We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Roberta Rosa a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Roberta thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

The most meaningful project I’ve worked on is called Fill The Void. Now, I’m inviting you to embark on a personal odyssey that traces my journey from the vibrant streets of Buenos Aires to the exhilarating but challenging world of professional sports, and ultimately, to the profound depths of self-discovery. Buckle up as I recount the intricacies of my life, the battles fought, and the invaluable lessons learned along the way. Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, my early years were marked by a seemingly typical childhood. However, the narrative took a turn when my parents divorced, and my father’s constant travels left an indelible mark on my upbringing. In the midst of this familial upheaval, they consistently instilled in me the belief that I was the best, unknowingly setting the stage for a complex journey of self-perception. Enter field hockey – a passion that transformed into an identity, propelling me to heights where I played for the sub21 team and even earned a spot in Las Leonas. The accolades were sweet, but the sacrifices were bitter. Trading school for a professional sports career had consequences that reverberated through my life, leaving me grappling with a lack of normal social interactions, the weight of success, and the toll on my body that came with competing at such high levels.

The world of professional sports, especially at a young age, is a psychological minefield. The dichotomy of being either a winner or a loser permeates every aspect of life, creating a relentless pursuit of success. The pressure, the early successes, and the constant scrutiny led me down a path of seeking extreme sensations in various forms – be it through substances, unhealthy behaviors, or a relentless pursuit of pleasure. Little did I know, these were futile attempts to fill the growing void within me. The void, though, was not easily faced. Despite my physical strength on the field, I found myself weak in the face of internal demons, afraid to confront the emptiness that life’s unpredictability presents. Self-destructive behaviors, from substance abuse, compulsive sex, eating disorders, and addiction to rebellion, became my coping mechanisms. Life felt like a puzzle with missing pieces, and I was desperate to find a solution. Recognition and acceptance became the first steps on the arduous road to recovery. Traditional therapies, rehab groups, and the guidance of individuals like Daniela Furst and Capece helped me navigate the tumultuous waters of my emotions. Yet, the numbness persisted, forcing me to re-learn how to function “normally” in society – to detect and communicate my emotions, to rebuild relationships with others, and, most importantly, to re-establish a connection with myself. Becoming a coach provided a new lens through which to view my experiences. It prompted a shift towards living one day at a time, with a focus on understanding my needs in each moment. The realization dawned that our society, by default, fosters unhealthy habits, pushing individuals to chase unrealistic expectations.

This epiphany led to the inception of “Fill the Void,” a practice designed to confront the darkness within with love rather than succumb to society’s quick fixes. Through daily self-reflection and movement – my personal form of meditation – I discovered a pathway to healing. My Health Coaching Programs like Mindful Motion and Empower360 emerged, encouraging others to reconnect with their bodies, question their habits, and create a new, healthier normal.

By advocating for emotional wellness, I create 3D digital animations of different pills and analgesics that illustrate different ways we humans fill the void. My concept talks about how in this consumer society in which we live, we are taught to function to consume and continue consuming mechanically, like robots, we are imprinted with values and false truths manipulated with a single purpose, to make money! Now the question is, do we want to continue to be functional to this wicked system? I invite you to reflect on the true emotional cost of this lifestyle. Do you feel empty in your day-to-day? Fill The Void invites you to reflect on the emotional cost of this approach to life, exposing the symptoms of the lack of processing of emotions that govern our society. Our ecosystem seeks to inspire a cultural change that generates real well-being so that people learn to live in a more authentic, healthy, and satisfying way. This is why Fill The Void pharmaceutical animations, through parody, represent these ‘quick fixes’ that in reality, just work for the short term. The different type of pharmaceutical products shown in the animation have different properties, some are sold over the counter, like the pills, and some need a doctor’s prescription as they contain “stronger purposes” like the Voidamin and the Tylelove. This project seeks to raise awareness of how we humans often choose pharmaceutical products, injections, food, drugs, work or many more over feeling the pain of the emotions. Fill The Void incentivizes connecting over numbing. Are you feeling or filling? #FeelDontFill

The manifesto:
Fill The Void is the analgesic problem solver in the current society of consumption. In the culture of consumption, consuming “something,” whatever it is that “something” means, becomes a temporary pain interruption that allows the feeling of short-term satisfaction. Fill The Void exposes the loop in which the consumer society is trapped. The infinite loop repeats itself over and over again. It starts with the idea of filling the sense of emptiness or trying to find a purpose. Everyone wants a drive to exist in this world, but have you ever felt empty? Have you ever felt that feeling of emptiness running through your body? That nothing or no one will ever fill? As if you had a whole inside, no matter what you put inside your body, that void will always exist and will remind you in every action you take. Subsequently, the cycle repeats itself, and one way to seize the pain is to fill the void with “analgesics.” The world is spinning faster than ever, producing and generating as never before, hand in hand with society’s thirst for consumption. It constantly craves more, like the vampire’s thirst for blood. We are the vampires of the system, continuously filling ourselves up, desperate to fill the void. In current times everything is fast, light, and temporary, so the value we put on things and moments has reduced exponentially. It is even hard to concentrate these days. Small things are unnoticed when sometimes these have the most significant worth. Thus, the void expands. Fill The Void analgesics enable people to get out of the perseverance loop. These analgesics are manifested in the form of different pills created by Fill The Void Pharmaceutical. For example, Analgesic N1 is equivalent to having food munchies, an ideal way to fill the void. The perseverance loop is when pain appears and a problem is defined. After that, an attempt to solve the problem fails, so the threat is activated again. This loop repeats itself until the “analgesics” create the temporary pain interruption. In other words, Fill The Void analgesics are a form of escapism. Life is a loop on-repeat of our habits and action/reaction patterns, whether they are healthy or unhealthy. Throughout life, our brain operates in a certain way, developing specific unhealthy patterns where less energy is consumed when carried out, so these patterns get stuck as the main methods to function. Of course, unhealthy habits are the easiest to manifest and the hardest to modify. Thus, Fill The Void portrays these unhealthy adhered habits and compulsive reactions that make us feel “filled” and temporarily good.

Roberta, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I call myself an Emotional Activist because I fight for the well-being of the human heart and soul. In a world often driven by external factors and material pursuits, I believe it’s essential to champion the often-overlooked realm of emotions. Emotional well-being is the foundation upon which our mental and physical health is built, and it plays a crucial role in fostering empathy, compassion, and understanding among individuals. I’m passionate about encouraging open conversations about mental health, supporting those in need, and promoting emotional intelligence in society. By advocating for emotional wellness, I aim to create a more empathetic and connected world, where people can openly express their feelings, seek help without stigma, and ultimately lead happier and more fulfilling lives. As an emotional activist, I strive to bring emotional health to the forefront of the global conversation, working towards a society where we prioritize the heart and soul just as much as the mind and body.

The story goes like this, I was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina; following my curiosity, I was encouraged to explore my abilities in different fields – from competitive sports to education and art-related practices. This allowed me a unique adaptability to combine different environments and faculties. However, I now wish to reveal a deeper narrative—the story beneath the surface. In our current capitalist world, we often experience stimuli on one side and battle with symptoms on the other. This hidden periphery became my obsession after years trapped in a cycle of repeating symptoms, like a never-ending nightmare. The root lay in the over-stimuli and with my inability to connect deeply with my inner self. I struggled to handle my emotions in a healthy way and got stuck in toxic and harmful patterns. Desperately, I looked for temporary relief by filling myself with poisons, attempting to numb the pain that haunted me. This turbulent phase initiated when I made the difficult decision to step away from my career as a professional field hockey player in Argentina. Field hockey had been my life’s dedication since the young age of ten. Yet, after two years into my professional sports journey, I made a change to pursue education. This shift marked the start of my struggle –I suddenly found myself completely lost, without purpose, and with no passion for pursuing. I was trapped by an overwhelming emptiness. Consequently, I embarked on the wrong path of addictions and compulsions– seeking comfort in drugs, food, adrenaline, partying, sex– I desperately sought ways to fill the void and momentarily experience a sense of well-being. For years, I was simply filling, not truly feeling. I was incapable of processing emotions in a healthy way, and it all manifested in chaos around my life. Whenever I felt sad, I turned to binging on food, spiraling into an ongoing battle with eating disorders. Throughout these years, I embarked on a journey of self-discovery, delving into mindset and personal development to pave my way toward health and longevity. Therapy was my initial step, but it wasn’t until I discovered Coaching that I truly found peace within my body, mind, and spirit. I learned how to navigate this default, unhealthy world and decided to become a health navigator myself, assisting others in EMBRACING LIFESTYLE CHANGES FOR THEIR OVERALL WELL-BEING. My mission is to uncover the dysfunctions within the system and help others awaken, liberate themselves from the chains that bind them, embrace their authentic selves without judgment, connect with their vulnerability, and rewrite their life stories.

All the different experiences I have collected throughout my life, have brought all my skills together in one. This is called Fill The Void, a brand that raises awareness and advocates for human well-being. In today’s fast-paced and hyperconnected world, we often find ourselves preoccupied with filling the void rather than truly acknowledging and addressing it. The void, a metaphorical emptiness or longing within ourselves, stems from various sources: societal pressures, existential uncertainties, digital distractions, and the constant pursuit of success or validation. Instead of embracing and understanding this emptiness, we tend to fill it with superficial fixes—endless scrolling on social media, overconsumption, material possessions, or even overwork. We engage in these activities to momentarily silence the whispers of emptiness, hoping they will provide solace. Fill The Void communicates that genuine fulfillment and inner peace lie in facing the void, exploring its depths, and seeking purpose and meaning beyond the superficial fillers of our modern lives. It’s an invitation to introspection, self-discovery, and a deeper connection with ourselves and the world around us.

Fill The Void is like no other health brand in the world. It has 3 sections. One is FTV Integrative Health Coaching, where I offer 3 coaching programs:

Beyond the Plate: A 6-Month Eating Habits Transformation

Embark on a transformative journey with ‘Beyond the Plate: A 6-Month Eating Habits Transformation,’ a comprehensive program designed to revolutionize your relationship with food and elevate your overall well-being. Guided by evidence-based health coaching principles, this transformative experience goes beyond fad diets to foster sustainable and positive changes in your eating habits. Throughout the six months, you’ll receive personalized guidance, nutritional insights, and practical strategies tailored to your unique needs, empowering you to make informed choices that support a healthier lifestyle.

QuitQuest: A HabitHack Transformation

Embark on a transformative journey with our 6-Month Habits Transformation program designed to quit any unhealthy habit you want to change. Tried to quit smoking and failed? Tried to quit sugar and failed? Tried to quit caffeine and failed? Tried to quit that unhealthy habit that’s been a problem for years and failed?

Guided by Roberta Rosa, this personalized journey empowers you to make sustainable lifestyle changes, fostering habits that promote long-term vitality. Over the course of six months, you’ll receive tailored guidance on nutrition, fitness, and stress management, creating a holistic approach to wellness. Through weekly check-ins, progress tracking, and a supportive community, you’ll witness the gradual evolution of your habits, leading to a healthier, happier you. Embrace the opportunity to prioritize your well-being and sculpt a vibrant, sustainable lifestyle that lasts beyond the program.

Mindful Motion: A 6 Month Body and Health Transformation

Welcome to Mindful Motion a 6 month Health Coaching Program that consists of a full hour of body awareness walk in a non-judgemental, body-positive environment. Mindful Motion is designed to revolutionize your body and health. This comprehensive health coaching program goes beyond conventional approaches, integrating mindfulness practices, walking routines, and easy nutrition guidance to cultivate a holistic transformation. Through a personalized plan, we embark on a collaborative exploration of your well-being, promoting sustainable lifestyle changes that prioritize both physical and mental health. Together, we’ll celebrate milestones, overcome challenges, and foster a renewed sense of vitality.

I encourage clients to write a manifesto. Here’s an example…

[“THE FLOW MODE” – MANIFESTO:

To begin with, I want to introduce you to my Flow Mode. As the word says, this unique mode allows me to carry out different sorts of activities. It helps me construct a healthy chain of thoughts that takes me toward my short-term goals. Another significant point to note is that to be able to appropriate and carry out the Flow Mode; you need to focus on the present and the small actions taken, such as brushing your teeth or tying your shoes. Another essential factor in this mode is to target the process instead of the goal, having a “one day at a time” mentality. Having said this, the Flow Mode targets the identity, not the user’s outcomes. The second the mind enters the long-term goals arena, the Flow Mode is instantly switched off.

Secondly, the Flow Mode allows the subject to feel a sense of relief in carrying out stressful activities. It narrows the mind’s span when flying away, allowing the user to perform the short-term objectives that empower, and keeps the user motivated. The Flow Mode is equivalent to a sense of lightness and relief, but the user must have specific characteristics such as adaptability, flexibility, and be open to change. In this mode, the user’s satisfaction comes from inside; it forgets to identify itself by external achievements. The Flow mode embraces vulnerability; it lets go of the ego shield of fake protection to surrender to the feeling, and thus communicates what’s needed to feel good. This mode empowers the user through vulnerability, and it also drives a positive force toward things; it brings the user into the light and embraces the concept of finite life. The Flow Mode doesn’t negate or fear death but accepts it allowing the user to transform into unconditional love energy and become infinite, become everything. To further explain the flow mode concept, I need to refer to the opposite, which in my case is called “Hockey Mode,” but science determines this as anguish, anxiety, addiction, fear, and, most important, the ego.

When users allow the anguish and anxiety to come in, the long-term future thoughts attack, and it immediately blocks the Flow Mode. The old patterns come in. Do you know what the patterns are? These are all the unhealthy traits, forms, activities, and ways of thinking that have been occurring for a long period of time. The brain has become an expert in operating with these patterns, so it needs less energy to work in this way. The Hockey Mode patterns are run by the ego; it immediately activates for instant protection by making you feel fakely empowered. The Hockey mode operates on competition; it utilizes terms like; winning or losing, better or worst, having more, and right or wrong. This mode validates the user for its external achievements, and illustrates fear and panic of death, which leads to addiction. Addiction is the attempt to silence the dark thoughts on replay “I don’t want to die.” Addiction is a slow spiritual death that no human consciously chooses. The key here is to acknowledge this and to be able to switch to the Flow Mode again. Recognizing when Flow Mode is off, allows users to switch back on it.

Having said this, I strongly recommend implementing Flow Mode. Performing in this mode will bring elevated mental health, efficiency in targeting multiple activities at once, organizational skills regarding setting short-term goals, and users will acquire managing skills. Last but not least, the Flow Mode is like surfing on a wave; it accepts and finds comfort in life’s impermanent state].

The next section in the brand is the show called Fill The Void Podcast. A new episode is out every Thursday at 5 pm EST. Each episode is an interview with a health expert or practitioner, a person who has been through an addiction and has that story to tell, or somebody who has an interesting program or project around health and wellness. Last but not least, what makes Fill The Void the most special brand is the unique way of raising awareness, communicating, and advocating through parody, the message of connection over avoidance, connection over numbing, connection over injection. Fill The Void slogan asks, “Are you feeling or filling?” “#FeelDontFill.” Fill The Void does this by exposing the symptoms of our society through 3D digital animations of different pills and analgesics that illustrate different ways we humans fill the void. The different type of pharmaceutical products shown in the animation have different properties, some are sold over the counter, like the pills, and some need a doctor’s prescription as they contain “stronger purposes” like the Voidamin and the Tylelove. Different “pharmaceutical products” with different properties are launched every week.

In conclusion, firmly believe in the transformative potential of design and wellness as formidable catalysts for societal change and overall well-being. This conviction led me to establish the Fill The Void Podcast & Channel, where I seamlessly blend 3D design animations with insightful health and wellness discussions featuring experts. This platform serves as a dynamic avenue to raise awareness and foster health initiatives among younger generations. Additionally, I proudly founded FTV Integrative Health Coaching, a venture dedicated to empowering clients to unlock their potential and break free from unhealthy patterns. In this multifaceted journey, my mission is clear: to effect positive change through the seamless integration of design, wellness, and community engagement.

Have you ever had to pivot?

Throughout the journey of my life I had to pivot twice. It feels like living 3 lives in one. It all started when I was young and I was really good at sports. I always had ease with anything that had to do with the physical body, since a very young age. I always ran faster than all the girls, I was stronger than all the girls and could play for hours and hours non-stop. I was completely hyperquinetic. This is why my parents always incentivized me into all types of sports, water sports, field hockey, horseback riding, tennis, skiing and snowboarding, both and finally contemporary dance. I always felt that I had like a gift in the connection with my body, more than a gift is as if I can only feel with my body. The emotions i feel them only in my physical body.

All this led me to become a Professional Field Hockey Player for my country Argentina since a very young age. I started playing in the Under 21 team when I was 17 years old and couple months later I made it to the older and main team called Las Leonas. I was the youngest in the team. I was constantly around women 5 to 10 years older than me. It being the olympic team you can imagine the level of athleticism that I was constantly surrounded by. It was the 1% of the bell curve, but to me it was my new norm. I consistently aspired to be like them and constantly compared myself to their physical standard, it was an impossible task and I set myself up to fail from the beginning without even knowing. My entire life revolved around preparation, training and competition. So after quitting a very promising carreer as a professional athlete at my very top, I was broken trying to survive in a world that nobody tought me how to participate in. I missed my other life, and I felt like not being part of the sport culture left a giant void in me. There was many ways I filled the void of being an ex professional athlete living in the conventional modern world and these were: eating compulsively, binging and purging, excessive partying, using substances, having compulsive sex, extreme sports and unreasonable socialization. There’s no such thing as feeling empty; I felt like a vampire constantly craving to fill myself up with things.

Hitting rock bottom, my best friend Sol intervened and went to my parents for help. This marked the first pivot in my life, initiating my healing journey. Therapy became a starting point, and I refocused on my education, pursuing a career as a Graphic Designer at the prestigious University of Buenos Aires. I worked on a couple marketing agencies but I knew deep inside that it wasn’t my life passion, not even close to how I felt playing field hockey. When I finished university, I was still in the process of re-learning the relationship with myself, and others but I felt strong again and decided to upgrade my career status and pursue a Master of Science – called Design and Urban Ecologies – at Parsons, The New School. During my thesis, “Delivering the Last-Mile,” I immersed myself in an ethnographic research project, volunteering with Latin immigrant communities associated with the Workers Justice Project and Los Deliveristas Unidos in NYC. Here, I discovered a passion for community-based work and helping others. I created a plan to create hubs for workers to have the basic needs met. However, after graduating, the second pivot occurred. Despite external achievements, I realized I had been trapped in a loop of symptoms, still feeling completely empty. Thanks to my thesis, I recognized the need for a deeper change. Therapy was my initial step, but it wasn’t until I discovered Coaching that I truly found peace within my body, mind, and spirit. I learned how to navigate this default, unhealthy world and decided to become a health navigator myself, assisting others in embracing lifestyle changes. This realization and commitment led me to create “Fill The Void.”

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

The lesson I had to unlearn is that validation doesn’t come from external achievements. I’ve been in constant competition throughout my life, being part of a team and playing a sport from such a young age that my brain has been wired to believe that my value as a person depended on scoring a goal, making a good pass, or executing a successful dribble. I erroneously believed that external achievements, like graduating and earning a master’s title, determined my worth. My brain operated in a dualistic mode, perceiving myself as either a winner or a loser, nothing more. Life, however, is not just black and white; its essence lies in the shades of gray. Having a sense of direction in life is crucial, meaning having a purpose. But the term “purpose” is vast; everyone advises you to “find your purpose,” yet it’s not about finding something; it’s about creating and shaping what you desire.

In my journey, I realized I needed to learn to validate myself for who I am and by my own standards, not because of any external achievements I may have attained. Simply being human and existing on this earth, regardless of my hair color, name, identity, or skin color, holds intrinsic value. When I connected with my higher self, where everything is interconnected and unified instead of divided, I grasped the true meaning and purpose of life—to be alive. The answer lies in connecting to the void. The void, that empty space within us, can be a daunting presence. It’s the feeling of emptiness, of something missing, and it can be all-consuming. But what if we could transform this void into a canvas, a blank space to fill with our creativity, our passions, and our dreams? Filling the void is not a one-time event. It’s an ongoing process of self-discovery and growth. It requires courage, vulnerability, and a willingness to explore the unknown. But when we embrace the art of filling the void, we create a life that is rich, meaningful, and fulfilling.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://ftvhealthcoach.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fillthevoid.club/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roberta-werthein-996092a6/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@FillTheVoid_Club

Image Credits
Cristian Altamirano (Kristo)