The holiday season is full of lists, expectations, and giving — often to the point where we forget ourselves entirely. But what if the most important gift this season isn’t something you buy or wrap?

In this episode of One Question, Leah invites you to pause and ask a quieter, more honest question: What gift do I actually need right now? Drawing on psychology, nervous system awareness, and gentle self-reflection, she explores why listening to your needs isn’t indulgent — it’s essential.

This episode is a permission slip to choose rest, honesty, space, or gentleness in a season that often asks us to do the opposite.

We talk about rest as though it’s optional — something we squeeze in once everything important is handled. But what if the real question isn’t how to rest, but why we’re afraid of it?

In this episode, Leah explores the internalized fear and guilt many of us carry around slowing down. She shares a personal story about forgetting to record the podcast, the moment of guilt that followed, and the deeper truth underneath: sometimes rest is not a failure, but a necessity.

Through neuroscience and psychology, she explains how rest restores emotional capacity, supports creativity, and regulates the nervous system — and why our bodies often know we need a pause long before our minds accept it.

This is an invitation to question the stories you’ve been told about rest and to choose yourself with compassion.

Most of us assume we’re on our own side — until we start listening to how we talk to ourselves.

In this episode, Leah explores what it really means to have your own back and why so many of us turn against ourselves in moments of doubt, fear, or discomfort.

You’ll hear how attachment styles shape not only our relationships with others, but also our relationship with ourselves. Leah explains how “earned secure attachment” forms the foundation of self-loyalty, and how small, daily acts of backing yourself can shift your nervous system from vigilance to grounding.

If you’ve been doubting yourself, shrinking, or giving your power away, this reflection offers a gentle invitation to stand with yourself again.

We all know what we want — clarity, joy, momentum, connection, ease. But the moment we ask, “What’s standing in my way?” something deeper emerges. Sometimes the obstacle is external. Sometimes it’s internal. And sometimes it’s a story we’ve carried for years without questioning it.

In this episode, Leah explores the psychology of obstacles — from self-imposed barriers like fear and perfectionism to real external limitations — and how to tell the difference. You’ll hear how the body reacts when something internal is blocking you, how behavioral science explains our resistance to change, and how to decide whether to step over an obstacle, go around it, or face it head-on.

If you’ve been feeling stuck or circling the same challenge, this reflection will help you meet the truth with honesty and compassion.

Most of us take ourselves far more seriously than we realize — tightening our shoulders, clenching our jaws, and carrying the weight of the world as if everything depends on us.

But what if easing up, even just 10%, created more space, clarity, and grounding than constant intensity ever could?

In this episode, Leah explores how loosening our grip opens creativity, connection, and emotional regulation. You’ll hear a playful personal reflection, insights from psychology and neuroscience about the power of laughter and play, and an invitation to experiment with softening just a little this week.

If you’ve been feeling tense, overwhelmed, or overly responsible lately, this one might be the permission slip you didn’t know you needed.

Many of us believe we know our values—but when asked to name them, we often struggle. We say things like “I know it when I see it,” or “that goes against my values,” without realizing that clarity comes from naming, not guessing.

In this episode, Leah explores the power of identifying what you truly value and how it shapes every decision, relationship, and moment of peace in your life. She shares her own four core values—curiosity, courage, connection, and personal agency—and how they guide her through discomfort or misalignment. You’ll also hear how she uses values work with coaching clients to create shared language and deeper awareness.

If you’ve ever felt “off” without knowing why, this question might hold the key.

In a world that feels heavy with grief, injustice, and noise, how do we stay open without breaking?

Leah explores the neuroscience of compassion fatigue, the importance of emotional regulation, and the quiet, practical rituals that bring us back to hope. She honors the strength of Black, Latinx, Indigenous, and LGBTQ+ communities; reflects on the resilience of young people; and reminds us that caring for ourselves is part of caring for the world.

Power often carries a bad reputation — associated with dominance, control, and fear. But real power is quieter. It’s born in truth, agency, and self-trust. In this episode, Leah reflects on how power can be reclaimed by those who care deeply, love honestly, and choose courage over performance. Through the lens of psychology, sociology, and personal experience, she explores how to find and hold power that connects rather than harms.

One question...When do I feel most powerful?