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. Sameena Groves, a clinical psychologist and DBT expert, to explore how this assertiveness technique can help navigate tough conversations, set boundaries, and communicate effectively during your college years (and beyond).

Dr. Groves walks us through the steps of DEAR MAN, which is an acronym for:

• Describe: Lay out the facts without judgment.
• Express: Share how the situation impacts you emotionally.
• Assert: Ask for what you want or say no to something you don’t want.
• Reinforce: Explain why the other person might benefit from meeting your request.
• Mindful: Stay focused on the issue at hand, without being swayed by distractions or defensive responses.
• Appear Confident: Deliver your request with a calm, firm, and neutral tone, even if you're not feeling 100% confident.

Dr. Sameena Groves is a cognitive-behavioral therapist in private practice in New York City, Westchester and the Zoomsphere. She helps Type A adolescents, college students and adults develop new ways to strive for a great life while doing (slightly) less, practicing self-kindness, and questioning the code of hustle culture. She believes that good therapy consists of teamwork, trying things outside of your comfort zone, being kind to yourself, and enjoying the bumpy process of personal growth. She takes her cues from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy, two approaches favored by the team at College is Fine. Fun Fact: Dr. Groves and Dr. Olivo met during postdoctoral training at the NYU Child Study Center and built a private practice together over a decade ago!

Dr. Sameena Grove's private practice: https://www.cityandcountrycbt.com/

Want to share your story, give us feedback or offer up an episode idea? Reach out! We'd love to hear from you.

Insta: @collegeisfinepodcast
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Email: collegeisfinepodcast@gmail.com

Music is Deadbeats by Rex Banner

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. In this week’s episode we sit down with Dr. Ifeanyi Onyejiji, founder of Onye Speaks. Dr. Onye shares about his work developing a motivational and culturally relevant curriculum aimed to help students learn the “soft skills” that are often missing in K-12 education. Dr. Onye’s holistic approach highlights the importance of the development of self-advocacy, career self-efficacy, and self-awareness skills in order to help students feel more confident and capable as they navigate college and young adulthood. Whether you are applying to college, or are already on a college campus, this episode is a must listen.

Dr. Onye’s website:

https://www.onyespeaks.com/

Want to share your story, give us feedback or offer up an episode idea? Reach out! We'd love to hear from you.

Insta: @collegeisfinepodcast
Tik Tok: @collegeisfinepodcast
Email: collegeisfinepodcast@gmail.com

Music is Deadbeats by Rex Banner

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 amount of freedom that comes with being an adult. One thing that often is not thought about enough, though, is how being at college can cause shifts in your relationships off campus. Balancing personal growth and navigating relationship changes at home can become a source of tension and stress. In this week’s episode, we sit down with three college students who explore the complex relationship changes that happen as students transition to college life. Our guests reflect on their own journeys through these transitions and share their insights on:

• Managing expectations with parents (e.g., frequency of communication)
• Setting personal boundaries
• Defining and adopting new values

Want to share your story, give us feedback or offer up an episode idea? Reach out! We'd love to hear from you.

Insta: @collegeisfinepodcast
Tik Tok: @collegeisfinepodcast
Email: collegeisfinepodcast@gmail.com

Music is Deadbeats by Rex Banner

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 seasonal thankfulness, we often forget the *daily* power of gratitude and how it can help shift our moods. In this microdose episode, we discuss the science behind gratitude, share simple ways to incorporate daily gratitude practices to keep your mood afloat, and talk about how to use this practice when the going gets tough.

Resources:
https://www.calm.com/blog/gratitude-exercises

Want to share your story, give us feedback or offer up an episode idea? Reach out! We'd love to hear from you.

Insta: @collegeisfinepodcast
Tik Tok: @collegeisfinepodcast
Email: collegeisfinepodcast@gmail.com

Music is Deadbeats by Rex Banner

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 sitting in an English 101 class, metaphors are literally everywhere. In this week's microdose episode, we discuss how metaphors can be important life shortcuts. We sit down and share some of our favorites and how they're powerful tools that can help us learn and grow.

Want to share your story, give us feedback or offer up an episode idea? Reach out! We'd love to hear from you.

Insta: @collegeisfinepodcast
Tik Tok: @collegeisfinepodcast
Email: collegeisfinepodcast@gmail.com

Music is Deadbeats by Rex Banner

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 for many students, finding friends isn’t the problem. The challenge is finding quality friendships.

Introducing the “Friendship Matrix,” a lifehack to help you build healthy and fun friendships in a new, fun way.

Make sure to listen to this episode if you want to:

• Find out whether you believe in the friendship myth about what a “good friend” means
• Discover how different friend “vibes” meet different needs, from reliable “anchors” to fun, outgoing “adventurers.”
• Explore the importance of give-and-take in friendships and how to spot imbalances in your social circle.
• Learn why it’s valuable to step outside of your comfort zone and explore friendships with different types of people.
• Reflect on your role in your friendships—are you giving or taking more, and how can you bring more balance?

And ok, should we have created a podcast episode that is very dependent on a visual? Maybe not. Did we figure that out mid-recording? We did! If you want a visual while you watch, we’ve shared it in our socials, and you can go straight to it here: https://tr.ee/kD3Sabhgon

Or let’s be real, just watch our clips on TikTok :) Happy listening!

Want to share your story, give us feedback or offer up an episode idea? Reach out! We'd love to hear from you.

Insta: @collegeisfinepodcast
Tik Tok: @collegeisfinepodcast
Email: collegeisfinepodcast@gmail.com

Music is Deadbeats by Rex Banner

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 rushing. And although rushing is exciting, it's also incredibly stressful and daunting. We know it is an important decision freshmen are often trying to make, especially when you are trying to make friends and find a community on campus. In this week's episode, we hear from college students who have got their letters already or are currently rushing on their college campuses. We will break down what factors to consider as you weigh the pros and cons of whether or not the Greek-life scene is for you:

• Perception vs. reality
• Am I cut out for it – introvert, don’t fit the mold
• Social burnout
• Toll now (cost, time commitment) vs. long-term gains

Want to share your story, give us feedback or offer up an episode idea? Reach out! We'd love to hear from you.

Insta: @collegeisfinepodcast
Tik Tok: @collegeisfinepodcast
Email: collegeisfinepodcast@gmail.com

Music is Deadbeats by Rex Banner

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 student, being mindful of how your mindset may influence your academic year is a critical tool to get you off to a healthy start.

To launch our podcast return, we thought it would be helpful to re-air one of our most downloaded episodes on the expectations versus realities of campus life. Transitioning into the semester after summer can leave us feeling unfocused and unsure. In this episode you will hear from our guests on how cultivating a "beginner's mindset" can help bring us to a more balanced and useful way of viewing our expectations for the fall.

Want to share your story, give us feedback or offer up an episode idea? Reach out! We'd love to hear from you.

Insta: @collegeisfinepodcast

Tik Tok: @collegeisfinepodcast

Voice memo: (929) 500-2231

Email: collegeisfinepodcast@gmail.com

Music is Deadbeats by Rex Banner

Want to share your story, give us feedback or offer up an episode idea? Reach out! We'd love to hear from you.

Insta: @collegeisfinepodcast
Tik Tok: @collegeisfinepodcast
Email: collegeisfinepodcast@gmail.com

Music is Deadbeats by Rex Banner