Creating Midlife Calm: Coping Skills for Stress & Anxiety in Family, Work & Relationships

Is anxiety stopping you from setting the boundaries you know you need?

Get a clear, simple strategy to move through fear and finally take action to get what you want and need.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

1. 5 simple, actionable coping skills to manage anxiety when it flares up around boundary-setting
2. Real-life client stories that show how midlife anxiety shows up in sneaky ways—and how to work with it
3. A practical script-building tool to help you set boundaries with confidence and calm

Start using these tools today to move through your anxiety and set boundaries that protect your peace. Listen now.

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About the Host: 

MJ Murray Vachon, LCSW, is a seasoned clinician, educator, and host of the podcast Creating Midlife Calm, recognized by Maria Shriver as a “Listen of the Week.” Over the past 40 years, MJ has led more than 50,000 therapy sessions and developed the Inner Challenge mental wellness program and the Inner Challenge Master Class, practical tools for emotional regulation, self-awareness, and resilience taught for more than 30 years in junior high schools and at the University of Notre Dame for freshman football players. Through her podcast, teaching, and coaching, MJ helps people build calmer lives, stronger relationships, and healthier communities.

Creating Midlife Calm is a podcast designed to guide you through the challenges of midlife, tackling issues like anxiety, low self-esteem, feeling unworthy, procrastination, and isolation, while offering strategies for improving relationships, family support, emotional wellbeing, mental wellness, and parenting, with a focus on mindfulness, stress management, coping skills, and personal growth to stop rumination, overthinking, and increase confidence through self-care, emotional healing, and mental health support. 

Are you constantly pushing yourself to the max, yet feeling exhausted and on edge?

Doing less could actually help you achieve more.

In this episode you’ll discover: 

 1.  Why striving for perfection might be holding you back.

2.  Two powerful midlife coping skills that make relaxation actually work for you.

3.  How shifting to an 80% effort mindset can prevent burnout and improve        productivity.

Press play now to unlock the secrets to managing anxiety and perfectionism boosting efficiency, and finally enjoying your success—without guilt.

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About the Host: 

MJ Murray Vachon, LCSW, is a seasoned clinician, educator, and host of the podcast Creating Midlife Calm, recognized by Maria Shriver as a “Listen of the Week.” Over the past 40 years, MJ has led more than 50,000 therapy sessions and developed the Inner Challenge mental wellness program and the Inner Challenge Master Class, practical tools for emotional regulation, self-awareness, and resilience taught for more than 30 years in junior high schools and at the University of Notre Dame for freshman football players. Through her podcast, teaching, and coaching, MJ helps people build calmer lives, stronger relationships, and healthier communities.

Creating Midlife Calm is a podcast designed to guide you through the challenges of midlife, tackling issues like anxiety, low self-esteem, feeling unworthy, procrastination, and isolation, while offering strategies for improving relationships, family support, emotional wellbeing, mental wellness, and parenting, with a focus on mindfulness, stress management, coping skills, and personal growth to stop rumination, overthinking, and increase confidence through self-care, emotional healing, and mental health support. 

Do you feel like you're constantly running, as if a boulder is chasing you downhill?

You can be successful and driven without the fear and exhaustion.

In this episode you’ll discover:

1. What truly fuels your success—it’s not your anxiety.
2. Learn how to update your self-image and move through life with less urgency and more ease.
3. Reframe your daily mindset by shifting from "I have to" to "I get to"—a small change that makes a huge difference. 

Listen now to overcome high-functioning anxiety and move through your days with calm, confidence, and ease.

Send us Fan Mail

****

About the Host: 

MJ Murray Vachon, LCSW, is a seasoned clinician, educator, and host of the podcast Creating Midlife Calm, recognized by Maria Shriver as a “Listen of the Week.” Over the past 40 years, MJ has led more than 50,000 therapy sessions and developed the Inner Challenge mental wellness program and the Inner Challenge Master Class, practical tools for emotional regulation, self-awareness, and resilience taught for more than 30 years in junior high schools and at the University of Notre Dame for freshman football players. Through her podcast, teaching, and coaching, MJ helps people build calmer lives, stronger relationships, and healthier communities.

Creating Midlife Calm is a podcast designed to guide you through the challenges of midlife, tackling issues like anxiety, low self-esteem, feeling unworthy, procrastination, and isolation, while offering strategies for improving relationships, family support, emotional wellbeing, mental wellness, and parenting, with a focus on mindfulness, stress management, coping skills, and personal growth to stop rumination, overthinking, and increase confidence through self-care, emotional healing, and mental health support. 

Are your midlife hormones working for you or against you? 

What if you could become your own hormone detective and start with the right tests and lifestyle changes?

In this episode, you’ll discover:

1.     The three essential hormones that impact your midlife health the most.

1. How to talk to your doctor and get the right lab tests without frustration.
2. Three simple, doable lifestyle changes that can help balance your hormones and reduce anxiety.

Press play now to uncover practical steps to take control of your midlife health, feel better, and stop the hormone guessing game!

Send us Fan Mail

****

About the Host: 

MJ Murray Vachon, LCSW, is a seasoned clinician, educator, and host of the podcast Creating Midlife Calm, recognized by Maria Shriver as a “Listen of the Week.” Over the past 40 years, MJ has led more than 50,000 therapy sessions and developed the Inner Challenge mental wellness program and the Inner Challenge Master Class, practical tools for emotional regulation, self-awareness, and resilience taught for more than 30 years in junior high schools and at the University of Notre Dame for freshman football players. Through her podcast, teaching, and coaching, MJ helps people build calmer lives, stronger relationships, and healthier communities.

Creating Midlife Calm is a podcast designed to guide you through the challenges of midlife, tackling issues like anxiety, low self-esteem, feeling unworthy, procrastination, and isolation, while offering strategies for improving relationships, family support, emotional wellbeing, mental wellness, and parenting, with a focus on mindfulness, stress management, coping skills, and personal growth to stop rumination, overthinking, and increase confidence through self-care, emotional healing, and mental health support. 

Are you focusing on the wrong hormones in midlife?

Many women believe estrogen is the key to feeling better, but what if the real secret lies elsewhere.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

1. The three essential hormones that impact your mood, weight, and sleep.
2. Why your ovaries act like The Odd Couple and how that explains your hormonal ups and downs.
3. The surprising connection between your thyroid and your reproductive hormones—and how understanding this connection empowers you to make better health decisions. 

🎧 Press play now to uncover the truth about midlife hormones and take the first step toward feeling your best!

Send us Fan Mail

****

About the Host: 

MJ Murray Vachon, LCSW, is a seasoned clinician, educator, and host of the podcast Creating Midlife Calm, recognized by Maria Shriver as a “Listen of the Week.” Over the past 40 years, MJ has led more than 50,000 therapy sessions and developed the Inner Challenge mental wellness program and the Inner Challenge Master Class, practical tools for emotional regulation, self-awareness, and resilience taught for more than 30 years in junior high schools and at the University of Notre Dame for freshman football players. Through her podcast, teaching, and coaching, MJ helps people build calmer lives, stronger relationships, and healthier communities.

Creating Midlife Calm is a podcast designed to guide you through the challenges of midlife, tackling issues like anxiety, low self-esteem, feeling unworthy, procrastination, and isolation, while offering strategies for improving relationships, family support, emotional wellbeing, mental wellness, and parenting, with a focus on mindfulness, stress management, coping skills, and personal growth to stop rumination, overthinking, and increase confidence through self-care, emotional healing, and mental health support. 

Tired of feeling stuck in negative thoughts? 

Your brain is wired to focus on the bad—but you don’t have to stay trapped in that cycle. 

In this episode, you’ll discover:

 1.  The science behind negativity bias and how to use this four-step method to hack your mind so you can experience more joy, calm, and fulfillment.

2.   How to retrain your brain to focus on the positive—without toxic positivity or ignoring reality.

3.     How to redirect your mental energy toward meaningful, life-giving activities that bring you joy and fulfillment.

🎧 Listen now and uncover how small mental shifts can create lasting calm and help you break free from negativity bias!

Send us Fan Mail

****

About the Host: 

MJ Murray Vachon, LCSW, is a seasoned clinician, educator, and host of the podcast Creating Midlife Calm, recognized by Maria Shriver as a “Listen of the Week.” Over the past 40 years, MJ has led more than 50,000 therapy sessions and developed the Inner Challenge mental wellness program and the Inner Challenge Master Class, practical tools for emotional regulation, self-awareness, and resilience taught for more than 30 years in junior high schools and at the University of Notre Dame for freshman football players. Through her podcast, teaching, and coaching, MJ helps people build calmer lives, stronger relationships, and healthier communities.

Creating Midlife Calm is a podcast designed to guide you through the challenges of midlife, tackling issues like anxiety, low self-esteem, feeling unworthy, procrastination, and isolation, while offering strategies for improving relationships, family support, emotional wellbeing, mental wellness, and parenting, with a focus on mindfulness, stress management, coping skills, and personal growth to stop rumination, overthinking, and increase confidence through self-care, emotional healing, and mental health support. 

Ever had a frightening thought pop into your head that you just can’t shake?

Intrusive thoughts happen to everyone, but without the right tools, they can spiral into anxiety, stress, and sleepless nights.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

1.  How to recognize intrusive thoughts before they take over.

2.  A powerful four-step process backed by science to stop anxious thoughts in         their tracks.

3.  A fun brain hack that weakens anxiety and brings relief instantly.

Hit play now to start reducing intrusive thoughts before they control you—so you can feel calmer, more present, and back in control of your mind.

Send us Fan Mail

****

About the Host: 

MJ Murray Vachon, LCSW, is a seasoned clinician, educator, and host of the podcast Creating Midlife Calm, recognized by Maria Shriver as a “Listen of the Week.” Over the past 40 years, MJ has led more than 50,000 therapy sessions and developed the Inner Challenge mental wellness program and the Inner Challenge Master Class, practical tools for emotional regulation, self-awareness, and resilience taught for more than 30 years in junior high schools and at the University of Notre Dame for freshman football players. Through her podcast, teaching, and coaching, MJ helps people build calmer lives, stronger relationships, and healthier communities.

Creating Midlife Calm is a podcast designed to guide you through the challenges of midlife, tackling issues like anxiety, low self-esteem, feeling unworthy, procrastination, and isolation, while offering strategies for improving relationships, family support, emotional wellbeing, mental wellness, and parenting, with a focus on mindfulness, stress management, coping skills, and personal growth to stop rumination, overthinking, and increase confidence through self-care, emotional healing, and mental health support. 

Feeling overwhelmed by the financial burden of college?
Navigating these tough conversations with your child without guilt, stress, or unnecessary conflict is not easy.

In this episode, you’ll discover

1. Five essential coping strategies to make informed, confident financial decisions while strengthening your relationship with your child.
2. How to engage your child in financial discussions—even if they’re resistant—and equip them with lifelong money management skills.
3.  Ways to process difficult emotions like guilt and jealousy so they don’t cloud your decision-making.

Tune in now to gain clarity, confidence, and practical strategies for navigating the emotional and financial challenges of paying for college—without letting stress take over!

Send us Fan Mail

****

About the Host: 

MJ Murray Vachon, LCSW, is a seasoned clinician, educator, and host of the podcast Creating Midlife Calm, recognized by Maria Shriver as a “Listen of the Week.” Over the past 40 years, MJ has led more than 50,000 therapy sessions and developed the Inner Challenge mental wellness program and the Inner Challenge Master Class, practical tools for emotional regulation, self-awareness, and resilience taught for more than 30 years in junior high schools and at the University of Notre Dame for freshman football players. Through her podcast, teaching, and coaching, MJ helps people build calmer lives, stronger relationships, and healthier communities.

Creating Midlife Calm is a podcast designed to guide you through the challenges of midlife, tackling issues like anxiety, low self-esteem, feeling unworthy, procrastination, and isolation, while offering strategies for improving relationships, family support, emotional wellbeing, mental wellness, and parenting, with a focus on mindfulness, stress management, coping skills, and personal growth to stop rumination, overthinking, and increase confidence through self-care, emotional healing, and mental health support. 

Have you ever felt the gut punch of watching your child face rejection—whether from a dream school, a job, or an opportunity they worked so hard for?

For midlife parents, March brings more than blooming flowers—it’s also a season of tough decisions and, for many, painful rejections. 

In this episode, you’ll discover

1. Three essential coping strategies to help your child process rejection in a healthy way.

2. What NOT to do when your child faces disappointment—and how to avoid common parental missteps that make your child feel WORSE when facing rejection

3.  A powerful real-life story of resilience that proves rejection can be a stepping stone to growth, not a roadblock.

Press play now to learn how to turn rejection into an opportunity for growth—and give your child the lifelong gift of resilience, confidence, and self-trust.

Send us Fan Mail

****

About the Host: 

MJ Murray Vachon, LCSW, is a seasoned clinician, educator, and host of the podcast Creating Midlife Calm, recognized by Maria Shriver as a “Listen of the Week.” Over the past 40 years, MJ has led more than 50,000 therapy sessions and developed the Inner Challenge mental wellness program and the Inner Challenge Master Class, practical tools for emotional regulation, self-awareness, and resilience taught for more than 30 years in junior high schools and at the University of Notre Dame for freshman football players. Through her podcast, teaching, and coaching, MJ helps people build calmer lives, stronger relationships, and healthier communities.

Creating Midlife Calm is a podcast designed to guide you through the challenges of midlife, tackling issues like anxiety, low self-esteem, feeling unworthy, procrastination, and isolation, while offering strategies for improving relationships, family support, emotional wellbeing, mental wellness, and parenting, with a focus on mindfulness, stress management, coping skills, and personal growth to stop rumination, overthinking, and increase confidence through self-care, emotional healing, and mental health support. 

Is your boss constantly demanding more while offering little support or recognition?
If their negativity is draining your confidence, it’s time to shift the way you respond.
In this episode, you’ll discover:
1. How to stop taking your boss’s behavior personally—because it’s not about you.
2. A mindset shift that frees up your mental energy and puts you back in control.
3. Practical tools to build self-validation and confidence, no matter who’s in charge.
Press play now to learn how to reclaim your confidence and career growth—even if your boss never changes!

Send us Fan Mail

****

About the Host: 

MJ Murray Vachon, LCSW, is a seasoned clinician, educator, and host of the podcast Creating Midlife Calm, recognized by Maria Shriver as a “Listen of the Week.” Over the past 40 years, MJ has led more than 50,000 therapy sessions and developed the Inner Challenge mental wellness program and the Inner Challenge Master Class, practical tools for emotional regulation, self-awareness, and resilience taught for more than 30 years in junior high schools and at the University of Notre Dame for freshman football players. Through her podcast, teaching, and coaching, MJ helps people build calmer lives, stronger relationships, and healthier communities.

Creating Midlife Calm is a podcast designed to guide you through the challenges of midlife, tackling issues like anxiety, low self-esteem, feeling unworthy, procrastination, and isolation, while offering strategies for improving relationships, family support, emotional wellbeing, mental wellness, and parenting, with a focus on mindfulness, stress management, coping skills, and personal growth to stop rumination, overthinking, and increase confidence through self-care, emotional healing, and mental health support.