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 159 episodes available.

Everyday Therapy episodes:

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!

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Nystrom & Associates
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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:
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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:
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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:
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Nystrom & Associates
...more
27min
March 26, 2026Postpartum Anxiety Part 2: Baby Blues and What Every New Parent Should Know
This conversation offers validation and practical insight into how postpartum anxiety differs from “baby blues,” why intrusive thoughts don’t mean you’re a bad parent, and what recovery can look like with the right support.
Tune in to Discover:
What postpartum anxiety can feel like (and why it’s often misunderstood)

How sleep deprivation can intensify anxiety, panic, and intrusive thoughts

The difference between baby blues, postpartum anxiety, and postpartum depression

How a Mother-Baby Program can help those facing postpartum anxiety

Practical advice for new parents: advocating for needs, finding community, and getting outside daily
Resources
Sagent Behavioral Health Mother-Baby Program

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
34min
February 26, 2026Postpartum Anxiety: A Real Story of Intrusive Thoughts, Shame, and Getting Help
This conversation offers validation and practical insight into how postpartum anxiety differs from “baby blues,” why intrusive thoughts don’t mean you’re a bad parent, and what recovery can look like with the right support.
Tune in to Discover:
What postpartum anxiety can feel like (and why it’s often misunderstood)

How sleep deprivation can intensify anxiety, panic, and intrusive thoughts

The difference between baby blues, postpartum anxiety, and postpartum depression

How a Mother-Baby Program can help those facing postpartum anxiety

Practical advice for new parents: advocating for needs, finding community, and getting outside daily
Resources
Sagent Behavioral Health Mother-Baby Program

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
29min
February 12, 2026Relationship Anxiety: When Worry Shows Up in Your Closest Connections
In this episode of Everyday Therapy, Brett Cushing, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, and Dr. Karin Ryan, Licensed Psychologist, explore relationship anxiety—what it is, how it shows up, and when it becomes more concerning.
With compassion and clarity, this conversation reframes anxiety not as a sign that something is “wrong,” but as an invitation to deepen self-awareness, strengthen emotional boundaries, and build healthier attachment.
Tune in to Discover:
What relationship anxiety is and why it’s so common
Signs of relationship anxiety, including reassurance-seeking and overanalyzing
How fear of abandonment and conflict fuels anxiety in relationships
The push–pull cycle of closeness and distancing
Over-functioning, people-pleasing, and emotional boundary challenges
The difference between relationship anxiety and relationship OCD
Resources
Sagent Behavioral Health Therapy Services
Sagent Behavioral Health Substance Use Disorder Treatment
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
29min
January 29, 2026Dry January: What Taking a Break From Alcohol Can Teach You
Dry January has become a popular reset after the holiday – but for many people, it raises bigger questions than expected. What role does alcohol play in your life? Is it helping you unwind, or quietly making things harder?
In this episode of Everyday Therapy, Brett Cushing, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, and Dr. Karin Ryan, Licensed Psychologist, explore what happens when you take a break from alcohol and start paying attention to how it affects your mental health, relationships, and daily functioning. Rather than focusing on labels or rigid rules, they invite listeners into a curious, compassionate conversation about awareness and choice.
This episode offers insight into how alcohol interacts with anxiety, sleep, stress, and emotional regulation—and how even a short pause can reveal valuable information about your habits and needs.
Tune in to Discover:
Why Dry January can be a helpful mental and emotional reset
How alcohol impacts anxiety, depression, and emotional regulation
The connection between alcohol use, sleep quality, and stress levels
What cravings, routines, and urges can teach you about your coping strategies
How to approach alcohol use with curiosity instead of shame
Ways to navigate social pressure when you’re not drinking
How taking a break can clarify your relationship with alcohol moving forward
Why self-awareness—not perfection—is the goal
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
24min
December 23, 2025Mindfulness in Everyday Life: How to Slow Down, Tune In, and Feel Better
In this episode of Everyday Therapy, hosts Brett Cushing, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, and Dr. Karin Ryan, Licensed Psychologist, break down what mindfulness really is—and what it isn’t. They explore how being present, without judgment, can reduce stress, improve emotional regulation, and help you better understand what you need in the moment.
From real-life examples to simple, everyday practices, this conversation shows how mindfulness can become a powerful tool for managing anxiety, burnout, and emotional overload—without adding one more thing to your to-do list.
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
22min

FAQs about Everyday Therapy:

How many episodes does Everyday Therapy have?

The podcast currently has 159 episodes available.