Dr. UnStuck Podcast — Get Out of Your Head. Get Into Your Life.

We can sometimes very casually think and say things that are unaccepting of ourselves such as how we are too fat, too short, too tall, not good at whatever, not successful in school or the workplace. When this self-rejecting loop of negative internal dialogue is allowed to continue on autopilot, there is a high price to pay as far as our mental health, happiness, and success. Self-rejection leaks...

It can be so easy to seek out ways to feel important and to acquire a feeling of self-worth from doing good things for others. From the outside looking in this can appear to be a good thing, though in reality, when we are actively engaged in the "disease to please" it can leave us feeling empty, resentful, and emotionally bankrupt.  #codependency #peoplepleasing #diseasetoplease #addiction #s...

We often engage in "conversational editing" when someone is sharing a point of view that we disagree with. Much like a volcano erupts, we feel that "shenpa" surge from our toes which then rises upward through the body much like a thermometer in the summer heat. We often get so moved by this urge that we must let the other person know that what they are saying is not correct. Though engaging in a b...

Dr. Leslie Averill of Champlain College, speaks to us about designing a successful day much like an architect designs a building, from the ground up. The foundation is one of "progress not perfection," and can be achieved with any combination of 8 "success variables." Dr. Averill stands by the concept of building upon these success variables to strive for a day that is "OK" or "decent." It is...

Dr. Valerie Esposito of Champlain College, speaks to us about the many benefits that getting out into nature has on our minds and bodies. Dr. Esposito explains that the mind and body are intimately connected, and how taking in fresh air for only 15 minutes not only reduces anxiety and depression, but boosts our immune systems as well. Dr. Esposito talks to us about the restorative power of somethi...

The USA is home to 3.1 percent of the world's children, yet they are the consumers of roughly 40 percent of the world's toys. Though we can mean well as parents, teaching kids to associate stuff with love is not the best idea, and the clutter it causes can lead to anxiety and an overall lack of focus. Also, the inherent social comparison that occurs when seeing what other kids have can lead to sad...

It is of utmost importance to evaluate and filter out the company you keep much like you would clean a closet or attic. Our valuable life-minutes are limited each day, yet we often continue to do things out of obligation with people who do not give us a lift and whose company we simply no longer look forward to. Sometimes we even dread making a plan with someone which is a definite sign that they...

Dr. Lindsey Godwin explains to us that all change begins with asking that first question, whether this is larger organizational change in the workplace, or a desire to lose a few pandemic pounds. Change and questions are simultaneous moments, with awareness and intention being key to moving toward what we want. Dr. Godwin further explains that "words create worlds" and "images of the future inspir...

It seems that many of us are on a secret mission to "get it all done" each day. We check email compulsively, making sure to respond to every one of these in order to prevent a pile up, the underlying fear that drives us. If we don't stay on top of each email we risk disappointing people and not acquiring their approval. Most of us also have a To-Do List of micro-tasks which includes a litany of bo...

There is a Tibetan word, Shenpa, that many of us can relate to. Shenpa is the root of all aggression and reactive craving. It is that all too familiar feeling of wanting to "bite the hook" when someone criticizes or judges us, or they simply say something snarky that catches us off guard. Shenpa is that volcanic urge underneath that wants to react, to be right, or to put someone in their place who...

Many of us have a tendency to take life and ourselves way too seriously. We wake up on any given day expecting to have things be smooth with the ride into work, with getting the kids off to school, with meetings ending on time, getting that project completed, and remembering to take the chicken out of the freezer in the morning. When these things do not turn out as we expect, we often land at DEFC...

Jared Cadrette, Director of Student Engagement at Champlain College , speaks to us about the importance of putting yourself out there. In this enjoyable, very lively interview, Jared discusses the importance of bringing your authentic self into everything you do, even (or especially) at work. Being anyone other than ourselves is acting and exhausting, Jared tells us, and letting your inner child o...

Warren Sides, a professor of mathematics at Champlain College, speaks with us about the importance of connection. He is a firm believer that a solid relationship with the professor provides the foundation for learning to take place, as when a student feels comfortable and safe to explore new ideas and ways of thinking is when it all comes together. Professor Sides shares with us the different ways...

Many of us do not realize that our own worst enemy is often inside ourselves, the ego within. We can get wrapped up in people-pleasing and rescuing, continually seeking out external approval and admiration with our actions in a desperate attempt to feel "enough." Some of us become "emotional runners" with an ultra-busy schedule, preventing ourselves from feeling and looking at what keeps us away f...

We have been going full-tilt for nearly two years. Now, as the pandemic continues to play with us, just as a cat tosses around a wounded mouse, we question our recovery and if we will ever truly have rest. Much of this is also physiological, as the fight-or-flight response is meant to be temporary. When this becomes a chronic, everyday state of mind, we become desensitized to the cortisol running...

Is it hard for you to accept a compliment? Ever thought of why? Many of us have become conditioned to break eye contact and tap dance around the awkward moments surrounding a genuine compliment, as it often comes up as an "error message" to our minds. By learning how to invite this soul food into our hard drive, we can lean into a "cognitive reboot" which will recognize our new programming. In doi...

Jean-Marie Severance, MS, an Operations Manager for the academic divisions of EHS (Education & Human Studies) and SSB (Stiller School of Business), speaks to us about the importance of cultivating a culture of well-being in the workplace. She explains that employees bring their whole selves to work with them. The parts of them that were all up night with a sick child are here, the parts dealin...

Ironically, we often hear, "They look at life through rose colored glasses" as if this is a negative thing. We see this as something false and enormously annoying, stemming from the Pollyanna mentality of sugar-coating a bleeding wound while trudging forth pretending it isn't happening.  Positive psychology is not "happy-ology," but rather a choice. Similar to "catch and release" fishing, it...

It can be so much easier to take care of and be compassionate towards other people, yet when we attempt to care for ourselves we often land at a hard stop. We rationalize, making one excuse after the other for not prioritizing our own mental and physical health. We tell ourselves we do not have the time today for that 15 minute walk, lunch with a friend, or to start reading that new book. Then thi...

We have become such a productivity-based society that we have forgotten to have fun. Puttering is viewed as a gigantic waste of time rather than a a way to practice mindfulness. Hobbies are often monetized and transformed into entrepreneurial empires, which can certainly have a great ending for some, though many times this ends up being a kill-joy for what was once fun, looked forward to, and enor...

It is a very good thing to care about other people and to do our best to feel what it's like to be in their shoes. That said, there are sadly people out there who will allow you to give all you've got, and these emotional vampires are attracted to empaths like ants on watermelon. When this happens, the drawbridge needs to retract over the mote, allowing the gators to be a deterrent. Walls keep the...

Are you overwhelmed and overbooked due to an increasingly shrinking bandwidth? Stressed out? If so, this brief podcast is for you. Learn how to create a "shit-giving budget" and start saving your valuable life-minutes before it's too late.  #lifeminutes #codependency #noisagoodword #happiness #Champlaincollege #Mindcraft #psychology #education #learnedoptimism #selfcareisnotselfish #practices...

Skip Harris, Director of Champlain College's Counseling Center, joins us for a discussion on the current mental health crisis on college campuses, as well as what is being done to meet this overwhelming need. In particular, Skip gets real with some of the common ways anxiety and depression can manifest, namely avoidant behavior. When students are overcome by anxiety or depression, they often slide...

When asked how we are doing, our response is often, "I'm so busy," or "I am so slammed at work," or "I am so stressed out." This has become the equivalent of a societal secret handshake to be accepted into the club. If you don't respond with some form of over-busy, then this means you are a slacker, and no one respects slackers. This is contributing to an overall societal exhaustion, when what we...

Those of us in the "Fast Mind Club" are predisposed for increased daily stress simply by the nature of our wild and wonderful minds. We often have difficulty attenuating to boring details the rest of the world deems important, we are not fans of waiting in long lines, we view deadlines as rigid and unnecessary, we misplace things (including ourselves), we frequently interrupt, miss appointments, a...