Spill Your Guts

Join us for a conversation on the many benefits of the outdoors with Dave Fatula, founder of Guineafowl Adventure Company in the Greater Boston area. After two decades in private equity and real estate finance, Dave realized during the pandemic that he needed a change—and turned his lifelong love of the outdoors into a full-service adventure company. We explore how nature supported Dave’s own ment...

Avoidance is something we all do—but not all avoidance looks the same. In this episode of Spill Your Guts , we dig into experiential avoidance: the tendency to push away uncomfortable thoughts, feelings, memories, or body sensations. While it can bring short-term relief, avoidance often shrinks our lives and distances us from what we care about most. We explore why avoidance is so tempting, how it...

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Christina Wong, board-certified Clinical Neuropsychologist, to unpack what dementia really means, how it shows up, and what steps we can all take to keep our brains strong and healthy. Dr. Wong explains the difference between normal aging and dementia, early warning signs families should look out for, and the powerful role of lifestyle changes in protecting ou...

We all think we’re listening—but how often do we truly hear what someone is saying? In this episode of Spill Your Guts , we explore active listening —a skill that can strengthen relationships, deepen understanding, and help us reach our goals. We unpack what gets in the way of listening and introduce a practical new acronym— LISTEN —to help you remember science-backed tips for becoming a more pres...

In this powerful episode, we sit down with Josh Chilton to explore his journey through trauma, addiction, and recovery—and how surrender, community, and self-acceptance helped him find meaning on the other side. Josh shares candidly about becoming paraplegic as a teenager after a car accident, his battle with substance use, and how years of unprocessed trauma caught up with him even after he got s...

Feeling overwhelmed and unsure how to find relief? You’re not alone. In this episode of Spill Your Guts , we are joined by Annelise Landreth, a family nurse practitioner and mom of two, to explore self-soothing—a set of DBT distress tolerance skills designed to help calm your nervous system when emotions run high. Let’s be real—we don’t outgrow the need to be soothed; we just stop getting handed b...

What does the word trauma really mean—and how is it being misunderstood in everyday conversations? In this week’s episode, we are joined by Clinical Psychologist Dr. Joyce Yang to explore the complex and often controversial world of trauma. Together, we unpack the clinical definition of trauma and PTSD, the rise of “trauma talk” on the internet, and how casually using words like “traumatized” or “...

So many of us lie awake at night, counting down the hours and desperately trying to will sleep to come. In this episode, we demystify insomnia and introduce a practical SLEEP acronym drawn from the latest scientific research.  Hear our personal stories of nighttime anxiety, walk through a common insomnia questionnaire with us, and discover practical steps, like knowing when to get out of bed and h...

In this inspiring conversation, we sit down with Jesus, host of the San Diego Challenge - a fan-made live reality game inspired by shows like Survivor, The Amazing Race, and MTV’s The Challenge. We explore the importance of social connection and how immersive, cooperative competitions like The San Diego Challenge can build community and promote mental wellbeing. Jesus opens up about his personal e...

In this honest and unflinching conversation, we sit down with community advocate, social worker, and graduate student Lana Dever (Ell) to explore what it means to live at the intersections of disability, race, class, gender, and neurodivergence. Drawing from a life shaped by unstable housing, systemic neglect, and late diagnosis, Ell shares how a long-overdue understanding of her health—and worth—...

So many of us struggle to ask directly for what we want—or to say no—without guilt, overexplaining, or sacrificing our self-respect. In this episode, we introduce a practical skill from Dialectical Behavior Therapy called DEARMAN, a powerful framework for making requests and setting limits while preserving both the relationship and your sense of self. We explore how this tool shows up in our lives...

In this powerful conversation, we sit down with Dr. Jan Estrellado, Clinical Psychologist and Associate Professor at Alliant International University,  to explore internalized oppression —the ways systems of racism, colonialism, and white supremacy become embedded in our beliefs about ourselves, our worth, and our right to rest, joy, and belonging. Dr. Estrellado, is the co-editor of Clinical Inte...

We learn how to say “I’m sorry” at a young age - but do we really know how to apologize effectively? Too often, apologies focus on our intentions rather than the impact of our actions, leaving the other person feeling unheard or invalidated. In this episode, we break down the psychology of effective apologies using Adams-Clark and colleagues’ (2022) I'M SORRY framework. We explore the common mista...

In this episode, we dive into validation —what it really means, why it matters, and why it can be so hard to practice when emotions run high. We break down common myths, share personal stories, and explore how validation can shift conversations, even when you don’t agree. You’ll learn practical ways to make people feel heard and understood without abandoning your own perspective. In times of deep...

This week, we had the privilege of speaking with Cayce Lynch, National Managing Partner at Tyson & Mendes, about the reality of workplace mental health in the legal profession. Tyson & Mendes has become a trailblazer in prioritizing mental well-being—proving that law firms can support both high performance and human sustainability. In this raw and honest conversation, Cayce shared her pers...

Many of us move through life without ever pausing to ask: What actually matters to me? We get caught up in routines, external expectations, and the daily grind—rarely stopping to explore what we truly value. In this episode, we dive into the process of identifying, clarifying, and acting on your core values, even if you’re not sure what they are yet. Using evidence-based strategies from behavioral...

Pain is an inevitable part of life—but suffering doesn't always have to be. In this episode, we dive deep into the transformative skill of radical acceptance, exploring how fully acknowledging reality can help us move forward even in the toughest circumstances. We break down what radical acceptance is (and isn't), discuss why fighting reality only amplifies our pain, and share practical strategies...

Social support is one of the strongest protective factors for mental health—but finding the right community isn’t always easy. In this episode, we sit down with educator and community builder Jess Levasseur to talk about the power of connection. Jess shares her personal journey—from growing up feeling out of place to using her event-planning skills to build spaces where people truly feel like they...

Overwhelmed by stress, anxiety, or other intense emotions? You’re not alone. In moments when life feels unmanageable, we all need tools to help us get through. In this episode, we introduce you to four practical distress tolerance skills using a simple acronym - D.E.E.P. - to help you remember, which you can start using right away. These science-backed tools from DBT will help you regain control,...

Ever feel like your emotions are running the show, leaving you overwhelmed and unsure how to respond? In this episode, we dive into the "Model of Emotions" to uncover what's really happening when you experience an emotional response. Using insights from DBT, learn about the complex set of processes that occur when we have an emotion, discover the difference between primary and secondary emotions,...

Ever feel like your mind is stuck on a hamster wheel of thoughts? In this episode, we explore what it means to be "fused" with your thoughts and share evidence-based strategies to break free from overthinking. Discover practical tools from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) to stop ruminating and live more fully in the moment. Music Credit: Nathan Byrne...

In this heartfelt and eye-opening episode, we sit down with award-winning Chef Chris Curren and his wife Megan, co-owners of The Graceful Ordinary, to explore the unique mental health challenges faced in the hospitality industry. Together, they share their personal mental health journeys, the realities of working in high-pressure environments, and their inspiring commitment to mental health advoca...

We dispel some common myths about mindfulness, teach you simple ways to be more mindful in your daily life, and leave you with an exercise to start practicing right away. Our approach is grounded in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), an evidence-based treatment developed by Dr. Marsha Linehan and influenced by Zen Buddhism. In this episode, we also discuss mindfulness through the lens of yoga-bas...

Tune-in to our first mental health skills episode to learn how to find your Wise Mind, staying true to yourself while being effective in reaching your goals! Wise Mind is all about making choices that are more aligned with your values and goals. Wise Mind is a concept that comes from Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), an evidence-based therapy developed by Dr. Marsha Linehan. Music Credit: Nathan...