The Language Alchemy Podcast

172. Q&A - Staying Grounded When Your Partner’s Emotions Trigger Your Own

What do you do when someone you love is overwhelmed and their emotions start to overwhelm you? Alejandra Siroka takes on a familiar dynamic: one partner is in distress, and the other feels pulled into that emotional current, unsure how to stay present without getting swept away. It starts with a question from a listener named Sekani, who describes getting anxious when his girlfriend feels anxious about politics. He wants to show up with care and compassion, but instead, he ends up in reactive mode.
 
Alejandra offers a clear explanation for what’s happening here. It’s called emotional entanglement, and it’s incredibly common. Our brains are wired to connect to one another, so when someone close to us is hurting, our system often jumps in automatically. But could there be a way to stay close without taking it all on?
 
Through this episode, Alejandra shares five tools to help you pause, reconnect with your intention, and stay grounded when emotions run high. She also offers a distinction between having a role and holding an intention, one that can shift the tone of your relationships in a meaningful way.
 
How do you know when it’s the right time to share your own experience? What helps you avoid rushing to fix things that aren’t yours to solve? And how do cultural differences shape the way we express and interpret bog feelings? If you’ve ever found yourself in a moment where love and overwhelm are tangled together, Alejandra will give you language and presence to navigate it with more clarity.
 
Quotes
“This is where transformation happens. When you notice yourself getting activated by your partner’s emotions, that’s your cue to pause and acknowledge your trigger.” (09:32 | Alejandra Siroka)
“Oftentimes, when people are going through these big feelings, they need our presence more than our suggestions or solutions. They need our witnessing more than our fixing. And they need our connection more than our actions.” (11:19 | Alejandra Siroka)
“Intention comes from within. It is an inner invitation to stretch yourself and tap into your motivation and capacity.” (13:41 | Alejandra Siroka)
“You could say to yourself, ‘your storm is not my storm. I am a lighthouse.’ This beautiful metaphor reminds you to stay steady while the other person is going through various emotions” (17:21 | Alejandra Siroka)
“Sometimes, despite our best intentions and our best choice of tools, conversations don’t devolve into fights. This is a possibility. But this doesn’t mean that you have failed. No, it just means you are human.” (23:53 | Alejandra Siroka)
 
Links
Episode 137. Saying Sorry Is Not Enough: How To Have A Repair Conversation
https://www.languagealchemy.com/podcasts/language-alchemy-podcast/episodes/2148560398
To leave a review on Apple Podcasts, click: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-language-alchemy-podcast/id1576461366
To leave a review on Spotify, click: https://open.spotify.com/show/5yTj9hSotq8EAjPCYg2jYw?si=aQNuoStRQomTNUKHGSD56A&nd=1&dlsi=064dcb42ba8d4706
To work with Alejandra, visit: www.languagealchemy.com/workwithme
To join the Language Alchemy mailing list, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com
To ask questions you'd like Alejandra to answer in the podcast, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/podcastquestion
To find out about 1:1 transformative communication coaching with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/oneonone
To find out about couple transformative communication coaching with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/couples
To schedule a reduced-rate coaching consultation with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/newclient
To follow Alejandra on instagram follow @languagealchemy
Podcast Music composed by Gary Lapow: open.spotify.com/artist/1HlMhcNfKIELxYil5mVqD
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

171. Beyond Time-Outs: Parenting Age-Appropriate Communication Tools for Children’s Aggressive Behaviors

Aggression in kids can be startling. It often signals that they are holding more fear, hurt, or disconnection than they know how to manage.
 
In this episode, Alejandra Siroka sits down with parenting coach and educator Caroline Griswold to talk about the deeper story behind children’s “aggressive” behavior. What looks like defiance or disruption is often a child’s way of expressing fear, overwhelm, or disconnection they don’t yet have words for. So how should parents respond when children engage in “aggressive” behavior? Or when a child screams, throws something, or lashes out in public?
 
Caroline shares how our own fear as parents can quickly lead us to react with sternness or even aggression, which only makes things worse. Instead, she offers grounded strategies like asking “What happened?” instead of “Why did you do that?” These questions help children feel safe enough to open up. She also shares simple practices that build connection, from five minutes of undivided attention in the morning to physical play that helps release emotional tension.
 
Alejandra and Caroline’s conversation is full of gentle reminders and tools for anyone raising or working with kids consciously. If you’ve ever worried that your child’s behavior means something is wrong with them, or with you, you’re not alone. And you’re not without options.
 
Quotes
“Our children are born good, intrinsically good, deeply good on an essential level. Our kids do not want to be aggressive. As much as it may seem that way… at our baseline level, we’re born to connect.” (09:53 | Caroline Griswold)
“A child who is aggressive is a child who is feeling fear, who’s feeling scared.” (11:29 | Caroline Griswold)
“One way to think about it is they’re doing the best that they can with the brain development that they have and with the weight of the feeling that’s on them.” (14:50 | Caroline Griswold)
“If a child gets to the point of being aggressive and then we come toward them with more aggression, it adds to the hurt. It adds to the fear and often adds to the confusion.” (18:26 | Caroline Griswold)
“Our children, if we can send them off, if they spend the day without us, even if they don’t, with a little more in the tank, doesn’t solve every problem, but it’s a great start for helping our kids feel us when we’re not with them.” (39:42 | Caroline Griswold)
 
Links
Fertile Ground Parenting: https://www.fertilegroundparenting.com/
The Perfectly Imperfect Family: Real Solutions for Mindful Parents Navigating Today's Biggest Challenges: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F6VJ5BHJ
Roughhousing guide: https://learn.fertilegroundparenting.com/wrestle
 
To leave a review on Apple Podcasts, click: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-language-alchemy-podcast/id1576461366
To leave a review on Spotify, click: https://open.spotify.com/show/5yTj9hSotq8EAjPCYg2jYw?si=aQNuoStRQomTNUKHGSD56A&nd=1&dlsi=064dcb42ba8d4706
To work with Alejandra, visit: www.languagealchemy.com/workwithme
To join the Language Alchemy mailing list, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com
To ask questions you'd like Alejandra to answer in the podcast, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/podcastquestion
To find out about 1:1 transformative communication coaching with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/oneonone
To find out about couple transformative communication coaching with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/couples
To schedule a reduced-rate coaching consultation with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/newclient
To follow Alejandra on instagram follow @languagealchemy
Podcast Music composed by Gary Lapow: open.spotify.com/artist/1HlMhcNfKIELxYil5mVqD
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

170. Developing Assertive Communication: 4 Tools to Express Yourself Without Aggression

Assertive and aggressive communication can feel surprisingly similar, so how do you know which one you’re using, and how it’s affecting the people around you? 
 
In this episode, Alejandra Siroka explains the real difference between the two, especially for those who’ve been told they’re “too much” when they were simply being clear. She talks about how gender, culture, and power shape the way assertiveness is perceived, and how easy it is to second-guess yourself when those old labels echo in your head.
 
You’ll hear a relatable example from home life that brings these concepts to life. What does it sound like to set a boundary without disconnecting from the people you love? How do you speak your truth without steamrolling someone else’s?
 
Alejandra offers tools you can start using today, from grounding your tone to making specific, respectful requests. She reminds us that when you lead with intention and stay rooted in empathy, your voice doesn’t have to come at the cost of someone else’s.
 
Quotes
“It’s common that females and people who identify as females and people of color and those who are seen as outsiders of the dominant culture are accused of being aggressive when in reality they are communicating assertively.” (03:43 | Alejandra Siroka)
“When you say something assertively, you are centered on your values. You have clarity about your needs. You are open to understand the needs of others. And you are willing to respect everyone’s needs as equally important.” (04:50 | Alejandra Siroka)
“When you speak assertively, you enjoy valuable side effects, such as less anxiety, fewer experiences of helplessness, and the confidence needed for healthy self-esteem.” (06:10 | Alejandra Siroka)
“Aggressive communication comes from fear and it leads to unhealthy power dynamics.” (09:09 | Alejandra Siroka)
“Both assertiveness and aggressiveness come from the same source, the belly center of intelligence. But there is an important internal difference, and that has to do with intention.” (11:34 | Alejandra Siroka)
 
Links
To leave a review on Apple Podcasts, click: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-language-alchemy-podcast/id1576461366
To leave a review on Spotify, click: https://open.spotify.com/show/5yTj9hSotq8EAjPCYg2jYw?si=aQNuoStRQomTNUKHGSD56A&nd=1&dlsi=064dcb42ba8d4706
To work with Alejandra, visit: www.languagealchemy.com/workwithme
To join the Language Alchemy mailing list, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com
To ask questions you'd like Alejandra to answer in the podcast, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/podcastquestion
To find out about 1:1 transformative communication coaching with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/oneonone
To find out about couple transformative communication coaching with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/couples
To schedule a reduced-rate coaching consultation with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/newclient
To follow Alejandra on instagram follow @languagealchemy
Podcast Music composed by Gary Lapow: open.spotify.com/artist/1HlMhcNfKIELxYil5mVqD
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

169. How Non-aggressive Is Your Communication? Part 3

Some of the most hurtful communication habits are the ones we’ve been taught to see as normal.
 
In this episode, Alejandra Siroka offers a reflection on four aggressive patterns that often show up in everyday conversations: stonewalling, gaslighting, passive aggression, and name-calling. These aren’t always loud or obvious. Sometimes they sound like silence. Sometimes they come wrapped in sarcasm, or disguised as concern.
 
How do we create safety in our relationships when we’re feeling overwhelmed or misunderstood? What does it take to speak honestly without causing harm?
 
With clarity and compassion, Alejandra shares ways to shift these habits and communicate with more presence, honesty, and care. She reminds us that it’s not about getting it right every time. It’s about noticing what’s happening and choosing to show up differently, one conversation at a time.
 
Quotes
“Stonewalling generates emotional abandonment. When someone stonewalls, they’re essentially saying your feelings and your needs do not matter enough for me to stay engaged.” (05:14 | Alejandra Siroka)
“By acknowledging that different people can experience the same situation differently without anyone being wrong, we create the space for multiple truths rather than imposing our own version of reality on others.” (10:44 | Alejandra Siroka)
“Passive aggression creates confusion and mistrust because it sends mixed messages. You are expressing anger while you are denying you’re angry, making it impossible for others to respond appropriately.” (13:28 | Alejandra Siroka)
“Direct communication is your remedy. Direct communication doesn’t mean being harsh. It means being clear and kind simultaneously and giving others the information they need to understand you and respond to you.” (15:54 | Alejandra Siroka)
“When we call another person a name, we’re dehumanizing them. And we stop seeing them as the precious human being with needs and feelings and positive qualities that they truly are.” (18:19 | Alejandra Siroka)
 
Links
Episode 34. Conscious Defending from Gaslighting https://www.languagealchemy.com/podcasts/language-alchemy-podcast/episodes/2147696153 
Choosing True Connection Online Course: https://www.languagealchemy.com/enroll
 
To leave a review on Apple Podcasts, click: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-language-alchemy-podcast/id1576461366
To leave a review on Spotify, click: https://open.spotify.com/show/5yTj9hSotq8EAjPCYg2jYw?si=aQNuoStRQomTNUKHGSD56A&nd=1&dlsi=064dcb42ba8d4706
To work with Alejandra, visit: www.languagealchemy.com/workwithme
To join the Language Alchemy mailing list, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com
To ask questions you'd like Alejandra to answer in the podcast, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/podcastquestion
To find out about 1:1 transformative communication coaching with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/oneonone
To find out about couple transformative communication coaching with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/couples
To schedule a reduced-rate coaching consultation with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/newclient
To follow Alejandra on instagram follow @languagealchemy
Podcast Music composed by Gary Lapow: open.spotify.com/artist/1HlMhcNfKIELxYil5mVqD
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

168. How Non-aggressive Is Your Communication? Part 2

Most of us don’t mean to hurt the people we care about. So why do certain conversations leave others feeling unseen, dismissed, or blamed?
 
In this episode, Alejandra Siroka continues her series on aggressive communication by shining a light on four patterns that often go unnoticed: dismissing, derogatory criticism, blame shifting, and bringing up the past. These habits show up in everyday moments, during a disagreement with a partner, a comment at work, or a response to a child’s frustration, and they quietly chip away at connection.
 
Alejandra shares examples that make these habits easy to recognize, even if you didn’t realize you were using them. She offers a thoughtful shift: acknowledging someone’s experience without needing to agree with it. From there, she walks through what it looks like to express hurt without attacking, to take responsibility without spiraling into shame, and to stay present rather than reaching for old grievances as ammunition.
 
What would change if your hardest conversations felt safer? If you’ve ever walked away from a conversation wondering what just went wrong, this episode will help you understand why and give you tools to start communicating in a way that creates more trust, not less.
 
Quotes
“Dismissing is an aggressive habit that creates distance rather than understanding.” (05:56 | Alejandra Siroka)
“Acknowledgement is not the same as agreement. When you acknowledge, you communicate to the other person that their experience is so. It is their experience.” (06:54 | Alejandra Siroka)
“If you don’t know how to express your internal experience and share it with others, resentment will build and it will come out later as derogatory criticism.” (11:17 | Alejandra Siroka)
“The conscious alternative is to take ownership of your mistakes, your interpretations, your projections, etc.” (14:19 | Alejandra Siroka)
“In 99% of cases, there is no need to bring up the past, especially if you are doing it to hurt or to elicit guilt or to make someone wrong, which by the way, is violent communication.” (18:26 | Alejandra Siroka)
 
Links
To leave a review on Apple Podcasts, click: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-language-alchemy-podcast/id1576461366
To leave a review on Spotify, click: https://open.spotify.com/show/5yTj9hSotq8EAjPCYg2jYw?si=aQNuoStRQomTNUKHGSD56A&nd=1&dlsi=064dcb42ba8d4706
To work with Alejandra, visit: www.languagealchemy.com/workwithme
To join the Language Alchemy mailing list, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com
To ask questions you'd like Alejandra to answer in the podcast, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/podcastquestion
To find out about 1:1 transformative communication coaching with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/oneonone
To find out about couple transformative communication coaching with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/couples
To schedule a reduced-rate coaching consultation with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/newclient
To follow Alejandra on instagram follow @languagealchemy
Podcast Music composed by Gary Lapow: open.spotify.com/artist/1HlMhcNfKIELxYil5mVqD
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

167. How Non-aggressive Is Your Communication? Part 1

Most of us say we want peace in our relationships. So why do we still use words that create tension, distance, or even hurt?
 
In this episode, Alejandra Siroka invites us to take a closer look at the everyday language we use and how some of it may be doing more harm than we realize. Without meaning to, we may be speaking in ways that shut others down, leads them to feel small, or quietly chip away at trust. Where do those habits come from? And how can we shift toward language that helps people feel safe, respected, and valued?
 
Alejandra shares four common communication habits that many of us have picked up: interrupting, correcting to be right, shaming, and using body language that overpowers. With clarity and care, she explains why each one matters and offers simple, grounded ways to replace them with more thoughtful patterns.
 
This isn’t about being perfect. It’s about noticing what’s happening in the space between you and the people you care about and choosing to show up differently. If you long for more connection, ease, and peace in your relationships, this episode is a powerful place to begin.
 
Quotes
“The condition of our relationships depends directly on our communication. The ways we speak to each other, listen to each other, and understand or misunderstand each other shape what’s present or absent in our relationships.” (06:16 | Alejandra Siroka)
“If we want other people to feel safe with us, we need to be aware of talking over them or interrupting them. And we need to learn to let them say whatever they want to say, even if what they do say is what we thought they were going to say, and even if we don’t like what they’re saying.” (11:53 | Alejandra Siroka)
“Correcting to be right is not just a disconnecting communication pattern, it is an aggressive one because it shows contempt and criticism for the other person.” (15:28 | Alejandra Siroka)
“Shaming is about saying something that attacks the other person’s identity, character, role in the family or in the group, or their cultural background. And this often leads to the recipient of shame feeling badly about themselves, about who they are, and about their self-worth.” (19:45 | Alejandra Siroka)
“Wouldn’t you want the people in your relationships to feel good about themselves, to feel confident, to feel that they have worth?” (21:56 | Alejandra Siroka)
 
