Simply Heard: The Space Between

Welcome Home — A Path to Self-Reclamation (Part 1)-Audio Story Teller Version

https://www.soulfullivingcenter.com/workshops/

This begins our mini-series on self-abandonment and what it truly means to come back to yourself.

Not fixing.
Not performing.
Not becoming a “better” version.

But noticing where we learned to leave ourselves —
and slowly, gently, learning how to return.

In this conversation, Dr. Randie London and I talk about identity, loss, collapse, and the brave work of saying:

“I want to come home to me.”

Holistic Center for Soulful Living (Smithtown, NY)

Workshop: Welcome Home — A Path to Self-Reclamation
Learn more / stay connected:

Dr. Randie London – Instagram
@lotusholistichealing
https://www.instagram.com/lotusholistichealing

https://www.simply-centered.com

Instagram
@dr.jesshayden
https://www.instagram.com/dr.jesshayden

TikTok

https://www.tiktok.com/@drjesshayden

More parts of this series are coming — stay with us.

Ever set a boundary and instantly think: “Ugh… I feel like the bad guy”? Same. This short episode explores why that happens — and how practicing clear, compassionate limits can actually create more honesty, respect, and ease in our relationships.

Work with me: www.simply-centered.com

Find me on Socials:

Instagram @dr.jesshayden

TikTok @drjesshayden

In this episode, I continue my conversation with Dr. Jessica Tomasula on internalized and implicit weight bias — and the quiet ways these beliefs shape how we see our bodies, our health, and our worth.

We revisit the Girl Scout cookie story and the subtle moments where children learn what bodies “mean,” often long before anyone says it out loud. We talk about grief, identity, and the years many of us spend trying to “fix” ourselves instead of understanding the systems that taught us to feel broken.

We also explore the complicated intersection of medicine, control, and hope — including the role of GLP-1 medications — with nuance and compassion, without blame or shame.

This conversation isn’t about what bodies should look like.
It’s about how to stay connected to them — and how to notice what we may be unintentionally passing down.

We discuss:

• what internalized weight bias actually is

• how body commentary becomes “normal” in families and culture

• grief for the time spent chasing smaller bodies

• the difference between control as care vs control as punishment

• how weight bias shows up in medical spaces

• GLP-1 medications and why the conversation is so complex

• rebuilding trust with our bodies and our values

If any of this feels tender, please listen at your own pace, take breaks, and come back when you’re ready.

—

Guest:
Dr. Jessica Tomasula — psychologist, researcher, and clinician specializing in body image, eating concerns, and health psychology.

Connect with Simply Heard:

Podcast • Stories • Conversations about “the space between”

Dr Jessica Tomasula at Live Well Psychological

Summary

This episode explores the complex issues surrounding internalized weight bias, disordered eating, and the societal messages that shape our perceptions of body image. Dr. Jess Hayden and Dr. Jessica Tomasula discuss how these biases begin at a young age, the impact of humor on self-worth, and the limitations of traditional health metrics like BMI. They also delve into the importance of promoting body acceptance and awareness in a society that often prioritizes appearance over health.

https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/

Jessica Hayden, PhD

Jessica Tomasula, PhD

In Part 2, we expand the conversation with Dr Meagan Padro to include digital safety, the reality that consent begins long before dating, and why removing shame from conversations about sex is essential for raising safe, empowered kids.

We explore how children learn consent through everyday interactions, how online spaces introduce boundary challenges earlier than many parents expect, and why fear-based or shame-based messaging can actually increase risk rather than reduce it. This episode offers a grounded, research-informed approach to helping kids develop body awareness, autonomy, and the confidence to speak up—both offline and online.

Simply Centered Psychological Services

Content note: This episode includes discussion of body safety, consent, digital behavior, and sexual development. Some topics may not be appropriate for young ears. Caregivers may want to listen privately.

Content Warning: Gentle, non-graphic discussion of consent and sexual abuse prevention.
In this episode, we explore how the words we give children shape their safety, confidence, and boundaries. Jess and Dr. Meagan Padro share how language, consent, and connection form the foundation of sex-positive parenting.

RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline

LifeLine

How to Talk to Kids Canadian Website, Great Info for Parents

Simply Centered Psychological Services

Instagram @Dr.JessHayden

TikTok @Dr.JessHayden

Thanksgiving Day Special

In this mini-episode, Dr. Jess Hayden explores the layered reality of the holiday—gratitude, grief, family dynamics, and the complicated history beneath it.

Jess shares a personal reminder to slow down, the message from the tea, and a truth about constant change and how people evolve too.

If today feels tender, busy, or complicated, this episode offers a breath of steadiness.

Part 2 with Meredith Grimes, LCMHC, dives into the psychology of youth athletics and what happens when performance becomes a measure of worth.
We explore why so many athletes push through pain and injuries, how “performing for the likes” fuels burnout, and how Self-Determination Theory can transform the way coaches motivate young players. Meredith shares how imposter syndrome shows up in sport — and why the simple phrase “I don’t know” can be one of the most powerful tools for connection and growth.

This episode is for parents, coaches, and athletes navigating performance pressure, mental health, and the emotional side of competition.

Links:

⁠Simply Centered Psychological Services⁠

⁠Cognitive Distortions⁠

⁠Find Meredith