Mental Health Minutes with Melissa

Hey Friend! We are in the middle of a year-long series to help you live a healthier life. Today's discussion on racism can be a little difficult to listen to, but I hope you listen with open ears. On the podcast today, I'm joined by Dr. Derwin Gray . He is a pastor, former NFL football player,  speaker, and author.  In our discussion today, we take a deep dive into racism in America, what the bibl...

Each week of this season of the  Thrive and the Art of Living Free podcast, we focus on a particular health focus to help you a better version of yourself. This week we continue as we talk about your sex life. (Yes, you read that correctly!! ) FYI - As you can tell by the title this is not an episode for little ears. So pop in those earbuds or listen when the kiddos aren't around. On the podcast t...

Each week of this season on Thrive and the Art of Living Free podcast, we are focusing on a particular health focus to help you a better version of YOU. This week is no different as we are focusing on our spiritual health as it relates to the way we attach to God. On the podcast today, I'm joined by Krispin Mayfield, a fellow Licensed Professional Counselor, author, and father of 2. . I know that...

As we continue our year-long series on the five components of you being YOU , this episode will leave you inspired and ready to take the next step in your relationship with food.  Becoming the version of ourselves that God intended takes work on all levels. Whether physically, mentally, or spiritually, it is a journey of hard work, and there is no quick fix. On the podcast today, I'm joined by ins...

Hey friends! For almost two years, we've been doing what we needed to do navigating the pandemic, lockdowns, and everything else. We've had to make choices on what's best for ourselves and our families, and sometimes that we at the expense of celebrating our wins and successes. If you feel you need something positive in your life, something to celebrate, this is the episode for sure. In today's ep...

We all know that having a positive outlook on life is good for mental well-being. If the last two years have taught us anything, life isn't always positive. We all deal with painful emotions and experiences. While emotions can sometimes be unpleasant, we need to express them honestly and authentically. On the show today, I'm joined by a fellow therapist, Whitney Goodman. We talk about toxic positi...

Hey Friends!  What a show this is. I am so excited to have the amazing Morgan Harper Nichols joining me to talk about her journey with a life-changing diagnosis and her pursuit of peace. We also discuss her new book, Peace is a Practice . This is such an important conversation, and I hope you'll walk away from it feeling encouraged and inspired. Popular Instagram poet and artist Morgan Harper Nich...

On the show today, I'm talking with Amber Lia, Health Coach, Mom, and author to talk about food triggers, living a healthy lifestyle, and how important mindset is when looking at our relationship with food. We also discuss her new book, Food Triggers.  Amber Lia is an independent certified health coach who has been on her own transformative health journey. She has written and co-authored several b...

Are you struggling to find your purpose and place in the world? Do you question who you are and what your value is? All of us have felt or currently feel this way. Today's guest wants to help you discover your unique, God-designed identity and ways to step into your purpose and calling. Amber Albee Swenson , author of ' Chosen for More: Just as You Are' , Amber is a wife, mother, speaker, and the...

Nearly 50% of all Americans report feeling alone and regularly left out. Are you one of the half? If so, this episode is for you. In their debut book , I'll Be There (But I'll Be Wearing Sweatpants): Finding Unfiltered Real-Life Friendships in This Crazy, Chaotic World , Jess & Amy offer an-easy-to-follow road map to the place we all desperately want to be—authentic friendships. The message of the...

Are you struggling with your relationship with money? The good news is that being good with or getting better with your money does not have to be difficult. On the show today, I'm sitting down with Jessi Fearon, author and personal finance coach, to take about getting out of debt, understanding your spending motivation, and getting started on your way to becoming free from debt.  Jessi Fearon seek...

If you feel things aren't going as planned, this episode is for you. In this episode, we are talking with Scott Erickson.  Scott Erickson is a touring painter, performance artist, and creative curate who mixes autobiography, aesthetics, and comedic narrative to create experiences that speak to our most profound stories. He is the co-author of Prayer: Forty Days of Practice and May It Be So, the au...

Welcome to a New Year!  We are kicking off the 3rd year of Thrive and I can't believe it! Thank you so much for being a part of this journey. This year we are doing a year-long series: A Year of Living Healthy: sharing small, easy steps to increase your happiness, build better relationships, and feel stronger . If you are like most of us, last year hit you hard. I want to help you restore healthy...

Hello Friends! Merry Christmas y'all! This week, I'm sitting down with my real-life friend, Michelle Nietert to talk about helping our kids to end the year well. We also talk about what it is like to be a parent and some of the struggles that each of us has gone through this year. Michelle Nietert, M.A., Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor has been providing therapeutic interventions to chi...

Hey Friend! Yet again, We in the middle of our series on helping you to end the year well. What went great? What are areas to improve upon so that you can be intentional to move forward? This week, I'm super excited about my conversation with Amy Dubrucque to talk about confidence, keeping our hearts and minds in the right place to avoid temptations and practical ways to move forward in our growth...

Happy December! Yet again, We are continuing our series on ending the year well. This week, I'm sitting down with my new friend, Jess Carey to talk about finding our Kingdom calling and purpose and following God's plan for us. We also talk about her new book, Chart a Course: Taking a Journey with God at the Helm.  Jess Carey is an award-winning author, speaker, as well as a wife, and mother of two...

We are continuing our series about ending the year well. Last week, we talked about letting go of disappointments. This week, we are discussing how to take the next right step.  I sit down and talk with Paige Rien about her journey as an HGTV star and her recovery from addiction.  Paige is an HGTV alum and co-author of the new book Revived & Renovated: Real-Life Conversation on the Intersection of...

In today's episode of Counselor on Call, Let's talk about ending the year well and looking forward to 2022! I know that you're thinking, but it's only November! I believe it is important to start thinking about ending the year well so we can go into 2022 with a fresh new outlook.  So,  how do you end your year well?  The first step is to let go of disappointments that we experienced this year. Let...

Hello Friends! I'm so excited about today's episode and it is a special one! In this episode, I sit down with my new friend and kindred spirit, Bonnie Gray, author, speaker, and podcast host. We talk about Bonnie's journey, the wounds of her childhood, PTSD, and her latest book, Sweet Like Jasmine. Bonnie Gray is the author of Whispers of Rest, Finding Spiritual Whitespace, and Sweet Like Jasmine...

We are wrapping our series on struggling well in the hard seasons. We heard from Sheila Walsh, Lisa Whittle, and Amanda Cunningham. If you haven't heard those yet, I urge you to go back and listen. It has been a few weeks but I'm happy to bring you a Counselor-on-Call episode this week.  We are talking about the power of identifying your emotions. By identifying our emotions and feelings, it helps...

Hello Friends! This week we continue our series on dealing with the hard things in life. Whether it is the pandemic, a health issue, or a parenting challenge, we are ALL going through something.  In this episode, I sit down with my new friend, Amanda Cunningham, special needs mom and owner of Glory Days Co. Since October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month, We talk about Amanda's journey,  the unexpe...

Hello Friends!  We are in the midst of a series talking about the hard things. Whether it is the pandemic, a health issue, or a parenting challenge, we are ALL going through something.  In this episode, I sit down with my friend, Lisa Whittle to why we need to find the good during the hard seasons, how to let God transform us in the hard seasons, and discuss her book, The Hard Good .  Lisa is the...

We've all been going through a hard season for the last 2 years with all the things that we've been dealing with.  It's no wonder that all this uncertainty and the overwhelming sadness and loneliness have caused cases of depression and anxiety to accelerate at alarming levels. I'm so honored to have Sheila Walsh on the show today for a very special conversation about mental health. Sheila is an au...

In this episode of Counselor on Call, we discuss the difference between active suicidal ideations and passive suicidal ideations.  Warning - this contains references to suicide and may act as a trigger to some. Please listen with caution. Suicide is a leading cause of death but continues to be misunderstood. An essential part of understanding suicide is having the proper terminology. Passive suici...

Today on the podcast, we are wrapping up our conversations about body image and body shame. I'm so excited to talk with my friend and fellow counselor, Whitney Russell. Whitney is the owner and founder of Brave Haven Counseling in Richardson, Tx. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor-Supervisor and Certified Eating Disorder Specialist-Supervisor. Whitney began her counseling career at the Dalla...