Episode 406: Mental Health, Shadow Work, and Self-Care with Sekeithia

This week, we have a repeat guest as Dr. John Duffy returns to the show! We explore mental health and the difference between young men and women. Dr. Duffy also shares insights from his work and book Rescuing Our Sons: 8 Solutions to Our Crisis of Disaffected Teen Boys (A Psychologist's Roadmap). But wait - this episode is not just for parents. For non-parent listeners, we also talk about the effects of anxiety and how to manage it as well as what to say (and not say) when it comes to grief and interacting with those who are grieving.  Dr. John Duffy is a Chicago-based clinical psychologist, best-selling author, keynote speaker, and national media expert. He has been in vigorous private practice for 25 years, specializing in work with adolescents, young adults, and their parents.  You’ll hear: Exploring the nuances of therapy sessions between young women and young men, plus factors contributing to these disparities (5:19) What Dr. Duffy means when he says we are experiencing a "crisis of disaffected boys" (13:35) Talking about, with anyone, the complexities of grief (26:20) How anxiety manifests and how to manage it when it does (33:06) Resources:  Write Your Way Through It Registration is Open! Dr. John Duffy’s website Episode 246: An Important Conversation about Depression with Dr. John Duffy Rescuing Our Sons: 8 Solutions to Our Crisis of Disaffected Teen Boys (A Psychologist's Roadmap) Parenting the New Teen in the Age of Anxiety: Raising Happy, Healthy Humans Ages 8 to 24 Dr. John Duffy is a Chicago-based clinical psychologist, best-selling author, keynote speaker and national media expert. He has been in vigorous private practice for 25 years, specializing in work with adolescents, young adults and their parents. He has consistently provided the tools young people need to thrive through his empathy, knowledge, experience and practice. He has written three books intended to provide parents with the tools to help their teens and young adults thrive in this persistent age of anxiety. For more than a decade, Dr. Duffy has also spoken to thousands of parents internationally through PTA’s, Fortune 500 corporate programs, and other parenting networks. On radio, Dr. Duffy is a regularly appearing expert on WGN, WLS and NPR. He has appeared as an expert guest on countless podcasts and has been the host of two popular podcasts himself. Book recommendations: I love a good personal development book, and you do too, right? I’ve compiled a list of book recommendations, as mentioned in past episodes. Check out these amazing book recommendations here. Happy reading!   MSN is supported by: We love the sponsors that make our show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: andreaowen.com/sponsors/ Episode link: http://andreaowen.com/597 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You’ve probably heard me mention here and there on various podcast episodes about psychedelic therapy. I’ve had a few experts who talk about its benefits (episodes 551 with Dr. Ellen Vora and 560 with Dr. Tanmeet Sethi).  It’s been an incredibly interesting topic to me, but as someone in long-term recovery, I assumed it wasn’t for me.  However, after doing extensive research and finding out that a) There is a community of people in recovery who support each other in their journey towards using psychedelics for addiction and recovery, b) the research shows psychedelics are not addictive, and 3) psychedelics when used properly have been shown to help people who struggle with anxiety, addiction, depression, ADHD and other mental health challenges, I decided to take the plunge.  If you’d like to follow along in my journey, I’m making a private podcast feed to chronicle it all. I’ll go more in depth as to why I’ve chosen to do this, talk about the different options, tell you how my experience was with each one, and how it’s helped me in terms of my mental health. If you decide to sign up, please keep in mind, this is just my experience, psychedelics are not for everyone, and this type of therapy is subjective.  That being said, tune into this week’s minisode where I talk about the above, why this is an extra-personal endeavor for me, which psychedelic therapy I chose to start with and why.  Resources from this episode:  Follow along on my psychedelic therapy journey Episode 551 with Dr. Ellen Vora Episode 560 with Dr. Tanmeet Sethi Mindbloom (make sure to use code andreao100 to get $100 off your treatment!) Book recommendations: I love a good personal development book, and you do too, right? I’ve compiled a list of book recommendations, as mentioned in past episodes. Check out these amazing book recommendations here. Happy reading!   