It's getting real up in here.

Allison Evans is BACK, and this time, she's teaching us one of my favorite tools: "The Work" of Byron Katie. Allison is a life coach (and one of Martha Beck's Wayfinder coaches, nbd) who works primarily with women looking to reclaim their lives and be the heroines of their own journeys. She teaches us how The Work works, and I get to be the fortunate example in this lesson. One of the reasons I love the work is because it is very intuitive. I can easily get myself into thinking knots, so any tools that help me get into my body and really feel into patterns of thinking and behaving is extremely helpful.

Allison is a Certified Wayfinder Master Coach with an MA in English literature from George Mason University and undergraduate degrees in English and French from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Her work has been featured in elephant journal, Thrive Global, and Pathways magazine. She lives in Omaha with the people who inspire her work: her husband, daughter, and son.

Links from the episode:
Allison's website https://allisonevanscoaching.com/
Website for The Work https://thework.com/
Documentary "The Divided Brain" https://thedividedbrain.com/
Dr. Iain McGilchrist interview on the podcast "Know Thyself" https://www.knowthyselfpodcast.com/podcast/dr-iain-mcgilchrist

You can find Morgan on her website https://www.morganmotsinger.com/

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction to Mindfulness-Based Tools
• 12:46 Understanding the Four Questions of The Work
• 36:19 Exploring Turnarounds and Self-Approval
• 54:12 The Power of Visualization and Slowing Down
• 01:05:38 The Work as a Meditation
• 01:19:19 The Neurological Basis of Change
• 01:30:26 Forensic Examination of Suffering

This conversation with Jen Zorb was one of those episodes where I kept thinking "YES, THIS" over and over again. Jen is a therapist with 15+ years of experience, and she created The Pearl Project (I cannot wait to tell you about it). 

But first, we dove into something that I think so many of us struggle with: Are we actually living our lives on purpose, or are we just responding to everything that gets thrown at us? When was the last time you actually sat down and thought about what you value most and then had the courage to orient your whole life around that?

Jen created The Pearl Project: mental health kits because she kept wishing she could send clients home with something tangible. The work people were doing in therapy was so powerful, but then they'd leave and have to wait another week or two for their next session.

Each kit includes:

• A metaphor or story
• Science-based therapeutic content
• A tangible object you can touch and hold
• Question decks for reflection

The whole approach is multisensory because neuroscience shows us we integrate things better when we can touch, smell, see—not just think about them cognitively.

Some other great things we dug into together:

💛 How to choose a therapist

Real talk: Not every therapist is going to be a good fit, even if they're great at what they do. And it's OKAY to break up with your therapist. You heard it here—Jen said it!

💛 What actually is a trigger?

We talked about how "trigger" has become this catch-all word for "this person annoyed me." But in a therapeutic context, a trigger is an event or sensation that activates a specific nervous system response—usually tied to an old hurt or injury.

💛 What to do when you're triggered

This is where it gets practical. Jen shares 4 things you can do in the moment when you're activated (and the last one is huge). 

💛 The corrective emotional experience

This is when you try something new—like speaking up or setting a boundary—and you get positive reinforcement. It starts rewiring your brain.

More about Jen and The Pearl Project

Jen is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with over 15 years of clinical experience. She has helped individuals, couples, and families in a private practice setting and has also worked in a hospital setting, treating the most acute mental and behavioral health challenges. She is passionate about making high-quality, professional mental health support more accessible to the everyday person. The Pearl Project was born out of that passion in 2022! Jen loves a good iced latte and has a competitive streak that mostly comes out on the tennis and pickleball courts. She dreams of travel and the day that all of her kids put their shoes on without having to be asked.

Website: www.thepearlproject.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jointhepearlproject Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Jointhepearlproject

  Find Morgan at:

https://www.instagram.com/morgan_motsinger/

https://www.morganmotsinger.com/

[email protected]

companionship in the face of death, the social nature of dying, and the importance of everyday acts in caregiving.  I hope this conversation impacts your perspectives on the need for humility and presence in these challenging moments as we reframe illness as a communal journey rather than a solitary medical event. Grief is not a problem to be solved, but an experience to feel and be transformed by. 

This body scan is wonderful for a short break during your day or getting your body and mind ready for sleep. This guided head to toe exercise is a great way to notice areas where you hold tension. 

Enjoy!

https://www.morganmotsinger.com/shop/idea-action-30-day-challenge

This episode will lead you through how I think about turning ideas into action. This isn't just about goal setting (yes, I'm familiar with the SMART framework). It's really about becoming a person who doesn't sit on the sidelines of her own life. 

There is a framework I use that I'll walk you through in this episode. Whether or not you join me for this 30-day challenge, I hope you start tackling some of those things you've been thinking about for a long time. 

On a scale from 1-5, how often do you feel like this?

I also know I'm part of the problem.

