Episode Description / Show Notes:
I’ve been getting this question a lot lately: what’s the difference between coaching and traditional talk therapy? In this episode, I break it down using a client story (pseudonym: “Kathy”) that illustrates common patterns of hesitation, fear, and overthinking.

You’ll hear how coaching is different: we don’t just talk—we take action. I share how taking the first step, even when you don’t feel ready, opens the door to real progress, how processing fear in real time supports sustainable growth, and why nervous-system-informed guidance is essential for stepping into visibility without burning out.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• The key difference between coaching and traditional therapy
• Why taking action—even small steps—is central to transformation
• How fear and resistance show up and why that’s a feature, not a bug
• The importance of nervous-system support, co-regulation, and reflection
• How to sustain progress while showing up authentically for your work

Who This Episode is For:
Sensitive creatives, healers, entrepreneurs, and coaches who want to take aligned action, show up authentically, and move past patterns of freeze or hesitation.

Resources & Links Mentioned in This Episode:

• Learn more about working with me: www.annaholtzman.com
• Apply for private coaching if this episode resonates

Follow & Connect:

• Instagram: @anna_holtzman

In this powerful and heartfelt episode, Anna talks with Lauren Smallcomb—a certified mind-body practitioner, trauma-informed healer, and author of the forthcoming memoir Golden Child: My Descent to Scapegoat and Rise to Freedom (coming September 2025).

Lauren shares her story of growing up as the golden child in a conservative Christian family system—and the painful unraveling that led her to reclaim her autonomy, identity, and voice. We talk about the hidden cost of perfectionism, the complexities of family estrangement, and the grief and liberation that come with choosing your own wholeness over external approval.

If you’ve ever wrestled with the question, “How much of my story should I share?” or struggled to reconcile your need for connection with your need for authenticity—this episode will speak to your soul.

We explore:

• ​What it means to be cast as the golden child (and how that role can harm)
• ​The double bind of family estrangement: “Do I stay and erase myself, or leave and be erased?”
• ​Rebuilding self-trust after leaving a family system or belief structure
• ​How to share personal stories without retraumatizing yourself
• ​The healing power of grief, creativity, and telling the truth

✨ Connect with Lauren:

• ​Website: flourishtherapy.kartra.com/page/goldenchild
• ​Instagram: @flourish_therapy
• ​Substack: @laurensmallcomb
• ​Book 📖 available now on Amazon: Golden Child: My Descent to Scapegoat and Rise to Freedom
• ​Email: lauren@flourishtherapy.co
• ​YouTube: @flourishtherapy

🌀 Want support building self-trust in your own creative or entrepreneurial journey?Work with Anna 1:1, join a live workshop, or explore resources at annaholtzman.comFollow Anna on Instagram: @anna_holtzmanEmail: anna@annaholtzman.com

Have you ever had a moment where being visible suddenly felt… dangerous?

In this episode, I share a story I’ve never forgotten—from second grade, when I was the eager kid raising her hand… until my teacher said something that made me shrink. It was one sentence that planted a seed of shame and taught me that being seen might not be safe.

That moment became what I now call a visibility wound—an early experience where being visible led to shame, rejection, or punishment. And the thing is: those wounds don’t stay in childhood. They resurface every time we go to share something that feels vulnerable and meaningful.

Whether it’s launching an offer, posting on Instagram, speaking up in a meeting, or just sharing your voice in a group—you might notice fear, procrastination, or even total shutdown. That doesn’t mean something is wrong with you. It means your nervous system is doing its job to protect you.

But the good news is: visibility wounds can be healed. Not through pushing harder—but through compassion, safety, and gentle, consistent practice.

In this episode, I talk about:

• What a visibility wound actually is (and how to spot yours)
• How it shows up in creative and professional life
• Why these moments hit so hard—and how to work with them
• The 4 tools I use with myself and my clients to move through fear
• How visibility becomes easier when we stop going it alone

If you've ever frozen at the first step, ghosted your own goals, or judged yourself for not being more confident—this episode is for you.

🌱 Want Support Healing Your Visibility Wounds?

💻 Watch the free workshop:
Let Yourself Be Seen — a nervous-system-safe approach to being visible without burning out or abandoning yourself. www.annaholtzman.com/beseen

👥 Join the membership:
Seen & Safe — our cozy group coaching circle where you’ll get biweekly support, practical tools, and a safe place to melt fear and take meaningful steps toward your next creative or business leap. www.annaholtzman.com/seenandsafe