Awaken Your Wise Woman

Welcome to the Awaken Your Wise Woman podcast with host Elizabeth Cush, licensed clinical professional counselor and women’s life coach. Every other week you’ll hear from Elizabeth and her guests as they explore women’s needs, desires, fears, hopes, and dreams—all that it means to be a wise woman moving through life's challenges and transitions. Tune in to learn from Wise Women who know the struggles that come with being a woman today. We'll explore how to live with more authenticity, purpose, and compassion as we share stories that will help you find the path back home to you—your truest, most beautiful, messy self. Awaken Your Wise Woman is the evolution of the Woman Worriers podcast.

Are You Ready to Live a Life You Love? 04/22/2024

Are You Ready to Live a Life You Love? Remember David Bowie? “Cha-cha-cha-cha-cha-anges…” On this episode of Awaken Your Wise Woman, host Elizabeth Cush talks about women making changes in midlife. “Maybe change just feels like it's impossible to do at this time in your life. But it can also be so worthwhile.” — Biz Cush What dreams have you been holding on to? Have you thought about writing a book? Launching a business? Starting a singing career? Becoming a coach? Whether you’ve held those dreams for a long time, or those desires have just started to bubble up as your children are reaching adulthood, it can be scary to think about starting something new at “a certain age.” But it’s not impossible. In this episode of the Awaken Your Wise Woman podcast, host Biz Cush, LCPC, a licensed professional therapist, founder of Progression Counseling in Annapolis, Md., and a life coach for highly sensitive women, shares her own experience with making life changes at midlife—going back to school, becoming a therapist, starting a private practice (and a podcast) and continuing her own personal growth journey. She’ll inspire you and provide practical tools for making your dreams of a more authentic life come true. You can find the resources mentioned and . /episode/index/show/womanworriers/id/30817908

Redefine Your Relationship with Your Work 04/08/2024

Redefine Your Relationship with Your Work Who are you? What do you do? And—most important, does it bring you joy? Whether you call yourself an accountant, a zoologist or something else, the label doesn’t define you, and yet… We spend so many of our waking hours in our career roles, but how much time do we spend exploring how well they serve us? How much have you thought about your career? In this episode of the Awaken Your Wise Woman podcast, host , a licensed professional therapist, founder of Progression Counseling in Annapolis, Md., and a mid-life women’s life coach, and , founder of Career Safari, talk about new ways to look at life and work. Listen in as they discuss how they’ve found career paths that bring them joy, what inspired them and what it’s like to align your career with your better self. “I get energized and inspired by any woman, any person, who takes a moment to bet on themselves, who takes a chance on aligning their purpose and their gifts.” — Wamita Muthara Listen and learn: What a “hybrid professional” is and what it’s like to be one The feelings, thoughts and experiences that might nudge us away from a traditional career Why you don’t have to rearrange your life overnight Why it’s important to see past the job title How Career Safari started and how it has evolved The unexpected benefits of restructuring your career How we can get lured into forgetting ourselves and our needs Why you’re your mor effective when your work is aligned with your authentic self Key questions to ask yourself about your life and work You can find all the resources for . /episode/index/show/womanworriers/id/30693018

Creating a Life You Love 03/25/2024

Creating a Life You Love If you’re just checking the boxes as you go through your day, this episode of Awaken Your Wise Woman is for you. Host Elizabeth Cush welcomes Susie Pettit, founder of the Love Your Life School and host of the Love Your Life Show. “We often aren't taught the tools that we need to love our life and manage our brains and take care of our mental health.” — Susie Pettit Sure, your life looks great on the outside. But how does it feel inside? Maybe you know you need to make changes. Or maybe you feel like your life’s OK. Not great, but it is what it is. It might be better if things were different, but you might not even be sure which things should be different. Where would you start? This episode of the Awaken Your Wise Woman podcast might offer some answers. Host Elizabeth Cush, LCPC, a licensed professional therapist, founder of Progression Counseling in Annapolis, Md., and a mid-life women’s life coach, welcomes Susie Pettit, a certified parenting/life/wellness coach who founded the Love Your Life School and hosts the Love Your Life Show podcast. They talk about hitting bottom, setting boundaries, people-pleasing and co-dependance, and how small changes can you lead you toward living a life that reflects your authentic self. Find this episode and the /episode/index/show/womanworriers/id/30438173

AYWW Podcast’s 6th Anniversary 03/11/2024

AYWW Podcast’s 6th Anniversary Listen in on this episode of Awaken Your Wise Woman, as host Elizabeth Cush marks the six-year anniversary of the podcast. How long have you been listening to the Awaken Your Wise Woman podcast? This month marks its sixth anniversary. Did you just discover the podcast recently? Or have you been part of this amazing community since the beginning? Whether you’ve heard one episode or a hundred, listen in now as host Biz Cush, LCPC, a licensed professional therapist, founder of Progression Counseling in Annapolis, Md., and a life coach for highly sensitive women, talks about launching the podcast, how it has evolved over the years, and the personal experiences and insights that drove those changes—including a story that she has never told before. She’ll also talk what keeps her motivated to keep sharing these powerful conversations with the world. “As I did more of my own self work, I realized that it was important to share other stories of healing.” — Biz Cush You can find the full show notes of . /episode/index/show/womanworriers/id/30187388

Faith and Forgiveness 02/26/2024

Faith and Forgiveness How do you find the strength to go on after trauma and abuse? Learn how one woman did it in this episode of Awaken Your Wise Woman as host Elizabeth Cush welcomes Kimberly Bell, author of “The Epitome of Kimmy: Accept & Embrace It All.” “I can break generational curses and taboos that I was raised with.” — Kimberly Bell If you experienced trauma as a child—whether physical, sexual or emotional abuse; neglect, or abandonment—it can often feel hard to survive, much less thrive, long into adulthood. The loss, the pain, the grief can feel like too much to bear and keep us from the joys of life. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Healing is within reach. In this episode of the Awaken Your Wise Woman podcast, host Elizabeth Cush, LCPC, a licensed professional therapist, founder of Progression Counseling in Annapolis, Md., and a mid-life women’s life coach, welcomes Kimberly Bell, author, inspirational speaker, minister and mentor for an intimate discussion of how she overcome her beginnings and found a path to resilience. You can find all the recources and . /episode/index/show/womanworriers/id/30064998

Traumatic Memories 02/12/2024

Traumatic Memories If everyone around you denies it, did it really happen? Find out in this episode of Awaken Your Wise Woman as host Elizabeth Cush welcomes Lynn Crook, author of “False Memories: The Deception That Silenced Millions.” In 1991, Lynn Crook sued her parents for damages after she recovered memories of childhood sexual abuse by her father. At the time, believing media reports, most of her community insisted that her memories were false. But a key memory study was flawed, and the judge found in her favor. In this episode of the Awaken Your Wise Woman podcast, host Elizabeth Cush, LCPC, a licensed professional therapist, founder of Progression Counseling in Annapolis, Md., and a mid-life women’s life coach, welcomes Lynn Crook for a talk about her experiences; her book, “False Memories: The Deception That Silenced Millions;” and the importance of speaking your truth. “There's essentially no corroboration for claims that memories like mine are false.” — Lynn Crook You can find the full show notes and resources mentioned for this and . /episode/index/show/womanworriers/id/29800878

Welcoming Change in 2024 01/01/2024

Welcoming Change in 2024 Welcome the new year with this episode of Awaken Your Wise Woman, and join host Elizabeth Cush in a centering meditation. It’s a new year! January, as you might remember, gets its name from the two-faced Roman god Janus, who could look back at the old year and forward at the new. That makes it a perfect time to take stock of our lives and release those things that no longer serve us so we can move into the future without unnecessary burdens. In this episode of the Awaken Your Wise Woman podcast, host , a licensed professional therapist, founder of Progression Counseling in Annapolis, Md., and a life coach for highly sensitive women, talks about the New Year and how you can help shape the podcast in the months ahead. She also leads a guided centering meditation designed to help you get grounded; cleanse and nourish yourself; shed unwanted habits and embrace the new you. You can find the full show notes . /episode/index/show/womanworriers/id/29229298

Emotional Eating 12/18/2023

Emotional Eating If you have an unhealthy relationship with food, listen to this episode of Awaken Your Wise Woman as host Elizabeth Cush welcomes holistic nutritionist Ali Shapiro for a conversation about emotional eating. “I really think food is inviting you into deeper healing, physically, emotionally, and on the soul level.” — Ali Shapiro At the end of a tough day, do you curl up on the sofa with a book and a bag of chips? Does a confrontation send you on a search for chocolate, cake or a hot fudge sundae? Do you celebrate with a special meal—and maybe a second helping? What can you do if you turn to food at times when you wish you didn’t? Or wished you didn’t overdo it? In this episode of the Awaken Your Wise Woman podcast, host Elizabeth Cush, LCPC, a licensed professional therapist, founder of Progression Counseling in Annapolis, Md., and a mid-life women’s life coach, welcomes Ali Shapiro, MSOD, CHCC, a holistic nutritionist and host of the podcast Insatiable for a talk about food and emotional eating. Listen to their insights about food and eating and health at midlife and how to make a truce with food and bring it all into better balance. You can find the full show notes and Ali's links . /episode/index/show/womanworriers/id/29075843

Intimacy in Midlife 12/04/2023

Intimacy in Midlife If you’ve reached midlife, you know that your body has changed. So has your partner’s. For one, things don’t work the same way they did in your younger days. How has that affected your sex life? And if your sex life isn’t great for one or both of you, how has that affected your relationship? And what can you do about it? In this episode of the Awaken Your Wise Woman podcast, host Elizabeth Cush, LCPC, a licensed professional therapist, founder of Progression Counseling in Annapolis, Md., and a mid-life women’s life coach, welcomes Dr. Deb Shine Valentine, a licensed clinical psychotherapist and a certified sex therapist for an open and unencumbered discussion about sex and intimacy as we grow older. They talk about challenges to physical intimacy that midlife couples face and how to address them in order to have a closer and more fulfilling relationship on every level at any age. “You can tell your partner how to load the dishwasher. How come you can’t tell them what to do sexually?” — Heather England You can find the full show notes and links to . /episode/index/show/womanworriers/id/28825823

Build a Relationship with All Your Parts 11/20/2023

Build a Relationship with All Your Parts What do you know about “parts” work? If you listen regularly to Awaken Your Wise Woman, you’ll be familiar with Internal Family Systems (IFS). If you’re a new listener, this episode will open you to new possibilities. Host Biz Cush, LCPC, a licensed professional therapist, founder of Progression Counseling in Annapolis, Md., and a life coach for highly sensitive women, recently attended the IFS conference, where she was trained in a variety of techniques for using IFS to help therapy and coaching clients get in touch with all their parts and create the compassionate and understanding relationships with those parts that lead to healing. Listen as she shares her experience and insights into this information-packed program. “This is your opportunity to help you bring your body, your soul, yourself, your parts into the work to find a deeper level of healing, of understanding, of compassion, of curiosity, and to the next part of your journey.” — Biz Cush You can find the full show notes for this and /episode/index/show/womanworriers/id/28669098

Healing the World Starts Within 11/06/2023

Healing the World Starts Within Do you feel like if you suffer enough, the world around you will get better? In this episode of Awaken Your Wise Woman, host Elizabeth Cush talks with Deb Shine Valentine, PhD, about thriving while you work to change the world. “It's a very fine line between saving and centering … whether it's a community or an individual.” — Deb Shine Valentine You can find the full . /episode/index/show/womanworriers/id/28479908

Understanding our Belief Systems and Cultivating a Better World 10/23/2023

Understanding our Belief Systems and Cultivating a Better World None of us live in a vacuum. We live in families, in communities. In this episode of Awaken Your Wise Woman, host Elizabeth Cush talks with Catherine Quiring about healing systemic harms—for ourselves and the world. We often talk about how our early family live has shaped how we think, feel and react to life. But what about the bigger systems we’re raised within—religion, for example, or the culture where we live. What is their impact? And how can we heal the wounds they might cause us? In this episode of the Awaken Your Wise Woman podcast, host Elizabeth Cush, LCPC, a licensed professional therapist, founder of Progression Counseling in Annapolis, Md., and a mid-life women’s life coach, welcomes Catherine Quiring, a fellow therapist and coach in Florida, for a discussion of the how our belief systems shape us and the world around us. They talk about the need for empathy and how breaking free from systems that burden us can help us get back to ourselves and our values—and maybe make a better world. “We need to acknowledge the harm—and that's actually really healing for both sides, if we allow it.” — Catherine Quiring Find the full show notes and other episodes . /episode/index/show/womanworriers/id/28366118

Friendships in Midlife 10/09/2023

Friendships in Midlife Are your relationships changing as you reach mid-life? In this episode of Awaken Your Wise Woman, host Elizabeth Cush talks about our friendships and how they may change as we move through the healing process and grow into our authentic selves. “Sometimes friendships and partners and our acquaintances shift and change over the years.” —Biz Cush You can find the full show notes and links to resources to . /episode/index/show/womanworriers/id/28220963

Sensitivity in Mid-Life 09/25/2023

Sensitivity in Mid-Life Welcome back! In this episode of , host Elizabeth Cush talks about lessons learned about sensitivity during the hiatus. Listen to find out what’s in store in this exciting new season of the podcast—and what you can learn from listening to Biz and her guests. “The world needs more sensitive people showing up fully, especially sensitive women." — Biz Cush You can find the full show notes and ! /episode/index/show/womanworriers/id/28013877

