Mental Illness Happy Hour

Dr. Margaret Rutherford is a clinical psychologist, author, and TEDx speaker. Throughout the course of her work, she noticed something that she calls Perfectly Hidden Depression, emotional pain camouflaged by achievement, tight emotional control, and a perfect-seeming life. If this sounds like you, look for her book Perfectly Hidden Depression Workbook: A Step-by-Step Guide to Challenge the Ten Tr...

Sari Cooper is the founder and Director of the Center for Love and Sex. A professional dancer turned sex therapist, Sari opens up about her path to this profession, including her own family history of mental illness. She also talks about her work and how you can begin to work through shame and build your sexual self-esteem.  More about Sari Cooper: Follow her on TikTok @saricooperofficial www...

A powerful and intimate conversation and one of Paul’s favorites (and the origin of the "Herbert's Butthole" riff). Originally aired in 2015, the then 28 year-old Syrian opens up about always being the minority wherever she lives (She was born in Syria, grew up in Brazil and now lives in the US), racism towards Arabs, recovering from sexual abuse, battling depression and anxiety and how getti...

Danny O’Connor is an elite professional boxer and former member of the U.S. Olympic Boxing Team. He’s also the author of the book Weight Class: A Fighter's Life-or-Death Battle with an Eating Disorder . He opens up about his own struggles with disordered eating in the hopes that more men will see that they are not alone.  Link to theatre show that I mentioned, by comedian Tom Hertz June 26-28...

Jenny Zigrino (a.k.a. Peggy Poundstone) is a comedian and writer of smut. She discusses the loss of her beloved sister, her struggles with endometriosis, and what inspired her to begin writing queer erotica. Keep an eye out for her new stand-up tour, Afterbirth. This interview with Jenny is bookended with roughly 40 mins before and 40 mins after of surveys from an ep in 2014. More about Jenny: www...

Dr. Monique Thompson is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) who helps couples heal from infidelity. She also has significant experience with treating predatory sexual behavior. She offers her insights on how people can heal from both issues and specifically offers resources for couples and individuals who have cheated and have been cheated on.  More About Dr Monique Thompson https://docto...

Fellow Midwesterner opens up to Paul about her battles with BiPolar including a hospitalization, and her struggles with vices.   More about Emily: Her show - Success, Rewritten can be found on any podcast platform + YouTube .  Lots of great mental health content recently for May!  Website : https://www.successrewrittenshow.com/ Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/successrewritten/...

Thais Gibson is a best-selling author, counselor, and the founder of Personal Development School, an online collection of courses to guide you in your emotional growth journey. She opens up about overcoming opioid addiction and gives new and practical tips for rewiring your brain to overcome negative self-talk.  More about Thais https://university.personaldevelopmentschool.com/ https://www.yo...

Originally aired in 2012, this was the first ever “all listener” show. Paul reads their emails, surveys and more, all filled out within a 24 hour period to give the audience a sense of what a given day in our community’s life is like.  This episode is sponsored Quince . Go to www. Quince.com/mental for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too. This ep...

Originally aired in 2015, in this “Best Of” episode the 27 year-old Colombian native shares about his recent hospitalization for Bipolar I psychosis. His girlfriend Rama (who was on the following week) sits in to share what it was like for her, trying to support him. Check out Haydn’s music  here This episode is sponsored Quince . Go to www. Quince.com/mental for free shipping on your or...

Forrest Lang is an author and CSA (child sex abuse) advocate. He shares the story of his own childhood abuse, growing up in the foster care system, the death of his best friend, and how the Navy saved him. Look for his memoir, Angel Blue: A Song Of Redemption . More about Forrest etc: https://www.instagram.com/forrestlangofficial?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr https://www.facebook.com...

Paul’s trusted support group friend Brianne Davis comes to lend him emotional support around his current mental/emotional struggles and to talk about her own experience with the challenge of mean self-talk and working towards having nonjudgemental self-compassion. A great conversation for anyone who is curious about how vulnerability, honesty and sitting with agonizing feelings can be discuss...

The brilliantly dark, funny and sensitive 5x NY Times bestselling author and blogger(@TheBloggess) drops by for a mammoth and deep episode about her struggles with imposter syndrome, trichotillomania, dermatillomania, anxiety, including social anxiety, suicidal ideation and treatment-resistant depression. Her fabulous new book is called How To Be Okay When Nothing is Okay .\ More about Jenny:...

A Best Of ep originally aired in 2014. What happens when the Homecoming Queen takes off her popularity mask and deals with the pain of her co-dependent mom and the suicide of her gay father? The critically acclaimed author is one of the most compassionate and truth-seeking guests we’ve ever had.  Some links for Laurenne: Check out her critically acclaimed books (especially her children’s...

In this listener-favorite ep from 2013, the groundbreaking and critically acclaimed comedian talks about her lifelong battles with OCD, Unwanted Thoughts Syndrome, BiPolar II, and the recent hospitalization that probably saved her life. Sounds pretty hilarious huh? This episode is sponsored Quince . Go to www. Quince.com/mental for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now ava...

Andrea Leeb is a writer and advocate who opens up about her experience as an incest survivor and the betrayal of both her father, who abused her, and her mother, who turned the other way. She also shares her path to healing through it all. Look for her acclaimed new memoir, Such A Pretty Picture , out now.  More about Andrea Leeb: Website and info about how to buy her book Such A Pretty Pictu...

Olga Khazan is an author and staff writer for The Atlantic. Today she talks about the experiments she undertook to change her own personality traits over the course of a year, which inspired her new book, Me, But Better. She also shares her good and bad experiences with anxiety--and why she has an attachment to the condition.  More about Olga Khazan:  Her Substack writing: https://olgakh...

 Erin Valente is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist (LMFT) who gives practical advice for managing issues in your marriage, including moving through divorce. She also opens up about her abusive childhood and the work she’s done to heal, as well as the process of her own divorce. For more about Erin:  www.erinvalentetherapy.com This episode is sponsored Quince . Go to www. Qu...

Mike de la Rocha is a musician, author, and social justice advocate who joins Paul to discuss why vulnerability is so important for men– something his father’s death helped him see. Look for his book, Sacred Lessons: Teaching My Father How to Love, and his podcast of the same name. More about Mike de la Rocha: Book:  https://www.amazon.com/Sacred-Lessons-Teaching-Father-Love/dp/B0D5WKQDSP IG:...

Dr. Nicole McNichols is an internationally renowned human sexuality professor, author, and speaker whose college course, The Diversity of Human Sexuality, is the most popular in the history of the University of Washington. She and Paul discuss the importance of communication when it comes to sex and the imperative of tossing shame out the window when it comes to what turns you on. More about Dr Ni...

Marilyn is a support group friend who opens up about her journey to discovering her sexuality and her tendency toward love addiction. She talks about how she’s processing her trauma and what it meant to come out to herself and her community. This episode is sponsored Quince . Go to www. Quince.com/mental for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too. This e...

Dr. Guy Winch is a psychologist and bestselling author who advocates for integrating the science of emotional health into our daily lives. He and Paul talk about the science of burnout and offer insights and practical tips for managing burnout--and avoiding it altogether. For more, look for his new book Mind Over Grind: How to Break Free When Work Hijacks Your Life More about Guy: His new book: Mi...

Lane Falcon is a podcast listener who discusses one of her Mental Illness Happy Hour survey responses and opens up about her struggles with bipolar disorder, trauma, and codependency. More about Lane www. LaneFalcon.com This episode is sponsored by Greenleaf Book Club. Pick up your copy of  Mountains to Cross  wherever books are sold! This episode is sponsored Quince . Go to www. Qu...

Marriage Therapist Zach Brittle talks with Paul about things that can kill marriages, his own struggles with coping with his feelings -especially anger- and how to truly work as a team in relationships. More about Zach: www.marriagetherapyradio.com www. ZachBrittle.com IG @marriagetherapyradio YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@marriagetherapyradio Read Zach’s books  This episode is sponsored b...

Writer/Journalist Sophia Laurenzi @Sophia_Laurenzi shares about the family secrets that were kept from her for years, her father coming out of the closet and his battles with mental health, her struggles with codependency and using work as a tool to cope with her feelings. She also shares some personal experiences she had working on behalf of inmates on Death Row. More about Sophia: Follow he...