Life Uncloseted With Rick Clemons

Imagine gaining and losing 50 to 75 pounds every two years as a teen. Miserable, right? The imagine at 38 years old discovering that you issues with food and weight were a symptom of a much deeper issue: your childhood sexual abuse. Today's Guest, Patty Cabot, author of Not That Girl Anymore, shares the tremendous effort, the suspension of doubt, and a steadfast belief that took to come out of her food disorder and sexual abuse closet to find and love herself, so that she could find and love men. About Patty Beginning in her teens, Patty battled drastic weight fluctuations. Desperate to break the cycle and thinking it was what prevented her from meeting men, in her late 30s Patty embarked on a therapeutic journey that led to her unresolved childhood sexual abuse. Over 12 years she worked with her therapist and EMDR, a chiropractor to release trapped “fight or flight” responses, a sex therapist and attended group therapy for sexual abuse. Patty published Not That Girl Anymore, a memoir about the alternative

It's the most joyful time of the year...or is it? For many of us the holidays bring joy, joy, joy but then it also brings stress, frustration, and overwhelm. Yet, in life, we are the master of our own joy! Today we explore how to bring joy into our life by planting seeds or creating little breadcrumb moments, with the Joy Boss - Quinn O'Briant. In this episode you will discover the shortcuts to more joy even in the craziest, most joyful time of the year. About Quinn Quinn O'Briant is the Joy Boss, and she's celebrating 30 years out of the closet! Quinn is the creator of the life-changing Joy + Money Mindset, Joyful Entrepreneur, and Joy-Based Business programs. Before she was the Joy Boss, Quinn founded and ran an innovation firm where she led a team that worked with Fortune 500 companies and large school districts. Quinn spent several years working at Google and is an alumna of Stanford University, Goddard College, and Emory University. Quinn believes joy is the key to living an unapologetic, authentic lif

There's human experience that we will all face at some point. The trauma and tragedy of losing someone we love or care about. It is inevitable. When that moment comes, whether it is losing your family due to them not embracing you as LGBTQ, or actual loss of life due to an accident or disease, you have a choice - Ride or Die! Author Jarie Bolander shares his Ride or Die Journey with us today and it is guaranteed to show you how similar his closet is to our own about coming out in the midst of a tragedy. About Jarie Jarie is the author of a bunch of books on business and entrepreneurship. The most current one is Story-Driven Decks, which is all about how to create a pitch deck that gets you that next meeting with investors. IT’s book two of his Story-Driven Startups Series. His first non-business book, the subject of this podcast, came out in September and is about his late wife Jane and his experiences with her leukemia diagnosis and treatment. It's called Ride or Die: Loving Through Tragedy, A Husband's Mem

In a world of divisiveness, one thing remains constant to learning about humanity - being curious. To celebrate the 600th episode of Life (UN)Closeted, were going to invite you to realize, we all have genders, it more complicated than school science, shame and fears have no place in this discussion, and just because someone lives outside the box of your norm, doesn't mean they deserve your hate. Sharing his new book He/She/They: How We Talk About Gender and Why It Matters, Schuyler Bailar guides us to the table of curiosity, understanding, and empathy. About SchuylerSchuyler Bailar (he/him) is an educator, author, and advocate. He is also the first transgender athlete to compete in any sport on an NCAA Division I men’s team. Schuyler’s exemplary work has earned him numerous honors including NYC Pride Grand Marshall, the Out100, LGBTQ Nation’s Instagram Advocate of the Year, and the Harvard Director’s Award. He holds a degree in cognitive neuroscience and evolutionary psychology from Harvard and works in

There's a lot of backlash, misunderstanding and confusion about gender identity, as if it is something brand new. In this candid conversation about trauma, sexual and gender identity, Ann Pellegrini and Avgi Saketopoulou share their book Gender Without Identity and the challenges we face in embracing all sexualities and genders. About Ann & Avgi ANN PELLEGRINI (they/them; she/her) is Professor of Performance Studies & Social and Cultural Analysis at New York University, teaching classes on queer theory and psychoanalysis, among other topics, as well as a psychoanalyst in private practice. They are the author/co-author of three previous books, including “You Can Tell Just by Looking” and 20 Other Myths about LGBT Life and People, co-authored with Michael Bronski and Michael Amico (Beacon Press, 2013), which was a finalist for the 2014 Lambda Literary Award for Best LGBT Non-Fiction. Dr. Pellegrini has also co-edited two anthologies and is founding co-editor of the “Sexual Cultures” series at NYU Press.

Here it is, the day before Thanksgiving in the U.S. For most of us, this is a time of family, gratitude, and munch, munch, munch on amazing food. Yet, for many of us this can be a time of year that is challenging at best. You might be alone, not have a circle of friends, or you may just wonder if being LGBTQ+ is even worth it. Hey, snap out of it and listen to ways to be grateful this Thanksgiving season. You are loved and worth being grateful for being your authentic awesome LGBTQ self. Need help coming out of the closet?Coming out, regardless of your closet, is about freeing yourself from excuses, fears, and learning to be unapologetically you. Sounds great, right? So why aren't you doing it? More than likely it is because you don't have the confidence to move forward because your fears and excuses are holding you back from being you the way you are intended to be.If that sounds like you, lets chat. I'll gift you 30 minutes of my time to explore what might be possible if you had someone in your court, focus

Coming out is all about emotions and feelings. But what happens when you lean it the whole journey as a scrumptious experience. When you let your body, thoughts, images, and emotions come alive to the full potential of fully feeling you as you. Today, coach Juliette Karaman - the Feel Fully You coach, mentor, and guide shares four elements from her jewel box on how to life a fully free life feeling fully you. About Julia Juliette Karaman is a certified mind and body coach, expert on relationships, sensuality, healing, trauma and body shame. She specialises in the reinvention of the most intimate relationship in life… The one you have with yourself. With courses, coaching, VIP experiences and retreats Juliette has guided and mentored thousands of women over the past decade and a half, rewrite the relationship with self, confidence, their bodies, mind and spirit using her unique Rapid Release Rewire and Restore method ™. Her mission is to create a world where every woman, man, and any gender remembers the trut

Life is a circus, a carnival, and sometimes it is simply the place you run away from because you realize, living a half-life just isn't worth it. Author, dad, business professional, recovering person of faith, who came into his truth during the COVID-19 pandemic and in his own way ran away from the circus that had become his life to live his truth as a gay man. He shares his story and his new memoir Creosote Rain about running away to live your full life. About Joe Joe Makston is a seasoned professional with over twenty years of experience in the banking industry. He then entered the technology space to lead learning & development and employee experience centers of excellence. However, it is his passion for leadership development that truly sets him apart. Joe has dedicated himself to nurturing and empowering individuals to reach their full potential, believing in the transformative power of leading self, leading others and leading together. In addition to his career, Joe has been a podcaster, TEDx speak

There's an uprising that is beginning to happen. It's coming from the depths that says, "We will not be silenced." It also brings about feelings of being alone, lack of acceptance, lowered levels of self-love. All of which, can stir up the rebel within. As queer culture continues to feel that target on our backs, it is good to remember that the rebel within each of needs to be seen, heard, understood, and experience empathy. In her debut book, Rebel in Venus, dancer, choreographer, and author Marissa Alma Nick brings to light the way to be yourself in a world hell bent on taking your personal worth away. Today we explore ways to let your rebel shine and never back down. About Marrissa Marissa Alma Nick illuminates queer experiences with an authentic perspective on emerging concerns including mental health, trauma, sexual assault, abuse and gaslighting. More than anything, Rebel in Venus, is a book about empowerment, self-realization, self-acceptance and self-love - a coming-of-age story, about a woman who is

Life is all about the lenses we look through and how we perceive what we see through that lens. Sometimes that lens, leads us to see ourselves in the truth of who we are. Joining me today to talk about those lenses, and to share their beautiful lens as queer creative, Sophie Kietzmann shares their lens on the world as gender non-conforming individual. About Sophie Sophie Kietzmann is a Berlin born, Brussels raised, gender fluid, queer photographer that currently resides and creates in New York City. So far, their path in photography has taken them through play, trauma, uprooting, coming out, identification and spirituality and has taught them precious lessons about topics like visual representation of social minorities, gender expression and the fragility of social constructs. They strive for alignment of their head, eye and heart through the tool of their craft. Connect With Sophie Website Instagram LinkedIn

Whether you're coming out of the closet or coming out of divorce, the truth is, "You're going to be ok." The reality is, you get to make the being OK happen, if you choose to do so. In her new book, You're Going To Be Ok: 16 Lessons on Healing After Trauma, author Madeline Popelka helps us navigate the path to embracing the ongoing process of being human and being OK! About Madeline Madeline is a writer, mental health advocate, the creator of the @healingfromptsd community, and the author of You’re Going to Be Okay: 16 Lessons on Healing after Trauma. Madeline’s work has been featured in Newsweek, Entrepreneur, Elite Daily, Bustle and Cosmopolitan among other publications. She lives in Oakland, California with her partner and Corgi. Connect With Madeline Website Instagram Twitter

From bullying to finally accepting their truth as an LGBTQ+ individuals, teens and parents often struggle with the journey and can even think that they are alone. In celebration of National Coming Out Day, we are proving you are not alone. Author and LMFT Psychotherapist, John Sovec shares his new book, "Out: A Parent's Guide to Supporting Your LGBTQIA+ Kid Through Coming Out and Beyond". Let's celebrate the journey of coming out, regardless of where you are in the journey as a teen or parent. About John John Sovec, MA, LMFT is a Psychotherapist based in California. He is also the Author of the new book "Out: A Parent's Guide to Supporting Your Lgbtqia+ Kid Through Coming Out and Beyond". John specializes in working with LGBT teens and their families during the coming out process. His work has been featured on The Riki Lake Show, OWN, FOX, The Advocate, YHTV, LA Talk Radio, Huffington Post & more. John's Book: Out: A Parent's Guide to Supporting Your LGBTQIA + Kid Through Coming Out and Beyond The comin

There's a simple phrase that if we all embraced, would make the world a better place, "You be You!" Of course, we rarely allow others to be themselves and then we wonder why we have to dress up as being someone we're not to please others. Today's guest has done her fair share of dressing up - cross dressing to be specific - and she's not afraid if someone is not happy about. Savannah Hauk shares her journey to own her truth, living a successful male-to-female dual gender life. About Savannah Detroit-born Savannah Hauk is an author, podcaster, advocate and TEDx Speaker. She lives a confident, visible and successful male-to-female dual gender life. Through a lifetime of experience and research, Savannah has come to understand the many reasons men need to express a more feminine persona, the struggles and fears they face, and the weight of the transgender labels they accept but may not truly or fully understand. Her eLit award-winning "Living with Crossdressing" book series is written to demystify and destigmat

We never really understand our inherent bias until we understand our inherent bias. Fellow Podcaster Bruce Anthony, comes clean about his own homophobia and how it has enabled him to step beyond the judgments and open up to empathy and understanding so that he can continue to lean into other perspectives of life. About Bruce As an individual with an insatiable curiosity about people from different backgrounds, cultures, religions, and ideologies, Bruce believes that acquiring knowledge from diverse aspects of life helps us evolve as individuals and become more complete human beings. His journey into podcasting began as people found interest in my thoughts and opinions on various aspects of life. He seized the opportunity to start this podcast as a platform for interviewing intriguing individuals and engaging in captivating conversations. By exploring the intersections of society, politics, and identity, we aim to provide insightful perspectives that challenge conventional wisdom and foster meaningful dialogu

He spent most his life living to the faith that was drilled into his head, always believing this was the way, until it no longer was. Through this thought-provoking and inspiring conversation about overcoming religious constraints, embracing personal growth, finding peace, and aligning with one's authentic self, Victor Diaz share the transformative power of breaking free from religious bondage, embracing self-love, and finding harmony with his true self. About Victor Victor is a Heroic Performance Coach whose philosophy centers around embracing one's heroic self—the courageous, authentic, and empowered version of oneself. By focusing on Energy Work and Love, clients unlock their true potential, tap into activating their heroic best selves, while navigating life's challenges with grace and resilience. With Victor as their guide, individuals are empowered to live a life that aligns with their values, passions, and aspirations, creating a powerful and lasting impact in their personal and professional spheres. V

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

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

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

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

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