With polarization at an all time high, how do we determine what is truth? Who is right, and who is wrong? It’s a question as old as time, and this episode offers a way of thinking - Dialectical Thinking - that can help. When navigating different ideas this form of thinking has been used over the centuries in international negotiations for protracted conflict, and it can help us in all of our relationships.

This episode breaks down how we perceive reality and ways to increase our flexible thinking. We have faulty human brains after all - openness and ability to adapt and change can benefit us all. My hope is that you will listen to this episode and share with anyone else you know that may be grappling with this topic as well.

Links to articles discussed in this episode:

To dive further into this topic read Katy’s blog post on Dialectical Thinking click HERE: 

To listen to her podcast episode on Beginner's Mind, click HERE: 

To sign up for my email list, click HERE to receive a free copy of my Life Balance Workbook. See you there!

(This content is not therapy or medical advice. Please read full disclaimer HERE.)

Episode 15 - Navigating Relationships & Political Differences

At a time where political polarization is at peak levels, many people are considering whether to end relationships with people who have different perspectives than them. And many people are confused about why someone might end a relationship over political differences. After all, aren’t politics ‘just politics?’ If only it were that simple.

This episode breaks things down with a mental health perspective for understanding relationships and interpersonal boundaries. We’re talking about core values, and what happens when people have vastly different values than you, and what emotion’s come into play when someone’s values cause direct harm to you, people you care about and your groups. My hope is that you will listen to this episode and share with anyone else you know that may be grappling with these questions.

Links to articles discussed in this episode:

To read Katy’s blog post on Dialectical Thinking click HERE.

To listen to her podcast episode on practicing Non-Judgment, click HERE.

To sign up for my email list, click HERE to receive a free copy of my Life Balance Workbook. See you there!

(This content is not therapy or medical advice. Please read full disclaimer HERE.)

Episode 14 - 2024 Sabbatical Year

I've been fairly radio silent this year with online content creation. Wanna know what I've been up to? Listen in!

To sign up for my email list, click HERE to receive a free copy of my Life Balance Workbook.  See you there!

(This content is not therapy or medical advice.  Please read full disclaimer HERE.)

Many people are feeling all sorts of ways after the recent results of the 2024 US Election.  I've heard many express confusion about how we got here, and this episode will use concepts from Dialectical Behavioral Therapy to look at a problem while also letting go of judgment so that we can respond more effectively.  With polarization at an all time high, can we find a way to understand each other moving forward and create a society that is more equitable for all?  I'm not sure.  But I definitely hope so.  

Links to articles discussed in this episode:

To read more about what Dialectical Behavioral Therapy is click HERE. 

To listen to my podcast episode about practicing Non-Judgment, click HERE. 

To sign up for my email list, click HERE to receive a free copy of my Life Balance Workbook. See you there!

To read more about the National Association of Social Work’s take on political activism, click HERE.

(This content is not therapy or medical advice. Please read full disclaimer HERE.)

Episode 12 - Women, Rest & Social Justice

Ever felt guilty for resting or making time for your own self-care & wellness? You’re not alone. On the larger background of ongoing social inequities that occur in the world, is REST an indulgence and a privilege? Is it something that one should ‘earn’ or deserve? Or is it a basic human right for all?

This episode will further our topic from last week. How do we sustain anything we do - work, family, advocacy and more - with a more regenerative approach to our emotional wellbeing?  

Links to articles discussed in this episode:

To read more about the social justice movement of radical self-care that was started by the Black Panther movement, click HERE. 

To read more about The Book of Joy by Desmond Tutu and the Dalai Lama, click HERE. 

To read more about the study on gender discrepancies and leisure time, click HERE. 

 To read my blog about Dialectical Thinking, click HERE.

To sign up for my email list, click HERE to receive a free copy of my Life Balance Workbook. See you there!

(This content is not therapy or medical advice. Please read full disclaimer HERE.) 

Episode 11 - Coping With Community Disasters & Collective Trauma

If you feel like it’s been non-stop world chaos over the last few years, you’ll want to listen to this episode. At a time in history where we have access to all the world’s trauma at once it can be incredibly overwhelming. We’ll be discussing how to balance caring for your own nervous system while also taking action to make needed changes you’d like to see in the world.

We’ll be diving deep to learn about both first hand trauma when you’re involved in community disasters, as well as something called ‘vicarious traumatization’ or ‘second hand trauma’ that can happen witnessing other's trauma, when we don’t have a skillset to navigate our own emotional & empathetic responses to situations. I’ll be sharing a skillset and concepts that therapists and disaster responders use in order to remain effective supporting long term positive changes in the world.

To sign up for my email list, click HERE to receive a free copy of my Life Balance Workbook.  See you there!

(This content is not therapy or medical advice.  Please read full disclaimer HERE)

Episode 10 - Can Coaches Or Therapists Guarantee Outcomes?

When you’re thinking of spending your hard earned money on a coaching package or on therapy, can you be guaranteed that you will get the outcomes you want? In this episode we are looking at the ethical implications of being ‘guaranteed’ that you will achieve something within a coaching or therapeutic container. There are many factors that go into how and whether someone gets the results they want. We’ll dive into the regulated industry of therapy and the unregulated field of coaching and explore the Pros & Cons to standardization of care.

To sign up for my email list, click HERE to receive a free copy of my Life Balance Workbook. See you there!

(This content is not therapy or medical advice.  Please read full disclaimer HERE)

Episode 9 - Non-Judgment For Mental Health & Better Problem Solving

Today I’m giving you a Core Mindfulness Practice that can help you REDUCE painful emotions and better problem solve in all areas.  It’s a hard one, but worth the challenge.  Mindfulness is based on letting go of judgments, but this does NOT mean we become passive about solving problems in our life or trying to make needed changes.  Listen in to get the deets!

To sign up for my email list, click HERE to receive a free copy of my Life Balance Workbook.  See you there!

(This content is not therapy or medical advice.  Please read full disclaimer HERE)

Episode 8 - Holiday Burnout & The Pressure To Do It All

This episode is a LISTENER’S CHOICE episode which was voted on as a needed topic!  We’re chatting about how to navigate the holiday season that comes with so much pressure, it can leave you exhausted in January if you’re not careful.  I’ll share 3 tips for getting through holiday chaos (and joy), and if you’re someone who feels GUILTY for saying no to things, you’re gonna want to listen in!

To sign up for my email list, click HERE to receive a free copy of my Life Balance Workbook.  See you there!

(This content is not therapy or medical advice.  Please read full disclaimer HERE)

In this episode I’ll share how I personally coped with the emotional aspect of long term health issues, and how mindfulness practice has been research proven to be beneficial for people suffering from issues like chronic pain or chronic health conditions.  I'll be sharing practical skills that you can start trying today.

This continues a 3-part series which started in Episode 5 - Part 1 discussing  Women and Medical Gaslighting, followed by last week’s Episode 6 - Part 2 where I shared my experience in early 2023 with an iron deficiency and post viral symptoms, including things that helped me recover, and how to be your own best advocate & researcher to work with (or sometimes outside of) the traditional medical system when you need to.

>>> To check out somatic healing with Irene Tracey, find her on Instagram HERE.

To sign up for my email list, click HERE to receive a free copy of my Life Balance Workbook. See you there!

(This content is not therapy or medical advice.  Please read full disclaimer HERE)

Links to things discussed in this episode:

To read more about research on use of mindfulness for coping with chronic pain, click HERE.

To read more about research from the American Psychiatric Association on Mindfulness and Pain Management, click HERE.

To read an article on Mindfulness and managing chronic disease, click HERE.

To read an article from the National Institute for the Clinical Application of Behavioral Medicine on Mindfulness and chronic conditions, click HERE.