What do Broadway actors, Fortune 500 executives, and high-achieving creatives all wrestle with? Pressure and anxiety when it matters most.

In this episode, Allison talks with executive coach and former theater director Gina Rattan about performance anxiety, executive presence, and why “perfect” is often the most dangerous goal in the room. Drawing from years in theater and high-stakes leadership coaching, Gina shares practical, realistic tools for regulating the nervous system, managing fear of judgment, and showing up with clarity when the spotlight is on.

This conversation is for artists, leaders, and anyone who has ever thought, What if I blow it?

• How Gina went from directing Broadway shows to coaching executives
• Why leadership is an authentic performance (and why that’s not a bad thing)
• The three most common types of performance anxiety
• How perfectionism quietly sabotages confidence
• Why “fear of consistency” hits high achievers hardest
• Simple nervous system tools you can use before a high-stakes moment
• How to stop treating anxiety like a personal failure
• Mantras that help artists and leaders stay grounded in uncertain times

Gina Rattan is a former theater director turned executive coach who works with performers under pressure, from Broadway and Oscar-winning actors to Fortune 500 executives. Her work focuses on communication, reputation, and helping people show up with clarity and authority when the stakes are high.

• Website: green-room.io/
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ginarattan/
• Instagram: @green.room.io
• Substack: Executive Functioning

• Instagram: @anxietyandtheartist
• Website: allisonsheff.com
• Media & Production: grastamedia.com

In this episode, Allison sits down with Antonette Cohen, a performance psychology consultant and former Broadway performer, to explore how self-talk shapes confidence, focus, and performance under pressure. Drawing from her lived experience as a longtime dance captain for Wicked and her training in sport and performance psychology, Antonette breaks down why anxiety, burnout, and self-doubt are not personal failures but gaps in psychological preparation.

Together, they discuss practical tools for navigating audition nerves, reframing destructive inner narratives, and why self-compassion is not a weakness but a performance enhancer. This conversation offers artists a more humane, sustainable path to excellence without sacrificing ambition.

✨ What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

• Antonette’s journey from Broadway performer to performance psychology consultant
• Why burnout and anxiety are common in elite performance environments
• What performance psychology is and how it differs from therapy
• How self-talk functions as the “inner narrative” performers live inside
• A simple in-the-moment tool to create space from spiraling thoughts
• The difference between thoughts that are true and thoughts that are helpful
• Why deeply ingrained beliefs take time to shift and how to approach them safely
• What research shows about self-compassion and high performance
• Why kindness toward yourself does not lower the bar or reduce discipline
• Understanding the uncomfortable “in-between” or liminal space of growth

🔗 Resources & Links:

• Learn more about Antonette’s work: AntonetteCohen.com
• Performance psychology practice: LiminalRise.com
• Follow Antonette on Instagram: @AntonetteCohen
• Research mentioned: Self-Compassion by Dr. Kristin Neff
• Learn more about the host, Allison Sheff: AllisonSheff.com
• Production & media projects: GrastaMedia.com

🎭 About the Guest:

Antonette Cohen is a performance psychology consultant specializing in mental skills training for performing artists. A former Broadway performer and longtime dance captain for Wicked, she combines lived experience from elite performance environments with graduate training in sport and performance psychology. Through her practice, Liminal Rise, she supports artists in building sustainable excellence, deeper presence, and a healthier relationship with their inner experience.

Keywords: performance psychology, self-talk for performers, performance anxiety, mental skills training, audition anxiety, self-compassion and performance, burnout prevention for artists, confidence under pressure, performing artists mental health, Antonette Cohen, Anxiety and the Artist

Allison talks with Hilary Sutton — writer, speaker, and fractional CMO — about building a multi-hyphenate career, promoting your work without oversharing, and the small daily habits that support mental health. Hilary breaks down what a fractional CMO actually does, how creatives can audit their online presence, and why most artists under-communicate their value.

Topics:

• What a fractional CMO is

• Setting boundaries in personal branding

• Auditing your online presence

• Reframing self-promotion as problem-solving

• Micro-habits for mental health

• The everyday bravery of creative work

Guest Links:

Website: hilarysutton.com

Instagram: @hilary.sutton

Hilary Sutton is a writer, speaker, and fractional CMO who leads HSL Digital, a marketing and communications consultancy. She’s also the creator of Hustle & Grace, host of the Hustle & Grace podcast, and author of the Substack The Motherload, where she explores creativity, work-life balance, and modern entrepreneurship. Her writing has appeared in HuffPost, The Washington Post, and USA Today.

Keywords: personal branding, fractional CMO, marketing strategy, creative careers, digital presence, entrepreneurship, mental health, artists