Get the Gunk Out

This week, Shannon chats with Erika Straub, who is an anxiety & trauma coach for women. She graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BA in Psychology, earned a MA in Depth Psychology, holds 500+ hours of yoga teacher training credentials and is a nationally certified personal trainer. As a coach, Erika operates through the lens of Polyvagal Theory, Somatic Experiencing, and Jungian Depth Psychology. Her deep knowledge in psyche and soma are the genesis for her coaching programs. Erika specializes in resolution and repair from symptoms of complex trauma, childhood trauma, sexual trauma, and post-traumatic stress. Topics discussed: What is trauma? How do you know if what you're feeling and experiencing is the result of a trauma (whether complex or acute)? How traumas show up in our bodies (symptoms) What fight, flight, or freeze is and what it all means for us How simple routine tasks like going to the grocery store made Shannon become paralyzed with fear Erika and Shannon's experiences with panic attacks What panic attacks are, what they feel like, and how they can actually change your brain and your life Why Erika and Shannon are both grateful for their traumas Shannon's experience with claustrophobia What "dissociation" is. What it feels like and why Shannon says it's the worst feeling she's ever felt Why dissociation happens after trauma How our brains can't distinguish between "having" an actual experience and just simply "thinking" about an experience. Symptoms arise from thought alone. How Erika and Shannon both managed their panic attacks (and it's not by "just trying to relax and calm down") How shame plays a role in trauma How our brains physically change from trauma, and why self talk alone isn't enough Shannon's traumas throughout her life that led to a constant feeling of "what's coming next" The vagus nerve and why it's important How the mind and body are connected The difference between general anxiety and panic attacks Links mentioned in this episode: https://www.instagram.com/_anxiousfemale/ https://www.instagram.com/getthegunkout/ https://www.anxiousfemale.com/

This week, Shannon chats with Tamara Leszner-Rovet, who is a registered psychotherapist (RP), certified music therapist (MTA), and registered music teacher (RMT) with over 20 years experience working with individuals with neurological disorders and developmental delays. She holds an Associateship of the Royal Conservatory of Toronto (ARCT), an Honours Bachelor of Music Therapy Degree from the University of Windsor (BMT), and has received additional training as a Neurologic Music Therapist (NMT). Since 2007, she has been the owner and director of Tamara’s Piano Studio and Music Therapy Services (TPSMTS), a private practice specializing in providing music therapy services and adapted music lessons to children and adolescents. She believes strongly in presuming competence and the right to high quality music lessons and music therapy services, regardless of an individual’s age or ability. In addition to running a full time private practice, she is also a mom to an incredible 8 year old with his own unique challenges! Topics discussed: Tamara's health struggles with Hashimotos and the misdiagnosis she dealt with for 10 years (on and off meds that she didn't actually need) Shannon's experience living with a thyroid condition Why it's important to see our own lab results and advocate for our own health - what's "normal" on a lab, doesn't mean its normal for you What to do if you're having unusual symptoms and can't find an answer How your thyroid can affect temperature regulation issues, mood, fatigue, weight gain/loss, brain fog, pain, infertility, miscarriages, etc... What histamine intolerance is - and how to know if you have it Tamara's experience with a gifted son with autism and ADHD Tamara's music therapy background - how she helps kids thrive through music (using music as a catalyst to achieve therapeutic goals, rather than musical goals) Why what works for one person may not work for another How music can change your mood - for better or worse Links mentioned in this episode: Email: tpsmts@gmail.com Website: www.tpsmts.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/TPSMTS Twitter: @TPSMTS Instagram: @tpsmtstor

This week, Shannon chats with Barbie Liss who is a Maternal Empowerment Coach, helping Women heal Mother Wounds and reclaim their Goddess Energy! As Mom to 3 grown children, Barbie has travelled the path of Motherhood, from typical to not at all typical experiences. Her life altering experience, and subsequent healing journey as a Mom of a rape survivor, and ultimate Restorative Justice outcome, led to her current path. She has been featured in Forbes, on Sirius XM, the Great Canadian Women, Empowerography Podcast, and more. Through a deep dive virtual Coaching Program, Barbie nurtures her clients through unlearning generational wounds and rewriting limiting core belief. She is an UNteacher of damaging messages and a perspective shape shifter. As a Maternal Empowerment Coach, Barbie helps heal old wounds that bleed into new moments, so that You can step fully into Your Goddess Energy! Topics discussed: Finding your true self through ancestral wound healing Barbie's story as a mom of a rape survivor, and her personal healing journey What restoritive justice is, and why Barbie and her daughter chose a restoritive justice outcome How generational patterns are passed down and how that affects us as individuals How we can all choose a resoritive justice approach in our daily encounters Shannon talks about her parents divorce and how she felt/feels today Teachable moments vs. punishable moments The lesson Shannon teaches her kids about empathy and understanding Unlearning patterns and messaging that doesn't serve us Why Shannon feels fortunate that she experienced trauma in her life How to not let your circumstances control your emotions and actions Why it's ok to be ok, even when we're not entirely ok How the word "and" can positively impact your mindset How Barbie healed herself in order to help her daughter heal How generational messaging and language is passed down and why it doesn't work in a new generation (ex. using "because I said so as an answer to our kids" or "just do what the doctor says", etc...) Barbie's tips for de-gunking your life today Links mentioned in this episode: www.barbieliss.com https://www.instagram.com/_barbieliss/ https://www.instagram.com/getthegunkout/

This week, Shannon chats with Sarah Deitcher who is a reiki and energy practitioner. After her first certification in Reiki 15 years ago, she fell in love with this healing modality and quickly moved to the next level and continued to practice daily. She uses energy work, essential oils, and meditation to holistically look at the deeper meanings of everything from self love and dis-ease in the body, to relationships and soul purpose. Topics discussed: What energy work is, who can benefit from doing energy work, and what positive effects you might experience Shannon’s personal experience with energy healing, the effects she felt and how she went from being super skeptical to a full believer of energy healing What you need to know if you’re skeptical about energy work, or you’re considering doing some energy work on your own or with a practitioner How are are all made up of energy and what that means for us Why and how we can feel other people’s energies when we interact with them - ex. they’re negative energy can make us feel bad, they’re positive energy can make us feel better, etc. How energy is at work when you randomly think of someone and the next day you bump into them or they call you out of the blue (what does this mean?) The odd experience that Shannon had during her first experience with energy work when she was in nutrition school Why it’s important to get to the root cause of our illnesses (both physical and mental) in order to heal. (Getting to the source of our ailments, rather than focusing and “bandaid-ing” the ailments themselves) How Sarah finally healed from chronic bladder infections, when nothing was working How our thoughts and experiences in life actually embed themselves in our bodies and cause disease/illness/pain/etc… How all of the systems in our bodies are connected to each other, and how we all have an innate ability to heal ourselves Links mentioned in this episode: https://www.instagram.com/essentially_high/ https://www.instagram.com/getthegunkout/

This week, Shannon chats with Melissa Maker, who is an accidental cleaning expert - because she hates to clean! In 2006 at age 24, she launched Clean My Space, a cleaning service in her hometown of Toronto, Canada, to help out people just like her. In 2011, she decided to create digital content to help drive bookings by launching the Clean My Space YouTube channel. Since then, the channel has amassed over 200 million video views and over 1.7 million subscribers along with a healthy Instagram following and busy website. She also founded a microfiber cleaning tools company in 2016, called Maker's Clean. While Melissa has delivered her expert advice on cleaning products, tools, and DIY substitutes for over ten years, she wasn’t always a cleaning pro and understands that people are looking for practical, time-saving solutions to everyday problems. Topics discussed: How Melissa became an “accidental cleaning expert” with over 200 million views and 1.2 million subscribers on YouTube, as well as owns a cleaning company called “Clean my Space.” How to de-gunk your home/space to help de-gunk your life in a simple, manageable way. Shannon and Melissa’s most disliked household chores, as well as their favourites. Why it’s ok if your home isn’t perfectly neat and clean, especially during a pandemic. The 3 things you need for any cleaning task to save time and energy. Simple cleaning hacks How to not let mess become a source of stress. Finding your MIA’s (most important areas) - what that means and how to do it. Basic cleaning tools that everyone should have in order to keep cleaning simple. What Melissa does to her shower after every use so she never has to actually clean her shower. Melissa’s simple takeaways that you can implement into your cleaning routine today! Links mentioned in this episode: www.cleanmyspace.ca www.cleanmyspace.com https://www.youtube.com/cleanmyspace https://www.facebook.com/cleanmyspace https://www.instagram.com/cleanmyspace https://www.instagram.com/melissamaker www.makersclean.com https://www.instagram.com/getthegunkout

This week, Shannon chats with Dr. Angele Close who is a clinical psychologist and a certified mindfulness meditation teacher. Her academic studies included graduating with a Double Honors in Psychology and Women’s Studies from Carleton University in Ottawa and a Masters in Counseling Psychology from the University of Western Ontario. She was awarded prestigious National Scholarships when pursuing her doctoral studies at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto where she received her Ph.D. in 2014. As a practitioner of mindfulness meditation for over a decade, she received her certification as a Mindfulness Meditation Teacher when completing Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield’s Two-Year Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program in Scotts Valley, California, in 2019. Topics discussed: Dr. Close's personal story about substance abuse, personal struggle, how she overcame it, and why she does the work she does today How to feel more present, calm, and self-aware What mindfulness means, and the benefits of it How and why to practice mindfuless and meditation How mindfulness and meditation helped Shannon heal from PTSD and a debilitating panic disorder What Shannon says was the hardest part of starting and practicing mindfulness How to pull yourself out of living on autopilot and become calmer, more present, and less overwelmed How to be compassionate with yourself and let go of needing to be "perfect" Acknowledging your own faults for self-improvement and to get to know your true self The simplest way to calm your nervous system in less than one minute, as well as how to practice the STOP technique Building confidence and living life YOUR way Links mentioned in this episode: www.drangeleclose.com https://www.instagram.com/getthegunkout/ https://www.instagram.com/drangeleclose/

This week, Shannon chats with Adrienne Altman, who is a working mama with two littles, on a mission to educate and empower busy parents, and parents to-be, on how to make smart choices to remove toxins from their everyday products and home without overwhelm. After losing her father to cancer and suffering with fertility issues, she was shocked to learn about the links between specific harmful ingredients in personal care products and overall health - links to fetal development, fertility, cancer, hormonal health and more.Adrienne’s approach is to ditch the overwhelm and empower you take small simple steps in the right direction based on YOUR priorities. Its about making education choices for your family in way that works for YOU and how you live. Topics discussed: How Adrienne discovered clean beauty and why she's so passionate about it Ingredients to avoid in personal care products How what we put on our skin/in our hair etc. can affect every system and organ in our bodies How to take small steps to incorporate clean products into your regime What the term "natural" actually means on a label How to navigate the personal care isles at the store/online Can some of our symptoms be linked to our personal care products? Making your own personal care products at home Adrienne's personal journey with infertility Adrienne's tips for de-gunking your personal care routine Links mentioned in this episode: https://www.instagram.com/adrienne_altman/ https://www.instagram.com/getthegunkout/

This week, Shannon chats with Laina Halberstadt who is a full time mom, full time house manager, full time wife, and full time business owner. She spends her free time being a mom, managing the house, being a wife, and building a business. She most recently left her eight year career in digital sales to start a career in construction recruiting, in the middle of Covid, with a toddler, and brand new Covid baby. She relies on instagram, Peloton, snacks, cannabis, and self-deprecating humour to guide her through motherhood and its everyday challenges with a smile on her face. She also lives with an invisible illness which she opens up about, and shares how it affects her life as well as her relationships and her children. Topics discussed: Navigating working mom life (especially through covid) How using humour gets Laina through everyday life Setting boundaries and rules for ourselves and our families Lessons learned through motherhood, and how motherhood has changed us Division of labour between spouses, and what our relationships with our husbands are like Judgemental people, and how to nagivate them, as well as let go of shame and stop people pleasing Laina's health struggles and how she deals with living with an invisible illness Links mentioned in this episode: https://www.instagram.com/thesassysarcastic/ https://www.instagram.com/getthegunkout/

Thank you for tuning in to season 1 of the Get the Gunk Out podcast. In this very short episode, I share my 3 goals/dreams for 2021, as well as a thank you to everyone that has tuned in so far. I wish you all a wonderful holiday season and a happy new year. Sending love, support, and well wishes to everyone who is going through difficult times right now. I hope that everyone finds some peace and small pockets of joy this holiday season and into 2021. Thank you again for being part of this community! We'll see you in the new year! Links mentioned in this episode: https://www.instagram.com/getthegunkout/

This week, Shannon chats with Jenna Greenspoon, who is the mom behind Savvy Sassy Media. She aims to create crafted posts for moms of all types on savvysassymoms.com where she shares educational activities, DIY activities, recipes, travel tips and more. She is a busy mom herself juggling many different balls, but loves to get it all done! Topics discussed: What Savvy Sassy Moms is all about Jenna's entrepreneurial journey and working mom life Easy activities to keep kids busy and entertained at home How to navigate the different stages of growth and emotions that kids go through How the pandemic has affected our families in different ways Navigating relationships with our partners, and what the pandemic has done for our relationships Jenna's experience going through divorce and starting a new relationship How Jenna's divorce affected her children and their routines What we've both learned and how we've both healed from dark times in our lives Links mentioned in this episode: http://savvysassymoms.com https://www.instagram.com/savvysassymoms/ https://www.instagram.com/getthegunkout/

This week, Shannon chats with Sari Friedman who is a seasoned marketing executive with 15 years of experience leading marketing for high profile e-commerce brands like rakuten.ca, ShopStyle and now the Director of Marketing for Luxy Hair. Sari’s presence on social media originated from her need to walk-the-walk, build her professional brand, and have an outlet to share her obsession with beauty and real life experiences of being a career-focused mom of 2. Topics discussed: Sari's experience as a working mom Sari's life on social media as a creative outlet Navigating how to set boundaries in order to manage all of life's moving pieces How covid life has affected Shannon and Sari in different ways How prioritizing can positively impact your life Sari's experience with negative body and self image How giving up control and being more confident has changed both Shannon's and Sari's lives in different ways How Shannon and Sari talk to their daughters about their bodies and being "beautiful" Sari's self care and makeup routines/tips Links mentioned in this episode: https://www.instagram.com/getthegunkout/ https://www.instagram.com/sarilittlefriedman/

This week, Shannon chats with Rachel Molenda who is a Toronto-based Intuitive Eating & Body Image Coach and Host of the Fill Your Cup Podcast, on a mission to help women stop hating on their bodies and feeling out of control around food. Rachel’s non-restrictive, intuitive eating approach to food has helped thousands of women put an end to emotional eating, binge eating, and disordered eating and find an effortless and enjoyable healthy way of eating and living. Topics discussed: Rachel's story: from eating disorder to food freedom Redefining your definition of health What "intuitive eating and living" is all about and how to do it How to navigate emotional eating and what emotional eating can actually mean How to incorporate mindful eating into your life How healing our minds can impact our bodies How to heal your relationship with food and avoid labelling food as "good or bad" Letting go of expectations and "shoulds" Why the words "trust and surrender" are so meaningful to Rachel Making your own rules in life, and filling your own cup Links mentioned in this episode: https://www.instagram.com/getthegunkout/ https://www.instagram.com/rachelmmolenda/ Fill Your Cup Podcast: https://www.rachelmmolenda.com/podcast Website: https://www.rachelmmolenda.com/

This week, Shannon chats with Rachelle Wintzen, who is the founder of the Chi Junky Studio in Toronto. She offers a bespoke yoga experience unlike any in the city. Rachelle’s professional life began in the performing arts world as a dancer, but her thriving career was cut short by injuries. Abandoning her disciplined lifestyle, she was drawn to New York City’s nightlife, where she worked in the city’s top clubs for almost a decade. This lifestyle left her physically and mentally wasted and she vowed to dedicate one year to a radical detox. Turning a negative to a positive she became addicted to living well—a junky for the chi she finally found. Rachelle is a featured media expert and has appeared on, The Globe & Mail, City TV News, BlogTO, Chatelaine, Best Health, Huffington Post, CP24 and CTV Your Morning. She is also the yoga expert for CTV’s "The Social", a yoga instructor for CBC’s "Kim’s Convenience", and a proud Lululemon ambassador. Topics discussed: Rachelle's story: from party girl to chi junky Rachelle's year-long detox (what she did and how she felt) What detoxing actually means and how to do it in a healthy way Rachelle's journey through physcial, emotional, and spiritual healing How yoga has changed Rachelle's life, and what chi junky is all about Simple yoga poses to help de-stress, sleep better, reduce anxiety, heal from pain, etc... The benefits of yoga/meditation Shannon's favourite yoga pose for when she feels anxious A 2-minute morning routine to start your day off well Letting go of expectations and perfectionism The importance of "community" in our lives Links mentioned in this episode: https://www.chijunky.com/ https://www.instagram.com/chi_junky/ https://www.instagram.com/getthegunkout/

This week, Shannon chats with Marlie Cohen (also known as Kale and Krunches), who is a fitness and lifestyle creator based in Toronto. Her blog, Kale and Krunches, started as a guide to staying healthy in an office job but quickly grew into a lifestyle brand, gaining the like, know and trust of thousands of women across the globe. From quick recipes and healthy food hot spots, to new workouts and the best mom gear, Marlie loves sharing her favourite products and routines with her audience. As a new-mom, trainer and content creator, Marlie continues to share her story, realness and tips with all her readers and community. Topics discussed: About Marlie + Kale & Krunches Balancing motherhood and being an entrepreneur Marlie's experience with postpartum anxiety, and how she managed it What Marlie plans to do differently with her second child that she didn't do with her first Navigating the "shoulds" of parenting What life as a social media influencer is like How to make time for yourself and your own personal needs/passions How you can incorporate fitness/wellness into your day without feeling overwhelmed What "wellness" actually means Marlie's advice for de-gunking your life, and 1 simple thing you can do today Links mentioned in this episode: https://www.instagram.com/getthegunkout/ https://www.instagram.com/kale_and_krunches/ https://kaleandkrunches.com/

This week, Shannon chat with Lani Lipson and Jordana Handler, who are both moms and the co-founders of Ee-mah (formerly known as "100 days of"). Lani and Jordana are best friends who navigated the wild world of postpartum together, and realized that there were so many things no one told you about motherhood. They consistently held space for one another’s journey in a non-judgmental, supportive way, and it helped them both come out the other end relatively unscathed. Ee-mah is an extension of their anonymous storytelling platform, @100_daysof where they will continue to explore the things that no one tells you about motherhood. Topics discussed: What Ee-mah is all about What no one ever tells you about motherhood Common issues/stories/experiences that moms have shared through the ee-mah community Our personal experiences as moms How relationships with your partner and/or family and friends can change once you become a mom Mom "competition" and mom guilt Normalizing the ups and downs of motherhood Our biggest pieces of advice for navigating motherhood Why self care is so important and how to incorporate self care into your day Links mentioned in this episode: https://www.instagram.com/getthegunkout/ https://www.instagram.com/this.is.eemah/ www.ee-mah.com

This week, Shannon chats with Aaron Fisher, who is the author of the best-selling book “Love Letters”. Aaron was born with an innate passion for helping others. In his 20's he had moved to China to create a charity to facilitate schooling for kids in remote towns throughout the country. He has spoken globally at motivational business development seminars, and has coached fortune 500 companies like Yahoo and H&M on leadership and personal development skills. In 2014, he co-founded Copper88 - a unique garment embedded with rehabilitation and health attributes.He is also an established photographer and mindset coach. Topics discussed: How mindset shifts can positively affect your physical body What self love is, and how we can all learn to love others more What it means to be self aware and how to acheive self awareness Where judgements come from, why people judge others, how to nagivate judegements from others, as well as how to catch yourself and make a shift when you find yourself being judgemental What it means to be truly present in your life, and how to actually become more present Finding your purpose in life and evolving into who you truly are (or want to be) How to make mindset shifts that will align you with your goals and passions in life Aaron's story as well as Shannon's story of overcoming being "stuck" Links mentioned in this episode: https://www.instagram.com/getthegunkout/ https://www.instagram.com/theawakeningself/ Love Letters by Us Podcast: https://anchor.fm/theawakeningself Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFpek85lvc3LnHrYolwnfNw?view_as=subscriber Love Letters Book in Canada: https://www.amazon.ca/Love-Letters-Aaron-Fisher/dp/0994781210/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1604329695&sr=8-1 In the US: https://www.amazon.com/Love-Letters-Aaron-Fisher/dp/0994781210/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Love%20letters%20by%20aaron%20Fisher&qid=1604336517&sr=8-1&fbclid=IwAR0zf055FP_xeDQP9FDMex-LcZFmPKv5kk-US1XQtapSrgm41iG2l1z0aT8

This week, Shannon chats with Dr. Jordana Waxman, a Clinical Psychologist in Supervised Practice (currently registering with the College of Psychologists of Ontario), who specializes in working with children, youth and families. She has developed expertise while being trained and working at a number of children’s mental health agencies including The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), The Hospital for Sick Children, Alberta Children’s Hospital, as well as private practice settings. Twitter: @jwaxman89 Topics discussed: Behavioural challenges in kids and how to handle it What behavioural challenges in kids can actually mean (anxiety, depression, etc...) What to say and what not to say to anyone dealing with anxiety or other mental health struggles Tips for couples and/or parents who are struggling How to handle fights/differences in your relationships How we get addicted to negative thinking patterns, and simple ways to change your mindset What you can do today to de-gunk your life Links mentioned in this episode: https://www.instagram.com/getthegunkout/

This week, Shannon shares 36 life lessons she's learned in 36 years, on the week of her 36th birthday. Some lessons are serious, and some are about poop, but nonetheless, all equally important! Links mentioned in this episode: https://www.instagram.com/getthegunkout/

This week, Shannon talks with Julia Glowinski, who is a Registered Social Worker, a Certified Sleep Consultant and a Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) clinician. Topics discussed: Common sleep concerns How sleep (and lack of sleep) affects our physical and mental health What you can do to get better sleep and wake up feeling rested How many hours of sleep we actually need every night and how to get better quality sleep What to do if you wake up in the middle of the night and can't fall back asleep Tips for unwinding and clearing your mind before bed What to do if your kids climb into your bed in the middle of the night What you can do today to de-gunk your sleep habits Links mentioned in this episode: http://www.glowsleep.ca https://www.instagram.com/glowsleepservices/ https://www.instagram.com/getthegunkout/

This week, I discuss what life with PTSD and a debilitating panic disorder was like. I also share what I did to heal, lessons I learned, how the pandemic helped me even more, and how you can start finding space for de-gunking in your own life, reagardless of if you've suffered trauma or not. Topics discussed: Intro to what Get the Gunk Out is all about what what it all means My story: Living with PTSD and a debilitating panic disorder How I healed and what I learned How the pandemic has helped me even more How you can start finding space for de-gunking in your own life, and simple things you can do today, regardless of whether or not you've suffered from trauma Links mentioned in this episode: https://www.instagram.com/getthegunkout/ https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/get-the-gunk-out/id1536033949 - to write a review This podcast is hosted by Shannon Halberstadt

An introduction to what Get the Gunk Out is all about! This week, Shannon shares her personal story and breaks down what Get the Gunk Out is all about!