Reframing self sabotage

Welcome to season 3 of my newly renamed podcast Beneath the Surface. In this episode I explore safety strategies — the hidden drivers behind behaviours like emotional eating, procrastination, overworking, doom scrolling, and people-pleasing. I explain the science behind these behaviours, and why, when our threat system is activated it is harder to access logical thinking and choose differently. I also introduce the soothe system and the idea of developing a “steady self” — an observing part of the mind that helps you respond to these patterns with awareness rather than being driven by them. Timestamps: 00:00 – Season 3 introduction 00:38 – What safety strategies are 01:45 – Why all behaviors serve a function 02:35 – The brain’s threat system 03:45 – Amygdala, stress hormones & reactivity 05:20 – Why change feels hard in the moment 06:10 – The soothe system 07:10 – Why soothing can feel difficult 08:00 – Developing the “steady self” 09:00 – Understanding emotional parts 09:40 – Reflecting on your safety patterns 10:27 – Wrap up More Resources: Grab the free mini-course: Emotion Systems Audit – Download here Connect with Shannon on Instagram: @coachshannonbeer Learn more about compassion coaching: get the details here