bet on yourself, you invest in your peace, your power, and your purpose.

Opening Theme song created by Daniel Laurent www.daniellaurent.com

Closing Theme Song created by Nancia produced by Jay Hunt -SmokeHouse Media

Theme: Joy as Resistance — Healing as Discipline

What does it mean to be emotionally fit in a world that constantly demands resilience from Black communities—without offering rest?

In this powerful episode of Conversations with Coach LA, we explore Emotional Fitness & Black Joy as intentional practices for mental health maintenance, resilience, and liberation. Joy is not framed as escapism or denial, but as a discipline, a protective factor, and a form of resistance against chronic stress, trauma, and systemic harm.

Coach LA is joined by Joseph Bennett, CEO of Yardtime Inc., a Roxbury-born community advocate whose lived experience with wrongful incarceration has shaped his commitment to transformative justice, healing, and breaking cycles of mass incarceration affecting Black and Brown communities.

Together, they discuss:

What emotional fitness looks like beyond crisis response

How joy rituals support nervous system regulation and stress reduction

Why Black joy is both radical and necessary

The long-term emotional impact of systemic injustice on individuals and families

Healing without minimizing pain—and purpose without romanticizing suffering

📊 Research Highlight:
CDC data shows that Black adults who engage in consistent joy-based rituals report 25% lower stress levels, underscoring joy as a critical mental health maintenance strategy—not a luxury.

This episode invites listeners to rethink healing as something we practice daily, not something we postpone until life slows down.

What joy ritual are you willing to protect as part of your healing discipline?

Joseph Bennett is the CEO of Yardtime Inc. and a dedicated advocate for inner-city youth and men of color in Boston. After spending 22 years incarcerated following a wrongful conviction—and later being granted bail while continuing to fight for exoneration—Joseph has committed his life to community healing, mentorship, and justice reform. His work focuses on addressing the long-term effects of incarceration on individuals, families, and communities.

Conversations with Coach LA is a live, interactive radio show and podcast focused on mental health, personal growth, social impact, and real-life solutions.

✨ Industry Recognition:
Conversations with Coach LA has been selected by FeedSpot panelists as one of the Top 90 Boundaries Podcasts on the web, recognizing its impact in mental health dialogue, emotional wellness, and boundary-centered conversations.
🔗 https://podcast.feedspot.com/boundaries_podcasts/

🎙️ Host: Coach LA (Lakisha R. Austin, LICSW, MBA)
📻 Airs on: Urban Heat 98.1FM
🎧 Available on: iHeartRadio & all major podcast platforms

🎙️ Thanks for tuning in to Conversations with Coach LA!

Don’t forget to subscribe and turn on your notifications so you never miss a new episode—dropping every Thursday wherever you get your podcasts. You can also listen live every Sunday at 10PM on Urban Heat 98.1FM or via iHeartRadio.

Want to join the conversation or share your story? We’re always looking for inspiring voices! Email us at admin@weroclives.com to be considered as a future guest.

This show is brought to you by Resiliency and Optimism Changes Lives, LLC, where we champion self-awareness, mental wellness, and transformational growth through therapeutic coaching and community empowerment. If you're looking for a therapist or support on your healing journey, visit our website or reach out—we're here to help you BET on SELF:
🌱 Believe. Empower. Transform.

Because when you bet on yourself, you invest in your peace, your power, and your purpose.

Opening Theme song created by Daniel Laurent www.daniellaurent.com

Closing Theme Song created by Nancia produced by Jay Hunt -SmokeHouse Media

Episode Title: We Get It From Mama: Mother Wounds, Fashion, Motherhood & Legacy

In this episode, we explore:

What a mother wound is—and how it shows up in adulthood

How motherhood can re-activate unresolved emotional patterns

Fashion as a tool for self-reclamation and healing

Identity loss and rediscovery after childbirth

Breaking generational cycles without dishonoring our roots

Key Takeaways:

You can love your mother and still heal the wound

Healing is about naming impact, not assigning blame

Self-expression—including how we dress—can be a powerful form of recovery

Legacy is not just what we inherit, but what we intentionally pass on

BET on SELF™ Reflection:

What beliefs about womanhood, motherhood, or self-worth did you inherit—and which ones are you ready to release?

🎧 Listen, reflect, and share this episode with someone who’s doing the work.

🎙️ Thanks for tuning in to Conversations with Coach LA!

Don’t forget to subscribe and turn on your notifications so you never miss a new episode—dropping every Thursday wherever you get your podcasts. You can also listen live every Sunday at 10PM on Urban Heat 98.1FM or via iHeartRadio.

Want to join the conversation or share your story? We’re always looking for inspiring voices! Email us at admin@weroclives.com to be considered as a future guest.

This show is brought to you by Resiliency and Optimism Changes Lives, LLC, where we champion self-awareness, mental wellness, and transformational growth through therapeutic coaching and community empowerment. If you're looking for a therapist or support on your healing journey, visit our website or reach out—we're here to help you BET on SELF:
🌱 Believe. Empower. Transform.

Because when you bet on yourself, you invest in your peace, your power, and your purpose.

Opening Theme song created by Daniel Laurent www.daniellaurent.com

Closing Theme Song created by Nancia produced by Jay Hunt -SmokeHouse Media