Creating Midlife Calm: Coping Skills for Stress & Anxiety in Family, Work & Relationships

MJ Murray Vachon LCSW | Midlife Stress & Anxiety Therapist
  • 5.0 (31)
  • Mental Health
  • Updated Semiweekly

Coping Skills for Midlife Stress and Anxiety in Family, Work & Relationships Forget the midlife crisis—how about creating midlife calm? The anxiety and stress of this life stage can drain your energy, fuel overthinking, and make it hard to enjoy what should be the best years of your life. This podcast offers practical coping skills to help you reduce anxiety, manage stress, and rediscover a calmer, more confident version of yourself. In Creating Midlife Calm, you’ll discover how to: Be happier, more present, and more effective at home and work.Transform stress and anxiety into powerful tools that boost your clarity, energy, and confidence.Cultivate calm and joy through practical, affordable coping skills that help you handle life’s daily challenges.Join MJ Murray Vachon, LCSW, a seasoned therapist with over 50,000 hours of clinical experience and 32 years teaching mental wellness, as she guides you to reclaim your inner calm. Learn to stay grounded in the present, navigate midlife transitions with clarity, and build emotional resilience using proven coping tools. Every Monday, MJ dives into real stories and science-backed insights to help you shift from anxious to centered—ending each episode with an “Inner Challenge” you can practice right away. Then, on Thursdays, she shares a brief follow-up episode that connects, deepens, or expands the week’s topic, helping you apply these skills in real life. Let’s evolve from crisis to calm—and make midlife your most balanced and fulfilling chapter yet. 🎧 Start with listener favorite Ep. 138 to feel the difference calm can make.      

  1. 17h ago

    Ep. 314 Is Handling Insurance, Finances & Everyday Problems Stealing Your Time and Increasing Your Stress & Overwhelm?

    Are unresolved  admin problems with insurance, pharmacies, credit cards, airlines, or other companies taking more time and energy than you realize? What looks like an everyday annoyance can become a real source of stress when you’re responsible for solving the problem. In this episode, you’ll discover: Why problems you may dismiss as annoyances can actually be real sources of stress and overwhelm.How unresolved problems can steal your time and leave you responsible for an outcome you can influence but can’t control.How to recognize the hidden weight you may be carrying long after you’ve hung up the phone or walked away from the problem.Take 11 minutes to recognize the unresolved stress you may be carrying and give yourself a little more compassion. You’re worth it. Want to learn more about my Inner Challenge Master Class on Mental Wellness? Email me at mj@mjmurrayvachon.com. Send us Fan Mail **** About the Host:  MJ Murray Vachon, LCSW, is a seasoned clinician, educator, and host of the podcast Creating Midlife Calm, recognized by Maria Shriver as a “Listen of the Week.” Over the past 40 years, MJ has led more than 50,000 therapy sessions and developed the Inner Challenge mental wellness program and the Inner Challenge Master Class, practical tools for emotional regulation, self-awareness, and resilience taught for more than 30 years in junior high schools and at the University of Notre Dame for freshman football players. Through her podcast, teaching, and coaching, MJ helps people build calmer lives, stronger relationships, and healthier communities. Creating Midlife Calm is a podcast designed to guide you through the challenges of midlife, tackling issues like anxiety, low self-esteem, feeling unworthy, procrastination, and isolation, while offering strategies for improving relationships, family support, emotional wellbeing, mental wellness, and parenting, with a focus on mindfulness, stress management, coping skills, and personal growth to stop rumination, overthinking, and increase confidence through self-care, emotional healing, and mental health support.

  2. 3d ago

    Ep. 313 Why Being Unproductive May Ease Anxiety, Stress & Overwhelm in Midlife

    Could doing something completely unproductive actually help you feel less stressed, anxious and overwhelmed? When life is full, the answer may not always be doing less. In this episode, you’ll discover: 1. How purposeless activity may help you experience less internal resistance—even when you have more to do than usual.    Take 3 minutes to discover how making room for purposeless play might help your busy life feel a little easier—you’re worth it. Send us Fan Mail **** About the Host:  MJ Murray Vachon, LCSW, is a seasoned clinician, educator, and host of the podcast Creating Midlife Calm, recognized by Maria Shriver as a “Listen of the Week.” Over the past 40 years, MJ has led more than 50,000 therapy sessions and developed the Inner Challenge mental wellness program and the Inner Challenge Master Class, practical tools for emotional regulation, self-awareness, and resilience taught for more than 30 years in junior high schools and at the University of Notre Dame for freshman football players. Through her podcast, teaching, and coaching, MJ helps people build calmer lives, stronger relationships, and healthier communities. Creating Midlife Calm is a podcast designed to guide you through the challenges of midlife, tackling issues like anxiety, low self-esteem, feeling unworthy, procrastination, and isolation, while offering strategies for improving relationships, family support, emotional wellbeing, mental wellness, and parenting, with a focus on mindfulness, stress management, coping skills, and personal growth to stop rumination, overthinking, and increase confidence through self-care, emotional healing, and mental health support.

  3. 4d ago

    Ep. 312 Use This 1 Question to Ease Stress & Anxiety in Midlife—Before and After You Retire

    What if one of the most important questions about retirement has less to do with what you'll do next and more to do with how you want to live now? Whether retirement is years away, right in front of you, or already part of your life, changing roles can bring unexpected stress, anxiety and questions about who you are. In this episode, you’ll discover: Why retirement can feel unsettling even when you’re looking forward to the freedom it brings.How your skills, strengths and experience can remain part of your life without productivity having to organize your days.Why making more room for what you want—not only what life requires—can help you cultivate calm before and after retirement.If you’re interested in going deeper, this is also the kind of work we do in my Inner Challenge Master Class. Email me at mj@mjmurrayvachon.com for more information.  Take 11 minutes to discover a different way to think about retirement—and create more calm in the life you’re living now. Send us Fan Mail **** About the Host:  MJ Murray Vachon, LCSW, is a seasoned clinician, educator, and host of the podcast Creating Midlife Calm, recognized by Maria Shriver as a “Listen of the Week.” Over the past 40 years, MJ has led more than 50,000 therapy sessions and developed the Inner Challenge mental wellness program and the Inner Challenge Master Class, practical tools for emotional regulation, self-awareness, and resilience taught for more than 30 years in junior high schools and at the University of Notre Dame for freshman football players. Through her podcast, teaching, and coaching, MJ helps people build calmer lives, stronger relationships, and healthier communities. Creating Midlife Calm is a podcast designed to guide you through the challenges of midlife, tackling issues like anxiety, low self-esteem, feeling unworthy, procrastination, and isolation, while offering strategies for improving relationships, family support, emotional wellbeing, mental wellness, and parenting, with a focus on mindfulness, stress management, coping skills, and personal growth to stop rumination, overthinking, and increase confidence through self-care, emotional healing, and mental health support.

  4. Sep 14

    Ep. 311 The Hidden Reason Retirement Suddenly Triggers Stress, Anxiety & Overwhelm in Midlife-Even When It's Years Away

    Has thinking about retirement suddenly made getting older feel a lot more real? You’re not alone if retirement is beginning to feel surprisingly personal long before you’re ready to stop working. In this episode, you’ll discover: 1.    Why retirement can trigger stress and anxiety in midlife that goes much deeper than money. 2.    Why it can be difficult to picture your older self and how that affects the way you care for your future. 3.    A simple coping skill to help you become curious about the person you’re becoming without becoming anxious about the future.  Take 10 minutes to look toward your future without leaving the life you’re living today—you’re worth it. Send us Fan Mail **** About the Host:  MJ Murray Vachon, LCSW, is a seasoned clinician, educator, and host of the podcast Creating Midlife Calm, recognized by Maria Shriver as a “Listen of the Week.” Over the past 40 years, MJ has led more than 50,000 therapy sessions and developed the Inner Challenge mental wellness program and the Inner Challenge Master Class, practical tools for emotional regulation, self-awareness, and resilience taught for more than 30 years in junior high schools and at the University of Notre Dame for freshman football players. Through her podcast, teaching, and coaching, MJ helps people build calmer lives, stronger relationships, and healthier communities. Creating Midlife Calm is a podcast designed to guide you through the challenges of midlife, tackling issues like anxiety, low self-esteem, feeling unworthy, procrastination, and isolation, while offering strategies for improving relationships, family support, emotional wellbeing, mental wellness, and parenting, with a focus on mindfulness, stress management, coping skills, and personal growth to stop rumination, overthinking, and increase confidence through self-care, emotional healing, and mental health support.

  5. Sep 11

    Ep. 310 The Weekly Task That Can Decrease Anxiety,  Stress  & Overwhelm in Midlife

    Can a trip to the grocery store actually help you become calmer when someone else is rude or stressed? Everyday moments give us opportunities to practice responding differently to stress. In this episode, you’ll discover: How one ordinary moment in the tortilla aisle reminded of how good growth feels.   Take 5 minutes to practice creating your own calm right in the middle of the wild. Send us Fan Mail **** About the Host:  MJ Murray Vachon, LCSW, is a seasoned clinician, educator, and host of the podcast Creating Midlife Calm, recognized by Maria Shriver as a “Listen of the Week.” Over the past 40 years, MJ has led more than 50,000 therapy sessions and developed the Inner Challenge mental wellness program and the Inner Challenge Master Class, practical tools for emotional regulation, self-awareness, and resilience taught for more than 30 years in junior high schools and at the University of Notre Dame for freshman football players. Through her podcast, teaching, and coaching, MJ helps people build calmer lives, stronger relationships, and healthier communities. Creating Midlife Calm is a podcast designed to guide you through the challenges of midlife, tackling issues like anxiety, low self-esteem, feeling unworthy, procrastination, and isolation, while offering strategies for improving relationships, family support, emotional wellbeing, mental wellness, and parenting, with a focus on mindfulness, stress management, coping skills, and personal growth to stop rumination, overthinking, and increase confidence through self-care, emotional healing, and mental health support.

  6. Sep 10

    Ep. 309 The Surprising Sign Your Anxiety Is Getting BETTER, Even If You Still Feel Stressed & Overwhelmed

    What if doing the very thing you’re trying to change doesn’t mean you’re failing? Emotional growth is often happening before it feels like progress. In this episode, you’ll discover: Why noticing an old pattern may actually be one of the first signs that you’re changing.How internal self-awareness can help you recognize anxiety, stress, and overwhelm sooner.Why responding to setbacks with kindness and repair can help you keep moving forward instead of giving up.Want to learn more about the Inner Challenge Master Class? Email me at mj@mjmurrayvachon.com.  Take 9 minutes to see your emotional growth differently—you’re worth it. Send us Fan Mail **** About the Host:  MJ Murray Vachon, LCSW, is a seasoned clinician, educator, and host of the podcast Creating Midlife Calm, recognized by Maria Shriver as a “Listen of the Week.” Over the past 40 years, MJ has led more than 50,000 therapy sessions and developed the Inner Challenge mental wellness program and the Inner Challenge Master Class, practical tools for emotional regulation, self-awareness, and resilience taught for more than 30 years in junior high schools and at the University of Notre Dame for freshman football players. Through her podcast, teaching, and coaching, MJ helps people build calmer lives, stronger relationships, and healthier communities. Creating Midlife Calm is a podcast designed to guide you through the challenges of midlife, tackling issues like anxiety, low self-esteem, feeling unworthy, procrastination, and isolation, while offering strategies for improving relationships, family support, emotional wellbeing, mental wellness, and parenting, with a focus on mindfulness, stress management, coping skills, and personal growth to stop rumination, overthinking, and increase confidence through self-care, emotional healing, and mental health support.

  7. Sep 7

    Ep. 308 Is Trying to Fix Everyone Else’s Problems Making Anxiety & Overwhelm Worse in Midlife?

    Could the quick fixes you use to help yourself or someone you love actually be making everyone’s anxiety and overwhelm worse? Wanting to quickly fix someone’s distress can sometimes create more stress for everyone even you! In this episode, you’ll discover: 1.    Why distress can quickly trigger your urge to jump in, take over, or make an uncomfortable situation go away. 2.    How to recognize the physical signs that tell you you’ve moved into quick fix mode before anxiety and overwhelm take over. 3.    A simple way to slow down and figure out whether the moment actually needs action, advice, support, or simply a little time.  Take 10 minutes to respond to anxiety and overwhelm with greater clarity and calm. You’re worth it. Want to learn more about my Inner Challenge Master Class on Mental Wellness? Email me at mj@mjmurrayvachon.com. Send us Fan Mail **** About the Host:  MJ Murray Vachon, LCSW, is a seasoned clinician, educator, and host of the podcast Creating Midlife Calm, recognized by Maria Shriver as a “Listen of the Week.” Over the past 40 years, MJ has led more than 50,000 therapy sessions and developed the Inner Challenge mental wellness program and the Inner Challenge Master Class, practical tools for emotional regulation, self-awareness, and resilience taught for more than 30 years in junior high schools and at the University of Notre Dame for freshman football players. Through her podcast, teaching, and coaching, MJ helps people build calmer lives, stronger relationships, and healthier communities. Creating Midlife Calm is a podcast designed to guide you through the challenges of midlife, tackling issues like anxiety, low self-esteem, feeling unworthy, procrastination, and isolation, while offering strategies for improving relationships, family support, emotional wellbeing, mental wellness, and parenting, with a focus on mindfulness, stress management, coping skills, and personal growth to stop rumination, overthinking, and increase confidence through self-care, emotional healing, and mental health support.

  8. Sep 4

    Ep. 307 The Most Effective Coping Skill for Overwhelm Didn't Come From a Therapist

    What if one of your most powerful coping skills for anxiety, stress & overwhelm  isn’t something you do alone? If you’ve been trying to calm yourself through willpower alone, you’re not the only one. In this episode, you’ll discover: The surprising coping skill you have always had.🎧 Take 3 minutes to discover why calm is sometimes created simply by being with another calm person—you're worth it. Send us Fan Mail **** About the Host:  MJ Murray Vachon, LCSW, is a seasoned clinician, educator, and host of the podcast Creating Midlife Calm, recognized by Maria Shriver as a “Listen of the Week.” Over the past 40 years, MJ has led more than 50,000 therapy sessions and developed the Inner Challenge mental wellness program and the Inner Challenge Master Class, practical tools for emotional regulation, self-awareness, and resilience taught for more than 30 years in junior high schools and at the University of Notre Dame for freshman football players. Through her podcast, teaching, and coaching, MJ helps people build calmer lives, stronger relationships, and healthier communities. Creating Midlife Calm is a podcast designed to guide you through the challenges of midlife, tackling issues like anxiety, low self-esteem, feeling unworthy, procrastination, and isolation, while offering strategies for improving relationships, family support, emotional wellbeing, mental wellness, and parenting, with a focus on mindfulness, stress management, coping skills, and personal growth to stop rumination, overthinking, and increase confidence through self-care, emotional healing, and mental health support.

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Coping Skills for Midlife Stress and Anxiety in Family, Work & Relationships Forget the midlife crisis—how about creating midlife calm? The anxiety and stress of this life stage can drain your energy, fuel overthinking, and make it hard to enjoy what should be the best years of your life. This podcast offers practical coping skills to help you reduce anxiety, manage stress, and rediscover a calmer, more confident version of yourself. In Creating Midlife Calm, you’ll discover how to: Be happier, more present, and more effective at home and work.Transform stress and anxiety into powerful tools that boost your clarity, energy, and confidence.Cultivate calm and joy through practical, affordable coping skills that help you handle life’s daily challenges.Join MJ Murray Vachon, LCSW, a seasoned therapist with over 50,000 hours of clinical experience and 32 years teaching mental wellness, as she guides you to reclaim your inner calm. Learn to stay grounded in the present, navigate midlife transitions with clarity, and build emotional resilience using proven coping tools. Every Monday, MJ dives into real stories and science-backed insights to help you shift from anxious to centered—ending each episode with an “Inner Challenge” you can practice right away. Then, on Thursdays, she shares a brief follow-up episode that connects, deepens, or expands the week’s topic, helping you apply these skills in real life. Let’s evolve from crisis to calm—and make midlife your most balanced and fulfilling chapter yet. 🎧 Start with listener favorite Ep. 138 to feel the difference calm can make.      

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