How to: Self-therapize
By Rebeca & Dr. Patricia Miller
How to: Self-therapizeJul 11, 2022
How to: Set Intentional Resolutions
With 2023 giving us a fresh start, it is often common practice to set goals, intentions, or resolutions at this time of year. In this episode we discuss the importance of setting intentional goals for daily living, and invite you to consider setting a resolution this year that is in service to others or for the collective good instead of for the self.
This is the final episode of season 1, stay tuned for season 2 where we will be introducing our Traumatology series on all things trauma, healing, and growth.
How to: Be Okay Alone
As the holiday's approach, it is easy to think that interconnectedness and gatherings are the only ways to enjoy ourselves. The reality is often times we may find ourselves alone or isolated from others, leading to feelings of loneliness, the question is how do we manage to stay in good spirits despite a lonely environment. In this episode we discuss the differences between loneliness and being alone, as well as we can do to become more comfortable in isolation and content with being by ourselves. This will be our final episode of 2022 but we are excited to continue to grow and develop come 2023. Happy holidays and happy new year!
How to: Sleep Better, Feel Better
Having trouble sleeping? In this episode we discuss the serious implications of poor or disrupted sleep on healthy human functioning, mental health, and overall wellbeing. We also discuss the relationship between sleep and mental health and how they deeply influence each other. Give this episode a listen if you want to learn more about what good sleep practices look like, how you can improve your current habits, and why they matter for good psychological health.
How to: Combat Men's Mental Health Stigma
As November comes to a close, a conversation around Men's mental health stigma and breaking down barriers seemed fitting. Movember is one of the most prevalent movements raising funds and awareness of significant risks to men's health. In this episode, psychologist Steve Slopek and I share discussions on Movember's men's mental health and suicide prevention initiative, talking about the role of toxic masculinity in generating stigma, alarming statistics on the gravity of death by suicide among men, and lastly what we can do to take charge and combat losing men to suicide and mental health struggles.
How to: Live Well in a Social Media Age
In a world driven by social media and constantly innovating technologies, it is easy to lose ourselves behind a screen. In this episode we discuss the importance of being intentional with our social media use, the positives and negatives that technology and social media offer us, and lastly the importance of practicing balance with social media use for the sake of our mental health.
How to: Prepare for Winter Blues
With winter coming, it becomes easier to excuse isolating yourself indoors and make less time for the things you enjoy. Soon, many people will be experiencing seasonal affective disorder (SAD) or a milder case of the winter blues. Regardless of if your decreased mood is diagnosable or not, this episode shares information about depressive mood symptoms to look out for, as well as things you can do to monitor your wellbeing and fight the winter blues as the days get colder.
How to: Mind Mindfulness
This episode features provisional psychologist Raelene Tulick, who is the lead clinician of our mindfulness based group therapy programs at The Calgary Therapy Institute going into the new year. Join us as we discuss different definitions to conceptualize what it means to be mindful and why it is so important. We outline some of the research pointing to the ample benefits of integrating mindfulness practices into one's everyday routine and how to get started.
How to: Squash you Inner Critic
Most people have a voice in their head that allows them to stay motivated and reminds them of important tasks and this can be very useful in a world fueled by multitasking. A different, less productive side of this is when the voice is a source of torment rooted in negativity towards yourself, this is when it becomes a problem. In this episode, we discuss how to recognize, address, and prevent the inner critic living in your head and shut it down before it evolves into debilitating feelings of self-hatred.
How to: Use IFS Therapy for Healing
In this week's episode, we had the pleasure of inviting Dr. Robyn Grobler to the podcast. Dr. Grobler shares her professional journey as a general practitioner providing mental health support with a large focus on internal family systems therapy. Join us as we learn how this specific therapeutic modality can help us invite our traumas and struggles to our attention, the importance of self-compassion for healing, and how to integrate these practices into mindfulness meditations.
How to: Acclimate to Climate Anxiety
Have you ever felt anxious about what our world might look like in 20 years? The media and experts are constantly warning us of the unstable environmental state of our planet, which is bound to leave us feeling uneasy. In this episode, we discuss the phenomena of climate or eco-anxiety and its prevalence in young people. In sharing alarming statistics from a global survey, we may better understand the severity of people's climate-related worries. Finally, we provide insight into how best to support the people around us who may be experiencing this and how to manage the stress if you feel climate anxiety yourself.
How to: Spot Gaslighting
This week's episode follows last week's theme of healthy relationship maintenance as we identify a prevalent form of emotional abuse in relationships today, gaslighting. In this discussion, we define and name the behaviours of gaslighting and provide questions people can ask themselves to determine if they are being gaslighted. We also suggest how one can break unhealthy power dynamics in their relationships through direct action and, of course, through therapy, the cornerstone of healing in a safe space.
How to: Set Healthy Boundaries
Setting healthy boundaries is essential for maintaining a sense of identity and autonomy within our various relationships in the different domains of life. In this episode, we discuss how to determine whether boundaries are healthy, why healthy boundaries are so important for our well-being, and a framework for setting personal boundaries in all sorts of relationships to meet our needs. Often, people may find themselves in relationships where they feel they do not feel safe enough to voice their needs. Here are various crisis lines in Canada if you or a loved one are in an abusive relationship.
How to: Live Graciously
In this special episode, Dr. Miller is joined by long-time friend and mental health counsellor Sharlene in recording a special conversation while on the Okanagan Lake earlier this summer. The two share their perspectives on how they understand grace as an act of gratitude, as a calling to be compassionate in life, the potential it offers for growth, and how we can connect with the idea of grace.
How to: Battle Burnout
Feeling burnt out from work, a relationship, or other aspects of life? Join us in a discussion where we define and name this work-related stress syndrome, how it affects the brain, and finally, how we can fight against using scientifically backed frameworks or what to consider for a more individuated plan on how to make yourself a priority to battle burnout.
How to: Adapt to Life Transitions (Emerging Adults)
With fall just around the corner, people are headed back to school, some are moving away from home for the first time and are being called to adapt to new life transitions. Young adults today face the complicated challenge of finding their place in the world as they pursue an education that aligns with their career goals, or some go directly into the workforce. In this episode, we discuss some significant milestones associated with emerging adulthood, the challenges they bring. We also touch on some coping strategies that anyone can integrate at any stage in life to help overcome big life changes.
How to: Harness Hope & Resilience
Tapping into our inner capacity to be hopeful and resilient has shown to be extremely useful when overcoming adversity and traumatic experiences. Join us as we discuss the power of hope and the work of Chan Hellman, a researcher and psychologist who has studied hope for over 12 years. Finally, we touch on what it means to be resilient and how to strive for post-traumatic growth.
How to: Navigate Relationships
In this episode, we discuss how to define and identify healthy relationship tendencies, how to set proper boundaries, and, more importantly, how to self-determine our needs within relationships. Learning to be in touch with oneself can open more opportunities to better connect with those around us in meaningful ways, whether in romantic, platonic, or familial relationships.
How to: Recharge your Social Battery
In this episode the discussion surrounds tuning into where you fall on the introversion/extraversion spectrum and how that relates to your capacity to be social. Instead of striving to be more extraverted in a fast paced world, a better approach may be to practice balancing introverted and extraverted qualities.
How to: Turn Imposter Syndrome into Self-Confidence
This week's episode involves a discussion surrounding "imposter syndrome," a phenomenon influenced by self-doubt where you may feel as though you are underqualified or incompetent in a role or position. By delving into the five types of imposter syndrome and how to identify the signs of each, we may begin the process of breaking down barriers and being kinder to ourselves and feeling more confident in our abilities. Above all, this discussion aims to promote inclusion and an open conversation where it is safe to be vulnerable and know that you are not alone.
How to: Find Your New Normal Post-COVID
Although this recording took place before signs of a looming 7th COVID wave for Canada, join us in reflecting on how to promote your mental wellbeing by finding a "new normal" way of living both as individuals and as a collective while navigating the mental strain of a global pandemic.
Welcome!
In this short welcome episode, the moderator of the podcast (Rebeca) discusses why "How to: Self-Therapize" can be a great listen for anyone, as well as discusses the goal of the podcast. You will also get a brief introduction, of both Rebeca's background as a moderator as she learns alongside the listeners, and a look into the vast education and expertise of Dr. Patricia Miller, the expert speaker of the podcast.