Mentally Stronger with Therapist Amy Morin

What if I said putting one positive thing in your calendar every week was more effective at combating depression than an anti-depressant? Or what if I said scheduling an activity that gives your life meaning could help you end an addiction?Studies show that a few simple behavior changes can be a powerful way to shift your mood and improve your life. And the best news is, you don't have to do grueling exercises or even difficult challenges to reap the rewards. In fact, scheduling one fun activity every week could be all it takes to change your life. Here's how behavioral activation helps you grow mentally stronger, why it's so effective, and the ingredients you need to include to make it a success.Sign up for Mentally Stronger Premium - Ask Amy questions, get exclusive bonus episodes, and access to the Mentally Stronger private community.Follow Amy on Instagram - @AmyMorinAuthorCheck out Amy's website - AmyMorinLCSW.comPick up a copy of 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't DoLeave us a rating or review, and send the screenshot to podcast@amymorinlcsw.com. We'll reply with your free all-access pass to my course, "10 Mental Strength Exercises That Will Help You Reach Your Greatest Potential." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you have someone in your life who loves chaos? If you're honest, are there times when you stir things up to create a little drama too? Dr. Scott Lyons is a psychologist and the author of a new book called Addicted to Drama. Some of the things he talks about today are why some people thrive on chaos, how to deal with a dramatic person, and the exact steps you can take to stop the drama addiction.Sign up for Mentally Stronger Premium - Ask Amy questions, get exclusive bonus episodes, and access to the Mentally Stronger private community.Pick up a copy of Addicted to DramaTake the drama quizFollow Dr. Lyons on Instagram - @DrScottLyonsFollow Amy on Instagram - @AmyMorinAuthorCheck out Amy's website - AmyMorinLCSW.comPick up a copy of 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't DoLeave us a rating or review, and send the screenshot to podcast@amymorinlcsw.com. We'll reply with your free all-access pass to my course, "10 Mental Strength Exercises That Will Help You Reach Your Greatest Potential." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Overthinking can directly lead to mental health issues. Overthinking the past is linked to depression. Overthinking the future is linked to anxiety. It's also associated with poor problem-solving and difficulty sleeping.But we all overthink things sometimes — both small decisions and big problems. Fortunately, these strategies that can help when we're caught up into thinking too much.Sign up for Mentally Stronger Premium - Ask Amy questions, get exclusive bonus episodes, and access to the Mentally Stronger private community.Follow Amy on Instagram - @AmyMorinAuthorCheck out Amy's website - AmyMorinLCSW.comPick up a copy of 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't DoLeave us a rating or review, and send the screenshot to podcast@amymorinlcsw.com. We'll reply with your free all-access pass to my course, "10 Mental Strength Exercises That Will Help You Reach Your Greatest Potential." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most of us spend a lot of time thinking about what happened in the past — not what we want the future to be like. Consequently, we often let our past selves limit what we can do in the future.But best-selling author and organizational psychologist Benjamin Hardy says looking at our future selves is key to creating and crushing giant goals. Some of the things he talks about today are why we're more likely to hit goals that are 10 times bigger, how we find creative ways to reach our goals, and the steps we can take to increase our chances of success.Buy Dr. Hardy's Book - 10X is Easier Than 2XVisit his website - BenjaminHardy.comSign up for Mentally Stronger Premium - Ask Amy questions, get exclusive bonus episodes, and access to the Mentally Stronger private community.Follow Amy on Instagram - @AmyMorinAuthorCheck out Amy's website - AmyMorinLCSW.comPick up a copy of 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't DoLeave us a rating or review, and send the screenshot to podcast@amymorinlcsw.com. We'll reply with your free all-access pass to my course, "10 Mental Strength Exercises That Will Help You Reach Your Greatest Potential." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Whether you're feeling emotionally drained from a job you don't like or tired of trying to help someone who won't change, everyone sometimes feels emotionally exhausted.But people rarely talk about their emotional exhaustion or what to do about it. Fortunately, several strategies can restore your energy and help you feel prepared for whatever challenges life throws your way.Sign up for Mentally Stronger Premium - Ask Amy questions, get exclusive bonus episodes, and access to the Mentally Stronger private community.Follow Amy on Instagram - @AmyMorinAuthorCheck out Amy's website - AmyMorinLCSW.comPick up a copy of 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't DoLeave us a rating or review, and send the screenshot to podcast@amymorinlcsw.com. We'll reply with your free all-access pass to my course, "10 Mental Strength Exercises That Will Help You Reach Your Greatest Potential." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Did you know that eating salami can cause depression, boosting your Vitamin D intake can reduce your anxiety, and eating blueberries could help you cope with PTSD?While we all know nutrition plays a huge role in our physical health, it also directly impacts our mental health.Dr. Uma Naidoo is a Harvard-trained psychiatrist, professional chef, and trained Nutrition Specialist. She's also the author of a best-selling book called This Is Your Brain on Food.Some of the things she talks about today are the biggest nutritional threats to our mental health, the foods we should be incorporating into our diets to combat stress and mental illness, and the small changes to our diet that can make the biggest difference to our brain health.Sign up for Mentally Stronger Premium - Ask Amy questions, get exclusive bonus episodes, and access to the Mentally Stronger private community.Follow Amy on Instagram - @AmyMorinAuthorCheck out Amy's website - AmyMorinLCSW.comPick up a copy of 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't DoLeave us a rating or review, and send the screenshot to podcast@amymorinlcsw.com. We'll reply with your free all-access pass to my course, "10 Mental Strength Exercises That Will Help You Reach Your Greatest Potential." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most of us weren't taught how to deal with uncomfortable feelings, like anxiety, sadness, embarrassment, and disappointment. Instead, we learned to do things that work for us right in the moment, even though those same strategies may ultimately cause us more pain in the long run.Fortunately, there are simple steps you can take to learn how to cope with uncomfortable feelings better. This science-backed strategy is one of my personal favorites because it only takes a minute of your time, and you can do it from anywhere. It also works in an instant to help you feel better fast. Sign up for Mentally Stronger Premium - Ask Amy questions, get exclusive bonus episodes, and access to the Mentally Stronger private community.Follow Amy on Instagram - @AmyMorinAuthorCheck out Amy's website - AmyMorinLCSW.comPick up a copy of 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't DoLeave us a rating or review, and send the screenshot to podcast@amymorinlcsw.com. We'll reply with your free all-access pass to my course, "10 Mental Strength Exercises That Will Help You Reach Your Greatest Potential." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health issues in the world. But anxiety is often misunderstood.While some people with anxiety disorders struggle to leave the house, others can't stand to be home. And while some chronically underperform, others become overachievers.Author Morra Aarons-Mele shares her own experience with anxiety and how she's learned to channel it into something helpful. Some of the things she shares are how to cope with anxiety, strategies for recognizing unhelpful habits that stem from anxiety, and how to use your anxiety to your advantage.Sign up for Mentally Stronger Premium - Ask Amy questions, get exclusive bonus episodes, and access to the Mentally Stronger private community.Check out Morra's book - The Anxious AchieverVisit her website - MorraAM.comFollow Amy on Instagram - @AmyMorinAuthorCheck out Amy's website - AmyMorinLCSW.comPick up a copy of 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't DoLeave us a rating or review, and send the screenshot to podcast@amymorinlcsw.com. We'll reply with your free all-access pass to my course, "10 Mental Strength Exercises That Will Help You Reach Your Greatest Potential." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We all have unhelpful and irrational thoughts sometimes. We exaggerate how bad something is, we beat ourselves up for a mistake that we made, or we predict bad things are going to happen.Those types of thoughts can swirl around in our brains and keep us stuck in a negative pattern.Fortunately, there are steps you can take to deal with those negative thoughts so they don't take a toll on you. Here's one of my favorite strategies for getting rid of the negative thoughts that aren't helpful.Sign up for Mentally Stronger Premium - Ask Amy questions, get exclusive bonus episodes, and access to the Mentally Stronger private community.Follow Amy on Instagram - @AmyMorinAuthorCheck out Amy's website - AmyMorinLCSW.comPick up a copy of 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't DoLeave us a rating or review, and send the screenshot to podcast@amymorinlcsw.com. We'll reply with your free all-access pass to my course, "10 Mental Strength Exercises That Will Help You Reach Your Greatest Potential." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you ever feel like you've fallen out of love with your partner, you're not alone. Many relationships grow stale. But what if you could take your relationship from mediocre to amazing? An incredible relationship has the power to change your life and help you become the strongest and best version of yourself.Andrew G. Marshall is a couples counselor and the author of the international bestselling book, I Love You But I'm Not in Love With You.Some of the things he discusses are how to confront problems, the exact things you can do to reignite a spark, and the steps you can take to feel passionately in love again.Sign up for Mentally Stronger Premium - Ask Amy questions, get bonus episodes, and exclusive content delivered to your feed every week.Links & ResourcesCheck out Andrew's website - andrewgmarshall.comLearn more about Andrew's book - I Love You But I'm Not in Love With YouListen to Andrew's podcast - The Meaningful Life With Andrew G. MarshallConnect With the ShowFollow Amy on Instagram - @AmyMorinAuthorCheck out Amy's website - AmyMorinLCSW.comPick up a copy of 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't DoLeave us a rating or review, and send the screenshot to podcast@amymorinlcsw.com. We'll reply with your free all-access pass to my course, "10 Mental Strength Exercises That Will Help You Reach Your Greatest Potential." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices