Holistic Mental Health for the Woman Behind the Vision

Dr. Nicole Pertillar
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Entrepreneurship

I started this podcast because I kept seeing women with powerful dreams, deep callings, brilliant ideas, and beautiful businesses(or business ideas) quietly burning out behind the scenes. Women who were building, leading, serving, creating, caregiving, praying, planning, and pushing through. Women who loved their work, but were tired, clouded , and stretched thin. And you know what? I get it! I know that place. I know what it feels like to carry a God-given vision while also realizing your capacity has limits. I know what it feels like to want to build something meaningful, but also need space to breathe, heal, pause, and become whole. That’s why I created Holistic Mental Health for Women Solopreneurs. I’m Dr. Nic, Wellness Coach, Wholeness Advocate, Founder of The PAUSE Sessions, and Creator of the Journal Brand Wholeness Within Journals. This podcast helps purpose-driven women entrepreneurs prioritize wellness, prevent burnout, regulate their nervous systems, and build sustainable businesses without breaking the builder. This show is for women solopreneurs, creative entrepreneurs, coaches, service providers, and faith-led visionaries who are ready to stop self-abandoning in the name of success and start building from a place of wholeness. This is a place to pause, breathe, tell the truth, and create rhythms that help you protect your spirit, mind, body, creativity, and business. Through personal stories, practical coaching, mindset shifts, guided reflection, and holistic wellness strategies, I’ll help you pause without quitting, shift without shame, and renew your capacity for the dream you’ve been called to build. Because your dream matters. But so do you. This podcast is for you if you’ve ever asked the following questions: How do I avoid burnout as a woman solopreneur?How do I grow my business when I feel overwhelmed?How do I stop feeling guilty for resting as an entrepreneur?How do I prioritize my mental health while running a business?How do I manage stress as a solopreneur?How do I regulate my nervous system when business feels overwhelming?How do I stop self-abandoning while pursuing my dreams?How do I create sustainable business growth without hustle culture?How do I find clarity when I have too many ideas?How do I stay consistent in my business when I’m emotionally exhausted?How do I stop procrastinating on my purpose?How do I pursue my dreams when life keeps interrupting my plans?How do I create better self-care rhythms as a woman entrepreneur?How do I build emotional capacity for my business and calling?How do I overcome business overwhelm and decision fatigue?How do I keep creating when I feel stuck, tired, or uninspired?How do I align my life, dreams, and/or business with my wellness, faith, and purpose? If you’ve been searching for a way to move forward without losing yourself, this space is for you. Here, we are choosing a different rhythm. One rooted in wellness, clarity, capacity, faith, creativity, and sustainable purpose. You do not have to burn out to prove you are called. You do not have to abandon yourself to build something meaningful. Welcome to Holistic Mental Health for the Woman Behind the Vision—where we build the dream without breaking the builder.

  1. 2d ago

    042 Before the Holidays Get Loud, Decide What Matters | Protect Your Peace & Capacity

    The holidays are coming, and before you know it, your calendar can be overflowing with invitations, family expectations, shopping, traditions, and year-end responsibilities. But before the holiday season starts making decisions for you, have you stopped to decide what actually matters to you? In this episode of Holistic Mental Health for the Woman Behind the Vision, Dr. Nic invites you to pause before the holiday frenzy begins and consider how you want to experience the season—not just what you want to accomplish. Drawing from her own experience of navigating a particularly demanding year, Dr. Nic shares why capacity requires choices and how identifying your priorities can help you protect your mental wellness, emotional energy, finances, and peace during the holidays. Because when everything feels important, it's easy to lose sight of what matters most. And just because you can do something doesn't mean it deserves your capacity this season. In This Episode, You'll Explore:Why holiday overwhelm often begins before the holidays even arrive.How unspoken expectations and traditions can quietly consume your mental and emotional capacity.Why identifying two or three priorities can help you make more intentional holiday decisions.The importance of creating a holiday experience that aligns with your current season of life.How to make room for rest, connection, financial wellness, faith, and the things that genuinely nourish you.Why choosing what matters also means choosing what you're willing to do less of.Your Power PauseBefore you fill another space on your calendar, take a moment to reflect: What do I want to feel more of this holiday season? What am I willing to do less of in order to make room for it? Then identify two or three things you most want to protect as you move through the remainder of the year. Remember: Your priorities don't have to look like anyone else's. They simply need to reflect what matters to you and the capacity you have right now. Come Sit With Us at The WELLYou don't have to navigate the demands of life, leadership, and pursuing your vision alone. The WELL is a growing community for women of vision and purpose who want space to pause, check in with themselves, connect with other women, and receive support for the seasons they're navigating. We're beginning to build our community now, ahead of our fuller launch in 2027, and we'd love for you to be part of these foundational conversations. If you're ready for a community that encourages you to honor your capacity, nurture your wholeness, and pursue what matters without losing yourself in the process, come join us at The WELL. Join The WELL: Send an email to hello@nicolepertillar.com with the subject line: The Well Founding Member and you'll be let in as soon as it opens. Stay ConnectedContinue the conversation and explore more encouragement for holistic mental wellness, intentional living, self-care, and sustainable purpose-driven living. Connect with Dr. Nic: @with.dr.nic on all platforms Until next time, honor your capacity, make room for the pause, nurture the wholeness within, and take good care of you—the woman behind the vision.

  2. Oct 26

    041 What Kind of Community Are We Becoming? | Building Healthy, Life-Giving Connections

    What if finding the community you need begins with becoming the kind of woman who helps create it? We've spent a lot of time talking about why women need healthy community people who encourage us, respect our boundaries, share wisdom, celebrate our growth, and support us as we pursue our dreams. But there's another important question we need to ask: What kind of community are we becoming, and how are we contributing to the spaces we enter? In this episode of Holistic Mental Health for the Woman Behind the Vision, Dr. Nic brings her series on healthy community to a close by shifting the conversation from what we need from others to what we bring into our relationships and communities. Reflecting on the powerful connections formed during her virtual women's summit, Dr. Nic shares how some of the most meaningful moments weren't planned at all. They happened when women noticed one another, shared resources, offered encouragement, celebrated each other, and created a sense of belonging together. Because while one person can create the space, it takes the women in the room to create the community. And healthy community isn't about constantly giving, overextending yourself, or abandoning your own needs. It's about mutual care, meaningful connection, respecting capacity, and creating spaces where women can both give and receive. In This Episode, You'll Discover:Why healthy community requires more than simply gathering women together.How everyday acts of encouragement, generosity, and connection create a culture of belonging.Why we must examine what we're contributing to the communities we want to be part of.How to support other women without sacrificing your own mental wellness or capacity.Why receiving support is just as important as offering it.How comparison, competition, and unmet expectations can interfere with meaningful relationships.What it means to create emotionally safe, life-giving spaces where women can show up authentically.The vision behind The WELL and why its community culture will be shaped by the women who gather there.Come Help Us Build The WELLIf you've been listening to this series and recognizing your own need for deeper connection, encouragement, and life-giving community, Dr. Nic invites you to become one of the founding women of The WELL. The WELL is a growing community for women of vision and purpose who desire a place to pause, connect, be poured into, and find support for the season they're actually navigating. This isn't about another space where you have to perform, prove yourself, or pretend to have everything figured out. We don't just need better communities. We need to become better at community. And we'd love for you to help us build one. Interested in Joining The WELL, send an email with subject line: The Well Founding Member to hello@nicolepertillar.com to be added to the founding member list. Stay ConnectedDr. Nic is also preparing for the next BecomingHER Summit, where women will gather in person to experience the power of meaningful connection, encouragement, and shared growth. More details are coming soon! Connect with Dr. Nic: @with.dr.nic on IG, FB, and TikTok

