Conditioning to Consciousness

Jess Callahan
  • 5.0 (6)
  • SELF-IMPROVEMENT

Conditioning to Consciousness explores the journey from inherited conditioning to embodied awareness — honoring personal healing as a catalyst for collective transformation. It’s for those peeling back layers of stress, people-pleasing, burnout, and self-silencing — and learning how to reclaim autonomy, self-trust, and purpose in a world shaped by systems that keep us disconnected from our bodies and intuition. Hosted by Jess Callahan, this podcast blends thoughtful conversations with experts and change-makers alongside solo episodes informed by personal healing, post-graduate studies in transpersonal psychology and consciousness, and years of study in nervous system regulation, intuition, astrology, and somatic awareness. Each episode connects back to five core pillars of healing and awakening: Nervous system regulationDeconditioning the mindReconnecting with intuitionSelf-discoveryIntegration and embodimentRather than bypassing hard truths, Conditioning to Consciousness approaches healing through compassion, curiosity, and grounded awareness — recognizing that personal healing ripples outward into collective change. When even a small percentage of people elevate their consciousness, the world around them begins to shift. This podcast is for cycle-breakers, system-seers, creatives, and deep feelers who are doing the real work — not to fix themselves, but to remember who they are beneath everything they learned to survive. Just because the systems are broken doesn’t mean we have to be. ------------------ This podcast has evolved and was formerly published under the name The Becoming You Project. 

  1. 2D AGO

    33. Patriarchy: The Hidden Script That Holds Us Back with Dr. Anne Whitehouse

    Send us a text In this episode of Conditioning to Consciousness, we explore patriarchy not as a political talking point or a blame narrative, but as a hidden operating system or a script running beneath the surface of our lives that shapes how safe we feel to speak, lead, rest, succeed, and be seen. This conversation is an invitation to look more deeply at how systemic conditioning lives not just "out there" — but inside the nervous system, the subconscious, and the body.  I’m joined by Dr. Anne Whitehouse, PhD, former Cambridge scientist, author, and subconscious empowerment expert, whose own journey through extreme burnout and chronic illness led her to uncover how deeply inherited power structures affect our health, confidence, and sense of safety. Together, we unpack how patriarchy operates beneath conscious belief — showing up as fear of visibility, chronic self-doubt, people-pleasing, overworking, and the persistent feeling of being “too much” or “not enough.” We explore how these patterns impact everyone — both women and men alike — by suppressing balance, intuition, emotional expression, and embodied power. This episode bridges science and spirituality, weaving together nervous system regulation, subconscious programming, ancestral and collective patterns, and consciousness work. Rather than asking who to blame, we focus on what it looks like to see the script clearly, interrupt it with compassion, and begin building something new, something more whole — internally and collectively. If you’re interested in healing burnout, reclaiming your voice, understanding why speaking up can feel unsafe, or engaging in conscious change without bypassing the body, this conversation offers both clarity and grounding. To connect with Dr. Anne Whitehouse, visit:  www.drannewhitehouse.com or find her on Substack at: https://drannewhitehouse.substack.com/  If this episode spoke to you, it would mean the world if you took a moment to leave a review or share it with a friend who needs it. And make sure you hit follow so you never miss an episode of Conditioning to Consciousness. You can connect with me on Instagram @jesscallahan_, join my Substack community at conditioningtoconsciousness.substack.com, or explore more of my work at jesscallahan.com. My Back in the Body Nervous System Healing course is now available! Find it here. Thanks for listening — I’m so grateful you’re here.

    56 min

  2. JAN 29

    32. Reclaiming Your Right to Be Creative with Allegra Chapman

    Send us a text Creativity is something we often see "reserved" for the talented. Otherwise it's seen as indulgent, frivolous, even wasted time. In this episode, we gently dismantle that myth.  I’m joined by writer and creative guide Allegra Chapman for a rich, grounding conversation about creativity as a nervous-system practice, a form of self-care, and a path back to self-connection. We explore why so many people believe they’re “not creative,” how early experiences — especially in the early school years — can create lasting creativity wounds, and why our culture actively discourages imagination, play, and rest. Together, we talk about creativity as embodiment: using the hands, the senses, and the body to regulate the nervous system, quiet mental noise, and access intuition. We discuss creative practices as a kind of moving meditation — especially for neurodivergent minds — and why making something doesn’t need to result in a masterpiece to be meaningful. The process itself is where healing, insight, and clarity live. This episode also touches on the deeper layers of creativity: how productivity culture, burnout, and constant output disconnect us from our inner worlds; how creative expression can restore a sense of agency and purpose; and why reclaiming imagination is quietly radical in a system that benefits from exhaustion and compliance. If you’ve ever felt disconnected from your creativity, stuck in freeze, overwhelmed by productivity pressure, or unsure how to rest without guilt, this conversation offers a softer way back. Creativity here isn’t about talent or outcome — it’s about permission, presence, and remembering that expression is part of being human. Topics we explore include: creative self-care, nervous system regulation, embodiment, creativity wounds, neurodivergence and creativity, creative meditation, burnout recovery, intuition, and reclaiming imagination as a form of healing and resistance. This episode is an invitation to play, to listen inward, and to reconnect with yourself — one small creative act at a time. About Allegra Allegra Chapman is an author, columnist and creative therapy practitioner. As an AuDHD mother, she is passionate about supporting creatives who don't fit into society's boxes to claim and embody their creative power. Allegra's latest book, Creativity Is Your Self-Care, is out now.  Allegra is graciously offering listeners a 20% discount on her membership. Follow this link:   https://yourcreativefix.substack.com/becoming Contact Allegra at any of these links:  Website: https://creativefix.net/ Substack: https://yourcreativefix.substack.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allegra_chapman/ Threads: https://www.threads.com/@allegra_chapman And for more guidance on building a creative practice, her book, Creativity Is Your Self-Care, has 52 simple, low-deman If this episode spoke to you, it would mean the world if you took a moment to leave a review or share it with a friend who needs it. And make sure you hit follow so you never miss an episode of Conditioning to Consciousness. You can connect with me on Instagram @jesscallahan_, join my Substack community at conditioningtoconsciousness.substack.com, or explore more of my work at jesscallahan.com. My Back in the Body Nervous System Healing course is now available! Find it here. Thanks for listening — I’m so grateful you’re here.

    55 min

  3. JAN 26

    31. Speaking Up - And the Hidden Cost of Silence

    Send us a text It's all just heavy right now. And unstable. Chaotic. Overwhelming.  It's hard to keep up with everything that's happening. For a lot of people, the easiest response is to shut down -- not because we don't care, but because caring feels like too much.  But that's the point -- the shut down, the apathy. When we check out, harmful systems advance.  This episode takes a grounded approach to the hidden cost of not speaking up -- what it does to the body and nervous system when we repeatedly override our truth, suppress our voice, or disconnect from what we know deep down is not okay. We'll also cover how to break the cycle and start (or continue) speaking up. If you've felt overwhelmed, confused, numb, angry, or frozen - these are normal responses to prolonged uncertainty and collective stress.  But the way through this is by going through it. Not around it.  This isn’t a call to panic or perform. It’s an invitation to slow down, get regulated, and reconnect with what you stand for. To remember that using your voice doesn’t have to look loud or confrontational -- it can look grounded, intentional, and rooted in love. We talk about practical, sustainable ways to engage: speaking up in small moments, modeling values for our kids, building community, and choosing participation over apathy. Most of all, this episode is a reminder that you are not weak for feeling this. You are not broken for needing rest. And you are not alone in the tension between wanting to stay safe and wanting to stay true. When we tend to our nervous systems and align with our values, using our voice becomes less about fear -- and more about integrity, care, and connection. If you’ve been feeling the weight of the world and wondering what to do with it, this conversation is for you. If this episode spoke to you, it would mean the world if you took a moment to leave a review or share it with a friend who needs it. And make sure you hit follow so you never miss an episode of Conditioning to Consciousness. You can connect with me on Instagram @jesscallahan_, join my Substack community at conditioningtoconsciousness.substack.com, or explore more of my work at jesscallahan.com. My Back in the Body Nervous System Healing course is now available! Find it here. Thanks for listening — I’m so grateful you’re here.

