The Self-Trust Podcast

EPISODE LINKS: Get on the WAITLIST for Book #2: You Can Trust Yourself Emily's books: Can People Really Change? 13 Lessons from 13 Years as a Therapist Join Behind-The-Scenes: https://curiosityrising.substack.com/subscribe *You'll want to sign up for either the paid $7/mo or $70 annual level to get BTS The Self-Trust Model ™ Training + Certification Application CONNECT WITH EMILY: Have questions o...

EPISODE LINKS: Get on the WAITLIST for Book #2: You Can Trust Yourself Emily's books: Can People Really Change? 13 Lessons from 13 Years as a Therapist Join Behind-The-Scenes: https://curiosityrising.substack.com/subscribe *You'll want to sign up for either the paid $7/mo or $70 annual level to get BTS The Self-Trust Model ™ Training + Certification Application CONNECT WITH EMILY: Have questions o...

In this expansive episode, Emily explores the core principles of psychedelic therapy —preparation, integration, and the classic trio of set, setting, and dose —and how they apply far beyond drug-based experiences. Whether or not you ever take psychedelics, these practices can help you slow down , deepen your Self-Trust , and bring greater meaning to any transformative experience. In this episode:...

In this passionate episode, Emily opens up about her evolving relationship with confidence and insecurity —and how these themes impact our ability to live freely, trust ourselves, and stay safe in a world full of manipulation. From New Year’s intentions to post-cult recovery stories, she explores the existential stakes of self-trust, why fake-it-til-you-make-it never truly works, and how disconnec...

EPISODE LINKS: Training + Certification Application Get on the WAITLIST for Book #2: You Can Trust Yourself Emily's books: Can People Really Change? 13 Lessons from 13 Years as a Therapist Join Behind-The-Scenes: https://curiosityrising.substack.com/subscribe *You'll want to sign up for either the paid $7/mo or $70 annual level to get BTS CONNECT WITH EMILY: Have questions or topics you'd like to...

Today, Emily reads Lesson 6 from her book Can People Really Change? —a powerful reminder that self-awareness is foundational to Self-Trust . In this heartfelt chapter, Emily shares the story of Nikki, a newly divorced client discovering how much of her identity was shaped by someone else—and how self-inquiry, even about small things, opens the door to deeper trust in oneself. Emily also reflects o...

We complete the Self-Trust Compass by heading West—home of self-awareness , curiosity, and deep inner connection. Emily explores why self-awareness is the foundation of Self-Trust and offers practical tools to get to know yourself more intimately, slowly, and lovingly. In this episode: Why knowing yourself is essential to trusting yourself How subtraction (noise, substances, distractions) creates...

We head south on the Self-Trust Compass in today’s episode to explore one of the most essential foundations of Self-Trust: regulation . Emily unpacks how nervous system regulation underpins your ability to connect with intuition, make clear decisions, and feel safe in your body. In this episode: What a regulated nervous system really looks like Why survival mode makes it hard to trust your gut The...

What does it really mean to keep a promise to yourself—and how do you know if it’s the right promise to begin with? In today’s episode, Emily explores the eastern direction on the Self-Trust Compass: Keep Promises . She offers a nuanced look at follow-through, self-trust, and how to set commitments that align with your values instead of life scripts. In this episode: Two types of people who strugg...

In this special episode, Emily answers listener-submitted questions from a book club reading her first book, Can People Really Change? 13 Lessons from 13 Years as a Therapist . She shares behind-the-scenes stories of the book’s creation, the influence of friendship on her work, and the writing projects she's working on next. In this episode: Why each lesson in Can People Really Change? was designe...

In this episode, Emily reads chapter 2 from her book Can People Really Change? 13 Lessons from 13 Years as a Therapist . Titled Therapy Works Best When You're Ready to Be Radically Honest with Yourself , this chapter explores why honesty—with yourself and with your therapist—is the doorway to true transformation. Emily shares a client story that illustrates how healing deepens layer by layer, and...

Today, we begin our journey around the Self-Trust Compass with the direction of North: radical honesty. Emily shares four signs that it may be time to return to this inner compass point—whether you're just starting your Self-Trust journey, feeling stuck, spinning your wheels, or ready to check in after some time away. This episode unpacks the hard—but empowering—work of telling the truth to yourse...

In this thoughtful episode, Emily Romero explores the intersection of evidence-based psychology and the mystical, intuitive experiences that shape our healing. She unpacks what it means to blend the “woo woo” with the clinical, and how her background as a trauma therapist—alongside her own personal losses—reshaped her perspective on what it means to trust yourself. If you’ve ever felt torn between...

In this episode, Emily shares a behind-the-scenes look at her upcoming second book—all about Self-Trust—and how she's structuring it around the four natural seasons: spring, summer, fall, and winter. She explores why this cyclical model honors the truth of human transformation and how it offers an alternative to hustle culture and constant growth. You'll also hear how this seasonal approach suppor...

In this foundational episode, Emily Romero offers a comprehensive overview of the Self-Trust Model and the Self-Trust Compass. She shares how this framework was born out of years of client work, personal experience, and deep integration of somatic experiencing, Internal Family Systems (IFS), and psychedelic therapy principles. You'll also learn the four directions of the Self-Trust Compass—radical...

In this powerful episode, Emily Romero unpacks the meaning behind the golden skeleton key metaphor and why Self-Trust is the one key that unlocks every other door. You'll learn how cultivating Self-Trust creates ripple effects in your confidence, clarity, decision-making, and emotional resilience. Emily also explores how deeper fears—like rejection, failure, or abandonment—often stem from one core...

Episode 5: Make Decisions with Confidence (book reading) In this special episode, Emily Romero reads Chapter 11 from her book Can People Really Change? —a lesson titled “Decisions Are Best Made Deliberately.” This honest and reflective chapter explores what it means to make conscious choices, even in times of uncertainty, and how trust—not certainty—is what ultimately carries us forward. Emily sha...

What does it actually mean to live an intentional life—and why does it feel so hard sometimes? In this episode, Emily Romero unpacks what intentional living looks like through the lens of Self-Trust. She shares how self-doubt, external scripts, and people-pleasing get in the way, and offers a personal story of how she reclaimed her vision after early feedback rattled her confidence. You’ll also ge...

In this episode, Emily Romero explores how to recognize a lack of Self-Trust and why so many women lose it in the first place. Through reflection prompts, body-based inquiry, and real-life examples, Emily unpacks the subtle and overt ways disconnection from your body, intuition, and inner wisdom takes root—often as a trauma response. She shares practical guidance on identifying your return path an...

In this episode, Emily Romero takes you behind the scenes into the personal and professional journey that led to the creation of the Self-Trust Model. From a transformative solo hike to the launch of Adventure Club, Emily shares how intuition, therapeutic wisdom, and lived experience came together to shape the foundational Self-Trust Compass. She also introduces the four core principles of Self-Tr...

Episode 1: Welcome to The Self-Trust Podcast In this very first episode, host Emily Romero shares the inspiration behind The Self-Trust Podcast . You’ll learn how her background as a somatic trauma therapist, IFS practitioner, and author of Can People Really Change? led to the development of the Self-Trust Model. Emily opens up about closing her therapy practice, her journey with intuition, and wh...