Alive & Well – Burnout, Anxiety, Nervous System, Productivity, Time Management, Somatic Tools, Work-Life Balance - podcast cover

Alive & Well – Burnout, Anxiety, Nervous System, Productivity, Time Management, Somatic Tools, Work-Life Balance

Michelle Grosser – Inspired by Mel Robbins, Rachel Hollis & Dr. Becky Kennedymichellegrosser.com

On paper? You’re crushing it.


But your body’s telling a different story: fatigue, anxiety, brain fog, and a burnout you just can’t seem to shake.


Welcome to Alive & Well—the podcast for high-achieving women ready to burnout-proof their lives by rewiring their nervous system for clarity, energy, productivity, and ease.


I’m your host, Michelle Grosser, Esq.—trial attorney turned nervous system strategist, wife, mom, and entrepreneur (x3).


After burning out hard trying to do it all, I discovered the missing piece: nervous system regulation. 


Now I help ambitious, high-capacity women like you build a life that’s sustainable and successful—where your nervous system becomes your superpower, not your saboteur.


Around here, you’ll learn:


✔️  Burnout-proof systems for time management and productivity

✔️  Science-backed tools for nervous system and emotional regulation

✔️  Somatic practices that help you stay grounded & calm under pressure

✔️  Faith-rooted wisdom for leading from overflow—not overdrive

✔️  Boundaries that protect your purpose—not just your calendar

✔️  Sustainable strategies for stress management, presence, and work-life balance


It’s time to break the burnout cycle, reclaim your well-being, and lead with the kind of peace that doesn’t cost your ambition.


Hit follow and start your path to living Alive & Well. New episodes every Tuesday and Friday.

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Episodes

252 - Small Changes that Lead to Big Impact with Abby Calabrese

Do you feel the pressure to do it all? As women, we so often feel an unspoken expectation to be able to handle all the things that need to be done as a mom, as a wife, and in our workspaces, without complaint or skipping a beat. If you’ve felt that pressure to do all… the... things, you my friend are not alone. In this episode, Abby Calabrese, an executive coach for high-achieving female professionals, breaks down how we deal with the stress of life as modern-day women. She has developed a metho...

May 10, 202437 min

251 - Snapping at Your Kids? 3 Strategies to Help You Keep Your Cool

It happens to the best of us, right? We all have moments when we've lost our cool with our kids. Motherhood can be hard, y’all! In today’s episode, you’ll learn about your window of tolerance - your capacity to handle parenting (and life) - without snapping or becoming dysregulated. Here's the thing - you can’t have emotional regulation without nervous system regulation. When you learn to regulate your nervous system, you’ll find that you also have the ability to better regulate your emotions. L...

May 07, 202431 minEp. 251

250 - The Spiritual Solution to People Pleasing with Tanya Engesether of The Grace Filled Leader

Do you have a pattern of people-pleasing? When’s the last time you said yes when you really wanted to say no? Taken on more than you had the bandwidth for? Worried about whether someone was upset with you? Here’s the thing friend, there’s a cost to keeping everyone around you happy. Tanya Engesether knows how people-pleasing and seeking approval can be an express ticket to burnout. As a Christian Certified Life Coach and host of The Grace Filled Leader podcast, she teaches women how to release t...

May 03, 202450 minEp. 250

249 - Anxious or Irritated? Stop Trying to be Calm and Try This Instead

Have you ever been angry and someone told you to “just calm down”? Or have you ever experienced anxiety and tried to calm your body with a moment of stillness, but it just seemed to make you feel worse? Oftentimes, when we’re in our sympathetic nervous system feeling anxious or angry, trying to calm down by taking deep breaths or meditating can be really uncomfortable. It’s not what our body needs at the moment. In today’s episode, you’ll learn what your nervous system actually needs to process ...

Apr 30, 202426 min

248 - Sleep Science: Navigating the Mind-Body Connection for Better Sleep with Devin Burke

When was the last time you got a good night’s sleep? Or maybe a better question is when was the last time you woke up feeling truly rested Do you have a hard time falling asleep or staying asleep? Today’s guest is Devin Burke of the Sleep Science Academy. Devin walks us through his holistic approach to helping people stop suffering and start sleeping. Quality sleep is so much more than the duration. Devin teaches us how much sleep we really need, how to identify the quality of our rest, and how ...

Apr 26, 202443 minEp. 248

247 - Beyond Burnout: Top 3 Reasons You Feel Fried

Are you running on empty? Maybe you know the feeling - brain fog, forgetfulness, irritability, anxiety, loss of motivation - you’re just plain exhausted. But how did you get to this point? It didn’t happen overnight. So, what are the biggest contributing factors? In today’s episode, you’ll learn 3 of the most common reasons why women are feeling fried. I’ve got easy-to-identify patterns that might be leading to your burnout, and simple ways to start healing. <<< SAVE YOUR SPOT - ENERGY ...

Apr 23, 202426 min

246 - The Truth About Birth Control, Stress, & Hormone Imbalances with Dr. Tabatha Barber, The Gutsy Gynecologist

Has birth control (or something else) prescribed by your OB/GYN had a lasting impact on your health & wellness? Have you known something was off with your hormones, only to be told that your labs are fine? Have you ever been concerned about weight gain, but been told that you just need to exercise more and eat less? If so, you’re not alone. In this episode, triple board-certified OB/GYN, Dr. Tabatha Barber, joins us to share her expertise in gynecology, hormonal health, and functional medici...

Apr 19, 202436 minEp. 246

245 - 5 Ways to Calm an Overactive Nervous System

Do you have an overactive nervous system? Symptoms of a nervous system stuck in fight or flight can include chronic anxiety, insomnia, headaches, and a clenched jaw/muscle tension. An overactive nervous system may even affect your gut health, immune system, and fertility. But how do you calm an overactive nervous system and regain a sense of calm? In today’s episode, I’ve got 5 ways to start healing your nervous system with simple, practical, body-based solutions that can move you out of nervous...

Apr 16, 202425 minEp. 245

244 - How to Reach Your Goals Without all the Hustle with Gabe Cox of Red Hot Mindset

Have you ever worn your busyness like a badge of honor? Oftentimes, being busy and having a packed schedule can make us feel like we’re living a full life. But hustling between events and commitments doesn’t mean we’re living life the fullest. Today we hear from Gabe Cox, an online business and goals strategist and the founder of Red Hot Mindset. As an avid runner, Gabe has harnessed that passion into helping women set goals, plan strategically, and do it all from a powerful place of simplicity....

Apr 12, 202432 minEp. 244

243 - 3 Things I Started Saying That Helped Heal My Burnout

What’s your go-to response when you’re asked to take on something new? For the longest time, I’d automatically say yes (regardless of whether I had the time or energy). Can you relate? As high-achieving moms, we likely take pride in being high-capacity - you’re dependable, productive, reliable, helpful, etc. But being quick to say yes to everything can also be a fast track to burnout. In today’s episode, I share 3 things I started saying to help me set better boundaries around my time, energy, a...

Apr 09, 202422 minEp. 243

242 - How Helicopter Parenting is Impacting Your Kids’ Brains with Bizzie Gold, Founder of the Break Method

Are you a helicopter parent? Do you often find yourself hovering over your kids to make sure they’re safe and intervening at the slightest sign of struggle? We’re responsible for the health and safety of our children (obv), but the research is showing that there are consequences to helicopter parenting that we might not be aware of. In today’s episode, Bizzie Gold, author, speaker, mom of 4, and founder of the Break Method, brings insight into the connection between childhood emotional patternin...

Apr 05, 20241 hr 12 minEp. 242

241 - Are You a Perfectionist? 3 Reasons Perfectionists Have High Anxiety

Some things just go together. Peanut butter & chocolate, mac & cheese, and perfectionism & anxiety. 😉 But in all seriousness, if you notice that you tend to have perfectionistic tendencies, you likely also manage high-functioning anxiety. You feel uneasy when things are out of order. It drives you crazy when people don’t follow rules. It’s hard to relax when the house is a mess. You have really high expectations for yourself and others. I get it because I’ve been there too. And in t...

Apr 02, 202425 minEp. 241

240 - Put Your Lists Away! Effective Time Management, Organization & Productivity for Moms with Megan Sumrell

Do you use a daily to-do list? I know how good it can feel to cross things off a list, but did you know that to-do lists are not the best way to maximize our productivity and efficiency? In today’s episode, time management expert Megan Sumrell talks to us about getting rid of our lists and focusing on our priorities and time management instead of just crossing off to-dos. After spending over 20 years working in systems and planning, Megan has formulated easy to implement steps to manage your tim...

Mar 29, 202433 min

239 - 5 Subtle Signs You're Stuck in Survival Mode

Do you feel like you’re always rushing? Wondering where your creativity has gone? If so, you might be stuck in “survival mode”. The everyday and chronic stress we experience causes a physiological response in our body. We release hormones like adrenaline and cortisol and are prompted into survival mode - fight, flight, freeze, or fawn. When our body doesn’t feel safe enough to return to baseline stress level, we can get stuck in a survival mode. In today’s episode, I’ve got five signs that you m...

Mar 26, 202419 minEp. 239

238 - Tired of Being Tired? Top Causes of Chronic Fatigue and Powerful Energy-Boosting Habits with Tiffany Cagwin

Have you noticed a difference between feeling tired and being chronically fatigued? We can usually take a quick nap or go to bed early to recover from feeling tired. But chronic fatigue is a deeper issue that requires a more holistic response. In today’s episode, Certified Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner, Tiffany Cagwin, joins us to talk about some of the most common culprits of chronic fatigue and how it’s affecting working moms in particular (hint: it’s not just stress!). The ment...

Mar 22, 202442 minEp. 238

237 - 4 Game-Changing Strategies for Nervous System Regulation

Here are some of the top benefits to having a regulated nervous system: improved mood and emotional balance increased creativity reduced stress, anxiety and overwhelm better sleep and physical recovery improved digestive function increased overall resilience (this is the goal) If you’re ready for more of this ⤴️, then today’s episode is for you. In this episode, I share 4 things you can start doing today to regulate your nervous system. Each of these game-changing strategies are small changes th...

Mar 19, 202422 minEp. 237

236 - How to Build Confidence & Shatter Limiting Beliefs with Andrea Herbert

What’s holding you back from chasing down those big dreams of yours? Is it a pesky inner critic? Do you struggle to find the time? Has it been hard to focus on your personal goals since becoming a mom? I get it - it’s easy to get swept up in the day-to-day of motherhood. Whether you feel like you’ve given up parts of yourself, are your own worst critic, or find yourself using motherhood as an excuse to hit pause on your goals, you’re not alone. Today, mother of 3, wife, entrepreneur, and maratho...

Mar 14, 202436 minEp. 236

235 - Unlocking Calm: Powerful Somatic Practices to Shift out of Fight, Flight, or Freeze

What do you usually do when you’re feeling anxious, irritable, or burned out? Do you tend to ignore it? Push though? Check out? Experiencing anxiety, irritability, or burnout can be a signal that your body’s in a fight, flight, or freeze response. In today’s episode, I share a few different body-based somatic tools and practices that can help shift your nervous system out of a fight, flight or freeze stress response and back to a place of safety, calmness, and regulation. Bonus - each of the som...

Mar 12, 202436 minEp. 235

234 - Overthinker or Overachiever? Audit Your Internal Systems to Recover from Burnout with Lauren Ruth Martin

Do you find yourself thinking through every possible scenario before you can make a decision? Or maybe you’re the kind of person who always goes above and beyond? The reality is that burnout comes from both negative and positive factors in our lives, and it’s time to take inventory. In today’s episode, self-described hyperactive overachiever and recovering perfectionist, Lauren Ruth Martin, helps us untangle overthinking and overachieving to heal our burnout. We are creatures of habit, and Laure...

Mar 08, 202434 minEp. 234

233 - Top 3 Reasons You Must Heal Your Nervous System (Especially as a Mom)

Let’s clear something up: having a healthy, regulated nervous system does not mean you’re calm all the time. Phew! Rather, a healthy nervous system is resilient. It responds appropriately to stressors (but doesn't get stuck in a stress response), and can return to a state of calm when the stress has passed. It ebbs and flows in response to what’s happening around us. In this episode, we're breaking down the top 3 reasons why having a healthy and resilient nervous system is crucial, especially as...

Mar 05, 202422 minEp. 233

232 - A Powerful Nighttime Routine to Optimize Your Health with Terry Cralle of the Better Sleep Council

How often do you think about sleep? From the minute we become a mom, sleep becomes a big deal (for both us and our kids)! My kids’ sleep schedules are often on my mind. Are they getting enough sleep? Am I letting them stay up too late? Is this nap going to ruin bedtime? Why do they have such a hard time waking up? In today’s episode, Registered Nurse and Certified Clinical Sleep Educator Terry Cralle, breaks down the science and research behind healthy sleep habits. Terry discusses how stress im...

Mar 01, 202441 minEp. 232

231 - 5 Subtle Signs You Have Suppressed Anger That Needs to Be Released

I usually see women deal with their anger in one of two ways. It’s typically either “I’ve got a hot temper and it’s often on full display” or it runs more along the “I’m pretty chill, but I might be suppressing some anger” camp. How do you deal with anger? No matter which camp you’re in, anger is a completely normal human emotion, and most of us have no idea how to release it in a healthy way. In today’s episode, I go through 5 subtle signs that you might be suppressing anger without realizing i...

Feb 27, 202425 minEp. 231

230 - 5 Steps to Living a Life of Intention with Stephanie O’Dea, NYT Bestselling Author of How to Live Slowly: Peaceful Tranquility in a Frenzied World

We often wear busyness as a badge of honor - but is it? Motherhood can be crazy busy if we let it. We can get sucked into the constant running from one place to another - this sport, that birthday, quick grocery run, dash back from work. Here’s the thing - our pace doesn’t have to be tied to our productivity. If you’re ready to slow down, Stephanie O’Dea, NYT Bestselling Author of How to Live Slowly: Peaceful Tranquility in a Frenzied World , gives us practical handles to help live a slower, mor...

Feb 23, 202434 minEp. 230

229 - Looking Stressed? 5 Ways Stress Changes Your Appearance

We know that stress can cause dark circles under our eyes, but did you know that chronic stress can impact so much more about how we look? The state of our nervous system ultimately impacts the health of all the other systems in our body, which can impact how we look. In today’s episode, we talk about 5 surprising changes in our physical appearance - from our hair, skin, and stubborn weight - that can all be caused by chronic stress. DOWNLOAD “HEAL YOUR BURNOUT” PRIVATE PODCAST SERIES BOOK A FRE...

Feb 20, 202415 minEp. 229

228 - Co-Parenting? 4 Steps to Move out of Toxic Communication, Conflict, & Chaos with Conscious Parenting Coach, Mikki Gardner

Co-parenting can be a difficult path to navigate with grace and intention. Parenting is hard enough, but navigating divorce and co-parenting can put you on the fast track to overwhelm. If you’ve struggled with anxiety & stress when it comes to co-parenting, today’s episode is for you. Mikki Gardner is a Certified Life + Conscious Parenting Coach, the host of Co-Parenting With Confidence Podcast, and a mom of 3! After learning how to navigate life post divorce & using it as a catalyst to ...

Feb 16, 202447 minEp. 228

227 - 5 Things I Ditched to Regulate My Nervous System

Are there parts of your daily routine that might be increasing your stress, anxiety, & overwhelm? If you’re like me, for years I had daily habits that were keeping me stuck in fight-or-flight - and I did even realize it! In today’s episode, I’m sharing 5 things I ditched that made a huge difference in regulating my nervous system and reducing my anxiety & overwhelm. They’re simple, they’re practical, and they’re things you can ditch today and notice the difference too! DOWNLOAD “HEAL YOU...

Feb 16, 202426 minEp. 227

226 - No Guilt Mom: How to Raise Kids While Pursuing Your Own Passions with JoAnn Crohn

Feeling the weight of the world on your shoulders? You're not alone. As moms, we often find ourselves carrying a hefty mental load, with a side of guilt thrown in for good measure. In today’s episode, JoAnn Crohn, M. Ed, of No Guilt Mom, teaches us tips and tricks to navigate motherhood while pursuing our passions - all without the guilt. JoAnn shows us how we can build deeper and more meaningful relationships with our family by talking through solutions instead of relying on “what’s always been...

Feb 09, 202442 minEp. 226

225 - Silent Signs of Stress: 3 Ways Your Body is Saying No

Don’t miss this final day to sign up for RESTORE! 🎉 Your body is always communicating with you. 🗣️ Are you listening? Have you ever had a headache or neck pain and just popped a couple Aleve? Have you ever had trouble falling asleep and thought “I’ll just have a glass of wine to unwind”? Do you have a history of gut issues or autoimmune conditions? Your body might be telling you “enough is enough”. Our body often knows our limits before our brains does. In today’s episode, we explore some of t...

Feb 06, 202432 minEp. 225

224 - Working Mom’s Survival Guide: 8 Lessons for Work-Life Balance with Dr. Elizabeth Arleo

What comes to mind when you hear the word “balance”? Is it a set of scales with items carefully placed on each side? ⚖️ For working moms, balance can feel like a goal that’s always just out of reach. In today’s episode, Dr. Elizabeth Kagan Arleo shares her first-hand experience and eight lessons she’s learned as a working mother. She’ll talk about stressors that are unique to professional working moms and how imposter syndrome can be a factor in burnout. Three things you’ll learn in this episode...

Feb 02, 202441 minEp. 224

223 - Bonus: Try This Bedtime Drink to Lower Stress Hormones and Improve Sleep

Want to try my nervous system nightcap? For the last few months, I’ve been sipping this simple recipe about 30 minutes before I go to bed and it's been a game-changer in helping me get quality sleep and have more energy during the day. So, of course, I wanted to share it with you! In today’s episode, I’ll give you the recipe for my nervous system nightcap, and also break down the science behind it. When our stress hormone cortisol is running on overdrive all day (and depleting our glycogen store...

Feb 01, 20248 minEp. 223
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