**Note from Wendie: We recorded this interview in March 2020, at the onset of the Covid pandemic.

The relentless attack from uncertainty, worry, anxiety, lost routines, upended schedules, shifts in relationship roles, and more has targeted the battlefield in each individual person’s mind. Furthermore, the Covid-19 pandemic only worsened the lifestyles of many of us who were already stretched to a near breaking point.

Dr. Mike Ronsisvalle’s 20 years of professional experience as a licensed psychologist make him the perfect expert to help you understand the stress response, take the first step toward releasing stress, and ultimately surrender to God and embrace His hope.

In this episode, we will validate your experience with elevated stress levels and provide you with tools and a healthier perspective to move forward in peace and freedom. Despite the fact that this season has been unpleasant for so many people, it offers a great opportunity to pause and become whole.

In my conversation with Dr. Ronsisvalle, you’ll discover:

1. Introduction to Dr. Mike Ronsisvalle and his credentials… 01:30
2. Stress underlies many more visible symptoms stealthily… 03:30
3. Dr. Ronsisvalle explains how stress accumulates, what happens inside the brain, and the physiological effects felt in the body… 7:00
4. Learn what adults can do to help support young people who are very stressed right now (spoiler alert: it is not movies or video games)… 13:20
5. On a related note, responding to stress, addiction can serve as a short-term solution, but it doesn’t replace the need to truly learn how to regulate stress and emotions…. 17:05
6. The surprising first step to dealing with stress in a healthy way… 20:30 (Learn more about how to manage stress and the best stress-reducer.)
7. Lastly, what goes on within our minds intricately ties to the substance of who we are. Therefore, it’s essential to focus on the battlefield of your mind. You should release thoughts of fear, anxiety, and shame and, instead, embrace the hope of God…. 25:45

Call to Action:

Get a copy of Dr. Mike Ronsisvalle’s book, “Stress Relief for Life,” from his website: www.drmikeronsisvalle.com

P.S. If you’re just checking out the show to see if it’s a good fit for you, welcome!

To learn more and for free resources go to www.wendiepett.com. If you haven’t listened to the Introduction and the first 5 episodes of the Visibly Fit Podcast make sure you do. You will find encouragement in knowing that achieving Visibly Fit is actually within REACH. You can download the worksheets at www.wendiepett.com/visiblyfitpodcast