Integration Nation

Alison Sullivan, an integrative mental health therapist in Fredericksburg, VA, has a discussion about the Both / And of Empowerment & Community with Dr. Brian Keenan, a naturopathic doctor whose goal is to serve as many people as he can through the utilization of mind-body practices, botanical medicines, and targeted nutraceutical supplementation when needed.

In this episode of Integration Nation Alison wraps up the theme for Season 3: Intersectional Identity. Alison, a licensed clinical social worker in downtown Fredericksburg, Virginia, uses personal experiences to equip listeners with integrative mental health tools to overcome adverse experiences.

Alison Sullivan, an integrative mental health therapist in Fredericksburg, VA, has a discussion about Gender identity with Dara Hoffman-Fox a renowned therapist who specializes is in Gender Identity.

In this series of mini episodes, Alison Sullivan, LCSW of  Fredericksburg VA, talks about mindfulness based concepts to provide you with additional insight into tools that will help you do the identity work that we talk about in our full length episodes from season 3.

Alison Sullivan, an integrative mental health therapist in Fredericksburg, VA, has a discussion about  professional identity in general and how trauma can impact that with Valerie Ashley, a trauma-focused career counselor based in Philadelphia, PA.

Bonus Episode of Integration Nation where Fredericksburg’s Alison Sullivan, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and Valerie Ashley, Career Therapist, dive into COVID-19 and the stages of trauma associated with job loss.

In this special live recorded episode Alison Sullivan, LCSW & Alana Weathersbee of Dragonfly Yoga Studio host a Meditation Happy Hour where they discuss the impacts of this global crisis on individual lives and provide meditation and deep relaxation exercises to manage stress.   *We are committed to the mission of Integration Nation, building community through education about integrative mental health concepts and practices and seek to deliver the highest level of content possible. Due to recording live we were unable to use specific audio equipment leading to a few audio issues. We’ve done our best to reduce the impact of the audio difficulties on the content and believe that the content of this conversation far outweighs the minor audio issues we experienced. 

In this series of mini episodes, Alison Sullivan, LCSW of  Fredericksburg VA, talks about mindfulness based concepts to provide you with additional insight into tools that will help you do the identity work that we talk about in our full length episodes from season 3.

In this new series of mini episodes Alison Sullivan, Licensed Clinical Social Worker from Fredericksburg VA, talks about mindfulness based concepts to provide you with additional insight into tools that will help you do the identity work that we talk about in our full length episodes from season 3.

Alison Sullivan, an integrative mental health therapist in Fredericksburg, VA, has a discussion about parenting & domestic violence with Paige Flink, CEO of The Family Place. The two discuss how domestic violence can impact parenting, family, and a person’s identity.

Alison Sullivan, Licensed Clinical Social Worker from Fredericksburg VA, discusses what psychological self-care looks like and how to apply it in one's own life and daily practices. A great way to care for yourself and your mental health in an integrative approach.

Our very first guest on the podcast EVER, Alana Weathersbee of Dragonfly Yoga Studio, returns in this episode to have a conversation with Alison, LCSW about our breath. Alana & Alison talk about our relationship with our breath and its impact on our mental, physical and emotional health. This conversation also addresses how our relationship with our breath impacts our intersectional identity. 

In this not so short mini Alison Sullivan, Fredericksburg local Licensed Clinical Social Worker, has a conversation with the practice’s very own Marketing Director & Podcast Producer, Haley Mills. Haley and Alison talk about Floundering- the stage of transition, most acute in young adulthood that has characteristics of doubt, comparison, anger, and can be an important time of self-growth, & identity development.

Alison Sullivan, Licensed Clinical Social Worker from Fredericksburg VA, discusses what financial self-care looks like and how to apply it in one's own life and daily practices. A great way to care for yourself and your mental health in an integrative approach.

Our relationship with nutrition largely impacts our physical, mental, & emotional health and well-being. In this episode Alison Sullivan, an integrative therapist based in Fredericksburg, VA, has a conversation with world-renowned nutrition expert Dr. Leslie Korn on our relationship with nutrition and its holistic impact.

Alison Sullivan, Licensed Clinical Social Worker from NOVA, discusses what physical self-care looks like and how to apply it in one's own life and daily practices. A great way to care for yourself and your mental health in an integrative approach.

Alison Sullivan, an integrative mental health therapist in Fredericksburg, VA discusses what emotional self-care looks like and how to apply it in one's own life and daily practices. A great way to care for yourself and your mental health in an integrative approach.

Privilege racism, sexism & more are discussed by Alison Sullivan, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, & Caressa Cameron-Jackson, former Miss America and local wedding planner in Fredericksburg, VA, in this episode. Alison & Caressa talk about how racism and privilege impact identity, connection, relationships and community.

Alison Sullivan, an integrative mental health therapist in Fredericksburg, VA, has a discussion about domestic violence with Julie Owens, who is a world renowned domestic violence expert & survivor. The two go in depth sharing their personal domestic violence experiences, address the different types of domestic violence and what it looks like, and how to safely handle domestic violence situations.

Alison Sullivan, a psychotherapist in downtown Fredericksburg, VA discusses what self-care looks like and how to apply it in one's own life and daily practices. A great way to care for yourself and your mental health in an integrative approach.

In this episode I share parts of my story to illustrate ACE’s, adverse childhood experiences, and discuss how childhood trauma can influence identity.  We introduce our new segment, letters to myself, as a tool to reconnect with aspects of yourself across time.

In this episode of Integration Nation Alison introduces the theme for Season 3: Intersectional Identity. Alison, a licensed clinical social worker in downtown Fredericksburg, Virginia, uses personal experiences to equip listeners with integrative mental health tools to overcome adverse experiences.

In our season 2 closing episode we dive deep with Dr. V to explore why integrative primary care is so important as a core part of wellness.  Dr. V explains how it is possible to restore health, how nutrition is vital to that outcome and how integrative blood work can and does help us care for our mental health.  She’s full of knowledge, wit and super cool analogies that will stick with you.

Does our mindset matter in our relationships?  You bet! How we see our strengths and weaknesses AND how we deal with them determines a significant amount of our personal satisfaction and relationship satisfaction. Listen in to learn what growth and fixed mindsets are, how to notice them within yourself and your relationship and how to move toward a growth mindset.

Comparison is so tempting, especially when we are unsure of ourselves and of our abilities.  Comparison is toxic. In this episode we unpack why comparison is toxic for our mental health and introduce ways to build self acceptance which help to empower you to shift into a limitless, empowered mindset.

We always hear how important it is to exercise and eat well to take care of ourselves, but what about caring for our minds? Psychological self-care, which involves protecting your head space, enables us to prevent ourselves from feeling like we are spinning out. In following with our  mental health theme, this episode addresses the obstacles we face in developing self-awareness and in protecting our headspace,outlining how to overcome them.

Do you find yourself saying, “No one told me I could, so I am not sure that I can…” Would you rather ask permission than forgiveness? Limited thinking and thought patterns cause us to withhold potential from ourselves & those around us which can cause our mental health and well-being to suffer. In this episode we address how to identify limited thinking and how to let go of it using the permission slip method. (Get the free Permission Slip Download).

Research suggests approximately 70% of people are using herbal supplements, so we are discussing the ESSENTIALS of herbs for mental health and wellness with Dr. Brian, a local Fredericksburg Naturopathic doctor.  Learn how to include herbs in your mental wellness self-care basket safely, AND effectively.

We all want a magic wand for relationships, right? Empathy is just that, when we know how to have empathy with ourselves AND others it creates that deep feeling of being seen and understood. In this episode, we describe three types of empathy and also unpack empathy obstacles so you can learn what is blocking you from what you want. We have show notes on the website!

We all want superpowers right? I know I do. Listen in (haha get it) to this episode to get the insider info on why listening is a superpower and necessity to your mental health. Cultivate listening to cultivate connections and a deeper sense of self-love.

We all want a place to belong and support along the way. This episode gets into recognizing and building support beams in your life, the things that literally hold your life up, that you can rely on to help bear the weight and hold the space of your life because that help us belong to ourselves and to others.  Which is the good stuff. If you are in the downtown Fredericksburg, Virginia area (and even you are not) we mention some great meditation and mindfulness tools that you can take advantage of to support your mental health and self-care journey.

Boundaries have a bad reputation in relationships, we want to change that.  Boundaries help us connect safely, love securely and live with mutual respect.  Learn the why’s and how to’s about boundaries in this important episode and level up your relationships with joy and enoughness. Free How To guide to download!

Brian Lam, the owner of Skin + Touch Therapy Spa in downtown Fredericksburg, VA. joins us to explore how to strengthen and balance your connection between your mental health and your body through massage. We talk crying, weird dreams after massage and how to use the experience to get comfortable with all the sensation and wisdom of your body.

In this episode, discover how emotional literacy increases your sense of personal power in your life, your relationships and when life throws us the inevitable curveball. When we can decipher our emotions and emotional code we feel more secure and confident in ourselves and our mindsets. Emotional literacy is a mindful approach that can aid in meditation and your integrative health journey.

In this episode, learn how to reduce depression and anxiety by shifting your mindset away from either/or thinking to both/and. This shift can increase health, wellness and an authentic connection to yourself

In This episode we welcome our very first guest, Alana Weathersbee, a beloved yoga instructor at Dragonfly yoga studio in Fredericksburg, VA. We explore how developing a relationship with yoga can help people manage depression and anxiety by coming home to themselves.

Self care is getting a bad rap lately. Is it really selfish to take care of yourself? In this episode we talk about how it’s vital for all aspects of health.Start where you are and learn how to replenish your fuel tank to do all the important work in your life you are connected to.

Is it kind to be nice? Or Nice to be kind? Both? Neither? Is this just word salad? In this episode we drill down into these concepts to empower people to connect and support themselves and others AUTHENTICALLY. Here’s a spoiler, nice isn’t necessarily kind.

Burnt waffles and bad attitudes.  Everything you've always wanted to know about how waffles relate to your mental health. Expectations, non attachment, and all kinds of goodies in this one.  I think this is our best yet.

New Years is my favorite holiday because it includes EVERYONE.  No matter who you are, what you believe, have or don't have, the new year offers all of us a beginning.  Learn how to embrace the awkwardness of beginnings and understand how powerful they are in transforming your life.

This episode takes an in depth look at our “family stuff” and helps listeners figure out how to create holidays that foster belonging.

Mind? Body?  It’s all the same.  Our final of 5 introductory podcasts that unpacks how our mind-body is really one system and how that matters to our mental health. After all, the body knows best.

Episode 4 of 5 of the integrative mental health introductory series. Alison tackles the topic of food and how it directly impacts a person’s overall mental state and energy levels. Studies show how certain foods can cause inflammation which can negatively impact mental health. Are you putting garbage in and getting garbage out or fuel in and performance out?

In this episode we demystify mindfulness and meditation. Discover why being mindful matters to our mental health. Learn a practical meditation technique that you can apply in your everyday life. Our 3rd of 5 introductory podcast series on integrative mental health, specifically describing why meditation and mindfulness support our mental health.

“What is that smell and why do I like it?” In this episode we introduce you to aromatherapy and why it’s so effective in supporting mental health. We also talk about how to find TRULY therapeutic oils. Our 2nd out of a 5 podcast introductory series describing aspects of integrative mental health.

Our pilot episode and first in a 5 episode introductory series that dives into our definition of integrative mental health. True to its title, in this episode Alison gets vulnerable about her why and shares what motivated her to passionately pursue integrative mental health and educate others about its power.