Blooming Outside the Lines

Dr. Deb, Creating Choices PC
  • 4.5 (2)
  • Self-Improvement

Blooming Outside the Lines is a podcast for women who have spent their lives trying to be good enough and instead feel tired, overwhelmed, anxious, depressed, and often guilty about their body size or their eating. If that’s you, you’re not alone and you deserve to be you—even if others disagree.  I’m a licensed psychologist who’s worked with women for over 30 years. I understand how hard it is to relax or take time for self-care, and the deep pull we feel for approval—approval that often defines us. We’ll talk about how the brain and our capabilities change when we ignore our self-care, wait until we have time for it, can’t say no, or fear disapproval. I’ll provide support, encouragement, and practical strategies for building your confidence from the inside out, for stepping into your own truth and blooming into the most radiant version of yourself.  The information shared in this podcast is for educational purposes only. It is not meant to replace the advice of any of your healthcare providers and does not mean we have a client/therapist relationship.

  1. the fear of becoming self-centered

    5d ago

    the fear of becoming self-centered

    Do you worry that if you start prioritizing your needs or voicing your opinions, that you will become a selfish or self-centered person? This is a fear I have heard expressed over the years as women worked to separate their worth from others’ approval. In this episode, I explore possible origins of this fear and the importance of being in the middle, the place of both/and, when communicating our needs and voicing our opinions. I also share strategies for getting there. Here is the link to the episode where I introduce the swing between appeasing and disconnecting: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2590484/episodes/19072391 To learn more from Deb, Visit her website at https://creatingchoicesdeblang.com/ for information about her online courses and free info sheets and guides designed to support you as you navigate life’s challenges.  If you struggle with feeling good enough, check out her book Never Enough—Separating Self-Worth from Approval. To help other women find this podcast, please consider leaving a review. Here’s how        —on Apple Podcasts: open the app, find this podcast, scroll           down and tap “Write a Review”         —on Spotify: open the podcast page and tap the stars Thank you. Your review doesn’t need to be eloquent, and it will help women discover the show. If you’d like to support the making of Blooming Outside the Lines, you can do so here: ko-fi.com/bloomingoutsidethelines There is no expectation—please do what is responsive to you. Listening and sharing are also meaningful ways of supporting the podcast.

    19 min
  2. when life takes you somewhere you didn't expect

    Jun 8

    when life takes you somewhere you didn't expect

    Life can sure take us on unexpected journeys—some rewarding and others incredibly painful. Facing those unforeseen circumstances was the subject of a blog post I wrote years ago—a post inspired by a letter to the Dear Abby column and published in the Bozeman Daily Chronicle. In the letter, Emily Perl Kingsley shares her experience of giving birth to a child with special needs. In this episode, I reflect on how the author’s experience helped me face the loss of the dream of having biological children, and how the author’s perspectives might offer validation and comfort as we face the changes and losses associated with aging or other unexpected life events.  To learn more from Deb, Visit her website at https://creatingchoicesdeblang.com/ for information about her online courses and free info sheets and guides designed to support you as you navigate life’s challenges.  If you struggle with feeling good enough, check out her book Never Enough—Separating Self-Worth from Approval. To help other women find this podcast, please consider leaving a review. Here’s how        —on Apple Podcasts: open the app, find this podcast, scroll           down and tap “Write a Review”         —on Spotify: open the podcast page and tap the stars Thank you. Your review doesn’t need to be eloquent, and it will help women discover the show. If you’d like to support the making of Blooming Outside the Lines, you can do so here: ko-fi.com/bloomingoutsidethelines There is no expectation—please do what is responsive to you. Listening and sharing are also meaningful ways of supporting the podcast.

    20 min
  3. the need to explain—and explain

    Jun 1

    the need to explain—and explain

    Do you find yourself repeatedly caught up in trying to explain yourself and end up feeling let down, or maybe uncared for when your explanations fall on deaf ears? In this episode, I examine the connection between gaining understanding and feeling okay or worthy, the connection between sameness and love, as well as strategies to begin separating your worth from the responses of others. To learn more from Deb, ¨    Visit her website at https://creatingchoicesdeblang.com/ for information about her online courses and free info sheets and guides designed to support you as you navigate life’s challenges.  If you struggle with feeling good enough, check out her book Never Enough—Separating Self-Worth from Approval. To help other women find this podcast, please consider leaving a review. Here’s how        —on Apple Podcasts: open the app, find this podcast, scroll           down and tap “Write a Review”         —on Spotify: open the podcast page and tap the stars Thank you. Your review doesn’t need to be eloquent, and it will help women discover the show. If you’d like to support the making of Blooming Outside the Lines, you can do so here: ko-fi.com/bloomingoutsidethelines There is no expectation—please do what is responsive to you. Listening and sharing are also meaningful ways of supporting the podcast.

    18 min
  4. tools for connecting with your wisdom and strength

    May 25

    tools for connecting with your wisdom and strength

    For many of us, it's hard to move from using others' opinions as the yardstick for what to do and how to feel to trusting our own wisdom.  In this episode, I share two tools or concepts that may help you bridge that gap—the concept of Entelechy and the idea of connecting with your wisest self. I also share a guided meditation that provides an opportunity for you to practice using these tools. If you enjoyed this meditation, there are others available on my website. creatingchoicesdeblang.com. To learn more from Deb, Visit her website at https://creatingchoicesdeblang.com/ for information about her online courses and free info sheets and guides designed to support you as you navigate life’s challenges.  If you struggle with feeling good enough, check out her book Never Enough—Separating Self-Worth from Approval. To help other women find this podcast, please consider leaving a review. Here’s how        —on Apple Podcasts: open the app, find this podcast, scroll           down and tap “Write a Review”         —on Spotify: open the podcast page and tap the stars Thank you. Your review doesn’t need to be eloquent, and it will help women discover the show. If you’d like to support the making of Blooming Outside the Lines, you can do so here: ko-fi.com/bloomingoutsidethelines There is no expectation—please do what is responsive to you. Listening and sharing are also meaningful ways of supporting the podcast.

    19 min
  5. never enough—is this fear really yours?

    May 18

    never enough—is this fear really yours?

    What if you realized your fear of being good enough was actually someone else’s fear? Would it help you to let it go? In this episode, I discuss inherited fears, how old fears remain alive and well when isolated in the brain, and how, instead of fearing being enough, we need to work on recognizing the pressure we feel to be enough as an outdated, inherited fear.    Link to episode with study of mice and cherry blossoms: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2590484/episodes/18891699 To contact me with your feedback: info@creatingchoicesdeblang.com To learn more from Deb, Visit her website at https://creatingchoicesdeblang.com/ for information about her online courses and free info sheets and guides designed to support you as you navigate life’s challenges.  ¨    If you struggle with feeling good enough, check out her book Never Enough—Separating Self-Worth from Approval. To help other women find this podcast, please consider leaving a review. Here’s how        —on Apple Podcasts: open the app, find this podcast, scroll           down and tap “Write a Review”         —on Spotify: open the podcast page and tap the stars Thank you. Your review doesn’t need to be eloquent, and it will help women discover the show. If you’d like to support the making of Blooming Outside the Lines, you can do so here: ko-fi.com/bloomingoutsidethelines There is no expectation—please do what is responsive to you. Listening and sharing are also meaningful ways of supporting the podcast.

    22 min
  6. what does "good enough" really mean?

    May 11

    what does "good enough" really mean?

    Do you find yourself struggling with a fear of not being good enough? If so, you are certainly not alone. In this episode, I explore whether we have an end-goal when we talk about being good enough.whether “good enough” actually exists or instead is a relic from the past.how we might tap into our women’s wisdom to heal this fear of not being good enough and the constant striving that accompanies it.To learn more from Deb, Visit her website at https://creatingchoicesdeblang.com/ for information about her online courses and free info sheets and guides designed to support you as you navigate life’s challenges.  If you struggle with feeling good enough, check out her book Never Enough—Separating Self-Worth from Approval. To help other women find this podcast, please consider leaving a review. Here’s how        —on Apple Podcasts: open the app, find this podcast, scroll           down and tap “Write a Review”         —on Spotify: open the podcast page and tap the stars Thank you. Your review doesn’t need to be eloquent, and it will help women discover the show. If you’d like to support the making of Blooming Outside the Lines, you can buy me a cup of coffee at: ko-fi.com/bloomingoutsidethelines There is no expectation—please do what is responsive to you. Listening and sharing are also meaningful ways of supporting the podcast.

    20 min
  7. can you make someone feel happy, sad, . . .?

    May 4

    can you make someone feel happy, sad, . . .?

    In my last episode I introduced appeasing and disconnecting and our tendency to swing back and forth between the two. In this episode, I begin looking at how we can change that pattern by examining the belief that we are responsible for how others feel. I share how common this belief is—even our language supports it.why it is so difficult to change.why this belief doesn’t make sense based on the functioning of the brain.Link to Episode 11: "women, epigenetics, and the need to please" https://www.buzzsprout.com/2590484/episodes/18891699 Link to episode mentioning the limited role of the eyes in body image: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2590484/episodes/18732702 To learn more from Deb, Visit her website at https://creatingchoicesdeblang.com/ for information about her online courses and free info sheets and guides designed to support you as you navigate life’s challenges.  If you struggle with feeling good enough, check out her book Never Enough—Separating Self-Worth from Approval. To help other women find this podcast, please consider leaving a review. Here’s how        —on Apple Podcasts: open the app, find this podcast, scroll           down and tap “Write a Review”         —on Spotify: open the podcast page and tap the stars Thank you. Your review doesn’t need to be eloquent, and it will help women discover the show. If you’d like to support the making of Blooming Outside the Lines, you can do so here: ko-fi.com/bloomingoutsidethelines There is no expectation—please do what is responsive to you. Listening and sharing are also meaningful ways of supporting the podcast.

    23 min
  8. when is it my turn? or, how do I hold on to my needs in relationships?

    Apr 27

    when is it my turn? or, how do I hold on to my needs in relationships?

    Do you say “yes” to coffee even when you don’t have the time, or do you worry about saying “no” for fear the person will no longer approve of you? In this episode I tackle the struggle that so many of us face: how to hold on to what we need while in relationships. I introduce the entangled intimacy style I noticed over the years in working with women.the continuum, with appeasing at one end and disconnecting at the other, and why we tend to swing back and forth.the mysterious middle—the place where we can rest from our struggles to be good enough.In my next episode, I begin talking about how to change these patterns by asking the question, “Can we make people happy?” To learn more from Deb, Visit her website at https://creatingchoicesdeblang.com/ for information about her online courses and free info sheets and guides designed to support you as you navigate life’s challenges.  If you struggle with feeling good enough, check out her book Never Enough—Separating Self-Worth from Approval. To help other women find this podcast, please consider leaving a review. Here’s how        —on Apple Podcasts: open the app, find this podcast, scroll           down and tap “Write a Review”         —on Spotify: open the podcast page and tap the stars Thank you. Your review doesn’t need to be eloquent, and it will help women discover the show. If you’d like to support the making of Blooming Outside the Lines, you can do so here: ko-fi.com/bloomingoutsidethelines There is no expectation—please do what is responsive to you. Listening and sharing are also meaningful ways of supporting the podcast.

    20 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4.5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Blooming Outside the Lines is a podcast for women who have spent their lives trying to be good enough and instead feel tired, overwhelmed, anxious, depressed, and often guilty about their body size or their eating. If that’s you, you’re not alone and you deserve to be you—even if others disagree.  I’m a licensed psychologist who’s worked with women for over 30 years. I understand how hard it is to relax or take time for self-care, and the deep pull we feel for approval—approval that often defines us. We’ll talk about how the brain and our capabilities change when we ignore our self-care, wait until we have time for it, can’t say no, or fear disapproval. I’ll provide support, encouragement, and practical strategies for building your confidence from the inside out, for stepping into your own truth and blooming into the most radiant version of yourself.  The information shared in this podcast is for educational purposes only. It is not meant to replace the advice of any of your healthcare providers and does not mean we have a client/therapist relationship.

Information

  • Creator
    Dr. Deb, Creating Choices PC
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    23
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Blooming Outside the Lines
  • Show Website
    Blooming Outside the Lines