Chapters

• 00:00 Encouraging Comfort and Participation in Debriefing Sessions
• 26:17 Lack of Access to Mental Health Care
• 36:37 Proactive Debriefing and Emotional Support for Healthcare Workers

This week, Chris and Martha Thomas, co-founders of The Defensive Line, talk with us about their work to fight the stigma of speaking about suicide. We discuss the impact of asking direct questions, the importance of listening and not judging, and the role of parents in mental health conversations. Chris and Martha also address coping with grief, fostering hope, and the importance of mental health in communities of color.

Chapters

• 00:00 The Power of Storytelling
• 07:08 Dispelling Myths About Mental Health
• 12:52 Navigating Grief During the Holidays
• 19:32 The Importance of Hope and Mental Health in Communities of Color
• 29:10 The Defensive Line and Mental Health in Communities of Color
• 34:54 The Defensive Line: Defenders of Life

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!

This week, we discuss the all too prevalent issue of self-doubt among nurses and how it often stems from the rigorous demands and high-pressure of healthcare. Micheline and Carley share their personal experiences and highlight the importance of self-compassion, asking for help, recognizing our personal strengths, and fostering a supportive environment. These feelings are normal, and we can help each other alleviate them!

This week, Dr. Jessi Gold is on the pod! The author of How Do You Feel? One Doctor's Search for Humanity in Medicine, Dr. Gold talks with us about workplace mental health, wellness, and burnout among healthcare workers. We discuss the unspoken costs of caring for others and the need for self-compassion. Dr. Gold highlights for us the power that sharing our personal stories has to foster connection and healing!

Please check out all @drjessigold has to offer on IG or visit her website drjessigold.com!

If you'd like to share you own journal entries, anonymous or not, please send to joe@theselfcareunitpod.com!

Happy Halloween from the Self Care Unit!

Emily can be found at www.emintegrativewellness.com or @nurseacne on socials!

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!

For more from April, she can be found @nursemoneydate on Instagram or on her website nursemoneydate.com

We wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving and a holiday season full of love and cheer!

This week, for a truly great Mental Health Matters episode, Carley and Sarah welcome Hunter Prosper to the pod! Listeners will probably recognize Hunter from TikTok and Instagram, where he has amassed a huge following sharing his life as a nurse and the stories and lives he encounters on and off the job. He's become something of a master storyteller, and that's where we focused our conversation this week. We chat about how he applies lessons and skills from the bedside to his approach in communication, how listening to stories and telling our own rejuvenates and restores us, and how to foster connections across all sorts of lived experiences. Hunter is an incredible guy, a truly captivating person to listen and learn from, so a huge thank you to him for joining us for this conversation!

For more of Hunter, check out @HunterProsper on TikTok and Instagram!

For this week’s Mental Health Matters, Carley and Sarah spoke with NYT Bestselling writer Christie O. Tate. Christie is well known for her profound and moving words, as well as a "startling" hopefulness and honesty. We were so fortunate to experience that on the pod, as she talked with us about shame and confidence, isolation and relationships, our self-image and public personas, and the impact of being truly heard by someone.

For all that Christie has to offer, please follow @christieotate or visit christietate.com for info on upcoming writing workshops or to get your hands on her books!

How comfortable nurses are admitting mistakes? What systems exist to help cope? How can we deal with negative self-talk? What strategies nurses can use to communicate they’ve made a mistake? Carley and Sarah answer all these questions and more!

As always, please let us know if you have any questions you’d like to ask our nurses! You can email joe@theselfcareunitpod.com and it may be asked on the next edition of Ask A Nurse. And stay tuned for next week’s episode of The Self Care Unit!

As always, please let us know if you have any questions you’d like to ask our nurses! You can email joe@theselfcareunitpod.com and it may be asked on the next edition of Ask A Nurse. And stay tuned for next week’s episode of The Self Care Unit!

