A Sassy Little Podcast with Sandra Ann Miller a.k.a. The Happyist

Just Us — Being Happy Now

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Sandra Ann Miller) — Fri, 4 Jul 2025 07:00:00 +0000

So, there’s an elephant in the room. There has been for a while. I both want to talk about it and don’t, because there are other people more qualified, who do that much better than me, but I figure I might as well share a few thoughts.

We are in a very scary, sad and infuriating time. Very. And I am scared, and sad, and frustrated and enraged and feel overwhelmed…and I’m also happy.

I’m sure that’s a full-on WTF for many. Please, hear me out.

Let’s go back to 2016. I had people I actually loved look at me and say, “How bad could it be?” Most of those people aren’t in my life anymore. I knew how bad it could be. You probably did to. And, here we are. Worse than I dared myself to imagine. And we’re only six months in this time.

When people ask how I became a Happyist, I explain that I was in a very bad mood from 2016-2022, and at the end of 2022, I knew I could not go on with that frame of mind, and that level of unhappiness any longer. Something had to change.

And what I was feeling was an internal angst, more than anything. And it was awful. Just awful. You wouldn’t necessarily know how I was feeling from looking at me or interacting with me. Gallows humor served to cover a lot of it up. But it was there, and it was eating away at me slowly, in big bites.

Please, don't do that to yourself. Listen in for more of the why. xo

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Just Us - June Bloom

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Sandra Ann Miller) — Fri, 6 Jun 2025 07:00:00 +0000

An artist doesn’t beg a canvas or his brushes to get the painting he envisions. No. He goes to work, utilizing the canvas and the brushes to bring that vision to life.

A farmer doesn’t scream at her crops to grow. No. She works with the seeds and the soil, the sun and water to bring it all to harvest.

Why do we think that we can just frustrate ourselves into growth instead of partnering with what we need support from?

If we want to blossom into our best selves, live our best lives, have the things and experiences we dream of, then we have to work with what we’ve got, yes? We have to collaborate to co-create. We have to be part of the process.

The time trick is a good example of co-creating — collaborating with time, the Universe, the Powers That Be — to get what we desire. To be on time. To make our connecting flight. Simple stuff that really only saves us from frustration. The stakes are kind of low. Practicing the time trick is an easy way to find ourselves in the flow, or see what we need to let go.

Are you calm and relaxed about it? Are you confident and not arrogant? Do you really believe it’s possible?

In order to get what we want, become who we desire, we have to be calm and relaxed, we have to be confident, not arrogant. And we really have to believe it’s not only possible, but damned probable.

If any of those elements are missing, we likely won’t get what we’re hoping for.

Let me ask: Does any of this ring true to you?

Here’s the bummer: We can’t create things we aren’t in alignment with. Doesn’t matter how much we sincerely want it or need it. We have to be in alignment in order to get it.

We have to learn how to be calm and relaxed. We have to learn the diff between being confident and being arrogant. We have to learn how to believe in possibility, and bending that belief to probability. All of that takes practice. The time trick can help with that learning curve.

Once we get ourselves in alignment with our goals and desires, it’s amazing what will open up for us. But we won’t see it if we aren’t present.

Being present and appreciative will really flip the switch and accelerate the changes you want to make. And, out of everything that will get you unstuck, those two things are the simplest. Not saying they’re not hard, but they are truly simple.

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Maggie Frank-Hsu of Estranged

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Maggie Frank-Hsu) — Fri, 2 May 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Today we’re going to talk about family estrangement, and the impact it undoubtedly has.

Our guest, Maggie Frank-Hsu, is a poet, essayist and editor from San Diego who runs Estranged, a Substack newsletter devoted to exploring parent, child and sibling estrangement with a focus on understanding, not blame. Her poetry has appeared in Whale Road Review, Pidgeonholes, and Beaver Magazine. She received her masters from the Columbia School of Journalism, and her reporting has appeared in Business North Carolina, Gourmet, PublishersWeekly and smithsonian.com. A former ghostwriter, she’s currently at work on her first book, a memoir.

Maggie and I have a little bit in common in that we are both estranged from our fathers. And maybe we were abandoned, too. Maggie has done her work and research on family estrangement, and comes at it from a place of non-judgment. Listen in, and be sure to subscribe to her wonderful 'stack.

https://maggiefrankhsu.substack.com

https://instagram.com/maggiefrankhsu

https://maggiefrankhsu.com

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

April Break

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Sandra Ann Miller) — Fri, 4 Apr 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Like I do on A Sassy Little Substack, I'll be taking April, August and December off the podcast. This gives you the chance to catch up on past episodes, or revisit a favorite. Enjoy my favorite month of the year. Until next time, take care. xoFull episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack. The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com. Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Just Us - Hedonic Hopefulness and a Shot of Apple Cider Vinegar

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Sandra Ann Miller) — Fri, 7 Mar 2025 08:00:00 +0000

For a full transcript, please visit https://asassylittle.substack.com

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Stephanie Sarkis PhD

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Dr. Stephanie Sarkis) — Fri, 7 Feb 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Probably one of the best documentaries on cults is the recent Max, four-part docu-series, "Breath of Fire". The series (which waves plenty of red flags throughout) follows both the high-control organizations of Yogi Bhajan (his face used to grace the box of Yogi Tea) and Guru Jagat, founder of RA MA Institute. How did good people get from doing Kundalini yoga and wanting to make the world a better place, to finding themselves in abusive cults? Gaslighting on both sides of the yoga mat takes place. Listen in.

https://stephaniesarkis.com/

https://www.facebook.com/StephanieSarkisPhD

https://www.instagram.com/sarkisphd/

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Rebecca Low

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Rebecca Low) — Fri, 3 Jan 2025 08:00:00 +0000

You can find Rebecca at:

The Hot Desk on Substack

@the_hotdesk on Instagram

http://www.rebeccalow.co

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Just Us: Ready for Anything...Good

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Sandra Ann Miller) — Fri, 6 Dec 2024 08:00:00 +0000

In all fairness, when I came up with the 'Just Us' concept to close out Q4 of 2024, I was coming from a place of deep optimism. Well, F me completely, right? LOL. (Insert crying emoji here.) But we can't let ourselves lose our place, our grace or our happiness because of things outside of our control. So, along with everything is easy and being so lucky (because, in so many ways, we are), let's get ourselves ready for anything good! xo

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Just Us: I'm So Lucky

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Sandra Ann Miller) — Fri, 1 Nov 2024 07:00:00 +0000

In this “Just Us” episode, I talk about appreciating what we have, even if we may feel like we don’t have anything to appreciate. Just like “Everything is easy,” (check out October’s ep) saying or thinking, “I’m so lucky,” (and meaning it) will help our perspective shift, and let those seeds of happiness take deeper root. Why not give it a try? xoFull episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack. The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com. Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Just Us: Everything is Easy

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Sandra Ann Miller) — Fri, 4 Oct 2024 07:00:00 +0000

No guest this month so it's just us. Let's talk about how our perspectives might need a little shifting. What if we start to see that everything is easy? No, really. Hear me out! xoFull episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack. The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com. Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Sanyu Estelle

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Sanyu Estelle) — Fri, 6 Sep 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Sanyu Estelle is a Claircognizant ("clear knowing") Soothsayer ("truth teller") that is also known as "The Word Witch" because of her deep love for word origins (etymology) and word culture (philology). These natural inclinations are bolstered by a 15+ year practice of Daoism, as well as a 10+ year relationship with Ifa, the indigenous tradition of the Yoruba people of now-Nigeria.

As a Soothsayer, Sanyu Estelle's gift is truth-telling. With 15 years of card reading experience and 25 years of public speaking experience, her readings are often listened to over many years by her clients. She is a "1st generationish" (long, but great story) US-American of Ugandan and Belizean descent born, bred and buttered in Los Angeles on land traditionally stewarded by the Tongva.

You can find Sanyu at sanyuestelle.com, on Substack at GetAtTheRoot.substack.com and on Instagram @SanyuEstelle.

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Valerie Monroe

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Sandra Ann Miller) — Fri, 2 Aug 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Our guest this month is the creator of the wildly popular Substack, How Not to F*ck Up Your Face, where she give wonderful advice for the choices we believe we must face for our faces, necks and other visible parts, and delighting us with stories of her adorably precocious granddaughter, M. If you need more convincing this lady knows what she’s talking about, for 16 years she was the Beauty Editor of O Magazine. Wise, warm and witty, Val is a delight to read, and is even better in person (and for a listen).

You can find Val on Substack at valeriemonroe.substack.com.

To get the full ep, please become a subscriber of A Sassy Little Substack. Details in the footer.

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Amanda Lee McCarty

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Amanda Lee McCarty) — Fri, 5 Jul 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Amanda Lee McCarty is the host of the Clotheshorse podcast, which recently celebrated its 200th episode (that’s no small feat)! After going to art school, they ended up with a career in fashion. With nearly 20 years’ experience in buying, product development, visual merchandising, and merchandise planning, they honed their skills at iconic lifestyle brands such as Urban Outfitters, Modcloth, Nasty Gal, and Wildfang. Along with their fabulous podcast, they’re also an industry consultant, a small business coach and content creator with a weakness for artificial fruit.

Along with Amanda’s work, we talked about how to be happy when you’re doing the Sisyphean act of being an activist/advocate for what fast fashion is doing to the planet (Spoiler Alert: It’s awful!), and pondered why we need an all-over body deodorant when soap still exists.

This August 16th and 17th, Amanda will host the first in-person Clotheshorse Jamboree in Lancaster, PA (get your tickets now!).

You can find Amanda on her website clotheshorsepodcast.com, and on Instagram, Threads and Facebook [@]clotheshorsepodcast.

The full episode is available on A Sassy Little Substack. xo

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

The Resilience of Amy Drenser

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Amy Dresner) — Fri, 7 Jun 2024 07:00:00 +0000

The past few years have been difficult for Amy. Within a year, both her parents and her beloved cat, Colonel Puff Puff, passed away. And, while it wasn't easy, Amy has stayed sober throughout. Listen in as we talk about her travails, how she's coping, and staying strong. The episode is honest, raw, and funny. Just like Amy.

Amy's incredible memoir is MY FAIR JUNKIE: A Memoir About Getting Dirty and Staying Clean. You can get it here or any fine independent bookstore (because we support those, right?). You can find Amy here:

https://www.amydresner.com/

https://www.instagram.com/amydresner/

https://www.facebook.com/amydresnerofficial/

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Finally!

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Sandra Ann Miller) — Sat, 4 May 2024 05:00:00 +0000

A Sassy Little Podcast with Sandra Ann Miller a.k.a. The Happyist will be back on June 7, 2024, and the first Friday of the month after that.

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Bonus Explainer 2023

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Sandra Ann Miller) — Wed, 8 Mar 2023 08:00:00 +0000

What's going on and what's new!Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack. The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com. Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Social Media with Elena Rossini

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Elena Rossini) — Wed, 9 Mar 2022 08:00:00 +0000

Elena Rossini calls social media a "honey pot" for data mining and targeted advertising. In her upcoming documentary, THE REALISTS, the followup to her first feature length doc, THE ILLUSIONISTS, Elena shines a light on the dark side of social media. We talk about how our devises are listening, why we should act like a spy, getting a signal-blocking pouch, bluetooth and grocery shopping, how Zuckerberg covers his cam and mic on his phone, have we given up on privacy, how social media has changed over the years, that Ashton Kutcher ruined Twitter, social media isn't terrible, but it's being used against us in a terrible way...and we aren't pissed off about that enough, the creation of Facebook "reactions" and them giving "angry" the highest score, being 'punished' by the algorithm for not being a regular user, old milk, the importance of 'new', using Tweetdeck and Lists for Twitter, taking control over how we use social media because it has used us for so long, deleting Facebook products (FB, Insta and Whatsapp), going off social media and getting into meditation, staying off devices in front of babies/children, addiction to social media/attention/validation, going viral and TikTok fame, living life through a screen, no one is explaining the algorithm or where this data is going, Face ID, AI, deep fakes, revenge porn, voter apathy, BOOK RECS: AMUSING OURSELVES TO DEATH and TECHNOPOLY by Neil Postman, the intentional harm of the algorithm, how quickly Facebook can radicalize, cite your source, the amount of time young people are on social media, hacking your home internet to block ads, websites and tracking in your home and on specific devices (NextDNS.io), NO is a complete sentence, being impacted my the internet/social media and how women get the brunt of that, child predators, and that social media is an option and we can opt out.

You can find Elena on Twitter @_elena and on her websites elenarossini.com and therealists.org

Episode recorded on 11/04/21

Episode released on 03/09/22

For more information on the podcast or its host, please visit sassylittlepodcast.com. There, you will find links to social media and an opportunity to become a member of the podcast community. We are on Twitter and Instagram @SassyLittlePod and Facebook @SassyLittlePodcast.

Thanks for listening! If you like this sassy little podcast, please subscribe to it, rate it and review it, and tell your friends about it. For early access, ad-free episode and exclusive content, become a patron on Patreon. Cheers!

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Bonus Explainer

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Sandra Ann Miller) — Sun, 23 Jan 2022 21:58:37 +0000

Explaining where I've been and what (good stuff) set me back. The podcast will return to full episodes on March 9th, with new eps the second Wednesday of each month.Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack. The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com. Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Avoiding Erotica with Sayra Player

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Sayra Player) — Wed, 24 Nov 2021 08:00:00 +0000

Sayra Player created Guided By Glow during the pandemic as a guided meditation to connect with our bodies. The app and website launched in May 2021 and has over 80 sessions to get you going and is GOOP approved. While we might be comfortable talking about sex or our sexuality, we aren't so comfy talking about "alone time" (AKA masturbation). Erotica has always been around (hello, Anaïs Nin) and 50 Shades may have made it more common, it can be helpful to those who may not be comfortable with the porn their partners enjoy. Guided By Glow sessions are about you (not other people). We talk about the importance of getting connected and staying connected with our sexual selves, giving yourself permission, not thinking it's "dirty", "wrong" or "bad", mindfulness, getting to know the voice, creating a playground, not being uptight about sex, moving past shame, allowing yourself to explore, learning to relax and be, maintaining our health (mental, spiritual, physical), slowing down, being in your body, how sex (just the word) is being censored on Facebook and Instagram. Sayra was kind enough to give listeners $20 off the annual subscription. Use the code SASSY to get the discount (good through December 2021). You can try out Guided By Glow for free with trial sessions available on the free app and on their website.

You can find Sayra at https://guidedbyglow.com and on Instagram @guidedbyglow

Episode recorded on 11/09/21

Episode released on 11/24/21

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Holding Our Breath with Nathaniel Hodder-Shipp

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Sandra Ann Miller) — Wed, 17 Nov 2021 08:00:00 +0000

Nathaniel Hodder-Shipp found breathwork while in treatment, then went on to study with a mentor for 11 years. He's the founder of Breathwork for Recovery and we talk about the transformative nature of breathwork, the explosion of it, how we are all recovering from something, trauma is something we all share, exploitation in the wellness community, ethics, breathwork training, Nathaniel's certification requires 800 hours of training while others will certify with 30 hours, breathing properly, the autonomic nervous system, Amy Dresner and My Fair Junkie, how certain conditions like epilepsy may not be right for breathwork, disclosures, access and resources, The Recovery Circle.

You can find Nathaniel on his websites at https://breathworkforrecovery.com and nathanielhoddershipp.com and on Instagram @breathworkforrecovery and @spiritandceremony

Episode recorded on 10/12/21

Episode released on 11/17/21

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Fear of Divorce with Sandy Roxas, Esq.

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Sandra Ann Miller) — Wed, 10 Nov 2021 08:00:00 +0000

Super Lawyer Sandy Roxas is back to talk about divorce and her advice on getting out quickly (or quick-er) so you can get on with moving forward. Preplanning is key. Think about all the issues that need to be addressed. The spouse who makes more likely pays more (support). A lazy spouse. What the courts will consider. Minimizing consequences. Dealing with a litigious attorney. (Sandy Pro-Tip: If the fees are running up, terminate the attorneys and try mediation.) Making sure you have an attorney with your best interest at heart. Attorney fees as sanctions. Spending more money to ask for more money. Custody games. The effect on the kids. Manipulations. Document everything (record audio/video--but disclose it per the law, keep texts, emails, put verbal agreements in writing). Needing evidence. False allegations. It's all about credibility in family court. Emotions and fueling fire. Aiming for amicable. Focusing on the finish line. Getting therapy to get you through it. The expense of divorce and the options if you can't afford it. Court self-help and workshops. Rules of separation. Date of separation matters. Keeping things separate. Lawyer-up early. Sandy's work in the AAPI community to Stop Asian Hate and pro bono work for hate crime victims. Final Tip: Have our cell phone at the ready to record (let them know you're recording per the law) and back away.

You can find Sandy on her website https://roxaslaw.com on Instagram @roxaslaw and Facebook @Roxas-Law

Episode recorded on 09/18/21

Episode released on 11/10/21

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Being Wrong with Meghan Breen LCSW

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Meghan Breen) — Wed, 3 Nov 2021 07:00:00 +0000

Meghan Breen, LCSW, talks with us about the courage and character it takes to admit when you're wrong, the core belief that being wrong is the most human thing we can experience, normalize owning it, the value on being right, shame, competition/winning, room for redemption, the human experience of fucking up, gratitude for growing up before the internet, practicing repair, dialectics, discernment, being right and wrong at the same time, agreeing to disagree, not being neutral, making space and letting it go, forgiving what feels unforgivable, not demonizing, finding common ground, validate what's valid, wanting to understand, starting over, emotional Olympics, only being able to move through it if both sides are willing, not making it about winning/losing or right/wrong, no scores are being kept, meeting vulnerability with grace, reinforcing people doing the right thing, acknowledgement doesn't automatically make it better, character building, cultivating resilience, admission over apology, deserving a second chance, giving people an opportunity to F up, no one is perfect, we are not always our best selves, personal assessment, the difference between shame and guilt, reaching out to people when they need it, the strength it takes to hold the olive branch, owning your wrongness, smugness, hurt, emotional intelligence, the machine behind wrongness, being in a vulnerable time.

You can find Dr. Breen on her website meghanbreen.com and Instagram @meghanbreentherapy

Episode recorded on 09/06/21

Episode released on 11/03/21

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Misunderstanding Microdosing with Noel Teubner

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Sandra Ann Miller) — Wed, 27 Oct 2021 07:00:00 +0000

What is microdosing and why do people do it? Studies have shown that shrooms (psilocybin), MDMA and ketamine help relieve or treat depression and PTSD, quieting the mind or reframing traumatic events. Noel Teubner has gone on her own microdosing journey and helps others on their path. The co-host of The Bliss Project podcast talks with us about how microdosing delivers a "mini" effect, it's not a "one and done" process, integration, Human Design, shared trauma and the tsunami of grief from the pandemic, respecting the plant, doing the work, creating new habits and patterns, being honest, being responsible, treating yourself well with food, movements and thoughts, being kind to and accepting of ourselves, The Bliss Project podcast.

You can find Noel on Instagram @noelteubner and her podcast website at theblissproject777.com

Episode recorded on 09/16/21

Episode released on 10/27/21

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Dead-End Relationships with Dr. Cynthia Pizzulli

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Sandra Ann Miller) — Wed, 20 Oct 2021 07:00:00 +0000

We all can find ourselves in a dead-end relationship. An unhappy coupling. One-way friendships. A thankless job or jerk of a boss. It's said that people will choose unhappiness over uncertainty, keeping us stuck. While there is no crystal ball as to how things will work out, Dr. Cynthia Pizzulli has over 30 years' experience and she can tell you that, if you leave a dead-end relationship, you'll be glad you did. We talk about relationships being a two-way street, blame, being brave, repeat and repair, awareness to break the cycle, inconvenient feelings, relationships are no 50-50, dealbreakers, people change and that changes the relationship, resentment and unrealistic expectations, avoidance and denial, sharing values, connection, being ripe for the picking, job loyalty that is not reciprocated by the employer, being held hostage in a negative situation, self-efficacy, being indecisive, no one wants to be the bad guy, the pain of being stuck, judgment, being in a job or relationship that seems "good enough" is never tolerable, communicating expectations, how staying in a dead-end relationship affects your mental health, not always getting support if people have a stake in your relationship, getting unbiased advice, the effect of staying for the kids, what we are teaching our children, expressing appreciation, more communicating.

You can find Dr. Pizzulli on her website https://cynthiapizzulli.com

Episode recorded on 09/03/21

Episode released on 10/20/21

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Coercion with Dr. Janja Lalich

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Janja Lalich) — Wed, 13 Oct 2021 07:00:00 +0000

Dr. Janja Lalich (NXIVM documentaries, "Heaven's Gate: The Cult of Cults" on HBOMax, and author of TAKE BACK YOUR LIFE) joins us to talk about coercion and how it's a type of social control. Manipulation and gaslighting are a part of it as is "Us vs. Them" thinking that's happening politically, the effect of the pandemic and spending too much time on the internet, rabbit holes and algorithms, not wanting to admit that you were duped, cognitive dissonance, the concept of charisma, an imbalance of power, high-arousal technique, being able to communicate, having critical compassion, breaking through the barrier, a nation divided, being the adults in the room, keeping the door open, remembering that people are human and make mistakes (even you, even big ones), idealism, having doubts, being a safe haven, planting seeds, seeing the flags, love bombing, re-socialization, social influences, critical thinking, knowing how to fact check, being a good consumer, being able to disagree and dissent, the path out, educating ourselves about trauma and narcissism, new resourced needed, complex PTSD and specialized therapy.

You can find Dr. Lalich at https://janjalalich.com, and on Twitter and Instagram @Janja_Lalich.

Her book TAKE BACK YOUR LIFE: Recovering from Cults and Abusive Relationships can be found here.

Episode recorded on 09/10/21

Episode released on 10/13/21

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Reality TV with Norman Korpi

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Sandra Ann Miller) — Wed, 6 Oct 2021 07:00:00 +0000

Norman Korpi is someone you just want to hug. He's smart and genuine, generous and open. We get to talk about: what a small world it was in the 90s, finding RuPaul, making $100 per ep, being gay on TV during the AIDS crisis, being a connector, "public" television, seeing the change, using fame and recognition positively, opening doors and putting up walls, equating being on TV with being rich and privileged, creating work for yourself, going to Hollywood, losing work because of being gay, Rush Limbaugh, not looking defeated, waiting on Arnold, the wound of the AIDS crisis, extending olive branches, Rachel Campos, a learning experience, not turning your back, putting in the emotional labor, filters, false perception of who people on TV really are, Puck, missed opportunity, going over the waterfall together, snap judgments, how we need each other, going back, George Floyd, COVID, sharing more of your story, out-thinking production, learning from going back, Becky, the miracle of editing, learning from each other, reality tropes, go change the world, sharing hardship, making art, the A-Stand, The Wedding Video, a key to your own cage, being gay meant an R-rating, EXCLUSIVE TO PATREON: The story behind the reunion photo, doing a challenge, evolving and creating, getting it together.

You can find Norman, more info about The Wedding Video, the A-Stand and his art at https://www.normankorpi.com/
and on Twitter @NormanKorpi, Instagram @normankorpi and Facebook @MTVNormanKorpi

Episode recorded on 09/21/21

Episode released on 10/06/21

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Going It Alone with Sandra Ann Miller

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Sandra Ann Miller) — Wed, 29 Sep 2021 07:00:00 +0000

This ep marks the end of the first year of A Sassy Little Podcast for Getting Over It. Thanks so much for being a part of it! Much gratitude to all of the wonderful, smart, generous, kind and insightful guests we've had. This week, it's a solo ep with Sandra, talking about going it alone. That means more than walking away from a relationship, blazing your own trail or even standing up for yourself. It's about being comfortable in your own skin and being connected to the core of who you are. That requires giving yourself time alone. Is that something you do? How do you respond when you see someone dining alone? Would you/do you go out on your own? Creative/sensitive people likely need more time alone to recharge. The joy of being alone in public. The fear of being alone. Craving connection. Long distance relationships. The difference between being lonely and alone. Being in the moment. Being comfortable with who you are. Tending your garden. Self-love and self-care. Creating time for yourself. Making yourself a priority. Let yourself have what you desire and deserve. Standing up for yourself and what you believe in. Keep apathy and inaction at bay. How going it alone actually leads to connection.

You can find me on Twitter and Instagram @SassyLittlePod and more about my writing at https://SandraAnnMiller.com

Episode recorded on 08/27/21

Episode released on 09/29/21

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Disinformation with Dr. Caroline Orr Bueno

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Sandra Ann Miller) — Wed, 22 Sep 2021 07:00:00 +0000

We are swimming in a swamp of mis- and disinformation. Dr. Caroline Orr Bueno (one of my favorite people on Smart Twitter) breaks it down for us. Misinformation vs. disinformation, coordinated efforts and bots, inauthentic activity, information disorder, holding social media companies responsible, Twitter's misinformation button, global reach of disinformation through the internet, social media companies lack of willingness to share data with researchers/lack of transparency, the need to study the extent of the problem, Facebook revoking access to researchers at NYU who were studying ads, Facebook's built-in/automated tools creating groups of extremist propaganda, Facebook's business model is to promote inflammatory information and keep people engaged, this leads to violence, the anti-vaccine industry makes social media companies over $1billion per year, Fox News and culture wars, what is profitable, erasing history/facts from websites when it no longer suits your agenda (45 and Afghanistan), politicizing vaccines, triaging at hospitals, the people being deceived and the people deceiving them, information as a weapon, using information to identify who is in your group and who's an outsider, corrections and fact-checks don't fix disinformation because people aren't necessarily looking for correct information but what conforms to a certain narrative, how do we reach those people, the demand side of of mis/disinformation, QAnon, infanticide, rabbit holes and algorithms, failed Q predictions, the insidious nature of conspiracy theories, regressive logic, violence and aggression, being fed by the algorithm, difficulty in predicting behavior, asking what is the purpose of this propaganda (who is behind it, where are they from), social media companies could immediately provide more access to researchers and support research to identify activity that may be a warning sign for violence (but they aren't), provide support and intervention by changing the algorithm or giving a "time-out" if too much is being viewed, users need to demand that social media companies participate in this research and prevention efforts, regulation of content and the danger of that, regulating the algorithm as an alternative, the problem with profits, think before you share (don't give disinformation a bigger voice/platform), sharing feeds the algorithm, check the source, the algorithm can't tell why you are sharing (that you like it or hate it) it only knows you are sharing it, train the algorithm for what you want to see.

You can find Dr. Caroline Orr Bueno on Twitter, Instagram and Medium @RVAwonk

Episode recorded on 08/20/21

Episode released on 09/22/21

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Anger with Dr. Cicely Horsham-Brathwaite

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Dr. Cicely Horsham-Brathwaite) — Wed, 15 Sep 2021 07:00:00 +0000

People are angry these days. And, with everything going on in the world, it's not a wonder folks are losing it. We talk with Dr. Cicely Horsham-Brathwaite about how we can feed anger, making that emotion more accessible, recognizing your anger and the anger of others, removing our rose-colored glasses, the definition of anger, anger is an energy but it's also exhausting, rampant injustices, anger as a proactive mechanism, creating a safe space around you and in you, not going to toxic positivity to avoid anger, looking at the function of anger, early life experiences sets the foundation for how you deal with emotions like anger, being selective with social media, having a variety of ways to collect information, we are wired to deal with threat for a particular amount of time and then have a period of recovery after the threat passes (and we have not had that for some time), needing to find that recovery, finding things that bring you joy, Ted Lasso, find your gems, the impact of our collective experiences, BOOK REC: Widen the Window: Training Your Brain and Body to Thrive During Stress and Recover from Trauma by Elizabeth A. Stanley PhD, having a "bottom up" strategy to regulate emotions in stressful times, giving yourself a mental vacation, Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith's TedX on the 7 types of stress (link below), finding your types of rest and giving yourself a daily practice of it, making time for yourself, going to anger and bypassing other emotions (there's usually another emotion under the anger), anger as information to what you are feeling on a deeper level, vulnerability, 2 Americas, moving from intellectual awareness to emotional awareness, BOOK REC: Milagros Phillips' books (link below), BOOK REC: Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson, understanding our history and culture, having an understanding that we are all human and compassion for your fellow man, being exhausted by the BS, wanting to feel in control, having understanding and compassion that people have different experiences in the world, yoga community and QAnon, the desire and need for affiliation, speaking up, coping skills and strategies, perspective and compassion, ask what's really going on, connecting, having hotline number on hand for yourself and others, Dr. Horsham Brathwaite's book BETTER DAILY SELF-CARE: Simple Changes with Lifelong Impact, tending to your soul.

