Creating Midlife Calm: Coping Skills for Stress & Anxiety in Family, Work & Relationships

Эпизоды

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  Ep. 320 Why You Can Handle Stress One Day and Feel Completely Overwhelmed By It the Next & How Your Nervous System Is Actually To Blame 05.10.2026 9мин

  Why can something you normally handle pretty well suddenly leave you feeling anxious, stressed or completely overwhelmed? Understanding your nervous system can help you make sense of your reaction and respond differently. In this episode, you’ll discover: Why being calm all the time isn’t the goal and what it actually means to have a flexible, regulated nervous system.How to recognize what’s happening inside you when anxiety, stress or overwhelm make it harder to think clearly and respond the...
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  Ep. 319 How to Calm Anxiety & Overwhelm When You Can’t Stop Worrying About Someone You Love 02.10.2026 5мин

  Worrying about someone you love can create a lot of anxiety and overwhelm, especially when you’ve done what you can and the situation is still out of your hands In this episode, you’ll discover: A simple coping skill to help you feel your worry without getting stuck in it, and gently move your attention back toward the parts of your own life where you have agency. Take a 5 minutes to make room for your worry and then move toward what’s next—you’re worth it. Send us Fan Mail ***...
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  Ep. 318 How to Use Your Superpower of Being the Reliable One to Reduce Anxiety, Stress & Overwhelm in Midlife 01.10.2026 11мин

  What if being overly responsible isn’t something you need to get rid of, but a superpower you need to use differently? Being the person everyone counts on can feel good until carrying too much leaves you anxious, stressed and overwhelmed. In this episode, you’ll discover: How to recognize which responsibilities give you energy and which ones leave you depleted or resentful.Why anxiety can make it easier to keep doing something you resent than to tolerate the discomfort of doing it differently...
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  Ep. 317 Why Being So Reliable Is Secretly Your Biggest Source of Anxiety & Stress For People In Midlife 28.09.2026 12мин

  How can being the person everyone counts on make you feel capable and successful—and also anxious, stressed and overwhelmed? Being the reliable one may be one of your greatest strengths, but in midlife, carrying so much can begin to cost more than it once did. In this episode, you’ll discover: How being capable and reliable can become part of your identity through years of practice, praise and success.Why a role that has given you confidence, opportunity and stability can also leave you deple...
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  Ep. 316 Sometimes the Best Coping Skill for Stress & Anxiety in Midlife Is to Stop Trying 25.09.2026 3мин

  Have you ever noticed how anxiety can keep you trying to solve a problem even when there’s nothing more you can actually do? Persistence is a strength, but in midlife it can sometimes fuel anxiety and keep you searching, clicking and trying long after you’ve reached your limit. In this episode, you’ll discover: 1. How to recognize when problem-solving has shifted into anxious, compulsive trying so you can step away, reconnect with your body and create more calm. Take 3 minu...
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  Ep. 315 Use This Simple Coping Skill to Lighten the Stress of Unresolved Problems Even When You’re Still Responsible for Them 24.09.2026 11мин

  Do insurance, financial and other unresolved problems keep taking up space in your head and suck energy from your day? When you’re still responsible for a problem you can’t resolve, it can quietly drain your time, energy and calm. In this episode, you’ll discover: Why unresolved problems keep popping back into your mind even when there’s nothing more you can do today.A simple brain-based coping skill that helps you put the problem down until it’s time to deal with it again.How being the capab...
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  Ep. 314 Is Handling Insurance, Finances & Everyday Problems Stealing Your Time and Increasing Your Stress & Overwhelm? 21.09.2026 11мин

  Are unresolved admin problems with insurance, pharmacies, credit cards, airlines, or other companies taking more time and energy than you realize? What looks like an everyday annoyance can become a real source of stress when you’re responsible for solving the problem. In this episode, you’ll discover: Why problems you may dismiss as annoyances can actually be real sources of stress and overwhelm.How unresolved problems can steal your time and leave you responsible for an outcome you can...
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  Ep. 313 Why Being Unproductive May Ease Anxiety, Stress & Overwhelm in Midlife 18.09.2026 3мин

  Could doing something completely unproductive actually help you feel less stressed, anxious and overwhelmed? When life is full, the answer may not always be doing less. In this episode, you’ll discover: 1. How purposeless activity may help you experience less internal resistance—even when you have more to do than usual. Take 3 minutes to discover how making room for purposeless play might help your busy life feel a little easier—you’re worth it. Send us Fan Mail **** About th...
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  Ep. 312 Use This 1 Question to Ease Stress & Anxiety in Midlife—Before and After You Retire 17.09.2026 11мин

  What if one of the most important questions about retirement has less to do with what you'll do next and more to do with how you want to live now? Whether retirement is years away, right in front of you, or already part of your life, changing roles can bring unexpected stress, anxiety and questions about who you are. In this episode, you’ll discover: Why retirement can feel unsettling even when you’re looking forward to the freedom it brings.How your skills, strengths and experience can remai...
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  Ep. 311 The Hidden Reason Retirement Suddenly Triggers Stress, Anxiety & Overwhelm in Midlife-Even When It's Years Away 14.09.2026 11мин

  Has thinking about retirement suddenly made getting older feel a lot more real? You’re not alone if retirement is beginning to feel surprisingly personal long before you’re ready to stop working. In this episode, you’ll discover: 1. Why retirement can trigger stress and anxiety in midlife that goes much deeper than money. 2. Why it can be difficult to picture your older self and how that affects the way you care for your future. 3. A simple coping skill ...
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  Ep. 310 The Weekly Task That Can Decrease Anxiety,  Stress  & Overwhelm in Midlife 11.09.2026 3мин

