You're not needy. You're not the damsel in distress. You get shit done.

But what if I told you that your excellence, your leadership, your "I've got this" attitude is actually a sophisticated form of codependency that's keeping you emotionally trapped?

In this raw, unfiltered solo episode, I'm pulling back the curtain on the high-functioning codependency that disguises itself as strength but leaves you drowning in resentment while everyone else gets to rest.

What You'll Discover:

The Real Face of Codependency

• Why it's not about being needy—it's about needing to be needed so badly you abandon yourself

The Hidden Traits That Don't Look Codependent

• You anticipate others' needs before being asked (and call it leadership)

How It Shows Up Everywhere:

• At Work: You're the emotional air traffic controller managing everyone's moods

The Codependent Loop That's Stealing Your Joy:

1. Obsession (disguised as leadership)

The Hard Truth:

You've built an empire on "not good enough." You're constantly chasing, constantly proving, constantly giving—but never arriving at that place where you feel genuinely fulfilled.

Your life looks amazing on the outside. But on the inside? You're exhausted, disconnected, and wondering why success doesn't feel the way you thought it would.

The Way Out:

This isn't about becoming selfish or uncaring. It's about coming home to yourself. It's about moving from codependency to sovereignty—knowing who you are without all the masks and coping mechanisms.

The Three A's:

• Awareness: Seeing these patterns without judgment

Real Talk:

How much longer are you going to stay in this loop? How much longer will you pat yourself on the back for being "so strong" while your joy slips through your fingers every single day?

The cost of doing nothing isn't just your well-being—it's your relationships, your health, and the woman you're meant to become.

If This Hit You Like a Freight Train:

This episode might be one to listen to twice. There's a lot here. And if you're sitting there thinking "holy shit, this is me"—that's your nervous system recognizing the truth.

You have a choice right now. You can keep pretending these patterns are just "being responsible," or you can decide that today is the day you stop abandoning yourself for everyone else.

Ready to break the cycle? Visit LisaCarpenter.ca/WWM and fill out the application. Let's have a real conversation about what it looks like to reclaim your life.

If this episode rocked your world, share it with another high-functioning human who needs to hear this. That's how we change lives—one honest conversation at a time.

Resources Mentioned:

• Work with Lisa: LisaCarpenter.ca/WWM

"Codependency isn't about weak people. It's about people who have been conditioned to believe their worth depends on being needed, accepted or approved by others." - Ross Rosenberg

In this powerful live coaching session, Lisa works with Kasia, a former client who is navigating pregnancy in her 40s while running a successful coaching business. This conversation explores the profound shifts that come with major life transitions and how our definitions of success must evolve with us.

Key Topics Discussed

The Reality of Pregnancy vs. Expectations

• How pregnancy can shatter our carefully constructed ideas of how life "should" go

Redefining Success

• Moving from external metrics (revenue, client satisfaction, stability) to internal states

Value Beyond the Dollar

• Recognizing inherent worth that isn't tied to income generation

Navigating Partnership During Transition

• Having difficult conversations about expectations and contributions

Conflict Avoidance Patterns

• How childhood experiences with conflict shape adult behavior

Key Takeaways

1. Surrender as Practice: Major life transitions require us to practice surrender at levels we've never experienced before

Reflection Questions

• Where in your life are you trying to avoid conflict that may not even happen?

Connect with Lisa

• Website: [lisacarpenter.ca]

If this episode resonated with you, please share it with someone who might need to hear these insights about navigating major life transitions with grace and self-compassion.

This week, I’m flipping the script and taking the hot seat.

In this special episode, I’m joined by my client Angela—a life coach and medical doctor from New Zealand—for a deep, heartfelt conversation about what it really means to choose your path, trust yourself, and evolve beyond who you used to be.

We dive into the real behind-the-scenes of my journey: the career pivots, identity shifts, and uncomfortable-but-worth-it moments that led me to where I am today. From walking away from business models that no longer felt aligned, to navigating fear and self-doubt, this episode is an honest look at what happens when we stop performing and start living from our values.

Inside this episode, you’ll hear us talk about:

• Why choosing yourself often means disappointing others

This isn’t about “doing it all” or chasing the next goal. This is about you—getting honest about what you want, what matters most, and where you’re still stuck in outdated stories that are keeping you from living fully.

This episode is for you if you are: 

• At a crossroads in your life or business

And if this episode speaks to you, it’s time to go deeper...

Join Me in Tulum — Only 3 Spots Left

My 12-month coaching + retreat experience is for the high-achieving woman who’s done all the “right” things... and still feels like something’s missing.

This isn’t about fixing you. It’s about meeting the real you—and giving her space to exhale.

✔️ High-touch private coaching ✔️ Intimate, soul-shifting retreat in Tulum ✔️ A powerful sisterhood of women who get it

Ready to walk into your next chapter, lighter and more aligned than ever? Apply now for Tulum →

Thank you for tuning in. If this conversation sparked something in you, share it with someone who needs to hear it.

And remember— Your next level doesn’t require you to do more. It asks you to choose differently. You have the power to choose your way forward.

In this powerful episode, Lisa shares an unedited coaching conversation with Greg, an airline pilot who has significant wealth on paper yet still wakes up at 3 AM worried about money. This is context coaching in action—addressing the story problem, not the money problem.

What you'll hear:

• The "Just Enough" Identity Crisis Greg has substantial assets and multiple properties, but his relationship with money is still governed by childhood stories like "money doesn't grow on trees." Despite his financial success, he operates from scarcity and wakes up anxious about lack. This disconnect between his actual wealth and his emotional experience with money is more common than you might think among high earners.

The conversation reveals how Greg's scarcity mindset isn't just affecting his sleep—it's preventing him from doing more good in the world. He and his husband have already established endowments at his alma mater, but his "just enough" identity keeps him from fully stepping into his role as a wealthy person who can create positive impact.

Lisa helps him see that holding onto lack mentality is actually a disservice to those who need him to show up in his full financial power. The shift from victim to steward of wealth becomes not just personal growth, but moral responsibility.

Lisa gives Greg specific assignments: calculate his total net worth and use that number as a pattern interrupt whenever scarcity thoughts arise. She also challenges him to define what wealth means for him personally and plan how he wants to give back from that place of abundance.

The homework isn't about managing money better—it's about managing his identity and relationship with wealth completely differently.

Why This Episode Matters

This isn't theory or feel-good advice. It's real coaching happening in real time with someone who has significant financial success but is still trapped by old stories. If you're a high achiever who feels financially stressed despite your success, this conversation will show you exactly how those patterns operate and how to break free from them.

You'll hear how quickly transformation can happen when you address the right problem. Greg doesn't need more money—he needs to step into the identity of someone who already has more than enough.

Ready to examine your own money stories? Head to lisacarpenter.ca/wwm to apply for coaching and discover what's really keeping you stuck.

Fresh off her second Camino walk, Lisa tackles the question everyone's thinking but not asking: What's the actual difference between coaching and therapy? And why do successful, exhausted people often find therapy keeps them stuck while coaching propels them forward?

Here's the real difference:

Therapy is past-focused—diving into what happened to you, processing trauma, gaining insights about how things impacted you. You talk about the problem, get some insight, then leave.

Coaching is future-focused—where are you now, where do you want to go, and what needs to shift to get you there? It's about identity shifts, accountability, and taking action.

Lisa's approach is different because she coaches to your context, not your content. She's not listening to your circumstances—she's hearing the patterns underneath your words. Because the problem you think you have? It's usually not the problem you actually have.

Think about money. Instead of talking about your financial struggles, Lisa asks: "If money were a person, what kind of relationship would you have with them?" Then you step into the identity of someone who treats money with reverence. That's how she became debt-free—identity shift first, results follow.

You might need therapy if: You're dealing with clinical depression, trauma, or severe anxiety.

You're ready for coaching if: You feel stuck despite having it all, keep repeating the same patterns, have done years of therapy but aren't gaining momentum, or you're ready to stop being a victim of your circumstances and start taking responsibility for your future.

The bottom line: Coaching isn't something you need—it's something you want because you love what it brings to your life and how it helps you expand into more.

Ready to explore what's possible?

Lisa has openings this summer and fall, plus Reclamation (her signature program) is open for registration. 

• To learn about Lisa’s transformative "Reclamation" program, visit LisaCarpenter.ca/Reclamation

If this episode resonated, share it with someone who might be ready to stop being a victim of their circumstances and start becoming the architect of their life.

In this deeply personal episode, Lisa takes you behind the scenes of her second Camino walk—and the powerful reminder that true transformation starts with one simple, uncomfortable truth: No one is coming to save you. You have to choose yourself.

Lisa shares how the contrast between last year’s torrential, miserable walk and this year’s lighter, more connected experience reflects the deeper work she’s done to heal, let go, and lead herself.

If you’ve ever felt stuck, overwhelmed, or trapped in your own patterns, this episode will remind you: Change is possible—but only when you decide to choose it.

What You’ll Hear In This Episode:

• How last year’s dark, rainy Camino mirrored Lisa’s internal struggles—and why this year felt completely different 

You’re not stuck. You’re not broken. But you do have a choice.

The question is: Are you ready to make it?

Ready to Choose Yourself?

Lisa’s exclusive Tulum Retreat + 12-Month Private Coaching Experience is for the driven, high-achieving woman who’s quietly wondering: “When is it my turn?”

 This isn’t another retreat—it’s a full year of support, nervous system work, and deep, identity-level coaching, culminating in a transformational week in Tulum.

 There are only a few spots left for the woman who knows she’s ready to stop outsourcing her fulfillment and start leading herself differently.

→ Apply now to claim your spot

Listen now—and share this episode with the women in your life who need the reminder that the future they want is always one brave decision away.

In this episode of the Full Frontal Living Podcast, we revisit Episode 42 where Lisa dives deep into the struggles many high-achieving women face when it comes to balancing their personal lives, business, and well-being. She shares insights on how perfectionism, people-pleasing, and overworking are often the same traits that keep women stuck in a cycle of burnout, feeling overwhelmed, and disconnected from their true desires.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

• The Power of Choosing Yourself: Lisa talks about how important it is to make the decision to prioritize yourself, even when the world expects you to keep doing more.

Key Takeaways:

• The role of perfectionism in keeping you stuck in burnout

Resources Mentioned:

• Full Frontal Living Podcast: https://lisacarpenter.ca/podcast/

Are you ready to break free from the cycle of burnout and start prioritizing yourself? Listen to this powerful episode and get inspired to make the shift towards a more balanced, fulfilled life. If you’re ready for deeper work, join Lisa’s Reclamation Program and begin reclaiming your power today.

In this episode, we revisit the raw and unfiltered episode 145 of the Full Frontal Living™ Podcast. Lisa Carpenter opens the door to a conversation most high-achievers avoid: what it really means to not be okay—and how to recognize when your so-called “coping” is just numbing in disguise.

Whether you’re caught in perfectionism, scrolling your feelings away, pouring another glass of wine to take the edge off, or chasing one more accomplishment that still doesn’t feel like “enough,” Lisa’s here to call it out with love.

This episode is a deep dive into emotional fluency, nervous system regulation, and how to build true resiliency when your usual go-to is to power through.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why saying “I’m fine” is usually a lie—and how to tell when you're not okay

Tools + Resources Mentioned:

• Yoga Nidra + meditation for nervous system regulation

Work With Lisa:

Ready to stop running on fumes and start living fully again?

What if the driving force behind your achievements isn't about what you want, but what you're desperately trying to run away from? In this raw and honest episode, Lisa gets real about the hidden addiction to achievement that so many high performers share—and why your relationship with success might actually be keeping you from the life you really want.

What We're Diving Into:

The Achievement Trap: Lisa breaks down how the constant chase for more—awards, recognition, that next level of success—often becomes a way to avoid sitting with ourselves. Are you actually pursuing your dreams, or are you just trying to outrun discomfort?

Your Power to Choose (Yes, Really): Here's the thing—you're not stuck in old patterns or at the mercy of external validation. Through awareness and honest self-reflection, you can choose how to respond, break the cycles that are keeping you small, and create new patterns that actually nourish you.

Peace Without the Productivity Guilt: This isn't about slowing down or doing less (Lisa knows that's not realistic for most of us). It's about learning how to let peace and satisfaction exist alongside your ambitions. You can have both.

Success That Actually Feels Good: True fulfillment isn't about what everyone else sees on the outside—it's about how you feel when you're alone with yourself. Lisa shares how to build that intimate, loving relationship with yourself where peace becomes your new normal.

Living Enchanted: Drawing from Elizabeth Gilbert's work, Lisa introduces the concept of an "enchanted life"—not the Instagram version, but a sustainable way of being that's grounded, balanced, and deeply satisfying.

The Real Talk Moments:

• Why excitement and depression are often two sides of the same coin—and how many of us are actually addicted to the chaos

Your Homework (Because Lisa Always Gives You Homework):

Get Honest: Where are you mistaking busyness for productivity? When did you last choose to slow down instead of being forced to?

Notice the Good Stuff: What are your moments of real enchantment? The ones that fill you up without requiring achievement? Can you let more of these in?

Remember This: You deserve to feel as good as your life looks on paper. But that's a choice you have to make from the inside out.

Bottom line: Every single day, you get to choose—to let peace in, to honor what you've built, and to create a life that feels as incredible as it looks. The question is: will you?

Ready to Go Deeper?

Lisa shares details about working together, including her Reclamation program for women ready to stop performing their lives and start living them, one-on-one coaching, and her upcoming Tulum retreat where you'll integrate peace and ambition in the most beautiful setting.

If this episode hit you right in the feels, share it with someone who needs to hear it. And honestly? Leave a review. It helps other people find these conversations when they need them most.

Lisa shares a raw, personal story from her transformative month-long solo journey through Spain and Morocco. After 2023 turned her world upside down, she found herself carrying literal rocks that represented her deepest pain - and discovered why we cling to suffering even when we desperately want to be free.

This isn't your typical "just let it go" advice. This is the real, messy truth about what it actually takes to release what's holding you back.

The Story That Changes Everything

While walking the Camino, Lisa picked up two rocks representing specific pains in her life. What happened next reveals the hidden psychology behind why we stay stuck:

• She carried one rock for thousands of kilometers across multiple countries

The uncomfortable truth: We get addicted to our pain because it feels safer than the unknown.

Why Smart, Successful People Stay Stuck

The Pain You Know vs. The Pain You Don't

• Familiar suffering feels more manageable than uncertain healing

The Certainty Trap

When you're carrying emotional rocks, you know exactly what to expect each day. Without them? Complete uncertainty. And uncertainty feels dangerous to high achievers who built their success on control and predictability.

The Real Work Begins After You Let Go

Here's what no one tells you: Releasing the pain is the easy part. The hard part is the commitment you make afterward.

When Lisa finally threw her rock into the ocean, she committed to:

• Never allowing those thought patterns to take root again

This is why most people fail at letting go - they think the release is the end, when it's actually the beginning.

Your Turn: The Rock Exercise

1. Identify your rocks - What pain, story, or identity are you carrying?

Why This Matters for Driven People

If you're someone who has "everything figured out" on the outside but feels disconnected on the inside, this episode is for you. Lisa's story shows that:

• Success doesn't protect you from needing to do deep emotional work

The Bottom Line

Stop saying you're "working on letting go." Either you're ready to let go, or you're not. And if you're not, get honest about why. What's that pain doing for you? What would you have to commit to if it wasn't there?

The life you want is waiting on the other side of the rocks you're carrying. But you have to be willing to put them down and walk forward empty-handed.

Ready to do this work? Lisa is accepting new one-on-one coaching clients and has spots available in her Reclamation program. Because some transformations require support, and this is one of them.

If this episode resonated with you, share it with someone who needs to hear it. And if you take on the rock exercise, tag Lisa on Instagram @lisacarpenterinc - she'd love to witness your journey.