Insights with Us

Insights with Us has its first AMA! The theme of this AMA: regulation and interpersonal dynamics. We talk about the window of tolerance, the emotional backpack, and attachment styles if they were buckets waiting for love. 

If you have any questions you’d like answered in a future AMA, send questions to:

[email protected]

OR

@insightswithuspodcast 

01:15 Q1: Do therapists care about their clients?

04:44 Q2: How can you repair with yourself when the person you’re in conflict with isn’t interested?

05:34 Window Of Tolerance

09:01 Acceptance And Perspective

13:52 Meaning Making And Grief

19:34 Q3: How do I change the way I regulate my nervous system?

24:15 Emotional Backpack Metaphor

26:34 Building Regulation Skills

37:35 Q4: Can you explain attachment styles to me?

41:00 Four Attachment Categories

43:16 Secure Attachment

44:43 Preoccupied Anxious

46:15 Dismissive Avoidant

47:33 Disorganized

54:22 Reassurance Heals

01:02:24 Repair After Ruptures

Stephanie Sonntag, chief therapist and co-founder of NextTherapist joins Insights with Us! NextTherapist is a platform created to address the challenge of getting therapeutic support when you need it, instead of waiting weeks for a potential fit. Stephanie shares her journey of uncertainty and trying several different paths including journalism, non-profit work, mental health work and advocacy, before settling into EMDR and being a business owner with the drive to help others.  We emphasize the importance of therapist-client fit, the realities of entrepreneurship, and the value of authenticity and acknowledging ongoing anxiety and struggle.

Check it out:

https://nexttherapist.com/

@nexttherapist

What to expect in this episode:

00:16 Meet Stephanie and Next Therapist

04:19 Stephanie’s Winding Career Path

11:58 Becoming a Therapist and the Myth of Having It Together

20:48 Private Practice and Burnout

22:39 The Idea Behind Next Therapist

27:23 Why Fit Matters

34:09 How Next Therapist Works

42:05 Building The Platform

49:01 Big Dreams

53:25 Authenticity And Being Human

How can you follow your dreams while honoring your limits? I want to share with you my journey of learning about my body, my chronic pain, and the decades it took to start understanding my rhythm.

I had to grieve the life I thought I would have, shifting from “pushing through” to listening to my body, setting boundaries, and experimenting with new ways of showing up including: cycle-based tracking, flexibility with my routine and workouts, and having curiosity for what my body tells me.

I end with reflective questions encouraging you to zoom out, notice patterns, trust your experience, and set yourself up for success. 

01:46 Dreams vs Capacity

05:00 Pain Since Childhood

08:50 College Burnout Coping

10:48 TMJ Diagnosis Breakthrough

15:21 Acceptance and Boundaries

18:41 Tiny Goals and Self Compassion

21:29 Cycles and Fitness

31:51 Chronic Pain and EDS Clues

37:16 Zoom Out Reflection Questions

This episode of Insights with Us features Ginny MacColl, Guinness World Record holder as the oldest female ninja competitor, former Broadway dancer in Pippin (1974–76), commercial actor, and mother of two incredible children, including Ninja Warrior Jesse Graff. In this episode, Ginny shares what it’s like performing under pressure and the mental strategies she uses on American Ninja Warrior. Ginny advocates for strength training and resistance work for mobility and bone-loss prevention, discussing osteopenia, menopause-related bone density loss, and the value of proper form and trainers. She discusses the joys of life after 60, finding fun in new adventures, and her dreams for the next few decades.

You can find her on instagram: @ginnymaccoll 

What to expect in this episode:

00:16 Meet Ginny MacColl

01:48 A Joyful Memory

06:29 Broadway to Commercials

09:42 Nerves and Ninja Mindset

17:33 Aging Strong and Saying Yes

29:07 New Goals

35:34 Returning to Acting

43:45 Osteopenia Wake Up Call

47:15 Strength Is Ageless

52:46 Daily Goals and Micro Habits

01:02:15 Resilience Through Hard Seasons

01:05:13 Conclusions

Listen to the journey of four contributors to the bestselling anthology Pillow Talk, noted as a CBC 2026 books-to-read pick. We explore their stories, writing processes, and what’s next for each of them. 

Author 1: Simarbir.

@simar.bookish.dreamer

Author 2: Kate. 

@heskett.kate 

Author 3: Andrea.

@the_world_of_caracopia 

https://caracopia.com/

https://www.patreon.com/cw/TheWorldofCaraCopia

https://www.youtube.com/@TheWorldofCaraCopia

Author 4: Dean.

@dees.healing.hands 

https://substack.com/@boyswhobleed 

What to expect in this episode:

01:36 Meet Simarbir (Lessons in Loveology)

05:39 Writing Boundaries And Humor

09:59 Erotic Literature Hack

20:52 Shoutout And Brave Stories

25:14 Meet Kate (Pineapples in the Snow)

29:21 Identity And Vulnerability

37:47 Safe Spaces And Community

47:40 Meet Andrea (Sex Education)

52:32 Asexual Validation

56:39 Self Acceptance Shift

01:08:06 Meet Dean (Boyfriend Duties)

01:11:18 Writing Boyfriend Duties

01:18:10 Love In Mess of Being Human

01:28:04 Print vs Audiobook

01:30:14 Love Stories

Renee, a feminist leadership and cycle syncing coach, joins Insights with Us to discuss her book, Cycle Sync your Business, on how menstrual cycles and hormones affect women’s energy, emotions, productivity, and well-being throughout the month, and how understanding these rhythms can reduce burnout and increase self-permission. 

We discuss aligning exercise and work with cycle phases, using awareness and the process of allowing to listen to the body rather than forcing rigid schedules, and making small intentional choices. Renee reframes menstrual and luteal phases as sources of intuition, vision-setting, insight, and empathy, and emphasizes understanding your individual body and how to work with it. 

You can find Renae:

https://renaefieck.com/

@renaefieck 

What you can expect in this episode:

01:37 Book Origins and Burnout

06:35 Cycles and Ebb Flow

13:32 Magic of Allowing

23:43 Awareness and Luteal Reframe

27:10 Menstrual Phase Reframe

29:45 Follicular to Ovulation High

31:13 Luteal Phase Insights

36:07 Cycle Strengths and Burnout

41:29 Business Mission Heck Yes

45:23 Cyclical for Everyone

47:25 Wrap Up and Resources

Let’s talk about long-term goals: how to identify them, start them, and endure the frustration of slow progress without giving up. Long-term goals require flexible cycles of progress and rest, and today we talk about what that might look like. This episode ends with a guided thought experiment about what future you are working towards.

02:34 Pick Your Goal

04:25 When Motivation Fades

10:09 Rest Without Guilt

15:09 Avoid Short Term Traps

17:33 Guided Thought Experiment

Pillow Talk:  Real People. Real Stories. Real Awkward. (an awfully hilarious anthology) is available now! The audiobook is available on February 18th (on sale), get your copy and let’s heal together.

In this episode, we explore themes of sex, intimacy, and empowerment while celebrating our shared journey of writing and community building. Heather shares insights into the collaborative process of creating the book, the importance of trauma-informed approaches, and the significance of laughter and vulnerability in storytelling. We also delve into the healing power of self-exploration, connection, and community. Anastasia reflects on the experience of becoming a published author through the project. The episode emphasizes the joy of authentic connections and the therapeutic potential of sharing personal stories.

What is Pillow Talk? It's smashing stigma with story, eighteen writers share frank and funny stories of their intimate experiences—celebrating moments of passion, and laying bare others they’d rather forget. Disappointing and humiliating encounters are interlaced with  instances of joy and self-discovery in a book that validates all manifestations of desire.

00:00 Welcome and Introduction

05:12 Discussing 'Pillow Talk' and 'Foreplay'

17:28 Community and Connection

31:22 The Importance of Foreplay

40:06 The Power of the Erotic

44:13 The Importance of Trauma-Informed Approaches

47:35 Building Community and Support

49:41 Upcoming Projects and Initiatives

56:06 The Power of Community and Connection

01:09:33 Final Thoughts and Resources

Welcome back to the ‘Insights with Us’ podcast! My mission is to build a community rooted in acceptance and authenticity. In this episode, I want to reflect on the podcast’s journey over the past two years and share exciting plans for 2026 before we dive into the idea of shadow work, which involves confronting and understanding the parts of ourselves that we typically avoid so we can break old patterns and heal. Let’s get vulnerable and build insight together.

00:17 Reflecting on the Journey and 2026 Plans

01:43 Gratitude and Guest Highlights

04:55 Shadow Work and Personal Growth

09:15 Understanding and Embracing Shadow Selves

19:00 Setting Boundaries and Authenticity

32:43 Questions for Self-Reflection

37:34 Conclusion

In this episode, we join Brittaney Latta, a queer trauma therapist, as she shares her personal journey of overcoming childhood trauma and finding safety in adulthood. She shares the challenges and triumphs of starting her own private practice and her commitment to creating safe and affirming spaces for the LGBTQ+ community. Brittaney also introduces her innovative project—the Queer Rebels Box—a curated set of sensory coping tools designed for neurodivergent queer individuals. The discussion touches on the importance of boundaries, the complexities of queer identity, and actionable steps allies can take to support and protect the LGBTQ+ community.

00:00 Introduction and Welcoming

00:14 Brittaney's Background and Upbringing

07:25 Building a Safe and Sober Life

14:31 Building a Practice and Boundaries

33:10 Acceptance

37:07 The Importance of Safe Spaces

45:52 The Role of Allies

59:50 The Beauty of Non-Conformity

01:03:53 Final Thoughts and Intentions