Blushing Phoenix
Blushing Phoenix is where vulnerability meets power — and shame becomes your turning point.
Hosted by April Poynter, this podcast and YouTube channel exists at the intersection of deep sensitivity and unshakable strength.
It was born from April’s own journey with chronic blushing and erythrophobia (the fear of turning red in front of others), a physical response that once felt like a curse, but became the gateway to healing, growth, and radical self-trust.
The blush symbolizes the quiet pain of self-betrayal - the years spent hiding, people-pleasing, and shrinking in relationships, work, and identity.
The phoenix represents what happens when you stop running from yourself and begin to rise - bolder, freer, louder, and more aligned.
Blushing Phoenix is for the woman who feels everything deeply, who has silenced herself to fit in, and who is now ready to live louder without abandoning her softness.
Through raw stories, spiritual insights, and real conversations, April guides you to reclaim your voice, reconnect with your body, and rise from the ashes of who you were told to be.
Alchemize fear into fire.
Please rate and review the podcast if you enjoy it.
Episodes
52 episodes
When Sorry Isn't Enough
When my daughter was little, she watched a cartoon called Wonder Pets. In the Christmas episode, Ming-Ming breaks Tuck’s snow globe and says she’s sorry — but Tuck’s response stuck with me: “Sorry won’t fix it.”That line hit deeper than...
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21:52
It’s Time to Say Goodbye to Pandemic You
What if the version of you that’s been holding you back isn’t your “inner child” - but an older version that learned to survive a certain season?For me, it wasn’t 8-year-old April… it was 35-year-old pandemic April.She helped me cop...
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25:28
What Got You Here - Won't Get You There
Sometimes the resistance we feel isn’t about the circumstances around us – it’s about the version of ourselves we’re still living from.In this video, I share how I realized that parts of me – 8-year-old April, 35-year-old April – were s...
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21:54
Most People Won't Do It ... But Maybe You Will.
Sometimes the dream feels heavy. You’re doing the work, but nobody’s clapping, nobody’s noticing. Or you haven't even started. You're plagued with ideas and vision and you feel the pressure of running out of time. Other times, the ...
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17:59
Friend-Ventory: Outgrowing People Without the Guilt
Are your friendships helping you grow — or holding you back?In this video, I share what I call a “Friendventory” — an honest look at the people in your circle and whether they truly support the life you’re building. We’ll talk about:
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27:50
Stop Shrinking for Authority - Reclaim Your Power
We’ve all been taught to shrink in the presence of authority - at the doctor’s office, at work, or around leaders - without even realizing it. In this video, I explore how conditioning shaped these patterns, why our nervous system ...
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14:03
The Hidden Power of Environment on Your Behavior & Your Energy
Sometimes it’s not you - it’s the environment you’re in. I just watched my son Ax move from one classroom to another, and instantly his entire attitude about school shifted. No more fights, no resistance… he actually wanted to go.&...
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12:44
When ‘Perfect’ Becomes a Problem: Breaking Free from Performance-Based Worth
We’re conditioned from childhood to believe our worth is tied to how perfectly we perform - at the doctor, at work, or in life. In this video, I share how a simple blood pressure reading in 2011 sent me spiraling, and what I’ve learned si...
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9:03
Fawning 101: Recognizing It & Breaking Free
For years, my go-to trauma response wasn’t fight, flight, or freeze - it was fawning. I said yes when I wanted to say no, over-apologized, and put everyone’s comfort before my own. In this video, I share how I recognized my fawning ...
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11:48
Red Hair Realizations: The Exhausting Upkeep **This is not about hair** Kinda. Sorta.
Red hair is high-maintenance - and honestly, so is trying to be someone you’re not. In this video, I share a moment of clarity while deciding to let go of my bold hair color and realizing how much energy I’ve been putting into appe...
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23:03
Scared Is a Starting Point, Not a Stop Sign
You won’t think your way out of fear. You have to move your way through it.In this episode of Amplify with April, I talk about how your nervous system builds resilience through repetition. You won’t feel confident at first ...
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14:28
From Healing to Living: The Collective Shift That’s Happening Now
What if the healing season isn’t meant to last forever? In this episode, I explore the collective shift I’m sensing - where many of us are moving out of deep internal work and into actually living. We’re landing in our...
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13:52
You’re Not Behind: Trust Your Timing
This is your permission to stop performing, stay present, and trust that your path is unfolding exactly as it should.
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23:36
BLUSHING UPDATE - I Healed Myself From Blushing Fear (ERYTHROPHOBIA) & You can TOO!
It’s been a while since I've talked about blushing or erythrophobia... so here’s an update.In this video, I share how I overcame erythrophobia (fear of blushing), how I experience blushing today, and what healing has looked like since m...
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26:18
You Keep Going. So Will I. Deal?
This is the in-between.The bridge.The space where the old life still feels familiarbut the new life - one I’ve dreamed of, plastered on my vision board, journaled about, done the inner work for - isn’t fully integrated yet.
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21:16
Wear the Lipstick: Stop Holding Back
This isn’t about makeup - it’s about permission.In this episode of Amplify, I share a simple story about red lipstick and the way we talk ourselves out of bold, beautiful things that light us up.Whether it's lipstick, launching ...
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12:24
The Reintroduction: Noelle Dawson - Owning The Past Without Letting it Define Your Future
In this final chapter of her 4-part series, Noelle Dawson brings it all home.She opens up about her relationship with Chris—her former husband—and the deep shame she carried for all he endured. But now, seeing him find peace, love, and ...
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35:41
When Love Isn't The Answer: Noelle Dawson on Love, Loss, and Coming Back to Herself - Part 3
What happens when you think you’ve finally found yourself—but it turns out you were still searching?In Part 3 of her story, Noelle Dawson opens up about the quiet years.Why she pulled back.What she chased.And the unexpec...
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57:55
When It All Comes Crashing Down: Noelle Dawson on Affairs, Adoption, and Reclaiming Her Story - Part 2
In Part 2, we go deeper. Much deeper.This episode is raw, honest, and incredibly human. Noelle shares the truth about the affair—what she was chasing, the fantasy it created, and the reality it destroyed. We talk about the guilt, the co...
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52:50
The Story Behind The Weight Loss: Noelle Dawson's Real Transformation - Part 1
**Interview starts at 5:41Everyone saw the before-and-after pictures. What they didn’t see was the mental unraveling behind them.In this raw and powerful first episode of our multi-part series, Noelle Dawson (@transforming_noelle...
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33:13
The Role of Suffering: Are you MAD, GLAD, SAD, or SCARED?
Suffering can be a compass to lead you to the next place on your journey. Clearly, we don't want to suffer - I know I don't want to ... but it's part of life. Let's make lemonade out of lemons. Let's catch up. It's been a wh...
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21:42
Rosacea Can Be Healed with Dr. Tara O'Desky
I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Tara O’Desky (again). She suffered from rosacea for 20 years. After numerous disappointing doctor visits that only addressed the surface issues, she was fed up. She started listening to her body and made i...
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58:56
I Healed My Nervous System – 3 Changes I Didn’t Expect!
When you've done the work to heal yourself and you finally experience the changes you've been working towards! Check out my E-Books: Beyond The Blush: A Real-Talk Guide for Eliminating Erythrophobia // Understanding Erythrophobia: Refra...
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23:36