The EmotionAlly Podcast

In this episode, I explain how we can check in on our own emotional health— what to ask, what to consider, and how to find emotional stability despite unsteady circumstances. I discuss the importance of hope, how willful vulnerability can give space for meaningful empathy, and why the healthiest method of controlling our life may, in fact, be linked to what we can't control. Give it a listen!

In this episode, sex therapist Braxton Hutson and I discuss healthy ways in which parents can address sexual topics with kids and teens. We discuss age-appropriate ways to talk about sexual topics, how to tackle sexuality in media, and the importance of connection and curiosity to help us stay calm in even the most difficult conversations. Give it a listen!

In this episode, I discuss strategies for engaging in civil discourse about emotional topics, specifically when it comes to political and other charged conversations. I discuss how to be principled without being rigid, passionate without being reactive, and how we can grow in empathy for others while holding fast to both our principles and our passions. Give it a listen!

In this episode, I chat with friend and fellow therapist Jen Fairbourn about how to face difficult life transitions in healthy ways. We discuss how to help teens and adult children navigate life changes, healthy methods of managing our own perspectives in the midst of seemingly impossible life shifts, and how empathy and connection can guide us as we work to better develop our transitioning proces...

Navigating divorce is hard enough, and doing so with kids in the mix is even more heart-wrenching and complicated. In this episode, I discuss how to help children feel safe in the midst of trauma, cooperative vs. parallel co-parenting, the importance of setting healthy boundaries, and healthy ways to stop swinging the passive/aggressive pendulum. Give it a listen!

In this episode, I discuss how to overcome the fear of feeling deeply in order to better navigate the lose-lose situations we invariably experience in life. I explain how to feel through our disappointments in order to become less reactive, less impulsive, and ultimately, more emotionally fluent with ourselves and those we love.

It been a year since we launched, so my wife joined me in this episode to talk about impostor syndrome and following our passions. We chat about how to rewrite our negative personal narratives, the importance of giving ourselves permission to be human, and the essential relationship between true feeling and success. Give it a listen!  

In this episode, I discuss how to best help struggling loved ones without destroying our own emotional well-being in the process. I outline how to engage our empathy, face emotions proactively, and inspire real, lasting change in those we love.  

In this episode, I'm joined by Catherine Brown, a writer and eating disorder survivor, to discuss emotions, responses, and hope for healing from disordered eating. We chat about the emotional basis of eating disorders, effective ways to reach out to friends and family who struggle, and how to help our teenage children better navigate their emotions and self-image. Give it a listen!

In this episode, I discuss how to channel our emotions and allow them to inform us, regardless of how difficult they may be. I recognize the reality and prevalence of depression and mood disorders, explain how to honor our emotional experience without letting our emotions drive us, and give my definition of what true joy really is. Give it a listen!

In this episode, I'm joined by Dave, a friend and colleague, to chat about navigating singlehood in a world built for pairs. We discuss the inherent challenges of maintaining visibility and authenticity, becoming our best selves regardless of relationship status, and the benefits of improving our emotional vocabulary to allow ourselves to be vulnerable. Give it a listen!

In this episode, I get personal while discussing resilience in the face of extreme disappointment. Through my own experience, I discuss three tips for developing personal resilience, why holding still poses an even greater risk than gently stepping forward, and the power that comes with allowing ourselves to feel our emotions more fully.

In this episode, I'm joined by James to chat about his varied life experiences as a son, a father, a single dad, and now a stepfather. We discuss James's difficult experiences with his own father, navigating divorce as a dad, and how to stay grounded in what's most important, even when life knocks you sideways. Give it a listen!

In this episode, I'm talking healthy expectations for meeting needs in a relationship. I discuss the importance of willful vulnerability, how to distinguish between needs and deal-breakers, and how to be perfectly engaged, even without perfect circumstance. Give it a listen!

In this episode, I'm chatting again with Ty about how his experiences battling depression & anxiety & finding help have shaped his recent marriage. We discuss vulnerability & communicating emotion, how to approach depression & anxiety as a couple, and why going through the fire can actually make your family & relationship that much stronger. Give it a listen!

In this episode, I discuss how to foster greater empathy in our conversations and interactions. I'll outline the steps needed to ultimately effect healthy communication even when we disagree, how to be proactive rather than reactive emotionally, and how to let empathy be our vehicle as we seek to better understand and move forward together.

While PTSD is often associated with combat or horrific life experiences, trauma and its effects in our lives are, in fact, much more common than we realize. In this episode, I'm joined by Dr. Sean Davis to discuss the definition of trauma, its widespread impacts, the power of acknowledging our own vulnerability in the midst of crisis, and healthy ways to help ourselves, our teens, and our marriage...

In this episode, I address what perfectionism is and isn't and how to mitigate unhealthy effects of perfectionism in our lives and the lives of those we love. I'll discuss red flags, the power of unconditional empathy, and how fueling passions can help foster a healthier connection to self and allow us greater peace and purpose in the "meaningful gray" of our lives. Give it a listen!

In this Mother's Day episode, I'm joined by Andrea Reeve & Brittany Richman, co-creators of The American Moms website, to talk about the incredible—yet all-too-often overlooked—impact of women in families, society, and the world. We chat about influential American women in history, how their lives relate to the experience of women today, and the extraordinary value of women who meaningfully engage...

As we lead up to Mother's Day, we're chatting this week with Tara Carson, founder of The Dating Divas website, about marriage, parenthood, and her own infertility journey. We discuss self-care, the emotional underpinnings of libido, and the importance of making time for your partner, especially when you're thick in the throes of parenthood. Give it a listen!

In this episode, I'm joined by Sherry Ward, a mother and photographer currently balancing home, work, and school life. Together we'll talk about balance, dark moments, finding self-worth despite the sometimes terrible storms of life, and how such moments can shape our decisions and help us better see who we truly are. You won't forget this one. Give it a listen!

Whether it's the proximity of quarantine, empty-nest syndrome, or job shifts, more time together does not always equal more connection with our partner. In this episode, I discuss the relational importance of traditions and feeding nostalgia, how to lean into our own core emotions and those of our partner, and why sincerity & intent outweigh perfect words and actions, every time. These days aren't...

Studies show that couples fight at least three times a month about financially-related issues. In this episode, I discuss how to make finances a unifying factor in marriage, rather than a divisive element. I'll describe unhealthy communication patterns couples often fall into, how to avoid such patterns, and how to use empathy to make both financial successes and disappointments shared experiences...

In this episode, Ty, a former client, shares how he recognized, faced, and ultimately overcame his personal battle with anxiety and depression. We discuss the connections between emotional health and self-motivation, why vulnerability and emotion are a worthwhile risk, and how facing our struggles head on can ultimately help us find our voice.

In this episode, I'm joined by Phil & Julie Berry, both Award-winning creative professionals, to chat about the power of creativity in the midst of the struggles of life. We discuss their creative journeys, what often keeps us from reaching our creative goals, and how to foster creative drive without sacrificing our most important relationships. Give it a listen!