Thoughts from the Couch Podcast

Today's episode reflects true resilience when it comes to struggling with mental health. My guest Alyssa Kurtz courageously shares her story of overcoming trauma, depression, suicide attempts, and self-harm behaviors and what she did to begin living a life that truly fulfills her. 

This episode dives into: 

• The difference between Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT).

• The benefits of combining DBT and physical movement to help process emotions related to PTSD. 

• The importance of the relationship between client and therapist for making true emotional change. 

Guest Info:

Connect with Alyssa on Instagram @kurtzmma or her blog here. 

Resources Mentioned: 

The Path to Peace

Join my email list here!

Podcast Disclaimer

In today’s episode, I get to chat with fellow therapist Danielle Ireland, LCSW, to talk all about the feeling of guilt in overachievers, perfectionists, and people pleasers!

This episode dives into: 

• How guilt differs from shame and embarrassment. 

• The correlation between guilt and anxiety. 

• Irrational guilt in overachievers, people-pleasers, and perfectionists. 

• How to manage feelings of guilt. 

Guest Info:

Connect with Danielle on Instagram @danielleireland_lcsw or her website here. 

 Resources Mentioned: 

Path to Peace Live Group Program 

What Type of People-Pleaser Are You? Quiz

Podcast Disclaimer

In today’s episode, I get to talk with psychiatrist Dr. Shreya Nagula to debunk the myths that many people believe about psychiatric medication. Dr. Nagula treats adults suffering from anxiety, depression, and anyone dealing with significant life stressors or changes. Tune in to hear everything you need about the science, purpose, and benefits of taking psychiatric medication to treat mental health disorders. 

This episode dives into: 

• Common misconceptions people have about psychiatric medicine.

• The science behind psychiatric medicine.

• The role of psychiatric medication in therapy.

• The process of being evaluated by a psychiatrist. 

Guest Info:

Connect with Dr. Nagula on Psychology Today here. 

Resources Mentioned: 

The Path to Peace

Quiz: What Type of People Pleaser Are You? 

Podcast Disclaimer

Today we are diving into patterns of addiction in families with Jenna Dillulio @jennadillulio. Jenna is a sober social media influencer who has built a following by telling her own story and shining her light on her recovery from alcohol dependence. In this episode, you get to hear Jenna talk all about her life before she became sober and the problems that alcohol caused her. 

This episode dives into: 

• Patterns of addiction in families.

• Alcoholism is a progressive disease.

• The effects of alcohol abuse on everyday life.

• Things you can do to work towards a sober lifestyle.

Guest Info:

Connect with Jenna on Instagram @jennadillulio or her website here. 

Resources Mentioned: 

The Path to Peace

Quiz: What Type of People Pleaser Are You? 

Podcast Disclaimer

Let’s face it, there are a lot of emotions to unpack when going through a divorce and they’re not usually easy to talk about. In today’s episode, I am grateful to talk to Olivia Howell as she opens up about her own personal story of divorce. Olivia is the co-founder of Fresh Starts Registry, created with the purpose of providing everything needed in one place to navigate life changes and begin again. 

This episode dives into: 

• The variety of emotions presents during a divorce. 

• The importance of a support system throughout the process of divorce. 

• The impact of an unhealthy marriage versus a healthy divorce on children’s mental health. 

• The shift of long-held cultural narratives about the meaning of marriage. 

Guest Info:

Connect with Olivia Howell on Instagram @freshstartsregistry or her website here. 

Resources Mentioned: 

The Path to Peace

Join my email list here!

Podcast Disclaimer

Let’s normalize feeling just “okay.” All of a sudden, we have an expectation that we need to be happy all of the time, and if we aren’t, we must be doing something wrong.  In today’s episode, I get to reset expectations around mental health with a fellow licensed mental health counselor and host of the podcast “Okayish”, Mary Ellen Dance. 

This episode dives into: 

• What self-care actually is and what it means.

• The false expectation that we should be happy all of the time.

• Managing negative or uncomfortable emotions.

• The unhelpful influence of social media on our perception of what mental health truly is. 

Guest Info:

Connect with Maryellen Dance on Instagram @okayishpodcast or on her website here. 

Resources Mentioned: 

The Path to Peace

Join my email list here!

Podcast Disclaimer

In this episode, I get to chat with a functional medicine practitioner and therapist, Jody Ellenor. She shares how she combines her training as a therapist, functional diagnostic nutrition practitioner, and yoga instructor to help women get to the root cause of anxiety and how she guides them through the journey of healing holistically.

This episode dives into: 

• The top hidden causes of anxiety.

• The difference between functional and conventional medicine.

• Functional lab tests can reveal imbalances that can cause anxiety. 

• Environmental factors can contribute to physical symptoms and anxiety.

Guest Info:

Connect with Jodie Ellenor on Instagram @healingjourney_services or on her website here. 

Resources Mentioned: 

7-Day Plan to Reduce Anxiety Without Medication 

Path to Peace Live Group Program 

Join my email list here!

Podcast Disclaimer

Do you ever feel like living a healthy lifestyle is an unattainable goal in the hustle and bustle of your life? In today’s episode, I sat down with Kathleen Healy-holistic health coach, the business owner, and mom. She shares the top five foods that you can use to help reduce feelings of anxiety and stress, along with easy and attainable ways to incorporate them into your daily routine.

This episode dives into: 

• The top five foods that you can use to help reduce feelings of anxiety. 

• Foods to avoid can increase stress and anxiety. 

• Habits to prioritize to keep stress levels down and keep your mental health grounded.

Guest Info:

Connect with Kathleen Healy on Instagram @Kathleenhealyhhc or on her website here. 

Resources Mentioned: 

Get 20% off your first order by using the code Justine20 at Bekome 

The Path to Peace

Podcast Disclaimer

In today’s episode, I got to sit down with Sonni Abatta, an award-winning TV journalist, host of the podcast We Gotta Talk, and mom of three. Sonni opens up about her experience with illness anxiety, what her common worries are, how they manifest in her life, and what is helping her manage these thoughts and feelings.

This episode dives into: 

• Defining illness anxiety disorder and how to manage it in your day-to-day life.

• How intergenerational trauma can affect younger generations and families.

• Differentiating healthy versus unhealthy coping skills.

• Finding a therapist that is compatible with your needs.

Guest Info:

Connect with Sonni Abatta on Instagram @SonniAbatta or her blog here. 

Resources Mentioned: 

Get 20% off your first order by using the code Justine20 at Bekome 

Path to Peace Live Group Program 

Join my email list here!

Podcast Disclaimer

After a little break, today’s show kicks off Season 2 of my podcast! As hard as it can be to slow down sometimes, breaks are a wonderful way to fuel excitement and creativity. In this episode, I will teach you over 17 ways to manage feelings of anxiety. You might not be able to change the way you feel, but you can change the way you cope with how you feel. 

This episode dives into: 

• Simple but effective strategies for managing feelings of anxiety.

• The relationship between sleep and emotional brain function.

• Social media affects our mental health and how to manage it.

Guest Info:

Connect with me on Instagram @_thoughtsfromthecouch_ or my website here. 

Get 20% off your first order by using the code Justine20 at Bekome 

Resources Mentioned: 

Path to Peace Live Group Program 

Join my email list here!

Podcast Disclaimer