Girl, Just Feel Podcast with Dr. Ajene Gailliard

EP 036: Are Emotions Bad?

In this episode, we’re talking about one of the biggest myths many of us have believed about emotions: that they are either good or bad. But what if emotions aren’t good or bad at all? What if they’re simply information? Today, I’m unpacking why emotions and feelings should not be judged as positive or negative, and why that kind of language can actually make us afraid of the very thing God gave us to help us pay attention. Emotions are bodily responses. Feelings are the meaning we assign to those responses. And neither one is sinful, shameful, or something we have to run from. Instead of calling feelings good or bad, I want to invite us to see them as pleasurable or painful. Pleasurable feelings often show us where a need has been met. Painful feelings often show us where a need has not been met yet. And that changes everything. Because pain does not always mean something is wrong. Sometimes pain simply means there is something we need. In this episode, I also talk about hunger pains, emotional needs, anger, boundaries, grief, and how Jesus modeled the full spectrum of feelings without sin. This is an invitation to stop judging what you feel and start getting curious about what your feelings may be communicating. Life Work: Write down every feeling word you can think of. Excited. Angry. Sad. Frustrated. Joyful. Hurt. Peaceful. Disappointed. Whatever comes to mind. Don’t judge the words. Don’t separate them into good or bad. Just write them down and begin noticing the full spectrum of feelings God created you to experience.

EP 035: Is That Trauma?

Today we’re talking about trauma. What it is, what it isn’t, and why so many of us misunderstand it. Trauma is not simply the worst thing that happened to you. It’s not measured by how tragic the event was, and it’s not a competition over who had it worse. Trauma is what happens inside of you as a result of what happened to you. It’s how overwhelming stress changes your body, your beliefs, your nervous system, your relationships, and even your sense of safety. In this episode, I’m unpacking why two people can go through the same event and walk away with completely different internal experiences. We’ll talk about the difference between a difficult event and a traumatic response, why some of what we call “personality” may actually be survival adaptation, and how things like high achievement, people-pleasing, hyper-independence, emotional numbness, and perfectionism can sometimes be responses to overwhelming stress. I also share pieces of my own story, including how early experiences shaped my sense of safety, my achievement patterns, and the way I learned to survive. But this conversation is not about staying stuck in what happened. It’s about hope. Because if something changed you once, healing can change you again. Life Work: If there is something traumatic that happened in your life that still feels unresolved, I want to gently encourage you to seek support. Find a qualified, trained mental health professional who can help you process, heal, and begin to move forward. You do not have to stay captive to your past. Healing is possible. Growth is possible. And what overwhelmed you does not have to define the rest of your story.

EP 034: Do You Know What Stress Is?

Stress is one of those words we use all the time, but what if we've misunderstood it completely? In this episode, we're taking a closer look at what stress actually is, and why it may not be the enemy we've made it out to be. So many of us have learned to respond to stress by either panicking or pushing through. We override our bodies, ignore our limits, spiritualize exhaustion, and wear burnout like a badge of honor. Then we wonder why we feel overwhelmed, disconnected, anxious, exhausted, and stuck in survival mode. What if stress isn't an interruption at all? What if it's an invitation? Together, we're unpacking the difference between acute stress and chronic stress, why stress isn't proof that something is wrong with you, and how it can actually reveal where growth, healing, and new capacity are needed. I also share some personal stories about navigating major life transitions, losing my job, becoming a mother, and learning how the stories we tell ourselves can often create more suffering than the situation itself. In This Episode: * What stress actually is (and what it isn't) * The difference between acute stress and chronic stress * Why stress doesn't mean you're weak, failing, or incapable * How burnout, overwhelm, and emotional exhaustion develop * The role our thoughts and beliefs play in our experience of stress * Why stress can be an invitation to growth instead of a sign to quit * How faith, perspective, and support systems influence our ability to cope * A simple breathing practice to help regulate your nervous system A Few Things I Need You to Remember: * Stress is not proof that something is wrong with you. * Stress often reveals that a demand exists that requires new resources or support. * Not every challenge is a crisis. * Growth happens when we develop the capacity to meet new demands. * You don't have to carry every burden by yourself. Life Work: Practice the breathing exercise from this episode at least once each day this week. Breathe in for 4 counts. Hold for 4 counts. Exhale for 8 counts. As you do, pay attention to what happens in your body. Notice what shifts when you give yourself permission to pause, breathe, and respond instead of react. Remember: Stress is not just an interruption. Sometimes it's an invitation.

EP 033: Your Body is Trying to Tell You Something

In this episode of the Girl, Just Feel Podcast, we’re talking about what happens when your body has been carrying more than your soul was ever meant to hold. Dr. Ajene Gailliard shares her experience navigating years of chronic symptoms like pain, fatigue, brain fog, heart palpitations, overwhelm, while still trying to be everything for everybody. Wife. Mom. Homeschooler. Business partner. Church leader. Caregiver. And even though she was “functioning,” her body was screaming for help. We’re unpacking the possibility that some symptoms may not just be physical problems to fix, but signals asking us to pay attention to what’s happening internally. Not in a strange or mystical way, but in a deeply human, emotional, and spiritual way. This episode is really about learning to see your body differently. Not as the enemy. Not as something betraying you. But as a trusted messenger trying to help you recognize when you’ve been carrying too much for too long.

EP 032: What are Emotions Actually?

What if the very thing you’ve been taught to suppress is actually the doorway to your healing? In this episode of the Girl, Just Feel Podcast, Dr. Ajene begins unpacking one of the core messages behind this platform: emotions are not the enemy. She shares her personal journey with chronic stress, unexplained physical symptoms, anxiety, perfectionism, and survival mode. And explains how disconnecting from our emotional lives can quietly impact our mental, spiritual, and physical health. Through both biblical insight and psychological understanding, she challenges the belief that healing comes from suppressing emotions and introduces a new way of understanding what emotions and feelings actually are. If you’ve spent years trying to “hold it together,” pray harder, push through, or avoid what you feel, this conversation will meet you right where you are. Life Work: This week, don’t judge or analyze what you feel, just notice it. Pay attention to what’s happening in your body throughout the day. What sensations are showing up? Where do you tense up? What happens when stress, fear, pressure, or overwhelm shows up? No fixing. No performing. Just begin paying attention.