Talk, Unleashed

Cathy Brooks
  • 5.0 (15)
  • SELF-IMPROVEMENT
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

What motivates people? Why do they do what they do? What does leadership actually mean in today’s world? Good questions, right? That’s what Cathy Brooks, thought. And it’s why she created Talk, Unleashed – a podcast of candid conversation. Sometimes as commentary. Sometimes as discussions with fascinating people doing remarkable things. Topics range widely and all of them have one thing in common. Dogs.

  1. 2D AGO

    Emotional Support Human

    Emotional Support Animals are bullsh*t.  I said it. If you’re feeling a certain way about what I’ve just said - defensive, perhaps - this episode is definitely for you. This is about emotional self-regulation, about how animals can and do serve the purpose of supporting us emotionally, but not by slapping a vest on them so that we can justify taking them places. CLARIFICATION - this is NOT about legitimate Service Animals - animals defined by the Americans with Disability Act as being trained to execute a specific and defined task for its handler that is life supporting/necessary.  So the point - the fact that when I am being the leader my dogs need - in that process I take care of their needs and in so doing, I feel better. So they support me, but only by my supporting them first. Kind of like the world around me. When I make it so that other people’s behavior or the circumstances of my life need to be a certain way in order for me to be okay, I’m set up for failure. The truth is that I get to regulate myself. My internal circumstances ARE the solution. In a world where what passes for radical honesty usually means someone is just letting things fly outta their pie-hole without much care for others, it’s time for radically authentic conversation. Conscious communication is simple, but often isn’t easy. That’s why Cathy Brooks created Talk, Unleashed – a weekly podcast of radically honest conversation about — everything. Whether her own musings or in conversation with industry leaders, each episode invites curiosity.  Curiosity not about what people do, but why they do it. Who they are and what makes them tick. It’s about digging underneath to reveal the thing that is most true - that we are more alike than we are not. A mix of solo episodes where Cathy shares her insights and experience or Cathy engaged in conversation with fascinating humans doing amazing things. No matter the format - it’s unvarnished, radically honest and entirely unleashed.  This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy works with symphony orchestras, corporate clients, and individuals to help them unleash and untether their leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages. #emotionalsupportanimal #ServiceDogs #emotionalregulation #responsibility #accountability #leadership #dogbehavior #baddogbehavior #dogtraining #shiftingbehavior #brutalhonesty #radicalhonesty #consciouscommunication #leadership #Conversation #connection #TalkUnleashed #fiercecompassion #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

    11 min

  2. JAN 28

    Big Dog. Little Dog.

    Just saw a video the other day. It was one of those “man on the street” things. The interviewer was asking passers-by what they thought of statements that had been made by a specific political person. Their responses - categorically rejected all of it  Then the interviewer course corrected. Turns out the quotes they were sharing were not from the person they’d said. The quotes were actually from the political person who they said they supported. Again, across the board they changed their responses.  Suddenly statements, that moments ago had been awful and rejected were now actually okay. Funny thing - this type of of behavior comes up when interacting with dogs too.  That’s where I go this week. In a world where what passes for radical honesty usually means someone is just letting things fly outta their pie-hole without much care for others, it’s time for radically authentic conversation. Conscious communication is simple, but often isn’t easy. That’s why Cathy Brooks created Talk, Unleashed – a weekly podcast of radically honest conversation about — everything. Whether her own musings or in conversation with industry leaders, each episode invites curiosity.  Curiosity not about what people do, but why they do it. Who they are and what makes them tick. It’s about digging underneath to reveal the thing that is most true - that we are more alike than we are not. A mix of solo episodes where Cathy shares her insights and experience or Cathy engaged in conversation with fascinating humans doing amazing things. No matter the format - it’s unvarnished, radically honest and entirely unleashed.  This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy works with symphony orchestras, corporate clients, and individuals to help them unleash and untether their leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages. #personalpreference #choice #differences #accountability #leadership #dogbehavior #baddogbehavior #dogtraining #shiftingbehavior #brutalhonesty #radicalhonesty #consciouscommunication #leadership #Conversation #connection #TalkUnleashed #fiercecompassion #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