Have questions for future episodes? Reach out to joe@theselfcareunitpod.com and they could be asked on future editions of Ask A Nurse!

This week, in response to recent events, Carley and Shannon speak with licensed psychotherapist Sam Calvin about recognizing triggers that may emerge from work in healthcare. They explore how workplace experiences and social media can lead to emotional and physical reactions, and how to manage these triggers effectively. They also discuss the distinction between triggers and PTSD, and Sam provides practical strategies for coping with triggers and seeking professional help when necessary.

This week, the conversation gets personal, as Micheline discusses her decision to start anxiety medication, specifically Lexapro. Micheline talks about her history with anxiety, her experiences having panic attacks, her initial reluctance to pursue medication, and what it has meant to share her journey and hear from others going through similar experiences on social media. Seeking help is always worth it!

This week, Carley and Micheline have a conversation on boundaries! Guided by input from Yolanda Renteria, Trauma Therapist and LPC, we tackle how boundaries help people break generational cycles and unlock the relationships they deserve! So if you want to learn the difference between a boundary and avoidance, how boundaries function in professional, familial, and personal relationships, or tips for beginning to set boundaries in your life, tune in!

A big, big thank you to Yolanda, who was sick and unable to be with us in person, for still providing her input and expertise! Please check out @thisisyolandarenteria on Instagram for links to all of her work!

Looking to give meditation a try? Operation Happy Nurse has guided meditation on offer on our website operationhappynurse.org. And for more of Ben, including his podcast, private sessions, and classes, please check out his website BenDeckerMeditation.com or his instagram @BenjaminWDecker.

Please check out NoahGalloway.com or follow @NoahGallowayAthlete on instagram for access to his book!

Make sure to follow @ScrubHacks for more of Lindsey, she's a delight!"

You can find more of Elliott on his website elliottconnie.com, or @elliottspeaks on Instagram!

For more of Diane, please check out her website dianesieg.com!

Brooke is an expert in the field of ADHD management and support and the founder of Coaching With Brooke. She has dedicated her career to helping thousands of individuals with ADHD who are meeting with chaos, frustration, and shame by providing them the tools and accountability to focus their attention and thrive.

She tackles all our questions and shares her personal experience with ADHD. We discuss the diagnosis process, management strategies, the emotional aspects of ADHD, and more! Thanks to Brooke for sharing her expertise!

Brooke can be found on instagram at @CoachingWithBrooke or https://www.coachingwithbrooke.com

Have questions for future episodes? Reach out to joe@theselfcareunitpod.com and they could be asked on future editions of Ask A Nurse!

For more of Balanda, her work, and her story, you can find her @balandaatis or @lorealusa on Instagram!

A huge thank you to Dan for joining us, his passion is absolutely infectious! For more of Dan, he can be found @theaspieworld or check out autismforadults.com!

Our guest this week, Bridget Alley, is a fourth-year medical student and the co-founder of Propagations, a non-profit dedicated to improving the conditions of mental healthcare by connecting resources to people in need. She shares their founding ethos, how changing our physical environment can promote healing, the obstacles that can stand in the way, and the long term goals of Propagations. Thanks to Bridget for being with us!

You can check out propagations.org for more information or to get involved, or follow Bridget’s cofounder Preston @itspresro on social media for updates on their work!

For more of her content and expertise, check out @cjnlegalnurse on TikTok, Instagram, or YouTube!

For more of what April has to offer, check out nursemoneydate.com or her Instagram @nursemoneydate!

From everyone at The Self Care Unit, we wish you a holiday season full of support, kindness, and hope!

What's that behind you? It's a haunted Halloween episode of the Self Care Unit! Join us as we take a deep dive into a well-known haunted hospital, Linda Vista Hospital in Los Angeles. From ghostly sightings to unexplained occurrences, we share its spine-chilling stories and debate whether it's all real—or just Hollywood hype. So, buckle up for some spooky fun, as we trade self-care tips through these ghost stories and share some laughs along the way!

This week, for a really special Mental Health Matters episode, Carley and Sarah are joined by the incredible Dr. Courtney Tracy! Dr. Tracy is a world-renowned therapist and creator of the “HUMAN First'' movement. She is also the host of The Truth Doctor Show where she dives into vulnerable conversations of what it means to be human. We quickly get into the real stuff with Dr. Tracy, discussing authenticity, mental health stigma, taboos, seeking help, and more. You'll see why she's known as the NO-BS Therapist! We also learn more about her life and her work, particularly with EXIST centers, geared towards Gen-Z adults. Finally, we chat about how the mental health and healthcare fields can collaborate to create a better future for everyone. We are so grateful Dr. Tracy joined us for this Mental Health Matters conversation!

Please follow Dr. Tracy @the.truth.doctor on Instagram and her website which is exactly like it sounds & listen to The Truth Doctor Show anywhere you get your podcasts!

For more of Jayshree and her work, check out @EveryJayLiving on TikTok and Instagram!

This week, the absolute joy Nicole LeeAnne is on the pod! Nicole talks with us about her passion for and departure from nursing, the physical and emotional challenges she’s faced, navigating the healthcare system, and ways to better support nurses through burnout. It’s all about building supportive communities! We wrap things up, of course, with some fun snack combinations!

Follow @nicoleleeanne6 on IG and TikTok for some of the most fun and insightful content out there!

We know you'll want more of Grace, so you can find her @Grace_Africa on TikTok or Instagram

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!

For this week's Mental Health Matters episode, we are joined by Gracie Collis! Gracie is an athlete and a fitness and fashion influencer with amazing content found on TikTok and Instagram. She has an absolutely infectious energy, and it was such a delight to talk with her about the intersection of fitness and mental health, how to find motivation and confidence in the gym, and fighting back against unhealthy and downright dangerous body image messaging on social media.

Do yourself a favor and follow @Gracie.Collis on Insta and @gracie_collis on TikTok!

Now in its second season, The Pitt continues to be a smash hit (particularly among healthcare workers) because of its realistic portrayal of work in a hospital, its willingness to take on real issues, and its honest depiction of the emotional toll of healthcare work.

So tune in as Supriya dives into all of that and more with us; it's a conversation you don't want to miss!

For more of Dr. Lalk, check out his website drlalk.com or his instagram @LalkHealth!

Make sure to follow Tiera @tskovbye1 on Instagram!

Tim can be found on Instagram @timquinnbeauty, and stay tuned for more from him with Operation Happy Nurse!

This week, the Self-Care Unit welcomed Harlie Monroe, co-founder of the Jared Monroe foundation, to the pod. Her amazing organization is dedicated to fostering awareness, understanding and support for Bipolar Disorder and suicide. We discuss all aspects of her work as a nurse and co-founder and her hopes and goals for a special "Art of Healing" fundraiser with Don't Clock Out for World Suicide Prevention Awareness Day on September 10th.

A big thank you to Harlie for sharing her story with us! Please check out the Jared Monroe Foundation @jaredmonroefdtn on Instagram.

This week, Tori Meskin, @Nurse.Tori_, joins us to talk about her nursing journey and her passion for supporting NICU nurses. She discusses the inspiration behind founding NICUity, a brand dedicated to empowering and educating NICU providers. She also relates her own experiences with pregnancy and fertility and how such experiences can deepen a nurse's empathy and appreciation for the NICU journey.

Tori's drive to create a more supportive NICU environment is absolutely inspiring! For more of her, please check out @Nurse.Tori_ and @nicuity or visit https://www.nicuity.com/

Seems like something that should already be the case, but it isn't! So tune in to learn about this important work and the ways we can get the message out there!

For more on the work Tauqilla is doing, please follow @blacknursesweek on Instagram!

This week on the Self Care Unit, Micheline and Carley discuss how we educate and train nurses and where change might be needed. Should there be more hands-on training? How do research skills translate to the bedside? And how can you train for difficult conversations with patients and families? When it comes to the daily practice of nursing, how can we better prepare?

We got lots of input from all of our listeners and followers, so we give our thoughts!

On this week’s episode, we formally welcome Micheline to the pod! Micheline brings so much expertise in burnout, managing our stress cycle, and advocating for nurses. We chat with her about her about her reasons for joining The Self Care Unit and shared goals for the future! So stay tuned for more from this incredible team!

Micheline can be found on Instagram @the.healthynurse!

For this special episode, we formally welcome Sibyl as our new cohost! Our beloved Carley has a bit too much on her plate with her job and wedding to be a full cohost, but don't worry, she will pop in still.

Thankfully, Sibyl is here to step in. She is an incredible nurse and an awesome person, so we are so excited to have her join the team. We chat with her about goals as a podcast host, her own self-care practices, and whether it even matters if you're a good dancer.

For more of Ashleigh, check out her Instagram @that.nightshift.nurse or on her website fliptheshift.com!

For listeners who just can’t get enough Sibyl, she is @sibs.rn on TikTok and @Nurse.Sibyl on Instagram. We hope everyone had a lovely Hispanic Heritage Month!

Sarah's an absolute well of knowledge and experience, so if you want to learn more, we highly encourage you to check out the RapidResponseRN courses and podcast!

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.

This week, Joe and Micheline talk about the pervasive issue of cynicism in healthcare. Micheline shares her personal experiences with cynicism and emphasizes the importance of hope and self-care. They also dive into practical strategies to combat cynicism, such as mindfulness, journaling, and the significance of community support. It is possible to break the cycle!

This week, Carley and Micheline discuss applying for nursing jobs. What are the essentials you need to prepare yourself? What did the process feel like for them? When do you know an opportunity is right for you? Should you apply for jobs even when you think you’re “not qualified”? Whether you’re applying for your first job or trying to find a new one, we hope this conversation will help you out!

Melanie Van Sistine, of Mel’s Crafty Corner fame, joins us this week for Mental Health Matters! An incredible delight of a human being, Mel courageously opens up with us about the challenges she's faced, including physical injury, feelings of failure/negativity, guilt, and bullying. In the end, she speaks to why creating for her community of nurses has meant so much to her!

Please check out Chelsea on Instagram @chelseakyann, she has such amazing content to learn and improve your habits and self-defense capabilities!

We talk about a lot of holistic practices on this show, but we usually discuss them as supplementary, in settings outside of the hospital. Why is that? What benefits might a combination approach bring to patient care? Is the Eras Tour holistic medicine? We talk about all that and more on this episode!

Case's incredible work and content can be found @case_kenny on Instagram!

They start by talking through their stress and emotional states before the class. They definitely had some nerves going into this! Then, they both share the incredible sense of freedom and fun they felt during and afterward. They were treated to such kindness and camaraderie by their instructors and classmates, and it left them feeling rejuvenated and wanting to go again! It's not often you hear such rave reviews, but we're thrilled to say, if you have the opportunity and classes nearby, pole dancing is worth a try!

For more of Jennifer and her work, please check out www.manhattanwellness.org, there are so many fantastic editorials, blogs, and testimonials available! You can also find them @manhattan.wellness on Instagram and TikTok!

For this week's Mental Health Matters, The Self Care Unit is joined by Mike Johnson for a very special episode. Mike is an author, speaker, Air Force veteran, sex coach and incredible advocate for self love and talking openly about mental health. The conversation is real and intimate this week, covering mental health, sex, and trauma, the intersection of all three, and how we can better love others and trust ourselves. Mike is an incredibly thoughtful communicator with the ability to speak about some of those topics many of us struggle to talk about, so we are so grateful he joined us for this important conversation. 

For all that Mike has to offer, please check out @mike_johnson, his book Making the Love You Want, or Feeling Seen.

As always, please let us know if you have any questions you’d like to ask our nurses! You can email joe@theselfcareunitpod.com and it may be asked on the next edition of Ask A Nurse. And stay tuned for next week’s episode of The Self Care Unit!

For more of Tay, she can be found on Instagram @TayDome or at lemonsbytay.com

If you want to learn more about getting unstuck or just want more of Britt, please check out her instagram @brittfrank or her website scienceofstuck.com!

This week, Self Care Unit is joined by incredibly impressive Corey Feist, a cofounder of the Dr. Lorna Breen foundation. Corey has also authored numerous publications on the need to support the well-being of the healthcare workforce, and he has served as an expert in multiple forums including as a keynote speaker, panelist, and moderator, as well as provided formal testimony in the United States Congress. Sarah and Josh talk with Corey about Dr. Lorna Breen's story, how their foundation's mission has found success through programs, laws, and actions, and how we can all help end the stigma of asking for help, mental illness, and suicide. This is a deep dive into the some of the biggest crises facing nursing and the healthcare professions at large, so we are so thankful to Corey for sharing his family's story and his wealth of knowledge with us on this very special episode of Mental Health Matters.

Please visit https://drlornabreen.org/ to learn more about Corey's work.

The BBC Article referenced in the episode is Linked Here!

Nick has an incredible podcast, Eyes Wide Open, it has a new season out! You can also find more of him on Instagram @NThompson513 or on his website EngageWithNick.com.

This week, Carley and Micheline tackle a persistent problem facing healthcare workers: pre-shift anxiety. They share their personal experience with pre-shift anxiety and explain how it can come about at any point in a nursing career. They also discuss strategies for managing pre-shift anxiety, such as establishing routines, taking breaks, and advocating for oneself.

Remember that your best is enough and you are not alone in your struggles!

Christine D'Ercole was with us this week for a very special Mental Health Matters episode. Christine is a cycling instructor, decorated competitive track cyclist, writer, and speaker. Her iconic Wordshops are focused on editing our Self-Talk to more productive in the direction we want for our lives. She is an incredibly persuasive force for being kinder to ourselves, and we learn how she became that force through her life experience and work. A huge thank you to Christine for this incredible conversation!

Christine's work and links can be found @iamicaniwillido on Instagram!

And, as we talk about, Therapyaid.org with Don’t Clock Out is hosting a FREE virtual Wordshop on August 25, 2023  at 1:00 pm EST for nurses and healthcare workers. To receive information about this Wordshop, go to: 

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc7CQGMZ2VCpXUHQ9jVRrxrm7LDkaOy_CO168feMxJMPXvFPA/viewform

Therapyaid.org is also generously sponsoring two nurses to attend the premier 3-day Virtual Wordswork Wordshop Experience. For more info on the Wordshop go to https://christinedercole.com/products/3-day-virtual-wordswork-weekend-experience Christine will pick the 2 winners randomly via an instagram live on Friday August 4th at 1:00 pm. To enter, go to:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScMczBCbeNqITnXGohDNyn-93xWuTrqxbDK2WM3h1coShHD0g/viewform

Jesse can be found @jessekatches on TikTok and Instagram, and his website https://www.jessekatches.com has so many resources for those looking to change how they respond to anxiety!

Welcome to the very first episode of the brand new podcast, The Self Care Unit! This podcast will explore all things mental health and healthcare and tackle the issues as we see them in the nursing and greater healthcare fields!

The Self Care Unit comes from the combined strength of Don’t Clock Out and Operation Happy Nurse, two organizations dedicated to advocating for nurses and healthcare worker mental health. They both provide support and give resources to help with the mental health issues that frequently arise in the healthcare community.

In this opening episode of our partnership, we learn about the two organizations, how they came together, explain how the podcast episodes will work, and introduce the two regular hosts, the lovely Carley and Sarah! Make sure to like and follow for all of our future episodes and thank you for tuning in!

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

Montel can be found on instagram @montel_williams and hosts his own podcast, Let's Be Blunt with Montel, to bridge the gap between common cannabis knowledge and in-depth research.

If you want more of Sandra, you are in luck! Along with her website, she has a number of events and workshops very soon! This Thursday, you can attend Nervous System 911, a workshop reviewing our stress responses and our innate resources/tools to ease that stress. She also has a full guided transformational breathwork session on the 16th available, sign up here!

As always, please let us know if you have any questions you’d like to ask our nurses! You can email joe@theselfcareunitpod.com and it may be asked on future editions of Ask A Nurse. And stay tuned for next week’s episode of The Self Care Unit!

She talks with us about planning, scheduling, budgeting, and truly relaxing while traveling! We also chat about some classic mistakes to avoid, and how to have fun and keep yourself safe on those solo trips. As we head into the winter holidays, we hope this advice helps you get the chance to travel and relax!

Big thank you to Sarah, who can be found @sarah_gaines on Instagram!

This week, for Mental Health Matters, Carley and Sarah are joined by Kelly Chase. Kelly is an entrepreneur, social influencer, Business and Mindset Coach, and speaker. We talk about her journey and awakenings with regards to mental health, the hard work she's done to heal, and how she found her calling as an advocate and coach. Thank you to Kelly for this deep and vulnerable conversation, we need more people like her in the world!

The Self Care Unit was joined by the incredible Sonia Jhas for a brand new Mental Health Matters episode! Sonia is a Mindset and Wellness Coach, motivational speaker, and fitness guru inspired by a passion for helping other people, and that immediately comes through whenever you hear her speak! Sonia shares her journey with our hosts, and she talks about how she moved from Fitness and Nutrition into the focus on Mindset and Wellness she has today. We also chat about prioritizing a holistic Mindset shift over moving to the current trend or thing-thing, how to manage your social media use to create balance, and more! It's a really fun and interesting conversation, tune in!

For more of Sonia and her amazing work, check out her website at soniajhas.com and her Instagram page @soniajhas!

How can we better support nurses and possibly alleviate the trauma they face on a regular basis? How can those in positions of power put better structures in place to help their teams? What has changed or improved as more and more of us become informed about trauma? Dr. Jackson is an invaluable resource for anyone looking to learn more about trauma, how it affects us, and what we can do about it, so we are so grateful she joined us for this insightful conversation!

If our listeners would like to learn more about her or even utilize her services, you can find her on Instagram @dr_jaquinda_jackson or at her website www.jacksonconsultingsllc.com.

Christine talks about her beginnings with Somatics, how a body-based approach can help nurses, specifically those dealing with burnout, and the science behind the practice. She also walks us through some techniques she loves and how to approach the practice as a beginner. A huge thank you to Christine for being with us, she brought so much to this episode! Check it out!

And for more of Christine, you can find her on @Christine.Coen on Instagram or her website christinecoen.com!

As always, please let us know if you have any questions you’d like to ask our nurses! You can email joe@theselfcareunitpod.com and it may be asked on future editions of Ask A Nurse. And stay tuned for next week’s follow up episode of Ask a Nurse with The Self Care Unit!

On today's episode, we are joined by Dr. Sunita Sah to learn about her groundbreaking research on influence, authority, trust, compliance, and defiance, and discuss her bestselling book: Defy: How to Speak Up When It Matters.

“Why is it so hard to speak up, even when we know something’s wrong?” For nurses and for everyone, Dr. Sah answers that question by sharing the research behind compliance vs. defiance, reframing acts of defiance, and giving strategies on how to take action.

It's a fantastic conversation, and we are so thankful to Dr. Sah for sharing her expertise with us! Highly encourage listeners to read Defy, and you can also visit SunitaSah.com for more of her fascinating work.

