Trauma, dysregulated emotions, high levels of stress and anxiety, all have a way of rewiring and changing your nervous system. The changes are so significant they can cause disease as you witness and carry your dis-ease; they cause coping mechanisms and self-harm, and a host of other significant life impacts. Yet, there is a way to retrain the autonomic nervous system and your relationship to your experiences.

I sat down with trauma and addiction therapist, Polyvagal Institute Course Developer, teacher, and author Jan Winhall to talk about how to shift out of flight/fight/fold and freeze, and how we can connect with ourselves and change and get out of the impending danger we feel that keeps us from relaxing and enjoying our lives.

Healing and beginning the journey of therapy is often a scary one for many—especially when unsure of which type of therapy to choose or what is involved. Knowing where to start and what to choose is a crucial element of any healing journey. Then add trying to approach your life, unless guided mindfully, can confuse, and then you may do what so many do, which is call this journal quits!

That’s why therapist Adalina East and I sat down to chat about mindfulness and therapy on her podcast, Cosmic Leadership. She was gracious enough to allow me to share it here with you. You are in for a real treat as we talk more about the five masters of our lives, the six elements of mindfulness that highly improve your life, calming anxiety through breathwork, EFT, and how to avoid stopping your self-growth journey!

If you have ever wondered what therapists talk about when they are alone, this is a great conversation to let you inside.

"What if" these two small words significantly impact your mental and emotional health, yet the question isn't complete. What if you finished with the words, "you did…" Rounding out the sentence to sound like, "What if you did?" That simple exchange takes the mind in a whole new direction—from looking for the negatives in any given situation to looking for possibility, openness, and what could be.

I sat down with executive coach Julee Gracey to talk about opening ourselves up to possibilities, a way to shift out of impostor syndrome, and breaking down how to think in new patterns regardless of the situation. It's a fantastic conversation that is filled with little nuggets and tools to help you own your truest self.

What would happen if you gave yourself permission to put yourself in the first position and prioritize yourself? Many deem the first position a place of selfishness. But it’s is really? When done correctly, it absolutely is not! What does that look like and how do you get there in a way that is sustainable and long-lasting?   

I sat down with Karen Casitlon to talk about her journey to prioritizing herself that started with these words: Now it’s your turn. In this beautiful conversation, Karen guides each of us through making shifts in our lives, finding our inner stillness and power, and leaning into the growth you’ve always been meant to find from the top of your priority list.

I’m so excited to be a part of the Prioritize You virtual retreat. It’s 5 straight days of conversations, practices, and tools to give you ideas, inspirations, and practical tips about how to make time for yourself, even if you only have a few minutes a day!

The Prioritize You virtual retreat is completely FREE, but you have to save your seat to get access. Claim your ticket to the online retreat here: https://prioritizeyouretreat.com/danielle

And, remember, YOU are worth it!

Because, let’s get real — if not now, when?

From the Get Confident Podcast with Johnelle Hoskings

Sit back and listen to a wonderful conversation with Johnelle Hosking.

We have an incredible guest, Danielle Vann, who shares her powerful journey of finding her voice and permitting herself to live authentically. Danielle opens up about her experiences, from asking for permission from others to the transformative process of giving herself permission. We'll dive into the five areas where we seek permission: emotional, mental, physical, spiritual, and financial and how they impact our well-being.

What is the purpose of life? Big question. Some believe it’s to live humbly, have a few experiences, and do their best. For others, they think they’re here to leave a massive mark on the world. They believe purpose is found in the doing. While others believe the purpose of life is to be enlightened. Spiritual enlightenment is a state of awareness of the world and the true nature of oneself and the universe around them. It’s a conscious act of releasing pain, suffering, fear, and the ego. We find alignment, self-realization, and the real self in this ever-changing process.

But the question is how? How does one do this, especially if life has been fraught with hardships?

I sat down with Michele Blood, a singer from Australia with an international following, as she recounts moments after a car accident that changed her path and how her voice has helped thousands transform their lives through affirmation and find their way into the purpose of life—true enlightenment. Michele’s story reminds us that each of us has a purpose; our voice creates powerful movements in our lives, and we have an inner knowledge we have the power to tune into.

Trauma, dysregulated emotions, high levels of stress and anxiety, all have a way of rewiring and changing your nervous system. The changes are so significant they can cause disease as you witness and carry your dis-ease; they cause coping mechanisms and self-harm, and a host of other significant life impacts. Yet, there is a way to retrain the autonomic nervous system and your relationship to your experiences.

I sat down with trauma and addiction therapist, Polyvagal Institute Course Developer, teacher, and author Jan Winhall to talk about how to shift out of flight/fight/fold and freeze, and how we can connect with ourselves and change and get out of the impending danger we feel that keeps us from relaxing and enjoying our lives.

What does the term “coping mechanisms” mean to you? The term has taken on an understanding that doesn’t fully explain a coping mechanism or how it can take you into dark places in your life. After all, they are more than just the things you do because at the base of every coping mechanism is a hope that you have a sense of safety and control, even if it isn’t a true security blanket.

When we use our coping mechanisms against ourselves, we create less than fulfilling lives. This is especially true if your coping mechanism is something that requires work. An example of that work is emotional eating.

While many of us do not look at our eating habits and relationship with food as disordered, it can be without even realizing it. Any disordered habits create disordered thinking, which upsets our emotional balance. That’s why I sat down with the founder and leader of Escape From Emotional Eating Jessica Procini to talk about the root of this coping mechanism and how to tackle it if this is a struggle for you. Jessica even hands over a priceless tool you can use right now!

One of the best things we can do for ourselves is dig deep and uncover why we do what we do. This work is an intentional act that takes getting to know yourself, releasing connections to things that do not serve us, and choosing the energy and practices we want to grow through. An unhealed life often feels like an overwhelming sense of danger, powerlessness, and fear. Healing creates safety and empowers self-authority.

And yet, the question always is: how do we get there?

I sat down with Dr. Jane Tornatore to talk about the “how.” She and I share our best-used tools for healing in a fantastic conversation that will leave you with many starting points and excellent practices and tools you can try right now to create or move you forward in your journey.

Grab a pen and a piece of paper! You’re going to need it!

According to the World Health Organization, bipolar disorder is one of the top three causes of hospitalization in people aged 15 to 44. It’s estimated that 5% of the world’s population is on the bipolar spectrum and of that 5%, only 1 to 2% are diagnosed. And while those percentages may seem small, with over 8 billion people currently in the world, we are talking about over 400 million people with bipolar brains.

It’s far more common than you think. In the US alone, around 4.4% of adults deal with or develop bipolar disorder, and the numbers show it impacts more females than males.

I sat down with author and fimmaker Sara Schley to talk about her experience with bipolar disorder and how she has turned what she calls her broken into a blessing as she serves the world by spreading knowledge and resources for those who believe there’s little hope out there. In fact, that’s the furthest from the truth. So, whether you have a diagnosis, know someone who does, or has it genetically within your family, this moving, impactful conversation is filled with understanding, truths, science, and community.

Confidence is an essential part of loving yourself. It’s a feeling of self-assurance arising from one’s appreciation of their own abilities and qualities. Yet, there’s often an aspect that gets in the way of true, sustainable confidence and that’s how we view and think of our physical form. When we are not happy with our bodies, our confidence tends to tank. I sat down with Esther Avant, sports nutritionist, personal trainer, health and weight loss coach, and owner of EA Coaching. Together, we move through building confidence, the important steps we all must take to properly care for our bodies and minds, and we even dive into how women over 40 can best change their mindset as they age.  So, let’s dive right in!

I often talk about trauma, what it is, and how it impacts our behavior. Still, unless you are sitting in private therapy sessions with me or someone else, you rarely get a glimpse of the small nuances of trauma, especially trauma that occurs in childhood.

I sat down with fellow trauma expert, therapist, and author Riana Milne to talk about childhood trauma, mindset, and how we can take control of our lives despite what has happened in our past. Riana helps us understand that many things we do result from something we may need to clean up.

So, let’s dive right in!

Have you heard of Human Design? It’s a holistic self-knowledge system that is a tool to help you understand how you function and the individual conditions you need to thrive. When we have our human design, we can unlock our strengths and dive into our instincts, intuition, and personal empowerment.

I sat down with Dr. Veronica Anderson to walk us through the human design and the Kolbe Index in a fun, educational, and eye-opening conversation.

You’ll want to listen to the very end, as Dr. Veronica offers you the ability to learn about yourself through these fantastic systems, too.

Relationships are tricky, but with the right tools, any couple can thrive! You’ve likely heard of The Gottman Institute and the pioneering work of therapist John Gottman, one of the world’s leading experts on relationships, teaching therapists and couples how to best show up. With relationships adding or distracting from our own self-love and inner peace, I sat down with Gottman-trained couple’s therapist, author, and expert on love advice, Laura Silverstein, about being vulnerable, communication, the rules of engagement that every couple should know, how to fight fair, and what do if you find yourself parenting your partner!

Our conversation is full of small shifts you can put into practice today to help your relationship grow and be as healthy as possible.

Do you struggle with procrastination? What about the lack of motivation? So many do and even identify as procrastinators. This belief can overrun our lives! It can even cause higher levels of stress, anxiety, fear, and a host of other negative feelings. This week we are taking a different approach to procrastination as we examine what these habits are at their roots and how our mindset and thinking patterns are the true culprits. From there, we’re brain hacking our way out of our full stops and onto the path of true motivation in this week’s one-on-one deep dive.

Do you ever find yourself feeling stuck?

No matter how different your life may appear from others around you, at one point or another, it’s likely that you will experience a hurdle, a kind of “stuckness” that rules you. Unfortunately, this is true for nearly every woman alive at one point or another.

This week we’re exploring just that with the six common hurdles women experience with Darcy Luoma of Thoughtfully Fit. Darcy takes us on a journey through the barriers that get in our way, how we often self-sabotage, and gives us the solutions to the hurdles that no longer have to make us feel small or hold us back.

Is it possible to deactivate stress and anxiety by tapping the stressors away? Can we free ourselves of complex emotions through pressure points in the body?

The answer is YES! As we continue discovering different modalities that aid in our healing and reduce stress and negative emotions, we turn our attention to Emotional Freedom Tapping and the Heart-Brain Coherence techniques.

This week explore these tools with Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Psychotherapist, Speaker, and Transformational Life Coach Catherine Ewing.

When was the last time you took a full, deep breath?

I bet it’s been a while, and to be honest, you are not alone! Breathing is a vital part of life, yet most of us underestimate how a simple inhale and exhale can dramatically shift what is happening within. The shift is so significant it’s safe to say that proper, deep, therapeutic breathwork is the most potent and influential function your body has when it comes to regulating your nervous system, thought patterns, and bringing your mind, body, and spirit connection into alignment. The best part is that this ability is already within you and accessible. With such a great tool already at your fingertips, it’s time to use it to your benefit.

Do you know what love language you speak?

Do you know how you like to have your needs, emotional connectivity, and love style met?

Many understand that there is an unwritten communication of receiving, giving, and feeling love, but often how we express and expect love in return is lost in translation. This week, we’re breaking down the importance of love languages, the different types, recognizing your partner’s language, and we’ll connect the dots to asking for more when we’re not on the same page with our partners. Ultimately, if we understand our love language, we can strengthen all forms of communication, which results in happier, healthy, and far more grounded and productive relationships.