Assertiveness is an invaluable skill to have, but not one that always comes naturally. And assertiveness can also play a vital role in our mental health, starting from the development of the belief that our needs and our voices do in fact matter, all the way to setting boundaries and working through conflict in a way that is still respectful the needs of others. Wesley and Kelsey discuss how to develop a balanced relationship with assertiveness, how to work towards building healthy self confidence, and some ways to practice assertiveness effectively.

Personal Bill of Rights: https://www.etsu.edu/students/counseling/documents/stressgps/personalbillofrights.pdf

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6u44vl

"It's okay to not be okay!" is a very common statement floating around right now. And it is one we agree with. We even have a shirt/mug that says it! But are there limits? Are there times when it actually isn't okay to not be okay? Kelsey and Autumn discuss some of the ways that this statement can be used in a way that is dismissive of people's pain and the very real danger that mental illness can cause, and can sometimes leave people feeling more isolated, more stuck, and more helpless. Which is why our statement says: "It's okay to not be okay &, one day you will be okay again."

We've said it before and we will say it again: There is no such thing as a bad emotion. All of our emotions have information to give us and are indicators of what's going on in inside, and perhaps no emotion does it in as interesting a way as anger. Sometimes anger is the only emotion people feel comfortable engaging with, and some people avoid it like the plague. But whatever your relationship with anger, this episode is worth the listen, as it looks at many of the facets of this very intricate, complex emotion, and how to use it as a constructive force, instead of a ticking time bomb.

Find the Anger Worksheet on our website under "Resources."

Happy Men's Mental Health Awareness Month! We are celebrating by taking some time to focus in on this very topic.

The mental health statistics for men are sobering and very real - but so are a lot of the barriers that prevent men from feeling like it's okay for them to address or even admit that they have any mental health struggles. This week, we have special guest Young Yi joining us to discuss some of the unique challenges men face in the pursuit of mental health and a lot of the concepts that are often intertwined in the discussion, such as strength, toughness, stoicism, vulnerability, and the true strength that lies underneath the cost of vulnerability.

Between the deluge of political ads, the palpable tension around many Thanksgiving dinner tables, and those toxic social media comment sections, it's no wonder that politics can be a great source of stress and anxiety for many people. And election years only turn the dial on that tension up even higher. Political anxiety is a very real and very pervasive struggle for a lot of people, and for very real and valid reasons.

In this episode, Wes and Kelsey do their best to tackle this topic head on, looking at some of the specifics about what exactly about politics makes us so anxious, what actions we can take, and what mindsets we can engage to help us ease some of the havoc politics can wreak in our lives and ways we can respond when things don't go the way we hope.

Website - www.embracementalhealthnsc.org

Struggling with worrying can feel like stepping in quicksand - the harder you fight it, the deeper you sink. So whether you worry about that thing you said to a stranger 2 weeks ago at a party, or can come up with the most incredible list of what ifs imaginable, this episode is for you. All Worry Warts Welcome!

Join Kelsey and Autumn as they look into what worrying really is under the surface, how to stop judging yourself for doing it, and all sorts of tips and tricks for learning how to turn the volume on those worry alarms way down. This is a very practical episode, which includes working through a Worry Worksheet, which you can find on our website(!) at www.embracementalhealthnsc.org under the Resources tab. This episode is bursting at the seams with real ways to kick that worry bug to the curb.

Whether you are a mindfulness skeptic or a mindfulness guru, this episode is worth the listen and will give you something both to think about and to try. Wes and Kelsey discuss all the different reasons mindfulness can play such a major role in improving your mental health and general ability to live life more fully, and also give a number of different ways it can be practiced. One of the hardest things about mindfulness is that it can be really hard to understand until you try it. So pick one. Just one! And give it a go and see for yourself how mindfulness truly can enhance your life.

In honor of World Mental Health Day, and the launch of Season 2, Wesley shares the story of his own mental health journey. Listen along as he shares about the struggles he had early on to develop a true sense of self, some of the challenges those struggles raised, and the ways he grew in the midst of those challenges to forge and discover some gifts on the other end; gifts that not only benefit his personal life, but also his professional life as a therapist (and as one of our cohosts!)

After a refreshing summer away, the Embrace Crew is back and ready to give your Mondays that Mental Health boost they've been missing! We are so excited to be back for Season 2, and to keep diving into all the facets of mental health and what it means to pursue emotional mental wellness. But first, we wanted to reset our foundation, and remind ourselves (and you!) what Embrace is all about and what we hope to do and be.

The full crew is back for our Season 1 finale episode before we take a break for the summer. Join Wes, Kels, and Autumn as they answer questions you have submitted, including what therapy tools we've found most helpful, the difference between feeling overwhelmed and anxious and having anxiety, if there's a wrong way to start therapy, and ways to truly live in the moment. The team also reflects on some of the things they most enjoyed about Season 1. Also, make sure to listen to the end to hear a sneak preview on some things coming up in Season 2, as well as some more details on merch.

Thank you for joining us this season! We look forward to more #mentalhealthmondays in the future and are grateful for all of our listeners. We can't wait to keep building our Embrace Mental Health community and joining together to continue having conversations surrounding all things mental health.

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