In this episode, the X-Podcast team talks about how nutrition significantly impacts mental health. They discuss how food influences our moods, Stress, and cognitive function. Xiomara explains how a healthy, balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, and omega-3 fatty acids can improve mental well-being. She also discusses the negative effects that deficiencies in certain nutrients can contribute to mood disorders and cognitive decline.

In this episode, the X-Podcast team has a conversation about intergenerational trauma. They define what intergenerational trauma is and the several different terms that can be used interchangeably when referring to it. Intergenerational trauma means the transmission of trauma-related effects that span across family generations. Individuals can experience the emotional and psychological consequences of traumatic experiences that their ancestors had to endure. This can occur even if they did not directly experience the trauma themselves. There are several ways in which this transmission occurs. The X-Team discusses how epigenetic changes play a role in the transmission of intergenerational trauma. The Mental Health Academy explains that these traumatic experiences can lead to epigenetic changes. These changes alter gene expression, which can be passed down to future generations. 

In this episode, the X-Podcast team has a conversation about the tragic death of Gene Hackman and his final days. They get into America’s elder care crisis. They also discuss their opinions about how this tragedy can happen to someone with substantial resources as much as it can to someone with limited or no resources. The team gets into the financial reality of caregiving in America and its toll on the caregiver. Xiomara also discusses some solutions through services that can connect pre-med and nursing students with families who need affordable care at a much lower cost than the traditional agencies.

In this episode, the X-Podcast team has a conversation about Postpartum depression (PPD). PDD is a mood disorder that can occur in women after giving birth. It is characterized by persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and loss of interest in activities. Special guest Licensed Professional Counselor-Associate Noelle Kristan discusses her work with PDD. She also talks about her personal lived-experience with PDD. Noelle provides professional and personal tips on how to manage PDD.  PPD is a common mental health condition that affects about 1 in 8 women. Many women are not comfortable sharing their experience with PPD and are reluctant to ask for help due. The team discusses why this is the case. This episode hopes to bring more awareness about PPPD and to help reduce stigma around PPD in hopes of supporting more women.  

In this episode, the X-Podcast team continues their series on caregiving. They explain financial caregiving and provide examples, tips, and information about it. Xiomara talks about her personal experience in financial caregiving and gives her lived-experience advice on how to manage it.  They discuss financial planning while caregiving for a loved one, because it can come with extra expenses. Xiomara gives tips on smart planning and how you can manage your finances while providing great care. She also discusses legal prerequisites for becoming a financial caregiver. The team also discusses the importance of family caregiving. They explain what the role of family caregivers is in the healthcare system and how to manage it. Xiomara also gets into the pros and cons and the limitations and challenges she faces as a family caregiver and provides some insight and tips about it. 

In this episode, the X-Podcast team reacts to and discusses financial caregiving for loved ones. Xiomarea talks about her personal experience with financial caregiving as she cared for her parents for over 20 years. She gives tips on managing this very important part of being a primary caregiver.  Xiomara explains the difference between a caregiver and a caretaker when caring for someone unwell or aging. She defines what the term financial caregiving means and provides personal experience with it from her caregiving journey. She discusses some of the preparations that caregivers can take to help with the financial burdens of caregiving. Xiomara also touches on the cultural competency that is involved with caregiving within the Latino community and how that differs from the American non-Latino communities. 

In this episode, the X-Podcast team reacts to and discusses caregiving for parents at home versus institutions. In this episode Xiomara and her team begin the podcast caregiving series. She tells some of her story detailing the personal experience she lived as a primary caregiver to her parents for 20 years. Xiomara gives real life examples and provides tips for caregivers that can help them manage their mental health through the process. 

The X-Podcast: Real Conversations About Mental Health. A Conversation About: The Mental Health Impact on the Federal Workforce Due to Firings. Episode #46. In this episode, the X-Podcast team reacts to and discusses an article and podcast about federal workers and contractors who have been fired and the mental health implications to them.  This is the actual copy from the article I will be reading from and referring to as we discuss and react to it. Transcript is also included. NPR article. February 24, 20254:07 AM ET . Heard on Morning Edition. By Katia Riddle.

In this episode, the X-Podcast team reacts to and discusses a YouTube video by Jonathan Decker of Mended Light. Jonathan is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and Clinical Director at his private practice, Mended Light. He also has a YouTube channel and the handle is @MendedLight. The name of his YouTube video episode that we will discuss today is  $h^t Therapists Say: Imposing Personal Values on Clients In this video Jonathan discusses several incidents where therapists seemingly and improperly appeared to have imposed their personal values onto their clients during a therapy session. All of the stories he discusses, and that I discuss, we do with the permission and knowledge of the clients. The clients remain anonymous.

In this episode, the X-Podcast team discusses how fitness has a positive impact on mental health. Fitness does not have to look the same for everyone, it can be very fluid and personal, based on each individual’s needs and abilities. Committing to any level of fitness in life makes our mental health better. In addition, it helps reduce the symptoms of mental health conditions like clinical anxiety, clinical depression and others. The team discusses all of the benefits and also their personal relationship with fitness and their mental health.