Embrace Mental Health

We've said it before and we will say it again: There is no such thing as a bad emotion. All of our emotions have information to give us and are indicators of what's going on in inside, and perhaps no emotion does it in as interesting a way as anger. Sometimes anger is the only emotion people feel comfortable engaging with, and some people avoid it like the plague. But whatever your relationship wi...

Happy Men's Mental Health Awareness Month! We are celebrating by taking some time to focus in on this very topic. The mental health statistics for men are sobering and very real - but so are a lot of the barriers that prevent men from feeling like it's okay for them to address or even admit that they have any mental health struggles. This week, we have special guest Young Yi joining us to discuss...

Between the deluge of political ads, the palpable tension around many Thanksgiving dinner tables, and those toxic social media comment sections, it's no wonder that politics can be a great source of stress and anxiety for many people. And election years only turn the dial on that tension up even higher. Political anxiety is a very real and very pervasive struggle for a lot of people, and for very...

Struggling with worrying can feel like stepping in quicksand - the harder you fight it, the deeper you sink. So whether you worry about that thing you said to a stranger 2 weeks ago at a party, or can come up with the most incredible list of what ifs imaginable, this episode is for you. All Worry Warts Welcome! Join Kelsey and Autumn as they look into what worrying really is under the surface, how...

Whether you are a mindfulness skeptic or a mindfulness guru, this episode is worth the listen and will give you something both to think about and to try. Wes and Kelsey discuss all the different reasons mindfulness can play such a major role in improving your mental health and general ability to live life more fully, and also give a number of different ways it can be practiced. One of the hardest...

In honor of World Mental Health Day, and the launch of Season 2, Wesley shares the story of his own mental health journey. Listen along as he shares about the struggles he had early on to develop a true sense of self, some of the challenges those struggles raised, and the ways he grew in the midst of those challenges to forge and discover some gifts on the other end; gifts that not only benefit hi...

After a refreshing summer away, the Embrace Crew is back and ready to give your Mondays that Mental Health boost they've been missing! We are so excited to be back for Season 2, and to keep diving into all the facets of mental health and what it means to pursue emotional mental wellness. But first, we wanted to reset our foundation, and remind ourselves (and you!) what Embrace is all about and wha...

The full crew is back for our Season 1 finale episode before we take a break for the summer. Join Wes, Kels, and Autumn as they answer questions you have submitted, including what therapy tools we've found most helpful, the difference between feeling overwhelmed and anxious and having anxiety, if there's a wrong way to start therapy, and ways to truly live in the moment. The team also refl...

Sometimes, you just gotta talk in all caps. Especially when you're talking about something as important and universally relevant as mental health. In this episode, Kelsey and Autumn take the gloves off and get real about why avoiding dealing with your issues isn't a sign of toughness or honor, and what it is costing not only you, but also the people around you. Healing is hard work. But it...

In this episode, Kelsey and Autumn take on some more mental health myths and assumptions. Are mentally ill people more violent? Can you always tell just by looking if someone is experiencing depression? Do psychotropic meds lead to drug addiction? Does time truly heal all wounds? We also address recent comments by a prominent pastor claiming PTSD, OCD, ADHD, etc are not real. We cover a lot of ter...

It can be hard to walk alongside a loved one as they navigate through a difficult time, but it can be especially hard when they're reluctant to accept help. How do you deal with it when someone is struggling with their mental health but they refuse to go to therapy? Wes and Kelsey talk through some ways you can still provide support but also some ways you can support yourself as you try to wal...

If you think you could fit right in the Tortured Poet’s Department, this episode is for you. Sometimes our emotions get big and overwhelming and it can be hard to stay in control of them without letting them take control of you. Autumn and Kelsey, fellow big feelers, talk about some tips for emotion regulation, understanding what part trauma can play, and how to identify, understand, and release o...

