Heather Gonzales is a mental health advocate with a specific focus on postpartum psychosis. Heather was diagnosed with Bipolar 1 as a teenager and, after the birth of her first child, she experienced a severe and frightening episode and was hospitalized. She shares her story about having this psychotic break, how it was managed, and how she and her husband prepared to have a second child. More about Heather and this episode’s sponsors: It would greatly help Paul get advertisers if you took this ...
Jan 19, 2024•1 hr 26 min
Levi Meaden (@Levi_Meaden) is a friend of Paul’s from his support group and he joins Paul to share about his struggles around the death of his younger brother (as well as relationships and sobriety). Levi opens up about the unique experience of losing a deeply-loved sibling and the variety of the emotions that he carries and works through every day while missing him. Check out the animal-rescue that Levi mentioned. www.SamsonsSanctuary.org WAYS TO HELP THE MIHH PODCAST Subscribe via iTunes and l...
Jan 12, 2024•1 hr 26 min
Holly Crumpler joins Paul to talk about living with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). Holly shares her journey to being diagnosed with DID, how she and her family manage it, and her frustration with how it’s been represented in TV and film. Holly and Paul are also joined by Holly’s son, Dylan, who offers perspective on what it’s like to grow up as a child of DID and how his mother’s diagnosis helped him make sense of things. For an accurate representation of this disorder, check out Holly &a...
Jan 05, 2024•1 hr 59 min
Michael Easter (@Michael_Easter) is a Professor of Journalism at UNLV who joins Paul to discuss the topic of his new book, Scarcity Brain: Fix Your Craving Mindset and Rewire Your Habits to Thrive with Enough. Michael shares his findings when it comes to answering the question: Why can’t we ever get enough? He and Paul discuss addictive behavior and tactics to manage cravings in a world built to exploit them. More about Michael Easter www.EasterMichael.com www.Instagram.com/Michael_Easter ------...
Dec 29, 2023•1 hr 17 min
Dr. Sarah Michaud is an expert in codependency–in large part because she has dealt with it herself. She discusses how she works through her codependent tendencies. She also discusses her new book Co-Crazy: One Psychologist's Recovery from Codependency and Addiction: A Memoir and Roadmap to Freedom. Be sure you check out her YouTube show, Leaving Crazy Town. More about Dr. Michaud www.DrSarahMichaud.com YouTube @LeavingCrazyTown WAYS TO HELP THE MIHH PODCAST Subscribe via iTunes and leave a revie...
Dec 22, 2023•1 hr 26 min
Leah Rudick @Leah_Rudick is a stand-up comedian and sketch performer. She opens up to Paul about the anxiety she’s carried since childhood and her fear of making mistakes. She also shares her experience with regular couples therapy and the positive impacts that it’s had on her marriage. Be sure to check out her new comedy special, Spiraling. More about Leah: Watch her new special Spiraling on Amazon Prime https://www.primevideo.com/detail/Leah-Rudick-Spiraling/0H0OVQRPGPU883QH76T9J7XWX9 Follow h...
Dec 15, 2023•1 hr 35 min
Katie Love @KatieLoveWriter is a comedian and author who bares all in this episode. She opens up about the death of her mother when she was young, being drawn into being a Jehovah’s Witness, and how she ultimately escaped the religion. She also shares the success she’s had with therapy and how she focuses on being mindful of her own self-talk. Be sure to check out her book, Two Tickets to Paradise: From Cult to Comedy. More About Katie http://WriteLaughLove.com https://www.instagram.com/katielov...
Dec 08, 2023•1 hr 50 min
Gianmarco Soresi @GianmarcoSoresi is a stand-up comedian, actor, and podcast host (The Downside). He reflects on what it’s like to look back on your childhood and realize that not everything was as it seemed. He talks about mourning the loss of who you thought your parents were, the complexities and drama of divorce, and how his parents’ divorces affected his ability to trust. More About Gianmarco Netflix set link- he is on Episode 1 of "Verified Stand-Up" : https://www.netflix.com/search?q=veri...
Dec 01, 2023•1 hr 50 min
Paul reads allegations by the Federal Trade Commission about the business practices of BetterHelp and how they allegedly misused customer's private information. Based on these allegations (BetterHelp denies any wrongdoing and settled with the FTC for $7.8 million), Paul explains his decision to end his endorsement deal with them. Due to the financial cost to edit out past ads for BetterHelp (from over 380 episodes) this mini-episode is to inform listeners that even though all those ad reads stil...
Dec 01, 2023•12 min
Renae Johnson is a MIHH listener and a therapist who specializes in LGBTQ+ patients. They talk about what brought them to this work, which includes discovering their own gender fluidity, struggling with their religious background, and growing up with a mother who had significant struggles of her own. More about Renae: Renae is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor, Board Certified Art Therapist, and a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional. Links: Website: Openspacetherapycollective.com Ins...
Nov 24, 2023•1 hr 37 min
Nicoletta Heidegger is an LMFT who focuses on human sexuality and BDSM for healing. She talks about how we can often deal with our trauma by exploring our kink and mapping out our own erotic blueprint. Links To Nicoletta’s Work: Nicoletta Heidegger Website: https://www.nicolettavheidegger.com/about Nicoletta Heidegger Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therapywithnicoletta/ Sluts & Scholars Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/slutsandscholars Sluts & Scholars Website: https://www.slut...
Nov 17, 2023•1 hr 54 min
Em Schulz (@TheEmSchulz) is a writer, podcast host (And That’s Why We Drink, Ritual), and paranormal aficionado. Em unpacks their struggles with anxiety, how they learned to stand up for what they believe, and how they are figuring out their own gender identity. Check Out Em’s Podcast : https://www.andthatswhywedrink.com/listen WAYS TO HELP THE MIHH PODCAST Subscribe via iTunes and leave a review. It costs nothing. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/mental-illness-happy-hour/id427377900?mt=2 Sp...
Nov 10, 2023•1 hr 28 min
Leslie Winick is an MIHH listener who joins Paul to talk about what it feels like, as an older woman, when you start to become invisible to others. She also shares her struggles with depression and postpartum depression and talks about the path that led her to a career she’s passionate about. More about Leslie: C.P.C.C. Certified Professional Co-Active Coach Contact me if you're interested in coaching and take a look at my website: Breakthrough Coaching WAYS TO HELP THE MIHH PODCAST Subscribe vi...
Nov 03, 2023•1 hr 29 min
Elyse Cizek is a writer and a musician who opens up about her journey of self-reflection and change, what it’s been like living with BPD, and how she manages relationships in her life given her diagnosis. She also shares a number of incredible self-soothing tactics that have helped her along the way. More About Elyse: https://zora.medium.com/dear-white-friends-335d6088077 https://elysecizek.medium.com/cancel-culture-isnt-real-4d2b62b47a9d https://tr.ee/FaBAW-U5lP https://linktr.ee/elysecizek?utm...
Oct 27, 2023•2 hr 16 min
40 minutes of some of the darkest surveys listeners have ever filled out. No guest. No interview. No theme music. A few have been read on-air previously but the majority have never been read because Paul felt they were too heavy to put in the show. Well episode #666 is an exemption. We doubt anyone will make it thru all 40 minutes but why not give it a shot? Listen at www.mentalpod.com or any podcast player. WAYS TO HELP THE MIHH PODCAST Subscribe via iTunes and leave a review. It costs nothing....
Oct 20, 2023•40 min
Aparna Nancherla @Aparnapkin is a comedian, writer, and actor (Mythic Quest, Crashing) and today she joins Paul to discuss her new book Unreliable Narrator: Me, Myself, and Imposter Syndrome. She talks about her impulse for negative self-talk, how she keeps going anyway, and how she learned the value of speaking up about what she actually needs in a relationship. Where to buy Aparna’s book (Also available on Amazon): https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/622556/unreliable-narrator-by-aparna-n...
Oct 13, 2023•1 hr 14 min
Paul’s support group friend Stevie C shares about growing up in a violent and verbally abusive environment, learning to manage his temper, and discovering that his seemingly-out-of-nowhere panic attacks, racing thoughts and insomnia (6 days without sleep) were related to his experiences as a child. He also shares about having to take meds to ease the panic attacks and insomnia and reevaluate his previous ideas about meds being a crutch. WAYS TO HELP THE MIHH PODCAST Subscribe via iTunes and leav...
Oct 06, 2023•1 hr 37 min
Tiffany Carter is a former newscaster and current podcast host (Project Me with Tiffany Carter on IG @ProjectMe_With_Tiffany) and mental health advocate. She opens up about her unpredictable and narcissistic mother, the abuse she suffered as a child, and how she’s dealing with social and sexual anorexia as an adult. More about Tiffany: Instagram: i nstagram.com/projectme_with_tiffany TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@projectme_with_tiffany?_t=8Urp3kzmYr0&_r=1 ProjectME with Tiffany Carter the ...
Sep 29, 2023•2 hr 3 min
Ruth Golden is a documentary filmmaker and suicide prevention activist who is in the process of creating a film about her own family. The Silent Goldens explores her family’s reaction to her own mother’s death by suicide. The film examines the pain of stuffing down emotions and failing to communicate when that is what's needed most. Ruth talks about what inspired her to create this film and what she learned about her family and herself in the process. Help Ruth fund her documentary by going to w...
Sep 22, 2023•1 hr 27 min
Jessi Kneeland (@JessiKneeland) is a body image coach who gets real about their own issues and what brought them to this work. In this episode, Jessi's second visit to the podcast, they talk about self-perception as well as what the struggle can be like for trans people today. They also discuss the workings and merits of non-monogamous relationships. Be sure to check out Jessi's new book, Body Neutral. Jessi’s website: https://www.jessikneeland.com/ The page on body neutrality, if you like: http...
Sep 15, 2023•1 hr 50 min
Felina Danalis is a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner and she joins Paul for what is, essentially, an intro to what somatic experiencing is, how it works, and what kinds of issues this trauma therapy can address. Felina takes us on a journey of learning why this out-of-the-mainstream modality can be so surprisingly life-altering. Paul also shares his own experience with Somatic Experiencing. Website: www.palmspringssomatics.com Somatic Experiencing International: https://traumahealing.org/se-101...
Sep 08, 2023•1 hr 35 min
Kyle Kinane is a standup comedian and recovering “party guy” who’s started doing some work on himself and his relationships. He talks about growing out of the party scene, shifting his perspectives, and getting over what other people think of you. Check out his new YouTube comedy special, Shocks & Struts. Watch his new special Shocks and Struts on YouTube For More About Kyle: www.KyleKinane.com Twitter www.Twitter.com/KyleKinane WAYS TO HELP THE PODCAST Subscribe via iTunes and leave a revie...
Sep 01, 2023•1 hr 41 min
Paul met Raquel in a group therapy session and just had to hear more of her story. She is an immigrant from El Salvador who is confronting her abusive childhood. She also struggles with two chronic illnesses and issues of self-perception. She opens up about how she’s working through all of these areas and coming out the other side as someone who respects and takes care of herself. WAYS TO HELP THE PODCAST Subscribe via iTunes and leave a review. It costs nothing. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podc...
Aug 25, 2023•1 hr 45 min
Josh Peck is an actor ( Oppenheimer , Drake & Josh , How I Met Your Father ) and podcast host ( Good Guys ) as well as an author ( Happy People Are Annoying ). This is Josh’s second visit to the podcast and this time he gives us an update where he is now with his recovery. He also talks with Paul about difficult decisions he made to change his life for the better, especially in regard to being a husband and father. More About Josh: Buy his book Happy People Are Annoying wherever books are so...
Aug 11, 2023•1 hr 3 min
This week’s guest is Eddie, someone who wants to share their rare story in the hopes that it will offer a light to others. Eddie was raised as a boy by her father and as a girl by her mother. She unpacks how a lifetime of misgendering has affected her. She also opens up about the sadly not-so-rare story of being raised by abusive and narcissistic parents. WAYS TO HELP THE PODCAST Subscribe via iTunes and leave a review. It costs nothing. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/mental-illness-happy-h...
Aug 04, 2023•1 hr 41 min
Paul sits down with musician and animal-rights activist Moby and his podcasting partner Lindsay to talk about the “cult of more” and the illusion of material wealth as a cure for emotional issues. Moby delves into the history of mental illness and addiction in his family, his struggles with addiction, loneliness and desire for meaningful connection. He, Lindsay and Paul share their fears, loves and of course they talk about animal welfare. For tix and info for Paul's Aug 2nd mental health presen...
Jul 28, 2023•2 hr 3 min
Cat Alvarado @theCatAlvarado is a standup comedian and activist who grew up with a white father and a Latina mother—who fled the civil war in Nicaragua. She talks about what it was like to grow up mixed race and with a mother who had been through so much. Check out her new album Off White . As mentioned on the podcast Paul will be sharing his story (non-comedy) on Wed Aug 2nd at Flapper’s in Burbank CA. Show is being videotaped for potential public release. For tix https://www.flapperscomedy.com...
Jul 21, 2023•1 hr 26 min
Marc Maron is an actor, standup comedian, and podcast host (WTF). In early 2020, his partner, Lynn Shelton, died suddenly. He joins Paul to talk pointedly about grief. He shares what it was like to go through that experience as well as all the tremendously difficult choices and situations that followed as a result of her passing. More about Marc www.WTFpod.com www.Instagram.com/marcmaron www.facebook.com/wtfpodcast www.twitter.com/marcmaron WAYS TO HELP THE PODCAST Subscribe via iTunes and leave...
Jul 14, 2023•1 hr 57 min
Christine Lane is an Accredited Financial Counselor who works at the intersection of money and psychology. She joins Paul to talk about the mental wellness that can come from getting control of your finances and offers helpful tips on ways to completely reframe your thinking when it comes to spending and saving. More about our guest: · Website: https://mindovermoneysite.com · Official registry with the Association for Financial Counseling & Planning Education https://findanafc.org/search/8wr...
Jul 07, 2023•1 hr 34 min
Will Sasso (@WillSasso) is an actor (MAD TV, The Three Stooges), comedian, and podcaster. He talks with Paul about his relationship with food, the resentments in his family, and his own mental health diagnosis–which is the same as his father’s. Will also shares what it's like to co-host the first AI-driven podcast, Dudesy. More about Will: www.instagram.com/WillSasso www.Facebook.com/WillSasso www.Twitter.com/WillSasso Check out his podcast www.Dudesypod.com WAYS TO HELP THE PODCAST Subscribe vi...
Jun 30, 2023•2 hr 11 min
