What if the parts of you that feel chaotic or extreme… are actually trying to keep you safe?

As part of our special summer sabbatical series, I’m sharing conversations that have profoundly shaped my inner work—and today’s episode with Cece Sykes is one I’ve returned to again and again.

Cece is a senior IFS trainer and trauma therapist who brings deep wisdom and warmth to the conversation around protective parts, legacy burdens, and the nervous system's role in inner healing.

This isn’t about managing your behaviors or controlling your reactions. It’s about understanding where those patterns come from—and gently helping the parts of you that carry fear, chaos, or pain feel seen, soothed, and supported.

Whether you're navigating emotional intensity, healing family patterns, or simply wanting to feel more grounded in your body and life, this episode will offer both insight and encouragement.

1️⃣ Even the Most Reactive Parts Have a Story

Cece shares how our most overwhelming internal responses are often rooted in protection—and how compassion can unlock the healing they need.

2️⃣ Legacy Burdens Can Be Released

We talk about the inherited emotional patterns many of us carry—and how IFS offers a path to healing not just for ourselves, but for the generations before and after us.

3️⃣ Regulation Makes Healing Possible

True transformation happens when our system feels safe. Cece unpacks how nervous system regulation supports the work of inner connection and lasting change.

This episode is an invitation to meet your inner world with tenderness—and to remember that no part of you is too much, too broken, or beyond healing.

Because when we honor the wisdom in our wounds, we begin to truly come home to ourselves.

Resources:

• Cece Sykes
• Free Guide: 7 Hidden Ways Your Unresolved Wounds Are Sabotaging Your Business
• Subscribe to Sara’s Sunday Journal
• Connect with Sara on Instagram

What if the parts of you that feel most unworthy… are actually the ones most in need of love?

As part of our special summer sabbatical series, I’m sharing conversations that have deeply shaped my healing path—and today’s episode is a powerful one.

I’m joined by Rina Dubin, a seasoned psychotherapist and IFS trainer, to explore how Internal Family Systems can help us navigate shame, reconnect with our inherent worth, and transform our relationship with the parts of us we’ve learned to hide.

This isn’t about pushing through or perfecting yourself. It’s about gently turning toward the parts that feel tender, critical, or afraid—and learning how to meet them with spacious compassion.

Whether you’ve wrestled with an inner critic, carried the weight of unworthiness, or longed for more self-acceptance, this conversation offers a pathway back to wholeness.

1️⃣ Shame Can’t Be Healed with Force

Rina explains how shame is often held by parts that were trying to protect us—and how IFS invites us to meet those parts with empathy, not urgency.

2️⃣ Self-Worth Comes from Relationship, Not Performance

True confidence doesn’t come from proving yourself. It comes from nurturing trust with your internal system and leading from your Self.

3️⃣ Even the Inner Critic Has a Purpose

When we stop fighting our inner critic and start listening to its fears, we often find it’s been trying to protect something vulnerable all along.

This episode is an invitation to befriend the parts of you that feel least lovable—and to discover the quiet, steady presence of the Self within.

Because real healing begins when we stop trying to fix ourselves… and start showing up with compassion for every part of who we are.

Resources:

• Rina Dubin
• Free Guide: 7 Hidden Ways Your Unresolved Wounds Are Sabotaging Your Business
• Subscribe to Sara’s Sunday Journal
• Connect with Sara on Instagram

What if healing didn’t mean fixing yourself—but deepening your relationship with what’s already inside you?

As part of our special summer sabbatical series, I’m sharing conversations that have shaped my own inner journey—and today’s episode is one of the most powerful.

I’m joined by Michelle Glass, a certified IFS practitioner and author of Daily Parts Meditation Practice, to explore how a simple daily ritual can create profound emotional integration, spiritual alignment, and personal transformation.

This isn’t about doing IFS “right.” It’s about showing up with care, curiosity, and consistency—and learning how to lead your life from your true Self.

Whether you’re brand new to Internal Family Systems or ready to deepen your daily practice, this conversation will meet you right where you are.

1️⃣ Ritual Creates Relationship

IFS isn’t just for therapy sessions. Michelle shares how daily check-ins with your parts can build trust, reduce reactivity, and help you live from a place of grounded inner leadership.

