Advertise on podcast: Confessions of a Freebird - Midlife, Divorce, Heal, and Date Differently with Somatic Experiencing, Empty Nest, Well-Being, H

Have you ever felt like something was wrong with your body, but no one could tell you why? After my own health crisis left doctors searching for answers, I began to understand how deeply our physical and emotional health are connected. My guest is Dr. Karyn Shanks, physician and author of Unbroken: Reclaim Your Wholeness. Karyn has spent four decades on both sides of the exam table: first as a doctor trained in internal medicine, then as a patient searching for her own answers, which led her to functional medicine. We talk about what her medical training left out, why Western medicine often misses the whole person, and why self-compassion is essential to healing. In this episode, you'll learn: What functional medicine is, and how its root-cause approach to chronic illness differs from conventional medicineWhat epigenetics is, and how your daily habits and environment influence the way your genes workWhat Dr. Gabor Maté’s work teaches us about the connection between trauma and the bodyHow suppressed emotions and chronic stress can show up as physical symptomsWhy emotional eating and self-soothing behaviors are often tied to unmet emotional needsHow self-compassion helps you make healthier choices without guilt or shameWhether you're living with symptoms no one has explained, or you're tired of meeting your cravings with shame, this conversation gives you a doctor's map back to whole-person healing. Much love and freedom, Laurie Free Resources Click here to schedule a FREE inquiry call with me. Click here for my FREE “Beginner’s Guide to Somatic Healing” Click here for my FREE Core Values Exercise Want to try somatic work for free? Download my somatic exercises on Insight Timer and start reconnecting with your body today. Connect with me: Click here to purchase my “Nervous System Regulation Starter Kit” it’s $29.99 Click here to purchase my book: Sandwiched: A Memoir of Holding On and Letting Go Website Instagram Substack Connect with Dr. Karyn Website: karynshanksmd.com IG: @karynshanksmd   Facebook LinkedIn Please leave me feedback. I cannot respond so if you'd like me to respond, please leave your email *********************** DISCLAIMER: THE COMMENTARY AND OPINIONS AVAILABLE ON THIS PODCAST ARE FOR INFORMATIONAL AND ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY AND NOT FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING LEGAL, MEDICAL OR PROFESSIONAL ADVICE. YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LICENSED THERAPIST IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING SUICIDAL THOUGHTS. YOU SHOULD CONTACT AN ATTORNEY IN YOUR STATE TO OBTAIN LEGAL ADVICE. YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LICENSED MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL WITH RESPECT TO ANY MEDICAL ISSUE OR PROBLEM.

What if emotional and binge eating aren't a willpower problem but your nervous system trying to keep you safe? You've read the books and done the therapy, and you can explain your emotional eating better than most.  Still, after a hard day, you're at the counter eating faster than you can taste. Most advice on how to stop binge eating starts by taking food away. Stephanie starts with the nervous system. Stress eating is a body stuck in fight-or-flight (sympathetic nervous system), reaching for quick energy.  Banning the cookies only convinces your system there's a famine. I sat down with Stephanie Mara Fox, a Somatic Nutritional Counselor with a master's in somatic psychotherapy who is now completing her PhD on food behaviors. We talk about why nervous system regulation can't become one more thing to get right, and the embodiment practices she uses when the body is hard to come home to.  In this episode, you’ll learn: How to tell physical hunger vs emotional hunger in your own body.Why rating your capacity on a scale of 1-10 is a great place to startWhy a simple 1–10 capacity check is the place to start Why the binge-restrict cycle keeps pulling you back to what your body already knows What "why do I eat so fast?" reveals about the meals you grew up with The decades-old theory behind why banning a food makes you want it moreHow food can lift you out of collapse or contain you in fight-or-flight, and how to tell which A practice to match the intensity you are experiencing in your body when being still or meditation isn’t for youWhy food neutrality should come first, and what embodied eating looks like at the tableThe unlikely body part Stephanie starts with when finding embodimentWhat to say to yourself after a binge so the shame doesn’t take hold Whether you're still caught in the binge-restrict cycle or years into recovery and reaching for food when life gets loud, this conversation offers a kinder way to listen to what your body is asking for. Much love and freedom, Laurie Free Resources Click here to schedule a FREE inquiry call with me. Click here for my FREE “Beginner’s Guide to Somatic Healing” Click here for my FREE Core Values Exercise Want to try somatic work for free? Download my somatic exercises on Insight Timer and start reconnecting with your body today. Connect with me: Click here to purchase my “Nervous System Regulation Starter Kit” it’s $29.99 Click here to purchase my book: Sandwiched: A Memoir of Holding On and Letting Go Website Instagram Substack Connect with Staphanie: Website: stephaniemara.com Somatic Eating® Website: somaticeating.com Email: [email protected] Instagram: @_stephaniemara Want more from Stephanie? Listen to her podcast, Satiated Please leave me feedback. I cannot respond so if you'd like me to respond, please leave your email *********************** DISCLAIMER: THE COMMENTARY AND OPINIONS AVAILABLE ON THIS PODCAST ARE FOR INFORMATIONAL AND ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY AND NOT FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING LEGAL, MEDICAL OR PROFESSIONAL ADVICE. YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LICENSED THERAPIST IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING SUICIDAL THOUGHTS. YOU SHOULD CONTACT AN ATTORNEY IN YOUR STATE TO OBTAIN LEGAL ADVICE. YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LICENSED MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL WITH RESPECT TO ANY MEDICAL ISSUE OR PROBLEM.

