First responders show up for everyone else, but who shows up for them? In this episode, Melissa and Susan explore the particular mental health challenges that come with being a paramedic, firefighter, law enforcement officer, dispatcher, or rescue worker: the accumulated weight of repeated trauma exposure, the pressure to compartmentalize, and the fear that asking for help means admitting weakness. They talk about what it looks like to decompress after a hard call, why certain incidents stay with you in ways others don't, and how debriefing (whether with a team or one-on-one) can make a meaningful difference. If you love a first responder, or if you are one, this conversation is for you.

Remember that listening to this podcast is not therapy. It might be therapeutic, but it isn't a replacement for good mental health treatment. We can help with getting you connected with a good therapist. Check out our website. Grove: A Healing Collective

Every morning at school, before the first lesson begins, something important is already happening. In this episode, Melissa and Susan sit down with Sarah Harvick, a vice principal in Putnam County, Tennessee, to talk about what schools see that most people don't: the pulse of a building, the kids who are quietly struggling, and the adults who notice first. From TCAP season to summer slide, from bullying investigations to the art of the car chat, this conversation goes deep into the invisible work that holds schools together. Sarah brings warmth, candor, and a perspective earned from years of standing at the door and greeting every child who walks through it.

Remember that listening to this podcast is not therapy. It might be therapeutic, but it isn't a replacement for good mental health treatment. We can help with getting you connected with a good therapist. Check out our website. Grove: A Healing Collective

Most people picture therapy as two people in chairs, facing each other, talking. That image captures something true, but it's only part of the story. Melissa and Susan are joined by Marissa Fike, a therapist at Grove who has built her practice around the idea that healing can arrive through many unexpected doors: a carefully blended cup of tea, a poem you didn't know you were ready to write, a walk through the woods with a card asking what grounds you. Marissa shares her path from English teacher to therapist, the ways she weaves mindfulness and experiential work into sessions, and her belief that the skills people practice in the therapy room are most powerful when they follow someone home.

Remember that listening to this podcast is not therapy. It might be therapeutic, but it isn't a replacement for good mental health treatment. We can help with getting you connected with a good therapist. Check out our website. Grove: A Healing Collective

The early days of parenthood are celebrated more than they are prepared for, and a lot of new parents end up in that season feeling like they're doing something wrong. In this conversation, Melissa and Susan dig into what postpartum mental health actually looks like: not just depression, but anxiety, anger, and intrusive thoughts that can feel alarming without being dangerous. They share their own experiences, talk about why fathers experience postpartum struggles far more than most people realize, and make the case for why connection might be the most important resource a new parent can find. If you've ever wondered whether what you were feeling was normal, or something worth bringing up with someone, this conversation is worth your time.

Remember that listening to this podcast is not therapy. It might be therapeutic, but it isn't a replacement for good mental health treatment. We can help with getting you connected with a good therapist. Check out our website. Grove: A Healing Collective

In this episode, Melissa and Susan explore a timely question: can AI actually replace therapy? They talk through the pros, the limits, and the real risks of using tools like ChatGPT for emotional support, self-reflection, and mental health questions. From boundaries and human connection to the danger of relying on AI in moments of crisis, this conversation looks at where AI can be helpful as a tool and where it falls short of real therapy.

Remember that listening to this podcast is not therapy. It might be therapeutic, but it isn’t a replacement for good mental health treatment. We can help with getting you connected with a good therapist. Check out our website.

Grove: A Healing Collective

In this episode, Melissa and Susan are joined by Isha and Lori of Insightful Counseling in Sparta and Cookeville for a conversation about collaboration, community care, and the growing need for support in rural mental health services. They talk about what it looks like to serve children, adults, and families in the Upper Cumberland, with a special focus on autism, caregiver stress, school support, and the challenges families face while waiting for evaluations and services. It is a thoughtful conversation about meeting people where they are, building better resources in small communities, and why supporting caregivers matters just as much as supporting the child.

Remember that listening to this podcast is not therapy. It might be therapeutic, but it isn’t a replacement for good mental health treatment. We can help with getting you connected with a good therapist. Check out our website.

Grove: A Healing Collective

A snow-and-ice week brings up familiar “stuck” feelings, and Melissa and Susan use it to unpack what healing really looks like. They talk about why progress is often small, why sessions can feel heavy, how change happens outside the therapy room, and why healing isn’t linear. They also share updates on new groups and community offerings (including childcare support, yoga/sound bath, and more) connected to their new nonprofit work.

Remember that listening to this podcast is not therapy. It might be therapeutic, but it isn’t a replacement for good mental health treatment. We can help with getting you connected with a good therapist. Check out our website.

Grove: A Healing Collective

This week, Melissa and Susan sit down with Seth Crabtree and Mike Giamo of Crabtree & Patterson Law Firm for a rare four-person conversation that connects the worlds of therapy and criminal defense. They talk about what it’s like to meet people at the worst moments of their lives, how attorneys compartmentalize heavy cases, why clarity often beats sugarcoating, and what “winning” really means when real lives are on the line. Plus: burnout, boundaries, stress outlets, and a few laughs along the way.

Remember that listening to this podcast is not therapy. It might be therapeutic, but it isn’t a replacement for good mental health treatment. We can help with getting you connected with a good therapist. Check out our website.

Grove: A Healing Collective