If you’re a parent, I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that these are very difficult times. During this global pandemic, parents are being asked to simultaneously do multiple different jobs at the same time, and the expectations and evaluations we’re placing on ourselves can be crushing. I recently stumbled upon a meme on Facebook, of all things, and I knew that I had to reach out to its author to ask her to come on the podcast. Here’s an excerpt from that meme: Working, parenting, and teaching a...
Apr 08, 2020•50 min•Season 4Ep. 168
Peak mind is currently offering bi-weekly (2 / week) psych strength building workshops absolutely FREE. Sign up for the Peak Mind Starter Pack at www.peakmindpsychology.com/start to get all the details about how you can join us and to access the replays from past calls. If you’re searching for tools and techniques to help you maintain resilience in the face of the uncertain times we’re in, this episode is for you. A few months back, I had the pleasure of speaking with Ariel Garten, mindfulness e...
Apr 01, 2020•46 min•Season 4Ep. 167
As we move through these uncertain times together, I want to do everything I can to help you build and maintain the psychological strength you’ll need to thrive through this adversity. We founded Peak Mind to help you navigate times exactly like this . Life is not always perfect. Sometimes gratitude is more difficult to find. Sometimes, the best thing we can do is do our best to remain calm and keep a balanced mindset. Psychological strength can help you do just that. This episode is the first o...
Mar 25, 2020•28 min•Season 4Ep. 166
What if I told you that it is literally possible for you to choose the way you’re going to feel in nearly every situation in life? As it turns out, decades of research into the connection between thoughts and emotions shows us that it is, and we’re digging deep into it this week. This week, we’re speaking with Dr. Sasha Heinz . Dr. Heinz is a Developmental Psychologist and Life Coach, is an expert in Positive Psychology, lasting behavioral change, and the science of getting unstuck. She is a gra...
Mar 18, 2020•49 min•Season 4Ep. 165
Unless you’ve been living so far off the grid that a global pandemic can’t reach you anyways, you’ve heard about the coronavirus. You’ve probably also been affected in some way. Events have been cancelled. Businesses and schools have closed or shifted to remote options. Supplies at grocery stores have sold out in places, and the stock market has plummeted. With organizations like the WHO and CDC issuing the need for safety precautions and various levels of government calling various states of em...
Mar 16, 2020•34 min
Pop quiz! On a scale from 1-10, how uncomfortable does it make you feel to think about negotiating on your own behalf? Now, on a scale from 1-10, how uncomfortable does it make you feel to think about negotiating on someone else’s behalf? For a lot of us, the thought of asking for something for ourselves is TERRIFYING. The self-doubt kicks in so fast. “Am I being fair?” “Is my performance really worth that much?” “What if they think I’m difficult to work with?” So many of us have that experience...
Mar 11, 2020•50 min•Season 4Ep. 164
Help us create our next core program by participating in our survey: https://www.peakmindpsychology.com/survey Have you ever had to persist even though you wanted to give up? Have you ever had to admit to yourself that you have a limited capacity of energy or bandwidth and had to be strategic about how you spend your time and energy? Have you ever had to transition into a new identity and felt sadness at the identity and lifestyle you’re leaving behind? If you said ‘yes’ to any of those question...
Mar 04, 2020•1 hr 1 min•Season 4Ep. 163
Some of you might know that I recently turned 40! Beyond the typical celebration, cake, and candles that come with any birthday, something stood out as unique about this one. The reactions of people around me when I told them the age I was turning. Some people were very positive. They wished me a “happy birthday,” and that was the end of it. But many people seemed conflicted about the number 40. Their reactions felt as though they knew that the number 40 means something for woman. An indication ...
Feb 26, 2020•59 min•Season 4Ep. 162
I stumbled upon this week’s guest on Lewis Howes’ podcast, ‘The School of Greatness,’ and I was only about 5 minutes into that episode when I realized that she needed to be on our show as well. This week, we’re speaking with Dr. Margaret Rutherford , clinical psychologist and author of the new book “ Perfectly Hidden Depression: How to Break Free from the Perfectionism that Masks Your Depression .” This is such a powerful episode because Dr. Rutherford’s work hits on some of the basic things we ...
Feb 19, 2020•1 hr 16 min•Season 4Ep. 161
Sometimes, the most difficult issues to work on are the ones that are in our blind spots. The ones that are masked by external factors or achievements that make us believe that we’re ok….when we aren’t. This week, we’re talking about one of those potential blind spots: high-functioning anxiety. This week we’re speaking with Nancy Jane Smith. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor with eleven years in private practice and has spent 20+ years working as a counselor/coach. She has written three b...
