Shows / College Is Fine, Everything's Fine
College Is Fine, Everything's Fine
College can be...really social, and pretty lonely. A time of amazing freedom, and a total pressure cooker. The best years of your life, except when it's not. We're Dr. Sarah Olivo and Dr. Liz Seidler, two clinical psychologists who've helped students navigate the highs and lows of college for over a decade. In this podcast, we listen to your stories and use them as our guide. Hear us give actionable advice to students just like you who are trying to balance work and fun, manage the pressures of…
Episodes
- College Is Fine, Everything's Fine
#93 Am I Doing College Right? Roommates, Boundaries, and Building Confidence with Suzanne Hanna
A few weeks into the semester, the excitement has worn off. The roommate isn’t who her app profile promised, the dorm flu is going around, the dining hall is…
- College Is Fine, Everything's Fine
#92 Ask for It: Accommodations and Self-Advocacy in College, with Elizabeth Hamblet
Many students head to college assuming the supports they had in high school will follow them. They often don’t. Sarah and Liz sit down with Elizabeth Hamlet, a…
- College Is Fine, Everything's Fine
#91 College Mental Health: What’s Changed and What Hasn’t, with Dr. Alexis Redding
Dr. Alexis Redding — developmental psychologist at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and author of the new book on mental health in college — joins us…
- College Is Fine, Everything's Fine
TWO TAKES on Tracking Your College Freshman - "Before It Was Stalking, Now It's Safety"
In our second TWO TAKES episode, a mom and her college freshman talk about tracking, texting, and how much parents really need to know. Ashley and Sarah met in…
- College Is Fine, Everything's Fine
#89 Why Quick Fixes Are Making College Stress Worse (And What Actually Works) with Dr. Jill Grimes
Liz and Sarah are joined by Dr. Jill Grimes, family physician and author of The Ultimate College Student Health Handbook, to talk about what chronic academic…
- College Is Fine, Everything's Fine
#88 From Classroom to Cubicle: A No-Panic Guide to Internships and Job Searching
If you've ever panicked staring at a blank resume, frozen at the word "networking," or wondered what your boss actually wants from you on day one of an…
- College Is Fine, Everything's Fine
#87 Digital Detox: How Does Disconnecting Help College Students Reclaim Intentional Tech Use with Dr. Shreya Hessler
In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Shreya Hessler, a psychologist and professor who created a college course called Digital Detox: Doing Nothing and Doing…
- College Is Fine, Everything's Fine
#86 (Take 2!) Identity and Belonging in College Sports
What does it really feel like to be a queer athlete — to show up every day in a sport you love while wondering if your teammates truly have your back? In this…
- College Is Fine, Everything's Fine
#85 Courage Over Confidence: Building Habits That Win with Dr. Mitchell Greene
What if confidence isn’t the key to peak performance? In this episode of College Is Fine Podcast, Sarah and Liz sit down with sports psychologist Dr. Mitchell…
- College Is Fine, Everything's Fine
#84 Process Over Pressure: A Mental Fitness Playbook for Student Athletes
Every athlete plays two games — the sport on the field, and the mental game happening in their head. In this episode, we sit down with two experts who work…
- College Is Fine, Everything's Fine
#83 When Meditation Gets Uncomfortable: What a Week of Meditation Taught Me with Ginger Koehler
Meditation is supposed to calm you down… right? In this episode, Sarah and Liz talk with journalist Ginger Koehler about what happened when she tried…
College Is Fine, Everything's Fine#82 Find Calm in the College List Chaos: How to Ignore the Hyped Schools So You Can Find the Right School
We feel so lucky to have a guest two-fer! On the last episode, you heard Ali and her daughter Emme bravely share their takes on the college application…
- College Is Fine, Everything's Fine
#81 Two Takes: A Mom & Daughter Tell-All About Surviving Junior Year
Junior year of high school is here — and the college process is officially real. In this special episode, we try something new: a “Newlywed Game”-style…
- College Is Fine, Everything's Fine
#80 College in a Polarized World: Navigating Conflict with Resilience with Bob Bordone
Conflict on college campuses has changed—and not just because of roommates and group projects. In this episode of College Is Fine, Everything’s Fine, we’re…
College Is Fine, Everything's Fine#79 Your Bounce-Back Semester Starts Here: Executive Functioning 101 with Coach Krisler Bailey
Did last semester not go the way you hoped? You’re not broken—and you’re definitely not alone. In this episode of College Is Fine, Everything’s Fine, we’re…
- College Is Fine, Everything's Fine
#78 Therapists Confess: What We Were Really Like in College
What were therapists really like in college? In this candid episode of College Is Fine, Everything’s Fine, we sit down with therapists for an unfiltered…
- College Is Fine, Everything's Fine
#77 Is Your Brain On Shuffle: Surviving ADHD in College
In this episode, Rae Jacobson, an expert on ADHD, shares her personal journey with ADHD and learning disabilities. She discusses the challenges she faced in…
- College Is Fine, Everything's Fine
#76 Why Your Professor Wants to Know You: A Guide to Making the Most of Office Hours
College can feel overwhelming. Going to office hours is one of the simplest ways to feel connected, supported, and confident—academically and emotionally…
- College Is Fine, Everything's Fine
#75 How College Students Can Sleep Better: Expert Strategies from Dr. Colleen Ehrnstrom
Sleep: it’s the ultimate college luxury, the missing ingredient in most all-nighters, and—according to our guest—one of the biggest players in your mental…
- College Is Fine, Everything's Fine
#74 Dark Academia: Is Truth Stranger Than Fiction? A Conversation with Author Heather Colley
In this episode, we chat with debut author Heather Coley about her darkly captivating campus novel The Gilded Butterfly Effect. We unpack the toxic dynamics of…
- College Is Fine, Everything's Fine
#73 Beyond the ‘I’m So OCD’ Meme: Understanding Obsessive Compulsive Disorder with Dr. John Guerry
From TikTok videos of organizing and cleaning content to everyday “I’m so OCD” comments, the term gets tossed around a lot, but what does OCD actually mean? In…
College Is Fine, Everything's Fine#72 How Laughter Lifts Us Up: Exploring Comedy, Coping, and Connection with Comedy/Therapy Duo Amber Autry & Melanie Reese, LMFT
In this episode we explore the therapeutic power of humor with comedian Amber Autry and therapist Melanie Reese. From using laughter to cope with stress and…
College Is Fine, Everything's Fine#71 I Procrastinate Therefore I Cram: How to Break the Procrastination Cycle with Dr. Shannon Bennet
Everyone procrastinates—especially in college—but what’s really going on when you keep pushing things off? In this episode, Dr. Shannon Bennett (Weill Cornell…
College Is Fine, Everything's Fine#70 From Overwhelmed to In Control: How to Handle Hard Things Wisely with the R.E.A.C.H. Guide
College isn’t all highlight reels and coffee-fueled study sessions—it’s also about handling the hard stuff. From failing a test to making a social misstep…
College Is Fine, Everything's Fine#69 Building College Connections That Last: Using the R.E.A.C.H. Approach to Strengthen Your Support System
The people you build connections with in college can be the difference between just surviving college and truly thriving. The episode delves into the…
College Is Fine, Everything's Fine#68 Lost, Stuck, or Stalling? How the R.E.A.C.H. Toolkit Helps You Get Back on Target
College life often feels like a tug-of-war between what we want to do and what we actually do. In this episode, we learn about the “Act with Purpose” skill. We…
College Is Fine, Everything's Fine#67 Facing the Sleep, Study, Socialize Triangle: Using the R.E.A.C.H. Toolkit to Find Balance and Build Mental Fitness
In this episode of the R.E.A.C.H. Toolkit series, we dive into the tricky triangle of college life—sleep, study, and socialize. Can you really balance all…
College Is Fine, Everything's Fine#66 Purpose Over Pressure: How the R.E.A.C.H. Approach Builds Values, Not "Shoulds"
In this rebooted episode, we sit down with college students Patrick (Villanova), Ali (University of Richmond), and Paul (Providence College) to talk about the…
- College Is Fine, Everything's Fine
#65 A WAVE STRONG LIVE EVENT - Wise Mind on Campus: Skills for Maximizing Your College Experience
In high school, college can feel like an exciting highlight reel—but what’s behind the Instagram posts and game-day photos? In this live episode, we sit down…
- College Is Fine, Everything's Fine
#64 Talking Through Tension: How to Navigate Value Differences in Close Relationships
College is a critical period where students are exploring and solidifying their values and their identities. Polarizing social topics, like religion, politics…
- College Is Fine, Everything's Fine
#63 Party Smart: A Psychologist's Guide to College Drinking and Drug Use
Put down that red Solo cup and listen in as we talk with Dr. James McOwen, clinical director of the Addiction Recovery Management Service at Massachusetts…
- College Is Fine, Everything's Fine
#62 From Panicking to Planning: Problem Solving with Dr. Lindsay Tulchin
Up until college, a lot of our problems are solved for us. Whether its the high school teacher who notices you are falling behind pulling you aside after class…
- College Is Fine, Everything's Fine
#61 How to Brew Success: A Conversation with Marc Reede, author of The Coffee Code
Love coffee *and* looking for that next great job or internship? You're in luck. In this episode, we’re diving deep into the world of building important job…
- College Is Fine, Everything's Fine
#60 Microdose on DBT's F.A.S.T. Skill: Keeping Your Self-Respect in Relationships
In today’s episode, we’re following up on our previous microdose episode on the G.I.V.E. skill and diving into its counterpart, the F.A.S.T. skill. The…
- College Is Fine, Everything's Fine
#59 Microdose on DBT's G.I.V.E. Skill: How to Build and Maintain Healthy Relationships in College
In this week's microdose episode, we sit down to discuss the G.I.V.E. skill from DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy), which helps individuals build and maintain…
- College Is Fine, Everything's Fine
#58 From High School to College: A Guide to Navigating Shifts in the Parent-Child Relationship with Drs. Annalise Caron and Suzanne Allen
Saying goodbye to your parents is often the last thing most college students are thinking about when they tackle their “to do” list before moving in on campus…
- College Is Fine, Everything's Fine
#57 Microdose on DBT’s DEAR MAN: Mastering the Art of Asking for What You Want with Dr. Sameena Groves
In today’s microdose episode, we dive deep into one of the most powerful tools in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) – the DEAR MAN skill. We welcome Dr…
- College Is Fine, Everything's Fine
#56 Beyond the Books: Self-Advocacy as a Key to College Success with Dr. Onye
So much of childhood education is about learning academic skills to get into college and very little is on the personal and social skills required to thrive in…
- College Is Fine, Everything's Fine
#55 Holding On and Letting Go: Relationship Shifts in College
College can be a tough transition for many reasons; you’re on your own for the first time, have to find a new circle of friends, and you have an enormous…
- College Is Fine, Everything's Fine
#54 Microdose Episode: What’s the Deal with Gratitude?
With Thanksgiving around the corner, most of us are gearing up for our annual “attitude of gratitude.” And while many of us appreciate and experience this…
- College Is Fine, Everything's Fine
#53 Microdose Episode: The Magic of Metaphors
By the time you have gotten to college, you have probably been exposed to metaphors. Whether you are telling your friends "you are drowning in work" or you're…
- College Is Fine, Everything's Fine
#52 The Friendship Matrix: A LifeHack for Building Healthy Friendships in College
College makes it very easy to find friends. You’ve got loads of time, your pick of social events, party ready dorm rooms, and hard classes to bond over. But…
- College Is Fine, Everything's Fine
#51 Is Greek Life Worth It?
If your school has Greek Life, at some point you have asked yourself is rushing worth it? From movies to family and friends, there are A LOT of opinions about…
- College Is Fine, Everything's Fine
#50 Fall into Focus: Embracing a Beginner's Mindset
So long sweet summer... by now many of you are back on campus. Some of you may be thrilled, others may be terrified. Whether you are a freshman or a returning…
- College Is Fine, Everything's Fine
#49 Microdose Episode: How to Practice P.O.I.S.E. When Things Get Tough in College
By now most of your finals are over, and hopefully you are making plans for a fun summer. We wanted to end this season with a microdose episode that will get…
- College Is Fine, Everything's Fine
#48 Microdose Episode: Don’t be a M.E.S.S. On Campus
Whether you are finishing your finals or are a HS senior getting ready to transition to college, we wanted to end this year’s season with two microdose…
- College Is Fine, Everything's Fine
#47 Work Smarter Not Harder with Dr. Jessica Stern
Once again we got so lucky to have today’s guest, Dr. Jessica Stern, a psychologist, advisor and consultant for Wondermind, Doctor Radio, and SELF Magazine…
- College Is Fine, Everything's Fine
#46 Beating Imposterism with Dr. Jill Stoddard
“I don’t belong here.” “Everyone else knows what to do.” “When will people figure out I’m an imposter?” This is the third episode in our shame series, and it…
- College Is Fine, Everything's Fine
#45 How to Bounce Back from Social Mistakes with Dr. Colleen Lang
We’ve all been there. The hot-headed comment to a friend, the accidental text to the wrong group, a late-night DM sent under less than sober circumstances… The…
- College Is Fine, Everything's Fine
#44 Microdose on Overcoming Shame and Embarrassment
Out of all the emotions we have, shame (and its cousin, embarrassment) tends to feel the worst. And since it feels the worst, it often makes us act in some…
- College Is Fine, Everything's Fine
#43 Your Campus Guide to Nutrition
Busy schedules, late nights, and erratic sleeping patterns often lead to inconsistent eating habits in college. A diet of ramen, pizza, and endless supplies of…
- College Is Fine, Everything's Fine
#42 A Social Media Roadmap: Tips from Growing Up in Public author Dr. Devorah Heitner
Social media gets a bad wrap, and sometimes that’s fair (hello “Text Neck Syndrome” and ties to loneliness, depression and body image issues). But social media…
- College Is Fine, Everything's Fine
#41 Finding Clarity: A Conversation with Dr. Patrice Berry
Happy 2024! We couldn’t be more excited to have @drpatriceberry help us start the new year. Dr. Patrice Berry is a psychologist, author, and all around…
- College Is Fine, Everything's Fine
#40 Home for the Holidays: How to Balance New Freedoms With Family Expectations
Hi crew! We did something a little different this week. In Sarah's "other life," she runs Lumate Academy, the training and education department for Lumate…
- College Is Fine, Everything's Fine
#39 Hookup vs. Hookup Culture: Do You Know the Difference?
The S word. No, not the one that adds a dollar to Sarah’s swear jar, the other one: sex. A topic drilled into our heads in health class with catchy phrases…
- College Is Fine, Everything's Fine
#38 NoSo November: Why It May Be Time to Take Some Space from Social Media
When was the last time you logged onto Tik Tok, Instagram or Snapchat? We bet many of you reading this were engaged in one of these platforms within the past…
- College Is Fine, Everything's Fine
#37 Walk With Me: Dr. Matthew Kane Shares a Message of Perseverance
In this week’s episode, we tackle the incredibly important topic of race on campus. We were so lucky to have author and psychologist Dr. Matthew Kane guide us…
- College Is Fine, Everything's Fine
#36 Sadie Sutton Tells You How to Put DBT to Good Use on Campus
Sadie Sutton, intrepid mental health advocate and host of the She Persisted podcast, also happens to be a college student at UPenn. But it took guts, hard work…
- College Is Fine, Everything's Fine
#35 Back to Life, Back to Reality
We’re back for our “second semester” of this podcast! Lots of transition on our end. Sarah moved to a new town and Liz is mourning the loss of her fun-girl…
- College Is Fine, Everything's Fine
#34 The Cost of Hustle Culture and Its Unrealistic Expectations of Resiliency: A Conversation with Emi Nietfeld
The expectations of college students have never been greater. It’s a perfect storm of pressures that can set college students on a fixed path towards…