Inside Mental Health

Police officers are often the first responders when someone is having a mental illness crisis. But are members of law enforcement properly equipped for this job? There are plenty of horrifying stories that would indicate that the answer is “no.” Join us as Gabe speaks with Officer Rebecca Skillern from the Huston, Texas, Police Department about how Houston is training its officers to respond to these difficult calls. Learn more by visiting www.citinternational.org. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you remember the disturbing images from the Sandy Hook school shooting in December 2012 after a gunman killed 26 people, including 20 first-grade children? It was traumatic for all of us, but what was it like to live there? Today’s guest worked for 20 months on the Newtown Recovery and Resiliency Team. Melissa Glaser is a licensed professional counselor and author of Healing a Community: Lessons for Recovery after a Large-Scale Trauma. You can visit her web site at MelissaGlaser.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Russell Morfitt explains the differences between stress, worry, and anxiety. He tells us how using the techniques of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) can be life changing. Listen to learn how you can free yourself from the burdens of anxiety. Dr. Morfitt is the co-founder of and the Chief Psychology Officer of LearntoLive.com. He has been helping people live better lives for more than 20 years and uses that experience to infuse each program with his natural compassion and CBT research Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Inside Schizophrenia our hosts tackle the topic of early onset – or childhood – schizophrenia. Host Rachel Star discusses her personal experiences with symptoms as an adolescent and Dr. Joseph Gonzalez-Heydrich from Harvard Medical School discusses some of the latest research. Listen in now! Bonus Content - Visit Psychcentral.com/IS to learn more about the Inside Schizophrenia Podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the most dangerous misconceptions about suicide is that asking a loved one if they are suicidal will increase the odds that they will attempt suicide. Today Dr. Nate Ivers of Wake Forest University discusses the importance of making “the covert overt” by asking blunt, straightforward questions of those you suspect may be thinking about suicide. Dr. Nathaniel Ivers is the department chairman and an associate professor in the Department of Counseling at Wake Forest University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How does on-line counseling work for teens and adolescents? Are there a lot of differences between the experiences of teens and adults? How are parents involved? What are the safeguards in place? How does payment work? Listen in to see what online therapy for teenagers is all about. Haesue Jo, MA, is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with years of experience providing individual and family therapy. She is the community lead for our sponsor, betterhelp.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 2011, Jennifer Marshall started chronicling her challenges of living with mental illness while raising two young children. This became the very beginning of ‘This Is My Brave’ – a nonprofit with the mission of bringing stories of mental illness and addiction out of the shadows and into the spotlight. Jennifer is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of This Is My Brave, a mental health storytelling nonprofit. You can find her online at BipolarMomLife.com and www.ThisismyBrave.org. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Pauline Dakin was 10 years old, her mother took the family into hiding to escape imminent danger. At first accepting of this explanation, Pauline’s doubts increased as she grew older until she could no longer deny the truth: that there was no danger and the entire story was false. Listen now to hear this fascinating, true story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bonus Content from the Inside Schizophrenia podcast from the PsychCentral.com website. An in-depth look at violence and its relation to schizophrenia. Is violence a symptom of schizophrenia? Do mass attackers always have schizophrenia? Are schizophrenics dangerous? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While searching for a way past her own childhood sexual abuse, Rachel Grant learned that many people don’t understand what, exactly, sexual abuse is and how to recover. Using her counseling background, Rachel was able to research and learn valuable coping skills to improve her own life. Rachel Grant is the owner and founder of Rachel Grant Coaching and is a Sexual Abuse Recovery Coach. She is also the author of Beyond Surviving: The Final Stage in Recovery from Sexual Abuse. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rachel Star Withers tells us about her history with schizophrenia and details how she first started in activism. Originally started to let other people know that they were not alone, her YouTube channel has become the longest existing chronicle of a personal experience with schizophrenia. Rachel creates videos that document her schizophrenia, share ways to manage mental illness, and let others like her know they can still live an amazing life. Learn more at RachelStarLive.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, a professional cellist shares her story of being diagnosed with bipolar disorder and the steps she took to ensure that she would have a successful, fulfilling career, despite her illness. Hosted by Gabe Howard (www.gabehoward.com) and Vincent M. Wales (www.vincentmwales.com). Previous episodes can be found at psychcentral.com/show or on your favorite podcast player. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is schizophrenia? What are the symptoms? What’s it like to experience it? How is it managed? The answers depend on who you ask. Pop culture has one view. Doctors have another. And Rachel Star Withers has a first-person experienced view. In this episode of Inside Schizophrenia, Dr. Ali Mattu joins Rachel and co-host Gabe Howard to explore this often misrepresented illness and how social media is changing the way it’s viewed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Living in the “information age” that’s filled with “fake news,” how do we know what to believe when it comes to information about mental health or mental illness? This episode explains how you can determine whether the information is fact or fiction. Listen and learn how. Hosted by Gabe Howard (www.gabehoward.com) and Vincent M. Wales (www.vincentmwales.com). Previous episodes can be found at psychcentral.com/show or on your favorite podcast player. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There is often a disconnect when it comes to caring for the psychiatric patient, who is already in a crisis even before entering the overwhelming hospital atmosphere. Today’s guest shares some insights on her work to improve this relationship. Hosted by Gabe Howard (www.gabehoward.com) and Vincent M. Wales (www.vincentmwales.com). Previous episodes can be found at psychcentral.com/show or on your favorite podcast player. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pulling from his years as a psychologist and hundreds of personal interviews, this week’s guest discusses the different forms of trauma, the correlations between trauma and psychosis, and much more. Hosted by Gabe Howard (www.gabehoward.com) and Vincent M. Wales (www.vincentmwales.com). Previous episodes can be found at psychcentral.com/show or on your favorite podcast player. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Modern psychiatric care is thankfully nothing like One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. This week’s guest worked for years in a psychiatric emergency facility and joins us to share his thoughts about the experiences he had while employed there. Hosted by Gabe Howard (www.gabehoward.com) and Vincent M. Wales (www.vincentmwales.com). Previous episodes can be found at psychcentral.com/show or on your favorite podcast player. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We all know what a first aid kit is. We pull them out and grab the bandages or whatever we need. But what about first aid for the mind? It’s not a kit you can pick up at the pharmacy, but there is mental health first aid that you can learn. Find out more about it in this episode. Hosted by Gabe Howard (www.gabehoward.com) and Vincent M. Wales (www.vincentmwales.com). Previous episodes can be found at psychcentral.com/show or on your favorite podcast player. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most of us are familiar with PTSD largely due to soldiers returning from service. But most people have experienced trauma in one form or another. Learn about the differences between PTSD and other forms of trauma, how to identify it, and what can be done about it. Hosted by Gabe Howard (www.gabehoward.com) and Vincent M. Wales (www.vincentmwales.com). Previous episodes can be found at psychcentral.com/show or on your favorite podcast player. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

All our lives, we’re told that being selfish is a bad thing. But is selfishness wrong in all situations? Can it be that, sometimes, being selfish is a healthy thing, even in relationships? This week’s guest believes this to be so. Listen in to learn why. Hosted by Gabe Howard (www.gabehoward.com) and Vincent M. Wales (www.vincentmwales.com). Previous episodes can be found at psychcentral.com/show or on your favorite podcast player. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tony Hoffman went from teen BMX star to homeless addict, followed by a prison sentence. After his release, Tony returned to the BMX world, taking the silver medal in the 2016 BMX World Championships. Today, he helps those with addiction issues via his motivational speaking and special projects. Hosted by Gabe Howard (www.gabehoward.com) and Vincent M. Wales (www.vincentmwales.com). Previous episodes can be found at psychcentral.com/show or on your favorite podcast player. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Social media has many positive benefits, but it also has a dark side, such as making it easier for things like bullying to proliferate. For something that has become so integral to our lives, how can we reduce the stress it creates? Hosted by Gabe Howard (www.gabehoward.com) and Vincent M. Wales (www.vincentmwales.com). Previous episodes can be found at psychcentral.com/show or on your favorite podcast player. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What do we really mean by “moral character”? Are morals and character two different things? Is this something that exists only in the abstract, philosophical sense, or something that can be shown in everyday life? We examine these questions and more in this week’s episode. Hosted by Gabe Howard (www.gabehoward.com) and Vincent M. Wales (www.vincentmwales.com). Previous episodes can be found at psychcentral.com/show or on your favorite podcast player. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s likely that we’ve all, at one point or another, tried to break one or more of our bad habits – whether it be smoking, emotional eating, or something else – only to have the break be temporary. Listen to learn the secret to lasting habit change. Hosted by Gabe Howard (www.gabehoward.com) and Vincent M. Wales (www.vincentmwales.com). Previous episodes can be found at psychcentral.com/show or on your favorite podcast player. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week’s guest shares how she dealt with Tourette Syndrome, OCD, anxiety, depression, and many other things, by using her “mental illness super powers.” Better still, she gives advice on you can tap into your own super powers to improve your own life. Hosted by Gabe Howard (www.gabehoward.com) and Vincent M. Wales (www.vincentmwales.com). Previous episodes can be found at psychcentral.com/show or on your favorite podcast player. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why are most of us unable to maintain lifestyle changes for the long-term? Why do we get out of habits, once they’ve been established? In this episode, you’ll learn different reasons for this, but even better, how to make changes stick for the long term. Hosted by Gabe Howard (www.gabehoward.com) and Vincent M. Wales (www.vincentmwales.com). Previous episodes can be found at psychcentral.com/show or on your favorite podcast player. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’ve all experienced that feeling of smug happiness at another person’s misfortune. There’s something satisfying in seeing a jerk receiving a dose of instant karma. Why is that? Should we feel guilty about feeling it? And how do we say it in English? Listen in to find out! Hosted by Gabe Howard (www.gabehoward.com) and Vincent M. Wales (www.vincentmwales.com). Previous episodes can be found at psychcentral.com/show or on your favorite podcast player. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Toxic relationships can include physical abuse, emotional abuse, and more. They can include romantic, platonic, and even familial relationships. So what do we do when we realize that we’re in such a relationship? Listen for some excellent advice and information. Hosted by Gabe Howard (www.gabehoward.com) and Vincent M. Wales (www.vincentmwales.com). Previous episodes can be found at psychcentral.com/show or on your favorite podcast player. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Service animals are animals (usually dogs) trained to assist persons with disabilities of one sort or another. This week’s guest explains the difference between service animals and emotional support animals, including some surprising laws (or lack thereof) pertaining to them. Hosted by Gabe Howard (www.gabehoward.com) and Vincent M. Wales (www.vincentmwales.com). Previous episodes can be found at psychcentral.com/show or on your favorite podcast player. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We know that addiction, severe depression, and other conditions change our personalities, but not typically how profound that change can be, nor how difficult (and scary) it can be to try to become “ourselves” again. Listen and learn more. Hosted by Gabe Howard (www.gabehoward.com) and Vincent M. Wales (www.vincentmwales.com). Previous episodes can be found at psychcentral.com/show or on your favorite podcast player. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Former Congressman Patrick Kennedy joins our hosts to talk about mental health and addiction parity. They speak candidly about the problems faced with regard to parity by those who live with mental health or addiction issues. And they talk about how anyone can become an advocate. Hosted by Gabe Howard (www.gabehoward.com) and Vincent M. Wales (www.vincentmwales.com). Previous episodes can be found at psychcentral.com/show or on your favorite podcast player. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Life is often emotionally painful. And sometimes the pain we experience becomes embedded to such a degree that it negatively affects our emotional health. In this episode, we examine this kind of emotional baggage and how to break free of the grip it can have on us. Hosted by Gabe Howard (www.gabehoward.com) and Vincent M. Wales (www.vincentmwales.com). Previous episodes can be found at psychcentral.com/show or on your favorite podcast player. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transitioning from youth to adult is difficult, filled with changes that we are ill-prepared for. Often, we lack life skills, such as psychological and emotional tools to make this huge change easier. Our guest this week explains how we can make adulting much less intimidating. Hosted by Gabe Howard (www.gabehoward.com) and Vincent M. Wales (www.vincentmwales.com). Previous episodes can be found at psychcentral.com/show or on your favorite podcast player. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, you’ll meet a man who lost over 130 pounds and went on to become a transformational coach helping others to achieve the same goals. His success was not because of a New Year’s Resolution, and shows just why such January promises don’t work. Hosted by Gabe Howard (www.gabehoward.com) and Vincent M. Wales (www.vincentmwales.com). Previous episodes can be found at psychcentral.com/show or on your favorite podcast player. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cognitive distortions are lines of thinking that are based on untruths. Such thinking can cause misery in our lives. In this episode, Psych Central founder, Dr. John Grohol, explains many types of these distortions, as well as how to address them in order to improve our lives. Hosted by Gabe Howard (www.gabehoward.com) and Vincent M. Wales (www.vincentmwales.com). Previous episodes can be found at psychcentral.com/show or on your favorite podcast player. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are many suggestions about how to survive a bad holiday. But what about those holidays that are not optimal, but not awful? Gabe and Vincent talk about how they are each spending Christmas this year, and why they’re totally okay with not having their preferred holidays. Hosted by Gabe Howard (www.gabehoward.com) and Vincent M. Wales (www.vincentmwales.com). Previous episodes can be found at psychcentral.com/show or on your favorite podcast player. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode shares the story of a woman whose solution to stress involves regularly making challah, a traditional Jewish bread. Not only does the ritual of the making of the bread reduce stress, but the history and tradition of the bread are also important to her. Hosted by Gabe Howard (www.gabehoward.com) and Vincent M. Wales (www.vincentmwales.com). Previous episodes can be found at psychcentral.com/show or on your favorite podcast player. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Growing up with a mentally ill parent can be a traumatic experience for any child. Ally Golden discusses her life growing up with a mentally ill mother, and the psychological trauma that resulted for her, both before and after her mother’s suicide. Hosted by Gabe Howard (www.gabehoward.com) and Vincent M. Wales (www.vincentmwales.com). Previous episodes can be found at psychcentral.com/show or on your favorite podcast player. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Charita Cole Brown’s goal in writing a book was to show that people can live well with bipolar disorder, despite how it is often portrayed in the media. She shares her story, as well as her views on the ways mental illness is viewed in different cultures. Hosted by Gabe Howard (www.gabehoward.com) and Vincent M. Wales (www.vincentmwales.com). Previous episodes can be found at psychcentral.com/show or on your favorite podcast player. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Amy Gamble’s path in life took her from Olympic Stadium to a bipolar journey of paranoia and delusion that ultimately to a stint in jail, and finally to the path to recovery. Today, she is an author and speaker, an outspoken advocate for the mentally ill. Hosted by Gabe Howard (www.gabehoward.com) and Vincent M. Wales (www.vincentmwales.com). Previous episodes can be found at psychcentral.com/show or on your favorite podcast player. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s often claimed that we are addicted to technology. This episode looks at the effects of technology on our personal and social lives and shows us how to form and maintain a healthy balance in our relationship with technology. Hosted by Gabe Howard (www.gabehoward.com) and Vincent M. Wales (www.vincentmwales.com). Previous episodes can be found at psychcentral.com/show or on your favorite podcast player. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emotional overeating is an extremely common problem for many people, particularly among those who live with depression. Many of us “eat our feelings,” resorting to food to escape from the things that bother us. Listen to learn how to break the emotional overeating cycle. Hosted by Gabe Howard (www.gabehoward.com) and Vincent M. Wales (www.vincentmwales.com). Previous episodes can be found at psychcentral.com/show or on your favorite podcast player. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Despite all the efforts being made in suicide awareness and prevention, suicide is still rampant in society. Spurred by her brother’s death by suicide, our guest became a “change agent” who stresses the importance of being more innovative in our approach to suicide prevention. Hosted by Gabe Howard (www.gabehoward.com) and Vincent M. Wales (www.vincentmwales.com). Previous episodes can be found at psychcentral.com/show or on your favorite podcast player. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bullying is a huge problem in society, and not limited to school and online; it’s also unfortunately present in the work environment. Listen to hear about how widespread workplace bullying is, the patterns it follows, and what to do about it. Hosted by Gabe Howard (www.gabehoward.com) and Vincent M. Wales (www.vincentmwales.com). Previous episodes can be found at psychcentral.com/show or on your favorite podcast player. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pro football player Erik Coleman shares his story of living with parents addicted to alcohol and drugs. He speaks of how this affected him as a child and as an adult, as well as his thoughts on what is most important for children of addicts to know. Hosted by Gabe Howard (www.gabehoward.com) and Vincent M. Wales (www.vincentmwales.com). Previous episodes can be found at psychcentral.com/show or on your favorite podcast player. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Masculinity has long had an identity complex. How much “girly” stuff can a man enjoy without being viewed as non-masculine? Women have redefined femininity, so why can’t men redefine what it means to be masculine? Listen to this week’s episode and you might begin to understand. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the biggest misunderstandings about bipolar disorder is about how much it will prevent us from living the lives we want to live. But those with bipolar can lead stable, satisfying lives, on their own terms, rather than the terms dictated by the disease. Hosted by Gabe Howard (www.gabehoward.com) and Vincent M. Wales (www.vincentmwales.com). Previous episodes can be found at psychcentral.com/show or on your favorite podcast player. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For our 100th episode, Michelle Hammer, co-host of A Bipolar, a Schizophrenic, and a Podcast, joins as “host for a day” to ask Gabe and Vincent to share their perspectives on the show as its hosts and to answer some questions. Listen in for some inside scoops and a lot of laughs. Hosted by Gabe Howard (www.gabehoward.com) and Vincent M. Wales (www.vincentmwales.com). Previous episodes can be found at psychcentral.com/show or on your favorite podcast player. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mental health is an important topic in the workplace that is often not addressed properly, if at all. Host Gabe Howard shares his insights on the subject, including his story of being fired from a job due to his mental illness. Hosted by Gabe Howard (www.gabehoward.com) and Vincent M. Wales (www.vincentmwales.com). Previous episodes can be found at psychcentral.com/show or on your favorite podcast player. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most people are familiar with postpartum depression. Our guest this week is a woman who developed the lesser-known condition of postpartum bipolar disorder very soon after the birth of her second child. She shares her stories of hypographia, the treatments she adhered to, and how she stays stable with the condition today. Hosted by Gabe Howard (www.gabehoward.com) and Vincent M. Wales (www.vincentmwales.com). Previous episodes can be found at psychcentral.com/show or on your favorite podcast player. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices