Check out the latest talks, interviews, and articles from Megan Bruneau. For hundreds more, check out her author pages on Huffington Post, Forbes, MindBodyGreen, Thrillist, Thought Catalog, Gaia, Entrepreneur, Verily and Quartz.
As a therapist and executive coach, motivation is a common topic that enters my virtual office. I can assure you that even your high-performing CEO, surgeon, and attorney struggle to develop their slide decks before the eleventh hour or get on their Pelotons. Brilliant and accomplished as they are, they can’t seem to figure out why they can’t just “get it done.”
Read MoreEnergized by the hope of herd immunity and a return to normalcy, America appears to be cautiously emerging from the past year’s collective depression. And considering 2020’s mental health statistics, the cloud is lifting not a moment too soon. Last year, one in four people aged 18 to 24 seriously contemplated suicide (CDC); a Help.org survey showed one in three adults “knowing someone with an addiction;” more than one in three adults in the U.S. reported symptoms of anxiety and depression disorder – compared to one in ten when surveyed the previous year; and eight in ten adults described the pandemic as a “significant source of stress in [their lives]” (APA). And while heartbreaking, as a therapist and executive coach I believe the negative effects of lockdown restrictions offer a silver lining: advice for how we can improve our mental health and increase our resilience well beyond the remainder of the pandemic.
Read MoreVirtually no one is psychologically unaffected during this “unprecedented” time. Whether your discomfort is primarily related to health, financial security, or the general “fog” of uncertainty, our collective global sentiment falls somewhere between disorientation and panic. And because our usual sources of guidance and reassurance have been replaced with questions marks, here are a few tips for preserving mental health I’ve been sharing with my clients:
Read MoreAs a therapist and unapologetically anxious individual, I’m always on the lookout for holistic products that quieten the relentless noise of my inner world. And when I come across seemingly effective stuff, I want to spread the gospel. So I’ve rounded up eight gift ideas that may ease your loved one’s anxiety—and in the process, may ease your anxiety about finding a last-minute gift for your loved one.
Read MoreI’ve been following the incredible Megan Bruneau on Instagram for some time now, and am absolutely delighted to introduce you to her on the podcast today!
Read MoreAlthough these days I focus primarily on entrepreneurial mental health, I began my counseling career immersed in the eating disorder recovery world. The prior decade of quietly trying to heal myself from bulimia and anorexia had instilled in me a fervent desire to support others – both directly as as clinician and indirectly as an advocate.
Read MoreI intentionally describe myself as a "writer," not a "therapist" on my Hinge profile. Don't get me wrong, I'm proud of what I get to do for a living; however, the dudes who aren't immediately scared off because they think therapists can read minds will inevitably ask how I got into psychology – and I just prefer to save the "wounded healer" monologue for in-person.
Read MoreI have a sterilized version of this story, where I say I’ve just always been fascinated with psychology and helping. I remember a clear conversation with my dad at about seven or eight years old, where I decided I would be a psychologist (after he killed my dreams of being a singer songwriter, artist, and journalist, respectively *sigh*). This version is not untrue, but like most therapists the full story is that my curiosity about the human condition grew out of personal experience with pain.
Read MoreI didn't realize I had insomnia until I was in college, when a friend told me he'd "woke[n] up in the middle of the night" – and that was his whole story. I remember feeling confused – didn't everyone take hours to fall asleep, then wake up in the middle of the night six, seven, thirteen times like I did?
Read MoreMegan sheds light on how to strengthen our relationships and support our loved ones that are undergoing mental health concerns. She shares best practice tips on establishing a healthy work environment. Tune in now!
Read MoreAs a therapist and executive coach, part of my job is helping my clients get to know themselves really well – and learn what contributes to their optimal mental health and success. While one person might thrive in a fast-paced, high-energy environment, another might feel overstimulated and suffocated. Nikisha Riley, social media influencer, model, and skincare line entrepreneur was the latter. Raised in Brooklyn, the Folie Apothecary founder knew she needed an environment more conducive to mental health when she began having panic attacks, heart palpitations, and couldn’t leave the house unless a friend was with her. Unable to cope in the city, Riley moved to Austin, Texas, where she was later diagnosed with anxiety, mild depression, and ADHD.
Read MoreYou know how you always forget you’re so thankful there isn’t a screaming child on your plane, until there’s a screaming child right in front of you on your plane? This happened to me last week.
And, as desperate passengers shook their keys and made faces in a futile attempt to silence the human alarm, and couples everywhere rethought their plans to conceive, it got me thinking:
We need to be more comfortable with people being sad around us.
Read MoreWhen you hear Melainie Rogers’ story, it’s not surprising she had the courage to call out Weight Watchers on their recent – and highly controversial – marketing strategy: Oprah’s favorite diet-empire announced it was offering free memberships to teens for the summer. This move that was met with understandable outrage from the eating disorder recovery community, as nearly 100 percent of eating disorders begins with a diet; teenage years are accompanied by natural pubescent weight-gain; and heck, confidence as a teen is difficult enough without feeling pressured to shrink.
Read MoreSolome Tibebu’s journey to becoming a leader in healthcare innovation, award-winning social entrepreneur, and advocate for mental health and diversity began with a blog: while still in high school, Tibebu experienced severe panic attacks and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Through various therapists, medications, and psychoeducation, she finally learned how to best manage her symptoms. She was, however, dismayed by the lack of online resources or community for youth going through something similar – which ultimately left her feeling isolated and misunderstood. So she decided to do something to change that, starting Anxiety In Teens and equipping young adults worldwide with tools and community to advance emotional wellness.
Read MoreOver the past few years, much of my work has been dedicated to hearing entrepreneurs’ stories of struggle and perseverance. Whether I’m interviewing them for The Failure Factor or coaching them to optimize their mental health, I’m constantly in the midst of an informal qualitative research project exploring entrepreneurial resilience.
My curiosity in entrepreneurs' mental health was, unsurprisingly, influenced by my personal history. A decade-plus-long battle with perfectionism-fueled eating disorders, depression and anxiety led me to pursue a masters in psychology and a career as a therapist. Uncomfortable with relying on others or acknowledging to them my limitations, I took matters into my own hands and decided to "figure myself out" (fifteen years later, I'm still in the process...). But I realized many of the characteristics that caused my suffering came from the same roots as the characteristics that caused my entrepreneurial strengths (more on this later) and became fascinated with entrepreneurs' psychological well-being. LEARN MORE
Read MoreWhen you hear the short-story version of why she started Ollie, you might assume Gabby Slome is impulsive. While she and her husband were traveling Columbia, they found themselves being followed – by the dog who would later sit in on our interview at the all-natural, human-grade dog food company’s Flatiron Headquarters
Read MoreMark Sisson is an serial entrepreneur and ex-endurance athlete, turned ancestral health pioneer and New York Times bestselling author. What began as his blog (MarksDailyApple.com) has now become one of the top-rated health and fitness websites, and has led to Mark founding of several companies of “primal” nature: Primal Blueprint, Primal Kitchen, Primal Kitchen Resturaunts, and Primal Health Coach- all devoted to promoting the Primal lifestyle of balancing healthy nutrition, exercise and play.
In this episode, brought to you by Discover LMS, Mark shares his perspective on taking risks to obtain the life you want – and switching gears when you find yourself on a path that’s just not working for you anymore. He offers advice on integrating “failures,” as well as other lessons he learned through his television show-flop, a mindset that’s led to his being one of the most renowned figures in health and wellness today .
Read MoreA couple weeks ago, I found myself at an intimate dinner party. Normally I feel confident and outgoing at social events. But as the host brought out a third course that rivaled a Michelin Star restaurant, I found myself overwhelmed with anxiety and shame.
I don’t belong here, I thought. These people are way too cool for me. I’m too small-town for this. I have “Country Bumpkin” written all over me. Which fork do I use? They’re 100% judging me. She’s regretting inviting me. She probably thinks I’m a complete fraud. Why am I being so awkward? What’s wrong with me?
Read MoreIt’s one thing to leave a job you hate to follow your dreams; but what about leaving that “cushy” job that’s not totally terrible? In this interview, brought to you by Discover LMS, Sarah Merrill of “Big Kid problems” walks Megan through how she traversed this decision in her own life and how she’s made a successful business out of social media.
From appearing as a guest on the day- time Emmy winning Steve Harvey Show on three separate episodes teaching “Social Media 101” segments, and being featured on various podcasts and websites as a “millennial thought leader”, listen in as Sarah shares how she embraces fear and failure, and lets us in on her secrets to growing and monetizing her following to a quarter-million.
Read More“We entrepreneurs can’t afford to date,” I half-joked to a friend the other day. “We can’t take sick days when we get our hearts smashed.”
I’m a therapist who helps people learn to be resilient in the face of life’s uncertainties. But even I catch myself feeling anxious about how to stay motivated when I’m feeling down—especially in the shit-show that is dating in New York
Read More