This week, for a very special Mental Health Matters episode, Carley and Sarah talk with Danielle Ruhl! Known for her TV appearances, Danielle is also a fierce advocate for speaking about mental health, her openness with her feelings helps to pave the path for others to follow. The conversation with this amazing woman starts with a discussion of mental health advocacy itself, and how we can manage those conflicting feelings many of us who speak about mental health feel every day. We then move into her work, strategies to stop blaming ourselves, and a discussion of body image, trauma, and eating disorders. Any fans of Danielle will know that this conversation doesn't stray from vulnerability, so we are so incredibly grateful that she was with us for this conversation!

For more of Danielle, please check out her Instagram @dnellruhl or her website danielleruhl.com. Thanks again Danielle!

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

For more of Colton, check out Club Nurse and follow Colton on Instagram and Twitter @nursecolton.

For more of Darnell, please follow him @hello.darnell on Instagram or visit darnellwalker.com!

"I’m not a therapist, but I know you."

September is National Suicide Prevention Month. We were honored to have Dr. Shairi Turner, Chief Health Officer at Crisis Text Line, to learn about their mental health support and crisis intervention services. We also discuss the importance of cultural competency and the ways to challenge stigmas and support each other.

By leading with empathy, Crisis Text Line's staff and volunteers have created an invaluable resource. If listeners want to learn more about Crisis Text Line, you can visit CrisisTextLine.org. And if you ever need their support, you can text HOME to 741741. From anywhere across the US. It’s free, confidential, and 24/7.

This week, Carley and Shannon are joined by Drew Robinson! Drew is a former MLB player, mental health advocate, and professional speaker who miraculously survived a suicide attempt, resulting in a newfound purpose of helping others and de-stigmatizing mental health. The conversation centers on Drew's story, the ways to share our struggles and build support systems, and Drew's tagline: "strength isn't always physical."

Drew and links to all his work can be found on Instagram @drewrobbb !

This week, @BriBriTheNurse joined us for Mental Health Matters! Bri talked with us about her journey as a nurse and shared the mental hurdles and anxieties she has encountered in her life and career. We then discussed the difficult realities of advocating for the care we need and, in Bri’s case, the challenges that come with an endometriosis diagnosis.

Huge thank you to Bri for this incredible conversation! For more of her, she can be found @BriBriTheNurse on Instagram and TikTok!

This week, we are joined by Chrissy Massaro, also known as @chrissycrna on Instagram! Chrissy is the co-founder of the Confident Care Academy, and her passion for educating and providing resources for nurses shines in this incredible conversation! Topics include her journey to becoming a CRNA, what it's like going back to school, mentorship, and how to better prepare, educate, and support nurses heading to CRNA school. Check it out!

Please follow @ChrissyCRNA or @ConfidentCareAcademy to learn more and access all the amazing resources they provide!

For more of Jake, he can be found @JakeGrez on instagram and TikTok!

Justin can be found on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter as @JustinLiftsThings, they've got some amazing content you simply have to check out!

Happy Pride! The Self Care Unit is back with a very special Mental Health Matters episode, as we have Alexis Hinkley with us on the pod! Lex is a travel nurse and photographer who splits her time between the hospital and the outdoors. They are an advocate in all areas of life, but especially for mental health and the LGBTQIA+ community. We talk mental health journey, how their experience led them to advocacy, and the incredible joy found through working with queer and trans youth. We also chat about alternate paths and sectors in nursing and wrap it up with, of all things, sharks! (If you follow @wanderrlex, you know already) The passion and love in this episode is absolutely infectious; we are so grateful to Lex for being here with us!

Please follow Lex on instagram @wanderrlex or on TikTok @travelingnurse!

Make sure to check out Emilie's content on TikTok (@emilieleyes.hypnosis) or Instagram (@emilieleyes) and also their exciting new hypnosis app Doddle coming out!

Make sure to follow her work @the.healthynurse on Instagram!

To experience Inna’s ASMR, check out @sleep_asmrtist on Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube!

Our listeners should definitely follow Lia @alyssamariewellness on instagram, she has so much amazing content available for you and you can also find all of her links there as well!