We dig into why mental health hacks feel so tempting, which ones actually help, and when they quietly make things worse. We share how to set goals, spot toxic positivity, work with trauma-aware pacing, and choose therapy that fits.

• appeal of quick fixes, privacy and control
• stigma fears and the urge to go it alone
• readiness over resistance and avoidance loops
• self-connection and compassionate self-talk
• toxic positivity versus true validation
• habits that help ADHD and daily stress
• limits of behavior change with trauma
• using goals, metrics and timelines
• choosing a therapist and seeking the right fit
• sustainability, balance and being okay enough

If you like our show, please leave us a rating and review on your favorite podcast platform, follow the show and share it with your friends

Laura's Free Course on Emotional Development and Regulation:
https://benavieri.com/neuroception-sign-up/

This show is sponsored by:

Core Self

www.coreself.org

Benavieri Counseling & Coaching
www.benavieri.com

Active Healing Psychiatric Services
www.activehealingpsych.com

We explore why self-sabotage shows up when life is going well and how the nervous system uses it as protection. We share simple tools to build internal safety, reframe failure, and keep momentum without burning out.

• defining self‑sabotage as protection, not laziness
• discomfort, avoidance, and procrastination patterns
• fear of failure and fear of success dynamics
• imposter thoughts and cognitive distortions
• chaos, hypervigilance, and dopamine’s novelty drop
• curiosity over shame as a core strategy
• the 90‑second rule to ride emotional waves
• sensory grounding, anchors, and visualization
• reframing failure and choosing aligned actions
• trimming “shoulds” and setting value‑based goals

If you like our show, please leave us a rating and review on your favorite podcast platform
Follow the show and share it with your friends

Laura's Free Course on Emotional Development and Regulation:
https://benavieri.com/neuroception-sign-up/

This show is sponsored by:

Core Self

www.coreself.org

Benavieri Counseling & Coaching
www.benavieri.com

Active Healing Psychiatric Services
www.activehealingpsych.com

We explore why we always feel behind in life regardless of our accomplishments and how to break free from arbitrary timelines.

• Social media creates unrealistic comparisons as we see others' curated highlights without the struggles
• Childhood expectations of adulthood often don't match reality, creating feelings of inadequacy
• Economic realities today make traditional milestones harder to achieve than for previous generations
• Unlike childhood development, adulthood isn't linear—it has cycles, seasons, and no clear endpoint
• Early parentification can lead to burnout and difficulty finding satisfaction in adult achievements
• Internalized shame can be paralyzing when we believe we're fundamentally behind or inadequate
• Creating a vision board helps define personal values separate from societal expectations
• Notice when inspiration crosses into comparison—your body gives signals when social media becomes harmful
• Time only moves forward—there's no going backward, just moments of struggle within forward movement
• Success isn't a checklist but a journey that changes as your values and perspective evolve

Thank you for listening to Why Am I Like This! If you like our show, please leave us a rating and review on your favorite podcast platform. Follow the show and share it with your friends.

Laura's Free Course on Emotional Development and Regulation:
https://benavieri.com/neuroception-sign-up/

This show is sponsored by:

Core Self

www.coreself.org

Benavieri Counseling & Coaching
www.benavieri.com

Active Healing Psychiatric Services
www.activehealingpsych.com

We explore how our childhood experiences shape our perception of being judged and develop strategies to break free from the weight of others' opinions.

• The feeling of being judged often stems from childhood insecurities and past experiences
• Our brains scan for social threats, especially in new environments
• The inner critic narrates how others see us based on our own insecurities
• We constantly seek evidence that reinforces our negative self-beliefs
• Parents unintentionally perpetuate judgment by focusing on outcomes rather than character traits
• Neurodivergent individuals often receive negative feedback that creates deeper feelings of being judged
• Breaking free requires recognizing thoughts aren't facts and practicing self-compassion
• Setting boundaries with critical people helps create safer relationships
• Some judgment is inevitable, but it doesn't have to define our worth
• Curating social media and surroundings to promote growth rather than perfection reduces self-judgment

If you like our show, please leave us a rating and review on your favorite podcast platform. Follow the show and share it with your friends.

Laura's Free Course on Emotional Development and Regulation:
https://benavieri.com/neuroception-sign-up/

This show is sponsored by:

Core Self

www.coreself.org

Benavieri Counseling & Coaching
www.benavieri.com

Active Healing Psychiatric Services
www.activehealingpsych.com

Intrusive thoughts are unwanted, involuntary thoughts that pop into our heads and can cause distress when our brains get stuck in loops trying to make sense of them.

• Intrusive thoughts are normal but can become problematic when we can't let them go
• Our brains create these thoughts as warning systems when we feel anxious or threatened
• Childhood experiences and parenting styles can influence what intrusive thoughts we develop
• Neurodivergence (ADHD, autism, OCD) can make it harder to inhibit thought loops
• Assigning meaning or morality to intrusive thoughts only strengthens their grip
• "You are not the author of your thoughts—you are the reader who gets to decide what to keep and what to delete"
• Techniques like cognitive defusion, visualization, and humor can help manage intrusive thoughts
• Treating intrusive thoughts like "brain spam" helps create distance from them
• Trying to suppress thoughts makes them stronger—what we resist persists
• Improving sleep, reducing stress, and seeking therapy can reduce intrusive thoughts
• Supplements like inositol may help reduce intrusive thoughts in some cases

If you like our show, please leave us a rating and review on your favorite podcast platform. Follow the show and share it with your friends.

Laura's Free Course on Emotional Development and Regulation:
https://benavieri.com/neuroception-sign-up/

This show is sponsored by:

Core Self

www.coreself.org

Benavieri Counseling & Coaching
www.benavieri.com

Active Healing Psychiatric Services
www.activehealingpsych.com

Laura and Mishayla explore how childhood experiences create lasting templates in our nervous system that trigger automatic responses in similar situations throughout our lives. 

• Our nervous system takes "snapshots" during emotionally charged moments that can be triggered later in similar circumstances
• When we feel helpless or threatened, our body goes into fight, flight, or freeze responses that can become habitual patterns
• Children often interpret negative experiences as meaning something about themselves ("I'm not good enough")
• Adults can help children process difficult experiences by acknowledging their feelings rather than dismissing them
• Grounding techniques help bring our prefrontal cortex back online when we're triggered
• Different grounding methods work for different people - find what works specifically for you
• Accepting anxiety rather than fighting it can reduce its power over us
• Changing our narrative about past experiences helps rewrite our nervous system templates
• We can learn to recognize when we're triggered and create plans to respond differently

Follow "Why Am I Like This?" and leave us a rating and review on your favorite podcast platform. Share it with your friends.

Laura's Free Course on Emotional Development and Regulation:
https://benavieri.com/neuroception-sign-up/

This show is sponsored by:

Core Self

www.coreself.org

Benavieri Counseling & Coaching
www.benavieri.com

Active Healing Psychiatric Services
www.activehealingpsych.com

Our gut and brain are connected through a remarkable two-way communication system that impacts our physical and mental health in profound ways. The gut, often called the "second brain," contains millions of neurons and produces 90% of the body's serotonin.

• Stress activates our fight-or-flight response, slowing digestion and creating gut imbalances
• The vagus nerve connects our brain to every organ and plays a crucial role in regulating our stress response
• Trauma and chronic stress can create gut inflammation and disrupt the gut microbiome
• People with PTSD show distinct patterns in their gut bacteria compared to those without trauma
• Healing approaches should include both targeted gut health strategies and stress reduction techniques
• Vagus nerve exercises like humming, cold therapy, and specific yoga poses help activate the parasympathetic "rest and digest" system
• Functional medicine testing can identify specific gut imbalances affecting neurotransmitter production
• Diet, movement, mindfulness, and nature exposure all contribute to balanced gut-brain function

If you like our show, please leave us a rating and review on your favorite podcast platform. Follow the show and share it with your friends.

Laura's Free Course on Emotional Development and Regulation:
https://benavieri.com/neuroception-sign-up/

This show is sponsored by:

Core Self

www.coreself.org

Benavieri Counseling & Coaching
www.benavieri.com

Active Healing Psychiatric Services
www.activehealingpsych.com

Emotions are complex internal experiences that provide valuable information about our values and responses to situations, yet many of us struggle to manage them effectively.

• Emotions are subjective experiences that vary from person to person
• Children experience emotions intensely because they lack adult context and understanding of time
• Anger often masks more vulnerable feelings like fear, sadness, or rejection
• Many adults struggle with emotions because they never learned co-regulation in childhood
• Recognizing separation between yourself and others helps tolerate their distress
• You can express emotions without acting on them through journaling or talking
• Using visualization techniques like "containers" can help manage overwhelming feelings
• Focusing on connection rather than compliance builds better relationships with children
• Teaching emotional intelligence means validating feelings while setting boundaries on behaviors
• Being okay while others are distressed is a powerful skill in any relationship

Visit coreself.az to learn more about our new practice offering therapy, medication management, and innovative treatments like Spravato and TMS for treatment-resistant depression.

Laura's Free Course on Emotional Development and Regulation:
https://benavieri.com/neuroception-sign-up/

This show is sponsored by:

Core Self

www.coreself.org

Benavieri Counseling & Coaching
www.benavieri.com

Active Healing Psychiatric Services
www.activehealingpsych.com

We explore imposter syndrome and why so many people feel like frauds despite evidence of their competence and capabilities.

• Defining imposter syndrome as feeling like you don't deserve your position or achievements
• How childhood experiences of conditional approval or criticism create adult insecurity
• Understanding "parts work" and how child parts of ourselves can feel triggered in adult settings
• The connection between imposter syndrome and perfectionism
• Time orientation exercises to reconnect with your adult competence
• Finding and embodying "mastery resources" from times you felt confident
• How clarifying personal values helps build authentic self-trust
• Recognizing that even experts don't have all the answers
• Using affirmations to gradually rebuild confidence and self-belief
• The power of projecting confidence even when you don't fully feel it

Please leave us a rating and review on your favorite podcast platform, follow the show, and share it with your friends.

Laura's Free Course on Emotional Development and Regulation:
https://benavieri.com/neuroception-sign-up/

This show is sponsored by:

Core Self

www.coreself.org

Benavieri Counseling & Coaching
www.benavieri.com

Active Healing Psychiatric Services
www.activehealingpsych.com

We explore the science behind why human connection is essential for survival, from attachment theory to why our brains respond so profoundly to face-to-face interaction. Loneliness isn't simply being alone but a profound feeling of disconnection that can persist even when surrounded by others.

• Connection is crucial for safety and releases positive neurochemicals in our brains
• Attachment theory explains our innate survival need to connect with caregivers
• Digital connections don't activate the same neural networks as face-to-face interactions
• Spending just 15 minutes daily in meaningful connection can transform relationships
• We often defend against connection due to past experiences of rejection or pain
• Modern society facilitates isolation through remote work, delivery services, and digital communication
• Low-stakes practice like talking to service workers helps build connection skills
• Connection to ourselves is the foundation for connecting with others
• Repairing disconnected relationships requires persistence through initial discomfort

If you like our show, please leave us a rating and review on your favorite podcast platform, follow the show and share it with your friends.

Laura's Free Course on Emotional Development and Regulation:
https://benavieri.com/neuroception-sign-up/

This show is sponsored by:

Core Self

www.coreself.org

Benavieri Counseling & Coaching
www.benavieri.com

Active Healing Psychiatric Services
www.activehealingpsych.com