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I’m Emma McAdam, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and my mission is to make mental health resources more easy to access. I take therapy skills and psychological research and condense them down into bite-sized nuggets of help. I’m here to spread the message that while mental illness is real, it’s common, it’s debilitating, it’s also treatable. There are dozens of research-backed approaches to treating depression, anxiety, and other mental illness. Change, growth, and healing are possible. Please keep courage! Try one little thing every day to improve your life and health and things can get so much better! Therapy in a Nutshell, and the information provided by Emma McAdam, is solely intended for informational and entertainment purposes and is not a substitute for advice, diagnosis, or treatment regarding medical or mental health conditions. Although Emma McAdam is a licensed marriage and family therapist, the views expressed on this site or any related content should not be taken for medical or psychiatric advice. Always consult your physician before making any decisions related to your physical or mental health. Therapy in a Nutshell and it’s logo are Registered Trademarks of Therapy in a Nutshell, LLC
Episodes
Monday Dec 28, 2020
Monday Dec 28, 2020
So here’s another of the most common questions I get on my “Rewiring the Anxious Brain” video- People asked “What if the dog bites you?” Now in that video I was explaining how when you avoid something it makes your anxiety go up, and this is really harmful when you avoid something that feels dangerous, but is actually safe- like public speaking, taking a test, or asking for a raise. So I used the example of being afraid of dogs and then explained how gradual exposure can help you overcome that fear by gradually spending time with dogs. But of course, when making a video about anxiety, the anxious people watching the video are going to say- but how can I do that, what if the dog bites you? Many people with anxiety focus on the worst-case scenario, instead of focusing on the potential for growth and healing. And that’s because when your brain is in anxiety mode, it’s attuned to threats, it only notices and pays attention to the potential dangers around you. But dogs can actually be dangerous. So when you’re in anxiety mode the 1 in 1,000 chance of being bit by a family’s pet dog feels like a serious, immediate, most likely occurrence. In Anxiety mode our brain is going to assume the worst about so many things- “What if they all hate me?” “What if I get Covid from my groceries?” “What if the car swerves into my lane?” It’s so easy to get wrapped up in all the “What-ifs” that you completely lose sight of your goals. Like overcoming anxiety, or visiting your son who has a dog. But there are some practical steps you can take to manage your brilliantly anxious brain instead of letting anxiety run your life. First realize that your brain’s most natural job is to “prevent dying” to keep you from bad things happening. And unlike other mammals, that are mostly instinctual about these things, running from an immediate threat like a tiger, and then relaxing when the threat is gone. Our brain has the ability to imagine danger in the future, remember danger in the past, and that makes us feel like we’re in danger in the present moment. But just because our brain is really good at imagining dangers, doesn’t mean that avoiding those fears is the way for us to live a good, happy life. I think most people with anxiety can see how feeling anxious all the time and avoiding stuff is making their lives worse…
Thanks BetterHelp for sponsoring the video: BetterHelp: Professional, Affordable Online Counseling starting at around $65 a week https://www.betterhelp.com/therapyinanutshell
Learn more in one of my in-depth mental health courses: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=12282020
Support my mission on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/therapyinanutshell
Sign up for my newsletter: https://www.therapynutshell.com
Check out my favorite self-help books: https://kit.co/TherapyinaNutshell/best-self-help-books
Therapy in a Nutshell, and the information provided by Emma McAdam, is solely intended for informational and entertainment purposes and is not a substitute for advice, diagnosis, or treatment regarding medical or mental health conditions. Although Emma McAdam is a licensed marriage and family therapist, the views expressed on this site or any related content should not be taken for medical or psychiatric advice. Always consult your physician before making any decisions related to your physical or mental health.
If you are in crisis please contact the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ or 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or your local emergency services. Copyright Therapy in a Nutshell, LLC
Saturday Dec 26, 2020
Saturday Dec 26, 2020
Knowing how to get motivated is really important. How to stay motivated is even more important There are tons of videos teaching tips and tricks and rah rah motivation, but in this video I’m going to teach you how your brain works so you understand the principle behind how to get motivated and how to stay motivated. You’re going to learn how dopamine- the neurotransmitter of reward and motivation works in your brain and 4 simple things you can do to get motivated and stay that way.
Looking for affordable online counseling? My sponsor, BetterHelp, connects you to a licensed professional for $65/week. Try it now for 10% off https://betterhelp.com/therapyinanutshell
Learn more in one of my in-depth mental health courses: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=12262020
Support my mission on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/therapyinanutshell
Sign up for my newsletter: https://www.therapynutshell.com
Check out my favorite self-help books: https://kit.co/TherapyinaNutshell/best-self-help-books
Therapy in a Nutshell, and the information provided by Emma McAdam, is solely intended for informational and entertainment purposes and is not a substitute for advice, diagnosis, or treatment regarding medical or mental health conditions. Although Emma McAdam is a licensed marriage and family therapist, the views expressed on this site or any related content should not be taken for medical or psychiatric advice.
Always consult your physician before making any decisions related to your physical or mental health.
If you are in crisis please contact the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ or 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or your local emergency services.
Copyright Therapy in a Nutshell, LLC ---- Music licensed from www.Bensound.com or Artlist.io Images from Freepik.com (premium license), Pixabay, or Wikimedia commons
Tuesday Dec 22, 2020
Monday Dec 21, 2020
Monday Dec 21, 2020
Seasonal Affective Disorder is a type of depression that is associated with changes in the seasons. (It also has the clever acronym, SAD). Or it’s called the Winter Blues. These symptoms often start in the fall and persist into the winter. With Winter SAD people feel less energetic and more moody, with symptoms similar to depression. It can look like: Losing interest in activities you once enjoyed, feeling sluggish, tired, or low energy, having problems with sleep, feeling hopeless, weight gain, or appetite changes and specifically in the winter, cravings for more food, especially high carb food. Around 20 percent of Americans (That’s like 65 million people) experience seasonal affective disorder. Now this disorder impacts people who are closer to the poles, because the amount of sunlight varies more dramatically with the seasons there, than near the equator.
Looking for Affordable Online Counseling? My sponsor BetterHelp connects you to a licensed professional for $65/week. Try it now for 10% off https://betterhelp.com/therapyinanutshell
Learn more in one of my in-depth mental health courses: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=12212020
Support my mission on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/therapyinanutshell
Sign up for my newsletter: https://www.therapynutshell.com
Check out my favorite self-help books: https://kit.co/TherapyinaNutshell/best-self-help-books
Therapy in a Nutshell, and the information provided by Emma McAdam, is solely intended for informational and entertainment purposes and is not a substitute for advice, diagnosis, or treatment regarding medical or mental health conditions. Although Emma McAdam is a licensed marriage and family therapist, the views expressed on this site or any related content should not be taken for medical or psychiatric advice. Always consult your physician before making any decisions related to your physical or mental health.
If you are in crisis please contact the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ or 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or your local emergency services. Copyright Therapy in a Nutshell, LLC
Thursday Dec 17, 2020
Thursday Dec 17, 2020
People-pleasing is when you feel like you have to change yourself to be loved or accepted by others. People pleasing is especially common among women, but anyone could be a people pleaser. When you are stuck in people pleasing you may feel tired, overwhelmed, exhausted, or resentful. There are different types of people pleasers- the perky, the pouty, and the perplexed people pleaser. If you'd like to learn more about overcoming people pleasing and perfectionism, check out Carly's online course: https://therapyinanutshell.teachable.com/p/ppp
Thanks BetterHelp for sponsoring the video: BetterHelp- Professional, Affordable Online Counseling starting at around $65 a week https://www.betterhelp.com/therapyinanutshell
Learn more in one of my in-depth mental health courses: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=12172020
Support my mission on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/therapyinanutshell
Sign up for my newsletter: https://www.therapynutshell.com
Check out my favorite self-help books: https://kit.co/TherapyinaNutshell/best-self-help-books
Therapy in a Nutshell, and the information provided by Emma McAdam, is solely intended for informational and entertainment purposes and is not a substitute for advice, diagnosis, or treatment regarding medical or mental health conditions. Although Emma McAdam is a licensed marriage and family therapist, the views expressed on this site or any related content should not be taken for medical or psychiatric advice. Always consult your physician before making any decisions related to your physical or mental health. If you are in crisis please contact the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ or 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or your local emergency services. Copyright Therapy in a Nutshell, LLC ---- Music licensed from www.Bensound.com or Artlist.io Images from Freepik.com (premium license), Pixabay, or Wikimedia commons
Tuesday Dec 15, 2020
Tuesday Dec 15, 2020
Can you be successful with OCD? John Green is the famous bestselling author of "The fault in our stars" "Looking for Alaska" and "Turtles all the way down. He's successful, smart, deep, and he also has OCD. John Green's book "Turtles all the way down" is a fictional book about a girl who has OCD- Obsessive-compulsive disorder- and how she deals with life.
Sign up for my newsletter: www.therapynutshell.com
Thanks to BetterHelp for sponsoring the video: BetterHelp- Professional, affordable, online Counseling starting at around $65 a week https://betterhelp.com/therapyinanuts...
Learn more in one of my in-depth mental-health courses: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=12152020
Check out my favorite books for mental health: https://kit.co/TherapyinaNutshell/bes...
Music licensed from www.Bensound.com or Artlist.io Images from Freepik.com (premium license), Pixabay, or Wikimedia commons
Therapy in a Nutshell, and the information provided by Emma McAdam, is solely intended for informational and entertainment purposes and is not a substitute for advice, diagnosis, or treatment regarding medical or mental health conditions. Although Emma McAdam is a licensed marriage and family therapist, the views expressed on this site or any related content should not be taken for medical or psychiatric advice. Always consult your physician before making any decisions related to your physical or mental health. If you are in crisis please contact the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ or 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or your local emergency services. Copyright Therapy in a Nutshell, LLC
Tuesday Dec 08, 2020
Tuesday Dec 01, 2020
Tuesday Dec 01, 2020
I’m currently working with a couple of clients who all get stuck in this pattern of anxiety, and then they try to keep super busy to avoid feeling anxious, and then they burn out and end up depressed. I’ve seen this pattern in my family and in a lot of my clients, so from what I can tell it’s a pretty common way that anxiety turns into depression. In this video, you’re going to learn how to identify and replace this pattern with a more helpful, sustainable approach. So let’s take a look at each of those stages.
Thanks BetterHelp for sponsoring the video: Looking for affordable online counseling? My sponsor, BetterHelp, connects you to a licensed professional for $65/week. Try it now for 10% off https://betterhelp.com/therapyinanuts...
Support my mission on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/therapyinanut...
Learn more in one of my in-depth mental health courses: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=12012020
Sign up for my newsletter: www.therapynutshell.com
Therapy in a Nutshell, and the information provided by Emma McAdam, is solely intended for informational and entertainment purposes and is not a substitute for advice, diagnosis, or treatment regarding medical or mental health conditions. Although Emma McAdam is a licensed marriage and family therapist, the views expressed on this site or any related content should not be taken for medical or psychiatric advice. Always consult your physician before making any decisions related to your physical or mental health. If you are in crisis please contact the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ or 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or your local emergency services.
Copyright Therapy in a Nutshell, LLC ---- Music licensed from www.Bensound.com or Artlist.io Images from Freepik.com (premium license), Pixabay, or Wikimedia commons Images from wsj.com, thedailytexan
Thursday Nov 26, 2020
Thursday Nov 26, 2020
Thanks BetterHelp for sponsoring the video: BetterHelp- Professional, Affordable Online Counseling starting at around $65 a week https://www.betterhelp.com/therapyinanutshell
Gratitude helps with anxiety by interrupting the cycle of constantly scanning for dangers. When we are in fear or scarcity mode, our brain turns on the FFF response, but when we think of gratitude, research shows that the hippocampus and amygdala are activated, these parts of the brain aid in emotion regulation and can help turn on that feeling of safety, contentment, and calm. That feeling of abundance. Basically gratitude practice is a way to regulate the autonomic nervous system, gratitude can turn on that parasympathetic response and reduce stress hormones like cortisol. When we regulate the nervous system, that has a big impact on reducing the symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Learn more in one of my in-depth mental-health courses: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=11262020
Sign up for my newsletter: https://www.therapynutshell.com
Check out my favorite books for mental health: https://www.therapynutshell.com/post/my-favorite-self-help-books
Music licensed from www.Bensound.com or Artlist.io Images from Freepik.com (premium license), Pixabay, or Wikimedia commons Therapy in a Nutshell, and the information provided by Emma McAdam, is solely intended for informational and entertainment purposes and is not a substitute for advice, diagnosis, or treatment regarding medical or mental health conditions. Although Emma McAdam is a licensed marriage and family therapist, the views expressed on this site or any related content should not be taken for medical or psychiatric advice. Always consult your physician before making any decisions related to your physical or mental health. If you are in crisis please contact the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ or 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or your local emergency services. Copyright Therapy in a Nutshell, LLC
Tuesday Nov 24, 2020
Tuesday Nov 24, 2020
Your perception creates your reality. You can actually change how you feel about people by intentionally deciding to change your perception of them. In this video from my Relationship skills Course, I teach how you can fall back in love by changing your perception of another person, helping you feel more warmly towards them.
Take my Relationship Skills course now for $147: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com/relationship-skills?utm_campaign=Nov%2024,%202020&utm_medium=Description&utm_source=podcast
Sign up for my Newsletter: www.therapynutshell.com
Thanks to BetterHelp for sponsoring the video: BetterHelp- Professional, Affordable Online Counseling starting at around $65 a week https://betterhelp.com/therapyinanuts...
Learn more in one of my in-depth mental-health courses: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=11242020
Music licensed from www.Bensound.com or Artlist.io Images from Freepik.com (premium license), Pixabay, or Wikimedia commons
Therapy in a Nutshell, and the information provided by Emma McAdam, is solely intended for informational and entertainment purposes and is not a substitute for advice, diagnosis, or treatment regarding medical or mental health conditions. Although Emma McAdam is a licensed marriage and family therapist, the views expressed on this site or any related content should not be taken for medical or psychiatric advice. Always consult your physician before making any decisions related to your physical or mental health. If you are in crisis please contact the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ or 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or your local emergency services. Copyright Therapy in a Nutshell, LLC