mental health

Episode #146: Scars Don't Mean You're Broken

We all have scars.

The physical ones that we see, and all of the ones that are there that we can’t.

But we feel them. We know them. And, sometimes, we discover we have them years into our adult lives and the shame, the guilt, the overwhelm of processing it all can be all consuming and incredibly fucking daunting to face.

TW: self loathing, body image, medical procedures/needles

In todays episode and in honor of mental health awareness month, Amanda talks about her journey with scars — both physical and beyond. And shares some truth bombs & support around how you can start your own journey in detaching yourself from the shame and guilt of the scars you keep.

LINKS MENTIONED IN TODAYS EPISODE:

Episode 144

Amanda’s book, I Chopped Off My Tits

WORK & CONNECT WITH AMANDA:

Patreon - join her “close friends” list on Instagram at the $5+ level

Amanda’s Instagram | Website | Tik Tok

Join her email list for all the important things / future group coaching & teaching announcements

Episode #138: Why Resolutions Are More Harmful Than Helpful Right Now

Happy 2022 loves.

Or should I say, WTF am I doing with my life continued.

Anyone else feeling this way? I know I am.

I always have lots of feelings about new years resolutions, goal setting and beyond. But this year, it’s different in a profound way. And I’m coming at you hot with a solo episode from my heart to yours sharing all about my struggles entering a new year — and I’m guessing you can relate.

So grab a cup of coffee and join me as we kick off the new year with a change in perspective on some tried and true rituals that just don’t MF serve us anymore.

WORK & CONNECT WITH AMANDA:

Peer support session

Patreon

Amanda’s book, I Chopped Off My Tits

Amanda’s Instagram | Website

Join her email list for all the important things / monthly announcements

Episode #117: It's Okay To Not Be Okay | A Solo Episode

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So many of you have been sharing with me that you’ve been having a global case of the “meh”s. Feeling constantly exhausted and not sure how to be/do/behave and beyond.

I had another episode planned for today but after so many of you responded that you were also feeling this way, I decided to hop on the podcast and share a quickie episode about why it’s never been more normal for these feelings to exist — for us to not be okay.

And yeah — I get candid AF about my own experience with this shit and into it with my nerdery around neuroscience. You know I can’t help myself.

Want twenty minutes of feeling better about why you’re feeling the way you’re feeling (or not feeling much of anything these days) and it’s exhausting? This episode is for you.

LINKS MENTIONED IN TODAYS EPISODE:

LIVE YOUR F*CK YES LIFE VIRTUAL SUMMIT TICKETS — SELF LOVE & BODY CONFIDENCE EDITION

Live Your F*ck Yes Life Community — become a Patron!

WORK & CONNECT WITH AMANDA:

Amanda’s Instagram | Website

Amanda’s book, I Chopped Off My Tits

1:1 coaching with Amanda — I am accepting 1-2 new coaching clients for 2021. Apply here to set up an initial call to see if this work together is a good fit.

Join her email list & get access to her fears & feels embodiment playlists

Episode #104: Five Years Ago I Hit Rock Bottom And Now I'm Here | A Solo Episode

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I had planned an entirely different episode for today and in true Amanda following the gut tugs fashion, I needed to share from the depths of my heart around what this move has shown me about the power of conscious thought shifts, inner work and small simple shifts that brought me from rock bottom to here.

5 years ago, I was:

  • in the depths of a cycle of eating disorders and body dysmorphia

  • having panic attacks weekly

  • working 7 part time jobs and just barely paying my bills

  • just coming off of a move (my last one) that was FILLED with breakdowns and fights with my husband

  • burnt out, overwhelmed and in a perpetual exhaustion cycle

On Saturday, I moved into my dream home. A home that 5 years ago, I never imagined I could possibly have no matter where my life took me. This move — something that had it been the me of 5 years ago navigating it — would have brought me to my knees with stress, overwhelm and exhaustion. And instead, I moved through it with ease and light.

And on todays episode, I share all about my journey to help illuminate for you how to get unstuck on your own.

Episode #86: A Conversation Around How To Navigate Life Amidst The Corona Pandemic with Rachel Wright

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Today’s episode is different than anything I’ve ever shared on the podcast.

This past week has been tumultuous for all of us. We’re experiencing a pandemic. Something we’ve never had to navigate in our lifetime and it’s impacted ALL of us. Deeply.

So today, I brought on my dear friend and go-to source on all things mental health, psychotherapist Rachel Wright, to have a transparent and support-filled conversation In hopes that for even just one of you, you can feel less alone. Heard. Or maybe, just maybe, share a perspective with you that isn’t yours. That causes you to think outside of what you know and experience. And grow.

This is not a training, although we do share tools to help support you amidst all of this discomfort, fear, anxiety, loss, grief and beyond.

This is an invitation to a conversation around what you’re feeling amidst all of this. I hope you’ll join in.

Episode #85: How Reality TV Gives Us A Skewed AF Way Of Seeing The World with Taylor Nolan

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I’m so excited to share this amazeballs conversation with you on the podcast today with the one and only Taylor Nolan. You may recognize her from as one of Bachelor nation’s most talked about contestants (and one of my personal favorites to ever come from the franchise). If you aren’t familiar with her work and life outside of that space, get READY because she walks the walk on real talk, authenticity and candor.

Taylor is a psychotherapist and host of Let's Talk About It podcast, creating space for meaningful conversations around taboo topics like mental and sexual health. 

And today, we deep dive into all things reality tv and the impact that shows like the Bachelor and Love is Blind (#spoileralert — watch the show!) have on our society and cultural norms as a whole.

Things we discuss in today’s episode:

  • Her thoughts and feelings on reality tv now that she’s two years out of her Bachelor and Bachelor in Paradise experience

  • The lack of representation in reality tv

  • Why we both love Love Is Blind and our deep thoughts around allllll the shiz there with Carlton, Cameron and Lauren and Gigi and Damien’s relationship

  • Sexuality, purity/innocence complex, toxic monogamy

  • How The Bachelor is basically polyamory

  • Non monogamy, non traditional relationships, our favorite vibrators and beyond!

Episode #82: Breaking the Highlight Reel & Normalizing Conversations Around Mental Health with Sophie Gray

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Sophie Gray is the founder of DiveThru, a guided journaling app that features guided journaling exercises that help you DiveThru what you go thru. She is also the host of the SophieThinksThoughts podcast and reaches an audience of 400,000 across her social media channels.

Sophie has been named Greatist’s 100 Most Influential People in Health & Wellness three years in a row. Her work has been featured in Cosmopolitan, People, Refinery29, Marie Claire, Self, and many more.

Things we talk about in today’s episode:

  • Sophie’s story around going viral in her past life as a fitness influencer on Instagram

  • Her big mental health breakdown that changed everything

  • Showing up authentically online

  • Journaling as a tool for self awareness and accessing your true self

  • How to move away from debilitating anxiety

  • Her company DiveThru and how you can use the app for your life every day

  • Thin privilege, our feelings around the word influencer, our Canadian pride and CEO vibes and beyond!

Episode #81: Twenty Nine Lessons I Learned in This Past Year | A Solo Birthday Edition Episode

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Happy start to season 4 of the podcast!!

Before I deep dove into all the juicy content coming your way this season (AND BREAKING OPEN SOME TOPICS THAT WE HAVE NEVER COVERED ON THE POD), I wanted to share my heart with all of you and go back to my annual birthday tradition of sharing all of the lessons I’ve learned in the past year! 2019 was a BIG one my friends.

Spoiler alert: I get super emotional on today’s episode. What’s new.

Welcome to the mess, the shifts, the joy and all the in-between!

Things I cover in today’s episode:

  • The intense awakening I’ve had in the last 3 months and what I’ve been up to since the end of season three

  • 29 lessons I learned in my 29 years on this earth

  • We cover things from relationships to identity to personal growth to health and beyond!

LINKS MENTIONED IN TODAY’S EPISODE:

Teami blends — use code LYFYL for 20% at checkout!

GET YOUR COPY OF I CHOPPED OFF MY TITS HERE!

If/Then the musical

Shout out the pod on Instagram and tag @amandakatherineloy and don’t forget to subscribe, rate and review on Itunes!

WORK WITH AMANDA:

UNAPOLOGETICALLY CONFIDENT COURSE

Join the Live Your F*ck Yes Life Membership

Episode #58: What the f*ck to do after a breakup with Jessica Smith

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I am so excited to have Jessica back on the podcast to talk about BREAKUPS.

Let’s be honest — the dating world these days is tough as nails. And while Cosmo may be full of dating tips, relationship tips and sex tips, the thing we never hear about is how to navigate a breakup. Which feels SO backwards because I’d bet that 95% of you have been through one in your lives — I know I have.

And it’s gut wrenching. Heartbreaking. And there’s no support attached to that. So as always, I brought the MF support with this incredibly open and vulnerable conversation.

As a reminder, Jessica Smith is the author of YOUR TWENTIES, a book about change and how to take good care of yourself as a 20-something navigating the “real world.” Jess is the host of two podcasts, THAT VALLEY VIBE, a show about wellness and CAREER COACHING WITH JESSNESS, a show about doing your best work in the world, landing job interviews and how to build a personal brand. When she’s not writing or recording podcasts you can find her meeting with people 1:1 about how Doterra Essential Oils can positively impact their health and hosting events with her oil community, The Wellness Squad.

In today’s episode we cover topics like:

  • Her story of getting broken up with the man she thought she was going to marry

  • The 5 stages of a breakup

  • What to do when you feel like you can’t function

  • The journey back to yourself post breakup

  • Body work as a powerful positive coping mechanism

  • The answers you’re looking for? They are within you.

  • Finding closure in the most unexpected way

LINKS MENTIONED IN TODAY’S EPISODE

Episode 16 with Jess Smith

Jess’s website | Instagram

Jess’s book Your Twenties

BOMB ASS WAYS TO CONNECT

Join our community where we chat all things real talk, and you get the inside scoop on guests, a chance to ask questions & be surrounded by a squad of ladies who GET you!

Shout out the pod on Instagram and tag @amandakatherineloy and don’t forget to subscribe, rate and review on Itunes!

Episode #51: Breaking the Stigma of Therapy with Rachel Wright

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When you hear the word therapy, does it bring up positive or negative emotions for you?

Therapy used to be something I didn’t think I needed and gave a it a major bad rap. But my perspective on the matter has changed drastically in the last few months as I’ve explored my own experience of working with a therapist. Yup, I am a major therapy convert. And I’m talking about my own experience in therapy for the first time on todays episode.

So to talk about all the things and give you the most candid conversation about a topic so polarizing, I brought back on to the podcast one of my favorite humans on the planet, therapist and sex, relationships and mental health expert Rachel Wright.

Things we discuss in today’s episode:

  • Why Rachel wanted to be a therapist

  • How therapy and theatre are so linked

  • Her first experience of therapy as a fourteen year old (and the juicy deets on why her parents shoved her into therapy in the first place)

  • The good, the bad & the ugly of the therapy model

  • Where to even start on finding the right therapist for you

  • Why I finally took the deep dive and started going to therapy

  • Self care starts with mental health

  • How to know if you need therapy

  • A huge aha moment I had in therapy a few weeks ago

LINKS MENTIONED IN TODAY’S EPISODE

Rachel’s Instagram | Website

Episode 37 with Rachel on Anxiety

BOMB ASS WAYS TO CONNECT

Join our community where we chat all things real talk, and you get the inside scoop on guests, a chance to ask questions & be surrounded by a squad of ladies who GET you!

Shout out the pod on Instagram and tag @amandakatherineloy and don’t forget to subscribe, rate and review on itunes!

Episode #46: Gut Health Matters: Heal Your Anxiety Naturally, Live Happier & Feel Your MF Best | A Solo Episode

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EPISODE SNEAK PEEK

“The food you’re ingesting and is being absorbed by the gut directly impacts your mental health/anxiety in profound ways.”

ANXIETY. OVEREATING.

Two things so many of us struggle with on the daily (I know I’m raising my hands), but they’re treated as SEPARATE issues.

The reality?

The two are SO freaking linked and nobody EVER talks about it. I know I have personally struggled with anxiety for YEARS and it was something that perpetuated my binge eating. I would feel anxiety coming on and I’d turn to pints of Ben & Jerry’s and all the MF chips and dips this gal could stuff in her face to numb my feelings, only to make my anxiety worse...

And the cycle continued.

Can you relate?

Maybe you struggle with both. Maybe you are living with anxiety and it’s taking over your life and you feel constantly overwhelmed, exhausted and burnt out. Maybe you’ve tried every diet under the sun and are TIRED of feeling like food is controlling you and you just want to be able to FEEL ENERGIZED and HEALTHY. 

Well, YOU CAN. And it starts here.

Here are a few things I touch on in todays episode:

  • The 5 major symptoms you might have that can tell you if you’re gut is healthy

  • What healthy poops look like

  • The path out of brain fog/exhaustion

  • How I healed my eczema

  • How to overhaul your gut in just 3 days

  • 3 simple steps to support your gut health you can implement today

Episode #23: Navigating the shame spiral and learning to love your story with Grace Presley

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EPISODE SNEAK PEEK

"The truth allows you to crack open. Your stories allow you to break open and crack open. And that's not looking at it from the perspective of 'you're broken' but it's looking at it from a perspective of what's open can now allow you to expand."

Grace Presley is a passionate entrepreneur on a mission to help others find their voice, tell their story and change the world. Her SOUL job in this life is to love on *you* hold space for the sacred stories of your life. She created the mission with a message "You are a Story worth Loving" to build a community where your stories are supported, your voices are heard and you can simply come as you are. A gentle reminder and whisper to your soul that the stories of our lives matter and we are (and always have been) worthy of giving and receiving love. It is a movement. It is a lifestyle. 

