Free to Be Mindful Podcast | Helping Professional Moms Find Calm in a Busy World

Vanessa De Jesus Guzman, LPC, NCC
  • 5.0 (28)
  • SELF-IMPROVEMENT
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

The Free to Be Mindful Podcast with Licensed Therapist and Latina Mom Coach Vanessa De Jesus Guzman helps professional moms find calm in a busy world. Each episode blends mindful living strategies, mental health insights, and REAL TALK - grounded in culture and inspired by everyday life - to help you stress less, live with intention, and feel more like yourself... without hours of meditation.  Tune in for practical tools and relatable heartfelt stories that help you slow down, recharge, and show up as your best self. 

  1. APR 27

    When Your Calendar Is Full and You're Running on Empty

    Some weeks the calendar wins. Last week Vanessa was up until 3am two nights in a row, not scrolling, actually working, and she woke up the next morning running on empty.  In this episode she gets honest about the inherited blueprint that kept her going, and the hard podcast decision she made about before something broke. What You'll Learn:  ✅ How to identify the inherited blueprint running in the background that keeps us pushing past our limit, even when we know better  ✅ Why being deliberate isn't only about what we remove from our plates, but whether our minds are actually present for what remains  ✅ How to give ourselves permission to make the hard call before something breaks, not after Chapters: 00:00 When Everything Matters 00:40 Welcome to the Show 01:36 My Word for 2026 02:16 Burnout Warning Signs 02:58 The Overachiever Blueprint 03:58 Culture and Rest Stories 05:07 Choosing Presence 06:07 Podcast Schedule Change 07:27 Three Takeaways to Apply 09:32 Reflect and Choose Deliberately 10:48 Reviews and Farewell Send us Fan Mail Support the show NJ RESIDENTS, WORK WITH VANESSA Book a free 15-minute therapy consultation https://www.freetobemindful.com/contact  LET’S STAY CONNECTED  🎧 Podcast: https://www.freetobemindful.com/podcast  🎁 Free Resource — 120 Coping Skills: https://www.freetobemindful.com/podcast-120copingskills  📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/counselorvdejesus/  💛 Coaching for Moms: https://www.amigamoms.com  🎤 Speaking & Workshops: https://www.freetobemindful.com/speaking  💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/counselorvdejesus/ DISCLAIMER: Free to Be Mindful Podcast episodes are for educational purposes only and should not be considered as or substituted for therapy or professional help from a licensed clinician.

    12 min

  2. APR 21

    What My Therapy Dog Taught Me About Receiving Support

    The strongest woman in the room is often the last one to let support in. Not because no one's offering, but because managing has been her strategy for so long she doesn't always notice when something is available. This episode is about that cost, and Ollie the goldendoodle is our way in. What You'll Learn: ✅ The real difference between service animals, emotional support animals, and therapy dogs, and why it matters more than most people realize ✅ What the science actually says about what animals do to your nervous system, including why oxytocin rises up to 300% during eye contact with your dog ✅ Why being capable at managing everything is not the same as being okay, and what it quietly costs over time ✅ How to pause before the next reflexive "I'm fine" and actually answer the question honestly ✅ Three practical ways to start building the muscle of receiving support in low-stakes moments so it's available when the stakes are high Chapters 00:00 Who Is Really There 01:19 Meet Ollie Birthday 02:34 Ollie Therapy Work 04:20 Service Animal vs ESA vs Therapy Dog 07:04 Science Of Support 09:20 Why We Resist Help 11:26 Three Support Tips 14:21 Guided Reflection Pause 17:14 Share And Work With Me 18:36 Happy Birthday Ollie Send us Fan Mail Support the show NJ RESIDENTS, WORK WITH VANESSA Book a free 15-minute therapy consultation https://www.freetobemindful.com/contact  LET’S STAY CONNECTED  🎧 Podcast: https://www.freetobemindful.com/podcast  🎁 Free Resource — 120 Coping Skills: https://www.freetobemindful.com/podcast-120copingskills  📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/counselorvdejesus/  💛 Coaching for Moms: https://www.amigamoms.com  🎤 Speaking & Workshops: https://www.freetobemindful.com/speaking  💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/counselorvdejesus/ DISCLAIMER: Free to Be Mindful Podcast episodes are for educational purposes only and should not be considered as or substituted for therapy or professional help from a licensed clinician.