Links
To leave a review on Apple Podcasts, click: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-language-alchemy-podcast/id1576461366
To leave a review on Spotify, click: https://open.spotify.com/show/5yTj9hSotq8EAjPCYg2jYw?si=aQNuoStRQomTNUKHGSD56A&nd=1&dlsi=064dcb42ba8d4706
To work with Alejandra, visit: www.languagealchemy.com/workwithme
To join the Language Alchemy mailing list, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com
To ask questions you'd like Alejandra to answer in the podcast, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/podcastquestion
To find out about 1:1 transformative communication coaching with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/oneonone
To find out about couple transformative communication coaching with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/couples
To schedule a reduced-rate coaching consultation with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/newclient
To follow Alejandra on instagram follow @languagealchemy
Podcast Music composed by Gary Lapow: open.spotify.com/artist/1HlMhcNfKIELxYil5mVqD
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

166. From Silence to Bravery: Rowena Chiu’s Harvey Weinstein Sexual Assault Story

Rowena Chiu spent 20 years unable to speak about her sexual assault after signing an NDA. Now, she’s using her voice to challenge power and change how we talk about trauma, truth, and legacy.
 
Joining Alejandra Siroka in this episode, Rowena reflects on the cultural silence she grew up with as the daughter of Chinese immigrants, and how emotional scarcity and obedience shaped her response to assault. As a former assistant to Harvey Weinstein, she was coerced into signing a non-disclosure agreement that kept her silent for two decades. That silence was compounded by a culture that didn’t talk about sex, power, or emotional needs.
 
Together, Rowena and Alejandra examine what it means to leave a communication legacy for our children—one that makes space for difficult conversations about mental health, sexual assault, and personal boundaries. Rowena speaks openly about how she reclaimed her voice, why advocacy became part of her healing, and how power dynamics show up in everyday life.
 
This episode is a reminder that silence isn’t always chosen, and that breaking it can be an act of justice, healing, and love.
 
Quotes
“Nobody in Asian culture talks about sex. We don’t talk about sex at all, let alone in the context of sexual assault.” (06:47 | Rowena Chiu)
“Power is not given to us as a right, each of us, even if you are the king of England, it is not given to you as a right to abuse.” (24:49 | Rowena Chiu)
“Any abuse of power, no matter how benign, in its own way is a violence.” (25:31 | Rowena Chiu)
“This is not just about telling a factual story of what happened to me as a young woman, but we’ve really been propelled into a social justice fight. The more you dig under the surface of this fight, the more fundamental and basic it is. It’s really about elevating those that cannot communicate.” (28:53 | Rowena Chiu)
“I think that one of the deeply important communication legacy is the ability to normalize difficult conversations.” (32:46 | Rowena Chiu)
 
Links
Find Rowena Chiu on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Rowena-Chiu-for-School-Board/61564076595785/?_rdr,
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chiu_rowena/?hl=en
 
To leave a review on Apple Podcasts, click: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-language-alchemy-podcast/id1576461366
To leave a review on Spotify, click: https://open.spotify.com/show/5yTj9hSotq8EAjPCYg2jYw?si=aQNuoStRQomTNUKHGSD56A&nd=1&dlsi=064dcb42ba8d4706
To work with Alejandra, visit: www.languagealchemy.com/workwithme
To join the Language Alchemy mailing list, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com
To ask questions you'd like Alejandra to answer in the podcast, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/podcastquestion
To find out about 1:1 transformative communication coaching with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/oneonone
To find out about couple transformative communication coaching with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/couples
To schedule a reduced-rate coaching consultation with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/newclient
To follow Alejandra on instagram follow @languagealchemy
Podcast Music composed by Gary Lapow: open.spotify.com/artist/1HlMhcNfKIELxYil5mVqD
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

165. Finding Your Voice After Childhood Sexual Abuse: A Survivor’s Journey Through the 4 Stages of Healing. Interview with Leila Reyes

Speaking up can feel impossible when shame has kept you silent for so long. But what if finding your voice was the key to healing?
 
Alejandra Siroka sits down with Leila Reyes, a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, to talk about the power of communication in the healing process. Leila shares her journey of confronting her past, reclaiming her voice, and choosing to speak out even when it felt terrifying.
 
How does shame take root in silence? Why do so many survivors of sexual abuse struggle to ask for help? Leila explains how unspoken trauma shapes self-worth and relationships, making it harder to seek support. She also offers a path forward, showing how speaking about painful experiences, whether in therapy, coaching, or personal reflection, can shift the way we see ourselves and the world.
 
Alejandra and Leila also talk about the differences between therapy and coaching, to understand which kind of support might be right when. Therapy focuses on processing past trauma, while coaching helps create a path toward personal growth. Knowing when and how to ask for help can open new doors to healing.
 
This episode is a reminder that healing doesn’t happen in isolation. Words have the power to free us, and finding the courage to speak, even in small ways, can be the first step toward breaking shame’s hold.
 
Quotes
“It’s not the abuse that’s causing the problem today. It’s your interpretation of the abuse. It’s the meaning that you make about the abuse.” (23:35 | Leila Reyes)
“If you want to have a different experience, then ask for support. And then you’ll also be the source of being supported.” (24:25 | Leila Reyes)
“And I’m going to tell you, to be living in a world where I know my inherent value, to be free of the beliefs and the thoughts that I had and the ways of showing up in the world, the ways of relating to people, it’s worth the journey.” (29:22 | Leila Reyes)
“We need to have compassion for the part of us that went through that experience and the choices that we made even throughout our lives without the awareness that we were living from that interpretation.” (33:41 | Leila Reyes)
“Shame lives in secrecy, shame lives inside of our bodies, then the way that we can get free of shame is to speak it out loud.” (34:54 | Leila Reyes)
 
Links
Connect with Leila Reyes:
https://leilareyes.com/
 
Freedom from Shame Book: https://www.amazon.com/Freedom-Shame-Trauma-Forgiveness-Healing/dp/1961347458?crid=2M8Y7ROPA2XAL&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.ZOT7xTbIuKBtna0cK6upPWjhuEp9HXCbhR_lTfEHgw15vHfZqpl9c2dRKMBUvbCQjn87R7QZ5a_Y58GcxkRhp0vaX80gyANUTdZflOjaO6ouzbdJT4Cdau1RYrisJFB8QSErM_n-PNnonTxvRLQrP0rrW8vEhrfJ-mwDWwsOhpcLSMReJWERVSfISH-2ppTREnXvu4QzINpkUZcHaOb8x204kYsADESSzj5ESlMArAQ.oEzj_yZ2iF08reScmR2r1aw3FHVUcno_QMKFwHn3OfA&dib_tag=se&keywords=leila+reyes+freedom&qid=1713215530&sprefix=,aps,142&sr=8-1&linkCode=sl1&tag=leilareyes0a-20&linkId=f619b77aeadf8c6be794b04919c99020&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl
To leave a review on Apple Podcasts, click: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-language-alchemy-podcast/id1576461366
To leave a review on Spotify, click: https://open.spotify.com/show/5yTj9hSotq8EAjPCYg2jYw?si=aQNuoStRQomTNUKHGSD56A&nd=1&dlsi=064dcb42ba8d4706
To work with Alejandra, visit: www.languagealchemy.com/workwithme
To join the Language Alchemy mailing list, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com
To ask questions you'd like Alejandra to answer in the podcast, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/podcastquestion
To find out about 1:1 transformative communication coaching with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/oneonone
To find out about couple transformative communication coaching with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/couples
To schedule a reduced-rate coaching consultation with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/newclient
To follow Alejandra on instagram follow @languagealchemy
Podcast Music composed by Gary Lapow: open.spotify.com/artist/1HlMhcNfKIELxYil5mVqD
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

164. Rekindling Self-Love in Uncertain Times: 6 Communication Practices for Emotional Resilience

Heartbreak with life is real, but the way back is through truth, presence, and radical love.
 
When the world feels heavy, how do we hold onto love for life, for ourselves, and for each other? Alejandra Siroka breaks it down with three simple but powerful ways to lean into love. Grounding in the present helps quiet fear. Practicing radical tenderness is an act of strength. Serving others restores a sense of purpose.
 
But what about the moments when love for life starts slipping away? Alejandra shares three practices to keep that connection alive. Expressing emotions in safe spaces prevents the weight of unspoken feelings. Building a gratitude practice shifts perspective. Finding true community creates real belonging. 
 
In this episode, Alejandra reminds us that even in difficult times, love isn’t something we have to wait for. It is something we choose every day.
 
