Psych Talk

Happy Holidays! No matter what you celebrate, or if you celebrate, this time of year is full of holiday cheer, parties, and celebration. With that comes the sense that we are supposed to be happy and joyous. However, the reality is, despite the holiday cheer and celebrations, this time is stressful and overwhelming for many of us, which takes a toll on our mental health.  In today's episode of Psych Talk I discuss mental health during the holidays. I start by sharing the impact of holiday stress on mental health based on research  and then go on to discuss various ways that you can protect your mental health during the holiday season, from boundary setting, to organization tips, to a reminder to engage in basic self-care. No matter what your holiday season looks like this year, this episode serves as a reminder to take care of yourself, slow down, and celebrate the holidays in a way that feels good and joyous to you. 

Ways to Work With Me:
1:1 Coaching
Mind Over Matter
LGBTQ+ Affirming Masterclass

Resources:
Anti-Racism Resources
LGBTQ+ Affirming Resources

Connect with Me:
Follow me on IG @jessicaleighphd.
Join my Facebook community: Grow Through What You Go Through
Sign up for my Email List here.

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 Kristen Gingrich, LSCW, CADC about societal body image. Body image is something that the vast majority of individuals will struggle with at some point in their life and the messages we receive from society about the way we "should" look like impact how we view ourselves and our bodies. Kristen discusses her own journey with body image and her growth from her teenage years and early 20s to where she is now. We discuss the messages that society sends us about body image and how those messages impact one's mental health. We also spend a lot of time discussing the role of social media, especially for teens these days, in one's perception of self and the image we feel like we have to portray to the world. Further, Kristen provides tips and insights on how to enhance your body image, despite constant messages from society telling you how you "should" look.

Connect with Kristen:
TikTok: notyouraveragethrpst
IG: notyouraveragethrpst

Ways to Work With Me:
1:1 Coaching
Mind Over Matter
LGBTQ+ Affirming Masterclass

Resources:
Anti-Racism Resources
LGBTQ+ Affirming Resources

Connect with Me:
Follow me on IG @jessicaleighphd.
Join my Facebook community: Grow Through What You Go Through
Sign up for my Email List here.

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 gratitude - the expression of appreciation for what one has. It is likely intuitive that individuals who are more grateful are happier; however, the benefits of gratitude go beyond that simple relation. In this episode I discuss the brain changes that occur when engaging in acts of gratitude, as well as many of the physical and mental benefits of practicing gratitude that have been established in research. Further, I discuss many  different ways that you can start practicing gratitude in your daily life. In a year that has been turned upside down by a pandemic, as well as many other significant events globally, it is easy for us to focus on all the bad. So after listening to this episode I challenge you to take small steps to focus on the things you are grateful for in life to help enhance your overall well being, no matter how overwhelming or stressful this year has been.

Ways to Work With Me:
1:1 Coaching
Mind Over Matter
LGBTQ+ Affirming Masterclass

Resources:
Anti-Racism Resources
LGBTQ+ Affirming Resources

Connect with Me:
Follow me on IG @jessicaleighphd.
Join my Facebook community: Grow Through What You Go Through
Sign up for my Email List here.

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

In today's episode of Psych Talk, I chat with Kelsey Wonderlin, LPC-MHSP, a self-esteem and relationship therapist from Tennessee. Kelsey shares her expertise  on the intersection between self-esteem and relationships, discussing both how self-esteem impacts the type of partner one seeks out and how relationships can impact one's self-esteem. Kelsey describes aspects of unhealthy and toxic relationships and discusses everything from the fighting and abuse we think of in toxic relationships, to the other end of the spectrum of co-dependency. Further, Kelsey describes how individuals can break unhealthy patterns in their relationships, as well as enhance their self-esteem within the context of a relationship to improve both their sense of self and their relationship. Finally, Kelsey also describes the five components of self-esteem and provides listeners with information on where to access her free guide to self love.

Connect with Kelsey:
IG: kelseywonderlin.therapy
Website: www.kelseywonderlin.com

Ways to Work With Me:
1:1 Coaching
Mind Over Matter
LGBTQ+ Affirming Masterclass

Resources:
Anti-Racism Resources
LGBTQ+ Affirming Resources

Connect with Me:
Follow me on IG @jessicaleighphd.
Join my Facebook community: Grow Through What You Go Through
Sign up for my Email List here.

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 cognitive biases, which are systematic errors in our thinking processes that impact our choices or judgment. Given the current socio-political climate, I thought this would be a good topic to touch on, as we see a lot of these biases come to play in politics. However, we all engage in this biases throughout our daily life. Cognitive biases are not necessarily bad, as they allow us to make quick decisions without becoming overwhelmed, which can be adaptive. However, cognitive biases can also be maladaptive if they result in distorted thinking that negatively impacts our judgement and the choices we make. In this episode I go over some common cognitive biases and provide examples of how they may play out in daily life. I also provide steps to overcome cognitive biases so that we can all start becoming aware of the biases we have and put effort towards reducing the frequency in which we engage in these biases.

Ways to Work With Me:
1:1 Coaching
Mind Over Matter
LGBTQ+ Affirming Masterclass

Resources:
Anti-Racism Resources
LGBTQ+ Affirming Resources

Connect with Me:
Follow me on IG @jessicaleighphd.
Join my Facebook community: Grow Through What You Go Through
Sign up for my Email List here.

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 Emily-Christine Lowe, LPCA, NCC about addiction. Addiction is something that I am not very knowledgeable about given the population I work with, so I was excited to talk with Emily-Christine about her knowledge and expertise in the field. Emily-Christine discusses what addiction is, as well as some misconceptions about addiction. She discusses how addiction goes beyond the traditional drugs and alcohol that we think of and how addiction can show up in people’s lives in other ways. Emily-Christine also has a strong interest and knowledge base in trauma and, therefore, we discuss how trauma plays a role in the development and maintenance of addiction. Further, Emily-Christine provides insights and advice to anyone struggling with addiction or for those who have a loved one going through addiction on how to seek out help. 

Connect with Emily-Christine:
Instagram: @emilychristine.counselor
TikTok:  @emilychristine.counselor

Ways to Work With Me:
1:1 Coaching
Mind Over Matter
LGBTQ+ Affirming Masterclass

Resources:
Anti-Racism Resources
LGBTQ+ Affirming Resources

Connect with Me:
Follow me on IG @jessicaleighphd.
Join my Facebook community: Grow Through What You Go Through
Sign up for my Email List here.

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 the impact of chronic illness on mental health and the bidirectionality between mental health disorders and chronic illness. I start by defining what a chronic illness is and discuss the impact of chronic illness on mental health, specifically in the areas of depression and anxiety.  I also talk about medical trauma, what it is and how it manifests, both for those with chronic illness and those who experienced an acute illness or injury. Finally, I conclude the episode by talking about how to cope with living with a chronic illness. 

Ways to Work With Me:
1:1 Coaching
Mind Over Matter
LGBTQ+ Affirming Masterclass

Resources:
Anti-Racism Resources
LGBTQ+ Affirming Resources

Connect with Me:
Follow me on IG @jessicaleighphd.
Join my Facebook community: Grow Through What You Go Through
Sign up for my Email List here.

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 Eli Weinstein, LMSW (my first male guest!!) on men’s mental health. Eli has a special interest and expertise in men’s mental health and discusses why it is important to carve out a space specifically for men in the mental health realm. Eli speaks to the fact that men tend to not seek out therapy as frequently as women, as well as societal expectations of how men are taught to handle and express emotions, which led to a great conversation about stigma and societal influences surrounding mental health, particularly for men. Eli shares knowledge from both his personal and clinical experiences on why men’s mental health is important, the mental health concerns men face today, and provides insights on how men can take care of themselves and their mental health. Eli also provides some advice on how females can support the males in their life who may be struggling with mental health.

Connect with Eli:

Instagram: elivation_therapist
Podcast: The Dude Therapist
Website:  www.elivation.org

Ways to Work With Me:
1:1 Coaching
Mind Over Matter
LGBTQ+ Affirming Masterclass

Resources:
Anti-Racism Resources
LGBTQ+ Affirming Resources

Connect with Me:
Follow me on IG @jessicaleighphd.
Join my Facebook community: Grow Through What You Go Through
Sign up for my Email List here.

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 different ways we reply to situations or comments, namely the differences between reacting, responding, and repressing. We all react, respond, or repress in different situations or contexts; however,  if we take time to acknowledge and evaluate how to reply to different situations we are better able to make changes, if we desire, to learn how to respond more frequently, rather than reacting or repressing. I discuss the differences between responding, reacting, and repressing; how cognitive dissonance can cause us to react; and steps we can take to start responding to difficult situations, rather than reacting or repressing. I hope you are able to take away some helpful and tangible tips from today's episode to aid in your self-growth journey.

Ways to Work With Me:
1:1 Coaching
Mind Over Matter
LGBTQ+ Affirming Masterclass

Resources:
Anti-Racism Resources
LGBTQ+ Affirming Resources

Connect with Me:
Follow me on IG @jessicaleighphd.
Join my Facebook community: Grow Through What You Go Through
Sign up for my Email List here.

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

In today's episode of Psych Talk I speak with Kate Mumey about normalizing mental health treatments beyond the traditional outpatient therapy. Kate shares her story with mental health struggles, specifically obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), including her time in intensive outpatient (IOP). Kate discusses misconceptions about IOP, what she wish she knew before entering, and what she learned. She provides advice on what to do if someone feels like they may need a higher level of care, as well as how she is using her experiences to advocate for and normalize more intensive mental health treatments. As an additional bonus, Kate also talks about normalizing mental health care within the church. Kate brings a unique perspective to this podcast as a patient of intensive mental health treatments, rather than a provider, normalizing mental health treatment as a pathway to increased functioning and happiness.

Connect with Kate:

IG: @gracefullyuncertain
IG: @katemumey
TikTok: @katemumey

Ways to Work With Me:
1:1 Coaching
Mind Over Matter
LGBTQ+ Affirming Masterclass

Resources:
Anti-Racism Resources
LGBTQ+ Affirming Resources

Connect with Me:
Follow me on IG @jessicaleighphd.
Join my Facebook community: Grow Through What You Go Through
Sign up for my Email List here.

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

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify