Why do we keep repeating patterns we know aren’t serving us?

In this episode of Shelf Care Society: The Podcast, I sit down with Dr. Nicole LePera (@the.holistic.psychologist) to talk about her new book, Reparenting the Inner Child: The New Science of Our Oldest Wounds and How to Heal Them—a deeply practical guide to understanding where our behaviors come from and how to actually change them.

We talk about how childhood experiences shape the way we show up as adults—why we shut down, people-please, self-sabotage, or stay stuck in the same cycles—and how those patterns are often rooted in an “inner child” still trying to get unmet needs fulfilled.

Nicole breaks down what it really means to “reparent” yourself: creating the safety, boundaries, and emotional regulation you may not have had growing up, and learning how to respond instead of react. Through small, consistent practices, she shows how we can begin to rewrite the stories we’ve carried for years and build a more grounded, self-trusting version of ourselves.

We also get into the gap between awareness and action, the role of the nervous system in healing, and why real change isn’t about perfection—it’s about showing up differently, day by day.

This is one of those conversations that helps you understand not just what needs to change—but how to begin.