Thriving Outside the Box

What if the parts of yourself you've been hiding are actually your greatest gifts? In this episode of Thriving Outside the Box, Dr. Kim sits down with psychotherapist and author Melanie Ryan, LCSW — founder of The Golden Shadow Method — for a rich conversation about fearlessness, authenticity, and the parts of ourselves we've learned to conceal. Drawing on 30 years of clinical experience and the ancient wisdom traditions that underpin her work, Melanie offers a deeply humanizing framework for understanding the "golden shadow" — not as something to fear, but as the source of our truest potential. If you've ever felt like you we...

Welcome back to Thriving Outside the Box — Season 2 is here.

This season, we're going a little deeper. I've lined up conversations with people who are living proof that your path doesn't have to look like anyone else's. I'll also be drawing on 20+ years of helping people get honest about their path — the one they're on, and the one their heart is calling them toward — whether those are the same road or something entirely different.

In this opener, I set the intention for Season 2 — and invite you into what we might discover together along the way.

G...

In this season finale, I want to thank everyone who has been part of this journey. I'll share the origin story behind the podcast, reflect on where we've been, and offer some final tips to help you continue designing the life you deserve. 

Season 2 drops in early 2026—see you then!

Credits

Host: Dr. Kimberly Grocher PhD, MA, LCSW, ACC, RYT

Music: Gregory Brooks, Jr.

Sound Engineer: Hitz Muzic Group, LLC

Christian Brown is the founder and CEO of Blimish, a global wellness company using emerging technologies and psychologist-informed design to prevent burnout and support workplace mental wellness. After publishing his first book at age 20 and traveling to over 30 countries, Christian has spent the last three years building Blimish in France. His work bridges creativity, technology, and human connection, with a focus on helping humans flourish from the inside out. He is a storyteller at heart, with a purpose of helping others find happiness in their struggle and peace in their process of healing. 

Christian enlightens us with h...

Dr. Stephanie Chambers is a holistic nurse practitioner with a private practice in Mount Vernon, New York. With over 20 years of dedicated service in the healthcare industry, Dr. Chambers specializes in multi-dimensional wellness approaches to primary healthcare, treating the whole person rather than just symptoms. Combining evidenced-based medicine with holistic principles, she creates a unique practice environment where patients feel supported in their journey toward complete wellness.

Join Dr. Kim for an inspiring conversation with Dr. Stephanie Chambers as Dr. Chambers shares how faith, courage, and the relentless pursuit of passion can transform both personal wellness and...

Dr. Bosco-Ruggiero is a social scientist, adjunct professor, and founder of Oasis Consulting. She holds a PhD in Social Work from Fordham University, an M.A. in Public Policy from the University of Delaware, and a B.A. in Political Science from Vassar College. Her main research interests include social policy, child welfare, mental health, and spiritually transformative experiences.

Stephanie discusses:

The current challenges facing academia today

How to start your own research consulting company

Strategies for working smarter, not harder

Connect with Dr. Stephanie Bosco-Ruggiero:

https...

Results-driven CEO, visionary scholar, and social entrepreneur, Dr. Felecia Pullen, combines 30 years of corporate acumen with cutting-edge nonprofit leadership to transform systems of care for under-resourced communities. As the Founder and CEO of Let's Talk SAFETY, Inc., she has built New York State's highest-performing Recovery Community & Outreach Center, serving nearly 20,000 New Yorkers through culturally responsive, evidence-informed, and equity-centered programming.

In this episode, Felecia opens up about:

The unexpected journey that helped her find her calling

How she turned her darkest moments-battling addiction  and depression-into her greatest strengths

Why she's passionate about l...

There's a lot of chatter about retreats in wellness, corporate, and entrepreneurial spaces, but retreating isn't one size fits all and if you've never been on a retreat, you may be skeptical about a retreat being worth the investment of your time, money, and energy. And if you have been on retreats, maybe you're considering what your next one should be. The right retreat at the right time can definitely be a game changer (and in many cases, a lifechanger)  as you're designing your path, but how do you know what's "right"?

In this solo episode, I b...

Michelle P. Maidenberg, Ph.D., MPH, LCSW-R maintains a private practice in Harrison, NY. She is also the Co-Founder and Clinical Director of "Thru My Eyes", a nonprofit 501c3 organization that offers free clinically-guided videotaping to chronically medically ill individuals who want to leave video legacies for their children and loved ones. 

Michelle is adjunct faculty at New York University (NYU) teaching a graduate course in Mindfulness Practice. She is a member of the American Red Cross Crisis Team. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Westchester Trauma Network (WTN) in Westchester NY.

M...

Betsy Kase, E-RYT-500, is a yoga therapist, yoga teacher, and the founder and co-owner of Yoga Haven in Westchester County,NY.  With over 30 years of teaching experience she has witnessed yoga's profound ability to reduce a student's pain, on all levels - physical, psychological, and spiritual- helping people transform from the inside toward a more peaceful, balanced, and healthy life. She is devoted to providing mentorship and educational opportunities for new yoga teachers. She brings this to life through Yoga Haven's annual 200 hour teacher training program and the studio's mission to provide inclusive programming related to improving women's health a...

Coach Rich is full professor emeritus of social work at the University of Washington, Tacoma. 30 years as a clinical social worker, organizational leader, therapist, coach and scholar.

Author of 20 books and over 120 peer-reviewed articles, and recognized as one of the international leaders in expressive, arts-based qualitative methodologies. He will help you become the scholar you wish to be, or leave it all and open a margarita bar on a beach in Bali--whatever your heart desires.

In Rich, you have someone with the skills and temperament to help you do either! Rich loves salsa dancing, playing...

Welcome to the first solo episode of TOTB with yours truly, Dr. Kimberly Grocher, a licensed psychotherapist, executive coach, and yoga/meditation teacher! 

It's time to turn the focus on you and consider how your relationhip with yourself is helping (or getting in the way) as you create your own path and move closer to your vision. And yes,  while self care is a whole movement these days, we're going beyond self care in this episode:

Elle McPherson is an ICF-certified coach, Certified Erotic Blueprint Coach™, yoga teacher, and Accelerated Evolution Trainer who helps individuals and couples reclaim pleasure, embodiment, and emotional clarity as tools for growth.

After over a decade in international nonprofit leadership, Elle charted her own path — blending personal development, conscious sexuality, and nervous system-informed coaching into a unique practice that supports clients in creating lives aligned with their truth.

Based in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where she lives with her Argentine husband, Elle works with expats, digital nomads, and curious seekers around the world who are ready to brea...

F. Diane Barth, LCSW, is a psychotherapist and psychoanalyst in private practice in New York City and Massachusetts. She has a master's degree from Columbia University School of Social Work and analytic certification from the Psychoanalytic Institute of the Postgraduate Center. She has been on the faculty and supervisory staff and a training analyst at Postgraduate, NIP and ICP in NYC. Currently she teaches private study groups and often runs workshops around the country. Ms. Barth's articles have been published in the Clinical Social Work Journal, Psychoanalytic Dialogues, Psychoanalytic Psychology, and other professional journals, and as chapters in a...

Bridgette Simmonds is a transformational speaker, coach, and founder of Bridgette Simmonds International, where she helps high-achievers ditch limiting belief systems and reinvent themselves for success that actually feels good. Known as the Queen of Belief, Bridgette guides leaders and go-getters to prioritize wellness, mindset, and personal empowerment as the foundation for sustainable achievement. After leaving a successful corporate career, she now helps others break free from the box of hustle culture and step into alignment, fulfillment, and freedom. Bridgette is passionate about helping driven individuals redefine success on their own terms—starting from the inside out.

To...

Meg Winnecour is a mom and partner, an artist, writer, and the founding director and CLO (Chief Love Officer) of Cloud Collective Residency, a creative residency in Asheville, NC. She's a long-time art teacher to kids, teens and adults and believes in the healing (both personal and world) power of making things.

In this episode, Dr. Kim & Meg dive into Meg's journey and courage to live outside the norm and along the way discuss:

Alex Davis is a Certified Public Accountant, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Professional, Licensed Life, Health, & Annuity Agent, and Amazon Best Selling author, but above all, she identifies as a legacy builder. After a decade of serving high-net-worth individuals and small business owners in public accounting, she faced burnout, missed valuable family time, and felt she was not fulfilling her purpose. This realization led her to leave a secure six-figure financially rewarding but soul-draining career. 

She established AGA Tax and Consulting Services LLC, a boutique firm specializing in tax and financial coaching for entrepreneurs. The firm's mission is to ass...

Join Dr. Kim and featured guest, Angela McCullough, CEO, CPC, for inspiration about getting beyond stereotypes and creating a path that aligns with your professional strengths and personal values. Angela McCullough, a federal senior executive with over three decades of service, has held several c-suite equivalent positions where she spearheaded organizational restructuring and program optimization in those roles. This Air Force veteran turned public servant is also an accomplished executive coach, keynote speaker and author of  "Beyond Gender and Ethnic Stereotypes: How Women of Color Redefine Public Sector Leadership." Armed with a Master of Science in Administration, Angela is d...

Learn more about Thriving Outside The Box (TOTB) podcast and host, Dr. Kimberly Grocher, a psychotherapist, executive coach, and yoga/meditation teacher. 

Credits

Host: Dr. Kimberly Grocher PhD, MA, LCSW, ACC, RYT

Music: Gregory Brooks, Jr.

Audio Engineer:  Hitz Muzic Group, LLC