Step into the Pivot

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Step into the Pivot

Theresa Conti & Ivana Polonijo

67 episodes

1 day ago

Have you ever experienced a moment when everything you thought you knew suddenly changed? When Stephanie Neault was 15 years old, her parents sat her down and revealed they were actually her grandparents. This single conversation set off a cascade of questions about identity, belonging, and trust that would shape her life for decades to come. After years of "white-knuckling" through life, experiencing dramatic work performance swings from exceptional productivity to complete overwhelm, Steph...

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Society & Culture,

Self-Improvement

All content for Step into the Pivot is the property of Theresa Conti & Ivana Polonijo and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.

Have you ever experienced a moment when everything you thought you knew suddenly changed? When Stephanie Neault was 15 years old, her parents sat her down and revealed they were actually her grandparents. This single conversation set off a cascade of questions about identity, belonging, and trust that would shape her life for decades to come. After years of "white-knuckling" through life, experiencing dramatic work performance swings from exceptional productivity to complete overwhelm, Steph...

Show more...

Society & Culture,

Self-Improvement

Episodes (20/67)

Step into the Pivot

Stephanie Neault: Truth Bombs and Healing Paths

Have you ever experienced a moment when everything you thought you knew suddenly changed? When Stephanie Neault was 15 years old, her parents sat her down and revealed they were actually her grandparents. This single conversation set off a cascade of questions about identity, belonging, and trust that would shape her life for decades to come. After years of "white-knuckling" through life, experiencing dramatic work performance swings from exceptional productivity to complete overwhelm, Steph...

1 week ago

30 minutes

Step into the Pivot

Alison Nakamura Netter: There But For the Grace of God Go I

Purpose-driven nonprofit leader Alison Nakamura takes us on her journey of transformation, sharing the pivotal moment at age 30 when she abandoned her successful Manhattan PR career to pursue social work—a decision that seemed financially risky but spiritually essential. With remarkable candor, she reveals how growing up between two parental influences, her nurse mother's service-oriented values and her father's traditional success metrics created an internal tug-of-war that eventually led to...

3 weeks ago

25 minutes

Step into the Pivot

Anne Tankersley: The Marathon, Not the Sprint

When Anne Tankersley decided to make 2023 her "self-care year," she had no idea how profoundly that decision would change her life. A mammogram revealed triple-negative breast cancer, launching her into an intense journey of treatments, career transitions, and personal transformation. With remarkable candor, she describes attempting to maintain her professional momentum through 20 weeks of chemotherapy, only gradually learning to adjust her expectations and accept support. Her story pow...

1 month ago

35 minutes

Step into the Pivot

Kim Kelleher: Prepare for the Plan to Change

Despite having regular mammograms and being previously told she had benign fibrocystic breast tissue, Kim received news that would change everything. The confusion of conflicting test results and constantly changing treatment plans taught her what would become her mantra: "Prepare for the plan to change." This wisdom carried her through surgery, chemotherapy, and the difficult decisions that followed. Kim's transformation was ‘pivoted’ into an opportunity learning to prioritize her own needs ...

1 month ago

35 minutes

Step into the Pivot

Claudia St. John: Breaking the Silence - Part 2

This episode covers extremely sensitive topics, including violence. Listener discretion is advised. Please prioritize your well-being while listening. How do you move forward when the foundation of your life story crumbles beneath you? Claudia St John returns to share the aftermath of her father's shocking confession to murdering her grandmother 26 years earlier. The moment Claudia learned the truth, she knew she would turn her father in to authorities. Yet she took a month to carefully cons...

2 months ago

25 minutes

Step into the Pivot

Claudia St. John: Breaking the Silence - Part 1

This episode covers extremely sensitive topics, including violence. Listener discretion is advised. Please prioritize your well-being while listening. What would you do if someone you loved confessed to an unthinkable crime? Claudia St. John faced this impossible question when her father casually admitted to murdering her grandmother – 26 years after the fact. With raw honesty, Claudia shares the month-long moral crisis that followed – consulting doctors, prosecutors, priests, and even the ...

2 months ago

21 minutes

Step into the Pivot

Sarah Simoneaux + James Passarelli: Mentorship Behind Every Door

A chance meeting in a Bronx apartment building sparked a 13-year mentorship journey that transformed both lives and careers. When Sarah Simoneaux rushed to New York after her daughter Nicole hadn't been heard from in weeks, she discovered not only her daughter in crisis but also an unexpected connection that would reshape her understanding of purpose and success. During her extended stays supporting Nicole's recovery, Sarah met James Passarelli, her daughter's upstairs neighbor who was finis...

3 months ago

23 minutes

Step into the Pivot

Helen McConnell: Tap Into Your Purpose, Prosperity and Happiness

From functioning alcoholic to emotional freedom expert, Helen McConnell's life transformation began with a terrifying realization: "I'm going to lose it all." Though outwardly successful with the elegant BMW, beautiful condo, and executive career, Helen's inner world was crumbling under addiction. Her powerful pivot started with sobriety through AA, but something still felt missing. The true revelation came years later when Helen discovered Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) – commonly known ...

3 months ago

26 minutes

Step into the Pivot

Jeff Acheson: Save the Starfish - Part 2

Welcome to the finale of our two-part conversation with Jeff Acheson. A parable about saving starfish opens this profound conversation with Jeff, who shares his journey of transforming devastating personal loss into purposeful action. After losing his daughter Amber two years ago, Jeff founded Amber's Aces to partner with ROX (Ruling Our Experiences), an organization dedicated to building confidence and self-esteem in young women. Through tears and powerful insights, he reveals how "Am...

