ayawithin

aya shelbs

Ayawithin is a podcast hosted by aya shelbs a Clinical Therapist and online leader, where she unapologetically dives into the ugly yet beautiful side of stepping into one's power. Aya is someone that leans into the discomfort of talking about the sh!t no one really wants to talk about. She enjoys diving into taboo topics from sex, plant medicine, self-development, shadow work, heartbreak, or what she's currently going through in her personal life. Nothing is planned to keep it raw and vulnerable. So let's take a deep breath together and dive in.

  1. 2D AGO

    why i broke up with MJ (Marijuana) after 10 years

    Six months sober. Ten years with marijuana. And one of the hardest years of my life. In this episode, Aya shares why she chose to break up with MJ after a decade not from shame, fear, or moral superiority, but from a deep desire to meet herself fully sober. She opens up about living in the Dominican Republic during one of the most emotionally challenging seasons of her life navigating social anxiety, depression, isolation, projection, and being misunderstood in ways that forced her to confront old wounds and attachment patterns. What once felt like regulation slowly revealed itself as avoidance. This episode explores what happens when you stop using marijuana to cope, numb, or regulate in social environments and what it means to hold yourself through discomfort instead of escaping it. Aya speaks candidly about being labeled “too much,” “too flirty,” and misunderstood, and how sobriety helped her reclaim her self-trust, boundaries, and identity. She reflects on: six months of sobriety after 10 years of use using marijuana to cope with social anxiety and trauma living in a toxic or misaligned environment how insecurity in others can distort narratives about you why discomfort is often the doorway to leveling up learning emotional regulation without substances discipline as self-love and what it means to potentially integrate marijuana intentionally in the future but only from clarity, not dependence This is not an anti-weed conversation.It’s a conversation about sovereignty. About realizing that you are capable of more than you’ve ever allowed yourself to experience and choosing to meet yourself without numbing, without shrinking, and without outsourcing your nervous system. If you’ve ever wondered who you are without your coping mechanisms - this episode is for you.

    41 min
  2. 2025-12-29

    what happens when you stop smoking weed (marijuana, MJ, mama jane, zaza)

    What Happens When You Stop Smoking Weed Anxiety, emotional flooding, vivid dreams, REM sleep rebound, attachment patterns, and nervous system recalibration explained. Within this podcast episode, Aya dives into what actually happens in your body when you stop smoking weed not from a place of shame or fear, but through a nervous-system-informed, trauma-aware lens. She explores how cannabis interrupts natural emotional processing, why emotions can feel overwhelming when the numbness wears off, and why anxiety, sleep disruption, and vivid dreams are common during withdrawal. This episode breaks down emotional numbing, dissociation, REM sleep rebound, attachment styles, and the “emotional backlog” effect explaining why quitting can feel worse before it feels better. Rather than framing cannabis as the problem, Aya reframes the experience as a process of emotional completion, nervous system recalibration, and self-regulation. This episode is especially for anyone who has used weed to cope with stress, trauma, anxiety, or overwhelm and wants to understand what’s actually happening in their body when they take a break. This is not an anti-weed conversation.It’s an invitation into clarity, self-trust, and learning how to meet yourself when the numbness fades. If this resonates and you’re craving structure, tools, and support while your nervous system recalibrates, you'll love the THE RESET COMMUNITY THE RESET SELF GUIDE 1:1 Coaching Meditation App Name: Field Trip

    31 min
  3. 2024-09-26

    a woman's superpower: cycle syncing

    In this episode, Aya dives into the transformative practice of cycle syncing—aligning your lifestyle with the four phases of your menstrual cycle to optimize your health, productivity, and overall well-being. Cycle syncing allows you to work with your body’s natural rhythms, making every phase an opportunity for growth, rest, or connection. Aya breaks down each phase, explaining how to harness the unique energy of each one and sharing journal prompts designed to deepen your self-awareness and support personal development: Menstrual Phase: Focus on rest and reflection. Journal Prompt: "What am I ready to let go of? How can I give myself more rest and care during this time?" Follicular Phase: Tap into creativity and new ideas. Journal Prompt: "What new ideas or projects excite me right now? How can I turn them into action?" Ovulatory Phase: Embrace confidence and connection. Journal Prompt: "How can I use my confidence to build stronger connections? Who can I reach out to for collaboration or support?" Luteal Phase: Focus on completion and introspection. Journal Prompt: "What unfinished tasks need my attention? How can I bring more balance into my life before my next cycle?" Throughout the episode, Aya emphasizes how syncing your diet, exercise, and self-care routines with your cycle can help reduce stress, balance hormones, and prevent burnout. She also explains how this practice leads to greater self-awareness, productivity, and emotional well-being by helping you live in alignment with your body. Whether you're looking to optimize your energy or deepen your connection to yourself, this episode will guide you through how cycle syncing can become a life-changing practice. Tune in to discover how to leverage your body’s natural rhythm for intentional, empowered living! Join Natural Cycles with code: SHELBS for 15% off your annual subscription and a free thermometer. https://www.naturalcycles.com/join-me?utm_campaign=instagram-newsletter-podcast&utm_medium=organic&utm_content=sshelbs&utm_source=Instagram&code=Shelbs&name=Shelby&percentage=15

    30 min

Ratings & Reviews

4.8
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Ayawithin is a podcast hosted by aya shelbs a Clinical Therapist and online leader, where she unapologetically dives into the ugly yet beautiful side of stepping into one's power. Aya is someone that leans into the discomfort of talking about the sh!t no one really wants to talk about. She enjoys diving into taboo topics from sex, plant medicine, self-development, shadow work, heartbreak, or what she's currently going through in her personal life. Nothing is planned to keep it raw and vulnerable. So let's take a deep breath together and dive in.