The Courage is Built Here Podcast

In this episode of Courage is Built Here, Justine sits down with Dr. Darryl Diggs to explore Pathway One, Feel It All, and what it really means to experience your emotions without being ruled by them. Darryl shares a powerful story of failure, shame, and perseverance through his journey with triathlons, and how learning to align with his values helped him process emotions, ask for help, and ultimately cross his own finish line.

In this episode of Courage is Built Here, Justine sits down with Mary Pat Jacobs to talk about Pathway Five, Do the Work, and what it really takes to stop people-pleasing and start choosing yourself. Mary Pat shares her journey of being laid off, starting her own business, and learning how to take risks, rewrite old stories, and move forward with courage even when fear and uncertainty are still present.

In this episode of Courage is Built Here, Justine sits down with Marcy Bursac to talk about Pathway Four, Love Others Well, and what it really looks like to choose love in the hardest moments. Marcy shares her journey adopting her children through foster care, the emotional weight of uncertainty, and the daily courage it took to fully love even when there was no guarantee of the outcome.

In this episode of Courage is Built Here, Justine sits down with Ali Carson to talk about Pathway Three, Be Fully You, and what it looks like to stop performing and start showing up authentically. Ali shares how years of trying to be perceived as professional led her to mask parts of herself, and how stepping into roles aligned with her strengths helped her embrace her true personality, let go of perfection, and lead with authenticity.

In this episode of Courage is Built Here, Justine sits down with Jess Mader to talk about Pathway Two, Embody Again, and what it looks like to finally make yourself a priority. Jess shares how hitting a breaking point in her health, energy, and reactions at home led her to seek support, build small daily habits, and begin caring for herself in physical, emotional, and mental ways so she could show up differently for her family and her life.

In this episode of Courage is Built Here, Justine sits down with Andy Storch to talk about Pathway One, Feel It All, and what it looks like to move through fear by getting clear on your values. Andy shares how a shift from fixed mindset to growth mindset changed his life, leading him to take big risks like starting a business, publishing books, moving his family to Spain, and choosing courage again and again even when fear was still present.

In this episode of Courage is Built Here, Justine sits down with grief speaker, advocate, and author Leslie Weirich to talk about Pathway Five, Do the Work, and what it means to choose courage through grief and loss. Leslie shares how losing her son Austin to suicide shaped her work, how courage has led her into military suicide prevention, and why doing the next thing, capturing old narratives, and choosing connection can help people hold on through their darkest moments.

What if loving others well starts by letting go of the need to fix everyone? In this episode of Courage is Built Here, Justine sits down with Nancy Leonard to talk about Pathway Four, Love Others Well, and how courage begins by doing the work within yourself first. Nancy shares how the training changed the way she approaches empathy, trust, self-talk, and connection at work and at home, and why learning to stop fixing, honor her limits, and ask for what she needs has helped her show up with more authenticity and care.

What happens when someone you trust tells you that your greatest gift is nothing more than luck and connections? In this episode of Courage is Built Here, Justine and Alison Niermann, Founder and Managing Partner of Tilley Workforce Solutions, talk about what it looks like to reclaim the gifts and talents you were told you did not have. Alison shares how a defining moment at twelve years old on a stage in front of fifteen thousand people was followed by words that nearly extinguished her light, and how she eventually chose to return to the stage, trust her gifts, and stop letting someone else control her light switch. Together they explore vulnerability, authenticity, encouragement, and what it means to show up fully as who you were created to be.

In this episode of Courage is Built Here, Justine sits down with therapist, life and mindset coach, and owner of Sea Change Wellness, Lauren-Ashleigh Whitaker (LA), to talk about what it really looks like to stop hustling and start healing. LA shares her health journey living with endometriosis, how grit culture kept her pushing past her limits, and what finally shifted when she stopped performing self care and started practicing it from a place of genuine self-worth and self-love.

In this episode of Courage is Built Here, Justine opens Pathway One, Feel It All, and sits down with her friend Barry Engelhardt to talk about the difference between reacting and responding when emotions hijack the brain. Barry shares a memorable moment with his wife that became a wake-up call about stress spilling from work into home life, plus what it was like growing up without language for feelings and how he and his wife are raising their two sons differently. Together, they explore values as a starting point, the “slow is smooth, smooth is fast” mindset, and what it looks like to become one person everywhere you go.

In this episode of Courage is Built Here, Justine opens Pathway Five, Do the Work, and sits down with professional calligrapher and small business owner Leah Spiros. Together they talk about how old stories can keep us stuck to what feels familiar, why “the next step” matters more than the perfect step, and how intentionality, kindness, and joy shape the way Leah shows up in her business and her relationships.

In this episode of Courage Is Built Here, Justine opens Pathway Four, Love Others Well, with executive leader and advisor Rose Thompson. Together, they explore how accountability, empathy, boundaries, and vulnerability are essential to caring for and leading others well. Rose shares stories from her leadership journey about one-to-one connection, holding people accountable with love, navigating boundaries at work and at home, and choosing curiosity over judgment, even in difficult conversations.

In this episode of Courage Is Built Here, Justine opens Pathway Three, Be Fully You, and sits down with educator and superintendent Amy Ruzicka to talk about imposter syndrome, leadership, and the courage it takes to step forward before you feel ready. Amy shares how self-doubt, authenticity, boundaries, and embracing joy have shaped her leadership journey, including her decision to apply for superintendent and her commitment to leading through influence rather than power.

