Dear 'GMA' Advice Guru Top 20 Finalists: Sophia Venable

Nov. 26, 2010 — -- Sophia Venable from Los Angeles, Calif., is a finalist in the Dear GMA Advice Guru Contest. Read her application below!

EssayOh, I hope you at least interview me. I was made for this. Everyone I have ever helped has said I should have a radio show. I was a professional musical theater actress for many years, I have a masters in psychology, I'm a certified professional life coach, specializing in relationships and finance, a labor coach and childbirth educator, mother of two, divorced, totally in love again, in love with my life, can make the best of anything, and I'm funny as s**t. I'm a gluten-free, hippy home-birther who has proudly had plastic surgery. I have no shame, I love men, don't have much patience for man-haters, and I think everyone can create a better life for themselves. I also have very good grammar when not limited to 300 words or less. I ran a successful film music business for over 10 years; I know a lot about that industry. I've also temped in just about every industry from insurance to supermarkets. I was a waitress for seven years, have dealt with the public, done voice over and I am a competitive ballroom dancer. Oh yes, that too. I can shake it, baby. There's no subject I'm afraid of -- bring on the questions! Finance, relationships, sex, religion, narcissistic mothers, dieting, online dating, email etiquette, football, office politics, scuba diving, pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding, organization, addiction, boobs, hot yoga, parenting. I tend to call people on their crap, in the sense that they need to take responsibility for their story, but my strength is really in getting them to look at what they want, as opposed to what they don't want. No one ever solved a problem by whining about it, so let's just get to the truth and figure it out. I'm full of it. Free advice, that is.

What's the best advice you have ever given? What was the result?

One good advice moment was to my brother, who was really unhappy in his house andhad an opportunity to sell it for a large profit. He hadn't been there long enough toavoid capital gains tax and was afraid of the disapproving crap my mom was going to dealhim. I told him to smile and nod at my mother, pay his taxes, and go get his little dreamhouse in Venice. Now five blocks from the beach, he wouldn't dream of moving.

Unfortunately, I've also had the opportunity to give some good friends advice onexiting abusive relationships. I had to remind them that fear and love can't exist in thesame space, and that love is not about trying to be perfect in order to avoid rage. In all ofthose situations, they found their resourcefulness and moved on to much better lives.