Happy To Be Here: Recent Episodes
Vivian Nunez
Happy To Be Here Podcast focuses on equipping people with inspiration for both their creativity and mental health.
Follow Vivian: https://vivnunez.com/ https://www.instagram.com/vivnunez/ https://www.tiktok.com/@vivnunez
2024 is off to a great start. In this episode, I talk about my pod hiatus so I can spend time writing the book I'm dreaming up, plus three books I've read this year.
While I'm on a pod break, you can find me on Substack writing on the same wellness topics: https://youaredoinggreat.substack.com/
I pulled together 7 of my go-to self-care items for 2023. I think they can be helpful as you head into the holiday season or start to think about how you want to take care of yourself in 2024. Full links below too.
Kitsch Satin pillowcase: https://www.mykitsch.com/products/satin-pillowcase-ivory
JL Lawson Breathe Stone: https://www.jllawsonco.com/products/breathe-stone?variant=40386062254146
Indigo Wellness Ear Seeds: https://www.indigowellnessgroup.com/online-store/p/indigo-24k-gold-ear-seeds
Indigo Wellness Hack Your Nervous System Cards: https://www.indigowellnessgroup.com/online-store/p/hack-your-nervous-system-card-deck
Pineapple Street by Jenny Jackson: https://amzn.to/3RtQRQ6
Bonita Fierce Candles: https://bonitafiercecandles.com/collections/signature-scents/products/cafecito-con-leche-candle
Pretty Kind Affirmations Sweatshirt: https://prettykind.co/collections/all
I consider myself the queen of solo dates. I like spending time with myself and have done it so often that sitting at a restaurant alone doesn't feel as awkward anymore.
I know the holidays can be especially hard when you don't get a quiet moment to yourself, so in this episode, I'm sharing tips for guaranteeing even a minute to yourself and planning a solo date no matter how much time you have. It's the ultimate form of self-care.
This is part 1 of a three-part series about the holiday season and protecting your mental health.
During this episode, I share the two questions I use to guide my decisions during this season. I also share how to account for others' expectations of you.
Part 2 will focus on solo date ideas!
This is the episode I mentioned during the pod: A Therapist Answers: How Do I Set Goals For My Future Self?
https://open.spotify.com/episode/7I2asC4Fpj9Vk76eeb3rH8?si=1de9bf3d3f744730
Myeisha Essex is a purpose coach and an advocate for meditation. Throughout our conversation, we talk about how life changing grief is, how she is approaching her first holidays without her mom, and what books have helped her learn more about her grief journey. I share more on how it’s like navigating my 21st holiday season without my mom and we compare notes on how much is actually more similar than different.
You can find Myeisha @myeisha.essex
This week is a solo episode, and we're talking about Thanksgiving. I know that the holidays can kick off an emotional rollercoaster, so this year, the pods are dedicated to helping you keep your balance and preserve your peace.
I share 3 books to read if you need a distraction, what to do when grief pops up, and how to prioritize yourself no matter how you spend Thanksgiving.
Meghan Riordan Jarvis is a grief therapist and the author of End of the Hour. Her memoir tells her own story of processing grief and trauma after her parents’ deaths. We talk about tips she gives to her patients, how to navigate the holidays if you’re grieving, and how grief is a lot like sex.
EPISODE BREAKDOWN
1 — Meet Meghan author of End Of The Hour
3:55 — What happens when you write through your grief or trauma
5 — The myth behind managing grief perfectly
8 — Why you should choose your action verb for your grief
12 — How to find your grieving practice
20 — What to expect from End of The Hour
25 — What grief and sex have in common
27 — How to use Meghan’s M.E.N.T.O.R. method when grieving
31 — The power of books when you’re grieving
38 — Tips for navigating the holiday season if you’re grieving
43 — An exercise for “counting” how many grief thoughts you have
Emory Hall is a poet and the author of 'Made of Rivers.' Her poetry book is full of reflections on womanhood, grief, mental health, and motherhood. We talk about how she uses writing as a coping tool, plus how it's made it easier for her to offer herself self-compassion.
You can find Emory @emoryhall.
We're talking periods, why doctors expect women to manage so much pain, and hormone health on this week's podcast episode.
I ask OB/GYN, Dr. Robbins, all of our women's health-related questions and even share a bit about my own colposcopy this past summer.
EPISODE BREAKDOWN
:45 — Meet Dr. Robbins, OBGYN
4 — Why is there such a gap in women’s health?
6:31 — My colposcopy experience
13 — A doctor’s advice on how to advocate for yourself with your provider
15 — How much period pain is normal?
20 — What is hormone health and how do you know if your hormones are off?
32 — How acupuncture and other wellness habits can help your health
36 — How stress can impact your period and mental health
38 — What are the different menstrual phases and what should you know if you want to cycle sync?
