Finding Peace Beyond the Pain.

In this episode, Debbie speaks with guest Natasha D'Arcangelo about serious mental illness (such as schizoaffective disorder, schizophrenia, bipolar) and how it impacts the brain, functioning, and daily life, so that parents who have a teen or adult child with mental illness can better understand what challenges their child is facing and their struggles, in order to better support them and better...

n this episode, Debbie speaks with guest Richard Lynch. After growing up with a father who had schizophrenia and then losing his father to suicide, years later he found himself again dealing with loved ones with serious mental illness – a son with schizoaffective disorder and a son with bipolar disorder. Richard shares his inspiring story of navigating challenges and struggles, coping, healing, an...

In this episode, Debbie speaks with guest Linda Henderson, who shares her story of losing her 27 year old daughter in a car accident, navigating her grief, writing an inspirational book, and becoming a guiding light to helping others in grief. Linda Henderson is a retired nurse who has spent 37 years caring for others. Experiencing the tragic loss of her daughter, she became passionate about helpi...

In this episode, Debbie speaks with guest Lisa Boehm. Lisa K. Boehm's life changed forever when her daughter Katie died suddenly in a car accident. Now she focuses on gratitude and living intentionally to honour her daughter's memory. Lisa is an author, speaker, certified grief educator, and Angel Mom. Lisa is also the creator and facilitator of the Hope & Healing Community where she helps ber...

In this episode, Debbie speaks with guest Dr. Victoria Cuore. Dr. Cuore is a best selling author of a number of workbooks and books relating to teen mental health and she discusses challenges and issues related to having a teen or adult child with mental illness. Dr. Victoria Cuore is Founder and CEO of A Contagious Smile. For over 17 dedicated years, she has empowered both the special needs commu...

When we lose a loved one, finding meaning can help in our grief. In this episode, Jason Tuttle shares his journey of grief from the perspective of a father and caregiver. How can you heal after the loss of a child? Jason shares his story of suddenly losing his fifteen year old son, his journey through grieving this devastating loss, and how he is doing amazing things in the world to help other fat...

In this episode, Debbie speaks with guest, Michel O'Hare, who lost her son to suicide after his battle with schizophrenia. After spiraling downward following such a traumatic experience, Michel was able to not only choose healing for herself, but to transform her experience into helping others. Michel O'Hare is a Mother, a Wife, a Sister, a Friend, and a Facilitator of Healing. She lives in Black...

In this episode, Debbie speaks with guest, Amy Colliton, about coping when your adult child has mental illness and addiction. As a parent, Amy shares her experience, strength, and hope. Amy Colliton has 42 years of recovery from Alcohol and Addiction, having gotten sober at age 21. Three years into recovery she joined Alanon to help cope with the Alcoholic family she was raised in. She has spent m...

In this episode, Debbie speaks with guest, Rhonda Wall. Rhonda is a resilient business professional and devoted mother who has navigated profound personal challenges. Her journey includes the heart-wrenching loss of her 19-year-old son to a prescription drug overdose. Rhonda's experiences have shaped her into a compassionate advocate for addiction and mental health awareness and support. Through h...

In this episode, Debbie speaks with Jacqueline Janssen, who is an author, a mental health advocate, a former NAMI director, and her family has been affected by mental illness. Jacqueline has been doing phenomenal things to advocate for families and has organized a task force in her county to discuss the support they need and what they think the treatment staff needs to learn to help parents and fa...

In this episode, Debbie speaks with Nicole Drapeau Gillen, a mother of a daughter who has schizophrenia who has written a book for caregivers and loved ones. Join us for a discussion on schizophrenia and related disorders. Nicole Drapeau Gillen is a mother who recognized that caregivers like herself often find themselves thrust into this challenging, complex and stressful situation with little cle...

In this episode, Debbie speaks with Kerrie Laughlin, the Clinical Director of a Washington DC area substance abuse treatment facility that helps patients overcome drug and alcohol abuse through a program that incorporates a music-based treatment model of behavioral rehab about the following: substance abuse and mental health, what parents can expect when their child goes into a drug/alcohol treatm...

Here is the link for the book A Parent's Guide to Teen Mental Health and Suicide Prevention. Listeners can use the code DebbieGail and get a 50% discount. https://acontagioussmile.podia.com/parent-s-guide-to-teen-mental-health-andsuicide-prevention-recognizing-warning-signs-taking-action-and-promoting-resilience In this episode, Debbie speaks with Dr. Victoria Cuore and Michael Solomon about menta...

In this episode, Debbie speaks with Sparkle Lindsay, an advocate for addiction and mental health who helps and encourages people to maintain sobriety and access the needed resources to develop a network of sober supports. Hear Sparkle's inspiring personal journey of recovery, learn how you can support your teen or adult child in active addiction or in recovery, and get an inside look as to what is...

In this episode, Debbie speaks with Kat Sanders, a medium who will share stories of how she has connected parents with their children on the other side and how this has helped them in their pain and grief.  She teaches others to be open to their own intuition and she will discuss how mediumship works. About Kat Sanders: Kat Sanders flatlined from a massive brain hemorrhage in 2010.  Her beautiful...

In this episode, Debbie speaks with Lorie Gelsheimer, who found out her young adult son was addicted to the opioid drug, fentanyl. Lorie shares the challenges she went through and heartbreaking moments she experienced during her son's opioid addiction, including almost losing him to overdose. Lorie offers hope through the wisdom she gained in coping with this situation and healing her heart. About...

In this episode, Debbie speaks with Donna Barwald, a mother of two young adult children with a history of mental health diagnoses including anxiety, depression, and mood disorders. Donna shares her story of navigating Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings, partial hospitalization programs (PHP), intensive outpatient programs (IOP), inpatient psychiatric hospitalizations for suicidal idea...

Life may bring painful and traumatic situations. You may know this well if you are a parent dealing with your child's mental illness or addiction or have lost a child. You may at times feel there is no way out of your pain and no path forward. In this episode, Debbie speaks with Justen Arnold about how you can live your life to your fullest potential when you have experienced pain and trauma. Just...

In this episode, Debbie speaks with Tony Lynch – men's grief coach, best-selling author, podcast host, and founder of Memories of Us. Tony shares his own story of loss - his son, his parents, and younger brother, and how, after hitting rock bottom and planning out his suicide, he had an aha moment that changed his life, which led to finding meaning and purpose and turning his pain into helping oth...

If your teen or adult child is abusing alcohol or drugs, it can leave you feeling scared, confused, overwhelmed, hopeless, exhausted. Awareness, knowledge, and information can be empowering. In this episode, Debbie speaks with Richard Capriola (author of The Addicted Child and former addiction's counselor for Menninger Clinic in Houston, Texas) who offers guidance to parents about warning signs of...

In this episode, Debbie speaks with Dr. Vanessa Vélez, a psychiatrist and psychotherapist focused on integrating mind, body, and soul. Before going into private practice, Dr. Vélez worked in an inpatient psychiatric unit of a hospital with adolescents and adults. Debbie and Dr. Vélez chat about mental illness topics including psychosis, treatment, expectations of hospitalization for loved ones and...

The host of Finding Peace Beyond the Pain, Debbie Gail Zane, and her daughter, Stephanie, share their story in this pilot episode. The lives of Debbie and her family changed forever when Debbie received a telephone call informing her that her 26-year-old son, Alex, had been found dead. Just nine years before, he had been diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder and begun using drugs. Debbie shares...