We often hear people talk about planning their dream wedding or finding the partner of their dreams. In fact, this is a topic of many reality TV series and a common topic in therapy. In this podcast episode, I'll be talking with pre-marital couples counselor, Mickayla Waldhauser about: 

• ways we can prepare ourselves for the relationship of our dreams

• the importance of investing in the relationship, not just the big day

• the challenges of real relationships vs. the idealized ideas we have of relationships

If you're the person who is engaged or still looking for "the one," this episode is for you!

Have you ever felt exhausted at the end of the day, because you felt like you couldn't be your most authentic self in the space you were in? Or perhaps you've left a gathering feeling bored or dissatisfied by shallow conversations and superficial interactions. If you're the person who wants to show up more authentically, or if you're the person who is craving more authenticity from others, this episode is for you! 

In today's podcast, you'll get to hear social worker and entrepreneur, Courtney Jones, LCSW-C talk about the challenges of finding authentic relationships, especially in entrepreneurial spaces. You'll also get to hear about the work she does to support individuals who are wanting to show up more authentically and ways that she encourages the same in her team. As a therapist who does equine work, she also shares about the role that therapeutic work with horses can play in leading us to a more authentic and attuned place.

Have you ever felt defeated while trying to achieve your goals? Perhaps you've even determined that making a particular change just isn't in the books for you. Perhaps you've tried to get into an exercise routine, stop biting your nails, or reduce your alcohol intake, and you just haven't had any luck. Today, we've got good news for you! 

In this week's episode, Christine Higgins will be introducing you to the stages of behavior change. Understanding them can take out some of the shame that people feel when they fail to successfully make a change. It can also help us understand some of the steps we can take to increase the likelihood of success when we're trying to make a change.  

As we approach the end of the year, we hope you'll find this helpful if you're feeling eager to achieve the goals you've set for this year. If you're thinking ahead to the new year, this episode will be great for you too! 

When was the last time you remember being truly playful? And, when you hear the word, "playful," what comes up for you? In a world where we're taught to "work hard," we can be left with the notion that there's no room for play. Today's guest, TJ Matton, would love to change that! 

In this episode, TJ Matton explores the concept of play, its significance in adult life, and how it can be integrated into daily routines. You'll hear TJ talk about the cultural disconnect from play, especially in women and children, and the importance of rediscovering play as a means of enhancing mental health and well-being. The conversation also touches on the role of play in parenting, the relationship between play and mindfulness, and the various styles of play. TJ believes that play is not just an activity but a vital experience that can transform lives.

Ready for more playfulness in your life? Now's the time to tune in!

Have you ever found yourself in a place where your dreams are too big for others to handle? In this week's podcast episode, you'll meet Laura Mickler, a mindset coach and yoga studio owner, who talks about what it's been like to have big dreams in a small town. You'll also get to hear about unexpected changes in her career journey, taking her from a corporate financial career to opening her own yoga studio. 

In this episode, you'll get to hear Laura talk about:

• embracing the mindset of "Why not?" 

• what it means to manifest your dreams

• the importance of visualizing and embodying your desired outcomes

• balancing passion and work 

• finding joy and setting boundaries

In this episode, I speak with Joseph Heggins, LPC, a therapist in Houston, Texas, about what it means to live a good life.

We discuss how the concept of a good life changes over time and varies for different individuals, emphasizing the importance of health, family, and the ability to curate one's own life. We also explore the role of mental health in pursuing a good life.

Joseph shares his decision to continue working in a nine-to-five job instead of solely focusing on his private practice, highlighting the value of routine, predictability, and the ability to educate and support individuals in the mental health system.

Join us as we discuss what the "good life" means for us, and how you can visualize what the "good life" may mean for YOU!

Writing can be a touchy subject for people. If you’ve ever determined that you’re “not a writer,” I’m going to encourage you to hold off on any of that labeling.  As Dr. Adina Silvestri will tell you, writing can be a powerful tool to reflect, find your own voice, and uncover your deepest desires and passions.

In this episode, you’ll also hear her talk about solo writing vs. the power of sharing your writing in a group format. 

If you’re up for giving writing a try, this is your episode!

Have you ever found that perfectionism prevents you from getting started, or that you’re constantly striving and chasing after the next thing? 

Perhaps you’re exhausted, overwhelmed, or burned out, not sure which “thing” is the thing you should be pursuing. Or maybe you care too much about what other people think. 

If any of that sounds familiar, you won’t want to miss this episode where I’ll be talking with Dr. Anne Welsh who is a distinguished psychologist & executive coach with a profound affinity for supporting women in leadership, and aiding working parents across diverse career landscapes. 

In this episode, you’ll hear Dr. Welsh talk about: 

• Common concerns that working people bring up in her coaching and therapy practices

• The Ambitious Identity Paradox and how it impacts our careers and homes

• Balancing high expectations with battling perfectionism

Let’s get started!

Have you ever told yourself that achieving your dreams would involve some grand feat? Perhaps you’ve made your dream out to be a gigantic mountain that requires conquering. If so, that doesn’t necessarily make us want to move forward with it, does it? 

If you’re the person who tends to tell yourself just how hard and complicated achieving your dreams is, then this episode is for you. 

In this episode, you’ll hear: 

• Personal reflections on how Melissa has fallen into this same trap

• The importance of catching yourself, so you can move forward with your dreams

You’ll also get a sneak peek of what’s to come in our next batch of episodes! Stay tuned! 

Are you the person who wants to see results as soon as you put forth action? Have you found yourself becoming increasingly frustrated or impatient the closer that you get to achieving your big goals? If that’s you, this is the episode for you!

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Sage reminders about waiting as a real part of the process

• Things I’m doing while I (impatiently) wait and continue to show up consistently

• Summer updates & resources that you can utilize!

This is episode 30! Thank so much for joining us this year as we launched the Dreaming & Doing podcast! We look forward to catching up with you soon!

You might be wondering about the connection between setting boundaries and pursuing your dreams, but setting boundaries (with yourself or others) just might be one of the actions you need to take in order to successfully pursue your goals.

In this episode, you’ll learn about:

• The connection between boundaries and pursuing your dreams

• Boundaries you might need to set with yourself or others

• A way to re-think boundaries if you’re afraid that setting boundaries means “being mean.”

Values serve as that crucial bridge between determining what your dreams are and the steps needed to carry them out. Values are at the foundation of what matters to us. They dictate what we like, what we dislike, who we want to be, where we want to go, how we want to get there, and who we want to be while doing it. Our values determine what our dreams are, and in living in accordance with our values, we can pursue our dreams in an aligned way.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Ways that you can build awareness of your values.

• How values relate to our dreams and the way we pursue them.

• How to recognize if your stated values are in alignment with your actions

• The importance of honestly evaluating and owning your values

Awareness of our values can facilitate our own personal growth and provide direction for our careers, families, and businesses. If you’re ready for some self-reflection, let’s dive in!

It wouldn’t be right for me, as a therapist, to let this month go by without recognizing and discussing that May is Mental Health Awareness Month!

In last week’s Part 1, I discussed how our mental health has the ability to impact our ability to “dream.” This week, I’ll be discussing how our mental health can impact our ability to “do!”

In this episode, I’ll be discussing:

• Ways that our mental health impacts our ability to do (function)

• Under-functioning, and struggling to take action

• Over-functioning, and constantly striving to do more

May is mental health awareness month. As a therapist, it just wouldn’t feel right to let this month go by without talking about how our mental health impacts our ability to dream and do. In this episode in particular, I’ll be talking about how our mental health has the ability to impact our ability to dream.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Stats related to mental health

• Ways that our thoughts and feelings impact our ability to dream

• Specific thought patterns that show up when our mental health isn’t doing as well

• Ways that we can address our unhelpful thought patterns in order to access a more expansive state

Over the past few years, I’ve had the opportunity to witness people’s responses to the opportunities that come their way….specifically how they respond to the opportunities they said they wanted.

In this episode, I’ll be talking about:

• Using discernment to determine whether or not an opportunity is a good one for you

• Recognizing and celebrating the presence of opportunities all around you

• 4 categories of people I’ve seen respond to opportunities (get ready to meet Aspirational Annie, I Didn’t Think I’d Have to Do Anything Debbie, Move Heaven and Earth Maria, and I’m Not Worthy Wanda.)

You’ll also get to hear how I’m shifting my own approach to opportunities, and the types of opportunities I am currently open to receiving!

Who’s ready to talk opportunity??

When you’ve got big dreams, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the actions you need to take to get where you want to be. In this week’s episode, however, you’ll get to hear Stephanie Skryzowski, a visionary Chief Financial Officer, talk about the power of small, consistent actions to achieve your big goals.

In this episode, you’ll hear Stephanie talk about:

• How habits and small steps can help you make significant strides towards your bigger goals

• Books to get you thinking about your own habits

• Habits Stephanie is implementing in her own personal and professional work

• Small, consistent steps you can take to be on top of your financial numbers

If you’re ready to think about bite-sized steps you can take on a regular basis to crush those big dreams, this episode is for you!

Many of the people I talk to have difficulty recognizing their strengths, or they assume that others have the same strengths they do. Jordan Bramhall, LifeSpring therapist, however, has specialized training in helping people recognize their strengths and in understanding how they can make those strengths work for them!

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Two strategies you can use to identify your strengths

• How knowing your strengths can help you achieve your goals

• Ways that knowing your teams’ strengths can help the team work together more effectively and efficiently

• How Jordan incorporates the concept of strengths into her therapy work with clients

If you’re like me, you’ve been told that the path to success involves hard work and long hours. This messaging, however, can lead people down the road of burnout and result in extreme health problems. Executive Coach, Amina AlTai’s knows all about that from first-hand experience, and her experience has completely transformed how she now works.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

• Amina’s personal journey and how it led to her mind, body, and career approach.

• The oppressive origins of hustle culture

• How working within your zone of genius can facilitate a sense of well-being

If you’re tired of being exhausted, overwhelmed and burned out and ready to work differently, this episode will show you that there’s another way to be successful without sacrificing yourself or your well-being.

Networking is about relationship building, and despite our best efforts, relationship building is not always what happens after attending networking events. In this episode, you’ll get to listen in on my conversation with Jeff Borschowa whose entire business has been built around building authentic professional relationships. He’s also big on Tech and has some big ideas on AI and ways that it can be used….you guessed it….authentically!

In this episode, you’ll hear us talk about:

• Reasons traditional networking doesn’t always work (despite our best efforts)

• Building authentic professional relationships

• Meetings Jeff is willing to get up at 2 AM for

• Ways that relationship building for business has been done on the golf course (for years!)

• Jeff’s thoughts on use of AI and authentic voice

If you’re looking for a new approach to professional relationship building, tune in to this episode.

On the outside, it looks like you’ve got it together! The people in your professional world see that you’re poised, controlled, and successful! Behind closed doors, however, things are a little more messy! Sound familiar? If so, know that Dr. Paris Love, today’s guest, is here to the rescue! She is known as the Drill Sergeant of Productivity, and today she’ll be talking with us about the trends she sees with professional women, the 3 kinds of clutter that show up in our lives, and ways that we can clean it up!