Find Your Voice, Change Your Life

Today, I interview Junie Moon, who grew up bright and bubbly, until one look from her mother made her feel unloved. Her free spirit met a controlling household where even a glance could silence her. By eight, she had learned to dim her light just to stay safe. Being cheerful and expressive got her labeled, and rejected. Bullied through middle school, silent in high school, Junie carried this fear of being seen well into adulthood. It shaped her relationships, her body, and her belief that her voice didn’t matter. But something changed. A moment came when she couldn’t stay quiet any longer—not for herself, and not for the person she loved most. That moment set her on the path to healing. Today, Junie helps women uncover the hidden fears that silence them and teaches them how to build trust in themselves again, so they can speak up, show up, and call in lasting love. __________________ Junie Moon is the CEO of Midlife Love Out Loud, a Global Love Mentor, bestselling author, women’s empowerment leader, and Certified Shadow Work® Coach. For over 30 years, she has helped thousands of women claim their birthright: the freedom to love themselves without apology, and attract lifelong, soul-aligned love because of it. Her work is grounded in transformation from the inside out. Junie guides women in midlife on a powerful journey of self-discovery, where the focus isn’t just on finding a partner—it’s about building deep self-trust, confidence, and inner alignment. When women feel whole and safe in their own skin, the love they’ve been longing for begins to arrive with ease. She’s been featured on News 12 New Jersey, Blog Talk Radio, Thrive Global, and Authority Magazine. Her short film Shed the Shame, which she produced and starred in, was featured at Newark International. Junie is the international bestselling author of Loving the Whole Package: Shed the Shame and Live Life Out Loud, an award-winning speaker, and the host of the Midlife Love Out Loud podcast. She’s shared the stage with John Gray, Marci Shimoff, Sheri Winston, and other leading voices in the field of personal growth. __________________ Find Junie here: Junie’s Website: https://midlifeloveoutloud.com/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/midlifeloveoutloud  FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1962269713813419  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/midlifeloveoutloud  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/love-coach-junie-moon-995262a/  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MidlifeLoveOutLoud  Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/midlife-love-out-loud-podcast/id1477913318  Free gift: http://midlifeloveoutloud.com/innercriticgift  Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/1751770/support] I’m Dr. Doreen Downing and I help people find their voice so they can speak without fear. Get the Free 7-Step Guide to Fearless Speaking https://www.doreen7steps.com .

Today, I interview Elisa Negroni, who grew up silenced—not just by family secrets and trauma, but by a culture that told her to stay small, stay quiet, and never question authority. Raised in Puerto Rico and Jamaica, Elisa learned early that speaking up came with consequences. A teacher once told her she wasn’t “college material,” and a cruel stepmother punished her for simply existing. The silence followed her into adulthood. For years, Elisa avoided the spotlight, convinced she had nothing to say. But deep down, she longed to be seen. Everything changed when she discovered Speaking Circles and began her journey inward—toward healing, self-trust, and the voice she thought she’d lost forever. Today, Elisa is a coach who helps others drop their masks, rewrite old stories, and reclaim their power to speak. In this powerful episode, she shares what it really takes to break free from silence and stand in your truth. Her story is a testament to what’s possible when you stop hiding and start honoring who you are. __________________ Elisa Negroni is a certified coach, facilitator, and storyteller who helps people break free from silence and reconnect with their true voice. Trained by Radiant Coaches Academy, Speaking Circles International, and in the Peace Circle process, she brings both deep training and lived experience to every session. With 30+ years in community relations, personal development, and transformational coaching, Elisa blends professional insight with her own powerful journey—from growing up silenced to guiding others through their healing. She helps clients uncover the stories that have kept them hidden and speak from a place of truth, presence, and self-compassion. __________________ Find Elisa here: https://www.elisanegroni.com/ https://relationalpresence.com/ Free Gift: https://power2speak.myflodesk.com/d7gv7aoohe Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/1751770/support] I’m Dr. Doreen Downing and I help people find their voice so they can speak without fear. Get the Free 7-Step Guide to Fearless Speaking https://www.doreen7steps.com .

Today, I interview Kristina Milosevic, who once struggled with shyness and fear of speaking up. As a child growing up in Serbia, she often felt more comfortable staying in the background. She was the responsible older sister, creative and observant, but hesitant to be fully seen. That shyness stayed with her into adulthood, where the pressure to meet expectations in a corporate marketing job built up over time. Eventually, that pressure affected her health and landed her in the hospital—a wake-up call that made her realize she could no longer live without her own voice. Kristina realized she had been living by someone else’s script. She courageously left her job, started freelancing, and began showing up in new ways. Her first steps onto her own path began with a challenge she had never faced before—creating videos despite the shakiness and discomfort of being seen and heard in a second language. It was the beginning of discovering what she was truly meant to do. Today, Kristina helps others find their voice online. She supports entrepreneurs in building a real presence through social media, video, and personal connection. Her message is simple but powerful: be who you truly are, not who others expect you to be. Speak up, show up, and live your own life. __________________ Kristina is a digital marketing coach, speaker, and podcast creator who helps entrepreneurs build an authentic online presence. She is co-founder of the PromoZiS Team, a freelance group specializing in web design, digital marketing, and business consulting. Through her podcast Growing Business Online, Kristina shares insights on visibility, strategy, and the mindset behind meaningful growth. She coaches small business owners on website creation, brand identity, SEO, and social media strategy. She is also a co-author of Global Women in Business, a collaborative book featuring voices from around the world. Kristina loves connecting with entrepreneurs locally and internationally, and is passionate about helping people grow their business in alignment with who they are. When she’s not working, she enjoys singing, public speaking, and hiking 10 kilometers nearly every day. __________________ Find Kristina here: https://team.promozis.com/  https://www.facebook.com/ksmcoaching  https://www.facebook.com/PromoZiSteam/  https://www.facebook.com/groups/ksmcoaching  https://www.linkedin.com/in/snezana-kristina-milosevic-890a4b21/  https://www.instagram.com/kristism7/  Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/1751770/support] I’m Dr. Doreen Downing and I help people find their voice so they can speak without fear. Get the Free 7-Step Guide to Fearless Speaking https://www.doreen7steps.com .

Today, I interview Patty de Vries, who grew up in a challenging environment where she felt the weight of constantly meeting expectations, pushing herself to succeed while disconnecting from her own needs. She learned early on to stay quiet and observe, taking her mother’s saying, "children should be seen and not heard," to heart. She also pushed herself to meet high expectations as an athlete, training with intensity from a young age. This drive helped her achieve success, but it came at a cost, as she often ignored her own physical and emotional needs. Much later in life, a severe back injury forced her to slow down and reconnect with herself. This physical setback gave her the time and space to reflect, reconnect with nature, and rediscover a deeper connection with her body and spirit, breaking free from the old patterns that had kept her silent. Today, Patty shares what she’s learned about letting go of expectations, listening deeply, and finding her true voice. She encourages others to break free from old patterns, reconnect with their authentic selves, and embrace the energy that moves through every cell of their being. __________________ As the Chief Experience Officer at Living Well USA, Patty de Vries has dedicated her life to guiding individuals and teams toward meaningful transformation. With a background in psychology, a distinguished athletic career at Stanford, and decades of experience in wellness leadership, including roles at Stanford University, she blends science, spirituality, and practical wisdom to help people align their thoughts, energy, and actions with their true potential. __________________ Find Patty here: https://livingwellusa.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/pattydevries/ https://www.facebook.com/pattypurpurdevries https://www.youtube.com/@livingwellusa https://www.instagram.com/livingwellca/ Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/1751770/support] I’m Dr. Doreen Downing and I help people find their voice so they can speak without fear. Get the Free 7-Step Guide to Fearless Speaking https://www.doreen7steps.com .

Today, I interview Joan Perry, who once built a life filled with achievement, only to realize she was climbing the wrong ladder in the wrong building. Outwardly, everything looked perfect—career success, recognition, and status—but inwardly, she felt disconnected from herself. Joan shares how, for years, she followed the path that culture and family laid out for her, without ever stopping to ask if it was truly her own. Growing up in a high-achieving family in the Midwest, Joan learned early on that visibility and accomplishment were rewarded. Her voice, however, was often silenced. In a household where airtime was earned and expression was measured, she became an achiever—excelling in sports, academics, and later, in a groundbreaking career on Wall Street. Yet behind all the success was a deep longing for something more real, something that felt alive inside her. The breakthrough came when everything she had built began to fall apart. A divorce she never saw coming stripped away the vision she had constructed. It forced her to pause for the first time and listen inward. Joan realized she had shaped her entire life around survival, not authenticity. Stability had come at the cost of her true voice. This disruption marked the true beginning of her Heroine’s Journey—the journey back to herself. Today, Joan Perry is the founder of The Heroine’s Journey and a bestselling author, helping women everywhere reclaim their voice, self-worth, and authentic path. Through her writing, coaching, and her podcast The Heroine’s Journey, she teaches that real success starts when we stop performing and start listening within. Her story is a powerful reminder that it is never too late to rewrite the story and become the Heroine of your own life. __________________ Joan Perry is a cultural luminary and advocate for women becoming the heroines of their own lives. Her credits include bestselling author, business owner, securities trader, high-performance coach, pioneering high-net-worth investor, philanthropist, and publisher. Her deepest joy comes from sharing her epic work, The Heroine’s Journey to True Wealth, with other women who are also trying to rewrite their heroine's story. She is an international bestselling author, host of The Heroine's Journey Podcast, and founder of The Heroine's Journey. She is also the author of The Heroine's Journey: The Art of Becoming the Heroine of Your Own Life. __________________ Find Joan here: https://www.facebook.com/TheJoanPerry linkedin.com/in/the-joan-perry www.WalkTheJourney.com Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/1751770/support] I’m Dr. Doreen Downing and I help people find their voice so they can speak without fear. Get the Free 7-Step Guide to Fearless Speaking https://www.doreen7steps.com .