Mental Illness Happy Hour

Allison (@AllisonRaskin & @EmotionalSupportLady) opens up about her struggles with contamination OCD, sensory issues with clothing, anxiety, depression and compulsive thinking since age 4. The mental health advocate (in the process of getting her Master’s in psychology), podcaster and NY Times best-selling author (her new book is Overthinking About You: Navigating Romantic Relationships W...

Katherine Morgan Schafler is a therapist and an author who studies perfectionism. She talks about healthy vs maladaptive perfectionism and the ways we can harness this tendency for good. Follow her @KatherineMorganSchafler. Check out her book, The Perfectionists Guide to Losing Control.  About Katherine Buy her book https://www.perfectionistsguide.com/ Follow her on IG www. Instagram.com/kath...

Kelly Collette is a comedian, writer, artist, and an avid listener of the podcast. She opens up about going low contact with both of her parents and how she’s worked to set boundaries after a childhood filled with abuse and abandonment.  Follow Kelly on social media @KellyCollette Visit her website www. KellyColletteComedy.com Support Our Sponsors!  This episode is sponsored by  Bet...

Why, oh why would you choose to go on vacation with your family when every other time it's been a train wreck? Rich, one of Paul’s support group friends (and previous guest), wanted to talk through his trouble accepting that his family won't change, the issues he’s been having from it, and he and Paul decided to record the conversation. They discuss validation seeking, unhealthy dating patterns, a...

Yes Bill W. is his real name and he has been helping Paul for 19 years; inspiring him, helping him, making him laugh and giving him the truth when he needs to hear it. They talk about surrendering to things we're powerless over, developing good habits -especially human connection- to battle our demons and his lingering "shoulda-coulda-wouldas" on a professional baseball career that was cut short....

Kathleen Hammond is a mother who lost her child. She sits down with Paul to talk about childhood bullying, a parent’s perspective on losing a child to suicide, and how she manages to survive after this immense loss.  Connect to Kathleen on FB https://www.facebook.com/kathleen.pelaez?mibextid=LQQJ4d Support Our Sponsors!  This episode is sponsored by  BetterHelp  online counseli...

Dr. Robert Waldinger is a psychiatrist & a professor at Harvard Medical School who worked on an 85-year long study on what it takes to have a good life. His new book The Good Life expands on the results of that study and the science of relationships.  More About Dr. Waldinger To watch his TED Talk, click here ( https://www.ted.com/talks/robert_waldinger_what_makes_a_good_life_lessons_from...

Paul’s friend (@Evan_Schad) shares about being the black sheep of the family (and having a “perfect” sibling) and eventually being sent to boarding school where he began to dissociate. He talks about bottoming out with a felony DUI and a trip to jail before finally asking for help. He also shares about learning to overcome his numbness, identify his emotions and eventually express t...

Originally recorded in 2011, the critically-acclaimed author of 6 books (most recently The Problem With Everything ), columnist and blogger (@Meghan_Daum) talks with Paul about growing up and later rebelling in a household where music and academia were everything. She talks about the pressure of starting a writing career in Manhattan and living a real-life  Devil Wears Prada  nightmare,...

Originally recorded in 2012 and voted a listener favorite, Kerri (@KerriKenneySilver @KerriKenney) is a comedian/actor/musician. She opens up about her childhood, the impact of her parents’ divorce, her obsessive worrying, her aborted engagement to a crack addict and what she learned about herself. People know Kerri from  Reno 911 , MTV’s  The State , Bob’s Burgers, and the indie rock ba...

Originally recorded and aired in 2011 Nadereh’s story is sadly all too timely today. Nadereh (@NaderehShe) is a former Marxist revolutionary who fled her native Iran (while 6 months pregnant) after the capture and execution of her husband in the 1988 prisoner massacre where over 5000 were killed regardless of time served. Nadereh and her husband were the first wave of the killing, oppression and d...

Paul's support group friend is a 44-year-old single mom whose meds stopped working and before finding another one that worked, spiraled into a depressive episode that had her fearing for her life while also feeling unmotivated to change things or reach out for help. Liz also shares about her family's history of enmeshment, addiction, a dad with creepy boundaries and breaking her lifelong pattern o...

Paul reads listener's surveys describing their demons, dreams, failures, accomplishments, resentments and loves. Support Our Sponsors!  This episode is sponsored by  BetterHelp  online counseling. To get 10% off your first month go to  www. BetterHelp.com/mental  Must be 18. For those under 18 you will be redirected to or can go directly to TeenCounseling at...

Comedian Neal Brennan (@NealBrennan) shares about his experiences with 5-MeO-DMT, ayahuasca, meds, TMS, and various modes of talk therapy. He also discusses the psychology of the comedy brain and how the mean voice in his head distorts reality. For more about Neal: Check out this newest Netflix standup special Neal Brennan: Blocks www. NealBrennan.com Twitter and IG @NealBrennan FB www. Facebook.c...

Chris Chou is one of Paul’s closest friends and a member of his support group. Chris shares what it was like moving to the U.S. as a child and how toxic parenting left him struggling with his sense of self, the high expectations of his Asian parents and facing his anger and intimacy issues. Support Our Sponsors!  This episode is sponsored by  BetterHelp  online counseling. To g...

Thomas Hayes is a modern furniture designer and a friend of Paul’s. He opens up about the emotional incest, violence, and sexual abuse he experienced in his childhood and how he works through the anger that it’s left him with as an adult.  Check out his furniture at www. ThomasHayesStudio.com Follow him on IG at www.instagram.com/thomashayesstudio Support Our Sponsors!  This episode is s...

Jessica Ekhoff is an attorney who, after giving birth to her first child, was diagnosed with postpartum bipolar. She talks about her psychosis which led to a stay at an inpatient facility and how she’s since stabilized and gotten back to her life.  The pre-order page for Jessica’s book Super Sad Unicorn: A Memoir of Mania : https://jessica-ekhoff.presale.manuscripts.com/ Postpartum Support In...

Britt Frank is a therapist, educator, trauma specialist, and the author of the book The Science of Stuck. She opens up about her addictions, her experience of joining a cult, and the importance of understanding the context of your own mental health. More About Britt: IG @BrittFrank website www. ScienceOfStuck.com Support Our Sponsors!  This episode is sponsored by  BetterHelp  onlin...

Jerry Stahl (@SomeJerryStahl) is a novelist and screenwriter working through his own worries, self-sabotage, and depression. He opens up about addiction and his current work with EMDR. He also reads an excerpt from his new book, Nein, Nein, Nein. More About Jerry: Follow Jerry on Twitter @SomeJerryStahl and get his books from your favorite booksellers. Support Our Sponsors!  This episode is s...

Standup comedian Liz Miele (@LizMiele) opens up about panic attacks, people pleasing, her family history of mental illness–and how setting boundaries has changed everything. Be sure to check out her new standup special, The Ghost of Academic Future . Liz’s new stand-up special “The Ghost of Academic Future” is available for free streaming on YouTube at www.youtube.com/lizmiele   Liz has tour...

Eric Zimmer(@oneyoufeed) is a Behavior Coach and the host of the podcast, The One You Feed. He shares his story of recovery from heroin addiction & homelessness and how he finally decided to take the steps needed to care for himself and create the life he wants. More About Eric Zimmer: https://www.oneyoufeed.net/ https://www.facebook.com/1ufeed/ https://twitter.com/oneyoufeed https://www.insta...

Graham Elwood (@GrahamElwood) is a comedian and Paul’s long-time friend. He opens up about his struggles with debt and using shopping as a means of escape. He co-produced the L.A. Podcast Festival as well as a podcasting doc called Ear Buds which features Paul & MIHH. More About Graham: Website www. GrahamElwood.com FB www.facebook.com/GrahamElwoodComedy Twitter www.twitter.com/GrahamElwood IG...

Author and LMFT Kati Morton (@KatiMorton) joins Paul for an overview of therapy. She goes over the different types of therapists as well as the therapy modalities and what to expect with each of them. Check out Kati’s YouTube channel and her book Are U Ok? for more. More About Katie: YouTube https://www.youtube.com/katimorton   Website www.katimorton.com Twitter @KatiMorton Support Our Sponso...

Former Capitol Police Officer Winston Pingeon opens up about the chaos and the trauma of the insurrection on January 6th, 2021. He also shares his own story of how he became a cop, why he left, and how channeling his inner artist has provided a sort of therapy and even gained him some important recognition. Winston’s website is:  https://www.winstonwatercolors.com/ Instagram @WinstonWatercolo...

Kimi Culp is a TV and film producer and the host of the podcast, All The Wiser (@AllTheWiserPod) She opens up about her own bipolar diagnosis as well as her father’s and how being honest and outspoken about having bipolar changed her life in the best way. More About Kimi www. KimiCulp.com www. AllTheWiserPodcast.com www. Twitter.com/AllTheWiserPod www. Instagram.com/AllTheWiserPodcast www. Fa...