Adjust: The Conversation

AdjustMentalHealth
  • 4.5 (2)
  • Mental Health
  • Updated Biweekly

Welcome to Adjust: The Conversation—a podcast where mental health is spoken about honestly, without judgment, and in a way that actually makes sense for real people living real lives. Each week, we dig into the questions, struggles, and stories that shape us, and we explore practical ways to feel a little lighter and a lot more understood.

Episodes

  1. 1d ago

    "Stress Isn't the Villain — Here's How to Shut It Off (Part 2)."

    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 RESOURCES & REFERENCES Books Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle — Emily Nagoski, PhD & Amelia Nagoski, DMA. The source for the stressor-vs-stress-response distinction and "completing the stress cycle." — https://www.burnoutbook.net/ Assessments Holmes-Rahe Life Stress Inventory (Social Readjustment Rating Scale): classic "stressful life events" self-assessment, hosted by the American Institute of Stress. — https://www.stress.org/self-assessments/holmes-rahe-life-stress-inventory/ (Note: it's a well-known tool but a dated one. Some items are decades old and the exact rankings are debated. Use it as a rough check, not official. This is the STRESS scale ). Techniques mentioned TIPP skills (DBT) Temperature, Intense exercise, Paced breathing, Paired muscle relaxation. The "cold water on the face" trick works via the diving reflex. Wim Hof Method The breathing technique referenced. Vagus nerve / tongue-out trick: Stick out the tongue and sigh like a lion. Window of tolerance The zone where you can handle stress and stay regulated (Dr. Dan Siegel). Too low, shut down. Too high, overwhelmed. Values as "home base" Anchoring to your values when stress pulls you off center. Hosted by Ashley Gallaway, LMHC & Marcella McAree, LMHCA. Produced by Ashley Gallaway. From our brains to yours — this is Adjust the Conversation.

  2. Jul 2

    Stress Management: Understanding Good Stress vs. Bad Stress (Part 1)

    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. RESOURCES & REFERENCES:Cleveland Clinic — Apocrine Sweat Glands — https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/apocrine-glandsSeed — The Science of Sweat, Smells, and the Skin Microbiome — https://seed.com/cultured/sweat-and-the-skin-microbiome/StatPearls (NCBI) — Anatomy, Skin, Sudoriferous Gland — https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK513244/Vanderbilt / Lacy Lab — Microbial Origins of Body Odor — https://www.vumc.org/lacy-lab/adventure-travel-guide-microbial-world/microbial-origins-body-odorPLOS One (2009) — Chemosensory Cues to Conspecific Emotional Stress Activate Amygdala in Humans — https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0006415Brooklyn Nine-Nine (Adrian Pimento — "I can be happy?")Loki / the TVA (stress as a villain with a "glorious purpose")

  3. Jun 16

    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. 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.  Resources Viktor Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning (1946) — Beacon Press. Survived the camps, built logotherapy around meaning as the primary human drive. The warm, human entry point.Irvin Yalom, Existential Psychotherapy (1980) — Basic Books. Names the four "ultimate concerns": death, freedom, isolation, meaninglessness. Philosophy turned into therapy.Rollo May, The Discovery of Being (1983) — W.W. Norton. Reframes anxiety not as a symptom to kill but as a signal of being alive and facing real choices.

  4. Jun 4

    "How to Actually Cope With Grief: Personal Stories, Crisis Resources & the Dual Process Model"

    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.Listener Story Submissions — ⁠admin@adjustmentalhealth.com⁠Links: Kübler-Ross Wave Graph — ekrfoundation.org/5-stages-of-grief/change-curve/ HABRI/Zoetis International Pet Owner Survey — https://habri.org/international-hab-survey/ Wortman & Silver (1989) — Myths of Coping with Loss — https://www.aldacenter.org/commcms/psychology/_pdfs/social_health/_camille_wortman/Wortman%20and%20Silver%201989%20article.pdf DSM-5-TR Prolonged Grief Disorder criteria — https://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/resources/fact-sheet/draft_criteria_for_dam-5-tr_prolonged_grief_disorder_12-06-2019_submitted_for_public_commentary.pdf Doka — Disenfranchised Grief — https://thelossfoundation.org/stages-of-grief/disenfranchised-grief-kenneth-doka-overview/?v=0b3b97fa6688 GriefShare — griefshare.org Bonanno's Resilience Model of Grief : thelossfoundation.orgBook: The Other Side of Sadness — George A. Bonanno

  5. May 20

    The Grief Nobody Names: Pet Loss, Ambiguous Loss & More

    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. Links:  Kübler-Ross Wave Graph — ekrfoundation.org/5-stages-of-grief/change-curve/Listener Story Submissions — admin@adjustmentalhealth.comHABRI/Zoetis International Pet Owner Survey — https://habri.org/international-hab-survey/Wortman & Silver (1989) — Myths of Coping with Loss — https://www.aldacenter.org/commcms/psychology/_pdfs/social_health/_camille_wortman/Wortman%20and%20Silver%201989%20article.pdfDSM-5-TR Prolonged Grief Disorder criteria — https://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/resources/fact-sheet/draft_criteria_for_dam-5-tr_prolonged_grief_disorder_12-06-2019_submitted_for_public_commentary.pdf Doka — Disenfranchised Grief — https://thelossfoundation.org/stages-of-grief/disenfranchised-grief-kenneth-doka-overview/?v=0b3b97fa6688 GriefShare — griefshare.org

  6. May 7

    "Panic Disorder and Anxiety: Racing Thoughts, Survival Mode, and How to Regain Control"

    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. Panic Disorders - Harvard Health The Science of Anxiety (Infographic) | Northwestern Medicine Salk scientists uncover key brain pathway mediating panic disorder symptoms - Salk Institute for Biological Studies Panic Disorder

  7. Apr 22

    "Why Chasing Happiness Makes You Miserable: How to Redefine What It Really Means"

    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. The Amount and Source of Millionaires' Wealth (Moderately) Predict Their Happiness - PubMed The Amount and Source of Millionaires' Wealth (Moderately) Predicts Their Happiness  Harvard study: How much money millionaires need to be happy. What Makes a Good Life? Lessons from the Longest Study on Happiness | Robert Waldinger | TED https://youtu.be/8KkKuTCFvzI?si=w5giYvcbeIVgbjAd A Systematic Review of Inter-Brain Synchrony and Psychological Conditions: Stress, Anxiety, Depression, Autism and Other Disorders - PMC Value Sort — The Good Project https://livingoutoffocus.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Fill-Your-Cup-Worksheet.pdf

  8. Apr 8

    "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!

  9. Mar 25

    "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!

  10. Mar 16

    "Why Being Still Feels So Hard: A Mental Health Guide to Stillness and Anxiety"

    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.

  11. Feb 26

    "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. 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. Resources:  https://indd.adobe.com/view/ad45fa37-1505-49fc-a481-be3621ca2cb4 https://www.bps.org.uk/psychologist/teenagers-love https://www.loveisrespect.org/tdvam/ https://www.theduluthmodel.org/wheel-gallery/ https://www.purina.com/purple-leash-project

  12. Feb 10

    "Love Languages Explained: How to Identify Yours and Improve Your Relationships"

    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. Neuron Video: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Rvmvt7gscIM Love Language Quiz: https://5lovelanguages.com/quizzes/love-language

  • 12 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

4.5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Welcome to Adjust: The Conversation—a podcast where mental health is spoken about honestly, without judgment, and in a way that actually makes sense for real people living real lives. Each week, we dig into the questions, struggles, and stories that shape us, and we explore practical ways to feel a little lighter and a lot more understood.

Information

  • Creator
    AdjustMentalHealth
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    12
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © AdjustMentalHealth
  • Show Website
    Adjust: The Conversation