Here are some things we discuss in todays episode:

  • Community vs. competition
  • Navigating the "not enoughness" feelings
  • Her journey with anorexia, bulimia, spousal abuse, divorce, single mom-hood and beyond
  • How we attract into our lives things that are reflective of the way we feel about ourselves
  • The moment she drew a line in the sand and finally chose herself
  • Trauma, EMDR and therapy
  • Navigating through shame and guilt
  • The story behind creating You Are A Story Worth Loving

LINKS MENTIONED IN TODAY'S EPISODE

Grace's Website | Instagram | Podcast

You Are A Story Worth Loving

A Tribe Called Bliss

Brene Brown on Shame 

     

    BOMB ASS WAYS TO CONNECT

    Join our community where we chat all things real talk, and you get the inside scoop on guests, a chance to ask questions & be surrounded by a tribe of ladies who GET you!

    Shout out the pod on Instagram and tag @liveyourfuckyeslife or leave a review on itunes to get featured on the podcast! 

    Episode #11: The truth of being a woman in theatre with Harmony France

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    EPISODE SNEAK PEEK

    " Women would talk about it together but we kept it to ourselves. And I reached a point where I'm not afraid of who is willing to hire me and who isn't. If they don't want to work with me because I'm speaking out about how it's messed up how women are treated in this community, then they're not my people." 

    Harmony France is the artistic director of the world's first feminist musical theatre company, Firebrand Theatre. She is a casting director, teacher, actress, singer, home-style guru, writer, activist, and Navy Veteran.

    Here are a few things we discussed in today’s episode:

    • The TRUTH of what it's like to be an artist in Chicago
    • The mission behind Firebrand theatre and why she started the first equity feminist theatre
    • The fat shaming and harassment we've experienced in the theatre community
    • The "is this why" rabbit hole
    • The moment when she joined the navy that sparked her journey with body dysmorphia
    • How we individually choose to show up as an artist every day
    • The theatre experience that changed my life
    • The power of not taking the easy way out
    • Launching a company and having her dad pass away the same week
    • The behind the scenes of launching a business and the mess along the way
    • The path to happiness *hint* it's not what you expect
    • The top 3 tool for tackling your to-do list

    LINKS MENTIONED IN TODAY'S EPISODE

    Bullymake discount code: LYFYL for $10 off your box

    Firebrand theatre // Get your tickets to 9 to 5

    Harmony's blog

    Lizzie Borden: the musical

    The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up

    The Diva Cup / Thinx

    The musicals Dessa Rose and Loving Repeating

    Black Panther

    The Den Theatre in Chicago

     

    BOMB ASS WAYS TO CONNECT 

    Join our community where we chat all things real talk, and you get the inside scoop on guests, a chance to ask questions & be surrounded by a tribe of ladies who GET you!

    Shout out the pod on Instagram and tag @liveyourfuckyeslife or leave a review on itunes to get featured on the podcast! 

     

    Episode #9: How to communicate effectively with your partner & rekindle the spark in your relationship with Rachel and Kyle Wright

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    EPISODE SNEAK PEEK

    "A lot of the times we have stories going on in our heads about sex or pleasure in our heads that we don't even know are there. And they're from the media or our familIes or 'Mom told me that if you do x y and z you're a slut' so I can't do those things, and you have no idea that that's playing in the background the whole time and that's why you're not orgasm-ing in bed."

    What would it look like to revolutionize how we share, teach, and talk about sex, relationships, and mental health? That’s exactly what Rachel + Kyle Wright have set out to do. Wright Wellness Center is bridging the gap between a self-help book and a therapist’s couch — bringing psycho-education to life and equipping people with the tools they need (and that our society doesn't teach us!) to have fulfilling and healthy relationships and lives. 

    Here are a few things we discussed in today’s episode:

    • The story of how Rachel & Kyle met
    • The effect building a business together has had on their marriage
    • Where my love of post it notes started
    • How to move out of the "roommate trap" in your relationship, and why you're in it in the first place
    • Communication tools to open the door to a happy and healthy relationship
    • How to actually understand the emotions you and your partner are experiencing
    • How to get back to being intimate when you've lost the spark in your relationship
    • Love languages as a tool for understanding how you show love and receive love
    • Why putting yourself first is CRUCIAL for your relationship

    LINKS MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE

    Bullymake -- use code LYFYL for $10 off your box!

    WWC Facebook group // Member Hub

    George Carlin's book 

    Ladies & Libidos masterclass

    Love Languages test

    Meyers briggs test

    The Aviary

     

    BOMB ASS WAYS TO CONNECT 

    Join our community where we chat all things real talk, and you get the inside scoop on guests, a chance to ask questions & be surrounded by a tribe of ladies who GET you!

    Shout out the pod on Instagram and tag @liveyourfuckyeslife or leave a review on itunes to get featured on the podcast! 

    photos by Kyle Wilson , Zeke D and Cam Frontain