What do you think of when you hear, beauty pageant?
Maybe you think of dolled up women in swimsuits & dresses on stage, or shallow women that just want “World Peace”, or even the old TLC show Toddlers and Tiaras. Whatever your initial thoughts are, I promise you our guest cohost @missmousa will completely transform the way you look at beauty pageants moving forward. I competed with Autumn in Miss Missouri USA not only in 2019 but also in 2023 when she was crowned. Hearing the story about her journey and how she grew not only as a person but in this sport is inspiring.
If you have ever really wanted to get a deep dive into why so many women put their heart and soul into pageants like Miss USA, Miss America, and various other systems this is definitely worth the listen. We sit down with the current Miss Missouri to see how she started in pageantry, all the way to how she was preparing for Miss USA 2023. Autumn touches on the how the mental strength in her preparation was remarkable more difficult to navigate than the physical side. Along with the things she did to really focus on the dream she set out to achieve.
Pageantry not only can help you build self-esteem and teach you about self love, but it can teach you life skills that you can use the rest of your life. But with all the positive that comes from this people on the outside neglect to see the downside of this. Depression, anxiety, eating disorders, along with other mental illnesses can really pay a toll on the girls/women that compete. In a world where you feel that you always have to be polished and always at your best, it can be hard to handle after a while. It is not until we lose extraordinary women like Cheslie Kryst or Kailia Posey, that we start taking this conversation more seriously.
I cannot thank Miss Missouri USA 2023 Autumn Black enough for getting on Mental Mixology to really get this conversation going. Missouri is SO lucky to have such an intelligent, beautiful, and inspiring woman to represent the state for the year of 2023.

Have you been wanting to get into the gym but you don’t know where to start? Or maybe you’ve gotten in the swing of going for a few days and then the motivation slowly fades?

Host Elex along with guest cohost Dalton definitely feel your pain with this struggle. For them it also took YEARS to get serious in the gym and now that they have, this had became a huge outlet for their mental health.

Hear their stories about how the grew to be consistent with their health and wellness along with the huge impact it has had on their lives, especially their mental health. Going to the gym isn’t some magic cure but it definitely is a safe place for hundreds and thousands of people all over the world. Check out this episode to see how getting into the gym could change your life.

All episodes can be found on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and www.mentalmixology.org

Are you a chronic over-thinker? Well, if so you are not alone. Elex and Jessica talk about personal experiences with impulsive overthinking.

From many days ruined from constant overthought, we are not only talking about how this has effected us but we are even hitting on things that have helped. Overthinking will never truly go away but there are ways that you can live day to day without it being such a burden in your life.

If you or anyone you know is struggling visit www.mentalmixology.org and click on "Resources" for various mental health avenues to explore.

Bipolar disorder affects 2.6% of the United Staes populations, which translates to 6.3 million people. This is a mental illness that starts as early as 15-19 years old, and can usually last a lifetime.

Sit down with Mental Mixology as we chat with Bipolar Speaker and Podcaster, Gabe Howard to really see what bipolar disorder can look like, as well as the toll it can take on someone's life. Gabe was diagnosed with bipolar disorder at 26 years old but had been dealing with symptoms are far back as he can remember. For the longest time he thought what he was feeling was well, normal. Or at least in his mind everyone was having the same intrusive thoughts that he was.

After years of hard work, family support, treatment, therapy, and a lot of learning, Gabe had finally reached recovery. Once he had reached this threshold, he realized that he never could forget the feeling of fear that came over him after being diagnosed with bipolar disorder. In response, Gabe made it his life's mission to be a voice for others struggling with their mental health like he had for so long.

Today, Gabe is an award-winning podcast host, author, and sought-after speaker. Over the years, he’s had countless public speaking engagements and remains a go-to expert at conferences and in other media on matters of mental health and wellness, living with bipolar disorder, and governmental or social challenges faced by people living with mental illness. In November of 2022, Gabe had the distinct honor of speaking at Oxford University in England.

Gabe is the only person living openly with bipolar disorder who hosts a podcast for a major media company. Inside Mental Health can be found on multiple platforms, like Spotify, iTunes, Amazon, YouTube, and over 1,800 other players. Each week, Gabe interviews celebrities, experts, and other notables about psychology and mental health in a relaxed, conversational fashion anyone can understand.

To check out more with Gabe Howard outside of the the Mental Mixology episode go to https://www.gabehoward.com/

Complacency, something that so many of us deal with but probably are not aware of. Complacency can cause numerous problems in our life if we do not recognize it. Many people only recognize they are in a state of complacency because they are involuntarily forced out of that position.

Don't wait until you are forced to evolve to do so. Start taking action now to grab ahold of the life that you have always wanted for yourself.

It is very normal for us as humans to feel angry. It's when anger starts to cause problems is your life, or interferes with your happiness and overall health that you need to consider the way you handle and process this emotion.

Join host Elex with her little sister Emilee (guest cohost) as they go through their lives and the challenges they have faced in trying to manage their anger. Growing up in an Italian house hold, they were raised around one very simple form of communication anger, yelling. As they have grow up they have seen that everyone they meet has a different way of handling and expressing anger.

This episode will uncover some truth behind anger, but most importantly it will address ways to better control it.

If you or anyone you know is struggling with the ways they handle anger, check out http://www.betterhelp.com for 100% online therapy. They have a quiz you can take to help match you with the right therapist for phone, video, or live chat.

Be sure to like and follow Mental Mixology on Instagram and LinkedIn @mentalmixology and we are streaming on Spotify, Apple Podcast, and Google Podcasts.

https://www.mentalmixology.org/

Domestic violence and getting into an unhealthy relationship is something that is unfortunately, common. Over one in three women, and one in four men, have experienced physical violence, rape or stalking victimization by an intimate partner in their lifetime. Domestic violence refers to physical, sexual, or psychological harm done to an individual by a current or former partner or spouse.

There are so many different forms of DV and unhealthy relationships, it is very hard to be able to pin point red flags. Even if you can point them out, taking action in response is a lot easier said than done. Traumatic events associated with DV can lead to stress, fear, and isolation that can develop suicidal thoughts and behaviors. This is why DV is associated with various physical and mental health effects. Victims of DV have an increased risk of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and suicide.

Join us on Season 2 Episode 5 to sit down with Joylynn Allard, a Therapist at the nonprofit organization CASA (Citizens Against Spouse Abuse). She will go through what domestic violence is, what unhealthy relationships look like, and how you can seek help to navigate through extremely difficult situations. Please check out the "Mental Health Resources" tab on the Mental Mixology website for domestic violence and MANY other resources for mental health.

Sources-

https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/domestic-violence

https://www.casa-sedalia.org/

Domestic Violence Resources-

Tech Safety: https://www.techsafety.org/

https://www.techsafety.org/resources-survivors

Power and Control Wheels: https://www.socialworkerstoolbox.com/the-power-and-control-wheel-the-duluth-model/

https://www.theduluthmodel.org/wheel-gallery/

Safety Planning: https://www.thehotline.org/plan-for-safety/create-your-personal-safety-plan/

https://www.thehotline.org/

https://www.loveisrespect.org/

https://ncadv.org/

https://www.mocadsv.org/

Friendships can be a very crucial aspect in maintaining our mental health. Friends put things in perspective for us, keep us grounded, while also helping us manage the problems that life can throw our way.

Many of us might have the instinct to distance ourselves from friends when we are dealing with mental health problems. We do not realize that with the right friends, we are able to overcome and recover from mental struggles and the isolate that comes with them. In turn we develop some of the strongest relationships with people that have supported us through our most trying times.

Talking to friends about mental health, or supporting a friend dealing with a mental health problem can be hard to do. So on Mental Mixology's episode, Friendships and Mental Health host Elex is joined by cohosts and best friends, Jessica Coble and Annie Guier to talk about how to have those hard conversations with your friends about mental health. Along with discussing many topics in regards to different kinds of friendships, friendship dynamics, unhealthy vs. healthy friendships, along with so much more.

According to the Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance, more firefighters die from suicide each year than in the line of duty, and many additional suicides are likely unreported. 

A Florida State University behavioral health study that surveyed over 1,000 U.S. firefighters showed that in some point in respondents careers:

47% considered suicide

19% made plans for a suicide attempt

16% went through with the suicide attempt

When these first responders are on a job they are being routinely exposed to incidents that result in devastating injuries and tragic loss of life and property. Between firefighters and EMS, they are seeing situations that nobody should ever have to see. Leaving many in a stuck position thinking, “I got into this profession to help people, but now I need help.”

Join us this Saturday at 12PM CST with cohost Paul Humble, who started as a volunteer firefighter and loved the work so much that he took on the role full time. He gives great insight to the struggles that come with being a home town hero. Going in-depth about how departments are working to provide resources to their first responders and how they can come together to help each other through common battles they are all mentally trying to overcome.

This is the first conversation of many about first responders and their mental health.

Reaching a goal or a dream is one of the hardest things that you will set out to do. A lot of us are so fueled by a list of excuses and overwhelming thoughts to even know where to start chasing a dream.

On season two episode one of Mental Mixology we will be going over ten key steps to help grasp a "Dream Chasing Mentality". Dreams are not easy to obtain but once you get hold of the tools you need to start, it is all a matter of embracing your passion and running with it. Along with some other important factors. Give it a listen to find out more.