If you've ever felt frustrated by a therapist or coach responding to your request for tools with something like, "Well, what do you think a helpful tool would be?" then today's chat is for you. in this episode I share what I learned in attending my first ever ecstatic dance class and how it demonstrated for me the importance of suggestions in our healing journeys. When you've lived so much of your life inside a specific box, it can be really hard to see anything else. Join me as I discuss the ba...
Jun 25, 2024•31 min•Season 1Ep. 70
One of my deepest beliefs is that “I’m too much” – I’m too loud, I’m too energetic, I ask too much, need too much, my idea’s or dreams or plans are all too much, my pace is too much, etc… It’s a wound that gets triggered a lot in my friendships, entrepreneurship, and especially in my marriage. It's also a belief that holds me back from fully showing up in a lot of areas of my life. Join me for a conversation about how all our beliefs, while well-meaning and self-protective at one point, may no l...
Jun 18, 2024•26 min•Season 1Ep. 69
When you’re not sleeping, eating, breathing, moving, resting, playing, or connecting enough — you should expect to be sick, your mental health will suffer because your brain and overall health are suffering. When we, or life, expects us to sacrifice the very habits that nurture our nature of being human — we suffer and there's no amount of talk therapy or meds (while possibly helpful) that heals symptoms caused by a dysregulated nervous system or daily habits that rob you of general health. You ...
Jun 11, 2024•38 min•Season 1Ep. 68
Essential 8 Series (Part 8) Do you struggle to feel connected or at home in your body? Do you often feel ungrounded? Do you have anxiety or lack self awareness? When someone is having a hard time are you overly empathetic - is it almost like you absorb their hard emotions? Do you struggle to easily feel when you're hungry or full? These are all signs of low or impaired interoceptive awareness. Interoception is the ability to fell and understand what's happening on the inside of your body and it ...
Jun 04, 2024•30 min•Season 1Ep. 67
Essential 8 Series (Part 7) Today we’re taking a deep dive into how community helps you heal & I would go as far as to say how and why community is a non-negotiable for healing, how it’s the cornerstone to it. Humans are hardwired for connection. You were never meant to carry or navigate as much as you have on your own. Hit play to learn more! CLICK HERE for the full show notes, resources, and 3 tangible takeaways! — Looking for more personalized support? 1:1 Coaching (RESTORE): Learn more o...
May 28, 2024•32 min•Season 1Ep. 66
Essential 8 Series (Part 6) Today we’re chatting about nutrition and its impact on mental health, specifically anxiety, depression. Treat today’s episode sort of like you and I were casually chatting and I said, “Hey, did you know…” "Did you know that blood sugar regulation (or lack there of) has been linked to anxiety and depression?" "Did you know your gut is often referred to as your “second brain” and that research shows that emotions play out in your gut and gut issues can create mental hea...
May 21, 2024•46 min•Season 1Ep. 65
A quick intermission from our 8 part "Essential 8" series because my brain needed a break after juggling a lot the past few weeks. At the heart of this episode is a conversation about this quote, “When a flower doesn’t bloom, you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower.” In the context of your healing the quote can be rewritten as “when you’re struggling with anxiety or depression, you fix the environments in which you’re healing and growing, not you.” You are not broken, you do no...
May 14, 2024•33 min•Season 1Ep. 64
Essential 8 Series (Part 5) At the heart of understanding and healing anxiety or depression through a nervous system lens is stress management and understanding the basics of stress physiology. In this conversation I share with you (what I hope is) a refreshing perspective on navigating overwhelming stressors. I'll reintroduce the "stress bucket analogy" and unpack it in a bit of a different way than we have before providing you with a tangible framework for understanding stress load and creatin...
May 07, 2024•45 min•Season 1Ep. 63
Essential 8 Series (Part 4) This isn't the first conversation we've had about the vagus nerve, and it won't be the last, but it's definitely worth a listen! In this episode I'll share again the basics of what the vagus nerve is, why it matters when healing anxiety & depression, and you'll get a few more sneak peak reads of my new book! What I want you to leave this episode hearing most clearly is that you are not broken, healing is possible, and I’m honor to be here supporting you. Hit play ...
Apr 30, 2024•34 min•Season 1Ep. 62
Essential 8 Series (Part 3) Breath can be used as a powerful proactive and reactive regulation tool. Your respiratory system (aka breath) is one of the most powerful physiological levers you can pull to shift the state of your nervous system. Did you know that every time you inhale your heart rate speeds up, and every time you exhale it slows down? Let's say you extend your exhale out longer than your inhale — well now your heat rate slowed down longer than it sped up. This sends an immediate me...
Apr 23, 2024•47 min•Season 1Ep. 61
Essential 8 Series (Part 2) I’m going to just come out with a pretty blunt to start today: there’s a set of minimal physical activity guidelines for a reason, if you’re not meeting them then you’re going to have problems (one of which is mental health). Second only to sleep, I think movement is one of the most fundamental and non-negotiable habits for brain health. Research shows that even just a daily walk of 30 minutes can decrease depression and anxiety symptoms in almost all clinical populat...
Apr 16, 2024•37 min•Season 1Ep. 60
Essential 8 Series (Part 1) Sleep plays a vital role in our overall health and wellbeing, yet 1 in 3 adults aren’t getting the recommended amount. If you're not getting the recommended amount of sleep, your mental and physical health will suffer. In this episode we’re going to talk about – what happens when we sleep, why sleep matters for our mental and physical health, common struggles with sleep, and practical strategies for getting better shut-eye. If you're tired of feeling tired, let's dive...
Apr 09, 2024•38 min•Season 1Ep. 59
Your habits matter, your lifestyle matters. Your overall health is the greatest contributor to your mental health. There’s no about of talk therapy or meds that can combat the natural stress load that gets put on your system by chronic sleep deprivation, sedentariness, dysfunctional breathing, too many inflammatory foods and too little nourishing ones. AND YET... behavior change is hard, especially when struggling with anxiety & depression. Today and in the next 8 episodes we’ll take a deep ...
Apr 02, 2024•34 min•Season 1Ep. 58
When your nervous system has grown accustomed to chaos, things like stillness , rest, and slowing down feel unsafe. Because of this we often choose "healing" modalities that feed into the familiarity of chaos and intensity. So are the cold plunges and HIIT workouts hurting your healing? I don't know. But join me for a conversation to talk through how they might be, to talk about how they held me back in my early healing journey and what I'd do differently if I knew then what I know now. CLICK HE...
Mar 26, 2024•35 min•Season 1Ep. 57
Let's have another conversation around stress. Chronic stress can come as a symptom of our choices or the reality reality of our life circumstances, but it's usually a mix of both. I spent a decade create a life of chronic stress based on beliefs I acquired in my childhood and teenage years. Here's the thing, stress isn't the problem, chronic stress is. There's also some cool new research that suggests that stress may only be bad for you if you believe that to be the case. Join me for the full c...
Mar 19, 2024•29 min•Season 1Ep. 56
If you've been in the healing space for more than 4 seconds you've heard things like, "you need to feel your feeling" or "healing comes through feeling." There's truth in it AND what does that even mean? What if feeling even a little bit opens the floodgates? What if feelings show up 5 minutes before a meeting? Join me for a realistic conversation around emotional regulation and how you don't always have to feel your feelings right now. CLICK HERE for the full show notes, resources, and 3 tangib...
Mar 12, 2024•38 min•Season 1Ep. 55
Do you ever feel overstimulated by sounds? Maybe especially when you're stressed? This has been a part of my anxiety journey and something that's come up a lot amongst my conversations with other lately. In this episode we'll talk about what Auditory Overstimulation is, why it happens, and some things you might be able to do today to support yourself (or a loved one). Here are links to the two things referenced in the conversation: (1) Learn more and join my next Release Class by clicking HERE -...
Mar 05, 2024•36 min•Season 1Ep. 54
This conversation is a shameless celebration with you all that I wrote a book and a sneak peak as to what's held within its pages. Healing Through the Vagus Nerve is a guide to understanding and healing anxiety, depression, stress, and trauma through nervous system regulation. It still feels quite surreal to say I wrote a book but I’m so stinking proud of it and I wholeheartedly believe it's pages hold hope and healing for thousands and thousands of people & you can pre-order your copy TODAY...
Feb 27, 2024•32 min•Season 1Ep. 53
Join me for a conversation on all the things from how I started this podcast because I was annoyed with Instagram, to a story about my son spilling THOUSANDS of corn kernels and me NOT losing my -ish about it, to a list of random episode topics coming soon, and ending with a reassuring message about how healing is possible. Hit play, listen to the end, and take what you need. And in the words of my son, "you are strong, and capable." Thanks for being here friends! CLICK HERE for the full show no...
Feb 20, 2024•37 min•Season 1Ep. 52
With this episode I want to give you permission to DO less and BE more this week. I also talk about why that’s hard, why it’s something I was virtually incapable of doing for over a decade and still have to make a conscious effort for sometimes. Join me as I share about the time I walked away from playing duck duck goose with orphans to do dishes because productivity felt so much safer than play and how this pattern showed up for me even today when faced with the option of quality time with frie...
Feb 13, 2024•32 min•Season 1Ep. 51
Last week I had an Instagram post that immediately lost me followers, while also being my most liked and shared post in over a year. Let's talk about it. Let's talk about how this same post could feel so validating and empowering for some people, while angering others. In this conversation I share various individuals perspectives and experiences around being prescribed psych meds and the ways I think the mainstream medical model often falls short in providing personalized mental health support. ...
Feb 06, 2024•29 min•Season 1Ep. 50
Ever feel shut down and unsure how to pull yourself out of it? Or maybe you tried to, only to have you system back lash and become even more stuck, numb or disconnected? In today's conversation I talk about why this happens and offer 7 gentle ways to meet your system where it is in that shut down state of depression, immobilization, and disconnection. It's in meeting yourself where you are with compassion that your inner system will feel safe enough to move towards regulation (without the backla...
Jan 30, 2024•34 min•Season 1Ep. 49
Today I share with you 10 ways to stop a panic attack & the nerdy science behind why they work. I start by answering the questions: What is a panic attack? Why do they happen? And what can I do about it? Here's a list of the 10 tools: Color spotting Near far jumps Sour candy Strong smell Hold an ice cube What can I hear that's the closest? What sound is farthest away? Coping statement / Panic poem Cold water on face Ear tugs Hug a safe human CLICK HERE for the full show notes, resources, and...
Jan 23, 2024•40 min•Season 1Ep. 48
Do you feel like you've been chasing healing for so long and falling short? It might be that one of these pieces is missing. Let's talk about some pitfalls in mainstream mental health support and the role that bloodwork, breath, and belonging might have in your healing. I'll also peel pack the curtain on a new program we're currently developing that'll help bring a true, physiology first approach to healing anxiety & depression. Hit play for more! CLICK HERE for the full show notes, resource...
Jan 16, 2024•40 min•Season 1Ep. 47
This year I'm choosing regulation over resolutions. I'm choosing tiny habits over lofty goals. Join me for a conversation that unpacks why only 9% of people who set resolutions actually get there (and why I'm not interested in being part of that 9% this year). I'll also share with you 12 habits for a more regulated year. Happy new years friends and just a reminder that the new year doesn't need a new you, it needs the you that you're already becoming. The you taking brave steps towards healing. ...
Jan 03, 2024•33 min•Season 1Ep. 46
I had a really curated “regulated reflection” planned for this episode but that was until I almost had a panic attack in a pizza place while on a family vacation last week and decided, let’s talk about that instead. Join me for a conversation on grief, hope, and why I’d really love to have you join me on Thursday for my annual NYE Circle event. This is my largest community event of the year, over 100 people have signed up so far and I’d love for you to be there too! — Looking for more personaliz...
Dec 26, 2023•26 min•Season 1Ep. 45
Do you struggle staying regulated this time of year? Maybe you have more anxiety around holiday events? Feel high expectations from others and have a hard time setting boundaries? Juggling real life and the “magic” of the season can feel exhausting. The financial pressures and pressure to make new goals as the new year approaches is a lot. I address all of this and more in today’s episode. This is part 2 of a mini series more candidly answering 10 listener submissions to the question: What do yo...
Dec 19, 2023•19 min•Ep. 44
The holidays can be a lot — a lot of joy and a lot of hard. I asked you all what you struggle with most in the winter or around the holidays so I could offer some more personalized support for my listeners. This and next week I’ll work through more candidly answering 10 of the submissions. I’ll list all 10 here, but not before I invite you to join me at the end of this month for my biggest community event of the year (& it’s totally free). Holiday support questions: Loneliness around a small...
Dec 12, 2023•33 min•Ep. 43
Join me for a conversation about Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), more commonly referred to as Seasonal Depression. What makes SAD unique is its timing, it has a distinct seasonal onset, typically in winter, and a spontaneous remission of symptoms sometime in spring. In short, it’s just normal depression with a seasonal pattern. In this conversation I'll unpack more on what it is, what might be contributing to it and some research supported things you can do to alleviate symptoms. In this conv...
Dec 05, 2023•39 min•Season 1Ep. 42
One thing I hear a lot from people who come to work with us are, “I’m tired of just talking about how I feel, I want to actually DO something about it.” Talking is a really important and special part of healing and it’s not enough if your underlying physiology is depleted, hypersensitive, or packed with unprocessed trauma. Getting into the DOING alongside the talking, processing, and space holding is something my coaching methodology specializes in. It’s not always a sexy to say, but behavior ch...
Nov 28, 2023•30 min•Ep. 41