In this episode of Courage Is Built Here, Justine opens Pathway Two, Embody Again, and sits down with leadership consultant and coach Gretchen Pettet to talk about how caring for yourself is not selfish, it is how you show up well for others. Gretchen shares how the sudden loss of her mom became the catalyst for slowing down, prioritizing self-care, and building intentional practices that transformed her relationships, leadership, and sense of presence at home and work.  

In this episode of Courage is Built Here, Justine opens Pathway One, Feel It All, with her friend and guest Becki Feldmann. Becki shares her story of walking through secondary infertility, grief, and loss, and how faith, values clarity, and emotional honesty helped her come home to herself. Together, they explore what it means to feel deeply, name misalignment, reclaim self worth, and choose courage in everyday moments.

In this episode of Courage is Built Here, Justine sits down with Liz Haberberger to explore what it looks like to take action before you feel ready. Through the lens of Pathway Five, Do the Work, Liz shares how owning a business during the onset of COVID, embracing uncertainty, changing her mind, and beginning before she felt prepared shaped her courage, leadership, and definition of success.

Justine sits down with Melissa Jones to explore Pathway Four, Love Others Well. Melissa shares how learning to show compassion for herself in the middle of healing transformed the way she loves, leads, and sets boundaries. Together, they talk about empathy and accountability, generational patterns, faith, and why loving others well always begins with how we care for ourselves.

Justine sits down with her friend Sarah Guldalian to explore Pathway Three, Be Fully You. Sarah shares how seasons of loneliness, rejection, success, and loss shaped her understanding of authenticity, vulnerability, and courage. Together, they talk about healing, belonging, community, and what it looks like to live openly and honestly without letting fear or comparison steal who you were created to be.

Ryan McCrea joins Justine to explore Pathway Two, Embody Again, and what it truly means to take care of yourself as a leader. They talk about courageous conversations, managing energy instead of just time, setting boundaries around work, and why self care is foundational to showing up well for others. This episode dives into leadership, embodiment, and caring for the whole human at work and at home.

COO and mom of four boys, Meg Brown, joins Justine to explore Pathway One: Feel It All. They talk about values as deep roots, getting hooked in big emotions, and the courage it takes to circle back, repair, and respond instead of react. Meg also shares how living her values of unconditional love and courage shapes her parenting, leadership, and the culture at Cambridge Air Solutions.

Derek Weber joins Justine for Pathway Five, Do the Work, to explore what it truly means to rewrite old narratives, challenge the stories that shape us, and walk courageously toward healing. Derek shares how a three and a half month sabbatical shifted his beliefs about success, health, presence, and identity. Together they discuss belief systems, the mind body connection, triggers, and why self care is one of the most courageous choices you can make.

Lisa Nichols joins Justine to explore Pathway Four: Love Others Well. They talk about courageous conversations, accountability, forgiveness, emotional regulation, and why real love requires truth, empathy, and brave leadership. Lisa also shares how stillness, faith, and surrender shaped her courage through her daughter’s long health journey.

Chel’Lee Whitten joins Justine to explore what it really means to Be Fully You. She shares how letting go of playing small, keeping promises to herself, and rooting into her values of love and knowledge helped her step into authentic leadership. Together they talk about trust, presence, imposter syndrome, and why showing up as your full self creates space for others to grow too.

In this episode of Courage is Built Here, Justine and her friend and online business manager, Kristen Hanff, talk about what it looks like to learn self care as an adult when you did not have a healthy model growing up. Kristen shares how leaving corporate, homeschooling, a life changing DNA discovery, and starting her own business became a season of learning to love herself, build non negotiables, and move from survival into a more grounded, values based rhythm of life.

In this first full episode of Courage is Built Here, Justine and her longtime friend, author and micro school founder Rebecca Pierce, talk about what it means to feel it all without being ruled by our emotions. Rebecca shares how she went from growing up in a family that boxed up feelings to becoming a “big feeler” who helps kids, staff, and her own family name, honor, and move emotions through the body with courage, values, and connection.

Courage is not something you magically have. It is something you build. In this introductory episode, Justine Froelker shares why courageous leadership matters more than ever and what listeners can expect from the Courage Is Built Here Podcast. She introduces the five pathways that guide her leadership development framework and explains how courage shows up in everyday life and work.

Welcome to The Courage is Built Here Podcast. I am Justine Froelker, and I am grateful you are here. This space is for anyone who is choosing to grow, to lead, and to live with more self-awareness, authenticity, courage, and resilience. In this podcast, we talk honestly about what courage looks like in real life. Courage is not something you magically have or do not have. It is something you build through practice, through presence, and through choosing to show up for yourself and for the people in your life. This work asks us to stay grounded, curious, connected, and compassionate, even when it is hard. Every episode explores ideas from The Five Pathways to a Courageous Life, from my curriculum Courage is Built Here™, which guide all of my work: 1. Feel It All: How to feel and not be our emotions 2. Embody Again: How to take care of ourselves 3. Be Fully You: How to show up authentically 4. Love Others Well: How to live with, relate to, and lead others well 5. Do The Work: How to live courageously My mission is to teach people how to live, love, and lead well. After more than 25 years of being a therapist, coach, author, and facilitator, I know that meaningful change is built in honest conversations, real stories, and tiny choices that add up over time. This podcast brings that work to life through teaching and through conversations with leaders who are practicing courage in their own lives. If you want to strengthen your courage, deepen your relationships, and grow in how you show up in the world, this podcast is your starting point. Courage is built here, and you are invited to practice it with us.