State of Mind with Debra Sloss

Episode 42: To honor Mental Health Awareness Month, we ask the question, “What’s Your Soul Food?“ We hear from listeners about the many ways they take care of their bodies and minds in order to support their mental health. Joining your host Debra Sloss is psychotherapist and trauma specialist Kara Bowman to discuss how these self-care choices can build resilience and support mental and physical he...

Episode 41: In this episode we’ll explore the complicated and often misunderstood topic of Codependency vs. Interdependency. Joining us for this conversation are Co-Dependents Anonymous (CoDA) member Jill and psychotherapist and recovery specialist Kat Zwick, LMFT. This conversation is not just for those who view themselves as having codependent tendencies, but for anyone who struggles, in any rel...

Episode 40: The majority of adults in the U.S. have experienced some type of traumatic event. Research shows that trauma survivors have a high incidence of physical and mental health illnesses. The good news is that the human nervous system has the capacity to recover. Joining us is yoga teacher Abbey Asher, who describes how she learned to attend to her own mental health and nervous system while...

Episode 39: Yoga Therapy offers personalized yoga practices to improve mental health and help alleviate physical ailments. Yoga Therapy can also help people who can’t move at all, as we will learn from our guest Melaney Seacat whose use of yoga therapy helped her recover from a near-death accident that left her unsure whether she’d walk again. Also with us is integrative mental health practitioner...

Episode 38: In this episode, we’re joined by Gitta Ryle, a Holocaust survivor who experienced terrible trauma while fleeing from the Nazis. By the time Gitta reached adulthood, she found herself sick with physical and mental health symptoms. Gitta then learned that forgiving herself and others played an essential role in her journey to wellness. Also with us to discuss the power of forgiveness is...

Episode 37: One in six Americans are currently providing care to someone age 50 or older. The majority of these caregivers are women, and many find it difficult to balance with raising children and meeting work and family commitments. We’re joined by award-winning author, Laura Davis, who has a new memoir about reconciling her strained relationship with her mother as she cares for her through her...

Episode 36: This show is a follow-up to a two–part series produced in 2020 that examined the effects of racism on mental health. Guest host Gail Borkowski welcomes back Black community members–activist Joy Flynn, psychologist Dr. Robert Bartee, and educator/activist Jason Seals–to talk about the detrimental effects of racism on mental health, the impact of the last year’s events, what’s changed, a...

Episode 35: Suicide is a leading cause of death in the United States and a preventable public health problem. In this show, we talk with suicide prevention and support professional, Carly Memoli, and with Leslie Nielsen whose adult son Ben died by suicide early this year. We discuss complicated grief and explore how one learns to cope after someone they’ve loved or cared about has died by suicide....

Episode 34: For National Suicide Prevention Month, we focus on suicide prevention for teens and young adults. Being informed about suicide can help prevent many of these tragic deaths. In this show we talk about feeling suicidal, where to find help and support, and how to recognize warning signs. We also learn about how to help others who may be struggling with suicidal thoughts or feelings. This...

Episode 33: Gender-based violence is an umbrella term that includes the more familiar descriptors of domestic violence, intimate partner violence, sexual violence and dating violence. It’s an extensive problem across our country and around the world, impacting one in every three girls. Teens and college students are particularly vulnerable. The coronavirus pandemic has amplified the problem and le...

Episode 32: The effects of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) go way beyond making someone a neat freak. This anxiety disorder is characterized by obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors that consume hours of people’s days, restrict their lives, and increase isolation and suffering. Join us as one woman shares her experience of having OCD since childhood and describes how she’s living a produ...

Episode 31: After more than a year of online schooling, we look at the impact the pandemic is having on LGBTQ+ Teens and how schools and communities are responding. Teen guests courageously share the struggles they’ve faced and how they've persevered to find their voices as leaders and advocates. Joining us as guest host for this conversation is queer community member, recent college graduate, and...

Episode 30: First Responders arrive at the scene of some of the most dangerous and demanding situations, providing immediate care, support, and medical assistance to survivors in the aftermath of a crime or disaster. This kind of work can take a toll on mental health. You’ll hear directly from police officers about their mental health challenges and learn from a critical incident specialist about...

Episode 29: Continuing our series on intimacy in the pandemic, we hear from young adults about how their relationships are being shaped and changed by these unprecedented times. Guests speak about the ways social distancing and the pandemic have made forming new relationships hard and pushed people together in new ways.

Episode 28: How is the pandemic shaping intimate relationships? Learn more about how mid-life and older adults are navigating intimate relationships, combating loneliness, and finding new ways to connect in person and through technology during the pandemic.

Episode 27: Learn how to become more skillful at navigating mental health crisis services from those who have been there…many times! Mental health recovery is possible and our guests give specific suggestions to help others get started in that direction!

Episode 26: Dealing with the pandemic while trying to support your own mental health is no easy task. This show is full of practical examples and suggestions you can adopt right away and includes an extensive list of mental health oriented and mostly free resources.

Episode 25: Continuing our series on racism and mental health, we’re again hearing directly from Black community members as they discuss how access to physical and mental health support could be improved for Blacks and people of color. Check out the extensive resource list posted with this show.

Episode 24: Hear directly from Black community members about the difficult realities of racism and the detrimental effects it has on mental health. Guests describe how it is a daily stressor in their lives and explore the complex and subtle forms racism takes. This is the first of a two-show series on racism and mental health. Included is an extensive resource list.

Episode 23: Disaster response expert and fire survivors join us to discuss the mental health impacts of a disaster and to explore how we recover and build resilience. Guests share their experiences with emergency evacuation, losing their home, and finding a road forward. Additional first-person accounts and useful disaster resources can be found on the post.

Episode 22: In honor of World Alzheimer's Awareness Month, we hear about the many challenges facing dementia patients and their care-partners who can also be at particular risk for developing mental health problems. Learn more about important preparations, finding support and local resources.

Episode 21: Holocaust survivor Gitta Ryle speaks about her long road of self-discovery and healing with forgiveness playing a central role. And researcher, author, and forgiveness expert Frederic Luskin PhD, explains what forgiveness is and isn’t, ways to access it and the profound power of forgiveness in mental health.

Episode 20: Continuing our series on Teens with Anxiety, we focus this time on the parenting experience. Guests discuss warning signs, ways to talk with your teen, strategies and approaches to support teens with anxiety. The impact the coronavirus pandemic is having on teens is also discussed. To learn more, listen to last month’s show Part 1: Teens with Anxiety (Ep. 19).

Episode 19: We hear from a college student about navigating severe anxiety since childhood, her placement in a residential treatment program and learning to work with her family to developed skills for life. Learn more about teen anxiety symptoms, tips for managing symptoms and get new resources. You may also want to check out Part 2 in this series: Parenting Teens with Anxiety (Ep. 20).

Episode 18: Just weeks after the COVID-19 outbreak begins, we offer help for those with mental health conditions about how to better cope under these trying conditions. This show is full of practical suggestions you can adopt right away, and includes an extensive list of mental health oriented and mostly free resources.