You are not imagining it. People pleasing is rarely about being “nice.” It is often a survival strategy, learned early as a way to belong, avoid disappointment, and stay emotionally safe in the systems that shaped you.

In this episode of Emotionally Wealthy, Karen sits down with Dr. Vinita Menon, clinical psychologist and the force behind Thrive Collective and The Thrive Mind, to explore the emotional roots of people pleasing. Together, they unpack how high-achieving women, especially those navigating cultural identity, immigration, and gendered expectations, learn to “crack the code” of belonging. Sometimes that code begins with something as small and painful as changing how you pronounce your own name.

They explore the pressure of dual identity, the “time warp” phenomenon many immigrant families experience, and why people pleasing often shows up as conflict avoidance, even when your intuition is screaming that something is wrong. This conversation goes beyond behavior and into the deeper questions underneath it: Do I matter? Does my voice count? What do I want?

This is not about rejecting your upbringing. It is about integrating your identity, listening to your body’s signals, and learning to advocate for yourself without guilt, shutdown, or the need to perform for approval.

1. High-achieving women who feel stuck in people pleasing
2. Adults navigating cultural identity, immigrant family dynamics, or “dual identity” pressure
3. Anyone raised with rigid gender roles or high expectations
4. Professionals who feel confident at work, but struggle to speak up or self-advocate
5. Parents noticing how old conditioning shows up in how they lead, delegate, or set boundaries
6. Anyone who wants authenticity without losing belonging

1. People pleasing as survival and “blending in” behavior
2. First-gen vs second-gen immigrant dynamics and the guilt gap
3. Dual identity pressure and the belief you must be “100 percent of everything”
4. When privacy, loyalty, and family expectations shape self-silencing
5. The confusion between conversation and confrontation
6. Workplace patterns: being overlooked, talked over, or passed up due to self-minimizing
7. Body awareness as the missing link in self-trust
8. Practical, low-stakes ways to rebuild self-advocacy
9. Parts work and why old protective parts still run the show

1. People pleasing often begins as protection, then outlives its purpose.
2. Many women were rewarded for blending in, not for having needs.
3. Your nervous system often knows the truth before your mind is ready to name it.
4. Self-advocacy is a skill, not a personality trait.
5. The goal is not “all or nothing.” It is learning nuance and choice.
6. Asking yourself What do I want? is a quiet way to reclaim your voice.
7. You can honor your culture and still include yourself.

1. Practice asking for small things in low-stakes settings (a straw, a refill, extra napkins).
2. Build a middle ground response when “no” feels too hard: “Let me think about it.”
3. Delay immediate replies so you are not automatically volunteering your yes.
4. Ask yourself often: What do I want from this conversation?
5. Notice what your body does when you speak up versus when you stay quiet.
6. Explore your “parts”: which version of you is speaking, and how old is she?

1. “What do I want?”
2. “Do I matter? Does my voice count?”
3. “People pleasing backfires.”
4. “We think it. We do not always have to say it.”
5. “You can honor where you come from without abandoning who you are.”

00:00 Welcome to Emotionally Wealthy

00:34 Meet Dr. Vinita Menon and why this topic matters

02:46 Early identity messages, being the “only one,” and belonging

07:18 Immigrant parenting, permissions, and unspoken expectations

11:45 Dual identity and learning to compartmentalize before integrating

17:04 First-gen vs second-gen experiences and the “time warp” effect

24:35 The chameleon metaphor and how people pleasing develops

29:32 Gender roles, conflict avoidance, and why it backfires

34:02 All-or-nothing thinking and getting out of the “good girl” box

35:50 Gentle experiments that build self-advocacy

39:09 The core wound underneath people pleasing: “Do I matter?”

41:40 Why change must feel safe before it sticks

43:52 Body awareness and nervous system signals

50:26 Tools: asking, making requests, and “What do I want?”

53:32 Parts work and integration

57:54 Where to find Dr. Menon and her resources

01:01:14 Disclaimer

Start with one question: What do I want? Not what is expected. Not what keeps the peace. Just what feels true. Emotional wealth grows when we include ourselves fully in our own lives.

Free Discovery Call for Coaching Services: https://calendar.app.google/e9mTRJ1UedRx2Qwz6

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.vinitamenon/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-vinita-menon/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61561041713585

Websites: https://www.thethrivemind.co | https://www.mythrivecollective.com

Karen Conlon Website: https://karenconlon.com/

Stan Store: https://stan.store/Karen_Conlon_Live_Fulfilled

Join the Podcast Waitlist: https://tr.ee/tvJheN-ZuS

Book Karen as a Podcast Guest: https://tr.ee/iWevZKi98b

Free Guide: https://tr.ee/S9RaDg3Fjt

The Teenager’s Guide: https://tr.ee/6m7QMNzVGw

Manage Your Anxiety Workbook: https://tr.ee/kzbcwm31SH

Review on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1814244500?action=write-review

Connect with Karen

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karen_conlon_lcsw/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61559407463659

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenconlonlcsw/

Threads: https://www.threads.com/@karen_conlon_lcsw

Substack: https://karenconlon.substack.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCy-yaUREWiHBJNxwze7zI4w

Listen

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/emotionally-wealthy/id1814244500

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1BxaZasAk68BD5mRkD59cI?si=b406d5735eae4304

You can be capable, driven, and intelligent… and still feel like the world is just a little too loud.

In this episode of Emotionally Wealthy, Karen sits down with writer and former dancer Evelin Konyves for an honest conversation about what it means to be a highly sensitive person growing up in environments that reward toughness, uniformity, and emotional control.

Together, they explore emotional armoring, overstimulation, shame, people-pleasing, intuition, and the subtle ways sensitive children learn to disconnect from themselves in order to survive. This is not a conversation about pathology. It is a conversation about recognition. About what happens when sensitivity is no longer treated as a flaw, but understood as part of your wiring.

If you have ever been told you are “too much,” “too sensitive,” or “too emotional,” this episode offers language, clarity, and something many high-functioning adults quietly crave: relief.

1. Highly sensitive people who grew up being told to toughen up
2. High achievers who feel emotionally overstimulated but do not show it
3. Adults who intellectualize emotions before they feel them
4. People who absorb other people’s moods and struggle to separate what is theirs
5. Anyone who learned to apologize for taking up space

1. Discovering the highly sensitive person framework later in life
2. Cultural and intergenerational expectations around toughness and conformity
3. Emotional armoring and survival strategies
4. Overstimulation and nervous system regulation
5. Intuition as both a gift and a guide
6. Emotional empathy versus cognitive empathy
7. Shame, embarrassment, and difficulty expressing anger
8. Bullying and the long shadow of self-blame
9. The body as the first messenger of stress

1. Sensitivity is not fragility. It is responsiveness.
2. Many highly sensitive adults learned to suppress parts of themselves in order to belong.
3. The body often knows before the mind does. Bottom-up regulation can be more effective than talking yourself out of anxiety.
4. Emotional empathy can feel overwhelming, especially when you cannot easily separate your feelings from someone else’s.
5. Shame often grows where difference was not allowed.
6. Self-awareness is not about fixing yourself. It is about understanding your wiring and working with it instead of against it.

00:00 Introduction to emotional disconnection and high achievers

04:12 Moving from London to Romania and discovering mental quiet

06:28 Recognizing herself in the highly sensitive person framework

08:39 Overstimulation in childhood and self-soothing through animals

12:23 Writing as emotional regulation

15:22 Cultural expectations, communism, and uniformity

22:29 Ballet, intuition, and dancing on the National Theatre stage

30:53 Rejection in London and the return of self-doubt

33:27 Overstimulation in retail and nervous system flooding

37:04 Absorbing other people’s emotions

45:51 Intellectualizing conflict and digestive stress responses

47:45 Body awareness, anxiety, and bottom-up regulation

53:41 Shame, embarrassment, and standing out

55:21 Bullying, self-blame, and emotional disconnection

If this conversation resonated, consider noticing where you may still be armoring yourself.

Not to judge it. Not to force change. Just to see it.

Emotional wealth begins with understanding the parts of you that learned to survive before they learned to thrive.

Website

https://karenconlon.com/

Free Guide

5 Steps to Powerful Self-Awareness and More Authentic Connections

https://tr.ee/S9RaDg3Fjt

Emotionally Wealthy Podcast Waitlist

https://tr.ee/tvJheN-ZuS

Book Karen as a Podcast Guest

https://tr.ee/iWevZKi98b

Books & Workbooks

The Teenager’s Guide to Adulting Skills and Life Hacks

https://tr.ee/6m7QMNzVGw

Manage Your Anxiety Workbook & Journal

https://tr.ee/kzbcwm31SH

Review the Podcast

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1814244500?action=write-review

Instagram

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Facebook

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LinkedIn

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Threads

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Substack

https://karenconlon.substack.com/

YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCy-yaUREWiHBJNxwze7zI4w

Apple Podcasts

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/emotionally-wealthy/id1814244500

Spotify

https://open.spotify.com/show/1BxaZasAk68BD5mRkD59cI?si=b406d5735eae4304

High achievement often comes with a quiet cost. In this episode, Allie Canton, a former high-performing attorney and tech executive, shares her journey from professional excellence to meaningful fulfillment. She reflects on the moments burnout first appeared, the subtle ways she neglected her own needs, and how self-awareness became the bridge toward a more balanced life.

Allie and I explore what it means to listen to your body, honor your desires, and recognize the emotional patterns that keep high achievers stuck. Through meditation, Reiki, and other practices, Allie discovered that small, intentional steps can lead to profound personal growth. This conversation isn’t about fixing yourself—it’s about noticing, understanding, and choosing to live with more presence, purpose, and emotional wealth.

Listeners will leave this episode with a deeper awareness of the patterns that lead to self-abandonment, practical insight into nurturing their emotional well-being, and reassurance that it’s possible to thrive without sacrificing authenticity or joy.

Allie Canton is a Harvard-trained former healthcare attorney and tech executive who spent more than a decade working at the high-stakes intersection of law, healthcare, and technology. After burnout cracked open a deeper question about what all that striving was for, she pivoted from performance to presence. Now she helps high achievers cultivate spaciousness, ease, and joy through meditation, Reiki, qigong, and community-building. She explores the messy, beautiful work of living on purpose in her Substack and podcast, Practically on Purpose.

Substack: https://substack.com/@alliecanton

Instagram: https://substack.com/@alliecanton

1. High-functioning adults feeling emotionally drained despite external success
2. Professionals experiencing burnout and questioning their purpose
3. Individuals interested in personal growth, mindfulness, and self-awareness
4. Listeners seeking deeper connection with themselves and their relationships
5. Anyone curious about emotional wealth as a framework for living fully

1. Transitioning from high achievement to meaningful fulfillment
2. Recognizing and responding to burnout
3. The patterns of self-abandonment common in high achievers
4. The role of the body in emotional awareness
5. Practical ways to cultivate emotional wealth and self-respect
6. Aligning life and work with personal values rather than performance metrics

1. Burnout is often an invitation to examine purpose and identity, not just rest
2. Emotional wealth begins when you take your own desires seriously
3. Small, intentional steps create lasting transformation
4. Listening to your body uncovers needs the mind often overlooks
5. Relationships improve when self-love and acceptance are prioritized
6. Letting go of perfection allows for living with presence and purpose

1. "Why didn't I feel the way I thought I would?"
2. "Burnout cracked open deeper questions about purpose."
3. "Living on purpose, not perfectly."
4. "Self-abandonment became my normal."
5. "The body insists on having conversations."
6. "Taking yourself seriously transforms everything."
7. "Emotional wealth is believing your desires matter."
8. "You love yourself, it radiates to others."

00:00 Introduction to Emotional Wealth

01:01 Allie Canton’s Journey from Performance to Presence

20:27 The Impact of Self-Abandonment

37:00 Navigating Burnout and Finding Purpose

57:52 The Body’s Role in Emotional Awareness

01:06:06 Defining Emotional Wealth and Relationships

If this episode resonated, consider giving yourself space to reflect on your own patterns of self-abandonment and emotional wealth. Explore the resources, take small steps, and notice what emerges when you take your desires seriously.

1. Karen Conlon Website: https://karenconlon.com/
2. Stan Store: https://stan.store/Karen_Conlon_Live_Fulfilled
3. Emotionally Wealthy Podcast Waitlist: https://tr.ee/tvJheN-ZuS
4. Free Guide – 5 Steps to Powerful Self-Awareness and More Authentic Connections: https://tr.ee/S9RaDg3Fjt
5. Books & Workbooks:
6. The Teenager’s Guide to Adulting Skills and Life Hacks: https://tr.ee/6m7QMNzVGw
7. Manage Your Anxiety Workbook & Journal: https://tr.ee/kzbcwm31SH
8. Review the Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1814244500?action=write-review
9. Allie Canton Substack: https://substack.com/@alliecanton

1. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karen_conlon_lcsw/
2. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61559407463659
3. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenconlonlcsw/
4. Threads: https://www.threads.com/@karen_conlon_lcsw
5. Substack: https://karenconlon.substack.com/
6. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCy-yaUREWiHBJNxwze7zI4w

1. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/emotionally-wealthy/id1814244500
2. Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1BxaZasAk68BD5mRkD59cI?si=b406d5735eae4304

What This Episode Is About

Many high-functioning adults experience a quiet emptiness even when life appears seamless on the outside. In this episode, Karen Conlon explores emotional numbness not as a flaw, but as a protective adaptation. She helps listeners understand how conditioning, early life experiences, and the constant pressure to perform can dull emotional awareness, leaving even successful, capable people feeling detached from their own lives.

Through gentle reflection and personal insight, Karen offers ways to reconnect with emotions in practical, accessible steps. From noticing subtle bodily sensations to naming feelings out loud and keeping a simple record of emotional experiences, she guides listeners toward reclaiming their emotional presence. This episode provides a space to recognize and honor your emotional reality, cultivating what Karen calls emotional wealth: a grounded, authentic connection to yourself and others.

Listeners will leave with clarity about why numbness happens, reassurance that it is neither weakness nor failure, and actionable practices to gradually bring themselves back to feeling alive and connected.

