Untamed Voices

The Exhaustion of Being Human — Safety, Empathy & the Illusion of Control

Lizzi Varga Reinard Season 1 Episode 5

Feeling wrung out by simply being a person? Same. 

In this episode, Lizzi slows everything down to unpack why so many of us feel trapped between authenticity and approval—and how social “safety” (being liked, pleasing, performing) often gets mistaken for real safety. 

We explore how nervous systems read disconnection as threat, how empathy can morph into self-abandonment (the fawn response), and why constant control isn’t protection—it’s vigilance. 

You’ll learn gentle ways to tell “unsafe” from “uncomfortable,” how to ground and co-regulate (yes, even a sigh can reset you), and how to offer empathy without losing yourself. 

This is an invitation to reclaim belonging that doesn’t cost your truth, to let the stickers stop sticking, and to remember: true safety grows from alignment, not approval. 

Breathe, soften your shoulders, and put down what was never yours to carry.

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Until next time — stay free, stay human, and keep listening to your untamed voice.

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Podcast Disclaimer

This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for therapy, diagnosis, or professional mental health treatment. No client information or session content is ever shared. Any examples discussed are generalized, composite, or drawn from the counselor’s personal experiences and do not represent individual clients.

Listening to this podcast does not establish a therapeutic relationship. The counselor does not provide individualized advice through public platforms and maintains professional boundaries with current clients.

If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, please call 911, go to your nearest emergency room, or contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988.

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