In This Time (Shorts): Episode 15 – Coach Melody: Holding Space for Truth.

Coaching sessions for Melody Ellison never happened in an office. They unfolded in spaces that invited openness and truth. After the intense period of the deepfake attack and Kathy's passing, Coach Melody traveled to be with Ashanti, offering more than just advice.

Let’s start with this, Melody began gently, her voice wrapped in velvet. What do you need now, in this moment, not as a CEO, not as a mother, not as Ayo’s anchor but just as Ashanti?

Ashanti paused. No one’s asked me that in weeks, she whispered.

Melody nodded. Then let’s not solve. Let’s listen. What’s waiting to be heard inside you? Ashanti confessed something she hadn't said aloud: when Kathy died and Ayo was still in orbit, she felt like she had no gravity. Kathy had been a grounding force, and Ayo her sky; she felt as though she was floating.

Melody probed: That felt like what? Ashanti described it as drifting in deep water with no land in sight,  just reacting to the waves. She admitted she'd kept working, held meetings, showed up for the kids, but locked the grief in the attic.

 

Melody invited her to open that door. When you think about Kathy now, not in her final days, but in your relationship, what stands out? Ashanti whispered, She saw me. Melody winked and said, Like I just did?

 

Melody's questions were profound: What have you been holding onto that no one has permitted you to release? Where have you been displaying strength instead of seeking safety? What would healing look like if it had a rhythm? These questions guided Ashanti inward, not toward solutions, but toward self-connection and truth. 

As the session ended, Melody reminded Ashanti, 'Your soul is not a government; it does not need to be in a performance review state all the time.' Ashanti found a new metaphor: she was no longer floating but in a boat made of stories, where the current is memory but the oars are mine now." She could choose what came next.

Coach Melody had helped Ashanti find her true self. From that core, Ashanti knew that no matter what happened next, she would have something solid to come back to.

Coach Melody's story reminds us that true strength is found not just in leading, but in allowing ourselves to be led. It's about finding that sacred space where you can be vulnerable and grow. Who is the 'Melody' in your life—the one who holds space for your truth? Tag them in the comments below, or share your own story of mentorship.

Experience their story.  Get your copy of In This Time on Amazon.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FHGCHHYD

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