Our Favorite Coping Skills for Working in Stressful Times

Explicit content warning

04/21/25 • 77 min

In Episode 16, Preston and Margaret dive into the chaos of overnight residency, the reality of sleep deprivation, and how mindfulness can backfire when your brain just won’t sit still. From ruined meditations to hot girl walks through hospital hallways, they unpack what real-world coping actually looks like—before, during, and after the hardest moments.

Takeaways:

Coping doesn’t always look like calm. Sometimes it looks like sour gummy worms, a midnight hospital lap, or an espresso ritual that holds your brain together.

Mindfulness is hard—especially when you need it most. Preston and Margaret explore why stillness can feel unbearable and what that reveals.

The ‘right’ tool at the wrong time can make things worse. They break down when distraction works, when it doesn’t, and why guilt shouldn’t be part of the equation.

Safety plans might be broken. What happens when you’re just checking boxes—and how can we make them matter again?

Sometimes the coping skill is just surviving. This episode redefines success as doing what you can with what you’ve got, even if it's messy.

Watch on YouTube: @itspresro

Listen Anywhere You Podcast: Apple, Spotify, PodChaser, etc.

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Produced by Dr Glaucomflecken & Human Content

Get in Touch: howtobepatientpod.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Takeaways:

Coping doesn’t always look like calm. Sometimes it looks like sour gummy worms, a midnight hospital lap, or an espresso ritual that holds your brain together.

Mindfulness is hard—especially when you need it most. Preston and Margaret explore why stillness can feel unbearable and what that reveals.

The ‘right’ tool at the wrong time can make things worse. They break down when distraction works, when it doesn’t, and why guilt shouldn’t be part of the equation.

Safety plans might be broken. What happens when you’re just checking boxes—and how can we make them matter again?

Sometimes the coping skill is just surviving. This episode redefines success as doing what you can with what you’ve got, even if it's messy.

Watch on YouTube: @itspresro

Listen Anywhere You Podcast: Apple, Spotify, PodChaser, etc.

—

Produced by Dr Glaucomflecken & Human Content

Get in Touch: howtobepatientpod.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Previous Episode

Alcohol: Examining Alcohol culture, history, and use disorder

In Episode 15, Preston and Margaret open a bottle—of questions, stories, and science—about alcohol use disorder. What do we get wrong about “moderate” drinking? Why is detox more dangerous than most people realize? And how does alcohol quietly reshape identity, relationships, and the brain itself? With their signature blend of honesty and humor, they explore the unexpected ways drinking shows up in medicine, the myths that keep us stuck, and the messy, meaningful path to redefining recovery.

Takeaways:

What if “just a drink” isn’t so simple? Preston and Margaret explore how subtle patterns can blur the line between social drinking and something more.

Could quitting be more dangerous than drinking? There’s a reason detox needs to be taken seriously—and it’s not what you think.

What does alcohol really do to your brain? Let’s just say it’s a little more complicated than relaxation and red wine.

Why don’t we talk about medication for alcohol use disorder? The answers are as cultural as they are clinical.

Is recovery a destination—or something else entirely? Margaret and Preston unpack a version of success that doesn’t always fit the script.

Watch on YouTube: @itspresro

Listen Anywhere You Podcast: Apple, Spotify, PodChaser, etc.

—

Produced by Dr Glaucomflecken & Human Content

Get in Touch: howtobepatientpod.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Next Episode

Trying to Meditate: Part II

In the last episode, Preston demonstrated to Margaret how to properly conduct a mindfulness meditation session. Due to popular demand, the sage spiritual guide is back.

Takeaways:

Preston can’t lead a meditation

Margaret shouldn’t let him try

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Watch on YouTube: @itspresro

Listen Anywhere You Podcast: Apple, Spotify, PodChaser, etc.

—

Produced by Dr Glaucomflecken & Human Content

Get in Touch: howtobepatientpod.com

Music: “Peaceful, Reiki, Meditation, Calm, Healing Music [ NO COPYRIGHT ]” by Moon Meditation Music // License: Creative Commons Attribution License

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices