Pieces To Wellness

This week, we welcome guest Dr. Jason Steindler. We met Dr. Steindler at an Out of the Darkness walk for AFSP last fall. We were so intrigued by his clinic, we had to learn more about it! Dr. Jason Steindler, DO, is board certified in both anesthesia and pain medicine. He founded Libertas Mind , an innovative multidisciplinary outpatient clinic, located in Clifton Park, NY. Dr. Steindler sees the...

Happy first birthday to us!! To celebrate one full year of weekly podcasts, we're staying the course. Getting uncomfortable, breaking down stigma, and digging deep. This week Tim and Karen explore being willing to be disliked. We start with what people pleasing is like, at least in Karen's experience - different people experience people-pleasing differently. For many, it's about get...

It takes guts to be Nick Pollard. This week we have an exciting, intense conversation with the one and only Nick Pollard. Nick is a world-renowned coach and speaker specializing in people pleasing, codependency, and addiction. With over 50 million views on his social media channels, Nick has become a thought leader in personal growth and change. He ranks in the top 10% of coaches worldwide. Nick d...

What do you see when you look at yourself in the mirror? Do you think that reflection is the truth? Many things can affect how we see ourselves, with or without a metaphorical mirror. Past experiences, present state of mind, general sense of self regard, and concerns about the future all play a role in how we each see ourselves. If you struggle with your self image, finding one thing you like abou...

Welcome to our first episode of 2025 - it's tune up time! In this episode, Tim and Karen challenge the mainstream notion of, "New Year, New Me." We're sharing our approach to focus instead on realizations. January 1st is another day, another opportunity to reflect on your habits and realize what actions will help you get closer to reaching your goals. Many of us can be impatien...

This week we welcome another guest, and local podcaster, Chris Osborne! This conversation touches on a lot of things that have come up repeatedly here on Pieces to Wellness. Things like connection, finding and pursuing what brings you joy, the fun of learning and growth, and lifting others up. Chris's podcast, Stories From a Bar , does this through connecting with bar owners, brewers, entrepr...

Well, it's that time again. Time to check in for your monthly tune up! Each month, we take our mental wellness vehicle into the proverbial garage for some routine maintenance. This month, we're talking about S.A.D. which stands for Seasonal Affective Disorder. Mental Health America describes S.A.D. as a subtype of depression or bipolar disorder that occurs and ends around the same time (...

If you're a regular Pieces to Wellness listener, you have heard us talk about our own "non-negotiables", those activities that are essential for us to maintain our own holistic wellness. We also like to discuss the distinction between helpful and unhelpful habits. This conversation brings both of those topics together. One of the reasons we talk about habits consistently is because...

This week, we're excited to welcome special guest, Lauren Toolin to the podcast. Lauren shares with us some ancient practices that can dramatically enhance holistic wellness today. Lauren is a seasoned yogi who has garnered multiple advanced yoga instruction certifications and is a professional Ayurvedic Practitioner. She is also a recognized and professional Yoga Therapist and Miracle Minded...

What makes you feel unsafe? The answer to this question is different for everyone. This week's episode is an exploration of how feeling unsafe can be holding us back while also pushing us forward. What makes you feel safe? This answer can also be different for everyone. For many, feeling safe comes from a predictable environment. When your environment becomes chaotic, that's when things...

This week's guest is author, professor, and clinical psychologist Dr. Mary Lamia. Dr. Mary shares her deep roots in the mental health field, both through lived experience as well as her formal education and career as a mental health professional. Our conversation focuses on the emotions grief and shame. Despite being prevalent topics of mental health conversations, both emotions are often mis...

On this month's tune-up episode, we take a look back at the past few months of community-based events we've attended, either as a group, or individually. We've tabled at events put on by AFSP (American Foundation for Suicide Prevention) including Out of the Darkness Walks ,  NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) , even a Punk Rock Flea Market ! Bringing the podcast to local com...

Rolling with the punches is an underdiscussed aspect of routine maintenance. This can mean consistently overcoming hurdles, barriers, challenges in managing our own mental and emotional needs, and for some, helping loved ones who struggle with mental illness. Enter Alyssa, this week's guest. Alyssa Caroprese is a meteorologist with CBS6 in NY's Capital Region. She has a close loved one w...

This week we are pleased to welcome Matt Shapiro, Senior Director of Government and Community Affairs for NAMI-NYS to the podcast. Matt's passion for fair and equal treatment for individuals with mental health struggles really comes through as he shares with us. Matt breaks down the deep need for customized, person-centered mental health services based on the needs of the individual as well a...

Does slow and steady win the race? Pull up a chair and let's talk about it! When it comes to making progress on our mental health goals, we have determined that slow progress is better than rushing toward our goals. Rushing makes us more likely to miss steps, make mistakes, and lose our way. Slowing down gives us a chance to pause and respond instead of reacting abruptly. It gives us a chance...

This week we are beyond excited to share our conversation with our new friend, Timber Hawkeye. Timber is a bestselling author ( Buddhist Boot Camp, Faithfully Religionless, The Opposite of Namaste ), a fellow podcaster, and so many other things. He shares his wisdom and inspiration with us freely and joyfully. Years ago, Timber found himself living an unfulfilling life. Like being stuck on a conve...

Have you ever felt unseen, unnoticed, invisible, or like a ghost? Then this conversation is for you. For so many of us, being ignored is associated with some of the worst feelings there are. Especially when all you want to be is seen, heard, included. Feeling like a ghost in a crowd can be a terrible feeling for someone who feels as if they took a huge chance putting themselves out there in the fi...

This week, we're talking with guest Tom Fryxell. Tom is VP of the Board of NAMI Capital Region. NAMI Capital Region is the local chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness for the Capital Region of NY. Getting to know Tom through this conversation reminded us that lived experience with mental health and mental illness can be a valuable tool for others. Tom openly shares his personal s...

Our guest this week is Donna, the founder of James's Warriors. She founded this nonprofit after losing her son to suicide when he was just 19. One of the most amazing things about Donna is how she turned her tragic loss into a drive to help others in really powerful ways. One of the ways James's Warriors helps is by investing time in schools, providing education and information and aware...

Well, it's that time again. Time to check in for your monthly tune up! This month we get to know the difference between active and passive suicidal ideation. First of all, it's normal to think about suicide. It's far more common than most people think. In this conversation we discuss the difference between passive thoughts and actively making plans to take one's life. If you or...

This week Tim and Karen team up in Jordan's absence to tackle another difficult topic. What should we do when life gives us lemons? The ups and downs of life can be overwhelming at times. One minute things are going well, then we're thrown a curve ball that knocks us out completely. One step forward, three steps back. This can be especially stressful if you're trying to be perfect,...

This week, we're talking about boundaries. With a topic as complicated and as difficult as boundaries, it's best to start at the beginning, taking a beginner's mind approach. Karen admits to being a beginner at boundaries for a number of reasons. First, there is an important difference between setting boundaries and maintaining boundaries. We shouldn't be setting boundaries whe...

Welcome back to the garage for another tune up episode. Each month, these shorter tune up episodes offer a bite sized glimpse at what helps the Pieces to Wellness crew stay on the wellness side of the mental health spectrum. This month, we're doing our routine maintenance on distractions. Distractions can be helpful and/or unhelpful. Sometimes a distraction can start out as helpful and over t...

"Healing is sometimes harder than what it is we are healing from" ~ Tim Healing is an uncomfortable practice that sometimes makes you want to go back to the familiar comfort of pain. What do we do with the lessons from our past when we've moved on to a place of better mental health? Tim envisions filing away the memories and lessons in a file cabinet in your mind, keeping them organ...

One of Mohandas Gandhi's famous pieces of sage advice is, "Be the change you wish to see in the world." This week, the Pieces to Wellness crew is applying this saying to ourselves. We're putting our money where our mouth is, and asking each other questions like, "If there's a problem in your life, what are you doing about it?" and, "How can we start to make...