In this episode, Colleen shares a quiet but powerful moment from one of her recent coaching calls—where a client celebrated a huge win, and Colleen noticed her own body signaling that something was off. What unfolded wasn’t a rupture, but a subtle shift: a reminder that even seasoned leaders can bypass consent in moments of well-meaning reflex. And that noticing the signal doesn’t mean spiraling—it means listening.

Through her own self-check-in, she unpacks what it looks like to be emotionally sober in the face of mild shame: not resisting it, not fixing it, just feeling it long enough to hear what it’s pointing to. Rather than defending her role or projecting the discomfort outward, Colleen models the kind of internal pause that turns self-awareness into relational repair—and deeper self-trust.

This episode isn’t about coaching techniques. It’s about what happens when we make space to feel the moment before we justify it. Because sometimes, the most responsible thing we can do is let the feeling teach us—before we write the story.

🔑 Key Takeaways:

• Your feelings about someone else’s feelings are still your feelings—and they’re worth examining.

• Shame doesn’t require a defense; it often just needs acknowledgment and space.

• Coaching without consent—even gently—removes agency from the client.

• Emotional sobriety invites curiosity before assumption.

• Being wrong doesn’t mean you’ve failed—it may mean you're still learning.

If you are ready to get support from a community of women who are co-creating this change with intention and clarity— Click here to BOOK A DISCOVERY CALL.

Do you want help from Colleen with a situation you’re struggling with? Click here to submit your question for Colleen’s NEW Q& A episodes. Your name will not be mentioned on air!

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X (Twitter) : @NotAboutTheAlc

Transcript