This season of the Verywell Mind Podcast will be focused on the power of community and hosted by Minaa B, a licensed social worker, mental health educator, and author of "Owning Our Struggles." Minaa is also a community care expert who helps people build healthy relationships. Every Friday, we'll be speaking with experts, wellness advocates, and individuals with lived experiences about community care and its impact on mental health.
Episodes 1 – 263 were hosted by Amy Morin, psychotherapist and former editor-in-chief of Verywell Mind.
Craig Conover is an attorney who stars in Bravo TV’s reality show, Southern Charm. He’s also the author of Pillow Talk: What’s Wrong With My Sewing? Craig could easily make it look like he has everything figured out. He’s successful in so many different ways. But, he chooses to talk openly about his struggles with mental health and his past Adderall abuse. Some of the things he shares on the show are how he’s been bullied, how not everyone understands his passion for sewing, and how he’s managin...
Amy Morin discusses how to manage unhelpful thoughts, distinguishing them from simply negative ones. She explores how emotions, beliefs, and mental health can influence automatic thoughts, and provides effective strategies like reframing, self-compassion, and distraction to respond in a healthier way.
Graeme Tomlinson is a nutrition coach and a personal trainer. His Instagram account has attracted over 1 million followers, making it one of the most popular nutrition/fitness social media accounts in the world. He’s made it his mission to educate people on the facts about healthy eating. He debunks many of the popular diet culture myths and helps people better understand the false information that is spread in food advertisements. His latest book, Lose Weight Without Losing Your Mind, explains ...
Sometimes, people assume that experiencing an uncomfortable emotion (like sadness or anxiety, is a sign of weakness). This is not true. In fact, allowing yourself to fully experience an uncomfortable emotion is a sign of strength, not weakness. It’s easier to push your feelings aside or pretend they don’t exist rather than work through them. There are lots of ways to work through tough feelings—some are healthier than others. In this episode of The Verywell Mind Podcast, I share how to stay ment...
Jay Glazer hosts FOX Sports’ award-winning NFL pregame show, FOX NFL Sunday. He’s developed a reputation for breaking major stories in the NFL throughout the year, and he’s become the “go-to” reporter for gaining accurate information about football updates. Now, he’s written a book called Unbreakable, in which he talks openly about his battle with depression and anxiety. He shares the strategies he uses to manage his mental health. Some of the things he talks about today are why he named his dep...
We all have things that we don’t want to do yet feel obligated to do them. Working out, cleaning the house, and paying the bills are just a few of those things that most of us don’t love doing yet we know these things are important. It’s hard to force yourself to do something boring or to keep going on a task that you don’t feel like doing. When we give up on our goals (like quitting the gym), or we avoid doing something often enough (like cleaning the house), we can get down ourselves for not h...
Wendy Suzuki is a Professor of Neural Science and Psychology in the Center for Neural Science at New York University. She invests much of her time studying brain plasticity–how the brain is able to grow and adapt over the lifespan. She is known for her extensive work studying areas of the brain that are critical to our ability to develop and retain long-term memories. But she’s also conducted a lot of research on anxiety and how we can use it as a way to empower ourselves. Some of the things she...
Addressing your mental health might feel daunting when you don’t know what to do or when you’re experiencing a mental health issue. You might imagine you have to sign up for a yoga class or learn complicated meditation techniques. While those things might improve your mental health, they aren’t the only options. There are plenty of things you can do right now to feel better. In today’s episode, I share some simple but effective ways to improve your mental health. They’re free and most of them do...
Mallory Ervin held the title of Miss Kentucky in 2009. In 2010, she was fourth runner-up for Miss America. She also competed on the reality show The Amazing Race three separate times. Despite all the success she had on the outside, she didn’t feel worthy on the inside. And she developed an addiction to pills to help numb her feelings. Now, she’s written a best-selling book called Living Fully in which she writes about how she finally learned to live a bigger, better life that didn’t depend on ac...
While most people understand what it takes to become physically strong, there’s a lot of confusion about how to grow mentally strong. Fortunately, there are many things you can do to develop mental strength. You might even do some of them already without realizing that they’re helping you grow mentally stronger. In this episode, I share the three components of mental strength. I also talk about some specific exercises that can help you develop more mental strength. And I clear up some common mis...
KJ Smith is an actress who stars in the BET comedy-drama series Sistas and Starz’s Power Book III: Raising Kanan. She isn’t shy about talking about her mental health. She has become an advocate for therapy and self-care. Some of the things she talks about today are how she learned to be comfortable with her emotions, how she modifies her environment to stay mentally healthy, and how she establishes healthy boundaries. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Depression is complicated but some of the treatments can be simple. That doesn’t mean following through with these treatments is easy–battling depression is a tough job. But it does mean that a few lifestyle changes can sometimes make a big difference to someone who is living with depression. On today’s Friday Fix episode, I share how therapists often help people battle depression with behavioral therapy. Changing a few things in your calendar could reduce your depression. So today, I’m sharing ...
One of the really fun parts about having a podcast is that I get to answer your questions on the show in real-time. In my work as an author, it’s more of a one-sided conversation. I share my ideas in a book, and while I do receive plenty of messages from readers, I don’t really get to answer questions. But a podcast is different. I can answer questions in real-time. It’s almost like being able to have a two-way conversation with our listeners. So I thought it was a good time to do another Ask Me...
Born Lenard McKelvey, Charlamagne Tha God is one of the most influential voices in media. He’s the outspoken host of The Breakfast Club, a radio show that reaches over 4.5 million listeners each week. He also co-hosts a popular podcast, The Brilliant Idiots, where he and Andrew Shulz discuss the biggest issues of the day. He hosts a TV show as well, called Tha God’s Honest Truth, which appears on Comedy Central. It’s a late-night show that addresses a variety of social issues. He became an advoc...
Have you thought about journaling but didn’t know where to start? Do you think writing about your feelings would be a waste of time? If so, you’re not alone. I hear many therapy clients say they’ve considered journaling over the years, but for one reason or another, they just didn’t start it. Or if they did start journaling, they didn’t stick with it. Staring at a blank piece of paper might feel intimidating. Or you might feel overwhelmed by the sheer volumes of journals sold in stores. But don’...
Daniel Pink is a New York Times Best Selling author whose books have sold millions of copies around the world. His fascinating titles about business and behavior include books such as When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing and Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us. His newest book, The Power of Regret, discusses how to use regret to move ourselves forward in life. He surveyed more than 15,000 people from around the world and uncovered some interesting facts about regret. So...
Although online therapy has grown in popularity during the pandemic, a lot of people are still hesitant to try it. And it’s wise to question whether online treatment can be effective as face-to-face therapy. Afterall, the relationship between a client and a therapist is key to a positive treatment outcome. Can someone really establish a healthy alliance with a therapist over video chat or messaging? As a therapist who has only ever provided face-to-face treatment, I had a lot of questions myself...
Diane Macedo is an Emmy Award-winning journalist who works as an anchor and correspondent for ABC News. She often appears on Good Morning America, World News Tonight, and World News Now. She’s also the author of The Sleep Fix, a book that describes how she overcame insomnia. By reading countless studies and interviewing many experts, Diane discovered strategies that helped her get better quality sleep. Now, she’s sharing those strategies to help other people learn how to fix their sleep problems...
It’s true that happy people smile. But it may also be true that people feel happy because they smile. Faking a smile might boost your mood, reduce your stress, and help you bounce back from challenges fast. But you may have also heard about the dangers of forcing a smile when you aren’t feeling it. After all, aren’t you repressing your emotions? There’s a difference between faking a smile for someone else’s benefit and giving yourself a smile to boost your mood. This episode will explain what re...
William Miller, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist and a professor of psychology and psychiatry at the University of Mexico. He's also the co-founder of motivational interviewing, a strategy therapists use to help people deal with the ambivalence they feel about change. He’s the author of many books, including his most recent book, On Second Thought, which explores the subject of ambivalence. Some of the things he talks about are how to accept that you're not completely committed to change, how t...
