In this episode, we explore the deep connection between vulnerability and emotional closeness - and why opening up is not weakness, but strength. Drawing on research from Brené Brown and psychology, we’ll look at why emotional safety is so important for our mental health, why it’s harder than ever in today’s polished world, and how we can practice vulnerability in small, everyday ways.

I’ll also share a personal story about how this podcast came to life - and why it took me ten years to finally start. Because if I ask you to be vulnerable, I want to model it too.

You’ll leave this episode with:
✨ A clear understanding of why emotional closeness is vital for your well-being
✨ Practical tips for practicing vulnerability safely and authentically
✨ A gentle reminder that you don’t need to be perfect to be loved - you just need to be real

Because vulnerability isn’t weakness. It’s the bridge to the kind of connection we all crave - and the kind of mental health we all deserve.

Scents have a direct line to our emotions - which is why one whiff of lavender can calm you instantly, or why a certain perfume can bring back memories from years ago. In this episode, we dive into the fascinating science of smell and the limbic system, and explore how scents can shift your mood in seconds.

We’ll talk about essential oils, diffusers, incense, perfumes, and fall-scented candles - plus which smells soothe, which energize, and which ground you. I’ll also share my personal rituals and tips for choosing high-quality, health-conscious scents that support your well-being.

This is your invitation to create more cozy, mindful moments in your everyday life - one breath at a time.

The shift from summer to fall is more than just a change in weather - it’s a change in our biology and psychology, too. Shorter days, less sunlight, and colder weather can leave us feeling low in energy, more irritable, or even stuck in the “winter blues.” For some, it can trigger Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

In this episode, we’ll explore:
☀️ Why our mood naturally dips as the days get darker
🧠 What SAD actually is and how it differs from the winter blues
💡 Practical tools to prepare your body and mind - from light therapy to supplements, sleep hygiene, and cozy rituals
🍂 Why fall can be the perfect season for reflection and slowing down

And I’ll also share my own little love letter to fall - from pumpkin recipes to Barcelona sunrises - and why leaning into the coziness can be its own form of mental health care.

This is your gentle reminder: now is the time to prepare, so winter feels lighter.

Have you ever wondered why one small criticism sticks in your mind for hours - while the five compliments you got that day vanish in seconds?

It’s not you. It’s your brain.
In this episode, we dive into the negativity bias - a deeply ingrained survival mechanism that makes our brains cling to the bad and gloss over the good.

But here’s the good news: through the power of neuroplasticity, we can retrain our minds to notice joy, build inner safety, and feel more balanced.

You’ll learn:
– Why our brain is wired for negativity
– How this bias impacts your mental health
– Tools to start rewiring your brain: from “taking in the good” to reframing and mindfulness
– A 1-minute guided practice to help you begin right now

✨ You're not broken - your brain is just doing its job. But you can teach it a new way.

In a world that tells us to constantly optimize, heal, and upgrade, it’s easy to forget this simple truth: you are not a project.

In today’s episode, I’m reflecting on the fine line between meaningful personal growth and the pressure to constantly become “better.” We’ll talk about how even self-development can start to feel like another to-do list - and why true growth starts with compassion, not criticism.

We’ll explore:
– Why you don’t have to fix yourself to grow
– How self-acceptance and development can peacefully coexist
– The hidden cost of hustle culture (even in healing)
– Journal prompts to reconnect with your why
– Why your worth has nothing to do with your productivity

This episode is your gentle reminder that you’re allowed to rest. You’re allowed to evolve without self-rejection.
You’re already worthy - right here, right now.

We talk a lot about forgiveness - but few of us are ever taught how to actually do it.

In this episode, we dive into why forgiveness is essential for your mental health, why time alone doesn’t heal emotional wounds, and how unprocessed resentment keeps us stuck. You’ll learn about the evidence-based REACH method for practicing forgiveness, what science says about the emotional and physical benefits, and why forgiveness is never about excusing someone else - but about choosing peace for yourself.

At the end, I’ll guide you through a short but powerful visualization to help you gently begin your own forgiveness process.

✨ Questions for your own reflection:

• Who am I still holding anger or pain toward?

• What has this unresolved hurt cost me emotionally, mentally, or physically?

• What would it feel like to begin letting go — not for them, but for me?

• What do I need in order to move forward?

• Am I ready to choose peace, even if the past can’t be changed?

Because forgiveness isn’t about forgetting.
It’s about reclaiming your power - one gentle step at a time.

Summer is supposed to be the season of joy, energy, and lightness - but what if you’re just… not feeling it?

In this honest solo episode, we talk about why feeling low in summer hits differently, the guilt that often comes with it, and why your emotions don’t follow the calendar. You’ll hear a gentle reminder that you don’t have to fake good vibes just because the sun is out.

We’ll explore:
– Why it feels extra hard to be sad in summer
– How comparison and expectation can intensify emotional pressure
– Why your feelings are still valid (even on the brightest days)
– What to do when you’re low - and how to care for yourself gently

This is your permission to rest, to feel, and to stop performing happiness.
You’re not broken - you’re just human.
And gentle, as always, is the new strong.

A gentle guided meditation to help you ease into sleep.
We’ll begin with 4-7-8 breathing to calm your nervous system and continue with a relaxing body scan that invites your mind and body to let go.

This is your permission to slow down, soften, and surrender to rest — no pressure, no performance. Just a few peaceful moments to end your day and drift into deep sleep.

Press play, close your eyes, and let yourself be held by stillness.

We're halfway through the year — and this is your invitation to pause. In this honest solo episode, I’m sharing my own reflections from the past six months: the changes, the challenges, and the quiet wins. I’ll walk you through why checking in with yourself isn’t just helpful, but essential for your mental health and sense of self-agency.

We’ll explore why most New Year’s resolutions fail, how the 1% method can help you set gentle, realistic goals, and how reconnecting with your own story can make you feel more grounded — even if things didn’t go as planned.

If you’re ready for your own mid-year moment, here are a few questions to guide you:

• What have I been proud of in the past six months — big or small?

• Where have I grown, even if no one else noticed?

• What felt heavy or out of alignment, and what might I want to leave behind?

• What do I want more of in the next season of my life?

• What do I need to feel supported in that?

This is your permission to reset — not through pressure, but through presence.
You don’t need to do it all. Just one mindful step is enough.

Poor sleep affects your mood, focus, energy — and long-term mental health.
In this episode, we unpack why sleep matters, how much you really need, what’s keeping you up at night, and how to actually improve your rest without 5am routines.
Whether you’re struggling to fall asleep, stay asleep, or just wake up feeling rested — this episode will guide you back to better sleep habits, one gentle step at a time.

This is your reminder that you don’t have to hustle to prove your worth.
You don’t need to do more, push harder, or “earn” your rest.

In this short pep talk, I’m sharing why I believe gentle is the new strong — and why slowing down, setting boundaries, and being soft with yourself might be the most powerful things you can do today.

If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, guilty for resting, or just caught in the loop of constant doing… this one’s for you. 💛

You don’t need to overhaul your life to feel better.
In this episode, I’m sharing the mental health habits that actually work — not the 5am routines or 20-minute meditations, but the tiny ones that fit into your real life.

We’ll talk about how to feel less overwhelmed, why 1% shifts are more powerful than you think, and how reclaiming even a few quiet moments a day can help you feel calm, capable, and connected to yourself again.

This is your permission slip to go gently.
Because gentle is the new strong 💛

🤍 In times of uncertainty — when the world feels heavy, and your inner voice grows harsh — it becomes even more important to return to kindness.

This short guided meditation invites you to pause, breathe, and meet yourself with compassion. There is nothing to fix here. Just space to soften, reconnect, and remember: you're doing your best.

Come back to this practice anytime you feel overwhelmed, tired, or simply in need of a little grace.

This Mental Health Awareness Month, I’m sharing something close to my heart.
How therapy felt like a secret at 18, how opening up changed everything — and why, even today, talking about mental health still isn’t as easy or normal as it should be.
We’ve come a long way, but there’s still so much stigma left to break.

This episode is an invitation to be honest, to be human, and to know you’re never alone with what you’re feeling.

Caught in a spiral of overthinking again? Your brain is loud, your chest is tight, and you're trying to think your way to clarity—but it only makes it worse.

This short, powerful pep talk is your gentle interruption. You'll learn why overthinking happens, how your brain tries to protect you, and what to do instead when your thoughts feel out of control.

No fluff. Just grounding reminders, small tools, and a voice to help you get out of your head and back into the now.

🎧 Perfect for those moments when everything feels too much.
💛 Take 5 minutes to pause, reset, and remind yourself: you’re not your thoughts.

🫂 In this episode, I’m taking you behind the scenes of my own journey with overthinking. From feeling like my mind constantly has 80 tabs open, to navigating uncertainty during COVID, long-distance love, and the messy middle of wanting control where there is none – I’m sharing it all.

I talk about what overthinking has felt like for me, what helped me soften it over the years, and how I now approach my mind with more compassion, rest, and trust. This one is unfiltered, a little raw, and very close to my heart.

Whether you're an overthinker yourself or simply curious to hear a personal take, I hope this episode reminds you that you're not alone – and that it can get easier.

Feeling mentally overwhelmed? Stuck in your head, spiraling through “what ifs” and worst-case scenarios?

This guided meditation is here to help you pause, soften, and reconnect with your body. You’ll be gently guided out of your busy mind and into a space of calm, clarity, and presence.

Through imagery, mindful breathing, and simple grounding techniques, you’ll learn how to release overthinking and anchor into a sense of safety and stillness—a space you can return to anytime.

✨ No need to fix anything. Just be here. Let it all settle.

🎧 Best listened to when your thoughts feel loud, or when you simply need a reset.

🧠 Do you ever catch yourself stuck in a loop of overthinking—analyzing past conversations, worrying about the future, or second-guessing every decision? You’re not alone. Overthinking can be exhausting and overwhelming, but the good news is: you can break the cycle.

In this episode of Cloud 9 – The Mental Gym Podcast, we dive deep into why we overthink, how it affects our mental health, and—most importantly—how to stop it. You'll learn practical, science-backed strategies to calm your mind, regain control of your thoughts, and find more peace in your daily life.

Feeling overwhelmed? 🤯 This episode is your reminder to pause, breathe, and take things one step at a time. If your mind is racing, if everything feels like too much—press play. You don’t have to fix everything right now. You don’t have to have it all together. Just be here. Let these words ground you, calm you, and remind you: you are enough, exactly as you are. 🫂

Feeling overwhelmed or restless? This short guided meditation is designed to help you reset your nervous system, calm your mind, and reconnect with yourself.

In just 10 minutes, you’ll practice:
✨ 4-7-8 breathing to activate deep relaxation
✨ Humming & gentle touch to stimulate the vagus nerve
✨ Mindful awareness to ground yourself in the present moment

Take a deep breath, get comfortable – and let’s begin.