Alive & Well – Nervous System, Productivity, Time Management, Somatic Tools, Work-Life Balance, Burnout, Anxiety

“Why can’t I just feel happier… when my life is actually good?”If you’ve asked yourself some version of this question - it isn’t a gratitude problem,it’s not a mindset failure,and it’s not that you’re “bad at joy.”It's what's happening in your physiology. Chronically elevated cortisol can quietly shift your nervous system into survival mode — and when that happens, joy becomes neurologically inaccessible, even when good things are happening.In this episode, we unpack:✔️ The science of high cortisol and low mood — and why stress chemistry blunts pleasure ✔️ The subtle, real-life signs your nervous system is blocking joy for protection ✔️ Why “choosing joy” and mindset work often fall flat when your body is overwhelmed ✔️ How somatic, body-based practices help your system feel safe enough to receive goodness again ✔️ Simple ways to start softening stress so joy can come back onlineThis conversation isn’t about forcing happiness.It’s about removing the physiological blocks that keep joy out of reach.Because joy isn’t something you create with effort.It’s something your body allows when it feels safe.If you’ve felt flat, disconnected, or like everything is just “one more thing to get through,” this episode will feel validating — and gently hopeful.Your nervous system isn’t broken.It’s been protecting you.And with the right support, it can learn how to soften again — so you can actually feel the life you’re living.Related Episodes:Previous Episode4 Signs You’re Addicted to Cortisol (and How to Fix It)5 Habits I Stopped Doing to Heal My Nervous System & Balance My Cortisol4 Ways to Foster Joy in Our FamiliesTake 2 Minutes: Boost Your Joy with Daily Gratitude Practices Backed by Science with Marc Fussell-- Burnout Recovery Blueprint starts again in January - check it out! Join the Burnout Recovery Blueprint Waitlist here!

If you’ve ever been told you or your child has anxiety, ADHD, or both—but it never fully explained what was actually happening—this conversation will feel like a breath of fresh air.In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Giancarlo Licata, director of Vital Brain Health, to unpack what’s really going on in the brain beneath these labels—and why understanding how the brain is firing matters more than the diagnosis itself.We talk about anxiety, attention, and regulation through a neuroscience lens that’s nuanced, practical, and deeply validating for parents and high-achieving adults alike.In this episode, we’re diving into:Why “anxiety” and “ADHD” are often too blunt to be helpful.A powerful way to understand rumination, fear, and fast processing—and how inherited traits, stress, and trauma can mix and match to drive anxiety and overwhelm.The order of operations your brain actually needs.The difference between calming your nervous system in the moment and actually lowering your baseline over time—and why both matter if you want lasting change.What brain mapping and neurofeedback can reveal and rewireIf you’ve ever felt like you’re throwing coping tools at a nervous system that’s already maxed out—or wondering why nothing seems to stick—this episode will help you see the bigger picture with clarity and compassion.🎉 Special Offer: The first 5 families who inquire with Vital Brain and mention code “Alive & Well” will receive complimentary airfare for their child to Los Angeles for brain mapping—with at-home brain training to follow.-- Burnout Recovery Blueprint starts again in January - check it out! Join the Burnout Recovery Blueprint Waitlist here!

If I were starting my career over today — with everything I now know about ambition, the nervous system, and sustainable success — I would do it very differently.Not because I regret being driven or capable.But because I misunderstood what actually creates long-term performance, clarity, and well-being.In this episode, I’m sharing the five shifts I wish I had made earlier in my career — back when I was running a law practice, raising babies, and equating success with doing more, faster, and better. These aren’t productivity tips. They’re nervous-system-informed lessons about how high-achieving women can build meaningful careers without sacrificing their health, energy, or peace.What you’ll learn in this episode:Why defining success for yourself is the foundation of sustainable ambitionHow saying no more — and saying it faster — protects your nervous system and capacityWhy daily nervous system regulation matters more than discipline or willpowerThe difference between managing your time and managing your energyWhy aligned mentorship changes everything (and why I wish I’d invested sooner)This episode is for working moms who are ambitious, capable, and successful — but quietly exhausted by the way they’ve been holding it all. If you want to keep your drive while building a career that actually supports your body and your life, this conversation will give you a powerful reframe and a more sustainable way forward.Press play to hear what I’d do differently — and how you can start making these shifts now.Related Episodes:Previous EpisodeThree Keys to Working from Home with KidsFeeling Overwhelmed with Work-Life Balance? 3 Mindset Shifts for Working MomsWorking Mom’s Survival Guide: 8 Lessons for Work-Life Balance with Dr. Elizabeth Arleo3 Reasons Your Productivity Hacks Aren’t Working (And What to Do Instead)Do You Have These 3 Signs of Mom Burnout? Here’s How to Reclaim Your Energy-- Burnout Recovery Blueprint starts again in January - check it out! Join the Burnout Recovery Blueprint Waitlist here!

If you open your eyes and instantly feel mentally crowded, emotionally tense, or already behind, this 15-minute morning practice is going to change everything about how your day begins.In today’s episode, I’m sharing the exact 15-minute sequence I use on mornings when I wake up anxious, wired, or overwhelmed — and the neuroscience behind why it works. Morning anxiety isn’t a mindset issue. It’s a physiological pattern driven by cortisol rhythms, overstimulation, and a nervous system that hasn’t been fully off-duty in a long time.When you learn how to work with your body instead of forcing your way through your mornings, you create a completely different internal experience: calmer thoughts, steadier emotions, and a more grounded start to your day.What you’ll learn in this episode:Why morning anxiety is so common among high-capacity womenWhat the cortisol awakening response is and how it affects your emotional baselineThe number-one mistake most women make in the first 60 seconds of their dayThe full 15-minute practice I use when I wake up overwhelmedThe somatic movements that instantly calm your systemHow hydration, nourishment, and gentle pacing shift your mood and energyThe final 60-second ritual that anchors clarity and presence for the rest of your dayIf you’ve been waking up stressed, rushed, or already overstimulated before your morning even starts, this episode will give you a simple, powerful framework to reset your system and start your day grounded.Press play and learn the morning practice your nervous system has been asking for.Related Episodes:Previous EpisodeMy 5-step Morning RoutineWhat To Do the Morning After (A Bad Night’s Sleep)5 Morning Mistakes that Wreck Your Nervous System and Cause BurnoutMorning Meditation: Grounded, Grateful, and EnergizedNot a Morning Person or is it Actually AM Anxiety? Signs You Might Be Waking Up in Fight-or-Flight (and What to Do About It)-- Burnout Recovery Blueprint starts again in January - check it out! Join the Burnout Recovery Blueprint Waitlist here!

You’re not overwhelmed because you’re doing too much —you’re overwhelmed because you’re committing to things that aren’t truly aligned.The 90% Rule is a deceptively simple framework that will help you stop overthinking, stop people-pleasing, and stop tolerating the 60–70% decisions that drain your bandwidth. When you learn to choose only what is deeply aligned — and release the rest — your entire life gets quieter, clearer, and more intentional.In this episode, I break down the neuroscience behind decision fatigue, how the body responds to indecision, and the practical way to apply the 90% Rule in your everyday life.You’ll learn:Why “maybe” is your nervous system’s fastest path to burnoutHow to recognize the opportunities that look good but aren’t rightThe brain-based reason high-capacity women get stuck in obligationHow the 90% Rule protects your energy and expands your bandwidthA new way to make decisions that feel deeply aligned with your season and valuesIf you’re craving more ease, margin, and clarity in your life and work, this episode offers a clean, elegant framework you can implement today.👉 Press play and learn how to make decisions that truly honor your capacity.-- Burnout Recovery Blueprint starts again in January - check it out! Join the Burnout Recovery Blueprint Waitlist here!