Being seen, just as you are with Natalie Koussa

Podcast

Sep 26

In this episode of the Sidewalk Talk podcast, Traci is in conversation with Natalie Koussa, a trauma-sensitive visibility coach and podcast guesting strategist who supports high-integrity entrepreneurs to bring their work into the world in a bigger way.

Traci and Natalie explore how Leadership Designs (a trauma-aware way of understanding how you move through the world, show up, create and lead from your core) can support us to understand our core needs, and the vulnerabilities of letting ourselves be seen, just as we are.

This episode will be a balm for you if you’re feeling the call to show up in your life in a bigger, more true-to-you way. Listen in, and let yourself come home to yourself.

Episode Timeline

[00:09] Intro
[00:57] Meet Natalie
[3:43] What it means to be seen, just as you are
[5:53] The role of relationships in helping us fully step into what we’re here for
[10:00] The experience of living in a country that’s not your own
[11:22] Natalie’s decision to leave her non-profit career
[13:58] The impact of the sudden loss of a colleague
[19:10] The impact of trauma on how able we are to let ourselves be seen
[26:40] The Leadership Designs as a way of understanding your core needs
[29:30] Traci sharing her experience as a Visionary (her Leadership Design profile)
[31:21] The characteristics of a Visionary
[34:35] How can you invite in validation? (The Visionary’s core need)
[35:29] Experiences of the Sidewalk Talk volunteers
[37:19] The Nurturer Leadership Design profile
[38:55] Understanding what we have to offer, just as we are
[44:29] Closing
[45:45] Outro

Resources Mentioned

The Leadership Designs Assessment

Standout Quotes

“I want people to be seen just as they are, and I want them to feel safe in doing so.” (Natalie)
“My intention is always that the people that I touch through my work feel closer to themselves than they did before.” (Natalie)
“This is kind of a constant, coming home to ourselves and learning ourselves and being with ourselves, including the bits of ourselves that we really don't want to be with.” (Natalie)
“I think good relationships, wholesome relationships are about holding each other in our wholeness.” (Natalie)
“(It’s) about supporting people to reconnect with themselves in such a way that they're able to connect with others.” (Natalie)
“I think what I'm pissed off about is that even in the personal growth space, there is this mold of the ideal person, and there's also this mold of the ideal growth person. And this idea that growing happens in this one particular way.” (Traci)
“I think it's about really intentionally understanding what it is that we do offer when we are ourselves. So not trying to become a louder version or a shinier version, but what do we offer just as we are?” (Natalie)
“I love people and I love people's complexity.” (Traci)