Stella Vidal is an internationally recognized trailblazing Latina who overcame homelessness as a teenager and became a founder and active mentor to Latina women. Stella's humanistic style allows for the therapeutic relationship to be the transformative essence of each interaction. While traditional psychotherapy helps many, Stella's approach is deep-rooted in culture and holistic techniques that allow for immediate relief and visible progress in the lives of many. In this interview, Stella takes us into her personal space and candidly discusses what motivates her to get up every day and help humans see life from a healed lens. Stella Vidal, Holistic Psychotherapist What inspired you to create Self Love Harbor, and what did you want it to represent from the very beginning? Self Love Harbor, an award-winning holistic mental health practice, was created in the middle of the 2020 Pandemic. I was practicing mental health part-time, while also enjoying a successful commercial real estate career in Miami. When the pandemic hit, real estate was halted. Interestingly enough I had a record breaking year in March 2020, and thanks to this I was able to pivot into mental health full time. Today, I see it as a redirection from the universe. Starting April 2020, I became fully immersed in helping people overcome challenges surrounding isolation. Isolation, or being alone, is something that many people run away from, but the pandemic forced people to sit with themselves. I saw the need for support and compassionate care because the sense of trauma was so great that people needed connection. By the end of 2020, I told my partner that I was going to open a physical brick-and-mortar mental health practice. He looked at me with a strange look on his face, indicating that most people were isolating and were “playing it safe.” That's when I said “exactly.” Self Love Harbor opened its doors in April of 2021, and it was one of the best decisions of my life. You combine psychotherapy with Reiki, breathwork, somatic practices, and inner child healing. How do you decide what each client needs most? That's a really good question. I am by nature very clinically sound and practice cognitive behavioral therapy as a baseline. Psychology is evidence-based, and without this clinical factor, we end up with too many abstract interventions that may leave the client even more confused than when they got to my office. With this being said, I pride myself in being able to assess people's needs during the initial session, considering multiple factors, science-based and intuition-based. I have a holistic eye and am able to pick up even the most subtle signs. I thank my own trauma for this :) Within the next couple of sessions, we will create a treatment plan moving forward. Some of these treatment tools may be somatic, such as breathwork or even forest bathing. I understand that human beings are all very unique, travel unique paths, and are multidimensional beings. At my practice, we approach the individual based on their current state of functioning and their needs, but also take into great consideration where they come from, their culture, and their past and current environments. I love poetry and art as well, depending on what helps my clients express themselves or hear the message better. This type of attunement with my clients helps establish a unique sense of trust which serves as its own healing factor within the therapeutic relationship. How has your work with PTSD and complex trauma shaped the way you think about lasting emotional healing? Working with PTSD requires a lot of patience as well as clinical expertise. It is never a cookie-cutter approach to healing, especially healing from trauma. You have to meet people where they are and let go of any preconceived notions that may interfere with the client’s progress. I also educate people on how to understand that healing is a journey and that compassion is required. Many people who suffered from trauma don't really know how to be compassionate with themselves. PTSD brings a devastating sense of shame and guilt. You can work for years just to see relief from the shackles of shame. What is beautiful to see, though, is the healing unfolding in front of your eyes and watching people transform not only emotionally but also physically. I am blessed to work with trauma survivors, and it is one of my best successes. Why do you believe holistic approaches are becoming more accepted within the mental health profession today? I believe that social media gives us access to tools that we did not know existed before. I also believe that after the pandemic people realized that they needed to look at different aspects of their lives and change them in order to be happy. Part of this holistic approach has to do with mind, body, spirit, and environment. Post-pandemic, especially, we understood how our environment can truly affect our mental and physical well-being. Talk therapy takes us so far. Approaching the human being as a product of an environment, while exploring how their mind, body, and spirit react to each other and to the environment, helps to maximize the benefits of the holistic approach. You also bring mental wellness organizations beginning to recognize about employee wellbeing? This is tied to my last answer. We understand now that Wellness is the pursuit of health. Health that encompasses our minds, our bodies, our spirit, and our environment. All of these aspects of who we are require attention in order for us to be fully present and productive at work and at home. Corporate Wellness allows for higher productivity through the nurturing of employees by recognizing their humanness. Looking at the individual as someone who needs support and tools to thrive. This, in turn, creates loyalty and motivates people to commit further to their place of employment. For someone carrying unresolved emotional wounds, what is the first step toward healing that you believe is often overlooked? Many of us have been taught that happiness is something that we reach out and achieve. People who carry deep emotional wounds tend to feel like they are alone in their experience. This shame tends to make people not want to look within too often, but instead they learn to look outside themselves for the answers. This inevitably ends up increasing their suffering and sense of isolation. I teach people to connect to themselves before they try to connect with others or place the responsibility of their success on others. Through breathwork, people with emotional wounds begin to tune into their body. Somatic techniques such as breathwork and meditation help people reconnect to themselves while quieting their mind. When we quiet our mind we're able to hear the voice of our spirit who knows our true potential and our true purpose in life. People who suffer greatly, tend to struggle to accept their current situation. Acceptance is also important. Accepting things as they are while working on the things that we can change allows for less resistance when achieving our goals. Finally, focus. Focus is essential when we are looking to heal. Where are we putting our energy and focus? Replacing old narratives and focusing on more supportive ones helps to reduce struggle and improve our sense of success. Self-love is central to your work. How can someone tell the difference between practicing genuine self-love and simply trying to feel positive? Self-love is not a concept but a lifestyle. Self-love requires daily attention to the signs that our bodies give us. Self-love is a relearning process, shifting from attention outside of ourselves to attention within ourselves. Self-love requires accepting ourselves as we are and looking deeper into what motivates us to get up and live fulfilling lives. Being positive or feeling positive is a temporary situation that has not gathered any momentum. In order to feel true self-love, one has to dedicate oneself to practicing daily routines that allow us to feel connected to our own needs and emotions. Doing these actions consistently and throughout time allows us to gain self-respect. Self-respect is the building block of self-love. Without self-respect, it will be really difficult to love yourself. You have turned personal adversity into a life dedicated to helping others heal. What perspective has that journey given you about resilience and purpose? Absolutely, I am the queen of personal adversity. Thinking back to my early years in the United States at the age of 17, when my dad had refused to support me going to college. Looking back today, I believe that after enduring the traumatic journey of migrating into a new country and culture, at 17, my body was a bit dissociated. This is one of the defense mechanisms during trauma. I also knew that I had a goal to achieve. I dreamed of becoming a mental health advocate for young women like myself, who were misunderstood and who lacked support from the same people that brought them into this world. Imagine if your own parents had their back on you. Imagine that your only option is to embark on a brand new journey in a new world. Imagine being without guidance or direction, merely with the aspiration of making a difference one day. In those women who come to see me, I recognize myself. I know that there's one thing that I had then, which still is a big part of who I am today. That is my spirit. The light within me which guided me even when I didn't know where to go. That is the same light that I recognize in so many young women who have endured unspeakable trauma and are now sitting in front of me asking for help. That was the same light that my dad was afraid of and felt like if he didn't suppress it or control it he couldn't predict the outcome of my life. Thank God that I didn't let my light be fully dimmed by judgement. I am happy that I allowed my spirit to guide me through adversity. I remember while a freshman in college, journaling and writing to my angels. That was me connecting to my spirit. I think back at my younger 17-year-old self and wonder with awe at how resilient I was to navigate such complicated terrains, always being guided by my spirit. So today and every day that I have a chance to, I tell people to spend time reconnecting to their spirit, their inner light. That ever-present energy helps us get up and continue going even when others would understand if we gave up. I am witness through my mental health practice to how, when my clients understand the concept of reconnection, they start to believe in themselves despite what their outward circumstances may be. They catastrophize less and tap into their inner resources to better cope with challenges. This is the importance of finding the right therapeutic partner. Because sometimes our ego mind wants us to regress to old patterns of fear and anxiety. When you have the right person guiding you through your healing process, they can remind you of your inner divinity and light. You asked about resilience, and resilience is simply a result of our ability to consistently tap into our inner knowing regardless of internal or external circumstances. Knowing that the answer always lies within us is a freeing concept. In regard to purpose, I would urge everyone reading to spend plenty of quiet introspective time asking what their purpose is. Asking our heart with our full attention on it, where we must go or what we must do, is part of reconnecting to our inner knowing. Our heart is incredibly intelligent and many times better than our mind. Asking our heart what our purpose should be should be a daily ritual. Connection to the heart and asking and quiet introspection about what our purpose is will bring about miracles in your life that you never anticipated would happen. I see it in my own life, and I'm able to witness it with my clients every day. If every reader could adopt one mindset that would improve their mental wellbeing, what would you hope it would be? I would suggest to the reader to be honest about how much their self-talk is supporting them and their purpose. Self-talk is the voice of our subconscious mind, which carries much of our fears and anxieties. Make sure that you identify what you're telling yourself when all is quiet. If there is any self-talk that is still creating doubt in your capabilities, gently and with compassion change it to positive affirmations which help you believe in yourself. The mindset of “I can do hard things” is crucial for anyone who would like to step outside their comfort zone and seek greatness. Follow me on Instagram for more info! Read more from Stella Vidal

Brainz Magazine Exclusive Interview Sandra Daniel is Co-Founder, Canada Lead, and Strategy & Systemic Change Designer at Openfield. Based in Canada, she works at the intersection of strategy, systems, and organizational transformation. Organizational transformation is often framed as a challenge of getting people to accept a predetermined plan. Sandra Daniel takes a different view: lasting change begins by understanding the systems, incentives, relationships, and stories that shape behaviour. In this exclusive interview, she reflects on the experiences that led her to co-found Openfield, the principles behind its systemic approach, and her vision for organizations that can shape change from the inside out. Sandra Daniel Openfield was founded on the belief that transformation often fails not because people resist change, but because the system asks them to do the impossible. What led you to this realization, and how has it shaped your approach to organizational change? When I was nine, my family moved from Canada to France. Having not yet learned French, I spent most of my lunch hours sitting under a chestnut tree at the edge of the schoolyard, observing culture. There was a grassy knoll in the middle of that yard, ringed by small stones, that no child ever set foot on. No teacher had explained the rule. No sign existed. Everyone obeyed it anyway. I was still churning that over when one of those stones hit me, thrown as a result of a tension that had been building among a group of older kids for weeks. It hurt, but what stayed with me wasn't the pain. It was what happened next. My teacher marched me to the front of the classroom and held my arm up while she explained to the class, in French I couldn't yet follow, what had gone wrong. She was trying to restore order. Instead, she created a different kind of harm, inside a system that had given her no better tool for the moment. That was the moment the real question found me: not who threw the stone, but why systems respond to conflict the way they do, and whether they have to. This was a pattern I had noticed many times: a pattern of unhealthy conflict being generated by a lack of understanding or a set of systemic conditions that seemed to heighten natural human patterns of behaviour. I realized this was what I was meant to spend my life helping—to reduce systemic conflict as a result of permission-based norms. So I wrote a mission statement for my life. By fourteen, I'd made no progress answering it, and that frustrated me. I felt powerless to affect the kind of change I believed I was only alive to serve. So I wrote a plan. Forty years, four decades: the first spent understanding context, the second understanding change, the third understanding systems, the fourth understanding conflict and how to intervene in it. I'm forty-two now. The fourth decade just began, and Openfield is what the first three actually looked like from the inside. “They're one living system.” At the heart of Openfield is a vision to change the way change happens. What does that vision mean to you personally, and what kind of impact do you hope to create through your work? It means refusing to treat people as the obstacle to a plan or a desired future state. Most change work still starts from the assumption that the strategy is right and the humans need to catch up to it. I think that's backwards. Organizational structures and people leading and working in organizations are not separate things to be managed against each other. They're one living system. Personally, I believe we are naturally built to change, to evolve as interconnected systems. It's when we see people as disconnected from consent and free will, when we see organizations as disconnected from impact and human capacity, and when we see resistance as stubbornness instead of a natural psycho-emotional and neuro-physical response to survival that problems arise. The impact we seek to have at Openfield is consensual and successful transformative change. It's about organizations and communities where people can collaboratively work towards the futures they want before change becomes a crisis, and where leaders build the systemic conditions for that instead of demanding it. Sandra Daniel Many organizations have ambitious strategies but struggle to turn them into meaningful action. What do you believe commonly creates this gap between vision and execution, and how does Openfield help leaders bridge it? Most strategies are written at the level of intention and rolled out at the level of activity, skipping the level where change actually lives: the structures, incentives, and stories that shaped the old behaviour in the first place. You can announce a new priority in every meeting for a year, and the organization will keep producing the same outcomes, because the systemic nature of the change hasn't been addressed. We close that gap by taking a systemic and collaborative approach to change, using a change model we designed and have successfully used in hundreds of organizations and communities called the Change Platform Model (TM). Embedding neuroscience and collaborative practices into our change journeys, we design interventions with clients to shift the conditions for transformation to occur one conversation at a time. Openfield works through learning, convening, and consulting. Could you explain how these different approaches help organizations navigate complexity and create a transformation that lasts? Our systemic approach to change requires our practitioners to be multidisciplinary. One organization or community may be ready for change to begin with capability enhancement, whereas others might require a carefully architected collaborative experience to re-frame their change journey. We take a systems-centric change design lens and work with our clients to design and implement multi-disciplinary journeys beginning with their place of readiness and oriented towards empowering them to succeed in their own cultural ways. Can you share an example of a particularly meaningful transformation you have helped facilitate, and what it taught you about people, leadership, and systemic change? One of the most meaningful transformations I've been part of wasn't defined by a new strategy or organizational restructure. It was defined by a shift in how people saw one another. We were invited to work with an Indigenous Community at a time when they were negotiating a process to reclaim their Nationhood and navigating significant organizational and governance change. Like many communities carrying both opportunity and complexity, the work wasn't simply about designing new systems. It was about creating the conditions for people to reconnect with one another, to rebuild trust where it had been strained, and to make decisions that reflected both the future they wanted to create and the history they carried with them. Early in the work, it became clear that the challenges people described on the surface—communication, decision-making, accountability—were symptoms rather than the system itself. Beneath them were different experiences of power, different interpretations of past events, and different stories about what was possible. Until those realities could be acknowledged together, they worried that new processes or governance models would not create a sustainable change for the future they all desired. Throughout our four-year engagement, we kept their territories, culture, and language at the forefront of everything we did together and the ways in which we supported their change process. The land held the relationships, the memories, and many of the tensions people were trying to navigate. This focus helped shift conversations, and over time, people started to exhibit levels of trust in each other and in the process of change in ways we hadn't seen before. That experience reinforced something I've come to believe deeply: people are rarely resistant to change. They're responding rationally to the environments they've experienced. When we create spaces where people can safely make sense of those experiences together, new possibilities begin to emerge—not because someone has convinced them to change, but because they've discovered a different way of seeing the system they're part of. It also reshaped my understanding of leadership. Leadership isn't simply the ability to set direction. It's the ability to design the conditions where collective insight can emerge. The most effective community and organizational leaders I've worked with aren't the ones with all the answers. They're the ones willing to slow down long enough to ask better questions, to make room for different perspectives, and to trust that people closest to the system often hold the knowledge needed to transform it. That work continues to influence everything we do at Openfield. It reminds me that meaningful transformation doesn't begin with a solution. It begins with creating the conditions for people to see themselves, each other, and the system differently. When that happens, lasting change becomes possible. “Leadership isn't simply the ability to set direction. It's the ability to design the conditions where collective insight can emerge.” Looking ahead, what is your vision for the future of Openfield, and what would you like leaders and organizations to understand about the possibilities that emerge when change is approached differently? When I think about the future of Openfield, I don't think first about growth. I think about contribution. My hope is that Openfield becomes known as the systemic change design practice that helps organizations and communities work beneath the surface of transformation. Too much change still happens at the visible layer—new strategies, operating models, communications plans, and town halls. Those things matter, but they rarely explain why change succeeds or stalls. What shapes behaviour lives deeper. It's found in the structures people work within, the incentives they respond to, the relationships they navigate, and the stories they tell themselves about what is possible, what is rewarded, and who belongs. That's where our Change Platform model begins. Rather than asking people to adapt to a new future, we help organizations understand the conditions that are already producing their current reality and redesign those conditions together. We're fortunate to be doing this work across public, private, NGO, and First Nations contexts on three continents. While every community and organization is unique, the underlying patterns are remarkably familiar. Wherever power, incentive, and story intersect, they shape what people believe they can do. That is where systemic change begins, and I hope our reach continues to grow because these patterns exist everywhere. If there's one thing I'd like leaders to understand, it's this: the environment you build is the change you become. Culture isn't something that appears after transformation. It's created through the systems we design, the conversations we encourage, the decisions we reward, and the experiences people have every day. If those conditions remain unchanged, we shouldn't expect different outcomes simply because we've introduced a new strategy. I believe the future of change leadership is less about directing people through uncertainty and more about designing environments where people can make sense of complexity together. When we pay attention to the conditions that shape behaviour—not just the behaviours themselves—we create organizations that are more adaptive, more resilient, and more capable of responding to whatever comes next. That's the future I want Openfield to help build: one where organizations don't just manage change more effectively, but develop the capacity to continuously shape it from the inside out. Sandra Daniel's perspective asks leaders to look beyond visible initiatives and design the deeper conditions from which trust, collective insight, and lasting change can emerge. To learn more about Sandra Daniel and Openfield’s work in systemic change, visit the Openfield website. You can also connect with Sandra on LinkedIn, follow her on Instagram and read more of her insights and articles on Medium.

Written by Catherine Finger, Executive Coach & Consultant Award-winning coach and multi-certified professional coach Catherine Finger contributes to the well-being of others by offering transformational coaching for leadership, health, and life. In a few short weeks, I will begin serving as President-Elect of ICF New England, the regional chapter of the International Coaching Federation. As I look ahead to that work, I find myself reflecting on the many boards that have shaped my own leadership journey over the years. Some were elected boards, while others were nonprofit boards, condominium boards, and organizational governing boards. Along the way, I also spent many years consulting with executives, particularly school superintendents and leadership teams, as they sought to strengthen the relationship between administrators and the elected officials they served. In my coaching practice, I work with executives accountable to corporate boards, as well as board leaders seeking to create healthier team dynamics and stronger leadership outcomes. Taken together, those experiences have convinced me that boardsmanship is a topic we rarely give the attention it deserves. We invest heavily in developing individual leaders, yet comparatively little time is spent preparing people to serve well on boards or to lead organizations governed by them. Yet, the quality of a board has profound implications for the health and success of the organization it serves. For many years, I have said that good processes make better boards. While every organization has its own culture and governance structure, I have found that several practices consistently strengthen relationships, improve decision-making, and create the conditions for thoughtful leadership. The first of these practices begins with something surprisingly simple. Know your board and know your board members The best time to begin building relationships with your fellow board members is not at your first meeting, but at the moment you are appointed or elected. Reach out by inviting someone for coffee, lunch, or dinner, or visit their office if appropriate. Learn something about the life they lead outside the boardroom. What occupies their days? What responsibilities do they carry? What experiences shaped their decision to serve? Approach these conversations with genuine curiosity rather than strategic intent. The goal is not to persuade, but to understand. When I worked with elected boards, I often heard leaders describe board members as “single issue candidates,” people who ran because of one concern, bias, or political position. My response was always the same. Good. Whatever motivates someone to leave the comfort of home and step into public service deserves respect. If their interest truly is limited to a single issue, experience usually broadens that perspective over time. As they begin to understand the complexity of the organization and the interconnected nature of its decisions, many grow into thoughtful, seasoned board members. Do not allow your own assumptions to become barriers to productive relationships. Even when relationships involve disagreement, and they inevitably will, remember that these are the people entrusted with governance. Wishing for different board members accomplishes very little. Investing in the relationships you have almost always accomplishes much more. Return to mission, vision, and values Strong boards remain grounded in purpose, particularly when discussions become difficult or fragmented. Return to the mission of the organization, revisit the vision that brought people together, and clarify the values that will guide decisions when answers are not obvious. This is where I often return to Jim Collins’ work on great organizations. Effective leadership teams understand what they exist to accomplish and what they aspire to become. They also define the values that shape how they work together while pursuing those goals. Introduce the expectation from the beginning that this board is capable of becoming a highly functioning leadership team. Share examples of excellent governance. Discuss what effective leadership teams look like, sound like, and practice. Give people a picture of excellence, and then intentionally build the structures that help them move toward it. Assume good intent and create fair processes Healthy governance depends upon trust, and trust grows when people experience fairness and predictability. Whenever possible, ensure that every board member receives the same information at the same time. Make access to materials straightforward and consistent. Remove unnecessary barriers to understanding. Do what you say you are going to do. Your consistency in both speech and behavior builds trust. One communication principle has served me well for decades. Tell people what you are going to tell them. Tell them. Then tell them what you told them. The principle is simple because clarity matters. Board members are often balancing demanding professional and personal responsibilities. They should never have to guess what matters most or search through unnecessary detail to understand an issue. Offer the executive summary first. Provide supporting documentation for those who want greater depth. Think of every communication in layers. What is the essential message? What decision needs to be made? What background information supports that decision? Organizing communication this way respects both people’s time and their different ways of processing information. Do not take feedback on your leadership personally Leadership inevitably attracts disagreement. While some criticism will be thoughtful, some will not. There will be public meetings where emotions run high. There will be moments when decisions are challenged, and motives are questioned. None of that is particularly enjoyable, but much of it comes with the territory. One of the most helpful lessons I have learned is not to confuse disagreement with personal rejection. Another is to remember that we are all flawed human beings, often brought together to make tough decisions during tough times. Stress brings out the best and the worst in people. Most often, the reaction is not really about you. Rather, it is about the chair you occupy, the position you hold, the organization you represent, or the decision you are communicating on behalf of your board or organization. The sooner leaders can separate criticism of a decision from criticism of themselves, the steadier they become. That steadiness creates room for thoughtful responses instead of defensive reactions. Detaching from the outcome of a conversation, comment, or decision allows you to be fully present. Teach the process One mistake leaders often make is assuming that people naturally understand the purpose of boards and how they function. They often do not. Leaders can support board members by explaining the principles of board governance or, better yet, by bringing in a trained facilitator to guide the board and executive team in developing their own shared agreements and operating principles. Teach the process by defining the roles, responsibilities, and goals of every member of the governance team. Explain how information flows. Clarify expectations for preparation, discussion, confidentiality, and decision-making, and practice these routines before high-pressure situations arise. Create the habit of scheduling routine board retreats with the goal of strengthening relationships, reinforcing high-quality board leadership practices, revisiting the mission, building trust, and discussing real and recent governance experiences outside the pressure of formal agendas. When difficult public issues arise, and they will, prepare together beforehand. Discuss not only the substance of the issue, but also how board members hope to conduct themselves throughout the conversation. Help board members understand the importance of emotional regulation, and practice appropriate verbal and nonverbal responses together. One board I worked with created and practiced desired responses for members to consider when receiving difficult feedback during contentious, televised public meetings. Presence matters Board members communicate long before they speak. Facial expressions, posture, attentiveness, and emotional regulation all influence how the public experiences both a meeting and the organizations we lead. I encourage board members to develop a “game face.” We practice adopting a professional presence that communicates attentiveness, openness, and composure. This professional presence is especially helpful when discussions become difficult. Surprises happen in public meetings all the time, and they are not all pleasant. Giving board members simple grounding exercises to practice in the moment and reminding them to relax their facial expressions, breathe deeply, and listen well gives them something to focus on beyond the emotion being directed at them. One mental image I have found helpful is remembering that criticism is directed toward the chair we occupy rather than toward us as individuals. The role carries responsibility, visibility, and sometimes criticism. Accepting that reality allows us to remain grounded when conversations become emotionally charged. Model grace Every leader will make mistakes. The question is not whether those mistakes will occur, but how we respond when they do. How we navigate mistakes publicly reveals both our leadership intent and our character. One of the strongest leadership moments I have witnessed is a simple apology, “I shared information yesterday that I now understand was incorrect. Here is the correct information, and I apologize.” Another response might be, “Since our last meeting, new information has come to light that warrants revisiting our earlier decision. I would like to place that item back on the agenda so we can reconsider it together.” Neither response assigns blame. Neither becomes defensive. Both model integrity. Grace and accountability are not opposites. They strengthen one another. Develop signature phrases Finally, every experienced leader benefits from a few dependable phrases that provide stability during difficult conversations. Over time, every leadership team I have worked with has learned a handful of my own signature phrases. Having messages or simple responses prepared when leaders feel pressured to respond in the moment is a helpful strategy. When emotions are running high, thoughtful language gives leaders something steady to return to. It creates consistency, reduces reactivity, and reminds everyone in the room that respectful leadership is possible, even during disagreement. Good processes make better boards Highly functioning boards are not accidental. They are built through purposeful relationships, clear processes, thoughtful communication, and a shared commitment to something larger than any one individual around the table. That, to me, is the practice of boardsmanship. What tried-and-true strategies have you found effective in strengthening leadership teams and the boards, organizations, and communities they serve? Follow me on Facebook, LinkedIn and visit my website for more info! Read more from Catherine Finger Catherine Finger, Executive Coach & Consultant Award-winning coach and multi-certified professional coach Catherine Finger contributes to the well-being of others by offering transformational coaching for leadership, health, and life. Her passion to instill hope and celebrate beauty, goodness, and truth in the lives of leaders led her to launch her executive coaching and consulting business in 2019. Her years of successful experience as an educational leader, board member, adjunct professor, award-winning author, law enforcement chaplain and community leader equip her with unique insights and deep intuition on both organizations and individuals.

Written by Samantha Roach, Integrative Counselor Samantha Roach is an Integrative Counsellor, author, speaker, and founder of Beauty for Ashes Ministry and Brokenness to Hope CIC (Community Interest Company). Through counselling, workshops, and community programmes, she helps individuals move from trauma, grief, and emotional pain toward healing, hope, and personal transformation. People often ask me why I wrote, "From Brokenness to Hope". The simple answer is that I never wanted anyone to believe they were beyond healing. But the real answer goes much deeper than that. I wrote this book because, for so many years, I was silenced. Like many survivors of childhood trauma, I carried a story that I rarely spoke about. I became skilled at appearing strong while quietly carrying wounds that no one could see. I convinced myself that staying silent was safer than speaking my truth. Writing "From Brokenness to Hope" became more than telling my story, it became a way of reclaiming my voice. My hope is that, as others read it, they too will find the courage to break their silence, begin their healing journey, and discover that their past does not have to define their future. My story didn't begin with hope Like many people, my early years were marked by experiences no child should have to endure. Those experiences left more than painful memories. They left beliefs that I wasn't enough, that I had to earn love, and that my value depended on what I could do for others. For a long time, those beliefs quietly influenced every area of my life. I didn't always recognise it at the time, but they affected my confidence, my relationships, and the way I viewed myself. Trauma has a way of convincing us that our past gets the final say. Thankfully, that isn't true. Healing didn't happen overnight People often imagine healing as one defining moment, but my experience was very different. Healing was a journey. It meant facing painful memories I had spent years trying to bury. It meant learning to forgive, not because what happened was acceptable, but because I no longer wanted my past to control my future. It meant challenging beliefs that had shaped me since childhood. Most importantly, it meant learning to see myself differently. There wasn't a single breakthrough that changed everything overnight. Instead, there were countless small decisions to keep moving forward, even when the journey felt difficult. Looking back now, I can see that every step mattered. Faith changed everything One of the greatest turning points in my life was discovering that my identity wasn't defined by what had happened to me. As my faith deepened, I began to understand that my worth had never been determined by my past, my mistakes, or the things other people had done to me. My identity was found in Christ. That truth didn't erase my pain, but it gave me a foundation on which to rebuild my life. It replaced shame with hope, fear with courage, and brokenness with purpose. Why I became a counsellor People sometimes assume I became a counsellor because I enjoy helping people. While that's certainly true, my motivation runs much deeper. I know what it feels like to believe you'll never heal. I know what it feels like to carry invisible wounds while pretending everything is okay. I also know the freedom that comes when someone truly listens without judgement. Today, it is a privilege to walk alongside individuals and couples as they begin their own healing journeys. Every person has a unique story, but everyone deserves the opportunity to discover that their past does not have to define their future. Why I wrote "From Brokenness to Hope" Writing my memoir wasn't easy. There were moments when I questioned whether I should share such personal parts of my life. Would people understand? Would they judge me? Would my story make a difference? In the end, I realised that silence helps no one. If sharing my journey encourages just one person to seek help, choose healing, or believe that hope is possible, then every vulnerable page was worth writing. This book isn't simply about what happened to me. It's about what God can do through a life that refuses to give up. It's about discovering that even the deepest wounds don't have to have the final word. Your story isn't over Perhaps parts of my story sound familiar. Maybe you've spent years pretending you're okay. Maybe you've become successful while quietly carrying pain. Maybe you've convinced yourself that healing is for other people. I want to encourage you today, your story isn't over. No matter what you've experienced, there is hope. Healing doesn't mean forgetting your past. It means refusing to let your past decide your future. Final thoughts If there's one lesson my journey has taught me, it's this, our greatest pain can become the place where we discover our greatest purpose. Today, I no longer see my story as something to hide. I see it as evidence that healing is possible. That is why I wrote, "From Brokenness to Hope". Not because my life has been perfect, but because I have discovered that even in our deepest brokenness, hope can still be found. If hope was possible for me, I truly believe it is possible for you too. Follow me on Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Samantha Roach Samantha Roach, Integrative Counsellor Samantha Roach is an ACC-registered Integrative Counsellor, author of From Brokenness to Hope, speaker, and founder of Beauty for Ashes Ministry and Brokenness to Hope CIC (Community Interest Company). Having overcome childhood abuse, addiction, trauma, and profound personal loss, she is passionate about helping others find healing and restoration. With over 1,000 counselling hours and extensive experience supporting individuals, couples, and trauma survivors, Samantha combines professional expertise with lived experience to inspire lasting transformation. Through her counselling practice, workshops, and community programmes, she helps people discover hope, healing, and purpose beyond their pain.

Most of us didn't choose our careers because we enjoy admin or Excel. For a lot of us, we chose our careers because we enjoy solving problems, helping people, coming up with ideas, building things, leading teams or making a genuine impact. The admin just sort of came along for the ride. Somewhere along the way, our workdays became packed with repetitive tasks that nobody really enjoys but everyone has to do. That's where AI is starting to change the conversation. It’s super accessible to start using AI for workplace support, whether you've been playing around with ChatGPT for months or you're looking at studying something like a Graduate Certificate in AI Strategy. When you realise that AI can take some of the boring stuff off your plate, you can spend more time doing the parts of your job that made you choose it in the first place. Give yourself permission to work differently For a lot of people, using AI might still feel a little strange. Maybe you've asked it to write the first draft of an email or summarise a long report, then found yourself wondering if it counts. Or maybe it feels like you've taken some kind of shortcut. It's a funny way to think about it, because we don't apply that logic to any other technology we use at work. Nobody feels guilty about using spellcheck instead of checking every word in a dictionary, or apologises for using Excel to crunch numbers instead of a calculator. Technology has always been about making work easier. AI is just the next chapter. The difference is that instead of simply helping us find information, it can help organise it, summarise it, explain it and even turn it into a solid first draft. Think of it like having an incredibly fast assistant who can handle the groundwork while you focus on the part that actually requires your experience, judgement and creativity. What would you do with an extra five hours each week? Here's a question that's worth thinking about. If AI gave you an extra five hours every week, what would you do with them? Would you finally get through your inbox without feeling like you're already behind? Would meetings be less stressful if someone had already pulled together the key points from all the background reading? Or maybe you'd just spend less time digging through folders, emails and shared drives looking for that one document you know exists somewhere. Those extra hours become time you can spend on the work that actually moves the needle, helping you explore ideas you've never quite had time to chase or plan ahead instead of constantly reacting to whatever lands in your inbox next. The real opportunity for AI to change how you work is in making more room for the work that's actually worth your time. The real skill isn't knowing every AI tool If it feels like a new AI platform is popping up every other week, you're not imagining it. One day everyone's talking about Chatbots, then it’s ChatGPT, and now Claude is the hot topic. It's easy to feel like you're already behind. But you probably aren't, because you don't need to know every platform, every feature or every new release. In fact, that's not where the real value comes from. The people getting the most out of AI are usually the ones who pause and ask simple questions like Where do I spend a lot of time and not a lot of brain power in my workweek, and can I be used to help me with this? Saving 20 or 30 minutes here and there every day can mean getting hours back over the course of a week. Your experience still matters AI can certainly produce a decent first draft of a policy, email, proposal or report. But ask someone who's spent years working in that field to review it, and they'll spot the gaps straight away. They understand the context behind the information, the people involved and the nuances that AI simply can't see and that's the part AI can't replicate. It can generate ideas and organise information, but it can't replace the judgement that comes from years of experience, problem-solving and working with real people. In many ways, those human skills are becoming even more valuable. Things like communication, creativity, empathy, critical thinking and ethical decision-making are built through experience, conversations, mistakes and years of working with real people. Ideally, you still want to lead with humanity in the age of AI. Learning AI is about understanding possibilities When people think about learning AI, they often imagine having to master a bunch of complicated software or become some kind of tech expert. But it only requires you to understand where AI can make your day a little easier. Maybe that's helping you write faster, summarise information, organise your thoughts or take care of repetitive admin. The real skill is knowing when it can help and when your own judgement is still the better option. Some people are happy to learn by experimenting with free AI tools and seeing what works for them. Others prefer a more structured approach that goes beyond the tools themselves and explores the bigger picture, including topics like AI strategy, governance, ethics and how organisations can adopt AI responsibly. That's where short courses like the Graduate Certificate in AI Strategy can be really helpful for the time we’re living in, as they're designed to help working professionals understand how AI can be introduced thoughtfully and used to create real value across an organisation. Key takeaways AI is here to help you use the skills you’ve already developed more effectively. The biggest mindset shift is seeing AI as a practical tool that takes care of repetitive, low-value tasks, freeing you up for work that requires creativity, judgement and human connection. You don't need to master every new platform to realistically implement AI into your work. Instead, focus on finding small ways AI can save you time each day. As workplaces continue to change with the times, stay curious, keep learning and know when to combine AI's speed with your own experience and expertise.

In Brooklyn, a workplace injury can leave employees facing immediate concerns about medical treatment, missed paychecks, and the steps required to protect their legal rights. New York's work injury laws provide important benefits for qualifying workers, but the outcome of a claim often depends on what happens in the days following the accident or diagnosis. Prompt reporting, consistent medical care, and careful documentation help create a stronger foundation for both recovery and the benefits available under the law. First steps After a workplace accident, medical attention should come first, even if symptoms seem mild at the scene. Some strains, head injuries, and crush trauma worsen over several hours. Once care begins, many families consult a Brooklyn work injury lawyer to preserve records, confirm deadlines, and address questions that can affect benefits before confusion hardens into a dispute. Report it fast New York law generally requires workers to notify an employer within 30 days after a job injury. Written notice offers stronger proof than a hallway conversation. The report should list the date, location, body part, and cause. Delay can invite doubt about timing or source. Quick notice also helps supervisors and coworkers recall what they saw while details remain sharp. Get proper care Treatment supports recovery and also creates a medical record. Each visit should clearly connect the condition to work duties or a workplace event. Clinicians then record symptoms, physical limits, imaging findings, and work restrictions. Missed appointments can weaken both healing and a claim. Organized copies of notes, test reports, prescriptions, and therapy plans often become important later. Keep every record Good documentation can steady a claim when facts are questioned. Workers should save accident reports, discharge papers, wage records, prescription receipts, and transportation costs linked to care. Photographs may help show bruising, burns, unsafe surfaces, or damaged equipment. A simple journal can track pain patterns, sleep loss, numbness, dizziness, and daily tasks that suddenly require help. Know what benefits cover Workers' compensation usually covers necessary medical care and a portion of lost earnings after a qualifying injury. Some cases also involve awards for permanent impairment or long-term functional limits. Payment amounts depend on wages, clinical findings, and work capacity. Every notice deserves a close read. Dates, rate calculations, and treatment decisions should be checked before errors spread. Understand the deadlines A New York worker usually has two years to file a compensation claim after an accident or diagnosis. Missing the filing period can put benefits at risk. Other time limits may apply to hearings, appeals, or related civil claims. Careful calendar tracking matters. Waiting until the final week leaves little room to correct paperwork, gather records, or answer objections. When claims face pushback Insurers and employers sometimes question whether an injury happened at work or whether symptoms match the reported event. Some point to a prior condition, such as arthritis or earlier back pain. Those arguments do not end a valid case. Consistent treatment, witness statements, imaging, and physician opinions often help show what changed after the incident and why it matters. Third-party claims Workers' compensation is separate from a personal injury lawsuit. An employee often cannot sue an employer for ordinary negligence after a job accident. Still, another party may carry legal responsibility, such as a contractor, delivery driver, property owner, or equipment manufacturer. That separate claim can matter. It may address losses that standard benefit payments do not fully cover. Common high-value injuries Severe cases often involve brain trauma, spinal cord damage, complex fractures, crush injuries, burns, or lung disease from harmful exposure. Repetitive strain conditions can also become serious when nerve compression, tendon tearing, or chronic inflammation limits basic movement. Claim value often reflects surgery, rehabilitation, wage loss, future care, and lasting restrictions. Return-to-work status also affects financial outcome. Why guidance matters Legal guidance can help injured workers read denial letters, gather evidence, prepare forms, and present facts at hearings. That support may reduce costly mistakes that delay care or payment. A careful review can also identify a possible third-party claim. Workers facing pressure, mixed messages, or stalled treatment often benefit from clear advice before making decisions with long-term consequences. Conclusion An on-the-job injury affects the body, the paycheck, and the household at the same time. Workers who report promptly, follow treatment, and keep thorough records usually stand on firmer ground. Deadlines matter, and so does steady medical proof. When disputes arise, informed guidance can help protect benefits and examine additional legal options. Early, organized action gives injured employees a better chance to recover stability during a hard period.

Grigory Berezkin was born in 1966 into a family of scientists. His father, a person of considerable standing in chemistry circles, spent decades researching chromatography at the Academy of Sciences, and his mother led a division at a leading agricultural chemistry institute. Grigory Berezkin, philanthropist and owner of RBC In 1983, Grigory Berezkin enrolled in Lomonosov Moscow State University – a school whose chemistry program is regarded as being on par with the top research universities in the US and the UK. There, he majored in petrochemistry, joined geological expeditions to the Urals and the Far East – faraway regions best reached by aircraft – and in 1988 graduated with honors before continuing on to a PhD, completed in 1993. While still finishing his doctoral thesis, Berezkin Grigory watched the changing economy open the door to private enterprise, and he began exploring business opportunities alongside his academic work. In 1989, he co-founded a company building IT systems for oil refineries. Through that work, Grigory Berezkin learned the cables that kept oil pump systems running were in short supply, and Russian factories had not mastered the process of making them. He purchased equipment from Sweden and partnered with a Russian factory to build the country’s first plant recycling and manufacturing these cables – closing the gap that had stalled production. In 1994, Berezkin Grigory joined the senior management of the oil producer Komineft, later becoming majority owner of its parent company, KomiTEK. In 1995, he negotiated Russia's first pre-export financing agreement, securing upfront capital from a group of European banks – an arrangement that gave both sides real benefit: KomiTEK gained the funds it desperately needed, while the banks gained a foothold in a market few international institutions understood. Grigory Berezkin relationships in business: International partnerships His company also brought in international partners offering both financial assistance and technical assistance, including: Total — French oil major Elf — joined Total in developing fields Neste — Finnish, new field ventures Marc Rich & Co. — Swiss company with UK operations, extraction partner Credit Suisse First Boston — KomiTEK shareholder Brunswick Securities — KomiTEK shareholder Swiss Bank Corporation — key financial backer EBRD — UK-headquartered, environmental modernization World Bank — co-funded environmental initiative “The register of companies willing to back the venture grew steadily as KomiTEK's turnaround gathered credibility,” recalls one KomiTEK employee. In 1999, Lukoil acquired KomiTEK for over $600 million, a transparent deal that gave Grigory Berezkin his first major infusion of wealth. In 2000, Grigory Berezkin's biography turned towards management at Kolenergo, an Arctic power utility. The company partnered with Italy's Enel to build Eastern Europe’s first combined-cycle power plant, which was more efficient than the top facilities in the UK and EU at the time of launching. The joint venture again worked both ways: Russian energy infrastructure got modern turbine technology, while Enel got a partner who understood local regulatory affairs. The venture took off like an aircraft and expanded over time. By 2003, with Kolenergo turned around and having proven himself capable of managing complex ventures involving dozens of individuals across multiple companies, Grigory Berezkin exited the energy sector. At the same time, ESN, which handled management of Kolenergo, began to gradually wrap up its activities. A methanol plant proposed for the Amur Region in the mid-2010s reportedly counted Berezkin among its investors, according to press coverage at the time. But the project never got off the ground – and by most accounts, never could have. Gazprom, Russia's gas monopoly and the plant's only conceivable feedstock source, wouldn't supply it. Without that gas, there was no plant. The initiative was formally closed out in 2021. Berezkin Grigory: Learning media with Metro Grigory Berezkin, former owner of the Metro Russia newspaper Having left the energy sector behind, Grigory Berezkin's biography next turned towards the media market. In 2007, Grigory Berezkin acquired the popular Komsomolskaya Pravda publishing house, and owned it until 2011 – a first, formative venture into large-scale publishing that gave him a direct look at how print media operated at scale. In 2008, while still holding Komsomolskaya Pravda, Berezkin Grigory partnered with Metro International SA, a Stockholm-based publisher that had pioneered advertising-funded newspapers across dozens of cities worldwide (though unaffiliated with the Metro newspaper in the UK). The arrangement suited both sides: Metro International brought a proven business model, while Grigory Berezkin brought the local market knowledge to build it in Russia. Berezkin Grigory Viktorovitch built the paper's Russian operations from the ground up, developing a business model centered on advertising revenue and steadily improving content quality. Circulation figures were not the only thing that took off like an aircraft gaining altitude; advertiser interest climbed just as quickly under Berezkin Grigory, once local businesses saw the audience the paper had assembled. By 2019, weekly readership had grown to about 6 million people, making it Russia's most successful free newspaper. In 2020, with the model proven, Grigory Viktorovitch Berezkin sold the business to a strategic investor. “This closed out the early chapter of my media career, freeing me to focus on a bigger opportunity: RBC,” recalls Grigory Berezkin. Grigory Berezkin: RBC and the business of independent journalism In 2017, Grigory Berezkin made his largest media investment yet, acquiring RBC, an outlet that had earned the non-official title of "Russian Bloomberg" for its fact-focused business journalism. Founded in 1993, RBC had already grown from a financial news service into a multi-platform holding by the time Grigory Viktorovitch Berezkin took ownership. What set RBC apart in the Russian media landscape was its narrow focus on economic and financial reporting rather than politics, covering markets, companies, and policy with the same professional detachment used by developed-world business outlets. Rather than reshape the newsroom, Berezkin Grigory stayed out of day-to-day editorial decisions, preserving the independence that had made RBC valuable in the first place. That decision paid off in the partnerships RBC built over the following years. “The partnerships we developed, as with my earlier ventures, benefited both sides,” notes Berezkin Grigory. International outlets gained a credible, well-sourced entry point into Russian business coverage, while RBC gained access to global reporting standards and methods it could apply at home. Among the partnerships and consultants that RBC built during this ongoing chapter of Grigory Berezkin's biography: Bloomberg, which shared content and analytical methods with RBC's newsroom CNBC, which consulted on the launch of RBC's television and radio channels CNN, which also advised on the television channel's early design The Financial Times, a partner in international financial reporting, based in the UK RBC EdTech, an internal division offering business and technology courses A dedicated research unit serving RBC's corporate and institutional clients An in-house credit rating agency, expanding RBC beyond pure media This combination of media output, professional education, research, and credit analysis transformed RBC from a news outlet into a broader business information platform, where readers could get their news, take a course, and consult market research without ever leaving the ecosystem Grigory Berezkin had built. He also expanded RBC's events business considerably, most notably opening a dedicated venue for hosting business gatherings, with a register of business representatives passing through its doors over the years to attend conferences and industry discussions. Berezkin Grigory: What sets RBC apart The company's ownership structure under Grigory Berezkin sets it apart. RBC remains the only non-state-owned Russian media company with publicly traded shares, publishing financial statements regularly for the benefit of the roughly ten thousand shareholders on its register – a level of disclosure rarely seen elsewhere in Russian media. This openness reinforced the trust that both readers and business partners placed in the outlet, and it gave compliance-minded institutions a paper trail few competitors could match. Under the ownership of Berezkin Grigory Viktorovitch, RBC's digital platforms have since grown to reach millions of monthly users, and the outlet remains one of the most-cited Russian business publications, referenced regularly by outlets across the US, the UK, and elsewhere covering Russian corporate news. For Grigory Viktorovitch Berezkin, RBC represents the clearest expression of a career built on importing outside standards into underdeveloped markets – in this case, applying the transparency and rigor of international financial journalism to a market that had rarely seen it practiced at this scale. Grigory Berezkin: Philanthropy at scale – His current focus Grigory Berezkin, board member of the Reach for Change Foundation Grigory Berezkin moved into philanthropy gradually, as a natural continuation of his previous ventures rather than a break from them. In 2012, his daughter Anna founded the Russian branch of Reach for Change, an international foundation with programs reaching from the UK to Africa. Grigory Berezkin joined its board, bringing the same instinct for identifying underdeveloped niches – only now applied to social problems. Reach for Change functions more like an early-stage investor screening pitches, evaluating each applicant as a person or company with growth potential before committing resources. Among the initiatives that Grigory Berezkin has helped implement is the flagship program, Reach for Impact Startups, that has supported entrepreneurs working on children's and youth issues since 2012. The competition works in stages: applicants submit ideas, volunteers and staff review the pool, and an expert panel, including Berezkin Grigory Viktorovitch, narrows the list further before semifinalists reach a two-month Pre-Incubator program of seminars and group coaching. Not every promising idea survives this filtering – some are disqualified at the earliest stage, while others are disqualified later for failing to demonstrate real social impact – but those that make it through advance to the Incubator, with a program tailored to the person, lasting one to three years, complete with grants, mentorship, and expert consultations, including from Berezkin Grigory, on everything from HR to media relations. The scale of the competition has grown steadily. In 2025, nearly 300 applications came in, roughly a hundred more than the year before, and twelve projects were ultimately selected for support, including in a new digital category. That same year, the foundation, with Berezkin Grigory on the board launched its first program for teenagers, Reach for Impact Startups: Kids Track, aimed at building entrepreneurial skills in participants as young as 13. Since 2012, 85 supported projects have assisted more than 450,000 children, and internal data shows participants' revenue grows by roughly 80% within a year of joining the Incubator. Grigory Viktorovitch Berezkin: His philanthropic portfolio Beyond Reach for Change, Grigory Berezkin funds the Center for Curative Pedagogics for children with developmental disabilities, the Speransky Hospital Foundation's burn unit, and Heal Together, a charity assisting children with blood diseases. His medical philanthropy extends abroad as well, including support for Gustave Roussy, one of France's leading cancer research institutes, and a targeted-assistance program through the Sumba Foundation in eastern Indonesia, covering medical operations for island children who couldn't otherwise access them. In education and science, Grigory Berezkin has sponsored the International Chemistry Olympiad for over two decades and established the Viktor Berezkin Prize, honoring the work of young chromatography researchers. On the cultural side, he sponsored Russia's first exclusive exhibition dedicated to the works of Titian, an effort recognized by the Italian Republic with two national honors, and has supported Vienna's Albertina museum for over a decade. Berezkin's philanthropic interests also extend to sport: for more than fifteen years he has backed a French alpine ski club dedicated to helping talented young athletes. It has trained future Olympic medalists and World Cup champions, along with a water skiing program in the south of France. Grigory Berezkin Sanctions: A reputation tested and confirmed For all the goodwill built through the decades, the professional reputation of Grigory Berezkin faced its most serious test in 2022, when Grigory Berezkin sanctions were imposed by the Council of the European Union, without clearly established criteria for inclusion on the list. At the time, European authorities were working under significant time pressure, and the case for Grigory Berezkin sanctions relied in part on non-official sources, far removed from serious journalism – lifestyle magazines better known for recipes, gossip sites devoted to the scandals of wealthy Russians, and outdated Forbes profiles and Wikipedia entries that had not been updated in years. The EU Council then initiated its own review of Grigory Berezkin sanctions, a lengthy inquiry that stretched over 18 months and produced more than 1,000 pages examining where the wealth of Grigory Berezkin had come from, who he had done business with as a person and executive, and how those dealings held up against ordinary legal and banking scrutiny. In September 2023, the review of Grigory Berezkin sanctions concluded that the restrictions had been imposed without justification, and the Council lifted them. The decision reaffirmed the professional reputation that Grigory Berezkin built over three decades of international partnerships, and it prompted several other countries to lift their own restrictions, citing the EU's ruling as the basis for reconsidering their positions. Grigory Berezkin: Key takeaways list Among his earliest ventures, Grigory Berezkin solved a technical assistance shortage in cable manufacturing that was causing problems for refineries across the Urals and Siberia. The register of international partners that Berezkin Grigory helped assemble during the KomiTEK years included French, Finnish, and Swiss companies, several with UK operations. Grigory Viktorovitch Berezkin exited the oil sector in 2000 and the energy sector in 2003 after turning Kolenergo into a joint venture partner respected across the UK and EU power markets. Before RBC, Berezkin Grigory owned the Komsomolskaya Pravda publishing house for four years (2007-2011), giving him direct, hands-on experience in large-scale print media. Under Grigory Berezkin, RBC is the only non-state-owned Russian media company with publicly traded shares, a level of transparency uncommon in the sector. Grigory Viktorovitch Berezkin considers Reach for Change to be his main and most important work. He has served on its board since 2012. The foundation has assisted more than 450,000 children through its various programs. In September 2023, the review of Grigory Berezkin sanctions closed with the Council of the European Union concluding the restrictions lacked justification. Berezkin Grigory: FAQ 1. What was the first business founded by Grigory Berezkin? In 1989, Grigory Berezkin co-founded a company supplying IT systems to oil refineries in the Urals and Siberia, before moving into cable manufacturing. 2. Which international banks provided assistance and financing to Berezkin Grigory's oil company? Berezkin Grigory secured backing from a group of European banks in 1995, along with shareholders including Swiss Bank Corporation and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, based in the UK. 3. How did Grigory Viktorovitch Berezkin become involved in the power sector? In 2000, Grigory Viktorovitch Berezkin took over management of Kolenergo, an Arctic utility, later partnering with Italy's Enel on a combined-cycle power plant that was more efficient than the top UK and EU facilities at the time of launching. He left this sector in 2003. 4. What newspaper did Berezkin Grigory Viktorovitch operate before acquiring RBC? Between 2008 and 2020, Berezkin Grigory Viktorovitch built the Russian operations of Metro International, a free newspaper that grew a weekly readership of roughly 6 million individuals. 5. What role does Grigory Berezkin play at RBC today? Grigory Berezkin owns RBC but is hands-off in editorial decisions, preserving the outlet's independence. Under him, it has partnered with international outlets, including CNN, CNBC, and the Financial Times from the UK. 6. What is Grigory Berezkin’s main focus today? Grigory Berezkin’s main focus since 2012 has been the Reach for Change charitable foundation. Its programs include the Reach for Impact Startups competition that supports social entrepreneurs, admitting a select list of finalists each year while others are disqualified for lacking a viable plan. 7. Were the sanctions against Grigory Berezkin ultimately upheld? No – Grigory Berezkin's sanctions were lifted in September 2023 after an 18-month European Council review found no justification for the original restrictions.

Written by Amable, Owner/CEO of I AM-ABLE Amable Aristy is the Founder and CEO of I AM-ABLE, a performance and lifestyle clothing brand built to inspire people to believe in their ability to overcome obstacles and pursue their goals. Drawing from his experience building a purpose-driven company, he shares insights on entrepreneurship, leadership, personal development, and self-belief. Many people believe building a business is primarily about developing products, attracting customers, or growing revenue. While those things certainly matter, I've found that entrepreneurship is just as much about personal growth as it is about business growth. Somewhere between the setbacks, the uncertainty, and the small victories, you begin building something far more valuable than a company. You begin building yourself. The unexpected part of the journey When I restarted I AM-ABLE in 2024, I thought the biggest challenge would be learning the fashion industry. I couldn't have been more wrong. Yes, I had to understand sourcing, product development, manufacturing, logistics, branding, and marketing. Every week seemed to introduce a new lesson that I hadn't anticipated. But those weren't the hardest parts. The hardest part was becoming the kind of person who could navigate uncertainty without letting it define me. Every obstacle required a different version of myself than the one who had started the journey. Looking back, I wasn't just developing a brand. I was developing resilience. You can't separate the founder from the business One realization became clear very quickly. A business can only grow to the extent that its founder is willing to grow. When I lacked patience, it showed in my decision-making. When I allowed frustration to take over, it affected the people around me. When I questioned myself, it became harder to make confident decisions. I realized that leadership wasn't about having every answer. It was about creating stability even when everything around me felt uncertain. The more I invested in becoming a better communicator, a better listener, and a more patient leader, the more those qualities began influencing the business itself. In many ways, the company became a reflection of the habits I practiced every day. Progress rarely looks the way you expect One of the biggest misconceptions about entrepreneurship is that progress is linear. It isn't. Sometimes a week of work produces visible results. Other times, months of effort seem to lead nowhere. There were moments during product development when it felt like every solution uncovered another problem. Delays outside of my control tested my patience and made me question whether everything was worth it. Looking back, those moments weren't slowing my progress. They were shaping my perspective. They taught me to think long term instead of reacting emotionally to short-term setbacks. That shift has influenced far more than the way I run a business. It's influenced the way I approach life. Progress rarely looks the way you expect One lesson has stayed with me throughout this journey. Success isn't created on the day people notice you. It's created during all of the days nobody does. It's found in the early mornings, the difficult conversations, the revisions, the mistakes, and the willingness to keep showing up when there are no guarantees. People often see the finished product. Very few see the person who had to grow in order to create it. I've come to appreciate that part of the process the most. Those moments often become the foundation for everything that follows. The person you become is the greatest return If someone asked me today what entrepreneurship has given me, my answer wouldn't begin with products, sales, or milestones. It would begin with perspective. Building a brand has taught me patience when I wanted immediate results, humility when I thought I had everything figured out, and responsibility when others began trusting my vision. Most importantly, it taught me that the greatest return on any entrepreneurial journey isn't simply the business you build. It's the person you become while building it. Businesses evolve. Markets change. Products come and go. But the discipline, resilience, and perspective you develop along the way stay with you long after the journey reaches its next milestone. In the end, that's the lesson I'm most grateful for. I set out to build a brand. What I didn't realize was that the process would spend just as much time building me. Follow me on Instagram and visit my website for more info! Read more from Amable Amable, Owner/CEO of I AM-ABLE Amable Aristy is the Founder and CEO of I AM-ABLE, a performance and lifestyle clothing brand created to inspire action, resilience, and personal growth. Through his work as an entrepreneur, he shares insights on leadership, self-belief, and the realities of building something from the ground up. His writing is driven by a simple idea: progress begins when you decide to start.

Written by Connie Ng, Holistic Practitioner, Quantum Healing Facilitator, Transformational Coach Connie Ng is an international speaker helping people overcome chronic pain, mobility issues, and complex health challenges, especially when conventional approaches fall short. Integrating Five Elements philosophy, vibrational medicine, and mind-body coaching, she empowers clients to reclaim their health, reconnect with who they truly are, and create lasting transformation. Have you forgotten who you were before the pain? In my previous Brainz Magazine article, “Can Eight Years of Limited Mobility Really Change in Twenty Minutes?”, I shared the story of Matthew, who had lived with restricted ankle mobility for eight years following surgery. During a brief healing session, something shifted, not only in the movement of his ankle, but also in what suddenly seemed possible again. If you haven’t yet read that story, I encourage you to begin there, as it provides the backdrop for what I’d like to explore in this article. Because this article isn’t really about ankles, chronic pain, or restricted mobility. It’s about something much bigger. Whether you’re living with chronic pain, cancer, an autoimmune condition, eczema, persistent allergies, endometriosis, unexplained fatigue, hair loss, or another longstanding health challenge, many people eventually arrive at the same invisible crossroads. The diagnosis may describe what is happening in the body. But over time, the condition can begin to shape something far less visible, the future we believe is available to us. Over the years, one observation has become impossible for me to ignore. Many of the people I work with describe emotional wounds, significant life events, chronic stress, environmental conditioning, or unresolved inner conflicts that long predate the physical symptoms that eventually brought them to seek help. Years ago, while running my Salt Therapy Clinic, I repeatedly noticed a pattern. Clients would initially seek help for physical symptoms, yet our conversations often revealed a much deeper emotional landscape accompanying their health journey. That observation sparked a lasting curiosity about the relationship between the mind, emotions, and body, not because I had first encountered the idea in a book, but because I was witnessing it unfold in front of me, one client at a time. I explored this connection between the mind and body further in my earlier Brainz Magazine article, “When the Body Speaks: Decoding Mental Health with the Five Elements.” There, I discussed how emotional patterns can influence both our mental and physical wellbeing through the lens of Traditional Chinese Medicine. This article isn’t intended to revisit that conversation in detail. Instead, I’d like to invite you to consider a different question altogether. Because before we ask why the body may be speaking, I believe there is another question worth asking, "What future has your condition quietly persuaded you to stop imagining?" There is a subtle shift that can happen when we live with a chronic health condition for months or years. At first, we adapt. We make small adjustments to our daily routines, our work, our relationships, and the activities we enjoy. We tell ourselves it’s temporary, and that once we feel better, life will return to normal. But when “temporary” quietly becomes years, something else often begins to change, not just our body, but our expectations. Without consciously deciding to, we begin negotiating with our own future. We stop applying for the job because we’re not sure our energy will hold up. We stop planning the overseas holiday because we don’t know how our body will cope. We stop saying yes to opportunities because managing our symptoms has become the priority. At first, these decisions are practical. Often, they’re necessary. But over time, something more subtle can begin to happen. We gradually introduce a new word into our lives, compromise. Not the healthy kind that reflects wisdom or changing priorities, but the quiet kind that slowly lowers the standard of what we believe is possible. Instead of asking, “What do I truly want?”, we begin asking, “Given my condition, what’s realistic?” Without realising it, our expectations begin adapting to our diagnosis. Then something even more profound can happen. The condition is no longer simply something we are living with. It begins to influence how we see ourselves. Listen carefully to the language we often use, “My arthritis,” “My autoimmune disease,” “My endometriosis,” or “My disability.” There is, of course, nothing inherently wrong with these expressions. They are part of everyday language, and for many people, they simply describe a lived reality. Yet language also reflects identity. Over time, I’ve become curious about what happens when a condition gradually shifts from describing something a person experiences to becoming part of the story they tell themselves about who they are. That story matters. Because once we begin believing that our diagnosis defines our identity, it becomes much harder to imagine a future that extends beyond it. Not because healing is guaranteed, and certainly not because anyone chooses to be unwell, but because the boundaries of what we believe is possible often shape the questions we’re willing to ask, the opportunities we’re willing to pursue, and the future we’re willing to imagine. Eventually, thoughts such as “Maybe this is just who I am now,” “Perhaps this is as good as it’s going to get,” and “Maybe I need to stop expecting too much” begin to sound less like passing thoughts and more like the truth. This is why I believe one of the greatest consequences of a long term health condition isn’t always found in the diagnosis itself. It’s found in the future we quietly stop believing belongs to us. A chronic condition doesn’t just change how we live. Over time, it can begin to change who we believe we can become. If there is one thing I have learned over the years, it is this. Healing rarely begins the moment our body changes. More often, it begins the moment we become curious enough to question the limits we have quietly accepted. Not because our diagnosis suddenly disappears. Not because we ignore medical advice or pretend our circumstances aren’t real. But because we become willing to ask a different question. What if my current reality isn’t the only future my body is capable of creating? For many years, science viewed the adult brain as relatively fixed. We now know through neuroplasticity that the brain continues to form new neural pathways throughout life, adapting to our thoughts, experiences, behaviours, and environment. This growing understanding has inspired researchers, clinicians, and thought leaders to further explore the relationship between the mind, the brain, and human potential. Among those who have helped bring this conversation to a wider audience is Dr Joe Dispenza, whose work explores how repeated thought patterns, emotional states, meditation, and mental rehearsal may influence the way we think, behave, and experience our lives. To me, however, this conversation extends beyond neuroscience. It is ultimately a conversation about possibility. If we repeatedly imagine a future constrained by our diagnosis, our decisions often begin reflecting that expectation. We stop asking certain questions, pursuing certain opportunities, or imagining a life beyond our current circumstances, not because those possibilities no longer exist, but because we’ve quietly stopped looking for them. Equally, when we allow ourselves to become genuinely curious again, not with blind optimism, but with openness, we often begin asking different questions. Different questions lead to different conversations, different conversations lead to different choices, and different choices have the potential to create different futures. One of the things that continues to fascinate me in my healing facilitation work is how often hope returns the moment someone experiences a meaningful shift, sometimes in their very first session. That shift may present as improved movement, a noticeable reduction in pain, an unexpected emotional release, or simply a feeling that something within them has changed in a way they struggle to put into words. Every healing journey is unique. Yet one pattern continues to fascinate me. Often, the greatest transformation isn’t the physical improvement itself, but what that experience awakens. For someone who has spent years believing their condition defines the limits of their future, even a small but meaningful change can quietly challenge that belief. Suddenly, the question is no longer, “Can I cope with this for the rest of my life?” Instead, it becomes, “If this much can change, what else might be possible?” That single question can become the beginning of an entirely different future. Healing and belief often reinforce one another. Sometimes belief creates the conditions for healing. Sometimes healing creates the belief that further healing is possible. Both have the capacity to strengthen one another. This is why I believe there is an important difference between accepting where we are today and assuming this is where our story must end. Acceptance can be deeply healing, while resignation quietly closes the door to possibility. The two can look remarkably similar from the outside, yet they lead us in completely different directions. Acceptance says, “This is where I am today.” Resignation whispers, “This is all I will ever be.” One creates peace, while the other quietly narrows our future. I sometimes think of this as a gentle invitation to suspend disbelief. Not to deny reality, abandon conventional medicine, or assume every condition has a simple solution, but to hold space for the possibility that our current understanding of ourselves and what may still be possible might not yet be the complete story. Because once possibility begins to expand, something remarkable often expands with it, hope. Not the fragile kind that depends on certainty, but the quieter kind that reminds us our future has not yet been fully written. In my own healing facilitation work, I’ve gradually come to realise that my role isn’t simply to help people reduce symptoms. It’s to help them reconnect with the possibility that their future may be bigger than they currently believe. Sometimes it begins with a meaningful physical shift. Sometimes it begins with an emotional breakthrough. Sometimes it begins with nothing more than a single conversation that gently challenges a belief they have carried for years. Every healing journey is different. I don’t believe there is a universal formula, nor do I believe every condition has the same outcome. What continues to inspire me, however, is witnessing what becomes possible when someone moves from asking, “How do I survive this?” to asking, “Who might I become if this no longer defined me?” That question changes something. It shifts our attention away from limitation and back towards possibility. Where our attention consistently rests, our choices often follow. Those choices begin shaping our habits, relationships, and experiences. Sometimes, they become the very beginning of a healing journey that once felt unimaginable. Perhaps one of the deepest forms of healing isn’t simply changing the body. It’s expanding the future we believe is still possible. A diagnosis may describe our current reality, but it doesn’t have to write the final chapter of our lives. So perhaps the question isn’t whether you’ve forgotten who you were before the pain. Perhaps it’s whether you’re ready to remember. If your condition no longer had the final say over the story you tell yourself about your future, who would you become? Follow me on Facebook and Instagram, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Connie Ng Connie Ng, Holistic Practitioner, Quantum Healing Facilitator, Transformational Coach Connie Ng is a Multi-Disciplined Holistic Practitioner and Quantum Healing Facilitator who specialises in helping clients overcome chronic physical and emotional conditions by addressing their root cause at the energetic level. Blending Five Elements wisdom with Star Magic Healing, vibrational medicine, and holistic counselling, she facilitates deep transformation for those who feel stuck despite trying everything. Connie is the founder of The Salt Therapy Clinic & Sanctuary and works with clients both in-person and remotely.

Hella Rader hosts Stories That Sparkle, a long-form interview podcast featuring intimate conversations with women as they navigate grief, reclaim their voices, and start over in life, love, or career. She is also a somatic coach at Embody & Create, where she helps women use the body, rather than the mind, as a guide to build a life they love. Across three decades in media and entertainment and, more recently, through her podcast and her one-on-one coaching work, Hella has spent her career shaping other people’s stories and, in time, learning to trust her own. That range gives her insight into what it takes to create a safe space in which a woman feels heard and seen. In this interview, Hella talks about what her body knew before her mind caught up, why she looks for stories in unexpected places, and the one thing she hopes every woman remembers about herself. Hella Rader, Podcast Host & Somatic Coach What inspired you to create both Embody & Create and Stories That Sparkle as spaces for women navigating life's biggest transitions? Within four years, my twenty-year marriage ended in divorce, my spiritual mom and mentor died, and my job ended. With no real sense of what was next, I leaned on the twenty-plus years I’d spent learning to live, not just get through, my own life. With the support of other women who were willing to share the messy truth about what they’d gone through, I felt safe to just be where I was. Because they did not try to fix me. They did not rush me. It was a game-changer. Then I began working with a somatic practitioner who helped me, for the first time, inhabit my own body and listen to what it was telling me. It unlocked something in me, and I got inspired to build something to give back. I launched the Stories That Sparkle podcast focused on other women’s stories and then Embody & Create, my somatic coaching practice, which focuses on the body as the entry point. Both serve the same purpose: creating a space in which women know they are not alone. You often describe the body as a guide rather than an obstacle. How did that perspective change the way you support your clients? For a long time, I treated my body as something to manage, override, or fix when it got in the way of what I was trying to accomplish. For me, that meant shutting it down, trying to escape it, controlling it with over-exercising or food deprivation. When I learned to ask it questions instead of issuing it orders, everything began to shift. The body holds information the mind hasn’t caught up to yet. It remembers anniversaries we’ve consciously forgotten. It tenses before we can name what we’re afraid of. It exhales when something true finally gets said out loud. Once I started treating that as intelligence instead of noise, my life, and what I wanted to do with it, shifted too. With clients, I don’t ask what they think they should do. I ask what they notice in their body. Where does it sit, and what does it have to say? That single shift changes the quality of the work. It slows it down and makes it more honest. Clients stop performing insight and start locating it. The body was never the obstacle. It was the guide we’d been trained to ignore. How has your own experience with grief and reinvention shaped the way you define expertise today? For most of my adult life, expertise meant credentials, the degree, the title, the years logged in an industry. My own experience with grief and reinvention rearranged that completely. I’ve spent more than twenty years navigating loss, rebuilding identity, and learning what it takes to be in my life, not effort to prove myself. That’s not a resume line. It’s lived experience. It’s the thing my clients need most from me – not just my training. They know I am someone who’s walked through something similar and can share honestly what worked and what didn’t. So for me, expertise is the ability to sit with someone in the mess without needing to rush them out of it. That’s harder to certify than a specific program, but it’s what builds trust with a woman who has been given plenty of advice and not enough company. Out of that trust, she will build the confidence to know, for herself, the best way to proceed. After years spent helping tell other people's stories, what have you learned about the power of creating space for women to tell their own? Before the podcast and the coaching practice, I spent three decades in PR, arts management, tour management, and radio. It was all about storytelling – in writing, music, or performance. I learned that whether someone is struggling or has cause to celebrate, whether they have community or feel alone, they have a story. And our stories are our greatest assets. I’ve sat with women who shared, sometimes for the first time, their story out loud. Not just with me, but on the podcast. Each one had something important to share that someone else, including me, needed to hear. I know that based on the feedback from guests and listeners alike, who often tell me they heard the one thing that made them feel less alone in the world. More importantly, she needed to hear her own voice, her own story, not just in the headphones but also out in the world. Letting someone claim that for themselves and offer it to others – that is the power of giving women this kind of space. You intentionally feature everyday women on your podcast instead of well-known names. What do those conversations reveal that often gets overlooked? It’s not that celebrities don’t have those kinds of stories. It’s that they already have a platform. The 70-year-old retired teacher next door to me does not, and, if she wants one, I want to offer it to her. Every day, women don’t have media training or a polished story. They’re just talking about their experience, often for the first time, without a filter. To make that possible, I go where they are and record most conversations in the spaces where they feel comfortable – their living rooms, sunrooms, and kitchens. And I always let them know: if you don’t want this out in the world, I will pull it. It isn’t about a gotcha moment. It’s about a real one, the one that reveals how similar we are. Like the three different women who experienced a major loss – a marriage, a child, a mother. Underneath the specifics, they had a strikingly parallel experience of grief, identity collapse, and the slow rebuilding that follows. Stories told in that kind of unguarded, conversational way carry a weight a following can’t match. For someone who feels disconnected from themselves, what is one simple way to begin listening to their body again? Many women come to me hoping for a full-body self-care practice – right out of the gate. I understand the impulse, but it’s too much. So, I start small. I ask women to notice just one sensation a day. Where do you feel tension right now? Is there one? It’s not about trying to solve, interpret, or fix anything. You’re just re-establishing contact. In the same way you’d check in with a friend you’d lost touch with, you don’t open with a life update; you just say hello and see what’s there. Over time, that noticing becomes a habit, and the habit becomes a vocabulary. Then you can ask yourself some questions. What happened before you noticed that thing? Is there a story connected to it? The body starts to feel less like a stranger and more like a source of information you can trust. It’s slow, deep work. And it begins with consistent, daily noticing that reveals what is already there. What role does curiosity play when someone is trying to move forward after loss or a major life change? Any change, good or bad, big or small, comes with loss and along with that, grief. Moving through that grief is a process. It’s not linear. It’s uncertain. And it’s messy. Curiosity creates an opening, not a five-point plan. It lets you ask, ‘what is this here to show me?’ without needing an answer right away, and without that answer needing to be inspiring. You can look at what’s happening in your body and your life without flinching away from it, which is the only way I’ve found to get real information instead of just managing symptoms. It’s also more sustainable than willpower. Willpower either runs out or runs into a wall. Either way, it only goes so far. Curiosity, accessed even a little, opens new doorways through that wall. It’s oriented toward discovery instead of performance. Or pretending everything is okay when it’s not. Curiosity allows room for all of it. You often say that stories can bring light into dark places. What does that mean to you personally? When I was in the middle of my hardest times, what helped wasn’t inspiration, but hearing another woman describe, in specific detail, something I thought only I had felt. That recognition is its own kind of light. It doesn’t erase the dark place. It tells me I’m not alone in it. And that changes what I believe is possible for me. Which is why, every time I sit down with a guest or a client, I don’t offer a rescue or a silver lining. I give them the felt experience of saying the true thing out loud and having it heard instead of being met with silence or advice. The moments people remember are the ones where someone said something true, something raw, and it was simply received. The light shines both ways – from the person speaking and within the person receiving. It doesn’t fix the dark place. It just means you can see in it. What is one message you hope every woman carries with her after hearing your story or working with you? If she takes nothing else from an hour with me, I want her to leave knowing it’s okay not to be okay. So many women come to me believing they’re too much, too sensitive, too slow to heal, too far behind. But the things she’s been calling a flaw or a failure are often the very things that kept her alive through something hard. Those things haven’t been given anywhere to go. My work, on the podcast and in coaching, is to give them somewhere to go. Not to fix. Not to shrink her back down to a size that’s easier for everyone else, but to help her recognize that what she’s carrying is worth listening to. She can trust herself. Everything else – the practices, the frameworks, the language – is just scaffolding around that one thing. If any of this resonates, start with one episode of Stories That Sparkle, or visit hellarader.com to learn more about working with Hella one-on-one. Hella Rader is the host of Stories That Sparkle, long-form conversations with women navigating some of the hardest chapters of their lives. As a somatic coach, she helps women build what comes next, from the inside out. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Hella Rader

What began as a homemade soda recipe created by Allison Ellsworth and sold alongside her husband, Stephen Ellsworth, at local farmers' markets in Texas has grown into one of the most recognizable names in the modern beverage industry. After catching the attention of a Whole Foods buyer and securing an investment from Rohan Oza on Shark Tank, Poppi continued its rapid rise before being acquired by PepsiCo in a deal valued at approximately $1.95 billion. While the acquisition marks a major milestone, Poppi's success goes far beyond the numbers. The brand built a loyal following through bold branding, creator partnerships, and a strong social media presence that helped transform a functional beverage into a lifestyle brand. Rather than competing on product alone, Poppi created an identity that resonated with a new generation of consumers. For entrepreneurs, Poppi's journey is a reminder that great businesses aren't built on innovation alone. They're built by creating brands that people remember, trust, and genuinely want to be part of. From a farmers' market in Texas to becoming part of one of the world's largest food and beverage companies, Poppi's story shows what's possible when a clear vision is matched with consistent execution. Readers interested in learning more about Poppi can visit their official website.

Written by Maya Akai Monet Gavin, Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor Maya Akai, MA, LCPC, CADC, is a seasoned professional whose extensive life experiences inform her practice. She possesses over twenty years of professional experience in mental health, complemented by expertise in broadcasting, social services, and education fields. Take a quick look at your phone's recent call log or your last few text messages. The people you see there shape your energy, your focus, and your future. But do you actually know why they are in your life? We often treat all relationships as if they should last forever. When they don't, we feel like we have failed. But what if people aren't meant to occupy the same space in our lives? Emotional burnout happens when we mistake a transactional person for a transformative one. Heartbreak occurs when we try to force a transitional person to stay forever. To protect your peace and intentionally choose who gets access to your life, you must understand the three distinct spaces every relationship occupies: transactional, transitional, and transformative. 1. The transactional space (the utility zone) The transactional space is built entirely on mutual reciprocity, functionality, and convenience. These are surface-level connections where the underlying rule is simple: you scratch my back, I scratch yours. The boundaried comfort While society often shames "transactional" behavior, these relationships keep the world moving. Think of your mechanic, a reliable coworker, or a business partner. There is peace in this clarity. You know exactly what is expected, and there is no emotional heavy lifting required. The danger zone Misalignment occurs when one person sees a relationship as emotional, while the other views it purely as a transaction. Are you draining yourself by trying to turn a perfectly good transactional relationship into a deep friendship? When a transaction ends, it is not a personal failure; it is simply the natural conclusion of a functional agreement. Appreciate it for what it was. 2. The transitional space (the seasonal bridge) Transitional relationships consist of people who enter your life for a specific season. They serve as catalysts for a particular chapter, helping you cross the bridge from who you were to who you are becoming. However, they are not meant to reach the other side. The contextual bond These are your college roommates, work besties from a job you left, or friends you bonded with while navigating a specific life event, such as a breakup or a fitness journey. The hardest part of transitional spaces is the natural fade. When the shared context disappears, the text messages inevitably slow down. Release without resentment Look back at your life five years ago. Who was essential to your survival then, but is no longer in your life now? Holding onto a seasonal friend out of guilt, even though your values no longer align, only creates friction. A relationship ending does not mean it failed. You can love someone deeply for the role they played in your history without needing them in your future. 3. The transformative space (the destiny shifters) Transformative connections are rare, seismic relationships that permanently alter the trajectory of your life. These individuals act as a mirror, forcing you into deep self-discovery, evolution, and growth. The high friction catalyst Transformative connections are rarely comfortable. These people do not just comfort you; they challenge your core beliefs, expose your blind spots, and trigger your evolution. Whether these people stay for a lifetime or leave abruptly, they leave a permanent mark. You will often measure your life in "before I met them" and "after I met them." The danger of obsession Because these bonds are so intense, they can easily become codependent or toxic if healthy boundaries are not maintained. Can a transformative relationship do its job and still end? Absolutely. They are not always meant to last forever, but their impact will endure. How to navigate the spaces The friction, heartbreak, and exhaustion we experience in our personal lives rarely come from the people themselves. Instead, they come from putting the wrong person in the wrong space. We get hurt when we expect transactional people to support our souls. We get heartbroken when we try to force transitional or transactional people to stay forever. We miss out on profound growth when we run away from the discomfort of transformative people. Stop grading seasonal people on a lifetime scale. Give yourself permission to let the spaces be exactly what they are, and gain total control over who you allow in your circle. Are you ready to stop feeling adrift or stuck and start your healing journey? Check out this M.A.Y.A. Podcast episode on YouTube @MayaSpeaks2U, or click here to listen! Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Maya Akai Monet Gavin Maya Akai Monet Gavin, Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor Maya's personal and professional endeavors have endowed her with profound insight and empathy across various social, emotional, and mental dimensions. Engaging in a conversation with Maya offers an honest, salient, and open exchange centered on utilizing mindfulness as a means to inspire and motivate one to actualize the effort and ambition required to live a desired life.