Therapy in a Nutshell

Loneliness impacts the immune system, mental health, and physical health in dramatic ways. But you can counteract its effects through intentional human connection. Loneliness contributes to depression, anxiety, heart disease, a weakened immune system, cognitive decline, and other mental and physical health problems, but you can find ways to connect with others in a way that strengthens your physic...

So here’s another of the most common questions I get on my “Rewiring the Anxious Brain” video- People asked “What if the dog bites you?” Now in that video I was explaining how when you avoid something it makes your anxiety go up, and this is really harmful when you avoid something that feels dangerous, but is actually safe- like public speaking, taking a test, or asking for a raise. So I used the...

Knowing how to get motivated is really important. How to stay motivated is even more important There are tons of videos teaching tips and tricks and rah rah motivation, but in this video I’m going to teach you how your brain works so you understand the principle behind how to get motivated and how to stay motivated. You’re going to learn how dopamine- the neurotransmitter of reward and motivation...

Here’s a quick activity that you can do to cope with anxiety and restore a sense of safety and calm, I do it all the time with my clients in session and you can feel a noticeable difference almost immediately. This activity is short and simple, but it can really help decrease anxiety or better cope with anxiety. A big part of anxiety and stress is trying to figure out what you should be doing abou...

Seasonal Affective Disorder is a type of depression that is associated with changes in the seasons. (It also has the clever acronym, SAD). Or it’s called the Winter Blues. These symptoms often start in the fall and persist into the winter. With Winter SAD people feel less energetic and more moody, with symptoms similar to depression. It can look like: Losing interest in activities you once enjoyed...

People-pleasing is when you feel like you have to change yourself to be loved or accepted by others. People pleasing is especially common among women, but anyone could be a people pleaser. When you are stuck in people pleasing you may feel tired, overwhelmed, exhausted, or resentful. There are different types of people pleasers- the perky, the pouty, and the perplexed people pleaser. If you'd like...

Can you be successful with OCD? John Green is the famous bestselling author of "The fault in our stars" "Looking for Alaska" and "Turtles all the way down. He's successful, smart, deep, and he also has OCD. John Green's book "Turtles all the way down" is a fictional book about a girl who has OCD- Obsessive-compulsive disorder- and how she deals with life. Sign up for my newsletter: www.therapynuts...

In part 3 of Rewiring the Anxious Brain, I talk about what to do when you don't know why you're anxious but you don't know why. After making my video on the Anxiety cycle and how to rewire your brain to be less anxious, I got a lot of questions, but one of the most common ones was "I don't know why I'm anxious" What do I do about that? In this video, I discuss 2 reasons why you might be anxious an...

I’m currently working with a couple of clients who all get stuck in this pattern of anxiety, and then they try to keep super busy to avoid feeling anxious, and then they burn out and end up depressed. I’ve seen this pattern in my family and in a lot of my clients, so from what I can tell it’s a pretty common way that anxiety turns into depression. In this video, you’re going to learn how to identi...

Thanks BetterHelp for sponsoring the video: BetterHelp- Professional, Affordable Online Counseling starting at around $65 a week https://www.betterhelp.com/therapyinanutshell Gratitude helps with anxiety by interrupting the cycle of constantly scanning for dangers. When we are in fear or scarcity mode, our brain turns on the FFF response, but when we think of gratitude, research shows that the hip...

Your perception creates your reality. You can actually change how you feel about people by intentionally deciding to change your perception of them. In this video from my Relationship skills Course, I teach how you can fall back in love by changing your perception of another person, helping you feel more warmly towards them. Take my Relationship Skills course now for $147: https://courses.therapyi...

Joey Remenyi is a vestibular audiologist, neuroplasticity specialist, and yoga enthusiast, she teaches people how to heal from vertigo and tinnitus by teaching them to lean into their bodily sensations with self-compassion, gentleness, and openness.  You can learn more about her and her program here: https://www.seekingbalance.com.au/ Thanks BetterHelp for sponsoring the video. BetterHelp: Profess...

