5 Challenges of Being A Woman Following Her Career Dreams | Forbes
5 Challenges of Being A Woman Following Her Career Dreams | Forbes

As a woman who’s deeply fulfilled by your career, your days are peppered with inspiration and gratitude. But there are times when your meaningful path is punctuated by pain. Here are five challenges that come along with being a woman who chooses to follow her career dreams:


You will feel judged.

When you prioritize work. When you’re assertive. When you travel alone. When you give your opinion.

Some people will attribute your success to your sexuality. Some people will accuse you of “never being satisfied.” You’ll try to explain to them it’s not the outcome that drives you, but the process . They’ll raise their eyebrows anyway. You’ll realize you can’t please everyone, which will be both defeating and liberating. You’ll give less f*cks what people think, which will both empower and concern you

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ForbesGuest Userentrepreneurship, CAREER, mental health, health, wellness
‘Confidence Comes From Within’ And 3 Other Myths That Are Making You MORE Insecure | Forbes
‘Confidence Comes From Within’ And 3 Other Myths That Are Making You MORE Insecure | Forbes

“I just want to feel more confident” is a request I’ve heard from countless clients over the years. They’ve tried positive thinking, affirmations, and “faking it ’til [they] make it” (spoiler alert: they didn’t “make it”). Yet here they are, in my office (or these days, on my computer screen), frustrated that they haven’t achieved the confidence they’ve been told they ought to have.

Their “low self-confidence” can manifest as social anxiety, performance anxiety, test anxiety, generalized anxiety, perfectionism, passivity and passive-aggressiveness, eating disorders and negative body image, depression, and addiction. It can create challenges in our relationships (insecurity, continued reassurance-seeking, poor communication), keep us from ever getting into a relationship, and  hold us back from career success (for example, not apply for positions we believe we’re “not good enough” for, underselling ourselves to our peers and superiors, or experiencing crippling anxiety in interviews and meetings).


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ForbesGuest Usermental health, health
How To Handle Bad News Like A Pro | The Warm Up
How To Handle Bad News Like A Pro | The Warm Up

Check out my tips on handling grief, loss, and disappointment on the Class Pass’ blog, The Warm Up (Excerpt below)!

Whether it’s disappointment, scary events, sad news or heartbreak, everyone has something tough to face. The pain that can come with any of these is common to us all and can threaten to derail us if we don’t take steps to work through it.

Working through it, of course, doesn’t mean just locking feelings up in a box and ignoring them (hello, recipe for disaster and future meltdown). Nor does it mean retreating into endless sadness or isolation for an indeterminate amount of time. We need to process, to grieve, to allow ourselves to feel everything we’re going through, and eventually, we need to face the reality of moving through the situation.

If you’ve been through something that fits these categories—and we bet you have—you’ll be familiar with the harsh truth that the world continues on, which can sometimes feel cold, like the rest of the universe doesn’t acknowledge how hard things are right now. It’s important to always take the time you need to work through your situation before you try to move through it.

To tackle tough news without losing your spirit for too long, consider this expert advice from Megan Bruneau, a New York City-based psychotherapist

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THE WARM UPGuest Usermental health, health, wellness
I’m Interested In You. That Doesn’t Mean I’m Trying To Have Sex With You. | MEDIUM
I’m Interested In You. That Doesn’t Mean I’m Trying To Have Sex With You. | MEDIUM

“I’ve been a part of this industry a long time, Megan. You haven’t. Yet you seem to be quite close to some very powerful people,” my male colleague told me over twice-annual post-work cocktails.

“It just doesn’t add up,” he continued. “And I don’t know how you pay your rent. I’ve wondered at times if you’re an escort, and I’ll be straight with you: others wonder the same thing.”

Winded, I uttered, “You’re kidding, right?”

“That’s why Evan* (a mutual friend in the industry) acts uncomfortable around you. He has the same questions.”


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MEDIUMGuest Userwel, mental health, health, wellness
Check Out Megan’s Recent Interview On Capture Queue! | Capture Queue
Check Out Megan’s Recent Interview On Capture Queue! | Capture Queue

Tracy: I’d like to open by touching on the research showing how early childhood experiences affect brain development. Based on your own work in the field, can you describe why this is important to look at?

Megan: Absolutely. We learn how to self-regulate and cope with difficult feelings in an environment that enables us to do so. When evolutionary responses like ‘fight-or-flight’–which happen in the reptilian part of our brain called the amygdala–are piqued, it’s through the safety of healthy, reliable, and stable relationships that we learn how to manage those uncomfortable feelings and react to them in healthy ways. But if a child grows up in a home where abuse is the norm, or where there is neglect of the child’s attachment needs, then ultimately they develop while constantly feeling fearful, feeling anxious, or having that distrust response heightened

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Guest UserMEGAN BRUNEAU, emotional intelligence
Overcoming the Shame of Disordered Eating | Christy Harrison
Overcoming the Shame of Disordered Eating | Christy Harrison

ychotherapist and fellow podcaster Megan Bruneau shares her story of eating disorder recovery, learning to love her body, dealing with trauma, taking big risks in life, and lots more! PLUS, we're going weekly again--tune in next week for another new episode!!

Megan Bruneau is a mental health therapist, wellness coach, writer, and podcast host. She has a master’s in counseling psychology, a bachelor’s in psychology and family studies, and has worked in the fitness, yoga, and nutrition industries. After years of perfectionism-fueled depression, anxiety, and eating disorders, she discovered how to like herself, take risks, and find success without beating herself up to get there. She writes about how to develop a relationship with yourself where you motivate from love rather than fear, experience authentic happiness, and give yourself permission to follow your dreams and make it big! Find her on her blog, One Shrink's Perspective, and check out her writing and podcast for Forbes!

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PodcastGuest Usereating disorders, mental health, anxiety, wellness, health
12 Lifestyle Factors That Make You Feel Depressed | MindBodyGreen
12 Lifestyle Factors That Make You Feel Depressed | MindBodyGreen

Many clients come to me believing there is “something wrong” with them. They believe they’re fundamentally flawed, or they're making a last-ditch attempt at life, often with plans to end theirs if things don’t improve. However, more often than not, the root of their depression is not a biochemical imbalance or a life-sentence. Rather, it’s a result of one or more of the following lifestyle factors.

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Greatest HitsMeg Bruneaudepression
5 Hacks For Overcoming Social Anxiety And Networking Like a Pro | Forbes
5 Hacks For Overcoming Social Anxiety And Networking Like a Pro | Forbes

A certain degree of social anxiety is completely normal--even helpful. The fear of rejection or negative judgment is evolutionary: In caveperson days, rejection could mean ostracization from the pack--which meant little chance for survival or procreation. But there's a difference between wanting to be accepted, and fearing rejection so much we avoid any setting where there's a possibility of judgment (which, masochistically, is usually our own judgment toward ourselves, not someone else's).

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Greatest Hits, ForbesMeg Bruneauanxiety, networking, entrepreneurship