Emotional Badass

How to Stop Toxic Relationship Patterns in 2026

28 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Why do gut instincts about toxic people get ignored and talked away despite screaming warnings? Highly sensitive people exhaust themselves doing emoti...

The HSP Brain and Holiday Loneliness

21 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Loneliness during holidays gets weaponized by shame in highly sensitive people, turning togetherness expectations into daggers stabbing at your worth....

True Confidence isn't Arrogance

14 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Confidence doesn't arrive before you do the thing, it shows up after your feet hit the ground. Nikki and Chris break down how insecurity actually work...

Sleep Meditation: The Winter Bear

07 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A cozy guided sleep meditation to help you relax, unwind, and get in touch with your sleepy grizzly side. Perfect for a cold winter night tucked benea...

This is What Confidence Looks Like

30 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Confidence isn't about being the loudest person in the room, it's about having faith in your own influence and ability. Using The Emotion Thesaurus as...

How to Scare Away Human Predators: PART 2

23 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Predators can detect trauma on highly sensitive people, and it on us to learn how to stop broadcasting vulnerability. Our body language, posture, and ...

How to Scare Away Human Predators: PART 1

16 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Predators identify trauma survivors in seconds flat just by watching how you walk into a room. A hunched posture, downward eyes, constantly saying "I'...

Your Social Media Algorithm is Harming your Nervous System

09 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Rage bait pulls your strings and your nervous system pays the price. Social media algorithms thrive on making you angry, fearful, and activated becaus...

What if You're Taught PTSD? How Fences Couldn't Protect Me as a Highly Sensitive Child

02 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Your brain splits off traumatic memories to protect you, but healing means discovering layers you didn't know were buried. A child taught to watch for...

How to Feel Embodied After Trauma

26 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Dissociation isn't a personal failure, it's your mind's brilliant survival strategy when trauma overwhelms your system. The mind and body intentionall...

Meghan Judge: Living with CPTSD & Misdiagnosis

19 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Complex PTSD doesn't show up like a broken arm - nobody opens doors for you when your nervous system is on fire. Meghan Judge shares how losing her si...

What Makes the Female Mind Capable of Bullying?

12 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The female mind works like an intricate spider web - connecting threads across time, memory, intuition, and care - which makes women's capacity for lo...

Why Strong Boundaries are your Superpower

05 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Boundaries aren't walls to keep people out - they're your foundation for freedom, and most people get this completely wrong. Growing up in chaos teach...

We Survived The Challenge Retreat: Why Pushing Limits Is the Ultimate Growth Tool

28 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Nikki and Chris dive into their transformative experience at Emily Schromm's The Challenge Retreat Season 2, a wellness adventure in California’s st...

Beyond Charlie Kirk's Assassination: Cultivating Tolerance & Processing Trauma in a Violent World

21 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Violence like Charlie Kirk’s assassination or the recent Evergreen school shooting hits hard, especially for sensitive souls, but you can shield you...

Why Stubborn People Are Actually Genius

14 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Most empaths and highly sensitive people get labeled as stubborn, but this trait might actually be a superpower. Stubbornness gets reframed from negat...

Positive Masculinity: Why Real Men Cry

07 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Chris shares the raw reality of losing his father suddenly at 72 and how grief reveals the power of positive masculinity. Traditional masculine norms ...

Daddy Issues and Father Figures: What Healthy Masculinity Actually Looks Like

31 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The term "daddy issues" points to what happens when you don't get healthy fathering. A good father figure provides grounding and stability - like bein...

Building Intuitive Muscles to Repair Self Betrayal from Childhood Trauma

24 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Self-betrayal starts in childhood when trauma teaches you to ignore what your gut is telling you and go straight into overthinking mode just to surviv...

Goodbye George; Losing the Man that Made my Husband

17 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this heartfelt episode, we're navigating grief after the sudden loss of my father-in-law, Chris's dad; George. We revisit a throwback discussion on...

Getting Out of Your Head if You Had Narcissistic Parents

10 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

If you grew up with narcissistic or emotionally immature parents, you know the frustration of having all the head knowledge about healing but struggli...

Stage Fright, Self Worth, and the Power of Showing Up

03 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Happy 400th Episode!!! I sit down with Chris to talk about the fascinating connection between stage fright and sensitivity. So many of us carry this p...

