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Wellness Minutes
Dr. Gitika Talwar, PhD
65 episodes
4 days ago
Do you ever feel disconnected from family and friends, especially those living far away? When each day blends into the next, how do we maintain meaningful connections? Drawing inspiration from Anne Lamott's book "Help Thanks Wow," this episode explores a simple yet profound talking ritual that offers both health benefits and deeper engagement with loved ones. The three-word practice creates a framework for authentic conversation that acknowledges our struggles, celebrates our gratitude, and ...
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Mental Health
Education,
Health & Fitness
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All content for Wellness Minutes is the property of Dr. Gitika Talwar, PhD and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
Do you ever feel disconnected from family and friends, especially those living far away? When each day blends into the next, how do we maintain meaningful connections? Drawing inspiration from Anne Lamott's book "Help Thanks Wow," this episode explores a simple yet profound talking ritual that offers both health benefits and deeper engagement with loved ones. The three-word practice creates a framework for authentic conversation that acknowledges our struggles, celebrates our gratitude, and ...
Show more...
Mental Health
Education,
Health & Fitness
Episodes (20/65)
Wellness Minutes
Reconnecting Through Talking Rituals: A Wellness Guide
Do you ever feel disconnected from family and friends, especially those living far away? When each day blends into the next, how do we maintain meaningful connections? Drawing inspiration from Anne Lamott's book "Help Thanks Wow," this episode explores a simple yet profound talking ritual that offers both health benefits and deeper engagement with loved ones. The three-word practice creates a framework for authentic conversation that acknowledges our struggles, celebrates our gratitude, and ...
Show more...
5 days ago
5 minutes

Wellness Minutes
Perfectionism is holding you back more than you realize
Perfectionism has a way of silencing our voices. After a lengthy break from recording, I found myself trapped in an endless cycle of waiting for the "perfect episode" before returning to the microphone. The pressure to create something extraordinary after such a long absence kept me silent far longer than necessary. Today, I'm breaking that silence by embracing imperfection. Drawing wisdom from a beautiful lesson my mother learned while studying Madhubani painting—the deliberate practice of ...
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1 month ago
5 minutes

Wellness Minutes
What Your Irritability Is Desperately Trying to Tell You
Have you ever tried to focus on an important task while feeling irritated or upset? That nagging emotional state isn't just an inconvenience—it's your brain processing critical data that demands your attention. Welcome to episode 12 of the Wellness Minute, where we dive into the science of emotions and discover why the simple act of naming our feelings can transform our mental clarity. Drawing from evolutionary psychology and the groundbreaking work of Paul Ekman, we explore the five univers...
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1 month ago
5 minutes

Wellness Minutes
Breaking Free from Mental Loops
Every living species has a superpower, and for humans, it's our capacity to think and problem-solve—yet this gift becomes problematic when we can't stop thinking to the point of exhaustion. • Our imagined problems are often worse than reality, with research showing worry about pain is typically worse than the pain itself • The issue isn't having thoughts but being unable to rest from them as we default into constant thinking • Separate yourself from thoughts by acknowledging "I have thoughts...
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1 month ago
5 minutes

Wellness Minutes
Mindful Eating: Breaking Free from Guilt and Finding Gratitude
Our complicated relationship with food often stems from childhood, where being fed helped soothe our distress, creating deep connections between food and comfort that persist into adulthood. We explore the mindful approach to comfort eating, focusing on how to be present with both our food and feelings without judgment. • Direct correlation between stress levels and comfort eating behaviors • Distinction between mindless eating and mindful comfort • Importance of naming feelings while also s...
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1 month ago
5 minutes

Wellness Minutes
Burnout: When Passion Becomes Exhaustion
We explore the concept of burnout as a state of mental and physical exhaustion that occurs when we're constantly "switched on" without adequate rest periods. This episode provides practical strategies to recognize and address burnout before it significantly impacts your wellbeing. • Burnout begins with passion—giving more energy than you receive • Your behavior might appear unchanged while your thoughts and feelings reveal exhaustion • Balance energy-giving activities with energy-depleting o...
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2 months ago
5 minutes

