Perfectly Imperfect Me 365

In this solo episode, Rachel, licensed psychotherapist, dives into the differences between panic attacks and anxiety attacks. She shares her personal experiences and provides clear insights into what’s happening in your mind and body during these intense moments. Listeners will gain a deeper understanding of why these experiences can feel overwhelming and learn how to distinguish one from the other.

Rachel also offers practical s...

In this episode, Rachel speaks from the heart as she reflects on the tragic shooting at a Hanukkah celebration in Bondi Beach, Australia—a place deeply personal to her and now forever marked by heartbreaking loss. What happened hits close to home, and Rachel shares her emotional response to the tragedy while acknowledging the pain felt by so many around the world.

This conversation goes beyond the headlines. Rachel addresses the ...

In this episode: Marcus Smith II shares his journey from being a first-round NFL Draft pick to quietly battling anxiety, depression, and the loss of identity outside of football. We explore the immense pressure athletes face to perform, the culture of silence around mental health, and how those unspoken struggles nearly cost Marcus his life. Through therapy, vulnerability, and the courage to stop hiding, Marcus began to heal and re...

In this heartfelt conversation, Rachel speaks with Bryan and Danielle Docobo, a couple who have turned their personal tragedy into a mission of advocacy for rare disease families. Their boys, Liam and Ethan were both diagnosed with a rare genetic condition known as Coats Plus Syndrome by a team at Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital. They share their journey of navigating grief after the loss of their son Ethan, while also fighting fo...

In this episode, Rachel talks about the emotional toll of denying who you are or who you love—and the quiet, often unseen ways it impacts your mental health. This is a gentle, honest conversation about the cost of hiding, the weight of shame, and why living out of alignment with yourself can lead to anxiety, depression, loneliness, and disconnection.

Together, we unpack:

• why authenticity is a core psychological need

• how chr...

Ever catch yourself jumping in to fix everyone’s problems… then getting mad when no one changes? Or feeling powerless and wondering why life keeps happening to you? Welcome to the Drama Triangle — where the Victim, Rescuer, and Persecutor take turns running your relationships into the ground.

In this episode, I share what my own therapist pointed out to me this week (spoiler: I was deep in the rescuer role 🙃), and we unpack what D...

The holidays are coming — and with them, a whole storm of emotions, expectations, and family chaos wrapped in shiny paper. In this episode, I’m breaking down why the holidays hit so hard for so many of us (hint: it’s not just the in-laws or the turkey), and how to handle it with real, evidence-based tools that actually work.

We’ll talk about: 🎄 Why family dynamics resurface the second you walk through the door 🧠 How anxiety, grie...

In this episode, we chat with Kat, a survivor of domestic violence, PTSD, and single motherhood at 16.

She opens the doors on trauma and shines the light on the hidden scars of emotional and psychological abuse.

She speaks with raw honesty about the lasting impact of trauma, the power of boundaries, and how self-worth plays a critical role in healing.

In this episode of Perfectly Imperfect Me 365, Rachel explores the cultural phenomenon of burnout, discussing its origins, impacts, and coping strategies. She emphasizes that burnout is not a personal failure but a societal issue that many face. The conversation delves into the unhealthy coping mechanisms people often resort to and highlights healthier strategies for recovery, including radical acceptance and reconnecting with pers...

In this episode of Perfectly Imperfect Me, Rachel discusses the common misconception that motivation is the key to taking action. She explains that motivation is a fleeting feeling rather than a reliable behavior. Instead of waiting for motivation to strike, Rachel offers practical strategies to overcome procrastination and get started on tasks, emphasizing the importance of breaking tasks down into smaller steps, validating onesel...

In this episode, Rachel explores the cultural discourse surrounding Taylor Swift's latest album, addressing the polarized interpretations of her lyrics. She emphasizes the importance of dialectical thinking, advocating for the ability to hold multiple truths simultaneously rather than succumbing to binary thinking. Rachel critiques the societal tendency to label cultural figures as either conservative or liberal, arguing that this ...

Trigger warning: frank talk about self-harm and suicidal thoughts. In this fast-paced, honest episode I sit with you like a friend and a DBT therapist to explain why people with Borderline Personality Disorder engage in self-harm, how to spot the difference between coping behavior and suicidal intent, and practical, compassionate ways to help—whether you’re the person struggling or someone who loves them. Includes quick DBT tools, ...

In this episode, Rachel discusses the phenomenon of religious psychosis and extreme apocalyptic beliefs, particularly in the context of the failed doomsday prediction for September 23rd. She explores the psychological and emotional fallout for families affected by these beliefs, including financial instability, generational trauma, and mental health issues. Rachel also offers coping strategies for those dealing with loved ones in s...

Borderline Personality Disorder is one of the most misunderstood and stigmatized mental health diagnoses out there. In this episode, I’m breaking down the biggest myths—like “people with BPD are manipulative,” “BPD is untreatable,” or “they’re just attention-seeking”—and explaining why these stereotypes are flat-out wrong.

As a DBT therapist, I’ll walk you through what’s really going on beneath the surface, how BPD actually shows u...

In today's episode, we're going to unpack the Sadia Khan scandal and use it to discuss a wider problem: when influencer brands borrow clinical language, how does that harm clients and licensed professionals? We'll will give you practical tips for verifying credentials and protecting your mental health online. Rachel is talking about allegations reported in public sources — not claiming any court or regulator has convicted anyone he...

Nobody warns you about the chapter of life where the roles flip—when your parent becomes the one who needs you. In this episode, I share my own story of navigating life as an adult child caring for my dad: the late-night hospital calls, the constant “clean up crew” work of canceling scams and subscriptions he never needed, and the emotional rollercoaster of balancing his independence with his safety.

It’s raw, messy, and sometimes ...

We’ve all heard people say, “I’m so OCD about my closet” or “I’m OCD about my desk.” But here’s the truth: liking things neat is a preference, not a disorder. In this episode, I break down the real difference between enjoying organization and living with obsessive-compulsive disorder.

We’ll talk about what OCD actually is — the cycle of intrusive thoughts and compulsions — and how it can seriously interfere with daily life, relatio...

What happens when you’re the friend who stays home while everyone else leaves for college? This episode dives into the quiet heartbreak of watching your best friends live out their “college dream” while you’re still in your childhood bedroom. We’ll talk about the grief no one acknowledges, the loneliness of feeling left behind, and why staying home doesn’t mean you’re falling behind. If you’ve ever scrolled through your friends’ hi...