In today's episode, we explore the idea of what authentic reciprocity looks like in relationships and how we move away from relationships that are based on giving in an attempt to get something in return. We talk about: How resentment can be a barometer that indicates when and where our codependent tendencies are being activated The idea that we entitled to anything from a partner being based on the ownership templates we’ve all been raised with How often we over-give our time, effort, and energ...
Aug 30, 2023•25 min•Ep. 181
Sarah Ezrin is an author, world-renowned yoga educator, content creator, and mama based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Sarah loves guiding people along their wellness and parenthood journeys. Her words, classes, and social media are supportive, healing spaces where people can feel seen and heard. We sat down with Sarah to talk about: The unbelievably common sense of identity loss that early parenthood brings to the surface and how parenting can be an invitation to start cultivating a new sense o...
Aug 23, 2023•52 min•Ep. 180
In this Q&A episode, a listener wrote in asking for advice about a struggle she’s having with the frequency of her partner's desire for sex. We discuss: Normalizing the understanding that someone having access to you sexually isn’t a given just because it’s within the parameters of a partnership, and what actually constitutes as sexual assault. How a society where men have been taught not to feel, often leads to sex as the primary outlet for connecting to their emotions and self-regulation. ...
Aug 16, 2023•27 min•Ep. 179
In this highly anticipated episode of “Cheaper Than Therapy,” we got deep about collective generational healing with the formidable Marianne Williamson — a powerful changemaker whose insights have transformed countless personal and spiritual journeys for over 30 years, and who has been a monumental influence on both of us. Marianne Williamson has not only been a leader in spiritual and religiously progressive circles for over three decades, she’s published 15 books, is a 4-time NY Times Best Sel...
Aug 09, 2023•50 min•Ep. 178
In this Q&A episode, we’re responding to a listener that asked to hear our thoughts on soulmates. They wrote, “I’d love to hear your thoughts on soulmates. I feel like I met mine at a time in my life, but it wasn't possible to be together. It still isn’t,, but I still feel it to be true. I always thought I had a strong intuition, but I'm starting to think I'm crazy.” We talk about: How society conditions women to associate our intuition with being crazy, in an attempt to shut down the femini...
Aug 02, 2023•20 min•Ep. 177
In this Cheaper than Therapy coaching session, we sat down with Claire as she unravels the intricacies that come along with the end of a marriage. Claire's internal struggle echoes the question that many women are confronted with: what does it mean, as a woman, to end a relationship and find our true sense of Self within our patriarchy-based societal norms and expectations? 🌟 Big Takeaways from this Episode: Tangled Societal Norms: We delve into societal expectations of women, and the paradox w...
Jul 28, 2023•38 min•Ep. 176
Eli Weinstein, LCSW is a Licensed Clinical Social Work Therapist (LCSW) based in New York and Nevada, and the founder/host of The Dude Therapist Podcast, a no BS male voice in the therapy, self-help, and parenting space. We sat down to talk with Eli about: The importance, as a therapist, of seeing the wholeness of each person and getting to know them for the truth of who they are How the current generation of men are opening up the space for curiosity, deeper feeling, and beginning to tap into h...
Jul 26, 2023•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 175
In this episode, we go into the archives and bring back one of our incredibly wise guests, Buddy Wakefield, from one of our first episodes ever on July 15, 2020! Buddy Wakefield is an American spoken word artist, a three-time poetry slam world champion, and the most toured performance poet in history. In this unbelievably powerful conversation, Vanessa and Dené talk to Buddy about the dangers of tranquil states of existence, how we can benefit from exploring our “scary thoughts,” and the victim,...
Jul 21, 2023•58 min•Ep. 174
In today's episode, we share a bit of a conversation we were having driving home together after our weekend intensive in Idyllwild, CA. I’m our conversation we explored: How the framework of all of our relationships are changing in a radical way The resistance that comes to the surface whenever an outdated system or way of living is experiencing an imminent ego death Why the most fundamental aspect of any form of awakening is a commitment to speaking the truth The importance of meeting moments o...
Jul 19, 2023•31 min•Ep. 173
In today's episode, we’re sharing a portion of one of our conversations from our week-long Intensive in Costa Rica. We’re talking about: What it means to claim a sense of authentic power in our lives Understanding some of the ways we play into the systems we feel most challenged by when we live an ‘outside-in’ life vs. an ‘inside-out’ life What some of the archetypal narratives in literature around the suppression of feminine energy can teach us about the path of female empowerment moving forwar...
