In this episode of Unlearning in Progress, Angela and Jaime sit down with transformational coach and guide Karen Brar for a conversation about the connection between the mind, the body, and the stories we carry through life.

Together, they explore why so many of us live disconnected from ourselves, constantly operating from overthinking, achievement, survival mode, and the “thought train” of the mind. Karen shares how ancient teachings rooted in the Vedic tradition can help us better understand our nervous systems, our emotional patterns, and the whispers our bodies often give us long before burnout, anxiety, or disconnection fully take hold.

The conversation dives into nervous system regulation, subconscious beliefs, corporate conditioning, self-worth, and the practice of returning to yourself in a world that constantly pulls your attention elsewhere.

This episode is for anyone who has ever felt exhausted by their own thoughts, disconnected from their body, or quietly wondered: Why does life feel this hard when I’m doing everything “right”?

Connect with Karen:
https://anayawithin.com/

What if your body has been trying to tell you something… and you’ve just been too used to pushing through to hear it?

In this episode of Unlearning in Progress, we’re joined by Dr. Carly Hunt, a sport and health psychologist, former Division I golfer, and author of Train Your Brain to Beat Chronic Pain, to explore what it means to listen when your body starts signaling that something isn’t right.

Carly shares her journey through academia, high achievement, and perfectionism, and how years of overworking, people-pleasing, and ignoring her internal signals eventually showed up physically through chronic pain. What started as a whisper became impossible to ignore.

Together, we unpack the science behind the “gut brain” and why intuition isn’t just a feeling, it’s information. Carly walks us through how pain functions as the brain’s alarm system, what happens when that system gets stuck on high alert, and why healing requires more than just a purely logical, problem-solving approach.

We also explore how these ideas extend far beyond chronic pain to burnout, stress, and the everyday ways we override what we actually need.

If you’ve ever felt disconnected from your body, dismissed your intuition, or believed that pushing harder was the answer, this conversation offers a powerful reframe: your body isn’t working against you, it may be the most honest signal you have.

Learn more and connect with Carly:

https://www.thinkbettergolf.com/
https://www.instagram.com/thinkbettergolf/

It’s Mental Health Awareness Month, but beyond the advice and resources, real stories are also needed.

In this episode, Angela and Jaime share their own experiences openly and honestly. Not to offer advice or solutions, but to create space for honesty and to help anyone listening feel a little less alone in what they may be carrying.

They also discuss the role we play in supporting mental health in their everyday lives, at work, in friendships, and within their communities. Sometimes, it starts with something as simple as noticing a change, asking a question, or taking a few minutes to check in. They hope that speaking openly encourages more honest conversations.

If you take anything from this conversation, let it be this: you’re not alone and your presence in someone else’s life matters more than you think.

What happens when the mindset that helped you succeed starts working against you?

In this episode of Unlearning in Progress, we’re joined by Katie Virtue, former Division I hockey player, corporate leader, and self‑described recovering perfectionist.

Katie shares her journey from elite athletics to the corporate world, where busyness became a status symbol and performance was measured by constant output. We unpack the physical, emotional, and relational signals that something wasn’t sustainable, and the pivotal moment when a leader encouraged her to stop operating at 100% and try 70% instead.

In our conversation, we examine why high performers often equate exhaustion with effectiveness, how identity becomes tied to titles and productivity, and what redefining performance around purpose, energy, and sustainability looks like. Katie also introduces her Energy Eval framework and explains how small, intentional shifts can create space for clearer thinking, stronger relationships, and long‑term impact.

If you’ve ever felt stuck in overdrive, tied your worth to productivity, or struggled to slow down without guilt, this conversation offers a thoughtful reminder: sustainable growth often begins when we question what we were taught to believe about success.

In honour of Earth Day this week, we’re taking the conversation outside.

In this episode, Angela and Jaime explore the leadership lessons hidden in nature and what happens when we slow down enough to actually notice them.

From the changing of seasons to the invisible growth of a planted seed, nature offers a powerful reminder: not everything is meant to happen all at once. Growth takes time. Rest has a purpose. And sometimes, what feels like falling apart is actually making space for something new.

Together, we unpack what it looks like to:

• Recognize and trust the season you’re in
• Let go of the need to rush results
• Embrace the unseen work happening beneath the surface
• Move from control to flow in how we lead and live

This episode is a little different and maybe exactly the reminder you didn’t know you needed. Because just like nature… you’re not behind. You’re becoming.

Jaime and Angela unpack the belief that you have to be prepared and fully qualified before you begin something or apply for that job. They discuss how mindset quietly keeps women opting out of opportunities they’ve earned the right to pursue.

Using golf, job applications, leadership moments, and even the podcast itself, they explore why men often treat early attempts as practice while women can experience the beginning as proof, and why being “visibly bad” can feel so risky.

They talk through perfectionism, fear of rejection, worthiness, and the inner voice that tries to keep us safe by keeping us small. This conversation is a reminder that confidence doesn’t come first, it comes from reps, exposure, and starting before you feel ready.

Takeaways

• Permission is not required to participate and practice; trying is how skills and confidence are earned.
• Fear of failure and external validation can hinder participation and confidence.
• Challenging early beliefs and reframing self-perception are essential for personal growth.

In this episode, Angela opens up to Jaime about the deeply personal journey behind her decision to step off the corporate ladder. What looked like a successful leadership path from the outside slowly became a life that no longer fit on the inside. After years of overfunctioning, burnout, and carrying the weight of other people’s expectations, a moment of clarity made one truth impossible to ignore - it was time to choose herself.

This conversation explores the unlearning required to walk away from a familiar identity and into a more aligned one. Angela and Jaime dive into inner knowing, financial readiness, self‑leadership, and the courage it takes to build a life rooted in thriving rather than surviving.

It’s an honest look at what happens when climbing no longer feels like success and what becomes possible when you finally decide to choose yourself.

Jaime and Angela sit down with Jessica Berg, a somatic and inner child coach helping high-achieving women stop living against themselves and start building lives that feel aligned.

After nearly two decades in corporate, including close to eight years at Adobe, Jess reached a breaking point. Despite building a successful career and life on paper, she found herself burned out, disconnected, and unable to fully enjoy the life she had worked so hard to create.

Through two defining catalyst moments, Jess began to question everything she believed about success, productivity, and self-worth.

In this conversation, we explore the unlearning required to step away from external validation and into self-trust. Jess shares her journey of leaving corporate, navigating the loss of identity that followed, and redefining success beyond a paycheck or title.

A powerful reminder that the life you’re working so hard for… is meant to be felt.

Connect with Jessica

https://www.jessbergcoaching.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicalynneberg/
https://www.instagram.com/jessbergcoaching