Have you ever had a panic attack?    I have. They are terrifying!   Did you know that around 10% of people have panic attacks yearly?   While symptoms you may experience during a panic attack are: shaking, feeling disorientated, nausea, rapid, irregular heartbeats, dry mouth, breathlessness, sweating, and dizziness.   On this episode of Thrive and the Art of Living Free, I sit down and talk with Brittney Moses about what to do during a panic attack. You will want to save this episode and go back to it later.    Brittney Moses is an Ambassador of UHSM, Brittne ..read more

Get ready to unravel the intricate workings of your brain with the enlightening insights of esteemed neuroscientist Dr. Dan Siegel and his handy hand model.  Today’s episode will provide a simple yet profound understanding of how our brains regulate emotions and manage our reactions. The spotlight shines on the prefrontal cortex, our brain's master controller, and its vital roles in connecting with others, calming our fears, and creating that crucial space between impulse and action. That's not all. As we continue our exploration of the brain, we'll also touch upon the importance of onlin ..read more

If you feel burned out and helpless, this episode is for you! Today, we are sitting down and talking with Katherine May. Katherine offers advice from her new book, Enchantment: Awaken Wonder in an Anxious Age, on how to reignite wonder in our everyday lives. She shares stories of her journey to rekindle her sense of wonder at a time when we so often feel burned out and helpless.   Katherine May is the New York Times bestselling author of Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times, which has been translated into twenty-five languages worldwide. Her journalism and essays ha ..read more

Hey Friends, As you know, we are in the middle of a year-long series helping you regain and remember healthy living patterns to help you thrive in your life. We are focusing on small, manageable steps that you can easily take to increase happiness, build better relationships, and feel stronger. Are you lonely? Do you struggle to find the real friends you long for? No worries, friend, this episode is for you! Today’s episode is all about building better relationships. Today, on the show, Melissa sits down with Bailey T. Hurley, everyone’s favorite community cheerleading and friendship coach ..read more

Have you ever been caught in the hustle culture, feeling lost and struggling to find your purpose? This happened to our special guest, author Kelly Needham, and she's not alone. Imagine you're standing on the precipice of what society deems successful, yet you feel a deep void. Frustrated and desperate, Kelly embarked on a journey to re-examine the real source of purpose.   In our candid conversation, Kelly delves into her personal experiences, revealing how her marriage and life were affected by jealousy and insecurity. She shares some intriguing insights about the impact of social media ..read more

Could you imagine the power of the right language and tools in transforming life struggles into blessings? That's what we're unpacking with our guest today, Travis Thompson, as he shares his captivating journey through the thorny path of addiction. Drawing from his battle, Travis sheds light on addiction in the United States. He underscores the crucial need to accurately represent the addiction spectrum to ensure people get the support they need.   Addiction is not just about the individual; it's also about the people and the society around them. We look closer into the role of boundaries ..read more

Ever wonder how nurturing your soul can lead to a healthier, more connected life? We're pondering this question with our returning guest, Amber Albee Swenson, as we navigate the concept of soul care versus the well-known self-care practice. Together, we explore how prioritizing our divine connection and acknowledging when the soul feels off-balance can significantly impact our overall well-being. We're traveling beyond the surface, examining how soul care profoundly impacts our relationships with ourselves and the world around us. Amber emphasizes the necessity of carving time out of our day ..read more

Imagine existing in a space where constant distractions and fears do not cloud your mind but rather focus on the here and now.   Sounds like a far-fetched dream, right? Not according to the latest research from Harvard.   As we continue the Counselor on Call series this week, we're stepping into mindfulness, unpacking powerful tools to help you cultivate a more grounded and intentional lifestyle. We'll be tackling the challenges of staying present amidst the chaos of everyday life and sharing how just 12 minutes of mindfulness practice a day for eight weeks can help rebuild your brai ..read more

What would happen if we started acknowledging and addressing our emotions instead of brushing them under the carpet?   Join me in this counselor on-call episode where we demystify journaling, a simple yet powerful tool to process emotions. Journaling sounds like another task on your to-do list, or it may even stir up the fear of opening a can of emotional worms.   But let's flip the script today. I will share four easy questions you can ask yourself to swiftly navigate through your emotions without drowning in them.   We'll also talk about how journaling and other activities can ..read more

Hey Friends, As you know, we are in the middle of a year-long series all about living healthy. We have discussed the small, easy steps to increase happiness, build better relationships and feel stronger. Today’s episode fits in with our series theme just perfectly. I’m talking with Pastor and author Ray Leight on the show today.  I couldn’t have designed a better book to fit this year’s series. Ray and I discuss how to mature into yourself, exploring wings to hold you back, and the specific process to help discover who you are through a maturing process. We also discuss Ray’s new book, Ma ..read more