123: How to Balance Out Your Desire For More (Without Settling For Less)
Ask Kelly your burning questions in our monthly Vital Life Project membership here.In this episode, I talk about why desire will never stop, and why that’s actually a good thing.I share my response to a listener struggling with perfectionism and the fear of passing it on to her daughter. I talk about the insatiable nature of feminine desire, how entitlement creeps in when we lose awareness, and why learning to appreciate even the smallest moments can change everything. I share how I practice this in my own life, from focusing on the comfort of a blanket during a water fast to letting my kids make their own choices, even when it’s inconvenient for me. And I break down how desire, when it’s met with consciousness, can become a powerful force for creation instead of a source of suffering.You’ll Learn:The real reason feminine desire never feels satisfiedWhat happens when entitlement sneaks into your relationship with desireThe surprising link between gratitude and breaking free from the addiction to “more”How noticing tiny comforts can shift you out of overwhelmWhy teaching your kids to honor their own wants can change how your family functionsThe quiet damage of living from “owe” and “deserve”How to recognize when your desire is healthy versus when it’s fueled by fearThe practice that can help you feel fullness even in uncomfortable momentsWhy coming into union with your desire is the most powerful work you can do as a womanTimestamps:[00:00] Introduction[01:02] Navigating perfectionism and fear of complacency in kids[02:00] Why feminine desire is naturally insatiable[03:15] Recognizing entitlement and victim patterns in desire[04:10] Using appreciation and the concept of “ha” to feel fullness[05:20] Finding comfort and gratitude in small moments during struggle[07:05] Transforming desire into life force energy and creative power[08:00] Teaching kids to honor their own wants and choices[09:15] Trusting desire and discerning it from entitlement and fear👉🏻 Want to start a podcast like this one? Book your free podcast planning call here.Resources Mentioned:David Deida | WebsiteMingtong Gu | WebsiteFind more from Kelly:Instagram: @kellybroganmdWebsite: kellybroganmd.comJoin Kelly's monthly membership, Vital Life Project here.Get Kelly’s new book The Reclaimed Woman here and join the companion program, Reclaimed, here.
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122: How Emotional Sobriety Has Changed My Life (And Could Change Yours Too)
In this episode, I talk about how what we call love can actually be an addiction.I share how I began questioning the way we label addiction as a disease and why abstinence models often keep people stuck. I look at how patterns of chaos, stimulation, and emotional highs and lows show up not just with substances but in love, work, and conflict. I talk about what the rat park studies and early attachment teach us about why we reach for these patterns, and why real intimacy can feel unbearable when our nervous system is wired for drama. I also share the four questions I use to examine any addictive habit so we can start finding what’s on the other side.You’ll Learn:The real reason intensity can feel safer than peaceWhat happens when your nervous system is addicted to chaosHow love addiction mimics substance abuse patternsWhy you might unconsciously choose partners who can’t meet your needsThe surprising link between childhood attachment wounds and romantic dramaWhat it feels like to reclaim your inner “little no” and trust your gutHow to identify the upside you’re secretly getting from addictive habitsThe quiet damage of ignoring subtle inner signalsWhy true sobriety goes far beyond quitting alcoholA 4-step framework to examine your relationship with any addictive patternTimestamps:[00:00] Introduction[05:02] How addiction patterns mirror emotional avoidance[07:12] The victim triangle and nervous system conditioning[09:18] Love addiction and the fear of true intimacy[11:58] Reclaiming neuroception and seeing reality clearly[14:42] Taking yourself off the market to break patterns[16:15] How drama and chaos feed the addiction cycle[18:02] Four questions to uncover the roots of addictive behavior[21:00] What quitting actually gives you beyond abstinence[23:12] Learning to embrace stability and the liminal space👉🏻 Want to start a podcast like this one? Book your free podcast planning call here.Resources Mentioned:Rat Park Studies by Bruce K. Alexander | ResearchThe Continuum Concept by Jean Liedloff | Book Find more from Kelly:Instagram: @kellybroganmdWebsite: kellybroganmd.comJoin Kelly's monthly membership, Vital Life Project here.Get Kelly’s new book The Reclaimed Woman here and join the companion program, Reclaimed, here.Go to the Juvent Store and use code KELLY300 at checkout to get $300 off your purchase.Try out the cleanest grass-fed beef protein on the market here and get 15% off your order, or 30% off your first subscription!
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121: Why You Shouldn't Send Your Kids To College | Hannah Maruyama
What if everything you believed about college was a lie?In this episode, I sit down with Hannah Maruyama of Degree Free, who, alongside her husband, has dedicated her life to helping young people reject the myth that college is the only path to success. She’s not just talking theories, she’s working directly with 16 to 20-year-olds, helping them carve out real, debt-free futures that actually align with their values.We get into why the college system is fundamentally broken, how it became a trillion-dollar trap, and what we can do instead. From calling out the emotional manipulation baked into college marketing to breaking down how Gen Z is waking up and opting out, this conversation is direct, eye-opening, and deeply personal.You’ll Learn:The real reason college became a trillion-dollar industry, and who profits mostWhat happens when you tell teens they need a degree to succeed The surprising link between college debt and delayed adulthoodWhy most college grads are underemployed and overpromisedHow Gen Z is flipping the script on traditional educationWhat it feels like to build a career without a degree, and winA practical framework to help teens uncover real interests and viable pathsThe social bait of college, and why it’s not what your kid actually needsTimestamps:[00:00] Introduction[05:26] The financial reality and predatory nature of student loans[12:50] How the Higher Education Act created the college debt crisis[18:05] The social myths used to sell college to parents and teens[25:22] The cultural programming behind college as an avoidance tactic[32:10] Why large peer groups in college create artificial community[36:34] The Value of Diverse Community for Growth[42:30] Passion vs interest and helping teens choose a career path[1:02:07] The million-dollar degree problem and smarter financial strategies👉🏻 Want to start a podcast like this one? Book your free podcast planning call hereHow to connect with Hannah:Website: degreefree.comInstagram: @degreefreeTikTok: @degreefreeFind more from Kelly:Instagram: @kellybroganmdWebsite: kellybroganmd.comJoin Kelly's monthly membership, Vital Life Project here.Get Kelly’s new book The Reclaimed Woman here and join the companion program, Reclaimed, here.Go to the Juvent Store and use code KELLY300 at checkout to get $300 off your purchase.Try out the cleanest grass-fed beef protein on the market here and get 15% off your order, or 30% off your first subscription!
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120: The Top 3 Mistakes Most Parents Make When Raising Their Children | Dr. Tom Cowan
Learn more about Dr. Kelly Brogan's signature health protocol, Vital Mind Reset here.Get Kelly's Victimless Mothering masterclass here.What if everything you think about parenting is backwards?In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Tom Cowan, physician, author, Waldorf school consultant, and someone I consider a true elder in the space of soul-deep wisdom. Tom has spent decades questioning dominant narratives in medicine, biology, and now parenting. His latest book, Commonsense Childrearing, brings a radically different lens to the way we raise our children, one that’s grounded in trust, presence, and actual lived experience.We talk about what it really means to get on your child’s team, how “bad” behavior is often a form of communication, and why the instinct to punish or correct usually backfires. Tom shares stories from his clinical practice and personal life that reframe everything from food fights to emotional outbursts, including why you probably shouldn’t play with your kids. This one cracked me open. I hope it does the same for you.You’ll Learn:What actually stops kids from drawing on the walls, and why punishment backfiresThe real reason food fights happen at the dinner tableWhy “tolerance” classes often teach the opposite of what they intendThe surprising link between parenting and government-style controlWhat it feels like to truly get on your child’s team, even when you disagreeHow emotional maturity in parents unlocks deeper connection with kidsWhy you probably shouldn’t play with your children, and what to do insteadThe quiet damage of coercive schooling and praise-based disciplineA radical reframe of “bad” behavior as a form of communicationWhat happens when you give your child full sovereignty over their choicesTimestamps:[00:00] Introduction[08:49] How “savage” behavior reveals deeper parental lessons[14:58] Parallels between parenting and government authority[23:31] Getting on your child’s team and staying there[24:52] The story of the student who wrote “tolerance is bullshit”[33:06] The vulnerability of letting go of control and embracing the child’s reality[42:17] How parents rob kids of perseverance by meddling[38:28] The crayon-on-the-wall story and staying on their side[48:27] Why you shouldn’t play with your kids and how to foster true play[53:10] Ending food fights by giving autonomy and restoring natural consequences👉🏻 Want to start a podcast like this one? Book your free podcast planning call here.Resources Mentioned:Commonsense Childrearing by Dr. Tom Cowan | Book How to connect with Dr. Tom:Website | drtomcowan.comInstagram | @talkingturkeywithtom_X | @drtomcowanGarden Products | drcowansgarden.comClinic | newbiologyclinic.comPodcast | Spotify or AppleFind more from Kelly:Instagram: @kellybroganmdWebsite: kellybroganmd.comJoin Kelly's monthly membership, Vital Life Project here.Get Kelly’s new book The Reclaimed Woman here and join the companion program, Reclaimed, here.Go to the Juvent Store and use code KELLY300 at checkout to get $300 off your purchase.Use code KELLYBROGAN for 15% off your first purchase at the Biofield Tuning Store. Not valid during sales. Exclusions apply.
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119: How to Set Boundaries Without Feeling Guilty (It Starts With Your Impulses)
Ask Kelly your burning questions in her monthly Vital Life Project membership.You’ve been gaslit into distrusting your own impulses—here’s how to take them back.In this episode, Kelly dives deep into one of the most powerful yet overlooked skills in personal growth: reclaiming your native desires. She unpacks a brilliant question from her Vital Life Project community—what’s the difference between discernment and judgment?—and uses it to expose the subtle ways we self-domesticate, override our needs, and live out of “shoulds” instead of self-trust.Through intimate personal stories (yes, including peeing mid-interview and belting into the void with a vocal coach), Kelly reveals how she’s rebuilt a relationship with her own body, voice, and creative fire—not by changing who she is, but by expanding her awareness and nervous system capacity to hold discomfort. If you’ve ever felt caught between the urge to grow and the desire to be accepted as you are, this episode is your permission slip to do both. Expect provocative insights, radical reframes, and one audacious answer you won’t forget.You’ll Learn:How honoring small body signals rebuilds self-trust and nervous system regulationWhy the impulse to “pee immediately” can become a radical self-reclamation practiceHow to distinguish true discernment from fear-based judgment in relationshipsWhat the transition from “I should” to “I want” reveals about intrinsic motivationWhy indulging so-called “bad” impulses can heal childhood conditioningHow nervous system capacity—not mindset—determines your ability to changeWhat vocal expression teaches about stored shame and creative liberationWhy seeking support isn’t about answers but about safe containers for expansionHow the desire to self-improve can mask deeper self-rejectionWhy awareness—not transformation—is the real metric of personal evolutionTimestamps:[00:00] Introduction[00:38] The difference between discernment and judgment[01:22] When it might be time to pause with a coach[02:00] How structure and discipline build capacity[02:45] Why rituals help reclaim personal choice[03:30] Transitioning from “I should” to “I want”[04:10] Honoring impulses as a path to healing[05:00] Restoring trust in cravings like dark chocolate[05:55] Biological impulses and meeting basic needs[06:50] Peeing as a practice of self-trust[07:30] The fear of creative self-expression[08:15] What awareness really means[09:05] Singing in front of a stranger despite fear[10:00] How awareness builds nervous system capacity[10:45] The trap of self-improvement driven by rejection[11:35] Reclaiming childhood desires as valid[12:10] Real growth comes from self-acceptance[12:55] Why change isn’t the real goal[13:30] Romantic relationships and the illusion of change👉🏻 Want to start a podcast like this one? Book your free podcast planning call hereFind more from Kelly:Instagram: @kellybroganmdWebsite: kellybroganmd.comJoin Kelly's monthly membership, Vital Life Project here.Get Kelly’s new book The Reclaimed Woman here and join the companion program, Reclaimed, here.Try out the cleanest grass-fed beef protein on the market - head to equipfoods.com/kellybrogan to get 15% off your order, or 30% off your first subscription!
It hurts to have unmet needs. And it sucks to scurry after crumbs when you’re starving. Join Kelly Brogan MD, as she teaches us how our pain points are portals. She’ll help you discover a world where every seeming challenge is a new chapter in your most audacious story. Plot twists, body symptoms, and heartbreak each represent an opportunity to own ourselves and learn to better wield the power of choice. Kelly will take you on a reclamation journey from the battlefield of victim consciousness to the sovereignty of self-devoted pleasure and expose every surprising place you’ve given your power away. Explore the tools you’ll need to find out what you want, how to ask for it and how to stand in fierce alignment with yourself.Kelly Brogan is a soul alchemist and threshold guardian devoted to the transformation of collective consciousness. As a young know-it-all atheist, candy-addict, straight-A MIT neuroscience major and Ivy-league trained psychiatrist, she specialized in feeding women, herself included, straight into the mouth of the medicated beast. After a Hashimoto’s healing journey inspired her to sound the alarm on the bait-and-switch of big pharma, she became a renegade activist—authoring the New York Times bestseller, A Mind of Your Own, and its follow-up, Own Your Self; co-editing the landmark textbook, Integrative Therapies for Depression; and eventually becoming an honorary member of the Disinformation Dozen. She is the creatrix of Vital Mind Reset, the online health reclamation program, and the membership community Vital Life Project. She’s a human, cat, and chicken mom.
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