  3. Oct 19

    040 How Unmade Decisions Drain Your Capacity

    Dr. Nic shares how a decision about a much-anticipated trip to PlantCon became a lesson in mental clutter, changing priorities, and honoring capacity. When life circumstances shifted, keeping the trip as a “maybe” took up emotional and mental space. Making a clear decision not to go brought disappointment—but also relief.In this episode, Dr. Nic explores why unresolved decisions can become open loops that keep pulling at our attention. Sometimes we aren’t truly confused; we may already know what makes sense, but feel disappointed by the answer. The pause can help us notice what is happening, name what matters, and choose a rhythm that fits the season we’re actually in.She also reflects on the role of supportive community. Encouragement can mean cheering someone on, but it can also mean asking whether a plan still aligns with their priorities and capacity. Healthy support helps us honor what matters now—even when that means changing the plan.In this episode How an unmade decision can take up mental and emotional spaceWhat mental clutter and open loops can look like in everyday lifeWhy indecision sometimes means we’re postponing an answer we don’t likeHow the pause helps us notice what’s true and identify what needs our resourcesWhy we’re allowed to change a plan when life and priorities changeHow decisions can protect capacity by removing something from our mental loadThe role of community in reflecting our priorities back to usWhy supportive friends can encourage us to move forward—or help us see that “not now” is the right answerPower pauseWhat decision is taking up space because you haven’t made it? What do you already know about your priorities, values, and capacity right now? If you made the decision even if it brings some disappointment could it give you back mental, emotional, physical, or financial capacity? Join The WellThe Well is a space for women to pause, connect, be poured into, and receive support as they honor their capacity while pursuing what matters. Learn more and join The Well:The WELL

  4. Oct 12

    039 Visionary Women Need Community That Makes Room for Boundaries

    Healthy community should support the woman behind the vision not require her to abandon herself to belong.In this episode, Dr. Nic explores how boundaries, honest communication, and changing capacity shape our relationships. She reflects on how resentment can build when we expect others to know what we need without telling them, and shares a personal story about assuming friends would know she needed help with a move. Dr. Nic also reminds listeners that capacity changes with life’s seasons. Grief, caregiving, work, health, relationships, and building a vision can all affect what we can hold. Instead of judging yourself by what you managed in the past, she invites you to notice what’s true for you now and make room for others to do the same.In this episode Why belonging shouldn’t require self-abandonmentHow unspoken needs can lead to resentmentThe difference between a boundary that hasn’t been communicated and one that isn’t being respectedWhy capacity changes from season to seasonHow to make room for others to say no, ask for space, or request supportWhy boundaries can make relationships more honest and intimateWhat healthy, supportive community can look like for visionary womenPower pause Where might resentment be pointing to a need you haven’t communicated?Are you expecting yourself to operate at the capacity you had in a different season?Are the people around you allowed to be honest about their capacity, too?Join The Well If you’re looking for a community where you can pause, reflect, and explore what support you need in this season, Dr. Nic invites you to learn more about The Well. Join The Well:Click Here

  5. Oct 5

    038 How Healthy Community Can Reveal The Extraordinary YOU

    How Healthy Community Can Reveal The Extraordinary YOUSometimes the gifts that matter most are the ones we barely notice in ourselves. In this episode, Dr. Nic shares how a friend’s thoughtful observations helped her recognize her ability to create safe spaces, connect deeply with others, and bring peace into a room.Dr. Nic explores how trustworthy community can act as a mirror—reflecting our strengths and growth without defining our identity. She also considers why it can be hard to receive affirmation, how isolation can limit our perspective, and why healthy relationships must make room for boundaries and personal capacity. In this episodeHow a friend’s message helped Dr. Nic recognize gifts she had taken for grantedWhy natural strengths can feel ordinary from the insideHow trustworthy people can reflect back qualities we may not have named for ourselvesThe difference between community reflecting who you are and defining who you areWhy some kinds of growth happen in relationship, not isolationHow to receive specific, grounded encouragement instead of deflecting itWhy healthy community should make room for limits, boundaries, and saying noHow the “notice, name, nourish” practice can help you consider what others reflect backKey takeawayYour community does not get to define you. But trustworthy people can help reflect strengths and growth that are difficult to see from the inside. Receive their perspective with curiosity and discernment, while staying grounded in your own self-awareness and values.

  6. Sep 28

    037 The Hidden Cost of Building Your Vision While Not Addressing the Needs of Your Body

    The Hidden Cost of Building Your Vision While Not Addressing the Needs of Your Body Dr. Nic explores what happens when women keep pursuing their vision while postponing their own health, needs, and well-being. Through a personal story about navigating perimenopause and finally scheduling long-overdue medical appointments, she reveals how a trusted friend’s lived experience and encouragement helped her move from awareness to action.This episode is a reminder that caring for your body is not separate from your calling. Your physical health, mental health, and capacity directly affect what you are able to carry—and there is no vision without the woman carrying it.Dr. Nic also explores the role of healthy community in helping women access wisdom, perspective, and encouragement without giving up their agency. The right community does not tell you what to do. It helps you think more clearly, reminds you of what you already know, and gives you the support to take your next step. In this episode, Dr. Nic discussesWhy knowing what you need to do does not always lead to actionHow a friend’s lived experience helped Dr. Nic address health concerns she had been postponingThe difference between receiving wisdom and blindly copying someone else’s choicesWhy healthy community should support agency rather than replace itHow conversations with trusted people can provide language, perspective, and hopeWhy caring for your physical body is part of caring for your visionThe hidden cost of consistently putting your needs at the bottom of the listHow community can help women move from “I’ve been meaning to do that” to “It’s done”Why women should consider not only who can support them, but how they can support othersThe value of sharing what you have lived, learned, and survivedHow relationships can reveal gifts, patterns, and possibilities we may not recognize on our ownThe upcoming conversations about The Well and The Whole PractitionerKey takeawaysYour body is not separate from your visionTaking care of your health is not taking time away from your calling. Your body is how you carry out your vision, so ignoring its needs can eventually limit your capacity to pursue what matters.Healthy community supports actionSometimes you do not need more information. You need someone who can remind you of what you already know, validate your experience, and encourage you to take the next step.Wisdom is not the same as instructionAnother woman’s story can offer perspective, resources, and possibilities without becoming a blueprint for your life. Healthy community shares lived wisdom while honoring each person’s agency and individual circumstances.You may be carrying wisdom someone else needsYour experience has value. You do not need to rescue anyone or become an expert. Sharing what you have lived and learned may help another woman feel less alone as she finds her own way forward.

  7. Sep 21

    036 Why Healthy Community Matters in Vision Pursuit

    The Woman Behind the Vision: Why Healthy Community MattersDr. Nic opens a new chapter of the show by widening the conversation from women solopreneurs to all visionary women. This episode explains why the woman carrying the vision matters just as much as the vision itself, and why community is essential for capacity, wholeness, and sustainable purpose.We discuss how healthy community can hold, reflect, encourage, and challenge you without requiring self-abandonment. Dr. Nic also introduces two upcoming community spaces, The Well and The Whole Practitioner, as part of this expanded vision. Key topicsDr. Nic explains the podcast’s expanded focus from women solopreneurs to women behind the vision, including leaders, ministry builders, artists, nonprofit founders, writers, and women building strong families.She says it is unnecessary to sacrifice yourself on the altar of your vision, because building something beautiful should not require breaking yourself in the process.The episode frames community as more than companionship—it is a place where women can be held, nourished, challenged, and supported without guilt.Dr. Nic revisits the “pause” as a core practice: noticing what is happening, naming what matters, nourishing what needs attention, and building rhythms that fit your real life.She distinguishes between merely having people around and being in healthy community, asking whether it is safe to tell the truth, say no, disagree, and take up space.The episode introduces two upcoming communities: The Well for women of vision and purpose, and The Whole Practitioner for women whose work centers on helping others.Dr. Nic emphasizes that healthy community should increase capacity, not drain it, and should support both vision and mental health.She closes with a reflection on belonging, asking what it means to have people beside you while you carry your vision.

  8. Sep 14

    035 Small Action Steps Count: The Consistency Mindset That Actually Lasts For Women Pursuing Purpose

    In this episode, Dr. Nic explains why consistency is not about perfection. Instead, it’s about building a sustainable rhythm that fits your real life and real capacity. You’ll learn how to stop treating one missed day like failure, why small steps still count, and how to return to your goals without shame. In this episode:Why consistency does not mean perfectThe difference between rules and rhythmsWhy small actions still matterHow to return after falling out of routineA simple mindset shift for sustainable growthMain takeaway:Consistency is learning how to return. Perfection is not consistency and chasing it may be the very thing keeping you stuck. Dr. Nic breaks down the second C of sustainable self-care and shows why the real skill isn’t never missing a day, but learning how to return.If you’ve been feeling frustrated by habits, routines, or goals that don’t seem to last, this episode will help you think differently about progress. Dr. Nic shares how to move away from rigid rules and all-or-nothing thinking and build rhythms that fit the season you’re in. You’ll learn: Why consistency often gets confused with perfectionThe difference between a sustainability problem and a discipline problemWhy small actions still countHow to stop treating one missed day like failureWhat it means to build rhythms instead of rules If you’re ready for support in creating sustainable rhythms for your life and business, book a discovery call with Dr. Nic (LINK COMING SOON) - currently email nicolepertillar@gmail.com for booking

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About

I started this podcast because I kept seeing women with powerful dreams, deep callings, brilliant ideas, and beautiful businesses(or business ideas) quietly burning out behind the scenes. Women who were building, leading, serving, creating, caregiving, praying, planning, and pushing through. Women who loved their work, but were tired, clouded , and stretched thin. And you know what? I get it! I know that place. I know what it feels like to carry a God-given vision while also realizing your capacity has limits. I know what it feels like to want to build something meaningful, but also need space to breathe, heal, pause, and become whole. That’s why I created Holistic Mental Health for Women Solopreneurs. I’m Dr. Nic, Wellness Coach, Wholeness Advocate, Founder of The PAUSE Sessions, and Creator of the Journal Brand Wholeness Within Journals. This podcast helps purpose-driven women entrepreneurs prioritize wellness, prevent burnout, regulate their nervous systems, and build sustainable businesses without breaking the builder. This show is for women solopreneurs, creative entrepreneurs, coaches, service providers, and faith-led visionaries who are ready to stop self-abandoning in the name of success and start building from a place of wholeness. This is a place to pause, breathe, tell the truth, and create rhythms that help you protect your spirit, mind, body, creativity, and business. Through personal stories, practical coaching, mindset shifts, guided reflection, and holistic wellness strategies, I’ll help you pause without quitting, shift without shame, and renew your capacity for the dream you’ve been called to build. Because your dream matters. But so do you. This podcast is for you if you’ve ever asked the following questions: How do I avoid burnout as a woman solopreneur?How do I grow my business when I feel overwhelmed?How do I stop feeling guilty for resting as an entrepreneur?How do I prioritize my mental health while running a business?How do I manage stress as a solopreneur?How do I regulate my nervous system when business feels overwhelming?How do I stop self-abandoning while pursuing my dreams?How do I create sustainable business growth without hustle culture?How do I find clarity when I have too many ideas?How do I stay consistent in my business when I’m emotionally exhausted?How do I stop procrastinating on my purpose?How do I pursue my dreams when life keeps interrupting my plans?How do I create better self-care rhythms as a woman entrepreneur?How do I build emotional capacity for my business and calling?How do I overcome business overwhelm and decision fatigue?How do I keep creating when I feel stuck, tired, or uninspired?How do I align my life, dreams, and/or business with my wellness, faith, and purpose? If you’ve been searching for a way to move forward without losing yourself, this space is for you. Here, we are choosing a different rhythm. One rooted in wellness, clarity, capacity, faith, creativity, and sustainable purpose. You do not have to burn out to prove you are called. You do not have to abandon yourself to build something meaningful. Welcome to Holistic Mental Health for the Woman Behind the Vision—where we build the dream without breaking the builder.

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