Life Uncloseted With Rick Clemons

From the scars of life at an early age - literal scars - Gayle Petrillo has dealt with being different. Physically different. yet, in all her life of making first impressions, the one she most had to make with herself, of accepting herself, just as she was. Sharing her closet story of being a burn survivor, Gayle provides an impactful interview that shows, no matter how you've been burned you can always thrive instead of just surviving. About Gayle Born and raised in Albany, New York, Gayle has called Tucson home for 24 years. She is married to her best friend and most avid supporter, Al, for over 43 years. Gayle earned her MBA at 50 and has over 30 years in healthcare leadership roles, much of it in the human resources arena. In 2017 Gayle launched First Impressions, an image consulting firm because “We never get a second opportunity to make that all important first impression, on paper or in person”. As a career and confidence coach, Gayle enhances her clients’ first impressions, from customer service (eye

Many LGBTQ+ individuals struggle with the question, "How do I show up at work, and as a leader, while still being true to myself as a queer person?" The answer, "Your way, on your terms!" Jim Fielding, author of the brand new book, ALL PRIDE, NO EGO: A Queer Executive’s Journey to Living and Leading Authentically, shares he navigated his gay life and roles at t top global brands including Disney, DreamWorks, and Twentieth Century Fox.  From his conservative Midwestern roots and a lovingly imperfect family to higher education, travel, advocacy, Jim found how seeing the world through a distinctly different lens is actually a positive way of being in the world, living life without apologies. About Jim Jim Fielding is an acclaimed retail and media industry veteran whose expertise combines storytelling, product innovation, merchandising, and consumer experiences. He is a partner at independent media company Archer Gray, and president of its Co-Lab Division. Having led consumer products groups at the world’s larges

Guilt, shame, anxiety, depression. These are some of the most common traits affecting the LGBTQ community as a whole. Today, my guest Nick Santo, Psychotherapist, and I share our own experiences on our journeys to combat these issues as well as provide ways to step into self-love and self-awareness to enrich who we are as LGBTQ+ individuals. About Nick Dr. Nick Santo earned his MSW at Fordham and his DSW at NYU. He holds a certificate in Advanced Clinical Practice and completed the Psychodynamic Psychotherapy one-year program at the Training Institute for Mental Health. He is currently a psychoanalytic candidate at the Institute for the Psychoanalytic Study of Subjectivity. He has been practicing psychotherapy for 14+ years, and currently maintains a private practice. Dr. Santo’s interests include treatment with sexual and gender minority adults with histories of relational and/or religious trauma. Connect With Nick Website Instagram

There's something absolutely beautiful about stepping into the light of our truth and coming out of the closet. That light is you being you at your soul level. Dr Roger Leslie joins us on the podcast today to shed light on how you can step into the light of you and be your most authentic LGBTQ+ self. About Dr. Roger Leslie Dr. Roger Leslie is an author, editor, publisher, and inspirational teacher. He discovered his life’s mission from the light he discovered after emerging from the youthful struggle to reconcile his sexual orientation with his spirituality. Once he discovered his soul, he has lived from it to inspire people to live the life they dream and empower them to find their unique spiritual destiny. Dr. Roger's new book is  Light Come Out Of The Closet: Memoir of a Gay Soul. Connect With Dr. Roger Leslie Website Facebook Instagram Twitter LinkedIn

We all have trauma. Yes, that's a truth. But if you don't embrace that truth, you are actually causing more trauma to yourself. Guiding the direction of unpacking trauma as a LGBTQ+ individual, Riana Milne (CCTP-II) brings her expertise of facing our traumas and learning the power of holding hands and moving beyond them. This podcast includes the 10 Childhood Traumas that we most experience and is an insightful acceptance of how to see them so we can go do the work with them. About Riana Milne Coach Riana Milne was Selected as “One of the Top Coaches to Follow in 2022” by Wealth Insider Magazine and is also featured in FORBES Magazine and Business Success Magazine. She’s a Certified, Global Life, Love Trauma Recovery & Mindset Coach, Advanced Cert. Clinical Trauma & Addictions Professional (CCTP-II), a #1 Bestselling Author, the Host of her Podcast called Lessons in Life & Love™, an Educational Speaker, and a Licensed Mental Health Counselor for over 23 years living in Palm Beach County, Florida.

We all have many layers and facets to who we are as human beings. Yet, we hide some parts and voices of ourselves. How fun is that? Instead when we unleash all aspects of ourselves into the world we discover the power of living our truth and being exactly who we're meant to be. Dr. Ronnie Gladden shares their story, and book - White Girl Within: Letters of Self-Discovery Between a Transgender and Transracial Black Man and his Inner Female - and the power of being fully yourself. About Dr. Ronnie Gladden Dr. Ronnie Gladden is an international speaker, actor, and tenured college professor. They regularly speak about identity, diversity, and inclusion for K-12 schools, universities, and nonprofits, including the Ronald McDonald House Charities, the city of Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky University, and more. In addition to advising student LGBTQ+ organizations, Dr. Ronnie has implemented critical diversity and inclusion training curricula and dynamic speaking series across multiple campuses. Their approach center

Just because a guy is not the epitome of masculinity doesn't mean he isn't a man. Yet, so many sensitive men get given a bad rap - especially gay men, but even more so the straight guys who get mislabeled as gay because they are sensitive guys. Author William Allen shares his new book Confessions of a Sensitive Man and his journey to his truth and why we need to make more room for sensitive men in the world. About William William Allen is an author with a writer’s heart and researcher’s mind. After getting a degree in Psychology with an eye on doing psychology research, he recalibrated for a career in Information Technology. He found himself in a thirty-year career as an Information Technology manager at Wells Fargo who enjoyed managing highly intelligent, often difficult staff, many of whom were highly sensitive. He retired early from his corporate job to start his Hypno-coaching and neurofeedback brain training business, BrainPilots, in Bend, Oregon. In late 2016, he began his blog, The Sensitive Man, abou

Baseball and a love for country music. That's about as heteronormative as... Wait that would be generalizing and putting someone in a box, which is not we want in the LGBTQ+ community. So why would you think a major league baseball player, and country singer doesn't really fit the gay box. Because that is making an assumption of what it means to be gay. Breaking the molds is professional baseball player and rising country music artist Bryan Ruby who has a message about assumptions and boxes you get put in as a gay man, and who aspires to inspire others to be themselves, regardless of the box people try to put you in. About Bryan Bryan Ruby is a trailblazing professional baseball player and rising country music artist based in Nashville, Tennessee. In September of 2021 he became the only active professional baseball player to come out as gay, and his story was featured in USA Today as well as 100+ media outlets around the world including CBS, Yahoo, Bleacher Report and Teen Vogue. As a songwriter, Bryan has

Using her own life experience of trauma - coming out late in life, hiding herself for years, and then a traumatic brain injury, Sarah Salisott is now on a mission to helps parents and children navigate past the traumas to live their best lives. Here is her coming out story. About Sarah Sarah is a Certified Parent Coach whose passion is helping families with children who have experienced trauma or struggle with attachment. She started The Foster Lane Parent Coaching in 2016. Her goal: Use coaching to help others avoid some of the parenting challenges my own family faced. She's spent over 5,000 hours researching trauma, children’s brain development, parenting strategies, and foster and adoptive parenting. She successfully completed the graduate-level Parent Coach Certification program through the Parent Coaching Institute®, have completed the initial training in Theraplay, and continues to attend conferences on trauma-informed parenting. Sarah's upcoming book is called "Welcome To The Foster Lane!" Connect Wi

Born with the gene of needing to make everyone like you, this Tomboy was afraid of being abandoned and being alone. She lived her life as a chameleon, blending in to keep the peace and make everyone happy. That trauma lead to mental, and physical pain until she finally did the work she needed to do to live life on her terms. Stephanie Serone shares how she broke free from bullying and self-criticism to live her most empowered life. About Stephanie Serone is a licensed Transformologist® an authority in empowering women, and facilitating the worlds only female specific transformation process based on the science of epigenetics to resolve chronic emotional issues and inter-generational trauma to create inspiring, instant and irreversible change. Connect With Stephanie Website Instagram Facebook

Rick DellaRatta is an ally of the LGBTQ+ community, who believes the only way to bring peace to the world is to unite is all in our empathy and understanding of one another. Share himself and his music today on the podcast Rick takes us on a journey of why embracing the LGBTQ+ community is a form of peace on the planet. About Rick Rick DellaRatta is his brand "Jazz for Peace," to bring peace to the LGBTQ+ world and world at large. Now considered by many to be one of the finest Singer/Pianists performing today and one of only a handful of Jazz Artists who can make a successful musical presentation to a large audience without having to abandon the true art form of Jazz. Through his life long endeavor to help advance people to their highest potential through the understanding of Jazz as well as spreading peace worldwide through his "Jazz for Peace World Tour", Rick DellaRatta is considered to be an innovator and a visionary. His unique and original piano playing and composing has been compared in print to Chick

You'd have to be blind, not listening, and burying your head in the sand to not realize LGBTQ+ rights and lives are on the line, as well as other marginalized communities - black, asian, hispanic, jews, muslims, women. It's a crazy time to be "the others." But does that mean we hide and let them win? No we "fight forward" as today's guest Yuval David says. Using his platforms as an actor, filmmaker, host, director, and advocate, Yuval is here to entertain, uplift, and inspire." Here are his thoughts and the state of our "fighting forward." About Yuval Yuval David is a celebrated and Emmy Award winning actor, host, director, and filmmaker, who has won over 100 international film festival awards. His creative mantra "to entertain, uplift and inspire" shapes his approach to “storytelling with boldness, vulnerability, and authenticity in representing characters and narratives.” In addition to his work in entertainment and media, Yuval is a passionate advocate and activist. Advocacy for the marginalized and unde

Times are insane. It can make you want to hide, stop watching the news, and pretend you are something that you're not. But it's not easy to do that when you are black and queer. Your skin color literally gives you away, and then when it's revealed that your queer...lawd help ya. Breaking the mold and having candid conversations about being Black and Queer on Campus, is Dr. Michael P. Jeffries, Dean of Academic Affairs Wellesley College - ally and advocate for black and queer rights - because it is just morally the place to be. Catch this inspiring conversation about doing what's right for equality in America. About Michael Dr. Michael P. Jeffries is Dean of Academic Affairs, Class of 1949 Professor in Ethics, and Professor of American Studies at Wellesley College. He holds a PhD from Harvard University and works at the intersection of race, culture, and politics. Dr. Jeffries is the author of four books. Black and Queer on Campus (NYU Press, 2023) provides an inside look at Black LGBTQ college students and

Nonbinary. It's simple. Just ask the questions you're afraid to ask, in the right way, and you will learn and you will support our nonbinary community. But we make it so much harder than that. Guiding us to have the candid conversations is Author Ocean Atlas as they discuss their book Nonbinary For Beginners: Everything you’ve been afraid to ask about gender, pronouns, being an ally, and black & white thinking. About Ocean Ocean is a 30-something explorer of this beautiful planet and the internal landscapes of human beings. Ocean is trans; nonbinary; an inclusivity consultant; an artist; an enthusiast of animals, plants and sunrises; and a friend you have not yet met. Pronouns: they/she/he/none. Ocean's book, Nonbinary For Beginners: Everything you’ve been afraid to ask about gender, pronouns, being an ally, and black & white thinking, is a book about autonomy and allowing people (including yourself!) to be exactly who you are. The book is designed to be so readable that even people who hate reading

Coming out is an act of compassion and courage. But without the clarity to step forward, many of us will continue to hide our beautiful selves from the world. Sensei Koshin Paley Ellison, author of Untangled: Walking the eightfold path to clarity, courage, and compassion, joins us today to talk about his journey out and how it lead him to step into the world buddhism and zen practices to quiet his own mind and live a life uncloseted. About Koshin Sensei Koshin Paley Ellison, MFA, LMSW, DMIN, is an author, Zen teacher, Jungian psychotherapist, and Certified Chaplaincy Educator. After many years as a chaplain and psychotherapist, Koshin co-founded the New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care, which offers contemplative approaches to care through education, personal caregiving, and Zen practice. Today, New York Zen Center’s methodologies are internationally recognized—and have touched the lives of tens of thousands of individuals. Koshin is a world renowned thought leader in contemplative care. He is the auth

Happy Pride and it's time to celebrate you, your story, and all our queer stories. And why should we tell and share our stories? Because it helps to move you forward into loving and owning your story as a member of the LGBTQ+ community. Joining us in celebration of our stories is Molly Sider, ally, fellow coach and storyteller to help you better tell your story, your truth, and be who you are meant to be in the world. About Molly Molly Sider is the creator and host of I Am This Age, the podcast proving you’re never too old to make a big change. Molly has been making her own changes throughout her 40’s including transitioning from being a long-time wine professional to a podcaster and certified professional life coach. Molly is also a storyteller and believes the most efficient way to create peace in the world and within yourself is by sharing your story and listening to other people share theirs. Molly’s favorite thing to do is to coach people into revealing their true identity and life purpose through, of c

As a precursor to PRIDE Month, this is a call to PRIDE. To ensure we move forward in the way that we need to, to not have our voices silenced, and our rights taken away. As you celebrate pride, take heed to how we can use P-R-I-D-E as our mantra to celebrate our truth and stand in the face of right-wing insanity. You can also listen to the podcast on…        

Joy, happiness, being in love with you. Sounds great but as humans we find it oh so hard to get there. Until now! Step into the joy zone and uncover your zest for living. Whether you've be through a traumatic coming out experience or one where you just followed your heart and it went really smoothly, you can find your joy in the zest zone. Joining me today are two amazing, loving women who have found their zest for life and can help you find yours. Ilene and Ali form The Zest Zone, share their coming out stories and how they have found a way to be the love experts for loving life, even in the toughest times. About Ilene & Allison Ilene Mitnick and Allison Baldwin have practiced breakthrough coaching, transformational work, large-scale cultural change and leadership development for decades. Whether it’s working with those who want to start up, start over or stand out, or those who need a personal kickstart, they take a creative and unique approach allowing clients to let go of what they know and experiment

Some would say she went to the extremes, but secrets make us do that. Others would say, she isn't a good Mommy. We say, she uncloseted herself to save herself and step out of the secret life she thought she had to live to survive. Baring it all, Author Marci Warhaft unclosets her life, stripping down to the bare essence of her truth as a Soccer Mom sharing the truth about her lies, losses, and lap dances. About Marci Marci is the author of “The Good Stripper: A Soccer Mom’s Memoir of Lies, Loss and Lap Dances” Where she shares in raw, honest and intimate detail her eye-popping journey to self discovery. Her book is dedicated to anyone who may be struggling to forgive themselves for mistakes they made when they were just doing their best to survive. Marci is a recognized expert on body image and self-esteem and the body image expert at Defy magazine. She also hosts the podcast “How to Ruin Your Own Reputation” highlighting people living unusual lives unapologetically. Connect With Marci Website Twitter Faceb

He spent most his life dealing with anxiety, and panic attacks that kept him from speaking his truth. Then a move to the desert, alone, not knowing anyone, and spending a year finding himself led him to his truth, he was a gay man and worthy of happiness. Mark Anthony shares his story and how he found that the numbers of his life finally lined up to bring him peace and joy. About Mark Mark is a freelance website designer, marketing specialist, and numerologist. Before this, he spent 16 years teaching high school band. In 2019, Mark left teaching full-time after burning out twice. He spent most of his life dealing with anxiety and panic attacks while afraid to speak his truth. In 2021, Mark moved to Las Vegas, NV, and spent a year hiking Red Rock Canyon while contemplating what he truly wanted for his life. In September 2021, a month after his 40th birthday, Mark had another severe panic attack and called his family to tell them he was gay. During this time, Mark searched for tools to help him understand his