In this week’s feature article, I share insights from my conversation with journalist and creator Shameika Rhymes on what changes when you stop shrinking yourself to fit other people’s lanes. We get into why building your own table can become the turning point, how telling the truth about your lived experience creates real connection, and what happens when you finally slow down long enough to acknowledge your own wins.

In this week's feature article, I share insights from my conversation with Nigerian-born artist Jeremiah Onifade on how losing everything can become your greatest teacher, why survival instinct beats determination, and what it means to build a vision when you're starting from zero.

In this feature article written by Lisane Basquiat, she reflects on her Shaping Freedom podcast conversation with photographer Johnny Nunez, exploring how one act of generosity changed the course of his life and career. Through Johnny’s story—from giving his last $11 to a hungry stranger to becoming hip hop’s most trusted photographer—Lisane examines the deeper truths about success, integrity, and why character always outperforms ambition.

In this feature article, Lisane Basquiat reflects on her Shaping Freedom podcast conversation with Hill Harper—diving into his insights on purpose, legacy, and the pursuit of a meaningful life. Through Hill’s journey from Harvard Law to Hollywood to public service, Lisane explores what it means to move beyond achievement toward true significance, why failure signals growth, and how mastering one thing at a time creates impact that lasts.

Read the full piece for Lisane Basquiat’s reflections on Hill Harper’s wisdom about living with purpose and building a legacy that endures.

This feature article by Lisane Basquiat explores why friends disappear after loss through the story of Rob and Emilee McGowan, who lost their son Miles to brain cancer. Basquiat reveals three truths: friends vanish because they're paralyzed by their own grief and guilt; asking "how can I help?" puts burden on grieving people—just show up with specific actions instead; and real isolation begins months later when everyone else has moved on but you're still living the loss daily.

In this feature article for Shaping Freedom, founder Lisane Basquiat challenges the myth that trauma automatically builds strength. Through her conversation with Susanna Peredo Swap—a curator who survived a spinal cord injury at five—Basquiat reveals three insights: the strongest people get curious about trauma rather than push through it; real resilience means knowing when to quit the wrong thing; and clarity about what you want matters more than toughness.

In this Shaping Freedom® feature article by founder Lisane Basquiat, psychiatrist Dr. Andrea Best reveals why healing isn’t about quick fixes—it’s about clearing what blocks your body’s natural intelligence. Drawing from three decades of practice, Dr. Best explains how chronic stress shuts down digestion and serotonin production, why your gut silently drives mood and decision-making, and how shifting out of constant crisis mode restores clarity, energy, and creativity.

Through their conversation, Lisane highlights Dr. Best’s unconventional approach—from prescribing rest and self-nourishment to showing why “every cell knows how to heal.” This article offers transformative insights into gut health, stress, and the power of creating space for the divine intelligence within us to do its work.

What story are you telling yourself when fear gets loud? In this piece, I sit down with KJ Rose, a Grammy Award–winning performance director and author who once froze on her way to meet Oprah. What she learned in that moment now shapes how she helps thousands build courage and presence.

In our conversation, KJ reminded me that confidence is situational—it grows through small, daily deposits, by rewriting the story in your head, and by knowing when it’s time to move on. KJ talks about she turns those moments of fear into rituals of self-trust—teaching us that courage compounds into confidence, one choice at a time.

Read the full article and discover how small acts of courage compound into lasting confidence.

Written by transformational coach Lisane Basquiat, this powerful article explores why smart people stay stuck in their healing journey. Drawing on her podcast with Dana Mason, Lisane shares 3 key insights: your body holds trauma that talk therapy alone can’t reach, code-switching erodes identity, and surrender is the starting point of real change. Read the full article for more.

In this Shaping Freedom feature article, Lisane Basquiat explores Katie and Gay Hendricks’ wisdom on blame and fear in relationships. Their lessons: blame hides fear, truth is found in the present, and recommitment—not perfection—drives lasting connection. A guide to living authentically and loving deeply.