Dr. MC's Self-Care Cabaret
Theresa Melito-Conners, PhD
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Theresa Melito-Conners, PhD (Dr. MC) is a self-care expert in the greater Boston area with a passion for helping others unlock the best possible version of themselves through the 10 domains of self-care and the sustainable routines you will build along the way. These conversations with educators, healers & friends will help guide you on the road to self-care so that you can find your spotlight & put your health & well-being on center stage.
The Jolly Recruiter
We are back with Season 2 kicking off a New Year! Has COVID made you rethink your career? Are you considering changing jobs? Have you been evaluating your job and how they view employee wellness? This episode has got you covered. Dr. MC and her friend Andrea Jolly (The Jolly Recruiter) discuss the importance of self-care in the job search process for both employers and employees. Andrea is a recruitment leader with nearly a decade of experience in the field of talent acquisition, assessment, and development, working directly with many Fortune 500 companies. She is fully versed in the full lifecycle recruitment process and working with clients, hiring managers, and key stakeholders at all levels. Andrea loves to help people on their career journeys, especially when it comes to resume building, ways to network effectively, and practicing self-care during all phases of a job search. Employee wellness is a hot-button topic these days and employers should pay attention to this. Andrea offers fabulous tips for both job seekers and hiring managers. As always we love to hear from our listeners! Reach out to podcast@drmcselfcare.com with any questions or topics you'd like to hear about on future episodes. Additional Resources: The Jolly Recruiter on Instagram and Facebook Julie podcast episode: Self-Care is a Choice Well-Ville for Employees welln
No More Resolutions
Dr. MC reflects on 2021 as we approach a new year. In this brief wrap-up, she emphasizes the importance of setting intentions as opposed to New Year's Resolutions. No more resolutions! So as we look towards the new year, think about how you want to feel in the new year. Set your intentions and take action! EPISODE TRANSCRIPT
Compassion Over Perfection
Today's episode is a conversation with Amie Sica. Amie shares some of the trials and tribulations of being a parent to two young kiddos and stresses the importance of advocating for yourself in the medical arena. They also discuss the transformative process of putting your needs first by practicing really good, foundational self-care and that is always a good idea to strive for compassion over perfection. As always we love to hear from our listeners! Reach out to podcast@drmcselfcare.com with any questions or topics you'd like to hear about on future episodes. Additional Resources: Breathe with me Barbie on Amazon (please note, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases) Bayberry Blue Co. on Facebook Episode Transcript:
Self-Care is a Choice
Today's episode is a conversation with Julie Sochacki where they discuss the importance of determining your non-negotiables and your core values. And remember, you have a choice…to be kind to yourself or not. And to prioritize your health and well-being or not because self-care is a choice. As always we love to hear from our listeners! Reach out to podcast@drmcselfcare.com with any questions or topics you'd like to hear about on future episodes. Additional Resources: Link to Theresa's episode on Julie's podcast Core Value Direction Sheet & List of Core Values by Elena Aguilar Onward by Elena Aguilar Cheryl Richardson's website Cook-Cottone Mindful Self-Care Scale to assess your strengths and weaknesses across the 10 domains of Self-Care. Dr. MC loves this scale and uses it frequently in her workshops. Be sure to reach out to Dr. MC after you take it if you need help developing your routine. EPISODE TRANSCRIPT Speaker 1 00:00:28 Welcome to another episode of Dr. MCs self care cabaret podcast. I'm Theresa Melito-Conners a PhD level self care expert in the greater Boston area with a passion for helping others recognize the importance of caring for themselves. Today. We are speaking with Julie Sochacki. Julie is a mother of two boys and a clinical associate professor of English and director of the English secondary education program at the University of Hartford. Julia is an urban educator and has Connecticut credentials as an English language arts teacher, literacy specialist and intermediate administrator. She also holds a Juris doctorate or a J D and is a member of the Connecticut bar in her coaching practice. She meets teachers where they are and moves them forward with wisdom, motivation, and grace. She is passionate about bringing mindfulness into the classroom. She was also an author at faculty focus and a 2021 recipient of the university of Hartford innovations and teaching and learning award. Speaker 1 00:01:39 She is a member of the Connecticut state department of educations, educator preparation advisory council, and she's also a yoga teacher at and a Reiki master Julie's work aligns very much with my passions, a fellow PhD classmate connected us a few years back as she recognized the overlap in our work. The first podcast guest experience Dr. MC ever made was on Julie's the resilient teacher podcast. How exciting that I can now have her as a guest on mine, full circle, as they say, I am excited to learn from Julie about the important work she is doing. I know she has some fabulous tips for us and here's our conversation Speaker 1 00:02:29 Well, thanks Julie, for joining us here today on the Dr. MC self care cabaret podcast, I'm delighted to chat with you. I'm so happy to Speaker 2 00:02:37 Be here. Thanks for Spea
