full

full
Published on:

27th Jan 2026

Core Wounds Healing: Stop People-Pleasing & Rewire Your Patterns (Divorce & Beyond)

Core wounds healing + nervous system rewiring for women over 40. In this episode, JJ Flizanes joins Lesa Koski to unpack core wounds healing, the “core wound map,” and how your subconscious beliefs shape people-pleasing, abandonment fears, and everyday triggers. You’ll learn why core wounds healing isn’t just awareness—it’s rewiring, stretching past comfort zones, and building new neural pathways. JJ shares how core wounds healing can change your patterns in real time, and why choosing yourself is the pathway out of abandonment loops. Plus, a powerful look at 2026’s “Year of the Fire Horse” energy—movement, action, and expansion after a season of shedding.

If you’re navigating midlife change, divorce recovery, emotional healing, or you’re ready to stop spiraling and start choosing you, this conversation will meet you right where you are.

Timestamps (in parentheses):

(These are listener-friendly timestamps—adjust to match your final audio.)

(00:00) Welcome + why JJ is a “big deal” and where to find her work

(02:10) Lesa’s healing journey + why the Core Wounds course mattered

(05:10) JJ explains core wounds as subconscious beliefs (and why therapy can stall)

(10:40) The “core wound map” + why people process differently (moon signs + patterns)

(16:30) Why awareness isn’t always enough: rewiring requires stretching

(20:30) The “video that made her cry” example + how the brain flags “unsafe”

(24:40) Neuroplasticity story: cats in an RV + how the brain learns “I didn’t die”

(28:40) Lesa gets real: people-pleasing, overexplaining, and tiny daily triggers

(33:10) Abandonment wound: the belief underneath it + “How do you abandon yourself?”

(38:15) “Choose you” homework: one daily small step + one bigger weekly stretch

(42:30) Healing in relationship vs healing alone + the power of mirroring

(47:10) Tribe + community: why group energy accelerates growth

(50:25) 2025 shedding → 2026 Year of the Fire Horse begins Feb 17, 2026

(55:10) How to work with JJ + her application link + closing

Key Takeaways:

  1. Core wounds are subconscious beliefs that shape how you see yourself and relationships—often without you realizing it.
  2. Awareness is step one, but rewiring requires action that stretches your comfort zone and builds new neural pathways.
  3. People-pleasing and overexplaining can be signs of an abandonment pattern—your nervous system trying to stay “safe.”
  4. Healing isn’t just emotional; it’s nervous-system and behavior change, practiced moment-to-moment and proactively.
  5. Community matters: being in a tribe of people on a similar growth path keeps your “coal” warm and your progress moving.

Guest Bio:

JJ Flizanes is a personal development coach, podcast host, and creator of emotional healing programs focused on identifying and rewiring subconscious patterns. She developed the Core Wound Map, expanding on the core wound exercise from Imago therapy, and continues to teach tools for emotional resilience, nervous system awareness, and practical rewiring strategies.

Resource Links:

DIY Parenting Plan Course

Find More From Lesa Here!

Sign up for my newsletter  https://enchanting-basil-714.myflodesk.com/qwzridafyj

jjflizanes.com/lesa

Tags/Keywords:

core wounds healing, core wound map, emotional healing, nervous system regulation, neuroplasticity, abandonment wound, people pleasing, overexplaining, subconscious beliefs, Imago therapy, relationship patterns, trauma healing tools, mindset coaching, midlife healing, women over 40, self worth, choosing yourself, boundaries, emotional resilience, JJ Flizanes, Doing Life Different, Lesa Koski, year of the fire horse 2026

Transcript
Speaker:

Welcome listeners.

2

:

I'm thankful that you're here and I'm

so excited because JJ Za is with me.

3

:

She hasn't been here for a while and

jj, I, I remember the first time I had

4

:

you on, I'm like, Ooh, she's a big deal.

5

:

I was like nervous.

6

:

You've like been in magazines and I

mean, this woman there is so much to you.

7

:

It would take years.

8

:

To unfold, but I'm gonna say, I'm

gonna put your link in the show notes.

9

:

I always have a link to the core wounds

course there, but there's so much and,

10

:

and, um, things I wanna delve into.

11

:

You've got books, you've got lots

of podcasts, not just one podcast.

12

:

There's, there's an abundance of them

and you can find them on her website.

13

:

But jj, I just wanna welcome you and I,

I have been taking a healing journey.

14

:

And I think you've been a big part

of it and you maybe don't even

15

:

know it because a lot of it has

been through your online course.

16

:

And, um, it's been a hot

minute since I did it.

17

:

I think I did it about a year ago,

and I want to talk about it because

18

:

I think it has really led me to the

next level of healing and taking a

19

:

look at where those wounds came from.

20

:

I didn't even realize, let, I didn't even

realize how much that course affected me

21

:

until I was led a little bit further along

and then I did some, um, forgiveness work.

22

:

Ooh, that was powerful.

23

:

And redeeming too.

24

:

So, um, I really, if you could just share

a little bit more about your core wounds.

25

:

Course in this episode.

26

:

And then you mentioned the

year of the horses coming.

27

:

Speaker 2: Yes.

28

:

2026 is the year of the fire horse in

Chinese astrology where while we were

29

:

in 2025 was the year of the snake.

30

:

Speaker: And

31

:

Speaker 2: the snake is

about shedding skins.

32

:

And thank you, Lisa, for having me back.

33

:

Yes, by the way.

34

:

Thanks.

35

:

Hi.

36

:

Um.

37

:

Yeah, let's have this conversation.

38

:

'cause what's happened in 2025

is I actually wrote the book

39

:

about the core wound process.

40

:

'cause I actually created

something called a core wound map.

41

:

So what you have is the very first

iteration of the My Roadmap to

42

:

Emotional Healing Course, which

is still in all of my rewiring

43

:

your core wound pattern programs.

44

:

And it's still, it's its own

course people can take, but it was

45

:

way, way in the beginning when.

