The Language Alchemy podcast

#Podcasting Education #Alejandra Siroka

30:46

How do we future-proof the digital payment experience so it becomes invisible to customers—yet keep it working harder than ever for brands? Agility requires a deep understanding of how technology can simplify the customer journey without compromising security or trust. Today we’re going to talk about the future of secure digital payments, how in-app and frictionless experiences are redefining customer loyalty, and why platform providers need to take the in-app payment shift seriously. To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Peter Galvin, Chief Marketing Officer at NMI. About Peter Galvin Peter is Chief Marketing Officer at NMI and is a 20-year veteran of global technology organizations, specializing in promoting innovative enterprise and Cloud-based software companies to leadership positions. He previously served as Chief Marketing Officer at Entrust and Proofpoint, as well as Chief Strategy & Marketing Officer for nCipher (formerly Thales e-Security). Peter has also served in senior marketing leadership roles at leading technology companies including Openwave, Inktomi (acquired by Yahoo) and Oracle. He’s passionate about skiing and travel, and enjoys cooking and spending time with his family. Peter Galvin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petergalvin/ Resources NMI: https://www.nmi.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow Register now for Sitecore Symposium, November 3-5 in Orlando Florida. Use code SYM25-2Media10 to receive 10% off. Go here for more: https://symposium.sitecore.com/ Don't Miss MAICON 2025, October 14-16 in Cleveland - the event bringing together the brights minds and leading voices in AI. Use Code AGILE150 for $150 off registration. Go here to register: https://bit.ly/agile150 Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstrom Don't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.show Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company…

The Language Alchemy Podcast

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The language you use every day shapes your world and is your bridge to deeply connecting with yourself and others. Through the Language Alchemy Podcast, host Alejandra Siroka, a transformative communication teacher and coach, invites you to explore and express your deepest truths with clarity, confidence, and compassion. Give conscious shape to a fulfilling life and meaningful relationships with Language Alchemy.

180 episoder

The Language Alchemy Podcast

updated for ca. 11 timer siden

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180 episoder

#Podcasting Education #Alejandra Siroka

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The Language Alchemy Podcast

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180. How to Talk About Gaza & the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict 26:30

for 11 hours siden26:30

26:30

When the world is shaken by war, violence, and human suffering, it can feel impossible to talk about it without creating more distance. Maybe you’ve stayed silent to avoid conflict. Maybe you’ve spoken up only to regret how the conversation unfolded. Or maybe you’ve felt pressure to take a side just to prove that you care. Alejandra Siroka invites you to understand a different way forward. She shares how conversations anchored in values—compassion, humility, justice, peace, or connection—can open space rather than shut it down. Instead of falling into the trap of being “right” or “wrong,” Alejandra shows how to consider what outcome you want from a conversation and how to let that guide your words. Through stories and real-life examples, you’ll uncover ways to respond with honesty, curiosity, and humanity in even the most charged moments. You’ll see how choosing one guiding value can reshape not only what you say, but how you show up for others. This episode leaves you with a framework to lean on when words feel inadequate. It’s an invitation to explore how your communication, grounded in values, can help protect dignity and connection in times when the world feels divided. Quotes “How do we speak about something this complex and emotionally charged without losing our way? The answer lies in one of the core principles of language alchemy, which is about getting crystal clear on your values and anchoring your communication in them.” (09:00 | Alejandra Siroka) “Before you enter any conversation about the Israel-Gaza crisis, pause and ask yourself these three questions. Number one, what value do I most want to embody in this conversation? Number two, am I speaking from my values or from a need to be right? And number three, what outcome am I hoping for? Connection or conquest?” (09:21 | Alejandra Siroka) "When you lead with, I don't know, you're not being weak or uncommitted. You are being honest about the limitations of your perspective while staying connected to your values." (16:43 | Alejandra Siroka) "Your willingness to communicate from your values, even when others may get caught in the reactive patterns, is not something neutral. It is a form of evolutionary activism." ( 21:36 | Alejandra Siroka) "The world doesn't need more people taking sides. It needs more people willing to communicate from their deepest wisdom and stay connected across differences." ( 22:42 | Alejandra Siroka) Links To leave a review on Apple Podcasts, click: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-language-alchemy-podcast/id1576461366 To leave a review on Spotify, click: https://open.spotify.com/show/5yTj9hSotq8EAjPCYg2jYw?si=aQNuoStRQomTNUKHGSD56A&nd=1&dlsi=064dcb42ba8d4706 To work with Alejandra, visit: www.languagealchemy.com/workwithme To join the Language Alchemy mailing list, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com To ask questions you'd like Alejandra to answer in the podcast, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/podcastquestion To find out about 1:1 transformative communication coaching with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/oneonone To find out about couple transformative communication coaching with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/couples To schedule a reduced-rate coaching consultation with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/newclient To follow Alejandra on instagram follow @languagealchemy Podcast Music composed by Gary Lapow: open.spotify.com/artist/1HlMhcNfKIELxYil5mVqD Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm…

The Language Alchemy Podcast

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179. Back to School 3 Questions Every Parent Needs 17:46

for 14 dage siden17:46

17:46

The back-to-school season doesn’t just shift kids’ routines, it changes the rhythm of the whole family. Alejandra Siroka invites parents and co-parents to pause and notice how these transitions impact their partnerships. She shares three simple yet powerful questions that help partners move from silent frustration to mutual support, turning hectic weeks into opportunities for connection. Alejandra also explores the importance of grounding family logistics in shared values, checking in regularly, and practicing daily gratitude. Whether you’re in a couple or parenting solo, this episode offers ways to uncover hidden stress points, consider what support really looks like, and create a smoother transition for everyone at home. Quotes “When we name what’s happening and we create the space to talk about it together, we can transform a potentially chaotic transition into a meaningful passage that can bring you and your partner or co-parent together.” (03:20 | Alejandra Siroka) “Before you and your partner get deep into logistics, this conversation needs to start with your values.” (04:11 | Alejandra Siroka) “What’s key here is that you show yourself that you are not alone. Because most likely, there is someone who would really enjoy supporting you and feeling heard by you.” (14:42 | Alejandra Siroka) “Conscious communication doesn’t mean you’ll have to have perfect conversations or that every transition will go smoothly. It means you are choosing to engage with intention rather than with reaction. It means you are building connection even in the midst of change.” (15:24 | Alejandra Siroka) “Every conversation you have, whether it’s checking in with your partner about their needs for the week or expressing gratitude for how they’re supporting the family is an act of evolutionary activism because you’re modeling to your children how to navigate transitions in a meaningful and connecting way.” (16:13 | Alejandra Siroka) Links To leave a review on Apple Podcasts, click: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-language-alchemy-podcast/id1576461366 To leave a review on Spotify, click: https://open.spotify.com/show/5yTj9hSotq8EAjPCYg2jYw?si=aQNuoStRQomTNUKHGSD56A&nd=1&dlsi=064dcb42ba8d4706 To work with Alejandra, visit: www.languagealchemy.com/workwithme To join the Language Alchemy mailing list, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com To ask questions you'd like Alejandra to answer in the podcast, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/podcastquestion To find out about 1:1 transformative communication coaching with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/oneonone To find out about couple transformative communication coaching with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/couples To schedule a reduced-rate coaching consultation with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/newclient To follow Alejandra on instagram follow @languagealchemy Podcast Music composed by Gary Lapow: open.spotify.com/artist/1HlMhcNfKIELxYil5mVqD Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm…

The Language Alchemy Podcast

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178. Back-to-School Talk: Helping Kids Navigate Transitions 15:38

for 28 dage siden15:38

15:38

Back-to-school season often comes with shopping lists, new schedules, and endless logistics, but how often do we stop to think about what this transition feels like for our children? In this episode, Alejandra Siroka invites parents to use conscious communication to guide kids through the mix of excitement, nervousness, and even sadness that often accompanies change. She explains how small, everyday conversations, whether during a car ride, over dinner, or in a quiet moment before bed, can create space for kids to feel safe and understood. Each school year brings new dynamics and emotions, even when everything else seems familiar. How do we recognize these subtle shifts and turn them into opportunities for connection? Alejandra shows how embracing transition as transformation can help families build resilience and deeper bonds that last well beyond the classroom. Quotes “Every transition matters because every transition brings changes. And every change can serve as an opportunity for growth, connection, and transformation, especially when we give them our full attention through skillful communication.” (04:58 | Alejandra Siroka) “When you validate your children’s feelings and help them see that emotions are temporary, you are teaching them emotional intelligence and resilience that will serve them throughout their lives.” (09:17 | Alejandra Siroka) “Your role is to be present, to listen, to be their source for safety and connection, and also to help them understand that whatever they’re feeling, that experience and that feeling is valid and temporary.” (11:17 | Alejandra Siroka) “Every conversation you have, whether it’s validating your child’s nervousness about a new teacher or simply acknowledging that transitions can feel overwhelming, is an act of evolutionary activism because you’re modeling a new way of being in relationship.” (12:50 | Alejandra Siroka) “Transition is transformation in disguise. When we meet it with conscious communication, we don’t just survive the change. We help our children thrive through it.” (13:27 | Alejandra Siroka) Links To leave a review on Apple Podcasts, click: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-language-alchemy-podcast/id1576461366 To leave a review on Spotify, click: https://open.spotify.com/show/5yTj9hSotq8EAjPCYg2jYw?si=aQNuoStRQomTNUKHGSD56A&nd=1&dlsi=064dcb42ba8d4706 To work with Alejandra, visit: www.languagealchemy.com/workwithme To join the Language Alchemy mailing list, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com To ask questions you'd like Alejandra to answer in the podcast, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/podcastquestion To find out about 1:1 transformative communication coaching with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/oneonone To find out about couple transformative communication coaching with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/couples To schedule a reduced-rate coaching consultation with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/newclient To follow Alejandra on instagram follow @languagealchemy Podcast Music composed by Gary Lapow: open.spotify.com/artist/1HlMhcNfKIELxYil5mVqD Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm…

The Language Alchemy Podcast

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177. Stop Sounding Like Customer Service in Your Own Relationships: Breaking Free From Communication Formulas 22:41

for 6 weeks siden22:41

22:41

Many of us still rely on communication habits that took root when we were children. Maybe you avoid speaking up because you’re afraid of ruffling feathers. Maybe you say yes when you really mean no. Or maybe you fall back on language that sounds dramatic when what you actually want is to feel understood. These patterns once served a purpose, but they don’t support the authentic, connected relationships we want as adults. In this episode, Alejandra Siroka invites you to consider a different approach. Instead of memorizing lines or following a formula, she shares how communication can become a living practice that grows with you. Through stories, examples, and insights, Alejandra shows how the Language Alchemy approach helps you pause, notice what’s happening inside, and speak from your deepest values. When you do this, you move from reactivity to awareness and from transactional exchanges to genuine connection. What would change in your life if you trusted your own voice rather than relying on someone else’s script? How might your relationships evolve if you brought curiosity, presence, and compassion into every conversation? This episode reminds us that authentic communication is not about getting the words “right” but about showing up as your true self and allowing your voice to grow with you. Quotes “Your communication needs to grow with you. Yes, just like your body grows from infant to adult, your communication needs to develop and mature alongside you.” (01:58 | Alejandra Siroka) “You do not need someone else’s script for your adult conversations.” (08:17 | Alejandra Siroka) “From my perspective, communication formulas are actually a disservice to your growth and authenticity.” (10:48 | Alejandra Siroka) “Skillful communication depends on the context, not on formulas.” (15:00 | Alejandra Siroka) “When you choose curiosity over judgment, you are transforming your communication.” (18:32 | Alejandra Siroka) Links Apply for Language Alchemy Group Coaching at https://www.languagealchemy.com/groupcoaching To leave a review on Apple Podcasts, click: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-language-alchemy-podcast/id1576461366 To leave a review on Spotify, click: https://open.spotify.com/show/5yTj9hSotq8EAjPCYg2jYw?si=aQNuoStRQomTNUKHGSD56A&nd=1&dlsi=064dcb42ba8d4706 To work with Alejandra, visit: www.languagealchemy.com/workwithme To join the Language Alchemy mailing list, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com To ask questions you'd like Alejandra to answer in the podcast, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/podcastquestion To find out about 1:1 transformative communication coaching with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/oneonone To find out about couple transformative communication coaching with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/couples To schedule a reduced-rate coaching consultation with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/newclient To follow Alejandra on instagram follow @languagealchemy Podcast Music composed by Gary Lapow: open.spotify.com/artist/1HlMhcNfKIELxYil5mVqD Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm…

The Language Alchemy Podcast

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176. Your Unexamined Childhood Language Patterns Are Sabotaging Your Adult Relationships 19:45

for 8 weeks siden19:45

19:45

Transform the way you speak to yourself, life, and others to open the door to deeper connection, stronger confidence, and real personal growth. Alejandra Siroka invites you to see communication as more than words exchanged between people. It is the thread that shapes your relationships, your self-image, and your sense of possibility. The language you use with yourself can lift you up or hold you back. The beliefs you carry about life can expand your world or keep it small. The way you speak to others can build trust or create distance. Through client stories, Alejandra shows how patterns formed in childhood often stay with us and quietly influence every interaction. She explores the three dimensions of communication: how you talk to yourself, how you relate to life, and how you connect with others. She offers ways to evolve each one so you can move from self-criticism to compassion, from bracing for the worst to noticing support, and from defensiveness to genuine curiosity. These shifts create ripple effects you can see and feel in daily life. In this episode, Alejandra leaves us with the understanding that transforming your communication means stepping into the fullest version of yourself with tools, guidance, and a supportive community to help you get there. Quotes “If you’re still talking to yourself using the same language patterns you absorbed as a child, it’s like you’re trying to navigate your adult life with a child’s map.” (04:40 | Alejandra Siroka) “The health of your relationships, and therefore the quality of your life, depends on how you communicate with others.” (12:05 | Alejandra Siroka) “When you transform your interpersonal communication, you have more choice and you’re able to express yourself authentically in a way that has presence and understanding for you and for the other person.” (13:40 | Alejandra Siroka) “When you transform your communication, it has ripple effects. When you change how you communicate, everything changes.” (15:16 | Alejandra Siroka) “Transformation is not about becoming someone different. It’s about becoming more fully yourself, the wise, loving, authentic, mature adult you truly are.” (17:54 | Alejandra Siroka) Links Group Coaching - https://www.languagealchemy.com/groupcoaching To leave a review on Apple Podcasts, click: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-language-alchemy-podcast/id1576461366 To leave a review on Spotify, click: https://open.spotify.com/show/5yTj9hSotq8EAjPCYg2jYw?si=aQNuoStRQomTNUKHGSD56A&nd=1&dlsi=064dcb42ba8d4706 To work with Alejandra, visit: www.languagealchemy.com/workwithme To join the Language Alchemy mailing list, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com To ask questions you'd like Alejandra to answer in the podcast, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/podcastquestion To find out about 1:1 transformative communication coaching with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/oneonone To find out about couple transformative communication coaching with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/couples To schedule a reduced-rate coaching consultation with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/newclient To follow Alejandra on instagram follow @languagealchemy Podcast Music composed by Gary Lapow: open.spotify.com/artist/1HlMhcNfKIELxYil5mVqD Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm…