Feb 12, 2020•52 min•Season 4Ep. 160
You’ve heard me say it a million times. Your mind can be your most valuable asset or your biggest liability. This week, we’re diving into the fundamental mechanisms that set us up to go in either of those directions with one of the world’s leading experts on mind-hacking. This week, we’re talking to Sean Webb , author of the book “Mind-Hacking Happiness” and an expert in the tools and techniques that teach us how to create our best life experience by building the psychological strength we need t...
Feb 05, 2020•1 hr 1 min•Season 4Ep. 159
I’m sure you’ve heard about emotional intelligence and how important it is to psychological strength. Today, we’re talking to an expert in the domain of emotional intelligence, and I have to say, it was such a deep, actionable conversation. Today, we’re talking with Rich Bracken . Rich is a motivational speaker, fellow podcast host, and an expert in the area of emotional intelligence. He travels all over the globe helping people and companies understand what EQ is, why it’s important, and most i...
Jan 29, 2020•53 min•Season 4Ep. 158
This week is a first on the podcast. This week I’m speaking with a Julliard-trained music composer. What does that have to do with psychological strength you ask? Well, in addition to being a talented musician, Cheryl B. Engelhardt suffered from monthly panic attacks that would leave her exhausted for days. After learning about the power of a morning routine including gratitude, mindfulness, and meditation, Cheryl decided to use her talents to help others. She created her new album “Luminary” as...
Jan 22, 2020•58 min•Season 4Ep. 157
Have you ever thought about all of the ways you show up as a leader in your life? Think about it. The most obvious is probably a leadership position at work or in your company. But, how about in your relationships outside of work? How about as a parent? How about as a romantic partner? All of these aspects of our lives, and even more than those I mentioned, involve elements of leadership, which is why I am so excited about this week’s episode. This week we are speaking with Noelle Cordeaux , CEO...
Jan 15, 2020•45 min•Season 4Ep. 156
If you had to guess what the single, most important factor is in determining your psychological well-being, what would you guess? Turns out, it’s social connection and personal relationships. Our connections to other people and our social interactions with them are an incredibly protective and powerful factor in developing psychological strength, and this week, and that’s why we’re covering it on this week’s episode. This week, we’re talking with Peter Montoya, the CEO of ThriveUnion . ThriveUni...
Jan 08, 2020•50 min•Season 4Ep. 155
Hey, parents out there, this week’s episode is one you won’t want to miss. During a challenging time with your child, have you ever questioned yourself and wondered whether you were doing the right thing? Wondered whether it is better to engage with my child in this moment or ignore them? Wondered whether you’re causing psychological problems or distress when your child is crying or screaming at the top of their lungs. This week’s episode is for you. This week, we’re speaking with Dr. Karen Cass...
Jan 01, 2020•1 hr 2 min•Season 4Ep. 154
This week on the podcast, we're talking to a kindred spirit. Josh Trent is the founder of Wellness Force , a movement to help people improve their lives by helping them find physical and mental intelligence. Here's the thing. Not only does Josh advocate learning about important topics like gratitude, meditation, mindfulness, the subconscious mind, and decision fatigue, but he advocates embodying this knowledge. Showing up everyday with the intention of living this wisdom. Putting it into practic...
Dec 18, 2019•51 min•Season 3Ep. 153
Watch my TEDx Talk here! Join a webinar here! If you've been following me at Peak Mind or on social media, you likely know that I recently fulfilled a life-long goal by giving a TEDx Talk. It was an absolutely thrilling day, but there was a long road of hard work, unexpected issues, and tremendous self-doubt to get there. On today's podcast, I want to take you behind the scenes to talk you through my journey. Here's the thing: It's so easy to look at the final product of a journey like that and ...
Dec 11, 2019•30 min•Season 3Ep. 152
How many times have you heard people talk about physical health as though it’s separate from mental health? Let’s come at this from a different direction. If you stayed up very late for 4 nights in a row, how would you feel, emotionally, afterward? That simple example shows how integrated our physical and mental health are, and in Peak Mind we speak about them in that way. This week, we’re coming at this holistic approach to health from another perspective, the perspective of traditional Chinese...
Dec 04, 2019•43 min•Season 3Ep. 151
Each and every one of us have struggled with feelings of anxiety in our lives. Anxiety has become so pervasive and common that people have begun to believe that it’s just a fact of life that can’t be changed. This week, we’re debunking that notion. This week, you’re going to hear from Ken Goodman , Licensed Clinical Social Worker, author of The Anxiety Solution Series and Break Free from Anxiety, and Board Member Of the American Depression and Anxiety Association. Ken specializes in the treatmen...
