Podcasts about Avoidance

Born in Toronto, Canada, Tim C is a member of SAA, SLAA, CoDA, and ITAA and he considers pornography and masturbation his most obvious addictions. He entered 12-Step recovery in 2013 and he has benefited from his fellowships' literature, The Big Book, his Christian upbringing, and from his Buddhist practice.Reco12 is an open-to-all addictions and afflictions organization, dedicated to exploring the common threads of the differing manifestations of alcoholism; sharing tools, and offering hope from those walking a similar path. So whether your “thing” is alcohol, drugs, sex, gambling, food, … whatever… you are home here.  We gather from diverse backgrounds, faiths, and locations to learn from and support one another. Our speakers come from various fellowships and experiences, demonstrating the universal principles of recovery.  Reco12 is not allied or affiliated with any specific 12 Step fellowship.Donations:Support Reco12's 12th Step Mission! Help provide powerful audio resources for addicts and their loved ones. Your contributions cover Zoom, podcasts, web hosting, and admin costs.  Those costs are a little over $1000 per year.Monthly Donations: Reco12 SupportOne-Time Donations: PayPal | Venmo: @Reco-Twelve | Patreon | WISEYour support, whether financially or word-of-mouth, makes a difference—thank you!Outro music is "TAKIN BACK MY HEART", written and performed by Timber Masterson, a past Reco12 Speaker.  This song is used with full permission from Timber Masterson.  You may find more of his music on Spotify and Apple Music (https://open.spotify.com/track/5K7jzhSrbpSumYvML1NRzY )Information on Noodle It Out with Nikki M Big Book Roundtable Informational Seeking and educating on how to donate to Reco12.Support the showPrivate Facebook GroupInstagram PageBecome a Reco12 Spearhead (Monthly Supporter)PatreonPayPalVenmo: @Reco-TwelveYouTube ChannelReco12 WebsiteEmail:  reco12pod@gmail.com to join WhatsApp GroupReco12 Shares PodcastReco12 Shares Record a Share LinkReco12 Noodle It Out with Nikki M PodcastReco12 Big Book Roundtable Podcast

What Your Body Archetype Reveals About Your Core Wounds, Self-Care Patterns, and Emotional Survival StrategiesIn this powerful episode, JJ shares one of the most eye-opening exercises from her beta Eight-Week Body Reset program—an assessment designed to uncover the hidden archetypes that sabotage self-care, health goals, and personal growth. What participants discovered wasn't simply why they struggle with exercise, nutrition, or consistency. They uncovered the emotional survival strategies running beneath their behaviors.JJ reveals the most common archetypes identified by participants—including the Avoider, Perfectionist, Overachiever, Emotional Eater, and Information Collector—and explains why these patterns are rarely about food, fitness, or willpower. Instead, they're often rooted in fear, abandonment, rejection, shame, and unmet emotional needs.You'll learn why procrastination is often nervous system protection rather than laziness, how perfectionism masks deeper fears of criticism and failure, and why so many people continue gathering information instead of taking action. JJ also connects these archetypes directly to her Core Wound framework, showing how self-care struggles often mirror the ways we unconsciously abandon ourselves.The episode explores four major themes that emerged from the exercise:"If I can't do it perfectly, I won't do it at all."Avoidance as emotional protection.Why self-care feels selfish.The real cost of neglecting yourself isn't weight gain—it's losing freedom, confidence, trust, and opportunities.JJ explains how true transformation isn't about becoming thinner, more disciplined, or more productive. It's about becoming someone who trusts themselves, keeps promises to themselves, feels worthy, and no longer needs survival strategies to feel safe.In This Episode:The five most common body archetypes and what they revealHow fear disguises itself as perfectionism, procrastination, and information gatheringThe connection between self-care and abandonment woundsWhy weight is often a symptom, not the real problemHow emotional avoidance creates anxiety and physical symptomsThe role of feelings, needs, and nervous system regulation in lasting changeWhy accountability is one of the most powerful forms of self-loveAn introduction to the upcoming Metabolic Transformation Studio membershipKey TakeawayYour health habits are not character flaws. They're often emotional protection strategies created to keep you safe. When you identify the wound beneath the behavior and begin meeting your deeper needs, self-care becomes less about willpower and more about self-love.Resources Mentioned:Body Archetype Assessment: jjflizanes.com/archetypeFeelings & Needs ListEight-Week Body ResetRewiring Your Core Wound PatternsMetabolic Transformation Studio https://jjflizanes.com/studio

What Your Body Archetype Reveals About Your Core Wounds, Self-Care Patterns, and Emotional Survival StrategiesIn this powerful episode, JJ shares one of the most eye-opening exercises from her beta Eight-Week Body Reset program—an assessment designed to uncover the hidden archetypes that sabotage self-care, health goals, and personal growth. What participants discovered wasn't simply why they struggle with exercise, nutrition, or consistency. They uncovered the emotional survival strategies running beneath their behaviors.JJ reveals the most common archetypes identified by participants—including the Avoider, Perfectionist, Overachiever, Emotional Eater, and Information Collector—and explains why these patterns are rarely about food, fitness, or willpower. Instead, they're often rooted in fear, abandonment, rejection, shame, and unmet emotional needs.You'll learn why procrastination is often nervous system protection rather than laziness, how perfectionism masks deeper fears of criticism and failure, and why so many people continue gathering information instead of taking action. JJ also connects these archetypes directly to her Core Wound framework, showing how self-care struggles often mirror the ways we unconsciously abandon ourselves.The episode explores four major themes that emerged from the exercise:"If I can't do it perfectly, I won't do it at all."Avoidance as emotional protection.Why self-care feels selfish.The real cost of neglecting yourself isn't weight gain—it's losing freedom, confidence, trust, and opportunities.JJ explains how true transformation isn't about becoming thinner, more disciplined, or more productive. It's about becoming someone who trusts themselves, keeps promises to themselves, feels worthy, and no longer needs survival strategies to feel safe.In This Episode:The five most common body archetypes and what they revealHow fear disguises itself as perfectionism, procrastination, and information gatheringThe connection between self-care and abandonment woundsWhy weight is often a symptom, not the real problemHow emotional avoidance creates anxiety and physical symptomsThe role of feelings, needs, and nervous system regulation in lasting changeWhy accountability is one of the most powerful forms of self-loveAn introduction to the upcoming Metabolic Transformation Studio membershipKey TakeawayYour health habits are not character flaws. They're often emotional protection strategies created to keep you safe. When you identify the wound beneath the behavior and begin meeting your deeper needs, self-care becomes less about willpower and more about self-love.Resources Mentioned:Body Archetype Assessment: jjflizanes.com/archetypeFeelings & Needs ListEight-Week Body ResetRewiring Your Core Wound PatternsMetabolic Transformation Studio https://jjflizanes.com/studio

What Your Body Archetype Reveals About Your Core Wounds, Self-Care Patterns, and Emotional Survival StrategiesIn this powerful episode, JJ shares one of the most eye-opening exercises from her beta Eight-Week Body Reset program—an assessment designed to uncover the hidden archetypes that sabotage self-care, health goals, and personal growth. What participants discovered wasn't simply why they struggle with exercise, nutrition, or consistency. They uncovered the emotional survival strategies running beneath their behaviors.JJ reveals the most common archetypes identified by participants—including the Avoider, Perfectionist, Overachiever, Emotional Eater, and Information Collector—and explains why these patterns are rarely about food, fitness, or willpower. Instead, they're often rooted in fear, abandonment, rejection, shame, and unmet emotional needs.You'll learn why procrastination is often nervous system protection rather than laziness, how perfectionism masks deeper fears of criticism and failure, and why so many people continue gathering information instead of taking action. JJ also connects these archetypes directly to her Core Wound framework, showing how self-care struggles often mirror the ways we unconsciously abandon ourselves.The episode explores four major themes that emerged from the exercise:"If I can't do it perfectly, I won't do it at all."Avoidance as emotional protection.Why self-care feels selfish.The real cost of neglecting yourself isn't weight gain—it's losing freedom, confidence, trust, and opportunities.JJ explains how true transformation isn't about becoming thinner, more disciplined, or more productive. It's about becoming someone who trusts themselves, keeps promises to themselves, feels worthy, and no longer needs survival strategies to feel safe.In This Episode:The five most common body archetypes and what they revealHow fear disguises itself as perfectionism, procrastination, and information gatheringThe connection between self-care and abandonment woundsWhy weight is often a symptom, not the real problemHow emotional avoidance creates anxiety and physical symptomsThe role of feelings, needs, and nervous system regulation in lasting changeWhy accountability is one of the most powerful forms of self-loveAn introduction to the upcoming Metabolic Transformation Studio membershipKey TakeawayYour health habits are not character flaws. They're often emotional protection strategies created to keep you safe. When you identify the wound beneath the behavior and begin meeting your deeper needs, self-care becomes less about willpower and more about self-love.Resources Mentioned:Body Archetype Assessment: jjflizanes.com/archetypeFeelings & Needs ListEight-Week Body ResetRewiring Your Core Wound PatternsMetabolic Transformation Studio https://jjflizanes.com/studio

What Your Body Archetype Reveals About Your Core Wounds, Self-Care Patterns, and Emotional Survival StrategiesIn this powerful episode, JJ shares one of the most eye-opening exercises from her beta Eight-Week Body Reset program—an assessment designed to uncover the hidden archetypes that sabotage self-care, health goals, and personal growth. What participants discovered wasn't simply why they struggle with exercise, nutrition, or consistency. They uncovered the emotional survival strategies running beneath their behaviors.JJ reveals the most common archetypes identified by participants—including the Avoider, Perfectionist, Overachiever, Emotional Eater, and Information Collector—and explains why these patterns are rarely about food, fitness, or willpower. Instead, they're often rooted in fear, abandonment, rejection, shame, and unmet emotional needs.You'll learn why procrastination is often nervous system protection rather than laziness, how perfectionism masks deeper fears of criticism and failure, and why so many people continue gathering information instead of taking action. JJ also connects these archetypes directly to her Core Wound framework, showing how self-care struggles often mirror the ways we unconsciously abandon ourselves.The episode explores four major themes that emerged from the exercise:"If I can't do it perfectly, I won't do it at all."Avoidance as emotional protection.Why self-care feels selfish.The real cost of neglecting yourself isn't weight gain—it's losing freedom, confidence, trust, and opportunities.JJ explains how true transformation isn't about becoming thinner, more disciplined, or more productive. It's about becoming someone who trusts themselves, keeps promises to themselves, feels worthy, and no longer needs survival strategies to feel safe.In This Episode:The five most common body archetypes and what they revealHow fear disguises itself as perfectionism, procrastination, and information gatheringThe connection between self-care and abandonment woundsWhy weight is often a symptom, not the real problemHow emotional avoidance creates anxiety and physical symptomsThe role of feelings, needs, and nervous system regulation in lasting changeWhy accountability is one of the most powerful forms of self-loveAn introduction to the upcoming Metabolic Transformation Studio membershipKey TakeawayYour health habits are not character flaws. They're often emotional protection strategies created to keep you safe. When you identify the wound beneath the behavior and begin meeting your deeper needs, self-care becomes less about willpower and more about self-love.Resources Mentioned:Body Archetype Assessment: jjflizanes.com/archetypeFeelings & Needs ListEight-Week Body ResetRewiring Your Core Wound PatternsMetabolic Transformation Studio https://jjflizanes.com/studio

Self-improvement becomes a problem not when you want to grow, but when you can't stop — when the pursuit of better shifts from something you choose to something that's running in the background whether you want it to or not. The growth trap is what happens when self-improvement stops being a tool and starts being a treadmill, and the difference between the two can be almost invisible until you know what to look for. What You'll Learn in This Episode Why the growth trap looks exactly like motivation from the outside — and often from the inside too The distinction between "becoming" (moving toward something you want) and "escaping" (moving away from something you're not ready to feel) Six specific signs that self-improvement has crossed into avoidance Why self-worth that rises and falls with productivity is one of the clearest warning signals What presence, acceptance, and integration actually mean — and why all three are required for sustainable growth Why integration is the most overlooked piece of personal development A practical 15-minute invitation for this week that costs nothing and reveals a lot Episode Timestamps [0:00] Introduction [1:00] What the growth trap actually is [3:00] Why self-improvement is not the problem [5:00] How growth becomes avoidance [8:00] Becoming vs. escaping — the key distinction [11:00] Six signs self-improvement has become another way to run [13:00] The emotional cost of constantly trying to fix yourself [15:00] Presence, acceptance, and integration [17:00] Integration: the missing piece [18:00] Closing questions and weekly practice Episode Summary Most high-achievers don't have a growth problem — they have a relationship problem with stillness. The growth trap Brett describes in this episode isn't about ambition or discipline. It isn't even about the specific habits or goals someone has. It's about the engine underneath: whether growth is moving you toward something you genuinely want, or whether it's keeping you busy enough that you don't have to feel something you're not ready to face. The trap is hard to spot because from the outside — and often from the inside — avoidance-driven growth looks identical to healthy, motivated self-improvement. Same morning routine. Same workout schedule. Same reading list. The difference isn't the activity. It's the relationship to stillness. As Brett puts it: one person's running toward a finish line they actually want to cross; the other is running because something's chasing them. Two people can have the exact same workout schedule and the exact same reading list. For one of them it's fuel. For the other it's flight. A key framework in this episode is the distinction between becoming and escaping. Becoming is movement toward — driven by curiosity about who you could be. Escaping is movement away from — driven by not being able to stand who you are right now. The practical difference: becoming can hold ambition and acceptance at the same time. Escaping can't. In escaping, growth becomes conditional — you don't get to feel okay until you've hit the next goal, and once you do, the goalposts move, because the goal was never really the goal. The goal was relief. Brett names six signs worth paying attention to. You feel anxious or restless without a goal to chase. Your sense of self-worth rises and falls with your productivity. You're constantly consuming — more books, more frameworks, more podcasts — but rarely pausing to actually live what you've already learned. Rest feels like something you have to earn or recover from guilt about. When something painful happens, your first move is always to fix it before you've let yourself feel it. And there's a quiet background sense that you'll finally be okay once you get there — except "there" keeps moving. The emotional cost Brett describes is specific: it's not the tiredness of hard work. It's the tiredness of never being allowed to just be a person, of never getting to clock out from the project of yourself. Over time, that kind of growth makes your relationship with yourself adversarial — always evaluating, always finding the gap, always pointing at what's next. No amount of external achievement can resolve an internal belief that you're fundamentally not okay as you are. The alternative isn't to stop growing. It's to make sure growth has three things alongside it: presence, acceptance, and integration. Presence means being able to be where you are — including in discomfort or stillness — without immediately needing to fix or improve it. Acceptance means being fully okay with who you are right now and still wanting to grow. These aren't opposites. As Brett says, you can plant a garden because you love the land, not because you hate how it looks right now. And integration — the most overlooked piece — means actually living what you've learned, letting an insight change how you show up instead of collecting it and moving on to the next thing before it's had time to settle. This episode is a natural companion to everything on the Growth & Self-Becoming pillar — particularly the question of what it actually means to grow into who you want to be, rather than just optimizing further and faster. Brett closes with five reflection questions and a simple weekly practice: one day, 15 minutes, nothing productive. No podcast, no journaling prompt, no plan. Just sit. And when the discomfort shows up — don't fix it. Notice it. That's the whole practice, because if growth is going to be sustainable, it has to be able to coexist with moments of doing nothing at all. Keep Exploring If this episode resonated, be sure to check out: Growth & Self-Becoming Guide — The full framework for growing into who you actually want to be, not just who you've been optimizing toward → optyoumize.com/growth-and-self-becoming Enjoyed This Episode? The best way to support optYOUmize is to subscribe and leave a review — it takes about two minutes and makes a real difference in helping more people find the show. Apple Podcasts · Spotify · Amazon Music · YouTube Leave a Review →  

“Until we consciously choose the beliefs that affect our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, we will be driven by the unconscious, fear-based part of the brain.” ~ Bill Crawford, PhD (https://www.billcrawfordphd.com/quote-video-blog/)

Here is a pattern I've seen play out hundreds of times with high-achieving women: the more capable you are, the more convincing your avoidance becomes. Not the obvious kind — procrastination, distraction, scrolling. The sophisticated kind. The kind that looks exactly like doing something. Researching instead of starting. Refining the plan instead of executing it. Finding the most articulate explanation for why this particular moment isn't quite the right one. Intelligent avoidance doesn't feel like hiding. It feels productive. It generates a genuine sense of forward motion. And it keeps you exactly where you are. This episode is for the woman who is very smart, deeply self-aware in many ways, and still hasn't done the thing she knows she needs to do. It's not a judgment. It's an invitation to look at the pattern clearly — because the moment you can see it, it loses most of its power. Ready to go deeper? Grab my book, The Consistency Code: A Midlife Woman's Guide to Deep Health and Happiness, at https://theconsistencycode.com #GraceAndGritPodcast #MidlifeWomen #Avoidance #MidlifeHealth #WomenOver40 #HealthMindset #HighAchievers #TheConsistencyCode #MidlifeWellness #WomensHealth #Procrastination #SelfAwareness #SecondAct #WomenOver50 #OverthinkingWomen  

Boundaries are often presented as the answer to difficult relationships, workplace stress, and emotional well-being. But what happens when a boundary is actually avoidance in disguise? In this episode, Paul Wagner and Ray Christner explore the complicated space between protecting yourself and limiting your growth. They discuss how rigid boundaries can sometimes create new problems, why flexibility matters, and how anxiety can influence the decisions we make about work, relationships, and personal fulfillment. Through clinical examples and practical insights, they examine how to recognize when a boundary is serving you, when it may be holding you back, and how to make thoughtful decisions that align with your values. This conversation offers clinicians and listeners a fresh perspective on balancing self-protection, growth, and meaningful connection.Brightminds AdPAR Ad This episode is brought to you by PAR.Explore the AI Report Writer here:https://www.parinc.com/product/ai-report-writer?utm_campaign=38111624-Psyched%20to%20Practice%202026&utm_source=P2P%20Podcast&utm_medium=Related%20PodcastsLearn more about the RIAS-2 NU here:https://www.parinc.com/product/groups/rias-rist-assessments?utm_campaign=38111624-Psyched%20to%20Practice%202026&utm_source=P2P%20Podcast&utm_medium=Related%20PodcastsTo hear more and stay up to date with Paul Wagner, MS, LPC and Ray Christner, Psy.D., NCSP, ABPP visit our website at: http://www.psychedtopractice.com “Be well, and stay psyched"

Why Do We Ignore Our Pensions? I ignored my own pension for years, even while I worked in a bank. In this solo episode I talk about why pensions feel so easy to avoid, and the simple steps that turn them from a distant worry into real opportunity. Why do so many of us look away from our pensions? They feel distant, complicated and invisible, so the statements go in a drawer and we promise to deal with it another day. In this episode I am honest about the fact that I did exactly that for years, even while I worked in financial services. ----- If you want more from the podcast, take our quiz. We'll give you playlists that are full of exactly the information you want from the podcast. https://evolutionfinancialplanning.co.uk/financial-well-being-quiz/podcast-financial-wellbeing-quiz/ ----- I share the moment pensions went from a chore to something I genuinely love, and why I see what they do for my clients every week. One couple I worked with can now retire ten years earlier than they thought and spend that time travelling while they are fit and well. That is what a well planned pension can buy. Not just security, but opportunity. I also talk about the psychology of avoidance, the tax relief and employer contributions that behave like free money, the confusion that builds up when you have several old pensions, and why a new job is often the moment people finally start to pay attention. Then I share the practical steps that move you from avoidance to control. Key Takeaways · A pension is one of the few places your employer and the government top up your money for you · Avoidance is usually overwhelm, not laziness · Finding old pensions and keeping a simple list is the best first step · Consolidation can help or hurt, so understand what you hold before moving anything · Plan around the future life you want, not just the size of the pot If you do one thing this week, go and find your pensions and make a list. If you would like a second pair of eyes, you can book a no obligation conversation with me or my team at Evolution Financial Planning. Follow Accelerating Your Wealth wherever you listen, and don't forget to take our financial well-being quiz to get playlists matched to what you need.   --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Connect with Rebecca Robertson and the Podcast: Subscribe for weekly wealth-building strategies: https://www.youtube.com/@rebeccarobertsonifa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rebecca_robertsonifa & https://www.instagram.com/acceleratingyourwealth LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-financial-advisor Facebook :https://www.facebook.com/RebeccaRobertsonwealth www.evolutionfinancialplanning.co.uk Disclaimer: This content is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice.

In this episode of Talk Dizzy To Me, vestibular physical therapists Dr. Abbie Ross, PT, NCS and Dr. Danielle Tolman, PT sit down with neurologist Dr. Kristin Steenerson to unpack Persistent Postural Perceptual Dizziness, also known as 3PD or PPPD.If you feel dizzy, floaty, rocking, disoriented, or visually overwhelmed most days — especially in places like grocery stores, airports, busy restaurants, or while scrolling screens — this episode explains what may be happening in the brain and nervous system.Dr. Steenerson breaks down the diagnostic criteria for 3PD, why symptoms can continue even after the original vestibular problem improves, how 3PD overlaps with vestibular migraine, and why treatment often requires a combination of education, vestibular therapy, medication, cognitive strategies, lifestyle support, and gradual exposure.This conversation also addresses why 3PD is sometimes misunderstood, how hypervigilance plays a role, and why there is real hope for recovery and improved quality of life. Hosted by:

Get The 1.6:1 Ratio System: https://go.justinegliskis.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=book_funnelApply to work 1:1 with me: https://calendly.com/egliskiscapital/90-day-gameplan-sessionEmail: hey@justinegliskis.com to get in contact with meNew episodes out every Monday and Thursday at 10 AM Eastern TimeAddiction is attachment to a feeling you're afraid to lose. Every compulsive behavior is masking unprocessed pain.Alcohol, pornography, work, achievement—all versions of the same avoidance. Drew's quote: "Increase sacrifice or reduce desire." I've tried to quit tobacco so much—the over-obsession with quitting ruins me. I don't sit there enjoying tobacco thinking shamefully. There's no shame here. You identify the feeling you're chasing and the pain you're running from by creating space to be present with it.You can hear Satan more clearly when you're still. Satan communicates and traps in the littlest of moments—that's why small things are big things. You can't get free without knowing you're chained. Some seeds fall on good soil but the sun will be too strong. Here and now is present, here and now is a gift.Listen if you're ready for the healing path: feeling what you've been numbing instead of medicating it away. God will change your heart. I love you.Discover a podcast designed for entrepreneurs and solopreneurs navigating the challenges of entrepreneurship, offering insights on stress management, health and wellness, and overcoming imposter syndrome, while emphasizing work-life balance, energy alignment, and inner peace; explore topics like burnout recovery, business automation, scaling a business, business growth strategies, client management, mental resilience, overcoming anxiety, and achieving clearer thinking for sustainable success, using the blade of awareness, solving emotional dysfunction and unveiling the trickster within. Experience transformative solitude for entrepreneurs who seek to overcome loneliness while embracing spiritual isolation as a pathway to energy alignment and emotional clarity; learn to thrive alone and awaken in solitude through purposeful mental reset practices that cultivate an abundance mindset and build emotional resilience rooted in inner peace and deep self-inquiry, enabling mindful business growth through productivity that flows from peace rather than pressure, offering essential burnout recovery and healing alone strategies with specialized alignment coaching focused on deep listening skills that unlock success in silence and develop a resilient entrepreneur mindset capable of sustainable achievement.

"Avoiding Wounds Becoming Your Story" - Listen to my Morning Monologue: I'm sharing my take on pressing issues, enlightening research on human behavior, answering questions I get by email, and my favorite, most instructive interactions with callers. Everything you'll hear is designed to help you become a better spouse, parent, family member, co-worker, friend, and human being. It's the free therapy you need!  Got a dilemma? Call 1-800-DR-LAURA / 1-800-375-2872 or make an appointment at DrLaura.com Follow on social media: Facebook.com/DrLaura Instagram.com/DrLauraProgram YouTube.com/DrLaura Join the Dr. Laura Family!! >> Receive my weekly newsletter, perks, and more! Sign up now, it's FREE > DrLaura.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

For many couples, sex becomes loaded. Pressure. Expectation. Avoidance. Performance. Resentment. And once that dynamic sets in, even love can start to feel tense. In this episode of Reignite: Love, Sex & Truth for Conscious Couples, we explore how sexual dynamics become shaped by pursuer-withdrawer patterns, obligation, performance anxiety, shame, and unspoken needs… and what it actually takes to move back toward pleasure, connection, and erotic aliveness. They share their own experiences, challenge some of the cultural narratives we've inherited around sex, and offer a new possibility… one where intimacy feels nourishing instead of stressful.   What You'll Hear in This Episode: How pressure slowly builds in relationships through pursuer-withdrawer dynamics and emotional disconnection Why obligation, sex, fear of rejection, and performance anxiety create tension for both partners The essential ingredients pleasure actually needs: emotional safety, presence, honesty, and vulnerability What happens when you take orgasm off the table and focus on connection instead How shame, conditioning, and early experiences shape the way we relate to our own pleasure Why learning your body's unique experience of pleasure matters… and why your partner isn't a mind reader The connection between nervous system regulation, pelvic floor tension, and painful sexual experiences Why it's never too late to rewrite your sexual dynamic, no matter how long you've been together   Intimacy was never meant to feel like pressure. It wasn't meant to be a performance. Or an obligation. Or another item on the to-do list. It was meant to nourish. To connect. To awaken. And when couples learn how to slow down, communicate honestly, and create emotional safety…   ✨ Save your spot for our July and September Group Couples Retreat: A sacred, guided experience for five couples ready to reconnect, heal, and reignite. Reserve your retreat spot here:

Ep 258 “Long-Range Emotional Avoidance Systems” – National Gun Violence Awareness Month (Bullet Poof Bulletins) Celebrating the launch of eco-fiction anti-gun novella Bullet Poof and National Gun Violence Awareness Month, Avis Kalfsbeek brings back beloved Kitty O'Compost with the Bullet Poof Bulletins. Tonight on the Spoke-Easy stage, Kitty O'Compost deconstructs a leaked corporate marketing strategy that attempts to commodify emotional detachment. This bulletin satirizes an industry campaign that pitches precision long-range weaponry as a lifestyle solution for avoiding family conversations and relationship vulnerability. Inspired by the connective and grounded themes of Bullet Poof, this episode exposes how commercialized fear profits off human isolation, pointing us back to the real strength found in honest, face-to-face community connection. Resources: Bullet Poof is a hopeful eco-fiction novella about what happens when ordinary people refuse to accept the gun status quo. Get the book: https://www.aviskalfsbeek.com/bullet-poof National Gun Violence Awareness Month: www.wearorange.org Theme Music: "Turn the Steel" and punk intros produced by Avis Kalfsbeek (via ElevenLabs). Music Credits & Support: Buy LPs and music downloads directly from the bands' websites, or from platforms like Bandcamp where artists retain the majority of your purchase. This project is inspired by decades of punk ethos, raw energy, and the brilliant musicians who shaped the movement. The sonic landscape of this series was informed and inspired by: The Sex Pistols, Black Flag, Rites of Spring, The Buzzcocks, Minor Threat, The Clash, Social Distortion, Bad Religion, The Dead Kennedys, The Ramones, Jawbreaker, Fugazi, Rise Against, The Damned, The Stooges, Bad Brains, Bikini Kill, The Lawrence Arms, Husker Du, Pennywise, The Adicts, The Exploited, Descendents, Stiff Little Fingers, Crass, The Germs, Dropkick Murphys, Operation Ivy, Against Me!, Green Day, Blink-182, The Hives, Sleater-Kinney, The Violent Femmes, The Network, The Jam, The Gaslight Anthem, No Use For A Name, and The Interrupters.

Anxiety, Avoidance, Defensiveness, and Overreacting in the Anxiety Response Loop Avoidance, defensiveness, and overreacting are all expressions of the anxiety response loop at work in Christian women leaders. Each behavior is rooted in a dysregulated nervous system. Each one is driven by the same biological survival mechanism. And each one, when chronic, erodes relationships, diminishes leadership effectiveness, and ultimately contributes to burnout. When you break through anxiety, however, you shift the pendulum and can lead with calm, confidence, and consistency. Three Anxiety-Driven Behaviors in the Loop Overreacting: The Fight Response in Leadership Clothing Overreacting is the fight response. When your nervous system detects a threat — real or perceived — cortisol and adrenaline flood your body within seconds. Defensiveness: When Justifying Yourself Feels Like Survival Defensiveness is also rooted in the fight response. However, its origins are often more personal and more painful than overreacting. People-pleasing and defensiveness are woven together. Lack of trust Furthermore, defensiveness often signals a lack of trust in one's own judgment. Avoidance: The Flight and Freeze Response in Disguise Avoidance is the fight-or-freeze response. When your nervous system decides that fighting is too costly, it chooses a different strategy: avoid the threat entirely. Relationship of indecision and avoidance How These Behaviors Connect to the Rest of the Anxiety Response Loop None of the behaviors in the anxiety response loop exists in isolation. Avoidance, defensiveness, and overreacting are deeply connected to every behavior explored in this series. Faith, Strength, and Responding with Grace Instead of Reacting with Fear How Christian Women Leaders Can Break Free from Avoidance, Defensiveness, and Overreacting 1. Identify Your Default Response 2. Create a Gap Before You Respond. 3. Regulate Your Nervous System Daily, Not Just in Crisis 4. Trust the Holy Spirit with Your Decisions and Your Defense 5. Face What You Have Been Avoiding 6. Replace the Harsh Word with the Gentle Answer What This Looks Like in the Calm, Confident, Consistent Loop When you move out of avoidance, defensiveness, and overreacting and into the calm, confident, consistent leadership loop, your relationships begin to heal. The people around you relax because they are no longer bracing for an outsized reaction or waiting for the conversation you keep postponing. REFLECTION QUESTIONS Which of the three behaviors — overreacting, defensiveness, or avoidance — shows up most in your leadership right now? When you trace it back, what situation or relationship is most likely to trigger that response? What does your nervous system believe is threatening? What would it look like to trust the Holy Spirit's leading in the specific situation you have been avoiding or reacting to this week? Check out the FAQs on the blog. Read the full show notes and access all referenced links.

A lot of us are tired in a way that sleep doesn't fix. We're doing the things — the work, the list, the showing up — and still, something is pulling at us. A low hum of unfinished. For years, Robin Quinn Keehn thought that hum was a personal failing: not disciplined enough, not organized enough. It wasn't any of that. It was Open Loops. This is the backbone episode of the show — the one to send anyone who's new. Robin defines an Open Loop plainly (a commitment, promise, or agreement that's unfinished, incomplete, or outdated, quietly draining your time, energy, and peace), then walks through the three kinds almost all of us carry: Relational Loops with other people, Self-Loops — the promises we break to ourselves — and Unspoken Brokens, the things that needed to be said and never were. You'll hear why loops stay open (it's avoidance, not discipline), what they actually cost — especially what broken self-promises do to your confidence — and the three ways to close any loop: end it, evolve it, or recommit to it, on purpose. This is also where Robin introduces the free 5-Day Detox Your To-Do List Challenge, starting June 29. In this episode: What an Open Loop actually is — and why it stays quiet The three kinds: Relational Loops, Self-Loops, and Unspoken Brokens Why broken promises to yourself quietly erode your confidence Why open loops are an avoidance problem, not a discipline problem The real cost: time, energy, peace — and belief in yourself The three ways to close any loop: end it, evolve it, recommit to it An invitation to the free 5-Day Detox Your To-Do List Challenge (starts June 29) If this episode resonated with you, you might enjoy our free People Skillz community — a structured space to practice steadier, more intentional communication. We also created a short Communication Patterns Quiz to help you identify how you respond under pressure. You'll find both here.

Let's Think About "Emotional Avoidance" With Special Guest Michelle Maidenberg In this thoughtful episode of Mitzi, Let's Think About It, we explore emotional avoidance with special guest Michelle Maidenberg. Together, we unpack what it means to avoid difficult emotions, why so many people disconnect from what they feel, and how learning to embrace our emotions can open the door to healing, clarity, and deeper self-awareness. Michelle shares a powerful reminder: we are emotional creatures who think, not just thinking beings who occasionally feel. This conversation invites listeners to slow down, reflect, and consider how emotional avoidance may be shaping their relationships, choices, and everyday lives. We also talk about how short life is, how meaningful moments can arrive unexpectedly, and why being present with both heart and mind matters so much. If you are interested in emotional health, self-awareness, personal growth, mindfulness, mental wellness, and deeper thinking, this episode offers an honest and compassionate space to reflect. Whether you have struggled to sit with hard feelings or simply want to understand yourself and others more fully, this episode is designed to help you think, feel, and grow. Tune in to Let's Think About “Emotional Avoidance” with Michelle Maidenberg for a warm, insightful conversation about emotions, healing, personal growth, and the significance of being fully present in your life.         To stay in touch, please visit Michelle's website at https://michellemaidenberg.com/ to learn more about her.

In this solo Ask Me Anything episode, Ryan Michler tackles some of the most common challenges men face in midlife: complacency after success, leading a family without becoming controlling, overcoming conflict avoidance, dealing with regret, and building meaningful male friendships. Ryan shares practical frameworks for finding purpose after you've achieved your goals, developing conviction without coercion, stepping into leadership at home, and letting go of past mistakes through accountability and changed behavior. He also offers candid advice on creating deeper connections with other men and why meaningful struggles are essential for growth and fulfillment.  SHOW HIGHLIGHTS 00:12 - Introduction and Iron Council Preview Call 01:20 - Staying Sharp After Success and Comfort 07:09 - Passing Faith to a Teenage Son Without Control 12:32 - The Midlife Emptiness Many Men Experience 15:28 - Overcoming Conflict Avoidance and People-Pleasing 30:50 - Leading Your Family Without a Power Grab 44:18 - How to Deal with Real Regret and Move Forward 55:32 - Why Men Struggle to Build Deep Friendships 01:05:30 - Where to Find Strong Male Relationships 01:06:55 - Final Thoughts and Closing Remarks   Battle Planners: Pick yours up today! Order Ryan's new book, The Masculinity Manifesto. For more information on the Iron Council brotherhood. Want maximum health, wealth, relationships, and abundance in your life? Sign up for our free course, 30 Days to Battle Ready

What you resist really does persist… and the anxiety-avoidance cycle can keep you trapped in a small life for years. If you avoid social situations, difficult conversations, travel, dating, decision-making, presentations, or anything that makes you anxious, this episode is for you. Avoidance is one of the most common coping mechanisms people use for anxiety… but it's also one of the biggest reasons anxiety continues to grow. And the problem with avoidance is you can't stop thinking about something that you're trying to avoid. In today's episode, we're unpacking the psychology of avoidance and how it ultimately reinforces fear, shrinks your comfort zone, and keeps you stuck. Tune in if you want to learn how to face your fears, build confidence in your ability to deal with stress, and live a more expansive life. We cover: Why avoidance is one of the most common coping strategies The anxiety-avoidance cycle and how it feeds anxiety Why avoiding difficult conversations creates more stress than just having them Internal avoidance: avoiding thoughts, uncertainty, decisions, and emotions How avoidance can shrink your world and limit your opportunities How Metacognitive Therapy approaches anxiety and avoidance Building tolerance for uncertainty and discomfort Using gradual exposure: the "fear ladder" Prompts to change how you think about your anxiety The Fear List exercise that helped me get unstuck If you've been feeling trapped by anxiety, fear, and avoidance, this episode is your reminder that discomfort is not dangerous… and life usually expands on the other side of the things we're afraid of.   For advertising and sponsorship inquiries, please contact Frequency Podcast Network. Subscribe to my Substack:teachmehowtoadult.substack.comFollow us on the ‘gram:@teachmehowtoadultmedia@gillian.bernerFollow on TikTok: @teachmehowtoadultSubscribe on YouTube

Zach sits down with James and Molly Christensen, a married couple and fellow therapists based in Sacramento, who spent more than six years in couples therapy before it actually worked. They burned through eight therapists, logged over a hundred sessions, and came within reach of a marriage that had been quietly failing for years. The fact that they are now both practicing couples therapists themselves makes this conversation something rare: a behind-the-curtain look at what the struggle actually looks like from inside.The conversation gets honest fast. James names what he had to face: narcissism, manipulation, a sense of superiority, and an inability to take feedback without it threatening his identity. Molly describes her own side of the dynamic, a deeply people-pleasing, avoidant woman who had been raised to see relationships as transactional, and who spent years wondering whether her instincts about James were accurate or whether she was the one losing her mind. The turning point for both of them came in the form of an intensive with a therapist who was finally skilled enough to hold them both, call them both out in the moment, and care enough about James to be blunt with him without losing him. James started recording every session and listening back four times. By the fourth listen, he could hear himself clearly. That's when things shifted.What runs underneath this whole episode is a conviction that most couples are doing "recovery lounge" therapy, showing up, going through the motions, and feeling okay about it, without ever actually growing. James makes the case that conflict is not the problem in most marriages. Avoidance is. The goal, for both of them as clients and now as clinicians, is more conflict with less anger, which means developing the capacity to say what you actually think, to your spouse, with genuine care behind it, and to hold your ground when they push back. That's differentiation. That's the work. And if you get through it, Zach notes, the intimacy on the other side is real.Key TakeawaysFiring your therapist is sometimes the right call. If you're not making progress after significant time, the fit may be the problem, not the process.Being resistant to therapy is often not about therapy. Molly's refusal to engage was partly a refusal to let James dictate her path. Understanding the resistance tells you a lot about the relationship dynamic.Narcissism has four components worth knowing: fragility (inability to take criticism), a sense of superiority, indifference to others, and manipulation as a means of protecting a false self.The breakthrough often requires a therapist who combines genuine care with genuine bluntness. Truth without love is abusive. Love without truth is just convenient. Both together is what actually moves people.Conflict is not the enemy. Avoidance is. Couples who never fight aren't at peace, they're just not saying what they really think, and it costs them.Differentiation is the ability to stay grounded in yourself when your partner is not okay. It's not about getting them to back down. It's about whether you can hold your own truth without crumbling under pressure.The tools from research-based approaches like Gottman are only as useful as the people holding them. If underlying traits like narcissism or avoidance are untreated, the tools won't stick.When couples heal, families heal. James and Molly both note that their children have noticed the difference, and that the work they've done has changed the floor their kids are jumping from.Guest InfoJames Christensen Licensed couples therapist based in Sacramento, California. Former Air Force pilot with 22 years of military service before transitioning to therapy. Specializes in high-conflict couples using the Crucible approach. Brings his own history as a client, over six years in couples therapy, to his clinical work.Website: https://jamesmchristensen.com/Molly Christensen Associate therapist (currently under supervision), working at a nonprofit and accepting sliding scale and insurance clients. Followed James into the field after their shared experience in therapy. Brings her perspective as a former people-pleaser and avoidant partner to her work with couples.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What to listen for:"If you are not doing search and rescue for the right reasons, you need to look in the mirror. Because it is not about you, and it's not about your dog."Today, our hosts, Stacy Barnett and Robin Greubel, have set the dogs aside (mostly!) to talk about something that affects every handler who has ever posted a training video, shown up to a webinar, or scrolled too far down a comment thread. They're calling it the “toxicity tax,” and they've come to argue it's being paid at every level of the canine world, from nose work titling to search and rescue callouts.The online world, particularly on social media, strips away tone, facial expression, and social consequence, leaving text that people read with whatever emotional state they're already carrying.Robin references the book Don't Feed the Elephants! when she explains that “Avoidaphants” are everywhere in teams that have never sat down to agree on how they want to communicate.Stacy offers sport as a mirror for SAR. The moment you start watching other dogs instead of your own, you've already lost the run. Comparing your dog's time, your team's reputation, your cert against someone else's is a fast road to a distracted, ineffective search.The mission has to be bigger than the handler.Robin and Stacy agree that training is not a recipe. Dogs are individuals, methodology debates serve nobody, and a perfect run every time is evidence of stagnation.What serves the dog, and the missing person, is efficient, effective teamwork built inside a culture that gives grace when the wheels come off. Key Topics:●      Why We Eat Our Own: Social Media in the Canine Community (02:40)●      Staying Humble, Hungry, and Smart (08:32)●      Why Watching Other Dogs Costs You Your Own (15:29)●      Posting Mistakes: Safe Groups vs. the Public Feed (24:25)●      Principles Over Methodology (32:59)●      Constructive Feedback vs. Criticism (37:28)●      Coaching Someone Who's a Hot Mess (41:49)●      Protecting the Volunteer Pipeline (46:30) Resources:·      Don't Feed the Elephants: Overcoming the Art of Avoidance to Build Powerful Partnerships https://amzn.to/4wFYFlk (affiliate link)·      Be the Ideal Team Player: How to Recognize and Cultivate The Three Essential Virtues https://amzn.to/4tJq8jq (affiliate link)We want to hear from you:Check out the K9 Detection Collaborative FB page and comment on the episode post!K9Sensus Detection Dog Trainer AcademyK9Sensus Foundation can be found on Facebook and Instagram. We have a Trainer's Group on Facebook!Scentsabilities Nosework is also on Facebook. Here is a Facebook group you should join!You can follow us for notifications of upcoming episodes, find us at k9detectioncollaborative.com to enjoy the freebies, and tell your friends so you can keep the conversations going.And don't forget to check out the YouTube Channel!

“If you want to change your life, you must first change your mind and then change your brain… on purpose.” ~ Bill Crawford, PhD (https://www.billcrawfordphd.com/quote-video-blog/)

Damon Flowers joins me to unpack something most founders and operators only discover after repeated failure: the real battle isn't in the market—it's in the mind.We started with a simple but uncomfortable pattern.People don't usually fail because they lack skills.They fail because they can't consistently use them when it matters.Under pressure, fear shows up. Avoidance kicks in. Old identity patterns take over. And the business reflects it back almost immediately.What looks like a strategy problem is often an inner alignment problem.Damon shares his own path—from early confidence and corporate success to building businesses, getting hit by reality, and realizing that skills alone don't solve execution breakdowns.That realization led him into a deeper exploration of mindset, subconscious programming, and the hidden internal systems that actually drive decisions.Not in theory.In real behavior.We go deep into what actually changes when someone starts doing the inner work—and why it doesn't show results instantly, even when it's working.Key themes from the conversation:Most execution problems are identity problems in disguiseSkills don't matter if fear blocks consistent actionVictim mindset quietly shapes business outcomesAvoidance is often disguised as “strategy switching”The subconscious drives behavior more than conscious planningInner change creates delayed but compounding external resultsWillpower is not a long-term operating systemConsistency matters more than intensityMemorable lines:“You're not controlled by your thoughts—you're controlled by what you believe your thoughts mean.”“Most people aren't stuck because they don't know what to do. They're stuck because they don't do what they already know.”“Fear doesn't stop action directly—it just makes avoidance feel rational.”“Your business is often just a reflection of your internal operating system.”“You don't rise to your goals. You fall to your identity.”GuestDamon Flowers — Entrepreneur, operator, and mindset-focused business mentorHe works at the intersection of business execution and internal alignment, helping operators understand why performance breaks down even when the strategy is clear.Why this mattersMost people assume business failure is tactical.Wrong hires. Wrong offer. Wrong marketing. Wrong timing.But over time, a different pattern shows up.People know what to do—but don't do it consistently under uncertainty.They restart instead of iterate.They avoid discomfort instead of building tolerance for it.They confuse emotional resistance with strategic signal.And slowly, the gap between knowledge and execution becomes the real constraint.Not intelligence.Not opportunity.But internal conditioning.The uncomfortable truth is that:If your inner game doesn't support the action, no strategy survives contact with reality for long.Final takeawayThis isn't about motivation.It's about operating systems.Because once the internal pattern shifts, the external results don't require forcing anymore.They start to follow naturally—but only after enough repetition for the system to actually change.And that's the part most people underestimate:change is simple to understand, but slow to install. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.dougutberg.com

If your planner, routine, or fresh system starts to feel weirdly heavy the moment you sit down with it, you're not alone. So many of us with ADHD brains quietly carry a performance frame over our follow-through built on a "pass fail" mindset, where every slip up turns into evidence of failure. In this episode, we explore a simple reframe that helps make sticking with our habits and routines feel lighter, more doable, and more in line with how our brains actually work. In Episode 357, You Will Discover: The sneaky way the performance frame turns planning, routines, and new systems into high-stakes situations for ADHD brains The one-word shift that helps follow-through feel lighter and builds real self-trust over time Why a rough day becomes useful information instead of evidence that something's wrong with you Three reflection questions to help you find the places where a practice frame might bring more freedom this week Work With Me: Learn more about private coaching here Join We're Busy Being Awesome (group coaching) Enroll in Overwhelm to Action - step by step course for ADHD Brains More ADHD Resources: Discover Your ADHD Overwhelm Type - Free Quiz! Get the I'm Busy Being Awesome Podcast Roadmap Free course: ADHD Routine Revamp Learn my Top 10 Tips to Work With Your ADHD Brain Discover my favorite ADHD resources Access the I'm Busy Being Awesome Planning System Stay focused with brain.fm and get a 30-day free trial* This post contains affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Disclosure info here. Leave IBBA A Rating & Review! If you enjoy the podcast, would you be a rockstar and leave a review? Doing so helps others find the show and spreads these tools to even more people. Go to Apple Podcasts Click on the I'm Busy Being Awesome podcast Scroll down to the bottom of the page, where you see the reviews. Simply tap five stars; that's it! Bonus points if you're willing to leave a few sentences sharing what you enjoy about the podcast or a key takeaway from the episode you just heard. Thanks, friend! Chapter Outline 00:00 Why Planning Feels Heavy 02:41 Performing vs Practicing 05:26 All or Nothing Trap 06:59 Inside the Performance Frame 10:25 Avoidance and Perfectionism 12:02 What Practice Really Means 15:03 Reps Build Self Trust 17:48 Real Life Practice Examples 22:50 Questions to Apply This 27:06 Community and Next Steps 28:15 Wrap Up and Resources  

School avoidance is becoming an increasingly common challenge for families, schools, and communities.For some children, walking through the school gates can feel overwhelming. Anxiety, bullying, social pressures, learning difficulties, emotional distress, and feeling unsafe can all contribute to school refusal and disengagement.In Episode 3 of Big Feelings, Growing Brains, we explore what may sit beneath school avoidance and what families, educators, and communities can do to help children reconnect with learning.In this episode, you'll learn:• Why some children struggle to attend school• What fear and anxiety can look like in the classroom• The importance of emotional safety and belonging• How schools and families can work together• Practical strategies to support attendance and confidenceFeaturing educators, parents, wellbeing leaders, and community voices, this conversation focuses on understanding rather than judgment and support rather than blame.Because children learn best when they feel safe, connected, and seen.Big Feelings, Growing Brains is a special Thriving Minds podcast series helping parents, educators, and communities navigate the challenges of modern childhood together.Support the showSubscribe and support the podcast at https://www.buzzsprout.com/367319/supporters/newLearn more at www.profselenabartlett.com

Send us Fan MailIf you've been trying to stop a behavior, break a pattern, or change something about yourself but it keeps coming back, this episode is for you.Maybe it's people-pleasing.Over-explaining.Avoidance.Anger.Perfectionism.Shutting down.Or a behavior you keep promising yourself you're done with.But no matter how much you understand it, hate it, or try to force it away, a part of you still goes back to it.In today's solo episode of Alison Answers, Alison Lager breaks down the psychology behind why some behaviors are so hard to stop, and why what looks like self-sabotage may actually be a protector part trying to keep you safe.This episode invites you to stop asking, “What's wrong with me?” and start asking a deeper question:What is this protecting me from?Alison explains why certain behaviors become survival strategies, how the nervous system can mistake change for danger, and why trying to remove a coping strategy too quickly can cause another pattern to take its place.You'll learn why your body may choose protection over happiness, why willpower alone often isn't enough, and how to begin meeting these parts of yourself with curiosity instead of shame.By the end of this episode, you'll understand:- Why “bad behaviors” can be hard to stop even when you want to change- How protector parts form around pain, shame, rejection, and fear- Why your nervous system may resist letting go of old patterns- How people-pleasing, over-explaining, anger, avoidance, and perfectionism can become protection- Why attacking the behavior can make shame worse- Why removing a coping strategy too early can backfire- The question that can help you understand what the behavior is really protecting- How to let your adult self, higher self, or grounded self lead instead of the scared part- Why healing begins with safety, not self-attackIf you've been beating yourself up for the same pattern over and over, this episode will help you see it differently.Maybe the behavior is not the whole story.Maybe the pattern has a purpose.Maybe the part of you you keep fighting was once the part trying to save you.Watch the full episode of Alison Answers to understand the psychology behind why you can't just stop bad behaviors, and what your nervous system may be trying to protect.In this episode00:00 Intro01:05 What protector parts are02:36 Why attacking the behavior can backfire03:26 What happens when a protector is removed too soon05:49 Why coping strategies need to be understood first06:26 Why the protector part is rarely the enemy06:53 Protector parts as exhausted bodyguards09:04 How unhealthy behaviors can regulate the nervous system09:27 Perfectionism, anger, people-pleasing, over-explaining, and dissociation10:32 Why there may be nothing “wrong” with you11:20 What to do instead of attacking the behavior12:23 Questions to ask your protector part13:15 Why the goal is not to destroy the protector14:51 Using visualization to understand younger parts16:03 Letting the adult self lead18:07 Why the behavior is not the whole story18:40 Getting out of the thinking brain and into the body20:29 Awareness without judgment21:20 Learning to ask yourself better questions21:45 Becoming steady, grounded, and peacefulConnect with Alison:Instagram: @alisonanswers | @lagercounselingWebsite: LagerCounseling.comYouTube: Alison AnswersFacebook: Alison Lager Lcsw CasacPurchase Alison's book: “The Wake Up Call”Alison Answers Facebook Group: Join HEREWomen of Excellence FB group: Join HERE⚠️ Crisis Resources:Lager Counseling ServicesCall: 516-221-2123Text: (914) 363-0381Wantagh: 3408 Park Ave. Wantagh, NY 11793988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (24/7, free, confidential)Call or text 988 | Visit 988lifeline.org

A listener is looking for help creating accommodations for a first grader. How can the adults help without reinforcing the fear through avoidance? The key is to focus on supporting with skills…and it requires a paradigm shift and collaboration. WE'VE MADE PLAYLISTS OF OUR EPISODES TO HELP YOU FIND RESOURCES ON SPECIFIC TOPICS. Here is our first: For those brand new to the podcast, we suggest starting with this playlist featuring Lynn Lyons and the 7-part anxiety disruptor series as well as a 3-part series on the skills most helpful in managing anxious kids: flexibility, problem solving, and autonomy. Consult our Spotify profile for the most up-to-date selection. We will select two listeners who complete our listener survey. We hope it is you! FOLLOW US Join the Facebook group to get news on the upcoming courses for parents, teens, and kids. Follow Flusterclux on Facebook and Instagram. Follow Lynn Lyons on Twitter and Youtube. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Most people don't actually have a communication problem.They have a relationship with conflict problem.In this powerful episode of Mindset Mastery Moments, Dr. Alisa Whyte sits down with global speaker, leadership facilitator, and author Anna Lecat for a transformational conversation about conflict, intimacy, emotional triggers, and human connection.Anna shares why avoiding conflict destroys relationships faster than disagreement itself — and how learning to “fight kindly” can create deeper trust, stronger leadership, healthier teams, and more meaningful relationships.Together, they unpack:Why most people fear difficult conversationsThe connection between intimacy and being truly seenHow childhood experiences shape adult emotional triggersThe difference between reacting and respondingWhy conflict is a practice — not a failureHow leaders can build trust instead of emotional distanceThe surprising leadership lessons hidden inside tangoAnna also explains how embodiment, emotional awareness, and intentional listening can transform the way we communicate at home, in relationships, and in the workplace.If you've ever struggled with hard conversations, emotional triggers, boundaries, or feeling misunderstood… this episode is for you.Exclusive Resources for ListenersStart turning everyday tension into trust with Anna's curated resources:Free Practical Email Series: Sign up for a short, powerful email series packed with tools, stories, and reflection prompts to help you master intimacy and conflict at home and work. Register at www.annalecat.com.Connect with Anna LecatOfficial Website: www.annalecat.comLinkedIn: Connect with AnnaInstagram: @anna_lecatYouTube: Anna Lecat Official"Conflict is simply the energy of two different perspectives meeting. When we learn to handle that energy with kindness, we create intimacy where there was once division."Send us Fan MailSupport the show

Have you ever watched your child melt down before a project even begins, refuse to try unless they're sure they'll succeed, or abandon something halfway through? If so, you're not alone—and it's not laziness or stubbornness. This week on the podcast, we're unpacking the hidden side of perfectionism in our neurodivergent kids, especially when it shows up as avoidance.   Key Takeaways Normalize Beginnerhood: Let your child see you start new things and make mistakes—show them it's okay not to be perfect right away. Shrink the Entry Point: Break projects into tiny, manageable steps so getting started feels less intimidating. Praise Effort, Not Perfection: Celebrate risk-taking, persistence, and trying—mistakes are experiences, not identity. Model Emotional Safety: Remind your child that progress matters, mistakes are allowed, and their worth isn't tied to performance. Collaborate & Scaffold: Offer body-doubling, share in tasks, and provide extra support when needed—support is not failure.   Links and Resources from Today's Episode Thank you to our sponsors: CTC Math – Flexible, affordable math for the whole family! The Learner's Lab – Online community for families homeschooling outside-the-box learners! The Lab: An Online Community for Families Homeschooling Neurodivergent Kiddos The Homeschool Advantage: A Child-Focused Approach to Raising Lifelong Learners Raising Resilient Sons: A Boy Mom's Guide to Building a Strong, Confident, and Emotionally Intelligent Family The Anxiety Toolkit Sensory Strategy Toolkit | Quick Regulation Activities for Home Affirmation Cards for Anxious Kids Tackling Perfectionism | A Conversation with Lisa Van Gemert Managing Perfectionism | Strategies for Parents Anxiety vs. Stress vs. Perfectionism: Helping Our Children Cope Perfectionism And Gifted Children: What You Need To Know Managing Perfectionism: 10 Tips for Helping Your Gifted Child RLL #81: [Audioblog] Managing Perfectionism: 10 Tips for Helping Your Child RLL #55: Helping Your Child Manage Perfectionism RLL #52: Overcoming Perfectionism and Finding Joy in Homeschooling Homeschool Testing | Helping Your Perfectionist Do Hard Things  

Send us Fan MailMost people picture emotional avoidance as someone who shuts down, refuses to talk, or is clearly in denial. But after 30 years of working with clients, Anna knows that's not usually how it shows up. The people she sits across from are often smart, self-aware, and totally capable of talking about their lives. They can explain their patterns in detail. They just can't actually feel them.Join Anna and Tim as they get into what emotional avoidance really looks like in everyday life, and why it's so easy to miss. Chronic busyness, overthinking, saying "I'm fine," going straight to irritation instead of the hurt underneath it. These don't look like avoidance; they look like personality. And that's exactly what makes this so hard to catch in yourself.This Episode Covers:Why emotional avoidance is a nervous system strategy, not a character flaw.The difference between being able to explain your feelings and actually feeling them.How chronic busyness and constant noise function as avoidance of stillness.Why anger and irritation are easier to access than what's actually underneath.Numbing behaviors that feel normal until they don't.What "I'm fine" is really doing and why it builds resentment over time.The real cost of avoidance when it starts running your life from underground.Until next time, here's to deeper connections and personal growth.Mad love!Book a Discovery Call for Coaching/Therapy: https://calendly.com/badassconfidencecoach/coachingThe podcast is now on YouTube! If you prefer to watch, head over to https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLw3CabcJueib20U_L3WeaR-lNG_B3zYquDon't forget to subscribe to the Badass Confidence Coach podcast on your favorite podcast platform!CONNECT WITH ANNA:Instagram https://www.instagram.com/askannamarcolin/TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/tag/askannamarcolinEmail hello@annamarcolin.comWebsite https://www.annamarcolin.com

Send us Fan MailAre you actually resting, or are you just escaping?In this solo episode of The Mindset Cafe Podcast, Devan Gonzalez breaks down the difference between real rest and avoidance disguised as self-care. Taking a break, sleeping in, skipping the gym, watching Netflix, scrolling your phone, or stepping away from work can all look like rest on the outside — but the real question is what happens after.Real rest helps you recover, think clearly, regulate your emotions, and return to your standards. Escape gives you short-term relief but creates long-term pressure, guilt, anxiety, and more distance from the life you know you need to face.This episode will help you identify whether your “break” is actually helping you come back stronger or quietly lowering your standard. Devan breaks down real-life examples in fitness, business, mindset, relationships, and personal discipline so you can stop running from what needs to be handled and start building planned recovery with purpose.You'll learn how to tell the difference between rest and escape, why self-care can become a trap when it removes accountability, how avoidance shows up in fitness and entrepreneurship, and the simple test to know whether your break is restoring you or pulling you further off track.If you've been feeling burned out, unmotivated, behind, anxious, guilty, or disconnected, this episode will challenge you to be honest without attacking yourself. Rest if you need rest. But stop running and calling it recovery.Support the showThanks for listening & being part of the Mindset Cafe Community.----------------------------------------------Follow On Instagram https://www.instagram.com/devan.gonzalez/Let me know what topics or questions you want covered so we can help you achieve your goals faster.----------------------------------------------Are you taking the right supplements to maximize your mind and body in fitness & health. Take a FREE Quiz to see if you are.> FREE QUIZ

Celebrating 300 episodes with one of the hardest relationship skills: feedback. Sue and Ann reflect on a decade of podcasting and dive into one of the the most challenging parts of any relationship: giving and receiving feedback. Through candid personal stories, humor, and clinical insight, they explore how attachment history, defensiveness, trauma, and vulnerability shape the way we handle conflict and communication. This conversation explains why feedback can feel so threatening, how couples get stuck arguing facts instead of feelings, and why repair—not perfection—is the foundation of healthy relationships. “Feedback is a bid for connection.” – Sue Marriott, LCSW CGP Time Stamps for 300 Episodes In: Why Feedback Is So Hard (300) 01:56 The challenge of feedback: Giving and receiving 07:29 Understanding the difficulty of giving feedback 11:06 The fear of feedback: Avoidance and anticipation 16:15 The overestimation of awareness: Why we hold back 26:32 Navigating the receiving end of feedback 32:34 Impact over intent: The key to effective communication 34:54 Navigating feedback and racial sensitivity 41:08 Defensiveness in relationships 52:09 The role of trauma in relationships Please support our sponsors – they keep our podcast free and accessible to all!  A coffee alternative with 4 adaptogenic mushrooms and ayurvedic herbs. With only a fraction of caffeine as a cup of coffee, you get energy without the anxiety, jitters, or crash of coffee Go to mudwtr.com/tu to support the show and use code TU for 15% off   Beyond Attachment Styles course is available NOW!   Learn how your nervous system, your mind, and your relationships work together in a fascinating dance, shaping who you are and how you connect with others. Online, Self-Paced, Asynchronous Learning with Quarterly Live Q&A’s! Earn 6 Continuing Education Credits – Available at Checkout As a listener of this podcast, use code BAS15 for a limited-time discount.     You are invited!  Join our exclusive community to get early access and discounts to things we produce, plus an ad-free, private feed. In addition, receive exclusive episodes recorded just for you. Sign up for our premium Neuronerd plan!! Click here!!    Get your copy of Secure Relating here!!

Marriage was never promised to be easy, light, or always enjoyable—but when both spouses are committed wholeheartedly, it can endure even the hardest seasons. In this episode, Dr. Kim unpacks the foundational truths that help build a healthy, lasting marriage: honest communication, emotional safety, gratitude, faith, and learning how to work through conflict instead of avoiding it. He also shares what it looks like to start fresh without carrying the weight of past mistakes and why the struggles couples face—especially in the early years—don't mean something is wrong. Whether you're newly married or decades in, this episode offers practical encouragement to help you strengthen your relationship and build a marriage grounded in a foundation that lasts. Episode Highlights: "Becoming" is a process and it doesn't happen at the altar.  The decisions that shape a marriage most aren't the big dramatic ones.  Keep having fun together, year after year. If this is your second marriage- things don't have to be the same! Quotes from this episode: When faith is at the center of your marriage it changes the source of your security. You're no longer looking to your spouse to provide what only God can provide. The first year is not the best year- and that's ok. The friction you feel is not a sign that something is wrong. It's a sign that you are doing the real work of two becoming one. Avoiding the conversation doesn't make the problem disappear. The conversations you tend to avoid are the ones that can make or break a marriage.  Your spouse is not a mind reader and neither are you.  Communication is not a failure of love. It's an expression of it.  The cultural model asks "what am I getting out of this?" The biblical model asks "what am I bringing to this?" Avoidance builds walls. Couples who pray together, seek wisdom together, and bring God into the center or their disagreements have a resource that other couples just don't have.  Your spouse should feel like they can be honest with you without being punished for it. If they feel like they have to manage your reactions before they can be truthful, you've built a marriage where honesty is not safe.  Life administration isn't connection.  Gratitude is a muscle and in marriage it needs regular exercise.  Time to talk about it?  What do we expect from each other sexually? Are we spiritually moving in the same direction?  How was conflict handled in your home growing up?  Have we let anything go unaddressed? Are we protecting our time together? Mentioned in this Episode: Awesome Marriage is on Instagram! Make space to talk about the marriage itself with our FREE Weekly Marriage Check in Guide! Want an opportunity to dig into God's Word with your spouse? Find Awesome Marriage on YouVersion. Dr. Kim takes everyday 'traffic signs' that we all encounter and applies them to growing your marriage relationship in this plan: Traffic Signs and Your Marriage - Part 1 If you haven't browsed our site, you've GOT to check out the marriage resources we have over at AwesomeMarriage.com, and browse our online courses at AwesomeMarriageUniversity.com !  It's the perfect time to become a Marriage Changer! When you become a Marriage Changer you'll receive exclusive content from Dr. Kim and Mrs. Nancy as well as our resource of the month! Become a Marriage Changer today!  

"Never make your highest purpose, or the most important thing in your life something that is outside of your control." Bill Crawford, PhD (https://www.billcrawfordphd.com/quote-video-blog/)

(Episode 341) She's been teaching mindfulness in Texas for years. After enrolling in a masters program in social emotional learning, and about three weeks in, she realized should have written the curriculum herself. Sitting in the uncomfortable in-between, after you know the end of an era is near but, you don't know what the next chapter is. Spirit had a hyper specific timeline and this session cracked something wide open. This one is for anyone who knows it's time but keeps finding ways to not quite admit it yet. Your future is not in that bottle, babe. It's in you. In this episode we talk about: (00:00) Feeling Stuck in Current Career(17:31) Self Sabotage, Drinking, and Avoidance(22:53) Spirit's Timeline for Massive Career Changes(32:18) Building Better Habits During Big Transitions(33:42) Stop Waiting to Be Chosen and Start Being SeenGet Your 10% off your yearly Numerology Report here: http://zoeygreco.com Don't miss the next Pajama Party! http://zoeygreco.com Take my FREE quiz! What's your intuitive style? Discover your unique intuitive gifts with my free quiz: http://zoeygreco.com/quiz Did you love this episode? The Higher Self Hotline Team lovingly asks for your support! We'd be eternally grateful if you'd rate, review, and subscribe! We want to make sure you never miss a dose of divine guidance.If this conversation resonated with you, we hope you share it with someone you think would connect with the message. Stay connected with us and your higher self! Follow Zoey on socials. Connect with Zoey here: Instagram: @thezoeygrecoTikTok: @thezoeygrecoWebsite: ZoeyGreco.comAudio Editing by:Mike Sims | echovalleyaudio.comContact: echovalleyaudio@gmail.com

I'm going to say something that might sting a little. Inconsistency is the real financial killer. Not low income. Not inflation. Not student loans. Not a lack of knowledge. Inconsistency. Because most women don't struggle with money because they don't know what to do. They struggle because they do it for a few weeks… and then stop. They budget when they feel motivated… and then stop. They save for a month… and then stop. They start strong… and then lose momentum. And every time you stop, you reset your progress. In this episode, I'm breaking down why consistency (not motivation, not perfection, not even income)is the real secret to financial success. We're also talking about how consistency builds momentum, strengthens self-trust, reduces anxiety, and creates long-term results that feel stable and sustainable. If you've ever felt like you're constantly starting over with your money, this episode is going to hit home.   In this episode, we discuss: Why inconsistency is the real reason many women feel stuck financially How inconsistency breaks momentum and keeps you in a cycle of starting over Why consistency builds self-trust and financial confidence How consistency compounds—both financially and behaviorally Why inconsistent money habits increase financial anxiety The difference between being interested in financial success vs committed to it How consistency makes financial success predictable (not random) Why systems and structure are required to stay consistent   This episode is especially helpful if you: Feel like you're constantly starting over with your money Struggle to stay consistent with budgeting, saving, or tracking Know what to do financially, but don't follow through long-term Feel behind despite making good income Want to feel more confident, calm, and in control of your finances   Why this matters: Financial success isn't built in one big moment. It's built through repeated, steady actions over time. When you're inconsistent, everything feels harder. You lose momentum. You lose clarity. You lose confidence. And eventually, you start avoiding your money altogether. But when you're consistent, everything shifts. You trust yourself more. You stay aware of your numbers. You make better decisions faster. And you start to see progress that actually sticks. Consistency removes the chaos and replaces it with stability…and over time, that stability turns into financial confidence…and real results.   Timestamps: [03:39] When you lose consistency with your financial habits, you lose confidence. Avoidance is when financial chaos ensues. [07:12] Consistency changed how Raya approached risk. Decisions used to be made out of hope and adrenaline, where now, decisions are calculated.  [13:10] Inconsistency results in stalls growth…with budgeting, investing, saving, and any other helpful habit for your finances. [20:05] Consistency forces you to prove to yourself that you mean what you say. If you say you want financial peace, are you consistently doing things that create it?   Resources Mentioned: Episode #141: How Managing My Money Has Boosted My Confidence Episode #178: Finding Peace in Your Finances: 5 Steps to Eliminate Money Anxiety City Girl Savings Personal Finance Portfolio Financial Focus Coaching Program   If you've been feeling stuck or frustrated with your progress, this episode is your reminder that you don't need a better plan…you need more consistency with the plan you already have. If you're ready to build real consistency with your money, support, structure, and accountability can make all the difference. You can learn more about coaching using the link in the show notes. You are not behind. You're just one consistent season away from everything starting to click.

Get the free Core Drives in the Wild guide, behavioral design applied to real products: professorgame.com/WildCD Episode Summary Rob breaks down why the most durable loyalty has almost nothing to do with points, contrasting a typical airline miles program with a neighborhood barber who keeps a customer for ten years with no app, no tiers, and no expiring rewards. He shows how the same Core Drive can run in opposite directions: airline programs fake Core Drive 4 (Ownership and Possession) with a points balance they control and devalue, while the barber builds real ownership through a relationship the customer actually owns. Along the way he names the over-justification effect, the moment a relationship becomes a calculation, and how Black Hat motivation can win in the short term while quietly corroding loyalty. Listeners come away with a clear diagnostic and a way to tell a real loyalty program apart from a price promotion on a delayed schedule. About the Host Rob Alvarez is Head of Engagement Strategy, Europe at The Octalysis Group (TOG), a leading gamification and behavioral design consultancy. A globally recognized gamification strategist and TEDx speaker, he founded and hosts Professor Game, the #1 gamification podcast, and has interviewed hundreds of global experts. He designs evidence-based engagement systems that drive motivation, loyalty, and results, and teaches LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and gamification at top institutions including IE Business School, EFMD, and EBS University across Europe, the Americas, and Asia. Key Takeaways Most loyalty programs build a transactional dependency rather than loyalty: the customer ends up loyal to the points, not the brand, so the moment a competitor offers more points they defect. Airline miles run on a Black Hat stack of Core Drive 4 (Ownership and Possession), Core Drive 6 (Scarcity and Impatience) through tier status, and Core Drive 8 (Loss and Avoidance) through expiring miles, which shifts the flyer from chasing something they want to avoiding a loss. The over-justification effect is the damage mechanism: a flyer who genuinely liked an airline starts booking the worse flight (longer, worse time, sometimes pricier) purely because it earns miles, the moment the relationship becomes a calculation. A relationship turned into a calculation is trivially beatable. A competitor with a slightly better offer doesn't just win one trip, it reveals there was never loyalty to begin with. A ten-year barber relationship survives real inconvenience (further away, closer cheaper options nearby) using the calm side of the same Core Drives: Core Drive 5 (Social Influence and Relatedness) plus genuinely owned personalization the customer cannot port to a competitor. The diagnostic: strip the points, discounts, and digital rewards entirely. If the honest answer to "why would anyone stay" is nothing, it isn't a loyalty program, it's a price promotion with a delayed payment schedule. Topics Covered 0:00 — Loyalty to the points, not the brand 1:16 — The Black Hat machinery of airline miles 2:25 — The over-justification effect in action 4:13 — The ten-year barber with no points 5:11 — Same Core Drive, opposite direction 6:12 — Inverting Core Drive 8 into a safe choice 7:36 — Run the strip-the-points diagnostic Get the free Core Drives in the Wild guide, behavioral design applied to real products: professorgame.com/WildCD Mentioned in This Episode Core Drives in the Wild (Professor Game free guide) The Octalysis Framework and its Core Drives (Yu-kai Chou) Black Hat and White Hat motivation The over-justification effect Free Resources and Get in Touch Core Drives in the Wild: Professor Game Free Guide Get Daily Value on Your Email Let's chat about your gamification project YouTube LinkedIn Instagram Facebook Start Your Community on Skool for Free Ask a question

Name Your Distraction: "Troubleshooting" and the Neutral Labeling Practice   In this episode, Juan asks everyone to identify the word they use for how they distract themselves and suggests choosing a neutral term without shame or pride. He describes his own pattern as "troubleshooting," citing examples like repeatedly adjusting camera setup, tinkering with Apple Music sync issues, and getting sidetracked during Zoom calls, even when he intended to record podcasts. He contrasts this with "triage," focusing on the most pressing priority, and consider whether his behavior reflects "tanking" (sacrificing short-term goals) or "trepidation" (nervous avoidance). Juan notes oversharing in medical appointments as another way distractions can derail the main objective. The core call to action is to name and observe one's distraction habit—neutrally—so it can be noticed and let go in the moment.   00:00 Name Your Distraction 00:55 Troubleshooting as Avoidance 01:39 Triage and Oversharing 02:30 Tanking or Trepidation 03:38 Why Troubleshooting Feels Fun 04:27 Neutral Labeling Practice 05:21 Values Versus Planning 06:48 Call to Action Wrap Up  

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 4026: David Cain explores how our attempts to avoid uncomfortable emotions like embarrassment, uncertainty, and boredom often give those feelings more power over our lives. By learning to experience difficult emotions directly, rather than resisting or overanalyzing them, we become more resilient, emotionally free, and less controlled by fear-driven habits. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.raptitude.com/2017/02/how-to-keep-emotions-from-running-your-life/ Quotes to ponder: “You experiment, a bit at a time, with letting yourself feel the things you're afraid to feel, and watch them lose their power over you.” “Avoidance has a way of empowering the thing you're avoiding.” “When you stop trying to ban certain feelings from your experience, they tend to pass through relatively easily, in a matter of minutes or even seconds, and nothing is harmed.” Episode references: Meditation: https://www.mindful.org/how-to-meditate/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 4026: David Cain explores how our attempts to avoid uncomfortable emotions like embarrassment, uncertainty, and boredom often give those feelings more power over our lives. By learning to experience difficult emotions directly, rather than resisting or overanalyzing them, we become more resilient, emotionally free, and less controlled by fear-driven habits. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.raptitude.com/2017/02/how-to-keep-emotions-from-running-your-life/ Quotes to ponder: “You experiment, a bit at a time, with letting yourself feel the things you're afraid to feel, and watch them lose their power over you.” “Avoidance has a way of empowering the thing you're avoiding.” “When you stop trying to ban certain feelings from your experience, they tend to pass through relatively easily, in a matter of minutes or even seconds, and nothing is harmed.” Episode references: Meditation: https://www.mindful.org/how-to-meditate/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For years, I taught athletes and high performers how to access Killer Instinct — how to lock in, perform under pressure, and compete at a high level. But after going through one of the hardest seasons of my life, I realized something deeper: Performance strategies alone are not enough. Because no matter how ambitious, disciplined, or talented you are… if the patterns underneath the surface remain the same, your life will eventually reflect those patterns. Self-doubt. Pressure. Emotional inconsistency. Overthinking. Avoidance. Self-sabotage. Fear. Internal conflict. The inability to access your highest level consistently. And most people never truly transform because they never learn how to go inward and confront what's actually driving them. That journey is what led me to create Dominance. Dominance is a transformational coaching experience designed to help you master your internal world, break destructive patterns, develop true self-leadership, and create alignment in every area of your life. This is not surface-level self-help. This is not temporary motivation. And this is not another "positive thinking" program. This is deep identity-level work for people who know there is another level inside of them — and are ready to do the work required to unlock it. In this episode, I break down: What Dominance really is Why most people stay stuck The hidden internal patterns sabotaging growth My personal journey that led to creating this system Who Dominance is for — and who it's not for If something inside of you knows it's time for another level… Apply for Dominance here: imnotyou.com/coaching Spots will be limited, enrollment will only be open for a short time, and once this process begins, I do not plan on opening it again for a long time. It's time to stop living beneath your true level. It's time for Dominance.

Tonight's conversation tears apart one of the most dangerous fantasies modern people carry: the belief that a painless life automatically equals a healthy one. Entire identities now get constructed around comfort optimization, emotional sedation, curated peace, avoidance rituals, dopamine management, and psychological escape routes disguised as “healing.” Meanwhile, people continue repeating the same relationships, the same betrayals, the same loneliness, the same panic, the same emotional collapses wearing different faces and different names.

Grief isn't something you move on from. It's something you learn to carry. After losing three of his closest friends, John Kammer found himself doing what so many people do — avoiding the pain, pushing it down, and trying to outrun it. But over time, he realized something wasn't working. Because grief doesn't go away when you ignore it. It waits. This conversation dives into what it actually takes to process loss, why so many people struggle in silence, and the powerful shift that happens when you stop trying to "move on" and start learning how to move forward. John shares how guilt, isolation, and lack of language around grief can keep people stuck — and why healing begins the moment you're willing to share what you're really feeling. What came out of his journey is something unexpected: a tool designed to help people process grief in a way that feels safe, structured, and human. Guest Bio John Kammer is the founder and CEO of Guardian AIngels, an AI-powered grief support and reflective journaling platform designed to help people process loss in a structured and emotionally intelligent way. After experiencing the loss of several close friends, John recognized the gap between therapy sessions — the late-night moments where people are left alone with their thoughts. That realization led him to create Guardian AIngels, a tool that supports healing through guided reflection, conversation, and emotional awareness. His work is grounded in the belief that healing doesn't happen through avoidance, but through consistent, compassionate engagement with what we're feeling. You'll hear About Why grief can't be avoided and must be processed The difference between "moving on" and "moving forward" How guilt and self-blame can keep people stuck in grief Why men often struggle to express and process loss How vulnerability and sharing create real healing Chapters 00:00 Welcome and Episode Introduction 02:00 John's Story of Loss and Early Grief 06:00 Avoidance, Substance Use, and Suppressed Emotions 10:00 Why "Time Heals" Isn't the Full Truth 13:00 The Shift From Moving On to Moving Forward 16:00 The Role of Guilt and Forgiveness in Healing 20:00 Why We Resist Processing Grief 23:00 Isolation, Masculinity, and Emotional Suppression 27:00 Healing Through Vulnerability and Sharing 31:00 How Guardian AIngels Was Created 35:00 Turning Journaling Into a Conversation 39:00 Using Tools to Support — Not Replace — Healing 42:00 Carrying Relationships Forward After Loss 45:00 Final Reflections and John's Message Chuck's Challenge This week, don't keep it all in. Share something you've been holding onto — even if it feels uncomfortable. It doesn't have to be everything. Just start somewhere. Because as John shared, healing doesn't happen in isolation. It happens when you're willing to open the door and let someone in. Connect with John Website: https://guardianaingels.ai Connect with Chuck Check out the website: https://www.thecompassionateconnection.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chuck-thuss-a9aa044/ Follow on Instagram: @warriorsunmasked Join the Warriors Unmasked community by subscribing to the show. Together, we're breaking stigmas and shining a light on mental health, one story at a time.

I sit down with Scott to talk about grief, addiction, emotional suppression, and the long process of healing. We explore how unresolved pain can shape a man's identity, relationships, and sense of self for years without him fully realizing it. Scott shares parts of his personal journey through loss, sobriety, and learning how to confront emotions he spent years avoiding. This episode is an honest discussion about masculinity, recovery, and what it actually takes to heal.SHOW HIGHLIGHTS00:00 Introduction02:07 Scott's Personal Journey05:42 Living With Grief10:52 Emotional Suppression in Men15:18 Addiction and Numbing Pain20:44 Learning Emotional Awareness27:11 Masculinity and Vulnerability33:26 The Cost of Avoidance39:50 Recovery and Self-Reflection46:12 Rebuilding After Loss52:37 Healing Through Connection58:41 Final Thoughts and Takeaways***Tired of feeling like you're never enough? Build your self-worth with help from this free guide: https://training.mantalks.com/self-worthPick up my book, Men's Work: A Practical Guide To Face Your Darkness, End Self-Sabotage, And Find Freedom: https://mantalks.com/mens-work-book/Heard about attachment but don't know where to start? Try the FREE Ultimate Guide To AttachmentCheck out some other free resources: How To Quit Porn | Anger Meditation | How To Lead In Your RelationshipBuild brotherhood with a powerful group of like-minded men from around the world. Check out The Alliance. Enjoy the podcast? Leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or Podchaser. It helps us get into the ears of new listeners, expand the ManTalks Community, and help others find the tools and training they're looking for. And don't forget to subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | SpotifyFor more, visit us at ManTalks.com | Facebook | Instagram

Let me guess. You've tried to "be better" with money before. You've told yourself you'll check your accounts more often. You've promised you'll stick to your budget. You've said this month will be different. And maybe it is… for a week. Then life gets busy. Work gets intense. You get tired. Something unexpected comes up. And suddenly, you're back to reacting instead of leading your money. Here's what I want to gently say: it's not that you lack discipline…it's that you lack a routine. Because discipline requires energy, but a routine relies on structure. And structure wins every time. In this episode, I'm walking you through how to create a weekly money routine that actually sticks…not one you do when you feel motivated, but one that becomes part of your rhythm. Because if you want to feel confident and in control of your finances, consistency is the bridge. And consistency is built weekly.   In this episode, we discuss: Why discipline alone isn't enough to stay consistent with money How a weekly money routine creates clarity and control Why weekly check-ins prevent overwhelm and avoidance How to choose a consistent time for your routine What to include in a weekly money check-in (step-by-step) How reviewing transactions helps you stay aware of your spending Why checking account balances builds financial confidence How to plan ahead for upcoming expenses How to make small adjustments without overcorrecting The role of daily habits in supporting weekly consistency How to stay consistent even when you miss a week   This episode is especially helpful if you: Struggle to stay consistent with your money habits Feel reactive instead of in control of your finances Avoid checking your accounts or tracking spending Want a simple, repeatable money routine that works   Why this matters: Financial consistency isn't about doing everything perfectly…it's about having a rhythm you can return to. When you only check in on your money occasionally, everything feels bigger than it is. Numbers feel overwhelming. Decisions feel heavier. Avoidance becomes easier. But when you check in weekly, nothing builds up. You stay aware. You adjust early. You stay in control. A weekly money routine turns your finances from something reactive into something intentional…and that's where confidence starts to build.   Timestamps: [02:11] The first step to building a weekly money routine is deciding when you'll implement that routine (and protect that time). A set day and time each week will go a long way. [05:10] Raya walks through the 5 core components of a weekly money check in, including reviewing transactions, updating budget categories, and more. [10:30] Your entire weekly routine should take 30-40 minutes. Being consistent with it keeps the timing efficient. [14:25] Decide in advance what happens when you slip up with your weekly routine. Don't wait until you're in the moment to determine your response. Emotions are louder than logic.   Resources Mentioned: Episode #164: Plan, Prepare, and Organize Your Finances with Alaina Fingal City Girl Savings Personal Finance Portfolio Financial Focus Coaching Program   If you've been trying to stay consistent with your money but keep falling off, this episode is your reminder that you don't need to try harder…you need a routine that supports you. If you're ready to build a money routine that fits your life and helps you stay on track, you can book a free clarity call at citygirlsavings.com. You are capable of managing your money in a way that feels consistent, calm, and aligned with the life you want to live. Strong routines create lasting confidence. Keep building with intention.

1. Government Fraud Crackdown (Trump/Vance Initiative) The administration is prioritizing eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse in federal programs. A federal fraud task force claims: 186,000+ deceased individuals are still receiving SNAP (food stamp) benefits via identity fraud. 400,000+ people are allegedly receiving duplicate benefits (“double dipping”). Its a taxpayer protection effort with stronger enforcement expected. 2. Policy Actions and Consequences Threats to withhold Medicaid funding from states that fail to investigate fraud. Proposal for stronger penalties (e.g., jail, loss of benefits), though current deterrence is described as weak. Politically positioned as a major accountability push tied to reducing government spending. 3. Hospice and Healthcare Fraud Allegations Major focus on California (Los Angeles): Claim: a disproportionate number of hospices located there (about one-third nationwide). Allegation: up to half may be fraudulent. Actions taken: 800 hospices suspended, cutting off ~$1.4 billion in payments. Nationwide moratorium on new hospice and home health care licenses. Rationale: Fraud operations allegedly relocate to other states when cracked down locally. 4. Political Divide Republican perspective: Fraud crackdown is necessary and widely supported by voters. Seen as long-overdue accountability. Democratic criticism: Concerns about overreach, rushed investigations, and harm to legitimate services. Public sentiment (per the document): Broad agreement that fraud should be eliminated regardless of party. 5. CIA Whistleblower Allegations (COVID Origins) A whistleblower claims: CIA scientists initially favored a lab-leak theory for COVID-19. The official position shifted to “inconclusive/neutral.” Accusation: Anthony Fauci influenced intelligence discussions and expert selection. His involvement may have shaped the narrative away from the lab-leak conclusion. Evidence cited: Meetings and communications in 2020–2021. Internal disagreements within intelligence agencies. 6. Conflict of Interest Concerns Raised in questioning: Fauci allegedly had connections to Wuhan-related research funding. Concern he may not have been an objective contributor. Whistleblower suggests: Influence was indirect but significant, through shaping expert input. 7. Hearing Controversy No Democrats attended the Senate hearing with the whistleblower. Avoidance of scrutiny or accountability. Used to reinforce a broader narrative of political bias or cover-up. Please Hit Subscribe to this podcast Right Now. Also Please Subscribe to the The Ben Ferguson Show Podcast and Verdict with Ted Cruz Wherever You get You're Podcasts. And don't forget to follow the show on Social Media so you never miss a moment! Thanks for Listening X: https://x.com/benfergusonshowYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@VerdictwithTedCruzSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John and Craig go back to the beginning to examine the mechanics of the flash-forward opening — or as it's known on this podcast, the "Stuart Special." They look at what makes a strong flash-forward, when to avoid them, and how to pay back the narrative debt they incur. We also follow up on the Scriptnotes survey and answer a massive grab-bag blitz of listener questions including the potential pitfalls of child protagonists, "unfilmable" elements, and how to end a scene. In our bonus segment for premium members, how do you socialize at Hollywood parties? We've made all the mistakes so you don't have to. Links: The script for episode one of Chernobyl Scriptnotes episode 493: Opening Scenes Greta Gerwig's Little Women screenplay The Sheep Detectives Scriptnotes episode 731: Avoidance and Other Anti-Quests Sorkinisms – A Supercut by Kevin T. Porter My journey to the microwave alternate timeline by Malmesbury Solasta 2 Get your copy of the Scriptnotes book! Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt! Check out the Inneresting Newsletter Become a Scriptnotes Premium member, or gift a subscription Subscribe to Scriptnotes on YouTube Follow Scriptnotes on Instagram and TikTok John August on Bluesky and Instagram Outro by Nick Moore (send us yours!) Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt and edited by Matthew Chilelli. Email us at ask@johnaugust.com You can download the episode here.