Pause The Noise Podcast

In this episode of Pause the Noise: Permission to Reset and Reflect , Brian Lamar Stokes, Dr. Saarah Nicolas, and Coach Lena Wilson explore the importance of emotional safety, psychological safety, and physical safety in relationships . Many people say they want a safe relationship, but what happens when your nervous system has become familiar with chaos, conflict, or unpredictability? In this pow...

Many people say they want marriage, but do they truly want the reality of it? In this episode of Pause the Noise , Brian Lamar Stokes, Lena Wilson, and Dr. Saarah Nicolas explore the growing tension between loneliness, societal pressure, dating, and the desire for long-term commitment. The conversation covers attachment wounds, relationship red flags, boundaries, dating after divorce, healthy conf...

In this special Men's Mental Health Month episode of Pause the Noise , Brian Lamar Stokes, Dr. Saarah Nicolas and Lena Wilson discuss the growing mental health crisis affecting men. Together, they explore suicide prevention, loneliness, emotional suppression, friendship, marriage, community, and why so many men struggle to ask for help. The conversation also covers warning signs to watch for,...

We live in a world where people are turning to AI before they turn to a friend — and sometimes before they turn to a therapist. In this episode of Pause the Noise , Brian sits down with psychologist and therapist Dr. Saarah Nicolas and life coach Lena Wilson to have an honest, nuanced conversation about the rapid rise of AI as a mental health tool. They explore the real benefits — increased access...

If you are caring for a loved one right now, this episode was made for you. Over 53 million Americans are unpaid caregivers — and most of them are carrying a grief that doesn't have a name. Coach Lena Wilson shares her deeply personal journey caring for her mother-in-law through Alzheimer's disease: the hidden grief of watching someone you love lose their memory, the guilt of pulling back,...

When was the last time you truly rested — without guilt? In this episode of Pause the Noise, Brian Stokes, Dr. Saarah Nicolas, and Coach Lena Wilson get honest about why so many of us struggle to slow down. From childhood conditioning and hustle culture to the real cost of burnout, they unpack why rest feels unsafe and what we can actually do about it. Whether you're an entrepreneur with no of...

Resilience isn't about being unbreakable — it's about knowing how to get back up. In this episode of Pause The Noise, Dr. Saarah Nicolas, Lena Wilson, and Brian Stokes have a raw, real conversation about what it truly takes to build mental fortitude and bounce back from life's hardest challenges. Drawing from personal experiences with childhood trauma, divorce, homelessness, people-ple...

Do you hit a goal and immediately set a bigger one — never stopping to feel proud? That's not ambition. That may be a trauma response. In this episode of Pause the Noise , mental health therapist Brian Stokes, psychologist Dr. Saarah Nicolas, and transition & grief coach Coach Lena Wilson explore why high achievers, childhood trauma survivors, and people pleasers struggle to celebrate them...

Grief isn’t just about loss through death… it shows up in every major life transition. In this episode of Pause the Noise, Brian Lamar Stokes sits down with Coach Lena Wilson and Dr. Saarah Nicolas to unpack the hidden connection between grief and change. From identity shifts to parenting, career moves, and unexpected life events, they explore why even positive changes can feel heavy. You’ll learn...

Grief isn’t just about losing someone to death… it shows up in breakups, friendships, life transitions, and even the dreams we thought would come true. In this episode of Pause the Noise Podcast , Brian Stokes, Dr. Sarah Nicolas, and Coach Lena Wilson have an honest, real conversation about what grief actually looks like in everyday life. From grieving relationships and identity shifts to navigati...

Feeling drained by social media? Learn how it impacts your mental health and how to set boundaries with practical digital wellness tools. Social media is no longer optional… but what is it doing to your mental health? In this episode of Pause the Noise , a psychologist, therapist, and transition coach unpack the real impact of social media on burnout, anxiety, relationships, and everyday life. Fro...

Welcome to the first episode of Pause the Noise — a space where we slow down the chaos of everyday life and give ourselves permission to reflect and reset. In this introductory episode, meet the three voices behind the show: Dr. Sarah Nicolas, PhD (@DrSaarahThePsych) – Trauma psychologist and owner of Tampa Counseling & Wellness and founder of Liberty Evaluations specializing in trauma and evidenc...