The Work of Being Human

This interview is one I've been chomping at the bit to bring to you! Erin Watt, a masterfully skilled and highly sought after relationship coach, is our guest this week, and believe me when I say: she brings it! Get ready to learn concepts that are going to change and better how you see yourself in relationships. Get ready to feel empowered and encouraged to pursue your relationships with the skill you need to help them thrive. Erin breaks down our highest potential and our most frequent pitfalls in a friendly, approachable, and intelligent way. (And yours truly owns the mistakes I'm making in my own relationship!!) Here's where you can find Erin: https://www.innerrae.com/ Follow her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/innerrae To get more information on our healing group online: https://www.vanessalondino.com/contact

The old saying goes, "You can't really love someone until you can love yourself." This week we unpack this and ask ourselves, "Is this really true?" Can we only love someone if we’ve learned how to love ourselves? Are we capable of love if we’ve never formed it within? Let me know what you think! thepodcast@vanessalondino.com And write to me here if you want to be featured on “Ask V!” Link to purchase the Toolbox for Valentine's Day: https://www.amazon.com/Toolbox-Tools-Build-Relationships-Repair/dp/1736381318/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3831V3QHDOZ5C&keywords=vanessa+londino&qid=1707711857&sprefix=vanessa+lon%2Caps%2C170&sr=8-1

This week I address a question a listener sent me on Instagram. Heather is facing a dilemma with a friend who's really changed. She feels distant and even mistreated. So the question arose: how long do we stick in there with someone and when is it okay to say, “Enough is enough?” We look at dramatic changes in personality from a psychological lens, and we also examine what it means to be a friend and who do we really need in our lives? Click here to schedule a time to call in and "Ask V!” thepodcast@vanesssalondino.com Click here to order the Toolbox for Valentine's Day! https://www.amazon.com/Toolbox-Tools-Build-Relationships-Repair/dp/1736381318/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2ZRPWC75U8T0K&keywords=vanessa+londino&qid=1707105261&sprefix=vanessa+londin%2Caps%2C160&sr=8-1

This week we have the distinct honor of having Michael Giles as our guest. He's a therapist, a coach, an Army Captain, and he's a dog-lover, so we know he's good people! We dive into the experience of working with men in therapy and what the specific needs of men are. We agree about most things! Michael is skilled, experienced, thoughtful, and fair. You're going to learn a lot and love this interview. To read the article we reference in the podcast, click here:  https://www.mg-counseling.com/blog/an-apology-to-men-on-behalf-of-therapists-counseling-texas Here's his website: https://www.mg-counseling.com/ Here's the link to purchase his book: https://www.amazon.com/Relationship-Repair-Men-Counterintuitive-relationships/dp/B0C4MJ5D89/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1TDWZ1FWH248Q&keywords=michael+giles&qid=1706496782&sprefix=michael+giles%2Caps%2C167&sr=8-1 *** There is still space available in the Naturopathic Psychotherapy group! We are starting February 3rd. Send me an email if you want more information: https://www.vanessalondino.com/contact

Unfortunately, the field of mental health is susceptible to gimmicks, just like any other industry. Today we focus on the basic, time-tested pillars of mental health versus the quick fixes that get you nowhere. Mental health is not a birthright. It's not inherited. It's not easy. Like physical health, mental health takes work and commitment. Frankly, it's hard work. It's much easier to make excuses for ourselves than it is to confront ourselves and truly grow, just like it's a lot easier to sit on the couch and not work our bodies. But mental health is accessible to all who are willing to put in the time, patience, and commitment to living a mentally healthy lifestyle. For information on NP groups: https://www.vanessalondino.com/contact

Happy New Year to all! This week, we take a thorough look at what we're carrying with us into 2024 and what we need to let go of. Carrying extra weight will slow us down, causing us to lose focus on our dreams and goals. We talk about what "baggage" means and how to live light and free. So many of us carry the burden of others' choices as well as the untenable weight of the past. Today we talk about how to let it all go. To learn more about the Naturopathic Psychotherapy group, starting this year: https://www.vanessalondino.com/contact The study I referenced: https://annals-general-psychiatry.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12991-022-00406-1

This week we have a special guest: Dr. David Thornton. David is a licensed clinical pastoral therapist and an expert in spiritual abuse. At a time of year when so many are observing religious traditions and searching for God, it's also a time of year when many get in touch with their own emptiness and longing for something beyond us. This week, we take a deep look at what it means to be safe on a spiritual level. This interview will have you laughing, crying, and searching your own soul. It's an episode that can't be missed! Please share it with anyone who needs a reason to hope. David's website: https://davidthorntontherapy.com/ Contact me for information on the group starting in February: https://www.vanessalondino.com/contact If you'd like to request a podcast on a particular topic: thepodcast@vanessalondino.com

The medical industry has completely taken over mental health. That means, instead of looking at root causes of mental distress and treating the whole person, mental health professionals are taught to do what doctors do: diagnose based on symptoms and focus their efforts on lessening the symptoms. I don't work that way, and I don't believe people heal that way. Your symptoms are telling your story and point out the path of healing. They're important. In February 2024, I'm starting an online group because I want you to have the tools you need to get mentally healthy and stay mentally healthy. This episode is about how healing the mind, heart, and soul naturally IS possible for those who are willing to do the work. Here’s the link to contact me and learn more: https://www.vanessalondino.com/contact

Chances are, we're going to be spending some time around family this time of year. Some of those old triggers come back, and before we know it, we're acting like we did before we ever stepped foot in therapy. Don't despair! The chains of family dysfunction are thick and strong, but you can break them. This week we take a look at how they develop and how to break free. The article I referenced: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-parents-rsquo-trauma-leaves-biological-traces-in-children/ Purchase the Toolbox: https://www.amazon.com/Toolbox-Tools-Build-Relationships-Repair/dp/1736381318/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3CKW24Y6T3ZDY&keywords=vanessa+londino&qid=1701657648&sprefix=vanessa+londino%2Caps%2C408&sr=8-1 Get info about Naturopathic Psychotherapy groups: https://www.vanessalondino.com/contact

The nature of human beings is: we internalize the voices we surround ourselves with. As we start winding down this year and enter into the holiday season, it's a good time to consider: whose voices are allowed in your life? Whose messages have you internalized to be your own? This has a remarkable impact on our mental health. To order the Toolbox: https://www.amazon.com/Toolbox-Tools-Build-Relationships-Repair/dp/1736381318/ref=sr_1_1?crid=KQW80JOB4TXC&keywords=vanessa+londino&qid=1700455403&sprefix=vanessa+londino%2Caps%2C168&sr=8-1 To learn more about the online group starting in 2024: https://www.vanessalondino.com/contact