Conversations from the Heart

Yvette Erasmus
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A weekly, soul-nourishing podcast offering psychologically grounded, heart-centered reflections on human relationships, inner healing, and compassion-based communication.   Focused on live mini-coaching moments to help callers shift from reactive, domination-based communication to collaborative, heart-centered connection.  Listen for new scripts for stuck situations, new ways of responding to old relationship dynamics and guidance on how to approach these situations with empathy, self-awareness, and effective communication strategies. Here, we emphasize understanding both one's own needs and the needs of others, creating safe spaces for vulnerable conversations, and finding ways to express ourselves authentically while respecting others' boundaries.

  1. 1 DAY AGO

    #133 - How to Help Kids (And Ourselves) Do Hard Things

    This conversation invites us to explore one of the deepest lessons in emotional maturity: learning to be in relationship with our feelings without being ruled by them.  Through a heartfelt dialogue about parenting, school anxiety, and our own patterns of overwhelm, we discover that the path to growing up isn’t about avoiding what’s hard, but about developing a loving and steady relationship with the “vehicle” we live in: our body, our emotions, and our lived experience. We walk through the tender terrain of a parent’s grief and a child’s avoidance, uncovering how easily love can turn into enabling, and how empathy can lose its grounding without boundaries.  Together, we explore what it means to help a child,  and ourselves, build strength from discomfort, rather than collapse in its presence. This episode is a compassionate reminder that our feelings are sacred messengers, but they are not the drivers. We are. Listen to learn: •How to find the line between empathy and enabling •What the Zone of Proximal Development means for emotional growth •How to stay attuned to your child’s unique pace and capacities •Why discomfort,  not avoidance, is the soil for confidence •How to model agency and resilience for your kids (and yourself) Read more on the blog. For ongoing practice and deeper learning, I warmly invite you to become a member of The School of Human Connection. Twice a month, I host live calls where members bring real relationship dilemmas. We slow things down and I'll help you see what's actually happening and how to respond with more integrity, strength and care. You will find a safe space for live discussions and a supportive community of like-minded, open-hearted humans. Stay updated on new episodes and resources by subscribing wherever you listen to podcasts or visiting yvetteerasmus.com. Here are more ways to connect with me: Join the School of Human Connection Hop on my free Wednesday live call Follow me on YouTube

    40 min

  2. 9 FEB

    #132 - Reconnecting After Years of Conflict, Criticism, and Emotional Withdrawal

    When life has hurt us enough times, our hearts learn to protect themselves. We grow cautious. Controlled. We tell ourselves we’re being “realistic,” when really, we’re just afraid to be hurt again. In this week’s episode, I talk with Cody, a woman learning how to reconnect with her husband after years of criticism, conflict, and silence. Together, we explore what it truly takes to soften the walls that once kept them each safe, but now keep love out. Listen to learn:  •How self-protection turns into emotional isolation •What it means to shift from “negative peace” (avoiding conflict) to real peace (rooted in connection) •Why awareness of tension is the first step to healing •How to speak to your partner from vulnerability instead of defense •Simple phrases that help reopen trust after years of guarding If your heart has grown cautious, this conversation will remind you: softness isn’t weakness. It’s the quiet courage to love again. Read more on the blog. For ongoing practice and deeper learning, I warmly invite you to become a member of The School of Human Connection. Twice a month, I host live calls where members bring real relationship dilemmas. We slow things down and I'll help you see what's actually happening and how to respond with more integrity, strength and care. You will find a safe space for live discussions and a supportive community of like-minded, open-hearted humans. Stay updated on new episodes and resources by subscribing wherever you listen to podcasts or visiting yvetteerasmus.com. Here are more ways to connect with me: Join the School of Human Connection Hop on my free Wednesday live call Follow me on YouTube

    40 min

  3. 3 FEB

    #131 - When Anger Drives

    What if anger didn’t have to be a threat to love, and vulnerability didn’t mean weakness? This week we begin with a moment many of us recognize: a flash of road rage, a surge of intensity, a body flooded with energy. Beneath moments like these, something deeper is often asking for care and understanding. Colleen joins me to explore her concern for her husband, whose driving behavior has become frightening amid health stress and unspoken emotional strain. Together, we slow the moment down and look beneath the surface. We explore how many men are socialized to equate strength with control, leaving anger as the only emotion that feels permissible, while fear, grief, and vulnerability go underground. Rather than treating anger as something to suppress or control, we reimagine it as a powerful messenger pointing toward values, care, and aliveness. This conversation offers a compassionate redefinition of strength: not as emotional armor, but as the inner resilience that allows us to stay connected in moments of intensity. A thoughtful exploration of anger, vulnerability, and what it takes to build relationships that can hold the full spectrum of our emotional lives. For ongoing practice and deeper learning, I warmly invite you to become a member of The School of Human Connection. Twice a month, I host live calls where members bring real relationship dilemmas. We slow things down and I'll help you see what's actually happening and how to respond with more integrity, strength and care. You will find a safe space for live discussions and a supportive community of like-minded, open-hearted humans. Stay updated on new episodes and resources by subscribing wherever you listen to podcasts or visiting yvetteerasmus.com. Here are more ways to connect with me: Join the School of Human Connection Hop on my free Wednesday live call Follow me on YouTube

    39 min

  4. 26 JAN

    #130 - Understanding Stigma: How Judgment Replaces Empathy

    We all carry invisible stories about what it means to be a “good person,” a “hard worker,” or someone who has truly earned what they have.  But what happens when we meet someone who doesn’t fit those stories? Someone living on disability income, or needing more support than we think they should? This week, we explore the quiet judgments and discomfort that can arise when we encounter difference. We look at how domination culture trains us to equate worth with productivity, independence with virtue, and need with failure, and how shame and stigma keep us disconnected from our shared humanity. This conversation invites a gentler, more honest inquiry into what judgment is protecting, and how we can stay connected without defensiveness, superiority, or pity. As we widen the lens, we also question the systems themselves: What if the problem isn’t the individual who needs help, but the structures that withhold care? A reflective exploration of judgment, dignity, and interdependence and an invitation to imagine human-centered systems rooted in empathy, cooperation, and the meeting of real human needs. Want to read more? Understanding Stigma: How Judgment Replaces Empathy in Modern Culture For ongoing practice and deeper learning, I warmly invite you to become a member of The School of Human Connection. Twice a month, I host live calls where members bring real relationship dilemmas. We slow things down and I'll help you see what's actually happening and how to respond with more integrity, strength and care. You will find a safe space for live discussions and a supportive community of like-minded, open-hearted humans. Stay updated on new episodes and resources by subscribing wherever you listen to podcasts or visiting yvetteerasmus.com. Here are more ways to connect with me: Join the School of Human Connection Hop on my free Wednesday live call Follow me on YouTube

    1h 1m

  5. 19 JAN

    #129 - How to Stay Grounded When Someone’s Coming in Hot

    What happens in you when someone comes at you with intensity? Do you freeze, go blank, lose your words, or start doubting yourself? We explore what it means to stay grounded when another person’s energy feels too hot to handle by talking with Kate, who finds herself going into freeze mode when someone else’s intensity rises and tone sharpens. Together, we explore how to meet our shutdown responses with awareness instead of judgment, seeing them as wisdom, not weakness. Afterwards, Josie brings up a nuanced distinction: What’s the difference between asking for what we need and demanding someone change? Where’s the line between honest self-expression and control? We’ll tease apart how to speak truthfully without blame, how to hold boundaries without closing your heart, and how to stay in integrity even when things get intense. If you’ve ever longed to stay calm, clear, and connected when someone else is coming in hot, this one’s for you. Want to read more?  How to Stay Grounded When Someone's Coming in Hot For ongoing practice and deeper learning, I warmly invite you to become a member of The School of Human Connection. Twice a month, I host live calls where members bring real relationship dilemmas. We slow things down and I'll help you see what's actually happening and how to respond with more integrity, strength and care. You will find a safe space for live discussions and a supportive community of like-minded, open-hearted humans. Stay updated on new episodes and resources by subscribing wherever you listen to podcasts or visiting yvetteerasmus.com. Here are more ways to connect with me: Join the School of Human Connection Hop on my free Wednesday live call Follow me on YouTube

    36 min

  6. 12 JAN

    #128 - How to Interrupt When They Talk Too Much

    Ever find yourself trapped in a conversation that feels endless, feeling your energy draining as someone keeps talking and talking?  Today we explore how to stay kind, connected, and honest while trying to interrupt. We unpack the hidden fears that keep us quiet (fear of rejection, fear of being rude) and the old “be a good person” conditioning that often silences our truth.  You’ll learn how to interrupt without guilt, speak from authenticity instead of irritation, and transform draining conversations into moments of genuine connection. Listen to discover: •Why “being nice” can block real honesty •What to say when your attention drifts and you want to re-engage •How to recognize when someone’s over-talking because they’re trying to process pain •Simple phrases that bring both people back into connection Listen in for a gentle, empowering guide if you’ve ever felt stuck between caring for others and caring for yourself.  For ongoing practice and deeper learning, I warmly invite you to become a member of The School of Human Connection. Twice a month, I host live calls where members bring real relationship dilemmas. We slow things down and I'll help you see what's actually happening and how to respond with more integrity, strength and care. You will find a safe space for live discussions and a supportive community of like-minded, open-hearted humans. Stay updated on new episodes and resources by subscribing wherever you listen to podcasts or visiting yvetteerasmus.com. Here are more ways to connect with me: Join the School of Human Connection Hop on my free Wednesday live call Follow me on YouTube

    35 min

  7. 5 JAN

    #127 - What to Say When Fear is Reading Rejection (that may not be there)

    Fear loves to make up stories, especially about rejection. In this episode, Jodi and Jen bring us into real moments of reaching out, risking love, and meeting old anxieties with new courage.  We explore how fear distorts reality, how feedback loops restore truth, and how connection deepens when we stop believing every story our mind tells. If you’ve ever hesitated to reach out because you were afraid of being unwanted, this episode will help you pause, soften, and see with clearer eyes. Listen to find out …  How to tell when fear is lying What to say when you’re afraid to reach outWhy nothing has to change for everything to feel different For ongoing practice and deeper learning, I warmly invite you to become a member of The School of Human Connection. Twice a month, I host live calls where members bring real relationship dilemmas. We slow things down and I'll help you see what's actually happening and how to respond with more integrity, strength and care. You will find a safe space for live discussions and a supportive community of like-minded, open-hearted humans. Stay updated on new episodes and resources by subscribing wherever you listen to podcasts or visiting yvetteerasmus.com. Here are more ways to connect with me: Join the School of Human Connection Hop on my free Wednesday live call Follow me on YouTube

    45 min

  8. 29/12/2025

    #126 - Want Someone to Be More Emotionally Available to You?

    If you’ve ever found yourself wishing your partner would just open up, this conversation will speak directly to your heart. In this intimate episode, Nina brings forward a question many of us quietly wrestle with: What do I do when I crave emotional connection and my partner keeps pulling away? Together, we explore the anxious–avoidant cycle:  that painful push-and-pull dynamic where one nervous system reaches for closeness while the other needs distance to feel safe. I will unpack why these patterns aren’t personal failings, but nervous system strategies wired for survival. You’ll learn: Why your longing for connection can trigger another’s need for spaceHow to stop personalizing disconnection and start regulating your own systemThe difference between managing someone and revealing yourselfHow patriarchy teaches men to suppress emotions, and how reclaiming feelings heals us allThis episode offers insight, compassion, and gentle guidance for anyone learning how to love without losing themselves. For ongoing practice and deeper learning, I warmly invite you to become a member of The School of Human Connection. Twice a month, I host live calls where members bring real relationship dilemmas. We slow things down and I'll help you see what's actually happening and how to respond with more integrity, strength and care. You will find a safe space for live discussions and a supportive community of like-minded, open-hearted humans. Stay updated on new episodes and resources by subscribing wherever you listen to podcasts or visiting yvetteerasmus.com. Here are more ways to connect with me: Join the School of Human Connection Hop on my free Wednesday live call Follow me on YouTube

    51 min
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About

A weekly, soul-nourishing podcast offering psychologically grounded, heart-centered reflections on human relationships, inner healing, and compassion-based communication.   Focused on live mini-coaching moments to help callers shift from reactive, domination-based communication to collaborative, heart-centered connection.  Listen for new scripts for stuck situations, new ways of responding to old relationship dynamics and guidance on how to approach these situations with empathy, self-awareness, and effective communication strategies. Here, we emphasize understanding both one's own needs and the needs of others, creating safe spaces for vulnerable conversations, and finding ways to express ourselves authentically while respecting others' boundaries.

Information

  • Creator
    Yvette Erasmus
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    135
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Conversations from the Heart
  • Show Website
    Conversations from the Heart

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