300 - How to Be a Conscious Leader Without Closing Off Your Heart with Julianne Guinasso

How do leaders keep their heads clear and hearts open in the heat of difficult conversations? I ask because it's only natural for leaders (and any human, really) to bristle at opposition to their ideas, critique of their efforts, or recommendations for improvement. Being in community with each other requires a high level of mutual responsibility. But the practice of accountability can activate deeply entrenched defense mechanisms, even in the most self-aware among us (note to self). In part two of my conversation with Julianne Guinasso, LMFT, and co-founder of Level Up Leaders, we explore the challenges leaders face as they try to balance the needs of the collective and the desires of the individual. GUEST BIO Julianne Guinasso is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in private practice and co-founder of Level Up Leaders Inc., where she partners with Poonam Natha to support group practice owners in cultivating psychological safety through trauma-informed leadership. With over a decade of leadership experience, she helps practice owners move beyond performative policies to tend their relational ecosystems, creating collaborative cultures that reclaim joy and sustain vision. *** Join the Group Practice (R)evolution! GPR is a new platform and podcast series offering insights from owners, employees, and experts, and resources to support this wildly ambitious vision for the future. For a limited time, podcast listeners can get a full year of membership for only $19.99 by using the discount code PODCAST.  Visit: https://tinyurl.com/GPRPodcast and click on "have a coupon" and enter PODCAST to enjoy all the perks of Group Practice (R)evolution for a year!  SUPPORT THE SHOW Conversations With a Wounded Healer Merch Join our Patreon for gifts & perks Shop our Bookshop.org store and support local booksellers Share a rating & review on Apple Podcasts *** Let's be friends! You can find me in the following places… Website Facebook @headheartbiztherapy Instagram @headheartbiztherapy Join our Authentic Leaders Group! Next cohort starts May 1, 2026. This is a journey of self-discovery and leadership mastery, where you'll not only enhance your leadership skills but also forge meaningful connections with fellow therapists who are committed to their own growth and the betterment of the therapy field. Apply now! Thank you to The Therapist Network for sponsoring the show! The Therapist Network is a global community built by and for therapists. You'll find live consult groups, an ever-growing library of workshops and courses, plus a community that really sees you. Sarah's group, Tending to the Wounded Healer, meets every other Monday from 1–2pm CT, and it's a space to explore the intersection of your lived experience and your clinical work. So if you want to feel more supported and less alone, visit TheTherapist.Network—or join Sarah's group directly at tinyurl.com/HealerConsultTTN.