Wellness Minutes
Episodes
Reconnecting Through Talking Rituals: A Wellness Guide
03 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Do you ever feel disconnected from family and friends, especially those living far away? When each day blends into the next, how do we maintain meanin...
Perfectionism is holding you back more than you realize
19 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Perfectionism has a way of silencing our voices. After a lengthy break from recording, I found myself trapped in an endless cycle of waiting for the &...
What Your Irritability Is Desperately Trying to Tell You
18 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever tried to focus on an important task while feeling irritated or upset? That nagging emotional state isn't just an inconvenience—it...
Breaking Free from Mental Loops
11 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Every living species has a superpower, and for humans, it's our capacity to think and problem-solve—yet this gift becomes problematic when we c...
Mindful Eating: Breaking Free from Guilt and Finding Gratitude
11 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Our complicated relationship with food often stems from childhood, where being fed helped soothe our distress, creating deep connections between food ...
Burnout: When Passion Becomes Exhaustion
09 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We explore the concept of burnout as a state of mental and physical exhaustion that occurs when we're constantly "switched on" without ...
Our feelings are data waiting to be processed, not enemies to be fought.
08 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Naming our emotions isn't just therapy-speak—it's a powerful tool for mental clarity and focus. When we acknowledge our feelings without j...
The Art of Reconnecting Through Talking Rituals
05 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The "Help, Thanks, Wow" ritual offers a simple yet powerful way to reconnect with ourselves and loved ones while improving our wellbeing thr...
The Power of Self-Compassion: Replacing Critical Language with Kindness
04 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We explore the practice of replacing self-critical language with compassionate language during overwhelming times, especially as we juggle multiple ro...
Your Body Is Begging For More Rest—Here's How To Listen
03 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I fell asleep at concerts by Zakir Hussain and Pearl Jam, which made me realize how sleep-deprived I was. Today I'm sharing signs you need more r...
Tricking Your Brain into Loving Movement: A Psychologist's Approach to Exercise (True Crime is involved!)
02 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Exercise doesn't have to be difficult or boring when you approach it with the right mindset. A psychologist shares practical strategies for incor...
Your Brain is Plastic: A 5-Minute Guide to Installing Joy
01 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We explore how to shift from survival mode to thriving by retraining our brain to scan for happiness instead of danger. Our brain's natural tende...
When Time Feels Like It's Slipping Away, Try This
28 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Time can be transformed from an enemy into an ally through the Pomodoro technique, a powerful productivity method that structures work into focused 25...
Your Emotions Are Messengers, Not Enemies
27 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Wellness Minutes explores the practice of meditating on feelings, teaching listeners to observe the space between events and actions where thoughts an...
The Hidden Power of Naming Your Emotions: Why Therapists Ask "How Does That Feel?"
26 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Emotions are like background programs running on your mental computer—when acknowledged, they free up resources, but when ignored, they demand more ...
Your mental health deserves the same attention as your finances.
26 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We explore how investing in your health through proactive self-care builds resilience similar to saving money for future needs. Our brain's stres...
Beyond Self-Criticism: A 4-Minute Compassion Practice
06 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ever notice how we're often our own harshest critics? The RAIN meditation offers a refreshing alternative—a simple yet profound practice that t...
Spiritual Bypass: When Bliss Becomes Avoidance
06 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Anger burns. It rises in our bodies—sometimes in our racing hearts, sometimes in our flushed cheeks, sometimes in our churning stomachs. But what ha...
Honoring the Unseen: Reflections on What Keeps Our World Turning
06 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What goes unseen often matters most. Today's meditation centers around six powerful words—loving, kindness, compassion, heart, hands, and head—...
Self-Care Before Service: The Oxygen Mask Principle
06 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ever noticed how your most depleted moments often follow periods of caring for everyone but yourself? That's no coincidence.Drawing inspiration f...
Sensory Scavenger Hunt for Your Stressed-Out Mind
06 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Finding yourself caught in a loop of worries or overwhelm? Pause and take a breath. Our bodies have an incredible built-in system for returning to cal...
The One-Minute Rebellion Against Constant Stress
06 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Take a deep breath. Now another. What did you just activate? Your parasympathetic nervous system—the forgotten half of your body's stress-respo...
Day 30: Mindfulness Saturdays
31 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
To contrast with my busy, "can do - will do - yes absolutely" attitude, I decided to dedicate one day of the week to slowing down and giving...
Day 29: Watering the seeds of kindness and compassion
30 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Reflecting on the hard work that goes into kindness and compassion We'd love to hear from you, send us a text! Support the show Thank you for lis...
Day 28: Taking care of yourself is one way you take care of the universe
29 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Remembering a line by Chief Seattle, I reflect on the importance of taking care of ourselves. I also reflect on the wisdom of Adrienne Maree Brown (&q...
Day 27: Put on your oxygen mask first before helping others
28 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
When you take care of yourself- your health and wellness can have a positive impact on others. If you don't refill your own cup but keep offering...
Day 26: Our mental health challenges can serve as a wake-up call
26 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Continuing my reflections on depression and anxiety We'd love to hear from you, send us a text! Support the show Thank you for listening, much ...
Day 25: The phenomenon called Depression and Anxiety
25 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The most common experiences of profound psychological distress - Depression and Anxiety - are not personal failures, they are the mind and body's...
Day 24: Mental Health Awareness week / month/year/life!
25 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Reflecting on how to help yourself decide whether to seek professional help, how to recognize you have gone from stress to STRESSED OUT and how a ther...
Day 23: Sunday Blues
24 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Sunday Blues - like any other feeling - are feedback to us. In this episode, we reflect on Sunday blues and what we can learn about our feelings from ...
Day 22: Airplane mode and the case of the missing Episode 21
22 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Sometimes disconnecting from the phone seems like the best way to reconnect with reality. The concrete reality, not just the manifestation of reality ...
Day 19: A pinch of Spirituality, anyone?
20 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This is what happens when I have a super busy day and then end up in a Spiritual study group meeting and then wonder - do other people think about thi...
Day 18: How Immigration can be one long process of grief
19 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Immigration, regardless of the motivation behind immigration, comes with such a string of losses. This episode is a reflection on what that grief can ...
Day 17: Invisible work
18 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Recognizing the invisible work we do in our professions and in our homes and communities. Read the poem I referenced: https://pollycastor.com/2019/...
Day 16: Reflecting on ways to defuse the inner critic
17 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The inner critic forgets we are doing our best and the best way to improve ourselves is through reinforcement in the form of kindness and compassion. ...
Day 15: Compassion towards Health anxiety
16 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Curiosity about our feelings is one form of compassion . today I bring curiosity to health anxiety. We'd love to hear from you, send us a text! Su...
Day 14: finding hope in the little things
15 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Plants can teach us so much and give us so much. Hope you get a chance to reflect on how to plant these seeds of hope in your life. Here is a video fr...
Day 13: Sitting with Fear, one breath at a time
14 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The difficult and sometimes highly unbearable feeling called Fear remains my achilles heel. It incapacitates me and makes it very hard for me to focus...
Day 12: Extending compassion to the body
13 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Human civilization has "evolved" to prioritize the brain over the body, much to the detriment of our own holistic health as well as the heal...
Day 11: Let's talk about Anxiety!
12 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
How do you talk about this big topic in just 5 minutes? Come listen and find out. And for further information, check out this book (available on Kind...
Day 10: Inserting mindful pauses throughout the day
11 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Practice the skill of mindfulness by reminding you to pause and bring yourself into the present moment. Tune into today's episode to learn one wa...
Day 9: Giving our rage, anger and other "unglamorous" feelings room to breathe
10 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Our Rage, frustration, anger, irritation rise frequently during periods of crisis and these feelings (and us, when we feel them) deserve as much atten...
Day 8: Why focus on loving-kindness-compassion when you are in crisis?
09 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Focusing on positive and helpful emotions such as loving-kindness and compassion can seem like a denial of stressful realities. Today's episode i...
Day 7: Wellness even during times of stress
08 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Much gratitude to Kaira Jewel Lingo, a meditation teacher I have heard many times including this morning at the Wisdom and Emotions Summit (Keynote ad...
Day 6: Self compassion when you feel despair and helplessness
06 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Can you imagine being truthful in response to the question, "am I doing enough?". Self-compassion helps you acknowledge all your demands and...
Day 5: Digest pandemic fatigue with a dose of self compassion
06 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
An invitation to take time and space to digest your feelings when pandemic fatigue has already overfilled your plate of feelings! We'd love to he...
Day 4: Keep putting one foot in front of the other
05 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
When the going gets tough, don't pressurized yourself to feel better. Hold yourself and help yourself put one foot in front of the other. We'...
Day 3: Being nourished by the 4 Elements: Earth, Fire, Water, Air
03 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Allowing the 4 Elements to comfort us and hold us. Allow yourselves to be cared-for by the Universe in us and around us. We'd love to hear from yo...
Day 2: Grief and giving yourself space
02 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Stress and suffering make our mind and body constrict and tighten, here is an invitation to help them get space to un-clench and un-tightenWe'd lo...
Day 1: Being the Compassionate Presence the World needs right now
02 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
invitation to join me for 30 days of breathing together, pausing together so we can show up as the Compassionate Presence our families and communities...
Breath Awareness : A guided practice
10 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Amishi Jha , a Psychologist at the University of Miami talks about Breath Awareness practice as a “foundational workout for the brain’s attention ...
Wellness through meta-awareness
10 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This episode discusses meta-awareness, knowing where our mind is AND what our mind is doing. Richard Davidson, a Professor of Psychology at University...
Wellness through body scan meditation - Part 2
02 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Do you know a part of nature that we frequently forget to acknowledge? Ourselves!Our body is such an astounding mix of cells - chemicals - electrical ...
Wellness by Pausing to take a breath
02 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
I have noticed I often live my life and do things with a tremendous sense of urgency. I don’t always stop to ask myself if something can wait a few ...
RAIN of Self Compassion - companion episode to Wellness and Self Compassion
07 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This is a guided meditation inspired by the work of Tara Brach, read more here : https://www.tarabrach.com/meditation-the-rain-of-self-compassion/ We...
Wellness through Self Compassion
07 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Self-compassion involves treating yourself the way you would treat a friend who is having a hard time. According to prominent self-compassion research...
Mindfulness-based meditation:Guided Practice
03 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A companion to episode 23 and 24, this episode guides you to spend time with yourself through silence and reminders to notice the thoughts and sensati...
Wellness through Meditation
03 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In episode 23, I spoke about the lizard brain, mouse brain and the monkey brain. This episode (episode 24) is about Understanding how different parts ...
Wellness Wishes for today and everyday
01 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
As the host of Wellness Minutes, as a Community-Clinical Psychologist and as an activist, I have an eye on your wellness as an individual and also as ...
Snapshots from Season 1 of Wellness Minutes
30 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Last episode of Season 1, stay tuned for Season 2 - launching in 2021! I'd love to hear from you! write to me at [email protected] Stu...
Wellness through Self Care Bingo
27 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
While attending to the outside world - whether it is taking care of the needs of your family, your friends, your boss or your patients and clients, yo...
Wellness through Mindfulness - Part 2
17 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
As human beings, our mind is full of thoughts and we don’t always realize that we spend a lot of time with thoughts that are mere stories - they are...
Wellness in the form of Equanimity
12 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
I remember the time I would travel in crowded trains in Mumbai - years ago, when I still lived there. I recall how careful i had to be to hold onto so...
What is mindfulness?
09 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
I occasionally use the term “mindfulness” and today I thought I would do an episode about what I mean when I talk about mindfulness. Mindfulness h...
Wellness by pairing new habits with aromas
03 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
our senses can play such an important role in not only recalling memories but also getting our mind to focus regardless of what is going on. So today’...