NotYourOrdinaryParts

Caitlan Siegenthaler is a licensed therapist, mentor, educator, and the creator of “Return”; a top 10% global podcast for big-hearted humans ready to unhook from hustle culture and finally come home to themselves. With a master’s in counseling psychology and over a decade of clinical experience, Caitlan is trained in trauma recovery, IFS, and Human Design, but what makes Caitlan's work so amazing isn’t just what she knows, it’s what she sees. Caitlan has an uncanny ability to name what’s hard to articulate: the invisible pressure to perform worthiness, the hidden ache inside high-functioning burnout, and the parts of us that look like confidence but are actually self-protection. Caitlan's work brings language to the internal systems that shape our lives and offers tools to rewire them with compassion, precision, and soul. Caitlan is so relatable because her journey began like so many others, with unraveling. A called-off engagement, deep personal burnout, and a season of identity loss forced her to stop performing and start listening, not to the world, but to herself; and that quiet reckoning became her life’s work. Because Caitlan knows what it means to build a beautiful life that doesn’t feel like home, she also knows the courage it takes to burn that life down and begin again. Through her mentorship containers, workshops, and podcast, Caitlan helps others return to the parts of themselves they had to abandon to survive. Her spaces are rooted in emotional safety, deep permission, and nervous-system-level relief. Caitlan doesn’t just guide people into healing, she helps them reclaim the right to feel, to rest, and to belong to themselves again. In a fast-paced world that often demands more, faster, and louder, Caitlan is a voice of return and she’s reminding us that healing isn’t something you hustle for, it’s something you remember, something you reclaim; and something you become, and with every session, every word, and every pause that lets someone finally exhale; Caitlan is redefining what it means to be whole. Connect with Caitlan:Instagram - @caitlansiegenthalerWebsite - www.caitlansiegenthaler.comSubstack - https://substack.com/inbox/post/173278470Is there a guest you’d love to see on @notyourordinaryparts? Follow @notyourordinaryparts on Instagram and tag them.If this episode resonated with you follow @notyourordinaryparts on Instagram and interact with the host, guests, and other listeners. Like, subscribe, follow, and share with anyone you think would find this helpful.Life can be hard at times and if you’re like me, you may tend to think that you can handle it all on your own. Maybe you’ve done such a good job of “managing for so long” having to do something different or talk to someone can feel uncomfortable. The idea of therapy, to me, felt like I had to admit that there was something wrong with me or that I’d be showing the world that I was broken or didn't have it all together… but when my health started to suffer, and I was anxious 24/7… I realized my body was trying to tell me something was wrong and I learned that there is no “good health” without mental health. Therapy was the answer for me, it helped me put down all of the heavy things that I was carrying that didn’t belong to me. While therapy can provide so much relief, finding a therapist can feel so daunting. BetterHelp, the sponsor of today’s video, has done so much to make finding a therapist and starting therapy so much easier! BetterHelp is the world's largest online therapy platform whose mission is making professional therapy accessible, affordable, and convenient — so anyone who struggles with life's challenges can get help. BetterHelp connects you with a licensed therapist who is trained to listen and give you helpful, unbiased advice. Over 4 million people have used BetterHelp to start living a healthier, happier life. If you’re struggling, please visit - https://betterhelp.com/notyourordinaryparts for 10% off your first month.

Dr. Alex Howard is a globally recognized author, speaker, and therapeutic coach whose groundbreaking work sits at the intersection of trauma healing, nervous system health, and human transformation. Dr. Howard is the founder of the Optimum Health Clinic, one of the world’s leading integrative medicine clinics specializing in fatigue and trauma-related conditions. With over two decades of clinical experience and a deeply personal journey of his own, Dr. Howard has helped thousands of people reclaim their lives by healing at the level of the nervous system and beyond. As a survivor of his own childhood trauma and chronic illness, Dr. Howard’s path was not one of textbook theories; it was one carved out of necessity. At 16, after years of pushing through emotional pain and disconnect, his body collapsed and that moment marked the beginning of a radical healing journey that would evolve into a body of work dedicated to helping others do the same. In his best-selling books, including “It’s Not Your Fault” and “Decode Your Fatigue,” he redefines healing, not as symptom management, but as a return to wholeness. Dr. Howard is also the creator of Therapeutic Coaching, an integrative methodology that bridges psychology, somatic therapy, and parts work to support people in healing deep-rooted trauma and reprogramming emotional patterns that no longer serve them. Through his podcast, live events, and online programs, he reaches millions around the world with tools that blend science with soul, and theory with lived truth. In a world that too often tells us to push through pain and override the body’s wisdom, Dr. Howard is a voice of grounded, compassionate authority, showing us, that recovery isn’t just possible; it’s our birthright.Connect with Dr. Howard:Instagram - @dralexhowardWebsite - www.alexhoward.comYouTube - @dralexhowardtherapyIs there a guest you’d love to see on @notyourordinaryparts? Follow @notyourordinaryparts on Instagram and tag them.If this episode resonated with you follow @notyourordinaryparts on Instagram and interact with the host, guests, and other listeners. Like, subscribe, follow, and share with anyone you think would find this helpful.Life can be hard at times and if you’re like me, you may tend to think that you can handle it all on your own. Maybe you’ve done such a good job of “managing for so long” having to do something different or talk to someone can feel uncomfortable. The idea of therapy, to me, felt like I had to admit that there was something wrong with me or that I’d be showing the world that I was broken or didn't have it all together… but when my health started to suffer, and I was anxious 24/7… I realized my body was trying to tell me something was wrong and I learned that there is no “good health” without mental health. Therapy was the answer for me, it helped me put down all of the heavy things that I was carrying that didn’t belong to me. While therapy can provide so much relief, finding a therapist can feel so daunting. BetterHelp, the sponsor of today’s video, has done so much to make finding a therapist and starting therapy so much easier! BetterHelp is the world's largest online therapy platform whose mission is making professional therapy accessible, affordable, and convenient — so anyone who struggles with life's challenges can get help. BetterHelp connects you with a licensed therapist who is trained to listen and give you helpful, unbiased advice. Over 4 million people have used BetterHelp to start living a healthier, happier life. If you’re struggling, please visit - https://betterhelp.com/notyourordinaryparts for 10% off your first month.

Dr. Thema Bryant is a licensed psychologist, ordained minister, sacred artist, professor, and one of the nation’s most influential voices at the intersection of mental health, spirituality, and social justice. Dr. Thema holds a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Duke University and completed her postdoctoral training at Harvard Medical Center’s Victims of Violence Program. Dr. Thema's career has bridged clinical science, sacred wisdom, cultural advocacy, and soul-level transformation. As a sought-after speaker and media contributor, Dr. Thema has been featured on Oprah’s Super Soul podcast, CNN, OWN, BET, The Mel Robbins Show, The New York Times, Psychology Today, and Essence. Her bestselling book, "Homecoming" has been translated into multiple languages and continues to resonate with readers around the world. Her latest book, “Matters of the Heart” offers practical guidance for cultivating emotional availability, healthier relationships, and deeper self-connection. Dr. Thema’s leadership and scholarship have earned her the Silverman Lifetime Achievement Award for Social Justice, the Distinguished Allyship Award from the Society of Indian Psychologists, and the International Psychology Award for Contributions to Global Psychology and Gender. In addition to her academic and clinical accomplishments, Dr. Thema is an ordained elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, where she leads the mental health ministry at First AME Church in South Los Angeles. Dr. Thema is also a sacred artist who integrates dance, poetry, and storytelling into her healing practice, offering people not only information, but transformation. Whether in classrooms, pulpits, therapy rooms, or on global stages, Dr. Thema’s work reminds us that healing is not a betrayal of our people, it is a return to our power; and with every word she speaks, every space she enters, and every person she holds - she helps us remember that we don’t have to earn our healing; we simply have to come home to it. Connect with Dr. Thema:Instagram - @dr.themaWebsite - https://drthema.comLinktree - https://linktr.ee/dr.themaIs there a guest you’d love to see on @notyourordinaryparts? Follow @notyourordinaryparts on Instagram and tag them.If this episode resonated with you follow @notyourordinaryparts on Instagram and interact with the host, guests, and other listeners. Like, subscribe, follow, and share with anyone you think would find this helpful.Life can be hard at times and if you’re like me, you may tend to think that you can handle it all on your own. Maybe you’ve done such a good job of “managing for so long” having to do something different or talk to someone can feel uncomfortable. The idea of therapy, to me, felt like I had to admit that there was something wrong with me or that I’d be showing the world that I was broken or didn't have it all together… but when my health started to suffer, and I was anxious 24/7… I realized my body was trying to tell me something was wrong and I learned that there is no “good health” without mental health. Therapy was the answer for me, it helped me put down all of the heavy things that I was carrying that didn’t belong to me. While therapy can provide so much relief, finding a therapist can feel so daunting. BetterHelp, the sponsor of today’s video, has done so much to make finding a therapist and starting therapy so much easier! BetterHelp is the world's largest online therapy platform whose mission is making professional therapy accessible, affordable, and convenient - so anyone who struggles with life's challenges can get help. BetterHelp connects you with a licensed therapist who is trained to listen and give you helpful, unbiased advice. Over 4 million people have used BetterHelp to start living a healthier, happier life. If you’re struggling, please visit - https://betterhelp.com/notyourordinaryparts for 10% off your first month.

Dr. Jennifer Freyd is a world-renowned psychologist, researcher, and author whose groundbreaking work has reshaped our understanding of trauma, memory, and betrayal. Dr. Freyd is Professor Emerit of Psychology at the University of Oregon, Affiliate Professor of Psychology and Affiliate Professor of Gender, Women & Sexuality Studies at the University of Washington, and Founder and President of the Center for Institutional Courage. Over the past four decades, Dr. Freyd has been at the forefront of studying how the people and institutions we trust the most can cause the deepest harm and, more importantly, how we can heal from it. As an internationally recognized expert on Betrayal Trauma Theory, Dr. Freyd has revealed how our minds adapt to survive when those closest to us - parents, partners, mentors, institutions, etc., betray our trust. Her research has revolutionized the way we understand trauma responses, showing that forgetting, denial, and even self-blame can be coping mechanisms rather than signs of weakness. Dr. Freyd as founder and president of the Center for Institutional Courage, has shed light on Institutional Betrayal; how organizations, workplaces, and systems protect abusers and silence survivors instead of standing for justice. Dr. Freyd's work provides not just a diagnosis of these failures, but a blueprint for courage, integrity, and real systemic change. Her book, Betrayal Trauma: delves into the complex and often hidden world of betrayal trauma, explaining why survivors so often struggle to name their experiences and why healing requires more than just remembering, it requires breaking through the silence and reclaiming self-trust. Through her work, Dr. Freyd has given language to pain that had none, validated the experiences of countless survivors, and proven that even in the face of betrayal, whether personal or institutional, healing is possible, justice is worth fighting for, and courage is contagious.Connect with Dr. Freyd:Website - www.jjfreyd.comDr. Freyd's Books - www.jjfreyd.com/booksResources for Changemakers: www.institutionalcourage.org/resources-for-changemakersIs there a guest you’d love to see on @notyourordinaryparts? Follow @notyourordinaryparts on Instagram and tag them.If this episode resonated with you follow @notyourordinaryparts on Instagram and interact with the host, guests, and other listeners. Like, subscribe, follow, and share with anyone you think would find this helpful.Life can be hard at times and if you’re like me, you may tend to think that you can handle it all on your own. Maybe you’ve done such a good job of “managing for so long” having to do something different or talk to someone can feel uncomfortable. The idea of therapy, to me, felt like I had to admit that there was something wrong with me or that I’d be showing the world that I was broken or didn't have it all together… but when my health started to suffer, and I was anxious 24/7… I realized my body was trying to tell me something was wrong and I learned that there is no “good health” without mental health. Therapy was the answer for me, it helped me put down all of the heavy things that I was carrying that didn’t belong to me. While therapy can provide so much relief, finding a therapist can feel so daunting. BetterHelp, the sponsor of today’s video, has done so much to make finding a therapist and starting therapy so much easier! BetterHelp is the world's largest online therapy platform whose mission is making professional therapy accessible, affordable, and convenient — so anyone who struggles with life's challenges can get help. BetterHelp connects you with a licensed therapist who is trained to listen and give you helpful, unbiased advice. Over 4 million people have used BetterHelp to start living a healthier, happier life. If you’re struggling, please visit - https://betterhelp.com/notyourordinaryparts for 10% off your first month.

Dr. Joanna Moncrieff is a psychiatrist, professor, author, and one of the most fearless and influential thinkers in modern mental health. For over thirty years, Dr. Moncrieff has stood at the center of psychiatry, not to defend it blindly, but to question its foundations, to hold it accountable, and to tell the truth; even when the truth was inconvenient. She is a Professor of Critical and Social Psychiatry at University College London, a consultant psychiatrist in the UK’s National Health Service, and the co-founder of the Critical Psychiatry Network - a global collective of psychiatrists challenging the chemical narratives that have shaped and distorted our understanding of mental illness for decades. For years, we’ve been told that depression is caused by a “chemical imbalance,” that our despair is a disorder, and that our suffering is a malfunction; but Dr. Moncrieff has spent her life asking the question most were too afraid to ask: “What if we got this wrong?” In 2022, she co-authored one of the most important studies in psychiatric history, a landmark meta-analysis that dismantled the serotonin theory of depression, revealing that the scientific basis for one of the most widely accepted explanations for mental illness simply doesn’t exist. Her latest book, Chemically Imbalanced, goes further; it doesn’t just challenge the pharmaceutical narrative; it exposes the social, political, and economic systems that have medicalized emotion and pathologized pain; and it is a call to reclaim our right to feel, to grieve, to question, and to be human without shame or sedation. Beyond the research and the resistance, Dr. Moncrieff is much more: She’s a doctor who has sat across from real people in real pain and never stopped asking what was missing from the way we care and a woman who has walked through the noise of a multi-billion-dollar industry and emerged with her conscience and her courage intact with no intent to burn it down; but to build something better.Connect with Dr. Moncrieff:Website - https://joannamoncrieff.comIs there a guest you’d love to see on @notyourordinaryparts? Follow @notyourordinaryparts on Instagram and tag them.If this episode resonated with you follow @notyourordinaryparts on Instagram and interact with the host, guests, and other listeners. Like, subscribe, follow, and share with anyone you think would find this helpful.Life can be hard at times and if you’re like me, you may tend to think that you can handle it all on your own. Maybe you’ve done such a good job of “managing for so long” having to do something different or talk to someone can feel uncomfortable. The idea of therapy, to me, felt like I had to admit that there was something wrong with me or that I’d be showing the world that I was broken or didn't have it all together… but when my health started to suffer, and I was anxious 24/7… I realized my body was trying to tell me something was wrong and I learned that there is no “good health” without mental health. Therapy was the answer for me, it helped me put down all of the heavy things that I was carrying that didn’t belong to me. While therapy can provide so much relief, finding a therapist can feel so daunting. BetterHelp, the sponsor of today’s video, has done so much to make finding a therapist and starting therapy so much easier! BetterHelp is the world's largest online therapy platform whose mission is making professional therapy accessible, affordable, and convenient — so anyone who struggles with life's challenges can get help. BetterHelp connects you with a licensed therapist who is trained to listen and give you helpful, unbiased advice. Over 4 million people have used BetterHelp to start living a healthier, happier life. If you’re struggling, please visit - https://betterhelp.com/notyourordinaryparts for 10% off your first month.

