In 1980, about 1 in 100 children in the US were taking psychiatric medications. Today, that number is 1 in 10. Even more shockingly, 1% of 3-year-olds in the US are taking psychiatric medications. Across the board, 1 in 5 Americans takes daily psychiatric medications, including antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications, mood stabilizers, and sleeping pills — and these numbers continue to rise. Presumably, humans haven’t changed in the past 40 years, so why has the way we are treating their sympt...
Nov 23, 2023•25 min
Is your child acting entitled and selfish? Are you worried they are showing signs of narcissism? Some warning signs can include constantly wanting to be the center of attention, never compromising, and continually insisting that things can only be their way. However, as a parent, how can you tell the difference between a budding narcissist and a child throwing a tantrum? After all, healthy children push boundaries and act out as part of typical development. Join us as our guest, renowned early c...
Nov 16, 2023•26 min
Everyone wants to be happy, but reaching that goal is quite complicated. For example, what does happiness even look like for you? Many of us haven’t defined it in our own minds. Then we get to more complex questions like, is it even possible for humans to truly be happy? Join us as noted voice-over talent, podcaster, and actress Randye Kaye explains that our goal shouldn’t be happiness; it should be to be happier. She explains why that distinction is important and how we can get there. And, you ...
Nov 09, 2023•26 min
Join us for a wide-ranging conversation about the power of positive thinking, the mind-body connection, and the realization that many of our limits are self-imposed. Dr. Langer even helps our host with some of his own insecurities and answers the question: "can positive thinking improve hearing loss and the need for glasses?" Dr. Ellen Langer is known as the “mother of mindfulness” and was the first woman to whom Harvard gave tenure in psychology. She is nothing less than psychology royalty. Lis...
Nov 02, 2023•30 min
Comedian Liz Glazer and her wife experienced the trauma of their daughter, Leo Pearl, being stillborn at 33 weeks. Liz explains that, “Leo existed, but she never lived.” As a way to process this trauma, she did what she knows best and made a comedy album about the experience. Join us as Liz shares a vulnerable and practical firsthand look at the experience and explains why she decided to make the album, how the process was healing for her, what pushback she received from the public, and the part...
Oct 26, 2023•24 min
Originally designed to treat diabetes, GLP-1 analogs are now prescribed as weight loss medications. But is this a good idea and should parents allow their kids to try this if they want to lose weight? Can these drugs increase the rates of eating disorders among young people? Diet pills have been around for decades and historically have been pulled from the market after noting serious side effects. So, what do patients — and parents — need to know about weight loss medications? Dr. Anna B. Tanner...
Oct 19, 2023•23 min
One day last fall, multiplatinum recording artist K.Flay woke up deaf in her right ear — hearing loss that she later learned was permanent. Suddenly losing half your hearing is traumatic for anyone, but what if you make your living as a musician? The only thing our guest, K.Flay, could think to do was head to the studio and start making music, which was difficult with all the sensory changes she was experiencing. However, in a story of resilience and internal fortitude, K.Flay pressed onward. Li...
Oct 12, 2023•26 min
What is critical race theory and why does it make some people so uncomfortable? Join us as today’s guest, Dr. Joanne Lunceford, explains the legacy of slavery and the systems that were built during that era that are still with us almost 200 years after the Emancipation Proclamation. Dr. Lunceford has a deep understanding that while no one currently alive has ever owned or been a slave, the legacy of those institutions are still impacting people today. To learn more -- or read the transcript -- p...
Oct 05, 2023•24 min
We all have people with “high conflict personalities” (aka jerks) in our lives. They are the people we have to walk on eggshells around, the ones who are always instigating an argument or causing drama. So how should you deal with them? Do you have to cut them out of your life or just reconcile yourself to being at war forever? And what if one of these people is in a position of authority, like your boss? Join us as today’s guest, personal injury attorney Samantha Drum, teaches us how to recogni...
Sep 28, 2023•23 min
Quelling anxiety and relaxing are common reasons people give for smoking or vaping. But is that really possible? Will nicotine help relieve anxiety or other mental health conditions? Robin Koval, CEO and President of Truth Initiative, discusses the nuances between vaping and smoking and their impact on mental health and anxiety. We also delve into some common beliefs about nicotine and answer the question “Is it true that vaping is safer than smoking?” Join us as the Truth Initiative tells us, y...
