We have a couple new voices to start this month with self-proclaimed book doula, Hannah Eko to talk about the power of creativity and my work wife Lauren is coming from behind the scenes to talk about my gift guide and mindful giving. Licensed Depth Therapist, Vanessa Bennett, helps unpack why modern women feel overwhelmed, overextended, and under-supported (and no, it’s not all your fault).
Besties Stacy and Daynah talk about The Long Walk movie, Lily Allen’s latest album, and the chaos that is Love is Blind (Denver) with the humor, cultural criticism, and high-quality loquaciousness you’ve come to expect.
The Art of Being Well with Hannah Eko
Stacy sits down with writer, book doula, and creator Hannah Eko to explore what it really means to be well—beyond productivity, perfection, or hustle culture. Together they unpack the power of creativity as a nervous system regulator, a healing practice, a doorway to community, and a forgotten human birthright.
If you’ve been craving more meaning, softness, creativity, or connection, this episode is both a permission slip and a gentle nudge: you were made to create, and doing so is part of the art of being well.
- 0:00 | Welcome + who Hannah is
- 2:00 | Creativity as our human blueprint
- 5:00 | Art as a nervous system reset
- 8:15 | Trauma, regulation, and tactile creativity
- 11:30 | What we’re here to create
- 15:00 | Finding time for creativity
- 18:30 | Classes, community, and accountability
- 22:00 | Letting go of control + old coping roles
- 26:30 | Perfectionism, process, and making bad art
- 30:00 | Debunking the “gifted artist” myth
- 33:30 | Creative practice as therapy
- 38:00 | Inner child healing through making
Find Hannah:
References:
- TEDxManchester: The case for making art when the world is on fire with Amie McNee
- Being Creative Makes You Happier: The Positive Effect of Creativity on Subjective Well-Being, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
- Harvard Research Reveals The #1 Key To Living Longer And Happier
- The Whole View with Stacy Toth, Season 3, Episode 106: Busting Menstrual & Period Myths & FAQs w/ Kate Morton of Funk It Wellness
Sponsor:
- Cozy Earth – use code WHOLELIFE to get up to 40% off
Gift Less, Give More (Stacy’s Gift Guide)
Two avid gift givers, Stacy and her behind-the-scenes right hand, Lauren, get real about Stacy’s Gift Well Guide and what gifting even means this year. Instead of endless lists and over-the-top hauls, this episode explores mindful giving, shifting values, and how community, creativity, and intention can make the season meaningful without draining your budget (or your joy). They talk hobbies, local makers, thoughtful experiences, budget-friendly ideas, and the real conversations many of us are having about spending less and connecting more.
- 0:00 | Meet Lauren + Gift Well Guide intro
- 2:30 | Shifting spending habits
- 5:15 | Community, local makers, and mindful buying
- 8:40 | Experiences over things
- 12:10 | Low-cost, meaningful gifting
- 15:20 | Intentional “treat yourself” moments
- 18:40 | Curated gift guide categories
- 22:00 | Budget-friendly picks
- 25:30 | Influencer overwhelm + opting out
- 28:45 | Teens, clutter, and buying less
- 32:15 | Resetting gifting expectations
- 34:50 | Abundance without excess
- 38:00 | Asking for what you want
- 40:15 | Wrapping up: gifting with heart
References:
It’s Hard to Be an Empath
Stacy and Daynah immediately spiral into a conversation that only lifelong best friends (and overthinkers) could have and take listeners on a ride through health, humor, and high-level existential dread. Their chat about The Long Walk turns into a surprisingly hilarious exploration of why empaths maybe shouldn’t watch dystopian movies without emotional support snacks, how masculinity could use a software update, and why community matters even when humanity is… a lot. Sprinkle in black-hole anxiety, faith detours, wealth cringe, and The Woman in Cabin 10, and you’ve got a classic convo: big feelings, big laughs, and big “wait, how did we get here?” energy.
- 0:00 | Midlife health scares & empath energy
- 4:00 | College years, identity shifts & big feelings
- 10:00 | First reactions to The Long Walk
- 14:00 | Masculinity, humanity & unexpected tenderness
- 20:00 | Community, connection & being emotionally awake
- 26:00 | Activism overwhelm & the empath burnout cycle
- 32:00 | Existential spirals, faith shifts & too many thoughts
- 40:00 | Sensitive brains, black holes & cosmic panic
- 46:00 | Trauma media & protecting the empath nervous system
- 48:00 | The Woman in Cabin 10 & women without the tropes
- 53:00 | Wealth discomfort, power vibes & the haunting of yachts
References:
Thanks to our sponsor:
- CozyEarth.com | Use code WHOLELIFE to get up to 40% off
BONUS: Love is Blind or Blinded By Love (Is Denver Okay?)
Stacy and Daynah break down the most unhinged season of Love Is Blind yet — the Denver edition, where red flags were abundant, boundaries were optional, and somehow everyone thought saying “I love you” was a full relationship strategy. They dig into performative masculinity, alcohol-fueled chaos, cultural clashes, influencer energy, and the couples who somehow fooled us all.
And it wouldn’t be two besties if they didn’t dig beneath the reality-TV mess to explore how insecurity fuels narcissism, how childhood wounds show up in dating, why some partnerships feel more like unpaid therapy, and what it really takes to choose someone who brings out your best.
References:
- Love Is Blind: Season 9 (Denver) (TV show)
- Alien (Movie Franchise)
- The Pitt (TV show)
- The Studio (TV show)
Going Deeper: Emotional Labor & Why We’re So Tired
Stacy sits down with licensed depth therapist and author of the new book, The Motherhood Myth, Vanessa Bennett, LMFT, for a conversation that goes far beneath the surface of motherhood, partnership, and the invisible emotional load so many women carry. Through the lens of depth psychology, Vanessa unpacks why modern women feel overwhelmed, overextended, and under-supported – and why it’s not a personal failing but a system built on outdated expectations and unconscious inheritance.
They explore the hamster wheel of “having it all,” the inner patriarchy that keeps women self-abandoning in the name of belonging, and how shifting our relationships, boundaries, and behaviors starts with understanding the shadows we’ve inherited. From modeling healthy conflict for our kids to dismantling the sister and mother wounds, this conversation brings clarity, nuance, and deep validation for anyone who’s ever wondered why they’re so tired – emotionally, spiritually, and otherwise.
- 0:00 | Vanessa Bennett & depth psychology
- 2:00 | Feminism, equality & the “have it all” trap
- 6:30 | Emotional labor, burnout & the hamster wheel
- 10:00 | Modeling conflict & repair for our kids
- 12:45 | Inner patriarchy & self-abandonment
- 16:00 | Power systems we inherit without realizing
- 18:30 | Marriage roles & old scripts that linger
- 22:00 | Sex, needs & emotional outsourcing
- 27:00 | Sister wound, witch wound & lost community
- 32:00 | Emotional intelligence as “both/and”
- 35:00 | Practical steps to stop self-abandoning
- 39:00 | Where to find Vanessa’s work
Find Vanessa:
Do I Have to Hate David Harbour Now?
Stacy and Daynah dive deep into Lily Allen’s surprise divorce album, the internet-meltdown question of “Do I Have to Hate David Harbour Now?” and why pop culture feels so personal when the celebrity in question is someone we’ve all invited into our living rooms via Stranger Things.
They discuss the album’s storytelling, the public fascination with Harbour’s alleged behavior, and the broader cultural work of women telling the truth about betrayal. With trademark humor and feminist analysis, they explore why this particular breakup record hit a nerve and what it reveals about relationships, power, and the stories women are finally allowed to tell.
And because they contain multitudes, you’ll also find Beyoncé references, dental anxiety, and all the good-bad TV they’re watching.
- 0:00 | Popcorn upgrades, dental chaos & anxiety
- 5:00 | Buccaneers, anachronisms & period-piece comfort
- 10:00 | Lily Allen’s album, David Harbour & the pop-culture spiral
- 15:00 | Betrayal, storytelling & why this record hits differently
- 20:00 | Music style, comparisons & where it lands culturally
- 25:00 | Red flags, negging & the Harbour discourse
- 30:00 | Gaslighting, boundaries & self-centering
- 35:00 | Open marriage rules, cheating & accountability
- 38:00 | Healing arcs, final track reflections
- 41:00 | What we’re watching next
References:
- The Buccaneers (TV show)
- Lily Allen’s West End Girl (album)
- Beyoncé’s Lemonade (album)
- The Pitt (TV show)
- All’s Fair (TV show)
Thanks to our sponsor:
- CozyEarth.com | Use code WHOLELIFE to get up to 40% off
BONUS: We’re Not Done Talking About Love is Blind Denver
We thought we were done, but Denver said “actually, no.” We go deeper into the Love Is Blind reunion: PTSD vs. ASD discourse, Edmond’s survival patterns, performative apologies, and why Jordan remains the only man we trust. We talk trauma, nervous systems, manipulation as a coping strategy (not a villain origin story), and what reality TV accidentally teaches us about emotional maturity.
References:
- Love Is Blind: Season 9 (Denver) (TV show)
- Real Talk, Whole Life: Love is Blind or Blinded By Love (Is Denver Okay?)
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Note: Stacy and her guests are not medical professionals. This podcast is for general educational purposes and NOT intended to diagnose, advise, or treat any physical or mental illness. We always recommend you consult a licensed service provider.
