Send us a text

“Some dreams expand us, and some dreams diminish us. Wisdom is knowing when to release the ones that keep you small.”

In this solo episode, Dr. Nicole explores the delicate terrain between healthy dreams that propel us forward and unhealthy dreams that tether us to people, timelines, and identities that keep us small. We’ll reflect on how hopeful visions can quietly become bondage, how faith intersects with reality, and why releasing a dream often requires grief, forgiveness, and an honest reckoning with who we are becoming.

If you’ve ever held on to a dream that no longer served you or struggled to let go of a future you once cherished, this episode will remind you that release is not failure — it is sacred courage. And on the other side of letting go is the freedom to dream again, this time with alignment, clarity, and room for what’s next.

Song of the week: A Dream by DeBarge

Topics Covered:

00:00:00 – Episode snippet

00:01:36 – Healthy vs unhealthy dreams

00:04:06 – When dreams become bondage

00:08:22 – Dreams that kept us in toxicity

00:12:04 – When dreams rely on others

00:13:59 – Letting go of dreams that no longer serve

00:18:29 – Healthy dreams honor selfhood

00:20:18 – Acknowledging the loss

00:21:27 – Forgiving past versions of self

00:23:24 – Ability to dream again

00:25:27 – Reclaiming the right to dream

00:27:10 – Dreams that awaken purpose

00:30:16 – Thank you for listening across seasons of life

Key Takeaways:

“Allow yourself to sit in that space of having to release something that you thought you would be able to hold on to for the rest of your life.”

“Some of the dreams that are in your future are too big for you to hold on to the dreams that no longer serve you.”

“The dreams that keep us in bondage are the dreams that keep us asleep. The dreams that set you free are the dreams that wake you up to the possibility."

About Your Host

Dr. Nicole is a pediatrician, the owner of a successful healthcare consulting company, a riveting keynote and TEDx speaker, and the mom of two beautiful young adult daughters. From the outside, she appeared to have it all. But in 2023 she faced the most difficult challenge of her life- ending a 28-year marriage and navigating heartbreak, deception, and loss. Dr. Nicole is committed to creating a safe space where other women who have experienced a “divine disruption” can heal, recover, and THRIVE!

Connect with Dr. Nicole:

Web: https://yournextchapter.co/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/yournextchapter_co

FB:https://www.facebook.com/yournextchapter.co

The doors for our new membership community, the R&R Collective™ will reopen in 2026. Join the waitlist today! https://yournextchapter.myflodesk.com/u4ehbbody9

Your nEXt Chapter podcast explores the challenges and triumphs women face as they reclaim joy, reimagine the future, and redefine their identity after divorce and other unexpected life transitions. Join Dr. Nicole as she shares insights from her journey as a high-achieving professional woman navigating divorce while walking in her Christian faith.

Send us a text

“God often gives a word before He gives understanding, so the heart learns to listen before it learns to define.”

In this episode with Tajala Battle-Lockhart, we explore what she calls her “re-season,” a deeply personal journey that began after the end of a 23-year marriage and unfolded through grief counseling, faith, reflection, and intentional stillness. Taj shares how releasing her mother’s ashes, shedding titles, and spending three years in sacred isolation helped her reset her life from the inside out to become who she was always meant to be.

If you’ve ever found yourself at the end of a chapter you didn’t choose or felt called to start over without knowing how, this episode will remind you that your re-season can begin the moment you decide to make room for what’s next.

Song of the week: Feeling Good by Nina Simone

Topics Covered:

00:00:00 – Episode snippet

01:25 – Introducing our guest, Tajala “Taj” Battle-Lockhart

03:03 – What is a re-season?

07:16 – Making room through letting go

10:25 – Words matter

13:06 – Key “re-words” on the healing journey

16:27 – The reveal: Daughter mirrors blind spots

18:17 – Learning self-reassurance

20:06 – The role of isolation in healing

22:32 – Pouring into others with more intention

25:10 – Relaunching “Phenomenal Young Women/Men”

28:32 – Start with honesty

31:03 – Ambushed by grief

33:31 – Protecting space, energy, and peace

36:01 – Our children are watching our healing

38:00 – Anchoring

42:00 – Connect with Tajala Battle

Key Takeaways:

“We have to be cautious of the words that we use, because it can be misleading, and somebody that we're trying to provide a message to can be fed incorrectly.”

About Our Guest:

Tajala “Taj” Battle-Lockhart, CHE, CSCC, is a Licensed REALTOR, Certified Hospitality Educator, College & Career Advisor, and award-winning Nonprofit Executive. With over 26 years of experience, she helps students, families, and professionals prepare for their future with confidence. Through her work in education, real estate, and community programs, Taj is committed to empowering people to grow, rebuild, and move forward.

