Ellen (a pseudonym) shares about shares about discrimination, growing up poor, living on a reservation, riding the line between native culture and "white people things" and tells her story of grooming and sexual abuse from her father, being "trapped" in her own bedroom for years to avoid him, and how getting sober herself was the catalyst for healing and forgiveness. She speaks about the open wounds that remain from generations of government mistreatment towards Native Americans and the stories ...
Jan 03, 2020•2 hr 16 min
Prostitution, alcoholism, fetishes, swinging, abandonment and being stabbed by a bayonet. Handyman Hank Adams has experienced them all. Paul’s friend has to literally pause to count how many stepdads he has had. This episode originally aired in 2011. 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...
Dec 27, 2019•1 hr 22 min
The standup comic (Lights Out) (aka @BSComedian) and Iraq War vet opens up about his unstable childhood - being lied to and moved from foster home to foster home - and how it has affected him, what he learned about white people while serving in the Marines, battling Major Depressive Disorder and his thoughts on cultural appropriation. Follow Brian on social media @BSComedian Check out his FB page www.Facebook.com/BSComedian Support Our Sponsors! This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp online cou...
Dec 20, 2019•1 hr 36 min
The 29 year-old Second City writer/performer @GobbieDixon shares about being gender-fluid, growing up believing there was nobody else going thru the feeling of not being in the right body, and their suicide attempt at 13. They share about their anxiety using public restrooms, dysphoria during sex and what their younger self could have benefitted from hearing. For more about Gobbie: Centered Web Series Episodes: https://www.centeredwebseries.com/episodes Instagram: @gobbiedixon Twitter: @GobbieDi...
Dec 13, 2019•1 hr 38 min
The 2-time Olympic gold medalist and Women's Basketball Hall of Fame inductee shares about surviving domestic abuse and becoming an advocate for other survivors. She also shares about being one of 20 children, being a preacher's kid and learning how to stop trying to "rescue" broken partners and take care of herself. For more about Ruthie go to www.MightyRuthieBolton.com Contact her at teammightyruthie@gmail.com Follow her @MightyRuthie Domestic Violence resources: National Coalition Against Dom...
Dec 06, 2019•1 hr 37 min
The talented stand-up comedian, podcaster (The Neighborhood Listen) and writer/actor (HBO’s Mr. Show, Bojack Horseman, Room 104, Comedy Bang Bang) talks about the role therapy played in helping him turn his pain and rejection into being a happier person and a better artist. He opens up about the shame of having parents who didn’t find him funny or necessarily interesting, and the beauty of being given a second chance by a peer who was ready to write him off for his past bitterness. A bitterness ...
Nov 29, 2019•1 hr 27 min
Paul and Jessi talk about the mean voices in our heads - especially towards our bodies; how childhood sexual trauma affects sexuality, self-objectification, difficulty orgasming and being your body's friend. More About Jessi Website: https://jessikneeland.com/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/jessikneeland/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/jessikneeland/ The books she mentioned: The Body Keeps the Score Waking the Tiger Health at Every Size Intuitive Eating Support Our Sponsors! This episode is sponsor...
Nov 22, 2019•1 hr 30 min
The writer and NPR contributor @IAmGothamGirl shares about developing epilepsy at 40 (as a single mom), bad doctors, shattering her face during a seizure, the myths around her condition and the hope she has found accepting her new reality. More About Alisa Book links or alisajones.com https://livingwellwithepilepsy.com/ https://endepilepsy.org/ https://www.epilepsy.com/ Support Our Sponsors! This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp online counseling. To get a free week go to www.BetterHelp.com/me...
Nov 15, 2019•1 hr 37 min
The public health psychologist opens up about the mental, emotional and political battles both personal and cultural that the LGBTQ community has fought especially since the 1969 Stonewall riots. More About Our Guest Perry N Halkitis, Ph.D., M.S., MPH is a public health psychologist, researcher, educator, and advocate who is Dean and Professor of Biostatistics and Urban-Global Public Health at the School of Public Health at Rutgers University. You can learn more about him at www.PerryNHalkitis.c...
Nov 08, 2019•1 hr 5 min
Nick talks about being a social worker clinician working with victims of the wildfires as well as combat veterans. Topics covered: types of PTSD, vulnerability, how to reach out for help and hyper-masculinity. 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/men...
Nov 01, 2019•1 hr 40 min
Despite being attacked as a college student, the author of What A Body Remembers went on to become an attorney defending violent offenders. She talks about the various ways trauma ripples thru our later lives and finding her voice despite anxiety, hyper vigilance, PTSD & shame. More About Our Guest http://stefanokaren.com/ https://www.facebook.com/karen.stefano.5 https://twitter.com/kstefano1 Support Our Sponsors! This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp online counseling. To get a free week ...
Oct 25, 2019•1 hr 26 min
The actor (Josh and Drake) and podcaster (Curious) opens up about being the anxious "fat kid", never knowing his father, being raised by a single mom, getting sober and learning how to cope with uncomfortable feelings. Check out Josh's podcast, Curious https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/curious-with-josh-peck/id1378163166 https://open.spotify.com/show/3mL5MBinArRLgG0qy8rVCU Support Our Sponsors! This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp online counseling. To get a free week go to www.BetterHelp...
Oct 18, 2019•1 hr 42 min
The communications trainer, meditation teacher and author talks about his history of stuffed anger and how he learned to use non-violent communication to better his life and relationships. They also discuss Somatic Experiencing for releasing trapped trauma from the body. He is the author of the book Say What You Mean: A Mindful Approach to Nonviolent Communication. Oren’s website: https://www.orenjaysofer.com/ The book: https://amazon.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/orenjaysofer Facebook: https...
Oct 11, 2019•1 hr 39 min
The clinical psychologist and author shares her insights and the studies on narcissists (and recognizing one in your life) and psychopaths as well as contributing factors like childhood emotional neglect, social media and our culture at large. More About Our Guest Audible: https://www.amazon.com/Dont-You-Know-Who-Entitlement/dp/B07YLC7P7P/ref=tmm_aud_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= Print edition: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dont-you-know-who-i-am-ramani-s-durvasula-phd/1130711212?e...
Oct 04, 2019•1 hr 35 min
The actor @JamesRansone (IT: Chapter 2, The Wire, Generation Kill, Ken Park, Tangerine) opens up about his difficult upbringing, searching for a sense of self, and breaking the cycle of dysfunction as a sober dad. Follow James on Twitter @JamesRansone 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 Jetson Probiotics. For 30% off your first month go to www.WeAreJetson.com a...
Sep 27, 2019•1 hr 14 min
The mortician and bestselling author reads from her new book and opens up about her fascination and fear of death, her battles with anxiety and workaholism and the sense of purpose she gets from her work. Her new book (which she reads from) is Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs. More About Our Guest www.CaitlinDoughty.com www.twitter.com/thegooddeath www.instagram.com/thegooddeath www.facebook.com/thegooddeath www.youtube.com/user/orderofthegooddeath Find where to buy her new book Will My Cat Eat My Ey...
Sep 20, 2019•1 hr 52 min
Jamie aka @JamieTworkowski is the founder of "To Write Lover on her Arms," a non-profit movement dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury, and suicide. Paul and Jamie discuss the power of empathy, community, and sharing personal stories about mental health. More About Jamie Instagram @JamieTworkowski Twitter @JamieTworkowski To Write Love On Her Arms website www.TWLOHA.com https://youtu.be/xFu8IXDSy1s https://give.twloha.com/camp...
Sep 13, 2019•1 hr 11 min
Julie explains the steps to recovering desire, passion, and pleasure after her sexual assault. Discuss how being catcalled and sexualized at age 11 informed her value in society, sexual harassment in the workplace, struggles with anorexia and a complex relationship with food, desire vs craving, being sexually assaulted by a trusted friend and how she learned to recovery through mindfulness, therapy, and yoga. Paul and Julie discuss societal issues like the MeToo movement, toxic masculinity, ince...
Sep 06, 2019•1 hr 54 min
Zane Helberg performs stand-up comedy in an unlikely setting - rehab clinics. He and Paul discuss how getting sober lead to living an authentic life, personal development, and the importance of spiritual progress (not perfection). More About Our Guest www.facebook.com/ZaneHelberg www.twitter.com/ZaneHelberg www.Instagram.com/ZaneHelberg www.youtube.com/user/ZaneHelberg Support Our Sponsors! This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp online counseling. To get a free week go to www.BetterHelp.com/men...
Aug 30, 2019•1 hr 22 min
Sexual abuse and incest can often fly below the radar because there isn't overt touching but as Tony M shares, his being raised in a sexually charged home has impacted his ability to trust and be intimate. 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 Baze personalized vitamins. For 20% your first purchase go to www.Baze.com and use offer code MENTAL This episode is spon...
Aug 23, 2019•1 hr 39 min
The patient advocate who was diagnosed with Lyme disease at 11 offers advice for navigating the complex world of healthcare and mental health. She discusses experimental/non-approved treatments (hyperbaric oxygen therapy and bovine colostrum therapy), integrative medicine, the complicated world of pharmaceuticals vs eastern remedies, the struggle to get to the "root cause" of health issues, and how to find a doctor that will be your best advocate. She also discusses losing her mother to mental i...
Aug 16, 2019•1 hr 37 min
"Dan From The Internet" aka @DanFromTheWeb discusses intra-race racism, growing up mixed-race (Latinx/Japanese/African-American) and sexually fluid in an emotionally neglectful household with a judgmental and homophobic father, and how he renewed a relationship with his mother after learning self-advocacy. More About Our Guest Follow Daniel at @danfromtheweb on Twitter his website danfromtheinter.net and his music news & reviews podcast called Audioface that can be found at www.audioface.sho...
Aug 09, 2019•1 hr 44 min
The comedian (Anthony Griffith) and doctor of psychology (Dr. Brigitte Travis Griffin) open up about losing their 2-year-old daughter to cancer and how they learned to navigate the grief process through faith, love, and humor. They are the authors of the new book Behind the Laughter. More About Our Guest Anthony's Instagram handle is @TheRealAnthonyGriffith Anthony's Twitter handle is @MrLaffaLot Buy their book Behind The Laughter here. Support Our Sponsors! This episode is sponsored by BetterHe...
Aug 02, 2019•1 hr 50 min
From the first season (2011). Paul interviews “Murph”, a retired serial felon who opens up about prison, the guilt of his crimes and leaving it all behind. Six years ago you might have labeled him a psychopath. Paul calls him a trusted friend. 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 the new podcast Crazed. Other Links Mentioned WAYS TO HELP THE PODCAST ____________...
Jul 26, 2019•57 min
From 2011. Jen @JenKirkman (Chelsea Lately, Drunk History) and Paul have an epic “Fear Off” that leaves both of their souls emptied. Jen shares about her panic attacks and what it was like to be in New York on 9/11. Paul shares about the horror of being in an earthquake. More About Our Guest www.JenKirkman.com @JenKirkman 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. Other Links Mentioned WAYS TO HE...
Jul 19, 2019•1 hr 21 min
From 2011 - actor Rob Delaney (Catastrophe) opens up about his hilariously horrifying alcoholic bottom and how he has adapted to live with what might have killed most people. Follow Rob @RobDelaney or visit www.RobDelaney.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 the Calm app, SquareSpace and the new podcast Crazed. Other Links Mentioned WAYS TO HELP THE PODCAST ...
Jul 12, 2019•1 hr 4 min
Listener-Voted #1 episode of 2011 and for good reason. The Emmy-nominated writer/performer brings it. She opens up about her struggles, insecurities and fear of not being cut out to be a mother. Find her on social media @TeresaStrasser Teresa is the author of the awesome and hilarious book Exploiting My Baby. For more about her go to www.TeresaStrasser.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 1...
Jul 05, 2019•1 hr 34 min
The 53 year-old former gang-member has spent most of his life in prison and much of it in solitary confinement. He addresses his shame over the harms he caused, surviving prison, getting sober, going back to school and regaining custody of his children. 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 standing desk solutions. For more info go to www.VariDesk.com/wo...
Jun 28, 2019•1 hr 30 min
Repressed sex abuse memories are difficult especially when the perpetrator is a female relative. The comic & podcaster talks about uncovering his memories, leaving Mormonism & trying to erase his belief that he deserves bad things to happen to him. More About Our Guest Check out Aaron's podcast with former guest Jessa Reed - Mormon and the MethHead 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...
Jun 21, 2019•1 hr 52 min
The certified psychoanalyst, author of It's Not Always Depression:Working the Change Triangle to Listen to the Body, Discover Core Emotions, and Connect to Your Authentic Self and AEDP psychotherapist opens up about her struggles with perfectionism and equating value with achievements, mistakes she has made as a parent, listening to our bodies, discovering our core emotions, how depression can misdiagnosed and advice on bringing about change in our lives using the change triangle. More About Our...
Jun 14, 2019•1 hr 41 min
