What if the very thing that makes you gifted is also what makes life feel overwhelming?

In this episode of Notes to My Nervous System, Erin Vandermore sits down with therapist Gordon Smith to explore what it means to live in a gifted nervous system — especially after burnout, crisis, or long-term emotional overwhelm.

Giftedness is often misunderstood as simply high intelligence. As Gordon explains, it is a neurodivergent nervous system that processes the world more intensely — emotionally, cognitively, and sensorially. For many gifted adults, this heightened sensitivity can make life feel louder, heavier, and harder to navigate, particularly in systems that weren’t built for how deeply they experience the world.

Together, Erin and Gordon explore:

• Why gifted people often feel “too much” or misunderstood

• How chronic overwhelm and self-doubt can develop over time

• Why traditional school and work environments often fail gifted nervous systems

• How creativity, imagination, and improv can support regulation and recovery

Gordon shares how storytelling and creative expression can help the nervous system feel safer, expand capacity, and rebuild meaning after stress or trauma — without forcing performance or perfection.

This episode is for anyone who has ever felt different, emotionally intense, overwhelmed by their own mind, or exhausted from trying to fit into systems that don’t quite fit them.

Notes to My Nervous System is hosted by Erin Vandermore, a therapist, mom, and creator of the Mind Circuit app. Erin helps people understand their nervous systems with compassion, science, and real-life tools that support emotional regulation, safety, and self-trust.

Mind Circuit is a mental wellness app designed to help you regulate stress and calm your nervous system using evidence-based practices.

Download Mind Circuit:

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.app.ageOfUncertainty&hl=en

App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/mindcircuit/id6478664305

Website: https://mindcircuit.app

Gordon Smith is a therapist who specializes in working with gifted adults and using improv and creative practices in healing. His work focuses on helping gifted individuals feel safe in their full expression and teaching the nervous system that it no longer needs to contract, perform, or mask to survive. Gordon creates critique-free environments where creativity becomes a pathway to regulation, meaning-making, and nervous-system healing.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/gordonsmithashevillehttps://www.facebook.com/GordonSmithLpc/

Two moms regulating in real time so you don't have to do it alone. Struggling with perimenopause symptoms? Can't sleep? Feeling the pressure of January expectations? You're not alone.

In this episode of Regulated-ish, two moms share their unfiltered experiences with:

✨ Perimenopause sleep problems and hormone solutions

✨ Managing January burnout and unrealistic resolutions✨ Women's health advocacy and asking for help

✨ Nervous system regulation for overwhelmed moms

✨ Finding intentional calm in parenting chaos

What You'll Learn:

• Real perimenopause solutions (including estrogen supplements that actually work)

• Why January pressure is unrealistic and how to reset expectations

• Practical nervous system regulation techniques for busy moms

• Permission to put yourself on the "middle burner" instead of the back burner

This isn't therapy or a how-to show—it's two real humans noticing what's showing up and trying to be kinder to ourselves. If you're tired of perfectly staged mom content and want authentic conversation about women's health, mental health, and motherhood, this is your space. This conversation speaks to women navigating stress, advocacy for their own health, and the invisible nervous-system load so many carry quietly.

🌐 Website: mindcircuit.org📸 Instagram: @mindcircuitapp👤 Facebook: @mindcircuitapp

Support the Show:If this episode helped you understand your wiring a little better, please follow the show and leave a 5-star review. It helps us reach more people looking for their own "Aha!" moments.

© 2025 Mind Circuit Inc. All right reserved.

Looking for a low-pressure place to land mid-week?

Join the Regulated-ish Facebook group — real conversations, no fixing.

https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1EpnjUSz1E/?mibextid=wwXIfr

#WomensHealth #MomLife #SleepProblems #MentalHealth #NervousSystem #Motherhood #SelfCare #HormoneHealth #PodcastForMoms #regulatedish #notestomynervoussystem #mindcircuit

Are you tired of feeling "too much" or blaming yourself for relationship patterns? In this powerful episode, we challenge the idea that codependency and boundary struggles are character flaws. Join Dr. Jennifer Dragonette, a psychologist specializing in relationships and the nervous system, for a conversation that reframes your deepest struggles as adaptive, protective responses.

You'll discover:

• Codependency as Protection: It often stems from an early-life belief that safety requires "make sureing"—controlling outcomes to prevent rupture. We explore how this unintentional control can undermine the other partner's competence, rupturing secure attachment.

• Boundaries as Regulation: Why setting boundaries feels so difficult. It's not a lack of willpower, but a sign your nervous system associates the boundary with risk. You'll learn how awareness of a "flooded" state is the key to pausing and setting a boundary as a "trust gesture."

• The Power of Asking: The essential shift from a guessing culture to an asking culture in relationships. Learning to ask brave questions instead of making assumptions is the foundation for building the two criteria for secure attachment: feeling known and feeling competent.

• Glimmers of Safety: How focusing on "glimmers"—moments when you feel safe and connected—helps your nervous system build internal evidence that the world is not "only danger."

If you want to move beyond shame and into safety, this episode is your gentle reframe.

⁠⁠👉 Mind Circuit⁠⁠is your pocket-sized support system for emotional balance and stress relief. With guided breathing, mood tracking, bilateral stimulation, and affirmations backed by neuroscience, it helps you calm your mind and reconnect with your body anytime you need it

⁠⁠DownloadNow⁠⁠ :Google Play → ⁠⁠https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.app.ageOfUncertainty&hl=en⁠⁠

⁠⁠Download Now⁠⁠at App Store → ⁠⁠https://apps.apple.com/us/app/mindcircuit/id6478664305⁠⁠

Follow Us: Instagram →@mindcircuitapp

YouTube → @MindCircuitApp

Website → ⁠⁠https://mindcircuit.org⁠⁠

⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠@Mindcircuit

Ever feel like you’re stuck in a loop of "bad choices" in your love life? What if the problem isn’t your judgment, but your nervous system? This conversation speaks to women navigating stress, advocacy for their own health, and the invisible nervous-system load so many carry quietly.In this episode of Notes to My Nervous System, host Erin (therapist and creator of the Mind Circuit app) sits down with matchmaker and love coach Leah Mitchell, host of the Goddess of Love podcast. Together, they pull back the curtain on the biological blueprint of attraction.

• Dating in Survival Mode: How fight, flight, freeze, or fawn responses dictate who you find "exciting" vs. "boring."

• The Chemistry of Cortisol: Why high-stress attraction is often mistaken for soulmate chemistry.

• The Science of Scent: How your nervous system state actually changes your pheromones and the subconscious signals you send to potential partners.

• Breaking the Cycle: How regulating your nervous system shifts your "attachment set point" to attract emotionally available partners.

• Trauma Patterns vs. Authentic Self: Learning to date from a place of safety rather than a place of lack.

If you’re tired of the same dating cycles and want to understand the science of healing and attraction, this conversation is for you. It’s time to stop blaming your heart and start healing your nerves.

• Leah Mitchell: Host of the Goddess of Love podcast.

Take the science of this episode into your daily life. Download the Mind Circuit app to start rewiring your patterns:

• Download on the App Store

• Get it on Google Play

Ever been told "it's all in your head" by a doctor?

Yeah, us too. In this episode, we're getting real about medical gaslighting, perimenopause symptoms that get dismissed, and why we're done apologizing for taking care of ourselves.

We talk about:

• Why doctors still don't take women's health seriously (and what to do about it)

• Perimenopause, hormones, and the tests that don't exist

• Teaching our ADHD kids to advocate for themselves in school

• Secret naps, productivity guilt, and why your worth isn't tied to your to-do list

• ADHD hacks that actually work (spoiler: keep your shoes on)

This is two moms, two cities, same frequency—navigating ADHD, burnout, and a healthcare system that wasn't built for us. No filter, no apologies.

Resources:

Mind Circuit App - tiny moments of calm when your nervous system needs support

Available in App Store & Google Play

Hosts: Erin & [Co-host name]

Part of: Notes to My Nervous System podcast

In this episode of Notes to My Nervous System, Erin Vandermore (therapist and creator of the Mind Circuit app) welcomes guest Liz Martin @northcarolizzy for a vulnerable conversation on trauma, resilience, and the reality of living with Bipolar Disorder.

Liz opens up about a harrowing physical attack by a friend, the grief of losing her father and her dog, and the challenge of navigating a mental health crisis during Hurricane Helene. Together, Erin and Liz explore the physiological impact of trauma on the nervous system and the practical tools used to find the way back to "safe."

In this episode, we discuss:

• The Anatomy of Trauma: Liz recounts her experience at Chick-fil-A and the "ripple effect" of a sudden violent event.

• Navigating Bipolar Disorder: Breaking down the stigma, the importance of medication, and managing manic episodes.

• Healing Tools: The concept of "Mental Maps" and visualization techniques to replace traumatic memories.

• Reclaiming the Narrative: Why Liz chose to share her journey on social media to empower others.

• The Power of Forgiveness: How letting go of anger became a survival strategy.

Resources Mentioned:

• The Mind Circuit App: Science-based tools to calm your nervous system.

• Helene Network: Free therapy sessions for those affected by the storm (DM Erin for info).

• Mental Maps: Visualization techniques for trauma recovery.

Connect with Us:If you found this episode helpful, please follow the podcast and leave a review. Your support helps us reach more people navigating their own nervous system journey.

Mind Circuit⁠⁠⁠is your pocket-sized support system for emotional balance and stress relief.With guided breathing, mood tracking, bilateral stimulation, and affirmationsbacked by neuroscience, it helps you calm your mind and reconnect with yourbody anytime you need it

⁠⁠⁠DownloadNow⁠⁠⁠:Google Play →⁠⁠⁠https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.app.ageOfUncertainty&hl=en⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠DownloadNow⁠⁠⁠at App Store →⁠⁠⁠https://apps.apple.com/us/app/mindcircuit/id6478664305⁠⁠⁠

Follow Us: Instagram →@mindcircuitapp

YouTube → @MindCircuitApp

Website →⁠⁠⁠https://mindcircuit.org⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠@Mindcircuit

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, burned out, or quietly convinced that something is wrong with you, you’re not alone.

Many of us were taught — directly or indirectly — that growth requires self-criticism. That kindness toward ourselves has to be earned. That rest comes after we do enough.

But from both lived experience and neuroscience, we know this isn’t how healing actually works.

In this episode of Notes to My Nervous System, I spoke with meditation teacher and author Kimberly Brown about mindfulness, loving-kindness, and what self-compassion really means when life feels heavy.

Kimberly shared a message she would give her younger self — and one so many of us need to hear now: There’s nothing wrong with you.

For years, she described trying to fix herself, feeling frustrated and angry at who she was. Mindfulness didn’t magically erase struggle — but it helped her stop turning pain inward.

We explore:

• Why self-compassion isn’t selfish or complacent

• How self-criticism quietly fuels burnout and nervous system overload

• A simple, accessible three-step path to self-compassion: notice, pause, practice

• How loving-kindness (metta) meditation supports emotional regulation and resilience

• Why just a few minutes a day of mindfulness can make a meaningful difference

• Meditation tips for busy people, parents, and anyone who struggles to sit still

Kimberly also shares insights from her books — including Steady, Calm and Brave, Navigating Grief and Loss, and Happy Relationships — all centered on using mindfulness and loving-kindness to support ourselves and our relationships through difficult seasons.

This conversation isn’t about fixing yourself.

It’s about remembering that kindness doesn’t need to be earned — and that a regulated nervous system grows best in an environment of safety, not shame.

You can find Kimberly and her work at meditationwiththeheart.com, where she offers classes, one-on-one support, and a free weekly newsletter with guided meditations. IG: @kimberlyjbrown FB: @meditationwithheart

If your nervous system has been tired lately, this episode is a gentle place to land.

⁠⁠⁠👉 Mind Circuit⁠⁠⁠ is your pocket-sized support system for emotional balance and stress relief. With guided breathing, mood tracking, bilateral stimulation, and affirmations backed by neuroscience, it helps you calm your mind and reconnect with your body anytime you need it

⁠⁠⁠DownloadNow⁠⁠⁠ :Google Play →⁠ ⁠⁠https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.app.ageOfUncertainty&hl=en⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠Download Now⁠⁠⁠at App Store →⁠ ⁠⁠https://apps.apple.com/us/app/mindcircuit/id6478664305⁠⁠⁠

Follow Us: Instagram →@mindcircuitapp

YouTube → @MindCircuitApp

Website →⁠ ⁠⁠https://mindcircuit.org⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠@Mindcircuit

In this insightful short, Leadership & Career Coach Shira Baron (@shirabaroncoaching) addresses the paralyzing fear that keeps high-achievers stuck in roles that no longer serve them. Whether it's the "Golden Handcuffs" of a stable income or the comfort of a flexible schedule, Shira explains why the leap to something new feels so terrifying—and why you don't actually have to leap yet.

Shira breaks down the transition from burnout to breakthrough:

• The Stability Trap: Understanding why we cling to "safety and security" even when we are at a breaking point of unhappiness.

• The One-Conversation Rule: Why one simple talk about possibilities is the antidote to the fear of the unknown.

• Reconnecting with "Flow": How to rediscover the activities and moments that once made you feel confident and alive.

• Coaching vs. Therapy: Why Shira believes these two worlds should collaborate. While therapy often heals the past, coaching focuses on the "here and now" to build your future.

If you are feeling disconnected from yourself and overwhelmed by the "six months from now" anxiety, Shira’s "baby step" method offers a manageable path back to your most confident self.

Work with Shira:Elevate your leadership and rediscover your professional spark:📸 Instagram: @shirabaroncoaching💼 LinkedIn: Shira Baron Coaching

Explore MindCircuit:🌐 Website: mindcircuit.org – Where mental health and professional growth meet.

🔗 Connect with Coach Shira BaronExplore More Resources: 🌐Visit our website for articles and support: ⁠mindcircuit.org⁠

Take the Journey on the Go: The MindCircuit Appoffers guided tools for your healing process. Download it today: 📲Download on Apple App Store: ⁠https://apps.apple.com/us/app/mindcircuit/id6478664305⁠📲Get it on Google Play: ⁠https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.app.ageOfUncertainty⁠Stay Connected: Follow us for daily insights on resilience and recovery.