Episode 23: Beyond Trauma & Silencing the Inner Critic

Are you pushing through your workouts, or are you running from your trauma? The standard fitness and medical pipelines profit when women stay unwell, completely ignoring the psychological weight they carry every single day.

Welcome back to UpLift Women’s Wellness, the podcast that dismantles the toxic fitness industry and exposes the systemic gaps in women's healthcare. Hosted by Bethany Busch, MS, ACSM-EP, CSCS (Master's-level Clinical Exercise Physiologist), and Auria Zahed, LMFT (Licensed Therapist), we bridge the gap between advanced clinical biomechanics and mental health therapy to provide a true biopsychosocial standard of care.

In Episode 23, we sit down with trauma-informed coach Holli Howard to expose the origins of your "inner critic". Society tells women that burnout, perfectionism, and people-pleasing are character flaws, but in reality, they are trauma responses learned from external pressures and unhealed environments.

Step behind the velvet rope as we dive deep into:

✔️ The A.I.B.L. Method: Holli’s actionable 12-week framework (Awareness, Impact, Belief, Living) to shift from self-doubt to empowered living.

✔️ Big vs. Little Traumas: Why everything from Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) to everyday bullying matters, and why all healing is valid.

✔️ The Power of Self-Forgiveness: Releasing the heaviness of past hurts so you can finally stop carrying the weight of someone else's pain.

✔️ An Integrated Standard of Care: Why finding the right trauma-informed coach and bridging physical movement with mental health is essential for survival.

If you are exhausted from pushing through chronic stress, the sanctuary is open.

Stop guessing, start healing, and keep uplifting each other.

🧬 Map Your Safe Path ($97): https://head2toestrength.as.me/?appointmentType=93883185

👉 Uncover Your Force Leaks ($399 Assessment): https://head2toestrength.as.me/?appointmentType=93439784

🌟 Work with Holli Howard: www.positivelivingcoaching.com

🌐 Website: www.head2toestrength.com

📱 Follow the Movement: @head2toestrength

Episode 23 Show Notes

In this episode, Bethany Busch and Auria Zahed welcome Holli Howard, a trauma-informed coach, to discuss her personal healing journey, her professional path, and her clinical method for helping women overcome the inner critic.

Key Discussion Points:

Holli Howard’s Background: Holli shares her 10+ years of experience in child welfare and her personal journey of healing from suppressed childhood trauma, which began when she was 23. This lived experience fueled her fiercely non-judgmental and empathetic approach to coaching.

Deconstructing the Inner Critic: The discussion clarifies that the "inner critic" is not an authentic part of yourself. It is a voice learned from external influences—such as parental criticism, societal pressures, or bullying—which manifests as self-doubt, people-pleasing, or perfectionism.

The A.I.B.L. Method: Holli details her "Path to Empowerment" 12-week coaching program, which uses the AIBL method to address the inner critic:

Healing and Self-Forgiveness: Holli emphasizes that healing is a layered process that complements trauma work in therapy. She stresses the absolute importance of self-forgiveness, releasing the heaviness of past hurts for one's own well-being.

Integrated Client Care: Bethany and Auria discuss their integrated approach at Head 2 Toe Strength (clinical movement by Bethany, mental aspect by Auria), allowing clients to move safely between different types of internal support.

Trauma and Self-Worth: The guests discuss the unique challenges women face with both inner and outer critics, proving that both "big traumas" (ACES) and "little traumas" (everyday invalidation) equally crush your self-worth.

Guest Info: Holli Howard's 12-week AIBL method coaching program and resources can be found at www.positivelivingcoaching.com

Ready to rebuild strength without shame? Book your Strength & Support Audit here: ⁠www.head2toestrength.com

Representation isn’t abstract — it’s the starting point for what we believe is possible. In this episode of UpLift Women’s Wellness, Bethany and Auria talk about how the images we grow up with shape identity, confidence, career paths, and the way women learn to see (or not see) themselves in the world.

We explore the “Scully Effect,” the science behind mirror neurons, and why a single character on TV changed the trajectory of thousands of women in STEM. We also look at how Hollywood’s narrow beauty standards still shape self‑worth, how kids absorb messages about who matters long before they have language for it, and why representation is about far more than visibility — it’s about access to possibility.

Bethany and Auria share their own stories of growing up without mirrors that reflected them: breaking into male‑dominated spaces, searching for cultural representation that didn’t exist, and finding role models who shifted the course of their lives. These moments aren’t small — they’re the blueprint for identity, ambition, and the futures women are allowed to imagine.

If conversations like this resonate with your lived experience, you’ll feel at home with the values that guide our work at Head 2 Toe Strength, where inclusive strength coaching is built for real bodies in real life. For women wanting grounded, evidence‑based support in building capacity and confidence, our approach to Strength Coaching centers adaptation, clarity, and autonomy — not aesthetics or perfection. And if you’re navigating the emotional side of identity, belonging, or self‑worth, Auria’s relational work at Therapy with Auria offers a space to understand those patterns without judgment.

This episode is a reminder that who we see shapes who we become — and every woman deserves to see herself reflected in the world she’s trying to build.

Ready to rebuild strength without shame? Book your Strength & Support Audit here: ⁠www.head2toestrength.com

Millennials were never the problem — the system was. In this episode of UpLift Women’s Wellness, Bethany and Auria break down the numbers behind wages that never kept up, housing that slipped out of reach, and wealth that concentrated at the very top while an entire generation was told to “work harder.”

We look at the data that rarely makes it into the conversation: how millennials hold only a fraction of the wealth boomers had at the same age, why minimum wage froze while the cost of living climbed, and how homeownership became a financial trap disguised as a milestone. This isn’t about laziness — it’s about math, policy, and the lived reality of people doing everything “right” and still falling behind.

And because financial pressure doesn’t just hit your bank account — it hits your body, your energy, and your capacity — we talk about what it means to build strength in a world that keeps moving the goalposts. If you’re navigating burnout, chronic stress, or the physical toll of trying to stay afloat, our evidence‑based, inclusive strength coaching at Head 2 Toe Strength offers a grounded way to rebuild capacity without the shame or intensity of traditional fitness.

For women wanting clarity, direction, and values‑aligned decision‑making in the middle of financial chaos, our performance coaching model supports confidence and practical momentum. You can explore that approach at Performance Coaching.

And if the emotional weight of financial inequality has shaped your relationships, self‑worth, or stress levels, Auria’s relational and emotional therapy offers a space to understand those patterns without judgment. You can connect with her work at Therapy with Auria.

This episode is for every millennial who’s ever felt behind, ashamed, or blamed for circumstances they didn’t create.  

You’re not lazy. You’re not failing.  

You’re living inside a system that was never built for you — and you deserve support that adapts to your real life.

Ready to rebuild strength without shame? Book your Strength & Support Audit here: ⁠www.head2toestrength.com

Most people love their pets deeply — but very few understand what it actually takes to care for them well. In this episode of UpLift Women’s Wellness, Bethany and Auria sit down with Kim, one of only 36 Veterinary Technician Specialists in Nutrition in all of North America, to talk about the realities behind dog nutrition, adoption, and the emotional weight carried by the people who care for our animals.

Kim shares what it takes to earn the VTS title — thousands of hours of clinical experience, case studies, exams, and a level of dedication most pet owners never see. She also opens up about the emotional and financial strain inside the veterinary field: long hours, low pay, compassion fatigue, and the heartbreaking pressure of being blamed for costs they don’t control.

We dig into the myths and misinformation surrounding pet nutrition, including why dogs and cats need nutrient‑based feeding, not ingredient trends; why raw diets carry serious risks for both pets and humans; and how to make informed decisions in a world where influencers often speak louder than science. Kim breaks down what supplements actually matter, when home‑cooked diets are appropriate, and how to support your pet’s health without falling into fear‑based marketing.

And because caring for animals is bigger than food, we talk about adoption, the crisis inside shelters, and why “Adopt, Don’t Shop” is more than a slogan — it’s a lifeline. Kim shares national data on intake and euthanasia rates, the importance of spay/neuter programs, and why every pet parent should consider a dedicated savings account for unexpected medical needs.

If you’re someone who values evidence‑based care — for yourself, your family, or your pets — you’ll feel right at home with the way we approach strength, therapy, and real‑life adaptation at Head 2 Toe Strength. And if you’re navigating the emotional side of caregiving, relationships, or burnout, Auria’s relational work at Therapy with Auria offers a grounded space to be understood without judgment. You can learn more about the values that guide everything we do through our philosophy.

This episode is for anyone who’s ever loved a pet, trusted a vet, or wondered how to make better choices in a world full of noise.  

Real care — for humans or animals — starts with understanding.

Ready to rebuild strength without shame? Book your Strength & Support Audit here: ⁠www.head2toestrength.com

Women are asked to carry expectations that were never designed for real bodies or real lives. In this episode of UpLift Women’s Wellness, ⁠Bethany and Auria⁠ talk openly about the pressure to perform, the quiet exhaustion of being “the reliable one,” and the way so many women learn to shrink themselves just to stay acceptable.

This conversation is for the women who’ve been overlooked in fitness spaces, dismissed in medical rooms, or pushed into roles that never fit — especially women of color, women in nontraditional bodies, and women navigating chronic illness, autoimmune disease, or chronic pain.

We explore how confidence, boundaries, and self‑expression get shaped by the environments women move through, and what it looks like to reclaim your capacity without apologizing for the space you take up.

If you’re ready for support that respects your lived experience, you can explore evidence‑based, inclusive strength coaching through our ⁠⁠Strength Coaching⁠⁠ approach — programming built for real bodies in real life, not the fitness ideals that have failed so many.

For women wanting clarity, direction, and values‑aligned decision‑making, our performance coaching model offers a grounded path toward confidence and self‑trust. You can learn more at ⁠⁠Performance Coaching⁠⁠.

And if you’re seeking emotional support that honors your relationships, your history, and the weight you’ve been carrying, Auria’s relational and emotional therapy offers a space to be understood without being judged. You can connect with her work at ⁠⁠Therapy with Auria⁠⁠.

This episode is for every woman who’s been told to be smaller — in body, in voice, or in ambition.  

You deserve strength that adapts to your life, not the other way around.

Ready to rebuild strength without shame? Book your Strength & Support Audit here: ⁠www.head2toestrength.com

The episode where everything finally gets said out loud.

For years, Bethany lived inside a body that doctors dismissed, minimized, or blamed on her weight, her stress, or her imagination. She spent her twenties fighting for answers, navigating medical gaslighting, and being pushed into diet culture and fitness shame instead of being offered actual care.

This episode of UpLift Women’s Wellness is the story behind why Head 2 Toe Strength exists at all — the lived experience that shaped Bethany’s mission to build a place where women are believed, supported, and treated like whole human beings.

Together, Bethany and Auria unpack what it means to survive years of undiagnosed symptoms, to be told your pain is your fault, and to finally choose a different path. They talk about the emotional cost of being dismissed, the resilience required to keep advocating for yourself, and the radical power of care that centers your humanity instead of controlling your body.

If you’re navigating chronic illness, burnout, or the fallout of being ignored by the systems meant to help you, this conversation is a reminder that you’re not imagining it — and you’re not alone.

Explore the inclusive care philosophy that grew from Bethany’s story at Head 2 Toe Strength, learn how Auria’s integrated approach to mental health therapy supports women who’ve been dismissed for far too long, or meet us through our story — the truth that fuels everything we do.

This episode isn’t just a conversation.  

It’s a reclamation.

Ready to rebuild strength without shame? Book your Strength & Support Audit here: ⁠www.head2toestrength.com

What does it really mean to “balance it all”? In this episode, therapist and mom of three, Kathia Aviles LMFT, shares her experience with parenting pressures, mental health, and why she started her own business after COVID. As she and Auria talk through the realities of burnout, identity shifts, and invisible labor, this episode offers the kind of grounded honesty so many parents crave. If you’re navigating similar overwhelm or identity changes, Therapy With Auria provides a compassionate space to sort through the mental load and reclaim your footing.

Learn how motherhood shaped Kathia’s career, why flexibility matters, and what companies can do to support parents better.

Ready to rebuild strength without shame? Book your Strength & Support Audit here: ⁠www.head2toestrength.com

Society tells women to smile, soften, and put others first. But that pressure to be likable can make them vulnerable to manipulation, narcissistic abuse, and emotional collapse. Bethany and Auria share personal stories and unpack the psychology of narcissistic relationships to help others avoid the slow erosion of self-worth women often face.
For anyone beginning to rebuild boundaries and reconnect with their own voice, Therapy With Auria offers a grounded space to unpack these patterns and rebuild a stronger sense of self.

This conversation gets into the emotional conditioning that teaches women to tolerate too much, apologize too often, and ignore their own intuition.

Ready to rebuild strength without shame? Book your Strength & Support Audit here: ⁠www.head2toestrength.com

Diet culture didn’t just teach you to restrict — it taught you to disown yourself. In this episode, Bethany gets real about the industries designed to keep you sick, exhausted, and insecure. For listeners beginning to rebuild trust with their bodies after years of external rules and shame, the Strong Foundations Strength Program offers a grounded, compassionate way to reconnect without the pressure, punishment, or performative wellness culture.

We unravel the lie that “health” has ever been about healing, and we offer a radically different way to see your body and your worth. Bethany rejects diet culture and toxic fitness norms so women can finally have a safe, supportive space to care for their bodies without fear, pressure, or judgment.

And for those ready to explore healing from a whole-person lens, where food, body image, and self-trust meet, Therapy With Auria supports the deeper work of disentangling who you are from what culture has told you to be.