    19 min

  3. APR 13

    What High-Performing Kids Need That Parents Often Miss

    What if the loudest critic in your kid's life isn't in the bleachers... it's in their own head? Dr. Peter Economou, licensed psychologist, Zen teacher, and Olympic-level competitive swimmer, joined us for a conversation that's equal parts practical and profound, and it applies to every mom who's ever wondered whether she's helping or accidentally adding to the pressure.  What You'll Learn ✅ Why mindfulness isn't about slowing down, it's about training your brain on purpose, and why that distinction changes everything for high performers  ✅ What the "demons on the boat" metaphor from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy teaches us about bully thoughts, and why trying to push them down is exactly what keeps kids stuck  ✅ The middle path between "nothing is ever good enough" and burnout — and how parents can help kids find it without living out their own unfinished stories through them  ✅ Three simple, practical ways to bring mindfulness into everyday life without a meditation cushion or a free hour  Website: https://www.officialdrpete.com/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialdrpete/ Chapters 00:00 Hamster Wheel Hook 00:18 Podcast Intro 00:49 Meet Dr Pete 02:07 Fun Fact Olympic Swimmer 03:28 Belonging Beyond Titles 04:32 Mindfulness Meets Sports 06:18 What Mindfulness Is 08:08 Mindfulness for Busy Moms 09:13 Three Everyday Practices 11:01 Quieting Bully Thoughts 14:51 Middle Path Parenting 17:47 Motivation and Self Care 19:50 Balance and Perspective 22:23 Legacy and Genuineness 24:00 Where to Find Dr Pete 24:32 Host Wrap and Reflection  Send us Fan Mail Support the show NJ RESIDENTS, WORK WITH VANESSA Book a free 15-minute therapy consultation https://www.freetobemindful.com/contact  LET’S STAY CONNECTED  🎧 Podcast: https://www.freetobemindful.com/podcast  🎁 Free Resource — 120 Coping Skills: https://www.freetobemindful.com/podcast-120copingskills  📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/counselorvdejesus/  💛 Coaching for Moms: https://www.amigamoms.com  🎤 Speaking & Workshops: https://www.freetobemindful.com/speaking  💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/counselorvdejesus/ DISCLAIMER: Free to Be Mindful Podcast episodes are for educational purposes only and should not be considered as or substituted for therapy or professional help from a licensed clinician.

    27 min

  4. APR 6

    How to Take Credit for How Far You've Come

    There's a word that sneaks into how so many high-achieving women describe themselves, and it's doing more damage than we realize. It's the word "just." Just a mom. Just changed careers. Just started something. And it costs us more than we know. What You'll Learn: ✅ Why crediting yourself is not bragging, and why the women most likely to shrink their story are often the ones who've built the most ✅ How to keep a living record of who you've been and what you've done, so the evidence is there on the days your confidence goes quiet ✅ Why your reinvention — the messy, nonlinear, hard-won version — is someone else's proof that it's possible Chapters: 00:00 Look Back With Credit 01:44 Show And Episode Setup 02:22 Speed Mentoring Story 05:25 The Quiet Cost Of Forward Focus 06:11 Stop Saying Just 07:18 Tip One Credit Not Bragging 09:06 Tip Two Keep Receipts 11:23 Tip Three Be The Roadmap 13:46 Guided Reflection Exercise 16:19 Share Review And Closing Stay in Touch: 🎧 Podcast: https://www.freetobemindful.com/podcast  📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/counselorvdejesus/  💛 Coaching for Moms: https://www.amigamoms.com  🎤 Speaking & Workshops: https://www.freetobemindful.com/speaking  💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/counselorvdejesus/ Free to Be Mindful Podcast episodes are for educational purposes only and should not be considered as or substituted for therapy or professional help from a licensed clinician. Send us Fan Mail Support the show NJ RESIDENTS, WORK WITH VANESSA Book a free 15-minute therapy consultation https://www.freetobemindful.com/contact  LET’S STAY CONNECTED  🎧 Podcast: https://www.freetobemindful.com/podcast  🎁 Free Resource — 120 Coping Skills: https://www.freetobemindful.com/podcast-120copingskills  📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/counselorvdejesus/  💛 Coaching for Moms: https://www.amigamoms.com  🎤 Speaking & Workshops: https://www.freetobemindful.com/speaking  💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/counselorvdejesus/ DISCLAIMER: Free to Be Mindful Podcast episodes are for educational purposes only and should not be considered as or substituted for therapy or professional help from a licensed clinician.

    16 min

  5. MAR 30

    How to Trust Your Intuition and Live a More Fulfilled Life

    Some of us have pushed that quiet inner voice so far down we've forgotten it was ever there. But what if intuition isn't something you're born with or without, what if it's something you can practice, develop, and lean into right now, in the middle of your everyday life? In this episode, Vanessa sits down with Cheryl Murphy, evidential medium, clairvoyant healer, ordained minister, certified hypnotherapist, and intuitive facilitator. The conversation moves from the practical to the profound, covering how intuition works, why curiosity is one of the most powerful tools we have, what a real mediumship reading feels like, and why connecting with our loved ones in spirit is less scary and more healing than most of us ever imagined. Vanessa also shares her own deeply personal experience with her first-ever reading and why it changed her. What You'll Learn:  ✅ What intuition actually is and how to start developing it, even if you've never thought of yourself as intuitive  ✅ Simple everyday practices to begin strengthening your intuitive voice starting today  ✅ How Cheryl's work as an evidential medium connects to mindful living and present-moment awareness  ✅ What to expect from a reading, and what Vanessa experienced in her very first one  ✅ How self-care, grounding, and energy boundaries work for healers, and what we can all take from that Guest:  Cheryl Murphy - www.mediumcheryl.com Instagram: @mediumcheryl Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MediumCheryl Chapters: 00:00 Intuition Is Innate 00:38 Podcast Intro And Guest 02:34 What Intuition Really Means 04:39 Easy Ways To Practice 07:39 When The Gift Clicked 09:11 Mediumship And Other Abilities 10:27 Pets Telepathy And Signs 12:13 Synchronicity And Gratitude 16:21 Facing Skeptics And Fear 22:47 Mindfulness Opens Intuition 24:28 Self Care And Boundaries 27:11 Connection Compassion And Grace 28:50 Where To Find Cheryl 29:51 Guided Reflection And Wrap Up Free to Be Mindful Podcast episodes are for educational purposes only and should not be considered as or substituted for therapy or professional help from a licensed clinician. Send us Fan Mail Support the show NJ RESIDENTS, WORK WITH VANESSA Book a free 15-minute therapy consultation https://www.freetobemindful.com/contact  LET’S STAY CONNECTED  🎧 Podcast: https://www.freetobemindful.com/podcast  🎁 Free Resource — 120 Coping Skills: https://www.freetobemindful.com/podcast-120copingskills  📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/counselorvdejesus/  💛 Coaching for Moms: https://www.amigamoms.com  🎤 Speaking & Workshops: https://www.freetobemindful.com/speaking  💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/counselorvdejesus/ DISCLAIMER: Free to Be Mindful Podcast episodes are for educational purposes only and should not be considered as or substituted for therapy or professional help from a licensed clinician.

