This week, Micheline, and Carley delve into the world of books, relaying their personal journeys into reading, the influence of social media on reading habits, and why nurses read. They talk about when and why they're drawn to certain genres, how books can impact a nurse’s perspective of themself and their patients, and wrap things up with some solid book recommendations!

Book Recs:

Micheline: Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

Anything by Emily Henry, Abby Jimenez, or Ashley Poston

Daisy Darker: A Novel by Alice Feeney

Carley: The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

The City of Brass by S. A. Chakraborty

Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak

Joe: Equal Rites by Terry Pratchett

Calvin and Hobbes

This week, The Self Care Unit explores the world of cold therapy with guest Aryan Davani, founder of IcePass, a community wellness club in LA. Focusing primarily on the mental health benefits of cold plunging, we get the details from Aryan on why this practice has exploded in popularity in recent years. Whether it's calming our minds, connecting with others, or overcoming our self-limiting beliefs, we learn all the benefits of cold therapy so you can take the plunge!

For this past Nurses Week, our goal was to showcase the nursing community by hearing from nurses directly. So for this episode of the Self Care Unit, nurses generously share their stories on the podcast, including what they love about the job, what motivates them, the challenges they face, and their hopes for the future. In the process, they give a personal insight into what is actually happening in the profession, the pride nurses take in their work, the many paths that a career in nursing can take, and the ways working as a nurse can change you as a person.

CW: This podcast may contain discussions of mental health that may be sensitive to listeners.

This week, we are thrilled to have The Pitt’s Katherine LaNasa on the show! Earning praise from healthcare workers for its accuracy and realism, The Pitt does not shy away from showing the everyday realities of life in the hospital. As Charge Nurse Dana, Katherine is a fan favorite, and she talks with us about the show's authenticity, the nuances she brought to her role, and how she portrays the emotional and physical demands of nursing.

As with her work on screen, Katherine’s compassion absolutely shines in this conversation — she may have asked more questions than we did! So, on behalf of all the nurses who have loved watching Dana keep things moving, we are so grateful to Katherine for chatting with us!

CW: This podcast contains discussions of mental health that may be sensitive to listeners.

On this week’s episode of The Self Care Unit Podcast, Micheline and Carley had the pleasure of chatting with @minaa_b . Minaa is a social worker, the author of Owning Our Struggles: A Path to Healing and Finding Community in a Broken World, and the founder of I’m So Mature ( @imsomaturemedia ), a media company that explores art and entertainment as forms of healthy escapism. Minaa helps people in areas like resilience, building relationships, and creating a community where well-being thrives. We covered some very tangible and important interventions we can use in our daily lives, especially when we’re going through difficult times.

CW: This podcast may contain discussions of mental health that may be sensitive to some listeners.

This week, we tackle the complex issue of bullying within the nursing profession. Carley and Micheline share some personal experiences, discuss how bullying behavior emerges, and give listeners some strategies for handling workplace bullying in direct and indirect ways. What's clear is that we can all work together to create a more supportive profession, especially for new nurses and students!

CW: This podcast may contain discussions of mental health that may be sensitive to some listeners.

This week, Sarah and Micheline explore the concept of wellness through a collective lens, emphasizing the importance of community and relationships in achieving overall well-being. We particularly compare this to the more individualized approaches that go viral on social media. We also highlight the importance of community support and peer networks and emphasize the need for education, empowerment, and safety nets outside traditional institutions. Finally, we touch on the role of storytelling in healing and share some ideas or practices we can all pursue to improve our collective wellness!

The Yale piece that we reference can be found here

For more on eudaemonia as Sarah mentioned, check out Andrew Soren’s work

CW: This podcast may contain discussions of mental health that may be sensitive to some listeners.

This week, we discuss nurses getting “fired” by patients and how to build back your confidence! There are many reasons behind these firings, so we need compassion and understanding for ourselves and support fellow nurses facing similar challenges. We also address being fired from jobs or assignments by reading stories and discussing workplace dynamics that can lead to trouble. Nurses are human and make mistakes, but recovery from setbacks is possible!