Joey Remenyi is a vestibular audiologist, neuroplasticity specialist, and yoga enthusiast, she teaches people how to heal from vertigo and tinnitus by teaching them to lean into their bodily sensations with self-compassion, gentleness, and openness.  This is the full interview covering neuroplasticity, anxiety, tinnitus and vertigo.  You can learn more about her and her program here: https://www.s...

Your brilliant, wise, beautiful body and has a counterbalancing force to combat stress and anxiety called the parasympathetic response. That's Para as in Parachute. And this is the body's natural way of slowing down and creating a sense of calm and safety. So it works like this, If your brain thinks you're in a dangerous situation, your body triggers Flight, Fight, Freeze response. But, when the d...

How we talk to ourselves changes how we feel. Self-talk, especially negative self-talk can have a huge impact on our emotions and can impact your depression or anxiety. In this episode of Therapy in a Nutshell, I interview Nick Wignall to learn more about different styles of self talk and how you can overcome rigid or negative self talk through curiosity and compassion. Sign up for my newsletter:...

Assertive communication is essential for good relationships, and to feel good about yourself. But many people don't know how to be assertive. They use other, less helpful communication styles. Being assertive means expressing your thoughts, feelings, and needs in an open and respectful way. It means standing up for yourself and respecting others. Assertiveness is crucial for a good relationship, a...

In this episode, I’m going to teach you how light impacts your brain and influences your mood and how you can use Light Therapy as a Natural, non-medicinal way to treat seasonal depression (aka winter blues or S.A.D). And, how rigorous research has shown that light therapy can be as effective as antidepressant medication at treating non-seasonal depression. Check out Bright Light Therapy Lamps at...

Stress is the aspect of anxiety that we feel in our body. Worry is about thoughts, but stress is how our muscles get tense, our breathing gets tight, it makes you ache or makes your hands sweat, stress is the physiological response to perceived danger. So when your brain perceives a threat, whether it’s a tiger or an upcoming deadline, your brain triggers that FFF response. But we can train our mi...

Are you afraid of dying? Does thinking about death or dying make you so anxious that you avoid any and all aspects of it? Or do distressing thoughts about death bother you? Or are you just in complete denial, trying to pretend that it won’t happen? In this episode we’re going to talk about four psychological skills for facing a fear of death, the anxiety around death, and some strategies that may...

All-or-nothing thinking is a cognitive distortion that can make you depressed because it convinces you that if you’ve messed up, it’s pointless to keep trying. Many people struggle with these types of thoughts, but you don't have to struggle with them forever. Learn how you can overcome this type of thinking and view yourself and your life in a more positive way. Thanks BetterHelp for sponsoring t...

Get the course: Coping Skills and Self-Care for Mental Health https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com/coping-skills-and-self-care-for-mental-health?utm_campaign=Aug%2004,%202022&utm_medium=Description&utm_source=podcast Coping skills are essential to managing big emotions without doing something stupid, but it can be hard to calm yourself down when your brain isn't working very well. Sensory coping...

I’m going to be honest, I don’t really care for the self-esteem movement. The basic idea is to spend time every day saying nice things to yourself or to make lists of all of your good attributes. Now I do think that how we treat ourselves really matters and that we should be honest about both our strengths and weaknesses, but I’ve seen self-esteem get badly turned into fake accomplishments and med...

News anxiety is pretty intense right now, but there are some things you can do about it. Learn to take control of your news habits, solve physical problems, and take reasonable precautions. All of this can help ease news anxiety. Looking for affordable online counseling? My sponsor, BetterHelp, connects you to a licensed professional for $65/week. Try it now for 10% off: https://betterhelp.com/the...

Sleep hygiene is an essential mental health skill. When my clients come in for treatment for some of their challenges like depression, anxiety, or relational problems, one of the most common associated problems that they have is difficulty sleeping. This shows up as having a hard time falling asleep, staying asleep, or just feeling tired all the time. Getting enough quality sleep can make your bra...

Stress, anxiety, coronavirus, and social isolation can all contribute to depression, but you can prevent depression during stressful times by using daily habits that promote mental health. Looking for affordable online counseling? My sponsor, BetterHelp, connects you to a licensed professional for $65/week. Try it now for 10% off: https://betterhelp.com/therapyinanutshell Learn more in one of my i...