Wellness Minutes
Our feelings are data waiting to be processed, not enemies to be fought.
Naming our emotions isn't just therapy-speak—it's a powerful tool for mental clarity and focus. When we acknowledge our feelings without judgment, we free up mental resources that would otherwise be consumed by emotions running like background programs. • The five universal emotions identified by psychologist Paul Ekman are joy, fear, sadness, anger, and disgust • Each emotion serves an evolutionary purpose—fear protects us from harm, joy signals when to relax, sadness shows what matters to ...
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2 months ago
5 minutes

Wellness Minutes
The Art of Reconnecting Through Talking Rituals
The "Help, Thanks, Wow" ritual offers a simple yet powerful way to reconnect with ourselves and loved ones while improving our wellbeing through acknowledging struggles, expressing gratitude, and finding wonder in everyday life. • Inspired by Anne Lamott's book combining humor and spirituality • "Help" acknowledges difficulties and allows us to practice self-compassion by recognizing when we need support • Asking for help gives permission to explore solutions beyond our own capabilities • "T...
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2 months ago
5 minutes

Wellness Minutes
The Power of Self-Compassion: Replacing Critical Language with Kindness
We explore the practice of replacing self-critical language with compassionate language during overwhelming times, especially as we juggle multiple roles during the pandemic. Research confirms a direct relationship between self-compassion and personal growth, making it easier to acknowledge and learn from challenges. • Introduction to Dr. Kristen Neff's self-compassion break practice • Exploration of three components: mindfulness of suffering, shared humanity, and self-kindness • Guided prac...
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2 months ago
5 minutes

Wellness Minutes
Your Body Is Begging For More Rest—Here's How To Listen
I fell asleep at concerts by Zakir Hussain and Pearl Jam, which made me realize how sleep-deprived I was. Today I'm sharing signs you need more rest and practical ways to improve your sleep quality. • Not feeling refreshed in the morning despite sleeping eight hours • Diminished mental sharpness and focus • Powering through activities but crashing immediately when you stop • Schedule transition time between activities and treat it as sacred • Discharge stress physically through exercise, wal...
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2 months ago
5 minutes

Wellness Minutes
Tricking Your Brain into Loving Movement: A Psychologist's Approach to Exercise (True Crime is involved!)
Exercise doesn't have to be difficult or boring when you approach it with the right mindset. A psychologist shares practical strategies for incorporating movement into daily life, focusing on mental shifts rather than complex routines. • The best exercise is the one you'll actually do • Motivation often comes after action, not before • Keep exercise clothes and shoes readily available for spontaneous activity • Ask "when will I exercise?" instead of "if I will exercise" • Use walks as ...
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2 months ago
4 minutes

Wellness Minutes
Your Brain is Plastic: A 5-Minute Guide to Installing Joy
We explore how to shift from survival mode to thriving by retraining our brain to scan for happiness instead of danger. Our brain's natural tendency is to focus on worries and problems, but we can manually install the skill of noticing pleasure and joy. • Understanding the difference between surviving (having just enough gas to get to the store) and thriving (having a full tank) • Introducing the concept of neuroplasticity - our brain is malleable like plastic and can be reshaped • Step-by-s...
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2 months ago
5 minutes

Wellness Minutes
When Time Feels Like It's Slipping Away, Try This
Time can be transformed from an enemy into an ally through the Pomodoro technique, a powerful productivity method that structures work into focused 25-minute intervals followed by intentional breaks. Named after the Italian word for tomato because it takes about 25 minutes to make Pomodoro pasta sauce, this technique helps overcome overwhelm by breaking large tasks into manageable chunks. • Commit to one task for 25 minutes at a time with complete focus • Take mandatory 5-minute breaks betwe...
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2 months ago
5 minutes

Wellness Minutes
Your Emotions Are Messengers, Not Enemies
Wellness Minutes explores the practice of meditating on feelings, teaching listeners to observe the space between events and actions where thoughts and emotions influence behavior. This episode introduces the powerful practice of emotional awareness for more mindful living. • Between external events and our actions lie thoughts and feelings that influence our behavior • Taking a "riverbank position" means stepping back to observe your emotions rather than being swept along by them • Universa...
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2 months ago
5 minutes

Wellness Minutes
The Hidden Power of Naming Your Emotions: Why Therapists Ask "How Does That Feel?"
Emotions are like background programs running on your mental computer—when acknowledged, they free up resources, but when ignored, they demand more attention and drain your capacity to focus. • Understanding the five universal emotions identified by psychologist Paul Ekman: joy, fear, sadness, anger, and disgust • Each emotion serves an evolutionary purpose: fear protects from harm, joy indicates safety, sadness shows something matters, anger responds to threats, disgust warns of potential p...
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2 months ago
5 minutes

Wellness Minutes
Your mental health deserves the same attention as your finances.
We explore how investing in your health through proactive self-care builds resilience similar to saving money for future needs. Our brain's stress pathways are well-developed while pleasure pathways need intentional strengthening to help us genuinely recover from stress rather than just numbing out. • Numbing stress with TV and comfort food is like taking painkillers for a fracture—temporary relief while the problem persists • Quality sleep, nutritious meals, and 30 minutes of daily exercise...
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2 months ago
5 minutes

Wellness Minutes
Beyond Self-Criticism: A 4-Minute Compassion Practice
Ever notice how we're often our own harshest critics? The RAIN meditation offers a refreshing alternative—a simple yet profound practice that transforms how we relate to difficult emotions. This brief guided meditation introduces you to the RAIN technique: Recognize, Allow, Investigate, and Nurture. Unlike complicated approaches requiring extensive practice, this accessible method works with even small discomforts, making it perfect for beginners and experienced meditators alike. The ...
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3 months ago
5 minutes

Wellness Minutes
Spiritual Bypass: When Bliss Becomes Avoidance
Anger burns. It rises in our bodies—sometimes in our racing hearts, sometimes in our flushed cheeks, sometimes in our churning stomachs. But what happens when we try to hold that burning sensation with compassion? Can we speak loudly and firmly while still maintaining kindness? The relationship between anger and compassion isn't as oppositional as we might think. Neuroscience reveals that compassion activates brain regions closely connected to action, much like anger does. Both emotions can ...
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3 months ago
5 minutes

Wellness Minutes
Honoring the Unseen: Reflections on What Keeps Our World Turning
What goes unseen often matters most. Today's meditation centers around six powerful words—loving, kindness, compassion, heart, hands, and head—inviting you to weave them into your own meaningful mantra. The heart of this episode features selected passages from Alison Lutterman's moving poem "Invisible Work," which perfectly captures the countless unacknowledged acts that sustain our world. From the young mother running "rings around herself" to keep her child safe with no one to valida...
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3 months ago
4 minutes

Wellness Minutes
Self-Care Before Service: The Oxygen Mask Principle
Ever noticed how your most depleted moments often follow periods of caring for everyone but yourself? That's no coincidence. Drawing inspiration from the flight safety instruction to secure your own oxygen mask before helping others, this episode explores the essential practice of self-care as the foundation for sustainable compassion. After experiencing how depression and anxiety often follow prolonged periods of neglecting personal needs, I share insights from a mindful walk where I delibe...
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3 months ago
4 minutes

Wellness Minutes
Do you ever feel disconnected from family and friends, especially those living far away? When each day blends into the next, how do we maintain meaningful connections? Drawing inspiration from Anne Lamott's book "Help Thanks Wow," this episode explores a simple yet profound talking ritual that offers both health benefits and deeper engagement with loved ones. The three-word practice creates a framework for authentic conversation that acknowledges our struggles, celebrates our gratitude, and ...