As we head into the holidays, so many of us are juggling full lives, big emotions, and a lot of expectations. In this episode, I sit down with my first guest on the podcast: psychotherapist and author Niro Feliciano to talk about her new book, All Is Calm-ish: How to Feel Less Frantic and More Festive During the Holidays—a 31-day guide to help you move through the season with more peace, perspective, and joy.

Not only is Niro a bestselling author, she’s a frequent contributor to NBC, the Today Show, and national publications. She specializes in anxiety, emotional well-being, and parenting—and brings a grounded, compassionate, deeply human approach to everything she teaches.

We talk about what really makes this time of year so emotionally charged for women, how to let go of perfection and obligation, and how to choose what is truly life-giving for you and your family (even if that means doing things differently this year).

In this conversation, we explore:

• Niro’s unexpected (and deeply faith-led) journey from private practice to national media
• Why the holidays feel so intense for so many women
• How Niro’s own story shaped All Is Calm-ish
• Simple, realistic ways to create more calm, joy, and breathing room
• The kind of self-care that actually supports you (beyond manicures and massages)

If you’re craving a season that feels more grounded and less overwhelming, this episode is for you.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE:

Follow Niro Feliciano on Instagram: @nirofeliciano

Learn more on Niro's website: www.nirofeliciano.com

Check out Niro’s new book: All Is Calm-ish: How to Feel Less Frantic and More Festive During the Holidays

Want to go deeper?
🎁Join me for my live virtual workshop, The Gift of Rest, on November 19, 2025—a gentle, guided reset before the rush of the holidays.

Send me a text -- I'd love to hear your questions for the show!

RESOURCES & LINKS

• Take the quiz: Are You a Gifted Woman?
• Sign up to receive my Sanctuary Letters
• Book a free Flourishing Call
• Follow me on Instagram: @dr.andrealein
• Learn more: andrealein.com

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW

If this episode resonates, be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss future conversations — and share it with a friend who’s ready to flourish. 🌿

And if you're feeling extra generous, leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your support helps us reach the women who will benefit from these insights.

The holidays are here—or at least it feels like they arrive earlier every year. And if you’re anything like me—or the high-capacity, gifted women I often work with—you may find this season both beautiful and overwhelming. 

The joy and nostalgia mingle with exhaustion, and somehow, even the most peaceful moments can feel like one more thing to manage.

In today’s episode, I’m sharing how I learned to live and work from a place of rest, not just during the holidays but in every season of life. I take you back to a time when I was leading a therapeutic boarding school, running from meeting to meeting, until my body finally said enough. What followed was a long, humbling journey through exhaustion, healing, and eventually, a complete reorientation toward rest—not as something I earned, but as something I received.

Together, we’ll explore:

• How over-responsibility and control can masquerade as “strength”
• What it really means to live from internal peace—even when life isn’t peaceful
• The 3 holistic pillars, supported by research, that supported my healing
• How to bring these principles into your daily rhythms—especially during the busy holiday season

We’ll also talk about why true rest begins not with clearing your calendar, but with shifting your internal state.

At the end, I’ll guide you through a short reflective pause you can return to anytime—a few deep breaths to remind your nervous system.

If you loved this episode, come join me for The Gift of Rest — my live holiday virtual event happening next week on 11/19/25! 

In this interactive workshop, we’ll map out your rhythms of peace, design a holiday season that nourishes you, and create space for what truly matters. 

🎁You can sign up here:  The Gift of Rest  

Because rest isn’t earned—it’s received. And when we learn to receive it, everything changes.

Send me a text -- I'd love to hear your questions for the show!

RESOURCES & LINKS

• Take the quiz: Are You a Gifted Woman?
• Sign up to receive my Sanctuary Letters
• Book a free Flourishing Call
• Follow me on Instagram: @dr.andrealein
• Learn more: andrealein.com

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW

If this episode resonates, be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss future conversations — and share it with a friend who’s ready to flourish. 🌿

And if you're feeling extra generous, leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your support helps us reach the women who will benefit from these insights.

This episode feels tender for me to share.
It’s the kind of story I usually only tell in small, trusted spaces—but I sensed it was time.

In this deeply personal conversation, I open up about my own path to healing—the one that unfolded beyond the walls of traditional therapy. Despite earning a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and spending decades studying the science of mental health, the transformation that truly changed me came through an entirely different (and very unexpected) doorway.

I talk about what it looked like to move beyond the limitations of traditional therapy, why I no longer fit neatly into either the clinical or spiritual boxes, and how I learned to integrate both science and spirit in my journey toward wholeness.

If you come from a different background or belief system, please know you’re welcome here. My intention isn’t to convince or prescribe, but simply to share what’s been true for me—and to invite you to listen for what resonates and leave the rest with love.

If you’ve ever felt like you don’t belong fully in either world—too analytical for spiritual spaces or too spiritual for psychological ones—this episode is for you. My hope is that it gives you permission to honor your complexity, your sensitivity, and your own way of healing.

We’ll explore:
 ✨ Why conventional approaches couldn’t reach the deepest parts of my pain
 ✨ How spiritual renewal reshaped my understanding of psychology and healing
 ✨ What it means to integrate science, spirit, and embodiment in everyday life
 ✨ Why your healing doesn’t have to fit inside anyone else’s box

Your path to wholeness doesn’t need to look like anyone else’s—it just has to feel like home to you.

If this resonates, I’d love for you to share this episode with someone who’s also searching for a more beautiful, integrated way to heal and flourish.

Visit andrealein.com for more reflections, and connect with me on Instagram @dr.andrealein for inspiration and encouragement.

Send me a text -- I'd love to hear your questions for the show!

RESOURCES & LINKS

• Take the quiz: Are You a Gifted Woman?
• Sign up to receive my Sanctuary Letters
• Book a free Flourishing Call
• Follow me on Instagram: @dr.andrealein
• Learn more: andrealein.com

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW

If this episode resonates, be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss future conversations — and share it with a friend who’s ready to flourish. 🌿

And if you're feeling extra generous, leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your support helps us reach the women who will benefit from these insights.

Have you ever thought, “I know better… so why can’t I feel better?”

You’ve read the books. You’ve done the mindset work. You’re self-aware and reflective.

And yet—your body still feels like it’s buzzing, bracing, or about to shut down.

In this episode, I share one of the most important truths I’ve learned (and lived):
You can’t think your way to safety.

Emotional sovereignty doesn’t begin in your journal—it begins in your body.
We’ll explore nervous system dysregulation in gifted, high-functioning women, and why so many of us feel overwhelmed, exhausted, or disconnected even when everything looks fine.

If you’ve done all the “right things” and still wonder, “Why don’t I feel safe yet?”—this is for you.

Inside This Episode, We Explore:

• What nervous system dysregulation actually looks like in high-functioning women
• How giftedness intensifies emotional and sensory input
• The four survival responses (fight, flight, freeze, fawn)—and how they show up subtly
• Why mindset alone doesn’t heal trauma or burnout
• Gentle, body-based practices to restore rhythm, rest, and emotional sovereignty

A Reframe to Remember:

“You don’t need more self-discipline. You need more safety.”

Send me a text -- I'd love to hear your questions for the show!

RESOURCES & LINKS

• Take the quiz: Are You a Gifted Woman?
• Sign up to receive my Sanctuary Letters
• Book a free Flourishing Call
• Follow me on Instagram: @dr.andrealein
• Learn more: andrealein.com

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW

If this episode resonates, be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss future conversations — and share it with a friend who’s ready to flourish. 🌿

And if you're feeling extra generous, leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your support helps us reach the women who will benefit from these insights.

What if the traits you’ve been pathologized for… are actually markers of your brilliance?

In this episode, I’m diving deep into a quiet epidemic I’ve seen again and again in my work with gifted, emotionally intense women: misdiagnosis.

So many women come to me having been labeled with ADHD, bipolar disorder, borderline personality, or other clinical diagnoses—when what’s really going on is giftedness that was never seen, named, or supported.

These women aren’t broken.
They’re brilliant—and misunderstood.

I’ll walk you through how traits like emotional intensity, fast thinking, sensitivity, and asynchronous development can mimic clinical symptoms, leading to confusion and disconnection from your true self. And I’ll share what happens when we start reclaiming a fuller picture—one that honors your depth instead of pathologizing it.

If you’ve ever wondered, “Is something wrong with me—or am I just wired differently?”
…this conversation is for you.

What I Talk About in This Episode:

• Why gifted women are often misdiagnosed—or missed entirely
• How gifted traits can overlap with symptoms of ADHD, autism, bipolar disorder, BPD, and OCD, and more
• What asynchronous development looks like in adult women
• The high cost of treating brilliance like a problem
• How to begin rebuilding trust in your own wiring

A Reframe to Remember
“You’re not broken. You’re brilliant—and the system just didn’t see you clearly.”

Resources mentioned in this episode: SENG (Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted): https://sengifted.org/

Send me a text -- I'd love to hear your questions for the show!

RESOURCES & LINKS

• Take the quiz: Are You a Gifted Woman?
• Sign up to receive my Sanctuary Letters
• Book a free Flourishing Call
• Follow me on Instagram: @dr.andrealein
• Learn more: andrealein.com

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW

If this episode resonates, be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss future conversations — and share it with a friend who’s ready to flourish. 🌿

And if you're feeling extra generous, leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your support helps us reach the women who will benefit from these insights.