    44 min

  4. JAN 22

    30. Spiritual Activism and What We Can Actually Do with Kelly Stegman

    Send us a text In a world that feels heavy, chaotic, and — at times — genuinely unreal, it’s easy to swing between two extremes: doom-spiraling until your nervous system shuts down… or trying to “love-and-light” your way through realities your body knows are not okay. This episode lives in the middle path. I sat down with Kelly Stegman (aka The Boho Witchery) for a conversation about spiritual activism — the meeting place between inner work and real-world change. Kelly’s approach to witchcraft is one of the most grounded, accessible, and empowering perspectives I’ve heard in a long time. Here she reminds us of something we’ve been conditioned to forget: You already have what you need. Witchcraft, in Kelly’s world, isn’t reserved for the “gifted,” the initiated, or the people with a perfectly curated altar. It's intention. It’s sovereignty. It’s the quiet power of choosing what you believe, what you’ll protect, what you’ll build — and then taking steps that move the needle. Sometimes it looks like lighting a candle or setting a simple intention. Sometimes it looks like putting that intention behind a donation, a conversation, a boundary, or a decision. Sometimes it looks like saying: I refuse to stay numb. Through this conversation, we explore ideas like: If we can manifest safety, love, and expansion for ourselves… why wouldn’t we include our neighbors? If we’re brave enough to ask the universe for guidance… why wouldn’t we also ask for justice, truth, and protection — collectively? This is where Kelly’s work becomes powerful in a way that feels radically human: she’s building community-based spirituality through monthly community circles (free to attend) and her Patreon — spaces where people gather to set shared intentions, co-create energetic momentum, and then pair it with real-world action. Because intention without action can become performance. And action without intention can become burnout. The medicine is in holding both. In this episode, we talk about: Signs and intuition (and why specificity matters when you’re asking for guidance)How to tell the difference between intuition and fear in the bodyWhy “spirituality” that ignores reality isn’t spirituality — it’s avoidanceHow community circles work, and why shared intention is a form of collective powerThe simplest way to start practicing: intention as everyday magicWhy witchcraft is, at its core, about self-empowerment + sovereigntyAnd why every person has gifts — we’ve just been trained to doubt themMore than anything, Kelly offers this reminder - The first step to getting started happens exactly where you are — with what you have — when you choose connection over collapse. Because the truth is: we shift the world the same way we shift anything — one coherent choice at a time. Connect with Kelly https://www.threads.com/@thebohowitchery https://www.instagram.com/thebohowitchery  Patreon is Witchery13 If this episode spoke to you, it would mean the world if you took a moment to leave a review or share it with a friend who needs it. And make sure you hit follow so you never miss an episode of Conditioning to Consciousness. You can connect with me on Instagram @jesscallahan_, join my Substack community at conditioningtoconsciousness.substack.com, or explore more of my work at jesscallahan.com. My Back in the Body Nervous System Healing course is now available! Find it here. Thanks for listening — I’m so grateful you’re here.

    45 min

  5. JAN 15

    29. Feminine Rage: How We Release What We Carry with Simone Sylvester

    Send us a text In this episode of Conditioning to Consciousness, we’re talking about something a lot of women feel… but rarely say out loud: rage—the kind that builds quietly under “I’m fine,” behind the smile, and beneath years of self-betrayal, suppression, and over-functioning. The episode starts with a quiet reflection on the importance of feeling it all at a time when there's a lot of unrest and discontent building across the U.S. Then, I’m joined by Simone Sylvester, a practitioner and writer in the space of the dark feminine, where we explore the parts of ourselves that have been shunned, softened, or silenced in the name of being “good,” “easy,” or “palatable.” What I love about this conversation is how grounded it is—this isn’t rage as drama or chaos. It’s rage as information. Rage as truth. Rage as a signal that something in us has been overridden for too long. Simone shares the story behind Rage Pages—a simple, powerful practice for releasing anger safely through writing (and then letting it go—rip it up, burn it, throw it away). We also talk about why so many spiritual spaces can feel bypassy, why “good vibes only” can become its own kind of cage, and how movement, ritual, nervous system awareness, and honest self-expression can help us process what we’ve been carrying—without turning it inward and letting it become anxiety, burnout, or dis-ease in the body. If you’ve ever thought, “I’m not an angry person,” or “Rage isn’t really me,” this episode is a gentle invitation to look again. Because for so many women, rage isn’t the problem—it’s the accumulation. And when it finally rises, it’s often because something deeper is ready to be reclaimed. In this episode, we explore: • What “the dark feminine” really means (and what it doesn’t) • Why feminine rage is often delayed self-respect • How suppression shows up in the body over time • The practice of Rage Pages (and how to use it safely) • Why movement, dancing, and even screaming can be medicine • How to deprogram “good girl” conditioning and return to truth If this conversation resonates, share it with a friend who’s been holding it together for too long—and if you’re ready to experiment, try Rage Pages this week and notice what shifts. Visit Simone on Substack.  If this episode spoke to you, it would mean the world if you took a moment to leave a review or share it with a friend who needs it. And make sure you hit follow so you never miss an episode of Conditioning to Consciousness. You can connect with me on Instagram @jesscallahan_, join my Substack community at conditioningtoconsciousness.substack.com, or explore more of my work at jesscallahan.com. My Back in the Body Nervous System Healing course is now available! Find it here. Thanks for listening — I’m so grateful you’re here.

    44 min

  6. JAN 8

    28. From Amish Cult to Energetic Leader: Emily Adams on Human Design and Rebuilding Your Life

    Send us a text What happens when you walk away from everything you’ve ever known - your family, your culture, your religion - and have to rebuild your life… twice? In this episode, I sit down with Emily Adams, a speaker, coach, and creator of a new human design for leadership platform, to talk about her extraordinary journey from growing up in the Amish community to becoming a powerful, grounded leader in the worlds of business, energy, and self-trust. Emily shares how leaving the Amish at 17 - literally climbing out of a second-story window in the middle of the night - threw her into a full identity crisis and culture shock. We walk through her climb into the corporate automotive world, her spiritual awakening after a painful divorce, and the deep trauma work (EMDR, inner child work, plant medicine) that eventually led her to astrology and human design. Today, she uses human design to help leaders, teams, and entrepreneurs align how they work with their innate energy, instead of continuing to burn out in hustle culture. In this conversation, we explore: What it was like to escape the Amish culture and start over with a sixth-grade educationThe realities of unprocessed trauma and the catalyst that led to her spiritual awakeningHow human design became a tool for healing, deconditioning, and reclaiming her voiceWhat it means to be a Manifestor 4/6 and how understanding her design changed how she works, parents, and leadsPractical, accessible ways to start using human design: type, authority, and profileHow she uses human design as a parent to better understand and support her two sonsWhy purpose isn’t a fixed destination, but something that evolves as you doThe story behind her new tech platform that blends human design, coaching, and leadership developmentIf you’ve ever felt out of place in your own life, questioned the systems you were raised in, or wondered how to build a life that actually fits your energy, this episode will speak directly to you. Connect with Emily Human Design + Leadership Platform: https://leadingwithhumandesign.com/  Threads: https://www.threads.net/@emilyadams_ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EmilyAdams_ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilyadams8/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emilyadamm/ If this episode spoke to you, it would mean the world if you took a moment to leave a review or share it with a friend who needs it. And make sure you hit follow so you never miss an episode of Conditioning to Consciousness. You can connect with me on Instagram @jesscallahan_, join my Substack community at conditioningtoconsciousness.substack.com, or explore more of my work at jesscallahan.com. My Back in the Body Nervous System Healing course is now available! Find it here. Thanks for listening — I’m so grateful you’re here.

    49 min

  7. JAN 6

    27. Rethinking January - Rest Before Momentum

    Send us a text January is often framed as a fresh start — a time for productivity, goal setting, and pushing forward. But biologically, emotionally, and energetically, we’re still in winter. This episode of Conditioning to Consciousness offers a collective “weather report” for January and explores the real cost of ignoring seasonal rhythms in favor of constant output. Drawing on natural cycles, nervous system awareness, and lived experience, this solo episode reframes January as a time for integration, rest, and listening rather than rigid resolutions or forced momentum. We unpack why New Year’s goals often fail, how the Gregorian calendar disconnects us from our bodies, and why honoring winter can lead to more sustainable growth later in the year. This episode is an invitation to release the pressure to perform, tune inward, and approach the new year with curiosity, flexibility, and self-trust. If you’re feeling exhausted, unmotivated, or resistant to traditional goal-setting right now, you’re not behind — you’re responding appropriately to the season. If this episode spoke to you, it would mean the world if you took a moment to leave a review or share it with a friend who needs it. And make sure you hit follow so you never miss an episode of Conditioning to Consciousness. You can connect with me on Instagram @jesscallahan_, join my Substack community at conditioningtoconsciousness.substack.com, or explore more of my work at jesscallahan.com. My Back in the Body Nervous System Healing course is now available! Find it here. Thanks for listening — I’m so grateful you’re here.

    23 min

  8. 12/30/2025

    26. An Evolution - It's Time to Get Real About Conditioning

    Send us a text I didn’t expect to release another episode before the end of the year, but sometimes clarity arrives when we least expect it. This episode was recorded in one of those moments — after yoga, sitting in my car, via voice note — when something just clicked. In this episode, I’m sharing an honest reflection on the evolution of The Becoming You Project and where my heart — and this work — are leading as we move into 2026. We explore the art of becoming as an ongoing, cyclical process: peeling back layers of conditioning, stress, and inherited patterns to reconnect with the most authentic core of who we are. Becoming isn’t a destination — it’s a choice we make again and again, especially in moments of tension, discomfort, or overwhelm. I also talk openly about: How chronic stress and unprocessed emotion pull us back into conditioningWhy nervous system regulation is foundational for any real transformationThe harm of toxic positivity and spiritual bypassingHow unhealed systems keep us numb, compliant, and disconnected from self-trustWhy naming conditioning isn’t negative — it’s liberatingThis episode introduces a clearer direction for the podcast moving forward, rooted in two essential themes: conditioning and consciousness. If this episode spoke to you, it would mean the world if you took a moment to leave a review or share it with a friend who needs it. And make sure you hit follow so you never miss an episode of Conditioning to Consciousness. You can connect with me on Instagram @jesscallahan_, join my Substack community at conditioningtoconsciousness.substack.com, or explore more of my work at jesscallahan.com. My Back in the Body Nervous System Healing course is now available! Find it here. Thanks for listening — I’m so grateful you’re here.

    21 min
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About

Conditioning to Consciousness explores the journey from inherited conditioning to embodied awareness — honoring personal healing as a catalyst for collective transformation. It’s for those peeling back layers of stress, people-pleasing, burnout, and self-silencing — and learning how to reclaim autonomy, self-trust, and purpose in a world shaped by systems that keep us disconnected from our bodies and intuition. Hosted by Jess Callahan, this podcast blends thoughtful conversations with experts and change-makers alongside solo episodes informed by personal healing, post-graduate studies in transpersonal psychology and consciousness, and years of study in nervous system regulation, intuition, astrology, and somatic awareness. Each episode connects back to five core pillars of healing and awakening: Nervous system regulationDeconditioning the mindReconnecting with intuitionSelf-discoveryIntegration and embodimentRather than bypassing hard truths, Conditioning to Consciousness approaches healing through compassion, curiosity, and grounded awareness — recognizing that personal healing ripples outward into collective change. When even a small percentage of people elevate their consciousness, the world around them begins to shift. This podcast is for cycle-breakers, system-seers, creatives, and deep feelers who are doing the real work — not to fix themselves, but to remember who they are beneath everything they learned to survive. Just because the systems are broken doesn’t mean we have to be. ------------------ This podcast has evolved and was formerly published under the name The Becoming You Project. 

Information

  • Creator
    Jess Callahan
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    34
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Conditioning to Consciousness
  • Show Website
    Conditioning to Consciousness