EFR 971: EFR 971: The Sympathetic Spiral of Doom, How to Boost Your Mitochondria, Stress Less & Recover Faster with Dr. Scott Sherr

Could erectile dysfunction be an early warning sign of a bigger health problem? Urologist and men's health specialist Dr. Justin Houman, MD explores the connections between ED, cardiovascular health, low testosterone, stress, and sexual performance—and what men over 40 should understand before dismissing changes in their erections as normal aging. He explains morning erections, blood flow, tadalafil (Cialis), Viagra, performance anxiety, pornography, and the role of sleep and exercise in supporting sexual health. The conversation also examines testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), its potential effects on sperm production and male fertility, and options such as Clomid and hCG that Dr. Houman considers for appropriate patients. Chase shares his personal experience coming off TRT to start a family, while Dr. Houman explains why better men's health begins with honest conversations, individualized care, and understanding the causes behind your symptoms. Follow Justin @justin.houman.md Follow Chase @chase_chewning ----- 00:00 – Can Your Penis Warn You About Your Heart Health? 02:35 – Meet Dr. Justin Houman 02:47 – C15:0 essential fatty acids 04:22 – Erectile Dysfunction as a Cardiovascular Warning Sign 07:46 – What Counts as ED—and When to Get Evaluated 09:33 – Low Testosterone, Libido & Missing Morning Erections 12:22 – Cortisol, Stress & Nighttime Erections 14:04 – Erection Trackers & Why Nocturnal Erections Matter 16:46 – Cialis After 40: Blood Flow & Erectile Health 18:11 – Daily electrolyte support 19:32 – Why collagen coffee is better for you 20:59 – Cialis Side Effects & Natural Vasodilators 22:34 – Preventive Cialis Use: What We Know—and What We Don't 24:20 – ED Medications & Brain Health: Interpreting the Research 26:11 – Can Cialis Become a Psychological Crutch? 27:27 – Treating ED Versus Investigating Its Cause 28:43 – Breaking the Performance Anxiety Cycle 30:30 – Penis Size Myths & Unrealistic Comparisons 32:43 – Pornography, Arousal & the Mind-Penis Connection 36:10 – Ejaculation Frequency & Prostate Cancer Research 38:13 – Testosterone's Role in Libido & Erectile Function 39:14 – Chase's TRT Experience & the Fertility Tradeoff 41:00 – Clomid & hCG: Discussing Fertility-Conscious Treatment 43:37 – Oral Testosterone & Individual Treatment Goals 45:29 – Why Coming Off TRT Can Be Difficult 47:30 – Cycling TRT, Blood Counts & Medical Monitoring 50:04 – Oral Versus Injectable TRT & Smaller, Frequent Doses 51:28 – Online TRT Clinics, Access & Informed Decisions 53:23 – Sperm Banking & Planning for Future Fertility 55:16 – Exercise, Sleep & Testosterone Levels 56:22 – Caffeine, Winding Down & Meditation for Better Sleep 57:37 – Men's Health Education & Overcomplicated Wellness 59:44 – Talking With Your Partner About Sexual Health 01:01:10 – Helping a Young Patient Rebuild Sexual Confidence 01:03:35 – Rapid Fire: Supplements, Cialis & Testosterone Myths 01:06:05 – When Penile Implants Become an Option 01:08:02 – Tobacco, Erectile Health & Tests to Discuss 01:09:10 – What Sexually Healthy Men Understand About Bad Days 01:09:42 – Ever Forward ----- Episode resorces: Get an additonal 15% off the 90-day starter kit of Fatty 15 with code EVERFORWARD FREE sample variety pack with any purchase of LMNT Better coffee, better mornings with Strong Coffee Company - save 15% with code CHASE

Steve Jobs called Ron Johnson every night at 8 p.m. for a year while they developed the Apple Store. What were they figuring out? How to make people feel comfortable with technology—and create an experience they wanted to return to. In this episode of Ever Forward Radio, Chase Chewning sits down with Ron Johnson, best known for creating the Apple Stores alongside Steve Jobs, to explore the human psychology behind customer experience, brand loyalty, and building places where people belong. Ron shares why Apple put computers in shopping malls, why employees weren't paid commissions, and how hands-on experiences helped turn hesitant shoppers into confident customers. He also explains why he believes physical retail still matters, how AI could improve shopping, and what businesses lose when they remove the moments that bring people together. ----- 00:00 Meet Ron Johnson, Creator of the Apple Stores 00:09 Why Apple Stores Were Built Around Fear 01:06 Why Physical Retail Still Matters 04:52 How AI Could Change Shopping 07:44 Creating a Place Where Customers Belong 10:37 Helping People Discover the iPod and iPhone 13:55 The Ingredients of a Great Customer Experience 14:42 Steve Jobs Called Every Night at 8 PM 16:01 Why Apple Put Computers in Shopping Malls 19:16 How Apple Products Built Customer Loyalty 21:20 Are Pop-Up Stores Worth It? 23:51 Turning Moments Into Memories 27:14 Scent, Design, and the Heartbeat of a Store 29:38 What Apple Lost by Removing Launch-Day Lines 32:35 Developing Your Instinct for Business 34:47 How to Design a Physical Business 37:43 How Often Should a Store Refresh? 38:27 Ron Reimagines a Podcast Studio 41:33 Writing the Book and Building the First Apple Store 44:35 How Ron's Mother Influenced Apple Stores 46:09 Your Personal Experience Is Your Advantage 49:06 Finding Work You Love 52:00 Rapid Fire: Business Advice and Hiring Mistakes 53:49 Apple's Best Decision During Ron's Time 55:19 What "Ever Forward" Means to Ron ----- Episode resources: 15% off red light therapy devices with code EVERFORWARD at https://www.BonCharge.com 15% off Godspeed ketones and electrolytes with code CHASE at https://www.DrinkGodspeed.com/chase 

  What if doing more for your health is keeping you stressed, exhausted, and stuck? Board-certified internal medicine physician Dr. Scott Sherr, MD returns to explore the connection between chronic stress, mitochondrial health, nervous system regulation, and your capacity to recover. Scott explains his concept of the "sympathetic spiral of doom," why some people feel worse after practices intended to help them relax, and how his "parasympathetic edge" reframes performance around calm, adaptable energy. Chase and Scott discuss workout recovery, hormone changes, flow states, supplement overload, and the overlooked value of putting space between activities instead of stacking more into every day. Scott also shares his clinical perspective on methylene blue, creatine, NAD+, and peptides, including why he prioritizes foundational cellular health before adding advanced interventions. If you're doing all the wellness things but still feeling tired, wired, or overwhelmed, this conversation offers a timely invitation to reassess your routine, build resilience, and discover where doing less could help you move Ever Forward. Follow Scott @drscottsherr Follow Chase @chase_chewning -----   00:00 Introduction to Dr. Scott Sherr 00:21 Chronic Stress and Why Relaxation Can Backfire 03:22 Mitochondria, Cellular Energy, and the Stress Spiral 08:14 Signs Your Recovery Routine Isn't Working 10:36 Hormones, Perimenopause, and Stress Tolerance 14:22 The Parasympathetic Edge for Better Performance 16:51 Nervous System Regulation for Strength Training 22:06 Flow States and the Importance of Post-Workout Recovery 26:38 Wellness Overload: Why Doing Less Can Help 34:46 When Longevity Goals Become a Source of Stress 39:11 Personalized Testing, Metabolomics, and Cellular Health 42:53 Creating Space Between Stimulus and Response 47:32 Methylene Blue, Energy, and Building Resilience 56:46 Creatine, NAD+, and Peptides: What's Worth the Hype? 62:05 Ever Forward ----- Episode resources: FREE MitoPure gummies sample #sponsored Try Life Extension @lifeextension and save $10 on orders of $50 or more plus free shipping with code CHASE10 and visit https://www.LifeExtension.com/chase10. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Fatty liver disease is becoming increasingly common—but liver damage can develop quietly, sometimes before obvious symptoms or abnormal liver enzymes appear. Today we welcome Dr. Mike Smith, MD from Life Extension to break down liver health, fatty liver disease, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), cirrhosis, liver inflammation, and the everyday factors that may be putting additional stress on your liver. If you've ever wondered about the symptoms of fatty liver disease, whether fatty liver can be reversed, what causes nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, how MASLD develops, how fatty liver progresses toward cirrhosis, or what you can do today to better protect your liver, this episode is your deep dive into one of the body's most important—and often overlooked—organs. ----- 00:00 – Can Liver Damage Happen With Normal Liver Enzymes? 02:34 – Why Fatty Liver Disease Is Becoming So Common 05:15 – What Your Liver Actually Does Every Day 07:24 – How Food Travels From Your Gut to Your Liver 09:32 – Is Modern Life Overloading the Liver? 10:50 – Excess Calories, Visceral Fat & Fatty Liver Disease 12:22 – Sugar, Fructose & Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease 15:29 – Alcohol and Liver Damage Explained 18:04 – Hangover Supplements, Glutathione & NAC 24:09 – Environmental Toxins and Liver Health 27:50 – Pesticides, Soil Depletion & Our Food Supply 30:47 – How Fatty Liver Progresses to Cirrhosis 33:27 – NAFLD, NASH & the Stages of Fatty Liver Disease 34:42 – Can You Reverse Fatty Liver Disease? 35:25 – The Silent Symptoms of Liver Dysfunction 36:22 – Can You Have Fatty Liver With Normal Liver Enzymes? 38:36 – Testing and Screening for Liver Disease 39:20 – Why Liver Enzymes Don't Tell the Whole Story 40:11 – Ultrasound and Diagnosing Fatty Liver 41:14 – Magnesium and Liver Health 42:13 – Best Supplements for Supporting Liver Health 44:06 – Magnesium L-Threonate, Brain Health & the Liver 45:20 – Why Our Food May Be Magnesium Deficient 49:07 – Can Magnesium Improve Fatty Liver? 50:27 – Foods That Support a Healthy Liver 51:48 – Practical Ways to Protect Your Liver 52:49 – The Most Important Liver Health Takeaways 55:20 – How to Live "Forever-ish" ----- Episode resources: Try Life Extension and save $10 on orders of $50 or more plus free shipping with code CHASE10 when you visit https://www.LifeExtension.com/chase10  http://lifeextension.com/chase10labs  Life Extension @lifeextensionwellness #AgeWellLE Thank you to Life Extension for sponsoring this episode Disclaimer: This episode is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Always discuss personal medical concerns, testing and supplementation with your qualified healthcare provider. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Most relationships don't end because of one catastrophic moment—they die by a thousand cuts. Relationship therapist Kristina Ferrari joins Chase to challenge conventional ideas about love, marriage, communication, masculinity, femininity, intimacy, and therapy, explaining why unresolved patterns and nervous system dysregulation often sit underneath what couples call "communication problems." Drawing from her clinical work and the lessons of her own 30-year marriage and divorce, Kristina breaks down why women can weaponize emotional language, how men miss subtle warning signs that their partner is pulling away, what happens when a woman loses respect for a man, why marriage should be viewed as the beginning rather than the finish line, and how resentment can slowly destroy attraction and sex. They also explore masculine-feminine polarity, modern therapy, accountability, responsive desire, sexless relationships, raising resilient sons, and what both men and women must do differently to build relationships that are more than simply "fine." Follow Kristina @kristina.s.ferrari Follow Chase @chase_chewning ----- 00:00 – Why Should You Take Relationship Advice From Someone Who Got Divorced? 04:42 – Doing the Work and Still Getting Divorced 05:26 – Has Modern Therapy Become Professional Hand-Holding? 09:06 – Your Relationship Is a Mirror 10:55 – Your Feelings vs. the Story You Tell Yourself 12:34 – Are Your Feelings Lying to You? 13:28 – The Nervous-System Test to Use Before You Speak 14:58 – Why Communication Isn't Actually the Problem 16:33 – How Many Couples Actually Have Great Relationships? 17:43 – When Your Relationship Is Just "Fine" 20:06 – The Biggest Relationship Red Flag You're Ignoring 20:45 – Is Never Fighting Actually Healthy? 21:45 – Stop Trying to Turn Your Partner Into Someone They're Not 23:22 – Divorcing Someone You Still Love 24:33 – Are Women Getting Relationships Wrong Too? 25:12 – Emotional Language vs. Emotional Intelligence 26:10 – How Women Can Weaponize Their Emotions 28:02 – The "Receipt" Test for Relationship Conflict 30:00 – Do Men and Women Need Different Kinds of Accountability? 32:02 – What's Wrong With Modern Therapy? 34:00 – Therapy, Resilience and Raising Stronger Kids 35:21 – Respecting Your Partner's Role as a Father 36:18 – What Happens When a Woman Loses Respect for a Man 38:20 – Raising Resilient Sons 40:18 – Can a Man Regain a Woman's Respect?\ 41:16 – Masculine and Feminine Polarity 42:52 – Why Men Need a Strong Spine and an Open Heart\ 44:35 – Kristina's 1–10 Nervous-System Regulation Rule 46:28 – Masculine Structure and the Feminine "Storm" 48:18 – Is Emotional Intelligence Becoming a Status Symbol? 51:09 – Weaponizing Therapy and Spiritual Language 52:24 – What's Broken About Couples Therapy? 54:30 – Why Kristina Goes Harder on Women First\ 55:10 – The 100/100 Relationship Model 56:46 – Why Good Therapy Should Push Your Edge 57:58 – Five Warning Signs She's Pulling Away 59:45 – Why Men Feel Blindsided When Women Leave 1:00:24 – Marriage Is NOT the Finish Line 1:01:20 – How Relationships Die by a Thousand Cuts 1:03:02 – The Warning Signs Women Give Men for Years 1:04:41 – The Laundry Basket Theory 1:06:27 – When Your Wife Starts Feeling Like Your Mother 1:07:18 – The Biggest Sexual Red Flags in Relationships 1:08:07 – Why Sexual Novelty Disappears 1:09:29 – Should You Have Sex When You're "Not in the Mood"? 1:10:42 – The Small Rejection That Says More Than You Think 1:11:56 – The Biggest Mistake Men Make Initiating Sex 1:12:41 – What Are You Doing at 2 PM to Create Sex at 8 PM? 1:12:57 – Men's Relationship Rapid Fire 1:14:21 – What Every Father Should Tell His Son 1:14:41 – What Every Son Wishes He Heard From His Father 1:15:01 – Kristina's Definition of Ever Forward ----- Episode resources: Save an additonal 15% on C15:0 essential fatty acids with code EVERFORWARD at https://www.Fatty15.com/everforward  Save 15% on Godspeed ketones and electrolytes with code CHASE Save 15% organic coffee and lattes with code CHASE

What if the person you believe yourself to be—your personality, your memories, your motivation, even your perception of reality—is far less fixed than you think? In this episode, I sit down with Oxford neurologist and cognitive neuroscientist Professor Masud Husain for one of the most fascinating explorations I've had into what actually makes us who we are. We unpack how the brain constructs our sense of self, why what we experience as "reality" is actually a representation created by the brain, and what patients with neurological disorders can teach us about just how fragile identity can be. Masud explains why dopamine is less about pleasure and more about our motivation to act, how a tiny change in the brain can dramatically alter personality and behavior, and why our memories aren't recordings of the past but reconstructions that can change over time. We also go deep into free will and whether our choices are ever truly free when every decision is influenced by previous experiences, memories, biology, and unconscious processes. From hallucinations and false memories to the voice inside your head, consciousness, attention, and the surprising amount of information influencing you without ever entering conscious awareness, this conversation ultimately raises a powerful question: if your brain is constantly constructing your experience of reality, how much of the person you believe yourself to be is actually capable of changing? ----- 00:00 – What Actually Makes You, You? 02:14 – Is the Brain Different From the Mind? 04:34 – Your Brain Is Creating a Simulation of Reality 08:56 – Is There Really a Singular "Self"? 12:02 – Confidence, Truth and How We Define Reality 16:18 – How Your Brain Makes Decisions 18:04 – How Brain Damage Can Completely Change Motivation 20:44 – The Neuroscience of Motivation and Apathy 23:25 – Dopamine's Real Role in Motivation 27:21 – Why Apathy May Require More Brain Activity 29:16 – How to Make Motivation Easier 31:10 – The Myth of Dopamine Hits and Dopamine Detoxes 34:18 – What Happens When Dopamine Gets Too High? 35:55 – Do We Lose Ourselves One Brain Function at a Time? 40:02 – Can Changing the Brain Change the Self? 44:20 – The Ethics of Altering the Brain 48:40 – The Treatments Transforming Neurological Disease 52:45 – Do We Actually Have Free Will? 55:20 – Can Your Choices Create Your Reality? 56:23 – How Experiences Shape the Choices We Make 57:55 – If You Lost Every Memory, Would You Still Be You? 60:17 – What Is a Memory, Really? 60:58 – Your Memories Are Reconstructions, Not Recordings 62:32 – False Memories and Confabulation 66:36 – Is Memory Constantly Recreating Your Identity? 68:03 – When an Experience Feels More Real Than Reality 68:48 – Delusions, Hallucinations and the Brain's Version of Truth 70:41 – The Terrifying Power of Belief 72:58 – Can We Think Without Language? 74:08 – What Is the Voice Inside Your Head? 75:33 – Are Thoughts Created or Received? 78:37 – Neglect Syndrome: How the Brain Can Ignore Half of Reality 83:39 – Can Neuroscience Explain Consciousness? 85:19 – Your Brain Processes Things You're Not Conscious Of 87:10 – Rapid Fire: Social Media, Dopamine, Loneliness and AI 89:25 – Can Purpose Be Measured in the Brain? 89:45 – What Does Ever Forward Mean to Masud? ----- Episode resources: This episode is brought to you in part by BON CHARGE. I have ncorporated BON CHARGE's red light therapy panel into my recovery routine following my total hip replacement. The panel uses red and near-infrared light and is designed as an easy-to-use addition to a recovery and wellness routine. Visit BONCHARGE.com and use code EVERFORWARD to save 15% sitewide. Save an additional 15% on the 90-day starter kit of C15:0 essential fatty acids with code EVERFORWARD at Fatty15.com/everforward Get Dr. Husain's book Our Brains, Our Selves

ADHD in women is far more complex than being distracted, forgetful, or unable to sit still. In this episode, Dr. Jolene Brighten, ND, author of ADHD and Women, breaks down how ADHD actually presents in women, why so many women are first diagnosed with anxiety or depression, and how estrogen, progesterone, dopamine, the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, postpartum, and perimenopause can influence symptoms. We explore executive dysfunction, time blindness, rejection sensitivity, procrastination, medication, hormone therapy, exercise, sleep, nutrition, caffeine, meditation, and practical strategies for working with an ADHD brain instead of constantly fighting against it. Ultimately, Dr. Brighten reframes ADHD not as personal failure, but as a different operating system that requires different tools to thrive. Follow Jolene @drjolenebrighten Follow Chase @chase_chewning ----- 00:00 What science gets wrong about women and ADHD 02:32 Why studying the female brain is so complicated 04:18 Hormones and ADHD medication effectiveness 06:45 Can we recover decades of missing female health data? 08:01 Estrogen, dopamine and the menstrual cycle 09:32 Personality flaw or ADHD symptom? 11:50 Why women are diagnosed with anxiety and depression first 13:56 Why female ADHD doesn't always look hyperactive 14:42 Time blindness explained 16:33 ADHD is really a problem of dysregulation 17:27 What ADHD actually is—and isn't 20:03 Are you born with ADHD? 22:56 Hormones, masking and the female ADHD experience 26:37 When ADHD begins showing up in girls 27:50 ADHD medication in children 30:03 Can a brain scan diagnose ADHD? 31:13 Procrastination vs. task paralysis 33:47 ADHD in high-performing women 36:32 Rejection sensitivity dysphoria 39:07 Can changing your self-talk improve symptoms? 40:08 How to interrupt negative ADHD thought loops 44:46 Dopamine, phones and doomscrolling 45:54 Why ADHD brains need pleasure 48:24 What Parisian cafés can teach us about attention 51:02 ADHD medications: what women should know 53:42 HRT, estrogen and ADHD symptoms 57:30 Should the goal be getting off ADHD medication? 1:00:03 When medication becomes a bigger conversation 1:02:10 Exercise, sleep, environment and nutrition—ranked 1:03:05 20 minutes of exercise and focus 1:03:42 Iron deficiency, sleep and ADHD 1:04:12 Why nutrition comes last—but still matters enormously 1:06:01 Are women simply not eating enough? 1:09:31 Rapid fire: the best and worst ADHD morning habits 1:15:51 The "different operating system" approach 1:19:06 What Ever Forward means to Dr. Brighten ----- Episode resources: FREE sample of MitoPure from Timeline Strong Coffee Company code CHASE for 15% off Get Jolene's new book on Amazon

Actress Erika Christensen joins us for a thought-provoking conversation about self-trust, identity, emotional resilience, and breaking free from the experiences that quietly shape how we think, feel, and behave. Erika shares how Dianetics and its concept of the "reactive mind" have influenced her understanding of trauma, fear, shame, external validation, and the beliefs we carry from our past, while exploring what it takes to become more present and trust yourself again. Together, we unpack the difference between faith and proof, why painful experiences can cause us to learn the wrong lessons, how self-trust can transform decision-making and relationships, and why changing your mind can actually be a sign of growth. Erika also reveals how these principles changed the way she approaches acting and ultimately explains why true freedom, for her, comes down to one powerful idea: possibility. ----- 00:00 Welcome to Ever Forward with Erika Christensen 01:00 Knowing Her Purpose at 12 Years Old 05:19 "I Knew I Was Going to Make It" 07:16 Losing Yourself in Other People's Perception 07:53 Dianetics and the Reactive Mind 09:28 Can People Actually Change? 12:36 Are We Given Answers—or Better Questions? 13:57 Understanding the Reactive Mind 15:44 Why Self-Discovery May Require Another Person 19:08 How Do You Know the Difference Between Theory and Truth? 20:00 Faith vs. Proof 22:22 How Erika Developed Faith in Herself 23:42 Trauma, Self-Trust and Whether People Are Inherently Good 24:45 What Shame Really Says About You 26:49 How Much of Our Suffering Is Self-Created? 28:25 Erika Shares Her Husband's Experience With Dianetics 30:58 How Dianetics Changed the Way Erika Sees Other People 34:11 How Self-Trust Changed Erika as an Actress 37:01 A Practical Tool for When You Feel Triggered 39:59 Who Are You Beneath Your Conditioning? 42:09 The Trap of External Validation 44:07 Why Self-Trust Makes You a Better Decision-Maker 47:36 "You Are Exactly Where You're Supposed to Be" 49:31 Why Changing Your Mind Is a Strength 50:51 Rapid Fire: Fear, Anger, Forgiveness & Freedom 53:55 What "Ever Forward" Means to Erika