Here’s a thought: what if your burnout isn’t a weakness, but a sign that your brilliance has been misused—or simply unsupported?

If you look fine on the outside, maybe even thriving, but inside you feel exhausted, numb, or hollow… this episode is for you.

Because what most people call burnout doesn’t even scratch the surface of what high-capacity, emotionally intense, gifted women are really going through.
This isn’t about time management—it’s about soul-level depletion.

In today’s conversation, I’m redefining burnout through the lens of giftedness—exploring why so many brilliant, capable women end up emotionally and spiritually spent, even when they’re “doing everything right.”

And more importantly, how to begin finding your way back home to yourself.

 Inside This Episode:

• The truth about why gifted, high-capacity women burn out differently
• How strength and capability can quietly turn into self-erasure
• Why burnout is not a sign of failure—but a signal that you’ve outgrown something
• The deeper layers of “soul fatigue” that time off can’t fix
• How your nervous system tries to protect you when you’ve pushed too long
• Why safety—not self-discipline—is the foundation of true rest
• What it means to let go of urgency and reclaim your humanity

A Reframe to Remember:

“Burnout isn’t the end. It’s an invitation—not to push harder, but to come home to yourself.”

When you begin to see burnout not as a collapse but as a calling, something profound shifts. It becomes a doorway—a divine nudge toward alignment, restoration, and a new way of being that actually honors your depth.

A Note From Dr. Andrea:

If you’re tired of being the one who “can handle it all,” I want you to know—you’re not broken.

You’ve just been strong for too long in systems that don’t support who you truly are. 

And it’s okay to stop holding it all together.

This is your reminder that your value was never measured by how much you produce. You are human. You need rest. You deserve beauty, rhythm, and restoration.

Send me a text -- I'd love to hear your questions for the show!

RESOURCES & LINKS

• Take the quiz: Are You a Gifted Woman?
• Sign up to receive my Sanctuary Letters
• Book a free Flourishing Call
• Follow me on Instagram: @dr.andrealein
• Learn more: andrealein.com

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW

If this episode resonates, be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss future conversations — and share it with a friend who’s ready to flourish. 🌿

And if you're feeling extra generous, leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your support helps us reach the women who will benefit from these insights.

Have you ever felt like you see the world differently—more intensely, more deeply—than the people around you?

Like your brain is always on and your heart feels everything on high volume?
Maybe you’ve been called “too much” or secretly wondered why life feels so overwhelming and underwhelming at the same time.

If so, you might be a gifted woman… even if no one ever told you.

In this episode, I’m unpacking the hidden side of giftedness in women—especially those of us who were never identified, labeled, or understood through that lens. I’ll share 5 powerful signs that you may be gifted in ways that go far beyond grades or IQ tests—and why it matters so deeply to name this now.

Because here’s the thing: giftedness isn’t about being better than others.
It’s about understanding the depth, sensitivity, intensity, and brilliance you’ve carried your whole life—and finally making peace with it.

Inside This Episode:

• What it really means to be a gifted woman (and why so many of us were missed)
• Why you may crave meaning and soul far more than achievement
• How being labeled “too much” has shaped your sense of self
• The hidden loneliness of being deeply wired for connection and truth

A Note from Dr. Andrea:

I created this episode for the brilliant, sensitive women who’ve spent their whole lives wondering what’s wrong with me?

Here’s the truth: there’s nothing wrong with you. You were simply never given the language for your gifts.

This is your invitation to reclaim that language—and to stop shrinking in order to belong.

You don’t need to become someone else. You just need to come home to who you’ve always been.

If this episode resonated and you're curious to learn if you might indeed be a gifted woman, I encourage you to take my free quiz: Are You a Gifted Woman?  

It’s gentle, eye-opening, and created just for women like you who may have been missed.

Send me a text -- I'd love to hear your questions for the show!

RESOURCES & LINKS

• Take the quiz: Are You a Gifted Woman?
• Sign up to receive my Sanctuary Letters
• Book a free Flourishing Call
• Follow me on Instagram: @dr.andrealein
• Learn more: andrealein.com

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW

If this episode resonates, be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss future conversations — and share it with a friend who’s ready to flourish. 🌿

And if you're feeling extra generous, leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your support helps us reach the women who will benefit from these insights.

If you've ever felt like you're too much and not enough all at once—this episode is for you.

In today’s conversation, I’m peeling back the layers on why so many gifted, deep-feeling women silently struggle beneath the surface… even when life looks “successful” on the outside. We’ll explore what it really means to be gifted, how perfectionism often masks pain, and why traditional therapy sometimes misses the mark for women like us.

I’ll also introduce you to Internal Family Systems (IFS)—a powerful lens for reconnecting with the hidden parts of yourself—and share why self-compassion is one of the most radical tools for healing and wholeness.

Because here’s the truth: your giftedness isn’t a problem to fix. It’s the portal to your power.

And you don’t have to keep silencing your brilliance just to belong. You were made for more—and it’s time to reclaim it.

Inside This Episode:

• Why gifted women often feel like outsiders in their own lives
• What existential depression looks like—and why it’s often misunderstood
• The role of IFS in helping you make peace with your inner world
• Why perfectionism may have helped you survive (but no longer serves you)
• How self-compassion changes everything
• Why giftedness isn’t a flaw—but a sacred strength
• What it means to live more authentically and powerfully, without apology

A Note From Dr. Andrea:

So many brilliant women have been taught to tone themselves down—to trade their radiance for approval, their gifts for belonging. But the truth is, the world doesn’t need a muted version of you. It needs you—in full color, with all your depth, complexity, and fire.

This conversation is an invitation back to yourself. Not to fix what was never broken, but to rise into who you were always meant to be.

Send me a text -- I'd love to hear your questions for the show!

RESOURCES & LINKS

• Take the quiz: Are You a Gifted Woman?
• Sign up to receive my Sanctuary Letters
• Book a free Flourishing Call
• Follow me on Instagram: @dr.andrealein
• Learn more: andrealein.com

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW

If this episode resonates, be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss future conversations — and share it with a friend who’s ready to flourish. 🌿

And if you're feeling extra generous, leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your support helps us reach the women who will benefit from these insights.

Have you ever been told you’re “too much” or “too sensitive”? 

In this episode, I explore the hidden side of giftedness in women — and why so many brilliant, deep-feeling women never realize these traits are actually gifts.

I share how giftedness can show up in adulthood, from emotional depth and intensity to a relentless craving for meaning. You’ll hear how these qualities, while sometimes misunderstood, can become powerful sources of self-acceptance, resilience, and empowerment.

My hope is that you’ll leave this conversation with a new lens: you’re not broken, and you’re certainly not too much. You’re gifted — and flourishing is your birthright.

In this episode, I share:

• Why giftedness often goes unrecognized in girls and women.
• The connection between sensitivity, empathy, and emotional depth.
• How anxiety and overthinking can be confused with gifted traits.
• Why gifted women may feel isolated or misunderstood growing up.
• How embracing your unique wiring can lead to freedom, meaning, and growth.

If this episode made you wonder, "Could I be a gifted woman?" I encourage you to take my free quiz (link below) and subscribe for more conversations on this topic.

Send me a text -- I'd love to hear your questions for the show!

RESOURCES & LINKS

• Take the quiz: Are You a Gifted Woman?
• Sign up to receive my Sanctuary Letters
• Book a free Flourishing Call
• Follow me on Instagram: @dr.andrealein
• Learn more: andrealein.com

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW

If this episode resonates, be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss future conversations — and share it with a friend who’s ready to flourish. 🌿

And if you're feeling extra generous, leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your support helps us reach the women who will benefit from these insights.

What does it really mean to flourish? 

In this episode, I open up about my own backstory — both the personal and professional challenges that shaped me — and how they led me to the work I do today. Alongside my story, I share the science of positive psychology and how flourishing is different from traditional “success.”

I talk about why so many gifted women feel they’re made for more, why sensitivity is actually a strength, and how emotional intelligence, resilience, and self-discovery shape a meaningful life. You’ll also hear how the principles of positive psychology can guide us to not just survive, but truly thrive — living authentically, beautifully, and in alignment with who we really are.

If you’ve ever felt “too much,” longed for a deeper sense of well-being, or wondered what flourishing might look like in your own life, this episode is for you.

In this episode, I share:

• My personal journey through challenge, resilience, and discovery.
• Why success isn’t the same as flourishing.
• How gifted women may not fit traditional models of success — and why that’s a gift.
• How true flourishing involves resilience, nervous system healing, and self-care.
• Why sensitivity and emotional depth are powerful strengths.
• Why flourishing is a birthright, not a luxury.

Whether you’ve ever felt “too much,” longed for a deeper sense of well-being, or wondered what flourishing might look like in your own life, this episode offers both science and story to light the way forward.

Send me a text -- I'd love to hear your questions for the show!

RESOURCES & LINKS

• Take the quiz: Are You a Gifted Woman?
• Sign up to receive my Sanctuary Letters
• Book a free Flourishing Call
• Follow me on Instagram: @dr.andrealein
• Learn more: andrealein.com

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW

If this episode resonates, be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss future conversations — and share it with a friend who’s ready to flourish. 🌿

And if you're feeling extra generous, leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your support helps us reach the women who will benefit from these insights.