When anxiety rises, your breathing changes — often before you even notice.

In this episode, Dr. Yadegarfard explores the fascinating science behind breath, oxygen, and the nervous system, showing how something as simple as slowing your breath can calm your mind and support long-term recovery.

You’ll discover why over-breathing can make anxiety worse, how oxygen and carbon dioxide balance affects your brain, and learn a set of gentle, evidence-based techniques — including the physiological sigh, box breathing, and 4-7-8 breathing — that you can start using today.

With guided, mindful breathing moments woven throughout, this episode helps you experience how each breath can reset your body and mind.

You’ll Learn

🫁 How breathing directly influences your nervous system and emotional state.

🧠 Why oxygen–carbon-dioxide balance matters for anxiety and focus.

💨 Practical breathing techniques: physiological sigh, box breathing, and 4-7-8 breathing.

💤 How slow breathing before bed can improve sleep and calm the mind.

🌿 Why conscious breathing enhances therapy, grounding, and emotional regulation.

Listen to the full podcast here:

🎧 Apple Podcasts

🎧 Spotify

🎧 Amazon Music

🎧 Podcast Index

🎧 RSS.com Community

Connect with Dr. Yadegarfard:

🌐 Website: https://www.psychologytoday.com/profile/812274

📸 Instagram: your_therapy_guide

🐦 X (Twitter): @UrTherapyGuide

Hashtags

#TherapyPodcast #BreathingExercises #AnxietyRelief #MindBodyConnection #CBT #MentalHealthRecovery #DrYadegarfard #YourTherapyGuide #Breathwork #EmotionalRegulation #OxygenAndCalm #HolisticHealing #PsychologyPodcast

Have you ever noticed how being overheated makes you irritable, or how a cool breeze instantly calms you? In this episode, Dr. Yadegarfard explores the fascinating science of body temperature and emotion regulation — and how simple temperature-based practices can directly support your mental-health recovery.

You’ll learn how your nervous system responds to temperature changes, why cooling or warming the body influences your emotions, and how you can use this mind-body connection to reduce anxiety, improve sleep, and aid recovery.

With short guided moments, this episode helps you experience the link between your physical state and emotional balance — a gentle, evidence-based foundation for holistic mental-health care.

You’ll Learn

🌡️ Why temperature and emotion are deeply connected through the nervous system. 🧠 How cooling the body can quickly activate calm during anxiety or stress. 😴 Why taking a warm shower about 90 minutes before bed supports better sleep. 💪 Simple, evidence-based ways to use warmth and cooling to stabilise mood and energy. 🪄 How physical regulation strengthens your ability to use therapy and CBT skills effectively.

Listen to the full podcast here:

🎧 Apple Podcasts 🎧 Spotify 🎧 Amazon Music 🎧 Podcast Index 🎧 RSS.com Community

Connect with Dr. Yadegarfard:

🌐 Website: https://www.psychologytoday.com/profile/812274 📸 Instagram: your_therapy_guide 🐦 X (Twitter): @UrTherapyGuide

Hashtags

#TherapyPodcast #MindBodyConnection #EmotionalRegulation #CBT #AnxietyRelief #MentalHealthRecovery #BodyTemperature #SleepScience #DrYadegarfard #YourTherapyGuide #HolisticHealing #PsychologyPodcast

Considering antidepressants or other medication for your mental health can feel overwhelming. In this episode, Dr. Yadegarfard breaks down what taking medication really means for your recovery — when it can help, how it works, and how to talk to your GP or psychiatrist about your options. You’ll learn how medication and therapy can work together, how to ask the right questions, and how to make informed, confident choices without stigma or fear.

You’ll learn:

• How antidepressants and other medications support emotional recovery.

• Common fears and myths about taking medication.

• When to consider medication and how to start the conversation with your GP.

• How medication and therapy work best together.

• Why taking medication is not weakness — it’s a step toward healing.

Listen to the full podcast here:

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Amazon Music

Podcast Index

RSS.com Community

—

Connect with Dr. Yadegarfard:

Website: https://www.psychologytoday.com/profile/812274

Instagram: Your_therapy_guide

X (Twitter): @UrTherapyguide

Hashtags:

#MentalHealthRecovery #Antidepressants #MedicationAndTherapy #TherapyPodcast #CBT #DepressionHelp #AnxietySupport #HolisticRecovery #YourTherapyGuide #DrYadegarfard #EmotionalHealing #PsychologicalWellbeing

Episode 21: Talking to Your GP About Mental Health — A Step-by-Step Guide

Description:

It can feel intimidating to talk to your GP about your mental health — but you don’t have to do it alone. In this episode, Dr. Yadegarfard explains why your GP is a key part of your mental health journey and walks you through how to prepare for the conversation, what to say, and what to expect. You’ll learn practical, evidence-based strategies to help you communicate clearly and confidently, plus examples of phrases you can use if you’re feeling anxious or unsure.

You’ll learn:

• How to prepare before talking to your GP about your mental health.
• What to say — with real example phrases you can use.
• How to describe symptoms honestly and clearly.
• What your GP can offer (referrals, medication, or monitoring).
• What to do if you don’t feel heard or need a second opinion.

Listen to the full podcast here:

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Amazon Music

Podcast Index

RSS.com Community

—

Connect with Dr. Yadegarfard:

Website: https://www.psychologytoday.com/profile/812274

Instagram: Your_therapy_guide

X (Twitter): @UrTherapyguide

Hashtags:

#MentalHealthAwareness #TalkToYourGP #TherapyPodcast #AnxietySupport #DepressionHelp #CBT #SelfAdvocacy #MentalHealthRecovery #TherapyTools #PsychologicalWellbeing #YourTherapyGuide #DrYadegarfard

Episode 20:

Nourish Your Mind — The Link Between Diet and Mental Health

:

Have you ever noticed how your mood changes after a meal—or when you skip one? In this episode, Dr. Yadegarfard explores the science behind the powerful connection between nutrition and mental health. You’ll learn how your gut and brain constantly communicate, why hydration and balanced blood sugar are crucial for emotional stability, and how certain nutrients fuel your brain’s capacity to heal. This episode bridges the gap between body and mind, showing that nourishing your physical health is an essential part of psychological recovery.

You’ll learn:

• How the Gut–Brain Axis connects what you eat to how you feel.
• Why hydration can instantly improve focus, energy, and mood.
• How blood sugar balance impacts anxiety, irritability, and fatigue.
• Which nutrients (like Omega-3s and B vitamins) support brain health.
• How small, sustainable diet changes can enhance your therapy progress.

Listen to the full podcast here:

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Amazon Music

Podcast Index

RSS.com Community

—

Connect with Dr. Yadegarfard:

Website: https://www.psychologytoday.com/profile/812274

Instagram: Your_therapy_guide

X (Twitter): @UrTherapyguide

Hashtags:

#NutritionAndMentalHealth #GutBrainConnection #FoodAndMood #TherapyPodcast #MentalHealthRecovery #CBT #HolisticHealth #AnxietyRelief #DepressionSupport #HealthyMindHealthyBody #PsychologicalWellbeing #DrYadegarfard #YourTherapyGuide

Have you ever struggled to stop procrastinating or avoiding stressful situations? Dr. Yadegarfard breaks down the two most fundamental human responses to stress: Avoidance and Exposure. This episode explains how avoidance offers a tempting short-term fix but acts as a long-term trap. It grounds the discussion in the Fight, Flight, or Freeze mechanism, emphasizing that these automatic responses are neither good nor bad. Crucially, you'll learn that the goal of therapy is to gain conscious control to choose a flexible, healthy strategy—whether that's deliberate exposure or conscious avoidance (like using a grounding technique).

You'll learn:

• How your body's natural Fight, Flight, or Freeze system leads to avoidance.
• Why avoidance feels good in the short-term but makes anxiety worse in the long-term.
• The principle of Exposure and how to use a gradual approach to face your fears.
• Why the goal of therapy is flexible coping—sometimes that means exposure, and sometimes it means conscious avoidance.

Listen to the full podcast here: Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Music Podcast Index RSS.com Community

— Connect with Dr. Yadegarfard:

Website: https://www.psychologytoday.com/profile/812274

Instagram: Your_therapy_guide

X (Twitter): @UrTherapyguide

Hashtags: #Avoidance #ExposureTherapy #FightFlightFreeze #CopingStrategies #AnxietyRelief #TherapyPodcast #CBT #MentalHealth #PsychologicalSkills #DrYadegarfard #Procrastination #EmotionalRegulation

How do you prove your therapy is working when progress feels slow? Dr. Yadegarfard addresses this common question by introducing evidence-based ways to evaluate your improvement. Learn how the CBT model and structured measurement provide clear, undeniable proof of change. She breaks down the four key areas where you can track progress and explains how therapists use standardized tools like PHQ-9 and GAD-7 to ensure your treatment is effective.

You'll learn:

• Why progress is a gradual trend, not a sudden fix.
• How to evaluate change in the four key CBT areas: Behavior, Cognition, Emotion, and Relationships.
• The difference between self-reporting (e.g., rating anxiety 0-10) and standardized measures (PHQ-9, GAD-7).
• Why evidence-based measurement is critical for successful, goal-oriented therapy.

Listen to the full podcast here: Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Music Podcast Index RSS.com Community

— Connect with Dr. Yadegarfard:

Website: https://www.psychologytoday.com/profile/812274

Instagram: Your_therapy_guide

X (Twitter): @UrTherapyguide

Hashtags: #TherapyProgress #MeasuringProgress #CBT #EvidenceBasedTherapy #MentalHealthMetrics #PHQ9 #GAD7 #TherapyPodcast #CognitiveBehavioralTherapy #SelfEvaluation #DrYadegarfard #MentalHealthAwareness #ProgressTracking

You know goals are important for therapy, but how do you actually set them? Dr. Yadegarfard breaks down the powerful SMART framework and shows you how to apply this strategic tool to your mental health journey. Stop relying on vague hopes like "I want to be happier" and learn how to create a clear, actionable, and measurable roadmap for change. This episode is essential for maximizing your progress in therapy.

You'll learn:

• How to turn a vague goal (e.g., "be less stressed") into a clear, measurable plan.
• What each letter of the SMART acronym (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) means for your well-being.
• Why setting achievable goals is a key strategy for maintaining motivation.
• The difference between a short-term goal and a long-term goal in a therapeutic context.

Listen to the full podcast here: Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Music Podcast Index RSS.com Community

— Connect with Dr. Yadegarfard:

Website: https://www.psychologytoday.com/profile/812274

Instagram: Your_therapy_guide

X (Twitter): @UrTherapyguide

Hashtags: #SMARTGoals #TherapyGoals #GoalSetting #MentalHealthStrategy #CBT #CognitiveBehavioralTherapy #TherapyPodcast #PersonalDevelopment #SelfImprovement #DrYadegarfard #TimeManagement #GoalSettingTips

Have you ever struggled to remember a single positive thing that happened on a bad day? Dr. Yadegarfard dives into one of the most powerful cognitive traps: Memory Bias. This bias causes your brain to selectively remember negative events, fueling anxiety and depression, and even causing you to forget the valuable insights and homework from your therapy sessions. Learn how to actively retrain your brain to create a balanced, evidence-based view of your life.

You'll learn:

• What a cognitive bias and memory bias are.
• How your brain's "forgetting" leads to black-and-white thinking and negative self-talk.
• Why you sometimes forget what you learn in therapy sessions.
• Practical tools to actively train your memory to notice and record the positive (e.g., creating an evidence file).

Listen to the full podcast here: Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Music Podcast Index RSS.com Community

— Connect with Dr. Yadegarfard:

Website: https://www.psychologytoday.com/profile/812274

Instagram: Your_therapy_guide

X (Twitter): @UrTherapyguide

Hashtags: #MemoryBias #CognitiveBias #CBT #TherapyTools #MentalHealth #OvercomingAnxiety #DepressionHelp #TherapyPodcast #SelfHelp #DrYadegarfard #BrainTraining #PositivePsychology #CopingSkills

Thinking about going to therapy but feeling nervous? This episode is for you. Dr. Yadegarfard walks you through what to expect in the first therapy session, addressing common fears and reassuring listeners that taking this step is a sign of immense strength. Learn why the first session isn't a race, how to know if a therapist is a good fit, and what essential topics will be covered. This guide helps you feel prepared and empowered to begin your therapy journey.

You'll learn:

• What to expect in the very first therapy session.
• Why it's completely normal to feel nervous or not know what to say.
• How to know if a therapist is a good "fit" for you.
• The essential topics a therapist will cover in the first meeting.