For National Eating Disorder Awareness Week (NEDA), we’re going beyond awareness and into accountability.

Today’s guest, Akiera Holloway-Gilbert, is a national speaker, mental health leader, and CEO of Project HEAL, the leading U.S. organization dedicated to equitable mental healthcare for people struggling with eating disorders. Under her leadership, Project HEAL has delivered millions of dollars in services, including free treatment placement for individuals who otherwise would not have access to care. Her work has been recognized by outlets like Forbes, Fortune, TIME, NBC, Refinery29, CNN, Yahoo, and The Washington Post.

Before stepping into her current role, Akiera founded Body Reborn to support BIPOC communities navigating mental health challenges. She also serves as a Board Member of the Eating Disorders Coalition, advancing federal mental health legislation and fighting for systemic change.

In our convo, we talk about what it means to lead in close proximity to suffering.
How access to care is shaped by race, class, and policy. The emotional weight of advocating for change in systems that resist it. And how to hold rigor and humanity at the same time.

This episode is about justice, who gets to be seen and what real healing requires, both individually and collectively.

I’m also introducing No More Sunday Scaries, a free weekly space where we slow down, regulate the nervous system, and intentionally enter the week ahead together.

Sign-up {HERE}

Connect with me:

• Resources: https://www.shanettamcdonald.com/free
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamshanettamcdonald/
• Newsletter sign-up: https://shanetta.substack.com/

In this solo episode, I’m breaking down why Sunday Scaries aren’t a mindset problem or a motivation issue, but a nervous system response to how our weeks are structured and what they require from us. We’ll talk about anticipatory overwhelm, why “figuring it out” often keeps us stuck in survival mode, and what actually helps when your body is already bracing for what’s ahead.

I also share why so many capable, thoughtful women — especially mothers — start the week depleted, and how preparing differently can change the way the week feels without adding more to your plate.

I’m also introducing No More Sunday Scaries, a free weekly space where we slow down, regulate the nervous system, and intentionally enter the week ahead together.

Sign-up {HERE}

Connect with me:

• Resources: https://www.shanettamcdonald.com/free
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamshanettamcdonald/
• Newsletter sign-up: https://shanetta.substack.com/

Last chance to sign-up for The Visibility Shift group coaching program: https://www.shanettamcdonald.com/the-visibility-shift. Starts February 4th!

What happens when your body starts telling the truth before your mind is ready to hear it?

In this episode, I’m joined by Kristal Howard—award-winning communications and public relations expert, founder of The Howard Method, and former senior communications leader at The Kroger Co. After more than a decade shaping national narratives at a Fortune 20 company, Kristal found herself at a crossroads when burnout forced her to slow down and listen.

We talk about burnout as an initiation rather than a failure, the courage it takes to step away from corporate success, and how turning inward through rest and somatic healing reshaped Kristal’s relationship with work, leadership, and visibility. Kristal shares how honoring her body’s wisdom led her to build a business rooted in clarity, culture, and community—and what it really means to choose yourself in a world that rewards constant productivity.

This conversation is for anyone feeling the quiet nudge that something needs to change—and is ready to listen.

Connect with Kristal:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristal.howard/?hl=en

Connect with me:

• Resources: https://www.shanettamcdonald.com/free
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamshanettamcdonald/
• Newsletter sign-up: https://shanetta.substack.com/