Healing Is My Hobby

Jessica Colarco
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Mental Health

Discover what heals you—mind, body, and soul. Hosted by licensed therapist Jessica Colarco, Healing Is My Hobby is a cozy space where clinical wisdom meets real-life healing. Each week, we explore mental health topics like anxiety, stress, depression, and burnout—with simple tools and compassionate insight to help you feel better. But this isn’t just talk therapy. Jessica also takes you along on her own healing journey—whether she’s trying a salt cave, diving into a life-changing book, or experimenting with new wellness rituals. This podcast is your invitation to learn, grow, and play with what healing can look like in your own life. Because healing doesn’t have to be heavy. It can be curious. Creative. Even fun.

  1. 4d ago

    You Don't Need to Earn Your Rest

    Why do so many of us treat rest like a reward instead of a basic need? In this episode, Jessica unpacks the hidden rule a lot of high achievers live by: I can rest once everything is done. The problem is, the finish line keeps moving — there's always one more email, one more task, one more thing to get ahead on. Jessica explores where this belief comes from, why it hits especially hard for people who are "good at" being productive, and what it actually takes to start relating to rest as a resource instead of a prize. What We CoverWhy "I'll rest when I'm done" sets up a finish line that never arrivesHow everyday messages (work before play, don't be lazy, hard work pays off) quietly turn into rigid rules about earning restWhy high-achieving people are especially good at finding the next task — and why that keeps rest out of reachThe difference between rest as a reward and rest as a resourceHow we moralize productivity vs. rest (productive = responsible, resting = lazy) — and why that framing isn't trueNoticing the double standard: the compassion we extend to others' need for rest vs. the standard we hold ourselves toWhat guilt during rest is actually telling us (and what it isn't)A personal example from Jessica about catching herself moving the goalpost on restHow productivity can get tangled up with identity ("I'm the one who handles everything") and why that's worth examiningThis week's healing experiment: resting before you've earned it This Week's Healing ExperimentChoose a small moment when something could still be done — and stop anyway. Ten minutes. Leave something undone on purpose. Notice what comes up (the thought, the guilt, the urge to get back to it) without rushing to fix it. Ask yourself: what rule do I think I'm breaking right now? Mentioned in This EpisodeWhy You Can't Stop — Jessica's 7-module self-paced course on nervous system regulation, anxiety, and the beliefs underneath productivity and control. Early bird pricing ($197) available through September 14th. 🔗 heal.jessicacolarcolcsw.comNervous System Regulation Plan — a free fillable workbook to help identify your regulated baseline, early signs of activation/shutdown, coping patterns, and go-to strategies. Available in the resource library. 🔗 heal.jessicacolarcolcsw.com Connect📩 Newsletter: healingismyhobby.com 📷 Instagram: @healingismyhobby ▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@healingismyhobby 🩺 Clinical practice: jessicacolarcolcsw.com 📷 Instagram: @jessicacolarcolcsw Healing Is My Hobby — because healing doesn't have to be your whole life. It can just be something you keep practicing along the way.