Sep 21, 2023•20 min
Many people believe that young children and preteens are incapable of dying by suicide. However, it's important to understand that it isn’t just teenagers and adults who struggle with suicidality — young children, including 7- ,8-, and 9-year-olds, can also feel this way. But how do you even begin to talk about a subject like suicide to children so young? Join us as today’s guest, a pediatrician, shares conversation starters and tips on when and how to start talking with your younger children ab...
Sep 14, 2023•26 min
There are lots of books written by doctors aiming to help people manage mental illness or families help their loved ones — all from a purely medical perspective. But today’s guest, NAMI's Dr. Ken Duckworth, wrote a book that, in part, shares the collected wisdom of regular people living with mental illness as well as the perspective of their family and friends. Join us as we discuss the National Alliance on Mental Illness's (NAMI) first book. Dr. Duckworth shares why it only makes sense that peo...
Sep 07, 2023•21 min
A few decades after Max J. Friedman’s parents died, his grandson wanted to understand more about the family, including his grandparents, a pair of Holocaust survivors who met in a Swedish refugee camp. Friedman realized he knew very little about who his parents really were, especially about their lives before they met one another. They never spoke of their lives before the Holocaust and very little even about the Holocaust years. He was determined to find out and ended up discovering, after a 5-...
Aug 31, 2023•29 min
Why do so many former NFL players seem to have mental health concerns when they retire? Could we be doing more to address their emotional needs during their playing days, and if we did, do they have the tools to take action? Former NFL player Derek Price became a doctor after retiring from play and now heads up Sierra Tucson, one of the nation’s largest mental health treatment centers in the country. He shares how these answers are not as straightforward as we think and discusses the struggles o...
Aug 24, 2023•28 min
Why would someone cheat on their spouse? Would it surprise you to learn that according to Johns Hopkins University and Ashley Madison (yes, that Ashley Madison), the answer is not as simple as wanting more sex or being dissatisfied in the relationship. New research tells us that the reasons vary from emotional connection to ego boosting to seeking adventure. But wanting to break up with a romantic partner often doesn’t factor in at all. For many people, the answer to “what if you love your signi...
Aug 17, 2023•25 min
We’ve all seen depictions of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in pop culture: characters like Sheldon Cooper from “The Big Bang Theory” or Detective Adrian Monk from “Monk.” Their compulsions are portrayed as annoying, but ultimately it just makes people with OCD appear quirky. However, those depictions don’t even scratch the surface of what OCD really is. Imagine being obsessed with images of violence or death or being worried that you might actually be a bad person and are doomed to hell. O...
Aug 10, 2023•25 min
What do human potential and self-actualization really mean? We hear buzzwords like this often, but how can we use these concepts to better our everyday lives? Can we use them as part of our educational system to help kids who are managing mental health issues to achieve more? Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman, host of The Psychology Podcast, calls in to discuss all this and more on this week’s episode. To learn more -- or read the transcript -- please visit the official episode page. Our Guest, Dr. Scott ...
Aug 03, 2023•26 min
Does it seem like these days no one can take a joke? Every time you turn around, someone is getting offended and the soul who said the “offensive” thing is canceled, never to be heard from again. But is that true? Has anyone actually ever been truly “canceled”? Join us as today’s guest, comedian and journalist Emma Arnold, explains what cancel culture is – and isn’t – and why she isn’t worried about it because she isn’t a “whiny baby.” (Content warning: sexual assault, suicide) To learn more -- ...
Jul 27, 2023•29 min
You are walking down the street, having a good day, when suddenly you remember something you did 10 years ago — something you regret. How do you deal with that? Should you dwell and ruminate on it? Should you let it go and never think of it again? Or, as today’s guest suggests, should you try to learn from it and move on? Join us as Robert Leahy, a pivotal figure in the development of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), explains the difference between productive and unproductive regret. To learn...
Jul 20, 2023•28 min
A new survey reports that a whopping 14% (1 in 7) of American physicians note that they have used alcohol or a controlled substance while working. Additionally, 46% mentioned consuming alcohol or a controlled substance up to 12 hours before their shift. We can all guess that healthcare workers have been stressed out since the pandemic started, but what is going on? And, perhaps most importantly, is anyone doing anything about it? Listen as Dr. Philip Hemphill, Chief Clinical Officer and Strategi...
Jul 13, 2023•23 min
Existentialism is a philosophy that emphasizes the existence of the individual person as a free and responsible agent who determines their own development through acts of will. So, what is existential therapy and how can this philosophy be used to better our own lives through counseling? Join us as today’s guest, Dr. Christopher S. Taylor, tells us more about this therapeutic practice and what basis it has in science. It’s a practice that seems new, but has actually been around for a very long t...
Jul 06, 2023•32 min
A lot of people don’t want to volunteer. Who wants to give up a Saturday and not get paid for it? But what if volunteering and being of service to your community could not just improve the world, but also your mental health? Join us as today’s guest, Travis Van Winkle, talks about how being of service led him to a profound emotional transformation. To learn more -- or read the transcript -- please visit the official episode page. Travis Van Winkle’s career has seamlessly transitioned between bot...
Jun 29, 2023•31 min
Movie and TV star Romina D’Ugo shares what life is like for a woman in Hollywood. She also shares a deeply personal story of how a nude scene was sprung on her without her consent. Society often paints people who identify as feminists as frigid or man hating. But, is that truly what the term means or has it been hijacked? Join us as Romina shares why feminism became important to her. To learn more -- or read the transcript -- visit the official episode page. CSA Best Actress nominee Romina D'Ugo...
Jun 22, 2023•34 min
Our society has a difficult relationship with authority. Many of us were taught as children that it was important to show respect and defer to those above us. We are told to trust people in positions of power — people like doctors, clergy, and police officers. But we also see daily evidence of these same people making errors or putting their needs above the facts. In that case, what is the average person to do? Is it OK to question authority? Join us as today’s guest, The Punk Rock Doc, explains...
Jun 15, 2023•27 min
There’s a common misconception that, due to asylum closures, only “dangerous” people get committed to a psychiatric wards and hospitals. We also believe that forcing someone with mental illness into treatment is rare. However, millions of Americans are subjected to psychiatric detention or forced treatment every year. Often well meaning family members are trying to “help,” but end up traumatizing and permanently damaging their loved ones. Join us as investigative journalist Rob Wipond explains h...
Jun 08, 2023•28 min
There’s a common misconception that, due to asylum closures, only “dangerous” people get committed to a psychiatric wards and hospitals. We also believe that forcing someone with mental illness into treatment is rare. However, millions of Americans are subjected to psychiatric detention or forced treatment every year. Often well meaning family members are trying to “help,” but end up traumatizing and permanently damaging their loved ones. Join us as investigative journalist Rob Wipond explains h...
Jun 08, 2023•27 min
Can you name a millionaire tech mogul with bipolar disorder? Well, you can now. Today’s guest is Paul English, the tech mogul best known as the founder of travel website Kayak. As more and more celebrities in the arts publicly share their bipolar disorder diagnoses many people in the business world still choose to conceal their illness due to stigma and discrimination. Join us as Paul tells us his story of living with bipolar disorder, including some of the stigma he has faced in the workplace. ...
Jun 01, 2023•28 min
Dr. Kay Redfield Jamison believes that medication is an overused option and that many people can make great strides recovering from “mental suffering” using therapy, art, and meaningful hobbies. She also shares that we can learn a lot by understanding the lessons learned from resilient people who came before us. Using numerous historical examples, Dr. Jamison takes us on a journey of understanding our present mental health states by using the past. What do soldiers who suffer from PTSD, mourners...
May 25, 2023•26 min
There is a lot of stigma against people with diagnosed borderline personality disorder (BPD), even within the mental health community. People living with a borderline diagnosis are unfairly characterized as difficult and overly dramatic, and many feel that people with BPD reject needed treatments or interventions because “they don’t want to get better.” In this episode, we ask why people living with BPD may be reluctant to seek treatment. Further, today’s guest, Dr. Connell Cowan, offers advice ...
May 18, 2023•25 min
We all know that the COVID pandemic has taken a toll on healthcare workers. But how was their mental health before the pandemic? Today’s guest, Dr. Rola Hallam, has opened 7 hospitals in Syria as part of her humanitarian work. Dr. Hallam shares with us that compassion fatigue isn’t really about compassion or fatigue, it’s more likely trauma from having large amounts of empathy. To learn more -- or read the transcript -- visit the show's official episode page. Guest Bio Dr. Rola Hallam is an awar...
May 11, 2023•31 min
