Taboo Tea with Katie

S2 | Ep4: Not Butterflies, Red Flags

We've been taught that love is supposed to feel intense. The butterflies. The uncertainty. The emotional highs and lows. The can't-eat, can't-sleep, can't-stop-thinking-about-them kind of connection. But what if some of what we're calling chemistry is actually unpredictability? In this episode of Taboo Tea, we're unpacking the difference between intensity and intimacy, why healthy relationships can feel "boring" at first, and how social media, movies, and pop culture have convinced many of us that chaos is a prerequisite for love. Because sometimes the spark isn't compatibility. Sometimes it's anxiety. Pour your tea. We're getting into it! Keywords: * Intensity vs. intimacy * Chemistry vs. compatibility * Emotional availability * Attachment and attraction * Nervous system responses in relationships * Healthy relationships and emotional safety * Peace vs. settling * Faith and relationships

S2 | Ep 3 The Cool Girl Is Tired

Christina's Gone!! Have you ever looked up and realized you've been playing a role in your own relationships? The easygoing friend. The understanding partner. The strong one who never asks for anything. The "cool girl" who pretends everything is fine. In this episode of Taboo Tea, we're talking about what happens when love starts feeling like a performance review and approval becomes more important than authenticity. We'll explore why so many of us learn to shape-shift for connection, how performing for love is often rooted in questions of self-worth, and why being liked is not the same thing as being known. Because eventually, the character gets tired. It's time to retire the mask, stop auditioning for relationships, and discover the relief that comes from being loved without constantly managing the experience. Pour your tea and let's talk about it. Keywords: people pleasing, self-worth, relationships, authenticity, boundaries, anxiety, attachment styles, emotional health, Christian mental health, healing, personal growth, relationship advice, codependency, self-love, mental wellness, therapy, emotional intelligence, perfectionism, women’s mental health

S 2 | Ep 2: If I’m Easy, They’ll Stay

You say you're "easygoing," but are you really... or have you just gotten really good at abandoning yourself to keep other people comfortable? In this episode of Taboo Tea, we're talking about people-pleasing in relationships and the belief that if you're understanding enough, flexible enough, and low-maintenance enough, people will stay. We'll unpack why chronic over-accommodation can feel like love, how it slowly erodes your sense of self, and why some relationships only feel peaceful because one person is carrying all the emotional weight. If you've ever swallowed your feelings to avoid conflict, struggled to ask for what you need, or felt guilty for having boundaries, this conversation is for you. Pour your tea and join me as we explore the difference between loving someone and losing yourself. Keywords: people pleasing, relationships, boundaries, self-worth, attachment styles, relationship anxiety, emotional health, self-abandonment, codependency, healthy relationships, Christian mental health, healing, personal growth, therapy podcast, emotional boundaries, dating and relationships, self-love, relationship patterns, vulnerability,

Season 2 | Ep 1: Loving While Broken

What if you do not have to be fully healed before you are worthy of love? In the Season 2 premiere of Taboo Tea: Relationship Edition — Pour It All Out, Katie explores the belief that says, “I need to be whole before I can be loved.” This episode unpacks how self-sabotage, isolation, emotional withholding, and performing “healed” can show up when fear gets dressed up as wisdom. Together, we talk about the difference between discernment and avoidance, why love can feel unsafe after heartbreak, and what it means to receive love with honesty, accountability, and willingness while still healing. You do not have to be whole. But you do have to be willing. Keep your tea hot, your heart honest, and don’t gaslight your own healing. Topics covered: relationships, healing, self-sabotage, emotional availability, fear of intimacy, relationship anxiety, vulnerability, dating while healing, faith and mental health, Christian mental health, self-worth, boundaries, therapy, attachment wounds, emotional healing, love after heartbreak, trauma healing, personal growth, relationship patterns, women’s mental health, Black mental health, spiritually grounded healing.

Episode 9: Too Big To Hold Alone

In this episode, Katie unpacks the idea that emotions aren’t actually “too big”—they’re just too heavy to carry alone. Through reflection, cultural wisdom, and practical tools, she explores why many of us wear silence and self-sufficiency like a badge of honor and what it looks like to start sharing the weight instead. Emotional overwhelm, feeling overwhelmed, coping with emotions, vulnerability and connection, hyper-independence, community care, collective healing, mental health awareness, emotional resilience, faith and mental health, Christian mental health