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© Michelle O'Neil
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We’re diving in to the real, the messy, and sometimes hilarious side of mental health—the things you wish someone would just say out loud. No toxic positivity, no sugarcoating, zero judgment and just the right amount of dark humor.
So, if you’ve ever side-eyed a self-help book, cried in your car, or stress-ate an entire pizza in the name of “self-care,” you’re in the right place. Let’s get into it.
So, if you’ve ever side-eyed a self-help book, cried in your car, or stress-ate an entire pizza in the name of “self-care,” you’re in the right place. Let’s get into it.
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Welcome to today’s episode, where we’re unpacking schizophrenia- and no, it’s not about hearing voices every time your phone dings or thinking your cat is plotting against you. Of course, we’re going to get into the DSM criteria, which is really just a fancy way of saying, “Here’s what makes schizophrenia, well, schizophrenia.” Spoiler alert: it’s more than just being "out of touch with reality," but don’t worry, we’ll break it down so it actually makes sense. So sit tight, because we’re about to get into the nitty-gritty of schizophrenia- the truth, minus the Hollywood nonsense. Join us on the O'Neil Counseling app here: https://www.oneilcounseling.com/app-landing-page
Today we’re cracking open a journal prompt that screams "I want more but also have no idea what I'm doing!"Today's prompt is:“What is one thing I deeply desire, and what steps can I take toward achieving it?”So grab your journal, your most unhinged aspiration, and let’s get into what you really want—and how to actually inch toward it without lighting your whole life on fire. Probably.Join us on the O'Neil Counseling app here: https://www.oneilcounseling.com/app-landing-page
If alcohol were invented today, there’s no way it would be legal. We’d take one look at the health risks, the accident stats, the domestic violence rates, the economic toll, and we’d be like, ‘Absolutely not, ban that immediately.’ But instead, it’s one of the most socially acceptable drugs in the world. We toast with it at weddings, sip it at funerals, and apparently need it to survive brunch.At the end of the day, this episode isn’t about villainizing alcohol, it’s about de-normalizing harm. It’s about pulling back the curtain on something that’s been operating in the background for far too long. It’s about reminding you that coping doesn’t have to come in a bottle, connection doesn’t require a buzz, and healing is always possible, no matter where you’re starting from.Join us on the O'Neil Counseling app here: https://www.oneilcounseling.com/app-landing-page
Burnout isn’t just about being overworked—it’s about being overwhelmed and under-resourced. It’s your brain hitting Control+Alt+Delete while your body throws up the “nope” sign. And let’s be honest, it’s become so normalized that half of us treat it like a personality trait.So today, we’re going there. What burnout actually is, why it happens, and what to do when your inner battery isn’t just dead—it’s corroded and leaking sarcasm.No productivity hacks, no “just do yoga and hydrate” BS. Just the real talk on how to un-crisp your nervous system.Join us on the O'Neil Counseling app here: https://www.oneilcounseling.com/app-landing-page
Ah yes, the classic motivational war cry: “You just need to want it more.” As if sheer desire alone can break generational trauma, cure chronic illness, override neurodivergence, or magically conjure up the time, money, and childcare you’d need to chase your goals. It’s the kind of advice that sounds deep until you actually think about it—and realize it’s basically just guilt wrapped in a Pinterest font. So today on Shrink Wrapped, we’re unpacking this weaponized self-help nonsense. Where did it come from? Why do people keep saying it? And how can we chase our goals without internalizing the idea that not achieving them means we’re lazy, broken, or somehow just didn’t want it enough?Join us on the O'Neil Counseling app here: https://www.oneilcounseling.com/app-landing-page
On today’s episode, we’re digging into Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD for short) and no, it’s not just about being “emotional” or “dramatic” (but thanks, media, for that stereotype). You know the drill, we’ll break down the DSM criteria, which is just the official diagnostic checklist. Spoiler: it’s more than just being “difficult” to deal with. There’s actual science behind it, and I'm here to translate it into something that doesn’t sound like a dictionary. Then we're going to talk about the media portrayal of BPD, and you guessed it- BPD is way more nuanced and way less “dramatic movie plot” than Hollywood would like you to think. So let's get into it.Join us on the O'Neil Counseling app here: https://www.oneilcounseling.com/app-landing-page
At some point, we stopped finger-painting and started filing taxes, and honestly? I think that was a mistake. Remember when you used to lose hours making up dance routines, narrating Barbie soap operas, or building elaborate stick forts like you were training for a post-apocalyptic HGTV special? That wasn't wasted time- that was you, unfiltered. Before the productivity cult got you. Before your calendar looked like a game of Tetris, and joy got shoved into the "maybe Saturday" column, right between laundry and existential dread. Somewhere along the way, we got the message that fun is for kids and adulthood is for suffering quietly with a reusable water bottle and mild back pain.Today's prompt is "Think back to when you were a child. What activities or hobbies made you lose track of time? How can you incorporate those passions into your adult life?" It's a chance to remember who you were before the world told you who to be. So grab your journal, find a quiet spot, and let's revisit that magic.You can email questions in to Michelle@ONeilCounseling.com and I'm going to compile them all into a bonus episode with your questions and my answers!Join us on the O'Neil Counseling app here: https://www.oneilcounseling.com/app-landing-page
You ever look back on the worst months of your life and realize they’re basically… missing? Like your brain just rage-quit mid-season and refused to film the episodes? That’s the thing about deep depression and trauma—they can turn your memory into a drunk intern who lost the filing cabinet, shredded half the files, and then went on vacation. Whole days vanish, conversations get replaced with static, and time turns into one long, blurry ‘previously on’ montage.Today, we’re talking about why your brain sometimes acts like a shady narrator in your own life story—and why that missing footage isn’t you being broken, it’s your mind trying to keep you alive.Email your questions and stories to Michelle@ONeilCounseling.com be featured on a bonus episodeJoin us on the O'Neil Counseling app here: https://www.oneilcounseling.com/app-landing-page
Communication is allegedly the thing that separates us from the animals—but let’s be honest, a lot of us are just highly verbal raccoons with unresolved issues and Wi-Fi. We say too much, say too little, say the wrong thing, or rehearse the perfect comeback in the shower six hours too late.Today’s episode? We’re cutting through the noise. No fluff, no corporate team-building retreat energy—just real talk about how to say what you mean, mean what you say, and stop turning every conversation into an accidental episode of emotional Survivor.Join us on the O'Neil Counseling app here: https://www.oneilcounseling.com/app-landing-page
Let’s be real—nobody teaches you how to actually do friendship past the age of 12. Like, yes, we learned to “share our toys” and “say sorry,” but nobody prepared us for the adult-level chaos of mismatched priorities, unspoken resentment, and the slow, silent fade of a once-daily texter into a quarterly “miss you!” emoji.Friendship in adulthood? It's weird. Beautiful, but weird. Friendships are living, evolving relationships that require boundaries, honesty, and the occasional “hey, that hurt my feelings” conversation that makes you want to crawl into a hole and die a little. And managing them well? That’s not about being perfect—it’s about being intentional.Join us on the O'Neil Counseling app here: https://www.oneilcounseling.com/app-landing-page
“Close your eyes and travel back in time to a memory you’ve forgotten—a moment when you felt a simple joy. What can you thank your past self for in that moment?”Yes, we’re time traveling—but instead of fixing the timeline or warning yourself about that one haircut, we’re hunting for a soft, overlooked moment of joy. Something random. Something pure. Maybe it’s riding your bike with no hands, or eating popsicles on a curb, or laughing so hard you snorted in public and didn’t even care. We're talking pre-tax joy.Join us on the O'Neil Counseling app here: https://www.oneilcounseling.com/app-landing-page
Welcome to today’s episode, where we’re adventuring into the wide, wild world of autism- because let’s face it, there’s a lot of misinformation out there. We’ll start with the DSM criteria, which is basically the official list of things that make up autism, and guess what, bestie: it’s not as cut-and-dry as some would like you to believe. You can email questions in to Michelle@ONeilCounseling.com and I'm going to compile them all into a bonus episode with your questions and my answers!Join us on the O'Neil Counseling app here: https://www.oneilcounseling.com/app-landing-page
Today we’re diving into the not-so-sexy science of habit-building: how to actually create routines that stick, why motivation is a fickle little gremlin, and what to do when your brain tries to self-sabotage because “change is hard and Netflix is easier.” Spoiler alert: it’s not about willpower—it’s about systems. And tiny wins. And maybe tricking your brain a little.Email your questions to Michelle at Michelle@ONeilCounseling.com to be featured in a bonus episode!Join us on the O'Neil Counseling app here: https://www.oneilcounseling.com/app-landing-page
You ever open an old junk drawer and realize there’s a whole world in there you forgot existed? A tangle of chargers for phones you don’t own anymore, three pairs of scissors, and a mysterious key you’re scared to throw away. That’s what unpacking repressed sexuality feels like—except instead of electronics and craft supplies, it’s tangled-up desires, outdated shame, and parts of yourself you didn’t even know you’d shoved in the back.Most of us weren’t exactly raised in environments that said, “Hey, your sexuality is a totally normal, evolving part of who you are—explore away!” Nope. Many of us got a crash course in pretending it didn’t exist, or that it only existed in one “acceptable” shape. So it sat there—silent, dusty, waiting for the day you’d be ready to crack it open.Today, we’re talking about what happens when you finally do. The awkwardness, the curiosity, the grief, and yes—the joy of reclaiming a part of yourself you might’ve been told to hide.Join us on the O'Neil Counseling app here: https://www.oneilcounseling.com/app-landing-page
Let's talk about cycles- the emotional kind, not SoulCycle; though both can leave you breathless, questioning your life choices, and wondering why this feels familiar again. Whether it's dating emotionally unavailable people like it's your full-time job, people-pleasing your way into chronic resentment, or repeating the same dysfunctional family dynamics with the enthusiasm of a cursed heirloom, these patterns don't just happen. They're learned. They're reinforced. And, annoyingly enough, they're comfortable- like an old hoodie that smells like regret and bad boundaries.So, buckle up- we're snipping generational nonsense like it's toxic bangs in a 2007 bathroom mirror. This is Shrink Wrapped, and today, we're breaking cycles before they break you.Join us on the O'Neil Counseling app here: https://www.oneilcounseling.com/app-landing-page
Welcome to today’s episode, where we’re tackling anxiety- because who doesn’t love that constant feeling of doom and worry, right? As always, we’ll start with the DSM criteria, which is our favorite official checklist, that defines anxiety. But let’s be real, you know it’s way more than a couple of bullet points on a page, and you know I'm going to break it down in a way that’s less “clinical speak” and more “what’s actually going on inside your head.” Next up, we’ve got the media portrayal of anxiety—which, spoiler alert, isn’t exactly accurate.Anxiety is a real, often chronic, condition that’s more than just occasional stress. So, buckle up, because I'm about to take you through the real, unfiltered truth about anxiety. No sugar-coating, just the good stuff.Join us on the O'Neil Counseling app here: https://www.oneilcounseling.com/app-landing-page
“Reflect on a recent challenge or setback. Instead of focusing on the negative, find one aspect to be thankful for. Did it bring a hidden blessing? Teach you resilience? Help you discover an inner strength?”In other words: we’re doing that annoying-but-actually-helpful thing where we look for the silver lining instead of just screaming into the void. (Don’t worry, screaming still has a place. But today, we reflect.)Join us on the O'Neil Counseling app here: https://www.oneilcounseling.com/app-landing-page
So… let’s talk about conflict. That fun little thing where you suddenly morph into a passive-aggressive cryptkeeper, your heart rate spikes over a minor disagreement, and somehow you’re in a full-blown existential crisis because someone looked at you the wrong way in a meeting.Whether you're a chronic avoider who'd rather fake your own death than have a tough conversation, or you throw down like it's an emotional UFC match every time someone disagrees with you, this episode’s for you.Join us on the O'Neil Counseling app here: https://www.oneilcounseling.com/app-landing-page
Today’s episode is all about the absolute chaos gremlin that is your inner dialogue—and how your thoughts and words might be quietly running your life like a shady back-alley puppet master. You ever catch yourself thinking, “Ugh, I’m such an idiot,” just because you tripped over nothing or sent an email with one typo? Yeah, your brain's got jokes—and not the good kind.But here’s the thing: thoughts aren’t facts, and that sarcastic little narrator in your head? It doesn’t get the final say. The language we use, especially with ourselves, shapes our reality more than we realize. So if your brain's been talking to you like a mean girl with a psychology degree, maybe it’s time to teach it some new lines.Join us on the O'Neil Counseling app here: https://www.oneilcounseling.com/app-landing-page
I'm putting a trigger warning at the top of this episode. There are light discussions of child abuse, sexual assault, and mental health trauma. If you can't handle hearing about those themes, I totally don't blame you, just skip this episode- no tea, no shade, no pink lemonade, I'll just catch you next week, babe.Choosing not to let trauma rule your life doesn’t mean it didn’t wreck you in places you didn’t even know could break. It doesn’t erase the flashbacks, the scars, or the ways it shaped how you move through the world. What it does mean is you’re officially done letting it DJ the soundtrack of your existence. You can say, “Yes, that was awful. Yes, it left a mark,” without also saying, “Here’s my schedule, go ahead and pencil in my emotional meltdowns until 2065.”Because here’s the thing—you can acknowledge that something gutted you and still choose for the rest of your story to have more than jump scares and bloodstains. The monster might’ve been real, and maybe it even left the walls cracked and the lights flickering, but you’re still here. You’re still breathing.If you’ve got questions, hot takes, or a story you want me to unpack in a future bonus episode, email me at Michelle@ONeilCounseling.com. Put “Bonus Episode Question” in the subject line so I can find you fast, and let me know if you want to be anonymous.Join us on the O'Neil Counseling app here: https://www.oneilcounseling.com/app-landing-page
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