Can stress quietly erode your connection, intimacy, and presence with the people you love most?

In this powerful Part 2, Dr. Libby Weaver — bestselling author, nutritional biochemist, and creator of The Invisible Load — joins Dr. Katie Stirling to explore how chronic stress impacts our relationships, libido, and nervous system health.

Together, they unpack what happens when we live in a constant fight–flight–freeze state and share the practical, evidence-based tools to help you calm your body and reconnect with what matters most.

In this episode: • How stress hijacks presence and emotional intimacy • Why resentment — not just hormones — kills libido • What the fight–flight–freeze response looks like in relationships • How nutrition, iron, and gut health affect your mood and stress resilience • Simple nervous system resets you can use every day • Three small lifestyle shifts to move from the red zone to calm

🔗 Dr Libby Links: • Website: www.drlibby.com • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drlibby/ • Dr Libby's Bio Blends: https://www.bioblends.com/

✨ Dr Katie Links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drkatiestirling/ Website: www.drkatiestirling.com YouTube: Call Me Katie Podcast

🎧 Listen to Part 1: 👉 Living in the Red Zone: Dr. Libby Weaver on Stress, Health & Breaking the Busy Cycle

Why constant fight-or-flight is damaging your body — and how to break free.

Are you constantly “on,” overwhelmed, or running on adrenaline? In this episode of Call Me Katie, Clinical Psychologist Dr. Katie Stirling sits down with nutritional biochemist and bestselling author Dr. Libby Weaver to explore what it really means to live in the red zone — and how to break the cycle.

You’ll learn:

- Signs you’re living in fight-or-flight - The hidden toll on digestion, hormones & mood - Dr. Libby’s Rushing Woman Syndrome - What chronic stress looks like in men - How the invisible mental load impacts your nervous system - Practical strategies to calm your nervous system

👉 Subscribe for practical tools: https://www.youtube.com/@CallMeKatiePodcast?sub_confirmation=1

📚 Dr Libby's Links: – Dr. Libby’s website & supplements: https://www.drlibby.com

– Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drlibby

– YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@drlibby6300

👉 Subscribe for weekly resources: https://www.youtube.com/@CallMeKatiePodcast?sub_confirmation=1

👩‍⚕️ Connect with Dr. Katie: – Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drkatiestirling

– Website: https://www.drkatiestirling.com

#Stress #NervousSystem #CallMeKatiePodcast #DrLibbyWeaver

Are we over-labeling normal relationship struggles — and what actually separates a psychopath, a narcissist, and an avoidant partner?

Clinical and educational psychologist Dr. Maike Steinborn joins Dr. Katie Stirling to clarify the most confused terms online and offer a practical, compassionate lens you can use in real life.

In this episode: - Psychopath vs. Narcissist: Antisocial PD vs. NPD — motives, behaviors, and myths - Avoidant attachment vs. Avoidant PD: style vs. diagnosis (and why it matters) - The risks of mislabeling & stigma — how it blocks change - Can people with NPD change? What it requires - How to use psychology without weaponizing labels — focus on behaviors & repair

FREE Resources: • Stop Reactive Communication (Free Guide): https://stan.store/drkatiestirling/p/stop-reactive-communication--free-guide • 7 Steps to Effective Breaks (Free Guide): https://www.drkatiestirling.com/free-tool-deescalate-conflict

Guest: • Dr. Maike Steinborn — YouTube: @DrMaikeSteinborn | IG: @drmaikasteinborn

Connect with Dr. Katie: • Instagram: @drkatiestirling | Website: https://www.drkatiestirling.com | YouTube: Call Me Katie Podcast

Why do some relationships thrive while others fall apart?

In this episode, Family Lawyer and author (Live, Laugh, Find True Love) Sarah Intelligator shares the 6 Fail Factors she’s seen again and again in nearly two decades of divorce cases. From fundamental values and fear to foundation, family, fairy tales, and fixing, Sarah reveals the hidden patterns that cause couples to break down — and what it takes to build a relationship that lasts.

We explore:

- The #1 red flag most people ignore when dating - How to tell the difference between fundamental values and fleeting interests - The 5 pillars every relationship foundation needs (respect, trust, communication, honesty, teamwork) - Why “don’t go to sleep angry” is a myth — and what to do instead - How fear and fixing sabotage relationships before they begin - Practical steps to strengthen communication and prevent resentment

Whether you’re dating, in a long-term relationship, or reflecting after divorce, Sarah’s insights will help you avoid common pitfalls and choose love that lasts.

🎁 Free Resource for Couples: Stop Reactive Communication → https://stan.store/drkatiestirling/p/stop-reactive-communication--free-guide

Sarah's Links: • Book: Live, Laugh, Find True Love Australia link: https://amzn.asia/d/7st5XwZ U.S. link: https://a.co/d/i3kTi7j • Website: lafamilylawpractice.com • Instagram: @sarah.a.intelligator.esq

Dr. Katie Links: • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drkatiestirling • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CallMeKatiePodcast • Website: https://www.drkatiestirling.com

Can the food on your plate transform your hormones, gut health, and even your mental wellbeing? 🌿

In this episode, I sit down with Brigid Titgemeier, MS, RDN, LD, IFNCP — Functional Medicine Registered Dietitian and founder of BeingBrigid. We explore the interconnectedness of blood sugar regulation, inflammation, and gut health, and how these elements influence women’s overall wellbeing.

