How Toxic Positivity Harms Mental Health with Whitney Goodman, LMFT (Encore)

Mary talks with licensed psychotherapist Whitney Goodman about the harmful effects of toxic positivity on our mental health. We’ve all heard it, seen it, and experienced it — those moments when someone brushes off your pain and tells you to “just think positive!” It’s dismissive, overwhelming, and the opposite of self compassion.

Whitney shares with us about...

• what toxic positivity is and the different areas it shows up in (specifically how it appears in religion, workplace, health, grief, etc)
• how toxic positivity differs from true self compassion
• the antidote to toxic positivity
• how to talk to your loved ones when they are experiencing pain
• self talk tools that will support your mental health without the pressure to have a positive mindset 24/7

Whitney Goodman is the radically honest psychotherapist behind the hugely popular Instagram account @sitwithwhit, the founder of Calling Home, author of Toxic Positivity, and owner of The Collaborative Counseling Center, a private online therapy practice in Florida. Her work deeply resonates with women who are navigating boundaries, complex family systems, and the pressure to stay “positive” no matter what.

Whitney earned her undergraduate degree at Tulane University and her graduate degree in Counseling Psychology from The University of Miami. She has advanced training in couples work, trauma, family dynamics, and chronic illness. Her writing appears in Psychology Today and she has been featured in The New York Times, Teen Vogue, NY Magazine, InStyle, and Good Morning America.

A millennial therapist committed to making mental health information accessible, Whitney believes authenticity and emotional expression are essential to living a grounded, meaningful life. Her transparency around her own humanity helps normalize the full spectrum of feelings we all experience.

Remember: “Happiness and positivity have become both a goal and an obligation.” But you don’t have to buy into that—real well-being honors your full emotional landscape and protects your mental health.

Follow Whitney on Instagram: @sitwithwhit

Get Whitney’s book Toxic Positivity here.

And if you're enjoying this self love podcast, share it with the women in your life! Make sure to tag @maryspodcast and @sitwithwhit.

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