Insights with Us

What is one change you made in your life that improved your mental health? What is a disturbing realization about human psychology that you can’t unlearn? What is one relationship truth you wish more people were honest about? What is a green flag in a person that almost nobody notices? 

Today, I answer these questions and go down the rabbit hole of my brain. Let’s invite curiosity and self-compassion in and build some insight. 

What to expect in this episode:

00:38 Whatever You Choose, Is Right

06:34 Redefining Exercise

11:57 The Dark Side of Healing

16:03 Listening To Body

18:19 Relationship Truths

23:05 Matched Effort Green Flag

29:25 Outro, please support us!

Join us for a cozy, acceptance-focused podcast episode featuring author Adison Black, author of Deathly Flowers and Lotus’s Revenge. Adison shares how a discouraging teacher derailed her childhood writing dream, her attempt to find a job that led to burnout and trauma, and how she found her love of writing again. She talks about the inspiration behind her story, the lore and magic laws of her world, and how she healed through writing. 

We discuss our favorite cozy reads, big dreams, and getting uncomfortable in order to grow. 

Connect with Adison:

https://byadisonblack.com/

@byadisonblack

What to expect in this episode:

02:32 Adison Origin Story

06:56 Why Ancient Egypt

14:47 Cozy Vibes

31:44 More Story Please

32:14 Planning A Series

33:06 Magic Lore Deep Dive

39:07 Writing As Healing

48:59 Comfortable Vulnerability

54:52 Handling Criticism And Growth

01:01:17 Cozy Season Wrap Up

Adriana Lapusniak, a radical self-acceptance coach and wellness educator shares her journey with late-diagnosed autism, building acceptance, reducing shame, and creating community. Adriana describes being highly sensitive and feeling unsupported by a productivity-driven world, then “failing forward” into mindfulness teaching, coaching, and community-building on Insight Timer and through Adriana Alternative. 

Connect with her:

https://adrianaalternative.com/

@adrianaalternative 

What to expect in this episode:

01:10 Adriana Origin Story

02:56 Sensitivity and Society

12:59 Late Autism Diagnosis

18:31 Radical Self Acceptance

27:04 Many Paths One Career

34:47 Curiosity and Spirituality

41:15 Community and Decolonization

48:11 Making Space In The System

56:18 Resources

01:02:44 Acceptance Over Self Criticism

Navigating chronic illness with nurse and fitness coach Amanda Kunzinger. Amanda shares her journey with Crohn’s disease and realizing her identity is more than being “the sick girl.” She explains how fitness, self-reflection, and learning to listen to her body transformed her physical and mental health, leading her to start a coaching business to help others. Join us as we talk about tracking patterns, flexibility, and focusing on consistency. We explore client readiness, medical stability, and dreams of building a supportive community for “spoonie” athletes.

Connect with Amanda:

@amanda.kunzinger  

akhealthfitness.com

In this episode:

01:23 Amanda Origin Story

04:49 Fitness Shift and Identity

11:57 Starting the Coaching Business

20:13 All or Nothing Trap

36:26 Signs You're Overdoing It

42:59 Dreaming Bigger

48:06 In The Trenches

54:16 Finding Fitness Again

01:04:07 Travel Nurse Leap

01:08:43 Be Delusional, Have Audacity

Fan questions, relationship edition! We explore inevitable change, how to stay curious in relationships, navigating recurring conflict (and research from the Gottman Institute to back it up), and how to strengthen the benefit of the doubt.  

What to expect in this episode:

00:45 Partner Changing

03:42 Staying Connected

09:41 Same Fight Loop

10:15 Perpetual Problems

13:36 Chores and Mental Load

19:49 Five to One Ratio

Spells for Surviving a Haunted Childhood by Barbara Latinka

Host Anastasia interviews author Barbara about her three-book series, Spells for Surviving a Haunted Childhood, written during trauma therapy to process childhood abuse, neglect, and feelings of worthlessness. We explore themes of healing work, magic in the world, neglect, boundaries, and the reality of being hurt and human.

