Today we are going "into the classroom" with my Abnormal Psychology professor, Ayelet Ruscio! Dr. Ruscio's research a the University of Pennsylvania specializes in anxiety and mood disorders–their nature, classification, and comorbidity. (via psychology.sas.upenn.edu) We discuss why adolescence is such a crucial period for depression (and the role stress plays in this), the gender differences that contribute to higher rates of depression in females, tips to counteract rumination, ways teens can reduce their risk for mental illness, what is subclinical depression + ways to take action, why mental health skills are beneficial across the board, the relationship between stress and depression, common cognitive experiences in depression + how to counteract these, how and why comorbidity and cooccurrence of depression and other mental illnesses occurs, and how different are depression and anxiety really?

Today's guest is Michael Slepian—the Sanford C. Bernstein & Co. Associate Professor of Leadership and Ethics at Columbia University, a recipient of the Rising Star Award from the Association for Psychological Science, the leading expert on the psychology of secrets, and the author of The Secret Life of Secrets: How Our Inner Worlds Shape Well-Being, Relationships, and Who We Are. We discuss what qualifies something as a secret, the most common secrets people keep, the psychology of secret-keeping, personal/relationship/identity consequences of secrets, the pros and cons of confiding in someone else, why being authentic will almost always be a positive experience, tips to increase your vulnerability, and when you should keep a secret.

Today's guests are Liz Fosslien and Mollie West Duffy, the co-authors of the WSJ bestseller No Hard Feelings: The Secret Power of Embracing Emotion at Work and Big Feelings: How to Be Okay When Things Are Not Okay. We discuss why the 7 "big feelings" (burnout, perfectionism, comparison, uncertainty, anger, regret, + despair) are so difficult to navigate and tips on working through them, why it's so important to identify the emotions you're feeling, tips to lean into the emotional experience to understand what your emotions are trying to tell you, recovering from suicidal ideation (+ what to say to someone in this headspace), and advice on supporting someone struggling with these feelings.

This week's guest is Dr. Judy Ho—a licensed and triple board-certified Clinical and Forensic Neuropsychologist, a tenured Associate Professor at Pepperdine University, television and podcast host, and published author. (bio via drjudyho.com) We discuss why she started specializing in self-sabotage, what exactly self-sabotage is and why we do it, the 4 factors that predispose people to self-sabotage, red flags to be aware of, how to determine if your goals are realistic, values-based work, the first step to take in your self-sabotage journey, and why negative emotions necessary.

In today's solo episode I am giving you my tips on how to maintain your mental health as a college student! After wrapping up my freshman year at the University of Pennsylvania, I've put together this comprehensive episode to help you feel prepared to navigate college life! I've broken it down into 5 categories: routine, relationships, rest, recreation, and resources! I tell you everything I wish I knew before starting my freshman year and cover topics like choosing classes, taking mental health days, avoiding burnout, roommates, making friends, naps, hobbies, free time, exercise, and more! At the end of the episode, I answer YOUR questions about college + mental health!

Today's guests are Heather Turgeon and Julie Wright—the psychotherapists, sleep experts, and the authors of The Happy Sleeper and Generation Sleepless. In this episode, we discuss why teenagers are experiencing more sleep deprivation than any other demographic, the "perfect storm" leading teens to lose sleep, what exactly happens when you sleep + why it's so important that you get enough rest, at-home steps you can take to improve your sleep hygiene, night routine tips, how to combat insomnia, tips to get up in the morning, and so much more! If you are a teen or parent of a teen who struggles with sleep (like most of us do) this episode is for you and will provide so much value!

Today's guests are ShrinkChicks co-hosts and Therapy Group founders Emmalee Bierly, LMFT, and Jennifer Chaiken, LMFT! We dive into how negative therapy experiences led Emalee + Jennifer to become therapists, the reasons college is one of the most challenging seasons for mental health, why you should be therapist-shopping, the biggest determinant of success in therapy, how to optimize your sessions to get the most out of them, debunking therapy myths, what is the family systems modality, and signs therapy may be beneficial for you.

Today's guest is Carmen Applegate—the host of The Girly Girl Podcast! In this episode, we answer all your questions about high school, content creation, podcast growth, Pinterest marketing, dating, boys, flirting, and so much more!

Today's guest is Dr. Edith Eger—a psychologist, New York Times bestselling author, dancer, and holocaust survivor. At 16 years old, Edith and her family were sent to Auschwitz where her parents were sent to the gas chambers. However, Edith’s bravery kept her and her sister alive. During her time in the concentration camps, Edith and her sister were subjected to torture, abuse, and Edith came face to face with the "angel of death," Josef Mengele. After being liberated in 1945, Edith struggled with suicidal depression, survivor's guilt, and the aftermath of the trauma she endured. After 20 years of suppressing her story and emotions, Edith began to share her experiences and help others work through their PTSD and traumas. Today, at 94-years-old Dr. Eger is a prolific author, practicing psychologist, professor, speaker, and advocate. (bio adapted from dreditheger.com)

In this profound conversation, we discuss living in the present, what happens when we suppress emotions, working through guilt, anger, and uncertainty, taking accountability, acting with kindness, how crucial inner dialogues are, Dr. Eger's experiences with suicidal ideation after being liberated, and her life today!

Episode 100—can you believe it?!? I asked you guys on Instagram what you wanted to hear to celebrate and the majority said a solo episode. So, here we are—an episode jam-packed with my top 10 insights/takeaways/tips from the last 5 years (severely struggling with depression and anxiety from 13-16, navigating intensive treatment as a teen, recovering, and recording 100+ podcast episodes about mental health). THANK YOU for listening, supporting, and allowing me to share my story it means more to me than you'll ever know :) PS: make sure to enter the 100-episode giveaway on IG!

Today's guests are CLEARSTEM Skincare founders Danielle Gronich (owner of the acclaimed San Diego Acne Clinic and known as The Acne Guru™) and Kayleigh Christina (Holistic Nutritionist)! CLEARSTEM Skincare is a revolutionary skincare brand that is both Anti-Aging and Anti-Acne with zero hormone disruptors or toxins. In this episode, we discuss Danielle and Kayleigh's personal struggles with cystic acne and failed attempts to cure it, common acne triggers (genetics, lifestyle, foods, etc), the genetic components of acne, different types of acne (hormonal vs. cystic vs. minor breakouts), debunking TikTok trends (baby botox, slugging, hydrochloric bandages, at home high-frequency, etc), make-up recommendations, and so much more!

Whitney Goodman, LMFT is the radically honest psychotherapist behind the hugely popular Instagram account @sitwithwhit, the author of Toxic Positivity, and the owner of The Collaborative Counseling Center, a private therapy practice in Miami, FL. She helps people who want to improve their relationships and emotional awareness. (bio via sitwithwhit.com) We discuss Whitney's clinical experience, how she started observing toxic positivity in her practice and community, what exactly toxic positivity is, how it shows up in ourselves and in our relationships, negative impacts of invalidation, situations you shouldn't be positive in, over validation, and the benefits of complaining.

Truth Initiative is America's largest nonprofit public health organization dedicated to a future where tobacco and nicotine addiction are things of the past. In this roundtable with Truth Initiative, we discuss the prevalence of teen nicotine use, what happens when adolescents use nicotine (biologically, mentally, socially, etc), smoking cigarettes vs. vaping, the average age of onset, the mental health implications of vaping, This is Quitting as a resource (what it is, why it works, what to expect, etc), other resources that can be helpful on your quitting journey, and Megan + Jake's advice for teens currently trying to quit.

Eileen Kelly is the host of Going Mental and the founder of KILLER AND A SWEET THANG (KAAST)—an online comprehensive resource for young people to discover, learn about and connect with their sexual health, pleasure, and identity. We sit down to compare our times at McLean Hospital (voluntarily going to treatment, advocating for yourself, being an adult vs. getting sent to treatment, DBT, day-to-day activities, and more), advice and takeaways post-treatment, why Eileen started blogging, stepping into her sexuality, and her advice for young adults today!

Today's solo episode is all about the emotion regulation module of DBT (dialectical behavioral therapy). I dive into everything you need to know to decrease your emotional vulnerability, effectively cope with emotions that arise and improve regulation long-term. Skills/topics mentioned include building your life worth living, understanding your priorities/values so you can live in line with them, ABC PLEASE skills, mindfulness of current emotions, and changing emotional responses.

Today's guests are Jill and David Henry—high school coaches and the authors of The Greatest College Health Guide! We sit down to discuss everything you need to know to have a successful college experience. Topics covered include what makes transitioning to college difficult, why you can expect an increase in stress, things to do before college to set yourself up for success, the identity crisis many students experience, wellness self-assessments, tips to set up an effective schedule, and the 5 health pillars to stay on top of in college.

Today's guest is Efia Sulter—a mindset and manifestation coach and the host of The Manifest Edit! Efia's passion is helping ambitious women create the life they truly desire – not just the life they’ve settled for. In this episode, we dive deep into Efia's journey of overcoming the childhood trauma of being orphaned, the value of the coach-client relationship, what exactly manifesting is, the importance of subconscious programming, angel numbers, manifestation misconceptions, how mental health and manifestation intersect, how race relates to manifesting, and so much more!

Today's guest is Michele Rosenthal—a Certified Professional Coach, Board Certified Trauma and PTSD Hypnotist, Licensed Master Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming AND a trauma and PTSD survivor herself. She is also an award-winning trauma/PTSD blogger, award-nominated author, and keynote speaker as well as a Trauma Recovery Specialist and Mental Health Advocate. In this episode, we discuss Michele's journey, the implications of our trauma definition, the benefits of an integrative (mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual) recovery approach, overcoming trauma addiction, and the 4 steps of healing.

Today's guest is Tara Bixby—a therapist, anxiety coach, and host of the Courageously.u Podcast. In this episode, we dive deep into anxiety. Tara and I talk about causes, triggers, advice for parents vs. teens, somatic experiences, societal misconceptions surrounding anxiety, and more! If you've ever struggled with anxiety or want to support a loved one struggling this episode is for YOU—it is filled with tangible advice to implement, insight on what's going on internally, coping skill suggestions, and the therapist's perspective we all need!

Today's solo episode is all about crisis survival! In this episode we dive deep into how to survive a crisis—whether that's extreme anxiety, anger, depression, urges, or something else! I cover what qualifies something as a crisis, SUDs scores, creating a safety plan, DBT survival skills (STOP, asking for help, ride the wave, TIPP, ACCEPTS + IMPROVE, and more), coping with general distress vs. specific situations, and what’s worked for me!