Blooming Outside the Lines

Dr. Deb, Creating Choices PC
  • 5.0 (1)
  • 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.

Episodes

  1. is fear of anxiety robbing us of our confidence?

    3D AGO

    is fear of anxiety robbing us of our confidence?

    It’s hard to miss the message that stress is bad for us. We are bombarded with messages about how to deal with stress and to be less anxious. Because of this, it is hard to imagine that anxiety serves a purpose. In this episode, I share  what anxiety actually is and the purpose it serves.how our attempts to control our symptoms signal the nervous system to increase the symptoms we are trying to control. how we often mistake our body’s response to a challenge as something to be feared with disastrous results and reinforcing the belief that anxiety is something to avoid.how I went from feeling defective because of my anxiety to finding joy in helping others with their anxiety.Link to episode on the pressures to be calm: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2590484/episodes/18604027-worried-you-re-not-calm-enough-maybe-you-are-right-where-you-re-meant-to-be.mp3?download=true 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. 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.

    29 min
  2. women, epigenetics, and the need to please

    MAR 24

    women, epigenetics, and the need to please

    What if the fears you face today are echoes of those who came before you? In this episode, I explore epigenetics and its potential implications for our struggle to believe we have done enough. In it I share, how one generation's fears are carried forward to future generations.why being appealing and chosen may be linked with survival.how feeling never enough may be more a reflection of our genetic heritage than the reality of our situation. If you struggle with feeling good enough, check out her book Never Enough—Separating Self-Worth from Approval. To access the podcast episode with the study with cherry blossoms use this link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2590484/episodes/18604027 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. 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.

    25 min
  3. want to be yourself in the world? your feelings provide the roadmap.

    MAR 17

    want to be yourself in the world? your feelings provide the roadmap.

    Do painful feelings seem like something you would rather avoid? Or maybe when you feel them, they end up swamping you, and you get stuck in them. In this episode, I explore why as women we often struggle identifying our feelings.how when our feelings haven’t been acknowledged we can lose trust in our instincts.how to use feelings to identify needs, learn who you are, and what is important to you.a plan for learning how to recognize your feelings.To download a free feelings diary https://creatingchoicesdeblang.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/fillable-feelings-diarypdf.pdf 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
  4. will I ever be enough?

    MAR 10

    will I ever be enough?

    Do you wonder if what you do will ever be enough—if you will be enough? If so, you’re not alone. I encountered that belief so often while working with women in therapy that I wrote a book about it. And although it happens less often than it used to, I was right back in it this past week. Rather than pretending that it didn’t happen, in this episode, I share reflections on spinning in feelings of never enough, including how physical stressors often ignite emotional stress or tip us into the stress response.how looking to others for validation robs us of peace.how the brain’s efforts to predict often heightens our distress by bringing to our awareness other areas connected with our fears. how deceived I was by my tipped brain state and how quickly my state started to shift, oddly enough, from a curiosity about candles.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.  ¨    To explore your beliefs about self-care, check out her free guide athttps://creatingchoicesdeblang.com/finding-time-for-self-care/ ¨    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.

    12 min
  5. identifying with our feelings robs us of their gift

    MAR 3

    identifying with our feelings robs us of their gift

    Life can sure be stressful. It’s easy to get overwhelmed and feel trapped by our emotions. In this episode, I share ways to benefit from feelings and strategies to avoid getting overwhelmed by them. I explore  the disadvantages of identifying with feelings.the role all feelings play in self-care.how looking for a wide range of feelings can bring relief and answers.using rewarding feelings to balance painful feelings.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.  ¨    To explore your beliefs about self-care, check out her free guide athttps://creatingchoicesdeblang.com/finding-time-for-self-care/ ¨    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.

    26 min
  6. true or false: better body image comes from a better body?

    FEB 24

    true or false: better body image comes from a better body?

    Do you avoid mirrors and cringe when you see yourself in one? In this episode I share what body image is, and isn’t, and how this knowledge can help you heal your relationship with the mirror. In it, I share how images are formed in the brain.what determines the images that are formed.how our beliefs and fears influence what we see in the mirror and consequently our body image.that to improve our body image, we need to work on our beliefs.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.  ¨    To explore your beliefs about self-care, check out her free guide athttps://creatingchoicesdeblang.com/finding-time-for-self-care/ ¨    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
  7. derailed by disapproval? daffodils and tulips are both beautiful, and one cannot be the other.

    FEB 17

    derailed by disapproval? daffodils and tulips are both beautiful, and one cannot be the other.

    Do you believe what you do is never enough—that you are not enough? If so, you are not alone. In this episode I explore the possible origins of the pressure women feel to gain approval and how my work with women led to the expression, “Blooming Outside the Lines.” In this episode, I share the connection between self-worth and approval in women who came to see me, no matter how bright, capable, and accomplished they were.that based on our history as women, it is understandable that pleasing and appeasing would have been passed down both genetically, as well as through socialization.that when constantly strive for approval, we operate from a shaky foundation, leaving us feeling insecure and not enough.that what may seem like small steps will add up and help build a solid foundation, based on your wisdom.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.  ¨    To explore your beliefs about self-care, check out her free guide athttps://creatingchoicesdeblang.com/finding-time-for-self-care/ ¨    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.

