Getting Better: A BetterHelp Podcast About Mental Health And Healing
Imagine sitting down with a stranger to discuss a random topic. You pull a topic from a hat, and the subject is "mental health." If you had no preparation for this conversation, how would you feel?
For some people, conversations about mental health are commonplace; but for others, these discussions can feel downright scary. In your personal life, popular media, and broader culture, mental health topics may be addressed with varying levels of awareness and compassion. Historically, a lack of awareness, coupled with deep-rooted stigmas about mental health, interacts with various cultural and personal factors, resulting in a soup of misinformation. Even with the best intentions, knowing where and how to start these conversations can be challenging.
To promote these conversations and ultimately make them more convenient for listeners, BetterHelp and Cloud10 launched a podcast called Getting Better: Stories of Mental Health. This self-care podcast is hosted by two licensed therapists, Micheline Maalouf and Nadia Addesi, who offer expertise while interviewing unique guests and mental health experts. Podcast listeners can stream it for free on Spotify, Google Podcasts, or Apple Podcasts.
If you're looking for support and solidarity in your journey, mental health and therapy podcasts are an increasingly popular tool. Using the power of storytelling, Getting Better may inspire you to invest in your mental health, impart your journey with others, and develop coping mechanisms and habits for a healthier life.
Getting better: Stories of mental health
The Getting Better podcast is designed to inspire listeners by discussing relatable experiences and information. Activists, actors, singers, athletes, and other professionals offer their wisdom and real-life experiences with mental health challenges through interviews with podcast hosts.
Hosts Micheline Maalouf and Nadia Addis integrate their clinical knowledge with fun, insightful, and digestible conversations in each episode. Past guests on the show include the following individuals.
Jay Shetty
Author and life coach Jay Shetty discusses his experiences with bullying and coping mechanisms that boosted his emotional well-being. He also talks about his Asian-American Pacific Islander (AAPI) identity, its influence on family dynamics, and his experience as a monk.
Ian Somerhalder
Actor Ian Somerhalder talks about healthy social media usage, developing empathy, and the life-changing benefits of therapy.
Meghan Trainor
Singer Meghan Trainor unpacks her experience of living with panic disorder, her treatment journey, and maintaining her mental health as a new mother.
Justin Baldoni
Actor and director Justin Baldoni talks about what it means to be a man and how he navigates masculinity norms. He also discusses his thoughts on privilege, fatherhood, and raising children without enforcing gender stereotypes.
Cynthia Germanotta
Cynthia Germanotta is the co-founder of the Born This Way Foundation and mother of Lady Gaga. She talks about raising daughters, creating a kinder world for young people, and helping youth achieve wellness.
You can add Getting Better to your daily listening routine if you're already a regular podcast listener. BetterHelp is offering a discount for podcast listeners involving 10% off your first month of BetterHelp therapy through the Getting Better project.
Destigmatizing mental health: One episode at a time
Together, hosts Micheline and Nadia facilitate honest, forthright, and actionable dialogue about various mental health topics. Their primary goal is to help listeners feel less frustrated, scared, and more empowered to talk about mental health.
To meet this goal, episodes of Getting Better cover the following topics.
Bullying and social media
Bullying occurs online and in person and can have lasting psychological effects on survivors. Bullying is considered an Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) and can be a traumatic experience for some people. In many cases, bullying and identity-based bias interact, which can lead bullies to target a person's race, religion, disability, immigration status, gender identity, or any other feature that contributes to their core identity.
If you are experiencing trauma, support is available. Please see our Get Help Now page for more resources.
Special guests like Jay Shetty and Ian Somerhalder discuss their experiences with childhood bullying and social media and how these experiences affected their relationships and sense of self-worth.
As a survivor of bullying, Shetty expresses gratitude for his mother's unwavering love, which gave him the strength to overcome these experiences. In the Getting Better podcast, the hosts uplift Shetty's relationship with his mother as an example of a "resilience factor," which helped him face and ultimately overcome this early adversity.
LGBTQIA+ rights
As a part of the LGBTQIA+ community, Dominique Jackson discusses how her identities shaped her personal and professional life. Jackson progressed from sex work and homelessness to a high-profile acting career on the hit series, Pose. She tells her story, wisdom, and hopes for fellow participants of the LGBTQIA+ community.
LGBTQIA+ rights are fundamental human rights. Regardless of your sexual orientation or gender identity, you deserve the same rights, freedoms, and opportunities as others. On the podcast, Jackson speaks to this truth and tells her desire for all listeners to find peace and confidence in their true identities.
If you're an LGBTQ+ youth in crisis, reach out to The Trevor Project hotline by calling 1-866-488-7386 or texting "START" to 678-678. You can also use their online chat.
Masculinity
For many people of all gender identities, including men, the cultural concept of "masculinity" influences beliefs about gender roles. On the Getting Better podcast, guests like Justin Baldoni discuss the transmission of traditional masculine "values" between generations and how these gendered norms affect behaviors and self-perceptions.
Whether you identify as a man or hold another gender identity, it can be essential, yet challenging, to accept and feel your emotions as they come. By deflecting, suppressing, or otherwise avoiding your emotions, you may lose an opportunity to be vulnerable with others and strengthen your relationships. When aware of the cultural pressures of masculinity, you may develop tools, knowledge, and strategies to recognize and overcome them.
Immigration and AAPI communities
In the United States, people identify with diverse ethnic communities, religions, cultures, and beliefs. With so much diversity in backgrounds and identities, people naturally experience unique challenges as they navigate mental health and well-being.
As a participant in the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community, Michelle Kwan opens up about her mental health journey on the Getting Better podcast. In another episode, the hosts also chat with actor Wilmer Valderrama, who talks about his experience of immigrating with his family to the US from Central America. The podcast explores dynamics that often affect immigrant families, including financial stress, the pressure of productivity and success, and communication about mental health and other vulnerabilities.
Emotional eating and eating disorders
Eating disorders are often associated with secrecy, shame, and other health concerns, including body dysmorphia, anxiety, depression, and poor physical health. But with the support of a professional therapist, it may be possible to heal your relationship with food.
On the Getting Better podcast, actress Rebel Wilson describes how she healed her relationship with food and body image. She documents her journey with emotional eating and how she restored her mental and physical health. Above all, Wilson asserts that to nourish and heal your body, you can start with your mental health.
If you are experiencing a crisis related to an eating disorder or would like further resources, reach out to the ANAD Eating Disorders Helpline at 1-888-375-7767 from Mon-Friday 9 am to 9 pm CT.
Anxiety and depression
Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illnesses in the US. Nearly 40 million people in the US (18%) each year experience an anxiety disorder. Major depression is another common mental illness, with over 280 million people worldwide experiencing symptoms.
Despite the pervasiveness of these conditions, it can be challenging to find the language and the confidence to discuss personal experiences of anxiety and depression. To invite listeners to engage in these conversations, the hosts of Getting Better regularly discuss anxiety and depression and impart powerful stories of healing from people living with these mental illnesses.
Anxiety and depression can affect anyone, including celebrities, pro athletes, and pop stars. Basketball star Chris Bosh serves as a primary example. After leaving the NBA due to a life-changing injury, he talks about living with anxiety and rediscovering his purpose on the podcast.
Parenthood and family
Parenthood and family dynamics often play a foundational role in mental well-being. While family can be a wellspring of love and support, these relationships can also result in emotional strain, tension, and estrangement.
Abuse, separation, divorce, and raising children are often intensely emotional and complicated experiences. Many families recommit to healing past hurts, breaking toxic patterns, and learning how to cope and connect to create and sustain healthy bonds.
If you or a loved one is experiencing abuse, contact the Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Support is available 24/7.
On Getting Better, guests Jay Shetty and Wilmer Valderrama discuss the complexities of belonging to a family of immigrants and how the lack of mental health discussions in their childhood homes affected their mental health as adults.
As adults, childhood experiences may influence how individuals understand and approach parenting. While parenthood can be a source of deep meaning, having children can also prevent parents from prioritizing their mental health. As a new mother and musical artist, Meghan Trainor describes her experiences with motherhood, panic attacks, and how her psychiatrist helped her create an effective, sustainable treatment plan. Trainor felt she became a healthier individual, professional, and parent with this support.
Getting better with BetterHelp online therapy
The Getting Better podcast provides a platform for conversations about meaningful mental health topics. While these discussions can be valuable, navigating mental health topics in your daily life may be impossible if you lack personal or professional support. If you're experiencing a mental health condition, questions about identity, or a related concern, you may benefit from working with a licensed therapist online.
Using an online therapy platform like BetterHelp, clients can complete a brief questionnaire and match with qualified therapists in under 48 hours. This service isn't self-help but professional support conducted entirely online via message, phone, or video sessions. Each therapist through these platforms is extensively trained and experienced, and they help clients develop coping strategies using physical and online tools.
Internet-supported therapeutic interventions can include online counseling, informational websites, wikis, and podcasts. When recommended by licensed therapists, these activities can help clients learn new coping skills and develop online and in-person supportive communities. Research also suggests that online therapy can effectively address many mental health challenges. A 2020 study, for instance, found significant improvements in clients' depressive symptoms after engaging in online psychological programs, which often involved cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT).
Takeaway
How do podcasts help with anxiety?
Anxiety affects more than 40 million Americans every year, and while everyone experiences it differently, listening to other people’s experiences can be a learning experience. While a podcast should not be considered a substitute for therapy or professional treatment, a podcast that talks about anxiety may help people cope with their anxiety and feel less alone.
Do podcasts improve mental health?
Although podcasts should never replace therapy or another form of treatment, they can contribute to good mental health. Podcasts that talk about these things can help destigmatize mental health. Whether the podcast is hosted by mental health specialists having an honest and open dialogue about youth mental health, fear, acceptance, or it tells the stories of people’s personal experiences, getting people talking about their mental health can help others feel less scared and alone.
What is the best thing to listen to for anxiety?
Podcasts about mental health can be a good choice for people with anxiety, but there are other options. A playlist with calming music, nature sounds, or white noise may be helpful. Guided meditation apps can also be effective.
How to deal with anxiety and overthinking through podcasts?
The best way to deal with these things through podcasts is to find one that holds your attention and speaks to you. Although finding a good podcast is not the same as getting therapy, but a good deep dive into the right subjects can help you feel less alone and learn about things that have worked for others.
Do podcasts help your brain?
Podcasts can help your brain in a few ways. Recent research shows that listening to narrative stories, including narrative podcasts, can have multiple effects on the brain. Listening to podcasts is not a substitute for treatment or a cure for mental health problems, but it can help you feel less alone and learn more about strategies that have worked for others.
What are the disadvantages of podcasts?
Podcasts may have some disadvantages. You typically need an internet connection and a laptop, smartphone, or other smart device to listen to them. Some podcasts are only available on specific platforms. Many are ad-supported, and while you can subscribe to various podcast platforms, subscriptions generally cost money.
Why not listen to podcasts?
Listening to podcasts may have plenty of benefits, like increased happiness or hope. They can be entertaining, educational, and help you feel less alone. There may not be a reason not to listen to podcasts, but it is important to remember that they should not be used as a replacement for therapy or the advice of a professional.
Should I listen to podcasts while sleeping?
It depends on the podcast. Some podcasts are designed to help you sleep with soothing stories and other calming sounds, but others may stimulate your brain in a way that is counterproductive to sleep. Some podcasts can keep you awake by encouraging your brain to continue actively listening instead of sleeping, and some of the noises in the podcast can wake you up when you drift off to sleep.
Do you actually learn from podcasts?
Depending on the type of podcast and the topic covered, podcasts can be very educational. They can also have a lot of benefits for learning, too. You can listen to podcasts anywhere while doing anything, whether you’re cleaning, driving, folding laundry, or taking a walk. Podcasts can be an excellent tool for people who learn best by listening and are a great way to incorporate passive learning.
How effective is a podcast?
A well-made podcast that covers an interesting topic in the right way can be an excellent tool to learn about things that interest you. In some cases, podcasts are a great way to hear personal stories of people experiencing mental health problems or get information from specialists. Again, podcasts should not be used as a substitute for online or in-person therapy or medication or to communicate with professionals, but they can be educational and help on a long journey to mental wellness.
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