Stronger in the Difficult Places

Dr. Zoe Shaw
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Stronger in the Difficult Places

Dr. Zoe, a licensed psychotherapist and relationship coach walks with you on your journey through fixing your difficult relationships, including that sometimes difficult one with yourself. Here, she offers a space where you can look at yourself and your relationship through a lens of psychology, faith and a dash of her own kind of feminism. Stronger in the broken places podcasts hosts guest from all over the world, from celebrity tv therapists to everyday women, authors and scientists, offering therapeutic tips, encouragement, camaraderie and support, helping women stay strong and transform difficult relationships. We’re not fixing them, we’re fixing you and that changes everything! Ask Dr. Zoe a burning relationship question https://www.drzoeshaw.com Or find her on Instagram @drzoeshaw

  1. 14H AGO

    How The 12 Steps Can Transform Your Life And Relationships

    In this powerful episode, Ian and I explore how these time-tested principles can radically shift your relationship with yourself and others. We talk about the freedom that comes from radical honesty, the courage it takes to confront your own story, and how the Twelve Steps can guide anyone—no matter their background—toward healing and wholeness. This conversation is real, vulnerable, and packed with insight. Whether you’re familiar with the Steps or just curious, this episode will challenge and inspire you to take your own brave next step toward change. Ian Morgan Cron is a bestselling author, speaker, trained psychotherapist, songwriter, and Episcopal priest, but he may be best known for popularizing the Enneagram.   You can learn more about Ian and his book: https://ianmorgancron.com/about-ian   Connect with me: Dr. Zoe Shaw on Instagram Dr. Zoe Shaw on Facebook Dr. Zoe Shaw Website

    35 min

  2. 5D AGO

    Overcoming The Shame Of Your Everyday Addictions

    Addiction isn’t just about substances—it can show up in our everyday lives in ways we don’t always recognize. Whether it's scrolling endlessly on social media, emotional eating, overworking, or even seeking validation from others, these everyday addictions can hold us back from true freedom. And often, the biggest barrier to overcoming them isn’t just the habit itself—it’s the shame we carry around it. In this episode, I sit down with author and speaker Chris Janssen to talk about the sneaky ways addiction manifests, why shame keeps us stuck, and how we can break free from the cycle. If you’ve ever felt trapped in patterns you can’t seem to shake, this conversation will help you find hope, healing, and a path forward.   What We Cover in This Episode: ✔️ Redefining addiction beyond drugs and alcohol ✔️ How shame fuels compulsive behaviors ✔️ The connection between emotional pain and everyday addictions ✔️ Steps to break free and cultivate self-compassion ✔️ The role of faith and community in healing   If you’ve ever felt guilty or ashamed about the habits you can’t seem to control, this episode is for you.   Connect with Chris Janssen: Chris Janssen, MA, BCC, is the author of Grace Yourself: How to Show Up for the Sober Life You Want and a leading results coach in performance and mindset. She has worked with hundreds of sought-after athletes, creatives, soldiers, entrepreneurs, and small businesses internationally, helping them to close the gap between where they are and where they want to be. As a board-certified coach with a master’s in counseling psychology and over 25 years of experience, Chris excels in helping high-achieving perfectionists navigate performance pressure, overcome self-sabotage, and rewrite narratives. A California native, Chris and her husband, Scott, have been married for nearly 30 years. Together, they raised three children, now thriving young adults. Chris and Scott live in Los Angeles and love to ski, golf, be with their horses, and adventure outside.   Links: Website: https://www.chrisjanssencoaching.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chrisjanssencoaching/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chris3janssen New Book, Grace Yourself: https://www.amazon.com/Grace-Yourself-Show-Sober-Life/dp/1637633378   Connect with me: Dr. Zoe Shaw on Instagram Dr. Zoe Shaw on Facebook Dr. Zoe Shaw Website

    29 min

  3. MAR 11

    Navigating Everyday Grief

    Grief isn’t just about losing a loved one or experiencing life’s biggest losses. In this episode, I sit down with Natasha Smith to explore the often-overlooked grief we carry in our everyday lives. From unmet expectations to life transitions, we discuss why acknowledging these losses matters and how we can find healing in the small moments. Whether you’re navigating a major loss or simply feeling the weight of unspoken grief, this conversation will help you give yourself permission to process, heal, and move forward with grace. Natasha Smith is a certified grief educator, advocate, wife, mother, and former engineer turned homeschooler. Now a two-time published author and a native of North Carolina, she is also a speaker and podcaster, sharing stories on faith, family, and grief. Natasha’s work has been featured in Propel Women, Influence Magazine, Her View from Home, Focus on the Family, TODAY Parents, and other online publications. She has contributed essays to books with Guideposts and in So God Made A Grandma, a new release from Her View From Home. Natasha’s books, Can You Just Sit with Me: Healthy Grieving for the Losses of Life (September 2023, IVPress) and Black Woman Grief: A Guide to Hope and Wholeness (February 2025, IVPress), are available wherever books are sold.  Connect with her on social media @imnatashasmith. BOOK INFO: https://www.ivpress.com/black-woman-grief PRESS KIT: https://www.ivpress.com/Media/Default/Press-Kits/A0964-press.pdf EXCERPT: https://www.ivpress.com/Media/Default/Downloads/Excerpts-and-Samples/A0964-excerpt.pdf BIO: https://www.ivpress.com/natasha-smith Listen to her podcast and read her blog at imnatashasmith.com. Follow her on Twitter: @imnatashasmith     Connect with me: Dr. Zoe Shaw on Instagram Dr. Zoe Shaw on Facebook Dr. Zoe Shaw Website

    28 min

  4. MAR 4

    How To Advocate For Yourself In Difficult Relationships

    Why is it so easy to stand up for others but so hard to advocate for ourselves? If you’ve ever felt stuck between not wanting to seem "too much" and not knowing how to use your voice effectively, this episode is for you. I’m joined by Heather Hansen—former trial lawyer turned advocate coach—who shares powerful insights on breaking free from “good girl syndrome,” building the skills to confidently speak up, and learning how to own your voice without fear or guilt. If advocating for yourself feels uncomfortable, overwhelming, or just plain impossible, this conversation will empower you to step into your confidence and ask for what you truly deserve. Don’t miss this one! About Heather: Heather Hansen empowers leaders to build belief in their ideas, leadership, and potential. Drawing on her experience as a trial attorney, psychology degree and dispute resolution training, time as a media personality, and hypnosis training, she helps leaders use stories, evidence, and their bodies' energy to influence their teams, clients, and results. Heather has appeared on The Today Show, Dr. Oz, CNN, Fox News, and CBS and has worked with top organizations, including Harvard Business School, Google, LVMH, and the American Medical Association. She’s the bestselling author of The Elegant Warrior: How to Win Life’s Trials Without Losing Yourself and Advocate to Win: 10 Tools to Ask for What You Want and Get It. She lives in New York City with her dog, Wolf.   Connect with Heather: Website: https://www.beliefbuilders.com/ Instagram @anelegantwarrior Books: https://www.beliefbuilders.com/books-by-heather-hansen Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgAJ-S59DvA   Connect with me: Dr. Zoe Shaw on Instagram Dr. Zoe Shaw on Facebook Dr. Zoe Shaw Website

    33 min

  5. FEB 25

    How To Make Good Decisions When You Feel Guilty

    I hear this all the time: How do I make a good decision when I feel guilty for making it? In today’s episode I address how to make a decision, even when you feel bad about it. It’s easier than you think and you can do it!   Connect with me: Dr. Zoe Shaw on Instagram Dr. Zoe Shaw on Facebook Dr. Zoe Shaw Website

    13 min

  6. 12/17/2024

    Say it Right: How To Talk So Your Partner Will Listen and You Will Feel Heard - In Six Steps