MSN is supported by: We love the sponsors that make our show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: andreaowen.com/sponsors/ Episode link: http://andreaowen.com/596 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brendan Fitzgibbons returns to the podcast this week as we explore his transformative experience with psychedelic therapy. Brendan shares his personal journey as to why he chose to take the psychedelic therapy route and how it has profoundly impacted him. Brendan is the host of the popular podcast, “Spiritual Asshole,” writer, and actor.  If you are a frequent listener, you are familiar with my endless curiosity about psychedelic therapy. My conversation with Brendan was truly enlightening. Tune in as we chat about psychedelics and their potential as a catalyst for healing and personal growth. And you’ll hear about my decision to start this myself and take you on my journey!  You’ll hear: Why Brendan chose to take the psychedelic therapy route (7:30) The importance of experiencing psychedelic therapy in a safe and supportive environment (16:00) How has Mushrooms, and Ketamine Therapy helped Brendan with rumination and worry? What has integration looked like? (30:19) Resources:  Write Your Way Through It Follow me on her Therapy Journey and subscribe to the private podcast feed! Brendan on Instagram Episode 551 with Dr. Ellen Vora Episode 560 with Dr. Tanmeet Sethi MushyGirls Mindbloom Brendan Fitzgibbons is a Los Angeles writer, actor and podcast host. He's written for Comedy Central, ComedyCentral.com, and the Onion. He's been on Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, MTV, and Comedy Central. His acting work has also been featured in South by Southwest and the Tribeca Film Festival. In 2021, he was the voice of the Samsung Galaxy phone and his podcast, "Spiritual Asshole" was named "Top Indie Podcast" by Stitcher in 2020 and 2021. He just recorded an album at the Ice House with Comedy Dynamics that will be out Feb 2024. Book recommendations: I love a good personal development book, and you do too, right? I’ve compiled a list of book recommendations, as mentioned in past episodes. Check out these amazing book recommendations here. Happy reading!   MSN is supported by: We love the sponsors that make our show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: andreaowen.com/sponsors/ Episode link: http://andreaowen.com/595 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Vanessa Cornell joins me for a conversation about the complexities women face in balancing personal identity, ambition, and self-care. Through her work, Vanessa has become a curious observer of the human condition and a leading voice in parenting empowerment, helping moms to overcome the constant guilt, shame, and pressures that plague modern motherhood to live a fully actualized life free from mom-guilt and mom-burnout. Our conversation is not just for moms but all women trying to find the balance between work, life, and self-care.  In this episode, Vanessa shares her journey and insights on redefining success, the cultural pressures women navigate, and the importance of self-awareness and setting boundaries. We also explore societal expectations of women, the challenge of 'having it all,' and advice for cultivating joy. You’ll hear: How do you “do it all” and not lose your relationship with yourself? (6:03) The crisis of loneliness (18:25) What self-care looks like for women in 2024 (19:22) Living a life that feels alive, full, easeful, and joyful (24:12) Resources:  Write Your Way Through It Follow me along on her Therapy Journey and subscribe to the private podcast feed! Perfect Girls, Starving Daughters Vanessa Cornell is the owner of Cornell Vineyards and the founder of NUSHU, a women’s community grounded in wellness and empowerment. Vanessa graduated from Harvard and went on to work at Goldman Sachs. She then dedicated ten years to growing, birthing and raising her five children. After a lifetime of overachieving and overgiving, Vanessa felt depleted and deeply disconnected from herself and experienced a breaking apart of everything she had known. Since her personal awakening, Vanessa found her passion giving women the tools and confidence to step into their power and lead lives of joy and purpose. Through this work, Vanessa has become a curious observer of the human condition and a leading voice in parenting empowerment, helping moms to overcome the constant guilt, shame, and pressures that plague modern motherhood in order to live a fully actualized life free from mom-guilt and mom-burnout. Vanessa’s three loves in life are herself, her work, and her family; her incredible husband and five quirky, individual, sometimes challenging but always interesting and lovable children. Book recommendations: I love a good personal development book, and you do too, right? I’ve compiled a list of book recommendations, as mentioned in past episodes. Check out these amazing book recommendations here. Happy reading!   MSN is supported by: We love the sponsors that make our show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: andreaowen.com/sponsors/ Episode link: http://andreaowen.com/594 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you’ve listened to the podcast for any length of time, you know I’m a fan of journaling. My relationship with journaling has ebbed and flowed over the years, but one thing always remains the same: When I do it, it’s always helpful to me.  Creating art this way makes meaning of what’s happening in your life. The things you’re struggling with, the things that confuse you, feelings and emotions, and really anything.  I’ve compiled a list of questions for you to journal on, no matter where you are in your life. I’ve also made a handy-dandy PDF for you to print out (or use online) to dig even deeper (the PDF has 5 follow-up questions for you to answer for each question).  Visit http://andreaowen.com/593 to download the PDF! What am I hiding from?  Where do I want to be headed?  What kind of person do I want to be?  Resources for this episode:  Write Your Way Through It is open for registration!  Book recommendations: I love a good personal development book, and you do too, right? I’ve compiled a list of book recommendations, as mentioned in past episodes. Check out these amazing book recommendations here. Happy reading!   MSN is supported by: We love the sponsors that make our show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: andreaowen.com/sponsors/ Episode link: http://andreaowen.com/593 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Coaching episodes are back! This week, I coached Michelle about shame resilience, the distinction between feeling and thinking about emotions, and how to practice self-compassion. I walk Michelle through these crucial aspects of personal growth, offering insights and strategies to navigate the challenges of self-discovery. At the end, you'll also hear an update from me about Michelle's openness to taking action toward her desired outcome. In this episode, we explore The feeling of being less than or unworthy (7:46) A crash course on shame resilience (11:57) Figuring out and naming your values (33:36) What feeling your emotions looks like versus thinking about them (35:00) How to practice self-compassion and give yourself grace while doing the work (37:48) Resources:  Write Your Way Through It Registration is Open! Apply to be coached on the podcast How to Stop Feeling Like Shit Kristen Neff Burnout, Emily Nagoski PhD, Amelia Nagoski DMA Book recommendations: I love a good personal development book, and you do too, right? I’ve compiled a list of book recommendations, as mentioned in past episodes. Check out these amazing book recommendations here. Happy reading!   MSN is supported by: We love the sponsors that make our show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: andreaowen.com/sponsors/ Episode link: http://andreaowen.com/592 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brett Larkin joins me for a conversation about yoga. If you’ve followed me for some time then you know all about my push-pull relationship with yoga. What I love about Brett is that she talks about and teaches yoga from a practical standpoint. Brett is the founder of Uplifted Yoga® and the author of Yoga Life: Habits, Poses, and Breathwork to Channel Joy Amidst the Chaos. Her book, Yoga Life, explores finding the ritual, poses, and breathing that works for you—as opposed to subscribing to a specific yoga modality or practice, which we also discussed throughout our conversation.  In this episode, you’ll hear: Brett’s definition of yoga. TLDR: it’s not about poses; it’s about awareness. (5:18) Fun yoga habits anyone can practice without getting on a mat, like: “Forget the poses. Focus on your breathing.” (10:00) Belly breathing, how to do it, and the benefits of breathing (16:35) Brett answers, “What is the Chakra System?” (22:30) The benefit of designing your own yoga ritual rather than following along with an online video or app (25:28) Resources:  Sign up to get notified about the coaching program, Write Your Way Through It Brett’s book Brett’s website Brett on YouTube Brett on Instagram @larkinyogaytv Book recommendations: I love a good personal development book, and you do too, right? I’ve compiled a list of book recommendations, as mentioned in past episodes. Check out these amazing book recommendations here. Happy reading!   MSN is supported by: We love the sponsors that make our show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: andreaowen.com/sponsors/ Episode link: http://andreaowen.com/591 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, I am excited to introduce you to Casey O’Roarty as she joins me for a conversation about parenting and the complexities of adolescence, strategies for emotional regulation, and how to shift behaviors for personal growth.  Whether you’re a parent of teens or not, this episode is definitely worth a listen. While we do discuss some of the obstacles and life lessons we face as parents, we also explore how to recognize behavior patterns we wish to change and how to strengthen the variety of relationships in our lives. Casey is a facilitator of personal growth and development whose work encourages parents of teens to discover the purpose of their journey while also providing them with tools and a shift of mindset that allows them to deepen their relationships with themselves and their families. In this episode, you’ll hear: Centering the relationship you have with your teens: what this means and what it looks like (5:06) Adolescence presents a challenging phase - it's not a reflection of your parenting abilities but rather a complex and difficult period to navigate (11:24) Exploring the practice of emotional regulation and self-awareness, particularly in navigating triggers and trauma responses (24:36) Shifting patterns of behavior and beliefs for personal growth (27:44) Resources:  Sign up to get notified about the coaching program, Write Your Way Through It Casey’s website Casey on Instagram Andrea on Casey’s podcast, Joyful Courage Book recommendations: I love a good personal development book, and you do too, right? I’ve compiled a list of book recommendations, as mentioned in past episodes. Check out these amazing book recommendations here. Happy reading!   MSN is supported by: We love the sponsors that make our show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: andreaowen.com/sponsors/ Episode link: http://andreaowen.com/590 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As you probably have heard by now, I’m going through a major life change (if you missed that minisode in July, check out episode 540 HERE.) A few weeks ago I released a minisode (episode 586 HERE) about how I’m getting through it, and today’s episode is part two where I’m taking you with me around more of the how.  In this minisode, I’m revealing what I’m doing to get myself to where I want to go. I’m hoping it can be helpful for you to see what the work looks like in real time.  First up, is getting really clear on what I want. I’ve broken my life into parts, and every day I do some journaling focusing on those parts:  My kids My home My income  My health My love life  As well as what I’m grateful for.  I also talk about how in this part of my life, for the first time, I’m betting on myself. I’m leaning into all parts of myself, which includes all of my emotions. I’m feeling my feelings full out. The joy, the sadness, the anger and sometimes rage, the hope, the fear too. I’m learning to really, truly trust myself. For once.  And lastly, I’m looking for ways to do my own somatic work (besides dancing, which I’ve been leaning on for a while now) that will help get me into my body– I’m toying around with the idea of starting erotic dance, or a physical challenge like straddle to handstand.  Check out the short minisode to hear more about it!  Resources:  Sign up for my new group coaching program, Write Your Way Through It Book recommendations: I love a good personal development book, and you do too, right? I’ve compiled a list of book recommendations, as mentioned in past episodes. Check out these amazing book recommendations here. Happy reading!   MSN is supported by: We love the sponsors that make our show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: andreaowen.com/sponsors/ Episode link: http://andreaowen.com/589 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Courtney Meyers joins me on the podcast for a conversation about owning your story, expressing yourself through journaling, and navigating change. Courtney is an Emmy Nominated Writer and Producer, best-selling ghostwriter, and host of the Intentional Living with Courtney Meyers breakout podcast. Tune in to this episode as we discuss embracing change, self-expression, and the transformative power of storytelling. In this episode, you’ll hear: The power of sharing your story and its role in fostering connections (4:06) Are you hesitant to write a memoir because of how it might involve or impact others? Courtney offers advice on dealing with sensitive topics in storytelling (12:35)  Navigating change: We’re constantly navigating it and have to embrace it. For complex changes, you must give time to mourn and grieve what was and is becoming. (15:19) The benefits of journaling and how it can assist with self-discovery and growth. (20:00) Manifesting and being aware of the opportunities in front of us (24:39) Spirituality and the ways to cultivate a deeper connection with your inner self (25:33) Resources:  Join the Live Stream every Wednesday at 12 pm ET! Connect with @heyandreaowen on your favorite social media platform to watch and follow. Private Coaching with Andrea Courtney Meyers’ website Courtney on Instagram Book recommendations: I love a good personal development book, and you do too, right? I’ve compiled a list of book recommendations, as mentioned in past episodes. Check out these amazing book recommendations here. Happy reading!   MSN is supported by: We love the sponsors that make our show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: andreaowen.com/sponsors/ Episode link: http://andreaowen.com/588 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices