Gabrielle Union on PTSD, Social Anxiety, and Navigating Fame
What does it take to tell the truth when the world punishes you for it? In this conversation we're bringing back from 2021, Gabrielle Union talks about living with PTSD and social anxiety, the experiences in toxic workplaces, and what it means to keep speaking out even when fear follows close behind. She shares how activism triggers anxiety, the coping tools to keep you grounded from therapy to mindfulness, and how to redefine success through truth, purpose, and self-acceptance. Get ready to see how courage and healing can coexist and how learning to be alone doesn’t mean being lonely.
In this Episode, You Will Learn
00:00 What does a toxic workplace look like, then vs. now?
06:30 The emotional cost of telling the truth in an industry built on silence.
11:00 How trauma survivors navigate social anxiety, boundaries, and life in the public eye.
16:00 Tools to calm anxiety and regain control.
21:45 How intentional alone time restores peace, clarity, and self-trust.
24:30 The powerful distinction between being alone and being lonely.
28:15 How Gabrielle’s 2012 Essence speech became a turning point toward truth and self-acceptance.
Resources + Links
Get a copy of my book - The Anxious Achiever
Watch the podcast on YouTube
Find more resources on our website morraam.com
Follow
Follow me: on LinkedIn @morraaronsmele + Instagram @morraam
Follow Gabrielle: on LinkedIn @gabrielleunion + Instagram @gabunion
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He Built Coach Into a $5 Billion Company, But Feared Failure Every Day | Lew Frankfort
What happens when one of America’s most admired CEOs admits that fear of failure never left him, even after building a multi-billion-dollar brand? In this episode, I sit down with Lewis Frankfort, the former CEO who transformed Coach from a small leather goods company into a global powerhouse and coined the term “accessible luxury”. Lew shares about the lifelong anxiety that drove him to excel, the depressive episodes that followed high-pressure seasons, and the methods to stay grounded, from meditation and exercise to cognitive coaching and “magic and logic” leadership. Get ready to see how even the most accomplished leaders are powered by the same fears and how facing them with purpose, curiosity, and compassion unlocks greatness.
In this Episode, You Will Learn
00:00 Meet Lew Frankfort, former CEO of Coach, Inc.
02:00 How was the term “accessible luxury” born?
06:15 How do high-performing leaders manage depression?
10:00 Ways to turn fear of failure into fuel for growth.
14:00 The discipline that turned Coach into a best-in-class business.
19:30 What happens when success leads to disconnection and burnout.
23:30 Daily practices that restore energy and emotional balance.
26:00 Lew’s first mental health toolkit.
30:00 Interviewing method to uncover self-awareness and potential blind spots.
36:15 Why great leaders hire for complementarity, not similarity.
40:30 Lew’s “Three-Bucket Framework” for CEOs.
43:00 Why therapy and mental health care should be normalized for every leader.
Resources + Links
Get your copy of Lew’s book, “Bag Man: The Story Behind the Improbable Rise of Coach” HERE
Get a copy of my book - The Anxious Achiever
Watch the podcast on YouTube
Find more resources on our website morraam.com
Follow
Follow me: on LinkedIn @morraaronsmele + Instagram @morraam
Follow Lew Frankfort on LinkedIn @lewfrankfort
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Why "the Worst Advice Ever" Taught Entrepreneur Robert Glazer To Play To His Strengths
What happens when the adrenaline fades and achievement alone stops feeling fulfilling? Robert Glazer is back to talk about what it really means to live and lead by your values. After selling his company and spending years in overdrive, Bob shares his journey of slowing down, rebuilding identity, and rediscovering purpose through self-awareness and core values. We talk about how to shift from fixing weaknesses to playing to your strengths, how values guide better leadership and relationships, and why authenticity, not automation, will define the future of content creation in the AI era. Get ready to learn how your core values can become your compass for work, purpose, and well-being.
In this Episode, You Will Learn
00:00 How stress hormones and constant adrenaline shape your health and identity.
08:15 Ways to identify and leverage your strengths instead of fixing weaknesses.
14:30 What are the dangers of overusing your strengths?
18:00 How core values become your ultimate decision-making framework.
23:15 Aligning personal values with relationships, work, and community.
28:00 How childhood experiences shape your leadership and money values.
36:45 The future of content, authenticity, and paying creators in the AI era.
41:45 Why human connection and imperfection will be the new premium in a digital world.
44:45 How to re-train your audience to pay for content they value.
Resources + Links
Grab your copy of Robert’s The Compass Within HERE!
Explore The Six Core Values Questions Page to help identify your personal and professional core values
Subscribe to Robert’s newsletter HERE!
Listen to Robert’s The Elevate Podcast HERE!
Get a copy of my book - The Anxious Achiever
Watch the podcast on YouTube
Find more resources on our website morraam.com
Follow
Follow me on LinkedIn @morraaronsmele + Instagram @morraam
Follow Robert on LinkedIn @glazer + Instagram @robertglazer_
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ADHD, Anxiety, and the Challenge of Doing What You Know You Need to Do with J Russell Ramsay
ADHD isn’t just about distraction, it’s about emotion, motivation, and the gap between knowing what to do and actually doing it. In this episode, I sit down with Dr. J. Russell Ramsay, co-founder of the University of Pennsylvania’s Adult ADHD Treatment and Research Program, to break down how anxiety and ADHD often overlap. We talk about how ADHD is an uncertainty generator that triggers anxiety, what “self-mistrust” really looks like, and why so many high achievers feel brilliant but inconsistent. Dr. Ramsay shares cognitive behavioral tools to boost focus, follow-through, and confidence, and the S.A.P. Action Plan to rebuild motivation when procrastination or self-doubt take over. Get ready to turn self-mistrust into self-mastery and use your anxious energy as fuel for focus and growth.
In this Episode, You Will Learn
00:00 Why are ADHD and anxiety so commonly co-occurring?
05:45 How a lifetime of ADHD moments leads to self-mistrust.
12:30 Why losing external structure during the pandemic made ADHD worse.
18:00 The three-part time management system that helps ADHD brains stay focused and calm.
25:15 How to channel last minute anxiety into productive momentum.
28:00 Why does ADHD exist on a spectrum of executive function?
32:00 How ADHD insights translate into workplace efficiency and emotional management.
35:00 S.A.P. Action Plan that bridges the gap between knowing and doing.
43:00 How cognitive behavioral tools can help you manage both anxiety and ADHD.
50:45 How to manage meetings, rebuild trust, and avoid burning social capital.
Resources + Links
Grab your copy of Dr. J. Russell Ramsay's The Adult ADHD Tool Kit HERE!
Get a copy of my book - The Anxious Achiever
Watch the podcast on YouTube
Find more resources on our website morraam.com
Follow
Follow me: on LinkedIn @morraaronsmele + Instagram @morraam
Follow J Russel on LinkedIn: @russellramsay
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Morra x Fixable: How to feel less awkward, stay strong during a job search, and build your team's confidence
We’ve been taught that confidence means the absence of anxiety, but what if that’s completely wrong? In this special crossover episode, I joined Anne and Frances from Fixable to talk about the hidden link between anxiety and confidence. They answer listener questions about feeling awkward at work, leading with trust, and staying confident during rejection. We also delve into why anxiety is not a flaw but a sign of growth, how to handle “awkward office moments” with grace, and how to turn setbacks into superpowers. Get ready to see your anxiety as proof that you care, not proof that you can’t.
In this Episode, You Will Learn
00:00 Why anxiety and confidence are deeply connected.
04:00 How do you rebuild in-person confidence after remote work?
06:30 Why awkwardness at the office is completely normal.
09:00 The “Snack Week” experiment to practice connection and confidence.
13:00 Leadership lessons for helping your team build confidence.
15:00 Why weekend praise texts might backfire.
18:00 The right way to give feedback and celebrate failure.
21:00 How to stay confident through job rejection.
25:00 Why you already have confidence inside you.
30:00 How do you turn perfectionism into progress?
32:00 One Post-it exercise to stay grounded and confident every day.
Resources + Links
Listen to Anne & Frances’ Fixable Podcast HERE
Get a copy of my book - The Anxious Achiever
Watch the podcast on YouTube
Find more resources on our website morraam.com
Follow
Follow me: on LinkedIn @morraaronsmele + Instagram @morraam
Follow Anne Morriss: @annemorriss
Follow Frances Frei: @francesxfrei
Host Morra Aarons-Mele is on a mission to reframe how we think about anxiety and mental health in the workplace. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S. We desperately need better models for leadership and a more holistic view of mental health. Our culture tells those of us who suffer from anxiety and depression that we can’t succeed, but we tell a different story — without sugarcoating the tough stuff. We feature stories from people who’ve been there and experts who can help you thrive.
Listen in your favorite podcast app: https://pod.link/1480904163
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