P.S. We Expire with Morgan Motsinger

Ep93: I'm Good at Being Good (And It's Killing Me) with Jen Zorb

This conversation with Jen Zorb was one of those episodes where I kept thinking "YES, THIS" over and over again. Jen is a therapist with 15+ years of experience, and she created The Pearl Project (I cannot wait to tell you about it). 
But first, we dove into something that I think so many of us struggle with: Are we actually living our lives on purpose, or are we just responding to everything that gets thrown at us? When was the last time you actually sat down and thought about what you value most and then had the courage to orient your whole life around that?
Living in reaction vs. living with intention
Jen shared this thing her family has been talking about—how easy it is to just respond to life instead of figuring out what really matters and then being brave enough to shape your life around that. For her and her husband, this meant a massive career change so they could spend more time together and take an entrepreneurial risk as partners.
And honestly? This hit me hard because I think most of us are just... reacting. All the time.
Why people finally come to therapy
Here's what's fascinating: Jen says people usually show up to therapy when living the way they've been living becomes intolerable. When there's finally enough pain or discomfort or a big enough disruption that they're like "okay, I can't keep doing this." And as painful as that sounds, Jen holds hope in those moments because that's often when people can actually start choosing differently.
We got into this great question about whether people change or if they're just finally able to see what was always true. Jen's take? It's less about changing and more about revealing who we've always been. Healing is becoming more fully ourselves.
The things that keep us stuck
I asked Jen for the top three reasons people don't feel like they can live fully embodied lives, and her number one? The risk of not belonging.
We learn SO early what gets us love and acceptance, and what threatens it. So we build these protective patterns. For Jen, this looked like being the "good girl," the high achiever, which actually kinda worked. She got accolades and praise. But it also meant pushing down parts of herself that felt too powerful, messy, or imperfect.
And get this: She didn't even realize she was doing it until she started having chest pain in her 40s. A trained therapist for 15 years and her body had to literally scream at her to pay attention. If that doesn't give us all permission to have grace with ourselves, I don't know what does.
Jen created The Pearl Project: mental health kits because she kept wishing she could send clients home with something tangible. The work people were doing in therapy was so powerful, but then they'd leave and have to wait another week or two for their next session.
Each kit includes:
A metaphor or story
Science-based therapeutic content
A tangible object you can touch and hold
Question decks for reflection
The whole approach is multisensory because neuroscience shows us we integrate things better when we can touch, smell, see—not just think about them cognitively.
Some other great things we dug into together:
💛 How to choose a therapist
Real talk: Not every therapist is going to be a good fit, even if they're great at what they do. And it's OKAY to break up with your therapist. You heard it here—Jen said it!
💛 What actually is a trigger?
We talked about how "trigger" has become this catch-all word for "this person annoyed me." But in a therapeutic context, a trigger is an event or sensation that activates a specific nervous system response—usually tied to an old hurt or injury.
💛 What to do when you're triggered
This is where it gets practical. Jen shares 4 things you can do in the moment when you're activated (and the last one is huge). 
💛 The corrective emotional experience
This is when you try something new—like speaking up or setting a boundary—and you get positive reinforcement. It starts rewiring your brain.
Some Quotes That Gutted Me
"For every broken bone, there are a hundred broken hearts. Where's our emergency room when it hurts so bad and we need relief?"
"Feel the fear and do it anyway."
"What if discomfort isn't an inconvenience but a beautiful tool we can trust—our body as our best friend to help guide us?"
More about Jen and The Pearl Project
Jen is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with over 15 years of clinical experience. She has helped individuals, couples, and families in a private practice setting and has also worked in a hospital setting, treating the most acute mental and behavioral health challenges. She is passionate about making high-quality, professional mental health support more accessible to the everyday person. The Pearl Project was born out of that passion in 2022! Jen loves a good iced latte and has a competitive streak that mostly comes out on the tennis and pickleball courts. She dreams of travel and the day that all of her kids put their shoes on without having to be asked.
Website: www.thepearlproject.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/jointhepearlprojectFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/Jointhepearlproject
 
Find Morgan at:
https://www.instagram.com/morgan_motsinger/
https://www.morganmotsinger.com/
hello@morganmotsinger.com
 

Ep92: Alzheimer's prevention and healthy living (that only sucks a little bit) with Rachel Daugherty

Check out my free resource vault at https://www.morganmotsinger.com/vault
 
Life can get pretty hairy, pretty quickly. When Rachel's mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's and she was thrust into a caregiving role, something major shifted. She started to think about her own health, and not just from an aesthetic perspective, but from a neuroprotective standpoint. She dug deep into the research about Alzheimer's prevention, brain health, and microhabits that have long-term positive results. 
 
Rachel was an absolute delight to talk to, and her online presence has grown tremendously because of her approachable demeanor, humor, smarts, and heartwarming vulnerability. 
 
More about Rachel:
 
Rachel Daugherty is the daughter of a woman with Alzheimer’s and knows firsthand the grief, fear, and heartbreak of watching someone you love lose themselves. Her mission is to show people they are not doomed to repeat their family’s story. Through evidence-based tools and the practice of self-connection, Rachel teaches how to change habits from the inside out — seeing each choice as more than an act toward brain health, but also an act of self-love. By helping people reframe their relationship with food, fitness, and health, she empowers them to build self-trust and lasting strength that protects both body and brain. Rachel shows others how to shape their future selves while becoming the strongest, most alive version of themselves now — and she wants to show you how.
 
You can find Rachel and her amazing work at:
Website www.bootyandbrains.co
Instagram @bootyandbrains.co
 
You can find Morgan:
Website https://www.morganmotsinger.com/
Instagram @morgan_motsinger
 
 
 
 

Ep91: A one-way flight to India that impacted her view of dying with Elizabeth

What are the gaps in grief care in our culture? What types of supports need to be in place that we have outsourced to healthcare that need to be reestablished in community? This beautiful conversation with Elizabeth explores paths of grief,
companionship in the face of death, the social nature of dying, and the importance of everyday acts in caregiving.  I hope this conversation impacts your perspectives on the need for humility and presence in these challenging moments as we reframe illness as a communal journey rather than a solitary medical event. Grief is not a problem to be solved, but an experience to feel and be transformed by. 
About my guest:
 
Elizabeth Johnson is the co-founder and Executive Director of The Peaceful Presence Project, a community-based organization in Oregon dedicated to fostering compassionate end-of-life care. Holding a Master’s degree in Community and Urban Planning, Elizabeth has traveled extensively as an educator and facilitator, cultivating a deep interest in the cultural and social frameworks that shape human experiences of illness, grief, and death. She serves on the leadership council of Public Health Palliative Care International. Additionally, Elizabeth is a graduate and current faculty member of the Anamcara Project, where her work focuses on grief, loss, and resilience. Elizabeth is deeply committed to advancing death and grief literacy within local communities, promoting honest and transformative dialogue around the complexities of dying and bereavement.
 
Contact Elizabeth:
 
elizabeth@thepeacefulpresenceproject.org
https://thepeacefulpresenceproject.org/
 
https://www.instagram.com/peacefulpresencedoulas/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/peaceful-presence-project/
https://www.facebook.com/peacefulpresencedoulas
 
Contact Morgan:
If you're interested in being a guest, visit my website at https://www.morganmotsinger.com/contact and fill out the contact form. You can find me at:
https://www.instagram.com/morgan_motsinger/
https://www.youtube.com/@morganmotsinger
https://www.linkedin.com/in/morgan-motsinger/
hello@morganmotsinger.com

Ep90: 15-Minute Mindfulness

This body scan is wonderful for a short break during your day or getting your body and mind ready for sleep. This guided head to toe exercise is a great way to notice areas where you hold tension. 
 
Enjoy!

Ep89: Turning your ideas in action

https://www.morganmotsinger.com/shop/idea-action-30-day-challenge
 
This episode will lead you through how I think about turning ideas into action. This isn't just about goal setting (yes, I'm familiar with the SMART framework). It's really about becoming a person who doesn't sit on the sidelines of her own life. 
There is a framework I use that I'll walk you through in this episode. Whether or not you join me for this 30-day challenge, I hope you start tackling some of those things you've been thinking about for a long time. 
 
