The Verywell Mind Podcast

Problems always feel bigger at 2 AM. And that's why Daniel Howell wrote his new book, "You Will Get Through This Night." Daniel is a comedian and entertainer whose videos have attracted over 1 billion views on YouTube. He’s also an award-winning host of a BBC radio show. He’s written several New York Times bestselling books, including The Amazing Book is Not on Fire and Dan and Phil Go Outside.  H...

The way you think affects how you feel and it affects how you behave. One slight change to the way you think might make a huge difference in your life.  If you’re like most people, you might think in the first-person. You tell yourself, “I have to go to the store,” or “I am going to mess up.” But you may want to start using third person when you think—call yourself by your name or use your pronoun...

Dr. Jud Brewer is a psychiatrist and a neuroscientist. He’s spent more than 20 years researching habit change and the “science of self-mastery.” His newest book, Unwinding Anxiety, became an instant New York Times bestseller. When you hear him talk, you'll understand why his book is so popular. He shares some really simple but effective strategies for managing anxiety.  Learn more about your ad ch...

Just because the pandemic restrictions are lifting doesn’t mean it’s OK to stop taking care of your mental health. In fact, caring for your mental health right now might be more important than ever. Now that the crisis is beginning to subside, the way you move forward matters. There are some common mental health mistakes people make whenever they emerge from a tough time. And while we all make mis...

When Danielle Walker was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, physicians told her that her illness could be well-managed with medication. But Danielle’s symptoms didn’t go away. In fact, flare-ups caused her to lose a lot of weight, and she required frequent hospitalizations. Ultimately, she decided to change her diet — even though doctors said doing so wouldn't improve her symptoms. Her diet change...

A lot of things were out of your control over this past year. Fortunately, you can control the attitude you have as you emerge from these tough times.  There are some ways to reflect on this year that can help you turn it into an opportunity for growth. In today’s Friday Fix, I share five questions you can use to reflect on your time during the pandemic. Answering these questions and writing down...

Dr. John Umhau is a physician and addiction medicine specialist. His telemedicine practice focuses on the treatment of alcohol use disorder through diet, medication, and The Sinclair Method. If you drink more than you'd like or know someone who does, stick around for this episode. Dr. Umhau's wisdom might give you hope that you can take steps to curb cravings for alcohol and reduce problem drinkin...

Whether you want to bring up a difficult subject with a loved one or you want to join a new class, fear can be a powerful obstacle. In fact, any uncomfortable emotion (like sadness, anxiety, or anger) can stand in between you and your goals if you let it. In today’s Friday Fix, I share one of my favorite strategies for finding courage when you need it the most so you can face your fears, make a ch...

Paul Gilmartin is a comedian. He was the longtime host of the TBS show Dinner and a Movie. He's also appeared on Comedy Central, MTV, HBO, and VH1. He’s now the host of a popular podcast called The Mental Illness Happy Hour. He interviews celebrities, experts, and everyday people about their trauma, mental illness, addiction, and negative thinking.  He had always made other people laugh, and he lo...

A lot of people have entered my therapy office over the years saying things like, “I just have to get rid of my stress.”  But stress is part of life. And there will always be obstacles and hardships. Even having nothing to do can be quite stressful. Being mentally strong when you’re feeling stressed out doesn’t mean ignoring your stress or pretending it doesn’t exist. It’s about being aware of you...

Melissa Bernstein creates all the toys for her company, Melissa & Doug. Melissa also has what she calls "existential" depression. She's discovered a lot of creative people experience this. Fortunately, she's also discovered some things that help her feel better.  In this episode, she shares how to know if you have existential depression and the strategies that can help. Learn more about your ad ch...

The way you respond to feelings of anxiety makes a huge difference in how intense these emotions become and how long they last. There may be some mistakes you’re making that are actually making your anxiety worse. Fortunately, learning about anxiety can help you figure out how to respond to your anxious feelings in a helpful way. On today’s Friday Fix, I share one of my favorite strategies for tam...

“It's so easy to say, ‘Oh, everything happens for a reason.’ But if you don't do the work to figure out the reason, then you're never going to see the purpose in that mistake.”  When Craig Grossi was serving in Afghanistan, he befriended a stray dog named Fred. When his deployment was up, he decided to smuggle Fred into the United States with him. The two then took a cross country road trip and do...

Kids need mental strength just as much as adults, especially right now. So I'm thrilled that my first-ever mental strength book for kids has hit the shelves. It's called 13 Things Strong Kids Do.  My book teaches kids how to build mental muscle so they can think big, feel good, and act brave. And while my book is written for kids, it’s important for the adults in their lives to reinforce the mater...

Mallory couldn’t control her circumstances. But she took control of her attitude. She chose to continue swimming competitively after becoming paralyzed from the waist down. And even though things were a lot different for her after her injury, she chose to keep striving to reach her greatest potential.  Some of the things Mallory discusses include the messiness of grief, how to respond to people wh...

There may be several ways in which you give away your power without even realizing that you’re doing it.  You might waste a lot of time thinking about someone you don’t like. This would mean you are giving that person power over your time. Or you might let someone treat you poorly. Perhaps you don’t dare speak up because you don’t want to seem rude—but then you still blame the other person for rui...

Even though Kendall shares a lot of inspirational and motivational messages with her followers, she’s open about her own struggles with mental health issues.  She makes it clear that while her OCD and depression were treated, she doesn’t consider her journey with mental health over. She continues to make her mental health an ongoing priority in her life, and she shares the strategies that work for...

Many well-intentioned people say things like, “Just picture how happy you’ll be when you land that job,” or “Imagine how great you’ll feel when you reach your weight goal!” On the surface, this type of advice seems to make sense. “Keep your eyes on the prize,” and you’ll stay motivated to get there. But visualizing yourself achieving the things you want isn’t actually a good idea. Not only might y...

Personal development coach and international bestselling author Mike Bayer figured out the secret for making decisions easy. He went from battling an addiction to opening to his own treatment center. He's written a book called One Decision. And on today's show, he shares how to live according to your values, how to discover your authentic self, the one decision everyone should make, and much, much...

When you’re faced with a stressful situation, your brain might be quick to remind you of all the ways you’re not equipped to handle the challenge.  Whether your bills are piling up or you’re worried about a loved one with a health issue, difficult experiences raise your stress levels. And the more stressed you feel, the less likely you are to cope with the situation in a healthy way. Fortunately,...

Jamie Kern Lima is proof that you can conquer self-doubt. Her belief that she could succeed helped her develop a billion-dollar cosmetic company. But she got rejected and turned down many times along the way. In today's episode, she shares how to deal with rejection, how she managed the depression and anxiety she experienced, how to develop a belief in yourself, and much, much more. Learn more abo...

For most of us, our days revolve around screen time. We stare at our computers to work. We use our phones to socialize. We watch TV for entertainment. But too much screen time can drain our mental strength. Excessive screen time has been linked to everything from relationship issues to increased mental health problems. Screen time can also interfere with sleep, reduce productivity, and take a toll...

Nedra Glover Tawwab is a fellow therapist who specializes in relationships. She helps people manage anxiety and depression that often stem from difficult relationships, and she teaches people how to set boundaries with difficult family members.  She shares a lot of tips for self-care and setting boundaries on social media, including on Instagram where she has attracted over 800,000 followers. In t...

After 53 episodes of Mentally Strong People, I'm excited to share a huge announcement! We're partnering with Verywell Mind to reach even more people. So starting next week, we're going to look a little different. But we'll keep sharing mental strength tips and strategies that can help you think, feel, and do your best. On today's Friday Fix, I share the deeply personal reason behind why this partn...

“We can manage our minds. Our minds are malleable. It's a skill that we can actually learn. It's not a therapy technique. It's not a little magic trick. This is hardcore science.” Dr. Caroline Leaf is a cognitive neuroscientist who has spent more than 30 years studying the brain. Her research has found that changing the way you think and changing the way you approach problems can physically alter...