The Language Alchemy Podcast

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175. Breaking Free from the Mental Spin Cycle - Why ‘Being the Better Person’ Backfires (And What Actually Works) 21:35

for 10 weeks siden21:35

21:35

Trying to be the better person in a conflict might be the very thing keeping you stuck and silently seething. Alejandra Siroka takes a closer look at what really happens when we avoid hard conversations in the name of maturity or keeping the peace. This episode explores the spin cycle, that mental loop we fall into when unresolved conflict plays on repeat, and offers a more meaningful way forward using values-based communication. Avoiding the conversation might feel like the safer choice, but at what cost to your sense of self? Through her Language Alchemy® approach, Alejandra outlines a practice that begins with honest self-awareness and leads into speaking from your core values rather than judgment or resentment. She poses thoughtful questions to help shift the way we think about conflict: What does your value of integrity ask of you right now? What would it sound like to speak with respect for both yourself and the other person? You’ll also hear a story about Priya, a client who spent years feeling quietly dismissed by her mother-in-law until she finally expressed herself in a way that honored her values and opened the door to mutual understanding. This episode is an invitation to move out of mental spinning and into honest, grounded communication without losing yourself along the way. Quotes “These ideas about being the better person can actually add another layer of pressure. Because they suggest that if we were truly evolved or mature, we would simply rise above the conflict without addressing the underlying issues.” (03:41 | Alejandra Siroka) “When they apply forced niceness to their communication, they’re being inauthentic. And inauthenticity doesn’t feel good at all.” (05:54 | Alejandra Siroka) “When we transform how we communicate in our personal relationships, we are actually contributing to a larger shift in human consciousness. Every time we choose values-based communication over reactive patterns, we’re not just healing our own conflicts, we are modeling a new way of being that ripples out into the world.” (09:33 | Alejandra Siroka) “Instead of asking ourselves, ‘How do I make this person change?’ We need to ask, ‘How do I show up as the person I want to be in this situation?’” (10:42 | Alejandra Siroka) “When we stop trying to be the better person and start being our authentic selves grounded in our own values, we create the possibility for real resolution and genuine connection.” (17:56 | Alejandra Siroka) Links To leave a review on Apple Podcasts, click: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-language-alchemy-podcast/id1576461366 To leave a review on Spotify, click: https://open.spotify.com/show/5yTj9hSotq8EAjPCYg2jYw?si=aQNuoStRQomTNUKHGSD56A&nd=1&dlsi=064dcb42ba8d4706 To work with Alejandra, visit: www.languagealchemy.com/workwithme To join the Language Alchemy® mailing list, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com To ask questions you'd like Alejandra to answer in the podcast, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/podcastquestion To find out about 1:1 transformative communication coaching with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/oneonone To find out about couple transformative communication coaching with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/couples To schedule a reduced-rate coaching consultation with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/newclient To follow Alejandra on instagram follow @languagealchemy Podcast Music composed by Gary Lapow: open.spotify.com/artist/1HlMhcNfKIELxYil5mVqD Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm…

The Language Alchemy Podcast

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174. 3 Costly Mistakes We Make with Long-standing Conflicts 17:12

for 12 weeks siden17:12

17:12

Long-standing conflicts have a way of taking root, not just in relationships, but in our own internal dialogue. In this episode, Alejandra Siroka unpacks three common patterns that tend to keep conflict alive for months or even years: overinflating the other person’s flaws through harsh judgment, resigning ourselves to the belief that they won’t change, and getting stuck in an exhausting mental spin cycle that loops through frustration, resentment, and self-criticism. Through the story of Priya and her mother-in-law, Penny, Alejandra illustrates how seemingly subtle comments can spiral into full-blown internal battles when left unaddressed. What starts as discomfort can quickly turn into mental replays, imagined confrontations, and a deep sense of personal failure, especially for those who are committed to growth and self-awareness. The focus here isn’t on blame. It’s on recognizing the patterns that make peace feel out of reach. If you tend to avoid conflict, replay conversations in your head, or stay silent out of fear of offending someone, this episode offers a chance to pause and look inward. Try to be aware of when your thoughts start spiraling or when you find yourself quietly giving up on the possibility of change. These moments aren’t signs of failure, they’re signals to examine what you're holding onto and how it’s affecting you. Alejandra encourages us to begin by noticing. Notice the mental loops, the quiet resignation, the buildup of judgment. And then, ask yourself: Do I really want to carry this tension for two more months? Two more years? That question alone might open the door to something different. Quotes “The spin cycle is exhausting because it requires running yourself against the other person and also against yourself. So we need to see the spin cycle for what it is. It is violent. You're not just in conflict with the other person. You are also at war with yourself.” (00:00 | Alejandra Siroka) “First, we blow things out of proportion through judgment and criticism. We analyze everything we consider wrong with the other person. We dissect their character flaws. And we build a case for why they are the problem.” (06:12 | Alejandra Siroka) “The second mistake we tend to make is that we resign ourselves. We throw up our hands and decide the person we're in conflict with is impossible, unchangeable, set in their ways, like a statue that will forever stay in a fixed position.” (08:34 | Alejandra Siroka) “When we spin, our internal dialogue becomes like a broken record. We replay conversations over and over. We think about what the other person said, what we said, what we should have said.” (12:17 | Alejandra Siroka) Links To leave a review on Apple Podcasts, click: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-language-alchemy-podcast/id1576461366 To leave a review on Spotify, click: https://open.spotify.com/show/5yTj9hSotq8EAjPCYg2jYw?si=aQNuoStRQomTNUKHGSD56A&nd=1&dlsi=064dcb42ba8d4706 To work with Alejandra, visit: www.languagealchemy.com/workwithme To join the Language Alchemy mailing list, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com To ask questions you'd like Alejandra to answer in the podcast, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/podcastquestion To find out about 1:1 transformative communication coaching with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/oneonone To find out about couple transformative communication coaching with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/couples To schedule a reduced-rate coaching consultation with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/newclient To follow Alejandra on instagram follow @languagealchemy Podcast Music composed by Gary Lapow: open.spotify.com/artist/1HlMhcNfKIELxYil5mVqD Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm…

The Language Alchemy Podcast

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173. Stop Relationship Arguments Before They Start: Discover Your Time Communication Type 25:27

for 14 weeks siden25:27

25:27

Your arguments about being late or craving more structure might have less to do with behavior and more to do with how your brain relates to time. Could the tension you feel with a partner, friend, or colleague be tied to a mismatch in how you each experience it? Alejandra Siroka joins life coach Sara L. Allen to talk about the concept of time types, how some people live in a more fluid, expansive relationship with time, while others move through it with structure and intention. Alejandra explains the difference between these time-type brain patterns, and how these patterns show up in daily life, often creating miscommunication, arguments and conflicts. Have you ever felt disrespected because someone ran late or been on the other side, feeling rushed and resented for simply following your natural rhythm? Alejandra shares examples from her own marriage and client work that reveal how these differences in time perception can quietly strain even the most loving relationships. This episode is an invitation to notice your own patterns, to listen differently, and to support the people around you in ways that feel less reactive and more respectful. How would your relationships shift if you stopped assuming and started asking about time? Quotes “Most couples’ arguments are based on this idea of time and how they blame each other for something they don’t even know they have, which is the concept of time.” (10:57 | Alejandra Siroka) “When we realized that our concept of time, the way our brains organize time was different, and it was not a personality trait. And this is very important to understand. Even though there are things you can do to support yourself and shift how your brain is organizing this concept of time, it is not personality. We were able to trace back arguments we’ve had for years.” (11:58 | Alejandra Siroka) “For through-timers, being late produces a lot of anxiety, a lot of fear internally... I want my beloved to have a very steady and wonderful, relaxed nervous system.” (13:41 | Alejandra Siroka) “This is not a tool to diagnose others. Once you have it within yourself and you can see where you are in the spectrum, then talk to the people in your life and have them assess where they are, and then you can have beautiful and meaningful conversations about how you can support each other so that you can decrease your arguments, especially with those you live with, your closest friends.” (21:16 | Alejandra Siroka) “Having this understanding about how our brain organizes time is very useful. So that the in-timer can ask the through-timer, ‘Does this time work?’ And if it doesn’t, the through-timer can say, ‘Not at this moment, but I’d love to hear what you’d like to say this evening after we put the kids to bed.’ So this is how we can really support each other in communication.” (23:14 | Alejandra Siroka) Links Discover Your Time Type Checklist: https://www.languagealchemy.com/timetype To leave a review on Apple Podcasts, click: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-language-alchemy-podcast/id1576461366 To leave a review on Spotify, click: https://open.spotify.com/show/5yTj9hSotq8EAjPCYg2jYw?si=aQNuoStRQomTNUKHGSD56A&nd=1&dlsi=064dcb42ba8d4706 To work with Alejandra, visit: www.languagealchemy.com/workwithme To join the Language Alchemy mailing list, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com To ask questions you'd like Alejandra to answer in the podcast, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/podcastquestion To find out about 1:1 transformative communication coaching with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/oneonone To find out about couple transformative communication coaching with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/couples To schedule a reduced-rate coaching consultation with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/newclient To follow Alejandra on instagram follow @languagealchemy Podcast Music composed by Gary Lapow: open.spotify.com/artist/1HlMhcNfKIELxYil5mVqD Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm…

The Language Alchemy Podcast

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172. Q&A - Staying Grounded When Your Partner’s Emotions Trigger Your Own 27:40

for 16 weeks siden27:40

27:40

What do you do when someone you love is overwhelmed and their emotions start to overwhelm you ? Alejandra Siroka takes on a familiar dynamic: one partner is in distress, and the other feels pulled into that emotional current, unsure how to stay present without getting swept away. It starts with a question from a listener named Sekani, who describes getting anxious when his girlfriend feels anxious about politics. He wants to show up with care and compassion, but instead, he ends up in reactive mode. Alejandra offers a clear explanation for what’s happening here. It’s called emotional entanglement, and it’s incredibly common. Our brains are wired to connect to one another, so when someone close to us is hurting, our system often jumps in automatically. But could there be a way to stay close without taking it all on? Through this episode, Alejandra shares five tools to help you pause, reconnect with your intention, and stay grounded when emotions run high. She also offers a distinction between having a role and holding an intention, one that can shift the tone of your relationships in a meaningful way. How do you know when it’s the right time to share your own experience? What helps you avoid rushing to fix things that aren’t yours to solve? And how do cultural differences shape the way we express and interpret bog feelings? If you’ve ever found yourself in a moment where love and overwhelm are tangled together, Alejandra will give you language and presence to navigate it with more clarity. Quotes “This is where transformation happens. When you notice yourself getting activated by your partner’s emotions, that’s your cue to pause and acknowledge your trigger.” (09:32 | Alejandra Siroka) “Oftentimes, when people are going through these big feelings, they need our presence more than our suggestions or solutions. They need our witnessing more than our fixing. And they need our connection more than our actions.” (11:19 | Alejandra Siroka) “Intention comes from within. It is an inner invitation to stretch yourself and tap into your motivation and capacity.” (13:41 | Alejandra Siroka) “You could say to yourself, ‘your storm is not my storm. I am a lighthouse.’ This beautiful metaphor reminds you to stay steady while the other person is going through various emotions” (17:21 | Alejandra Siroka) “Sometimes, despite our best intentions and our best choice of tools, conversations don’t devolve into fights. This is a possibility. But this doesn’t mean that you have failed. No, it just means you are human.” (23:53 | Alejandra Siroka) Links Episode 137. Saying Sorry Is Not Enough: How To Have A Repair Conversation https://www.languagealchemy.com/podcasts/language-alchemy-podcast/episodes/2148560398 To leave a review on Apple Podcasts, click: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-language-alchemy-podcast/id1576461366 To leave a review on Spotify, click: https://open.spotify.com/show/5yTj9hSotq8EAjPCYg2jYw?si=aQNuoStRQomTNUKHGSD56A&nd=1&dlsi=064dcb42ba8d4706 To work with Alejandra, visit: www.languagealchemy.com/workwithme To join the Language Alchemy mailing list, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com To ask questions you'd like Alejandra to answer in the podcast, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/podcastquestion To find out about 1:1 transformative communication coaching with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/oneonone To find out about couple transformative communication coaching with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/couples To schedule a reduced-rate coaching consultation with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/newclient To follow Alejandra on instagram follow @languagealchemy Podcast Music composed by Gary Lapow: open.spotify.com/artist/1HlMhcNfKIELxYil5mVqD Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm…

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171. Beyond Time-Outs: Parenting Age-Appropriate Communication Tools for Children’s Aggressive Behaviors 45:42

for 18 weeks siden45:42

45:42

Aggression in kids can be startling. It often signals that they are holding more fear, hurt, or disconnection than they know how to manage. In this episode, Alejandra Siroka sits down with parenting coach and educator Caroline Griswold to talk about the deeper story behind children’s “aggressive” behavior. What looks like defiance or disruption is often a child’s way of expressing fear, overwhelm, or disconnection they don’t yet have words for. So how should parents respond when children engage in “aggressive” behavior? Or when a child screams, throws something, or lashes out in public? Caroline shares how our own fear as parents can quickly lead us to react with sternness or even aggression, which only makes things worse. Instead, she offers grounded strategies like asking “What happened?” instead of “Why did you do that?” These questions help children feel safe enough to open up. She also shares simple practices that build connection, from five minutes of undivided attention in the morning to physical play that helps release emotional tension. Alejandra and Caroline’s conversation is full of gentle reminders and tools for anyone raising or working with kids consciously. If you’ve ever worried that your child’s behavior means something is wrong with them, or with you, you’re not alone. And you’re not without options. Quotes “Our children are born good, intrinsically good, deeply good on an essential level. Our kids do not want to be aggressive. As much as it may seem that way… at our baseline level, we’re born to connect.” (09:53 | Caroline Griswold) “A child who is aggressive is a child who is feeling fear, who’s feeling scared.” (11:29 | Caroline Griswold) “One way to think about it is they’re doing the best that they can with the brain development that they have and with the weight of the feeling that’s on them.” (14:50 | Caroline Griswold) “If a child gets to the point of being aggressive and then we come toward them with more aggression, it adds to the hurt. It adds to the fear and often adds to the confusion.” (18:26 | Caroline Griswold) “Our children, if we can send them off, if they spend the day without us, even if they don’t, with a little more in the tank, doesn’t solve every problem, but it’s a great start for helping our kids feel us when we’re not with them.” (39:42 | Caroline Griswold) Links Fertile Ground Parenting: https://www.fertilegroundparenting.com/ The Perfectly Imperfect Family: Real Solutions for Mindful Parents Navigating Today's Biggest Challenges: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F6VJ5BHJ Roughhousing guide: https://learn.fertilegroundparenting.com/wrestle To leave a review on Apple Podcasts, click: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-language-alchemy-podcast/id1576461366 To leave a review on Spotify, click: https://open.spotify.com/show/5yTj9hSotq8EAjPCYg2jYw?si=aQNuoStRQomTNUKHGSD56A&nd=1&dlsi=064dcb42ba8d4706 To work with Alejandra, visit: www.languagealchemy.com/workwithme To join the Language Alchemy mailing list, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com To ask questions you'd like Alejandra to answer in the podcast, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/podcastquestion To find out about 1:1 transformative communication coaching with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/oneonone To find out about couple transformative communication coaching with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/couples To schedule a reduced-rate coaching consultation with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/newclient To follow Alejandra on instagram follow @languagealchemy Podcast Music composed by Gary Lapow: open.spotify.com/artist/1HlMhcNfKIELxYil5mVqD Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm…

