Hi Mind Grind Fam!
Welcome back to Part 2 of What We've Learned as Therapists! These personal episodes have been fun for us to record and hopefully, fun to listen to. To get the fully feel of this episode, be sure to listen to Part 1. You can listen to this episode for learning purposes or strictly entertainment. There is something we can all gain from learning about the professional ethics in a job that's all about relationships and the hard stuff.
We come back to Part 2 with where we left off, looking at codependency, what we've learned from our clients, how we "turn it off" and how we handle our own biases that show up in this work. We get vulnerable in a way that is difficult and uncomfortable at times, but important for speaking to the truth of what it is like to be in this industry.
Find the time, come and unwind, to the Mind Grind!
- Beth and Dana
Hi Mind Grind Fam!
Want to see inside the mind of a therapist? Well in this episode, you get to do that more than ever before.
We share questions that have been asked to us as therapists regarding what it's like to be a therapist and what we've learned as therapists. We broke the questions down into early career, later in our career and, as we recorded this episode (and realized how long this was getting) broke it down into a Part 1 and Part 2... so you'll have to come back for our next podcast release for more information on this.
This episode is great for future therapists, for people who want more insight about what it's like to be a therapist, providers who might be feeling a bit burnt out and need a re-juice on why we do what we do, and for anyone curious about "the mind of a therapist."
We hope you enjoy this podcast and if you have any questions/comments please feel free to write us or reach out at themindgrindpodcast@gmail.com or our instagram at @themindgrindpodcast.
Don't forget to come back for part 2!!!!
Find the time, come and unwind, to the Mind Grind!
- Beth and Dana
Hi Mind Grind Fam!
****Trigger warning!!! ⚠️ - This episode contains content of a more sensitive nature related to trauma and birth trauma.****
On today's episode we interview Heidi Lengel, MMT, MT-BC, PMH-C, CD(SBD), CCTP-II, EMDR-I (she/her) and talk about how challenging it can be to navigate maternity mental health pre and post partum, and how working with a therapist, doula, or other mental health support can be incredibly instrumental for those on this journey of reproduction.
Heidi shares her immense knowledge related to the impact of pregnancy on the birthing partner and supportive partner, the role that trauma and hormones play on this process, and how a family can work at preparing for parenthood without repeating history. This episode can be helpful to those currently pregnant, preparing for pregnancy/family planning, needing to feel less alone on the journey of reproduction ups and downs, and for those who want to better understand the role that pregnancy has on mental health (and why professionals like Heidi are so important and needed in this field).
Find the time, come and unwind, to The Mind Grind.
- Beth and Dana
More about Heidi:
Heidi has been a therapist for almost 20 years, and has a dual Master’s degree in Music Therapy & Professional Counseling. She maintains certifications as a perinatal mental health counselor, a complex trauma practitioner, and birth and bereavement doula. Heidi incorporates a wide variety of trauma recovery support techniques such as EMDR, somatic psychotherapy, and holistic nutrition for mental health and trauma recovery. Heidi has attended over 60 births and has offered childbirth education and perinatal loss trainings to hundreds of families and healthcare professionals around the world. She is the founder of The Music Therapy Alliance for Reproductive Wellness, a training organization that offers trauma informed, anti-oppressive trainings to therapists who specialize in reproductive mental health & trauma recovery. Heidi deeply believes in the brain and body’s inherent regenerative ability to recover from stress and trauma and is passionate about offering healing to families experiencing reproductive challenges.
Resources (provided by Heidi):
Reproductive Health Online Resources
Postpartum Support International (English & Spanish support for parents; training for professionals, hotlines)
Maternal Mental Health Now (Support for parents; training for professionals)
https://www.mommasvoices.org/ (Fighting reproductive systemic inequity)
https://www.sistersong.net/ (reproductive justice)
https://www.nowilaymedowntosleep.org/ (Stillbirth Resources)
https://www.todayisagoodday.org/ (NICU resources)
Reproductive Mental Health Books Infertility
The Trying Game
Fighting Infertility
Unsung Lullabies: Understanding and Coping with Infertility
How to Make Love to a Plastic Cup
Queer Conception: The Complete Fertility Guide for Queer and Trans Parents-to-Be
Baby Making for Everybody: Fertility and Family Building for LGBTQ+ and Solo Parents
Pregnancy/Infant Loss
I Had a Miscarriage
Whole: Navigating the Trauma of Pregnancy Loss
Unexpecting: Real Talk on Pregnancy Loss
The Baby Loss Guide
From Father to Father: Letters From Loss Dad to Loss Dad
Healing Your Grieving Heart After Stillbirth: 100 Practical Ideas for Parents and Families
Stillbirth, Yet Still Born Motherhood
Good Moms Have Scary Thoughts
This Isn’t What I Expected
Mindful Motherhood: Practical Tools for Staying Sane During Pregnancy and Your Child’s First Year
Awake at 3 a.m.: Yoga Therapy for Anxiety and Depression in Pregnancy and Early Motherhood
Nurture: A Modern Guide to Pregnancy, Birth, Early Motherhood and Trusting Yourself and Your Body
The Recovery Mama Guide to Your Eating Disorder Recovery in Pregnancy and Postpartum
Hello Mind Grind Fam! Dana and I try to make a point, as therapists, to talk about things that we feel the general public could benefit from understanding, especially those who may not be able to afford or prioritize therapy right now. Even our clients who are in therapy can benefit from today's controversial episode on a very commonly used substance: Cannabis. We hope that this is educational and insightful, as we recognize most people personally use or are associated with people who use weed for recreational or medicinal purposes.
Over the years that Dana and I have worked as therapists and in addiction recovery, we have watched Cannabis go from being seen as a stigmatized drug that only certain people do or hide, to a more commonly used substance with state law changes and advancements in medical marijuana. While there are good things that have come from the availability and decriminalization of cannabis, we also want to acknowledge that there isn't much conversation happening right now about an educated use of Cannabis. With more heightened and visible use has come more support around the benefits of Cannabis and less openness to talking about the risk factors; as often can happen with policy changes, the pendulum has swung from "all bad to all good." In today's episode, we are hoping to tackle this directly and educate.
As therapists, we see the policy changes on the ground level. We have witnessed our clients, family members, and friends' change in attitude towards Cannabis and hope to incite curiosity about our relationship with Cannabis. Our intention isn't to act as medical personnel or further enforce a black and white belief(s) about Cannabis, as we also acknowledge the benefits. We are merely hoping to create open and non-judgmental discourse about use and to help invite self-inquiry about our beliefs and behaviors. We hope this episode opens up dialogue and conversation. Feel free to reach out to us, share your insights or opinions. And as always... Find the time, come and unwind, to the Mind Grind! - Beth and Dana
Hey Mind Grind Fam!
On this episode, we interview Mitch Motivates, a recovery coach and natural born motivator who works in New York City and uses his social media platform to share Tips and Self Care videos for viewers and those struggling with addiction. Mitch is also the Chief Operations Officer and Chief Motivator at Neinstein Plastic Surgery. He has been in recovery since 2006, when he was only 19 years old. He has been in the New York Times, New York Post, and countless podcasts. In his personal life he is a marathon runner and fitness fanatic. He mostly spends his free time with family and with his six year old goldendoodle Mazel. You can find him at @Mitchmotivates on Instagram and Mitchmotivates.com.
In this episode, Mitch shares his recovery story and what lifestyle habits, communities, and mindsets have helped him to maintain his recovery and live his life confidently as a sober person. We can all learn something from Mitch with his discipline and how he has shown up in his life with making simple, yet dynamic decisions to put himself around uplifting people, places and things. He is a great example of what happens when someone is "doing their work" and allows their life to change and blossom over time. We hope that this episode can help those in early recovery, those with loved ones who want to understand the work that goes into recovery, and those who need some general motivation to build your life into something you can feel proud of!
Find the time, come and unwind, to the Mind Grind!
Dana and Beth
Hi Mind Grind Fam,
Dana and I cover Letting Go - the other side to Grief and Loss in this episode. We discuss how Letting Go is a necessary part of life, where it will show up in life, and the 6 questions you can ask yourself to help you with letting something go. We look at how avoidance can be a tempting version of letting go, and how to not get sucked into that. We also explore the benefits and acceptance that comes when we do this letting go business gracefully.
For this episode, you might find it helpful to grab a journal and consider what areas of your life are coming up when you listen to this topic. You can go back and journal on the 6 questions that we offer to help you gain insight, and hopefully, make it clear if you're ready to let something go or if there is more work you can do first.
We hope you enjoy this episode,
- Beth and Dana
Hi Mind Grind Fam,
It's no secret that the holidays can be hard, especially for those with loss...Maybe you've been wondering why it seems that losses are so common during this time of year, and you are actually are on to something. We unravel the mystery behind this in our next episode and do a general cover of Grief & Loss. We break down what grief is, the stages, the different types of grief, and how you might prepare for your grief and loss needs during the holiday season.
There is so much to cover on a topic like this, so prepare for more on grief topics in the future and think of this as more of a general overview. We really just want you to know that grief is normal, you are not alone, and help validate whatever losses might be a part of your experience right now.
Find the time, come unwind, to the Mind Grind!
Sending peace and love to you all during this holiday season,
Beth & Dana
Hello Mind Grind Fam!
Dana and I are so pleased to release this podcast, as this is something that we have both become so passionate about. EMDR therapy is a modality that has changed our lives both personally and professionally, and we now get to share this with clients and with you.
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, which sounds like a mouthful, but is a well researched and evidenced based trauma therapy. There are variant versions of it, but essentially this is a therapy that feels experiential and collaborative involving bilateral stimulation (sensation going across the body back and forth either through eyes, sound, tapping etc...) while talking through painful memories and/or experiences. This therapy has been around since the late 80's and has changed the game, giving hope to those with trauma from combat veterans to sexual assault victims, panic disorder and those processing major grief to name a few of the many symptoms it works for.
In today's episode, we cover what EMDR is, how it works, who it's for, the misconceptions, and what to know if you plan to seek it out. This really is an EMDR 101 class.
As therapists trained in EMDR, this method has given us such an opportunity to see things shift in people's lives beyond what talk therapy and other process therapies have been able to do. We really believe in its efficacy - which you'll hear in our passion on this episode - and hope that you can enjoy learning more about it and consider if you or a loved one would benefit from it.
For more questions, do not hesitant to reach out to us at our IG @themindgrindpodcast or our email themindgrindpocast@gmail.com.
Find the time, come and unwind, to the Mind Grind!
- Beth and Dana
Hi Mind Grind Fam!
In keeping with the Addiction Series, we have an episode for you that is all about how to spot addiction. Whether this be for yourself, or for others, we hope that this episode will help loved ones of someone who seems to be struggling with substance abuse and/or addiction.
It can be overwhelming to understand others behavior with alcohol and substances, and we want to be a resource for you along the way. You will be asked to consider what you're witnessing, what your relationship is to this person, how to identify addictive partners and behaviors, and how to start addressing this in your relationship. We cover ways to start a conversation about this and ways for you to check in with yourself, as ultimately that is what you do have control of.
If for any reason you need help or resources along the way, please feel free to reach out at our IG @themindgrindpodcast or our email themindgrindpodcast@gmail.com.
Find the time, come and unwind, to The Mind Grind!
- Dana and Beth
Hello Mind Grind Fam,
We're going back to our Addiction Series, and this time we're interviewing an expert in the world of Addiction Treatment. If you or a loved one has suffered with addiction or needing extra support than a weekly therapy session, you'll remember the struggles of figuring out how to get help. It can be very overwhelming to not know where to turn, who to call, what the levels of care mean, and what modalities are best etc... And even if you've never been through this before, most of us will know or care about someone with addiction issues in our lifetime. This makes knowing someone like Randy Trauger, Business Development Director at Brookdale Premier Addiction Recovery, so important. He is one of those people who makes navigating the process so much smoother and adds that personal touch through his empathy, care, and authenticity. He has been in the field of addiction for decades following his own personal recovery and has helped hundreds of families and persons struggling with addiction. We brought him in to share his knowledge, experience, and even his own personal cellphone as a resource - 215-527-8976 should you or anyone ever need it.
We hope you enjoy this interview episode and feel free to contact us for further help or resources, or to tell us how this episode has impacted you at our email themindgrindpodcast@gmail.com or our IG account @themindgrindpodcast!
Find the time, come and unwind, to The Mind Grind!
- Beth and Dana
Hey Mind Grind Fam!
As the world has changed with technology and more mental health awareness, we're all getting more information about mental health terms than ever before. This is great...AND it means we all know the catch phrases like "self-care", but do we really understand them in an integrated way in our lives? We have intellectualized wellness, but are we embodying it?
For example: are you saying you self-care because it's common lingo or have you been able to give yourself meaningful self-care (see our self-care episode for tips)? Do you tend to talk about your life experiences like you are always fine? Even after a hard moment? Do you tend to over-explain things rather than slow down and feel your feelings? Are you quick to use big psychological terms when talking about yourself or your life? Is it difficult for you to be vulnerable? Are you present with yourself as you speak?... If these questions are feeling at all relatable, this is the podcast for you.
In this episode we explain what Intellectualization and Embodiment are and why it is beneficial to moving beyond Intellectualizing into Embodiment. It is not the easiest shift, but there are many gains for this transition: one of them being moving out of your head and into your body; your home for your life.
Find the time, come and unwind to The Mind Grind!
- Dana and Beth
As we settle into the end of 2021, we turn to the simple topic of gratitude before closing the year. As therapists, we see directly how much people struggle during this time with the holidays each year. It's an emotionally charged time with lots of stimuli and distractions, losses, cold days, dark days, and now we can include the continuing variations of Covid-19. It's really easy to lose sight of taking care of ourselves and our mental health.
Traditions like Thanksgiving remind us to take a moment and allow for gratitude. We all seem to get that there are more benefits to feeling gratitude in our lives, but for most of us, practicing it daily is more difficult.
In this podcast, we explore the value of gratitude on our mental health, how you can practice this realistically in your life, and how to do this when you are having a hard time during this or any other time of year.
Find the time, come and unwind to The Mind Grind!
- Dana and Beth
Hello Mind Grind Podcast Fam!
As we come to a close of a more social summer, Dana and Beth have learned a few things about our mental health social needs and the balance with paying attention to the pandemic. There's a reality that we all need breaks, whether short breaks from our computers, a long weekend, or maybe a change of scenery over an extended period of time. There's also the planned breaks: the weddings, birthdays, girls/guys trips, family traditions, etc... that take us away. With all of this being the case, we thought it was time to talk about traveling as a mental health function and how to do this a bit more mindfully.
In this episode, prepare to learn more about how two therapists think about travel and how to consider different kinds of travel benefits, what kind of traveler you are, and how to get your needs met while taking time away.
Find the time, come and unwind, to the Mind Grind!
Beth & Dana