Friend Request

Season 4 starts on September 5th! Every other week is a brand new episode with some more of the most fascinating people you've never met!

This week, we summarize all that we learned this summer during our Self-Care Summer series. What was your favorite part? Become a Patreon supporter!  http://www.patreon.com/friendrequestpod Questions or comments? Eamil JustinsFriendRequest@gmail.com Social: @FriendRequestPod

How much do you use your smartphone? Do you know what that use means? This week we are discussing smartphone use and digitally detoxing or cleansing. We are challenging each other to take a break away from our devices and seeing how long we can last. Report your digital detox story to Justin at JustinsFriendRequest@gmail.com Good luck!

Whether it's balancing a budget or learning your money story, this episode covers it all. We are joined by licensed therapist Jenny Helms, as well as Licensed Social Worker andFinancial Therapist Lindsay Bryan-Podvin to learn all about personal finance and where it fits into a healthy self-care routine. If money is making you feel icky or you find yourself with deep-seeded beliefs about money bein...

Sex Therapist Sarah Tomakich joins us to discuss self-pleasure and masturbation. Whether you are looking to reduce body shame and anxiety, have a better sexual relationship with your partner, or you're simply curious about the benefits of a regular masturbation practice, this episode is for you. Among other topics, we discuss what it means to feel distress about touching yourself, the lack of educ...

How often are you engaged with another person? How many hugs are you giving and receiving each day? In this Self-Care Summer episode, we are joined by licensed therapist Jenny Helms to discuss the benefits of human contact and physical touch. We will discuss the mass isolation we have faced during the pandemic, as well as what effect that has had on many people across the globe. Then we'll talk ab...

Writing in a journal or doing some form of regular writing practice has been proven to be beneficial to your overall mental health and is used in a number of therapy practices for people of all ages to help learn better self-regulating techniques and uncover and process past traumas or hard feelings. Katie Allen joins us to discuss writing practice as a form of self-care and discusses the process...

Meditation can come in many forms, but it is often misunderstood or assumed by people that do not practice it. So what is meditation? How can it benefit you? This week, we discuss what meditation is and how it can improve your overall wellbeing, health, and even alter your genes! Join Stacy Gissal and Aaron Cozaad as they inform your of different types of meditation, some common misconceptions wit...

This week, as Justin celebrates three years sober, we discuss alcohol and its role on self-care. What do we actually know about alcohol? How much of what we know if fact and how much of it is assumed or passed down information? Is a glass of wine good for you? This episode dives into the nitty gritty of drinking and provides a roadmap to assess your own choices when it comes to alcohol. As Justin...

Our Self-Care Summer continues with exercise. Exercise can be a triggering word for some and it is often misunderstood. In this episode, we clearly define exercise and discuss all of the benefits that come from it, both mentally and physically. We also discuss the easy ways you can get started and give some examples of what not to do, including making sure you are entering into it with the right i...

This week, we are doing a deep dive into the mental health benefits of cooking your own food. We hear from Zen Chef Aaron Cozaad, as well as Plant-based Nutritionist Lauryn Carroll. Another surprise appearance by a special someone is in store, too. Topics covered include stress, anxiety, mindfulness, and of course...food. Sit back, put a pot on to boil and get ready to find out the REAL benefits o...

This is the first episode in our summer series! Each week, we will be talking to former guests and experts in their field to go over the tangible results and effects of REAL Self Care. We'll also be sprinkling in some special episodes throughout the summer, so get ready to have a damn good time!! For now, though...water.

Jackson Henderson is a rapper, producer, photographer, and videographer. He discusses the impact his family had on him while growing up and how his interest in the creative arts didn't really take off until after college. Jackson also talks about his decision to join the Air Force after college and how he met his wife while stationed in North Dakota. You can follow Jackson on social media @supahen...

Derek Quint is an artist and filmmaker in Chicago. He discusses his early interest in the macabre and some of the music involved in that world, as well as how that was the polar opposite of his sister. Derek also talks about getting into film in college and how Los Angeles was the wrong place to do what he loves. he also discusses his love of Chicago and the passion, blood, sweat, and tears he put...

Jim Territo is a musician, songwriter, composer, and educator. He discusses being the youngest iof his siblings by 16 years, having a pony as a child, and how encouraged he alwasy was to act and play music. Jim also talks about leaving his joib as a teacher in his thirties to chase his dream in New York and how family eventually brought him back to MIchigan before he could really get started. He a...

Tim Whitehead is an artist and metal worker. He discusses growing up in a sports household and how his loss in interest led to him pursuing art as a career. Tim also talks about how disappointment in how his designs have turned out has led him to stop designing and just start placing things that feel right. Tim and Justin also talk too much about 80s cartoons and toys. Check out WellBeing Brewing'...

Melissa Bernardi is a political organizer, wife, mother, and grandmother. She discusses her role as a peacemaker within her family, as well as being the youngest child for over a decade. Melissa also talks about the influence her mother had in her feminist roots and how she discovered political organizing after her children were grown up. She then discusses her time working on the 2008 Obama campa...

John Bates is an artist from Michigan who now lives in New York City. He discusses his relationship with his father after his parents' divorce. John also talks about the role art has always played in his life and how fortunate he feels to have grown up in such different circumstances and areas. John also talks about a book he's putting together, as well as what he's doing with his art now that COV...

Meg McGinn is an inspiration, a mother, and a phlebotomist. She discusses growing up as a sibling of two much older brothers and how it made her childhood feel like she was an only child. Meghan also discusses an abusive relationship she was in and how she hopes that sharing her story will help other people get out of potentially dangerous situations, as well. She also discusses living in the Flor...

Chris Cable is a punk rocker and an airplane pilot. He discusses chasing adrenaline as a kid and how he wanted to be an astronaut. Chris also talks about how he has always felt like someone or something doesn't believe in him, and how he is always out to prove them wrong. Justin and Chris go on multiple tangents, including alcohol use, non-alcoholic beers, and the final days of St. Andrew's Hall i...

Adrian Ice is the founder of the brand Healthy and Fantastic, Solid Ice Media, and numerous other entertainment-based businesses. He discusses growing up in a poor neighborhood while attending a private school and falling in love with photography and filmmaking. Adrian also talks about his sobriety, going to rehab, and how the pandemic helped him to quit drinking. Finally, Adrian shares his top fi...

Jenna Malyon is a sober Canadian and business owner. She discusses her relationship with her family and the strained relationship she has with her father. Jenna also talks about being in long-term relatonships and how she keeps going back to a different version of the same guy. Finally, Jenna and Justin discuss sobriety and what that journey has looked like. Friend Request is sponsored by BetterHe...

Michelle Lamb is a mother, wife, executive, and go-getter. She discusses growing up in a small village in Ohio and reveals that she was supposed to be a twin. Michelle also talks about the dirty part of being in sales and how she ended up meeting her husband that way. She then goes on to talk about being a mother and the difficulty associated with it. Like what you hear? Become a supporter of the...

Jessie Doyle is an artist, musician, and former vagabond. She talks about living in Twin Oaks commune for years, how voluntary poverty changed her outlook, and her initial aversion to college. Jessie also discusses traveling the country, tuning the banjo, and how you can't trust everyone with information on how you source your food. Please support our sponsor, WellBeing Brewing. Right now you can...

Angela Vincent is a Spanish teacher, environmentalist, and future therapist. She discusses her parents' divorce, being a middle child, and how her perspective began to shift in college. Angela also discusses her time studying abroad in Chile and the seven years she spent living and working on a Reservation. She also talks about living in Santa Cruz now and how she is changing careers to become a m...