Today we’re talking about something so many women carry quietly: disordered eating and body image stuff. We get honest about our own histories (yep, both ends of the spectrum) and what actually helped us move toward peace—without shame, perfection, or “just try harder” nonsense.

In this episode, we talk about:

• How eating disorders aren’t just anorexia and bulimia—there’s a whole range of disordered eating behaviors
• Patti’s experience with control, trauma, food hiding, bingeing, and the shame spiral
• Jan’s experience with thinness pressure, dance culture, and bingeing/purging without even knowing what it was called
• Why food often becomes a coping tool (just like alcohol, drugs, work, shopping… you get it)
• How body dysmorphia messes with what we think we see in the mirror
• The sneaky messages we absorb from family, culture, and “well-meaning” comments
• Why therapy matters (because food is rarely the real issue)
• The power of permission: eating carbs, adding snacks, and even having dessert on purpose

If you’re struggling, here’s what we encourage:

• Consider therapy with someone who understands trauma + body image
• Work with a registered dietitian/nutritionist who doesn’t shame bodies (HAES-aligned can be a great fit)
• Start small with body neutrality: “I’m not broken” is a powerful first step

Find resources mentioned in this episode here.

Learn more about this podcast here.

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*Information shared on this podcast is not medical advice. If you have a concern about your physical or mental health, please seek support from a proessional.

The conversation this week with our colleague and friend, Dr. Rick Butts, stopped us in our tracks—in the best way.

Rick walked us through his grief timeline, beginning with losing his grandmother at 7, his father at 10, and later his mother at 35. What unfolded was something we hadn’t quite thought about before: grief isn’t just an event… it’s a thread that runs through your entire life.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Why many of us get “stuck” in one stage of grief (hello, denial)
• How childhood loss quietly shapes adult coping patterns
• Why unprocessed grief lives in the body
• The idea that all counseling is grief work
• What it means to complete a “threat response”
• How to create your own grief timeline
• Why retirement, divorce, moving, and unmet expectations are real losses
• How mindfulness helps us embody grief instead of outrun it
• The power of meaning-making in healing

Rick vulnerably shares his own journey—from shutting down as a 10-year-old boy to fully grieving decades later through experiential therapy.

And we ask the big question:

Where are you in your grief timeline?

If this episode stirred something in you, you’re not alone. Grief is not weakness. It’s human. And you don’t have to move through it by yourself.

About Dr. Rick Butts:

Rick has been a therapist for the past 37 years. During this time, he has been a professor at two different Universities. At the University of Cincinnati, he taught in the Human Social Services department. And at the Cincinnati Christian University, he taught in their Master of Arts in counseling program. Throughout these 37 years, he has maintained a private practice focused for several years on children, adolescents, and families. Then he transitioned to adults with an interest in developmental and relational trauma and couples counseling. In 2013, he co-founded the Healing Our Core Issues Institute with Jan Bergstrom, which is a training program for therapists, social workers, marriage and family therapists, psychologists, and coaches.

Website: https://www.drrickbutts.com

Find resources mentioned in this episode here.

Learn more about this podcast here.

Submit your 90-second lesson/experience here.

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Stay updated on new episodes here.

*Information shared on this podcast is not medical advice. If you have a concern about your physical or mental health, please seek support from a proessional.

In this episode, we talk about the many faces of grief—and how it's not just about death. From heartbreak and dementia to aging bodies and old friendships, this one’s for anyone who’s had to say goodbye to something (or someone) they loved.

We get into:

• The sneaky, shapeshifting nature of grief
• What “ambiguous grief” actually means
• How grief is deeply connected to attachment
• Why we need rituals—and how they help us move through pain
• Grief triggers and how to cope
• Creating meaning from loss (even when it feels impossible)

Whether you’re in it, past it, or dreading it—this conversation will meet you where you are.

Find resources mentioned in this episode here.

Learn more about this podcast here.

Submit your 90-second lesson/experience here.

Apply to be a guest here.

Stay updated on new episodes here.

*Information shared on this podcast is not medical advice. If you have a concern about your physical or mental health, please seek support from a proessional.

In this episode, we sit down with the wildly talented and utterly honest Ma Sherry Glaser—actress, playwright, author, and activist. Sherry shares her harrowing (and strangely funny) journey through a stroke, a cancer diagnosis, and a kidney tumor... all discovered after avoiding the medical system for decades.

This one’s about what happens when your magical thinking meets a medical emergency—and what it really means to make peace with death.

You’ll hear us talk about:

• How denial and “wishful wellness” can sometimes teach something else
• The shame and shock of getting seriously ill
• What it’s like to have a stroke and discover a tumor in one hospital visit
• Her powerful new show, Life and Death: A Love Story
• And why life tastes sweeter when you finally stop trying so damn hard

If you’ve ever feared getting older, been shocked by your own medical chart, or just wondered how to actually live while you’re still here—this one’s for you.

About Ma Sherry:

Sherry Glaser is originally from New York City and has been doing comedy for over 40 years. She is the star and author of 4 One woman shows, TAKING THE HIGH ROAD, (Comic confessions from behind the Cannabis Curtain), The ADVENTURES OF SUPER ACTIVIST MOTHER, OH MY GODDESS! and the Longest running one woman show in off-Broadway Herstory – FAMILY SECRETS. Sherry is a published author of THE FIRST PRACTICAL HANDBOOK FOR CRAZY PEOPLE, of her memoir FAMILY SECRETS, and MAMA’S 1ST POCKET CHICKTIONARY. She is the founder of the Peace Advocacy group; Breasts not Bombs Her new play is LIFE AND DEATH: A Love Story

Links for Ma Sherry:

Website

Instagram

Sherry also offer Tarot readings. You can contact her directly for more information here.

Find resources mentioned in this episode here.

Learn more about this podcast here.

Submit your 90-second lesson/experience here.

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Stay updated on new episodes here.

*Information shared on this podcast is not medical advice. If you have a concern about your physical or mental health, please seek support from a proessional.

In this episode, we go there—into the deep, raw, and very real territory of death and dying. Sounds jolly, right? But seriously, it's the conversation no one prepared us for, and that’s exactly why we’re having it.

We're getting honest about:

• Sudden loss and the trauma of unexpected death
• The weird things our brains do when we first hear someone’s gone
• The difference between grief and the act of dying
• End-of-life planning, medical aid in dying, and making peace with our mortality
• And yes… the “Oh No” book, because someone’s gotta know where the passwords are

We laugh, we share personal stories, and we hope this episode helps you feel a little more seen and a little less alone.

Find resources mentioned in this episode here.

Learn more about this podcast here.

Submit your 90-second lesson/experience here.

Apply to be a guest here.

Stay updated on new episodes here.

*Information shared on this podcast is not medical advice. If you have a concern about your physical or mental health, please seek support from a proessional.

In this episode, we sat down with Kristy Dillon—therapist, survivor, and truth-teller—to talk about something that too many people still struggle to say out loud: sexual abuse.

This conversation is raw, honest, and full of the kind of wisdom that only comes from deep healing. If you've experienced abuse—or love someone who has—this episode is for you.

Here’s what we talk about:

• What it’s like to tell your story after years of silence
• How sexual abuse impacts identity, relationships, and trust
• The complicated feelings survivors often have about their abusers
• What healing actually looks like (hint: it's not linear)
• How safe touch, therapy, and community helped Kristy reclaim her body
• The power of saying it out loud—yes, even if it’s messy or imperfect

Trigger warning: We talk about childhood sexual abuse. Please take care of yourself as you listen. You can pause, come back, or skip this one if it’s not the right time.

👉🏼 If this resonates with you, you're not alone. Healing is possible. We're proof.

About Kristy:

Kristy Dillon is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor in Dayton, Ohio with over 30 years of experience in the counseling field. She has been trained in Somatic Experiencing, Developmental and Relational Trauma, and Polyvagal Theory. Over the years, she has worked in Community Mental Health Centers, private psychiatric practice, school-based counseling, and private practice.

Kristy was motivated to earn a degree in Counseling after engaging in her own personal counseling to address sexual trauma she experienced as a child. The profound healing she experienced inspired her to learn how to support others through their own healing journeys.

View Kristy’s profile here.

Find resources mentioned in this episode here.

Learn more about this podcast here.

Submit your 90-second lesson/experience here.

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Stay updated on new episodes here.

*Information shared on this podcast is not medical advice. If you have a concern about your physical or mental health, please seek support from a proessional.

In this episode, Patti shares her experience of childhood sexual abuse, what healing has looked like over the decades, and why it’s so important that we talk about the things that were buried under shame, silence, or secrecy for way too long.

We’re not getting into graphic details—but we are talking honestly about the emotional toll and long-term impact of being hurt by someone who was supposed to protect you.

Here’s what we dive into:

• How trauma shows up in your adult body, even when your mind doesn’t “remember”
• The difference between being a victim and choosing healing
• The complications of caretaking for the very people who failed to protect you
• How to recognize signs of abuse in children—and why it’s never too late to speak out
• What experiential therapies, boundaries, and nervous system work can do for your healing

This one is vulnerable, raw, and real—but it’s also filled with hope.

If this topic is hard for you, please take care of yourself first. Hit pause if you need to. And know you're not alone.

Resources mentioned:

• Gifts from a Challenging Childhood by Jan Bergstrom
• Running on Empty by Jonice Webb
• The Courage to Heal by Ellen Bass and Laura Davis
• Experiential therapy modalities: ART (Accelerated Resolution Therapy), Gestalt, Inner Child Work

We see you. We’ve got you.

Find resources mentioned in this episode here.

Learn more about this podcast here.

Submit your 90-second lesson/experience here.

Apply to be a guest here.

Stay updated on new episodes here.

*Information shared on this podcast is not medical advice. If you have a concern about your physical or mental health, please seek support from a proessional.

This week, we’re getting real about something that hits close to home.

We’re joined by Jan’s dear friend and fellow therapist Laura Williams, who bravely shares her journey through an unexpected breast cancer diagnosis. Stage zero—no symptoms, no lump, no family history. Just one routine mammogram that saved her life.

In this episode, we talk about:

• How a mammogram caught Laura’s cancer before it spread
• What “stage zero” breast cancer really means
• The wild (and frustrating) realities of navigating treatment
• Radiation, Tamoxifen, and the side effects no one warns you about
• The emotional toll of playing it “fine” while quietly falling apart
• How women are often told to suck it up—even during cancer
• The support systems that carried her, and the ones that surprised her

This is a must-listen for any woman who’s ever put off her appointment or felt dismissed in a medical setting. Let this be your nudge, your hug, and your reminder: you matter, and your health does too.

Go get that mammogram. We mean it.

About Laura:

Laura Williams has known since her early twenties that she was called to this work — but the path to Be Found Counseling has been anything but linear. Three children, three moves, loss and birth, other careers, and her own healing journey have all shaped how she shows up as a counselor today. She looks back and can see that none of it was wasted. Every detour has deepened her belief in the power of mercy, grace, and community.

Being a counselor isn’t just what Laura does — it’s who she is. Every day, she gets to witness hope, healing, and redemption unfold in real time. It’s an honor for her to walk with people as they discover their own worth and learn to live from a place of belonging rather than shame.

While Laura’s faith deeply informs the way she sees the world, she doesn’t practice biblical counseling or label herself a Christian counselor. What guides her is how Jesus lived — bringing people out of shame into dignity, meeting them with compassion and understanding. Whether or not faith is part of someone’s story, her hope is that when they sit together, they experience unconditional love, mercy, and grace.

Laura’s work is shaped by her training with the Healing Our Core Issues Institute (HOCI), where she now serves as a member of the core faculty. The HOCI model focuses on human worth, healthy boundaries, creating meaning out of imperfection, taking responsibility for needs and desires, and cultivating joy and secure connection — both with ourselves and others.

She often says this work offers hope in the wilderness. When life feels overwhelming, lonely, or uncertain, it gives us a place to land — and a foundation we can return to again and again. After experiencing this transformation herself, Laura no longer fears the wilderness. She’s ready to step into it with you.

Laura’s Links:

Website: www.befoundcounseling.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/befoundcounseling

Find resources mentioned in this episode here.

Learn more about this podcast here.

Submit your 90-second lesson/experience here.

Apply to be a guest here.

Stay updated on new episodes here.

*Information shared on this podcast is not medical advice. If you have a concern about your physical or mental health, please seek support from a proessional.