Jenna Riemersma is a licensed therapist, speaker, and a certified Level 3 Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapist whose work has transformed the way we understand trauma, addiction, and emotional pain. She is also the bestselling author of “Altogether You,” a book that has changed countless lives by showing people that every part of them, even the ones they struggle with, deserves love and compassion. With a master’s degree in public policy from Harvard University and a master’s degree in professional counseling, Jenna brings a unique blend of scientific, therapeutic, and spiritual wisdom to the conversation about healing. Her work has touched thousands, not just through her clinical practice, but through her profound insights into trauma, betrayal, self-compassion, and breaking free from toxic cycles. Jenna believes that healing isn’t about eliminating our pain, it’s about embracing every part of ourselves with love; even the ones we’ve been taught to reject. Through her work, Jenna has shown that true transformation happens not by silencing our struggles, but by turning toward them with curiosity, compassion, and self-acceptance and she’s determined to show as many as possible that they can find healing by turning inward and learning to love yourself fully and completely.Connect with Jenna: Instagram - @movetowardwithjennaWebsite - https://jennariemersma.comIs there a guest you’d love to see on @notyourordinaryparts? Follow @notyourordinaryparts on Instagram and tag them. If this episode resonated with you follow @notyourordinaryparts on Instagram and interact with the host, guests, and other listeners. Like, subscribe, follow, and share with anyone you think would find this helpful. Life can be hard at times and if you’re like me, you may tend to think that you can handle it all on your own. Maybe you’ve done such a good job of “managing for so long” having to do something different or talk to someone can feel uncomfortable. The idea of therapy, to me, felt like I had to admit that there was something wrong with me or that I’d be showing the world that I was broken or didn't have it all together… but when my health started to suffer, and I was anxious 24/7… I realized my body was trying to tell me something was wrong and I learned that there is no “good health” without mental health. Therapy was the answer for me, it helped me put down all of the heavy things that I was carrying that didn’t belong to me. While therapy can provide so much relief, finding a therapist can feel so daunting. BetterHelp, the sponsor of today’s video, has done so much to make finding a therapist and starting therapy so much easier! BetterHelp is the world's largest online therapy platform whose mission is making professional therapy accessible, affordable, and convenient — so anyone who struggles with life's challenges can get help. BetterHelp connects you with a licensed therapist who is trained to listen and give you helpful, unbiased advice. Over 4 million people have used BetterHelp to start living a healthier, happier life. If you’re struggling, please visit - https://betterhelp.com/notyourordinaryparts for 10% off your first month.

Dr. Scott Lyons is a licensed clinical psychologist, osteopath, and visionary in the field of mind-body medicine who has dedicated his life to helping people find safety in their bodies, clarity in their emotions, and peace in their nervous systems. Dr. Lyons is the author of Addicted to Drama, a deeply transformative book that explores how unresolved trauma can masquerade as intensity, performance, and chaos; and what it takes to truly come home to yourself. Dr. Lyon’s work is where science meets soul and what distinguishes him is his ability to show up fully human and create spaces where complexity is welcomed, vulnerability is honored, and truth has room to breathe. Through decades of clinical practice, teaching, and deep personal inquiry, he’s illuminated how the body remembers what the mind forgets and how healing happens when we stop performing and start listening to the parts of us that were never meant to carry so much. Dr. Lyons is the founder of The Embody Lab, the world’s leading platform for embodied education, and host of The Gently Used Human podcast, where he invites some of the most respected voices in the world of healing to explore the messy, beautiful truth; of being alive. Dr. Lyons’ accolades and credentials aren’t what make him a leader, it’s how he shows up: fully human, fiercely compassionate, and endlessly curious. In a culture quick to pathologize pain or glorify dysfunction, Dr. Lyons reminds us drama isn’t identity, chaos isn’t character, and regulation is a right; not a reward… His work is an invitation to feel, to soften, and to remember that peace isn’t the absence of problems - it’s the presence of you.Connect with Dr. Lyons:Instagram - @drscottlyonsWebsite - www.drscottlyons.comYouTube - @drscottlyonsThe Embody Lab - www.theembodylab.comIs there a guest you’d love to see on @notyourordinaryparts? Follow @notyourordinaryparts on Instagram and tag them.If this episode resonated with you follow @notyourordinaryparts on Instagram and interact with the host, guests, and other listeners. Like, subscribe, follow, and share with anyone you think would find this helpful.Life can be hard at times and if you’re like me, you may tend to think that you can handle it all on your own. Maybe you’ve done such a good job of “managing for so long” having to do something different or talk to someone can feel uncomfortable. The idea of therapy, to me, felt like I had to admit that there was something wrong with me or that I’d be showing the world that I was broken or didn't have it all together… but when my health started to suffer, and I was anxious 24/7… I realized my body was trying to tell me something was wrong and I learned that there is no “good health” without mental health. Therapy was the answer for me, it helped me put down all of the heavy things that I was carrying that didn’t belong to me. While therapy can provide so much relief, finding a therapist can feel so daunting. BetterHelp, the sponsor of today’s video, has done so much to make finding a therapist and starting therapy so much easier! BetterHelp is the world's largest online therapy platform whose mission is making professional therapy accessible, affordable, and convenient — so anyone who struggles with life's challenges can get help. BetterHelp connects you with a licensed therapist who is trained to listen and give you helpful, unbiased advice. Over 4 million people have used BetterHelp to start living a healthier, happier life. If you’re struggling, please visit - https://betterhelp.com/notyourordinaryparts for 10% off your first month.

Katie Gray is a writer, singer, counselor, and elder caregiver whose work is devoted to helping people who are hurting. After a 17-year journey through bulimia, food addiction, and a full self-led recovery; Katie created The Empowered Heart, a trauma-informed methodology that guides others toward profound emotional and spiritual healing. Katie is the author of Journey of the Empowered Heart and The Empowered Heart Guidebook, and she hosts The Empowered Heart podcast, where she holds space for raw, honest, and deeply compassionate conversations about pain, truth, and transformation. Katie’s work is a sanctuary for the tender, the searching, and the silently suffering; an invitation to come home to yourself; not through performance or perfection; but through presence, self-inquiry, and grace.Connect with Katie:Instagram - theempoweredheartWebsite - http://www.theempoweredheart.loveYouTube - @theempoweredheartloveThe Empowered Heart Foundation - www.theempoweredheartfoundation.orgIs there a guest you’d love to see on @notyourordinaryparts? Follow @notyourordinaryparts on Instagram and tag them.If this episode resonated with you follow @notyourordinaryparts on Instagram and interact with the host, guests, and other listeners. Like, subscribe, follow, and share with anyone you think would find this helpful.Life can be hard at times and if you’re like me, you may tend to think that you can handle it all on your own. Maybe you’ve done such a good job of “managing for so long” having to do something different or talk to someone can feel uncomfortable. The idea of therapy, to me, felt like I had to admit that there was something wrong with me or that I’d be showing the world that I was broken or didn't have it all together… but when my health started to suffer, and I was anxious 24/7… I realized my body was trying to tell me something was wrong and I learned that there is no “good health” without mental health. Therapy was the answer for me, it helped me put down all of the heavy things that I was carrying that didn’t belong to me. While therapy can provide so much relief, finding a therapist can feel so daunting. BetterHelp, the sponsor of today’s video, has done so much to make finding a therapist and starting therapy so much easier! BetterHelp is the world's largest online therapy platform whose mission is making professional therapy accessible, affordable, and convenient — so anyone who struggles with life's challenges can get help. BetterHelp connects you with a licensed therapist who is trained to listen and give you helpful, unbiased advice. Over 4 million people have used BetterHelp to start living a healthier, happier life. If you’re struggling, please visit - https://betterhelp.com/notyourordinaryparts for 10% off your first month.

Michelle Glass is an educator, author, Certified Level 3 Internal Family Systems Practitioner, a licensed Oregon Psilocybin Facilitator, and her work is deeply respected by leaders of all disciplines and modalities, including her friend and colleague, Dr. Gabor Maté. Having completed almost 400 hours of direct training with Dr. Richard Schwartz, the IFS model’s founder, Michelle is widely regarded as a trusted voice in the IFS community. The heart of Michelle’s work is profoundly personal and her career spans decades, as a writer, editor, facilitator, mentor, and teacher. She is a survivor of complex trauma, and the practices she teaches today weren’t born from theory, they were born from necessity, from lived experience, and from her own long journey back to Self. Out of that journey, she created the Daily Parts Meditation Practice®, a method now used by therapists, clients, coaches, and spiritual seekers around the world. The Daily Parts Meditation Practice® gives structure to healing, language to the unspeakable, and dignity to the parts of us we were taught to hide. Michelle’s work reminds us that healing isn’t a single event, it’s a daily practice of attention, compassion, and relationship carried out with presence, and with love - all the while remembering that each of us are the medicine needed to return home to ourselves.Connect with Michelle:Instagram - @dpmpmichelleglassifsWebsite - https://thelistenerllc.comFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/michelle.glass.71694Facebook DPMP® - https://www.facebook.com/groups/670447663138656LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-glass-98068110aTruffle Retreat through Souliology - https://www.souliology.com/stepping-into-the-experienceListeners can get 25% discount off the Meditations for Psychedelic Preparation and Integration Utilizing IFS using code: NYOPIs there a guest you’d love to see on @notyourordinaryparts? Follow @notyourordinaryparts on Instagram and tag them.If this episode resonated with you follow @notyourordinaryparts on Instagram and interact with the host, guests, and other listeners. Like, subscribe, follow, and share with anyone you think would find this helpful. Life can be hard at times and if you’re like me, you may tend to think that you can handle it all on your own. Maybe you’ve done such a good job of “managing for so long” having to do something different or talk to someone can feel uncomfortable. The idea of therapy, to me, felt like I had to admit that there was something wrong with me or that I’d be showing the world that I was broken or didn't have it all together… but when my health started to suffer, and I was anxious 24/7… I realized my body was trying to tell me something was wrong and I learned that there is no “good health” without mental health. Therapy was the answer for me, it helped me put down all of the heavy things that I was carrying that didn’t belong to me. While therapy can provide so much relief, finding a therapist can feel so daunting. BetterHelp, the sponsor of today’s video, has done so much to make finding a therapist and starting therapy so much easier! BetterHelp is the world's largest online therapy platform whose mission is making professional therapy accessible, affordable, and convenient — so anyone who struggles with life's challenges can get help. BetterHelp connects you with a licensed therapist who is trained to listen and give you helpful, unbiased advice. Over 4 million people have used BetterHelp to start living a healthier, happier life. If you’re struggling, please visit - https://betterhelp.com/notyourordinaryparts for 10% off your first month.

Dr. Ellen Langer is a groundbreaking social psychologist, best-selling author, and the first woman to be tenured in psychology at Harvard University. Often referred to as “the mother of mindfulness,” her pioneering research has redefined what we know about health, aging, the mind-body connection, and the role of perception in shaping reality. For over four decades, Dr. Langer has challenged the boundaries of conventional science, showing through meticulous experimentation that what we believe and perceive can profoundly influence our biology. Her iconic “counterclockwise study” demonstrated that shifting mindset alone could reverse markers of aging and her work invites us to question deeply held assumptions and embrace the healing, transformative power of awareness, attention, and possibility. Dr. Langer is the author of numerous influential books including Mindfulness, Counterclockwise, On Becoming an Artist, and The Mindful Body, her research has appeared in academic journals and media outlets worldwide, and her work continues to revolutionize our understanding of human potential. In a world often driven by certainty and autopilot, Dr. Langer offers something radically different: a call to wake up, pay attention, and realize that almost everything we believe to be fixed is, in fact, up for change.Connect with Dr. Langer: Instagram - @ellenjlangerWebsite - https://www.ellenlanger.meIs there a guest you’d love to see on @notyourordinaryparts? Follow @notyourordinaryparts on Instagram and tag them. If this episode resonated with you follow @notyourordinaryparts on Instagram and interact with the host, guests, and other listeners. Like, subscribe, follow, and share with anyone you think would find this helpful. Life can be hard at times and if you’re like me, you may tend to think that you can handle it all on your own. Maybe you’ve done such a good job of “managing for so long” having to do something different or talk to someone can feel uncomfortable. The idea of therapy, to me, felt like I had to admit that there was something wrong with me or that I’d be showing the world that I was broken or didn't have it all together… but when my health started to suffer, and I was anxious 24/7… I realized my body was trying to tell me something was wrong and I learned that there is no “good health” without mental health. Therapy was the answer for me, it helped me put down all of the heavy things that I was carrying that didn’t belong to me. While therapy can provide so much relief, finding a therapist can feel so daunting. BetterHelp, the sponsor of today’s video, has done so much to make finding a therapist and starting therapy so much easier! BetterHelp is the world's largest online therapy platform whose mission is making professional therapy accessible, affordable, and convenient — so anyone who struggles with life's challenges can get help. BetterHelp connects you with a licensed therapist who is trained to listen and give you helpful, unbiased advice. Over 4 million people have used BetterHelp to start living a healthier, happier life. If you’re struggling, please visit - https://betterhelp.com/notyourordinaryparts for 10% off your first month.

Dr. Anita Nowak is an award-winning educator, author, speaker, and one of the world’s leading voices on empathy and social change. She holds a doctorate in education from McGill University, where she has spent over a decade teaching courses on happiness, leadership, ethics, and social innovation. Her work has helped shape a global understanding of empathy as not just a feeling, but a powerful, teachable force for personal and collective transformation. Dr. Nowak is the author of Purposeful Empathy, a book that makes the case that empathy is not a trait we either have or don’t, but that it’s a skill; one we can learn, practice, and choose with intention. Across her three TEDx talks, Dr. Nowak shares a clear and urgent message: empathy is not passive, it’s a purposeful practice, a way of being, and a form of everyday activism that holds the power to reshape our relationships, our systems, and our world. Dr. Nowak works at the intersection of emotional intelligence, systems change, and human connection, coaching changemakers, advising organizations, and reminding us that compassion, when practiced with courage, has the power to create real and lasting impact. Beyond the research, the teaching, and the accolades, Dr. Nowak is a translator of the soul’s language, and she’s devoted her life to helping others remember what we were born knowing but taught to forget: that connection is sacred, and that love, when lived out loud, is the most radical force on earth. Her work invites us to lead with presence, to meet one another with care, and to remember that empathy is not a weakness; but that it’s wisdom in motion and when we choose to lead with our hearts, we’re not stepping away from the world; we’re stepping more fully into it.Connect with Dr. Nowak:Instagram - @anitanowak21Website - https://anitanowak.caLinktree - https://linktr.ee/anitanowakIs there a guest you’d love to see on @notyourordinaryparts? Follow @notyourordinaryparts on Instagram and tag them.If this episode resonated with you follow @notyourordinaryparts on Instagram and interact with the host, guests, and other listeners. Like, subscribe, follow, and share with anyone you think would find this helpful.Life can be hard at times and if you’re like me, you may tend to think that you can handle it all on your own. Maybe you’ve done such a good job of “managing for so long” having to do something different or talk to someone can feel uncomfortable. The idea of therapy, to me, felt like I had to admit that there was something wrong with me or that I’d be showing the world that I was broken or didn't have it all together… but when my health started to suffer, and I was anxious 24/7… I realized my body was trying to tell me something was wrong and I learned that there is no “good health” without mental health. Therapy was the answer for me, it helped me put down all of the heavy things that I was carrying that didn’t belong to me. While therapy can provide so much relief, finding a therapist can feel so daunting. BetterHelp, the sponsor of today’s video, has done so much to make finding a therapist and starting therapy so much easier! BetterHelp is the world's largest online therapy platform whose mission is making professional therapy accessible, affordable, and convenient — so anyone who struggles with life's challenges can get help. BetterHelp connects you with a licensed therapist who is trained to listen and give you helpful, unbiased advice. Over 4 million people have used BetterHelp to start living a healthier, happier life.If you’re struggling, please visit - https://betterhelp.com/notyourordinaryparts for 10% off your first month.

Alana Carvalho is a licensed mental health counselor, author, speaker, and podcast host who has dedicated her career to helping individuals, couples, and families heal the unconscious patterns that keep them stuck in codependency, perfectionism, people pleasing, and self-abandonment. Her clinical work is rooted in the belief that the way we show up in relationships is deeply connected to the way we were taught to see ourselves and her mission is to help people unlearn the roles they were handed and reclaim who they really are. Alana is the author of the book Raising Empowered Children and the host of the podcast The CodependentPerfectionist, where she explores the emotional patterns behind people-pleasing, self-sacrifice, and unmet childhood needs. She holds degrees from both The George Washington University and Columbia University and Alana’s work is especially known for its clarity and compassion and her way of making complex emotional dynamics feel human and accessible. Whether she’s speaking to a mother trying to break generational cycles, a partner who constantly puts themselves last, or an adult still carrying wounds from childhood, Alana’s message is clear: healing doesn’t require perfection. It requires presence, boundaries, and the willingness to choose yourself, again and again.Connect with Alana:Instagram - @thecodependentperfectionistWebsite - www.alanacarvalho.comPodcast - www.alanacarvalho.com/podcastIs there a guest you’d love to see on @notyourordinaryparts? Follow @notyourordinaryparts on Instagram and tag them.If this episode resonated with you follow @notyourordinaryparts on Instagram and interact with the host, guests, and other listeners. Like, subscribe, follow, and share with anyone you think would find this helpful.Life can be hard at times and if you’re like me, you may tend to think that you can handle it all on your own. Maybe you’ve done such a good job of “managing for so long” having to do something different or talk to someone can feel uncomfortable. The idea of therapy, to me, felt like I had to admit that there was something wrong with me or that I’d be showing the world that I was broken or didn't have it all together… but when my health started to suffer, and I was anxious 24/7… I realized my body was trying to tell me something was wrong and I learned that there is no “good health” without mental health. Therapy was the answer for me, it helped me put down all of the heavy things that I was carrying that didn’t belong to me. While therapy can provide so much relief, finding a therapist can feel so daunting. BetterHelp, the sponsor of today’s video, has done so much to make finding a therapist and starting therapy so much easier! BetterHelp is the world's largest online therapy platform whose mission is making professional therapy accessible, affordable, and convenient — so anyone who struggles with life's challenges can get help. BetterHelp connects you with a licensed therapist who is trained to listen and give you helpful, unbiased advice. Over 4 million people have used BetterHelp to start living a healthier, happier life.If you’re struggling, please visit - https://betterhelp.com/notyourordinaryparts for 10% off your first month.

Nicole Arzt is a licensed marriage and family therapist, writer, and creator of the wildly popular Psychotherapy Memes platform; a space that blends sharp insight with raw, unfiltered honesty about the realities of being a therapist in the modern world. She’s also the author of Sometimes Therapy Is Awkward, a book that has resonated deeply with clinicians and clients alike, not because it promises perfection, but because it makes space for the mess, the doubt, and the deeply human experience of showing up for others while trying to make sense of yourself. Nicole’s work does more than just pull back the curtain on therapy, it rips the curtain down and invites us to look at what happens when the people doing the healing are still healing themselves. Nicole’s voice is one of radical transparency, compassion, and humor, reminding us that therapists aren’t gurus or flawless fixers, they’re people navigating their own fears, insecurities, and growth, and often in real time. Through her writing, memes, and advocacy, Nicole challenges the idea that therapists have to be blank slates or emotional superheroes, and she redefines what it means to be “professional” by honoring what’s real (the burnout, the awkwardness, the fear of not being enough) and by doing so, she gives permission to everyone in the mental health space to be whole, not perfect.Connect with Nicole: Instagram - @psychotherapymemesWebsite - http://www.nicolearzt.comIs there a guest you’d love to see on @notyourordinaryparts? Follow @notyourordinaryparts on Instagram and tag them. If this episode resonated with you follow @notyourordinaryparts on Instagram and interact with the host, guests, and other listeners. Like, subscribe, follow, and share with anyone you think would find this helpful. Life can be hard at times and if you’re like me, you may tend to think that you can handle it all on your own. Maybe you’ve done such a good job of “managing for so long” having to do something different or talk to someone can feel uncomfortable. The idea of therapy, to me, felt like I had to admit that there was something wrong with me or that I’d be showing the world that I was broken or didn't have it all together… but when my health started to suffer, and I was anxious 24/7… I realized my body was trying to tell me something was wrong and I learned that there is no “good health” without mental health. Therapy was the answer for me, it helped me put down all of the heavy things that I was carrying that didn’t belong to me. While therapy can provide so much relief, finding a therapist can feel so daunting. BetterHelp, the sponsor of today’s video, has done so much to make finding a therapist and starting therapy so much easier! BetterHelp is the world's largest online therapy platform whose mission is making professional therapy accessible, affordable, and convenient — so anyone who struggles with life's challenges can get help. BetterHelp connects you with a licensed therapist who is trained to listen and give you helpful, unbiased advice. Over 4 million people have used BetterHelp to start living a healthier, happier life.If you’re struggling, please visit - https://betterhelp.com/notyourordinaryparts for 10% off your first month.

Karla McLaren is an award-winning author, researcher, educator, and someone who has learned and translated one of the most sacred and important languages known to mankind. Her groundbreaking book “The Language of Emotions” has transformed the way we understand feelings like anger, fear, grief, and shame not as problems to fix, but as messengers to honor; and Karla has spent her life decoding this inner language and teaching others to interpret what their feelings are trying to say. She is the founder of both Dynamic Emotional Integration (DEI), a comprehensive approach to understanding and working with emotions and empathy and the Empathy Academy, an online learning community devoted to clear, practical education about emotion, communication, and connection. With degrees in both sociology and psychology, and decades of lived experience navigating complex emotional terrain, Karla’s work bridges the gap between science and soul offering a new paradigm for emotional intelligence rooted in curiosity, compassion, and deep listening. In a world that teaches us to numb, override, or dismiss what we feel, Karla’s work is a compassionate invitation to listen, to get curious, and to become fluent in the one language we were born speaking: emotion and in doing so, to return to ourselves with more clarity, empathy, and wholeness than we ever thought possible.Connect with Karla:Instagram - @karlamclaren.m.edWebsite - https://karlamclaren.comFree Emotional Vocabulary List - https://karlamclaren.com/emotional-vocabulary-pageIs there a guest you’d love to see on @notyourordinaryparts? Follow @notyourordinaryparts on Instagram and tag them.If this episode resonated with you follow @notyourordinaryparts on Instagram and interact with the host, guests, and other listeners. Like, subscribe, follow, and share with anyone you think would find this helpful.Life can be hard at times and if you’re like me, you may tend to think that you can handle it all on your own. Maybe you’ve done such a good job of “managing for so long” having to do something different or talk to someone can feel uncomfortable. The idea of therapy, to me, felt like I had to admit that there was something wrong with me or that I’d be showing the world that I was broken or didn't have it all together… but when my health started to suffer, and I was anxious 24/7… I realized my body was trying to tell me something was wrong and I learned that there is no “good health” without mental health. Therapy was the answer for me, it helped me put down all of the heavy things that I was carrying that didn’t belong to me. While therapy can provide so much relief, finding a therapist can feel so daunting. BetterHelp, the sponsor of today’s video, has done so much to make finding a therapist and starting therapy so much easier! BetterHelp is the world's largest online therapy platform whose mission is making professional therapy accessible, affordable, and convenient — so anyone who struggles with life's challenges can get help. BetterHelp connects you with a licensed therapist who is trained to listen and give you helpful, unbiased advice. Over 4 million people have used BetterHelp to start living a healthier, happier life.If you’re struggling, please visit - https://betterhelp.com/notyourordinaryparts for 10% off your first month.

Dr. Peter Levine is a pioneer in the fields of trauma healing, somatic therapy, and body-centered psychology. He is the developer of Somatic Experiencing, a groundbreaking method for resolving trauma at the level where it lives in the body, not just the mind. Over the past five decades, Dr. Levine's work has fundamentally changed how the world understands trauma, survival, and healing. He holds doctorates in both medical biophysics and psychology, has taught at universities and trauma centers across the globe, and has authored several bestselling books including Waking the Tiger, In an Unspoken Voice, and An Autobiography of Trauma. Beyond his extraordinary professional contributions, Dr. Levine's work is deeply personal, and it springs not just from scientific inquiry, but from lived experience; from his own early encounters with terror, and his lifelong quest to understand how humans can heal what once felt unhealable. Through his research, his practice, and his presence, Dr. Levine reminds us that trauma is not what happens to us, it's what happens inside us when we're overwhelmed and alone. Dr. Levine is a living example that healing is possible when we can return to our bodies, reweave safety, and reclaim the parts of ourselves that fear tried to steal and today, his teachings are a lifeline to millions of people around the world and a blueprint for coming home to ourselves after the rupture of trauma.Connect with Dr. Levine:Instagram - @drpeteralevineWebsite - www.somaticexperiencing.comRay's Story - https://youtu.be/bjeJC86RBgE?si=52Z7ffw0ivvxfM_dIs there a guest you’d love to see on @notyourordinaryparts? Follow @notyourordinaryparts on Instagram and tag them.If this episode resonated with you follow @notyourordinaryparts on Instagram and interact with the host, guests, and other listeners. Like, subscribe, follow, and share with anyone you think would find this helpful.Life can be hard at times and if you’re like me, you may tend to think that you can handle it all on your own. Maybe you’ve done such a good job of “managing for so long” having to do something different or talk to someone can feel uncomfortable. The idea of therapy, to me, felt like I had to admit that there was something wrong with me or that I’d be showing the world that I was broken or didn't have it all together… but when my health started to suffer, and I was anxious 24/7… I realized my body was trying to tell me something was wrong and I learned that there is no “good health” without mental health. Therapy was the answer for me, it helped me put down all of the heavy things that I was carrying that didn’t belong to me. While therapy can provide so much relief, finding a therapist can feel so daunting. BetterHelp, the sponsor of today’s video, has done so much to make finding a therapist and starting therapy so much easier! BetterHelp is the world's largest online therapy platform whose mission is making professional therapy accessible, affordable, and convenient — so anyone who struggles with life's challenges can get help. BetterHelp connects you with a licensed therapist who is trained to listen and give you helpful, unbiased advice. Over 4 million people have used BetterHelp to start living a healthier, happier life.If you’re struggling, please visit - https://betterhelp.com/notyourordinaryparts for 10% off your first month.

Dr. Judith Herman is a pioneering psychiatrist and one of the most influential voices in the field of trauma studies. As the author of the groundbreaking book Trauma and Recovery: The Aftermath of Violence - from Domestic Abuse to Political Terror, Dr. Herman has reshaped our understanding of trauma’s impact on individuals and society, breaking silences that had persisted for decades. Her research introduced the concept of Complex PTSD, expanding the framework for long-term trauma and offering new pathways for healing. Born at a time when psychiatry was a male-dominated field, Dr. Herman’s career is a testament to resilience, intellect, and fierce dedication to justice. Inspired by her involvement in the feminist movement of the 1970s, she has been a tireless advocate for survivors of sexual violence and a voice for those often marginalized by medical and societal systems. Her work bridges the personal and the political, recognizing trauma as not only an individual experience but a public health and human rights issue. As a Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and the Director of Training at the Victims of Violence Program in Cambridge, Dr. Herman has mentored generations of trauma-focused clinicians and researchers. Her ability to blend rigorous scientific inquiry with deep empathy and compassion has earned her widespread acclaim, including the Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies. Beyond her academic and clinical contributions, Dr. Herman is celebrated for her humility, courage, and unwavering commitment to truth. Her legacy continues to inspire mental health professionals, activists, and trauma survivors worldwide, offering not just understanding, but hope for recovery and transformation. Whether she is speaking to a room of scholars, guiding a patient through their healing journey, or pushing for systemic change, Dr. Herman remains a beacon of insight and compassion, a trailblazer who didn’t just study trauma, but gave it language, visibility, and humanity.Is there a guest you’d love to see on @notyourordinaryparts? Follow @notyourordinaryparts on Instagram and tag them.If this episode resonated with you follow @notyourordinaryparts on Instagram and interact with the host, guests, and other listeners. Like, subscribe, follow, and share with anyone you think would find this helpful.Life can be hard at times and if you’re like me, you may tend to think that you can handle it all on your own. Maybe you’ve done such a good job of “managing for so long” having to do something different or talk to someone can feel uncomfortable. The idea of therapy, to me, felt like I had to admit that there was something wrong with me or that I’d be showing the world that I was broken or didn't have it all together… but when my health started to suffer, and I was anxious 24/7… I realized my body was trying to tell me something was wrong and I learned that there is no “good health” without mental health. Therapy was the answer for me, it helped me put down all of the heavy things that I was carrying that didn’t belong to me. While therapy can provide so much relief, finding a therapist can feel so daunting. BetterHelp, the sponsor of today’s video, has done so much to make finding a therapist and starting therapy so much easier! BetterHelp is the world's largest online therapy platform whose mission is making professional therapy accessible, affordable, and convenient — so anyone who struggles with life's challenges can get help. BetterHelp connects you with a licensed therapist who is trained to listen and give you helpful, unbiased advice. Over 4 million people have used BetterHelp to start living a healthier, happier life.If you’re struggling, please visit - https://betterhelp.com/notyourordinaryparts for 10% off your first month.

Mary Toolan is the CEO of Scapegoat Child Recovery Ltd., and a globally recognized expert in helping others heal from family scapegoating, parental bullying, and family mobbing. She has dedicated her life to guiding survivors of this deeply painful and often invisible form of abuse toward full recovery, helping them break free from the psychological chains of their past. Her expertise comes not only from decades of research, training, and hands-on experience but also from her own lived experience as the family scapegoat. Mary understands this wound from the inside out, and she has spent years developing a groundbreaking approach to healing that has transformed lives. Through her programs, survivors have described their progress as life-changing and their growth as happening at warp speed. She is a sought-after speaker, regularly featured on podcasts and global healing summits, and in 2023, she launched a transformational online retreat that brought together over 1,700 participants from across the world for a week of deep healing, community, and breakthroughs. Mary is on a mission to expose the truth about scapegoating, the devastating impact it has and the fact that it is possible to heal. Mary is living proof that being cast as the family scapegoat does not define your worth or your future, and by means of her journey, training, and deep personal work, she’s built a bridge and is helping as many as possible get to a place of healing and true freedom.Connect with Mary:Instagram - @scapegoatchildrecoveryWebsite - www.marytoolan.comYouTube - @scapegoatchildrecoveryMary's journey of going No Contact - https://youtu.be/d18o5AIp0Dw?si=wr4oRUyWuKid6rLaIs there a guest you’d love to see on @notyourordinaryparts? Follow @notyourordinaryparts on Instagram and tag them.If this episode resonated with you follow @notyourordinaryparts on Instagram and interact with the host, guests, and other listeners. Like, subscribe, follow, and share with anyone you think would find this helpful.Life can be hard at times and if you’re like me, you may tend to think that you can handle it all on your own. Maybe you’ve done such a good job of “managing for so long” having to do something different or talk to someone can feel uncomfortable. The idea of therapy, to me, felt like I had to admit that there was something wrong with me or that I’d be showing the world that I was broken or didn't have it all together… but when my health started to suffer, and I was anxious 24/7… I realized my body was trying to tell me something was wrong and I learned that there is no “good health” without mental health. Therapy was the answer for me, it helped me put down all of the heavy things that I was carrying that didn’t belong to me. While therapy can provide so much relief, finding a therapist can feel so daunting. BetterHelp, the sponsor of today’s video, has done so much to make finding a therapist and starting therapy so much easier! BetterHelp is the world's largest online therapy platform whose mission is making professional therapy accessible, affordable, and convenient — so anyone who struggles with life's challenges can get help. BetterHelp connects you with a licensed therapist who is trained to listen and give you helpful, unbiased advice. Over 4 million people have used BetterHelp to start living a healthier, happier life.If you’re struggling, please visit - https://betterhelp.com/notyourordinaryparts for 10% off your first month.

Sacha Mardou is a graphic novelist, artist, author, and storyteller whose work explores mental health, memory, personal transformation, and the power of visual storytelling. Sacha’s latest book, Past Tense, isn’t just a memoir, it’s an unflinching and deeply personal journey through therapy, trauma, and healing. With raw honesty and stunning visual art, Sacha guides readers through the experience of confronting the past, breaking cycles, and learning to rewrite the story we tell ourselves about who we are. For Sacha, art and therapy aren’t separate, they’re two sides of the same process and her artwork has become a medium for exploration, emotional truth, and transformation. Through her story, she creates space for connection and self-reflection, not just for herself, but for anyone who’s ever struggled with their inner world. Sacha’s work invites us to see creativity not just as expression, but as a tool for healing, for making sense of the past, finding meaning in the present, and moving forward with more clarity and self-compassion.Connect with Sacha:Instagram - @mardou_drawsWebsite - https://ifscomics.comIs there a guest you’d love to see on @notyourordinaryparts? Follow @notyourordinaryparts on Instagram and tag them.If this episode resonated with you follow @notyourordinaryparts on Instagram and interact with the host, guests, and other listeners. Like, subscribe, follow, and share with anyone you think would find this helpful.Life can be hard at times and if you’re like me, you may tend to think that you can handle it all on your own. Maybe you’ve done such a good job of “managing for so long” having to do something different or talk to someone can feel uncomfortable. The idea of therapy, to me, felt like I had to admit that there was something wrong with me or that I’d be showing the world that I was broken or didn't have it all together… but when my health started to suffer, and I was anxious 24/7… I realized my body was trying to tell me something was wrong and I learned that there is no “good health” without mental health. Therapy was the answer for me, it helped me put down all of the heavy things that I was carrying that didn’t belong to me. While therapy can provide so much relief, finding a therapist can feel so daunting. BetterHelp, the sponsor of today’s video, has done so much to make finding a therapist and starting therapy so much easier! BetterHelp is the world's largest online therapy platform whose mission is making professional therapy accessible, affordable, and convenient — so anyone who struggles with life's challenges can get help. BetterHelp connects you with a licensed therapist who is trained to listen and give you helpful, unbiased advice. Over 4 million people have used BetterHelp to start living a healthier, happier life. If you’re struggling, please visit - https://betterhelp.com/notyourordinaryparts for 10% off your first month.

Dustan Drake is a trauma-informed coach, speaker, and mentor whose work is changing the way people heal from emotional wounds, rediscover their worth, and reclaim their identity after pain. His coaching is rooted not just in theory, but in lived experience. For years, Dustan was running, from shame, from self-doubt, from the deep belief that he wasn’t enough, and like so many, he was functioning on the outside but fragmented within. It took a breaking point, an emotional and spiritual collapse, for Dustan to begin the journey inward, how to learn how to sit with pain instead of avoid it, and to release the pressure of performance and rediscover the person he was always meant to be. That transformation became his mission and today, he uses everything he’s lived, studied, and survived to help others do the same. Dustan’s coaching blends nervous system regulation, emotional processing, and deep subconscious reprogramming to support clients in breaking toxic cycles, reconnecting with their bodies, and coming home to themselves. His work has helped people move from self-sabotage to self-trust, from over-functioning to inner peace, and he does it all with raw honesty and deep compassion. In addition to his coaching, Dustan is co-author of a children’s book, rooted in the technique he co-created called Dynamic Duo Hypnosis, a story designed to help kids release emotional baggage and limiting beliefs before they take root. He’s also on the path to becoming a Registered Investment Advisor, with a mission to support others in not just emotional and spiritual abundance, but financial wholeness too. Whether through coaching, writing, or sharing his voice online, Dustan shows up with one message: you are not broken, just burdened, and healing isn’t a dream, it’s your birthright. Trigger warning ⚠️ - Suicide IdeationConnect with Dustan:Instagram - @dustandrakeWebsite - www.dustandrakecoaching.comIs there a guest you’d love to see on @notyourordinaryparts? Follow @notyourordinaryparts on Instagram and tag them.If this episode resonated with you follow @notyourordinaryparts on Instagram and interact with the host, guests, and other listeners. Like, subscribe, follow, and share with anyone you think would find this helpful.Life can be hard at times and if you’re like me, you may tend to think that you can handle it all on your own. Maybe you’ve done such a good job of “managing for so long” having to do something different or talk to someone can feel uncomfortable. The idea of therapy, to me, felt like I had to admit that there was something wrong with me or that I’d be showing the world that I was broken or didn't have it all together… but when my health started to suffer, and I was anxious 24/7… I realized my body was trying to tell me something was wrong and I learned that there is no “good health” without mental health. Therapy was the answer for me, it helped me put down all of the heavy things that I was carrying that didn’t belong to me. While therapy can provide so much relief, finding a therapist can feel so daunting. BetterHelp, the sponsor of today’s video, has done so much to make finding a therapist and starting therapy so much easier! BetterHelp is the world's largest online therapy platform whose mission is making professional therapy accessible, affordable, and convenient — so anyone who struggles with life's challenges can get help. BetterHelp connects you with a licensed therapist who is trained to listen and give you helpful, unbiased advice. Over 4 million people have used BetterHelp to start living a healthier, happier life.If you’re struggling, please visit - https://betterhelp.com/notyourordinaryparts for 10% off your first month.

Jennifer Sluga is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, trauma specialist, military veteran, wife, and mother. She is the founder of Trauma & Life Counseling, where she helps people break free from the cycles of addiction, trauma, and self-destruction that keep them trapped. Jennifer isn’t just a therapist, she’s a fighter and she has walked through her own struggles, battled her own wounds, and come out the other side determined to help others do the same. Before she was the expert, before she had the language to name what she had been through, Jennifer was someone searching for answers, carrying the weight of past wounds that didn’t yet make sense to her. Jennifer has a deep understanding of how trauma rewires the brain and body, and she has made it her life’s mission to change the conversation around pain, addiction, and healing. She knows firsthand that addiction isn’t just about substances, it’s about what we’re running from, that trauma isn’t just about what happened to us, it’s about what it left behind, and that real healing isn’t about “getting over it,” it’s about getting through it, learning to sit with the discomfort, face the parts of ourselves we’ve tried to silence, and finally offer them the compassion they never received. Through her work, Jennifer is proving that healing isn’t about fixing what’s “broken” in us, it’s about reclaiming what was taken, about breaking cycles, rewriting the story, and finally finding the safety and self-acceptance we’ve been searching for all along.Connect with Jenn:Instagram - @traumalifeconsultingWebsite - www.jenniferslugacounselingwithtlc.comJenn's Three-Part Series on Addiction Part 1: The Science of Addiction - Chasing the First Highhttps://www.instagram.com/p/DFbbV7hi8SQPart 2: The Pleasure Scale - Why Chasing Highs Creates Lows https://www.instagram.com/p/DFgfO2-Cc1nPart 3: Breaking the Trauma Drama Cycle https://www.instagram.com/p/DFtB7egJ51eIs there a guest you’d love to see on @notyourordinaryparts? Follow @notyourordinaryparts on Instagram and tag them.If this episode resonated with you follow @notyourordinaryparts on Instagram and interact with the host, guests, and other listeners. Like, subscribe, follow, and share with anyone you think would find this helpful.Life can be hard at times and if you’re like me, you may tend to think that you can handle it all on your own. Maybe you’ve done such a good job of “managing for so long” having to do something different or talk to someone can feel uncomfortable. The idea of therapy, to me, felt like I had to admit that there was something wrong with me or that I’d be showing the world that I was broken or didn't have it all together… but when my health started to suffer, and I was anxious 24/7… I realized my body was trying to tell me something was wrong and I learned that there is no “good health” without mental health. Therapy was the answer for me, it helped me put down all of the heavy things that I was carrying that didn’t belong to me. While therapy can provide so much relief, finding a therapist can feel so daunting. BetterHelp, the sponsor of today’s video, has done so much to make finding a therapist and starting therapy so much easier! BetterHelp is the world's largest online therapy platform whose mission is making professional therapy accessible, affordable, and convenient — so anyone who struggles with life's challenges can get help. BetterHelp connects you with a licensed therapist who is trained to listen and give you helpful, unbiased advice. Over 4 million people have used BetterHelp to start living a healthier, happier life.If you’re struggling, please visit - https://betterhelp.com/notyourordinaryparts for 10% off your first month.