What if the very system that promised men strength and control was the same one keeping them silent, isolated, and hurting?

In this episode of Live Brighter with Tara, Mike and I dive into the hidden costs of the patriarchal system—how it teaches boys to suppress emotions, shapes relationships into transactions, and leaves many men struggling with shame, guilt, and disconnection.

Together, we share our own experiences of raising sons with emotional intelligence and the lessons we’ve learned about healthy masculinity, vulnerability, and true intimacy. We also explore what it takes to create safe spaces where men and women alike can show up authentically and build relationships rooted in trust, openness, and compassion.

✨ This is a conversation about breaking cycles, healing together, and reimagining what it really means to live and love with freedom.

Get Your FREE Unravel Notebook Chapter for This Week: https://www.livebrighter.info/lead-collection

For More Information: https://www.livebrighter.info/

PODCAST CHAPTERS:

00:21 Introduction: How the Patriarchal System Shapes Men’s Emotional Lives

00:52 The Pressure to Be “Strong”: Why Men Learn to Hide Their Emotions

04:19 Performance Over Presence: How Men Are Taught to Earn Love

09:29 Raising Emotionally Intelligent Sons: A New Vision for Masculinity

12:37 Shame, Guilt, and the Cost of Emotional Suppression

13:24 Breaking Free: Redefining Masculinity Beyond Performance

17:52 Rebuilding Intimacy Through Vulnerability and Authentic Connection

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Grow 1% each day, I believe in you! Thank you for listening!

Tags: #LiveBrighterWithTara #HealthyMasculinity #MensMentalHealth #BreakingTheSilence #VulnerabilityInMen #HealingTogether #RelationshipHealing #EmotionalIntelligence #FaithAndLove #PatriarchyAndHealing #MenAndEmotions

What if the challenges in your relationship weren’t roadblocks—but invitations to deeper love and healing?

In this episode of Live Brighter with Tara, Mike and I get real about the ups and downs of our own relationship journey. From inner tubing adventures that mirror connection and support, to facing the weight of suppressed trauma and spiritual warfare, we explore what it takes to move toward authenticity, radical honesty, and healing love.

We share the importance of navigating disconnection with open hearts, practicing honest communication, and choosing growth even in the hard seasons.

✨ Whether you’re walking through relationship struggles or seeking tools for deeper intimacy, this conversation offers hope, encouragement, and a reminder that love refined through honesty can truly transform.

Get Your FREE Unravel Notebook Chapter for This Week: https://www.livebrighter.info/lead-collection

For More Information: https://www.livebrighter.info/

PODCAST CHAPTERS:

00:21 Navigating Relationships: An Adventure on the River

03:30 Unpacking Childhood Trauma and Its Impact

07:33 The Role of Spiritual Warfare in Healing

11:39 Authenticity and Radical Honesty in Relationships

17:27 Tolerating Disconnection and Cultivating Intimacy

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Grow 1% each day, I believe in you! Thank you for listening!

#LiveBrighterWithTara #MarriageHealing #RelationshipGrowth #EmotionalIntimacy #RadicalHonesty #MarriageJourney #LoveAfterConflict #HealthyRelationships #AuthenticConnection #EmotionalWellness #couplesgrowth #LoveAndCommunication #InnerHealingJourney

What if your emotions weren’t chaotic or random—but a group of cartoon squirrels, each with its own voice and message? 🐿️

In this episode of Live Brighter with Tara, we explore a lighthearted yet powerful way to look at your inner world. Each “squirrel” represents a different emotional state—anxiety, protection, joy, or even playfulness—and together they create the chatter we all feel inside.

Rather than silencing or ignoring your emotions, you’ll discover how humor, self-awareness, and compassion can help you guide them with kindness. Along the way, I share practical tools around self-care and communication that bring more balance, peace, and clarity.

