Beyond Well with Sheila Hamilton

What if 2021 is the year you could really make the changes  in your life? Dr. Jim Polo talks about the steps that are  necessary to make resolutions effective, and whether  psychology behind procrastination.     

Margo Fowkes turned her enormous grief over the death of her son into a global force for healing. An extraordinary interview with a mother, entrepreneur and activist about the communal nature of grieving. 

Loneliness is now a major health crisis, as lethal as smoking fifteen cigarettes per day. Let us sing, paint, walk, read and connect our way out of loneliness and relearn the art of being alone. Dr. Jim Polo offers tips for combatting loneliness during quarantine. 

It is a time of great suffering for many people. Self-reported surveys suggest 2/3 of Americans are experiencing severe depression and anxiety. But, if you are a family member of someone who is suffering, talking about mental health issues is extraordinarily charged and potentially dangerous. Dr. Jim Polo walks us through best practices for helping someone who is hurting emotionally.

Cristina and Jamaal Lane founded three barbershops for black clients living in Portland, Oregon. Their conversations with thousands of people about what they needed to cultivate greatness led to the creation of Be Great University, a virtual community and learning platform for professionals who want to pivot professionally or increase their core business skills. Be Great University provides a step...

More than half of all Americans are coping with quarantine stress, depression and anxiety.  Substance abuse and drug use has also increased and access to residential treatment centers is limited due to the spread of the pandemic. Dr. Jim Polo walks us through treatment options available during this time.

Researchers are scrambling to understand just how COVID-19 impacts the brain and what scientists can do to prevent long-term damage. Anxiety, depression, brain-fog, hallucinations, stroke and olfactory damage are all neurological symptoms now associated with Covid19. Dr. Jim Polo talks about potential treatment and outcomes available for people with neurological symptoms.

Steven Wolt is a recovered addict and entrepreneur who has studied what works in behavioral healthcare. As CEO of Veritus Solutions, Steven understands better than most the shame and stigma of seeking help for addiction. Wolt launched Veritus Solutions to provide recovery options for healthcare workers who are dealing with alcoholism, substance abuse, depression, or anxiety during Covid19.

If you've ever wished for a successful, empathetic human to describe anxiety accurately, meet Harris Goldberg. Harris is a writer, producer and director (Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo: The Master of Disguise), and his own film Numb, inspired by his experiences dealing with depersonalization disorder and ocd. Goldberg talks with Beyond Well about the origins of his anxiety and how Covid quarantine has...

Dr. Jim Polo talks about the disturbing increase in reported incidents of psychosis, a severe mental disorder in which though and emotions are so impaired that contact is lost with external reality. "In those who face a high risk for somebody developing a psychotic disorder, cannabis can act like a trigger." 

Dr. Marissa Alert shepherds her clients through the ups and downs of wellness. Among the most tricky months--from Thanksgiving until New Year. Add in a global pandemic, with economic stress and fewer opportunities for socializing, and your wellness routine can be easily sabotaged. Dr. Alert has some key advice for people hoping to keep it realistic this holiday season. 

Dr. Rhonda Wells-Wilbon offers a reflection on the healing power of faith during times of social unrest. She encourages her clients and students to develop an intellectual curiosity about their spiritual being (whether they believe in a God or not), and to sit in meditation or prayer. In the days leading up to the election, we could all use a little more hopefulness and positivity. Dr Rhonda deliv...

An “internal locus of control” is the belief that our actions have a direct effect on the outcomes in our life. Dr. Jim Polo explains the theory behind the locus of control and why it's important to our self-development, safety, and well-being when we focus on the things in our lives that are within our control. Please share this episode with anyone who feels overwhelmed by the recent election.

The majority of people who are threatening suicide either present at an emergency room or they see their primary care provider in the weeks before an attempt. For too long, health officials have not known how to properly evaluate for suicidal ideation and intent. Now, Jaspr Health is saving lives. The interactive tool empowers evidence-based suicide care at scale, and improves patient outcomes and...

Csaba Mera is a former pediatric oncologist and a physician who has often wished he could provide more comfort to his suffering patients. As a screenwriter, his newest film Here Awhile, examines the Oregon Death with Dignity Act through the lens of a young woman who has made the personal decision to avail herself of the law. Mera’s film is winning international acclaim for its candor, humanity and...

Childhood is fraught with mood changes and behavioral adjustments. So, what separates a normal child struggling with anger, relationships and learning with someone who is exhibiting symptoms of BiPolar disorder? Dr. Jim Polo discusses the specifics of bipolar disorder in children here and why he is particularly conservative when medicating young people. 

Willa Goodfellow is one of the most insightful, optimistic and hopeful interviews we’ve ever done with someone living with bipolar disorder. Misdiagnosed, overmedicated and left distraught by her mental illness, Willa’s remarkable story of recovery will leave you cheering and sharing the episode with others. 

With a high degree of emotional intelligence, also known as emotional quotient (EQ), in the workplace, a person uses social skills, self-awareness, motivation and self-regulation to acknowledge, comprehend, regulate and reason using the emotions. Robin Hills is an emotional intelligence coach. He is Director of EI4Change, a company specializing in people development and the practical application o...

Dr. Jim Polo talks about the potential and pitfalls associated with treating people with Bipolar disorder.

Dr. Alert received her Ph. D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Miami and her bachelor's degree from Dartmouth College. She has experience working with adults to help them better manage stress, improve their health habits, and live a life that is in line with their values. In this episode, Dr. Alert focuses on the stress of Covid19 on black Americans and the increase in emotional eatin...

Dr. Rhonda Wells-Wilbon joins the Beyond Well team to provide the perspective of a social worker in the overall picture of mental wellness. Dr. Rhonda has been a social work educator for 25 years teaching at the undergraduate, masters, and Ph. D. level. She is an author, psychotherapist, trainer, and holistic wellness coach. She has expertise working with adult survivors of sexual abuse and assaul...

Robert Kolker is the author of Lost Girls, a New York Times Best-seller. His new book, Hidden Valley Road, is an Oprah Book Club pick and a scrupulously researched accounting of the Galvin family, a Colorado Springs family with twelve children, six of them diagnosed with schizophrenia. The family became subjects of researchers investigating the genetic origin of schizophrenia. 

The Covid-19 Pandemic has had a severe impact on mental health. More than 260,000 people have been impacted by anxiety and depression. In a volunteer survey, sixty percent of people report mental distress due to concerns about contracting the virus, economic stress, and the pressures of quarantine.    Now is the time to seek help--but how do you find the right practitioner? This episode answers al...

Dr. Jim Polo has worked as a general physician, a child psychiatrist, an adult psychiatrist, and in a state hospital setting. He's now the Director of Behavioral Health for Cambia Health Solutions. In this episode, we talk with Dr. Polo about why he chose this specialty and what his biggest breakthroughs/disappointments have been.

Laura Munson is the bestselling Author of This is Not the Story You Think it Is, a beautifully honest and searing memoir about a marriage that is coming apart.  In her new book, Willa's Grove, Munson explores the power and wonder of sisterhood, belonging, and taking care of one another, even during our most difficult transitions. The book lands at a particularly important time as women everywhere...