Love, Happiness and Success with Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby

For those of you so deeply affected by the latest crazy-making experience in your toxic workplace that you're almost too stunned to type... For those of you sitting at your desk, cradling your head in your hands... For those of you frantically searching co-workers’ faces for clues, wondering if you’re the only one noticing the madness... This podcast is for you. On this episode of the Love, Happiness and Success Podcast I'm joined by expert career and executive coach. She's sharing her best career advice for how to tell if your workplace is toxic, and if so, how to survive... and ultimately move on victoriously. Links to the resources we discussed here: https://www.growingself.com/toxic-workplace-career-advice All the best,  Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby www.growingself.com

In our hectic, demanding lives, it's easy to lose sight of ourselves: Who we are, how we feel and what we need. Even more challenging can be figuring out how to assert all-of-the-above in our relationships with others. This is particularly true if you've been existing in a toxic relationshipor codependent relationship, or navigating the aftermath of a bad breakup. In the midst of stressful circumstances, attaining empowerment can seem out of reach — especially when you've been focused outwards rather than within.   Attaining Empowerment On today's show my colleague, therapist and life coach Teena Evert and I are talking about many of the "pieces" involved with cultivating personal empowerment, including: Mindful self-awareness Building self-loveand self-compassion Why building a sustainable self-care routineis key to maintaining your solid foundation How stress can impact your empowerment The need to create balance by staying aware of your feelings How to be assertive and set boundaries in relationships... while also being flexible Trusting yourself How to ask for what you need... while also having compassion and empathy for people you love Developing a sense of self worth that is independent of external validation How to not give your power away, blame others, or lose yourself in relationships How to not fear your own power I hope our conversation gives you insight into how to begin cultivating empowerment in your life. With love and respect, Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby www.growingself.com PS: We discussed a number of resources on the show today. Find links to them here: https://www.growingself.com/self-empowerment

Are you on pins and needles, riddled with anxiety about a new relationship? You're not alone. For most of our dating coaching clients, the "dating" part is not that hard. You put a profile together, attend social functions with a smile on your face, and you're going to have opportunities. Going on an actual date or three is not the biggest deal. What IS the biggest deal, and what our dating coaching clients really struggle with, is how to manage all the anxiety, insecurity, and angst about the unknown that comes with finding someone they really like and who they've started seeing regularly. That's when all the questions come up. Today, on the Love, Happiness and Success Podcast, I'm tackling some of your new relationship questions in hopes of putting some of that new relationship anxiety to rest. We'll discuss: How to manage new relationship anxiety The stages of a new relationship New relationship questions When to bring up topics like dating exclusively, or how you really feel Things to look for that indicate red flags and / or compatibility When you should move forward dating someone with a history of depression or other issues (and when to fold 'em). What to do when someone you like hasn't called or texted in a while, or gives other signals that they might not be that into you How to put self-love and self-worth front and center of all new dating relationships How to move a new relationship forward without "scaring someone off" All that, and more, on the podcast. Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby www.growingself.com PS: Resources we discussed on the show: The How Healthy is Your Relationship Quiz, and How to Cultivate Healthy Self-Love PPS: Do YOU have questions for me? Dating questions, or otherwise? Leave them in the comments: I read every one! :)

Your relationship with your parents is one of the most formative — and sometimes most complicated — relationships of your adult life. Even if you're well into your 30s or 40s, the dynamics you grew up with don't just disappear. And whether your parents are critical and hurtful, overly involved, struggling with their own issues, or simply not the people you wish they had been — navigating all of that as an adult takes real work. In this episode of the Love, Happiness and Success Podcast, I'm walking through the most common parent-related challenges I hear about from clients and listeners, and what you can actually do about them. We'll cover: The natural developmental arc of the parent-child relationship and what it looks like when it gets stuck What to do when your parents are critical, hurtful, or emotionally unsafe — and how to stop personalizing their behavior How to handle parents who are loving but overly involved, and what to do when that dynamic is straining your relationship with your partner What it means when your parent has become emotionally or financially dependent on you, and how to begin shifting that dynamic How to work through resentment, grief, and unfinished business from your childhood Why family therapy with a parent as an adult can be surprisingly powerful How setting healthier boundaries with your parents can actually help them grow too This one is for anyone who has ever loved their parents and also found them incredibly hard to deal with. With love, Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby www.GrowingSelf.com

Going through a breakup can feel like emotional whiplash. One day you’re angry, the next you’re crying, and somehow you still miss the person who hurt you. If you've ever wondered, “How much more healing do I have to do?” — this episode is for you. In this deep dive, I’m walking you through the stages of a breakup so you can understand what’s happening inside you, where you are in your healing, and get the clarity on what you need to do to move forward. Breakup recovery isn’t linear — it’s layered, emotional, and sometimes messy. But when you understand the stage you’re in, you can take back your power and do the exact work your heart needs. Whether you’re still obsessing over your ex, stuck in grief, or wondering why you feel fine one minute and wrecked the next, this episode will help you normalize your experience and give you a clear roadmap to healing. Timestamps: 00:00 – Why Breakup Recovery Matters 02:35 – Who I Am and Why I Care (More Than You Know) 05:30 – My Own Breakup Story (And Why It Shaped Everything) 07:58 – The Science Behind Breakup Recovery 17:23 – The 7 Stages of Healing (and Why They're Not Linear) 19:03 – Stage 1: Craving Contact with Your Ex 23:35 – Stage 2: Deciding It's Really Over 38:02 – Stage 3: The Grief Hits (Hard) 41:08 – Stage 4: Working Through Anger, Guilt & Shame 50:04 – Stage 5: How to Stop Thinking About Your Ex 52:03 – Stage 6: Learning from the Pain (Without Blaming Yourself) 57:14 – Stage 7: Trusting Yourself to Love Again 01:05:01 – What Healing Actually Looks Like 01:09:39 – Listener Q&A: Real Breakup Stories & Support Navigating the 9 stages of a breakup can be an incredibly emotional and disorienting journey. But one thing is clear: there is a path forward and you don’t have to walk it by yourself. Here are a few resources to take the next step toward healing. 👉 Check out my free breakup recovery quiz: How Over Your Ex Are You? It’s designed to help you understand what stage of healing you’re currently in, and more importantly, what you need to focus on to move forward. Whether you’re stuck in anger, bargaining, or detachment, this quiz offers personalized insights that can help you make sense of your emotions and gain clarity on what comes next. If you're ready to talk to someone who truly understands what you're going through and can help you move forward, we’re here for you. Our team at Growing Self specializes in helping people heal from heartbreak—not just to feel better, but to grow into stronger, wiser, more empowered versions of themselves. 👉 Schedule a free consultation with one of the expert counselors or coaches on our team. This isn’t just about moving on—it’s about creating your new beginning.  Xoxo Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby www.growingself.com P.S. Know someone who’s going through it right now? Share this article with a friend who could use some clarity, comfort, and hope. You never know how much a simple message can help someone feel less alone.

Break up or stay together? Who hasn't wondered the same, during a seriously difficult time in their relationship? Or, entertained an even bigger question: Should you try to save a relationship? How hard should you work? Especially a relationship that has been feeling really hard and unsatisfying for a long time? How do you know when it's time to call it quits?   Because deciding whether to break up or stay together is such a hard decision, we have many questions come through from clients, listeners of our podcast, and readers of our blog wanting help in deciding if their relationship can be saved, or if it's time to throw in the towel. They want to know things like: "How long should it take to see improvement in my relationship?" "In my heart, I don't want to be married to this person anymore. Will it ever come back?" "Is what I'm seeing solvable, or is this a sign we should break up?" "Once a cheater, always a cheater? Or can you have a good relationship after infidelity?" "I'm not being treated well by my boyfriend. Can this change?" "How do I know if I've tried hard enough to save my relationship?" If you've been going through a hard time in your relationship that has led you to have doubts, I hope that this episode of the Love, Happiness and Success Podcast can help shed some light on signs that it's time to break up, or whether your relationship can be saved. Sincerely, Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby P.S. We discussed a number of resources on this show. Here's where to find the links to all of them: https://bit.ly/2Pga85B

