Stress Isn’t the Villain - Here’s How to Shut It Off
Stress isn't the villain. It's your body's alarm system, doing exactly what it was built to do. This episode, we get into the actual tools to shut that alarm off.
Last episode, we learned stress isn't the villain. It's your body's alarm system, doing exactly what it was built to do. So in Part 2, we get into the actual tools to shut that alarm off. Because here's the catch: your nervous system is still running ancient software, waiting for an "all-clear" signal that modern life never quite sends. The stress just… stays.
We walk through the surprisingly simple, occasionally ridiculous ways to send that signal yourself: cold water and the diving reflex, breathwork, the vagus nerve, your window of tolerance, and using your values as home base. Some of it sounds strange. All of it could work.
Why your body never gets the "all-clear" — the stress that outlasts the stressor
Completing the stress cycle through movement, not just problem-solving
Cold water & the diving reflex (a DBT "TIPP" skill)
Breathwork, including Wim Hof–style breathing
The vagus nerve & the tongue-out trick
Yin yoga for down-regulating
Your "window of tolerance" and why it shifts day to day
Using your values as home base when stress knocks you off center
Stress Management: Understanding Good Stress vs. Bad Stress (Part 1)
Everyone says, "Just relax." Has that ever actually worked?
Everyone says, "Just relax." Has that ever actually worked? In Part 1 of our stress series, we argue that stress isn't the villain—it's an alarm. We discuss good stress versus bad stress, your window of tolerance, the "smoke detector" in your brain that can't distinguish burnt toast from a house fire, and one genuinely wild fact about what your stress sweat does behind your back.
Your challenge: find us on Instagram @adjustmentalhealth and tell us who your stress really is. If your stress were a villain, who would it be? A Voldemort? A slow, polite email? A Loki who swears he's helping? Cast it. We're building a rogues' gallery.
Existential Dread & the Search for Meaning: Where Philosophy Meets Therapy
Existentialism gets a reputation for being bleak French men in turtlenecks declaring that nothing matters. So we sat down to actually think it through, out loud, in real time.
Existentialism gets a reputation for being bleak French men in turtlenecks declaring that nothing matters. So we sat down to actually think it through, out loud, in real time. You weren't built for a purpose the way a knife is built to cut. You show up first, and then you decide what you're for.
Sartre called it "existence precedes essence," and it sounds freeing right up until 3am, when that same thought wakes you up asking what the point of any of this even is. We get into why that's not nihilism, what Camus meant when he told us to imagine Sisyphus chained forever to his boulder happy, and how all of it shows up in the therapy room
How to Actually Cope With Grief: Personal Stories, Crisis Resources & the Dual Process Model
If you've ever felt stuck, ashamed of how you're grieving, or like you should be over it by now—this one's for you.
Grief part two is here, and this time it's personal. Ashley and Marcella pull back the curtain and share their own grief experiences — from sudden loss and unresolved anger to suicide loss and the grief nobody talks about. They break down the dual process model, explore what community grieving actually looks like, and discuss the kinds of loss society still doesn't take seriously—including body grief, disenfranchised grief, and the grief that comes with loving someone through a crisis. If you've ever felt stuck, ashamed of how you're grieving, or like you should be over it by now—this one's for you. If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988.
The Grief Nobody Names: Pet Loss, Ambiguous Loss & More
Grief has never had one face — so why do we keep acting like it should?
Grief has never had one face — so why do we keep acting like it should? In part one, we break down the models, the myths, and the types of grief that don't always get a name.
Panic Disorder and Anxiety: Racing Thoughts, Survival Mode, and How to Regain Control
The emotions behind “Panic” — the racing thoughts, inner pressure, and quiet moments that often go unseen.
In this episode, we dive into the emotions behind “Panic” — the racing thoughts, inner pressure, and quiet moments that often go unseen. A raw and atmospheric experience about anxiety, survival, and trying to regain control when everything feels too loud.
Why Chasing Happiness Makes You Miserable: How to Redefine What It Really Means
We explore the constant pressure to “keep up,” achieve more, and stay on the never-ending train of expectations.
What if the way we’ve been taught to chase happiness is actually what’s keeping us stuck? In this episode, we explore the constant pressure to “keep up,” achieve more, and stay on the never-ending train of expectations. But what happens when you step off? Join us as we unpack what it really means to redefine happiness, slow down, and choose a life that feels aligned instead of just accomplished.
Sleep Disorders and Mental Health: What Waking Up During Surgery Taught Us About Rest
Can you imagine waking up during an operation?! Tune in to listen this experience and learn tips and tricks about sleep!
Can you imagine waking up during an operation?! Tune in to listen this experience and learn tips and tricks about sleep!
How Sleep Affects Mental Health: What Happens to Your Brain When You Don’t Rest
On this episode, we explore sleep! What it does to your mind, why it matters to your mental health, and more!
On this episode, we explore sleep! What it does to your mind, why it matters to your mental health, and more!
Why Being Still Feels So Hard: A Mental Health Guide to Stillness and Anxiety
Tune in to listen for tips on on how to identify stillness and why it can be so hard for us to be.....still.
What is stillness? How do you feel when you're still? Tune in to listen for tips on on how to identify stillness and why it can be so hard for us to be.....still.
Teen Dating Violence: How to Recognize Red Flags, Set Boundaries, and Start the Conversation
In honor of Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month, this episode takes a closer look at how teens define dating, romance, and intimacy — and why safety must be the foundation of every relationship.
In honor of Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month, this episode takes a closer look at how teens define dating, romance, and intimacy — and why safety must be the foundation of every relationship.
We explore what safe love actually feels like, how brain chemistry and fear can make unhealthy dynamics hard to leave, and why removing shame matters before naming red flags. From green flags like respect and healthy conflict repair to red flags like control, isolation, and digital monitoring, we walk through the relationship spectrum in practical, relatable terms.
Listeners will leave with real language around boundaries and body autonomy, clear next steps if something feels familiar, and guidance for parents on how to start the conversation without shutting it down.
Dating should add to your life — not shrink it.
Love should feel safe.
Love Languages Explained: How to Identify Yours and Improve Your Relationships
Explore the concept of love languages — what they are, why they matter in relationships, and how to identify your own.
Welcome to Adjust: The Conversation. In this episode, hosts Ashley and Marcella explore the concept of love languages — what they are, why they matter in relationships, and how to identify your own. Stay tuned for a meaningful conversation about connection, communication, and understanding.