This week on Pieces to Wellness podcast, we journey inside the fortress walls. A fortress can be a well-fortified structure that offers safety to those within while defending itself from anyone or anything on the outside. One true privilege that a fortress offers is the ability to extend protection to a chosen few. Something Jordan refers to as "selective vulnerability".

But... What if our safe haven becomes our prison? What if the safe place we've built for ourselves in times of need no longer offers protection, but instead confines us within a lonely relic of past traumas? As life unfolds, our needs change, and what has served us in the past may no longer be of use. The armor we wear may become cumbersome in an environment where it's not needed.

The good news is that we have the power to adapt to our environments, and sometimes to change the environment we're in altogether. This is what this conversation is all about. It's about obtaining sovereignty despite our pain, learning to trust others while preserving safe and respectful boundaries. And discerning when and how to remove our armor and be our full, vulnerable, authentic selves.

We are very grateful to all our listeners.
We'd love to hear your feedback or ideas for future episode topics.
Reach out on IG @piecestowellness or shoot us an email at neverunderestimatetpp@gmail.com.

Reminder - The road to a better you is paved with pieces to wellness…
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Get a copy of Tim's book, Never Underestimate the Power of You
by clicking the link below:

https://a.co/d/h7AQf91

This week it is our great pleasure to welcome a guest who is a true mental health warrior. Katie is a licensed mental health counselor as well as a certified clinical anxiety treatment professional. Currently Katie is the Clinic Director of Ellie Mental Health in Latham. She has offered her services in and around New York's Capital Region since 2002.

We always wish we had more time with our guests because of the depth of their knowledge and expertise - and Katie is no exception! Katie's experience working specifically with younger clients speaks volumes about the urgent need for more mental health professionals with the training and support to meet the needs of clients of all ages. Through this interview, Katie provides clear insight into what it takes to foster the mental wellness of a whole new generation of young people coming up in an almost entirely digital world. Whether you're a parent or working on your own inner child's unmet needs, you will find this conversation immensely informative and useful. Katie shares lots of strategies that can be applied to responding to the stressors of day to day life with a focus on openness, vulnerability, and authenticity. Enjoy!

We are very grateful to all our listeners.
We'd love to hear your feedback or ideas for future episode topics.
Reach out on IG @piecestowellness or shoot us an email at neverunderestimatetpp@gmail.com.

Reminder - The road to a better you is paved with pieces to wellness…
Like, Follow, Share 🧩

Get a copy of Tim's book, Never Underestimate the Power of You by clicking the link below:

https://a.co/d/h7AQf91

This week on Pieces to Wellness we discuss the art of suffering. Suffering is defined differently by each individual who experiences it. Like stress, suffering to some extent is a natural part of life. There is a Buddhist saying, "Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional." Through this week's conversation, we've concluded that the acceptance of pain and suffering, and the meaning we assign to these experiences become the lynch pin that turns suffering into a teachable, meaningful experience.

What causes suffering? Many things. Unrealistic expectations, physical/emotional pain, loss or defeat, material fixations, financial hardships, and death/thoughts of death to name a few. At times, life can be cruel and unfulfilling. One of the ways many of us attempt to combat life's cruelty is to fill our time with sensory pleasures or superficial artifacts to occupy the space and time in our homes and lives. This provides immediate gratification. This short lived satisfaction subsides only to compel us to repeat the process again. Like an addict looking for a fix, we chase pleasure in order to avoid pain. What if the way out was through? Not around, or over/under, or avoiding, but facing the pain, the suffering with vulnerability.

The acceptance of hard times gives us the opportunity to become well-acquainted with pain, but not necessarily in an adversarial way. We have the opportunity to create a compassionate dynamic with our hardships, our suffering. Think of it this way: Running from suffering strengthens the thing you're running away from. Confronting suffering gives YOU the strength to overcome. There's an art to suffering with grace, and no one gets it right the first time. What matters most is turning hard moments into an opportunity to extract the value, the lesson, even the beauty that may be present.

We are very grateful to all our listeners.
We'd love to hear your feedback or ideas for future episode topics.
Reach out on IG @piecestowellness or shoot us an email at neverunderestimatetpp@gmail.com.

Reminder - The road to a better you is paved with pieces to wellness…
Like, Follow, Share 🧩

Get a copy of Tim's book, Never Underestimate the Power of You by clicking the link below:

https://a.co/d/h7AQf91