What do you do when every conversation with a parent leaves you feeling erased, criticized, or shut down, but walking away feels like betrayal? In this raw and tender coaching session, we meet Suzanne, who’s struggling to navigate contact with her mother: a woman who routinely gaslights her, shuts down difficult topics, and prioritizes her own emotional comfort over honest connection. Suzanne wants to be seen. She also wants to stay safe. And in her family, those two things feel mutually excl...
All content for Conversations from the Heart is the property of Yvette Erasmus and is served directly from their servers
with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
What do you do when every conversation with a parent leaves you feeling erased, criticized, or shut down, but walking away feels like betrayal? In this raw and tender coaching session, we meet Suzanne, who’s struggling to navigate contact with her mother: a woman who routinely gaslights her, shuts down difficult topics, and prioritizes her own emotional comfort over honest connection. Suzanne wants to be seen. She also wants to stay safe. And in her family, those two things feel mutually excl...
What do you do when every conversation with a parent leaves you feeling erased, criticized, or shut down, but walking away feels like betrayal? In this raw and tender coaching session, we meet Suzanne, who’s struggling to navigate contact with her mother: a woman who routinely gaslights her, shuts down difficult topics, and prioritizes her own emotional comfort over honest connection. Suzanne wants to be seen. She also wants to stay safe. And in her family, those two things feel mutually excl...
In this intimate coaching conversation, Colleen brings a familiar dilemma: her husband drives too fast for her nervous system to handle. She doesn’t want to control him, but she does want to feel safe. Together, we unpack how to name her limits without moralizing, how to invite collaboration instead of compliance, and how to speak from care rather than critique. Key Takeaways for Listeners: •Boundaries are not about controlling others. They’re about naming what you are or are not availa...
In this heartfelt and courageous coaching conversation, Prerana brings forward a question so many of us have quietly carried: How much need is too much in a relationship? And what do we do when our emotional needs are met with kind words but little follow-through? Together, we unpack the gap between good intentions and sustainable intimacy, the heartbreak of feeling like a “complainer” just for wanting closeness, and the painful confusion of loving someone who’s not meeting us where we long t...
In this heartfelt coaching call, Nina wrestles with two layered questions: 1.How can I have an honest, meaningful conversation with the boy my daughter is dating, without overwhelming or intimidating him? 2.How do I stay emotionally attuned and supportive to my older daughter who might feel left behind when her younger sister gets engaged first? Together, we explore what it means to assess someone’s emotional maturity: not by lecturing or preaching, but by creating relational moments that rev...
When someone you live with, or love, keeps judging you, how do you protect your peace without shutting down or blowing up? In this raw and relatable episode, Heather brings a question many of us have quietly carried: How do I set clear boundaries with someone who keeps making subtle (or not-so-subtle) digs at my character? We unpack what it means to hold your ground when you’re being criticized, misunderstood, or dismissed, and how to stop absorbing other people’s projections as personal trut...
When someone you care about is in crisis, how do you say “no” without guilt? In this episode, Julia brings a powerful, relatable question: how do I set a kind but clear boundary with a friend who wants to move into my space indefinitely? What unfolds is a rich conversation about friendship, emotional safety, and the difference between care and over-responsibility. We explore what to say when someone “trauma dumps,” how to set boundaries without turning it into a negotiation, and how to stop a...
What do you do when you’re bursting with excitement, vulnerability, or a creative new idea, only to be met with silence, critique, or defensiveness from the person you love? In this heartfelt conversation, Liza brings forward the quiet grief of being in a relationship that lacks emotional accompaniment. Together, we explore the lived experience of trying to stay joyful, expressive, and connected when your partner just isn’t available in the way your heart longs for. We unpack the deeper patte...
Have you ever been on the receiving end of a question that didn’t feel like a genuine invitation but more like a setup? In this week’s episode, we explore the subtle difference between open-hearted curiosity and covert control in our conversations. First, we hear from Tarjia, who’s navigating interactions that leave her feeling dismissed, startled, or unsure what to say, especially when comments come cloaked in snark or when her mother’s questions feel like emotional landmines. Together, we e...
In this touching and insightful conversation, Patrice returns to share an update on her ongoing journey of self-trust, relational clarity, and emotional healing. After creating space from a previous relationship that couldn’t meet her needs, she reflects on patterns of seeking connection in unavailable places, and the surprising grief that can arise even in the presence of new joy and ease. Together, we explore the nuanced process of discerning what it really means to meet our own needs in re...
What do you do when you’ve poured your heart into being a better parent, and your adult child still keeps you at arm’s length? In today’s heartfelt (and heart-heavy) coaching conversation, we sit with Josie: a mother navigating the complex grief of feeling used, dismissed, and emotionally exiled by her daughter. Despite years of inner work and a deep desire to connect, Josie finds herself hurt and unsure: Should she take space? Should she block her daughter’s messages? Is silence a form...
When the world of healing turns out to be more political than personal, more performative than compassionate, what do you do? In this episode, we explore a powerful, vulnerable question from Katie, a listener discerning whether to pursue psychology as a profession. What unfolds is part mentorship, part memoir, and a whole lot of honest reflection on the tangled terrain of becoming a healer inside complex systems. I share a bit of my own journey through graduate school, toxic professional cult...
What do you do when you’re ready for kids… and your partner isn’t? In this deeply honest episode, we explore one of the most tender crossroads in long-term partnership: what happens when your longing to become a parent collides with your partner’s hesitation, fear, or quiet refusal? You’ll hear from a caller who is wrestling with the heartbreak of being in a beautiful, joyful relationship—except for one major misalignment. Together, we unpack the emotional tension, the grief, the fear of futu...
What do you do when something important is broken—but the people behind it are doing their best? In this episode, Jen is preparing to talk to a reporter about a youth program she deeply supports—and is deeply frustrated with. She wants change. She wants honesty. But she doesn’t want to shame or vilify the people running the program. Together, we explore how to speak truth to systemic breakdowns with clarity, compassion, and courage. You’ll hear us move through raw anger, heartfelt grief, and ...
What does it actually look like to live in peace without bypassing truth, collapsing boundaries, or avoiding complexity? In this episode, I share six powerful principles for peaceful living, not as moral prescriptions, but as relational practices rooted in the universal human needs that live inside all of us. You’ll learn how to stay grounded in love and discernment, how to co-create mutual thriving, and how to repair ruptures with clarity and care. This conversation weaves together personal,...
Why do some people leave you feeling small, confused, or ashamed, even though they smile, laugh, and seem perfectly nice? In this powerful coaching conversation, Jaya explores what happens when charm and condescension hide behind friendly facades. Together, we name the impact of what I call narcissistic fallout: the lingering disorientation that surfaces when unresolved trauma meets relational manipulation. We explore: •Why some conversations feel like being hypnotized •The nervous system eff...
In this episode, I coach a listener named Julia who feels dismissed after bringing up a difficult experience in therapy. Her therapist tried to normalize it by offering logic instead of empathy and now Julia’s wondering how to bring it up without creating conflict or being misunderstood again. Together, we explore: •How to ask for more empathy in therapy (without blaming or shaming) •What it means when a therapist skips emotional attunement •A gentle script you can use when therapy feels misa...
What do you do when someone you care about paints you as the villain? Maybe you spoke your truth, and they called it manipulation. Maybe you set a boundary, and they called it narcissism. Maybe you asked for something you needed, and they said you lied. In this raw, real, and emotionally honest episode, Yvette walks two callers through the heartbreak and confusion that comes when our intentions are misunderstood and our character is questioned. We talk about: * How to respond with clarity and...
What if joy isn’t the absence of discomfort, but something we can feel even in the thick of it? In this episode of Conversations from the Heart, I speak with three brave callers, each grappling with the tension between what they feel and how they long to show up. From emotional resentment in a professional friendship, to the struggle to be kind and also firm, to standing up to power without collapsing in fear, these conversations are raw, real, and deeply human. We explore how to: •Navigate m...
In this episode, we listen as Nate opens with a deeply human inquiry: What can I do to feel more regulated, more considerate, and less internally violent while driving? What unfolds is a rich exploration of road rage, internalized judgment, overstimulation, and the longing for care in a world that often feels aggressively indifferent. The conversation weaves together Nonviolent Communication, inner child work, trauma-informed insight, and the power of spiritual reframing. Takeaways: Driving c...
What happens when your inner life feels like a committee meeting: chaotic, conflicting, and deeply personal? In this episode, we hold space for four courageous voices navigating the messy middle between self-betrayal and self-expression. From the tension between ambition and peace, to the heartbreak of being shut down in community, to living with a judgmental roommate, to confronting a long-lost friend after betrayal: each conversation reveals something essential about the daily work of becom...
What do you do when every conversation with a parent leaves you feeling erased, criticized, or shut down, but walking away feels like betrayal? In this raw and tender coaching session, we meet Suzanne, who’s struggling to navigate contact with her mother: a woman who routinely gaslights her, shuts down difficult topics, and prioritizes her own emotional comfort over honest connection. Suzanne wants to be seen. She also wants to stay safe. And in her family, those two things feel mutually excl...