Quotes
“We are collectively experiencing a heartbreak with life and reality. And as I see it, we stand at a crossroads. We can either succumb to these feelings, engaging in self-sabotaging behaviors and surrendering to depression, anxiety, and fear, or we can undertake the noble, albeit challenging, work of rekindling our love for life and our love for ourselves.” (02:45 | Alejandra Siroka)
“When we anchor ourselves in the now, we reclaim our power from imagined future fears or traumatic moments in the past.” (06:25 | Alejandra Siroka)
“This tenderness isn't a weakness. It takes tremendous courage because it is choosing love instead of feeding fear.” (09:08 | Alejandra Siroka)
“A lot can change if you allow yourself to speak what’s true. A lot can heal if you trust others with your vulnerability.” (12:11 | Alejandra Siroka)
“Your feelings deserve to be heard, to be witnessed. Your truth deserves to be spoken.” (12:34 | Alejandra Siroka)
 
Links
To leave a review on Apple Podcasts, click: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-language-alchemy-podcast/id1576461366
To leave a review on Spotify, click: https://open.spotify.com/show/5yTj9hSotq8EAjPCYg2jYw?si=aQNuoStRQomTNUKHGSD56A&nd=1&dlsi=064dcb42ba8d4706
To work with Alejandra, visit: www.languagealchemy.com/workwithme
To join the Language Alchemy mailing list, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com
To ask questions you'd like Alejandra to answer in the podcast, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/podcastquestion
To find out about 1:1 transformative communication coaching with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/oneonone
To find out about couple transformative communication coaching with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/couples
To schedule a reduced-rate coaching consultation with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/newclient
To follow Alejandra on Instagram follow @languagealchemy
Podcast Music composed by Gary Lapow: open.spotify.com/artist/1HlMhcNfKIELxYil5mVqD
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

163. Stop Rehashing Conversations in Your Head. Do this 6-step Practice Instead

The way we communicate isn’t just about what we say. It’s about the courage to ask how our words land and the impact they leave behind.
 
Alejandra Siroka explores the power of checking in on the impact of our words, not to seek validation, but to show care and build trust. She shares a personal story about a conversation with a friend, whose intentional follow-up turned a potentially difficult discussion into a moment of deeper understanding. Through this, Alejandra reveals how a willingness to ask, ‘How did my words land with you?’ can transform the way we communicate.
 
This episode introduces the “Impact Check-in Practice,” a six-step approach designed to help you create a safe space for honest dialogue, listen without defensiveness, and express genuine care. Alejandra breaks it down into practical steps you can apply in conversations with friends, colleagues, and even those who see the world differently.
 
Alejandra leaves listeners with a challenge: reach out to three people you’ve had meaningful conversations with and check in on how your words affected them. The goal isn’t to be perfect. It’s to open the door for real connection, growth, and understanding.
 
Quotes
“One of the most profound acts of love we can offer another person is to circle back with them and ask, ‘How did my words impact you?’” (01:39 | Alejandra Siroka)
“Checking in about our impact is a form of love, of communicating love out loud.” (02:14 | Alejandra Siroka)
“This practice isn’t about being perfect or about receiving validation. It’s about being present, about creating a deeper sense of connection and being committed to growing as a conscious human being.” (11:22 | Alejandra Siroka)
“Every time you check in about impact, you’re not just building stronger relationships. You are contributing to a more empathic and understanding world.” (15:57 | Alejandra Siroka)
 
Links
Impact Check In Free Reference Guide: LanguageAlchemy.com/impactcheckin
To leave a review on Apple Podcasts, click: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-language-alchemy-podcast/id1576461366
To leave a review on Spotify, click: https://open.spotify.com/show/5yTj9hSotq8EAjPCYg2jYw?si=aQNuoStRQomTNUKHGSD56A&nd=1&dlsi=064dcb42ba8d4706
To work with Alejandra, visit: www.languagealchemy.com/workwithme
To join the Language Alchemy mailing list, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com
To ask questions you'd like Alejandra to answer in the podcast, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/podcastquestion
To find out about 1:1 transformative communication coaching with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/oneonone
To find out about couple transformative communication coaching with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/couples
To schedule a reduced-rate coaching consultation with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/newclient
To follow Alejandra on instagram follow @languagealchemy
Podcast Music composed by Gary Lapow: open.spotify.com/artist/1HlMhcNfKIELxYil5mVqD
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm