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Forgive Yourself
Host Brenda Reiss is a Freedom and Forgiveness coach, and a person just like you that is learning to navigate life and all its challenges. She teaches a forgiveness process like no other. It's a blend of practical and spiritual forgiveness. This process guides you into knowing how unforgiveness can be keeping you stuck in your relationships, both personally and professionally, preventing you from releasing resentment and finding joy. Each week I share practical and some not so practical tips, tools, and advice from myself and other people that are on this journey just like us. This is for you if you are ready to turn your pain into peace. Welcome to the Forgive Yourself podcast.
- 182 - 128: From Self-Punishment to Self-Compassion
Getting sober, changing a behavior, or understanding your patterns doesn’t always mean you’ve healed from what’s underneath them.
In this episode, I'm joined by Leif Bjelland, longtime recovery advocate and founder of Heroic Breath, to explore the difference between taking responsibility for your past and continuing to punish yourself for it. Leif shares how his own recovery from alcoholism eventually led him beyond sobriety and into meditation, breathwork, and a deeper understanding of self-compassion.
Leif and I discuss the shame and repetitive thought patterns that can keep us stuck, why we often turn to busyness or other forms of escape to avoid what we’re feeling, and how embodied practices can help us move beyond simply understanding our patterns. This episode is an invitation to stop using your past against yourself and begin experiencing compassion, forgiveness, and healing in a new way.
What You'll Learn
Why stopping a behavior and truly healing are not always the same thingThe difference between taking responsibility and continuing to punish yourselfHow shame, repetitive thoughts, and escapism can keep old patterns aliveWhy intellectual understanding alone may not be enough to create lasting changeHow meditation and breathwork can help you reconnect with your body and quiet the thinking mindWhat it means to experience self-compassion instead of simply understanding the conceptAbout Leif Bjelland
Leif Bjelland is an entrepreneur, longtime recovery advocate, breathwork facilitator, and founder of Heroic Breath. More than 10 years into his own sobriety journey, Leif draws from his experiences with recovery, meditation, and breathwork to help others move beyond intellectual understanding and experience greater self-compassion, healing, and connection with themselves.
Get complimentary access to The Release, the first full-length session of the Heroic Breath Reset with code “freedom100”:heroicbreath.com/freedom
Connect with Leif on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/leif-b-038a21242/
Follow Leif on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/heroic.breath/
Follow Leif on Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61570276557095
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 18 Sep 2026 - 1h 01min - 181 - 127: How to Forgive the Version of You Who Didn’t Know Better
After heartbreak, it’s easy to look back and wonder: Why didn’t I see it sooner? Why did I stay? How did I let this happen? But taking responsibility for your past doesn’t have to mean carrying shame for it.
In this episode, I sit down with somatic coach, educator, and writer Christina Elaine to explore the patterns that keep us stuck in self-blame and why healing isn’t about endlessly analyzing or fixing ourselves. Christina shares how our nervous systems can pull us toward familiar relationship dynamics, why insight alone may not be enough to change those patterns, and how new experiences can help us respond differently.
What You'll Learn
How to distinguish healthy self-responsibility from shame and self-blameWhy familiar emotional dynamics can keep showing up in your relationshipsHow somatic awareness can help you interrupt old patterns and choose a different responseWhy constantly analyzing yourself and others can sometimes make healing harderHow to experience difficult emotions without immediately attaching a story to themWhy frustration, disappointment, and annoyance can actually be signs of greater emotional regulationAbout Christina Elaine
Christina Elaine is a somatic coach, educator, and writer who helps people rebuild emotional safety and connection through the body. She is the editor of Mutual Terrain and a top 1% writer on Medium. Through her coaching, workshops, and embodiment-based curriculums, Christina helps both men and women recognize emotional and relationship patterns, develop new ways of responding, and create healthier connections with themselves and others.
Learn more about Christina:https://christinaelaine.com
Get access to Christina’s Radiance and Embodied course library:https://christinaelaine.com/radiance-embodied/
Join her Workshop,Being Held,a four-Sunday live series for women:https://christinaelaine.com/being-held/
Follow Christina on…
YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@christinaelainecoachingMedium:https://medium.com/@christinaelainecoachingSubstack:https://christinacoaching.substack.comResources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 11 Sep 2026 - 1h 06min - 180 - 126: Rebuilding Your Health, Faith, and Life After Trauma
Sometimes the symptoms we’re trying to silence are actually asking us to pay attention. In this episode, Dr. Jen Hewson, doctor of natural medicine, ordained minister, author, and trauma survivor, explores the connection between our physical health, nervous system, emotions, relationships, and spiritual lives.
Drawing from her own journey, Dr. Jen shares how years spent in survival mode can shape the way we feel, think, respond, and care for ourselves. Together, we discuss learning to recognize the difference between intuition and hypervigilance, quieting the body so we can hear ourselves more clearly, and finding compassion for the choices we once made simply to survive.
What You'll Learn
How prolonged stress and survival mode can affect the body, nervous system, and emotional well-beingWhy physical symptoms may be worth exploring as part of a larger whole-person pictureHow to begin distinguishing between intuition and a nervous system that is operating on high alertWhy some behaviors we judge ourselves for may have developed as ways of coping or survivingHow forgiveness can unfold in layers and help us release patterns rooted in past painGet Dr. Jen’s free “Your Gut Is Trying to Tell You Something” guide:https://guide.takebackyourhealth.ca/
Subscribe to Dr. Jen on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@SiftingLifePodcast
Listen to the Sifting Life podcast:https://open.spotify.com/show/1bc8CeLwm5TzeQe5fRXwYd?si=qHbCbaBGSNaRLdQVcZCfOg&nd=1&dlsi=763c6f75a55c4593
Follow Dr. Jen on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/takebackyourhealthwithdrjen/
Connect with Dr. Jen on Facebook:https://www.facebook.com//takebackyourhealthwithjen
Follow along on TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@askdrjenhewson
About Dr. Jen Hewson
Dr. Jen Hewson is a doctor of natural medicine, ordained minister, author, speaker, trauma survivor, and founder of Take Back Your Health and Sifting Life Ministries. Drawing from both her professional training and her personal journey through childhood trauma, cancer, and rebuilding her health, Dr. Jen helps others explore the connections between their physical symptoms, emotional experiences, thought patterns, relationships, and spiritual well-being.
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 04 Sep 2026 - 50min - 179 - 125: Trusting Yourself to See Relationships Clearly
Relationships can become much harder to see clearly when our emotions, hopes, fears, and past experiences are involved. Sometimes we recognize the red flags or feel that something isn’t right long before we’re ready to admit it to ourselves.
In this episode, I’m joined by relationship coach and “Is He Worthy?” author Dave McLachlan for a conversation about bringing greater clarity and self-trust into the way we choose and navigate relationships. Dave shares how his own difficult divorce inspired him to create the Worthy Method, an unemotional relationship assessment designed to help women identify what truly matters to them, establish their non-negotiables, and look more objectively at whether a relationship aligns with the life they want. We explore why we can override our intuition, how emotions can cloud what we already know, and why recognizing our own relationship patterns is an important part of making different choices.
What You'll Learn
How defining your non-negotiables can help you make more aligned choicesWhy we sometimes override red flags and our own intuitionHow self-awareness can reveal patterns in the relationships we chooseWhy assessing your own readiness matters just as much as assessing a potential partnerHow forgiveness can help you release past relationship choices and move forward with greater self-trustUse code "4GIVE" for a 45-day free trial of the Is He Worthy community:https://isheworthy.com/Subscribe
About Dave McLachlan:
Dave's work focuses on helping women assess their relationships more clearly to stop bad relationships before they start. He is the creator of the W.O.R.T.H.Y. Method, an unemotional relationship assessment designed to guide women to ask important questions early.
Subscribe to Dave on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@isheworthynow
Follow Dave on…
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/is_he_worthy TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@is.he.worthy Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/isheworthy/Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 28 Aug 2026 - 46min - 178 - 124: You Haven't Messed Up Your Life
For years, Paul Drayton believed his struggles with addiction, relationships, and identity were simply who he was. It wasn't until a life-changing ADHD diagnosis at age 50, the end of his marriage, and the work of looking honestly at his past that he began to understand the deeper story behind his choices and find his way back to himself.
In this heartfelt episode, I talk with the British actor, writer, and author ofRide or Die Tryingabout addiction, recovery, people-pleasing, late-diagnosed ADHD, and the quiet courage it takes to rebuild your life after losing yourself. Paul shares how years of self-medicating, public scrutiny, and searching for answers eventually led him to a place of self-understanding and peace.
Get a copy of Paul’s debut Memoir, Ride or Die Trying:https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/ride-or-die-trying-a-life-before-during-and-after-the-laughter-paul-drayton/470cc7e00d605b01
Learn more about Paul:https://pauldrayton.co.uk/
Follow Paul on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/pauldrayton1/
What You'll Learn
Why understanding yourself is often the foundation of self-forgivenessThe connection between people-pleasing, losing your identity, and unhealthy relationshipsWhat recovery looks like beyond simply getting soberHow accountability and self-compassion can exist at the same timeWhy rebuilding your life starts with coming home to yourself instead of trying to become someone elseHow resilience is often discovered only after you've lived through your hardest seasonsWhy it's never too late to rediscover who you are and create a different futureResources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 21 Aug 2026 - 48min - 177 - 123: The Spiritual Practice of Forgiveness
Spiritual healing is about coming home to the divine wisdom that's already within you, not becoming someone new. In this heartfelt conversation, I sit down with author, yoga teacher, and inner life coach Regan Caruthers to explore the connection between forgiveness and spiritual devotion, and the practices that help us remember who we truly are. Regan shares stories from her spiritual upbringing, how those early experiences shaped her life's work, and why she believes so many of us have been conditioned to disconnect from our true nature. We also explore intuition, divine guidance, embodiment, and the daily practices that help us return to love instead of fear.
To learn more about Regan, visit her website:https://www.regancaruthers.com
Get a copy of Regan's Memoir "Tragic Magic":https://regancaruthers.com/tragic-magic/
Book a free discovery call for Regan’s inner life coaching:https://regancaruthers.com/inner-life-coaching/
Follow Regan on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/regancaruthers
Subscribe to Regan on Substack:https://regancaruthers1.substack.com/about
What You'll Learn
How reconnecting with your inner life can transform the way you experience forgivenessThe difference between intellectual understanding and embodied healingHow meditation, yoga, and contemplative practices can help you cultivate peace and self-awarenessWhy intuition and divine guidance become more accessible when you create space for stillnessHow to develop a daily practice of presence, devotion, and forgiveness.Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 14 Aug 2026 - 1h 00min - 176 - 122: Acceptance Is Not the First Step
For years, I've heard—and even believed—that acceptance was the answer. But through my own experiences with caregiving, health challenges, and now recovering from hamstring surgery, I've discovered something important: sometimes acceptance feels impossibly far away.
In this episode, I'm sharing the gentler path that has transformed how I approach healing. Instead of forcing ourselves to "just accept" painful realities, what if we first became aware, gave ourselves permission, practiced compassion, and then found our way to acceptance? We'll explore why busyness can become a way of avoiding ourselves, how self-judgment keeps us stuck, and why understanding isn't the same as approval. I'll also share how this season of slowing down has taught me that healing only happens one compassionate step at a time.
What You'll Learn
Why acceptance is often the result of healing, the beginningThe seven-step pathway of awareness, permission, understanding, compassion, allowing, acceptance, and choiceHow busyness can become a coping strategy that disconnects you from yourselfThe difference between understanding someone's behavior and excusing itWhy self-compassion creates more lasting change than self-criticismReflection Questions
- What are you trying to force yourself to accept right now?
- What would change if you stopped pressuring yourself to accept it and simply became willing to understand it?What information, context, compassion, or permission might you need before acceptance becomes possible?What are you becoming aware of?What do you need to give yourself permission to feel?What are you beginning to understand?Where could you offer yourself a little more compassion?What truth could you allow to be present today without forcing yourself to feel differently about it?And what choice might become available when you stop fighting what is true?
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 07 Aug 2026 - 1h 02min - 175 - 121: The Freedom to Trust Your Decisions
Making the right decision doesn't always feel peaceful. Sometimes it feels lonely. Sometimes it feels uncomfortable. And sometimes it comes with guilt, grief, or the fear of disappointing the people you love.
In this episode, I talk about one of the most important parts of emotional freedom: learning to trust your decisions and stay with yourself after you've made them. Discomfort isn't always a sign you're making the wrong choice, over-explaining often comes from seeking permission instead of communicating, and self-trust grows when you stop abandoning yourself in the face of someone else's reaction.
Drawing from my own experiences—including leaving an unhealthy marriage and making the difficult decision to move my husband into memory care—I share how self-forgiveness transforms past mistakes into wisdom and how emotional freedom comes from choosing yourself without losing your compassion for others.
What You'll Learn
Why the right decision can still feel uncomfortableHow to recognize the difference between healthy discomfort and a warning signWhy over-explaining is often about seeking permission rather than communicatingHow to stop using other people's reactions as proof that you're wrongHow to stay connected to yourself even when others are disappointed by your choicesResources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 31 Jul 2026 - 28min - 174 - 120: The Freedom to Choose Without Guilt
Why does guilt show up the moment you start honoring yourself? If you've ever set a boundary, said no, chosen rest, or spoken your truth only to immediately wonder if you were being selfish, this episode is for you.
In this episode, I explore the difference between healthy guilt, which invites growth and repair, and old pattern guilt, which pulls you back into people-pleasing, self-abandonment, and outdated roles. I share why guilt often intensifies when you're growing, how your nervous system can mistake self-honoring choices for danger, and why someone else's disappointment doesn't automatically mean you've done something wrong. Through personal stories, compassionate insight, and reflection questions, you’ll learn a new way to respond to guilt; one that helps you stay connected to yourself instead of returning to old patterns.
What You'll Learn
The difference between healthy guilt and old pattern guilt and how to tell the differenceWhy guilt often appears when you're making healthier, self-honoring choicesHow people-pleasing and self-abandonment become connected to guilt over timeWhy someone else's disappointment doesn't mean you've done something wrongThree powerful questions to help you respond to guilt with clarity instead of automatic self-sacrificeA simple practice for recognizing what is yours to own and what is notResources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 24 Jul 2026 - 21min - 173 - 119: The Freedom to Stop Leaving Yourself Behind
Emotional freedom doesn't begin with a dramatic life change—it begins with one honest moment. In this episode, I explore what it really means to stop leaving yourself behind. If you've spent years being the dependable one, keeping the peace, saying yes when you mean no, or putting everyone else's needs ahead of your own, it’s time to recognize the hidden ways you've disconnected from yourself.
I share why self-forgiveness is essential to breaking old patterns and reclaiming your voice, and explore how resentment, exhaustion, and even menopause can reveal the places where you've been sacrificing yourself in the name of love, loyalty, or responsibility. Through gentle reflection questions, you'll discover that emotional freedom isn't about becoming someone new. It's about coming home to who you've always been.
What You'll Learn
How to recognize the subtle ways you may be leaving yourself behind in everyday lifeThe connection between people-pleasing, self-sacrifice, and losing touch with your own needsHow resentment can become a powerful guide to uncovering unmet needs and missing boundaries.Why boundaries don't make you less lovingResources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 17 Jul 2026 - 30min - 172 - 118: Healing the Father Wound - Becoming the Safe Place You Needed
Healing doesn't mean forgetting the past or pretending it didn't hurt. It means no longer allowing what you didn't receive to define who you are.
In the final episode of this three-part series on the father wound, forgiveness, and healing, we explore what it truly means to move beyond awareness and begin rebuilding your relationship with yourself. I share how childhood experiences with an emotionally unavailable, critical, or inconsistent father can shape the way we love, trust, set boundaries, and view our own worth—and why healing isn't about waiting for someone else to finally become who you needed them to be. Instead, through gentle reflection questions and self-compassion, we can heal one small choice at a time.
What You'll Learn
Why healing the father wound doesn't require excusing the past or reconciling with your fatherHow childhood beliefs about love and worth continue to influence your relationships and daily choicesWhy compassion is the foundation of lasting healingHow to stop waiting for someone else's approval before choosing yourselfWays to rebuild self-trust through small, consistent acts of self-care and healthy boundariesHow to forgive yourself for the survival roles you adopted as a childResources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 10 Jul 2026 - 33min - 171 - 117: The Father Wound - How It Shapes the Way You Love, Trust, and Choose
The father wound isn’t just about your father. It’s about the beliefs you formed about yourself when you didn’t feel fully seen, safe, protected, chosen, or emotionally met. In this second episode of my When Father’s Day Feels Complicated series, we’re exploring how those beliefs can quietly shape the way you love, trust, and choose long after childhood.
I’ll share some of my own experiences with people-pleasing, self-doubt, and trying to earn love, while helping you recognize the patterns that may still be influencing your relationships today. We’ll talk about why familiar doesn’t always mean healthy, how the father wound can impact self-trust, and what it means to begin choosing from your worth instead of your wound.
What You'll Learn
Why the father wound goes beyond your relationship with your fatherThe beliefs that often develop when emotional needs go unmet in childhoodHow the father wound can affect the way you love, trust, and choose in adulthoodWhy familiar relationship patterns can feel so difficult to breakThe connection between father wounds and self-trustHow to recognize when you're choosing from old wounds instead of your worthReflection questions to help you explore your own patterns with compassionResources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 26 Jun 2026 - 20min - 170 - 116: When Father's Day Feels Complicated - Forgiving What You Didn't Receive
Father’s Day can bring up more than celebration. It can stir grief, longing, anger, confusion, gratitude, or the ache of something that was never fully there. In the first episode of this three-part series, I explore the father wound and the impact of growing up with a father who may have been physically present but emotionally unavailable, absent, critical, inconsistent, or simply unable to give you what you needed.
I share parts of my own story and invite you to consider the difference between the father you had and the father you needed. Together, we will explore how unmet needs can shape the beliefs we carry about ourselves, the roles we adopt to earn love and approval, and the patterns that continue to show up in our relationships today.
This episode is not about blaming fathers or forcing forgiveness. It’s about telling the truth about your experience, grieving what was missing, and beginning to release the belief that what you didn’t receive says anything about your worth.
What You'll Learn
The difference between the father you had and the father you neededHow unmet childhood needs can shape beliefs about worth, love, and belongingThe survival roles many people adopt to earn connection and approvalHow father wounds often show up in adult relationships, work, and achievementReflection questions to help you begin releasing old stories and reclaiming your worthResources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 19 Jun 2026 - 46min - 169 - 115: The Self-Trust Practice That Changes Every Conversation
Better conversations don’t begin with perfect words—they begin with a more honest relationship with yourself.
In this final episode of the self-trust series, I bring everything we've explored together and focus on what self-trust looks like in real life, especially in the conversations, decisions, and boundaries that feel the hardest. Too often, we overexplain, people-please, or abandon our own needs in an effort to keep the peace. But what if there was another way?
I share a simple self-trust practice you can use before difficult conversations, major decisions, or moments when you're tempted to seek permission outside yourself. You'll learn how to recognize the difference between the voice of fear and the voice of self-trust, pause before reacting, and take the next honest step without abandoning yourself in the process.
What You’ll Learn
Why difficult conversations are often about more than communicationHow fear disguises itself as kindness, patience, or being "low maintenance"The difference between the voice of fear and the voice of self-trustHow to pause before reacting and stop making self-abandoning decisions on autopilotWhy you are not responsible for controlling how others receive your truthHow to measure success in a conversation by your honesty and self-respect rather than someone else's reactionResources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 12 Jun 2026 - 38min - 168 - 114: The 5 Hidden Needs That Shape Your Choices
Why do some decisions feel impossible to make? Why do certain conversations leave you overthinking for days? And why do you keep finding yourself people-pleasing, seeking reassurance, or ignoring what you know is true?
Beneath avoidance, over-explaining, and self-doubt, there is often an unmet need asking for attention. In this episode, I continue our three-part series on self-trust by exploring the five hidden needs that shape our choices, conversations, and relationships. You’ll hear how needs for safety, belonging, validation, autonomy, and rest can quietly influence the way we show up in our lives. Instead of judging these patterns, I invite you to approach them with compassion and curiosity so you can begin making choices that are aligned with your truth rather than driven by fear.
What You’ll Learn
The difference between seeking advice and trusting your own inner knowingHow the need for safety can keep you stuck in indecision and fear of making the wrong choiceWhy belonging and connection sometimes lead us to abandon our own truthHow a lack of validation can leave us searching for external approvalThe role autonomy and freedom play in setting boundaries and making aligned choicesWhy guilt isn't always a sign you're doing something wrongHow exhaustion and depletion can impact decision-making and self-trustSmall ways to honor your needs and strengthen self-trust every dayResources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 05 Jun 2026 - 52min - 167 - 113: You Don’t Need More Advice. You Need More Self-Trust.
Self-trust is not about having all the answers or never feeling afraid. It’s about learning to stay connected to yourself while taking the next honest step forward.
In this first episode of a special three-part series on self-trust, I explore why so many of us keep searching for more advice, more reassurance, and more opinions when deep down, we already know what feels true. I unpack the patterns of overthinking, people-pleasing, perfectionism, and self-doubt that pull us away from our own inner knowing. Old survival patterns can make even small decisions feel overwhelming, but self-trust is rebuilt one honest moment at a time, and I invite you to stop outsourcing your inner authority and begin reconnecting with your own truth.
What You’ll Learn
Why overthinking and indecision are often rooted in fearThe difference between seeking support and seeking permissionHow old survival patterns can keep you disconnected from your own needsThe role self-forgiveness plays in rebuilding trust with yourselfHow to recognize when you already know what feels true for youWhat it means to take “the next honest step” instead of searching for the perfect answerResources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 29 May 2026 - 34min - 166 - 112: Finding Yourself Again After Childhood Trauma
There are some wounds that change the course of a life, and some healing journeys that change it again. In this deeply vulnerable conversation, I sit down with author and memoirist Heather Conn to talk about surviving childhood incest, the long and layered process of healing, and the unexpected path that eventually led her toward forgiveness. Heather shares how years of therapy, body-based healing, creativity, meditation, writing, and spiritual practice helped her reconnect with herself after trauma disconnected her from her body, emotions, and relationships.
Together, we talk about the difference between forgiveness and condoning harm, the complexity of family relationships, the courage it takes to tell the truth, and why healing is never linear. Heather also opens up about the backlash she received after publishing her memoir, “No Letter in Your Pocket,” and why she chose compassion anyway.
Please take care of yourself as you move through this episode.
What You’ll Learn
Why forgiveness is not the same thing as excusing harmHow compassion and accountability can coexistWhat “bearing witness” means in healing traumaThe impact of family silence and emotional suppressionWhat survivors should consider before telling or publishing their storyHow forgiveness helped Heather reclaim joy, peace, and self-understandingHeather will send a free copy of “No Letter in Your Pocket” to the first message she receives on her website! Visit: www.heatherconn.com
Get your copy of “No Letter in Your Pocket”: https://www.amazon.com/Letter-Your-Pocket-Memoir-Biography/dp/177183787X
Follow Heather on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/SixStinkyFeetandaSasquatch
Connect with Heather LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hconn/
Watch "Journey to Forgiveness": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-Ukq86zVdo
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 22 May 2026 - 57min - 165 - 111: Trying to Be the Mom You Didn’t Have – The Hidden Pressure No One Talks About
So many women carry a quiet promise inside themselves: ‘I will be different from my mother.’ Maybe you grew up feeling unseen, emotionally alone, criticized, or responsible for everyone else’s feelings. And when you became a mother yourself, you vowed your children would never feel what you felt. But what happens when that promise turns into pressure?
In this episode, I talk about the emotional weight of trying to be the mom you didn’t have and the exhaustion that comes from believing you have to get motherhood “right” in order to break the cycle. I share parts of my own story, the promises I made as a young mother, the wounds that followed me into parenting, and how fear and perfectionism can quietly shape the way we show up for our children. We also explore the role of the inner child, why motherhood can feel so emotionally intense when you’re still healing your own childhood wounds, and how repair, awareness, and self-forgiveness matter more than perfection ever will.
What You’ll Learn
Why trying to be “different” from your mother can become another form of perfectionismHow childhood wounds can show up in your parenting reactions and relationshipsWhat it means to recognize when your inner child has been activatedWhy repair and honesty matter more than getting motherhood perfectHow fear can quietly drive even the most loving parenting choicesThe difference between conscious motherhood and perfect motherhoodWhy self-mothering and self-forgiveness are essential parts of healingResources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 15 May 2026 - 27min - 164 - 110: Why Mother Guilt Feels So Heavy – It’s Not Just About Parenting
Mother guilt is something so many women carry, but rarely say out loud. In this episode, I talk about the kind of guilt that shows up in everyday moments. The guilt of not being present enough, patient enough, or doing enough. The guilt that lingers from the past and the pressure we place on ourselves in the present.
But this conversation is not about judging yourself or trying to “just let it go.” It’s about understanding where that guilt comes from, separating it from shame, and beginning to meet yourself with more compassion.
What You’ll Learn
The difference between guilt and shame and why it matters for healingWhy mother guilt feels so personal and tied to your sense of selfHow to identify what you actually feel guilty about without turning it into your identityWhat healthy repair looks like and when it is or isn’t possibleHow to stop punishing yourself and begin moving forward with more honesty and careResources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 08 May 2026 - 33min - 163 - 109: From “What If” to Self-Compassion After Pregnancy Loss
There are losses we talk about, and then there are the ones we carry quietly. In this episode, I sit down with pregnancy loss coach Shruti Trivedi to talk about a kind of grief that so often goes unspoken. Pregnancy loss is something many experience, but few feel safe enough to fully process. What gets left behind is not just sadness, but guilt, shame, and the constant loop of “what if.”
Shruti shares her own story of multiple losses and what it looked like to carry that grief silently for years. We talk about the emotional weight women hold, the pressure to move on, and the moment everything shifted when she finally allowed herself to be supported.
This is a conversation about learning how to stop blaming yourself for things you were never meant to carry and finding a way to move forward without leaving your loss behind.
What You’ll Learn
Why pregnancy loss often leads to intense guilt and self-blameHow “what if” thoughts keep women stuck in cycles of painHow silence can be more healing than saying the “right” thingWhy avoiding grief can resurface years later in unexpected waysHow to honor your loss while still moving forward with your lifeBook a complimentary 60-minute breakthrough call with Tulsi:https://calendly.com/shruzee/60min
Connect with Shruti:
TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@tulsihealslifecoaching Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/tulsiheals_life_coaching/ Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/shruzee Substack:https://substack.com/@tulsihealslifecoaching YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEuJzTER4Lz2u42KQIg2X9w LinkedIn:www.linkedin.com/in/shruti-trivedi-pmp-acc-8793671a Linktr.ee:https://linktr.ee/tulsiheals_lifecoaching Blinq:https://blinq.me/AAcAILQ5QK3kxylXUp3S?bs=iclResources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 01 May 2026 - 1h 00min - 162 - 108: Why Receiving Feels So Hard (And How to Begin Allowing It)
Giving comes naturally. Receiving does not.
In this episode, I’m diving into why receiving can feel so uncomfortable, especially for high-achieving, high-functioning women who are used to being the ones who give, support, and hold everything together.
This isn’t just about brushing off compliments. It shows up in your relationships, your work, your business, and even your ability to receive success, opportunities, and financial growth. Receiving requires vulnerability, and if your nervous system learned that it wasn’t safe to be seen, supported, or open, then of course receiving feels unfamiliar.
But it isn’t something you earn, it’s something you learn to allow.
What You’ll Learn
Why receiving feels uncomfortable (and what your nervous system has to do with it)How overgiving can actually block success, support, and recognitionThe connection between worthiness and your ability to receiveSmall, everyday ways to practice receiving without overwhelmHow to build a sense of safety around being seen, supported, and valuedResources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 24 Apr 2026 - 25min - 161 - 107: When You Lose Yourself Taking Care of Everyone Else
I didn’t lose myself all at once. It happened slowly, quietly, in ways I didn’t recognize until my body started speaking louder than I could ignore.
In this episode, I’m sharing something I’m not just teaching, I’m living. We’re talking about what it really looks like to lose yourself while taking care of everyone else, and how patterns like people-pleasing and codependency can feel loving on the outside, but are actually forms of self-abandonment on the inside.
I open up about my own journey through codependency, relationships, burnout, and health challenges, and how my body ultimately forced me to stop and listen. I began to understand that my body wasn’t betraying me—it was trying to get my attention.
What You’ll Learn
What codependency really isHow people-pleasing can turn into self-abandonmentHow your body communicates when you’re ignoring yourselfWhy burnout and chronic stress often have deeper emotional patterns underneathSimple ways to begin reconnecting with yourself, even in the middle of a busy lifeResources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 10 Apr 2026 - 17min - 160 - 106: What If We Didn’t Walk Away?
When we hear the word dementia, most of us think of loss. Decline. Goodbye. But what if that’s not the full story?
In this conversation, I sit down with Marilyn Raichle, who gently challenges everything we think we know about dementia. After being told her whole life to "walk away" when Alzheimer's came, Marilyn, Marilyn did the opposite. She stayed. And what she discovered changed everything.
What began as resistance and obligation became something deeply meaningful. Through art, presence, and an unexpected partnership with her mother, Marilyn found connection, creativity, and even joy in a place most of us fear. If you’re walking alongside someone with dementia—or holding regret about how you’ve shown up—this conversation will meet you with compassion, perspective, and hope.
What You’ll Learn
Why shifting from “caregiver” to “care partner” changes everythingHow to connect with someone living with dementia (even when it feels hard)The powerful role of art, music, and shared moments in creating connectionWhy “they’re still here” is more than a phrase, it’s a mindsetHow to begin forgiving yourself for what you didn’t know beforeLearn more about Marilyn, and get a copy of her bookDon't Walk Away, A Care Partner's Journey, here:https://dontwalkaway.net/
Follow Marilyn on Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/marilyn.raichle
Connect with Marilyn on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/marilynraichle/
Follow Marilyn on Instagram:instagram.com/raichlem/
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 03 Apr 2026 - 48min - 159 - 105: Why You Don’t Trust Yourself (And How to Start Again)
So many of us have spent our lives outsourcing our authority, worth, and wisdom to expectations, roles, and other people. In this episode, we explore how to bring it back to yourself.
In this conversation, I sit down with the deeply insightful Sheila Delaney to talk about what it really means to come back home to yourself, especially after burnout, chronic stress, or years of putting everyone else first. Sheila shares her powerful story of navigating a full-body shutdown, chronic illness, and the moment that changed everything.
She also shares the question that led her back to self-trust.
What You’ll Learn
The three pillars of self-trustHow high-achieving women unknowingly burn themselves outThe connection between stress, the body, and emotional patternsSmall, practical ways to rebuild trust with yourself (starting today)Correction: In the episode, Sheila states that 70-80% of women are autoimmune sufferers, per Dr Gabor Matè. The accurate statistic is that 70-80% of autoimmune sufferers are women, per Dr. Gabor Matè.
Take Sheila's Insourcing Assessment:http://insourcingway.com/earlyaccess
Visit Sheila’s website:insourcingway.com
Follow Sheila on Substack:https://substack.com/@sheiladelaney
Listen to Sheila’s podcast,Crazy Beautiful Truth:https://open.spotify.com/show/3DAY5vT5sP0wPBzhLc8K77? si=75e26b95d0e64084
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 27 Mar 2026 - 49min - 158 - 104: Self-Forgiveness in a Changing Body
One of the most complicated relationships we have is the relationship with our own body. When chronic illness, pain, injury, or unexpected physical changes show up, many of us quietly begin blaming ourselves or believing our bodies have betrayed us.
In this episode, I share how the journey through nerve-damage and chronic pain forced me to confront the harsh inner voices that judged, blamed, and tried to “fix” what felt broken. What I discovered instead was a powerful shift: healing isn’t about fighting your body, it’s about learning to work in partnership with it.
Through powerful reflections, compassionate reframes, and practical exercises, I introduce the idea of the “courtroom inside the mind,” the hidden grief that comes with physical change, and how self-forgiveness can transform the way we relate to our bodies.
What You’ll Learn
Why chronic illness and physical changes often trigger self-blame and inner criticismThe three invisible griefs that often accompany chronic pain or illnessWhy self-blame creates the illusion of control, and how to release itA simple journaling practice that helps bring compassion into the conversation with your bodyDownload your free Body Forgiveness Workbookhere.
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 20 Mar 2026 - 34min - 157 - 103: Forgiving the Body That Hurts
What if the real healing begins the moment we stop fighting our bodies?
In this compassionate conversation, I sit down with Tami Stackelhouse—health coach, founder of the International Fibromyalgia Coaching Institute, and host of the Fibromyalgia Podcast—to talk about self-forgiveness in the face of chronic illness. Tami shares her personal journey with lifelong health challenges and fibromyalgia, and we explore what it really means to move from war to partnership with your body. We talk about perfectionism, lost capacity, relationship shame, asking for help, and how learning who you truly are, instead of who you think you “should” be, can become the foundation for healing.
If you’ve ever felt betrayed by your body, whispered “Why can’t you just work right?,” or carried shame about not being the mom, partner, friend, or professional you once were, this episode is for you.
What You’ll Learn
Why self-forgiveness is essential in the chronic illness journeyWhere shame shows up most powerfully (especially for mothers and caregivers)How perfectionism and comparison silently fuel sufferingThe difference between trying to change your thoughts vs. changing your actionsTake Tami’s free Fibromyalgia Wellness Style℠ Quiz:https://fibroquiz.com/
Follow Tami on Facebook:https://facebook.com/FibroCoach
Follow Tami on Instagram:https://instagram.com/FibroCoach
Subscribe to Tami on YouTube:https://youtube.com/@fibromyalgiawellness
Connect with Tami on LinkedIn:https://linkedin.com/in/tamistackelhouse
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 06 Mar 2026 - 1h 07min - 156 - 102: Self-Forgiveness When You Feel Behind in Life
“I thought I’d be further along by now.”
That’s a sentence I hear all the time, and if I’m honest, it’s one I’ve said to myself, too.
In this episode, I’m talking about the quiet ache so many women carry: the feeling of being behind in life. Behind in our careers. Behind in healing. Behind in love, confidence, health, or fulfillment. On the outside, we may look capable and responsible—often the ones everyone else relies on. But inside, there’s a voice whisperingI should have figured this out by now.
I want to gently explore where that voice comes from. How the feeling of being behind is often grief in disguise. Grief for the life we imagined. Grief for choices we wish we’d made differently. Grief for years spent surviving instead of thriving. And I talk about how self-forgiveness isn’t about excusing or pretending, it’s about softening our relationship with the past and integrating it with compassion.
What You’ll Learn
Why the feeling of being “behind” is often rooted in invisible timelinesHow grief can sit underneath regret and self-judgmentThe hidden cost of being “the strong one” for decadesWhy midlife can actually be a season of readiness and self-trustGentle reframes to help you soften shame and reconnect with yourselfWhy safety and support matter when doing deeper forgiveness work💜 Download your companion worksheets for this episode here.
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 27 Feb 2026 - 22min - 155 - 101: Learning to Love the Woman You've Been Judging
You don’t have to fix yourself first to deserve your own kindness.
So many high-achieving women I work with don’t hate themselves…but they don’t really like themselves, either. They tolerate themselves. They manage themselves. They critique themselves. And often, they live in a quiet, ongoing relationship with judgment.
Self-judgment doesn’t always scream. Sometimes it sounds reasonable. Motivating even. It can sound like: “Why am I like this?” “I should be further along by now.” “I know better than this.”
But underneath that voice is often a tired, overwhelmed part of us that simply wants understanding.
In this episode, I share where that inner critic comes from, how it once tried to protect us, and why being harder on ourselves rarely creates real change.
What You’ll Learn
Why self-judgment is often something we learned, not something we choseHow your inner critic may have originally developed as a survival strategyWhy constant self-correction keeps your nervous system from ever fully restingThe subtle ways self-judgment disguises itself as “motivation”What loving yourself actually looks like in everyday lifeHow to begin meeting yourself with gentleness instead of punishment💜 Download your companion worksheets for this episode here.
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 20 Feb 2026 - 21min - 154 - 100: You Are Not Broken - A Love Letter to the Woman Who's Been Surviving
When we think about forgiveness, we usually think about other people. But some of the deepest resentment we carry is self-directed, and it often hides as guilt, self-criticism, exhaustion, regret, or a constant feeling that something just isn’t quite right.
In this episode, I walk through the 10 most common things we struggle to forgive ourselves for, especially as women in midlife: how we showed up (or didn’t), staying too long or leaving too soon, health and caregiving decisions, repeating old patterns, choosing others over ourselves, and grieving the life we thought we’d have by now.
This isn’t about “doing forgiveness right,” rushing to closure, or forcing compassion before you’re ready. It’s about telling the truth kindly, creating safety in your nervous system, and understanding that forgiveness comes after witnessing—not before.
What You’ll Learn
Why self-forgiveness is often harder than forgiving others What forgiveness is and isn’t, and why timing matters more than effortHow the nervous system holds onto unresolved experiencesWhy repeating patterns doesn’t mean you’ve failed or regressedHow survival, loyalty, and responsibility shape our past choicesWhy grief and gratitude can coexistResources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 13 Feb 2026 - 18min - 153 - 99: 10 Things We Struggle to Forgive Ourselves For
When we think about forgiveness, we usually think about other people. But some of the deepest resentment we carry is self-directed, and it often hides as guilt, self-criticism, exhaustion, regret, or a constant feeling that something just isn’t quite right.
In this episode, I walk through the 10 most common things we struggle to forgive ourselves for, especially as women in midlife: how we showed up (or didn’t), staying too long or leaving too soon, health and caregiving decisions, repeating old patterns, choosing others over ourselves, and grieving the life we thought we’d have by now.
This isn’t about “doing forgiveness right,” rushing to closure, or forcing compassion before you’re ready. It’s about telling the truth kindly, creating safety in your nervous system, and understanding that forgiveness comes after witnessing—not before.
What You’ll Learn
Why self-forgiveness is often harder than forgiving others What forgiveness is and isn’t, and why timing matters more than effortHow the nervous system holds onto unresolved experiencesWhy repeating patterns doesn’t mean you’ve failed or regressedHow survival, loyalty, and responsibility shape our past choicesWhy grief and gratitude can coexistResources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 06 Feb 2026 - 29min - 152 - 98: Holding Two Truths - Finding Your Center in Uncertain Times
In a world that feels increasingly uncertain, overwhelming, and emotionally charged, how do we stay rooted without bypassing what’s real?
In this episode, I explore what it truly means to hold two truths at the same time: acknowledging fear, grief, and instability while also choosing presence, agency, and inner steadiness. Drawing from my personal caregiving journey, recent moments of self-doubt, and a powerful realization sparked by therapy, I reflect on how easily our nervous systems get hijacked and how quickly my inner critic can drown out my wise voice.
This conversation is an invitation to come home to yourself. I share the simple, grounding practices I’ve returned to in order to rebuild a foundation that doesn’t collapse when fear shows up—one breath, one choice, one moment at a time.
What You’ll Learn
How an activated nervous system fuels comparison, perfectionism, and inner criticismWhy “fantasy thinking” can keep you stuck and disconnected from realityHow to recognize and disengage from the inner critic that assaults your wise voicePractical, non-flashy tools to calm the nervous system (breath, movement, sensory awareness)How journaling, gratitude, and naming what you can control restore a sense of agencyWhy coming home to yourself is an act of peace, not avoidanceResources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInTue, 03 Feb 2026 - 20min - 151 - 97: When Healing Meets Timing - What Miraval Taught Me About Letting Support In
Sometimes healing doesn’t come from pushing harder, but from allowing ourselves to receive. In this episode, I share my experience at Miraval Resort in Arizona and the unexpected insights that emerged after a season of caregiving, grief, betrayal, and deep self-awareness. Through equine therapy and the art of Kintsugi, I reflect on perception, self-trust, and what it means to love ourselves deeply without needing external validation. Along the way, I offer gentle practices to help you integrate your own awareness and “aha” moments.
What You’ll Learn
Why we often mistake self-protection for self-trustHow perception can deepen—or ease—our sufferingWhat horses revealed about being in your head vs. your bodyWhy not everything broken is meant to be fixedHow letting others help doesn’t make you weak, it makes you humanSimple ways to practice receiving, rest, and self-compassionResources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 16 Jan 2026 - 32min - 150 - 96: The Difference 2 Years Makes
Two years ago, I made one of the hardest decisions of my life: moving my husband into memory care. Last year, I shared the raw shock, grief, and guilt of that first year. This episode is about what the second year has taught me.
I thought year two would feel easier. More settled. Instead, it brought new crises, a nervous system stuck on high alert, and an unexpected moment that finally cracked my grief wide open. What followed was a deeper reckoning with loss, with old patterns of over-responsibility, and with the belief that love must be earned through self-sacrifice.
This is a reflection on how grief changes over time, how the body decides when it’s safe to feel, and what it looks like to slowly let go without abandoning love, and without abandoning myself..
In this episode, you’ll hear about:
How grief can shift—and intensify—in the second yearWhy my body stayed in survival mode longer than I expectedHow caregiving can awaken old “good girl” and people-pleasing patternsWhat helped me begin letting go without guiltHow I’m learning to care for myself while still loving deeplyHere are the episodes that I reference in the podcast:
Episode 64: A Difference a Year Makes –https://brendareisscoaching.com/2025/01/14/a-difference-a-year-makes/
Episode 94: The Good Girl Syndrome – How People-Pleasing Sneaks Into Adulthood (and How We Break Free) –https://brendareisscoaching.com/2025/12/21/the-good-girl-syndrome-how-people-pleasing-sneaks-into-adulthood-and-how-we-break-free/
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 09 Jan 2026 - 21min - 149 - 95: Why So Many Women Don’t Trust Their Own Gut
What happens when we stop outsourcing our knowledge and begin listening to the wisdom that’s been living inside us all along?
Brenda is joined by somatic and expressive arts therapist Cathy Williams to explore what it truly means to come home to your body after trauma, burnout, and self-abandonment. Cathy shares her personal healing journey, from living in her head and overriding her intuition, to reconnecting with her body as a source of safety, guidance, and truth.
Together, they unpack how psychological abuse, people-pleasing, and over-intellectualizing can disconnect us from ourselves and how somatic awareness, creative expression, and gentle self-forgiveness can guide us back.
This episode is an invitation to soften, slow down, and remember: your body has always been trying to protect you.
In this episode, you’ll hear about:
How intuition speaks through the bodyWhy forgiveness often starts with self-trustThe role of somatic and creative healing in trauma recoveryHow to rebuild a loving relationship with your inner guidanceCathy's Body Wisdom Oracle cards are currently in a crowdfunding campaign till the end of January 2026! If you'd like to participate, click here:
https://project.liftwomen.com/p/692f852562daa122b31ea41b
Connect with yourself through Cathy’s free resources:https://www.intuitiveself.com.au/category/all-products
Follow Cathy on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/intuitiveself__
Connect with Cathy on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/cathywilliams-intuitiveself/
Follow Cathy on Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/IntuitiveSelfCathyW
Subscribe to Cathy on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@Intuitive_Self
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 26 Dec 2025 - 54min - 148 - 94: The Good Girl Syndrome - How People-Pleasing Sneaks Into Adulthood (and How We Break Free)
In this deeply vulnerable episode, Brenda opens up about a powerful and unexpected moment in her caregiving journey with her husband, who lives in memory care due to dementia. What began as shock and heartbreak became a profound awakening, revealing a pattern so many high-achieving, caring women carry quietly into adulthood: the Good Girl Syndrome.
Brenda explores how early conditioning to be “good” evolves into people-pleasing, over-functioning, emotional suppression, resentment, burnout, and the slow abandonment of our own needs. Through raw storytelling and compassionate reflection, she shares how this pattern showed up for her in real time and how it cracked her open to a deeper layer of grief, truth, and healing. This episode is an invitation to gently notice where you may be carrying too much, silencing yourself, or equating your worth with how much you do for others and to begin loosening those patterns with honesty, self-compassion, and courage.
Ready to break free from the good girl pattern? This worksheet is for you:https://therecreationcoach.aweb.page/breaking-free-good-girl-pattern
What You’ll Learn
What the Good Girl Syndrome really is and how it quietly follows us into adulthoodHow people-pleasing and over-functioning disconnect us from our emotions and needsWhy suppressed grief and resentment often show up through the bodyHow to move through guilt, shame, and emotional overwhelm with compassionPractical, grounding steps to begin reclaiming your voice, honoring your limits, and caring for yourself in a more sustainable wayResources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 19 Dec 2025 - 15min - 147 - 93: What Your Triggers Are Trying to Tell You
Edit B. Kiss, a holistic mentor, success habit coach, and humanitarian award-winning author is joining me to share her story of transformation, which is as grounded as it is spiritual. After 15 years as a petroleum engineer, Edit followed a deep inner calling that led her from spreadsheets to source energy, from panic attacks to peace. Together, we talk about trauma, triggers, forgiveness, and why mindfulness is not the first step in healing. Edit shares how she learned to recognize synchronicities, how the body reveals unresolved emotional patterns, and why true change requires tending to the mind, body, and soul. We also explore her 3P and 5-Step methods for closing the gap between where you are and where you want to be. If you're navigating the unknown or feeling pulled toward something new, this conversation is a powerful reminder that healing is possible—and closer than you think.
What You’ll Learn
How Edit moved from a highly logical engineering career into intuitive, heart-centered healingWhy triggers point directly to unresolved trauma and how to use them for growthWhy mindfulness alone isn’t enough without healing the deeper emotional rootsHow the body, mind, and soul work together in releasing anxiety and panicEdit’s 3P Method for reaching your goalsHow forgiveness frees you without requiring you to trust someone againGet Edit’s latest book,The Gap Filler Success: Simple Steps to Reach Your Goals:https://www.amazon.com/-/he/Gap-Filler-Success-Simple-Steps/dp/B0FVG3RVW3
Learn more about Edit on her website:https://editbkiss.com/
Follow Edit on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/editbkiss
Connect with Edit on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/editbkiss/
Follow Edit on Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/bkissedit
Check out Edit’s YouTube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@MagicalKarmaPriestess
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 12 Dec 2025 - 39min - 146 - 92: The Healing Power of Daily Rituals - A Guide Through Grief
I sat down with author and executive coach Laing Rikkers to explore how quiet rituals, creativity, and the natural world can become anchors during our deepest seasons of loss. When Laing’s younger sister died suddenly just months before the world shut down, she found herself searching for a way through overwhelming grief. What began as simple morning walks and unfiltered “morning pages” soon unfolded intoMorning Leaves, her beautiful collection of plant-inspired poems and reflections.
Laing shares how slowing down helped her reconnect with herself, how creativity became a lifeline, and how she gently released the guilt she carried around her sister’s passing. She also offers the powerful checklist she uses to return to balance when life feels heavy: sleep, eat, steep, walk it, talk it, write it, and pay it forward.
What You’ll Learn
How simple daily rituals can create space for healingWhy connecting with nature helps regulate the nervous system and ease emotional overwhelmHow creativity (even if you’ve never seen yourself as “creative”) can transform grief into meaningHow to recognize, release, and forgive the complex guilt that often comes with sudden lossHow finding purpose after loss can keep our loved ones present in our daily livesGet the 2nd Edition of Laing's bookMorning Leaves: Cultivating a Life of Beauty, Meaning, and Joy:https://bookshop.org/p/books/morning-leaves-meditations-on-beauty-and-joy-laing-f-rikkers/f8c694a6cc939b5a?ean=9781636284729&next=t&next=t&affiliate=177
Connect with Laing on LinkedIn:linkedin.com/in/laing-rikkers
Follow Laing on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/morning_leaves_and_poetry/
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 05 Dec 2025 - 33min - 145 - 91: Breaking Free from Unhealthy Family Dynamics and Finding Peace
Ever wonder how the roles you played growing up impact your life and relationships today? In this episode, I break down the six most common family dynamics and the archetypal roles we fall into. I share how self-awareness is the game changer that lets you set healthy boundaries and choose who you want to be moving forward. Remember, your family story doesn’t have to define your future. You have the power to give yourself permission to change, grow, and find more peace.
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInWed, 26 Nov 2025 - 23min - 144 - 90: When Grief Calls You Home
In this episode, I talk with the luminous Harper A. Bailey, whose debut memoirIt Was Herpoured straight into my heart. We talk about the dream that sparked her writing, the spiritual co-creation behind her pen name, and the moment she realized her story wasn’t just hers, it was meant to unlock stories in others. Harper shares how grief became both her wilderness and her teacher, and how processing isn’t about doing, but about learning to be with ourselves again. This conversation is all about reclaiming the wholeness we’ve always carried but sometimes forget. If you’ve ever felt stuck between the pain of the past and the hope of what could be, this episode is a reminder that you can return home to yourself at any time.
What You’ll Learn
How grief can become a doorway back to yourself, not a destination you’re meant to stay inWhy Harper chose a pen name and how it unlocked a deeper spiritual and creative voiceThe difference between doing the work and actually processing your emotionsWhat it looks like to forgive the younger version of yourself and reclaim your wholenessDownload the first chapter ofIt Was Her:https://www.harperabailey.com/
Get the full book:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FMH494DB
Follow Harper on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/harper_abailey
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 21 Nov 2025 - 43min - 143 - 89: Why Is It So Hard To Ask For Support?
If you’re the one who holds it all together—for your family, your friends, your business—but quietly struggles to ask for help yourself, this episode is for you. I know that story well. For years, I prided myself on being the strong one, the fixer, the problem solver. Until my body and spirit finally broke down.
In this conversation, I’m exploring why asking for help feels unsafe for so many high-achieving women, and how that belief was formed long before adulthood. I talk about how childhood conditioning creates the “I should be able to handle it” mindset, and what happens in our nervous system when we even think about reaching out. Most importantly, I’ll share what it looks like to rewrite that story and see asking for help not as weakness, but as wisdom.
You are worthy of support. You are allowed to have needs. And when you let yourself be held, you don’t lose your strength—you reclaim your wholeness.
What You’ll Learn
The childhood roots of our resistance to asking for helpHow “being the strong one” can lead to isolation and burnoutWhy your nervous system may interpret support as unsafeThe hidden cost of over-functioning and self-relianceHow to reframe asking for help as an act of intimacy and self-trustA reflective journaling prompt to begin softening this old beliefResources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 14 Nov 2025 - 10min - 142 - 88: Clearing the Past to Create Extraordinary Love
I’ve always believed that forgiveness is the bridge between who we’ve been and who we’re becoming, and today’s conversation is proof of that. I’m joined by Riana Malia, a board-certified neurosomatic practitioner and creator of the Clear to Create method, who helps high-achieving women break free from painful relationship patterns and finally claim the love that matches the life they’ve built.
Riana shares her powerful story of betrayal, loss, and rebuilding from the ground up, and how learning to release stored trauma at the cellular level opened the door to deep peace, purpose, and extraordinary love. We talk about why self-forgiveness is often the hardest kind, how to stop repeating old stories, and why true healing begins when you make the invisible visible.
If you’ve ever carried shame, guilt, or old pain that keeps you stuck, this episode will remind you: you don’t have to relive the past to release it, you just have to be willing to clear it.
What You’ll Learn
Why we must clear before we can create, and how that principle changes everythingThe three layers of forgiveness: others, the ones who didn’t protect us, and ourselvesHow trauma and limiting beliefs become stored in the bodyThe five core emotions to release for lasting healing (anger, sadness, fear, guilt, shame)How Riana’s “Clear to Create” and “Quantum Time Release” methods help you rewrite your story without reliving itThe first step toward self-forgiveness and reclaiming your worthDiscover what’s standing between you and extraordinary love with Riana’s free 40-question diagnostic assessment:https://quiz.rianamalia.com/
Connect with Riana on…
TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@rianamalia121
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/RianaMalia
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/rianamalia/
YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@rianamalia
Website:https://rianamalia.com
Brilliance Brunch Event Page:https://thebrilliancebrunch.rianamalia.com
Podcast Page:https://podcast.rianamalia.com
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 07 Nov 2025 - 51min - 141 - 87: How Rock Bottom Rebuilt a Marriage
Sometimes, it takes everything falling apart to discover what’s been broken all along. In this episode, I talk with Bryan Power, who went from a “pretty good” marriage to complete collapse before finding the tools that helped him rebuild his relationship stronger than ever.
We talk about what really causes relationships to unravel, how childhood wounds and attachment styles shape the way we love, and why forgiveness—for ourselves and each other—is often the key to true healing. Bryan shares how learning Integrated Attachment Theory transformed his marriage, and how facing his own patterns helped him find peace, clarity, and connection again.
If you’ve ever hit rock bottom in love or wondered if something broken can truly be made whole, this story will remind you: sometimes the breakdown is the breakthrough.
What You’ll Learn:
How childhood trauma silently shapes your attachment styleWhy emotional “no contact” can be a powerful tool for healingThe six core elements of Integrated Attachment TheoryWhat true forgiveness looks like after deep hurtHow rock bottom moments can become your greatest turning pointsTake Bryan’s free attachment style quiz:https://www.myrelationshipfail.com/
Connect with Bryan on:
LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryanwpower/Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/myrelationshipfail/YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@myrelationshipfailResources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 31 Oct 2025 - 36min - 140 - 86: How High Achieving Women Lose Their Voice
You’re confident, capable, and in control…until it comes to love.
At work, you lead with authority. At home, you walk on eggshells. You know how to speak up in the boardroom, but in relationships, your voice gets quieter. In this episode, I’m opening up about how high-achieving women like us lose our voice in love—and how we can reclaim it without losing our softness. I’ll share the five subtle signs that you’ve started to silence yourself, the deeper reasons why vulnerability feels unsafe, and the small daily practices that helped me reconnect to my truth.
You’ll hear about the power of micro-boundaries, journaling, and inner-child work, and why learning to speak up with compassion is one of the most radical acts of self-forgiveness we can make.
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 24 Oct 2025 - 25min - 139 - 85: When “Forever” Ends Overnight: Reclaiming Yourself After Unexpected Divorce
What happens when the life you built for decades disappears in a single moment? When you go to bed a wife and wake up a stranger to your own story?
In this episode, I sit down with divorce recovery coach Beth Carroll, who knows that pain all too well. After her 25-year marriage ended without warning, Beth faced the shock, grief, and loss of identity that so many women silently carry. But through subconscious reprogramming and somatic healing, she learned that transformation doesn’t have to take years—it can begin in weeks. Together, we explore what it means to release shame, let go of self-blame, and stop replaying the past so you can finally start asking, ‘What’s next for me?’
Follow Beth on Instagram and Threads: @bethcarrollcoaching
Get 65% off of Beth's Belief Breakthrough Audit with code FORGIVE: bethcarrollcoaching.store/shop/beliefbreakthroughaudit
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 17 Oct 2025 - 30min - 138 - 84: The Hidden Costs of Hyper-Independence
Today, I’m sharing something deeply personal as well as common, especially for those of us who pride ourselves on being strong, capable, and independent. We’re exploring the hidden cost of hyper independence, that survival strategy that helps us feel safe but often leaves us lonely, exhausted, and disconnected from others.
I’ll walk you through how healthy independence can tip over into hyper independence, driven by childhood wounds, betrayals, or cultural conditioning. Together, we'll look at how keeping people at arm’s length may protect us from disappointment but also shuts out intimacy and support. I’ll offer you reflective questions and simple, practical steps to help soften your emotional armor, receive support, and communicate your needs so you can keep your strength and independence while welcoming deeper connection into your life.
If you recognize these patterns in yourself or someone you love, I invite you to join me for this honest conversation. Let’s take a breath, grab a cup of tea or coffee, and commit to opening our hearts just a little bit more because you don’t have to carry it all alone, and true freedom lives in connection.
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInMon, 13 Oct 2025 - 17min - 137 - 83: Why You Still Feel Empty (Even When Life Looks Full)
"We all have needs, right? They're not selfish. They're not wrong, and they are not a weakness. They're part of being human." This solo episode dives into something that quietly shapes our emotions, choices, and relationships - unmet needs.
Many of our adult struggles stem from basic human requirements that went unfulfilled, often dating back to childhood. If you grew up in a home where safety felt uncertain, you may carry a deeper need for security. If you were only praised for achievements, you may hunger for recognition and validation. If expressing needs was labeled selfish, you may struggle with autonomy or even resting without guilt.
I share Sarah's story - a successful woman who looked like she had it all together but came to me exhausted and resentful. As a parentified child, she learned that being loved meant serving others first. Her healing began when she named her unmet need: "I need recognition for who I am, not just what I do."
The episode explores five common unmet needs: safety and security, belonging and connection, recognition and validation, autonomy and freedom, and rest and nourishment. For each, I offer practical ways to respond with self-compassion rather than shame.
"What we name, we can nurture," I remind listeners. Unmet needs aren't flaws - they're signposts pointing toward healing. The path forward requires self-awareness, honest communication, self-compassion, and the willingness to seek support.
Your needs are valid, and meeting them with gentleness is an act of self-love.
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 19 Sep 2025 - 17min - 136 - 82: Why Your Brain Sabotages the Growth You're Seeking (And How to Work With It)
"Your whole being is saying nope, nope, nope, not right now." Sound familiar? This solo episode dives into something we all experience - that moment when we know change would be good for us, but we find ourselves resisting it anyway.
Resistance isn't failure or brokenness. It's often a sign you're on the right track; your system just hasn't caught up yet. After noticing this pattern with clients, friends, and colleagues lately, I felt called to explore why we resist the very growth we're seeking.
I break down three core reasons resistance shows up in our lives. First, growth threatens our familiar identity - even when our old self isn't happy, it's what we know. I share the story of a client who'd been the family "fixer" for decades and felt deep unease when setting boundaries because she didn't know who she'd be without that role.
Second, change disrupts our sense of safety and control. Our survival brain screams "danger" at the unknown, even when our conscious mind wants the change. I get vulnerable about staying in unfulfilling situations because "the pain I knew felt safer than the uncertainty of change."
Third, growth forces us to face discomfort we've been avoiding - grief, anger, shame, hurt. I share how my own resistance to forgiveness work was actually protection from decades of suppressed emotions.
Each reason comes with a gentle reframe to help you move forward with self-compassion rather than self-judgment. Because resistance isn't a stop sign - it's a signal that your system is adjusting.
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 12 Sep 2025 - 12min - 135 - 81: Dime Moments and AFGOs: Finding Sacred Messages in Life's Hardest Chapters
What happens when profound love meets devastating loss? My guest Kathryn Henry, author of "A Dime to Say I Love You," shares her transformative journey through grief after losing her wife Lisa to cancer.
After a successful corporate career leading global teams at Lululemon, Gap, and Levi Strauss, Kathryn stepped away to honor a promise to her late wife: to live fully, love deeply, and tell the truth of her experience. Her memoir is a raw, honest account of how walking through illness and death became a profound spiritual awakening.
"The profound nature of that and what ensued beyond that opened my aperture of life so much more," Kathryn reflects on Lisa's transition. Through their journey together, they discovered that love doesn't end with death - it transforms.
One of the most powerful concepts we explore is AFGO - Another F*cking Growth Opportunity - a phrase that became their healing tool for reframing life's hardest moments. "It was a healing tool for us," Kathryn shares. "It helped us to recontextualize something and shift ourselves from a perspective of victim to a perspective of owning what was happening."
We delve into "dime moments" - unexpected appearances of dimes that bring presence and connection to something beyond the visible world. These moments teach us that the present is the only place we can truly operate from.
This conversation offers profound insights on using grief as a catalyst for transformation, the power of forgiveness in healing, and how love continues to show up in the most unexpected ways.
More info and links:
Kathryn:https://kathrynhenry.com/Kathryn’s Memoir -A Dime to Say I Love YouBrenda:https://brendareisscoaching.com/Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 05 Sep 2025 - 46min - 134 - 80: From Accusation to Empowerment: Louisa's Journey of Resilience and Self-Forgivenesst
Sometimes the most profound transformations emerge from our deepest wounds. Today I welcome life coach Louisa Hext, whose story of resilience will stop you in your tracks and remind you that healing is always possible.
Louisa's journey began with a beautiful friendship - helping an elderly man named Gordy with daily tasks, groceries, and companionship. What started as genuine care and connection became a decade-long nightmare when she was falsely accused of financial exploitation after his death. Despite having only received $300 monthly for gas and time, she faced felony charges and the choice between prison or a plea bargain that would forever change her life.
"I could have all of this love for someone else or compassion for someone else, but I didn't have it for me," Louisa shares with raw honesty about her healing journey. Through therapy, inner child work, and learning to love the six-year-old version of herself, she slowly rebuilt her sense of self-worth.
The most powerful moment? Last year, after almost a decade, Louisa successfully obtained an expungement - having her record sealed forever. When she called to share this victory, she was surprised by her own flat emotions. As I reminded her, "Your body is letting go of the grief because it could finally let go after holding on for so long."
This conversation explores the intersection of shame, resilience, and the courage required to reclaim your story. It's a masterclass in forgiveness - not just of others, but of ourselves.
More info and links:
Louisa:https://www.consultantshext.com/Brenda:https://brendareisscoaching.com/Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 22 Aug 2025 - 1h 01min - 133 - 79: Smart Women, Toxic Love: Are You Hooked? Break Free!
"I'm smart, I can figure it out at work, but not at home. I know better - why do I keep choosing the wrong people?" If this sounds familiar, you're not alone, and this episode is exactly what you need to hear.
Trauma bonds are like emotional glue that keeps you connected to someone who's not good for you through cycles of hurt, apology, and reconciliation. They feel like love, but they're actually your body responding to something familiar - even when it's not safe or healthy.
The truth is, being smart or strong doesn't make you immune. In fact, the traits that make you successful can make you more vulnerable. You're a problem solver who sees emotional distance as a challenge to overcome. You've normalized emotional labor and giving the benefit of the doubt. Most damaging of all, the pattern feels familiar because if love was inconsistent growing up, your nervous system learned that connection comes with uncertainty.
I share my own experience from my third marriage - my "awakener" relationship where I was caught in cycles of warm attention followed by complete shutdown. When he pulled away, I felt anxious and had to fix it. When he came back, it felt like relief, like the sun coming out. I told myself we were "passionate," but really, my nervous system was hooked on those highs and lows.
This episode includes five signs you might be in a trauma bond and five concrete steps to break free, including the science behind why these patterns are so addictive and healing.
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 15 Aug 2025 - 19min - 132 - 78: Rewriting Your Love Story: How to Break Free from Toxic Relationship Patterns
"I told myself it would be different this time." Sound familiar? Despite being strong and self-aware, many of us find ourselves caught in the same painful relationship patterns over and over again - not because we're broken, but because our inner world is repeating what it learned long ago.
In this vulnerable episode, I share my own journey through multiple toxic relationships, including my third marriage where I ignored every red flag because I saw "potential." The wake-up call came when my therapist told me: "Brenda, love isn't like Hollywood movies. It's not supposed to be about intensity."
I explore five telltale signs you're caught in a toxic relationship cycle: always doing the emotional labor, confusing chaos with love, ignoring red flags for potential, shrinking yourself to keep peace, and ending up in the same dynamics with different people. As my AA sponsor bluntly told our group: "Any relationship based on potential is fucked."
Through my forgiveness work, I discovered my core belief: "Any man that I love will choose another woman or something over me." This pattern played out repeatedly until I could see it and heal it.
The empowering truth? You can rewrite your story. I share five practical ways to break these cycles, from validating your experience to choosing peace over familiar chaos. Remember: "Real love doesn't ask you to shrink. It celebrates your wholeness."
If you're ready to stop repeating the same painful patterns and create the healthy love you deserve, this episode offers both understanding and hope.
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 08 Aug 2025 - 24min - 131 - 77: When 'Yes' Becomes Self-Betrayal: Breaking the Nice Girl Trap for Good
What if being "too nice" is actually a form of self-abandonment? This question stopped me cold as I caught myself saying "yes" to yet another request while my body screamed "I can't take one more thing."
Sound familiar? Between construction chaos at home, my husband's health issues, challenging client calls, and a friend needing support, I found myself pouring from an empty vessel once again. It's that moment when we smile and agree while everything inside us protests - and I realized this pattern runs deeper than just being helpful.
Self-abandonment happens when we dismiss our own needs, emotions, or truth to avoid discomfort - ours or someone else's. We become emotional caretakers of others at the cost of ourselves, and that's not kindness - it's depletion.
"Boundaries aren't about keeping people out. They're about keeping yourself in your own integrity."
Through stories of clients like Beth and Linda, I explore how childhood programming creates these patterns. We learn that love is earned through being agreeable, that "good girls don't say no," and that boundaries somehow equal meanness. But here's what changed everything for my clients: "Love that demands emotional neglect isn't love. It's obligation."
In this episode, I share practical boundary scripts, five steps to reclaim your voice, and why real kindness must include you. As I tell my clients: "Real kindness includes you. If it excludes your needs, it's not being nice and it's not kindness. It's performance."
Remember, when you stop betraying yourself to make others comfortable, you begin a powerful journey of self-loyalty and sovereignty. And that, my friend, feels liberating.
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 01 Aug 2025 - 23min - 130 - 76: From Facade to Freedom: How My Falling-Apart House Revealed My Hidden Truth
"Now I get to be unscripted. Now I get to be authentic. Now I get to practice all these things that I really help other people with on a deeper layer."
Sometimes the universe orchestrates exactly what we need when we need it most. As I navigate the ongoing grief of my husband's dementia journey, my home decided to reveal its own hidden wounds - dry rot behind bedroom windows, black mold in his old office, and deteriorating siding that needed complete replacement.
What started as routine window repairs became a profound metaphor for my own reconstruction process. Just as the workers discovered years of hidden damage behind beautiful facades, I found myself facing three and a half days of guttural loneliness that had been buried for decades. "I have felt lonely even in a room full of people, feeling like I didn't fit in, feeling like I was different," I share with raw honesty.
Through this vulnerable exploration, I recognize how busyness became my lifelong distraction from these deep feelings. Years of people-pleasing, external validation seeking, and maintaining personas that kept me safe but hidden from my true self. The timing wasn't lost on me - as new windows were installed to change how I see the world and how the world sees me, I was simultaneously shedding old ways of being.
This episode is about choosing authenticity over performance, connection over hiding, and the courage to be unscripted in a world that often rewards facades. It's my invitation for you to examine what might be hidden behind your own beautiful exterior and to consider what reconstruction your soul might be calling for.
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInTue, 15 Jul 2025 - 16min - 129 - 75: Mold, Rot, and the Feelings We Hide
What do dry rot and black mold have to do with emotional healing?
In this deeply personal episode, Brenda shares a surprising discovery during a simple home repair that revealed something hidden—not just in her walls, but in her heart. As black mold and decay were uncovered behind her windows, Brenda realized she had also been carrying hidden emotional toxins: long-ignored sadness, quiet loneliness, and deep unworthiness.
Using her signature marine analogy, Brenda reflects on how our outer world often mirrors what we suppress inside—and how powerful healing happens when we finally make space for what we've avoided.
Tune in for a story of emotional release, self-forgiveness, and the courage to feel.
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInTue, 08 Jul 2025 - 14min - 128 - 74: Understanding the Ego’s Role in Healing and Self-Acceptance with Dr. Shawdy
What if your ego wasn’t something to fight, but something to understand?
In this episode, Dr. Shawdy joins us for a rich conversation about how the ego develops, why it gets triggered, and what it needs in order to relax. We talk about the early wounds that shape it and how those patterns can continue to influence us in adulthood.
We also explore the power of forgiveness and what it looks like to truly live a forgiving life. Dr. Shawdy shares insights on self-acceptance, especially when it comes to the parts of ourselves we often try to hide or fix.
Throughout the conversation, we look at how curiosity and playfulness can support healing. You’ll hear why it helps to approach yourself with a mindset of discovery rather than judgment, and how engaging with your inner child can lead to growth and a deeper sense of connection.
If you’ve ever felt stuck in old patterns or unsure how to move forward, this episode offers clarity, warmth, and a fresh perspective.
Press play for a conversation that will help you see ego, forgiveness, and self-awareness in a new light.
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInSat, 21 Jun 2025 - 33min - 127 - 73: The Best Revenge: How Madeleine Black Turned Trauma into Triumph
"It's never too late to find your voice so that you can heal and live your best life."
What happens when a 13-year-old girl's life is shattered by unimaginable violence, yet she emerges decades later as a beacon of hope and healing? My guest today, Madeleine Black, embodies the profound truth that it's not what happens to us, but how we choose to respond that defines our lives.
Madeleine's journey from victim to survivor to thriver began when she made a powerful decision: "If I never become a mum, then they've won." This became her "best revenge" – living fully and authentically despite the trauma that tried to silence her forever.
Through our conversation, Madeleine reveals how forgiveness became her path to freedom, though not in the way you might expect. As she beautifully explains: "I realized that I don't really have anything to forgive myself for. But for years I felt I brought it on myself... 100% of all rapes without a doubt are caused by rapists. Nothing else."
Her story isn't just about surviving sexual violence – it's about the courage to find your voice, the patience required for healing, and the profound impact that sharing our stories can have on others. Madeleine's work as the "Courage Cultivator" reminds us that courage is contagious, and sometimes hearing one person's brave story gives us permission to heal our own wounds.
Whether you've experienced trauma or simply need a reminder of the resilience that lives within us all, this conversation offers hope, practical wisdom, and the gentle reminder that it's never too late to reclaim your voice and live your best life.
More info and links:
Madeleine:https://madeleineblack.co.ukBrenda:https://brendareisscoaching.com/Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 30 May 2025 - 38min - 126 - 72: How to Master Self-Intimacy: The 'Into-Me-See' Method for Authentic Living
"What if the most profound form of intimacy isn't about being with another, but it's about being fully present and rigorously honest with yourself?"
Today, I invite you to explore a different kind of intimacy – the profound connection you can cultivate with yourself. Playing on the word "intimacy" as "Into-Me-See," I share how true self-knowledge becomes the foundation for authentic living and healthier relationships.
For high-achieving women, the pursuit of external validation often masks a disconnection from our own needs, desires, and sense of self-worth. We climb mountains without celebrating achievements, keep ourselves busy performing rather than truly being seen, and look everywhere except within for fulfillment.
I share the story of Linda, a successful entrepreneur who appeared to have everything together but felt empty inside, constantly seeking validation from her partner, team, and friends. Through a simple mirror exercise – sitting with herself and asking "What am I afraid to see when I look into myself?" – she began connecting more deeply with herself and needing less validation from others.
Using the intimacy metaphor, I guide you through three powerful concepts: looking honestly in the mirror at all parts of yourself, recognizing the armor you wear (achievements, perfectionism, people-pleasing) that shields you from true self-connection, and embracing your shadow – those aspects you hide, deny, or judge.
The profound truth is that when we're deeply connected with ourselves, accepting both strengths and flaws, we no longer seek others to complete us. This allows us to show up in relationships as whole, authentic beings capable of giving and receiving love without hidden agendas or unrealistic expectations.
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 23 May 2025 - 14min - 125 - 71: How to Let Go of Others' Opinions, Trust Your Inner Voice and Find Freedom
"Letting go is not about erasing memory. It's about loosening the grip on the belief that others' words define you."
Welcome, I’d like to invite you to explore what "letting go" really means beyond the social media platitudes and catchy phrases. As someone who used to be frustrated by the vague advice to "just let it go," I understand how unhelpful that phrase can be without context or practical guidance.
I take you deeper into understanding that true liberation comes not from ignoring or bypassing our feelings, but from releasing our attachment to external validation and others' opinions of us. This isn't about pretending we're okay or erasing painful memories – it's about loosening our grip on the belief that others' opinions define our worth.
Drawing from personal experiences and conversations with friends, I explore how often what hurts us isn't really about us at all. When someone projects their pain onto us, we have a choice about whether to carry that burden or release it.
Throughout the episode, I share three practical steps to begin this letting-go practice: acknowledging where you're seeking approval, shifting focus to self-affirmation, and reframing rejection as an opportunity for growth. Each step is accompanied by reflective questions to help you identify where external validation might be keeping you emotionally tethered.
I emphasize that letting go is not a one-time event but a moment-by-moment practice of creating space for true self-acceptance. Whether you're seeking validation in your work, relationships, appearance, or social media presence, this episode offers gentle guidance to reclaim your power and reconnect with your inner voice.
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInSat, 17 May 2025 - 15min - 124 - 70: Forgiving Your Mother - A Mother's Day Invitation to Heal
Download your free companion resource to this episode here: Forgiving Your Mother Worksheet
"Our mothers are often our first mirror. The way they spoke to us, touched us, showed up or did not show up leaves lasting imprints."
Today, I explore the tender territory of mother-daughter relationships just in time for Mother's Day. Rather than focusing on cards and flowers, I invite you into a deeper conversation about what it truly means to forgive your mother as an adult.
As someone who's navigated my own complicated maternal relationship, I understand that Mother's Day can evoke a spectrum of emotions – from gratitude to grief, from love to resentment. Our mothers are often our first mirrors, and the ways they spoke to us, showed up (or didn't) created lasting imprints that shape our self-perception.
For many women, these early experiences translate into patterns of people-pleasing, perfectionism, and the persistent fear of being "too much" or "not enough." Throughout the episode, I share my personal journey of having been a parentified daughter who lacked guidance, safety, and encouragement – offering validation for listeners struggling with similar wounds.
I guide you through five transformative steps toward forgiveness: acknowledging the impact, humanizing your mother's story without excusing the hurt, feeling your emotions safely, setting appropriate boundaries, and reclaiming your own narrative. Each step is illustrated with personal examples and practical guidance.
This episode includes a guided moment to connect with your inner child and healing journal prompts to continue your journey. Remember, forgiving your mother isn't about dismissing your pain or forcing reconciliation – it's about choosing peace for yourself, at your own pace, in whatever way honors your emotional safety and well-being.
Click here to download the Forgiving Your Mother Worksheet, a guided tool to help you explore your feelings, reflect on your experiences, and take meaningful steps toward emotional freedom.
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInThu, 08 May 2025 - 14min - 123 - 69: Your Worth Is Not Up for Debate: Breaking the Cycle of Seeking Validation
"When your self worth depends upon the approval of others, you give away your power."
In today's episode, I dive deep into a struggle I know intimately well – the exhausting cycle of seeking external validation and approval from others. As someone who spent years over-performing, people-pleasing, and silencing my own needs just to earn a nod of approval, I understand the toll this takes on our emotional well-being and sense of self.
I explore how our self-worth often becomes tangled in others' opinions, especially in today's world of social media validation, turning us into emotional yo-yos – high when approved of, low when criticized or ignored. The truth is, when our worth depends on someone else's opinion, we give away our power and lose touch with our authentic selves.
Throughout the episode, I share personal stories of how this approval-seeking showed up in my relationships and work, leaving me constantly striving yet never feeling enough. I outline clear signs to help you identify if you're caught in this validation trap – including anxiety without feedback, constant comparison, fear of expressing real thoughts, and achievements that feel empty.
Most importantly, I offer a practical, four-step approach to breaking free: identifying limiting core beliefs, practicing self-compassion, reclaiming your inner voice, and building self-trust. These steps are complemented by actionable tools including powerful affirmations, journaling prompts, mindfulness practices, and transformative questions to reconnect with your authentic self.
This episode is your invitation to stop chasing approval and start embracing the beautiful truth that you are inherently worthy – not because of what you achieve or who approves, but simply because you exist.
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 02 May 2025 - 22min - 122 - 68: The No Sorry Challenge: Stop Apologizing for Existing
"You don't need permission to be powerful. You don't need to apologize for showing up as you are. Your voice matters. And it's time the world hears your voice clearly and confidently."
In this empowering episode, I introduce the No Sorry Challenge – a simple yet transformative 24-hour commitment to stop saying "sorry" unless it's truly warranted. As someone who's navigated my own journey from constant apologizing to confident communication, I understand how this small word can undermine our presence and power.
We've all caught ourselves saying "sorry to bother you" or "sorry, can I just ask something?" – phrases that subtly communicate we don't deserve to take up space. I explore why we develop this habit (especially women), how it shapes others' perceptions of us, and most importantly, how to break free from it.
This episode isn't just about information – it's an invitation to action. I provide practical alternatives to replace those reflexive apologies: transforming "sorry to bother you" into "do you have a moment?", and "sorry for taking your time" into "thank you for your time."
Beyond the words themselves, I delve into the mindset shift required to truly stand in your power. This challenge isn't about being rude or dismissive – it's about recognizing your inherent worth and communicating with clarity and confidence.
Whether you're recovering from people-pleasing tendencies or simply want to strengthen your communication skills, this challenge offers a concrete way to practice self-worth in everyday interactions. Remember, you don't need permission to be powerful – your voice matters, and it's time the world hears it clearly and confidently.
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 25 Apr 2025 - 12min - 121 - 65: Releasing Regret: Embracing Growth and Momentum for 2025
In today's episode, I'm sharing e the importance of starting the new year with a clean slate and how to transform perceived mistakes into valuable lessons that propel us forward. We'll dive into a powerful process for identifying and working through regrets, offering you practical and spiritual insights to release what holds you back. Grab a pen and paper as we walk through steps to shift your perspective on regret, rewrite your story, and embrace growth with compassion. Whether you're striving for peace in personal relationships or professional life, this episode is a step toward turning your pain into purpose. Let's get started!
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInWed, 15 Jan 2025 - 15min - 120 - 67: The Art of Self-Compassion: Finding Freedom Through Creative Expression with Coach Sara
“If you feel like you're at rock bottom and you've hit a wall and you have nowhere else to go, it's actually an exciting place to be." - Coach Sara
Today, I welcome kindred spirit Sara Olson—artist, author, and empowerment coach—who shares her transformative journey from pain to purpose through the healing powers of forgiveness and creative expression.
Our conversation flows naturally into deep waters as Sara reveals how facing herself in the mirror—literally and figuratively—became the foundation for both her personal healing and her approach to helping others. Her story of setting a timer for five minutes to look in the mirror and say "I love you" (while naked, no less!) demonstrates the raw vulnerability required for genuine transformation.
What makes this episode special is Sara's unique approach to healing through intuitive art. She shares the powerful story of how painting six deeply emotional pieces helped her process grief and heartbreak, eventually leading to her innovative coaching approach that combines creative expression with emotional healing.
Throughout our conversation, we explore themes close to my heart: the courage to face yourself despite your flaws, learning to find beauty in painful experiences, and discovering freedom through self-compassion. Sara's insights for single parents and those hitting rock bottom come from authentic lived experience, making her guidance both practical and deeply empathetic.
Whether you're struggling to forgive yourself, facing life transitions, or simply yearning to reconnect with your creative spirit, this conversation offers gentle wisdom and practical tools to help you rise from your own ashes and discover the beauty waiting on the other side of pain.
Coach Sara’s Website and Links:
WebsiteYouTubeLinkedInFREE:Rising from the Ruin ToolkitResources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 21 Mar 2025 - 38min - 119 - 66: Stop Saying Sorry! Breaking the Habit of Over-Apologizing
"There's a big difference between saying sorry for hurting someone and saying sorry for just existing."
In this heartfelt episode, I explore the deeply ingrained habit of over-apologizing – something many of us do without even realizing it. Drawing from both personal experience and historical context, I unpack why women in particular tend to say "I'm sorry" when we've done nothing wrong.
Have you ever apologized for asking a question, for taking up space, or even when someone else bumped into you? This pattern isn't just a personality quirk – it's rooted in generations of societal conditioning that taught women to be agreeable, accommodating, and passive.
I trace this conditioning from Victorian expectations of women as "moral guardians" to post-World War II pressure to return to submissive roles, to modern media portrayals that still subtly reinforce these patterns. This historical perspective helps us understand why assertive women are often labeled "aggressive" while men displaying identical behavior are seen as "confident."
"We teach people how to treat us. When we over-apologize, we teach others that our very presence requires forgiveness."
Throughout the episode, I connect over-apologizing to deeper issues of low self-esteem, fear of conflict, and people-pleasing tendencies. Most importantly, I offer practical steps to break this habit: building awareness by tracking your apologies, replacing "sorry" with empowering alternatives, practicing assertiveness, and surrounding yourself with supportive people.
The goal isn't to never apologize – it's to save our apologies for when they're truly warranted. By making this simple yet profound shift in our communication, we can transform not just how others perceive us, but how we see ourselves. Remember: you deserve to take up space without apology.
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInSun, 16 Mar 2025 - 14min - 118 - 64: The Difference a Year Makes
"When you love someone with all your heart and you have dreams and plans and you share these little secrets, right? You have these little code words and they're your person, they're the ones that you call when you see something funny or you have these little symbols, you have these inside jokes, you have these plans and these dreams that are gone, taken out right from underneath you. The rug pulled out. You had no say in it.”
Today, I share my profound reflections on the past year since my husband, Doug, moved into memory care. As I recount the heart-wrenching, gut-wrenching, and transformative experiences of navigating dementia, I hope to offer solace and understanding to those in similar situations.
Join me as I delve into the emotional turmoil, the difficult decisions, and the invaluable lessons I've learned along the way. We'll also discuss the importance of asking for help, finding compassionate support, and ultimately, turning pain into peace.
This episode is a heartfelt message to anyone struggling with a loved one's dementia, affirming that you are not alone and you matter.Get ready to embark on a powerful journeyof empathy, rage, love, and hope.
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInWed, 15 Jan 2025 - 23min - 117 - 63: Navigating Unmet Expectations and Healing Through Forgiveness
"By forgiving ourselves and others, we create room for personal development and expansion. It does require deep introspection, it does require empathy, and it does require courage to confront our own shortcomings."
In this episode, we're diving deep into a truly transformative journey—one that takes us through the stages of healing and forgiveness, and how they can radically change our lives for the better.
We'll begin by exploring the significance of having our stories heard and validated, a crucial step in the healing process. I'll guide you through the various stages of forgiveness, from moving beyond victimhood to fully integrating forgiveness into our daily lives. Along the way, I'll share personal anecdotes and insights, including a touching story about my own father and the impact of unmet expectations.
We'll also tackle the tricky terrain of expectations and resentments, learning how ineffective communication often leads to misunderstandings and emotional pain. I'll offer practical tips on how to communicate more clearly and set healthy boundaries, helping you to break free from the boulders of resentment that may be holding you back.
And that's not all. We'll delve into the science-backed benefits of forgiveness, highlighting how it can improve everything from heart health to self-esteem. I'll also introduce you to the concept of radical forgiveness, a process that has brought about significant transformations for many of my clients.
Join me as we navigate this empowering journey together. Let's turn our pain into peace and build more harmonious, joyful lives!
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 20 Dec 2024 - 32min - 116 - 62: Healing Family Wounds: Embracing Generational Forgiveness
"All it takes is one person stepping forward in a generation to do the work that it takes to heal a pattern."
Today, I dive deep into the transformative journey of healing family wounds through generational forgiveness. Drawing from my personal experiences and family story, I explore how unresolved conflicts and buried secrets can create emotional distance that spans generations.
Like the saying "We don't talk about Bruno" from Encanto, many families carry hidden wounds that shape their relationships without even realizing it. I share how my own family's journey with generational patterns, including sexual abuse, was transformed through the courage to acknowledge, understand, and heal these deep-seated wounds.
"Generational forgiveness isn't something that happens overnight, but it's about breaking the cycle so future generations can grow in a more loving, understanding environment."
I explore why generational forgiveness differs from individual forgiveness, requiring us to look at patterns that may have started long before we were born. I explore why generational forgiveness differs from individual forgiveness, requiring us to look at patterns that may have started long before we were born. Through personal stories and practical guidance, I outline the steps to begin this healing journey: acknowledging deeper patterns, cultivating empathy for past generations, opening honest communication, choosing forgiveness, and considering reconciliation when safe and appropriate.
Most importantly, I emphasize that it takes just one person in a generation to step forward and do the healing work needed to transform family patterns. As I've witnessed in my own family, this brave choice can create ripples of healing that extend to future generations, breaking cycles that have persisted for decades.
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 06 Dec 2024 - 25min - 115 - 61: Empowering Women to Share Their Powerful Stories with Laurie Hardie
"Forgiveness is so important...because I was willing to forgive and not let it hold me hostage, because then I sit home brewing while they're off having a great life." - Laurie Hardie
In this powerful episode, I welcome Laurie Hardie, a Seattle radio personality and recovery coach with 35 years of broadcasting experience. We dive deep into how trauma and isolation, especially during COVID, affect our ability to feel seen and heard.
Laurie shares her insights about the impact of language on connection, particularly for those with childhood trauma (ACEs). She reveals why certain communication styles can create barriers and offers practical strategies for more inclusive engagement. Drawing from her experience in radio and recovery coaching, Laurie explains how authentic storytelling and intentional communication can help heal trauma and build genuine connections.
Whether you're a content creator, coach, or someone seeking deeper connections, this episode offers valuable insights about the power of personal narrative and inclusive communication.
Laurie also shares her journey of understanding forgiveness as a path to freedom rather than letting others off the hook. With her unique blend of broadcasting expertise and trauma-informed coaching, she provides practical tools for both speakers and listeners to create more meaningful connections.
More info and links:
Laurie:http://www.coachlaurie.comBrenda:https://brendareisscoaching.com/podcast/Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 22 Nov 2024 - 34min - 114 - 60: Unlocking the Gift of Forgiveness for Yourself
"Forgiveness is actually about you. Your emotional freedom, your inner peace, and your journey towards healing. It is an act of self liberation that allows you to let go of the heavy burdens tied to resentment and pain and shame and guilt."
In this heartfelt episode, I address a profound question from one of my clients: How is forgiveness a gift to the forgiver and not the person who caused harm? This question touches the core of why many of us struggle with forgiveness.
I explore the common misconception that forgiveness is about excusing someone's behavior or letting them off the hook. Instead, I reveal how forgiveness is actually about your emotional freedom, inner peace, and healing journey. It's about choosing to no longer let past hurts control your present life.
Drawing from my personal experiences and client work, I discuss how holding onto resentment gives away our power and keeps us stuck in an emotional prison of anger and bitterness. I share my own journey with my ex-husband and how I discovered that by holding onto blame, I was the one suffering, not him.
Throughout the episode, I delve into the transformative power of self-forgiveness and how it helps us reclaim our self-worth. I explain why self-punishment keeps us stuck in the past and prevents us from embracing who we are now. Most importantly, I offer practical guidance on how to begin this journey of forgiveness, emphasizing that it's okay to take small steps and move at your own pace.
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 15 Nov 2024 - 11min - 113 - 59: Find Freedom in Forgiving with Louisa Hext
"Forgiveness is not a thing. It's an act. It's an action. To me, it's a verb." - Louisa Hext
In this powerful episode, I welcome fellow forgiveness coach Louisa Hext, who brings a unique perspective shaped by her work with the F Word Stories of Forgiveness exhibition and her family's Holocaust survival story. Louisa shares the remarkable story of Eva Kor, a Holocaust survivor who chose to forgive her Nazi captors as a path to personal healing.
Through her work as a forgiveness coach, Louisa specializes in helping people navigate family forgiveness and self-forgiveness, using storytelling to illuminate paths to healing and transformation.
Our conversation explores how forgiveness isn't a sign of weakness but rather an act of courage, and how it operates as a process rather than a single moment of change. Louisa shares her experience interviewing Holocaust survivors and how their stories of survival often centered around relationships and hope.
We discuss how forgiveness coaching provides a safe space for inquiry and unpacking complex emotions, without pressure or judgment. Whether you're struggling with personal resentments or seeking to understand the power of forgiveness in extreme circumstances, this episode offers valuable insights into the transformative potential of forgiveness work.
More info and links:
Louisa:https://www.consultantshext.com/Brenda:https://brendareisscoaching.com/Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInMon, 28 Oct 2024 - 38min - 112 - 58: Self-Forgiveness and Navigating Mental Health Challenges
"Self-forgiveness isn't just an act of kindness to ourselves. It's necessary for our mental well-being."
In this episode, I dive deep into the transformative power of self-forgiveness. As someone who struggled with this concept for years, I understand how challenging it can be, especially for women. We often carry the weight of guilt, shame, and perfectionism on our shoulders, but I'm here to tell you that self-forgiveness is not just an act of kindness – it's essential for our mental well-being.
I explore what self-forgiveness truly means, dispelling common misconceptions and highlighting its importance in our journey towards healing and growth. Drawing from personal experiences and scientific research, I discuss the impact of self-forgiveness on our mental and physical health, sharing insights from studies that demonstrate its benefits.
Throughout the episode, I offer practical steps and techniques to help you embrace self-forgiveness. From mindfulness and journaling to self-compassion exercises and affirmations, I provide a toolkit to guide you on this journey. I also touch on the long-term benefits of practicing self-forgiveness, including improved mental health, stronger relationships, and a profound sense of inner peace.
Remember, you are worthy of forgiveness. This episode is designed to empower you, helping you let go of past mistakes and embrace a life filled with self-compassion and emotional resilience. Join me as we explore this crucial aspect of personal growth and mental well-being.
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 18 Oct 2024 - 24min - 111 - 57: Self-Forgiveness in Overcoming Trauma
"We weren't created to live in the shame and guilt of traumatic experiences. Self-forgiveness allows us to move forward with greater compassion, resilience and peace."
In this episode, I dive deep into the crucial role of self-forgiveness in trauma recovery. I explore how trauma changes us and the importance of internal healing alongside external support. Drawing from recent studies, I discuss the widespread impact of collective trauma, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and other global crises.
I break down the concept of self-forgiveness, emphasizing that it's not about excusing bad behavior but about personal accountability and growth. I share insights from psychological research on the benefits of self-forgiveness, including reduced anxiety, depression, and health issues.
To help listeners on their healing journey, I outline five steps for practicing self-forgiveness:
- Recognizing what happened and its effectsUnderstanding your feelingsPracticing self-empathyMaking reparations where possibleLetting go
I also provide practical techniques to support this process, such as mindfulness, meditation, journaling, therapy, self-compassion exercises, and positive affirmations. Throughout the episode, I stress that self-forgiveness is an ongoing practice, not a one-time event, and encourage listeners to be patient and compassionate with themselves as they navigate this journey.
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 11 Oct 2024 - 28min - 110 - 56: Building Resilience Through Forgiveness: Overcoming Business Setbacks
"Forgiveness can be a superpower. When we embrace forgiveness, we free ourselves from the burden of past mistakes, and it opens the door to new opportunities."
In this episode, I explore the powerful connection between forgiveness and business resilience. I delve into how embracing forgiveness can help entrepreneurs and business leaders overcome setbacks, adapt to change, and move forward with renewed determination. I emphasize that setbacks are inevitable in business, but learning to forgive ourselves and others is key to overcoming failures and maintaining a thriving enterprise.
I cover various aspects of forgiveness in the business context, including self-forgiveness, barriers to forgiveness, and practical steps to cultivate a forgiving mindset. I discuss common business setbacks and the emotional responses they can trigger, highlighting the importance of viewing these challenges as opportunities for growth rather than personal failures.
"When employees feel safe to admit mistakes and learn from them, it creates a supportive and innovative environment."
You'll gain valuable insights into building a resilient business culture, with strategies for fostering open communication, celebrating efforts, and providing resources for emotional intelligence and stress management. I conclude by emphasizing that forgiveness is not just a personal act but a powerful tool for enhancing mental health, improving business performance, and creating a more resilient organization.
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInTue, 01 Oct 2024 - 20min - 109 - 55: The Power of Permission with Jackie Cote
"Freedom comes from the inside out. Freedom is loving who you are, owning who you are, knowing, standing in certainty in your gifts."
In this powerful episode of the Forgive Yourself podcast, host Brenda Reiss welcomes Jackie Cote, a freedom and love mentor who helps women transform their lives. Jackie shares her inspiring journey from a 30-year career in corporate America to becoming a successful entrepreneur and coach.
The conversation explores Jackie's transition from a high-pressure corporate job to starting her own coaching business, highlighting the challenges and personal growth she experienced along the way. Jackie discusses the importance of self-awareness, facing fears, and learning to process emotions in healthy ways.
Key topics include:
Overcoming survival mechanisms and embracing vulnerabilityThe power of "borrowed belief" in pursuing dreamsThe ongoing nature of personal growth and self-discoveryFinding forgiveness and healing through unexpected life circumstancesThe importance of community and support in personal developmentJackie also shares insights about her membership program, which aims to provide affordable, high-value support for individuals on their journey of self-discovery and empowerment. The episode concludes with an inspiring message about living a "freedom life" by embracing authenticity and self-love.
This episode offers listeners valuable insights on personal transformation and the courage to pursue one's dreams, making it a must-listen for anyone seeking inspiration and guidance on their own journey of self-discovery.
More info and links:
Jackie:https://jackiecotecoaching.com/Brenda:https://brendareisscoaching.com/Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInThu, 26 Sep 2024 - 40min - 108 - 54: Navigating the Rollercoaster of Grief with Joan Kpandei
"Grief is hard work. It is a lonely journey sometimes. People do avoid it because we want to shy away from pain. But avoiding your grief doesn't help at all." In this heartfelt episode of the Forgive Yourself podcast, I welcome Joan Kpandei, a certified advanced grief specialist from Nigeria. Joan shares her profound journey into grief counseling, a path she never sought but was drawn into after the loss of her mother in 2019. With numerous certifications and a commitment to helping others navigate their grief, Joan offers invaluable insights into the complexities of grief and the importance of processing it. Joan discusses her work with corporations, churches, and individuals, providing training sessions and one-on-one counseling to support those dealing with loss. She emphasizes the necessity of allowing people to grieve and the role of society in understanding and accommodating this process. Joan also highlights the different types of grief, including non-death losses, and the importance of presence and support from friends and colleagues. Joan and I delve into the misconceptions about the stages of grief, stressing that grief is not a linear process but rather an oscillating journey. We also touch on the significant role of forgiveness in the grieving process, whether it’s forgiving oneself, the deceased, or those who fail to show up during times of loss. Join this enlightening conversation to gain a deeper understanding of grief and learn how to better support yourself and others through the process. Joan’s wisdom and compassion shine through as she shares her experiences and offers practical advice for navigating the waves of grief. More info and links: Joan: https://grief.com/grief-counselor-directory/name/joan-kpandei/ Brenda: https://brendareisscoaching.com/
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 16 Aug 2024 - 33min - 107 - 53: The Power of Forgiveness in Effective Leadership
"When leaders show forgiveness, they bring a sense of emotional intelligence and strength that resonates throughout the entire team." Did you know forgiveness can transform your leadership and team dynamics? Today I’m talking about the powerful role of forgiveness in enhancing team dynamics and creating a positive, productive work environment. Forgiveness builds trust, strengthens bonds, and enhances employee satisfaction, ultimately contributing to a better overall performance and a more robust bottom line. Don't miss this insightful and transformative episode on the power of forgiveness in leadership. Thank you so much for being here. Share this episode with someone who might find it helpful, and let's cultivate a community of understanding and forgiveness together. And feel free to reach out anytime, I’m here for you. Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources: https://brendareisscoaching.com/podcast-resource-optin/ Brenda’s Website – https://brendareisscoaching.com/
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 09 Aug 2024 - 18min - 106 - 52: Navigating Forgiveness Among Siblings
In this episode, I talk with you about the power of forgiveness in sibling relationships. I've seen how these relationships are often complex, filled with shared memories, unique dynamics, and inevitable conflicts. But I'm here to explain how radical forgiveness can create an opportunity to heal these relationships and make them stronger than ever. "Siblings can share a unique bond. It's a connection that starts from childhood, and hopefully it lasts a lifetime. Yet, sadly, it doesn't always." I delve into the common sources of conflict between siblings, such as competition, comparison, parental favoritism, different personalities, life changes, and unresolved issues from the past. I share a personal story about my own family dynamics, highlighting how forgiveness can help address these challenges and transform sibling relationships. This episode is for anyone who has experienced the ups and downs of sibling relationships. I provide actionable steps to foster forgiveness, including open and honest conversations, active listening, understanding different perspectives, setting healthy boundaries, and letting go of resentment. I emphasize that forgiveness is a process, and with patience and consistency, it can lead to rebuilding trust, creating new positive memories, and strengthening the unbreakable bond between siblings. "Forgiveness has a way of allowing us to see each other as human beings, capable of making mistakes and growing from them. This perspective can foster a more profound sense of empathy and closeness." Whether you're struggling with a strained sibling relationship or simply want to deepen your connection, I offer valuable insights and guidance. Tune in to learn how forgiveness can be the key to unlocking the true power of your sibling relationships and creating lasting, supportive bonds. Thank you so much for being here. Share this episode with someone who might find it helpful, and let's cultivate a community of understanding and forgiveness together. And feel free to reach out anytime, I’m here for you. Resources: Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources: https://brendareisscoaching.com/podcast-resource-optin/
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 02 Aug 2024 - 25min - 105 - 51: Finding Your Glow: Karen Rae on Embracing Change
In this episode of the Forgive Yourself podcast, I welcome Karen Rae, the inspiring founder of Fave, a community for women navigating life's major transitions. Karen shares her journey through unexpected challenges such as divorce, re-entering the workforce, and becoming an empty nester. Refusing to remain invisible, Karen chose to thrive, embracing her vibrancy and creating a space where women can be celebrated and shine. We delve into Karen's mission of celebrating 1 million women, where courageous voices are ignited by honoring the brave stories of women worldwide. This initiative inspires hope for today, tomorrow, and future generations, empowering women to celebrate their own courageous journeys. Karen discusses the importance of rich connections and valuable support as we journey through our brave stories together. Join us as Karen shares her transformative journey, from feeling invisible in her own life to creating Fave, a community that encourages women to step into their own space and shine. We explore the impact of embracing one's true self, the power of community, and the importance of forgiveness in moving forward. Learn more about the Fave community, Karen's mission, and how you can get involved in celebrating and supporting women globally. Discover how you can share your own story and connect with other women through Fave's platform and events. Thank you for listening, and as always, please share this episode with others who might benefit. More info and links: https://favelifestyles.app https://brendareisscoaching.com/
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 26 Jul 2024 - 44min - 104 - 50: Navigating Grief and New Beginnings with Rachel Vasquez
In this episode of the Forgive Yourself podcast, I welcome Rachel Vasquez, a transformational speaker who inspires change and empowerment for those creating a new life after loss. Rachel specializes in guiding women and children through grief, helping them cope and find healing. Rachel shares her journey following her husband's death in 2018, which led to her mission of supporting others through grief. She discusses normalizing grief conversations and the need for support programs in various settings. Rachel's story demonstrates finding purpose through pain and embracing joy amidst grief. She offers insights into grief's multiple aspects and their impact on well-being, addressing the challenges faced by widows and their children. We explore Rachel's work with the Modern Widows Club and her efforts to bring grief education to corporate settings. Her wisdom will inspire anyone navigating loss. Listen to Rachel's podcast, Soul Spark, and learn about her eight-week program for creating a new life after loss. For more resources, visit livingbeyondgriefnow.com. Thank you for listening, and please share this episode with others who might benefit. More info and links – https://brendareisscoaching.com/
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInMon, 22 Jul 2024 - 50min - 103 - 49: Embracing Life's Wake-Up Calls with Maureen Spielman
Welcome to the Forgive Yourself podcast, where we explore forgiveness and life's challenges. In this episode, I'm joined by Maureen Spielman, host of the Mystical Sisterhood podcast and a transformational life coach. Maureen's journey began with a life-altering diagnosis in 2018, which led her to embrace healing modalities and self-discovery. *"I believe that my diagnosis was an invitation to look at a lot of longstanding patterns I had within myself, that were not healthy for me anymore."* Maureen shares her story of overcoming breast cancer, the importance of sitting with oneself, and letting go of old identities. We discuss how health crises can serve as invitations to examine deep-seated patterns and emotions. *"I had carried a lot of years, I believe, anger, resentment, unresolved childhood patterning. And so that standstill moment in my life as well, created an opportunity for more light to come in."* Join us as we discuss the mystical, self-compassion, and women supporting each other. This conversation offers insights into self-forgiveness, connection, and discovering one's purpose. Whether you're facing a challenge or seeking inspiration, this episode reminds you that you're not alone and your journey is worth celebrating. Tune in to hear Maureen's wisdom and learn to embrace your path of healing and growth. Listen to Maureen's podcast, Mystical Sisterhood, and connect with her on Instagram @MaureenSpielman or visit maureenspielman.com for more resources. Thanks for listening, and please share this episode with someone who might benefit. **Resources:** Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources: https://brendareisscoaching.com/podcast-resource-optin/ Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how it impacts your ability to forgive: https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 28 Jun 2024 - 37min - 102 - 48: How to Navigate Life Transitions with Courage and Grace with Michèle Heffron
In this episode of "Forgive Yourself," we dive deep into the transformative journey of Michèle Heffron, a certified life, relationship, and divorce coach. Michèle shares her inspiring story of career transitions, overcoming personal challenges, and the power of self-discovery. Join me, Brenda Reiss, as we explore Michèle's path to becoming a coach at the age of 60 and how her personal experiences have shaped her unique approach to helping others navigate life transitions. Book a free consultation here and be sure and listen to Michèle's podcast "Getting to the Heart." Thanks for listening, and please share this episode with someone who might benefit. Your support is greatly appreciated.
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 21 Jun 2024 - 35min - 101 - 47: Navigating Life After Traumatic Brain Injury with Jennifer Soames
In this episode, I talk with Jennifer Soames, a traumatic brain injury survivor and advocate who is passionate about helping others affected by TBIs get the information, care, and support they need to live their best life.
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 07 Jun 2024 - 42min - 100 - 46: Steps to Self-Forgiveness and Healing Family Ties When We Caused the Hurt
Are you grappling with the weight of past mistakes and the challenge of mending strained family ties? This episode of "Forgive Yourself" delves into the complex journey of self-forgiveness and healing family dynamics when you're the one who has caused hurt. Join me, Brenda Reiss, and my friend and colleague Kim, as we explore this sensitive terrain with compassion and insight. We discuss the steps to forgive ourselves, the nuances of making amends (or choosing not to), and the signs that indicate whether a relationship is complete. We tackle the discomfort of facing our own missteps and the power of taking responsibility without being shackled by guilt and shame. This conversation is a guide to navigating the path to reconciliation or peaceably letting go when necessary. Whether it's reaching out to family members who are hesitant or unwilling to engage, or simply finding closure within ourselves, this episode offers a heartfelt look at forgiveness from a different angle. We share personal experiences and provide a safe space for you to reflect on your journey towards healing and wholeness. Tune in to gain perspective on how to approach these delicate situations, the importance of listening and being heard, and the potential for renegotiating the terms of your relationships.
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 17 May 2024 - 30min - 99 - 45: How to Navigate Setting Boundaries
Do you have trouble setting healthy boundaries? This is an extremely common challenge, especially when it comes to family. In this episode, I talk with my colleague Kim about navigating boundaries with family members who may not respect or understand them. As Kim and I discuss, setting boundaries with family can be particularly challenging due to the emotional entanglement and ingrained roles we play. "I feel like sometimes we even work harder on relationships outside the family dynamic, we'll work harder to save a friendship. We'll work harder to save a working environment than sometimes we do with the family." During our conversation, Kim and I dive deep into the psychology behind why we often struggle more with setting boundaries with family versus other relationships. We explore the fear of losing love or acceptance, as well as the tendency to fall back into old roles and patterns. Kim and I provide practical tips for getting clear on your values and what you want the relationship to look like, then communicating those boundaries in a calm, compassionate way. "It's almost like going back and trying to correct your teacher. That would be difficult, right? And so, maybe that's why we sometimes do walk away a little quicker because we think that we can't tell the teacher they were wrong." I believe this conversation can help anyone who has difficulty setting boundaries with family members, whether it's overbearing parents, critical siblings, or other relatives. Kim and I offer a thoughtful, nuanced approach to this common challenge, emphasizing the importance of self-awareness, forgiveness, and maintaining connection where possible. Be sure to leave a comment and let us know your thoughts on this episode - Kim and I are eager to continue the conversation and provide the support you need. Thanks for listening, and please share with someone you know who might benefit, I appreciate it.
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 03 May 2024 - 25min - 98 - 44: From Debt to Destiny: Transforming Self-Worth into Net Worth with Tresa Leftenant
Do you struggle with money? Is debt weighing you down? Tresa Leftenant is here to help you cultivate confidence, conquer debt, and begin living a wealthy life. Are you ready?!! In this episode, I talk with Tresa Leftenant, a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) and Behavioral Finance Advisor (BFA™) with over four decades of comprehensive financial planning and wealth advisory experience. Tresa is also a certified Canfield trainer of the Success Principles, a beautiful speaker, podcaster, and transformation facilitator. Tresa's Master Work is a handbook for women ready to change their financial lives called Reinventing Her. In this empowering guide, she openly shares her own transformation with money, relationships, and career, and encourages women to upgrade their lives by learning and living the steps she created to change her own life. Tresa's expertise is the connection between self-worth and net worth - how women can engage in inner work to unleash their “living a wealthy life” mindset. "If there is some empowerment inside that I am inherently valuable, and therefore I deserve to have whatever that amount of money is going to provide for me, then I'm willing to take the actions. I'm willing to learn how to take the risk to become comfortable with behavior that is required to let my money grow on itself, which is what investing is." During our interview, Tresa discusses how our emotions and beliefs around money directly impact our financial outcomes. She shares her personal story of growing up with a banker father and a mother who constantly compared their lifestyle to others, leading Tresa to develop unhealthy money habits like using credit cards for approval. Tresa emphasizes that the number one reason women struggle financially is due to the family story and societal messages they've internalized about money, not their ability. She unpacks how women often struggle to feel worthy of wealth and financial abundance, and how this self-worth piece is the key to unlocking a more empowered relationship with money. This episode is a must-listen for any woman who feels stuck or dissatisfied with her current financial situation. Tresa provides a roadmap for doing the inner work to shift your money mindset, overcome limiting beliefs, and step into your natural abundance. Whether your goal is to become a millionaire or simply gain more control and peace around your finances, Tresa's wisdom and guidance can help you make the shift. "We can grow the way we love and respect and trust ourselves, and then our behavior with money will change, and the outward results will change." To learn more about Tresa Leftenant and her work, visit her new website A Wealthy Life for Her at https://awealthylifeforher.com/. Tresa also offers a free monthly Wealth Circles group coaching call where women come together to support each other in transforming their relationship with money. Sign up at the website to reserve your spot. Thanks again for listening! Please share with someone you know who could benefit from this episode, I appreciate it, and so will they.
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 19 Apr 2024 - 41min - 97 - 43: Forgiveness as the Key to Entrepreneurial Success with Wonderful Morrison
Can forgiveness grow your business? Absolutely! Find out how forgiveness transformed Wonderful Morrison’s business in this episode. Wonderful Morrison is a renowned brand and marketing architect with over 25 years of experience. Wonderful is the visionary founder of Lead Her, a brand and marketing consultancy firm that empowers women and amplifies their influence. As a seasoned business professional, author, and speaker, Wonderful has established herself as a driving force in the industry. Through Lead Her, she has pioneered an online business training hub and a boutique branding and marketing consultancy. Her expertise lies in helping women entrepreneurs build successful, impactful businesses. "In order for my business to grow and for my income to grow, I had to grow with it also. The simultaneous growth of a business and a person is crucial." Any entrepreneur, especially women in business, needs to listen in to this episode. Especially those who are feeling stuck, stagnant, or ready to take their business to the next level. Wonderful's story demonstrates that by addressing personal growth and inner work, you can unlock the keys to sustainable, fulfilling business growth. To learn more about Wonderful Morrison and her work, check out her private Facebook group, Lead Her Biz Community, where she shares valuable insights and strategies. You can also connect with her on social media under her name, Wonderful Morrison, or visit the Lead Her Biz Academy website to explore her upcoming app and consultancy services. Wonderful is committed to empowering women entrepreneurs to build the business of their dreams, and this episode is a testament to the power of forgiveness in that journey.
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 05 Apr 2024 - 44min - 96 - 42: Navigating the Journey to Your Highest Truth with Jennifer Spor
Are you ready to unleash your soul’s truth and live unapologetically expressed? Then this is the episode for you! In this episode, I talk with Jennifer Spor, the CEO and founder of Jennifer Spor Co. and host of the Path of the Awakened Heart Podcast. Jennifer is a spiritual advisor, channel, Akashic Records and trauma-informed master consultant, and teacher for high-achieving, conscious women leaders who are here to live unapologetically expressed in their true selves and fulfill their highest destiny. Jennifer's journey into this transformative work began after a pivotal moment when she was working in retail and realized she was no longer feeling challenged or fulfilled. After the passing of her mother, Jennifer made the brave decision to leave her corporate career and embark on a journey of rediscovering her true self and purpose. Through a powerful spiritual awakening, Jennifer discovered her gifts as an intuitive, channel, and Akashic Records consultant - and felt called to support other women in doing the same. "Whenever we're feeling that call to deeper truth, we feel it in our lives. We feel it in how we're showing up. We feel like there's something more, and we may not be clear on what that is initially, yet we feel it." In our conversation, Jennifer shares with me how she helps women access their soul's truth and live fully expressed in their highest destiny. She discusses the importance of discernment between the ego and the soul's voice, the role of trauma and forgiveness in our embodiment, and how to extract ourselves from limiting 3D constructs to step into our truth. Jennifer also explains the transformative power of the Akashic Records and how accessing this sacred library can facilitate instantaneous healing and timeline shifts. "The Akashic records are one of the most direct paths to Ascension. And what is super empowering is that every single one of us can access our records. We all have them. You don't have to be gifted or super psychic... The thing is, we all have these psychic abilities. We all have the ability to access our records." This episode is a must-listen for any woman who feels the call to live more authentically, let go of fear, and step into the fullest expression of her soul's purpose. Jennifer's wisdom and insights shared with me will empower you to have the courage to make the leap, trust your intuition, and create a life that is truly aligned with who you are at the deepest level. To dive deeper with Jennifer, be sure to check out her free "Activate Your Highest Destiny" guided meditation, available at JenniferSpor.com. You can also find her on Instagram @Jennifer_Spor, where she shares inspiration and insights. Get ready to uncover your soul's truth and live unapologetically expressed!
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 29 Mar 2024 - 41min - 95 - 41: Uncovering the Barriers to Forgiveness in the Workplace with Betsy Jordyn
In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Betsy Jordyn, a brand positioning strategist who helps consultants and coaches clarify their messaging. Betsy's mission resonates deeply with me - empowering professionals to expand their positive impact. Drawing from over 30 years as an organizational consultant, Betsy witnessed firsthand the toxic cultures and unethical practices that can arise. She understands the toll of workplace betrayal, burnout and existential crises on passionate individuals striving to make a difference. "I think a lot of it comes from unresolved issues… like what got you into entrepreneurship." During our discussion, Betsy unpacked the unresolved issues that often propel people into entrepreneurship. She emphasized the need to address these deep-rooted matters through a process of acceptance and forgiveness in order to truly move forward. Together, we explored the insidious nature of toxic positivity - the pressure to always remain upbeat and deny difficult emotions. Betsy wisely advocated for acknowledging how we feel, setting boundaries, and disengaging from environments that don't respect our humanity. The key takeaway is that personal, professional and spiritual growth intertwine. By doing the work of forgiveness and healing past hurts, we build a solid foundation for success across all life arenas. This conversation holds particular relevance for high-achievers venturing into consulting or coaching. It provides a compassionate roadmap for the challenges and opportunities that arise. To connect with Betsy's wisdom further, visit her website and podcast "Enough Already." Her insights are invaluable for creating businesses and lives we love. I'm grateful to Betsy for this candid look at integrating our whole selves into our work. Tune in if you're ready to expand your impact through self-awareness and forgiveness.
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 08 Mar 2024 - 44min - 94 - 40: How Do I Know I Have Fully Forgiven?
Today, I address a question I recently received, "How do I know I have fully forgiven someone?" As a forgiveness coach, I share my insights on the misunderstood nature of forgiveness and its power to transform lives. And this question is quite common. "It doesn't make what they did right, it doesn't condone their behavior, it doesn't mean you reconcile… it means that you love yourself enough to do the work for you, not for them." Thanks for listening, and please share with someone you know who might benefit, I appreciate it.
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 16 Feb 2024 - 15min - 93 - 39: Navigating Family Estrangement: Tools for Finding Healing and Acceptance
In this episode, I address the complex dilemma of family estrangement in response to a listener struggling to reconcile with their child. Drawing from my experience as a forgiveness coach, I offer guidance on navigating the challenges of strained family relationships. Having helped many individuals and families heal over the years, I understand the intricacies of estrangement and the deep emotions involved. I emphasize the importance of honoring each family member's personal journey and highlight that estrangement can occur beyond blood relatives. "We know in our heart of hearts what we've done or not done as a parent." My advice stresses self-reflection, personal growth, and forgiveness as crucial first steps before attempting to mend the relationship. I acknowledge every family dynamic is unique and share real examples to illustrate the complexities many face. My goal is to create a compassionate, non-judgmental space for people experiencing estrangement to explore their feelings and find acceptance. This episode offers insights for parents struggling to reconcile with estranged children. "We can only make amends for what we've done, not how someone else is interpreting what we have done." While there are no easy solutions, through thoughtful inner work we can find peace and clarity. I encourage parents to be gentle with themselves on this difficult journey. My door is always open to those needing support. Tune in to gain perspective on family estrangement and discover pathways to healing. With an open heart, we can understand our loved ones and ourselves more deeply. Thanks for listening, and please share with someone you know who might benefit, I appreciate it.
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 09 Feb 2024 - 23min - 92 - 38: Steps for Self-Forgiveness, Self-Love and Meditation: A Journey of Healing
In this episode, I share my journey of self-forgiveness after caring for my husband with dementia. Drawing from the transformative process I underwent, I offer guidance for you if you are also navigating your own path to self-forgiveness. "Forgiving yourself is an act of self-love and growth." As an experienced forgiveness coach, I understand the complex emotions that surface when we face situations requiring self-forgiveness. I empathize with those dealing with guilt, remorse, and regret. My own experience taught me the importance of acknowledging my actions and facing my feelings instead of suppressing them. I discuss the value of creating awareness, reflecting on the impact of my actions, accepting responsibility, and finding self-compassion. I emphasize treating ourselves with the same kindness we would show a friend during difficult times. Self-forgiveness is an act of understanding, not justification. My journey illuminates how self-forgiveness leads to self-acceptance and inner peace. I outline the steps you can use to embark on your own healing process. My goal is to provide compassionate support, so you can find forgiveness, and move forward. "Accept imperfection, embrace the fact that no one's perfect and mistakes are an inherent part of life." I hope my story inspires you to show yourself grace and understand that you, too, can find freedom through self-forgiveness. Thanks for listening, and please share with someone you know who might benefit, I appreciate it.
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 26 Jan 2024 - 42min - 91 - 37: The Neuroscience of Forgiveness: Rewiring the Brain for a Happier, Healthier Life with Staci Danford
In this episode, I talk with Staci Danford about the transformative power of forgiveness and the importance of incorporating it into our daily lives. Staci, a joyful mix of positivity and neuroscience, holds a master’s degree in mind brain education and speaks publicly on gratitude, including for ABC’s “Good Morning Texas.” With over 25 years of teaching and communication experience, Staci runs the Grateful Brain, using neuroscience to promote understanding of our brain power. Staci’s mind brain education credentials make her the perfect guest to explain the science behind forgiveness and its mental and physical impacts. She describes how our brains create negative self-patterns that release cortisol, harming our bodies. Staci shares practical strategies to interrupt these patterns, like using your name to refocus or positive self-talk to retrain your brain. "We cannot hate ourselves into a version that we love." - Staci Danford During our discussion, Staci emphasizes that gratitude is about experiencing the emotion, not just saying thanks. She provides six quick ways to spark joy, including finding one good thing and describing it thoroughly. This episode is essential for anyone seeking to unlock forgiveness and self-love. Whether you struggle with self-loathing, past trauma, or want to improve overall wellness, Staci’s insights and tips will inspire and guide your happier, healthier life journey. Listeners ready to embrace brain power, forgiveness, and gratitude can discover more about Staci at www.thegratefulbrain.com. They can also get free motivational messages and practical brain tips by texting 817-242-6831. Don’t miss this chance to unleash forgiveness and transform your life!
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 15 Dec 2023 - 47min - 90 - 36: Overcoming People Pleasing: From Approval-Seeking to Self-Acceptance
In this episode, I talk about the concept of being a people pleaser and the steps I took to overcome this behavior pattern. I share my own experiences as a recovering people pleaser and emphasize the importance of self-reflection and self-care in the process of letting go of this coping mechanism. "Learn to establish and communicate your own personal boundaries. It's okay to say no when something doesn't align with your values or priorities." Thanks for listening, and please share with someone you know who might benefit, I appreciate it.
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 24 Nov 2023 - 36min - 89 - 35: Navigating the Guilt Maze: Understanding Healthy and Unhealthy Guilt
In this episode, I talk about the concept of guilt, specifically focusing on distinguishing between healthy guilt and unhealthy guilt. I share my expertise on the topic, discussing the characteristics of each type of guilt and how they impact our emotions and actions. "When we can sit with ourselves... it can help you observe guilt as it arises, and then you can decide whether it serves as a constructive purpose or it is detrimental to your well-being." I provide valuable strategies for managing guilt effectively. I emphasize the importance of self-reflection, defining personal values, and seeking feedback from trusted individuals. I also encourage mindfulness and self-compassion as tools for recognizing and addressing guilt. Join me on this insightful episode as I help you navigate the guilt maze and find ways to ease the burden of unhealthy guilt. I would love for you to live a guilt-free life. Thanks for listening, and please share with someone you know who might benefit, I appreciate it.
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 17 Nov 2023 - 37min - 88 - 34: Understanding Complex Shame: A Journey of Healing and Personal Growth with Dr. Zoe Shaw
Today, meet Dr. Zoe Shaw, a licensed psychotherapist, author, and relationship coach who is passionate about helping women overcome shame and codependency. Dr. Zoe's approach incorporates psychology, faith, and a touch of feminism, creating a unique lens through which she guides her clients towards self-acceptance and personal growth. This is another special conversation from my recent summit: Unlocking the True Power of Forgiveness Secrets to Incorporating Forgiveness into Your Daily Life. “Overcoming complex shame is where you find freedom and the ability to smile again.” - Zoe Shaw In this episode, you will be able to: - Uncover the root causes of complex shame and discover healing techniques that can transform your life. - Learn practical steps to release shame and cultivate self-compassion, leading to a greater sense of freedom and acceptance. - Explore the power of self-forgiveness as a crucial part of the healing process, and experience the transformative effects it can have on your well-being. - Understand how shame can manifest in physical symptoms and discover strategies to alleviate the impact on your body and mind. - Discover a holistic approach to healing, integrating cognitive, spiritual, and physiological practices to create a comprehensive path towards healing and self-discovery. And more! Thanks for listening, and please share with someone you know who might benefit, I appreciate it.
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 27 Oct 2023 - 36min - 87 - 33: Owning Your Story and Finding Your Voice with Carol Cox
Carol Cox helps women entrepreneurs to be vulnerable and share their stories to make a bigger impact in the world. Learn how powerful it can be to release your inner thought leader and redefine your personal brand. This is another special conversation we had as part of my recent summit: Unlocking the True Power of Forgiveness Secrets to Incorporating Forgiveness into Your Daily Life. "Your story matters because your audience will find the lesson for themselves. Share your story and own it, because it has shaped you and it matters." - Carol Cox In this episode, you will be able to: - Enhance your personal branding and establish yourself as a thought leader by leveraging the power of vulnerability and storytelling. - Share your authentic personal stories to empower other women and inspire positive change. - Explore the impact of personal stories on your audience and learn how to connect with them on a deeper level. - Receive expert coaching and guidance to elevate your thought leadership and amplify your message. - Unlock the secrets to effective storytelling and captivate your audience with your unique journey. - Discover the strategies to create a memorable personal brand and position yourself as an authority in your field. - Gain confidence and effectiveness in thought leadership by harnessing the power of storytelling and vulnerability. And more! Thanks for listening, and please share with someone you know who might benefit, I appreciate it.
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 20 Oct 2023 - 38min - 86 - 32: Trusting Intuition, Letting Go, and Embracing Radical Forgiveness with Lorree Appleby
My special guest is Lorree Appleby, an incredible individual who has dedicated her life to helping others find inner peace and personal growth through the power of forgiveness. This is a special conversation we had as part of my recent summit: Unlocking the True Power of Forgiveness Secrets to Incorporating Forgiveness into Your Daily Life. Does this sound familiar? You've been told to simply forgive and forget in order to find inner peace and personal growth. But deep down, you know that it's not that easy. You've tried to suppress your pain, bury your past mistakes, and ignore the nagging feeling that something is missing. Yet, despite your efforts, the pain still lingers, and you're left feeling stuck, unfulfilled, and disconnected from yourself. It's time to break free from the ineffective action of surface-level forgiveness and discover the power of radical forgiveness as a lifestyle. "Radical forgiveness has changed everything for me. It changed how I thought, how I felt, and how I saw myself. It helped me unravel all the stories I had and gave me tools to move from judgment to peace." - Lorree Appleby In this episode, you will be able to: - Discover the transformative power of Radical Forgiveness as a lifestyle and find inner peace like never before. - Learn the importance of self-forgiveness and unlock the key to releasing emotional baggage and embracing personal growth. - Develop trust in yourself and your intuition, empowering you to make confident decisions that align with your true desires. - Shift perspectives and reframe challenging situations, allowing you to find meaning and growth even in the most difficult circumstances. - Harness the healing power of playfulness and imagination to unlock your creativity, cultivate joy, and experience deep emotional healing. And more! Thanks for listening, and please share with someone you know who might benefit, I appreciate it.
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 13 Oct 2023 - 45min - 85 - 31: Cultivating Self-Love: The Key to Unlocking Your Well-Being
If you're feeling trapped in a cycle of self-doubt and self-criticism, constantly questioning your worth and abilities, then you are not alone! Despite the efforts you put into seeking validation from others and striving for perfection, the pain of not feeling good enough persists. The constant comparison to others and the fear of failure only fuel the self-loathing, leaving you disconnected from your own worth and happiness. Learning to love oneself is an essential journey that requires patience, self-compassion, and practice. In this episode, you will be able to: - Gain an appreciation for the significant role self-love plays in holistic wellness. - Master the art of self-compassion and gentle kindness towards oneself. - Understand how to implement firm and healthy boundaries in both personal and professional spheres. - Walk through the transformative path of self-forgiveness and accepting your flaws. And more! Thanks for listening, and please share with someone you know who might benefit, I appreciate it.
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 29 Sep 2023 - 36min - 84 - 30: Coming Out of the Dark
Join me as I delve into the depths of grief and the transformative power of forgiveness in this raw and vulnerable episode. Tune in to discover the untold secrets of resilience and forgiveness in the face of unimaginable challenges. Life happens for you, not to you. Even amidst the darkness, allow yourself to feel the pain and be in the depth of it, because it's through this process that healing and growth can occur. In this episode, you will be able to: - Unlock the healing power of forgiveness when grappling with loss. - Learn to tackle the difficulties of being a caretaker to a partner with degenerative conditions. - Delve into the mystifying phase of the 'dark night of the soul' and transition. - Discover how anticipatory grief impacts psychological health and emotional stability. - Recognize the need for seeking help and forming dependable relationships when dealing with grief. Thanks for listening, and please share with someone you know who might benefit, I appreciate it.
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 22 Sep 2023 - 33min - 83 - 29: Breaking Down Barriers: How to Embrace Receptivity and Unlock Personal Growth
If you frequently find yourself plagued by doubt and frustration, questioning every decision you make and struggling to muster the confidence needed to achieve your goals, it's important to remember that you are not alone. Many people share these exact feelings. Despite your best efforts, you may find yourself trapped in negative patterns, unable to break free and embrace the personal transformation you desire. You may be receiving resistance from within yourself or encountering external obstacles that hinder your progress. But fear not, there are strategies and techniques available to overcome these barriers and unlock your true potential. Opening yourself to receive requires letting down defenses and allowing others to see you in a more authentic light. Embracing vulnerability can lead to deeper connections and greater personal growth. - Brenda Reiss In this episode, you will be able to: - Discover the invisible obstacles that restrain your receptivity and master tactics to surmount them. - Identify how fear of vulnerability can constrain your willingness to receive and ascertain techniques to overcome it. - Acknowledge the detrimental role of perfectionism and self-reliance in accepting help and educate yourself on strategies for personal evolution. - Understand the role of negative self-perception in accepting support and constructive criticism, emphasizing personal development. - Discern how busy schedules and stress can serve as obstacles to reception, and explore effective strategies for a balanced lifestyle. Thanks for listening, and please share with someone you know who might benefit, I appreciate it.
Resources:
Your FREE Forgive Yourself resources:https://brendareisscoaching.com/resources/
Are you struggling with a situation or a person in your life? Wondering if you are ready to work on forgiving yourself? Take our quiz to find out your emotional IQ and how this impacts your ability to forgive:https://archetype.brendareisscoaching.com/sf/357cdc60
Brenda’s Website/Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInFri, 08 Sep 2023 - 30min
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