A year and a half after my divorce was finalized, I ended up in the hospital, and none of the tests could explain why. It took two hospital visits and a year of somatic healing to understand what had happened: my body had shut down from stress. The trauma stored in my body and nervous system was never going to show up on a medical chart. As a Somatic Experiencing practitioner, I'm sharing this story in full for the first time, including the unexpected turn my emotional healing after divorce took. In this episode, I share: Why chronic stress symptoms in women can build for decades before the body forces a stopWhat somatic therapy gave me that talk therapy couldn't, and the kind of healing only the body can doHow to become a human being, not a human doing, when your worth has always come from productivityWhy a regulated nervous system isn't about staying calm, and what itreal regulation looks like instead How to gradually expand your window of tolerance so your body can handle more activation and rest more deeplyThe first of three Somatic Experiencing exercises, and what it does that your thinking mind can'tWhat pendulation looks like in practice, and how long to stay with a hard sensation before moving onWhy healing alone takes longer, and what co-regulation offers your nervous system that solitudeself-healing can'tHow to find a compassionate witness when a practitioner isn't within reachThe root of my childhood roottrauma I finally found beneath my lifelong longing for a partner and how I care for herThree easy Somatic Experiencing exercises, and what it does that your thinking mind can'tYour body has been carrying everything you couldn't. This story is an invitation to let it start setting some of that down. Much love and freedom, Laurie Free Resources Click here to schedule a FREE inquiry call with me. Click here for my FREE “Beginner’s Guide to Somatic Healing” Click here for my FREE Core Values Exercise Want to try somatic work for free? Download my somatic exercises on Insight Timer and start reconnecting with your body today. Connect with me: Click here to purchase my “Nervous System Regulation Starter Kit” it’s $29.99 Click here to purchase my book: Sandwiched: A Memoir of Holding On and Letting Go Website Instagram Substack Please leave me feedback. I cannot respond so if you'd like me to respond, please leave your email *********************** DISCLAIMER: THE COMMENTARY AND OPINIONS AVAILABLE ON THIS PODCAST ARE FOR INFORMATIONAL AND ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY AND NOT FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING LEGAL, MEDICAL OR PROFESSIONAL ADVICE. YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LICENSED THERAPIST IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING SUICIDAL THOUGHTS. YOU SHOULD CONTACT AN ATTORNEY IN YOUR STATE TO OBTAIN LEGAL ADVICE. YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LICENSED MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL WITH RESPECT TO ANY MEDICAL ISSUE OR PROBLEM.

Why do you keep reacting the same way in conflict, even after all the work you've done? You've been to therapy. You've read the books. You know what a healthy relationship is supposed to look like. And still, when things get tense, you snap, shut down, or give in. If that's you, this conversation is for you. My guest is Zach Brittle, a certified Gottman therapist, Relational Life Therapist, host of Marriage Therapy Radio, and author of two relationship guides. We talk about the Gottman predictors of divorce, where Terry Real's Relational Life Therapy (RLT) picks up, and what sobriety and relationships taught Zach about anger in marriage.  In this episode, you'll learn: The question Zach asks himself when anger takes over, and how it shifts the story from the inside out (think parts work)Why getting sober didn't end his anger and resentment, and what recovery turned out to be aboutThe difference between emotional sobriety and white-knuckling it, and why the same test applies to your relationshipsThe Four Horsemen (criticism, contempt, defensiveness, and stonewalling) and how to tell when they're working against youWhy contempt is the single biggest predictor of divorceHow defensiveness in relationships becomes useful once you check whether the threat is realThe Brussels sprouts lesson that turns criticism into a request your partner can actually hearWhat Zach advises when a defensive partner can't or won't show up as an adultWhy kids need healthy parents more than parents who stay together, and what staying in an unhappy marriage teaches themWhether you're working on your marriage or healing from one, this conversation will help you understand your reactions and choose new ones. Much love and freedom, Laurie Free Resources Click here to schedule a FREE inquiry call with me. Click here for my FREE “Beginner’s Guide to Somatic Healing” Click here for my FREE Core Values Exercise Want to try somatic work for free? Download my somatic exercises on Insight Timer and start reconnecting with your body today. Connect with me: Click here to purchase my “Nervous System Regulation Starter Kit” it’s $29.99 Click here to purchase my book: Sandwiched: A Memoir of Holding On and Letting Go Website Instagram Substack Connect with Zach: Website Substack Instagram Please leave me feedback. I cannot respond so if you'd like me to respond, please leave your email *********************** DISCLAIMER: THE COMMENTARY AND OPINIONS AVAILABLE ON THIS PODCAST ARE FOR INFORMATIONAL AND ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY AND NOT FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING LEGAL, MEDICAL OR PROFESSIONAL ADVICE. YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LICENSED THERAPIST IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING SUICIDAL THOUGHTS. YOU SHOULD CONTACT AN ATTORNEY IN YOUR STATE TO OBTAIN LEGAL ADVICE. YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LICENSED MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL WITH RESPECT TO ANY MEDICAL ISSUE OR PROBLEM.

Who are you once your career title no longer defines you? The team meetings. The decades of being known by peers, subordinates, and bosses who knew the old you. The social interaction and the productivity you're wired for. Like a lot of midlife women and men, you've built the career, raised the kids, and been the one everyone counts on — and now the role that organized your days is ending. You expected relief. What showed up instead was excitement, grief, and fear, all at once. All three are valid. But left unexamined, they can keep you stuck. The identity crisis that follows a midlife career change is what happens when the thing holding it together ends — and the fear underneath it rarely survives a close look. Today I'm joined by Johanna Danaher — mindset, life, and leadership coach, founder of Anchor to Aspire, and former senior director of career growth at Pfizer after more than two decades in HR. We take the excitement, the grief, and the fear one at a time, and get into nervous system regulation, asking for help, and how to stop people-pleasing once you can see where the habit started. In this episode, you'll learn: The three feelings that arrived at once when Johanna left Pfizer — and what each one asked of herWhy grief after a long career has no timeline and can't be scheduled awayHow she memorialized 25 years of work so she could finally set it downWhat she wrote about first, and the second question that made the exercise usefulThe specific fear underneath her midlife transition, and why failure had nothing to do with itHow the body reads uncertainty as danger — and what you can do to recognize it and move through itThe two-part practice for when fear shows up physicallyHow helper energy turns into people-pleasing, and the one shift that keeps it from becoming burnoutThe new perspective on "you can't pour from an empty cup" that stopped Johanna mid-sentenceThe one question you need to answer to redefine success on your own termsWhether you're a year into a midlife reinvention, or still inside the role and already wondering who you'll be without it — this conversation gives you a way to hold the grief, the fear, and the excitement all at once. Much love and freedom, Laurie Free Resources Click here to schedule a FREE inquiry call with me. Click here for my FREE “Beginner’s Guide to Somatic Healing” Click here for my FREE Core Values Exercise Want to try somatic work for free? Download my somatic exercises on Insight Timer and start reconnecting with your body today. Connect with me: Click here to purchase my “Nervous System Regulation Starter Kit” it’s $29.99 Click here to purchase my book: Sandwiched: A Memoir of Holding On and Letting Go Website Instagram Substack Connect with Johanna: Website LinkedIn Please leave me feedback. I cannot respond so if you'd like me to respond, please leave your email *********************** DISCLAIMER: THE COMMENTARY AND OPINIONS AVAILABLE ON THIS PODCAST ARE FOR INFORMATIONAL AND ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY AND NOT FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING LEGAL, MEDICAL OR PROFESSIONAL ADVICE. YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LICENSED THERAPIST IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING SUICIDAL THOUGHTS. YOU SHOULD CONTACT AN ATTORNEY IN YOUR STATE TO OBTAIN LEGAL ADVICE. YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LICENSED MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL WITH RESPECT TO ANY MEDICAL ISSUE OR PROBLEM.

Have you been in a misogynistic relationship for years without ever naming it? You might have called it a difficult marriage, a controlling husband, a spiteful partner or "just a complicated dynamic." Maybe you're only now able to say the word misogyny out loud. If so, this episode is for you. What most people don't realize is that the recent rise in misogyny didn't start with an election or a headline. Researchers tracked the pattern building for nearly two years before it reached the mainstream — quietly moving into ordinary marriages long before anyone had a name for it. In this solo episode, I walk through the rise in misogyny, why your nervous system chooses the partners it chooses, and the specific steps that support healing afterward. You'll learn: Why the rise in misogyny didn't start with a headline — and how long researchers tracked the pattern before it went mainstreamHow childhood trauma and old attachment wounds teach your nervous system what to accept in a partner, long before you ever meet themHow early conditioning determines who you choose as a partnerWhat happens in your body during the fawn response — and why it develops as a survival strategyHow psychological abuse predicts PTSD more often than physical abuse, based on the researchWhy boundary setting can start with something as small as rescheduling a dinner when you're tiredHow body awareness practices — a hand on your chest, noticing your feet on the floor — help regulate the nervous system after it activatesWhat parts work, or Internal Family Systems, reveals about the specific roles different parts of you took on to keep you safeThe difference between your essential self and your social self, and how to find your way back to who you were meant to beHow self-trust rebuilds through small, repeated actions — like saying a true statement in a low-stakes conversationIf you're looking for more self-trust, want to find your essential self, or are working through trauma and divorce recovery, this conversation walks you through the rise in misogyny, why you chose the partner you chose, and what it takes to heal — starting with your own nervous system. Much love and freedom, Laurie Free Resources Click here to schedule a FREE inquiry call with me. Click here for my FREE “Beginner’s Guide to Somatic Healing” Click here for my FREE Core Values Exercise Want to try somatic work for free? Download my somatic exercises on Insight Timer and start reconnecting with your body today. Connect with me: If you're local to the South Bay, join me at Harmony Yoga in Hermosa Beach for a four-week somatic and yoga course — Thursday evenings from 6:30 to 8 p.m. starting September 3rd. Click here to purchase my “Nervous System Regulation Starter Kit” it’s $29.99 Click here to purchase my book: Sandwiched: A Memoir of Holding On and Letting Go Website Instagram Substack Revisit my past conversations with Kate: Listen to part one of my conversation with Kate on The Divorce Survival Guide podcast here. Episode 228 Is it Time to Leave: How do I know if Divorce is the right choice for me Feel Safe Again in Love: How Somatic Healing Supports Secure Relationships Please leave me feedback. I cannot respond so if you'd like me to respond, please leave your email *********************** DISCLAIMER: THE COMMENTARY AND OPINIONS AVAILABLE ON THIS PODCAST ARE FOR INFORMATIONAL AND ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY AND NOT FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING LEGAL, MEDICAL OR PROFESSIONAL ADVICE. YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LICENSED THERAPIST IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING SUICIDAL THOUGHTS. YOU SHOULD CONTACT AN ATTORNEY IN YOUR STATE TO OBTAIN LEGAL ADVICE. YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LICENSED MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL WITH RESPECT TO ANY MEDICAL ISSUE OR PROBLEM.

Nearly half of all women in the U.S. have experienced psychological aggression from a partner — gaslighting, isolation, coercive control. Most never call it abuse. They call it a difficult marriage, a controlling husband, a complicated dynamic or a spiteful partner. If you've spent years second-guessing your own memory, wondering if it counts because he never hit you — this episode is for you. I'm joined by Kate Anthony — certified high conflict divorce coach, host of The Divorce Survival Guide podcast, and author of The D Word: Making the Ultimate Decision About Your Marriage. We talk about why emotional abuse leaves deeper, longer-lasting harm than physical abuse(PTSD), the psychological framework that separates a coercive controller from a narcissist, and the specific work each of us did to rebuild self-trust before dating again. You'll learn: Why women describe psychological abuse as "a difficult marriage" — and what changes when you name it as abuseThe signs of emotional abuse that leave no bruises, no police report, no evidence a family court will acceptWhy psychological abuse predicts PTSD in women more strongly than physical abuse doesHow gaslighting in relationships is designed to make you question your own sanityThe difference between protection and control — why a controlling husband is never just a "communication problem"The dark tetrad: the four personality traits every woman should know how to recognizeWhy family court professionals aren't required to complete domestic abuse training — and how that gap affects you and your kidsHow your own healing work helps you spot red flags early if you date againWhat it looks like when a partner deliberately, deceptively builds your sense of safetyHow to date after divorce without shutting every new connection out to stay safeWhether you're still inside a marriage trying to find the words for what's happening, or years out and learning to trust yourself again — this conversation gives you the language and the framework to see it clearly. Much love and freedom, Laurie Free Resources Click here to schedule a FREE inquiry call with me. Click here for my FREE “Beginner’s Guide to Somatic Healing” Click here for my FREE Core Values Exercise Connect with me: Click here to purchase my “Nervous System Regulation Starter Kit” it’s $29.99 Click here to purchase my book: Sandwiched: A Memoir of Holding On and Letting Go Website Instagram Substack Connect with Kate: Website Instagram Podcast Grab Kate's book, The D Word,  This episode is part two — listen to part one of my conversation with Kate on The Divorce Survival Guide podcast here. Want to go deeper on the dark tetrad? Here's an article that talks about what Kate references in this episode. Revisit my past conversations with Kate: Is it Time to Leave: How do I know if Divorce is the right choice for me Feel Safe Again in Love: How Somatic Healing Supports Secure Relationships Please leave me feedback. I cannot respond so if you'd like me to respond, please leave your email *********************** DISCLAIMER: THE COMMENTARY AND OPINIONS AVAILABLE ON THIS PODCAST ARE FOR INFORMATIONAL AND ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY AND NOT FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING LEGAL, MEDICAL OR PROFESSIONAL ADVICE. YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LICENSED THERAPIST IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING SUICIDAL THOUGHTS. YOU SHOULD CONTACT AN ATTORNEY IN YOUR STATE TO OBTAIN LEGAL ADVICE. YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LICENSED MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL WITH RESPECT TO ANY MEDICAL ISSUE OR PROBLEM.

Have you spent years — maybe decades — building a yoga practice or physical discipline, only to reach a point where your body simply won't cooperate the way it used to? If the one thing that once grounded you, defined you, and kept you regulated is starting to slip away — this episode is going to meet you exactly where you are. My guest is Harmony Slater — one of fewer than 20 people in the world to hold the highest level Ashtanga yoga certification, earned through 15 years of immersive training in India. A certified mastery coach and breathwork trainer, Harmony has spent over 25 years helping women navigate midlife transitions, identity shifts, and the particular grief that comes when the body you've relied on starts to change. In this conversation we go deep on why the intense physical practices so many women depend on eventually stop working — and what becomes possible when they do. We explore how the nervous system learns to stay regulated under stress, why body awareness matters more than any pose you can hold, and why the present moment is the only place real choice actually lives. This one is for the high achievers, the disciplined movers, the women who built their identity around what their bodies could do — and who are now being asked to find themselves somewhere new. In this episode, you'll learn: Why your yoga practice was always about more than flexibility — and how it was quietly training your nervous system to stay regulated under discomfortWhat happens to your sense of self when the body you've relied on for control and accomplishment stops responding the way it used toThe difference between living as a human being versus a human doing — and why high achievers struggle most with this shiftWhy your thoughts aren't where you'll find the truth — and why Harmony points you to the heart and body insteadHow midlife women return to nervous system regulation without an hour and a half on the matA hand-on-heart breathing exercise you can try while you listen — a gentle way to feel into your own body awareness right nowWhy the present moment is the only place you can make a real choice — and how tracking breath and sensation gets you thereHow a two-minute breathing practice can bring your nervous system back into regulation on even the hardest daysWhat coming home to yourself actually asks of you — and why it's simpler than you thinkWhether your yoga practice, running routine, or physical identity is falling away in midlife — this conversation gives you something more portable and more permanent than any pose: a way back to yourself through breath, body, and the quiet wisdom of the present moment. Much love and freedom, Laurie Free Resources Click here to schedule a FREE inquiry call with me. Click here for my FREE “Beginner’s Guide to Somatic Healing” Click here for my FREE Core Values Exercise Want to try somatic work for free? Download my somatic exercises on Insight Timer and start reconnecting with your body today. Connect with me: If you're local to the South Bay, join me at Harmony Yoga in Hermosa Beach for a four-week somatic and yoga course — Thursday evenings from 6:30 to 8 p.m. starting September 3rd. Click here to purchase my “Nervous System Regulation Starter Kit” it’s $29.99 Click here to purchase my book: Sandwiched: A Memoir of Holding On and Letting Go Website Instagram Substack Connect with Harmony: Website Instagram Want a simple way to settle your nervous system between meetings, in the car, or before bed? Download Harmony's FREE Breathwork Practice For Stress-Reduction and use it anywhere you need to find calm. Harmony mentioned the research coming out of the HeartMath Institute on heart consciousness. If you want to look into it yourself, you can find them here. Please leave me feedback. I cannot respond so if you'd like me to respond, please leave your email *********************** DISCLAIMER: THE COMMENTARY AND OPINIONS AVAILABLE ON THIS PODCAST ARE FOR INFORMATIONAL AND ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY AND NOT FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING LEGAL, MEDICAL OR PROFESSIONAL ADVICE. YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LICENSED THERAPIST IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING SUICIDAL THOUGHTS. YOU SHOULD CONTACT AN ATTORNEY IN YOUR STATE TO OBTAIN LEGAL ADVICE. YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LICENSED MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL WITH RESPECT TO ANY MEDICAL ISSUE OR PROBLEM.

What if joy wasn't something you had to wait for  — but something you could actually adopt into your life? If you're rebuilding after divorce or navigating a recent loss and are quietly wondering whether you're allowed to feel good again while you're still grieving — this episode is for you. Most of us treat grief and joy as opposites, as if one has to end before the other can begin. My guest today gently dismantles that idea. Her argument is the reverse: your capacity for joy grows in direct proportion to the pain you've allowed yourself to experience. So the question isn't how to get past the grief — it's how to hold both at the same time. My guest is SC Perot. A Stanford Law graduate, Vanderbilt adjunct faculty member, and author of Styles of Joy. After the pandemic, a divorce, and a career shift that dismantled the life she'd planned, SC took a grief sabbatical that led her to 17 Harry Styles concerts across five countries in ten months — and to an entirely new understanding of what joy can look like after loss.  In this conversation we explore the identity loss that quietly lives inside divorce grief, why escapism only works when it runs alongside doing the inner work, and the Japanese concept of borrowed views — a practice for turning jealousy into genuine delight in other people's good news. SC also shares her four-part CAPS framework for making joy a skill you build through repetition, and lays out what life after divorce can look like when you stop settling for just okay. In this episode, you'll learn: Why SC says the opposite of joyful is jealousy — and how you can catch envy before it takes holdWhat a grief break is, and how to tell it apart from bypassing your painHow happy music became part of SC’s healing journey — and what it means to build a new soundtrack for a new lifeWhy sitting fully inside divorce grief expands your capacity for joyHow the doctrine of borrowed views lets you adopt other people's joy as your ownHow an abundance mindset replaces the scarcity story that someone else's good news means less for youThe 4-part CAPS framework — cultivate, adopt, protect, and spread — and which part trips people up mostHow SC's body told her it was time for a career pivot before her mind caught upWhy collective joy counteracts lonely grief — and where to find it without a concert ticketHow the three circles of connection — intimate, relational, and communal — protect you from loneliness after divorce or anytime.Whether you're deep in divorce recovery or simply carrying more than you expected this season — this conversation offers something rare: a concrete, compassionate path back to more joyful living and feeling like yourself again. Much love and freedom, Laurie Free Resources Click here to schedule a FREE inquiry call with me. Click here for my FREE “Beginner’s Guide to Somatic Healing” Click here for my FREE Core Values Exercise Connect with me: Click here to purchase my “Nervous System Regulation Starter Kit” it’s $29.99 Click here to purchase my book: Sandwiched: A Memoir of Holding On and Letting Go Website Instagram Substack Want to try somatic work for free? Download my somatic exercises on Insight Timer and start reconnecting with your body today. If you're local to the South Bay, join me at Harmony Yoga in Hermosa Beach for a four-week somatic and yoga course — Thursday evenings from 6:30 to 8 p.m. starting September 3rd. Connect with SC: Website Substack Instagram Grab your copy of Styles of Joy wherever books are sold — or listen to the audiobook, narrated by SC herself, on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Please leave me feedback. I cannot respond so if you'd like me to respond, please leave your email *********************** DISCLAIMER: THE COMMENTARY AND OPINIONS AVAILABLE ON THIS PODCAST ARE FOR INFORMATIONAL AND ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY AND NOT FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING LEGAL, MEDICAL OR PROFESSIONAL ADVICE. YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LICENSED THERAPIST IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING SUICIDAL THOUGHTS. YOU SHOULD CONTACT AN ATTORNEY IN YOUR STATE TO OBTAIN LEGAL ADVICE. YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LICENSED MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL WITH RESPECT TO ANY MEDICAL ISSUE OR PROBLEM.

What do you do with a relationship after a shocking truth comes out?  If you're the betrayed partner making the therapy appointments, reading the books alone, and wondering whether the person across from you is actually changing — this episode is for you. What most people don't realize is that the day you found out wasn't the beginning of the problem. The patterns of behavior that led to betrayal started long before that moment. And the real question isn't just why did this happen and how do I fix it — it's how do you both heal from betrayal trauma, and how do you know whether your relationship can survive it? My guests are Brannon Patrick, LCSW, and Tyler Patrick, LMFT — brothers, licensed therapists, and hosts of the Therapy Brothers podcast. Between them they bring more than 40 years of experience in addiction and trauma work, and across more than 500 call-in episodes they've sat with real people in real time navigating betrayal, shame, and the long road back. In this episode we go deep on what your body needs in the immediate aftermath of discovery, why sobriety and real recovery are not the same thing, and the three specific signs Brannon and Tyler look for when assessing whether a relationship can genuinely be repaired. In this episode, you'll learn: Why the patterns behind betrayal started long before discovery — and what that changes about the repair processWhat to do when your whole system goes into shock and you can't think straightHow grounding, breathwork, and somatic healing help refill an emotional tank running on emptyWhy no major decision is worth making when you're at an eight out of ten — and what to do instead while you return to a fiveWhy the hurt partner often ends up overfunctioning — and how it quietly affects the relationship dynamicWhat shame resilience actually sounds like in a conversation, and why it's the skill that makes real honesty possibleHow to tell the difference between a partner doing the work for themselves versus performing it for youWhy rigorous honesty isn't the same as confessing every detail — and how anxiety can disguise itself as transparencyThe 3 signs Brannon and Tyler watch for when someone is genuinely in recoveryHow to be vulnerable in small ways when rebuilding trust after infidelity or betrayal still terrifies youWhether you're standing at the crossroads of betrayal or deep in the process of infidelity recovery, this conversation will give you a clearer lens — and a little more ground under your feet. Cheers to more love and freedom, Laurie Click here to learn more about my Somatic/Yoga course with Harmony Yoga Click here to purchase my “Nervous System Regulation Starter Kit” it’s $29.99 Click here to purchase my book: Sandwiched: A Memoir of Holding On and Letting Go Free Resources Click here to schedule a FREE inquiry call with me. Click here for my FREE “Beginner’s Guide to Somatic Healing” Click here for my FREE Core Values Exercise Connect with me: Website Instagram Connect with Brannon & Tyler: Website Instagram YouTube Listen to Brannon and Tyler's weekly call-in show: The Therapy Brothers Podcast  Please leave me feedback. I cannot respond so if you'd like me to respond, please leave your email *********************** DISCLAIMER: THE COMMENTARY AND OPINIONS AVAILABLE ON THIS PODCAST ARE FOR INFORMATIONAL AND ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY AND NOT FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING LEGAL, MEDICAL OR PROFESSIONAL ADVICE. YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LICENSED THERAPIST IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING SUICIDAL THOUGHTS. YOU SHOULD CONTACT AN ATTORNEY IN YOUR STATE TO OBTAIN LEGAL ADVICE. YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LICENSED MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL WITH RESPECT TO ANY MEDICAL ISSUE OR PROBLEM.

