30 Something with Sonni Abatta

This week I talk with Nikki Namdar--a member of the Iranian diaspora and the daughter of parents who fled Iran around the 1979 revolution--about what it feels like to watch Iran’s unrest from an ocean away. Nikki shares her family’s story of escape, grief, and longing for a homeland they may never be able to return to, and explains why so many in the diaspora feel erased in Western conversations about the region. We also discuss how social media shapes what Americans believe about global conflicts, why nuance feels “punished” online, and what “best case” scenario could look like for Iran--a future where the country remains intact, but free.

In this episode, I sit down with journalist Stella Inger-Escobedo to unpack the growing divide between independent media and traditional institutions. Drawing on her background as a former TV news anchor and a Soviet Jewish refugee, Stella explains how lived experience shapes the questions journalists ask — and the stories they’re willing to tell. We talk about trust, objectivity, propaganda, and why so many audiences are turning away from legacy outlets in search of something more honest. This is a conversation about who journalism is really for — and who holds power now. Find Stella on Instagram HERE.

Courtney Boyer and her husband were married for 17 years when she had a wild idea--what if they had a threesome? When her husband rejects the idea, the conversation takes a turn and they end up in totally new territory, with the agreement that Courtney can have relations--and relationships--with other men. Years after making a decision that opens her up to a whole new world, she sits down with me to talk about what polyamory really is, and how it's made her life better. Check out Courtney's book, "Opened," HERE, and connect with her coaching services and more info about her HERE.

Do you ever feel like the more effort you put into your goals, the farther away they feel? Author and coach Nithya Karia is here to talk about how not just creating habits--but creating the precise ones for you--may be the key to breaking through. In this episode Nithya and I talk about how to identify the habits and routines that aren't working, and replace them with ones that speak to your soul, and help you feel more productive than ever. Check out Nithya's book, "High Vibe Habits," on Amazon HERE.

You don't have time to track news daily. This weekly roundup of three big stories presented with context, background, and tips on what to follow, helps you be a little smarter and a little more informed, without spending hours tracking the headlines. This week we're talking: * The Supreme Court will weigh in on birthright citizenship * Who leads Gaza now? Opposition leader killed * New recommendations from the CDC on the Hepatitis B vaccine Sign up ⁠HERE⁠ to get my Substack to have this weekly news update emailed to you every Monday!

Andrew is back with gift ideas for all the guys in your life! From lock pick kits to campfire axes (WTF), he has gift ideas for all the men you know. Seriously good stuff. Shop all his picks HERE!

This week I'm chatting with psychotherapist, TODAY Show contributor and author Niro Feliciano about so many things related to emotional health--during the holidays and beyond! Niro wrote a new book, All is Calm-ish: How to Feel More Festive and Less Frantic During the Holidays, and while we talk all about heightened stress during the holiday season, we also hit on a ton of other topics. We talk: + Raising middle schoolers + “Connection over correction” + Things to say to middle schoolers to reaffirm their confidence + How to not parent from your own wounds + What to do when you’re estranged with family during the holidays + How to figure out what to keep and what to drop during the holidays + Why not every behavior is gaslighting + Why not everyone you don’t like is a narcissist

Dr. Simon Poole will convince you to add in olive oil to your diet every day by the end of this episode. Dr. Pool is an M.D.,  teacher and researcher in Cambridge, a senior international collaborator with the global centre for nutrition and health, and a member of the academy of nutrition educators and a fellow of the British Medical Association. We talk: + Why olive oil is so good for you + The cultures that consume the most, and how it impacts their health + How olive oil can help with sustainable weight loss and metabolism + Simple examples of meals that include olive oil Even I learned something about this miracle ingredient, and I thought I knew it all. Check out all of Dr. Poole's books here.

A simple, nuanced roundup of three big stories to keep an eye on this week--with context, and tips on what to follow. Sign up ⁠HERE⁠ to get my Substack to have this emailed to you every Monday!

A simple, nuanced roundup of three big stories to keep an eye on this week--with context, and tips on what to follow. Sign up HERE to get my Substack to have this emailed to you every Monday!

In this episode of WGT I'm sitting down with 21-time martial arts champion and founder of The Feminine Freedom, and talking all about addressing ALL the sides of being a woman. We talk about how every woman goes through 7 stages in her life--from childhood through womanhood. What are the strengths of each phase, and how can we maximize our self-love and relationships during every phase? MENTIONED IN THE EP: Check out the sexy playlist we talk about on the pod here Learn more about the next Feminine Freedom in-person event here

This week I'm talking with Sharone Hakman, MasterChef contestant, food entrepreneur, and the founder of liposomal supplement line, Sunny Within. We talk: + The grocery store shopping hack to have you eating healthy + How our relationship with healthy eating is established young, and the impact that your culture can have on it + Career pivots and how he started in the financial world but ended up in the food world + Why liposomal supplements could be a better fit for you

Do you ever feel like you’re just floating through life? No goals, nothing specific that you’re working toward or on, but you know you have something big left in you to offer the world? Grace Emmons, transformational coach and energy healer, is here to help. Her background combines both science and psychology, with a Bachelor of Science in bioengineering, and a master’s from Columbia in psychology. She also earned her coaching certification through Columbia University’s Spirituality Mind and Body Institute, led by well-known clinical psychologist Dr. Lisa Miller. Her life work is helping people connect with their intuition to guide their goals: In this episode we talk: + Understanding and respecting your own productivity cycle + Embracing different seasons in life + Finding your purpose after becoming a mom + Expanding your vision of what’s possible + Learning to be intuitively guided + Are we destined for a collective awakening as it relates to American politics? Find out what your Intuitive Archetype is with Grace's quiz, here, and if you'd like to sign up for The Overflow, an exclusive membership for the woman ready to rise as her highest self, use coupon code GIFT1MONTH for 1 month off!

In this episode of WGT I'm talking with Amber Romaniuk, an Emotional Eating, Digestive and Hormone Expert. Her job is all about helping women work toward body confidence, intuition and optimal health through mindset healing and self-care. As someone who's lost and ganied over 1,000 pounds of weight over her young adult life, Amber knows what it's like to battle emotional eating. Her podcast “The No Sugarcoating Podcast” has 2+ million downloads, over 500 episodes and is listened to in over 90 countries. In this episode we talk: + What is food fear? + How to eliminate cravings + Why focusing on weight loss can cause weight gain + The importance of protein + Why hormone balance is key to weight loss ...and so much more. Connect with Amber and get a free consultation to see if working with her might be a fit for you. Click HERE for more and mention me at booking! You can follow Amber on IG here.

This week I'm talking to the founder of Kat Burki beauty, Kat Burki, who knows all about how the body works from the inside out. With a background in disease management, Kat brings her knowledge of the interconnectedness of our internal health and our external appearance, i.e. skin. We talk: + Minimizing inflammation in the body and skin + Why she stays away from silicones in skin care products + Addressing autoimmune skin conditions like eczema and rosacea + The conversation around positive aging + Aging and hair loss, and natural ways to treat it + Scalp/skin connection + The impact of stress on skin and hair Kat is also launching into the haircare space with products that address scalp health to grow healthy, strong hair. Get Kat Burki's new Bio-Ferment Scalp & Hair treatment that addresses hair loss with peptides and macronutrients HERE.

If you're anything like me you may have wondered, what's it like to pick up and move across the world--in this case, to Italy? This week I'm sitting down with PR founder and American living in Italy, Caroline Chirichella. We talk about what it's like moving to Italy and starting a family; the difference between lifestyle, food, and fashion; raising kids in Italy; and more.

What happens right before you die, and right after? This week, bestselling author, hospice nurse, and social media educator Julie McFadden, also known as Nurse Julie, is here to help us talk about the one topic people hate discussing--death. She's helped people pass over to the "other side" for years, and has some suprising insights on both the body and spirit, and how we can begin to look at death with less fear. Check out Nurse Julie's NY Times bestselling book, The Nothing to Fear Journal, here. Follow her on TikTok here, and Instagram here.

This week I'm sitting down to talk with Jasmin Stephens, the founder of LymphWoRx, a lymphatic therapy boutique in Winter Park, FL. Lymphatic therapy has long been used to help people recover from surgeries and in a clinical setting, but regularly treating the lymph can also help maintain overall health. In this episode we talk: + The major lymph centers of the body + How lymph treatments help + Can pregnant women get lymphatic therapy? + How often to go to see results + The tightening effect of lymphatic treatments + How to dry brush at home to stimulate the lymph system ...and more. Connect with Jasmin here! More about Jasmin: LymphWoRx was founded by Jasmin S. An Occupational Therapist who specializes in the Lymphatic system. Jasmin graduated with her Masters of Occupational Therapy from Florida A&M University and received her Complete Decongestive Therapy certification (CLT) from Norton School of Lymphatic Therapy.  Jasmin is also certified in the Brazilian Lymphatic Drainage Technique. As a Certified Lymphedema Therapist, she is highly trained in the assessment and treatment of the lymphatic system through CDT which includes Manual Lymphatic Drainage, multi layer compression/bandaging garment fitting/selections and skin assessments. With the passion to merge aesthetics and medical LymphWoRx was created with EVERY woman in mind. 

***Get 20% OFF Delavie Sciences products (bundles not included) with code SONNI20.*** My favorite serum is here! In this episode I'm talking with the founder of Delavie Sciences and Aeonia Skincare, Dr. Kyle Landry. Dr. Landry worked in everything from biodefense to food safety and ended up working with NASA, where he and his team came across a bacteria that survived the trip from outer space back to Earth--and better yet, showed UV radiation-protective properties. Delavie Sciences and Aeonia Skincare was born, and their products now feature this ingredient, bacillus lysate, which the company says has UV-protective properties that can boost the health of skin. In this episode we talk about the science behind the products; why we should be using SPF-complementing products; his thoughts on the best wellness trends; career pivots and more.

This week I'm hosting the founders of Moonbow Skin, a new skincare line based on the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Founders (and twin sisters!) Dr. Felice and Heather Chan are here to talk about whole body and skin health; what yin/yang energy really is; and why TCM is set to take over the beauty and wellness world. Check out my Instagram page for a giveaway of the Moonbow line!