Overthinking, Avoiding, and Overchecking: The Psychology of Texting

Remembering Brandon Teena

June is Pride Month, a time to celebrate LGBTQ+ communities and acknowledge the challenges many still face. LGBTQ+ individuals experience disproportionately high rates of sexual violence, making these conversations especially important. In this episode, EG shares the story of Brandon Teena, a young transgender man whose life, assault, and murder became a pivotal moment in conversations about survivor advocacy, transgender safety, and institutional responses to violence. Rather than focusing on graphic details, this episode explores Brandon's life, the systems that failed him when he sought help, and the lasting impact his story continues to have today. Through a survivor-centered and trauma-informed lens, EG examines what happens when survivors are not believed, protected, or supported equally, and why Brandon's story remains relevant more than three decades later. At its core, this episode is a conversation about dignity, credibility, identity, and the responsibility we all share in creating safer systems for survivors. This episode is for survivors, allies, advocates, and anyone interested in understanding the intersection of sexual violence, LGBTQ+ experiences, and systemic responses to harm. Key Themes: LGBTQ+ survivor advocacy, transgender history, sexual violence prevention, reporting and disclosure, institutional responses to violence, trauma-informed care, survivor-centered support, gender identity, dignity and remembrance, social justice The Brandon Teena Story [https://www.netflix.com/title/8179255] Trigger Warning: This podcast discusses sexual violence. See the episode description for more information. Please take care of yourself when listening. Lux Resources is a North Carolina-based 501(c)3 nonprofit that supports survivors of sexual violence through providing legal resources. Survivors can access resources and legal aid for free on our website, www.luxresources.org. Follow Lux on Instagram and TikTok @luxresources for behind-the-scenes content, episode updates, and more tips on supporting survivors and allies. Want to get in touch? Ideas for resources to add to the website? Podcast content suggestions? Reach out to us: https://www.luxresources.org/contact [https://www.luxresources.org/contact]    If this episode resonated with you, make sure to share it with someone who might need it.

Overthinking, Avoiding, and Overchecking: The Psychology of Texting

In a world where we’re constantly connected, something as simple as texting can feel… unexpectedly heavy. You might find yourself overchecking your phone, overanalyzing tone, rewriting messages, or avoiding responding altogether. In this episode, EG explores the psychology behind texting patterns and habits, and how they’re all rooted in the same place: a desire for safe, predictable connection. EG shares personal reflections (including her own experience with avoidant texting) and walks through small, realistic shifts to make communication feel less overwhelming. This episode is for anyone who has ever stared at a text, overthought a reply, avoided responding, or wondered, “why am I like this?” Key Themes: nervous system responses, communication patterns, avoidant texting, overchecking, emotional safety, overthinking, tone analysis, trauma-informed care, connection and relationships, self-awareness Trigger Warning: This podcast discusses sexual violence. See the episode description for more information. Please take care of yourself when listening. Lux Resources is a North Carolina-based 501(c)3 nonprofit that supports survivors of sexual violence through providing legal resources. Survivors can access resources and legal aid for free on our website, www.luxresources.org. Follow Lux on Instagram and TikTok @luxresources for behind-the-scenes content, episode updates, and more tips on supporting survivors and allies. Want to get in touch? Ideas for resources to add to the website? Podcast content suggestions? Reach out to us: https://www.luxresources.org/contact [https://www.luxresources.org/contact]    If this episode resonated with you, make sure to share it with someone who might need it.

Not Everything is an Emergency: Overcoming Overwhelm and Stress

It is finally spring! Seasonal depression should be over, but… you’re still stressed and overwhelmed. Make it make sense.  In this episode, EG explores what it means to feel constantly anxious, on edge, or overwhelmed, and why it’s so hard to “just relax.” Through a trauma-informed, neurobiological lens, she breaks down how the brain can get stuck in fight-or-flight (or freeze/fawn), causing everyday situations to feel urgent or overwhelming. At the core of this episode is a necessary reminder: not everything is an emergency. Through five practical steps, EG discusses how to teach your body to find safety even when your nervous system is in survival mode.  This episode is for anyone feeling overwhelmed, stuck in overthinking, or unable to rest, especially trauma survivors navigating heightened stress responses. Key Themes: nervous system regulation, fight-or-flight, trauma-informed care, overwhelm and anxiety, emotional regulation, polyvagal theory, grounding techniques, burnout, self-awareness, survivor-centered healing Trigger Warning: This podcast discusses sexual violence. See the episode description for more information. Please take care of yourself when listening. Lux Resources is a North Carolina-based 501(c)3 nonprofit that supports survivors of sexual violence through providing legal resources. Survivors can access resources and legal aid for free on our website, www.luxresources.org. Follow Lux on Instagram and TikTok @luxresources for behind-the-scenes content, episode updates, and more tips on supporting survivors and allies. Want to get in touch? Ideas for resources to add to the website? Podcast content suggestions? Reach out to us: https://www.luxresources.org/contact [https://www.luxresources.org/contact]    If this episode resonated with you, make sure to share it with someone who might need it.

The Universal Truths About Love

Happy love month! In this episode, EG discusses the six universal truths about love through exploring the Greek frameworks of love: eros, philia, storge, and agape, and how conflating them creates pain. Rather than offering a checklist for “healthy love,” this conversation provides insight and compassion for why love can feel confusing, intense, or unsafe, and how to heal from it. The gist: we will never be “perfect” at love, but we can refine it.  This episode is for anyone who has ever stayed too long, silenced themselves to keep a connection, or confused intensity with intimacy. Key Themes: trauma-informed relationships, attachment theory, nervous system regulation, trauma bonding, boundaries, self-abandonment, emotional safety, polyvagal theory, family systems, relational healing, survivor-centered healing, healthy love, relational repair, differentiation, neurobiology of attachment References:  Types of Love in Ancient Greece [https://www.archaeological.org/when-eros-met-psyche-love-in-ancient-greece/] The Polyvagal Theory [https://www.polyvagalinstitute.org/whatispolyvagaltheory] Attachment Theory  [https://www.simplypsychology.org/attachment.html] Relational Healing [https://drjeannemichele.com/relational-healing-the-joys-and-challenges-of-opening-your-heart/]   Trigger Warning: This podcast discusses sexual violence. See the episode description for more information. Please take care of yourself when listening. Lux Resources is a North Carolina-based 501(c)3 nonprofit that supports survivors of sexual violence through providing legal resources. Survivors can access resources and legal aid for free on our website, www.luxresources.org. Follow Lux on Instagram and TikTok @luxresources for behind-the-scenes content, episode updates, and more tips on supporting survivors and allies. Want to get in touch? Ideas for resources to add to the website? Podcast content suggestions? Reach out to us: https://www.luxresources.org/contact [https://www.luxresources.org/contact]    If this episode resonated with you, make sure to share it with someone who might need it

What 2025 Asked of Survivors

Happy New Year! In the first episode of 2026, EG reflects on the challenges, wins, and losses of 2025; a year that asked survivors to navigate legal, cultural, and systemic obstacles while also carrying the labor of healing and advocacy.  Throughout the episode, EG unpacks legal advancements, community advocacy, funding cuts, cultural pressures, and the lie of productivity in healing. The bottom line: 2025 was exhausting, and if all you did was survive, that is still an accomplishment. For allies, EG talks about practical ways to support survivors this year without adding pressure or emotional labor.  Instead of a “new year, new me” resolution, EG sets an anti-resolution: give yourself permission to prioritize survival over performance.  If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by the pressure to “do more” with your healing, or if 2025 left you drained despite progress, this episode is for you. Key Themes: trauma healing, nervous system regulation, self-care, anti-productivity, allyship, boundaries, legal and community advocacy, cultural shifts, survivor empowerment, emotional safety References:  TAKE IT DOWN Act [https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/146] Karina's Law [https://www.cawc.org/news/karinas-law-a-life-saving-step-forward-for-survivors-of-domestic-violence/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=17857084219&gbraid=0AAAAAD8LuExDhH4ivEwYkvP7WwYiwoy9c&gclid=CjwKCAiA09jKBhB9EiwAgB8l-K_EQ73vYyf02kX3OQsXSZkBo4X64l8CrvZcgi_nCdBnRtXAz15fLxoC12UQAvD_BwE]  NY Expanded Victim Compensation [https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-hochul-announces-expanded-access-compensation-victims-and-survivors-crime] 2025 State Legislation [https://rainn.org/learn-about-rainn/what-we-do/policy-and-justice/state-legislation/] TN DV Offender Registry [https://www.tn.gov/tbi/general-information/redirect-tennessee-persistent-domestic-violence-registry.html#:~:text=Savanna's%20Law%2C%20enacted%20as%20Tennessee,least%20one%20prior%20such%20conviction] Scotland's Justice Reform Act [https://www.legislation.gov.uk/asp/2025/12/enacted] France Landmark Law [https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/10/30/france-redefines-rape-in-landmark-law] Maryland Budget Proposal (rejected!) [https://mcasa.org/news/post/maryland-budget-proposal-cuts-victim-services-jobs]    Trigger Warning: This podcast discusses sexual violence. See the episode description for more information. Please take care of yourself when listening. Lux Resources is a North Carolina-based 501(c)3 nonprofit that supports survivors of sexual  violence through providing legal resources. Survivors can access resources and legal aid for free on our website, www.luxresources.org. Follow Lux on Instagram and TikTok @luxresources for behind-the-scenes content, episode updates, and more tips on supporting survivors and allies. Want to get in touch? Ideas for resources to add to the website? Podcast content suggestions? Reach out to us: https://www.luxresources.org/contact [https://www.luxresources.org/contact]    If this episode resonated with you, make sure to share it with someone who might need it.