What if the anxiety you feel about dating again isn't a sign you weren't meant to date, but an invitation to understand yourself more deeply? Like many women over 50, you've built a successful career or raised and launched your children, done the therapy, read the self-help books, and created a meaningful life after divorce — and you still question your intuition when someone new shows up. You don't want to be alone, but you keep attracting the wrong guys and repeating the same relationship patterns. Dating after divorce isn't just about finding someone you're attracted to. It's about learning to recognize relationship compatibility, understanding the difference between chemistry and emotional safety, and knowing whether your body is responding to a real red flag or an old attachment wound asking for attention. That's why nervous system regulation and self-awareness matter just as much as finding the right partner. As a certified somatic experiencing practitioner and coach, and someone who's spent the last eight years navigating dating relationships myself, I'm sharing the lessons that changed what I look for in a partner — the qualities that helped me move beyond chemistry toward a relationship built on honesty, growth, and genuine connection. In this episode, I’ll share: The 9 green flags not everyone is talking aboutWhat a healthy relationship is actually built on outside of attraction and chemistryHow to tell the difference between a warning sign and an attachment wound that needs healingWhy financial alignment, shared values, and emotional maturity matter more in midlife than most people realizeWhat relationship green flags look like once early-dating excitement settlesWhy secure attachment isn't about finding the perfect partner — it's learning to create safety within yourself and with someone elseWhy conflict repair is the #1 predictor of long-term compatibilityHow laughter, generosity, and accountability build deeper intimacyHow honest conversations about your past, fears, and intimacy strengthen connection instead of creating distanceFinding love in midlife isn't about getting lucky. It's about getting clear on what truly matters, trusting yourself enough to wait for it, and choosing someone who makes you feel loved. Much love and freedom, Laurie Click here to purchase my “Nervous System Regulation Starter Kit” it’s $29.99 Click here to purchase my book: Sandwiched: A Memoir of Holding On and Letting Go Free Resources Click here to schedule a FREE inquiry call with me. Click here for my FREE “Beginner’s Guide to Somatic Healing” Click here for my FREE “Girlfriends Guide to Online Dating” Click here for my FREE Core Values Exercise Resources Mentioned in this episode: Click here to join me on Insight Timer for somatic healing practices and guided meditations. Somatic Touch Sessions - Click here to book an inquiry call if you’re in Los Angeles.OKCupid Article Connect with me: Website Instagram Episodes Mentioned Dating in Midlife Series - 8 Signs You’re Ready to Date and Fall in Love Again in MidlifeOvercome Your Midlife Dating Fears: 8 Tips You Can’t Miss5 Tips to Make Dating Over 50 Fun Again with Carolyn Lee ArnoldWhy Self-Love And Setting Boundaries Are Important for Succesfully Dating in MidlifeOther Dating PodcastsOvercome Common Dating Challenges and Achieve Emotional Connection with Bernardo MendezHow to Feel Confident and Find a Healthy Relationship Dating in MidlifeFinancial Alignment - How to Build Financial Security and Confidence with Jennifer LeeIntimacy in Midlife - How Safe Hormone Therapy and Vaginal Health Can Close The Bedroom Gap with Dr. Maria SophoclesPlease leave me feedback. I cannot respond so if you'd like me to respond, please leave your email *********************** DISCLAIMER: THE COMMENTARY AND OPINIONS AVAILABLE ON THIS PODCAST ARE FOR INFORMATIONAL AND ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY AND NOT FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING LEGAL, MEDICAL OR PROFESSIONAL ADVICE. YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LICENSED THERAPIST IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING SUICIDAL THOUGHTS. YOU SHOULD CONTACT AN ATTORNEY IN YOUR STATE TO OBTAIN LEGAL ADVICE. YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LICENSED MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL WITH RESPECT TO ANY MEDICAL ISSUE OR PROBLEM.

What if your relationship with money started long before you ever had a bank account? Money can be more intimate than sex — yet so many of us fear it, avoid it, or feel a desperate need to control it. That relationship often traces back further than we realize: your first interaction with money, how your parents managed theirs, or whether you were ever trusted to make financial decisions of your own. If you're in midlife and find yourself as the non-moneyed spouse, or wondering whether you'll truly be okay on your own — this episode is for you. In this episode, I sit down with Jennifer Lee, financial advisor and founder of Modern Wealth, for a grounded, honest conversation about men and women in transition, money, identity, divorce, loss, and what it actually takes to understand what you have and build a life within your means. We talk about the deeper story behind your relationship with money — the patterns, roles, and unspoken fears that surface the moment finances enter the conversation. This episode is designed to help you create enough clarity to stop avoiding the numbers and start making financial decisions rooted in your values and what you actually want. In this episode, you'll learn: How to identify your money story — and the patterns it may have quietly createdWhy your earliest money memories still shape your financial choices todayHow divorce financial planning brings clarity to one of life's hardest transitionsThe most important factors to understand before and during a divorceWhat to ask before choosing a financial advisorWhy the non-moneyed spouse needs a seat at the financial tableHow to divide marital assets and retirement accounts — and what a QDRO (Qualified Domestic Relations Order) is and when to start that processWhat it looks like when money becomes a form of control in relationshipsHow financial literacy builds lasting confidence with moneyWhat wealth building can look like after a major life transitionWhy money conversations matter when dating, partnering, or starting overWhether you're preparing for divorce, rebuilding your financial independence, or learning to trust yourself with money again — this conversation is a reminder that you don't have to know everything to begin making more empowered choices. Much love and freedom, Laurie Click here to purchase my “Nervous System Regulation Starter Kit” it’s $29.99 Click here to purchase my book: Sandwiched: A Memoir of Holding On and Letting Go Free Resources Previous Episode with Jennifer Lee - Understanding Divorce and How to Prepare for A Strong Financial Future Click here to schedule a FREE inquiry call with me. Click here for my FREE “Beginner’s Guide to Somatic Healing” Click here for my FREE Core Values Exercise Connect with me: Website Instagram Connect with Jennifer: Website Linkedin Discussions  in this show should not be construed as specific recommendations or investment advice. Always consult with your investment professional before making important investment decisions. Securities offered through Registered Representatives of Cambridge Investment  Research, Inc., a broker-dealer, member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory services offered through Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, Inc., a Registered Investment Advisor. Modern-Wealth, LLC and Cambridge are not affiliated. Please leave me feedback. I cannot respond so if you'd like me to respond, please leave your email *********************** DISCLAIMER: THE COMMENTARY AND OPINIONS AVAILABLE ON THIS PODCAST ARE FOR INFORMATIONAL AND ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY AND NOT FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING LEGAL, MEDICAL OR PROFESSIONAL ADVICE. YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LICENSED THERAPIST IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING SUICIDAL THOUGHTS. YOU SHOULD CONTACT AN ATTORNEY IN YOUR STATE TO OBTAIN LEGAL ADVICE. YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LICENSED MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL WITH RESPECT TO ANY MEDICAL ISSUE OR PROBLEM.

What if hitting rock bottom in midlife was actually the beginning? When life falls apart at once — a relationship ending, a health crisis, financial debt, or waking up one day completely disconnected from yourself — it's hard to imagine that anything good could come from it. But sometimes the hardest chapters hold the seeds of the most profound transformation. In this episode, I'm joined by Wendy Valentine, host of The Midlife Makeover Show and author of “Women Waking Up: The Midlife Manifesto for Passion, Purpose, and Play.” Wendy opens up about hitting rock bottom in midlife — navigating divorce, debt, health issues, and grief all at once — and what she discovered on the other side. This is a conversation about waking up, choosing yourself, and rebuilding your life from the inside out. With honesty, warmth, and hard-won wisdom, Wendy shares how a midlife crisis can become a midlife invitation — to become more free, more honest, and more fully yourself. In this episode: Why hitting rock bottom can be the beginning of real and lasting changeWendy's lotus metaphor and what it teaches us about growth and resilienceHow to move from fear and familiar misery toward more freedomWhy self-abandonment is so common in midlife — and how to stopHow negative self-talk shapes the way you see yourself and what to do about itWhy "acting as if" helps you step into the woman you're becomingHow grief, anxiety, and old patterns resurface during major life transitionsThe power of giving yourself permission to feelA simple journaling practice to connect with your next chapterIf you've ever felt stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure of who you're becoming — this conversation is your reminder that your story is not over. This may be exactly the part where you begin to wake-up. Much love and freedom, Laurie Click here to purchase my “Nervous System Regulation Starter Kit” it’s $29.99 Click here to purchase my book: Sandwiched: A Memoir of Holding On and Letting Go Free Resources Click here to schedule a FREE inquiry call with me. Click here for my FREE “Beginner’s Guide to Somatic Healing” Click here for my FREE Core Values Exercise Connect with me: Website Instagram Connect with Wendy: Website Instagram Please leave me feedback. I cannot respond so if you'd like me to respond, please leave your email *********************** DISCLAIMER: THE COMMENTARY AND OPINIONS AVAILABLE ON THIS PODCAST ARE FOR INFORMATIONAL AND ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY AND NOT FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING LEGAL, MEDICAL OR PROFESSIONAL ADVICE. YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LICENSED THERAPIST IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING SUICIDAL THOUGHTS. YOU SHOULD CONTACT AN ATTORNEY IN YOUR STATE TO OBTAIN LEGAL ADVICE. YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LICENSED MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL WITH RESPECT TO ANY MEDICAL ISSUE OR PROBLEM.

