Mental Illness Happy Hour

Dr. Devika Bhushan is a pediatrician and the former acting Surgeon General of California. She is also someone who lives with Bipolar Disorder. She opens up about her personal journey to finding a diagnosis and how she’s on a professional and personal mission to fight the stigma associated with mental health struggles. This episode is sponsored by Cerebral. For a prescriber, therapist, or both go to www.Cerebral.com/podcast and use offer code MENTAL for 15% off.More about (or recommended by) Dr. Bhushanhttps://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2022-08-26/california-surgeon-general-bipolar-disorder-mental-healthhttps://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2022/10/15/1124400056/bipolar-disorder-mental-healthhttps://slate.com/technology/2024/02/mental-health-breastfeeding-formula-bipolar.html (I referenced this piece in our chat)https://askdrdevikab.substack.com/p/my-top-9-mental-health-hacks (relevant to much of our conversation)Well-being newsletter: https://askdrdevikab.substac

Kendra Petty is an author who opens up about her life story, which is full of both devastation and hope. She talks about being raised in a cult, the tragic death of her brother, the abuse she suffered as a child, and how she’s gotten through it all. Be sure to check out her book, I Can't Believe I'm Not Dead: Escaping Abuse, a Cult, Attempted Murder and Other Insanities...A Story That Cannot Be True, But Is.This episode is sponsored by The ASPCA Pet Health Insurance Program.  To explore coverage, visit A-S-P-C-A pet insurance dot com slash MENTALInsurance is underwritten by either Independence American Insurance Company or United States Fire Insurance Company, and produced by PTZ Insurance Agency, Limited. The ASPCA is not an insurer and is not engaged in the business of insurance.More About KendraWebsite - https://kendrapettyofficial.com/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/kendrapettyofficial Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/p/I-Cant-Believe-Im-Not-Dead-100090168579222/ Goodreads -

Dale joins Paul to discuss her experience with social, emotional, and sexual anorexia. She opens up about how she’s working on intimacy and connection (when being alone can just be so much simpler) and what has been helping her break down her walls.Dale has found these websites to be helpful. www.BrothersKoren.com www.theshiftnetwork.com chloegoodchild.comthenakedvoice.comthebalancedbrain.comThis episode is sponsored by Cerebral. For a prescriber, therapist, or both go to www.Cerebral.com/podcast and use offer code MENTAL for 15% off.It would greatly help Paul get advertisers if you took this anonymous survey (no personal info or tracking to worry about) gum.fm/mental. Note some browsers, especially phones, seem to have issues and don’t go to our podcast-specific page.WAYS TO HELP THE MIHH PODCASTSubscribe via iTunes and leave a review. It costs nothing. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/mental-illness-happy-hour/id427377900?mt=2Spread the word via social me

Ron Placone is a comedian and writer with anger issues. He opens up about how he realized his anger was a problem and how he works to psychologically unpack it when it arises. He also shares tips and tools that have worked for him when it comes to anger management. Check out his first feature film, Left at Wall, which is currently screening around the country. More about Ron: LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/ronplaconeTwitter: @RonPlacone IG/TikTok/Bluesky/Threads: ronplaconeFacebook: RonPlaconeComedyWebsite: ronplacone.comPodcast: https://pod.link/1707027844Movie Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGAVcHF8LZoThis episode is sponsored by Factor meals Head to www.factormeals.com/mental50 and use code mental50 to get 50% off your first box and 2 free wellness shots per box while subscription is active.It would greatly help Paul get advertisers if you took this anonymous survey (no personal info or tracking to worry about) gum.fm/mental. Note some browsers seem to have is

Topaz Adizes (@the_skindeep) is a filmmaker and producer of the interactive documentary, {THE AND}. For years, he has studied the effect that holding cathartic, intimate conversations can have on relationships and has developed resources that anyone can use to facilitate these conversations in their own life. He believes deeply in the power of questions and shares his journey to this work. Watch for his new book, Twelve Questions for Love: A Guide to Intimate Conversations and Deeper RelationshipsSocial media links for Topaz: Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTubeFor more about The Skin Deep, visit TheSkinDeep.com. To learn more about Topaz Adizes and his work, visit TopazAdizes.com.Purchase his new book here: https://www.amazon.com/12-Questions-Love-Conversations-Relationships/dp/1632174901The link for Christine Lane’s Financial Guidance: https://mindovermoneysite.com/This episode is sponsored by Cerebral. For a prescriber, therapist, or both go to www.Cerebral.com/podcast and