    32 min

  6. MAR 23

    Why the Wrong Voices Are Keeping You Stuck

    There is a version of productivity that looks impressive on a spreadsheet and exhausts you before you even start. If you've ever downloaded a free resource, opened it, and immediately felt worse about your own life... this one is for you. In this episode we talk about one of the sneakiest ways we undermine ourselves: letting the wrong voices become the loudest ones. Not just on social media, but inside our own heads. What You'll Learn: ✅ Why "good advice" isn't the same as advice that was built for your actual life, your season, and your invisible load ✅ How slow morning content, detailed lead magnets, and productivity frameworks can quietly create guilt rather than relief, and what to do instead ✅ The difference between receiving inspiration from someone and letting someone who doesn't know your life tell you how to run your life ✅ Why over-planning is sometimes just a beautiful way to stay stuck, and how to recognize when that's happening ✅ How to trust yourself as the expert on your own life, your own kids, and your own capacity, without checking it against someone else's blueprint Chapters: 00:00 Advice That Misses Moms 01:05 The Lead Magnet Overwhelm 03:06 Filter Advice By Reality 03:30 Slow Mornings And Guilt 05:11 Whose Voices Get Loud 06:25 Choose Contextual Support 08:23 Planning As Procrastination 09:37 You Need Permission Not Templates 10:43 Trust Your Inner Authority 11:06 Let Go Of чуж Standards 12:05 Wrap Up And Next Steps Stay in Touch: 🎧 Podcast: https://www.freetobemindful.com/podcast 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/counselorvdejesus/ 💛 Coaching for Moms: https://www.amigamoms.com 🎤 Speaking & Workshops: https://www.freetobemindful.com/speaking 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/counselorvdejesus/ Free to Be Mindful Podcast episodes are for educational purposes only and should not be considered as or substituted for therapy or professional help from a licensed clinician. Send us Fan Mail Support the show NJ RESIDENTS, WORK WITH VANESSA Book a free 15-minute therapy consultation https://www.freetobemindful.com/contact  LET’S STAY CONNECTED  🎧 Podcast: https://www.freetobemindful.com/podcast  🎁 Free Resource — 120 Coping Skills: https://www.freetobemindful.com/podcast-120copingskills  📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/counselorvdejesus/  💛 Coaching for Moms: https://www.amigamoms.com  🎤 Speaking & Workshops: https://www.freetobemindful.com/speaking  💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/counselorvdejesus/ DISCLAIMER: Free to Be Mindful Podcast episodes are for educational purposes only and should not be considered as or substituted for therapy or professional help from a licensed clinician.

    13 min

  7. MAR 16

    Building the Future of Latino Mental Health via the Futuro Fund

    What does it look like when a community invests in its own future? In this special Podcasthon episode, Vanessa sits down with Dr. Angela Vargas - licensed psychologist and inaugural Futuro Fund board member - to share the story behind the Latino Mental Health Association of New Jersey's scholarship program that is changing the trajectory for the next generation of Latinx mental health professionals. From a small group of psychologists meeting in a basement 27 years ago to a two-day annual conference, a growing gala, and now a formalized scholarship fund — LMHANJ has become a cornerstone of Latino mental health representation in New Jersey. Through the Futuro Fund, they've awarded $4,000 and now $5,000 scholarships to graduate students committed to giving back to their communities.  You'll also hear directly from scholarship recipient Yareimy Patrocinio, a first-generation MSW student and daughter of Mexican immigrants, on what this scholarship means for her path forward. In this episode: The 27-year evolution of LMHANJ — from psychologists-only to a multi-disciplinary, rebranded associationHow the Futuro Fund was born out of the inaugural gala — and why it's growingWhy mentorship and emotional support matter just as much as financial aidHow students can connect to LMHANJ and build a professional network before they even graduateWhat it means to be a first-gen professional investing in the next generation 🔗 Learn more about the Latino Mental Health Association of NJ → https://www.latinomentalhealthnj.com/futurofund  💛 Donate to the Futuro Fund → https://www.latinomentalhealthnj.com/futurofund  📲 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/lmha.nj/  💼 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/company/latino-mental-health-association-of-new-jersey Guest Angela P. Vargas, PhD, Founder of Via Psychology https://www.viapsychology.com/  Send us Fan Mail Support the show NJ RESIDENTS, WORK WITH VANESSA Book a free 15-minute therapy consultation https://www.freetobemindful.com/contact  LET’S STAY CONNECTED  🎧 Podcast: https://www.freetobemindful.com/podcast  🎁 Free Resource — 120 Coping Skills: https://www.freetobemindful.com/podcast-120copingskills  📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/counselorvdejesus/  💛 Coaching for Moms: https://www.amigamoms.com  🎤 Speaking & Workshops: https://www.freetobemindful.com/speaking  💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/counselorvdejesus/ DISCLAIMER: Free to Be Mindful Podcast episodes are for educational purposes only and should not be considered as or substituted for therapy or professional help from a licensed clinician.

