P.S. We Expire with Morgan Motsinger

Ep78: Grief isn't a competition with Jessica Fein

Jessica and I delve into the profound themes of grief, loss, and hope. We share their personal experiences with the deaths of their children and explore how these experiences have shaped their perspectives on life, relationships, and resilience. The discussion emphasizes the importance of community, self-care, and finding joy amidst sorrow, while also addressing the complexities of navigating grief and the nature of hope.
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Jessica Fein is the author of Breath Taking: A Memoir of Family, Dreams, and Broken Genes and host of the "I Don't Know How You Do It” podcast, which features people whose lives seem unimaginable and who find themselves on the receiving end of that statement. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, Newsweek, Psychology Today, The Boston Globe, HuffPost, Scary Mommy, and more. Jessica is a relentless warrior in the memory of her dynamic daughter whom she lost to rare disease in 2022. Her work encompasses hope and humor, grit and grace -- the tools that make up her personal survival kit.
 
Watch Jessica's TEDx talk here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClaQkyLnAaw
Learn more about her and grab a copy of her book on her website https://www.jessicafeinstories.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessica.fein.92/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/feinjessica/ LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-fein-b643b09
 
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Grief and Loss02:22 Personal Experiences with Grief05:19 The Impact of Sudden vs. Anticipated Loss08:28 The Puncture in the Bubble of Life11:23 Understanding Different Types of Loss14:20 Navigating Fear and Worry After Loss17:26 Finding Hope After Grief20:34 The Role of Positive Psychology23:30 Exploring Purpose and Joy26:32 The Search for Predictability in Life29:19 The Feeling Behind Our Desires32:23 Conclusion and Reflections on Life38:25 Finding Joy Beyond Circumstances39:32 The Purpose of Being Human41:30 Embracing All Emotions44:17 The Complexity of Joy47:04 The Role of Hope52:25 Redefining Hope56:07 Self-Care and Identity01:01:22 Connecting Through Shared Experiences01:05:37 Navigating Conversations About Grief01:10:50 The Power of Connection
 

Ep77: What We Get Wrong About Anxiety with Dr. Russ Kennedy

Anxiety is tough. It keeps you up at night, surprises you at the most inopportune times, and keeps you from pursuing important goals. One of the most difficult parts of anxiety is that you can't talk yourself out of it. Once that spiral starts it feels almost impossible to stop. What's a person to do?
Dr. Russ Kennedy (aka the Anxiety MD) gives some insight into how to think differently about our anxiety and practical tools to manage it. He offers a sophisticated and compassionate exploration of anxiety, challenging traditional psychological frameworks by examining the complex interplay between emotional experience, bodily responses, and unresolved psychological patterns.
Kennedy argues that anxiety isn't merely a cognitive phenomenon, but a sophisticated physiological response. Rather than viewing anxiety as purely mental, he positions it as a deeply embodied experience - an alarm mechanism stored within our physical systems that signals unprocessed emotional experiences.
Drawing from his dual professional background as a physician and comedian, Kennedy brings both clinical expertise and empathetic storytelling to his work. He advocates for a nuanced understanding of anxiety - not as a weakness, but as a complex adaptive response requiring compassionate, strategic intervention.
- Anxiety represents a sophisticated communication system from the body- Healing requires integrated, whole-person approaches- Personal struggles can be reframed as opportunities for growth and understanding
A compelling, research-informed perspective on mental health that destigmatizes and demystifies anxiety's intricate landscape.
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You can find him on his website https://www.theanxietymd.com/homeand on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/theanxietymd/
 
Keywords
loneliness, anxiety, trauma, neuroplasticity, healing, self-discovery, emotional wounding, interoception, touch, movement, anxiety, healing, meditation, emotional release, loneliness, self-connection, play, mental health, somatic experiencing, personal growth
Chapters
00:00 Understanding Loneliness and Anxiety06:37 Practical Strategies for Reconnecting with the Body13:36 Trauma and Cellular Memory18:45 Neuroplasticity and Healing35:08 Psychedelics and Self-Discovery45:11 Insights from the Temple Experience51:58 Healing Through Connection and Curiosity01:01:22 The Importance of Play and Emotional Release01:07:00 Addressing Loneliness and Societal Anxiety

Ep76: Are you an over-functioning woman in your relationship? With Dr. Ashley Southard

There's a difficult dynamic in many relationships: over-functioning people (usually women) are together with an under-functioning partner. Dr. Ashley Southard has been a family therapist for over two decades and in the past couple of years has given voice to many unhealthy dynamics couples find themselves in. 
"Over-functioning really speaks to kind of the emotional and mental labor that somebody is carrying in the relationship to keep that relationship going...they are doing the bulk of the relationship work. And conversely, then the under-functioning partner is not carrying the load. They are not really focusing on the relationship. They're not putting the effort and the energy into keeping this relationship functional and healthy. The over-functioning partner is doing nearly all of that work on their own and trying to hold this relationship together with their own hands without the help of their under-functioning partner." (Dr. Ashley Southard)
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Dr. Ashley Southard is a psychotherapist in Scottsdale, AZ, specializing in The Overfunctioning Woman in Love who is struggling with the confusing, exhausting, and lonely dynamics of one-sided, unfulfilling love relationships. With over 20 years of clinical experience treating complex trauma, anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and relationship issues, coupled with her own personal journey out of Overfunctioning, Dr. Ashley loves nothing more than creating an emotionally safe space for women to discover that they are not ‘crazy’ or ‘broken’…and that they have the power to become the Self-Restored Woman they were always meant to be! Dr. Ashley is also very active on Instagram, offering life-changing information to “make sense out of the nonsense.” She has amassed a strong following of women who are remembering their power, learning how to come back home to themselves, and healing in community with other Self-Restoring women.
You can find Dr. Ashley at https://www.instagram.com/drashleysouthard
or her website at https://www.drashleysouthard.com/
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Chapters
00:00 Understanding Over-Functioning and Under-Functioning02:34 The Dynamics of Emotional Labor in Relationships05:25 Identifying Practical Examples of Over-Functioning08:27 Navigating Feelings of Discrepancy in Relationships11:20 The Challenge of Making Partners Change14:21 The Pain of the Liminal Space17:20 Stepping Back vs. Quiet Quitting in Relationships29:11 Navigating Communication in Relationships31:19 The Challenge of Parenting with an Under-Functioning Partner35:28 Understanding the Impact of Under-Functioning on Children42:23 Roots of Under-Functioning: Childhood Dynamics47:21 The Cycle of Over-Functioning and Under-Functioning53:51 The Journey of Self-Restoration and What We Deserve01:00:37 Navigating Relationship Dynamics01:02:07 The Risks of Over-Functioning01:04:20 Self-Restoration Journey01:06:34 Facing the Fear of Self-Discovery01:09:00 The Power of Awareness01:11:29 Personal Journey of Transformation01:15:30 Shifting Focus to Self-Change01:18:59 The Importance of Self-Validation01:21:51 Parting Thoughts on Kindness and Compassion

Ep75: Emotional Potty Training: A New Approach to Healing with Rachel Kaplan

It's not often that I hear a metaphor that really sticks. When I heard my guest's approach to processing emotion and healing trauma I latched on immediately. Rachel talks about emotional movement through the metaphor of digestion. When we're kiddos we learn what bodily sensations mean (time to hit the loo!) when we're being potty trained. But who is teaching us about processing emotion? What do we do when we have normal emotional sensations in our bodies? We often learn from our caregivers to stuff them. Don't express them. That there are emotions that are bad or wrong. This results in backed-up emotional systems and it takes work to learn how to process our feelings. Rachel has dubbed her process "Emotional Potty Training" and she shares practical insight, tools, and personal stories on this week's episode. 
 
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Rachel Kaplan, MA, MFT is a licensed psychotherapist, mental-health educator, and author of “Feel, Heal & Let that Sh*t Go: Your Guide to Emotional Resilience and Lasting Self-Love” (New World Library). She is the creator and host of the award-winning podcast, The Healing Feeling Sh*t Show. Her therapeutic and educational offerings can be found at thefeelingsmovment.com.
 
Find her on Instagram @healingfeelingshitshow
@thefeelingsmovement on TikTok and YouTube
 
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Find Morgan at https://www.morganmotsinger.com/
 
Chapters
00:00 The Journey to Emotional Potty Training06:39 Understanding Emotional Signals13:45 Tools for Emotional Processing24:44 Core Wounds and Their Impact33:33 Healing Through Self-Compassion40:25 Understanding Overwhelm and Emotional Check-ins46:14 The Nature of Emotions: Finite vs. Infinite52:05 Navigating Emotional Expression and Intellectualization57:48 Parenting, Emotions, and the Balance of Needs01:04:47 The Power of Anger: Understanding and Expressing It01:12:34 Transformative Anger: Harnessing Its Energy

Ep74: Take Care of Your Boobies: The Past 8 Months of Breast Scaries

I recorded this episode the day I got a breast biopsy. 
I'm a pretty private person, but sharing what this experience was like from first lump and concerning symptoms to biopsy results is important *spoiler alert: results came back all clear! 
What were my first symptoms? What is it like to get a mammogram? How did I manage my fear and worry about big scary possibilities? What does it mean to have dense breasts? Why did I do further testing even though my mammogram didn't show anything? What is a breast ultrasound? What is a breast MRI like? How was the experience of getting a breast biopsy?
In this episode, I tell you what the timeline and steps were to final results, how to deal with worry while waiting for testing (and the sleepless nights that inevitably show up), and explore why we don't share our hard things (or at least why I have a hard time with this). I also have a little rant about healthcare system issues in the US and what to do when you're worried about paying for testing and treatment. 
If you find this episode helpful, please share with a friend, leave a rating and review on whatever platform you listen.  
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Find me on InstagramBook me to speak at your corporate or private eventSend me an email at hello@morganmotsinger.com

Ep73: Gratitude and Grief: Finding Your Path From Pain to Purpose with Kelly Buckley

Kelly was in the healthcare space, working with families in the intensive care unit and oncology nursing. While she spent a good amount of time around grief and loss, nothing prepared her for what it was like to navigate losing her son 15 years ago. 
 
She shares about the early days of shock, disbelief, and grief and how she dealt with anxiety, relationship changes, and still showing up for her other son. We discuss how grief has changed over the years and how she has used her experiences to connect on a deep level with other bereaved moms. 
 
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Kelly Buckley is a gratitude practitioner, speaker, author, and the host of the Broken, Beautiful, Me podcast. With over 30 years of experience in healthcare leadership, Kelly turned her own journey through profound grief into a mission to inspire and support others. Her work focuses on using gratitude and storytelling to navigate life’s challenges, foster resilience, and create meaningful connections. Through her podcast and public speaking, Kelly provides a compassionate space for sharing stories of healing, hope, and personal growth, empowering others to embrace life’s beauty even in the face of adversity.
 
You can find Kelly at https://www.kellybuckley.com/
 
Chapters
00:00 Journey Through Grief: A Personal Story02:51 The Impact of Loss on Family Dynamics05:52 Navigating Anxiety and Grief08:50 The Messiness of Grief and Self-Compassion11:56 Relationships in the Wake of Loss14:53 Finding Support and Understanding17:51 The Role of Medication in Grief21:04 Communicating Grief: What to Say and What Not to Say23:58 The Unpredictability of Grief26:46 Embracing Vulnerability in Grief29:59 The Power of Sharing Your Story40:02 Embracing Vulnerability in Grief43:48 The Healing Power of Writing46:08 Finding Flickers of Light in Darkness50:41 The Evolution of Grief Over Time54:41 Resilience Redefined01:08:34 Final Thoughts on Healing and Connection
 

Ep72: Lantern Consciousness and Living a "Plus 10 Life" with Allison Evans

Allison has a way with words. 
Metaphors are sprinkled through her stories which bring visuals to my mind instantaneously. Our brains LOVE stories and visuals, which make her lessons and wisdom stick even more. I met Allison at a retreat and immediately connected with her and the more I got to know her, the more I knew she had life experience and coaching expertise I wanted to share with my podcast listeners. 
I know that you will get a lot out of this episode. 
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Allison is a Certified Wayfinder Master Coach and Wayfinder Life Coach Training instructor with an MA in English literature from George Mason University and undergraduate degrees in English and French from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Her work has been featured in Elephant Journal, Thrive Global, and Pathways magazine. She lives in Omaha with the people who inspire her work: her husband, daughter, and son.
 
You can find Allison at allisonevanscoaching.com
and learn more about her upcoming program (enrollment opens Nov 25!) 
and follow her on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/allisonevanscoaching
 
Chapters
00:00 The Nature of Consciousness: Lantern vs. Spotlight03:17 Widening Our Focus: The Impact of Technology06:22 Mindfulness and Body Awareness: Tools for Wellness09:01 Emotions: The 90-Second Rule12:15 The Stories We Tell: Understanding Our Narratives15:12 The Role of Anger and Fear in Motivation18:13 Navigating Despair: A Coaching Moment44:22 Exploring Emotions and Body Awareness47:20 The Power of Storytelling in Overcoming Hopelessness49:35 The Importance of Inner Change52:21 The Magic of Authenticity in Relationships56:57 Navigating Authenticity and Sincerity01:00:31 The Long View of Personal Growth01:02:54 The Role of Apologies in Growth01:04:23 Defining Winning in Conversations01:09:55 The Micro and Macro Connection in Our Stories01:12:56 Amassing Evidence for Intentional Beliefs01:15:22 Decomposing Limiting Stories01:20:00 Closing Thoughts and Future Aspirations

Ep71: Relationships with people who voted differently than you

How do we navigate our relationships with people who believe and vote differently than we do? In this episode I'm sharing how to deal with disappointment about the election. How do we maintain our compassion and connection with people who are close to us that voted differently? If we want to keep our relationships healthy and not drown into a pool of despair, let's explore some skills to pay attention to what we have control over instead of obsessing over what we don't.
 
Although I share my perspective from a more liberal perspective, this insight into human behavior, relationships, and how our brains work when it comes to biases and beliefs, will be helpful for people on both sides of the aisle.

Ep70: Who Were You Before They Told You Who to Be?

This quote from Carl Jung has been rolling around in my mind:
"The first half of life is devoted to forming a healthy ego. The second half is going inward and letting go of it."
What does it mean to operate from a deeper place, beneath the ego? Who were we before the world told us who we should be? This episode explores these ideas of deeper conscious awareness of the illusion of separateness, the delight in being nobody, and the self-compassion that is necessary to accept and love others.
 
If you want to check out the video for this episode (and all other episodes of this podcast) you can find them all on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@morganmotsinger
and follow along on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/morgan_motsinger/
 
Jill Bolte Taylor's TED talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYD7Y9CXeUw&t=2s
Book: I Contain Multitudes by Ed Yong 
 

Ep69: Health Anxiety SUCKS (and what to do about it)

Anxiety about myself has been kicking my butt lately, which is frustrating because I'm DOING ALL THE RIGHT THINGS.
So, what gives? And what has been helping?
In this conversation, I discuss my struggles with health anxiety, exploring the complexities of mental health and the brain's predictive nature. I'm sharing personal experiences and insights on how to manage anxiety through mindfulness, decision-making (this is a BIG ONE), and acceptance of life's natural cycles. The discussion emphasizes the importance of understanding the brain's role in emotional responses and the value of having a plan to reduce fear.
 
You can check out an earlier episode where I talk all about anxiety here (including more in depth about what works well for me) 
 
You can find me on the black hole (that is sometimes a cheery, uplifting place) called Instagram here
If you want your own set of Mindful Moment Cards, you can find them in my shop https://www.morganmotsinger.com/shop
k, love you, bye.