From Pain to Power: Identity, Healing, and Reclaiming Your Voice with Marya Kazmi

From Pain to Power: Identity, Healing, and Reclaiming Your Voice with Marya Kazmi

In this episode of REALTALK with Emma G and Dinah, hosts Emma G and Dinah Simpson sit down with Marya Kazmi, writer, educator, and the voice behind Brown Girl Interrupting. Marya shares her deeply personal journey navigating identity as the daughter of immigrants from Pakistan and Bangladesh, growing up in America while balancing the expectations of family, culture, and faith. From becoming a young mother during college to later finding the courage to leave a difficult marriage after 17 years, Marya’s story is one of resilience, reflection, and ultimately choosing herself. Through writing, storytelling, and honest conversation, Marya began dismantling the beliefs she once held about who she was supposed to be. That process of healing eventually grew into her podcast and talk series Pain to Power, where she amplifies stories of individuals who have transformed personal struggles into leadership and purpose. In this conversation, we explore: • Navigating identity between cultures • The courage it takes to rewrite your life story • Healing through storytelling and community • Turning pain into purpose and leadership • Why authenticity and honest dialogue are essential to personal growth We also discuss Marya’s course Empowerment Unlocked: A Journey to Healing and Growth, a five-session program designed to help participants explore identity, unpack limiting beliefs, regulate emotions, and communicate needs with authenticity. At its core, this episode is about reclaiming your voice—and discovering the power that comes from telling your story on your own terms. Subscribe to REALTALK with Emma G and Dinah for conversations at the intersection of identity, music, healing, and personal transformation.

REAL TALK | S3 Ep09 - Kelly Campbell: Strength, Safety & the Power of Self-Trust

Join hosts Emma G and Dinah Simpson for Episode 10 of REAL TALK: Raising the Vibration — where we explore the practices that help us become stronger, safer, and more grounded in who we are. This week, we welcome a leader in the world of Krav Maga, each with decades of experience empowering people to step into courage, confidence, and personal agency: Kelly Campbell For more than 26 years, Kelly has taught authentic Krav Maga across the globe — training students, mentoring instructors, and preserving the integrity of the system. Kelly’s mission is simple and profound:  help people believe they can be in control of their safety, their choices, and their growth — and give them the tools to prove it. Krav Maga transformed her own life. She began training “just for fun,” but instructors saw the teacher in her long before she saw it in herself. With time, Kelly discovered that her true calling wasn’t performing strength — but teaching people how to access their own. Kelly brings a rare combination of expertise, humility, and heart — making this episode a masterclass in personal empowerment. In this episode, we explore: - How authentic Krav Maga develops not just physical skill, but mindset, self-awareness, and emotional resilience - Why empowerment begins with believing you can be in control of your life, your body, and your safety - Kelly’s journey from hesitant student to global instructor developer — and what she learned along the way - The difference between real empowerment and performative “toughness” - Why self-defense training is as much about mental health as it is about physical safety - How movement, discipline, and community help people reclaim their power This episode is grounding, electrifying, and deeply human — the perfect blend of strength and heart. Connect with Kelly Campbell Email: kellyc@kravmaga.com Location: Los Angeles, California (Global instructor developer and trainer) ABOUT THE HOSTS About Emma G Emma G is a singer-songwriter, empowerment coach, TEDx speaker, and #1 bestselling author. Having survived 10 brain surgeries for hydrocephalus, she transformed her lived experience into a mission: helping others reclaim their voice, rewrite their stories, and build emotional and mental resilience through music, somatic expression, and trauma-informed coaching.  Website: https://emmagmusic.com About Dinah Simpson Dinah Simpson is the founder of High Ki Living, a mindfulness and energy-healing practice helping busy minds find calm, clarity, and balance. Through breathwork, meditation, sound healing, Reiki, and grounding lifestyle practices, Dinah supports individuals and organizations in overcoming burnout and reconnecting with their inner wisdom.  Website: https://dinahsimpson.com 🎙️ New to streaming or looking to level up? Check out StreamYard and get $10 discount! 😍 https://streamyard.com/pal/d/5411589634129920

