Badass Basic Bitch
Brianna was born in New York and raised by a single mom of 5 kids. Through her struggles with self-worth and battling an eating disorder for over a decade, Brianna found herself packing everything in her Honda Civic and moving 3,000 miles to California where she knew no one, to chase an entrepreneur dream.
She found her passion, voice, and used her scrappiness and hardships to achieve something no one ever thought she could; creating a multi-million dollar company, which she sold. But then she found herself in the middle of her own divorce leaving her a single mom of 3. Now, remarried, Brianna lives in Austin with her husband and four children, as she continues to build companies and empower women to see they are enough.
So, what is a Badass Basic Bitch? It all started at an event, in a deep debate when another woman called Brianna a “basic bitch”. Quick off the mark, she replied with, “I’m a badass basic bitch”. We are often quick to judge and quicker to jump to our own conclusions. This woman knew very little about me. She judged me simply on our few interactions with each other. She coined me how she felt I fit into her view.
These Baddie Bs are everywhere. They’re our neighbors, women at church, soccer moms, or single women at the bar. These women are all of different religions and races, they are poor and rich, married, divorced or single. But they all have one thing in common; they are ordinary women doing extraordinary things. And now, it’s time their stories are told.
Follow Brianna on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mombossinaustin/Follow Brianna on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briannademike/Follow the Podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/badassbasicbitch/
Badass Basic Bitch
Rewiring Survival Mode with Alyssa Chang
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In this powerful episode of Badass Basic Bitch, Brianna sits down with neuroscience health coach Alyssa Chang, creator of The Regulation Method, to explore the hidden ways chronic stress, anxiety, burnout, and nervous system dysregulation impact our lives.
Alyssa shares why so many high-achieving women feel stuck despite doing “all the right things”—therapy, self-help books, productivity hacks, and personal development work. Together, they unpack the science behind survival mode, why healing can actually feel uncomfortable, and how to build genuine safety within the body instead of simply understanding it intellectually.
The conversation gets deeply personal as Brianna shares her own experiences with healing, anxiety, and recovery from an eating disorder, opening up about what happens when life finally feels calm—and why that can sometimes be the most uncomfortable feeling of all.
If you’ve ever felt exhausted, overwhelmed, hyper-vigilant, or unable to truly relax, this episode is for you.
In This Episode, We Discuss:
✨ What nervous system regulation actually means
✨ Why chronic stress can become your comfort zone
✨ The connection between childhood experiences, trauma, and adult survival patterns
✨ Understanding your personal “stress bucket”
✨ How anxiety, migraines, chronic pain, fatigue, and other symptoms may be signals—not flaws
✨ Why slowing down can initially feel unsafe
✨ The difference between knowing you’re safe and feeling safe
✨ Hidden signs of nervous system dysregulation
✨ Practical tools to reconnect your body and mind
✨ Social media’s impact on overstimulation and regulation
✨ How high-functioning women unknowingly stay trapped in survival mode
Memorable Quote
“Healing often feels very unsafe at first, even when we’re trying to move toward safety. The nervous system often isn’t familiar with slowing down as being safe.” — Alyssa Chang
Key Takeaways
Your Brain Is Always Trying to Protect You
Many symptoms we experience—anxiety, chronic pain, fatigue, migraines, panic attacks—may actually be protective signals from the nervous system rather than evidence that something is “wrong” with us.
Survival Mode Can Become Familiar
When you’ve spent years operating under stress, urgency, productivity, and pressure, your brain learns that those states are safe and predictable. Peace and calm can feel foreign—even threatening.
Regulation Is Not About Being Calm All the Time
True nervous system regulation means having the capacity to recover from stress, tolerate discomfort, and move through life without constantly anticipating danger.
Awareness Is the First Step
Learning to notice your body’s signals—whether that’s nail biting, skin picking, jaw clenching, leg shaking, or feeling disconnected—is often the beginning of healing.
Connect with Alyssa Chang
📱 Instagram:
@coachalyssachang
🌐 Website:
www.coachalyssachang.com
🎁 Free Resource:
Visit Alyssa’s website to access her free 45-minute masterclass:
“Heal Stubborn Pain with Your Brain”
Connect with Badass Basic Bitch
📱 Instagram:
@badassbasicbitchpodcast
🎙 Hosted by:
Brianna Dunbar-DeMike
