Hosts: Andrew Dewar & Catherine Collins

Let’s talk about the real side of healing—the hard, messy, emotional parts that no one puts in a quote card. In this heartfelt episode, Andrew opens up about his return to EMDR therapy, and both hosts explore what it actually feels like to face emotional growth head-on.

Whether you're just beginning your healing journey or you're knee-deep in the “garbage removal” phase, this episode will remind you that you're not alone—and it’s okay to feel all the feelings.

Book your coaching call here: https://fiveyearyou.com/call

👇 Scroll for tools, inspiration, and resources to support your journey.

• What EMDR therapy is and why it’s helpful
• Why healing feels worse before it feels better
• The “emotional garbage” metaphor and why it’s spot-on
• How to support someone going through a dark day
• Self-care vs. avoidance: knowing the difference
• Building your “coping skill fanny pack”
• How to recognize your healing patterns over time
• Why we need to normalize therapy and mental health check-ins

🧠 What Is EMDR Therapy? - EMDR Institute

📱 Opal App – Mindful Screen Time

🎧 Try Audible Free – Process & Reflect on the Go

🍳 Our Favorite Instant Pot

“Healing isn’t always pretty. Sometimes it’s crying in the shower or just making it through the day.”

“You can’t outsource your healing—you have to take out your own emotional trash.”

“Your batting average for surviving hard days is 100% so far.”

Andrew: A joyful and productive week spent together with Catherine.

Catherine: Sunshine, blooming tulips, and walks in the spring air after a long Chicago winter.

• Book a therapy session—before you’re in crisis.
• Identify your coping tools (music, walks, calling a friend).
• Create a post-therapy buffer zone—no PTA meetings right after deep work.
• Tell someone you trust if you’re struggling.
• Repeat this mantra: “I am allowed to heal at my own pace.”

🌐 Website: https://fiveyearyou.com

📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/fiveyearyou

📧 Email: hello@fiveyearyou.com

We are not licensed therapists. This podcast is for educational and inspirational purposes only. Please reach out to a mental health professional for personal guidance. Some links are affiliate links—we may earn a small commission.

💬 Have you had a moment when healing didn’t feel pretty—but you came out stronger?

Share it in the comments. Your story might help someone else.

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#FiveYearYou #HealingIsntAlwaysPretty #MentalHealthMatters #EMDR #PersonalGrowth #CopingSkills #EmotionalHealing #TherapyJourney #SelfCareTools #Podcast

Hosts: Andrew Dewar & Catherine Collins

In this episode of Five Year You, we get real about failure, setbacks, and those moments when life just… derails. If you’ve ever asked, “Why is this happening to me?”—this conversation will help you reframe the tough moments and find meaning, strength, and even humor in the mess.

👇 Scroll for tools, timestamps, and links!

✨ What You'll Learn in This Episode:

• Why setbacks are a natural part of the growth journey
• The importance of mindset: victim vs. curiosity
• Practical coping skills for when you’re in the middle of a setback
• The power of contrast days
• How reframing failure helps you become the person you're meant to be
• Parenting wisdom: why we shouldn’t shield kids from failure
• How to process big feelings—without getting stuck
• Fanny pack of coping tools (yes, we said that)

✅ Helpful Tools & Resources:

📱 Opal App – Reduce Screen Time & Reclaim Life

🎧 Audible Free Trial – Personal Development on the Go

🍳 Instant Pot – Save Time, Eat Well

💬 Favorite Quotes:

🌟 Glimmers of the Week:

Catherine: Finally making a long-put-off doctor appointment thanks to a little loving push.

Andrew: Wearing yellow for the first time and loving the way it feels.

📲 Stay Connected:

🌐 Website: https://fiveyearyou.com

📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/fiveyearyou

📧 Email: hello@fiveyearyou.com

⚠️ Disclaimer:

This content is for informational purposes only and not intended as a substitute for professional mental health or medical advice. Some links may be affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, we may earn from qualifying purchases.

💬 Your Turn:

What’s a setback that taught you something valuable?

Drop it in the comments—we’d love to hear your story.

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🎧 Available wherever you get your podcasts.

#FiveYearYou #OvercomingSetbacks #MentalHealthTools #PersonalGrowth #CopingSkills #LifeLessons #SelfImprovement #Resilience #Podcast #AndrewDewar #CatherineCollins

In this episode, Andrew and Catherine dive into one of the most common challenges of modern life: time scarcity. They debunk the myth that "everyone has the same 24 hours" and offer practical strategies for reclaiming your day, without guilt or shame. Whether you're feeling overwhelmed or just want to use your time more intentionally, this conversation blends mindset shifts with real-life hacks to help you create more freedom in your schedule.

• Why the "same 24 hours" concept is flawed
• The first step: awareness and identifying where your time really goes
• Tools like the Opal app to track screen usage and recapture time
• Time guilt vs. intentional living
• How micro-moments of connection count more than rigid blocks
• Reframing movement: "exercise sipping" and stacking activity into existing routines
• Future Self Thinking: framing daily choices as gifts to your tomorrow self
• Identifying "dead time" and turning it into productive or restful time
• Avoiding shame around productivity and honoring seasons of life

1. Track Your Time: Use screen trackers like Opal to bring awareness to phone use.
2. Make One Meaningful Connection a Day: Especially with your kids, focus on quality, not quantity.
3. Use "Dead Time" Wisely: Listen to audiobooks during errands, do squats while your coffee brews.
4. Time Things: Fold laundry, clean the kitchen – then realize how little time it really takes.
5. Stack Habits: Pair movement or learning with existing routines.
6. Give Yourself Grace: Your season of life might not be your season for building big things, and that's okay.

• Realizing that she was spending decades of her life on her phone and using Opal to cut that time dramatically.
• Switching from task-shaming to future-self thinking: "Morning Catherine will love that I did this now."

• Understanding how micro-movements like "planking during espresso" add up to full workouts over time.
• Emphasizing that if something truly matters to you, you'll find the time for it, but it has to be intentional.

Catherine: Morning puzzles and one-on-one time with her son, appreciating the rarity of alone time with twins.

Andrew: Clothes shopping with his son – fast, intentional, and a reminder of the joy in simple connections.

• Opal App for Screen Time Management
• Instant Pot
• Audible Free Trial

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