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Therapy Thursday

What if bravery looked less like a roar and more like a 10-minute habit you actually keep? We sit down with author and educator Renee Zukin to explore radical bravery as a daily practice, not a performance. From quarterly life planning to the tiny wins that keep momentum alive, we unpack how consistency, compassion, and honest conversations reshape mental health in the real world.

Renee shares her path through OCD, intrusive thoughts, and panic—how a diagnosis brought clarity, how exposure and cognitive tools changed her thinking, and why regression during COVID wasn’t a failure but an invitation to use hard-won skills again. Her story reframes courage on a sliding scale: some days it’s getting out of bed or eating the meal in front of you; other days it’s flying after years on the ground. We also talk about the hidden cost of faking confidence at work, and why simple resets—standing in a meeting, a 30-second breath, a quick walk—can protect your nervous system and prevent burnout.

The heart of the episode is truth-telling with care. We model tough mother-daughter conversations that stay tender, not damaging, and show how writing or reflection can create clarity before you speak. Add in practical tools like the Finch app for micro-habits, and a quarter-by-quarter approach that turns big visions into small steps, and you’ve got a roadmap for growth that honors real life. Everyone is brave about something. Name yours, take the next tiny step, and keep going.

If this resonated, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs courage today, and leave a quick review so more listeners can find these conversations.

Renee Zukin is an author, educator, coach, and
mental health advocate doing the inner work to see
outer change. She has more than 20 years of
experience in education, writing, and
entrepreneurship, and has studied multiple
psychological and healing modalities that have
sustained her and helped support her students and
clients alike. Renee is passionate about cultivating a
safe space for others to use the written word and
organizational structures as tools for
self-transformation and empowerment.

Website

Book Link Everyday I'm Brave

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Host Candace Patrice
Co-host Janet Hale

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Music by Lukrembo: https://soundcloud.com/lukrembo
Provided by Knowledge Base: https://bit.ly/2BdvqzN