HS Women's Group 09/18/2023

HS Women's Group I’m so excited because the Sensitive Strong and Unstoppable: Group for Women Who Feel it All starts in one week! This group has been my dream for a long time, and I can feel the powerful energy of sensitive women coming together as I sit here writing this. It’s as if my heart is expanding with the divine energy I know we’ll be creating. If you haven’t booked a call yet, and you’re curious, or have been considering joining like-minded, sensitive women from all over, it’s time to schedule with me. There’s only a short time left to hold your spot for this first round of the group—at an amazingly affordable price. We’re meeting on every other Monday at 12-1:30pmET beginning September 25th. Just a couple weeks away! The 30-minute calls are an opportunity to answer any questions you have, for me to get to know your sensitive soul, and to make sure this group is right for you. Feeling on the fence? I’d love for you explore with me and other sensitive women: Our HSP strengths and struggles IFS + Sensitive Parts work Mindfulness + Meditation Boundaries + Self-care Self-compassion practice I would love to have you be a part of this. I can feel it’s your turn to shine...Join me! . /episode/index/show/womanworriers/id/28057443

Finding Your Voice—replay 09/11/2023

Finding Your Voice—replay If you’re a highly sensitive person (HSP), chances are you have trouble finding your voice—and that can cause a lot of anxiety. In this episode of AYWW, host Elizabeth Cush welcomes back psychotherapist April Snow, who talks about how you can learn to trust your voice, set healthy boundaries and speak up for your needs. “We start to doubt ourselves. We start to silence that inner wisdom, that intuition.” — April Snow Click the link to find out more about and the . /episode/index/show/womanworriers/id/27947175

Group Coaching for Sensitive Women 08/28/2023

Group Coaching for Sensitive Women Season 3 of the podcast is winding down. And season 4 is gearing up! In this episode Biz Cush talks about her upcoming coaching group for highly sensitive women, and the topics for season 4. You can find the . Or sign up for . /episode/index/show/womanworriers/id/27807606

Beach Walk Visualization (replay) 08/14/2023

Beach Walk Visualization (replay) If the hot weather has kept you at home for the past months, this replay of an episode from 2021 and Woman Worriers is for you. Host Elizabeth Cush provides a change of scenery with a mindful beach walk visualization. “Doing a little visualization might be a nice change of scenery, even if it’s just in your mind.” — Elizabeth Cush You can find all the epsiodes And if you want to know more about ! on Insight Timer /episode/index/show/womanworriers/id/27603615

Body Kindness 07/31/2023

Body Kindness This is a replay of an interview with Rebecca from 2021 (Woman Worriers episode 141) Do you wince a little when you get out of the shower and look in the mirror? Listen to this week’s episode of Woman Worriers, as host Elizabeth Cush welcomes Rebecca Scritchfield, a dietitian, exercise physiologist and author of Body Kindness: Transform your health from inside out and never say diet again. “People cannot hate themselves healthy—and shame doesn’t make anyone healthier.” — Rebecca Scritchfield You can find this and all the AYWW episodes here- /episode/index/show/womanworriers/id/27570609

Sleep and Mental Health 07/17/2023

Sleep and Mental Health If your anxiety keeps you awake at night, listen to this episode of Awaken Your Wise Woman. Host Elizabeth Cush interviews insomnia and anxiety specialist Yishan Xu, Ph.D., who shares some eye-opening information about sleep and mental health. “We really just need to listen to our body, understand what our body needs.” — Dr. Yishan Xu You can find the full show notes, and an affiliate link and coupon code for Dr. Xu's Insomnia Course here- http://www.elizabethcushcoaching.com/podcast-all-awaken-your-wise-woman/sleep-and-mental-health /episode/index/show/womanworriers/id/27455148

Too Busy to Enjoy Your Life? 06/12/2023

Too Busy to Enjoy Your Life? It’s time to take a break. In this episode of the Awaken Your Wise Woman, host Elizabeth Cush talks about taking a summer break from the podcast—and why you might want to give yourself a break, too. “So many of us are programmed to just keep going—doing, doing, doing.” — Biz Cush You can find this and all the . /episode/index/show/womanworriers/id/27108735

Unplug and Find More Joy 06/05/2023

Unplug and Find More Joy How often do you give yourself permission to rest? If your answer is “not very,” listen in on this episode of Awaken Your Wise Woman, as host and Jordan Maney talk about the importance of stepping away from it all. “Do I want to betray myself over and over and over again by not communicating [my needs]?” — Jordan Maney Yu can fnd the resoucres and show notes /episode/index/show/womanworriers/id/27003351

