Bonus Episode: How to Unwind When You’re Expected to Be Strong All the Time

If you’re the strong friend, the fixer, the caregiver—the one others lean on—this 5-minute bonus episode is your invitation to pause. To breathe. To remember that you’re allowed to exhale, too.

In this gentle, soul-soothing episode, Dr. Allison explores the psychology of always being strong, how that identity forms, and what it really costs our nervous systems. You'll hear practical, compassionate ways to unwind and reconnect with yourself—even if rest feels foreign or guilty.

✨ Featuring:
– Insights on performative resilience and emotional burnout
– Grounded strategies to support your nervous system
– Journal prompts, affirmations, and soulful resources for the “strong ones”
– Book, music, and podcast recommendations for deeper healing

This episode is a soft landing for anyone who needs to be reminded: you’re not here to carry it all. You deserve rest. You deserve softness. You deserve care, too.

—

🛠️ Resources Mentioned:
📚 Permission to Rest by Octavia Raheem
📚 Radiant Rest by Tracee Stanley
🎧 Therapy Chat with Laura Reagan, Ep. 244: “The Cost of Being the Strong One”
🎶 “Heavy” by Bird Talker
📝 Journal Prompt:
Where in my life am I pretending I’m okay, just to hold everything together? What might shift if I let that armor down?

—

📞 Mental Health Support:
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, you’re not alone. In the U.S., call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
Explore therapy through PsychologyToday.com or OpenPathCollective.org for affordable support.

—

🛑 Disclaimer:
This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute professional mental health advice. Please consult a licensed provider for personal guidance.

—

✨ You’re not here to carry it all. You’re here to live, soften, and be held, too.