The Adult Chair Podcast with Michelle Chalfant

Whether you love manifesting or you're still a little skeptical, I want you to consider one thing: if the Law of Attraction really is a law of nature, like gravity, is it possible that it is working in your life whether you know it or not? Is it possible that your unconscious beliefs are shaping your reality in ways you don't realize – or want – simply because you haven't chosen another way of thi...

It's that time of year again…the holidays are here, and with them come all the delicious food and treats. I'm ALL about treating ourselves and eating for enjoyment, but there can also come a point where it's no longer fun. You probably know the feeling: the sugar crash, the sluggishness, the fatigue, maybe even body aches or indigestion or mild depression. It turns out there's a reason behind this...

Resistance. Like gravity, it's such a common part of the human experience that few of us stop to acknowledge it, but it's a force that exists in all of our lives. It's in the fear that pops up when we go to move forward in life. It's in the inner critic, the imposter syndrome and the voice telling us we can't. It's in the writer's block, the snooze button, the procrastination and the distraction....

When we face challenges in life (and we all do), it can feel like the whole world is against us. Whether we blame ourselves or others for our problems, it's natural to think of our struggles as weakness. But what if the challenges in our lives are actually a doorway to our strengths? What if they give us the opportunity to build resilience and uncover our superpower – the unique way we're meant to...

All of us have an inner critic – the part that reminds us of our limits and our failures and tries to "keep us in line." It's that voice inside your head that can be critical, judgmental and even mean. Though it's just one part of who we are, the inner critic is one of those parts that can be especially painful and stressful to deal with. Not only does the inner critic impact our sense of self-wor...

It's that time of year again…the holidays are officially upon us! This is a happy time, but it can also be really triggering…especially for those of us who struggle with people pleasing and codependency. This time of year puts us around more people than usual, and more demands are placed on us during this time…a combo that is like kryptonite for those who are addicted to other people. No wonder th...

We all know the feeling: someone says or does something, and we feel our heart rate go up, the heat rise in our body, and the anxiety or anger take over. We just got triggered! A trigger is an emotional reaction that we have to someone else's words or actions. They often catch us off guard and can flood us with "negative" emotions, and if we're not being conscious, our first reaction is usually to...

Realizing your partner is a narcissist or emotionally abusive and making the decision to leave can be one of the most liberating experiences of your life. But what if you're forever tied to this person because of a child you share together? What if you can take yourself out of the relationship but can't take the narcissist out of your life? Co-parenting with a highly toxic or abusive person adds a...

You get an idea, you have something you want to do or you become aware of a change you want to make. The first thing you feel is excitement…and then suddenly, the fear hits. Your mind starts racing with all the bad things that could happen if you move forward with your idea. Some of these concerns might sound legitimate, which just adds to the confusion. How can you tell if you're making a decisio...

If you've spent any time in the therapy or self-help space, you've probably heard amazing stories from leaders and teachers who have had some sort of spiritual awakening. To the average person, these types of experiences might seem far off – something reserved for the gurus or super spiritual among us. But in my work, I want to know if all humans can awaken to their true self and how we do that. ...

When is a relationship worth fighting for and when is the only answer to walk away? Is it possible to work through dysfunctional patterns with a partner and get the outcomes you want?   You know that I always say if there is physical  abuse, GET OUT!   But dysfunction exists on a spectrum, and just because someone has a personality disorder or dysfunctional traits doesn't mean they will always bec...

Kute Blackson is no stranger to miracles. Growing up the son of a spiritual leader in Ghana, Africa, Kute witnessed healings and transformation that were nothing short of awe-inspiring.   But when he realized it wasn't his calling to take over his father's ministry in the way his family expected, it led him on a challenging and transformational journey of his own: one in which he discovered the ma...

You guys know I'm a huge believer in meditation for its emotional and spiritual benefits. It's one of the greatest tools I've found for personal growth and living a more peaceful life. But it turns out that meditation also has a major impact on the brain, from our fear response to how well we sleep at night. In this show, we take a deeper look at meditation through the lens of neuroscience alongsi...

