Everyday Therapy

By Brett Cushing, Dr. Karin Ryan

Do you find therapy overwhelming? It doesn’t have to be. The concepts in therapy are simple and practical, and you can use them to change your life today!

Hosts Brett Cushing, Licensed Marriage and ... more

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FAQs about Everyday Therapy:

How many episodes does Everyday Therapy have?

The podcast currently has 164 episodes available.

Everyday Therapy episodes:

August 27, 2026Is It Just a Bad Day or Childhood Depression? How to Tell the Difference
David shares insights from his work with children and families, shedding light on how depression in young people often looks different than it does in adults. From physical complaints like GI issues and tension headaches to sudden outbursts and tech overload, this conversation offers parents a reassuring roadmap to approach their child with curiosity, groundedness, and "courageous love".
Tune in to Discover:
Why children often express complex feelings of depression through primitive, intuitive reactions like anger, shouting, or behavioral outbursts rather than quiet sadness

How physical symptoms, such as tension headaches, stomach issues, and changes in digestion, frequently serve as early warning signs of emotional distress

Why algorithms and open access to games like Roblox can overwhelm young minds, along with practical tips for setting healthy tablet limits

Key indicators that a child needs extra help
Resources
Sagent Behavioral Health Child & Adolescent Therapy Services

Contact the podcast: [email protected]
Subscribe & Review
If you found this episode helpful, please consider subscribing to Everyday Therapy and leaving us a review. It helps others discover the podcast and take the next step toward meaningful mental health support.
Do you have feedback or topic requests? Email us at [email protected]

We'd love to hear from you!

Follow along:
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Nystrom & Associates
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28min
August 21, 2026Understanding Addiction: From Substance Use to Behavioral Patterns
Addiction isn’t limited to drugs or alcohol. From gambling and shopping to social media and other compulsive behaviors, many things can activate the brain’s reward system and become difficult to control, especially when they begin interfering with relationships, responsibilities, and everyday life.
Tune in to Discover:
What addiction is and how it can extend beyond drugs and alcohol

How dopamine and the brain’s reward system contribute to addictive patterns

Why addictive substances or behaviors can begin to feel necessary for survival

How stress, loneliness, boredom, and other triggers can reinforce the addiction cycle

The connection between addiction and co-occurring concerns like anxiety and ADHD

How shame and isolation can keep the cycle going

The difference between substance dependence and behavioral addictions

Why connection, routine, and community can be important parts of recovery

How recovery can become an opportunity to rebuild your life in a new way
Resources
Sagent Behavioral Health Substance Use Disorder Treatment

Sagent Behavioral Health Therapy Services

Contact the podcast: [email protected]
Subscribe & Review
If you found this episode helpful, please consider subscribing to Everyday Therapy and leaving us a review. It helps others discover the podcast and take the next step toward meaningful mental health support.
Do you have feedback or topic requests? Email us at [email protected]

We'd love to hear from you!

Follow along:
Instagram
Facebook
Nystrom & Associates
...more
31min
July 29, 2026How to Find a Psychiatrist: Online vs. In-Person Care
Dr. Utter shares her clinical perspective on why psychiatrists ask about sleep, social history, and lifestyle, and how medication acts as a collaborative tool to reduce symptom intensity rather than a quick fix. Whether you are curious about starting psychiatric care or deciding between virtual and clinic visits, this episode offers a practical, reassuring roadmap for your mental health journey.
Tune in to Discover:
What to Expect at a First Visit: Why initial psychiatric intakes last over an hour and why providers ask broad questions about medical history, sleep, and lifestyle.

Virtual vs. In-Person Care: The unique benefits of virtual psychiatry (convenience, accessibility) compared to in-person care (physical exams, tracking specific movement side effects).

The "Lowest Effective Dose" Principle: How psychiatrists avoid over-medication and polypharmacy by starting low, titrating slowly, and prioritizing evidence-based, non-medication recommendations.

How Medications Actually Work: A simplified look at how SSRIs support brain plasticity and why full benefits can take 6 to 8 weeks as new neural connections form.

The Traction Analogy: How medication and therapy work together to help patients stop "spinning their wheels" and make meaningful progress.
Resources
Sagent Behavioral Health Psychiatry Services

Contact the podcast: [email protected]
Subscribe & Review
If you found this episode helpful, please consider subscribing to Everyday Therapy and leaving us a review. It helps others discover the podcast and take the next step toward meaningful mental health support.
Do you have feedback or topic requests? Email us at [email protected]

We'd love to hear from you!

Follow along:
Instagram
Facebook
Nystrom & Associates
...more
27min
July 16, 2026The Link Between Anxiety, People Pleasing, and Procrastination
The hosts share their own personal battles with relational perfectionism and outline how an over-attunement to others can cause a person to completely lose touch with their own identity. This conversation offers a deeply validating look at why we overcommit, how avoidance morphs into procrastination, and practical DBT-based tools to break the cycle.
Tune in to Discover:
The Root of People Pleasing: Why the automatic urge to say "yes" is actually a survival skill designed to avoid the discomfort of conflict, disapproval, or rejection.

Kindness vs. People Pleasing: The critical psychological boundary that separates an intrinsic desire to help from an anxiety-driven fear of loss or obligation.

The Irritability Mask: How chronic people pleasing breeds hidden resentment and unmet expectations, frequently surfacing as anxiety-fueled irritability.

The Anxiety-Procrastination Loop: How tasks tied to a person's self-worth become emotionally loaded, forcing the brain into a loop of stress, avoidance, and intensified guilt.

The Courtroom of Guilt: Why people pleasers naturally adopt an "innocent until proven guilty" mindset in relationships and how to challenge it.
Do you have feedback or topic requests? Email us at [email protected]

We'd love to hear from you!

Follow along:
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Nystrom & Associates
...more
27min
June 25, 2026Men’s Mental Health: Why It’s Hard to Ask for Help (And Where to Start)
This episode challenges the common narrative that men are simply "stubborn" or "proud," and instead focuses on how traditional male socialization forces men into a psychological double bind—feeling a societal pressure to remain completely stoic and impenetrable while trying to navigate modern expectations of emotional availability.
Tune in to Discover:
The Alarming Statistics: The numbers surrounding men's mental health and why struggles frequently go unnoticed and unspoken.

The Socialization Trap: How traditional expectations of strength and stoicism cause men to view emotional vulnerability as a weakness.

Masked Symptoms: Why male depression and anxiety often present on the surface as irritability, explosive anger, or emotional withdrawal rather than sadness.

The "Alibi" of Self-Medicating: How behaviors like working excessively or turning to substances are used as socially acceptable ways to suppress internal pain.

Action-Oriented Support: Practical strategies for partners and friends to bridge the gap, including the power of "how" and "what" questions over "why" questions.
Resources
Sagent Mental Health Services

Sagent Behavioral Health Substance Use Resources

Contact the podcast: [email protected]
Subscribe & Review
If you found this episode helpful, please consider subscribing to Everyday Therapy and leaving us a review. It helps others discover the podcast and take the next step toward meaningful mental health support.
Do you have feedback or topic requests? Email us at [email protected]

We'd love to hear from you!

Follow along:
Instagram
Facebook
Nystrom & Associates
...more
28min
June 11, 2026Healing from Trauma: How to Know if You Are Suffering From PTSD
The hosts break down the crucial distinctions between "Big T" and "little t" traumas, explaining how chronic stress can reshape the brain. If you have ever wondered why certain sounds, smells, or environments trigger an immediate survival response before your conscious mind can even register why, this episode provides a clinical framework, validation, and a powerful reminder that true healing is possible.
Tune in to Discover:
What Truly Qualifies as Trauma: The difference between single-incident ("Big T") trauma and the chronic, cumulative effect of smaller ("little t") traumas like emotional abuse or neglect.

The Neurobiology of a Trigger: How the survival center of the brain processes threats a hundred times faster than the rational frontal lobe, leading to immediate physical activation.

The Four Core Categories of PTSD Symptoms: A breakdown of intrusive symptoms (flashbacks and nightmares), avoidance, hyperarousal (heightened reactivity), and negative shifts in mood or thinking.
The Goal of Trauma Therapy: How evidence-based treatments like EMDR, Prolonged Exposure, and Cognitive Processing Therapy help the brain transition memories so you can retell your story without physically reliving it.
Do you have feedback or topic requests? Email us at [email protected]

We'd love to hear from you!

Follow along:
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Facebook
Nystrom & Associates
...more
27min
May 28, 2026What is Bipolar Disorder? Understanding Symptoms, Types and Treatment
This episode offers a clinical yet compassionate framework for understanding the lived experience of bipolar disorder.
Whether you are navigating a new diagnosis or supporting a loved one, Brett and Karin provide the tools to replace confusion with compassion and empower you with practical management strategies.
Tune in to Discover
The Clinical Reality: The difference between Bipolar I, Bipolar II, and hypomania (and why "I'm so bipolar" is an inaccurate phrase)

The "Speedometer" Problem: What Anasognosia is and why the brain sometimes loses the ability to recognize it is in a manic state

A 10-Day Snapshot: A step-by-step look at how a hypomanic cycle builds—from early morning productivity to the eventual "crash"

The Management Toolkit: Why "living by the clock" and prioritizing sleep, nutrition, and mood stabilizers are the keys to stability
Resources
Sagent Behavioral Health: Bipolar Disorder Care

Contact the podcast: [email protected]
Subscribe & Review
If you found this episode helpful, please consider subscribing to Everyday Therapy and leaving us a review. It helps others discover the podcast and take the next step toward meaningful mental health support.
Do you have feedback or topic requests? Email us at [email protected]

We'd love to hear from you!

Follow along:
Instagram
Facebook
Nystrom & Associates
...more
30min
May 14, 2026How to Set Boundaries for Better Work-Life Balance
Whether you are struggling with "constant availability" or the guilt of leaving tasks unfinished, this conversation provides a realistic roadmap for reclaiming your mental space.
Tune in to Discover
The Identity of Boundaries: Why boundaries are like the walls of an office—essential for knowing where you begin and where work ends.

The Lumberjack Principle: Why taking intentional breaks actually makes you more productive and sharpens your axe for the tasks ahead.

Red Flags of Porous Boundaries: How to recognize the signs, from logging back in late at night to feeling resentment when a notification pops up.

Concrete Skills for "No": How to use assertive communication and "delayed yeses" to honor your capacity without damaging your professional reputation.
Practical Tips for Your Work-Life Separation
Post-Work Rituals: Create a physical transition, such as changing out of work clothes immediately or shutting down your laptop completely rather than just locking the screen.

The "Supervisor Strategy": If you struggle to say no to a boss, try: "I'd be happy to help with this. Can you show me how to prioritize this with my current workload?"

Embrace the Discomfort: Understand that setting a new boundary will feel anxious at first. Growth and change often come with short-term discomfort for a long-term payoff.
Resources
Sagent Behavioral Health

Contact the podcast: [email protected]
Subscribe & Review
If you found this episode helpful, please consider subscribing to Everyday Therapy and leaving us a review. It helps others discover the podcast and take the next step toward meaningful mental health support.
Do you have feedback or topic requests? Email us at [email protected]

We'd love to hear from you!

Follow along:
Instagram
Facebook
Nystrom & Associates
...more
28min
April 30, 2026Stress vs. Burnout: From Overwhelmed to Over It
The hosts move beyond the workplace to discuss how burnout affects parents, caregivers, and community leaders. They offer a compassionate look at why we get stuck in "paralysis by analysis" and provide a roadmap for refueling when your internal gas tank is completely empty.
Tune in to Discover:
The Clinical Definition: How the World Health Organization defines burnout and why it’s more than just a bad mood.

Stress vs. Burnout: A side-by-side comparison of symptoms—from the "urgency" of stress to the "apathy" of burnout.

The "A-Words": Why our culture reinforces burnout through accolades, adoration, and approval.

Refueling Strategies: Practical ways to move from "speeding up" to "restoring," including assertive communication and joy-based self-care.
Resources
Sagent Stress Management Support

Contact the podcast: [email protected]
Subscribe & Review If you found this episode helpful, please consider subscribing to Everyday Therapy and leaving us a review. It helps others discover the podcast and take the next step toward meaningful mental health support.
Do you have feedback or topic requests? Email us at [email protected]

We'd love to hear from you!

Follow along:
Instagram
Facebook
Nystrom & Associates
...more
19min
April 16, 2026Stress vs. Anxiety: Knowing the Difference
The hosts explore the mind-body connection, identifying how external demands trigger stress and how internal "time travel" leads to anxiety. This conversation offers a practical framework for recognizing your physical triggers and a reminder that you have the power to calm your internal alarm system.
Do you have feedback or topic requests? Email us at [email protected]

We'd love to hear from you!

Follow along:
Instagram
Facebook
Nystrom & Associates
...more
27min

FAQs about Everyday Therapy:

How many episodes does Everyday Therapy have?

The podcast currently has 164 episodes available.