Spill Your Guts

guts.

Spill Your Guts is a weekly podcast brought to you by guts, a nonprofit organization that provides engaging, science-backed mental health content for free for the community. We know it takes guts to talk about mental health & seek support. Each episode features actionable tools, real-life stories, and downloadable resources to help you thrive. Together, we’re building a community that embraces vulnerability and fosters growth. Listen, learn, and discover the power of having “guts.”

  1. Mindful Movement

    3D AGO

    Mindful Movement

    We know from research that exercise not only supports physical health, it’s one of the most powerful mental health interventions we have, and it doesn’t have to cost a dime. But, what if the way you move matters just as much as the movement itself? In this episode, we explore how combining mindfulness with physical movement can amplify the mental health benefits of exercise. We break down what “mindful movement” actually means (hint: it’s not just yoga or meditation) and why paying attention while you move can help reduce anxiety, improve mood, and calm your nervous system. And, if you find it hard to stay motivated on your own, join us for our Mental Health in Motion campaign this May in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month: https://app.99pledges.com/fund/ittakesguts To contribute to our mission or to access our downloadable infographics and worksheets, find us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or visit our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Music Credit: Nathan Byrne with Reel Byrne Media. Note: The information in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not medical or therapeutic advice. Such information is not intended nor otherwise implied to be mental health advice or a substitute for mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment from a mental health or medical professional. If you become distressed and need support, call 988 to access 24/7 mental health support, call 911, or visit your nearest emergency room.

    19 min
  2. Rethinking Resilience: Doing S.I.D.E.W.O.R.K. to Protect Your Mental Health

    APR 7

    Rethinking Resilience: Doing S.I.D.E.W.O.R.K. to Protect Your Mental Health

    Resilience is often praised, but what if we’ve been getting it wrong? In this episode, we take a closer look at why emotional resilience isn’t about grit, grinding, or pushing through at all costs. We explore how focusing only on individual resilience can overlook burnout, grief, inequitable systems, and the realities of high-pressure work, especially in industries where endurance is often glorified. We reflect on personal experiences with loss, leadership, parenting, and burnout, and introduce S.I.D.E.W.O.R.K. an acronym that compiles evidence-based mental health and behavioral science research (primarily Dialectical Behavior Therapy) into a practical framework for maintaining emotional well-being before you’re depleted.  This episode is for anyone who feels worn down by the idea that they just need to be “more resilient.” It’s a reminder that resilience isn’t about enduring harm, it’s about taking care of yourself so life’s challenges don’t completely take you out. To contribute to our mission or to access our downloadable infographics and worksheets, find us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or visit our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Music Credit: Nathan Byrne with Reel Byrne Media. Note: The information in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not medical or therapeutic advice. Such information is not intended nor otherwise implied to be mental health advice or a substitute for mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment from a mental health or medical professional. If you become distressed and need support, call 988 to access 24/7 mental health support, call 911, or visit your nearest emergency room.

    53 min
  3. “If I Don’t Laugh, I Won’t Survive”: Lucia’s Breast Cancer Journey

    MAR 24

    “If I Don’t Laugh, I Won’t Survive”: Lucia’s Breast Cancer Journey

    In this raw conversation, Lucia shares her experience navigating breast cancer in her early 30s, from diagnosis and a double mastectomy to chemotherapy, IVF, medical menopause, and ongoing treatment. She reflects on how quickly her body, identity, and daily life changed, and the emotional toll of having to constantly advocate for herself in medical settings. Lucia opens up about the often-unspoken mental and physical effects of cancer treatment, her decision to remain flat after her double mastectomy, and how dark humor helped her survive the hardest moments. With honesty, humor, and clarity, Lucia shares why taking time, questioning defaults, and honoring your own needs matters, especially when your body has already been through so much. Her story is a powerful reminder that there’s no single right way to heal and that listening to your body takes guts. Resources: Young Survival Coalition: https://www.youngsurvival.org  First Descents: https://firstdescents.org  The Breasties: https://thebreasties.org Pink Strength: https://www.pinkstrength.org/  Facebook Group: Fierce, FLAT, Forward Instagram accounts: @mycancerchic, @mirandamckeon To support our work, find us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or visit our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.  Music Credit: Nathan Byrne with Reel Byrne Media.  Note: The information in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not medical/therapeutic advice. Such information is not intended nor otherwise implied to be mental health advice or a substitute for mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment from a mental health or medical professional. If you become distressed and need support, call 988 to access 24/7 mental health support, call 911, or visit your nearest emergency room.

    58 min
  4. Why You Keep Having the Same Fight (and How to Finally Interrupt It)

    FEB 10

    Why You Keep Having the Same Fight (and How to Finally Interrupt It)

    Having the same fight over and over can leave you feeling exhausted, disconnected, and unsure how to move forward. One person gets heated. The other shuts down. Nothing actually gets resolved, and the distance grows. In this episode, we explore an evidence-based model (Transactional Model; Fruzetti, 2006) for understanding relationship conflict and why it so often becomes repetitive and intense. Using a real, honest conversation with a long-term couple, we walk through how vulnerability, interpretations, emotional escalation, inaccurate expression, and invalidation all interact to keep couples stuck. As always, we introduce specific tools that you can practice to interrupt these cycles and create real change. Resources Mentioned: Book: “The High Conflict Couple” by Alan Fruzzetti (2006) To contribute to our mission or to access our downloadable infographics and worksheets, find us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or visit our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Music Credit: Nathan Byrne with Reel Byrne Media. Note: The information in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not medical or therapeutic advice. Such information is not intended nor otherwise implied to be mental health advice or a substitute for mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment from a mental health or medical professional. If you become distressed and need support, call 988 to access 24/7 mental health support, call 911, or visit your nearest emergency room.

    59 min
  5. Trichotillomania and BFRBs: Olga’s Story

    JAN 27

    Trichotillomania and BFRBs: Olga’s Story

    Hair pulling is one of those mental health struggles we rarely talk about, partly because so few people understand it, and partly because shame keeps it hidden. In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Olga Cirlugea, a licensed clinical psychologist who shares her personal experience living with trichotillomania (hair pulling disorder), a Body-Focused Repetitive Behavior (BFRB). While Olga brings clinical insight, this conversation centers on what it’s actually been like for her: when it started, how it’s shifted across different seasons of life, and the sensory, self-soothing “ritual” that can make hair pulling hard to explain to others. Olga opens up about the impact of stigma, what it meant to finally receive compassion from others, and how acceptance has been just as important as behavior change. She also shares what has helped her manage trichotillomania over time, including building awareness, tracking patterns, using fidgets and replacement tools, attending support groups, and focusing on the underlying emotions driving the urge to pull. Trichotillomania / BFRB resources mentioned: TLC Foundation for BFRBs: https://www.bfrb.org/ International OCD Foundation (BFRBs): https://iocdf.org/bfrb/  TrichStop: https://www.trichstop.com/ To support our work, find us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or visit our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.  Music Credit: Nathan Byrne with Reel Byrne Media.  Note: The information in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not medical/therapeutic advice. Such information is not intended nor otherwise implied to be mental health advice or a substitute for mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment from a mental health or medical professional. If you become distressed and need support, call 988 to access 24/7 mental health support, call 911, or visit your nearest emergency room.

    43 min

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
10 Ratings

About

Spill Your Guts is a weekly podcast brought to you by guts, a nonprofit organization that provides engaging, science-backed mental health content for free for the community. We know it takes guts to talk about mental health & seek support. Each episode features actionable tools, real-life stories, and downloadable resources to help you thrive. Together, we’re building a community that embraces vulnerability and fosters growth. Listen, learn, and discover the power of having “guts.”