All of us have heard the word trauma, and the reality is the vast majority of us have experienced it personally too. But what does trauma do to us? How does it affect our brain? And what does healing look like? In this episode, Wes and Kelsey delve into the intricate web of the topic of trauma, exploring its multifaceted impacts on our brains and on our lives, and also explore the very possible an...

This week on the Embrace Mental Health podcast, we are joined by a special guest who you have heard a lot about before but haven't gotten to "formally" meet. Kelsey is joined by Britany, who has been a dear friend and important support for Kelsey in her mental health journey. Kelsey and Britany discuss the concept of invisible illness, and how it is often necessary for people who suf...

We've talked about some tips for loved ones from the perspective of those with mental health struggles. But in this episode, we discuss some things mental health professionals would want the people closest to their clients to know. Listen in as Wesley and Kelsey talk through helpful perspectives to have on the therapy process, some ways you can help your loved ones get the most out of therapy,...

We know there are a lot of barriers to going to therapy, but one that can be really difficult to overcome is having had previous negative experiences in therapy. While the majority of people find therapy beneficial, we also know it's a reality that therapy doesn't always go as well as it could or should. Autumn and Kelsey discuss some of what may make a therapy experience negative, and als...

Self care is probably one of the most popular mental health terms, especially within the last 5 years, but what does it actually mean? Is self care selfish? Should everyone do it? What kinds of things count? Is there a way that self care can actually turn into something unhealthy? Join Wesley and Kelsey in this episode as they dive into all of the nuances and aspects of this topic.  Follow us on s...

Suicide tends to be one of the most taboo mental health topics to talk about, but here at the Embrace Mental Health podcast, we don't believe in taboo. We believe every issue and struggle not only deserves, but also needs to be brought into the light, and that is especially true for suicide. This episode is full of helpful information and tips for both those who struggle with suicidal thoughts...

We have talked numerous times about the connections between our mental health and our physical health, but in this episode, we explore the connection between our spirituality and our mental health. Autumn and Kelsey both share personally some of the ways their faith and their faith communities have contributed to both their mental health triumphs and struggles. Wherever you fall in your spiritual...

To go along with our monthly therapy series, this episode, Wesley and Kelsey share some of the ways you may be making your therapeutic process less effective. They cover several mindsets, behaviors, and approaches that may be making your therapy journey stall out - and (hint) they have nothing to do with your therapist. Take a listen and see if you see any of these tendencies in yourself in your a...

Two things we all know to be true: getting good sleep is really important, and getting good sleep is really hard. And there is a huge correlation between sleep struggles and mental health. Kelsey and Autumn spend this episode talking about all the benefits a good night's sleep gets us, and also talk about ways we can help both our minds and our bodies to relax so we can reap those rewards. Thi...

This episode takes a deeper dive into the dealing with feelings concept, and lays out some tips for our "non-feelers," or those who sometimes have a hard time identifying, accepting, or expressing their emotions. Wes and Kels talk about some ways to make these steps a little easier for those who struggle with them, and also discuss why understanding and expressing our emotions is importa...

"Mental illness is a white people issue." "If you just take this supplement or start this diet, your mental health will be cured!" "Real men don't have mental health issues." "Meditation is a weird, new-agey practice, so it won't be helpful for me." Join Kelsey and Autumn as they dive head first into these complicated issues and try to dissect some o...

What things can you do in therapy, both during and between sessions, to get the most out of the time and energy (and money) you're spending on your mental health? What can you do to make sure your therapist helps you to reach a more well-rounded, deeply grounded level of wellness? Join the Embrace Mental Health squad as they share several tips on how to do just that, and to get the most out of...

Join Kelsey and Autumn as they discuss Part 2 of the characteristics of people who are safe and unsafe to share mental health struggles with. Many times, loved ones have the best intentions in how they respond to their friends' struggles, but may not be as helpful or supportive as they think they are. Kelsey and Autumn share from personal experience some of the ways loved ones may be bringing...