This conversation isn’t about pushing feelings away. It’s about learning how to work with them, while staying grounded in who you are. 🌿

✨ If you’re ready for a fresh perspective on emotional health and personal growth, tune in now for insights that are both lighthearted and life-changing.

Get Your FREE Unravel Notebook Chapter for This Week: https://www.livebrighter.info/lead-collection

For More Information: https://www.livebrighter.info/

PODCAST HIGHLIGHTS:

00:20 Introduction: Meet Your Emotional Squirrels 🐿️

01:27 Understanding the Cartoon Squirrels in Your Head

04:23 Using Humor to Make Emotions More Manageable

06:29 Soothing Your Feelings & Training Your Emotional Squirrels

07:46 HALT Method: How Self-Care Keeps Emotions in Check

11:04 Talking About Your Squirrels: Communicating Through Emotional Visualizations

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Grow 1% each day, I believe in you! Thank you for Listening!

tags: emotional healing, mental health podcast, anxiety relief, emotional intelligence, personal growth podcast, self improvement, mindfulness and emotions, healing anxiety, self compassion, emotional balance, navigating triggers, self care practices

What if your emotions weren’t your enemy—but younger versions of you asking to be heard?

In this week’s episode of Live Brighter With Tara, I share the “school bus analogy,” a powerful way to understand how your inner child, teenage self, and past experiences still ride along with you today. We’ll explore how these voices shape your reactions, why self-acceptance matters, and what it looks like to step back into the driver’s seat of your own life.

If you’ve ever felt stuck in old patterns or silenced by your emotions, this conversation offers clarity, compassion, and hope.

✨ Tune in now to discover how listening to your inner passengers can guide you toward healing, growth, and a brighter way forward.

Get Your FREE Unravel Notebook Chapter for This Week: https://www.livebrighter.info/lead-collection

For More Information: https://www.livebrighter.info/

PODCAST CHAPTERS:

00:20 Introduction: The School Bus Analogy

01:35 Understanding the Parts of You

06:02 Hearing Your Inner Voices: How This Helps You and Me

07:20 Respecting and Connecting with Past Versions of Ourselves

08:35 The Consequences of Letting Others Drive Your Bus

11:24 Taking Care of Your Bus: Embracing and Managing Inner Voices

15:20 The Importance of Feeling Your Feelings and Honoring Every Part on the Bus

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Grow 1% each day, I believe in you! Thank you for listening!

Tags:

#YourEmotionsAreLying #TriggersExposed #HealingTruth #EmotionalFreedom #BreakTheCycle #StopSelfSabotage #FromPainToPurpose #HealingUncovered #InnerCritic #ReclaimYourLife #UncomfortableTruth #LiveBrighterWithTara

The pain you’ve carried isn’t the end of your story—it’s the beginning of your freedom.

In this special mash-up of Live Brighter with Tara, three powerful stories remind us that pain doesn’t have to define us:

• Dr. Deb Muth shares her journey of chronic illness and reveals how true healing requires going beyond symptoms to address root causes.
  
  

• Dawn Dominguez explains how trauma shapes our relationships—and how breaking cycles through Depth Therapy opens the door to freedom and love.\

• Tara Wolfe Schaan shares her personal story of surviving domestic and religious abuse, learning empowered kindness, and discovering freedom through faith, truth, and authentic connection.
  
  

Together, these conversations reveal how pain can become purpose when we face it with honesty, courage, and compassion.

✨ Tune in now to begin your journey toward healing, freedom, and living brighter—one conversation at a time.

Get Your FREE Unravel Notebook Chapter for This Week: https://www.livebrighter.info/lead-collection

For More Information: https://www.livebrighter.info/

Windows of Hope: https://www.windowsofhopecounseling.org/

Connect with Dr. Deb - https://www.serenityhealthcarecenter.com/

Listen to Dr. Deb's Podcast HERE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lets-talk-wellness-now/id1449045176

PODCAST CHAPTERS:

00:20 Intro: From Pain to Purpose

01:53 Dawn Dominguez: Her Path to Becoming a Licensed Therapist

04:41 The Story Behind Windows of Hope

06:22 Depth Therapy Explained: Healing Beyond the Surface

08:42 Dawn’s Practices for Living Brighter & Nourishing Growth

14:16 Dr. Deb Muth: A Personal Healing Journey

20:25 Dr. Deb’s Daily Practices for Vibrant Living

23:41 Tara Wolfe Schaan: From Abuse to Empowerment

25:16 How Tara Lives Brighter Every Day

26:12 Conclusion: Choosing Growth, Healing & Freedom

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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Live-Brighter-with-Tara/61552844352218/

Listen on apple podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/live-brighter-with-tara/id1706176973

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3XRuiEdnUyrHjXi0kA5F8H

Grow 1% each day, I believe in you! Thank you for listening!

Tags: #LiveBrighterWithTara #FromPainToPurpose #HealingJourney #TraumaRecovery #FaithAndHealing #BreakingCycles #MentalHealthAwareness #OvercomingAbuse #SelfLoveJourney #SpiritualHealing #EmpoweredKindness #BreakFreeAndHeal #WellnessAndFaith #EmotionalHealing #LiveBrighter

What if your deepest struggles—anxiety, trauma, or broken relationships—were actually pointing you toward healing and purpose?

In this special mash-up of Live Brighter With Tara, I bring together three powerful voices: Eric Gilbert on transforming anxiety into freedom through faith and somatic healing, Susan Scott (Fierce Love) on courageous conversations and redefining love, and Terri Cole (Boundary Boss) on setting boundaries and breaking cycles of self-abandonment.

Each story is a reminder that pain doesn’t define you—it refines you. When you choose to face life’s hardest moments with honesty and courage, you step into freedom, authentic love, and deeper purpose.

✨ Tune in now to begin moving from pain to purpose—one conversation at a time.

Get Your FREE Unravel Notebook Chapter for This Week: https://www.livebrighter.info/lead-collection

For More Information: https://www.livebrighter.info/

👉 Eric Gilbert:

Follow Rising Calm Here: https://www.instagram.com/risingcalmcenter/

Eric's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ericgo143/

👉 Terri Cole

Terri Cole's Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-terri-cole-show/id1038357955 Terri Cole's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/terricole/

👉 Susan Scott

Get your copy of Fierce Conversations HERE: https://fierceinc.com/fierce-conversations/

Get your copy of Fierce Love HERE: https://fierceinc.com/resources/fierce-love/

Get your copy of Fierce Leadership HERE: https://fierceinc.com/fierce-leadership/

Fierce Inc: https://fierceinc.com/

Fierce Inc Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@UCrDEvkOyPS52tCGiizkU-Xg

PODCAST CHAPTERS:

01:40 Terri Cole: From a Boundary Disaster to a Boundary Boss

06:20 Terri Cole: How She Maintains “Living Brighter”

08:16 Eric Gilbert: Introduction & Understanding Healing and Trauma

11:23 Eric Gilbert: Helping Others with Anxiety

15:20 Eric Gilbert: Living with Purpose and Faith

18:14 Susan Scott: Introduction to Fierce Conversations

20:41 Susan Scott: Why Authentic Connections Matter

23:31 Susan Scott: Daily Practices for Joy & Living Brighter

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

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Live-Brighter-with-Tara/61552844352218/

Listen on apple podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/live-brighter-with-tara/id1706176973

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3XRuiEdnUyrHjXi0kA5F8H

Grow 1% each day, I believe in you! Thank you for listening!

Tags: #LiveBrighter #PurposeDrivenLife #InnerHealing #OvercomingAnxiety #MentalHealthSupport #HealthyBoundaries #CourageousConversations #SpiritualHealing #HealingFromTrauma #SelfWorthJourney #FaithOverFear #RiseAndHeal

What do you do when the faith you trusted becomes the source of control, shame, and betrayal?

In this episode of Live Brighter with Tara, Aubrey Taylor shares her raw and courageous story of life inside purity culture, an 18-year destructive marriage, and the loneliness of religious abuse. From public shaming in her church to private heartbreak at home, Aubrey’s journey reveals the cost of silence—and the power of choosing freedom.

Her story is not just about surviving abuse. It’s about reclaiming joy, finding healing, and stepping into a brighter future.

If you’ve faced religious trauma, betrayal, or felt trapped in a system that stole your voice, this episode offers hope, courage, and the reminder that you are not alone.

Get Your FREE Unravel Notebook Chapter for This Week: https://www.livebrighter.info/lead-collection

For More Information: https://www.livebrighter.info/

PODCAST CHAPTERS:

00:20 – Introduction & Guest Welcome

01:31 – Aubrey’s Life Before the Church

02:50 – Entering Purity Culture

05:50 – Public Shaming & Scarlet Letter

08:15 – Marriage & Loneliness Inside a Religious Community

11:46 – Breaking Free from Church & Marriage

15:06 – The Turning Point: the decision to finally leave for good.

16:50 – Healing After Betrayal: Forgiveness, coping mechanisms and reclaiming her identity.

19:48 – Lessons for Her Younger Self: Powerful reflections: questioning “normal,” honoring her inner child, and imagining her future self.

22:03 – A New Season of Life: Rebuilding with joy, supportive friendships, and designing life with intention.

25:32 – Closing Reflections and the ongoing work of healing religious trauma.

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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Live-Brighter-with-Tara/61552844352218/

Grow 1% each day, I believe in you!

Thank you for listening!

Tags: #ChristianPodcast #SpiritualAbuse #FaithAfterAbuse #BetrayalTrauma #ChurchHurt #HealingFromAbuse #DeconstructionStories #ToxicReligion #ChristianTestimony #LiveBrighterWithTara #PurityCulture #ReligiousAbuse #FaithDeconstruction #ReligiousTrauma #HealingJourney #BreakingFree

What comes to mind when you hear the name Jesus Christ? Was He just a historical figure, a wise teacher, a liar—or truly God?

In this episode of Live Brighter with Tara, I share my personal journey of wrestling with these questions, especially after experiencing the pain of religious abuse and spiritual confusion. For years, distorted church teachings made me doubt God’s goodness. Through divorce, mental health struggles, and heartbreak, I often wondered if Jesus had abandoned me.

But over time, I discovered something different: Jesus as my North Star, my closest friend, and the God who longs for intimacy and love—not fear and control. Together, we’ll explore what makes Jesus’ claims unique, why His resurrection matters, and how His story continues to transform lives.

This isn’t about rules or religion. It’s about healing, honesty, and finding peace through faith. If you’ve ever been wounded by church culture, wrestled with belief, or simply wondered who Jesus really is, this conversation invites you into clarity and renewal.

✨ Ready to see Jesus in a new way? Tune in now to begin your journey toward healing, truth, and spiritual freedom.

Get Your FREE Unravel Notebook Chapter for This Week: https://www.livebrighter.info/lead-collection

For More Information: https://www.livebrighter.info/

PODCAST HIGHLIGHTS:

00:21 – What comes to mind when you hear “Jesus Christ”?

02:07 – Historical Jesus: liar, lunatic, or Lord?

04:51 – Why did Jesus come?

06:16– Prophecy and miracles explained

13:47 – My personal story: abuse, doubt, and choosing faith

17:19– Divorce, religious abuse, and finding freedom

20:12 – What intimacy with Jesus really looks like

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Grow 1% each day, I believe in you! Thank you for Listening!

Tags: #WhoIsJesus #JesusChrist #FaithJourney #ChristianityExplained #DeconstructionToFaith #HealingFromReligion #JesusHeals #FindingTruth #FaithOverFear #RelationshipWithGod