Happy Brain

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Sensory Journaling for Better Mental Health Nov 28, 2023

Show notes

Being able to raise mental health awareness and show people that they're not alone is my biggest goal in life. I want to make a difference and help others who may be going through similar struggles. - Tyler Wittkofsky

In this episode, you will be able to:

Discover the therapeutic power of writing to improve your mental well-being.
Explore the benefits of sensory therapy techniques to ground yourself and find inner peace.
Unlock the transformative effect of storytelling in teaching to enhance your communication skills.
Learn how to recognize and appreciate the good in your life for a more positive outlook.

About our Guest

Step into the captivating world of Tyler Wittkofsky, an extraordinary talent hailing from North Carolina's enchanting southern coast. As a multi-genre maestro, Tyler weaves tales that sweep you into unforgettable adventures. Beyond his writing prowess, he's a fervent podcaster, mental health advocate, and travel blogger. With his wife Grace and furry companions Dutch and Belle, Tyler embarks on awe-inspiring journeys across the US, chronicled on the enthralling blog "Adventure With Coffee."Tyler's literary repertoire includes the touching novella "(Not) Alone," inspired by true events on mental health struggles, and the debut romance "The Seeds of Love: Sunflower Kisses Book One," navigating love's complexities through a mentally ill protagonist. His emotionally charged poetry collection "Coffee, Alcohol, and Heartbreak" draws from four transformative years. Collaborating with Kelsey Anne Lovelady, "Enamored Echoes Book 1: Potent" marked his fantasy co-authorship debut.As a beacon of hope, Tyler shares his mental health journey on www.TylerWittkofsky.com. He co-hosts the Cook the Books podcast, delving into writing and publishing. He also leads Tea With Coffee Media, spotlighting untold stories via his indie publishing company. Not just a creative, Tyler excels as an award-winning marketing pro, recognized with accolades like Wilmington Biz Journal's Top 100 award. In 2020, he launched The Wittkofsky Company, a non-profit digital marketing and PR firm for positive global impact. Join Tyler's journey on social media @TylerWittkofsky, and explore his work at https://linktr.ee/tylerwittkofsky for an inspiring rollercoaster of emotion and unforgettable stories.

Resources

◼️ Happy Brain Mental Wellness Tips and Resources

Connect with Our Guest

◼️ Website: https:// https://TylerWittkofsky.com

◼️LinkTree: HTTPS://linktr.ee/TylerWittkofsky

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Thank you Listeners! What is on your Mental Health Menu today? Nov 23, 2023

Show notes

Thank you to each one of you who have listened to an episode this year. Also, thank you to all our guests who have given their time to help all of make all of our brains a little happier. Cheers!

How You Can Live with Urgency! - Jodi Wellman Nov 22, 2023

Show notes

Have you ever heard these myths about living a life worth living? Myth #1: You have to sacrifice your career for personal fulfillment. Myth #2: Happiness and success are mutually exclusive. Myth #3: Meaningful experiences only happen during vacations. In this episode, our guest Jodi Wellman will share the truth behind these myths and help busy adults live a more intentional and meaningful life.

Jodi brings a unique perspective on time and living a meaningful life that will make you stop and think. By quantifying time in terms of the number of Mondays we have left, Jodi encourages us to live with intention and make the most of every moment. Her website, FourThousandMondays.com, offers a free quiz that helps you assess your current lifestyle and find ways to inject more vitality and meaning into your days. Tune in to this episode to discover how you can live a more fulfilling and purposeful life with Jodi's guidance. You won't want to miss it!

Life is not just about living longer, but living wider and deeper. It's about adding vitality and meaning, more fun and pleasure, deeper connections and purpose. - Jodi Wellman

About our Guest

Jodi Wellman is a leading authority on living lives worth living. As a speaker and facilitator, she helps her clients live squander-free lives while they’re lucky enough to still be above ground. She named her business Four Thousand Mondays because it shines the light on the finite number of weeks we have to live like we mean it. Jodi holds a Master’s of Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania, where she is also an Assistant Instructor. As a certified coach with 25 years of corporate leadership experience, she helps people who might die someday work well and live even better. Her TEDx talk is called How Death Can Bring You Back to Life and has over 1.3 million views!

Resources

◼️ Happy Brain Mental Wellness Tips and Resources

◼️ Free Quiz "How Alive (or Dead) Are You" Quiz

Connect with Our Guest◼️ Website: https://fourthousandmondays.com

◼️LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fourthousandmondays/

◼️Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fourthousandmondays/

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◼️Show Instagram:http://www.instagram.com/happybrainfm

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How you can be happier (after antidepressants) Nov 15, 2023

Show notes

Note: This is an extended episode of Happy Brain! If you want to jump right to Brooke’s Happiness Tip, start at 12:30. (But I encourage you to listen to her powerful story!)

Happy Brain listeners, do you want a powerful story on the struggles of getting off antidepressants? Do you want some techniques to deal with life after that? Then you will really connect with this episode! Stick around if you are, like me, are still on antidepressants or off them or want to hear ways to improve your mood.

Discover the inspiring journey of Brooke Siem, whose decision to confront her mental health without medication took an unexpected turn. As she embarked on a year of travel to find her own baseline, she unknowingly plunged into a severe antidepressant withdrawal that lasted over a year. But don't worry, Brooke's story doesn't end there. Find out how she developed a unique system to track her progress and make 51% decisions with her Daily Happiness Scale, and learn how you can navigate the challenges of antidepressant withdrawal or mental health challenges in general. Stay tuned to uncover Brooke's powerful coping tips and embrace a new chapter of resilience and growth.

Sean Bloch, Host of Happy Brain

Assist from Capsho. :)

About our Guest

Brooke Siem (@brookesiem) is a writer, chef, and speaker whose work on antidepressant withdrawal has appeared in The Washington Post, New York Post, Psychology Today, and more. Her memoir, MAY CAUSE SIDE EFFECTS is the first book on antidepressant withdrawal to hit the mass-market. She is also a Food Network "Chopped" Champion, founder of the newsletter Happiness Is A Skill, and creator of the F*ckit Bucket™.

Resources

◼️ Happy Brain Mental Wellness Tips and Resources

◼️ MAY CAUSE SIDE EFFECTS - Our guest’s book

Connect with Our Guest

◼️ Website: www.brookesiem.com

◼️Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brookesiem

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Language Hacks to Better Your Mental Health! Nov 07, 2023

Show notes

Imagine you are stuck on a work issue and you are going over it endlessly in your head. Finally, a colleague encourages you by saying, “the answer is fight around the corner”. What if you actually got up and walked around the corner in your office and it unlocked some type of answer!

Our guest Alison Smith shares the power of mindful language use and how you literally use it to improve your state of mind. So the next time someone tells you to “let’s take a step back” say yes and actually get up and take a step back. The act of getting unstuck may be as simple as the language you use.

About our Guest

From Alison Smith, “Helping your guests see the wood for the trees! Especially when they feel stuck or don’t know what to do.

My unique, quirky perspective - using nature as a metaphor for our lives - allows me to help people in an unconventional way that they may not be used to, but which always gets results! For example, when you can't see the wood for the trees, the answer can almost certainly be found within the wood (and within your own inner landscapes!).

I have used the tools in my coaching and problem-solving toolkit for more than 20 years. My tools are also demonstrated in my book: 'Can't See the Wood for the Trees' and my podcast: 'Landscaping Your Life with Alison Smith'.

I am an experienced speaker, coach, and author who adds fun, laughter, joy, and connection into every conversation!”

Resources

◼️ Happy Brain Mental Wellness Tips and Resources

◼️ Special Workshop - “How to Speak to the Brick Wall”

Connect with Our Guest

◼️ Website: https://www.alisonsmith.co

◼️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@alisonsmitheu

◼️LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alisonsmitheu/

◼️Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/landscapingyourlife/

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◼️Show Instagram:http://www.instagram.com/happybrainfm

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How to Set Boundaries and Take Care of Yourself Oct 31, 2023

Show notes

Are you sacrificing your own well-being for the sake of others? Discover the transformative power of setting boundaries in this captivating conversation with Jassy Jackson. She reveals her personal journey from chronic people-pleaser to self-care advocate, leaving you questioning whether you're truly prioritizing your own needs... or just sacrificing yourself. Key Moments 00:00:39 - Importance of Setting Personal Boundaries 00:01:36 - Being Nice vs. Being Nice to Yourself 00:06:12 - Setting Boundaries in the Workplace 00:08:26 - Courage and Communication in Setting Boundaries 00:15:27 - Setting Boundaries and Taking Care of Yourself 00:16:54 - The Meaning of "Nice" and Sacrificing Yourself 00:18:18 - Core Beliefs and Personal Boundaries 00:20:18 - The Process of Setting Boundaries 00:22:30 - Reflecting on Boundaries Being Crossed About our Guest Jassy Jackson empowers individuals to realign with who they truly are by leveraging her Masters in Organizational Psychology, her extensive experience as an executive leader and her years as a reiki practitioner. Her teachings are based on a holistic approach that brings together a healthy mix of shamanic ceremonies alongside traditional psychology, allowing her to cater to each individual’s needs while creating a safe space for transformation, healing and creation of new pathways in the human experience. Learn more about her work at www.crysta-luna.com. Resources ◼️ Happy Brain Mental Wellness Tips and Resources Connect with Our Guest◼️ Website: https://www.crysta-luna.com ◼️Instagram: https://instagram.com/crystalunavortexConnect with us!----◼️Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/seanstevebloch ◼️Show Instagram:http://www.instagram.com/happybrainfm ◼️Sign-up for Happy Brain Tips: https://bit.ly/HappyBrainTips

Elevate Your Mental Health with Music: A Conversation with Acclaimed Composer Tina Davidson Oct 24, 2023

Show notes

Does this sound familiar? You've been told that the key to enhancing your mental health is simply talking about your feelings. But deep down, you know that just talking isn't enough to truly understand and heal. You're tired of feeling stuck, overwhelmed, and disconnected. It's time to break free from the limitations of mere words and explore the powerful world of music as a tool for self-discovery and personal growth. Let the melodies and rhythms unlock the healing potential within you, and experience a new level of emotional well-being and inner peace.

Writing music is not rocket science. It's a simple and ingenious art form that anyone can learn, if they give themselves permission to do so. - Tina Davidson

In this episode, you will be able to:

Discover the healing power of music and unlock its potential to support mental well-being.
Learn why creating music instead of just listening is so powerful
Understand the importance of encouraging the children in your life to play or create music for their growth and development.
Add more mental health tools to your mental health toolki

About our Guest

Tina Davidson, a highly regarded American composer, creates music that stands out for its emotional depth and lyrical dignity. Lauded for her authentic voice, The New York Times has praised her “vivid ear for harmony and colors.”

Her memoir, Let Your Heart Be Broken, Life and Music from a Classical Composer, is available from Boyle & Dalton. Her memoir traces her extraordinary life in equally lyrical language, juxtaposing memories, journal entries, notes on compositions in progress, and insights into the life of an artist – and a mother – at work.

REVIEW

"Let Your Heart Be Broken is a consummate read in its entirety, exploring with uncommon sensitivity and poetic insight the fundamentals of love, forgiveness, and creativity”, and what it takes to emerge from the inner darkness into a vast vista of light, rooted in the life-tested truth that “we are, in the end, a measure of the love we leave behind.” (Maria Popova, The Marginalian)

Resources

◼️ Happy Brain Mental Wellness Tips and Resources

Connect with Our Guest

◼️Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tina.davidson.5205/

◼️Instagram:,https://www.instagram.com/tinadavidson.music/

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◼️Show Instagram:http://www.instagram.com/happybrainfm

◼️Sign-up for Happy Brain Tips: https://bit.ly/HappyBrainTips

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Hearing the Body’s Warning Systems to Reduce Stress and Anxiety Oct 10, 2023

Show notes

Have you heard these myths about recognizing and understanding internal warning signs? Myth #1: Ignoring your emotions will make them go away. Myth #2: Only weak people experience stress. Myth #3: It's normal to constantly feel overwhelmed and anxious. In this episode, our guest Harmony Kwiker will debunk these myths and share the truth about recognizing and navigating internal warning signs effectively.

My special guest is Harmony Kwiker

Harmony Kwiker is a psychotherapist, author, and visiting professor who has a unique ability to bridge the gap between spirituality and clinical psychology. With her book, "Align: Living and Loving from True Self," she brings a fresh perspective to self-awareness and stress management. In this episode of Happy Brain, Harmony shares her insights on recognizing and understanding internal warning signs. She delves into the concept of nervous center regulation and the role of the vagus nerve in our body's alert system. Harmony also provides a practical tip on how to massage the vagus nerve for improved self-awareness and overall well-being. Her expertise and down-to-earth approach make this conversation enlightening and accessible to anyone seeking to navigate life's storms with greater ease. So sit back, relax, and get ready to learn from Harmony Kwiker on Happy Brain. Cheers!

That tightness in your chest or constriction in your throat is your body's way of alerting you. Listen to those internal warnings and take care of yourself. - Harmony Kwiker

In this episode, you learn:

How to unlock new levels of calm and focus.
The significance of the vagus nerve to reduce stress and improve overall well-being.
Practice self-awareness and experience greater clarity and authenticity.
How self-care can positively impact your mental and physical health.

About our Guest

Born into a family of healers, Harmony Kwiker (kw-eye-ker) started the practice of transcendental meditation at age 6. During this time, she glimpsed her future self and knew that she was here to be a healer, a teacher, and an author. Wanting to find a way to bridge the progressive healing techniques of her parents with traditional psychology, Harmony chose a graduate program with a strong foundation in social justice and a more holistic lens of clinical psychology.

Now a psychotherapist, author, and visiting instructor at Naropa University, Harmony teaches mindfulness-based transpersonal Gestalt counseling. She is also the founder of the Institute for Spiritual Alignment where she trains therapists and coaches to bridge the divide between traditional and spiritual transformation. In her first book, Reveal: Embody the True Self Beyond Trauma and Conditioning, Harmony vulnerably shares her story of transformation while simultaneously empowering readers to discover their truest selves. Her new book, Align: Living and Loving from the True Self is now available.

Resources

◼️ Happy Brain Mental Wellness Tips and Resources

◼️The Author’s Book - Align: Living and Loving from the True Self

Connect with Our Guest

◼️ Website: https://thespirituallyaligned.com/

◼️Instagram: https://instagram.com/thespirituallyaligned

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◼️Show Instagram:http://www.instagram.com/happybrainfm

◼️Sign-up for Happy Brain Tips: https://bit.ly/HappyBrainTips----
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How to Manifest Magical Moments with Victoria Rader Oct 03, 2023

Show notes

Have you ever experienced a moment of such clarity, focus and intuition that you manifested something meaningful perfectly? Sean shares just such a story he manifested the perfect family pictures. Following Victoria’s steps she shares in this episode, so you can create your own magical moment.

📸 Victoria Rader, possibilities coach and miracle manifestor, joins us to explore how we can tap into more of these moments. She explains why manifestation isn't about control - it's aligning with divine possibilities.

🔮 Victoria outlines how trauma and stuck energy can create patterns that repeat, and the science behind 7-year cycles tied to developmental stages and energy centers.

📝 Want to manifest more magic? Victoria provides a hands-on 3-step exercise using targeted journaling to get clarity on your deeper desires, visualizing possibilities, releasing negative thoughts, and focusing on next steps.

❓ We also get into why "don't" and "not" trip up the subconscious mind, and the importance of feeling our dreams.

About our Guest

Victoria Rader, Ph.D. Possibility Coach™, transformational speaker and founder of YU2SHINE empowers coaches, entrepreneurs, and spiritual seekers to manifest miracles by uncovering and solving underlying hidden problems and patterns with innovative possibilities, reigniting PASSION and expanding PEACE, PURPOSE, and PROSPERITY.

She is an eight times internationally bestselling author who is globally recognized along with Brene Brown, Richard Branson, and others for creative and innovative ideas, adaptability in business, and contribution to sustainability and mental health projects with CREA GLOBAL AWARD by Brainz Magazine.

Resources

◼️ Happy Brain Mental Wellness Tips and Resources

◼️Free Manifestation Video: http://freeme.coach

Connect with Our Guest◼️Website: https://yu2shine.com/press-room/

◼️Facebook: http://freeme.coach

◼️LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoriarader/

◼️Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vica_rader/

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◼️Show Instagram:http://www.instagram.com/happybrainfm

◼️Sign-up for Happy Brain Tips: https://bit.ly/HappyBrainTips

Building Mental Fitness One Compliment at a Time! Sep 26, 2023

Show notes

Can taking compliments improve your mental resilience? Can learning not to give someone the finger help conquer your negativity? Yes, according to our guest Colin C. Thompson. In this episode, Colin will be your certified positive intelligence coach and take you on a journey to build mental fitness through small challenges.

3 Key Takeaways:

Change small and change often - make minor adjustments frequently rather than huge changes all at once. Start with small "wins" to build momentum.
Accept compliments fully - repeat back the compliment, agree with it, and say thank you. This builds self-esteem.
Be mindful of triggers - notice what upsets you and consciously decide not to react negatively. See difficult people as opportunities to practice staying calm.

Lean into 3 compliments per day
Identify a trigger to practice staying positive
Download 5 Tips to Build Mental Fitness

About our Guest - Colin C. Thompson

Colin C. Thompson, is the founder of Oligye Enterprises (Shanghai), a company focused on business consulting, coaching, and training. Colin has been coaching since 2016 and holds a coaching certification by the International Coaching Federation (ICF). As a result of his coaching services, individuals, teams, and organizations have developed and enhanced their work and leadership skills essential for success in both personal and professional environments.

Resources

◼️ Happy Brain Mental Wellness Tips and Resources

◼️ 5 Tips to Build Mental Fitness

◼️ Happy Brain Episode with Dr. Annie White Referenced in the Show

Connect with Our Guest

◼️ Website: https://www.oligye.com https://www.colincthompson.com

◼️ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LIFECoachColin

◼️ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/colin.c.thompson

◼️LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colincthompson/

◼️LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/oligye-life-coaching

◼️Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colincthompson

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