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
26 episodes
The Black Sheep Was Never the Problem
If you were the “black sheep” in your family, there’s a good chance you spent years believing something about you was wrong.Many thoughtful, emotionally aware people quietly carry that label without ever questioning where it came from.<...
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Season 1
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Episode 26
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11:15
Why Adult Friendships Are So Hard
If you’ve noticed that making friends feels harder than it used to, you’re not imagining it.Many thoughtful, emotionally aware adults reach a point where social energy shifts, and connection starts to feel more complicated than it once ...
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Season 1
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Episode 25
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12:56
Why Everything Suddenly Irritates You
If you’ve been feeling more irritable lately, you’re not alone.Many people reach a point in midlife where nothing is technically wrong, but their tolerance for noise, pressure, and emotional labor quietly drops.This film explores wh...
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Season 1
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Episode 24
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9:10
Something Feels Off in Midlife. Here's Why.
Something strange happens in midlife.One day the life we built stops fitting.Not because it’s bad.Not because we failed.But because it no longer tells the truth about who we are.This film explores why midlife can sud...
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Season 1
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Episode 23
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15:57
Why Sensitive People Often 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 ...
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Season 1
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Episode 22
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12:03
When You’re the Only One Who Changed
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...
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Season 1
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Episode 21
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11:13
When You’re the Only One Who Changed
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...
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Season 1
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Episode 20
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14:31
Why Saying No Still Makes You Feel Guilty
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...
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Season 1
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Episode 19
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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 ...
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Season 1
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Episode 18
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13:05
Men Feel Everything. They Just Don't Say It.
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...
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Season 1
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Episode 17
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12:26
What Happens When You Become the Family Mirror
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 ...
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Season 1
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Episode 16
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11:55
Emotional Immaturity vs Narcissism (And Why It Matters)
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...
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Season 1
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Episode 15
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12:03
When Someone Denies Your Reality
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...
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Season 1
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Episode 14
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9:29
What Complex PTSD Feels Like
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...
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Season 1
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Episode 13
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10:27
What Depression Actually Feels Like
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...
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Season 1
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Episode 12
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18:03
Why Your Body Still Remembers Trauma
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...
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Season 1
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Episode 11
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12:28
What Childhood Trauma Still Affects in 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.
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Season 1
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Episode 10
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13:46
10 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...
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Season 1
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Episode 9
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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...
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Season 1
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Episode 8
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19:08
The Hidden Cost of Being 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 ...
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Season 1
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Episode 7
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10:03
The Hidden Signs It Was Trauma
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...
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Season 1
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Episode 6
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21:19
Why Boundaries Still Feel Wrong
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...
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Season 1
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Episode 5
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13:27
The Truth About 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...
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Season 1
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Episode 4
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29:44