Dear Dr. Charryse

Dr. Charryse Johnson

Dr. Charryse Johnson is a nationally recognized expert in women’s mental health, nervous system regulation, and mind-body resilience. She is the creator and host of Dear Dr. Charryse, where she explores how women experience emotional and physical change across the lifespan. Known for translating neuroscience into relatable insight, she helps women decode anxiety, burnout, and hormonal shifts. Her message: your body isn’t failing you — it’s speaking to you.

  1. 10h ago

    Episode 20 - Unique Hammond: Healing from the Inside Out — A Coaching Session on Gut Health & Whole-Body Wellness

    On this transformative episode of Dear Dr. Charryse, host Dr. Charryse welcomes holistic nutritionist, Bean Protocol expert, and author Unique Hammond for a powerful conversation about chronic illness, gut health, and the journey to lasting wellness.After being diagnosed with Crohn's disease despite appearing healthy and successful on the outside, Unique realized that external performance was masking severe internal depletion. Through nutrition, lifestyle changes, and learning to work with her body instead of against it, she achieved remission and has remained symptom-free for over a decade.Together, Unique and Dr. Charryse explore the connection between stress, digestion, inflammation, and emotional health while challenging the idea that simply functioning means you are truly well. They discuss how sustainable healing begins by listening to the body's signals instead of ignoring them.During the episode, Dr. Charryse leads a live coaching session focused on whole-body wellness, self-awareness, and creating habits that support long-term healing.Coaching Session Highlights:• High Functioning Is Not Wellness: Looking successful on the outside doesn't always reflect what's happening internally.• Symptoms Are Information: Physical symptoms should be viewed as messages from the body rather than something to simply suppress.• The Gut-Brain Connection: Chronic stress affects digestion, inflammation, appetite, and overall health through the gut-brain axis.• The Bean Protocol: Unique explains how balancing blood sugar, prioritizing fiber, lean protein, and consistent meals supports long-term healing.• Healing Is Individual: Every person's body, history, and biology are different, making personalized approaches essential.• Resilience During Crisis: Unique shares how healthy routines helped her stay grounded even after losing her home in a devastating fire.• Self-Compassion and Consistency: Sustainable wellness comes from repeating simple daily habits rather than pursuing perfection.• The "Body Before Story" Check-In: Dr. Charryse encourages listeners to reflect:– What physical signal have I been explaining away because I'm still able to function?– What patterns do I notice around food, stress, sleep, and symptoms without judgment?– What is one supportive step I can consistently practice this week?This episode is a powerful reminder that true healing begins when we stop ignoring our bodies and start honoring the messages they are trying to give us.

  2. Jul 8

    Episode 19 - Victoria Gustafson: From Survival to Surrender — A Coaching Session on Presence & Living with Purpose

    On this inspiring episode of Dear Dr. Charryse, host Dr. Charryse sits down with life coach and speaker Victoria Gustafson for a powerful conversation about resilience, presence, and what it truly means to live after surviving the unimaginable.Two years after experiencing a sudden cardiac arrest while playing pickleball, Victoria's life changed forever. Despite being healthy and active, her heart stopped for 12 minutes before bystanders and first responders saved her life. That extraordinary experience transformed her perspective, shifting her from a life driven by control and constant planning to one grounded in trust, gratitude, and intentional living.Together, Victoria and Dr. Charryse explore the emotional burden of people-pleasing, chronic stress, and always planning for the future. They discuss how the body often carries what the mind refuses to acknowledge and why true healing begins when we learn to slow down and be fully present.During the episode, Dr. Charryse leads a live coaching session focused on emotional regulation, surrender, and creating a life aligned with purpose rather than pressure.Coaching Session Highlights:• Sudden Cardiac Arrest vs. Heart Attack: Victoria explains the difference between an electrical heart event and a blocked artery, highlighting the importance of CPR and AED awareness.• The Emotional Weight We Carry: Dr. Charryse explores how stress, people-pleasing, and emotional overload can impact both physical and emotional well-being.• From Control to Trust: Victoria shares how surviving cardiac arrest taught her to release the need to control everything and embrace the present moment.• Somatic Awareness: Understanding how emotions are stored in the body and how physical sensations can become valuable signals for healing.• Exhaustion as a Warning Sign: Chronic exhaustion is often the result of living out of alignment rather than simply working too hard.• Breathwork for Regulation: Simple breathing techniques can calm the nervous system and help restore emotional balance.• Daily Practices for Presence: Victoria shares the habits that transformed her life, including movement, gratitude, reducing screen time, and connecting with nature.• The "Managing vs. Experiencing" Tool: Dr. Charryse encourages listeners to reflect:– What am I trying to control that isn't actually mine to control?– What is real and in front of me today?– What would it look like to respond to today instead of managing tomorrow?This episode is a moving reminder that life can change in an instant—and that our greatest peace is often found not in control, but in presence, gratitude, and living each day with intention.

  3. Jul 1

    Episode 18 - Dr. Chi Quita Mack: From Healing to Visibility — A Coaching Session on Storytelling & Self-Ownership

    On this powerful episode of Dear Dr. Charryse, host Dr. Charryse sits down with speaker, author, podcast host, and healing coach Dr. Chi Quita Mack for an inspiring conversation about identity, resilience, and the courage to stop hiding and start living authentically.As the founder of The Chi Quita Mack, LLC and host of The Beauty in You Podcast, Dr. Mack has dedicated her work to helping women transform pain into purpose and reclaim the power of their stories. Through her signature H.E.A.L. Framework, she empowers high-achieving women to heal, rediscover themselves, and build lives rooted in confidence and authenticity.Together, Dr. Mack and Dr. Charryse explore the emotional cost of constantly wearing the "strong woman" mask and how healing often requires releasing old identities, challenging cultural stigmas, and learning to be seen without fear.During the episode, Dr. Charryse leads a live coaching session focused on storytelling, visibility, and stepping fully into your truth:Coaching Session Highlights:• The Cost of Resilience: Constantly carrying the burden of being "the strong one" can lead to emotional exhaustion and physical burnout.• Healing Through Storytelling: Sharing our experiences can reduce shame, create connection, and remind others that they are not alone.• Owning Your Narrative: You are the author of your own story and have the power to decide how, when, and with whom you share it.• Visibility Requires Identity: True visibility comes from alignment with values and self-awareness rather than simply being louder or more visible.• Outgrowing Relationships: Healing may require creating distance from relationships rooted in shared pain or unhealthy dynamics.• Breaking Cultural Stigmas: Dr. Mack discusses overcoming beliefs that discourage therapy and emotional openness, particularly within communities of color.• Protection vs. Visibility: The brain often associates being seen with danger if hiding was once necessary for survival.• Normalizing Anxiety Around Growth: Feeling nervous about speaking up or sharing your truth is often a sign that your nervous system is learning a new experience of safety.• The "Healing to Visibility Shift" Tool: Dr. Charryse offers three reflective questions to help listeners identify where they are still hiding despite their growth and how they can begin expressing themselves more authentically.This episode is a reminder that healing is not the final destination. Sometimes the next step is allowing yourself to be seen, heard, and celebrated for who you truly are.

  4. Jun 24

    Episode 17 - Chloé Caroline: Creativity, Burnout & Finding Your Way Back to Yourself — A Coaching Session on Authentic Living

    On this inspiring episode of Dear Dr. Charryse, host Dr. Charryse sits down with singer-songwriter Chloé Caroline for a heartfelt conversation about creativity, burnout, healing, and the courage to reconnect with yourself when life pulls you off course.Known for her powerful songwriting, sold-out performances, and rapidly growing global audience, Chloé has built a successful independent music career with support from Billboard, VEVO, and major film and television placements. Yet behind the success was a personal journey through exhaustion, emotional numbness, and the realization that external achievement alone could not sustain her well-being.Together, Chloé and Dr. Charryse explore how creativity can serve as medicine, why burnout often disconnects us from joy, and how authentic expression becomes possible when we stop seeking validation and start listening to ourselves.During the episode, Dr. Charryse leads a live coaching session focused on creativity, self-trust, and reconnecting with what truly brings us alive:Coaching Session Highlights:• Creativity as Medicine: Chloé shares how music became a healing tool during childhood illness and helped her navigate difficult seasons of life.• Burnout and Emotional Numbness: Chronic overworking can disconnect people from inspiration, joy, and emotional presence.• The Courage to Realign: Sometimes healing requires making difficult decisions, ending misaligned relationships, changing environments, and returning to what feels authentic.• Authenticity vs. Belonging: Dr. Charryse explains that meaningful creative work often begins when people stop abandoning themselves for acceptance or validation.• The Body Knows First: Physical symptoms and emotional discomfort can signal when a situation is no longer healthy or aligned.• The Neuroscience of Music: Music activates areas of the brain connected to memory, emotion, and possibility, creating pathways for healing and transformation.• Starting Small: Reconnecting with joy can begin through simple practices such as walking, creating art, cooking, or spending intentional time in nature.• Decision-Making and Inner Peace: Dr. Charryse shares tools for overcoming analysis paralysis by paying attention to what creates a sense of peace rather than pressure.• Creating Before Performing: Listeners are encouraged to create from authenticity rather than focusing solely on outcomes, applause, or external approval.This episode is a reminder that success means little if it costs you your connection to yourself. True fulfillment begins when you honor your creativity, trust your inner voice, and create from a place of alignment.

  5. Jun 17

    Episode 16 - An Phan: Behind the Mask of Success — A Coaching Session on Mental Health & Authentic Living

    On this powerful episode of Dear Dr. Charryse, host Dr. Charryse sits down with actress, TEDx speaker, and mental health advocate An Phan for an inspiring conversation about success, identity, and the hidden emotional toll of constantly performing for others.A Vietnamese-American actress and creative leader, An has appeared in HBO’s Euphoria, Hulu’s Interior Chinatown, and the feature film The Dust Child. She is also the founder and CEO of AAPI Artists for Mental Initiative (AAMI), a nonprofit dedicated to breaking mental health stigma through art and storytelling.Together, An and Dr. Charryse explore the space between strength and strain, discussing how high achievers often carry invisible burdens while maintaining the appearance of success. They unpack the impact of cultural expectations, the pressure to always be "on," and the importance of reconnecting with joy, faith, and authenticity.During the episode, Dr. Charryse leads a live coaching session focused on self-awareness, emotional regulation, and creating a healthier relationship with achievement:Coaching Session Highlights:• Performance as Survival: Dr. Charryse explains how chronic performance can become a protective mask, causing external success to hide internal struggles.• The Cost of Success: High performers often experience pressure from family, culture, and society that can create a disconnect between achievement and happiness.• Recognizing Anhedonia: Losing interest in things that once brought joy may be a sign of overwhelm, burnout, or emotional misalignment.• The Power of Stillness: An shares why quiet moments are essential for healing, even though they can initially feel uncomfortable.• Body, Mind, and Spirit Accountability: Maintaining physical health, strengthening faith, and being intentional about mental inputs are key pillars of sustainable wellness.• Community Matters: Surrounding yourself with mentors and supportive relationships helps foster growth and emotional resilience.• The “Performance vs. Presence” Tool: Dr. Charryse encourages listeners to ask:– Where am I performing instead of being honest about how I feel?– What expectations am I trying to meet, and are they mine or inherited?– What would it look like to ask for support, even if it feels unfamiliar?• Support Is Strength: Receiving help and communicating needs are signs of courage, not weakness.This episode is a reminder that true success is not found in perfection or endless performance, but in creating a life rooted in authenticity, purpose, and peace.

  6. Jun 10

    Episode 15 - Jordan Smith: Healing, Poetry & The Courage to Embrace the Mess — A Coaching Session on Recovery & Resilience

    On this insightful episode of Dear Dr. Charryse, host Dr. Charryse sits down with UCLA professor, poet, and mental health advocate Dr. Jordan Smith for a profound conversation about healing, creativity, and the unexpected beauty found in life’s struggles.As a scholar specializing in poetry, film, and psychology, Dr. Smith has spent his career exploring the ways art and storytelling can help people navigate recovery and transformation. He is the co-founder of The Center for Healthy Masculinity, Executive Director of the Always Be Kind (ABK) Way Foundation, and facilitates poetry workshops for mental health and recovery communities throughout Los Angeles.Together, Jordan and Dr. Charryse challenge the idea that healing should be neat, linear, or polished. Instead, they explore how awareness, discomfort, and even chaos can become catalysts for growth and deeper self-understanding.During the episode, Dr. Charryse leads a live coaching session focused on resilience, self-awareness, and embracing the evolving nature of healing:Coaching Session Highlights:• Healing Isn't Linear: Growth often feels uncomfortable and messy, and awareness frequently expands before peace is found.• Finding Meaning Through Creativity: Dr. Smith shares how poetry and storytelling help individuals process emotions and discover resilience within their own experiences.• The Power of Small Acts of Kindness: Through the Always Be Kind (ABK) Way Foundation, Jordan demonstrates how simple acts of compassion can create lasting change in communities.• Literature as a Tool for Recovery: Reading with intention can provide wisdom, perspective, and practical guidance during difficult seasons.• Vulnerability and Connection: Dr. Smith discusses the importance of reaching out to trusted friends and creating supportive relationships to prevent isolation.• Multiple Paths to Wholeness: Healing can come through therapy, art, spirituality, nature, bodywork, recovery communities, and many other forms of support.• Disruption as Alignment: Outgrowing relationships, habits, or environments is often a sign of personal evolution rather than failure.• Treatment Fatigue: Dr. Charryse encourages listeners to give themselves permission to rest and avoid burnout in the healing process.• The Adjective Awareness Exercise: Listeners are invited to describe their current life, the person they are becoming, and the version of themselves they are leaving behind—and consider what each season is teaching them.This episode is a powerful reminder that healing is not about perfection. It is about learning to trust the process, embrace change, and discover meaning in every chapter of the journey.

  7. Jun 3

    Episode 14 - Dan Griffin: Breaking the Mask of Masculinity — A Coaching Session on Healing, Identity & Emotional Strength

    On this powerful episode of Dear Dr. Charryse, host Dr. Charryse sits down with author, speaker, and men’s mental health advocate Dan Griffin for an honest conversation about masculinity, emotional healing, and the hidden cost of traditional gender expectations.For decades, Dan has worked at the intersection of addiction recovery, trauma, shame, and mental health, helping men challenge the beliefs that often keep them disconnected from themselves and others. As co-founder of the Center for Healthy Masculinity, he is dedicated to creating healthier pathways for men to experience vulnerability, connection, and emotional well-being.Together, Dan and Dr. Charryse explore how many men are taught to suppress emotions, prioritize performance over healing, and carry silent burdens that lead to isolation, burnout, and disconnection. They discuss how societal expectations shape male identity and why true strength requires emotional access, self-awareness, and courage.During the episode, Dr. Charryse leads a live coaching session focused on masculinity, identity, and creating a healthier relationship with vulnerability:Coaching Session Highlights:• The Cost of Masculine Conditioning: Men are often taught to function rather than heal, suppressing emotions in ways that create long-term emotional and psychological consequences.• Survival vs. Identity: Dr. Charryse explains that survival strategies may shape a person's identity but do not have to define who they become.• Emotional Access & Isolation: When men lack the language for pain, they may turn to overworking, addiction, gaming, or other escape behaviors instead of seeking support.• Healing Requires a New Narrative: Lasting transformation requires rewriting internal beliefs about masculinity, vulnerability, and emotional expression.• Self-Compassion as Strength: Dan and Dr. Charryse discuss why self-compassion is a critical part of healing rather than a sign of weakness.• Relationship Dynamics During Growth: Emotional growth can challenge existing friendships and relationships that were built around old expectations and coping patterns.• Conscious Living: Men are encouraged to examine the internal scripts that guide their behavior and intentionally choose the kind of man they want to become.• The “Name the Inherited Script” Tool: A reflective exercise helping listeners identify what they were taught about masculinity, acceptable emotions, and whether those beliefs support healing or hiding.This episode is a powerful invitation for men to move beyond survival, embrace emotional honesty, and redefine strength on their own terms.

  8. May 27

    Episode 13 - Crissy Fishbane: Rewriting the Stories That Keep Women Stuck — A Coaching Session on Self-Trust & Motherhood

    On this deeply honest episode of Dear Dr. Charryse, host Dr. Charryse sits down with speaker, writer, and HER+ Health Collective co-founder Crissy Fishbane for a powerful conversation on motherhood, identity, and the internal narratives that shape how women move through life. Crissy shares how her personal journey—including surviving a life-altering car accident as a teenager—reshaped her perspective, deepened her sense of purpose, and ultimately inspired her mission to help women feel less alone. Through HER+ Health Collective and her award-winning podcast Mama Needs a Moment, she has created spaces where women can move beyond performance and reconnect with authenticity, support, and self-trust. Together, Crissy and Dr. Charryse explore the emotional weight of inherited beliefs, societal expectations, and the pressure women feel to constantly keep everyone else comfortable while quietly abandoning themselves. They unpack how curiosity, awareness, and intentional boundaries can help women reclaim their voice and rewrite the stories they’ve been carrying for years. During the episode, Dr. Charryse leads a live coaching session focused on self-awareness, motherhood, emotional resilience, and challenging limiting beliefs: Coaching Session Highlights: • Embedded Narratives: Women often carry inherited stories about who they should be, how they should behave, and what they are allowed to want. • The Pressure to Perform: Many women move through life focused on being liked, impressive, or emotionally responsible for everyone around them. • Curiosity vs. Judgment: Approaching yourself with curiosity instead of criticism reduces shame and creates space for authentic growth and connection. • The “Mirror vs. Window” Perspective: Dr. Charryse explains the shift from self-consumption and overthinking to presence, contribution, and genuine connection with others. • Curiosity as a Bridge to Self-Trust: Curiosity creates movement where judgment keeps people emotionally stuck. • The Myth of Giving 100% Everywhere: Crissy and Dr. Charryse discuss how women often feel guilt for not fully showing up in every area of life at once, despite that being impossible. • Caretaker Conditioning: Many women overfunction in relationships because they believe their worth depends on keeping everyone else okay. • Interrupting the Narrative Tool: Listeners are encouraged to challenge limiting thoughts by asking who taught them the belief, whether it is actually true, and what life could look like without it. • Proactive Growth: The conversation encourages women to choose growth through awareness instead of waiting for crisis to force change. This episode is a powerful reminder that healing begins when women stop performing who they were taught to be and start trusting who they truly are.

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About

Dr. Charryse Johnson is a nationally recognized expert in women’s mental health, nervous system regulation, and mind-body resilience. She is the creator and host of Dear Dr. Charryse, where she explores how women experience emotional and physical change across the lifespan. Known for translating neuroscience into relatable insight, she helps women decode anxiety, burnout, and hormonal shifts. Her message: your body isn’t failing you — it’s speaking to you.

Information

  • Creator
    Dr. Charryse Johnson
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    20
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Dr. Charryse Johnson
  • Show Website
    Dear Dr. Charryse