Feelings...and Other Inconveniences

In this episode, Stefanie Michele and Sarah Dosanjh talk about the exhausting and very human wish to get other people to change. What is the difference between having a boundary and secretly waiting for someone to become different? How do we know when we are naming something real versus getting pulled into a familiar fight? Through personal examples around family dynamics, guilt, defensiveness, ju...

In this episode, we talk about that very normal, very annoying experience of looking at someone else and thinking, How are they doing all of that? Sarah thinks of people juggling parenting, careers, caregiving, YouTube, groups, books, and actual life admin. Stefanie thinks less about quantity and more about quality, like the people who seem to have the team, the polish, the systems, and the profes...

This episode is about why familiar suffering can sometimes feel safer than relief. We talk about how long-term struggles can become tied to identity, safety, meaning, avoidance, legitimacy, and the hope that someone will finally notice how much pain you're in. Through the lens of eating disorder recovery, depression, anxiety, body image, and the fantasy of rescue, we explore why letting go of suff...

Why do we want to be seen… and also feel the urge to hide? In this episode of Feelings and Other Inconveniences , we unpack the psychology of being seen — from social media and identity curation to the deeper fear of judgment, rejection, and being misunderstood. We explore: the difference between being seen vs being looked at how fear of judgment and rejection shapes what we share the pressure of...

In this episode, Stefanie Michele and Sarah Dosanjh dig into a familiar problem: why we don't do the things we know help us. Using real-life examples (walks, movement, scheduling, tiny "extra steps" that somehow feel huge), they unpack how mental load, environment cues, and internal parts create resistance. They explore the difference between shame-driven self-talk and real self-compassion, how va...

In this episode of Feelings… and Other Inconveniences, Stefanie Michele (certified coach + somatic practitioner) and Sarah Dosanjh (psychotherapist + author) unpack what it means to stay emotionally sane when the world feels like it's on fire.   We talk about the tightrope between staying informed and getting emotionally flooded (or going numb),   why social media comments can feel more destabilis...

It's that time of year when everyone starts acting like January is a reset button and a goal will save their life. In this episode, Sarah and Stefanie talk about goals without the usual hype. The kind that actually fit your values versus the ones you absorb from culture and then punish yourself for not wanting. They get into why goal language can feel weirdly controlling, why outcome-based goals c...

In this episode of Feelings… and Other Inconveniences, we dive into the invisible weight of mental load – the constant thinking, tracking and planning that never seems to switch off, even when we are "off duty."  Are we confusing mental load with caring? What happens in our bodies when we are carrying too much? And what do we believe will fall apart if we stop managing everything? We talk about:  ...

In this episode, hosts Sarah Dosanjh , psychotherapist and author, and Stefanie Michele , certified coach and somatic practitioner, dive into the complex psychology of external validation —why we crave approval, how it shapes our sense of worth, and what it means to find confidence that isn't dependent on others. They explore how early attachment experiences and mirroring affect our lifelong need...

Most of us know the voice: the one that points out what we should have done differently, or insists we're falling short. In this episode, Stefanie Michele (coach and somatic practitioner) and Sarah (psychotherapist and author) unpack the inner critic—where it begins, how it shows up, and how to shift it from a harsh opponent into something more useful. They explore how the critic is shaped by cult...

At what point does sharing turn into oversharing ? Is it when you tell a near-stranger about your mother's complicated relationship with salad? When you explain your latest existential crisis to the Uber driver who only asked if you wanted the radio on? Or when you admit to a friend that you sometimes rehearse conversations in your head before you have them (I mean that sounds right?) — but how do...

Think you're lazy? In this episode of Feelings and Other Inconveniences , therapists Sarah Dosanjh and Stefanie Michele pull apart one of the most loaded labels we give ourselves: laziness. Is it a real trait—or just a label we slap on something deeper? From resistance to overwhelm, passive rebellion to the emotional weight of impossible expectations, they dig into the psychology behind why we som...

What if your biggest regret at the end of your life was never truly living as yourself? In this episode, Sarah and Stef crack open the #1 regret of the dying—wishing they'd had the courage to live authentically, not just follow the script written by others. With raw honesty and a dash of humor, the hosts swap stories about breaking free from expectations—whether it's skipping university, ditching...

Do our good deeds really count if they also make us feel good? In this episode, psychotherapist Sarah Dosanjh and coach Stefanie Michele unpack the messy middle between selflessness and self-interest. From love languages to financial guilt, they explore how early conditioning, ego, and the need for connection shape our most generous acts. With personal stories and candid reflections, this conversa...

This week, Stefanie Michele (coach + somatic practitioner) and Sarah Dosanjh (psychotherapist + author) explore the tender, often confusing territory of outgrowing friendships—and why it can feel more complicated than a breakup. They unpack what it's like to feel the slow drift, the quiet mismatch, or the emotional flatness in relationships that once felt vital. When values change, life phases shi...

Do you ever get that feeling like something bad is just around the corner—even when things are going fine? In this episode, Sarah and Stef unpack the sneaky mindset of waiting for the other shoe to drop. Is it intuition? Is it trauma? Is it your hormones?     From personal stories to psychological insight, they dig into the difference between gut feelings and hypervigilance, why calm can feel susp...

Not everyone is going to "get" us—but being misunderstood still stings. In this episode, Stefanie Michele (coach + somatic practitioner) and Sarah Dosanjh (psychotherapist + author) dig into the uncomfortable and triggering feeling of being misunderstood—especially in a world that thrives on hot takes and out-of-context clips. From the chaos of YouTube comments to subtle miscommunications in daily...

In this episode, psychotherapist Sarah Dosanjh and coach/somatic practitioner Stefanie Michele unpack the messy truth about personal growth. Can we actually change who we are, or are we just managing symptoms with nicer language? They get real about procrastination, personality quirks, self-perception, and the parts of us that therapy just won't touch. Through personal stories and client insights,...

In this episode, Stef and Sarah—one a lifelong extrovert, the other a card-carrying introvert—dive into the messy, often misunderstood world of personality types. They break down common myths (no, not all introverts are shy, and not all extroverts are party animals) and explore how these traits actually play out in real life: in social situations, relationships, and the awkward in-between moments...

In this episode, Stef & Sarah (the duo behind Life After Diets ) kick off a new podcast project exploring emotional awareness, self-understanding, and mental wellness. Drawing inspiration from Carl Jung and Eckhart Tolle, they unpack how we actually experience our emotions — especially the tangled web between anger, sadness, and shame. Through personal stories and candid reflections, they explore...