How to Trust Yourself: Overcome Imposter Syndrome, Feel Confident, and Let Yourself Be Seen

Episode Description / Show Notes:Ever feel like your story is messy, scattered, or unclear—and that’s holding you back from stepping fully into your purpose? In this episode, I share a metaphor from my 10 years working in reality TV—soft scripting—and how it taught me to find the through threads in the chaos.I’ll break down how this concept applies to your life and work:How to sift through the raw material of your experiences to discover your unique voice.Why trying to force your story or follow someone else’s blueprint backfires.How to nurture your emerging story so it grows naturally into its fullest expression.Whether you’re navigating a career pivot, stepping into visibility as a sensitive creative, or exploring a new identity, soft scripting is a practical, nervous-system-friendly approach to clarifying your purpose and showing up authentically.I also share a new opportunity to practice this in community: my Seen & Safe group membership, a supportive space for sensitive creatives, coaches, and entrepreneurs to grow in visibility without burning out.What You’ll Learn in This Episode:The reality TV concept of soft scripting and why it’s a powerful metaphor for life and work.How to find the through threads in your experiences and start shaping your story.A gentle, collaborative approach to visibility that respects your nervous system.Resources & Links Mentioned in This Episode:Join Seen & Safe: AnnaHoltzman.com/seenandsafeEmail me with your thoughts or reflections: anna@annaholtzman.comWho This Episode is For:Sensitive creatives, coaches, healers, and entrepreneurs who want to show up authentically, discover their voice, and step into purpose without burning out.Follow & Connect:Instagram: @annaholtzman

Welcome to the 20th episode of From Chronic Pain to Passion. This is the last episode in season 1 and after this I’m going to take a 3 week hiatus, because rest is important! But don’t worry, I’ll be back in September with more interviews that I’m excited to share with you, including conversations with chronic pain experts Dr. John Stracks and Dr. Lilia Graue as well as many more.   In today’s episode, I’m going to share with you a recording of a Facebook live in which I had the honor of chatting with chronic pain expert Georgie Oldfield, and this time I was the one being interviewed.   Georgie is a physiotherapist practicing in the UK and she’s the founder of an organization called SIRPA, which stands for Stress Illness Recovery Practitioners’ Association. SIRPA is a really important hub of information, education and patient and practitioner resources in the field of mind-body medicine. You can find those resources on their website at sirpa.org and on Instagram @sirpa_uk In the conversation you’re about to hear, Georgie interviewed me about my experience of recovering from chronic migraine and I talked about some more recent developments in that journey, which continues to unfold. You can find me at: Instagram: ⁠@anna_holtzman⁠ Website: ⁠www.annaholtzman.com

Thank you so much for joining me on this chronic pain to passion journey. One of the things I really like doing on this podcast is having conversations with people who don’t necessarily identify as someone who has experienced or worked with chronic pain, but they do have a story of transformation to tell that carries a lot of the same themes that show up in the chronic pain recovery journey.   One of those themes is questioning our belief systems. If you grew up in a society that is influenced by the western medical model, as I did, then you probably learned to view physical pain as totally separate from emotional pain. And it can be a real mind-bender and even an identity shift as we embark on the path of mind-body healing and start to see our pain journey through a very different lens. Along the way, a lot of us find that questioning the belief system that we’ve held for most of our life is complicated and it can be quite challenging.   Today, I got to speak with someone who knows a lot about questioning belief systems. And she comes at it from a totally different starting point than chronic pain. My guest, Joy Vetterlein is a spiritual coach and writer who is engaged in reimagining life after faith. As a pastor’s kid, a good Christian girl, a Bible college grad and a former worship pastor, she now helps post-evangelicals to find freedom from oppressive religious programming and to discover their own unique spiritual path. Joy lives in Orange County, California, with her husband and two children. I wanted to speak with Joy because I find that through having interdisciplinary conversations about topics like questioning our belief systems, we can zoom out and widen our understanding of a topic beyond what is accessible to us through just one type of lens. And as Joy shares her story of questioning beliefs with us, I'll relate it back to the symptom recovery journey for you! You can find Joy at: IG: ⁠@joyvetterlein website: www.joyvetterlein.com And you can find me at: Instagram: ⁠@anna_holtzman⁠ Website: ⁠www.annaholtzman.com

In today’s episode, I got to chat with someone whose work I’ve admired and been influenced by since my very first training in mind-body medicine. That person is chronic pain expert Christie Uipi, and I knew it would be a pleasure speaking with her, but our conversation surpassed even my expectations, it was such a delight.   Christie is a psychotherapist specializing in the treatment of chronic pain, anxiety, and depression and she’s the founder of a clinic called The Better Mind Center.  Christie has been a key collaborator on the development and research of the Pain Reprocessing Therapy treatment modality.  She lectures nationally on psychotherapeutic interventions to treat chronic pain and she is committed to cross-disciplinary collaboration between mental health and physical medicine. Christie is also a recovered chronic pain patient herself. And she says that the healing process was so profoundly transformational for the quality of her life that she has dedicated her career to supporting others through their recoveries. There’s a lot more to Christie’s work in this field that we’ll get into during the interview, and something that I so appreciate about her is that she’s an influential voice in this field — and we often look to influential voices to tell us the absolute truth about their topic of expertise. But what Christie shares is that staying curious and open is not just essential to healing, it’s an essential part of being a practitioner who supports others in healing as well. You can find Christie at: IG: ⁠@better.with.christie website: bettermindcenter.com And you can find me at: Instagram: ⁠@anna_holtzman⁠ Website: ⁠www.annaholtzman.com

Thank you for joining me today to listen to this episode of From Chronic Pain to Passion. It’s hard to believe it’s already been 4 months since I first launched the podcast. And I wanna ask if you’d be up for helping me spread the word so that more listeners can find the podcast. So, I thought I would do a little fun giveaway. Last month I held a workshop called Soothe Your Symptoms and Unlock Your Creativity. If you would like a free recording of that workshop, I invite you to do any one of these three things: You can post about the podcast on Instagram and tag me. You can post about it on any other medium, and screenshot the post and email it to me. Or you can simply share the podcast with a friend and email to tell me about it. My email is anna@annaholtzman.com And in return, I will send you a recording of the Soothe Your Symptoms, Unlock Your Creativity workshop — and I’ll write you a little note of appreciation. So thank you in advance!   •••   And now for today’s episode! I so enjoyed this conversation with Renee Snijder. Renee is a certified ADHD coach who works from the perspective that nobody is broken; that ADHD is a set of symptoms, not a disorder; and that by working on nervous system regulation and self-compassion through a mind-body approach, it is possible to reduce the intensity of these symptoms while connecting with your authentic self.   You might wonder why we’re talking about ADHD on a podcast that’s called from Chronic Pain to Passion. And the reason I reached out to Renee is that I saw her talking about her approach on Instagram, and I thought, wow, we are talking about many of the same things. We’re talking about the effects of stress on the nervous system. We’re using our own lived experience to inform the way we support our clients. And I just love the clear and compassionate way Renee talks about her work! On top of all that, I find that a lot of the folks who come to work with me on chronic pain recovery also report that they experience ADHD symptoms. So, I’m really glad that I get to share our conversation with you. You can find Renne at: IG (in English): ⁠@rebirth_adhd⁠ website (in Dutch): www.stormvogelcoaching.nl And you can find me at: Instagram: ⁠@anna_holtzman⁠ Website: ⁠www.annaholtzman.com

Before we start today’s episode, I wanna ask a quick favor! If you’ve been listening to the podcast and finding it helpful, would you be willing to hit pause for a moment and give the podcast a quick rating and review on whatever podcast platform you’re listening on? It would mean so much to me, because your ratings and reviews help other people who are struggling with chronic symptoms to find the podcast. So, thank you in advance for the rating and review! And now for today’s episode! I was delighted to have a chat with Gauri Yardi, someone I’ve been following through social media for a while now. Gauri is a writer and multi-passionate creative, a naturopath and a creative wellbeing coach. Her mission is to help tired and burned out creatives regain the energy they need for their creative dreams using holistic nervous system care.⁠ ⁠ Gauri's approach to burnout involves a model she calls "the four pillars of nervous system care" and it's a beautiful complement to the kinds of tools that I teach for chronic pain recovery — after all, as Gauri and I discussed during the interview, chronic pain and creative burnout are both symptoms of nervous system stress!⁠ Gauri's way of describing her work is so clear, simple and grounding that you might just consider listening to this interview as a part of your nervous system care. You can find Gauri at: Website: ⁠www.gauriyardi.com Instagram: @gauri.yardi And you can find me at: Instagram: ⁠@anna_holtzman⁠ Website: ⁠www.annaholtzman.com

Before we start today’s episode, I wanna ask a quick favor! If you’ve been listening to the podcast and finding it helpful, would you be willing to hit pause for a moment and give the podcast a quick rating and review on whatever podcast platform you’re listening on? It would mean so much to me, because your ratings and reviews help other people who are struggling with chronic symptoms to find the podcast. So, thank you in advance for the rating and review! And now, I’m excited to share today’s episode with you! I sat down to have a chat with someone I admire very much, Dr. Alicia Batson. Dr. Batson is a double-boarded physician with training in both internal medicine and psychiatry. She has worked in varied medical settings including adult primary care, inpatient psychiatry, outpatient community mental health care and currently, as a staff psychiatrist with Talkiatry, an online behavioral health company. After her medical training, Dr. Batson suffered through 10 years of debilitating chronic pain with over 20 different symptoms including repetitive strain injury, jaw pain, hyperacusis, neck, back and knee pain, anxiety and panic attacks.   She was able to fully recover after receiving mind-body therapy which conceptualized her symptoms as being caused by internal emotional stress and chronic activation of fear-based neural circuits. Since recovering, she is now treating patients with chronic pain and other neural circuit conditions.   She is the Chief Psychiatry Officer and Co-founder of OvidDx, an app-based educational platform teaching health care providers how to diagnosis and treat these conditions and developing office and home-based tools to facilitate care delivery for this patient population. Dr. Batson also serves on the scientific advisory team for Curable, which is an online program and app designed to help people with persistent pain reduce their symptoms and calm their nervous system. I am fortunate to serve as one of the facilitators for Curable Groups, which is their live online group program, and in that role, I get to hear Dr. Batson answer group members’ questions during a live Q + A physician session that’s part of the program. I learn something new every time and I so appreciate Dr. Batson’s openness about her own recovery story and her emphasis on self-compassion and standing up for ourselves. I was honored to interview her, and I’m thrilled to share our conversation with you! You can find Dr. Alicia Batson at: Website: ⁠https://aliciabatsonmd.com/ Talkiatry: www.talkiatry.com/team-members/alicia-batson-md OvidDx: https://oviddx.com/ And you can find me at: Instagram: ⁠@anna_holtzman⁠ Website: ⁠www.annaholtzman.com

Before we start today’s episode, I wanna tell you about a FREE workshop that I’m hosting on Wednesday June 7 at 1pm Eastern Time! This workshop is all about how to soothe your symptoms and unlock your creativity! We’re going to be doing some expressive writing exercises together, I’m gonna host a live Q&A, and I think it’ll be a really fun opportunity to get to know each other, so I hope you’ll join me! To learn more, you can visit my website at www.annaholtzman.com/ creativity-workshop-home And now for today’s episode. I sat down to chat with Rachel Gofman, whom I’ve been fan-girling on Instagram for quite some time. Rachel is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and a Certified Integrative Life Coach. Her mission is to help women liberate themselves from a life consumed by chronic pelvic pain, and to help them create lives of great purpose, connection, and intention, as they heal through a mind-body approach.   Rachel came into this work through her own journey of recovering from chronic pelvic pain, and one of the many reasons that I’m a fan of Rachel’s is that she is speaking openly, relatably and compassionately about a topic that most of us were raised to be silent about. I personally find Rachel’s perspective on mind-body healing to be so empowering, and I’m honored to be sharing our conversation here with you. You can find Rachel at: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thepelvicpaincoach/ Website: https://www.thepelvicpaincoach.com/ And you can find me at: Instagram: @anna_holtzman Website: www.annaholtzman.com

Before we start today’s episode, I wanna tell you about a FREE workshop that I’m hosting on Wednesday June 7 at 1pm Eastern Time! This workshop is all about how to soothe your symptoms and unlock your creativity! We’re going to be doing some expressive writing exercises together, I’m gonna host a live Q&A, and I think it’ll be a really fun opportunity to get to know each other, so I hope you’ll join me! To learn more, you can visit my website at www.annaholtzman.com/creativity-workshop-home And you know what? before you listen to this episode, I invite you to hit pause, check out the workshop page and sign up! I would be so thrilled to see you there! •••   In today’s episode, I sat down to chat with my friend and colleague Dr. Andrea Moore. Andrea is a mom, wife and recovering health perfectionist. Her career path has been based on trying to fix everything wrong with her: from chronic pain & post-concussive syndrome to anxiety & ADHD. While she refused to accept this as her norm, trying to implement what she thought was necessary to alleviate her symptoms felt exhausting, restricting & impossible. Along her 15+ year journey, she became a Doctor of Physical Therapy, an Orthopedic Certified Specialist, Functional Nutritional Therapist, Life Coach and patriarchy & perfectionism smasher! Through years of education, self healing & working with 100s of people, she learned that it is always about coming back to yourself in order to live the life of your dreams. So, she now guides others who are suffering from chronic pain back to their bodies & living in a way that is aligned with the truest version of themselves. You can find Andrea at: Instagram: @drandreamoore Website: www.drandreamoore.com Podcast: Unweaving Chronic Pain And you can find me at: Instagram: @anna_holtzman Website: www.annaholtzman.com

How do you release physical and emotional tension from your body through writing? That’s what we’re gonna talk about today! For a text version of this episode, go to: https://medium.com/beingwell/whats-your-mind-body-relationship-status-b7f315267bbb To learn more about mind-body journaling, check out my online course Writing to Release Chronic Pain at www.annaholtzman/writingtorelease And say hi on Instagram at @anna_holtzman With warmth, Anna

If you've been on the path of mind-body healing for a while, you’ve undoubtedly heard over and over again that it’s important to process and release your emotions. But the question is, how? That’s what we’re going to talk about in today’s episode. And just a content warning, I will be using bathroom humor. For a transcript, go here: https://medium.com/beingwell/the-4-stages-of-emotional-release-845a9fb5dbcb Also, I wanna tell you about a pilot program that I’m running called the Chronic Pain to Passion Mentorship. This is an opportunity to work with me 1:1 and get my support with your chronic symptom recovery while you are pursuing a creative project or other passion project. Creatives often think that they need to stop pursuing their passion in order to rest and recover from chronic symptoms. But, as someone who’s been there myself, I have found that creative recovery and symptom recover actually go hand-in-hand. And I would love to support you with that. You can find out more on my website at www.annaholtzman.com/mentorship And if you'd like to try out the Curable app (which I mention in episode 1 as the entry point to my own healing journey), you can use my affiliate link to get a FREE 6-week trial — and during the month of May, get 60% off an annual subscription! www.curable.com/annaholtzman

What is the mind-body connection and how does it relate to pain and other symptoms?   We all know intuitively that emotional stress can be expressed in physical sensations and symptoms.⁠⁠ ⁠⁠ Some common examples are:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠ You have a big deadline at work and you get a stomach ache in reaction to the stress. Or you have a big fight with a loved one and you wind up getting a headache from the fight. ⁠⁠ Or you watch a scary movie and your shoulders get so tight from the fear that you have a stiff neck at the end of watching it. ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠ These are all examples of physical reactions to mental and emotional stress. In each of these examples, the mind perceives something as stressful, and the body reacts.   That, in a nutshell, is the mind-body connection. And I haven’t told you anything that you don’t already know. Like I said, this stuff is intuitive. But in a culture where we’re encouraged to ignore our stress so that we can keep working and being productive, we don’t tend to talk or think about it a lot. So how do we start paying attention to the mind-body connection? There are an unlimited number of different ways to do this. So, I’m just going to share one of my favorite tools, which is starting a verbal dialogue between your mind and your body through expressive writing. And here are some conversation starters that you can try as journaling prompts: Here are the prompts: 👉 Dear symptom, what emotions are you feeling right now? (List them all out. If you need help with this, you could try scanning the Nonviolent Communication list of feelings .) 👉 Dear emotion, what do you need to feel honored? 👉 Dear emotion, is there a boundary that you need me to set?⁠ 👉 Dear emotion, do you need me to assert myself through self-expression, following my heart, or speaking up?⁠ 👉 Dear emotion, do you need support from allies  or peers? And if so, who should I reach out to? 👉 Dear emotion, do you need rest, nurturing or soothing? If you try these out, I'd love to hear how it goes! For more support with chronic symptoms, find me at: www.annaholtzman.com IG @anna_holtzman

If you’ve ever felt nervous about being seen, unsure how to talk about your work, or stuck trying to grow your business without burning out — this episode will shift your mindset around visibility, connection, and what’s actually possible when you speak up.This week, Anna is joined by Beth Nydick — a former TV producer turned visibility strategist and business mentor who helps entrepreneurs, coaches, and experts turn podcast interviews into paying clients. She’s the behind-the-scenes force behind some of the most successful media presences in the online business world — and she’s here to help you stop “just showing up” and start strategically showing out.In this powerful and down-to-earth conversation, we explore:✨ Why podcast guesting is one of the most underutilized sales tools in the online space✨ How to turn visibility into revenue without sounding like a walking sales pitch✨ The difference between “being visible” and actually making your presence count✨ How to stop shrinking, start asking for what you want, and take up space with confidence✨ Why rising together beats hustling alone — and how media strategy can be rooted in generosity, not egoWhether you’re new to podcast guesting or dreaming of your first mic moment, Beth will leave you feeling lit up, encouraged, and ready to own your voice. Connect with Beth Nydick:🌐 Website: www.bethnydick.com📸 Instagram: @bethnydick (DM her the word “Anna” for a free gift!)🎙️ Free $10k Checklist: https://courses.bethnydick.com/10kchecklist Connect with Anna:🌐 www.annaholtzman.com📸 Instagram: @anna_holtzman📬 Email: anna@annaholtzman.com

In this empowering episode, Anna sits down with Miriam Schulman — artist, author, and founder of The Inspiration Place Podcast — to explore what it really takes to turn your creativity into a sustainable livelihood.After walking away from a lucrative hedge fund job in the wake of 9/11, Miriam chose to build a life centered around her art. Now, through her coaching programs, her podcast, and her best-selling book Artpreneur, she helps other artists and creatives do the same.Together, Anna and Miriam talk about the mindset shifts, practical tools, and visibility strategies that help creatives stop undercharging, start sharing their work confidently, and build income with integrity.✨ In this episode, you’ll learn:The #1 reason so many creatives don’t stick with their dreams — and how to change thatWhy charging money for your work isn’t “selling out” — it’s self-respectHow to stop letting fear of visibility keep you from connecting with your audienceThe difference between “marketing” and simply telling your story with clarity and convictionWhy being a successful creative isn’t about talent alone — it’s about treating your work like it mattersWhat to do if you’re overwhelmed and don’t know where to start🧠 Whether you're an artist, coach, healer, or multi-passionate creative, this episode will remind you that your work is valuable — and you can build a sustainable business doing what you love. 🎨 Connect with Miriam Schulman:Website: schulmanart.comInstagram: @schulmanartPodcast: The Inspiration PlaceBook: Artpreneur: The Step-by-Step Guide to Making a Sustainable Living from Your CreativityFree Resource: Create your own GPT alter ego for creative business advice at www.schulmanart.com/altar 🌿 Connect with Anna Holtzman:Website: annaholtzman.com

This week, I’m sharing something special — a replay of my conversation with Noga Shefi, host of Your Healing Era, a podcast devoted to self-discovery, growth, and transformation.In this episode, we explore how visibility itself can become a healing practice — one that helps us integrate fear, regulate the nervous system, and show up as our full selves in life and work.✨ We talk about:• The nervous-system side of visibility and why it can feel so vulnerable• Healing visibility wounds, imposter syndrome, and creative blocks• The link between chronic health patterns and being seen/unseen• Practical ways to share your voice safely and sustainably• My personal story from behind-the-scenes TV editor to visibility coachIf you’ve ever felt afraid to be visible, or wondered why showing up online feels so charged, this episode will bring compassion, clarity, and tools you can use right away.🎧 Listen now on How to Trust Yourself — wherever you get your podcasts.💛 Connect with Noga:Instagram: @noga.shefiWebsite: nogashefi.comPodcast: Your Healing Era💛 Connect with Anna:Free workshop: annaholtzman.com/beseenInstagram: @anna_holtzmanWebsite: annaholtzman.com

In this powerful episode, Anna sits down with Lindsay Pinchuk—award-winning entrepreneur, marketing consultant, and host of the top 2% podcast Dear FoundHer…—for a conversation about growing your business without compromising your values, your nervous system, or your story.Lindsay built a seven-figure business from a $500 investment, grew a thriving community that reached millions monthly, and led her company through a successful acquisition—all while showing up as herself. Today, she helps women founders cut through the noise and grow with intention, authenticity, and community.Whether you're building a business or simply learning to show up more fully in your life, this conversation will help you rethink visibility as a form of connection, not performance—and remind you that vulnerability, when grounded, can be your greatest marketing tool.✨ In this episode, we explore:How to share your story in ways that feel empowering, not exposingWhy your community is your biggest marketing asset (and how to start building one)What to do when visibility brings up fear, shame, or self-doubtHow storytelling builds trust—and how to tell yours with boundariesThe difference between hustle-driven growth and connection-led expansionIf you're a sensitive entrepreneur, coach, or creative who wants to grow without burning out, this one’s for you. 🔗 Connect with Lindsay:Website: lindsaypinchuk.comInstagram: @dearfoundherPodcast: Dear FoundHer… (available wherever you listen) 💌 Want support growing your heart-led business with more ease and alignment?Work with Anna: annaholtzman.comFollow on IG: @anna_holtzmanEmail: anna@annaholtzman.com

This week marks ten months since I pivoted How to Trust Yourself from its original focus on chronic pain to the deeper work that had been calling me all along: nervous-system-safe visibility.In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on what that transition has really been like—the messy, nonlinear, beautifully human process of finding clarity through action.I share how I started speaking my new direction into being before I felt “ready,” what it’s taught me about fear as a heat map to intuition, and why visibility isn’t something you master once—it’s something you practice, gently and consistently, as you grow.You’ll hear:How intuition leads the way before the mind understands itWhy clarity lives inside fear, not beyond itMy 2021 story of hitting record for the first time (and shaking through it)How dialoguing with fear through journaling became the core of my methodThe breadcrumb trail that led me to realize this podcast has always been about visibilityAnd finally, I share the offer that grew directly from this season of unraveling: Your Story, Out Loud — a two-session coaching intensive for sensitive creatives, coaches, and entrepreneurs who are ready to find their voice and share it safely, gently, and powerfully.✨ Learn more at www.annaholtzman.com/yourstoryThank you for walking this path with me—through the pivots, the fear, and the evolution.This next chapter of How to Trust Yourself is about what happens when we trust ourselves enough to be seen.

Episode Summary:In this powerful conversation, Anna sits down with internationally renowned speaker, Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner, and author Brittany Piper to explore how we begin to rebuild self-trust after trauma—not just cognitively, but somatically. Brittany shares insights from her own healing journey as a rape survivor and from over a decade of work in trauma-informed care, including her transformative Body-First Healing framework.They talk about the science and soul of nervous system recovery, the fear of being seen, and the courage it takes to step into your voice and visibility after trauma. Brittany also offers a behind-the-scenes look at her new book, Body-First Healing: A Revolutionary Guide to Nervous System Recovery—a practical and compassionate guide to reclaiming safety, regulation, and vitality in your body and life.Whether you're in the early stages of your healing or years into the process, this episode offers deeply validating, body-centered wisdom to support you on the path of self-trust and recovery.In this episode, Brittany and Anna discuss:The origin of Body-First Healing and how it revolutionizes trauma recoveryHow Brittany rebuilt self-trust in her work, motherhood, and healingThe tools that helped her regulate her nervous system and reconnect to her voiceMoving through fear of visibility in writing, publishing, and public speakingHow to write and share your story from a trauma-informed lensWords of encouragement for those beginning the journey of healing and self-trustConnect with Brittany Piper:🌿 Instagram: @healwithbritt🌿 Website & Programs: www.bodyfirsthealing.com📘 Book: Body-First Healing: A Revolutionary Guide to Nervous System Recovery (available now!)Connect with Anna:🌿 Website: www.annaholtzman.com🌿 Instagram: @anna_holtzman📧 Email: anna@annaholtzman.com

Episode Description / Show Notes:I’ve been getting this question a lot lately: what’s the difference between coaching and traditional talk therapy? In this episode, I break it down using a client story (pseudonym: “Kathy”) that illustrates common patterns of hesitation, fear, and overthinking.You’ll hear how coaching is different: we don’t just talk—we take action. I share how taking the first step, even when you don’t feel ready, opens the door to real progress, how processing fear in real time supports sustainable growth, and why nervous-system-informed guidance is essential for stepping into visibility without burning out.What You’ll Learn in This Episode:The key difference between coaching and traditional therapyWhy taking action—even small steps—is central to transformationHow fear and resistance show up and why that’s a feature, not a bugThe importance of nervous-system support, co-regulation, and reflectionHow to sustain progress while showing up authentically for your workWho This Episode is For:Sensitive creatives, healers, entrepreneurs, and coaches who want to take aligned action, show up authentically, and move past patterns of freeze or hesitation.Resources & Links Mentioned in This Episode:Learn more about working with me: www.annaholtzman.comApply for private coaching if this episode resonatesFollow & Connect:Instagram: @anna_holtzman

In this powerful and heartfelt episode, Anna talks with Lauren Smallcomb—a certified mind-body practitioner, trauma-informed healer, and author of the forthcoming memoir Golden Child: My Descent to Scapegoat and Rise to Freedom (coming September 2025).Lauren shares her story of growing up as the golden child in a conservative Christian family system—and the painful unraveling that led her to reclaim her autonomy, identity, and voice. We talk about the hidden cost of perfectionism, the complexities of family estrangement, and the grief and liberation that come with choosing your own wholeness over external approval.If you’ve ever wrestled with the question, “How much of my story should I share?” or struggled to reconcile your need for connection with your need for authenticity—this episode will speak to your soul.We explore:​What it means to be cast as the golden child (and how that role can harm)​The double bind of family estrangement: “Do I stay and erase myself, or leave and be erased?”​Rebuilding self-trust after leaving a family system or belief structure​How to share personal stories without retraumatizing yourself​The healing power of grief, creativity, and telling the truth✨ Connect with Lauren:​Website: flourishtherapy.kartra.com/page/goldenchild​Instagram: @flourish_therapy​Substack: @laurensmallcomb​Book 📖 available now on Amazon: Golden Child: My Descent to Scapegoat and Rise to Freedom​Email: lauren@flourishtherapy.co​YouTube: @flourishtherapy🌀 Want support building self-trust in your own creative or entrepreneurial journey?Work with Anna 1:1, join a live workshop, or explore resources at annaholtzman.comFollow Anna on Instagram: @anna_holtzmanEmail: anna@annaholtzman.com