Claim OwnershipThe Nearly Normal Podcast
Subscribed: 6Played: 40
Subscribe
© Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
Description
Welcome to “Nearly Normal,” the podcast where two therapists tear up the “live, laugh, love” script on mental health and show you what being human really looks like—messy, imperfect, and delightfully offbeat. We’re swapping clichés for a healthy dose of sarcasm and a no-nonsense take on anxiety, depression, coping skills and all things mental health related. If you’re done chasing perfection and crave some brutally honest, eye-roll-worthy real talk about how to feel less burnout and more self empowered, you’ve just found your people. Start understanding how to improve your overall mental health today!
51 Episodes
Reverse
Therapist-approved tools. At times, questionable execution. Zero regrets.
You've heard it before—"My therapist says I need to set boundaries," or "My therapist says I need to honor my feelings." Good advice. Solid tools. But somewhere between the therapy room and real life, things get... creative.
This week, licensed therapists Kate and Nina take a satirical look at the therapeutic strategies they genuinely teach—and the wildly inventive ways people have weaponized, misapplied, or creatively reinterpreted them. From boundaries used as shields to self-care used as an excuse, this episode is equal parts educational and laugh-out-loud real.
If you've ever caught yourself saying "well, my therapist says..." to justify something questionable, this one's for you.
In this episode:
The therapy tools that work—when you actually use them right
How good mental health language gets hijacked in relationships
What therapists are really thinking when you quote them back at them
Tips you can actually use (seriously, these work)
New episodes every week. Free advice, real talk, 20 minutes.
The Nearly Normal Podcast is hosted by two licensed therapists with over 20 years of combined counseling experience.
Everyone talks about starting therapy. Nobody talks about what happens when it actually starts working.
In this episode of the Nearly Normal Podcast, Kate and Nina break down the gap between the idea of going to therapy and the reality of doing the work. Therapy isn't always a safe, tidy space where you leave feeling better. Sometimes it stirs things up — and that's exactly when the real growth begins.
They cover the emotional complexity of digging into your issues, why self-awareness can feel uncomfortable before it feels freeing, and what happens to your relationships when you start to change. Spoiler: not everyone in your life is going to cheer for your growth.
If you've ever wondered why therapy feels harder than you expected, why healing isn't linear, or why making real changes seems to ripple into every corner of your life — this episode is for you.
Topics covered:
Why therapy gets harder before it gets easier
The emotional messiness of exploring your feelings
How personal growth affects your relationships
Setting boundaries when you're changing and others aren't
The ripple effect of real self-improvement
What emotional healing actually looks like in practice
Nearly Normal is a mental health podcast hosted by two licensed therapists who keep it real — with insight, humor, and zero psychobabble.
Modern dating isn’t just complicated — it’s psychologically exhausting.
In this episode of the Nearly Normal Podcast, we unpack how the digital age has reshaped relationships, from texting miscommunication and social media comparison to emotional ambiguity and commitment fears.
We discuss:
How texting affects attachment styles and relationship security
The mental health effects of social media in dating
Why “situationships” create chronic stress and uncertainty
The feelings of anticipation, dopamine, and waiting for a reply
How to move from a digital connection to a healthy, committed relationship
Practical mental health tools for reducing anxiety and building emotional clarity
If you’ve ever spiraled over a delayed text, analyzed someone’s Instagram story, or struggled to define “what are we?”, this episode is for you.
Nearly Normal Podcast blends psychology, therapy-informed tools, self-development strategies, and honest conversations about relationships and emotional well-being.
Subscribe for weekly conversations on mental health, dating psychology, self-growth, and building secure relationships in today’s digital world.
What if closure isn’t something someone gives you… but something you create?
In this episode, we challenge the modern obsession with closure in relationships. Whether you’re dealing with a breakup, ghosting, unresolved conflict, or unanswered texts, we break down the mental health science behind why your brain wants “the ending” — and how to heal without it.
We cover:
The psychology of unfinished emotional loops
Rumination, anxiety, and the need for certainty
Attachment wounds and abandonment triggers
Boundaries, self-respect, and emotional regulation
Practical self-improvement tools for letting go
This conversation blends behavioral science, relationship psychology, and actionable mental wellness strategies to help you move forward without waiting for someone else to give you peace.
Because healing isn’t about getting answers. It’s about reclaiming your power.
Feeling overwhelmed? Overthinking everything? Stuck in your own head?
In this episode of the Nearly Normal Podcast, we’re sharing quick, quirky, and surprisingly effective mental health tips you can start using today. These simple strategies are designed to help with anxiety relief, stress reduction, positive thinking, and emotional wellness — without adding more pressure to your life.
From easy ways to quiet a racing mind to small but powerful positive affirmation techniques, we break down practical self-improvement tools that actually work in real life. No complicated routines. No toxic positivity. Just simple, doable habits that can help you reset your mindset fast.
Whether you’re just beginning your mental wellness journey or looking for fresh ways to improve your daily mental health, this episode gives you immediate tools you can use today.
In this episode, we cover:
How to quiet your brain when it won’t stop overthinking
Simple positive affirmation tricks that don’t feel cheesy
Small daily habits that improve mood and emotional balance
Fast stress-reduction techniques you can use anywhere
Easy mindset shifts for better mental clarity
If you’ve been searching for practical mental health advice, anxiety coping tools, or daily wellness habits that fit into a busy life — this one’s for you.
Listen now and start improving your mental health today.
Valentine’s Day isn’t always hearts and romance—it can also bring up relationship anxiety, communication struggles, and the fear of not being heard.
In this episode of The Nearly Normal Podcast, we tackle the most common “What do I do?” questions that come up in relationships, including:
How to communicate your needs without feeling ignored or silenced
What to do when conversations turn into defensiveness or shutdowns
How to tell if the issue is a relationship problem or something rooted in your own anxiety, attachment style, or past experiences
Practical tools for healthier communication, emotional safety, and boundary setting
Ways to feel more confident speaking up—without guilt, over-explaining, or people-pleasing
Whether you’re dating, married, partnered, or questioning your relationship, this episode offers realistic mental health insights, therapist-backed tools, and relatable examples to help you feel more grounded, heard, and emotionally connected.
Because healthy relationships aren’t about perfect communication—they’re about learning how to show up honestly without losing yourself.
New episodes of The Nearly Normal Podcast deliver free mental health tips, emotional wellness tools, and real-talk conversations to support better overall mental well-being.
Give us 20 minutes—and we’ll give you real mental health tips you can actually use. In this bonus episode of the Nearly Normal Podcast, we pull insights straight from our counseling sessions to help you navigate staying too long in unhealthy relationships, knowing when a relationship is truly over, and finding the courage to choose yourself.
We talk honestly about why people stay in poor or unfulfilling relationships, how fear and attachment show up, and what bravery really looks like when it comes to building healthier connections. We also explore how to recognize and find your people—the relationships that support emotional safety, growth, and well-being.
This episode is short, practical, and grounded in real-world mental health experience.
Corporate America has a language all its own—and most of us are exhausted by it. In this episode of the Nearly Normal Podcast, we unpack trending workplace terms like quiet quitting, quiet cracking, and burnout, while diving into the very real mental health toll of corporate culture.
We explore chronic workplace stress, emotional exhaustion, productivity pressure, toxic positivity, and why so many professionals feel mentally drained yet stuck. Plus, we call out the corporate buzzwords and phrases that desperately need to be retired for the sake of employee well-being.
If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, disengaged, or emotionally fried at work, this episode offers validation, humor, and practical mental wellness insight for surviving (or escaping) corporate life.
Is it everyday stress—or something therapy-worthy? In this episode of The Nearly Normal Podcast, we use humor and real-life examples to break down the difference between common annoyances and mental health concerns that may benefit from therapy. Relatable, validating, and refreshingly honest.
In this episode, we talk about:
The difference between everyday stress and anxiety
When irritability, burnout, or overwhelm become therapy-worthy
How to tell if your coping strategies are working—or not
Why needing therapy doesn’t mean something is “wrong” with you
How humor can help normalize mental health conversations
Whether you’re feeling mildly annoyed, emotionally exhausted, or wondering if therapy could help, this episode offers clarity, validation, and practical insight—without judgment.
Give us 20 minutes, and we’ll help you figure out what’s nearly normal… and what might deserve a deeper conversation.
Ever find yourself doing something you are clearly not built for—and doing it anyway? In this episode of the Nearly Normal Podcast, we lean into humor, self-awareness, and radical acceptance as we talk about the things we truly have no business doing. From skills we can’t master to habits we keep forcing, this lighthearted episode reminds us that perfection isn’t required for personal growth.
If you’re into mental wellness, self-improvement, and learning to laugh at yourself, this episode is a refreshing reminder that being “bad at something” doesn’t mean you’re failing—it means you’re human.
Winter has a way of making us want to disappear under a blanket—but is that self-care or something more concerning? In this episode of the Nearly Normal Podcast, we unpack the real difference between hibernation and isolation and why it matters for your mental health during the colder months.
We explore how to move through winter with intention, how staying busy doesn’t have to mean staying overwhelmed, why boredom can actually support mental wellness, and how to recognize and manage symptoms of seasonal affective disorder.
If you’ve noticed shifts in your mood, motivation, or social energy during winter, this episode offers grounded, judgment-free guidance to help you feel more balanced, connected, and emotionally supported until spring returns.
If you’re tired of setting goals that disappear by February, this episode is for you. On the Nearly Normal Podcast, we talk about how to set realistic expectations, replace unhealthy habits, and build sustainable routines that support your mental health — not sabotage it.
