Remember THIS When The World Feels Overwhelming | The Mel Robbins Podcast

Hey, it's your friend Mel, and welcome to a special and important episode of the Mel Robbins Podcast. Ah, I am so glad that you are here with me. I just wish that you were here, like, physically with me 'cause I kinda wanna hold your hand. I could use a hug right now. Why could I use a hug? The news. I am so overwhelmed and saddened by everything that is going on in the news right now, and I have had such a heavy heart all day that I thought, "You know, this show is syndicated in 194 countries around the world, and you may be listening in one of those regions where there is a lot of conflict, where things are extraordinarily scary." And I started to feel very helpless and overwhelmed by the fact that it seems like the world is just spinning out of control, and I thought, "What am I gonna do? What can I do? How can I help?" And so I asked myself, "If I could talk to one person today, one person who I know could help you and me feel a little more empowered, a little more connected to ourselves and to love and to our ability to face whatever it is that's going on, who would that be?" And there was only one name that popped in my head, and that name is Dr. Thema Bryant. Dr. Thema is a gift, and I thought, "I have to get her on the show." She's a psychologist, a minister, a tenured professor at Pepperdine University. In 2023, she was named the very first Black female president of the American Psychological Association, and every time I hear her speak, it's like I can feel my soul exhale. And so earlier today, I DMed her in a panic, "Dr. Thema, do you have 10 minutes to spare? Would you be willing to talk to me about how we can stay connected to ourselves and connected to hope and to each other in such a scary moment in time?" And she wrote right back and said, "I'll be there." And she's exactly who we need to hear from. She completed her doctorate in clinical psychology at Duke University and her postdoctoral training at Harvard Medical School's Victims of Violence program. Her New York Times bestselling book Homecoming is all about how you overcome fear and trauma and reclaim your whole authentic self, and Dr. Thema is here to teach you that even when things seem so dark, there is light inside of you, inside of me, and inside of other people. She's here to teach you simple things that you can do if you're in the middle of turmoil right now, whether it's in your community, in your family, in your nation, and she's also here to talk to you if you feel overwhelmed by what's going on and you don't know what to do about it. And all I can say is thank God she's here 'cause I need to hear her wisdom and her love as much as you do. So please help me welcome Dr. Thema Bryant to the Mel Robbins Podcast. Dr. Thema, I'm so happy you're here.