Unless you are your own boss, it is likely that, at some time, you have felt wronged at work. How you are treated in the workplace can affect all areas of your life. Try as we might, we often bring what happens in the boardroom home to the bedroom. Does discrimination in the workplace still exist? When is it ok to say something? When is it NECESSARY to say something?What if you are being paid less than others or are not being paid for all of your time? And, how does “erotic capital” play into all of this—can it advance your career or empower you? Although standing up for yourself can be scary, it is also EMPOWERING. Join me and my special guests employment law attorneys Charles Joseph of Joseph and Kirschenbaum LLP and Michael Palmer of Sanford Heisler LLP as we talk about discrimination, employee rights, what happens when the boardroom becomes the bedroom, and how to EMPOWER YOURSELF. So, take a break from work to listen in so that you can get up, stand up, stand up for your rights!

Do you ever just want to run away? Or, are you getting vacation envy as those around you jet off on their summer trips? The truth is TRAVEL can be very empowering. Scientific research has shown that we tend to be happier with EXPERIENCES than with material objects to the extent that we are generally happier spending our money on a vacation than on a souvenir from that trip. Travel can bring you serenity, joy, self-awareness, compassion, courage, resilience, connection, gratitude, and understanding. My guest this week is an expert traveler who has been to over 75 countries and, on many occasions, has traveled solo. Leyla Giray Alyanak is the creator of “Women on the Road” and author of “Women on the Road: the Essential Guide for Baby Boomer Travel.” So, pack your suitcase and grab your passport--this is an episode you do not want to miss. Let’s leave the boardroom and the bedroom behind, and let’s get “On the Road Again…”

Listeners, we’ve been to the BOARDROOM together…and, we’ve been to the BEDROOM together…SO, this week we are going to BOTH the BOARDROOM and the BEDROOM…AT THE SAME TIME! Join me as I talk to my special guest Lauryn Doll of Bombshell Brand Strategist and LaurynDoll.com. Her techniques and skills will help you use bedroom strategies in the boardroom to get what you want. If you’ve ever had an idea for a product, a business, or just want to change an area of your life but were worried that you could not because you are not Beyoncé or Kim Kardashian, Lauryn can help you. She has created a branding and marketing technique that will help you design and market your very own handcrafted, sexy, sensual, feminine, and well-respected brand. Lauryn also offers coaching sessions to help women view themselves as a luxury brand, to magnetize their energy, and to use the power of feminine energy to get what they want. So, open your “bedroom eyes,” and join us!

Do you feel empowered? What about your neighbor? The person sitting across from you on the bus? Have you ever wanted to make a change in your community but worry that you are “just one person.” For many weeks, we have focused on personal empowerment, but this week we have a special treat and will look at empowerment on a broader level. My guest David Gershon is CEO and co-founder of the Empowerment Institute, the world’s preeminent consulting and training organization specializing in the practice of empowerment. David has worked with individuals, major corporations, cities, and government agencies to address a variety of issues including sustainable communities and cultural transformation. So, whether you are looking for a change personally or on a much broader level in your community or in the world, join me and David as we discuss community empowerment. We are going beyond the boardroom and the bedroom to learn that TOGETHER, we can change the world.

We encounter it every day in our world. Sure, CHANGE is inevitable. Sometimes change can be good…when you get that promotion or a new baby is born, for instance. But, what happens when the change seems to be negative? What happens when the change is a divorce, the loss of a family member or close friend, or something traumatic? Dealing with grief and loss is difficult. In fact, many choose not to deal with it and to just ignore it. But, working through life’s challenging times is important and can be EMPOWERING. While these are difficult subjects to discuss, Christine Dernerlanden of Robert’s Press is an expert in helping individuals, children, and families affected by trauma, loss, and grief. This week she will tackle these sensitive subjects and answer all of your questions to help you get past that difficult time in your life. So, come and get your virtual hug and learn how you can MOVE FORWARD and empower yourself. (Yes, you might want to have a Kleenex handy, too!)

It improves your immune system! It lowers your blood pressure! It burns approximately 5 calories per minute! It lowers your risk for heart attack! It reduces pain! It improves sleep! It eases stress! Clearly, it is empowering! Where can you find this miracle drug?! Step no further than your own BEDROOM! The physical and emotional benefits of SEX have been scientifically proven. But maybe you have questions about sex, love, or your personal relationships.... So, this week, saunter into the bedroom with me and my guest Dr. Nikki Goldstein. Not only is she Australia’s most in demand sexologist who educates about love, sex, relationships, and dating, but she holds a Doctorate in Human Sexology. Dr. Nikki has been described as “relatable” and “approachable” and is famous for normalizing sex and relationships. So, if you have a question, the floor, (or bed!) is yours! Get ready because this week, we are leaving the boardroom and diving into...the bedroom!

Our memories can be very powerful. A certain scent or song can bring us back to a precise moment in our lives. Do you ever relish in your good memories? Or, do you sometimes wish you could erase bad memories? What if you simply could not forget anything? My guest, Frank Healy, has a “Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory” and, quite literally, remembers every day of his life including the day of the week, the weather, news, and personal events. So, Mr. Healy had to learn how to cope with and release his emotions from the bad and traumatic memories. He now uses his personal knowledge and experiences to train and help others to cope with their bad memories. Sometimes, empowerment comes from letting go. Listen in this week to learn how to heal your own bad memories. Live on air, Frank will even conduct for listeners one of the exercises from his book “Heal Your Memories, Change Your Life.” So, REMEMBER to listen in this week—this is an episode you won’t forget!

Quick…you have 7 seconds!...only 7 seconds to make a first (and lasting) impression. But, really, how important is etiquette? Do you think it is merely a topic on which your grandmother lectured you, or do you look around and worry that it is a lost art? It shouldn’t be and doesn’t have to be! As CEO and founder of the Protocol Praxis, Suzanne is an expert in “Avant Garde Etiquette” in both business and personal settings. Join her this week for a lively conversation with her special guest, lifestyle and etiquette expert, Elaine Swann. Ms. Swann is the CEO and founder of Elaine Swann Enterprises and has been dubbed “the Emily Post of the Digital Age.” The world of the internet and social media has brought up many questions as to what is socially proper and acceptable online. Is there a modern etiquette? So, whether you are wondering how to properly set the dining room table or wondering how to politely decline a “friend request” online, these women will have the answers for you!

There have been numerous studies about the inequality of education in the United States. A child born into a low-income family has only a 9 % chance of getting a college degree, but the odds are 54% for a child in a high-income family. But do not give up HOPE! Instead, let’s TALK ABOUT IT and TELL IT. My guests this week are from Telling It, an award-winning community-based program designed for under-served children and youth grades K-12 who may be coping with traumas such as homelessness or exposure to gang activity. Telling It uses the arts as a tool for change and as a source of empowerment. Scientific studies have shown that children exposed to the arts are more likely to succeed in the classroom. And, as we often see, not only are the youth empowered through Telling It, but Telling It’s teaching team who act as the agents of empowerment also experience inspiration and hope on a daily basis. Complete with clips from some of Telling It’s students, join me this week as we TELL IT!

Put down that cookie! Don’t take a bite of that banana! Before you eat, do you think about from where your food comes? Food itself is empowering as it gives us the energy to live. Unfortunately, what we choose to eat can sometimes hurt ourselves and others. Did the meat come from a farm where animals are abused or not treated well?; Is the palm oil you use to cook made from ingredients that are depleting natural resources?; or was the chocolate bar the result of child labor or unfair working conditions? Join me this week as we talk to lauren Ornelas, the founder and Executive Director of the Food Empowerment Project (FEP). FEP seeks to create a more just and sustainable world by recognizing the power of our food choices and by encouraging choices that reflect a more compassionate society. What we choose to eat can empower our own health, but it can also empower the lives of others. So, whether you “eat to live” or “live to eat,” this week’s episode will make you hungry for more!

