Free to Be Mindful Podcast | Mindset, Permission and Real Talk for the High-Achieving Woman

Vanessa De Jesus Guzman, LPC, NCC
  • 5.0 (29)
  • Mental Health
  • Updated Weekly

The Free to Be Mindful Podcast is a weekly mental health podcast for high-achieving women, hosted by licensed therapist, speaker, and Latina mom coach Vanessa De Jesus Guzman, LPC, NCC.    Fifteen honest minutes with someone who actually gets what it's like to build something impressive and still feel like you're disappearing inside it. We get honest about ambition, identity, and the parts of ourselves we've quietly put on hold.   Each episode is unfiltered and grounded in mental health insight, for the woman who's tired of holding it all together and ready to come back to herself.  It ends with a short guided reflection, a chance to give yourself permission for the one thing you've been putting off.  It's like a conversation with a friend... who happens to be a therapist.  New episodes drop every week. 

  1. 2d ago

    2027 Predictions for High-Achieving Women │ Ep323

    2027 predictions for high-achieving women from a licensed Latina therapist on loneliness, burnout, and the real connection we’re craving next year. My 2027 predictions for high-achieving women, as a licensed Latina therapist, point to loneliness, burnout, and the comeback of small in-person gatherings. Underneath all the talk about AI and the future of work, every prediction points back to the same thing we’re craving more of next year... real connection with people who get us. I’m also sharing why the Surgeon General compared loneliness to smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day, and how we can plan for our people in quarter four the same way we plan our numbers. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN  ✅ Why supper clubs, run clubs, and small in-person gatherings are making a comeback in 2027  ✅ How an introvert who works for herself still makes room for connection  ✅ Why high-achieving women will look for a specialist instead of asking a chatbot for advice  ✅ What 2026 burnout data shows about stress in women compared to men  ✅ Why the Surgeon General’s loneliness advisory makes connection a real health decision  ✅ How to put connection on the calendar the same way we book a doctor’s appointment CHAPTERS 00:00 Why 2027 Matters Now 00:36 Podcast Intro and Purpose 01:01 Marketing Predictions Therapist Lens 02:13 Prediction One Small Gatherings Return 04:01 AI Makes Real Connection Pricier 04:40 Prediction Two Specialized Support 06:42 Coaching Invite November Spots 07:01 Prediction Three Schedule Connection 08:42 Reflection and Calendar Challenge 09:36 Plan for Your People 10:20 Final Sendoff Send us Fan Mail Support the show GRAB AN OFFER 🎁 Free 120 Coping Skills: https://www.freetobemindful.com/podcast-120copingskills 💛 Coaching for the Mom CEO: https://www.amigamoms.com 💡 Coaching for Child Therapists: https://www.thekidclinician.com 💚 Coaching & Community for Latinx Therapists: https://www.latinxpracticecollective.com  🛍️ Shop My Favorites: https://shopmy.us/shop/counselorvdejesus ABOUT ME I'm Vanessa, the therapist who helps high-achieving adults become the best version of themselves, not just at work, but in the rooms that matter most. I host the Free to Be Mindful Podcast, named the #1 Latino Mental Health Podcast in 2026 by Feedspot.  CONNECT WITH ME ON SOCIAL 🎧 Podcast: https://www.freetobemindful.com/podcast 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/counselorvdejesus/ 📋 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/counselorvdejesus/ 🎤 Speaking & Workshops: https://www.freetobemindful.com/speaking 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.

  2. Oct 13

    Why the Eldest Daughter Always Says Yes

    Why the eldest daughter always says yes to everything, from overcommitting to giving 110 percent, is a pattern I know as a licensed Latina therapist. As the oldest girl in a Dominican family, I share what it cost me the year I was four months postpartum and leading a nonprofit board, and how to tell when a season of giving is ready to close. What You’ll Learn ✅ Why the eldest daughter, especially the only girl, learns to say yes before anyone finishes asking ✅ Where the pressure to give 110 percent comes from for high-achieving women, and what it quietly costs us ✅ Two questions to help you tell when a season of giving is ready to close ✅ How to step back from a volunteer role or board you love without guilt running the show ✅ Why leaving a seat open can be how the next leader gets her turn Chapters 00:00 Eldest Daughter Yes Reflex 00:34 Podcast Intro and Gala Glam 01:51 How I Filled Every Minute 04:05 Oldest Daughter Culture and 110% 06:39 The Cost of Overgiving Postpartum 08:16 When a Season Is Closing 09:48 Returning as a Guest 10:42 Guided Calendar Reflection 12:47 Wrap Up and Permission to Rest Send us Fan Mail Support the show GRAB AN OFFER 🎁 Free 120 Coping Skills: https://www.freetobemindful.com/podcast-120copingskills 💛 Coaching for the Mom CEO: https://www.amigamoms.com 💡 Coaching for Child Therapists: https://www.thekidclinician.com 💚 Coaching & Community for Latinx Therapists: https://www.latinxpracticecollective.com  🛍️ Shop My Favorites: https://shopmy.us/shop/counselorvdejesus ABOUT ME I'm Vanessa, the therapist who helps high-achieving adults become the best version of themselves, not just at work, but in the rooms that matter most. I host the Free to Be Mindful Podcast, named the #1 Latino Mental Health Podcast in 2026 by Feedspot.  CONNECT WITH ME ON SOCIAL 🎧 Podcast: https://www.freetobemindful.com/podcast 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/counselorvdejesus/ 📋 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/counselorvdejesus/ 🎤 Speaking & Workshops: https://www.freetobemindful.com/speaking 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.

  3. Oct 6

    What High Functioning Actually Hides | Ep321

    What high functioning actually hides is something I hear about every week as a licensed therapist, especially from high-achieving women who look like they have everything handled. For World Mental Health Day, I talk about high-functioning anxiety, where held-in stress goes when we finally slow down, what the science says about scream clubs, and how to know when stress relief isn't enough and it's time for therapy. What You'll Learn ✅ Why high-functioning anxiety isn't in the DSM-5, and why so many high-achieving women still recognize themselves in it ✅ The signs high functioning hides, from a clenched jaw to sitting in the driveway before walking inside ✅ Where held-in stress goes when we slow down, including tears in savasana and anger aimed at the people closest to us ✅ What the science says about scream clubs and why screaming feels like relief ✅ How to tell when stress relief isn't enough and it's time to reach out to a therapist ✅ How to check on a friend or colleague whose automatic answer is "I'm good" ✅ Why our expectations drive high functioning, and which ones we can put down at home ✅ A guided reflection to notice where your body holds stress and choose one expectation to let go of this week Chapters 00:00 Scream Clubs Hook 00:39 Podcast Welcome 01:11 World Mental Health Day 01:45 Yoga Tears Story 02:42 High Functioning Anxiety 03:53 Signs It Shows Up 05:38 When It Spills Over 06:45 Why Screaming Helps 08:00 Scream Vs Therapy 09:23 Support A Friend 10:16 Drop The Expectations 11:35 Resources And Coping 12:01 Guided Check In 13:13 Closing Thoughts 🔎 Find a therapist: psychologytoday.com 🌎 Find a Latinx therapist: connecttherapydirectory.com 🎁 Free Resource, 120 Coping Skills: freetobemindful.com/podcast-120copingskills 💛 Coaching for high-achieving women: amigamoms.com Send us Fan Mail Support the show GRAB AN OFFER 🎁 Free 120 Coping Skills: https://www.freetobemindful.com/podcast-120copingskills 💛 Coaching for the Mom CEO: https://www.amigamoms.com 💡 Coaching for Child Therapists: https://www.thekidclinician.com 💚 Coaching & Community for Latinx Therapists: https://www.latinxpracticecollective.com  🛍️ Shop My Favorites: https://shopmy.us/shop/counselorvdejesus ABOUT ME I'm Vanessa, the therapist who helps high-achieving adults become the best version of themselves, not just at work, but in the rooms that matter most. I host the Free to Be Mindful Podcast, named the #1 Latino Mental Health Podcast in 2026 by Feedspot.  CONNECT WITH ME ON SOCIAL 🎧 Podcast: https://www.freetobemindful.com/podcast 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/counselorvdejesus/ 📋 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/counselorvdejesus/ 🎤 Speaking & Workshops: https://www.freetobemindful.com/speaking 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.

  4. Sep 29

    End of Year Overwhelm for High-Achieving Women │ Ep320

    End of year overwhelm for high-achieving women is something I see every Q4, when work deadlines and holiday stress hit in the same week. As a licensed therapist, I talk about why Q4 feels so heavy and how letting go of end of year goals that no longer fit can protect us from burnout during the busiest season of the year. What You'll Learn ✅ Why Q4 at work and Q4 at home become two sprints that nobody else sees in full ✅ How the pressure to set New Year's goals catches up with us in the last quarter ✅ Two ways to tell whether a goal still fits, starting with how you'd feel crossing it off unfinished ✅ How to reshape a goal into a smaller version you'll actually keep ✅ A simple way to sort end of year goals into what you'll finish, what moves to next year, and what you're done carrying ✅ A guided reflection to find and protect time for yourself on your calendar this season Chapters 00:00 Q4 Reality Check 00:40 Welcome And Busy Season 02:21 Workload Meets Home Life 04:13 Goals And Q4 Pressure 05:40 Keep Or Drop Goals 07:25 Resize The Goal 08:28 Support And Coaching 08:43 Schedule Time For You 10:28 Final Encouragement Send us Fan Mail Support the show GRAB AN OFFER 🎁 Free 120 Coping Skills: https://www.freetobemindful.com/podcast-120copingskills 💛 Coaching for the Mom CEO: https://www.amigamoms.com 💡 Coaching for Child Therapists: https://www.thekidclinician.com 💚 Coaching & Community for Latinx Therapists: https://www.latinxpracticecollective.com  🛍️ Shop My Favorites: https://shopmy.us/shop/counselorvdejesus ABOUT ME I'm Vanessa, the therapist who helps high-achieving adults become the best version of themselves, not just at work, but in the rooms that matter most. I host the Free to Be Mindful Podcast, named the #1 Latino Mental Health Podcast in 2026 by Feedspot.  CONNECT WITH ME ON SOCIAL 🎧 Podcast: https://www.freetobemindful.com/podcast 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/counselorvdejesus/ 📋 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/counselorvdejesus/ 🎤 Speaking & Workshops: https://www.freetobemindful.com/speaking 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.

  5. Sep 22

    How to Stop Caring What People Think | Ep319

    How to stop caring what people think is something I used to think came with age, but it's really about confidence, self worth, and stakes changing over the years. In this episode I get honest about aging into confidence in your 40s, and what my two year old is teaching me about wanting things for myself again. What You'll Learn ✅ Why the stakes actually change with age, and what that shifts in what you're able to shrug off  ✅ Three real reasons your circle, your energy, and your evidence change how much you care what others think  ✅ Why saying "I don't care" can sometimes be armor instead of the truth  ✅ A guided reflection for noticing when you're still managing what someone else thinks of you Chapters 00:00 Childlike Freedom Returns 00:36 Welcome to the Podcast 01:09 When Opinions Lose Power 02:16 Surviving the Worst Case 03:23 Three Reasons We Stop Caring 04:37 Confidence Takes Evidence 05:45 Performing Not Caring 07:28 Guided Reflection Challenge 08:16 Birthday Week Sendoff Send us Fan Mail Support the show GRAB AN OFFER 🎁 Free 120 Coping Skills: https://www.freetobemindful.com/podcast-120copingskills 💛 Coaching for the Mom CEO: https://www.amigamoms.com 💡 Coaching for Child Therapists: https://www.thekidclinician.com 💚 Coaching & Community for Latinx Therapists: https://www.latinxpracticecollective.com  🛍️ Shop My Favorites: https://shopmy.us/shop/counselorvdejesus ABOUT ME I'm Vanessa, the therapist who helps high-achieving adults become the best version of themselves, not just at work, but in the rooms that matter most. I host the Free to Be Mindful Podcast, named the #1 Latino Mental Health Podcast in 2026 by Feedspot.  CONNECT WITH ME ON SOCIAL 🎧 Podcast: https://www.freetobemindful.com/podcast 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/counselorvdejesus/ 📋 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/counselorvdejesus/ 🎤 Speaking & Workshops: https://www.freetobemindful.com/speaking 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.

  6. Sep 15

    Stop Code Switching and Start Showing Up | Ep318

    Stop code switching and start showing up: that's what I'm learning to do as a first gen, Dominican, high-achieving woman who's spent years adjusting my voice for every room I walk into. In this episode, I open up about the bridge generation, what code-switching actually costs, and what changed the moment I decided to show up as my authentic self instead. What You'll Learn ✅ Why the switching started long before she had a word for it, and why it never actually stops, it just changes rooms  ✅ What it costs to spend years adjusting yourself so everyone else stays comfortable  ✅ Why the timing of feeling "othered" looks different depending on where and how you grew up  ✅ The unwritten professional and entrepreneurial rules nobody can hand you when your parents were never in those rooms  ✅ What it looks like day to day to stop code-switching and let your full self show up instead  ✅ One reflection to use this week to notice where you're still switching out of habit Chapters 00:00 Code Switching At Home 00:45 Hispanic Heritage Month Theme 01:38 First Gen Bridge Skills 04:04 College And Othering 05:19 Entrepreneurship And Loneliness 06:52 Dropping The Switch 07:58 Authentic In Every Room 10:20 Guided Reflection 11:23 Share And Closing Send us Fan Mail Support the show GRAB AN OFFER 🎁 Free 120 Coping Skills: https://www.freetobemindful.com/podcast-120copingskills 💛 Coaching for the Mom CEO: https://www.amigamoms.com 💡 Coaching for Child Therapists: https://www.thekidclinician.com 💚 Coaching & Community for Latinx Therapists: https://www.latinxpracticecollective.com  🛍️ Shop My Favorites: https://shopmy.us/shop/counselorvdejesus ABOUT ME I'm Vanessa, the therapist who helps high-achieving adults become the best version of themselves, not just at work, but in the rooms that matter most. I host the Free to Be Mindful Podcast, named the #1 Latino Mental Health Podcast in 2026 by Feedspot.  CONNECT WITH ME ON SOCIAL 🎧 Podcast: https://www.freetobemindful.com/podcast 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/counselorvdejesus/ 📋 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/counselorvdejesus/ 🎤 Speaking & Workshops: https://www.freetobemindful.com/speaking 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.

  7. Sep 8

    Chasing Gold Stars As An Adult | Ep317

    High-achieving women don't need gold stars to keep chasing validation, we just found more sophisticated adult ways to earn it. As a licensed therapist, I see this constantly in the women I coach, and in myself. This episode is about what happens when you try wanting something with absolutely no one watching. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN  ✅ Why the validation you got from childhood gold stars never actually stopped, it just changed shape  ✅ The difference between preparation that comes from real care and preparation that comes from needing to be noticed  ✅ A simple way to find a want you've been quietly editing down for years  ✅ Why reclaiming something just for yourself starts with taking the audience away CHAPTERS  00:00 Chasing Gold Stars 00:41 Podcast Welcome 01:14 Adult Approval Habits 02:32 Compliments As Stickers 03:15 What Do You Want 04:00 Salsa And Self Focus 05:15 Finding The Want Again 06:24 Guided Reflection 07:11 Let It Stay Full 07:31 Coaching Invitation 08:02 Final Sendoff Send us Fan Mail Support the show GRAB AN OFFER 🎁 Free 120 Coping Skills: https://www.freetobemindful.com/podcast-120copingskills 💛 Coaching for the Mom CEO: https://www.amigamoms.com 💡 Coaching for Child Therapists: https://www.thekidclinician.com 💚 Coaching & Community for Latinx Therapists: https://www.latinxpracticecollective.com  🛍️ Shop My Favorites: https://shopmy.us/shop/counselorvdejesus ABOUT ME I'm Vanessa, the therapist who helps high-achieving adults become the best version of themselves, not just at work, but in the rooms that matter most. I host the Free to Be Mindful Podcast, named the #1 Latino Mental Health Podcast in 2026 by Feedspot.  CONNECT WITH ME ON SOCIAL 🎧 Podcast: https://www.freetobemindful.com/podcast 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/counselorvdejesus/ 📋 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/counselorvdejesus/ 🎤 Speaking & Workshops: https://www.freetobemindful.com/speaking 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.

  8. Sep 1

    Why Should Women Play Smaller to Prove They Rest | Ep316

    Why should women play smaller just to prove they know how to rest? In this episode, I unpack the real difference between ambition that comes from fear and ambition that comes from something alive, and why wanting more and actually resting can be true at the same time. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN ✅ Why wanting more isn't something women need to apologize for, and why we don't ask men to prove they can rest before we respect their ambition ✅ The real difference between ambition that comes from fear and ambition that comes from something alive, and why it changes how rest fits in ✅ How to hold both wanting more and enjoying what you've built, without needing them to split evenly down the middle CHAPTERS 00:00 Poolside Spark 00:39 Show Welcome 01:03 Season Reset 02:02 Stop Apologizing 02:29 Summer Reality Check 03:20 Redefining Rest 04:55 Ambition Without Fear 05:57 Reflection Prompts 07:42 Coaching Invitation 08:13 Final Sign Off Send us Fan Mail Support the show GRAB AN OFFER 🎁 Free 120 Coping Skills: https://www.freetobemindful.com/podcast-120copingskills 💛 Coaching for the Mom CEO: https://www.amigamoms.com 💡 Coaching for Child Therapists: https://www.thekidclinician.com 💚 Coaching & Community for Latinx Therapists: https://www.latinxpracticecollective.com  🛍️ Shop My Favorites: https://shopmy.us/shop/counselorvdejesus ABOUT ME I'm Vanessa, the therapist who helps high-achieving adults become the best version of themselves, not just at work, but in the rooms that matter most. I host the Free to Be Mindful Podcast, named the #1 Latino Mental Health Podcast in 2026 by Feedspot.  CONNECT WITH ME ON SOCIAL 🎧 Podcast: https://www.freetobemindful.com/podcast 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/counselorvdejesus/ 📋 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/counselorvdejesus/ 🎤 Speaking & Workshops: https://www.freetobemindful.com/speaking 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.

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The Free to Be Mindful Podcast is a weekly mental health podcast for high-achieving women, hosted by licensed therapist, speaker, and Latina mom coach Vanessa De Jesus Guzman, LPC, NCC.    Fifteen honest minutes with someone who actually gets what it's like to build something impressive and still feel like you're disappearing inside it. We get honest about ambition, identity, and the parts of ourselves we've quietly put on hold.   Each episode is unfiltered and grounded in mental health insight, for the woman who's tired of holding it all together and ready to come back to herself.  It ends with a short guided reflection, a chance to give yourself permission for the one thing you've been putting off.  It's like a conversation with a friend... who happens to be a therapist.  New episodes drop every week. 

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