The MindSpa Podcast
The MindSpa Podcast is your go-to space for meaningful conversations around mental health, healing, and personal growth. Hosted by Michelle Massunken RSW and Tina Wilston RP, co-founders of MindSpa Mental Health Centre, each episode explores key mental health topics through expert interviews and thoughtful roundtable discussions.
From managing stress and building stronger relationships to navigating invisible challenges, the MindSpa Podcast offers grounded, professional insights in a warm and accessible way. Tune in weekly for supportive, real-world conversations to help you feel seen, supported, and empowered on your wellness journey.
Episodes
27 episodes
Ep 27 How High-Performing Couples Reconnect When The House Goes Quiet
When the house goes quiet, many successful couples discover a louder problem: they can run a company, but struggle to run their relationship. We sit down with registered psychotherapist, mental health speaker, and University of Ottawa professor...
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Season 1
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Episode 27
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44:43
Ep 26 When Boundaries Meet Culture, Feelings, And Real Life, How Do You Decide Who’s In The Wrong?
What if doing the healthy thing makes you look like the villain? We dive into real “Am I the a-hole?” scenarios and unpack why good boundaries can still spark backlash—especially when culture, grief, or health are in the mix. From a no-drop-in ...
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Season 1
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Episode 26
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43:23
Ep 25 Become More, Do Less: The Sustainable Path To Growth
If growth feels like a grind, you might be solving the wrong problem. We sit down with business and mindset coach Maria Cherkasskaya to map the path from clarity to execution, blending practical marketing systems with inner work that actually s...
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Season 1
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Episode 25
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45:05
Ep 24 Part 2 Rebuilding Family After Separation With Law, Therapy, And Money Wisdom
Separation doesn’t have to feel like free fall. We dive straight into what actually reduces chaos in the first weeks: simple interim agreements that get you into stable living arrangements, a workable parenting schedule, and a clear plan for bi...
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Season 1
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Episode 24
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28:26
Ep 23 Part 1 - Compassionate Family Law That Puts People First
Divorce doesn’t have to be a zero-sum brawl. We sit down with Jennifer Reynolds, lawyer, mediator, and founder of Fresh Legal, to unpack a trauma-informed, people-first approach to separation that lowers conflict, saves money, and leads to agre...
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Season 1
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Episode 23
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34:24
Ep 22 Spotify, Boundaries, And Being Called Stingy
Ever notice how the tiniest fights tell the biggest truths? We dive into three everyday flashpoints—sharing a Spotify account, throwing out a roommate’s “emotional support” mug, and those cutting therapy jokes—and reveal how each one exposes pa...
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Season 1
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Episode 22
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16:46
Ep 21 Setting Boundaries Isn’t Petty When Respect Is Missing
Ever felt the sting of being called oversensitive for setting a boundary? We dive into three vivid AITA‑style stories that reveal how respect, responsibility, and repair actually work when emotions run high. First, we unpack the family dynamic ...
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Season 1
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Episode 21
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15:10
Ep 20 Rewiring Habits: How To Work With Your Brain, Not Against It
If you’ve ever asked yourself, “Why do I know what to do but still not do it?” this conversation will feel like a light turning on. We sit down with habit change expert Katie Faloon Drew—speaker, coach, and health psychology pro—to unpack the r...
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Season 1
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Episode 20
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52:20
Ep 19 Art can say what words can’t—and it can calm, open, and reconnect us across ages, couples, and families
When words stall, images step in. We invited Elena Kourounis—an art therapist-in-training at MindSpa—to unpack how creativity becomes a practical tool for regulation, insight, and connection across ages and settings. From first prompts to final...
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Season 1
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Episode 19
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38:44
Ep 18 Your Body Will Thank You For Prioritizing Prevention Over Prescription
What if the most powerful medicine doesn't come in a pill bottle? In this eye-opening conversation, Dr. Kwadwo Kyeremanteng—critical care physician, department head, and author of "Prevention Over Prescription"—reveals why our healthcare system...
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Season 1
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Episode 16
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1:08:26
Ep 17 Sleep, Boundaries, and Choices
When mental health conditions collide with relationships, the resulting challenges can be both complex and deeply personal. Whether it's OCD compelling someone to redo their partner's cleaning efforts, ADHD causing repeatedly forgotten birthday...
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Season 1
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Episode 17
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32:43
Ep 16 Breaking Ground: Dr. Taplin's Mission to Make TMS Accessible in Ottawa
Discovering hope beyond traditional mental health treatments is a journey many Ottawans with depression have longed for. Dr. Chris Taplin brings that hope through Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), a groundbreaking therapy now available a...
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Season 1
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Episode 16
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11:56
Ep 15 When Life Hands You a New Script: Stuntman Stu's Story
What happens when the identity you've built for 25 years suddenly slips away? When your greatest strengths become compromised overnight? This raw, heartfelt conversation with Ottawa radio legend Stuntman Stu explores the profound journey of rei...
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Season 1
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Episode 15
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49:15
Ep 14 Can Your Beliefs About Stress Change How It Affects You?
Could your stress actually be helping you perform better? And is it possible that your mental health challenges might become your greatest strengths? In this myth-busting episode, we challenge two fundamental misconceptions about mental health ...
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Season 1
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Episode 14
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27:11
Ep 13 True inclusion isn't a program—it's seeing people as individuals
What happens when well-intentioned DEI efforts actually create more division? Jenny Chen, CEO of Catalais Consulting, challenges us to rethink how we approach inclusion by focusing on respect rather than labels.Drawing from her powerful...
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Season 1
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Episode 13
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48:55
Ep 12 Setting Boundaries: Navigating Difficult Family, Workplace, and Personal Situations
Ever found yourself wondering if you're being unreasonable for setting a boundary? You're not alone. The Mind Spa podcast tackles four fascinating ethical dilemmas that highlight the messy reality of human relationships. We start w...
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Season 1
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Episode 12
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38:08
Ep 11 The Fine Art of Not Being the Jerk
Have you ever found yourself questioning whether you're wrong for setting a boundary or speaking up when something bothers you? You're not alone. The line between asserting your needs and maintaining healthy relationships can be incredibly tric...
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Season 1
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Episode 11
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30:37
Ep 10 From Self-Criticism to Self-Compassion: Breaking Free of Negative Thought Patterns
The most relentless critic you'll ever face isn't waiting to ambush you on social media or lurking in your workplace – it's the voice inside your own head. This revealing conversation pulls back the curtain on negative self-talk, exposing how t...
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Season 1
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Episode 10
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25:52
Ep 9 Understanding ADHD
The world of ADHD is far more complex than the stereotypical image of a distracted child bouncing off classroom walls. As therapist Alana George eloquently explains, ADHD is a genetic neurobiological condition with a specific "neural phenotype"...
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Season 1
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Episode 9
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43:05
Ep 8 Narcolepsy & Entrepreneurship: Building Success While Managing Chronic Illness
What does it take to build a thriving business when your body demands rest in unpredictable ways? Michelle Wieger, founder and CEO of Venture Creative Collective, offers a masterclass in turning limitations into your greatest advantage....
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Season 1
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Episode 8
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27:34
Ep 7 Fear sells, but at what price to our wellbeing?
Truth has never been more accessible—or more elusive. In this revealing exploration of misinformation and disinformation, we unpack how the content flooding our feeds affects more than just our beliefs—it's transforming our mental health, relat...
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Season 1
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Episode 7
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29:47
Ep 6 Perimenopause is not just hot flashes and rage.
What happens when your body suddenly feels like it belongs to someone else? When doctors dismiss your symptoms with "you're fine" despite gaining 40 pounds in a month? When you look in the mirror and don't recognize the person staring back?...
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Season 1
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Episode 6
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44:06
Ep 5 The Art of Boundaries
Setting boundaries shouldn't leave you feeling guilty, yet so many of us question whether we're "the bad guy" when we prioritize our mental wellbeing. Join therapists Tina and Michelle as they tackle three compelling real-life scenarios where p...
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Season 1
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Episode 5
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26:38
Ep 4 The Healing Power of Clean Spaces
When trauma strikes, our living spaces often become silent casualties. A death in the family, divorce, job loss, or abuse can trigger a cascade of mental health challenges that quickly manifest in our physical surroundings. As Tina Mongeon expl...
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Season 1
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Episode 4
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31:31
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Ep 3 When TikTok Becomes Your Therapist: Navigating Modern Mental Health Challenges
The digital landscape has transformed how we view ourselves, relate to others, and manage our mental health—and not always for the better. In this candid conversation, we dive deep into the psychological impact of social media platforms that ha...
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Season 1
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Episode 3
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41:37
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