Too Late To Pretend

Dr. Cecelia Baldwin
  • 5.0 (15)
  • Mental Health
  • Updated Weekly

Welcome to Too Late to Pretend. If you’re here, I’m going to assume something: A part of you is tired. Not tired like “I need a nap.” Tired like… I’m tired of holding it together. Tired of performing. Tired of pretending you’re fine when your body is screaming, and your mind is doing backflips just to get through the day. So let me start by saying this: You’re in the right place. My name is Dr. Baldwin, Licensed Therapist and this is a podcast about mental health, nervous system regulation, relationships, healing, grief, boundaries, and the real work of becoming your most honest self.

  1. 4d ago

    Why Can’t You Stop Caring What Everyone Thinks? (A Therapist Explains)

    Everyone has heard the advice to stop caring what other people think. Dr. Cecelia Baldwin, a licensed therapist, explains why that advice gets half of it right and leaves the other half out. In this episode, Dr. Baldwin walks through why caring about opinions is wired into the human nervous system, what judgment does to your body in the moment, and how to keep that sensitivity without letting it run your life. She also shares a simple four-step sequence you can use the next time someone’s opinion lands hard. Why that advice is only half trueWhy your brain is wired to check for approval Why judgment hits your body like dangerWhy the same loop keeps repeatingWhy some people say yes when they mean noWhy this sequence changes the alarm Disclaimer: The content shared on this page is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute psychotherapy, counseling, or any form of professional mental health treatment. Viewing, commenting on, or engaging with this content does not establish a therapist-client relationship. The information provided is general in nature and may not apply to your individual circumstances. Please consult a licensed mental health professional for personalized advice and support. Please note that I am unable to respond to direct messages or comments regarding clinical concerns, personal mental health questions, or requests for therapeutic advice. Social media is not a secure or appropriate platform for clinical communication, and any such messages received will not be answered. If you are experiencing a mental health emergency or crisis, please call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline), call 911, or go to your nearest emergency room.

  2. Oct 4

    s It Okay to Distance Yourself From Your Family? | Why You Need Space From Loved Ones

    Some of the people you love most can also be the ones who leave you anxious, drained, and second-guessing yourself. Dr. Cecelia Baldwin, a licensed therapist, breaks down what it means to create distance from family when closeness has started to cost you your well-being. She covers why love and access are two separate things, how to hold two opposing truths at once, and why guilt shows up when you start choosing yourself. → Why loving someone and giving them access to you can be separated→ What dialectical thinking is and how it helps you hold two truths at once→ Why trying to love someone less feels easier, and what to do instead→ How to read a pattern of interaction and treat your anxiety as information→ What distance can look like, from talking less to no contact→ Why distance can be temporary and you don't need to know the answer today→ How to work through guilt and being misunderstood by your family→ What opens up in your life when you stop spending so much energy managing unhealthy relationships Disclaimer: The content shared on this page is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute psychotherapy, counseling, or any form of professional mental health treatment. Viewing, commenting on, or engaging with this content does not establish a therapist-client relationship. The information provided is general in nature and may not apply to your individual circumstances. Please consult a licensed mental health professional for personalized advice and support.Please note that I am unable to respond to direct messages or comments regarding clinical concerns, personal mental health questions, or requests for therapeutic advice. Social media is not a secure or appropriate platform for clinical communication, and any such messages received will not be answered.If you are experiencing a mental health emergency or crisis, please call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline), call 911, or go to your nearest emergency room.

  3. Sep 27

    Why Does Being With Your Sibling Feel So Bad? | What Toxic Sibling Relationships Look Like

    Siblings fight. That's normal. But what about when the fighting never gets repaired, the boundaries never get respected, and you leave every family gathering feeling smaller than when you arrived? In this episode, licensed therapist Dr. Cecelia Baldwin breaks down the difference between ordinary sibling conflict and a toxic sibling relationship. She explains that the real distinction comes down to what keeps happening, how severe it is, and whether repair is ever possible. She also walks through what to do when the relationship you wanted isn't the one you have. This is for you if: → You rehearse conversations before seeing your sibling → You've been told you're "too sensitive" more times than you can count → Your family keeps pressuring you to "just get along" → You love your sibling but know being close to them isn't good for you → You're grieving a relationship you desperately wanted to work Disclaimer: The content shared on this page is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute psychotherapy, counseling, or any form of professional mental health treatment. Viewing, commenting on, or engaging with this content does not establish a therapist-client relationship. The information provided is general in nature and may not apply to your individual circumstances. Please consult a licensed mental health professional for personalized advice and support. Please note that I am unable to respond to direct messages or comments regarding clinical concerns, personal mental health questions, or requests for therapeutic advice. Social media is not a secure or appropriate platform for clinical communication, and any such messages received will not be answered. If you are experiencing a mental health emergency or crisis, please call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline), call 911, or go to your nearest emergency room.

  4. Sep 20

    The World Is Getting Harder. Is Your Mental Health Ready?

    Things feel louder, faster, and less certain than they used to. What's your plan for staying steady?Dr. Cecelia Baldwin, a licensed therapist, is helping her clients and her own family build stability now, before a hard season arrives. In this episode, she shares the framework she uses so you can start building your own.→ The one question to ask yourself: if life gets harder, what will help me stay?→ Why a plan built on knowledge and support serves you better than one built on fear→ How to cut back on the distractions competing for your attention→ A five-part look at your health: physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, and relational→ How to feel your anger and still choose how you show up→ Why building your identity on more than work, money, or status gives you something to hold onto→ How co-regulation lets you carry hard things with another person beside youThis is for you if:→ The pace of the world leaves you feeling unsettled→ You want to prepare for uncertainty without living in fear→ You're ready to strengthen the parts of your life you can control→ You'd like a simple starting point for looking after your mental healthSubscribe for more conversations on mental health, relationships, and real-life healing.Disclaimer: The content shared on this page is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute psychotherapy, counseling, or any form of professional mental health treatment. Viewing, commenting on, or engaging with this content does not establish a therapist-client relationship. The information provided is general in nature and may not apply to your individual circumstances. Please consult a licensed mental health professional for personalized advice and support.Please note that I am unable to respond to direct messages or comments regarding clinical concerns, personal mental health questions, or requests for therapeutic advice. Social media is not a secure or appropriate platform for clinical communication, and any such messages received will not be answered.If you are experiencing a mental health emergency or crisis, please call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline), call 911, or go to your nearest emergency room.

  5. Sep 13

    The Core Belief Emotionally Immature Parents Leave Behind

    If you grew up with a parent who only showed up when it was easy, chances are you walked away with a very specific belief about yourself and you're probably still carrying it.In this episode, Dr. Cecelia Baldwin, a licensed therapist, breaks down what happens when emotionally immature parents show up for you only when parenting is convenient. We aren't focused on whether they loved you, we're talking about whether they had the capacity to stay connected when things got hard, and what that gap does to a developing nervous system.→ How core beliefs form before logic even comes online→ Why "I know I'm worthy" and "I feel worthy" are two different things→ The specific belief kids of emotionally immature parents adopt: "I'm lovable when I'm easy," "my needs are a burden"→ Why you don't need extreme abuse to lose your sense of safety→ What actually changes a core belief (hint: it's not a single conversation)→ How to start separating what you learned about yourself from what's actually trueThis is for you if you've ever felt like you have to earn connection by being easy, agreeable, or successful. Maybe you've never been able to explain why you feel unworthy even when your life looks fine on paper.More episodes like this: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/dr-cecelia-baldwin/episodes/You-Cant-Change-Until-You-Feel-Worthy-e3od6a9 Disclaimer: The content shared on this page is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute psychotherapy, counseling, or any form of professional mental health treatment. Viewing, commenting on, or engaging with this content does not establish a therapist-client relationship. The information provided is general in nature and may not apply to your individual circumstances. Please consult a licensed mental health professional for personalized advice and support.Please note that I am unable to respond to direct messages or comments regarding clinical concerns, personal mental health questions, or requests for therapeutic advice. Social media is not a secure or appropriate platform for clinical communication, and any such messages received will not be answered.If you are experiencing a mental health emergency or crisis, please call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline), call 911, or go to your nearest emergency room.

