It would be hard to find a college student on campus right now who isn’t stressed for some reason.  A recent survey found that half of all college students report severe psychological consequences to stress. This survey also reported high rates of unhealthy coping behaviors in response to stress. April is Stress Awareness Month and we wanted to take some time to ask students two questions: 1. Why is college so stressful? 2. And what helps manage college stressors? In this episode you will hear from several college students reporting on the reasons college is stressful for them and then hear their favorite coping skills.  At the end of the episode, Liz sits down and shares key tips to manage college stress from her clinical experience and what research has shown us.  We hope this provides some concrete ways you can manage stress and stay healthy. 

Resources:

Headspace for College Students

https://www.headspace.com/studentplan

Neolth (mental health app for college students)

https://www.neolth.com

Insight timer (mediation app)

https://insighttimer.com

Want to share your story, give us feedback or offer up an episode idea? Reach out! We'd love to hear from you.

Insta: @collegeisfinepodcast
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Email: [email protected]

Music is Deadbeats by Rex Banner

One of our student ambassadors asked us what the difference is between typical stress and more problematic anxiety. We're going to go even further and give you a few microdose episodes to talk about this difference *plus* what to do with some of your stickier worries. 

In this episode we talk about what the differences are and whether it matters. If this feels like it's up your alley then subscribe/stay tuned for our next microdose episodes where we break down common beliefs about anxiety that actually make it stick around, and what you can do with anxiety and worry when it's not serving its purpose. 

If you want a bit more on different *ways* to manage stress, stay tuned for the next few episodes as we'll be bringing more microdose episodes and a full episode on this topic in honor of Stress Awareness Month. If you don't want to wait, then the episodes below can give you some helpful pointers:

#5 - Managing anxious thoughts
#16 - Getting to know your "wise mind"
#19 - How to make helpful emotional "deposits" when life is taking a lot of "withdrawals"

Want to share your story, give us feedback or offer up an episode idea? Reach out! We'd love to hear from you.

Insta: @collegeisfinepodcast
Tik Tok: @collegeisfinepodcast
Email: [email protected]

Music is Deadbeats by Rex Banner

We’ve all heard of the Type A personality. We can picture that assertive go-getter pretty easily. Type B? Imagine that laid-back friend who can let things go. But did you know there is also a Type C? Well, there is, and our guests Dr. Kore Nissenson and Anna White are here to shine a light on it. 

It is a wonderful thing to be a good friend, to help someone in need, and to consider others’ feelings. When this goes too far, it can start to feel like a heavy load to carry all of this compassion. At the extremes of being thoughtful, you can run headlong into being a chronic people pleaser, someone who always puts others needs ahead of their own. But how do you know when being kind or easygoing has shifted too far?

Luckily, Anna and Dr. Nissenson have created the Type C Toolbox. They are here to tell you more about what Type C is and how to keep the compassion without exhausting yourself in the process. 

You’ll learn:
*What Type C personality traits are
*How to distinguish Type C burnout from common stress
*Strategies to strengthen your boundaries and self-care

Resources:
Type C ToolBox Website
https://www.typectoolbox.com/home

Coping Tools Cheatsheet Link:
https://www.typectoolbox.com/c/resources/

Type C Toolbox Podcast
https://open.spotify.com/show/6d9k2yJD1Cplj3ygUpzBhQ

Want to share your story, give us feedback or offer up an episode idea? Reach out! We'd love to hear from you.

Insta: @collegeisfinepodcast
Tik Tok: @collegeisfinepodcast
Email: [email protected]

Music is Deadbeats by Rex Banner

From choosing what campus you land on, to your major, and what relationships you make, college is full of difficult choices. And if you are anything like Liz, where deciding what to watch on Netflix can be too overwhelming, deciding what to do with the rest of your life seems like an impossible decision.  A recent study found that almost half of all recent college graduates regret their majors.  Research shows that unhappiness with majors and career choices is directly linked with stress and performance pressure. On top of feeling the pressure to achieve great things, there is an additional cultural message to make sure what you do with your life is something you are passionate about. The societal pressures can be harmful, causing later-in-life regrets about decisions made in early adulthood. 

In this week’s episode we sit down with Tim Klein, LCSW, one of the author’s of the book “How to Navigate Life: The New Science of Finding Your Way in School, Career, and Beyond.” Tim discusses an empirically based guide to finding your personal compass to make more intentional, purpose-driven choices in college. 

Feeling lost and wanting to choose the best direction for yourself in college and life? In this episode Tim highlights:

• The pitfalls of performance and passion mindsets
• The definition  and benefits of a purpose mindset
• How to begin to think about and identify core values
• How reflecting on the past helps direct your future self

Resources:
The Purpose Lab at Boston College:
https://www.purposelabs.org/true-north-project

Dr. Belle Liang and Tim Klein’s website and book:
Howtonavigate.com

How to Navigate Life: The New Science of Finding Your Way in School, Career, and Beyond
https://www.amazon.com/How-Navigate-Life-Science-Finding/dp/1250273145

Tim’s email:
[email protected]

Want to share your story, give us feedback or offer up an episode idea? Reach out! We'd love to hear from you.

Insta: @collegeisfinepodcast
Tik Tok: @collegeisfinepodcast
Email: [email protected]

Music is Deadbeats by Rex Banner

Last week we gave you a bird’s eye view of a first therapy session. Now the fun part. What does a cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) therapy session look like when you start to do the work? What kinds of questions get asked? Do you need to share your deepest darkest secrets? What if you don’t *know* why you feel the way you do?

Liz and Sarah break down the key ingredients of CBT, such as:

*Looking at how thoughts, actions and our body signals work together 

*Collaborating with the student on therapy goals

*Deciding together what skills and new habits will help the student get “unstuck”

*Practicing ways to manage or reduce hard emotions that impact your life

*Exploring ways to use therapy insights in your day-to-day.

Once again, our fabulous Student Ambassador Anushka Gupta opens up for you all so you can get a glimpse into a real-life CBT session. We’re willing to bet that at least *some* of her experience will feel familiar.

RESOURCES:

Lumate Health:

https://lumatehealth.com/our-approach/about-cbt-treatment/

Association for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy:

https://www.abct.org/get-help/symptoms-and-treatments/

SELF:

https://www.self.com/story/9-things-you-should-know-about-cognitive-behavioral-therapy

Want to share your story, give us feedback or offer up an episode idea? Reach out! We'd love to hear from you.

Insta: @collegeisfinepodcast
Tik Tok: @collegeisfinepodcast
Email: [email protected]

Music is Deadbeats by Rex Banner

Admit it, if you’ve never been in therapy before then you’re a little curious about what goes on inside the therapist’s office. And if you’re thinking about therapy, walking into that office for the first time can be intimidating if you don’t have a clue what it’s like. Media often portrays therapy as lying on the couch confessing your deepest darkest secrets. Friends don’t always share what their therapy is like. And parents might have no clue.

Well, what if you could be a fly on the wall of a therapy session?

In this episode, Sarah sits down with one of our Student Ambassadors, Anushka Gupta, and models what a first session might look like. We both give you an inside peak into what a therapist might be thinking during that session. We even tell you what’s written on that notepad.

Our goal is to ease any tension college students may have about seeking help, and correct any therapy misconceptions.

And if you want to peak even more, stay tuned (ahem, *subscribe*) for Part 2, where Sarah and Anuskga go a bit deeper into some CBT skills training. 

RESOURCES:
Find a CBT therapist in your area:
https://services.abct.org/i4a/memberDirectory/index.cfm?directory_id=3&pageID=3282

WellTrack Connect: Find a therapist near your campus
https://welltrack-connect.com/

Want to share your story, give us feedback or offer up an episode idea? Reach out! We'd love to hear from you.

Insta: @collegeisfinepodcast
Tik Tok: @collegeisfinepodcast
Email: [email protected]

Music is Deadbeats by Rex Banner

The past few years have led to some pretty drastic global changes, and as a result college students are experiencing higher levels of stress compared to decades prior. As the expectations of college students escalate, and a competitive, uncertain job market post graduation looms, students are seeking ways to stay afloat under increasing academic pressure.  A recent study showed that at least 20 percent of college students self-report that they are consuming medications not prescribed to aid them in their studying. Even more concerning is that college students are often combining these medications with other illicit and licit drugs.  In this episode we sit down with Dr. Bianca Busch, a psychiatrist with expertise working with college students to unpack this risky issue.  Tune in to hear Dr. Busch talk about:

• What are study drugs?
• How study drugs impact our brain and body?
• How to talk to your psychiatrist about your medication and if you are misusing
• Four questions to ask yourself to determine if your substance use is a problem

RESOURCES:

Dr. Bianca Busch

https://www.collegepsychiatrist.com/about

5 Things Every College Student Should Know About Study Drugs

https://www.colorado.edu/health/study-drugs

Want to share your story, give us feedback or offer up an episode idea? Reach out! We'd love to hear from you.