What if the exhaustion you've been carrying isn't a sign that you need to do more — but your body's way of telling you something needs to shift? You can be a founder, a mother, a partner, a caregiver for aging parents, or a woman in midlife building something meaningful — and still find yourself running on fumes. The women I work with love their lives and the people in them. And they still feel their bodies quietly asking for something they haven't been giving themselves. Burnout signs in midlife don’t always announce themselves loudly.. You're still showing up. Still dependable. And underneath that, you feel flat, disconnected, and unsure why a life that looks full on the outside feels so heavy from the inside. For those navigating caregiver burnout — years of holding everyone else together — that heaviness can be especially hard to name. This isn't weakness or a lack of gratitude. A nervous system that has been overriding its own signals for years is doing exactly what it was designed to do. The exhaustion makes sense. And there's a deeper pattern underneath it worth understanding. As a somatic experiencing practitioner, life coach, author, this solo mid-year episode offers a body-based reset through the lens of somatic experiencing and nervous system regulation. I share a piece of my own burnout story, explain what's happening biologically when meaningful work quietly becomes depleting, I walk you through simple somatic practices you can use today, and offer journal prompts to help you listen to your nervous system before it forces you to stop. In this episode, I’ll share: Why burnout takes hold even when your life is full of things you genuinely love — and what's happening in your nervous system when it does.How your body communicates through chronic tension, fatigue, emotional flatness, and low-grade dread long before it shouts.Why pushing through disconnects you from your purpose, your values, and your own clarity.What somatic experiencing is, why it works, and how it's different from every other approach to stress and burnout you've tried.Three simple somatic practices to bring you back to the present moment through the felt sense.Three journal prompts to help you honor your first half and set a soulful intention for the next six months.Burnout recovery doesn't begin with doing more. It begins with slowing down, coming home to your body, and choosing the second half of this year from a more grounded and stable place. Much love and freedom, Laurie Connect with me: Click here to download your FREE Mid-Year Check-in Click here to purchase my “Nervous System Regulation Starter Kit” it’s $29.99 Click here to purchase my book: Sandwiched: A Memoir of Holding On and Letting Go Free Resources Click here to schedule a FREE inquiry call with me. Click here for my FREE “Beginner’s Guide to Somatic Healing” Click here for my FREE Core Values Exercise Website Instagram RESOURCES MENTIONED: Midyear Reflection Journal Prompts: A set of questions to honor what you’ve carried in the first half of the year, name what feels out of alignment, and choose one soulful intention for the months ahead. Beginner's Guide to Somatic Healing: A body-based approach to working with the nervous system, developed by Dr. Peter Levine, that supports releasing stored stress so you can move through life with more regulation, presence, and ease.  Please leave me feedback. I cannot respond so if you'd like me to respond, please leave your email *********************** DISCLAIMER: THE COMMENTARY AND OPINIONS AVAILABLE ON THIS PODCAST ARE FOR INFORMATIONAL AND ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY AND NOT FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING LEGAL, MEDICAL OR PROFESSIONAL ADVICE. YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LICENSED THERAPIST IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING SUICIDAL THOUGHTS. YOU SHOULD CONTACT AN ATTORNEY IN YOUR STATE TO OBTAIN LEGAL ADVICE. YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LICENSED MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL WITH RESPECT TO ANY MEDICAL ISSUE OR PROBLEM.

Have you ever noticed how hard it is to step away from your phone… even when your  mind and body is asking for a break? The texts, notifications, social media scrolling, and constant pressure to respond to that email can leave you  feeling wired, distracted, and disconnected from yourself. Your mind may say, “Just one more thing,” while your body is quietly tightening, bracing, or whispering that it needs space. And if you’ve been pushing through for years — caring for everyone else, managing work, family, caregiving, and the invisible weight of modern life — you are not broken. Your body may simply be responding to a world that rarely rewards you how to pause. In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Mary Donohue, founder and CEO of the Digital Wellness Center, whose work blends neuroscience, behavior, and technology. After living with chronic leukemia, caregiving stress, and surviving a heart attack, Mary began looking more closely at digital wellness and how constant connection affects the brain, body, and our ability to pause. Together, we talk about digital overload, micro breaks, nervous system regulation, social media anxiety, and stress-related illness. Mary shares why even a small pause can help your body settle and give you more space before you respond. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why midlife women may be especially vulnerable to chronic stress How women over 50 can begin noticing the subtle body cues they’ve learned to overrideWhat micro breaks can offer when your mind and body feel overstimulatedHow social media anxiety can quietly shape your mood, focus, and sense of calmHow a simple 3 minute micro break can help you regulate you emotional well-being.The connection between technology and mental health in our everyday choicesHow your nervous system staying in a low-grade activation (fight or flight response) can show up without you even knowing it. IWhy giving back, connecting with others, and creating more joy can help you feel more groundedHow technology can become part of the solution when it is designed with human well-being in mindThis conversation is a gentle reminder that the pace of your life may be asking more of your body than it was ever meant to hold. You don’t have to wait until you’re exhausted, anxious, or completely overwhelmed to give yourself a pause. Sometimes one small moment of space is enough to help you start hearing what your body and brain have been trying to tell you all along. With love and freedom,   Laurie Click here to purchase my “Nervous System Regulation Starter Kit” it’s $29.99 Click here to purchase my book: Sandwiched: A Memoir of Holding On and Letting Go Click here to watch the Barbie clip referenced in this podcast Free Resources Click here to schedule a FREE inquiry call with me. Click here for my FREE “Beginner’s Guide to Somatic Healing” Click here for my FREE Core Values Exercise Website Connect with Dr. Mary Donohue:  Victoria on LinkedIn: Dr. Mary Donohue Victoria's email: [email protected]  RESOURCES MENTIONED: Digital Wellness Center: Founded by Dr. Mary Donohue, this science-backed platform helps people manage digital stress, take healthier microbreaks, and build more balanced technology habits.  Message Received: A book written by Dr. Mary E. Donohue, offering a practical seven-step framework for breaking down communication barriers at work, especially across email, digital tools, video calls, remote teams, and generational communication styles.  The Happiness Lab: A podcast hosted by Yale professor Dr. Laurie Santos that shares science-backed insights for improving well-being.  How to Win Friends and Influence People:  A classic book by Dale Carnegie that shares practical principles for building stronger relationships, improving communication, and positively influencing others.  How to Stop Worrying and Start Living: A book by Dale Carnegie that shares practical lessons and real-life stories for managing worry, finding purpose, and living with more peace.  Please leave me feedback. I cannot respond so if you'd like me to respond, please leave your email *********************** DISCLAIMER: THE COMMENTARY AND OPINIONS AVAILABLE ON THIS PODCAST ARE FOR INFORMATIONAL AND ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY AND NOT FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING LEGAL, MEDICAL OR PROFESSIONAL ADVICE. YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LICENSED THERAPIST IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING SUICIDAL THOUGHTS. YOU SHOULD CONTACT AN ATTORNEY IN YOUR STATE TO OBTAIN LEGAL ADVICE. YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LICENSED MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL WITH RESPECT TO ANY MEDICAL ISSUE OR PROBLEM.