Today's episode is a conversation with Rachel Bertone. Rachel shares the importance of choosing joy every day and how that can be a powerful mindset to start your day. She & Dr. MC also discuss what it means to develop your emotional technique and to see help when needed. As always we love to hear from our listeners! Reach out to podcast@drmcselfcare.com with any questions or topics you'd like to hear about on future episodes. Additional Resources: Rachel's Website Link to The Artist Way The Secret – also a Netflix documentary EPISODE TRANSCRIPT: Speaker 1 00:00:26 Welcome to another podcast episode of Dr. MCs self care cabaret. I'm Theresa Melito-Conners, a PhD level self care expert in the greater Boston area with a passion for helping others take control of their health and wellbeing to find their spotlight. Today's episode is a conversation with Rachel Bertone. Rachel Bertone is an award-winning director, choreographer and professor of theater and dance. She has staged more than 50 musicals and has garnered an international student base credits include award-winning productions of cabaret in the Heights, carousel, the wild party, gypsy kiss of the spider woman, Billy Elliot, little shop of horrors showboat hair, west side story. My fair lady and guys, and dolls. Just the name of you. She recently directed a digital piece of theater for Kate Kerrigan and Brian Lauder milks, musical of the mad ones. Upcoming Rachel will choreograph van Gogh, a new musical, which she helped co conceive, and she is choreographing little black book, an original pop rock musical about the life and times of Heidi Fleiss. She has served as a faculty member at Boston conservatory at Berkeley American repertory theater Institute at Harvard university, Emerson college and long island university. I met Rachel years ago as we grew up dancing and performing together and we stayed in touch over the years. I have taken Rachel's musical theater dance classes and have been a big fan of her work. It has been amazing watching her career unfold. I am thrilled. She is here with us to chat today. Speaker 1 00:02:20 Welcome Rachel to the Dr. MC self care cabaret podcast. I'm so excited to connect with you and have you here with me today. Speaker 2 00:02:28 I'm so excited to be here. Speaker 1 00:02:30 And I think, um, Rachel and I, oh gosh, I don't know. We were little when we met inside of dancing together, maybe elementary school, Speaker 2 00:02:39 Elementary school sounds correct. Yeah, it was maybe like fifth or sixth grade. Speaker 1 00:02:47 Yeah. So late elementary school, maybe I might've already been in middle school, but anyway, a long time and I've been watching Rachel grow into a phenomenal, uh, performing artist and dancer choreographer over the years. And it's been awesome to watch this unfold. So I'm excited to chat with you. So we're going to dive right in question one, you work as a full-time, award-winning performing artist, director, choreographer, professor, and more, and I'm wondering how you balance everything and find time for self-care along the way. Speaker 2 00:03:19 Woo. Always self care. You know, I'm going to
Do Not Push
Today's episode is a conversation with Samantha Selig. Sam just published her first book, which Dr. MC wrote the forward to her book. Sam and Dr. MC chat about life and dish out some fabulous life lessons and words of wisdom. As always we love to hear from our listeners! Reach out to podcast@drmcselfcare.com with any questions or topics you'd like to hear about on future episodes. Additional Resources: "She is Sparkling: A Collection of Selections" Sam's website Flourish By Dr. Martin Seligman The How of Happiness by Sonja Lyubomirsky Better than Before by Gretchen Rubin Dr. MC and her collaboration with Nike EPISODE TRANSCRIPT: Speaker 1 00:00:28 Welcome to another episode of Dr. MCs self-care cabaret podcast. I'm Theresa Melito-Conners, a PhD level self-care expert in the greater Boston area with a passion for helping others recognize the importance of caring for themselves. Today's episode is a conversation with my friend, Samantha or Sam Selig. I met Sam several years ago in a Zumba class. I knew immediately. She was someone I wanted to be friends with her smile, lights up a room. Her energy is infectious, and she's a good person. We clicked immediately. The first thing she ever said to me was something along the lines of, Hey, you're a really good dancer, and I hope you don't mind that I'm going to stand right behind you and stare at you because it's easier for me to follow along that way, as opposed to watching the teacher I chuckled. But of course, in any future classes together, I made sure to be clear in my movement and exaggerate where I could. Speaker 1 00:01:22 So my new friend could watch from there, the friendship blossomed. When she announced earlier this year, she was writing her first book. I jumped at the chance to be one of her beta readers and write her forward Sam's book. She is sparkling a collection of selections volume. One short stories about love loss and life is due out later this year. And I cannot wait for folks to read it. The story she shares in the book contain real life lessons, raw emotion, courage, vulnerability from the person who lived them. She touches upon many universal human struggles in a relatable way, such as grief loss, death failure, body image concerns, weight issues, career changes. Cross-country moves, big dreams, friends, family, and more, all the things that make us human. I am delighted to have Sam with us today on the podcast. Speaker 1 00:02:28 Welcome, Sam. I'm so excited to have you here on the podcast. Thanks for joining me. Speaker 2 00:02:32 I Theresa, thank you for having me.
