Canaries in the Coal Mine
Welcome to Canaries in the Coal Mine — a podcast for people who notice deeply, tell the truth, and are breaking patterns they didn’t choose.
I’m Shannon — a former party girl turned cycle-breaker, trauma survivor, boundary-setter, and fellow feel-everything human. I know what it’s like to grow up reading the room, managing emotions that weren’t yours, and learning to doubt your own instincts just to stay connected.
This podcast is for anyone who was raised around addiction, emotional immaturity, narcissism, codependency, or emotional neglect — and grew up feeling “too much,” too sensitive, or somehow wrong.
But here’s the truth:
You’re not broken.
You’re not crazy.
You’re just the canary.
Through thoughtful conversations, grounded tools, and clear language, we talk about emotional patterns, family systems, boundaries that protect, nervous system overload, and what it actually takes to come back to yourself.
Just honest conversation.
If you’ve always noticed what others missed, you’ll feel at home here.
🎙️ New episodes every other Tuesday at 1 PM ET.
Episodes
22 episodes
Why Sensitive People Feel So Alone
Sensitive people and highly sensitive people often feel alone because they notice what others miss.This film explores emotional awareness, reading the room, and the nervous system wiring behind deep sensitivity. We talk about early nervous ...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 22
•
12:03
January Is Hard. This Is Why.
This video explores why January can feel worse instead of better, especially for cycle-breakers, highly sensitive people, and anyone whose body has spent years staying alert just to get through life. We talk about the post-holiday crash, nervou...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 21
•
11:13
Why Being Around Family Feels So Exhausting During the Holidays
This video explores why being around family feels so exhausting during the holidays, especially for adult children of emotionally immature parents. We talk about holiday family stress, emotional exhaustion, and healing.If your stomach t...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 20
•
14:31
Why Saying No Feels So Wrong (When You’re Not Wrong at All)
This video explains why saying no feels wrong, why guilt shows up when you set boundaries, and how childhood conditioning, trauma, and people-pleasing shape your nervous system.If your stomach drops when you disappoint someone…If yo...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 19
•
13:43
The Hidden Cost of Being the Family Peacemaker
Being the family peacemaker, people-pleaser, or the “calm one” comes with hidden emotional and nervous system costs — this video explains why and how to heal it.If you grew up reading the room before you read yourself…If you became ...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 18
•
13:05
Why Men Shut Down Emotionally (and How It Starts)
FREE guide: The Unlearning Guide — How to Feel Safe Feeling Again → Download here → coming soonWhy do so many men shut down emotionally? And where does it start?For generations, boys have been told to “be strong.” But underneath...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 17
•
12:26
When You Tell the Truth in a Dysfunctional Family
Free guide: The Truth-Teller’s Survival Guide — what to expect after speaking the hard truth + how to steady your body and mind. Download here → https://www.thecanariesinthecoalmine.com/dym2ih3whiWhat happens when you become the mirror ...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 16
•
11:55
Narcissists vs. Emotionally Immature: The Key Differences
Is your parent a narcissist—or just emotionally immature? Understanding the difference between narcissistic parents and emotionally immature parents can change everything. In this video, we’ll define the key differences, share real-life example...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 15
•
12:03
What Does Gaslighting Mean? 10 Everyday Examples & Hope
Gaslighting is emotional abuse and psychological manipulation that makes us question our memory, perception, and reality. In this video we define gaslighting, share everyday examples, and give tools to rebuild trust.In this video you’ll...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 14
•
9:29
The Hidden Struggle of Complex PTSD
In this episode, I share honestly what Complex PTSD feels like from the inside.Not the clinical definitions, but the lived reality: why your body stays on guard, why rest feels impossible, and why shame follows you long after the moment...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 13
•
10:27
What Depression Really Feels Like (From the Inside)
In this episode, I share honestly what it’s like from the 'inside', and I answer the questions so many of us carry: Is depression just a chemical imbalance? Why are so many people depressed today? And how do you actually begin to climb out when...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 12
•
18:03
The Vagus Nerve Explained: Panic, Trauma & Why You Don’t Feel Safe
Vagus nerve trauma, panic attacks, and nervous system healing. Learn how childhood trauma rewires the vagus nerve, why you still feel unsafe, and science-backed tools to reset anxiety and body memories.What if your panic attacks, your c...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 11
•
12:28
How Childhood Trauma Shows Up in Your Adult Life
What if your panic attacks... your insomnia... your people-pleasing—weren’t quirks, but survival instincts?Childhood trauma doesn’t end when we grow up. It lingers—in our relationships, our nervous systems, and our sense of self.
•
Season 1
•
Episode 10
•
13:46
10 Narcissistic Behaviors You Were Taught to Call ‘Love’
narcissistic behaviors, narcissistic parent, emotional abuse, gaslighting, childhood trauma, CPTSD, inner child healing, toxic family dynamics, emotional neglect, trauma recoveryWhat if the red flags weren’t loud or obvious—what if they...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 9
•
12:11
I Finally Told My Narcissistic Father the Truth About Our Childhood
Narcissistic parent. Gaslighting. Childhood trauma. Estrangement. Emotional neglect. This video shares what happened when I confronted my father after years of silence and denial.It’s been one year since my father and I last spoke.N...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 8
•
19:08
What It Really Means to Be the 'Cycle Breaker'
Being a cycle breaker means healing generational trauma, setting boundaries, and choosing truth—even when it hurts. In this video, we explore what it really means to break toxic family patterns.Being the first in your family to say “no ...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 7
•
10:03
What Is Trauma, Really? (It's Not What You Think)
Trauma isn’t always what we think.It doesn’t just come from war zones, accidents, or abuse. Sometimes, trauma comes quietly—from emotional neglect, disconnection, or growing up without the support you needed.In this hea...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 6
•
21:19
8 Tools to Set Healthy Boundaries
Boundaries, people-pleasing, codependency recovery, emotional burnout-if setting limits makes you feel like the bad guy, you're not alone. Sensitive souls often carry the heaviest guilt.Have you ever said yes with a smile… and then felt...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 5
•
13:27
The Truth About Highly Sensitive People
Highly Sensitive Person traits, sensitivity, emotional healing - Have you ever been told you're "too sensitive"? Felt like your emotions were inconvenient, dramatic, or just "too much"?Here's the truth: You're not broken-you're the cana...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 4
•
29:44
The 6 Hidden Roles in Every Dysfunctional Family
Have you ever felt like you were playing a part in your family—one you never chose? 👉 The Hero. 👉 The Scapegoat. 👉 The Lost Child. 👉 The Mascot. 👉 The Caretaker. 👉 Or the Switcher—alwa...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 3
•
39:06
9 Signs You Grew Up in a Dysfunctional Family
Have you ever felt like the adult in your own childhood? Or found yourself constantly fixing everyone else’s emotions — even now?In this episode, we explore 9 subtle but powerful signs you may have grown up in a dysfunc...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 2
•
13:15
Were You the Sensitive One in a Dysfunctional Family?
Ever feel like the one who notices everything… but no one else seems to care?In this first episode of Canaries in the Coal Mine, Shannon shares a message every sensitive soul needs to hear—especially if you grew up in a d...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 1
•
8:33