Many people believe they need to feel confident or fearless before they can make meaningful changes in their lives. In this Notes from the Couch episode, Jen reframes growth as something that happens through small, repeated, values-aligned choices — not sudden breakthroughs or perfect motivation.

Building on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) principles, this conversation explores how fear, guilt, and discomfort often keep us stuck in familiar patterns, even when those patterns no longer fit. Rather than pushing those feelings away, Jen explains how therapy helps clients get curious about what’s getting in the way, identify how they want to show up, and begin practicing new responses that move them toward the life they want to be living.

Drawing from the idea that becoming is a direction we face, not a destination we reach, this episode highlights how courage is built through action, not something we wait to feel first. Over time, those small brave steps don’t just change circumstances — they shape identity, confidence, and self-trust.

If you’ve been feeling like something in your life needs to shift but you’re not sure where to begin, this episode offers reassurance that you don’t need to take a huge leap — just the next intentional step, with support.