You're Not Stuck - You're In Transition with Deb Woolridge

What if the season you’ve been calling “stuck” isn’t actually stuck at all?

What if you’re in transition?

In this episode of Catalyst Conversations, Desi sits down with Deb Woolridge for a deeply human conversation about change, identity, leadership, reinvention, and the uncomfortable space between who you’ve been and who you’re becoming.

Deb works at the intersection of people, leadership, and meaningful change. As a fractional HR executive, she supports nonprofits and small businesses in building stronger systems, healthier cultures, and more effective leadership. She also works with professionals—particularly women navigating midlife and career transitions—who know something needs to change, even when they can’t yet see what comes next.

Together, Desi and Deb explore why transition can feel so much like being stuck. When the old way no longer fits and the new way hasn’t fully emerged, it’s easy to assume something has gone wrong.

And sometimes, that uncomfortable middle is exactly where growth is happening.

They talk about the role awareness plays in transformation, why we bring our entire humanity into the workplace, how leadership challenges often sit underneath organizational problems, and why creating safe spaces for change doesn’t mean eliminating discomfort.

Deb also shares her Magic Maverick Mindset and the journey from assessment and exploration through courage, commitment, action, and ultimately becoming the next iteration of yourself.

One of the most important threads running through this conversation is choice.

You may not know exactly what comes next. You may not have the entire path mapped out. And you can begin by noticing what no longer fits, getting curious about what you want, and remembering that you’ve navigated change before.

Because clarity doesn’t always arrive as a perfectly mapped path.

Sometimes clarity begins with one simple truth:

This isn’t working for me anymore.

And that may be enough to begin.

Connect with Deb: LinkedIn
Connect with Desi: talkwithdesi.com

Listen to this episode and consider: What if you’re not stuck? What if you’re becoming?