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Mary Ann Hughes shares her experience as part of the sandwich generation, balancing care for her two adult sons with autism while supporting her elderly mother after a health crisis. She brings wisdom, compassion, and practical strategies for maintaining boundaries and finding yourself amid overwhelming caregiving responsibilities.

• Navigating the simultaneous care of aging parents and neurodiverse adult children
• Finding appropriate support systems when crises emerge
• Building a business to help families navigate special needs and divorce
• Managing the grief process while adapting to changing family dynamics
• Creating boundaries to maintain mental health and personal identity
• Becoming more compassionate and open through caregiving challenges
• Understanding that some days are neat "finger sandwiches" while others are messy "club sandwiches"
• Learning when and how to ask for help

If you're interested in connecting with Mary Ann Hughes, visit her website at www.specialfamilytransitions.com or find her on social media under Special Family Transitions. All her other sites are here:

Special Family Transitions Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/specialfamilytransitions

Special Family Transitions on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/specialfamilytransitions/

Special Family Transitions YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/@specialfamilytransitions

TikTok:

https://www.tiktok.com/@SpecialFamilyTransitions

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-ann-hughes-special-family-transitions/

Personal Facebook profile:

https://bit.ly/MaryAnnPanoHughes

Private Facebook group:

bit.ly/specialneedsdivorcesupport

RISE Mini-Course:

https://bit.ly/SpNeedsDivorce

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Michele Lefler joins us to explore shadow work, revealing how this misunderstood practice combines psychology with spiritual elements to help us embrace all parts of ourselves.

• Shadow work addresses aspects of our personality society conditions us to suppress or hide
• Michele describes her approach as "spicy psychology" – blending traditional psychology with spiritual elements
• Emotions like anger aren't negative – they're signals that boundaries are being crossed
• Repressing parts of ourselves creates anxiety, depression, and disconnection from our authentic selves
• The things that irritate us about others often reflect unacknowledged aspects of ourselves
• Simple practices like journaling, voice recording, or oracle cards can be entry points to shadow work
• Shamanic healing and soul retrieval can help recover aspects of ourselves we've disconnected from
• Reconnecting with nature helps us become more attuned to our own bodies and minds
• Toxic positivity prevents us from processing difficult emotions authentically
• Balance is key – "You can't have all light, you can't have all dark. You need to be a panda"

For Michele's free "Breaking Up With Toxic Positivity" email series check it out here. To learn more about shadow work, shamanism and much more, visit michelelefler.com or email [email protected].

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Sally Raymond, a psychotherapist and mother, shares how her brilliant son John's suicide catapulted her into a lifelong mission to understand what she missed and help other parents recognize warning signs. Through her heartbreak and professional training, she discovered how early childhood experiences and developmental stages can create vulnerabilities that might contribute to suicidal thoughts later in life.

• John's broken collarbone at birth created trust issues that affected his entire life
• Early childhood developmental stages create foundations for later resilience or vulnerability
• Academic success can sometimes mask internal struggles
• Signs of suicidal thoughts include isolation, sleep changes, and sudden mood improvements
• Asking directly about suicidal thoughts doesn't put the idea in someone's mind
• Sally developed school programs teaching communication and leadership skills
• Every person is the center of a galaxy of relationships that changes when they're gone
• Processing grief requires finding purpose and meaning in the loss

If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please reach out. Call or text 988 to connect with a trained crisis counselor 24-7, or look for your local helpline.

Check out Sally's Book here: The Son I Knew Too Late: A Guide To Help You Survive And Thrive

Check out her website at: https://sallyaraymond.com/

*Please know that some links I share will give me a small amount of money to thank me for sending you their way.  This is at no extra cost to you and helps me buy a cup of coffee if I'm lucky. :-)

Get a free week of inbox coaching. After that it's only $30 a week.  Less than a tank of gas. Unlimited e-mailing, a coach in your back pocket and non-judgmental support on your terms.

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A debilitating fear that often goes unacknowledged – but what if that fear has four legs and follows you everywhere you go? 

Stefani Cohen, a licensed clinical social worker with extensive experience helping children and families, joins us to shed light on an overlooked phobia that restricts countless lives. Unlike fears of heights or spiders that only occasionally interfere with daily activities, cynophobia (fear of dogs) creates constant limitations in a world where our canine companions are everywhere – from neighborhoods and parks to friends' homes and outdoor cafes.

Through fascinating insights and practical wisdom, Stefani reveals how well-intentioned actions often backfire. When parents help children avoid dogs or hosts put their pets away during visits, they inadvertently reinforce the message that dogs are dangerous, creating a cycle where fears intensify rather than fade. "By putting the dog away, that inadvertently reinforces the fear... the translation is: wow, that dog must be dangerous," Stephanie explains.

The conversation takes us through her unique methodology combining exposure therapy with education about dog communication. We learn why meeting dogs outside on leash reduces anxiety, how to recognize the warning signs that precede 99% of dog bites, and why standing still like a tree rather than running is essential safety knowledge. For those facing immediate threats, Stefani shares the life-saving advice to "crouch down like a rock and cover your head."

What makes this approach truly transformative goes beyond dog interactions. When children overcome significant fears, they develop confidence that transfers to other life challenges. "I want you to remember – if you can do this, you can do anything," Stefani tells her clients. Her success stories – from the seven-year-old who progressed from crying in her car to confidently petting a therapy dog, to the six-year-old who went from hiding behind furniture to showing a dog her dance moves – demonstrate the profound impact of facing fears with proper support.

Whether you're personally affected by dog phobia or supporting someone who is, this eye-opening conversation offers hope, practical strategies, and a path forward. Connect with Stefani through her books "Overcoming Your Child's Fear of Dogs" and "How to Face My Fear of Dogs," or reach out directly for consultation that could change your relationship with the canine world forever.

Stefani's groundbreaking wor

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"When you die, you're never going to wish you worked more." These words from Tori Jenae's grandfather became a guiding light through her darkest moments. As a trauma-informed confidence coach who has walked through fire – from childhood trauma to profound loss, from adrenal failure to divorce – Tori brings hard-earned wisdom to women caught in cycles of burnout and overwhelm.

The modern woman's burnout crisis isn't just about being busy. Women today are primary breadwinners, caregivers, emotional laborers, and household managers – all while our society still operates on outdated schemas about who should handle what. We've only had access to our own bank accounts since 1974, yet we're expected to excel in every domain without letting anything drop. The result? An epidemic of exhaustion that manifests as mood swings, disrupted sleep, digestive issues, and a pervasive feeling of hopelessness.

For Tori, burnout became life-threatening when her extremely long workweeks and perfectionism led to Addison's disease – her adrenal glands simply quit functioning. Her healing journey revealed that burnout stems from deeper patterns: people-pleasing, boundary challenges, and finding worth in achievement rather than existence. The path forward begins with what she calls the ABCs: Awareness something needs to change, examining the Beliefs driving our behavior, and Calming our nervous systems through practices that regulate our bodies' stress responses.

When we heal and evolve, our relationships often face growing pains too. Tori shares how her own marriage ended when her personal growth created an energetic imbalance the relationship couldn't bridge. Yet she emphasizes that couples who choose to "fall in love with new versions of each other over and over" can transform together rather than grow apart.

Whether you're running on empty or supporting someone who is, this episode offers both practical tools and soul-deep permission to put yourself back on your own priority list. Connect with Tori at www.torijenae.com or @ToriJenae on Instagram to continue your journey from burnout to breakthrough.

Get a free week of inbox coaching. After that it's only $30 a week.  Less than a tank of gas. Unlimited e-mailing, a coach in your back pocket and non-judgmental support on your terms.

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Get a free week of inbox coaching. After that it's only $30 a week.  Less than a tank of gas. Unlimited e-mailing, a coach in your back pocket and non-judgmental support on your terms.

Support the show

Sign up for Amy's Inbox Coaching and receive unlimited e-mail responses to your e-mails in a safe and non-judgmental environment where you don't have to be on, not on zoom, not on a phone call, just e-mailing in your pjs or on your lunch at work, or at 2am when you can't sleep, on your time.

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Listen to Amy an Lori talk mental health, neurodivergence and spirituality. This time Amy, Mental Health Warrior & Neurospicy Mama, is on the hotseat and Lori Kirstein from the Goodbye Goodgirl Project has the interviewer's mic.

