The Compassion Circle

Motherhood brings a unique set of challenges, especially when paired with high ambitions, perfectionism, and high expectations. In this episode, we sit down with Annie Tam, LPC (Licensed Professional Counselor), to unpack the mental health journey of high-achieving moms.

We explore why ambitious women are uniquely vulnerable to maternal burnout, how to decouple your self-worth from productivity, and practical ways to manage the invisible load of parenthood.

In this episode, we discuss:• What makes high-achieving moms prone to burnout and anxiety• Breaking free from perfectionism and mom guilt• How to set boundaries without feeling selfish• Practical tools to shift from surviving to thriving in career and motherhood

💡 Loved this episode? Leave us a 5-star rating and share it with a mom who needs to hear this today!

🔗 Connect with Annie Tam, LPC:Website: https://www.mend-counseling.com/

https://actualizeatelier.com/

Instagram:

 @Mendcounseling

@actualizeatelier

In this episode of The Compassion Circle, we explore perinatal mental health from the highs and lows of pregnancy to the unspoken realities of the postpartum journey. Whether you are navigating newborn life, expecting a baby, or supporting a loved one, this conversation provides grounded insights and direct support to remind you that you don't have to carry it alone.

Key Topics Covered:• Baby Blues vs. Postpartum Depression: Recognizing the signs• Navigating perinatal anxiety and intrusive thoughts• How partners, family, and friends can offer real, practical support• Overcoming stigma and building a strong local care network

Help & Crisis Resources:• National Maternal Mental Health Hotline: Call or text 1-833-852-6262 (1-833-TLC-MAMA) for free, 24/7 support in English & Spanish.• Postpartum Support International (PSI): Call/Text 1-800-944-4773 or visit postpartum.net for support groups and care directories.• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988 for immediate 24/7 crisis support.

Previous Episode we recorded last season on perinatal mental health https://open.spotify.com/episode/0nJSPLuMKb8QKN2hjF0K2E?si=1618ded5f3834425

Connect With Us:Follow The Compassion Circle on Spotify so you never miss an episode! Leave us a rating and share this show with someone who might need it.

Disclaimer: This episode is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Grief is rarely linear, predictable, or simple to navigate. In this episode, we sit down with Amy Goins, LPC, a therapist specializing in trauma, grief, and life transitions, to break down the complex realities of loss and how to honor the healing process without losing yourself along the way.

Whether you are carrying a loss of your own, walking alongside a grieving loved one, or wondering if it's time to seek professional support, Amy offers a grounded, compassionate roadmap grounded in relational and somatic-informed care.

Inside the Episode:

• What Grief Really Is: Deconstructing common myths around loss, expanding beyond bereavement to address non-finite losses, and understanding how grief impacts both the mind and the body.

• How to Support Someone Grieving: Practical ways to show up for others. Moving past platitudes, avoiding silver linings, and holding space without trying to "fix" their pain.

• Caring for Yourself in Loss: Real world tools for self-compassion, grounding techniques, setting boundaries, and allowing yourself to feel without becoming completely overwhelmed.

• When to Seek a Therapist: Recognizing the signs of prolonged or complicated grief, understanding how modalities like EMDR and somatic therapy help process deep pain, and knowing when extra support is needed to move forward.

Connect & Resources:

• Guest: Amy Goins, LPC

• Website: amygoinscounseling.com

• Topics Covered: Grief & Loss, Mental Health, Therapy, Somatic Healing, Support Systems

If you found this episode helpful, please leave a review, subscribe, and share it with someone who might need these words today.

Welcome to The Compassion Circle! In this episode, we dive into the challenges of feeding families during the back-to-school season.
We sit down with registered dietitian Casey Bonano, founder of Dallas Nutritional Counseling, to explore practical strategies for navigating picky eaters, meal prep hacks, and the crucial role of routine especially for neurodivergent children. Whether you're a new parent or just trying to simplify mealtime, this episode is packed with realistic tips to bring peace back to your dinner table.
Key Takeaways:

• The impact of routine on children's eating habits
  
• How to deconstruct meals to make them approachable for picky eaters
  
• Strategies for introducing new foods without pressure
  
• Meal prep tips to ease the back-to-school transition
  

• 00:00 – Introduction
  
• 00:30 – Meet Casey Bonano
  
• 01:07 – Back-to-school feeding challenges
  
• 04:06 – How parents respond to mealtime stress
  
• 06:22 – Transitioning smoothly into a school routine
  
• 10:10 – Practical meal prep strategies
  
• 18:39 – Navigating nutrition education in schools
  
• 22:40 – Advocating for your child's food choices
  
• 28:47 – Spotting the early signs of disordered eating
  
• 32:00 – Practice emotional attunement at the table
  
• 37:15 – Actionable tips for picky eaters
  
• 45:20 – The power of choice in family meals
  

Episode Chapters:
What's your biggest struggle when it comes to feeding your family? Share your thoughts using the Q&A or Poll feature below!
Don't forget to follow the podcast and leave a rating if you found this episode helpful.

Connect with Casey:

• Website: dallasnutritionalcounseling.com

• Instagram: @dallasnutritionalcounseling | @feedyourselfandyourfamily

Can where you look actually rewire how your body holds trauma? In thisepisode of Unpacking Brainspotting, Angela and Kierstin demystify the core mechanics of Brainspotting and explore why standard talk therapy often hits a wall when dealing with deep-seated nervous system dysregulation.

We break down subcortical processing, discuss how eye positions connect to emotional memory, and take an honest look at what the current research says and what it’s still missing.

In this episode, we cover:

• The Neurobiology of the Visual Field: How eye placement unlocks deep brain regions to access unresolved trauma.

• Talk Therapy vs. Somatic Processing: Why the thinking mind can't always reason its way out of a body-based stress response.

• An Honest Critical Look: Addressing common misconceptions, research gaps, and where the modality falls short.

• Nervous System Integration: Simple, practical ways to track bodily sensations and cultivate safety during a session.

Whether you're a clinician considering adding Brainspotting to your practice or a client curious about body-based healing, press play to get a grounded, hype-free foundation.

In this episode Angela and Kierstin discuss What’s to Woo for the Therapy Room based off of some trends they are seeing online and on social media.  Angela and Kierstin provide information based on their own opinions and their own personal interpretations of ethical guidelines, scope of practice, and best practices. 

We’re back!  After a year-long hiatus and a lot of life happening Kierstin and Angela are back with Season 3 of The Compassion Circle.  In this episode we get you caught up on  what we have been up to for the last year, chat astrology, and give you a sneak peek of what you can expect from this season including topics “What’s too Woo for the therapy room, PCOS- TO PMOS, Grief and more”, the return of some of our favorite guest experts, and some new as well!

We are also launching our youtube channel @apandcocollective and you can follow along with us on instagram @angelapriorlcsw @theyogatherapyfairy  @thecompassioncirclepodcast

Kierstin and Angela welcomed guest Melodye Phillips LPC-S,PMH-C, CEDS on the pod to discuss Perinatal Maternal Mental Health.

In this episode everyone shares their stories of pregnancy, postpartum, pregnancy loss, and the way mental health can be affected.  Melodye shares ways to plan to support your mental health when you are an expectant soon to be postpartum parent. 

Connect with Melodye at https://maternalmentalhealthofeasttexas.com/

Instagram @maternalmentalhealthofeasttx

Facebook @ mmhetx

On this episode of the pod Angela and Kierstin welcomed Cherie Miller, LPC-S, IEDS is a Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor (LPC-S) to have a conversation about aging and menopause. This was a fantastic conversation digging into the nuances of perimenopause, personal experiences, changing bodies, and eating disorder rates.

Cherie Miller with a Master’s in Counseling. She is founder and owner of Nourished Soul Center for Healing, a group practice specializing in eating disorders, OCD, substance use, trauma, and women's issues. Cherie is certified as an Inclusive Eating Disorder Specialist (IEDS) and has 15 years of experience as an eating disorder therapist, speaker, and educator. She is also a member of the International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals (iaedp) and the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF). She is so passionate about issues related to food and body image because she is recovered herself.  

For more information on Cherie you can follow her

Instagram: foodfreedomtherapist

https://nourishedsoulcenter.com/

On this episode of the pod Angela and Kierstin welcome guest Casey Bonano RD, LD, CEDS-C to explore how to raise intuitive eaters and feeding your family without a side of diet culture.

Casey Bonano RD, LD, CEDS-C (she/her) is the owner and CEO of Dallas Nutritional Counseling. She has over 14 years of experience in the field of dietetics and believes in a holistic approach to nutrition and nutrition education with a strong behavioral application. For the past decade Casey built her practice with a focus on helping those struggling with eating disorders, disordered eating, and chronic dieting.

Since opening the practice and having two children of her own Casey saw the need for non-diet and non-fear based nutrition education and family feeding resources and established Feed Yourself & Your Family in 2024. Feed Yourself & Your Family’s mission is to provide evidenced based nutrition education and family feeding guidance through realistic application to improve the lives and health of individuals and families. Our vision is for our clients to confidently and effortlessly feed themselves and their family without stress or anxiety.

To learn more follow Casey and her practice

Follow on instagram

@dallasnutritionalcounseling

@feedyourselfandyourfamily

https://www.dallasnutritionalcounseling.com/feed-yourself-your-family