Sometimes, I feel like we're all zombies. We're here, but we're not....here. We live in our own realities even as we are physically present with others. 

In this episode, I explore the profound impact of technology on human connection, particularly focusing on how smartphones and social media contribute to feelings of loneliness and disconnection. There's an interesting/terrifying parallel between the experiences of caregivers for those with neurodegenerative conditions and the feelings of isolation that arise from being physically present but emotionally absent in social interactions. 

I'm not going to leave you hanging. I share some practical strategies for reconnecting with others and how to manage unhealthy dynamics of distracted presence. 

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Get on my email list, where I periodically share helpful tools for better habits, mindfulness, and general well being: https://morganmotsinger.myflodesk.com/subscribe

Talking about death isn't really everyone's favorite. 

One of the big problems with actively avoiding or maybe just never considering how things are going to go at the end is we miss out on some really important conversations that have a big impact. 

This conversation not only explores some of the practical medical implications of certain types of life saving interventions, it also boldly investigates some of the common misconceptions about death, the healthcare system, and what a good death means. 

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Amy Hensley Master of Science in Nursing, Registered Nurse How I define myself: mama bear, supportive friend, oldest daughter and sister, compassionate hospice nurse, movie lover, former graphic designer, passionate human, social introvert Bio: I was a graphic designer for nearly twenty years before I went to nursing school. While I worked at a critical access hospital doing everything from birth to death, I got my MSN and then started teaching. During my teaching career, I found my voice and encouraged students to find their voice. Realizing that my passions include end-of-life guided me to become a hospice nurse and end-of-life educator. We all bring to the table our experiences, viewpoints, concerns, biases, and expectations. Giving grace to myself and those around me has helped me have uncomfortable conversations with humor, awareness and understanding. I'm becoming more comfortable with asking for what I want.

Erin Putney Master of Science in Nursing, Registered Nurse How I define myself: energetic creative, passionate educator, honest conversationalist, proud mom, chill paddleboarder, artistic thinker, former ICU nurse, loving daughter Bio: I love the science behind nursing and even wanted to be a science teacher at one point. I’ve worked in different areas as a nurse, but realize the common thread is having the curiosity to solve problems with data and creativity. My master’s research focused on effective end-of-life education for nursing students, which has been adapted into a workshop for various audiences. My passion is giving everyone the tools needed to cope and be successful. Check out my website: www.teachingcourage.com

You can find their work at:

https://beforethecasket.com/en-us/

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085625110676

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You can find Morgan on her website https://www.morganmotsinger.com/

Get on her email list here: https://morganmotsinger.myflodesk.com/subscribe

I remember cobbling notes together on my phone, writing things on paper scattered here or there, until I finally gathered all the notes about Anni's care into one document. 

This simple act made it possible to relax a bit. I recorded her medications, daily and weekly schedule, seizure protocols, and more. It was immensely helpful not to have that information rolling around in my head loosey goosey. 

Putting all the info together can feel very overwhelming, especially for a caregiver who is already running on fumes, so when I heard about Mike's "Pink Book" and his company Soaring Families, I knew I needed to have him on the podcast. His work isn't just about creating an amazing tool, but his company teaches families how to find, train, and retain a robust support system when in a caregiving role, whether that's for a child with extra needs or an adult with aging considerations. 

Mike shares his journey of caring for his son Ben, who has special needs. He emphasizes the importance of building a caregiving team, personalizing care, and the emotional challenges faced by caregivers. He also highlights the joy and fulfillment that can come from caregiving despite its challenges and shares Ben's remarkable journey towards communication and education.

Mike helps families rewrite their caregiving story — from one of sacrifice and exhaustion to one of joy, strength, and resilience. A family caregiver himself for 3 decades, Mike brings an intimate understanding of the burdens faced by those supporting the primary care of a family member. This lived experience led him to create The Soaring Families WayTM — a 5-step method that blends empathy, empowerment, and practical solutions to equip families with the tools and skills they need to regain control, reduce stress, and find fulfillment on their caregiving journey. Mike coaches and guides families in this method to help them stabilize the chaos, gain the confidence to manage their home care effectively, and focus on long-term sustainability. He also developed The Pink Book for families that acts as their personal caregiving companion. It becomes a family’s caregiving guide that they create themselves, for the way they care.

You can get your own copy of the Pink Book at newpinkbook.com and learn more about Soaring Families on their website https://soaringfamilies.com

You can also connect with Mike here:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeg-bmg/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/soaringfamilynation

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SoaringFamilies

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikesf6363/

In this relatively short, solo episode, I'm sharing one of the metaphors for the inner life that has really impacted me over the past several years, The Inner House. 

Let me know if this resonates with you by sending me an email at [email protected], or sending me a DM on Instagram @morgan_motsinger

If you find this podcast helpful, please make a moment to leave a rating and review.