Every August the same emails start rolling in. I can't believe it's back to school. I can't believe summer's over. I can't believe it's fall already. And I always think, why can't anybody believe it? Back to school comes after summer every single year.
What's not to believe? 
In this episode I talk about time delusion, which is real, and why it hits differently for people who meditate. When my kids were little, everyone told me it would fly by. It didn't. Now I've got a senior on my hands and everyone is telling me this year will be a blink, and I still don't think it will be. Not because I'm special, but because I've been practicing being here. You get better at what you practice. If you practice stillness, you get good at stillness. If you practice scrolling, well, you get good at that too, which is probably why everybody walking into my office lately is telling me they have attention problems. I believe them.
There's a rant about email in here. Fair warning. I stand by it.
We also meditate together, so find a comfortable seat before you press play if you can. It's a simple belly breath practice, nothing fancy, just you and your breath and the moment you're in. Your breath is always your way back.
The retreat sponsorship
Something happened this month that has never happened in nineteen retreats. A past retreat attendee put down a deposit for our September 2026 mountain retreat and then couldn't make it. Her deposit was fully refundable, and instead of taking it back she asked me to give it to someone who wants to come but is balking at the price. So there's a $250 sponsorship sitting here. And there's already a sale on the website, $100 or $150 off depending on which room you pick. Stack them and you're looking at up to $400 off. You don't have to prove anything. There's no application, no criteria, no explaining yourself to me. New roof, bad timing, tight month, whatever it is, I don't need to know. You just have to want to come. If you want it, you got it. Just let me know. 

Connect with me Instagram: @thestresstherapist

Twitter: @stresstherapy

Website: ilovetherapy.com for retreats, meditation, yoga, and everything else
 If you live in Georgia and you're thinking about becoming a client, head to the website to sign up for a free face to face consultation. And at the very least, get on the mailer so you don't miss a thing. Until next time, have a lovely, lovely day.

 Produced and edited by Owen Flake.

Hey beautiful people! What if you didn't have to lure anything into this moment — no worry, no anxiety, no "hurry up and get to the next thing" — and what if the good stuff started showing up on its own? In this mini meditation episode, I talk about taking custody of your own consciousness, getting out of the hurry-up cycle, and learning to just sit in right now. There's only one Now, baby, and it's right here. Stick around for the little guided meditation at the end. In this episode:

• The "hurry up" trap — how we rush through every single moment to get to the next one, only to rush through that one too
• Wherever you go, there you are: why nothing actually happens in the past or the future, only right now
• Eckhart Tolle's simplest doorway into the present — just ask yourself, "Am I still breathing?"
• Puppies versus politics — choosing what you let into your moment, being for peace instead of against war
• Bliss blips: those little unprovoked blips of bliss that show up for no reason at all, and why they're tied straight to your meditation practice
• A short guided meditation using a soft drishti, an environmental scan, and the Om Shanti mantra

Mentions and shoutouts:

• Joe Dispenza and the retreat that stuck with me
• Wherever You Go, There You Are (I'm pretty sure that's Jon Kabat-Zinn)
• Eckhart Tolle, Yogananda, Dan Siegel's "flip your lid," and Mother Teresa's "I won't march against war, but I'll march for peace"
• The Vedas on life as a show we get to watch
• September retreat at ilovetherapy.com with Sonic Yogi and an amazing Atlanta cellist joining us

If you've ever had a bliss blip, I want to hear about it — email me at [email protected] (it's Cheri with a C — wasn't my idea). And come meditate with us at ilovetherapy.com. Connect with me @thestresstherapist on Instagram and @stresstherapy on Twitter. Georgia residents — book a free consultation at thestresstherapist.com. Produced and edited by Owen Flake

Graduation season is here, and Cheri has a message for every new grad that she wishes she'd heard at 22 instead of figuring out the hard way: nobody is coming to save you. Not your parents, not your therapist, not the perfect partner, not your followers. And once you really get that, it's not depressing — it's the most freeing thing in the world. In this quickie episode, Cheri unpacks what it actually looks like to show up for yourself. She talks about why obsessing over how you look to attract the "right" person is a losing game (spoiler: all the dudes look the same after 60 anyway), why disappointment is almost always a sign you were outsourcing your wellbeing, and how taking 100% responsibility for your life is where the magic actually starts. She also gets into the social media trap — how scrolling through someone else's feed means you're paying attention to their agenda instead of your own — and makes the case for being the master and commander of your own attention. You don't have to record your life. You don't have to report on it. The quietest lives can be the richest ones. The episode wraps with a short seated meditation on letting thoughts come and go without judgment, plus a homework assignment: next time you're standing in line at the grocery store or waiting at the dentist, leave the phone in your pocket. Just stand there. Notice what you're thinking. That's it. It used to be normal. We've lost it. Time to get it back. A few things Cheri wants you to walk away with:

• You are the person you've been waiting for. Be her. Be him.
• Pick the kindest partner. Looks fade, kindness compounds.
• Walk away from people who aren't bringing out your best — no animosity, no diagnosis, just go.
• Disappointment = you were relying on something outside yourself. Take that as data.
• Sitting and doing nothing is not lazy. It's a skill, and it's becoming a rare one.

Connect with Cheri: Instagram: @thestresstherapist Twitter: @stresstherapy Retreats and offerings: ilovetherapy.com Georgia residents — book a free consultation at thestresstherapist.com Produced and edited by Owen Flake.

Hey beautiful people! It's Maycember — that wild stretch of end-of-school-year chaos and springtime new beginnings. Instead of piling more onto your plate, I'm sharing a few tiny cognitive tweaks that can shift everything, plus a quick moment of stillness to get you through. I also open up about a recent scary diagnosis and why I'm refusing to own it. Rare but possible, baby. In this episode:

• Why you should never "own" a diagnosis (mental or physical) — the language we use shapes our identity and our healing
• Three cognitive flips that change everything: "I have to" becomes "I get to," "what if" becomes "even if," and the quiet magic of "wouldn't it be nice if…"
• A 16-second bliss break you can do anywhere — shoutout to my friend Davidji for this one

Mentions and shoutouts:

• Catch Stress Therapy the show on New Reality TV (Roku, Apple TV, Fire TV)
• Huge congrats to the Chamblee High School varsity tennis team heading to state finals
• Stanford is studying energy healers and their effect on cancer cells — science is catching up to the woo woo
• September 23–27 retreat with a sale running this week at ilovetherapy.com
• If you spot a "Rare But Possible" t-shirt out there, please send it my way

Connect with me @thestresstherapist on Instagram and @stresstherapy on Twitter. Georgia residents — book a free consultation at ilovetherapy.com.

Produced and edited by Owen Flake

Hey, beautiful people. Let's talk about intuition — that knowing in your gut that you can't quite explain but you absolutely cannot ignore. In this episode, I'm sharing the full story of how I spent months smelling smoke before my office actually caught fire, predicted the flood that came after, and what all of that taught me about trusting the voice inside that doesn't speak in words. We're getting into why meditation is the single best thing you can do to sharpen your intuition, how to tell the difference between ego noise and real guidance, and why "listen to the listener" is the most important thing anyone's ever said to me at a silent retreat. Plus we do a beautiful guided meditation together — heart center breathing up through the third eye — to help you connect with that wise, divine, knowing part of yourself. Because you already know everything you need to know. You just have to get quiet enough to hear it. 🧘‍♀️ 💡 3 Key Takeaways

• Intuition isn't reserved for psychics or special people — it's in all of us. Meditation is what turns up the volume. The more you sit, the more available your wise self becomes.
• If the voice you're hearing is mean, identity-based, or ego-driven ("you're a bad person"), that's not intuition — that's your ego throwing a fit. Real intuition tends to arrive quietly, from nowhere, and it doesn't attack you.
• Nobody ever says "I shouldn't have listened to my gut." That alone tells you everything you need to know about how valuable this is.

🔥 Episode Highlights

• The full fire premonition story — six months of smelling smoke, middle-of-the-night office checks, a husband who thought I was losing it, and the call from State Farm that proved I wasn't
• My six-year-old telling the police her mommy knew the office would burn down (great for the insurance claim, thanks kid)
• Predicting the flood days later — and pulling out every piece of paper and fabric just in time
• Why the Waze vs. your gut dilemma is the most relatable intuition test there is
• A psychiatrist who couldn't wrap his head around acupressure — and how far we've come since then with mind-body-soul connection
• The monk at a silent retreat who said "listen to the listener" and completely rewired my brain
• A guided heart center to third eye breathing meditation

📣 Mentions & References

• 🧠 "Listen to the Listener" — the teaching from a silent retreat that changed everything about how I understand intuition
• 🧘 Heart Center to Third Eye Meditation — a breathing visualization connecting your heart space to your place of knowing
• 💆 Somatic Work — body-based healing and why you can't throw a stick at the internet without hitting that word right now
• 🏥 Chinese Medicine / Acupressure — thousands of years of wisdom we chose to ignore, and we're finally catching up
• 👦 My son's take on therapy — "You think everything affects your mental" — yeah buddy, because it does

✅ Try This Week

• Next time you get a gut feeling — even a small one, like which way to turn — follow it. Then write it down. Start tracking when your intuition shows up and what it's telling you.
• Sit for 10 minutes a day this week. Just breathe. The more still you get, the louder that inner voice becomes.
• Ask yourself: is this thought ego or intuition? If it's attacking your identity, it's ego. If it arrived from nowhere and feels calm but certain, pay attention.

🏡 Hang With Me

• 🧘 Retreats — ilovetherapy.com, click on Retreats. Meditation, yoga, and people who get it.
• 💌 thestresstherapist.com — therapy, retreats, and all the things
• 📲 @thestresstherapist on Instagram | @stresstherapy on Twitter

🎙️ Produced and edited by Owen Flake.

I've been broke. Sharing-a-can-of-tuna-with-my-cat broke. So I'm not coming at this from some high horse — I've been in it. But here's what I've learned since then: most of the time, we're not actually broke. We just feel broke. And that feeling? It's running the whole show. In this episode I'm talking about how your energy and your frequency around money shape what comes to you, what a craps table in Vegas taught me about choosing the right vibe, and a stat about income that might genuinely change the way you carry yourself today. We're also doing a guided meditation together calling on Lakshmi, the goddess of abundance — because sometimes you just need to sit still and remember what you already have. 💸 💡 3 Key Takeaways

• If you make $34K a year, you're in the top 20% of wealth globally. At $70K, top 10%. You're not broke — you're just comparing yourself to the wrong people.
• How you spend your money carries energy. Handing over your card with resentment sends one signal. Handing it over with gratitude for everyone that transaction touches sends a very different one.
• Gratitude isn't just a journaling trend — it's the frequency of "thank you, I already have it." Wayne Dyer picked up pennies with that energy. There's a reason it works.

🎲 Episode Highlights

• The tuna-and-cat days and what it actually feels like to be stuck in a broke mindset
• Why I always win at craps in Vegas (and why my friends hand me a twenty every time I go)
• The elevator story — and why strangers have been telling me their secrets for as long as I can remember
• Losing a reading bet to my daughter and ending up in Nantucket because of Elin Hilderbrand
• A guided meditation through four memories — luck, wealth, happiness, and peace

📣 Mentions & References

• 🙏 Om Maha Lakshmi — the mantra in today's closing meditation, calling on the goddess of abundance
• 📚 Joe Dispenza — Supernatural, You Are the Placebo (skip the first book, it's dense)
• 📚 Byron Katie (thework.com) — questioning the thoughts that keep you feeling stuck
• 🙏 Wayne Dyer — found abundance in aluminum cans and gratitude in pennies. A masterclass in frequency.
• 📖 Elin Hilderbrand — Nantucket novels and the reason I lost a bet to my kid
• 🐱 Loopy (RIP) — 22 years, 12 moves, one shared can of tuna. The best.

✅ Try This Week

• Carry a $100 bill and just notice how it shifts your thinking when you see something you want
• Write down 5 things you're grateful for — morning or night. When you're reaching for stuff like your favorite chapstick, that's when it's really working.
• Next time you pay for something, take a second to appreciate everyone that transaction supports

🏡 Hang With Me

• 🧘 Retreats — ilovetherapy.com, click on Retreats. Beach, mountains, meditation, good people.
• 📺 TV — newreality.com or Cox Cable's Your View TV
• 💌 thestresstherapist.com
• 📲 @thestresstherapist on Instagram | @stresstherapy on Twitter

🎙️ Produced and edited by Owen Flake.

Okay, y'all. Your ego has been lying to you — and it's really good at it. In this episode, I'm breaking down the three sneaky ways your ego pulls you right out of your meditation practice every single time: time, body, and environment. We're talking fake sore throats, alarming thoughts about whether you left the front door open, and the "brilliant idea" trap that your ego absolutely loves to use on you. I'll also walk you through a gorgeous flower meditation using the mantra Aham Brahmasmi — because it's time to remind that divine, holy self of yours who's actually in charge. Spoiler: it's not your ego. You are the boss. Let's go. 🌸 💡 3 Key Learning Points

• Your ego knows your weaknesses — time, body discomfort, and your to-do list — and it will use all of them to pull you off your cushion. Knowing that is half the battle.
• That sore throat, achy knee, or urgent thought to check the front door? It might be 100% your ego. Real but not real — but still real. You'll get it when you hear it.
• The mantra "This is all I'm supposed to be doing" isn't just motivation — it's ego defense. Use it.

📣 Mentions & Shout-Outs

• 🧠 Mantra of the episode: Aham Brahmasmi — "I am Brahman. I am the divine. I am connected to cosmic consciousness."
• 🌸 Flower Meditation — A visualization practice for gently setting your ego's interruptions aside, petal by petal.
• 💪 The Cheri Flake Willpower Challenge — 40 days of "I will" and "I won't" — a real-life lesson in what your body will fake to get you to quit.
• 🍬 Hall's Cherry Cough Drop Gate — Possibly the most relatable addiction confession ever recorded.
• 🧘 David G (davidg.com) — Cheri's beloved meditation teacher and the keeper of the Aham Brahmasmi mantra.
• 🏡 Retreats with Cheri — Outdoor saunas, hot tubs, sound healing, group hypnotherapy, yin yoga, all-inclusive, zero dishes. Yes please.
• 💌 thestresstherapist.com — Info on therapy, retreats, and joining the stress-free crew.
• 📲 Follow Cheri: @thestresstherapist on Instagram | @stresstherapy on Twitter

Produced and edited by Owen Flake.

Okay, y’all. Buckle up for a full-body reminder: there is nothing wrong with you. In this episode, I’m throwing down the truth about judgment (yours and everyone else’s), ego meltdowns, pink hair stereotypes, and what happens when you finally shut up long enough to hear what’s going on in your own head. We get real about red pepper anxiety, the silent retreat that changed me, and the quote that’s been living rent-free in my brain: “No one will ever love you the way you want to be loved… because that’s your job.” Spoiler: there’s also a blue breath meditation to clear out your throat chakra so you can speak your truth without all the noise. It’s part pep talk, part truth bomb, and all heart. Let’s go. 💡 3 Key Learning Points

• You’re the only one watching your red pepper game. Everyone else is busy with their own garlic.
• If you think others are judging you, check your own mirror. We tend to see in others what we’re doing ourselves.
• Let the ego talk—but don’t let it drive. You’re more than your opinions, your comparisons, and your raking style.

📣 Mentions & Shout-Outs

• 🎬 Wayne’s World – Cheri’s forever favorite (and a reminder that taste doesn’t have to be cool to be true).
• 🧠 Quote of the day: “No one will ever love you the way you want to be loved… because that’s your job.”
• 🧘‍♀️ Silent Retreat Stories – Featuring: raking epiphanies, bug goggles, and red pepper enlightenment.
• 🎙️ Awaken Your Inner Awesomeness by Melissa Oatman – Fellow pink hair goddess and podcaster.
• 💇‍♀️ Pink Hair as Botox – Cheri’s hairdresser said it best.
• 🎤 Nancy Wilson from Heart – More pink hair legends.
• 🎞️ The Incredible Shrinking Woman starring Lily Tomlin – Yes, we went there.
• ✨ Chakra Talk – Meditation focused on the throat chakra using the “Hum” mantra.
• 💌 ilovetherapy.com – Info on therapy, retreats, and joining the stress-free crew.
• 📲 Follow Cheri: @hestresstherapist on Instagram | @stresstherapy on Twitter

✨ Episode Summary In this raw and hilarious episode, Cheri Flake (a.k.a. The Stress Therapist) lays it all out about meditation retreats—why they matter, what actually happens, and why silent retreats are the real game-changer. From ego flare-ups to full-on hornet attacks, Cheri shares stories from the cushion with her signature honesty and wit. She also breaks down why most retreats miss the mark after you leave—and how hers are built to help you make meditation a lifelong habit. There’s even a short guided yes/no body wisdom meditation to help you decide if a retreat is calling your name. 🧘 Three Key Learning Points

• Silent retreats aren’t quiet escapes—they’re wake-up calls. They show you your mind, your habits, and how to finally befriend yourself.
• Cheri’s retreats focus on what happens after. You’ll learn how to actually keep meditating once you’re home—no guilt, no stress, no BS.
• Even imperfect retreats are transformational. Whether it’s a hurricane or a hornet sting, every moment is the practice.

💬 Mentions & Shout-Outs

• 🧘‍♀️ Southern Dharma Retreat Center – Cheri’s favorite silent retreat spot in NC
• 🔊 Sonic Yogi – Providing sound healing at upcoming retreats
• 📿 Jack Kornfield, Sharon Salzberg, David Chernikoff – Legendary retreat teachers
• 🧱 The Brick – A digital detox device Cheri swears by
• 📖 Yogaville – The unexpectedly serious retreat center where it all began
• 🌀 That Time a Hurricane Hit the Retreat – Chaos + enlightenment
• 💕 “Boyfriend Monk” Moment – A hilarious silent retreat crush story
• 💌 Come Retreat With Me – Details at ilovetherapy.com

🎧 Produced & Edited by: Owen Flake
🎙️ Hosted by: Cheri Flake, The Stress Therapist

Episode Summary: In this heartfelt classic, Cheri Flake (aka the Stress Therapist) returns with timeless wisdom to help you rethink New Year’s resolutions—for good. With her signature mix of humor, honesty, and soul, Cheri shares why the January 1st “fresh start” fantasy sets us up to fail—and what to do instead. You'll learn her favorite fill-in-the-blank method for long-term goal setting, how to actually feel good about your goals (so your brain wants to do them), and why the whole year—not just one day—is magical. Bonus? A deeply soothing guided meditation featuring the mantra “Om” to help you embody your desires from the inside out. 💫 🧠 3 Key Learning Points:

• January 1st isn’t magical—you are. Sustainable change happens gradually, not in a flash. Stop waiting for a perfect day and start imperfectly now.
• Feel good = real change. If you feel bad about your goal, your brain thinks you don’t want it. Learn how to trick it into wanting transformation.
• Chunk it down. Use monthly check-ins and micro-goals to build big dreams into your real life without overwhelm or burnout.

📣 Mentions & Shout-Outs:

• 🧘 Upcoming Workshop: From Resolution to Routine – Jan 17, 2026 at Vista Yoga in Atlanta.
• 🌴 Beach Retreat: March on beautiful Jekyll Island – sign up at ilovetherapy.com.
• 🧵 Natural Life: Cheri’s favorite cozy brand – naturallife.com. "You can always change your mind" tee makes a cameo.
• 🎵 Sonic Yogi: Provides the dreamy music during the meditation segment.
• ✉️ Email List: Jump on it at ilovetherapy.com so you “don’t stress or miss one thing.”

🎙️ Produced and edited by Owen Flake.
💖 Hosted with heart by Cheri Flake, your Stress Therapist.