Self Improvement, Mindfulness and Mental Health Tips - The Coached Soul Podcast

During the second part of the podcast series, Steve engages in an insightful conversation with Nathalie Villeneuve, a highly talented artist and celebrated author. Nathalie shares her personal experiences of battling with a severe medical condition during her childhood and how she surmounted the difficulties to emerge as an accomplished artist and writer. In addition, Nathalie provides valuable knowledge on her contribution to the newly published book titled My Two Cents on Self Love. Moreover, Nathalie emphasizes the importance of shedding negative self-talk by stating, "I am confident that I have a story within me, a book waiting to be written. We should never let negative inner dialogue hold us back from achieving greatness."

During Steve's interview, he speaks with an artist who uses her art to escape her world as a coping mechanism. Nathalie Villeneuve, a French-Canadian residing in Connecticut, has achieved as number one international success as a bestselling author. She collaborated with Steve on an anthology called My Two Cents of Self Love. Nathalie honed her artistic abilities and literary expertise as a means of effectively healing from traumatic experiences. In part one of the podcast that comprises two sections, the listeners can delve into Nathalie's magnificent journey towards self-discovery while hearing her powerful statement: “Full healing comes from helping other people”.

Steve and Julia wish you a Happy and Safe Fourth of July. Steve discusses with Julia the importance of being mindful of this holiday. As a therapist, it is crucial to recognize that the loud and explosive nature of the 4th of July festivities, particularly fireworks, can be triggering for individuals with PTSD and veterans who have experienced traumatic events during their service. The sudden, intense sounds of fireworks can mimic the sounds of gunfire or explosions, leading to feelings of distress, anxiety, and panic. It is also essential to understand that individuals with Alzheimer's or dementia may not fully comprehend the events happening during fireworks displays, leading to confusion and distress. As we celebrate this holiday, it is crucial that we are considerate and mindful of these potentially tricky reactions and that we respect the needs and feelings of those who may struggle during this time.

During their discussion, Steve and Julia explored alternative ways to experience the thrill of life that do not involve consuming alcohol. Instead, they emphasized the importance of cultivating positivity. By integrating positive thinking and enjoyable activities into their daily lives, individuals can have a more rewarding and fulfilling existence. This approach fosters optimism and helps people to take advantage of every opportunity that presents itself. Moreover, leading a positive life has numerous benefits on both the physical and mental health front. It assists in minimizing stress and anxiety levels, strengthening self-confidence, establishing better interpersonal connections, and heightening overall bliss. Embracing an optimistic outlook on life enables individuals to focus on finding solutions to issues rather than fixating on obstacles, resulting in increased creativity and efficiency.

In the studio today, Steve warmly welcomes Dina Fortune who is among thirty other authors of a future anthology book called “My Two Cents of Self Love” being released July 7, 2023. The book focuses on journaling, writing, and inner child work. Dina emphasizes the benefits of journaling about our past, including self-awareness, emotional processing, personal growth tracking, legacy creation, and improving memory and cognitive function. Steve highlights that these reasons are backed by research and common knowledge. Dina strongly believes that words have healing power. Tune into this episode of Coached Soul to learn more about how words can heal.

Artist and co-author of My Two Cents of Self-Love, soon to be released in July 2023, discusses her work on her inner child and how she developed loving herself. Steve and Dina discuss her inner child and permit her to allow the child to speak. The inner child is a concept in psychology that refers to the childlike aspects of a person’s personality, emotions, and behaviors still present in adulthood. It represents the vulnerable, curious, creative, spontaneous, and carefree parts of oneself that often get suppressed or overshadowed by adult responsibilities, pressures, and expectations. The inner child also carries unresolved childhood traumas, needs, and desires that can impact relationships, self-esteem, and mental health. Accessing and healing the inner child can lead to greater self-awareness, self-acceptance, emotional intelligence, and personal growth.

Is getting your hair done self-care or maintenance? Is going on a cruise self-care?  When faced with a crisis, staying calm and processing is essential. Determine the severity of the situation and develop a plan of action. Communicate clearly with others involved and establish priorities. Steve and Julia discuss self-care in a crisis. It is about transparency and honesty in all communications to maintain trust and credibility.

Steve and Julia have learned the reasons for emotional well-being in their professional and private lives. Do you have or practice self-care? Self-care is essential because it helps individuals reduce stress, prevent burnout, and improve their overall quality of life. It also helps individuals prioritize their needs and make self-care a part of their daily routine, which can lead to increased productivity and a greater sense of fulfillment. Listen to how or reasons everyone needs self-care and how to do it to prevent a mental breakdown.

Steve and Julia discuss Memorial Day and grief. Prolonged grief disorder is a condition that affects some individuals who have lost a loved one, but especially those who are and have served in the military. Do you know what a quarter means on the headstone when you visit a veteran? With Memorial Day around the corner, it's important to remember the sacrifices that soldiers have made for our country and honor their memory. Memorial Day has a rich history, dating back to the end of the Civil War, and serves as a solemn reminder of the men and women who have given their lives for our freedom. We must recognize their heroic actions and lasting impact on our nation.

This week Steve discusses the Human Magnet Syndrome. The Narcissist and Codependent Human Magnet Syndrome, is a pattern of relating where individuals with codependent tendencies are drawn into relationships with narcissistic partners. The codependent is attracted to the narcissist's confident and assertive traits, while the narcissist feeds off the codependent's need for validation and approval. This dynamic can be emotionally and psychologically exhausting for the codependent, but they often find it difficult to leave the relationship. Therapy and self-care practices can help break the cycle and establish healthier relationships in the future.

Steve and Julia discuss anxious attachment. Anxious attachment style relates to others based on fear of abandonment and a constant need for reassurance. People with this attachment style tend to overthink and overanalyze their relationships, feeling insecure and needy. They may also be hypersensitive to signs of rejection or distance from their partner. This attachment style typically develops in childhood due to inconsistent or unpredictable caregiving, leading to a lack of trust in close relationships. However, it can be changed through therapy and self-awareness.

Steve and Julia discuss disorganized attachment. One of the hardest to overcome due to narcissistic and other personality disorders are birthed. Disorganized attachment style is a type of attachment style where a person has inconsistent and unpredictable behaviors in relationships. This type of attachment style often stems from childhood trauma or abuse, and individuals with disorganized attachment may struggle with emotional regulation and have difficulty forming healthy relationships. They may also have a tendency to switch between seeking closeness and pushing people away, leading to a cycle of unstable relationships. It is important for individuals with disorganized attachment to seek professional help to address and overcome these patterns.

Steve discusses another attachment disorder. Avoidant attachment refers to an attachment pattern where individuals avoid close emotional relationships and intimacy. People with avoidant attachment often have difficulty trusting others, fear emotional vulnerability, and may minimize the importance of relationships in their lives. They value independence and self-sufficiency and may prioritize work or other activities over relationships. Avoidant attachment is thought to develop when caregivers are consistently unresponsive or neglectful of a child's emotional needs, leading the child to learn that emotional closeness is unsafe or unrewarding.

Do you feel you can be free with your emotions without the fear of rejection, judgment, or abandonment? If so, you might be one of the 66% of people who have secure attachments. What is a secure attachment? It is one of the healthiest of the four attachment styles. Steve discusses how to create a secure attachment for your child and what that looks like as an adult.

Ever wonder what causes you to attract the person that you are with and then end up in a relationship that is not healthy? Do birds of a feather flock together? Steve discusses attachment styles, what makes attachment an attachment style as an adult, and where it begins. Listen to this weeks and future discussions on attachment styles.

Are your mental and medical files safe? Julia and Steve discuss personal situations about privacy and the potential dangers surrounding your privacy.

One of the most controversial subjects in the medical community is your right to privacy. Steve and Julia discuss your mental and medical privacy in a new Oklahoma state bill, 1369. It isn't what you think and what legislators want you to believe. You don't want to miss this two-part series.

Does it seem like you argue most or all the time in your relationship? What is the cause of chaos in a relationship? Julia and Steve discuss relationship chaos, which can be an addiction to most people. Tune in to this podcast to learn how to manage the chaos.

Julia and Steve confront the challenging topic of Ghosting. Is it the proper way of "adulting"? Is it healthy to ghost, and what mental impacts does it have on the receiver? It is a form of ostracism and it causes trauma. There are complications, but what does ghosting say about the individual doing it?

Do women expect men to mind read their minds? How do men engage women, or how do women engage men in conversation? Can words be used to preface the discussion to reduce friction? Steve and Julia discuss how to have better communication skills in this week's episode on communication styles.