Please Expand: Conversations From the Soul

Spirituality... what a complex and intense topic! Joining me is Nhu Truong, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with a heart for healing and a love for the community. Nhu was born in Vietnam and followed the guidance of her mom and grandma on the practices of Buddhism. In this episode, we explore our spiritual experience and how it ties into cultural practices that feed our mind, body, and soul. Now I'm not gonna lie, I was a little nervous to explore this topic on such a public platform so come along for the ride as we think about spirituality, the religious practices we were taught from a young age, and the complexities of how feelings and emotions tie into the connection with our soul. OH! And one last thing... tune in for a teaser of our new podcast: CafeThera & Healing with Mitzy Ruelas! HAPPY HEALING FRIENDS To work with Nhu, check out her professional pages: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/nhu-y-truong-fullerton-ca/916081 https://www.gatherandgrowoc.com/nhu-truong

Addiction may be a taboo topic, mostly because it can be a difficult one to understand. The stigma of addiction comes from the negative feelings that many individuals may hold for people struggling with substance use disorders, and their beliefs that poor personal choices are to blame for the disease. On this episode, we tackle some of the stigmas and understandings that are tied to substance use. Joining me is Lisa Jorgenson, AMFT, APCC working with individuals with mental health disorders and substance use. She shares her own personal and professional experience of substance use. Tune in as we scratch the surface on a difficult conversation about addiction and mental health. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Joining me on this episode is Ethel (@notoriousec) to talk about creating social media content and how to hone in on that skill to help you reach your media goals! Let's face it, everyone would love to go viral but not very many people think about what may come along with it. Join us as we explore the good and the bad of social media. From having access to a community of thousands to developing tough skin for all the negative comments to embracing the cringe and getting past the initial shyness of putting yourself out there. This episode is full of little nuggets of content creating gold from a social media manager herself. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Have you ever felt like you don't belong? Maybe you doubt your abilities or feel like a fraud? Well, that my friends, is called imposter syndrome and at one point in your life, you might have felt like this. I know I have! In this episode, we discuss imposter syndrome and some of the thoughts that might come up when we experience it. Tune in for an episode around tackling imposter syndrome with an affirmation activity to use daily, weekly, or whenever you might need a boost of confidence. Happy healing! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

If we think back to a time when we were younger, just graduated from high school, some of us were scared/nervous/excited for the future. We probably had so many thoughts and ideas about what the world had to offer and who we wanted to be. Now those that are in our place are Gen-Zers. Some of the perceptions older generations have about Gen-Zers are that they're "sensitive" or overly "politically correct," but I think some of the best qualities are often overlooked. This next generation is known for being the biggest advocates of social issues and the force for change. As a Gen-Zer, Angelina (aka Angie) joins us on today's episode to share her thoughts on Gen-Z culture, career, and social issues. Join us for an episode full of conversation about topics that every individual has experienced at one point in their life, regardless of the year they were born in. Happy healing!  --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

TRIGGER WARNING: This episode includes themes about eating disorders and body image which may be triggering for some individuals. As a reminder, this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, and treatment. For support, resources, and treatment options for yourself or a loved one who is struggling with an eating disorder, check out the resources below.  Mikaela Grimm is an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist with a passion for fashion. As an advocate of body positivity, Mikaela shares her journey of discovering her personal style in alignment with who she is. In this episode, she shares a fresh perspective on how to embrace our own style while staying true to who we are. Through her personal story of healing and self-love when experiencing an eating disorder, Mikaela addresses obstacles and challenges for individuals who may have similar struggles and provides ways we can help support ourselves or a loved one through their healing journey. Tune in to hear more about a struggle many women go through. Happy healing!  Resources: https://book.zocdoc.com/get-started/therapist-counselors?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc_generic&utm_campaign=16499976463&utm_term=therapist&utm_content=139800505168&gclid=Cj0KCQjw5ZSWBhCVARIsALERCvz1_SvTmVRXMKy2gUsmZUzDW0KNFUCBtJgDA4oB5GEkJJtxlvAXjAIaAjOsEALw_wcB&procedureId=173 https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/help-support/contact-helpline https://equip.health/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=nonbranded&utm_campaign=Patients_State_Specific_Branded_Nov+2021_Search&gclid=Cj0KCQjw5ZSWBhCVARIsALERCvyvO7tctrBgmatH_KSf3WWnlOc_YAU5vUcFV9F3L8yx51l1vKGSPbgaAv0gEALw_wcB https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/eating-disorders --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

TRIGGER WARNING: This episode includes themes of abuse, harmful relationships, and trauma. As a reminder, this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, and treatment, if you are in need of help always seek the advice of a mental health professional. Check below for mental health resources!   I think the hardest part about doing anything out of our comfort zone is FEAR. We feel afraid that people might judge us, afraid that we will fail, or afraid that what we do is not enough. The opposite of fear is confidence. Reaching a place of confidence takes practice, but it is not impossible! In this episode, Raquel Rivera talks about breaking through her own fears to reach a place of confidence in the gym. As a personal trainer and content creator, Raquel talks about her personal fitness journey and how she has discovered herself through putting herself out there not just in the gym but on Only Fans. This episode explores Raquel's journey of self-acceptance and healing from a toxic relationship, finding confidence in herself, and embracing her sexuality. We explore what it means to be confident and how sometimes our confidence might be dimmed by those around us. Tune in to hear more of her story. Happy healing!  Resources: https://www.thehotline.org/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=domestic_violence https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=onebox https://www.namioc.org/oc-warmline https://book.zocdoc.com/get-started/therapist-counselors?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc_generic&utm_campaign=16499976463&utm_term=therapist&utm_content=139800505168&gclid=Cj0KCQjw5ZSWBhCVARIsALERCvz1_SvTmVRXMKy2gUsmZUzDW0KNFUCBtJgDA4oB5GEkJJtxlvAXjAIaAjOsEALw_wcB&procedureId=173 --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Leche (aka Thomas) went from being in upper management corporate world to enrolling in beauty school to become a hairstylist/barber. Leche not only works in the beauty industry, but he also works in the people industry. In this episode, we explore the importance of purpose and cutting through the b.s. in order to tap into accomplishing the goals it takes to live out your purpose. Maybe you find yourself making excuses, fixating on the past, or don't have enough energy to focus on your own journey. Leche expands on how self-awareness and self-reflection can help shift your mindset to begin being the person you want to be. Join us as we explore the power we have to impact the people around us in a positive way. You can find out more about Leche on his social platforms below: https://www.instagram.com/hey.leche/ https://www.instagram.com/heylechefoundation/ https://www.instagram.com/dtle_/ --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Hi friends! I am so excited to welcome back Nicholas Marquez. He will be joining us to help me answer questions about relationships. This time we attempt to answer common relationships questions and give our opinions based on our personal experience. We talk about trust, social media, and what healthy relationships look like. Tune in to hear more about our thoughts and experiences in our previous relationships and our current one. We answered some of the most common questions about relationships, but maybe there's a question you have that we didn't get around to. What questions do you have about relationships? Share your thoughts on this episode in the comments section. Happy healing! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Erin Navarro is a full-time teacher, Tiktok/Instagram content creator, and avid gym-goer. With all that she has going on, she continuously practices intentionality to achieve harmony. So how can we find harmony in our lives? With the hecticness of everyday life, it can be easy to feel out of balance and unmotivated. Erin shares some of her insights as to how she incorporates her own self-care strategies into her daily life in order to find her own harmony. Join us as we explore what it means to be intentional, how harmony can look in our lives, and what different types of self-care there are. Happy healing! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Let's talk about affirmations! What are they? Positive affirmations are statements or phrases you repeat to yourself to challenge negative or unhelpful thinking patterns. Do they even work? Yes! You can make them work for you with just some practice and intention. In this episode, we will learn more about affirmations and why they're so beneficial and then we'll do some affirmations together! Need an affirmation playlist? Check out this AMAZING playlist by @selfloversintherapy: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6ZI7UZuuBxpvbCupkwZY7c?si=b5f3981fe25940ba References: Cascio, C. N., O'Donnell, M. B., Tinney, F. J., Lieberman, M. D., Taylor, S. E., Strecher, V. J., & Falk, E. B. (2015). Self-affirmation activates brain systems associated with self-related processing and reward and is reinforced by future orientation. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 11(4), 621–629. https://doi.org/10.1093/scan/nsv136 Sherman, D. K., Bunyan, D. P., Creswell, J. D., & Jaremka, L. M. (2009). Psychological vulnerability and stress: The effects of self-affirmation on sympathetic nervous system responses to naturalistic stressors. Health Psychology, 28(5), 554–562. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0014663 Steele, C. M. (1988). The psychology of self-affirmation: Sustaining the integrity of the self. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 261–302. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0065-2601(08)60229-4 --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Yaricza Meza, failed many times before she succeeded and has been unstoppable since. As a full-time business owner and mom, she has learned how to juggle work and being a mom while making time for herself and her mental health. Yari shares insight on her journey to becoming a hairstylist and how that pushed her to work hard. Once she became a mom, the mom guilt started and she challenged herself to take care of herself the way she takes care of others. Join us and she shares more on her business mentality, tips on how to work through mom guilt, and what it's like to pursue a passion that is often looked down on. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

A trigger is a psychological stimulus that can be as subtle as a scent or a memory taking you back to a traumatic experience. In mental health terms, it is something that can affect our emotional state and may cause us to feel strong emotions such as anger, fear, anxiety, sadness, or feeling out of control. Being triggered may primarily show up in how you behave; you might isolate yourself from others, become argumentative, shut down emotionally, or criticize yourself. So how can we deal with triggers? Although the answer is not that simple, we can begin the healing process by practicing self-reflection and self-compassion. In other words, learning to be kind to ourselves and making space for our emotions. Tune in to learn more, happy healing! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Have you ever wanted to speak up for yourself but your heart starts racing, you begin to overthink it, and end up not saying anything at all? I know I have! Mitzy Ruelas, an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist, shares her experience on how she became passionate about advocating for others and provides us with some tips on how to advocate for yourself even when it feels scary. Mitzy lived a cross-border life as a child and speaks on how her early life experiences planted the seed of advocacy and influenced her later career choices. She shares how she had a specific way of how she thought her journey was going to look but life has a funny way of realigning us to what our true passions are. Sometimes we might pursue a career because of outside influences, so how do we continue to advocate for our own passions while still making our family proud? Listen in while we try to tackle some of these questions and explore what intergenerational trauma is. Happy healing friends! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Much like fences and gates, boundaries are meant to keep things out and let things in. At one point we've all struggled with setting boundaries in our relationships and with ourselves. On one hand, we might have trouble saying no to others, or on the other hand, we might keep people at a distance. Honestly, setting boundaries sounds a lot easier said than done so let's take this one step at a time! In this episode, we talk about what unhealthy boundaries are, the different types of boundaries, ways to start setting boundaries, and what might happen after setting boundaries.  --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

What does it mean to be a man? Such a simple question requires a complicated answer because there is no one way to define masculinity. From a young age, men are socialized to think that they are not man enough when they share their feelings or show emotions. In this episode, Nicholas Marquez shares his experience of being a stay-at-home dad and how his perspective on masculinity has shifted over time. Join us as we scratch the surface on a topic that might have some of you feeling uncomfortable (because it involves sharing your feelings). Happy healing! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

"I'm not good enough. I'm a failure. I don't belong here." What are the stories you tell yourself that hold you back from pursuing your dreams? What messages repeat in your head that stop you from healing? In this first episode of the Please Expand podcast we will be discussing limiting beliefs. Everyone has them and sometimes we can't pinpoint what they are without some self-reflection. These beliefs are developed in childhood and can be hard to overcome, but good news is that we can challenge these beliefs and shift our mentality in order to become our best selves! Listen in to learn how to identify and challenge our limiting beliefs. Happy healing! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app