How can you cultivate a safe space within for better mental health? A guided meditation for seekers desiring to deepen their connection with self and cultivate a safe space within. You count you matter, your healing is important. This meditation is an exercise for the mind muscle to strengthen our ability to control thought and fear instead of thoughts and fear controlling us. This guided meditation session offers techniques to create a personalized, peaceful environment that promotes emotional ...
Jan 17, 2021•23 min•Season 4Ep. 155
Have you ever questioned the efficacy of "safe spaces"? You're not alone. If you’ve ever been in a supposed safe space that didn’t feel so safe, this episode is for you! In accepting what IS over an IDEAL, we empower ourselves to do the real work of becoming safer within. We delve into the limitations of external safe spaces and the importance of cultivating internal safety through self-love and self-respect. By fostering self-trust and developing self-regulation skills, Highly Sensitive People ...
Jan 10, 2021•19 min•Season 4Ep. 154
Do you know the best way to communicate with highly sensitive children? Communication holds much of our connection. In this week's episode we explore the art form of communication from adult to child or adult to inner child through curiosity, hope, empathy, love, sharing, seed planting, sensory memory, and silly goose-ing (a Nikki-ism, for sure.) Discover how validating their experiences, fostering empathy, and nurturing curiosity through mindful dialogue can make a difference. This episode high...
Jan 02, 2021•33 min•Season 4Ep. 153
Are you struggling with grief and loss? I hope this week's episode shines light on the subtle ways we may be grieving as we say goodbye to 2020. Understanding the five stages of grief—denial, anger, depression, bargaining, and acceptance—is crucial for mental health, especially for Highly Sensitive People (HSPs). A simple review of the stages of grief and a simple exercise to face our personal truths in healing and move through the pain of loss to get to the other side. Light, love, and we made ...
Dec 27, 2020•24 min•Season 3Ep. 152
Did you know Hypervigilance, a common symptom of trauma? It keeps the nervous system in a heightened state, making it difficult for HSPs to trust their gut feelings. Learn how to manage this exhausting emotional state and protect your mental health. We explore the pitfalls of hypervigilance & continued anger & outrage in advocacy, especially for people who are working to heal trauma & struggle to keep the body in a state of calm. To thrive as empaths we must understand how we react &...
Dec 20, 2020•23 min•Season 3Ep. 151
Are pride and shame holding you back from seeking help? Discussing pride, help, shame and how to get out of our own way to receive help when we need it. This episode confronts the long arm of low self worth and helps us confront our do-it-yourself-demons that conspire to keep us in an old pattern of struggle. I announce our newest Patreon-Pay-It-Forward recipient & largest donation to date, Denver's own The Gathering Place. TGP provides safe, practical support, respect, and hand-ups. Valuabl...
Dec 13, 2020•28 min•Season 3Ep. 150
Ever wondered how synchronicity and spirituality impact mental health? We explore empathy & compassion to manage pain & defensiveness. Synchronicity on the seeker's path has grown me, like the Universe reaching out to say, 'I see you & hold you.' I describe the impact of one of my Spiritual Mothers, friends, & colleagues Lisa Tahir. I'm grateful Lisa gave me permission to read a visualization from her book, The Chiron Effect: Healing Our Core Wounds through Astrology, Empathy, &a...
Dec 06, 2020•22 min•Season 3Ep. 149
How can understanding archetypes like the bully, victim and addict improve your mental health journey? By picking battles we can avoid burnout and have the energy to fight the ones we decide need fighting. We work to hold space for our light & dark selves with wholeness while letting go of taking things personally. In this work we stay connected to true self vs. chasing the unavailable ideal which is the essence of unconditional self love. Embracing both light and dark aspects of these arche...
Nov 29, 2020•35 min•Season 3Ep. 148
Is your inner critic sabotaging your mental health? I've never met a highly sensitive person who didn't have an overdeveloped inner-critic. This inner bully robs our progress, dis-empowers, and devalues who we are, especially when our energies are low. Without addressing the inner critic, we are at risk of digging mental health holes that become deeper and more difficult to crawl out of. You were never meant to be in a hole, rather, you were meant to stand tall and proud at the peak of the mount...
Nov 15, 2020•25 min•Season 3Ep. 146
This weeks episode is about coming back to ourselves through the power of intention for our own mental health. I believe every human being can thrive and bloom. Our power to set ourselves up for emotional, mental, physical and spiritual success lies in our mindful choices as we learn more and more, year to year, about who we are and what conditions we can create to thrive. Explore ways to create favorable conditions for mental health and personal growth, embracing patience, gratitude, and joy al...
Nov 08, 2020•15 min•Season 3Ep. 145
Awakenings mature us, force listening & expansion that turns into wisdom. Other human beings help us trust reality & our experience. As we mature, old ideas of youth have fallen away, ideals replace reality. In healing, we learn to accept the inadequacies & immaturity of others & ourselves while we grow into more adequacy, efficacy, & responsibility. By therapeutically providing a positive energy & lessons for our inner children, we fill in our voids, & maturity expan...
Nov 01, 2020•26 min•Season 3Ep. 144
Lot's in this episode, Ya'll! I hope this week's episode helps HSPs accept, with love, compassion, and kindness, that our gifts are unique. In letting go there is tremendous power as we experience rebirth through the process of awakening. We can fight ourselves and the world or we can let go and use that energy to heal, live, and expand. So much light and love to all the brave Seekers out there. If you are interested in supporting us even more than a 5-star review, you can find Emotional Badass ...
Oct 25, 2020•24 min•Season 3Ep. 143
Many of you have probably heard of the ACES (Adverse Childhood Experiences Study.) Here, I break down the emotional and psychological effects of each adverse childhood experience, which completely muck up our natural, healthy boundaries and limits. Because of those experiences, we end up working a lifetime to re-calibrate them. This is one of the main reasons I teach the boundaries course. This episode explores the deep impact of childhood trauma on Highly Sensitive People (HSPs) and provides ac...
Oct 17, 2020•40 min•Season 3Ep. 142
Struggling with meditation? Believe it or not, you don't suck at meditating! I hope this week's meditation episode helps you let go of frustration & resistance to meditating. This is a do less, be effortless, practice ease, and let go of effort-ing kind of meditation. This meditation will be a part of season 3 stripped down meditations available on the Emotional Badass store, release TBD. You can check out Season 1 & 2 right now if you want (Patreon members get our discount code) Check o...
Oct 11, 2020•18 min•Season 3Ep. 141
Feeling overwhelmed by your high sensitivity? One of the most frequent questions I get asked is some variation of the question 'when will I feel the superpowers of sensitivity' or 'when will I stop resenting that I'm so sensitive' or 'when will this get easier, will it ever be easier?' Learn how to turn it into a superpower by embracing your sensory system and setting strong boundaries. (HSP) Highly Sensitive People can initially feel like this is burdensome, but with proper fine-tuning and acce...
Oct 04, 2020•17 min•Season 3Ep. 140
Are you harnessing the power of sacred moments in your life? This weeks episode is inspired by a passage from Mark Nepo’s The Book of Awakening. I hope it helps answer part of the question, ‘What is spiritual Development and how do I do it?’ We get one precious life and we can learn to accept the invitations the Universe gives us to find our higher purpose and get to know ourselves internal by not over focusing on what’s external. Turning inward can significantly enhance mental health and emotio...
Sep 28, 2020•19 min•Season 3Ep. 139
This episode is my longest solo episode ever, so it's broken into 2 parts. Find part 2 on the free section of Patreon https://www.patreon.com/posts/41758653 & hear me discuss the insanity of circumstances that pushed me to my darkest depression. I share my mental health mindset tips that helped pull me out of the hole. I want people to know they have power to ward off depression, own who they are, find truths, & plow through to the other side. We can heal & get to emotional security,...
Sep 20, 2020•36 min•Season 3Ep. 138
How empaths experience the world and the permission to explore, expand, and own our callings, to improve our mental health. We explores self esteem, resiliency, challenge, vulnerability, and expression. I hope this week's episode offers a deeper understanding of our highly sensitive empathic gifts, and how to grow into our worth by taking up space and claiming our callings. Shout outs to the courageous and inspiring Lisa Tahir and Marianne Williamson. If you are interested in supporting us even ...
Sep 12, 2020•30 min•Season 3Ep. 137
The Bob Ross inspired episode is HERE! Wisdom from one of my favorite Wise Men, The Joy of Painting creator and PBS star, Bob Ross. I share what he meant to me as a child and how I'm channeling his grounded peace. I hope I do his memory justice with this episode. We dive deep into some of his favorite sayings and unpack the wisdom of 'no mistakes, just happy little accidents.' Channeling Bob Ross's calming energy can transform your life, particularly if you're a highly sensitive person. Learn ho...
Sep 06, 2020•25 min•Season 3Ep. 136
What are we made of? Have you been thinking about this since hearing the nursery rhyme; snips & snails & puppy dogs' tails? I HAVE. This episode is about the differences & similarities between HSPs & Energy Vampires. It takes understanding of these dynamics for a HSP to shield (with boundaries) against emotional vampire-ing & stop allowing yourself to get sucked in. As adults we can do what we couldn't as children---learn how to keep energy vampires OUT and our energy IN. Wit...
Aug 30, 2020•25 min•Season 3Ep. 135
I share something vulnerable and ripe for judgement in this week's episode. A personal story about the highly sensitive struggle to manage stress, create peace, calm, & act in love. Featuring Queen Dagmar. Most Highly Sensitive People & trauma survivors report a love-hate relationship with high sensitivity. Radical personal assertiveness and acceptance is required (yes I'm saying REQUIRED) to shift from sensitivity feeling like a burden to a superpower. If you are interested in supportin...
Aug 23, 2020•30 min•Season 3Ep. 134
I'm excited to share with you a passage from a favorite healing book by Paulo Coelho, Warrior of the Light. It inspired a meditation I wrote to help us flow when life throws obstacles in our path. Most of us have heard the fun fact that our bodies are mostly water. I hope this episode and meditation help you feel how powerful you truly are and how you can learn to use your energy & power to flow around, through, above, below, and beyond. . Learn techniques to embrace your unique qualities, s...
Aug 16, 2020•19 min•Season 3Ep. 133
Hello Tribe! Today we break down what it means to check in with ourselves & grow mindful muscles to take the very best care of deep, expansive selves. A little intuition vs. anxiety, internal vs. external, and oldie-but-goodie borrowed from Alcoholics Anonymous sayings, HALT: exploring Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired, as a check in strategy. Sometimes it's the simple things that go over our heads or we can over complicate as Highly Sensitive People. Internal and external check-ins can transform...
Aug 09, 2020•29 min•Season 3Ep. 132
I've had negotiation on my mind, Ya'll. Negotiation. It's as inescapable as grief and we get just as much education in how to do it. Zilch! Nada! Nothing! Sensitives and Survivors can really struggle in the face of the vibes that come from hard-ball negotiation tactics. I hope this week's episode helps shine light on the areas we can own and grow to become better negotiators in life. Light and love! Why do highly sensitive people (HSPs) find negotiation so challenging? Iexplore the impact of con...
Aug 02, 2020•22 min•Season 3Ep. 131
Are you aware of the power your imagination holds? Highly sensitive people often use their imagination to anticipate the worst, but what if it could be used to foster positivity and emotional resilience? Nikki Eisenhauer delves into this concept, drawing wisdom from the yoga sutras. She explains how shifting from negative to positive thinking can enhance mental health and well-being. This episode offers insights and strategies for highly sensitive people to transform their imagination into a too...
Jul 26, 2020•21 min•Season 3Ep. 130
On top of the general tensions & chaos of 2020, I'm seeing lots of heartache & change for highly sensitive people. Energies are a-churnin' Ya'll!!!! As we face big changes & big unknowns as a tribe and individually we will be challenged to let go and move on in many ways. I share a story about my old supervisor, Gus, a Spiritual Father, who lovingly helped me when I was a super green therapist & human being & taught me by showing me simplicity & truth in letting go. How c...
Jul 19, 2020•23 min•Season 3Ep. 129
To consider compatibility I had to first understand and accept more about my personality and temperament--not what I thought my temperament and personality were supposed to be, but how I was made, how I am, what's changeable within myself and what isn't. I hope this week's episode opens the conversation of compatibility and workability in partnership to help us strengthen our existing relationship with self, current partners, inner circle. Are you a highly sensitive person struggling to find ful...
Jul 12, 2020•33 min•Season 3Ep. 128
Those of us in the Highly Sensitive Tribe can be so so hard on ourselves. I've learned over the years that HSPs and survivors tend to double down on personal pressure to 'just figure it out' when figuring it out might not be on the table in any given moment. This week's episode is about THAT--I share what I've learned to do when I just don't know what to do. Are you an HSP struggling with managing uncertainty and stress in a chaotic world? Discover essential mental health strategies tailored for...
Jul 05, 2020•27 min•Season 3Ep. 127
Let's talk about burnout compassion fatigue, compartmentalization and denial for our mental health. Therapists are taught about burnout before we see our 1st patient. lots of you know about burnout. I like the physical definitions of burnout to explain how it feels emotionally. "The failure of an electrical device or component through overheating. physical and mental collapse." If you are interested in supporting us even more than a 5-star review, you can find Emotional Badass on Patreon where y...
Jun 28, 2020•19 min•Season 3Ep. 126
Exploring the Book Toxic Parents by Susan Forward Overcoming their hurtful legacy and reclaiming your life, levels of dysfunction, healing and boundaries. Are you an HSP struggling with toxic family dynamics and seeking healing? Discover how Susan Forward’s book "Toxic Parents" provides essential strategies for highly sensitive people to overcome dysfunction and reclaim their lives. Learn why HSPs benefit immensely from understanding the impact of verbal, physical, and emotional abuse detailed i...
Jun 22, 2020•28 min•Season 3Ep. 125