Insta: @collegeisfinepodcast
Tik Tok: @collegeisfinepodcast
Email: [email protected]

Music is Deadbeats by Rex Banner

Our last episode taught you a lot about the “why” of getting good sleep. This episode is all about the “how.” We sit down with sleep expert and clinical psychology professor, Dr. Ellie McGlinchey to help create a realistic and simple guide on how to sleep better in college. Don’t worry, she reassures us that you can still have fun in college and get the rest you need. Spoiler alert! Dr. McGlinchey is a fan of darties, napping and caffeine. Tune in to hear about:

• What does good sleep do for us?
• The dos and don'ts of napping 
• How to be mindful of caffeine use
• What to do when your sleep gets wacky 
• How substances influence your sleep

RESOURCES: 

Dr. Ellie McGlinchey’s Practice
https://manhattantherapycollective.com/team/dr-eleanor-mcglinchey

Dr. McGlinchey thinks you should check out :
https://thenapministry.com/

Article: Sleep and Memory in College
http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/need-sleep/whats-in-it-for-you/memory

Want to share your story, give us feedback or offer up an episode idea? Reach out! We'd love to hear from you.

Insta: @collegeisfinepodcast
Tik Tok: @collegeisfinepodcast
Email: [email protected]

Music is Deadbeats by Rex Banner

A recent study showed that over 70% of college students are getting consistently less than 7 hours of sleep a night. That’s not a great number, especially when you consider that healthy sleep habits are linked to higher college GPAs. So if sleep is so important to doing well in college, why is it often at the bottom of the priority list?

Sleeping is underrated in college and is usually saved for the weekends after a long week of studying and a weekend of celebrating your academic efforts.  To make matters worse, college students are often managing a lot of responsibilities, between school, friends, family, work, and sleep seems like the only thing they can sacrifice to get it all done.  In this two part series, we talk to a college student who realized the consequences of poor sleep and got things back on track, and we talk to two sleep experts who provide all the sleep facts and tips to help make your sleep better.

In this week’s episode we sit down with Dr. Shelby Harris, a nationally renowned sleep expert who sets us straight on why we shouldn’t skimp on sleep. Make sure to follow her @sleepdocshelby for easy tips and helpful reminders. 

Books:

Quiet Your Mind and Get to Sleep: Solutions to Insomnia for Those with Depression, Anxiety, or Chronic Pain

https://www.amazon.com/Quiet-Your-Mind-Get-Sleep/dp/1572246278/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3T3M9YBJUEMWC&keywords=colleen+carney&qid=1675820535&s=books&sprefix=colleen+carney%2Cstripbooks%2C94&sr=1-1

Good Night Mind for Teens

https://www.amazon.com/Goodnight-Mind-Teens-Thoughts-Solutions/dp/1684034388/ref=sr_1_4?crid=35MC7ZNEHVK6Q&keywords=teens+sleep+book&qid=1675820648&s=books&sprefix=teens+sleep+book%2Cstripbooks%2C94&sr=1-4

Podcasts:

Sleep Unplugged with Dr. Chris Winter

https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1631914841

Articles:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/melodywilding/2023/01/31/how-to-turn-your-brain-off-at-night-according-to-a-sleep-psychologist/?sh=52ee1aff3077

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/13/well/an-underappreciated-key-to-college-success-sleep.html

American Academy of Sleep Medicine:

https://aasm.org/college-students-getting-enough-sleep-is-vital-to-academic-success/

Want to share your story, give us feedback or offer up an episode idea? Reach out! We'd love to hear from you.

Insta: @collegeisfinepodcast
Tik Tok: @collegeisfinepodcast
Email: [email protected]

Music is Deadbeats by Rex Banner

Raise your hand if you’ve had a shaken up soda bottle explode on you. No fun, right? When under stress our mind is like that bottle of soda, building pressure until we’re on the verge of exploding. With the emotional challenges and academic pressures college can bring, many students choose to ignore or distract from heavy feelings. (Hey, been there, done that.) Pressure builds then bam, you explode. 

In this micro-episode, we discuss the Dialectical Behavior Therapy skill called opposite action. This is the skill for you if:

*your emotions don’t fit the facts of the situation, 

*your emotions are too intense for the situation, or 

*your emotions and their intensity make complete sense, but acting on them isn’t effective for you.

In a nutshell, opposite action is using a behavior opposite to your natural emotional urge to turn down the volume on your emotion so you can feel steadier. This skill requires effort, but it’s also incredibly effective (evident by Liz no longer being afraid of snakes…you’ll have to listen to find out how). 

Resources:

Rutgers University YouTube Channel on DBT Skills

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDWn-cqKKrg

Practical Examples of Opposite Action:

https://www.mindfulnessmuse.com/dialectical-behavior-therapy/10-practical-examples-of-opposite-action-part-one

https://www.mindfulnessmuse.com/dialectical-behavior-therapy/10-practical-examples-of-opposite-action-part-two

 

Want to share your story, give us feedback or offer up an episode idea? Reach out! We'd love to hear from you.

Insta: @collegeisfinepodcast
Tik Tok: @collegeisfinepodcast
Email: [email protected]

Music is Deadbeats by Rex Banner