2️⃣ Healing Doesn’t Have to Be Dramatic

You don’t need to wait for a breakdown or a breakthrough. With a few minutes a day, you can gently unwind old patterns and create more space for your truest self to lead.

3️⃣ You Already Have What You Need

Your system is wise. This episode will remind you that your inner world isn’t broken—it’s waiting to be witnessed, loved, and led with compassion.

This is your invitation to slow down, tune in, and discover the healing power of this simple practice.

Because lasting transformation doesn’t come from efforting—it comes from meeting yourself, every day, with love.

Resources:

• Michelle Glass
• Free Guide: 7 Hidden Ways Your Unresolved Wounds Are Sabotaging Your Business
• Subscribe to Sara’s Sunday Journal
• Connect with Sara on Instagram

What if the most powerful move you make in your business this year… is to pause?

I’m taking six full weeks off this summer—for rest, renewal, and presence during one of the most meaningful seasons of my life.

And, today, I’m taking you behind the scenes on how I’m making this happen.

This isn’t about checking out or giving up. It’s about building a business that can hold you, not drain you. It’s about honoring the seasons of your life as much as the seasons of your launch calendar.

Whether you’re dreaming of a long weekend, a two-week unplug, or your first full sabbatical—this conversation will give you the mindset shifts, systems, and permission you need to make it real.

HERE ARE 3 KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE:

1️⃣ Rest is a Growth Strategy.

When you honor your natural rhythms, your business benefits. I share how extended time off has made me more creative, grounded, and profitable—and why your nervous system might be the most overlooked business asset you have.

2️⃣ Structure Creates Freedom.

From content batching and client scheduling to team planning and clear communication—I walk you through the behind-the-scenes systems that make a six-week sabbatical not just possible, but peaceful.

3️⃣ You Don’t Have to Earn Rest.

We unpack the cultural conditioning that says you need to hustle before you deserve to exhale—and why choosing rest as a proactive practice can shift everything about how you show up in your work and life.

This episode is your permission slip to build something spacious and sustainable.

Because rest isn’t where the work stops. It’s where the real work begins.

Resources:

• Free Guide: 7 Hidden Ways Your Unresolved Wounds Are Sabotaging Your Business
• Subscribe to Sara’s Sunday Journal
• Connect with Sara on Instagram

What if the way you plan your wedding could teach you everything you need to know about building a business?

I’m getting married in August! And, this week, I’m taking you behind the scenes of planning my wedding—and the surprising lessons it’s revealed about entrepreneurship, leadership, and intentional creation.

From timelines and vision boards to budget priorities and dress fittings, I’ve found that many of the same principles that shape a meaningful ceremony also shape a soul-aligned business.

Whether you're mapping your next launch or navigating a big life transition, this episode offers five grounded, grace-filled insights for creating anything with intention, joy, and authenticity.

HERE ARE 3 KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE:

1️⃣ Reverse Engineer with Spaciousness.

Starting early and working backwards isn't just a planning strategy—it’s a nervous system strategy. I share how creating breathing room invites inspiration and reduces last-minute stress in both weddings and work.

2️⃣ Design What Feels Like You.

Ditch the rulebook. From pizza trucks to intimate dinner parties, I talk about how aligning every detail with your values allows the experience to reflect who you truly are—whether you're curating a celebration or building a brand.

3️⃣ Simplicity is a Power Move.

Intentional beauty and clean design aren’t luxuries—they're strategy. Learn why paring back can create a more powerful impact for your business and your audience.

Resources:

• Free Guide: 7 Hidden Ways Your Unresolved Wounds Are Sabotaging Your Business
• Subscribe to Sara’s Sunday Journal
• Connect with Sara on Instagram

What if the dream that keeps whispering to you isn’t random—but a compass pointing you home?

In this intimate episode, I share the personal story behind one of the biggest decisions of my life: moving to France. Not for a sabbatical or a season, but as the next chapter in how I live, love, and lead.

This isn’t just about relocating. It’s about what happens when we stop waiting for the “right time” and start honoring the dreams that have quietly endured for decades.

From middle school French class to a life-altering moment in IFS therapy, I trace the threads of a longing that never let go—and how I’m finally giving it space to unfold.

Whether you’re navigating change, craving reinvention, or revisiting the road not taken, this episode is a heartfelt invitation to trust the pull of what still calls you.

HERE ARE 3 KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE:

1️⃣ Your Soul’s Timing Isn’t Linear.

Sometimes dreams take years—or decades—to come to life. That doesn’t make them less right. I share how long-held desires often reveal our most aligned next steps.

2️⃣ Healing Old Regret Can Open New Portals.

I walk you through a powerful IFS session that helped me heal a pivotal moment of regret—and how it set this move in motion years later.

3️⃣ You Don’t Need to Justify What Brings You Alive.

There’s no perfect timing, only the one that feels true. I explore how we can stop seeking external permission and start leading our lives from deep internal resonance.

If you’ve ever said, “Maybe someday…” but aren’t sure when that day will come…

This conversation is your reminder: the dream still matters.

Resources:

• Free Guide: 7 Hidden Ways Your Unresolved Wounds Are Sabotaging Your Business
• Subscribe to Sara’s Sunday Journal
• Connect with Sara on Instagram

What if your next chapter isn’t about pushing harder—but softening into something more true?

Today I’m joined by two wise, courageous women inside her Self CEO—Elizabeth and Damiana—for an intimate, behind-the-scenes conversation about what really changes when you stop leading from strategy alone and begin leading from your center.

We’re four months into this five-month immersion, and what you’ll hear is a rare, real-time glimpse into the inner and outer shifts unfolding for them as they align their businesses with their vision, values, and deepest callings.

If you’re feeling stuck, sensing a pivot, or longing for a business that supports your whole self—not just your goals—this episode offers both inspiration and direction.

HERE ARE 3 KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE:

1️⃣ Alignment requires shedding, not just scaling.

Elizabeth and Damiana reveal what they had to release to hear what their deeper work was truly asking of them—and why letting go is often the most courageous move.

2️⃣ Inner clarity leads to outer confidence.

Through Internal Family Systems (IFS), they’ve moved through fear, overgiving, and self-doubt—into clearer offers, stronger boundaries, and more easeful ways of working.

3️⃣ Leadership isn’t about doing more—it’s about becoming more you.

This conversation reminds us that your business can be a vehicle for healing—not a source of burnout.

If you’re ready to evolve—personally and professionally—her Self CEO might be your next step.

🌀 Early registration is open for just a few more days: herselfceo.com

Resources:

• Early registration open! her Self CEO
• Elizabeth Scott’s website
• Dr. Damiana Corca’s website
• Subscribe to Sara’s Sunday Journal
• Connect with Sara on Instagram

What if the breakdown was really the breakthrough you didn’t see coming?

Today, I’m sharing a deeply personal story—one that began with a cease and desist letter landing in my inbox on an ordinary Tuesday morning… and ended up sparking an unexpected evolution of my business.

Because sometimes, soul-powered leadership doesn’t look like scaling or launching or growing on schedule. Sometimes, it looks like letting go. Listening deeply. And honoring the quiet knowing that something needs to change.

Over the past year, I’ve navigated some major thresholds—internally and externally—and in today’s episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on what it really looks like to lead from the inside out, especially when the outside world feels uncertain.

Whether you’re standing at your own business crossroads or sensing that something is quietly asking to evolve within you, this episode will help you reconnect with your truth and remember that you’re not alone.

HERE ARE 3 KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE:

1️⃣ Action Creates Clarity.

It’s tempting to wait until you have the perfect plan, name, or direction—but this story shows how each step (even the messy ones) reveals the next. The divine meets you in motion.

2️⃣ Your Business Is a Living Thing.

I share how my signature program is changing, not because of strategy, but because my business was asking to grow with me. When we listen, our work becomes a reflection of our own transformation.

3️⃣ Leadership Is Staying in the Room.

Soul-powered leadership means doing the deeper, often uncomfortable work of staying present, even when the path isn’t clear. Not quitting. Not bypassing. But listening, refining, and rising—with integrity.

If you’re tired of surface strategies...

If something in your work feels off, but you can’t yet name it...

Or if you’ve been quietly questioning what’s next...

This conversation is a mirror, and a map.

Resources:

• It’s coming! Join the waitlist for her Self CEO
• Subscribe to Sara’s Sunday Journal
• Connect with Sara on Instagram