Advertise on podcast: Creative Self Care With Crystal McLain

Send us Fan Mail You know, life... It sure does have a way of throwing us curveballs. So, Amy and I had this immaculate plan to meet weekly-ish to recap our experiences as we made our way through each lesson of the course Turn Stress Into Strength. Then, more than three weeks passed before we could meet again. Zoinks. In short, Amy was trying to beat the clock, and deal with bots while trying to secure an unstable housing situation. And I was navigating the grief and loss of my beloved fur baby while also dealing with rib pain, a broken-down car, and accounting snafus. So while we didn't meet our initial weekly-ish goal, we STILL F*****G DID IT. And, we're still trudging forward. And I think that's worth mentioning. We decided to stay committed to ourselves and each other, despite life's hurdles. It's so easy to hang out and wait for a 'better time' to start practicing our self care (which, BTW, is a myth- and also the theme of Lesson 2). But, there is no better time than now, because NOW is the only time we have. And so, if you've got a list of reasons why you've been putting off your self care, I encourage you to either purchase and complete Lesson 2, Busting Self Care Myths, or join The Uprising and access the course for FREE. Meanwhile, enjoy the show! 😅 I love you.  I appreciate you.  I'm so glad you're here. Support the show Disclaimer

Send us Fan Mail We’re worn down by perimenopause-level tired, broken sleep, pet caregiving, and the relentless stress of living right now, so we decide to stop guessing and start testing a real framework. We kick off a 23-lesson journey to turn stress into strength by building body literacy, deeper self-awareness, and simple tools we can actually use when our nervous systems are shutting down. • naming the stacked causes of exhaustion and burnout • recognising nervous system shutdown and why it looks like “can’t” • using body literacy to drop self-blame and find leverage • expanding self-awareness beyond diet, exercise, and willpower • adapting stress tools for neurodivergence, disability, and real-life limits • separating real hope from toxic positivity and rage bait • processing anger through the body so it doesn’t fester • facing disappointment, money stress, and sleep deprivation without fake gratitude • building accountability with daily check-ins and no-rule experimentation To learn more, visit Patreon, Crystal McLain Creative & the Uprising or CrystalMcLainCreative.com Support the show Disclaimer

Send us Fan Mail We talk about numbness, shutdown, and functional freeze as a nervous system state of hypoarousal that can make life feel flat and hard to engage with. We challenge the “I’m lazy” story and share a practical reframe that helps you start getting back online in your body.  • defining numbness, shutdown, functional freeze, and hypoarousal  • why the brain avoids effort, change, and challenge even when they seem “good”  • how loss of follow-through blocks walks, hobbies, friendships, and basic tasks  • how toxic self-beliefs grow when you cannot show up the way you want  • reframing “laziness” as nervous system protection  • stress driving the bus and learning to take back the wheel  • celebrating evidence that you can invest in yourself  Support the show Disclaimer

Send us Fan Mail We name the full-body experience of rage and treat it as a protective signal from the nervous system rather than a personal failure. We unpack why anger can feel terrifying, what it costs to stay “polite,” and how to process rage in ways that create clarity, boundaries, and real momentum.  • how the autonomic nervous system detects unsafe and shifts into fight, flight, freeze, or fawn • why rage often signals a crossed boundary or ignored need • how stress cycle completion supports calm, clarity, and control • why some anger is old, inherited, and tied to systemic oppression or ancestral trauma • the fear of being seen as angry and the hidden cost of staying quiet • using rage as information about values and what needs protection • moving anger through the body with safe expression like shaking, writing, or screaming If you'd like to support this work and want to dive deeper with practical tools and a supportive community, come find us in the Uprising over at Patreon.  Support the show Disclaimer

Send us Fan Mail Doomscrolling can trap us in guilt because looking away feels like betrayal, even as our bodies buckle under constant crisis. We name this as compassion fatigue spreading beyond helping professions and share a path to care sustainably without collapsing.  • compassion fatigue as a normal response to nonstop collective suffering  • what chronic stress does to the nervous system through hypervigilance, shutdown, and exhaustion  • why depletion is not a personal failing and who benefits when we burn out  • the difference between witnessing suffering and materially helping  • capacity as stewardship and why rest supports long-term solidarity  • practical steps: limits on news and social media, one tangible action, nervous system care  All right, my friend, if someone in your life is exhausted from caring, please send this their way. And if you want to go further than this post, if you want practices, community, and real nervous system support, the uprising at Patreon is where that lives. We'd love to see you there.  Uprising BONUS CONTENT Support the show Disclaimer

Send us Fan Mail We name the “polite body” and how it trains us to clamp down on breath, needs, anger, and joy until we feel burnt out, anxious, or numb. We connect the dots between nervous system imprinting and creative self-care, then offer simple private practices that restore agency and felt safety.   • the physical signs of a polite body and how suppression shows up as stress   • how generations of “be nice” training rewards compliance and punishes expression   • autonomic nervous system basics and why it constantly asks “Am I safe?”   • autonomic imprinting and why the body braces without remembering the story   • polyvagal theory states: safety and connection, fight or flight, shutdown   • why insight and willpower do not rewire chronic stress patterns   • creativity as nervous system regulation through sensory pathways and present-moment focus   • creative expression as agency and medicine, not performance or productivity   • small, safe starter practices: humming, shaking, ugly doodling, free movement   • community support as accountability and a path to deeper practice   If you'd like to support this work and want to go deeper, come find us in the uprising over at Patreon.   To learn more, visit crystalmaccleincreative.com.   Support the show Disclaimer

Send us Fan Mail Your amygdala — Little Amy — has been keeping humans alive for hundreds of thousands of years. Nervous system educator Crystal McLain explains why you can't calm down on command, what actually works, and how resilience is really built. Get your Spell Kit HERE!  Support the show Disclaimer

Send us Fan Mail You've tried the things. You still feel like garbage. But what if your self care is actually working — and you just don't recognize it because regulated doesn't feel like what you think it does? Join The Uprising Today's Bonus Magic Support the show Disclaimer

Send us Fan Mail Exhausted but can't rest? Foggy, numb, going through the motions? That's not laziness — that's functional freeze. Nervous system educator Crystal McLain explains what's actually happening and what to do about it. Get your bonus magic: Thaw The Freeze Support the show Disclaimer

Send us Fan Mail The other night someone in my workshop said: "I'm just so tired of everything feeling heavy. I want to feel alive again." That moment is why this podcast exists. This is the relaunch of Creative Self Care with Crystal McLain — somatic practitioner, nervous system educator, and someone who crafts spells with science. If you're exhausted, overwhelmed, and convinced you're the problem — you're not. You just need better information. That's what we're doing here. crystalmclaincreative.com  Support the show Disclaimer

Send us Fan Mail We name the paralysis many feel in the face of systemic harm and show how shutdown is a nervous system response, not a personal flaw. We share simple practices to move from freeze to small, collective actions that matter over time. • dorsal vagal freeze explained and normalized • how systems profit from burnout and paralysis • why regulation enables collective action • four-step shift: name, move, connect, act • examples of small, coordinated actions • rest and creativity as strategy for resilience • community support through The Uprising If you appreciate this content, would like to support my work, consider joining my community, The Uprising. To learn more about this and other services, visit my website, crystalmacleancreative.com Right now, membership to The Uprising is pay what you can. If you can't afford it, just message me and I'll get you access for free. Go directly to Patreon Support the show Disclaimer

Send us Fan Mail We explore why motivation surges and crashes, why consistency feels impossible, and how shame turns growth into a threat. We share a practical reframe: create safety around noticing, show up without promising follow-through, and build momentum through truth-telling and regulation. Join The Uprising on Patreon Support the show Disclaimer

Send us Fan Mail https://crystalmclaincreative.com/ Support the show Disclaimer

Send us Fan Mail If you're finding your resilience is being quickly whittled down, leaving you feeling exhausted, hopeless and overwhelmed, this post is designed to help you understand how resilience works, and offer you simple, effective tools to start building your power back. You may also like: The Biggest Sleep Secret? Reclaim Your Right to Rest The Power of Belonging: Building Community in Divided & Uncertain Times Join us in our co-regulating community, The Uprising, at Patreon.  Support the show Disclaimer

Send us Fan Mail In times when it feels like everything is designed to keep us divided, how do we create meaningful connections? Where do we find our people? And most importantly, how do we build communities where everyone can show up authentically? My latest post, "The Revolution of Belonging: Building Community in Divided Times" tackles these questions head-on. PATREON BONUS CONTENT Support the show Disclaimer