  2. Sep 7

    Why Rest Doesn't Feel Restful

    You finally sit down to rest… and your brain starts running through your to-do list. Sound familiar? In this episode, Jessica breaks down why stopping and regulating are not the same thing — and why your body can stop moving long before your nervous system actually settles. What We CoverWhy rest isn't defined by physical stillness — you can be lying in bed while your nervous system is still fully activatedThe real goal of nervous system work: not constant calm, but flexibilityWhy the "go" transition is easy and the "stop" transition is hard — and how to build a bridge between the two"Productive rest": why we sneak achievement into relaxation (podcasts on walks, productivity guilt while reading, closet reorganizing as emotional avoidance)A personal story about Jessica cleaning out her daughter's closet the weekend before she left for collegeHow to ask "what does my system need right now?" instead of reaching for generic coping skillsWhy regulation isn't about making a feeling disappear — it's about responding differently while you're still feeling it This Week's Healing ExperimentPick one transition in your day that tends to feel abrupt (work → home, dinner → bedtime, etc.). Give yourself a 5-minute bridge before diving into the next thing, and ask: What state am I in? What does my system actually need? Mentioned in This Episode🎓 Why You Can't Stop — Jessica's 7-module self-paced course for people who are great at doing, but struggle to stop. Early Bird pricing: $197 (September 14th), moving to $247 after. 📓 My Nervous System Regulation Plan — a workbook to help you identify your own signs of activation and shutdown, and build a personalized regulation menu. Available here. Connect📩 Newsletter: healingismyhobby.com 📷 Instagram: @healingismyhobby ▶️ YouTube: youtube.com/@healingismyhobby 🩺 Clinical practice: jessicacolarcolcsw.com 📷 Instagram: @jessicacolarcolcsw Coming up next week: "You Don't Need to Earn Your Rest" — digging into the belief that you have to do enough before you're allowed to stop. nervous system regulation, why can't I relax, rest vs regulation, nervous system dysregulation, how to actually rest, productive rest, productivity as coping mechanism, nervous system flexibility, fight or flight to rest and digest, transitions and nervous system, somatic regulation, CBT therapist podcast, anxiety and productivity, empty nest anxiety, avoidance through busyness, coping skills that actually work, grounding techniques, nervous system activation and shutdown, healing is my hobby podcast, Jessica Colarco LCSW, why you can't stop course, nervous system regulation plan workbook, therapist tips for burnout, high achievers and rest, mental load and rest, self-care that isn't productive, how to unwind after work, chronic busyness anxiety

  3. Sep 1

    Why You Can't Stop: When Productivity Starts Feeling Like Safety

    What happens when you finally have nothing to do? For some of us, the answer isn't relief. It's discomfort. In the Season 2 premiere of Healing Is My Hobby, Jessica explores what happens when productivity becomes more than a habit and starts functioning as a way to manage anxiety, uncertainty, and nervous system activation. In this episode, you'll explore: Why productivity itself isn't the problemHow your brain learns from the relief you get after doing, fixing, checking, or controllingWhy anxiety can sometimes look incredibly productiveThe difference between “this needs to be done” and “I need to do this so I can feel okay”How identity and worth can become connected to productivityA simple experiment for creating more space between discomfort and action Ready to Go Deeper?Why You Can't Stop is Jessica's seven-module, self-paced course for people who are really good at doing—but have a much harder time stopping. LAUNCH WEEK: $197 EARLY-BIRD PRICING After the first week, enrollment is $247. A payment plan is also available. Explore Why You Can't Stop, My Nervous System Regulation Plan, and Jessica's other courses and resources at: 👉 Available at heal.jessicacolarcolcsw.com Your Healing ExperimentThe next time you feel an urgent need to do, pause and ask: Does this actually need action right now—or am I looking for relief? Healing Is My Hobby and its accompanying courses and resources are educational and are not therapy or a substitute for individualized mental health treatment. Nervous System Regulation Plan — not ready for the full course yet? This fillable workbook helps you identify what regulation feels like for you, your earliest signs of activation and shutdown, your go-to coping behaviors, and the strategies that actually work for your nervous system. 👉 heal.jessicacolarcolcsw.com Coming Up Next WeekYou've finished work, sat on the couch, even taken the day off — and somehow you still can't relax. Next week: why rest doesn't feel restful, and what happens when your body stops but your nervous system doesn't. Connect📩 Newsletter at healingismyhobby.com 📷 @healingismyhobby on Instagram ▶️ YouTube at youtube.com/@healingismyhobby 🩺 jessicacolarcolcsw.com 📷 @jessicacolarcolcsw productivity anxiety, nervous system regulation, why you can't stop, anxiety and productivity, activation vs stillness, coping mechanisms, high achiever anxiety, rest and guilt, nervous system dysregulation, trauma-informed therapy, CBT, self-worth and achievement, people pleasing, perfectionism, chronic busyness, burnout, mental health podcast, therapist podcast, Healing Is My Hobby, Jessica Colarco LCSW, Why You Can't Stop course

  4. Aug 31

    Healing Moment: The Discomfort of Doing Nothing

    This week, Jessica closes out the summer Healing Moments series with an invitation: what if you let yourself be uncomfortable — on purpose? Not unsafe. Not overwhelmed. Just uncomfortable. For anyone who identifies as an overachiever, a fixer, or a chronic doer, stillness itself can feel unbearable — and productivity often becomes a quiet way of avoiding harder feelings like uncertainty, boredom, or loneliness. This week's practice: Find 5–10 minutes and intentionally don't fill them. No phone, no podcast, no folding laundry, no to-do list. Just sit — with your coffee, on the porch, wherever. Notice what comes up: the urge to reach for your phone, a sudden memory of everything you "should" be doing, restlessness, even guilt. Instead of chasing the discomfort away, try sitting with the thought: I can be uncomfortable and still be okay. Healing isn't always about finding the next thing to do. Sometimes it's discovering that you can stay with yourself when you're doing nothing at all. Season 2 of Healing Is My Hobby starts later this week. 🎉 Connect📩 Sign up for the newsletter at healingismyhobby.com 📷 Follow on Instagram: @healingismyhobby ▶️ Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@healingismyhobby 🩺 Learn about Jessica's clinical practice: jessicacolarcolcsw.com 📷 Follow Jessica's clinical page: @jessicacolarcolcsw

  5. Aug 24

    Healing Moments: What Do You Want to Leave Behind Before September?

    This is the last journal prompt of the summer — and next week's Healing Moment is the final one before Season 2 launches. So this week's prompt is about making space for what's next by naming what you're ready to release. Today's prompt: What do I want to leave behind before September? Some ways to go deeper: What thought pattern have you been dragging around all summer (or longer) that you're genuinely tired of?Is there a habit or coping behavior that's stopped serving you?Is there a relationship dynamic, resentment, or expectation you're willing to loosen your grip on?Is there a smaller, more fearful, more apologetic version of yourself you're ready to stop leading with? You don't have to be fully ready to release it — you just have to be willing to name it. Write it down, then write this: I am willing to leave this behind. I don't need it where I'm going. A first look at Why You Can't Stop 🌱 Jessica shared a first glimpse behind the scenes at Why You Can't Stop — a 7-module, self-paced course for anyone whose nervous system has been stuck in go mode for so long that stopping feels unsafe. It's designed to help you understand the pattern, not just white-knuckle through it. Launching in September, with more details coming soon. Season 2 of Healing Is My Hobby begins next Monday. 🎉 Connect📩 Newsletter at healingismyhobby.com 📷 @healingismyhobby on Instagram ▶️ YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@healingismyhobby 🩺 jessicacolarcolcsw.com 📷 @jessicacolarcolcsw on Instagram

  6. Aug 20

    Becoming, Not Arriving

    So many of us are waiting for the moment we finally "arrive." When we lose the weight. When the kids need us less. When work calms down. When we're more organized, more confident, more together... then we'll be happy. Then we'll rest. But what if there isn't an arrival point? In this trailer, Jessica and Kelly open up Season 6 with a question that changes everything: what if this is it? Not in a depressing way, but in a freeing one. Maybe your life isn't something you have to perfect before you're allowed to enjoy it. Maybe you can be proud of who you are and still want to grow. Maybe rest doesn't have to be earned, and starting something before you feel ready is allowed too. This season isn't about becoming the perfect version of yourself. It's about becoming more you. Season 6 of Chasing Brighter, Becoming Not Arriving, begins September 3rd. In This Episode: Why the idea of "arrival" keeps so many of us stuckLetting go of the myth that you have to be finished before you can be happyGrowth that's real, rest that's earned, and a life that's actually yoursWhat to expect from Season 6 Season 6 begins September 3rd. Subscribe now so you don't miss it. Find us: Website: chasingbrighter.com Instagram/TikTok: @chasingbrighter Keywords: chasing brighter, becoming not arriving, season 6, personal growth, self acceptance, letting go of perfectionism, rest without guilt, women's podcast, sisters podcast, real over perfect, growth mindset, self worth, starting before you're ready, permission to rest, life transitions

  7. Aug 17

    Healing Moments: The 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Technique for Back-to-School Anxiety

