The Verywell Mind Podcast

Melissa Bernstein creates all the toys for her company, Melissa & Doug. Melissa also has what she calls "existential" depression. She's discovered a lot of creative people experience this. Fortunately, she's also discovered some things that help her feel better. In this episode, she shares how to know if you have existential depression and the strategies that can help. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn about the first step to taming anxiety by determining if it's a real or false alarm. Explore how the fight or flight response affects anxiety and performance. Gain insights on recognizing false alarms in anxiety and managing it more effectively.

“It's so easy to say, ‘Oh, everything happens for a reason.’ But if you don't do the work to figure out the reason, then you're never going to see the purpose in that mistake.” When Craig Grossi was serving in Afghanistan, he befriended a stray dog named Fred. When his deployment was up, he decided to smuggle Fred into the United States with him.The two then took a cross country road trip and documented their adventures in Craig's first book, Craig and Fred.Now, Craig and Fred help train service dogs in the Maine State Prison. Craig started a writing group with some of the veterans who were in prison and he learned some valuable life lessons. Some of the things he talks about include friendship, forgiveness, and finding the courage to ask for help.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kids need mental strength just as much as adults, especially right now. So I'm thrilled that my first-ever mental strength book for kids has hit the shelves. It's called 13 Things Strong Kids Do. My book teaches kids how to build mental muscle so they can think big, feel good, and act brave.And while my book is written for kids, it’s important for the adults in their lives to reinforce the material. After all, kids often need a coach who is there with them in the moment. So when they’re tempted to give up or when they begin to doubt themselves, we can teach them how to apply the exercises to real-life situations.On today’s Friday Fix, I share the 13 Things Strong Kids Do and some strategies you can use to encourage your kids to develop these healthy habits now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mallory couldn’t control her circumstances. But she took control of her attitude.She chose to continue swimming competitively after becoming paralyzed from the waist down. And even though things were a lot different for her after her injury, she chose to keep striving to reach her greatest potential. Some of the things Mallory discusses include the messiness of grief, how to respond to people who try to define your limitations, and how to shift your own beliefs about your capabilities. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There may be several ways in which you give away your power without even realizing that you’re doing it. You might waste a lot of time thinking about someone you don’t like. This would mean you are giving that person power over your time.Or you might let someone treat you poorly. Perhaps you don’t dare speak up because you don’t want to seem rude—but then you still blame the other person for ruining your day. This means you are giving that person power over your life.Retaining your personal power requires you to take responsibility for the way you think, feel, and act. It’s about being proactive regarding how much time and energy you devote to the people and activities in your life.In today’s episode of The Verywell Mind Podcast, I’ll share a simple but powerful exercise that can help you take back your power so you feel more in control. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Even though Kendall shares a lot of inspirational and motivational messages with her followers, she’s open about her own struggles with mental health issues. She makes it clear that while her OCD and depression were treated, she doesn’t consider her journey with mental health over. She continues to make her mental health an ongoing priority in her life, and she shares the strategies that work for her.Some of the things Kendall shares are how to make your mental health a real priority in your life, a strategy that can help you take action when you don't feel like it, how to find the courage to ask for help when you need it, and much, much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Many well-intentioned people say things like, “Just picture how happy you’ll be when you land that job,” or “Imagine how great you’ll feel when you reach your weight goal!”On the surface, this type of advice seems to make sense. “Keep your eyes on the prize,” and you’ll stay motivated to get there.But visualizing yourself achieving the things you want isn’t actually a good idea. Not only might you waste your time, but studies show that putting something up on your "vision board" could reduce your chances of success. That’s not to say visualization can’t be a great tool. It can. But only if you use it the right way!Whether your goal is to run a 10K or you want to buy a house on the ocean, there are some visualization techniques that can help you make it happen.So on today’s Friday Fix, I share the research-backed strategies for visualization that can help you perform better so you can increase the chances that you’ll reach your goals. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Personal development coach and international bestselling author Mike Bayer figured out the secret for making decisions easy. He went from battling an addiction to opening to his own treatment center.He's written a book called One Decision. And on today's show, he shares how to live according to your values, how to discover your authentic self, the one decision everyone should make, and much, much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When you’re faced with a stressful situation, your brain might be quick to remind you of all the ways you’re not equipped to handle the challenge. Whether your bills are piling up or you’re worried about a loved one with a health issue, difficult experiences raise your stress levels. And the more stressed you feel, the less likely you are to cope with the situation in a healthy way.Fortunately, you can take steps to reduce your distress no matter how difficult the situation.On today’s Friday Fix, I share a quick science-backed strategy that can help you unleash your inner superhero. The truth is, you have an inner strength that you draw upon, and knowing how to dig deep when you need it the most can help you get through life’s toughest challenges.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices