The Innovative Therapist

Episode 46. You guys. I have the pleasure of sharing with you today my chat with Emilee VanHoven PT, DPT, AT, ATC. I was excited about this interview, but listening to it back today, I got chills. I think that Emilee is wise beyond her years and I've learned so much from her. I've gone down a rabbit hole lately into the world of women's health care and the areas where we are missing the mark. This podcast is all about how to move away from ineffective strategies to "control our bodies" and try to get them to fit into societal mold of what health is supposed to look like. Then we also want to look at what works, what's effective.

What struck me in this interview was Emilee's talk about holding space for women, meeting them where they are at and helping guide them to take the step that feels doable at that time. Empowering them and not worrying about throwing all the evidence-based strategies at them during the short amount of time they have.

It made me truly reflect on the importance of having more women in healthcare, because women can be pretty darn great at doing this. We need more providers willing and able to work within the system to hold space for all people, but particularly women as they navigate balancing work and home life, particularly pregnancy and post-partum.

In this interview, we cover a lot, including but not limited to:

What is the pelvic floor and why all women, really all humans, need to better understand itThe time periods in your life where a pelvic floor PT visit would be useful (you'll probably be surprised about this!)What symptoms indicate pelvic floor dysfunctionThere is WAY more to it than "Just do kegels!" And in fact that advice may not be what you need at all We talk about the role of shame, pressure, and shoulds and again how it's way less about your provider having the perfect strategies and way more about creating space for healing, which may mean you don't get to all the perfect strategiesDo NOT miss what she says that almost every women says when Emilee looks at their abdomen during her assessmentThe crucial importance of creating more space for women to share their stories versus just giving them all the strategies

Emilee is a licensed physical therapist and athletic trainer who practices in the fields of both pelvic health and performing arts. She has been working in healthcare for eight years and has a passion for helping her patients return to what they love. She has completed her pelvic floor coursework through Herman and Wallace and is eager to continue diving deeper into her areas of interest. Presently, she treats women only, and enjoys seeing diagnoses including: urinary incontinence, pelvic pain, pain with intercourse, pelvic organ prolapse, back and tailbone pain, and pregnancy and postpartum-related issues such as back, SI joint, and pelvic pain, diastasis recti, and C-section/perineal scar dysfunction. What Emilee is most passionate about is getting to know you as a person and walking alongside you as you find holistic fulfillment in your health.

Want To Support Local Bookstores Near You?

Buy your books from Bookshop! Support local bookstores near you and this blog and podcast and help prevent Amazon from completely squashing the local book market.

Are You New Here?

Welcome! I’m so glad to have you. You might be wondering what this blog and podcast are all about.

We relate everything in this podcast back to motivation, but not the hustle and grind kind. Truly sustainable motivation that keeps you feeling energetic and engaged in your life for the long haul. We talk about why “I’m just not motivated” is a myth, and why the TYPE of motivation you have is so important to fully understand. If you are ready to learn about motivation and respecting your body in an effective way so that you can live a life you truly love, you are in the right place.

Check out the Foundational Episodes of the Motivation Made Easy Podcast here!

Introduction: What is this podcast all about?Episode 1: Want to Get & Stay Motivated? A Crash Course on Motivation, Weight Loss, and HealthEpisode 2: How Dieting Steals Our MotivationEpisode 3: How To Get Motivated To Improve Your Health (Motivation 101)Episode 4: How to Transform Health Fears Into Forward Progress

Are you ready to take that first step?

Are you struggling with:

Decision fatigue and feelings of overwhelm?Do you wake up anxious, not sure what to eat or focus on in your day?Or maybe you just aren’t sure you’re spending your time on the right things… Maybe you end up scrolling through your phone, or maybe you just jump into your emails. You don’t really know what to prioritize.

You finish your day focused on all the things you didn’t get done, frustrated and angry that you aren’t more focused on what truly matters. Maybe you felt that you weren’t present with your kids or loved ones. I know that’s the one that hurts me the MOST.

Or maybe you are like okay, so don’t focus on calorie counting or dieting, but what DO I focus on?

If you are ready to start getting clarity on this, it first starts with refining your values.

This is the #1 strategy I hear over and over that is MOST HELPFUL in developing autonomous and sustainable motivation, is to clarify your values. Have you done it yet? Or lately?

Grab the free guide at DrHondorp.com/goals which will walk you through step by step a process to get started on clarifying what matters to you, and what you should be focusing on at this season of your life. It’s never too late to stop dieting, reconnect to what matters, and to start truly living.

The gift of being able to walk alongside women in this journey will never fall lightly on me.- Emilee Van Hoven, PT, DPT

What You Need to Understand about Pelvic Health

Pelvic health evaluation and treatment is incredibly underutilized. In many other countries (e.g., France) a pelvic health check is standard care, like a well child visit. We need to do better in terms of educating providers on its importance so that more women can feel supported and empowered.There is WAY more to it than "Just do kegels!" In fact many times that's the opposite of what you truly need.There's so much value in knowing and honoring your body.We need to do so much better in so many areas with how we support women's health, particularly around the parenthood journey.You deserve providers who empower you, create space for you to process hard things. If you don't have this yet, keep looking.

Support Independent Bookstores Near You!

Did you know that that if nothing slows their momentum, Amazon will have almost 80% of the book market by the end of 2025?

Look, I love the convenience of Amazon, but I’ve got a super cool way that you can support local bookstores and my blog and podcast simply by buying books like you already do! You can choose any bookstore on the list in the US and Canada (they plan to expand to other counties in the future) OR you can just let the donation get split between all stores. As of this recording, they have raised 15 million dollars for local bookstores. On my bookshop, you will see my absolute favorite books related to health and wellness, courage and vulnerability, and even my favorite fiction and kids books!

My recent favorite related to improving the quality of our lives was Digital Minimalism. Our family actually has decided to do an optional screen free August to re-evaluate the role of screen time in our lives.

So if you believe in supporting local businesses, please consider buying your books through Bookshop from now on!

The Psychology of Wellness Bookshop Link.

Disclaimer: This blog and podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for individual professional advice or treatment, including medical or mental health advice. It does not constitute a provider patient relationship.

Disclosure: Using the Bookshop.org links in this post means that I would get an affiliate fee if you purchase from the online bookshop (this supports my business, and local bookstores too!).

Credit: This blog post was co-written and edited by Sarah Grace Rapoport, podcast and blog manager and Psychology of Wellness Intern, and Dr. Shawn Hondorp.

Episode 45.

You are Being Lied To

I hate to say it, but it's happening early and often. To all of us.

When I'm not getting angry about it, it's sort of fascinating.

We actually have a pretty good sense of what constitutes evidence-based nutrition.

But the diet and weight loss industry needs to complicate it so that we are reliant on their products. Their business model is designed to create repeat customers, not help us. They want to confuse us and convince us that some great plan is around the corner to save us from our misery.

Having us obsess about weight loss and our body size is a great way to do that.

When really, they want to hide the fact that it's diet culture and the internalized notion that thinness equals health that makes us feel bad and sometimes quite sick.

Today's episode includes:

My personal diet culture gaslighting story and how it kept me away from finding an eating pattern that worked for me for years3 diet culture myths that will surprise youWhat you actually should focus on doingNew free resource! 7 Satisfying Snacks You'll Actually Want to Eat

Want To Support Local Bookstores Near You?

Buy your books from Bookshop! Support local bookstores near you and this blog and podcast and help prevent Amazon from completely squashing the local book market.

Are You New Here?

Welcome! I’m so glad to have you. You might be wondering what this blog and podcast are all about.

We relate everything in this podcast back to motivation, but not the hustle and grind kind. Truly sustainable motivation that keeps you feeling energetic and engaged in your life for the long haul. We talk about why “I’m just not motivated” is a myth, and why the TYPE of motivation you have is so important to fully understand. If you are ready to learn about motivation and respecting your body in an effective way so that you can live a life you truly love, you are in the right place.

Check out the Foundational Episodes of the Motivation Made Easy Podcast here!

Introduction: What is this podcast all about?Episode 1: Want to Get & Stay Motivated? A Crash Course on Motivation, Weight Loss, and HealthEpisode 2: How Dieting Steals Our MotivationEpisode 3: How To Get Motivated To Improve Your Health (Motivation 101)Episode 4: How to Transform Health Fears Into Forward Progress

Do you ever worry that you are wasting your life?

I definitely did. In fact, I wrote that in my journal many years ago when I was in the middle of the diet-binge roller coaster ride.

I woke up every day thinking about food, my body, and what I would eat that day to "be healthy"The notebooks I had filled with calories and points could fill up a spare bedroomSocial events and vacations immediately prompted the thought "they will notice I gained weight" or "I need to lose weight by then"Deep down I knew I wasn't living life the way I wanted to, but I didn't know how to pull myself out of it.

If this is you, I want you to imagine what it would feel like to feel empowered in your body and proud of your choices on a consistent basis. I promise you, it isn't too late.

Dieting steals our motivation. It makes us ineffective. It keeps us spinning our wheels in a system that was never built to work.

If you are ready take the first step to motivating yourself with what matters to you, download my free Create Powerful Motivation guide (which is quite beautifully designed if I do say so myself), and walk through the 3 simple steps to create motivation that works for YOU in 15 minutes or less. You will get a simple formula to write ONE SENTENCE you can use to motivate yourself on a daily basis.

You can write it on your bathroom mirror, put on the background of your phone, or just read it and repeat it in your mind.

Look, I know how much it hurts to live a life worrying you are missing out, not stepping into the person you were truly meant to be, vibrant, passionate, curious, vulnerable, and brave.

You can listen to the podcast all day, but taking that first step, putting pen the paper (or typing on your phone) is required for true lasing change. It's time to start living my friend.

It's 100% free, so what are you waiting for? Grab your free copy of the guide today at DrHondorp.com/Motivate 

My Diet Culture Gaslighting Journey

I've actually always had a preference for more plant-forward eating. When I was a freshman in college and I found out I had high cholesterol (like super high) and triglycerides, I was literally excited. "Maybe now I'll be motivated to be healthier."

Long story short, for all the reasons we talk about on this podcast about external shame-based motivation, it didn't.

However, I did find books about plant based nutrition and reversal of heart disease. One in particularly I recall was by Dr. Dean Ornish. What's fascinating is that although the exact program was way too strict for what I wanted or needed, I eat a somewhat similar diet now: mostly plant foods. And yet it took me MANY years and then finally working in a Preventive Cardiology clinic to get back to the diet or eating pattern that worked best for my body.

Instead, due to the immense power of diet culture, I got funneled down the weight loss industry track instead. Although the first attempt at Weight Watchers did "work" and had me eating a fairly balanced diet, I cannot say the same for many other attempts. Jenny Craig? Slimfast? Yuck.

Even with Weight Watchers, I still had the mindset of I "should" be eating a dinner of a grilled chicken breast, steamed veggies, and maybe some plain brown rice.

The rules I followed:

Don't eat too much pasta and carbs, they have a lot of caloreis"Everything in moderation" Make sure to have protein at every meal and snack

The Answer Was Actually Simple

By the time I learned about the true science of plant-based eating, it was many years later. I was working in a Preventive Cardiology clinic and my sole motivation had zero to do with weight loss, and everything to do with honoring my body, but honestly, mostly taking care of my family.

3 Diet Culture Myths That Will Surprise You

Myth #1: "It's all about calories in versus calories out."

Tomiyama study: Shows up that low calorie dieting (eating 1200 calories, even without recording) increases cortisol (Tomiyama, 2011)How Not to Diet book by Dr. Michael Greger references many studies demonstrating the health benefits of a high fiber diet. But remember, there isn't much money in telling people to buy and eat whole plant foods, so diet culture isn't interested in promoting this message.

Grab My Free Satisfying Snack Guide Today!

P.S. Hot off the press, I created a new fun guide with 7 Satisfying Snacks You Will Actually Want to Eat. These is really simple snack ideas that are all relatively high in plant foods and fiber, that are some of my go to favs. Grab it for free today at DrHondorp.com/Satisfy!

Myth #2: "You need more protein to feel full."

This one kept me stuck for YEARS. I really don't love meat. I mean I like some meat, but I don't love grilled chicken, and I hate preparing meat at home or eating it leftover.

But diet culture told me I needed to eat enough protein, so I tried to have some chicken, or sliced turkey on my low carb wrap, even though I didn't really enjoy it.

The reality is, I still eat meat when I feel like it (typically a buffalo chicken sandwich at a sports bar, or Italian sub) but I rarely eat meat at home and I'm very satisfied.

I don't stress about calories and eat a portion that helps me stay full. AND my leftovers look less gross to me. It's glorious.

Myth #3: "You must track your eating to have success."

This is super common, but again, based on the notion that we need some external guide to keep ourselves in check. We don't.

I'm not someone who believes all recording is bad. You have choice, remember. But truly, it isn't needed and if you've been doing it for years, it's probably time to let it go and trust your body.

Support Independent Bookstores Near You!

Did you know that that if nothing slows their momentum, Amazon will have almost 80% of the book market by the end of 2025?

Look, I love the convenience of Amazon, but I’ve got a super cool way that you can support local bookstores and my blog and podcast simply by buying books like you already do! You can choose any bookstore on the list in the US and Canada (they plan to expand to other counties in the future) OR you can just let the donation get split between all stores. As of this recording, they have raised 15 million dollars for local bookstores. On my bookshop, you will see my absolute favorite books related to health and wellness, courage and vulnerability, and even my favorite fiction and kids books!

My recent favorite related to improving the quality of our lives was Digital Minimalism. Our family actually has decided to do an optional screen free August to re-evaluate the role of screen time in our lives.

So if you believe in supporting local businesses, please consider buying your books through Bookshop from now on!

The Psychology of Wellness Bookshop Link.

Disclaimer: This blog and podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for individual professional advice or treatment, including medical or mental health advice. It does not constitute a provider patient relationship.

Disclosure: Using the Bookshop.org links in this post means that I would get an affiliate fee if you purchase from the online bookshop (this supports my business, and local bookstores too!).

Credit: This blog post was written by Dr. Shawn Hondorp and edited by Sarah Grace Rapoport, podcast and blog manager and Psychology of Wellness Intern.

References

Tomiyama, J., Mann, T., Vinas, D., Hunger, J., Dejager, J., & Taylor, S. (2011). Low Calorie Dieting Increases Cortisol. Psychosomatic Medicine, 72,...

Episode 44. Today I have the pleasure of talking with Shadoe Ball.

Shadoe is an artist and writer that lives in Toronto, Ontario with her husband and adorable dog named Gertie. Her essay, Stranger Words was included in the anthology BIG: Stories about Life in Plus-Sized Bodies, published by Caitlin Press. She is also the person behind the Instagram account "The Word Fat", an art project that encourages submissions from everyone. Her only rule for this project is to be compassionate and curious about the feelings that may come up during the process. 

IG: @shadoeball and @TheWordFat and @tinygertie

What to Expect in This Interview:

In this week's episode, Shadoe and I talk about:

How she came to find intuitive eating (you'll be surprised about where she learned about it!)Her journey moving from chronic dieting to using intuitive eating and body liberation to stop obsessing about making her body smaller.Her concerns about rejecting diet rulesFears of weight gain and how she handled thisHer favorite parts and hardest parts of intuitive eatingWhat gentle nutrition looks like for her and how she is learning to tune in and nourish her body

Are You New Here?

Welcome! I’m so glad to have you. You might be wondering what this blog and podcast are all about.

We relate everything in this podcast back to motivation, but not the hustle and grind kind. Truly sustainable motivation that keeps you feeling energetic and engaged in your life for the long haul. We talk about why “I’m just not motivated” is a myth, and why the TYPE of motivation you have is so important to fully understand. If you are ready to learn about motivation and respecting your body in an effective way so that you can live a life you truly love, you are in the right place.

Check out the Foundational Episodes of the Motivation Made Easy Podcast here!

Introduction: What is this podcast all about?Episode 1: Want to Get & Stay Motivated? A Crash Course on Motivation, Weight Loss, and HealthEpisode 2: How Dieting Steals Our MotivationEpisode 3: How To Get Motivated To Improve Your Health (Motivation 101)Episode 4: How to Transform Health Fears Into Forward Progress

Do you ever worry that you are wasting your life?

I definitely did. In fact, I wrote that in my journal many years ago when I was in the middle of the diet-binge roller coaster ride.

I woke up every day thinking about food, my body, and what I would eat that day to "be healthy"The notebooks I had filled with calories and points could fill up a spare bedroomSocial events and vacations immediately prompted the thought "they will notice I gained weight" or "I need to lose weight by then"Deep down I knew I wasn't living life the way I wanted to, but I didn't know how to pull myself out of it.

If this is you, I want you to imagine what it would feel like to feel empowered in your body and proud of your choices on a consistent basis. I promise you, it isn't too late.

Dieting steals our motivation. It makes us ineffective. It keeps us spinning our wheels in a system that was never built to work.

If you are ready take the first step to motivating yourself with what matters to you, download my free Cultivate Powerful Motivation guide (which is quite beautifully designed if I do say so myself), and walk through the 3 simple steps to cultivate motivation that works for YOU in 15 minutes or less. You will get a simple formula to write ONE SENTENCE you can use to motivate yourself on a daily basis.

You can write it on your bathroom mirror, put on the background of your phone, or just read it and repeat it in your mind.

Look, I know how much it hurts to live a life worrying you are missing out, not stepping into the person you were truly meant to be, vibrant, passionate, curious, vulnerable, and brave.

You can listen to the podcast all day, but taking that first step, putting pen the paper (or typing on your phone) is required for true change. It's time to start living my friend.

It's 100% free, so what are you waiting for? Grab your free copy of the guide today at DrHondorp.com/Motivate 

Key Takeaways

Be patient and kind to yourself. Intuitive Eating takes time for most people to learn, and supportive providers who truly get it and make space for your to explore your identity and feel 100% comfortable is a key piece of the process.Honesty throughout the process is key. Shadoe is super honest with us and with herself about her fears, objections and struggles. Intuitive eating can often bring up feelings of "should" and feelings of failure that we aren't doing it "right" if we desire weight loss or a smaller body. The reality is, it's REALLY hard to get rid of that desire in our culture. We can however, be aware of it, have self-compassion for ourselves, and work to take great care of ourselves in an effective way.Intuitive eating is for all bodies, not just thin bodies. This is a common concern I hear. Like, okay, I'll do intuitive eating once I lose weight. Shadoe talks about how she struggled with this, and how her support team helped her challenge this way of thinking. Be cautious of diet culture that is subtle, covert, and still a diet. This can truly undermine the Intuitive Eating process so make sure the program or provider you are working with is truly aligned with HAES and intuitive eating.

Support Independent Bookstores Near You!

Did you know that that if nothing slows their momentum, Amazon will have almost 80% of the book market by the end of 2025?

Look, I love the convenience of Amazon, but I've got a super cool way that you can support local bookstores and my blog and podcast simply by buying books like you already do! You can choose any bookstore on the list in the US and Canada (they plan to expand to other counties in the future) OR you can just let the donation get split between all stores. As of this recording, they have raised 15 million dollars for local bookstores. On my bookshop, you will see my absolute favorite books related to health and wellness, courage and vulnerability, and even my favorite fiction and kids books!

My recent favorite related to improving the quality of our lives was Digital Minimalism. Our family actually has decided to do an optional screen free August to re-evaluate the role of screen time in our lives.

So if you believe in supporting local businesses, please consider buying your books through Bookshop from now on!

