Journey with Rita Podcast: Building Resilience Together

E3 | The Hidden Layers of our Stories: Motherhood, Career, and Leadership with Roxana Eli

What happens when the woman who appears to “have it all” pulls back the curtain and shares her failures, talks openly about mental health, and dispels the myth that women can have it all?
 
Meet Roxana Eli: accomplished litigation attorney, devoted mother of two, and the first female elected president in Sephardic Temple's 100-year history. In this raw conversation, Roxana pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to break barriers while staying true to yourself.
 
In this episode:
Failing the bar exam
Why "balance" is a myth for working mothers
Making history at Sephardic Temple
The panic attack that changed everything
Being open about therapy and medication
Missing her daughter's school event and breaking down
Why asking for help is a superpower
Mom guilt and how to handle it
The power of saying no
Why hiring help isn't shameful
Being the only woman in the boardroom
Mental health in our community
This conversation is about more than success. It's about the messy, beautiful journey of becoming who you're meant to be.
✨Tag me on Instagram and share what resonated with you! Use hashtag #JourneyWithRitaPodcast
 
Follow @journeywithritaorg on Instagram to keep building resilience through proven guiding principles, practical tools, and weekly inspiration.
 
The information shared on this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical, psychological, financial, or legal advice.
 
 
References:
Follow Roxana Eli on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/rox_eli/?hl=en
Follow Sephardic Temple on Instagram 
https://www.instagram.com/sephardictemple/
Connect with Rita @journeywithritaorg and @ritanaffasdesign
Visit www.journeywithrita.org for more episodes and resources

E2 | The Poetry of Life: A Conversation on Self-Discovery, Transformation, and Manifestation with Melody Godfred

When successful litigation attorney Melody Godfred started hallucinating spiders crawling on her walls every night, she knew her body was sending an urgent message: this perfect job with the ocean-view office wasn't her path. In this transformative conversation, Melody shares how she left law to become a poet, author of five books, including "Moon Garden: Poetry for Manifestation," and a voice for women reclaiming their authentic selves.
Her journey back to the 9-year-old poet she'd buried under decades of achievement offers profound lessons about listening to our bodies, trusting our intuition, and believing we deserve the life we're meant to live.
In this episode:
Why did she hallucinate spiders every night as a litigation attorney
Following happiness vs. following expectations
The art of not filling every moment with distraction
Teaching kids to fail without shame
Why "superwoman" is a lie we need to abandon
Manifestation through moon cycles and nature
Lucky girls find parking (and why belief matters)
Fighting for thyroid health after years of medical gaslighting
How a stranger's DM saved her thyroid
Asking for help without shame
Vision boarding for intuitive clarity
Why vulnerability is a superpower
Melody reminds us that resilience isn't just about pushing through—it's about allowing ourselves to evolve, trusting the process of transformation, and believing in what's waiting on the other side.
 
✨Tag me on Instagram and share what resonated with you! Use hashtag #JourneyWithRitaPodcast
 
Follow @journeywithritaorg on Instagram to keep building resilience through proven guiding principles, practical tools, and weekly inspiration.
 
The information shared on this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical, psychological, financial, or legal advice.
 
 
References:
Follow Melody Godfred on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melodygodfred/?hl=en
Visit Melody’s website: https://www.melodygodfred.com/
Get "Moon Garden: Poetry for Manifestation" at your favorite bookstore: https://www.melodygodfred.com/moon-garden-poetry
Subscribe to Melody's newsletter for weekly inspiration
Connect with Rita @journeywithritaorg and @ritanaffasdesign
Visit www.journeywithrita.org for more episodes and resources

E1 | Anchored in Belief: The Role of Faith & Community in Resilience with Rabbi Nicole Guzik

What happens when a spiritual leader's own faith is shattered by unimaginable loss? And how does community become the thread that holds us together when everything falls apart?
 
Meet Rabbi Nicole Guzik: Co-Senior Rabbi of Sinai Temple in Los Angeles, the first woman to hold that role in the congregation's 100+ year history, licensed therapist, mother of three, and my dear friend. In this deeply personal conversation, Rabbi Guzik opens up about the role of faith in building resilience and shares the story of losing her close friend in her twenties—a loss that tested everything she believed about God.
 
In this episode:
Why faith becomes the anchor for some and a struggle for others
The difference between transactional faith and unconditional love
How to find your way back to faith after feeling abandoned by God
The story of Abraham and the stars—your pain is real, but there is more to your story than you can imagine
Rabbi Guzik's journey from small-town synagogue kid to co-senior Rabbi and therapist
Losing her friend, Hannah, to a drunk driver during Rabbinical school
Coming together as a community to heal
How shared pain creates bonds that hold us like family
Why loneliness has become a plague in our post-COVID world
The role of community in healing and rebuilding faith
Coffee addiction, baking as meditation, and 90210 binges
Why being open and vulnerable is essential to finding strength
This conversation is about more than faith. It's about the messy, beautiful journey of finding your way back to hope when life breaks your heart.
✨Tag me on Instagram and share what resonated with you! Use hashtag #JourneyWithRitaPodcast
 
Follow @journeywithritaorg on Instagram to keep building resilience through proven guiding principles, practical tools, and weekly inspiration.
 
The information shared on this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical, psychological, financial, or legal advice.
 
 
References:
Follow Rabbi Guzik on Instagram @rabbiguzik
https://www.instagram.com/rabbiguzik/
Follow Sinai Temple on Instagram @sinaitemple: https://www.instagram.com/sinaitemplela/
Learn more about Sinai Temple Mental Health Center at https://www.sinaitemple.org/
Connect with Rita @journeywithritaorg and @ritanaffasdesign
Visit www.journeywithrita.org for more episodes and resources

The Heart Behind the Podcast: My Why

Welcome to Journey with Rita: Building Resilience Together! I am Rita Naffas sharing the deeply personal story behind why I created this podcast and what it means to me to build resilience together with you.
I share:
My journey as a breast cancer survivor and young mother
How a Brené Brown quote changed everything and sparked Journey with Rita
The moment my world flipped upside down was when I lost my ability to walk
Why I believe resilience is a daily practice, not a destination
What you can expect from our sacred space for storytelling and growth
Resilience isn't about never falling—it's about learning how to rise, again and again. And sometimes, the most powerful thing we can do is share our story so others know they're not alone.
Journey with Rita: Building Resilience Together officially launches November 21st!
Tag me on Instagram and let me know what resonated with you from today's episode! Use hashtag #JourneyWithRitaPodcast