About this episode

The episode discusses the importance of responding rather than reacting, exploring personal triggers and emotional dynamics in relationships.

On today's rewind episode of ShrinkChicks, Emmalee and Jen discuss what it actually looks like to respond, not react. They discuss the practice of responding and not reacting, identifying and understanding your personal triggers, responding vs. reacting with others AND with yourself, why romantic relationships typically trigger us the most, and working toward not absorbing other people’s energy/mood. The episode ends with a Dear Em & Jen about being caught between a parent and a partner. Tune in to gain insight, awareness, and action! PS: Fast forward to around  7:15  to skip the intro and get straight to today’s content. Get Matched With One of Our Therapists  at The Therapy Group! ShrinkChicks on Instagram Our  Know Yourself Grow Yourself Journal !! Check out ShrinkChicks on YouTube by subscribing here!  https://youtube.com/channel/UCrxuhDqoL4ML3UE8b2J2BBg A special thank you to this week's sponsors for supporting ShrinkChicks! We have these exclusive offers for our listeners: Boll & Branch: Upgrade your sleep with Boll & Branch. Get 15% off your first order plus free shipping at BollAndBranch.com/shrinkchicks with code…

People in this episode

Hosts: Jennifer Chaiken, Emmalee Bierly

Topics covered

• responding vs. reacting
• personal triggers
• romantic relationships
• emotional energy
• self-awareness

Keywords

• responding
• reacting
• triggers
• relationships
• emotional energy
• self-awareness
• mental health

Sponsors

Boll & Branch, Skims, Shopify

More episodes of ShrinkChicks

• How to Build Adult Friendships · June 1, 2026 · 37 min
• Feeling Lonely in a Relationship and How to Fix It · May 18, 2026 · 42 min
• Kids or Childfree: How to Decide What’s Right for You with Keltie Maguire · May 11, 2026 · 47 min

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the ShrinkChicks podcast page.