The Mirage Podcast

Ava Michele
  • 5.0 (10)
  • PHILOSOPHY
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Welcome to The Mirage Podcast! This talk show invites guests into thoughtful, honest conversations about inner peace, personal growth, and mental health. We explore how these themes show up across different life arenas such as entrepreneurship, parenthood, creativity, and more. Here, everyone's light is magnified. Let's shine! ✨ Follow The Mirage Podcast on Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Find updates and new content on IG & FB! Listen on Spotify, Apple, iHeartRadio, & Pocketcasts! www.miragemedia.video/podcastlinks

  1. E605 - Candice & Spencer On Choosing Each Other (Again)

    FEB 17

    E605 - Candice & Spencer On Choosing Each Other (Again)

    February on The Mirage Podcast is all about connection, relationships, and love! Not the curated version, but the lived in, evolving, sometimes messy and deeply meaningful kind. In this episode, Candice returns, but this time she’s joined by her partner of five years, Spencer. Together, they open up about what it actually looks like to build a relationship through growth, change, separation, and choosing each other again. We talk about what it’s like dating a therapist (from Spencer’s perspective) and how Candice balances clinical insight with simply being a partner. They share how they’ve both changed over five years, what they had to unlearn about love, and what shifted during a season when they briefly separated before finding their way back to one another. This conversation isn’t about perfection, it’s about partnership. It's about the glue that keeps two people connected when life stretches them. It's about communication that evolves. About friendship as foundation. About choosing love with intention...including the work of loving yourself along the way. We also bring a playful element into the episode with a live relationship game that lets listeners hear their dynamic in real time. You can hear the humor, the self awareness, and the genuine care between them. If you’ve ever wondered: What makes relationships last? How people grow without growing apart? Or what it really means to rebuild something you once let go of? This episode offers both warmth and perspective. Candice Coughenour is a licensed marriage and family therapist in Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Florida. This conversation is for educational and reflective purposes only and is not a substitute for therapy or mental health treatment.

    1h 8m
  2. Faith Alexander, LAC, Returns to Discuss Reinvention, Bravery, & Grace

    FEB 1 ·  BONUS

    Faith Alexander, LAC, Returns to Discuss Reinvention, Bravery, & Grace

    In this gentle and grounding conversation, we welcome [back!] a special voice to the Mirage Pod family: Aunt Faith, licensed associate counselor, former special education teacher, and compassionate guide for children, families, and adults alike. With decades of experience walking alongside people in their most tender seasons, she joins us for the first installment of her recurring mental health segment! As we wrap up January, we sit together in a meaningful dialogue about reinvention, bravery, and grace - three forces that shape who we become when life asks us to grow. Aunt Faith shares wisdom that is both professional and deeply human. She talks us through releasing old versions of ourselves without shame, being brave enough to run into our personal "burning houses...", doing our laundry 😅, and why grace is the bridge between where we’ve been and where we’re going. This episode is for the helpers, the healers, the quiet rebuilders, and the ones learning to be gentle with their own story. Breathe through this conversation, and let it remind you that becoming is not a race, it’s a relationship with yourself. Comment everywhere and let me know - what does community mean to you? Who has shown up for you in small ways that made big impact? Should they be invited onto the show?!? 🤩 Faith Alexander is a Licensed Associate Counselor in the state of New Jersey. Read more about her career here ⤵️ https://willowwellnesscenter.org/faith-alexander/ Listen to her first conversation on The Mirage Pod, Season 3 ⤵️ Faith Alexander, Season 3 Episode 8

    1h 6m
  3. Candice Coughenour, LMFT, discusses Reinvention, Bravery, & Grace!

    JAN 31 ·  BONUS

    Candice Coughenour, LMFT, discusses Reinvention, Bravery, & Grace!

    This bonus episode marks a huge milestone for The Mirage Podcast: the launch of a recurring mental health segment featuring licensed therapy professionals! This is something I’ve dreamed of bringing into this space for a long time. I’m joined by Candice Coughenour, a licensed marriage and family therapist, as we open this new chapter with a conversation on reinvention, bravery, and grace. Together, we explore what reinvention truly asks of us emotionally and relationally and how bravery and grace can coexist during seasons of change. Candice draws on foundational frameworks from leaders in the field, including Dr. Dan Siegel’s hand model of the brain and Virginia Satir’s self–others–context model, offering grounded, accessible insight into emotional regulation and self understanding. Candice is the owner and sole clinician at Congruent Soul Therapy! Be sure to connect with and support her here ⤵️ https://www.congruentsoultherapy.com/ Disclaimer: Candice Coughenour is a licensed marriage and family therapist in Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Florida. This conversation is for educational and reflective purposes only and is not a substitute for therapy or mental health treatment.

    43 min
  4. E604 - Christopher George Speaks on Reinvention, Bravery & Grace!

    JAN 28

    E604 - Christopher George Speaks on Reinvention, Bravery & Grace!

    Hey, everyone :) Ava, here. This episode opens with a question I couldn’t shake after having a personal encounter with the Dhammacetiya Monks' Walk for Peace: What does peace mean to you? How do you define it? I invite you to sit with that and share your answer in the comments on Spotify, Youtube, or other socials! Some conversations don’t disappear...they wait for the version of you that’s ready to have them. Chris and I recorded an episode together years ago that never made it to air. Life unfolded. Priorities shifted. Reinvention quietly did its work, but Chris' light has only shone brighter and brighter over time. I'm so grateful for the chance to reconnect, and this time, I feel that we spoke from a deeper place. Chris reflects on becoming the man he is now: an entrepreneur behind Styled by CG, a competitive bodybuilder who rebuilt his relationship with his body, a son of Altadena witnessing his hometown recover from wildfires, and a husband bravely stepping into fatherhood after adopting a teenage son. At the heart of this conversation is a powerful truth: staying true to yourself will almost always challenge what others expect of you, and that tension is part of becoming. Chris speaks candidly about identity, and the quiet courage it takes to choose yourself even when it disrupts the roles that others project onto you. We return again to this reminder - self care is not something you earn. You are worthy of it simply because you exist!!! Not because of productivity or transformation, but simply because you’re human and you're h e r e. This episode is for anyone learning to trust their inner voice, soften their self judgment, and come home to themselves without apology, and without waiting for permission. Please share your thoughts! & connect with The Mirage Podcast on IG & FB for additional content and takeaways. Be sure to connect with Chris here ⤵️ https://www.instagram.com/_styledbycg/

    50 min
  5. E603 - Allie Gee Returns to Discuss Reinvention, Bravery, & Grace on The Mirage Podcast!

    JAN 20

    E603 - Allie Gee Returns to Discuss Reinvention, Bravery, & Grace on The Mirage Podcast!

    Allie Gee returns to The Mirage Podcast for a reflective, deeply human conversation on authenticity, recalibration, and the quiet discipline required to evolve with intention. We talk about what it means to change without disowning former identities, and how growth often asks us to loosen our grip on perfection rather than tighten it. Through four defining journeys - dance, community, education, and entrepreneurship - Allie reflects on how each has shaped her. Dance revealed the cost of perfectionism and the illusion that flawlessness equals excellence. Community reinforced that creativity is sustained through belonging, not isolation. Education grounded her work in clarity, care, and accessibility. Entrepreneurship asked her to integrate all of it: vision, values, and lived experience, into something both viable and deeply personal. The episode closes with a surprise call from Allie’s best friend of 15+ years, Nathaniel Hunt, who speaks to the power of community and offers a thoughtful reframing of imposter syndrome, referencing America Ferrera’s words: “It’s not my fault that I feel like I don’t belong in this space. Everything for my whole life has told me I don’t belong in this space...” - a reminder that self doubt is often contextual rather than personal, and that belonging is something we build together. This conversation is an invitation to reconsider success once perfection is removed from the equation, and to approach reinvention not as a rupture, but as a brave, meaningful realignment! Shout out to Destiny's Child! If you don't have bright, shining besties like these...get you some! Thanks so much for tuning in - remember to connect with us on IG & FB for additional content, and listen to the show wherever you get your podcasts! Be sure to connect with Allie here ⤵️ https://www.instagram.com/amgee92/ && support OMGee Events ! ⤵️ www.omgee-events.com Cheers! - Ava ^_^

    1h 20m
  6. E602 - Sarah Cerami Returns, Discussing Reinvention, Bravery, & Grace!

    JAN 13

    E602 - Sarah Cerami Returns, Discussing Reinvention, Bravery, & Grace!

    Sarah is back! Six years later and we couldn't be more proud of all that she has done since you first met her on season one! If you’re in a season of transition or uncertainty, this conversation will feel like being gently understood. Sarah returns, not with everything figured out, but with a heart full of courage and a story that so many of us will recognize. From earning her Doctorate in Physical Therapy while moving from place to place as a military wifey, to beginning her own business from square one, Sarah shares the honest, behind the scenes reality of building a life when things feel up in the air. We get into identity, mental health, marriage, the quiet pressure to have it all together...and what happens when you finally give yourself permission not to! This conversation is for anyone who feels like they’re in between versions of themselves, trying to trust the process even when it’s messy or slow. If you’ve ever wondered, “Am I behind, or am I just becoming?” this episode is for you! Thank you, Sarah! Be sure to connect with Sarah & support Movementum Physical Therapy & Performance here ! ⤵️ https://www.instagram.com/sarahcerami.dpt/ For video clips and additional content - be sure to follow @themiragepod everywhere!

    1h 13m
  7. E601 - 2 Years 2 Long!

    JAN 6

    E601 - 2 Years 2 Long!

    Has it really been TWO YEARS?!? Hi, I'm Ava :) In this opening episode of Season 6, I’m welcoming you back with a conversation about what’s changed, what’s stayed the same, and why this next chapter feels different in the best way! Learn about the new year long format, and why creating space for more intentional conversations felt important to me. This episode is also a preview of the themes that will guide the season (which I am REALLY excited about!) I’m joined by a few special guests - say "Hey!" to Douglas Curry, Timesha Akoni, Nakea Marie Jones, Dr. Valencia Hicks-Harris, and Jon Warlick. I wanted to offer a glimpse into some of the voices and perspectives you’ll be hearing more from in the months ahead. Whether you’ve been listening since the beginning or you’re just finding The Mirage Podcast for the first time, this episode is my invitation to step into Season 6 together - intentionally and fully present. Cheers! Hit that follow button on all platforms and stay tuned!

    52 min

  8. 01/08/2024

    505 - René Roland - Digesting Good Vibes

    *deep breath* I’m just going to say it - this is one of our most beautiful episodes to date. René Roland brings an immeasurable amount of compassion, transparency, and love to our platform. So grateful to be starting 2024 with ALL of these *immaculate* vibes ! For more of René, follow her on IG @envie_reverie • follow us for many more inspirational conversations @themiragepod • dial 988 if you or anyone that you know are in need of immediate mental or emotional support • wishing you a VERY happy new year!!!

    1h 45m
See All (43)

5
out of 5
10 Ratings

About

Welcome to The Mirage Podcast! This talk show invites guests into thoughtful, honest conversations about inner peace, personal growth, and mental health. We explore how these themes show up across different life arenas such as entrepreneurship, parenthood, creativity, and more. Here, everyone's light is magnified. Let's shine! ✨ Follow The Mirage Podcast on Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Find updates and new content on IG & FB! Listen on Spotify, Apple, iHeartRadio, & Pocketcasts! www.miragemedia.video/podcastlinks

Information

  • Creator
    Ava Michele
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    43
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 738640
  • Show Website
    The Mirage Podcast