80. Making Space for All of You: A New Way to Think About Growth with Therapist Sara Eisemann

Today, I’m speaking with Sara Eisemann. Sara is a licensed clinical therapist and educator based in Oak Park, Michigan. Sara currently serves as Co-Director of Education for Core's Mashpia Mentor Counselor (MMC) Training Program—a rigorous two-and-a-half-year initiative that equips women to provide Torah-based spiritual mentorship and emotional support within their communities. In addition to her clinical work, Sara is a certified dating coach. She is a regular contributor to Family First and she hosted the MakeShift podcast. Today, Sara is speaking about the concept of “shalom,” or finding peace within all of the parts that make up who you are. In her clinical work, she’s come to see it as the thread that goes through so many different issues that come up with her clients. As we move through Elul and gear up for the chagim, it’s a transformational framework to keep in mind. In the episode she uses this mindset to speak about: -What shalom looks like within a family, community and within yourself -How this helps a recovering perfectionist move away from unrealistic standards -How we can make space for the “and” in life — the things that bring us joy and challenge at the same time, or the parts of ourselves that we both like and struggle with, for example -Letting our authentic selves come through and getting rid of the “shoulds” that come up in any scenario  -How we can avoid getting caught up in the worry about what others think of us and put more emphasis on what we think of ourselves -The power of this work and how it’s designed to help you stay in the healthy headspace it creates …and so much more! While this topic may feel esoteric or lofty on the surface, it is filled with practical steps and shifts that you can make as soon as you turn off the episode. As we move through Elul and this period of self-reflection, it will help unlock that version of yourself you are striving for — or honestly, just let her come through.