Morning Cup of Joe

Many students hear the term Case Management or UCARE with a spike of fear or distrust. This week, Traci and Amber seek to demystify what Case Management does, what the UCARE process looks like, and how Case Management can help students deal with problems they are facing in their own lives.

This week Amber and Traci talk about how healing from a break-up is like recovering from a sports injury. They discuss how to progress from injury to healing by relating each part to the familiar parts of physical healing, so that students can better understand what emotional healing looks like.

In this episode Amber and Traci talk about why burnout is so common in high achievers through the lens of the rise to fame of Chappel Roan. They discuss what Chappel Roan did to prevent burnout, and why how she handled it can be such a powerful example to students of how to handle when burnout is looming.

This week Amber and Traci have a special guest, Takudzwa who is the Joe's Peer over Belonging here at S&T. Takudzwa talks about what belonging is and how to build it here at S&T.

In an age of social media and Influencers we can often look at the images of other people's successes and feel inferior or lacking. In this episode, Traci and Amber look at how comparison can be beneficial by providing motivation, but at other times can be damaging by hurting our self-esteem.

In this episode Traci and Amber look into Carl Roger's concept of Ideal self and talk about how we can use it to help us figure out our goals in life. Amber and Traci explore the difference between our Real Self, Adopted Ideal Self, and our Ideal Self and how outside pressures can often make us strive for goals that we often do not want, sapping our motivation and mood.

Have you ever found out that the song lyrics of the song you are listening to are very different than what you thought they were, often in ways that can be very humorous. In this amusing episode of Morning Cup of Joe, Amber and Traci explore a psychology theory called Schema Theory and how Schema's effect much more than just song lyrics in how we interpret the world around us.

In this episode Traci and Amber interview incoming freshman at S&T during Miner Bash. We look at ways to build a sense of belonging at S&T, and what plans our incoming freshman have for the transition to college.

In this episode, Traci and Amber discuss how Confirmation Bias can distort our perceptions resulting in actions that are seemingly illogical. They use the hit streaming series White Lotus to discuss an example of one person's hilarious struggle with Confirmation Bias, and what we can do if we see it in ourselves.

In this episode Traci and Amber discuss parental abuse, and what to do if we come from a home that was abusive. They discuss abuse patterns and how they can affect us even after we leave home.

This week Amber and Traci discuss a social media trend using a song called Anxiety as a sound clip. We discuss how this trend of shared social vulnerability can make us feel more seen, connected and supported by those around us.

In this episode Traci and Amber talk about Gaslighting, and how it is used in abuse as a method to control and manipulate victims.

In this episode what talk about what empathy is and what it isn't. We go over the difference between empathy and sympathy and talk about some of the green flags that someone is an empathetic person

This week we have a special guest, Student Conduct Manager, Nick Bodkins. Traci and Amber have a frank discussion with Nick about hazing, what it is, and what we can do about it.

In this episode we look at Psychoanalyst and Psychologist Erik Erikson's theory regarding Psycho-Social Development and the stage Identity vs Role Confusion. This stage typically occurs between ages 12 and 19, and surrounds the idea that this age range forms the basis of when we each form our concepts of identity and who each of is as an individual.

What do Casinos and Gambling have to do with abusive relationships? Tune in to find out as Amber and Traci look at what makes us stay in abusive relationships.

This week we take a journey long long ago and far far away to learn about Cognitive Biases using the film The Last Jedi. Traci and Amber look at Luke's motivations, and how his thinking is skewed in the film by his past traumas. We examine some of the most common biases and what we can do about them.

In this week's episode we look at the song Survive by Lewis Capaldi and how it can help us cope with some of the feelings common to college students. We talk about music as a coping mechanism, and how to use songs like this one to help work through deep emotions.

Have you ever felt overwhelmed and out of control? In this week's episode Amber and Traci explore the Window of Tolerance using the character of Spiderman. We talk about what it is and how we can use the information to decrease feelings of overwhelm.

This week Traci and Amber discuss the hit show Never Have I Ever and what it tells us about a concept called Cultural Dissonance. Cultural Dissonance is something that happens when someone lives in a culture other that their birth culture and experiences the class between the cultures, and how it can feel like we are caught in the middle. Traci and Amber explore what it is, and what we can do about it.

In this week's episode Traci and Amber talk about the modern phenomenon of Eco-Anxiety in terms of the movie Interstellar. We discuss how natural disasters and climate change can affect our mental health, and what we can do about it.

This week Traci and Amber discuss Triangulation in relationships and why it is harmful and what to do about it using the movie Wicked. We discuss the various triangles in the movie and why and how each character uses the triangles.

In this week's episode Traci and Amber are using the analogy of a garden to talk about cultivating our relationships. We talk about how to balance relationships, and how to help each relationship in our lives flourish to it's fullest potential.

This week Traci and Amber use the movie Napoleon Dynamite in order to talk about personal hygiene and how it affects mental health, and how mental health can affect our hygiene.

