Do you take time to notice, appreciate, and reflect on the good things happening in your life? Claire gives you some tips on how to cultivate more gratitude every day. Plus, she answers a question from a listener who wants advice on how to handle her relationship with an abusive parent. Check out these two books Claire recommends about reparenting yourself: What My Bones Know by Stephanie Foo Buy Yourself the F*cking Lillies by Tara Schuster Do you have something you want Claire’s help with? Sen...
Jun 20, 2022•8 min
The concept of palliative care can bring up a whole flood of thoughts and emotions: fear, anxiety, grief, anger, helplessness. But palliative care physician Sunita Puri wants to change people’s perception of her field. And not just laypeople, but also her medical colleagues. Dr. Puri tells Claire why she became a palliative care doctor, how she’s working to destigmatize her chosen field, how she strives to empower patients and caregivers facing serious illnesses or end-of-life situations, and ho...
Jun 17, 2022•36 min
Do you struggle to say “no” even when you really want — or need — to say it? Claire gives you some tips on how to recognize when you should say “no,” and how to get better at actually saying it. Plus, she answers a question from a listener who is working from home and struggling to separate his work life from his home life. Do you have something you want Claire’s help with? Send her a question to be featured on an upcoming episode by emailing us at [email protected] or submitting one at w...
Jun 15, 2022•9 min
Do you know people who always tell you to look on the bright side of any situation? Claire gives you some tips on how to deal with toxic positivity when you really need some empathy. Plus, she answers a question from a listener who wants to know if she should confront someone she suspects doesn’t like her. Do you have something you want Claire’s help with? Send her a question to be featured on an upcoming episode by emailing us at [email protected] or submitting one at www.bit.ly/newdayas...
Jun 13, 2022•10 min
For many couples, a second marriage is a fresh start and a new chance at happiness. But it still means a lot of work and reflection as you’ll hear in this episode where Claire the therapist becomes Claire the client. Licensed marriage and family therapist Elizabeth Earnshaw is back to talk with Claire and her husband Mark about trying to blend their families, their struggle to prioritize each other, and what it will take to make this second marriage for each of them succeed. Liz also breaks down...
Jun 10, 2022•41 min
Have you been meaning to start therapy but have no idea where to even start? Claire gives you some tips on how to navigate the mental health world and find the right person for you. Plus, she answers a question from a listener who is grieving her decision to only have one child. Do you have something you want Claire’s help with? Send her a question to be featured on an upcoming episode by emailing us at [email protected] or submitting one at www.bit.ly/newdayask . Want to connect? Join th...
Jun 08, 2022•10 min
Do you remember how good it felt the last time someone did something kind for you? Claire gives you some tips on how to be the person who pays it forward with random acts of kindness. Plus, she answers a question from a listener who wants to know how to support a loved one during the end of their life. Do you have something you want Claire’s help with? Send her a question to be featured on an upcoming episode by emailing us at [email protected] or submitting one at www.bit.ly/newdayask . ...
Jun 06, 2022•11 min
We’ve all probably heard that we should try and love our bodies, which seems like an impossible standard to reach — especially after motherhood. MommaStrong founder and corrective exercise specialist Courtney Wyckoff thinks a more realistic place to get to is body neutrality. You don’t have to feel good about your body; you should just feel like you have one. Claire and Courtney open up about the struggles they had even acknowledging their bodies, the unexpected ways in which motherhood changed ...
Jun 03, 2022•41 min
When, where, and with whom are you your truest self? That’s the question Claire asked herself on her recent birthday, and she gives you some tips on how to answer it and then live it. Plus, she answers a question from a listener who is curious if anxiety manifests differently across genders. Do you have something you want Claire’s help with? Send her a question to be featured on an upcoming episode by emailing us at [email protected] or submitting one at www.bit.ly/newdayask . Want to con...
Jun 01, 2022•9 min
Are you taking care of yourself? Self-care is easily dismissed as a luxury for those with free time and disposable income, but it’s really essential to our well-being. Claire gives you some tips on how to incorporate real self-care into your life. Plus, she answers a question from a listener who needs help with burnout at home and at work. Do you have something you want Claire’s help with? Send her a question to be featured on an upcoming episode by emailing us at [email protected] or sub...
May 30, 2022•10 min
What’s actually standing in the way of you loving yourself more? This week we’re revisiting our conversation with author Dr. Kristin Neff to talk about self compassion and how to turn toward pain, forgive others, and talk to yourself like you would your dearest friend. This episode’s practice is about giving yourself permission to be kind to yourself– on the good days, the bad ones, and especially when you feel like you have to pretend that everything is OK. Resources from the show Read Self-Com...
May 27, 2022•32 min
Uvalde, Texas. Buffalo, New York. One million COVID deaths. Two years since George Floyd’s murder. The anguish is overwhelming. How are we supposed to process tragedies over and over again? Claire offers up tangible steps you can take to help you cope with the fear, anger, grief, horror, and anxiety that have yet again entered our hearts and minds. Do you have something you want Claire’s help with? Send her a question to be featured on an upcoming episode by emailing us at [email protected]...
May 25, 2022•6 min
Do you often find yourself scrolling through Instagram, texting with friends, or even down some random Wikipedia rabbit hole instead of doing what you need to do? Claire gives you some tips on how to overcome procrastination, including a little self-compassion. Plus, she answers a question from a listener who wants some advice on healthy ways to end a friendship. Do you have something you want Claire’s help with? Send her a question to be featured on an upcoming episode by emailing us at newday@...
May 23, 2022•13 min
Author and comedian Rebecca Soffer desperately turned to the internet for help when she was in her early 30s after her mother was killed in a car crash and her father suddenly died of a heart attack. Nothing she found was helpful for her, so she made something new: Modern Loss. Claire sits down with Rebecca to talk through the many ways the internet can change the way we grieve, and how Rebecca found support, expressed herself, and created community in her life, on and offline. Resources from ...
May 20, 2022•36 min
Do you get overwhelmed by the deluge of headlines, images, and information coming at you during the day? Claire gives you a tip on how to moderate your news intake without burying your head in the sand and pretending nothing is happening. Plus, she answers a question from a listener who wants guidance on how best to comfort and support a grieving child. Do you have something you want Claire’s help with? Send her a question to be featured on an upcoming episode by emailing us at newday@lemonadame...
May 18, 2022•10 min
Do your days feel consumed by tasks and obligations that are getting in the way of really living your life? Claire gives you a tip on how to ascertain what really matters to you and how to go about prioritizing those things. Plus, she answers a question from a listener who is experiencing delayed grief and anxiety 15 years after the death of her parent. Do you have something you want Claire’s help with? Send her a question to be featured on an upcoming episode by emailing us at newday@lemonadame...
May 16, 2022•10 min
In our culture, the word “surrender” usually carries with it negative connotations. It means quitting, giving up, conceding. Author and motivational speaker Kute Blackson wants us to redefine the idea of what surrendering means — from something seen as weak or passive to the most powerful thing a human being can do. With surrender, he says, comes possibilities we never thought possible. Kute tells Claire how we can open ourselves up to surrender and what positive changes could happen as a result...
May 13, 2022•35 min
Do you reach for your phone the moment you wake up every morning? Claire gives you a tip on how to break that habit and regain some calm at the beginning of your day. Plus, she answers a question from a listener who is contemplating divorce, but wants to remain friends post-split. Do you have a question about grief or other ways you can take care of your mental health? Send Claire a question to be featured on an upcoming episode www.bit.ly/newdayask Want to connect? Join the New Day Facebook Gro...
May 11, 2022•8 min
Does your life look the way you thought it would? Claire gives you a tip on how to get clarity on what you really want in life and how to go about making that your reality. Plus, she answers a question from a listener who feels addicted to anxiety. Do you have a question about grief or other ways you can take care of your mental health? Send Claire a question to be featured on an upcoming episode www.bit.ly/newdayask Want to connect? Join the New Day Facebook Group! https://www.facebook.com/grou...
May 09, 2022•8 min
There is a lot going on in the world right now — and probably in your personal life, too. It can be stressful and overwhelming. That’s why starting on May 9th, New Day is coming out three times a week. On Mondays and Wednesdays, Claire Bidwell Smith offers up simple tips that can make an immediate change in your life. She also answers your questions. Then on Fridays, Claire has an extended conversation with an amazing guest who shares something from their life that can help make a difference in ...
May 08, 2022•2 min
Mother’s Day has great intentions behind it: taking a day out of the year to celebrate our moms and all the things they do for us. But for many people, for many reasons, that can be a painful proposition. Mother’s Day became extremely difficult for Stephanie Wittels Wachs and Maureen Wittels when Harris Wittels, Maureen’s son and Stephanie’s brother, died of a heroin overdose in 2015. In the years since, Stephanie and Maureen have learned to redefine this holiday so they can simultaneously honor...
May 04, 2022•38 min
The grief space, like most things in our society, has long been dominated by white voices. Marisa Renee Lee is doing her part to change that. In her new book “Grief is Love,” Marisa explores what makes Black grief unique through the lens of her own personal experiences with loss. She also shares the profound lesson about undying love she learned from Sybrina Fulton, the mother of Trayvon Martin. This episode’s practice is about re-examining the cultural messages we’ve been taught about grief and...
Apr 27, 2022•46 min
It can be uncomfortable to think about death, but the end of life is a transition we should all learn how to embrace. So, this week we’re revisiting our conversation with Alua Arthur to talk about her work as a death doula, and all the ways it has taught her to live. This episode’s practice is about walking away from unfulfilling work, pursuing joy, and asking yourself: What must I do to be at peace with myself so that I may live presently and die gracefully? Want to connect? Join the New Day Fa...
Apr 20, 2022•42 min
There’s no way to have gotten through the last few years without some anxiety. But comedian and mental health advocate Kelsey Darragh has been experiencing anxiety-induced panic attacks for as long as she can remember. In the years since, she’s tried it all – therapy, medication, treating the physical symptoms caused by her anxiety – she shares her hard-won knowledge of what works to help her manage her anxiety, panic disorder, and depression. This episode is about slowing down, being realistic ...
Apr 13, 2022•45 min
You’re not weird. Making friends as an adult is just hard. But sometimes all it takes is opening up a little bit. Author Kelle Hampton knew when she wrote her memoir “ Bloom: Finding Beauty in the Unexpected ” that she was putting herself out there and revealing the most vulnerable part of her life. When the book came out, she realized her story resonated with more people than she expected. Our shared struggles bring us together both as a community, and one-on-one in our personal relationships. ...
Apr 06, 2022•40 min
How are you supposed to go on after suffering an unimaginable tragedy? Shortly after comedian Michael Cruz Kayne welcomed his identical twin boys into the world, his son Fisher suddenly passed away at only 34 days old. Michael and his wife were left trying to grieve their son while raising a newborn at the same time. This week, we talk about what helps in the face of loss and how to tell people that you’re not ready to stop talking about your grief. Michael and Claire answer your questions on ch...
Mar 30, 2022•48 min
Domestic violence is pervasive and thrives in silence. But how do I know if my relationship has crossed a line? How do I identify abuse? And what exactly should I do if my partner becomes violent? Today, clinical psychologist Dr. Heidi Kar digs into what motivates violent behavior in the first place and how cycles of violence can actually be prevented. Most importantly, she provides insight on how to navigate a violent situation at home and what options are available when it’s time to leave. Res...
Mar 23, 2022•44 min
Many of us never think to question our own gender identity... but should we? And what happens when someone close to us begins that kind of exploration? In this very personal episode, Claire sits down with her eldest child Vera, and trans activist Tuck Woodstock to talk about the world of gender identity. It's been over a year since Vera started to identify as non-binary. While this has been an exciting new journey for Vera, it’s been a learning opportunity for Claire, as she struggles to remembe...
Mar 16, 2022•44 min
During the pandemic, the line between work life and home life got blurry. But that was already true for many people well before COVID-19 arrived. Tamara Taggart worked in TV and Radio for 28 years and had a really hard time drawing the line between what she did and who she is. It took suddenly losing that dream job to finally find her true self. This week’s practice is about identity, defining yourself, and staying true to your purpose above all else. Resources from the show Read “ When Things F...
Mar 09, 2022•35 min
Despite what we’ve learned in fairy tales during our childhood, there’s no such thing as the perfect relationship. Marriage therapist Elizabeth Earnshaw has seen and heard it all and offers up practical advice on understanding the issues in your relationship, how to work through them, and when to consider calling it quits. This episode’s practice is about communication, getting your needs met, and building a relationship that works for you AND your partner. Resources from the show Read Liz’s Rel...
Mar 02, 2022•41 min
