In this Season 6 finale, Tami shares 10 simple holiday peace tips—HALT, emotional resets, joy rituals, and practical ways to trade perfection for presence. Real stories, real tools, and one powerful question: What will I remember in January? Show notes with links at https://www.tamiwest.com/post/10-holiday-peace-tips Connect with us Instagram: Consider Yourself Hugged (new account!) TikTok: Short clips and stories YouTube: Full episodes + video snippets Women’s Group: A Place for Women—...
In this episode of The Holiday Peace Project, Michelle and I talk about comparison, from picture-perfect homes and social media scrolling to hash brown casserole in a condo sink. We’ll walk through the science of comparison, how it steals our peace, and simple tools to trade performance for presence this season. Show notes at https://www.tamiwest.com/post/comparison-holiday-peace-project-part-2. Connect with us Instagram: Consider Yourself Hugged (new account!) TikTok: Short c...
We’re kicking off the season with real stories, honest emotions, and practical ways to protect your peace when the holidays start to spiral. Full show notes with download at https://www.tamiwest.com/post/holiday-peace-project Michelle’s back, and she’s sharing her husband’s heart scare, how gratitude and overwhelm can coexist, and what it means to truly care for yourself when life gets chaotic. Tami opens up about Thanksgiving burnout and how she finally learned to ask for help and let thing...
Can’t turn off “anxious math” at 2 a.m.? Tami shares the cassette-tape trick that changed her nights, the science of sleep cycles and body clocks, and a compassionate 4-step plan: journal, build sleep drive by day, create a soothing routine, and optimize your bedroom. Plus CBT-I tools that beat pills long-term, the ½-hour rule, and the Bluetooth headband that feels safe and cozy. Consistency over perfection—learn to sleep again. Show notes at https://www.tamiwest.com/post/sleep-better Connect...
This week, Tami and Michelle are joined by special guest Joy Huber, speaker, cancer survivor, and solo travel coach for women. Full show notes at https://www.tamiwest.com/post/travel-with-joy Joy shares her remarkable story of resilience and self-discovery after surviving stage four cancer at age 33. What began as a health crisis became a journey toward courage, freedom, and "joy," quite literally. Together, we talk about: 💛 How solo travel can heal and empower women 💛 Safety, con...
Hey friends, it’s just me (Tami) today! Michelle will be back next week, but I wanted to share a few stories that really made me think about how we treat each other across generations. From an airport scene with a young woman rushing her grandmother, to a neighbor’s kindness toward younger moms, to my own journey with my mom, this episode is all about generational compassion: slowing down, noticing each other, and showing respect at every age. (FYI I won't be posting the video in the airport ...
It’s just me this week, friends! In honor of World Mental Health Day, I’m sharing something close to my heart—how to find help when you need it. I tell three stories from my own journey, from my first panic attacks and a psych hospital stay to caring for my mom and learning (again) to ask for help. Then I walk you through practical ways to find support—911, 988, EAPs, community programs, faith-based care, and hidden insurance perks you might not even know you have. Because sometimes self-help...
In honor of World Mental Health Day, Michelle leads us through a compassionate talk about mental health diagnoses—what they mean, what they don’t, and how language, stigma, and support shape healing. Show notes at https://www.consideryourselfhugged.com/post/mental-health-diagnoses Connect with us Instagram: Consider Yourself Hugged (new account!) TikTok: Short clips and stories YouTube: Full episodes + video snippets Women’s Group: A Place for Women—ongoing conversation **The informati...
Sometimes the plan is… not to follow the plan! Michelle and I sat down today without a guest to talk about something that every one of us has faced: what to do when you hurt someone—and how to apologize. Show notes at https://www.consideryourselfhugged.com/post/the-apology-episode. Connect with us Instagram: Consider Yourself Hugged (new account!) TikTok: Short clips and stories YouTube: Full episodes + video snippets Women’s Group: A Place for Women—ongoing conversation **The informat...
In this episode, we sit down with Breanne Moore, LMFT, and the conversation goes everywhere from antique farm doors to self-esteem in the age of social media. Breanne introduces her refreshing concept of “down-dating” (hint: it’s about finding comfort in the past, not keeping up with Pinterest perfection), and she shares wisdom from her book I Am Because I Am. We talk about what it means to raise kids with healthy self-esteem, how families can reconnect around the dinner table, and how our wo...
