The Do Tell Relationship Podcast

Who are you when you're not working toward your next achievement? Fragrance creator, former therapist, and INFLUXIOUS founder Funmi Monet joins Nina Westbrook for a conversation about identity, self-trust, and giving yourself permission to begin before you feel ready. Funmi shares how her therapist's suggestion to find a creative outlet led her into beauty content creation—and eventually to building a fragrance brand sold at Sephora. Along the way, she faced doubts about her audience size, learned to protect her authenticity, and discovered that a thoughtful idea could open doors before a finished product existed. Together, Nina and Funmi explore why every passion doesn't need to become a hustle, how to handle rejection without becoming bitter, and when to let go of advice that doesn't fit your path. Funmi also introduces the cultural memories and emotional experiences behind her fragrances, from the comfort of being cared for to the confidence of showing up as yourself. Listen for an honest conversation about entrepreneurship, Nigerian heritage, creativity, and building a life that feels like your own. More from Do Tell: • Jovian Zayne — You Don't Have to Hold It All Together: https://youtu.be/9TuW8voUsWo • Tai Beauchamp — You Don't Have to Do Everything to Be Well: https://youtu.be/eV-kuWbUSCQ • Devi Brown — Healing Isn't Pretty: https://youtu.be/gTvEzcqwBZM Connect with Nina: https://www.instagram.com/ninawestbrook/ Follow Do Tell: https://www.instagram.com/dotellpodcast/ Email: [email protected] Follow the Do Tell Relationship Podcast and share this episode with someone who's waiting to feel ready.

Being yourself doesn't mean giving everyone access to every part of your life. Creator and storyteller Leigh Soriano joins Nina Westbrook for her first podcast appearance—a funny, thoughtful conversation about authenticity, healthy boundaries, and staying grounded as your world gets bigger. From bartending to building an online audience, Leigh's story opens up a bigger question: How do you let people in while keeping something for yourself? Together, Nina and Leigh discuss the influence of family, the connection that comes from sharing ordinary experiences, neurodivergence and feeling seen, and finding your next step when life starts to feel mundane. They also explore learning to say no, deciding what belongs online, and taking care of yourself before giving more of yourself to others. A reminder that your everyday life holds stories worth sharing—and you still get to decide how much you share. More from Do Tell: • Jovian Zayne — You Don't Have to Hold It All Together: https://youtu.be/9TuW8voUsWo • Tai Beauchamp — You Don't Have to Do Everything to Be Well: https://youtu.be/eV-kuWbUSCQ • Devi Brown — Healing Isn't Pretty: https://youtu.be/gTvEzcqwBZM Connect with us: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ninawestbrook/ Do Tell: https://www.instagram.com/dotellpodcast/ Email: [email protected] Download Nebbi: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/nebbi-app/id6745851765 Follow the Do Tell Relationship Podcast and share this episode with someone who needs permission to put themselves first.

You can love your children, choose motherhood, and still miss the woman you were before. Sahar Taylor joins Nina Westbrook for an honest conversation about motherhood, identity, marriage, prenups, and the emotional realities of surrogacy. From leaving her first marriage and experiencing homelessness during law school to becoming a family law attorney and navigating life with two children under two, Sahar shares what it has meant to rebuild her life—and give herself permission to change direction. Nina and Sahar explore the personal and professional costs of stepping away from a career, why Sahar advocates for women to consider prenuptial agreements, and what her own surrogacy journey taught her about expectations, vulnerability, and bonding with her son. They also discuss the struggle that can hide behind a polished appearance, the pressure to make motherhood your entire identity, and why mixed feelings don't automatically mean you made the wrong choice. In this episode: • Motherhood, ambition, and missing your professional identity • Leaving a marriage and rebuilding without family support • Prenups and accounting for career sacrifices • Sharing fertility struggles while protecting your peace • Surrogacy and letting the bond with your baby develop • Asking for support when everyone assumes you're okay • Raising children who can name and express their emotions What's a choice you're glad you made—even though parts of it are still hard? Tell us in the comments. Subscribe to the Do Tell Relationship Podcast for honest conversations about relationships, parenthood, emotional well-being, and personal growth. 📩 Connect with us: Email: [email protected] Instagram: @ninawestbrook Download Nebbi: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/nebbi-app/id6745851765 #DoTellPodcast #NinaWestbrook #SaharTaylor #Motherhood #Relationships

You can be capable, driven, and deeply committed to everyone around you—and still need help. In this episode of the Do Tell Relationship Podcast, Nina Westbrook welcomes executive coach and author Jovian Zayne for a conversation about self-worth, boundaries, motherhood, and navigating life's harder seasons. Jovian shares the personal experiences behind her book, Soft Landings for Hard Days, including the competing pressures of entrepreneurship and becoming a mother. Together, she and Nina examine why high-achieving women often turn difficult circumstances into self-blame, how professional setbacks can shake our identity, and why asking for support can feel so uncomfortable. They explore letting go of life timelines, recognizing your changing needs, and the difference between analyzing an emotion and allowing yourself to feel it. Jovian also shares her everyday "joy points" and reflects on the people who have helped her through life's transitions. A conversation about giving yourself grace, making room for support, and remembering that your worth extends beyond what you accomplish. Follow Do Tell for more conversations about relationships, personal growth, and learning to care for yourself along the way.   Subscribe to Do Tell for more honest conversations about relationships, personal growth, and the relationship you have with yourself. growth. 📩 Connect with us: Email: [email protected] Instagram: @ninawestbrook Download Nebbi: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/nebbi-app/id6745851765 #DoTellPodcast #NinaWestbrook #JovianZayne #SelfWorth #SoftLandingsForHardDays

What if wellness wasn't something you had to perfect—but something you could practice, one intentional choice at a time? In this episode of the Do Tell Relationship Podcast, Nina Westbrook sits down with award-winning host, producer and entrepreneur Tai Beauchamp for a deeply honest conversation about wellness, identity, community and what it means to live as your whole self. Tai shares how leaving a celebrated career in magazine publishing forced her to separate her identity from other people's expectations. She explains how being raised by her mother and grandparents gave her the freedom, wisdom and confidence to trust herself—and why those lessons continue to shape her life today. Nina and Tai also discuss the community behind Morning Mindset with Tai, the emotional complexity of embracing "otherhood" rather than traditional motherhood, and why meaningful relationships are essential to our well-being. They also discuss: Why "how you begin is half the win"  Starting over when there is no blueprint  Raising children with freedom, curiosity and intention  The joy and grief of choosing a life without biological children  Why healing happens in community  The difference between connection and simply gathering people  Small wellness practices that help regulate the nervous system  Why introverts still need safe, meaningful relationships  Giving yourself permission to explore every side of who you are  Tai reminds us that wellness doesn't require doing everything perfectly. Sometimes it means moving your body for five minutes, calling a friend, stepping outside, taking a nap or simply asking yourself what you need today. Wherever you are in your journey, this conversation is an invitation to begin again—with greater intention, curiosity and compassion for yourself. Subscribe to the Do Tell Relationship Podcast for more honest conversations about relationships, emotional wellness, identity and becoming your fullest self. 0:00 The Art of a Regulated Nervous System 1:04 The Daily Work of Being Well 3:21 Walk Away or Walk Through It 8:03 The Origin of Morning Mindset 10:38 Shifting Identities and Career Pivots 14:29 The Wisdom of Being Raised by Grandmothers 29:00 Healing Through Collective Care 40:09 Wellness as a Daily Practice 📩 Connect with us: Email: [email protected] Instagram: @ninawestbrook Download Nebbi: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/nebbi-app/id6745851765 #DoTellRelationshipPodcast #TaiBeauchamp #NinaWestbrook #Wellness #SelfWorth #Community #PersonalGrowth

What if balance isn't the goal—and harmony is? Poet, performer, cultural critic, and proud girl dad Joel Leon joins Nina Westbrook for a powerful conversation about Black masculinity, emotional vulnerability, modern fatherhood, co-parenting, and creating relationships that can evolve without shame. Joel reflects on growing up in the Bronx, discovering poetry through hip-hop, and learning to reconcile softness with strength. He also explains why his TED Talk on co-parenting connected with millions of people—and why successful co-parenting requires friendship, communication, adaptability, and a willingness to center the child rather than the traditional image of a family. Nina and Joel also discuss replacing work-life balance with harmony, renegotiating relationship agreements as people change, and treating love as a daily practice rooted in community, reciprocity, trust, and grace. In this episode: How hip-hop shaped Joel's early understanding of masculinity Raising daughters while confronting inherited fear and trauma Why co-parenting deserves a more honest framework Letting relationships evolve without labeling them failures Replacing work-life balance with harmony Why love means "filling in the gaps" Slowing down enough to reconnect with yourself How vulnerability can soften people and create freedom Joel Leon is the author of Everything and Nothing at Once: A Black Man's Reimagined Soundtrack for the Future and God Wears Durags, Too. His work explores Black identity, fatherhood, masculinity, creativity, love, and liberation. Subscribe to the Do Tell Relationship Podcast for more honest conversations about relationships, family, identity, healing, and personal growth.

