Starfish Diaries

It’s the obligatory New Year episode of Starfish Diaries! Dropping this one early in case you want to hang out with me in your ears before the ball drops. Or after. Or anytime!

But we don't do the "new year, new you" nonsense up in here. We lean in to reflection, grace, and permission to be human. ...All of which are counterintuitive to my natural brain chemistry, which is why a discussion is warranted.

In this episode...

In this episode of Starfish Diaries, I’m talking about uniqueness; how deeply individual our bodies, minds, needs, and paths to feeling better actually are… and why honoring that matters so much.

In this episode, we'll explore:

• Why we all experience anxiety, addiction, and healing incredibly differently
• What happens when our true need are overridden by societal expectations
• How addiction (of any kind) can quietly shrink where ...

In this episode of Starfish Diaries, I’m getting honest about anxiety, ADHD, and the particular heaviness that tends to show up in a big way on Sundays and Mondays. Even in seasons of my life when I haven’t worked a traditional Monday through Friday schedule, those days have always carried extra weight for me, and I wanted to talk about why. From my kitchen. In my bathrobe. At 1pm on a Monday!

I share what it’s been like learning to...

Holiday Hypnosis sessions are deeply discounted until December 31st! Grab one here while they last.

In today’s episode, I’m talking honestly about my experience with anxiety and panic- how it shows up in my body, and how it can make even the smallest moments feel impossible. But not only do I share what anxiety feels like for me, and why it sometimes spirals so quickly, I'm sharing the tools I use to interrupt the cycle before ...

Quick announcement! Holiday Hypnosis sessions are suuuuper discounted when purchased between now and December 31, 2025. They will never be this price again so grab a little slice of peace for yourself while the deal is hot! Info here.

In this episode of Starfish Diaries, we talk about what it really means to cope. Not in the moralized, shame-filled way we’re taught to think about coping, but with acknowledgement of the part of us th...

In this episode of Starfish Diaries, I’m talking about something I think we all feel but rarely name out loud: the hard-to-ignore dread that creeps in when something in our life is out of alignment. It feels heavy in your chest, steals your joy, and makes your nervous system feel like it’s bracing even when nothing is technically wrong.

If, like me, you’ve spent years chasing gold stars, external validation, or the version of your l...

In this episode, I dive into one of my favorite topics: coping mechanisms. These are the things we do, in spite of efforts to stop, to get through the hard parts of being human. We talk about the shame that gets layered on top of our coping, why it feels so heavy, and why the shame makes it so much harder to make changes.

I share some of my own patterns, the things I’ve reached for over the years, and why I’ve stopped moralizing the...

I have a website at last, and one you can use to learn more about how to work with me! Check it out at LizMcKean.com

Today I am talking about my three non-negotiable values: choice, safety, and access to resources.

In my not-so-humble opinion, these are the conditions a joyful life actually requires. I fiercely protect them for myself, and I am dedicated to creating them for others.

In this episode I dig deeper than even I'd expe...

Shame has such a sneaky way of showing up in our lives, and in this episode I talk about why I'm over it. Shame lives in the corners, in the cravings, in the habits we swear we’ll quit tomorrow. Let's dig into why shame feels so heavy… and why it doesn’t actually help us grow. Together, we explore how moral judgments from society and from ourselves turn very normal coping mechanisms into character flaws.

But what if there’...

In this episode, we're talking about what it really means to feel safe- not just physically, but emotionally and energetically. I open up about my own experiences with anxiety and the ways it can quietly shape our choices, our relationships, and how we move through the world.

Through personal stories and a few favorite metaphors (including one about a tsunami), I explore how finding safety isn’t about eliminating uncertainty, i...

In this episode, I explore why reaching out for support can feel uncomfortable, especially for people who grew up believing they had to be independent, endlessly capable, and effortlessly successful to have value. I open up about my lifelong chase for “gold stars” through external validation, and how that mindset led me away from authenticity and toward performance.

We dive into self-trust, vulnerability, nervous system safety, and ...

In this conversation, I explore what it really means to ask for help... the kind of ask that stretches your heart a little and asks you to trust yourself first. I talk about how my relationship with asking for help has evolved through recovery and self-discovery, and why it’s not just an act of reaching out, but an act of self-trust.

We’ll unpack the vulnerability that comes with needing support, the desperation that doesn't al...

In this episode, I tell stories from teaching yoga, and share some of my tools and tricks to help people get out of their head and into their bodies even during the most challenging time of life. We explore the healing power of connection, breath, music and mindfulness against all odds-  reminders that yoga isn’t about perfection, but about showing up and finding the safe, quiet spaces within.

Learn more at LizMcKean.com. Sign ...

We are back after a week away! 

Buckle up, because today I am coming in hot with a metaphor that I cannot wait to share. Have you ever heard the story of how a dragonfly becomes a dragonfly? I hadn't- and after this episode you will be a dragonfly expert. More importantly, I hope our dragonfly friends inspire you to break free from whatever you're ready to leave behind... no matter how wild the first step might seem. 

Send ...

This is a snack sized episode about something that hasn’t always come naturally to me: asking for help. Maybe you can relate! For a long time, I thought I had to figure everything out on my own, but life (and recovery) has taught me that seeking out  support - the right support! - is a sign of growth, and one that requires strength, not weakness. I share a bit about my own journey of learning to ask for help, acknowledge the privil...

Sometimes anxiety makes decision-making feel impossible. Other times, clarity shows up when you'd least expect it. This week on Starfish Diaries, I talk about the messy middle; learning to trust our gut, honor our feelings, and build the support we need along the way.

I tell the story of my “guinea pig feeling” (you read that right), and how it became a lesson for trusting intuition in recovery and beyond. We talk about why anx...

This episode is the first of several about recovery, alcohol use, addiction (and whatever else you want to call it), and it's one I'm especially eager to share with you. I've told my story on many-a-podcast, but it feels different when it's my own show, and I talk about this topic in a way I haven't in other places. 

Whether or not you are "in recovery" (which can mean so many things the mind boggl...

In this episode of Starfish Diaries, we explore the complex concept of identity; who we are, who people think we are, and ever-evolving language we use to make sense of it all. A recent experience of literal identity theft (shudder) has me thinking and talking about the bigger picture: how much of our sense of capital-S Self is tied to labels, roles, and outside perceptions, and how freeing it can be to connect with the un-stealabl...

Welcome to episode 1! In this conversation, we'll talk about the concept of choice, emphasizing the importance of self-trust. Take a peek into my experience of addiction and recovery, alongside lessons learned & practiced on the yoga mat. 

We are just getting started! Subscribe and never miss an episode. 

Time stamps if that's your jam:

00:00 Introduction to the Podcast Journey
02:56 The Starfish Story and Its Signif...