Mental Health Matters 🧠 - Let's Talk About 2024!

What up, Cadre fam? Evan here, your resident mental health and addiction therapist. It's a new year. It's 2024. It's all the rage. It's what everyone's talking about this new year here. But yeah, so we're mental health matters. We're talking about anything having to do with mental health addiction. I'm here to answer any of your questions. If you don't know me, I am a creator here at Cadre. I've been around quite a while. Got plenty of videos on these bit topics, if you're interested. A, we got a good 150 videos, something like that.

So there's a little something for everyone if you're interested in these topics. So go check those out. So, yeah, so anyone coming in, feel free to ask any questions. If you're watching the recorded version, feel free to comment on any of my videos. Go in the community feed and ask any questions, and I'll answer them next week or just in general at a later time and our every other week AMA episode. But anyway, I thought, let's take advantage of this time we have at the beginning of the year to talk about our mental health resolutions, if you will.

Hey, speak, wander. So I just wanted to reflect a little bit on my year and maybe just talk about what I've been thinking about, and I'd love to hear what you all have on your agenda for this year and talk about resolutions whatsoever and how those work. Oh, what's up, JC? So not every year is great, but I had a good one this year. I'd say I had a good one. JFJ, what's up? Happy new year, everyone. But, yeah, no, I mean, some of, you know, been following my journey. I had a pretty cool year. I got to spend quite a bit of time.

What's up, Luke? I got to spend quite a bit of time in Australia, as many people know, and I probably won't shut up about, but it was kind of crazy experience. I was able to go for six months, you know, it was a goal that I had to eventually be able to work remote and to be able to travel more. Just kind of one of those pipe dreams I had, you know, I was like, oh, that would be cool, you know, like, we all have those dreams, you know, to do things, you know, but I I wasn't sure if I would actually do that.

So it was really cool to actually be able to do that and be able to work abroad and still be able to make it all work and kind of live within a different culture. I know it's Australia, so it's not, like, too different, but it was definitely different. And so it was just a really awesome experience. So something to reflect on. You know, some folks, and I haven't really talked about this too much, maybe some of the internal Cadre folks. No, but, like, I'm someone who had a chronic condition that gave me chronic pain.

So for many years, from about 2016, let's say, to 2021, I had growing chronic pain. And that actually was very limiting. A lot of people didn't know it, per se because I could hide it pretty well, but it really limited what I was able to do, especially kind of being in my physical prime. I'm, like, a little over the hill now, but especially at that time, though, like, just being so limited for being young and otherwise, like, really healthy. And so finally I gave in, but sort of to doing a surgery, and that was in late 2021, and that was a long healing process, about a year, year and a half to get fully healed.

I mean, it was definitely much better after, like a couple months, but it was like kind of a. I want to say it was risky, per se, but it just. The outcome was. Was pretty unknown. Like, I didn't know would I be 10% better? That's probably a low mark, but, you know, 50% better, 60. All these are major improvements. I mean, I was starting at a very low point where I needed a lot of improvement, but the improvement exceeded my expectations. So all this to say that by the time I was able. So I got the surgery in the end of 2021, by that year, year and a half point, that's when I was leaving to go to Australia.

And so I had basically a brand new spine, so to speak. And the healing was remarkable. And so it was like this really cool culmination of being able to do this goal that I had, as well as enjoy it by being able to walk with any marginal distance without pain. So it was just like, it was a very surreal experience, one that I'm extremely grateful for and one I hope to repeat soon. Sorry. I've literally had a cough for a month. Has anyone else had this? Anyone else had been sick for like a month? I don't think I've ever had this.

I went two years without being sick. Now I've been, like, literally just sick for six weeks. I kind of want to leave this area just based on that. I feel like it's a. We're in a bucket of disease here in Minnesota for some reason. Anyways, so that's something I'm reflecting on, just like how cool that was after so many years of experiencing pain and limitation, to be able to do that. And I got to count my lucky search. There's a lot of people who have these conditions, don't have that option, don't have a great solution.

I felt that's where I was. I felt like the gates had shut behind me, that this was just kind of my lot. I didn't have super high hopes for the surgery. I knew that it would benefit for sure, but I don't know, there's just a lot of complications that could have come, but really, none of those things happen, which is. I'm talking to my doctor, too. He's like, from what I gather, I'm probably in the top five. Good onion night. Right on. I mean, and probably in the top 5% of positive outcome. I mean, I would imagine.

I mean, if you, if someone told me you had the best outcome in the history of outcomes, I would believe it. I don't have any symptoms. It's like, it's crazy, you know, the odds. They told me it was just like, I'm like, literally. And that's why I was talking to my doctor, my two year follow up, and he said he's like, he, like, even mentioned, he's like, hey, I'm actually going to talk. I'm going to a conference. I'm actually going to talk about your case. Because it was pretty unique in the outcome and what they were able to do, given actually how bad my presentation was.

So I got a lot to be grateful for and some things that I'm excited about for this year. But as everyone else, we all have these challenges, these unique challenges we have with ourselves. And so I still have a lot of those. So, yeah, inside me, I think just every year is it really different? I'm always trying. I'm always trying to improve, but it is, I think, a good time to reflect. So let's hear about you all. What are you all working on for this year? Is there anything you have in mind? I think it's okay to not necessarily have a resolution.

I didn't sit down and make any resolutions per se, but I'm just gonna, you know, keep pushing forward. What about you all? So let's see some of your comments. You got your Aussie friends. Get on. You all right? Passing all health status. Can we. All right, I gotta, like, work on my australian accent before I go back. Our personal health status can weigh heavy on our mental big time, which can cause depression. Yeah, that's right, JFJ. Absolutely right. And I have a whole video series on this, so it's probably, like, I don't know, 1520 videos on managing chronic pain and conditions.

I think it should be up on the app. So go check that out if you're interested. I mean, it's like 15 pretty, like, in depth videos on chronic pain management and stuff, and the psychological side of it, but also talks about strategies of dealing with managing, you know, the medical system and advocating for yourself and that kind of thing. So had COVID. I had COVID for Christmas. Oh, no. I'm grateful for my salt room. What? Where's your salt room? Tell me about this. What is a salt room? I'll try anything at this point.

Salt room, gold room. I was just thinking of that because I. There's this korean spa in Chicago that I would go to, like, once or twice, but it's this massive spa, and they have, like, all these. They have, like. I think they had, like, a salt sauna or something. They had, like, a gold and charcoal and they had, like, all these different saunas made out of different things. So maybe salt. Yeah. What is a salt room? So you're like, we need shoulder surgery. Yeah. I mean, Sergio is not fun by any means.

I mean, it was a tough experience, that's for sure. I also had a shoulder surgery as well. I've been lucky, though, that, like, thank God for modern medicine, honestly, where my shoulders pretty much perfect. You know, they did a good job. So hopefully you have a positive outcome with it after that. You know, it's like that sacrifice you put in at the beginning to uproot your life for a bit. Go to the hospital, rehab. You know, it's a big process, but hopefully you're, you know, you're doing it for a reason.

You come out the other side. New challenges each month. Nirvana. Well, let's look this up live. Let's see. Nirvana Wellness. We're gonna do a promo for Nirvana wellness here. We'll do it. I'll do a fake infomercial. All right, here we go. Whoa. That's cool. It's a big thing. Where is this vinyl wellness sensory therapy? Where are we zooming out in the map? Oh, okay. You're in my backyard. Cell therapy. Look at that. So cool. Nirvana wellness, LLC makes it easy to relax and unwinding, revealing a refresh and clear healed.

You get started with three consultation or 330 consultation. On site or by phone. Find out how dry salt, red light, sound, frequency, music, and massage are the perfect combination to reset your body and mind. Receive support. Look closely at your challenges in life to find joy and create peace. Get in touch. Look at this. So we got a room. Oh, it's like a blue room. I got some of those lounge chairs, those, like, float. What do they call those? Like, zero gravity chairs and, like a. I'll show the pictures here.

I mean, I guess, why not? I could just do that. All right, so here we have. Look at that blue room. That looks like. Is that salt on the wall? Looks like salt wall. Salty wall. Some more pictures. More pictures of the space. Nirvana wellness. Do you have Nirvana playing in the background in the office? I feel like that'd be good. So we're looking by. Is that Burnsville? So Burnsville south metro area. Somewhere around there. Let's get. Let's see. Let's get an exact address. This thing's in Chicago.

Burnsville. Awesome. Nirvana Wellness. Shout out. Cadre family doing cool things. Any other thoughts for New Year's? So, you know, talking about, thinking about, like, some of the things I work with clients with on, like, some of their mental health goals. Right. So I think everyone, again, it's kind of similar. We have these unique goals in any of these things that we typically do, whether it's exercise, diet, you know, it's all towards our overall mental health and wellness. You know, it all serves that same purpose.

But, you know, a lot of my clients in therapy deciding they want to recommit to therapy, wanting to have a different perspective, a different approach to their relationships, to the relationship with themselves, being easier on themselves, that kind of thing. Oh, I didn't see it. I missed it. Oh. Each month, a new challenge. Okay, challenge yourself to do things I've been putting off and do one for three. Oh, I like that. That's really good. Do you have any examples? Is there something you're putting off that you're working on now?

As I look at my to do list. So let's see what else. Yeah, I don't know. I mean, so it was a really cool year. I'm looking forward to this one. Could be pretty interesting geopolitically, but we'll just buckle our seat belts and hopefully get to the next year. But, no, I think it'll be a good one. I'm hoping it'll be a good one for all of you. I think when we have that foresight, we have the ability, the motivation to focus on our wellness and improving. We're just better able to get through some of these challenges that will come.

Right. So we can't control the challenges, but the only thing we can control is bettering ourselves to be more equipped to handling it. So things like re entering talk therapy, that's awesome. Do it. Do it. Of course, I was advocating for that. So let's see, what else can we cover anyway? Maybe another goal is doing coaching on cadres. Anyone here doing coaching on Cadre? If you're here, if you enjoy some of the videos, a lot of creators that you watch will be open to doing coaching, including myself.

Yes, I'm open to doing some coaching with folks. I got a couple slots open so we could do that. But if you're interested, you'll see a button above a lot of videos like coach now do coaching. You just fill out a form and there's just like a little process to match you with the coach if the one you is not actively doing that with us. So yeah, I don't know. It's good to check in with everyone. Thanks for participating. We had some good turnout. Hope you got something out of that. And let's kick off this new year the right way, the Cadre way.

Take care, everyone. It.