Mental health is something almost everyone has to deal with. We’ve either had mental health struggles ourselves or know someone who suffers from a mental health issue. No matter where you fall, there is always some way we can improve our state of minds. Do you complain too much? Are you a perfectionist? Is it hard for you to focus? Or, perhaps, you’re someone like me who cares too much about what strangers think of you. No matter what it is, we all have something we can educate ourselves on.
The Savvy Psychologist’s Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Mental Health is a podcast series created by clinical psychologist Dr. Jade Wu. Her primary practice focuses on treating sleep disorders; however, she created this podcast series to help in other aspects of mental health.
Wu uses science and evidence-based research to explain why we feel the way we do. She helps you better understand your emotions, the emotions of others, and your relationships with other people—whether it be romantic or platonic. This podcast is released every week on music streaming services such as Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and SoundCloud.
The podcast series discusses subjects every person has experienced, no matter how big or little it is. The latest episode—episode 260—titled “4 Must-Do’s for College Mental Health” is something many students here at UTM could listen to and benefit from.
This episode helps youth, as Wu likes to call it, “survive and thrive.” She examines a survey that revealed one-third of college freshman reported experiencing mental health problems. Then, she lists all the ways to improve your mental health that have been proven to be successful.
The podcast also deals with severe topics. Episode 16 discusses “5 signs of PTSD” and episode 125 talks about the “9 signs of Borderline Personality Disorder.” Even if you aren’t struggling from any mental health issues yourself, there’s a podcast for you too. Do you have any family members who struggle with mental health? Check out episode 196, titled “How to Help a Loved One Suffering from Mental Illness.”
Or, perhaps, you might be someone like me. Sometimes, getting up for an 11 a.m. class feels brutal. So, you need advice on how to survive as a night owl in a nine-to-five world. Or, maybe you simply want to know the answer to the burning question many of us have—is love real, and can it last? Whatever your life problems are, the Savvy Psychologist has got you covered.
One thing I will disclaim about the podcast is that it talks about issues some people may find triggering. However, the good thing is that each podcast pertains to a specific topic. Each podcast title tells the listener what subject they’re getting into.
In honour of back to school season, I recommend everyone to give this podcast a listen. Whether you’re a first-year overwhelmed by the workload or you’re just a procrastinator, this podcast has something for you.
