Woman Worriers

What does it take to walk away from the life you've known in order to live more authentically? In this episode of Awaken Your Wise Woman, host Elizabeth Cush (licensed therapist and soul support for highly sensitive women) talks with Suzette Mullen, author of The Only Way Through Is Out. After decades of marriage and raising two sons, Suzette came out in midlife—a shift sparked through the process of writing her memoir. Together, they explore what it means to find your voice, take agency over your life, and follow a path that aligns with your truth, even when it feels scary or uncertain. The conversation dives into themes of identity, courage, and the grief that can accompany deep personal change. Suzette shares how stepping into her truth required listening to herself in a way she hadn't before—and trusting that voice. Elizabeth and Suzette talk about the unique challenges women face in midlife, the societal pressures that can hold us back, and the importance of finding support from those who see and honor us. Whether you're navigating a life transition or simply asking deeper questions about who you are, this episode reminds us that it's never too late to live more fully, freely, and authentically.   You can find the full show notes and resources mentioned in the podcast here- https://www.elizabethcushcoaching.com/podcast-awaken-your-wise-woman-all/coming-out-in-midlife

If you crave authentic connections with other highly sensitive women, listen to this episode of the Awaken Your Wise Woman podcast as host Elizabeth Cush talks about building and sustaining a supportive community.   “It's amazing to me that the space can hold women who have never met before, and they come away from it feeling as if deep connections were made.” — Biz Cush Few things in life feel as wonderful as connecting with someone who really gets you. It can feel comforting, validating and exhilarating all at once. But for highly sensitive women, it can be difficult to find those people who understand us and cherish our gifts of sensitivity. In this episode of the Awaken Your Wise Woman podcast, host Biz Cush, LCPC, a licensed professional therapist, founder of Progression Counseling in Maryland and Delaware, and a soul support for highly sensitive women, talks about making those connections and building a community of like-minded women—and how you can be a part of it. Find the full show notes and resources for the highly senstive meet-ups for women here- https://www.elizabethcushcoaching.com/awaken-your-wise-woman-podcast 

Have you fallen out of touch with the Earth? Listen in on this episode of Awaken Your Wise Woman, as host Elizabeth Cush welcomes Corinna Wood, a visionary teacher of women's wisdom and a trailblazer in the holistic healing community, for a talk about sensitive, women-centered tools for inner growth and healing. “Grounding into our needs is such a rooted way of being, and I think it is really important, especially today, and especially with highly sensitive women.” — Corinna Wood We live inside. We work inside. We spend our time on computers, phones and other devices. All that may seem to be convenient and comfortable, but it can also serve to cut us off from the natural world—and an important source of women's wisdom. In this episode of Awaken Your Wise Woman, host Elizabeth “Biz” Cush, LCPC, a licensed professional therapist, founder of Progression Counseling in Maryland and Delaware, and a mid-life women's coach, welcomes Corrina Wood, founder of Red Moon Herbs and the Southeast Wise Women Herbal Conference. They talk about her Wise Woman Needs Wheel, a tool that maps human needs to natural cycles, how it can help inner growth and healing, and why it may be a particularly useful framework for highly sensitive persons. You can find the full show notes and all the resources mentioned here- https://www.elizabethcushcoaching.com/awaken-your-wise-woman-podcast  

What can you do if your family relationships are toxic? Listen in on this episode of Awaken Your Wise Woman, as host Elizabeth Cush welcomes psychotherapist Sharon Martin for a discussion on sensitive women cutting family ties so you can heal. “Being angry is very both natural and helpful in a situation. When you have been mistreated, you should feel angry about that.” — Sharon Martin Highly sensitive persons can have a hard time letting go of harmful relationships. When those toxic relationships involve parents or other family members, cutting ties can be especially painful. Between our empathy for others and the pressure that others put on us to preserve family ties, stepping away can be incredibly difficult—but it can be so necessary for our self-care. In this episode of Awaken Your Wise Woman, host Elizabeth “Biz” Cush, LCPC, a licensed professional therapist, founder of Progression Counseling in Maryland and Delaware, and a soul guide for highly sensitive women, welcomes psychotherapist and author Sharon Martin, DSW, LCSW, back to the podcast to talk about the issues that can make setting hard boundaries with toxic family members so challenging, options for navigating those boundaries and what it can feel like to heal and move on.    You can find the full show notes and resources of this and every episode here- https://www.elizabethcushcoaching.com/awaken-your-wise-woman-podcast

If you're starting to feel discouraged, take heart! Listen in on this episode of Awaken Your Wise Woman, as host Elizabeth Cush welcomes former Congresswoman Marie Newman for a talk about community activism and making an impact. “We need to mend and heal this country, and the way we do that is by telling our stories.” — Marie Newman.  From bullying to racial discrimination to threatening LGBTQ rights, it seems like we have so much to be concerned about these days. With so many issues, it can feel overwhelming to think about trying to make a difference. Faced with all this, what can one woman do? A lot, it turns out. In this episode of the Awaken Your Wise Woman podcast, host Elizabeth “Biz” Cush, LCPC, a licensed professional therapist, founder of Progression Counseling in Maryland and Delaware, and soul guide for highly sensitive women, welcomes Marie Newman, a former U.S. representative from Illinois' 3rd Congressional District, advocate, and author of A Life Made From Scratch: Lessons From a Controversial Congresswoman, Mompreneur and Unstoppable Political Activist. They'll talk about healing the country's divides, advocating for better lives, building community and provide practical, step-by-step tips for how each of us can start a movement and make a difference. You can find all the resources and full show notes here.

Highly sensitive women may feel childhood wounds deeply. In this episode of the Awaken Your Wise Woman podcast, host Elizabeth Cush talks about how your parts help protect you and how you can heal. “We're learning to build a compassionate, kind loving relationship with ourself. Through that process, all parts of us learn to trust us.” — Biz Cush Not all childhood wounds are physical. If we didn't get our emotional needs met when we were young, we can carry those hurts with us well into adulthood. We can feel the impact of those childhood traumas on both our physical and mental health, in turn affecting how we show up in the world. In this episode of the Awaken Your Wise Woman podcast, host Biz Cush, LCPC, a licensed professional therapist, founder of Progression Counseling in Maryland and Delaware, and a life coach for highly sensitive women, talks about adverse childhood experiences like childhood emotional neglect, the mechanisms we develop to cope with them and how they show up in our “parts.” She'll also share how Internal Family Systems (IFS) work—getting to know our parts and approaching them with curiosity and compassion when they are triggered—can help us build a kind, caring relationship with ourselves that meets the needs of our bodies and our emotions, helps heal those old wounds, and empowers us to show up in the world from a more grounded place. You can find all the resources mentioned and the full show notes here.  April 2025 Meet-up for Highly Sensitive Women.

In this bonus episode, Elizabeth Cush joins Nona Jordan, and Helen Mullen to talk about autoimmune disease, stress, inflammation, and our parts that get activated aropund illness and healing. You can find more episode of the Autoimmune Campfire Pordcast here, or wherever you listen to podcasts. .

If you're struggling with a chronic health issue, the answer may be closer than you realize. Listen in on this episode of Awaken Your Wise Woman, as host Elizabeth Cush welcomes Andrea Nakayama, a functional medicine nutritionist, for a talk about the healthcare journey for highly sensitive women. “Functional nutrition is a place for those addressing chronic health challenges to settle into a different way of approaching them.” — Andrea Nakayama   Listen and learn: Two of the most glaring gaps in our medical system and how functional medicine helps address them The three primary tenets of functional medicine and their implications for highly sensitive women The three elements of the functional nutrition matrix and how they can help you understand and manage your health How antecedents, triggers and mediators shape our health story—and help us shape it going forward The benefits of making decisions in terms of risk and reward Why looking for the one thing that will “fix it” is counterproductive How to detoxify from a functional nutrition perspective—and it's not what we're hearing about in the media How to tap into the pharmacy inside us How our sensitivity and our health might be connected Find the full show notes and resources for all the episodes here.  

Lately it seems like women's equality is farther away than ever? Don't despair! Listen in on this episode of Awaken Your Wise Woman, as host Elizabeth Cush welcomes author Alanna Kaivalya for an inspiring discussion about finding your feminine power. “For feminine women, we want inclusion, we want community, we want collaboration.” — Alanna Kaivalya You've probably heard the saying, “It's a man's world.” It's true that our culture is still dominated by traditional masculine values, which can shape our views of what success is and how to achieve it. But what if we want a different definition—one that is collaborative rather than competitive? Where success is inclusive rather than winner take all? What can we do? In this episode of the Awaken Your Wise Woman podcast, host Elizabeth “Biz” Cush, LCPC, a licensed professional therapist, founder of Progression Counseling in Maryland and Delaware, and a mid-life women's coach, welcomes Alanna Kaivalya, author of The Way of the Satisfied Woman: Reclaiming Feminine Power for a discussion about the challenges women face in a patriarchal society. They talk about the need to reclaim femininity and embrace a community-focused approach to success, explore the importance of listening to our intuition and, most important, provide reason for hope that we can find lives that are satisfying for us on our terms. You can find the show notes and resources mentioned in this episode here-  https://www.elizabethcushcoaching.com/awaken-your-wise-woman-podcast

I'm joining with other highly sensitive women to build a community where we can grow and shine! When highly sensitive women gather, it's magical We bloom in community We're able to show up authentically and are held with kindness Our sensitive nature is honored with compassion and care I hope you'll join me on March 14th when we come together with other highly sensitive women. To find and share support, to create community, to hold the space for us in the world right now I hope to see you then! See below to register and save you spot! I'd love to have you hang-out with me! Click there for more details.

If recent headlines are giving you headaches, listen in on this episode of the Awaken Your Wise Woman podcast, as host Elizabeth Cush talks about finding balance in an uncertain world. “Bringing your body, your energetic body, into the work, is so important.” — Biz Cush How are you doing? With so much going on in the world right now, it's easy to feel for highly sensitive women to feel overwhelmed. In a political climate that feels so threatening to so many, it's easy for the highly sensitive—especially the helpers, the healers, the empaths—to focus on caring for others and to overlook our own needs. That oversight takes an enormous toll. But how do we care for ourselves, how do we nurture our energy, when we feel so much anxiety, stress and heaviness all around? In this episode of the Awaken Your Wise Woman podcast, host Biz Cush, LCPC, a licensed professional therapist, founder of Progression Counseling in Maryland and Delaware, and a life coach for highly sensitive women, shares practical tips for finding balance and taking care of ourselves at times like these—and always.   You can find the resources and full show notes here.

As a highly sensitive person, do you avoid conflict? Listen in on this episode of Awaken Your Wise Woman, as host Elizabeth Cush welcomes executive coach and consultant Michelle Gladieux for conversation about communication challenges, conflict management and emotional intelligence. “The more interested or passionate we are about a topic, sometimes the more dangerous our words and tone can become.” — Michelle Gladieux When a work situation doesn't sit right with you, do you speak up or hold your peace? What about when the boss wants to have a word with you? How do you handle disagreements with your partner or your friends? Do you avoid conflict? Or do you dive in head first and insist that you're right? Communication doesn't always come easily, especially if you're highly sensitive. In this episode of the Awaken Your Wise Woman podcast, host Elizabeth “Biz” Cush, LCPC, a licensed professional therapist, founder of Progression Counseling in Maryland and Delaware, and a mid-life women's coach, welcomes Michelle Gladieux, an executive coach, consultant and author of Communicate with Courage: Taking Risks to Overcome the Four Hidden Challenges, for a discussion of communication skills for the highly sensitive. They talk about the roots of some common responses to conflict and why these approaches are usually self -defeating, and offer practical strategies and examples of how you can say what you need to say when you want to say it.   You can find the resources and show notes for this and every episode here.  https://www.elizabethcushcoaching.com/awaken-your-wise-woman-podcast 

How's your energy? Listen in on this episode of Awaken Your Wise Woman, as host Elizabeth Cush welcomes energy expert Prune Harris for a talk about energy, community and connecting with hope. “When we realize that we are continually co-creating our human experience, then, wow, there's a lot that we can do energetically.” — Prune Harris What kind of energy are you absorbing? What kind of energy are you reflecting back out into the world? Are the choices that you make in each moment aligned with how you want to show up in this world? If not, how can you bring your energy into better balance? In this episode of the Awaken Your Wise Woman podcast, host Elizabeth “Biz” Cush, LCPC, a licensed professional therapist, founder of Progression Counseling in Maryland and Delaware, and a mid-life women's coach, welcomes Prune Harris, author of Your Radiant Soul: Understand Your Energy to Transform Your World, for a discussion of energy and sensitivity. They talk about the challenges of getting grounded and maintaining a balanced energy core; the importance of compassion and community; and the power you have to create positive energy no matter what is happening around you.   Find the show notes and resources for this and every episode here — https://www.elizabethcushcoaching.com/awaken-your-wise-woman-podcast

Happy New Year! In this episode of the Awaken Your Wise Woman podcast host Elizabeth Cush shares her take on New Year's resolutions and offers listeners a guided meditation. “How I can bring more of the good and the positive into my life from last year to this year, and what I can either eliminate or set boundaries around in the past year that didn't sit right with me.”  — Biz Cush Do you make New Year's resolutions? Set intentions? Or dive into the new year figuring it out as you go? No matter how you approach it, the new year can be a good time to reflect on what's working for you and what could be different, on what you would like less of and what you would like more of in your life. If you're thinking along the lines of “less stress” and “better friendships,” you're in luck. In this episode of the Awaken Your Wise Woman podcast, host Biz Cush, LCPC, a licensed professional therapist, founder of Progression Counseling in Maryland and Delaware, and a life coach for highly sensitive women, offers her reflections on the new year and thoughts on moving forward as a highly sensitive person (HSP), building strong friendships in midlife and learning to recognize uncomfortable feelings like anxiety. She includes a guided meditation to use when you are feeling stress so you can work with it instead of against it. You can find the resources and show notes for this and every episode here. https://www.elizabethcushcoaching.com/awaken-your-wise-woman-podcast  

Do you put others' needs before your own? In this episode of Awaken Your Wise Woman, host Elizabeth Cush welcomes back April Snow, host of the Sensitive Stories podcast, for a talk about finding your hidden strengths and the gifts of sensitivity. “Would I change the fact that I'm sensitive? No way.” — April Snow When your environment sounds too loud, or the fabrics you're wearing don't feel right or you're exhausted from trying to keep everyone around you happy, you might find yourself wishing that you weren't highly sensitive. But if you weren't highly sensitive, you might miss so much. In this episode of the Awaken Your Wise Woman podcast, host Elizabeth “Biz” Cush, LCPC, a licensed professional therapist, founder of Progression Counseling in Maryland and Delaware, and a mid-life women's coach, welcomes back April Snow, LMFT, the San Francisco-based host of the Sensitive Stories podcast and author of Find Your Strength and other titles. They share about coming to recognize their sensitivity and understanding how it shapes their reactions to the world. They also talk about empathy as a highly sensitive trait and how it can both enrich us drive us to the edge of overwhelm, and they discuss how we can bring it into balance and manage our day in ways that help us experience the richness of our gifts. You can find the full show notes and resources mentioned in this episode here.  

Do you view being highly sensitive as a negative? In this episode of Awaken Your Wise Woman, host Elizabeth Cush welcomes back Keri Nola—matriarch of the Receptivity Portal for Healing Entrepreneurs—to talk about her journey from struggling with sensitivity to embracing it as a gift. “I used to really curse my sensitivity. It felt like such a negative thing, because it made navigating the world so hard.” — Keri Nola For so many women, being highly sensitive can feel like a burden, like a barrier to navigating the world. It doesn't have to be. We don't have to be at odds with our environment or the situations around us. In this episode of the Awaken Your Wise Woman podcast, host Elizabeth “Biz” Cush, LCPC,  a licensed professional therapist, founder of Progression Counseling in Maryland and Delaware, and a mid-life women's life coach, welcomes back Keri Nola, best-selling author, coach, podcaster and founder of the Receptivity Portal for Healing Entrepreneurs for a conversation about being a highly sensitive person (HSP) in a “Go, Go, Go!” world. They reflect on how they experienced their sensitivity as they were growing up and came to recognize it for what it is, they share tips for how they avoid anxiety and overwhelm, and talk about all the positives they now associate with being highly sensitive. You can find the full show notes for this and every episode here.  https://www.elizabethcushcoaching.com/awaken-your-wise-woman-podcast

If the thought about taking care of yourself first doesn't feel right, listen in on this episode of the Awaken Your Wise Woman podcast, as host Elizabeth Cush shares how she learned to live an aligned life that prioritizes her highly sensitive needs without feeling selfish. “I needed a path to go from here to the rest of my life.” — Biz Cush Are you living a life that meets your needs? Or are you consumed with meeting everyone else's? Who—or what—are you living for? And why? Does it serve you? Or is it a way of hiding from something? For highly sensitive women, these questions matter, but it may take us half a lifetime to realize we need to ask them. Then what does it take to find the answers, and what should we do with the information? In this episode of the Awaken Your Wise Woman podcast, host Biz Cush, LCPC, a licensed professional therapist, founder of Progression Counseling in Annapolis, Md., and a life coach for highly sensitive women, shares her own journey of self-discovery. She talks about prioritizing other people and things over her own needs and the impact it had on her health. Finally, she offers insights that she gained and how she was able to shift her priorities to honor her sensitivity, love who she is, and take care of herself while enjoying those around her.  You can find this and every episode of the Awaken Your Wise Woman podcast here. https://www.elizabethcushcoaching.com/awaken-your-wise-woman-podcast 

If you often feel that being a highly sensitive person is a handicap, listen to this episode of Awaken Your Wise Woman, as host Elizabeth Cush talks with Brooke Neilsen Yang about embracing your sensitivity and coming home to yourself. “We tend to have abandoned ourselves by the time we're adults.” — Brooke Neilsen Yang If you grew up feeling ashamed of your sensitivity, you're not alone. Chances are that you may have gotten signals from others, and maybe even those closes to you, that you were too sensitive, that you were overreacting, that what you were feeling wasn't real. Maybe you sensed that you were different, but didn't recognize that you were a highly sensitive person (HSP)—and that your sensitivity is a great trait. Instead, you may have felt embarrassed and tried to hide who you really were. After a lifetime of hiding, you might even have lost touch with your authentic self. In this episode of the Awaken Your Wise Woman podcast, host Elizabeth Cush, LCPC, a licensed professional therapist, founder of Progression Counseling in Annapolis, Md., and a mid-life women's life coach, welcomes Brooke Neilsen Yang, a therapist and coach draws on her own healing journey to help others get past the invalidation and misunderstanding they may have experienced, to overcome the shame and to build trust in their sensitive selves. You can find the show notes for this and every episode here.

Are you a people pleaser? In this episode of the Awaken Your Wise Woman podcast, host Elizabeth Cush talks about what happened when her people pleasing part was activated on a recent family vacation—and how she managed it. “I was noticing that my feelings of overwhelm were just building and building. But the reality was, I didn't really have a whole lot to be stressed about.” — Biz Cush Imagine that you're on a vacation in a great place surrounded by loved ones. Yet, you feel stressed and unable to enjoy the experience because you're constantly worrying about whether everyone else is happy. Maybe you can relate. Maybe you've been in a similar situation where you couldn't quite stay in what should be an enjoyable moment. In this episode of the Awaken Your Wise Woman podcast, host Biz Cush, LCPC, a licensed professional therapist, founder of Progression Counseling in Annapolis, Md., and a life coach for highly sensitive women, shares insights gained from her own experience. She talks about the overwhelm she felt and how her manager parts contributed to that stress. She explores the roots of her people-pleasing and, most important, she shares what she did to make the shift that enabled her to be fully present for a joyful experience with her family.   You can find the show notes and resources for this and every episode here.

Are highly sensitive people more their environment? In this episode of Awaken Your Wise Woman, host Elizabeth Cush talks with Phoenix Gould about the profound impact of narcissistic parents on highly sensitive children and adults. “The narcissist demands that we pay attention to them. Our way of survival is to be highly attuned to their needs.” — Phoenix Gould If you're a highly sensitive person (HSP), did you ever wonder how your childhood affected you and your sensitivities? Why does it seem so much easier to tune into others' needs rather than your own? Why do emotions feel so overwhelming—if you can feel them at all? How did your parent's struggles affect you? And, most important, how can you heal those hurts, increase self-awareness and build a loving and trusting relationship with yourself? In this episode of the Awaken Your Wise Woman podcast, host Elizabeth Cush, LCPC, a licensed professional therapist, founder of Progression Counseling in Annapolis, Md., and a mid-life women's life coach, welcomes Phoenix Gould, a coach and highly sensitive woman who combines bodywork and radical self-love to help clients experience the unconditional love that they did not receive as children. They talk about growing up as highly sensitive children, they share their healing journeys, and they offer hope and inspiration that you, too, can feel your emotions without overwhelm and experience the core of who you truly are. You can find all the resources mentioned in this and all episodes podcast, and full show notes here.

Navigating overstimulating environments can be a challenge for highly sensitive people. In this episode of Awaken Your Wise Woman, host Elizabeth Cush talks with Martina Williams about coping strategies to manage your nervous system and walk comfortably in the world. “If you end up being in a really highly stimulating environment, make sure that you create space for quiet so you can begin to down-regulate.” — Martina Williams If you're a highly sensitive person, you may have grown up feeling different. You may have been told that you're too “too.” You may have had experiences or feelings that it didn't feel safe to talk about. Maybe that's still the case. The truth is, you're not too much, your feelings are legitimate, and there are many other women like you. And here's some really good news: Highly sensitive people can learn a lot from each other. In this episode of the Awaken Your Wise Woman podcast, host Elizabeth Cush, LCPC, a licensed professional therapist, founder of Progression Counseling in Annapolis, Md., and a mid-life women's life coach, welcomes Martina Williams, a trauma recovery therapist and a coach who works with the Internal Family Systems (IFS) model. They talk about what it's like going through life as a highly sensitive person, share their experiences with using IFS to understand their reactions and increase their self-compassion, and offer tips for how introverts can avoid overwhelm and live with greater ease and comfort. Find the full show notes and resources for this and every episode here.

Welcome back to the new season of the Awaken Your Wise Woman podcast! This week, host Elizabeth Cush reflects on her journey, talks about what's in store for listeners and shares a guided meditation to help you get grounded. “I am really excited to welcome sensitive women to this sacred support circle.” — Biz Cush Where does time go? The summer flies by, you celebrate another birthday…. Now here you are, another year older and maybe another year wiser. Have you settled into your wisdom, or do you often feel overwhelmed? In this first episode of the brand-new season of the Awaken Your Wise Woman podcast, host Biz Cush, LCPC, a licensed professional therapist, founder of Progression Counseling in Annapolis, Md., and a life coach for highly sensitive women, talks about what it feels like to walk through mid-life as a highly sensitive woman and provides a preview of this new season's guests. She also welcomes listeners to join a sacred support circle for sensitive women and offers a guided meditation to help you check in with yourself and reflect. You can find all the reources and complete show notes for this and every episode here.

This week we're replaying an episode from season one. Biz also gives updates on the Sacred Support Circles for Sensitive Women group that starts this fall! You can find the full show notes for this episode replay here.

This is a replay from October 2023. Have you thought about your friendships lately? Have they shifted as you've entered mid-life? Do the relationships you've had for a long time still enrich you, or do you finding yourself drawing away? Do you find yourself drawn to the same kinds of people, or are you looking for a different kind of friendship? In this episode of Awaken Your Wise Woman, host Biz Cush, LCPC, a licensed professional therapist, founder of Progression Counseling in Annapolis, Md., and a life coach for highly sensitive women, shares her thoughts about friendships and finding new friendships in mid-life. She also explores the intricate relationship between our wounded parts and the people in our lives, and how healing our parts can bring about changes in our friendships. You can find out more about the group for highly sensitive women here. Get your Free Guide to Navigating Friensdhips in MIdlife here.  

If you're easily overwhelmed, listen to this episode of Awaken Your Wise Woman as host Elizabeth Cush talks about highly sensitive women. “This part of me that just gets overwhelmed feels probably like I'm in third grade.” — Biz Cush Sometimes you just need a break—but we don't always give ourselves permission to do that, even though we might need some extra time to process information or emotions. We might just need to rest. It's important for everyone, no matter what we do, but for some of us it's absolutely essential. As the Awaken Your Wise Woman podcast heads into its summer hiatus, host Biz Cush, LCPC, a licensed professional therapist, founder of Progression Counseling in Maryland and Delaware, and a life coach for highly sensitive women, wraps up Season Four and provides a sneak preview of Season Five content with a heartfelt talk about what it means to be a highly sensitive woman. She shares her own personal experiences as a child and an adult, the insights she has gained and the strategies she uses to navigate as a highly sensitive mid-life woman in an often overwhelming world.  You can find the show note and resources mentioned here- https://www.elizabethcushcoaching.com/awaken-your-wise-woman-podcast Get your Navigating Friendship in Mid-Life: A Guide to Build New & Deeper Connections as a Highly Sensitive Woman 

How do you find the courage to walk away from the life you've known for decades to follow your heart? In this episode of Awaken Your Wise Woman that's the question host Elizabeth Cush asks author Suzette Mullen, who came out in midlife. “Can I trust the voice? What is the voice saying to me? And do I have the courage to act on what I'm hearing?” — Suzette Mullen Writing a memoir can provide a way to look back and better understand your life. But what happens when the process opens the door to life-changing insights? Would you be open to changing your path? What would it take to do that? Is it even possible? For some, it's not only possible, but positively freeing. In this episode of the Awaken Your Wise Woman podcast, host Elizabeth Cush, LCPC, a licensed professional therapist, founder of Progression Counseling in Annapolis, Md., and a mid-life women's life coach, welcomes Suzette Mullen, memoir and nonfiction book coach, retreat leader and author of The Only Way Through Is Out, which chronicles her coming out in midlife after decades of marriage. They talk about women's struggles around identity, courage and agency. They also discuss some of things that can keep us from making major life changes, especially as we get older, what we can do to support us in living more authentically—and why it's all so worthwhile. Find the full show notes and links for this and every episode here- https://www.elizabethcushcoaching.com/awaken-your-wise-woman-podcast  Suzette Mullen's Your Story Finder website Urstoryfinder on Instagram Suzette Mullen on LinkedIn Your Story Finder community on Facebook Suzette Mullen, Author page on Facebook The Only Way Through Is Out by Suzette Mullen Elizabeth's coaching website Somatic Practices Sign up for Biz's Newsletter Biz's Blog Guided meditations on Insight Timer Progression Counseling

Can you imagine what it would be like to live most of your life in the wrong body? Listen in on this episode of Awaken Your Wise Woman as host Elizabeth Cush welcomes Wendy Cole, a trans woman who transitioned at age 67. “Being yourself, and being true to yourself, is probably one of the most important things in life.” — Wendy Cole Wendy Cole sensed something as early as age 3. By the time she was 5 or 6, she knew she had been assigned the wrong gender at birth. One day when she was 10, she put on her mother's clothes, did her nails and makeup, and announced that she was a girl. For most of the rest of her life, others tried to deny her truth. Then, at age she transitioned. In this episode of the Awaken Your Wise Woman podcast, host Elizabeth Cush, LCPC, a licensed professional therapist, founder of Progression Counseling in Annapolis, Md., and a mid-life women's life coach, welcomes Wendy, a transition mentor, for an open and honest conversation about gender identity and expression, self-discovery and acceptance, the importance of empathy and the need for safe spaces. Most important, they talk about taking the leap of faith to find freedom and joy in being yourself. No matter what changes you need to make, you're not too old to do it!   You can find the full show notes for this and every episode here: https://www.elizabethcushcoaching.com/awaken-your-wise-woman-podcast 

What's in store for summer? On this episode of Awaken Your Wise Woman, host Elizabeth Cush talks about pride month and offers a guided self-care meditation. “I am a firm believer that we all come into this world as humans who deserve respect and safety.” — Biz Cush Happy Pride Month! Whether you are an activist, a therapist or a caregiver, you are putting yourself out there to support others—and that's awesome. But when we focus on the needs of others, we can easily overlook our own needs for care and compassion.  Fortunately, there are simple things we can do to show ourselves some love and kindness. In this episode of Awaken Your Wise Woman, host Biz Cush, LCPC, a licensed professional therapist, founder of Progression Counseling in Annapolis, Md., and a life coach for highly sensitive women, shares her thoughts about the importance of Pride Month and talks about how the podcast will celebrate Pride Month in upcoming episodes. She also offers a guided meditation to help you get grounded and get back in touch with your body and honor all that it does for you. It's a great way to take a self-care break before you move on to the rest of your day. You can find this and every episode of the Awaken Your Wise Woman Podcast here.      

Whether you're struggling with chronic pain or you're stuck in an emotional rut, you might want to listen in on this episode of Awaken Your Wise Woman as host Elizabeth Cush talks to Anna Rahe, founder of GST Body, about a holistic way to find relief. “Instead of going out hunting and gathering in a physical sense, we have to hunt for truth, hunt for righteousness, hunt for strength.” — Anna Rahe If you've never heard of fascia, you're not alone. The body's connective tissue is little understood and even less discussed—and yet it can play an enormous role in both our physical and emotional well-being. How? Get some insight into the “secret organ” in this episode of the Awaken Your Wise Woman podcast, host Elizabeth Cush, LCPC, a licensed professional therapist, founder of Progression Counseling in Annapolis, Md., and a mid-life women's life coach, welcomes Anna Rahe, the founder and CEO of GST Body, and educator who has taught her proprietary techniques for holistic body care to top athletes, surgeons, physicians and celebrities, and who has been featured in Elle, goop, The Wall Street Journal and other publications. They talk about the connection between body and mind, how emotions can affect the way we feel physically, how our bodies reflect our feelings, and how to take healing into our own hands. You can find this and every episode of the AYWW podcast here.

If you've ever wondered about making a radical life change, listen in on this episode of Awaken Your Wise Woman as host Elizabeth Cush talks to Athena Monet, the Seaside Shaman, about the journey from architectural designer to spiritual healer. “When there's so much resistance, always trust that there's a reason why. That's not your path, so allow yourself to be rerouted.”  — Athena Monet Are you frustrated by the lack of answers about a health condition? Do you feel like you're treading water in a career that doesn't fulfill you? Have you been aiming for a goal, but repeatedly hitting a brick wall? Maybe you need to approach it from a different direction. Maybe your answer lies on a different path. In this episode of the Awaken Your Wise Woman podcast, host Elizabeth Cush, LCPC, a licensed professional therapist, founder of Progression Counseling in Annapolis, Md., and a mid-life women's life coach, interviews Athena Monet about her journey from the corporate world to a new life as author, intuitive healer and spiritual guide. They talk about therapy, energy work and shamanism and the thread of healing that runs through all of them and how finding the modality that works for you can help you do the deep work necessary to shift how you live your life. You can find the full show notes for this and every episode here.

In this Nonus episode I share how you could win a free sport in my coaching group for highly sensitive women. Not sure if you're an hsp? Take the test here- https://hsperson.com/test/highly-sensitive-test/ If you are, or you know someone who's, highly sensitive and looking to connect with other women this is the group for you. Listen to find out how to win your free spot!

Remember David Bowie? “Cha-cha-cha-cha-cha-anges…” On this episode of Awaken Your Wise Woman, host Elizabeth Cush talks about women making changes in midlife. “Maybe change just feels like it's impossible to do at this time in your life. But it can also be so worthwhile.” — Biz Cush What dreams have you been holding on to? Have you thought about writing a book? Launching a business? Starting a singing career? Becoming a coach? Whether you've held those dreams for a long time, or those desires have just started to bubble up as your children are reaching adulthood, it can be scary to think about starting something new at “a certain age.” But it's not impossible. In this episode of the Awaken Your Wise Woman podcast, host Biz Cush, LCPC, a licensed professional therapist, founder of Progression Counseling in Annapolis, Md., and a life coach for highly sensitive women, shares her own experience with making life changes at midlife—going back to school, becoming a therapist, starting a private practice (and a podcast) and continuing her own personal growth journey. She'll inspire you and provide practical tools for making your dreams of a more authentic life come true. You can find the resources mentioned and all the podcast episodes here.

Who are you? What do you do? And—most important, does it bring you joy? Whether you call yourself an accountant, a zoologist or something else, the label doesn't define you, and yet… We spend so many of our waking hours in our career roles, but how much time do we spend exploring how well they serve us? How much have you thought about your career? In this episode of the Awaken Your Wise Woman podcast, host Elizabeth Cush, LCPC, a licensed professional therapist, founder of Progression Counseling in Annapolis, Md., and a mid-life women's life coach, and Wamite Muthara, founder of Career Safari, talk about new ways to look at life and work. Listen in as they discuss how they've found career paths that bring them joy, what inspired them and what it's like to align your career with your better self. “I get energized and inspired by any woman, any person, who takes a moment to bet on themselves, who takes a chance on aligning their purpose and their gifts.” — Wamita Muthara Listen and learn: What a “hybrid professional” is and what it's like to be one The feelings, thoughts and experiences that might nudge us away from a traditional career Why you don't have to rearrange your life overnight Why it's important to see past the job title How Career Safari started and how it has evolved The unexpected benefits of restructuring your career How we can get lured into forgetting ourselves and our needs Why you're your mor effective when your work is aligned with your authentic self Key questions to ask yourself about your life and work You can find all the resources for this and very episode here.

If you're just checking the boxes as you go through your day, this episode of Awaken Your Wise Woman is for you. Host Elizabeth Cush welcomes Susie Pettit, founder of the Love Your Life School and host of the Love Your Life Show. “We often aren't taught the tools that we need to love our life and manage our brains and take care of our mental health.” — Susie Pettit Sure, your life looks great on the outside. But how does it feel inside? Maybe you know you need to make changes. Or maybe you feel like your life's OK. Not great, but it is what it is. It might be better if things were different, but you might not even be sure which things should be different. Where would you start? This episode of the Awaken Your Wise Woman podcast might offer some answers. Host Elizabeth Cush, LCPC, a licensed professional therapist, founder of Progression Counseling in Annapolis, Md., and a mid-life women's life coach, welcomes Susie Pettit, a certified parenting/life/wellness coach who founded the Love Your Life School and hosts the Love Your Life Show podcast. They talk about hitting bottom, setting boundaries, people-pleasing and co-dependance, and how small changes can you lead you toward living a life that reflects your authentic self. Find this episode and the show notes for all episodes here.

Listen in on this episode of Awaken Your Wise Woman, as host Elizabeth Cush marks the six-year anniversary of the podcast. How long have you been listening to the Awaken Your Wise Woman podcast? This month marks its sixth anniversary. Did you just discover the podcast recently? Or have you been part of this amazing community since the beginning? Whether you've heard one episode or a hundred, listen in now as host Biz Cush, LCPC, a licensed professional therapist, founder of Progression Counseling in Annapolis, Md., and a life coach for highly sensitive women, talks about launching the podcast, how it has evolved over the years, and the personal experiences and insights that drove those changes—including a story that she has never told before. She'll also talk what keeps her motivated to keep sharing these powerful conversations with the world. “As I did more of my own self work, I realized that it was important to share other stories of healing.” — Biz Cush You can find the full show notes of this and every episode here.

How do you find the strength to go on after trauma and abuse? Learn how one woman did it in this episode of Awaken Your Wise Woman as host Elizabeth Cush welcomes Kimberly Bell, author of “The Epitome of Kimmy: Accept & Embrace It All.” “I can break generational curses and taboos that I was raised with.” — Kimberly Bell If you experienced trauma as a child—whether physical, sexual or emotional abuse; neglect, or abandonment—it can often feel hard to survive, much less thrive, long into adulthood. The loss, the pain, the grief can feel like too much to bear and keep us from the joys of life. But it doesn't have to be that way. Healing is within reach. In this episode of the Awaken Your Wise Woman podcast, host Elizabeth Cush, LCPC, a licensed professional therapist, founder of Progression Counseling in Annapolis, Md., and a mid-life women's life coach, welcomes Kimberly Bell, author, inspirational speaker, minister and mentor for an intimate discussion of how she overcome her beginnings and found a path to resilience. You can find all the recources and link for this and every episode here.

If everyone around you denies it, did it really happen? Find out in this episode of Awaken Your Wise Woman as host Elizabeth Cush welcomes Lynn Crook, author of “False Memories: The Deception That Silenced Millions.” In 1991, Lynn Crook sued her parents for damages after she recovered memories of childhood sexual abuse by her father. At the time, believing media reports, most of her community insisted that her memories were false. But a key memory study was flawed, and the judge found in her favor. In this episode of the Awaken Your Wise Woman podcast, host Elizabeth Cush, LCPC, a licensed professional therapist, founder of Progression Counseling in Annapolis, Md., and a mid-life women's life coach, welcomes Lynn Crook for a talk about her experiences; her book, “False Memories: The Deception That Silenced Millions;” and the importance of speaking your truth. “There's essentially no corroboration for claims that memories like mine are false.” — Lynn Crook You can find the full show notes and resources mentioned for this and all the episodes here.

Welcome the new year with this episode of Awaken Your Wise Woman, and join host Elizabeth Cush in a centering meditation. It's a new year! January, as you might remember, gets its name from the two-faced Roman god Janus, who could look back at the old year and forward at the new. That makes it a perfect time to take stock of our lives and release those things that no longer serve us so we can move into the future without unnecessary burdens. In this episode of the Awaken Your Wise Woman podcast, host Biz Cush, LCPC, a licensed professional therapist, founder of Progression Counseling in Annapolis, Md., and a life coach for highly sensitive women, talks about the New Year and how you can help shape the podcast in the months ahead. She also leads a guided centering meditation designed to help you get grounded; cleanse and nourish yourself; shed unwanted habits and embrace the new you.   You can find the full show notes for this and every episode here.

If you have an unhealthy relationship with food, listen to this episode of Awaken Your Wise Woman as host Elizabeth Cush welcomes holistic nutritionist Ali Shapiro for a conversation about emotional eating. “I really think food is inviting you into deeper healing, physically, emotionally, and on the soul level.” — Ali Shapiro At the end of a tough day, do you curl up on the sofa with a book and a bag of chips? Does a confrontation send you on a search for chocolate, cake or a hot fudge sundae? Do you celebrate with a special meal—and maybe a second helping? What can you do if you turn to food at times when you wish you didn't? Or wished you didn't overdo it? In this episode of the Awaken Your Wise Woman podcast, host Elizabeth Cush, LCPC, a licensed professional therapist, founder of Progression Counseling in Annapolis, Md., and a mid-life women's life coach, welcomes Ali Shapiro, MSOD, CHCC, a holistic nutritionist and host of the podcast Insatiable for a talk about food and emotional eating. Listen to their insights about food and eating and health at midlife and how to make a truce with food and bring it all into better balance. You can find the full show notes and Ali's links here. https://www.elizabethcushcoaching.com/awaken-your-wise-woman-podcast     

If you've reached midlife, you know that your body has changed. So has your partner's. For one, things don't work the same way they did in your younger days. How has that affected your sex life? And if your sex life isn't great for one or both of you, how has that affected your relationship? And what can you do about it? In this episode of the Awaken Your Wise Woman podcast, host Elizabeth Cush, LCPC, a licensed professional therapist, founder of Progression Counseling in Annapolis, Md., and a mid-life women's life coach, welcomes Dr. Deb Shine Valentine, a licensed clinical psychotherapist and a certified sex therapist for an open and unencumbered discussion about sex and intimacy as we grow older. They talk about challenges to physical intimacy that midlife couples face and how to address them in order to have a closer and more fulfilling relationship on every level at any age. “You can tell your partner how to load the dishwasher. How come you can't tell them what to do sexually?” — Heather England   You can find the full show notes and links to all the episodes here.  

What do you know about “parts” work? If you listen regularly to Awaken Your Wise Woman, you'll be familiar with Internal Family Systems (IFS). If you're a new listener, this episode will open you to new possibilities. Host Biz Cush, LCPC, a licensed professional therapist, founder of Progression Counseling in Annapolis, Md., and a life coach for highly sensitive women, recently attended the IFS conference, where she was trained in a variety of techniques for using IFS to help therapy and coaching clients get in touch with all their parts and create the compassionate and understanding relationships with those parts that lead to healing. Listen as she shares her experience and insights into this information-packed program. “This is your opportunity to help you bring your body, your soul, yourself, your parts into the work to find a deeper level of healing, of understanding, of compassion, of curiosity, and to the next part of your journey.” — Biz Cush   You can find the full show notes for this and every episode here.

Do you feel like if you suffer enough, the world around you will get better? In this episode of Awaken Your Wise Woman, host Elizabeth Cush talks with Deb Shine Valentine, PhD, about thriving while you work to change the world.   “It's a very fine line between saving and centering … whether it's a community or an individual.” — Deb Shine Valentine You can find the full show notes here.

None of us live in a vacuum. We live in families, in communities. In this episode of Awaken Your Wise Woman, host Elizabeth Cush talks with Catherine Quiring about healing systemic harms—for ourselves and the world. We often talk about how our early family live has shaped how we think, feel and react to life. But what about the bigger systems we're raised within—religion, for example, or the culture where we live. What is their impact? And how can we heal the wounds they might cause us? In this episode of the Awaken Your Wise Woman podcast, host Elizabeth Cush, LCPC, a licensed professional therapist, founder of Progression Counseling in Annapolis, Md., and a mid-life women's life coach, welcomes Catherine Quiring, a fellow therapist and coach in Florida, for a discussion of the how our belief systems shape us and the world around us. They talk about the need for empathy and how breaking free from systems that burden us can help us get back to ourselves and our values—and maybe make a better world. “We need to acknowledge the harm—and that's actually really healing for both sides, if we allow it.” — Catherine Quiring Find the full show notes and other episodes here.

Are your relationships changing as you reach mid-life? In this episode of Awaken Your Wise Woman, host Elizabeth Cush talks about our friendships and how they may change as we move through the healing process and grow into our authentic selves.   “Sometimes friendships and partners and our acquaintances shift and change over the years.” —Biz Cush You can find the full show notes and links to resources to all the spisodes here.

Welcome back! In this episode of Awaken Your Wise Woman, host Elizabeth Cush talks about lessons learned about sensitivity during the hiatus. Listen to find out what's in store in this exciting new season of the podcast—and what you can learn from listening to Biz and her guests. “The world needs more sensitive people showing up fully, especially sensitive women."  — Biz Cush You can find the full show notes and all the AYWW episodes here!  

I'm so excited because the Sensitive Strong and Unstoppable: Group for Women Who Feel it All starts in one week! This group has been my dream for a long time, and I can feel the powerful energy of sensitive women coming together as I sit here writing this. It's as if my heart is expanding with the divine energy I know we'll be creating. If you haven't booked a call yet, and you're curious, or have been considering joining like-minded, sensitive women from all over, it's time to schedule your free-30-minute call with me. There's only a short time left to hold your spot for this first round of the group—at an amazingly affordable price.  We're meeting on every other Monday at 12-1:30pmET beginning September 25th.  Just a couple weeks away! The 30-minute calls are an opportunity to answer any questions you have, for me to get to know your sensitive soul, and to make sure this group is right for you. Feeling on the fence? Why not book a call? I'd love for you explore with me and other sensitive women: Our HSP strengths and struggles IFS + Sensitive Parts work Mindfulness + Meditation Boundaries + Self-care Self-compassion practice I would love to have you be a part of this. I can feel it's your turn to shine...Join me! Book a call and let's talk.

If you're a highly sensitive person (HSP), chances are you have trouble finding your voice—and that can cause a lot of anxiety. In this episode of AYWW, host Elizabeth Cush welcomes back psychotherapist April Snow, who talks about how you can learn to trust your voice, set healthy boundaries and speak up for your needs. “We start to doubt ourselves. We start to silence that inner wisdom, that intuition.” — April Snow   Click the link to find out more about this episode and the group for highly sensitive women.    

Season 3 of the podcast is winding down. And season 4 is gearing up! In this episode Biz Cush talks about her upcoming coaching group for highly sensitive women, and the topics for season 4. You can find the full show notes here. Or sign up for more information about the group here.

If the hot weather has kept you at home for the past months, this replay of an episode from 2021 and  Woman Worriers is for you. Host Elizabeth Cush provides a change of scenery with a mindful beach walk visualization. “Doing a little visualization might be a nice change of scenery, even if it's just in your mind.” — Elizabeth Cush   You can find all the epsiodes for the podcast here. And if you want to know more about the group for highly sensitive women click here!   Elizabeth's coaching website Sensitive, Strong, and Unstoppable: Group Coaching For Women Who Feel It All Are You Highly Sensitive? Quiz Sign up for Biz's Newsletter Biz's Blog Guided meditations on Insight Timer Progression Counseling    

This is a replay of an interview with Rebecca from 2021 (Woman Worriers episode 141) Do you wince a little when you get out of the shower and look in the mirror? Listen to this week's episode of Woman Worriers, as host Elizabeth Cush welcomes Rebecca Scritchfield, a dietitian, exercise physiologist and author of Body Kindness: Transform your health from inside out and never say diet again.  “People cannot hate themselves healthy—and shame doesn't make anyone healthier.” — Rebecca Scritchfield   You can find this and all the AYWW episodes here- https://www.elizabethcushcoaching.com/awaken-your-wise-woman-podcast     

If your anxiety keeps you awake at night, listen to this episode of Awaken Your Wise Woman. Host Elizabeth Cush interviews insomnia and anxiety specialist Yishan Xu, Ph.D., who shares some eye-opening information about sleep and mental health. “We really just need to listen to our body, understand what our body needs.”  — Dr. Yishan Xu   You can find the full show notes, and an affiliate link and coupon code for Dr. Xu's Insomnia Course here- http://www.elizabethcushcoaching.com/podcast-all-awaken-your-wise-woman/sleep-and-mental-health