April 2026 Month in Review - Ep355April 2026 Month in Review - Ep355
Through a Therapist's Eyes Podcast
Chris Gazdik and his co-hosts look back at April’s conversations on stress, grief, parenting trends and dating, weaving in their own recent losses and life changes. The episode highlights practical ways to calm the body, honour grief, parent with confidence and approach dating with more authenticity and less fear.
1:14:24•5 May 2026
Stress, Grief, Parenting and Dating: April’s Biggest Mental Health Moments
Episode Overview
- Movement, stretching and short activity breaks are presented as essential tools for calming a body stuck in survival mode, beyond just “thinking positive”.
- Grief is framed as something you grow around rather than get over, and both big losses and pet losses are treated as valid and meaningful.
- Resilience is shown in small acts: getting out of bed, reaching out instead of isolating, giving a eulogy, and allowing both tears and moments of joy.
- Millennial parents are said to be dropping high-pressure trends and returning to basics like empathy, boundaries and trusting their own judgement.
- For both teens and midlife singles, dating is described as easier when approached with curiosity, face-to-face connection and authenticity instead of performance.
“You’re not trying to get rid of your grief. You’re just growing around it to be stronger how to handle it.”
How do different strategies aid in addiction recovery? This month-in-review from Through a Therapist’s Eyes pulls together four big themes—stress, grief, parenting, and dating—and makes them feel very human, very real, and very applicable to everyday life. First up is chronic stress and hypervigilance. Therapist and host Chris Gazdik and the team recap their conversation with returning guest Lisa Donahue, who explains why people can get stuck in “survival mode” without even knowing it.
Rather than trying to simply think your way out of stress, they emphasise using the body: movement, stretching, walking, even slow breathing. As Chris puts it, those small breaks between sessions “make the biggest difference in the world.” Grief takes centre stage next, and it gets personal.
Kyle King talks openly about the recent death of his dad and how giving the eulogy helped him honour a man who “was always there.” Chris shares about losing his dog Sadie, and together they underline that grief is ongoing, not something to “move on” from. A standout idea is that “you’re not trying to get rid of your grief.
You’re just growing around it to be stronger how to handle it.” Pets, they note, can be a powerful part of that process. Parenting gets a lighter but still thoughtful touch as they run through 11 popular trends millennial parents are ditching—from over-the-top chore charts to instagram-perfect bedrooms. The message? Trust your instincts more than social pressure. Finally, they turn to dating—both for pandemic-era teens and midlife singles re-entering the scene.
Awkwardness, fear of rejection, and app fatigue all show up, but the crew keeps bringing it back to authenticity, real-life connection, and approaching dating with curiosity rather than sheer anxiety. If you’re dealing with stress, loss, parenting worries or getting back out there after addiction or major life change, which of these four themes speaks to you most right now?
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