  6. Sep 6

    You Can't Change Until You Feel Worthy

    "We cannot get to the life that we want unless we feel we are worthy of that life." Dr. Cecelia Baldwin breaks down why "knowing you deserve better" and actually feeling worthy are two completely different things — and why the second one is the one that changes your life. She walks through what worthiness actually is, how it gets built (or broken) in childhood, and why your nervous system — not just your mindset — has to be part of the healing. → Why worthiness is a belief you have to choose, on repeat, until your body believes it too → The real difference between cognitive belief ("I deserve better") and embodied belief (what you actually do) → How family of origin quietly sets your baseline for what you think you deserve → Why nervous system regulation is the missing piece in most self-worth work → How low self-worth shows up in relationships — the boundaries you don't set, the "yes" you didn't mean → A surprising story about maggots that reframes what "having value" even means This is for you if: - You keep landing back in the same relationship patterns even though you "know better" - You struggle to set boundaries without guilt - You want to understand the link between self-worth and nervous system regulation - You're working on breaking a generational pattern in your own family Disclaimer: The content shared on this page is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute psychotherapy, counseling, or any form of professional mental health treatment. Viewing, commenting on, or engaging with this content does not establish a therapist-client relationship. The information provided is general in nature and may not apply to your individual circumstances. Please consult a licensed mental health professional for personalized advice and support. Please note that I am unable to respond to direct messages or comments regarding clinical concerns, personal mental health questions, or requests for therapeutic advice. Social media is not a secure or appropriate platform for clinical communication, and any such messages received will not be answered. If you are experiencing a mental health emergency or crisis, please call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline), call 911, or go to your nearest emergency room.

  7. Aug 30

    Why the Same Patterns Keep Repeating In Your Life

    You're still running an old program.Dr. Cecelia Baldwin breaks down how childhood experiences, even ones from a genuinely loving, "good" home, quietly shape the decisions, relationship patterns, and emotional habits you're living out as an adult. She explains why your brain doesn't automatically update just because you got older, and walks through five concrete, practical steps for identifying and changing the patterns that no longer serve you.You'll learn: → Why your childhood doesn't have to have been traumatic to still be impacting you→ How your brain learned what love, safety, and conflict "should" look like→ Why a good childhood and an impactful one aren't opposites→ The real reason you keep repeating the same relationship and conflict patterns→ 5 practical steps to actually change the pattern — starting with noticing itThis is for you if:— You keep ending up in the same kind of relationship with a different person— You shut down in conflict or say yes when you mean no— You've thought "I had a great childhood, so why am I struggling like this?"— You're ready to understand your patterns instead of just judging yourself for themDisclaimer: The content shared on this page is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute psychotherapy, counseling, or any form of professional mental health treatment. Viewing, commenting on, or engaging with this content does not establish a therapist-client relationship. The information provided is general in nature and may not apply to your individual circumstances. Please consult a licensed mental health professional for personalized advice and support.Please note that I am unable to respond to direct messages or comments regarding clinical concerns, personal mental health questions, or requests for therapeutic advice. Social media is not a secure or appropriate platform for clinical communication, and any such messages received will not be answered.If you are experiencing a mental health emergency or crisis, please call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline), call 911, or go to your nearest emergency room.

  8. Aug 23

    How Disrespect Shows Up In Friendships

    Some of the people you call friends may not actually be treating you like one. Dr. Baldwin, a licensed therapist, breaks down how disrespect hides inside friendships — disguised as jokes, "honesty," or teasing — and why the moment you push back, the conversation shifts from what they did to what's wrong with you.This episode covers:- Why "I was only joking" is often a deflection, not an explanation- How subtle disrespect (dismissiveness, sarcasm, constant commentary) becomes normalized over time- Where this pattern of disrespect started - The nervous system science behind why criticism and unpredictability activate a real stress response in your body- How to tell the difference between overreacting and correctly identifying disrespect- A simple exercise to track the pattern instead of questioning yourself every timeYou deserve friendships built on respect, not ones you have to brace yourself for.Disclaimer: The content shared on this page is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute psychotherapy, counseling, or any form of professional mental health treatment. Viewing, commenting on, or engaging with this content does not establish a therapist-client relationship. The information provided is general in nature and may not apply to your individual circumstances. Please consult a licensed mental health professional for personalized advice and support.Please note that I am unable to respond to direct messages or comments regarding clinical concerns, personal mental health questions, or requests for therapeutic advice. Social media is not a secure or appropriate platform for clinical communication, and any such messages received will not be answered.If you are experiencing a mental health emergency or crisis, please call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline), call 911, or go to your nearest emergency room.

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
15 Ratings

About

Welcome to Too Late to Pretend. If you’re here, I’m going to assume something: A part of you is tired. Not tired like “I need a nap.” Tired like… I’m tired of holding it together. Tired of performing. Tired of pretending you’re fine when your body is screaming, and your mind is doing backflips just to get through the day. So let me start by saying this: You’re in the right place. My name is Dr. Baldwin, Licensed Therapist and this is a podcast about mental health, nervous system regulation, relationships, healing, grief, boundaries, and the real work of becoming your most honest self.

Information

  • Creator
    Dr. Cecelia Baldwin
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    36
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Dr. Cecelia Baldwin
  • Show Website
    Too Late To Pretend

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