    26 min
  8. Worried you're not calm enough? Maybe you are right where you're meant to be.

    FEB 11

    Worried you're not calm enough? Maybe you are right where you're meant to be.

    Are we designed to be calm? We certainly get that impression from the messages we receive. Anxiety is uncomfortable. I get it because I’ve been there. The problem is that expecting to be calm may be unrealistic and result in more symptoms. Join me as I discuss another set of lines we work hard to stay within that of being calm. I’ll share  Studies suggesting that evolution favors anxiety and that trying to avoid stress may be detrimental. How we often misinterpret the support the body is providing as anxiety and something to be feared.A curiosity of what might happen if women offered the kindness and acceptance, to themselves when anxious that they so readily share with 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. To explore your beliefs about self-care, check out her free guide athttps://creatingchoicesdeblang.com/finding-time-for-self-care/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
  9. Is self-care selfish?

    FEB 4

    Is self-care selfish?

    Learn why believing self-care is selfish backfires. If you are questioning whether you “should” be taking time out for self-care when our nation is in crisis, this episode will tackle that question by delving into the physiological repercussions of ignoring self-care. Go beyond “self-care is important” and understand why self-care is essential in dealing effectively with and contributing constructively during challenging situations.  Key points Women often view self-care as a reward rather than a requirement.Ignoring self-care can impact brain functioning and, as a result capability.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. To explore your beliefs about self-care, check out her free guide at https://creatingchoicesdeblang.com/finding-time-for-self-care/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
  10. Why self-acceptance?

    JAN 25

    Why self-acceptance?

    If you believe that being hard on yourself will foster change, this episode just might shake up that belief. In it, Deb tackles self-acceptance—exploring why it is so important and the resistance it typically stirs up. Some key points she shares include: Self-acceptance is often misunderstood and, as a result, avoided.We tend to be more accepting of others than ourselves.From a brain perspective, self-acceptance fosters growth and change, rather than hindering it. That it was self-acceptance and self-compassion that opened the door to more peace in her life after years of striving to be “good enough.”To learn more from Deb, ¨    Visit her website https://creatingchoicesdeblang.com/ for information on her online courses and free info sheets and guides designed to support you as you navigate life’s challenges.  ¨    To explore your beliefs about self-care, check out her free guidehttps://creatingchoicesdeblang.com/finding-time-for-self-care/ ¨    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
  11. Roadblocks to finding our purpose

    JAN 24

    Roadblocks to finding our purpose

    Wish you knew your purpose in life and wonder what is wrong with you that you don’t? What if it wasn’t personal and had more to do with our socialization as women? Would that allow you to ease up on yourself? In this episode Deb uses her life, as well as the lives of the women she has worked with over the years, to share  How as women, there are so many forces driving our attention outside of ourselves that we don't learn who we are or what we need. Instead we learn what makes others happy.Seeking validation from others often results in distress and changes in the functioning of the brain, which limit our self-knowledge.how the concept of blooming grew out of watching women bloom, while separating their worth from approval. To learn more from Deb, ¨    Visit her website https://creatingchoicesdeblang.com/ for information on her online courses and free info sheets and guides designed to support you as you navigate life’s challenges.  ¨    To explore your beliefs about self-care, check out her free guidehttps://creatingchoicesdeblang.com/finding-time-for-self-care/ ¨    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.

    16 min
  12. Who would you be?

    JAN 23

    Who would you be?

    Are you afraid of being yourself in the world? Do you constantly struggle to feel “good enough”? If so, join me in talking about why we, as women, try so hard to stay within the lines of what is acceptable, the toll that striving takes on our lives, and the rewards of blooming outside the lines. Hosted by Deb Lang, a licensed psychologist who has worked with women for over 30 years. In this episode, Deb illustrates stepping outside the lines using her decision to start a podcast—something she said she would never do. Key points: Women are socialized to please and stay within the lines of what is seen as acceptable. Stepping outside those lines is often difficult, as self-worth is often linked with approval and safety. Disconnecting self-worth from approval is often expansive—allowing women to bloom and trust their own wisdom. You deserve to be you—even if others disagree.  To learn more from Deb  ¨    Visit her website https://creatingchoicesdeblang.com/ for information on her online courses and free info sheets and guides designed to support you as you navigate life’s challenges.  ¨    To explore your beliefs about self-care, check out her free guide https://creatingchoicesdeblang.com/finding-time-for-self-care/ ¨    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 this work.

    12 min
  • 12 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

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
    12
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Blooming Outside the Lines
  • Show Website
    Blooming Outside the Lines