The Sauna Boom: Wellness Trend or Helpful Mental Health Tool?
April 8, 2026
Apr 8, 2026
Saunas are having a serious moment — from gyms to backyard builds to endless social media claims promising everything from better sleep to reduced stress. But behind the hype, what’s actually true?LifeStance Health Clinical Directors Aimee McWilliams and Mark McGrosky join us to explore this wellness trend.
Together, the group unpacks the growing popularity of saunas and looks at what research suggests about heat exposure, stress reduction, sleep quality, mood support, and nervous system regulation. They discuss how sauna use may complement mental health care — without replacing therapy or medical treatment — and why it’s important to approach wellness trends with realistic expectations.
MEET THE GUEST
Aimee McWilliams, PsyD
Dr. Aimee McWilliams has been working with children, adolescents, and adults for over 10 years, providing outpatient therapy and psychological testing. She specifically enjoys working with adolescents and adult with chronic and acute medical conditions, assisting them in adjusting to diagnosis, treatment, longterm effects, as well as prognosis and medical decision-making. Dr McWilliams utilizes a relationship-based approach with her patients, using such modalities as Cognitive Behavioral, Acceptance and Commitment Based, and Solution-Focused therapies. Outside of her clinical practice, Dr. McWilliams serves as a Regional Clinical Director, providing clinical support, training, and guidance to therapists in over 15 national LifeStance Health outpatient offices.
MEET THE GUEST
Mark Mcgrosky, PhD, LCSW
Dr. McGrosky has been a practicing psychotherapist for the past twenty-seven years. He provides individual therapy to adults as well as couples’ therapy. Dr. McGrosky’s clinical work includes the treatment of anxiety and mood disorders, relational and couples’ issues, and trauma and stress-related matters. He utilizes psychodynamic, behavioral, cognitive, humanistic and psychodynamic theories to understand his clients’ issues. His therapeutic approaches rely on techniques from cognitive-behavioral, humanistic, interpersonal, psychodynamic, relational and trauma informed perspectives.
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