No Shame On U

Wendy sits down with Tracey Kite, a licensed clinical social worker with over 30 years of experience at JCFS Chicago and now in private practice, and a parent of two teens. Tracey shares her personal journey raising 17-year-old twins, one who identifies as trans male and one as non-binary, offering candid insight into what it's really like to support a child through gender transition. From navigat...

The Balance Project: Teens Making The World A Better Place Download In this episode, Gadi sits down with teen leaders Eden Gunsburg and Jack Gordon of The Balance Project . Hear about the organization's mission, what drew these young advocates to get involved, their personal mental health journeys, and why this work matters to them — and to all of us. To learn more about The Balance Project go to:...

In this episode of the No Shame on U podcast, host Gadi Kalman is joined by Ryan Lipsett, a college freshman mental health advocate from Illinois who is already making waves in the mental health community. Ryan shares his story with remarkable openness — from a "typical childhood" that shifted in middle school when body dysmorphia and isolation set in, to years of quietly living with depression an...

In this episode, we sit down with Anusha Samani, founder of Mindzen, a dual-purpose mental health app designed to support young people's emotional growth while helping social workers detect mental health risks early. Anusha shares how watching youth labeled as "disruptive" go unseen — and her own experience of emotional struggle as a teen — inspired her to build something different.  We explore th...

In this meaningful conversation, we sit down with Gadi Kalman, a 23-year-old psychology student and behavioral health technician who works with autistic children. Gadi opens up about his personal mental health journey, sharing the real strategies he uses to manage his anxiety and depression. Beyond his academic and professional work, Gadi has built a community through his Instagram page, Gadi Spea...

What do you do when depression has been your lifelong companion and the structure that kept you afloat suddenly disappears? For Anne Abel, the answer came from an unlikely source: Bruce Springsteen. In this powerful episode, we dive into Anne's incredible story from her new memoir "High Hopes." At 59, she'd never been to a concert. At 60, she was boarding a plane to Australia alone—something that...

In this episode of the No Shame On U Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Michele Nealon, a licensed clinical psychologist and President of The Chicago School, to explore how we can better support the people we care about who are struggling with mental health challenges. Drawing from her extensive experience in clinical practice, academic leadership, and global mental health advocacy, Dr. Nealon shares p...

In this episode of the No Shame On U podcast, we sit down with Abby Shapiro, a sophomore psychology major at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Growing up in Northbrook, IL, Abby courageously shares her journey living with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and how it has shaped her life. Abby offers valuable insights for friends and family supporting loved ones with mental health conditions,...

Join us for an inspiring conversation with Michelle Hammer, founder of Schizophrenic. NYC and fearless mental health advocate. Diagnosed with schizophrenia at 22, Michelle transformed her experience into a groundbreaking fashion brand that's sparking crucial conversations about mental health. Michelle shares her journey from navigating a misdiagnosis to building a movement that combines art, activ...

In this episode of the No Shame On U podcast, we sit down with Bryna Siegel Finer, Professor of English, as she shares her powerful story of resilience in the face of treatment-resistant depression. Bryna opens up about the challenges she faced, the treatments that fell short, and how transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) has helped her in her recovery. Join us for an inspiring conversation abou...

n this episode of the No Shame On U Podcast, we sit down with author Anne Abel to discuss her powerful new book, Mattie, Milo, and Me, which explores the transformative role her dogs played in her mental health journey. Growing up in an abusive home led Anne to struggle with depression and a deep commitment to breaking the cycle as a mother. After reluctantly adopting her first dog, Mattie, she ex...

Join us as Tim Graves, a Navy Veteran and neurodivergent individual, shares his powerful story of overcoming a traumatic past and 33 years of alcoholism. Tim’s journey to recovery, marked by resilience and a deep commitment to healing, has led him to become a guiding force for others battling addiction. Discover how empowerment, spirituality, and self-love transformed his life and how he now helps...

Join us for our meaningful discussion with Josh Pogonitz, a 21-year-old college undergrad student at the University of Maryland, as he shares his personal experiences and insights into mental health struggles. Josh lives with obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety, and depression. Over the years, he has attended a residential program and a partial hospitalization program. Listen as he shares his s...

Growing through Grief: Rena Rosen's Journey of Healing and Acceptance Meet Rena Rosen, who lost her father to illness as a teenager. Rena shares how her grief journey has evolved over the years and the ways she has managed her loss during life's ups and downs. She is on a mission to normalize grief and embrace it as an important part of every human being's life. This podcast is in memory of Rena’s...

Join us as we have an insightful conversation with Amy Sewick. In 2020 after almost 20 years of working alongside young people in various capacities, Amy had to step back from her profession due to the tragic passing of her sister to suicide and the needs of her children. She is now self-employed as she owns her own photography business. Additionally, she started a pop culture podcast a few years...

Talking with your young person about difficult topics can be tough! Join us for a discussion with two experts from JCFS Chicago to navigate these challenging discussions. Today, we spoke with two professionals. Alyssa Robbins (she, they) is a sexuality and reproductive health educator and Manager of Community JCFS Chicago’s Response for Teens, and Megan Lernerk (she, her, ella), LCSW, is the Direc...

Today, we talk with author and retired Major General Gregg Martin. Gregg F. Martin, PhD, Major General, US Army (Retired), served on active duty for 36 years, until May 2015. He is a combat veteran, Bipolar Survivor, Airborne-Ranger-Engineer qualified soldier, and Army Strategist. General Martin recently released his new book - The Bipolar General: My Forever War with Mental Illness - published by...

Welcome to No Shame On U’s 45th Podcast! Today we spoke about early childhood mental health with expert Jen Streicher. Jen Streicher is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and the Assistant Director of Social Services for JCC Chicago, where she has worked for over 17 years in various capacities. Jen holds a master’s of Social Work degree from Loyola University Chicago, a Master of Science in Child D...

Welcome to No Shame On U’s 44th Podcast. Today, we are meeting with Samantha Kolkey, the Executive Director of Options for College Success. Listen as Samantha describes her personal journey with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) and how it fuels her passion and work for Options for College Success. Options for College Success’s mission is to support young adults with learning challen...

Welcome to No Shame On U’s 43rd Podcast! Edie Freimark has had a long career in business management and is a pending certified Recovery Support Specialist.  Edie works for Josselyn Center as a Peer Support Specialist in the northern suburbs of Illinois.  She was recently awarded the 2023 NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness)  support Group facilitator of the year by NAMI Bucks  County PA.  At...

Welcome to No Shame On U’s 42nd Podcast! In this episode, we have the incredible opportunity to talk with Aleksandra Muller, as she opens up about her profound journey through grief, having lost her father unexpectedly at the age of 19. Aleks is now a 22 year old grief educator on grief.com, grief advocate, and podcaster. Aleks is dedicated to helping people find light and hope while battling the...

Welcome to No Shame On U’s 41st Podcast! Today we are meeting with mental health advocate Daniel Warshawsky. Daniel is very special to No Shame On U as he has served on our board of directors for the last several years. Enjoy our conversation about Daniel’s journey, his passion for mental health, and his experience as an individual in the LGBTQ+ community. Daniel Warshawsky is a current PsyD Stude...

Welcome to No Shame On U’s 40th Podcast! Today we are meeting with author Kenneth Nixon. Kenneth just came out with an intense and meaningful memoir called Born into Crisis. Kenneth knows firsthand the impact trauma can have on a person's life and takes us on a power-powerful journey of his life. He does it uniquely where he shares tips, tools, and strategies for personal and collective change in...