221 — Feeling Stuck? How Sharing Your Struggles Can Set You Free with Carnie Wilson
Our struggles often feel isolating. But talking about them, even when it's uncomfortable, can be the key to growth and healing.
Today's guest, Carnie Wilson, co-founder of the world famous musical group Wilson Phillips, understands the importance of vulnerability. From navigating fame and a multigenerational legacy in music (including her legendary late father, Brian Wilson, co-founder of The Beach Boys) to overcoming addiction, shame, and postpartum depression... Carnie’s willingness to share her struggles is a testament to the power of connection and self-compassion.
We explore how opening up about challenges can build mental strength, the importance of community, and the small steps you can take to find healing.
Some of the things we discuss are:
How vulnerability can become a superpower for growth and healing
What led to her becoming a mental health advocate
The role of connection in staying resilient and fostering mental strength
The challenges and triumphs of battling addiction and recovering from postpartum depression
Why shame and stigma hold us back, and how sharing your story can set you free
The importance of mental health advocacy and raising awareness for conditions like tardive dyskinesia (TD)
Practical steps to move past perfectionism and focus on progress in your mental health
Want more tips for building mental strength? Subscribe to Mentally Stronger Premium and get weekly AMA episodes and monthly bonuses to help you grow mentally stronger!
Links & Resources
Connectingwithcarnie.com
Follow Carnie on Instagram — @Carnie68
Connect with the Show
Buy Amy's books on mental strength
Connect with Amy on Instagram — @AmyMorinAuthor
AmyMorinLCSW.com
Sponsors
OneSkin — Get 15% off OneSkin with the code STRONGER at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod
Calm — Get 40% off a Calm Premium Subscription at calm.com/STRONGER
AirDoctor — Head to AirDoctorPro.com and use promo code STRONGER to get UP TO $300 off today!
Shopify — Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial period at Shopify.com/mentallystronger
Mentally Strong — Sign up for your free 7-day trial at MentallyStrong.Downpait.Ai
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
--------
39:53
220 — 3 Nightly Questions to Ask Yourself to Build Emotional Intelligence, Boost Mental Strength, and Quiet Your Brain Before You Go to Sleep
Does your mind race at night? Maybe you replay everything that went wrong during the day? Or maybe you lie awake worrying about tomorrow?You’re not alone.
Asking yourself three simple questions every night can calm those thoughts, boost your emotional intelligence, and help you sleep better.
These questions only take a couple of minutes to answer, but they can rewire your brain for positivity and resilience. By the end of the episode, you'll have a nightly mental strength routine designed to improve your mental health and help you feel calmer and happier.
Some of the things I share are:
The GHI Method: A simple 3-step formula using gratitude, hope, and inner strength
How this nightly habit builds mental strength and resilience
Why small, intentional reflections reduce stress and enhance personal growth
The science behind practicing gratitude and its impact on your brain
How to tie this routine to your daily habits for long-term consistency
Personal stories of how GHI has helped others with anxiety and overwhelm
Subscribe to Mentally Stronger Premium for exclusive content like bonus episodes, signed books, and 30-day challenges that will keep you growing stronger.
Connect with the Show
Buy a copy of 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do
Connect with Amy on Instagram — @AmyMorinAuthor
Visit my website — AmyMorinLCSW.com
Sponsors
Quince — Get free shipping and 365-day returns at Quince.com/stronger
OneSkin — Get 15% off OneSkin with the code STRONGER at https://www.oneskin.co/
ZocDoc — Go to Zocdoc.com/STRONGER to find and instantly book a top-rated doctor today!
Calm — Get 40% off a Calm Premium Subscription at calm.com/STRONGER
AirDoctor — Head to AirDoctorPro.com and use promo code STRONGER to get UP TO $300 off today!
Shopify — Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial period at Shopify.com/mentallystronger
Mentally Strong — Sign up for your free 7-day trial at MentallyStrong.Downpat.ai
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
--------
17:57
219 — Stop Hating Yourself: A Step-by-Step Guide to Reclaiming Your Worth with Dr. Blaise Aguirre
Do you feel like your inner critic is trying to make you hate yourself? That deep-rooted feeling that you’re not good enough can quietly shape your life, but it doesn’t have to stay that way.
I’m joined by Dr. Blaise Aguirre, professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and one of the top experts on self-hatred and borderline personality disorder.
With decades of experience, he’s here to unravel why self-hatred develops and what you can do to overcome it. Some of the things we discuss are:
Why self-hatred is a learned behavior (and how to identify its roots).
The hidden ways self-hatred creeps into your life, like perfectionism and people-pleasing.
How to tell the difference between low self-esteem and self-hatred.
Simple steps that can help you stop hating yourself and build self-compassion.
Why small acts of kindness can help you see your value more clearly.
The exact steps you can take to stop hating yourself today.
Want more tips for building mental strength? Subscribe to Mentally Stronger Premium and get weekly AMA episodes and monthly bonuses to help you grow mentally stronger!
Links & Resources
Ihatemyselfbook.com
Follow Dr. Aguirre on Instagram — @blaiseaguirre
Connect with the Show
Buy Amy's books on mental strength
Connect with Amy on Instagram — @AmyMorinAuthor
AmyMorinLCSW.com
Sponsors
Quince — Get free shipping and 365-day returns at Quince.com/stronger
OneSkin — Get 15% off OneSkin with the code STRONGER at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod
Calm — Get 40% off a Calm Premium Subscription at calm.com/STRONGER
AirDoctor — Head to AirDoctorPro.com and use promo code STRONGER to get UP TO $300 off today!
Shopify — Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial period at Shopify.com/mentallystronger
ZocDoc — Go to Zocdoc.com/STRONGER to find and instantly book a top-rated doctor today!
Mentally Strong — Sign up for your free 7-day trial at MentallyStrong.Downpait.Ai
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
--------
46:04
218 — 3 Steps to Building Boundaries That Stick So You Can Reclaim Your Time and Energy
Do you struggle to set boundaries that stick? You're not alone.
Boundaries protect your time, energy, and mental well-being, yet many of us feel guilty or back down when faced with pushback. Fortunately, boundary setting is a skill, and just like any skill, you can get better with practice.
This episode is all about helping you create boundaries you can feel good about. By the end of the episode, you'll know how to identify, communicate, and stick to your boundaries—with zero guilt.
Some of the things I share are:
Why boundaries are essential for your mental and emotional wellbeing
How unclear boundaries drain your energy and create resentment
A simple 3-step formula for building boundaries that last
How boundaries can transform your relationships for the better
Words and strategies to clearly and kindly communicate your limits
Why “showing” your boundaries can work better than just “telling” people
How to handle pushback without backing down
Subscribe to Mentally Stronger Premium for exclusive content like bonus episodes, signed books, and 30-day challenges that will keep you growing stronger.
Connect with the Show
Buy a copy of 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do
Connect with Amy on Instagram — @AmyMorinAuthor
Visit my website — AmyMorinLCSW.com
Sponsors
Quince — Get free shipping and 365-day returns at Quince.com/stronger
OneSkin — Get 15% off OneSkin with the code STRONGER at https://www.oneskin.co/
ZocDoc — Go to Zocdoc.com/STRONGER to find and instantly book a top-rated doctor today!
Calm — Get 40% off a Calm Premium Subscription at calm.com/STRONGER
AirDoctor — Head to AirDoctorPro.com and use promo code STRONGER to get UP TO $300 off today!
Shopify — Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial period at Shopify.com/mentallystronger
Mentally Strong — Sign up for your free 7-day trial at MentallyStrong.Downpat.ai
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
--------
18:05
217 — The Science of Validation: The Secret Ingredient Your Relationships Need with Dr. Caroline Fleck
Do you feel heard when you talk to people? Have you struggled to connect deeply with others in challenging moments? Validation could help you build trust, strengthen your relationships, and prevent miscommunications.
But validation is often misunderstood. You don't have to agree with someone to validate them.
No one knows this better than Dr. Caroline Fleck, a clinical psychologist and validation expert. In this episode, we discuss how the power of validation can strengthen connections and foster mental strength.
Some of the things we discuss are:
How validation is different from praise.
Why validation is just as important as love and compassion in relationships.
How validation can de-escalate conflicts and strengthen communication.
Simple skills like mirroring emotions and the “mindfulness, understanding, and empathy” framework.
The role of validation in self-compassion and mental strength.
The exact steps you can take to ensure someone feels heard and understood.
What happens when people don't feel validated.
What you can do if you aren't feeling validated by other people.
Want more tips for building mental strength? Subscribe to Mentally Stronger Premium and get weekly AMA episodes and monthly bonuses to help you grow mentally stronger!
Links & Resources
Follow Dr. Fleck on Instagram - @CarolineFleckphd
DrCarolineFleck.com
Validation
Connect with the Show
Buy Amy's books on mental strength
Connect with Amy on Instagram — @AmyMorinAuthor
AmyMorinLCSW.com
Sponsors
Quince - Get free shipping and 365-day returns at Quince.com/stronger
OneSkin — Get 15% off OneSkin with the code STRONGER at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod
Calm — Get 40% off a Calm Premium Subscription at calm.com/STRONGER
AirDoctor — Head to AirDoctorPro.com and use promo code STRONGER to get UP TO $300 off today!
Shopify — Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial period at Shopify.com/mentallystronger
ZocDoc — Go to Zocdoc.com/STRONGER to find and instantly book a top-rated doctor today!
Mentally Strong — Sign up for your free 7-day trial at MentallyStrong.Downpait.Ai
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Growing mentally stronger will change your life and therapist Amy Morin wants to show you how to make it happen.
Whether you want to improve your mental health, boost your resilience, gain emotional intelligence, or gain a competitive edge that will help you reach your greatest potential, this show is for you.
Mentally Stronger provides therapist-approved strategies for tackling the biggest battle we all face--the one in our minds.
Webby Award-Winning Host Amy Morin is a psychotherapist and the bestselling author of 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do. Every episode dives into science-backed strategies for building the mental strength you need to handle whatever life throws this way.
No one understands the importance of having mental strength more than Amy. Her personal journey surrounding grief and loss has led to her to take a deep dive into mental strength. And now, she's sharing what she learned along the way.
Her TEDx talk, The Secret of Becoming Mentally Strong, is one of the most viewed talks of all time with 25 million views and she's sold over 1 million books. She's a speaker and a consulted who teaches companies like Google, Under Armour, and NBC how to grow mentally stronger.
Unlike other shows, Mentally Stronger provides a unique blend of research-backed tips, stories of mental strength, and therapist-approved strategies that will empower you to thrive.
Join Amy on the transformative journey to mastering your mind. And the fun part is, she records the show from a sailboat in the Florida Keys.
New Zealand