the tara bixby podcast

In today’s episode, I’m going deep… and I get a little emotional. You ready?! Today, the wonderful Kate White is hanging out with us to help me unpack my birth trauma and to also help you gain insight into how labor and delivery impacts the birthing parent’s nervous system.  Kate is an award-winning educator and an advanced bodyworker. She is trained in somatic therapies, prenatal and perinatal somatic health, lactation, brain development, infant mental health, and she has specialized in parent-baby dyad care using somatic prevention and trauma healing approaches for 25 years.  She's also a mother of two children, holds a BA and MA in Communication, is a Registered Craniosacral Therapist in the Biodynamic Craniosacral method, and is a Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner. Her work combines somatic trauma healing, energetic therapies, bodywork, pediatric therapies, and education about the nervous system to help give families with babies and small children the best possible start.  In today’s episode, we talk about…  My birth trauma and how it led to nervous system dysregulation postpartum Why it’s important to educate providers, midwives, and doulas about the freeze state Why Kate likes to unpack early life traumas when helping you with your birth trauma How the birth parent’s autonomic response is impacted based on how they're treated during the birthing process How the vulnerability of labor and delivery tends to lead to pleasing and appeasing Why we need to normalize nervous system responses during the birthing process How your baby has a story to tell too How our need to do things by ourselves is a survival strategy that we relied on as a child Why new parents need more support postpartum The impact social media can have on your nervous system How Kate helps me disrupt locked-up nervous system energy …and so much more! Podcast show notes:  https://courageouslyu.substack.com/p/kate-white-how-the-birthing-process Join my courageous community on Substack...  https://courageouslyu.substack.com/ Hang out with me on Instagram... https://www.instagram.com/courageously.u/ Sponsor… Get $10 off your first order of Branch Basics when you use this link —> Click here!

I’m excited to share today’s conversation with you because I’m currently navigating a season where I crave friendships and I like to think I’m not alone. Today the fabulous Anna Goldfarb joins us on the podcast to help us understand why we need a new approach to navigating friendships in a time when it’s so easy to shed them. Anna is a journalist, author, and speaker. Called “The New York Times’ friendship correspondent”, Anna’s work explores the nuances of friendships, relationships, and pop psychology. She has reported for outlets including The New York Times, The Atlantic, TIME, Vice, The Cut, Vox, and The Washington Post. She also writes the Substack newsletter, Friendship Explained, where she demystifies friendship mechanics through a pop culture lens. In today’s episode, we talk about... Why it’s so important to have friendships Why it feels harder to make friends as you get older Why you’re not a horrible friend for prioritizing a partner over a friend Why friends tend to get the short end of the stick Why our social lives can feel like a supermarket Why it can take longer to foster meaningful friendships as you age  Why friendships drift apart The different types of friends you can make How friendships have shifted over the years Why it’s okay to call it quits on a friendship The importance of a friendship cleanse ...and so much more.  Podcast show notes: https://courageouslyu.substack.com/p/anna-goldfarb-navigating-modern-friendships Join my courageous community on Substack...  https://courageouslyu.substack.com/ Hang out with me on Instagram... https://www.instagram.com/courageously.u/

Consider this an emergency (spontaneous) minisode where I let it alllll out. Sparked by the wild comment section of an Instagram post and the even wilder loss of followers (something I'm actually grateful for), I'm sitting down with you here to process it... I'm also sharing with you what you need to know about me if we're going to be friends.  Enjoy! 

Are you ready to escape conformity, ignite creativity, and awaken your genius? If yes, than you're in the right spot. Today the brilliant Ozan Varol is hanging out with us to help you do just that.  Ozan is a rocket scientist turned award-winning professor and bestselling author. He is one of the world’s foremost experts in creativity, innovation, and critical thinking. In today’s episode, we talk about... How everyone is born creative Why you need to show the parts of yourself that you’ve suppressed Why comparison is one of the worst things you can do The two issues you’ll run into when you conform How little drops of work will create a ripple effect Why names given to what you’re doing matter Why it’s crucial to know your why What happens when you force yourself to create Questions you can ask yourself to help unlock your unique talents Why it’s important to give shamed parts of yourself a voice What you can do to inspire creativity The importance of journaling Why it’s more important to create than consume ...and so much more.  Podcast show notes: https://courageouslyu.substack.com/p/ozan-varol-how-to-escape-conformity Join my courageous community on Substack...  https://courageouslyu.substack.com/ Hang out with me on Instagram... https://www.instagram.com/courageously.u/

Today the fabulous Ruby Warrington is hanging out with us to chat about why it’s okay for women to decide that being a mother just isn’t for them. Ruby is a British-born author, editor, and creator of the term Sober Curious.  Author of the 2018 book Sober Curious, and podcast of the same title, her work has spearheaded a global movement to reevaluate our relationship with alcohol. Other works include Material Girl, Mystical World, and The Sober Curious Reset. Her new book, Women Without Kids, is out now. With 20+ years of experience as a lifestyle journalist and editor, Ruby is known as an astute cultural commentator and true thought leader.  In today’s episode, we chat about… Why nothing is wrong with you for questioning whether or not you want kids Questions to ask yourself before having a baby Why the birth rate is dropping off What’s impacting fertility Reasons why people are choosing not to have kids Why women are starting to say no more than men to having kids  How the lion’s share of work falls on women How motherhood impacts a woman’s career Why Ruby says she’s “areproductive” Why it’s important to normalize questioning whether or not you want kids …and so much more! Podcast show notes... https://courageouslyu.substack.com/p/ruby-warrington-its-okay-to-question Join my courageous community on Substack...  https://courageouslyu.substack.com/ Hang out with me on Instagram... https://www.instagram.com/courageously.u/

