she persisted | mental health, self-care, psychology, gen z, dbt, depression, anxiety, healing

sadie sutton
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Sep 28, 2025 • 57min

233. wilderness therapy doesn’t work… so why are we still sending our kids??! feat. dr. will dobud

#233 today’s guest is dr. will dobud— a social worker, researcher, and educator who has worked with adolescents and families in the united states, australia, and norway. he is dedicated to improving adolescent therapy outcomes and promoting safe, ethical practices and is an advocate for youth impacted by america’s troubled teen industry.in this episode, we break down the dangers of the troubled teen industry and why adolescents deserve better mental health care options. we talk about:• what inspired will to advocate against the troubled teen industry (tti)• how tti programs are organized to reduce legal responsibility  • why gen z mental health is still so bad despite efforts to help • wilderness therapy + how it became so popular• who gets sent to wilderness therapy programs + why • the lack of oversight + government regulations over the tti• how tti programs market themselves + why it’s not accurate • if stigma plays a role in getting adolescents proper mental health care• whether the tti can ever truly be reformed • ways to improve mental health care for gen z mentioned:• will’s instagram• will’s substack• will’s email• kids these days• join the launch team• past troubled teen eps• calling bullshit ☕giveaway! want coffee on me? every month, i gift one listener a starbucks gift card to enter:1. leave a review on apple or spotify2. dm me a screenshot on instagram📲 bonus entries for story or tiktok tags!@shepersistedpodcastshepersistedpodcast.comhello@shepersistedpodcast.com © 2020 SHE PERSISTED LLC. all rights reserved.
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Sep 22, 2025 • 37min

232. your school friends matter… here’s why & how to make them

#232 in this week’s solo episode, i’m explaining why your friendships in school matter a lot more than you think! in this episode dedicated to the psychology of school friendships, i’m answering important questions including: is the quality or quantity of your friendships more important? how do your school friends affect your grades and even your future career? what’s the best way to make more friends at school? i’ll also be sharing psychology studies, reacting to viral reddit and tiktok posts, and talking about my own experiences on how friendships are the key to thriving in school. so whether you’re starting college, switching schools, or looking to make more friends at your current school, this episode is your guide to finding the right friendships for you. here, i cover:• why it actually matters to make friends at school • how your school friends can impact your grades• what to do if your friends are distracting you from your work• friendships as a protective factor for your mental health• whether quality or quantity matters more in friendships• how popularity can affect your education • the surprising key to becoming close friends with someone• ways to become closer friends with people at school• balancing friendships with other commitments • figuring out which relationships to prioritize• easy ways that i strengthened my relationships in school • + so much more! mentioned:• harvard happiness study • friends and grades study• grades reddit post • studying with friends tiktok • school as a protective factor ep.• transitioning grades study• depression + anxiety study• unreciprocated friendships study• popularity + sleep study • popularity + SAT prep study• class participation reddit post• close friends + mental health study• making new friends ep.• psych major tips ep.• college regrets reddit post☕giveaway! want coffee on me? every month, i gift one listener a starbucks gift card to enter:1. leave a review on apple or spotify2. dm me a screenshot on instagram📲 bonus entries for story or tiktok tags!@shepersistedpodcastshepersistedpodcast.comhello@shepersistedpodcast.com © 2020 SHE PERSISTED LLC. all rights reserved.
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Sep 15, 2025 • 31min

231. gen z mental health: is it really that bad?? - a pediatrician’s take feat. dr. ken ginsburg

#231 today’s guest is dr. ken ginsburg— a pediatrician specializing in adolescent medicine at the children’s hospital of philadelphia and a professor of pediatrics at the university of pennsylvania school of medicine. his research over the last 35 years has focused on facilitating youth to develop their own solutions to social problems and teaching clinicians how to better serve them.in this episode, we unpack some of the most common myths and misconceptions about gen z mental health before diving into how gen z can collaborate with their families to get the mental health resources they need. finally, we share some essential steps for gen z to build their mental resilience and have strong mental health. we talk about:• what traits define gen z + common misconceptions about this generation• negative labels about gen z + whether they’re accurate • if gen z is really in a mental health crisis • our response to parents who criticize gen z’s focus on mental health• key steps gen z can take to improve their mental health• a popular criticism of gen z and whether we agree with it• current mainstream issues like the male loneliness crisis • advice for parents on supporting their teens + getting them to accept help• supporting a friend or a loved one who’s struggling • four things that everyone in gen z needs to know• one major way to build resilience  • + so much more!mentioned:• parents and teens website• create a stress management plan• guide your child toward professional help• i interviewed my therapist• fostering resilience website• dr. ginsburg’s books☕giveaway! want coffee on me? every month, i gift one listener a starbucks gift card to enter:1. leave a review on apple or spotify2. dm me a screenshot on instagram📲 bonus entries for story or tiktok tags!@shepersistedpodcastshepersistedpodcast.comhello@shepersistedpodcast.com 
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Sep 8, 2025 • 5min

mini: four steps for healing TRAUMA

welcome to the mental health minis series! every other monday, we will feature a five-minute mini-episode with content from a past she persisted episode. this week’s guest is michele rosenthal– an award-winning trauma/PTSD blogger, award-nominated author and keynote speaker.in this mini-episode, you'll learn the number one thing you need to know about trauma & PTSD before hearing the four steps for trauma recovery.  to listen to the full episode, click ⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠!⁠@shepersistedpodcast⁠⁠shepersistedpodcast.com⁠⁠hello@shepersistedpodcast.com⁠ © 2020 SHE PERSISTED LLC. all rights reserved.
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Sep 6, 2025 • 42min

230. a mental health plan you can actually follow

#230 in this week’s solo episode, i’m breaking down some of my favorite mental health frameworks to improve your mental health. one of the biggest mental health challenges is figuring out exactly where to start and what steps to take when you’re really struggling. this episode will be your guide to figuring out what order of operations you can use to get out of a crisis and stabilize your mental health.i’ll cover topics including:• why we need an order of operations for our mental health• my troubled teen industry experience (order of operations gone wrong)• how maslow’s hierarchy of needs applies to your life• a sailboat model for your mental health needs• the dbt house of treatment model & how it works• ways that your biology and environment contribute to your mental health• a checklist you need to cover for your mental wellbeing• the importance of mastery for your mental healthmentioned:• angela duckworth episode• grit lab episode• maslow’s hierarchy of needs• sailboat metaphor• dbt house of treatment• biopsychosocial model☕giveaway! want coffee on me? every month, i gift one listener a starbucks gift card to enter:1. leave a review on apple or spotify2. dm me a screenshot on instagram📲 bonus entries for story or tiktok tags!@shepersistedpodcastshepersistedpodcast.comhello@shepersistedpodcast.com © 2020 SHE PERSISTED LLC. all rights reserved.
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Aug 26, 2025 • 47min

229. why you’re struggling in college (& what to do) feat. dr. jessi gold

#229 today’s guest is dr. jessi gold— a nationally recognized psychiatrist, writer, and speaker specializing in mental health care for students, faculty, healthcare professionals, and others in high-stress professions. she is the inaugural chief wellness officer for the university of tennessee system and an associate professor of psychiatry at the university of tennessee health science center.in this episode, we break down what you need to know about managing your mental health as a college student. this episode has tons of information about the gen z college experience, including why your mental health might struggle in college and how you can ask for help if your mental health is suffering.we talk about:• why college students aren’t asking for help with their mental health• areas that a lot of college students are struggling with • substance use in college + how that can affect mental health• challenges gen z uniquely faces today • what your grades might say about your mental well-being• a hot take about gen z + mental health • stigma around mental health that still exists for gen z• opening up to your family about mental health • difficulties around independently managing your health in college• things to figure out before graduating college • flaws in college mental health care to be aware of• AI as a form of therapy for college students• + so much more!mentioned:• dr. gold’s website• dr. gold’s instagram• dr. gold’s tiktok• how do you feel?• greg walton episode☕giveaway! want coffee on me? every month, i gift one listener a starbucks gift card to enter:1. leave a review on apple or spotify2. dm me a screenshot on instagram📲 bonus entries for story or tiktok tags!@shepersistedpodcastshepersistedpodcast.comhello@shepersistedpodcast.com © 2020 SHE PERSISTED LLC. all rights reserved.
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Aug 25, 2025 • 6min

mini: master your COLLEGE ROUTINE in just five mins!

welcome to the mental health minis series! every other monday, we will feature a five-minute mini-episode with content from a past she persisted episode. this week’s episode is a solo episode on creating a college routine that works for you. in this mini-episode, you'll learn my favorite tips and life hacks on maintaining your mental health in college through your daily routine! to listen to the full episode, click ⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠!⁠@shepersistedpodcast⁠⁠shepersistedpodcast.com⁠⁠hello@shepersistedpodcast.com⁠ © 2020 SHE PERSISTED LLC. all rights reserved.
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Aug 18, 2025 • 51min

228. dr. angela duckworth on how to be gritty + set yourself up for SUCCESS!

#228 today’s guest is dr. angela duckworth— the rosa lee and egbert chang professor at the university of pennsylvania and faculty co-director of the penn-wharton behavior change for good initiative. a 2013 macarthur fellow, angela has advised the world bank, nba and nfl teams, and fortune 500 ceos.in this episode, we break down the psychology behind what makes people successful. this episode is full of tips and hacks on increasing your grit and self-control to achieve the best outcomes in life. we talk about:• what makes certain people have more success than others• the psychology of self-control, motivation, + grit • reverse engineering the life you want through the three boxes model • key differences between grit + self-control • tips for improving your self-control + achieving your goals• how to find your passion in life• trying to succeed while avoiding perfectionism + burnout• sampling + why that’s so important for your future • having a support system in order to succeed• how the internet + ai have changed gen z’s work ethic• her rapid fire responses to popular questions• + so much more!mentioned:• grit lab episode• grit (book)• about alice• deliberate practice study• phones in focus• dr. duckworth’s website☕giveaway! want coffee on me? every month, i gift one listener a starbucks gift card to enter:1. leave a review on apple or spotify2. dm me a screenshot on instagram📲 bonus entries for story or tiktok tags!@shepersistedpodcastshepersistedpodcast.comhello@shepersistedpodcast.com © 2020 SHE PERSISTED LLC. all rights reserved.
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Aug 7, 2025 • 28min

227. I asked 9 experts how to heal from depression (what you NEED to know)

#227. today’s episode is a mental health mashup featuring expert advice from some of my favorite she persisted guests. i’ve compiled the most insightful tips and quotes from past episodes into your ultimate guide on how to navigate depression.in this episode, you’ll hear from a range of psychologists, therapists, professors, and best-selling authors on why so many of us struggle with depression and how we can begin to recover.we talk about:• what actually causes depression• the lived experience of being depressed• stigma + shame surrounding depression  • how to start healing from depression• ways to support a loved one who’s depressed• + so much more!listen to the full episodes:• how to talk about depression• understanding depression • i interviewed my therapist• high-functioning depression• what to do if you’re suicidal• depression as a perfectionist• five facts about depression• research on depression • dealing with suicidal thoughts☕giveaway! want coffee on me? every month, i gift one listener a starbucks gift card to enter:1. leave a review on apple or spotify2. dm me a screenshot on instagram📲 bonus entries for story or tiktok tags!@shepersistedpodcastshepersistedpodcast.comhello@shepersistedpodcast.com © 2020 SHE PERSISTED LLC. all rights reserved.
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Aug 1, 2025 • 40min

226. summertime sadness?! answering your most asked mental health q’s

#226 in this week’s solo episode, i’m answering a question on so many of your minds right now: why can summer be so hard on our mental health?!here, i’ll be sharing my favorite psychology insights on why our mental health can struggle in the summer before reacting to trending tiktoks, articles, and reddit posts on summer mental health. i wrap things up by explaining how you can set yourself up for success this summer (and in summers to come!). i’ll cover topics including:• a mental health mantra you need to hear• making your environment work for your mental health• my theory on why mental health can decline in the summer• why school is actually good for mental health (shocking, i know)• finding purpose + structure during summer break• how to stay social + make friends in summer • battling boredom + loneliness when you’re home for the summer• choosing the right summer job for you • the importance of actually relaxing during summer• life hacks for getting out of a mental health rutmentioned:• grit lab recap• parasocial relationships• “yay summer” tiktok• college summers tiktok • depressed on vacation tikok• therapist’s advice tiktok• r/college• r/mentalhealth☕giveaway! want coffee on me? every month, i gift one listener a starbucks gift card to enter:1. leave a review on apple or spotify2. dm me a screenshot on instagram📲 bonus entries for story or tiktok tags!@shepersistedpodcastshepersistedpodcast.comhello@shepersistedpodcast.com © 2020 SHE PERSISTED LLC. all rights reserved.

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