the tara bixby podcast

And we're back, friends! I'm so excited to be back hanging out with you guys again. To say I missed you is an understatement.  In today's "solosode (solo episode)," I'm chatting about...  Why I changed the podcast name (it used to be called the courageously.u podcast). What my intention is for this show, and how I'm on a mission to make it a top-rated mental health podcast. My recent struggles and how I found myself questioning if I was crazy. ...and so much more.  I can't wait for you to hear all the amazing conversations coming your way. To make sure you never miss an episode, be sure to subscribe to the tara bixby podcast. biggest hugs.

Friends, I'm coming back... in May. May just feels right.  Hit play to hear about why I chose May, what the podcast will look like going forward, and why I want a name change.  ... and be sure to follow the podcast so you don't miss any episodes when they return.  See you in May!!  

I have something to tell you... ...and I want to take you on this new journey with me.  Enjoy!   Need a safe space for community? Come hang out with me on Substack... https://courageouslyu.substack.com/ You can also hang out with me on Instagram... https://www.instagram.com/courageously.u/  

Hey, friends! I’m so excited for you to hear today’s chat with the fantastic Elizabeth Lesser. Elizabeth is the author of several bestselling books, including Cassandra Speaks, Broken Open, and Marrow. She’s also the cofounder of Omega Institute, which is recognized internationally for its workshops and conferences in wellness, spirituality, creativity, and social change. She has given two popular TED talks and is one of Oprah Winfrey’s Super Soul 100, a collection of a hundred leaders who are using their voices and talent to elevate humanity. In today’s episode, we’re talking about… Why we’re all bozos on the bus How we can fully become alive Why remaining in a tight bud can be more painful than taking the risk to bloom The power of meditation How it takes courage to turn in and face what wants to change within you How being human is to be lost in the woods What happens when we stay awake during life changes Why problems are messages Why medicating grief is not the answer Why it’s hard to ask for help …and so much more! Podcast show notes:  https://courageouslyu.substack.com/p/elizabeth-lesser-how-difficult-times Join my courageous community on Substack... https://courageouslyu.substack.com/ Hang out with me on Instagram... https://www.instagram.com/courageously.u/ Sponsor... Get 40% off your first Thrive Market order when you use this link —> Click here!

Dr. Ari Calhoun is a Naturopathic Doctor specializing in neurodevelopment and pediatric neuropsychology. Her expertise lies in perinatal and early development optimization, emphasizing prevention in neurodevelopmental health. Recognizing the complex relationship between the immune system and neurodevelopment, she co-founded the Vaccine Empowerment Program, supporting parents in making informed vaccine decisions. Through her multifaceted approach to functional medicine and neurodevelopment, Dr. Calhoun is committed to enhancing health outcomes for the next generation, starting from the earliest stages of life. In today’s episode, we’re talking about… Where the vaccination schedule comes from How she approaches vaccinations with her patients Why you shouldn’t rely on your pediatrician to tell you what to do Why understanding risk is important What vaccine injuries can look like How you can make an empowered decision Why brands matter Why aluminum is a concern How vaccines can impact neurodevelopment What makes someone more susceptible to an inflammatory response Whether or not vaccines create a level of risk for autism The trouble with delayed vaccinations Why it’s important to have a provider that supports your decision no matter the decision Why the Hep B shot at birth is not necessary for the majority of babies The importance of leaning into your intuition …and so much more! Podcast show notes:  https://courageouslyu.substack.com/p/dr-ari-calhoun-a-much-needed-conversation Join my courageous community on Substack... https://courageouslyu.substack.com/ Hang out with me on Instagram... https://www.instagram.com/courageously.u/ Sponsor... Get 40% off your first Thrive Market order when you use this link —> Click here!

Today, Dr. Marilyn Sanders is hanging out with us to help me create a conversation about the impact trauma has on a child's developing nervous system.  Dr. Sanders is a board-certified pediatrician, neonatologist, author, scholar, and educator. She provides clinical care for critically ill newborns, infants, and young children at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center in Hartford, Connecticut. As a neonatologist, she cares for babies with a wide range of medical problems that require intensive care services, and she also sees babies from four months to three years of age who are at risk for developmental challenges. Dr. Sanders is also a professor of pediatrics at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine.  Her scholarly work focuses on enhancing the social and emotional well-being of vulnerable infants and children, many of whom were exposed to early trauma. Her approach to trauma-informed care is embedded in the Polyvagal Theory that elaborates how our unconscious nervous system’s sense of safety, danger, or life threat affects our emotions and behaviors. Dr. Sanders also co-authored a must-read book called The Polyvagal Theory and the Developing Child. In today’s episode, we’re talking about… What the nervous system looks like. How exposure to trauma, neglect, chronic stress, and adversity impacts a child’s nervous system. How childhood survival responses can carry into adulthood. How dorsal shutdown can manifest as self-medicating. Why it’s important to stop asking what’s wrong with you, but rather what happened to you. The importance of repair after disruption. Why it's important to understand your nervous system response so you can better respond to children’s dysregulation. …and so much more! Podcast show notes:  https://courageouslyu.substack.com/p/marilyn-sanders-how-childhood-trauma Join my courageous community on Substack... https://courageouslyu.substack.com/ Hang out with me on Instagram... https://www.instagram.com/courageously.u/ Sponsor... Get 40% off your first Thrive Market order when you use this link —> Click here!

Today, the hilarious Caitlin Murray is joining me on the show to discuss all things motherhood. Caitlin is a humorist, writer, podcaster, future author, mother of three, wife of one, and voice behind the wildly popular Instagram account Big Time Adulting.  We're talking about...  What Caitlin does to maintain her sanity How she navigated her son’s cancer How sharing her real feelings with the world is therapeutic The impact her hormonal cycle has on her mood and ability to juggle all the things How she manages stress The importance of asking why you’re doing something The insane pressures placed on moms Why it’s okay to slightly ruin your child How she keeps her marriage alive What she’d say to moms of littles …and so much more.  Podcast show notes:  https://courageouslyu.substack.com/p/caitlin-murray-an-honest-conversation Join my courageous community on Substack... https://courageouslyu.substack.com/ Hang out with me on Instagram... https://www.instagram.com/courageously.u/ Sponsor... Get 40% off your first Thrive Market order when you use this link —> Click here!

Hey, friends! Today the brilliant Dr. Jodie Skillicorn is hanging out with us to help me create a conversation on how you can holistically heal depression.  Dr. Skillicorn is a holistic, integrative psychiatrist and author of Healing Depression without Medications: A Psychiatrist's Guide to Balancing Mind, Body, and Soul. She integrates conventional medical training with evidence-based holistic methods that blend mindfulness-based psychotherapy with a variety of complementary, research-based modalities including breathwork, meditation, EMDR, Emotional Freedom Techniques, nutrition, exercise, and nature at her virtual practice in Ohio.  Her passion is in guiding, supporting, and teaching her patients self-care techniques that help balance their bodies and minds, thus empowering them to take an active role in their unique healing journeys on the road to optimal health. These skills may also help in reducing and often eliminating the need for medications.  We're talking about...  How what Dr. Skillicorn was taught in med school was misleading The impact psych meds have on the chemistry of your brain The consequences of long-term antidepressant use The power of placebo on depression How Dr. Skillicorn’s approach to helping people heal differs from conventional psychiatry The power of mindfulness on the brain Why it’s important to move your body to discharge stress The impact poor sleep has on your mental health What Dr. Skillicorn believes drives increased depression How a biochemical bandaid isn’t healing the wound  The role stress plays in inflammation The importance of eating clean foods What you can do to improve your depression holistically …and so much more! Podcast show notes:  https://open.substack.com/pub/courageouslyu/p/dr-jodie-skillicorn-healing-depression?r=29mstw&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true Join my courageous community on Substack...  https://courageouslyu.substack.com/ Hang out with me on Instagram... https://www.instagram.com/courageously.u/ Sponsor... Get 40% off your first Thrive Market order when you use this link —> Click here!  

Today the beyond brilliant Brigid Titgemeier is hanging out with us to help me create a conversation about the impact diet and lifestyle has on our mental health.  Brigid is a Functional Medicine Registered Dietitian, Entrepreneur, professor, and Mom who is on a mission to help you use food to create health. She is the CEO and Founder of Being Functional Nutrition, a digital coaching company that has helped more than 20,000 people use targeted nutrition and lifestyle strategies for better labs, symptoms, and relationship with food. Previously, Brigid was a co-founding dietitian at the Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine under Dr. Mark Hyman.  In today's episode, we talk about...  The current mental health crisis Where conventional medicine gets it wrong How gut health influences brain health How you can optimize your gut health How blood sugar fluctuations mimic anxiety Why it’s important to eat a blood sugar-stabilizing diet The impact nutrient deficiencies have on mental health Why you need more magnesium to help calm your nervous system The impact stress has on your b vitamins The role inflammation plays in depression The importance of exercise Why you need to spend more time in nature How going at mental health struggles with medication alone is failing people The top three foods she’d encourage you to eat less of The importance of preconception health How to increase energy and mental clarity postpartum Why we need to redirect our focus from weight loss to overall health postpartum How you can include more protein into your diet ...and so much more! Podcast show notes:  https://courageouslyu.substack.com/p/brigid-titgemeier-the-impact-diet Join my courageous community on Substack...  https://courageouslyu.substack.com/ Hang out with me on Instagram... https://www.instagram.com/courageously.u/ Sponsor... Get 40% off your first Thrive Market order when you use this link —> Click here!

Join me in today’s minisode as I process through why I’m changing my narrative, why I’m leaning towards the grey, what I want you to know, and why I don’t want to die on “this” hill. Happy listening!!