Therapy in a Nutshell artwork

Mental Health · Therapy in a Nutshell -Emma McAdam

Therapy in a Nutshell

by Therapy in a Nutshell -Emma McAdam

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, LLC

Latest episodes

Showing 20 · updated from the feed

Hypervigilance and Trauma- How to Get Your Brain to Shut Off

#31 trending · Mental Health

Trauma and hypervigilance keeping you from falling asleep? Learn why your mind won’t stop worrying—and simple ways to make it finally rest. Learn the skills to regulate

Oct 2
17 min

Emotional Regulation - How to Actually Sit with Your Feelings

If you want to learn how to regulate your emotions, you have to learn the crucial emotional regulation skill of acceptance. Learn the skills to regulate your Emotions, j

Sep 18
10 min

When You Feel Worthless

Depression, trauma and negative self-talk can leave you feeling worthless or struggling with low self-esteem. But you don’t have to feel depressed forever.  Learn how to

Sep 4
17 min

How I Dealt with Performance Anxiety (as an Anxiety Expert)

Performance anxiety? Learn how to overcome stage fright and anxiety with 7 practical strategies to stay calm, focused, and confident. Sign up for my free Panic Attacks c

Aug 21
15 min

The Profound Impact of Hormones in Women with ADHD

Hormones have a drastic impact on women with ADHD.  Learn how estrogen and your cycle impact focus, mood, and why symptoms suddenly get worse. Learn the skills to regula

Aug 7
24 min

Overgeneralization -This Thinking Pattern Makes Everything Feel Worse

This CBT tool helps you stop overgeneralization, regulate emotions, and break negative thinking patterns with simple, practical tools. Check out our FREE How to Stop Pan

Jul 24
18 min

How to Get Started When You’re Drowning in Overwhelm - ADHD Friendly

Feeling overwhelmed and stuck? Learn how ADHD affects motivation—and 5 simple ways to get moving again when you feel overwhelmed and can’t get started. Learn the skills

Jul 10
21 min

4 Essential Habits for Emotional Regulation

You can learn how to regulate your emotions by practicing these four skills. People who regulate emotions well don’t avoid feelings—they build habits that help them pau

Jun 27
19 min

When You're Drowning in Overwhelm

Feeling overwhelmed or stuck in an emotional crisis? Learn 3 simple, practical tools to handle overwhelm, regain control, and move forward with confidence. Sign up for m

Jun 12
18 min

The Biology of Trauma with Dr. Aimie Apigian

Trauma is stored in our body and our nervous system more than just in our minds. In this interview we discuss the biology of trauma and PTSD. Learn the skills to Regulat

Jun 5
1 h 00 min

6 Medical Conditions that Impact Mental Health, Depression, and Anxiety with Dr. Tracey Marks

Depression and anxiety can come from physical problems like thyroid, hormones, sleep, or nutrient deficiencies—learn the top medical causes to check for in this episode. 

May 29
46 min

Why Anxious People Shouldn’t Use “Deep Breathing"

Deep breathing can worsen anxiety and trigger hyperventilation or panic attacks—learn why slow breathing with a longer exhale works better. Check out our FREE Grounding

May 22
7 min

BONUS EPISODE: How to take Pyschedelics for Your Mental Health with Dr. Will Van Derveer and Mike Pesca

This week we’re sharing a special episode from our friends at How To!, the 2026 Ambie Award-nominated “Best Personal Growth Podcast” that’s back with a new host and new t

May 15
42 min

Micro Habits to Regulate Depression or Trauma (Shutdown Response)

Micro-habits to activate your nervous system and move out of dorsal vagal shutdown. Trauma-informed tools to reduce depression and climb the polyvagal ladder. Learn the

May 8
16 min

Racial Trauma - The Impact of Racism on Mental Health with Ashley McGirt Adair

This conversation with Ashley McGirt-Adair explores the profound impact of racism and racial trauma on mental health, physical health, and overall well-being. We discuss

May 1
40 min

4 Types of Overthinking and How to Stop Them - Worry, Intrusive Thoughts, Rumination, Over-Analyzing

Learn 4 skills to stop overthinking, rumination, worrying and over-analyzing. Overthinking can make you super anxious, but there are practical ways to stop it.   Here

Apr 24
21 min

Meditation for Chronic Pain- Somatic Tracking Exercise to Replace Fear with Curiosity

If you have chronic pain including back pain you can benefit from this somatic tracking exercise from Alan Gordon’s Pain Reprocessing Therapy Pain Psychology Center: http

Apr 17
11 min

How to Heal Attachment Wounds - Anxious or Avoidant Attachment styles w/ Jessica Baum

If you’ve ever wondered whether your attachment style is fixed, good news: it’s not. In this conversation with therapist and author Jessica Baum, LMHC (Anxiously Attached

Apr 10
50 min

3 Essential Strategies to Prevent Burnout - Slow Productivity Summary by Cal Newport

Burnout isn’t caused by doing too much—it’s caused by using stress as your limit. Learn 3 slow productivity shifts to work less and feel better. Learn the skills to Regu

Apr 3
20 min

Social Anxiety Skills That Actually Help w/ Dr. Deborah Dobson

Social Anxiety Explained with Dr. Deborah Dobson: Why Social Anxiety Feels So Intense and the Skills That Actually Help Learn the skills to Regulate your Emotions, join

Mar 27
45 min

Chart trend

Position in the Mental Health chart (US), last 90 days.

#26
all-time peak
86
days in the top 50 since Nov 2024

Chart positions

Where Therapy in a Nutshell ranks today in each Apple Podcasts chart (US, Oct 3, 2026).

#157 ▲ 21 Health & Fitness US
#54 ▲ 6 Mental Health US

What listeners say

A curated, balanced selection of Apple Podcasts reviews.

This podcast is perfect for the ADHD brain in traffic. It helps me feel grounded and meditative rather than upset or lingering on details of the day.

azazadjfdjfi · Feb 2026

Great information, an example of what a caring therapist should be and shares skills to help your healing journey

Jen Wk · Feb 2026

Emma! Thank you for your work. I have been looking for this for years. Now I have actions to take when the ANTs are trying to drive the bus. This episode was immensely helpful and I’m excited to listen to more. Your friendly tone and simple examples are just what I needed today.

I'll ride the wave · Dec 2025

I am so grateful for your work. It has helped me immensely and I learn something new and valuable each time I listen to it Best podcast about mental health I have listened to. And I have some experience:).

Nikki Henry · Oct 2025

The content looks great. The background noises in the episode I want to listen to as a trial make it actually impossible to listen to this podcast or take in any of the information. (ACT episode). They are very distracting, startling, and confusing and make it so that you’re paying attention to the background noise and not the actual podcast. Otherwise, looks great.

usernamedotcom · Dec 2025

I appreciate much of what Emma has to say and have benefited from learning about CBT and other techniques to take our thoughts captive. However, most of her guests make me understand why some people are leery of therapists and counseling. One of her guest speakers was a proponent of going “no contact “ with family and I was extremely disappointed for Emma to sympathize and even suggest that this is a healthy way to deal with family conflict. There should be so very few cases when going “no contact” should happen, not disagreements over parenting. “No contact” is a cult tactic that scars all individuals and relationships struggle to heal for years if and when reconciliation is possible. Emma is fantastic; at least I appreciate what she puts out on a regular basis. I’d like her better if she would challenge what some of her guests say, but I assume, sadly, she must agree with them.

Fannywrites AReview · Dec 2025

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About Therapy in a Nutshell on Reason.fm

Here you find the Apple Podcasts chart positions of Therapy in a Nutshell, its latest episodes to listen to directly, and reviews from listeners. Rankings are updated daily for the United States.

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