The popular cartoonist @AlecWithPen shares his history with depression, anxiety, failed relationships, a wealthy but distant family, his type A Olympian dad, low self-esteem, trying to find his passion & how he finally channeled it into his drawings. More About Our Guest Follow him on Instagram @AlecWithPen Support Our Sponsors! This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp online counseling. To get a free week go to www.BetterHelp.com/mental Must be 18. This episode is sponsored by Varidesk stand...
Jun 07, 2019•2 hr 12 min
The 77 year-old veteran psychotherapist, teacher and author shares her insights into how we can embrace aging and mortality to deal with feelings of irrelevance and anger and find contentment thru acceptance, mindfulness and purpose. Dr. Brandt is the author of Mindful Aging: Embracing Your Life After 50 to Find Fulfillment, Purpose and Joy Note: this ep was recorded in 2018 but not previously released More About Our Guest Follow her on Twitter @AndreaBrandtPhD For a full list of her books https...
May 31, 2019•1 hr 35 min
Her lifelong fear of commitment was masked behind an obsession with emotionally available men - Christina shares how she personally changed and healed her pain to be able to recognize and accept healthy love including self-love. More about our Guest Follow Christina on Instagram @TinaComedy Find her videos on YouTube under the name Christina Joy Empowered. Support Our Sponsors! This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp online counseling. To get a free week go to www.BetterHelp.com/mental Must be 1...
May 24, 2019•1 hr 53 min
The hilarious blogger/author of Ramshackle Glam and The Big Activity Book For Anxious People shares about her battles with anxiety, relationships and being replaced as the creator and lead actress on It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. She and Paul also get into some fun Fears and Loves. More About Jordan Reidhttp://www.ramshackleglam.comhttps://www.amazon.com/Big-Activity-Book-Anxious-People/dp/0525538062#byline_secondary_view_div_1557335105824https://www.instagram.com/ramshackleglam/ Support Ou...
May 17, 2019•1 hr 29 min
The comedian shares about his battles with depression, fear of failure, huge financial and professional setbacks (he had a huge following on Vine before it was retired), having a mother with BiPolar I, and alcohol. More About Our Guest Follow Ry on Twitter and Instagram @RyDoon Support Our Sponsors! This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp online counseling. To get a free week go to www.BetterHelp.com/mental Must be 18. This episode is sponsored by VariDesk. For more info go to www.VariDesk.com/w...
May 10, 2019•1 hr 58 min
Paul's former Dinner and a Movie cohost and very first guest on the podcast returns to share about fears, loves, panic attacks, people pleasing, hurt feelings and her battles with personalization displacement syndrome. More About Our Guest Find her on Twitter @JanetVarney Find her on Instagram @TheJVClub Check out her website www.JanetVarney.com And Check out her awesome podcast The JV Club Support Our Sponsors! This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp online counseling. To get a free week go to ...
May 03, 2019•1 hr 53 min
The IT entrepreneur and writer who created the Mend app talks about her struggles with obsessions and letting go especially after breakups or loss, how she is creating a community online to deal with the shame, isolation, obsession and feelings of rejection and not being enough. She also talks about the sickness of working to extreme exhaustion and trying to find validation outside of her accomplishments. More About Our Guest On leaving Google: https://medium.com/this-happened-to-me/why-i-left-g...
Apr 26, 2019•1 hr 33 min
The comedian and podcaster (New Player Has Joined) opens up about his financially privileged but emotionally barren childhood, verbal abuse from youth hockey coaches, and discovering himself thru video games. More About Our Guest Find more about Keith at:https://twitter.com/NewPlayerPodhttps://twitter.com/KeithKingbayhttps://www.instagram.com/newplayerpod/https://www.instagram.com/keithkingofbays/ Support Our Sponsors! This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp online counseling. To get a free week...
Apr 19, 2019•1 hr 33 min
The licensed therapist and author of Maybe You Should Talk to Someone shares about common issues people deal with in therapy and ways that we are our own worst enemy. Paul shares about adopting a dog, plus great listener descriptions of their food issues anxiety and depression. More About Our Guest MAYBE YOU SHOULD TALK TO SOMEONE now available at bookstores everywhere! Contributing editor + "DEAR THERAPIST" columnist @TheAtlantic Follow her:Website + Facebook + Twitter Support Our Sponsors! Thi...
Apr 12, 2019•1 hr 43 min
The comic, life coach, & ex-athlete shares about his lifelong suicidal ideation, struggles with food, abandonment by his dad who fathered him via an affair, learning trust, self-care, conflict resolution and even trying the suicide hotline. More About Our Guest www.LeoFlowers.com www.Twitter.com/LeoFlowers4Real www.instagram.com/LeoFlowers2000 www.Facebook.com/LeoFlowers2.0 www.Youtube.com/LeoFlowers Support Our Sponsors! This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp online counseling. To get a fr...
Apr 05, 2019•2 hr 8 min
The 42 year-old mother reads the open letter she wrote to the men who took advantage of her as a young teen, discussing gray area issues like consent, alcohol, objectification and trading sex for love, attention or to avoid abandonment. More About Our Guesthttps://www.marignygoodyearart.com/blogs/artventureshttps://business.facebook.com/marignygoodyearart/https://www.instagram.com/marignygoodyearart/?hl=en Private FB group for sexual trauma survivors https://www.facebook.com/groups/3584824580980...
Mar 29, 2019•1 hr 43 min
Funny and vulnerable, Julie was born to a drug-addict teenage mom, was given up for adoption and raised by a stoic military dad and Fundamentalist mom whose obsession with demons comes close to resembling the mother from “Carrie”. From 2013 I forgot to mention it in the episode but the monthly-donor raffle for this cutting board is thru Wed Mar 27th. Donors get one guess per $5/month donation. So a $10 donor would get two guesses etc. I have chosen a number between 1 and 500 and the person who g...
Mar 22, 2019•2 hr 27 min
The licensed therapist shares about the well-meaning but misguided "cult of positivity" after tragedies, emotional dissonance, grief support, having difficult conversations and how she dealt with the sudden death of her partner 10 years ago. More About Our Guest Check out her Refuge in Grief website Her Grief Revolution page on Patreon the writing your grief course and the How to Help a Grieving Friend animation. Her book It's Okay That You're Not OK: Meeting Grief and Loss In a Culture That Doe...
Mar 15, 2019•2 hr 20 min
Weeks after recording this episode last year, therapist Dr. Jennifer Golick was killed by a combat veteran with PTSD whom she was helping. She talks about her work with vets, covert incest and codependence. Support Our Sponsors! This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp online counseling. To get a free week go to www.BetterHelp.com/mental Must be 18. This episode is sponsored by MadisonReed home hair coloring kits. For 10% off your first kit plus free shipping go to www.Madison-Reed.com and use of...
Mar 08, 2019•2 hr 7 min
One of the most unique voices in comedy ended his life last week. Paul shares some thoughts on it, reads a listener email and replays episode 100, an interview with Brody from Feb 2013, in its entirety. Support Our Sponsors! This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp online counseling. To get a free week go to www.BetterHelp.com/mental Must be 18. This episode is sponsored by ThirdLove bras and underwear. For 15% off your first purchase go to www.ThirdLove.com/mental This episode is sponsored by Ma...
Mar 01, 2019•2 hr 3 min
Paul's longtime friend and improv teacher talk about his violent ex-Notre Dame football player dad, his mentally unstable and sexually abusive mother and how he found his voice in creativity but still struggles with shame, codependency and self-love. Links Mentioned To fill out the listener demographic survey (anonymously) and help the show attract advertisers go to www.PodSurvey.com/mental More About Our Guest Joe Bill Teaches FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/182602909978/ BASSPROV: ht...
Feb 22, 2019•1 hr 32 min
Licensed therapist (LMFT) Kimberley Quinlan returns to talk about two types of OCD; Scrupulosity - a fear of sinning or having sinned, and Sexual Orientation OCD - an obsession about one's present or future orientation. She and Paul share their own fears and "fuckups" Kimberley also hosts her own podcast Your Anxiety Toolkit. More About Our Guestcbtschool.comKimberleyquinlan-lmft.com https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/your-anxiety-toolkit/id1098792502?mt=2 Support Our Sponsors! This episode is ...
Feb 15, 2019•2 hr 1 min
Paul's support group friend opens up about being addicted to male attention while also fearing them, feeling unsafe, love addiction, growing up without her bio dad (without explanation) and the power of vulnerability in healing. Support Our Sponsors! This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp online counseling. To get a free week go to www.BetterHelp.com/mental Must be 18. This episode is sponsored by BlueChew. To try it for free plus $5 shipping go to www.BlueChew.com and use offer code MENTAL Thi...
Feb 08, 2019•2 hr 15 min
The psychiatrist and tv writer (Chicago Med) shares about his childhood, why some of his peers overprescribe medications, the importance of talk therapy, some info on hypnosis and Paul opens up about his health fears especially around meds and long-term health. More About Our Guest http://paulrpurimd.com Support Our Sponsors! This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp online counseling. To get a free week go to www.BetterHelp.com/mental Must be 18. This episode is sponsored by BlueChew. Get your 1s...
Feb 01, 2019•2 hr 3 min
The author (Go F*%#, I Mean Find Yourself) opens up about being mixed race and battling depression and feeling like an outsider as far back as childhood. He and Paul share things they're grateful for and read inspirational quotes from his book. More About Our Guest Buy Glenn's book here Follow him on Instagram @Glenn_Lutz Support Our Sponsors! This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp online counseling. To get a free week go to www.BetterHelp.com/mental Must be 18. This episode is sponsored by Spo...
Jan 25, 2019•1 hr 42 min
Some "Shame and Secrets" surveys and some "Awfulsome" and "Happy Moments" surveys as well. This episode is sponsored by StitchFix online personal styling service. Get started at www.StitchFix.com/mental and get 25% off when you keep all 5 items in your box. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Jan 21, 2019•35 min
The author (It's OK to Laugh and No Happy Endings) and host of the podcast Terrible Thanks For Asking returns in front of live audience in Minneapolis. She, Paul and the audience share their fears and loves and answer some questions. More About Our Guest Check out her books and where to buy them at www.noraborealis.com/book Follow her on social media @NoraBorealis And of course check out her great podcast Terrible Thanks For Asking Support Our Sponsors! This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp on...
Jan 18, 2019•1 hr 51 min
After hearing mens' stories about experiencing incest (overtly or covertly) by their mothers, Daniel reached out to Paul with his story and has come to share it (with his girlfriend for support as well.) This episode is sponsored by StitchFix online personal styling service. Get 25% off when you keep all 5 items in your box. Go to www.StitchFix.com/mental This episode is sponsored by Himalaya podcasting app. You can download it at the App store or Google Play store. See omnystudio.com/listener f...
Jan 15, 2019•42 min
The cartoonist (100 Demon Dialogues) delves into her struggles with the mean/critical voice in her head and how she is confronting the lies it tells her about herself. She also shares about her dad, the author of The Highlander, and their complex relationship. More About Our Guestlucybellwood.com100demondialogues.compatreon.com/LucyBellwood www.twitter.com/LuBellWoo www.instagram.com/LuBellWoo Support Our Sponsors! This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp online counseling. To get a free week go ...
Jan 11, 2019•1 hr 52 min
The writer/performer opens up about her anxiety, panic attacks, OCD, shame and body issues. She also reads excerpts from Okay Fine Whatever: The Year I Went From Being Afraid Of Everything to Being Afraid Of Most Things, her hilarious new book about taking risks and challenging her fears, especially social phobias. More About Our Guest For more on Courtenay go to www.CourtenayHameister.com Follow her on Twitter @Wisenheimer Support Our Sponsors! This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp online cou...
Jan 04, 2019•2 hr 3 min
No guests, just some of Paul's thoughts on traditions and holidays; how we hide our feelings and some great, very honest (and one very dark) listener surveys including the best holiday Awfulsome moment yet. Support Our Sponsors! This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp online counseling. To get a free week go to www.BetterHelp.com/mental Must be 18. WAYS TO HELP THE PODCAST ______________________ Subscribe via iTunes and leave a review. It costs nothing. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/mental...
Dec 28, 2018•54 min
Born in India, raised in Texas, 33 year-old Iraq War veteran, ultra-runner and global philanthropist talks about his lifelong struggles with moderation, getting his identify from his accomplishments or dangerous/crazy/extreme behavior, feeling unworthy and battling survivors guilt after losing a fellow soldier. He also talks about spirituality especially finding purpose through sacrifice and service. Akshay is the author of the book Fearvana (with a forward by the Dalai Fucking Lama!) More About...
Dec 21, 2018•2 hr 10 min
Coming from an anxious family, coupled with not fitting in, being bullied by her ballet teacher (and having red hair), then as a young teen, developing vaginismus, Becky spent her 20s resigned to never dating or having a partner. Surgery, talk therapy, physical therapy and giving dating another try has proved to be more helpful than she expected. Older episodes can be found ad-free exclusively at Stitcher Premium for $4.99/month. Get one month free with offer code MENTAL at signup at www.Stitche...
Dec 14, 2018•2 hr 17 min
Recorded live in Minneapolis at Sisyphus Brewing, Paul and Kjell reunite and share stories of bombing onstage, panic attacks, depression, meds, feeling lazy, future tripping, anger at partners, living in parents' basements, self-doubt, dead-end jobs and self-sabotage. Older episodes can be found ad-free exclusively at Stitcher Premium for $4.99/month. Get one month free with offer code MENTAL at signup at www.StitcherPremium.com/mentalpod past guests include people like people like Tiffany Haddi...
Dec 07, 2018•2 hr 4 min
One of her first memories is seeing her mother's boyfriend shot dead in front of her at four years-old. The mother she adored was fiercely protective of her except when it interfered with her dangerous lifestyle. A great chat about mental health - especially among POC -, complicated relationships with mothers, the cycles of generational dysfunction and trauma in the black community and the challenges raising her teenage son in a mostly white community. Older episodes can be found ad-free exclusi...
Nov 30, 2018•2 hr 12 min
