We Should Talk

Processing the heavy nervous system weight of past elections and sharing a collective sigh of relief over the midterms, Megan and Amber return to unpack everything from the political landscape to the bittersweet magic of watching your kids grow up. In this wide-ranging episode, they dive into the complex grief of letting go of an imagined daughter, rewriting outdated mother-son dynamics, and the courage it takes to lead with love.   In this episode, we cover: The Magic of Shared Thrills: How sharing high-emotion, adventurous experiences creates deep, lasting bonds with your kids. Grieving the Imagined Daughter: An honest, vulnerable conversation about accepting our families as they are, navigating the questions surrounding gender expectations, and letting go of the "what-ifs". Rewriting the Mother-Son Dynamic: Why raising emotionally open sons means shattering old, outdated narratives about emotional distance and building true, lifelong closeness. Collective Trauma & Political Relief: Processing the heavy nervous system weight of past elections, the trigger of visible abuse in leadership, and the sudden, hopeful breath of fresh air brought by the midterms. Holding Hard Conversations: Why it matters to speak up, stay regulated, and challenge harmful ideologies within our communities and families rather than staying silent. Whether you're soaking up the fleeting magic of family milestones, cheering on your growing kids, or trying to find your footing in a changing cultural landscape, this episode is a reminder that we don't have to navigate it alone!   Connect with Us We Should Talk Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/weshouldtalk.pod/   Megan Walsh Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/connectwithmegan/ Website: http://www.connect-with-megan.com/   Amber Trejo Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/integrativetraumatherapist/ Website: https://www.theintegrativetraumatherapist.com/

What happens when your ultimate survival strategy is to completely erase your own needs just to keep the peace? In this deeply revealing and relatable episode, Megan and Amber dive headfirst into the fawn response, unpacking everything from how childhood dynamics wire us to monitor and regulate other people's explosive emotions, to how "good girl" conditioning quietly wreaks havoc in our careers, relationships, and parenting styles. From breaking down the subtle red flags of fawning in popular reality TV (like Love Is Blind) to exploring the terrifying vulnerability of finally choosing yourself, the duo maps out the emotional terrain of stopping people-pleasing and learning to trust your own body.   In this episode, we cover: The Anatomy of Fawning: How early survival tactics in chaotic home environments teach children that keeping a caregiver calm is the only way to feel safe. Reality TV Under a Psychological Lens: Why watching contestants fawn in real-time offers a mirror into the complex internal calculations many women make to survive social and emotional pressure. The Trap of Permissive Parenting: Why holding boundaries with your kids feels so paralyzingly terrifying when your nervous system is hardwired to avoid making anyone mad or disappointed. The Guilt of Self-Choice: What naturally happens in the body when you stop abandoning yourself, and why the "guilt and shame hangover" is an inevitable part of the healing process. Becoming a Safe Container: How experiencing a therapeutic or relational space where you are actually allowed to be angry rewires your brain to handle your children's big emotions without panic. Whether you find yourself constantly swallowing your true feelings to avoid conflict, struggling to say "no," or trying to figure out how to stop fixing everyone else's moods, this episode is a gentle, validating invitation back to yourself!   Connect with Us We Should Talk Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/weshouldtalk.pod/   Megan Walsh Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/connectwithmegan/ Website: http://www.connect-with-megan.com/   Amber Trejo Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/integrativetraumatherapist/ Website: https://www.theintegrativetraumatherapist.com/

With little one-month-old Charlie snuggled up as a special co-host, Megan and Amber are back for an honest, insightful conversation about the subtle ways we guard our hearts. Following up on Amber's deeply personal conversation with her cousin from episode 16,  the duo reflects on what it truly takes to break generational relationship patterns and unpacks the concept of emotional masking. From the heavy expectation of always "having it together" to the hidden fear of being "too much" or pushing people away, Megan and Amber candidly share how their own protective parts show up in adulthood and motherhood.   In this episode, we cover: Unpacking Relational Vulnerability: Amber shares how it felt to look back on her dynamic with her cousin, confronting old abandonment fears, and what it looks like to stay in the room when conflict feels terrifying. Breaking Generational Cutoff Cycles: How choosing short-term discomfort over immediate relief helps rewrite family scripts rooted in reactivity and silence. The "Therapist" & "Good Girl" Masks: Megan and Amber reveal their primary emotional masks—from the urge to be needed so you'll always have a place, to the perfectionist front that hides a deep desire to just fall apart and be taken care of. Infants & the Trigger of "Objectification": A comforting, normalizing look at why early postpartum demands can feel overwhelming for parents with parentification trauma. Setting Boundaries with Loved Ones: Why release from the parentified role requires us to stop predicting what others can handle and allow them to speak their own direct "no". Whether you catch yourself constantly softening your intensity for others, taking on everyone else's needs, or holding back your real feelings to keep the peace, this episode offers a gentle, validating invitation to step out behind the mask!   Connect with Us We Should Talk Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/weshouldtalk.pod/   Megan Walsh Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/connectwithmegan/ Website: http://www.connect-with-megan.com/   Amber Trejo Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/integrativetraumatherapist/ Website: https://www.theintegrativetraumatherapist.com/

The duo is officially back together! Megan returns from her maternity leave at the one-month mark, and she and Amber take time to catch up on all things new motherhood, navigating life transitions, and stepping into major moments of professional growth. From the vulnerability of the early postpartum days to confronting the deep discomfort that comes with taking big creative risks, Megan and Amber share a raw look at what it truly takes to expand beyond your comfort zone.   In this episode, we cover: Life at One Month Postpartum: Megan opens up about her C-section recovery, navigating early feeding struggles, and how she grounded herself when perfectionism and overwhelming logistics threatened to take over. The "Growth Spurt" Mindset: A grounding reframe for both babies and adults that helps normalize temporary chaos, sleep regressions, and emotional shifts. Confronting Book-Launch Imposter Syndrome: Amber and Megan discuss the terrifying vulnerability of putting original work into the world, fearing "getting in trouble," and letting go of control once a project leaves the creation bubble. The Discomfort of Expansion: Why leaning into moments that put your stomach in knots is a necessary sign of personal and professional evolution. Supportive Partnerships in High-Stress Seasons: How Megan and her husband navigated a major unexpected wrench in their plans right after Charlie's birth by choosing to stay on the same team. Whether you're in the middle of a literal or metaphorical growth spurt, this conversation is a comforting reminder that the hard, messy parts of transition are often just temporary stops on the way to major expansion!   Connect with Us We Should Talk Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/weshouldtalk.pod/   Megan Walsh Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/connectwithmegan/ Website: http://www.connect-with-megan.com/   Amber Trejo Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/integrativetraumatherapist/ Website: https://www.theintegrativetraumatherapist.com/

What happens when your biggest childhood trauma buffer was the cousin sleeping on the bunk bed right above you? In this raw, deeply relatable episode, Amber sits down with her cousin, fellow psychotherapist, and private practice owner Stephanie Bagato (LMFT)! Born just six months apart, Amber and Stephanie grew up more like sisters navigating a chaotic childhood filled with makeshift clubhouses, secret snack stashes, endless imaginative play, and navigating an environment where they were largely left to raise themselves. Together, they unpack how childhood survival tactics can subtly weave their way into adult relationships, and what it really looks like to do the healing work when you share a past.   In this episode, we dive into: Emotional Flashbacks & Birthdays: Why certain milestones and birthdays can trigger sudden, lingering feelings of loneliness or "decision fatigue," and how Stephanie actively reparents herself through them. The Healing Power of Shared History: How childhood play and co-regulation acted as crucial resiliency factors that helped them survive acute family trauma. Unpacking Sibling & Cousin Enmeshment: What happens when your nervous systems become so intertwined in childhood that conflict in adulthood feels like a life-or-death threat? Amber and Stephanie candidly share a recent fight that forced them to confront their own enmeshment, set new boundaries, and give each other permission to grow. Internal Family Systems (IFS) for Couples & Men: Stephanie shares her passion for using IFS to help couples step out of reactive cycles and guide men in reconnecting with their exiled, deeply feeling parts. Breaking Generational Cycles: The surreal, eye-opening moments of watching their own kids grow up in safe, supportive homes that look nothing like the dark rooms of their pasts. Curious how two therapists go from building cushion forts and hiding stinky socks to sharing an office building and unlearning systemic family patterns together? Hit play and join the conversation!   Connect with Stephanie: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/relational.psychotherapist  Website: https://www.bagatocounseling.com/    Connect with us: We Should Talk Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/weshouldtalk.pod/   Megan Walsh Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/connectwithmegan/ Website: http://www.connect-with-megan.com/   Amber Trejo Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/integrativetraumatherapist/ Website: https://www.theintegrativetraumatherapist.com/