Najwa Zebian returns for a powerful conversation about healing after heartbreak, betrayal, toxic relationships, manipulation, self-worth, boundaries, closure, and learning how to let go of someone who hurt you. Inspired by her book The One Who Broke You Can't Heal You, Najwa explains why waiting for an apology, accountability, or validation from the person who caused your pain can keep you emotionally attached to them—and why real healing begins when you stop giving them control over your recovery. We explore why we ignore red flags, how toxic relationships distort our sense of self, the difference between taking responsibility and blaming yourself, why someone's intention doesn't erase their impact, how narcissistic and manipulative dynamics weaponize your best qualities against you, and why knowing who you are may be one of the most important tools for reclaiming your life.  Follow Najwa @najwazebian Follow Chase @chase_chewning ----- 00:00 — The One Who Broke You Can't Heal You 00:42 — Why We Wait for the Person Who Hurt Us 03:36 — Were You Naive—or Were You Manipulated? 07:20 — Stop Blaming Yourself for What They Did 10:24 — Does It Matter If They Intended to Hurt You? 13:10 — Why "I Didn't Mean to Hurt You" Isn't Enough 16:44 — The Problem With "Just Let Them" 19:16 — "That's Just Who I Am" Is Not an Excuse 24:34 — Why the Person Who Broke You Cannot Heal You 27:27 — They Are Their Own Karma 28:51 — Life Isn't Fair—Now What? 30:45 — How Hope Can Keep You Stuck 33:28 — The Thread Analogy: Why You Can't Let Go 36:49 — How to Cut the Emotional Bond 38:00 — Why People Stay in Toxic Relationships 41:14 — How Much Suffering Will You Accept for Love? 43:17 — Stop Trying to Prove Who You Are 47:23 — When Love Makes You Question Yourself 50:25 — "I Don't Want to Be Loved That Way" 50:53 — Communication, Boundaries & Reevaluating Relationships 53:14 — When Your Kindness Is Weaponized Against You 57:27 — Know What You Bring to the Table 59:04 — Knowing Your Worth Isn't Arrogance 1:00:00 — You Don't Need Their Apology 1:03:06 — Najwa's Emotional Definition of "Ever Forward" ----- Episode resources: Najwa's first appearance in episode 811 Get her new book on Amazon

What if pleasure isn't a luxury, but a biological signal that your nervous system finally feels safe? Regena Thomashauer, aka Mama Gena, is here to explore the powerful connection between pleasure, nervous system regulation, trauma, grief, desire, and our ability to feel fully alive. Regena challenges the idea that pleasure is purely sexual or indulgent and instead reframes it as a daily practice for reconnecting with the body, processing difficult emotions, cultivating creativity, and breaking free from a culture obsessed with productivity and struggle. She shares how her own journey through childhood trauma led her to discover the transformative power of pleasure and is here to help you explore how to move emotions through the body, bring more pleasure into relationships and everyday life, and ultimately learn to love your life—even when you hate what's happening. Follow Regena @ Follow Chase @chase_chewning -----   00:00 – Is Pleasure a Measure of Nervous System Safety? 01:13 – Why Pleasure Is a Necessity, Not a Luxury 03:08 – Redefining Pleasure Beyond Sex 05:08 – Unlearning Our Cultural Conditioning Around Pleasure 06:42 – Why a Pleasurable Life Requires Discipline 09:18 – What Pleasure Does to the Brain and Body 15:23 – The Connection Between Pleasure and Relaxation 17:11 – Making Pleasure a Daily Practice 19:20 – The Divine Feminine and Reconnecting With the Body 20:23 – Navigating Heartbreak, Worry, and Difficult Emotions 27:17 – A 3–5 Minute Practice for Processing Difficult Emotions 31:10 – Combining Grief With Life Force and Pleasure 34:02 – Moving From Victim to Victor 35:05 – Loving Your Life Even When You Hate What's Happening 35:44 – How "Ever Forward" Helped Chase Survive Grief 38:41 – How Regena Used Pleasure to Heal From Trauma 41:25 – The Pleasure Exercise That Changed Regena's Life 45:37 – How to Build a Consistent Pleasure Practice 48:15 – What If Your Partner Isn't on the Same Journey? 52:15 – Are We Actually Afraid of Who We'll Become? 54:40 – Why We're Conditioned to Resist Pleasure 56:35 – Rapid Fire: Safety, Burnout, Desire & Success 58:43 – What Your Inability to Feel Pleasure Is Teaching You 59:26 – What "Ever Forward" Means to Regena ----- Episode resources: FREE 30-day trial of Audible Watch and subscribe on YouTube