Emotional Immunity, Inner Boundaries, and Reclaiming What You Know in Toxic Environments

There are moments in life when something inside you whispers: This isn’t right.

Maybe it’s the tone in a meeting. The expectation in a relationship. The way your body tightens before you even speak. You sense the harm, but you’re told you’re too sensitive. Too much. Overreacting.

In this episode of It Doesn’t Have to Be This Way, Laura Rees and I explore what it means to stop ingesting the poison of toxic environments, gaslighting systems, and internalized falsehoods—especially when you’ve been trained to comply.

“You don’t have to keep swallowing what harms you just because it’s what’s being served.”

We talked about emotional immunity: how to feel something without taking it in. How to witness dysfunction without internalizing it. How to stay awake in systems that would rather you go numb.

You’ll hear us unpack:

• The somatic signals that let you know something’s off
• How boundaries begin on the inside, not with declarations
• Why grief is part of waking up
• And how nervous system care can anchor you when the world feels unsafe

This episode is a lifeline for anyone who has ever stayed silent to stay safe—and is now ready to reclaim their clarity, capacity, and calm.

If you’ve ever questioned whether your sensitivity is a weakness or wondered how to stay grounded in a gaslighting world—this episode is your medicine.

Listen to the full episode: You Don’t Have to Ingest the Poison