That's Aloud!

What do you do when you're in the grips of a downward emotional spiral? How do you confront the collateral damage post-freakout? What does self-care for mental wellness look like when you've been diagnosed with something as scary-sounding as Borderline Personality Disorder? Get the answers on today's episode, or ask Miss Shara herself at [email protected]. You are not alone! 

Highlight Reel: 

11:08 - What it means to be in "wise mind," and how to get and stay there 

14:38 - Why you shouldn't believe everything you think 

15:45 - What you resist, persists: radical acceptance as a tool for wellness 

18:39 - Finding your reason to change 

20:00 - Why it's 100% OK to let relationships end 

21:51 - Self care is not cute 

24:00 - The Inventory: a powerful tool for self-empowerment and self-responsibility 

25:36 - The meaning of life and why middle age is awesome 

26:18 - Therapy as medicine 

28:57 - A new, more intuitive way to set goals 

33:02 - The key to having "the wisdom to know the difference" 

35:29 - A simple trick to transform negative self-talk into radical self-acceptance

Read the full transcript (plus pics) on the That's Aloud blog!

Author, podcaster, and cheerful nihilist Blair Hopkins navigates grief recovery against the booze-fueled backdrop of Manhattan's East Village. Listen as she wrestles with such universal themes as artistic insecurity (aka The Fraud Complex), dissociation in times of crisis, and the importance of empathy and humor. 

Highlight Reel: 

2:50 - Bar Widows of the East Village 

8:52 - Comparison and imposter syndrome: the doom of all artists 

11:30 - Stop collecting underpants (aka procrastinating) 

12:57 - What it's like to be a widow magnet 

14:46 - How 12 step culture taught Blair how NOT to tell a story 

16:04 - What it was like to lose Shane (her partner who died) 

24:40 - What denial really looks like 

27:29 - The virtues of nihilism as a coping mechanism 

28:20 - How tragedy amps up empathy 

29:31 - Everyone is doing their best with the resources they have 

37:14 - None of us are okay. And that's okay. 

37:37 - The meaning of life

 42:15 - An exercise to help you break through writer's block

Read the full transcript (plus pics) on the That's Aloud blog!

Advocating for yourself can be hard. This week Lori Rosoloswky of Open Sky Artists and I discuss the challenges of getting fair compensation, especially as women in the arts, and why it's so much easier to advocate for others than for ourselves. 

Highlight reel: 

2:32 - Lori shares her untold story of getting shot down the first time she asked for a raise, and how that affected her sense of self-worth. 

12:33 - Adrienne shares *her* untold story of being asked by a boss "What do you REALLY want to do?" and having to confront the true answer. 

16:59 - Why it's so much easier to advocate for, and negotiate on behalf of, someone other than ourselves. 

23:05 - How to deal with push-back on compensation in client negotiations and stay grounded in your worthiness. 

31:36 - Handling the haters is a lifelong battle, but you've got this.

Read the full transcript (plus pics) on the That's Aloud blog!

"Tell the truth first, before it gets worse." This is one of the many remarkable insights my wise-beyond-her-years 8-year-old daughter Aria comes up with in the course of this fun, kid-friendly episode of That's Aloud. Aria's adventures in make-believe and her sincere efforts to come clean to her friends are as relatable as they are touching. Listen to this one with your whole family! 

Highlight Reel: 

2:39 - Aria's confession 

3:17 - Things get out of hand 

7:10 - Aria comes clean 

8:11 - Aria's epiphany: tell them first, before it gets worse 

10:17 - The difference between objective truth and emotional truth 

11:59 - Taking your own advice is hard 

13:52 - How to come clean to someone you care about 

16:52 - Intimacy, vulnerability, courage, bravery, and how to find a true friend

Read the full transcript (plus pics) on the That's Aloud blog!

Have you ever felt pressured to look a certain way, work out a certain way, or adopt fitness goals that weren't really yours? Have you ever been made to feel like your body needs to be modified in order to be acceptable? This week's guest, Stacey Sorgen, is the antidote to all that bullshit. Learn more about Stacey and her ground-breaking gym at http://modbodyfitness.com/ 

Highlight Reel: 

1:42 - Stacey's message to the mainstream wellness and fitness community: healthy isn't about the way you look 

5:25 - Stacey opens up about a humiliating visit to a big-box gym that inspired her to create a new kind of gym 

8:15 - Stacey calls bullshit on the idea that you have to look a certain way to be a personal trainer 

13:39 - Stacey helps a woman with rheumatoid arthritis reach her fitness goals 

18:32 - Stacey's recipe for consistency in fitness training 

22:18 - The importance of intuition as a trainer, teacher, or coach

Read the full transcript (plus pics) on the That's Aloud blog!

This week's guest has the rare gift of being completely hilarious and mind-blowingly insightful at the same time. Listen as I help Willow, aka the accidental psychic, navigate her origin story and her message for entrepreneurs: you are your own savior! Find out more at https://www.willowbradner.com/ 

Highlight Reel: 

1:32 - Willow discovers her psychic abilities by accident (on her wedding night)! 

5:10 - Willow decides to use her powers to help entrepreneurs (aka True Spiritual Badasses), not just "dial up for the dead." 

6:54 - The importance of authenticity in life and business 

10:09 - Everybody else's way is not your way 

14:44 - Intuitive living requires A LOT of patience, but it's so worth it 

21:01 - Going from solopreneuring to SOULopreneuring: don't forget to collaborate! 

31:02 - How to avoid gurus and stay in your power

Read the full transcript (plus pics) on the That's Aloud blog!

Kicking off season 2 is a true spiritual warrior princess: Courtney A. Walsh. Listen as I help the author of Dear Human clarify her next project: our upcoming podcast collaboration, Won to Watch. Learn more about Courtney at facebook.com/loonybus

Read the full transcript (plus pics) on the That's Aloud blog!

Meet the crazy creation who kept me sane while wading through low milk supply and postpartum depression: Mrs. Fishbaum. You can find more photos and vignettes on my website, www.thatsaloud.com. And don't forget to subscribe! Season 2 drops on Thanksgiving 2019.