Instagram: @hauntedchildhoodspells  

Website: hauntedlight.com

What to expect in this episode:

00:00 Meet Barbara and her book

01:35 Origin of the Spellbook Memoir

09:06 Rewriting the Narrative

12:27 Inner Child and Being Witnessed

28:13 Universe Magic and Signs

34:06 Perfectionism and Parenting

40:34 Inner Child Healing

48:01 Future Dreams

56:31 One Caring Adult

58:17 Where to buy the Book

How do I not freak out when things don't go as planned? How do I become more spontaneous? How are you dealing with everything in the world? How do I achieve my dreams? These are the questions explored in today's episode of Insights with Us. Join us, and let's see if we can build insight together on this journey of life. 

What to expect in this episode?

00:00 Welcome and Mission

01:28 Q1: How do I not freak out when things don’t go as planned?

03:20 Three Cs Regulation

07:26 Q2: How do I become more spontaneous?

09:21 Hexaflex Breakdown

16:10 Building Flexible Plans

21:02 Q3: How are you dealing with everything in the world?

30:43 Q4: How do I achieve my dreams?

Dr. Damijey is here to remind us that we are not alone. As board-certified endocrinologist, Dr. Damijey is on a mission to explain endocrinology and help us understand our options and how to advocate for ourselves. Dr. Dami emphasizes women’s health topics including PCOS (note: it has been renamed PMOS since our recording), menopause, osteoporosis, thyroid, and metabolic issues. She emphasizes the importance of recognizing symptoms, seeking second opinions, and finding clinicians who listen.

Follow her @hormoneswithdrdamijey 

What to expect in this episode:

01:51 What Endocrinologists Do

09:23 Work Life Balance

11:21 Why Womens Health Matters

20:30 Fighting For The Right Doctor

25:40 Making Science Understandable

31:44 Osteoporosis Prevention Basics

38:58 Fueling and Blood Sugar

45:36 Holistic Mind Body Balance

46:33 Speak Up and Free Guides

Our guest today is Sophia McGovern: a mother writer, editor, and founder of Little Somethings Press, a Tempe-based handmade press that has produced about 1,000 books over seven years and published about 200 contributors worldwide. She shares fears about losing her creative identity during pregnancy, her postpartum experience, and how creating and writing helped her process her experience and reconnect with herself. Sophia discusses an “ecosystem” of mothers, shifting cultural support for mother artists, and what it means to heal shame and stay authentic. 

@littlesomethingspress on Instagram

littlesomethingspress.com

What to expect in this episode:

01:18 Meet Sophia And Little Somethings Press

08:27 Pregnancy Fears And Identity

16:55 Birth Story And Family Healing

20:15 Postpartum Reality And Love

28:10 Creativity After Baby Arrives

33:42 Ecosystem Of Mothers

40:23 Mother Artists Rising

50:22 The Challenges of Pregnancy and Parenthood

58:04 Pillow Talk and Healing Through Humor

AMA: Boundaries,, Depth, and Self-Love in Relationships

Another AMA, and I love it! Today, Anastasia answers fan-questions about effort and healing in relationships, boundaries, and love. We use metaphors, talk philosophy, and get messy and complicated as we explore the human experience. These answers are contextual and not a substitute for therapy. 

What to expect in this episode:

00:00 Welcome

02:19 Q1: Now that I’m setting boundaries, I’m feeling lonely. What happened? 

08:39 Actions Over Words

11:40 Q2: I feel really guilty when I set boundaries, how do I stop this? 

12:02 How to navigate guilt

18:47 Q3: I want a deep and meaningful relationship, and no one can meet me there, am I alone in this?

23:17 Healing Depth Metaphors

28:53 Growing Together

32:05 Q4: Do I need to love myself before I can let someone else love me?

39:21 Gottman Effort Insight

41:19 Wrap Up