Coffee and Counseling Podcast

Stephanie Van Schaick & Rachel Steinhardt
  • 0.0 (0)
  • Mental Health
  • Updated Weekly

At Coffee and Counseling, we are two therapists who's vision is to challenge the conventional narratives surrounding mental health and therapy. We believe in creating an open forum where nuanced conversations can thrive—discussing topics and perspectives that many in the therapy world may shy away from. Our goal is to foster honest dialogues that recognize that therapy isn't a one-size-fits-all solution and that mental health should not be used as an excuse. We aim to destigmatize the therapeutic process while also promoting personal responsibility in mental health discussions. Alongside these discussions, we’ll delve into mental health topics such as diagnoses, therapeutic skills and techniques, and practical ways to improve well-being while challenging the conventional schools of thoughts around these topics. By providing a platform for diverse perspectives, we aspire to empower our listeners to navigate their mental health journeys with clarity, confidence, and a sense of community. Here, we talk all things mental health over a pipin' hot cup of coffee - so grab your coffee and let's get into it!

  1. Session #33: The 5 Things You Actually Need to Change Your Body Image (That No One Talks About)

    Jan 13

    Session #33: The 5 Things You Actually Need to Change Your Body Image (That No One Talks About)

    ☕ Welcome to Coffee and Counseling! ☕ Join Rachel Steinhardt, LMHC and Stephanie Van Schaick, LMHC as we dive into why changing your body isn’t the same as changing your body image — and what actually supports lasting change. In this session, we break down the five often-missed components of body image work and explore why so many people feel stuck despite trying hard. Whether you're a therapist, someone in therapy, or just curious about mental health, we’re here to challenge conventional perspectives and get real about what healing actually looks like. In This Session, We Cover: ✅ Why body image is a mental and emotional process — not a physical one ✅ The risks of tying self-worth to a body that naturally changes over time ✅ The five foundational steps that support sustainable body image change 🌿 Continue the Work: Finally Body Confident If today’s conversation resonated and you’re realizing that changing your body hasn’t actually changed how you feel in it, you’re not alone. Body image struggles aren’t a motivation problem — they’re often the result of never being taught how to change your relationship with your body. Finally Body Confident is a self-paced course created by Stephanie Van Schaick, LMHC, designed to help you build body confidence in a way that’s intentional, sustainable, and free from dieting or pressure. Instead of focusing on fixing your body, this course guides you through the internal shifts that actually support lasting change. Inside the Course, You’ll Work Through: • Awareness — identifying patterns without judgment • Mindset Preparation — creating the mindset for sustainable change • Self-Exploration — understanding what your body image has been protecting or controlling • Taking Inventory — noticing what supports or undermines your relationship with your body • Action — building aligned, non-punitive changes that last This course is for you if: • You feel stuck in cycles of effort, burnout, and self-criticism • You’ve tried changing your body but still struggle with body image • You want structure without rigidity • You’re looking for a more compassionate, grounded approach to confidence 🎧 Podcast Listener Bonus: A limited January discount is available for listeners who feel ready to explore this work more deeply. You can find all the details and access the course using the link below. Use code NEWYEARBALANCE for $50 off until January 31st, 2026 👉 Learn more about Finally Body Confident: https://stateofbalance.thrivecart.com/finally-body-confident/ 💬 Listener Question: The Listener’s Question that we answer in today’s session is "Why do I feel like a failure for not joining a fitness challenge or cutting out food groups like everyone else at this time of year?" Have a question for us? Send it to CoffeeandCounselingPodcast@gmail.com or on Instagram @CoffeeandCounselingPodcast — we might answer it in a future session! You can also send your topic suggestions that you’d like us to cover over to our email or Instagram. Interested in working with one of us? Visit our individual practice websites here for more information or send us an email to set up a phone consultation call: Rachel Steinhardt: Visit Rachel’s Website at https://www.steinhardtserenity.com/ or email her at SteinhardtSerenity@gmail.com Stephanie Van Schaick: Visit Stephanie’s website at https://www.stateofbalancementalhealthcounseling.com/ or email her at StateofBalanceMentalHealth@gmail.com Related Sessions: #6: You’re Not a Project: Rethinking Body Image #17: Don’t Believe Everything You Think: Recognizing and Rewiring Cognitive Distortions #32: Resolutions That Actually Stick: Setting Intentions You Won’t Abandon by February Connect: 📲 Follow us on Instagram @CoffeeandCounselingPodcast Rachel’s Instagram: @Steinhardt_Serenity Stephanie’s Instagram: @StateofBalanceForLife Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and does not take the place of therapy.

    1h 14m
  2. Session #32: Resolutions That Actually Stick: Setting Intentions You Won’t Abandon by February

    Jan 6

    Session #32: Resolutions That Actually Stick: Setting Intentions You Won’t Abandon by February

    ☕ Welcome to Coffee and Counseling! ☕ Join Rachel Steinhardt, LMHC and Stephanie Van Schaick, LMHC as we dive into how to turn last week’s emotional check-in into resolutions and intentions that actually stick. Instead of getting swept up in the pressure of “new year, new me,” we explore how to create goals grounded in alignment, self-awareness, and sustainability. Whether you're a therapist, someone in therapy, or just curious about mental health, we’re here to challenge conventional perspectives and get real about what healing and change actually look like. In This Session, We Cover: ✅ Why traditional resolutions fail — and how to avoid shame-based or comparison-driven goals ✅ How to create intentions that are truly yours using reflection, values alignment, and identity-focused questions ✅ Turning intentions into sustainable SMART++ goals that your nervous system can actually support ✅ How to design systems (not just goals) through habit stacking, environmental design, micro-check-ins, and relapse planning ✅ Practical tools to build momentum, maintain consistency, and rewrite goals that no longer fit your season of life 💬 Listener Question: The Listener’s Question that we answer in today’s session is "Do therapists ever get tired of listening to people’s problems all day?" Have a question for us? Send it to CoffeeandCounselingPodcast@gmail.com or on Instagram @CoffeeandCounselingPodcast — we might answer it in a future session! You can also send your topic suggestions that you’d like us to cover over to our email or Instagram. Interested in working with one of us? Visit our individual practice websites here for more information or send us an email to set up a phone consultation call: Rachel Steinhardt: Visit Rachel’s Website at https://www.steinhardtserenity.com/ or email her at SteinhardtSerenity@gmail.com Stephanie Van Schaick: Visit Stephanie’s website at https://www.stateofbalancementalhealthcounseling.com/ or email her at StateofBalanceMentalHealth@gmail.com Resources & Mentions: 📌 Atomic Habits book by James Clear: https://a.co/d/53FsAfE Related Sessions: #17: Don’t Believe Everything You Think: Recognizing and Rewiring Cognitive Distortions #28: When Your Brain Hijacks You — and When You Can Take the Wheel Back #31: The End-of-Year Emotional Check-In You Actually Have Time For Connect With Us: 📲 Follow us on Instagram @CoffeeandCounselingPodcast Rachel’s Instagram: @Steinhardt_Serenity Stephanie’s Instagram: @StateofBalanceForLife 🎧 If you enjoyed this session, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review! It helps more people find Coffee and Counseling and join the conversation. Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and does not take the place of therapy.

    1h 18m
  3. Session #31: The End-of-Year Emotional Check-In You Actually Have Time For

    12/30/2025

    Session #31: The End-of-Year Emotional Check-In You Actually Have Time For

    ☕ Welcome to Coffee and Counseling! ☕ Join Rachel Steinhardt, LMHC and Stephanie Van Schaick, LMHC as we dive into why slowing down feels so uncomfortable and how to give yourself genuine permission to rest. Whether you're a therapist, someone in therapy, or just curious about mental health, we’re here to challenge conventional perspectives and get real about what healing actually looks like. From understanding why rest often feels unsafe, to walking through four guided prompts that help you meaningfully reflect on your year, this episode gives you a realistic and compassionate permission slip to pause. You’ll explore what drained you, what energized you, what you want to carry forward, and what you can finally set down — all in a way that fits into the chaos of real life, not the perfectionistic pressure of “New Year, new me.” This gentle, end-of-year check-in is designed to help you reset your nervous system, reclaim your emotional bandwidth, and step into the new year with clarity, self-awareness, and intention — without forcing a total life overhaul. In This Session, We Cover: ✅ What slowing down actually looks like in real life ✅ Guided emotional check-in ✅ Practical ways to release guilt, create space, and reset your pace as you move into a new season Have a question for us? Send it to CoffeeandCounselingPodcast@gmail.com or on Instagram @CoffeeandCounselingPodcast — we might answer it in a future session! You can also send your topic suggestions that you’d like us to cover over to our email or Instagram. Interested in working with one of us? Visit our individual practice websites here for more information or send us an email to set up a phone consultation call: Rachel Steinhardt: Visit Rachel’s Website at https://www.steinhardtserenity.com/ or email her at SteinhardtSerenity@gmail.com Stephanie Van Schaick: Visit Stephanie’s website at https://www.stateofbalancementalhealthcounseling.com/ or email her at StateofBalanceMentalHealth@gmail.com Related Sessions: #18: Boundaries: Why They're Necessary—and When They're Not #20: Not Your Instagram Morning Routine: Mental Health Over Aesthetics #21: Not Your Instagram Nighttime Routine: Sleep, Sanity, and Setting Up Tomorrow Connect With Us: 📲 Follow us on Instagram @CoffeeandCounselingPodcast Rachel’s Instagram: @Steinhardt_Serenity Stephanie’s Instagram: @StateofBalanceForLife 🎧 If you enjoyed this session, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review! It helps more people find Coffee and Counseling and join the conversation. Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and does not take the place of therapy.

    49 min
  4. Session #30: Giving Yourself True Permission to Slow Down

    12/23/2025

    Session #30: Giving Yourself True Permission to Slow Down

    ☕ Welcome to Coffee and Counseling! ☕ Join Rachel Steinhardt, LMHC and Stephanie Van Schaick, LMHC as we dive into why slowing down feels so uncomfortable and how to give yourself genuine permission to rest. Whether you're a therapist, someone in therapy, or just curious about mental health, we’re here to challenge conventional perspectives and get real about what healing actually looks like. In This Session, We Cover: ✅ Why your nervous system resists rest even when you’re exhausted ✅ What slowing down actually looks like in real life ✅ Practical ways to release guilt, create space, and reset your pace as you move into a new season Have a question for us? Send it to CoffeeandCounselingPodcast@gmail.com or on Instagram @CoffeeandCounselingPodcast — we might answer it in a future session! You can also send your topic suggestions that you’d like us to cover over to our email or Instagram. Interested in working with one of us? Visit our individual practice websites here for more information or send us an email to set up a phone consultation call: Rachel Steinhardt: Visit Rachel’s Website at https://www.steinhardtserenity.com/ or email her at SteinhardtSerenity@gmail.com Stephanie Van Schaick: Visit Stephanie’s website at https://www.stateofbalancementalhealthcounseling.com/ or email her at StateofBalanceMentalHealth@gmail.com Related Sessions: #10: Feel It to Heal It: Why Avoidance Doesn’t Work #28: When Your Brain Hijacks You — and When You Can Take the Wheel Back #29: From Over-diagnosed Kids to Undiagnosed Adults: The ADHD Paradox Connect With Us: 📲 Follow us on Instagram @CoffeeandCounselingPodcast Rachel’s Instagram: @Steinhardt_Serenity Stephanie’s Instagram: @StateofBalanceForLife 🎧 If you enjoyed this session, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review! It helps more people find Coffee and Counseling and join the conversation. Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and does not take the place of therapy.

    31 min
  5. Session #29: From Over-diagnosed Kids to Undiagnosed Adults: The ADHD Paradox

    12/16/2025

    Session #29: From Over-diagnosed Kids to Undiagnosed Adults: The ADHD Paradox

    ☕ Welcome to Coffee and Counseling! ☕ Join Rachel Steinhardt, LMHC and Stephanie Van Schaick, LMHC as we dive into why ADHD seems to be everywhere right now — from adults suddenly resonating with ADHD content online to kids being diagnosed earlier and more frequently than ever. We break down what’s actually going on beneath the trend: the real neuroscience, the misconceptions, the trauma overlap, and how our overstimulating modern world is blurring the lines between true ADHD and chronic distraction. Whether you're a therapist, someone in therapy, or just curious about mental health, we’re here to challenge conventional perspectives and get real about what healing actually looks like. In This Session, We Cover: ✅ Why so many adults are questioning whether they have ADHD — and how childhood masking, perfectionism, and people-pleasing hid symptoms for years ✅ The difference between ADHD traits vs. an actual diagnosis, and how trauma, burnout, and anxiety can mimic ADHD ✅ How the attention economy, social media, and shifting mental-health culture have led to both meaningful recognition and widespread over-identification ✅ What ADHD looks like in kids vs. adults, especially in women who slipped through the cracks ✅ Empowering next steps — from real evaluation to lifestyle changes — without turning diagnosis into identity or limitation 💬 Listener Question: The Listener’s Question that we answer in today’s session is "How do I stop choosing people I need to fix?" Have a question for us? Send it to CoffeeandCounselingPodcast@gmail.com or on Instagram @CoffeeandCounselingPodcast — we might answer it in a future session! You can also send your topic suggestions that you’d like us to cover over to our email or Instagram. Interested in working with one of us? Visit our individual practice websites here for more information or send us an email to set up a phone consultation call: Rachel Steinhardt: Visit Rachel’s Website at https://www.steinhardtserenity.com/ or email her at SteinhardtSerenity@gmail.com Stephanie Van Schaick: Visit Stephanie’s website at https://www.stateofbalancementalhealthcounseling.com/ or email her at StateofBalanceMentalHealth@gmail.com Resources & Mentions: 📌 Rachel’s father-in-law and ADHD expert: https://www.neurocogcenter.com/about-dr-steinhardt 📌 The Social Dilemma (documentary currently streaming on Netflix) 📌 Stolen Focus book by Johann Hari: https://a.co/d/bubgAd6 Related Sessions: #8: Don’t Hand Someone Else Your Healing Work #28: When Your Brain Hijacks You — and When You Can Take the Wheel Back Connect With Us: 📲 Follow us on Instagram @CoffeeandCounselingPodcast Rachel’s Instagram: @Steinhardt_Serenity Stephanie’s Instagram: @StateofBalanceForLife 🎧 If you enjoyed this session, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review! It helps more people find Coffee and Counseling and join the conversation. Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and does not take the place of therapy.

    1h 1m
  6. Session #28: When Your Brain Hijacks You — and When You Can Take the Wheel Back

    12/09/2025

    Session #28: When Your Brain Hijacks You — and When You Can Take the Wheel Back

    ☕ Welcome to Coffee and Counseling! ☕ Join Rachel Steinhardt, LMHC and Stephanie Van Schaick, LMHC as we dive into what really happens when your brain hijacks your ability to think, act, and show up — and how to tell the difference between a true neurobiological “can’t” and the moments when accountability needs to take the lead. Whether you're a therapist, someone in therapy, or just curious about mental health, we’re here to challenge conventional perspectives and get real about what healing actually looks like. In This Session, We Cover: ✅ The line between what you can’t control and what you can reclaim ✅ How anxiety, trauma, depression, and nervous system states impact motivation, decision-making, and behavior ✅ Why compassion and accountability are not opposites — and how real healing happens when they finally meet 💬 Listener Question: The Listener’s Question that we answer in today’s session is "Can people really change, or am I just being naive?" Have a question for us? Send it to CoffeeandCounselingPodcast@gmail.com or on Instagram @CoffeeandCounselingPodcast — we might answer it in a future session! You can also send your topic suggestions that you’d like us to cover over to our email or Instagram. Interested in working with one of us? Visit our individual practice websites here for more information or send us an email to set up a phone consultation call: Rachel Steinhardt: Visit Rachel’s Website at https://www.steinhardtserenity.com/ or email her at SteinhardtSerenity@gmail.com Stephanie Van Schaick: Visit Stephanie’s website at https://www.stateofbalancementalhealthcounseling.com/ or email her at StateofBalanceMentalHealth@gmail.com Resources & Mentions: 📌 Instagram page Stephanie mentioned: @K9Konvoy - https://www.instagram.com/k9konvoy?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw== Related Sessions: Session #3: ​​You’re Not Lazy - You’re Surviving Session #8: Don’t Hand Someone Else Your Healing Work Session # 15: When Healing Feels Like Losing Yourself: Diagnosis, Coping & Identity Session #16: Trauma Isn’t One Size Fits All: Understanding PTSD, Complex Trauma, and New Paths to Healing Connect With Us: 📲 Follow us on Instagram @CoffeeandCounselingPodcast Rachel’s Instagram: @Steinhardt_Serenity Stephanie’s Instagram: @StateofBalanceForLife 🎧 If you enjoyed this session, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review! It helps more people find Coffee and Counseling and join the conversation. Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and does not take the place of therapy.

    58 min
  7. Session #27: Inside a Therapist’s Mind: Listener Questions We’ve Never Been Asked Before

    12/02/2025

    Session #27: Inside a Therapist’s Mind: Listener Questions We’ve Never Been Asked Before

    ☕ Welcome to Coffee and Counseling! ☕ Join Rachel Steinhardt, LMHC and Stephanie Van Schaick, LMHC as we dive into the questions everyone wants to ask their therapist—but usually doesn’t. From whether we ever struggle to empathize with clients to what we actually write in our notes, we’re pulling back the curtain on what it’s really like to be a therapist. Whether you're a therapist, someone in therapy, or just curious about mental health, we’re here to challenge conventional perspectives and get real about what healing actually looks like. In This Session, We Cover: ✅ What therapists really think when clients ghost, overshare, or seem “dramatic” ✅ How personal experiences shape (but don’t define) a therapist’s specialty ✅ The behind-the-scenes reality of empathy, boundaries, and self-awareness in therapy 💬 Listener Question: Send in your listener’s question for a chance for your question to be featured in one of our next sessions! Have a question for us? Send it to CoffeeandCounselingPodcast@gmail.com or on Instagram @CoffeeandCounselingPodcast — we might answer it in a future session! You can also send your topic suggestions that you’d like us to cover over to our email or Instagram. Interested in working with one of us? Visit our individual practice websites here for more information or send us an email to set up a phone consultation call: Rachel Steinhardt: Visit Rachel’s Website at https://www.steinhardtserenity.com/ or email her at SteinhardtSerenity@gmail.com Stephanie Van Schaick: Visit Stephanie’s website at https://www.stateofbalancementalhealthcounseling.com/ or email her at StateofBalanceMentalHealth@gmail.com Related Sessions: #23: Do Therapists Judge You? And Other Things You’re Dying to Know #24: Therapy Myths That Need to Die Connect With Us: 📲 Follow us on Instagram @CoffeeandCounselingPodcast Rachel’s Instagram: @Steinhardt_Serenity Stephanie’s Instagram: @StateofBalanceForLife 🎧 If you enjoyed this session, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review! It helps more people find Coffee and Counseling and join the conversation. Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and does not take the place of therapy.

    56 min
  8. Session #26: Surviving Thanksgiving Without Losing Your Sanity (or Your Peace)

    11/27/2025

    Session #26: Surviving Thanksgiving Without Losing Your Sanity (or Your Peace)

    ☕ Welcome to Coffee and Counseling! ☕ Join Rachel Steinhardt, LMHC and Stephanie Van Schaick, LMHC as we dive into the real challenges that come with Thanksgiving—from the pressure to make everything perfect to the complicated emotions that can surface around food, family, travel, and grief. Whether you're a therapist, someone in therapy, or just curious about mental health, we’re here to challenge conventional perspectives and get real about what healing actually looks like. In This Session, We Cover: ✅ Letting go of the “perfect holiday” mindset and finding peace in imperfection ✅ How to navigate food and body image struggles around the table ✅ Strategies for managing family conflict and setting boundaries that protect your energy ✅ Coping with grief or change when the holidays look different this year ✅ Tips for staying grounded and practicing gratitude without ignoring what’s hard 💬 Listener Question: The Listener’s Question that we answer in today’s session is "How do I actually practice gratitude?" Have a question for us? Send it to CoffeeandCounselingPodcast@gmail.com or on Instagram @CoffeeandCounselingPodcast — we might answer it in a future session! You can also send your topic suggestions that you’d like us to cover over to our email or Instagram. Interested in working with one of us? Visit our individual practice websites here for more information or send us an email to set up a phone consultation call: Rachel Steinhardt: Visit Rachel’s Website at https://www.steinhardtserenity.com/ or email her at SteinhardtSerenity@gmail.com Stephanie Van Schaick: Visit Stephanie’s website at https://www.stateofbalancementalhealthcounseling.com/ or email her at StateofBalanceMentalHealth@gmail.com Resources & Mentions: 📌 Jill Duggar’s Counting the Costs book Stephanie mentioned: https://a.co/d/hsSeUe6 Related Sessions: #18: Boundaries: Why They're Necessary—and When They're Not #20: Not Your Instagram Morning Routine: Mental Health Over Aesthetics #21: Not Your Instagram Nighttime Routine: Sleep, Sanity, and Setting Up Tomorrow Connect With Us: 📲 Follow us on Instagram @CoffeeandCounselingPodcast Rachel’s Instagram: @Steinhardt_Serenity Stephanie’s Instagram: @StateofBalanceForLife 🎧 If you enjoyed this session, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review! It helps more people find Coffee and Counseling and join the conversation. Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and does not take the place of therapy.

    1h 12m
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About

At Coffee and Counseling, we are two therapists who's vision is to challenge the conventional narratives surrounding mental health and therapy. We believe in creating an open forum where nuanced conversations can thrive—discussing topics and perspectives that many in the therapy world may shy away from. Our goal is to foster honest dialogues that recognize that therapy isn't a one-size-fits-all solution and that mental health should not be used as an excuse. We aim to destigmatize the therapeutic process while also promoting personal responsibility in mental health discussions. Alongside these discussions, we’ll delve into mental health topics such as diagnoses, therapeutic skills and techniques, and practical ways to improve well-being while challenging the conventional schools of thoughts around these topics. By providing a platform for diverse perspectives, we aspire to empower our listeners to navigate their mental health journeys with clarity, confidence, and a sense of community. Here, we talk all things mental health over a pipin' hot cup of coffee - so grab your coffee and let's get into it!

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