    22 min

  8. MAR 10

    Stop Shrinking, Start Showing Up

    You soften your opinions so no one feels uncomfortable. You deflect compliments before they can land. You say yes when you mean no - and then spend twenty minutes explaining the no you finally gave. This episode is about the quiet, everyday ways women make themselves smaller. And what it looks like to gently, firmly stop. EPISODE DESCRIPTION Why the habits that make women great - being thoughtful, accommodating, considerate - can quietly become habits of self-erasureHow shrinking shows up in the smallest moments: compliments, limits, disagreements, and the sentences we say before we say what we actually meanThe particular loneliness of women in leadership who hold space for everyone and rarely have it held for themWhy over-explaining our boundaries is often not for other people at all, it's for usThree practical, small shifts you can begin using immediately: in how you receive appreciation, communicate limits, and speak your perspectiveA guided embodied practice to rehearse these shifts before the real moments arrive  TUNE IN TO LEARN Recognize the specific moments and patterns where you quietly shrink without realizing itUnderstand why this is a conditioning pattern, not a confidence problemPractice responding to a compliment with just two words: thank youSet a clear limit without constructing a paragraph to justify itSpeak your perspective without a disclaimer attachedUse a short guided practice to build muscle memory around these new responses  TAKEAWAY MESSAGE If you have been told - by your culture, your upbringing, the rooms you've been in - that being visible, certain, or direct is somehow too much, that message was never true. It was just loud. This episode is about turning down that volume and practicing, in small and honest ways, what it actually feels like to take up the space you have always been allowed to take. Listen in, try the practice, and remember… you are always free to be mindful.   REFERENCED LINKS 1. WORK WITH VANESSA (NJ MOMS): Ready to go deeper? Book a free 15-minute therapy consultation → freetobemindful.com/contact 2. Reset Experience for Moms → amigamoms.com 3. Book Vanessa for Speaking → freetobemindful.com/speaking Send us Fan Mail Support the show NJ RESIDENTS, WORK WITH VANESSA Book a free 15-minute therapy consultation https://www.freetobemindful.com/contact  LET’S STAY CONNECTED  🎧 Podcast: https://www.freetobemindful.com/podcast  🎁 Free Resource — 120 Coping Skills: https://www.freetobemindful.com/podcast-120copingskills  📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/counselorvdejesus/  💛 Coaching for Moms: https://www.amigamoms.com  🎤 Speaking & Workshops: https://www.freetobemindful.com/speaking  💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/counselorvdejesus/ DISCLAIMER: Free to Be Mindful Podcast episodes are for educational purposes only and should not be considered as or substituted for therapy or professional help from a licensed clinician.

    22 min
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About

The Free to Be Mindful Podcast with Licensed Therapist and Latina Mom Coach Vanessa De Jesus Guzman helps professional moms find calm in a busy world. Each episode blends mindful living strategies, mental health insights, and REAL TALK - grounded in culture and inspired by everyday life - to help you stress less, live with intention, and feel more like yourself... without hours of meditation.  Tune in for practical tools and relatable heartfelt stories that help you slow down, recharge, and show up as your best self. 

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