The Science and Soul of Living Well

Grief is not a "choose your own adventure"

In this episode, I speak with Jesse Brisendine (@jessebrisendine), a best-selling author, award-winning speaker, and world-renowned expert who, in his words, works with individuals and organizations to "move beyond their limitations, unlock their greatness, & build their Camelot." We highlight different kinds of supports that can help us navigate immense heartache when someone we love dearly dies. We discuss personalized rituals and how they can help us create habits and structure that support us through grief. Jesse also generously shares about a unique community-based grief ritual he created (the Sunrise/ Sunset Project) as well as various personal rituals he created to support him in his own grief process. We also talk about ways we can integrate presence with action to honor and maintain a connection with those we have lost. Importantly, we name the complexity of experiencing joy in the midst of grief, which can bring up both fear and guilt, and how we can practice living out the coexistence of our full spectrum of emotions, which isn't something we are necessarily taught how to do. We also highlight the importance of collective healing and ways to educate our community on how they can best support us in times of grief. Throughout, we talk about the importance of practicing more kindness with ourselves in all times, but especially when we are grieving.

Additional Resources

1. Check out my free 4-part video series on building resilience, which highlights 4 key pillars of resilience including enhancing body awareness, decreasing your stress response, clarifying your values and deepening your connection to them, and cultivating self-compassion: https://melissafoynes.com/free-series

2. If you're interested in personalized, holistic, support, see if applying for my 1:1 Coaching Program may be right for you: https://melissafoynes.com/1-1-program

3. Follow @drfoynes on Instagram or Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/drfoynes/).

More about Jesse Brisendine:

Jesse is a best-selling author, award-winning speaker, and world-renowned expert who works with individuals and organizations to move beyond their limitations, unlock their greatness, & build their Camelot.  Business leaders, Hollywood celebrities, entrepreneurs, medical professionals, and educators have utilized Jesse's services to break through limiting beliefs, uncover their unique purpose, build thriving businesses, and live fulfilling lives. Jesse is a big fan of buffets, professional wrestling, and finding the silver lining in any situation

To learn more about or connect with Jesse follow him and find some of his resources at the links below:

Jesse's free Mindset Mastery Blueprint: https://jessebrisendine.lpages.co/mindset-mastery-blueprint/

TED Talk:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJCMnjXPdos Website: http://www.jessebrisendine.com

Podcast:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-handful-of-hope/id1510146999

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessebrisendine

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JesseBrisendineCoaching LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessebrisendine/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/JesseBris @jessebris

Instagram: https://instagram.com/jessebrisendine  

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/JesseBrisendine

Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-handful-of-hope/id1510146999

Please note that the information provided in this episode does not constitute professional advice or therapy, mental health services, or health care services, and is not intended to serve as a substitute for professional advice or services. If you are struggling with a mental health crisis or need immediate assistance, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.

Defining spirituality for yourself

In this episode, I speak with Kristjana Hillberg (@kristjana_hillberg), founder of Your Freelance Friend and host of the Red Door Podcast, about growing up in a system of religion that did not resonate with her. Through heartfelt and inspiring anecdotes about her personal journey, Kris shares how she stayed connected to her intuition throughout many difficult life experiences, which led to an ultimate realization that spirituality doesn't have to involve organized religion. We talk about how important it is for your overall health and well-being to define spirituality on your own terms. We also emphasize how questioning your beliefs, doing inner work, setting boundaries, and sitting in discomfort is essential to this process; even though it can be exhausting at times, there is the promise of wholeness on the other side if you're willing to do this work. When there is dissonance between what feels true in your heart and what is communicated to you by others, it can lead to self-doubt, low self-worth, and pressure to follow the status quo. To this end, we also discuss how to cope with the pain and challenges commonly involved in breaking free from values and messages you've deeply internalized, especially when you're told that there's something wrong with you, or you face other negative repercussions, for not aligning with what you've been taught.

Note: This episode does refer to an experience of sexual assault. Please listen at your own discretion.

To learn more about or connect with Kris, follow her on instagram @kristjana_hillberg(https://www.instagram.com/kristjana_hillberg/), or check out her podcast - the Red Door Podcast (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-red-door/id1441883898)

Additional Resources

1. For more tips on connecting to intuition and defining your values and living in alignment with them, check out my free 4-part video series on building resilience: https://melissafoynes.com/free-series

2. If you're interested in personalized support focused on enhancing intuition, defining spirituality and other life values, living life more on your terms rather than for other people, or other important lifestyle shifts, check out my 1:1 Coaching Program: https://melissafoynes.com/1-1-program

3. Follow @drfoynes on Instagram.

Please note that the information provided in this episode does not constitute professional advice or therapy, mental health services, or health care services, and is not intended to serve as a substitute for professional advice or services. If you are struggling with a mental health crisis or need immediate assistance, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.

Intuition, balance, & feminine energy: Preventing burnout & beyond

In this episode, I speak with Isabelle Havers, an intuition coach who helps women make themselves their own priority by learning how to cultivate more joy & ease in their lives.  We talk about the pressures many of us face in workplace settings to overwork and over-perform in ways that lead to burnout and a disconnection from what we truly want and need emotionally, physically & spiritually. We talk about the principles of masculine and feminine energy that exist in many different wisdom traditions and highlight the unique qualities and importance of each. We emphasize that while both types of energy are essential not only for humans to thrive but also for the universe to function, feminine energy has historically been suppressed and invalidated, leading many of us to face profound imbalances in these energies as well as difficulties in accessing joy, intuitive wisdom & emotional intelligence. We discuss small, accessible, concrete practices you can implement in your own life to cultivate balance, monitor burnout, relearn how to tune into your innermost needs & desires, and reconnect with your innate intuitive capacities.

To learn more about or connect with Isabelle, follow her on instagram @isabellehavers (www.instagram.com/isabellehavers), or check out her website (www.isabellehavers.com) and free resource (https://isabellehavers.com/morningroutine).

Additional Resources

1. For more tips on connecting to intuition and managing burnout, check out my free 4-part video series on building resilience: https://melissafoynes.com/free-series

2. If you're interested in personalized support focused on enhancing intuition, cultivating work-life balance, or other important lifestyle shifts, check out my 1:1 Coaching Program: https://melissafoynes.com/1-1-program

3. Follow @drfoynes on Instagram.

Please note that the information provided in this episode does not constitute professional advice or therapy, mental health services, or health care services, and is not intended to serve as a substitute for professional advice or services. If you are struggling with a mental health crisis or need immediate assistance, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.

Holistic strategies for coping with self-criticism

In this episode, I share a variety of concrete, actionable tools from evidence-based psychology and other Eastern and Western healing traditions that can help you respond more effectively and holistically to self-criticism in different domains of your life. I cover a variety of strategies including mindfulness-based approaches (e.g., RAIN meditation, mindful self-compassion, cognitive defusion, visualization, metta, and connection to archetype and symbol), cognitive-behavioral techniques (e.g., dialectical thinking, challenging critical thoughts and beliefs, acting "as if," and empowerment lists), and more spiritual approaches (e.g., yoga philosophy, ahimsa, mantra, mudra, yoga asana, compassionate movement and touch, and music). This episode is intended to give you a menu of options to choose from that you can integrate into a busy lifestyle. I hope you continue to experiment with what most helps you soften your inner critics and get to a place where you feel less dominated by them.

1. For more tips on managing self-criticism, check out my free 4-part video series on building resilience: https://melissafoynes.com/free-series

2. If you're interested in personalized support in taming your own inner critics, check out my 1:1 Coaching Program: https://melissafoynes.com/1-1-program

3. Follow @drfoynes on Instagram for more tips on self-criticism.

References & Additional Resources

1. Tara Brach's RAIN resources: https://www.tarabrach.com/rain/

2. Dr. Kristin Neff's resources on mindful self-compassion: https://self-compassion.org

Please note that the information provided in this episode does not constitute professional advice or therapy, mental health services, or health care services, & is not intended to serve as a substitute for professional advice or services. If you are struggling with a mental health crisis or need immediate assistance, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.

Understanding our inner critics: The power of insight & compassion

In this episode, I emphasize how essential it is to understand your relationship to self-criticism & the ways in which it shows up in your life. From this foundation of insight, you can then enhance your ability to respond to self-criticism more effectively, particularly with a compassionate stance, so that it becomes a less dominant force. I begin by offering examples of the multitude of influences that can cultivate & perpetuate self-criticism & then guide you through a self-assessment exercise that you can engage with as either a guided meditation or written inquiry to help deepen your understanding of the role of self-criticism in your life.  I then introduce self-compassion as a useful antidote to self-criticism by clarifying what it means on a practical level to cultivate self-compassion in your life. I also share important research that both supports the benefits of self-compassion & debunks common myths of self-compassion. I end with a guided self-compassion practice that targets self-criticism & can help soften its impact in difficult moments. This guided practice is intended to be a tool that you can readily integrate into your life & implement when you notice self-criticism arise, even if you only have a few moments.

To connect more with Dr. Foynes:

1. Check out the free 4-part video series on building resilience: https://melissafoynes.com/free-series

2. 1:1 Coaching Program: https://melissafoynes.com/1-1-program

3. Follow @drfoynes on Instagram.

References & Additional Resources

1. Germer, C. K. (2009). The mindful path to self-compassion: Freeing yourself from destructive thoughts and emotions.New York: Guilford Press.

2. Neff, K.. (2015). Self-compassion: The proven power of being kind to yourself. New York, NY: William Morrow.

3. Salzberg, S. (2005). The force of kindness: change your life with love and compassion. Boulder, CO: Sounds True.

4. Dr. Kristin Neff's website: https://self-compassion.org

Please note that the information provided in this episode does not constitute professional advice or therapy, mental health services, or health care services, & is not intended to serve as a substitute for professional advice or services. If you are struggling with a mental health crisis or need immediate assistance, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.

Better sex through mindfulness: Cultivating embodied & satisfying sexuality

In this episode, I speak with Dr. Lori Brotto (@ubcshr), Registered Psychologist, Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of British Columbia, Executive Director of the Women’s Health Research Institute, leading international expert on the topic of sexuality, & author of the powerful book "Better Sex Through Mindfulness" (https://greystonebooks.com/products/better-sex-through-mindfulness).   Dr. Brotto conducts research on women’s sexual health & difficulties, develops & tests mindfulness-based & psychoeducational interventions for women with sexual desire & arousal complaints, & studies many aspects of sexual health including: culture & sexuality, hormones & sexual desire, cancer & sexuality, concerns about HPV & sexuality, asexuality, & more.

In this episode, Dr. Brotto highlights how essential satisfying & embodied sexual lives are to our overall health & general quality of life, not just our sexual health & well-being. She explains what mindfulness means as it applies to sexual well-being & why it is such an optimal tool for promoting "magnificent sex" that involves full aliveness, presence, empowerment, attunement & connection. She highlights important research regarding the multitude of influences that contribute to sexual desire, arousal & response, debunking common myths & emphasizing the importance of understanding what turns us on sexually. She also shares tips about how to compassionately embark upon this exploration when we find it challenging, especially when it comes to the messaging we've internalized related to sex, memories of unpleasant sexual experiences, & high emotional charge around sex due to trauma or other life experiences. We also discuss the benefits of mindfulness-based tools compared to other interventions for low sexual desire (e.g., medicines & cognitive behavioral strategies). We conclude with Dr. Brotto describing two powerful evidence-based mindfulness practices from her new workbook: 1) a "sexual sensations awareness" practice that promotes alignment of physical & mental arousal, and 2) "mindfulness of difficulty" which helps us bring a spirit of compassion & openness to the range of experiences both sexually & beyond.

To connect more with Dr. Foynes:

1. Check out the free 4-part video series on building resilience: https://melissafoynes.com/free-series

2. 1:1 Coaching Program: https://melissafoynes.com/1-1-program

3. Follow @drfoynes on Instagram.

More about Dr. Lori Brotto: Dr. Brotto received her PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of British Columbia. She also trained at the University of Washington where she completed a one-year internship in the Department of Psychiatry followed by a two-year Postdoctoral Fellowship in Reproductive and Sexual Medicine.

Dr. Brotto is a member of the International Academy of Sex Research, the Society for Sex Therapy and Research, the Canadian Sex Research Forum, and the Canadian Psychological Association. She has published over 200 articles & book chapters, has given >300 invited presentations, & is frequently contacted by the media as a guest expert on the topic of sexuality.  She was a member of the DSM-5 workgroup on Sexual and Gender Identity Disorders published in May 2013. She was a health expert writer for the Globe and Mail, where she wrote a monthly column focused on sexuality.

Her book, Better Sex Through Mindfulness is a scientifically-informed translation of her research on mindfulness to improve women’s sexuality. She is working on her second book with self-guided mindfulness practices, with an anticipated release date in 2022.

To follow Dr. Brotto please find her at www.brottolab.com, on Twitter (@DrLoriBrotto @UBCSHL @womensresearch), Instagram (@ubcshr @womensresearch) & Facebook (ubcshl).

Please note that the information provided in this episode does not constitute professional advice or therapy, mental health services, or health care services, and is not intended to serve as a substitute for professional advice or services. If you are struggling with a mental health crisis or need immediate assistance, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.

Betrayal, betrayal trauma, & DARVO: Promoting individual & collective healing

In this episode, I speak with Dr. Jennifer J. Freyd, the Founder and President of the Center for Institutional Courage, Inc (https://www.institutionalcourage.org/), keynote speaker, author, and professor emerit of psychology with over 30 years of experience researching people and their relationships with institutions.)

Dr. Freyd emphasizes how it is in our nature as human beings to be sensitive to betrayal because experiencing betrayal can be so costly. She also explains how our wiring for connection, attachment, and love can contribute to us not only feeling great shame when we are betrayed, but also may also contribute to a phenomenon she refers to as "betrayal blindness." She thoughtfully shares her research on betrayal, different types of betrayal (e.g., institutional & interpersonal betrayal), reasons we may forget about experiences of trauma or have difficulty remembering certain details, and DARVO (D - Deny, A - Attack, RVO - Reverse Victim & Offender), a strategy that can be used to deflect blame when confronted with accusations of wrongdoing. Importantly, she highlights hope-instilling aspects of her research which show us how we can refrain from engaging in DARVO regardless of whether or not we believe we did what we are being accused of doing. We also discuss specific, concrete actions we can engage in on individual, interpersonal, and institutional levels to counteract the individual and collective harm caused by DARVO and effectively navigate difficult conversations with courage, curiosity, compassion, accountability, willingness to be vulnerable, openness to believing things we may not understand, and respect for ourselves and others.

I have the distinct honor and privilege of having known Dr. Freyd for many years as a mentor, colleague, and friend, and Dr. Freyd continues to be a huge source of inspiration in my life both personally and professionally. Dr. Freyd is an incredible human being and force in the world and she has taught me so much about what it really means to be courageous and to live life in accordance with our values. This episode is near and dear to my heart and felt particularly meaningful and important, so I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

To connect more with Dr. Foynes:

1. Check out the free 4-part video series on building resilience: https://melissafoynes.com/free-series

2. 1:1 Coaching Program: https://melissafoynes.com/1-1-program

3. Follow @drfoynes on Instagram.

More About Dr. Jennifer J. Freyd: Jennifer Freyd, PhD, is the Founder and President of the Center for Institutional Courage, Inc. (https://www.institutionalcourage.org/). Dr. Freyd is also a keynote speaker, author, and professor emerit of psychology with over 30 years of experience researching people and their relationships with institutions. Freyd introduced the concepts of “institutional courage,” “institutional betrayal,” “DARVO,” and “betrayal trauma.”

References & Additional Resources

1. The Center for Institutional Courage. (https://www.institutionalcourage.org/)

2. Freyd, J. J. (2018). 10 Steps to take-- When sexual assault victims speak out, their institutions often betray them. (https://theconversation.com/when-sexual-assault-victims-speak-out-their-institutions-often-betray-them-87050)

3. Additional information on Dr. Freyd's research and selected publications can be found here. (https://dynamic.uoregon.edu/jjf/)

Please note that the information provided in this episode does not constitute professional advice or therapy, mental health services, or health care services, and is not intended to serve as a substitute for professional advice or services. If you are struggling with a mental health crisis or need immediate assistance, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.

Living with vitality: Mindfulness, meaning, & values

In this episode, I speak with Dr. Robyn Walser, a warm-hearted soul with so much wisdom to share, about ways we can change our relationship to painful life experiences in order to move more freely in our lives. We talk about how living life with vitality, rather than focusing primarily on getting rid of certain symptoms, can help us meet painful emotions like anxiety and grief without shame and self-blame. We also discuss how mindfulness and compassion can help us meet human experiences with acceptance, so that we can still go on to create meaning and value in our lives even with significant stress, trauma, and loss. Importantly, we talk about ways we can not only clarify our own values and distinguish which values are truly ours from those that we've been conditioned to uphold, but also navigate conflicts in values, especially in the context of relationships and the broader systems in which we operate. We end with a brief mindfulness exercise, illustrating one way our joy can help connect us to the core values that matter to us most.

To connect more with Dr. Foynes:

1. Check out the free 4-part video series on building resilience: https://melissafoynes.com/free-series

2. 1:1 Coaching Program: https://melissafoynes.com/1-1-program

3. Follow @drfoynes on Instagram.

About Dr. Robyn Walser: Dr. Robin Walser is the director of TL consultation services (http://www.tlconsultationservices.com) and co-director of the Bay Area Trauma Recovery Center (https://www.traumarecoveryclinic.org). She is also staff at the National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in the Dissemination and Training Division (https://www.ptsd.va.gov/about/divisions/dissemination/walser_r.asp). She is also a licensed psychologist, and maintains an international training, consulting and therapy practice. She is an expert in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy or ACT, and has co-authored five books on ACT and a sixth book, which has recently been published, called "The Heart of ACT," which she has authored on her own. Some of her other books include ACT for moral injury, ACT for anger (a self-help book soon to be released), as well as a book on Learning ACT. Dr. Walser also has expertise in traumatic stress and substance abuse and has authored a number of articles and chapters and books on these topics. Please see below for a selection of Dr. Walser's incredible books.

 

My FREE 4-part video series called "The Science & Soul of Building Resilience" can be found here(https://unique-trader-1040.ck.page/0a3a623dbd). This series is meant to help you enhance key pillars of resilience that can help us all navigate inevitable life stress with more ease and skill. I chose to focus on these specific pillars of resilience because they can help us address some of the most common struggles I see in my clients – anxiety, self-doubt, lack of direction or sense of self, disconnection from larger meaning & purpose, and self-criticism. Similar to the spirit of this podcast, this series integrates science-backed strategies from psychology with tools from ancient wisdom like yoga and meditation, to present skills over the course of this series that can be used and integrated into daily life. I hope you check it out and please share it with others as you feel inspired.

For more information, tools, and strategies, please follow @drfoynes on Instagram.

References & Additional Resources

1. Walser, R. D. & O'Connell, M. (2021). The ACT Workbook for Anger: Manage Emotions and Take Back Your Life with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. New Harbinger Publications.

2. Walser, R. D. (2019). The Heart of ACT: Developing a Flexible, Process-Based, and Client-Centered Practice Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. New Harbinger Publications.

3. Evans, W. R., Walser, R. D., Drescher, K. D., & Farnsworth, J. K. (2020). The Moral Injury Workbook: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Skills for Moving Beyond Shame, Anger, and Trauma to Reclaim Your Values. New Harbinger Publications.

4. Nieuwsma, J. A, Walser, R. D., Hayes, S. C. (2016). ACT for Clergy and Pastoral Counselors Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to Bridge Psychological and Spiritual Care. New Harbinger Publications.

5. Walser, R. D., & Westrup, D. (2009). The mindful couple: How acceptance and mindfulness can lead you to the love you want. New Harbinger Publication

6. Luoma, J. B., Hayes, S. C., & Walser, R. D. (2007). Learning ACT: An acceptance & commitment therapy skills-training manual for therapists. New Harbinger Publications.

7. Walser, R. D., & Westrup, D. (2007). Acceptance and commitment therapy for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder and trauma-related problems: A practitioner's guide to using mindfulness and acceptance strategies. New Harbinger Publications.

Please note that the information provided in this episode does not constitute professional advice or therapy, mental health services, or health care services, and is not intended to serve as a substitute for professional advice or services. If you are struggling with a mental health crisis or need immediate assistance, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.

Family dynamics: Moving from habit to choice

In this episode, I highlight different dynamics in our families of origin and ways they contribute to the development of certain patterns that help us survive and/or get our needs met, yet also can cause problems in our lives in adulthood (e.g., in terms of relationships, sense of self, responses to our emotions and ways of expressing them, etc.). Specifically, I focus on specific patterns and tendencies that can emerge from our family’s style of conflict resolution, use of criticism, values related to emotions and their expression, level of nurturance or caregiving, grief and stress, family secrets and elements of betrayal, and the amount of crisis, chaos, and disorganization present.  

For each pattern, I share important functions it may serve as well as ways in which it can be unhelpful, in order to help increase our awareness of the impacts of these patterns so that we can be living from a place of intentional choice rather than out of habit or from an autopilot mode based on our prior conditioning and learning. In addition, I offer some key questions and considerations that can serve as journal prompts or self-reflection questions to help you consider more deeply how these patterns might operate in your life and to foster curiosity about ways in which they do and don’t serve you. This process of self-inquiry can promote self-compassionate understanding of the origins of these patterns as well as support us in identifying what we might want to shift in our lives and how to begin or continue the process of letting go of what no longer serves us.

To connect more with Dr. Foynes:

1. Check out the free 4-part video series on building resilience: https://melissafoynes.com/free-series

2. 1:1 Coaching Program: https://melissafoynes.com/1-1-program

3. Follow @drfoynes on Instagram.

Please note that the information provided in this episode does not constitute professional advice or therapy, mental health services, or health care services, and is not intended to serve as a substitute for professional advice or services. If you are struggling with a mental health crisis or need immediate assistance, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.

The effects of patriarchy & capitalism: Promoting individual & collective healing

In this episode, I speak with Laura Lu (@themindhealthspot) about patriarchy and capitalism and the ways in which we are all affected by these systems as well as concrete actions we can take to heal from their harmful effects. We highlight several core problems that we have observed in ourselves, loved ones, clients, and communities stemming from these systems and share possible tools and strategies to not only promote individual and collective healing, but also to deconstruct, dismantle, and rail against these systems, from the inside out. Some of the messages and ideals that we often internalize from these systems and that get reinforced by them that we address in the episode include 1) narrow definitions of worth; 2) an over-emphasis on appearance and unrealistic definitions of beauty; 3) negative comparisons & hierarchy/competition; 4) harmful stereotypes; 5) not investing in ourselves or our communities because we feel like we aren't good enough; 6) fitting into prescribed molds, values, or mores rather than speaking our truth and being who we really are; 7) imposter syndrome; 8) ignoring intuition; 9) suppressing emotion and invalidating our feelings; 10) not observing limits or tending to our own needs; 11) self-blame; 12) perfectionism; and 13) productivity.

To connect more with Dr. Foynes:

1. Check out the free 4-part video series on building resilience: https://melissafoynes.com/free-series

2. 1:1 Coaching Program: https://melissafoynes.com/1-1-program

3. Follow @drfoynes on Instagram.

To connect more with Laura Lu find her main instagram account @themindhealthspot(https://www.instagram.com/themindhealthspot/) as well as an Instagram account she co-moderates that is dedicated to the intersection of social justice and mental health @thealliedminds.co (https://www.instagram.com/thealliedminds.co/).

More about Laura: Laura is a graduate student studying clinical psychology in San Francisco, California, and currently resides in Vancouver, Canada. She is originally from Taiwan and immigrated to Canada at a young age. She graduated from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada in 2017 and has since worked in research settings in infant language development, bilingualism, and ADHD. She has also worked in clinical settings in ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, and patients with HIV/AIDS. Last year, her practicum was at a clinic where she worked with clients with a variety of mental health challenges, including but not limited to: depression, anxiety, cultural identity, agoraphobia, panic disorder, ADHD, suicidality, body image and relationship issues. This year, she is an intern at a community mental health clinic working with clients with anxiety, depression, self-esteem issues, parenting challenges, sensory processing disorders, OCD, gender identity transitions, and stress. She also facilitates group therapy for trauma survivors of domestic violence.

Due to both her personal, academic, and professional experiences, Laura is passionate about incorporating a culturally-sensitive lens on mental health. Right now, Laura is conducting research looking at the effects of adult and child trauma, trauma treatments, and intergenerational trauma (trauma that is passed down from generation to generation). Laura is dedicated to mental health advocacy, posts about mental wellness tips and musings on Instagram, and is a guest speaker for a variety of workshops on mental health. Laura is committed to helping others thrive in mental wellness through tools such as mindfulness, grounding, self-compassion, somatic attunement, and exploring feelings.

Please note that the information provided in this episode does not constitute professional advice or therapy, mental health services, or health care services, and is not intended to serve as a substitute for professional advice or services. If you are struggling with a mental health crisis or need immediate assistance, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.