Blushing Phoenix
Blushing Phoenix is where vulnerability meets power — and shame becomes your turning point. Hosted by April Poynter, this podcast and YouTube channel exists at the intersection of deep sensitivity and unshakable strength. It was born from April’s own journey with chronic blushing and erythrophobia (the fear of turning red in front of others), a physical response that once felt like a curse, but became the gateway to healing, growth, and radical self-trust. The blush symbolizes the quiet pain of self-betrayal - the years spent hiding, people-pleasing, and shrinking in relationships, work, and identity. The phoenix represents what happens when you stop running from yourself and begin to rise - bolder, freer, louder, and more aligned. Blushing Phoenix is for the woman who feels everything deeply, who has silenced herself to fit in, and who is now ready to live louder without abandoning her softness. Through raw stories, spiritual insights, and real conversations, April guides you to reclaim your voice, reconnect with your body, and rise from the ashes of who you were told to be. Alchemize fear into fire. Please rate and review the podcast if you enjoy it.
Episodes
Have you ever noticed your face flushing, breaking out in hives, or turning red right before your period? It might not just be stress or anxiety — your hormones could be involved.
In this video, I’m sharing what I recently learned about Autoimmune Progesterone Dermatitis (APD) — a rare but fascinating condition where the body becomes sensitive to its own hormone, progesterone. We’ll explore what it is, why it...
Have you ever known you were made for more — to speak, to shine, to be seen — but still found yourself shrinking the moment attention turned your way because of blushing?
That tug-of-war inside you is called cognitive dissonance.
In this video, I’m sharing how cognitive dissonance showed up in my own journey with blushing, hiding, and silencing my voice, and why that internal discomfort was actually ...
Six years ago, I was thriving in my corporate career—but secretly battling erythrophobia, the fear of blushing. My husband knew. No one else did. The first time I ever told someone was on an airplane, mid-flight, when I finally opened up to a co-worker I trusted. I expected judgment. Instead, she shrugged and said she’d noticed it before but never thought anything about it. That moment changed everything.
In ...
Have you ever felt that sudden rush of heat in your face — like your body is betraying you?
In this episode, I'm breaking down what’s actually happening when you blush, why it’s connected to your adrenal response, and how to return to a calm state quickly.
You’ll learn:
*What triggers blushing (and why it’s often emotional, not physical)
*The science behind your body’s redness ...
It’s been six years since I started Blushing Phoenix — a channel that began with my desperate search for answers about chronic blushing and erythrophobia (the fear of blushing or turning red in front of others).
Back in November 2019, I thought my blushing was hormonal. I experimented with birth control, learned about progesterone, tried propranolol, and spent years untangling how my body, emotions, and beli...
When my daughter was little, she watched a cartoon called Wonder Pets. In the Christmas episode, Ming-Ming breaks Tuck’s snow globe and says she’s sorry — but Tuck’s response stuck with me: “Sorry won’t fix it.”
That line hit deeper than I expected. Because while I believe in heartfelt apologies, sometimes sorry just doesn’t fix it. Words can soothe, but they can’t always repair what’s been broken.
I...
What if the version of you that’s been holding you back isn’t your “inner child” - but an older version that learned to survive a certain season?
For me, it wasn’t 8-year-old April… it was 35-year-old pandemic April.
She helped me cope, create safety, and find meaning during one of the hardest collective moments we’ve lived through. But now, she can’t come with me.
This video is about recognizing...
Sometimes the resistance we feel isn’t about the circumstances around us – it’s about the version of ourselves we’re still living from.
In this video, I share how I realized that parts of me – 8-year-old April, 35-year-old April – were still trying to protect me. Their intentions were good, but their rules and fears were actually keeping me stuck. By recognizing and lovingly releasing those old versions, I’m ...
Sometimes the dream feels heavy. You’re doing the work, but nobody’s clapping, nobody’s noticing. Or you haven't even started. You're plagued with ideas and vision and you feel the pressure of running out of time.
Other times, the dream is real but the timing isn’t right - and peace comes when you stop forcing it.
This video is about knowing the difference. Do you keep going, even when n...
Are your friendships helping you grow — or holding you back?
In this video, I share what I call a “Friendventory” — an honest look at the people in your circle and whether they truly support the life you’re building. We’ll talk about:
Friends (and even family) who resist your growth because it challenges their role in your life
Energy vampires and the toll they take on your goals
Wh...
We’ve all been taught to shrink in the presence of authority - at the doctor’s office, at work, or around leaders - without even realizing it.
In this video, I explore how conditioning shaped these patterns, why our nervous system defaults to compliance, and how we can rise above it.
This isn’t about shaming the inner child who kept us safe - it’s about honoring that part of us and choosing a new w...
Sometimes it’s not you - it’s the environment you’re in. I just watched my son Ax move from one classroom to another, and instantly his entire attitude about school shifted.
No more fights, no resistance… he actually wanted to go.
This video is for you if you’ve been wondering why you feel stuck, heavy, or unmotivated.
The space you’re in matters. The people, the energy, the setup - it al...
We’re conditioned from childhood to believe our worth is tied to how perfectly we perform - at the doctor, at work, or in life. In this video, I share how a simple blood pressure reading in 2011 sent me spiraling, and what I’ve learned since about separating who we are from what we do. Whether it’s blushing, getting feedback at work, or chasing “perfect,” this is your reminder that your value is not up for debate.
For years, my go-to trauma response wasn’t fight, flight, or freeze - it was fawning. I said yes when I wanted to say no, over-apologized, and put everyone’s comfort before my own. In this video, I share how I recognized my fawning patterns, the physical signs in my body, how I catch it in real time, and how I’ve learned to respond without living on edge.
Red hair is high-maintenance - and honestly, so is trying to be someone you’re not.
In this video, I share a moment of clarity while deciding to let go of my bold hair color and realizing how much energy I’ve been putting into appearances, approval, and survival patterns.
From navigating new friendships to teaching my grown-up nervous system that it’s safe now - this one’s about being real, being e...
You won’t think your way out of fear. You have to move your way through it.
In this episode of Amplify with April, I talk about how your nervous system builds resilience through repetition.
You won’t feel confident at first - you’ll feel shaky, unsure, and exposed.
But every time you do the thing while afraid, you teach your body that you’re safe.
That you can handle it. That fea...
What if the healing season isn’t meant to last forever?
In this episode, I explore the collective shift I’m sensing - where many of us are moving out of deep internal work and into actually living.
We’re landing in our bodies, trusting our growth, and giving ourselves permission to just be.
This is what it looks like to integrate the healing and finally enjoy the life you’ve built.
This is your permission to stop performing, stay present, and trust that your path is unfolding exactly as it should.
It’s been a while since I've talked about blushing or erythrophobia... so here’s an update.
In this video, I share how I overcame erythrophobia (fear of blushing), how I experience blushing today, and what healing has looked like since moving to South Carolina.
Spoiler: the title is a little clickbait-y on purpose. Because the truth is - it’s not really about stopping blushing. It’s about releas...
This is the in-between.
The bridge.
The space where the old life still feels familiar
but the new life - one I’ve dreamed of, plastered on my vision board, journaled about, done the inner work for - isn’t fully integrated yet.
This part?
It’s the shaky wood-and-rope bridge hanging over a canyon.
It creaks. It sways. Some planks are missing.
But I can see the other side.
And I’ve alread...
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