the tara bixby podcast

Don't let the word trauma discourage you from tuning in. Trauma looks different to everyone and comes in many different shades and colors. Today's guest, Dr. Nicole LePera, best known as the holistic psychologist, is joining us on The Courageously.u Podcast to deliver the tools you need to begin your self-healing journey. Dr. Nicole LePera was trained in clinical psychology at Cornell University a...

Jen Lancaster is the New York Times bestselling author of the novels Here I Go Again and The Gatekeepers; the nonfiction works Bitter Is the New Black, Such a Pretty Fat, and Bright Lights, Big Ass; and the memoirs Stories I'd Tell in Bars, Generation X, My Fair Lazy, Pretty in Plaid, and I Regret Nothing, which was named an Amazon Best Book of the Year. Her latest book, Welcome to the United Stat...

On my continued quest to help break the commonly held belief surrounding mental illness, I bring you today's guest, Dr. Kabran Chapek.  Dr. Kabran Chapek has been a staff physician at Amen Clinics since 2013. As a graduate of Bastyr University in the Seattle area, he is an expert in the use of functional and integrative treatments. Dr. Chapek is the founding president of the Psychiatric Associatio...

Today's episode is a courageous story of a female endurance athlete who went from the top of her game to an emotional breakdown that had her living with thoughts of suicide. Sonja Wieck is a top Ironman triathlete with nothing but passion, drive, and determination. She can be seen leading her group of three men on Team Iron Cowboy on Mark Burnett's new competition show "World's Toughest Race Eco-C...

Are you struggling to get pregnant? Do you want a baby in the future? Have you been told you're infertile? Want to learn how to improve your fertility? If yes, this episode is for you. Dr. Cleopatra is a scientist and university professor specializing in the intersection of reproductive health, human flourishing, and how health is transmitted from one generation to the next. She provides fertility...

Today's guest is Robert Whitaker. Robert is an American journalist and author who has won numerous awards as a journalist covering medicine and science, including the George Polk Award for Medical Writing and a National Association for Science Writers' Award for best magazine article. In 1998, he co-wrote a series on psychiatric research for the Boston Globe that was a finalist for the Pulitzer Pr...

Given the season of life we are in, I felt it was only fitting to do an episode on depression. I don't know about you, but I'm no stranger to struggling with depressed mood.  Today's guest is Dr. Alex Korb.  Dr. Korb is a neuroscientist, writer, and coach. He has studied the brain for over 20 years and is the bestselling author of The Upward Spiral: Using Neuroscience to Reverse the Course of Depr...

Today's guest is the insanely courageous Jane Hart.  Jane is a mother of two courageous boys, a forever student, and a passionate advocate. She also lives with Dissociative identity disorder, formally known as multiple personality disorder. Before starring in A&E's hit documentary series, Many Sides of Jane, Jane wrote articles and spoke out about childhood abuse and the normalization of mental he...

Dr. Uma Naidoo is a Harvard trained, board-certified psychiatrist, nutritionist, and professional chef who married both psychiatry and nutrition to create a beautiful treatment modality designed to help you improve your overall mental health.  She founded the first hospital-based nutritional psychiatry service in the United States, where she serves as the director of nutritional and lifestyle psyc...

Dr. Jennifer Freed is the bestselling author of  Use Your Planets Wisely  and a renowned psychological astrologer and social and emotional education trainer. She has spent over thirty years consulting clients and businesses worldwide on psychological, spiritual, and educational topics. She has served as the clinical director of Pacifica Graduate Institute and is a national consultant for EMDR.  As...

Inside Episode 19 of The Courageously.u Podcast, Angela Peacock shares her courageous story of how the overprescribing of mental health medication almost killed her. Angela Peacock is a former U.S. Army Sergeant whose normal response to deployment led to fifteen years of being overprescribed medications, multiple hospitalizations, and a whirlwind of disability. Over that time, Angela was prescribe...

Dr. Belisa Vranich is a clinical psychologist, a leading expert in mental health and fitness, and a breath work guru. She is also the founder of the breathing class, and the author of Breathe: The Simple, Revolutionary 14-Day Program to Improve your Mental and Physical Health.  In today's episode, we talk about:  The psychology of breathing (9:34) The difference between chest breathing and belly b...

Do you remember lying awake all night as a kid, overcome with anticipation and excitement, waiting for Christmas morning to arrive? That was exactly how I felt waiting to chat with today's guest, Dr. Ellen Vora. Dr. Ellen Vora is a board-certified psychiatrist, acupuncturist, and yoga teacher. She takes a functional medicine approach to mental health and addresses the root problem rather than refl...

I'm so excited to have on Mark Wolynn, the founder and director of the Family Constellation Institute in San Francisco. Mark is a leading expert in the field of inherited family trauma and the author of the book It Didn't Start With You: How Inherited Family Trauma Shapes Who We Are and How to End the Cycle. His articles also appear in Psychology Today, Mind Body Green, MariaShriver.com, Elephant...

Are you an exhausted mama? Do you feel guilty for taking time for yourself? Do you feel alone and lost in the chaos of motherhood? If you are nodding your head yes, Episode 15 is for you.  Claire Nicogossian Psy. D. is a licensed clinical psychologist with over two decades of experience. In the last ten years, Claire has specialized her practice in maternal-mental health and well-being. She also f...

Are you being tricked by your worries? Do you ever feel hopeless or crazy for feeling anxious? Do you want to learn how to respond to panic attacks? If yes, Episode 14 is for you. Doctor David Carbonell is a Clinical Psychologist who specializes in the treatment of anxiety disorders as a therapist, author, and teacher. With over thirty-five years of experience, Dr. Carbonell offers exposure based...

Alisa Vitti is a functional nutritionist, women's hormone expert, and pioneer in female biohacking. A graduate of Johns Hopkins University and the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, Alisa has been featured on The Dr. Oz Show, Lifetime, and has been a regular contributor for Cosmopolitan, Harper's Bazaar, and Women's Health.  She is also the best selling author of WomanCode and her latest book In...

If you're in need of a swift kick in the booty to help you jump-start your life, episode 12 is your episode. Meredith Atwood, a former attorney, turned podcaster, motivational speaker, and 4x IRONMAN triathlete, joins us today to deliver a hefty dose of motivation.  She discusses:  How a tearful spin class lit a spark inside her to begin her fitness quest What it looked like to navigate addiction...

Rated one of the hottest trainers in America by Shape Magazine, Heidi Kristoffer is on a mission to make yoga, inversions, health, strength, and whole, happy living accessible to everyone. Inside episode eleven, Yoga 101 With Heidi Kristoffer, Heidi gives you an introductory lesson in all things yoga. She discusses the different styles of yoga, how yoga can improve anxiety, why yoga is a fantastic...

Is the game of "what-if" leaving you anxious? Are you scratching your head thinking, what in the world is she talking about? Inside episode ten of The Courageously.u Podcast, we are chatting about the terrible, soul-sucking game of "What-if" statements.  __________⁣⁣ COURAGEOUSLY.U SHOWNOTES: https://courageouslyu.com/what-if/   COURAGEOUSLY.U FACEBOOK COMMUNITY: https://www.facebook.com/groups/14...

Did you know that your gut health can impact your brain health? Did you know that inflammation in your body could mimic mental illness? Did you know that your brain had a glymphatic system? Did you know blood sugar instability could lead to anxiety and depression? Are you curious about what functional medicine is? Inside episode nine of The Courageously.u Podcast, Dr. Mary Pardee is delivering you...

Life isn't always how it appears, especially inside a home nestled on Hidden Valley Road. Margaret Galvin Johnson grew up in an American family with twelve children. Six of them being diagnosed with Schizophrenia. Behind the illusion of perfection, good looks, and athleticism hid a secret. A secret that would later become medical's greatest hope for understanding Schizophrenia. Hidden Valley Road...

Are you tired of feeling anxious? Do you find yourself lost in future-focused worries? Are you guilty of playing the "what-if" game? If yes, you won't want to miss out on these mindfulness goodies.  In today's episode, I am sharing three of my fave mindfulness techniques to help you reduce your anxiety by grounding yourself in the here-and-now.  If you're new to mindfulness, no worries! Hit that p...

How do we combat perfectionism, especially in our social media-obsessed society where everyone feels pressured to make sure only their "highlight" reels are posted? What do you do when your life looks perfect, but you are silently falling apart? As a child were painful emotions not only disallowed but ridiculed or ignored? Do you live with perfectly hidden depression? In today's episode, Dr. Marga...

On December 29, 2010, what started as a typical evening commute quickly ended with Carey Portell's life being turned upside down. Carey is a survivor of a drunk driver that has left her partially disabled. After a four year recovery, and thirteen surgeries, Carey splits her time between cattle farming and speaking on how to break limitations.  In today's episode, Carey shares her pain and also her...