How to Repair After a Fight - Part 2

27 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Continuing with part two of How to Repair after a fight, we discover that apologies are actually the easy part - the true work lies in learning co-reg...

How to Repair After a Fight - Part 1

20 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Fights happen. But for HSPs and survivors of dysfunctional families, repairing after conflict can feel terrifying. In this episode, I teach what I wis...

Complex Emotions After Cutting Off Family: How Dreams Help You Process

13 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Going no contact with family isn’t a straight line—and sometimes it shows up in your dreams. We talk about the complex grief of family estrangemen...

The Italian Yankee and the Southern Belle: Lessons in Love and Family Dysfunction

06 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Relationships and family dysfunction are two complex yet vital pieces of the mental health puzzle that come together when my husband Chris joins me on...

What My Grandpa's WWII Survival Story Taught Me About Codependency and Resilience

29 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

If you’ve ever felt behind in life or overwhelmed by pressure to be further along, I hope this episode gives you space to pause and really honor how...

Avoidant, Anxious, or Secure? What are attachment styles and how does our past shape them?

22 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Many people misunderstand their attachment style, overidentify with labels, or confuse trauma responses with personality traits. Today we break down s...

Sean Combs AKA Diddy on Trial - How to recognize bedroom fun vs abuse - PART 2

15 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Are you seeing yourself or someone you know in the Sean Combs AKA Diddy trial footage and wondering if you're in a similar toxic dynamic? In this raw ...

Sean Combs AKA Diddy on Trial - How to recognize bedroom fun vs abuse - PART 1

08 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What if the alleged stories coming out of the Diddy Sean Combs trial feel more familiar than shocking? What can the trial teach us about recognizing p...

Why Highly Sensitive People Feel Different

01 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Why do HSPs feel like they're fighting an uphill battle in a world that's lost its conscientiousness? After working with HSPs for nearly two decades, ...

Types of Grief You Carry Without Realizing & How to Survive Each One

26 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Feeling swallowed by grief’s endless waves? I unpack anticipatory loss, disenfranchised pain, and the ripple-effect grief few name, guiding highly s...

Empathy Has a Price: Balancing Compassion with Self-Protection

18 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we explore how empathy can become costly when not balanced with healthy discernment. Childhood trauma often creates "red flag erasers...

Reflecting & The Truth About Student Loans They Never Told Us

11 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Is your inner critic louder than your inner nurturer when you think about past money mistakes? I’ve wrestled with reflection that felt like punishme...

The Soulful Bucket List That Healed Me and Changed Everything

04 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Many Highly Sensitive People live in constant survival mode, feeling burnt out, anxious, and disconnected from joy. In this episode, we offer a soulfu...

Call in Show: Why Energy Vampires ALWAYS Find You (And How To Stop It)

27 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Why do certain people always seem to find and drain you? Mental health problems often worsen for Highly Sensitive People when they continually attract...

The Positive Side Effects of Healing That No One Talks About

20 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever wondered what unexpected benefits might emerge from your healing journey? As we work through our pain and trauma, most of us focus solel...

Narcissists Count on You Making THESE Emotional Mistakes

13 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Healing from narcissistic abuse involves recognizing and stopping harmful patterns like self-blame, excessive politeness, emotional avoidance, and den...

Am I emotionally constipated? 7 Signs you can't ignore

06 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Ever find yourself apologizing just for having feelings? Congrats, you're officially emotionally constipated—yes, that's a thing. It happens when yo...

How Betrayal Changed My View on Loyalty Forever

01 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Does your loyalty ever feel like a never-ending burden? For Highly Sensitive People (HSPs), loyalty is deeply emotional, intensifying after betrayal. ...

CALL IN: How to Accept Your Family’s Limitations and Still Set Boundaries as an HSP

23 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Highly sensitive people must accept that low empathy and low maturity family members may never offer the understanding or support they crave, and inst...

7 Quotes That Instantly Shift Your Perspective - from Existentialist Søren Kierkegaard

16 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Are you craving more meaning and direction in your life? These 7 life-changing existential quotes from Søren Kierkegaard will inspire you to take bac...

The Opposite of Anxiety: What It Really Means to Feel Calm

09 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

♥ BREAKTHROUGH PEACE PROGRAM: https://www.emotionalbadass.com/peace Why is it so easy to name stressful emotions but hard to describe peace? Many hi...

Are You Absorbing Other People’s Anxiety? Here’s How to Stop! Call In Show

02 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Highly sensitive people often struggle with absorbing others’ emotions, but by setting emotional boundaries, practicing self-permission, and using g...

Is Emotional Maturity the Key to Success in the 21st Century?

23 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Emotional maturity is the foundation of healing, yet trauma, manipulation, and survival strategies can keep us trapped in immature coping patterns. In...

9 Quick and Powerful Strategies to Stop Catastrophic Thinking & Uplift Your Mind!

16 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Discover nine effective strategies to stop the habit of catastrophizing, a cognitive distortion that exaggerates potential disasters. Are you often ov...

Andrea Dunlop and Mike Weber: The Mother Next Door - The Hidden Truth About Munchausen by Proxy & Why Legal Justice is Rare

09 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Get the book here. The Mother Next Door: https://www.amazon.com/Mother-Next-Door-Deception-Munchausen/dp/B0D2FPM3GY Why is Munchausen by proxy one of ...

How to cope with bullying communication, harsh words, and emotional jabs

02 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Harsh communication transforms into a powerful opportunity for emotional strength and healing. This episode explores how verbal attacks, criticism, an...

Getting to Know YOURSELF in Recovery and Healing

26 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Reconnecting with your wants and needs through self-awareness, self-compassion, and mindful practices fosters deep healing and inner peace. Have you s...

Why Anxious and Highly Sensitive People Struggle with Sleep and How to Fix It

19 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Breaking free from anxiety-fueled worry cycles and practicing intentional rest empowers highly sensitive people to cultivate better sleep and mental h...

The Dance Your Emotional Life Is Craving

12 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Highly sensitive people can cultivate peace and navigate life's challenges by learning to feel emotions fully, set boundaries, and embrace a balance b...

How Does Our Food System Impact Your Mental Health? Interview with Emily Schromm

05 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Explore personal and global transformation through insightful discussions on mental health, self-awareness, and how societal systems shape individual ...

How to Build Your Foundation of Stillness for the New Year

29 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Check out the Breakthrough Peace Program: https://bit.ly/peace-program Embrace the power of stillness and letting go to rebuild and strengthen your em...

The Essence of Home: How to Transform Any Space into a Sanctuary of Comfort and Safety

22 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Why is feeling at home important to your emotional health? Join me as we discuss how the concept of home extends beyond walls and furnishings into emo...

Empaths and Emotions (Part 2) Managing Anger Effectively

15 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Ever wonder why empaths suffer from prolonged emotional pain? It's the struggle with balancing anger and compassion. This guide provides essential tec...

Empath Survival Guide (Part 1) Emotional Intelligence and Boundary Setting

08 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Do you find yourself absorbing the emotions of others and feeling overwhelmed? As empaths and highly sensitive people (HSPs), our finely tuned nervous...

How Embracing Presence Can Help You Reclaim Mental Health and Thrive as an HSP

01 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Are you caught in the exhausting loop of replaying the past or worrying about the future? For many Highly Sensitive People (HSPs), survival often beco...

Top Signs You’re Stuck in Desperation and How to Break Free for Mental Health

24 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What would it take for you to let go of desperation and embrace peace? Desperation is a learned survival mechanism that keeps Highly Sensitive People ...

Want to Know The Hidden Costs of Retaliation on Mental Health?

17 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How can choosing not to retaliate impact mental health? Understanding the value of self-respect and a personal moral compass can be transformative, es...

How Practicing Buddhist Non-Attachment Can Boost Mental Health in Political Times

10 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Is political stress disrupting your mental health and inner peace? Practicing detachment with a Buddhist approach can empower HSPs to navigate emotion...

How Emotional Expression Helps HSPs Recover from Trauma and Build Inner Strength

03 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Reframing emotional strength as embracing vulnerability and allowing oneself to feel and express emotions authentically is key to personal healing, es...

Understanding Why Therapists Aren't Perfect: Essential Info for Mental Health and HSPs

27 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Is it possible your expectations of your therapist are holding back your mental health? It’s common for clients, especially those recovering from tr...

9 Common Irrational Beliefs about Therapists and Trauma Therapy: A Mental Health Guide for HSPs

20 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Are you expecting your therapist to "fix" you? The truth is, therapy isn't about fixing but about helping you create the optimal conditions for self-h...

How to Use Coping Strategies to Move from Grief to Acceptance and Improve HSPs Mental Health

13 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Are you numbing out to avoid the pain of grief? Highly sensitive people often struggle to balance intense emotions, leading them to use numbing behavi...

Avoid These Grief Pitfalls That Highly Sensitive People Must Know

06 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What makes grief different for highly sensitive people? Explore the role of emotional education in understanding and managing grief tailored to the ne...

Is Your Past Holding You Back? Learn to Let Go and Soothe Your Nervous System

29 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever struggled to let go of emotional burdens? Highly sensitive people often carry the weight of the past, making it harder to heal. This epi...

Discover Why Gurus and the Law of Attraction play a Crucial Role in Your Personal Growth!

22 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What makes a guru influential in our journey toward better mental health? This discussion explores how both people and experiences, including teaching...

The #1 Obstacle Preventing You From Setting Healthy Boundaries

15 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Are you struggling to set boundaries because you're afraid of being seen as mean? Boundaries are essential for maintaining mental health and personal ...

Using Intention and Attention: Simple Steps for Highly Sensitive People to Manage Stress and Mental Health Better

08 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Highly sensitive people (HSPs) often struggle with stress management, especially bodily stress, but focusing on intention and attention can make a big...

Do's and Don'ts for Highly Sensitive People

01 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Are you constantly overwhelmed by endless to-do lists? For Highly Sensitive People (HSPs), managing mental health can feel like a balancing act. But w...

How Myofunctional Therapy, The Vagus Nerve, and Tongue Posture Can Relieve Chronic Pain; Hayley Rutford

25 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What if your chronic pain, sleep problems, and even stress could be alleviated by something as simple as tongue posture? This intriguing episode uncov...

Turn Dread into Emotional Strength and Peace: Mental Health Guide for Highly Sensitive People

18 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Why do Highly Sensitive People (HSPs) often carry the weight of future anxieties in their present moments? If you’re an HSP, you might resonate with...

Am I being Persuaded or Manipulated? Narcissist Abuse Recovery and Highly Sensitive People

11 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How can you tell the difference between persuasion and manipulation? For survivors of narcissistic abuse, this distinction is vital for rebuilding sel...

Cozy Nighttime Guided Meditation with Binaural Beats | 8 hours of Delta Brain Waves for Deep Restoration and Healing

04 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Experience deep, restorative sleep with this 8-hour sleep guided meditation, featuring soothing ambient music and binaural beats designed to guide you...

8 Signs You're an INFJ: Understand These Traits to Improve Relationships and Mental Health

28 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Ever wonder why small talk feels draining or why you gravitate towards helping others? Explore the unique traits of INFJs and how they impact Highly S...

Help Support the Show and Get Exclusive Content! Pateron Community Updates

25 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

https://www.patreon.com/emotionalbadass I discuss the challenges of navigating online content creation and maintaining integrity in a rapidly changing...

10 Ways to Manage Stress & Anxiety During Political Turmoil

21 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Are you struggling to manage stress in today's political climate? Discover how rejecting fear-based reactivity and fostering critical thinking can enh...

Narcissists VS Sociopaths VS Psychopaths - Learn the Difference & Protect Your Mental Health

14 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

So what are the key differences between Narcissists, Sociopaths, and Psychopaths? Discover how each of these personality disorders sees the world and ...

How Self-Directed Play Enhances Children's Mental Health and Emotional Growth: Dr. Peter Gray

07 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Ever wondered why play is crucial for children's mental health and early childhood development? Self directed play, driven by intrinsic motivation, is...

How Early Childhood Trauma Shaped My Mental Health and High Sensitivity: A Deep Dive

29 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Early childhood trauma is a profound force that shapes our mental health and overall well-being. My experiences from early childhood have had a signif...

Use Deep Breathing to Shift Your Anxiety to Excitement

23 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How can deep breathing transform your mental health? By shifting fear into excitement, conscious breathing offers a powerful anchor for Highly Sensiti...

Learn to Manage Expectations and Increase your Savvy as a Highly Sensitive Person

16 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How does emotional maturity and savvy help us manage feelings of overwhelm and navigate life's obstacles as HSPs. Nikki Eisenhauer offers insights on ...

Is Attention Seeking Behavior Leading to Manipulation? How HSPs Can Break the Cycle

09 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Is your need for attention rooted in childhood neglect and illness? Nikki Eisenhauer explores the profound impact of these early experiences on adult ...

How Unitarian Universalism Supports Diverse Spiritual Beliefs & Practices: Rev Dr. Marlin Lavenhar

02 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Are you struggling with religious trauma or seeking a supportive community? Unitarian Universalism offers a unique approach, emphasizing love, service...

The Truth About Boundaries, Peace, and Maturity: Improving Mental Health in Highly Sensitive People

26 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How can boundaries enhance your peace and maturity, especially if you're a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP)? In this insightful episode, we discuss how u...

Learning to Like Yourself as an HSP | Growing Your Self-Esteem and Mental Health

19 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Do you find it hard to genuinely like yourself as a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP)? Discover practical strategies to boost your self-esteem and improve...

Media Therapy: How Can "The Office" Offer Useful Mental Health Insights for HSPs

12 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Dive into the world of "The Office" and discover how Michael Scott's experiences shed light on mental health and dysfunctional family systems, particu...

Josie Lewis: How Art Teaches Us Resilience Through Rejection to improve Mental Health

05 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In today's episode, Josie Lewis shares how art can bolster mental health and resilience, offering unique perspectives on overcoming rejection and impo...

10 Tips for HSPs and Survivors to Boost Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health

28 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Discover effective strategies to improve mental health and emotional wellbeing for HSPs (Highly Sensitive People) and survivors. Learn to set healthy ...

Why "Letting Go" Is the Best Trick for Self Improvement and Mental Health for HSPs

21 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We discuss how letting go can benefit self-improvement and elevate our mindfulness practices, particularly for HSPs seeking to heal from old wounds an...

Master the Art of Stillness: A Guided Meditation for HSPs and Mental Health

14 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Explore the transformative power of stillness through a guided meditation tailored for Highly Sensitive People (HSP). We delve into effective stress r...

Understanding How Grooming & Child Sexual Abuse Happen. Unpacking The Nickelodeon Documentary 'Quiet on Set'

07 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We look at the chilling realities of grooming and child sexual abuse as we unpack the disturbing revelations from the Max Nickelodeon documentary, "Qu...

Tools for Excellent Parenting & Improving Childhood Mental Health & Anxiety: Dr. Camilo Ortiz:

31 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, my guest is Camilo Ortiz, Ph.D., A Clinical Psychologist and Associate Professor of Psychology and Director of Clinical Training in t...

How Hypervigilance & PTSD Relate to Early Childhood Psychology & Mental Health

24 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Exploring the intricate connections between hypervigilance, PTSD, early childhood psychology, and overall mental health, we delve deep into the ways o...

Powerful Affirmations for Narcissistic Abuse Recovery, Mindfulness, and Mental Health

17 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Struggling with confusion and low self-worth after experiencing narcissistic abuse? Take a deep dive into affirmations tailored for those affected by...

Why Highly Sensitive People Feel Alienated: Understanding the 80/20 Split. Mental Health Tools for Every HSP

10 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Discover the unique world of Highly Sensitive People (HSPs) and explore the profound 80/20 split that sets them apart from the majority. Delving into ...

The Untold Power of Grief in Our Mental Health Journey: Interview with Duane Osterlind LMFT

03 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Discover the profound impact grief can have on reshaping our perspectives and teaching us the true value of life. Through a heartfelt conversation bet...

How to Understand and Accept Yourself Using Agency and Identity Growth Strategies to Boost Your Mental Health

25 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Do you ever wonder whether your desires are truly yours or conditioned by past experiences? Discover how to transcend childhood limitations, embrace ...

7 Mind Games Narcissists Play. Protect your Mental Health from Manipulation.

18 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Do you find yourself attracting unhealthy relationships? It's not your fault. Highly sensitive people (HSP) and trauma survivors often unconsciously ...

How Do Cultural Experiences Effect Mental Health and Personal Growth. New Orleans Edition

11 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Dive deep into the vibrant heart of New Orleans culture on this journey of discovery and self-exploration. In this episode we explore how our cultural...