Jul 14, 2023•51 min•Ep. 172
In this Q&A episode, a listener wrote in asking what to do with the knowledge that their partner is no longer physically attracted to them. When a relationship reaches the point where we are no longer having sex and we are on the verge of a break up - what advice would we give? We’re talking about: Acknowledging the pain and difficulty about the situation on both sides. Letting go of the tendency to focus all of our energy on the negative, so that we might see this as an invitation back to o...
Jul 12, 2023•19 min•Ep. 171
In this episode of Cheaper than Therapy the Podcast, we’re answering a question submitted by one of our listeners that doesn’t feel respected in their relationship, especially in times of conflict or disagreement. They write, “Sometimes I feel like my partner doesn’t respect me when she’s upset; she swears and can get very upset. How do I deal with this?” If you have a question you’d like us to discuss, click here . 🌟 Some Big Takeaways from this Episode: Safe Communication: The importance of b...
Jul 07, 2023•27 min•Ep. 170
Stan Tatkin, PsyD, MFT is a teacher, clinician, researcher, and developer of the Psychobiological Approach to Couples Therapy® (PACT). He speaks and teaches around the world on secure-functioning relationships – how to understand them, create them, and support them, has written dozens of academic articles and six bestselling books, and is a TEDx Speaker. We sat down with Stan to explore: 1. Why it is so important for couples to come to a shared agreement about what they are attempting to build 2...
Jul 05, 2023•1 hr 45 min•Ep. 169
In this Q&A episode, a listener writes, “My friend uses pronouns that I don’t agree with and I’m not sure what to do. Is it necessary to keep the friendship honest?” We discuss: Challenging ourselves to be brutally honest with ourselves first, and how we get clear about what’s underneath our intentions for wanting to speak up. Owning the possibility that we may feel like there’s a right and wrong way for others to be, and that we may have a subconscious desire to express to a friend that the...
Jun 30, 2023•22 min•Ep. 168
In today’s episode, we’re addressing some of the responses we received on social media around what it means to live an untamed life. We’re discussing: Why we sometimes feel the need to sweep things under the rug and not speak up in order to please the people around us, and how it inadvertently keeps our relationships inauthentic instead of giving us the security we’re looking for. How we oftentimes feel constrained to a certain way of living, and the importance of digging deep to discover those ...
Jun 28, 2023•26 min•Ep. 167
In this Q&A episode, a listener tells us they’re struggling with their recent rapid weight gain, and the negative reinforcement from their partners remarks about how proud they’d be if they regained their previous body type. We talk about: Every person having a right to bodily autonomy in all facets, the right to show up in their life exactly as they are How, as a partner, it’s our role to ask what that person wants and where they are in the process, rather than projecting what we think is r...
Jun 23, 2023•23 min•Ep. 239
Richie Reseda is a feminist ally, community organizer, recording artist, and founder of the social-impact record label, Question Culture. Success Stories, the anti-patriarchy organization he started while incarcerated, was chronicled in the CNN documentary “The Feminist on Cell Block Y.” He changes California prison policy with Initiate Justice, an organization he co-founded in prison. 🌟 Some Key Points from this Conversation with Richie: 1. His role in introducing Bell Hooks’ work to incarcera...
Jun 21, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 165
Martha Barnard-Rae helps outside-the-box brands build seriously good client relationships with clear, clever copywriting and content. By day she's the CEO at Word Candy and co-host of The One That Works For You podcast. Martha moonlights as a feminist scholar, TEDx speaker, and sore loser of board games. Setting boundaries is her superpower. Her love language is oddly specific Tik Toks. We sat down with Martha to talk about: The shame that tends to be internalized with ADHD and the strategies th...
Jun 07, 2023•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 164
In today’s solo episode, a reader wrote in because she believes people can remain friends after a romantic relationship, but her partner does not share her sentiments. She asked to hear our thoughts. We talk about: Why the suggestion that heterosexual men and women can’t be just friends enforces the patriarchal narrative that men are only interested in sex, and that women have nothing valuable to offer a relationship other than something physical How romantic possessiveness causes us to outsourc...
Jun 02, 2023•37 min•Ep. 163
Rachelle Indra is a life coach and speaker specializing in the intersection of self-actualization and humor. She has made it her life's mission to teach the shit we should have been taught in school: how to have healthy relationships, discover your life's purpose, and how to retrain your brain to work for you instead of against you. We sat down with Rachelle to talk about: Recognizing that different people require different types of support and may be intimidated by the stigmas that surround the...
