Feed Your Mind with 3 Podcasts

May 18, 2021

Now more than ever it is critical that people tend to their mental health. Mental health care is not limited to therapy and counselling — there are a plethora of ways one can find a helpful resource that helps them cope with stress and daily struggles. One of these ways is by listening to mental health podcasts. Mental health podcasts are podcasts that are written and shared to connect others through their struggles. Their content can vary from one’s personal experiences to offering advice to the listener.

Podcasts Rated:

1). The Butterfly Effect | (Spotify)
2). Unapologetically Me: A Mental Health Podcast | (Spotify)
3). Mental Health Mentor | (Spotify)

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What I listened for:
What does the podcast touch upon?
How does the host of the show interact with the audience?
Is the advice offered (if any) broad and able to be used by a wide variety of people?

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“The Butterfly Effect | METAMORPHOSIS MONDAY #13: The Benefits of Alone Time” | 7.5/10

This is the logo of “The Butterfly Effect.” Screenshot via Spotify by Madison Pisarski

“The Butterfly Effect” is a mental health podcast. The host of the show, who has yet to release an alias, promotes mental health and offers a variety of episodes to help listeners begin their journey to healing. The listener can choose from her Metamorphosis Monday miniseries, where the host creates a new, short cast each week that discusses a certain topic, whether that be depression, anxiety, healthy boundaries, etc. Others are much longer, ranging from thirty-five minutes to an hour, where she tackles bigger mental health issues.

Her introduction is very professional, and she provides the listener with the disclaimer that the subject matter the show deals with can be rather heavy and triggering to some people. The show is very laid back, calming and conversational.

She makes it very clear to the audience that you know yourself better than anyone else.
“When it comes to your own mental health…, the most important thing is to set your boundaries with people and have your alone time.” The host states.

The show’s outro is very well done. She offers the listener different outlets to find more content from her, such as providing information on the different ways to support her. After that, she fades out of the episode with pleasurable background music.

Overall, this is an excellent podcast that provides profound insight to different aspects of mental health. The host is open about her experiences, but not in a way that is burdening to the audience.

“Unapologetically Me: A Mental Health Podcast | Perfectly Flawed” | 9/10

This is the logo of “Unapologetically Me.” Screenshot via Spotify by Madison Pisarski

“Unapologetically Me,” a podcast operated by mental health activist Boomer Perrault, revolves around the subject of mental health. Each episode provides the listener with different tips for mental health care as the host interviews different individuals about their journeys with mental health. Guests of the show include people with mental illnesses, physical ailments and everything in between.

Perrault starts each cast with a formal introduction, easing into the episode with instrumental music beforehand.
He makes casual small talk with the interviewee instead of hurtling a question at them right from the beginning. This is nice for both the interviewee and the audience, as both are slowly transitioning into the subject of the episode.
Perrault asks open-ended questions and gives room for the interviewee to respond. He does not interrupt the interviewee at any point during the episode.
Towards the end of the episode, the host will ask the interviewee what advice they would give to the audience. Both individuals are aware of the fact that mental health care is not always accessible to everyone, and they genuinely make an effort to keep the advice as broad and as universal as possible.
He gives the interviewee the chance to promote where they can be found online if the audience is interested. He shows genuine gratitude for their time.
Each episode concludes with an abundance of well wishes to the audience, thanking them profusely for listening to the show.

Perrault creates a relaxing atmosphere. It’s clear that he knows what he’s doing, and he does it well. He makes it evident that you are not alone in your struggles, and episodes have a wide variety of different subjects with people who went through similar experiences.

“Mental Health Mentor- Therapy- Does Therapy Actually Work?” | 7.5/10

This is the  logo image of “Mental Health Mentor.” Screenshot via Spotify by Madison Pisarski

Taylor Hays, the host of Mental Health Mentor, is a strong advocate for mental health. While she is not a mental health professional, she does her best to offer the listener with different practices they can try to embark on their journey to mental health clarity.

Hays is very much in favor of the idea of getting a therapist if one is considering it, but she does acknowledge that it can be extremely difficult and intimidating initially. She doesn’t attempt to downplay that aspect of it, which as far as honesty goes, is reassuring.

Somewhere during the middle of the episode, she pauses to get up and let her cat (who was scratching at the door) into the room. It was a minor interruption that didn’t cause too much disturbance, but it did come across as slightly unprofessional.
There are some small background noises.

Hays relays some lessons and techniques her therapist provided with her that she benefited from. These techniques were more geared towards coping with anxiety.

Hays acknowledges the fact that mental health does not discriminate, and regardless of someone’s privilege, background, opportunities, or available resources, their struggles are valid and deserve to be acknowledged.

She offers the listener well wishes and thanks them for listening to the show in her outro.

While it is clear Hays is a beginner podcast host, she has positive intentions and wants to help make mental health more accessible and openly discussed. There is potential for growth and development in certain areas of the show.

All in all, mental health is just as important as physical health, and it is important that we break through the negative stigmas surrounding it. Mental health is different for every individual, and it’s nothing to feel ashamed about. There are a plethora of resources available if you or a loved one are struggling, whether they be podcasts, blogs, support groups or healthy coping mechanisms to incorporate into your routine.

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