The Do Tell Relationship Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Choosing Yourself, Regulating Your Nervous System & Becoming a Magnet for What You Want Dec 02, 2025

Show notes

What if the thing that's really running your life isn't your to-do list or your goals… but your nervous system and your sense of worth?In this episode of Do Tell with Nina Westbrook, Nina sits down with writer, coach, and author Amber Lyon (You Are a Magnet) for a deep, honest conversation about self-worth, nervous system regulation, and what it actually means to become "magnetic" to the life you want.

They talk about:

✳️ Growing up around addiction and low self-worth — and how those patterns quietly shape our own beliefs

✳️ Dating as a "battlefield" and the moment you stop waiting to be picked and start choosing yourself

✳️ Why your nervous system tells the truth long before your mind does

✳️ How to build presence in the middle of a busy, ambitious life (especially as a parent)

✳️ The hidden cost of staying the same and why life eventually "comes knocking"

✳️ What it truly means to be a magnet — beyond perfection, aesthetics, or "reinventing" yourself

Amber shares simple, grounding micro-practices you can use today — no extra time required — to regulate your nervous system, reconnect with your body, and show up more fully for yourself and the people you love.

If you've ever felt stuck in old patterns, exhausted from living in survival mode, or torn between your ambition and being present, this one will hit home.

👤 Connect with Amber Lyon

Follow Amber on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/modernmind___/?hl=en

Grab her book You Are a Magnet: https://a.co/d/8vdYO5T

🎙 Connect with Nina & Do Tell

Follow Nina on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ninawestbrook/

Follow Do Tell on Instagram/TikTok: https://www.instagram.com/dotellpodcast/

▶️ Watch Next from Do Tell

📽️ Latham Thomas on Worthiness, Rest & Listening to Your Body – https://youtu.be/vdVkJkg4c-8

📽️ Trinity Mitchell: "Walk Away or Walk Through It" & Owning Your Story – https://youtu.be/pplfyighQQs

📽️ A'ja Wilson on Mental Health, Pressure & Protecting Your Peace – https://youtu.be/0cOLUl8unfs

Watch more Do Tell episodes on YouTube

A'ja Wilson: From Anxiety to MVP—Authenticity, Brand Deals, and Doing It Her Way Nov 18, 2025

Show notes

A'ja Wilson — WNBA champion & MVP, author of Dear Black Girls, founder of the A'ja Wilson Foundation, and entrepreneur (Burnt Wax Candle). We cover: mental health post-bubble, therapy, boundaries vs public expectations, NIL's upside and pressure, building authentic brand deals, designing a sell-out signature shoe, dyslexia advocacy, and what a "good life" actually looks like.

Highlights

Walk Away/Walk Through: burnout, toxic group chats, and Beyoncé-level opportunities
"My peace is my spirit": separating work from joy without losing either
NIL & the college experience: grace while your brand is still forming
Authentic partnerships: why the right brands let her be fully herself
Dear Black Girls: embracing complexity — powerful and gentle
Dyslexia: getting certified support into classrooms; tech that helps
Coaching: how Staley & Hammon built trust, fun, and excellence • Burnt Wax Candle: a scent line named after A'ja's accolades
"Wealthy in more ways than money": stability across every cylinder

Links

Watch on YouTube:

A'ja's book — Dear Black Girls - https://a.co/d/bw2eQj4

A'ja Wilson Foundation (dyslexia awareness) - https://www.ajawilsonfoundation.org/

Burnt Wax Candle Co. - https://www.burntwaxcandle.com/

Related Do Tell episodes

Sinead Bovell — AI & digital boundaries: https://youtu.be/wnN7Yw2-Q34

Etienne Maurice — activism & community: https://youtu.be/0F4O8bkWm_g

Latham Thomas — motherhood & intuition: https://youtu.be/vdVkJkg4c-8

Let People Be Who They Are: Boundaries, Grace, and Real Talk on Friendship Nov 04, 2025

Show notes

Real talk on modern friendship. 👯‍♀️ Nina sits down with Trinity Mitchell (Friend Fusion) to unpack the "low-maintenance friend" myth and reframe it as self-sufficient friendships—connections rooted in honesty, effort, and healthy boundaries. From group-chat drama and ghosting to unspoken rules (don't share your friend's business!), they cover how to address conflict without chaos, offer grace without giving unlimited access, and let go with acceptance—not resentment.📚 You'll learn:· "Walk away or walk through it?"—a simple framework for sticky moments· Why self-sufficiency beats "low-maintenance" (and how to build it)· The difference between being cautious vs. being cold· How to invite clarity when a new friendship feels weird· Navigating values differences (religion, politics) without losing the friendship· Practical language for setting quiet boundaries and supporting friends well🎯 Who this helps: high-capacity women, moms building community, recovering people-pleasers, and anyone ready to upgrade their friendship toolkit.—Related Episodes (watch next)Neha Ruch on Motherhood & Identity — Mother Untitled: https://youtu.be/OFRfbhFoSmMSinead Bovell on Digital Boundaries & Tech + Human Connection: https://youtu.be/wnN7Yw2-Q34Latham Thomas on Community, Care, and the Village We Need: https://youtu.be/vdVkJkg4c-8

Boundaries, Co-Regulation & Real Connection: Nina Westbrook x Helen Marie Oct 23, 2025

Show notes

What if our obsession with "boundaries" is actually making us lonelier? In this episode of Do Tell, Nina sits down with psychotherapist Helen Marie to unpack modern boundary culture, co-regulation, attachment, PTSD showing up around the holidays, and the healing power of rupture and repair. They explore the difference between capacity vs. desire in love, why love languages can mislead us, and a simple nervous system reset you can use anywhere (hand-on-chest ventral vagal cue).

Whether you're a parent navigating the 0–7 window, a partner hoping to be seen, or someone heading into tricky family dynamics, this conversation is a gentle, practical roadmap back to connection.

What you'll learn

How therapists think through "walk away vs. walk through it" moments
Why boundaries ≠ rigid rules (and what to do instead)
A simple somatic regulation technique to exit fight/flight or shutdown
How to spot capacity limits (even when desire is high)
Why repair matters more than perfection in parenting & partnership
Co-regulation and community as antidotes to isolation

Key topics & keywords psychotherapy, marriage & family therapy, boundaries, co-regulation, polyvagal ladder, ventral vagal, PTSD triggers, holidays & family, attachment styles, rupture and repair, capacity vs desire, love languages critique, parenting 0–7, nervous system regulation, relationship communication

Building a Brand With Your Partner: Molly Shaheen & Huw Collins on Love, Pivots & Retail Growth Oct 07, 2025

Show notes

Nina sits down with Molly Shaheen and Huw Collins to unpack how they scaled Maison Wheat from a single boutique into a lifestyle brand—while staying married and mostly sane. They dig into the "walk away vs. walk through it" decision filter, the realities of brick-and-mortar in 2025 (location, terms, team, and story), why saying yes accelerates growth, and how to set boundaries when you live, travel, and build together.

Topics: partner dynamics, pivots, creative control, hospitality retail, date nights, and leading a team when you disagree.

Chapters:

00:00 Intro + LA launch high 01:15 Meet Molly & Huw (Maison Wheat origin) 03:15 Icebreaker: Walk Away or Walk Through It 04:04 Prime retail opportunity—take it or pass? 05:34 Collabs vs. creative control 06:45 Vacation vs. "dream" opportunity 07:51 When your work misses—iterate or quit? 09:30 Working with your spouse (complementary strengths) 12:08 Biggest surprise after opening store #1 19:27 Keys to rapid growth in hospitality retail 23:22 Boundaries & intention in marriage + business 28:10 Making time: date nights, stop times, travel 31:13 Seasons of hustle (family support & presence) 32:05 Goal-setting, discipline, and different gears 36:25 Knowing when to pivot (instinct vs. forcing) 40:39 Disagreeing in front of the team (and fixing it) 42:18 Brick-and-mortar advice (location, terms, story, team) 45:02 Should you go into business with your partner? 50:19 Do Tell: Couples Edition game 53:06 Wrap

Links: Maison Wheat - https://maisonwheat.com/

Watch the full video on YouTube - https://youtu.be/NV8E6Vm815M

Boundaries vs. Rules, Community, and "Burn the Cape" w/ Dr. Raquel Martin Sep 23, 2025

Show notes

On this episode of Do Tell, Nina sits down with Dr. Raquel Martin to unpack the difference between boundaries vs. rules, why "ignoring my 'no' is aggression", and how to rebuild community without cutting everyone off.

They also talk parenting (respect > control), friendship "bat signals," and Dr. Raquel's Burn the Cape movement creating mental-health spaces for Black women. If you're navigating conflict, consent, or capacity in relationships, this one's for you.

👤 Guest: Dr. Raquel Martin — Licensed psychologist & founder of Burn the Cape, building practical tools and community for Black mental health.

🎯 You'll learn:

A simple test for boundaries vs. rules (and why most people confuse them).
Why "no" doesn't mean "convince me" (consent at home, work, and online).
How to downgrade a one-sided friendship without burning bridges.
Practical ways to build community as a mental-health resource.
Parenting reframe: respect builds relationships; obedience builds resentment.

