Why You Lash Out — The Psychology Behind Big Reactions (with Dr. Nicole LePera)

Getting Better with Jonathan Van Ness

Sony Music

Self-improvement, Society & Culture, Comedy, Education

4.9 • 21.6K Ratings

🗓️ 18 March 2026

⏱️ 51 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Ever wondered why we lash out, shut down, or spiral emotionally, even when we don't want to? On this episode of Getting Better, JVN teams up with psychologist and author Dr. Nicole LePera (The Holistic Psychologist) to dive deep into inner child healing, parts work, and the shocking truth behind our nervous system's reactions. Dr. LePera reveals how our past molds our emotions, why connection is our biological imperative, and how to become your own adult parent. JVN opens up about their own "parts," and together they dissect black-and-white thinking, fear, and emotional overwhelm, uncovering real-world strategies to break free! If healing has ever felt messy, scary, or downright nonlinear, this conversation may help you truly "getting better." Dr. Nicole LePera's new book Reparenting the Inner Child: The New Science of Our Oldest Wounds and How to Heal Them is out March 24th. Full Getting Better Video Episodes now available on YouTube. Follow Dr. Nicole LePera on Instagram @the.holistic.psychologist Follow us on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn Jonathan on Instagram @jvn Executive Producer, Chris McClure Producer, Editor & Engineer is Nathanael McClure Production support from Chad Hall Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Check out the JVN Patreon for exclusive BTS content, extra interviews, and much much more - check it out here: www.patreon.com/jvn Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey Better Babes. I'm Jonathan Van Ness and welcome back to Getting Better. Do you ever lash out?
0:04.9	I don't. Just kidding. People please, self-sabotage, get overwhelmed. Honey, that's probably your inner
0:11.8	child. And today we're learning all about the inner child how to reparent our inner child with none
0:17.5	other than the incredible doctor. Nicole LaPera.
0:23.1	Her new book is coming out in March.
0:24.9	It's called Reparenting the Inner Child.
0:26.7	Her work is so transformative.
0:29.0	I'm so excited she's on the podcast today.
0:32.5	Let's get straight to it with how to understand our inner child better.
0:35.8	Dr. Nicole, welcome to getting better.
0:37.1	Thank you so much for having me.
0:37.4	It's honored. I am so excited to meet you in real life. And also welcome to getting better. Thank you so much for having me. It's honored.
0:39.7	I am so excited to meet you in real life.
0:55.2	And also, we do this thing. Sometimes we're like when an author is here, I'm like, we talk about the book kind of towards the end. But I just have to tell you guys, this book and your work is so impactful. I have talked so much in my life and my career, thank God, because of my therapist,
0:55.0	about reparenting my inner child and doing inner child work has really been such a source of
1:01.4	joy and pain and just, it can be a lot of work. But I'm so glad that I do that work and that
1:08.5	I've done that work because I wouldn't be here if I hadn't. And so thank you for doing this reparative healing work in the world and in people's lives. Like, thank you so much. And thank you for coming today. And this book is beautiful. Of course. Thank you for sharing your journey and for being interested in having this conversation and spreading it. I think it is something that the collective needs to hear.
1:34.6	It literally gives me quad and like chills here, chills here, like your work isn't, it really is just so important. And this work can really help people to unlock patterns, unlock
1:40.4	compulsivities, just unlock like things in their life that they don't even,
1:44.8	they're not aware of why they do it. They don't know how to stop doing it. And I just think
1:48.9	it's really not that anyone isn't, I hate it when people say like, compose yourself. I almost
1:58.1	just went into like this like other thing about enneagrams,
	...

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