Mental Health Today

Is your marriage going through a difficult stage right now? Are you feeling hopeless and alone as you struggle with your mental health? In this episode, I talk with Tiffany Lee, (AKA Plumb). Plumb gets very personal and talks about her hurt and pain, and God’s redeeming story.  Plumb is a Christan artist and she graciously took time to talk with me before her next tour. Plum has sold more than 500,000 albums and singles worldwide, co-authored songs with Michelle Branch, Mandisa, Mandy Moore, Jaci Velasquez, Natalie Grant, and many more. Plumb’s music has been on numerous TV and Films.    Bellow are Plumb’s links to her book and song that I mention in this episode.  Book Need You Now https://www.amazon.com/Need-You-Now-Story-Hope/dp/0990617203 Need You Now Song https://youtu.be/Y9CjYvQDDIo Facebook https://www.facebook.com/plumbmusic -- Visit www.mentalhealthtodayshow.com   Thanks for listening, John Cordray www.johncordray.com     Smells Like Humans Like listening to funny friends discuss cur

Do you have some anxiety, but you've wondered if you have an anxiety disorder? In this episode, I talk about the seven most common anxiety disorders. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM–5) categorizes anxiety disorders into 7 types: Separation anxiety disorder Selective mutism Specific phobia Social phobia Panic disorder Agoraphobia Generalized anxiety disorder Be sure to visit www.mentalhealthtodayshow.com and sign up for the newsletter and to listen to past episodes. Please subscribe, and leave a review and rating of the show too! Keep working on your mental health, John Cordray, board-certified counselor and host of the Mental Health Today Show. www.johncordray.com   Smells Like Humans Like listening to funny friends discuss curious human behavior. Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Support the showRate the show: If you enjoyed this episode, please consider providing an honest rating of the show here www.mentalhealthtodayshow.com/reviews/new . Disclaimer: Th

Anxiety can be a difficult condition to deal with, especially when it takes control of our lives. We can feel like our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are out of our control. But understanding the negative thought cycle is an important step to taking back control of our anxiety. The negative thought cycle is a cycle of events, thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and outcomes that can lead to increased anxiety or depressive symptoms in individuals. It starts with an event that can be either internal or external, such as a challenging situation or a negative thought. The emotion then leads to a certain behavior, which can be either helpful or unhelpful. Unhelpful behaviors can be, for example, procrastination, avoidance, using alcohol, or self-harm. On the other hand, helpful behaviors can be things like problem-solving, self-care, and seeking professional help. Therefore, it is important to understand the negative thought cycle so that we can be in control of our anxiety, instead of the other way around. He

How is conflict handled in your family? We're not taught how to handle conflict, and oftentimes, conflict is not dealt with at all in families. In this episode, I talk about what you can do to help rebuild conflict in your family.  Please rate and subscribe to the Mental Health Today Show at www.mentalhealthtodayshow.com. Thanks for listening! John Cordray, board-certified counselor and host of the Mental Health Today Show. johncordray.com Support the showRate the show: If you enjoyed this episode, please consider providing an honest rating of the show here www.mentalhealthtodayshow.com/reviews/new . Disclaimer: The Mental Health Today Show is for educational purposes only and should not be interpreted as therapy. If you are seeking therapy, please contact a licensed therapist for help. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Have you ever experienced emotional pain? Pain that's so intense that you don't know what to do. Pain from a loss or a life-altering event can cause emotional pain and suffering. In this episode, I talk about the five signs of emotional pain. Five Signs of Emotional Pain Behavior Change Agitated Withdrawal Poor Hygiene Hopelessness I hope this episode is helpful for you! Check out the website www.mentalhealthtodayshow.com and sign up for the newsletter and updates about the show. I appreciate you always, John Cordray www.johncordray.com Smells Like Humans Like listening to funny friends discuss curious human behavior. Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Support the showRate the show: If you enjoyed this episode, please consider providing an honest rating of the show here www.mentalhealthtodayshow.com/reviews/new . Disclaimer: The Mental Health Today Show is for educational purposes only and should not be interpreted as therapy. If you are seeking therapy, please contact a licensed therapis

Have you experienced more anxiety and stress this past year? Did you know that prolonged anxiety can have negative effects on your body? In this episode, I talk about the effects of anxiety on your body and what you can do to feel better.  Anxiety can affect your central nervous system, your cardiovascular system, your digestive system, your respiratory system, and even your immune system.  Learn the effects of anxiety on your body and what you can do to start feeling better.  Subscribe to the Mental Health Today show at mentalhealthtodayshow.com Please rate and review the show! Thank you, John Cordray johncordray.com John Cordray is a board-certified counselor and the host of the Mental Health Today Show. Smells Like Humans Like listening to funny friends discuss curious human behavior. Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Support the showRate the show: If you enjoyed this episode, please consider providing an honest rating of the show here www.mentalhealthtodayshow.com/reviews/new . Disclaimer: The

I worked in a school district as a mental health therapist for the last three years, and have learned a lot about the struggles schools face every single day. In this episode, I talk about a hidden problem in our school system that many people don't realize. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) affect every school in America, yet so many schools are not equipped to help the kids who need help the most.  Read more about the ACEs study here.  Many times, students who get into trouble at school are often students who have an ACEs score. Students with an ACEs score of 3 or more are not likely to succeed in school.  Please subscribe to the Mental Health Today Show and provide a rating and a review.  Visit mentalhealthtodayshow.com and johncordray.com  Smells Like Humans Like listening to funny friends discuss curious human behavior. Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Support the showRate the show: If you enjoyed this episode, please consider providing an honest rating of the show here www.mentalhealthtod

Do you know someone who has a hard time forgiving others? Maybe it's you that is having a difficult time forgiving. In this episode, I talk about forgiveness and your mental health, and why it's so important to forgive others.  Forgiveness does not mean you will forget the offense. It does not mean that you're letting the other person off the hook. And it does not mean you are somehow weak or giving into forgiveness. Forgiveness means choosing to let go of the bitterness and grudge and allowing peace and restoration to help you grow stronger in your mental health. --- Please subscribe to the Mental Health Today Show and visit mentlhealthtodayshow.com to learn more. I appreciate you, John Cordray johncordray.com Smells Like Humans Like listening to funny friends discuss curious human behavior. Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Support the showRate the show: If you enjoyed this episode, please consider providing an honest rating of the show here www.mentalhealthtodayshow.com/reviews/new .

Have you ever noticed someone who looks sad all the time? You can see it on their face, you can see it in how they respond to others, and you can just tell when a person has been living in grief for a long time.  Prolonged grief can have negative effects in every area of your life.  That’s what I’m going to talk about in this episode of the Mental Health Today Show, Consequences of Unresolved Grief. The Mental Health Today Show is all about encouraging and inspiring you to work on your mental health. If you desire to work on your mental health you are a champion, and I’m glad you are a part of this community.  Working on your mental health is hard work, and you have to work at it every single day - so you are a champion of your mental health. That’s why I like to call you champions.  Today I’m talking about a very difficult topic, but one that needs to be talked about - the Consequences of Unresolved Grief. Grief comes from all sorts of places, the death of a loved one, an accident that leaves you paral

Stress in the workplace is at an all-time high, thanks to COVID-19. From budget cuts to adjusting to being remote, to going back to the office after being remote, more and more people are stressed out, and it affects their mental health. In episode 93 of the Mental Health Today Show, I talk about Managing Workplace Stress. Managing deadlines, dealing with a difficult boss, juggling between working from home and helping your kids who are also remote, job layoffs, and worrying how to pay this month's rent or mortgage takes a toll on your mental health. Stress affects sleep, mood, energy levels, and relationships, and can be harmful to your body. A tiny place in our brains called the Amygdala activates our limbic system and creates a stress hormone called cortisol. But, when the cortisol levels are too high for too long, our body will feel the negative effects of stress. Negative effects of stress = rapid heart rate, blood pressure increase, blood sugar rises, muscles tense up, pupils dilate, and perspi

Millions of people experience anxiety nausea and it often becomes so bad that they can't go to work or school. In episode 92, I talk about what causes anxiety nausea and what you can do about it. Have you ever felt sick to your stomach while you have anxiety? It's one of the worse feelings in the world.  Have you ever wondered if it was nausea that caused the anxiety, or the anxiety that caused nausea? Many times anxiety is an emotional reaction to fear, and it can be triggered by a person's perception (thinking something bad is going to happen), or it can be triggered by an actual event, such as getting into a car wreck, or abuse.  When your mind is in overdrive with fear and anxious thoughts it releases an excess amount of the stress hormone called Cortisol and causes neurotransmitters to be released. Neurotransmitters are natural chemical substances that our brain produces at the end of nerve fibers to many areas of our bodies to keep us healthy. When a neurotransmitter is released it cau

26% of Americans 18 or older have a mental disorder diagnosis, that's 1 in 4 adults that suffer from a diagnosable mental health disorder in a given year. That's a lot of people! A diagnosable mental disorder is a mental illness that has been diagnosed by a doctor or a licensed therapist. Example diagnosable mental disorders: Generalized Anxiety Disorder Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Borderline Personality Disorder Major Depressive Disorder Bipolar Disorder Phobias Many people who have a mental disorder also have co-existing disorders, such as anxiety and depression. And this can lead to a downward spiral of despair and loneliness. Here are the 5 Mental Disorder Early Warning Signs to Watch Out For: Isolation and withdrawal for others for a long period of time. An increase in the use of drugs and/or alochol. Frequent running away and staying away for long periods of time. Feelings of hopelessness for many days in a row. Letting fear keep you from doing things you want or need to do. I

If you're like millions of people over the last year during the COVID19 Pandemic, you have experienced signs of functional depression. You may have noticed an overall attitude of negativity, or maybe you want to not be as involved in activities as much as you used to.  In episode 90: Signs of Functional Depression, I talk about what the signs to look for, and what you can do to start feeling better today. Thanks for listening to the Mental Health Today Show. John Cordray, Board Certified Counselor   Transcript: Have you noticed a decrease in your attitude, maybe you're more negative, maybe you're feeling a little bit more numb to the world since the pandemic started over a year ago? And you just noticed that something is not quite right with how you're feeling. That's what we're going to talk about in episode 90: Signs of Functional Depression.  And welcome back to the mental health show today. My name is John Cordray, I am a board-certified counselor. And I am so glad that you&

Three Common Mental Health Issues Among Young Adults If you are a young adult between the ages 18 to 25 you have likely experienced anxiety, stress, or depression. Maybe you are going through this now. In this episode, I talk about the single most important thing you need to do if you struggle with a mental health issue. You are not alone, 1 in 4 young adults struggle with anxiety, stress, or depression at some time in their life before they turn 30.  Don't forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel Thanks for listening, John  Smells Like Humans Like listening to funny friends discuss curious human behavior. Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Support the showRate the show: If you enjoyed this episode, please consider providing an honest rating of the show here www.mentalhealthtodayshow.com/reviews/new . Disclaimer: The Mental Health Today Show is for educational purposes only and should not be interpreted as therapy. If you are seeking therapy, please contact a licensed therapist for help. Adve

Does anxiety keep you up at night? Do you toss and turn, because you can't stop worrying about things you can't control? In episode 88, I talk about anxiety and sleepless nights, as well as answer viewer questions from YouTube Live. You can work on getting a better night's sleep, and you can start tonight! Be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel here. Thanks for listening to the Mental Health Today Show, John Cordray. Smells Like Humans Like listening to funny friends discuss curious human behavior. Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Support the showRate the show: If you enjoyed this episode, please consider providing an honest rating of the show here www.mentalhealthtodayshow.com/reviews/new . Disclaimer: The Mental Health Today Show is for educational purposes only and should not be interpreted as therapy. If you are seeking therapy, please contact a licensed therapist for help. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Have you ever said something so stupid that it made you feel like a failure?  Have you ever messed up and were so embarrassed that you felt like something was wrong with you? In this episode, I talk about where feeling like a failure often comes from and what you can do to work on it.  I also talk about the difference between a feeling and a belief and which one is normal, and which one can lead to a problem. Thanks for listening to the Mental Health Today Show! John Cordray, Board Certified Counselor Smells Like Humans Like listening to funny friends discuss curious human behavior. Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Support the showRate the show: If you enjoyed this episode, please consider providing an honest rating of the show here www.mentalhealthtodayshow.com/reviews/new . Disclaimer: The Mental Health Today Show is for educational purposes only and should not be interpreted as therapy. If you are seeking therapy, please contact a licensed therapist for help. Advertising Inquiries: https://red

School Safety and Mental Health, Episode 86 It doesn't matter when you listen to this episode, it will always be relevant. School Safety is in the hearts and minds of most people all over the world.  It seems like every day there is a new story talking about a school shooting, teen suicide, or some other tragic crisis among our young people. In this episode, John talks about the importance of prevention and mental health for our young people, and what we all can do to help.  John also talks about why he's been gone from his podcast for a while, and what he is doing now. If you are school staff, administration, parent, or student you need to listen to this episode! You can reach John on his website johncordray.com and on Twitter @JohnPCordray. Support the showRate the show: If you enjoyed this episode, please consider providing an honest rating of the show here www.mentalhealthtodayshow.com/reviews/new . Disclaimer: The Mental Health Today Show is for educational purposes only and should not be

Signs of Depression If you think you may have depression or if you think someone you know has depression this episode is for you. Depression is an often misunderstood emotion and many simply try to deny it. But, depression should never be ignored.  In this episode, John talks about the difference between feeling, 'down-in-the-dumps and full-blown depression. John talks about the current situation with the flooding in his home town to address this important topic. A few signs of depression that John talks about: Withdraw Sudden personality change Lack on interest Change in appetite and sleep patterns Learn what the biggest thing to do if you are depressed or if you want to help someone who is in this episode.  Support the Show You can support the show by visiting www.thementalhealthtodayshow.com or www.patreon.com/johnpcordray Follow The Mental Health Today Show on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thementalhealthtodayshow   As always, thanks for listening! John Support the showRate the show: If

Does Faith Play a Role in Mental Health? This is a great question from listener who asked me about my opinion about faith and mental health. I am a Christian, in fact, I spent 25 years in youth ministry helping teens navigate the up's and down's of life and helping them live their live's for Christ. So, when I was asked this question I was eager to talk about it on my show. As a therapist I offer Christian counseling, but only to those who desire it. I realize that many of my clients are not Christians, just like I know many of my listeners are not Christians, and I want to make sure they (and possibly you), understand that I do not judge you for believing something different than me. I have talked with many Christians who struggle deeply with their mental health and therefore, struggle deeply with their faith that God still loves them. In this episode I address some of the concerns within the church that I have heard from people who struggle with mental health issues. Feeling judged by othe

Are you feeling overwhelmed and anxious? If you have ever had a panic attack, you know how scary it can be. In this episode of my podcast, John talks about where panic attacks come from and what simple things you can do right now to stop them. Most people misidentify a panic attack as a heart attack. Although the two can have similar symptoms, they are very different. It's important to remember that if you believe you are having a heart attack, don't ignore it and get help immediately. Common symptoms of a panic attack include heart racing, hot flashes, sweaty palms and forehead, irrational thoughts, and dizziness. John provides great tips about what you can do right now to be proactive before your next panic attack. Panic attacks can come out of nowhere and it's best to know what to do when they hit. He also discusses where they come from and how to identify the signs and symptoms. If you're feeling overwhelmed, don't be afraid to listen to this episode. It's packed with helpful ti