Nov 27, 2019•53 min•Season 3Ep. 150
When was the last time you genuinely said "thank you" to someone else? How often do you recognize people for the big (and small) things they do? Have you ever stopped to consider how impactful the act of recognition can be? Today, we're speaking with Sarah McVanel . Sarah is a recognition expert and is passionate about guiding each of us to re-discover our own greatness, and recognize the greatness in others. As it turns out, such a simple gesture (recognition) can have a major impact, and there...
Nov 20, 2019•53 min•Season 3Ep. 149
If you’ve ever felt like you weren’t enough, this episode is for you. If you’ve ever felt like you needed to lose X pounds or make $X in order to be happy, this episode is for you. If you have a set of beliefs or thought patterns about yourself that aren’t helpful, this episode definitely is for you. This week, we’re talking to Betty Jean Bell. Betty has helped successful women around the world to lose weight, improve their health, and love their bodies now, regardless of shape. All while runnin...
Nov 13, 2019•56 min•Season 3Ep. 148
Let's be honest for just one moment. Meditation can be hard and frustrating. We've all heard that meditation has incredible benefits, but it can be incredibly difficult to sit still and focus for that long, and it's so frustrating when thoughts continue to intrude. Plus, how do you even know if you're doing it right and reaping the benefits of the time you're putting in?! This week, you're meeting a woman who is changing all of that. This week on the podcast, you'll hear from Ariel Garten , inve...
Nov 06, 2019•50 min•Season 3Ep. 147
It is a fact of life that we are all going to experience adversity at times. Life hands us circumstances in the form of hardship, trauma, or other difficulty, and we’re left to try to figure out how to move through it and pick up the pieces. This week on the podcast, we’re focusing in on how to create a life of meaning after adversity through the story of one woman’s journey to turn her own adversity into an organization to help others. Becca Erickson is the Founder of Emerge Mother’s Academy. T...
Oct 30, 2019•56 min•Season 3Ep. 146
This is a really neat week on the podcast. We're essentially clearing up some misconceptions this week. As yoga and meditation have become more mainstream, we've lost a bit of the impact that these practices can have. We all know that yoga can make you more flexible, but what about the impact it can have as a mind-clearing tool to set you up for a more successful meditation practice? We're diving deep into these topics today, as well as the topics of visioning and life design. I couldn't be more...
Oct 23, 2019•49 min•Season 3Ep. 145
This week on the podcast we’re speaking with Dr. Kevin Payne. He is a scientist, entrepreneur and author. His upcoming book, "Your Life, Well Lived" presents a new understanding of what it’s like to live with a chronic health condition and shows both diagnosed and caregivers how to improve quality of life. Beyond that, it’s an actionable, understandable text on how everyone, chronic condition or not, can live better lives. We talk about so many impactful concepts in this episode, but most notabl...
Oct 16, 2019•55 min•Season 3Ep. 144
This episode is a bonus episode to accompany Episode #143. Dr. Steven Hayes was generous enough to include a hands-on exercise in his interview, and I found it so profoundly valuable, that I clipped it out into its own episode. Please sit down, get quiet, and use this exercise to help you in areas where you might need it. FULL EPISODE DESCRIPTION: So many of us have experienced trauma, depression, anxiety, and other painful feelings and events. But answer this: When you have those experiences, d...
Oct 09, 2019•23 min•Season 3Ep. 143
So many of us have experienced trauma, depression, anxiety, and other painful feelings and events. But answer this: When you have those experiences, do you tend to try to get rid of or avoid those painful feelings, or do you lean into them? On this episode of the podcast, we have the pleasure of collaborating with Dr. Steven Hayes , founder of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and author of the book "A Liberated Mind: How to Pivot Toward What Matters." Dr. Hayes has been deemed the 30th m...
Oct 09, 2019•1 hr 1 min•Season 3Ep. 143
Did you know that upwards of 80% of the thoughts you have on a given day are subconscious thoughts? These are thoughts that happen outside of our awareness. They're mental habits and heuristics that our mind has learned, and they influence our conscious thoughts, our emotions, and our actions. On today's episode, we're talking with Michele Molitor about this very topic! We talk about what the subconscious is...and what it isn't . Michele shares with us her unique approach to replacing limiting b...
Oct 02, 2019•47 min•Season 3Ep. 142
This week's guest has one of the most eclectic resume's in business, including the following: He has been a child television star A Supreme Court clerk for Sandra Day O'Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsbert Co-Founder of an internet startup A graduate of Harvard at age 19 The author of a TED talk that received over 1M views in it's first 3 days Perhaps most striking, Isaac Lidsky is only 40, and he is blind. Born with Retinitis Pigmentosa, a rare degenerative disease of the retina, from age 12 to 25 he...
Sep 25, 2019•48 min•Season 3Ep. 141