46

:

For me, when I did the core wound exercise

in Imago therapy and I just saw it on

47

:

a piece of paper because the way my

brain works, I could quickly identify

48

:

a pattern that I didn't know went back

as far as it did, which helped me to,

49

:

because I have a SAG moon, so sags are.

50

:

And a moon's how you deal with emotion.

51

:

And so for me, there's the educational

piece of when I see something differently,

52

:

I automatically will change the behavior

because I understand it differently.

53

:

Like I can catch it, I can see it, I'm

conscious, I'm aware I'm making choices

54

:

in the moment and I can't unsee it.

55

:

So for me.

56

:

Just doing the COR exercise

and imago therapy was enough

57

:

for a life changing moment.

58

:

Whereas over the years when

I've used it at my workshops or

59

:

with my clients, it's a 50 50.

60

:

Some people go, oh my God.

61

:

And then they have this big like

emotional breakthrough and some people

62

:

go, okay, and then nothing changes.

63

:

And so for years I've been working

with this to, in different groups in

64

:

order to peel back and to understand.

65

:

Again, people's moons and how

they handle deal with emotions.

66

:

So you're

67

:

Speaker: speaking over my head there.

68

:

I don't know anything about that.

69

:

Speaker 2: About what?

70

:

Speaker: About people's moons and

71

:

Speaker 2: right in, in astrology, you

know, you are like a, a recipe, and in the

72

:

recipe there's many different ingredients.

73

:

So you know that there are thousands

of recipes for chocolate cake, but

74

:

it's all chocolate cake, right?

75

:

So you are a person who, and it

doesn't matter what your sun sign

76

:

is or not, there's still a recipe

of all these different planets.

77

:

That make up your sort of energetic

blueprint of why you're here, what

78

:

lessons you're here to learn, how

you deal with emotion, how you deal

79

:

with communication, how you are in

love, how you are with sex, how you

80

:

are, like, what you're growing into.

81

:

And that's sort of your, that's your

chart, that's your astrology chart.

82

:

And, and I actually, way

back when started my podcast.

83

:

Wanting to talk about that on one

of my different days of the week,

84

:

which is where fit to love then

becomes spirit, purpose and energy.

85

:

And I get to talk about anything

spiritual, but to me there's a lot

86

:

of behavioral clues in astrology.

87

:

It's how I energetically function.

88

:

And for me, again, awareness education.

89

:

Is enough for me to make a change.

90

:

However, for other people, it's

not, you can know something and

91

:

not do anything differently.

92

:

Mm-hmm.

93

:

And I'll tell you some of those, I mean,

there's a lot of different planets.

94

:

I'll tell you that earth sign moons,

like anyone with a, with a moon

95

:

sign is an Earth planet, which would

be Virgo, Taurus, or Capricorn.

96

:

You may have a little bit harder

time, uh, because that's a

97

:

very stable, solid, repetitive.

98

:

Um, you know, like you, you want proof.

99

:

You want it to be in real, in real world.

100

:

It's not theory.

101

:

You need to see it.

102

:

They like structure, they like

stability, repetitive things.

103

:

So anyway, knowing all of this and

going into how, you know, I, I can't

104

:

assume everyone's gonna react like me.

105

:

So I do the exercise and I wait to

see, and I even had a certification.

106

:

I did two years of the certification.

107

:

And even within the certification,

some people life changing.

108

:

Like, oh my God, here are my wounds.

109

:

Here's how I heal them.

110

:

And then other people, I realized like

they'd been in therapy or in 12 step

111

:

programs for decades and they knew

some of the stuff, but so it didn't,

112

:

it didn't change anything from them.

113

:

Their behavior didn't change.

114

:

And so throughout the years, I've

created something called a core

115

:

wound map, which we started in the

road roadmap to emotional healing.

116

:

Mm-hmm.

117

:

But I have since.

118

:

Deepened because I, you know, every

new group of people, I learned more

119

:

things, I asked different questions.

120

:

I had different people who

didn't process the same way as

121

:

I did or the group did before.

122

:

So it's been a really fun

process of not rushing.

123

:

The creation of this core wound map

that's an extension of Imago therapy

124

:

and the core wound exercise, and I've

got Harville and Helen's blessing.

125

:

They wrote the forward to the book.

126

:

I finished the book this year and I

have an agent shopping it right now.

127

:

So hopefully it'll be published in 2026.

128

:

But it, and I, in terms of the

title, there's several titles that

129

:

we're, we're working with, so I

couldn't even tell you what it is.

130

:

Right.

131

:

It might be, it might

be the Three Beliefs.

132

:

It might be allowing more, it

might be the core wound map.

133

:

I don't know.

134

:

It depends on what

someone thinks I can sell.

135

:

So at this point, 'cause it's

really not about the title for

136

:

me, it's about what's inside.

137

:

Right.

138

:

And doing the process.

139

:

So you know, your core wounds.

140

:

Lemme just back up a second.

141

:

For anyone that hasn't heard me before

on this podcast, I think this is my

142

:

second or third time on the show.

143

:

Speaker: I think it's a third.

144

:

Yeah.

145

:

Speaker 2: And you know, you're What?

146

:

I like my message to people.

147

:

And some people think they get it

and some people don't really get it.

148

:

So it's interesting for me to like,

okay, your core wounds are beliefs.

149

:

They're beliefs that your subconscious

has as the foundation of how you see

150

:

the world and yourself in the world.

151

:

Most people do not know what their

core wounds are because when you go to

152

:

therapy or coaching, you deal with the

situation at hand in the red hot moment.

153

:

So you could be in therapy forever

and be manifesting the same situation

154

:

over and over again and talking about

your feelings and what happened to you

155

:

over and over again and not getting

any results or relief because you

156

:

haven't really looked at why you're

in the situation in the first place.

157

:

Speaker: Right?

158

:

Speaker 2: Why do you look at the world?

159

:

The way that you do well, how do you look

at yourself in the world the way you do?

160

:

And then how do we, it's

a three step process.

161

:

How do we rewire, yes, those core

wound patterns, but you have to

162

:

start with knowing what they are.

163

:

What are your beliefs?

164

:

And it's not, so it's literally like

if someone would, it's as, it's as

165

:

simple as if you're a Christian or

if you're a Buddhist, or if you are

166

:

like, those are your spiritual beliefs.

167

:

Well, this is your beliefs about

the world and yourself in the world.

168

:

So I think it's kind of

important to understand them.

169

:

And if people can't rattle

off at least the top three.

170

:

Then there's some work to be done

about uncovering what you are in.

171

:

It's like having a different

colored glasses on.

172

:

Like if I have an abandonment wound,

I'm wearing red glasses, and everywhere

173

:

I look things are colored red.

174

:

And if I have a, I was smothered, uh, in

my childhood and I have a smothered wound.

175

:

Maybe I'm wearing green glasses and

everyone has a different pair of

176

:

glasses, and so everyone's looking at

something differently that make sense.

177

:

Speaker: It, it makes total sense to me.

178

:

And then I think.

179

:

I mean, just like everything.

180

:

I mean, just like I started this

journey and I learned to become

181

:

aware of my feelings, right?

182

:

So just like that, that is the first step.

183

:

Okay, so let's go, you know?

184

:

So then I look back at, at those early

beliefs and then the thing that was

185

:

a little tricky was rewiring them.

186

:

Like changing them, like

even though, you know.

187

:

Something isn't true that you

believe it's really hard to change.

188

:

Speaker 2: Well, I had you,

you took the course before I

189

:

could tell you how to do it.

190

:

So what I'm saying is I have developed

a new, like I've kept developing.

191

:

I kept going deeper with it because

I'm the person who saw the pattern

192

:

and changed it because, I mean, not

in every aspect, but in my current,

193

:

in the situation that I was in, I can

now recognize it and pivot faster.

194

:

I do the things I need to do to create

a different belief, but I broke it

195

:

down into sort of three steps and

added some really important things.

196

:

And here's the most important thing

at the end of it, is that, you

197

:

know, as a personal trainer, people

understood when they hired me.

198

:

That I'm going to push you past your

comfort zone so that you can get more

199

:

results in your whatever weight loss,

flexibility, uh, strength building muscle.

200

:

They understood that.

201

:

Everyone understands that.

202

:

When it comes to rewiring cor

patterns, you also have to push

203

:

outside of your comfort zone.

204

:

Mm-hmm.

205

:

And I'm telling you, most people are

not gonna sign up to be uncomfortable.

206

:

They're not gonna say, yes, let

me make myself uncomfortable.

207

:

Like, that's not how we're built,

which is why I'm now a personal trainer

208

:

of rewiring cor patterns, because I

wanna push you beyond into new neural

209

:

pathways that you are not gonna choose.

210

:

Love that you're just not,

most of us don't do that.

211

:

I mean, I work out at the gym.

212

:

I mean, I was there this morning.

213

:

I don't push myself as much as

I would if I had somebody Right.

214

:

Watching me or helping to coach

me or being accountable for that.

215

:

So while there are things we all can do

to rewire colon patterns, for sure, and

216

:

again, in the three steps of the map.

217

:

Uh, the first two, the first two

sections, if you will, are things that

218

:

you can start to do for yourself 100%.

219

:

And then you move to,

well, what's the stretch?

220

:

Like?

221

:

What's the stretch piece?

222

:

And the stretch piece is, to give

you an example, one of my clients,

223

:

a couple years ago in my mastermind,

she was doing her very first summit.

224

:

When we did the summit, she needed to

record a video to be like, Hey, here,

225

:

here's who I am and here's what my

summit's about and I hope you join me.

226

:

And it pained her so much.

227

:

She cried four days now.

228

:

Now, as someone who's on video all

the time, you may be thinking like.

229

:

What's the big deal?

230

:

You needed to record a video,

but this was her first time.

231

:

Speaker: Mm-hmm.

232

:

It

233

:

Speaker 2: was her first time and all

of this stuff came up and she cried and

234

:

she cried and she got frustrated and

she tried and she just was so for like

235

:

a, it's for like a ten second video

and when, and so when you're done with

236

:

it, when she finally did it the next

year, when she did it was a lot easier.

237

:

And I said something to her

like, well, maybe you wanna.

238

:

Do you wanna make videos?

239

:

Maybe you wanna post.

240

:

She goes, oh, I'll make videos.

241

:

It's easier.

242

:

And she never would've said that

had she not stretched herself

243

:

in making that very first video.

244

:

And the brain had to rewire itself and

say, like, I tell the story with my cats.

245

:

Um, I, my partner and I now engaged.

246

:

This happens since I saw

247

:

Speaker: Yay.

248

:

Congrats.

249

:

Speaker 2: Thank you.

250

:

He, he and I rented an RV a

couple years ago and took two

251

:

of my, at the time, five cats.

252

:

I now have four, but two of my older

girls, because I wanna get them

253

:

away from the little one who was.

254

:

A, a devil cat.

255

:

I love her.

256

:

She, she's been, unfortunately

she has transitioned.

257

:

Um, she wasn't quite sure of how to be a

cat in this lifetime, but she'll be back.

258

:

So I took the older two with us

on this RV trip, which was me,

259

:

for me, was really, really fun.

260

:

And the cats get in the RV and

we've packed all the stuff.

261

:

They're very curious.

262

:

They're looking around,

they're smelling everything.

263

:

We close the door.

264

:

He turns on the engine.

265

:

He starts to drive away, and they

dive headfirst into the bed, put

266

:

their little heads in the corner

and are, they're paralyzed.

267

:

They're so afraid because they

went into fight or flight 'cause

268

:

they had no idea what was going on.

269

:

Their brains registered, I'm going to die.

270

:

I don't know what's happening,

but I'm going to die.

271

:

Now when we stopped the RV and

then for lunch and got out and

272

:

bought some lunch, they, they,

their body melted a little bit.

273

:

The freeze turned into a melt and

then they came out and they sort of

274

:

stretched and started to walk around

again and turned the engine back

275

:

on, boom, back into freeze mode.

276

:

And this happened every day

except it got better and better.

277

:

And by the fifth day, they were sitting

on my lap while we were driving.

278

:

That's neuroplasticity.

279

:

Mm-hmm.

280

:

The brain literally will register

even for what you consider is what you

281

:

consider quote unquote is the silliest,

stupidest, most insignificant thing.

282

:

Your brain goes into fight or flight.

283

:

Your nervous system decides you're going

to use your reptilian brain to survive.

284

:

Right.

285

:

Now, again, it's not logical.

286

:

It's a hundred percent emotional.

287

:

That's what I mean, like

the video for this client.

288

:

She even knew.

289

:

She's like, oh my God.

290

:

She was embarrassed because she

thought, I'm literally, I'm sobbing.

291

:

It's a tense, like, what's the big deal?

292

:

But the brain goes, this is unsafe,

this is unsafe, this is unsafe.

293

:

And so you have to override that.

294

:

But with caution, with care, with

planning, you override it in a way

295

:

that you know is going to possibly

send you into a, a, a fight or

296

:

flight nervous system response.

297

:

But you know, logically

that it's not going to.

298

:

And once you get there, the

brain goes, oh, I didn't die.

299

:

Oh, okay.

300

:

This is okay.

301

:

Speaker: Jj.

302

:

It's so funny because as you're

talking through this and I'm

303

:

thinking I can't help it.

304

:

I like think about how this is affecting

me and I think, I feel like I can

305

:

do maybe the bigger things, like I

can jump in and go to law school.

306

:

I can do a, you know, I can do

lots of different things, but

307

:

it's like those, it's like the.

308

:

Death by a thousand little knife cuts.

309

:

It's that it's that stupid, um,

people pleasing that is spinning out

310

:

in my fricking brain all the time,

and I'm becoming more aware of it.

311

:

I've got this new practice where

I'm like, I'm surrendering it.

312

:

Like as I, as I feel it, I kind

of try to surrender it, but it is.

313

:

So ingrained in me, and

it's not like a big thing.

314

:

It's like a little thing.

315

:

It's like little stupid things

like, I don't know, like.

316

:

Like, I went to, I went to yoga today

in between, uh, podcast episodes and

317

:

I'm trying to like wipe the lipstick

off and I think I gotta go in and tell

318

:

everyone, oh, the reason my lipstick,

you know, it's like I have to explain.

319

:

It's like, who the, who

the heck really cares?

320

:

No one.

321

:

And I don't need to explain it.

322

:

I just need, just need to go do my thing.

323

:

Um, but that's my thing.

324

:

My thing are these tiny

little things I can do.

325

:

The big, I can be like, I kind of like

go for that uncomfortable a little bit.

326

:

There's a little bit of a strange thing

about that, but it's the little things.

327

:

Does that make sense to you or am I weird?

328

:

Speaker 2: What I'm hearing

is the big things for other

329

:

people are manageable for you.

330

:

The little things you think for other

people are actually big things for you.

331

:

Speaker: Yes.

332

:

Speaker 2: Like going into the yoga class

with fully face of makeup and lipstick.

333

:

Not even flinching and having to

defend yourself or justify why you

334

:

look like that, that even though

for you, you think you're judging

335

:

it as little, but for you it's big.

336

:

Speaker: Yeah.

337

:

Speaker 2: For, for whatever reason.

338

:

Do you know your, can you gimme

your top three core wounds?

339

:

Speaker: Oh gosh.

340

:

Don't question me.

341

:

It's been

342

:

Speaker 2: okay.

343

:

Can gimme one?

344

:

Can you

345

:

Speaker: gimme one?

346

:

Oh, abandonment.

347

:

Okay.

348

:

Speaker 2: Okay.

349

:

All right.

350

:

So abandonment shows up for people

and all, and this is one of the

351

:

parts of the, the map that's new

Since you took the course and act

352

:

and act, I still use the course.

353

:

I use the course within my rewire program,

354

:

Speaker: and then just let me ask, can

I go back in and do I get, do I have to

355

:

purchase the new course or if I go back

356

:

Speaker 2: in, there is no the, the new.

357

:

It's, it's a, it's content

within the nine, six, or

358

:

nine month program that I do.

359

:

It's the same thing that you

already have, but there is more

360

:

content, and then there's the

accountability, the stretching, the

361

:

plan, the planning, the coaching,

everything else that goes in there.

362

:

Um, so you can have access to that.

363

:

You can watch as many

times as you want to.

364

:

The course has not changed in the

future, I might record another one.

365

:

Speaker: Mm-hmm.

366

:

Speaker 2: Because I would like to

update it with the, the new things.

367

:

But we're, we're not there yet.

368

:

Uh, so let's go into abandonment though.

369

:

So, one of the parts of the map,

because again, when I, I saw that

370

:

one of my wounds was being devalued,

and that's one of my top core wounds.

371

:

And when I saw what I did to get

value, that behavior, I, I just

372

:

justified it in my last marriage and

said, oh no, no, this is situational.

373

:

This is because of blah,

blah, blah, blah, blah.

374

:

And then, and he'd say to me, you

know what you're doing isn't working?

375

:

I said, oh, yeah, I totally

know it's not working.

376

:

I don't know why I can't stop.

377

:

And then when I saw the pattern that

dated back to my parents, I was like, oh.

378

:

Mm-hmm.

379

:

And then I stopped doing it.

380

:

There was something about the awareness

that made an instant shift in me.

381

:

Now when it comes to abandonment or

whatever your wounds are, so anyone can

382

:

do this, who's listening or watching

this, if you can identify with a wound

383

:

that you think you have, and there are

many, um, and some of them won't be

384

:

accurate until you do the exercise, right?

385

:

'cause sometimes you think they're one

thing, but they end up being something

386

:

else.

387

:

Speaker: Can you name like the top three?

388

:

Speaker 2: Uh, ignored,

devalued, abandoned, uh, uh,

389

:

invisible, smothered, controlled.

390

:

Speaker: I think mine was ignored too.

391

:

Speaker 2: Okay, so I'm gonna work

with abandonment because I think

392

:

that one feels very cross the board.

393

:

Uh, okay.

394

:

Someone can identify abandonment

when you have an abandonment wound.

395

:

So what's the belief?

396

:

The belief behind I was abandoned is, I'm

not important, I'm not valuable enough.

397

:

Uh, people leave me.

398

:

Relationships aren't safe.

399

:

That's the way that you look at the world.

400

:

So in order to, and again, this is

part of, this is like the second part

401

:

of the map, but we have to turn that

around because if it was just something

402

:

that happened one time and you did the

forgiveness work and you're like, okay,

403

:

cool, I can forgive what happened to me.

404

:

That doesn't change your.

405

:

Response to you.

406

:

Because here's the thing, there's

an event that happened, or several

407

:

events that created the wound.

408

:

Mm-hmm.

409

:

And then there's the belief that

gets embedded and anchored over

410

:

and over again when you believe

it and you act from that place.

411

:

So what, so the questions would be,

what three ways do you abandon yourself?

412

:

Speaker: Yeah.

413

:

Speaker 2: So if we look at the,

the wounds of abandoned, how does,

414

:

and, and it could be anywhere from

self-care to overexplaining and

415

:

people pleasing, it could be, right.

416

:

So how do I aba I'm doing for

others before you do for yourself.

417

:

Mm-hmm.

418

:

Not speaking up because you don't

want to cause a problem or you

419

:

don't want someone to get upset.

420

:

Like, those are all parts

of how you abandon yourself.

421

:

'cause you're not necessarily

speaking your truth.

422

:

Now, it doesn't mean that if you're in

a situation and you wanna say something

423

:

that you can't do it in a way that.

424

:

That is a win-win for everybody.

425

:

That's what the whole feelings and

needs list is about, is being able to

426

:

come from the place of, I have this

feeling, 'cause I have this need and

427

:

here's what I'd like to have happen.

428

:

But it's not about you changing or

you doing something different for

429

:

me, person I'm talking to, which is

acknowledging, Hey, I need some help.

430

:

I have this, I need this.

431

:

How can we do this where

both of our needs get met?

432

:

Speaker: Mm-hmm.

433

:

Speaker 2: So, so abandonment

can look like, yeah, not.

434

:

Sticking up for yourself, not

speaking your truth, not taking care

435

:

of yourself, putting others first.

436

:

Speaker: Yeah, the people pleasing.

437

:

Putting others first really rings.

438

:

Rings true.

439

:

Which is interesting because

I still deal with it.

440

:

I'm still dealing with that.

441

:

The thing where I felt like

I had redemption after the

442

:

forgiveness was really kind of fun.

443

:

Like I have never like.

444

:

Um, really sang in front of people since

I was very young because I'm so afraid.

445

:

And my, my baby was upstairs

with a microphone singing and I

446

:

didn't have any wine or anything.

447

:

And I went up there and I sang loud and

I, and it was probably the day after I had

448

:

done the forgiveness work and it was like.

449

:

Wow, that feels really good.

450

:

'cause I've never done that.

451

:

So I love that.

452

:

Nice.

453

:

And yet I'm still carrying around

the wanting to please everyone.

454

:

And then I get so mad at myself.

455

:

Then there's like all this, like, I'm

not really doing anything outta love

456

:

because you're like mad about it.

457

:

So I'm becoming aware of

that, which is helping.

458

:

Speaker 2: Well I think it, it, it's

that moment to moment decision making.

459

:

See, like two years ago

the group I worked with.

460

:

Really helped because there had

a lot of air signs in there.

461

:

And they, they, I understood that it was

about the moment to moment decision making

462

:

that we, how we assess and look at things.

463

:

And so for when you're, you know, when

you're feeling the impulse to people,

464

:

please, uh, what your brain is telling

you is that it's unsafe to mm-hmm.

465

:

Piss off this person

because they will leave you.

466

:

So part of the healing of

abandonment means choosing you.

467

:

So how can you choose you?

468

:

More than choosing others.

469

:

How can you put into play?

470

:

And, and so there's the, there's,

and there's two parts to this.

471

:

There's the reaction that happens in,

in a moment, like when the trigger

472

:

happens and you're in the trigger

moment and you have your circuit, that's

473

:

your, that's the, the, the wounded

triggered the feeling you get, then the

474

:

action you take, that's the circuit.

475

:

And once you're aware that it's

happening and you get to the, the

476

:

reaction piece sometimes, and, and

through time you can absolutely

477

:

catch it and then do the opposite.

478

:

But you're already in reaction mode.

479

:

So that's one piece.

480

:

Well, what ha, what about proactively?

481

:

What could you proactively do to

choose you to put you first, to

482

:

consider you before considering others?

483

:

And that's what you go back and look

at habits and patterns that you have.

484

:

And say, what could I do actively?

485

:

And it doesn't have to be in reaction.

486

:

I want you to actively do something

that sends a message out energetically,

487

:

that you are choosing you, that you love

you, that you accept you, that you feel

488

:

safe, that you are safe, that you are

loved, because otherwise, the belief of

489

:

abandonment is about clinging to everybody

else to show you that you're loved.

490

:

Yeah, it's looking for love outside

of yourself versus inside yourself.

491

:

Speaker: Yep, that is right.

492

:

Hit it on the nose and I have to say.

493

:

So interesting you said choosing you.

494

:

This has been the oddest day.

495

:

I told you like I had a no show on the

podcast, but I recorded another one and

496

:

I have never heard choose you before.

497

:

I heard boundaries.

498

:

I heard the, the gal I

talked to prior to you.

499

:

I asked her, what's one thing that

you can do, you know at the end of

500

:

the podcast to truly love yourself?

501

:

She said, choose you.

502

:

And I was like, oh.

503

:

So that's twice I've heard it today.

504

:

I wonder if it's gonna come back again.

505

:

Speaker 2: I think twice is enough.

506

:

I think twice is enough in the same day.

507

:

I think that's a clear enough message.

508

:

Lisa, take it.

509

:

And then, and so then here's

what comes your homework.

510

:

How can, how can I,

511

:

Speaker: yeah.

512

:

Speaker 2: Choose me more and daily, how?

513

:

What could I do daily?

514

:

And then what's one big thing

I can do and what's one little

515

:

thing I can do daily that.

516

:

Or one big thing weekly that chooses me.

517

:

Mm-hmm.

518

:

What does that mean to you?

519

:

Speaker: Mm-hmm.

520

:

Yeah.

521

:

Speaker 2: And that's, and that's,

that's what you have to put together.

522

:

So that's your action plan.

523

:

Because once you do it and you're

afraid of it and it makes you

524

:

wanna throw up and you, you know,

you nervous or whatever, yeah.

525

:

Once you do it once or twice and the brain

goes, oh, this is safe and it's okay.

526

:

But until you do it, you can't

expect anyone else to do it for you.

527

:

That the, the wound of

abandonment does not get healed

528

:

by anybody else other than you.

529

:

I mean, maybe you were

530

:

Speaker: Yeah.

531

:

Does

532

:

Speaker 2: anything, uh, yes.

533

:

I, in relationship, I will say that

the Imago therapy, which is Harville

534

:

and Helen's, uh, therapy, relationship

therapy, they come at the, you know,

535

:

your relationship and relationships.

536

:

It could be just, you know,

mother, daughter, uh, parent,

537

:

spouse, whatever, relationships.

538

:

The place where these things

get reflected back to us.

539

:

So in relationship, there are things you

can heal that you can't heal by yourself.

540

:

Speaker: Ah, ah.

541

:

' Speaker 2: cause because you're

not, you're not being mirrored.

542

:

It's one thing when you're never

triggered, like you can do all

543

:

your right, but it's when someone

else comes in and reflects back

544

:

to you what's going on with you.

545

:

And now you have to be

different in the same situation.

546

:

So relationships.

547

:

But there, what I.

548

:

Didn't necessarily agree with, is

that ev, like that you have to be in a

549

:

relationship to heal things you don't?

550

:

Speaker: No.

551

:

Speaker 2: Um, I think they're equally

important that a person individually needs

552

:

to take responsibility for their healing.

553

:

And then as a, as a relationship, there

are tools and things that I provide

554

:

that other people provide, that here's

how to help heal within relationship.

555

:

Right.

556

:

Speaker: That, that's so key

because as you're talking, I think

557

:

about this people pleasing thing.

558

:

Yeah.

559

:

It happens every day.

560

:

It's not as important to me with

the people at the yoga studio

561

:

as it is, like with my kids.

562

:

So hard for me to say no to a kid.

563

:

I almost can't.

564

:

And it's been a problem.

565

:

Um, you know, like even with like,

if they need something, if they need

566

:

money, I would, you know, tear off my

arm and give it to them kind of thing.

567

:

Um.

568

:

It's interesting and

it's so uncomfortable.

569

:

It is worse for me to say no to a

child than to be forced up on a stage,

570

:

which I don't really like either.

571

:

You know?

572

:

It's just, it's, isn't that interesting?

573

:

Because I, I'm afraid, I feel

like they love me because of what

574

:

I've given them and what I've done

for them, and I've done a lot.

575

:

Speaker 2: Yeah.

576

:

It, it becomes about loving

and accepting yourself.

577

:

Without performing for love.

578

:

Speaker: Mm-hmm.

579

:

I'm still learning how to

do that, jj, I need help.

580

:

Speaker 2: Well, here's the thing.

581

:

We're all gonna, we're all

gonna be learning these lessons.

582

:

Yeah.

583

:

It just gets easier and it gets better,

and you get to go to the next level.

584

:

There's a certain amount of allowing that

we, so let's talk about manifestation

585

:

for a second and how this, how this

kind of bridges this gap for me.

586

:

You as a person.

587

:

Everyone.

588

:

You have a sort of temperature gauge,

and that temperature gauge is how

589

:

much love, love, joy, and abundance

I allow in how much do I deserve?

590

:

And the deservedness is absolutely

100% linked to your core wounds.

591

:

Mm-hmm.

592

:

All right.

593

:

So they go hand in hand.

594

:

So your core wounds link

to this temperature gauge.

595

:

It says, I am only worth

yes allowing in this much.

596

:

So when your temperature gauge goes up,

because you start to heal these wounds.

597

:

So does your ability to receive more.

598

:

That still doesn't mean though, that

when you, after you get to like the

599

:

next level of like, this is amazing

that you're not gonna like come

600

:

crashing into the next level because.

601

:

We don't learn when we're not challenged.

602

:

We, you know, we, we learn when we're

forced to learn, we're we learn, when

603

:

we manifest something that pushes our

back up against the wall that's so

604

:

uncomfortable that we're forced to learn.

605

:

And that's, and I'm with the core wound

stuff and the rewiring stuff, that's

606

:

me saying here, don't let life get

so bad that you have to learn this.

607

:

And it's super painful.

608

:

Like, let's learn it now in a,

in a more controlled situation.

609

:

Speaker: Yeah.

610

:

Speaker 2: So that you are better skilled

and have better tools so that in case life

611

:

really pushes you up against the wall,

that you can handle it and you understand

612

:

what it is and what to do about it.

613

:

And you don't just make this

sweeping assumption that goes

614

:

back into your core wound patterns

and says, oh, I'm worthless.

615

:

Look at this.

616

:

Nothing ever works out for me.

617

:

And you just start to go down the,

um, the rabbit hole of all the wounds.

618

:

'cause if you can't identify them,

then you never can get over them.

619

:

Right.

620

:

You can't heal them if you can't see them.

621

:

Speaker: Amen.

622

:

I, yeah, exactly.

623

:

That's, that's so, so true.

624

:

And I'm so thankful that.

625

:

I, I hit a hard wall, you know, a

couple years ago and I, before that

626

:

I was doing a little bit of work.

627

:

You know, I was becoming aware.

628

:

I was looking at my mindset.

629

:

Um, definitely not enough.

630

:

And so that's where like, I feel like

now I just want to help women feel

631

:

better and, and be prepared because

there are gonna be things that happen.

632

:

But it's so interesting, jj, because

how I handle something today is.

633

:

Very, very different than how I

handled the same news six years ago.

634

:

And I have a, you know, yeah.

635

:

It, it's amazing.

636

:

Amazing.

637

:

In a good way.

638

:

Doesn't mean that crap

doesn't still happen.

639

:

Speaker 2: Right.

640

:

Speaker: You know, but I am able to

handle it better and I, and I feel like

641

:

I'm gonna learn till I die, don't we?

642

:

Speaker 2: Uh, if you're conscious.

643

:

Yeah.

644

:

I mean it, and, and I, I

say that I love my parents.

645

:

They were just here.

646

:

It was great to have them here.

647

:

My parents are not conscious.

648

:

They're not learning lessons.

649

:

They are repeating the same

thing over and over again, but

650

:

they're not that unhappy about it.

651

:

Like they're pretty simple people.

652

:

Like they're not trying

to reach for anything.

653

:

Speaker: Yeah,

654

:

Speaker 2: right.

655

:

They, they, there's a certain level of.

656

:

Contentment that they

have with their lives.

657

:

And there's, there's no

yearning for something.

658

:

You know, we work with people who feel

like, God, there's so much possibility

659

:

about things that I wanna create, or

ways I wanna feel, or ways I wanna be.

660

:

And we understand that that takes a

awareness and then has to be paired

661

:

with doing something about it.

662

:

And they just don't have it.

663

:

Like, they just think

things are the way they are.

664

:

And that there's nothing

they can do about it.

665

:

Like my, my grandmother passed

away a couple years ago and my mom

666

:

made a comment, 'cause I actually

interviewed my parents on my podcast.

667

:

And, and it went, it was the week

of, uh, the new year of New Year's.

668

:

And my mother made a comment about like

the, you know, my grandmother's situation

669

:

like that, it couldn't have been changed.

670

:

And I'm sitting here thinking, oh yes, it

could have, my MO grandmother had a mouth.

671

:

Full of metal, of amalgams and mercury.

672

:

Yeah.

673

:

Which I'm 100% sure caused her dementia

and Alzheimer's and the cognitive decline.

674

:

Right.

675

:

And not, not mentioned anyway,

so, but my mother comes to the

676

:

viewpoint of, oh, well the doctor

said that this is what just happened.

677

:

I'm like, no, it didn't just happen.

678

:

Like there were factors, but

because she's not researching

679

:

or curious or wanting to learn.

680

:

To her, this is what it is.

681

:

And so, you know, it does take a

specific kind of person, an older

682

:

soul, really an older soul who came

on the planet to help really make

683

:

change for themselves and others.

684

:

And uh, so it's not for everybody.

685

:

Speaker: That's so interesting

because my husband just giggles

686

:

at me, and my dad's a lot like me.

687

:

I mean, my dad's 84 and he's

always doing something new.

688

:

He's really good at computers

and he's like, now he's reading.

689

:

He'd started acting.

690

:

I mean, he's just like, so cute,

which I love, but my husband's

691

:

like, I can't keep up with you.

692

:

And I'm like, well, I love this.

693

:

And like the, I want to, I

want this podcast to help

694

:

women and my hub's like honey.

695

:

You gotta find the women

who wanna learn like you do.

696

:

'cause not everybody does.

697

:

And that, and it's so funny, jj, 'cause

I have darling friends that have taught

698

:

me like how to have a lot of fun in my

life and how to like quit sometimes.

699

:

Just let it go.

700

:

And I love those friends, but

they are so not in to like.

701

:

Learning more and growing

and so, and that's okay.

702

:

Right?

703

:

Yeah.

704

:

So I just, I need to, to

be at peace about that.

705

:

Um, and I'm looking at the time

and it's going so fast that I feel

706

:

like we have to end this and I'm

gonna have to have you back again.

707

:

But I have to ask you before

we go about the horse here.

708

:

'cause I am in my barn and I've got

a horse over there and a donkey, but

709

:

I wanna know about this horse stuff.

710

:

Speaker 2: Yeah.

711

:

Let me, uh, first let me just

address real quick if, if it's okay.

712

:

Yeah.

713

:

Uh, that.

714

:

The thing about what we just talked

about, like you said, you wanna just

715

:

help people, help women, and you wanna

find women that want to be helped.

716

:

I'm also gonna say, and you're

doing it 'cause you're doing

717

:

it through your podcast.

718

:

It's like coal.

719

:

When you, after you have a fire,

if you just, if you leave the

720

:

coals together, they'll stay warm

for a really, really long time.

721

:

But if you take a piece of coal out

of a fire and put it separately,

722

:

it'll cool down really quickly.

723

:

It's really important that

people understand that.

724

:

You want to find or create?

725

:

A tribe of people who are on the

same path or a similar path to you

726

:

and not demand, punish, or shame

other people around you who are not

727

:

interested in what you're interested in,

728

:

Speaker: right?

729

:

Speaker 2: You can have all the things.

730

:

I love my parents and I

accept them for who they are.

731

:

Does it frustrate me?

732

:

Sometimes, of course.

733

:

Do I, you know, get into a position

where sometimes I worry from here?

734

:

Of course, but ultimately it's their

decision and I can't force that.

735

:

Not everyone is interested in everything,

but people are out there searching for,

736

:

and so for you to grow anyone, that's

why I do groups because they work there.

737

:

When I did the empowerment strategy

certification, there was a magic

738

:

that happened in the groups and when

I, after I was done with it for the

739

:

second year and I put it on pause.

740

:

I realize I can't stop

the group situation.

741

:

The group situation's magical.

742

:

It is, people are just get so much more

out of it because of their together.

743

:

They're, they're

experiencing things together.

744

:

They can learn from each other.

745

:

They're examples.

746

:

They're motivated.

747

:

They're connected in a different

way than a coach and a person or

748

:

a trainer or a therapist, and a

person's a whole nother like magic.

749

:

So I just wanna encourage

everyone to find a.

750

:

Find or create a tribe that is

interested in the things that you are.

751

:

And please let your husband, spouse,

kids, parents, children off the hook.

752

:

Yeah.

753

:

They don't have to do what you

do, but you wanna support yourself

754

:

by finding or creating a tribe

that is with you on this path.

755

:

Speaker: Such, such great info.

756

:

Yes.

757

:

Speaker 2: The year of the horse.

758

:

Okay, so snake year, which was

:

759

:

So it's looking at things that no longer

serve you, uh, ways of being, ways that

760

:

you keep showing up in the world that.

761

:

Might be time to let it go.

762

:

Something maybe that you've

repeated many times, but it just

763

:

didn't work the same way last year.

764

:

And I have several of those examples.

765

:

I was like, oh, thank God, you

know, 'cause we're still in the

766

:

shedding until February 17th when

the year of the fire horse kicks in.

767

:

So the fire horse, you know, horses are

about movement and action in galloping

768

:

and, and they're passionate and fire.

769

:

The fire sign is about action.

770

:

So in astrology you've got fire, air,

earth, and water, and each element

771

:

represents a different action.

772

:

So.

773

:

Fire is action.

774

:

Water is emotion, air is

thinking in Thoughts and earth

775

:

is stability and security.

776

:

So it's a fire horse year, which means

that by the 17th of February you wanna be

777

:

pretty clear about who you are supposed

to be, because that's when the energy's

778

:

gonna say, go like run wild and go do

the thing that you're passionate about,

779

:

that you have energy around, that you're

focused on, that you have clarity about.

780

:

And by that point, we

wanna be sort of at that.

781

:

Level of awareness of I can't keep

playing small, or I can't keep repeating

782

:

this pattern, or I like, it's time

to expand into this new way of being.

783

:

So that's what 26, 20 26 will

bring us starting February 17th.

784

:

Speaker: I love that.

785

:

I'm, I'm in.

786

:

That's my kind, that's

my kind of year, honey.

787

:

Speaker 2: My kind year too.

788

:

But I have to tell you, like

when I first read about it in

789

:

2025, I was like, Ugh, running.

790

:

I'm not ready to run.

791

:

I'm tired.

792

:

Speaker: Like think I'm,

I think I'm, yeah, I do.

793

:

I

794

:

Speaker 2: do.

795

:

Oh, I'm getting ready.

796

:

I'm getting ready.

797

:

But I, I, I was like, okay,

thank God this isn't January 1st.

798

:

'cause I'm not feeling it right now.

799

:

I'm still in the identifying and

shedding and pivoting and allowing,

800

:

which is exciting and scary.

801

:

Uh, but yeah, but I'm, I'm getting

closer, so I'm getting ready.

802

:

My, don't worry.

803

:

I'm gonna be, I always run.

804

:

That's the problem that I always run.

805

:

Speaker: Me too.

806

:

Speaker 2: Right?

807

:

So I wanna, I wanna run

differently and it's getting there.

808

:

I can start to see it, start to unfold.

809

:

Speaker: Awesome.

810

:

Okay.

811

:

Jj, if people wanna work with you, what's

the best way that they can do that?

812

:

Speaker 2: So there's a application

page right now that I'll leave up

813

:

because it has the programs on it,

but it's just another portal for

814

:

you to fill out a form and then say

I, it's not that you're signing up

815

:

for any things that are on that page

necessarily, 'cause there's many options.

816

:

Speaker: Yep.

817

:

Speaker 2: JJ fs.com/.

818

:

Apply A-P-P-L-Y-J zas.com/apply,

819

:

and that's a great place to start.

820

:

We hop on a call, there's no

obligation, it's completely free.

821

:

And a zoom call for 15 minutes and

see what you need and what would, and

822

:

I'll make you some recommendations.

823

:

And then if it fit, great.

824

:

If it's not, I also have a ton of podcasts

that I can recommend, yeah, that I

825

:

have that could provide some, you know,

either preliminary information to kind

826

:

of get you more confident or feeling

more connected to me, or maybe it's.

827

:

Something will solve your problem.

828

:

Here's the podcast, but I have,

you know, a lot of content.

829

:

Speaker: Perfect.

830

:

Well, I highly recommend you.

831

:

You have enhanced my life and I'm excited.

832

:

We're gonna chat a little bit more after

this, so I'm excited about that too.

833

:

So, jj, thank you for your time.

834

:

Thank you for being here.

835

:

For my listeners, you're

always a joy to have.

836

:

Speaker 2: Thank you, Lisa.

837

:

Thanks for having me.

838

:

And Happy New Year everybody.

839

:

Happy 2026.

840

:

Speaker: Yes.

841

:

Yes.

842

:

You take care.

843

:

Speaker 2: Thanks.

Listen for free

Show artwork for Doing Divorce Different with Lesa Koski

About the Podcast

Doing Divorce Different with Lesa Koski
Divorce, co-parenting & midlife comebacks for women over 40
Divorce, co-parenting, menopause, marriage, and starting over after 40—this podcast is your guide to a healthier, faith-filled life transition.

Hosted by family law attorney, mediator, and life coach Lesa Koski, each episode is designed to take the fear out of major life change and guide you toward peace—whether you’re facing separation, navigating a divorce, working to strengthen your relationship, or rebuilding your life in midlife.

You’ll get heart-centered legal clarity, emotional support, and practical tools to help you heal, grow, and move forward with confidence.

Topics include:

Peaceful divorce strategies and mediation support

Co-parenting help and parenting plans that actually work

Prenups, postnups, and how to protect what matters most

Emotional healing, mindset shifts, and confidence after a hard season

Menopause, health changes, and how midlife affects mood, marriage, and motivation

Wellness basics that make a real difference: rest, nutrition, movement, strength, and community

This is more than a show about endings—it’s about becoming the woman who rises stronger, steadier, and clearer on the other side.

About the Host:
Lesa has spent over 25 years helping families through mediation and family law, always focused on protecting what matters most—your kids and your peace of mind. She’s also a breast cancer survivor, wellness advocate, cowgirl at heart, and follower of Jesus who believes your hardest season can become your greatest comeback.

If you’re craving practical guidance, soul-level encouragement, and real conversations about rebuilding life after 40, you’re in the right place.

Website: https://www.lesakoski.com/

About your host

Profile picture for Lesa Koski

Lesa Koski