What if we're approaching mental health all wrong? A revolutionary new therapy is debunking popular therapy narratives and changing how we treat anxiety and overthinking.

We’re continuing our Mental Health Awareness Month series with this introduction to Metacognitive Therapy (MCT), a groundbreaking new approach to treating anxiety, overthinking, OCD, depression, panic attacks, and more, without the usual coping strategies and trauma processing.

Unlike traditional talk therapy, Metacognitive Therapy helps people break free from the cycle of worry, rumination, and distress by targeting the way we think about our thoughts — not the thoughts themselves.

This is an especially exciting topic for me, as I’ve been working with the team at metacognitivetherapy.com as the Head Of Content for the past year, creating mental health resources including a website, social media channels, an app and a new podcast that’s still to come. MCT might just revolutionize how we treat mental health disorders.

I’m joined by Clinical Psychologist Sunniva Itland, founder of one of Norway's largest private psychology clinics and co-founder of metacognitivetherapy.com, to unpack this transformative therapy that's changing lives worldwide.

This is for anyone who hasn’t found a therapy or modality that’s really working to improve their mental health. Welcome to anti-therapy therapy.

Tune in to hear about:

• How MCT differs from CBT, talk therapy, and other traditional approaches to anxiety disorders, OCD and depression
• Sunniva's personal journey overcoming social anxiety using metacognitive therapy approaches
• Why trauma-focused and emotion-processing therapies may be keeping you stuck
• Why people develop mental health conditions VS others
• How common mental habits like overthinking, symptom monitoring, and reassurance-seeking fuel anxiety
• Recognizing unhelpful metabeliefs like “worrying keeps me safe” or “I can't control my thoughts
• Why positive affirmations, reframing, mindfulness, and traditional coping strategies often backfire
• Research-backed techniques for immediately reducing anxiety, like worry postponement and detached mindfulness

Metacognitive Therapy resources:

metacognitivetherapy.com

https://www.instagram.com/metacognitive_therapy/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/metacognitive-therapy/

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The body keeps the score, and after years of cognitive therapy work and intellectualizing, I became totally disconnected from how my body was carrying stress and anxiety.

So for Mental Health Awareness Month, we're throwing it back to this deep dive with trauma therapist Simone Saunders on the powerful connection between mind and body healing. We cover how unprocessed trauma physically manifests and evidence-based somatic therapy techniques to release it.

Anxiety, depression, and trauma don't just affect your thoughts — they live in your body. From chronic pain and digestive issues to poor sleep and muscle tension, your physical symptoms might tell a deeper story. If you want to take control of your mental health and expand your techniques and awareness, this episode is a must-listen.

Simone has a Master's in Clinical Social Work, with a specialization in trauma, emotional regulation, anxiety and depression. As a trauma therapist and educator she has over 800,000 followers across her Instagram and TikTok accounts, the cognitive corner, where she helps people understand the connection between the mind and body and patterns that your nervous system engages in.

Tune in to hear more about:

• Identifying hidden signs of nervous system dysregulation and science-backed regulation techniques
• Understanding freeze, flight, fight and fawn responses: which survival pattern are you stuck in?
• Navigating familial relationships or partnerships that trigger the dysregulation loop
• Unhelpful coping strategies that might make you feel worse
• Cognitive bypassing: The difference between intellectualizing and feeling
• How trauma manifests physically
• What if you can't remember your trauma?
• Somatic therapy approaches for releasing trauma stored in the body
• Building a life that's healthy for your nervous system
• Navigating the loneliness and isolation of your mental health journey

Follow Simone on Instagram and TikTok.

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Welcome to today’s ICYMI, where we kick off the week with a quick game-changing tip from one of our guests that you might have missed.

In honour of Mental Health Awareness Month, we're throwing it back to this helpful advice from Whitney Goodman on how to show up for your friends and loved ones when they are struggling with mental health, grief and loss — without the unhelpful platitudes and empty offers.

Whitney is a psychotherapist, author of the book Toxic Positivity, a columnist for Psychology Today and appears regularly in publications like The New York Times and Teen Vogue.

Listen to our full episode with Whitney here!

Tune in every Monday for an expert dose of life advice in under 10 minutes.

For show notes and more adulting tips, visit: teachmehowtoadult.ca

Follow Whitney:

sitwithwhit.com

@sitwithwhit

Toxic Positivity: Keeping It Real in a World Obsessed with Being Happy

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One of the most powerful (and underused) tools for emotional healing is creative self-expression. In honour of Mental Health Awareness Month, we're diving into the powerful intersection of creativity, art, relationships, and mindset — and how you can use your unique voice to alchemize pain and struggle.

This episode is for anyone looking to improve their emotional resilience, self-awareness, and connection to others through the healing power of creativity.

I’m joined by my favourite writer, IN-Q — an Emmy-nominated poet, multi-platinum songwriter, world renowned keynote speaker, best-selling author of Inquire Within and The Never Ending Now Poetry journal. IN-Q has written songs with artists like Selena Gomez, Miley Cyrus and Mike Posner, and he was named to Oprah's SuperSoul 100 list of the world's most influential thought leaders. He hosts writing workshops around the world, and works with brands like Nike, Spotify, Google and Lululemon to help their teams tell their stories and find their authentic voice.

Tune in to hear more about:

• How creative expression can help process trauma, anxiety, and loneliness
• What’s causing our current mental health crisis?
• Why creativity and storytelling are the most underused tools in the mental health toolkit
• The wellness modalities that IN-Q taps into
• The impact of technology and AI on our mental health
• What is happiness, and have we commodified the pursuit of it?
• How to cultivate more compassion and connection
• Reconnecting to community in a lonely and isolated world
• How to set healthy boundaries without isolating ourselves
• Taking responsibility for our emotions in relationships
• Co-regulating with your partner and establishing non-negotiables
• Overcoming the fear of creating or sharing your work

I hope this episode helps you reconnect with yourself and your playful creativity.

Follow IN-Q on Instagram and his website in-q.com.

Get IN-Q's book Inquire Within and The Never Ending Now Poetry Journal.

Listen to The Never Ending Now album.

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Welcome to today’s ICYMI, where we kick off the week with a quick game-changing tip from one of our guests that you might have missed.

May is mental health awareness week, so we’re diving into mental wellbeing and anxiety, and how to stop it from holding you back. Tune in as we throw it back to Dr. Lauren Cook’s “anxiety hierarchy” framework that helps you measure your level of anxiety when faced with challenges, so we can face our fears without letting anxiety, avoidance, and control stay in the driver's seat.

Dr. Lauren Cook is a therapist, consultant, speaker, author and founder of Heartship Psychological Services. Specializing in anxiety, she helps people and couples work through generalized anxiety, phobias, social anxiety, OCD, and more. She has a podcast called The Boardroom Brain, and has written three books, including the “Generation Anxiety: A Millennial and Gen Z Guide to Staying Afloat in an Uncertain World”.

Listen to our full episode with Dr. Lauren here!

Tune in every Monday for an expert dose of life advice in under 10 minutes.

Follow Dr. Lauren:

@dr.laurencook

Drlaurencook.com

Order Generation Anxiety: A Millennial and Gen Z Guide to Staying Afloat in an Uncertain World

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Money stress is everywhere right now — rising interest rates, the cost of living crisis, inflation, layoffs, and a looming recession — we’re all feeling it. But the truth is, even in financially prosperous times, money can be a point of shame, anxiety, guilt, and avoidance for a lot of us. Your money history and money story shape your financial security throughout your life — but you can rewrite that story and heal your money mindset.

In this episode, we dive deep into the psychology of money and how to heal your relationship with it, so you can stop toxic financial habits, rewire your mindset, and *actually* build long-term wealth.

We called back returning guest, Jessica Moorhouse—Accredited Financial Counsellor, bestselling author of Everything but Money, host of the More Money Podcast, and a leading voice on personal finance and emotional literacy in financial wellness.

This isn’t just another budgeting or investing 101 episode… it’s a mindset shift that can set you up for success in your personal finances and your close relationships. Whether you're struggling with debt or making $250K, this conversation will help you stop self-sabotage, understand your unconscious toxic beliefs, and make an actionable plan toward financial security.

Tune in to hear more about:

• The emotional roots of money anxiety, guilt, shame, envy, and fear
• Understanding the 3 toxic money patterns that keep you stuck (avoidance, money worship, and relationship codependence)
• The impact of shame and judgment in your financial journey — and how to break that shame cycle
• How ADHD and neurodivergence can affect spending, saving, and money organization
• How your attachment style impacts your financial behaviour and the way you deal with money in relationships
• The #1 mistake most people are making with money
• Actionable advice for building wealth if you’re in debt or low income
• How to manage setting up an emergency fund VS paying off debt VS investing
• How to recession-proof your financial plan right now

Check out Jessica's book, Everything but Money.

Follow Jessica on Instagram, YouTube, and her website.

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Welcome to today’s ICYMI, where we kick off the week with a quick game-changing tip from one of our guests that you might have missed.

The majority of our communication is non-verbal... that means our body language is doing all the talking. So we’re throwing it back to some game-changing advice from negotiation expert, Fotini Iconomopoulos, breaking down how you can leverage your body language to influence and negotiate better — at work, and socially.

Fotini’s been helping people get what they want, both personally and professionally, for decades. Through her keynotes, workshops and virtual courses, Fotini helps teach the negotiation and communication skills required to navigate any scenario. She teaches MBA Negotiations at the Schulich School of Business at York University, and is the author of the book “Say Less, Get More: Unconventional Negotiation Techniques to Get What You Want”.

We hope this episode inspires you to go after what you want and ask for what you deserve!

Listen to our full episode with Fotini here.

Tune in every Monday for an expert dose of life advice in under 10 minutes.

Follow Fotini:

fotiniicon.com/

instagram.com/fotiniicon/

linkedin.com/in/fotiniiconomopoulos/

Get Fotini’s Book: Say Less Get More

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This episode is for anyone who's tired of outdated dating “rules” that don’t reflect who they are and how we actually connect in 2025. I’ve recently dipped my toe back into the dating world, and the amount of toxic “rules” and overly-perscriptive advice floating around online is wild.

So today, I’m sharing my hot takes and unconventional dating perspectives to prioritize authenticity, connection, and your dating goals — without all the games.

Whether you’re dating for fun, looking for your forever person, or navigating something in between, this episode is a guide to more connected, conscious, and actually authentic dating. If you feel drained by casual dating culture, the fast food nature of apps, mixed signals and fuckboy energy, and attention-seeking games… keep. listening.

We’re debunking relationship myths like:

• Why “keep the first date short” might be killing genuine connection
• Why women shouldn’t always wait to be pursued
• Why “play it cool” and “keep it casual” isn’t always the vibe
• The truth about when to have sex
• Should you talk about your exes on a date?
• When you should consider exclusivity
• How to use intentional conversations, clarity, vulnerability, and feedback to create deeper intimacy

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