There was a moment where I had a choice.

I could keep things smooth.
Stay likable.
Trust authority over my own knowing.

Or I could tell the truth and feel myself again.

In this episode, I share a story from early in my career when I found myself sitting across from people with power over my job, my reputation, and my future—being asked to soften what I knew was true.

I pause the story at the exact moment it mattered and ask you the same question I had to answer:

What would you do—when you're sandwiched in hierarchy, you need a paycheck, and the people above you can shape your career?

This isn't about judging yourself.
It's not about being brave for the sake of bravery.

It's about awareness.

Noticing when you self-abandon to keep the peace.
And noticing what it costs you when you do.

If this episode stirred something in you—especially patterns of overfunctioning, staying agreeable, or managing other people's comfort at the expense of your own—this is the exact work I do with clients.

If you're curious whether coaching with me is the right fit, you can learn more at
👉 www.cassandrapickett.com

What if the thing you're most embarrassed about actually taught you something important?

Inside this episode, we talk about:
• why insecurity often looks reasonable in the moment
• how control feeds anxiety instead of calming it
• the difference between access and intimacy
• why growth usually comes after repetition, not perfection
• how to recognize when fear is asking for reassurance

If you've ever reread texts for tone, monitored someone's mood, or told yourself "I just need to know more," this episode will feel painfully familiar and deeply relieving.

Work with Cassandra
If you found yourself thinking "why do I keep doing this?" or "I know better but I still get stuck," Cassandra is currently opening a limited number of Blind Spot Reads.

You can learn more or book yours here:
https://www.cassandrapickett.com/blindspotread

Season 2 Finale
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When the air turns crisp and the light disappears before dinner, something shifts. You crave soup, quiet, and candles—but your brain's shouting, "Keep going!" This week, Cassandra unpacks why our bodies ask for hibernation long before our calendars do, and how to rest intentionally instead of crashing into it.

You'll hear how a "grizzly bear season" taught her that rest isn't passive—it's participation.
Because you can't just slap a "restored" tag on your chest and power through the holidays. You have to actually lie down in your own cave.

If you've ever entered January feeling like a raccoon after a rave, this one's for you.

Listen in to learn:

• Why rest won't stick if you don't participate in it
  
  

• How to notice your body's seasonal shifts before burnout does
  
  

• Why "permission to hibernate" might be your most productive move yet
  
  

🖤 Rooting for your rest, your soup and bread, and your quiet season.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Girl You Good? Membership — group coaching + private community for ambitious women who want sustainable growth and grounded connection.
  → cassandrapickett.com/girlyougood

Turning 40 brought a kind of healing I didn't expect. My closest friends threw me a birthday party that felt more like a soul reset than a celebration. In the middle of the laughter, tears, and gifts, I had this vivid moment of feeling little — not small, but safe.

I saw my cousin's teary eyes, tissue paper everywhere, and realized… this is what it feels like to be loved without performance. To be messy and still adored. To receive like a little girl again — openly, fully, and without apology.

In this episode, I'm unpacking how powerful it can be when grown women let themselves receive like little girls — when we stop deflecting love, stop minimizing our needs, and allow ourselves to be cared for.

Because women spend so much of life giving, but real connection starts when we learn to let love in.

You don't actually feel guilty—you feel uncomfortable.

In this episode, Cassandra breaks down one of the most common emotional mix-ups: guilt versus discomfort. We use "guilty" as a catch-all for every twinge of anxiety, people-pleasing, or fear of disappointing someone—but true guilt only applies when a repair is needed.

If you didn't do something wrong, you don't owe a repair. What you owe yourself is honesty about what's underneath the feeling.

Cassandra walks through real-life examples (including the "forgot to invite the guests" birthday scenario) to help you tell the difference between false guilt and real accountability—and explains why mislabeling every hard emotion as guilt cheats you out of clarity and growth.

You'll learn:
• What guilt is actually designed to do
• Why false guilt keeps you stuck in people-pleasing
• How to reframe discomfort as growth
• Why "she's not that helpless and I'm not that powerful" might become your new mantra

By the end, you'll stop apologizing for having limits and start recognizing that discomfort doesn't mean you've done something wrong—it means you're evolving.

🖤 Rooting for you,
Cassandra Pickett, LMFT
Certified Clini-Coach®

The Time I Lost a Friend

Sometimes "helping" isn't actually helping.

In this episode, I share the story of a friendship I lost when I stepped into a conflict that wasn't mine to solve. From chasing silence and losing sleep, to realizing I was spiraling in my people-pleasing era, this is the moment I learned the hard truth:

👉 I'm not that powerful. And she's not that helpless.

You'll hear:

• Why "fixing" someone else's problem can damage the very relationship you're trying to protect

• How over-functioning and codependency sneak into friendships

• The obsessive stress and anxiety that come with chasing closure

• The hindsight lesson: we weren't actually a good fit — and how wellness helps me see that now

• A reminder for when you feel responsible for other people's conflicts

Listen in and see where you might be carrying conversations that don't belong to you.

If your life was a movie, what would the audience be screaming at you right now? In this episode, I'll teach you how to use the "movie lens" trick to spot blind spots, catch old patterns, and push into your growth edge. You'll learn how to move beyond self-reflection and actually hold the edge—so growth sticks instead of slipping away.

https://www.cassandrapickett.com/girlyougood

What if your group chat habits are actually a mirror of how you show up in life? In this episode, I share a story about a friend overwhelmed by constant chat notifications—and how that opened the door to a bigger truth about boundaries, over-functioning, and connection. Plus, I'll give you a simple skill you can use right now to set group-chat boundaries that translate into healthier boundaries everywhere.

https://www.cassandrapickett.com/girlyougood