You can find Dr. Cicely Horsham-Brathwaite on her website https://www.cicelybrathwaite.com/ and Instagram @drcicelybrathwaite

Episode recorded on 08/13/21

Episode released on 09/15/21

Widen the Window https://bookshop.org/books/widen-the-window-training-your-brain-and-body-to-thrive-during-stress-and-recover-from-trauma/9780735216594?aid=11990&listref=a-sassy-little-podcast-tbr

Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith's TedX:
https://www.ted.com/talks/saundra_dalton_smith_the_real_reason_why_we_are_tired_and_what_to_do_about_it

Milagros Phillips' books: https://www.milagrosphillips.com/books (also on our Bookshop.org TBR list)

Caste: The Origins of our Discontents https://bookshop.org/books/caste-oprah-s-book-club-the-origins-of-our-discontents-9780593230251/9780593230251?aid=11990&listref=a-sassy-little-podcast-tbr

Dr. Brathwaite's book: https://bookshop.org/books/better-daily-self-care-habits-simple-changes-with-lifelong-impact/9781648769795?aid=11990&listref=a-sassy-little-podcast-tbr

Find all recommended books here: https://bookshop.org/lists/a-sassy-little-podcast-tbr

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Pelvic Pain with Dr. Justine Roper

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Sandra Ann Miller) — Wed, 8 Sep 2021 07:00:00 +0000

Pelvic floor therapy isn't something we discuss. Maybe because many don't know it's an option for pelvic pain, incontinence, sexual dysfunction and other "down there" matters. Dr. Justine Roper, a pelvic floor physical therapist, joins us to talk about why more providers don't share this therapy with patience (hint: many don't know about it), going to an expert (not just your GP), shared decision-making, how we assume that peeing while laughing/coughing/sneezing is "normal" for women, Kegels aren't the answer for everything (and could be adding to your issues), the mistake of listening to unqualified people (i.e. "influencers"), yoni eggs and kung fu vaginas, worrying about what our vaginas feel and look like, porn culture's influence, Netflix documentary THE SOCIAL DILEMMA, outside influences, the Kardashians, having our own power over our own lives, Louis Vuitton, preventative care for pelvic floor health, what a pelvic floor assessment is like, reasons to seek pelvic floor physical therapy, doctors don't know everything (and we shouldn't expect them to), be proactive, go to reputable sources, be wise, Dr. Justine's book, WHEN COMFORT CAN'T KEEP YOU, [BOOK REC: THE BODY KEEPS THE SCORE by Bessel van der Kolk, M.D.], exercise/movement regimen, movement is vitality, freedom to leave the care of a provider you are not comfortable with, don't be put off by pelvic floor physical therapy just because it's an unknown, do your research and find a provider who can help you.

You can find Dr. Jus on her website http://www.inherphysique.com/ and on Instagram @doctorjus

Book Rec: https://bookshop.org/books/the-body-keeps-the-score-brain-mind-and-body-in-the-healing-of-trauma/9780143127741?aid=11990&listref=a-sassy-little-podcast-tbr

Episode recorded on 08/12/21

Episode released on 09/08/21

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Perfectionism with Dr. Menije Boduryan-Turner

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Dr. Menije Boduryan-Turner) — Wed, 1 Sep 2021 07:00:00 +0000

We recorded this episode shortly after Simone Biles took herself out of Olympic competition and, boy, the reaction she got from some people who were likely far from perfect. But we see her as perfect in what she does, and we project our hopes onto people like her, as if it's their responsibility to deliver for us. We need to shoot down the idea of "perfect" and the idea that you need to be perfect in order to be successful, or even happy. Dr. Menije Boduryan-Turner talks about the pressure of always performing and never taking a break or pause, [BOOK REC: Carol Dweck MINDSET: The New Psychology of Success], believing talent is a gift or innate rather than the reality of hard work, learning from Simone and having the courage to say "I need a break", Dr. Paul Hewitt and Dr. Giorgio Tasca's study, self-oriented perfectionism vs. other-oriented perfectionism, parent can be other-oriented and put pressure on their kids, Britney Spears, not dealing with our own imperfections, having compassion for yourself and knowing you can't be your best all the time, Dr. Menije's journey with perfectionism, accepting that your best might not be good enough, your best may not result in success and that's okay, having expectations of how things "should" be, meeting the moment where it's at, hoarding as a side-effect of perfectionism, procrastination as a side-effect of perfectionism, mental health issues associated with perfectionism, perfectionism is not a compliment, control freaks as perfectionists, being able to pivot, the Kardashians and body image, Demi Moore, embracing imperfection, the effortless lie, not being able to enjoy things while focusing on perfection, living in the past or future but not the present moment, anxiety and fear being decision makers, getting out of perfectionism starting with self-love, getting over fear of not being enough, setting boundaries, being in the moment, living intentionally, not shutting down compliments, toxic vulnerability, failing despite our best efforts, believing that people want to be around you for you.

You can find Dr. Menije at https://www.perfectionismuniversity.com/ on Twitter @DrBoduryan and Instagram @dr.menije

Book Rec: https://bookshop.org/books/mindset-the-new-psychology-of-success/9780345472328?aid=11990&listref=a-sassy-little-podcast-tbr

Episode recorded on 08/02/21

Episode released on 09/01/21

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Codependence with Dr. Menije Boduryan-Turner

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Dr. Menije Boduryan-Turner) — Wed, 25 Aug 2021 07:00:00 +0000

The term 'codependency' was born out of AA about friends and family who could hurt someone's recovery by "over-helping". Dr. Menije Boduryan-Turner talks with us about how codependence is found both in- and outside abuse, how the roles of family members in addiction play a part in codependency, how it comes out of all forms of abuse, we can find ourselves overly investing in a relationship (that's codependence), how once you are exposed to abuse you are wired differently, codependency doesn't exist in healthy relationships, being able to let go of codependence with compassion (thank you for trying to keep me safe), learning codependence from childhood as a survival mechanism, recognizing subtle abuses (anger, manipulation), a relationship is a relationship and if both/all parties aren't working on it, it won't get better, BOOK REC: FAIR PLAY: A Game-Changing Solution for When You Have Too Much to Do (and More Life to Live) by Eve Rodsky, inconsistent contributions, sibling dynamics/birth order, feeling responsible, setting boundaries, divorcing family, stigma/judgment/shame, choosing your health and happiness, living an authentic life, making decisions for yourself, BOOK REC: TOP FIVE REGRETS OF THE DYING: A Life Transformed by the Dearly Departing by Bronnie Ware, not living your life based on what other people think/want/believe, using social media intentionally, society shame, not knowing when to walk away, toxic optimism, not wanting to fail, grieving the loss of the wish/vision, the failing of the dream, understanding you didn't deserve the abuse, have compassion for yourself, what does an apology change and why wait for one before going forward, self-validate, perfectionism and codependency, pressure of caring for someone in addiction, no one gets healthy in codependency, enabling, the person who is codependent is getting sicker too, the urgency trap, being addicted to being needed, relationship addiction, low self-esteem, how many group chats are you in, codependence as a form of control, Intervention, the dynamic and the damage, culture and religion's roles, difficulty walking away, short-term pain for long-term gain, leaky buckets, can't pour from an empty cup, connecting with others who understand your journey, figure out what works for you, have conversations to set boundaries, being your healthiest self, feel and own your feelings, redefining relationship dynamics, setting limits with love, CODA or Al-Anon meetings for support if therapy isn't available/affordable, BOOK REC: CODEPENDENT NO MORE by Melody Beattie, BOOK REC: FINDING BALANCE: 12 Priorities for Interdependence and Joyful Living by Terry Kellogg, it's not selfish to want to be healthy or put yourself first, medicine doesn't always taste good, aversion to discomfort, going to the gym and feeling sore...with mental health, we don't look for that soreness, breaking to breakthrough, don't worry about not being able to handle it (you'll have/find support), you are capable of courageous things, being resilient.

Episode recorded on 07/23/21

Episode released on 08/25/21

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Ableism with Naty Rico

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Naty Rico) — Wed, 18 Aug 2021 07:00:00 +0000

Naty Rico is a disability advocate and educator, and the coordinator of the Disability Cultural Center at the University of Arizona. She talks with us about what ableism is beyond the dictionary definition and how able-bodied people might not be aware of how they are complicit with it, how it's a system of oppression favoring able-bodied/-minded people, the definitions of ableism by Talila TL Lewis and Dustin P. Gibson, being interconnected with other forms of oppression, how removing labels can lead to discrimination/oppression, those with disability are not aiming to be normal, overcoming barriers simply to exist, the learning process, taking the burden off of those with disabilities, the medical model of disability is that a person with a disability is tragic/wrong and needs to be fixed, the social model of disability and how society was not built for those with disability, and people are more disabled by society than by their own impairment, day-to-day life excludes the disabled, seeing disability as just another way of being, the expense and marriage inequality of being disabled, capitalism, insurance coverage (or lack thereof), eugenics, being a culture that takes care of each other, no one is immune to disability, colonialism, cultural and community care, being an individualistic society, protecting our democracy, interpersonal ableism, lack of exposure to people with disabilities, Sound of Metal, Crip Camp, educating ourselves about what we don't understand, having more disabled represented in media, disability as taboo, "feeling sorry" for the disabled, assuming disabled people are in pain, unsolicited advice, misconceptions, religion's role and the moral model of disability (as God's punishment), schools separating disabled children from able-bodied classmates, feeling like an exhibit, stop being "inspired" by disability, being objectified, serving as a lesson/example, low expectations, feel anger instead of pity (about how the disabled are treated), being excluded by society, able-bodied people taking advantage of disabled rights, becoming more aware and wanting more education to stop ableism.

You can find Naty at https://drc.arizona.edu/cultural-center and on LinkedIn @disabold

Episode recorded on 07/16/21

Episode released on 08/18/21

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Financial Foolishness with Amy Irvine, CFP

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Amy Irvine) — Wed, 11 Aug 2021 07:00:00 +0000

Amy Irvine (ep 006 Financial Fears) returns to the pod to talk about how we can avoid some of our financial foolishness by understanding how much our emotions are linked to our finances (whether we have it or not), realizing in the past year how we can scale back if we really need to (hello, lockdown), the psychology around wealth (having fun with it/spending 'til it's gone or hoarding it/worried it will all be lost), the urge to splurge after a period of lack, how diets and budgets are similar (and we don't enjoy being on them), the latte factor, how our upbringing plays into how we feel about money, credit cards in college, that 70% of people who win the lottery end up worse off financially, Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs: survival, safety and security, love and belonging, self-esteem and self-actualization and how those all play into how we deal with money, being generous in a wise way when you come into money, how finance is a taught skill and we should be embarrassed to ask for guidance and learn about it, understanding options, rich people's toilet paper, avoiding information, facing the dragon (reading the statements), avoiding the "head in the sand" approach to money, even financial planners have financial planners, rationalizing choices rather than making logical decisions, having a financial planner or accountability buddy to help make better financial decisions, having all the channels, finding the fun in saving money/budgeting/cutting back/increasing your credit score, not using a debit card, credit card points, how credit card usage impacts/improves your credit score, importance of paying credit cards each pay period, diversity of debt, celebrating being debt-free, creating a statement of financial purpose (why do I work?), raising parents, deciding to stay home/be a caregiver or earn/stay in the workforce during your high-earning years, employment gaps and earning less, disability insurance, snowball or avalanche methods of paying off debt, motivation, student loans, teaching children about money, making a plan, feeling that you've let people down, the courage to look at where you're at, take responsibility for it and move forward, what brings you joy, the cost of convenience, making thrifty cool again, finding discounts, and packing your own lunch.

You can find Amy at https://rootedpg.com on Instagram @rootedpg and Twitter @RootedPlanning

Episode recorded on 07/09/21

Episode released on 09/11/21

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Obstacles with Kristin Enola Gilbert and Javier Ramirez

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Kristin Enola Gilbert, Javier Ramirez) — Wed, 4 Aug 2021 07:00:00 +0000

Starting first as an online bookstore throwing great online events in September 2020, and opened their doors to a brick-and-mortar store in the Chicago's historic Fine Arts Building on May 15th of this year, still doing great online events. Mixing a love of literature and music, Kristin Enola Gilbert and Javier Ramirez followed their hearts and passion to open something truly special store. We talk about the obstacles they faced, including learning tech, Bookshop.org, blood, sweat, tears and cocktails, hosting virtual events during lockdown as an online store, moving to the store ahead of schedule, naysayers on the name, asking for help, hours of paperwork, jumping through arbitrary hoops, running a store while doing other jobs/teaching, loving the Instagrammable space, importance of shopping local and independent, shopping off of Amazon, authors need to link to indie stores and not Amazon, coping skills, give and take, supporting others in your industry, there's enough room for everybody, sharing ideas, broadening the sense of community, diving into your dream, learn as much as you can, do your research, you can't do it all by yourself, and you shouldn't!

How to Support Local Bookstores (buy e- and audiobooks online): https://diversebooks.org/how-to-support-independent-bookstores-right-now/

You can find Kristin and Javier at https://www.exileinbookville.com/ on Twitter @BookvillExiles, Instagram @exileinbookville and Facebook @exileinbookville

Episode recorded on 07/09/21

Episode released on 08/04/21

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Losing with Lisa Stephen, PhD

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Lisa Stephen PhD) — Wed, 28 Jul 2021 07:00:00 +0000

Getting a trophy for everything is a nice gesture, but there's actual value in losing. Yes, really! And if you think you're always going to get an accolade for everything, you are going to be faced with a world of disappointment. Lisa Stephen, PhD, talks with us about developing coping skills, how failing is a part of the process of success, it's essential and there's no potential for growth without it, learning to be self-gratified, an intrinsic level of motivation, growth mindset, having fun (and if you aren't having fun, why are you doing it?), the pressure put on kids, the freedom to be ourselves, allowing space for reflection, quitting, losing is honest, being more politically aware because of losing, the opportunity for redemption, being dumped, moving on, the hard work of getting unstuck, taking a moment, pity parties, learning lessons, taking nothing personally, projecting our competitive nature onto others, Lewis Hamilton, being mini-experts, putting pressure on ourselves, sports fans, little league parents, seeing the team over the individual, community, cut-throat culture, cheating, stealing, being stubborn, looking at the bigger picture, being in connection, collaboration, parking, instinct of competition, taking a step back, we can't all be Michael Jordan, winning at all costs, being a good sport win or lose, remember that you are playing (a game or sport), competing with yourself, growth goals, Peloton, the Hurrah Pass, being honest with yourself, understanding the grand scheme of things, getting out of a funk, learning to let go, everything is temporary, choosing what to think about, reacting from previous experience, picking the scab, choosing your glasses, ruminating, learning to be resilient, happiness, enjoying the process, another door will open, it's emotions that make things complex.

You can find Lisa at https://ignitepeakperformance.com/ on Twitter and Instagram @Ignite_Coach and Facebook @ignitepeakperformance

Episode recorded on 06/25/21

Episode released on 07/28/21

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Going Gray with Anne Kreamer

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Anne Kreamer) — Wed, 21 Jul 2021 07:00:00 +0000

We more or less met our most authentic selves during lockdown, when we couldn't see our hairdresser without risk. Once the world opened up, did you run back to coloring your hair, or did you decide to let your gray stay? We talk with Anne Kreamer who wrote the book on going gray (aptly titled GOING GRAY: HOW TO EMBRACE YOUR AUTHENTIC SELF WITH GRACE AND STYLE), who talks about her experience and the research that went into her book as well as facing our mortality during the pandemic, the problem of too much choice, how less is liberating, living like you're on vacation, decluttering our lives, the beginning is the hardest part, letting go of "letting yourself go", going from 0 to 60 (or 0 to Sex and the City), retaining the grace and essential values we learned during lockdown, area-based style, iconic women interviewed in the book (Nora Ephron, Emmy Lou Harris, Frances McDormand, Ann Richards), new going-gray icon Claire Saffitz, self-acceptance as a trait to foster, community and Zoom, hair color isn't healthy for us or the environment, clinging to youth, who's having more fun, BOOK REC: Betty Friedan's THE FOUNTAIN OF AGE, those who accept their biological age live longer, headhunters, Depends, external pressures, camouflage, staying competitive in the job market, trade-offs, getting time and money back, empowerment, Oscars, Georgia O'Keefe, who are your role models and why, hair as a provocative thing, identity, chemo, Springsteen, it's not all or nothing, presenting our best selves, being supportive of each other, realizing color isn't age-fooling people, getting time and money back, doing the math.

You can find Anne Kreamer at https://www.annekreamer.com/ and on Twitter and Instagram @AnneKreamer

Book Rec: https://bookshop.org/a/11990/9780743299879

Episode recorded on 06/27/21

Episode released on 07/21/21

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Stage Fright with Jackie Jones

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Jackie Jones) — Wed, 14 Jul 2021 07:00:00 +0000

Jackie Jones is a comedian, motivational thinker, roller-skater and hugger. JJ talks about the importance of being able to self-soothe, being OK with awkward silences, and acknowledging them. We also talk about reading in public; pumping yourself up; learning what works for you; shrinking the spectrum; Jedi mind-tricks, asserting (smiley) dominance; look to where your discomfort comes from; how anyone can learn to do anything; don't compare and despair; being yourself; bombing as a comedian; connecting with your audience/people; when the spotlight is on you, you're the host; you're in charge (in a good way); our subconscious; A Glitch in the Matrix; working on yourself; learning the rules so you can either break or follow them; "Hacks"; eye-rolling; Jackie's YouTube channel; having an attention span; internal dialogue; being in the same boat; choosing unhappiness over uncertainty; "Hoarders"; being unwilling to change; working with a professional; we are the ripple effect; the Ah-ha! moment.

You can find Jackie on Instagram @thatjackiejones and on YouTube https://www.YouTube.com/ThatJackieJones

Episode recorded on 06/18/21

Episode released on 07/14/21

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Lack of Style with Anna Lobell

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Anna Lobell) — Wed, 7 Jul 2021 07:00:00 +0000

Interior designer, Anna Lobell, gives her insight on how to embrace your personal style by creating a space for yourself and an environment that will support and uplift you. The importance of knowing yourself and the courage to express yourself. Avoiding trends (like an all white room with a single cactus). The importance of being comfortable and happy in your space. Understanding compromise and purpose, and letting the space speak to you to tell you what it needs. Not designing for 5-10 years down the road (you and your taste will likely change); design for right now. BS overthinking. Design should be about what makes you happy—do it for you, not for anyone else (or collecting "likes"). The adage "How you do one thing is how you do everything" is pretty true. Declutter, clean or paint if you need a change but are on a budget. As within, so without—if you don't have time to see to your space, you don't have time to see to your inner-space. Spiritual housecleaning is a thing (and it's ancient). Add in things/colors that you love, even if it starts with a pillow. Acceptance of who you are and what you love. Enjoy your home. Allow what's functional. Create a supportive environment. Don't be paralyzed by indecision. Give yourself permission to love what you love. Ask yourself questions: what's your favorite color/texture/scent/flavor. Develop somatic intelligence. Expose yourself to the arts. BOOK REC: THE ART OF LOOKING by Lance Esplund. Allow yourself to really take things in. ApartmentTherapy.com to see examples of a range of styles. Look at other people's styles/design to see what turns you on. Trial and error. Energy flows where attention goes. Go for it and be honest with yourself. Don't be afraid to make yourself happy. Don't let others block your happiness. Famous last words: ...and then I'll be happy.

You can find Anna at https://annalobell.com or on Instagram @theannalog

Book Rec: https://bookshop.org/a/11990/9780465094660

Episode recorded on 06/15/21

Episode released on 07/07/21

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Perpetual Lateness with Locke Hughes

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Sandra Ann Miller) — Wed, 30 Jun 2021 07:00:00 +0000

Writer Locke Hughes talks about her struggle with being on time, her experience with Diana DeLonzor's book, NEVER BE LATE AGAIN: 7 CURES FOR THE PUNCTUALLY CHALLENGED, the irony of being able to be on time for things you are excited about, being late so you don't "waste time" if you're early, the anxiety of waiting, giving up magical thinking and giving yourself more time, confronting the late people in your life, getting enough rest, her book MELATONIN: The Natural Supplement for Better Sleep, and the importance of setting your alarm on Sunday mornings.

Episode recorded on 06/11/21

Episode released on 06/30/21

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Misunderstanding Homelessness with Heidi Roberts

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Sandra Ann Miller) — Wed, 23 Jun 2021 07:00:00 +0000

Los Angeles has a homelessness crisis that has been going on for years. While politicians talk about solutions (we're looking at you, Eric Garcetti and Mike Bonin), Heidi Roberts and her husband decided to create one with Haaven Shared Housing. Since it opened in April 2018, they have taken 168 people off the streets (that's about 1 person per week) and have an 80% success rate (meaning people are still housed). Listen in as we talk about the full-frontal experience of living in Venice, CA, how housing isn't the solution to the homelessness crisis; there's more to it: Support. Taking care of people shouldn't be hard. We have the resources but seem to lack the political will to make the necessary change. People are suffering from addiction, untreated mental illness and, what they all have in common is trauma. After hearing from public officials that there was no housing, Heidi and her husband decided to create some. With the purchase of a 4-unit building, they were able to move 28 people in...and learned the hard way that housing wasn't the solution. Peer support and the right staff was the secret sauce. We discuss how the crisis grew out of Mayor Villaraigosa's plan to revitalize DTLA with Staples Center and LA Live, removing from the city much of its affordable housing, which was never replaced. How big developer donors are rewarded with building contracts for the city's unhoused, instead of purchasing existing structures, leaving people on the streets while they wait for construction to be complete. Haaven can house people for $5,000/per person/per year; the city intends to spend nearly $500,000 per person. City and other organizations won't refer to shared housing because they call it "undignified". They also take issue with Haaven's policy of no drugs and alcohol on the premises (you can use elsewhere, just not on the property), saying that is a violation of personal rights. These misdirected ideologies of what they seem to believe is protecting the rights and choices of the unhoused are also what is keeping them on the streets, unsafe and at risk of violence, health crises and police detainment. Elected officials seem to be more interested in appeasing their donor base rather than serving the citizens, both homed and unhoused. There is a significant rise in crime and violence, including violence toward the unhoused. Encampments are run by gangs and Venice Beach is now known as Methlehem. Shared housing offers peer support, creates communities and families, and helps people succeed in sobriety and mental health stability. And it's a common sense solution that can be implemented quickly and at a reasonable cost to the city.

You can find Heidi at https://www.haaven.org/

Episode recorded on 06/04/21

Episode released on 06/23/21

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Disliking Exercise with Rachele Pojednic, PhD

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Rachele Pojednic) — Wed, 16 Jun 2021 07:00:00 +0000

With a PhD in Nutrition Science and Policy in Biochemical and Molecular Nutrition & Exercise Physiology, Rachele Pojednic knows what she's talking about when it comes to the importance of exercise. With what she describes as "a real marketing problem," exercise is too often associated with weight loss, and physical activity is too important to miss because of bad PR. This episode is not meant to be ableist, sizeist or promoting diet culture. Exercise is really a form of self-love and self-care that has benefits beyond the physical, include those to our mental and emotional health. We talk about: Exercise is not a punishment and needs to be disassociated from weight loss. You change the oil in your car and get it a tune up. Exercise is no different. You need to rev that engine. What counts as exercise? Anything that gets you moving and, yes, dancing and gardening counts. Exercise is something just for you. It can be meditative and spiritual. Find your place on the movement spectrum. Making it routine helps. Be patient; don't give up. BOOK REC: BJ Fogg's TINY HABITS: THE SMALL CHANGES THAT CHANGE EVERYTHING. Body awareness. The best exercise is what you love and will keep doing. Excercise for chronic illness, chronic pain and aging. The patience (and humility) required when going from being sedentary to exercising. Newsflash: The 90s are back! (Rollerblading and scrunchies included.) Without stimulus or stress, things are going to change. The truth to, "Move it or lose it!" Finding things (for free) online. Sitting in front of a screen (another reason to get up and move). The power of push-ups. Powerlifting in your 80s. Jane Fonda. Legwarmers. Options for those with disabilities. Adaptive sports. Physical and occupational therapy. Giving yourself grace. Fighting to get insurance codes for exercise. Getting nutrition, exercise, behavior change and self-care taught in medical school (and how Harvard dropped their summer, 3-class course on this...those bastards). Nutrition and exercise are the beginning of medicine, not the last resort. Changing the system. Life and health in rural America. How this is all more complicated than eating better and getting off our asses.

You can find Rachele on Instagram @rachelepojednic on Facebook @StrongProcess and her website https://rachelepojednic.com

Episode recorded on 06/04/21

Episode released on 06/16/21

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Shopping on Amazon with Cynthia Nielson

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Cynthia Nielson) — Wed, 9 Jun 2021 07:00:00 +0000

Jeff Bezos got even richer during the pandemic because we were so reliant on online shopping, namely shopping with Amazon. It's time to spread that wealth by shopping directly with small online businesses and local stores. Cynthia Nielson is a seller on Amazon, which is necessary for small businesses to compete and find customers. Keep in mind that Amazon isn't like shopping at a retail store where the store buys its merchandise wholesale and basically owns it/can do whatever it wants with it as long as it brings in a profit. Amazon is more of a pass-through where you come to shop at their "store", but end up buying from another merchant. That merchant is likely a small business struggling to survive. No only does Amazon charge fees for merchants to be there, they make the rules, especially when it comes to returns (which costs the merchants dearly). Not only that, just when a merchant is seeing success, Amazon will change the algorithm killing that organic success. Merchants feel forced to buy ads, which Amazon profits from. We take advantage of the lax return policy without realizing how much that costs the merchants, especially if you choose "wrong website description" or "wrong item sent" (instead, choose "no longer need" since "I made a mistake" isn't on offer). Consumers have the power to change this. Think not only about the price you are paying, but the cost of that choice and the value of where you are buying from. Choosing to purchase directly from that merchant helps greatly. Buying locally keeps that money in your community. Use Amazon as your search engine and then buy elsewhere (directly from merchant or a local store...or even another online store). Amazon has a reputation for their allegedly poor treatment of their employees. Think about that when you shop there. Amazon has the power to change that now, and haven't. Because what they are doing is working for them. And we, the consumers, are agreeing to that culture every time we "Buy Now". Amazon continues to buy companies. We are ending up with fewer and fewer choices. We need to stop relying on one corporation for the majority of our shopping. Maybe it's time to choose our conscience over our convenience.

Episode recorded on 04/30/21

Episode released on 06/09/21

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Pet Peeves with Gia DeSantis and Jasmine Milligan

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Gia DeSantis, Jasmine Milligan) — Wed, 2 Jun 2021 07:00:00 +0000

When you start to list your pet peeves, you learn that they are more or less infinite. Real-life friends Gia DeSantis (ep 005 Ageism) and Jasmine Milligan (ep 015 Clutter) return to share their current pet peeves, admit to what they are guilty of (including car theft?) and how the list that was supposed to be limited to 2 each keeps growing and growing to include: littering, what a dick Stephen Miller is (no relation to Sandra), cigarette butts, confronting offenders, DNA, Quibi, Mad Men memories, glottal stops, master bakers, misplaced dollar signs, Starburst, root canals (and people who freak out about them), lack of personal responsibility, operating without a sense of logic, the chronically late, stealing a car (on accident), tags, waiting for food, Nuh-VAH-duh, Hilaria Baldwin, unsolicited advice, being humble, book rec: THE LISTENING PATH, asking permission, hearing yourself, talking over people, being a know-it-all, book ref: ANNOYING: THE SCIENCE OF WHAT BUGS US, parking, pronunciations, finishing a story, mansplaining, poor city planning, friend collecting, people who don't want to get vaxxed.

You can find Gia on Twitter and Instagram @OMGitsGia and Jasmine on Instagram @upsidetidying and her website https://upsidetidying.com

The books referenced can be found here: https://bookshop.org/lists/a-sassy-little-podcast-tbr

Episode recorded on 04/22/21

Episode released on 06/02/21

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Limited Love Languages with Anne Hodder-Shipp, ACS

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Anne Hodder-Shipp) — Wed, 26 May 2021 07:00:00 +0000

Inspired to open up the "classic" tool of the 5 love languages to be more inclusive, Anne wrote SPEAKING FROM THE HEART: 18 LANGUAGES FOR MODERN LOVE, illustrated to show what those languages may look like and what they don't. We talk about: Opening up to how we see relationships, especially platonic ones; giving and receiving love more easily and openly; asking yourself if you're holding back; shifting back to communal participation; going beyond the basic 5 languages; Anne's faves (this week); score keeping; being in a relationship with yourself; connecting; the awkwardness or re-establishing contact/socializing; managing expectations; getting back to normal and needing to grieve what was lost; the missing love language; practicing the dance; consent; checking in; telepathy; why assume when you can just ask?

You can find Anne on Twitter and Instagram @theannehodder, on Facebook @EveryoneDeservesSecksEd, and her book is available at https://www.themodernlovelanguages.com/

Episode recorded on 04/16/21

Episode released on 05/26/21

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Sudden Loss with Ericka Lutz

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Ericka Lutz) — Wed, 19 May 2021 07:00:00 +0000

In 2008, in a cloud forest in Madagascar, Ericka Lutz's husband, Bill, suddenly became ill and passed away hours later in front of her and their 16-year-old daughter. With that sudden loss, her world was upended, PTSD set in and then came people's judgments if she wasn't being the perfect widow. We talk about: How American's are terrible at dealing with loss/grief; how sudden loss reshapes you; loss, isn't something you get over—you live with it and survive it; moving forward with full-frontal grief; survivor's guilt, anger, fear and devastation; being diagnosed with Grave's Disease and how that seemed to tie in to shock/sudden loss; importance of sharing experience; mistake of making saints out of the departed and rewriting history; being irrevocably changed; letting a teenager grieve in her own way and trusting the process; grief is not an event to complete; don't judge someone grieving (you aren't in their shoes); trying not to float off the planet; the expectations of others (being the perfect widow); still being yourself; other people wanting to move on and forget the bad stuff or not respecting the loss/grief as time passes; there's no going back to normal; being gentle with yourself, giving yourself time; grief exists outside of time; give yourself what you need.

You can find Ericka on Twitter @elutz, on Instagram @ericka_lutz and her website https://erickalutz.com

Her novel, THE EDGE OF MAYBE, can be purchased here: https://www.laurelbookstore.com/book/9780982708446

Episode recorded on 04/09/21

Episode released on 05/19/21

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Food Fads with Gloria Davis Browning, RDN

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Gloria Davis Browning RDN) — Wed, 12 May 2021 07:00:00 +0000

Gloria Davis Browning is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, culinary school graduate, educator and advocate of Health at EVERY Size. We talk about how basic nutrition is pretty basic, how the latest food fads of Keto, Paleo and Intermittent Fasting aren't needed to keep ourselves healthy (the key to that is whole, natural foods prepared in a healthy, tasty way), that we shouldn't vilify vegetables (like potatoes, carrots, etc.), especially while eating heavily processed meats. Healthy is about how you feel, getting back to intuitive eating, avoiding the obsessive aspects of many of these diets, which doom one to failure (the one time you eat something off the diet, boom!). Good foods and bad foods don't exist for Gloria. She believes in gradual change for more lasting results, learning nutritional cooking so that you can have healthy meals at any budget, and learning how to make the best choices for you, whether you are at the grocery store, a fast food drive through or at a gas station on a road trip. Pro-tip: Turn that package around and read the labels, and understand a true portion size (check out the book THE PORTION TELLER for help with that), so you aren't taking in more calories (or fat or sodium) than you intended. Do you research regarding eating plans or food fads, and make sure that is linked to evidence from more than one source. Consider the environmental impact of ordering food in (the packaging, the plastics that really don't get recycled, and all that waste!). Understand how food is manufactured to make it more addictive (check out the book SALT, SUGAR, FAT: How the Food Giants Hooked Us for more in that). We also talk Parks and Rec, "toddler sized" sodas, research being bought, being skeptical by nature, lab rats, the French Paradox, giving your body and palate time to adjust to new (healthy) foods, the importance of moving your body, and getting back to instinctual eating.

AN EXTENDED VERSION OF THIS EPISODE IS AVAILABLE TO PATREON AND APPLE PODCAST SUBSCRIBERS. For more information, visit the podcast's Community page.

You can find Gloria at:
https://www.savorandsoothe.com/
https://www.facebook.com/savorandsoothe
https://www.instagram.com/savorandsoothe/

Episode recorded on 04/03/21

Episode released on 05/12/21

Thanks for listening! If you like this sassy little podcast, please subscribe to it, rate it and review it, and tell your friends about it. For early access, ad-free episodes and exclusive content, become a patron on Patreon or a subscriber with Apple Podcasts (coming soon!). Cheers!

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Lost Heritage Language with Julie Sedivy

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Julie Sedivy) — Wed, 5 May 2021 07:00:00 +0000

Julie Sedivy has a PhD in linguistics and had 5 languages under her belt by the time she was 5. Born in the Czechoslovakia and moving several times through many European countries, her family landed in Canada and slowly, English became the dominant language despite their Czech roots. Keeping a heritage language is difficult, and near impossible in a home where only one parent speaks that second language. We discuss losing language and exposure to heritage roots, the revelation of going back to the heritage country and understanding why you are the way you are, the over-importance of assimilation causing the ceasing of the heritage language, shame of a second language and how those with a second language or speaking English with an accent are perceived as different and sometimes excluded, when parents are told to only speak English to accelerate the child/children's learning, it can cause a language barrier in families, crossover learning, why no one should ever say "why can't they speak English", learning to embrace multilingualism, learning a second language will help you learn more languages, extending your communication repertoire, Canada's multilingual regions, the (false) perception of Spanish taking over the US, English has a pull and seems to become the default language even with those who speak the same heritage language, Dialectal and generational differences with language, honoring language, not always valuing the past, Indigenous languages, consulting with the elders, how things in America are disposable, getting curious about words, playing devil's advocate, Shakespeare and spelling, languages reflect cultures, valuing language, reverence can get in the way of preserving a heritage language, imperfect command of multiple languages, reverence tempered with realism, the French, Montreal and making an effort, swear words, feeling like a tourist, enriching your life with language and culture, commitment to keeping/acquiring a heritage or second language, the internet and podcast can help you learn/maintain a second language, addressing social attitudes, language is loaded for many people, evolutionary bias, under-travelled Americans and who we have different cultures in different states, opening our minds and experiencing other cultures locally.

You can find Julie at https://juliesedivy.com

Her new book Memory Speaks: On Losing and Reclaiming Language and Self is available for pre-order now (out on 10/12/21): https://www.amazon.com/Memory-Speaks-Losing-Reclaiming-Language/dp/067498028X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1QWJPC7BYBBLH&dchild=1&keywords=memory+speaks+sedivy&qid=1620057095&sprefix=sedivy+mem%2Caps%2C492&sr=8-1

or Order it from Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/11990/9780674980280

Episode recorded on 02/09/21
Episode released on 05/05/21

Thanks for listening! If you like this sassy little podcast, please subscribe to it, rate it and review it, and tell your friends about it. Become a patron on Patreon or subscribe through the new Apple Podcast program (coming in May 2021). Cheers!

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Living Smaller with Laura Fenton

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Sandra Ann Miller) — Wed, 28 Apr 2021 07:00:00 +0000

In America, home of the Super Big Gulp, living smaller isn't something we think of as a goal. To Laura Fenton, living smaller is a mindset more than the amount of square feet involved. We talk about pairing back to what is essential, how downsizing can be liberating, the cleverness of a studio space, playing an endless game of Tetris, accumulating things just because you have the space, living in a small space keeps you honest, what a smaller life might look like and the rewards of it, taking the pressure off, being in a small space during the pandemic, the joy of making things work, not being beholden to others' expectations, balance of space and comfort, the large size of modern homes, urban density, smaller homes being the more sustainable option (in every way), it's not a sad thing to live in a small space, living well in a small space without deprivations, the homes in her book came sans stylists or props (that's really how they live), the cost of living smaller, a one-time big (expensive) purchase may save money in the long run, the craziness of smaller appliances costing more, seeing the long view, shopping second had for smaller spaces (because older furniture was made at a smaller scale), Apartment Therapy, sharing experiences, looking at life differently, useful/purposeful gifts, the satisfaction of giving items away to someone who'll enjoy them, pretend to move if you need motivation to declutter, changing the energy of your home by decluttering and/or inviting people over, curiosity of small space living, not filling space, living small is a daily practice, ongoing editing, changing one thing can change everything, if your home is feeling small now (after surviving lockdown) give it a purge, it may be the stuff, not the space, looking at the Why, the bunk bed book.

You can find Laura at http://www.laura-fenton.com/ https://twitter.com/lauraafenton https://www.instagram.com/laura.alice.fenton

You can find her book here: https://bookshop.org/books/the-little-book-of-living-small/9781423652533?aid=11990&listref=a-sassy-little-podcast-tbr

Episode recorded on 03/26/21

Episode released on 04/28/21

Thanks for listening! If you like this sassy little podcast, please subscribe to it, rate it and review it, and tell your friends about it. Become a patron on Patreon. Cheers!

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Chronic Fatigue with Adele Paul

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Adele Paul) — Wed, 21 Apr 2021 07:00:00 +0000

Writer, wife and mother, Adele Paul remembers the day her life changed when suddenly, after getting a regular virus, her energy was gone. Listen in as we talk about: waking up tired, setting two alarms vs not owning one, getting sick, being diagnosed (and excited about that), the difference between being tired, exhausted and fatigue, going to bed at 9:30, not getting over it, doctoring, not being a flake (even when you have to cancel plans), budgeting energy, mourning, accepting limits, limits are wonderful, it's not fun to say no, not having a true diagnosis, post-exertional malaise, figuring it out for yourself, low moment/turning point, taking better care of yourself, healing, alternative medicine, placebo effect, cutting out naps, remission and flares, crazy talk, a fog like no other, alternate plans, supporting your immune system, getting vaccinated, being disbelieved, super store shopping, not needing to know, Epstein-Barr, COVID and chronic fatigue symptoms, nobody stands to profit, nutrition, Starbucks, Teeccino, rituals, exercise, recharging, living to tell the tale, the upsides, Australia.

Adele can be reached at https://tuesdaysisters.com/ and https://www.approfessionalwriting.com/

Episode recorded on 03/19/21

Episode released on 04/21/21

Thanks for listening! If you like this sassy little podcast, please subscribe to it, rate it and review it, and tell your friends about it. Become a patron on Patreon. Cheers!

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Trans Bias with Buck Angel

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Sandra Ann Miller) — Wed, 14 Apr 2021 07:00:00 +0000

Buck Angel is transsexual (his preferred term). Born biologically female, Buck transitioned in the 1990s and was basically a guinea pig, as there wasn't much information for a female to male transition. We discuss the devastating statistics of violence, murder and suicide in the transgender and gender non-conforming community, the importance of opening up the conversation, Buck's past lives, not agreeing with one's community, semantics, missing memos, not being forced, being the first, having a fighting instinct, making mistakes, activism, co-existing, losing the middle ground, finding patience, communication and listening skills, the slow path to equality, TERFs, socialization, fear, bee's and honey, educating, understanding the world you're living in now and the limitations of those around you, building bridges, taking a chill pill, finding a compromise, transitioning without the internet, emotional labor, listening to elders, the value of knowledge, the psychic wounds of the AIDS crisis, what we take for granted came at a cost to someone else, swinging pendulums, merging in traffic, word math, compassion, politicians, legislating people. bathroom laws, safe spaces, being medical experiments, hormones, becoming a monetized community, curiosity is your problem.

Human Rights Campaign statistics

List of documentaries and movies about the AIDS crisis:

How to Survive a Plague

Sliverlake Life: The View from Here

Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt

We Were Here

United in Anger: A History of Act Up

And the Band Played On

The Normal Heart

Angels in America

Documentaries about the Transgender Community

The Death and Life of Martha P. Johnson

Disclosure

The Trans List

Passing

Beautiful Darling

Paris is Burning

Mr. Angel (this one's about Buck)

Episode recorded on 03/12/21

Episode released on 04/14/21

Thanks for listening! If you like this sassy little podcast, please subscribe to it, rate it and review it, and tell your friends about it. Become a patron on Patreon. Cheers!

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Pre-Nups with Sandy Roxas, Esq.

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Sandy Roxas Esq.) — Wed, 7 Apr 2021 07:00:00 +0000

While the connotation may be that a prenuptial agreement is negative, a sign of greed or a set-up for failure, they are no different than getting auto insurance for your car. You don't plan on having an accident, but you certainly want to be covered in case you do. Torrance, California-based attorney, Sandy Roxas, gives us her insight on: why pre-nups are important to have even when money and real property aren't involved, how separate property (including your business or intellectual property) becomes community property once married, thinking forward, having the tough conversations, talking finances (debt becomes community property, too, without a pre-nup), separate accounts don't protect you, keeping earnings separate and having a joint account, knowing what your partner's finances are (even if you have to run a credit report), stay-at-home parenting, amending a pre-nup or doing a post-nup, taking out the romance, co-habitation agreements (for those not getting married), having a pre-nup tends to make divorce and co-parenting easier, hiding things from your partner, obligations, a new spouse's income can affect child support and/or alimony without a pre-nup and keeping earnings separate, financial transparency is important, choosing the right spouse, entrepreneurial debt, the give and take, balanced instead of equal, financial abuse, having access, red flags, The Joy Luck Club, not being stuck, bad math, being able to walk away, being in a relationship because you want to be, not because you have to be, independence is a good thing, fertility and embryos, and please do the pre-nup sooner than later (don't force it in right before the wedding).

You can reach Sandy Roxas at https://roxaslaw.com/

Episode recorded on 02/27/21

Episode released on 04/07/21

Thanks for listening! If you like this sassy little podcast, please subscribe to it, rate it and review it, and tell your friends about it. Become a patron on Patreon. Cheers!

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Intimate Partner Violence with Dr. Shauna Moore Reynolds

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Dr. Shauna Moore Reynolds) — Wed, 31 Mar 2021 07:00:00 +0000

Dr. Shauna Moore Reynolds shares her professional and personal insight into Intimate Partner Violence, discussing how we can be advocates, ask questions to open the door to discussion, there are no predetermining factors that make you more likely to experience IPV, the shame on if, having the courage to leave, understanding it takes an average of 10 attempts to leave, not knowing what goes on behind closed doors, pedestals and perceived notions, heroes, making it look good on the outside, the skills of a manipulator, why women might stay, financial control, being broken, privileged perspective, the shame belongs to the abuser, you can't love somebody better, co-dependence, bad boy attraction, honeymoon stage as the hook, chasing the beginning/that first high, it takes two to make it work, an abuser's past isn't a get-out-of-jail-free card, don't make excuses for other's behavior, recognizing abuse, going back, the cycle of abuse, someone who doesn't socialize well, denoting subtle abuse as personality quirks, more training needed for authorities, patience with the abused (and patience is not the same as co-dependence), not limiting the amount of times you're willing to help, abuse is not addiction (tough love isn't needed), the octopus that has them, stop stigmatizing things that are out of your control, relationships are work not pain, getting help to heal, having the conversation with kids about what's healthy and what's abuse, having a trusted person, being better listeners (and better believers), what to do when you're ready to leave.

Resources for those in need:

Domestic Violence Support: https://www.thehotline.org/

What to do when you're ready to leave: https://www.domesticshelters.org/articles/escaping-violence/when-it-s-time-to-go-part-i

Escape checklist: https://www.mottchildren.org/health-library/te7754

Advice on what to do/take when you're leaving: https://www.boredpanda.com/leaving-abusive-partner-relationship-advice/

Episode recorded on 02/26/21

Episode released on 03/31/21

Thanks for listening! If you like this sassy little podcast, please subscribe to it, rate it and review it, and tell your friends about it. Become a patron on Patreon. Cheers!

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Insomnia with Dr. Nicole Moshfegh

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Dr. Nicole Moshfegh) — Wed, 24 Mar 2021 07:00:00 +0000

Dr. Nicole Moshfegh knows insomnia. She talks to us about how insomnia works, "helpful behavior" that causes insomnia to persist, recipes for disaster, creativity and insomnia, exercise and sleep drive, jittery zombies, fight or flight, acknowledging thoughts, catastrophe spirals, good habits, self care, relaxation, yoga, calming down, turning off, alcohol's effect, sleep stages, cultivating good sleep habits, consistent wake-up times, circadian rhythm, winding down before bedtime, getting enough activity for sleep drive, avoiding napping, reduce anxiety, challenge thinking around sleep, journaling, get out of bed if you're not sleeping, don't work/eat/sleep/watch TV/be on a screen in bed, leave your phone in another room, burning the candle at both ends, sleep deprivation, myth of 8 hours, quality over quantity, FOMO, parenting your inner child.

You can reach Dr. Nicole Moshfegh at https://drnicolemoshfegh.com/

Her book is available here: https://bookshop.org/a/11990/9781641527910

Episode recorded on 02/20/21

Episode released on 03/24/21

Thanks for listening! If you like this sassy little podcast, please subscribe to it, rate it and review it, and tell your friends about it. Become a patron on Patreon. Cheers!

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Menopause with Dr. Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Dr. Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su) — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 07:00:00 +0000

Dr. Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su is a board certified OBGYN, a certified menopause practitioner, the Medical Director of Menopause at Swedish Medical Center in Seattle, and the Chief Medical Officer at Gennev. Clearly, she knows her menopause. In this episode, we talk about: Menopause being taboo, women avoiding the subject, how it's normal and natural, it's not doomsday, perimenopause symptoms (sleep problems, mood changes, anxiety and/or depression); how menopause is, for many, a happier, healthier, positive time, managing symptoms, how we all experience it differently, the average age of menopause is 52, and perimenopause happens about 2-3 years before; the fun of flooding, varying hormone levels, hormone replacement therapy, evidence-based wisdom, no need for hormone testing, choosing FDA regulated hormones, avoiding compounded medication, risks, how "bio-identical" is a marketing term, breast cancer, cardiovascular risk, brain tattoos, ESTROGEN MATTERS (book; see line below), misogyny, Dr. Jen Gunter, the safer window, high-dose longevity clinics, Big Pharma, charlatans, John Oliver, quality control, herbal remedies, placebo effect, Gennev, no one pathway for all women, mindfulness and stress reduction, cortisol, a plant-based diet, colorful plates, choosing white wine over red, exercise (30 mins x 5 days/week), vaginal estrogen, North American Menopause Society, accountability, lifestyle as the pillar of health, community, small balls, doctor shopping.

You can find Dr. Rebecca on Twitter and Clubhouse @DrRebeccaDSu and at Gennev.com

Mentioned in this episode:

Gennev https://gennev.com/

Estrogen Matters https://estrogenmatters.com/

North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/

John Oliver on Compounding Pharmacies

Episode recorded on 02/12/21

Episode released on 03/17/21

Thanks for listening! If you like this sassy little podcast, please subscribe to it, rate it and review it, and tell your friends about it. Become a patron on Patreon. Cheers!

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Mercury Retrograde with Coral Cadman

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Coral Cadman) — Wed, 10 Mar 2021 08:00:00 +0000

What's all the hubbub about when it comes to Mercury Retrograde? Welp, the 2020 election happened during MR and so did the second impeachment. In this episode, my favorite astrologer talks about: Ancient Egypt; a f*cked up ephemeris; the divorce of astrology and astronomy; as above, so below; the wanderers; Sirius; certain predictable events; being regulated by the Moon; astrology doesn't require faith; solar wind; Founding Fathers, High Masons and Illuminati; going back to move forward; commerce, trade and communication; the Rocky Horoscope; oysters; a disturbance in The Force; red flags; self-respect; chaos; ACOA; anxious thinking; Gandhi; Old Testament; calm the F down; the red tent and Moon lodge; taking care of ourselves; if you can't have fun, start a fight; psychic residue; the voice in your head; being useful; poop thoughts; gremlins; a chance to be mindful; happiness is an inside job; functional archetypes; New Age hogwash; vertical drop; skin cars; reorganizing the interior; curiosity; a series of frustrations; a lesson in being patient; being well-rested; Saturn's Day; Loki and the Trickster; inventing the Devil; sh*tty perceptions; let's go deep or leave me alone; Doors of Perception; Socrates; Merrill Markoe; did you have a happy childhood or are you funny; Kurt Vonnegut; made to break; leaving a trail; lost control; homework; your own growth process; radical awakening; arms, hands and fingers; stalling; things to avoid; sign of the knees; old wives' tales; junk in the trunk; paying attention; being compassionate.

You can find Coral on her website: https://coralcadman.com/

Episode recorded on 02/20/21

Episode released on 03/10/21

Thanks for listening! If you like this sassy little podcast, please subscribe to it, rate it and review it, and tell your friends about it. Become a patron on Patreon. Cheers!

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Lost Joy with Tricia Huffman

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Sandra Ann Miller) — Wed, 3 Mar 2021 08:00:00 +0000

Your Joyologist and host of the Claim It! podcast, Tricia Huffman, talks with us about struggling with feeling like we can have joy now, her favorite word, celebrating the small stuff (get a cookie!), knowing it's not permanent, like lessons, it is what it is, making things work, how she became a joyologist, living with pain, the desire to be truly heard and seen, retiring the word "should" and replacing it with "want", seeing that everything is "my" choice, doing the dishes, approaching things from a place of joy, removing the guilt from guilty pleasures, stop stealing joy from ourselves, making yourself feel joy, daily wins and joys, toxic positivity, remembering to keep going, acknowledging yourself, fibromyalgia, F the Shoulds. Do the Wants.

You can find Tricia at yourjoyologist.com and Twitter, Instagram and Facebook @yourjoyologsit. Her books F THE SHOULDS. DO THE WANTS. will be out in April 2022.

Episode recorded on 02/05/21

Episode released on 03/03/21

For more information on the podcast or its host, please visit sassylittlepodcast.com. There, you will find links to social media and an opportunity to become a member of the podcast community. We are on Twitter and Instagram @SassyLittlePod and Facebook @SassyLittlePodcast.

Thanks for listening! If you like this sassy little podcast, please subscribe to it, rate it and review it, and tell your friends about it. Become a patron on Patreon. Cheers!

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Gaslighting with Dr. Stephanie Sarkis

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Sandra Ann Miller) — Wed, 24 Feb 2021 08:00:00 +0000

Dr. Stephanie Sarkis, author of GASLIGHTING: Recognize Manipulative and Emotionally Abusive People—And Break Free, is back (also check out ep 18 on Apologizing) to talk about gaslighting and: breaking down the difference between manipulation, lying and gaslighting, emotional abuse, agreeing to reality, "hoovering", "flying monkeys", isolation, mean girls, controlling the narrative, Gaslight (the movie), a broken nation, normalizing gaslighting, QAnon, failing to learn history, none of us are immune to gaslighting, love bombing, trust, getting educated, punishment, damage control, narcissists and sociopaths, ammunition, Dirty John, cycle of abuse, looking good in public, go to the source, splitting, power and control, toxic positivity, future faking, compinsult, importance of talking to a mental health professional, patterns and norms, healthy boundaries, attachment styles, balanced relationships, healthy discourse, you don't have to reconcile, practice self-compassion, not being responsible for other people's stuff, the trauma of 2020.

Mentioned in the episode:

Robert Cialdini

Dr. Sarkis' book recommendations

Episode recorded on 12/31/20

Episode released on 02/24/21

Thanks for listening! If you like this sassy little podcast, please subscribe to it, rate it and review it, and tell your friends about it. Become a patron on Patreon. Cheers!

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Impatience for Success with Melissa Joy Manning

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Sandra Ann Miller) — Wed, 17 Feb 2021 08:00:00 +0000

Melissa Joy Manning is an ethically- and eco-minded jewelry designer and CFDA member, and a friend of mine. She founded the CFDA Sustainability Committee and uses 100% recycled precious metals in her handmade designs, famous for her signature style and one-of-a-kind creations. We talk about: knowing each other for 20 years, being in business for nearly 25 years, over-achieving parents, art as a career, silversmithing in Mexico, passion, living authentically, getting fired, vocational counseling, Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center, knowing how to run a business, being a hero, positioning, being around for three years, pre-Etsy/direct-to-consumer, building a brand, emulating and partnering, learning your voice, bringing a brand to market, turning, churning and burning, misconceptions, being self-funded, reinvesting, being green-certified, ethics, what you can do with what you love, social component, leading by example, sustainability and success, danger of overnight success, InStyle/Oprah effect, room for everyone, originators, strategy, false promise, vicious cycles, collaboration, generosity, mentoring, feeling lucky, cycle of 3, 5, 7, 10, vision plans, watching the market, racing backwards, finding inspiration, business can be a solution, the best design solves problems, morals and ethics, Bezos could do better, choices, creating community, potty mouths, wage disparity, the other NRA, learning, changing the demand, everything is political, the luxury of choice, cancel culture, embracing failure, being grounded, defining your own success, never take no for an answer.

Body Image Issues with Elle Chase

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Sandra Ann Miller) — Wed, 10 Feb 2021 08:00:00 +0000

Certified sex educator, body acceptance advocate and the author of CURVY GIRL SEX: 101 Body-Positive Positions to Empower Your Sex Life, Elle Chase, CSE, ACS, joins the pod to talk about how to simplify the complicated relationship we have with our bodies. We talk about the love of David (Bowie), messages we aren't achieving, complicated human beings, conditionally loving our bodies, accepting your body as is, compassion, demands, control, how dissatisfaction is healthy, standards, self-reflections, fear or love, no quick fix, zero patience, bossy messages, critical thinking, Marie Osmond, skinny women in bikinis, ennui, Madison Avenue, being sold to, a certain type of fatness, improvements, baby steps, being judged, self-criticism, embracing the imperfect, knowing what is realistic, being your ideal, plastic surgery, do what makes you happy, not having to be a certain way, the exterior won't fix the interior, labiaplasty, not looking how you feel, fall in love with yourself, there is no body that's normal, attracting shallow, what you bring to the table is important, dating when fat, self-esteem, taking the 350 lbs woman over the supermodel, how we get comfortable with ourselves, what we tell ourselves can be most damaging, stopping at neutral before going from negative to positive thoughts, changing the way we speak to ourselves, remember what you like about yourself, what you believe, romancing yourself, being your biggest fan, learning your love language, the relationship with yourself and its importance, Yukon gold potatoes, little things, comfort and joy, cravings, feeding the soul, separating wheat from chaff, muting, blocking and unfollowing, courage and strength, neutrality, more compassion, messy humans, Japanese sweet potatoes, knowing what lifts you up, being nice to yourself, recognizing the pressure we're under, finding what's supportive to you, friends, joy in Bernie memes, feeling like a human being again, perfections is boring, Michelle Pfeiffer, smokers, good toes, the perfect human, beautiful nailbeds.

You can find Elle on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook @TheElleChase and her website is ellechase.com.

Episode recorded on 01/22/21

Episode released on 02/10/21

Thanks for listening! If you like this sassy little podcast, please subscribe to it, rate it and review it, and tell your friends about it. Become a patron on Patreon. Cheers!

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Bad Advice with Lisa Linke and Misty Stinnett

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Lisa Linke, Misty Stinnett) — Wed, 3 Feb 2021 08:00:00 +0000

In this episode, we talk about: Threesomes. Lies. Going over 200 episodes. Friendships. Learning. How their podcast got started. Usable gems. Critical thinking. Hating the premise of self-help. Being of service. Doing good work. Writing on accident. Filter feeding the debris. What sticks. Living with a professor. Questioning authority. Flamingoes. Best sellers. Being our best selves. Screenwriters. Lord God King Boofoo. Self-help is a misnomer. What you would actually have to do each day if you followed all the top self-help advice (spoiler alert: it's impossible). Racism and privilege. Community care. Victim blaming. Manipulation. Caveats. Rachel Hollis' divorce. Problematic advice. Social constructs. The mental load of women. Not having a party. Best advice. Worst advice. Leveling up. Assistance. Experts. Protecting listeners. Responsibility. Fabergé-ing. Ageism. Tea drinking.

Books mentioned in the episode:

A Sassy Little Guide to Getting Over Him (by yours truly)

On Screenwriting by Syd Field

Making a Good Script Great by Linda Seger

Fed Up by Gemma Hartley

Burnout by Amelia Nagoski and Emily Nagoski

How to be Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi

Generation X by Douglas Coupland

Episode recorded on 01/02/21

Episode released on 02/03/21

For more information on the podcast or its host, please visit sassylittlepodcast.com. There, you will find links to social media (Twitter and Insta: @SassyLittlePod) and an opportunity to become a member of the podcast community.

Thanks for listening! If you like this sassy little podcast, please subscribe to it, rate it and review it, and tell your friends about it. Become a patron on Patreon. Cheers!

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Apologizing with Dr. Stephanie Sarkis

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Dr. Stephanie Sarkis) — Wed, 27 Jan 2021 08:00:00 +0000

Dr. Stephanie Sarkis holds a PhD, NCC, DCMHS and LMHC. She’s a bestselling author and psychotherapist specializing in anxiety, gaslighting, narcissistic abuse, and ADHD. Her latest book is Gaslighting: Recognize Manipulative and Emotionally Abusive People. She’s a Florida Supreme Court Certified Family and Circuit Mediator and a contributor to Forbes, Psychology Today and The Huffington Post, as well as the host of the Talking Brains podcast. We start by getting to the good part, talk about the lack of accountability and narcissism evident in those who refuse to apologize. Toxic personalities. 1980s philosophy (Wall Street, Gordon Gekko). Taking responsibility. Not being a doormat. Apologizing to each other in real time. Empathy, compassion and understanding. Showing you're trustworthy/having integrity. Having an asserting personality AND STILL apologizing. When people are heard, it changes thing (and that's 90% of what therapy is). Epidemic of loneliness. One person can make a huge difference. Binary thinking of apologizing/taking responsibility = admitting guilt. Acknowledgement of injustice. Lack of responsibility has been normalized by last administration. Empathy should be normalized in next administration. People who don't feel guilt. Following Mr. Roger's advice and "look for the helpers". New level of human suffering in 2020. Importance of accountability. You don't have to condone the behavior to accept the apology. Proper apology = "I'm sorry I hurt you; this is how/what I'm going to change." Motives. Apologies are not a contract/guarantee it won't happen again. ADHD. Repeat offenders. Non-apology = "I'm sorry you feel that way"/puts blame on the person harmed/deflects responsibility...and is a gaslighting technique. You're too sensitive/can't take a joke. If someone says you hurt them, you hurt them. It's easy to take responsibility. Don't blame yourself if someone refuses to apologize; that speaks to them. Setting boundaries (and becoming the difficult person because of that). Workplace offenses. We can't expect an apology for everything. Blanket apologies. Increasing our compassion (we don't know what others are going through, especially now). Giving grace to people while keeping our boundaries. If you think apologies are a weakness, talk to a professional to break those patterns (find out how it served you in the past and why it no longer serves you now). Don't underestimate the power of humor (but understand it's not always injectable). Behavior anomalies. If you have a complaint about another, check to see if you aren't guilty of the same. Fluffy McStuffins. Frayed nerves. If you charge up a hill, you might be met with a mirror. Those willing to apologize value human relationships, understand we are inherently flawed human beings, and maybe doesn't take themselves too seriously. Willingness to take responsibility. Separate ego from self. Waiting for a reckoning. What you can do to help heal stuff. Inherent entitlement. Addressing privilege. Shitler. Vocal racists. Not reconnecting. We can all be friends again. (No, we can't.) People can change—listen to what they say, pay attention to what they do. We are coming out of an abusive relationship (with our president). Gaslighting. Irreparable damage. Understanding what you have control over. Strengthening empathic muscles. Reaching out for help is a strength, not a weakness. Emotional intelligence mentors. Taking a refresher course on communication.

You can find Dr. Sarkis on Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn @stephaniesarkis, on Instagram @sarkisphd, on Facebook @StephanieSarkisPhD and her website stephaniesarkis.com. Her latest book is Gaslighting: Recognize Manipulative and Emotionally Abusive People—And Break Free.

Episode recorded on 12/18/20

Episode released on 01/20/21

For more information on the podcast or its host, please visit sassylittlepodcast.com. There, you will find links to social media and an opportunity to become a member of the podcast community.

Thanks for listening! If you like this sassy little podcast, please subscribe to it, rate it and review it, and tell your friends about it. Become a patron on Patreon. Cheers!

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Othering with Elizabeth Jinzo

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Elizabeth Jinzo) — Wed, 20 Jan 2021 08:00:00 +0000

Elizabeth Jinzo is a mom who decided things needed to be better. When her daughter was born prematurely and diagnosed with Autism, she was forced into the role of advocate and had to become an expert in navigating systems, including public education, where she fought for her daughter’s integration into “regular” classrooms. She was so good at this, she started a non-profit to help other parents whose children have intellectual or developmental disabilities. In 2008, she founded D.E.S.I., which stands for Designated Exceptional Services for Independence, and is named after her daughter, Deserai. She’s been repeatedly recognized and awarded for her work, and well she should be, because D.E.S.I. not only provides advocation, life skills classes and job training to its clients, it’s also a community food bank, runs a thrift store and provides work programs for mothers on assistance. Needless to say, she’s rather impressive and quite inspiring. We talk about fighting the good fight. Serving 4,500 people at their food bank in October 2020. Being creative to keep clients engaged during lockdown/with Zoom. Pre-COVID, it was about integrating clients, being inclusive in the community. Getting clients into college. Refusing to lower expectations. She was told her daughter would never talk or go to college. Her daughter now has her own apartment in supported living. Pretend cousins. Taking away humiliating language. Being like family. Not being adversarial; creating compassion and empathy instead. Know the law. Holding pencils. Daughter was born 1.5 lbs; watched her develop in an incubator. Pioneering parents. Ending educational segregation. Letting children make their own choices so they can be their own person. Difficulty in letting go. Innate awareness. Helicopter parents. Learning about the resources available. Having to take action. Expense of special needs. Going back to school. Seeing potential. Becoming a teacher. Independent living skills. Rotaries and chambers. It takes a village. It's not just the child who needs assistance—the entire family does. Creating scholarships. Blossoming into community support. 2 locations: East L.A. (thrift store and food bank) and Bell Gardens (admin). Being uncomfortable rather than compassionate. Meaningful friendships. Structure. Emulating behavior. Try. Realizing true potential. Making a difference in the world. Support system. Yea, Kenny! Believing. Audacity. When you're hungry enough, things will happen. Obstacles as learning tools. Having a strong work ethic. Showing up.

You can reach Liz and D.E.S.I. on Twitter and Instagram @desi_serve on Facebook @desiserve and at desiserve.org

Episode recorded on 11/13/20

Episode released on 01/27/20

For more information on the podcast or its host, please visit sassylittlepodcast.com. There, you will find links to social media and an opportunity to become a member of the podcast community.

Thanks for listening! If you like this sassy little podcast, please subscribe to it, rate it and review it, and tell your friends about it. Become a patron on Patreon. Cheers!

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Clutter with Jasmine Milligan

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Sandra Ann Miller) — Wed, 6 Jan 2021 08:00:00 +0000

From being at home during the pandemic and getting things we want/need/happen to be on sale and giving/getting over the holidays, we probably are finding ourselves with too much stuff! Let's purge it. Jasmine Milligan is Reno, Nevada's first KonMari certified organizer. Marie Kondo's method starts with clothing, books, documents and "komono" (misc.) before hitting the hard to part with sentimental items. Start with a vision of what you want to achieve/have it look like and start with pulling out ALL of your clothes and see which ones spark joy (everything else is out). Learning not to buy things numbly. Future tripping. Facing stuff head-on. There are no real rules with the KonMari method (and the "if you haven't worn it in a year" rule has been cancelled due to 2020). If you want to keep it, keep it with confidence (that you will use it/wear it soon...set a date for it). Fantasy yard sales. Perceived value vs. what you will realistically get. Releasing things with gratitude. Learning our patterns. Becoming more self-aware. Shopping to check out. Energy shifting. "Hoarders". Creating a prison of stuff. Minimizing life to what you actually need and like. Disconnecting. Seeing the unhappiness related to clutter. Going through everything is really liberating. (Really.) Magic happens when you clear things out (it's like a portal opens; reconnections occur). Don't have to believe in that; just do it and you'll see. RAFT your documents (Refer, Act, File, Toss/recycle). Reese Witherspoon and stale cereal. Aesthetic organization doesn't always make sense/isn't always practical (so you can skip that trip to the Container Store and labelling everything). Kimono vs. komono. Patience. Bravery. Empowerment. Actively living. Setting goals. Zoomtinis.

You can reach Jasmine at upsidetidying.com and on Instagram.

Her radio show, Thread, can be heard here.

Episode recorded on 12/11/20

Episode released on 01/06/21

For more information on the podcast or its host, please visit sassylittlepodcast.com. There, you will find links to social media and an opportunity to become a member of the podcast community.

Thanks for listening! If you like this sassy little podcast, please subscribe to it, rate it and review it, and tell your friends about it. Become a patron on Patreon. Cheers!

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Productivity Blocks with Nina Sadowsky

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Sandra Ann Miller) — Wed, 30 Dec 2020 08:00:00 +0000

Nina Sadowsky is busy. She’s had 4 books published in the last 4 years, 2 of those were released in 2020, and that was done while she was teaching, and then while she opened a school, and was also developing TV series, and sending out a cheerfully dark dispatch from her website. Before becoming an author, she was an attorney, a producer, screenwriter and executive. She’s the Program Director of NYU Los Angeles and her novels are Just Fall, The Burial Society, The Empty Bed, and Convince Me. We talk about: needing joy or optimism to be productive, or using anger as a motivator; being ruthlessly time-efficient; finding what drives you; sometimes, it's just the doing; try something new (art, cooking), do something different to discover new motivation; building community; contributing to the conversation; taking advantage of this time to reassess, ask what you'd like your life to look like on the other side of this; look at how productive we've actually been during COVID; the doing of it; being disciplined about it; vertical and lateral thinking; mediation; dancing; finding ways to keep your joy as well as your quieter side; sink into yourself; ask how you measure productivity; managing expectations; accomplish what you can in this day; be present; rather than dread something, just do it; have compassion for ourselves in a big, big, way; the uncertainty of this situation makes it so much harder; look for the positive things that have happened; learning how precious time is; sometimes, too much time makes it hard to know what to do with it; scheduling is an illusion of control; Blursday impedes productivity; supporting local bookstores; hitting a wall; not having enough personal interactions; importance of making your bed; finding a dedicated workspace; giving yourself a short time space to do work you don't want and rewarding yourself for accomplishments; getting started is half the battle; take pride in what you accomplish; things you should plan to accomplish every day: gratitude, exercise, getting outside, connecting with someone, create beauty; let go of "normal"; pivot; being collectively tired; set an alarm and give yourself a pattern.

You can find Nina on Twitter @Sadowsy_nina and on Instagram @NinaSadowsy

Mentioned in the interview:

NinaSadowsky.com

Hollywood Climate Summit

Supreme Myths Podcast with Eric Segall

Bookshop.org

Episode recorded on 10/23/20

Episode released on 12/30/20

For more information on the podcast or its host, please visit sassylittlepodcast.com. There, you will find links to social media and an opportunity to become a member of the podcast community.

Thanks for listening! If you like this sassy little podcast, please subscribe to it, rate it and review it, and tell your friends about it. Become a patron on Patreon. Cheers!

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Food Addiction with Dr. Vera Tarman

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Dr. Vera Tarman) — Wed, 23 Dec 2020 08:00:00 +0000

Food has changed. How we grow it and process it. Sugar is in everything (processed). The edible equivalent of oxycontin. Sugar is not a normal food product. Viewers can see the similarities between those suffering addiction on "Intervention" and those on "My 600-lb Life"; how does the medical community miss that parallel? Doctors don't want to fat-shame and obesity is prevalent/normalized. When you are sick, doctors don't ask what you are eating. They aren't trained to. Food addiction needs more research but that requires more doctors diagnosing it. Doctors prefer what they know: medication or surgery. The inequity if the food supply; lower income keeps people reliant on highly processed and addictive foods. If food was viewed as medicine, we could get a Rx for it, use insurance co-pays to get the nutrition we need affordably. Documentaries: FAT FICTION (about how the USDA got it wrong with the American diet, making fat the villain while it's sugar that's the danger) and KISS THE GROUND (about how modern farming is damaging the soil, but changing how and what we farm will make both us and the planet healthier). USDA cherry-picked the data for the American diet. Non-fat, low-fat and "light" means "loaded with sugar!" Refined foods erode mental health, and mimics other mental health issues. Food addiction can be a gateway to other addictions. Dr. Tarman's journey. Restricting leads to bingeing and gaining more weight than was lost. If you eat healthy foods, you never have to "diet", count calories or worry about what you're eating. Best solution for addiction is to quit what you're addicted to (sugar, flour). How can you live like that? (Spoiler alert: You'll feel better.) Leptin resistance (caused by insulin blocking this hormone, keeping us from being sated/keeping us eating more). See an addiction doctor if you are suffering food addiction (regular GPs or bariatric doctors don't fully understand the triggers). Sugar and dopamine. If you're not feeling good, think about what you're eating. "Heart healthy" sugared cereals? Science is important but so is common sense. Grooming children to be addicted to food. If it's in a box or bag (and refined) aren't healthy, even if they are labelled as such. Cigarettes were once labelled as "healthy". Bullet-proofing experiment. Fat doesn't equal fat; sugar equals fat. Try going sugar-free for a month. Educate yourself about food addiction. Understand there is withdrawal (but you'll survive it). When you feel better, you won't miss the garbage. Once you eat healthy foods, you crave healthy foods.

You can find Dr. Tarman at AddictionsUnplugged.com on Twitter and Facebook.

Her book is FOOD JUNKIES: The Truth About Food Addiction.

Episode recorded on 10/16/20

Episode released on 12/23/20

For more information on the podcast or its host, please visit sassylittlepodcast.com. There, you will find links to social media and an opportunity to become a member of the podcast community.

Thanks for listening! If you like this sassy little podcast, please subscribe to it, rate it and review it, and tell your friends about it. Become a patron on Patreon. Cheers!

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Cult-based Trauma with Erin Coffin Moore

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Sandra Ann Miller) — Wed, 16 Dec 2020 08:00:00 +0000

We've seen Going Clear, "Scientology: The Aftermath", Wild, Wild Country, Bikram: Yogi, Guru, Predator, and "The Vow", so we know a little something about cults. What we don't really understand is how they still exist, and pull in people today even with that awareness. Phoenix House is a therapeutic community based on a now-defunct cult, Synanon. Erin Coffin Moore was placed in Phoenix House when she was 16. "Tough Love" and institutionalizing "troubled" teens were touted as solutions for parents in the 1980s and 90s. Adults (teachers, police, social workers) fail to listen or believe kids when trouble at home is noticed, or to follow up on their welfare. Where there's smoke, there's fire. Phoenix House had contracts with state and local governments to serve as a diversion program for juvenile offenders and yet no authorities were keeping a close eye on the abuses there for children 13-17, co-ed, run by adults who were unqualified, unlicensed and untrained. From 2-minute showers to free labor, to encounter groups called "The Game" where berating a fellow "family member" was encouraged, as was ratting out others, including your family, abuse occurred daily. Ridicule was considered "a tool", and so was hostility. Civil rights violations were rampant (those in the adult facilities would sue to go back to prison where they would be treated better). The place where Paris Hilton went was also based on Synanon. These places still exist. Groups like Landmark, NXIUM and Scientology all have similar playbooks. While there are benefits to the "self-improvement" aspects of these organization, the isolation, secrecy, shame, humiliation, abuse, excommunication and vengeance are as if they are from the same playbook. Even after turning 18, Erin was so indoctrinated from their abuse, she remained in the program, living outside of the facility but attending sessions regularly. Eventually, they isolated her from her mother, then excommunicated her after she became pregnant in a relationship with another member. Alone with nothing, Erin had to find her own way. It took her years to be able to talk about what she experienced there, and now she is chronicling her story on her blog, FallingPhoenix.com and writing her memoir.

You can find Erin on Twitter @girl_recovery and Instagram @witchrecovery.

Episode recorded on 10/24/20

Episode released on 12/16/20

For more information on the podcast or its host, please visit sassylittlepodcast.com. There, you will find links to social media and an opportunity to become a member of the podcast community.

Thanks for listening! If you like this sassy little podcast, please subscribe to it, rate it and review it, and tell your friends about it. Become a patron on Patreon. Cheers!

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Ego with Ben Lee

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Ben Lee) — Wed, 9 Dec 2020 08:00:00 +0000

Brad Pitt and the C-word. Oasis and rock stars as superheroes. Escaping into big personalities. Andy Kaufman and performance art. Bravado before confidence. Forced humility. Australian blasphemy, the "tall poppy" syndrome and being a divisive artist. Art school egos. Ego as a shield. Fake it 'til you make it. Tarot card psychics. Sometimes you start by being good. Have the courage to take the journey. Over-40 playlists. Purpose of persona. Meeting Marilyn Manson. Skills and tools. Who's in charge of the experience? Playful combativeness. Are you in control of the process or is the process in control of you? Trapped in toxic ego. Kanye West. Question who's driving. There's no community if one ego is in charge. Coming to America, a country that tells you to believe in your dreams. Creation. Tapping into the "Universal Vein". "Tripping with Caveh". Art and parenting. Would a bigger ego mean a bigger career? Bruce Springsteen tasting blood. Bringing value. Owning 100% of nothing. Trusting your instincts. No regrets. Cultivating a vibe. Being genuine. Adaptivity and resilience. QAnon and the largest attempt to radicalize Americans against democracy. Catching people before they fall into the rabbit hole. How it's like a cult. Speaking up. How this relates to ego — being a savior, being right. Conspiracy theories. The comfort of knowing. War of information. How ego makes it hard to admit we're wrong. I'm sorry is the easiest thing to say...and the only way to stay married (or employed).

Ben is on Twitter and Instagram @BenLeeMusic. His website is https://ben-lee.com where you can get his music and sign up for his newsletter.

Tripping with Caveh

Episode recorded on 10/30/20

Episode released on 12/09/20

For more information on the podcast or its host, please visit sassylittlepodcast.com. There, you will find links to social media and an opportunity to become a member of the podcast community.

Thanks for listening! If you like this sassy little podcast, please subscribe to it, rate it and review it, and tell your friends about it. Become a patron on Patreon. Cheers!

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Toxic Positivity with Dr. Allison Niebes-Davis

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Dr. Allison Niebes-Davis) — Wed, 2 Dec 2020 08:00:00 +0000

Toxic positivity is a pet peeve of Sandra's because: 1) it's mood shaming and 2) it can hinder those who appear perpetually cheerful but are actually dealing with deep pain and hardship from getting the attention and care they need. You can't heal what you can't feel. "Good vibes only" is oversimplifying a complex emotional experience and brings on shame and isolation. If you're feeling OK in the midst of this crisis...that's not healthy. Choosing your mood. Science! Getting rid of disclaimers and qualifying your upset. "At least it's not cancer!" (Never say that.) Fear is a four-letter word. Trusting each other enough to support each other through this hard time. The human brain is wired to focus on the negative (for survival). Connecting with friends through a screen when we are burnt out on being on a screen. Missing physical cues because we aren't in-person. Learning to up our verbal game. Empathy skills. Feeling more deeply—the good and bad. Being authentic and having a richer life. Our natural tendency to avoid what's uncomfortable. It's not our job to say something to make the other person feel better, just be supportive and help them feel cared for. We don't do well with grief or have the language for it. Learning how to "hold both" with Dr. Allison's favorite word, "and". Intention vs impact. Comfortable confrontation.

Dr. Allison can be found at drallisonanswers.com

Episode recorded 10/09/20

Episode released 12/02/20

For more information on the podcast or its host, please visit sassylittlepodcast.com. There, you will find links to social media and an opportunity to become a member of the podcast community.

Thanks for listening! If you like this sassy little podcast, please subscribe to it, rate it and review it, and tell your friends about it. Cheers!

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Mental Health with Patricia Shanae Smith

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Patricia Shanae Smith, Sandra Ann Miller) — Wed, 25 Nov 2020 08:00:00 +0000

TRIGGER WARNING: This episode includes discussion of suicidal ideation, cutting, eating disorders, body dysmorphia, depression, drug and alcohol abuse.

If you are in crisis, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline available 24 hours each day in English and Spanish at 800-273-8255. Or contact the Crisis Text line by texting CONNECT to 741741 to chat with a Crisis Counselor. Visit the National Institute for Mental Health for more information.

The journey of a young woman's mental health began at age 2 with her mother's death and going mute for two years (something she only recently found out), not liking her skin color (body dysmorphia) and suicidal ideation at age 6, cutting at 10, eating disorders starting at 14, having her first drink in college at 19 and finally feeling "normal" to drug abuse in her early 20s, finally finding sobriety at 25, and how she's coping today at 28 with PTSD, body dysmorphia and sobriety while going back to college and being an author of young adult books.

Patricia's book is REMEMBER available on Bookshop.org.

You can find Patricia on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook @pssmith92

Episode recorded 10/02/20

Episode released 11/25/20

For more information on the podcast or its host, please visit sassylittlepodcast.com. There, you will find links to social media and an opportunity to become a member of the podcast community.

Thanks for listening! If you like this sassy little podcast, please subscribe to it, rate it and review it, and tell your friends about it. Cheers!

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Disability Indifference with Selene Luna

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Selene Luna) — Wed, 18 Nov 2020 08:00:00 +0000

Selene Luna (COCO, "The Cho Show") talks about producing shows for the Palm Springs International Comedy Festival, being in showbiz as a little person, how laws to protect the disabled aren't always enough (who are you gonna call when they're broken?), who pays for that magical lawyer if you need to sue to get your rights, disability isn't niche (26% of US adults have disability; 25% of women have a disability), the damage caused when helping one community harms another, the epidemic of systemic, forced poverty in the disability community, societal gratitude, education segregation, silver linings, being heard after being invisible, having the disabled community included in marriage equality, how easily benefits can be taken away (like getting married), it's legal in 38 states to pay people with disability less than minimum wage, the humanity and dignity of independence, contributing to society, how disability doesn't discriminate, equal access is not a favor, the difference between service dogs and support animals, homelessness and feeling dignified is the unifier.

You can find Selene at SeleneLuna.com, Twitter and Instagram.

Episode recorded on 09/18/20

Episode released on 11/18/20

For more information on the podcast or its host, please visit sassylittlepodcast.com. There, you will find links to social media and an opportunity to become a member of the podcast community.

Thanks for listening! If you like this sassy little podcast, please subscribe to it, rate it and review it, and tell your friends about it. Cheers!

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Relationship Challenges with Virginia Gilbert, MFT

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Virginia Gilbert) — Wed, 11 Nov 2020 08:00:00 +0000

With a hard out time, we don't waste time talking with Virginia Gilbert, MFT, about the underlying issues of communication, such as attachment style and how we manage emotions, being interdependent (not codependent), taking out the competition (it's not about who's right or wrong), being a team rather than opponents, Attachment Theory, Imago Theory, having a mindfulness practice and coping skills, learning not to trigger-talk, listening and being heard, building trust and goodwill, looking at the health of the relationship, understanding that it's not just your partner who could improve/change (hint: you could, too), signs that you're heading in the right direction in recovering trust after it's been broken, and how to know when it's really time to end the relationship.

You can find Virginia at VirginiaGilbertMFT.com, on Twitter and Instagram. Her book is Transcending High-Conflict Divorce.

Episode recorded on 09/11/20

Episode released on 11/11/20

For more information on the podcast or its host, please visit sassylittlepodcast.com. There, you will find links to social media and an opportunity to become a member of the podcast community.

Thanks for listening! If you like this sassy little podcast, please subscribe to it, rate it and review it, and tell your friends about it. Cheers!

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Financial Fears with Amy Irvine, CFP

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Amy Irvine) — Wed, 4 Nov 2020 08:00:00 +0000

Don't "should" on yourself. Forget budgeting; create a spending plan that's realistic, as barebones as you can make it when money is tight, compartmentalize and determine what's negotiable. Be proactive with what you owe; call your lenders, banks, IRS, card companies, etc., and let them know your circumstance/ask for assistance. Learn what protections the CARES Act offers and take advantage of those provisions (borrow from retirement, take a loan from your 401k, take advantage of the 0% interest on student loans and deferrals). Have a conversation with your money and create a healthy relationship with it. Get a financial education; hire a professional or get low-/no-cost training from local colleges or online sources. What to do once we get to the other side of this crisis: Save or pay off debt? (Save so you don't go into more debt). Retirement or college funds? (You can't borrow for retirement.) The importance of knowing your financial status/health especially if your spouse/partner is "in charge" of the money to avoid financial infidelity or abuse. Teaching your kids what things cost, including their education. Reconsidering community college to keep student loan debt down. When to declare bankruptcy (and remembering that student loans can't be written off by a BK).

You can find Amy at RootedPG.com, Twitter and Facebook. Listen and subscribe to her podcast, Wine and Dime. Her book UNCORK YOUR FINANCES.

For the guide mentioned to assist you in calling your creditors to ask for help, please visit https://www.rootedpg.com/covid-19 and go to the "5 Tips" PDF on the right side of the screen.

Episode recorded on 09/04/20

Episode released on 11/04/20

For more information on the podcast or its host, please visit sassylittlepodcast.com. There, you will find links to social media and an opportunity to become a member of the podcast community.

Thanks for listening! If you like this sassy little podcast, please subscribe to it, rate it and review it, and tell your friends about it. Cheers!

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Ageism with Gia DeSantis

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Sandra Ann Miller) — Wed, 28 Oct 2020 07:00:00 +0000

Been there, done that, literally have the t-shirt and still have more to give. Stalking your way into a friendship. You only get old if you're lucky. Ageism is the last acceptable bias. Being Gen X. Having to leave jobs off your CV to mask your age. Going after a job you once held and laughably being told they're looking for someone "more qualified". Too young, not enough experience, at the age of getting married or having children, too old, not the right experience—women constantly face something related to ageism in their careers. Working with rock stars and drug addicts give you special skills, including patience. We've come a long way, but it wasn't that long ago a woman couldn't get a credit card without her husband's co-signing/permission. The Age Discrimination Employment Act of 1967 offers protection to workers 40+ but does not provide for damages (call your Senators and Congress Reps!). Glennon Doyle's UNTAMED. Pink tax repeal and the power of a female legislature. Making sure that your diversity plan includes people over 50, especially BIPOC over 50. Not "growing out" of the F word, ballet flats in the mosh pit and getting riled up.

You can find Gia at GiaDeSantis.com, Twitter and Facebook. Her book contributions include CRIME AND PUNKISHMENT and FOR WHOM THE COWBELL TOLLS: 25 YEARS OF PAUL’S BOUTIQUE. Her forthcoming documentary is about RequestVideo. Keep tabs on that!

Episode recorded on 09/04/20

Episode released on 10/28/20

For more information on the podcast or its host, please visit sassylittlepodcast.com. There, you will find links to social media and an opportunity to become a member of the podcast community.

Thanks for listening! If you like this sassy little podcast, please subscribe to it, rate it and review it, and tell your friends about it. Cheers!

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Climate Change with JC Coccoli

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Sandra Ann Miller) — Wed, 21 Oct 2020 07:00:00 +0000

Big oil, idling cars, Bezos’ billions (and what JC and Sandra would do with it), owing hippies and apology, the excessive waste created by the pandemic, a Google alternative that plants trees, the money in waste management, understanding your trash, making small changes for a bigger impact, how being environmentally conscious burns calories and/or saves money, and the moment Sandra realizes her whole life was based on a lie.

You can find JC at JCCoccoli.com, Twitter and Instagram.

Links to all the things we talked about:

Refillery LA

Ecosia (the tree-planting Google alternative)

CamelBak Water Bottle

Contigo Water Bottle

Glass Water Bottle

ZeroWater filter pitcher

Coffee Traveller

French Press

Moka Pot

Composting Tips for Anyone/Everyone

Food Waste Pick-Up Service in LA (use Ecosia to find a similar service in your area)

Chewy.com

** This page contains some affiliate links. **

Episode recorded on 08/28/20

Episode released on 10/21/20

For more information on the podcast or its host, please visit sassylittlepodcast.com. There, you will find links to social media and an opportunity to become a member of the podcast community.

Thanks for listening! If you like this sassy little podcast, please subscribe to it, rate it and review it, and tell your friends about it. Cheers!

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Single Stigma with Tricia Barreiro

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Sandra Ann Miller) — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 07:00:00 +0000

Sandra and Tricia have known each other for nearly 20 years. Never married, no children and not surrounded by cats, they talk (for over 2.5 hours; we edited this down) about the joys of singlehood, being married to your career, needing time alone to create, what an introvert actually is, a clue to knowing if you're with your soulmate or not, the often annoying societal and cultural expectations foisted upon women, having to compromise yourself in order to fit into a relationship (sometimes without realizing you're doing it), the fact that single people are indeed good at relationships, and why they will never settle.

You can find Tricia at mssmartypants.com and Twitter.

Recorded on 08/16/20

Released on 10/14/20

For more information on the podcast or its host, please visit sassylittlepodcast.com. There, you will find links to social media and an opportunity to become a member of the podcast community.

Thanks for listening! If you like this sassy little podcast, please subscribe to it, rate it and review it, and tell your friends about it. Cheers!

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Sexual Insecurities with Anne Hodder-Shipp, CSE, ACS

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Anne Hodder-Shipp, Sandra Ann Miller) — Wed, 7 Oct 2020 07:00:00 +0000

Talking about period sex, responsive desire, the importance of communication, the power of vulnerability, binary thinking BS, orgasms aren’t necessarily the goal, what’s “normal” anyway, and how arousal, or lack thereof, is not an indicator of desire.

Find Anne at:

AnneHodderShipp.com

On Twitter, Instagram and Facebook

The towel by Liberator Anne refers to can be found here: https://amzn.to/3lsNh7T

Recorded on: 08/07/20

Released on: 10/07/20

**This page contains affiliate links!**

For more information on the podcast or its host, please visit sassylittlepodcast.com. There, you will find links to social media and an opportunity to become a member of the podcast community.

Thanks for listening! If you like this sassy little podcast, please subscribe to it, rate it and review it, and tell your friends about it. Cheers!

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Shame with Amy Dresner

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Sandra Ann Miller, Amy Dresner) — Thu, 1 Oct 2020 07:00:00 +0000

Amy Dresner talks about addition, recovery and how shame never helped her stay sober (which she is now for 7+ years, w00t!). Read about her journey in the wildly acclaimed, wickedly well-written memoir MY FAIR JUNKIE (Hachette, 2017; available in hardcover, paperback, e- and audio-books). Subscribe to her podcast, Rehab Confidential or politely stalk her on social media (website, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook).

For more information on the podcast or its host, please visit sassylittlepodcast.com. There, you will find links to social media and an opportunity to become a member of the podcast community.

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Episode recorded 08/02/20

Episode released 10/01/20

Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack.

The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com.

Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs

Trailer

sassylittlepodcast@gmail.com (Sandra Ann Miller) — Thu, 30 Jul 2020 04:46:34 +0000

Coming soon! Subscribe now to A Sassy Little Podcast for Getting Over It! If there was ever a year we needed to get the F over, it’s 2020. Join author Sandra Ann Miller each week as she interviews experts, celebrities and every-day people who’ve faced seemingly insurmountable circumstances, and came through it the sassier for it. With humor and heart (and maybe some swearing), their insight is sure to inspire. New episodes each week. Podcast premiere's October 7, 2020.Full episodes are available to paid subscribers of A Sassy Little Substack. Subscriptions start at $5/mo or $40/yr. For more information, visit A Sassy Little Substack. The podcast is written, produced and edited by Sandra Ann Miller. If you are interested in becoming a guest, please visit the Contact page at SassyLittlePodcast.com. Music: Shower Beer by GG Riggs