This week Traci and Amber discuss the cycle of addiction, and how it affects both the person struggling with addiction, and how it affects those around them. Using Bucky Barnes, they will talk about each of the stages of addiction, and how to cope when we are struggling with addiction.

So, how do we break a bad habit? This week Traci and Amber will be using the character of Deadpool to talk about the Transtheoretical Model of Behavior change, and the stages of change. We will look at how to apply the model to ourselves, and how it can help us get past habits that no longer serve us.

This week Traci and Amber visit Freud's Psychoanalytic Theory and use the Character of Venom to talk about Ego, Super Ego and Id and how these can be used to help regulate our emotions.

This week Traci and Amber tackle a common issue for S&T Students, Homesickness. We talk about what it is, and how to help lessen feelings of homesickness when it happens using the Captain America character.

This week Traci and Amber have a special guest, Health Educator Derek Zboran. Derek talks about student's sleep needs and the Sleep Consultations offered in SWB.

This week Traci and Amber delve in the topic of Toxic Workplaces using the movie The Devil Wear Prada. We talk about things we can do to preserve our mental health in these environments.

This week Traci and Amber discuss how plants and pets can positively impact our mental health, and how we can use that knowledge to improve our mental health now.

In this episode Traci and Amber talk about the concept of Johari's Window, and what it tells us about our knowledge of self, using the hit TV show Breaking Bad. They examine the character Walter White using the window, and discuss how we can use the window in our lives to help reach our goals and understand ourselves better.

In this episode Traci and Amber talk about how we can turn to media and other things from our childhood in order to feel less lonely. They discuss about how to use this as a tool to help resolve feelings of loneliness.

In this episode Traci and Amber talk about the Video Game Crash and solutions to conflict. They talk about the conflict that caused the crash, how the companies in the market responded, and how their responses affected where they are today.

In this episode Traci and Amber talk about the symptoms of Social Anxiety and how it can effect our lives. They go into the things we can do if we are struggling with Social Anxiety.

In this episode Traci and Amber talk about the Disney/Marvel series Agatha All Along and how it illustrates the different styles of conflict resolution.

In this episode Traci and Amber compare the systems of a car to our own mental health, and how managing our mental health can be very much like driving a car.

We all have needs, some are pretty basic for survival. All are needed for us to be happy and successful. This week we will talk about what those needs are, and how lacking in any of those needs can affect us using the show/game The Last of Us.

In this episode Traci and Amber talk about the movie Oppenheimer, and the invention of the Atomic Bomb, and how it ties into feelings of regret. We also talk about what to do if you are feeling regret about something that may have happened in your own life.

This week we cover the famous aviator and aerospace engineer Howard Hughes, and his struggle with OCD. We will talk about the symptoms of OCD and what to do if you are struggling with symptoms.

Relationships, most people want them but in this day and age dating has become complicated. In this episode Traci and Amber discuss new phenomenon of situationships, what they are and what to do if you find yourself in one.

In this episode Amber and Traci walk you through using Minecraft as a mindfulness technique. We talk about benefits of mindfulness, and why using creative games like Minecraft can be therapeutic for reducing stress and anxiety.

Conflict is something we all face in our daily lives. This week Traci and Amber use the Miranda Rights we hear repeated in Procedural Cop Shows to explain some conflict resolution strategies we can use the next time we find ourselves part of a disagreement.

This week we use a scenario about driving a car to talk about Polyvagal Theory. Polyvagal Theory is a theory that uses stimulation of the Vagus Nerve in order to decrease feelings of anxiety and overstimulation. We talk about what it is, why it works and how to use the techniques yourself in your everyday life.

This week Traci and Amber use the video game The Sims to talk about motivation. Like our digital counterparts we have needs, and wants that overall shape how we spend our time. Those wants and needs have to balanced with lifetime goals and our individual personality traits. Listen in to learn how to keep all of these things in balance and increase your motivation.

In this episode we use the classic video game Tetris to talk about Overstimulation. We talk about what it is, and what we can do about it.

Google Maps has made navigation easy. We just type in a destination, and the computer chooses the route, optimizing of course for any detours along the way. Sometimes it seems that it would make life easier if we could do that for our lives and goals as well. In this episode we will talk about Life Maps, and how we can use them to optimize efficiency in reaching our goals.

This week we will be using the Disney classic The Little Mermaid to discuss Limerence and Love and what the difference is between them. We will talk about what is happening in the brain when we "fall in love."

Have you ever noticed that sometimes the way we want to react is counterproductive? This is where the Opposite Action Skill comes in. Amber and Traci will use the Blockbuster movie The Martian to talk about this skill we can use when out fight or fight system wants to act in ways that we know are not productive.

In this episode we talk about water, why it is important to our mental health, and how much we should be drinking. We also talk about ways increase our water intake in ways that are fun.