Kaylee Powers is a substance abuse counselor who has worked with various populations, including people who live on Skid Row in Los Angeles. She talks about the challenges that some populations face and how she works to find ways to support them. She also opens up about her own issues with depression and codependency. Links Kaylee mentioned: Downtown Women’s Center www.MadeByDWC.orghttps://ncadd-sfv.org/https://downtownwomenscenter.org/https://didihirsch.org/services/https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaylee-powers-24153a10/It would greatly help Paul get advertisers if you took this anonymous survey (no personal info or tracking to worry about) gum.fm/mentalWAYS TO HELP THE MIHH PODCASTSubscribe via iTunes and leave a review. It costs nothing. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/mental-illness-happy-hour/id427377900?mt=2Spread the word via social media.  It costs nothing.Our website is www.mentalpod.com our FB is www.Facebook.com/mentalpod and our 

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 anonymous survey (no personal info or tracking to worry about) gum.fm/mentalTo contact Heather: [email protected] she mentioned: www.postpartum.net is a resource for birthing people struggling with their mental healthThe facebook group she mentioned is "Pregnancy and Postpartum Psychosis Forum (AKA PPP Forum)"Christine Lane’s financial coaching services can be found at www.mindovermoneysite.comThis episode is sponsored by Cerebral. For 15% off your first month, go to Cerebral.com/podcast and use

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.orgWAYS TO HELP THE MIHH PODCASTSubscribe via iTunes and leave a review. It costs nothing. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/mental-illness-happy-hour/id427377900?mt=2Spread the word via social media.  It costs nothing.Our website is www.mentalpod.com our FB is www.Facebook.com/mentalpod and our Twitter and Instagram are both @Mentalpod Become a much-needed Patreon monthly-donor (with occasional rewards) for as little as $1/month at www.Patreon.com/mentalpod  Be

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 & Dylan’s short film, Petals of a Rose.More about Holly/DylanFollowing is the link where you can watch the 15 minute film and learn more about its impact:https://www.dylancrumpler.com/petals-of-a-rosePlease consider rating and reviewing Petals of a Rose on IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt19715926Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/PetalsofaRoseTheMovieInstagram:  https://www.instagram.com/petalsofarose_themovie/A note from Holly about our conversation I am not a therapist and I am onl

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 Easterwww.EasterMichael.comwww.Instagram.com/Michael_Easter--------------------------------------------------------------As mentioned in the podcast, Claire Goldstein's photography is at www.phabphotog.com. WAYS TO HELP THE MIHH PODCASTSubscribe via iTunes and leave a review. It costs nothing. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/mental-illness-happy-hour/id427377900?mt=2Spread the word via social media.  It costs nothing.Our website is www.mentalpod.com our FB is www.Facebook.com/mentalpod and our Twitter and Instagram&nb

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.comYouTube @LeavingCrazyTownWAYS TO HELP THE MIHH PODCASTSubscribe via iTunes and leave a review. It costs nothing. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/mental-illness-happy-hour/id427377900?mt=2Spread the word via social media.  It costs nothing.Our website is www.mentalpod.com our FB is www.Facebook.com/mentalpod and our Twitter and Instagram are both @Mentalpod Become a much-needed Patreon monthly-donor (with occasional rewards) for as little as $1/month at www.Patreon.com/mentalpod  Become a one-time or m

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/0H0OVQRPGPU883QH76T9J7XWX9Follow her on IG and FB @Leah_RudickTikTok @LeahRudickWAYS TO HELP THE MIHH PODCASTSubscribe via iTunes and leave a review. It costs nothing. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/mental-illness-happy-hour/id427377900?mt=2Spread the word via social media.  It costs nothing.Our website is www.mentalpod.com our FB is www.Facebook.com/mentalpod and our Twitter and Instagram are both @Mentalpod Become a much-needed Patreon monthly-donor (with occasio

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 Katiehttp://WriteLaughLove.comhttps://www.instagram.com/katielovewriter/https://www.facebook.com/katiedlovehttps://twitter.com/KatieLoveWriterTo purchase her book: https://www.amazon.com/Two-Tickets-Paradise-Cult-Comedy/dp/B0BMDC6CW9/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=WAYS TO HELP THE MIHH PODCASTSubscribe via iTunes and leave a review. It costs nothing. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/mental-illness-happy-hour/id427377900?mt=2Spread the word via social media.  It costs nothing.Our website is www.mentalpod.com our FB is www.

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 GianmarcoNetflix set link- he is on Episode 1 of "Verified Stand-Up" : https://www.netflix.com/search?q=verified&jbv=81691506His website where he has all of his tour dates- he is currently on "The Leaning In Tour": https://www.gianmarcosoresi.com/His podcast, The Downside where complaining is encouraged ad silver linings debunked: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-downside-with-gianmarco-soresi/id1558483834WAYS TO HELP THE MIHH PODCASTSubscribe via iTunes and leave a review. It costs nothing. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/mental-illness-happy-hour/id427377900?mt=

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 still exist in past episodes he has walked away from his relationship with them.  To read the FTC complaint visit their website. https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/2023169betterhelpcomplaintfinal.pdf See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 Instagram @openspacetherapycollective @mytherapistisout Tiktok @openspacethearpy @mytherapistisout YouTube @openspacetherapycollective WAYS TO HELP THE MIHH PODCASTSubscribe via iTunes and leave a review. It costs nothing. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/mental-illness-happy-hour/id427377900?mt=2Spread the word via social media.  It costs nothing.Our website is www.mentalpod.com our FB is www.Facebook.com/mentalpod and our Twitter and In

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/aboutNicoletta Heidegger Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therapywithnicoletta/Sluts & Scholars Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/slutsandscholarsSluts & Scholars Website: https://www.slutsandscholars.com/Listen On: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Player.FmWAYS TO HELP THE MIHH PODCASTSubscribe via iTunes and leave a review. It costs nothing. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/mental-illness-happy-hour/id427377900?mt=2Spread the word via social media.  It costs nothing.Our website is www.mentalpod.com our FB is www.Facebook.com/mentalpod and our Twitter and Instagram are both @Mentalpod&nbs

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/listenWAYS TO HELP THE MIHH PODCASTSubscribe via iTunes and leave a review. It costs nothing. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/mental-illness-happy-hour/id427377900?mt=2Spread the word via social media.  It costs nothing.Our website is www.mentalpod.com our FB is www.Facebook.com/mentalpod and our Twitter and Instagram are both @Mentalpod Become a much-needed Patreon monthly-donor (with occasional rewards) for as little as $1/month at www.Patreon.com/mentalpod  Become a one-time or monthly donor via PayPal at https://mentalpod.com/donateYou can also donate via Zelle&nbs

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 CoachContact me if you're interested in coaching and take a look at my website: Breakthrough CoachingWAYS TO HELP THE MIHH PODCASTSubscribe via iTunes and leave a review. It costs nothing. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/mental-illness-happy-hour/id427377900?mt=2Spread the word via social media.  It costs nothing.Our website is www.mentalpod.com our FB is www.Facebook.com/mentalpod and our Twitter and Instagram are both @Mentalpod Become a much-needed Patreon monthly-donor (with occasional rewards) for as little as $1/month at www.Patreon.com/mentalpod  Be

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-335d6088077https://elysecizek.medium.com/cancel-culture-isnt-real-4d2b62b47a9dhttps://tr.ee/FaBAW-U5lPhttps://linktr.ee/elysecizek?utm_source=linktree_profile_share&ltsid=ff2aafcf-ed3c-4dcc-96b0-b0f6624d436dElyse’s Tips To Self-Soothe1. Recognize that I am dysregulated. Stepping outside and observing how I’m feeling helps me to separate the feelings/fear from reality and allow myself to feel them, but without the urgency to act.2. Talk to myself. Out loud. “Hey, I’m here. You’re ok. You’re safe.” Saying things like this, wrapping my arms around myself, kissing my shoulders, rubbing my cheeks…I can be angry, sad, overwhelmed, but I get to do it i