Looking for a healthy coping mechanism? You may be able to find it in some of your pre-existing hobbies. For instance, do you love podcasts? If your mental health has been suffering lately, there are a number of podcasts centered around mental wellness that can help you find the peace of mind and tools you need to boost your mental health.
As always, podcasts are not a replacement for a mental health diagnosis or treatment. Your primary mental healthcare should always come from your therapist and/or psychiatrist. However, these podcasts may be helpful when you need some guidance in your day-to-day life. Here are some of the best podcasts that can help your mental health:
#1 - We Can Do Hard Things
Glennon Doyle is the author of three memoirs, all of which have a focus on mental health among other aspects of her life: Carry On, Warrior; Love Warrior; and Untamed. She is known for her mantra “we can do hard things,” a reminder to herself that she is capable of more than she believes herself to be. Doyle, her wife Abby Wambach, and her sister Amanda Doyle, host the mental health podcast We Can Do Hard Things, in which they discuss the hard things we face every day.
Some of this comes from very personal experiences, such as parenting, relationships, illness, and addiction. Other topics speak to a larger scale of hard things we do, such as working towards a more peaceful and equal world. Doyle and her co-hosts handle these topics with care and honesty and always with the encouragement that at the end of the day, we can do the hard things.
#2 - Terrible, Thanks For Asking
Often, discussions around mental illness are upbeat and positive, to the point that it may be a little frustrating if you’re feeling down. That’s not the case with Nora McInerny’s podcast, Terrible, Thanks For Asking. TTFA “makes space for how it really feels to go through hard things in life,” with special guests each episode who talk about some of the difficult issues they’ve gone through or are going through.
The point of this podcast, while it can be a hard listen, is to not shy away from negative emotion and to remember that it’s okay not to be okay. Emotions shouldn’t be ignored, and you shouldn’t have to pretend that you’re okay. And most of all, it’s okay to talk about what you’re going through honestly.
#3 - The Positive Psychology Podcast
Positive psychology is the study of happiness and human flourishing: what helps people to thrive and what doesn’t. Kristen Truempy’s Positive Psychology Podcast covers a wide range of topics within positive psychology including positive body image, mindfulness, following your passions, and more. The podcast includes guest interviews and deep dives into all things positive psychology related. It’s a great choice if you need a mental health boost or if you’re simply curious about psychology.
#4 - The Happiness Lab
This is another podcast that focuses on Positive Psychology. In The Happiness Lab, Yale Professor Dr. Laurie Santos covers recent scientific findings and studies that dig into what happiness is and how we experience it.
While many believe happiness to be based on goals, success, or your station in life, that’s often just part of the picture. You may have all of the ingredients you believe should make someone happy and still not feel happy. The Happiness Lab dives into why that is and what you could do to increase your happiness.
#5 - The Anxiety Podcast
The Anxiety Podcast is not hosted by a licensed medical professional, but it is hosted by someone who experiences anxiety personally. Tim JP Collins has struggled with anxiety and panic attacks. His podcast covers how he changed his life to stop letting anxiety hold him back and the advice he has for others to do the same.
This is a mixture of Tim sharing his personal experiences and answering listener questions about anxiety. Occasionally, he also includes interviews with others who have anxiety or with mental health professionals. Throughout the episodes, Tim offers advice on coping with anxiety and managing it so you can live your life worth living.
#6 - Latinx Therapy
Host Adriana Alejandre is a licensed marriage & family counselor, as well as an EMDR and trauma therapist. She hosts Latinx Therapy to tackle the aspects of mental health related to Latinx people: how culture, stigma, and a lack of culturally competent care can impact the mental healthcare and perception of mental health within the Latinx community. Alejandre interviews other clinicians, as well as bloggers, TV personalities, influencers and more. In addition to the English episodes, Latinx Therapy hosts Spanish episodes every other week.
#7 - The Mindful Muslim
The Mindful Muslim discusses mental health through the lens of Islamic culture and spirituality. Inspirited Minds, who hosts the podcast, cover topics like culture, stigma, addiction, and psychotherapy all through an Islamic lens. This is another podcast that delves into the way that culture can impact mental health and that true mental healthcare has to be mindful and culturally competent.
#8 - Inside Mental Health
Inside Mental Health is a great podcast to work against the stigma that surrounds mental illness and mental healthcare. Host and mental health activist Gabe Howard uses each episode to demystify mental health by providing practical information and clear, transparent insights on various mental health topics. In addition to covering various mental health disorders such as anxiety and schizophrenia, Inside Mental Health also deals with topics relating to relationships and how they impact our mental health.
These podcasts can help you move past the stigma around mental health and know that you’re not alone, as well as give you practical solutions to cope on a daily basis. They are not a replacement for a mental health diagnosis or treatment. Your primary mental healthcare should always come from your therapist and/or psychiatrist. Our skilled and compassionate clinicians at Rivia Mind can also help you develop a plan to move towards mental wellness. Contact us today to learn more or visit our provider page to schedule an appointment.