Conflict That Connects: Nina Westbrook's Playbook for Stronger Relationships Sep 03, 2025

Show notes

Conflict doesn't have to be scary—or destructive. In this solo episode, licensed marriage & family therapist, Nina Westbrook shares a practical, therapist-backed playbook to turn conflict into connection across romantic partnerships, parenting, family, and work. You'll learn why conflict often triggers fight/flight, how your family history shapes your responses, when to let things go vs. stand your ground, and a simple 3-step framework to repair and move forward—without resentment.

What you'll learn

The hidden upside of conflict (why reps build resilience & trust)

How to "serve the relationship," not your ego

Timing, tone, and language that lower defenses ("I feel…"> "You always…")

Active listening made easy (reflect, validate, then respond)

A clear litmus test for what to address vs. what to release

Nina's 3-Step Conflict Playbook

1. Get grounded before you go in (self-awareness regulates the room)
2. Communicate to connect, not to win (seek to understand first)
3. Repair & move forward (what you do after the talk matters most)

Resources & links

- Nina's emotional wellness app Nebbi: available in the App Store.
- Contact the show: DoTellPodcast@gmail.com or Follow on @benexnina

Building Purpose‑Driven Tech with Sharndre Kushor: The Story Behind the Nebbi App Aug 26, 2025

Show notes

Entrepreneur + investor Sharndre Kushor (Crimson Education co‑founder; NZ unicorn) joins Nina Westbrook on the Do Tell Relationship Podcast to talk about building purpose‑driven tech, co‑creating the Nebbi emotional wellness app, and leading with clarity, courage, and compassion.

We get into founder decision-making, values‑aligned investing, designing simple tools that actually help, and why privacy and safety matter in mental health tech.

You'll hear:

⚪️ How Sharndre's upbringing during post‑apartheid South Africa shaped her lens on equity, access, and impact

⚪️ The whirlwind story behind partnering with Nina to build Nebbi

⚪️ Simple, daily practices for emotional self‑efficacy (checking in, naming feelings, and taking small actions)

⚪️ Why Nebbi is not built to keep you on your phone—and what real success looks like for wellness apps

⚪️ A pragmatic approach to copycats, misaligned investors, and holding your vision through scale

⚪️ Concrete steps Nebbi takes to protect user data and earn trustIf you're launching something new, navigating fast growth, or trying to stay grounded while you build—this one's for you.

Download Nebbi on iOS & Android: open your app store and search "Nebbi – Emotional Wellness"

Subscribe: @DoTellRelationshipPodcast

Follow Nina: @DoTellPodcast @ninawestbrook & @benexnina

Russell & Nina Westbrook on Modern Love, Boundaries & Resetting Your Relationship Aug 12, 2025

Show notes

Ever wondered how an NBA superstar and a licensed marriage & family therapist keep their relationship thriving amidst crazy schedules, three kids, and constant travel? In this candid sit-down, Russell Westbrook and Nina Westbrook peel back the curtain on:

Why open communication and vulnerability are the real MVPs in dating and marriage

The difference between providing for your family and actually connecting with them

Setting boundaries with flaky friends, toddler meltdowns, and spoiler-happy partnersHow childhood examples shape our adult relationships—and what to do if you didn't have one

Practical "reset" rituals that keep you sane

Whether you're single and swiping, newly engaged, or ten years deep like the Westbrooks, you'll leave with actionable tips for nurturing a partnership that wins on and off the court.

Like, comment, and subscribe for more real-talk on relationships, mental health, and personal growth.

🔔 Hit the bell so you never miss an episode!Social & Resources

Follow Nina: @ninawestbrook

Follow Russell: @russwest44

Podcast IG: @dotellpodcast

Romance Novels That Are Making Women Rethink Their Relationships Jul 29, 2025

Show notes

Discover how bestselling author Kennedy Ryan is transforming lives through the power of romance fiction. In this raw and inspiring interview, Kennedy opens up about how her newest book Can't Get Enough has inspired real-life breakups, radical self-love, and relationship revelations.

Women everywhere are re-evaluating their standards and walking away from emotionally unavailable partners. Why? Because Kennedy's novels go beyond fantasy, they reflect what women truly deserve in love and life.

✨ In this conversation, we dive into:

How Kennedy's books sparked a wave of breakups

The truth about emotional evolution in men (and why it matters)

Why "dating yourself" is essential before dating anyone else

Her thoughts on boundaries, reconnection, and friendship dynamics

The non-negotiable standards women should stop apologizing for

Drop a comment:

What's a moment - book, movie, or convo; that made you realize you were settling?

🔗 Kennedy Ryan's latest novel, Can't Get Enough — Available now wherever books and audiobooks are sold! 🎧 Available on Audible, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and more.

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