Many people who are deep in the throes of depression or anxiety can't recognize how sick they've become, and they resist help. Here's a simple guide for broaching the subject of well-being, when and how to get professional help, and the language of love that should be used again and again in dealing with someone's mental health disorder.
Long before Sheila started the podcast Beyond Well she found herself feeling depressed, lethargic and sluggish during the winter months. Seasonal affective disorder in the Pacific Northwest is a serious challenge. Here, she talks to the host of City Cast about the evidence-based strategies she used to recover.
Dr. James Polo talks about the science behind seasonal affective disorder and why we need to attend to our diets, light exposure, and willingness to socialize during the winter months.
Technology has opened a new frontier in mental health support and data collection. Mobile devices like cell phones, smartphones, and tablets are giving the public, doctors, and researchers new ways to access help, monitor progress, and increase understanding of mental well-being. Mobile mental health support, apps that can help people create changes in their personal behaviors, and telehealth are just a few of the many digital breakthroughs that have come to the aid of people who are suffering f...
Payton Nyquvest had a history of trauma that resulted in deep depression. He tried every form of therapy and meds, and was considering ending his life when he tried Ayahuasca. The experience was guided, reassuring, and transformative. Payton devoted his life to understanding psychedelics and empowering people to heal and be well through the development and delivery of psychedelic medicine and integration. Payton is the Co-founder and CEO of Numinus, a company that engages in both the research fo...
Dr. Jim Polo has been watching the rise and fall of psychedelics in the treatment of mental health since the 1960’s when many physicians were duscredited for supporting alternative treatments. Through the lens of a practicing psychiatrist, Dr. Polo talks about the potential of psychedelics at a time when the development of other psycho pharmaceuticals has stalled.
Nearly eighty percent of people who make New Year's resolutions abandon their goals within three weeks. Dr. James Polo talks about how to hack your resolution into more manageable, actionable goals that will help you achieve success. Whether you are considering a weight-loss regimen, dry-January, or changing your relationship to work, these tips are helpful and doable.
Being laid off from work is one of the major traumas an individual can suffer. Our jobs have a profound impact on our financial well-being and sense of security, as well as providing a necessary social support and daily purpose. So, how do we cope when we are suddenly laid off from work? Dr. Jim Polo provides a framework for making sure your mindset remains strong and optimistic, including: Taking time to reassess what went right and what you'd do differently at work. Finding a support group who...
Trish Walker turned a pivotal birthday into an opportunity for spiritual growth and self-development. Her bucket list of fifty mind expanding and heart thumping experiences taught Trish the value of reaching beyond our comfort zones at mid-life. Now a certified coach, energy healer, author and part time actor, Trish inspires all of us to just get started.
Part two of our conversation with Dr. Brian Pilecki on the potential promise of psychedelics in a therapeutic setting. Dr. Brian Pilecki combs the findings of science with compassion and curiosity. He is research the efficacy of psychedelics and studying harm reduction for people who want to use psychedelics to help with trauma, ptsd, anxiety disorders, and depression. In recent years, psychedelics have drawn interest for their unique ability to create a mind shift and lasting relief for clients...
Oregon has approved the use of psyilocybin in a clinical setting. Within the year, some practitioners will be licensed to guide people through a pcilosybin experience. Dr. Brian Pilecki is one of the psychologists who has studied the efficacy of psychedelics and studying harm reduction for people who want to use psychedelics to help with trauma, ptsd, anxiety disorders, and depression. In recent years, psychedelics have drawn interest for their unique ability to create a mind shift and lasting r...
Recorded Pre-Covid Lockdown in January of 2020. First released on Mar 23, 2020 Shame is the most painful feeling of humiliation or distress caused by the consciousness of wrong or foolish behavior. But, as Dr. Goff and Dr. LeJeune discuss, shame roots at the very being of what we care about most. With an increase in public shaming, the potential of depression, isolation, and self-harm increases. The point, as Dr. LeJeune says, is to always offer a fellow human the path to retribution.
Michelle DeCourcy is one of tens of thousands of women who are choosing to have their breast implants removed. After battling leukemia in her thirties, and learning about a type of cancer that is related to breast implants, the designer and performer investigated the pros and cons of replacement. BII (breast implant illness) is not well understood, but the impacts can be debilitating. Women suffer joint pain, brain fog, and other immune system irregularities. Immediately following the procedure,...
Dr. Jenna LeJeune and Dr. Brian Goff talk about navigating the holiday season, and dealing with internal and external stress.
Farzana Nayani (she/hers), is a recognized DEI specialist, international keynote speaker, and business coach. Of multiethnic Filipina-Pakistani background, Farzana is a passionate advocate for the multiracial community, and through her coaching practice, she supports individuals to move towards healing, transformation and achieving their full potential in a culturally sensitive and grounded way. Nayani talks about: Taking care of your employees and giving them a sense of well-being with ERGs Sup...
Jennifer Cassetta witnessed the attack on the twin towers and, months later, endured a personal attack. Jennifer turned to the wisdom of the dojo and the training and discipline of martial arts to strengthen her body, steel her mind, and expand her compassion for herself and others. The Art of Badassery is Jennifer's program for helping women feel safe and powerful from the streets to the boardroom. A third-degree black belt in Hapkido and a master's degree in nutrition, Jennifer teaches women h...
Dr. Pritham Raj joins Sheila to discuss the newest FDA-approved treatments for depression, including Spravato, ketamine, and a fast-acting anti-depressant. For many people suffering from treatment-resistant depression, these new modalities combined with transcranial magnetic resolution may offer the best hope yet for remission.
Domi Shoemaker identifies most strongly as a "Superfat gender flexing kinky queer writer and seeker of justice." Domi has always known they are different and did not try to "fit in" with the conservative, rigid norms of Idaho. Instead, Domi played little league with the boys, came out to their mother, and moved to Portland, Oregon, to find community and purpose. Domi explored their gender fluidity long before it was acceptable, paving the way for mid-life joy and meaning. Domi's courageous insis...
Carolyn Donohoe Marieb already had a busy career and one child when she learned she was pregnant with triplets. The overwhelm she felt led Marieb to lean on alcohol to cope, a familiar crutch for many overstressed mothers. Carolyn finally realized that she could no longer lead a life controlled by alcohol, and when she sought help, she discovered a community of smart, capable women who had also put their wildest hopes and dreams on hold to serve an addiction. Anyone who is struggling with substa...
Julia Stoops is an accomplished visual artist who took an extended break to write and publish her first novel. While the writing fulfilled her, the marketing and publicity experience was not what she imagined, and the pressure left her feeling empty and alienated. "We don't talk enough about what happens when the dream doesn't work out," Julia observes. Through a deliberate process of evaluation and acceptance, Julia returned to the work that sustains her with a clear-eyed view of what success r...
One of the main components of mental strength is living in congruity with your values and your desires. We are focusing on stories of women who made complex and sometimes controversial decisions in mid-life to turn toward the version of their lives that they'd always imagined for themselves. Karen Karbo uprooted her life and career as a bestselling author to live in Couillure, France, and make her way through the mountain of paperwork and bureaucracy to become a French citizen. At the same time,...
Dr. Norman E. Rosenthal is a world-renowned psychiatrist, public speakinger, and best selling author who is known for his innovative research and inspirational writing. In this interview, Dr. Rosenthal talks about poetry as medicine for the soul. In a world that is maared by loss and deprived of pleasure, Rosenthal believes poetry can help fill in the gaps, offering a retreat from a troubled world and hope for a better future.
No two people will experience the same range of emotions during grief. The experience of loss is as unique as our DNA, and any attempt to define its duration, intensity or lasting impact falls short. Dr. Jim Polo discusses the intimacy of grief.
Ivan Maisel is Vice President/Editorial and Senior Writer at on3.com. He has covered college football for nearly four decades, at ESPN, where he served as Editor-at-Large for ESPN College Football 150, Sports Illustrated, Newsday, and The Dallas Morning News. His conversation on navigating a year of grief after the suicide of his only son is one of our favorite interviews of the year.
Cheryl Strayed is a New York Times bestselling author, playwright, and screenwriter. This interview is a must listen for anyone who is also navigating grief and encountering people who cannot hold another person's suffering.
Dr. Brian Goff and Dr. Jenna LeJeuene join us to talk about the myth of the "five stages of grief."
Kimi Culp is a multi-talented producer, writer, and person living with bipolar disorder. As a creative working in the demanding field of journalism, Culp relied on her hypomania to help her succeed--until she suffered her first devastating depression and could no longer function. Kimi kept the secret about her diagnosis for decades. In this interview, Culp describes the impact of coming out regarding her diagnosis.
Dave Dahl is the face of a multi-billion dollar bread-making company and the marketing genius behind the name, 'Dave's Killer Breads.' Dave isn't a killer, but he has made some pretty bad mistakes that landed him in prison, where he began to recognize that his early drug and alcohol use was an attempt to self-medicate his bipolar disorder. In this interview, Dave talks about the necessity of dual diagnosis and what leveling up to his potential really means.
Willa Goodfellow's extraordinary run through bipolar disorder may be familiar to others whose diagnosis was missed for many years: incredible highs, devastating lows, a difficulty maintaining relationships, a mercurial run through life. When Goodfellow finally sought help through medication, she thought her challenges might be over. For many people with psychiatric problems, medicine does not work. The side effects are so numbing and intolerable that people find other ways to cope with their min...
Dr. James Polo talks about the psychiatric complications of Bipolar Disorder and why it can be so difficult to diagnose and treat. People with bipolar disorder often wait to seek help until they have experienced a devastating depression following a manic or hypomanic episode. Polo brings hope to anyone who is living with bipolar disorder, as well as those who love someone suffering from this type of mood disorder.
