From Pissed Off to Poised- A Podcast for Busy Women Professionals

In this episode of From Pissed Off to Poised, I’m thrilled to welcome my dear friend and client, Dr. Shelley Fiscus. Together, we explore how she transformed her anger in real time during a significant life transition that wasn’t entirely her choice. Faced with plenty of reasons to feel frustrated, Dr. Fiscus found a way to process her emotions and make peace with her circumstances.

We dive into how I guided Dr. Fiscus with a tool used for emotional processing, helping her pinpoint where her anger was showing up in her body. This awareness became a key step in working through her emotions and understanding the connection between her thoughts, feelings, and physical experiences.

Dr. Fiscus opens up about her initial skepticism toward emotional processing and how the practical tools she adopted helped her transform anger into a more empowering perspective. She shares how these tools have not only benefited her in the moment but continue to support her today. You’ll also hear how she has developed greater awareness of where emotions manifest in her body and how she identifies when it’s time to address and process them. This inspiring conversation is a powerful testament to emotional resilience and growth—one you won’t want to miss.

About Dr. Shelley Fiscus

Dr. Michelle Fiscus, a board-certified pediatrician and public health advocate, practiced pediatrics in Franklin, TN, for 17 years before transitioning to public health in 2016. She served as Medical Director for Tennessee’s Vaccine-Preventable Diseases and Immunization Program, leading COVID-19 vaccination efforts until July 2021. Now the inaugural Chief Medical Officer of the Association of Immunization Managers, she supports 64 CDC-funded immunization programs across the U.S. Dr. Fiscus has also worked as a senior health policy consultant, served on the American Academy of Pediatrics Board, and is a proud graduate of Indiana University.

What You'll Learn:

• Explore the complex emotions that often accompany anger in challenging situations.
• Learn how visualization and breathing exercises can help you shift anger, even if you’re initially skeptical.
• Recognize the challenges of identifying where emotions live in your body, especially if you’ve been conditioned to ignore your feelings.
• Understand why processing your emotions is essential for transforming anger into a more constructive response.

Featured:

• Learn more about Dr. Shelley Fiscus’ story HERE.
• Connect with Dr. Shelley Fiscus by visiting her website.
• Find more information about Fiscus Glassworks and the custom stained glass art and restoration done by Dr. Shelley Fiscus.
• Learn more about Dr. Arpita Gupta DePalma's Small Group HYBRID Coaching Cohorts starting in January 2025 HERE
• Transforming Your Anger From Reaction to Response Online Self Study Course with Dr. Arpita Gupta DePalma.
• Learn more about Dr. Arpita Gupta DePalma's programs with Thought Work, MD, including 1-to-1 coaching for individuals, group coaching cohorts for organizations, and her online self-study courses HERE.

Join my exclusive hybrid coaching cohort starting January 2025 with both group and 1:1 sessions.

In this episode, I introduce the concept of "going to neutral"—a powerful practice that helps you pause when emotions flare, so you can respond with intention, not reaction. I’m sharing practical tools and insights to help you consciously create a calm, balanced space by aligning your heart and mind.

We’ll dive into exercises that tap into the heart's role in transforming how we show up, especially when anger arises. By understanding the unique rhythms of your heart and pairing that with cognitive techniques, you can slow down emotional reactions and regain control over how you respond.

My goal is to give you a toolkit of practices you can personalize. Find the ones that speak to you, and start building your own approach. Each of us needs a unique blend to shape a more positive mindset—explore these tools and create the pathway that works best for you.

What You'll Learn:

• Powerful breathing exercises to dampen the intensity of negative emotions, giving you more control over your responses.
• How to harness your heart’s electromagnetic field—the strongest in your body—to create coherence with other systems, helping you find calm when emotions run high.
• The “Go to Neutral” tool, a strategy to halt anger before it escalates, allowing you to stay present and uncover the true roots of your feelings.
• Real-life examples of how these techniques have transformed my approach to anger and can also reshape the way you respond.

Featured:

• Find more information about the book: Transforming Anger: The HeartMath Solution for Letting Go of Rage, Frustration and Irritation.
• Get more details on the HeartMath training course.
• Learn more about Dr. Arpita Gupta DePalma's Small Group HYBRID Coaching Cohorts starting in January 2025 HERE
• Transforming Your Anger From Reaction to Response Online Self Study Course with Dr. Arpita Gupta DePalma.
• Learn more about Dr. Arpita Gupta DePalma's programs with Thought Work, MD, including 1-to-1 coaching for individuals, group coaching cohorts for organizations, and her online self-study courses HERE.

Join my exclusive hybrid coaching cohort starting January 2025 with both group and 1:1 sessions.

In this episode, we dive into understanding our reactions to anger by exploring whether it’s truly anger we’re feeling—or if it’s something deeper that’s yet to surface. I’m excited to welcome Bev Aron, who shares her insights on how processing our emotions can lead us to uncover the real causes behind our anger and how we react to it.

One key element in processing emotions—especially the difficult ones, which might even be harder to face than anger itself—is recognizing how they show up in your body. Bev breaks down the difference between true anger and other emotions that can masquerade as anger, and she offers a simple technique to help you pinpoint what’s really going on when you’re in a tense situation.

Whether you’re just starting on this path or have been working on it for a while, Bev’s advice is invaluable. Together, we explore a practical approach to build the self-awareness you need to better understand and navigate your emotions in the heat of the moment.

About Bev Aron

Bev Aron is the Founder of the Deep Dive CoachTM Institute, where she created the Deep Dive CoachTM method, an impactful blend of cognitive coaching with deep processing and infinite self regard. Bev’s mission is to increase our awareness of how we always make sense, and increase our capability and capacity through awareness and self-recognition, rather than self- criticism.

What You'll Learn:

• Understand that anger exists on a spectrum, with true anger arising when something deeply important to us is compromised.
• Learn a practical technique to process your emotions effectively during high-stress situations.
• Gain powerful insights into generational trauma and how healing yourself can also help heal others in your family who came before you.
• Recognize that all emotions are valid—no matter how you react, your feelings are never wrong nor bad.

Featured:

• Learn more about my mentor, Bev Aron, and sign up for her weekly email and monthly video HERE.
• Explore more about marriage and family therapist, author, and speaker Dr. Bonnie Badenoch.
• Learn more about the exercise to uncover hidden emotions from The Journey healing method by Brandon Bays.
• Click HERE to receive my Underlying Emotions Iceberg Graphic.
• Join my exclusive hybrid coaching cohort starting January 2025 with both group and 1:1 sessions.
• Transforming Your Anger From Reaction to Response Online Self Study Course with Dr. Arpita Gupta DePalma.
• Learn more about Dr. Arpita Gupta DePalma's programs with Thought Work, MD, including 1-to-1 coaching for individuals, group coaching cohorts for organizations, and her online self-study courses HERE.

Join my exclusive hybrid coaching cohort starting January 2025 with both group and 1:1 sessions.

Have you ever noticed that when anger shows up, it's often covering up something deeper? For so many of us, anger feels familiar, maybe even easier to lean into than other uncomfortable emotions. But here's the thing: anger often isn't the root of the issue—it's a reaction, a secondary emotion masking what's really going on beneath the surface.

In this episode, we're unpacking how anger works and exploring the hidden emotions that fuel it. I’ll walk you through the three ways we typically express anger—whether we react, resist, or avoid—and how recognizing your own patterns is key to breaking free from that cycle.

Remember, choosing anger over other emotions is a habit, and like any habit, it takes time and self-compassion to shift. As you listen, you'll learn how to pause, reflect, and start uncovering the real feelings behind your anger. Be kind to yourself in this process—it’s all part of the journey.

“Allow yourself a moment to observe your life from a completely different perspective, and maybe this alone will be the spark that ignites a change.”- unknown

What You'll Learn:

• Understand why anger often feels more powerful than the pain of underlying emotions.
• Learn how repeated exposure to our activators leads to anger becoming a learned habit over time.
• Discover how resentment is one of the key emotions that fuels and sustains the anger cycle.
• Practice a simple exercise to gently explore what’s really beneath your anger, allowing you to identify your true feelings with compassion.

Featured:

• Click HERE to receive my Underlying Emotions Iceberg Graphic.
• Find more information about the book: Transforming Anger: The HeartMath Solution for Letting Go of Rage, Frustration and Irritation.
• Transforming Your Anger From Reaction to Response Online Self Study Course with Dr. Arpita Gupta DePalma.
• Learn more about Dr. Arpita Gupta DePalma's programs with Thought Work, MD, including 1-to-1 coaching for individuals, group coaching cohorts for organizations, and her online self-study courses HERE.

Join my exclusive hybrid coaching cohort starting January 2025 with both group and 1:1 sessions.

In this episode, I’m honored to welcome Dr. Kemia Sarraf, whose insights have deeply shaped my understanding of the impact of trauma and its ripple effects on individuals and society. Together, we dive into the intricate relationship between our anger and past trauma, exploring how these emotions can serve as powerful indicators of unresolved scenarios in our lives.

Dr. Sarraf, a trauma-responsive physician and coach, sheds light on how anger isn't just an emotional outburst but rather it can be a signal that there’s more going on beneath the surface. She invites us to see our emotions as forms of energy—tools that can drive meaningful change if harnessed wisely, but also potential sources of harm if left unchecked.

We also revisit the stress → trauma continuum, examining how anger manifests in those who have experienced trauma, a reality that touches most adults, often without their conscious awareness. This conversation encourages us to reflect on the moments we feel angry over seemingly minor activators, revealing how they might actually tap into deeper, past experiences that evoke feelings of threat. Join us for an enlightening discussion that challenges how we view and manage our emotions in today’s episode.

“Trauma is not a flaw or a weakness. It is a highly effective tool of safety and survival. Trauma is also not an event. Trauma is the body's protective response to an event—or a series of events—that it perceives as potentially dangerous.” - Resmaa Menakem

About Dr. Kemia Sarraf

Dr. Kemia Sarraf earned her Medical Degree and Master of Public Health from the University of Utah School of Medicine and completed her residency in Internal Medicine at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. With over 20 years of experience, she has worked in patient care, public health, nonprofit leadership, and trauma-mitigation. In 2016, she founded Lodestar, focusing on trauma-responsive coaching for healthcare professionals facing burnout and vicarious trauma. Her innovative coaching methods have been adopted across various industries to foster trauma responsive cultures and she is recognized for her engaging speaking style and impactful storytelling.

What You'll Learn:

• How to view emotions as data points, with energy and pleasantness guiding how we interpret and respond.
• Distinguishing healthy anger from anger rooted in unresolved trauma—and how to navigate both.
• Embracing the shared journey of recognizing anger as a potential trauma response, and learning to heal through awareness.
• Tuning into the physical sensations in your body as the first sign that you're being activated.

Featured:

• Learn more about Lodestar Consulting and Executive Coaching with Dr. Kemia Sarraf
• Utilize The Feelings Grid from the Mood Meter App
• Learn more about therapist and trauma specialist, Dr. Resmaa Menakem
• Learn more about trauma and addiction specialist, Dr. Gabor Maté
• Transforming Your Anger From Reaction to Response Online Self Study Course with Dr. Arpita Gupta DePalma Learn more about Dr. Arpita Gupta DePalma's programs with Thought Work, MD, including 1-to-1 coaching for individuals, group coaching cohorts for organizations, and her online self-study courses HERE.

Join my exclusive hybrid coaching cohort starting January 2025 with both group and 1:1 sessions.