What if healing didn’t always mean pushing through? What if not being ready wasn’t a failure—but a form of wisdom?
In this final episode of the season, Sarah Brassard offers a compassionate framework for what happens after the initial breakthroughs—when the patterns are named, the wounds are understood, and suddenly… it all feels too overwhelming. This tender space between recognition and integration is where many of us falter—not because we’re doing it wrong, but because we’ve never been taught how to pause with care.
This conversation is a permission slip to go at your own pace. To honor what’s rising. And to know that sometimes, the most courageous step forward is… not yet.
Inside This Episode:
Five Essential Truths to Carry With You:
Notable Quotes:
“Your becoming happens when you’re seen and held by people who love you—not despite your struggles, but because of your beautiful, brave humanity.”
“The goal isn’t to arrive somewhere different. The goal is to come home to who you are.”
“These emotions aren’t invaders—they’re messengers. They’ve been waiting for the right moment to be witnessed and held.”
Try This:
When something stirs inside you, pause.
Breathe.
Ask yourself gently: What part of me isn’t ready to be rushed?
Let stillness be your sacred companion.
Connect with Sarah:
If this episode resonated, Sarah would love to hear from you. Leave a comment/review on the podcast or tag her on Instagram @sarahwbrassard with your reflections. You’re not alone in this journey—and there’s no wrong way to return to yourself.
In this episode of Stay Close, host Sarah Brassard explores the transformative power of choosing yourself first. Far from being selfish, Sarah explains how this practice is actually foundational to forming authentic relationships and experiencing genuine love.
"When we're truly choosing ourselves, we create space for others to be themselves too."
In this deeply personal episode, Sarah shares the profound journey of healing her relationship with her mother through vulnerability and forgiveness. Discover how small, brave acts can transform even the most fractured relationships and learn to approach similar challenges in your own life.
Inside This Episode:
- The power of vulnerability in healing relationships
- Realizing and dismantling emotional walls
- Practicing self-forgiveness as a path to healing
- Creating new, joyful traditions and moments of connection
- Guided forgiveness practice and reflective questions
Key Quote:
“There's nothing in life that can't be healed.”
Reflective Questions:
- What would forgiveness look like here?
- What might it feel like to forgive myself, even if it's just a little bit?
- What might it feel like to forgive the other person, even if I'm not ready to say that out loud yet?
Try This: Next time you feel distant or hurt in a relationship, practice the guided forgiveness exercise shared in this episode. Notice how small, intentional acts of understanding and compassion can soften the barriers and foster deeper connections.
What if the parts of yourself you’ve tried to hide are actually the gateway to your greatest wisdom?
In this episode, Sarah explores the power of embracing our raw, unfiltered truth. Together, we look at the inner tension between perfectionism and presence—and how true freedom comes when we give ourselves permission to be fully human. Through metaphor, storytelling, and guided reflection, Sarah invites you to reconnect with your wildness, your aliveness, and your imperfect beauty.
“Perfection is a mythical creature. What if instead of chasing perfection, we chased authenticity?”
Next time you feel triggered, practice the sacred pause:
Notice physical sensations → Take a deep breath → Get curious about what’s really underneath. This week, notice where perfectionism or people-pleasing show up. What shifts if you let yourself be fully seen?
In this episode, Sarah explores the paradox of returning to our true selves by shedding the layers we've accumulated over time. She discusses how "unbecoming" the protective habits and limiting beliefs we've adopted allow us to return to our authentic nature.
Moving Away From Ourselves
The Path Back to Authenticity
The Power of Rest
Three questions to ask yourself daily:
"True courage is often found in the decision to stop, to rest, to listen to your body when everything around you is saying, keep going."
Stay connected through Sarah’s newsletter. Receive soulful updates, offerings, and gentle invitations to return home to yourself.
Follow Sarah on Instagram: @sarahbrassard
In this episode of Stay Close, Sarah opens up about a story she’s never shared publicly before—a story of loss, identity, and the lengths we sometimes go to protect ourselves from pain.
At just 13 years old, Sarah coped with her mother’s departure by creating an entirely new persona—"Muffy," complete with a fictional twin sister. What began as a way to survive and escape grief became a metaphor for the masks we all wear when we feel unsafe, unseen, or not enough.
Through this vulnerable reflection, Sarah explores the long-lasting effects of abandoning ourselves for acceptance and the journey of returning to who we truly are. She speaks about the exhaustion of shape-shifting, the weight of personas, and the quiet liberation that comes with removing the armor.
💬 In this episode, Sarah shares:
This episode is a soft invitation to reflect on your own “Muffy moments”—those times when you’ve stepped away from your truth to fit in, avoid pain, or keep others comfortable. Sarah reminds us that we don’t have to stay in those roles forever. The path back is gentle, and it’s made up of small, courageous steps.
Before you end your day, ask yourself:
These are your signposts. They are showing you where you’re already staying close to your true self.
Stay connected through Sarah’s newsletter
Receive soulful updates, offerings, and gentle invitations to return home to yourself.
Follow Sarah on Instagram: @sarahbrassard
“The most courageous thing you can do is simply to stay close to how you were made.”
Thank you for holding space for this story. We hope it reminds you that you’re not alone—and that coming home to yourself is always possible.
🌙 Until next time, stay close.
Host Sarah Brassard introduces her new podcast, "Stay Close," which explores what it means to return to our authentic selves. The episode centers on David Whyte's powerful quote: "To be courageous is to stay close to the way we are made."
Episode Highlights:
Key Takeaways:
Join Sarah on this exploration of staying true to yourself while building meaningful connections in a world that often wants to reshape us.
In this deeply personal episode, Sarah Brassard shares her experience with a recent respiratory infection that became a powerful catalyst for healing old grief. Speaking with vulnerability even through her recovery, Sarah connects this physical illness to a similar respiratory infection she experienced 32 years ago—what she calls her "first initiation" into self-discovery.
Episode Highlights:
Key Quote:
"I am courageous as I move closer to the way I was made." - Inspired by poet David Whyte
Guided Practice:
Sarah leads listeners through a "Story Shift" exercise:
Science Behind the Practice:
Sarah references neuroscientist Dr. Maya Reinhardt's research on how reframing our narratives can:
Weekly Invitation:
Choose one story you tell about yourself—perhaps something labeled as a failure or disappointment:
Connect with Sarah:
Thank you for holding space for today's story.
May it remind you that you’re never alone in your healing.
🌸 Until next time, stay close.