The Self Care Unit

This week, Shannon speaks with Colton Lord about his life as a nurse, advocate, and content creator. They discuss navigating transitions, the importance of community and support systems to take on burnout, and the complexities of finding purpose in nursing. Colton also shares his thoughts on the significance of storytelling in connecting with others, particularly as an advocate for LGBTQ+ representation and mental health awareness

For more of Colton, check out Club Nurse and follow Colton on Instagram and Twitter @nursecolton.

Happy Hispanic Heritage Month! We were thrilled to have Nurse Sibyl join us this week to discuss the importance of her cultural heritage in shaping her nursing journey — from the bedside to social media. We also talk about what representation means in healthcare and the challenges and rewards of being a nurse, particularly for those from immigrant backgrounds. Sibyl's passion absolutely shines in this conversation, so tune in!

For listeners who just can’t get enough Sibyl, she is @sibs.rn on TikTok and @Nurse.Sibyl on Instagram. We hope everyone had a lovely Hispanic Heritage Month!

CW: This podcast contains discussions of mental health that may be sensitive to some listeners.

This week, the conversation gets personal, as Micheline discusses her decision to start anxiety medication, specifically Lexapro. Micheline talks about her history with anxiety, her experiences having panic attacks, her initial reluctance to pursue medication, and what it has meant to share her journey and hear from others going through similar experiences on social media. Seeking help is always worth it!

This week, Carley and Micheline review The Pitt, Doctor Odyssey, and St. Denis Medical. All three TV shows portray healthcare and nursing, but how do they actually resonate with nurses? We discuss the ways they depict work at the bedside, laugh at some of the accuracies and inaccuracies, and discuss what makes each show good. The shows are very different from each other, but ultimately, we recommend all three for both medical and non-medical audiences!

CW: This podcast contains discussions of mental health that may be sensitive to some listeners. Suicide

"I’m not a therapist, but I know you."

September is National Suicide Prevention Month. We were honored to have Dr. Shairi Turner, Chief Health Officer at Crisis Text Line, to learn about their mental health support and crisis intervention services. We also discuss the importance of cultural competency and the ways to challenge stigmas and support each other.

By leading with empathy, Crisis Text Line's staff and volunteers have created an invaluable resource. If listeners want to learn more about Crisis Text Line, you can visit CrisisTextLine.org. And if you ever need their support, you can text HOME to 741741. From anywhere across the US. It’s free, confidential, and 24/7.

This week, we learn more about Integrative Health from RN and Integrative Health Practitioner, Emily Gardner! Emily walks us through how balancing conventional and complementary methods can help tackle the root causes of the most stubborn chronic conditions, such as acne, gut issues, and/or hormonal problems. Our discussion focuses on the role of stress, gut health, what functional lab testing can reveal, and the realistic timelines for recovery in integrative health practices!

Emily can be found at www.emintegrativewellness.com or @nurseacne on socials!

This week on The Self Care Unit, we dive into the 2025 State of the World's Nursing Report and discuss the challenges faced by the nursing profession. We cover the causes and impacts of staffing shortages, the gender dynamics of the profession, and what mental health support really looks like. What systemic changes are necessary in healthcare to build a brighter future?

This week, Sarah Lorenzini — Rapid Response nurse, host of the RapidResponseRN podcast, and nurse educator — talks with us about rapid response nursing and how to prepare yourself to succeed during emergencies. We discuss what makes her love nursing, how to develop the critical thinking and resilience you'll need in high-stress environments, and the role of intuition in patient care. For anyone who wants the confidence and skills to jump into action in emergencies, tune in!

Sarah's an absolute well of knowledge and experience, so if you want to learn more, we highly encourage you to check out the RapidResponseRN courses and podcast!

This week, Micheline, and Carley delve into the world of books, relaying their personal journeys into reading, the influence of social media on reading habits, and why nurses read. They talk about when and why they're drawn to certain genres, how books can impact a nurse’s perspective of themself and their patients, and wrap things up with some solid book recommendations!

Book Recs:

Micheline: Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

Anything by Emily Henry, Abby Jimenez, or Ashley Poston

Daisy Darker: A Novel by Alice Feeney

Carley: The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

The City of Brass by S. A. Chakraborty

Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak

Joe: Equal Rites by Terry Pratchett

Calvin and Hobbes

This week, The Self Care Unit explores the world of cold therapy with guest Aryan Davani, founder of IcePass, a community wellness club in LA. Focusing primarily on the mental health benefits of cold plunging, we get the details from Aryan on why this practice has exploded in popularity in recent years. Whether it's calming our minds, connecting with others, or overcoming our self-limiting beliefs, we learn all the benefits of cold therapy so you can take the plunge!