Don't Cut Your Own Bangs

Danielle Ireland
Don't Cut Your Own Bangs

The space between where you are now and where you want to be can feel daunting and lonely. This podcast is the remedy to comparison and feeling like everyone else has it figured out but you. Each episode contains personal insights from her work as a therapist and taking a deeper look at the messy middle between before and after stories. Danielle wants to help you make big feelings feel less scary, easier to understand and approaching them possible. And, wherever possible - to laugh as much as possible.

  1. Welcome Back to 'Don't Cut Your Own Bangs': New Beginnings in Video Podcasting!

    5D AGO

    Welcome Back to 'Don't Cut Your Own Bangs': New Beginnings in Video Podcasting!

    Danielle Ireland, kicks off the new video era of 'Don't Cut Your Own Bangs' by reintroducing herself, reflecting on her journey from ballroom dance instructor to therapist, and discussing her new children's book 'Wrestling a Walrus for Little People with Big Feelings.' She candidly shares her fears and procrastination battle, revealing how overcoming them led her here. Danielle outlines what's to come in the podcast, including solo casts and insightful interviews, and emphasizes her mission to make big feelings feel less scary. Join her for meaningful conversations, personal growth, and plenty of laughs.   00:00 Welcome to the Video Podcast 00:34 Overcoming Fear and Procrastination 02:07 Reintroducing Myself and the Podcast 02:42 Writing a Children's Book 03:50 The Heartbeat of the Podcast 05:01 Future Podcast Plans 08:41 Personal Updates and Challenges 12:01 Top Episodes and Gratitude 13:18 Final Thoughts and Encouragement   THE TREASURED JOURNAL - https://danielleireland.com/journal The one tool I recommend to all of my therapy clients is journaling. Getting your thoughts out of your head and down on the page is a simple act that can change your life. I made the Treasured Journal for anyone who wants to dig a little deeper but doesn’t know where to start. The questions, prompts, and sentence stems in the journal will help support you in exploring the big feelings in your life. Learn more about this specially designed journal and its companion Meditation Series at https://danielleireland.com/journal. READ DANIELLE ON SUBSTACK I’m now on Substack and I’d love for you to check it out. Substack is its own platform that is teeming with my favorite thought leaders, writers, and authors—incredible people out in the world who are asking interesting questions and exploring interesting answers. I'm throwing my hat in the ring and putting engaging content out there, too. So, click the link (https://danielleireland.substack.com/) to subscribe. You’ll stay up to date and never miss out on the best new material.    VISIT DANIELLE’S WEBSITE  If you’d like more content like this and you want to stay in the know, hop on over to my website (https://danielleireland.com/) and hit subscribe. There you will always be up to date on the latest learning material, my blog, and other meaningful content. Just click on the website so that you never miss out.     RATE, REVIEW, SUBSCRIBE TO “DON’T CUT YOUR OWN BANGS”  Like your favorite recipe or song, the best things in life are shared. When you rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast, your engagement helps me connect  with other listeners just like you. Plus, subscriptions just make life easier for everybody. It's one less thing for you to think about and you can easily keep up to date on everything that’s new. So, please rate, review, and subscribe today.    DANIELLE IRELAND, LCSW I greatly appreciate your support and engagement as part of the Don't Cut Your Own Bangs community. Feel free to reach out with questions, comments, or anything you'd like to share. You can connect with me at any of the links below.   Website: https://danielleireland.com/   The Treasured Journal: https://danielleireland.com/journal   Substack: https://danielleireland.substack.com/   Blog: https://danielleireland.com/blog/   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danielleireland_lcsw   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/danielleireland.LCSW   Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@danielleireland8218/featured   [00:00:08] Hello. Hello, this is Danielle Ireland and you are listening or watching. Don't cut your own bangs. I wanted to take this opportunity with this new video. [00:00:19] to say hello and reintroduce myself. Whether you are joining for the first time, or you've been a long time listener since the podcast first began, I just wanna welcome you back and welcome myself to the video podcasting space. [00:00:34] I put it off for a long time. Mostly because I didn't know if I could figure it out and I was afraid. But that is also what this podcast is about. When I was transitioning from working as a ballroom dance instructor to building a career as a therapist and all of those twisty zigzags in between, there was a lot of uncertainty, a lot of doubt, and can I freaking do this? [00:01:00] And what I have found to be true. only every single time is that whenever I approach something new that excites me, that I really want, that's just like, just teetering on the growth edge. I feel the same way every time. I don't know if I can do this. This is gonna be really hard, maybe I shouldn't. And then I do, a dance of procrastination where I. [00:01:26] Learn a little bit, feel kind of frozen, and we'll re-watch a comfort show, binge Parks and Rec or Gilmore Girls, and then that feeling, that pestering knock on the internal doors, like, Hey, are you gonna come play with us? And so then I try to pick the baton back up and learn a little bit more. And so inch by inch by inch. [00:01:48] I find myself here on video doing a podcast, which actually feels great. But this, that's the other thing too. It's like if you can get over your fear just enough to try to do the thing and you start doing the thing you've been putting off almost every time you find out, oh, it was really not as scary as I thought, or nor was it as hard as I thought. [00:02:07] What I wanted to do was reintroduce myself if you're new to the podcast, and give you an idea of what you can expect in these upcoming episodes. 'cause I'm figuring it out too. And then also just share a little bit about what I've been doing between the last time I was really recording consistently and now, and hopefully humanize the gap and. [00:02:32] Just kind of rev myself back up into doing something that I love, which is sharing, sharing the space with you. So what have I been doing? I wrote a children's book. It is called Wrestling a Walrus for little People with Big Feelings. I'm a parent of two. I have a 4-year-old and a one and a half year old, and they have big. [00:02:53] Freaking feelings. I haven't decided yet. If I'm gonna openly curse at every podcast I've ever done, I let myself curse. But somehow like this being on video, I feel different about it. We'll figure that out along the way too. But I wrote this book and I actually did a mini series about the writing process with Emily Sutherland, who is the woman who helped me edit the book, who has been my children's book Guiding Light in this whole writing processing. [00:03:21] And cultivating slash self-publishing process. And so if you want to do a deeper dive into that, you can. It's only in audio. It's not video, But, this, this book is a big reason why I'm excited in a renewed way to record this podcast and put it in. [00:03:42] Another format that potentially makes it more accessible, because I believe in this book, I love this little book. it's a little book with a big idea. And that idea has been, I think the, the heartbeat of what made me love this work in the podcast space as well as the work I do as a therapist, which is when we confront a seemingly insurmountable obstacle. [00:04:08] And in this case it happens to be. A large feeling or a walrus. But when we confront something that seems impossible, we will use every well worn, familiar, mostly ineffective way to tackle that obstacle. And because what we want is for the obstacle to not be an obstacle. What we want is for the obstacle to change. [00:04:31] But what I know through my own lived experience and what I know through walking. Hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of people through their most painful processes is that what makes the obstacle move is an internal movement, emotions or energy in motion. They want you to move. They have something for you to learn. [00:04:58] And that's what I wanna talk about here in this space. So we will have a combination moving forward of solo casts where it'll be like this with me, just you and me here in this space, Talking about really key specific takeaways that come through my practice as a therapist. [00:05:18] I'm not going to be sharing any secrets from what clients are divulging personally, but there's this beautiful balance between specificity of a moment that seems so unique to an individual that almost the deeper you go in. What you find on the other side is this universality, this common thread that is bigger than the individual, that's bigger than the story, and it's something we can all learn from and grow from together. [00:05:48] And then beyond the solo casts, which will be. Generally between 20 and 30 minutes, we will have interviews. Again, I miss interviews. That was how the podcast began, mostly because I was afraid afraid of the format. so I thought if I just bring someone along with me and I talk to them, I'll have something to talk about. [00:06:07] turns out I have no shortages of things to say, We wanna have guests back. I wanna talk to, I wanna revisit some of our most popular interviews. I wanna have them back and catch up. Where are they now? Because as a creator and as an ever evolving, growing person, when you shift out of the starting something phase and you're in a, I need to keep it alive phase. [00:06:31] That's a different point of view, that's a different energy, that's a different focus. And that's going to lead to a different conversation. And I wanna know where people are because I was right in the beginning of my podcasting journey with some of the, my favorite interviews of all time. And I've grown, I've changed. [00:06:47] And I know that they have two. So we're gonna invite some old friends back, not old chronologically. Biologically, in the. Lifespan of the podcast, but we're gonna invite them back and continue those conversations as well as invite some new friends that either I've never met or you've never met, and we're gonna just grow and have real

    14 min
  2. Creativity Miniseries: The Toolkit

    MAR 31

    Creativity Miniseries: The Toolkit

    Welcome back to the final episode of the Creativity Miniseries! In this conversation, Emily Sutherland and I open up our personal creativity toolkits and share the resources and strategies that help us bring our ideas to life. Working on this miniseries with Emily has been an absolute joy. She’s not just an incredible creative and coach—she’s also become a trusted friend and advisor throughout the development of Wrestling a Walrus, my first children’s book. I truly could not imagine doing this without her. Interestingly, we didn’t plan on recording another discussion on the creative process, but that’s exactly where our behind-the scenes, warm-up conversation led us. So, we left it in. I think you might find some usefulness in this bonus material as we share our thoughts on the value of authenticity, the importance of differentiating yourself, and the surprising relationship between uncertainty and clarity.  A huge thank you to Emily for her wisdom and generosity, and to you for joining us as part of the creative community.  Buy my NEW book Wrestling a Walrus, HERE! SPECIAL MENTIONS Emily Sutherland’s Storytelling for Business (April 4, 2025) and Nurturing Your Creative Self (May 9, 2025) - https://www.emilysutherland.me/events Storytelling Community (Substack) - https://open.substack.com/pub/storytellingcommunity The Secret Lies Within by “Auntie Anne” Beiler and Emily H. Sutherland - http://bit.ly/3FmIxPT Betsy B. Murphy - https://substack.com/@betsybmurphy or http://betsybmurphy.com/ Vanessa Marin, sex therapist on IG @vanessaandxander PROCESS TOOLKIT Write it down when you feel it (and be prepared in the middle of the night). Be ready for the idea. Be discerning about what, when, and who to share your idea with.    When your idea is at a tender stage, who are your tender people? Do you need an editor or a cheerleader? Journaling. Let the creative juices flow without requiring an outcome. The more you write, the more ideas will come. Immerse yourself  and trust the process.  Try on new ideas to see if they go anywhere. “I make what I like, and they eat it how they want to eat it.” - Erykah Badu to Donald Glover ELECTRONIC TOOLS Manuscript Software - Scrivener - affiliate link: https://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener/overview?fpr=emilysuth Google Docs, YouTube, and Apps (e.g., voice memo, talk-to-text, notes) IngramSpark - https://www.ingramspark.com/  Kindle Direct Publishing - https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B008241EAQ Storytelling Workshops - https://www.emilysutherland.me/events PHYSICAL TOOLS  Fine Tip Sharpie Pen or The Pilot G2 (in multiple colors!) Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert - https://www.elizabethgilbert.com/books/big-magic/ Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott - https://writingforyourlife.com/bird-by-bird-some-instructions-on-writing-and-life/ The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron - https://juliacameronlive.com/books-by-julia/ Rifle Paper Company little notebooks (great for lefties!) - https://riflepaperco.com/ The Treasured Journal - https://danielleireland.com/journal DANIELLE IRELAND, LCSW Thank you for your support and engagement as part of the Don't Cut Your Own Bangs community. Feel free to reach out with questions, comments, or anything you'd like to share. You can connect with me at any of the links below. Website - https://danielleireland.com/ The Treasured Journal - https://danielleireland.com/journal Substack - https://danielleireland.substack.com/ Blog - https://danielleireland.com/blog/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/danielleireland_lcsw Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/danielleireland.LCSW Podcast on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@danielleireland8218/featured

    54 min
  3. Creativity Miniseries: Creation

    MAR 17

    Creativity Miniseries: Creation

    Creative expression can be a powerful tool for personal healing and growth because the creative work we do is so connected to the healing work we need. From following along in this Creativity Miniseries, you know that Emily Sutherland has been my special guest on this journey. Emily is a ghostwriter, published author, coach, and executive storyteller. Together, we have explored the messy, magical stages of bringing an idea to life—Inspiration, Preparation, and Perspiration. Now, we’ve arrived at the final stage: Creation.  In the Creation stage, you pour your heart into the work, but how do you know when it’s truly finished? Is it ever really done? When is it time to share your creation with the world? This final stage of the process can feel both vulnerable and exhilarating. Emily and I explore it all. While this episode covers the last stage in our series on the creative process, we’re not done just yet! Stick around for our next episode, when we share our Creativity Toolkit—packed with tips on making time for your craft, resources for self-publishing, and much more. Thank you for listening! Buy my NEW book Wrestling a Walrus, HERE! RESOURCES Emily Sutherland’s Storytelling for Business (April 4, 2025) and Nurturing Your Creative Self (May 9, 2025) -https://www.emilysutherland.me/events Emily H. Sutherland website - https://www.emilysutherland.me/ Madeleine L'Engle - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madeleine_L%27Engle IngramSpark - https://www.ingramspark.com/ THE TREASURED JOURNAL Learn more about this specially designed journal and its companion Meditation Series at https://danielleireland.com/journal DANIELLE IRELAND, LCSW Thank you for your support and engagement as part of the Don't Cut Your Own Bangs community. Feel free to reach out with questions, comments, or anything you'd like to share. You can connect with me at any of the links below. Website - https://danielleireland.com/ Substack - https://danielleireland.substack.com/ Blog - https://danielleireland.com/blog/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/danielleireland_lcsw Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/danielleireland.LCSW Podcast on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@danielleireland8218/featured

    37 min
  4. Creativity Miniseries: Perspiration

    MAR 3

    Creativity Miniseries: Perspiration

    Welcome back to our Creativity Miniseries on Don’t Cut Your Own Bangs! We’re diving into the next (and sweatiest) stage of creativity:  perspiration! This is where ideas move from being dreams and start becoming reality. I’m joined once again by my brilliant friend, Emily H. Sutherland—a ghostwriter, published author, coach, and executive storyteller. Together, we’re getting real about what it takes to push past resistance, embrace creativity, and bring your ideas to life.   We use our own messy, sweaty experiences—including my upcoming children’s book—to illustrate the difference between “just do it” sweating and “shame” sweating. And, we share how movement, breath work, and self-imposed deadlines can help you power through creative roadblocks.  If you’ve ever felt stuck between having a great idea and making it happen, this episode is your ticket to action—no perfection required. Buy my NEW book Wrestling a Walrus, HERE! RESOURCES Emily Sutherland’s Storytelling for Business (April 4, 2025) and Nurturing Your Creative Self (May 9, 2025) - https://www.emilysutherland.me/events Emily H. Sutherland website - https://www.emilysutherland.me/ Anne Lamott - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_Lamott Jen Edds at the Brassy Broadcasting Company - https://brassybroad.com/ THE TREASURED JOURNAL Getting your thoughts out of your head and down on the page is a simple act that can change your life. I made the Treasured Journal for anyone who wants to dig a little deeper but doesn’t know where to start. The questions, prompts, and sentence stems in the journal will help support you in exploring the big feelings in your life. Learn more about this specially designed journal and its companion Meditation Series at https://danielleireland.com/journal. DANIELLE IRELAND, LCSW I greatly appreciate your support and engagement as part of the Don't Cut Your Own Bangs community. Feel free to reach out with questions, comments, or anything you'd like to share. You can connect with me at any of the links below. Website - https://danielleireland.com/ Substack - https://danielleireland.substack.com/ Blog - https://danielleireland.com/blog/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/danielleireland_lcsw Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/danielleireland.LCSW Podcast on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@danielleireland8218/featured

