 |
Don't Cut Your Own BangsAuthor: Danielle Ireland
The space between where you are now and where you want to be can feel daunting and lonely. This podcast is the remedy to comparison and feeling like everyone else has it figured out but you. Each episode contains personal insights from her work as a therapist and taking a deeper look at the messy middle between before and after stories. Danielle wants to help you make big feelings feel less scary, easier to understand and approaching them possible. And, wherever possible - to laugh as much as possible. Language: en Genres: Comedy, Comedy Interviews, Education, Self-Improvement Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it Trailer: |
Listen Now...
Cat Greenleaf on Sobriety, Shame, and Going Where The Water is Warm
Monday, 16 February, 2026
What happens when sobriety stops being your whole identity—but honesty still matters? In this episode, I sit down with journalist, creator, and host Cat Greenleaf for a wide-ranging conversation about sobriety without performative seriousness, the exhaustion of high-functioning addiction, and the courage it takes to walk away from something—even when you're good at it. Cat is the creator and former host of Talk Stoop, a groundbreaking celebrity interview show that paved the way for digital content before platforms like TikTok even existed. Now she hosts the Soberness podcast, where she brings her signature warmth and realness to conversations about recovery with celebrities and public figures navigating sobriety in the spotlight. We talk about shame, ambition, therapy skepticism, creative identity, aging, and why "go where the water's warm"—a piece of advice from Brooke Shields that Cat received 16 years ago—might be the most trustworthy life guidance there is. If you've ever looked successful on the outside while quietly unraveling on the inside, or if you've felt that nudge that something in your life is done, this episode is for you. In This Episode: What high-functioning addiction actually looks like and how Cat knew it wouldn't go well from the start Why she spent 10 years sober without attending AA meetings The moment at a wedding that changed everything "I hate therapy" (and why that's perfectly okay) Why Cat is shifting her Soberness podcast from recorded interviews to live storytelling events The "be kind" tattoo story—and why she's having it removed How to know when it's time to walk away from something that's no longer working People's commitment to their own joy (and what that means for the rest of us) Guest: Cat Greenleaf is a journalist, creator, and host of the Soberness podcast. She's the creator of Talk Stoop, where she interviewed celebrities on her Brooklyn stoop before digital content became what we know it as today. She's currently pursuing her master's in forensic mental health counseling and has been working with incarcerated individuals for the past two years. Cat has been sober for 12 years. Connect with Cat: The Soberness Podcast: Soberness Podcast | Celebrity Interviews with Cat Greenleaf on Recovery and Sobriety Instagram: Soberness (@sobernesspodcast) • Instagram profile YouTube: Soberness Podcast with Cat Greenleaf Resources Mentioned: Talk Stoop (Cat's groundbreaking celebrity interview show) Brooke Shields' advice: "Go where the water's warm" The Algonquin Hotel (Cat's base for live Soberness events in NYC) Subscribe to Don't Cut Your Own Bangs: New episodes drop regularly with interviews, solo casts, and all the hope you need to keep going. Connect with Danielle: Website: Indianapolis Mental Health Educator, Speaker & Therapist for Women Instagram: Danielle Ireland | Therapist (@dontcutyourownbangs) • Instagram profile The Treasured Journal: Treasured: Self Discovery Journal for Women - Guided Journal Mental Health Wrestling a Walrus (Children's Book): Wrestling a Walrus | Emotional Regulation Book for Big Feelings Don't Cut Your Own Bangs is a cozy corner of the internet for high-functioning humans with big feelings — the capable ones who get things done but quietly wonder if something's missing. If you're the unicorn in a power suit (or a perfectly neutral sweater), building a life that looks "right" on paper but still craving something freer and more alive — you're in the right place. Hosted by therapist and author Danielle Ireland, this show feels like sitting on the couch with your best friend — if your best friend happened to be a therapist. Together, we untangle burnout, anxiety, pressure, and comparison, and learn how to turn emotions into allies instead of obstacles. This is a space for comfort, community, clarity — and a few laughs along the way. Because you deserve calm without having to earn it.
