On this episode of the Modern Day Overthinker podcast, host Collin Strajack interviews therapist Phil Miller, who specializes in couples counseling, family therapy, and individual therapy, practicing just outside Grand Rapids, Michigan. The discussion highlights the most common issue in couples therapy: communication breakdowns, often described as a lack of connection or difficulty understanding each other’s perspectives. Miller, trained in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), emphasizes helping couples access deeper emotions and longings to rebuild trust and intimacy. He notes that while most clients are married, he also works with premarital couples and families, addressing challenges like post-marriage adjustments and the emotional complexities of living together, which can feel overwhelming even after the honeymoon phase.

The podcast also explores individual therapy, with Miller addressing men’s mental health, a key focus during Mental Health Awareness Month (this was recorded in May). Common issues for men include emotional communication struggles, anxiety, perfectionism, and pornography addiction, often compounded by societal expectations to suppress emotions. Miller, who has personal experience with anxiety, underscores the importance of therapy for therapists, destigmatizing mental health care. He discusses the challenges of fatherhood, its impact on mental health, and the power of presence in relationships and parenting. Additionally, they touch on systemic barriers like state-specific licensing for therapists, which complicates access to care, and the critical role of empathy and support in addressing severe mental health crises, such as suicidal thoughts, emphasizing the importance of community and connection.

In this episode of the Modern Day Overthinker podcast, host Collin Strajack interviews Chrissy Hodges, a certified peer and family support specialist and author of Pure OCD: The Invisible Side of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Chrissy shares her personal journey with OCD, focusing on her experience with Pure OCD, which involves intrusive thoughts and mental compulsions without visible physical rituals.

Connect with Chrissie here: chrissiehodges.com

In this heartfelt episode of The Modern Day Overthinker Podcast, host Collin Strajack returns after a transformative hiatus to share his journey through OCD treatment. After months of debilitating intrusive thoughts and isolation, Collin opens up about his 60-day residential treatment in Wisconsin, where he tackled his OCD with exposure response prevention (ERP) therapy. From chaotic yet bonding moments with fellow patients to finding solace in comedy as therapy, Collin reflects on his path to recovery. Now back home, he discusses balancing work, ongoing therapy, and personal growth while challenging the grip OCD once had on his life. With gratitude for his supportive family, friends, and recovery community, Collin delivers an honest, inspiring update on facing fears head-on and reclaiming his values.