The Psychology of Wellness Bookshop Link.

Disclaimer: This blog and podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for individual professional advice or treatment, including medical or mental health advice. It does not constitute a provider patient relationship.

Disclosure: Using the Bookshop.org links in this post means that I would get an affiliate fee if you purchase from the online bookshop (this supports my business, and local bookstores too!).

Episode 43. "Stay silent, stay still." Have you ever unconsciously followed that command? I know I have. Today I have the pleasure of talking with Racheal Rickabaugh where we dive into learning and un-learning and her journey of regaining the sense that her body, and her intuition, could in fact be trusted.

Racheal is a 33 year old second grade teacher from Grand Haven, Michigan.  She is passionate about supporting her students' social/emotional development and fostering a mindset for learning in her classroom. She enjoys walks along the pier, board games, listening to podcasts, reading, and spending time with her friends.  Racheal enjoys writing.  Currently, she does it mostly for herself but has blogged a bit and hopes to have a more public platform one day. Check out her blog on her eating disorder journey here.

Today Racheal shares about her journey with her relationship with food and her body. Racheal is one of my early blog and podcast listeners/readers and has been such a wonderful part of the Psychology of Wellness community. She was one of our Founding Members of the Body Respect Program, our online program. What I have so appreciated about Racheal is her inquisitive nature, her deep desire to understand her body, openness to learning, and wanting to look at things truly holistically. She has the BEST questions. Many times when I’m asking questions to guests on the podcast or various settings, Racheal is the voice behind them! I’m so excited to dive in today and have her share more about her journey.

In this interview, we cover:

Racheal's early relationship with food and her body and how being biracial growing up in predominantly white West Michigan impacted her identity and sense of selfHer progress with weight loss and flexible habit change (and the impact of people's comments and being asked to share this publicly online) and when it turned into an eating disorderHere extreme skepticism at first with Health at Every Size and Intuitive Eating (e.g., "I thought they were BS") and what eventually changed her mindHow she has used science and research to really empower herself and achieve a more wholistic and flexible view of health than ever beforeWhat she wants providers and people to know about making comments about weight loss

Want To Support Local Bookstores Near You?

Buy your books from Bookshop! Support local bookstores near you and this blog and podcast and help prevent Amazon from completely squashing the local book market.

Are You New Here?

Welcome! I’m so glad to have you. You might be wondering what this blog and podcast are all about.

We relate everything in this podcast back to motivation, but not the hustle and grind kind. Truly sustainable motivation that keeps you feeling energetic and engaged in your life for the long haul. We talk about why “I’m just not motivated” is a myth, and why the TYPE of motivation you have is so important to fully understand. If you are ready to learn about motivation and respecting your body in an effective way so that you can live a life you truly love, you are in the right place.

Check out the Foundational Episodes of the Motivation Made Easy Podcast here!

Introduction: What is this podcast all about?Episode 1: Want to Get & Stay Motivated? A Crash Course on Motivation, Weight Loss, and HealthEpisode 2: How Dieting Steals Our MotivationEpisode 3: How To Get Motivated To Improve Your Health (Motivation 101)Episode 4: How to Transform Health Fears Into Forward Progress

Do you ever worry that you are wasting your life?

I definitely did. In fact, I wrote that in my journal many years ago when I was in the middle of the diet-binge roller coaster ride.

I woke up every day thinking about food, my body, and what I would eat that day to "be healthy"The notebooks I had filled with calories and points could fill up a spare bedroomSocial events and vacations immediately prompted the thought "they will notice I gained weight" or "I need to lose weight by then"Deep down I knew I wasn't living life the way I wanted to, but I didn't know how to pull myself out of it.

If this is you, I want you to imagine what it would feel like to feel empowered in your body and proud of your choices on a consistent basis. I promise you, it isn't too late.

Dieting steals our motivation. It makes us ineffective. It keeps us spinning our wheels in a system that was never built to work.

If you are ready take the first step to motivating yourself with what matters to you, download my free Cultivate Powerful Motivation guide (which is quite beautifully designed if I do say so myself), and walk through the 3 simple steps to cultivate motivation that works for YOU in 15 minutes or less. You will get a simple formula to write ONE SENTENCE you can use to motivate yourself on a daily basis.

You can write it on your bathroom mirror, put on the background of your phone, or just read it and repeat it in your mind.

Look, I know how much it hurts to live a life worrying you are missing out, not stepping into the person you were truly meant to be, vibrant, passionate, curious, vulnerable, and brave.

You can listen to the podcast all day, but taking that first step, putting pen the paper (or typing on your phone) is required for true change. It's time to start living my friend.

It's 100% free, so what are you waiting for? Grab your free copy of the guide today at DrHondorp.com/Motivate 

Take Home Messages From Racheal's Story

There is nothing wrong with your body, it's society that is the problem. This takes time and patience to truly understand the truth here. But as Racheal shares, doing the work here is very much worth it.When body diversity (age, sex, race, sexual orientation, etc) isn't represented, we are sending a message psychologically and biologically to people that they aren't safe and they don't belong. This causes a stress response in their body, and is something that we often aren't considering when we think of movements towards more social inclusion. Yet, it's essential we do so.Most people think Intuitive Eating and Health at Every Size is BS at first. Seriously, I think that's pretty much the most common reaction. And yet, I've never heard anyone who has really dug into the science and learned about it thoroughly be able to poke many holes in it. If you can't, let's chat! Science and research can be incredibly empowering. Racheal is inherently curious and though skeptical, she remains open to new ways of thinking and being. Doing the work, courage, and vulnerability wins. I don't know Racheal super well. I know her mostly through email, a few Zoom calls, and this interview. But I'm struck by the fact that she does not give up, she is always working to improve upon her health from a learning mindset, and she hasn't avoided things that are and were uncomfortable to her. Even sharing her story, of course there was some anxiety there, as well as excitement, but she shared with me after the interview that doing so is something she feels called to do. She has this incredibly combination of learning and then incorporating that learning into her intuition about what will work for her, and I think this is an incredible skill that she will use in all areas of her life, for the rest of her life. I think it's what more people need, particularly women. Is to learn that we don't need to "Stay silent, stay still." And in fact, the world depends on us to un-learn that message.

Support Independent Bookstores Near You!

Did you know that that if nothing slows their momentum, Amazon will have almost 80% of the book market by the end of 2025?

Look, I love the convenience of Amazon, but I've got a super cool way that you can support local bookstores and my blog and podcast simply by buying books like you already do! You can choose any bookstore on the list in the US and Canada (they plan to expand to other counties in the future) OR you can just let the donation get split between all stores. As of this recording, they have raised 15 million dollars for local bookstores. On my bookshop, you will see my absolute favorite books related to health and wellness, courage and vulnerability, and even my favorite fiction and kids books!

My recent favorite related to improving the quality of our lives was Digital Minimalism. Our family actually did an optional screen free August to re-evaluate the role of screen time in our lives.

So if you believe in supporting local businesses, please consider buying your books through Bookshop from now on!

The Psychology of Wellness Bookshop Link.

Disclaimer: This blog and podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for individual professional advice or treatment, including medical or mental health advice. It does not constitute a provider patient relationship.

Disclosure: Using the Bookshop.org links in this post means that I would get an affiliate fee if you purchase from the online bookshop (this supports my business, and local bookstores too!).

Credit: This blog post was co-written and edited by Sarah Grace Rapoport, podcast and blog manager and Psychology of Wellness Intern, and Dr. Shawn Hondorp.

Episode 42. Have you ever had a health scare (for you or a loved one) and been frustrated with yourself that it didn't propel you to make a big lifestyle change?

On today's episode of the Motivation Made Easy podcast, I talk about our family's experience learning of our high genetic risk of cancer. I share this as one example of how fear of loss can help motivate positive health changes when we have the right mindset.

Are you ready to take that first step?

Are you sick of decision fatigue and feelings of overwhelm? You wake up feeling anxious, not sure what to eat or focus on in your day. Not exactly sure how to spend your time. Maybe you end up scrolling your phone or just jump into your emails, not really sure how to spend your time.

You finish your day focused on all the things you didn't get done, frustrated and angry that you aren't more focused on what truly matters. Maybe you felt that you weren't present with your kids or loved ones? I know that's the one that hurts me the MOST.

I think we have all been there.

If you are ready to start getting clear on what you should be spending your time on and what's helpful, it first starts with clarifying your values.

The #1 strategy I hear over and over that is MOST HELPFUL in developing autonomous and sustainable motivation is to clarify your values. Have you done it yet? Or lately?

I, for one, do this regularly, particularly when I'm feeling a bit lost. And as a new entrepreneur, this happens quite often!

Grab the free guide at DrHondorp.com/goals, which will walk you through a step by step process to get started on clarifying what matters to you and what you should be focusing on at this season of your life. I promise you; it’s never too late to stop dieting and start truly living.

A Personal Story

Today we are getting personal. I talk first about about having basal cell carcinoma last year and how a recent experience brought up fears about our family history.

I share that my husband has Lynch syndrome, a genetic mutation that greatly increases his risk (and potentially our kids) of many types of cancer.

How to Transform Fear into Positive Progress

When (Fear-Based) External Motivation Does Not Motivate

Have you had a health scare in the past where you really hoped it would propel you to make habit changes in your life, but it didn't? I know this is extremely common, because I would often talk to patients about this.

They might have recently had a heart attack and be incredibly frustrated with themselves that they weren't "taking it more seriously."

I can relate to this, as I think many of us can. In the past, before I stopped dieting, I always hoped that health scares would motivate me to live a healthier life.

I would try to use them as a reason for eating differently ("I have high cholesterol, I shouldn't have that") but really when push came to shove, it didn't work.

The motivation was solidly in the external category. A "should" that was not transforming into any internal motivation any time soon.

How to Merge the Eating Disorder & Weight Management Worlds in a Healthy Way

We happened to find out about my husband having Lynch syndrome when I was working in a Preventive Cardiology clinic that recommended plant-based eating.

Therefore, I decided to try out the Forks Over Knives Meal Planner as this was often being recommended to our patients.

It basically gives you a concrete grocery list and meal plan to follow every week so that you don't have to stress about what to eat or what to buy at the store. It does have all plant based recipes, but you can absolutely add meat or other foods you enjoy to the pre-planned meals if you'd like.

And, it's very affordable! I highly recommend trying it if you want to save time and take worry away from planning your own meals.

However, more than focusing on the meal planner, I recommend that you focus on your internal WHY for making changes in your life based on the trials and tribulations you've been given.

Rather than focusing on what you're told you SHOULD do, it's important to zero in on what you feel you can control, and whether or not you feel like what you're doing is actually positive for you and your health.

“Sometimes we’re caught up in that should-based, shame-based external motivation cycle, and when you get out of that it can be really freeing. So it's really asking yourself not what should I do, but what do I want to do? How is changing my health important?"Dr. Shawn Hondorp, PhD

The Most Shocking Thing I Learned in My Plant-Based Eating Class

I have written about this in the past, but I share again some of the data on how percentage of calories from animal protein is highly linked to cancer risk.

This is another example of how our over focus on weight loss distracts us from the things we actually do have control over (e.g., our habits, how many fresh fruits and vegetables we have on a regular basis).

Take Home Message

I urge you to consider the information you have gotten about your health and your weight. Are you over emphasizing your weight and how much it impacts your health risk?

If you are having a lot of shoulds or fears about your health, I urge you to just notice that, but then turn inward and ask yourself the question, "What do I really want for my life and why is my health important to me?".

Usually our health is important to use because of the things it will allow us to do, now or in the future. If you want more help clarifying this, download my free guide here.

Disclaimer: This blog and podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for individual professional advice or treatment, including medical or mental health advice. It does not constitute a provider patient relationship.

References

Campbell, T. & Campbell, T. C. (2006). The China Study: The Most Comprehensive Study of Nutrition Ever Conducted and the Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss, and Long-term Health.

Dunaif, G. E. & Campbell, T. C. (1987). Dietary protein level and aflatoxin B1-induced preneoplastic hepatic lesions in the rat. The Journal of Nutrition, 117, 1298–1302.

Madhavan, T. V. & Gopalan, C. (1968). The effect of dietary protein on carcinogenesis of aflatoxin. Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, 85, 133-137.

Youngman, L.D., & Campbell, T. C. (1992). Inhibition of aflatoxin B1-induced gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase positive (GGT+) hepatic preneoplastic foci and tumors by low protein diets: evidence that altered GGT+ foci indicate neoplastic potential. Carcinogenesis, 13, 1607–1613.

Youngman, L. D., & Campbell, T. C. (1991). High protein intake promotes the growth of preneoplastic foci in Fischer #344 rats: evidence that early remodeled foci retain the potential for future growth. The Journal of Nutrition, 121.

Episode 41.

"I am just not motivated."

"I just need more willpower."

Have you ever said or thought something like this?

Well, it's actually not supported by science.

"I'm terrified I'm wasting my life."

I wrote this in a journal in the middle of the diet-binge cycle. And frankly, I kind of was.

I’m here to tell you it’s never too late to gain control of your eating, respect your body, and live a life that’s TRULY consistent with your values. But you need to take the first step.

One of the very first steps in developing truly autonomous and body respecting motivation is to clarify what actually matters to you. Not your mom, not your sister, not your best friend, YOU. 

The more you reflect on this, the more you can connect your values to your behaviors in a sustainable and empowering way. 

Grab the free guide at DrHondorp.com/goals and get started today. I promise you, it’s never too late to stop dieting and start truly living. You will not regret it.

It Ain't About Amount, It's About Type

In episode 39, we talked all about the 3 KEY psychological needs that facilitate long-term behavior change. As a refresher, they are:

AutonomyCompetenceRelatedness

Today, we are building on this information to talk about different types of motivation.

The different types listed above (ranging from external to internal) are:

External: You do the behavior for the reward or to avoid a punishment. Should or shame based motivation would fall here. Also exercising for the calorie burn or to lose weight would also fall into this category. Introjected: This one is still shame-based, usually. The behavior is often motivated by guilt and shoulds and the person is often putting a lot of internal pressure of themselves to do it, which makes it hard to keep up over the long-term. If nothing else it's because stress and pressure is exhausting. Identified/Integrated: These types of motivation are based in the person you want to be, like you exercise because it's personally important and/or consistent with how you want to show up in the world. You may or may not love it all the time, but often doing a certain exercise is part of who you are, part of your identity. Intrinsic: You do the behavior because something about it is inherently enjoyable.

Examples of Internal Motivators for Exercise

I wrote a detailed post on this in the past, that you can check out here. The idea with this list is to give you ideas about some of internal motivations for some. Remember that there are no right or wrong answers here, but the list below is just for ideas of what some internal motivators might be for you.

As a reminder, here are some of the ideas:

Make Exercise a Social Occasion

Improve Mobility and Reduce Pain

Manage Stress or Boost Your Mood

Increase Focus & Concentration

Improve Creativity & Problem-Solving

5 Tips to Move Towards Internal Motivation For Exercise

Be on the lookout for ways to make exercise more enjoyable or fun! Time to move away from the shoulds! As children, at some point we intuitively loved to move our bodies. Many of us have lost touch with that and we need to work to get back in touch with our body and what movement it actually likes. I made a free 10 minute audio to help you with this goal. Grab it for free here! Make a realistic plan for the timing and routine that will work best for YOU. Have you heard those articles about the fact that you should workout in the morning? Yeah, me too, and they stress me out. Working out in the morning is great because you get it done and you are less likely to have things come up that get in your way, however, this isn’t right for everyone. Right now, working out in the morning sounds terrible to me. I want to sleep in, so I let myself. In the evening if a walk sounds better than a strength/cardio workout in my basement, I let that “count.” Being flexible in this way leads to better mood benefits from exercise and better long term adherence. And it’s the long-term adding up of your habits that really matters, not whether I can force myself to get up at 5:30am and workout for 21 days in a row.Find a supportive and like-minded community. We are incredibly influenced by the people around us in so many ways. If you are constantly around someone who is saying “I’m too fat, I need to exercise more” or “I need to burn off the calories from this meal” in a self-deprecating way, it will likely influence you negatively. The more we can surround ourselves with people who are exercising in a self-supportive way, the more we get inspired and find new ideas to do the same. Myself and about 10 of my friends have had a private group to provide support and accountability for exercise for about 3 years now. Most of us post several times per week about what we did along with a picture of our sweaty face. The language is always about exercise as self-care and never about hating our bodies or weight loss. We aren’t perfect and we miss days sometimes, but most of us consistently show up week after week, year after year, and many of us attribute the consistency at least partially to the support of the group.Be on the lookout for weight loss as a motivator. Be on the lookout for unhelpful mindsets. Do you hop on the scale (just because, you are "curious") and then think “what’s the point, my weight is the same.”? If your reasons for exercise are not weight-related, then the number on the scale should have no bearing whatsoever on your motivation to move. Just take notice of the mindset and how it impacts that internal motivation, it might be enlightening.Think creatively, or ask for help. Many people have pain or other reasons why exercise is challenging. Sometimes finding creative ways to move is needed, and luckily with the internet there are tons of options. There is chair yoga, other exercises tailored to specific injuries, and yoga modified for different body types. However, always talk to a trusted professional to make sure you fully understand the causes of the pain and your treatment options. And if the professional you talk to tells you the only thing you can do is lose weight, get a second opinion. Unfortunately, weight bias is a common issue among health care professionals and the reality is that many problems can be improved even if the number on the scale does not change.

Support Independent Bookstores Near You!

Did you know that that if nothing slows their momentum, Amazon will have almost 80% of the book market by the end of 2025?

Look, I love the convenience of Amazon, but I've got a super cool way that you can support local bookstores and my blog and podcast simply by buying books like you already do! You can choose any bookstore on the list in the US and Canada (they plan to expand to other counties in the future), OR you can just let the donation get split between all stores. As of this recording, they have raised 15 million dollars for local bookstores. In my bookshop, you will see my absolute favorite books related to health and wellness, courage and vulnerability, and even my favorite fiction and kids books!

My recent favorite related to improving the quality of our lives was Digital Minimalism. Our family actually did an optional screen-free August to re-evaluate the role of screen time in our lives.

So if you believe in supporting local businesses, please consider buying your books through Bookshop from now on!

The Psychology of Wellness Bookshop Link.

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Disclaimer: This blog and podcast are for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for individual professional advice or treatment, including medical or mental health advice. It does not constitute a provider-patient relationship.

Disclosure: Using the Bookshop.org links in this post means that I would get an affiliate fee if you purchase from the online bookshop (this supports my business and local bookstores, too!).

Episode 40. This episode is all about why dieting does not work and how getting caught in the ineffective dieting cycle keeps us distracted from learning to take great care of ourselves and focusing on the things that matter.

Topics Covered

We talk about why dieting does not work and instead causes stress and often increases food obsession.Although many people assume that they are "failing the diet", many of their perceived "failures" (like binge eating) are 100% caused by dieting itself. But yet, we blame ourselves and start another diet or "eating plan" and keep the cycle going.Giving up dieting does not mean giving up any pursuit of your health. In fact, quite the opposite is usually true. Giving up dieting lets us see more clearly what matters and what we need to do logistically to improve our health, if that's what we choose. We just get to do it without all the diet-binge-shame BS. I talk about the Minnesota Starvation Experiment and how 36 men that were "starved" (put on a 1570 per day diet and lost 25% of their weight) became obsessed and preoccupied with food, and lost all interest in other things like hobbies, sex, etc (Keys et al., 1950). I discuss some of what this can teach us about the biological impact of dieting.I talk about the research study looking at calorie restriction without food monitoring (with pre-packaged meals) and how that increased cortisol, suggesting that calorie restriction itself inherently causes stress (Tomiyama et al., 2011) which makes us more prone to weight gain.

Learn More About How Dieting Fails Us

Check out my blog post for a comprehensive overview of the ways diet fails us (called "How Dieting Fails Us: A Comprehensive Guide").

Self Control is a Limited Resource

We only get so much willpower and self control in a given day.

People with sustainable habits they feel good about are not fighting tooth and nail every single day to keep them up.

If you find that you DO have to use significant energy and willpower on simply maintaining your habits, then chances are they aren't sustainable.

And believe it or not, it IS possible to form practices that don't exhaust you.

I wrote previously about how to use this knowledge in our favor and learn to make habit changes that can actually last over the long haul. Check out the post here: NEWSFLASH: No One Has Enough Willpower for Dieting.

Dieting Messes with our Biology

It isn't just in your head.

Food is fuel, and we need enough of it to thrive.

Our bodies fight incredibly hard to reject our dieting attempts, and much of the weight regain people experience is a result of this.

Sadly, we still tend to blame ourselves for weight regain because the scientific explanation is not often talked about. There is solid research on the biological changes that occur after weight loss, and it does not bode well for the diet industry.

If this doesn't convince you that diets are failing us, and not the other way around, I don't know what will. Check it out here: How Dieting Messes with Our Biology.

Dieting Erodes the Very Things that Are Essential for Long-Term Change

We know from decades of research on motivation that we all need three psychological needs met to promote behavior change over the long-term:

Competence RelatednessAutonomy

Without these needs being met, sustained change in any important area of your life is unlikely. Dieting usually diminishes all three. More on this here.

Defining the "Diet Mentality"

An attempt to control your weight as the ultimate goal.The mindsets involved in a weight loss attempt that comes from a place of external "should-based motivation".Often coming from a place of "I'm not ok" as I am now. Typically this is the message we get from the diet and weight loss industry. "I'm not ok, but I could feel SO great and confident about myself if I just lost weight!"It comes along with an assumption that whatever program or plan you are taking part in knows what you "should" eat.It is also based on the assumption that if you do XYZ steps "right" you will lose weight. Dieting attempts to give us a feeling of control, at least in the short-term.

“This idea of having control, we really like it as humans...dieting gives you this feeling of control, and one of my suggestions is to try to give up control of your weight to improve your relationship with food, and ultimately free your mind to focus on what matters”Dr. Shawn Hondorp, PhD

The "Dieting Overlay" Covers Up the Other Stuff

This illusion of control is incredibly alluring, but it actually just distracts us from what's important.

The time, energy and resources that we put into dieting could be used on things that bring us and our lives joy and meaning.

I think of the dieting cycle as a sheer black veil. It masks what makes us happy and authentic, the pain we may be feeling, and our freedom from shoulds. We can't start working towards joyful, sustainable change until we find the courage to remove that veil and face what's underneath.

The Logistics of Healthy Habits Become More Clear

Unless you have a personal chef, you will likely have to do some work to figure out how healthy habits fit into your life.

Once we remove the dieting overlay we can see things more clearly and make adjustments that fit us and our preferences and goals.

So Dieting Does not Work... Now What?

Take a step back and look at how dieting is impacting your life. What is dieting holding you back from? What would you do differently if you weren't concerned about your weight and/or appearance?Just notice when and where the diet mentality comes up for you. You don't have to change it yet, just notice. Notice how it makes you feel physically and emotionally. Just. Pay. Attention.Remember that giving up dieting does not have to mean not eating well or not eating in line with your goals. It does mean giving up the need to control your weight and choosing actions that you would do regardless of whether or not it influenced the scale. It does not mean not focusing on making changes that you want to make in your life with regards to eating, movement, maybe drinking less alcohol, etc. It just means you begin doing so from a place of taking great care of yourself and your body, versus external shoulds. For many, this takes some time and practice, so be patient with yourself.

Need Some Extra Help with the How?

Are you thinking, "This sounds good Shawn, but how do you actually implement this mindset shift?"

I made this free audio just for that reason! If you are feeling out of control with eating or noticing an urge to restrict, I'll show you exactly what the heck to do to avoid those thoughts. I walk you through the steps of how to actually tune in to your body and then make a plan for yourself from a place of self-respect.

Disclaimer: This blog and podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for individual professional advice or treatment, including medical or mental health advice. It does not constitute a provider patient relationship.

References

Keys, A., Brožek, J., Henschel, A., Mickelsen, O., & Taylor, H. L. (1950). The biology of human starvation. (2 Vols.). Univ. of Minnesota Press.

Tomiyama, J., Mann, T., Vinas, D., Hunger, J., Dejager, J., & Taylor, S. (2011). Low Calorie Dieting Increases Cortisol. Psychosomatic Medicine, 72, 357-364.

Want to learn how to get a stay motivated for healthy habits for the long term? You must understand your type of motivation.

Episode 38. This episode is a reflection on how things have been going, and the ways I'm working towards practicing what I preach.

I will cover:

A little update on some of the things going on with me latelyWhat I've learned over the past 9 months of being an entrepreneur and working fully in the way I want to with peopleHow I'm working to work smarter not harder and how you can do the sameWhy we often need to slow down and create space to create true and lasting changeReflections on our August Digital Declutter from the Digital Minimalism book

Want To Support Local Bookstores Near You?

Buy your books from Bookshop! Support local bookstores near you and this blog and podcast and help prevent Amazon from completely squashing the local book market.

I highly recommend Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World and will be talking about the impact it had on us in August in today's episode.

Are You New Here?

Welcome! I’m so glad to have you. You might be wondering what this blog and podcast are all about.

We relate everything in this podcast back to motivation, but not the hustle and grind kind. Truly sustainable motivation that keeps you feeling energetic and engaged in your life for the long haul. We talk about why “I’m just not motivated” is a myth, and why the TYPE of motivation you have is so important to fully understand. If you are ready to learn about motivation and respecting your body in an effective way so that you can live a life you truly love, you are in the right place.

Check out the Foundational Episodes of the Motivation Made Easy Podcast here!

Introduction: What is this podcast all about?Episode 1: Want to Get & Stay Motivated? A Crash Course on Motivation, Weight Loss, and HealthEpisode 2: How Dieting Steals Our MotivationEpisode 3: How To Get Motivated To Improve Your Health (Motivation 101)Episode 4: How to Transform Health Fears Into Forward Progress

Ready to motivate yourself in a truly effective way?

Are you sick of feeling pulled in a million directions, stressed about all the things you are not doing?

Tired of dieting and fixating on the scale, but unsure what else to focus on?

Does the term "anti-diet" make you think "anti-motivation?"

I'm here to tell you that moving away from dieting is the BEST way to cultivate lasting motivation for the things in your life that matter.

I should know. I spent 13 years of my life doing all the "good diets" under the sun. And what did I have to show for it? A whole lot of half completed food journals, mostly weight gain, a loss of belief in myself.

If you are ready to ask the question, what SHOULD I be focused on instead, then it's time to take the first step: Getting SUPER clear on what matters to you right now.

This is the #1 strategy I hear over and over that is MOST HELPFUL in developing autonomous and sustainable motivation, is to clarify your values. Have you done it yet?

I do this exercise at least twice a year now, particularly when I'm feeling a bit lost and directionless.

Grab the free guide at DrHondorp.com/goals which will walk you through step by step a process to get started on clarify what matters to you, and what you should be focusing on at this season of your life. It’s never too late to stop dieting and start truly living.

How to Know When You Need to Create Some Space

Do you know your signs of stress or Impending burnout?

They're different for everyone, and the first step in figuring out when it's time to slow down is being attentive and having the ability to recognize those signs.

You may get irritable, unfocused, or scatterbrained. Or you might try to focus on things you can control, only to get angry or frustrated when they don't go the way you want.

And if you DO recognize that you feel overly stressed, it's probably time to create some space in your life for restoration.

A good way to better recognize signs of burnout is to actively live in the roots of the tree, or your inner thoughts and emotions about yourself and your life.

Always being in tune with your present self will allow you to take the necessary steps towards growth when you need to and avoid falling into negative patterns.

Pushing Harder, Faster, Stronger Can Be Incredibly Ineffective

Sometimes we try and force ourselves to feel suppressed emotions without really taking the necessary time and space to let it happen naturally. When we're constantly pushing, that's nearly impossible.

This is why creating space for ourselves is VITAL.

The other day, I decided to take some time to watch one episode of a Netflix show at the end of the day, which I hadn't done in a while.

Just slowing down enough to watch one show was all I needed in order to connect with my emotions. I created a little bit of space, and the emotions finally came. I wasn't trying, it just happened.

Realizing You Aren't "There Yet" is Incredibly Frustrating

I do think at least for me, I'm "there" in terms of my relationship to food and body. For the most part.

However, I'm never "there" with having a perfect routine.

That's always growing and changing and definitely has been one of my main struggles this year. I really thought I'd be self-employed, working from home, keeping a perfect exercise routine and running long distances again by now, but that's not the case.

And that's okay, but it can be frustrating when you don't meet the expectations you have for yourself.

The Most Important Things I've Learned Over the Past 9 Months

The more we create space for ourselves and others, the more change occurs.

"It's about the safe space where you can show up to another human, express what you have going on, not be judged for that, and be able to explore what's going to work for you instead, and learning and growing over time"Dr. Shawn Hondorp, PhD

In an upcoming episode where we talk to Emilee Van Hoven, she talks about creating more space for people to share their stories and how she truly believes it is the most effective thing she does.

Annyck Besso, MS, RD also talked about how important this is to her in episode 16. Communication is SO essential and although being vulnerable can be difficult, it is absolutely necessary in order to spark growth.

Change occurs in spaces where we feel we belong, we are safe to learn and grow, we have choices and respect, and we are set up for success with effective tools and strategies.

Can We Speed Up Change?

This is a question I'm still wondering about.

I think yes, when we don't avoid the important stuff. When we dig deeper and determine the true causes, then lasting change occurs.

For me, that's digging into why my worth is tied up with how much money I make, even though deep in my core I don't believe that should be true.

Digital Minimalism and What It Taught Me

I loved that it was centered around autonomy, and didn't insist anything like "you should do this" or "don't do this".

It was very balanced.

Cutting down on smartphone use is a GREAT way to create space for yourself. It can give you more time to take truly restorative breaks, and can also allow you to live more presently.

However, you don't necessarily need to change anything if technology isn't getting in the way.

If you're able to use your smartphone while still ensuring that you are setting the boundaries necessary to take that time and space, then great! Do what works for you and your life.

What is Coming Up

I will be recycling our first four foundational podcast episodes and bringing those back to you in the next four weeks!

All of them have really valuable information, and I highly recommend giving them a listen if you haven't already. And if you have, it wouldn't hurt to brush up on your knowledge!

After that, we have three GREAT interview episodes for you. I just need some time and space to do them the justice they deserve.

How to Create Lasting Change

Create blank space. Turn off the phone, TV, even podcasts. Even if you are always listening to something, like I often am. Take breaks and pause. Mindfulness is incredibly effective in improving most things we are struggling with. Practice being in the present moment non-judgmentally. Practice mindfulness of internal states. Just noticing the thoughts you are having, the emotions. Labeling them without judgment. I'm having the thought that, I have so much to do. I'm having the emotion of anxiety. Practice mindfulness of external things. I highly recommend a walk outside, ideally in some nature. But you can also do this doing daily activities. Showering, noticing the feeling of the water on your skin, the smell of the soap. Washing the dishes, laundry, anything. There is value in bringing yourself back to here and now. And if you have 100,000 thoughts, that's FINE. You aren't doing it wrong, just bring it back.Find non-judgmental support. This can be family, friends, a therapist or counselor or coach, anything really.

Where Do You Need to Create Space In Your Life?

Send me a message on Instagram at psychology.of.wellness or tag me in your post about how you are creating positive space for change in the next month!

Support Independent Bookstores Near You!

Did you know that that if nothing slows their momentum, Amazon will have almost 80% of the book market by the end of 2025?

Look, I love the convenience of Amazon, but I’ve got a super cool way that you can support local bookstores and my blog and podcast simply by buying books like you already do! You can choose any bookstore on the list in the US and Canada (they plan to expand to other counties in the future) OR you can just let the donation get split between all stores. As of this recording, they have raised 15 million dollars for local bookstores. On my bookshop, you will see my absolute favorite books related to health and wellness, courage and vulnerability,...

For this special, limited time bonus episode I'm going to share a special announcement about my online program The Body Respect Program and some of what it involves.

Additionally, I'll share WHY I created it and why I'm so passionate about it and some of the upcoming changes to the program.

Get more details and enroll in the program here!

Enrollment closes on Thursday Sept 30th at 8:00pm EDT!

Email me at [email protected] with any questions or to set up a call to see if it's the right fit for you. Enrollment will not open again until 2022 and the price will go up at that time.