I've been a pediatric speech language pathologist for over 20 years, and I wear many “hats”. As a professor, a mentor, a therapist, and a mother I want to help women understand their power to break through the fears of what we consider to be attainable.
I started this podcast to share the stories of strong, courageous women who are living out their very own versions of extraordinary possibility.
In October of 2020, right after I recorded Season 1 of this podcast, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. It was found during a routine mammogram that I had put off a bit due to the pandemic. I was 44 years old. Since this moment, I too, have been sharing my story in hopes to help others.
This season, we will dive deeper to show that no matter what the obstacle is before us, there is ALWAYS a possibility.
As I navigate this world immediately after cancer, I also continue to seek out possibilities. This diagnosis is beckoning me, every day to be present and find joy, and to figure out what is possible when things can sometimes feel impossible.
My hope is to inspire you to do the same.
As Nicole Kolenda wraps up season 3 of The Voice For Possibility podcast, she’s sharing a message that she would love her audience to embrace: finding possibility within the pause. In this episode, Nicole shares how she has found impactful ways to slow down to thrive. While Nicole prepares for the return of her podcast after a brief hiatus, she will be focusing on this significant act.
The founder and CEO of Live Feisty, Sara Gross, believes that through storytelling, education, and community building we can shift the dial to a more inclusive culture for female athletes and active women and girls. The most feisty thing Sara has ever done is start a media company with no clue how to actually do that. Today, Feisty media continues to support and empower female athletes at all levels of performance, and is ever-expanding. Sara shares her empowering visual with Nicole in this affirming interview.
Isabelle Forbes Fitzgerald is a storyteller & truth seeker who writes essays and stories that discuss topics from motherhood to marriage to family dynamics and trauma. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Rumpus, Yahoo Parenting, Brain Child, and Mama Glow.
She’s presently at work on a memoir about motherhood, identity, and healing. In this empowering interview, Nicole and Isabelle explore ways to find possibility while navigating early motherhood.
Pilar Arthur-Snead is an RRCA Certified Run Coach (and host of The Last Tenth podcast) and believes that fitness is for everyBODY, no matter their age, size, shape, gender, current ability or physical limitation. In this conversation with Nicole, Pilar shares her belief that the only thing a runner needs is a commitment to the training process and the motivation to be one’s best self. She seeks to empower and inspire highly motivated individuals and change seekers, to move their bodies and strengthen their minds.
Kathe Crawford combines her expertise gained in her many years as a successful sales executive with the life lessons she’s learned to support women through her coaching practice. Through her memoir, Unlocking Secrets, she helps people understand that we all have a story, a past, a challenge, and trauma. Kathe takes the reader on her lifelong quest for love and belonging and the ultimate moment when she learns the only way to heal is to open her heart to the truth. Kathe’s profound bravery that she shares in her conversation with Nicole is both impactful and everlasting.
Danielle Dick, Ph.D. is the Commonwealth Professor of both Psychology and Human and Molecular Genetics at Virginia Commonwealth University. Here she directs a research institute on behavioral and emotional health. Her research focuses on how genetic and environmental influences contribute to the development of patterns of substance use and related behaviors.
She is an internationally recognized award-winning expert on genetic and environmental influences on human behavior. In this fascinating conversation Nicole and Danielle discuss the many ways that our genetics affects our lives, personalities, choices and parenting.
Mai Ling Chan works exclusively with people who are committed to supporting the disability community and shows up to help others find the best versions of themselves. Mai Ling proudly represents the global vision of XceptionalLEARNING as the liaison to international disability-focused thought leaders. She’s the co-host of an internationally recognized podcast and has published three Amazon Kindle Best Selling books. On top of this, she has worked with an amazing team of technology experts to create the world’s first brain-computer interface technology for AAC. Nicole and Mai discuss the importance of being an advocate for creating possibility.
Dana is a coach, marathoner, wife, mother and founder of True Potential Running. She understands how our personal circumstances impact what we need as athletes, and she loves encouraging others as they begin their running journeys. Gina is a Doctor of Physical Therapy who founded two successful practices on both the East and West Coast. She is the founder and host of the Rise Resolute Podcast. In this impactful episode these three women discuss how to build a community while facing life’s obstacles.
Dr Deb Kern is a health scientist, visionary teacher, and guide who is dedicated to helping women live divinely embodied lives. She’s created the healing movement practice called PranaShakti Dance, and a transformational online program called The Shakti Sisterhood. In this powerful final episode of season 2, Nicole and Deb explore the impactful ways that we can take charge of our lives and own our joy.
Kim Hale is a public relations specialist and professional dancer who created her own career path after working in the entertainment industry for decades. Kim has discovered a new purpose “behind the scenes” guiding and supporting artists at every stage of their career. In this powerful episode, she shares with Nicole how she’s found possibility after cancer and was able to pivot to a new career.
Jay Ell Alexander has established herself as a communications professional with a true commitment to community engagement through her passion for health and fitness.
She’s the owner of The Vaughn Strategy, a public relations consulting business, and also serves as the owner and CEO of Black Girls Run.
In this inspiring episode, Jay Ell discusses her choice to help change the lives of women through running.
Graci Harkema is the owner of Graci LLC, a diversity, equity & inclusion speaking, and consulting firm. She specializes in diversity, inclusion and implicit bias training, and talent management within Fortune 500, small businesses, and non-profit organizations. In this episode, Graci shares her story that begins with her dramatic birth in the Republic of Congo through her present-day work in anti-racism. This impactful episode shows how Graci has used her experience to help others find possibility.
Heather is a speaker, coach, cancer survivor and host of the popular and ever inspiring Mom Is In Control Podcast. She shares how to find freedom in surrendering, how to identify the thing that lights your soul on fire. Heather and Nicole discuss her book, Dying To Be a Good Mother and how she learned to show up for herself in the midst of a cancer diagnosis.
Amber Mundinger is the Chief Operating Officer and Head of Strategic Partnerships for The Artists Den. She’s also Co-Founder of Bring Music Home- the brand and project she started in March of 2020 to document what was happening to live music venues, their owners across the country during the age of COVID-19. Nicole and Amber discuss how to pursue your passion and push beyond the fear.
Over the past 10 years, Vasavi Kumar has helped thousands of women overcome major life obstacles to create new heights of success. She is a licensed therapist, mindset coach, business strategist, Vasavi is the founder of the MIND Your Own Business membership community, and the host of the Being Human with Vasavi podcast.
In this powerful episode, Nicole Kolenda is the guest. She is interviewed by Richelle Fredson about her current cancer journey and the new focus for this season of The Voice For Possibility. Richelle Fredson is the Founder of Purposeful Platforms, a consulting and coaching agency working with authors to grow their promotional platforms. Together they discuss the courage it takes to find possibility even in the midst of an extreme challenge.