Stay Mindful with Dr. Evelyn Davis

Dr. Evelyn Davis, LCSW
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Mental Health

Welcome to StayMindful with Dr. Evelyn Davis, a podcast dedicated to inspiring conversations around mental health, social work, self-growth, and encouragement. Hosted by Dr. Evelyn Davis, LCSW, this podcast is a space to pause, reflect, and grow—one mindful moment at a time. Whether you're a social worker, a mental health professional, or simply someone looking for thoughtful encouragement, you’ll find insight, support, and empowerment here. Join us each week for honest conversations, expert advice, and inspiring perspectives to help you thrive!

  1. 9h ago

    Mini-Episode: Brain Dump & Prioritization- A Practical Executive Function Exercise

    Ever feel like you have a million things running through your mind, but you're struggling to figure out where to start? In this companion mini-episode of Stay Mindful with Dr. Evelyn Davis, we're putting our conversation about executive functioning and mental overload into practice. We'll explore how multitasking and technology can affect our attention and walk through a guided brain dump and prioritization exercise to help organize our thoughts and identify what actually needs our attention. Because sometimes the first step isn't doing more. It's getting a clearer picture of what we're already trying to manage. Resources / Show NotesConcepts Discussed Executive functioning • Task-switching • Mental load • Brain dump • Chunking • Prioritization Research & Educational Resources Cleveland Clinic — Executive Function https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/executive-function Harvard University — Center on the Developing Child Executive Function & Self-Regulation https://developingchild.harvard.edu/resource-guides/guide-executive-function/ Understood — What Is Executive Function? https://www.understood.org/en/articles/what-is-executive-function Mindful Reflection Are you being productive, or are you just staying busy?What responsibilities are taking up the most mental space?What can you realistically be successful in today?Companion Main Episode Help! My Brain Is on Fire: Understanding Executive Functioning, Overwhelm, and Mental Load Listen to the main episode for a deeper conversation about executive functioning, mental load, and why everyday tasks can sometimes feel overwhelming. Interested in starting a podcast? Check it out using my partner link: Try Riverside Disclaimer This episode is for educational and reflective purposes and is not a substitute for therapy or individualized mental health treatment. If you need additional support, consider connecting with a licensed mental health professional in your area.

  2. Nov 2

    Help! My Brain Is on Fire: Understanding Executive Functioning, Overwhelm, and Mental Load

    Ever feel like your brain is going in ten different directions, but you can't seem to get anything done? In this episode of Stay Mindful with Dr. Evelyn Davis, Dr. Davis explores executive functioning, mental overload, and why tasks that once felt manageable can suddenly become challenging. Through personal experiences and research, she examines how stress, ADHD, mental load, and life changes can affect our ability to focus, organize, and get things done. Sometimes it's not about doing more. It's about understanding what you need to function better. Resources / Show NotesResearch & Educational Resources Harvard University — Center on the Developing Child Executive Function & Self-Regulation https://developingchild.harvard.edu/resource-guides/guide-executive-function/ Cleveland Clinic Executive Function https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/executive-function Snyder, H. R., Miyake, A., & Hankin, B. L. (2015). Executive function impairments and psychopathology. Frontiers in Psychology. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00328 Concepts Discussed Executive functioning • Working memory • Cognitive flexibility • Inhibitory control • Executive dysfunction • Mental load • Task initiation • Emotional regulation Mindful Reflection What changes have you noticed in your ability to focus, organize, or complete tasks?What might be contributing to your mental overload?What adjustments could help you function better?Companion Mini-Episode Brain Dump & Prioritization: A Practical Executive Function Exercise Continue the conversation next week with a guided exercise to help organize your thoughts, identify priorities, and explore practical strategies for managing mental overload. Interested in starting a podcast? Check it out using my partner link: Try Riverside Disclaimer This episode is for educational and reflective purposes and is not a substitute for therapy or individualized mental health treatment. If you need additional support, consider connecting with a licensed mental health professional in your area.

  3. Oct 24

    Mini Episode: Practicing Cultural Humility-A Reflection Exercise

    In this mini episode of Stay Mindful with Dr. Evelyn Davis, we move from conversation to reflection. Using the 5 Rs of Cultural Humility—Reflection, Respect, Regard, Relevance, and Resiliency—you'll have an opportunity to examine your own assumptions and biases with curiosity rather than judgment. ❒ Resources / Show Notes Articles & Websites California Health Advocates. Cultural Humility: What Is It & Why It Matters. An introduction to cultural humility as an ongoing practice involving self-reflection, awareness of bias, openness, empathy, respect, and attention to power imbalances. Society of Hospital Medicine. The 5 Rs of Cultural Humility. Introduces the 5 Rs framework used in this episode: Reflection, Respect, Regard, Relevance, and Resiliency. Research Robinson, D., Masters, C., & Ansari, A. (2021). The 5 Rs of cultural humility: A conceptual model for health care leaders. The American Journal of Medicine, 134(2), 161–163. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjmed.2020.09.029 Interested in starting a podcast? Check it out using my partner link: Try Riverside Disclaimer This episode is for educational and reflective purposes and is not a substitute for therapy or individualized mental health treatment. If you need additional support, consider connecting with a licensed mental health professional in your area.

  4. Oct 19

    Being Mindful in America: Cultural Humility, Bias, and Grace in Difficult Conversations

    In this episode of Stay Mindful with Dr. Evelyn Davis, Dr. Davis explores racial bias, media framing, cultural humility, and how our own experiences influence the way we interpret difficult stories. Using current cases involving Karmelo Anthony, Nolan Wells, and Addison Hunnicutt, along with historical examples of racialized media coverage, she examines what research tells us about the ways Black defendants and White victims have been portrayed in American media. This conversation isn't about choosing sides. It's about becoming more aware of the lens through which we view other people—and learning how to make room for compassion even when we disagree. Resources / Show Notes: Research Research referenced in this episode on racial representation, media framing, and perceptions of news coverage: Carr, S., & Soroka, S. (2025). Depictions of Black Americans in U.S. television news, 1990–2020. Journalism. https://doi.org/10.1177/14648849251386724 Dixon, T. L. (2008). Who is the victim here? The psychological effects of overrepresenting White victims and Black perpetrators on television news. Journalism, 9(5), 582–605. https://doi.org/10.1177/1464884908094160 Equal Justice Initiative & Global Strategy Group. (2021). Innocent until proven guilty? A look at media coverage of criminal defendants in the U.S. Pew Research Center. (2023). Black Americans' experiences with news. Current Events Discussed: Karmelo Anthony and Austin Metcalf — Discussed in relation to media framing, context, compassion, and assumptions about victims and defendants. Addison Hunnicutt — Discussed as an example of how context and race may influence how we interpret someone's actions. Nolan Wells — Discussed in relation to public attention, unanswered questions, and how we respond to stories involving race. Mason Schermerhorn and the Apalachee High School Shooting — Discussed as an example of how imagery can influence perceptions of victims and suspects. Concepts Discussed: Cultural humility • Implicit bias • Racial bias • Media framing • Representation • Humanization and criminalization • Compassion • Mindfulness • Self-awareness Reflection Questions: What do I actually know—not what I've seen or heard from somebody else? What am I assuming, and where did those assumptions come from? If the identities of the people involved were reversed, would I feel differently? Companion Mini Episode: Practicing Cultural Humility: A Reflection Exercise Using the **5 Rs of Cultural Humility—Reflection, Respect, Regard, Relevance, and Resiliency—we'll continue the conversation with a guided reflection on our assumptions and biases. Interested in starting a podcast? Check it out using my partner link: Try Riverside Disclaimer This episode is for educational and reflective purposes and is not a substitute for therapy or individualized mental health treatment. If you need additional support, consider connecting with a licensed mental health professional in your area.

  5. Oct 12 ·  Bonus

    Mini Episode: Digital Reset- A Mindful Social Media Reflection

    In this companion mini episode of Stay Mindful, Dr. Evelyn Davis continues the conversation about social media and mental health by focusing on what happens within us when something online triggers an emotional response. Through a practical reflection exercise, we'll explore how to create space between our thoughts, emotions, and actions—and make more intentional choices about how we respond. Resources / Show Notes Social media can quickly shift our thoughts, emotions, and reactions. In this Stay Mindful mini episode, Dr. Evelyn Davis explores social media and mental health, cognitive defusion, emotional regulation, and DBT Opposite Action to help you pause before reacting online. This practical digital reset offers strategies for recognizing unhelpful thoughts, managing emotional reactions, and becoming more intentional about how you respond—in the comment section and beyond. Concepts Discussed Cognitive Defusion — Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) Creating distance from thoughts so they can be recognized as thoughts rather than automatically treated as facts or commands. Opposite Action — Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) An emotion-regulation strategy that can help us recognize emotional urges and intentionally choose a more effective response when following the urge would be unhelpful. Digital Reset Questions When you notice yourself becoming activated online, ask: What am I thinking?What am I feeling?What is this feeling urging me to do?What action would actually be helpful right now?Companion Main Episode Everybody Has an Opinion... Now What? Protecting Your Mental Health in the Age of Social Media A conversation about social media, parasocial relationships, comment sections, compassion, and the impact our digital interactions can have on mental health. Additional Resources Blake, M. ACT, CBT, & DBT workbook: 180 exercises for emotional regulation, distress tolerance, cognitive restructuring, and more. Interested in starting a podcast? Check it out using my partner link: Try Riverside Disclaimer This episode is for educational and reflective purposes and is not a substitute for therapy or individualized mental health treatment. If you need additional support, consider connecting with a licensed mental health professional in your area.