4 months ago

21 minutes

Step into the Pivot

Jeff Acheson: Save the Starfish - Part 1

The moment Jeff Acheson's daughter Amber passed away two years ago, his world changed forever. What followed wasn't just grief, but a powerful transformation that's touching countless young lives today. Through vulnerability and courage, Jeff illuminates the critical distinction between diagnosed mental illness and the broader spectrum of mental health challenges: self-esteem, confidence, and self-worth issues that can silently devastate lives while appearing outwardly functional. His story...

4 months ago

30 minutes

Step into the Pivot

Theresa and Ivana: Fireworks and Inner Independence

In this episode of Step Into The Pivot, Theresa and Dr. Ivi (Ivana) share deeply personal reflections on July 4th, and how the meaning of this holiday has shifted for each of them over time. Theresa recalls the joy and innocence of childhood fireworks. For Dr. Ivi, the explosions once triggered traumatic memories from her war-torn childhood in Croatia. But instead of avoiding the pain, she chose a bold pivot: transforming the holiday into a ritual of personal liberation. Through mindful senso...

5 months ago

20 minutes

Step into the Pivot

Jay Washington: From Fun Uncle to Amazing Father Figure

What happens when you realize the person you've been presenting to the world for decades isn't your true self? Jay Washington's powerful conversation takes us on a journey through authenticity, emotional growth, and unexpected life pivots. The conversation takes a deeply moving turn as Jay shares his transition from being the fun uncle ("funkle") to becoming a father figure ("dunkle") for his niece and nephew after they lost both parents. Rather than seeing this unexpected responsibility as ...

5 months ago

22 minutes

Step into the Pivot

Lia Bliss: Forward-Motion Finesse

When we first met Lia Bliss at a business conference, she captivated the room with her LinkedIn expertise, delivering insights so valuable that attendees could barely keep up with their note-taking. Behind this polished presentation style lies a story of persistence and transformation that began with 20-hour shifts split between retail and bartending while supporting herself as a single mother. The turning point came when Lia invested in a business coach despite financial constraints, findin...

6 months ago

22 minutes

Step into the Pivot

Xiaojue Hu: Spiritual Hunger, Psychedelics, and a New Vision of Mental Health

In this thought-provoking conversation with psychiatrist Dr. Xiaojue Hu, we explore how integrating spirituality with conventional psychiatry creates powerful new possibilities for healing. Dr. Hu shares the remarkable story of her own unexpected spiritual awakening that occurred during her fourth year of psychiatry residency at NYU. Raised by atheist parents from communist China, she experienced a profound shift in consciousness that opened her to both spiritual exploration and psychedelic ...

6 months ago

34 minutes

Step into the Pivot

Bill Harmon: Until He Proved me Wrong

Bill Harmon, seasoned retirement industry executive, broke through the polished corporate veneer to share a deeply personal story. Bill takes us through the life-changing moment when his son William was born with Down syndrome, and the emotional rollercoaster that followed. After initially struggling with clinical, limitation-focused medical resources, Bill discovered a beautiful metaphor that changed his perspective forever: "Welcome to Holland." This poem frames having a child with special...

6 months ago

27 minutes

Step into the Pivot

Toya Gavin: Waking Up Worthy

What would happen if you woke up tomorrow fundamentally believing in your worthiness, regardless of your accomplishments? This question lies at the heart of our conversation with transformational leadership coach Toya Gavin, whose journey from burnt-out prosecutor to authentic coach reveals profound lessons about reclaiming our true selves. Toya shares the vulnerable moment when she publicly admitted her burnout and depression to thousands of fellow attorneys, expecting little response. Inst...

7 months ago

31 minutes

Step into the Pivot

Melissa Terito: Leadership Lessons - Classroom to Boardroom

Step into the remarkable journey of Melissa Terito, a dynamic guest who transitioned from a fulfilling teaching career to become a partner at a top CPA firm. In this episode, we explore how she navigated her career pivot, embracing the internal nudges that drove her towards a new path in accounting. With a deep appreciation for the skills acquired through her teaching background, Melissa discusses the unique ability to translate complex ideas into relatable concepts, a skill that serves her w...

7 months ago

28 minutes

Step into the Pivot

Margie Warrell: Closing the Courage Gap

This episode covers sensitive topics. Listener discretion is advised. Please prioritize your well-being while listening. What would you do if you had more courage? This question sits at the heart of our illuminating conversation with Dr. Margie Warrell, global thought leader on brave leadership and author of "The Courage Gap." The courage gap affects us all, but particularly women. We explore how imposter syndrome manifests as underestimating our abilities while overestimating dangers. As ...

8 months ago

33 minutes

Step into the Pivot

Morgan Rysdon: From Pain and Loss to Comfort and Confidence

In this episode, we welcome the insightful Morgan Rysdon, who shares her inspiring journey of healing through trauma, loss, and the practice of the Alexander Technique. Morgan reflects on pivotal moments that shaped her, including her childhood experiences and the heartbreaking loss of her brother, leading her to embrace a path of resilience and choice. Amidst profound sadness, Morgan discovered the Alexander Technique, which transformed her relationship with her body and mind. This approach...

8 months ago

30 minutes

Step into the Pivot

Chase Sterling: It's Your Choice to Change

Have you ever felt like life threw you a 40-pound bag of lemons? Join us as we welcome Chase Sterling, an Army veteran, who shares her incredible journey of resilience through life's unexpected turns. From navigating a challenging childhood in an abusive adoptive home to her courageous decision for early emancipation at 17, Chase's story is a testament to strength and adaptability. Her journey continues with the founding of the Wellbeing Think Tank, a nonprofit organization dedicated to enh...

9 months ago

34 minutes