    It doesn’t matter what you say, the only thing that matters is what is heard. This isn’t my original quote, but I’ve lost who said it along the way. Understanding this truth has been the turning point in my communication in all of my relationships.  In today’s episode, I have such a wonderful, meaty, conversation with Rebecca Mullen, author, speaker, relationship coach, about how to have better communication with your spouse in 6 simple steps- Even if you barely talk anymore. Rebecca is my personal business coach and friend. This is her second time on my podcast and I’m inviting her again because she is a wealth of wisdom.  Don’t miss this episode. She will help those with the worst and the best of marriages, communicate better.    Episode resources: www.rebeccamullencoaching.com Link to Rebecca’s book: 6 Steps to Better Marriage Communication:  https://a.co/d/b3Kwn1B You can find Rebecca on TikTok at: @rebeccamullencoaching In this episode we spoke about Corey Rosenke- author of  The Magnetic Heart Of God Check out episode 237 with Rebecca: Listen here   Connect with me: Dr. Zoe Shaw on Instagram Dr. Zoe Shaw on Facebook Dr. Zoe Shaw Website

    50 min

  7. 12/10/2024

    Why You Shouldn't Believe Everything You Think - And If You Do, It's Holding You Back

    Your thoughts are powerful and most of us believe them- much to the detriment of ourselves and our relationships. On today's episode, I have a discussion with renowned author, Joseph Nguyen about why you shouldn't- and more importantly how you go about the process of not believing what you think. Joseph Nguyen is the author of the #1 international bestselling book, Don't Believe Everything You Think, which has been translated into 17+ languages. He is a writer who helps others realize who they truly are beyond their own thinking and conditioning to live an abundant life free from psychological and emotional suffering. When he's not busy petting his 3 cats that he's allergic to, he spends the rest of his time writing, teaching, speaking, and sharing timeless wisdom to help people discover their own divinity from within and how they are the answer they've been looking for their entire lives.  You may visit his website at www.josephnguyen.org for more books, resources, and videos to help you on your journey.   Connect with me: Dr. Zoe Shaw on Instagram Dr. Zoe Shaw on Facebook Dr. Zoe Shaw Website

    41 min

  8. 11/26/2024

    Why Women Stay In Unhealthy Relationships

    Stephanie Quayle, Nashville Recording Artist and author talks about her own toxic relationship, why she stayed and insight she hope will help other women in difficult relationships. Stephanie Quayle is a Nashville recording artist who tours the world with her music and an entrepreneur with her own record label, Big Sky Music Group. Rolling Stone Country called her “an artist you need to know,” CMT named her as part of its “Next Women of Country” franchise, and she’s appeared on popular programs like The Kelly Clarkson Show and The Ellen DeGeneres Show. As an independent artist with two Billboard charted singles, “Selfish” and “Whatcha Drinkin ’Bout,” she has repeatedly performed at CMA Fest and the Grand Ole Opry.   Quayle’s latest album On the Edge chronicles her personal experience in a toxic relationship and the healing she’s gone through since—inspiring others and redefining her future. Stephanie is the author of the new book, Why Do We Stay? How My Toxic Relationship Can Help You Find Healing. Through half a million followers, Stephanie’s social media garnered 19 million impressions in 2023.   You can view her website, social media and music via the links included below. Website: https://www.stephaniequayle.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stephaniequayle Instagram: @StephanieQuayle X: @StephanieQuayle YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/STEPHANIEQUAYLE TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@stephaniequayle Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/stephanie-quayle/6365037 Spotify: Stephanie Quayle   Connect with me: Dr. Zoe Shaw on Instagram Dr. Zoe Shaw on Facebook Dr. Zoe Shaw Website

    41 min
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4.8
out of 5
77 Ratings

About

Dr. Zoe, a licensed psychotherapist and relationship coach walks with you on your journey through fixing your difficult relationships, including that sometimes difficult one with yourself. Here, she offers a space where you can look at yourself and your relationship through a lens of psychology, faith and a dash of her own kind of feminism. Stronger in the broken places podcasts hosts guest from all over the world, from celebrity tv therapists to everyday women, authors and scientists, offering therapeutic tips, encouragement, camaraderie and support, helping women stay strong and transform difficult relationships. We’re not fixing them, we’re fixing you and that changes everything! Ask Dr. Zoe a burning relationship question https://www.drzoeshaw.com Or find her on Instagram @drzoeshaw

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