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170. Developing Assertive Communication: 4 Tools to Express Yourself Without Aggression 20:24

for 20 weeks siden20:24

20:24

Assertive and aggressive communication can feel surprisingly similar, so how do you know which one you’re using, and how it’s affecting the people around you? In this episode, Alejandra Siroka explains the real difference between the two, especially for those who’ve been told they’re “too much” when they were simply being clear. She talks about how gender, culture, and power shape the way assertiveness is perceived, and how easy it is to second-guess yourself when those old labels echo in your head. You’ll hear a relatable example from home life that brings these concepts to life. What does it sound like to set a boundary without disconnecting from the people you love? How do you speak your truth without steamrolling someone else’s? Alejandra offers tools you can start using today, from grounding your tone to making specific, respectful requests. She reminds us that when you lead with intention and stay rooted in empathy, your voice doesn’t have to come at the cost of someone else’s. Quotes “It’s common that females and people who identify as females and people of color and those who are seen as outsiders of the dominant culture are accused of being aggressive when in reality they are communicating assertively.” (03:43 | Alejandra Siroka) “When you say something assertively, you are centered on your values. You have clarity about your needs. You are open to understand the needs of others. And you are willing to respect everyone’s needs as equally important.” (04:50 | Alejandra Siroka) “When you speak assertively, you enjoy valuable side effects, such as less anxiety, fewer experiences of helplessness, and the confidence needed for healthy self-esteem.” (06:10 | Alejandra Siroka) “Aggressive communication comes from fear and it leads to unhealthy power dynamics.” (09:09 | Alejandra Siroka) “Both assertiveness and aggressiveness come from the same source, the belly center of intelligence. But there is an important internal difference, and that has to do with intention.” (11:34 | Alejandra Siroka) Links To leave a review on Apple Podcasts, click: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-language-alchemy-podcast/id1576461366 To leave a review on Spotify, click: https://open.spotify.com/show/5yTj9hSotq8EAjPCYg2jYw?si=aQNuoStRQomTNUKHGSD56A&nd=1&dlsi=064dcb42ba8d4706 To work with Alejandra, visit: www.languagealchemy.com/workwithme To join the Language Alchemy mailing list, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com To ask questions you'd like Alejandra to answer in the podcast, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/podcastquestion To find out about 1:1 transformative communication coaching with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/oneonone To find out about couple transformative communication coaching with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/couples To schedule a reduced-rate coaching consultation with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/newclient To follow Alejandra on instagram follow @languagealchemy Podcast Music composed by Gary Lapow: open.spotify.com/artist/1HlMhcNfKIELxYil5mVqD Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm…

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169. How Non-aggressive Is Your Communication? Part 3 24:54

for 22 weeks siden24:54

24:54

Some of the most hurtful communication habits are the ones we’ve been taught to see as normal. In this episode, Alejandra Siroka offers a reflection on four aggressive patterns that often show up in everyday conversations: stonewalling, gaslighting, passive aggression, and name-calling. These aren’t always loud or obvious. Sometimes they sound like silence. Sometimes they come wrapped in sarcasm, or disguised as concern. How do we create safety in our relationships when we’re feeling overwhelmed or misunderstood? What does it take to speak honestly without causing harm? With clarity and compassion, Alejandra shares ways to shift these habits and communicate with more presence, honesty, and care. She reminds us that it’s not about getting it right every time. It’s about noticing what’s happening and choosing to show up differently, one conversation at a time. Quotes “Stonewalling generates emotional abandonment. When someone stonewalls, they’re essentially saying your feelings and your needs do not matter enough for me to stay engaged.” (05:14 | Alejandra Siroka) “By acknowledging that different people can experience the same situation differently without anyone being wrong, we create the space for multiple truths rather than imposing our own version of reality on others.” (10:44 | Alejandra Siroka) “Passive aggression creates confusion and mistrust because it sends mixed messages. You are expressing anger while you are denying you’re angry, making it impossible for others to respond appropriately.” (13:28 | Alejandra Siroka) “Direct communication is your remedy. Direct communication doesn’t mean being harsh. It means being clear and kind simultaneously and giving others the information they need to understand you and respond to you.” (15:54 | Alejandra Siroka) “When we call another person a name, we’re dehumanizing them. And we stop seeing them as the precious human being with needs and feelings and positive qualities that they truly are.” (18:19 | Alejandra Siroka) Links Episode 34. Conscious Defending from Gaslighting https://www.languagealchemy.com/podcasts/language-alchemy-podcast/episodes/2147696153 Choosing True Connection Online Course: https://www.languagealchemy.com/enroll To leave a review on Apple Podcasts, click: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-language-alchemy-podcast/id1576461366 To leave a review on Spotify, click: https://open.spotify.com/show/5yTj9hSotq8EAjPCYg2jYw?si=aQNuoStRQomTNUKHGSD56A&nd=1&dlsi=064dcb42ba8d4706 To work with Alejandra, visit: www.languagealchemy.com/workwithme To join the Language Alchemy mailing list, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com To ask questions you'd like Alejandra to answer in the podcast, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/podcastquestion To find out about 1:1 transformative communication coaching with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/oneonone To find out about couple transformative communication coaching with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/couples To schedule a reduced-rate coaching consultation with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/newclient To follow Alejandra on instagram follow @languagealchemy Podcast Music composed by Gary Lapow: open.spotify.com/artist/1HlMhcNfKIELxYil5mVqD Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm…

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168. How Non-aggressive Is Your Communication? Part 2 20:40

for 24 weeks siden20:40

20:40

Most of us don’t mean to hurt the people we care about. So why do certain conversations leave others feeling unseen, dismissed, or blamed? In this episode, Alejandra Siroka continues her series on aggressive communication by shining a light on four patterns that often go unnoticed: dismissing, derogatory criticism, blame shifting, and bringing up the past. These habits show up in everyday moments, during a disagreement with a partner, a comment at work, or a response to a child’s frustration, and they quietly chip away at connection. Alejandra shares examples that make these habits easy to recognize, even if you didn’t realize you were using them. She offers a thoughtful shift: acknowledging someone’s experience without needing to agree with it. From there, she walks through what it looks like to express hurt without attacking, to take responsibility without spiraling into shame, and to stay present rather than reaching for old grievances as ammunition. What would change if your hardest conversations felt safer? If you’ve ever walked away from a conversation wondering what just went wrong, this episode will help you understand why and give you tools to start communicating in a way that creates more trust, not less. Quotes “Dismissing is an aggressive habit that creates distance rather than understanding.” (05:56 | Alejandra Siroka) “Acknowledgement is not the same as agreement. When you acknowledge, you communicate to the other person that their experience is so. It is their experience.” (06:54 | Alejandra Siroka) “If you don’t know how to express your internal experience and share it with others, resentment will build and it will come out later as derogatory criticism.” (11:17 | Alejandra Siroka) “The conscious alternative is to take ownership of your mistakes, your interpretations, your projections, etc.” (14:19 | Alejandra Siroka) “In 99% of cases, there is no need to bring up the past, especially if you are doing it to hurt or to elicit guilt or to make someone wrong, which by the way, is violent communication.” (18:26 | Alejandra Siroka) Links To leave a review on Apple Podcasts, click: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-language-alchemy-podcast/id1576461366 To leave a review on Spotify, click: https://open.spotify.com/show/5yTj9hSotq8EAjPCYg2jYw?si=aQNuoStRQomTNUKHGSD56A&nd=1&dlsi=064dcb42ba8d4706 To work with Alejandra, visit: www.languagealchemy.com/workwithme To join the Language Alchemy mailing list, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com To ask questions you'd like Alejandra to answer in the podcast, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/podcastquestion To find out about 1:1 transformative communication coaching with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/oneonone To find out about couple transformative communication coaching with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/couples To schedule a reduced-rate coaching consultation with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/newclient To follow Alejandra on instagram follow @languagealchemy Podcast Music composed by Gary Lapow: open.spotify.com/artist/1HlMhcNfKIELxYil5mVqD Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm…

The Language Alchemy Podcast

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167. How Non-aggressive Is Your Communication? Part 1 28:46

for 26 weeks siden28:46

28:46

Most of us say we want peace in our relationships. So why do we still use words that create tension, distance, or even hurt? In this episode, Alejandra Siroka invites us to take a closer look at the everyday language we use and how some of it may be doing more harm than we realize. Without meaning to, we may be speaking in ways that shut others down, leads them to feel small, or quietly chip away at trust. Where do those habits come from? And how can we shift toward language that helps people feel safe, respected, and valued? Alejandra shares four common communication habits that many of us have picked up: interrupting, correcting to be right, shaming, and using body language that overpowers. With clarity and care, she explains why each one matters and offers simple, grounded ways to replace them with more thoughtful patterns. This isn’t about being perfect. It’s about noticing what’s happening in the space between you and the people you care about and choosing to show up differently. If you long for more connection, ease, and peace in your relationships, this episode is a powerful place to begin. Quotes “The condition of our relationships depends directly on our communication. The ways we speak to each other, listen to each other, and understand or misunderstand each other shape what’s present or absent in our relationships.” (06:16 | Alejandra Siroka) “If we want other people to feel safe with us, we need to be aware of talking over them or interrupting them. And we need to learn to let them say whatever they want to say, even if what they do say is what we thought they were going to say, and even if we don’t like what they’re saying.” (11:53 | Alejandra Siroka) “Correcting to be right is not just a disconnecting communication pattern, it is an aggressive one because it shows contempt and criticism for the other person.” (15:28 | Alejandra Siroka) “Shaming is about saying something that attacks the other person’s identity, character, role in the family or in the group, or their cultural background. And this often leads to the recipient of shame feeling badly about themselves, about who they are, and about their self-worth.” (19:45 | Alejandra Siroka) “Wouldn’t you want the people in your relationships to feel good about themselves, to feel confident, to feel that they have worth?” (21:56 | Alejandra Siroka) Links To leave a review on Apple Podcasts, click: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-language-alchemy-podcast/id1576461366 To leave a review on Spotify, click: https://open.spotify.com/show/5yTj9hSotq8EAjPCYg2jYw?si=aQNuoStRQomTNUKHGSD56A&nd=1&dlsi=064dcb42ba8d4706 To work with Alejandra, visit: www.languagealchemy.com/workwithme To join the Language Alchemy mailing list, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com To ask questions you'd like Alejandra to answer in the podcast, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/podcastquestion To find out about 1:1 transformative communication coaching with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/oneonone To find out about couple transformative communication coaching with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/couples To schedule a reduced-rate coaching consultation with Alejandra, visit: https://www.languagealchemy.com/newclient To follow Alejandra on instagram follow @languagealchemy Podcast Music composed by Gary Lapow: open.spotify.com/artist/1HlMhcNfKIELxYil5mVqD Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm…

The Language Alchemy Podcast

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166. From Silence to Bravery: Rowena Chiu’s Harvey Weinstein Sexual Assault Story 41:43

for 28 weeks siden41:43