At just 23, Krislyn Mercer has turned babysitting into a thriving business, launched retreats, and has become a community leader. In this episode, we chat about her journey, lessons from the pandemic, her passion for service, and how she balances it all with authenticity and joy. Visit the Show Notes at https://www.consideryourselfhugged.com/post/episode-207-krislyn-mercer for more! Connect with us Consider Yourself Hugged: New websiteInstagram: Consider Yourself Hugged (new account!)Ti...
Today is a mix of teacher stories, life lessons, and a little bit of joy (including Michelle’s puppy yoga adventure!). We kick things off with some behind-the-scenes tech glitches—because let’s be honest, podcasting isn’t always glamorous. Then we dive into a real conversation about the Sunday Scaries. Tami shares how her anxiety as a teacher used to make Sundays unbearable, even leading to missed community time. Michelle opens up about her own “scaries” and how holding on to “the way things ...
A New BeginningHey friends — it’s Tami and Michelle, and we’re BACK! New cozy studios, new workflow, new logo, new socials, and a fresh focus for the next few months… with the same mission: women’s mental & emotional well-being (teachers, we see you 💛). In today's episode, we will catch you up on what’s been happening, celebrate milestones, and give you a sneak peek into what to expect in the upcoming episodes. *Disclaimer:The information in this show is not intended to be therapy or to a...
🎧 Episode SummaryIn our powerful season finale, Tami and Michelle and I are joined by Tami’s younger sister Brittney, a 911 dispatcher in Metro Nashville. This deeply personal episode pulls back the curtain on what it’s really like to handle crisis calls, especially involving mental health.Brittney shares how she found her way to dispatching after personal loss, what it’s like to manage PTSD, anxiety, and depression while helping others in crisis, and what everyone should know about calling 9...
Thanks for joining!**Not intended to be therapy or replace therapy - If you need further help, please reach out to one of the resources:General Resources National Alliance of Mental Illness: https://www.nami.org Mental Health America: https://mhanational.org Mental Health First Aid Resources: https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/ Celebrate Recovery: https://www.celebraterecovery.com/ About AA: https://www.aa.org/ Tami West, PhD Stress and Mental Health Expert Dr. Tami West uses her entertaini...
In this final installment of our AI mini-series, we dive into the heart of the conversation: AI safety, ethics, trust, and how to use this powerful technology responsibly. With real-life stories, fascinating examples (including a fake AI-generated podcast!), and thoughtful questions, this episode is your guide to being smart—not scared—about AI.We’re not tech experts, and we don’t have to be. What we bring you is real talk from curious, cautious, and caring humans just like you. You’ll walk a...
Welcome back! Today Michelle and I have spent the last few months diving deep into AI—how it works, how we can use it, and what impact it has on our mental and emotional well-being. AI is everywhere, and whether we like it or not, it’s influencing our daily lives. But can it actually support emotional health? Or does it take away from real human connection?In this episode, we share our personal experiences using AI for everything from journaling to simplifying life—and how we balance it with ...
Michelle and I started off trying to be super organized, but AI is such a HUGE topic that we found ourselves wandering down different rabbit holes! So, today’s episode is all about laying the groundwork—what AI is, how it can actually help with mental and emotional well-being, and why you don’t need to be afraid of it taking over your life. 😆We also sprinkled in some fun AI-generated jokes, absurd wellness tips, and a guessing game where AI shocked us all by figuring out Michelle’s mystery ob...
Welcome back to Consider Yourself Hugged! Today, Michelle and I are diving into The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath—one of the most hauntingly personal books on mental health, identity, and societal pressure.From the weight of expectations on women to the stigma surrounding depression and treatment, this book is filled with themes that still hit home today. But, as ChatGPT pointed out when I was researching, Michelle and I tend to approach heavy topics with a lighter touch—so we’ll do our ...
Welcome back! Today Michelle and I dive deep into compassion fatigue, exploring how it impacts our mental health and well-being. We discuss symptoms, risk factors, and practical strategies we’ve found helpful in preventing or managing emotional exhaustion. We also introduce an alternative perspective on compassion fatigue and highlight the importance of self-care.🛑 Key Topics:What is Compassion Fatigue? 💙The emotional toll of constant caregiving 🩺Symptoms and warning signs 🚨Is it really compa...