Episodios

  • Goodbye George; Losing the Man that Made my Husband

    Goodbye George; Losing the Man that Made my Husband
    Aug 17 2025
    In this heartfelt episode, we're navigating grief after the sudden loss of my father-in-law, Chris's dad; George. We revisit a throwback discussion on the five stages of grief - denial, anger, depression, bargaining, and acceptance - but with a deeper understanding of how these stages work. Grief doesn't follow a neat checklist and we often move back and forth between stages. The episode breaks down how denial acts as a protective buffer, why anger surfaces when we feel powerless, and how depression weighs us down. There is a bargaining phase where we try to make deals with the universe, and ultimately reach acceptance by letting go of the fight against what we cannot control. As well as some practical ways to process grief, like writing and speaking aloud, plus a meaningful candle ritual for releasing what we've lost and embracing hope for moving forward. 🚧 THE BOUNDARIES INTENSIVE:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://EmotionalBadass.com/boundaries⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 💖 PATREON: https://Patreon.com/emotionalbadass 👨‍👨 WORK WITH NIKKI 1:1: https://EmotionalBadass.com/coaching 📰 THE BI-WEEKLY WELLNESS NEWSLETTER https://www.EmotionalBadass.com/newsletter⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    28 m
  • Getting Out of Your Head if You Had Narcissistic Parents

    Getting Out of Your Head if You Had Narcissistic Parents
    Aug 10 2025
    If you grew up with narcissistic or emotionally immature parents, you know the frustration of having all the head knowledge about healing but struggling to actually feel calm in your body. This episode explains why you learned to dissociate and live in your head as a survival mechanism during childhood trauma. We dive into how children of narcissistic parents take on too much responsibility and develop an inner adolescent part that resists guidance and change. Through practical breathing exercises, you experience what it means to get out of your head and into your body, connecting with your wise adult self rather than letting that defensive inner adolescent drive your life. 🚧 THE BOUNDARIES INTENSIVE:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://EmotionalBadass.com/boundaries⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 💖 PATREON: https://Patreon.com/emotionalbadass 👨‍👨 WORK WITH NIKKI 1:1: https://EmotionalBadass.com/coaching 📰 THE BI-WEEKLY WELLNESS NEWSLETTER https://www.EmotionalBadass.com/newsletter⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    34 m
  • Stage Fright, Self Worth, and the Power of Showing Up

    Stage Fright, Self Worth, and the Power of Showing Up
    Aug 3 2025
    Happy 400th Episode!!! I sit down with Chris to talk about the fascinating connection between stage fright and sensitivity. So many of us carry this primal fear of being watched, and it can trigger deep nervous system responses that we don’t always understand. Chris shares his journey from doing magic tricks in kindergarten to performing on stage thousands of times, and how setting boundaries with fear helped him let go of performance anxiety. We get into the science—mirror neurons, sensitivity, and how our bodies can pick up and mirror other people's nervous systems. I share how being around Chris’s calm energy helped me build the confidence I needed to start podcasting.And in our “Good for the Soul” segment, we share the small, simple things that have been helping us feel grounded and nourished lately. Chris describes his latest passion for homemade sausage making, while I talk about discovering authentic sourdough bread that doesn't trigger my usual digestive issues. This segment reflects our belief that mental health includes nurturing all aspects of ourselves, from creative pursuits to simple pleasures that feed our souls. 🚧 THE BOUNDARIES INTENSIVE:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://EmotionalBadass.com/boundaries⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 💖 PATREON: https://Patreon.com/emotionalbadass 👨‍👨 WORK WITH NIKKI 1:1: https://EmotionalBadass.com/coaching 📰 THE BI-WEEKLY WELLNESS NEWSLETTER https://www.EmotionalBadass.com/newsletter⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 h y 20 m
  • How to Repair After a Fight - Part 2

    How to Repair After a Fight - Part 2
    Jul 27 2025
    Continuing with part two of How to Repair after a fight, we discover that apologies are actually the easy part - the true work lies in learning co-regulation and validation without falling into shame or defensive patterns. Mental health work means accepting that sometimes repair happens on different timelines, and that's okay. I'm walking through the exact steps for offering connection after conflict, including why "right fighting" kills intimacy and how to create repair jars for when your brain goes into survival mode. For HSPs and anyone doing trauma recovery, these boundary-setting and validation skills are non-negotiable for healthy relationships. 🚧 THE BOUNDARIES INTENSIVE:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://EmotionalBadass.com/boundaries⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 💖 PATREON: https://Patreon.com/emotionalbadass 👨‍👨 WORK WITH NIKKI 1:1: https://EmotionalBadass.com/coaching 📰 THE BI-WEEKLY WELLNESS NEWSLETTER https://www.EmotionalBadass.com/newsletter⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    34 m
  • How to Repair After a Fight - Part 1

    How to Repair After a Fight - Part 1
    Jul 20 2025
    Fights happen. But for HSPs and survivors of dysfunctional families, repairing after conflict can feel terrifying. In this episode, I teach what I wish someone had taught me decades ago—how to repair conflict with emotional strength, regulate your nervous system, and stop shame from taking over. Mental health isn’t about being perfect. It’s about learning the skills we were never taught. I’ll help you understand the difference between guilt and shame, and how to reconnect with your inner child and loved ones after rupture. This is real mental health work—practical, empowering, and full of heart. 🚧 THE BOUNDARIES INTENSIVE:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://EmotionalBadass.com/boundaries⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 💖 PATREON: https://Patreon.com/emotionalbadass 👨‍👨 WORK WITH NIKKI 1:1: https://EmotionalBadass.com/coaching 📰 THE BI-WEEKLY WELLNESS NEWSLETTER https://www.EmotionalBadass.com/newsletter⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    49 m
  • Complex Emotions After Cutting Off Family: How Dreams Help You Process

    Complex Emotions After Cutting Off Family: How Dreams Help You Process
    Jul 13 2025
    Going no contact with family isn’t a straight line—and sometimes it shows up in your dreams. We talk about the complex grief of family estrangement, the truth about recurring dreams, and what your subconscious might be trying to process. Reframing our nightmares can help you build trust with your inner child. We’ll explore the deeper meaning of these dreams, the struggle of detaching, and how to bring your power back—even in your subconscious. If you’ve ever woken up haunted by your past, this is your sign that healing is happening 🚧 THE BOUNDARIES INTENSIVE:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://EmotionalBadass.com/boundaries⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 💖 PATREON: https://Patreon.com/emotionalbadass 👨‍👨 WORK WITH NIKKI 1:1: https://EmotionalBadass.com/coaching 📰 THE BI-WEEKLY WELLNESS NEWSLETTER https://www.EmotionalBadass.com/newsletter⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    28 m
  • The Italian Yankee and the Southern Belle: Lessons in Love and Family Dysfunction

    The Italian Yankee and the Southern Belle: Lessons in Love and Family Dysfunction
    Jul 6 2025
    Relationships and family dysfunction are two complex yet vital pieces of the mental health puzzle that come together when my husband Chris joins me on the mic today, sharing our perspectives as an Italian Yankee married to a Southern belle. We unpack the realities of dating as Highly Sensitive People (HSPs), share our personal online dating journeys—complete with quirky stories—and highlight how cultural differences shape our subconscious relationship dynamics. If you've ever felt overwhelmed by dating apps, family dysfunction, or subtle misunderstandings, you'll find relatable insights and practical solutions here to boost your emotional resilience and personal growth. 🚧 THE BOUNDARIES INTENSIVE:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://EmotionalBadass.com/boundaries⁠⁠⁠⁠ 💖 PATREON: https://Patreon.com/emotionalbadass 👨‍👨 WORK WITH NIKKI 1:1: https://EmotionalBadass.com/coaching 📰 THE BI-WEEKLY WELLNESS NEWSLETTER https://www.EmotionalBadass.com/newsletter⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 h y 5 m
  • What My Grandpa's WWII Survival Story Taught Me About Codependency and Resilience

    What My Grandpa's WWII Survival Story Taught Me About Codependency and Resilience
    Jun 29 2025
    If you’ve ever felt behind in life or overwhelmed by pressure to be further along, I hope this episode gives you space to pause and really honor how far you’ve come. I reflect on the unexpected gift of this podcast becoming a record of my own growth and share a deeply personal story about my grandfather’s survival during WWII. His decision to float alone in shark-infested waters, instead of clinging to others in panic, taught me everything about self-preservation. For us HSPs, especially those working through codependency and boundaries, that lesson runs deep. Sometimes the bravest thing we can do is let go—of people, habits, or expectations—and choose ourselves, even when it hurts. This is a reminder to stop, breathe, and give yourself credit for the emotional strength it’s taken just to be here. 🚧 THE BOUNDARIES INTENSIVE:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://EmotionalBadass.com/boundaries⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 💖 PATREON: https://Patreon.com/emotionalbadass 👨‍👨 WORK WITH NIKKI 1:1: https://EmotionalBadass.com/coaching 📰 THE BI-WEEKLY WELLNESS NEWSLETTER https://www.EmotionalBadass.com/newsletter⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    23 m