Check out Lori's Youtube show under The Goodbye Goodgirl Project.  Make sure to subscribe and leave a thumbs up on this episode. https://youtu.be/d4ZR5Eu7iwI?si=K9TfxTf2bL1Bd1LZ

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Sign up for Amy's Inbox Coaching and receive unlimited e-mail responses to your e-mails in a safe and non-judgmental environment where you don't have to be on, not on zoom, not on a phone call, just e-mailing in your pjs or on your lunch at work, or at 2am when you can't sleep, on your time.

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Family Constellation work reveals how multigenerational trauma affects our parenting and offers a path to healing these inherited patterns for more conscious connections with our children.

• Family Constellation is a healing modality that traces current challenges back to events up to seven generations ago
• Trauma can be carried in our DNA, affecting us even if we had a "good childhood"
• The goal isn't to uncover all family secrets but to release burdens that never belonged to us
• You don't need to reconnect with difficult parents to heal your relationship with them
• Children under 18 are energetically connected to parents and often mirror what needs healing in us
• A child's challenging behavior is often signaling something unresolved within the parent
• Our children come into our lives with soul contracts to teach us specific lessons
• Resistance to healing is common and often requires hitting "rock bottom" before change occurs
• The newer generations are more open to changing parenting patterns than previous ones
• We always have a choice to heal and move forward from inherited patterns

If you're curious to learn more or feel called to dive deeper, check out Blanca's website at awarenest.net where you can book a free introductory call.

And if you'd like to support me in my podcasting journey and get some free bonus episodes that everybody else can't listen to. You'll also have early access to each episode.

Get a free week of inbox coaching. After that it's only $30 a week.  Less than a tank of gas. Unlimited e-mailing, a coach in your back pocket and non-judgmental support on your terms.

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Sign up for Amy's Inbox Coaching and receive unlimited e-mail responses to your e-mails in a safe and non-judgmental environment where you don't have to be on, not on zoom, not on a phone call, just e-mailing in your pjs or on your lunch at work, or at 2am when you can't sleep, on your time.

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Lori Kirstein opens up about overcoming decades of depression and anxiety through emotional energetics and spirituality after losing her mother to cancer at age 21. She shares how shifting from following rules to honoring her authentic emotions transformed her mental wellbeing and empowered her to help others.

• Lost her mother to cancer after 11 years of illness, leading to decades of clinical depression
• Discovered spiritual awakening through books and meeting the Indian spiritual teacher Amachi
• Felt temporary relief from spiritual experiences but continued to battle deep depression
• Created the Goodbye Good Girl Project to help women break free from disempowering patterns
• Experienced a breakthrough using Abraham Hicks-inspired "rampages" of appreciation and self-love
• Lifted her depression in just five days through focused emotional journaling techniques
• Maintains her mental wellbeing by putting emotions first and recognizing her worth
• Believes in creating "breakdown to breakthrough" moments in personal healing
• Now coaches other women on leadership and emotional energetics
• Offers free 30-minute strategy calls to help women step into their ease and strength

Connect with Lori through her website and take advantage of her free 30-minute strategy call. The links are in the show notes.

https://tidycal.com/goodbyegoodgirlproject/strategysession

Get a free week of inbox coaching. After that it's only $30 a week.  Less than a tank of gas. Unlimited e-mailing, a coach in your back pocket and non-judgmental support on your terms.

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Sign up for Amy's Inbox Coaching and receive unlimited e-mail responses to your e-mails in a safe and non-judgmental environment where you don't have to be on, not on zoom, not on a phone call, just e-mailing in your pjs or on your lunch at work, or at 2am when you can't sleep, on your time.

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WE NEED YOU!

Want to be a guest on Mental Health Warrior & Neurospicy Mama? Send Amy Taylor a message on PodMatch, here:

https://www.joinpodmatch.com/advancingwithamy

Send us a text

Get a free week of inbox coaching. After that it's only $30 a week.  Less than a tank of gas. Unlimited e-mailing, a coach in your back pocket and non-judgmental support on your terms.

Support the show

Sign up for Amy's Inbox Coaching and receive unlimited e-mail responses to your e-mails in a safe and non-judgmental environment where you don't have to be on, not on zoom, not on a phone call, just e-mailing in your pjs or on your lunch at work, or at 2am when you can't sleep, on your time.

Get a free WHO AM I Journal to learn more about yourself: https://advancingwithamy.com

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Support the show here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2434582/supporters/new

WE NEED YOU!

Want to be a guest on Mental Health Warrior & Neurospicy Mama? Send Amy Taylor a message on PodMatch, here:

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