The Dr. Leaf Show

In this podcast I chat with award-winning mental health journalist Lacey Johnson, on how to understand and harness the power of our minds and thinking to find true self-acceptance in an era defined by social media and narcissism. Lacey also shares some great tips on how to spot a narcissist, and how to deal with narcissistic people and parents.Read the show blog hereFor more info on Lacey visit her website hereArticles discussed in this episode:https://www.popsugar.com/fitness/Q-Gen-Z-Social-Media-Mental-Health-46077919https://www.oprahmag.com/life/relationships-love/a31189989/what-is-a-narcissist/Special offers from this week's sponsors:BiOptimizers (my favorite supplement company): get a free bottle of my favorite digestive enzymes MassZymes hereThrive Market (the best grocery delivery service!): try Thrive Market  and become a member risk-free! Join today and you’ll get up to $20 in shopping credit toward your first order. Sign up herePodcast Highlights2:18 Why Lacey is passionate about the optimization of self and how we connect with others4:08 Mental health and the pandemic10:03 People do not realize how much power they have over their minds13:24 The challenge of being a journalist in today’s world20:20 Depression, anxiety and social media27:11 How can we get the best out of social media?32:00 How Lacey faced her own abandonment issues and changed her thinking43:51 Why is the topic of narcissism so hot right now?-Sign up to join my free text program and receive mental health care tips and strategies, exclusive offers and more! Just text DRLEAF to 1 (833) 285 3747 (*Only available for U.S numbers at this time)-Get my new brain detox app SWITCH on sale now! Get 50% off a 3 month subscription. Just look for Switch on Your Brain in the App Store or Google Play or visit: https://theswitch.app-Visit my website at https://drleaf.com for more free resources. Follow me on social media for daily mental self-care tips!-Instagram: @drcarolineleaf-Facebook: Dr. Caroline Leaf-Twitter: @drcarolineleaf-YoutubeIf you enjoyed this episode please leave a 5 review on iTunes, Google Play, or wherever you are listening! And don't forget to subscribe and share this podcast with friends and family! I love seeing your posts on social media! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sign up to join my free text program and receive mental health care tips and strategies, exclusive offers and more! Just text DRLEAF to 1 (833) 285 3747 (*Only available for U.S numbers at this time)   The word “sensitive” has both positive and negative connotations in our society, from statements like “he’s such a sensitive person” to phrases like “don’t be so sensitive!”. Yet the nature of human sensitivity is often misunderstood, especially when it comes to recognizing and dealing with highly sensitive people.  As I discuss in this podcast with psychologist and best-selling author Dr. Elaine Aron, a significant percentage of the population (regardless of gender, race or nationality) are highly sensitive individuals, although many of them don’t know they are highly sensitive, or what that means for the way they interact with others, express their emotions, deal with disapproval or parent their children. In this podcast Dr. Elaine shares some great tips and techniques for those who identify as highly sensitive, tips for highly sensitive parents, what NOT to say to someone who is highly sensitive, the benefits of being highly sensitive, and so much more!Read the full show blog and transcript here: https://drleaf.com/blogs/news/tips-amp-techniques-for-highly-sensitive-people-and-parents-what-not-to-say-to-a-highly-sensitive-person-and-the-benefits-of-being-highly-sensitive-with-dr-elaine-aron  For more info on Dr. Elaine and to get her books visit:https://hsperson.com/about-dr-elaine-aron/    Special offers from this week's sponsors:  -Feals CBD (the best CBD out there!): To get 50% off your Feals CBD order and free shipping see https://feals.com/drleaf. Have questions about CBD? Feals also has a free hotline and text message support to help guide your personal experience!  -KiwiCo (the best way to keep your children busy): Get YOUR FIRST MONTH FREE on select crates at https://kiwico.com/drleaf    Podcast Highlights2:49 How Dr. Elaine coined the term “highly sensitive person”5:00 Why highly sensitive people are not just introverts6:18 What does the term highly sensitive mean?10:28 The word “sensitive” has both positive and negative connotations14:00 Raising sensitive boys16:08 How to manage your sensitivity31:40 Parenting as a highly sensitive person48:10 Getting over the ideal of the perfect person55:00 Why you need to find a therapist that works for youAdditional resources:  -Get my new brain detox app SWITCH on sale now! Get 50% off a 3 month subscription. Just look for Switch on Your Brain in the App Store or Google Play or visit: https://theswitch.app    -Visit my website at https://drleaf.com for more free resources, tips, and tools to help you improve and heal your mental health! And be sure to sign up for my weekly newsletter to get even more mental self-care tips delivered to your inbox weekly and to see my upcoming events (you can sign up at drleaf.com!)       Follow me on social media for daily mental self-care tips!  -Instagram: @drcarolineleaf: https://www.instagram.com/drcarolineleaf/  -Facebook: Dr. Caroline Leaf: https://www.facebook.com/drleaf  -Twitter: @drcarolineleaf: https://twitter.com/DrCarolineLeaf     If you enjoyed this episode please leave a 5 review on iTunes, Google Play, or wherever you are listening! And don't forget to subscribe and share this podcast with friends and family! I love seeing your posts on social media! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this podcast, I talk to professor of psychology, licensed practitioner, international speaker, consultant and best-selling author Dr. Ramani Durvasula about the many facets of narcissism, how it damages relationships and leads to abuse, how the culture of narcissism and entitlement is making the pandemic worse, and why we are so fascinated by stories of narcissists and psychopaths. We also discuss what to do if you find yourself in a relationship with a narcissist AND how to help your children NOT become narcissistic. Special offers from this week's sponsor: -BLUblox (the best glasses to reduce your exposure to harmful blue and green light): To get 15% off your BLUblox glasses use the code LEAF15 at checkout: https://BLUblox.com  For more info on Dr. Ramani and to get her books visit: http://doctor-ramani.com  Follow her on social media: Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube: @DoctorRamaniRead the show blog & transcript herePodcast Highlights 2:50 How Dr. Ramani went from health and wellness to dealing with narcissism  4:38 High-conflict, antagonist personalities and narcissism   5:36 What is narcissism?  8:38 The culture of entitlement and narcissism in our world today 13:05 Entitlement, Narcissism and COVID-19 20:51 How collectivism can enable narcissism  23:50 The two most important tasks of a parent or guardian 27:00 How narcissism and entitlement can out the brain and body into toxic stress and cause brain damage  29:14 The definition of narcissism 32:20 How to deal with a narcissistic person  45:00 Cognitive dissonance and narcissism  46:00 Trauma-bonding  55:00 What causes narcissism? 59:22 Dirty John, psychopaths and narcissism  Additional resources:  -Sign up to join my free text program and receive mental health care tips and strategies, exclusive offers and more! Just text DRLEAF to 1 (833) 285 3747 (*Only available for U.S numbers at this time) -Get my new brain detox app SWITCH on sale now! Get 50% off a 3 month subscription. Just look for Switch on Your Brain in the App Store or Google Play or visit: https://theswitch.app -Visit my website at https://drleaf.com for more free resources, tips, and tools to help you improve and heal your mental health! And be sure to sign up for my weekly newsletter to get even more mental self-care tips delivered to your inbox weekly and to see my upcoming events (you can sign up at drleaf.com!) Follow me on social media for daily mental self-care tips!  -Instagram: @drcarolineleaf: https://www.instagram.com/drcarolineleaf/  -Facebook: Dr. Caroline Leaf: https://www.facebook.com/drleaf  -Twitter: @drcarolineleaf: https://twitter.com/DrCarolineLeaf  -Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/drcarolineleaf     If you enjoyed this episode please leave a 5 review on iTunes, Google Play, or wherever you are listening! And don't forget to subscribe and share this podcast with friends and family! I love seeing your posts on social media! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Register for my 2020 Virtual Mental Health Solutions Summit here:https://www.drleafconference.com  **Early bird tickets end October 15Sign up to join my free text program and receive mental health care tips and strategies, exclusive offers and more! Just text DRLEAF to 1 (833) 285 3747 (*Only available for U.S numbers at this time)For many of us, trauma is something “big”: a car accident, the loss of a loved one, a disturbing event or tragic series of events. However, did you know that trauma can also be less obvious and more pervasive, affecting how we function on a day-to-day basis? In this podcast, I speak to holistic psychologist Nicole LaPera about the difference between primary and secondary trauma, the power of holistic mental wellness, how to heal childhood trauma, compassion fatigue and more!  **Special offers from our sponsors: -Ritual (my favorite multivitamins): To get 10% off your first three months of Ritual multivitamins see: ritual/drleaf -Blinkist (my favorite reading app): To get your free week on Blinkist AND 25% off your subscription see: https://www.blinkist.com/nc/partners/cleaning-up-the-mental-mess Podcast Highlights 11:04 What is the difference between primary and secondary trauma? 18:20 Childhood trauma and secondary trauma 25:11 How can parents can help their children deal with trauma 29:22 What is compassion fatigue? Show blog: https://drleaf.com/blogs/news/healing-childhood-trauma-signs-of-secondary-trauma-how-to-manage-compassion-fatigue-with-dr-nicole-lepera For more info on Dr. Nicole visit: yourholisticpsychologist.com   Dr. Nicole's instagram: @the.holistic.psychologist Additional resources: -Get my new brain detox app SWITCH on sale now! Get 50% off a 3 month subscription. Just look for Switch on Your Brain in the App Store or Google Play or visit: https://theswitch.app -Instagram: @drcarolineleaf -Facebook: Dr. Caroline Leaf -Twitter: @drcarolineleaf  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode I interview Dr. Nicole Cammack and Dr. Danielle Busby from Black Mental Wellness Corp. on Black mental health, generational trauma, how allies can support people of color, why cultural competency is vital in therapy, stigmas in the black mental health community, how Black people can begin to find healing, mental health resources for black and indigenous people of color, and so much more.Black Mental Wellness Corp is an organization dedicated to providing evidence based information and resources about Mental health and behavioral health topics from a Black perspective, to highlight and increase the diversity of mental health professionals, and to decrease the mental health stigma in the Black community.Additional reading: Huffpost articleSpecial offers form our sponsors:-Sunlighten Saunas (the best infrared saunas): To get $100 off your purchase + up to $500 off shipping of your Sunlighten infrared sauna mention Dr. Caroline Leaf here-BiOptimizers (my favorite supplement company): Magnesium Breakthrough Supplement: Get 10% off from the normal package price with coupon code DRLEAF10 hereAdditional resources:-Sign up to join my free text program and receive mental health care tips and strategies, exclusive offers and more! Just text DRLEAF to 1 (833) 285 3747 (*Only available for U.S numbers at this time)-Get my new brain detox app SWITCH on sale now! Get 50% off a 3 month subscription. Just look for Switch on Your Brain in the App Store or Google Play or visit: https://theswitch.appVisit my website at https://drleaf.com for more free resources, tips, and tools to help you improve and heal your mental health! And be sure to sign up for my weekly newsletter to get even more mental self-care tips delivered to your inbox weekly and to see my upcoming events (you can sign up at drleaf.com!)Follow me on social media for daily mental self-care tips!-Instagram: @drcarolineleaf-Facebook: Dr. Caroline Leaf-Twitter: @drcarolineleaf-YoutubeIf you enjoyed this episode please leave a 5 review on iTunes, Google Play, or wherever you are listening! And don't forget to subscribe and share this podcast with friends and family! I love seeing your posts on social media!A Few Podcast Highlights5:11 About The Black Mental Wellness Corporation8:54 How people are starting to talk about mental health more openly in the Black community, and why there is reason to hope that things are changing. The more we normalize these conversations, the more we break the stigma surrounding mental health issues.10:32 Why we all need to have more discussions and get more comfortable talking about mental health issues, and why it is important that these conversations are inclusive, equitable and diverse.11:12, 59:00 Why in the past people of color have just been expected to “cope” with their trauma, and why there is a lot of mistrust in the Black community when it comes to our current healthcare system.32:20 How white people can be better allies Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Special offer from our sponsors:  -Sunlighten Saunas (the best infrared saunas): To get $100 off your purchase + up to $500 off shipping of your Sunlighten infrared sauna mention Dr. Caroline Leaf here: https://www.sunlighten.com/dr-caroline-leaf/?leadsource=drcarolineleaf&utm_source=DrCarolineLeaf&utm_medium=Partner&utm_content=Podcast&utm_campaign=DrCarolineLeaf  -BiOptimizers (my favorite supplement company): Magnesium Breakthrough Supplement: Get 10% off from the normal package price with coupon code DRLEAF10: https://magbreakthrough.com/leafThere is a lot of talk these day about the expectations we place on all sexes, and how this can impact our mental and physical wellbeing. Thankfully, we can break free of these expectations and learn to find our own identity and way in life—we don’t have to be who the world says we should be! In this podcast, in honor of Father’s Day and Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month, I spoke to therapist and bestselling author John Kim about men’s mental wellbeing, the stigma associated with men’s mental health, how to break the cycle of toxic masculinity, how fathers can improve their relationships with their sons, how to be better parents and the power of knowing who you are as a man in today’s world.Podcast Highlights 1:53 Why John is a therapist who went rogue 6:38 How John went from being miserable to finding joy in life 9:08 Why help is never just one-sided 9:32 What is toxic masculinity? 12:46 Why is men’s emotional wellbeing important? 14:57 How John overcame his own toxic masculinity 20:00 How do we break generational patterns? 23:59 The power of facing your own resistance 25:40 Tips for parents 29:40 Breaking the toxic masculinity cycle 36:50 Advice for fathers who have sons 38:26 How to grow as a person   Read the podcast blog and transcript here:  https://drleaf.com/blogs/news/overcoming-toxic-masculinity-the-stigma-around-men-s-mental-health-advice-on-how-to-raise-emotionally-resilient-sons-vital-relationship-advice-for-men-with-therapist-john-kimFor more info on John and. to get his books visit: www.theangrytherapist.com   And follow him on instagram here: @theangrytherapist   Additional resources:-Sign up to join my free text program and receive mental health care tips and strategies, exclusive offers and more! Just text DRLEAF to 1 (833) 285 3747 (*Only available for U.S numbers at this time) -Get my new brain detox app SWITCH on sale now! Get 50% off a 3 month subscription. Just look for Switch on Your Brain in the App Store or Google Play or visit: https://theswitch.app  Visit my website at https://drleaf.com for more free resources, tips, and tools to help you improve and heal your mental health! And be sure to sign up for my weekly newsletter to get even more mental self-care tips delivered to your inbox weekly and to see my upcoming events (you can sign up at drleaf.com!)     Follow me on social media for daily mental self-care tips! -Instagram: @drcarolineleaf: https://www.instagram.com/drcarolineleaf/ -Facebook: Dr. Caroline Leaf: https://www.facebook.com/drleaf -Twitter: @drcarolineleaf: https://twitter.com/DrCarolineLeaf -Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/drcarolineleaf   If you enjoyed this episode please leave a 5 review on iTunes, Google Play, or wherever you are listening! And don't forget to subscribe and share this podcast with friends and family! I love seeing your posts on social media!  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We all know those people that are always on the go: they never seem to rest, they are always busy doing something and they seem to accomplish so much. Perhaps you are one of those people! But did you know that this could also be a sign of high-functioning anxiety? In this podcast, I speak to therapist and licensed counselor Nancy Jane Smith about the signs and symptoms of high-functioning anxiety and how to overcome it, as well as how to deal with perfectionism, people-pleasing and avoid burnout. High functioning anxiety is a form of anxiety that you won’t get diagnosed with, but it is similar to generalized anxiety, and also involves gastro symptoms, headaches, panic attacks, racing thoughts and so on. It is essentially a way of coping that pushes you harder and faster, which often leads to perfectionism, people-pleasing and burnout. On the outside everything may look great, but, on the inside, everything is falling apart, which is why high functioning anxiety is so hard to recognize. In fact, a lot of people aren’t aware that you don’t have to live with this kind of “hustle, hustle, hustle” mentality this because they do not share how they feel with the people in their lives.  Special offer from this week's sponsor: -Thrive Market: Try Thrive Market today and become a member risk-free! Go to https://thrivemarket.com/drleaf. Join today and you’ll get up to $20 in shopping credit toward your first order!   Podcast Highlights2:24 How Nancy’s dad felt like a failure, and how his inner critic affected his final moments4:30 Why some people are driven by their inner critic, and how it leads to high functioning anxiety7:36 How do you recognize high-functioning anxiety?10:42 Perfectionism and high-functioning anxiety12:22 How is high-functioning anxiety different to generalized anxiety?14:14 Our different inner voices: who are you listening to?18:56 Tips to deal with our inner critic25:40 How positive thinking can exacerbate high-functioning anxiety36:00 How to speak to a friend or loved one with high-functioning anxietyRead the episode blog and transcript here:  https://drleaf.com/blogs/news/high-functioning-anxiety-signs-symptoms-and-solutions-how-to-silence-your-inner-critic-overcome-perfectionism-and-people-pleasing-and-avoid-burnout-with-therapist-nancy-jane-smithFor more info on Nancy and to get her book or sign up for her coaching program visit: https://live-happier.com/about/    Additional Resources:  -Sign up to join my free text program and receive mental health care tips and strategies, exclusive offers and more! Just text DRLEAF to 1 (833) 285 3747 (*Only available for U.S numbers at this time)  -Get my new brain detox app SWITCH on sale now! Get 50% off a 3 month subscription. Just look for Switch on Your Brain in the App Store or Google Play or visit: https://theswitch.app  Follow me on social media for daily mental self-care tips! -Instagram: @drcarolineleaf: https://www.instagram.com/drcarolineleaf/ -Facebook: Dr. Caroline Leaf: https://www.facebook.com/drleaf -Twitter: @drcarolineleaf: https://twitter.com/DrCarolineLeaf -Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/drcarolineleaf   If you enjoyed this episode please leave a 5 review on iTunes, Google Play, or wherever you are listening! And don't forget to subscribe and share this podcast with friends and family! I love seeing your posts on social media!  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Difficult & challenging conversations are one of the best ways to use our minds and brains, develop stress resilience, increase creativity and problem solving, and prevent neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimers. But they are not easy. In this episode I chat with Coach Yeamah on how to have these difficult conversations, why they are vital, and how these conversations can improve mental & physical health if done correctly.   Special offers from our sponsors:  -BetterHelp (the best online counseling app): To get 10% offBetterHelp counseling during your first month see: https://trybetterhelp.com/drleaf   -BLUblox (the best glasses to reduce your exposure to harmful blue and green light): To get 15% off your BLUblox glasses use the code LEAF15 at checkout: https://BLUblox.com    Podcast Highlights 2:28 How Coach Yeamah went from being afraid to go out her home to living with purpose 4:47 Why we should celebrate our differences, and focus our attention on what we need to change now 5:27 Why yes, all lives do matter, and why we are focusing on the terrible treatment of the black lives and how we can make a difference  6:20, 49:00 How the church has failed to celebrate our differences 7:00, 15:50 Why education is the foundation of anti-racism work  7:23 Why conformity in the church is not helpful  10:16 Why denying our differences creates cognitive dissonance in the brain  11:00 How we can celebrate the beauty of difference 13:05 Why relationship and representation is important  14:51 How we are all unique representations of God’s love 16:00 Why identity is integral to mental health  20:00 How to deconstruct our toxic beliefs about ourselves 25:33 How to face and process our “triggers” 26:50 Why you should educate yourself before you have tough conversations 28:10 Why we should not try control the people we are talking to  30:00 Why we all have willfully ignorance, and why we all need to acknowledge our prejudices and do the work of educating ourselves  31:47 Why being open-minded and learning is so important for our mental and brain health 32:11 How to have difficult conversations, and how to listen and respond in love 39:00 Why it will take time and hard work to eradicate racist mentalities from our society  45:33 How to talk to your family and church about race 53:20 Our differences are divine reflections of God 57:50 Why we need to stop making the bible an idol and demonizing difference  1:08:55 How spirituality and sexuality are related 1:12:00 At our most fundamental level we are waves of love   For more info on Coach Yeamah:  Website: www.yeamah.com Read the podcast blog here: https://drleaf.com/blogs/news/how-challenging-conversations-and-an-open-mindset-boost-mental-brain-health-tips-on-how-to-have-difficult-conversations-correctly-and-effectively Additional resources:  -Sign up to join my free text program and receive mental health care tips and strategies, exclusive offers and more! Just text DRLEAF to 1 (833) 285 3747 (*Only available for U.S numbers at this time)-Visit my website at https://drleaf.com for more free resources, tips, and tools to help you improve and heal your mental health! And be sure to sign up for my weekly newsletter to get even more mental self-care tips delivered to your inbox weekly and to see my upcoming events (you can sign up at drleaf.com!) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sign up to join my free text program and receive mental health care tips and strategies, exclusive offers and more! Just text DRLEAF to 1 (833) 285 3747 (*Only available for U.S numbers at this time)  The world is in mourning. We have lost friends, family, jobs, finances and our sense of normality to COVID-19. We are coming face to face with the pervasive effects of systematic racism in our society, and its terrible human toll. 2020 has not been “our year”...or perhaps it has, but just not in the way we expected it?  In this episode I spoke to grief expert and therapist Claire Bidwell Smith about how grief is a process that helps us face and deal with loss, how this will look different for everyone, how unresolved grief can cause anxiety and affect our mental health, how to help our children deal with grief and loss, and how grief is a normal part of life and integral to the healing process. We also discus how to deal with the loss of a job, a routine, financial security and more!Special offers from our sponsors:  Blinkist (my favorite reading app): To get your free week on Blinkist AND 25% off your subscription see: https://www.blinkist.com/nc/partners/cleaning-up-the-mental-mess  NOOM (the best healthy habit company): For your NOOM special offer see: https://noom.com/drleaf   Podcast Highlights 2:13 How losing her parents to cancer motivated Claire to help others deal with grief 7:00 What is grief, and is it a progression? 9:30 Why even kids experience grief, and how to help your children deal with grief 13:15 What advice should you give to a loved one who is grieving, and how do you deal with grieving in isolation? 16:10 Grief and anxiety: how are they related? 20:15, 44:31 How anxiety is inextricably linked to grief, and how to deal with both 40:00 How do you deal with the guilt that often comes with remarriage? 47:00 How do we deal with the COVID-19 transition period?48:33 What is Claire struggling with right now, and how is she dealing with the COVID-19 crisis?   For more info on Claire and to get her book visit: https://clairebidwellsmith.com  Read the full blog and show notes here:   https://drleaf.com/blogs/news/how-to-deal-with-loss-grief-how-unresolved-grief-could-be-causing-anxiety-problems-tips-on-how-to-help-your-children-deal-with-loss-grief-with-grief-expert-therapist-claire-bidwell-smith     Additional Resources:  -Get my new brain detox app SWITCH on sale now! Get 50% off a 3 month subscription. Just look for Switch on Your Brain in the App Store or Google Play or visit: https://theswitch.app  -Get any of my books, DVDs, and workbooks for less 25% with code DRLEAF at checkout: https://drleaf.com/collections/all  Visit my website at https://drleaf.com for more free resources, tips, and tools to help you improve and heal your mental health! And be sure to sign up for my weekly newsletter to get even more mental self-care tips delivered to your inbox weekly and to see my upcoming events (you can sign up at drleaf.com!)     Follow me on social media for daily mental self-care tips! -Instagram: @drcarolineleaf: https://www.instagram.com/drcarolineleaf/ -Facebook: Dr. Caroline Leaf: https://www.facebook.com/drleaf -Twitter: @drcarolineleaf: https://twitter.com/DrCarolineLeaf -Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/drcarolineleaf   If you enjoyed this episode please leave a 5 review on iTunes, Google Play, or wherever you are listening! And don't forget to subscribe and share this podcast with friends and family! I love seeing your posts on social media! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.