Spill Your Guts

guts.
  • 5.0 (10)
  • Mental Health
  • Updated Weekly

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. 3d ago

    You're Not the Only One, With Dior Vargas

    What happens when you grow up believing that mental health struggles aren’t something people like you are supposed to have? In this episode of Spill Your Guts, mental health activist Dior Vargas shares her deeply personal journey from experiencing depression, trauma, and suicidal thoughts at a young age to becoming an outspoken advocate for more inclusive conversations about mental health. Dior talks about the cultural messages that taught her to be strong rather than vulnerable, how a lack of representation shaped her understanding of mental illness, and why she created the People of Color and Mental Illness Photo Project. We also talk about the barriers marginalized communities still face in accessing quality mental health care, the healing power of community, and what Dior has learned about taking ownership of her own mental health. It’s a conversation about vulnerability, representation, finding connection, and having the guts to keep showing up, even when it’s hard. Connect with Dior: https://www.diorvargas.com/; @dior_vargas 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.

    You're Not the Only One, With Dior Vargas

  2. Aug 25

    Small Ways to Feel Closer to Your Partner

    In this practical and heartfelt conversation, Dr. Paige Thompson joins Spill Your Guts to explore why vulnerability is one of the most powerful paths to deeper connection. Drawing from Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), she explains why opening up can feel so risky, and how learning to reach for the people we love can help us build safer, more connected relationships. Dr. Thompson breaks down what it means to be accessible, responsive, and engaged with a partner, and shares simple ways to practice these skills in everyday life. We also explore what happens when vulnerability isn’t met well and how couples can repair after moments of disconnection. This episode is a reminder that needing other people isn’t a weakness. Connection requires the courage to let ourselves be seen, and to show up with care when someone else takes that risk with us.  Connect with Dr. Paige Thompson: https://www.drpaigethompson.com/; @couplestherapypaige Download the free infographic and worksheet! www.gutsnonprofit.org/infographics#connection 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.

    Small Ways to Feel Closer to Your Partner

  3. Aug 11

    Why We Need to Talk About Death

    In this honest and thought-provoking conversation, Hensley, a death coach and founder of Inure Planning, shares how a series of personal losses led her to a career focused on helping people build a healthier relationship with death and dying. She opens up about the emotional and logistical realities of navigating death, including planning her mother’s funeral and witnessing the impact of meaningful vs. disconnected memorials, and how these experiences reshaped the way she thinks about grief, legacy, and living.  We discuss practical ways to start conversations about death, alternative end-of-life options, and why planning ahead can be a gift to the people we love. This conversation challenges the idea that talking about death is something to avoid and instead shows how facing it can help us clarify what matters, appreciate our relationships, and live more intentionally.  Connect with Hensley & Inure Planning: https://www.inureplanning.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

    Why We Need to Talk About Death

  4. Jul 28

    Coping Ahead: How to Feel More Prepared for Life's Hard Moments

    When something difficult is on the horizon—a hard conversation, a medical diagnosis, a job interview, or the loss of a loved one—our minds often prepare by imagining everything that could go wrong. But what if there was a more effective way to prepare?  In this episode, we introduce the DBT skill of Coping Ahead, an evidence-based strategy that helps you stop rehearsing catastrophe and start practicing how you'll respond effectively, no matter what happens. You'll learn why our brains default to worst-case scenarios, how mental rehearsal can build confidence, and a simple five-step exercise you can use before your next difficult life event.  Music Credit: Nathan Byrne with Reel Byrne Media To support guts’ work, visit our ⁠⁠⁠website: www.gutsnonprofit.org  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 the free 24/7 Crisis Hotline, call 911, or visit your nearest emergency room.

    Coping Ahead: How to Feel More Prepared for Life's Hard Moments

  5. Jul 14

    Dr. Mohamed Elnakib on Activism as Self-Care

    In this powerful conversation, Dr. Mohamed Abdallah Elnakib shares how activism became a way to survive, cope, and stay grounded in his values. He unpacks what activism means beyond protests, describing it as living in alignment with your “why” and taking action in ways both big and small. Dr. Elnakib opens up about the emotional toll of navigating injustice, including his experiences being arrested during the George Floyd protests, and how those moments were both traumatic and transformative. He reflects on the tension between burnout and empowerment, showing how activism can be both deeply draining and deeply nourishing, and how learning to shift between frontline and behind-the-scenes advocacy is key to sustainability. This episode is a reminder that doing something, however small, can restore a sense of agency, connection, and purpose. And that showing up for what matters, takes guts. Read the article: Elnakib, M. M., & Turner, M. (2023). The power of activism as self-care: An autoethnography of the arrest of activists in the wake of the George Floyd protests. Women & Therapy, 46(4), 391–406. https://doi.org/10.1080/02703149.2023.2286056 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.

    Dr. Mohamed Elnakib on Activism as Self-Care

  6. Jun 30

    How to Train Your Brain to Find More Joy, Connection, & Meaning

    When we’re stressed, overwhelmed, or going through a difficult period in life, it can become harder to feel joy, look forward to things, and stay connected to what matters most. In this episode, we explore anhedonia - when it becomes harder to feel interest, enjoyment, or pleasure in things that used to feel meaningful - and skills that help us notice, appreciate, and create more positive experiences. Drawing from Positive Affect Training, developed by Dr. Michelle Craske and colleagues (2019), we discuss how we can train our brains to make more space for moments of joy, connection, gratitude, accomplishment, and meaning. This isn’t about forcing happiness or pretending everything is okay. It’s about learning how to reconnect with the moments that remind us life can still feel meaningful. Resources Craske, M. G., Meuret, A. E., Ritz, T., Treanor, M., Dour, H. J., & Rosenfield, D. (2019). Positive affect treatment for depression and anxiety: A randomized clinical trial for a core feature of anhedonia. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 87(5), 457–471.  Loving-kindness practice from Dr. Kristin Neff: https://self-compassion.org/practices/loving-kindness-meditation-2/ Music Credit: Nathan Byrne with Reel Byrne Media To support guts’ work, visit our ⁠⁠⁠website: www.gutsnonprofit.org  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 the free 24/7 Crisis Hotline, call 911, or visit your nearest emergency room.

    How to Train Your Brain to Find More Joy, Connection, & Meaning

  7. Jun 16

    Every Stitch Is Proof of Connection: A Conversation with Meg Burke of Cuerd@s

    What if a tiny stitched dot on a piece of clothing could help someone feel grounded, supported, and connected? In this episode, Meg Burke, founder of Cuerd@s, shares how a deeply personal act of care for her sibling grew into a nonprofit creating tactile grounding clothing and unique mental health workshops across the country. We explore the mental health impact of sensory grounding and self-soothing and Meg shares how embroidery became a form of intentional community building - creating spaces where people can connect, open up, and talk about mental health in a low-pressure, human way.  Cuerd@s believes that every stitch is proof of connection and seeks to remind people that they are not alone.  Connect with Meg Burke & Cuerd@s Website: wearecuerdos.com Instagram: @wearecuerdos Music Credit: Nathan Byrne with Reel Byrne Media To support guts’ work, visit our ⁠⁠⁠website: www.gutsnonprofit.org  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 the free 24/7 Crisis Hotline, call 911, or visit your nearest emergency room.

    Every Stitch Is Proof of Connection: A Conversation with Meg Burke of Cuerd@s

  8. Jun 11

    The Story Behind guts.

    In this mini episode, Dr. Jenn Staples shares the story behind Spill Your Guts - from her own experience with anxiety to discovering the evidence-based skills that changed her life. She shares how she took the tools she learned as a psychologist into the community because she believes everyone deserves access to practical mental health skills, not just those who can afford therapy. Tune in to hear how the nonprofit guts came to be and why having “guts” is about courage, vulnerability, and taking steps toward a more meaningful life. You can support our nonprofit’s work by visiting 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.

    The Story Behind guts.
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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.”

Information

  • Creator
    guts.
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    54
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © guts.
  • Show Website
    Spill Your Guts