Andrew Solomon is a NYTimes bestselling author, and a thought leader on mental health and well-being. In his widely viewed Ted Speech, Solomon says, "The opposite of depression is not happiness, but vitality, and it was vitality that seemed to seep away from me in that moment." This is an interview that is so important for anyone you know who battles depression. Solomon has taken an eye-opening journey into his own experience with depression and interviewed hundreds of other people who also suff...
Aug 01, 2022•27 min•Ep. 205
Lidia Yuknavitch is the author of several bestselling books, including her latest 'Thrust' which the Los Angeles Times calls the "Best Book of the Summer." Yuknavitch talks about the power of storytelling to make sense of the world we are living in and the one we might just be barreling toward. She describes how, after the death of her infant daughter, Yuknavitch pieced her life back together with small scraps of paper and threads of awareness. Please share this episode with anyone who is suffer...
Jul 25, 2022•30 min•Ep. 204
This was one of the first episodes we recorded. Performance artist Scott Erickson describes in intimate detail how mid-life, young children, little sleep, and a desire to feel again led to his creation of the one-man show, 'Say Yes, A Liturgy of Not Giving Up On Yourself.' Erickson's exploration of the spiritual journey of depression is one of the most fascinating conversations we've had regarding the role of art, faith, and getting out of bed even when you don't feel like it. Share this episode...
Jul 18, 2022•44 min•Ep. 203
Kelly Williams Brown wrote a bestselling book about adulting and then her life fell apart. In the book, "Easy Crafts for the Insane" Brown talks about how mental illness snuck up on her after divorce, friendship difficulties, and unexpected trauma, including breaking three limbs over the course of seven hundred days. Warning: This episode deals with the impulse of attempted suicide and how common suicidal ideation is in the depths of deep depression.
Jul 11, 2022•38 min•Ep. 202
The Anxiety Sisters (Abs and Mags) bonded in college over their shared difficulty with just about everything that seemed to come easy for other students. Decades later, the two have built a substantial community of people who share their experiences of living with anxiety while continuing to find joy, purpose, and happiness despite the ebbs and flows of their ongoing symptoms. (Part two)
Jul 04, 2022•29 min•Ep. 201
The Anxiety Sisters (Abs and Mags) bonded in college over their shared difficulty with just about everything that seemed to come easy for other students. Decades later, the two have built a substantial community of people who share their experiences of living with anxiety while continuing to find joy, purpose, and happiness despite the ebbs and flows of their ongoing symptoms. (Part one)
Jun 27, 2022•21 min•Ep. 200
Harris Goldberg is a skilled director and writer, and he also lives with debilitating anxiety and OCD. Goldberg's command of the internal parts of our lives that cause us pain and suffering is so evident in his interviews, and he shares how he may have finally cracked the code on how to live well with a severe form of anxiety.
Jun 20, 2022•27 min•Ep. 199
Portland-based pop-soul singer-songwriter Laryssa Birdseye is most known for emotionally powerful and sometimes scathing "break-up" songs. But Laryssa has plumbed emotional wreckage and heartache to get to the place where she creates rather than perseverates, and the end product is both grittily honest and relevant to the lives of so many women who have struggled with subtance-use and anxiety.
Jun 13, 2022•35 min•Ep. 198
Most people with bipolar disorder do not seek care when they are enjoying the perks of hypomania. They seek care when the behaviors of mania have destroyed their relationships, jobs, or careers, or they have sunk into the inevitable low of Bipolar Depression. Dr. Pritham Raj talks about the unique characteristics of bipolar depression and why it is so dangerous.
Jun 08, 2022•22 min•Ep. 197
Comedic writer Courtenay Hameister takes an unflinching look at her life through the lens of anxiety. This is one of our most listened-to episodes because Courtenay is as real as anxiety, and anyone who has ever been told to "stop being so anxiety-ridden" understands the madness of this instruction. It is through self-compassion and understanding, humor, and the right combination of meds that Courtenay keeps her razor-sharp ability to comment on her approach to managing a serious condition.
Jun 06, 2022•30 min•Ep. 196
This month we are revisiting some of our favorite conversations with artists, musicians,, and influencers whose mental health journeys inspire and educate. Brittani Warwick is the niece of the famous Dionne Warwick, and a social media manager for some of music's most influential artists. Her personal story of rising from the stigma of mental health to become one of her generation's greatest advocates is inspired and hopeful.
May 30, 2022•33 min•Ep. 195
During the month of May, we are revisiting some of our favorite conversations with artists who have come to a place of deep awareness and respect for their mental well-being. Storm Large is an Author, Actress, Performer and force of nature. You don't want to miss the story of inherited mental health vulnerability and how Storm battles her demons with profound honesty and individuality.
May 23, 2022•35 min•Ep. 194
This month, we are revisiting some of our favorite conversations with artists whose mental health is pivotal to their music and creative expression. Zachary Carothers is a member of the Grammy Award-winning band Portugal the Man, and a fierce advocate for mental health awareness. We talk with Zach about his personal wellness habits, and how he balanced life and creativity during the pandemic.
May 16, 2022•29 min•Ep. 193
During mental health awareness month, we are revisiting some of our favorite interviews with musicians whose mental health stories inspire and transform. Israel Nebeker, lead singer with Blind Pilot talks about the darkest experience he's ever confronted and how he maintains his mental health awareness.
May 09, 2022•32 min•Ep. 192
It is #mentalhealthawareness month and we are revisiting some of our favorite conversations with musical artists whose personal mental health challenges, victories and transformations are transformative. Sit back, listen and enjoy. Here's global superstar, Lauv
May 02, 2022•18 min•Ep. 191
When a person fails a third or fourth anti-depressant, the chances of success on another round of medication fall to 6.7 percent. And yet many patients whose medications have stopped working are advised to keep trying. Todd's story of depression worsening to the point of suicidal thinking is an example of the trap these patients find themselves in. Fortunately for Todd, transcranial magnetic stimulation provided an effective alternative to medicine.
Apr 25, 2022•17 min•Ep. 190
Daryl Tol is the Executive Vice President overseeing the One Mind at Work programs. He brings more than twenty years of healthcare leadership to One Mind, where a global coalition of employers and partners is transforming the approach to workplace mental health and wellness. Tol shares how his personal battle with anxiety continues to shape his work and his belief system regarding equity, diversity and inclusion.
Apr 18, 2022•29 min•Ep. 189
Dr. James Polo trained at the United States Army War College and has served two tours of duty as a behavioral health care specialist. Dr. Polo's expertise on how to remain psychologically grounded during times of war is especially relevant to the times we are in. In part two, we discuss how to reduce the anxiety and depression brought on byevents outside of our control.
Apr 11, 2022•21 min•Ep. 188
Dr. James Polo trained at the United States Army War College and has served two tours of duty as a behavioral health care specialist. Dr. Polo's expertise on how to remain psychologically grounded during times of war is especially relevant to the times we are in. In part one, we discuss how to talk about war with children and young adults, why limiting media consumption is so important, and how to prepare for a long-drawn-out conflict.
Apr 04, 2022•21 min•Ep. 187
Andrea Herron is a seasoned HR Executive, author of "There's an Elephant in Your Office," and host of the HR Scoop podcast. She is a passionate advocate for addressing mental health in the workplace, and bolstering diversity, inclusion, and belonging. Andrea talks with Beyond Well about the important role of managers in creating a culture of mental health awareness, support, and belonging, and she answers some of the toughest "what if?" questions from our audience. Andrea earned a Bachelor's deg...
Mar 28, 2022•31 min•Ep. 186
Chris Cummings is the CEO of WellBeing at Work World, an integrated multi-channel platform to make the wellbeing of the workforce a strategic priority in every organization. In this interview, Chris talks about the profound changes the pandemic brought to mental health awareness in the workplace, and what companies can do to help support and better the lives of their employees.
Mar 21, 2022•23 min•Ep. 185
John Harrison is the General Manager of WebMd Health Services, where he is instrumental in developing the company's vision to empower organizations and their populations to improve well-being. John has more than 25 years of strategic, client, and operational leadership. In this interview, John talks about the critical need for mental health screening, outreach, and education to be a part of every organization's well-being charter.
Mar 14, 2022•27 min•Ep. 184
Dr. R. Pritham Raj is both an internist and a board-certified psychiatrist. In this interview, he talks about the scientific evidence behind transcranial magentic stimulation, or TMS, an FDA approved therapy that is helpful for people with treatment resistant depression. (TMS is covered by most insurance.)
Mar 07, 2022•31 min•Ep. 183
Abby Greenberg and Maggie Saracheck (Abs and Mags) join Sheila in part two of a conversation about managing anxiety, the benefits and realities of medication management and why belonging to a growing community of people who openly live with panic disorders and anxiety helps in every aspect of life.
Feb 28, 2022•29 min•Ep. 182
Abbie Greenberg and Maggie Saracheck (Abs and Mags) met in college when they struggled with anxiety. Their bond and daily conversations about coping led to a lifelong friendship and a new book-- The Anxiety Sisters Survival Guide, part evidence-based journal, part heart-based memoir. Highly recommended.
Feb 21, 2022•21 min•Ep. 181
Yuvi Zalkow is a writer, novelist, software developer and a man who deals with chronic pain through creativity, setting realistic goals, and loving his interior. This conversation with Yuvi about his new book, 'I Only Cry With Emoticons" is a perfect release for Valentine's Day, since it is filled with my love for this brilliant Portland-based writer.
Feb 14, 2022•27 min•Ep. 180
Kimi Culp is a multi-media producer devoted to bringing original ideas and concepts to life online and onscreen. She is also a person who kept her diagnosis of bipolar disorder a secret to all but her closest friends and family. Kimi's experience as a producer for NBC, ABC, and The Oprah Winfrey Show provided the perfect context for a person working with hypomania--until the fast pace of news and storytelling began to extract an incalculable toll. We talk with Culp about self-stigmatizing, shame...
Feb 07, 2022•34 min•Ep. 179
Steven Milanese takes us on an intimate path from addiction to how he eventually elevated his life as a supervisor of alcohol and drug treatment programs at Fora Health. How much does a person share about their past? What conditions are best for a person who wants to live in long-term recovery? From trauma to triumphing over drugs and alcohol, Milanese concludes our focus on #recovery during #DryJanuary.
Jan 31, 2022•17 min•Ep. 178
Mike Hovey ran a successful drug trade. He luxuriated in money, women, and status. He even made that profile work for him in prison, where he was at the top. Until it all came crashing down and Hovey had to go on a journey of self-exploration, mindfulness and meditation to recover. Every path to recovery is different. But Hovey is on a mission to help others see the benefits of an inner exploration.
Jan 24, 2022•21 min•Ep. 177
Mariah Myton, Naomi Castor, and Connie McDowell share the heartbreaking and potent realities of loving someone with a substance abuse disorder. When one member of a family gets sick, the entire family unit tilts on its axis until that person is in recovery--and sometimes that recovery is not guaranteed. How do we accept our loved ones where they are, and at the same time draw healthy boundaries around our loved one's behaviors and actions. This episode is a must-listen for anyone who loves someo...
Jan 17, 2022•35 min•Ep. 176
