From Braver Women to Britain's Got Talent

What does it take to step onto the Britain’s Got Talent stage and perform in front of millions? Confidence. But not just any confidence—the kind built from the inside out.

In this exclusive episode of The Braver Women Show, I sit down with Al Start, a much loved gay singer-songwriter, composer, musician and published author, who used the Braver Women Journal for LGBTQ+ women to silence her limiting beliefs, step onto the Apollo Theatre stage in London, and perform with Ravi’s Dream Team Choir on Britain's Got Talent—winning the Golden Buzzer from Alesha Dixon! 🌟🎶

With Simon Cowell watching, Al took that stage, surrounded by powerful voices, but fully stepping into her own. What you didn’t see on TV was the deep self-work that made it possible. In this episode, we talk about:

🔹 How the Braver Women Journal helped her silence limiting beliefs and take the stage
🔹 The emotional road to self-belief and stepping up braver as a gay woman
🔹 What it felt like to perform on a televised stage, hear the crowd roar, and watch that golden confetti fall

If fear has ever whispered, You’re not good enough—this episode is for you. Al’s journey is a powerful reminder that bravery isn’t about being fearless but showing up despite the fear.

🎧 Tune in now and be inspired to take your own bold leap!

📌 Mentioned in this episode:

• Britain’s Got Talent, Ravi’s Dream Team Choir, the Apollo Theatre, Simon Cowell, and the BGT Golden Buzzer moment
• How journaling can help LGBTQ+ women overcome fear and self-doubt
• The power of visibility, self-belief, being yourself and showing up as yourself fully in the LGBTQ+ community

💡 Love this episode? Don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe to The Braver Women Show!

www.braverwomen.com

Contact Al Start at Go Kid Music

Al Start on Apple Music

Grab your copy of the Braver Women Journal

Want to connect with Leanne and Braver Women - Click here

Leanne C Jones | YouTube

Connect with me on LinkedIn

In this episode, I’m breaking down:

🔹 Why self-help can’t fully reach the deeper layers of healing for LGBTQ+ women or minority groups
🔹 The difference between coping strategies and actual transformation
🔹 10 key signs to help you recognise that it’s time to move beyond self-help and into real, lasting change. The unique patterns that are common, from growing up in a heteronormative world
🔹 How therapy can help you process the unprocessed—and why that really matters

This is the follow-up to Episode 5, where we talked about tools for self-change. But today, we’re taking it a step further—getting real about when self-help falls short and how to know when it’s time to reach out for professional support.

If you’ve ever thought, I get it, but I still don’t know how to actually change, this episode is for you.

🎧 Tune in now to learn when self-help isn’t enough—and what to do next.

www.braverwomen.com

Click here to request and book an Initial Consultation

🔗 Links & Resources:
📌 Join the Braver Women Facebook Group for deeper discussions and support.

📌 If this episode resonated with you, share it with a friend who needs to hear it!

📌 Follow me on LinkedIn

📌 Follow me on Instagram

📌 ⁠Follow me on YouTube

In this powerful, jam-packed episode, I guide you through a realistic and therapeutic approach to creating lasting change, with a focus on emotional growth and healing for queer women. Forget the quick fixes and surface-level resolutions—this is about transforming from the inside out.

We’ll explore:

• Why your habits and emotional patterns determine your results.
• How your emotional history impacts your motivation and approach to goals.
• The importance of building internal support systems before chasing external goals.
• The concept of “locus of control” and why it’s foundational to personal change.
• A step-by-step process for recognising where you are in your change journey.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• 8 Deep Self-Enquiry Questions: Uncover the emotional patterns keeping you stuck.
• Understanding Your Motivation Style: Discover what truly drives you.
• Stages of Change: Identify your starting point and move forward with intention.
• A Simple Hypnotic Technique: Shift your emotional state anytime, anywhere.
• The “Why” Behind Goals: Set meaningful goals aligned with your values and self-concept.

Key Insights:

• Change isn’t about quick wins—it’s about recognising and working with your emotional patterns.
• Your self-concept shapes your actions; how you see yourself determines how you show up.
• The soil of change requires patience, self-compassion, and consistency to cultivate growth.
• 
  

This episode is more than just advice - it’s a toolkit for transformation that will resonate long after January’s hype has faded. Whether you’re just starting or ready to deepen your journey, this episode will equip you with actionable steps to take control of your growth.

www.braverwomen.com

The Braver Women Journal for LGBTQ+ Women - The 6 Step Guide to Transform Your Self Confidence

Join our incredible Braver Women Community

Ready to work with me and want to find out more? Get in touch here - info@braverwomen.com

Learn more on YouTube - Braver Women | Leanne C. Jones

If you're dreading Christmas – whether it’s because of loneliness, anxiety, or the thought of sitting across from family members who don't get you – this episode’s for you.

I know how tough this time of year can be, especially if you’re dealing with family estrangement or bigoted relatives.

I’m sharing 8 powerful, no-nonsense strategies to help you stay grounded, protect your mental health, and get through the holidays without losing yourself. These aren’t just for Christmas – they’re tools you can use daily to build confidence, communicate better, and stand stronger in who you are.

Plus, I’m answering a question from someone in the Braver Women community who's facing this exact struggle. If you're alone this year, you don’t have to let loneliness or feelings of inadequacy take over – let’s face this head-on. www.braverwomen.com

Come and Join the Braver Women Facebook Community Here

Order the Braver Women Journal for LGBTQ+ Women - The 6 Step Method to Transform Your Self Confidence

Connect with me on Linkedin here

Connect with me on Instagram here

Connect with me on Facebook here

Connect with me on Youtube here

In this Braver Women Show Podcast episode, host and therapist, Leanne C Jones introduces lesbian fiction author, Rain McAlister. Rain is a courageous gay woman from the West Coast of Ireland. Rain has bravely faced a lifetime of intense anxiety and the heavy burden of childhood trauma, which caused her to live in fear and avoid leaving her home for years.

Join us as Rain opens up about her incredible journey to rediscover her self-worth, build her confidence, and free herself from shame and fear after working directly with Leanne in Braver Women. She shares how she reached milestones she never thought possible and the powerful impact of overcoming societal pressures, discrimination, and self-doubt. At one point, Rain was told she couldn't be helped and had given up all hope, seeing Braver Women as her last chance.

For many of us in the queer community, navigating these challenges can feel overwhelming. Rain’s story shows the power of believing in ourselves and letting go of the lies we've been conditioned to think. By sharing our experiences in the LGBTQ+ community, we create connections, foster understanding, and inspire healing.

If you’ve ever felt different or struggled with anxiety, this episode will deeply resonate with you. Tune in to be inspired by Rain McAlister's remarkable transformation from fear to freedom.

www.braverwomen.com

1. You can access Rain's wonderful publications here

2. Connect with the Powerful Braver Women Facebook Community here

3. Grab your copy of the 'Braver Women Journal for LGBTQ+ Women - The 6-Step Journalling Method to Transform Your Confidence

4. To Request a Consultation with Leanne - Click here

5. Want a topic covered on the Braver Women Show? Click here

Braver Women Client, Carol went from dreaming of being a writer to seeing her lesbian fiction novel, 'Charlotte and Me', on the shelves of Waterstones and all good bookstores. But this success didn’t come easily.

For years, Carol struggled with low confidence, anxiety, and low self-worth, stuck in relationships where she couldn’t truly value herself. Fear and unresolved trauma affected every area of her life. After years of receiving mediocre ‘band-aid’ therapy with minimal results, Carol hit a breaking point after a painful breakup.

That’s when she discovered Braver Women. In this episode, Carol shares how working with Leanne within the bespokely designed Braver Women Breakthrough Program helped her break free from anxiety, fear of rejection, and self-doubt. The Braver Women approach isn’t about quick fixes; it’s about being taught step by step how to integrate sustainable, brave therapeutic changes that allow you to truly transform, from the inside out. She's going to share with you how she did it.

Carol’s story of overcoming fear, embracing her sexuality, and stepping into her full potential is a testament to the power of doing deep work. Her journey proves that no matter where you’re starting from, you can rewrite your narrative and create lasting change in your life and relationships.

Carol shares her experience to inspire YOU, showing that no matter how stuck you feel, you can learn to show up braver, break through limiting beliefs, and live a life of authenticity and courage.

www.braverwomen.com

Carol's Publication | Charlotte and Me available here:

https://www.waterstones.com/book/charlotte-and-me/carol-margaret-leyland//9781068560712

Connect with the Braver Women Community Here:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/359069712192635/

Get your copy of the Braver Women Journal for LGBTQ+ Women here | Available worldwide: https://amzn.eu/d/3zQc2QZ

Have a suggestion for an episode you'd like to see covered? You're welcome to contact me here: info@braverwomen.com or connect with me on social media:

Do you find yourself fighting an internal battle, struggling to feel enough, only to feel like you're making progress but not getting all the way there?

Good news - You need to lean into something that you perhaps think you've achieved, but it requires you to do some deeper heavy lifting.

If you don't know where to begin, I'm going to show you. If you're after a quick fix - This isn't for you.

In this episode, I'm sharing with you one of the most foundational steps you need to take to help you feel more solid inside, so you stop relying on people outside of you to determine how you show up in your life. This is going to be one of the most important episodes you can listen to if you're interested in lasting change that is going to hold you steady.

You can follow me here:

https://www.facebook.com/leannecjonesbraverwomen

Connect with me in the Braver Women Community here if you have questions or would like to suggest a topic to be discussed: https://www.facebook.com/groups/359069712192635/

Get a copy of the Braver Women Journal for LGBTQ+ Women here: https://amzn.eu/d/2UmYjTc

www.braverwomen.com

Teaching LGBTQ+ women how to become braver, so they can banish self-doubt, and anxiety to learn how to stop letting the noise from outside of them, dictate how they show up in every area of their lives.

Every episode of The Braver Women Podcast Show is packed with proven, actionable strategies and thought-provoking content from a therapeutic perspective, that you can implement now.

Courage comes, before confidence.

Order The Braver Women Journal for LGBTQ+ Women - Available Worldwide: https://www.amazon.com/Braver-Women-Journal-LGBTQ-Confidence/product-reviews/B0CRL46JWK/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_show_all_btm?ie=UTF8&reviewerType=all_reviews

Join me in the Braver Women Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/359069712192635/

Want to know more about me and my story?

https://www.youtube.com/@leannecjones/videos

www.braverwomen.com