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Therapy in a Nutshell

Therapy in a Nutshell

By: Therapy in a Nutshell -Emma McAdam
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About this listen

I’m Emma McAdam, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and my mission is to make mental health resources more easy to access. I take therapy skills and psychological research and condense them down into bite-sized nuggets of help.

I’m here to spread the message that while mental illness is real, it’s common, it’s debilitating, it’s also treatable. There are dozens of research-backed approaches to treating depression, anxiety, and other mental illness. Change, growth, and healing are possible. Please keep courage! Try one little thing every day to improve your life and health and things can get so much better!

Therapy in a Nutshell, and the information provided by Emma McAdam, is solely intended for informational and entertainment purposes and is not a substitute for advice, diagnosis, or treatment regarding medical or mental health conditions. Although Emma McAdam is a licensed marriage and family therapist, the views expressed on this site or any related content should not be taken for medical or psychiatric advice. Always consult your physician before making any decisions related to your physical or mental health.

Therapy in a Nutshell and it’s logo are Registered Trademarks of Therapy in a Nutshell, LLCCopyright 2020 All rights reserved.
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Episodes
  • Is Choline the Missing Link in Anxiety? Let’s Look at the Data
    Jan 8 2026

    New research shows people with anxiety have lower choline in the brain. What choline does and is choline a good supplement for anxiety

    Learn the skills to Regulate your Emotions, join the membership: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com/membership

    Break the Anxiety Cycle in 30 days: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com/anxietyskills

    New neuroscience research suggests that people with anxiety disorders have lower levels of choline in the brain compared to those without anxiety. In this video I explain what choline is, how it supports acetylcholine and the nervous system, and what this study does—and does not—mean for anxiety.

    You’ll learn: What choline does in the brain, how acetylcholine supports calm and regulation, whether low choline causes anxiety (or not), what the research actually says about supplementation, and practical, grounded ways to support your mental health ecosystem.

    Looking for affordable online counseling? My sponsor, BetterHelp, connects you to a licensed professional from the comfort of your own home. Try it now for 10% off your first month: https://betterhelp.com/therapyinanutshell

    Learn more in one of my in-depth mental health courses: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com

    Support my mission on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/therapyinanutshell

    Sign up for my newsletter: https://www.therapyinanutshell.com

    Check out my favorite self-help books: https://kit.co/TherapyinaNutshell/best-self-help-books

    Therapy in a Nutshell and the information provided by Emma McAdam are solely intended for informational and entertainment purposes and are not a substitute for advice, diagnosis, or treatment regarding medical or mental health conditions. Although Emma McAdam is a licensed marriage and family therapist, the views expressed on this site or any related content should not be taken for medical or psychiatric advice. Always consult your physician before making any decisions related to your physical or mental health. In therapy I use a combination of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Systems Theory, positive psychology, and a bio-psycho-social approach to treating mental illness and other challenges we all face in life. The ideas from my videos are frequently adapted from multiple sources. Many of them come from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, especially the work of Steven Hayes, Jason Luoma, and Russ Harris. The sections on stress and the mind-body connection derive from the work of Stephen Porges (the Polyvagal theory), Peter Levine (Somatic Experiencing) Francine Shapiro (EMDR), and Bessel Van Der Kolk. I also rely heavily on the work of the Arbinger Institute for my overall understanding of our ability to choose our life's direction.

    And deeper than all of that, the Gospel of Jesus Christ orients my personal worldview and sense of security, peace, hope, and love https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/comeuntochrist/believe

    If you are in crisis, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org or 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or your local emergency services.

    Copyright Therapy in a Nutshell, LLC

    Show More Show Less
    15 mins
  • The Life-Changing Power of Making Repairs w/ Dr. Sarah Michaud
    Jan 1 2026

    Making amends, making repairs is even more powerful than self forgiveness or self-compassion. When you learn to fix the harms you've caused you can truly find emotional freedom.

    Learn the skills to Regulate your Emotions, join the membership: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com/membership

    Where to find Dr. Sarah Michaud https://www.youtube.com/@leavingcrazytown https://drsarahmichaud.com/

    Ted Talk: Our story of rape and reconciliation - Thordis Elva and Tom Stranger https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyPoqFcvt9w

    In this conversation, Dr. Sarah Michaud and I explore the profound themes of self-compassion, forgiveness, and the importance of making amends. We discuss how guilt and shame can manifest in our lives and the courage required to face our mistakes.

    Looking for affordable online counseling? My sponsor, BetterHelp, connects you to a licensed professional from the comfort of your own home. Try it now for 10% off your first month: https://betterhelp.com/therapyinanutshell

    Learn more in one of my in-depth mental health courses: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com

    Support my mission on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/therapyinanutshell

    Sign up for my newsletter: https://www.therapyinanutshell.com

    Check out my favorite self-help books: https://kit.co/TherapyinaNutshell/best-self-help-books

    Therapy in a Nutshell and the information provided by Emma McAdam are solely intended for informational and entertainment purposes and are not a substitute for advice, diagnosis, or treatment regarding medical or mental health conditions. Although Emma McAdam is a licensed marriage and family therapist, the views expressed on this site or any related content should not be taken for medical or psychiatric advice. Always consult your physician before making any decisions related to your physical or mental health. In therapy I use a combination of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Systems Theory, positive psychology, and a bio-psycho-social approach to treating mental illness and other challenges we all face in life. The ideas from my videos are frequently adapted from multiple sources. Many of them come from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, especially the work of Steven Hayes, Jason Luoma, and Russ Harris. The sections on stress and the mind-body connection derive from the work of Stephen Porges (the Polyvagal theory), Peter Levine (Somatic Experiencing) Francine Shapiro (EMDR), and Bessel Van Der Kolk. I also rely heavily on the work of the Arbinger Institute for my overall understanding of our ability to choose our life's direction.

    And deeper than all of that, the Gospel of Jesus Christ orients my personal worldview and sense of security, peace, hope, and love https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/comeuntochrist/believe

    If you are in crisis, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org or 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or your local emergency services.

    Copyright Therapy in a Nutshell, LLC

    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 11 mins
  • How to Actually Change Your Life- You Need a System, Not a Goal
    Dec 25 2025

    top relying on goals that fail. Learn how tiny habits, systems, and 1% improvements create real, lasting change for mental health, motivation, and daily life.

    Join the 31-day Emotion Processing challenge: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com/htpe-30-skills-in-30-days-landing-page-1

    Learn the skills to Regulate your Emotions, join the membership: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com/membership

    Tired of setting big goals on Monday and giving up by Wednesday? In this video, you’ll learn why goals fail—and why building tiny habits and simple systems is the key to real, lasting change. We’ll break down how to start tiny, create 1% improvements, shape your environment, and build habits that actually stick, even if you’ve tried and failed before. You’ll learn practical steps to change your mental health, reduce stress, stop relying on willpower, and design a system that makes the better life automatic. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, unmotivated, or stuck in the “valley of disappointment,” this will give you hope—and a clear plan.

    Looking for affordable online counseling? My sponsor, BetterHelp, connects you to a licensed professional from the comfort of your own home. Try it now for 10% off your first month: https://betterhelp.com/therapyinanutshell

    Learn more in one of my in-depth mental health courses: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com

    Support my mission on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/therapyinanutshell

    Sign up for my newsletter: https://www.therapyinanutshell.com

    Check out my favorite self-help books: https://kit.co/TherapyinaNutshell/best-self-help-books

    Therapy in a Nutshell and the information provided by Emma McAdam are solely intended for informational and entertainment purposes and are not a substitute for advice, diagnosis, or treatment regarding medical or mental health conditions. Although Emma McAdam is a licensed marriage and family therapist, the views expressed on this site or any related content should not be taken for medical or psychiatric advice. Always consult your physician before making any decisions related to your physical or mental health. In therapy I use a combination of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Systems Theory, positive psychology, and a bio-psycho-social approach to treating mental illness and other challenges we all face in life. The ideas from my videos are frequently adapted from multiple sources. Many of them come from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, especially the work of Steven Hayes, Jason Luoma, and Russ Harris. The sections on stress and the mind-body connection derive from the work of Stephen Porges (the Polyvagal theory), Peter Levine (Somatic Experiencing) Francine Shapiro (EMDR), and Bessel Van Der Kolk. I also rely heavily on the work of the Arbinger Institute for my overall understanding of our ability to choose our life's direction.

    And deeper than all of that, the Gospel of Jesus Christ orients my personal worldview and sense of security, peace, hope, and love https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/comeuntochrist/believe

    If you are in crisis, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org or 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or your local emergency services.

    Copyright Therapy in a Nutshell, LLC

    Show More Show Less
    15 mins
All stars
Most relevant
I love all the therapy in nutshell podcasts, they are short, straight to the point, full of golden nugets that helped me to make sense of many things.

Brilliant

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Honest, simple yet profound. She makes perfect sense and is professionally sound. I listen to as many of her podcasts as possible and download the additional material.

Great info

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