You’ll hear us unpack: • Why women face unique health challenges due to hormonal changes • How nutrition and lifestyle influence chronic disease risk • The role of blood sugar regulation in mood & energy • How inflammation drives women’s health issues • Why gut health is a key element of overall wellbeing • The gut–brain connection and mental health • Why the healthcare system needs to prioritize nutrition • The truth behind common nutrition myths • How to become your own health advocate

Connect with Brigid: Website: https://beingfunctionalnutrition.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beingbrigid

Connect with Dr. Katie: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drkatiestirling YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CallMeKatiePodcast Website: https://www.drkatiestirling.com

In Part 2 of my conversation with Rachel Samson and Dr. Jessie Stern, we explore how these patterns play out in relationships and what to do about them.

Inside this episode:

• Why schemas and coping modes develop in childhood
• The classic anxious–avoidant pursue/withdraw loop and why it feels so stuck
• How to recognize flooding and use structured breaks that protect both partners
• The difference between boundaries and ultimatums (and why social media gets this wrong)
• Common attachment myths that keep us feeling broken or stuck
• Why deep listening may be the single most powerful skill for every human relationship

Whether you’re in a romantic partnership, parenting, or navigating workplace dynamics, these tools will help you shift from me vs. you into us vs. the problem.

What you’ll learn

• How avoidant partners shut down to self-protect (and how to reconnect)
• Why anxious partners amplify pursuit (and how to soothe instead)
• How to make breaks work instead of backfiring
• Why healthy relationships do have conflict — but repair faster

Resources & tools

• Free 7 Steps to Effective Breaks guide: https://www.drkatiestirling.com/download-deescalate-tool

• Free The 4 Horsemen & Their Antidotes ebook: https://stan.store/drkatiestirling/p/stop-reactive-communication--free-guide
• Program: Relationship Reset Bootcamp https://www.drkatiestirling.com/course/relationship-reset

🔗 Connect with Rachel & Dr. Jessie

Rachel Samson: @australianpsychologist

Dr. Jessie Stern: @drjessiestern

📖 Get their book Beyond Difficult: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781923046597/beyond-difficult--jessie-stern-rachel-samson--2025--9781923046597

👩‍⚕️ Connect with Dr. Katie

Instagram: @drkatiestirling

YouTube: Call Me Katie Podcast Join Katie’s Online Relationship Reset: https://www.drkatiestirling.com/course/relationship-reset

Website: www.drkatiestirling.com

👉 This is Part 2 of our conversation. Don’t miss Part 1, where we explore how attachment, temperament and neurobiology shape the way we interact in relationships: https://youtu.be/HyqWEyCDorA

Why do two people experience the same situation so differently? And why does one person’s behavior feel “difficult” while another’s doesn’t?

In this episode of Call Me Katie, I’m joined by psychologists Rachel Samson (@australianpsychologist) and Dr. Jessie Stern (@drjessiestern), co-authors of Beyond Difficult. Together, we explore the unique ingredients that make us who we are — and why understanding these factors is key to transforming our relationships.

We discuss:

• How attachment experiences shape our expectations of others
• The role of temperament in how we react and process the world
• Why neurotype & neurobiology change the way we see and feel interactions
• The double empathy problem and what it reveals about difference
• Why acceptance (not agreement) is the foundation for connection

This is Part 1 of our two-part series. Stay tuned for Episode 21, where we explore applying these insights to relationships, parenting, and navigating conflict.

🔗 Connect with Rachel & Dr. Jessie Rachel Samson: @australianpsychologist | Website Dr. Jessie Stern: @drjessiestern | Website 📖 Get their book Beyond Difficult: Readings Bookstore

👩‍⚕️ Connect with Dr. Katie Instagram: @drkatiestirling YouTube: Call Me Katie Podcast Website: www.drkatiestirling.com

🎧 Subscribe for weekly episodes on health, psychology & relationships

#PsychologyPodcast #Attachment #Temperament #Neurodiversity #BeyondDifficult

What happens when wellness becomes just another pressure to perform?

In this episode, I’m joined by nutritionist, mental health advocate, and Live Well, Be Well podcast host Sarah Ann Macklin for a powerful conversation about the ways the wellness industry may be doing more harm than good. We explore the line between health and obsession, how social media shapes our view of wellbeing, and what it actually looks like to live a life that feels good, not just looks good.

Whether you’re feeling burnt out from trying to "be healthy" or just want a more grounded, compassionate approach to wellness - this one's for you.

We discuss:

• The pressure to be “clean” and perfect

• Performative wellness and social media

• What people misunderstand about food, mood, and mental health

• Where to start if you feel disconnected from your body

• One wellness myth Sarah wishes we could all unlearn

🎧 Listen now on Call Me Katie 🎙️ Hosted by Clinical Psychologist Dr. Katie Stirling

#WellnessCulture #MentalHealthAwareness #CallMeKatiePodcast #NutritionAndMentalHealth