The Balance with Erika B

You don’t have to fake confidence to earn your place in the room.On The Balance with Erika B, personal branding expert and speaking coach Melissa Maughn joins Erika for an honest conversation about authenticity, finding your voice, and building a brand rooted in who you truly are.Together, they explore overcoming comparison, embracing growth, and showing up confidently without compromising your values.Melissa reminds us that your circumstances don't define your worth, and your personal brand is more than what you do. It's about what you believe, what you stand for, and how you show up.Because you were meant to be a voice, not an echo.

summaryHost Erika talks with Dr. Wendy Schofer, a dual-certified pediatrician and lifestyle physician, about parental burnout, family relationships with food, and keeping human connection central as AI enters healthcare. They also discuss how clinicians can include all caregivers and how parents can introduce vegetables without turning meals into a power struggle.

What does balance really look like when life keeps pulling you in every direction?In this episode of The Balance with Erika B, Erika sits down with Angela, family therapist, author, and founder of Mom Balance Love, for an honest conversation about the invisible mental load, motherhood, setting boundaries, and learning to protect your peace without feeling guilty.Angela shares her personal journey of rebuilding her business, navigating life's unexpected changes, and creating practical tools to help overwhelmed parents find more breathing room in their everyday lives.Together, they explore people-pleasing, changing friendships, asking for support, and why taking care of yourself isn't selfish.Because balance isn't about having it all together. It's about knowing what matters most, giving yourself grace, and finding joy in the middle of it all.

Your worst mistake does not have to become your identity. Criminal defense attorney Shannon Roy shares how accountability, compassion, and the courage to change can help you move forward instead of staying trapped in shame.In a candid conversation with host Erika, Shannon explains why she chose criminal defense after watching the O.J. Simpson trial, and what nearly 16 years in the courtroom have taught her about the people behind the charges. She believes every case has a “why” worth understanding, and every person deserves to be heard without being reduced to their worst decision.You’ll hear how Shannon balances motherhood and a demanding legal career, why the people around you can shape your future, and how honest conversations help parents guide kids through peer pressure, social media, and a complicated world. She also shares the daily practices that have helped her examine old insecurities and keep growing.Shannon is managing partner of Roy’s Law Firm, a criminal defense attorney, wife, mother, and coach. Erika brings her own perspective as a working mom navigating family, identity, and the imperfect reality of “balance.”If shame, past mistakes, or other people’s judgments are keeping you stuck, this conversation offers a different way forward: own what happened, decide what needs to change, and imagine the life you want to build next.

In this episode, Erika B. interviews Brittany Braswell about overcoming overwhelm as a mompreneur, the power of delegation, and how internship programs can transform your business. Discover practical strategies to free up your time, reduce burnout, and grow your business sustainably.

Erika B. talks with Iva, co-owner and general manager of the Metro Atlanta Valkyries, about preparing a women’s tackle football team for its 2027 season. Together, they discuss the work of building a team, the barriers women face in the sport, and why greater visibility can help open the game to the next generation.

Erika Brouillette shares her journey through her husband's traumatic brain injury, the challenges of caregiving, sobriety, and how she is helping other women navigate similar struggles through her podcast and community.

Content note: This conversation discusses addiction and drug use, suicidal thoughts, hospitalization, divorce, custody loss, and recovery. Please take care of yourself while listening.Sasha Giglio joins Erika to talk about building a successful career while struggling with addiction, losing custody of her son, and finding a path toward recovery. She shares how asking for help, taking accountability, and rebuilding trust helped her move forward—and how recovery journaling inspired her in-progress memoir.

In this episode, Ariel shares her inspiring journey from growing up in Atlanta to living abroad in Mozambique, and how travel, culture, and unlearning societal norms shaped her unique path. Discover practical tips for traveling on a budget, navigating life abroad, and embracing a non-traditional career and lifestyle. In this episode, Ariel Travis shares her journey of leaving a traditional job to pursue her passion for travel and entrepreneurship. She discusses the importance of living authentically, the realities of travel, and how to build a life that aligns with your values.

Why We’re Drawn to True Crime: Psychology, Safety and the Stories That Stay With UsErika speaks with psychologist and true crime podcaster Dr. Lindsay Weisner about why so many people, particularly women and people with anxiety, are drawn to true crime. They discuss how these stories can increase awareness without increasing fear, how Lindsay researches cases, and what the David and Belinda Temple case reveals about investigative patterns, relationships and the search for closure.In this episode:Dr. Lindsay Weisner explains how an inspiring psychology professor led her to double-major in psychology and English at Georgetown.Why true crime appeals largely to women and may help people mentally prepare for unfamiliar or dangerous situations.A 2025 study involving 200 German adults found that anxiety on one day predicted greater true crime consumption the next day.How consuming true crime, including before sleep, was associated with lower anxiety the following day rather than increased anxiety, anger or sadness.Lindsay’s research process: reviewing newspapers, library archives, case summaries, victims’ and perpetrators’ backgrounds, and relevant witnesses.The unresolved Mindy case near Lindsay’s home and her goal of helping bring closure to victims’ families.The David and Belinda Temple case in Katy, Texas, including the staged-break-in theory, David’s affair and the evidence that drew investigators’ suspicion.Why behavioral patterns, relationship dynamics, timelines and inconsistencies can matter more than sensational details.The difference between a family annihilator and someone who kills family members, including the importance of broader behavioral criteria.Why true crime should be used for awareness and education rather than fear.Timestamps00:00 - Why this episode explores the psychology of true crime00:50 - Introducing Dr. Lindsay Weisner01:52 - The professor who told Lindsay she would never use psychology05:39 - Why understanding human behavior matters06:14 - Why women are drawn to true crime07:33 - How true crime can support awareness and personal safety08:12 - What anxiety predicts about true crime consumption09:24 - True crime, horror movies and the limits of astrology13:35 - How violent content may affect mood14:52 - Why true crime before bed may reduce next-day anxiety16:34 - Psychological thrillers, books and movie adaptations21:34 - What behavioral patterns Lindsay looks for in a case22:15 - How Lindsay and Mark divide their podcast research and production23:37 - Using newspapers, libraries and case backgrounds26:45 - The unresolved Mindy case and the search for answers28:54 - Beginning the David and Belinda Temple case35:53 - The Temple family, Katy, Texas and the football culture39:55 - Belinda Temple’s death and the initial crime-scene theory43:01 - Firearms, gun control and questions about the investigation44:59 - How psychologists might interview a three-year-old witness47:23 - Estimating time of death49:20 - Why the alleged robbery raised questions53:31 - David’s affair and the investigators’ suspicions57:52 - Gunshot residue, the investigation and the eventual arrest59:42 - David Temple’s conviction and life sentence61:36 - Questions about Evan and Heather that remain unanswered64:04 - True crime truth or myth66:13 - Why the psychology of a case matters most67:26 - The misconception about family annihilators68:30 - True crime, closure and the families left behind69:29 - Awareness is not fear70:21 - Where to find Dr. Lindsay Weisner and her work