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REAL TALK: Mental Health Sounds Like This Hosted by Emma G & Rawinia Judson What does it really look like to thrive in your zone of genius — without losing yourself in the process? REAL TALK: Mental Health Sounds Like This is where high-performing humans, creative leaders, and changemakers get honest about the messy, beautiful, and brave work of staying mentally, emotionally, and spiritually well while doing meaningful work in the world. Hosted by award-winning singer/songwriter, author, and empowerment coach Emma G, and life and leadership coach Rawinia Judson, this podcast is a space for candid conversations about the realities behind resilience. From navigating burnout to healing through music, embracing vulnerability to redefining success — nothing is off limits. Emma and Rawinia first bonded over early morning CrossFit sessions in New Zealand, where carpool chats quickly turned into soul-deep sisterhood. Now living on opposite sides of the world (Emma in the U.S., Rawinia in Canada), they’re teaming up to bring you a podcast rooted in realness, laughter, and the deep belief that your story matters. Each episode features intimate, unscripted conversations with guests who are courageously rewriting the narrative around mental health — one story, one strategy, one moment at a time. This is not therapy. This is not perfection. This is REAL TALK. And this is what mental health sounds like. Disclaimer: This show may discuss topics related to mental health that could be sensitive for some listeners. If you’re struggling, please know you are not alone. Support is available. New Zealand: Call or text 1737 or Lifeline at 0800 543 354 U.S.: Call or text 988 (National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline) or text HOME to 741741 This podcast is not a substitute for professional care.
Episodes

2 hours ago
2 hours ago
S2 EP9 - Real Talk With Emma G & Ra, "Break Free Of Overthinking & Anxiety" ft. Anxiety Coach Kieran Hedley. If you want to stop Googling “how to stop overthinking,” join us as we chat to Anxiety Coach Kieran Hedley for Episode 9 of Real Talk: Mental Health Sounds Like This.
As part of Men’s Mental Health Awareness month, we’re back this week with another Kiwi (aren’t we cool!?), who leads the way when it comes to normalising conversations about men’s mental health and anxiety.
Keiran has over 240+ success stories across 10+ countries of supporting people to navigate everything stress-related, from panic attacks and OCD to social anxiety, trauma, addiction, and feeling completely lost in life.
In this episode, we explore:
✨Keiran's personal background with Anxiety to now supporting others to live a life free from overthinking
✨What actually sticks when it comes to anxiety and overthinking?
✨How Keiran navigates a full life with running, travel, business, and study
✨How do we break the stigma of speaking up?
✨Plus more.
If you are someone who spends your nights overthinking and trying to get to sleep, this episode is for you.
Connect with Keiran
Instagram: / neurokez
Website: https://www.healingwithkez.com/
Hosted by @emmagmusic & @rawinia__judson
Streaming now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Roku TV & YouTube.
#RealTalkPodcast #MentalHealthSoundsLikeThis #KeiranHeadley #StopOverthinking #MentalHealthAwareness #Anxiety #LeadershipWellbeing #Wellness #Wellbeing #MentalWellbeing

7 days ago
7 days ago
This week on Real Talk: Mental Health Sounds Like This, International Speaker, Founder & MD of Braver Leaders, Sam Harvey, joins us.
Sam has over 20 years of experience leading teams of up to 150 in corporate, SME, and Startup businesses across the globe, starting in New York City, then moving to the Caribbean, London, and now Dubai.
A former competitive 100m sprinter, Sam openly shares about how he got fired for doing drugs and how it’s now shaped who he is and how he leads.
In this episode, we explore:
✨Sam’s background of getting fired to now being the Founder of Braver Leaders.
✨Why vulnerability and how does it shape a culture?
✨What is psychological safety, and how does it build trust?
✨What happens when people feel safe to speak up?
✨The power of joy and playfulness.
If you are an ambitious leader, founder, or CEO who desires to lead with more authenticity and feel less pressure to perform, this episode is for you.
Want to know how to get the most out of your team productivity?
Click here to take our free quiz: https://sam-eood0wp2.scoreapp.com/
Connect with Sam
LinkedIn: Braver Leaders
https://www.linkedin.com/company/braverleaders
Instagram: Braver Leaders
https://www.instagram.com/rawinia__judson
Website: https://www.braverleaders.com/
Hosted by @emmagmusic (on IG) & @rawinia__judson (on IG)
Streaming now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Roku TV & YouTube.
#RealTalkPodcast #MentalHealthSoundsLikeThis #SamHarvey #BraverLeaders #MentalHealthAwareness #Leadership #LeadershipWellbeing #LeadingPowerfully #Wellbeing #MentalWellbeing