    As summer winds down and the back-to-school transition sets in, that low hum of anticipation and dread can make it hard to stay present. In this Healing Moment, Jessica walks you through the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique, one of the most effective tools for anxiety, dissociation, and overwhelm. Using your five senses, this practice pulls you out of the future-focused spiral of anxiety and back into your body, back into the only moment you're actually in. Jessica also shares a preview of her upcoming course, Why You Can't Stop, launching this September, including the concept of "productivity as safety" and why your nervous system doesn't track your to-do list, it tracks danger and safety. What You'll LearnWhy the 5-4-3-2-1 technique works: anxiety lives in the future, and grounding pulls you back into the presentA full guided walkthrough of the exercise, from five things you can see down to one thing you can tasteHow to use this tool during seasonal transitions, high-anxiety mornings, or any time your mind won't stopA first look at "productivity as safety," one of the seven core concepts in Jessica's upcoming course Timestamps00:05 — Welcome back and the back-to-school anxiety shift00:40 — Introducing the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique01:10 — Course preview: Why You Can't Stop and "productivity as safety"02:00 — Guided practice begins: 5 things you can see02:20 — 4 things you can feel02:35 — 3 things you can hear02:50 — 2 things you can smell03:05 — 1 thing you can taste03:20 — Why grounding works: anxiety lives in the future03:45 — Closing and where to connect Keywords & Search Terms5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique, grounding exercises for anxiety, anxiety and dissociation, overwhelm coping tools, back to school anxiety, seasonal transition anxiety, present moment awareness, mindfulness for anxiety, five senses grounding, nervous system regulation, productivity as safety, Why You Can't Stop course, anxious striving, trauma informed therapy, CBT grounding tools, somatic anxiety relief, healing is my hobby podcast, Jessica Colarco LCSW, therapy tools for everyday life, self-soothing techniques Connect With Jessica🌐 Website: healingismyhobby.com📸 Instagram: @healingismyhobby▶️ YouTube: @healingismyhobby🩺 Clinical Practice: jessicacolarcolcsw.com📸 Clinical Instagram: @jessicacolarcolcsw Keep healing. You're worth it.

  8. Aug 10

    The Unsent Letter: Releasing What You're Still Carrying

    This week's Healing Moment is an action step Jessica uses regularly in her clinical work: writing an unsent letter. It's a simple, powerful practice for releasing what you've been holding onto — honestly, and without ever having to send it. What You'll LearnAn unsent letter is written with full honesty, knowing it will never reach its recipient. It's not about the person on the other end — it's about you, and what needs somewhere to go. Jessica offers a few starting points for who or what you might write to: A person who hurt you, disappointed you, or left something unresolved between youA version of yourself — younger, older, or one you had to leave behindA situation that didn't go the way you needed it toA loss you've never fully namedSomething you're ready to let go of, but haven't found the words for yet The instructions are simple: start with "Dear ___," and let it come. Don't edit. Don't make it fair or balanced. When you're done, the letter is yours to burn, delete, fold away, or keep — there's no wrong answer. The healing is in the writing itself. Jessica also touches on why this practice works: emotions like grief, anger, love, longing, and guilt need expression to move. Left locked inside, they don't disappear — they go underground and show up sideways. The unsent letter gives them somewhere to go. A Note From JessicaJessica leaves listeners with a reflection question to sit with this week: When was the last time you truly relaxed and let go? She also shares a small teaser about the bigger project she's been working on behind the scenes. Connect With Jessica📩 Sign up for the newsletter: healingismyhobby.com 📸 Instagram: @healingismyhobby ▶️ YouTube: Healing Is My Hobby 🩺 Clinical practice: jessicacolarcolcsw.com 📸 Practice Instagram: @jessicacolarco unsent letter, unsent letter therapy, letter writing exercise, therapeutic writing, expressive writing, emotional release, letting go exercise, processing grief, processing anger, unresolved emotions, journaling for healing, writing to heal, closure without sending, clinical writing exercise, healing moments, healing is my hobby, Jessica Colarco LCSW, mental health podcast, therapy podcast, self-care practice, emotional regulation, letting go of the past, therapeutic journaling prompt, grief and anger release, how to write an unsent letter

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About

Discover what heals you—mind, body, and soul. Hosted by licensed therapist Jessica Colarco, Healing Is My Hobby is a cozy space where clinical wisdom meets real-life healing. Each week, we explore mental health topics like anxiety, stress, depression, and burnout—with simple tools and compassionate insight to help you feel better. But this isn’t just talk therapy. Jessica also takes you along on her own healing journey—whether she’s trying a salt cave, diving into a life-changing book, or experimenting with new wellness rituals. This podcast is your invitation to learn, grow, and play with what healing can look like in your own life. Because healing doesn’t have to be heavy. It can be curious. Creative. Even fun.

Information

  • Creator
    Jessica Colarco
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    58
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Jessica Colarco
  • Show Website
    Healing Is My Hobby

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