Psych Talk

Happy 2022! In today's episode of Psych Talk I talk all about cultivating a growth mindset. I am not one for New Year's resolutions and fully believe that you do not need a new year to start something new; however, there is still something that makes the new year feel like a fresh start, even if you logically realize nothing is magically going to be different simply because it is a new year. In this episode, I dive into the differences between a fixed and growth mindset, give listeners examples of each, and discuss the consequences of having both a fixed and growth mindset. Then, I provide tips on how to cultivate a growth mindset within yourself, as well as how to teach children to cultivate a growth mindset. Our mindset impacts so many things - how we feel about ourselves, our motivation to engage in tasks, and how we perceive failure, to name a few - thus, with the beginning of a new year, I felt this was a good topic to kick 2022 off with, particularly given the stress and overwhelm of the past two years.

Mindset by Dr. Carol Dweck

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Sponsors & Collaborations:
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Intro/Outro Music:
Life of Riley by Kevin MacLeod
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In today's episode of Psych Talk I chat with Dr. Kristen Casey, licensed clinical psychologist, about normalizing mental health treatment among mental health, and other, providers. Dr. Kristen shares her personal journey with being a psychologist seeking her own mental health care and how that, in combination with her past work as an EMT, has made her so passionate about talking about this topic. We discuss why many mental health professionals are hesitant to seek out their own care and the barriers that mental health professionals face when seeking out mental health support. Additionally, Dr. Kristen discusses other helping professionals that she has worked with in her practice or seen in personal experiences who are also hesitant to seek out their own mental health care and some of the reasons as to why.  Further, we discuss how Dr. Kristen normalizes mental health professionals seeking their own mental health care through her social media platforms and advice for mental health professionals listening who may be hesitant to seek out their own care.

Connect with Dr. Kristen:
Instagram: @drkristencasey
TikTok: @drkristencasey
Website: drkristencasey.com
Purchase: Life Lessons to Master Before You Die: Practical Ways to Achieve an Authentic Living Experience

Ways to Work With Me:
Mind Over Matter
LGBTQ+ Affirming Masterclass
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Resources:
Value Aligned 2021 Journal
Anti-Racism Resources
LGBTQ+ Affirming Resources
The Helping Professional's Guide to Boundary Setting

Connect with Me:
Follow me on IG @jessicaleighphd.
Follow me on TikTok @jessicaleighphd
Join my Facebook community: Grow Through What You Go Through

Sponsors & Collaborations:
BetterHelp
DiveThru Website
DiveThru App

Intro/Outro Music:
Life of Riley by Kevin MacLeod
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Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

In today's episode of Psych Talk I speak with Murphy Lynne about how schools can better adapt to students with mental health concerns. Murphy Lynne shares her story of being diagnosed with autism at age 13, as well as her comorbid mental health diagnoses and struggles throughout school socially and academically. Murphy Lynne published her first book this year Am I Invisible? Things I Wish Teachers Knew which recounts her obstacles, challenges, inspirations, and celebrations throughout her journey through school.  Based on Murphy Lynne's experiences as a student who struggled with mental health challenges, we discuss some of the challenges that students with mental health concerns face in the school settings, things that can be done on the administrative and teacher levels to help better serve students with mental health concerns, and specifically how autistic students can better be served in academic settings. Murphy Lynne also gives words of advice and encouragement for students and parents of students who may be struggling with their mental health.

Connect with Murphy Lynne:
Instagram: @murphy_lynne
Website: www.murphylynne.info
Facebook: Murphy Lynne
Purchase: Am I Invisible?: Things I Wish Teachers Knew

Ways to Work With Me:
Mind Over Matter
LGBTQ+ Affirming Masterclass
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Resources:
Value Aligned 2021 Journal
Anti-Racism Resources
LGBTQ+ Affirming Resources
The Helping Professional's Guide to Boundary Setting

Connect with Me:
Follow me on IG @jessicaleighphd.
Follow me on TikTok @jessicaleighphd
Join my Facebook community: Grow Through What You Go Through

Sponsors & Collaborations:
BetterHelp
DiveThru Website
DiveThru App

Intro/Outro Music:
Life of Riley by Kevin MacLeod
Music License

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

In today's episode of Psych Talk I discuss intrusive thoughts. Intrusive thoughts are unwanted thoughts, images, impulses, or urges that can occur spontaneously or be cued by stimuli and are typically distressing to the person experiencing them. Although intrusive thoughts may be associated with a mental health disorder such as OCD, it is estimated that over 90% of individuals experience intrusive thoughts at some point in their life - mental health diagnosis or not. In today's episode I discuss what intrusive thoughts are, where they come from, different types of intrusive thoughts and mental health conditions associated with intrusive thoughts. I also discuss what to do and not to do when experiencing intrusive thoughts to address them.

Ways to Work With Me:
Mind Over Matter
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Resources:
Value Aligned 2021 Journal
Anti-Racism Resources
LGBTQ+ Affirming Resources
The Helping Professional's Guide to Boundary Setting

Connect with Me:
Follow me on IG @jessicaleighphd.
Follow me on TikTok @jessicaleighphd
Join my Facebook community: Grow Through What You Go Through

Sponsors & Collaborations:
BetterHelp

Intro/Outro Music:
Life of Riley by Kevin MacLeod
Music License

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

In today's episode of Psych Talk I speak with Robin Smith-Velazquez, LCSW on the integration of eastern and western medicine for the treatment of trauma. We [in the United States] live in a society that heavily focuses on western medicine for the treatment of physical and mental health concerns, such as medications and evidence-based therapy practices, to treat the symptoms of whatever disorder someone presents with. Eastern medicine, in contrast, is a more wholistic approach focusing on the entire human, not just the specific symptoms. Robin integrates eastern and western medicine practices into her treatment of trauma and other presenting concerns in her private practice, thus we discuss some of the differences between the two and how they compliment each other when treating trauma. Robin also gives listeners specific practices that she utilizes in her practice that can help address trauma or, more broadly, any emotional or psychological struggle someone is experiencing. We also discussed how eastern and western medicine is not black and white, both for the individual's unique experiences, and overall approach to treatment.

Connect with Robin
Instagram: @pgtherapist
TikTok: @robinsmithvelazquez_lcsw

Ways to Work With Me:
Mind Over Matter
LGBTQ+ Affirming Masterclass
Be a guest on my podcast

Resources:
Value Aligned 2021 Journal
Anti-Racism Resources
LGBTQ+ Affirming Resources
The Helping Professional's Guide to Boundary Setting

Connect with Me:
Follow me on IG @jessicaleighphd.
Follow me on TikTok @jessicaleighphd
Join my Facebook community: Grow Through What You Go Through

Sponsors & Collaborations:
BetterHelp
DiveThru Website
DiveThru App

Intro/Outro Music:
Life of Riley by Kevin MacLeod
Music License

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

In today's episode of Psych Talk I talked with Dr. Patrice Berry, a licensed clinical psychologist and author of the book Turning Crisis into Clarity: How to Survive or Thrive in the Midst of Uncertainty.  In this episode we chat all about uncertainty in crisis. Dr. Berry defines what a crisis is, discusses why uncertainty and anxiety are so prevalent in crises, and talks about our desire for control in times of crises. She discusses many different strategies to cope with crisis, as well as gives examples of different types of crises and how individuals may handle those crises. We discuss her book, what inspired her to write it, and the goals she had with publishing it. I speak on my favorite chapters of Turning Crisis into Clarity and how, even as a licensed psychologist, it is important to have reminders of coping skills from an outside source. We also briefly talk about the connection we discovered we had after meeting on social media.  Dr. Berry is one of my favorite people I have connected with through social media and I have learned so much from her. If you enjoy this episode, I highly recommend purchasing her book. 

Connect with Dr. Patrice:
Instagram: @drpatriceberry
TikTok: @drpatriceberry
YouTube: Dr Patrice Berry
Podcast: Legacy Moments
Buy Dr. Patrice's Book: Turning Crisis Into Clarity: How to survive or thrive in the midst of uncertainty

Ways to Work With Me:
Mind Over Matter
LGBTQ+ Affirming Masterclass
Be a guest on my podcast

Resources:
Value Aligned 2021 Journal
Anti-Racism Resources
LGBTQ+ Affirming Resources
The Helping Professional's Guide to Boundary Setting

Connect with Me:
Follow me on IG @jessicaleighphd.
Follow me on TikTok @jessicaleighphd
Join my Facebook community: Grow Through What You Go Through

Sponsors & Collaborations:
BetterHelp
DiveThru Website
DiveThru App

Intro/Outro Music:
Life of Riley by K

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

In today's episode of Psych Talk I discuss a requested topic - grief. Grief has many definitions, but ultimately it refers to the emotions we feel after experiencing a loss of some sort. Many people conceptualize grief in the concept of death; however, we grief for many things outside of death as well. In this episode, I define what grief is and discuss Elisabeth Kubler Ross' 5 Stages of Grief Model. I discuss grieving with the death of a loved one (humans and pets), as well as other areas of our lives in which we may grieve - loss of a relationship, loss of a job, loss of a material item, grief in parenthood, and body grief. Lastly, I discuss different ways to help cope when grieving.

Mentioned in this episode:
‎A Novel Life with Lauren Ruth Martin: What Is Body Grief? (Part 1 of 2)
‎A Novel Life with Lauren Ruth Martin: How to Work Through Body Grief (Part 2 of 2)

Ways to Work With Me:
Mind Over Matter
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Resources:
Value Aligned 2021 Journal
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LGBTQ+ Affirming Resources
The Helping Professional's Guide to Boundary Setting

Connect with Me:
Follow me on IG @jessicaleighphd.
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Join my Facebook community: Grow Through What You Go Through

Sponsors & Collaborations:
BetterHelp
DiveThru Website
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Intro/Outro Music:
Life of Riley by Kevin MacLeod
Music License

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

On today's episode of Psych Talk I speak with Christina Guarino, an Licensed Professional Counselor in New Jersey, about borderline personality disorder (BPD). Borderline personality disorder is one of the most stigmatized and misunderstood mental illnesses. Christina and I dive into what borderline personality disorder is, what are some common misconceptions, and the stigma surrounding the disorder. Christina presents information in a very digestible and humanizing manner, allowing the listener to understand the human side of borderline personality disorder, rather than just the diagnostic criteria. Christina talks about the connection between trauma and borderline personality disorder, as well as her experience working with clients who have BPD. We discuss helpful interventions for borderline personality disorder, as well as providing advice to anyone who thinks they have had the disorder or shows signs of the disorder.

Connect with Christina:
Instagram: @christina_lpc108
TikTok: @christina_lpc

Ways to Work With Me:
Mind Over Matter
LGBTQ+ Affirming Masterclass
Be a guest on my podcast

Resources:
Value Aligned 2021 Journal
Anti-Racism Resources
LGBTQ+ Affirming Resources
The Helping Professional's Guide to Boundary Setting

Connect with Me:
Follow me on IG @jessicaleighphd.
Follow me on TikTok @jessicaleighphd
Join my Facebook community: Grow Through What You Go Through

Sponsors & Collaborations:
BetterHelp
DiveThru Website
DiveThru App

Intro/Outro Music:
Life of Riley by Kevin MacLeod
Music License

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

In today's episode of Psych Talk I talk with Kaitlin Soule, LMFT all about perfectionism, uncertainty, and anxiety in motherhood.  Kaitlin is an anxiety expert, writer, and women's empowerment coach who has a passion working with moms on overcoming their anxiety. Kaitlin discusses how perfectionism, uncertainty, and anxiety are all interconnected and why these things are extremely prevalent in motherhood. Kaitlin discusses how uncertainty shows up in motherhood and ways it may impact moms, as well as tips on overcoming perfectionism in parenthood. Kaitlin provides listeners with tips on starting to work through their anxiety and provides any mothers listening with words of encouragement if they are struggling with perfectionism, uncertainty, or anxiety. Kaitlin's book, A Little Less of a Hot Mess: The Modern Mom's Guide to Growth & Evolution comes out in March 2022 where she dives further into the topics discussed in today's episode. 

Connect with Kaitlin:
Instagram: @kaitlin.soule
Website: wellnotesbykaitlin.com
Pre Order Kaitlin's book: A Little Less of a Hot Mess: The Modern Mom's Guide to Growth & Evolution

Additional Resources:
The Monkey Mind Workout for Perfectionism

Ways to Work With Me:
Mind Over Matter
LGBTQ+ Affirming Masterclass
Be a guest on my podcast

Resources:
Value Aligned 2021 Journal
Anti-Racism Resources
LGBTQ+ Affirming Resources
The Helping Professional's Guide to Boundary Setting

Connect with Me:
Follow me on IG @jessicaleighphd.
Follow me on TikTok @jessicaleighphd
Join my Facebook community: Grow Through What You Go Through

Sponsors & Collaborations:
BetterHelp
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Intro/Outro Music:

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

Welcome to Season 3 of Psych Talk! To kick off Season 3 I am going to be talking about social media and mental health and, more specifically, taking a social media break. Although we know that social relationships and connection are beneficial for our mental health and overall wellbeing, the reality is that research indicates that heavy social media use actually negatively impacts our mental health. Heavy social media use is associated with higher levels of anxiety, depression, isolation, and loneliness, among other things. In this episode, I discuss the positive and negative aspects of social media, the impact of social media on mental health, and challenge listeners to take inventory of how their social media use makes them feel and what motivates their social media use. I then discuss different types of social media breaks, or ways to lessen our time spent on social media, as well as the benefits of taking a social media break.

I am so excited to be back for Season 3 of Psych Talk and cannot thank you all enough for your continued support of this podcast. 

Mentioned in this episode:
The Bold Bodied Podcast - Episode 92 | Social Media Detox

Ways to Work With Me:
Mind Over Matter
LGBTQ+ Affirming Masterclass
Be a guest on my podcast

Resources:
Value Aligned 2021 Journal
Anti-Racism Resources
LGBTQ+ Affirming Resources
The Helping Professional's Guide to Boundary Setting

Connect with Me:
Follow me on IG @jessicaleighphd.
Follow me on TikTok @jessicaleighphd
Join my Facebook community: Grow Through What You Go Through

Sponsors & Collaborations:
BetterHelp
DiveThru Website
DiveThru App

Intro/Outro Music:
Life of Riley by Kevin MacLeod
Music License

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify