Straight Talk With Sandra Reich

Is there a universal secret to success and happiness? Probably not because it can differ slightly from person to person. But we can certainly observe people who are experiencing success and learn from them. How are their habits and thoughts different from those who are miserable? What are the habits that fulfilled, successful people seem to have in common? Join us this week as Sandra and frequent guest, Melissa Hindley chat about these habits and how we can build them into our lives.

You have dreams for your life, yet it can sometimes feel impossible to make them real. Very real obstacles often hinder us from moving forward - fear, procrastination, humiliation, discomfort, having sufficient resources, dealing with a family crisis or struggling with an illness - mental or physical, to name a few. Is it even worth it to try to move forward with your dreams? Join us for the inspirational episode as Sandra talks with Stephanie Erickson about how to dream your best dreams and overcome your obstacles.

Do you ever feel bad for taking some downtime to relax? Rest and relaxation are not just luxuries! In fact, they are necessities - research shows that taking naps, meditation, nature walks and taking intentional, mental breaks will actually increase productivity, replenish attention, solidify memories and encourage creativity! Join us as Sandra talks with her colleague Georgia Dow about the importance of integrating relaxation in our lives.

Maybe you’ve heard of the notion of the type A vs type B personalities. This is the theory that our personalities can be largely broken down into two categories. The type A personality traits usually lend to someone who is very tightly strung, perhaps very competitive and maybe with an obsessive compulsive tendency. Meanwhile, the type B personality traits usually has someone who is a little more withdrawn and laid back, a little more creative and reflective and generally more relaxed. But does the theory really hold water? Is it helpful or harmful for us to make these distinctions? Listen in as Sandra and her colleague Melissa Hindley talk about the complexities of personalities and the values of understanding how you’re wired.

Do you ever feel like giving up because the outcome is fated anyway? Does someone you love seem to be stuck and given over to putting up with their circumstances – have they stopped looking for relief or change from their situation? We call this “learned helplessness”. Learned helplessness can have a profound impact on mental health and well-being – often manifesting in symptoms of depression, elevated stress levels, and less motivation to take care of their physical health. Tune in as Sandra and Straight Talk regular Georgia Dow talk about the steps you can take to address this type of thinking.

We live in a fast-paced world. This forces us to move through life quickly, always looking to the next thing. This pace often scatters our thoughts and emotions, leaving us feeling stressed, highly-strung and at times quite anxious. How can we reverse this trend in our lives? Join us for this important episode where Sandra invites special guest Stephane Bensoussan to answer that very question as he shares his wisdom about mindfulness. Learn how greater awareness and training your attention to the present can help reduce stress, help you cope better with anxiety, and increase your quality of life.

Our love-hate relationship with food and health confronts us at every turn. Magazines, social media, blogs, the fashion world, movies and television – everywhere we look, we are reminded that we could do more to look better, trim up, and be healthier. We all seem prone to think that if we lose those ten pounds, gain muscle, or adopt that healthy skin glow, it will make us feel better about ourselves. So we eat less, or change our diet, or exercise more. For some of us, it becomes an obsession. The problem is that it’s usually not actually about the food. It’s likely rooted in some other issues that are impacting our self-worth. Join us as Sandra and frequent guest, Melissa Hindley, talk about what’s beneath the surface of most eating disorders and food issues.

A healthy relationship should not depend on games. Most of us know this. And yet, whether at home, at work, among strangers, or among friends, we have all engaged in relationship mind games to get what we want from the people around us. The trouble is that these games are usually detrimental to our health and the well-being of others, creating exhausting and messy dynamics in every kind of relationships. Sometimes our games are unconscious and are so deeply ingrained, that we aren’t even aware of what is happening. Join us as Sandra and Georgia discuss important questions like: Why do people play games in relationships? Do you know the games you tend to play? How can you identify whether you are instigating the games, or serving as the prey of them? Once you become aware of the patterns that constitute these games you will be able to heal and create relationships that are stable and fulfilling.

Aging is a mixed bag, isn’t it? Some mental skills decline with age—like short-term memory loss and visual spatial processing. Sometimes as we age, we feel confused or frustrated by limitations. But, scientists are finding the mind gets sharper at a number of vitally important abilities and social skills. For example, one study found that managing emotions is a skill in itself, one that takes many of us decades to master. Another study revealed that negative emotions such as sadness, anger and fear become less pronounced than in our drama-filled younger years. Join us as Sandra and frequent guest, Georgia Dow, discuss aging with grace and hope. Life is a journey of life lessons and experiences containing successes and mistakes – the golden years can take full advantage of that!

Are you proactive to take care of your emotional health in the same way you take care of your physical body? It’s just as important. Consider that if your emotional health is out of balance, you may experience high blood pressure, ulcers, chest pain, or a host of other physical symptoms. Not to mention the role it plays in your relationships, ability to overcome challenges, behaviors, and satisfaction in life. How do you know if you have good emotional health? Join us as Sandra and her colleague, Melissa Hindley discuss mental health and its connection to our overall sense of wellbeing. Whether you’re looking to cope with a specific mental health problem, handle your emotions better, or simply to feel more positive and energetic, there are plenty of things you can do to take control of your mental health—starting today.

Coping with panic and anxiety disorders isn't easy. Because it affects so many other areas of life, it’s important for you to know the ways that controlling your anxiety is something within your grasp. With the right decisions, you can drastically reduce your overall anxiety levels and ultimately stop your anxiety forever. In this episode, Sandra and her colleague Georgia Dow go a little deeper in discussing the latest strategies for coping successfully with anxiety and panic.

Being an entrepreneur can be extremely rewarding and inspiring. But it isn’t as easy as some people think. If it was, we’d have tons more success stories! Do you have a great idea that you want to bring to the world?!?! Do you have the right skills, mindset, and right attitude to make it a reality? In this episode of Straight Talk, we’re inviting another radio show host to join us! Sandra will talk with Josh Miller as he shares ways to overcome obstacles and limitations as an entrepreneur. Don’t miss this chance to hear more about strategies for a successful venture as an entrepreneur.

A well-balanced life is essential for personal effectiveness, peace of mind and living well. No matter our phase of life or the roles we juggle, we all feel the tug of having multiple responsibilities. There is always someone, or something, to answer to. There are things we want to do and things we must do whether we want to or not!. The challenge is to balance what we must do with what we enjoy and choose to do. Easier said than done, right?!?! But, it's not just wishful ideals. If we don't reduce stress and manage a well-balanced life there can be physical and/or emotional health consequences. Join us as Sandra talks with her colleague Melissa Hindley about some tips and ideas for putting this ideal into practice in the nitty-gritty of life.

You're heard about IQ but what about EI? Emotional Intelligence is the ability to identify and manage your own emotions and the emotions of others. It means being emotionally aware, applying your emotions to tasks like thinking and problem solving; and managing emotions. Sometimes, it means regulating your own emotions; other times it means cheering up or calming down other people. Having greater emotional intelligence can help you in almost any interpersonal situation where it's important to read others and plan your actions accordingly. Some say it's a better predictor of success than intelligence! Join us as Sandra and frequent Straight Talk guest, Georgia Dow, discuss how to understand and harness your EI for maximum impact in life.

Narcissism is often interpreted in popular culture as a person who's in love with him or herself. It is more accurate to characterize the pathological narcissist as someone who's in love with an idealized self-image, which they project in order to avoid feeling (and being seen as) the real, disenfranchised, wounded self. Deep down, most pathological narcissists feel like the ugly duckling, even if they painfully don't want to admit it. This obsession with self makes it nearly impossible for the narcissist to have intimate relationships… which can be heartbreaking if you have one in your life. Join us as Sandra and her colleague, Georgia Dow, discuss this weighty topic. The narcissist might be largely unaware of (or unconcerned with) how his or her actions affect others, but you need to know how to recognize those actions and take care of yourself in the midst of them.

Is it possible that one feeling could be a common thread in most of our psychological problems? What if we could identify and deal with one root that leads us down all sorts of destructive paths: paths like disordered eating, feeling bad about our bodies, dealing with depression or social anxiety, engaging in pathological lying, feeling lonely, and escaping into addictions of all kinds. That common root? Shame. Whether triggered by someone else or by our own feelings of failure, shame is a clear signal that our positive feelings have been interrupted. Join us for this week's episode of Straight Talk as Sandra and her guest, Melissa Hindley, dig a little deeper to examine this root. They'll talk about how you can identify it and begin to deal with it before it takes you down these destructive paths.

While anxiety and sadness aren't new phenomena among adolescents, anxiety and depression in high school kids have been on the rise since 2012 after several years of stability. Recent studies tell us that the suicide rate for teen girls is at its highest level since 1975. Self-harm and suicidal thoughts are also on the rise. Teens are telling us that they are lonely and feel hopeless. If you're a parent, those statistics can feel terrifying. What is causing these statistical changes? How can you tell when your teenager's attitude is more than just moodiness? Is social media contributing to your teen's angst? Are pressures at school causing severe anxiety? What should you do if your teen is dealing with acute depression? What are the signs to watch for? Fortunately, depression and anxiety ARE treatable and parents can help. Your love, guidance, and support can help! Listen in as Sandra and her colleague, Georgia Dow, open up on this important topic.

The responsibility of raising healthy, happy, well-adjusted kids can feel daunting for most parents. Let’s face it, contemporary parenting is hard – especially as we lack the informal support that parents half a century ago received from neighbors and extended family. Let us give it to you straight in this episode as Sandra and Georgia chat about parenting and address some of the ways we’ve gone wrong with our kids. There’s still time to examine our mistakes and make the right adjustments to get back on course!

Are you giving support to your partner at the cost of your own mental, emotional, and physical health? Do you keep quiet to avoid arguments? Do you think people in your life would go downhill without your constant efforts? Are you always giving to those around you without receiving much in return? These might be signs of co-dependent relationships. Codependency is an emotional and behavioral condition that affects an individual’s ability to have a healthy, mutually satisfying relationship. Some call it “relationship addiction” because people with codependency often maintain relationships that are one-sided or abusive. Join us as we dig into this threatening issue. On this Straight Talk, Sandra will talk with her guest Top Psychologist and Relationship Expert Anna Maria Tosco as they discuss the signs of codependency in relationships and families

Self-destructive behavior is complex. Defined as any deliberate action that has a negative impact on your mind or body, it can come in many forms. Some are more obvious than others; but no matter the severity, these behaviors are detrimental to the sufferer and the people who love him/her. Feeling like you’re compelled to self-destruct brings a whole host of emotions: fear, out of control, guilt and even shame. So, why do we engage in these behaviors? Join us for this important episode as Sandra and frequent Straight Talk guest Georgia Dow talk about some of the underlying causes for this compulsion to self-destruct. There is hope - as you learn new coping mechanisms that will help you forge a new path forward in life!