    12 min

  3. JAN 21

    Band Aid or Tourniquet

    Not sure whether this is just a human thing or a particularly American/Western thing these days, but it sure feels like there’s a whole lot of overcorrection going on. And yet, there also are times where it feels like a more substantive response is warranted, but for some reason, it’s just not there. The phrase - using a Band Aid on something that needs a tourniquet - landed in my ear the other day. It landed like a bag of wet cement. Because I began thinking about the extremes in both directions, how that relates to some of the colossal issues with dog behavior and how much of a problem it is with how people communicate these days. So join me on this week’s wander in the woods as I ponder the topic. In a world where what passes for radical honesty usually means someone is just letting things fly outta their pie-hole without much care for others, it’s time for radically authentic conversation. Conscious communication is simple, but often isn’t easy. That’s why Cathy Brooks created Talk, Unleashed – a weekly podcast of radically honest conversation about — everything. Whether her own musings or in conversation with industry leaders, each episode invites curiosity.  Curiosity not about what people do, but why they do it. Who they are and what makes them tick. It’s about digging underneath to reveal the thing that is most true - that we are more alike than we are not. A mix of solo episodes where Cathy shares her insights and experience or Cathy engaged in conversation with fascinating humans doing amazing things. No matter the format - it’s unvarnished, radically honest and entirely unleashed.  This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy works with symphony orchestras, corporate clients, and individuals to help them unleash and untether their leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages. #responsibility #accountability #leadership #dogbehavior #baddogbehavior #dogtraining #shiftingbehavior #brutalhonesty #radicalhonesty #consciouscommunication #leadership #Conversation #connection #TalkUnleashed #fiercecompassion #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

    12 min

  4. JAN 14

    Owning My Sh*t

    Last week I talked about stepping in sh*t. This week is about cleaning that sh*t up. Literally. If the metaphor of stepping in a pile of dog poop is metaphor for responsibility, then what does it mean to avoid tracking it around, cleaning it up and - most of all - paying attention to where I’m walking so I don’t step in it in the first place. Perhaps an odd way to start of 2026, but there you have it. In a world where what passes for radical honesty usually means someone is just letting things fly outta their pie-hole without much care for others, it’s time for radically authentic conversation. Conscious communication is simple, but often isn’t easy. That’s why Cathy Brooks created Talk, Unleashed – a weekly podcast of radically honest conversation about — everything. Whether her own musings or in conversation with industry leaders, each episode invites curiosity.  Curiosity not about what people do, but why they do it. Who they are and what makes them tick. It’s about digging underneath to reveal the thing that is most true - that we are more alike than we are not. A mix of solo episodes where Cathy shares her insights and experience or Cathy engaged in conversation with fascinating humans doing amazing things. No matter the format - it’s unvarnished, radically honest and entirely unleashed.  This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy works with symphony orchestras, corporate clients, and individuals to help them unleash and untether their leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages. #responsibility #accountability #leadership #cleaningupshit #dogbehavior #baddogbehavior #dogtraining #shiftingbehavior #brutalhonesty #radicalhonesty #consciouscommunication #leadership #Conversation #connection #TalkUnleashed #fiercecompassion #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

    9 min

  5. JAN 7

    Stepping in Sh*t

    Admit it. You’ve done it. We’ve all done it at some point. Stepped in sh*t.  And yes, I mean literally. It’s that random pile of poop (usually and hopefully from a dog) that was hidden in the grass, or just somewhere you didn’t expect it. Next thing you know - that undeniable sensation of it under your foot. This may seem a strange topic to, dare I say, dump as the first episode of the year. Or maybe it isn’t. Because after having stepped in it myself the other day I mused on how apt a metaphor it is for life in general.  In a world where what passes for radical honesty usually means someone is just letting things fly outta their pie-hole without much care for others, it’s time for radically authentic conversation. Conscious communication is simple, but often isn’t easy. That’s why Cathy Brooks created Talk, Unleashed – a weekly podcast of radically honest conversation about — everything. Whether her own musings or in conversation with industry leaders, each episode invites curiosity.  Curiosity not about what people do, but why they do it. Who they are and what makes them tick. It’s about digging underneath to reveal the thing that is most true - that we are more alike than we are not. A mix of solo episodes where Cathy shares her insights and experience or Cathy engaged in conversation with fascinating humans doing amazing things. No matter the format - it’s unvarnished, radically honest and entirely unleashed.  This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy works with symphony orchestras, corporate clients, and individuals to help them unleash and untether their leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages. #steppinginshit #responsibility #cleaningshitup #cleaningupmess #dogbehavior #baddogbehavior #dogtraining #shiftingbehavior #brutalhonesty #radicalhonesty #consciouscommunication #leadership #Conversation #connection #TalkUnleashed #fiercecompassion #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

    10 min

  6. 12/31/2025

    The Bermuda Triangle

    Okay. I’ll say it. Holiday season is a challenge. Whether things are joyful or not, it’s an intense time of year. Ironic, since from a work perspective so many folks check out before the Thanksgiving turkeys are even in their brine. Whether it’s the Cadillac problems of what to buy or the deeper challenges of folks who wondering if they’ll have a home in which to live or food on the table - it’s a time of year fraught with a lot of judging my insides by other people’s outsides. I’m not suggesting if someone is facing calamitous issues that they should be Pollyanna and just pretend they’re not real. I am suggesting that no matter where we are in life, that a grateful heart and mind changes how external circumstances appear. In this episode, some things for which I’m grateful - and a few tips for navigating the stormy seas of the season. In a world where what passes for radical honesty usually means someone is just letting things fly outta their pie-hole without much care for others, it’s time for radically authentic conversation. Conscious communication is simple, but often isn’t easy. That’s why Cathy Brooks created Talk, Unleashed – a weekly podcast of radically honest conversation about — everything. Whether her own musings or in conversation with industry leaders, each episode invites curiosity.  Curiosity not about what people do, but why they do it. Who they are and what makes them tick. It’s about digging underneath to reveal the thing that is most true - that we are more alike than we are not. A mix of solo episodes where Cathy shares her insights and experience or Cathy engaged in conversation with fascinating humans doing amazing things. No matter the format - it’s unvarnished, radically honest and entirely unleashed.  This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy works with symphony orchestras, corporate clients, and individuals to help them unleash and untether their leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages. #bermudatriangle #sobriety #recoveryduringholidays #stayingsober #holidaychallenges #dogbehavior #baddogbehavior #dogtraining #shiftingbehavior #brutalhonesty #radicalhonesty #consciouscommunication #leadership #Conversation #connection #TalkUnleashed #fiercecompassion #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

    11 min

  7. 12/17/2025

    Jackie (Not Kennedy)

    Last week on the podcast I talked about Angels - or at least people who seem to be placed especially in our paths.  That got me to thinking. Specifically about another instance that took place not long ago at one of my favorite spots - Wegman’s. It wasn’t about groceries, it was about a moment of kindness. A moment that has me thinking that this whole angel thing? Maybe it’s not about special beings at all. Maybe it’s about all of us. And that’s what I discuss this week. In a world where what passes for radical honesty usually means someone is just letting things fly outta their pie-hole without much care for others, it’s time for radically authentic conversation. Conscious communication is simple, but often isn’t easy. That’s why Cathy Brooks created Talk, Unleashed – a weekly podcast of radically honest conversation about — everything. Whether her own musings or in conversation with industry leaders, each episode invites curiosity.  Curiosity not about what people do, but why they do it. Who they are and what makes them tick. It’s about digging underneath to reveal the thing that is most true - that we are more alike than we are not. A mix of solo episodes where Cathy shares her insights and experience or Cathy engaged in conversation with fascinating humans doing amazing things. No matter the format - it’s unvarnished, radically honest and entirely unleashed.  This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy works with symphony orchestras, corporate clients, and individuals to help them unleash and untether their leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages. #angels #angelsonearth #angelsamongus #wegmans #midlothian #dogbehavior #baddogbehavior #dogtraining #shiftingbehavior #brutalhonesty #radicalhonesty #consciouscommunication #leadership #Conversation #connection #TalkUnleashed #fiercecompassion #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

    10 min

  8. 12/10/2025

    Earthbound Angels

    Are angels real? Okay, before you think I’ve blown a gasket or that the fulcrum has tipped way too far into the woo woo, rest easy. I am not hallucinating. But I have been having a series of pretty mind blowing interactions. Interactions with complete strangers whose presence in my life definitely is not a mistake. They’re people whose paths cross with mine, and the words they say seem to be either in direct response to a question I’d been thinking or they have a solution to a problem I’m noodling. This time, his name was Melvin. In a world where what passes for radical honesty usually means someone is just letting things fly outta their pie-hole without much care for others, it’s time for radically authentic conversation. Conscious communication is simple, but often isn’t easy. That’s why Cathy Brooks created Talk, Unleashed – a weekly podcast of radically honest conversation about — everything. Whether her own musings or in conversation with industry leaders, each episode invites curiosity.  Curiosity not about what people do, but why they do it. Who they are and what makes them tick. It’s about digging underneath to reveal the thing that is most true - that we are more alike than we are not. A mix of solo episodes where Cathy shares her insights and experience or Cathy engaged in conversation with fascinating humans doing amazing things. No matter the format - it’s unvarnished, radically honest and entirely unleashed.  This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy works with symphony orchestras, corporate clients, and individuals to help them unleash and untether their leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages. #angelsamongus #angels #coincidence #dogbehavior #baddogbehavior #dogtraining #shiftingbehavior #brutalhonesty #radicalhonesty #consciouscommunication #leadership #Conversation #connection #TalkUnleashed #fiercecompassion #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

    10 min
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15 Ratings

About

What motivates people? Why do they do what they do? What does leadership actually mean in today’s world? Good questions, right? That’s what Cathy Brooks, thought. And it’s why she created Talk, Unleashed – a podcast of candid conversation. Sometimes as commentary. Sometimes as discussions with fascinating people doing remarkable things. Topics range widely and all of them have one thing in common. Dogs.

Information

  • Creator
    Cathy Brooks
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    199
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Cathy Brooks
  • Show Website
    Talk, Unleashed