How to Create The Career and Life You Want The fall season is nearly upon us, and with it comes fresh, transformational energy. If you're like many people showing up at Growing Self for life coaching, career coaching or therapy right now, it's because this is the time of year to let go of the old, get re-aquainted with yourself, and design new goals for the next chapter of your life. To support you in your quest for personal evolution, life coach and career coach will be sharing her advice for how to move forward fearlessly in your career, your life and your relationships. On this episode of the Love, Happiness and Success Podcast we're talking about: How to organize your life around what brings you the most energy and fulfillment Identifying the self limiting beliefs that may be holding you back Avoiding the common, self-sabotaging traps of perfectionism and negative self-talk Resources to help you to get clear about your values and your goals Key skills to making good decisions about where to go next with your life How to transform your personal and professional relationships Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby www.growingself.com

Miscarriage or infertility can be very hard to talk about, and the lack of support for women and couples going through it can make it even harder to know where to go for help. For this reason, I've invited Growing Self marriage counselor, therapist, women's health and fertility expert Sonya J to join me on the Love, Happiness and Success Podcast. We're talking about: What women who are grieving after pregnancy loss need from their partners, family and friends. How the healthcare system fails to support the emotional needs of women and couples going through the experience of miscarriage or infertility. How couples are impacted by infertility and pregnancy loss, and how they can support each other through it. How couples can protect their sexual relationship as they are dealing with infertility. The difference between simple and complex grief, and how to heal emotionally after a loss. If you've been dealing with this extremely difficult life experience, we hope that you join us and listen to this episode of the Love, Happiness and Success Podcast. Sincerely, Lisa Marie Bobby, PhD, LMFT, BCC www.growingself.com

Any good marriage counselor or couples therapist will tell you that sex isn't the ONLY thing in a great relationship. Friendship, teamwork, communication, emotional safety, respect, and appreciation are all fundamentally important too. And yet, even when all those strengths are present, if you're not connecting sexually over a long period of time... eventually lack of physical intimacy can erode even the best relationship. To help us understand the most common sexual problems that couples encounter, and how to resolve them, I've invited expert sex therapist Dori Bagi to speak with us on this episode of the Love, Happiness and Success Podcast. We'll be discussing: Why couples often have differences in sexual desire (meaning one person wants to have sex more than the other) and what you can do about it. The role that pornography can play in a relationship —  both positive, and negative. Why body image and self-esteem issues are so often at the root of sexual problems, and how you can work together as a couple to resolve them. Differences in the sexual response cycle between men and women, and how understanding arousal can help you both develop a stronger sexual connection. How to talk about your sexual relationship in a healthy and constructive way. Hope this conversation helps you find your way back together again... Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby www.growingself.com

You've worked hard, achieved a lot, and built a life that looks great from the outside. So why does it still feel like it's never enough? If you're someone who has checked all the boxes and still walks around with that quiet gnawing feeling that you're falling short, you're not alone. This is one of the most common things I see in my practice: driven, accomplished people who can't enjoy what they've built because the bar keeps moving and the satisfaction never comes. In this episode of the Love, Happiness and Success Podcast, I'm digging into why accomplishment so rarely leads to lasting satisfaction, and what you can actually do about it. We'll cover: Why ambition becomes a problem when it's rooted in fear rather than genuine drive The "hedonic treadmill" and why achievement will never create authentic happiness on its own How to reconnect with everything you've already accomplished and actually feel proud of it Why your self-worth and your achievements need to be separated and how to start doing that How to recognize and talk back to that inner voice that's never satisfied with you What actually creates lasting happiness according to positive psychology research Four concrete strategies you can start using today to finally feel good enough With love, Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby www.GrowingSelf.com