  Can a trip to the grocery store actually help you become calmer when someone else is rude or stressed? Everyday moments give us opportunities to practice responding differently to stress. In this episode, you’ll discover: How one ordinary moment in the tortilla aisle reminded of how good growth feels. Take 5 minutes to practice creating your own calm right in the middle of the wild. Send us Fan Mail **** About the Host: MJ Murray Vachon, LCSW, is a seasoned clinician, ed...
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  Ep. 309 The Surprising Sign Your Anxiety Is Getting BETTER, Even If You Still Feel Stressed & Overwhelmed 10.09.2026 9мин

  What if doing the very thing you’re trying to change doesn’t mean you’re failing? Emotional growth is often happening before it feels like progress. In this episode, you’ll discover: Why noticing an old pattern may actually be one of the first signs that you’re changing.How internal self-awareness can help you recognize anxiety, stress, and overwhelm sooner.Why responding to setbacks with kindness and repair can help you keep moving forward instead of giving up.Want to learn more about the In...
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  Ep. 308 Is Trying to Fix Everyone Else’s Problems Making Anxiety & Overwhelm Worse in Midlife? 07.09.2026 10мин

  Could the quick fixes you use to help yourself or someone you love actually be making everyone’s anxiety and overwhelm worse? Wanting to quickly fix someone’s distress can sometimes create more stress for everyone even you! In this episode, you’ll discover: 1. Why distress can quickly trigger your urge to jump in, take over, or make an uncomfortable situation go away. 2. How to recognize the physical signs that tell you you’ve moved into quick fix mode before anxiety...
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  Ep. 307 The Most Effective Coping Skill for Overwhelm Didn't Come From a Therapist 04.09.2026 3мин

  What if one of your most powerful coping skills for anxiety, stress & overwhelm isn’t something you do alone? If you’ve been trying to calm yourself through willpower alone, you’re not the only one. In this episode, you’ll discover: The surprising coping skill you have always had.🎧 Take 3 minutes to discover why calm is sometimes created simply by being with another calm person—you're worth it. Send us Fan Mail **** About the Host: MJ Murray Vachon, LCSW, is a seasoned cli...
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  Ep. 306 3 Coping Skills When Overwhelm Hijacks Your Brain in Midlife So You Don’t Lose Your Day 03.09.2026 12мин

  Has overwhelm ever hijacked your brain and suddenly taken over the rest of your day? You’re not the only one who can go from handling life just fine to feeling completely overwhelmed. In this episode, you’ll discover: How to recognize the early signs of overwhelm in your body before it takes over your thinking and your day.Two easy ways to help you set realistic expectations and prevent unnecessary overwhelm.Simple coping skills to calm your nervous system, get your brain back online, and fig...
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  Ep. 305 Why You Feel Overwhelmed When Others Don’t During Midlife 31.08.2026 12мин

  Do you ever wonder why you feel overwhelmed when your life doesn't seem any more demanding than everyone else's? There may be more happening beneath your overwhelm than how much you have to do. In this episode, you’ll discover: Why stress, anxiety, and overwhelm are different—and why you may reach overwhelm more easily than someone else. How what you do and achieve can quietly become connected to your overwhelm.How a sensitive nervous system can add meaning to everyday interactions...
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  Ep. 304 Two Simple Words That Can Decrease Anxiety, Stress & Overwhelm in Midlife 28.08.2026 5мин

  What if some of your everyday stress comes not from what you have to do but from fighting the fact that you have to do it? Sometimes we create extra stress by fighting what needs to happen. In this episode, you’ll discover: 1. How two simple words can help you notice resistance, settle your mind, and move through the ordinary tasks of life with a little more calm. Take 3 minutes to stop fighting the inevitable and create a little more calm in the wild—you’re worth it. Send ...
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  Ep. 303 Use this 1 Question To Instantly Diffuse Anxiety, & Stress When Your Brain Gets Stuck In Overwhelm During Midlife 27.08.2026 14мин

  Does your mind keep replaying the same story even though you know it isn’t helping you feel better? Anxiety, stress, and overwhelm can leave your mind stuck but noticing what your mind is doing can help you find your way back. In this episode, you’ll discover: 1. Why your mind can become rigid or chaotic when life doesn’t go the way you expected. 2. How to recognize when your mind has moved away from its natural state of calm. 3. One question you can use...
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  Ep. 302 The Hidden Mental Pattern That Emotionally Ruins Your Day During Midlife, and How Your Anxiety Is Driving It 24.08.2026 14мин

  When your day gets emotionally hijacked, what is anxiety quietly trying to do? You’re not weak or overreacting—anxiety may be trying to protect you in a way that’s actually keeping you emotionally stuck. In this episode, you’ll discover: Why anxiety quietly creates invisible mental contracts that can hijack your entire day.How one client’s birthday party became a powerful lesson in emotional flexibility and emotional resilience.A simple coping skill to help you recognize when anxiety is tryin...
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  Ep. 301 The Surprising Way You May Be Disrupting Your Own Calm and Increasing Anxiety & Stress in Midlife 21.08.2026 4мин

  What if some of the little things disrupting your calm aren’t worth giving your energy to? Sometimes creating more calm begins by noticing what unnecessarily pulls you out of it. In this episode, you’ll discover: How looking back at what disrupted your calm can help you practice letting go of what you can’t control. Take 4 minutes to notice what’s rocking your calm and practice letting it go—you’re worth it. Send us Fan Mail **** About the Host: MJ Murray Vachon, LCSW, is a sea...