    17 min
  5. Creativity Miniseries: Preparation

    FEB 17

    Creativity Miniseries: Preparation

    Welcome back to Don’t Cut Your Own Bangs and our Creativity Miniseries! I’m thrilled to continue this deep dive into the creative process alongside my friend and fellow creative, Emily H. Sutherland—a ghostwriter, published author, coach, and executive storyteller. Together, we’re exploring what it means to embrace creativity, break through resistance, and bring ideas to life.  In our last episode, we discussed the first stage of creativity: inspiration—how talking about creativity, building community around it, and applying maybe a little bit of structure can allow ideas to feel more tangible and possible.  Now, we’re moving into the next phase: preparation—the crucial but often overlooked step that turns inspiration into something real. Preparation can feel deceptively inactive—even lazy. But in reality, nothing is wasted. This stage is where clarity and intention come together, setting the foundation for everything that follows.   If you’ve ever felt stuck between having a great idea and actually making it happen, this miniseries is for you!   Buy my new book Wrestling a Walrus, HERE! THE TREASURED JOURNAL The one tool I recommend to all of my therapy clients is journaling. Getting your thoughts out of your head and down on the page is a simple act that can change your life. The Treasured Journal is for anyone who wants to dig a little deeper but doesn’t know where to start. The questions, prompts, and sentence stems in the journal will help support you in exploring the big feelings in your life. Learn more about this specially designed journal and its companion Meditation Series at https://danielleireland.com/journal. EMILY SUTHERLAND Website - https://www.emilysutherland.me/ Storytelling for Business (April 4, 2025) -https://www.emilysutherland.me/events Nurturing Your Creative Self (May 9, 2025) - https://www.emilysutherland.me/events DANIELLE IRELAND, LCSW Thank you for your support and engagement as part of the Don't Cut Your Own Bangs community. Feel free to reach out with questions, comments, or anything you'd like to share. You can connect with me at any of the links below. Website - https://danielleireland.com/ The Treasured Journal - https://danielleireland.com/journal Substack - https://danielleireland.substack.com/ Blog - https://danielleireland.com/blog/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/danielleireland_lcsw Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/danielleireland.LCSW Podcast on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@danielleireland8218/featured

    35 min
  6. From Idea to Impact: How becauseOne is Transforming the Process of Giving

    08/14/2023

    From Idea to Impact: How becauseOne is Transforming the Process of Giving

    "becauseOne" is an online platform that connects people's passions with the needs of those served by non-profit organizations. This remarkable initiative sprang from the collaborative vision of sisters Stephany Dolan and Stacia Jones and was driven by their family's desire to strengthen community and make it easier to help others.   We look at how to use becauseOne to get involved with organizations that match your specific areas of interest. And, as part of our discussion about the enthusiasm and challenges around developing their idea, Stephany and Stacia explain how elevating the good being done in the world is a key part of their vision.  I’m excited to bring you this discussion because the platform is transforming how we give while also serving as an antidote to online negativity. With becauseOne, anyone can embrace philanthropy, spread positivity, and witness the direct impact of their contributions.  Thank you for listening! Buy my NEW book Wrestling a Walrus, HERE! RESOURCES becauseOne website: https://becauseone.com/ Call: 463-444-8301  Email: info@becauseOne.com  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100087037890605 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/becauseone_community/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/becauseone/ ++++++++++++++++++ Journaling can be a life-changing tool. Grab a pen and put your thoughts on paper—you might be amazed by how much it helps. But, if you’re having trouble getting started or sorting out your thoughts, consider getting a copy of the Treasured Journal. The Treasured Journal includes questions, prompts, and sentence stems to help you make sense of what you’re feeling. You can get the journal and its companion meditation guide at the link below. THE TREASURED JOURNAL - https://danielleireland.com/journal Please feel free to reach out with any questions, comments, or experiences you want to share. I would love to hear from you! If you liked this episode, please rate, review, and subscribe. Your feedback helps me increase the value of this program and makes it easier for others to find us. CONNECT WITH DANIELLE Website: danielleireland.com Instagram: @danielleireland_LCSW Facebook: @danielleireland_LCSW