Who This Episode Is For

1. High achievers who feel disconnected despite external success
2. Adults who notice subtle emptiness in relationships or daily life
3. Those ready to explore emotional self-awareness without judgment
4. Listeners seeking tools to gently reconnect with feelings and inner truth

Key Themes

1. Emotional numbness as a protective strategy
2. The role of early conditioning in shaping emotional responses
3. Mindful noticing through body awareness
4. Naming feelings to reclaim emotional clarity
5. Journaling and tracking emotional experiences
6. Emotional wealth as awareness, not perfection

Thoughtful Takeaways

1. Feeling numb does not mean you are broken or weak
2. Emotional disconnection often develops as a survival strategy
3. Mindful noticing starts with your body, not forcing emotions
4. Speaking your feelings out loud affirms your inner experience
5. Keeping a record of feelings strengthens your connection to self
6. Emotional wealth grows through small, consistent awareness, not dramatic breakthroughs

Memorable Quotes

1. "Numbness is not a flaw. It is a protective strategy."
2. "Even nothing is a feeling."
3. "Your body tells you the truth about how you feel before your mind catches up."
4. "You can learn this. I have learned it. Others have learned it. You can too."
5. "Every moment of noticing builds a little more clarity, presence, and connection."
6. "Emotional wealth is not perfection. It is awareness."

Timestamped Chapters

00:00 Introduction: Understanding Emotional Numbness

01:55 How Numbness Shows Up in Life and Relationships

05:03 Numbness as a Protective Strategy

07:46 Beginning to Reconnect with Your Emotions

08:42 Mindful Noticing Through Your Body

11:02 Naming and Externalizing Feelings

13:17 Journaling and Maintaining Connection

14:09 Closing Reflection and Emotional Wealth

Gentle Reminder

If this episode resonates, start with one small practice today: pause, notice your body, and name a feeling out loud. Each moment of awareness is a step toward emotional wealth and a life lived more fully in connection with yourself and others.

Resources and Links Mentioned

1. Free Guide: 5 Steps to Powerful Self-Awareness and More Authentic Connections – https://tr.ee/S9RaDg3Fjt
2. Stan Store: https://stan.store/Karen_Conlon_Live_Fulfilled
3. Emotionally Wealthy Podcast Waitlist: https://tr.ee/tvJheN-ZuS
4. Books & Workbooks:
5. The Teenager’s Guide to Adulting Skills and Life Hacks – https://tr.ee/6m7QMNzVGw
6. Manage Your Anxiety Workbook & Journal – https://tr.ee/kzbcwm31SH
7. Review the Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1814244500?action=write-review

Listen to the Emotionally Wealthy Podcast Your Preferred Platform

1. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/emotionally-wealthy/id1814244500
2. Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1BxaZasAk68BD5mRkD59cI?si=b406d5735eae4304

Connect With Karen

1. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karen_conlon_lcsw/
2. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61559407463659
3. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenconlonlcsw/
4. Threads: https://www.threads.com/@karen_conlon_lcsw
5. Substack: https://karenconlon.substack.com/
6. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCy-yaUREWiHBJNxwze7zI4w

What This Episode is About

In this episode of the Emotionally Wealthy Podcast, Karen Conlon is joined by her husband, Jonathan, for a deeply honest conversation about what it truly takes to cultivate self-awareness and emotional connection within a long-term marriage. Together, they explore how childhood patterns, past relationships, and deeply ingrained family dynamics shape how we communicate, respond to triggers, and show up for the people we love most. This episode is a candid look at vulnerability, choice, and the ongoing work required to sustain a healthy, authentic relationship.

Karen and Jonathan share personal stories from their nearly two decades together, illustrating how therapy, reflection, and conscious communication can shift patterns that no longer serve us. They discuss the balance between fixing problems and simply listening, navigating triggers, and how emotional growth is not linear but essential for lasting intimacy. Listeners will gain a sense of reassurance that complexity in relationships is normal, and self-awareness is both the foundation and ongoing practice of relational resilience.

Through this conversation, high-functioning adults can reflect on their own relationships, recognize their own patterns, and approach connection with a deeper sense of choice, authenticity, and emotional clarity.

Who This Episode is For

1. Couples looking to strengthen communication and emotional connection
2. Individuals curious about how past experiences influence present relationships
3. High achievers who feel emotionally drained and seek clarity in their partnerships
4. Listeners interested in practical, reflective approaches to long-term commitment
5. Anyone navigating triggers, unresolved patterns, or relational fatigue

Key Themes and Topics Discussed

1. The role of childhood experiences and parentification in adult relationships
2. How therapy and reflection foster deeper self-awareness
3. Balancing problem-solving and empathetic listening
4. Understanding and navigating triggers in marriage
5. Conscious choice as the foundation of long-term commitment
6. Emotional caretaking and mutual responsibility in intimate partnerships
7. Maintaining authenticity and vulnerability over decades

Thoughtful Takeaways

1. Self-awareness is a practice, not a destination, and it strengthens relationships over time
2. Recognizing your own patterns allows for more conscious communication and choice
3. Vulnerability requires courage but fosters intimacy and trust
4. Emotional growth in one partner influences the dynamics of the entire relationship
5. Effective communication often means listening without needing to fix
6. Relationships are ongoing work, and commitment is a daily choice

Memorable Quotes

1. "You marry your unfinished business."
2. "I choose you, I choose us."
3. "It's a constant curiosity, a constant growing, communicating."
4. "We have to manage our relationship; it's work, and it is complex."
5. "Sometimes, stepping back allows the conversation to move forward."
6. "Our childhood patterns show up, but awareness gives us the power to respond differently."

Timestamped Chapters

1. 00:00 Introduction to Emotionally Wealthy Podcast
2. 02:39 Exploring Authenticity in Relationships
3. 05:54 Communication as the Core of Connection
4. 11:10 How Therapy Provides Insight
5. 15:30 Recognizing and Breaking Childhood Patterns
6. 22:59 Self-Awareness and Emotional Growth
7. 25:48 Navigating Values, Identity, and Personal Growth
8. 28:41 The Daily Choice of Commitment in Marriage
9. 30:31 Understanding and Responding to Triggers
10. 37:28 Balancing Listening and Problem-Solving
11. 41:43 Managing Long-Term Relationship Dynamics
12. 46:50 Vulnerability and Courage in Communication

Gentle Call to Action

If this conversation resonates with you, consider reflecting on your own patterns and choices in relationships. Even small shifts in awareness and communication can create more fulfilling, emotionally nourishing connections. Share this episode with someone who might benefit from hearing that complexity is normal and growth is possible.

Resources & Links Mentioned

1. Free Guide: 5 Steps to Powerful Self-Awareness and More Authentic Connections: https://tr.ee/S9RaDg3Fjt
2. Book Karen as a Podcast Guest: https://tr.ee/iWevZKi98b
3. Emotionally Wealthy Podcast Waitlist: https://tr.ee/tvJheN-ZuS
4. The Teenager’s Guide to Adulting Skills and Life Hacks: https://tr.ee/6m7QMNzVGw
5. Manage Your Anxiety Workbook & Journal: https://tr.ee/kzbcwm31SH
6. Stan Store (episodes and extras): https://stan.store/Karen_Conlon_Live_Fulfilled

Connect With Karen

1. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karen_conlon_lcsw/
2. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61559407463659
3. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenconlonlcsw/
4. Threads: https://www.threads.com/@karen_conlon_lcsw
5. Substack: https://karenconlon.substack.com/
6. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCy-yaUREWiHBJNxwze7zI4w

Review the Podcast:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1814244500?action=write-review

Listen to the Emotionally Wealthy Podcast Your Preferred Platform

1. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/emotionally-wealthy/id1814244500
2. Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1BxaZasAk68BD5mRkD59cI?si=b406d5735eae4304

Parenting is rarely as straightforward as we hope. In this episode of Emotionally Wealthy, Karen Conlon speaks with Cheryl Pankhurst, educator, coach, and advocate, about how our childhood experiences shape the parents we become. They explore how early emotional patterns influence decision-making, communication, and attunement with our children. Cheryl emphasizes that understanding triggers, modeling behavior, and nurturing curiosity are essential tools for fostering emotional intelligence in both parents and children.

The conversation centers on a profound principle: if children could, they would. This perspective invites parents to see behavior through a lens of empathy, reducing blame and opening space for connection. Cheryl and Karen discuss practical ways to empower children through decision-making, communication, and emotional vocabulary, while also highlighting the importance of self-awareness, reflection, and repairing relationships with compassion.

Listeners are offered guidance for breaking generational patterns, reclaiming emotional presence, and cultivating resilience. The episode underscores that purposeful parenting is not about perfection but about attunement, collaboration, and intentional connection. It’s a reminder that the work begins within, and that awareness in parents creates a foundation for emotionally self-aware children.

1. Parents navigating their own triggers while raising emotionally aware children
2. Caregivers seeking to model emotional intelligence rather than only instruct it
3. Adults reflecting on the influence of their own childhood on parenting choices
4. Those wanting to break generational cycles and foster resilience in their children
5. Parents looking to communicate effectively, collaborate, and nurture individuality

1. Parental attunement and the emotional needs of children
2. The impact of parental triggers and self-awareness on behavior
3. Modeling emotional intelligence instead of instructing it
4. Empowering children through choice and curiosity
5. Navigating differing expectations and standards between parents and children
6. Repairing relationships and fostering collaboration
7. Breaking generational patterns and reclaiming identity in parenting
8. The balance between emotional responsibility and self-abandonment

1. Emotional literacy in children is cultivated through parental modeling, not instruction
2. Seeing behavior through the lens of if they could, they would shifts perspective and reduces blame
3. Awareness of your own triggers allows for more attuned and responsive parenting
4. Collaboration and open communication strengthen parent-child connection
5. Positive reinforcement and curiosity enhance learning and resilience
6. Healing inherited emotional patterns frees parents to connect authentically with their children
7. Purposeful parenting requires reflection, practice, and ongoing self-awareness

1. “If they could, they would.”
2. “It’s not them, it’s you, and that’s where the magic happens.”
3. “Kids watch everything we do.”
4. “Curiosity is a powerful tool in parenting.”
5. “Nobody wants to fail math.”
6. “Positive reinforcement works.”

1. 00:00 Introduction to Emotionally Wealthy Podcast
2. 01:58 Understanding Parental Attunement
3. 06:01 The Importance of Individuality in Parenting
4. 11:47 Triggers and Self-Awareness in Parenting
5. 18:11 Modeling and Repairing Relationships
6. 24:04 Curiosity as a Parenting Tool
7. 30:08 Empowering Children Through Decision-Making
8. 36:02 The Concept of ‘If They Could, They Would’
9. 40:38 Understanding Collaboration in Parenting
10. 43:31 Navigating Standards and Expectations
11. 46:42 The Importance of Communication
12. 49:24 Building Resilience Through Experience
13. 52:21 Parental Attunement and Expressiveness
14. 56:21 Breaking Generational Patterns
15. 01:01:25 Taking Responsibility for Our Actions
16. 01:05:33 Empathy and Growth in Parenting

This conversation is a reminder that parenting is not about perfection. It’s about curiosity, awareness, and connection. Notice your triggers, pause, and reflect. Each small act of attunement and self-awareness contributes to stronger, more resilient relationships with your children. Begin where you are, and allow your own growth to guide theirs.

Cheryl Pankhurst – Insight to Impact Coaching

Website: cherylpankhurst.com

Instagram: @cheryl.a.pankhurst

Facebook: Cheryl Pankhurst

LinkedIn: Cheryl Ann Pankhurst

Website – Karen Conlon

https://karenconlon.com/

Stan Store – Podcast & Resources

https://stan.store/Karen_Conlon_Live_Fulfilled

Free Guide

5 Steps to Powerful Self-Awareness and More Authentic Connections

https://tr.ee/S9RaDg3Fjt

Books & Workbooks

The Teenager’s Guide to Adulting Skills and Life Hacks

https://tr.ee/6m7QMNzVGw

Manage Your Anxiety Workbook & Journal

https://tr.ee/kzbcwm31SH

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karen_conlon_lcsw/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61559407463659

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenconlonlcsw/

Threads: https://www.threads.com/@karen_conlon_lcsw

Substack: https://karenconlon.substack.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCy-yaUREWiHBJNxwze7zI4w

Review the Podcast:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1814244500?action=write-review

Listen to the Emotionally Wealthy Podcast Your Preferred Platform

1. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/emotionally-wealthy/id1814244500
2. Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1BxaZasAk68BD5mRkD59cI?si=b406d5735eae4304

Many high-functioning adults are deeply capable in their outer lives, yet quietly disconnected in their relationships. In this episode of Emotionally Wealthy, Karen Conlon explores why that gap exists and how early childhood conditioning shapes the emotional patterns we carry into adulthood. Rather than focusing on what is “wrong,” this conversation invites a more honest look at how survival strategies formed early on can continue to influence intimacy, communication, and emotional connection.

Karen introduces a practical and compassionate framework for understanding your emotional blueprint, with a focus on authenticity and self-awareness. Through real-world examples, she illustrates how learned roles like being the strong one, the fixer, or the easygoing one can block closeness, even in otherwise healthy relationships.

This episode offers a grounded starting point for anyone ready to move out of autopilot and into a more connected relationship with themselves and others. Not through perfection or self-criticism, but through awareness, compassion, and small intentional shifts that build true emotional wealth over time.

1. High achievers who feel emotionally tired despite doing everything “right”
2. People who notice repeating patterns in relationships and want to understand why
3. Those who struggle with vulnerability, asking for help, or expressing needs
4. Anyone who often carries the emotional weight in relationships
5. Listeners ready to build deeper emotional connection through self-awareness

1. How childhood conditioning shapes adult relationship dynamics
2. Emotional patterns learned through observation, not instruction
3. Why authenticity feels difficult even when it is deeply desired
4. The emotional cost of always being the strong or reliable one
5. Reconnecting with emotions through body awareness
6. Building emotional wealth through practice, not performance

1. Many relational struggles are rooted in early survival strategies, not personal failure
2. Awareness creates choice, and choice creates change
3. Authenticity requires safety within yourself before it can exist with others
4. Your body often recognizes emotional truth before your mind does
5. Compassion is not indulgence. It is a necessary part of emotional growth
6. Emotional connection with others begins with honest connection to yourself

1. “Awareness grows to connection.”
2. “That is not coincidence. That is conditioning.”
3. “You cannot change what you are not aware of.”
4. “Compassion is really important.”
5. “You do not have to perform for love anymore.”

1. 00:00 Introduction and emotional disconnection in high achievers
2. 02:57 Recognizing hidden relationship patterns
3. 05:50 Authenticity and the emotional blueprint
4. 09:11 Childhood conditioning and learned survival roles
5. 12:03 Unlearning patterns through awareness and practice
6. 21:01 Building emotional wealth through self-connection

If this episode helped you recognize something familiar, let it be a moment of curiosity rather than self-judgment. Awareness does not demand immediate change. It simply opens the door to choice. You are allowed to move at your own pace as you build a more honest and nourishing relationship with yourself.

Website

https://karenconlon.com/

Stan Store

https://stan.store/Karen_Conlon_Live_Fulfilled

Emotionally Wealthy Podcast

Join the Waitlist: https://tr.ee/tvJheN-ZuS

Book Karen as a Podcast Guest: https://tr.ee/iWevZKi98b

Free Guide

5 Steps to Powerful Self-Awareness and More Authentic Connections

https://tr.ee/S9RaDg3Fjt

Books & Workbooks

The Teenager’s Guide to Adulting Skills and Life Hacks

https://tr.ee/6m7QMNzVGw

Manage Your Anxiety Workbook & Journal

https://tr.ee/kzbcwm31SH

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karen_conlon_lcsw/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61559407463659

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenconlonlcsw/

Threads: https://www.threads.com/@karen_conlon_lcsw

Substack: https://karenconlon.substack.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCy-yaUREWiHBJNxwze7zI4w

Review the Podcast:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1814244500?action=write-review

Listen to the Emotionally Wealthy Podcast Your Preferred Platform

1. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/emotionally-wealthy/id1814244500
2. Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1BxaZasAk68BD5mRkD59cI?si=b406d5735eae4304

You know how to hold it all together. You manage, achieve, support, and show up. Yet somewhere beneath the competence and success, there is a quiet sense of emotional disconnection that you cannot quite name.

In the first episode of The Emotionally Wealthy Podcast, licensed therapist and transformational coach Karen Conlon explores why so many high-functioning adults feel unseen, emotionally lonely, or disconnected in their closest relationships. Drawing from her own lived experience and years of clinical work, Karen unpacks how childhood conditioning, emotional self-abandonment, and the pressure to be “the strong one” shape the way we relate to ourselves and others.

This episode is an invitation to stop assuming something is wrong with you and start understanding what shaped you. Through reflection, honesty, and grounded insight, Karen introduces emotional wealth as the foundation for healthier relationships, clearer boundaries, and a more connected inner life.

1. High achievers who feel emotionally tired despite outward success
2. People who were praised for being strong, capable, or self-sufficient
3. Anyone who feels needed but not truly seen in relationships
4. Listeners who struggle to ask for help or name their needs
5. Those ready to trade performance for emotional clarity and connection

1. Emotional disconnection in high-functioning adults
2. Childhood conditioning and emotional safety
3. The cost of being “the strong one”
4. Emotional self-abandonment and invisibility
5. Self-awareness as the foundation of emotional health
6. Boundaries, discomfort, and emotional growth
7. Building emotional wealth from the inside out

1. Emotional loneliness does not always look like being alone
2. You can be loved and still feel unseen
3. Many coping patterns once kept you safe but no longer serve you
4. Self-awareness is not comfortable, but it is transformative
5. Boundaries support emotional safety, not distance
6. Discomfort is often a sign of growth, not failure
7. Emotional wealth begins with the relationship you have with yourself

1. “You can be loved and still feel unseen.”
2. “You can’t change what you are not aware of.”
3. “You disappear quietly, even to yourself.”
4. “You are not broken. You are waking up.”
5. “You deserve to feel grounded and connected.”

1. 00:00 Introduction to Emotional Wealth
2. 03:01 The Cost of Being the Strong One
3. 05:58 Childhood Conditioning and Emotional Needs
4. 08:47 Emotional Self-Abandonment Explained
5. 11:55 Feeling Unseen in Relationships
6. 14:50 The Journey to Self-Awareness
7. 18:13 What Emotional Wealth Really Means
8. 21:05 Boundaries, Discomfort, and Growth
9. 23:51 Closing Reflections and Next Steps

Each week on The Emotionally Wealthy Podcast, you will explore how childhood conditioning shows up in adult relationships, why your body’s signals matter, and what it actually takes to stop performing and start living with emotional clarity. This is not surface-level advice or abstract therapy. It is grounded, honest conversation for people who have lived too long in performance mode.

If this episode resonated with you, take a moment to sit with what you noticed about yourself while listening. Awareness is the first step. And if you know someone who feels needed but unseen, share this episode with them.

Website

https://karenconlon.com/

Stan Store

https://stan.store/Karen_Conlon_Live_Fulfilled

Emotionally Wealthy Podcast

Join the Waitlist: https://tr.ee/tvJheN-ZuS

Book Karen as a Podcast Guest: https://tr.ee/iWevZKi98b

Free Guide

5 Steps to Powerful Self-Awareness and More Authentic Connections

https://tr.ee/S9RaDg3Fjt

Books & Workbooks

The Teenager’s Guide to Adulting Skills and Life Hacks

https://tr.ee/6m7QMNzVGw

Manage Your Anxiety Workbook & Journal

https://tr.ee/kzbcwm31SH

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karen_conlon_lcsw/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61559407463659

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenconlonlcsw/

Threads: https://www.threads.com/@karen_conlon_lcsw

Substack: https://karenconlon.substack.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCy-yaUREWiHBJNxwze7zI4w

Review the Podcast:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1814244500?action=write-review

Listen to the Emotionally Wealthy Podcast Your Preferred Platform

1. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/emotionally-wealthy/id1814244500
2. Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1BxaZasAk68BD5mRkD59cI?si=b406d5735eae4304

You did what you were supposed to do. You became capable, dependable, successful. You learned how to show up, get things done, and be the person others rely on. And yet, when it comes to your relationships, something still feels off. Not broken. Just quietly unsatisfying.

In this trailer for The Emotionally Wealthy Podcast, licensed psychotherapist and coach Karen Conlon speaks directly to high-functioning adults who have learned how to manage relationships rather than experience them. She explores how early conditioning, emotional self-silencing, and achievement-based worth shape the way we connect as adults, often leaving us feeling responsible for others while emotionally unseen ourselves.

This podcast is not about doing more or fixing yourself. It is about developing emotional clarity, learning to name what you feel, and building relationships that feel mutual instead of managed. If you are emotionally aware but emotionally tired, this space was created with you in mind.

1. High achievers who feel emotionally disconnected despite external success
2. People who were praised for being strong, easy, or low maintenance
3. Adults who manage relationships instead of feeling held within them
4. Listeners who struggle to ask for needs without guilt
5. Anyone ready to move from performance-based connection to emotional presence

1. Emotional conditioning in high-functioning adults
2. Achievement as a substitute for emotional safety
3. Managing relationships versus experiencing connection
4. Emotional self-silencing and unmet needs
5. Boundaries, guilt, and fear of abandonment
6. Emotional clarity as the foundation of emotional wealth

1. Feeling unseen does not mean something is wrong with you
2. Emotional exhaustion often comes from carrying too much relational responsibility
3. Many adult relationship struggles are rooted in early conditioning, not failure
4. Connection deepens when needs are named, not managed around
5. Emotional wealth is built through presence, not productivity

1. “I’ve done everything right. So why do my relationships still feel so hard?”
2. “When you grow up being praised for being strong, you learn to manage relationships instead of experiencing them.”
3. “This isn’t because you’re broken. It’s because you’ve been conditioned.”
4. “Emotional clarity does not come from doing more. It comes from feeling more.”
5. “You deserve to be met, not just admired for what you bring to the table.”

If this trailer resonates, you do not need to rush to fix anything. Notice what felt familiar. Notice what softened. This podcast is an ongoing conversation about reconnecting with yourself so your relationships no longer feel like something you have to manage alone.

When you are ready, you are welcome here.

Website

https://karenconlon.com/

Stan Store

https://stan.store/Karen_Conlon_Live_Fulfilled

Emotionally Wealthy Podcast

Join the Waitlist: https://tr.ee/tvJheN-ZuS

Book Karen as a Podcast Guest: https://tr.ee/iWevZKi98b

Free Guide

5 Steps to Powerful Self-Awareness and More Authentic Connections

https://tr.ee/S9RaDg3Fjt

Books & Workbooks

The Teenager’s Guide to Adulting Skills and Life Hacks

https://tr.ee/6m7QMNzVGw

Manage Your Anxiety Workbook & Journal

https://tr.ee/kzbcwm31SH

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karen_conlon_lcsw/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61559407463659

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenconlonlcsw/

Threads: https://www.threads.com/@karen_conlon_lcsw

Substack: https://karenconlon.substack.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCy-yaUREWiHBJNxwze7zI4w

Podcast Access

For now, all podcast access and updates are available via the Stan Store:

https://stan.store/Karen_Conlon_Live_Fulfilled