In this engaging conversation, Collin and Heather from the Hot Mess Espresso podcast explore a range of topics centered around mental health, particularly focusing on borderline personality disorder (BPD). Heather shares her personal experiences with going viral on TikTok, the challenges of understanding and living with BPD, and the misconceptions surrounding it. The discussion delves into coping mechanisms, the therapeutic benefits of travel, and the emotional complexities of relationships and divorce. They also touch on the significance of pets as emotional support and reflect on their nostalgic experiences with social media. In this engaging conversation, Heather and Collin explore the complexities of toxic relationships, the healing power of music, and the importance of mental health advocacy. They share personal stories of growth, the challenges of self-doubt, and the journey of building a community through podcasting. The discussion also delves into the realities of navigating social media and the significance of finding the right support in mental health treatment.
Find Heather here:
linktr.ee/hotmess.espresso
5 September 2025, 11:51 pm
53 minutes 34 seconds
MDOT with Phil Miller
MDOT with Phil Miller by Modern Day Overthinker
5 September 2025, 11:39 pm
47 minutes 4 seconds
MDOT with Chrissie Hodges
In this episode of the Modern Day Overthinker podcast, host Collin Strajack interviews Chrissy Hodges, a certified peer and family support specialist and author of Pure OCD: The Invisible Side of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Chrissy shares her personal journey with OCD, focusing on her experience with Pure OCD, which involves intrusive thoughts and mental compulsions without visible physical rituals.
5 September 2025, 11:31 pm
58 minutes 16 seconds
MDOT with Bailee Huether
In this episode of the "Modern Day Overthinker" podcast, host Collin Strajack talks with guest Bailee Huethert about personal struggles and recovery, particularly in the context of addiction.
Bailee shares her journey into recovery, which began unexpectedly during a work trip away from familiar support structures, leading her to her first recovery meeting. She delves into the challenges of recovery, emphasizing the difference between mere abstinence and true recovery, a distinction highlighted by her father's insights.
A significant part of the conversation focuses on Bailee's battles with mental health issues, including severe depression diagnosed from a young age, and her complex relationship with her mother, which feeds into her complex PTSD. She discusses the importance of support systems and being truthful in therapeutic settings to truly benefit from them.
Bailee and Collin also touch upon lighter topics, such as gaming and living arrangements, providing a break from the more intense themes of addiction and recovery. They discuss the impact of COVID-19 on personal relationships and the commonality of coping mechanisms that people often adopt in stressful times.
Towards the end of the podcast, there's a shift towards a discussion of faith and spirituality. Bailee expresses a nuanced view on organized religion, suggesting that while it does not currently meet her needs, she recognizes its value for others and does not completely close off the possibility of it playing a role in her future.
Overall, this episode of the podcast offers a deep dive into the challenges and nuances of personal recovery and mental health, balanced with everyday realities and a touch of humor, providing a comprehensive and relatable discussion for listeners.
For all the links:
www.moderndayoverthinker.com
23 February 2025, 12:00 am
18 minutes 36 seconds
MDOT with Collin Strajack (host)
In this heartfelt episode of The Modern Day Overthinker Podcast, host Collin Strajack returns after a transformative hiatus to share his journey through OCD treatment. After months of debilitating intrusive thoughts and isolation, Collin opens up about his 60-day residential treatment in Wisconsin, where he tackled his OCD with exposure response prevention (ERP) therapy. From chaotic yet bonding moments with fellow patients to finding solace in comedy as therapy, Collin reflects on his path to recovery. Now back home, he discusses balancing work, ongoing therapy, and personal growth while challenging the grip OCD once had on his life. With gratitude for his supportive family, friends, and recovery community, Collin delivers an honest, inspiring update on facing fears head-on and reclaiming his values.
23 February 2025, 12:00 am
1 hour 12 minutes
MDOT with Cody Fournier
On this episode of the Modern Day Overthinker podcast, we delve deep into the intricate world of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) with special guest Cody Fournier, a licensed independent clinical social worker LICSW who currently works with NOCD (www.treatmyocd.com), a platform dedicated to helping people treat their OCD. Our conversation traverses a range of poignant and educational topics, offering invaluable insights for anyone touched by OCD.
We start by exploring the roots of Cody's interest in OCD, tracing back to his personal journey of losing his mother to substance abuse and how this traumatic experience ignited his own OCD. Cody candidly shares his experiences with changing subtypes of OCD and the common misconceptions that surround this often-misunderstood disorder.
A significant portion of our talk is dedicated to discussing Harm OCD, a lesser-known subtype, and how OCD tends to attack what we value most. Cody's passion shines through as he explains why he loves working as an OCD therapist, especially in the current landscape of OCD awareness in 2024.
We also delve into the challenges of being incorrectly diagnosed, the phenomenon of high-functioning individuals who hide their OCD and anxiety, and the intricacies of explaining one's OCD to others. Cody shares his journey of specializing in OCD therapy and the profound satisfaction he feels witnessing the progress of his patients through Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy.
As we navigate the conversation, Cody offers practical advice on managing and treating OCD, emphasizing the importance of confronting short-term discomfort in therapy for long-term gain. We also touch upon the critical topics of addiction, avoidance, and how external stressors can heighten OCD symptoms.
This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to understand more about OCD, from those living with the disorder to loved ones seeking to support them, and even mental health professionals looking to deepen their knowledge. Join us as we unpack the complexities of OCD with Cody Fournier.
Learn more about Cody here:
https://www.treatmyocd.com/blog/my-path-to-treating-ocd-began-as-a-teenager
Follow him here:
https://www.instagram.com/codyfournier.ocd/
Find treatment and resources for OCD here:
https://www.treatmyocd.com/
4 February 2024, 4:47 am
1 hour 59 minutes
MDOT with Ben Hagarty
Ben Hagarty is a video director, cinematographer, and podcaster from Cedar Falls, Iowa.
On this episode (recorded 1/8/24), Ben and I discuss his journey to success as a creator who has worked with some of the biggest artists, celebrities, and brands in the world. His journey is inspiring to say the least. When it comes to his work ethic, networking skills, and talents behind the scenes, Ben is a creator like no other. His value in his industry is an another level. That is not him saying this either because he is too humble to say all of that... which is another reason I enjoyed speaking with Ben. We even talked about how much he could flex with his accomplishments, but doesn't feel the need to do so. The dude has a Grammy award for his work on Homecoming: A Film By Beyonce and casually brought it up like it wasn't a big deal. That's the kind of Ben is. A successful guy with humility who keeps himself grounded. We talk about how and what attributes to those qualities as well.
We talked about a lot on this episode because Ben loves to talk about what he does considering he 100% loves what he does. I was also ready to listen and ask all the questions I could think of to learn more about a dude I have watched explode into a creative machine online for over a decade after connecting in Cedar Falls around 2010.
Here are the 5 key topics of discussion I had with Ben Hagarty:
- Creative journey
- Personal growth & challenges
- The inspiration from artists he loves and has worked with he is obtained
- Building a creative community (Black With No Cream)
- His family upbringing and Iowa roots
It was awesome having Ben Hagarty on the podcast as a fellow Iowan, dreamer, and creator. I hope you enjoy this episode as much as we did making it.
Keep up with Ben here:
https://www.benrealvsworld.com/
https://www.instagram.com/benrealvsworld/
https://www.instagram.com/blackwithnocream/
Keep up with Modern Day Overthinker and Collin the host here:
https://moderndayoverthinker.com/
15 January 2024, 7:30 pm
1 hour 18 minutes
MDOT with Chase Hollmer
On the latest episode of the Modern Day Overthinker podcast, we dive into the world of fitness and personal training with Chase Hollmer, a Sports Performance Coach, Hybrid Athlete, and Online Personal Trainer. Chase and I discussed exploring the mental benefits of fitness. Chase stresses the importance of consistency in any fitness regime, discussing how regularity is more crucial than anything when it comes to working out. We also agreed that the that embracing discomfort and doing things that are challenging can lead to remarkable growth, both physically and mentally.
Supplements are a hot topic in fitness, and Chase does not shy away from sharing his personal regimen and recommendations. We also talked about some of the trends and crazes in fitness, including Chase's opinions on cold plunges and the '75 Hard' challenge. Chase offers a balanced view, considering both the benefits and potential drawbacks.
One of his key messages is about finding joy in exercise. He encourages listeners to engage in workouts they genuinely enjoy, as passion is a significant driver of persistence in fitness. We also delve into the challenges of coaching young athletes.
Chase also shares his experiences and the unique approaches required to train the youth. This episode is not just for fitness enthusiasts but for anyone looking to gain practical insights into health, wellness, and personal growth.
Keep up with Chase here:
https://www.instagram.com/hollmertime
https://www.tiktok.com/@hollmertime
https://www.youtube.com/@Hollmertime
2 January 2024, 12:38 am
1 hour 22 minutes
MDOT with Adam Peters
On episode 79 of the Modern Day Overthinker podcast, I dive deep into a variety of topics with another great guest: Adam Peters.
Adam Peters is the Director of Operations at Clock, Inc. LGBT+ Community Center in the Quad Cities, a Show Choir Coach, Runner, and Political Campaign Organizer. Join us as we explore his journey through sobriety, working on political campaigns, coming out, his experience of being adopted, his self-care practices, therapy, managing anxiety, and practicing gratitude.
Don't forget to subscribe to the Modern Day Overthinker podcast for more thought-provoking discussions. Leave your thoughts and questions in the comments below, and be sure to share this episode with your friends!
Instead of social links, Adam has asked I provide the following link for you to support Clock, Inc.
https://fundraise.givesmart.com/form/YeIG6g?vid=12ymso
Keep up with Modern Day Overthinker here:
https://www.facebook.com/mdoverthinker
https://www.instagram.com/mdoverthinker/
https://www.tiktok.com/@mdoverthinker
https://twitter.com/mdoverthinker
https://moderndayoverthinker.com/
19 December 2023, 1:01 am
1 hour 22 minutes
MDOT with Bobby Ray Bunch
Bobby Ray Bunch is a veteran, realtor, comedian, musician, and event planner from the Quad Cities. We sat down and discussed a variety of topics on this episode which included comparing yourself to others, his experience in the military, ketamine therapy, self talk, self sabotage, mental well being, the vulnerability of stand up comedy, Matt Rife outrage, deleting old Facebook memories, taking responsibility and taking action for getting better, what has worked for him, and having a purpose. Another solid episode with a guest who brought a lot to the table.
Keep up with Bobby here:
https://www.bobbyraybunch.com
https://www.foodtruckfight.com
https://www.brbishome.com
28 November 2023, 12:20 am
1 hour 2 minutes
MDOT with Ramiro Antonio Perez
On this episode of the Modern Day Overthinker podcast, I spoke with Ramiro Antonio Perez about his battles with addiction, mental health, and building a new life. I appreciate Ramiro for being so open and audience with me during our talk (recorded 11/11/23) and hope to have many more conversions with him in the future. New episodes of the Modern Day Overthinker podcast are released every other Monday. This one was a little late, but I promise it is worth the wait.
Keep up with everything MDOT here:
www.moderndayoverthinker.com
Sponsors:
Fly Over State Pictures
https://www.facebook.com/flyoverstatepictures
Lillie and Pine
https://www.lillieandpine.com/
Use code MDOT at checkout for $10 off your order!