  6. Oct 5

    Everybody Has an Opinion...Protecting Your Mental Health in the Age of Social Media

    Social media can help us connect, but what happens when online conversations start affecting our mental health—or when access to celebrities and public figures begins to feel like a personal relationship? In this episode of Stay Mindful with Dr. Evelyn Davis, we explore social media and mental health, parasocial relationships, negative comments, online communication, cyberbullying, digital boundaries, and mindful social media use. Using recent WNBA social media conversations and personal reflection, Dr. Davis considers how we can share our opinions, disagree with others, and participate in comment sections without forgetting that there is a real person on the other side of the screen. Resources / Show Notes: In This Episode: Social media and mental healthParasocial relationships and social mediaNegative comments and their emotional impactOnline communication and comment sectionsCyberbullying and harassmentDigital boundaries and protecting your mental healthWNBA social media conversationsCompassion and mindful communicationResearch: Ai, Y., & von Mühlenen, A. (2025). An experimental online study on the impact of negative social media comments on anxiety and mood. Scientific Reports, 15, 26642. The experimental study included 128 adults and found that exposure to negative social media comments increased anxiety and decreased mood compared with neutral or positive comments. Hoffner, C. A., & Bond, B. J. (2022). Parasocial relationships, social media, & well-being. Current Opinion in Psychology, 45, 101306. The review describes parasocial relationships as nonreciprocal socio-emotional connections with media figures. The research also emphasizes that these relationships are not inherently harmful; they can support connection, coping, identity exploration, and community while also presenting potential risks to well-being. Podcasts Mentioned: Therapy for Black Girls — Session 470: Parasocial Relationships Dr. Joy Harden Bradford is joined by Dr. Maia Niguel Hoskin for a discussion of one-sided bonds with celebrities, influencers, and other media figures, including how to recognize when these connections may no longer be serving us. Questions For Reflection: How do I usually feel after spending time on social media?Am I communicating online or simply reacting?Would I say this the same way if the person were standing in front of me?Does following someone make me feel entitled to parts of their life they haven't shared?What boundary could improve my relationship with social media?Companion Mini Episode: Digital Reset: A Mindful Social Media Reflection A practical reflection on your relationship with social media, including strategies for noticing unhelpful thoughts, managing emotional reactions, and becoming more intentional about how you interact online. Interested in starting a podcast? Check it out using my partner link: Try Riverside Disclaimer This episode is for educational and reflective purposes and is not a substitute for therapy or individualized mental health treatment. If you need additional support, consider connecting with a licensed mental health professional in your area.

  7. Apr 15 ·  Bonus

    Mini Episode: A Mindful Reflection to Pause, Notice, and Respond

    In this guided mini episode of Stay Mindful with Dr. Evelyn Davis, we take a few intentional moments to pause, reflect, and reconnect with ourselves. This short practice is designed to help you notice your thoughts, identify patterns, and gently shift from reacting to responding—with awareness and compassion. Grab your journal, find a quiet space, and give yourself permission to slow down. Because awareness is where change begins.   Show Notes & Resources:   Tools Used in This Episode Guided Mindful Reflection Practice Worksheet Grounding (breath awareness) Body awareness (noticing tension) Thought awareness (observing patterns) Emotional check-in (What am I carrying?) Support & Mental Health Resources If this reflection brought up difficult emotions, consider reaching out to a licensed mental health professional Talk to a trusted friend, family member, or support system 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (U.S.) Call or text 988 (24/7, free, confidential) Disclaimer This content is for educational and reflective purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are in crisis, please seek immediate support from a licensed professional or contact 988.

  8. Apr 15

    Season 2 Finale Q&A: Mental Health, Relationships, Trauma & Self-Awareness

    In this episode of Stay Mindful with Dr. Evelyn Davis, we’re bringing together the conversations from this season and applying them to real-life questions. We explore how to understand your emotional responses, how to navigate vulnerability in relationships, what it means when difficult thoughts show up unexpectedly, and how to begin healing from past experiences. Because this season has reminded us of one thing—that we have the ability to grow and choose something different.   Show Notes & Resources: Tools Mentioned in This Episode HALT Self-Check Tool Pause and assess your needs: Hungry Angry or Anxious Lonely Tired Support & Mental Health Resources If you are struggling, support is available: 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (U.S.) Call or text 988 Chat via 988lifeline.org Free, confidential, 24/7 support Find a Therapist Psychology Today Therapist Directory Therapy for Black Girls Inclusive Therapists Talk to Someone You Trust A friend, family member, mentor, or faith leader Disclaimer This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are in crisis or experiencing distressing thoughts, please seek immediate support from a licensed professional or contact 988.

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Welcome to StayMindful with Dr. Evelyn Davis, a podcast dedicated to inspiring conversations around mental health, social work, self-growth, and encouragement. Hosted by Dr. Evelyn Davis, LCSW, this podcast is a space to pause, reflect, and grow—one mindful moment at a time. Whether you're a social worker, a mental health professional, or simply someone looking for thoughtful encouragement, you’ll find insight, support, and empowerment here. Join us each week for honest conversations, expert advice, and inspiring perspectives to help you thrive!

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