CHECK YOUR HEAD: Mental Help for Musicians

Mari Fong interviews Grant DeCrane (Pray For Sleep) and Kat Parsons AKA Katharine Petzold (Psychotherapist & Licensed Counselor, Trauma Specialist).  Musician and lead singer Grant DeCrane of alternative rock band Pray For Sleep shares his story of sexual trauma, PTSD,  depression and anxiety.  Grant begins counseling but still experiences panic attacks and self-harm by cutting. His feelings o...

Mari Fong interviews Jordan Benjamin (grandson), then Mari Fong (Life Coach for Musicians) talks with Kat Jensen. Jordan Benjamin AKA grandson shares his story of living with symptoms of bipolar, his manic episodes, and his family history of bipolar and other mood disorders. His ADHD-like impulsivity as a youngster, acting out in school, his relationship with pot and other substances.  What does g...

Mari Fong interviews Linda Ronstadt (singer-songwriter) & Dr. Ish Major (Psychiatrist, Relationship Coach, “Marriage Boot Camp”). Linda talks about her Mexican heritage and traditions in the documentary, “Linda and the Mockingbirds.” Her thoughts on immigration and the mental toll and trauma for children separated from their families at the border, racism , and importance of making a differenc...

Mari Fong interviews India Shawn (singer-songwriter) & Dr. Ish Major (Board Certified Psychiatrist, Relationship Expert, “Marriage Boot Camp,” “Tamron Hall Show,” author of Little White Whys ) . R & B artist India Shawn shares her experience with toxic relationships, co-dependency , growing up with a single, therapist mother and an alcoholic father, bad dating patterns , and her own strugg...

Mari Fong interviews Shaun Morgan and Corey Lowery (Seether) & Dan Reidenberg, PsyD (SAVE.org, Suicide Prevention expert) .  In 2007,  Shaun Morgan's brother Eugene died by suicide. In 2012, Shaun and Seether created the Rise Above Fest to raise awareness of suicide prevention and mental illness. Shaun and Corey of Seether share their stories of struggling as musicians, fathers and husban...

Mari Fong interviews Yesod Williams (Pepper, LAW Records) & Kellie Nowell (The Nowell Family Foundation, Bradley's House) . Yesod Williams shares his story and solutions on alcoholism and depression . Growing up seeing his mother's alcoholism, Yesod Williams slides into alcoholism after her death. With 9 years of abuse , Yesod's drummer friend Adam O'Rourke of 2Cents gave h...

Mari Fong interviews Danny Griego (singer-songwriter, solo artist) and Anika Wilson (Clinical Psychologist, PTSD & Trauma) on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).   Having worked with icons such as Waylon Jennings, Jessi Colter and Billy Jo Shaver,  Danny Griego shares his story of being struck by lightning which led him to music and also anxiety-filled PTSD . After recovery, Danny connects...

Mari Fong interviews Rench ( Gangstagrass, producer, singer/songwriter, solo artist) and Daniel McCartney (music agent at United Talent Agency, Gideon), founder of The Continuance Foundation . Rench from bluegrass, hip-hop band Gangstagrass talks about racial unity and living with social anxiety , Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD) which can occur with ADHD . Dealing with social anxiety , mood sw...

Mari Fong interviews Davey Suicide (solo artist & band) and Michael Friedman, Ph. D. (Clinical Psychologist & Life Coach, Psychology Today ) on dealing with childhood traumas .  Davey Suicide describes his turbulent upbringing with divorced parents , feeling misunderstood, not fitting in at school, and how music saved him . The positivity behind his name “Suicide,”  the importance of self-...

Mari Fong interviews Mackenzie Nicole (singer-songwriter) and Becca Lane (NAMI Philadelphia) on bipolar disorder and suicidal thoughts. September is Suicide Prevention & Awareness Month , and pop artist Mackenzie Nicole shares her story on Bipolar 1 Disorder, having suicidal thoughts at 6 years old, and the mood swings of mania and depression.   Mackenzie also talks about OCD (obsessive-compul...

Mari Fong interviews Emilio Castillo (Tower of Power) and Tim Ringgold, MT-BC (Music Therapist & Author of Sonic Recovery: Harness the Power of Music to Stay Sober) on addiction and mental health . Emilio Castillo shares his story of addiction to alcohol, heroin, marijuana, cocaine, eating, and more.   Hear why Emilio would create drug recipes and party with bandmate “Doc” Kupka , and why sing...

Mari Fong interviews Sammi Doll (IAMX, Bullet Height, Kat Von D) on depression and ADHD (Attention deficit hyperactive disorder), then Mari Fong (Life Coach for Musicians) talks with Kat Jensen . Sammi Doll shares her facebook post while in the depths of depression, how the social media post affected her fans, her experience living in Berlin, Germany while in a crumbling relationship, and feeling...

Mari Fong interviews Emma Lov (Loote) and Andrea Vassilev (Depression & Bipolar Support Alliance, DBSA, San Gabriel Valley) . EMMA LOV OF LOOTE , who co-wrote with Demi Lovato and Cheat Codes , and remixed the Shawn Mendes ’ song “Mercy,” shares her story of PANIC ATTACKS & PANIC DISORDER. Starting therapy after surviving the 9/11 terrorists attacks in NYC, Lov experienced her first panic...

Mari Fong interviews FRANK ZUMMO about being an advocate for mental health, LOSING CHESTER BENNINGTON of Linkin Park, the 320festival.com online on May 8-10, 2020, LOSING FAMILY TO MOOD DISORDERS & ADDICTIONS , the stress of the Covid-19 pandemic, the downward spiral of Scott Weiland of Stone Temple Pilots, meeting Anthony Bourdain, THE IMPORTANCE OF WELLNESS CHECKS, embracing family, LOSING C...

Mari Fong interviews Sir Bob Cornelius Rifo (The Bloody Beetroots) & The Amazing Clarks (Life Coaches), Part 2. Sir Bob reveals HIS NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE , surviving the Big Day Out Festival, how he became a superhero, BUILDING HIS CONFIDENCE , how Jay Buchanan of Rival Sons changed his life, why he called himself a “koo koo crazy kid,” and THE POWER OF "NO." THE AMAZING CLARKS, cert...

Mari Fong interviews Sir Bob Cornelius Rifo (The Bloody Beetroots) & The Amazing Clarks (Life Coaches), Part 1. Sir Bob talks about AVICII , CREATING A BETTER TOUR LIFE , the temptations within the electronic music and EDM club scene , how he handled the crazy first years of fame , SURVIVIING DRINKING AND DRUGS, the keys to success in his career, REBUILDING HIS LIFE and HOW TO BE A TRUE LEADER...

Host Mari Fong interviews Fred Armisen (Trenchmouth, SNL, Portlandia, Bandleader/Drummer for Late Night with Seth Meyers, Big Mouth) and Johan Svanberg (Record Union, "The 73 Percent Report") interviews, Part 2. First COVID-19 episode and how the coronavirus has changed our lives, caused anxiety and uncertainty, and SOLUTIONS ON HOW TO BATTLE ONGOING STRESS . Focusing on your indoor spac...

Mari Fong interviews Fred Armisen (Saturday Night Live, SNL, Portlandia, Bandleader/Drummer for Late Night with Seth Meyers, Big Mouth, Los Espookys) and Keren Clark (Psychotherapist, Dialectical Behavior Therapy) interviews, Part 1. Fred Armisen on his 8 YEARS IN THE PUNK BAND TRENCHMOUTH, the DIFFICULTIES OF TOURING with a band, taking left turns in life, BATTLING STAGEFRIGHT, his favorite Death...

Mari Fong interviews Gilby Clarke (Guns N’ Roses, Slash’s Snakepit, MC5, Kings of Chaos) and Tony Gonzalez of the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, San Gabriel Valley (DBSA) interviews, Part 2. Gilby Clarke talks WHY MEN FIND IT HARD TO ASK FOR HELP , taking painkillers, offering help and losing his friend to alcoholism, KEEPING ADDICTION SECRETS, embarrassment and shame, DYSFUNCTIONAL TIME...

Mari Fong interviews Gilby Clarke (Guns N’ Roses, Slash’s Snakepit, Heart, MC5, Rock Star Supernova) and Keren Clark (Psychotherapist, DBT or Dialectical Behavior Therapy), Part 1. Gilby Clarke talks about losing Prince, THE UPS AND DOWNS OF THE "USE YOUR ILLUSION" TOUR WITH GUNS N' ROSES and Axl Rose, Slash, Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum, the IMPORTANCE OF HAVING AN ADVOCATE, the Elt...

Mari Fong interviews Kat Jensen (singer-songwriter) & Tony Gonzalez (DBSA, Depression & Bipolar Support Alliance). Kat Jensen talks about depression , her family history of mood disorders, having a schizophrenic mother and physician father, cutting, suicide attempts , and how Cognitive Behavioral Therapy was the solution to dealing with her depression. Tony Gonzalez, President of the San G...

In 2017, we lost beloved musicians Chester Bennington of Linkin Park and Chris Cornell of Soundgarden to suicide. When this happened, I thought to myself, "How could musicians who brought me so much joy leave this world in so much pain?" Then I thought of all the others like Kurt Cobain, Amy Winehouse, Prince, Karen Carpenter, Elvis who've passed due to mental health, addictions, or...