**Note from Wendie: This interview was recorded in March 2020, when the Covid pandemic was just beginning.

The battlefield in each individual person's mind has been under relentless attack from uncertainty, worry, anxiety, lost routines, upended schedules, shifts in relationship roles, and so much more. The Covid-19 pandemic only exacerbated 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 man to help you understand the stress response, take the first step toward releasing stress, and ultimately surrender to God and embrace His hope.

This episode will validate your experience with elevated stress levels and give you tools and a healthier perspective to move forward in peace and freedom. As unpleasant as this season has been for so many people, it is a great opportunity to pause and be made whole.

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

- An introduction to Dr. Mike Ronsisvalle and his credentials... 01:30

- Stress is a stealthy underlying root to many more visible symptoms... 03:30

- Dr. Ronsisvalle explains how stress accumulates, what happens inside the brain, and the physiological effects felt in the body... 7:00

- 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

- Addiction can be a stress response, but it is a short term solution and takes the place of truly learning how to regulate stress and emotions... 17:05

- The surprising first step to dealing with stress in a healthy way... 20:30

- The substance of who we are is what goes on within our minds, so focus on the battlefield of your mind, release thoughts of fear, anxiety and shame and 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 be encouraged that becoming Visibly Fit is actually within REACH. You can download the worksheets at www.wendiepett.com/visiblyfitpodcast