Great Mistakes
Today's episode is a conversation with Jane Hardin, former Simmons University Professor of Practice and current educational consultant for Ribas Associates, co-authoring two books on Social Emotional Learning. She and Dr. MC discuss the ins and outs of self-care and how it aligns with social and emotional health/well-being. Additionally, they chat about trauma, resilience, and how self-care plays a big factor in healing from trauma. As always we love to hear from our listeners! Reach out to podcast@drmcselfcare.com with any questions or topics you'd like to hear about on future episodes. Additional Resources: A viral video about company coming over Jane's Books – Social-Emotional Learning in the Home Social-Emotional Learning in the Classroom Dr. Gabor Mate- The Wisdom of Trauma Trauma brain vs. normal brain differences ACE Pyramid Dr. MC muffin recipe Dr. MC blog post about the intersection of trauma, resilience, and self-care ***** Dr. MC has workshops on topics related to trauma including creating trauma-sensitive classrooms and examining the intersection of trauma, resilience, and self-care. If you are looking to book Dr. MC for an event, please fill out the request form. Simone Biles Ribas Associates Website Episode Transcript Speaker 1 00:00:26 Welcome to another episode of Dr. MCs self care cabaret podcast. I'm Theresa Melito-Conners a PhD level self care expert in the greater Boston area with a passion, helping others find their spotlight and put their health and wellbeing on center stage today's episode is a conversation with my dear friend and mentor Jane Hardin. Jane is a former Simmons university professor of practice and current educational consultant for Rebus associates. She is the co-author of two books on social, emotional learning, one that focuses on the classroom. And a second that focuses on the home. Jane has a wealth of information and expertise in many areas, such as education, social, emotional learning, trauma, informed pedagogy, and more. She
Livin' LaVita Loca
Today's episode is a conversation with Kelly LaVita, an avid fitness guru with a passion for lifting others up! She and Dr. MC chat about the power of mindsets and language. Be careful of saying things like, "I should…" as it tends to make us feel unworthy and that our efforts are not enough. It is very important to examine our mindset and how we talk to ourselves and about ourselves. As always we love to hear from our listeners! Reach out to podcast@drmcselfcare.com with any questions or topics you'd like to hear about on future episodes. Additional Resources: – Kelli LaVita Website – Dr. MC blog on LaVita Tees – Dr. MC blog on gratitude EPISODE TRANSCRIPT:
Don't Feed the Trolls
Today's episode is a conversation with Sheree Dunwell. She is an award-winning vocalist originally from Lynn, MA. After earning a BFA in opera performance from Carnegie Mellon University, she returned to New England where she has been performing as a professional vocalist ever since. The second installment in our series with "The Investments" girl squad. She and Dr. MC discuss being overachievers while still needing genuine authentic self-care. Finding time for rest, taking breaks, and trying not to do it all. And most importantly, Sheree dishes out some great advice on dealing with toxic people and to NOT feed the trolls. We also hear about her time onset with Patti Lupone and even self-care when wedding planning! As always we love to hear from our listeners! Reach out to podcast@drmcselfcare.com with any questions or topics you'd like to hear about on future episodes. Additional Resources: Sheree Marcelle page The Whitney Tribute Show in Ptown Video of her Aria Dr. MC Wedding Blog Link to The Comedian Movie Series of memes by Lainey Molhar EPISODE TRANSCRIPT Speaker 0 00:00:27 Welcome to another episode of Dr. MCs self care cabaret podcast. I'm Theresa Melito-Conners a PhD level self care expert in the greater Boston area with a passion for helping others recognize the importance of caring for themselves. Today's episode is a conversation with my friend, Sherry Dunwell Sheree is an award-winning vocalist originally from Lynn Massachusetts, after earning a BFA in opera performance from Carnegie Mellon university, she returned to new England where she has been performing as a professional vocalist ever since. In 2015, she was named grand champion of WC VBS community auditions hosted by Billy Costa. In 2016, she played a featured singing role in the film, the comedian starring Robert DeNiro, Danny DeVito, and Patti LuPone. I first met Sheree many years ago as we would frequent the same fitness classes. And if you happen to listen to the episode where I interviewed my friend Carina bell tree, and we chatted about our friend group, the Carina dubbed the investments. Speaker 0 00:01:35 Well, Sherry is a part of that group as well. She is smart, friendly, and talented. I remember seeing a lot of myself and Sherry when we first met. And although we have had different lived experiences, there's a lot of common ground in our lives and shared interests. Later, we started taking ballroom dancing lessons at a local studio and ended up performing together. And it was a blast. Sherry is one of those friends that no matter how much time has passed, we jumped right back into our friendship seamlessly. I am delighted to have her here with us today and talk about self care. Speaker 0 00:02:19 So thanks so much for joining us Sheree today here on the Dr. MC self care cabaret podcast. Speaker 2 00:02:26 I'm so excited. Thanks so Speaker 3 00:02:28 Much for having me. I'm really excited to be here. Speaker 0 00:02:31 Yeah. I'm excited to ask you these questions. We've got a handful of questions I came up with. We're going to cover a variety of topics, but first and foremost, as a performer vocalist dancer, and more, how do you like to practice self-care? Speaker 3 00:02:47 So, you know, I think my answer to that has evolved over t
Today's episode is a conversation with Dr. Jackie Boivin. She is an Assistant Professor of Elementary and Early Childhood Education at Bridgewater State University in Bridgewater, MA. A former elementary school teacher who uses her past experience in the field to contextualize her instruction in teacher preparation. These two dynamic Dr.'s were in the same cohort for their doctoral studies and have been fast friends ever since. Their conversation discusses the critical need for self-care in all areas of life (even when planning a wedding). Movement breaks, hydration, and most importantly, the Power of saying No to toxic people are several tools discussed in this episode. As always we love to hear from our listeners! Reach out to podcast@drmcselfcare.com with any questions or topics you'd like to hear about on future episodes. Additional Resources: Mindful Self-Care for Earlier Schooling: How Self-Care May Help Students Have the Emotional Competencies to Face Transitions at Younger Age Strategies and Methods for Implementing Trauma-Informed Pedagogy Exploring the Role of the School Principal in Predominantly White Middle Schools: School Leadership to Promote Multicultural Understanding (Routledge Research in Educational Leadership) Dr. MC's Wedding Blog Post EPISODE TRANSCRIPT Speaker 0 00:00:25 Welcome to another podcast episode of Dr. MCs self care cavalry. I'm Theresa Melito-Conners, a PhD level self-care expert in the greater Boston area with a passion for helping others find their spotlight and recognize the importance of caring for themselves. Today's episode is a conversation with my PhD partner in crime, Dr. Jackie Bowman, Jackie and I embarked on the PhD journey in 2016 together and developed an unstoppable bond. We supported each other through the dissertation process, which can be quite challenging to navigate, but having each other definitely helped us both. We managed to finish and successfully defend our dissertations during the summer of 2019, since then it has been nonstop for us. We have coauthored one published chapter in an educational handbook and another one in the editing phase. But Jackie has been up to a lot on her own as well. Dr. Jackie Bowman is an assistant professor of elementary and early childhood education at Bridgewater state university. Speaker 0 00:01:33 She is a former elementary school teacher who uses her past experience in the field to contextualize her instruction in teacher preparation, Dr. Bowman's research specialization is in multicultural education and anti-racist pedagogy. She is the author of the book exploring the role of the school principal in predominantly white middle schools, school leadership to promote multicultural understanding. She teaches a math methods course to elementary teacher candidates at Bridgewater state. She integrates her knowledge of project based place based education to her multidisciplinary approach, to fostering conceptual understanding of mathematics. She also teaches a course titled deconstructing racism, yourself, your world, your schools, in which students explore their unconscious biases and how these impact the world around them contributing to systemic racism like modern day racial segregation of public education. Her largest passion is authentically connecting academics with social justice. I am honored to call Jackie my friend and call me Spe