Connect with Tajala Battle:

Web: https://www.tajconsultingevents.com/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/tajala.battle/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/tajconsultingevents/

About Your Host

Dr. Nicole is a pediatrician, the owner of a successful healthcare consulting company, a riveting keynote and TEDx speaker, and the mom of two beautiful young adult daughters. From the outside, she appeared to have it all. But in 2023 she faced the most difficult challenge of her life- ending a 28-year marriage and navigating heartbreak, deception, and loss. Dr. Nicole is committed to creating a safe space where other women who have experienced a “divine disruption” can heal, recover, and THRIVE!

Connect with Dr. Nicole:

Web: https://yournextchapter.co/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/yournextchapter_co

FB:https://www.facebook.com/yournextchapter.co

The doors for the R&R Collective will reopen in 2026. Join the waitlist today! https://yournextchapter.myflodesk.com/u4ehbbody9

Send us a text

In this episode, I’m joined by Ta’Donna Nagle, a Wealth Alignment Coach and Financial Educator for a faith-rooted conversation about money, worthiness, and alignment. We talk about how many high-achieving women end up building lives that look successful on the outside but feel exhausting on the inside, and how spending, saving, or overworking can quietly become ways we cope with being out of alignment.

Ta’Donna shares her own journey out of corporate America, what it really means to build wealth in alignment with the life you want, and why learning to be a gracious receiver is just as important as being a giver. If you’re questioning your relationship with money, this conversation will meet you right where you are and gently invite you into something more aligned.

00:00:00 – Episode Snippet

00:02:36 – Introducing our guest, Ta’Donna Nagle

00:06:05 – Wealth misalignment is the real issue

00:07:53 – The “pretty prison” of success

00:17:58 – Scarcity mindset and how it impacts every area of life

00:22:22 – Learning to be a gracious receiver

00:25:18 – Parents shape early money beliefs

00:29:04 – Faith and money are deeply connected

00:35:47 – Belief plus aligned action creates results

00:40:46 – Alignment

00:41:37 – Connect with Ta’Donna Nagle

Key Takeaways:

“Sometimes you have to move with what looks like delusional faith.”

About Your Guest

Ta’Donna Nagle is a Wealth Alignment Coach, financial educator, host of the Aligned for Wealth podcast, and Founder and CEO of Legendary Wealth Builders. With over 20 years of experience in finance, she helps individuals build wealth with clarity, confidence, and purpose.

Connect with Ta’Donna:
Web: https://www.legendarywealthbuilders.com
IG: https://www.instagram.com/Legendary_wealthbuilders/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tadonnanagle/

About Your Host

Dr. Nicole is a pediatrician, the owner of a successful healthcare consulting company, a riveting keynote and TEDx speaker, and the mom of two beautiful young adult daughters. From the outside, she appeared to have it all. But in 2023 she faced the most difficult challenge of her life- ending a 28-year marriage and navigating heartbreak, deception, and loss. Dr. Nicole is committed to creating a safe space where other women who have experienced a “divine disruption” can heal, recover, and THRIVE!

Sponsor offer: Ready to look and feel better in 2026? Book a complimentary Fitness Breakthrough session w/ Dr. Dianah TODAY: https://bit.ly/FitBossFreeSession

Dr. Dianah is an ER physician, elite fitness and weight loss coach, and menopause wellness expert who guides women from feeling drained and exhausted to being fit, fierce and fabulous!

Connect with Dr. Nicole:

Web: https://yournextchapter.co/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/yournextchapter_co

FB:https://www.facebook.com/yournextchapter.co

Join our Email Community

Join our community to receive our newsletters and to be the first to hear about exciting announcements and opportunities to connect.

The doors for the R&R Collective will reopen in 2026. Join the waitlist today! https://yournextchapter.myflodesk.com/u4ehbbody9

Send us a text

Loving yourself after loss isn’t selfish, it’s the work that makes everything else possible.

In this episode, I’m joined by my amazing daughters, Diara and Danielle, for a conversation that is very close to my heart. We flip the tables as they step into the role of interviewers and invite me to reflect on what it has looked like to lose myself in a long marriage and slowly find my way back home to me.

I share honestly about how being a high achiever can sometimes hide what’s unraveling beneath the surface, how false optimism kept me holding on longer than I should have, and what this season of loving myself, telling the truth, and choosing reality has required. We also talk about motherhood, grief, becoming an empty nester, and learning who I am beyond the roles I’ve held for decades.

If you’re standing at the edge of a new season after divorce or an unexpected life shift, this episode is a reminder that it’s never too late to rediscover yourself, reclaim your worth, and begin writing your next chapter with clarity and grace.

Song of the week: Protector by Beyoncé

Topics Covered:

00:00:00 – Episode Snippet

00:02:45 – Welcoming our guest hosts, Diara & Danielle

00:04:53 – Losing oneself in a marriage

00:09:39 – Shared rose-colored glasses within family

00:13:16 – How’s living alone for the first time as an adult?

00:18:29 – How divorce changed views on love, marriage, and loyalty

00:26:49 – Loyalty should not hurt yourself

00:33:22 – Dating after betrayal and the role of therapy

00:40:09 – Break repeating relationship patterns

00:43:10 – Knowing yourself before entering relationships

00:46:02 – Believe what people show you and don't settle

00:47:56 – How motherhood changes priorities

00:51:39 – Know yourself before marriage

00:53:49 – Honest communication and checking in

00:56:27 – Surrender

Key Takeaways:

"We all had on some form of rose-colored glasses, and I think we all found our truth in divine timing."

About Your Host

Dr. Nicole is a pediatrician, the owner of a successful healthcare consulting company, a riveting keynote and TEDx speaker, and the mom of two beautiful young adult daughters. From the outside, she appeared to have it all. But in 2023 she faced the most difficult challenge of her life- ending a 28-year marriage and navigating heartbreak, deception, and loss. Dr. Nicole is committed to creating a safe space where other women who have experienced a “divine disruption” can heal, recover, and THRIVE!

Sponsor offer: Ready to look and feel better in 2026? Book a complimentary Fitness Breakthrough session w/ Dr. Dianah TODAY: https://bit.ly/FitBossFreeSession

Dr. Dianah is an ER physician, elite fitness and weight loss coach, and menopause wellness expert who guides women from feeling drained and exhausted to being fit, fierce and fabulous!

Connect with Dr. Nicole:

Web: https://yournextchapter.co/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/yournextchapter_co

FB:https://www.facebook.com/yournextchapter.co

Join our Email Community

Join our community to receive our newsletters and to be the first to hear about exciting announcements and opportunities to connect.

The doors for the R&R Collective will reopen in 2026. Join the waitlist today! https://yournextchapter.myflodesk.com/u4ehbbody9

Send us a text

In this episode, I’m speaking with Deidra Kindred, a registered nurse turned entrepreneur, about how her two divorces became the spark for transformation and self-discovery.

Deidra shares how leaning on faith, setting boundaries, and embracing her own chrysalis season allowed her to step fully into a life that reflects her values, her joy, and her authenticity.

If you’ve ever felt pressured to fit someone else’s vision, questioned your worth, or wondered if freedom and purpose are possible after loss, this episode will remind you that it is and that your light can shine brighter than ever.

Song of the week: Black Butterfly by Deniece Williams

Topics Covered:

00:00:00 – Episode Snippet

00:01:05 – Advertisement: Fitness Breakthrough session w/ Dr. Dianah

00:05:55 – When culture dims a high-achieving woman’s light

00:11:10 – Not every woman is made for marriage

00:17:03 – Selfish or self-protective

00:25:47 – The chrysalis: protecting oneself during seasons of change

00:49:03 – Connect with Deidra Kindred

Key Takeaways:

"All women are not to beg to be married. Just because you're a woman doesn't mean you're supposed to be married."

About Our Guest

Deidra A. Kindred is a registered nurse with over 25 years of experience and the founder and lead care manager of Your Healthcare Nurse Advocates. She is dedicated to patient advocacy, education, and making healthcare less confusing and more human, blending clinical expertise with compassion and clear communication.

Connect with Deidra:

Web: https://yournurseadvocates.com/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/deidrakindred/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deidra-kindred-rn-bsn-lnc-ccm-bcpa-ceo-a45435a5/

About Your Host

Dr. Nicole is a pediatrician, the owner of a successful healthcare consulting company, a riveting keynote and TEDx speaker, and the mom of two beautiful young adult daughters. From the outside, she appeared to have it all. But in 2023 she faced the most difficult challenge of her life- ending a 28-year marriage and navigating heartbreak, deception, and loss. Dr. Nicole is committed to creating a safe space where other women who have experienced a “divine disruption” can heal, recover, and THRIVE!

Connect with Dr. Nicole:

Web: https://yournextchapter.co/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/yournextchapter_co

FB:https://www.facebook.com/yournextchapter.co

Join our Email Community

Join our community to receive our newsletters and to be the first to hear about exciting announcements and opportunities to connect.

The doors for the R&R Collective will reopen in 2026. Join the waitlist today! https://yournextchapter.myflodesk.com/u4ehbbody9

Sponsor offer:

Book a complimentary Fitness Breakthrough session w/ Dr. Dianah TODAY: https://bit.ly/FitBossFreeSession

Dr. Dianah is an ER physician, elite fitness and weight loss coach, and menopause wellness expert who guides women from feeling drained and exhausted to being fit, fierce and fabulous!

Send us a text

"You can be broken, messy, and still rise stronger than you ever imagined."

In this episode, I’m speaking with Dr. Stella Safo, Founder of Just Equity for Health, about standing up in the face of challenges and finding purpose through hardship.We talk about the difficult spaces she has navigated, including a toxic work environment, gender discrimination, workplace abuse, fertility struggles, pregnancy loss, and raising her two children, while still working to create positive change in healthcare.

If you have faced setbacks, felt overwhelmed by life’s pressures, or are trying to make sense of your own difficult seasons, this episode will remind you that resilience, hope, and small steps forward can still light the way.

Song of the week: Rise Up by Andra Day

Topics Covered:

00:00:00 – Episode Snippet

00:01:21 – Advertisement: Ready to take charge of your health? Get a free session with Dr. Diana Lake at bit.ly/fitbossfreesession

00:05:20 – How early experiences shape who we become

00:09:53 – The emotional toll of speaking out against injustice

00:28:29 – Protecting your fertility before the window closes

00:36:20 – Digging deep: practical strategies for resilience

00:39:27 – Love

00:41:14 – Connect with Dr. Stella Safo

Key Takeaways:

"There is something radical about my existence, and I refuse to allow this world to break that and to take that from me in a way where I make myself small."

About Our Guest

Dr. Stella A. Safo is a Ghanaian-American board-certified HIV primary care physician and public health practitioner with extensive experience in care model design for health systems and industry. She is the founder of Just Equity for Health, where she leads work centered on advocacy, education, and equitable care delivery.

Connect with Dr. Stella:

Web: https://justequityforhealth.com/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/justequityforhealth

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stellasafo/

*Sponsor offer: Book a complimentary Fitness Breakthrough session w/ Dr. Dianah TODAY: https://bit.ly/FitBossFreeSession

Dr. Dianah is an ER physician, elite fitness and weight loss coach, and menopause wellness expert who guides women from feeling drained and exhausted to being fit, fierce and fabulous!

About Your Host

Dr. Nicole is a pediatrician, the owner of a successful healthcare consulting company, a riveting keynote and TEDx speaker, and the mom of two beautiful young adult daughters. From the outside, she appeared to have it all. But in 2023 she faced the most difficult challenge of her life- ending a 28-year marriage and navigating heartbreak, deception, and loss. Dr. Nicole is committed to creating a safe space where other women who have experienced a “divine disruption” can heal, recover, and THRIVE!

Connect with Dr. Nicole:

Web: https://yournextchapter.co/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/yournextchapter_co

FB:https://www.facebook.com/yournextchapter.co

Join our Email Community

Join our community to receive our newsletters and to be the first to hear about exciting announcements and opportunities to connect.

Your nEXt Chapter podcast explores the challenges and triumphs women face as they reclaim joy, reimagine the future, and redefine th

Send us a text

"The journey is going to continue to shape your character and who you are in this world."

In this episode, I’m speaking about the often-overlooked middle where faith is tested, identity is stretched, and growth quietly takes root.

I share how the middle can feel disorienting, heavy, and deeply uncomfortable, yet it is also the place where God does His most transformative work. Through honest reflection, we’ll talk about facing hard truths, releasing what you thought your life would look like, and choosing to trust God even when the path forward isn’t clear.

If you’re standing in transition, carrying unanswered questions, or trying to make sense of your own in-between season, this episode will remind you that the middle is a sacred part of your journey.

Song of the week: The Journey by H.E.R.

Topics Covered:

00:00:00 – Episode Snippet

00:01:53 – Healing is ongoing

00:04:54 – Why the middle matters more than the ending

00:06:28 – Join the R&R Collective waitlist

00:09:00 – The middle: the place between what was and what will be

00:15:00 – When truth shatters what you thought you knew

00:19:56 – Who's gonna care for me?

00:21:37 – Living in the middle season

00:25:39 – Dreaming while afraid

00:28:14 – God’s will may differ from desire

00:30:58 – Seeing the light after the middle

00:33:17 – The journey serves a purpose

00:34:30 – Your journey reveals character

00:37:14 – Your journey reveals your commitment to growth

00:39:29 – Stay on the journey

Key Takeaways:

"Our journey has a purpose. Your journey reveals your character, your journey reveals your convictions, and your journey reveals your commitment to growth."

"There are always decisions that we need to make in our lives and things that we need to do to grow and to evolve into the absolute best versions of ourselves."

About Your Host

Dr. Nicole is a pediatrician, the owner of a successful healthcare consulting company, a riveting keynote and TEDx speaker, and the mom of two beautiful young adult daughters. From the outside, she appeared to have it all. But in 2023 she faced the most difficult challenge of her life- ending a 28-year marriage and navigating heartbreak, deception, and loss. Dr. Nicole is committed to creating a safe space where other women who have experienced a “divine disruption” can heal, recover, and THRIVE!

Connect with Dr. Nicole:

Web: https://yournextchapter.co/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/yournextchapter_co

FB:https://www.facebook.com/yournextchapter.co

Join our Email Community

Join our community to receive our newsletters and to be the first to hear about exciting announcements and opportunities to connect.

The doors for the R&R Collective will reopen in 2026. Join the waitlist today! https://yournextchapter.myflodesk.com/u4ehbbody9

Your nEXt Chapter podcast explores the challenges and triumphs women face as they reclaim joy, reimagine the future, and redefine their identity after divorce and other unexpected life transitions. Join Dr. Nicole as she shares insights from her journey as a high-achieving professional woman navigating divorce while walking in her Christian faith.

Send us a text

"Reinvention in midlife isn’t about starting over, it’s about stepping fully into the version of yourself you were always meant to be."

In this episode, I’m speaking with Dr. Joy’El Ballard, board-certified OB/GYN, menopause and midlife strategist, and business coach, about what it looks like to reinvent yourself in midlife.

Dr. Joy’El shares how she courageously left a thriving medical career, trusted God through change, and let go of perfectionism and the need to always be “the strong one.” She opens up about redefining her identity and discovering a bigger purpose beyond what she had imagined.

If you’re ready for a new career, mindset, relationship, or simply a new way of showing up, this episode will inspire you to trust yourself, embrace change, and step boldly into your next chapter.

Song of the week: New Attitude by Patti Labelle

Topics Covered:

00:00:00 – Episode snippet

00:01:48 – Introducing our guest, Dr. Joy’El Ballard

00:03:30 – Dr. Joy’El’s bold leap into midlife coaching

00:08:47 – Letting go of perfectionism

00:13:05 – Our purpose evolve with us

00:17:17 – Midlife shifts and the rising trend of “gray divorce”

00:22:10 – Rethinking marriage and life after autopilot

00:25:36 – Therapy and self-care for caregivers

00:29:26 – The concept of a “jug of joy”

00:32:42 – Why is midlife a fabulous time to reinvent ourselves?

00:36:50 – Alignment

00:40:10 – Where to find Dr. Joy’El Ballard

Key Takeaways:

"When you walk into something new that requires leaving something."

About Our Guest:

Dr. Joy’El Ballard, known as The Menopause Mogul, is a board-certified Obstetrician/Gynecologist and Business Coach for Black women 40 and over. Through her Menopause Mogul online coaching program, she empowers women to reclaim their energy, clarity, and confidence during menopause, helping them launch businesses and create lives on their own terms.

Connect with Dr. Joy’El Ballard:

Web: https://www.drjoyel.com/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/drjoyel

IG: https://www.instagram.com/drjoyel

YT: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZUuhQ4ypjI6vXmCI86pPKA

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drjoyelballard/

About Your Host

Dr. Nicole is a pediatrician, the owner of a successful healthcare consulting company, a riveting keynote and TEDx speaker, and the mom of two beautiful young adult daughters. From the outside, she appeared to have it all. But in 2023 she faced the most difficult challenge of her life- ending a 28-year marriage and navigating heartbreak, deception, and loss. Dr. Nicole is committed to creating a safe space where other women who have experienced a “divine disruption” can heal, recover, and THRIVE!

Connect with Dr. Nicole:

Web: https://yournextchapter.co/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/yournextchapter_co

FB:https://www.facebook.com/yournextchapter.co

Join our Email Community

Join our community to receive our newsletters and to be the first to hear about exciting announcements and opportunities to connect.

The doors for the R&R Collective will reopen in 2026. Join the waitlist today! https://yourn