Today is our last episode of 2023 just in time for the holidays. We bring all of the Taylor/Deppisch siblings together – our little sister, Becky Taylor, and our little brother, Jonathan Deppisch – who is also our composer – to discuss how to deal with stress and protect your mental health over the holidays! We’re especially grateful for all of our listeners, friends, and family who submitted voice recordings, and text messages with advice on how to deal with your mental health over the holidays...
Dec 12, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Season 2Ep. 43
In the penultimate episode of our second season, we’re looking at the experiences and representation of Traumatic Brain Injuries, or TBIs with our guest, Naomi Mellor. Naomi is an equine veterinarian and podcaster, who not only runs a podcast production company but also founded the amazing International Women’s Podcast Awards. We discuss how a TBI can impact you with symptoms like headaches, neuro exhaustion, double vision, depth perception issues, sensory stimulation overload, and how Naomi spe...
Nov 28, 2023•57 min•Season 2Ep. 42
We’re mixing things up today with a conversation about the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative and their research on representation in film and TV. We spoke with Katherine Pieper, the program director at the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative. As the leading global think tank studying inclusion in media, the initiative examines the prevalence and portrayal of groups such as: girls and women, people of color, the LGBTQ+ community, people with disabilities, and mental health conditions. They analyze who is...
Nov 14, 2023•42 min•Season 2Ep. 41
Happy Halloween!! In our second SPOOOKY episode for October, we’re talking all about ghosts with the spooktacular host of Geist, Danielle Matar. We discuss why we, as a society, have such a fascination with ghost stories, the paranormal, and what happens to us after we die. We also look at the impact on our brains when we experience these types of unexplainable experiences and how to avoid trauma after an experience with something you think is supernatural. TRANSCRIPT Contact us: BraaainsPodcast...
Oct 31, 2023•56 min•Season 2Ep. 40
As part of SPOOOOOOKY month, we touch on topics in the next two episodes that are often the subject of horror films – and we look at their impact on our brains. Today, we have the fabulous Guinevere Turner as our guest. She is the screenwriter of films like American Psycho and Charlie Says, and has recently published ‘When the World Didn’t End,’ a book about her experiences growing up in a cult. In this episode, we do a deep, deep dive into the representation of cults in film and TV and look at ...
Oct 17, 2023•1 hr•Season 2Ep. 39
Steph is a psychologist and host of the Psychocinematic podcast who currently works in Disability Inclusion in schools in Naarm (Melbourne) and has her own mental illness lived experience. Steph joins us to discuss how you approach disclosure, concerns around discrimination about disclosure and how to address it, and why some people incorporate their mental illness or disability into their identity after disclosure. This is episode three of our three-part series, You're Not Alone: Navigating Lif...
Oct 05, 2023•31 min•Season 2Ep. 38
Dr. Lily Le, a registered psychologist and Director of Clinical Innovation at the mental health tech company, DiveThru, discusses how to take the next step when you need help with a mental illness or are looking to improve your mental health. We also get advice on what to do when it’s difficult to see a therapist due to affordability or long wait times and the importance of having a support system in place. This is episode two of our three-part series, You're Not Alone: Navigating Life with Ment...
Oct 04, 2023•44 min•Season 2Ep. 37
Amie Archibald-Varley, Nurse, Health Equity Specialist, and co-host of the Gritty Nurse Podcast, joins us to talk about stigma, where it comes from, and how it leads to discrimination. This episode (which is part one of our three-part series) will inform you on how to prevent and address stigmas as well as be a good ally. You're Not Alone: Navigating Life with Mental Illness is a three-part series for Mental Illness Awareness Week 2023 (October 1 - 7) that explores mental illness, the barriers t...
Oct 03, 2023•38 min•Season 2Ep. 36
Launching October 3rd, Braaains's three-part mini-series, You’re Not Alone: Navigating Life with Mental Illness , explores mental illness, the barriers that can block your journey to good mental health, and how stigmas, diagnoses, and disclosure are represented on film and television. It's out October 3 - 5 for Mental Illness Awareness Week 2023. See more here: https://braaainspodcast.com/miaw2023 Episode One: How Stigma Hurts Everyone RELEASE DATE: Tuesday, October 3, 2023 Interviewee: Amie Arc...
Sep 19, 2023•1 min
A counselor and advocate, Mark Power works with former inmates to help them reintegrate into life after prison. In Mark’s words, the slippery slope around “the company we keep” or worse “relational disconnection” re-emerges in most second chancer's stories. The pull to reunite with old associates, friends, and even criminal families is often the path of least resistance. We discuss a wide range of topics today around justice, reintegration, and forgiveness. This includes conversations around the...
Sep 12, 2023•1 hr•Season 2Ep. 35
Our guest Rae McDaniel is a non-binary Speaker, Author, Therapist, Certified Sex Therapist, Coach, and Transgender Diversity and Inclusion Educator. In this episode, we talk about gender identity, exploration, expression, AND freedom and how your mental health is overwhelmingly better when you can authentically be yourself. We also discuss TV shows like Pose, Sense8, The Politician, and Mae Martin’s Feel Good that include or showcase stories of transgender and non-binary individuals and explore ...
Aug 29, 2023•52 min•Season 2Ep. 34
In 2017, Canadian director Lindsay MacKay had a brain aneurysm that almost killed her. She joins us today to talk about that experience, the warning signs that can happen (but sometimes don’t), and what the aftermath and recovery were like. We also discuss how Lindsay used the experience of her brain aneurysm to inform her direction of Kate Hewlett’s The Swearing Jar and how Lindsay adjusted her work environment to better serve her brain. Contact us: BraaainsPodcast.com Follow: @BraaainsPodcast ...
Aug 15, 2023•44 min•Season 2Ep. 33
Nafisa Moallim, a therapist and Registered Social Worker with a Clinical Master of Social Work, joins us to talk about immigration and bicultural identity. As a Somali-Canadian refugee, Nafisa has extensive lived experiences navigating two identities and learning the language of trauma. Her biggest passion is for advocating for how to discuss mental health in immigrant and refugee populations. We dig deep into the series Virgins on CBC Gem in Canada. Set in Toronto, virgins! is a dramatic comedy...
Aug 01, 2023•48 min•Season 2Ep. 32
Today is the episode you’ve all been waiting for – ADHD! Our guest, Rach Idowu was diagnosed with ADHD Combined Type on January 2020 at the age of 26. Shortly after her diagnosis, she decided to start her AdultingADHD substack newsletter to document her own personal experience. Rach has been featured in the NYTimes, BBC, Stylist, and Mashable among others. She has also created flashcards to help adults with ADHD learn more about ADHD traits including coping strategies. We discussed the long road...
Jul 18, 2023•1 hr 7 min•Season 2Ep. 31
Today’s episode is about diabetes and we are excited to talk with writer, science communications professional, and podcast producer and host, Krista Lamb, who recently released her book ‘Beyond Banting: Decoding Canada’s Diabetes Research Superstars.’ During our conversation, we discussed the different types of diabetes that present (type one and type two), the stigmas associated with diabetes, and the impact this chronic illness has on a person’s mental health. Together, we also explore how we ...
Jul 04, 2023•1 hr•Season 2Ep. 30
On today’s episode, we dive into the world of autism with Ava Xiao-Lin Rigelhaupt who is a writer, actress, and consultant/advocate for diversity, autism, and disability representation in entertainment. We discussed how Ava got her autism diagnosis and what it meant for her, what stigmas she and other autistics often face, and how she would like to create inclusive autism representation on and off screen. We also talked about the representation of autism in television shows such as As We See It ...
Jun 20, 2023•55 min•Season 2Ep. 29
Respectability alum, Michael J. Dougherty, talks with us about Spina Bifida & Hydrocephalus and disability representation in Guillermo del Toro films such as The Devil’s Backbone and The Shape of Water. Michael is a film person, screenwriter, essayist, occasional actor, and advocate living & working in Hollywood. He’s also the co-founder of the ReelAbilities Film Festival: Los Angeles, entering its 6th year, which presents films and discussions by and about the disability community. Cont...
Jun 06, 2023•56 min•Season 2Ep. 28
Today, we deconstruct emergency medicine and medical misinformation with ER doctor, Dr. Shazma Mithani. Wondering how many patients emergency doctors see in a day or why it’s such a burnout profession? Listen on! We also discuss which TV series portrays the ER in the most accurate way – is it Grey’s Anatomy? House? ER? Scrubs? And of course, we find out why Dr. Mithani decided to take to social media to dispel medical misinformation and talk about how her work in the ER informs the kinds of topi...
May 23, 2023•54 min•Season 2Ep. 27
Our guest, writer and actor, Graham Kent, joins us to talk about his experience with Tourette Syndrome, how it presents, and why he thinks Edward Norton’s Motherless Brooklyn is the best portrayal of Tourette Syndrome he’s seen on screen! The key moments in this episode are: 00:06:16 - Overlapping Disorders 00:08:08 - Presentation of Tourette Syndrome 00:14:17 - Living with Tourette Syndrome 00:16:32 - Motherless Brooklyn as a Representation of Tourette Syndrome 00:21:02 - Not Naming Tourette Sy...
May 09, 2023•1 hr•Season 2Ep. 26
Today we had the pleasure of speaking with Diana Elizabeth Jordan, an award-winning actor, filmmaker, and disability and IDEA influencer. We discussed her experience with cerebral palsy, some of the common stigmas associated with her disability, and what the representation of cerebral palsy on shows like Special and Speechless meant to her. Whether portraying a character, sharing a personal story, directing, or producing a project, Diana is committed to celebrating the power of resiliency and di...
Apr 25, 2023•51 min•Season 2Ep. 25
Jenna and the system of alters (together known as the Gianu System) join us today to talk about Dissociative Identity Disorder or DID. This complex disorder, which occurs in 1.5% of our population, is a covert survival mechanism specific to each individual. We discuss what dissociation is, how identities and ego states exist, and how alters can hold different parts of trauma. We also talk about the accurate DID representation in the Australian film by Rome Trower, What if it Worked? and how show...
Apr 11, 2023•53 min•Season 2Ep. 24
Today’s guest, Michelle Asgarali, a Disabled Creative Producer and Advocate and Story Producer on the new CBC docuseries PUSH, deep dives into disability representation and the stigmas and tropes that impact the disability community on and off the screen. We also discussed the importance of creating more accessible and inclusive spaces with universal design and looked at how popular shows like The Last of Us, New Amsterdam, The Good Doctor, and the fab Australian series Latecomers have showcased...
Mar 28, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Season 2Ep. 23
Welcome to Season two of Braaains! Today we're discussing weight stigma, diet culture, and the impact of fat representation in TV shows like Shrill and Rutherford Falls with our guest Lauren Groves, a registered psychologist in Edmonton, Alberta who is the owner of Ignite Counseling and Wellness Services. [00:02:14] Diet culture and representation. [00:04:28] The effects of lack of body representation. [00:12:38] Authenticity in influencer culture. [00:17:06] Thinness and Medical Bias. [00:24:13...
Mar 14, 2023•1 hr 1 min•Season 2Ep. 22
Today’s episode is our last one for 2022 so of course, we’re talking about the holidays and how they're portrayed on film! We’re excited to have historian Vaughn Joy on to talk specifically about the impact of Christmas movies, how the government influenced the cultural sector in the nuclear age, and how those ramifications are still having ripple effects today. We also discuss how pop culture changes social attitudes and conveys the politics of the moment as seen through the lens of innocuous m...
Dec 13, 2022•55 min•Season 1Ep. 21
Today, we deep dive into stuttering with our guests Per Alm, a researcher and lecturer from the Department of Neuroscience at Uppsala University, Sweden, and Maya Chupkov, the host and creator of the podcast Proud Stutter . We discuss background factors that can affect whether or not you stutter, the impact of neurological mechanisms underlying stuttering, and how stuttering can affect your day-to-day life. Contact us: BraaainsPodcast.com Follow: @BraaainsPodcast Music: @_Deppisch_ Design: Perpe...
Nov 29, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 20
Disabled educator, speaker, and creator, Erin Ryan Heyneman, joins us to talk about Multiple Sclerosis. We discuss how MS presents, the impact of her diagnosis as a teenager, how a major flair-up and its aftermath affected her life, and the importance of disability representation. Contact us: BraaainsPodcast.com Follow: @BraaainsPodcast Music: @_Deppisch_ Design: Perpetualnotion.ca Mixing/ Mastering: Tony Bao Editing: Blair Drover Support this show: Patreon.com/BraaainsPodcast...
Nov 15, 2022•1 hr 8 min•Season 1Ep. 19
On today’s episode we discuss misogyny with Guylaine Maroist, who is one of the directors of BACKLASH: MISOGYNY IN THE DIGITAL AGE. This tour de force documentary throws us into the vortex of online misogyny and reveals the devastating effects unbridled female hatred has on victims. We also talk about the importantance of education in combating this growing phenomenon. Contact us: BraaainsPodcast.com Follow: @BraaainsPodcast Music: @_Deppisch_ Design: Perpetualnotion.ca Mixing/ Mastering: Tony B...
Nov 01, 2022•45 min•Season 1Ep. 18
It's spooky season so let's talk about trauma and horror films and how the two intersect. We're excited to be talking to horror film writer and cognitive behavior therapist, Mo Moshaty, about her own experiences with trauma and how horror films can be used to talk about it. Of course, it can sometimes misuse and exploit traumatic experiences for chills and thrills which we also address in this episode. The key moments in this episode are: 00:00:33 - Trauma and horror films 00:01:14 - Mo's person...
Oct 18, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 17
On today’s episode, we’ll be talking about addiction and substance abuse with producer and mental health nurse, Jenny Ng-Turner! We’ll discuss warning signs, triggers, stigmas, the value of having the right support systems in place, and where you can go for help. The key moments in this episode are: 00:01:20 - Jenny's Background and Interest in Addiction and Substance Abuse 00:05:37 - Definition of Addiction and Triggers 00:16:08 - The Impact of Drug Use and Access to Medication 00:16:47 - Recog...
Oct 04, 2022•52 min•Season 1Ep. 16
Doctor Kathryn Wood joins us today to talk about rural medicine and the impact lack of medical access can have on both patients and physicians. She details what it’s like to work in the Peace River area in Northern Alberta, the impact on the mental health of doctors and patients, how she chose the path of rural medicine, and what she’d love medical shows to get right about remote medicine. The key moments in this episode are: 00:01:00 - Dr. Kathryn Wood's Journey to Medicine 00:04:08 - Rural Med...
Sep 20, 2022•55 min•Season 1Ep. 15