REAL TALK | S3 Ep08 - With Liz Strom: Elevating Life, Beauty & Community Through Espressofied

Join hosts Emma G and Dinah Simpson for Episode 9 of REAL TALK: Raising the Vibration — where vulnerability meets vision, and everyday living becomes sacred. This week’s guest is Liz Strom, DC/NYC–based lifestyle curator, transformational life coach, content creator, and founder of the brand Espressofied. Through Espressofied, Liz encourages people to live life elevated — embracing beauty, self-care, authenticity, and connection as everyday practices. For Liz, life’s highest moments come not just in milestones, but in the tiny acts of “showing up” — treating yourself well, curating your environment, honoring your story, and building community. Her mission: help people experience life as a rich, soulful journey — in mindset, style, wellness, and purpose. In this conversation, we explore: Why “elevated living” matters — and how self-care, aesthetic, and presence can shift energy in your life How Liz’s personal story (including surviving major health challenges) shaped her mission to help others reclaim their power, identity, and joy voyagebaltimore.com+1 The role of community, storytelling, and shared vulnerability in healing and growth Practical tools: how to curate rituals, environments, and mindsets that reflect your highest self The power of beauty, self-love, and inner alignment as radical acts of self-respect — especially for those navigating trauma, illness, or major transitions What “living elevated” really means — beyond Instagram aesthetics, as a consistent way of being If you’re someone who wants to deepen your relationship with yourself, your body, and your story — or if you believe in the transformative power of beauty, presence, and intentional living — this episode will speak directly to your spirit. Connect with Liz Strom & Espressofied Website: https://espressofied.com/ espressofied  Instagram: @espressofied Instagram  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/espressofied LinkedIn ABOUT THE HOSTS About Emma G Emma G is a singer-songwriter, empowerment coach, TEDx speaker, and #1 bestselling author based in Rockville, Maryland. Having survived 10 brain surgeries for hydrocephalus, she transformed her lived experience into a mission: helping others reclaim their voice, rewrite their stories, and build emotional and mental resilience through music, somatic expression, and trauma-informed coaching.  Website: https://emmagmusic.com About Dinah Simpson Dinah Simpson is the founder of High Ki Living, a mindfulness and energy-healing practice dedicated to helping busy minds find calm, clarity, and balance. Through breathwork, meditation, sound healing, Reiki, and grounded lifestyle practices, Dinah supports individuals and communities in overcoming burnout and reconnecting with their inner wisdom.  Website: https://dinahsimpson.com

REAL TALK | Episode 7 - Michelle Jacoby: Love, Authenticity & Finding the Relationships We Deserve

REAL TALK | Episode 7 — Michelle Jacoby: Love, Authenticity & Finding the Relationships We Deserve Join hosts Emma G and Dinah Simpson for Episode 8 of REAL TALK: Raising the Vibration — where we explore the emotional, relational, and spiritual practices that help us thrive. This week, we welcome Michelle Jacoby, award-winning matchmaker, relationship coach, author, founder of DC Matchmaking, and co-founder of the Matchmakers Alliance. With clients across the DMV, the U.S., and abroad, Michelle has helped thousands of commitment-minded singles find real, lasting love. Her mission is simple:  help people find love — and spread more of it in the world.  And she does this not through games or gimmicks, but through authenticity, emotional intelligence, and deep self-discovery. Michelle believes that love isn’t luck —  it’s a skill, a mindset, and a relationship with yourself first.   Her superpower is building community, helping people feel safe being fully themselves, and guiding frustrated singles toward healthy, aligned partnership. In this episode, we explore: -What it really means to be “commitment-minded” — and why that matters -How self-awareness and authenticity shape the relationships we attract -The emotional patterns that keep people stuck in dating — and how to shift them -Why love is one of the most healing, transformative energies we have access to -How to date with confidence, clarity, and intention -The unique emotional landscape of singles in the DMV (and beyond) -What Michelle has learned from decades of helping people find the love they deserve This episode is grounding, hopeful, practical, and heart-opening — perfect for anyone who wants to love better, heal deeper, or build relationships from a place of truth and alignment. Connect with Michelle Jacoby Website: www.dcmatchmaking.com  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DCMatchmaking  Instagram: Michelle_Jacoby  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellejacobydc/ ABOUT THE HOSTS About Emma G Emma G is a singer-songwriter, empowerment coach, TEDx speaker, and #1 bestselling author. Having survived 10 brain surgeries for hydrocephalus, she transformed her lived experience into a mission: helping others reclaim their voice, rewrite their stories, and build emotional and mental resilience through music, somatic expression, and trauma-informed coaching.  Website: https://emmagmusic.com About Dinah Simpson Dinah Simpson is the founder of High Ki Living, a mindfulness and energy-healing practice helping busy minds find calm, clarity, and balance. Through breathwork, meditation, sound healing, Reiki, and grounding lifestyle practices, Dinah supports individuals and organizations in overcoming burnout and reconnecting with their inner wisdom.  Website: https://dinahsimpson.com 🎙️ New to streaming or looking to level up? Check out StreamYard and get $10 discount! 😍 https://streamyard.com/pal/d/5411589634129920

REAL TALK | S3 Ep6 Dr. Dave Snell: Healing, Humanity & “Unf*cking the World” from the Inside Out

REAL TALK | S3 Ep6 Dr. Dave Snell: Healing, Humanity & “Unf*cking the World” from the Inside Out. Join hosts Emma G and Dinah Simpson for Episode 7 of REAL TALK: Raising the Vibration — where we go beyond wellness buzzwords and dive into the real work of healing, mental health, and community transformation. This week, we’re joined by Dr. Dave Snell — counsellor, researcher, strategist, cultural translator, and self-proclaimed “Doctor of Bogans.” Based in Kirikiriroa, Aotearoa (New Zealand), Dave works at both ends of the mental health spectrum: on the front lines supporting individuals through his counselling practice and behind the scenes designing and advising mental health and addiction services across the country. Dave’s mission is bold, unapologetic, and deeply compassionate: “Unf*ck the world as much as possible.” He draws on lived experience, academic insight, and cultural literacy to help people — and systems — heal. His why is simple and profoundly human: “None of us chose to be born into this world, so it makes sense that we help each other through it.” In this conversation, we explore: ● What it actually looks like to “unf*ck the world” — internally, interpersonally, and systemically ● The mental health landscape in Aotearoa and what the rest of the world can learn from it ● How lived experience shapes better policy, better care, and better connection ● The role of humor, humility, and cultural identity in healing ● Why the “Doctor of Bogans” approach breaks stigma and creates bridges across social divides ● How we can support our own mental health while supporting others This episode is honest, grounded, and radically human — offering a refreshing and necessary perspective on what it means to help people, communities, and systems heal. Connect with Dr. Dave Snell LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dmsnell/ Profile / Feature: https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv-radio/tv-guide/70519383/meet-new-zealands-biggest-bo gans ABOUT THE HOSTS About Emma G Emma G is a singer-songwriter, empowerment coach, TEDx speaker, and #1 bestselling author. Having survived 10 brain surgeries for hydrocephalus, she transformed her lived experience into a mission: helping others reclaim their voice, rewrite their stories, and build emotional and mental resilience through music, somatic expression, and trauma-informed coaching. Website: https://emmagmusic.com About Dinah Simpson Dinah Simpson is the founder of High Ki Living, a mindfulness and energy-healing practice helping busy minds find calm, clarity, and balance. Through breathwork, meditation, sound healing, Reiki, and grounded lifestyle practices, Dinah supports individuals and organizations in overcoming burnout and reconnecting with their inner wisdom. Website: https://dinahsimpson.com 🎙️ New to streaming or looking to level up? Check out StreamYard and get $10 discount! 😍 https://streamyard.com/pal/d/5411589634129920