The Power Within.
A podcast about the questions we all face as we navigate life, love, work, purpose, and the absurdity of middle life. Together, we’ll laugh, learn, and dig deep into what it means to face this season with courage, grace, and authenticity.
Let’s unlock the power that’s already within us.
What People-Pleasing Is Really Costing You with Alicia Pieterse
What if being “nice” isn't always kindness?
What if sometimes it's fear? The fear of disappointing people. Of not being liked. Of not being needed. Of discovering what might happen if you finally put yourself first.
In the first episode of Season 2 of Amandla: The Power Within, Mpeo Nkosi reconnects with Alicia Pieterse — executive coach, author, and the resident coach from Season 1 — for a conversation about people-pleasing, self-abandonment, self-worth, boundaries, purpose, and freedom.
A lot has changed since they last spoke. Alicia has written Patches: Coaching Stories of Overcoming and Possibility. Mpeo has moved through grief and a period of creative disconnection. And their reunion opens up a much bigger conversation about what it means to come back to yourself.
Alicia explores the childhood strategies many of us develop to get our needs met — and how those strategies can follow us into adulthood, often without us even recognising them.
Together, Mpeo and Alicia ask:
When does kindness become people-pleasing?
What are you giving up to be liked?
What relationships require you to abandon yourself to keep them alive?
And what happens when you become still enough to hear what is really going on underneath the performance?
The conversation moves from people-pleasing into innate freedom, Alicia's exploration of Sankalpa — a commitment to living from your highest purpose — and the difference between achieving what you want and becoming who you want to be.
This isn't about becoming less caring. It's about learning that you can care for other people without abandoning yourself. A conversation about the courage to notice, the freedom to choose differently, and the ongoing work of becoming.
Welcome back to Amandla. The power is already within you.
26 Oct 2025
DON'T WASTE YOUR LIMITED TIME WITH LEBO MBETHE
Lebo Mbethe discusses designing a life without regret, sharing her journey of building a successful business and intentionally aligning her life with her values in an interview with Mpeo Nkosi.
19 Oct 2025
REINVENTION IS SURVIVAL WITH THATO CASSUTO
Thato Cassuto discusses her journey of self-discovery through career challenges, health crises, and identity loss, highlighting reinvention as a tool for survival in this interview with Mpeo Nkosi.
12 Oct 2025
BE INTENTIONAL WITH YOLANDI MICHAELS
Yolandi Michaels shares her experiences with motherhood, business challenges during COVID-19, and grief, emphasizing the significance of intentionality in relationships as Mpeo Nkosi interviews her.
5 Oct 2025
DO IT AFRAID WITH LEBO MOTSWENYANE
Lebo Motswenyane shares her journey from growing up in Khuma township to building a successful events company, discussing courage, gratitude, and making brave decisions in this interview with Mpeo Nkosi.
17 Aug 2025
COMPETENT & CONFIDENT
Host Mpeo speaks with Executive Coach Alicia Pieterse about navigating workplace silencing and reclaiming power by understanding cultural dynamics and conflict resolution.
17 Aug 2025
WE NEED MORE MATURE LEADERS
Host Mpeo and Executive Coach Alicia Pieterse explore emotional intelligence to foster mature leadership and transform workplace dynamics.
27 Jul 2025
OFFICE POLITICS: THE GAME YOU CAN'T AFFORD TO IGNORE
Strategy consultant Niven Postma discusses office politics with host Mpeo Nkosi, defining ethical influence and revealing unspoken workplace rules to help listeners achieve goals and support their teams in this interview.
22 Jun 2025
DECODING PERIMENOPAUSE
Menopause advocate Xoli Madlala discusses the 34 symptoms of perimenopause, self-advocacy with doctors, and lifestyle changes with host Mpeo Nkosi in this interview.
8 Jun 2025
THE ART OF SELF-FORGIVENESS
Coach Tumi Sibanda explores the art of self-forgiveness with Mpeo Nkosi, providing a four-step process to move past mistakes through acknowledgement, responsibility, emotional processing, and forgiveness in this interview.
25 May 2025
CO-PARENTING TRUTH: DON'T WEAPONISE YOUR CHILDREN
Parenting coach Thandi Domingo discusses co-parenting strategies, mediation, dating as a single parent, and blended family dynamics with Mpeo Nkosi in this interview, offering insights into effective communication and prioritising children's needs.
11 May 2025
WHAT WILL THE NEIGHBOURS SAY?
Go Deeper with Coach Alicia - Breaking Free from Fragile Peace.
Welcome back to "Go Deeper," the segment where host Mpeo Nkosi and Coach Alicia Pieterse dive into the questions that linger after thought-provoking guest interviews. This week, they unpack the concept of "fragile peace" and its impact on individuals and communities.
Inspired by a conversation with Lesedi Molefi, author of Patient 12A, on the episode “The Cost of Fragile Peace” Mpeo and Coach Alicia explore the idea of "fragile peace" and how we prioritise silence over truth to maintain appearances. We discuss how this dynamic manifests in black and brown communities, the generational impact of suppressing emotions, and the steps individuals can take to break free from these harmful cycles.
Key Discussion Points:
• Defining "fragile peace" and its prevalence in certain cultural contexts.
• The roots of fragile peace in working-class families and the pressure to maintain appearances.
• The generational impact of fragile peace: how trauma and coping mechanisms are passed down.
• The cost of suppression and pretence: depression, substance abuse, and numbing behaviours.
• The importance of breaking the cycle of silence and finding the courage to speak truth.
• The difference between loyalty and complicity.
• Practical steps for breaking free from fragile peace: self-reflection, honest conversations, and seeking professional help.
• The power of finding your voice and creating safety for authentic expression.
• The importance of starting with small changes in your immediate environment.
27 Apr 2025
THE COST OF FRAGILE PEACE
Mental Health & Systemic Issues in South Africa (Part 2).
Mpeo Nkosi continues her powerful conversation with Lesedi Molefi, author of Patient 12A, exploring the profound impact of systemic issues on mental health in South Africa. Lesedi shares his experiences navigating poverty, confronting suppressed anger, and overcoming the stigma surrounding mental health within his community. He challenges the notion of “fragile peace,” highlighting the need for authentic emotional expression and systemic change. This essential episode tackles complex issues of race, trauma, and societal structures, offering valuable insights into mental health and well-being.
Key Discussion Points:
- Emotional Suppression & Depression: Lesedi explains how societal pressures and personal experiences led to the suppression of emotions.
- Anger and Trauma: The various ways suppressed anger can manifest, the importance of healthy anger expression.
- Privilege and Poverty: Lesedi's unique experiences navigating both privilege and poverty and how it shaped his life.
- Workplace Dynamics & Trauma: The challenges faced by Black professionals in corporate environments, the rewards of high-functioning depression, and the suppression of authentic emotions.
- Mental Health Stigma: The stigma surrounding mental health in Black communities, historical factors contributing to this stigma.
- The Cost of Fragile Peace: A critical examination of the detrimental effects of maintaining a façade of peace over addressing family issues.
27 Apr 2025
THIS IS NOT A BOOK, THIS IS MY LIFE
Male Mental Health Memoir: Lesedi Molefi on Trauma & Healing (PART 1)
Join Mpeo Nkosi for a powerful and moving conversation with Lesedi Molefi, author of the acclaimed South African memoir, Patient 12A. In this first part, Lesedi bravely confronts his past, exploring themes of family dysfunction, the stigma surrounding mental illness, and the power of self-discovery. Lesedi shares his personal journey through mental health treatment, the complexities of his family relationships, and the immense challenges of writing a memoir about his traumatic childhood. This episode offers raw honesty and valuable insight into the healing power of storytelling.
Key Discussion Points:
- Childhood Trauma & Family Dynamics: Lesedi discusses his complex family relationships and the lasting effects of early trauma.
- Mental Health Treatment: A candid account of Lesedi's experiences in a psychiatric hospital and his path to recovery.
- The Memoir Writing Process: The emotional and logistical hurdles of writing a personal account of trauma and healing.
- The Power of Storytelling: Lesedi's insights into the importance of sharing one's story for healing and connection.
13 Apr 2025
DOES A VALUES-DRIVEN LIFE EVEN MATTER?
Go Deeper with Coach Alicia - Unpacking Your Values-Driven Life.
Welcome to Amandla - The Power Within's brand new segment: "Go Deeper"! In this series, host Mpeo Nkosi teams up with Coach Alicia Pieterse of Nurturing Growth Trading to explore the burning questions that arise after guest interviews. Get ready for actionable insights, practical tools, and authentic conversations that will empower you to live a more intentional and fulfilling life.
In this inaugural "Go Deeper" episode, Mpeo and Coach Alicia tackle the question: "At what point do we start living a values-driven life, and does it even matter?" Inspired by a conversation with Melusi Tshabalala on the episode “Magenge we need to talk”, Mpeo reflects on the importance of integrity and the challenges of aligning actions with core values. Coach Alicia shares her expertise, offering practical tools like the "Wheel of Life" to help listeners identify, prioritise, and evolve their values.
Key Discussion Points:
• The concept of living a values-driven life and its significance.
• How survival mode can overshadow awareness of personal values.
• Using the "Wheel of Life" tool to prioritise values across different life aspects (financial, family, spiritual, health).
• The challenges of narrowing down values and the influence of socialisation and conditioning.
• How values evolve with life stages and the importance of flexibility.
• The power of understanding what you don't want as a starting point for self-discovery.
• Navigating value clashes, especially within family dynamics.
• The difference between "what" you want to achieve and "how" you want to achieve it.
• The importance of aligning your actions with your values for a more fulfilling life.
30 Mar 2025
MAGENGE WE NEED TO TALK
Navigating Middle Age: Male Vulnerability, Relationships, & Self-Acceptance.
In this insightful and funny conversation, Mpeo and Melusi Tshabalala (Author of 'Magenge We Need to Talk' and 'Melusi's Everyday Zulu') explore the complexities of male identity in middle age. Melusi candidly shares his journey from the chaotic energy of his younger years to a place of self-acceptance and reflection. They discuss the challenges men face in expressing vulnerability, the importance of open communication in relationships, and the unique pressures of modern marriage and fatherhood.
This episode is a must-listen for men seeking personal growth and deeper connection. Learn how to embrace vulnerability, strengthen relationships, and achieve self-acceptance.
Key Discussion Points:
From Fun to Seriousness: Melusi's transition from a care-free youth to confronting anxiety and life choices in his 30s.
Male Vulnerability and Communication: The societal pressures that prevent men from openly discussing struggles.
Marriage and Relationships: Melusi's perspective on the importance of treating marriage as a partnership.
Parenting and Fatherhood: The challenges and rewards of raising children.
Self-Acceptance and Personal Growth: Melusi's journey to self-acceptance, including his experience with alcohol and other habits.
Seeking Professional Help: The importance of seeking professional support over relying solely on friends.
2 Mar 2025
I GOT UNSTUCK AND QUIT MY JOB
Exploring Transformational Coaching and Overcoming Self-Limiting Beliefs.
In the inaugural episode of Amandla with Mpeo, host Mpeo Nkosi invites guest Alicia Pieterse, an executive coach with over 20 years of experience, to discuss transformative coaching and personal growth. Mpeo shares her journey of transformation through coaching, detailing the profound impact it has had on both her professional and personal life.
This episode dives deep into various coaching modalities, exploring themes of self-limiting beliefs and the inner critic, and how to get unstuck.
Key Highlights:
- Mpeo’s personal transformation and the journey that led her to start the podcast.
- Discussion of coaching modalities: meta coaching, Enneagram coaching, mind-body coaching.
- The impact of self-limiting beliefs on professional and personal development.
- Insightful dialogue on the inner critic and how to nurture self-compassion.
- Differentiating coaching from therapy and understanding their respective focuses.
12 Feb 2025
Welcome to Amandla with Mpeo
I’ve spent years walking the path of self-discovery. From becoming a young mom at 21 to burning out in my career (probably more than once). I’ve experienced episodes of depression, the endless churn of anxiety, the highs of success, and the annoying, quiet voice of self-doubt and imposter syndrome. I’ve tried to juggle all the roles I inhabit in this body that is starting to do the strangest things — I am being a mother to 3 boys, a wife, a sister, a daughter to an ageing parent, a friend — and as I get older, the more daunting it all feels – like the clock is ticking in surround sound on everything.
I have so many questions about the insanity that is middle life and why no one talks about it!
I realise I’m not alone in this search - in these questions about life, love, work, and purpose that just feel different now. I am truly grateful for long, vulnerable conversations with friends and the therapy that is great music on full blast to help me navigate my journey to this point. In all of it, real connection has made the difference and being curious is helping me face my life head on. And that’s how Amandla (The Power Within) was born.
In this podcast, I invite you to journey with me. Join me as I engage in raw, honest conversations with thinkers, authors, creators and many others who have asked the same tough questions and dared to dig deeper. Together, we’ll explore what it really means to find strength within ourselves and live intentionally.
So, let’s go there. Let us discover more about ourselves and our world and unlock the power that’s waiting inside each of us. Because it’s already there — it’s just waiting to be awakened.
Who has been a guest on Amandla with Mpeo
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Lebo Mbethe
Thato Cassuto
Yolandi Michaels
Lebo Motswenyane
Alicia Pieterse
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Spotify
5.0 / 5
3 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 27 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
55
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
0
Host of Amandla with Mpeo?
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