Beyond Well with Sheila Hamilton

The Anxiety Sisters (Abs and Mags) bonded in college over their shared difficulty with just about everything that seemed to come easy for other students. Decades later, the two have built a substantial community of people who share their experiences of living with anxiety while continuing to find joy, purpose, and happiness despite the ebbs and flows of their ongoing symptoms. (Part one)

Harris Goldberg is a skilled director and writer, and he also lives with debilitating anxiety and OCD. Goldberg's command of the internal parts of our lives that cause us pain and suffering is so evident in his interviews, and he shares how he may have finally cracked the code on how to live well with a severe form of anxiety. 

Portland-based pop-soul singer-songwriter Laryssa Birdseye is most known for emotionally powerful and sometimes scathing "break-up" songs. But Laryssa has plumbed emotional wreckage and heartache to get to the place where she creates rather than perseverates, and the end product is both grittily honest and relevant to the lives of so many women who have struggled with  subtance-use and anxiety.

Most people with bipolar disorder do not seek care when they are enjoying the perks of hypomania. They seek care when the behaviors of mania have destroyed their relationships, jobs, or careers, or they have sunk into the inevitable low of Bipolar Depression.  Dr. Pritham Raj talks about the unique characteristics of bipolar depression and why it is so dangerous.

Comedic writer Courtenay Hameister takes an unflinching look at her life through the lens of anxiety. This is one of our most listened-to episodes because Courtenay is as real as anxiety, and anyone who has ever been told to "stop being so anxiety-ridden" understands the madness of this instruction. It is through self-compassion and understanding, humor, and the right combination of meds that Cour...

This month we are revisiting some of our favorite conversations with artists, musicians,, and influencers whose mental health journeys inspire and educate.  Brittani Warwick is the niece of the famous Dionne Warwick, and a social media manager for some of music's most influential artists. Her personal story of rising from the stigma of mental health to become one of her generation's greatest advoc...

During the month of May, we are revisiting some of our favorite conversations with artists who have come to a place of deep awareness and respect for their mental well-being. Storm Large is an Author, Actress, Performer and force of nature. You don't want to miss the story of inherited mental health vulnerability and how Storm battles her demons with profound honesty and individuality. 

This month, we are revisiting some of our favorite conversations with artists whose mental health is pivotal to their music and creative expression.  Zachary Carothers is a member of the Grammy Award-winning band Portugal the Man, and a fierce advocate for mental health awareness. We talk with Zach about his personal wellness habits, and how he balanced life and creativity during the pandemic.

During mental health awareness month, we are revisiting some of our favorite interviews with musicians whose mental health stories inspire and transform.  Israel Nebeker, lead singer with Blind Pilot talks about the darkest experience he's ever confronted and how he maintains his mental health awareness.

It is #mentalhealthawareness month and we are revisiting some of our favorite conversations with musical artists whose personal mental health challenges, victories and transformations are transformative. Sit back, listen and enjoy. Here's global superstar, Lauv

When a person fails a third or fourth anti-depressant, the chances of success on another round of medication fall to 6.7 percent. And yet many patients whose medications have stopped working are advised to keep trying.  Todd's story of depression worsening to the point of suicidal thinking is an example of the trap these patients find themselves in. Fortunately for Todd, transcranial magnetic stim...

Daryl Tol is the Executive Vice President overseeing the One Mind at Work programs. He brings more than twenty years of healthcare leadership to One Mind, where a global coalition of employers and partners is transforming the approach to workplace mental health and wellness.  Tol shares how his personal battle with anxiety continues to shape his work and his belief system regarding equity, diversi...

Dr. James Polo trained at the United States Army War College and has served two tours of duty as a behavioral health care specialist. Dr. Polo's expertise on how to remain psychologically grounded during times of war is especially relevant to the times we are in.  In part two, we discuss how to reduce the anxiety and depression brought on byevents outside of our control.

Dr. James Polo trained at the United States Army War College and has served two tours of duty as a behavioral health care specialist. Dr. Polo's expertise on how to remain psychologically grounded during times of war is especially relevant to the times we are in.  In part one, we discuss how to talk about war with children and young adults, why limiting media consumption is so important, and how t...

Andrea Herron is a seasoned HR Executive, author of "There's an Elephant in Your Office," and host of the HR Scoop podcast. She is a passionate advocate for addressing mental health in the workplace, and bolstering diversity, inclusion, and belonging.  Andrea talks with Beyond Well about the important role of managers in creating a culture of mental health awareness, support, and belonging, and sh...

Chris Cummings is the CEO of WellBeing at Work World, an integrated multi-channel platform to make the wellbeing of the workforce a strategic priority in every organization. In this interview, Chris talks about the profound changes the pandemic brought to mental health awareness in the workplace, and what companies can do to help support and better the lives of their employees.

John Harrison is the General Manager of WebMd Health Services, where he is instrumental in developing the company's vision to empower organizations and their populations to improve well-being. John has more than 25 years of strategic, client, and operational leadership. In this interview, John talks about the critical need for mental health screening, outreach, and education to be a part of every...

Dr. R. Pritham Raj is both an internist and a board-certified psychiatrist. In this interview, he talks about the scientific evidence behind transcranial magentic stimulation, or TMS, an FDA approved therapy that is helpful for people with treatment resistant depression. (TMS is covered by most insurance.)

Abby Greenberg and Maggie Saracheck (Abs and Mags) join Sheila in part two of a conversation about managing anxiety, the benefits and realities of medication management and why belonging to a growing community of people who openly live with panic disorders and anxiety helps in every aspect of life. 

Abbie Greenberg and Maggie Saracheck (Abs and Mags) met in college when they struggled with anxiety. Their bond and daily conversations about coping led to a lifelong friendship and a new book-- The Anxiety Sisters Survival Guide, part evidence-based journal, part heart-based memoir. Highly recommended.

Yuvi Zalkow is a writer, novelist, software developer and a man who deals with chronic pain through creativity, setting realistic goals, and loving his interior.  This conversation with Yuvi about his new book, 'I Only Cry With Emoticons" is a perfect release for Valentine's Day, since it is filled with my love for this brilliant Portland-based writer. 

Kimi Culp is a multi-media producer devoted to bringing original ideas and concepts to life online and onscreen. She is also a person who kept her diagnosis of bipolar disorder a secret to all but her closest friends and family. Kimi's experience as a producer for NBC, ABC, and The Oprah Winfrey Show provided the perfect context for a person working with hypomania--until the fast pace of news and...

Steven Milanese takes us on an intimate path from addiction to how he eventually elevated his life as a supervisor of alcohol and drug treatment programs at Fora Health. How much does a person share about their past? What conditions are best for a person who wants to live in long-term recovery? From trauma to triumphing over drugs and alcohol, Milanese concludes our focus on #recovery during #DryJ...

Mike Hovey ran a successful drug trade. He luxuriated in money, women, and status. He even made that profile work for him in prison, where he was at the top. Until it all came crashing down and Hovey had to go on a journey of self-exploration, mindfulness and meditation to recover. Every path to recovery is different. But Hovey is on a mission to help others see the benefits of an inner exploratio...

Mariah Myton, Naomi Castor, and Connie McDowell share the heartbreaking and potent realities of loving someone with a substance abuse disorder. When one member of a family gets sick, the entire family unit tilts on its axis until that person is in recovery--and sometimes that recovery is not guaranteed. How do we accept our loved ones where they are, and at the same time draw healthy boundaries ar...