Done Pretending

The holidays have a way of pulling us right back into old roles, especially when family dynamics start testing your patience and your sense of self. I talk about how to stay grounded and calm in the middle of the chaos, using simple, science-backed tools that actually work when emotions run high. If you’ve ever felt judged, triggered, or completely exhausted after a family gathering, this will fee...

It still amazes me how our brains shift the moment we stop pretending and start showing up as our real selves, and I share a little story about that spark of authenticity that changes everything. In this episode, I break down the brain science behind being true to yourself: how self-awareness, emotional regulation, and social prediction work together in everyday life. You’ll hear how understanding...

It’s wild how much judgment, both fearing it and dishing it out, can quietly shape our lives without us realizing it. Today, I’m breaking down how those tiny moments of “What will they think?” slowly pull us away from who we really are. You’ll hear the real reasons we start shrinking ourselves to fit other people’s comfort zones and why it leaves us feeling disconnected and exhausted. This episode...

I’ve spent so much of my life trying to outrun other people’s opinions, and in this episode, I open up about the moment I finally realized I was done pretending. I share the childhood memory that taught me how quickly judgment can shape the way we shrink or show up. You’ll hear how that old story followed me into adulthood and built a life that looked “fine” but didn’t feel aligned. And you’ll get...

What if the most exhausting thing you've ever done was pretending to be fine for too long? Welcome to Done Pretending, where healing meets authentic living. Hosted by Susan Houston, this podcast is a movement for anyone who's tired of hiding, for the people pleasers, the perfectionists, and the ones who've spent their whole lives being strong for everyone else. Susan knows what it&a...