In this episode, we explore:
Why most New Year’s resolutions fail (and what works instead)
How to build habits that support mental and emotional wellness
Letting go of all-or-nothing thinking
Creating goals aligned with your values and lifestyle
This episode is a supportive starting point for anyone looking to improve their mental health, develop healthier routines, and approach self-improvement with compassion and clarity.
Progress over perfection. Always.
The holidays are over—and so is our patience. In this witty and refreshingly honest episode of the Nearly Normal Podcast, we unpack the post-holiday burnout, emotional exhaustion, and unrealistic expectations that leave so many of us drained and frustrated. From forced cheer and family tension to overspending and social overload, we break down what we’re officially done tolerating after the holidays. Blending humor with real therapeutic insight, this episode offers practical mental health tools, boundary-setting strategies, and mindset shifts to help you reset, recover, and protect your peace.
Family dynamics shape us long before we realize it. In this episode of the Nearly Normal Podcast, we break down dysfunctional family systems and the common family roles many of us grow up playing—such as the caretaker, the peacemaker, the rebel, or the “responsible one.”
Using a mental health and wellness lens, we explore how these roles develop, why they persist into adulthood, and how they impact relationships, boundaries, self-esteem, anxiety, and emotional health. You’ll learn how to recognize your role within your family system, understand its purpose, and decide whether it still serves you today.
Whether you’re navigating toxic family relationships, working on personal growth, or simply trying to understand why family gatherings feel so exhausting, this episode offers insight, validation, and practical tools for change.
Perfect for anyone interested in:
Mental health & emotional wellness
Self-improvement and personal growth
Family systems therapy concepts
Healing from dysfunctional family dynamics
Setting healthy boundaries
The holidays can be one of the most challenging times of the year for people in sobriety and recovery—and for the family and friends who want to support them without saying the wrong thing.
In this episode of the Nearly Normal Podcast, licensed therapists Kate and Nina break down what actually helps when supporting someone in recovery during the holidays. We talk about navigating holiday parties, alcohol-centered traditions, family pressure, emotional triggers, and how to show support without judgment, guilt, or unintentional harm.
Whether you’re in recovery yourself or love someone who is, this episode offers practical mental health tools, compassionate communication tips, and realistic boundaries that make the season safer and more supportive for everyone involved.
In this episode, we cover:
How sobriety and recovery can feel during the holiday season
What to say (and what not to say) to someone in recovery
Navigating alcohol-focused gatherings and family expectations
Mental health strategies for staying grounded and emotionally regulated
How to support recovery without enabling, minimizing, or pressuring
Setting healthy boundaries during the holidays
This conversation is honest, supportive, and refreshingly judgment-free—because recovery doesn’t take a holiday, and neither does mental health.
New episodes of the Nearly Normal Podcast explore mental health, wellness, self-improvement, and real-life coping strategies with humor, honesty, and clinical insight
The holidays don’t have to feel overwhelming. In this episode of the Nearly Normal Podcast, we’re sharing practical, realistic, and totally doable mental health hacks to help you manage holiday anxiety, family expectations, grief triggers, time pressure, and emotional overload.
Learn how to safeguard your energy, create healthy limits, navigate difficult relationships, and find moments of joy—even during the most chaotic parts of the season.
Perfect for anyone seeking emotional wellness tools, self-improvement guidance, stress reduction techniques, or mental health support during the holidays.
Step inside The Self-Compassion Lab—your weekly boost of mental wellness, emotional resilience, and self-improvement. In this episode, Kate and Nina unpack simple ways to practice self-compassion, challenge negative thinking, and finally become your own hype person.
Whether you’re battling self-doubt, burnout, or low self-esteem, this episode gives you tools to build confidence, increase self-worth, and create a healthier mindset.
Feeling mentally exhausted, overwhelmed, or emotionally drained? In this episode of the Nearly Normal Podcast, we break down the most effective, research-backed strategies for reducing burnout, rebuilding your energy, and protecting your mental health. Learn practical tools for managing stress, setting boundaries, creating balance, and preventing long-term emotional fatigue.
If you're looking for wellness tips, burnout recovery tools, stress management techniques, and simple self-improvement habits, this episode is a must-listen.
Feeling overwhelmed by family gatherings, holiday expectations, and financial pressure? In this week’s episode of the Nearly Normal Podcast, we break down real-world mental health strategies to help you stay calm, confident, and emotionally grounded this holiday season.
Join Kate and Nina as they share therapist-approved tips for managing holiday anxiety, setting healthy boundaries, reducing burnout, coping with sadness or loneliness, and taking control of your spending without guilt.
Perfect for anyone looking to improve emotional wellness, boost resilience, and create a peaceful holiday on your own terms.
Feeling drained, overwhelmed, or emotionally stretched too thin? This episode of the Nearly Normal Podcast explores how to create and protect emotional space in your life. Learn how to set boundaries with confidence, say “no” without guilt, and cultivate habits that support long-term emotional wellness. Real talk, practical tips, and a little humor—because self-care shouldn’t feel like another chore.
Comments
Download from Google Play
Download from App Store
United States