Hey there, listener. Welcome to another episode of the Found podcast, and it’s going to be a good one! I’m pleased to bring you Carrie Cohen of Carrie Cohen coaching. Her educational background and lived experiences from a practicing psychotherapist to owning her own business are perfect for this audience of female business owners.

Our interview focused on the very basics of coaching and therapy. She has specialized even further to couples and infertility. I know this will be an impactful interview with actionable takeaways for listeners.

Key Takeaways

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• Carrie’s career started after grad school in 1999. She enjoyed clinical work and worked in agencies, foster care, administration, and then in private practice.
• I love Carrie’s analogy of not putting beautiful new flooring over a wet, moldy subfloor. It’s important to deal with our issues for our best future.
• In 2015 Carrie was grappling with the sustainability of her work. She started to realize she was maxed out from a business standpoint. Covid became a silver lining that forced her to reconsider how she was doing business and provided space from obligations to reexamine her life.
• Carrie recognized her purpose of bringing women together globally. She became certified in nutrition coaching and health coaching. Although she loved clinical practice, it felt stifling for her outgoing personality.
• Carrie says 80% of serotonin is created in the gut, one example of why she believes a more holistic approach is necessary. She incorporates nutrition and polyvagal theory into her work.
• “You need some really powerful intervening force that’s actually more potent than the hustling experience.”
• Carrie uses the visual of a ladder to explain the different steps of polyvagal theory. “Burnout is living in a chronic state of sympathetic activation.”
• “Most of the things we do to regulate ourselves are things we all do anyway, the difference here is using it intentionally and using it deliberately.”
• “There’s one pie and it depends on how many slices there are, but there is only one pie and you have to take from somewhere.”
• “Life is actually really hard and really painful. We need to create the experience of having pleasure, and joy, and interest, and excitement, and passion. Otherwise it won’t come. We’ll just be doing the thing.”
• Carrie encourages female business owners to reach out and seek help from a coach or therapist. She says so many people feel like a big weight has been lifted in just the first session when few strategies have even been implemented yet.
• The solution to shame is to expose it. It’s important to discuss what is holding you back with a professional.

Connect with Carrie

I have GOT to learn more about polyvagal theory because it makes so much sense. Carrie offers an introduction to nervous system regulation you can access here. She uses LinkedIn most often and shares some of that content on Instagram.