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/
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