Notes from the Edge

What if the biggest obstacle to being seen isn’t your message, but the person you think you have to become to deliver it?
Why do so many accomplished leaders feel compelled to perform confidence while quietly fearing rejection? Lisa Lacy welcomes Sarah Snyder, licensed professional counselor and Head of Partnership Development at Wasabi Publicity, for a revealing conversation about trauma, emotional intelligence, authenticity, and the psychology behind being visible. Together, they explore why our need for approval can keep us hiding behind carefully constructed identities.
From the fear of public criticism to the pressure to always be the strong one, Sarah explains how authentic storytelling builds credibility without sacrificing emotional well-being. They also explore the changing world of public relations, why genuine connection matters more than manufactured perfection, and how one small act of kindness can communicate more love than a thousand words.
IN THIS EPISODE:
02:45 — How trauma, black-and-white thinking, and the fear of rejection keep leaders hiding or performing for approval.
06:15 — Emotional intelligence, recognizing your needs, and building the internal security to show up authentically.
16:35 — Why authenticity matters more than ever in the age of AI, and how to stop performing a version of yourself for public approval.
22:10 — Handling online criticism, protecting your mental health, and how strategic publicity and social media work together.
28:30 — The exhaustion of always being the strong one, the power of vulnerability, and Sarah’s moving story about how a handful of grapes became an act of love.

CONNECT WITH SARAH SNYDER
Learn how Sarah and the Wasabi Publicity team help entrepreneurs, experts, and thought leaders build credibility and visibility through authentic communication.

https://wasabipublicity.com
CONNECT WITH LISA LACY INSIDE THE EDGE
Join our private membership for deeper conversations, exclusive weekly reflections, monthly live gatherings, and resources for exploring identity, healing, and authentic living.
https://www.lisalacy.com/inside-the-edge
What did you perform in order to survive?
Welcome to the Edge.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Why is going no contact treated like the only way to heal from narcissistic abuse? The truth is, sometimes it’s simply unrealistic. When children, family relationships, finances, and shared responsibilities are involved, cutting someone off completely isn’t always possible. And healing shouldn’t come with another impossible set of rules.
In this deeply personal Edge Note, Lisa Lacy shares her experiences with a clinically diagnosed narcissistic former husband, trauma bonding, betrayal, and complicated family dynamics involving her mother and daughter. She challenges traditional recovery advice and explores a different approach to boundaries: Your energy is a privilege, not an entitlement. You decide who gets access, how much, and for how long.
In this episode, we explore:
Why no contact isn’t always realistic in narcissistic abuse recovery.
Trauma bonding and why leaving an abusive relationship is rarely simple.
Navigating narcissistic family dynamics when children and generations are involved.
Setting boundaries around your time, conversations, emotional availability, and energy.
Reclaiming your autonomy without guilt, explanations, or abandoning yourself.

Connect with Lisa Lacy:
https://www.lisalacy.com
Join Inside the Edge: Exclusive weekly episodes, monthly private live experiences, member resources, and deeper human conversations.
https://www.lisalacy.com/inside-the-edge
What did you perform in order to survive?
Welcome to the Edge.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What happens when other people decide what you’re capable of? After a spinal cord injury at 20, Ken Kunken returned to Cornell University in a wheelchair, only to find a campus without a single ramp or curb cut. The challenge wasn’t simply adapting to a different life. It was navigating a world that hadn’t made room for him.
Ken went on to build a career spanning more than four decades as a trial attorney, become a husband and father of triplets, and write his memoir, I Dream of Things That Never Were. We talk about disability, accessibility, depression, independence, asking for help, and why opportunity and inclusion matter far more than anyone’s assumptions about another person’s abilities.
In this episode:
02:38 | Adjusting to life after a spinal cord injury and redefining independence
05:50 | The importance of family, community, and meaningful support
08:03 | Returning to an inaccessible Cornell campus and pursuing a legal career
10:15 | Writing his memoir, navigating personal challenges, and building a family
17:45 | Self-confidence, disability stereotypes, and the importance of opportunity

Connect with Ken Kunken
Author of I Dream of Things That Never Were: The Ken Kunken Story
https://kenkunken.com

Connect with Lisa Lacy Inside the Edge:
Join us for exclusive weekly episodes, private monthly live conversations, and resources that encourage self-discovery, connection, and personal growth.
https://www.lisalacy.com/inside-the-edge
What did you perform in order to survive?
Welcome to the Edge.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What if your adoption was never legal? Patricia Knight Meyer was handed over as an infant along a Texas hospital curb without an agency, a judge, or legal adoption paperwork. At 12, she discovered she had no birth certificate. At 47, she finally received one that reflected her true identity.
In this deeply personal conversation, Patricia joins Lisa Lacy to explore black-market adoption, adoption trauma, abandonment, people-pleasing, and the complicated emotions of reuniting with biological parents. She also shares the story behind her award-winning memoir, Wonderland: Memoir of a Black-Market Adoption, and why adoptee rights, identity, and family preservation deserve more honest conversations.
In This Episode:
02:43 – How adoption trauma, abandonment fears, and people-pleasing shaped Patricia’s childhood.
06:04 – Discovering her missing birth certificate and questioning whether she had been stolen.
09:19 – Reuniting with her biological parents and confronting the identity she thought she knew.
15:05 – Preparing for adoption reunions, managing expectations, and establishing healthy boundaries.
24:25 – Writing Wonderland, surviving devastating losses, and reclaiming her personal history.

Connect with Patricia Knight Meyer
https://www.myadoptedlife.com

Connect with Lisa | INSIDE THE EDGE
https://www.lisalacy.com/inside-the-edge
Go beyond the public podcast with exclusive weekly episodes, private monthly live conversations, and practical resources exploring identity, trauma, recovery, and personal growth.
What did you perform in order to survive?
Welcome to the Edge.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What happens when everything you’ve worked so hard to achieve starts costing you your health, happiness, and sense of self? Dave Rossi built a multimillion-dollar business, had the homes, the money, and every outward sign of success. Behind it all, he was burned out, physically unwell, and deeply unhappy. What happens when everything you’ve worked for becomes the very thing destroying you?
Lisa Lacy and Dave Rossi explore the hidden costs of traditional masculinity, the pressure to perform, and why strength doesn’t have to mean sacrificing your health or happiness. From the alpha male mindset to Dave’s Omega Man philosophy, this conversation challenges what we’ve been taught about success, vulnerability, identity, and conscious leadership.
In This Episode:
02:18 – When having everything still feels like failure: Dave’s personal breaking point
06:29 – How ambition, discipline, and constant achievement become a recipe for burnout
19:54 – Alpha vs. Omega: redefining masculinity, strength, and the masks men wear
34:03 – Building the awareness muscle, breaking old patterns, and finding the power to choose differently
44:24 – Performing to be loved, letting go of approval, and why vulnerability is real strength

Connect with Dave Rossi
Website: https://www.daverossiglobal.com
Explore his books, Alphas Die Early and The Imperative Habit.

Connect with Lisa Lacy Inside the Edge:
https://www.lisalacy.com/inside-the-edge
Inside the Edge is a private membership featuring exclusive weekly solo episodes, monthly live virtual experiences, and practical resources for deeper conversations about identity, healing, personal growth, and the human experience.
What did you perform in order to survive?
Welcome to the Edge.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.