Whether you say, “That chicken was too spicy,” or “The presentation was awful,” you might have strong judgments about the things around you. And while you’re entitled to your opinion, there are ways to experience opinions without being too judgmental. Sometimes it’s easy to lose sight of the fact that your opinion isn’t a fact, however. Just because you thought a movie was great doesn’t mean everyone else in the family will like it. And your opinion isn’t any more or less true than anyone else’s...
Kindra Hall is a Wall Street Journal best-selling author and an award-winning storyteller. She’s also the chief storytelling officer at Success magazine. Her newest book, Choose Your Story, Change Your Life, is a self-help book that teaches readers how to shift their narrative in a healthy way. Some of the things Kindra talks about on the show are how to choose a different version of the stories you tell yourself, how changing your stories could change the entire path of your life, and how to pr...
While some people say you should always give others the ‘benefit of the doubt,’ other people say doing so means you let people take advantage of you. After all, not everyone has good intentions. But assuming the best in others doesn’t have to come at your own expense. In fact, you can still assume other people are doing their best while also establishing clear boundaries with them. There’s a surprising upside of assuming the best in others; it actually lowers your stress level. But it takes some...
Erica is a self-described recovering alcoholic who chose to become a certified drug and alcohol counselor. When she stopped drinking, she learned that she needed to learn some new skills to aid her recovery. She’s written several books including, Rewired: A Bold New Approach to Addiction & Recovery. In it, she explains how people can rewire their brains, change their behavior, and create positive changes in their lives. Some of the things Erica talks about on the show are what most people don't ...
It’s normal to want to be liked and accepted. But if taken too far, you could become a people-pleaser. People-pleasing can become a chronic habit that is tough to break. You might say yes to things you don’t want to do to prevent someone from getting angry. Or you might say what you think people want to hear so that you’ll fit in with those around you. If you’ve been a lifelong people-pleaser, it’s tough to stand up for yourself and express your true opinions. But it’s important to do so. Being ...
Mariel Buquè is a Columbia University-trained psychologist and sound bath meditation healer. She specializes in helping people heal wounds that stem from intergenerational trauma. Some of the things she talks about on today's episode are how trauma can be passed down from one generation to the next, the five things that can happen when you experience intergenerational trauma, and the strategies that can stop the cycle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
To say it’s been a strange year sounds like an understatement. There were lots of ups and downs in terms of public health, the economy, and the re-opening of many businesses. And while there was a lot of talk in the past about “things returning to normal,” this year made it clear that things likely won’t go back to the way they used to be. Instead, we’ll be establishing a new normal. Throughout all the highs and lows, we were thrilled to be able to bring you The Verywell Mind Podcast. We’re than...
When you struggle to reach your goals, you might be tempted to blame it on a lack of self-discipline or too many obstacles that stood in your way. But, there’s a chance the problem wasn’t a character flaw or even an environmental issue. Instead, the problem might have been the goal itself. If you don’t establish a clear, helpful goal in the beginning, you’ll set yourself up for failure. Whether you want to get in better shape, pay off your debt, become a happier person, or launch your own busine...
Skyh Black spent much of his life dancing. In fact, he used to be a backup dancer for superstars like Beyoncé, Mariah Carey, and Rihanna. But a few years ago, he decided he wanted to become an actor. He took a break from dancing and put all his energy into launching an acting career—which meant he became homeless for a bit. He took acting classes, and with a lot of hard work, started landing roles in movies and on television. Some of his recent TV shows include Sistas, All the Queen’s Men, and L...
I thought it would be fun to answer your questions on The Verywell Mind Podcast this week. I put out the call on social media to ask me anything you want. And you certainly answered! It’s been fun sifting through your questions and hearing your comments. To my surprise, the vast majority of your questions centered around one thing — relationship issues. And most of them weren’t contained to romantic relationships. Instead, you wanted to know how to set better boundaries, how to deal with people ...
