In this deeply personal episode, Ms. Michaela Mae shares an update she didn’t plan to make — but felt called to record.

After the loss of her childhood horse, Capone, Michaela reflects on grief, acceptance, and a realization that arrived in one of the hardest moments of her life: she’s still been trying to control how she’s perceived instead of allowing herself to be seen in her full truth.

This episode explores what happens when we live fragmented — sharing certain parts of ourselves in certain spaces, filtering who we are to feel safe, and trying to manage perception instead of embodying wholeness. Michaela opens up about how Capone’s greatest lesson to her was acceptance — and why that lesson is now asking her to turn inward.

As a result, Michaela shares her decision to press pause on The Ms. Michaela Mae Show — not as an ending, but as an act of integrity and self-trust. She explains why she’s choosing to pour her energy back into The Western Hippie, and why pausing something meaningful doesn’t mean failure — it means listening.

In this episode, Michaela talks about:

• Grieving an animal who shaped her life
• Acceptance as a healing force
• Living split lives and filtering identity
• Creativity as a grief-processing tool
• Why pausing can be healthier than pushing
• Trusting intuition even when it doesn’t make logical sense
• Giving yourself permission to stop — without quitting

This episode is both a reflection and a permission slip.

You don’t need to announce every move.
You don’t need to justify your pauses.
And sometimes, the most aligned choice is simply pressing pause — not eject.

Listen to The Western Hippie

Browse the full catalog of episodes here:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1968454

Keywords / Tags

grief and acceptance, pressing pause, personal growth podcast, identity and authenticity, grieving a horse, animal loss grief, intuition and trust, creative healing, ms michaela mae show

In this episode, Ms. Michaela Mae shares a perspective she felt called to record in the moment — no video, no polish, just an honest conversation about culture, parenting, and a movie that’s become unexpectedly controversial.

After seeing Zootopia 2 twice (and planning a third viewing), Michaela addresses the concerns circulating online and offers a grounded, experience-based take for parents who are on the fence about taking their kids to see it.

Drawing from her background in film school, her deep awareness of how sexualization impacts children, and her own lived experience, Michaela explains why she does not see Zootopia 2 as hypersexualized — and why, if she did, she would be the first person to speak out against it.

This episode isn’t about defending Disney blindly or dismissing valid concerns. It’s about discernment, context, and doing your own research instead of reacting to viral clips or rumor mills.

Michaela talks about:

• Why hypersexualization of children is a serious issue (and why she takes it personally)
• How child predators identify and target vulnerable kids
• The difference between projection, assumption, and what’s actually on screen
• Why the characters people are upset about were already in the first movie
• The importance of movie theaters as a shared, focused experience for families
• How fear-based reactions can sometimes overshadow reality
• Her honest film critique of Zootopia 2 as a sequel — what works and what doesn’t

If you’re a parent, caregiver, or someone who cares deeply about children and culture, this episode offers a calm, thoughtful lens in a moment that feels anything but calm online.

🤍 Thank You for Listening

If this episode resonated with you, Michaela would be grateful if you’d rate, review, and subscribe. It helps the show reach more people who value thoughtful conversations about culture, psychology, and real life.

Keywords / Tags (for podcast platforms)

Zootopia 2, parenting and culture, children’s movies, Disney sequels, media literacy, protecting children, film analysis, cultural commentary, discernment in media, Ms Michaela Mae Show

In this cinematic, psychology-packed episode, Ms. Michaela Mae is joined by longtime friend and fellow filmmaker Landon Sommese for a full, conversational deep dive into Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, and The Dark Knight Rises — the entire Christopher Nolan trilogy.

This isn’t a recap.
This is a psychological breakdown of a man shaped by trauma, fear, purpose, identity, and the impossible choices that forge him into the Dark Knight.

Together, Michaela and Landon explore:

• Bruce Wayne’s trauma and symbolic “death of the child”
• Fear as both a weapon and a catalyst
• The psychology of masks, dual identity, and self-sacrifice
• The Joker as chaos incarnate (and why he exposes Bruce’s deepest conflict)
• Harvey Dent’s fall and the emotional horror of watching hope decay
• Bane, pain, prisons, and the rebirth of the self
• Why the trilogy’s emotional impact hits so deeply — even outside the superhero genre

This is a filmmaker-to-filmmaker conversation mixed with healing, human behavior, storytelling, and the kind of meaning-making only Michaela can pull out of a film trilogy.

If you love movies…
If you love psychology…
If you love seeing the “why” behind human behavior…
This two-hour deep dive is your new favorite episode.

00:00 – Intro + Why We Love This Trilogy
04:10 – What Makes a Hero? Trauma, Orphans, and Origin Stories
10:40 – Batman Begins: Fear, Purpose, and Becoming
22:15 – The League of Shadows & Archetypal Training
32:50 – The Symbol of the Mask: Identity vs. Self
38:20 – The Dark Knight: Chaos, Morality, and The Joker
50:10 – Harvey Dent’s Fall + The Psychology of Corruption
1:01:40 – Moral Dilemmas and The Cost of Hope
1:12:00 – The Dark Knight Rises: Pain, Imprisonment, and Rebirth
1:24:15 – Bane, Broken Backs, and Breaking Patterns
1:34:50 – Rising Without the Rope: Choosing Life
1:44:15 – Ending Breakdown + Legacy of the Batman
1:50:00 – Final Thoughts + What This Trilogy Means About Being Human

Join my email list for real talk + episode drops:
https://thewesternhippie.myflodesk.com/d2r6vqphfy

My book The Barn off of Colfax Lane:
https://a.co/d/eVitUiH

dark knight trilogy explained, batman begins analysis, the dark knight psychology, dark knight rises breakdown, christopher nolan batman, bruce wayne trauma, joker psychology, bane explained, hero’s journey analysis, film psychology, character breakdown, movie deep dive, the ms michaela mae show

In this episode, Ms. Michaela Mae gets honest about one of the most common self-accusations we make: “I’m lazy.”

But what if laziness… isn’t actually the problem?

Recorded after a couple weeks away from the mic, this episode dives straight into a perspective shift that hit Michaela like a lightning bolt just before launching the show — a shift that helped her understand why she felt stuck, overwhelmed, and “lazy,” even when she deeply cared about her goals.

She explains why “laziness” is almost never the root issue…and why the real culprits are usually:

1. A lack of genuine interest (because you’re operating under someone else’s rules).
2. A lack of worthiness (because your subconscious hasn’t yet caught up to your dreams).

With personal stories, psychology, healing frameworks, and her signature “third-person journaling” method, Michaela shows you how to reconnect to excitement, build internal permission, and cultivate the sense of worthiness you need to actually follow through.

If you’ve been beating yourself up for not doing the things you know you want to do…this is the episode to hit play on.

00:00 – Welcome Back + Life Update
01:15 – Why This Topic Matters Right Now
02:40 – The Myth of “Laziness”
04:10 – Interest vs. Obligation: The Real Motivation Block
06:20 – Why You Stop Wanting Things You Do Want
08:00 – Worthiness as the Hidden Root Cause
10:10 – Childhood Conditioning & Internal Limits
12:00 – The 60-Reps Rule for Rebuilding Belief
14:20 – “New Fruit for the Juicer” Metaphor
16:00 – Putting Out Fires vs. Stopping the Arsonist
17:30 – Quiet Momentum: The First Real Step
19:10 – Final Thoughts

Join Michaela on Instagram: https://instagram.com/ms.michaela.mae
Email Michaela: michaela@michaelamae.com
Her book The Barn off Colfax Lane: https://a.co/d/eVitUiH

laziness myth, self worth, motivation psychology, nervous system and motivation, self sabotage healing, subconscious mind, personal development podcast, creative burnout, mindset shift, rewiring worthiness, healing journey, productivity blocks, emotional safety, inner work tools

Book with me:
https://stan.store/msmichaelamae

There are all kinds of closets you can come out of — sexual, political, and then…
there’s the spiritual closet.

In this episode, Ms. Michaela Mae finally tells the story she’s hinted at for years:
the moment she realized she could no longer hide or water down the intuitive, spiritual, energetic part of herself.

This is the episode where Michaela gets honest about leaving Christianity, rebuilding her belief system from the ground up, reclaiming the gifts she shut down as a kid, and stepping into her identity without the fear, shame, or “good girl programming” that kept her quiet for so long.

It’s equal parts hilarious, vulnerable, clarifying, and liberating.

If you’ve ever had a spiritual awakening, intuitive breakthrough, or a moment where your inner world shifted faster than your outer world could handle… this episode will feel like someone finally put words to your experience.

If you’ve ever hidden parts of yourself to stay safe or accepted… this episode will help you see why.

And if you’ve been waiting for permission to be who you actually are?

Here it is.

Chapters (approx.)

00:00 – Intro: The Three Closets
02:05 – The Inside Joke (and Why Everyone Assumes She’s a Lesbian)
03:40 – Coming Out of the Political Closet
05:55 – Leaving Christianity & Rebuilding Belief
08:10 – When Your Gifts Come Back Online
10:20 – What It Feels Like to Step Into Your Intuition
12:45 – The Fear of Being Seen as “Too Much”
14:30 – Hiding Your Truth to Stay Safe
17:20 – The Spiritual Closet: Why It’s the Hardest One
20:05 – The Liberation of Finally Saying It Out Loud
21:40 – Closing Thoughts: Which Closet Are YOU In?

Links

Join my email list for real talk & new episode drops:
https://thewesternhippie.myflodesk.com/d2r6vqphfy

Grab my book The Barn off of Colfax Lane:
https://a.co/d/eVitUiH

Keywords / SEO Tags

spiritual awakening, coming out of the spiritual closet, intuition, psychic gifts, leaving religion, deconstruction, personal identity, spiritual journey, trauma healing, self discovery, awakening, authenticity, ms michaela mae show

Everyone has an opinion about Taylor Swift… but very few people talk about why she resonates so deeply, so widely, and so consistently across generations.

In this episode, Ms. Michaela Mae breaks down Taylor Swift’s cultural popularity through the lens of psychology — identity, belonging, emotional attachment, storytelling, parasocial relationships, and why certain artists mirror our inner world back to us in a way no one else can.

This isn’t a fangirl moment and it’s not a takedown piece.
It’s a grounded, honest, and slightly spicy exploration of the psychology behind fame, female archetypes, and why people project so much onto Taylor Swift (both the love and the hate).

If you’ve ever wondered why she’s the era-defining artist of our time — this episode will finally make it make sense.

Links

Join my email list for real-talk & episode drops:
https://thewesternhippie.myflodesk.com/d2r6vqphfy

Grab my book The Barn off of Colfax Lane:
https://a.co/d/eVitUiH

Chapters (≈ 10 min)

00:00 – Why Talk About Taylor Swift at All?
00:40 – The Psychology of Cultural Popularity
02:00 – Why Taylor Connects Emotionally With So Many People
03:20 – Storytelling, Identity, and the “Mirror Effect”
04:30 – Why Certain Artists Become Safe Attachment Figures
05:45 – The Projection Problem: Love, Hate, and Parasocial Bonds
07:10 – The Female Archetype Taylor Represents
08:25 – Why Taylor Is a Global Case Study in Human Behavior

🔑 Podcast SEO Keywords

taylor swift psychology, why taylor swift is popular, parasocial relationships, storytelling psychology, fame psychology, identity and celebrity culture, pop culture analysis, emotional attachment to artists, ms michaela mae, the ms michaela mae show

Everyone online loves to romanticize spiritual awakenings — the intuition, the downloads, the clarity, the “gifts.”
But almost no one talks about the very real, very human side of it.

In this episode, Ms. Michaela Mae breaks down what a spiritual awakening actually is, why so many people misunderstand it, and what really happens when your intuition wakes back up after years of survival mode.

She explores the connection between healing trauma and reconnecting to your intuitive senses, the identity shift that comes with “crossing the threshold,” and the myth that awakening suddenly gives you all the answers.

If your gifts are coming online… or if you feel like you’re waking up and falling apart at the same time… this episode will help you understand what’s happening and why you’re not crazy — you’re just awakening.

Links Mentioned

Join my email list for real-talk & new episode drops:
https://thewesternhippie.myflodesk.com/d2r6vqphfy

Grab my book The Barn off of Colfax Lane:
https://a.co/d/eVitUiH

Chapters (≈ 10 min)

00:00 – Intro | What No One Talks About
00:40 – The Actual Definition of a Spiritual Awakening
01:25 – Michaela’s Definition (and Why She Uses It)
02:20 – Intuition, Childhood, and “Losing the Callus”
03:45 – When Intuitive Gifts Come Back After Healing
05:05 – The Point of No Return (Hero’s Journey Moment)
06:15 – Can You Shut Gifts Off? (The Real Answer)
07:10 – Awakening ≠ Having All the Answers
08:05 – The Romanticized Version vs. Reality
09:15 – Final Thoughts | You Still Have to Be Human

Keywords / SEO Tags

spiritual awakening, intuition, healing trauma, awakening symptoms, personal growth, intuitive gifts, shadow work, higher consciousness, healing journey, self awareness, awakening experience, spiritual development, michaela mae

In this episode, Ms. Michaela Mae pulls back the curtain on what it’s actually like to go from idea to “published.” She shares the messy middle most people don’t talk about — the emotional highs, creative lows, and the identity shifts that come with turning your story into something real.

Whether you’re halfway through your first draft, staring at a blank page, or secretly wondering if you’ll ever finish… this episode will remind you that your story is worth writing — and that done is better than perfect.

Grab my book The Barn off of Colfax Lane:
https://a.co/d/eVitUiH

Chapters (≈ 45 min)

00:00 – The Dream of Writing a Book vs. The Reality
06:15 – When Inspiration Meets Resistance
11:40 – The Fear That Shows Up When You Start
17:25 – The Emotional Rollercoaster of Writing Something Honest
23:10 – Why You’ll Never Feel “Ready” (and That’s Okay)
29:20 – How to Keep Going When You Want to Quit
35:00 – The Magic That Happens When You Finish
39:10 – Final Thoughts: Why “Done” Will Change Your Life

Links Mentioned

Join my email list for real talk & new episode drops:
https://thewesternhippie.myflodesk.com/d2r6vqphfy

Keywords / SEO Tags

writing a book, memoir writing, creative process, how to write a book, book publishing, author journey, overcoming perfectionism, finishing your book, self-publishing, storytelling, motivation for writers, creative mindset, michaela mae, the ms michaela mae show