Are you languishing? No idea what languishing is? No worries, the wonderful Corey Keyes is here to break it all down for you. Corey Keyes is professor emeritus of Sociology at Emory University and a member of the prestigious international MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Successful Midlife Development and Aging. He has participated in several National Academies of Science initiatives – “The Future of Human Healthspan” and improving national statistics to measure recovery from mental illness. He organized and co-hosted the first Summit of Positive Psychology held in 1999 at the Gallup Organization. His research introduced the concepts of social well-being, flourishing, the two continua model of mental health and illness, and his work is being used to prevent mental illness via the promotion of positive (flourishing) mental health. In 2024, he published a book entitled Languishing: How To Feel Alive Again In A World That Wears Us Down. In today’s episode, we’re talking about… What languishing looks like How to know if you’re languishing How languishing differs from depression How psych meds can leave you languishing Why current mental health treatments do not promote good mental health How people can heal through natural recovery The role the placebo effect plays in mental health healing  Why so many people are experiencing languishing What it looks like to flourish Why it’s important to be mentally healthy The importance of being prepared for “the game of life” How to go from languishing to flourishing  …and so much more! Podcast show notes... https://courageouslyu.substack.com/p/corey-keyes-how-to-feel-alive-in Join my courageous community on Substack... https://courageouslyu.substack.com/ Hangout with me on Instagram... https://www.instagram.com/courageously.u/

Hey, friends!! I wanted to update you on the podcast, my status, my plan, and all that good jazz. Chat more with you soon.  P.S. Miss you!

I know. I suck! I paused the podcast again (for good reason). Hit play and find out why I hit pause, when I'll be back, and where I'm hanging out in the meantime.  ...and if you want to hang out in the coziest corner of the internet and be part of a courageous community, come hang out with me in substack. Till next time,  biggest hugs. 

Are you struggling with burnout (I mean who isn’t, right?!)? If you’re nodding your head yes, you most definitely want to hit play on today’s episode of the courageously.u podcast. Today the fabulous Emily Ballesteros is joining us on the show to talk about all things burnout and what you can do to prevent and manage burnout in today's busy world.  Emily holds a master’s degree in industrial-organizational psychology and worked in corporate training and development before launching her burnout management business. In addition to being featured in media such as TIME and The Wall Street Journal, she regularly provides burnout trainings for corporations like Pepsi and Paypal, among others. Her book, The Cure for Burnout, was just published by Penguin Random House. In today’s episode, we chat about… How burnout can keep your nervous system stuck in freeze How to know if you’re burnout The difference between burnout and depression Why it’s important to make changes to prevent burnout How people pleasing can lead to burnout Why you need to know your limits What you can do if you’re experiencing burnout by boredom How your mindset impacts your quality of life How better managing your time can reduce burnout What moms can do to reduce burnout …and so much more! ✨ Love this episode? Please share it with someone who you think would love it too. Your shares are the biggest forms of thanks you can give me. If you’re feeling extra generous, consider leaving a rating and review on whatever podcast platform you're tuning in from. Happy listening!

Today we are creating a much-needed conversation about maternal mental health with the wonderful Dr. Nicole Amoyal Pensak. Dr. Pensak is a clinical psychologist, author, and mother. Trained at Harvard and Yale, Dr. Pensak provides empirically-based treatment that is uniquely tailored to meet the needs of her clients. She is certified in Postpartum Mental Health and serves on the Expert Review Board of The Parents Magazine. Her new book RATTLED, How to Calm New Mom Anxiety with the Power of the Postpartum Brain is an absolute must-read for anyone who wants to be a momma and anyone who already is.  In today’s episode, we chat about… What’s going on inside a mother's brain postpartum What Dr. Pensak believes leads to intrusive thoughts Why she thinks postpartum OCD is higher in new moms Why it’s important to establish postpartum treatment the moment you find out you're pregnant Why we need to dispel the myth of mommy brain Why it’s important to work with your trauma to promote post-traumatic growth How new moms can nurture all the brain changes taking place postpartum How memory is impacted by sleep deprivation and an overwhelming mental load Why protecting sleep postpartum is crucial Why it’s important to heal the mother wound before the baby is born How we can best support new momma’s …and so much more! ✨ Love this episode? Please share it with someone who you think would love it too. Your shares are the biggest forms of thanks you can give me. If you’re feeling extra generous, consider leaving a rating and review on whatever podcast platform you're tuning in from. Happy listening! 👉🏼 Join the courageous community over on Substack.  👉🏼 Hang out with me on Instagram.