How do you build healthier relationships—without losing yourself in the process?  Some of the most powerful conversations from this season of the Do Tell Relationship Podcast all pointed back to the same truth: the healthiest relationships begin with self-awareness. In this special compilation episode, Nina Westbrook brings together unforgettable moments from some of our favorite guests—including Codie Elaine Oliver, Felecia Hatcher, Jonathan McReynolds, Jordyn Simone, Devi Brown, Molly Shaheen & Huw Collins, George M. Johnson, and more—for one conversation about boundaries, communication, confidence, identity, and becoming the healthiest version of yourself. Whether you're navigating marriage, building a business with your partner, healing from burnout, learning to trust yourself, or simply trying to become more present in your everyday life, these conversations offer practical wisdom and deeply human reminders that growth is never a straight line. In this episode you'll hear conversations about: • Healthy boundaries that create deeper intimacy • Communicating with your partner during life's busiest seasons • Building a business without losing your marriage • Confidence vs. self-worth • Identity beyond achievement • Learning to speak up for your needs • Why authenticity creates deeper connection • Finding balance between ambition and presence Featuring conversations with: Codie Elaine Oliver - https://youtu.be/FGdKei9oxiE Felecia Hatcher - https://youtu.be/7Wj3dZxATOY Jonathan McReynolds - https://youtu.be/fyiz4MJ0ESQ Devi Brown - https://youtu.be/gTvEzcqwBZM Jordyn Simone - https://youtu.be/RykRaZ-vrKA Molly Shaheen & Huw Collins - https://youtu.be/NV8E6Vm815M George M. Johnson - https://youtu.be/NvVRNYc4Iik If you've recently discovered Do Tell, this is one of the best places to start. Subscribe for weekly conversations on relationships, mental health, personal growth, family, marriage, and living with greater intention. #Relationships #Boundaries #Marriage #Confidence #SelfWorth #PersonalGrowth #MentalHealth #Communication #NinaWestbrook #DoTellPodcast

Entrepreneur and Black Ambition CEO Felecia Hatcher joins Nina Westbrook for a powerful conversation about self-trust, entrepreneurship, access and the courage to stop shrinking. After a high school guidance counselor told Felecia that college wasn't a realistic option, she found another path and earned more than $100,000 in scholarships. That experience became the foundation of a career devoted to creating opportunities for founders and communities that have historically been overlooked. Felecia discusses reframing imposter syndrome, protecting her energy as an introverted leader and refusing to dim her light to make a room more comfortable. She also opens up about building businesses with her husband, why entrepreneurial couples need therapy and working agreements, and the funding challenges facing Black founders. Plus, Felecia reveals what she wants from her next chapter, why her zone of genius changed her life and the hidden cost of neglecting the gifts that set your soul on fire.

Setting boundaries sounds simple... until you actually have to do it. In this solo episode, licensed marriage and family therapist Nina Westbrook breaks down why healthy boundaries feel so uncomfortable, how attachment styles influence the way we communicate our needs, and why guilt doesn't necessarily mean you're doing something wrong. Whether you struggle with people pleasing, resentment, difficult family dynamics, friendships, or romantic relationships, this episode offers practical tools for creating healthier, more secure connections. In this episode: -What boundaries actually are (and what they aren't) -Why boundaries aren't about controlling other people -How attachment styles affect boundary setting -Common myths that keep people stuck -Why people may react negatively when you start setting boundaries -How to communicate your needs without guilt -Why healthy boundaries actually create deeper intimacy   If this conversation helped you, be sure to subscribe and share it with someone who needs to hear it.   #Boundaries #Relationships #MentalHealth #PeoplePleasing #AttachmentStyles #Therapy #SelfGrowth #NinaWestbrook #DoTellPodcast

Grammy-winning artist, author, and professor Jonathan McReynolds joins Nina Westbrook for a deeply honest conversation about faith, ambition, creativity, depression, and the pressure to keep climbing even when life at the top feels lonely. Jonathan reflects on his childhood in church, the moment he realized music was less about talent and more about having something meaningful to say, and why his book Before You Climb Any Higher is a cautionary message for high achievers. He also opens up about the difference between naming your struggles and identifying with them, the importance of coming back down to "the valley," and why the next generation is demanding more authenticity from artists, teachers, and faith leaders. Plus, Jonathan shares the creative freedom behind his album Closer and plays Nina's Do Tell Card Game.  🔗 WATCH NEXT: 👉 Modern Dating Is the Wild West — Here's How to Survive It with Monique Kelley - https://youtu.be/hvnS_kfec7k 👉 Jada Paul on Identity, Motherhood, Ambition, and Building Something of Your Own - https://youtu.be/TCwqIveFG74 👉 The Cost of Being Fully Known | George M. Johnson on Identity, Healing & Banned Books - https://youtu.be/NvVRNYc4Iik 📩 Connect with us: Email: [email protected] Instagram: @ninawestbrook Download Nebbi: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/nebbi-app/id6745851765