CW: This podcast contains discussions of mental health that may be sensitive to some listeners. Suicide

"I’m not a therapist, but I know you."

September is National Suicide Prevention Month. We were honored to have Dr. Shairi Turner, Chief Health Officer at Crisis Text Line, to learn about their mental health support and crisis intervention services. We also discuss the importance of cultural competency and the ways to challenge stigmas and support each other.

By leading with empathy, Crisis Text Line's staff and volunteers have created an invaluable resource. If listeners want to learn more about Crisis Text Line, you can visit CrisisTextLine.org. And if you ever need their support, you can text HOME to 741741. From anywhere across the US. It’s free, confidential, and 24/7.

This week, we learn more about Integrative Health from RN and Integrative Health Practitioner, Emily Gardner! Emily walks us through how balancing conventional and complementary methods can help tackle the root causes of the most stubborn chronic conditions, such as acne, gut issues, and/or hormonal problems. Our discussion focuses on the role of stress, gut health, what functional lab testing can reveal, and the realistic timelines for recovery in integrative health practices!

Emily can be found at www.emintegrativewellness.com or @nurseacne on socials!

This week on The Self Care Unit, we dive into the 2025 State of the World's Nursing Report and discuss the challenges faced by the nursing profession. We cover the causes and impacts of staffing shortages, the gender dynamics of the profession, and what mental health support really looks like. What systemic changes are necessary in healthcare to build a brighter future?

This week, Sarah Lorenzini — Rapid Response nurse, host of the RapidResponseRN podcast, and nurse educator — talks with us about rapid response nursing and how to prepare yourself to succeed during emergencies. We discuss what makes her love nursing, how to develop the critical thinking and resilience you'll need in high-stress environments, and the role of intuition in patient care. For anyone who wants the confidence and skills to jump into action in emergencies, tune in!

Sarah's an absolute well of knowledge and experience, so if you want to learn more, we highly encourage you to check out the RapidResponseRN courses and podcast!

This week, Micheline, and Carley delve into the world of books, relaying their personal journeys into reading, the influence of social media on reading habits, and why nurses read. They talk about when and why they're drawn to certain genres, how books can impact a nurse’s perspective of themself and their patients, and wrap things up with some solid book recommendations!

Book Recs:

Micheline: Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

Anything by Emily Henry, Abby Jimenez, or Ashley Poston

Daisy Darker: A Novel by Alice Feeney

Carley: The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

The City of Brass by S. A. Chakraborty

Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak

Joe: Equal Rites by Terry Pratchett

Calvin and Hobbes

This week, The Self Care Unit explores the world of cold therapy with guest Aryan Davani, founder of IcePass, a community wellness club in LA. Focusing primarily on the mental health benefits of cold plunging, we get the details from Aryan on why this practice has exploded in popularity in recent years. Whether it's calming our minds, connecting with others, or overcoming our self-limiting beliefs, we learn all the benefits of cold therapy so you can take the plunge!

For this past Nurses Week, our goal was to showcase the nursing community by hearing from nurses directly. So for this episode of the Self Care Unit, nurses generously share their stories on the podcast, including what they love about the job, what motivates them, the challenges they face, and their hopes for the future. In the process, they give a personal insight into what is actually happening in the profession, the pride nurses take in their work, the many paths that a career in nursing can take, and the ways working as a nurse can change you as a person.

CW: This podcast may contain discussions of mental health that may be sensitive to listeners.

This week, we are thrilled to have The Pitt’s Katherine LaNasa on the show! Earning praise from healthcare workers for its accuracy and realism, The Pitt does not shy away from showing the everyday realities of life in the hospital. As Charge Nurse Dana, Katherine is a fan favorite, and she talks with us about the show's authenticity, the nuances she brought to her role, and how she portrays the emotional and physical demands of nursing.

As with her work on screen, Katherine’s compassion absolutely shines in this conversation — she may have asked more questions than we did! So, on behalf of all the nurses who have loved watching Dana keep things moving, we are so grateful to Katherine for chatting with us!