Nuance Needed

Nuance Needed
  • 4.8 (193)
  • Relationships
  • Weekly

In a world obsessed with quick fixes, licensed therapists Amanda White and Sam Dalton cut through black-and-white thinking to explore the messy reality of mental health. Drawing from both evidence-based practices and personal struggles, we have candid conversations about perfectionism, burnout, relationships, and cultural trends. No oversimplified advice—just honest dialogue about what healing actually looks like. For more information check out therapyforwomencenter.com

  1. 1d ago

    136: Why Stress is The #1 Issue In Relationships & What To do About It with Liz Earnshaw

    When did having a full life become having a life that's impossible to manage? And why are we blaming our partners for problems that are actually rooted in the overwhelming amount of stress we're all carrying? In conversation, we tackle: Why splitting the mental load 50/50 DOESN'T necessarily fix your relationship (sometimes the problem is that you both have too much on your plates) How the internet, parenting apps, social media, and even Amazon have created an entirely new layer of mental load we didn't grow up learning how to manage The problem with getting relationship advice from the algorithm, and how endless validation from ChatGPT and social media can actually make relationship anxiety worse Why you don't need 100% certainty about your relationship to make a decision (and why constantly seeking reassurance keeps you stuck) Liz's three strategies for dealing with stress: shed it, prevent it, or adapt to it What happens when one partner refuses to take on more responsibility, and why sometimes you have to grieve the things you can't do because your partner won't step up Why a good therapist shouldn't just validate everything you say, but should actually challenge your thinking Liz Earnshaw is a couples therapist, author, and relationship expert. Her most recent book, Till Stress Do Us Part, explores how stress impacts relationships and what couples can do about it. Learn more about Liz at elizabethearnshaw.com or on Instagram at @lizlistens. WE ARE ON SUBSTACK with bonus episodes, pep talks, episode guides, and more casual conversations like this one! Join us at nuanceneeded.substack.com To learn more about therapy, reach out to Therapy for Women Center, therapyforwomencenter.com. We have therapists licensed in 43 states across the country and offices if you’re local to the Philadelphia area. Want to join the conversation? EMAIL podcast@therapyforwomencenter.com or LEAVE US A MESSAGE at 813-444-8683. We’d love to hear what you think!

    136: Why Stress is The #1 Issue In Relationships & What To do About It with Liz Earnshaw

  2. Nov 3

    135: Our Hot Takes

    Listen as we explore our hot takes on ... Why adult love shouldn’t be unconditional  Our real take on child-free flights Are influencers the problem, or is it our internalized misogyny toward female-dominated industries?  Cold plunges, home saunas, 10-step skincare routines: the wellness advice we secretly think is overrated WE ARE ON SUBSTACK with bonus episodes, pep talks, episode guides, and more casual conversations like this one! Join us at nuanceneeded.substack.com To learn more about therapy, reach out to Therapy for Women Center, therapyforwomencenter.com. We have therapists licensed in 43 states across the country and offices if you’re local to the Philadelphia area. Want to join the conversation? EMAIL podcast@therapyforwomencenter.com or LEAVE US A MESSAGE at 813-444-8683. We’d love to hear what you think!

    135: Our Hot Takes

  3. Oct 27

    134: Sam's Brother Died: Reckoning with Grief

    Sam's brother, Alex, died and she shares her experience of the ups and downs of grief since it happened. In conversation, we tackle: The messy middle of grief that nobody really talks about (when the immediate crisis is over, but you're nowhere near okay) Sam's complicated mix of devastation, relief, anger, and guilt after her brother Alex's sudden death What happens when being a caregiver has become part of your identity, and the person at the center of that identity is gone The guilt of feeling relief when someone you love is no longer suffering, and why you don't need to be more devastated to prove you loved them Why people stop asking about your grief, and how much it matters when someone is willing to talk about the person who died Why you don't need to have answers about your grief right now. Sometimes you just have to sit with the fact that everything has changed. WE ARE NOW ON SUBSTACK with bonus episodes, pep talks, episode guides, and so much more! Join us at nuanceneeded.substack.com To learn more about therapy reach out to Therapy for Women Center, therapyforwomencenter.com. We have therapists licensed in 42 states across the country and have offices if you are local to the Philadelphia area. Want to join the conversation? EMAIL- podcast@therapyforwomencenter.com or LEAVE US A MESSAGE at 813-444-8683. We'd love to hear what you think!

    134: Sam's Brother Died: Reckoning with Grief

  4. Oct 20

    131: When Birth Trauma Changes Your Family Plan with Kayleigh Summers

    In this episode Amanda sits down with Kayleigh Summers, to discuss birth trauma, grief, having one child and so much other nuance.  Kayleigh’s story is about grief, acceptance, and discovering that the life she didn’t choose might actually be better than the one she had planned. This realization really surprised her and was fascinating to hear about. Content warning: This episode discusses cardiac arrest, near-death experience, traumatic birth, hysterectomy, and medical trauma. Some highlights from our conversation: How Kayleigh always assumed she’d have two children The process of waking up six days after giving birth to learn she’d had a hysterectomy The initial response of avoiding grief through action: “I couldn’t touch the white hot grief of not being able to have another child... so I was like, yes, no, I’m gonna have another child. Like you’re not gonna stop me” How pursuing surrogacy strained her marriage The slow journey to acceptance The unexpected shift in perspective: “What’s interesting is where I’m at now... it’s shifted majorly in the last year or two... I like our life better than I think I would if we had another kid” On the power of questioning parenthood Perhaps most powerfully, Kayleigh reflects on how trauma forced her to pause: “I would have never paused to say, hey, is another child a good idea for our family and our marriage? That would have never happened... I have had the opportunity to think very deeply about what it means to add a second kid.” This is truly one of my FAVORITE conversations I have had on this podcast. Kayleigh’s story is so unique and filled with nuance and surprisingly a lot of hope. Don’t be scared by the content warning, its such a great episode! You can follow Kayleigh on social media @birthtrauma_mama and online at thebirthtraumamama.com. WE ARE NOW ON SUBSTACK with bonus episodes, pep talks, episode guides, and so much more! Join us at nuanceneeded.substack.com To learn more about therapy reach out to Therapy for Women Center, therapyforwomencenter.com. We have therapists licensed in 42 states across the country and have offices if you are local to the Philadelphia area. Want to join the conversation? EMAIL- podcast@therapyforwomencenter.com or LEAVE US A MESSAGE at 813-444-8683. We'd love to hear what you think!

    131: When Birth Trauma Changes Your Family Plan with Kayleigh Summers

  5. Oct 13

    133: The “Traditional” Family Never Actually Existed

    Tired of hearing that “the way things used to be” was somehow better? A lot of what we romanticize as tradition is actually a tiny blip in history—and women have been paying the price for it. In conversation, we tackle: Why the 1950s weren’t the “traditional” family structure we think they were (and how weirdly specific that period actually was) The wild history of dating, including the fact that some of the first women going on public dates were arrested for prostitution How women became the default safety net for everyone from husbands to children to aging parents The uncomfortable question: if your adult children are your retirement plan, what exactly did you do to prepare for your own life? Why “I raised you” is NOT a lifetime debt—and what actual reciprocity between parents and adult children looks like The connection between estrangement, divorce, and the classic “this came out of nowhere” excuse Why community keeps getting asked to pick up the slack for men who simply aren’t showing up at home WE ARE NOW ON SUBSTACK with bonus episodes, pep talks, episode guides, and so much more! Join us at nuanceneeded.substack.com To learn more about therapy reach out to Therapy for Women Center, therapyforwomencenter.com. We have therapists licensed in 42 states across the country and have offices if you are local to the Philadelphia area. Want to join the conversation? EMAIL- podcast@therapyforwomencenter.com or LEAVE US A MESSAGE at 813-444-8683. We'd love to hear what you think!

    133: The “Traditional” Family Never Actually Existed

  6. Oct 6

    132: Cornell 7 & R*pe Culture

    What does accountability look like when the systems meant to provide it don't? In this episode, we're talking about the Cornell fraternity case and the culture around it, including why we keep having the wrong conversation. In conversation, we tackle: Why "but she said she was fine" tells you nothing, and what most women already know about that Sam's accountability video and the comment section that proved her point ("women don't take accountability either!") The problem with teaching consent as a box to check How brotherhood, hazing, and party culture set everyone up to fail Jessica Valenti's call to get rid of frats entirely, and whether Greek life can be reformed at all "Where were their mothers?" (funny how it always comes back to women) What to do with the rage when you can't fix the whole thing WE ARE NOW ON SUBSTACK with bonus episodes, pep talks, episode guides, and so much more! Join us at nuanceneeded.substack.com To learn more about therapy reach out to Therapy for Women Center, therapyforwomencenter.com. We have therapists licensed in 42 states across the country and have offices if you are local to the Philadelphia area. Want to join the conversation? EMAIL- podcast@therapyforwomencenter.com or LEAVE US A MESSAGE at 813-444-8683. We'd love to hear what you think!

    132: Cornell 7 & R*pe Culture

  7. Sep 29

    131: What If Your Friends Actually Like You? with Blake Blankenbecler

    When did friendship become something we have to optimize? In this episode, Amanda sits down with friendship specialist Blake Blankenbecler to talk about why we’re overthinking our friendships—and how therapy speak, social media, and the pressure to have “perfect” relationships might be getting in the way of actually enjoying them. In conversation, we tackle: Why your friends don’t need to be your therapists (and why that doesn't mean you shouldn't vent) The friendship “test” that tells you to stop reaching out and see who comes looking for you Why “I miss you” is often more vulnerable (and more useful) than a perfectly worded conversation about your unmet needs The five-person “core friendship” idea—and why not every friend needs to know everything about you Why “your friends like you” might be the radical reassurance we actually need The case for bringing back hosting friends, parallel play, dumb jokes, snacks, and being together without turning every interaction into emotional work Blake Blankenbecler is a therapist and friendship specialist. She is the creator of the Friendship Deck and practices at Fig Therapy. Follow her on social media @blakeblankenbecler and find her online at blakeblankenbecler.com.  WE ARE NOW ON SUBSTACK with bonus episodes, pep talks, episode guides, and so much more! Join us at nuanceneeded.substack.com To learn more about therapy reach out to Therapy for Women Center, therapyforwomencenter.com. We have therapists licensed in 43 states across the country and have offices if you are local to the Philadelphia area. Want to join the conversation? EMAIL- podcast@therapyforwomencenter.com or LEAVE US A MESSAGE at 813-444-8683. We'd love to hear what you think!

    131: What If Your Friends Actually Like You? with Blake Blankenbecler

  8. Sep 22

    130: What Nobody Says About Adult Sibling Relationships & Birth Order

    In this episode we're getting into the pressure to be best friends with your sibling, why forcing it backfires, and why it's okay if you just don't like yours. In conversation, we tackle: Why Sam spent her entire childhood wishing her sister ill — and what shifted in 2020 Our advice to parents who want close kids: it has to be their idea, or do something dumb enough that you become the common enemy Why treating "eldest daughter" as your whole personality is a horoscope with better branding "That's cute when you're four. That's not cute when you're a grown adult with a functioning frontal lobe" Why your memory of who was the good sibling and who was the mean one is basically worthless How we've self-helped our way into believing any contention in a relationship is a red flag Regulation is not perpetual calm — it's sitting in the feeling of wanting to throw up while you have the repair conversation WE ARE NOW ON SUBSTACK with bonus episodes, pep talks, episode guides, and so much more! Join us at nuanceneeded.substack.com To learn more about therapy reach out to Therapy for Women Center, therapyforwomencenter.com. We have therapists licensed in 43 states across the country and have offices if you are local to the Philadelphia area. Want to join the conversation? EMAIL- podcast@therapyforwomencenter.com or LEAVE US A MESSAGE at 813-444-8683. We'd love to hear what you think!

    130: What Nobody Says About Adult Sibling Relationships & Birth Order
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4.8
out of 5
193 Ratings

About

In a world obsessed with quick fixes, licensed therapists Amanda White and Sam Dalton cut through black-and-white thinking to explore the messy reality of mental health. Drawing from both evidence-based practices and personal struggles, we have candid conversations about perfectionism, burnout, relationships, and cultural trends. No oversimplified advice—just honest dialogue about what healing actually looks like. For more information check out therapyforwomencenter.com

Information

  • Creator
    Nuance Needed
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    139
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 Amanda E. White, LPC and Sam Dalton, LCSW
  • Show Website
    Nuance Needed

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