“Life is the vision board!” – Dr. Denise, Interview The Vision Cloud
Here are some questions we can ask ourselves to manifest our moment to moment thrive:
Am I moving in integrity?
What’s my unique sensory perception?
What’s my neurostyle?
What’s my best moment of now for today?
This is a power packed show to align with your Inner Visionary:
I get calls from many parents after the school year starts with many concerns, such as “My kid is homesick, depressed, anxious, or not focused.” It is important to know that most college campuses have student health centers and even provide a certain amount of no charge counseling. I suggest that you or your parents find out what your university has to offer. Usually the counseling provided is for normal adjustment to college as most colleges are not staffed to deal with higher acuity mental health challenges. Plan ahead for what you or your child needs and research medical referrals ahead of time. Make academic accommodations for your student if they have been receiving an individual education plan in high school before school starts or at freshman orientation week. Be proactive, not reactive for academic support and physical and mental health care.
First of all, there is a normal adjustment period that can include feeling lonely, anxious, or disorganized. It is important that you have regular contact with your loved ones and your new college friends. Don’t isolate yourself. It is also important to remember that college is academically more challenging and that the first round of tests might not go as well as you hoped. Learn from this, and consider meeting with your teachers, forming a study group, getting a tutor, or meeting with a counselor.
There are many mind-medicine tools. Nutrition is important for physical and mental health. Follow good common-sense rules for eating. Eat a lot of fruits and vegetables. Take a probiotic daily. And remember that sugar does not promote physical and mental wellbeing, so avoid it whenever possible. Get exercise and make sure to have fun, as laughter is the best medicine! Finding your mindfulness activity to keep you in the now reduces stress and improves your mental health. Sleep is crucial, have a regular waking and bed time. It is also a time when use of alcohol, marijuana and other substances happens and can result in abuse and addiction. Be safe, be legal and be aware of the physical and mental health issues that can develop.
If you or your child has a marked change in their personality, is isolating from others, academically failing, or abusing substances, those are signs that a mental health intervention is needed. One of the biggest challenges of getting someone to see a psychologist or a psychiatrist is the self-imposed and societal stigma of getting help.
“This can’t happen to me.” After Columbia University experienced seven suicide completions in a single school yea(2016/2017), student mental-health advocate Jacqueline Basulto shared her strategies for coping with her subtle depression with me on my June 2017 podcast(transcription). She shared how her depression led to a lack of joy and excitement, even in activities she had previously enjoyed. Support from her parents and her private psychiatrist were instrumental in saving her life.
If you or your child is at an out-of-state university, I recommend use your parental intuition, do not hesitate to check in with them, and visit them right away if you feel that they may need your help and guidance. And ongoing dialogue about their mental, physical, social, and academic lives is crucial for overall well-being.
You are ready to go to college with these tips, tools and wellness strategies! I wish all of you love, prosperity, and good health.
xoxo
Dr. Denise
A unique intention that Dr. Denise has in her content is that the titles of the show, the hashtags, and the tips within are easy-to-remember healing phrases that are a shot of positive psychology to model cognitive reframing and to remind us about the powerful energy that our words, thoughts and actions have in influencing our overall health and well-being.
How do you handle real time stress or change in plans?
This is a freestyle episode on the power of the cool pause and the mindful pivot:
Browser Windows and Karmic Burners
Adaptive vs. Restrictive Perfectionism
“He looks suspicious Mom.”- my son my teacher
Have you ever noticed how wise your teen is?
I truly believe that when we are in a relationship cadence there is an exchange of energy via knowledge that is loving, intuitive and timeless.
Tune in to this discussion about paying attention to your teen’s advice:
What actually works when communicating with your teen?
Tips:
Be a present parent that gives examples that are relatable.
Model the behavior you expect to set the stage for great choices.
Less is more phrases backed up with qualitative explanations go a long way.
Examples:
“Protect your brain.”
“Get addicted to something healthy.”
“Is it safe and legal?”
Tune into teen talks 3 that rounds out the series right here:
TEEN TALKS, PART TWO: Protecting Your Brain
On this episode of the Dr. Denise Show, the team expands on talking with your teenager with “Teen Talks, 2: Protecting Your Brain.” Dr. Denise discusses “setting the landscape as a parent” and why it’s so important that your teenager knows when you tell them things, you’re doing so out of love. Hear about how the brain keeps evolving, developing and maturing until age 25. This episode talks about holistic health, gaming, social media and bullying. You’ll learn the signs of excessive gaming and hear Dr. Denise’s balanced approach to using media and games. From Family Time to making sacrifices, Dr. Denise reveals how energy-consuming parenting can be: “This is not a Hallmark card,” she explains!
*Timeless episode, original launch Spring 2023
Teen Talks Part 1: Family Time
On this episode of The Dr. Denise Show’s “On Staying Sane” series, the team tackles Teen Talks. You’ll hear about boundaries, consensuality, social media and developing deeper relationships with your teenager. Learn a phrase Dr. Denise uses in her practice — “I love you. But I want to flip you off.” And hear how she handles Family Time, Sneaky Teen Talks & Family Meetings. Learn more about your teenager’s social landscape and the technology they’re using to communicate with peers and to develop their own relationships. There’s so much to talk about with your teen, look out for Teen Talks, Part 2 later this year, when the team tackles Protecting Your Teenager’s Brain!
*This timeless episode launched originally Spring 2023
Dr. Joyce Spurgeon shares her personal loss of her closest childhood friend, Jeannie. We go back in time to the exact moment that she found out this devastating news. We discussed the feelings of despair, hopelessness and burden someone feels when they decide they can no longer stay on earth.
This is a vulnerable episode and is filled with our professional and personal experiences of all the emotions and solutions around suicide awareness and prevention.
Listen HERE:
Joyce A Spurgeon, MD completed medical school at the University of Louisville and went on to do her residency in adult psychiatry there. When she finished her residency, she stayed at University of Louisville as the associate training director for the psychiatric residency. She progressed up and associate professor and became the training director and her clinical work was specializing in the treatment of mental illness in the peripartum period. Following her time at UofL, she changed the directions in her career. She was hired as the only psychiatrist at a Schneck Medical Center in Seymour, Indiana where she has worked for the past 7 years. She is proud to work closely with the primary care providers to help treat mental illness in a vastly underserved community.
Sacred Remembrance of Jeannie
Two little girls kneel over the mud pile- they are making their specialty- mud pies are so much fun to create. They are covered in mud, their sweaty hair sticky to their heads, but huge smiles wreath their faces. They join hands and pledge to be best friends forever. Those hands age over the years but they always find their way back to each other. In middle and high school, their lives divide but when things get really tough, the call in the middle of the night always goes to the other. Their adult lives move them into different locations, yet when they talk, it is as if no time has passed. Something happened in those early years over the mud piles, wild sledding snow days, church camp, and bike riding…..they became each other’s anchor. They each wanted to find ways to help other people. One became a nurse, the other a doctor. Yet, when they talked, they were just two little girls in adult bodies.
When mental illness hit my friend, I , as a psychiatrist, felt scared. I knew what was happening. I could see all the warning signs, and I could not control the progression. I tried to prepare her parents for what might happen and what I hoped to never witness. I got her into treatment. I asked for many favors for people to try to help her because I could only be her friend. It was not enough. My worst fears were realized…..my tow headed best buddy from the age of 4 was gone…..she hung herself because we had told all of the local gun stores to not sell her a gun. We thought we had protected her. It is only in a small town that you can get away with this type of protection. Yet, she believed that the only way that she could be free was to stand before Jesus and ask for forgiveness, so she decided to go and do that. Yet what she left behind….well, she left us journals that tried to explain her reasoning but only revealed her illness. For, in truth, none of us are better because she is gone.
Jeannie died by suicide on May 17th. That day is a day that changed the course of my life. I lost one of my anchors, one of the people who knew me as no one else will ever know me in my life. When she died, I promised myself that I would not let the way she died define who she was. She has and will always be my best buddy from my childhood, the keeper of my dreams and hopes. And, I will continue to carry her with me for the rest of my life. She still walks with her hand in mine- I just can’t feel it in real life anymore, but I know it is there. So, I talk about how she died because I feel like she was taken too soon from us all because of her mental illness, yet I want you to know that her life was so much more to me. I never thought that this is how the story of those two little girls would end. I will miss you forever, my friend.
Suicide Prevention Lifeline 800 273-8255
Welcome to an inspiring and engaging presentation by Dr. Denise McDermott, an integrative adult and child psychiatrist, at a recent Vegas event! In this talk, Dr. Denise delves into the profound connection between energy and mindset, exploring how fear and excitement can be harnessed to achieve a winning attitude.
Dr. Denise, known for her dynamic and holistic approach, shares personal anecdotes, including the significance of her “fuck button,” and emphasizes the importance of gratitude, humor, and vulnerability in mental health. She discusses the revolutionary concept of “neurostyle,” which promotes a non-judgmental understanding of how individuals process and perceive information.
With over 22 years of experience and a diverse client base, Dr. Denise brings a wealth of knowledge from her background at UCLA, Emory, and her private practice. She highlights the necessity of nurturing mental health and introduces her trademarked approach to understanding personal neuro styles.
Don’t miss this compelling talk filled with insightful stories, practical tips, and a touch of mindful profanity, all aimed at fostering a winning mindset and better mental health for all. Whether you’re a parent, coach, entrepreneur, or someone seeking personal growth, Dr. Denise’s words will resonate and inspire.
Thank you all for helping to change the way WE think, talk and about mental health!
It is an honor to be nominated again for the Annual People’s Podcast Awards. Your support is appreciated more than words can express.
Please vote, instructions:
Go to podcastawards.com
Enter Your Info.
Go to the Skeptics Guide to Science & Medicine Category
Choose The Doctor Denise Show
Hit Save.
Have a safe week.
Infinite Gratitude,
Dr. Denise
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