Why struggle often precedes awakening

In this episode of You Are Not Broken, I sit down with Dr. Lisa Miller — psychologist, researcher, and author — to talk about something we don’t discuss enough in medicine: spirituality as a measurable, protective force in women’s lives.

Not religion.
Not dogma.
But spirituality — the innate human capacity to feel connected, guided, and held in meaning.

And friends… this one is powerful.

Dr. Miller shares the science behind spirituality, including data showing that an active spiritual life can dramatically reduce the risk of depression, substance use, and hopelessness. We talk about how spirituality isn’t fluffy — it’s neurologically real, biologically protective, and especially alive in women.

I loved this conversation because it reframes struggle. So many of us think our hardest seasons mean we’re broken. What if they’re actually the doorway?

We discuss:

• Why every woman is a Ferrari — powerful, finely tuned, and built for depth

• The research showing spirituality cuts depression and addiction risk

• How crisis can become spiritual awakening

• The concept of “high counsel” — the guidance that is available to us when we’re willing to listen

• Why engaging with our feelings (instead of bypassing them) is the path forward

• The unique spiritual intelligence women carry

• Why men often struggle differently in their spiritual development

• Post-traumatic spiritual growth

• And how to cultivate your innate spirituality without subscribing to anyone else’s rulebook

One of my favorite takeaways?
Spirituality isn’t something you earn. It’s something you remember.

We talk about how women are often socialized to disconnect from their inner voice — from intuition, from knowing. Reconnecting to that voice is not indulgent. It’s medicine.

This episode isn’t about telling you what to believe.
It’s about reminding you that you are wired for meaning.

And that you are never alone in your becoming.

If you’ve been walking through something hard…
If you’ve felt unmoored…
If you’ve wondered whether there’s something more…

This conversation is for you.

The Awakened Brain by Dr. Miller

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