    51 min
  7. Three Myths About Therapy

    04/03/2023

    Three Myths About Therapy

    Most of us look long and hard for reasons to avoid therapy. And, granted, therapy is not the only modality for emotional healing. Talking with friends and exercise and travel and dozens of other things can help the healing process. But, only therapy is therapy.    Ultimately, THINKING about starting therapy is way harder than ACTUALLY starting therapy and it’s because of these three myths. People tend to think that starting therapy means:   Something is wrong with me. (Not true.) I have failed. (Again, not true.) I have to know why I want it to start it. (No, you don’t.)   If you’ve been thinking about starting therapy, don’t wait until the walls are crashing down around you. Taking that first step is easier than you think. If starting therapy seems scary and disempowering, consider this—therapy can be whatever you want it to be.    Thank you for listening. Feel free to reach out with questions, comments, or experiences that you might want to share. I would love to hear from you! If you liked this episode, please rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast. Your feedback helps me increase the value of the program for you and makes it easier for other listeners to find us.   You can get THE TREASURED JOURNAL and its companion meditation guide at this link - https://danielleireland.com/journal Buy my NEW book Wrestling a Walrus, HERE! CONNECT WITH DANIELLE Website: danielleireland.com Instagram: @danielleireland_LCSW Facebook: @danielleireland_LCSW

    21 min
  8. Jealousy. Three things it could be telling you.

    03/27/2023

    Jealousy. Three things it could be telling you.

    Jealousy is often seen as a negative emotion. And let’s be honest, it doesn’t feel great when we experience it. BUT, what does it look like when we approach our jealousy with a little compassionate curiosity? In my experience, jealousy is calling our attention to a deeper desire that’s hiding inside us.   Like every emotion, jealousy can be a great teacher. It can show us that there is something we want or something we want more of. Jealousy can also signal that we are ready for a change. Oftentimes, however, we can get stuck on our way to clarity. Comparison, criticism, and complaining are common traps.    If you’re feeling stuck, this episode is a good companion to our Listener’s Favorite episode on Desire (Ep 81), which we featured just a few weeks back. Journaling is another useful tool. A plain pad of paper and pen will do or you can use the Treasured Journal, which includes questions, prompts, and sentence stems that will help you open up and get your thoughts flowing. You can get the journal and its companion meditation guide at this link:   THE TREASURED JOURNAL - https://danielleireland.com/journal   Thank you for listening. Feel free to reach out with questions, comments, or experiences that you want to share. I would love to hear from you! If you liked this episode, please rate, review, and subscribe. Your feedback helps me increase the value of the program for you and makes it easier for other listeners to find us.  Buy my NEW book Wrestling a Walrus, HERE! CONNECT WITH DANIELLE    Website: danielleireland.com  Instagram: @danielleireland_LCSW Facebook: @danielleireland_LCSW

    14 min

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4.9
out of 5
30 Ratings

About

The space between where you are now and where you want to be can feel daunting and lonely. This podcast is the remedy to comparison and feeling like everyone else has it figured out but you. Each episode contains personal insights from her work as a therapist and taking a deeper look at the messy middle between before and after stories. Danielle wants to help you make big feelings feel less scary, easier to understand and approaching them possible. And, wherever possible - to laugh as much as possible.

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