The Paula Faris Show

I Wish Someone Had Told Me Perimenopause Could Affect My Mental Health This Much

There was a season not long ago when I didn’t feel like myself at all. Overwhelmed. Emotional. In a really dark place. No one really prepares you for this part. Perimenopause isn’t just hot flashes and mood swings; it can quietly impact your mental health in ways you don’t expect. Even though I could point to many of the reasons… I wasn’t at all prepared for how deeply it would affect me. In this episode, I’m opening up about that season, and I’m joined by my friend, psychotherapist Niro Feliciano, to help make sense of what so many women in midlife are quietly experiencing. For many of us, it’s a perfect storm: grief, stress, shifting identity, and hormonal changes all colliding at once. We talk about: * Why some women experience anxiety or depression for the first time * Why this stage of life can feel so emotionally intense * How hormonal shifts impact your brain, mood, and sense of self * And what actually helps: support, connection, and getting the right kind of care If you’ve been feeling off, overwhelmed, or not like yourself… you’re not alone, and you don’t have to carry this by yourself. Let’s Talk About It.  Listen in to learn more:  [0:03:17] Suicide Risk Peaks at Midlife [0:06:49] Therapy as Lifeline in the Darkest Season [0:13:10] Dopamine, Screens & Perimenopause Vulnerability [0:15:11] HRT, Testosterone & Rethinking SSRIs [0:21:18] Social Health, Friendship & Longevity In this episode, we are diving into how perimenopause affects mental health, including hormone-related mood changes, stress, anxiety, and depression, the “perfect storm” of emotional challenges and stressors in midlife, finding the right therapist, and the powerful role of friendship and emotional support in overall wellness.  If you need someone to talk to, you can call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

I Wish Someone Had Told Me Adults Have the Worst Phone Habits

We tell our kids to get off their phones…But, um, if we’re honest, we’re often the worst offenders. 🤭 So how do we actually build healthy, sustainable phone habits that work in real life? In part two of my I Wish Someone Had Told Me series, I’m back with psychotherapist Niro Feliciano, and we’re not just naming the problem—we’re talking about how to fix it. We talk about: * Why adults actually have the worst phone habits * The surprising stat about Gen Z that might give you hope * Why more time online can leave us feeling more disconnected * The “slow living” movement and simple ways to start * Practical, doable habits you can implement right away If you’ve ever picked up your phone for one thing… and lost 30 minutes, you’re not alone. The goal isn’t to ditch your phone, it’s to finally feel in control of it! Let’s Talk About It.  Listen in to learn more:  [0:00:41] Adults Have Worse Phone Habits Than Their Kids [0:02:20] Gen Z Leads the Way in Cutting Screen Time [0:04:14] Mornings Without Phones Improve Mood and Productivity [0:09:58] Dopamine, Addiction, and Doing Media Fasts [0:12:02] Grayscale, App Moves, and Notification Detox [0:19:12] Enjoying Life More When the Phone Isn’t Visible [0:20:43] Embracing Slow Living and Intentional Offline Moments SUMMARY:  In this episode, we are diving into how to create healthier phone habits through phone-free moments, analog activities, and slow living, practical tips for setting better boundaries with screen time, and why life feels more balanced and fulfilling when your phone is put away. LINKS Connect with Paula on Instagram  [https://www.instagram.com/paulafaris/?hl=en] Get Paula's personal newsletter [https://www.paulafarisofficial.com/newsletter] Niro Felicano  [https://www.nirofeliciano.com/] THE CARRY™ ALL NEWSLETTER by and for working moms [https://carrymedia.com/the-carry-all/] Paula’s Favorite Protein Powder 15% off [https://thepeachiespoon.com/?rfsn=8647660.93b706f&utm_source=refersion&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=8647660.93b706f] YOUTUBE  Connect with Paula on Instagram  https://www.instagram.com/paulafaris/?hl=en [https://www.instagram.com/paulafaris/?hl=en]  THE CARRY™ ALL NEWSLETTER by and for working moms  https://carrymedia.com/the-carry-all/ [https://carrymedia.com/the-carry-all/]  Get Paula's personal newsletter [https://www.paulafarisofficial.com/newsletter] https://www.paulafarisofficial.com/newsletter Paula’s Favorite Protein Powder 15% off [https://thepeachiespoon.com/?rfsn=8647660.93b706f&utm_source=refersion&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=8647660.93b706f] https://thepeachiespoon.com/?rfsn=8647660.93b706f&utm_source=refersion&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=8647660.93b706f [https://thepeachiespoon.com/?rfsn=8647660.93b706f&utm_source=refersion&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=8647660.93b706f]  Connect with Niro - https://www.nirofeliciano.com/ [https://www.nirofeliciano.com/] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

I Wish Someone Had Told Me What Happens When You Give Your Kid a Phone

There’s a shift happening. For the first time, we’re seeing legal accountability for social media companies, growing cultural pushback on screen time, and even the return of something we thought was gone for good—the landline!  All of it pointing to one question: what are phones actually doing to our kids? We gave them for all the right reasons: safety, connection, convenience.But we know more now than we did then. And if we’re honest… we might have done things differently. In the first episode of my I Wish Someone Had Told Me series, I’m joined by my friend—author, mom, and psychotherapist Niro Feliciano—for a real, no-judgment conversation about giving phones to our kids. Because chances are… you’ve already done it. I have too. We talk about: * The cultural pushback * Legal accountability and what it means * The changes we’ve seen in our own kids  * Plus, the return of the landline And why this becomes one of the biggest parenting battles.  If you’re wondering “What have I done… and what do I do now?”—this episode is for you. We know more now. And it’s never too late for us to do better. Let’s Talk About It.  SUMMARY In this episode, we are digging into parenting decisions around kids and smartphones, how and why those rules evolve over time, landmark court cases on social media’s impact on teen mental health, the dopamine deficit and why social media use often looks a lot like addiction, the importance of nuanced family tech conversations, how boredom builds resilience in children and teens, the resurgence of landlines, and smartphone alternatives for families. Next week: I Wish Someone Had Told Me Adults Have the Worst Phone Habits Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Your Biggest Enneagram Questions - Answered

Let’s answer the questions everyone asks about the Enneagram: Can your type change? Why do your results keep changing? What if you relate to more than one type? We’re wrapping up our month-long series with Enneagram expert and author Ian Morgan Cron by getting clear on what actually matters about the Enneagram. This isn’t about traits. It’s about motivation: why you do what you do. We get into mistypes, bad tests, and why you can’t outsource this to a quiz and call it done. There’s no “best” type, but there is a healthiest version of you, and the Enneagram can help you get there. Life Happens. Let’s Talk About It. Listen in to learn more:  [0:00:00] Type Doesn’t Change, But You Evolve [0:04:09] Why Your Test Results Keep Shifting [0:07:21] You Are All Nine Types, But One Dominates [0:10:19] Common Mistypes and Confusing Wings [0:14:42] No “Best” Type and How Leaders Show Up as Nines In this episode, we are diving into whether your Enneagram type can change over time, common Enneagram mistypes, why you shouldn’t only rely on an Enneagram test to determine your type, which Enneagram type is considered the best, and which Enneagram type is the hardest to parent. LINKS Connect with Paula on Instagram  [https://www.instagram.com/paulafaris/?hl=en] Get Paula's personal newsletter [https://www.paulafarisofficial.com/newsletter]– win Ian’s book!  Meet Ian Morgan Cron [https://ianmorgancron.com/]  Take Ian’s Enneagram Assessment [https://ianmorgancron.com/pages/assessment]: Code PAULA for 15% off  THE CARRY™ ALL NEWSLETTER by and for working moms [https://carrymedia.com/the-carry-all/] Paula’s Favorite Protein Powder 15% off [https://thepeachiespoon.com/?rfsn=8647660.93b706f&utm_source=refersion&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=8647660.93b706f] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

What the Enneagram Reveals About Your Marriage and Parenting

You’re not fighting about what you think you’re fighting about. We’re continuing our month-long Enneagram series with Ian Morgan Cron, and this one hits close to home. When it comes to Enneagram types, there are no bad pairings, but there are patterns that quietly wear relationships down. What if the tension in your marriage isn’t personal? What if it’s predictable? Using the Enneagram as a parenting tool can help…or hurt. When do you introduce it? How do you use it without labeling your kids too early? We’re going there today because the Enneagram isn’t about putting people in boxes. It’s about seeing what’s actually driving them. And once you see it, you can’t unsee it. Life Happens. Let’s Talk About It. Listen in to learn more:  [0:00:00] Enneagram As Marriage Game-Changer [0:02:59] No Bad Pairings Only Stuck Partners [0:07:42] Character Crushes Personality In Partner Choice [0:09:39] Don’t Rush Typing Kids Wait Till Fifteen [0:15:18] Parent With Curiosity Not Enneagram Labels In this episode, we are digging into how to use the Enneagram to strengthen your marriage and parenting, the Enneagram as a tool to resolve recurring relationship conflicts, why no Enneagram pairing is inherently bad, why choosing a partner based on type can be misleading, what truly matters in a life partner beyond personality, when kids and teens should learn their Enneagram type, and how to parent more effectively using the Enneagram. LINKS Connect with Paula on Instagram  [https://www.instagram.com/paulafaris/?hl=en] Get Paula's personal newsletter [https://www.paulafarisofficial.com/newsletter]– win a copy of Ian’s book!  Meet Ian Morgan Cron [https://ianmorgancron.com/]  Take Ian’s Enneagram Assessment [https://ianmorgancron.com/pages/assessment]: Code PAULA for 15% off  THE CARRY™ ALL NEWSLETTER by and for working moms [https://carrymedia.com/the-carry-all/] Paula’s Favorite Protein Powder 15% off [https://thepeachiespoon.com/?rfsn=8647660.93b706f&utm_source=refersion&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=8647660.93b706f] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]