Wednesday Jun 04, 2025
S2 EP7 - Real Talk with Emma G & Ra ft. Robert Heath Sr.
Wednesday Jun 04, 2025
Wednesday Jun 04, 2025
This week on Real Talk: Mental Health Sounds Like This, we’re joined by Leadership Expert & CEO of The Legacy Leadership Consulting Group, Robert Heath Snr.
Robert blends his background as an Officer and Company Commander in the United States Marine Corps with 20 years of experience leading, teaching, and coaching across multiple disciplines to support leaders in getting more from their whole lives. Robert works with leaders who desire to increase productivity, reduce stress and inefficiency, and get the very best out of their team on every project, regardless of who they may lead.
In this episode, we explore:
✨ Robert’s background in the military to now being the CEO of TLLC
✨ What is the mindset and the skillset required of a great leader
✨ Why your direction and your 'Why' is more important than the 'How'
✨ The pursuit of excellence over perfection
✨ Plus more
If you are an ambitious leader, entrepreneur, or executive who desires to live a more fulfilling life and leave with a renewed sense of who you are, this one is for you.
Loved what you heard from Robert Heath on today’s episode?
Take your leadership to the next level with two free tools designed to help you lead with greater clarity, confidence, and purpose.
👉 Click here to access your free resources
You’ll get:
The Defining Success Self-Reflection Tool – a workbook to help you clarify your values, align with your purpose, and lead with intention.
The Courageous Communication Primer – a practical guide for navigating tough conversations and building trust.
Start building your legacy today.
Connect with Robert
LinkedIn: Robert Heath
Facebook: Robert’s Page
Website: http://www.tllcg.com/

Wednesday May 28, 2025
S2 EP6 - Real Talk with Emma G & Ra ft. Leslie Morgan Steiner: Telling the Naked Truth
Wednesday May 28, 2025
Wednesday May 28, 2025
S2 EP6 – Real Talk with Emma G & Ra
"The Naked Truth: Surviving, Speaking, and Showing Up with Leslie Morgan Steiner"
In this fearless episode of REAL TALK, Emma G and Rawinia Judson sit down with bestselling author, TEDx speaker, and domestic violence survivor Leslie Morgan Steiner to unpack what it really means to survive — and thrive — after trauma. From confronting cultural stigma to rewriting your identity, Leslie’s story is one of unapologetic truth-telling, resilience, and reinvention.
🎤 Topics we explore in this episode:
- What it takes to speak out after surviving domestic violence
- The power of telling your story — even when it shakes the system
- Redefining womanhood, worth, and work-life balance
- Why vulnerability in leadership is essential, not optional
- The intersection of corporate success and personal healing
- What Leslie’s journey taught her about identity, agency, and love
- Her new book The Naked Truth — and why honesty is always worth it
🎧 This episode is bold, empowering, and refreshingly honest. If you’ve ever felt silenced by shame or wondered how to transform pain into purpose — this conversation is a must-listen.
📍 Filmed between Washington DC & Vancouver
🎙️ Hosted by @emmagmusic & @rawinia__judson
🎧 Now streaming on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Amazon Music & ROKU TV
#RealTalkPodcast #MentalHealthSoundsLikeThis #TheNakedTruth #LeslieMorganSteiner #PodcastForHealing #DomesticViolenceAwareness #LeadershipAndMentalHealth #EmpoweredWomenEmpowerWomen #DMVWellness #VancouverCoaches #StorytellingMatters #StopShouldingOnYourself #RealTalkWithEmmaG

Wednesday May 21, 2025
S2 EP5 - Real Talk with Emma G & Ra : Shame Dies When Stories Are Told
Wednesday May 21, 2025
Wednesday May 21, 2025
In this soul-shaking episode of REAL TALK, Emma G and Rawinia Judson dive deep into the stories, identities, and emotional patterns that shape us — and the choices we can make to reclaim our wholeness. From ancestral identity to toxic relationships, burnout cycles, spiritual grounding, and the addiction to performance, this episode is a powerful reminder that vulnerability isn’t weakness — it’s transformation in motion.
🎤 Topics we explore in this episode:
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What a pepeha teaches us about identity and belonging
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The dopamine addiction of creatives, high performers, and over-givers
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How anger, stress, and grief can be transformed through reframing
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Why asking "Where are you from?" is about connection, not division
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Letting go of external validation — and choosing health over chaos
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How our emotions are energy in motion, and how to respond, not react
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Rediscovering who you are beyond the roles you perform — especially after loss or transition
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Lessons from HEFAT stress management training with war-zone journalists
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Why slowing down is one of the bravest things a leader can do
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How we can stop "yucking each other’s yums" and grow in community
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The beauty of seeing your life as an album — not just one identity or title
🎧 This episode is raw, funny, and deeply reflective. Whether you're a coach, a parent, an artist, a recovering people-pleaser, or someone navigating major life changes — this conversation is for you.
💡 Remember: Shame dies when stories are told. So tell yours.
📍 Filmed between Washington DC & Vancouver
🎙️ Hosted by @emmagmusic & @rawinia__judson
🎧 Now streaming on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Amazon Music & ROKU TV
#RealTalkPodcast #MentalHealthSoundsLikeThis #ShameDiesWhenStoriesAreTold #PodcastForHealing #LeadershipAndMentalHealth #CreativeHealing #DMVCreatives #BethesdaWellness #VancouverCoaches #EmotionalResilience #TeWhareTapaWha #EmpowermentThroughVoice #StopShouldingOnYourself

Wednesday May 14, 2025
S2 EP4 - Real Talk with Emma G & Ra Featuring Lauren Roche
Wednesday May 14, 2025
Wednesday May 14, 2025
🎙️ The Naked Truth About Mental Health with Lauren Roche | REAL TALK: Mental Health Sounds Like This
#TRIGGERWARNING: Brief discussion around suicide and depression
In this empowering episode of REAL TALK: Mental Health Sounds Like This, we sit down with Lauren Roche — founder of The Naked Truth with Lauren, goals coach, UX product designer at Deloitte, and mental health advocate — for a conversation that’s equal parts raw, real, and deeply relatable.
Lauren is on a mission to transform the way young professionals think and talk about mental health. With vulnerability as her superpower, she’s built an omnichannel platform that merges storytelling, community, mindfulness, and goal-setting — creating spaces where people feel seen, heard, and supported.
We dive into:
✨ The origin story of The Naked Truth podcast and brand
🧠 Mental health in the high-functioning, high-pressure professional world
📱 How to create authentic digital spaces for real human connection
🌱 Lauren’s personal tools for staying grounded and inspired
🎯 The connection between vision, action, and emotional resilience
Whether you’re navigating your 20s, building a brand, or balancing healing with ambition — this episode is for you.
🎧 Listen to Lauren’s podcast:
The Naked Truth with Lauren on Spotify
📲 Connect with Lauren:
Instagram: @thenakedtruth.pod
LinkedIn: Lauren Roche
Facebook: Lauren’s Page
🎙️ REAL TALK: Mental Health Sounds Like This
Hosted by @emmagmusic & @rawinia__judson
www.emmagmusic.com and www.rawiniajudson.com
Streaming now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Roku TV & YouTube.
#RealTalkPodcast #MentalHealthSoundsLikeThis #LaurenRoche #MentalHealthAwareness #TheNakedTruthWithLauren #YoungProfessionals #WellnessCommunity #PodcastInterview #VulnerabilityIsStrength

Thursday May 08, 2025
Thursday May 08, 2025
🎙️ From the Wrestling Ring to the Director’s Chair: A Conversation with Fredrick Pokai | REAL TALK: Mental Health Sounds Like This
What does it take to go from being a professional wrestler to an award-winning filmmaker? In this powerful episode, we sit down with Fredrick Pokai, a filmmaker, actor, and writer who knows a thing or two about turning pain into purpose.
Fredrick’s journey isn’t your typical Hollywood story. Growing up without fancy equipment or formal training, he carved his own path through sheer grit, resilience, and relentless passion. Now, he’s making waves in the New Zealand film industry with projects like DIVE, Project EVE, and the deeply personal Search For Hawaiki — a short film 14 years in the making.
Join us as we discuss:
✅ The power of perseverance in creative work
✅ How wrestling shaped his storytelling style
✅ How to harness physical, emotional, and spiritual strength
✅ The epic journey of bringing Search For Hawaiki to life
✅ Why embracing your “left field” status can be a creative superpower
Fredrick’s story is a testament to the power of believing in yourself and your vision — no matter how long it takes.
Watch the full episode now: https://youtube.com/live/izvyGmPYG4o
📌 Connect with Fredrick Pokai:
Website: https://linktr.ee/fredrickpokai
Instagram: @fredrickpokai
LinkedIn: Fredrick Pokai
Hosted by:
Emma G – @emmagmusic
Rawinia Judson – @rawinia__judson
#RealTalkPodcast #MentalHealthSoundsLikeThis #FredrickPokai #CreativeResilience #Filmmaking #SearchForHawaiki #DIVE #ProjectEVE #WrestlingToFilm #PodcastSeries

