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Have you ever noticed that even when you finally have time to rest....

you still can't?

You answer one more email.

Fold another load of washing.

Organise tomorrow.

Check on everyone else.

And before you know it, another opportunity to simply be has disappeared.

In this week's Conversations with Dr Nat, host Dr Nat Green explores why so many high-functioning women feel compelled to keep going—even when they're physically and emotionally exhausted.

Because what if the problem isn't your workload?

What if your nervous system learned, many years ago, that being strong meant never stopping?

Through deeply personal stories about her Mum, her own healing journey after PTSD, and decades of working with women who quietly carry everyone else, Dr Nat explores how the beliefs we absorb in childhood continue shaping our identity, our nervous system and our relationship with rest.

This isn't about blaming our parents.

It's about understanding ourselves with compassion.

Because once we understand where our patterns came from....

we finally have permission to choose differently.

In this episode we explore:

• Why so many high-functioning women struggle to slow down
• How childhood beliefs shape our relationship with work, productivity and rest
• Why your nervous system may feel safer doing than simply being
• The invisible identity patterns that keep women over-functioning
• How family role models influence our beliefs about strength and self-worth
• Why slowing down can feel uncomfortable—even when you desperately need it
• The difference between surviving and truly living
• Three gentle reflections to help you notice your own patterns this week

A Question To Sit With

Who taught you that being strong meant never stopping?

And perhaps even more importantly...

Is that belief still serving the woman you're becoming?

If this episode resonated...

Please share it with someone who has always been "the strong one."

Sometimes the women who hold everything together are the ones who most need permission to put the weight down.

Connect with Dr Nat

🌿 Discover your Archetype - Take the FREE Archetypes of Transformation Quiz here and discover the unconscious patterns shaping your identity and nervous system.

🎙️ Subscribe to Growing Tall Poppies so you never miss an episode.

💌 Subscribe to Conversations with Dr Nat - our Weekly connection here for weekly reflections designed to help you reconnect with yourself, increase your capacity, and gently become who you were always meant to be.

If this episode resonates with you then I'd love for you to hit SUBSCRIBE so you can keep updated with each new episode as soon as it's released and we'd be most grateful if you would give us a RATING as well. You can also find me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/drnatgreen/ or on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/DrNatalieGreen

Intro and Outro music: Inspired Ambient by Playsound.

Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational purposes only. It is not intended to be deemed or treated as psychological treatment or to replace the need for psychological treatment.

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Conversations with Dr Nat is a short weekly reflection for high-functioning women who are tired of just ‘surviving’ and ready to come home to themselves.

Have you ever finally had time to rest.... only to find yourself cleaning the house, answering emails or searching for something productive to do?

What if the problem isn't that you're bad at relaxing?

What if your nervous system simply doesn't feel safe slowing down?

In this second episode of Conversations with Dr Nat, host Dr Nat Green explores why so many high-functioning women struggle to rest—even when they're completely exhausted.

Through a deeply personal story from a long-awaited family holiday through Europe, Dr Nat reflects on the surprising moment she realised that being needed felt more familiar than simply receiving and allowing rest. It became a powerful reminder that many of us don't have a productivity problem at all—we have a permission problem.

This isn't a conversation about time management.

It's a conversation about identity, nervous system safety, and the beliefs we've quietly carried for years about worth, productivity and rest.

If you've ever felt guilty for slowing down...
If you've ever believed you needed to earn your rest...
If you've ever wondered why doing feels easier than simply being...

this conversation is for you.

In this episode we explore:

• Why rest can feel uncomfortable even when you're exhausted

• The hidden beliefs that make us feel we have to earn our worth

• How your nervous system learns what feels safe and familiar

• Why high-achieving women often struggle to slow down

• The difference between productivity and permission

• A personal story that changed the way I think about rest forever

• Three gentle reflections to help you notice your own patterns this week

A question to sit with

Who taught you that rest had to be earned?

If this episode resonated with you, I'd love you to share it with someone who is always looking after everyone else.

Sometimes the strongest people are the ones who most need to hear that they're allowed to stop.

Connect with Dr Nat

🌿 Discover your Archetype - Take the FREE Archetypes of Transformation Quiz here

🎙️ Subscribe to Growing Tall Poppies

💌 Subscribe to Conversations with Dr Nat - our Weekly connection here

If this episode resonates with you then I'd love for you to hit SUBSCRIBE so you can keep updated with each new episode as soon as it's released and we'd be most grateful if you would give us a RATING as well. You can also find me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/drnatgreen/ or on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/DrNatalieGreen

Intro and Outro music: Inspired Ambient by Playsound.

Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational purposes only. It is not intended to be deemed or treated as psychological treatment or to replace the need for psychological treatment.

Send us a Message to connect

Have you become the person everyone relies on?

The capable one.

The dependable one.

The one who remembers everything, carries everyone, and somehow keeps all the plates spinning.

From the outside, your life probably looks like you've got it together.

But underneath the surface...

you're quietly exhausted.

Not just physically.

Emotionally.

Mentally.

Nervous-system exhausted.

In this very first Conversations with Dr Nat, I'm sharing something I've been noticing in so many of the incredible women I speak with every week.... and, if I'm honest, something I've recognised in myself too.

This isn't a teaching episode.

It's simply a conversation.

A conversation about the hidden cost of always being the strong one, why slowing down can feel so uncomfortable, and how survival patterns can quietly become the way we live.

I also share a deeply personal story from a time when I realised that what I had always called resilience and been so proud of at the time was, in many ways, a nervous system doing everything it could to survive.

If you've ever caught yourself saying...

• "I'll rest once this settles down."

• "I've got it."

• "I'm fine."

• "I just need to get through this week."

...then I think this conversation might be exactly what you need today.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why so many high-functioning women feel exhausted, even when they appear to be coping
• The hidden mental load of always being the one everyone relies on
• Why people-pleasing, over-functioning and overthinking are often survival patterns rather than personality traits
• Why slowing down and accepting help can actually feel unsafe
• How your nervous system can link your worth to being useful, productive or needed
• Three gentle reflections to help you reconnect with yourself this week

This isn't about becoming stronger.

It's about understanding yourself with greater compassion.

Because perhaps the next chapter isn't about carrying more.

Perhaps it's finally feeling safe enough to put something down.

Key Takeaways

• Being the strong one often comes with an invisible emotional cost.
• Your nervous system isn't trying to exhaust you - it's trying to keep you safe.
• Rest can feel uncomfortable when you've learned that your worth comes from what you do rather than who you are.
• Reclaiming yourself isn't about becoming someone new. It's about remembering who you were before survival became your identity.

Connect with Dr Nat

If this conversation resonated with you, I'd genuinely love to hear from you.

Instagram: @drnatgreen

https://www.instagram.com/drnatgreen/

Facebook: Dr Natalie Green

Website: www.drnataliegreen.com.au

If you enjoyed this episode, I'd be so grateful if you followed the podcast, left a review, or shared it with someone who's spent far too long carrying everything on their own.

If this episode resonates with you then I'd love for you to hit SUBSCRIBE so you can keep updated with each new episode as soon as it's released and we'd be most grateful if you would give us a RATING as well. You can also find me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/drnatgreen/ or on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/DrNatalieGreen

Intro and Outro music: Inspired Ambient by Playsound.

Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational purposes only. It is not intended to be deemed or treated as psychological treatment or to replace the need for psychological treatment.

Send us a Message to connect

Burnout doesn't happen because you're weak.

More often, it happens because you've spent years being strong for everyone else.

In this deeply moving episode of Growing Tall Poppies, Dr Nat Green sits down with US Marine and Vietnam Veteran, author and speaker Keith A. Cole to explore the hidden cost of carrying trauma alone, the long road to burnout, and the powerful role that faith, connection and daily practices played in his recovery.

As a member of the US Marine Corps and Wounded three times during the Vietnam War, Keith returned home determined to simply keep going. He built a successful career as a CPA, became the guardian of his younger siblings after losing both parents, and worked tirelessly to provide for those around him. But beneath the surface, unresolved trauma, relentless responsibility and decades of pushing through eventually caught up with him.

Keith shares the moment everything changed, why asking for help became the strongest thing he ever did, and the practical recovery framework he now teaches to help others rebuild their lives after burnout.

Whether your trauma comes from combat, caregiving, childhood adversity, chronic stress or simply years of carrying too much, this conversation is a powerful reminder that healing isn't something you have to do alone.

In this episode we discuss:

• Keith's journey from Vietnam combat veteran to burnout survivor
• How unresolved trauma silently shapes our lives for decades
• Why high achievers often ignore the warning signs of burnout
• PTSD, hypervigilance and the long-term impact of chronic stress
• The hidden danger of believing you always have to be strong
• Why burnout is often the result of an overwhelmed nervous system
• The importance of connection and asking for support
• Keith's daily recovery framework built around action, gratitude, prayer, rest, exercise and intentional reflection
• Practical habits that support long-term recovery after trauma and burnout
• Why healing begins when we stop trying to carry everything on our own

Memorable quote

Connect with Keith A. Cole

Website: recoverybyfaith.com https://recoverybyfaith.com/

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/kacolecpa/

Book: (available online via Amazon and bookstores or via Keith's website)
Burnout: God's Recovery Plan – A Marine's Story of Trauma, Surrender, and Healing Through Faith

If this episode resonated with you, please subscribe, leave a review and share it with someone who may need the reminder that they don't have to carry their struggles alone.

If this episode resonates with you then I'd love for you to hit SUBSCRIBE so you can keep updated with each new episode as soon as it's released and we'd be most grateful if you would give us a RATING as well. You can also find me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/drnatgreen/ or on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/DrNatalieGreen

Intro and Outro music: Inspired Ambient by Playsound.

Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational purposes only. It is not intended to be deemed or treated as psychological treatment or to replace the need for psychological treatment.

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Some episodes are planned.

This wasn't one of them.

This week, I found myself walking alongside two very dear friends whose lives took completely different paths.

One is courageously facing the final chapter of a long battle with cancer, desperately wishing for more time.

The other survived a serious suicide attempt after reaching a place where another day felt impossible.

Holding those two realities within the space of twenty-four hours left me asking a question I couldn't shake:

How can one person fight so fiercely to stay alive while another no longer wants to?

After more than 35 years supporting people through trauma, grief, disasters, illness and life's most difficult moments, I've learned there are rarely simple answers.

But I have learned this...

We never truly know what another person is carrying.

In this deeply personal episode, I share what these two extraordinary friends taught me about compassion, hope, invisible suffering, presence, nervous system regulation and what it really means to walk beside someone without trying to fix them.

This isn't an episode about having all the answers.

It's an invitation to become a little more curious, a little less judgmental, and a little more present with the people we love.

In this episode you'll discover:

• Why suffering can't be measured from the outside.
• The profound difference between carrying someone's pain and walking beside them.
• Why presence is often more healing than advice.
• What 35 years of supporting people through trauma has taught me about being human.
• How to stay compassionate without becoming emotionally exhausted.
• Why nervous system regulation matters most during life's hardest moments.
• Three simple questions that may change the way you move through this week.

If this conversation touches your heart, I'd love you to share it with someone who may need the reminder that they are not alone.

And if you're the one carrying more than anyone knows, please don't carry it alone. Reach out to someone you trust, your GP, a mental health professional, or a crisis support service in your area. There is support available, and you deserve it as you are worth it !

If this episode resonates with you then I'd love for you to hit SUBSCRIBE so you can keep updated with each new episode as soon as it's released and we'd be most grateful if you would give us a RATING as well. You can also find me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/drnatgreen/ or on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/DrNatalieGreen

Intro and Outro music: Inspired Ambient by Playsound.

Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational purposes only. It is not intended to be deemed or treated as psychological treatment or to replace the need for psychological treatment.

Send us a Message to connect

What does it take to rebuild your life from nothing?

In this inspiring episode of Growing Tall Poppies: Thrive After Trauma, Dr Nat Green sits down with Michelle Doan, founder of Emani Vegan Cosmetics, to explore an extraordinary journey of resilience, determination and post-traumatic growth.

Born in Vietnam, Michelle was just nine years old when her mother fled the country with six children aboard an overcrowded refugee boat following the fall of Saigon. After surviving a perilous journey, spending almost a year in a refugee camp in Thailand and eventually settling in Canada before moving to California, Michelle's life became a testament to the power of perseverance, curiosity and hope.

Together, Nat and Michelle explore how adversity shaped Michelle's mindset, the lessons she learned through business, motherhood and personal challenges, and why learning to receive became one of the most important shifts in her healing journey.

Michelle also shares practical wisdom around self-awareness, gratitude, mindset and creating a life aligned with your values.

In this episode, we discuss:

✨ Surviving a refugee journey from Vietnam as a child

✨ The resilience lessons learned from her mother's courage

✨ Starting a beauty company after years of struggling with cystic acne

✨ Why curiosity can become one of your greatest strengths

✨ The role of mindset in post-traumatic growth

✨ Learning to recognise and quiet the inner critic

✨ Books that transformed Michelle's perspective on life

✨ The importance of gratitude and daily practices

✨ Boundaries, values and raising resilient children

✨ Why many women struggle to receive support, love and success

✨ How adversity can become the foundation for purpose and impact

Key Quotes

Influential Resources Mentioned

• The Untethered Soul – Michael Singer
• The Art of Living – Thich Nhat Hanh
• Don't Believe Everything You Think – Joseph Nguyen
• Louise Hay's work on gratitude, healing and self-worth

Connect with Michelle

🌐 Emani Cosmetics

Emani Australia

Instagram

Facebook

LinkedIn

If this episode resonates with you then I'd love for you to hit SUBSCRIBE so you can keep updated with each new episode as soon as it's released and we'd be most grateful if you would give us a RATING as well. You can also find me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/drnatgreen/ or on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/DrNatalieGreen

Intro and Outro music: Inspired Ambient by Playsound.

Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational purposes only. It is not intended to be deemed or treated as psychological treatment or to replace the need for psychological treatment.

Send us a Message to connect

What if the answers you've been searching for aren't outside of you at all?

In this deeply insightful conversation, Dr Nat Green is joined by Jennifer Urezzio, founder of Soul Language®, intuitive strategist, and self-described "soul whisperer and BS incinerator."

Together, they explore the powerful connection between trauma, self-trust, intuition, and authentic expression—and why so many of us become trapped looking for answers externally while ignoring the wisdom already within us.

Jennifer shares her own journey of learning to stop dismissing life's wake-up calls, embrace her authentic nature, and trust the deeper guidance available through conscious connection with the soul.

This episode is a powerful reminder that healing isn't about becoming someone else—it's about remembering who you've always been.

In This Episode We Explore:

✨ Why so many people become trapped in the endless search for "how"

✨ The relationship between trauma, self-trust, and intuition

✨ What it really means to trust yourself

✨ Why ignoring red flags often leads to repeating painful patterns

✨ The subtle forms of trauma that often go unrecognised

✨ How people-pleasing and self-abandonment disconnect us from our authentic selves

✨ The difference between accepting yourself and trying to fix yourself

✨ Jennifer's "Relationship House" model for creating healthy boundaries

✨ Why healing is a marathon, not a one-time breakthrough

✨ How Soul Language® helps people reconnect with their inner truth and purpose

✨ The importance of courage, integrity, self-compassion, and acceptance in post-traumatic growth

Memorable Quotes From This Episode

About Jennifer Urezzio

Jennifer Urezzio is the founder of Soul Language®, an intuitive framework designed to help people reconnect with their inner truth, purpose, and authentic expression. Through her work, she helps individuals understand how they are using their energy, strengthen their connection to their soul, and create lives and businesses that are aligned with who they truly are.

Connect with Jennifer

🌐 Website: Soul Language

🎙️ Podcast: Asked and Answered by Soul

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/soullanguagefounder/

📚 Substack: Jennifer Urezzio Substack

Podcast Episode mentioned :- Your Relationship House : The Key To Clarity And Boundaries

If this episode resonates with you then I'd love for you to hit SUBSCRIBE so you can keep updated with each new episode as soon as it's released and we'd be most grateful if you would give us a RATING as well. You can also find me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/drnatgreen/ or on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/DrNatalieGreen

Intro and Outro music: Inspired Ambient by Playsound.

Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational purposes only. It is not intended to be deemed or treated as psychological treatment or to replace the need for psychological treatment.

Send us a Message to connect

You've done the therapy. You've read the books. You've attended the workshops, listened to the podcasts, and invested in your personal growth.

So why do you still feel stuck?

Why do the same patterns keep showing up?

Why do you keep hitting the same invisible ceiling despite everything you know?

In this powerful solo episode, Dr Nat Green introduces one of the foundational concepts behind her evolving body of work: Identity Fractures.

An Identity Fracture occurs when life teaches us that being fully ourselves isn't safe. Over time, we adapt in order to belong, survive, avoid criticism, or protect ourselves from pain. Eventually, those adaptations become our identity—and the authentic self becomes buried beneath layers of protection.

In this episode, Dr Nat explores:

✨ What an Identity Fracture is and how it develops

✨ The difference between trauma and Identity Fractures

✨ Why so many intelligent, self-aware people still feel stuck after years of personal development

✨ How Identity Fractures create Invisible Ceilings in business, relationships, health, confidence and visibility

✨ The connection between your nervous system and self-sabotaging patterns

✨ The Three Brains Model: Head, Heart and Gut

✨ Why overthinking, perfectionism, people-pleasing, hyper-independence and busyness are often protection strategies rather than personality traits

✨ How your Archetype of Transformation influences the way your Identity Fracture shows up

✨ Why insight alone isn't enough to create lasting change

✨ How the ABS Method® helps you Reclaim, Release and Reset so you can reconnect with who you truly are

This episode will challenge you to consider a powerful question:

What part of me is still protecting an older version of who I needed to be?

If you've ever felt like there's more available to you but something keeps holding you back, this conversation may help you understand why.

Key Takeaways

✔ Identity Fractures form when we adapt away from our authentic self to feel safe.

✔ Invisible Ceilings are usually internal rather than external.

✔ Overthinking, perfectionism, people-pleasing and busyness are frequently protection strategies.

✔ Healing isn't about becoming someone new—it's about reconnecting with who you've always been.

✔ Sustainable transformation requires both awareness and nervous system safety.

Resources Mentioned

• ABS Method®
• Archetypes of Transformation™
• TRE (Tension & Trauma Releasing Exercises)
• Identity Mapping Sessions (to discover your Identity Fracture)

Connect with Dr Nat Green

🌐 Website: Dr Natalie Green

📧 Email: drnat@drnataliegreen.com.au

📱 Instagram: @drnatgreen

📱 Facebook: Dr Natalie Green

Memorable Quote From This Episode

"You are not broken. You adapted too well." - Dr Nat Green

And perhaps it's time to remember who you really are. ✨

If this episode resonates with you then I'd love for you to hit SUBSCRIBE so you can keep updated with each new episode as soon as it's released and we'd be most grateful if you would give us a RATING as well. You can also find me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/drnatgreen/ or on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/DrNatalieGreen

Intro and Outro music: Inspired Ambient by Playsound.

Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational purposes only. It is not intended to be deemed or treated as psychological treatment or to replace the need for psychological treatment.