Beneath every habit, conflict, and decision is a root system—beliefs, incentives, stories, and emotions quietly shaping what we do. At the Root of It is a conversation series that follows those roots all the way down, then back up with insight you can actually use.
Each episode begins with a single prompt—“What’s at the root of ___?” (trust, burnout, belonging, change, boundaries, ambition…)—and closes with a clear reflection: “At the root of it is ___.” Along the way, guests share lived experiences, we translate research into plain language, and we pause for the kind of questions that build emotional intelligence.
Expect grounded conversations, practical takeaways you can try this week, and a calm, reflective vibe. If you’re curious, values-driven, and ready to see what’s really moving you and your teams, this show is for you.
Tagline: Dig a little deeper.
Resilience is often praised, but rarely examined for what it costs.
In this final episode of Season One, Hanisha turns the tables and becomes the guest, sharing how resilience was shaped through childhood trauma, survival, and early responsibility. Together, Hanisha and Jared explore how resilience can begin as a necessity, how it evolves over time, and what it looks like when survival is no longer required.
This conversation unpacks dissociation, emotional regulation, leadership, immigrant identity, and the slow, intentional work of healing. It closes with a reflection on perseverance, belief, and what it means to choose resilience with softness instead of armor.
00:00 Introduction to Resilience
02:29 Childhood Trauma and Resilience
15:48 The Evolution of Resilience
18:51 Disassociation vs Resilience
22:30 Emotional Resilience via Processing Your Emotions
28:10 Resilience as an Adult
36:30 What is Soft Resilience?
42:14 Leading with Resilience
48:14 Jumpstarting Resilience and having Role Models
52:39 Do immigrants have natural resilience?
56:58 The Cost of Resilience
01:06:34 Personal Evolution and Navigating Therapy
01:14:59 Reflecting on the Season and What is at the Root of Resilience?
21 Jan 2026
At The Root of It: Growth with Rolando
In this conversation, Hanisha and Rolando talk about growth as something that unfolds over time, often in ways we don’t immediately recognize. They reflect on how growing up with immigrant parents shaped their early understanding of success as survival, stability, and hard work, and how that definition slowly expanded once they entered the professional world. Rolando shares how discomfort, feedback, and eventually therapy helped him recognize when he was stuck, burnt out, or outgrowing a role. Hanisha explores how much of her own growth showed up quietly, through patience, emotional regulation, and learning to pause instead of pushing harder. Together, they unpack how growth can feel uncomfortable, nonlinear, and sometimes even like loss, while still being deeply meaningful.
7 Jan 2026
At The Root of It: Truth with Jared
Truth is often framed as something fixed. A fact. A moral rule. Something you either tell or avoid.
But lived truth is far more complicated.
In this episode, we explore how our relationship with truth is shaped early in life, through family dynamics, cultural expectations, and the environments that taught us what was safe to say and what needed to stay hidden. We unpack how curiosity creates room for understanding, while certainty can shut conversations down. And we examine the tension between honesty and discernment, especially in relationships, leadership, and work.
We talk about the cost of truth. When telling it damages trust. When withholding it erodes integrity. And how delivery, timing, and audience matter just as much as the truth itself.
The conversation also turns inward. Toward body awareness, self reflection, and the quiet signals that tell us when something is misaligned. Toward the challenge of being honest with ourselves, especially when past truths no longer fit who we are becoming.
This episode invites listeners to reflect not just on what they believe is true, but how those truths were formed, whose expectations they carry, and what context they may be missing.
00:00 Exploring the Concept of Truth
01:36 Childhood Perspectives on Truth
06:16 Family Dynamics and Truth
11:29 Curiosity and Understanding
18:09 Navigating Relationships and Truth
23:58 The Role of Vulnerability
30:37 Trust and Its Impact on Truth
36:38 The Cost of Truth
43:57 Body Language and Communication
50:23 Self Reflection and Honesty
57:11 The Intersection of Truth and Context
24 Dec 2025
At The Root of It: Forgiveness with Brittany
Content warning: this episode includes discussions of trauma, abuse, and mental health. Please listen with care.
Forgiveness is complicated. In this episode, we explore what it really takes to move through anger, grief, and the stories we carry from childhood into a place of freedom and self-compassion. Hanisha and Brittany share how forgiveness has evolved for them, shaped by trauma, agency, boundaries, and the unexpected clarity that comes with distance and perspective.
Together they explore what many of us quietly wrestle with:
• What do we do with the parts of childhood we wish we could rewrite?
• How do we navigate forgiveness when no apology is coming?
• What does self-forgiveness look like when our own patterns hurt us most?
• How does discernment grow out of painful experiences?
• Why does forgiveness sometimes feel like betrayal of our younger selves?
This conversation asks us to slow down, look inward, and honor the hard-earned wisdom that comes with surviving, reframing, and ultimately choosing what to carry forward.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Forgiveness
02:47 The Evolution of Forgiveness
06:54 Agency and Forgiveness
08:19 Complex Relationships and Forgiveness
12:34 Lessons from a Difficult Past
19:22 The Journey of Self-Discovery
24:43 Reframing Trauma and Forgiveness
30:00 Finding Freedom in Forgiveness
33:10 Embracing Life’s Challenges
34:50 The Impact of Childhood Experiences
36:44 Understanding Burnout and Workaholism
38:41 The Importance of Self-Compassion
40:43 Forgiveness and Personal Growth
45:28 The Complexity of Forgiveness
49:40 Learning Through Mistakes
52:16 Self-Compassion in Neurodiversity
57:06 Finding Freedom in Forgiveness
10 Dec 2025
At The Root of It: Feedback with Mike
In this episode of At the Root of It, Mike joins to explore how feedback shapes us in the workplace and at home. Together we talk about the moments that felt abrasive, the patterns we carried from childhood, and the cultural and gender dynamics that make feedback feel complicated.
We unpack why some feedback stings, how trust and psychological safety transform the way we hear it, and why vulnerability sits at the core of giving and receiving feedback. Mike shares stories from design critiques, mentorship experiences, and the influence of his own upbringing. Hanisha reflects on navigating feedback as a woman of color in tech, being labeled aggressive, and learning to ask clarifying questions and regulate emotional reactions.
If you have ever struggled with the delivery of feedback, the silence after feedback, or the internal voice that feels like old conditioning, this conversation brings clarity and compassion to one of the most universal human experiences.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Feedback Dynamics
03:00 The Role of Feedback in Professional Growth
05:40 Navigating Personal Feedback and Relationships
08:50 The Art of Delivering Feedback
12:03 Gender Dynamics in Feedback Reception
14:47 Building Trust for Effective Feedback
17:52 Feedback and Personal Growth
20:41 The Impact of Upbringing on Feedback Reception
23:59 Emotional Intelligence in Feedback
26:47 Conclusion and Reflections on Feedback
32:42 Navigating Feedback: The Art of Receiving and Giving
39:40 Trust and Vulnerability: Building Connections in the Workplace
45:59 Cultural Dynamics: Communication Styles Across Borders
52:27 The Importance of Detailed Feedback
57:54 The Root of Feedback
26 Nov 2025
At The Root of It: Expectations with Kevin
In this episode, Hanisha and Kevin unpack the layered roots of expectations—from childhood pressures and family roles to leadership, friendship, and love. They reflect on how early cultural and generational expectations shape identity, and how those patterns quietly influence our adult lives and relationships. Together, they explore learning to adjust, communicate, and let go—without losing the values that ground us.
12 Nov 2025
At the Root of It: Rest with Somya
In this conversation, Hanisha and Somya explore the multifaceted concept of rest, discussing its importance in a fast-paced world dominated by hustle culture. They delve into the different types of rest, including physical, mental, and emotional, and share personal experiences of burnout and the necessity of setting boundaries. The discussion emphasizes the strength found in prioritizing rest and the journey of unlearning societal norms that equate busyness with success. Through their dialogue, they highlight the significance of self-awareness and the need for calm in achieving true rest.
29 Oct 2025
At the Root of It: Control with Jared
In this conversation, Hanisha and Jared explore the complex nature of control, discussing its duality as both a source of safety and fear. They reflect on how control manifests in daily life—from subtle urges to physiological responses—and how it can both protect and limit us. Together, they examine the line between influence and control, the role of community and support systems, and how early experiences shape our adult behaviors.
15 Oct 2025
At the Root of It: Overthinking with Karina
Summary
In this conversation, Karina and Hanisha explore the complexities of overthinking, discussing its roots in anxiety and perfectionism, its impact on daily life, and strategies to manage it. They reflect on personal experiences, the influence of family backgrounds, and the paradox of overthinking as both a challenge and a potential superpower. The dialogue emphasizes the importance of self-awareness and finding balance in navigating the intricacies of overthinking.
Takeaways
Karina identifies as a big over thinker, which is influenced by her anxiety.
Overthinking manifests in various aspects of life, including work, relationships, and parenting.
Strategies to combat overthinking include setting time limits and engaging in distracting activities like puzzles.
Anxiety often exacerbates overthinking, especially at night when trying to sleep.
Perfectionism is closely linked to overthinking, as individuals seek to make the best decisions.
Overthinking can affect relationships, leading to frustration for partners who may not understand the thought process.
Family backgrounds play a significant role in shaping overthinking tendencies, often passed down through generations.
Overthinking can be seen as a superpower in certain contexts, such as risk management in professional settings.
Finding balance is crucial; overthinking can lead to paralysis by analysis.
Self-awareness is key in recognizing when overthinking is occurring and how to address it.
1 Oct 2025
At the Root of It: Values with Chris
What’s at the root of our values? In this episode, Hanisha and Chris Harris unpack how family, community, and personal growth shape what we hold most important. From authenticity and ambition to joy and conflict, they explore how values evolve over time and how aligning them with our actions deepens relationships.
Together, they reflect on:
How values are influenced by family and community
Why authenticity requires ongoing reflection
The difference between joy and happiness
How ambition can be healthy when rooted in integrity
Ways conflict and communication reveal our deepest beliefs
Join us for a grounded, thoughtful conversation on what drives us beneath the surface. What is at the root of... values?
8 Sept 2025
At the Root of It (Teaser)– Emotional Intelligence, Self-Awareness & Real Conversations
What’s really driving your decisions, reactions, and relationships? In At the Root of It, host Hanisha invites you to pause, reflect, and dig beneath the surface of everyday challenges. This podcast explores the beliefs, emotions, and stories shaping how we lead, live, and connect — one thoughtful conversation at a time.
Tune in for grounded dialogue, emotionally intelligent questions, and takeaways you can actually use. Episodes drop biweekly starting October 1st.
Hit follow and get ready to dig a little deeper.
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