Thursday May 01, 2025
EP2 S2 - Real Talk with Emma G & Ra Feat Andrew Buerger
Thursday May 01, 2025
Thursday May 01, 2025
In this inspiring episode of REAL TALK: Mental Health Sounds Like This, hosts Emma G and Rawinia Judson sit down with Andrew Buerger, a mountaineer, entrepreneur, and advocate, to explore the transformative power of turning personal adversity into purposeful action.
Andrew shares his journey from personal loss to founding Jodi’s Climb for Hope, leading over 400 climbers to raise more than $1 million for cancer and MS research. He discusses his experiences in building B’More Organic, a no-added-sugar protein drink company, and his current role as Chief Strategy Officer at Taharka Brothers Ice Cream, a Black-owned, Baltimore-based company that combines business with social impact.
Throughout the conversation, Andrew delves into:
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The importance of resilience and finding silver linings in challenges
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How climbing mountains parallels overcoming life's obstacles
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The role of mission-driven entrepreneurship in personal fulfillment
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Strategies for maintaining mental health while pursuing ambitious goals
Whether you're navigating personal challenges, leading a team, or seeking inspiration to pursue your passions, Andrew's story offers valuable insights into embracing discomfort, pushing past fear, and summiting your own biggest challenges.
🎧 Listen Now:
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Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6yF9nSlJYeeDcC8lUSPVD2
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Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/realtalk-with-emma-g-and-ra/id1810587016
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Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7531ab2a-02a6-4f79-9426-af11b031a552/realtalk-with-emma-g-and-ra
🔗 Connect with Andrew Buerger:
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Website: www.AndrewBuerger.com
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Instagram: @buergerandrew
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LinkedIn: Andrew Buerger
📌 Stay Connected:
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Emma G: @emmagmusic or https://emmagmusic.com
-
Rawinia Judson: @rawinia__judson or https://rawiniajudson.com/
#RealTalkPodcast #MentalHealthSoundsLikeThis #AndrewBuerger #Resilience #PurposeDrivenLife #Entrepreneurship #MentalHealthAwareness #EmmaGmusic #RealTalkwithEmmaGandRA

Thursday Apr 24, 2025
EP1 S2 - Real Talk with Emma G & Ra Feat Iliana
Thursday Apr 24, 2025
Thursday Apr 24, 2025
REAL TALK: Mental Health Sounds Like This | Episode 1: Music as Medicine with Iliana Fernandez
Welcome to the very first episode of REAL TALK: Mental Health Sounds Like This — a podcast where creatives, leaders, and changemakers get real about navigating mental health, purpose, and healing while making an impact in the world.
In this episode, hosts Emma G (singer/songwriter, TEDx speaker, empowerment coach) and Rawinia Judson (life & leadership coach, author) sit down with Iliana Radovina, a music therapist who explores the power of music as a tool for somatic healing, nervous system regulation, and storytelling.
We discuss:
- The science + soul of music therapy
- How sound helps move emotions through the body
- The courage it takes to share your story
- Why safe spaces are essential to healing
- How creativity connects us to our identity and power
This is a space for healing, self-expression, and truth-telling.
👉 Subscribe for future episodes
👉 Comment below with what resonated most
👉 Follow us on Instagram: [@emmagmusic | @rawiniajudson]
Disclaimer: This podcast discusses mental health and may be sensitive for some listeners. If you're struggling, please reach out:
🇺🇸 US: Call/text 988 or text HOME to 741741
🇳🇿 NZ: Call/text 1737 or Lifeline at 0800 543 354
What is REAL TALK?
REAL TALK: Mental Health Sounds Like This is where high-performing humans, creative leaders, and changemakers get honest about the messy, beautiful, and brave work of staying mentally, emotionally, and spiritually well while doing meaningful work in the world.
Hosted by award-winning singer/songwriter, author, and youth empowerment coach Emma G, and life and leadership coach Rawinia Judson, this podcast is a space for candid conversations about the realities behind resilience. From navigating burnout to healing through music, embracing vulnerability to redefining success — nothing is off limits.
Emma and Rawinia first bonded over early morning CrossFit sessions in New Zealand, where carpool chats quickly turned into soul-deep sisterhood. Now living on opposite sides of the world (Emma in the U.S., Rawinia in Canada), they're teaming up to bring you a podcast rooted in realness, laughter, and the deep belief that your story matters.
Each episode features intimate, unscripted conversations with guests who are courageously rewriting the narrative around mental health — one story, one strategy, one moment at a time.
This is not therapy. This is not perfection. This is REAL TALK.
And this is what mental health sounds like.
Disclaimer:
This show may discuss topics related to mental health that could be sensitive for some listeners. If you're struggling, please know you are not alone. Support is available.
New Zealand: Call or text 1737 or Lifeline at 0800 543 354
U.S.: Call or text 988 (National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline) or text HOME to 741741
This podcast is not a substitute for professional care.

Monday Nov 15, 2021
Monday Nov 15, 2021
In a world of social distancing / quarantine / isolation; Goddess rock artivist musician Emma G brings REAL TALK : empowering conversations with leaders in their field to talk about their industries, the impact of Coronavirus on their lives, and how they're choosing to lead with love, positivity and strength in the face of a changing world: politically, economically, artistically and emotionally.