This week on Real Talk with Rachael, I'm chatting with Dr. Shanna Crawford. Dr. Crawford is the CEO of Crawford Clinics, Leadership Performance Psychologist, executive coach, podcast host of Unlock U with Dr. Shannan Crawford, and speaker with over 20 years of studying psychology and a decade of applying empirically supported strategies to optimize performance for executives, she has innovated the Restoring-Self-Cohesion approach. Dr. Crawford and her team of psychotherapists at Crawford Clinics have provided life-transforming counseling for thousands of business leaders, couples, families, and adolescents. As founder and CEO, she has established a holistic practice with a team of highly vetted and trained therapists to ensure every client achieves success in their life, relationships, and business. Crawford Care is an HR benefit offered to organizations providing mental health counseling for employees and their families.

Key Points from Our Conversation:

• Self-cohesion is the methodology of syncing your inner world - spirit, soul, and body - to resolve inner feuds, i.e. "I want to lose weight, but I also want to eat the donut".
• When we feel the need to seek pleasure in order to minimize our unpleasant feelings, we need to slow down, create space to get curious, and have an "internal board meeting". We can compartmentalize for a time, but if the root remains unaddressed, it becomes a door where the enemy can attack your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.
• Many fear that by acknowledging hard truths they will become stuck in bad feelings. However, honoring our honest thoughts and feelings rather than trying to ignore them or cover them with numbing activities allows us to experience the present with the appropriate level of emotion.
• Pause and ask what your soul is actually needing. Until you work though it, the fears will come back at times you’re out of control.
• If you're feeling too overwhelmed to examine your emotions, it's okay to take a break. Be kind in stewarding your soul. Take some time to calm down, come back, and find compassion for yourself. Ask yourself what you're protesting too much about or attempting to avoid.
• Dieting attempts to address a symptom, but long-lasting change will not come from willpower and self-hatred. We have to start by finding compassion for ourselves and addressing what our soul is truly craving.

Let’s Get Real Practical:

When was my last internal board meeting? How are my spirit, soul, and body?

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