 

Ep88: Something is very wrong: how our distracted presence is ruining our relationships

On a scale from 1-5, how often do you feel like this?
I feel I have to sacrifice meaningful conversation because of others' device use.
I've given up expecting full attention from people during social interactions.
I miss the deeper conversations I used to have before smartphones.
I feel sad when I see someone I care about more engaged with their device than with me.
I worry that real human connection is disappearing. I feel isolated even when surrounded by people on their devices.
I don't know about you, but I can answer five a lot to a lot of those. And I imagine that probably most of us can. 
I also know I'm part of the problem.
Sometimes, I feel like we're all zombies. We're here, but we're not....here. We live in our own realities even as we are physically present with others. 
In this episode, I explore the profound impact of technology on human connection, particularly focusing on how smartphones and social media contribute to feelings of loneliness and disconnection. There's an interesting/terrifying parallel between the experiences of caregivers for those with neurodegenerative conditions and the feelings of isolation that arise from being physically present but emotionally absent in social interactions. 
I'm not going to leave you hanging. I share some practical strategies for reconnecting with others and how to manage unhealthy dynamics of distracted presence. 
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Get on my email list, where I periodically share helpful tools for better habits, mindfulness, and general well being: https://morganmotsinger.myflodesk.com/subscribe
 
 
 

Ep87: End-of-life conversations we all should be having (even if you’re young) with Amy Hensley & Erin Putney

Talking about death isn't really everyone's favorite. 
One of the big problems with actively avoiding or maybe just never considering how things are going to go at the end is we miss out on some really important conversations that have a big impact. 
Amy and Erin are the owners of Before the Casket, a company that educates and empowers people to take control of their end-of-life decisions, before the casket (clever, right?). 
This conversation not only explores some of the practical medical implications of certain types of life saving interventions, it also boldly investigates some of the common misconceptions about death, the healthcare system, and what a good death means. 
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Amy Hensley Master of Science in Nursing, Registered Nurse How I define myself: mama bear, supportive friend, oldest daughter and sister, compassionate hospice nurse, movie lover, former graphic designer, passionate human, social introvert Bio: I was a graphic designer for nearly twenty years before I went to nursing school. While I worked at a critical access hospital doing everything from birth to death, I got my MSN and then started teaching. During my teaching career, I found my voice and encouraged students to find their voice. Realizing that my passions include end-of-life guided me to become a hospice nurse and end-of-life educator. We all bring to the table our experiences, viewpoints, concerns, biases, and expectations. Giving grace to myself and those around me has helped me have uncomfortable conversations with humor, awareness and understanding. I'm becoming more comfortable with asking for what I want.
Erin Putney Master of Science in Nursing, Registered Nurse How I define myself: energetic creative, passionate educator, honest conversationalist, proud mom, chill paddleboarder, artistic thinker, former ICU nurse, loving daughter Bio: I love the science behind nursing and even wanted to be a science teacher at one point. I’ve worked in different areas as a nurse, but realize the common thread is having the curiosity to solve problems with data and creativity. While I was an oncology nurse and worked in Trauma ICU, I saw patients and families experience unnecessary guilt because they hadn’t had end-of-life conversations. My master’s research focused on effective end-of-life education for nursing students, which has been adapted into a workshop for various audiences. My passion is giving everyone the tools needed to cope and be successful. Check out my website: www.teachingcourage.com
You can find their work at:
https://beforethecasket.com/en-us/
On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085625110676
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You can find Morgan on her website https://www.morganmotsinger.com/
Get on her email list here: https://morganmotsinger.myflodesk.com/subscribe
 
Chapters
00:00 Creating Comfort in Conversations About Death02:11 Barriers to Discussing Mortality05:50 Navigating Difficult Conversations11:11 The Benefits of Open Dialogue16:39 Understanding Medical Terminology24:00 Flexibility in End-of-Life Decisions36:31 Planning for the Unexpected38:22 Navigating Difficult Conversations with Kids40:47 Understanding Death and Dying44:32 The Importance of Acknowledging Grief49:39 Grief vs. Mourning: A Deep Dive58:52 Practical Steps for End-of-Life Conversations01:19:26 The Importance of Conversations About Mortality01:20:15 Choosing a Power of Attorney and Documenting Wishes01:21:41 Family Dynamics and Communication01:23:20 Humor in Difficult Conversations01:24:54 The Gift of Pre-Planning01:28:41 Navigating Humor and Seriousness01:36:45 Recommended Resources and Books01:43:55 Final Thoughts on Having Conversations About Death
 

Ep86: The Pink Book: A Caregivers Sanity-Saving Resource with Mike George

I remember cobbling notes together on my phone, writing things on paper scattered here or there, until I finally gathered all the notes about Anni's care into one document. 
This simple act made it possible to relax a bit. I recorded her medications, daily and weekly schedule, seizure protocols, and more. It was immensely helpful not to have that information rolling around in my head loosey goosey. 
Putting all the info together can feel very overwhelming, especially for a caregiver who is already running on fumes, so when I heard about Mike's "Pink Book" and his company Soaring Families, I knew I needed to have him on the podcast. His work isn't just about creating an amazing tool, but his company teaches families how to find, train, and retain a robust support system when in a caregiving role, whether that's for a child with extra needs or an adult with aging considerations. 
Mike shares his journey of caring for his son Ben, who has special needs. He emphasizes the importance of building a caregiving team, personalizing care, and the emotional challenges faced by caregivers. He also highlights the joy and fulfillment that can come from caregiving despite its challenges and shares Ben's remarkable journey towards communication and education.
Mike helps families rewrite their caregiving story — from one of sacrifice and exhaustion to one of joy, strength, and resilience. A family caregiver himself for 3 decades, Mike brings an intimate understanding of the burdens faced by those supporting the primary care of a family member. This lived experience led him to create The Soaring Families WayTM — a 5-step method that blends empathy, empowerment, and practical solutions to equip families with the tools and skills they need to regain control, reduce stress, and find fulfillment on their caregiving journey. Mike coaches and guides families in this method to help them stabilize the chaos, gain the confidence to manage their home care effectively, and focus on long-term sustainability. He also developed The Pink Book for families that acts as their personal caregiving companion. It becomes a family’s caregiving guide that they create themselves, for the way they care.
You can get your own copy of the Pink Book at newpinkbook.com and learn more about Soaring Families on their website https://soaringfamilies.com
You can also connect with Mike here:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeg-bmg/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/soaringfamilynation
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SoaringFamilies
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikesf6363/
 
 

Ep85: Exploring your inner basement--the metaphor I think about all the time

In this relatively short, solo episode, I'm sharing one of the metaphors for the inner life that has really impacted me over the past several years, The Inner House. 
Let me know if this resonates with you by sending me an email at hello@morganmotsinger.com, or sending me a DM on Instagram @morgan_motsinger
If you find this podcast helpful, please make a moment to leave a rating and review.
 

Ep84: Ignite your learning (at any age!) with Dr. Gina Anderson

In this conversation, Dr. Gina Anderson and I discuss the intricacies of memory, learning, and the mind-body connection. She explains the differences between working, short-term, and long-term memory, emphasizing the importance of reinforcement and visualization in the learning process. We also touch on the role of belief in learning and how to unlearn habits by creating new neural maps. Practical techniques for enhancing memory retention and the significance of sleep are highlighted, along with the impact of negative and positive reinforcement on behavior change. We explore the intricate relationship between mental health, learning, and neuroplasticity. The conversation also delves into the impact of technology on mental health, particularly the addictive nature of scrolling on devices. Dr. Anderson emphasizes the need for authentic learning experiences tailored to individual preferences and the importance of rekindling passion for learning as a lifelong journey.
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Dr. Gina Anderson is the CEO of Luma Brighter Learning, an award-winning learning company and a 2024 and 2023 recipient of the prestigious Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Companies award. Dr. Anderson routinely publishes new, measurable, science-based techniques specifically focused on learning in logistics and transportation to help companies improve their safety scores and uphold compliance. Dr. Anderson is the author of Thrive: How Learning Can Ignite a New Way Forward and a contributing author to the best-selling book Perspectives on Invisible Illnesses. Recognized as a thought leader in learning and an Inc. contributing author, she is also the creator and host of the I Love Learning podcast, where leaders from around the world share what motivates them to learn. Dr. Anderson holds a Doctor of Education in instructional systems technology from Indiana University, where she also minored in learning science. She has a passion for helping people learn.
You can find Gina at:
https://lumabrighterlearning.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gina-anderson-luma/
gina@learnwithluma.com
 
Find Morgan at:
https://www.morganmotsinger.com/
https://www.instagram.com/morgan_motsinger/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/morgan-motsinger/
https://www.youtube.com/@morganmotsinger