127. The veteran and burnout survivor who rebuilt her life on her own terms - Erika Latta
Is it possible to survive trauma, burnout, and relentless transitions, and emerge more grounded, more powerful, and more truly yourself?
Internal leadership coach and nervous system strategist Erika Latta offers her own life as proof.
Her story is a non-linear path: from growing up in a Texas trailer with a father who was a Vietnam veteran and a heroin addict, to enlisting in the Air Force at 17 for survival, narrowly escaping a terrorist bombing in Saudi Arabia, and burning out twice in corporate sales.
Hear her most recent, beautiful transition: becoming a mom at 52—and using all of these experiences to build her coaching practice, Inner Edge.
In this episode, we cover:
(00:00) Intro
(01:38) Becoming a mom at 52
(02:34) Growing up in Texas
(06:58) Erika’s mom enlisted in the military at 34 with two kids and a six-month-old
(13:00) Leaving home at 17, and joining the Air Force to survive
(14:49) The trauma she carried into adulthood — and what she wants every mother to know about open dialogue with their kids
(23:22) What basic training actually looks like
(23:33) Episode sponsor: Erika Latta
(32:04) Being stationed in Saudi Arabia, and protecting the no-fly zone from Saddam Hussein
(38:47) The Colonel Dick moment
(42:18) Moving to Canada
(45:18) Fertility struggles, miscarriage, and how the universe brought their daughter into their lives
(51:47) Becoming a new mom and getting laid off in the same season, and why it turned out to be the biggest blessing
(57:41) How to lead under pressure without performing
(1:02:37) Energy management over time management: the reframe that changes everything for high-performing working moms
(1:04:21) How to set boundaries at work without sounding scripted
(1:09:46) Where to find Erika Latta
KEY TAKEAWAY
Your transitions and lived experiences that almost broke you, are exactly what qualifies you to lead differently. Erika Latta’s own “Inner Edge” is lived experience, and not only surviving, but thriving. The most powerful thing that high-performing women can do is learn to lead from regulation and clarity.
About Erika Latta
Erika Latta is an internal leadership coach and nervous system strategist who works with high-performing women — Directors, VPs, executives, and founders — who are thriving on the outside but quietly running on empty on the inside. A burnout survivor herself, Erika has led in some of the most demanding, male-dominated environments out there — the U.S. Air Force, the chemical industry, and corporate sales — so she knows firsthand what it costs to lead through performance rather than presence.
Certified in Conscious Connected Breathwork and grounded in nervous system science, Erika helps women stop white-knuckling their careers and start leading from regulation, clarity, and grounded authority — especially during the big transitions: role shifts, rising visibility, and the quiet realization that you've outgrown your current chapter. Her work isn't therapy or leadership theory — it's the internal leadership system most high-achieving women were never given, and desperately needed.
Connect with Erika Latta
Website | https://erikalatta.com/
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/breathewitherika/ | https://www.instagram.com/ritual.urban.retreat/ Linkedin | https://www.linkedin.com/in/erikalatta