Numerous studies have shown that children who are physically active perform better academically. Many get bored with the typical physical education classes and sports. Enter: Rowing! Think that the sport of rowing is only for the elite at Ivy League colleges? Row New York empowers young people from NYC’s under-resourced communities to build strength, gain confidence, and pursue excellence through the unique sport of rowing joined with comprehensive academic support. Among other values, rowing teaches teamwork, tenacity, and confidence. All of Row New York’s graduates go on to college, and many are the first in their families to do so. My guest Amanda Kraus knows about empowerment. She is not only the founder of Row New York, but she has also been empowering youth around the world and teaches at NYU’s Wagner School of Public Service. So, pick up your “blade” (oar), and join me and Amanda as we flow beyond the boardroom, beyond the bedroom, and into the water….

Is there still a gender gap or a glass ceiling? Or is sexism a thing of the past? What about cultural discrimination—did we overcome this with the Civil Rights Acts of the 1960s? Maybe gender and cultural discrimination is just merely less overt now…. What if I told you that there’s actually a way to measure our perceptions of others and our emotional reactions to cultural groups? My guest this week is Peter Glick, and he invented the warmth-competence model which allows us to do this. He also developed the theory of “Ambivalent” or “Benevolent Sexism” showing that apparently favorable beliefs about women and minorities can actually fuel harmful discrimination. Join me and Dr. Glick as we discuss how discrimination still exists and how we can empower ourselves and others by recognizing this modern discrimination and subsequently surmounting it. I think you might be surprised to find that benevolent sexism exists in both the boardroom…and in the bedroom…

Look into my eyes….You’re getting very sleepy…. OK, although hypnosis has been around for centuries, it is still not “mainstream,” and it is sometimes stigmatized as not being a real science. However, hypnotherapy has been scientifically proven as a natural way to help one reduce anxiety and stress and to overcome obstacles in life. Essentially, hypnotherapy is a tool for empowerment. This week, for the one year anniversary of From the Boardroom to the Bedroom on the VA Empowerment Channel, we have a very special guest, Dr. Steve G. Jones, Ed.D., a board certified Clinical Hypnotherapist. Dr. Steve will answer all of your questions about what hypnotherapy is and how it can help you. And, since Dr. Steve was featured on Millionaire Matchmaker, he knows the benefits of hypnotherapy in the boardroom…and in the bedroom. So, I don’t need to hypnotize you to tell you to LISTEN IN this week because you don’t want to miss it!

Dear Listener, do you ever find yourself wondering: What is the meaning of life? What is right and what is wrong? What is true happiness? Philosophy may seem like an esoteric subject, but research has shown that there are many everyday benefits to the study of and knowledge of philosophy. The study of philosophy can be empowering as it helps one appreciate a variety of perspectives; develops one’s ability to explain and to communicate difficult material; enhances persuasive powers; and teaches one to think analytically and to present sound arguments. This week, my guest Tyler Shores makes philosophy “fun” and puts philosophy in more concrete examples. He created and taught a college course on the Simpsons and Philosophy and has written multiple books about Philosophy and popular books/t.v. shows/movies. So, even though philosophers debate whether we have “free will” or not, YOU CAN MAKE THE CHOICE TO LISTEN IN this week!

In today’s world, there are so many sources for news-read a newspaper, watch t.v., or scroll through online sites. No matter how you receive your news, I’m sure you’ll agree that it can often be depressing or demoralizing. Studies have shown that much of today’s news reporting causes a general malaise and sense of helplessness. It doesn’t have to be this way! You can start getting your news from Girl Talk HQ, a daily news site whose mission is to inspire and to empower. It is different from other news sources because it ONLY focuses on positive news. This week, we are lucky to have Girl Talk HQ founder and Editor-in-Chief, Asha Dahya. Asha truly knows about empowerment because she has created a site that empowers women. Whether you dream of starting your own business inspiring others as Asha has done, or whether you are just tired of depressing news and want to be empowered and inspired on a daily basis, join me as we go beyond the boardroom and the bedroom and step into Girl Talk HQ.

What turns you on? Excites you? Do you find yourself going through the routines of life but not really enjoying yourself? Well, it’s time to change that! Making YOURSELF happy and feeling that you are living a meaningful life is the FIRST step to EMPOWERMENT. Research has proven that happy and optimistic people are more successful. Not only are they more successful, but studies have also shown that happy people tend to live longer. But, you feel stuck in a rut…how can you change your life? Meet my guest Jean Wiley, a Quantum and Intuitive Astrologer. She has helped countless clients empower themselves through healing their pasts and finding their personal truths and passions. So, whether you want to change who you are and live a more meaningful life in the boardroom or in the bedroom, look to the STARS and tune in this week for inspiration, tips, and advice on finding your personal passion. Become the person you want to be!

You’ve heard about YouTube bringing some people fortune and fame. Justin Bieber? Susan Boyle? Sites such as YouTube allow anyone with a camera and a computer to create and post their own video. So, do YouTube and other participatory forms of social media empower us? Do they allow everyone to speak their voice and to forge their own path? Or, do they give us a false sense of reality? My guest, Alexandra Juhasz, teaches the popular college course, Learning from YouTube, which examines how the internet and YouTube have changed the way we learn. Join me as we discover whether a participatory platform such as YouTube insures diverse, meaningful, and innovative content. So, whether you frequently submit or view YouTube videos; or whether you are dubious of its benefits, YouTube is streaming and is here to stay. It is in the boardroom, and, let's admit it, in the bedroom…so tune in this week to find out how to (and how not to) use YouTube to empower your own life. LISTEN (don’t “watch”!)

Ok, little monsters, is Lady Gaga just another pop music celebrity? Was she really “born this way?” or has she just created a successful persona? Lady Gaga hit the music scene in 2009 when the record industry was in crisis due to digital downloads. Lady Gaga not only topped the charts, but she has sustained longer than many performers. In addition to her musical talents, she is outspoken on behalf of civil rights issues and empowers others through her actions as well as through her songs. This week, my guest, professor Mathieu Deflem, will discuss the sociology behind Lady Gaga. In 2011, Mr. created a globally-renowned class on Lady Gaga and the sociology of fame. So, whether you’re a fan who plays a Lady Gaga CD when you want to be inspired or whether you merely want to empower yourself through the creation of a persona, this is an episode you do not want to miss….The sociology behind Lady Gaga can teach lessons that will empower you in both the boardroom and in the bedroom.

What makes you happy? Can you increase your happiness? We all strive to be happy, but sometimes it is not clear what makes us happy and what does not. But, there is actually a science to happiness. The ground-breaking field of Positive Psychology explores the roots of a happy and meaningful life. How do money, IQ, marriage, friends, children, weather, and religion affect your happiness? The answer may not always be what you think…. Join me and my guest Professor Catherine Sanderson as we discuss the various factors that can make us happier…(and those that do not). Professor Sanderson will entertain listeners with the stories and results of research in the field of Positive Psychology, and she will give listeners practical (and relatively easy!) ways to increase their own psychological well-being. Feeling happy naturally empowers you…in the boardroom and in the bedroom…so, forget your troubles, come on get HAPPY!

Do you ever find yourself wishing that you could talk to someone from your past? Or that you could get advice from a loved one who is no longer with us? The TRUTH is, you can. My guest this week, Tami Urbanek can help you. As an experienced and famed medium/clairvoyant, Tami can help you find your guide who can give you advice on past, present, and future issues and questions. Tami will give advice on how to “make[e] new choices to create a new reality.” Sometimes we ignore the signs that are presented to us. Tami will teach listeners how to follow their own guides to learn the truth and make healthy choices that can heal and empower you. So, whether you are searching for your own truth in the boardroom…or in the bedroom, you don’t want to miss this week’s episode!