StephUp Podcast

Thank you for listening to the StephUp Podcast over the past 2 seasons. I've learned a lot over the last few years and so much of that is due to the podcast. I spoke to so many amazing guests who taught me a lot. Speaking out has helped me to be more articulate and figure out who I am as a person. While I've enjoyed doing this podcast and all I've learned, it is time for me to move on. This may be for good or it might just be for a long season.Remember, your feelings and experience are valid. If people try to tell you otherwise, they do not know what it is like to be you or to have been you. Find your safe people, those who let you work things out and figure things out on your own and don't feel the need to step over your boundaries. Safe people are those who don't just swoop in to tell you what they think you should do. Be passionate. Be your unique self. Be you.Thank you.Follow StephUp Podcast on Instagram,  Twitter, and her website at  www.stephanieannwebb.com.Buy Steph's book, “What Should Dragon Do?”Support the podcast: Buy Me A Coffee Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Author, life coach & motivational speaker, Randy Spelling returns to close out season 2 of the StephUp Podcast as we talk about fame and personal development.Being rich and famous seems glamorous to the rest of us but it isn't all it seems. Randy talks about some of the good and bad aspects and what it felt like growing up in this environment. His father, Hollywood producer, Aaron Spelling, created some of our favourite shows: “Beverly Hills 90210”, “Melrose Place, “7th Heaven” and more. Randy left Hollywood and is now a life coach and motivational speaker who loves to help people find their own way and success in life.Randy and I discuss the fear of putting yourself out there, why conversations are important (especially when we disagree), why being rich and famous doesn't make you happy and why personal development is important.“The human experience can be hard and brutal sometimes, so let's make it more beautiful and more fun while embracing the hard aspects of life, and love each other as best we can.”Check out Randy on the socials on Instagram, Twitter,  Facebook, YouTube and his websiteBuy Randy's book, “Unlimiting You” on Amazon.comFollow StephUp Podcast on Instagram,  Twitter, and her website at  www.stephanieannwebb.com.Buy Steph's book, “What Should Dragon Do?”Support the podcast: Buy Me A Coffee  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today's episode of the StephUp Podcast, join me in a lovely and fun chat with my friend, Vanessa Zellmer, as we talk about growing up as fundie evangelicals. Vanessa shares her experiences of what it was like growing up in a strict Pentecostal sect.We discuss what it was like being raised female in the church. The patriarchal ideas that women are less than men, as well as being told that women are emotional while men are the rational, superior thinkers who are called to be the head of the household.One of the theological traditions we were both raised with was called Calvinism and one of its tenets is something called “Total Depravity”, a belief that we are inherently sinful and the only good in us comes from God. This kind of teaching led us to have feelings of worthlessness.Vanessa and I also touched on the black and white thinking that many people are raised with. This leads to dehumanizing and “othering” people which leads to more fear and divisiveness, especially between people of faith and the secular world. Follow StephUp Podcast on Instagram,  Twitter, and my website at  www.stephanieannwebb.com.Buy Steph's book, “What Should Dragon Do?”Support the podcast: Buy Me A Coffee  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today's episode of the StephUp Podcast, join me in a lovely and fun chat with social worker, behavioural life consultant and coach, Megan McLaren. Megan shares what a day in her life is like working with patients with mental health, chronic disease management as a social worker and then supporting and encouraging people as a life coach. Since there are so many tools and information out there, it can be good but also overwhelming and that is where Megan's education and social work also helps her life coach clients.I asked Megan about how some personal development teaching can be stressful and damaging. She says some people glamourize the “hustle culture” but true change takes time. It's important to take out “only” in our wording; celebrate all your accomplishments, no matter how small.Megan advises that it can be difficult to diagnose narcissism. There are different traits (grandiose feelings and infatuation of themselves, think they know everything, having unrealistic expectations, emotionally neglectful, not empathetic, etc). If a person has just a few of the narcissistic traits, they probably aren't. Narcissists are very manipulative. They can be covert (subtle, passive aggressive) or overt which is more obvious. They are attracted to people with good traits and seek them out. Megan also advises that narcissism is a learnt behaviour. Many times, it comes from trauma. There is no cure for narcissism, but psychotherapy can be a help for narcissists.“A narcissist can sniff out good traits in a person and so they are going to play on all those wonderful traits and exploit those. They are a master in that exploitation.”Megan shares some techniques to stand your ground with a narcissist: 1)    Set boundaries and stand firm with them2)    Don't engage in arguments3)    Distance yourself4)    Find a good community Check out Megan's website and follow her on Instagram and FacebookThank you to the amazing German, aka Your Podcast Editor for editing my audio conversation with Megan. Follow him at his website, Instagram and Twitter.Follow StephUp Podcast on Instagram,  Twitter, and her website at  www.stephanieannwebb.com.Buy Steph's book, “What Should Dragon Do?”Support the podcast: Buy Me A Coffee  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today's episode of the StephUp Podcast, join me in a lovely and fun chat with behavioural profiler, dating and life coach, Lily Walford.Lily helps people to understand both written & body language within relationships. She advises that there is a way to tell when people are lying as their language has a certain pattern to it. “A healthy relationship starts with a healthy relationship with ourselves. We can't connect with someone else if we are not connected to ourselves.” The way we see ourselves as adults comes from our childhood and we get stuck in a cycle of people-pleasing, victim mentality, being an overachiever, etc. It's important to know you are worthy of love and if someone doesn't appreciate you, do you want to be with them?When dating, it's important to ask yourself if you connect with that person. Does this person align with your goals? There are 4 main components of a healthy relationship:1)    Compatibility2)    Consideration3)    Communication4)    CollaborationLily and Steph discuss aspects of abuse of power in relationships and specifically with regards to religion and also having a narcissistic partner. It's important to be curious about your emotions. They are valid. Be empowered by them and not over run by them. Lily and I chat about “Twilight” and how creepy it was but why did we think it was romantic?In the podcast I mentioned Evy Poumpouras. Check out her website.Check out Lily's website Love with Intelligence, and follow her on Facebook, YouTube and InstagramThank you to the amazing German, aka Your Podcast Editor for editing my audio conversation with Lily. Follow him at his website, Instagram and Twitter.Follow StephUp Podcast on Instagram,  Twitter, and her website at  www.stephanieannwebb.com.Buy Steph's book, “What Should Dragon Do?”Support the podcast: Buy Me A Coffee Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today's episode of the StephUp Podcast,  join me  in a lovely and fun chat with speaker, trainer, coach and author of “The Five Magic Wands”, Tami McMullin.I met Tami on Facebook and loved how open and honest she was in her posts. Tami says she has received so many messages from people who thank her for being herself and sharing those vulnerable things because it helps them to not feel alone. Tami talks about how connecting with people is so important in this world and she loves to do that by being authentic, transparent and vulnerable. She shares about how she felt so different and shy growing up, especially in a very performance-based environment. I can relate to that and we talk about how we are basically the same person in how we grew up, how we felt and how similar we are in personalities. Tami and I also chat about how feeling judged can lead to judging others, how working in retail is so helpful so we can understand how hard it is and how we love to “ask for the manager” so we can give out compliments. “You are always going to be less than for some people and more than for others.  And yet if that is how we are viewing ourselves as, that doesn't give you a chance to be who you are and bring who you are to the table.”Thank you to the amazing German, aka Your Podcast Editor for editing my audio conversation with Tami. Follow him at his website, Instagram and Twitter.Follow Tami on Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram and buy her book, “The Five Magic Wands” here on AmazonFollow StephUp Podcast on Instagram,  Twitter, and her website at  www.stephanieannwebb.com.Buy Steph's book, “What Should Dragon Do?”Support the podcast: Buy Me A Coffee  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today's episode of the StephUp Podcast, Steph talks with the World's Fastest Reader, Howard Berg.Howard shares how growing up in a rough neighborhood in Brooklyn, NY led him to the safest place he could find: the library. At the age of 11, he was already reading at college level. While he attended university, he studied Psychobiology and used the information he learned about how the brain works to develop his approach to speed reading.Howard Berg has been teaching and training people all over the world on how to speed read while retaining the information as well as teaching techniques on memorization.Listen in as Howard shares some of these amazing techniques to Steph!“You can't just assume that giving people information is the end. Tell them how to remember it.  Use words they understand in a schematic significance to them. Show them how to get in the right frame of mind to use it successfully.”Check out Howard's courses on his website. You can also follow him on YouTube and Facebook.Follow StephUp Podcast on Instagram,  Twitter, and her website at  www.stephanieannwebb.com.Buy Steph's book, “What Should Dragon Do?”Support the podcast: Buy Me A Coffee Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today's episode of the StephUp Podcast, Steph talks with motivational speaker and author of “Sustainable Excellence”, Terry Tucker.Terry has been through a lot in his life as he went through a variety of different careers from basketball coach to Hostage Negotiator, but his most challenging battle came in 2012 when he was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. Going through treatment, sickness and pain really brought Terry to a place where he wanted to die. In 2018, his left foot had to be amputated and then in 2020, a tumor was found in his ankle and his left leg had to be amputated up to his knee. While he still goes through many bad days, Terry looks for the joys and positive things in his life and likes to share that encouraging outlook with others. Terry and Steph discuss his book, “Sustainable Excellence” and how encouraging it is and full of amazing advice on life. In his book, Terry talks about finding your purpose, how we are all unique and how important it is to keep moving forward in life, even if taking just small steps. “The only way to find your purpose is to search it out. To try things that make you uncomfortable, to fight against the status quo, and experience something that scares you.”Check out Terry's website, follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and buy his book, “Sustainable Excellence” here.Follow StephUp Podcast on Instagram,  Twitter, and her website at  www.stephanieannwebb.com.Buy Steph's book, “What Should Dragon Do?”Support the podcast: Buy Me A Coffee  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today's episode of the StephUp Podcast, Steph talks with money coach, Dennis Harhalakis. Join Steph and Dennis as they talk about how money is not really about numbers and math, but it is about our emotions and our relationship to ourselves and to money.Dennis explains that since our brains are wired for immediate gratification and to push discomfort to the future, it is important to learn how to delay gratification. Since our finances and our relationship to it have become more and more complicated, it breeds a lot of anxiety. We make bad decisions when we are: Hungry, Angry, Lonely and Tired. And those decisions can really affect our relationship with money.Listen in to find out how our emotions and money are so interconnected and how money coaches like Dennis can help rewire our brains to begin a healthy relationship with our finances.  Check out Dennis' website and follow him on TwitterFollow StephUp Podcast on Instagram,  Twitter, and her website at  www.stephanieannwebb.com.Buy Steph's book, “What Should Dragon Do?”Support the podcast: Buy Me A Coffee Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Let's Talk!On today's episode of the StephUp Podcast, Steph talks with Art Rios, lawyer, adjunct professor at Stetson University College of Law and author of “Let's Talk…About Making Your Life Exciting, Easier and Exceptional”Join Steph and Art as they talk about the wisdom to be gained from reading Art's book that includes topics like… -       Enjoying the little pleasures in life-       Logging off social media-       Meditation-       Exercise-       Taking time for yourself-       Taking care of your mental health-       KISSing (Keep It Simple Stupid) and moreBuy Art's book, “Let's Talk” on Amazon.com and on his website and follow him on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.Follow StephUp Podcast on Instagram,  Twitter, and her website at  www.stephanieannwebb.com.Buy Steph's book, “What Should Dragon Do?”Support the podcast: Buy Me A Coffee Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Have you been curious about the terms “deconstruction” and/or “evangelical”? What do these things mean and why are people talking about them?On today's episode of the StephUp Podcast, I welcome special guest, Tim Whitaker from the New Evangelicals, a group that is “centered on Jesus, driven by our stories and committed to pushing the church forward together.” Deconstruction can mean different things for different people.  “One of our core values as New Evangelicals  is that we really don't want to dehumanize other people, even people that we really, strongly, vehemently disagree with.” Tim and I discuss CRT, right/left politics, church abuse, different interpretations of the Bible, and can we really know what is true?“In our society, we are such an either/or society. Either you are a Christian or you are an atheist. Either you are an evangelical or you are a heretic. What a lot of us are saying is actually that is not healthy at all. There is really a wide spectrum and evangelical is simply one room in Christian thought."Check out The New Evangelicals and listen to the podcast on the website, on Instagram and onTwitterFollow StephUp Podcast on Instagram,  Twitter, and her website at  www.stephanieannwebb.com.Buy Steph's book, “What Should Dragon Do?”Support the podcast: Buy Me A Coffee Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Listen in on my conversation with psychotherapist, eating disorder therapist, podcaster and author of “Bulimia Sucks”, Kate Hudson-Hall. Kate shares her own story of how she became bulimic. It started when someone made a suggestion about how she could eat a candy bar without putting on weight if she just made herself sick. The behaviour of her eating disorders, anorexia and bulimia, were also the coping mechanisms that Kate was using to deal with her difficult past. In those days, there wasn't much information about eating disorders. It wasn't until Princess Diana shared her own story about bulimia that people started to talk and learn about it more. “What is really important on the road to recovery is we know diets don't work because the statistics have proven time and time again that if you deprive yourself of the foods, you will binge everything else to try to satisfy that feeling."In her book, "Bulimia Sucks," Kate explains the triggers that can cause the eating disorders to keep surfacing and gives a variety of techniques that can help people on the road to healing and living a healthier lifestyle. Some of those techniques are:1) Urge surfing - sitting with your emotions so you can understand them and hold off on those urges for as long as you can2) Tapping technique (the Emotional Freedom Technique) in which you tap on certain points - the meridian channel endings) that helps to change your body's energy and the way you feel3) Hypnosis - going into a trance to figure out what goes on in the conscious and unconscious mind and why they are out of sync.4) Thought Stopping  - that evil leprechaun sitting on your shoulder is your inside voice that whispers the horrible things you believe about yourself. We can choose whether we listen to him or not. “It's really important that you understand that when you're talking to yourself, it is worded in the positive.”Mindful eating is another way that we can deal with that hungry/full feeling. When we look at the hunger scale (from 1-10, 1 being super hungry and 10 being super stuffed), ask yourself where you are on the scale as, ideally, you want to be around 4, 5 and 6. What feelings am I trying to change? That is when you take the new tapping skills and tap on specific feelings you have. It is also important to eat slowly and consciously instead of wolfing down the food without tasting it. "Bulimia Sucks" is an amazing book that provides more information, techniques, help and resources.You can find Kate's podcast and resources on her website (where you can also buy her book) and follow her on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.Follow StephUp Podcast on Instagram,  Twitter, and her website at  www.stephanieannwebb.com.Buy Steph's book, “What Should Dragon Do?”Support the podcast: Buy Me A Coffee Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are people really as toxic as we think? Listen in on my conversation with The Nocturnal Therapist, Harry Turner! Harry is licensed clinical social worker and therapist who helps people remove the barriers that keeps them from living their best authentic lives. There is such an US verses THEM mentality in the world. It is not about good or bad energy but about the balance in between.Steph asks Harry if we are born with more of a propensity towards a negative or a positive mindset. Harry says that looking at it that way is a judgment and instead, look to the negative and positive as energy without judgment. The mind wants to put us in a them vs us mentality because we see things from our own experiences and therefore we like to call things good or bad. If we look at our hearts, we can start to see it with clarity.Anxiety is a huge part of our society now as we also have more access to fear because the news is on all the time.“Whatever we stare at most certainly does become our reality because the mind attaches itself to what it sees.”Harry does not believe in calling people toxic because it “others” people. It is a judgment that we cannot make. If we accept and love ourselves and become intentional about understanding how to love and not demonize the darkness, we stop judging ourselves and others. “We extend to the other what we fill ourselves up with. We love the other to the extent that we have love within ourselves. I can't give what I don't have. Whatever is inside, we project outward.”Harry believes in speaking your truth. He has a program on Clubhouse that started in August called the LIT series. LIT means “Live In Truth”, which is the core of Harry's mission. You can find Harry and listen to his “Is That Soo?” podcast on his website, listen to When Harry Met Daphne podcast, follow him on Instagram and on youtubeFollow StephUp Podcast on Instagram,  Twitter, and her website at  www.stephanieannwebb.com.Buy Steph's book, “What Should Dragon Do?”Support the podcast: Buy Me A Coffee Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Were you frustrated and confused by the response of many of the churches during the Covid lockdown? On today's bonus episode of the StephUp Podcast, I welcome my pastor, Jon Korkidakis, who is the lead pastor at Village Green Community Church in London, Ontario in Canada. Even before the pandemic, Village Green was starting to venture out into online services as another way to reach people as they asked themselves: can the church also be a virtual community?Many churches that were the loudest in the media indicated that they were being targeted. But where they? Jon and I discuss that there is a difference between being singled out and targeted because you are Christian versus having to close due to a worldwide pandemic."To live the most courageous life is to live loving the way Jesus loved people. That's going to mess with a lot of people because that takes the whole judgmental thing out of the vocabulary. That's what we tried to emulate through the entire pandemic: that we were a church that cared for people, loved people, wanted to lead people to a life of faith in Christ." The extremes on both sides are usually the loudest. But the people in the middle who are just obeying guidelines and doing their thing will not be shown in the media. Jon thought this would be a wonderful time for the church to stand up and show the world what we are really all about. And many churches did. But then many didn't. Since Village Green was abiding by the government rules and not fighting against them, the church and Jon were targeted by other pastors who had been friends and colleagues. This was an incredibly challenging time but the support of the church community who are also in agreement has been amazing."I've been in ministry for over 20 years and I've never been attacked theologically, morally, socially the way I've been attacked over this pandemic. I've been told I'm leading people astray and that I'll be answerable to that at some point and it will be a price to pay, that I'm a sheeple because I'm going to be more accountable to God for what I've done.” The time we live in now is an amazing time to be alive! During a worldwide pandemic, shouldn't we be grateful for things like the internet, online services and chats?Watch the video of Village Green's Stance on the Pandemic hereFollow StephUp Podcast on Instagram,  Twitter, and her website at  www.stephanieannwebb.com.Buy Steph's book, “What Should Dragon Do?”Support the podcast: Buy Me A Coffee Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to this week's episode of the StephUp Podcast! This episode features special guest, Ben Kraker, as we talk about Toxic Christianity.Ben is co-host of the Threads Podcast: Life Unfiltered, which is a space for authentic, transparent conversations about faith, mental health and other uncomfortable discussions.Ben shares his story of growing up in a fundamentalist conservative evangelical environment. He was always told what to believe, so questioning and challenging these beliefs was discouraged. It wasn't until he served at a non-profit organization in Los Angeles that he started to see a different side of what it meant to be a Christian. This challenged his whole worldview from what he knew as a kid.Growing up conservative Christian, for both Ben and Steph, Christianity equaled being conversative/Republican. When they met other Christians who were liberals and Democrat people who were Christians, it challenged their idea of what Christianity really meant. And then Trump and the evangelical obsession with him happened which is also a huge reason why many more started to question and deconstruct their faith. “It's sad to me that stereotypically when you think of a Christian, the first thing that comes to mind for so many people are the things that we are apparently against. If we truly are Christians, if we really are about the way of Christ, then shouldn't we be known for that, and not for all this baggage we've added to it?”Follow Ben and the Threads Podcast: Life Unfiltered on their website, Facebook, Twitter and InstagramFollow StephUp Podcast on Instagram,  Twitter, and her website at  www.stephanieannwebb.com.Buy Steph's book, “What Should Dragon Do?”Support the podcast: Buy Me A Coffee Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to this week's episode of the StephUp Podcast! This episode features just me and the mic as I get real about why certain jobs break us down and why companies need to start paying attention. I also discuss the concept of Ikigai, a Japanese concept that means "a reason for being".Ikigai consists of 4 things, which, if found all together can bring us purpose and fulfillment:1) What you love2) What you are good at3) What the world needs4) What you can be paid forFollow StephUp Podcast on Instagram,  Twitter, her podcast website, and the website for her children's book, "What Should Dragon Do?" at  www.stephanieannwebb.com. Support the podcast: Buy Me A Coffee Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to this week's episode of the StephUp Podcast! This episode features special guest, Shepard from the Deep MC Podcast.Shepard and Steph talk about some of the differences between the US and Canada, racism (is there a middle ground on systemic racism? Why does it have to be conservative vs liberal on this issue?) and how being a black man in the US has affected him. Shepard also discusses why he's not a big fan of Florida.“You're never going to get a black and white or a yes and no from me because there are so many things that are involved in it and we have to be open and be willing to see the differences because there is good and bad and there's a lot to learn on all sides.” Check out the Deep MC podcast on their Youtube channel, Instagram, Patreon and listen to their podcast anywhere you listen to podcasts!Follow StephUp Podcast on Instagram,  Twitter, her podcast website, and the website for her children's book, "What Should Dragon Do?" at  www.stephanieannwebb.com. Support the podcast: Buy Me A Coffee  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to this week's episode of the StephUp Podcast! This episode features special guest, Chad Peevy. Chad is a speaker, trainer, coach and author of “Break and Untangle”. As someone who grew up gay in a very conservative Christian environment in rural Arkansas, Chad knew he always felt different. He started therapy when he was in grade 4 and over the years has learned how to go from surviving in life to thriving!"I think the overall journey toward good mental health and wellness, therapy is just one piece of that equation. I think a good coach, a good mentor, good friends, etc are good for you."As a coach and author, Chad teaches people how to self-coach because we are the only ones who can change our lives. As he says:"For a long time, I kept waiting for someone to come along and save me. And that person never showed up. I have to be that person for myself.  When I figure out my own personal development, I have to be a fully active participant in this process. I have to take the initiative to self-coach myself into those situations." In his book, "Break and Untangle", Chad talks about the steps to move forward.1) Break the cycle you are a part of -  ie. the generational trauma that no longer serves you.2) Go through the untangling process. This involves  12 different mindsets that are interconnected which can be broken down into 3 categories:a) Self:  understanding who you are, your identity, your purposeb) Strategy: understanding the strategic technical "have to" thingsc) Social: how you interact with other people, the quality of your relationships with other people and the world. This is your legacy. Follow Chad on his website (where you can find his mindset assessment), Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn. Follow StephUp Podcast on Instagram,  Twitter, her podcast website, and the website for her children's book, "What Should Dragon Do?" at  www.stephanieannwebb.com. Support the podcast: Buy Me A Coffee  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to this week's episode of the StephUp Podcast! Thank you for your support and for coming back each week to listen. This episode features special guest, Emily Thiroux Threatt. Emily is a speaker, retired English professor and author of “Loving and Living Your Way Through Grief”. As someone who was twice widowed, she found writing down her thoughts and feelings was a healing process. In order to help one of her close friends deal with the loss of her husband, Emily's writings to her ended up becoming her book! Emily explains that grief comes from more than just the loss of a loved one. We can experience grief in many different ways like losing a job or a relationship or living through a pandemic. Saying something positive to someone about the loss they are going through is a much nicer way than saying, “I'm sorry for your loss.” “Living and Loving Your Way Through Grief” is a book for everyone, not just those dealing with grief. Forgiving ourselves is a huge part in moving forward in life. In the book, Emily speaks about how important self-care is, especially when you go through the tough times.  Emily believes in finding joy in the pain. Gratitude is a huge part of her life and she finds writing down the things she is grateful for helps in the journey."You will come to an understanding that 'grief' doesn't heal. If you have been trying to heal your grief, try instead to heal your feelings about grief. Grief doesn't heal just like your reason for grieving doesn't miraculously go away, but you can feel better. Start taking responsibility for your joy, for living your best life."    - "Loving and Living Your Way Through Grief". Follow Emily on her website, Facebook, LinkedIn,  Twitter and Instagram. Follow StephUp Podcast on Instagram,  Twitter, her podcast website, and the website for her children's book, "What Should Dragon Do?" at  www.stephanieannwebb.com. Support the podcast: Buy Me A Coffee  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to this week's episode of the StephUp Podcast! Thank you for your support and for coming back each week to listen. This episode features special guest, Louise Heite.Steph starts out the conversation asking Louise for help for herself as she's been struggling lately. Louise advises that the first step is to identify why you want to do something and why it is important. We all have it in us to be a high achiever but many times, it is our limiting beliefs that can stop us from moving forward. When Louise coaches her clients, she sees a lot of fear in being judged by what other people will say. But knowing what you stand for and having that confidence can propel you to achieve your dreams. Louise notices that affirmations are very powerful but it is also important to believe them for yourself. If you speak random affirmations, they aren't as powerful as the ones that mean something to you. Louise also explains that instead of giving up when we are at those moment of discomfort, show up instead. That is how you overcome. "It is in the moments of discomfort that our true growth lies. So when you feel like giving up, show up and meet that discomfort. It is exactly where you actually need to go."Louise explains that sometimes we seek the comfort of not having to do something and make the excuses but it is important to have the vision of who we want to be and what we want to strive for. It's all about making those choices and doing it for ourselves. Life is hard no matter the choices we make. Not doing something can be hard but also doing something can be hard. It is important to take ownership over our lives. No one else will do it for us and we have to take responsibility for our own lives. As Louise says: "You get to decide who you really are. If there is an aspect of yourself that you want to change or improve upon, you can develop that vision for yourself. And the more ownership you take of that, the less sensitive you will be of the opinions of others because you know who you are."It all comes down to why you are doing what you are doing. In Louise's line of work, if she can positively impact just one person, her mission is accomplished. In the world we live in now with social media, more numbers seems to be the way to success. But that's not necessarily true. As Louise says,  there are many different types of leaders in the world but we are all leaders in one way or another. We are leaders in our own lives and what we do and say impacts others. Follow Louise on her website, and all the socials: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedInFollow StephUp Podcast on Instagram,  Twitter, her podcast website, and the website for her children's book,"What Should Dragon Do?" at  www.stephanieannwebb.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to this week's episode of the StephUp Podcast! Thank you for your support and for coming back each week to listen. This episode features special guest, Mark Tinsley.Steph and Mark begin their conversation by talking about what toxic leadership really means and how an incompetent leader is usually shown as goofy in the media but that incompetency can be many other things. As someone who has had a career in the army, Mark tries to live by their definition: leadership provides purpose, direction and motivation. Purpose:  the what and whyDirection: providing guidance on how to do it. Motivation: providing inspiration."Toxic leadership: anything that we do as leaders that hurts the people that work in our organization or that hurts our organization.”Many times, we think of a manager or boss as  a person who is directing their employees but not necessarily someone who listens and motivates.Mark explains that a lot of organizations want to promote people too fast, especially if they have a high level of education. But many times they do not have the experience, and leaders are made through their experiences.Steph and Mark discuss the rise and fall of church leaders. On top of becoming famous too soon, there is also the element of maturity in one's faith.  And holding leaders accountability is key. When you start to question or challenge leaders, especially in the church, you are told not to say anything because it's "from Satan".  In contemporary Christianity, we've built this lie that we have to hide behind a facade of perfection. Mark explains how a leader can be on the hook for their employees' negative actions if they did not have any accountability set in place. He also provides advice for employees to speak the truth but we also have to be sure that the environment and/or leader is truly toxic and that it isn't our own perception of toxicity. Follow Mark on his websites: The Crock Radio and Cowboy country music radio websiteFollow StephUp Podcast on Instagram,  Twitter, her podcast website, and the website for her book, www.stephanieannwebb.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to this week's episode of the StephUp Podcast! Thank you for your support and for coming back each week to listen. This episode features special guest, Anne Michaud.Anne is veteran political journalist and author. She published "American Czarina" and her new updated edition of "Why They Stay" this year.  Anne has focused on social activism for women, political psychology, women's rights, and dysfunctional political marriages.Anne tells Steph how her original book came to be and why the questions from people about Melania and Donald Trump prompted her to write a 2nd edition. In her book, Anne explains the symbolic White Queen (Elizabeth Woodville) and why she gives each of the eight political wives in the book different white queen points. Steph and Anne discuss that they both have an appreciation for Eleanor Roosevelt and Jackie Kennedy and Anne also has an appreciation for the stories about the Spitzers. Patriarchy is a theme throughout this book and Steph asks Anne about this. There is a comment in her book that really stands out:"As they stand on the podium with the cheating husband, modern White Queens receive a good deal of public scorn, even though it was the husband who strayed outside of marriage and is more deserving of condemnation."Follow Anne Michaud  at her website, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and buy her book on Amazon.ca in Canada or Amazon.com in the US.And Buy American Czarina on Amazon.ca or Buy American Czarina on Amazon.comFollow StephUp Podcast on Instagram,  Twitter, her podcast website, and the website for her book, www.stephanieannwebb.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to this week's episode of the StephUp Podcast! Thank you for your support and for coming back each week to listen. This episode features special guest, Clisver Alvarez.Clisver is a mental health advocate and mindset coach. Her business is called Blue Greis Lifestyle.Clisver shares her story about how she came to be diagnosed with bipolar disorder and how it affected her and her family. At the age of 16, she thought it was an asthma attack at first and walked herself to the hospital. As she dealt with the side effects of being put on medication, Clisver also tried to commit suicide by jumping off a roof. Thankfully, she reached out to someone during this time. Steph asks Clisver if there is a difference between manic depression and bipolar disorder. Clisver thinks it depends on the person as some people deal more with hypomania, others are more manic and others have schizoaffective disorder. Dealing with being diagnosed as a teenager was very difficult as Clisver was not only dealing with the side effects from her medication as well as missing school and having to catch up. Journaling was a huge help for Clisver during this time and it has now become part of her career as a mindset coach and mental health advocate. "At the time, I saw my illness as my kryptonite, as my weakness. I remember crying and seeing myself as a victim. But I turned it into my biggest virtue."As Clisver works with her clients , she creates a personalized 12-step program to help them with their confidence, working through their mental health and learning to advocate for themselves. There are a lot of stigmas around bipolar disorder and mental health. Clisver is Hispanic and in her community, asking for help is a sign of weakness. She fights to help people work through these stigmas. Follow Clisver on her Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and her website.Follow StephUp Podcast on Instagram,  Twitter, her podcast website, and the website for her book, www.stephanieannwebb.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to this week's episode of the StephUp Podcast! Thank you for your support and for coming back each week to listen. This episode features special guest Heather Ross of Heather Ross Coaching.Steph and Heather begin their conversation by talking about Heather's background. She is a life coach who mainly works with parents who have children struggling with addiction. She got into this field because she has a daughter who struggles with addiction. Before life coaching, Heather was unsure of how to help and manage her daughter's addiction and do what she felt what right for her. She felt like she was doing everything wrong and just suffering in silence. After finally figuring out what worked for her as a mother and what worked best for her daughter, she felt compelled to share this information with others. “I felt that although I may not be able to help my daughter, I could help other kids by helping their parents.”Heather initially thought that by being a perfect parent, she could prevent her daughter from being anything but successful (and she always was a good kid), but when addiction took over, Heather blamed herself. And this is how a lot of parents feel. A lot of time is spent trying to figure out what went wrong, which means there is no focus on the solution. Heather was finally able to bridge the gap between her and her daughter when she accepted that she had done the best job she could as a parent. Heather committed to learning as much about addiction as possible and having a good relationship with her daughter, no matter what stage of addiction or recovery she was in. Heather also realized that the more she open she was with others about what she was going through with her daughter, the more help and support she received, which really helped her heal.Steph and Heather talk about how there are other kinds of addictions besides drugs, such as food and television (which seem to be more acceptable) but regardless, there is still something deep inside us we are searching for which fuels this addiction. We can be very judgmental of other's addictions without realizing we have one ourselves. We need to stop focusing so much on the addiction and more on what the addiction is trying to show us.Over the years, certain kinds of addictions have increased, such as opioid addition, which is what her daughter struggled with. In Canada, marijuana is legal, but Heather doesn't necessarily feel that it will lead to a more serious addiction, any more than alcohol can. It just depends on the person and where they are in their life. Some people can handle substances and others can't. Steph talks about how when she was in high school in the 90's, things like anxiety and depression weren't as openly discussed as they are today. But kids in the 90's didn't have the same struggles and experiences, like with social media for example. Heather thinks that societal pressures today can negatively impact and fuel addictions in kids. Listen in to hear the rest of their great conversation and please remember to rate, subscribe, and share with your friends!Connect with Heather·       On her website·       On Instagram·       On Facebook·       Listen to her podcast, Living with AddictionFollow StephUp Podcast on Instagram and check out her website! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello and welcome to the StephUp Podcast!On today's episode, I'll be talking through Judy Dyer's book, "The Highly Sensitive" with stories from  my own experience as being a highly sensitive person and finally feeling understood. 0:01 What is an HSP?0:43 "The Highly Sensitive" by Judy Dyer intro1:25 Feeling Emotionally Overwhelmed6:08 Saying No and Setting Boundaries9:13 My Experience with an Unhealthy Relationship11:45 Depression: My Experience15:15 Overstimulation is so challenging for an HSP19:57 Anxiety in my own life21:07 Sensitive startle reflexes is so me!23:17 Healing through personal growth and authentic conversations27:03 Subscribe, rate & review BYEEEEBuy Judy Dyer's book on Amazon.com or on Amazon.ca. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to this week's episode of the StephUp Podcast! Thank you for your support and for coming back each week to listen. This episode features special guest David from the Graceful Atheist Podcast. Steph and David begin the episode by talking about the primary theme of the Graceful Atheist Podcast, which is deconstruction and deconversion. David has guests who have varieties of life-altering faith. They have lived this faith out over many years and have come to a point where they can no longer believe-which can be a joyful, or even a painful thing. David talks about the concept of secular grace, loving and accepting others unconditionally, which is a more of a human need than a supernatural thing. David also talks to Steph about his first experiences with other atheists, which was very debate-orientated and aggressive, which wasn't what he was looking for. David wanted more of a meaningful conversation, which is what he now does on his podcast. David discusses with Steph his past as a believer, which began when he was about 19 years old. He attended church faithfully each week and even helped out in the youth group. Because of that experience, David went on to bible college to become a preacher. During that time, David referred to himself as a “grace junkie” and made that the primary focus of his ministry-to teach others grace. Fast forward about 20 years, David began to read non-Christian authors for the first time, which led to a long and slow process of deconversion. After reading some apologists, David was bothered by their arguments, which just didn't seem right to him. He accepted the conclusion by faith, but the arguments weren't sound. His "grace-colored" glasses came off and he had the sudden and shocking realization that he no longer believed. This led to David creating his podcast, because the process of deconversion is a lonely one. “As soon as I had the sudden realization that I no longer believed, I began to look at what I did believe in, which was people. I was a humanist.” Steph and David go on to talk about what it means to be an Evangelical Christian, which in general means a focus on scripture, the humanity and divinity of Christ, the death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ, and salvation through Jesus alone. Evangelicalism and Fundamentalism are similar, but Fundamentalism has more of a negative connotation, so it tends to be rejected more.  David ends his conversation with Steph by saying that he is not pointing his finger at believers or attacking them, but rather he is just expressing how at one point, he was a strong believer but now he is not. The apologetic arguments that he once found to be convincing no longer make sense to him.  Listen in to hear the rest of their great conversation and please remember to rate, subscribe, and share with your friends! Links mentioned in the episode:Sean McDowell chats with Genetically Modified SkepticKalam Cosmological ArgumentConnect with David·       Instagram·       Twitter·       Facebook·       YouTube·       Subscribe to his podcast!Follow StephUp Podcast on Instagram and check out her website! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thanks for listening to the StephUp Podcast and coming back again for Season 2!We've got a great season coming up as we talk about....AtheismBipolar DisorderToxic LeadershipWhy They Stay (why women stay with their political cheater husbands)Being an HSP....and so much more!Conversations are so important as we listen to other people's experiences and thoughts so we can learn more about ourselves and more about others!Come join me! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to another bonus episode of the StephUp Podcast in which I collaborate with JR Sparrow from WV Uncommon Place. Let's Talk about Coffee and why we love it! Check out our conversation about our favourite blends of coffee, how much of it we drink and why we started in the first place!So grab a cup of your best coffee and sip along with us as we chat about coffee!Follow WV Uncommon Place IG and FBFollow StephUp Podcast on IG and on her website Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to this week's episode of the StephUp Podcast! Thank you for your support and for coming back each week to listen. This episode features special guest Randy Spelling. Randy is an author, credentialed life coach, and a passionate practitioner of change and result. Today Randy talks to us about getting clear on our boundaries and communicating them to others with confidence. Steph and Randy begin their conversation by talking about how they often both compare themselves to other people. Randy is not only a life coach to others, but also to Steph! When she first met him, she was nervous of course, since she used to watch him on TV, but soon realized how kind and down to earth he was. There was no reason to compare herself or feel nervous! Randy often feels the same way Steph does, but towards other celebrities or experts. The one thing he has learned through his work though, is that everyone has problems. We all struggle on some level with something, and no one has a perfect life. We are all more alike than different.Steph and Randy also talk about boundaries, which is one of Steph's favorite topics. Most people have an idea of what boundaries are but don't always think they are good at respecting them, good at setting them (and wonder what others may think of them if they do), or don't feel like they have any at all. Randy says that setting boundaries is one of the most loving things we can do for ourselves. When you learn to speak up when a boundary has been crossed, you let others know how they make you feel, which gives them the opportunity to change. It's important to remember that other people can't read your mind and may not know when they've crossed one of your boundaries. They will only know if you communicate with them. If you are someone who struggles to communicate how you feel, being assertive about your boundaries may come across as mean or bitchy. In the beginning, give yourself grace to be a bit clumsy and over time, you will learn how to better communicate how you feel. The more you practice, the better you get. When you are dealing with people who are manipulative and have no respect for boundaries, Randy suggests that we not “take the bait”. Don't let someone make you feel guilty for asserting yourself. Make your boundaries very clear, as well as the consequences for breaking them.Randy goes on to talk about how setting boundaries is another form of self-love, a way of advocating for yourself. Most of us view boundaries as the way we come off to others, such as how we look or sound. But learning to look at boundaries as a way of advocating for ourselves and then communicating that to others is one of the biggest hurdles we can overcome.“Setting boundaries is a form of self-love”Steph and Randy finish their conversation by discussing whether boundaries can have cultural differences and similarities, which they can. One of Steph's best friends is Hungarian and her culture just say's it how it is, whereas in Canada, Steph states they tend to be more passive aggressive. Listen in to hear the rest of their conversation and please remember to rate, subscribe, and share with your friends! Connect with Randy!-on his website-on Instagram-on Facebook-buy Randy's book Follow StephUp Podcast on Instagram and Facebook check out her website! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the StephUp Podcast! Join Steph in this episode as she speaks with podcaster, Rita, from the Girl Unplugged Podcast.Steph and Rita discuss feminism from how they perceived it growing up and how they have changed along the way. They also talk about gender roles with regard to chores and is it ok for a woman to be "strong-willed"? Why are women blamed for the actions of men? And are there different kinds of feminism? Come join in the conversation!Check out the Girl Unplugged Podcast: Listen to the Girl Unplugged Pod here and follow her on  InstagramFollow StephUp Podcast on Instagram and Facebook and check out her website! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the StephUp Podcast! On this episode, join Steph as she speaks with award-winning publicist and owner of Lamourie Media, Tracy Lamourie. As a well-known advocate on a myriad off important world-wide issues and an international publicist who works across industries from major entertainment projects to small business, Tracy is someone who is authentically herself.  Join Steph and Tracy as they discuss Tracy's path to becoming publicist. Thanks to her and her husband, Dave Parkinson's, long-time work in freeing an innocent man from death row, (Jimmy Dennis), Tracy found her calling as someone who can find a voice for others. This led to her starting her own business as a publicist. Whether she walks into a corporate business meeting, a political convention or a party in Hollywood, Tracy shines brightly and attracts people to her and her cause.  With bright red hair and lipstick, she brings her own style and voice that makes people stand up and pay attention. In this discussion, Steph asks Tracy how we can be authentically ourselves and how we can find the confidence to do that. They discuss how society just longs for truly authentic people and how that attracts more people to you.Follow Tracy on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and check out her website.Read more on Tracy:The Media Mogul Who Founded Her Empire On KindnessInspirational Women of HollywoodRockstar Publicist: Be Real, Be Authentic, Don't Be Cookie CutterThrive Global - Don't Let Anyone Intimidate YouHow To Be A Go GetterFollow StephUp Podcast on Instagram and Facebook and check out her website! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As this episode deals with food issues, weight and body image, it can be triggering for some. Listener discretion is advised. Welcome to the StephUp Podcast! Thank you for tuning in every episode.  On today's podcast episode, Steph chats with intuitive eating coach and author, Julie Glynn. Julie's book, "If My Ass Were Smaller, Life Would Be Perfect: And Other Lies the Mean Girl In Your Head Tells You" deals with the unhealthy relationship we tend to have with food and how we allow that mean girl in our head to keep us from loving ourselves.Steph and Julie chat about her book and how we so identify with the character, Darlene, who exemplifies all us. Darlene is her own mean girl as she talks down to herself. Julie and Steph discuss their own issues with weight loss and all the weight loss programs that don't work, and the struggle to loving and accepting their imperfect selves.You can buy Julie's book and check out her courses on Julie's website and follow her on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.Follow StephUp Podcast on Instagram and Facebook and check out her website! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to this week's episode of the StephUp Podcast! Thank you for your support and for coming back to listen! This episode features special guest, Erik Krosby. Erik is a podcaster and host of "True", a podcast that features strange stories and bizarre tales that are so weird they have to be true!Erik and Stephanie talk about how they know each other, their favourite True podcast episode (spoiler: stories of people quitting their jobs) and the different aspects of podcasting.Check out "TRUE" wherever you listen to podcasts!Follow True Pod on Facebook and InstagramFollow StephUp Podcast on Instagram and Facebook and check out her website! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello and welcome to the StephUp Podcast! Thanks for listening to the pod!I just wanted to say a few words about what doing this podcast has meant to me. As someone who never felt worthy of being a person most of my life, I finally feel like I have a voice! I came upon this affirmation last year and it really struck a chord with me:"I have a voice and that voice matters."And if I can use my voice to help and encourage someone else and make them feel less alone in what they are going through, that is what matters to me. Know that you have a voice. We all have a voice and it matters in this world. Go out there and make it a great day!!Follow StephUp Podcast on Instagram and Facebook and check out her website! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode features special guest, Benson Fox, who is a transformation coach, certified crisis counselor and psychology doctoral student.Benson shares his story of why he loves studying psychology. He sees it is a way to  help people to live their best lives. His love of reading Stephen Covey, Dale Carnegie and others helped him overcome his own challenges and how he processes different things. He is able to take what he learns and use that to help others.  Benson says that our own situations in life can be a lesson for others as well.Stephanie and Benson discuss self-awareness and Benson explains it as something that is going on inside of you, driving you and motivating you; it is a way of observing your thoughts and noticing how your emotions and thoughts are speaking to you. It is exciting to grow and learn as things start to come together when that light goes off in your head. As Benson explains, "You enjoy the clarity of knowing yourself and that clarity has the potential to guide you to make wiser decisions."Benson explains that all therapy is not equal. There are many modalities of psychology that work differently and some of them are contradictory with each other. Coaches help guide your own wisdom to get the answers to come out of you. They take "off the covers" of what you already know is there. Stephanie thought self-care was just doing things she found relaxing but Benson explains that self-care is actually rooted in what self-love looks like. If you don't know what self-love looks like, it becomes self-indulgence. The short-term feeling of what we enjoy doesn't mean it will help us in the long run. Self-care is learning how to truly love and care for yourself. The law of attraction is a part of psychology. Benson and Stephanie discuss this and how psychology is connected to pretty much everything in life. "The energies that we exude in this world  will attract people who are of the same ilk and will attract people who are hungry for that".  We will attract people who are starving for that energy and those who are also similar. Psychology connects to everything in life; it is the why of human nature.Benson explains that the difficulties  of our lives are actually symptoms. (eg. suffering from depression is our way of coping from not feeling loved.) It is therefore a way of handling our emotions. Coming from a religious perspective, Benson explains that these things are a gift from God.  Benson and Steph talk about perspectives and how we view the things that happen to us. Difficulties can be turned into good.  And sometimes it's ok to not know all the answers. Maybe we will never know things beyond our understanding. Benson explains that people who can be very stuck on wanting to know the answers can come from a place of distrust of their unconscious. Stephanie and Benson spend the last part of the episode discussing how men and women differ on how they view emotion versus reason. As men have more of a tendency to overly rely on their conscious thought, women have more of a dependency to trust their unconscious. There can be both pros and cons to how men and women view and rely on these things. Listen in to hear the rest of their conversation and please remember to subscribe, rate, review and share with your friends!Support the podcastFollow Benson Fox on Instagram, FB and check out his website! And follow the Stephup Podcast on Instagram, and Facebook.StephUp Podcast website Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to this week's episode of the StephUp Podcast! Thank you for your support and for coming back each week to listen. This episode features special guest, Kimberly Love. Kimberly is an author, radio host of Crushing 40, and CEO of Viking Queens. She is also a survivor of emotional abuse. Today she talks to us about the challenging times she has been through and how she has now dedicated herself to helping others.Kimberly's website, Viking Queens, launched on January 1st and has been a labor of love for her. She wanted to have a membership site where experts talk about different things women go through, such as abuse, loss, and break-ups. Kimberly stresses resiliency and self-love as ways to cope. Kimberly wants women to feel they are part of a community that lifts them up and encourages them. She welcomes you to visit her site and learn more.Stephane and Kimberly begin the episode by talking about Kimberly's childhood. She first experienced abuse as a child when a much older sibling was tasked with caring for her when their mother was out of the home. This sibling had a deeply engrained dislike for Kimberly, stemming from dislike of Kimberly's father, who was also abusive. As a result, this sibling did not view Kimberly as an equal family member and emotionally abused her for years, which fundamentally changed her as a person. Kimberly left home at 17 and was able to escape the abuse. At that point, she began dating a man who turned out to be a narcissist. Kimberly was already vulnerable and broken and ended up in a domestic abuse situation with this man. Since she had grown up in an abusive environment, this treatment seemed familiar, but deep-down Kimberly knew the way she was being treated was wrong.“When you've been abused for so long, the abuse is a comfortable place for you. It's all you know”Rather than stay with this man, Kimberly decided to break the cycle of abuse. She now works with other women who are also victims of abuse, teaching them to recognize the “red flags” and fine-tune their intuition to recognize the situation they are in. When you feel that something isn't right, don't brush those feelings aside and ignore them. Listen to your body and reflect on how it feels when you are around someone who is abusive. Stephanie and Kimberly spend the last part of the episode discussing how women are taught to be nice and submissive and to not come off as too assertive or bossy. However, Kimberly encourages women to be strong and stand up against anyone who is abusive towards them, not only in romantic relationships but in the workplace or other environments as well.Listen in to hear the rest of their conversation and please remember to rate, subscribe, and share with your friends! Purchase Kimberly's book, You Taste Like Whiskey and SunshineListen to Kimberly's radio show, Crushing 40Visit the Viking Queens website Follow StephUp Podcast on Instagram and Facebook! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to this week's episode of the StephUp Podcast! Thank you for your support. This episode features special guest, Licensed Profession Clinical Counselor  Dr. Janet Birkey, as we continue our conversation about emotional abuse. Stephanie and Janet begin the episode by defining what emotional abuse is and what it may look like. Janet defines emotional abuse as when behaviors, words, and actions are used to control and manipulate someone so they will do what the abuser wants them to do. Gaslighting is also common, which is when the abuser will try to convince you that you are not perceiving or experiencing something accurately. Sometimes a person may just be abrasive and although that's not good, it's not necessarily abuse. This is just one of many reasons why emotional abuse can be hard to pinpoint at times. Another thing to consider is, what may be considered by one to be abusive, may not be abusive to someone else. What upsets me may not upset you, and what upsets you may not upset me. But that doesn't change our personal experience. Janet discusses people who are HSP's (highly sensitive persons), who are acutely aware of tone, body language, noise, light, and rhythm. If an HSP tells the abrasive person that they are hurting their feelings, and it's a pattern of behavior, and the offending person continues on, that could be emotional abuse. You want the person you are in a relationship with to be sensitive to your feelings and care about how they make you feel.Most women don't always recognize that they are in an emotionally abusive relationship or see that there are patterns. Women who are in these kinds of relationships may have also witnessed their mothers or other women in their life treated the same way and think it's normal. This can create a generational pattern of abuse. Emotional abuse can lead to damaging side effects such as anxiety, making excuses for the abuser's behavior and trying to find where we were wrong in the scenario, lack of self-care, poor sleep and dietary habits, lack of exercise, and inability to concentrate and make sound decisions. Leaving is easier said than done when it comes to the victim. Janet states that people stay with abusers because they don't know that it can be different, they are comfortable and unwilling to leave the situation even though it's abusive, they might stay for the children, for financial support, for religious reasons, or they don't think they have the strength to leave. You may be tempted to forgive or ignore the abuse for these reasons. Although you can extend grace many times to someone, eventually they need to take accountability for their actions.Abusers can be cathartic and be sorry for their actions and promise to never do it again, but catharsis does not equal repentance. Stephanie and Janet also discuss emotional abuse within the church. When you approach emotional abuse from a religious perspective, it may not be viewed as reason enough to leave the relationship or divorce. Stephanie and Janet are hopeful that this view will eventually change within the church. The leadership within a church can be emotionally abusive as well. They can manipulate you into doing things you aren't comfortable with under the guise that it is required from you by god.Janet ends the episode with suggestions on how you can safely leave an abusive relationship.Listen in to hear the rest of their conversation and please remember to rate, subscribe, and share with your friends! Follow Janet on Twitter and FB Follow StephUp Podcast on Instagram and Facebook! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to this week's episode of the StephUp Podcast! Thank you for your support and for coming back each week to listen. This episode features special guest, children's book author Rene Schultz, who has written the book “A Million More Kisses”.Rene's book is about loss and grief, as well as learning to say goodbye, and is written in a way that makes sense to children. This book also teaches how to properly grieve and be strong. The cover of “A Million More Kisses” features a dog name Geronimo, which is based off Rene's own chihuahua. The main character Nonnie is based off Rene's mother-in-law. Rene feels that writing these kinds of books is important because children experience loss and grief too, and it's important that they identify and manage with their feelings.Stephanie and Rene begin their discussion by talking about Rene's childhood, which holds painful memories of child abuse and trauma. She discusses how she was affected throughout her childhood and into her adulthood, including her experiences within her church, and the different ways in which she coped and was able to finally heal. Rene states that she was dealing with grief and loss while writing and had to learn to move forward. With hope and faith, Rene got through her grief and was able to finish this book.Stephanie and Rene also talk about a course that Rene has written based on faith. The concept is that faith and hope can help you to create boundaries within relationship, develop coping skills, and help with forgiveness. This course is for people who are stuck and wanting to move forward. There is more to life than what we are sitting and stewing in. It's important to heal your inner child.When it comes to advice for other writers who are trying to get published, Rene's says to never give up on your dream. Keep pushing and you will get there.“Bit by bit, row by row, that's how we make our dreams grow”Listen in to hear the rest of their conversation and please remember to rate, subscribe, and share with your friends!  Purchase Rene's book, A Million More Kisses here and here.Visit Rene's website Woody Knoll PublishingFollow StephUp Podcast on Instagram and Facebook! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to this week's episode of the StephUp Podcast! Thank you for your support and for coming back each week to listen. This episode features special guest Hope Cunningham as she and Steph discuss why philosophy is important, why we study it, and what we get out of it. This is the perfect time to discuss philosophy with all that is happening in the world. It's time to sit down and really think critically, which is one of the most important parts of philosophySteph and Hope begin the discussion talking about the importance of philosophy degrees and the reputation they have of being a useless degree. They think it's important because it allows you to delve into different issues such as religion and evil. Philosophy also teaches you how to think critically. Philosophy is a love of truth and knowledge and gives you the tools and permission to learn whatever you want. What do you think?Steph talks about when she first discovered Ravi Zacharias, Indian-born Canadian-American Christian apologist, who taught her that there is such a thing as having reasons for our faith and it was okay to question those reasons and think about them. This was a totally new concept for her and after studying his teachings further, she made the switch to being a philosophy major. Hope fell in love with Philosophy after being required to take a class as part of her course curriculum.Hope and Steph talk about why we have so much distrust of our government. We used to trust them but after hearing so many lies, we no longer do. Where do we go if we can't trust? Hope explains that it is important to realize that politicians are people and while we may not be able trust them, we need to give them grace and assume they are trying. This will ultimately make the world an easier place to live in.Steph and Hope also discuss the concept of Cancel Culture and how prevalent it has become. When it comes to the Cancel Culture, if someone has a pattern of consistently lying to others or causing harm, do they deserve to be cancelled? People make mistakes and are flawed, but at what point do they deserve to be cancelled? Listen in to hear the rest of their great conversation and please remember to rate, subscribe, and share with your friends! Follow StephUp Podcast on Instagram and Facebook! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do we deal when life gets too overwhelming? What if we don't know how to handle all the things that come our way? Transformation coach, Ann Max,  shares her own story of dealing with life's adversities as a young widow and mother who consistently needed to reinvent her life, and herself, over and over. Ann shares some techniques on how to deal with life when we feel overwhelmed and are tempted to give up. Ann Max's website: https://productivetothemax.comStephUp Podcast website:   https://stephuppodcast.comFacebook:   https://www.facebook.com/StephUpPodcastInstagram:   https://www.instagram.com/stephup_podcast/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Do you suffer from anxiety? Do you find it difficult to explain your anxiety to other people? Or even to understand it yourself?Join me as I speak with teen mindset coach, Angel Juarbe, as we discuss our favourite topic: ANXIETY! Angel has first-hand experience living with anxiety and now he loves help others to manage theirs. We talk about what anxiety looks like for some people and some ways to manage our anxiety so it doesn't manage us. Check out Angel's website at:  https://www.truachievers.comStephup Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephup_podcastStephup Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/StephUpPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On December 20, 1996, Ed and Judite Holder lost their 14-year-old son, Bruno, in a tragic car accident. This year is the 24th anniversary of that tragic night that also took another young man that I knew, Ross Seabrook. Listen in on my conversation with the Holders as they share memories of Bruno and Ross and talk about how they have dealt with, and are still dealing with, the death of their son.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With such gems such as "That's What She Said", chili spills, pranks and a lot of sass, "The Office" is a show about living a dull life in a non-dull way. Join me and my friend, Anne, as we discuss the show from the most cringe-worthy moments to our favourite cat and how wonderful it was to see Michael Scott's growth progress over the years. Website:  www.stephuppodcast.comEmail:  stephuppodcast@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join me in my discussion with speaker, trainer, and coach with the John Maxwell team, Carmela Williams. Carmela shares her experience of being mentored by strong leaders and how that has shaped her into the leader she is today.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today is our Remembrance Day here in Canada. November 11th is the day in which WW1 officially ended.  Let us take a moment to remember the men and women who have fought, and are still fighting, for our countries. On today's episode, we discuss the origins of the poppy (our official flower of remembrance) and the man who started it all with a little poem, John McCrae.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join me as I have a chat with radio personality, voiceover artist and mother of two, Rachel Gilbert. We discuss what it is like working on a morning radio show and what it has been like to work from home during the Covid lockdown.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

October 10th is Mental Health Day so what a perfect time to listen to my conversation with my friend, Kyle Chatzis-Fox. Kyle has his BA in psychology, his MA in counselling and is working towards becoming a registered psychotherapist. In this episode, I share a bit of my own struggles with anxiety and depression, Kyle shares his thoughts on self-care and we discuss our own experiences of growing up in the days when there was such a stigma attached to mental health, when the church said you need more prayer, and how that is ever changing.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Saipher Söze is a rap artist from the GTA. His new album, "Eat What You Kill", comes out on October 9th. Saipher and I talk about his new album, how he got his start in music, what his writing process is like and more. Come listen in! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When I was a teenager, I wish I had a mentor or coach to teach me that my life had a purpose. With mental health and suicide on the rise, the need for mentors is higher than ever before. On Today's episode, I speak with Chris Baker, who has a passion for helping young people reach their maximum potential. Chris wears many hats, one being the owner of a company called, Release Your Unconscious, where he helps young people with leadership development. He also works for the Walt Disney Company and is a speaker, trainer and coach with the John Maxwell Team.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Have you ever dealt with a frustrating roommate? Or a crazy neighbour? Or just had loads of funny stories about both?Listen in to some of my experiences with roommates and neighbours with regard to pets, cleanliness, privacy and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, my best friend, Vivian, and I discuss our experiences as single adults in the church culture and what that has meant to us. We laugh over the different "rules" that were placed upon us or that we made for ourselves and we contemplate the different things well-meaning people said to us over the years.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.