I’m interviewing Jordan Scott, the founder and CEO of Cobble, an app that helps you plan and agree on date nights and group outings. We talk about how to get those plans out of the group chat and how she’s navigated entrepreneurship in her twenties and now as a mom, too. During our conversation, you’ll learn about the one time we had to arrange sex toys and the life lessons our twenties taught us that we’re bringing into our 30s.
Find Jordan and Cobble at trycobble.com
The Born This Way Foundation launched the “Be There” certificate as a way to help you help those around you. Josh Meredith is the Chief of Staff at Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation and walks us through everything you need to know about the certificate and their partnership with jack.org.
Learn more: https://www.betherecertificate.org/
EPISODE BREAKDOWN
3 — How the stigma is lifting around mental health
4 — What is the Be There certificate?
6 — Tips for keeping relationships when you’re struggling with your mental health
9 — Finding joy in the midst of your mental health journey
15 — Who is the Be There certificate for
20 — The power of having vulnerable conversations
Rebeca Landa brings all her sports knowledge to answer our questions about football, Travis Kelce, and picking up hobbies for fun. We also go down a Swiftie conspiracy rabbit hole as she contextualizes Travis' reputation on and off the field.
For our Football 101 section, you'll learn what a down is, how the ball gets passed down the field, what to expect from the Jets and Chiefs game this weekend, and so much more.
Find Rebeca @larebecalanda
EPISODE BREAKDOWN
2 - Meet Rebeca Landa
4 - What to know about the Chiefs and Jets game
6:22 - Who is Travis Kelce? What is a tight end?
9 - Football basics to know - what is a down? How does a ball get passed?
12 - What is a field goal?
13 - Rebeca Landa’s career trajectory in sports
17 - Finding a hobby that’s just fun without the pressure of making it productive
21 - How we’ve objectified and dehumanized athletes
22:30 - The objectification of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s potential relationship
30 - Rebeca’s final football beginner tips
Dr. Kara Fanelli is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and Clinical Specialist in women's health PT at Indigo Wellness.
For 30 minutes, I asked her what pelvic PT is and how it can help you whether you're struggling with painful periods, constipation, or even postpartum.
Find Kara: https://www.indigowellnessgroup.com/meet-our-team
Or on social: https://www.instagram.com/karafanelli_pt/
EPISODE BREAKDOWN
1:23 — Meet Dr. Kara
3 — What does pelvic PT actually help?
7 — How pelvic PT can help pain with sex
10:30 — Is pelvic PT only for women postpartum?
13 — What happens during a pelvic PT consultation?
16 — A holistic approach to your pelvic health
18 — What to ask yourself if you’re curious about your pelvic health
22 — How pelvic health can help women after a C-section or vaginal delivery?
24 — When should you see pelvic PT if you’re trying to conceive or already pregnant?
Elisabeth Morray is a licensed psychologist and Alma’s VP of Clinical Operations. I wanted to go straight to the source to ask some of the bigger questions we probably all have at the beginning of a new season, for starters, how do I not breakdown?
Elisabeth is caring and to the point as she offers tips on how to set goals for your future self, what to do if money anxiety is creeping in, how to even start therapy, and what to look for in a therapist.
Full episode breakdown below! Find Alma at helloalma.com
:30 — Welcome September!
1:24 — Meet Elisabeth + Alma
3 — How to embrace the back to school mentality as an adult
4:30 — Tips for managing future changes
6 — How to manage the onset of S.A.D. and days getting darker
8 — How to set goals based on who you want to be in 6 months
10 — What therapy can do for your life
13 — First steps to find the right therapist for you
22 — Managing financial anxiety after the summer spending season
28 — Take care of your physical health to support your mind
Noelle Crooks is the author of "Under the Influence" a fun and cozy read about a twenty-something girl who gets her dream job and then wrestles with questions around social media, influence, and boundaries. AKA all of the things we think about on a daily basis. In our conversation, Noelle shares her inspiration for the book, how she views influence now, and why you should read it this fall.
Follow Noelle @noellecrooks.
1:30 — Meet Noelle
2:30 — What inspired Under the Influence
4:30 — What is Under the Influence about
6:37 — How does influence play a role in your life and the characters in the novel
11 — How to set boundaries on social media and its influence on your life
16 — How life shifts when you’re working on a big project like a book
23 — How Noelle has set boundaries in her own career and life
28 — How friendships shift in your twenties
31 — Why you should read Under the Influence this fall
Gina Moffa is a grief therapist and someone who has navigated grief personally, too. After losing her mother, she realized there was more she wished she could have told patients who had navigated similar experiences. Now, as the author of her first book — Moving On Doesn't Mean Letting Go — she's able to do just that.
We talk about how grief requires you to reset expectations, what role signs or spirituality can take in your journey, and how getting back to the basics of self-care helps as you’re grieving.
1:40 — Meet Gina Moffa
4:30 — Moving On Doesn’t Mean Letting Go…especially when it comes to grief
9 — How signs and grief are intertwined
17 — How a relationship continues to grow even after loss
20 — Choosing comfort over logic (intellect) when it comes to grief
23 — We never stop missing or wanting the people we lose
28 — Resetting expectations after loss
30 — After loss get back to your self-care basics
32 — Distraction isn’t a bad thing when you’re grieving
34 — How The Bear (the show) handles grief conversations
Kathryn Cross is the founder and CEO of Anja Health, a cord blood banking service. During our conversation, she walked us through what inspired her to start Anja, what cord blood banking is, how much cord blood banking costs, and the benefits of cord blood banking.
Stacy Igel is the founder of fashion brand, Boy Meets Girl, and the author of Embracing The Calm In The Chaos: How to Find Success in Business and Life Through Perseverance, Connection, and Collaboration. She also happens to be my first boss ever. Back in college, I interned for Stacy and it sparked my love of social media and entrepreneurship. It's a personal treat to be able to have a conversation with her under this umbrella — talking all things business and mental health.
Meet Whitney Hanson a poet and author who has taken to TikTok to share her writing. In our conversation we talk about process, how building a large community impacts your creativity, and she ends the episode by reading one of her favorite poems.
Welcome to our Sugar 101 episode! Lauren Kelly is the Head of Nutrition and Community at Sound, plus an expert RD Nutritionist. On this episode she answers all of my sugar-related questions. We talk about how sugar impacts energy levels, how sugar can impact your mental health, and how to read a nutrition label.
EPISODE BREAKDOWN
- 1 — Meet Lauren Kelly of Sound
- 2:30 — What is Sound?
- 5 — What are blood sugar levels?
- 7 — How does sugar impact mental health?
- 8:20 — How to manage sugar intake levels without restrictiveness
- 10 — How alcohol impacts sleep
- 11:45 — How to manage sugar cravings in the evening
- 15 — How to fold mindfulness into your healthy habits
- 16 — Why you should pair carbs with protein for blood sugar levels
- 18 — How to read a nutrition label
- 23:45 — How sugar impacts gut health, hormone health, and inflammation
- 28 — Recap tips for sugar
Sarah Becker holds a Masters in Nutrition and is a Registered Dietitian. She's also a warm presence in what can often be complicated conversations around food. Throughout the conversation, we talk about how to listen to your body, especially as seasons change, and how to eat to support your joy, health, and wellness. She offers tips on how to create better habits around mealtime and how to grocery shop.
TRIGGER WARNING: Eating disorder mentioned from 33:30-36:50 — Full question: How do you introduce new foods when you have a history of disordered eating?
EPISODE BREAKDOWN
1:30 — Meet Sarah
4 — Day to day as a Registered Dietitian
6:30 — How TikTok is influencing questions and trends around nutrition
9:30 — What are healthy habits when eating?
17 — Tips for how to start creating sustainable habits around food
20 — Parasite cleanses explained
22 — Why eating habits change in the summertime
26 — How food can support your physical health
32 — Tips for grocery shopping
33:30-36:50 — TRIGGER WARNING: Eating disorder mention — Full question: How do you introduce new foods when you have a history of disordered eating?
37 — Eating to support our hormone health
I've been recording Happy To Be Here for over a year now. I am so thankful for this community and everyone who has listened. Here's to many more episodes.
Varshil Patel is the co-founder of Therapy Notebooks, a wellness company dedicated to creating tools that help people manage their anxiety, trauma, or day-to-day stressors. In our conversation we talk through how anyone can use these notebooks to support their mental health, how Therapy Notebooks got started, and so much more.
EPISODE BREAKDOWN
- :30 — Meet Varshil and Therapy Notebooks
- 1:45 — Why the number of pages matters
- 4:27 — How therapy notebooks ensure self-care won’t be your full time job
- 5:15 — When to use a Therapy Notebooks
- 6:30 — How do experts craft Therapy Notebooks
- 8:30 — The inspiration behind Therapy Notebooks
- 13 — Practical tips from Therapy Notebooks
- 16 — What does your wellness routine look like?
- 21 — Which Therapy Notebooks to pick up first
Molly B. Burnham is the author of The Infinite Questions of Dottie Bing, a middle grade book that succeeds at explaining the grief journey to kids and adults alike. In our conversation, Molly will walk us through how Dottie (the main character) explains her anxiety and grief, where Molly drew inspiration for the story, and so much more. In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month I think it’s important to start where we are and nothing says that more than going back to middle grade and speaking to our inner child or actual children.
EPISODE GUIDE
- :50 — Meet Molly
- 2:45 — Meet The Infinite Questions of Dottie Bing
- 4:45 — Using writing to explore how grief brings relationships together
- 7:30 — The power of humor to cope with big feelings
- 12 – Writing for children and their big feelings
- 16 — Explaining anxiety to children (and adults)
- 24 — How to write and talk to kids about grief and anxiety
- 34 — Fluctuating between sadness and happiness
- 37 — Encouraging grandfathers to be more engaged
- 40 — How curiosity and noticing the world can help your healing process
Mental Health America started Mental Health Awareness Month back in 1949. Since then the state of mental health awareness has shifted and the conversations are easier to come across. This week I’m joined by Dr. America, Chief Social Impact Officer of Mental Health America. Throughout our conversation she answers questions like, “What should I look for in a therapist?” “What are warm hotlines?” And more!
1:04 — Meet Dr. America, Chief Social Impact Officer Mental Health America
2:17 — How has social media changed how we talk about mental health?
4 — Tips for curating mental health social media content
8 — Dr. America on MHA’s new book - Where To Start?
12 — You don’t have to have all the answers to take care of your mental health
15:30 — What are warm hotlines?
17 — Cultivating your mental health toolkit
21 — How to identify where you need support
24 — How to help the kids/teens in your life manage their mental health
29 — The importance of normalizing mental health
Carolyn Brown is an RD with a focus in holistic and integrative nutrition. She also happens to be the co-founder of Indigo Wellness — her fellow co-founder is Sarah Swanberg, who unpacked acupuncture for us just a few episodes ago. In this conversation Carolyn answers all of my questions around gut health, how to support your body no matter what stage of life you’re in, what happens to your body once you come off the birth control pill, and so much more.
EPISODE BREAKDOWN
- 1:08 — Meet Carolyn
- 2:30 — An expert’s take on hormone health, gut health, and nutrition
- 5:45 — How to start paying attention to your body triggers
- 8:30 — How to have your nutrition support who you are today
- 11 — Attainable and sustainable wellness tips
- 13:50 — Indigo Wellness’ Week of Wellness unpacked
- 16 — How your relationships impact your wellness
- 18 — Carolyn explains your nervous system
- 21 — Blood sugar regulation and eating regular meals
- 22 — How the birth control pill and hormone health can impact inflammation in your body
- 27 — What should we stop doing to support our body?
- 28:15 — Post pill syndrome - what happens after coming off the birth control pill
- 33 — What is constipation? What is a good poop?
- 38 — How Carolyn resets herself
It’s hard to know how you will react during a life-death situation. Felicia Jackson, inventor and CEO of CPRWrap, felt that fear firsthand when her youngest child needed CPR. Inspired by her own life experience, the nurse and entrepreneur created CPRWrap — a less than $10 bib with step-by-step instructions on how to perform CPR on anyone who needs it. In this episode, we discuss the inspiration behind CPRWrap, how to get CPR certified, and the importance of knowing what to do before practicing CPR.
EPISODE BREAKDOWN
- 1:18 — Meet Felicia Jackson and CPRWrap
- 2:45 — CPRWrap for adults and kids
- 3:31 — What inspired you to start CPRWrap?
- 7:15 — Deciding to price CPRWrap for $10
- 10:30 — How Felicia is building her startup
- 15 — What is CPR? How do you become CPR certified?
- 19 — CPR for dogs
Ruby Warrington coined the phrase “sober curious” and is now back with a new book, Women Without Kids. In our conversation, we talk about what it means to be sober curious, how curiosity can help us redefine our relationship with alcohol and motherhood, and how to navigate the real feelings that surface when you decide not to have kids at all.
:57 — Meet Ruby Warrington
1:48 — Thread between Sober Curious and Women Without Kids
6:33 — Getting to the true essence of how you feel about motherhood
12 — Coining “Sober Curious”
14 — Staying curious around motherhood
19 — The power of women changing their mind
23 — The guilt of choosing your own path
25 — How to talk to your community about motherhood openly
34 — Motherhood through the generations
38 — Human life spans expanding and its impact on motherhood
42 — Legacy when you choose not to have kids
45 — Statistics around motherhood
This week I'm joined by Dr. Sarah Swanberg, a Doctor of Acupuncture, the co-founder of Indigo Wellness, and also my personal acupuncturist. We talk through my acupuncture journey and how it's impacted my anxiety, gut health, and hormone health so far. Plus, Sarah answers questions like — how do I pick the right acupuncturist? and how does acupuncture help move you from flight-and-fight mode and into rest-and-digest?
If you're CT-local, Sarah's Indigo Wellness has two locations, one in Stamford and one in Westport.
You can also get Sarah's book — A Patient’s Guide To Acupuncture — anywhere books are sold!
Episode breakdown:
- :31 - Meet Dr. Sarah Swanberg
- 5:30 — How and where do feelings manifest in your body?
- 6:45 – What are the benefits of the acupuncture intake form?
- 8 — What happens when Qi is stuck?
- 12:16 — How can acupuncture impact your period or menstrual conditions like PCOS and fertility?
- 17 — What can someone expect from their first acupuncture appointment?
- 21 — Do acupuncture needles hurt?
- 22:30 — What are Non Sleep Deep Rest (NSDR) and acunaps?
- 24 — How can acupuncture move someone from fight and flight to rest and digest?
- 27 — How do I know if acupuncture will help me?
- 33 — How do you find the right acupuncturist for you?
- 36 — What is Qi in acupuncture?
- 40 — What are the benefits of magnesium?
Dr. Sarah Oreck and Out Of Office Co-Founder Coabi Kastan answer all of my traveling solo questions. I talk to Dr. Oreck about how you can navigate the fear, anxiety, and guilt of spending money traveling at all, but especially traveling alone. Then Coabi tells us how the app she co-founded, Out Of Office, helps you map out your itinerary.
Dr. Sarah Oreck
- 1:45 – Meet Dr. Sarah Oreck
- 2:19 — What if I didn’t grow up traveling?
- 2:45 — What about traveling alone?
- 4:30 — How do you cope with the fear of traveling and spending money?
- 5:30 — How can solo dates help you travel alone one day?
- 7 — How do you let go of limiting beliefs around traveling?
- 10 — How to manage the guilt that your loved ones can’t travel too?
- 13:20 – Tips to keep in mind when solo traveling
Out Of Office - Coabi Kastan
- 18:26 — Meet Coabi Kastan
- 18:52 — What is Out Of Office?
- 20 — How do you stay safe while traveling?
- 23 — How does the OOO algorithm work?
- 25 — What are first steps if someone is looking to travel?
I’m chatting with author Cyndie Spiegel on this episode. Cyndie is the author of A Year of Positive Thinking and her new book, Microjoys: Finding Hope (Especially) When Life Is Not Okay. Join us for a 30-minute conversation about navigating the hard moments in life while growing your muscle for spotting the microjoys that exist alongside them.
Dr. Nicole Yoder from Spring Fertility is answering all of our egg freezing questions. Here’s what we’re tackling - how much does egg freezing cost? How long does egg freezing take? Does PCOS or other menstrual conditions impact your chances for egg freezing? How do I know where my fertility health is?
1 — Meet Dr. Yoder, Fertility Specialist and Board-Certified OBGYN
3:17 — What is the first step when debating egg freezing?
5:30 — Why does the age of 35 matter? Does it impact women of color the same way?
7:30 — How can I ask my OBGYN to test my fertility health and ovarian reserve?
10:45 — What do I do if my OBGYN can’t help me?
11:40 — What is an AMH test?
13 — What determines when I should take egg freezing seriously?
13:30 — What does the egg freezing cycle actually look like?
16: 30 — When in my mensrual cycle do I start the process or book my initial doctor visit?
18 — Can menstrual conditions (like PCOS) make you a “bad” candidate for egg freezing?
20 — I am anxious, but want to consider egg freezing. What can I do?
21 — How do you know if egg retrieval is “successful”?
24 — How are eggs unfrozen? What is the thaw rate?
26 — How many eggs are you thawing at a time?
28 — Is there an exportation date for how long your eggs can be frozen?
29 — How much does egg freezing cost? How much does thawing and IVF cost?
32 — How does birth control impact egg freezing?
34 — What are egg freezing side effects?
35 — How long do side effects from egg freezing last?
36 — What do people feel after an egg freezing cycle?
We’re talking about money this week and how you can shift your relationship to your finances. Money is one of the top factors impacting mental health. During our conversation with Scarlett Cochran, the author of It’s Not About The Money, we focus on mindset and how you can empower and grow your relationship to your finances. We talk setting boundaries with your partner, joint accounts, budgeting, and abundance mindset.
This week I'm chatting with Lisa Mastela, the founder of Bumpin Blends. Bumpin Blends is a smoothie delivery subscription that tries to make your life easier and better with nutritionist-designed recipes. Lisa lets us in on her journey building Bumpin and also shares suggestions on which smoothies to turn to if you're looking to support your mental health, sex drive, or more.
We’re deep diving into functional mushrooms today. In an effort to clarify what TikTok may be serving you, I’ve invited our resident therapist, Dr. Sarah Oreck, to unpack the ins and outs of mushrooms and how they impact your mental health. In the second half of the episode we're joined by Tonya Papanikolov, the founder of Rainbo, a functional mushroom brand. She'll answer questions like, "What are mushrooms? What do I do once I buy some?" and more.
I met Minna Lee last year while doing a branded partnership activation, and we've been in each other's orbits ever since. We have a lot in common since we're both in the well-being space, and this conversation is like listening in to two friends over coffee. Minna is a content creator, a new LA resident, and the dog mom of a beautiful corgi named Benny. We talk about the books and documentaries that helped shape our self-care perspectives, how to navigate the guilt that comes with self-caring, and what moving cross country can do for your wellness routines.
Find Minna @livingminnaly
It’s almost the end of January and instead of punishing yourself for not keeping up with your resolutions, I want you to stay curious about why your month played out differently. Dr. Sarah Oreck, therapist and psychiatrist, joins us for a full Q&A episode. She shares her expert tips on how to stay curious about yourself, how to set boundaries with your loved ones, and what resolutions should be doing for you instead.
Find Dr. Oreck - sarahoreckmd.com
More than a conversation, this podcast episode is an experiment in answering Rabbi Steve Leder's questions. In his book, For You When I Am Gone: Twelve Essential Questions to Tell a Life Story, Leder walks us through legacy, managing grief, and dying how we live. I end up sharing who my first crush was, how my mom's death continues to impact me, and what vacation I would do over time and time again. This episode can calm the anxiety you feel around living while sparking motivation to maybe live more intentionally.
Full show notes: vivnunez.com
Find Rabbi Steve Leder: @steve_leder
My mom died on January 10, 2003 — 20 years ago now. I was 10 years old. In this episode, I walk you through 3-4 of the biggest grief lessons I’ve learned in the last two decades.
For those who want to follow along, I’ll be sharing weekly essays on the same topic on my new substack — vivnunez.substack.com
You don't have set resolutions that will stress you out and you don't have to spend all your disposable income on self-care products if they aren't going to help you. On this episode, Amy Keller Laird, the founder of Mental, walks us through the expertly vetted products that may fit into your mental health toolkit and how to vet these products in the first place.
Full list: https://clubmental.com/best-of-mental-health-awards-2022/
I turn 30 in just a few days and it’s got me reflective. I’m really proud of how my 20s turned out and as I was gearing up for this milestone of a birthday, I got to thinking — what did I want to bring with me and how did I want to prepare? I walk you through the 5 books that helped, the 5 things I did to challenge myself, and the new twist on a “30 things to do before I turn 30” list.
Jesse Moss is a part of the Experience Camps team, a nonprofit that transforms the lives of grieving children through summer camp programs and innovative, year-round initiatives. In this episode we talk about how grief impacts both adults and children, plus ways that adults can help the children in their life navigate grief. We walk through Experience Camps amazing work and I share a bit more about my own experience losing my mom at a young age.
As the holiday season approaches, I wanted to chat 1:1. I know this season can be difficult for many, whether you're navigating grief, infertility, outgrown friendships, or establishing a new definition for family. I walk you through how I tackle my holiday season and 4 tips I keep close to heart:
- The ehh-yes list
- The "What do I really want?" exercise
- Power hack: mini-holidays
- Group support
Matthew Quick, New York Times Bestselling author of Silver Linings Playbook, is the author of a new book — We Are The Light. Join us for a conversation on mental health, sobriety, writing, and reclaiming our true sense of being. He took the jump at 30 years old that kicked off his path as a writer and has learned many lessons since.
EPISODE BREAKDOWN:
1:30 — Meet Matthew
3:30 — How twenty-something to thirty-something changed his career perspective
6 — Distinguishing between anxiety and intuition
8:40 — How to create separation between your stories and yourself
12 — “We Are The Light” explained
14 — Matthew’s mental health struggles
17 — Seeking professional support when you feel like you’re drowning
18:30 — The out of body experience of Oscar-award winning Silver Linings Playbook
20 — Letting go of art once you create it
26 — Knowing your boundaries when creating
Zach Gottlieb is a teen mental health advocate and the founder of Talk with Zach, a global mental health community dedicated to teens. In our conversation we talk through questions that both teens and parents are interested in — how do you make it easier for teens to talk about mental health? What do healthy mental health coping mechanisms look like at 16? What can parents do to support their kids’ mental health?
The Midterms are Tuesday, November 8th. 435 seats (the majority) of Congress are up for re-election this year. Issues like abortion, immigration, and the economy are on the ballot, giving us a chance to truly have our voice heard.
On this episode Charlotte Castillo, Poderista’s Managing Director, walks us through key questions — How do I know if I’m registered? What does it mean that issues are on the ballot? What do I need to know to confidently vote?
The best quote from the episode — “If your voice and vote didn’t matter, why are people working really hard to stop us from voting.”
Ellen Bennett is an author, entrepreneur, and the founder of Hedley & Bennett, the apron empire we all have grown to love. Her book, "Dream First, Details Later," outlines the guiding vision and skillsets that helped her build H&B and trust herself throughout that process. We talk about entrepreneurship, the power of dreaming, owning your confidence belt, and so much more.
Kimberly Lee Minor is the President of Bandier, an entrepreneur, a mom, and an innovator. While she knew from the beginning of her career that she wanted to one day be the President of a company, she credits her ability to adapt to how beautifully her career has unfolded. While our conversation touches on career lessons, the second half of the episode focuses almost entirely on the mental health mindset and toolbox you have to develop in order to build a healthy career and life.
Dr. Ken Duckworth is the Chief Medical Officer of the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) and the author of the You Are Not Alone: The NAMI Guide to Navigating Mental Health―With Advice from Experts and Wisdom from Real People and Families. In our conversation Dr. Duckworth shares answers to questions like, “What do I do after a mental health crisis?” “How do I get a loved one to go to therapy?” and “What if my parents don’t support getting mental health care?”
Dr. Duckworth also walks us through the reason behind You Are Not Alone and what he hopes will come from it.
Marta Tellado is the CEO of Consumer Reports and the author of the newly published book, Buyer Aware: Harnessing Our Consumer Power for a Safe, Fair, and Transparent Marketplace. I was so excited to have Marta on this episode because she’s an expert on all the big questions we’re sitting with right now - How do we know which period tracking app to actually use? What is going on with our privacy settings? How should you childproof your little one’s phones? How do I know the supplements that the influencer is promoting are actually safe?
Marta deep dives on these topics and so much more.
Mario Chamorro has built a career on being a happiness activist and his most recent venture is OYE, a creative wellness app that’s set to improve the narrative of global mental health. Together with J Balvin, Chamorro has co-founded a bilingual and culture-inclusive take on mental wellness. The CEO walks us through how OYE got its start, how his own career and personal life have been transformed by mental wellness and happiness, plus so much more.
Marisa Renee Lee is an Obama-administration alum, a consultant, and most recently, an author. Her book Grief Is Love is an exploration of her experience losing her mother and navigating adulthood through the lens of this loss and her grief. In our conversation we talk about grief, her writing process, and the power of connecting with others when in the depths of your grief. Most importantly, we dive into how even after death, our relationships with our loved ones continue.
I was first introduced to SFK when a friend took me to her live show in NYC — I've been a fan ever since. I sat down with the social media powerhouse writer, creator of Let's Fucking Date, and the Queen of Confidence to talk about how she created SFK in the first place. We deep dive on building an online personality, how creators can safeguard their own mental health, and her current read.
Show notes: vivnunez.com
Full disclosure, we're not giving personal medical advice on this episode, but we are unpacking what we may all be collectively going through given the news cycle (and life cycle) of the last few months. Dr. Oreck unpacks doomscrolling, our fear of apathy (and how we may be overcompensating), how to start breath work, and so much more.
Follow Dr. Oreck — @sarahoreckmd
Follow Vivian — @vivnunez
I did not think that I would be putting out this episode on the other side of Roe v Wade being overturned, but here we are. I decided to share my interview with sexologist and founder of Bloomi, Rebecca Alvarez Story, because I think now, more than ever, it's an act of rebellion. We have a right to still assert our bodily autonomy and to decide that our individual pleasure is still on the table, even in the midst of uncertainty and pain. Rebecca answers questions about how to start masturbating, tips for those in the beginner/intermediate/expert stages, and how to start conversations with your partner about pleasure and intimacy.
Follow Bloomi: https://www.instagram.com/thebloomi/
Follow Vivian: https://www.instagram.com/vivnunez/
Carly Riordan has been an influencer since she was 19 years old, now at 32, she’s also an author (Business Minded) and a mom of an almost one-year-old! Our conversation is a call for a pause to think about how you’re managing your health, what your career passions actually are, or how you’ve changed since the last time you checked in on yourself. We also talk about the internet as a culture and where it’s headed next. TW: mention of self-harm at minute 47.
FOLLOW CARLY: @carly
FOLLOW VIVIAN: @vivnunez
We are in the wake of such shared grief, but also maybe you've just crossed the threshold for your own personal grief. This week I chat with David Kessler, author and grief.com founder, about the ins and outs of grief. We debunk myths, he shares powerful perspective shifts, and reminds you that no matter the definition for "prolonged grief," grief has no timeline.
FOLLOW David
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamdavidkessler/
FOLLOW VIVIAN:
vivnunez.com
instagram.com/vivnunez
The founders of Little Honey Money, a new kind of registry, have different paths to motherhood. In this episode, I speak to Erica and Jhoanna about everything from Erica’s birthing experience, Jhoanna’s journey with IVF, and how they’re hoping Little Honey Money will bridge the gap of maternal care (both physical and mental health).
FOLLOW LHM
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/littlehoneymoney/
FOLLOW VIVIAN:
vivnunez.com
instagram.com/vivnunez
Lori Gottlieb is a psychotherapist, the New York Times bestselling author of “Maybe You Should Talk To Someone,” and the co-host of “Dear Therapists.” Our episode feels like the prequel to a really good therapy session. She sheds light on what you should expect from a therapist, how to engage your past and future without hurting your present self, and shares maybe my favorite podcast quote yet, “We always like to say: before diagnosing someone with depression, make sure they aren’t surrounded by assholes…”
FOLLOW LORI
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lorigottlieb_author/
FOLLOW VIVIAN:
vivnunez.com
instagram.com/vivnunez
It felt right to pause all full episodes of the podcast until next week and instead to take a minute to reflect on how this week's horrific events have landed on our doorstep, what we can do on a personal level and also what we should call our government officials to act on.
There are no words to contextualize the unimaginable pain that the loved ones of the 21 victims are currently living through. This is not an attempt at that, instead it's 15 minutes of holding space and thinking about we can potentially do.
All resources mentioned can be found here:
https://vivnunez.com/blog-index/2022/5/26/helpful-resources-as-we-process-what-happened-in-uvalde-texas
Self-discovery is a life-long process, Vanessa Villela, star of Selling Sunset, advocates for doing that work. Between losing her sister and navigating grief to figuring what life in a reality show in real time, Villela has turned to the power of her mindset even more. In this episode she speaks to what she’s learned, what she hopes to pass along, and how she wants to use her platform.
- 1:00 — Meet Vanessa
- 2:30 — Finding happiness within herself
- 3:00 — Navigating her sister’s loss
- 4:41 — The sign that changed her career
- 7:08 — Getting cast for Selling Sunset
- 9:27 — Bringing a life coach for Christine on Selling Sunset + the power of a mindset coach
- 11:11 — On the pressure of being on a reality show
- 12 — How to mediate but still set boundaries
- 14 — Learning how to prioritize your own well being
- 16:33 — Has Selling Sunset depicted her well?
- 21 — Why she’s happy to be here
FOLLOW VANESSA
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vannevillela/
FOLLOW VIVIAN:
vivnunez.com
instagram.com/vivnunez
SHOW NOTES: https://vivnunez.com/blog-index/2022/5/23/vanessa-villela-happy-to-be-here-podcast-show-notes
Elsa Massey is a blogger and content creator that focuses on mid-size to plus-size style....and confidence. She uses her platforms to speak openly about her mental health and navigating fashion as a form of self-expression and confidence. On this episode she shares more about how she built her communities on TikTok + IG, as well as how she community manages, thinks about style, and prioritizes her mental health.
- 3:00 — The Before and After of Preppy Style
- 6:34 — Put your style on first
- 7:20 — Feeling like she wasn’t allowed to have personal style
- 11:34 — When confidence is the first thing people see
- 12:50 — You have to be comfortable in order to be confident
- 15:10 — How TikTok changes lives
- 22 — Creator mental health
- 25 — Community management as a content creator
FOLLOW ELSA
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simply_elsa/
TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@simply_elsa
Blog: https://simplyelsa.com/
FOLLOW VIVIAN:
vivnunez.com
instagram.com/vivnunez
SHOW NOTES: https://vivnunez.com/blog-index/2022/5/10/elsa-massey-happy-to-be-here-podcast-show-notes
Style is more than the clothes you wear, it’s your personality and the confidence you work to carry yourself with. Karla Martinez de Salas, editor of Vogue Mexico, walks us through her definition of style and so much more.
FOLLOW KARLA
Karla Martinez: instagram.com/karlamartinezdesalas
Vogue Mexico: instagram.com/voguemexico
FOLLOW VIVIAN:
vivnunez.com
instagram.com/vivnunez
SHOW NOTES: vivnunez.com/blog-index/2022/5/10/karla-martinez-de-salas-happy-to-be-here-podcast-show-notes
Your inner critic is going to criticize, it’s what it does, but you don’t have to listen to it forever. Leadership and Business Coach, Mariela De La Mora, shares her tips on how to pass the mic to your higher self. She defines terms like “unlearning” and “reparenting” and offers guidance on how to actually start loving yourself a bit more.
FOLLOW MARIELA
https://www.instagram.com/mariela.delamora/
https://www.marieladelamora.com/
FOLLOW VIVIAN:
vivnunez.com
instagram.com/vivnunez
SHOW NOTES: https://vivnunez.com/blog-index/2022/5/4/mariela-de-la-mora-happy-to-be-here-podcast-show-notes
The Power Behind Your Self-Talk Week
This week, Liz Hernandez, founder of Wordaful, kicks off our "the power behind your self-talk" week. Liz started her career in radio and entertainment with on-screen/on-air roles at Access Hollywood, E! News, and MTV. Now, she runs Wordaful — a content destination and event series for anyone looking to tap into the power of words. In this episode, we talk through the jump from radio to running her own brand, how she builds inner strength and navigates imposter syndrome, and more.
FOLLOW LIZ
Wordaful: wordaful.com
Liz Hernandez IG: instagram.com/LizHernandez
FOLLOW VIVIAN:
vivnunez.com
instagram.com/vivnunez
SHOW NOTES: https://vivnunez.com/blog-index/2022/5/2/liz-hernandez-happy-to-be-here-podcast-show-notes
There's nothing Vivian loves more than deep conversations, bright spots, and mental health checkins. Consider this podcast a combination of all of the above. In this episode, she reflects on why she's starting a new podcast, the space she hopes this carves out for those who need inspiration or support, and a sneak peek of Season 1 guests.
Welcome home, we're happy to have you and hopefully by the end of each episode you'll be happy to be here.