May 31, 2023•59 min•Ep. 162
In this solo episode, we’re answering a listener’s question about why they seem to attract “energy vampires” and feel like they’re constantly being sucked into others’ drama. We’re discussing: Reshifting your energy from, “why is this person always doing this TO me” to, “that’s challenging for them, but I don’t need to participate” and remembering that where you focus your energy is what you attract Turning your focus inward to examine where you may have hidden shadow work that you are bypassing...
May 26, 2023•29 min•Ep. 238
In this solo episode, we’re examining a situation we receive questions about frequently relating to moving on after the end of a 15+ year partnership. We so often hear that women have been unhappy in their (hetero) relationship for some time, then the relationship ends, and then the woman feels stuck and unsure about what comes next and how to move forward. A patriarchal society normalizes the discontentment of life within women and sets an expectation that “this is just life,” birthing the moth...
May 24, 2023•25 min•Ep. 160
How do I speak up when I’m afraid of the response? How do I show up as my most authentic self and what does that even mean? These are just some of the questions that Dené and Vanessa get asked frequently addressed in this episode from sn IG Live. If you’re ready to dive deeper into topics like these, we have ONE MORE SHARED ROOM LEFT for our upcoming retreat in Costa Rica June 3-10th so if you’ve been on the fence this is your last chance to join us! We’re offering a special discount for anyone ...
May 19, 2023•33 min•Ep. 159
What happens when a world-renowned business powerhouse awakens to his life’s highest timeline, causing him to shift gears and dive into the spiritual realm where his true sense of purpose lies? Vanessa and Dené sat down with Danny Morel to explore his transformative journey from real estate mogul to spiritual guide - prompting us to rethink our definitions of success and the positive impact authentic self-love has in our relationships. 🌟 Big Takeaways from this Episode: Heart Centric Realizatio...
May 17, 2023•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 158
In this solo episode, we’re discussing a common theme we see around whether or not healing and co-regulating ourselves within relationships is the same as being codependent. We’re talking about: Codependency, at its core, being being the belief that we ‘need’ one specific person outside of ourselves to regulate our internal world Recognizing that society has conditioned us to equate attachment with love, and that without a certain amount of differentiation, we can fall into the trap of seeing th...
May 12, 2023•32 min•Ep. 157
Andrew Horn is an Austin, TX based social entrepreneur, speaker, writer and leadership coach. He has been featured on TED.com, founded an INC500 company, keynotes for the Fortune 500, and serves as a personal coach to “second mountain” entrepreneurs. Andrew is on a mission to support others in understanding how we create meaningful connections in an authentic way. We sat down to talk with Andrew about How to shift our focus from the external to the internal to access our truth, and how to share ...
May 10, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 156
In today’s episode, we’re answering a string of questions submitted by a listener that revolve around codependency within relationships and how to start the process of leaning more into interdependence. We’re exploring:: The societal pressure on women, especially, to focus our energy on finding and keeping a partner, rather than being encouraged to go inward and discover our own interests and what brings us joy. How the greatest act of rebellion a woman can participate in is the act of living au...
May 05, 2023•40 min•Ep. 155
In today’s episode, we’re addressing some of the questions we received on social media around reclaiming audacity and calling back our power. We’re discussing: The concept of feeling stuck and learning how to lean into trusting that divine orchestration is always brings us exactly what we need Feeling anxiety around where our lives are headed, and the importance of shifting our mindset to accepting the current moment and being okay with the uncomfortable feeling of not knowing what’s next How a ...
May 03, 2023•25 min•Ep. 154
In today’s episode, we’re answering your questions around the topic of self-abandonment, and what it means to self-abandon in various areas in your life. We’re discussing: How to not lose yourself in relationships and why we may begin a relationship with strong boundaries but gradually lose confidence as we become more attached What healthy attachment in relationships looks like and how to discern the difference between wants vs needs within those relationships Recognizing and working to break c...
Apr 29, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 153
This episode of Cheaper than Therapy is part of a series where we answer questions you, our listeners, have sent in to us. Today, we’re discussing the topic of self-abandonment, and what it looks like to self-abandon in various areas in your life. If you have a question you’d like us to discuss, click here . 🌟 Some Big Takeaways from this Episode: Be Honest with Yourself: How to begin the work of facing hard truths about yourself instead of hiding behind familiar and unhealthy behaviors pattern...
Apr 26, 2023•43 min•Ep. 152
