Simply Heard: The Space Between

This conversation is an invitation to stay. To stay in the discomfort, in the nuance, in the parts of ourselves we’d rather bypass. In Part 2, I name something I’m still actively working through: my own bias. Not as a performance. Not as a checkbox. But as a lived, ongoing process of noticing, unlearning, and sitting with the discomfort that comes with it. This isn’t easy work. And it’s not suppos...

In part one of this mini-series, Dr. Jess Hayden sits down with Shawn Brown, a longtime friend and public servant, to talk about growing up as a Black kid from the city navigating predominantly white suburban schools through Rochester’s Urban–Suburban program. Shawn reflects on high school experiences shaped by race, class, sports, and conditional belonging — what it meant to fit in, stand out, an...

In this conversation, Jessica Lynne and Randie London explore the profound journey of reclaiming the self amidst the complexities of relationships, emotional regulation, and personal growth. They discuss the importance of building a home within oneself, the challenges of self-abandonment, and the necessity of setting boundaries. Randie shares her personal experiences of healing and the transformat...

In Part 2 of Welcome Home: The Path to Self-Reclamation , Dr. Jess Hayden and Dr. Randie London continue a grounded, real conversation about what it actually looks like to come home to yourself —especially after heartbreak, loss, or years of over-functioning. Together, they explore how self-abandonment shows up in everyday moments (the subtle “self-editing” we normalize), why control can masquerad...

Simply Heard: The Space Between Welcome Home — A Path to Self-Reclamation (Part 1)-Audio Story Teller Version https://www.soulfullivingcenter.com/workshops/ This begins our mini-series on self-abandonment and what it truly means to come back to yourself. Not fixing. Not performing. Not becoming a “better” version. But noticing where we learned to leave ourselves — and slowly, gently, learning how...

Ever set a boundary and instantly think: “Ugh… I feel like the bad guy”? Same. This short episode explores why that happens — and how practicing clear, compassionate limits can actually create more honesty, respect, and ease in our relationships. Work with me: www.simply-centered.com Find me on Socials: Instagram @dr.jesshayden TikTok @drjesshayden

In this episode, I continue my conversation with Dr. Jessica Tomasula on internalized and implicit weight bias — and the quiet ways these beliefs shape how we see our bodies, our health, and our worth. We revisit the Girl Scout cookie story and the subtle moments where children learn what bodies “mean,” often long before anyone says it out loud. We talk about grief, identity, and the years many of...

Summary This episode explores the complex issues surrounding internalized weight bias, disordered eating, and the societal messages that shape our perceptions of body image. Dr. Jess Hayden and Dr. Jessica Tomasula discuss how these biases begin at a young age, the impact of humor on self-worth, and the limitations of traditional health metrics like BMI. They also delve into the importance of prom...

In Part 2, we expand the conversation with Dr Meagan Padro to include digital safety, the reality that consent begins long before dating, and why removing shame from conversations about sex is essential for raising safe, empowered kids. We explore how children learn consent through everyday interactions, how online spaces introduce boundary challenges earlier than many parents expect, and why fear...

Content Warning: Gentle, non-graphic discussion of consent and sexual abuse prevention. In this episode, we explore how the words we give children shape their safety, confidence, and boundaries. Jess and Dr. Meagan Padro share how language, consent, and connection form the foundation of sex-positive parenting. RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline LifeLine How to Talk to Kids Canadian Website, Gre...

Thanksgiving Day Special In this mini-episode, Dr. Jess Hayden explores the layered reality of the holiday—gratitude, grief, family dynamics, and the complicated history beneath it. Jess shares a personal reminder to slow down, the message from the tea, and a truth about constant change and how people evolve too. If today feels tender, busy, or complicated, this episode offers a breath of steadine...

Part 2 with Meredith Grimes, LCMHC, dives into the psychology of youth athletics and what happens when performance becomes a measure of worth. We explore why so many athletes push through pain and injuries, how “performing for the likes” fuels burnout, and how Self-Determination Theory can transform the way coaches motivate young players. Meredith shares how imposter syndrome shows up in sport — a...

In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, therapist and former athlete Meredith Grimes shares how softball shaped her identity, influenced her path from Sports Business and Marketing into mental health, and taught her early lessons about pressure, performance, and resilience. She also reflects on how learning DBT has allowed her to teach her current clients—especially athletes—the skills she wishes...

In this first episode, Dr. Jess Hayden gets real about perfectionism — and how hard it can be to begin when you’re afraid of getting it wrong.  From overexplaining to overediting, she unpacks why so many of us tie our worth to doing things “right,” and how to start trusting yourself to show up imperfectly.  Because connection doesn’t come from perfection — it comes from being real. Find Dr Jess on...

We talk all the time — but most of us don’t feel heard. We dress up control veiled as love,  We think we're in a state of calm, but we're really just suppressing  We're told to be strong, yet it feels like disconnection. Simply Heard: The Space Between is where psychology meets the heart — where we slow down enough to listen to what’s really being said, and what’s quietly asking to be understood....