Let Your Inner Goddess Roar 05/22/2023

Let Your Inner Goddess Roar If you have a hard time speaking up for yourself, listen in on this episode of Awaken Your Wise Woman, as host Elizabeth Cush talks with Acharya Shunya about her new book, Roar Like a Goddess: Every Woman's Guide to Becoming Unapologetically Powerful, Prosperous, and Peaceful. “I hope that all of our listeners understand that the universe wants them to be empowered.” — Acharya Shunya You can find the full show notes and resources for #19 and all episodes here- /episode/index/show/womanworriers/id/26904729

The Antidote to Perfectionism 05/08/2023

The Antidote to Perfectionism Does your inner critic point out all the reasons why you shouldn’t do something? Does your perfectionist chime in in agreement? If so, you may find yourself missing out—or pushing yourself harder and harder. Ultimately you wind up feeling unfulfilled and/or overwhelmed. Many women struggle with their perfectionism and their inner critic. They find it hard to take care of themselves—or even to be kind to themselves. Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be that way. In this episode of Awaken Your Wise Woman, host , LCPC, a licensed professional therapist, founder of Progression Counseling in Annapolis, Md., and a mid-life women’s life coach, looks at the inner critic, perfectionism and lack of self-care through the lens of Internal Family Systems (IFS), otherwise known as “parts work.” She explains the role of each and shares insights from her own personal journey and explains how you can use a practice of self-compassion to calm those parts and create a better relationship with yourself. “Our inner critic and perfectionist parts interplay in such dramatic ways that sometimes we don't even recognize what's happening.” — Biz Cush Find the full show notes and resources . /episode/index/show/womanworriers/id/26703729

Perfectionism, Anxiety, and Shame 04/24/2023

Perfectionism, Anxiety, and Shame If “perfect” is getting in the way of the good in your life, listen in on this episode of Awaken Your Wise Woman, as host and Bianca Kesha Hughes talk about how to avoid the pitfalls of perfectionism. “Once we can connect to who we are, embrace and see ourselves, that's where fulfillment comes from.” — Bianca Kesha Hughes You can find the full show notes and . /episode/index/show/womanworriers/id/26566137

Trauma and Entrepreneurship 04/10/2023

Trauma and Entrepreneurship Someone wise once said, “Those who do not learn from the past are condemned to repeat it.” Listen in on this episode of Awaken Your Wise Woman, as host and Nicole Lewis-Keeber, the Business Therapist, talk about reliving past traumas in our work lives. “There's wisdom in those younger versions of me about what it is I need to pay attention to, or heal, or recognize in this moment.” — You can find the resources and show notes for this and . /episode/index/show/womanworriers/id/26437950

Highly Sensitive People 03/27/2023

Highly Sensitive People If you’ve been told that you’re “too sensitive,” this episode of the Awaken Your Wise Woman podcast offers some important insights. Listen in as Elizabeth Cush talks about what it means to be a highly sensitive person. “In order to take care of yourself, it's important to honor your sensitivity.” — Biz Cush You can find the resources mentioned and show notes for this and . /episode/index/show/womanworriers/id/26279796

Aligned Productivity 03/13/2023

Aligned Productivity Whether you’re caught up in the corporate rat race, struggling to build a business of your own, or juggling too many balls in your household, there’s a better way. Listen in on this episode of Awaken Your Wise Woman, as host Elizabeth Cush and coach/consultant Sandra Halling talk about finding harmony between self-care and getting stuff done. “When it comes time to decision making and prioritization, I think trusting your instinct is really important.” — Sandra Halling You can find the full show notes and resources /episode/index/show/womanworriers/id/26120586

Aiming Higher & Dreaming Bigger 02/27/2023

Aiming Higher & Dreaming Bigger Are you going through life just by checking the boxes, hoping to do everything right so nothing goes wrong? Listen in on this episode of Awaken Your Wise Woman, host Elizabeth Cush and SoulTour founder Tara-Nicholle Kirke talk about transforming your life and living big dreams. “Something happens when spirit enters human form and enters this material world.” — Tara-Nicholle Kirke You can find the full show notes and resources mentioned in . /episode/index/show/womanworriers/id/25951719

Listen to Your Body — Somatic IFS 02/13/2023

Listen to Your Body — Somatic IFS Are you missing important messages? In this episode of the Awaken Your Wise Woman podcast, Elizabeth Cush talks about Internal Family Systems (IFS) and how to hear what your parts are trying to tell you. “Somatic IFS can help our bodies communicate and heal those wounds without words.” — Biz Cush You can find the full show notes for this and . /episode/index/show/womanworriers/id/25846017

Awaken Your Wise Woman

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