Louder on the Inside: Real Talk on Mental Health, Anxiety, and Healing

Nicholas
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  • MENTAL HEALTH
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

“Louder on the Inside” is a short-format mental health podcast for people who hold it together on the outside but feel like they’re falling apart on the inside. Hosted by Nicholas Toney—a Navy veteran and Marriage and Family Therapy graduate student—this podcast explores real, raw moments of mental health with compassion, clarity, and zero fluff. Each 5–10 minute episode answers one question or idea around anxiety, depression, trauma, medication, therapy, and the language we use to talk about our minds. Whether you’re looking for insight, comfort, or just someone who gets it—this is for you. Because looking fine doesn’t mean feeling fine.

Episodes

  1. When Therapy Doesn't Feel Like It's Working

    17 JUN

    When Therapy Doesn't Feel Like It's Working

    You’ve been showing up. You’ve been doing the work. But things still feel… stuck. If you’ve ever found yourself wondering whether therapy is actually helping, this episode is for you. We unpack the frustration of slow progress, explore the emotional ups and downs of the healing process, and explain why therapy isn’t always a straight line. You’ll learn about the “therapeutic plateau,” how to tell if it’s the right type of therapy for you, and what to do if you don’t feel a connection with your therapist—especially when cultural or environmental factors play a role. We also introduce a practical tool to help you stay focused in session: writing down your therapy goals and keeping them in sight. Quote of the episode: “Healing isn’t always about feeling better, but about feeling more.” – Unknown

    13 min
  2. SSRI, SNRI, WTF!

    16 JUN

    SSRI, SNRI, WTF!

    Episode 3 – SSRI, SNRI, WTF? You’ve heard of antidepressants—but what do those letters even mean? In this episode, we break down the difference between SSRIs and SNRIs in a way that’s actually understandable. You’ll learn what these medications do in the brain, why they’re prescribed, how long they take to work, and what to expect along the way—including side effects and black box warnings. We also talk about the frustration, fear, and stigma that come with starting medication—and why taking meds doesn’t mean you’re weak. Whether you’re considering medication, already on it, or just curious, this episode offers clarity, compassion, and science without the jargon. Quote of the episode: “The opposite of depression is not happiness, but vitality.” – Andrew Solomon

    16 min
  3. Anxiety

    5 JUN

    Anxiety

    Episode 2 Anxiety Your body feels wired. Your chest is tight. Your mind won't stop spinning. But nothing's actually happened. So what even is anxiety? Anxiety is just a nervousness. It's your brain's alarm system firing. Even when there's no clear danger, it can often show up in us like a racing heart or a tight chest. Nausea or restlessness. And people who've experienced heightened levels of panic attack often express that they feel like they're having a heart attack. This isn't you being dramatic. It's your nervous system misfiring. Your body thinks that you're in trouble, so it prepares for flight, fight or a freeze. Even if you're just laying in bed, sometimes anxiety can creep in slowly. But at other times it comes in like a wave. And often we don't even realize how long we've been living inside of it. Maya's moment of anxiety comes at 2 p.m. in the office. She's writing an email and feels her heart pick up. She rereads the same sentence again and again, worrying she'll say the wrong thing and her brain says, don't mess this up. Nobody around her sees it, but she's spiraling. Jordan feels his anxiety hit at a soccer game, his kid's soccer game, because he forgot to bring the snacks, but he laughs it off. But later on, it begins to eat at him and he tells himself he's just tired. But really, it's self-blame. Looping quietly in the background. These moments don't look like panic attacks, but they take a toll and over time they make joy harder and rest almost impossible. Anxiety for us is like a smoke alarm. It's meant to protect us, but sometimes it's triggered by burnt toast and not an actual house fire. In therapy, a technique that can be used would would be called a grounding technique. And this is where you would use one of your senses at a time and you would identify something. Pause in name. So you would say one thing that you can see. One thing that you can touch. One thing that you can hear, one thing that you can smell, and one thing that you can taste. And it's meant to bring you back to your body and out of the spiral. Another small step that could be taken. Instead of asking yourself, why am I so anxious, ask, what might my body be trying to protect me from right now? It's a curious thing anxiety, because it can happen to anybody and at any stage of life. Anxiety often comes from the brain's overactive threat detection system. It's trying to keep you safe, but when it's always on, it can create more distress than danger and therapist. They sometimes call this hypervigilance, and it's a state of constant scanning for potential threat, even when there's none present. It's common in people who've experienced trauma or even chronic stress. Understanding this doesn't fix everything, but it helps make the experience less mysterious and definitely much less shameful. Again, thank you for being here. This was louder on the inside because looking fine doesn't mean feeling fine. Corrie ten boom said worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow. It empties today of its strength.

    5 min
  4. Why You're Exhausted...

    4 JUN

    Why You're Exhausted...

    The toll of emotional masking and high-functioning mental health struggles.

    6 min
  • 4 Episodes

About

“Louder on the Inside” is a short-format mental health podcast for people who hold it together on the outside but feel like they’re falling apart on the inside. Hosted by Nicholas Toney—a Navy veteran and Marriage and Family Therapy graduate student—this podcast explores real, raw moments of mental health with compassion, clarity, and zero fluff. Each 5–10 minute episode answers one question or idea around anxiety, depression, trauma, medication, therapy, and the language we use to talk about our minds. Whether you’re looking for insight, comfort, or just someone who gets it—this is for you. Because looking fine doesn’t mean feeling fine.

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