Episode 36: Letting Sh*t Go: Shedding Old Identities & Evolving as a Bodyworker with Alyse Faith - Sustainable Bodyworker Podcast

Ever reach that point where you’re “successful” on paper but inside you’re just—done? Like your body and brain are screaming for something new, but letting go of what you built feels impossible (and maybe a little bit like failure)? That’s the real talk Gretchen Popp and Alyse Faith get into here. Both have ridden the rollercoaster of growing a busy practice, hitting all those external markers of success…and then realizing the relentless hustle was grinding them down. This conversation isn’t about perfect business plans. It’s about listening when your nervous system shuts down the old ways—letting things fall apart, sitting in that awkward, stripped-down middle space, and trusting that the next idea (the one that actually lights you up) needs quiet and regulation, not more pushing.

You’ll hear Gretchen unpack her own identity crisis after stepping away from clinic ownership—and what it actually took to create something from genuine inspiration instead of hustle high. If you’re in that messy transition—gutting your business, questioning all your “shoulds,” or finally ready to build around your actual needs instead of everyone else’s—this episode gives you real-world proof that your weird, winding path is part of the process. The seeds you plant in those uncertain seasons can grow way bigger than you think… if you’re willing to listen, slow down, and let go.

 

If you’d like to explore more of Alyse’s work, click here, or follow her on TikTok! Also check out her shop The Cozy Coven on Instagram and be sure to stop by whenever you’re in Sleepy Hollow!

 

If you’re a massage therapist who wants your practice to feel sustainable again, the Sustainable Bodyworker Membership is where we go deeper. Inside you’ll find practical tools, honest conversations, and support for building a practice that actually works for your body and your life. Click here to learn more and join us.

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The ideas and techniques shared by our guests on the Sustainable Bodyworker Podcast are their own unique perspectives and don’t necessarily reflect those of Gretchen Popp or the Sustainable Bodyworker team or community as a whole.

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