The Verywell Mind Podcast

Kyle Guy is an NBA player who has battled anxiety both on and off the court. He's learned a lot about anxiety in the past few years, and now he's sharing how he is managing his symptoms.Some of the things he shares are the coping strategies that work when he feels anxious, how he stays focused on the things he can control, and the treatment he has found to be most helpful. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We all make mistakes. Some mistakes are thinking errors—like assuming the reason your friend didn’t respond to a text message is that they’re mad at you. Other mistakes are emotional—like allowing yourself to stay stuck in a really angry mood. But most of the mistakes we talk about are behavioral—like saying hurtful things or drinking too much.No matter which type of mistake you make, each misstep is an opportunity to learn a valuable life lesson. But before you can learn a life lesson, you have to be willing to face your mistake head-on in a self-compassionate way.In today’s episode of The Verywell Mind Podcast, I share how you can turn a mistake into a valuable life lesson. I discuss the three questions you should ask yourself when you make a mistake and the strategies that will ensure a mistake becomes an opportunity for growth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You likely know Nikki Sixx from the legendary rock band Mötley Crüe. He's the bassist and the primary songwriter. He’s also a member of the successful band Sixx:A.M.It's no secret that Nikki experienced years of addiction. But now he's sober, and he's talking about the adversity he faced as a child. In his new book, The First 21, he chronicles how he ultimately overcame his rough past. Some of the things he talks about in this episode are how he uses meditation, how therapy has helped him, and how journaling helps him understand himself better. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When you repeat a mistake, you might be tempted to draw inaccurate conclusions about yourself. You might think you lack willpower, or you might start to believe you’re incapable of change. Ultimately, your mistakes may cause you to stop trying to reach your goals.But sometimes a few simple changes to the way you respond to a mistake make a huge difference. Whether you keep eating more than you intend or you blow your budget every month, in this Friday Fix I share six strategies that can help you stop making the same mistakes over and over again. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kati Morton is a licensed marriage and family therapist who runs a private practice in Santa Monica, California.She’s well known for her YouTube channel which has attracted more than 1 million subscribers who tune in to hear her mental health tips. In this episode, we talk about her new book, Traumatized: Identify, Understand, and Cope with PTSD and Emotional Stress.Some of the things she shares are the different reactions people have toward traumatic circumstances, how childhood trauma can impact us, and the steps we can take to manage our symptoms if we’ve been traumatized. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When we’re faced with tough situations or unfair circumstances, our tendency is to fight against them. We think about all the reasons those things shouldn’t be happening, rather than accept them for what they are.Unfortunately, refusing to accept a situation creates a lot of unnecessary suffering. This is something I often see as a therapist. This is where radical acceptance comes into play. Research shows it's a great way to begin addressing a situation (and the emotions) head-on so you can move forward. In this Friday Fix, I share how radical acceptance works, what researchers have found about the benefits, and how to start practicing it in your own life.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Helen Russell is a journalist, author, and happiness researcher. She's written several books on happiness and why some people are happier than others. Her latest book, however, is called How to Be Sad. Through her research, she discovered that allowing ourselves to be sad could be the key to becoming happier.Some of the things she talks about in this episode are the benefits of happiness, the strategies we should stop using when we feel sad, and the coping skills that can help us embrace the sadness so we can ultimately grow happier. She also shares a simple strategy that could reduce your risk of depression by 30%. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

JoJo is a GRAMMY Award-Winning singer, songwriter, and actress. She chose to start talking about her mental health publicly a few years back. She revealed she has battled depression, and she shared that she attends therapy and takes antidepressants. While many people talk about their struggles with mental health once they feel better, JoJo makes it clear that managing her mental health is an ongoing process. Some of the things you'll hear on the show are how therapy has helped her, how she deals with self-doubt, how her view of mental strength has shifted over time, and why depression isn't a sign of weakness. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You’ve likely seen Matthew McConaughey in one of his movies, like Dazed and Confused, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, or A Time to Kill. He has a long list of accolades, including an Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in Dallas Buyers Club.He’s also the author of a hugely successful book called Greenlights. The book is a memoir that includes many of his old journal posts from years back. But it also includes information on how he manages setbacks and overcomes obstacles. In this episode, he talks about his book Greenlights. He also shares some of the stories from his life, the lessons he learned along the way, and the strategies he uses to fully embrace his life.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There are many undisputed benefits of being a positive, optimistic person. And if you aren’t naturally a positive person, you can learn to become one. Part of being a positive person might involve looking for the silver lining even in hardship. Perhaps you can even recognize times in your life when you were able to see how something good came out of something really bad.Like maybe a breakup allowed you to meet someone better. Or maybe a job loss helped you discover inner strength that you never even knew existed.You’ve likely also encountered people who encourage you to look on the bright side. Maybe your mom reminds you that, “Something better will come along,” when you don’t get hired. Or maybe your friend says, “Well, at least he’s in a better place,” when your dog dies. Should you listen to these attempts to remind you about the silver lining? Should you go looking for a silver lining when the benefits aren’t obvious? These are some of the questions I address on today’s Friday Fix.I reveal what the research says about looking on the bright side and how doing so might affect your mental health and your physical health. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices