Anxiety and agitation are signs that your nervous system has shifted into a sympathetic state of fight-or-flight, and stress hormones are now flowing in your body.  Sihing is a fantastic way to shift your nervous system out of a sympathetic state and back into a ventral state of calm.  If you're new to nervous system work, you want to be in a ventral state (anxiety and agitation don't live there).  

Minisode: Do This the Next Time You Feel Anxious or Agitated

How can I heal my trauma? Why am I anxious? How can I bounce back from rejection? What can I do to heal my hormones? How do I find my path to my true self? What is a mother wound? How can I transcend grief? Why can’t I stop overthinking? What can I eat to beat depression? How can I thrive during stress? 

These are just a few of the big questions we will dive into on The Courageously.u Podcast. I’m your host Tara Bixby, and I’m on a mission to change the mental health narrative. I’m a licensed therapist, anxiety coach, mental health activist, and everyday girl. I’m basically the best friend you never knew you needed. Each week, I have courageous conversations with experts, authors, doctors, healers, and everyday humans like yourself. New episodes coming your way every Wednesday! 

Have a question or topic you'd like covered on the show? Be sure to send an email to hello@courageouslyu.com.

Health & Fitness

Mental Health

Today we are creating a much-needed conversation about maternal mental health with the wonderful Dr. Nicole Amoyal Pensak. Dr. Pensak is a clinical psychologist, author, and mother. Trained at Harvard and Yale, Dr. Pensak provides empirically-based treatment that is uniquely tailored to meet the needs of her clients. She is certified in Postpartum Mental Health and serves on the Expert Review Board of The Parents Magazine. Her new book RATTLED, How to Calm New Mom Anxiety with the Power of the Postpartum Brain is an absolute must-read for anyone who wants to be a momma and anyone who already is.  In today’s episode, we chat about…  What’s going on inside a mother's brain postpartum What Dr. Pensak believes leads to intrusive thoughts Why she thinks postpartum OCD is higher in new moms Why it’s important to establish postpartum treatment the moment you find out you're pregnant Why we need to dispel the myth of mommy brain Why it’s important to work with your trauma to promote post-traumatic growth How new moms can nurture all the brain changes taking place postpartum How memory is impacted by sleep deprivation and an overwhelming mental load Why protecting sleep postpartum is crucial Why it’s important to heal the mother wound before the baby is born How we can best support new momma’s  …and so much more! ✨ Love this episode? Please share it with someone who you think would love it too. Your shares are the biggest forms of thanks you can give me. If you’re feeling extra generous, consider leaving a rating and review on whatever podcast platform you're tuning in from. Happy listening! 

148. Dr. Nicole Amoyal Pensak: All Things Maternal Mental Health

Hey, friends! Today the courageous (and kick-ass) Kimberly Shannon Murphy is joining us on the show. Kimberly’s a leading Hollywood stuntwoman who has served as a double for numerous A-list actresses, performing in 133 feature films and television shows, including Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Captain America, Bird Box, The Hunger Games, Salt, Euphoria, Big Little Lies, and many more. She’s also married to Tom Cruise’s stunt double, whom she met on the set of Knight and Day when she was doubling for Cameron Diaz.  In today’s episode, we chat about…  Why Kimberly decided to share her story of incest and childhood sexual abuse Why it’s important to be mindful of who your children are around Why she didn’t feel safe telling anyone about her abuse How her mother disassociated from her own trauma What triggered Kimberly’s suppressed memories of abuse  What Kimberly’s triggers look like How she spent years living in survival mode How she coped by engaging in self-injurious behaviors How she navigated healing through psychedelics and Internal Family Systems Why it’s important to break the cycle of generational trauma How Kimberly’s trauma guides her parenting   …and so much more! ✨ Love this episode? Please share it with someone who you think would love it too. Your shares are the biggest forms of thanks you can give me. If you’re feeling extra generous, consider leaving a rating and review on whatever podcast platform you're tuning in from. Happy listening! 

147. Kimberly Shannon Murphy: Hope and Healing After Childhood Sexual Abuse

Today's guest is the fabulous Cameron Rogers.  Cameron is the founder and host of the Conversations with Cam podcast (formally known as Freckled Foodie & Friends), the voice behind Fill Your Cup over on Substack, a mental health advocate, and a momma to two little boys.  In today’s episode, we chat about…  How pregnancy and postpartum impacted Cameron's mental health  How Cameron navigated sleep deprivation  What she does to rest and reset  What intimacy with her husband looks like after kids  What her identity crisis looked like  How triggers from pregnancy pop up today  What Cameron's breastfeeding experience was like  How she juggles all the things  Why it's okay to have conflicting emotions about motherhood  …and so much more! ✨ Love this episode? Please share it with someone who you think would love it too. Your shares are the biggest forms of thanks you can give me. If you’re feeling extra generous, consider leaving a rating and review on whatever podcast platform you're tuning in from. Happy listening! 

146. Cameron Rogers: An Honest Conversation About Pregnancy, Postpartum, and Motherhood

Listen in as I process my thoughts and feelings with you regarding why I need you to get curious. Word of warning... The audio quality isn't the best because I recorded on a voice memo (through bluetooth) while driving to work. However, the message is still important, so I hope you find this helpful.  Feel free to share this with anyone you think would find it helpful.  biggest hugs. 

Minisode: I need you to get curious

Today’s guest is the wonderful Elise Loehnen. Elise is a writer, editor, podcaster, momma, horse whisperer, and serious book lover. She’s the host of the Pulling the Thread podcast, which is a podcast focused on pulling apart the stories we tell about who we are—and then putting those threads back together. She’s also the author of the instant New York Times bestseller On Our Best Behavior: The Seven Deadly Sins and the Price Women Pay to Be Good. Elise is also a frequent contributor to Oprah and has written for The NewYork Times, Elle Decor, Stylist, and more. Previously, she was the chief content officer of goop, where she co-hosted The goop Podcast and The goop Lab on Netflix, and led the brand’s content strategy and programming.  In today’s episode, we chat about…   The seven deadly sins and how they were influenced   The importance of finding balance with the seven deadly sins   How envy provides us insight into what we want   Why it’s important to look at what’s underneath our judgments   Why mom’s struggle to rest   How our culture fails to support new moms   How destabilizing it can be for women to show up   Why women are terrified to speak up   How anger is essential   Why we find safety in not believing in ourselves   Why we need to get curious when a big emotion arises   …and so much more! ✨ Love this episode? Please share it with someone who you think would love it too. Your shares are the biggest forms of thanks you can give me. If you’re feeling extra generous, consider leaving a rating and review on whatever podcast platform you're tuning in from. Happy listening! 

Minisode: Do This the Next Time You Feel Anxious or Agitated

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