Jealousy is one of the most triggering emotions in relationships — and one of the most misunderstood.
In this episode, trauma-informed somatic marriage coach Becky Aste joins Valerie to unpack what’s really happening beneath jealousy — and why it’s not something to get rid of, but something to listen to.
Together, they explore:
✨ What happens to trust and connection when jealousy goes unaddressed
✨ Why telling yourself “don’t be jealous” never works
✨ How jealousy impacts your sense of safety and self-worth
✨ The first somatic steps to take when jealousy rises in your body
✨ How to talk about jealousy in a way that deepens connection instead of creating conflict
If you’ve ever felt hijacked by jealousy or blamed yourself for feeling “too much,” this conversation will help you understand the nervous system roots & how to turn jealousy into an opportunity for healing and intimacy. 🦋
Other podcast episodes that were recorded with Becky on this podcast:
Heal your abandonment wound, improve your relationship, and overcome your fear of death with Becky Aste: https://open.spotify.com/episode/73saII22wTvNAwhR7BSoKZ?si=pPPpjbD6SIucgeLcqozZ7w
From Frozen to Flee: Healing the Freeze response in your relationships with Becky Aste: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7rBXXGG2c7oiTYinh2rsgP?si=IgJmyjJoQ1CkHNcjXgSNLg
Me as a guest on Becky's Podcast: Decoding your marriage through attachment theory: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0BkmnrgrmqJVbnxXrobfLA?si=-bfKiMFcTXi6fJbODa4pDQ
Connect with Becky on Instagram Here: https://www.instagram.com/becky_aste/
Welcome back to The Anxiety Recovery Podcast 💫
This week, we’re diving into a topic that even the most “healed” and high-achieving among us still struggle with — self-doubt.
That quiet but powerful voice that whispers, “Who am I to do this?”
That moment before you take a leap where your chest tightens, your heart races, and your mind floods with every reason you might fail.
And even after all the therapy, healing, and inner-child work — self-doubt can still find its way in.
Joining me is Raquel DaRowe, an incredible Rapid Transformational Therapist (RTT) and subconscious-mind expert who helps people break free from the limiting beliefs that keep them stuck in fear and self-sabotage. Raquel blends deep subconscious reprogramming with emotional healing to help clients quiet the inner critic and rebuild unshakable self-trust.
In this episode, we explore:
✨ Where self-doubt really comes from (hint: it’s not laziness or lack of confidence)
✨ Why we often fear our own potential more than failure
✨ The difference between anxiety and fear — and how to tell which one is driving you
✨ How to move from “I’m not enough” to embodied self-trust
And we get real about questions like:
💭 What did self-doubt used to sound like in your head?
💭 Why does self-doubt hit hardest after we start to step into something bigger — instead of before?
💭 What’s the difference between anxiety and fear?
💭 Can you remember a moment when self-doubt almost won — when that inner voice told you you weren’t enough, but you chose to move anyway?
💭 What do you wish people understood about how exhausting it is to constantly feel like you’re not “ready” or “qualified”?
💭 What helped you start believing in yourself when your mind had no evidence yet — when you had to borrow faith before results?
💭 How can someone begin to build self-trust again if they’ve broken it with themselves over and over?
💭 And if you could whisper one sentence to every listener trapped in self-doubt right now — what would you want them to hear?
If you’ve ever achieved something big but still felt like it wasn’t enough, this episode will help you understand why — and how to rewrite that story from the inside out.
Tune in, take a deep breath, and let’s explore the psychology of self-doubt together. 💛
Connect with Valerie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/healwithval/
Connect with Raquel on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inner.sanctuary.guide/
Check out Raquel's website: https://raqueldarowe.com/?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaffmTL-k31cloODMhqW_eQF0oS2MdvQ7RKvvObdrLfHDSMdoC01bZCSCkb-zw_aem_lbqVR-fZX-c_C6SUXFm68w
What happens when the same control and independence that make you powerful in the world start to quietly sabotage your relationships?
In this week’s episode of The Anxiety Recovery Podcast, Valerie Rubin sits down with Shilpa Cacho — a love coach and mentor who helps women shift out of control and back into connection, so they can inspire their partners to rise instead of shut down.
Together, they unpack:
✨ How being in control everywhere else can leak into your relationships
✨ The subtle ways women emasculate their partners without realizing it
✨ And how to shift these patterns so you feel safe to let go — and your partner feels trusted, respected, and deeply connected to you again.
We explore powerful questions like:
💭 A lot of women pride themselves on being independent, organized, and in control — but how can that “control” energy actually spill into relationships in ways that hurt intimacy?
💭 What are some of the subtle ways women emasculate their partners — even when they think they’re just being “helpful” or “taking initiative”?
💭 Why do so many women today unconsciously take on the “masculine role” in relationships, and what toll does that take on connection?
💭 Can you share a story from your coaching practice — or even your own life — where a woman thought she was “doing the right thing” by taking control, but it actually created distance in her relationship?
💭 For women, what’s the hidden cost of always being the one “in control”? How does it drain them emotionally, mentally, or even physically?
💭 For the woman listening who’s realizing, “Wow, I might be doing this without even knowing,” what are the first tiny shifts she can make today?
💭 And what conversations can women have with their partners to invite them into leadership — without it turning into blame or criticism?
If you’ve ever found yourself correcting, managing, or “helping” your partner — this conversation will help you understand what’s really driving those impulses, and how to reconnect to your feminine energy without losing your power.
👉 Tune in now to learn how to stop leading from control… and start leading with trust.
Connect with Shilpa on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shilpacacho/
Connect with Valerie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/healwithval/
The Science of Heartbreak: Why It Hurts Like Physical Pain (and How to Heal)
Why does heartbreak feel like physical pain—almost like withdrawal? In this episode of The Anxiety Recovery Podcast, I sit down with hypnotherapist Deron Singh to break down what’s happening in your brain, body, and subconscious when love ends—and how to find your way back to safety.
In this conversation, we answer:
Why heartbreak feels like physical pain and withdrawal
What’s happening in the subconscious mind that makes heartbreak feel addictive and so hard to let go of
How heartbreak can lock you into cycles of anxiety, insomnia, and even panic attacks
Why so many people feel like they “lost a part of themselves” after losing someone they love
What we’d say to someone who feels hopeless—like this heartbreak will define them forever
Drawing from Deron’s own experience of deep heartbreak: What’s the first gentle step forward if you’re scared to face your pain?
How hypnosis helps calm the nervous system so you can finally feel safe again
If you’re in the thick of it, this episode is your reminder: you’re not broken—you’re healing. Press play to learn practical, nervous-system–based steps to move from panic to peace, release the addictive pull, and start feeling like yourself again.
Connect with Deron on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deron_singh/
Connect with Deron on his youtube channel: @deron_singh
Connect with Valerie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/healwithval/
What if the very things you call “too much” or “broken” are actually your nervous system’s way of keeping you safe?
In this powerful conversation with trauma expert Tim Fletcher, we dive deep into the truth about complex trauma (CPTSD) — how it physically reshapes the brain, impacts identity, and wires us to chase love that feels unsafe. Together we unpack:
✨ Why a delayed text or a change in tone can feel overwhelming when you have CPTSD ✨ Big T vs. little T trauma and how both leave lasting imprints ✨ Why people with anxious attachment are drawn to emotionally unavailable partners (and why healthy love feels “boring”) ✨ How trauma bonds mirror addiction and keep us stuck in cycles of chaos ✨ The role of co-regulation and how to relearn self-soothing + safety ✨ Healing core wounds and tools for managing triggers and emotions ✨ What life looks like if you never do the healing work — and the freedom that comes when you do
If you’ve ever wondered why love feels like walking on eggshells, why secure partners trigger the “ick,” or how trauma keeps shaping your choices long after the past is over — this episode will give you the answers (and the hope) you’ve been searching for.
Connect with Valerie on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/healwithval/
If you’ve ever found yourself anxiously waiting for a text back, replaying conversations in your head, or needing constant reassurance from your partner just to feel okay, you’re not alone. This is the reality of anxious attachment — but here’s the truth: reassurance alone will never heal it.
What actually heals anxious attachment is emotional safety.
In this powerful episode of The Anxiety Recovery Podcast, I’m joined by author and coach Chris Rackliffe to uncover why emotional safety is the foundation of secure love — and why chasing words, promises, or validation will never be enough if your nervous system doesn’t feel safe.
Chris shares his own story of realizing he wasn’t emotionally safe in a relationship, what shifted when he finally found that sense of safety, and the turning point where he discovered that the body — not just the mind — holds the key to healing.
We dive into:
✨ What it actually means to lack emotional safety in a relationship (and the subtle signs you may be missing)
✨ How anxious attachment shows up in self-talk, self-criticism, and the painful belief that you’re “broken”
✨ What emotional safety looks and feels like in a healthy, secure partnership
✨ Why consistency and simple routines help retrain the nervous system to trust again
✨ The one practice you can try this week to start building safety in your body and relationships
This conversation is an invitation to stop chasing reassurance and start creating real, lasting safety — in your body, in your nervous system, and in love.
If you’re ready to break free from anxious attachment, this episode will show you the missing piece you’ve been searching for.
Connect with Chris here: https://www.instagram.com/crackliffe/
Buy Chris's book; Need No More: The Journey From Anxious to Secure Attachment: https://amzn.to/4n6fWyQ
Connect with Valerie here: https://www.instagram.com/healwithval/
Why does being alone feel so unbearable, even when you know you’ll be okay? Why do breakups or abandonment trigger such intense spirals that it feels impossible to calm down?
In this episode of The Anxiety Recovery Podcast, we dive into the hidden roots of anxious attachment: preverbal trauma — those earliest wounds formed before we even had language. These deep imprints can wire your nervous system to panic when you’re alone, pull you back into trauma bonds, and make you feel like you’ll never be able to fully regulate without someone else.
Together, we explore:
✨ How preverbal trauma connects to the fear of being alone and trauma bonds
✨ Why “I can’t live without them” panic is really your preverbal wound resurfacing
✨ What it actually takes to access preverbal trauma (and how you’ll know you’re there)
✨ Why healing this root wound can finally make you feel safe in your own body
✨ The signs that preverbal trauma is starting to heal — and the hope for those who feel broken or “unfixable”
If you’ve done years of healing work but still feel stuck, terrified of being alone, or caught in cycles of settling for less in love, this conversation will give you clarity, hope, and a path forward.
Check out Stephen's Website here: https://www.austinattach.com/
Connect with Valerie here: https://www.instagram.com/healwithval/
Welcome back to The Anxiety Recovery Podcast! I’m your host, Valerie Rubin, and today we’re diving into a fear that keeps so many of us stuck: “What if I get this wrong?”
You know the spiral — your chest tightens, your brain won’t shut off, and you second-guess every move because one wrong choice feels like it could ruin everything. Whether it’s love, career, or everyday decisions, self-doubt can feel paralyzing.
My guest today, Danielle Bongiorno — speaker and author of Take the Leap — knows this fear intimately. But more importantly, she knows how to move through it.
Together, we unpack:
✨ Why the fear of being wrong has such a chokehold on us
✨ What happens in our minds and bodies when we’re taught not to trust ourselves
✨ Danielle’s most vulnerable leaps — and the turning points where she chose trust over fear
✨ The hidden cost of living in indecision and hesitation
✨ Practical tools you can use right now to build unshakable self-trust
If you’ve ever found yourself frozen in limbo, spiraling in “what if I get this wrong?”, this conversation will give you the permission — and the tools — to take the leap anyway.
Connect with Val on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/healwithval/
Connect with Danielle on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedaniellebongiorno/
Love Under Pressure: Dating While Building an Empire with Alexander Johnson
What happens when the pursuit of building an empire collides with the desire for love? Can entrepreneurs truly have both — without sacrificing one for the other?
In this episode, I’m joined by Alexander Johnson, founder of Mixt Solutions, host of the Entrepreneur, Among Other Things podcast, and a man who’s generated over $200 million in online sales. Alexander knows firsthand the pressure that comes with ambition, and together we dive into the realities of dating, intimacy, and relationships when you’re building something massive.
We explore:
Why so many entrepreneurs treat love like a distraction or “side hustle”
The hidden fears behind putting relationships on hold until after “making it”
How high performers can unintentionally turn intimacy into another KPI
The emotional toll of leading in business but lacking support at home
Shifts, practices, and reframes that help entrepreneurs build love alongside their empire
This conversation is raw, vulnerable, and empowering — a reminder that love isn’t optional fuel, it’s foundational fuel. Whether you’re scaling your business or just dreaming bigger for your life, you’ll walk away with hope, clarity, and practical ways to stop postponing love and start letting it amplify your success.
Connect with Alexander on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandervjohnson/
Check out the podcast I was on for Alexander's show: https://youtu.be/vuDdiY8bghA?si=B6vNXxW_FAgUqmqC
Check out Alexander's Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/06QZEpviUSca6cJxEJ9IF2?si=7ff9c3e0265143c6
Have you ever felt like you’re always on guard in relationships — scanning every tone shift, bracing for abandonment, or waiting for the other shoe to drop? That’s hypervigilance: the body’s survival response that makes love feel unsafe, even when nothing is wrong.
In this episode, I’m joined by Kieran Pollitt, Transformational Alchemist, for a deep conversation on what hypervigilance really feels like in the body and how to begin rewiring your nervous system so safety, not danger, becomes your baseline.
Together, we explore:
✨ The lived experience of hypervigilance — why your body feels like it’s “buzzing” with threat
✨ How childhood survival strategies (like monitoring every mood shift) follow us into adult love
✨ The hidden ways hypervigilance seeps into work, friendships, and even being alone
✨ Practices that help the nervous system learn to rest, regulate, and receive love
✨ What a supportive partner can actually do (and what to avoid)
✨ The most important truth to hold onto if you’ve ever felt “too much” because of your hypervigilance
If you’ve struggled with anxious attachment, panic when a partner pulls away, or exhaustion from always being “on,” this episode will remind you: hypervigilance is not who you are — it’s what happened to your nervous system. And healing is possible. 🕊️
Connect with Kieran here: https://www.instagram.com/kieranpollitt_/
Connect with Valerie here: https://www.instagram.com/healwithval/
Do you ever catch yourself asking, “Are we okay?”—not once, but over and over—even when nothing is actually wrong? Maybe you’ve gotten reassurance, only to feel that anxious knot creep back hours later. If so, you’re not alone—and you’re not broken.
In this episode, I sit down with Thais Sky to unpack the cycle of reassurance-seeking in anxious attachment and the worthiness wound that hides underneath it. Together, we explore why external reassurance never seems to stick, how your nervous system learned to scan for signs of love and safety, and what it actually takes to feel secure without constant confirmation.
We dive into:
👉 Why anxious attachment makes “Are we okay?” feel so urgent
👉 The link between reassurance-seeking and the fear of being too much or not enough
👉 Why reassurance brings temporary relief but not lasting safety
👉 How the nervous system fuels this endless scanning for love
👉 Practical tools to build self-reassurance that feels just as calming as external reassurance
If you’ve ever felt like you’ll always need reassurance to feel loved, this episode will give you both compassion and hope—and maybe even the permission to believe you’re already enough.
Connect with Thais on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamthaissky/
Connect with Val on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/healwithval/
The High Cost of Pretending You’re Fine (and How to Live Authentically Without Fear)
We’ve all done it—looked someone straight in the eye and said, “I’m fine” when we’re anything but. For many of us, especially if we’re anxiously attached, that mask becomes a survival strategy. We learn to perform, to be agreeable, to read the room before we speak—because deep down, we’re terrified that if people saw the unfiltered version of us, they’d pull away. But over time, that performance drains our energy, spikes our anxiety, and keeps us from being truly loved for who we are.
In this episode, I’m joined by Optimal Living Coach Shannon Wooten, creator of The Braid Framework—a powerful approach to living from rhythm, not rigidity. Shannon’s framework is built on 5 root elements: Presence, Values, Emotional Regulation, Perspective, and Romance. Together, we dive into why authenticity can feel so threatening when you have a fear of abandonment, the subtle ways self-abandonment shows up in daily life, and how to start reclaiming the parts of yourself you’ve hidden to keep the peace.
We talk about:
Why pretending you’re fine feels safer—but secretly keeps you lonely.
How to recognize the invisible cost of molding yourself to be “acceptable.”
The nervous system shifts that make fearless authenticity possible.
How to live from your own rhythm, even when life gets messy.
Small, doable steps to stop performing and start living in alignment with your truth.
If you’ve ever felt like you’re losing yourself just to keep someone else, this conversation will give you the courage—and the tools—to drop the mask, root into what’s real, and come home to yourself.
Connect with Shannon here:
Her instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shannonwooten/
Connect with Valerie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/healwithval/
Why You Stay in Almost Relationships That Leave You Starving (with Kendall Brown)
Why does it feel safer to chase someone who won’t fully choose you… than to receive the real thing?
In this powerful episode, I sit down with Women’s Trauma & Relationship Coach Kendall Brown to explore the painful cycle of situationships, breadcrumbs, and “almost” love—and why so many women with anxious attachment stay stuck in it.
We dive into the deep emotional roots of why being “almost chosen” feels addicting, how trauma and emotional neglect shape what we accept, and why being under-loved can feel familiar—but also fucking exhausting.
Kendall shares a raw story from her own journey of waking up from the cycle of crumbs, and together we unpack the nervous system imprint that keeps so many women tolerating love that’s inconsistent, confusing, and half-hearted.
You’ll learn:
The red flags of breadcrumbing you might be overlooking
Why “he’s not that bad” is a trauma response in disguise
How to rewire your nervous system to stop craving chaos and start craving connection
And the first steps to breaking free from the illusion of “almost” love
If you’ve ever felt like you were starving in a relationship that almost gave you what you needed—but never truly did—this episode is your permission slip to walk away and remember what you’re worthy of.
You were never meant to settle for crumbs. You were meant for the whole damn meal. 🍽️💔
Connect with Kendall on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kendallbrowncoaching/
Connect with Valerie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/healwithval/
Why is letting go so hard—especially for people like us? In this episode, we dive deep into why we cling, control, and grip so tightly in relationships, work, and even our sense of self-worth. If you’ve ever wondered why you keep ending up in the same patterns, even in totally different seasons of life, there’s a reason—and it’s not because you’re broken.
Your nervous system craves familiarity like oxygen. Even if the pattern hurts, it feels safer than the unknown. Uncertainty registers as danger for the brain and body, so when life feels unpredictable, your system pulls you back to old coping strategies for a false sense of control.
We’ll unpack:
Why letting go triggers so much fear and resistance
The hidden emotions under the surface—grief, anger, shame—that make surrender feel impossible
A viral reel that left me triggered (and what it taught me from a trauma-informed perspective)
The deeper fears gripping protects—abandonment, rejection, failure
3 trauma-informed tools to feel safe while letting go
How somatic work helps your body trust uncertainty instead of panicking
If you’ve ever tried to surrender and felt like your whole body said “NO,” this episode will help you understand why and show you how to take small, safe steps toward trust.
Ready to stop gripping and start trusting? Hit play.
Connect with Valerie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/healwithval/
Money isn’t just numbers in your bank account—it’s a mirror reflecting your deepest beliefs, fears, and unresolved wounds. In this powerful episode of The Anxiety Recovery Podcast, I sit down with finance coach Mark Harrison to uncover why money creates so much stress and shame—even for people who seem “okay” on paper.
We explore how childhood experiences and family dynamics silently shape your relationship with money, why scarcity thinking feels so hard to shake, and the myths that keep you stuck in anxiety and self-sabotage. Mark shares his own journey of confronting money trauma, plus the turning point that inspired him to help others break free.
You’ll learn:
How money anxiety shows up in everyday life (often in sneaky ways)
What it really means to be “good with money”
The patterns that keep people feeling unsafe financially
How money stress bleeds into relationships, health, and self-worth
Small, actionable steps you can take today to start feeling more empowered around money
If you’ve ever felt trapped in shame, fear, or scarcity thinking about your finances, this conversation will give you hope, insight, and tools to begin healing.
Connect with Mark on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourmoneymark/
Connect with Valerie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/healwithval/
Have you ever wondered why, no matter how many hours you spend in therapy or how much you understand your anxiety, your body still feels like it’s stuck in survival mode?
You’re not alone.
For so many of us, anxiety isn’t just a mindset issue—it’s a nervous system issue. It lives in your chest, in your stomach, in that constant sense of dread you can’t shake. And no amount of talking about it seems to make it go away.
In this powerful conversation, I’m joined by Stevie Wright, a breathwork facilitator, somatic healer, and plant medicine advocate, to explore the missing piece to overcoming anxiety and finally feeling safe in love + life.
Together, we dive deep into:
🌿 Why talk therapy can’t always reach the trauma stored in your body—and what to do instead
🌿 The hidden ways unprocessed emotions shape your money, business, relationships, and sense of self-worth
🌿 What happens when you finally give yourself permission to heal through somatic practices
🌿 The transformative role of plant medicine—and how to know if it’s right for you
🌿 Simple, accessible ways to start connecting to your body and calming your nervous system today
Stevie shares her own vulnerable story of what her life looked like before somatic work—being the “overachiever” trying to prove her worth, always living in her head, disconnected from her body, not feeling confident, struggling with comparison and jealousy toward other women, and finding it hard to be truly vulnerable with the people closest to her.
Whether you’re curious about breathwork, feeling called to plant medicine, or just tired of feeling like your anxiety is unfixable, this episode will remind you that healing is possible.
✨ You don’t have to live in a constant state of fight or flight.
✨ You don’t have to keep telling your story over and over, hoping this time it will finally make the pain go away.
✨ You deserve to feel safe in your body—and in your life.
If you’ve tried everything and still feel stuck, this conversation is the invitation you’ve been waiting for.
🎧 Tune in now and discover what’s possible when you stop trying to think your way out—and finally let your body lead the way.
Connect with Stevie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevielwright_/
Join Stevie's Breath Channel here: https://www.stevie-wright.com/the-breath-channel
Connect with Valerie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/healwithval/
Why does it feel like love is always just out of reach? In this episode, I’m joined by somatic relationship coach Lindsey Lockett to dive deep into one of the most magnetic—and most painful—relationship dynamics: the anxious-avoidant loop. Together, we explore the real emotions behind “loving too hard” and the heartbreaking moments when the person you love starts to pull away.
We unpack powerful questions, like:
💔 How can someone tell they’re in an anxious-avoidant loop vs. just in a relationship with different needs?
💔 What did it feel like in your body when you were caught in that push-pull cycle—and what shifted in your healing journey?
💔 Was there ever a moment you realized that healing didn’t just mean getting the other person to show up—but actually learning to show up for yourself?
💔 What are some of the most heartbreaking beliefs that keep avoidant partners from fully receiving love?
💔 What’s going on beneath the surface for the avoidant partner when they’re pulling away?
💔 What does it look like to stop blaming the other person and start tending to your own emotional landscape?
💔 What boundaries or practices help break the anxious-avoidant loop without shaming either partner?
💔 Can this dynamic actually become healthy—or is it always a sign that something’s unworkable?
💔 What would you say to the person listening who feels stuck in the pain of this pattern but still deeply loves their partner?
In a vulnerable twist, Lindsey coaches me in real time through a personal dynamic that mirrors the anxious-avoidant cycle—and what unfolds is raw, healing, and deeply validating for anyone who's ever felt caught in love that feels both consuming and confusing.
If you’ve ever felt like you love too much or need too much—or if you’ve been the one to pull away when it gets too close—this episode is for you.
Connect with Lindsey on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamlindseylockett/
Connect with Valerie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/healwithval/
Today’s episode is one of the most tender, honest, and emotionally raw conversations I’ve ever shared on the podcast.
I sat down with Acceptance coach & grief guide Chris Mamone to explore the kind of grief that doesn’t always have a funeral. The kind that creeps into your everyday life — when someone you loved deeply is no longer there, when you don’t get closure, when you find yourself in the rubble of conflict, wondering who you are now.
This conversation is deeply personal. I opened up about my own grief journey — the ache that’s been living in my chest, the relationship limbo I’ve been navigating, and the pain of grief. And in real time, Chris gently coached me through it. His presence is like an exhale; steady, grounded, and full of compassion. He doesn’t rush grief. He honors it. And he helps us find the path forward without bypassing the pain.
Inside this episode, we explore:
💔 The often invisible grief that comes with love lost, identity shifts, and relationships without closure
🌀 How conflict in relationships can re-activate old wounds — and how to respond with tenderness rather than shame
💬 What it means to sit with your grief instead of trying to fix or force your way out of it
🕊️ The journey of coming home to yourself — to unconditional self-acceptance — even when everything feels uncertain
Whether you're grieving someone, missing a version of yourself, or carrying the kind of ache no one else can see — this episode is for you. You don’t have to go through it alone. Let this conversation be a space to feel, soften, and begin to rebuild.
Connect with Valerie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/healwithval/
Check out Chris's Website: www.empoweredgriefjourney.com
Check out Chris's Podcast: https://empoweredgriefjourney.podbean.com/
Connect with Chris on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thechrismamone
Connect with Chris on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/empoweredgriefjourney/
Check out Chris on Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@empoweredgriefjourney
Have you ever been told you're too sensitive, too emotional, or just too much? Or maybe you’ve silenced your needs in love, hoping to be more palatable, more agreeable—more "enough."
In this empowering episode of The Anxiety Recovery Podcast, I’m joined by Amy Young, a mentor and guide for women in the midst of awakening and initiation, for a deep dive into the fear of being “too much” in relationships.
We explore:
The origin of the “too much” wound and how it shapes our love lives
What it really means to shrink yourself to be accepted
The emotional cost of hiding your truth and needs
How people-pleasing can lead to resentment, burnout, and numbness
What we lose when we choose acceptance over authenticity
The power of nervous system regulation and embodiment in reclaiming your fullness
What unapologetic, fully expressed love can look and feel like
This episode is for the woman who’s tired of abandoning herself to keep the peace—and ready to create love that honors who she really is.
Connect with Amy on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amyyoungco
Check out Amy's website here: https://amyyoungcoaching.com/
Connect with Valerie on Instagram: https://amyyoungcoaching.com/
What happens when your identity feels like something to hide instead of something to honor?
In this raw and healing conversation, I sit down with Ari Kantor to unpack the quiet, often unspoken fear many Jews carry — the fear of being Jewish. The fear of being stereotyped, misunderstood, dismissed, or not belonging at all. Together, we explore the internalized shame passed down through generations, the trauma of silence, and the weight of ancestral memory shaped by antisemitism and survival.
Ari shares her personal journey of growing up disconnected from her Jewishness — shaped by harmful stereotypes like “Jews are greedy” or “Jews run the world,” and the subtle messages that being visibly Jewish wasn’t safe. We explore questions like:
Can you describe the first time you felt ashamed or unsafe for being Jewish?
What did it feel like to not resonate with your identity because of how it was misunderstood?
What was the turning point when you began to reclaim your Jewish identity and feel proud again?
How did you begin to unlearn the shame you carried?
Ari vulnerably walks us through how Krav Maga, mindset work, and embodiment practices helped her return to herself — to safety, power, and pride. We also dive into the collective experience:
How does it feel to walk through the world carrying both the fear of being Jewish and the pain of not being seen at all?
What practices help build nervous system safety around being fully seen and heard in your identity?
What does embodied safety mean as a Jewish woman in today’s world?
And if fear wasn’t in the way… what truth would you speak unapologetically about being Jewish?
I also share my own story — healing ancestral trauma around the Holocaust through brainspotting, and finding the courage to let go of the fear I didn’t even realize I was carrying.
This episode is a sacred invitation to anyone who’s ever felt the need to shrink, hide, or apologize for who they are. It’s about reclaiming your voice, honoring your lineage, and finding safety not in silence — but in embodiment.
Connect with Ari on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arifit_ari/
Check out Ari's website here: https://www.arifit.com/thrive?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaekdCw3gHwP3qvgcupUYLaY4uTkauEhdRws64Aq76AWum62NCEZ4W9gJ8RfRQ_aem_kF4yCCjowfez6FVaw1F_7Q
Connect with Valerie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/healwithval/