We were all created with a purpose, but so many of us feel disconnected from who we are and why we're here. We get bogged down by everyday life, social pressure and the need to make money, and we get stuck in survival mode. Many of us don't even know what our passion is! But you were made for more! You were made to live a life of joy and passion that lights you up inside…and it's never too late to...

Grief, anger, sadness, fear…YUCK! I don't know anyone who likes to feel these emotions. I get emails from you guys all the time asking how to get rid of "negative" emotions like these. But are these emotions really negative? Or do they serve a purpose in our lives? While some emotions might feel more unpleasant than others, I personally don't believe any emotion is negative. All emotions are part...

If there's one thing that most cases of narcissistic abuse have in common, it's that the narcissist has an incredible ability to blindside their victims. Nearly every story starts out with someone meeting a wonderful, charming person until suddenly their dark side comes out.  Sometimes the abuse can be so subtle that the victim doesn't notice it's happening until it's broken them down. The gasligh...

Anne Moss Rogers will never forget the day she got the news that no parent wants to hear: her son had died. And then a second piece of news came like a punch to the gut: he had died by suicide. Anne Moss and her husband knew he had been struggling with alcohol and drugs, but they didn't realize he had been using substances to mask thoughts of suicide. On top of their loss and grief, they were forc...

As humans, we tell ourselves stories all the time, every day. As we go through life, we try to make sense of our circumstances by making assumptions, filling in blanks and telling ourselves stories about why things are the way they are.   The problem? 97% of the time, these stories aren't true!   These untrue stories and assumptions that we believe create SO much unnecessary stress, anxiety and pa...

We've all heard that relationships are hard work…but why are they so hard? And what does healthy hard work look like versus putting up with behavior we shouldn't?   Dr. Stan Tatkin has a unique approach to answering these questions by looking at relationships through the lens of psychobiology. This means understanding how our brain, our body, our nervous system and our survival instincts can contr...

We all experience emotions, but most of us don't really understand what emotions are. These feelings can drastically alter our day, our life and our experience in the world, yet they're intangible and often messy and confusing. It's no wonder many of us try to avoid them altogether.   Well, get ready to have your mind blown and to see emotions in a whole new light in this brilliant episode with Dr...

You think you're a good person, you genuinely love your partner and you try to do the right thing …so why are you struggling in your relationship? Why do you and your partner feel unhappy, disconnected and maybe even headed for divorce?   These are the questions Matt Fray asked himself after his marriage ended. He knew he was a decent guy. He knew he had loved his wife, been faithful and done the...

The world around us demands so much of us. If we're not careful, it can erode our souls, steal our true selves and get us to believe lies about the source of our worth. We have to become conscious and aware to step into our true power and a whole, awakened life.   I have been a huge fan of Dr. Shefali for years. I got SO much out of her work on conscious parenting when my kids were young, and it's...

Do you know what anxiety really feels like? I'm not talking about the emotions of fear or stress, but what it feels like in your body. So many of us live with anxiety and don't even know it because it's SO physical. It's even easy to mistake it for physical disease, like heart issues or digestive issues. That was the case for Abbe Greenberg and Maggie Sarachek, two soul sisters who are both mental...

We all have limiting beliefs that hold us back in life. But what if you've experienced significant trauma as well? How do you distinguish between a trauma response and limiting or negative thinking? How do you find the power to heal when things have happened that were out of your control?   My guest today, Michael Unbroken, has an intense and powerful story of overcoming unspeakable trauma, growin...

Sometimes, it takes losing everything you know to start over and begin the journey of healing.   Caroline Strawson is an internationally recognized trauma-informed therapist and coach who helps her clients recover from narcissistic abuse and complex PTSD and create thriving lives. Her journey began with her own story of loss when, in a very short period of time, her mother passed away, her narciss...