Let's Get Mental

A note before you listen: this episode contains an open conversation about childhood trauma, sexual assault, and suicidal ideation. If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7. What does it actually look like to build a mentally healthy life when your own story includes some of the hardest things a person can go through? That...

What does it actually take to come back from addiction, and why does shame keep so many people stuck in it long after the substance itself has stopped being the problem? In this EXTENDED CUT of the first episode of the Truth and Triumph series, I sit down with Dr. Bob Weathers, a psychologist with a Ph. D. in clinical psychology who spent four decades training the next generation of mental health...

Postpartum psychosis is one of the most severe and least understood perinatal mental health conditions, and for too many women it arrives without warning and without a system equipped to help. Cassie Gardener Manjikian experienced it firsthand in 2016, navigating fragmented care, a traumatic hospitalization, and years of recovery that ultimately cost her $30,000 out of pocket and nearly cost her f...

What does it actually take to come back from addiction, and why does shame keep so many people stuck in it long after the substance itself has stopped being the problem? In this first episode of the Truth and Triumph series, Ligaya sits down with Dr. Bob Weathers, a psychologist with a Ph. D. in clinical psychology who spent four decades training mental health providers across Southern California...

Social media burnout doesn’t always look like quitting your phone cold turkey. Sometimes it looks like doom-scrolling at midnight, obsessing over a post that didn’t perform, or quietly measuring your self-worth in likes and views without even realizing you’re doing it. In this episode of Let’s Get Mental, I sits down with digital marketer and creator strategist Jordana Ripp from Unscrippted Creati...

In the first episode of newly relaunched podcast Let’s Get Mental, host Ligaya Lange shares the personal experiences that inspired her journey into mental health advocacy and the launch of Ligaya Wellness. Joined by her childhood friend Jordana, the conversation explores what it really means to be “high-functioning but struggling”, navigating anxiety and panic, postpartum mental health challenges,...

I read about it, thought about it, I am it. Mom and parental fatigue is real! It is defined as: a type of exhaustion that can be caused by feeling overwhelmed by the physical and emotional demands of parenting. And why wouldn't we be tired? Most of us are juggling kids, marriages, careers, fitness (hopefully) and a social life (hopefully). So yeah, we're bound to hit a burnout more than on...

I'm back! And it's not my wedding anniversary. Three years ago at this exact time, I was at one of my lowest lows during my struggle with Postpartum Anxiety and OCD. This episode is an ode to that time- what I felt, what I did, and most of all, what I learned. I always say "Give yourself grace... You're exactly where you are supposed to be." I of all people know how hard thos...

In this episode, I interview my guest and NAMI colleague Christopher Florendo about living with his diagnosis of Schizoaffective Disorder. Chris is unrelentingly raw and honest about what his journey has been like living with this illness and other co-ocurring mental health conditions over the past 20+ years. As many are still unfamiliar with this disorder, I want to bring awareness and as always,...

It's time to transition. I appreciate everyone who has listened to "Ligaya Means Happiness" over the past 1.5 years and I'm now ready to broaden the conversation around mental health- to discuss more conditions, therapies, treatments and perspectives. I looks forward to welcoming new guests and discussing their lived experiences. While I will always honor and respect my postpartu...

What is ketamine and how does it help heal Depression, Anxiety and so many other mental health conditions and ailments? My returning guest Kat Green and I will tell you first hand, having just recently undergone treatment. How does it feel to quite literally "trip out" for an hour and is this just the latest trend, or the real deal? We'll get into it all! The good, the bad and the tr...

In this podcast, I start with a major life update! And then, in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, my guest Rosanna Cepeda and I discuss how Postpartum Depression, Anxiety and OCD are viewed and treated in the Hispanic culture. Rosanna, a first generation American from Mexico, gives her account of going through Postpartum Depression and Anxiety 18 years ago in a Hispanic family and household. We di...

It's not just your mental health anymore. Listen to my interview with Dr. Andrea Niles who runs Prospera, a maternal mental health and wellness platform that helps mothers in all stages of becoming a mother - pregnancy, postpartum, and up to 3-4 years after the baby is born. Prospera is an affordable platform that offers evidence based treatments for many pre and postpartum conditions. "M...

Join my good friend Victoria Rivers and I as we discuss our birth stories and discuss how birth trauma can lead to Postpartum Depression, Anxiety and OCD. Also a reminder that we are all in this together! As moms, we need to support each other by telling our stories.

Join my guest Dr. Tatyana Kholodkov and I for a detailed discussion on the benefits of Psychedelic Therapy - Ketamine-assisted Psychotherapy and microdosing mushrooms. This untraditional treatment can be quite effective for women going through Postpartum illness when western medications have proven ineffective. Tatyana is passionate about access to care and extremely knowledgeable on this topic. I...

My refreshingly real conversation with Suzanne Yatim Aslam, author of the new book Post Pardon Me about what it is like to be struggling with Postpartum Depression and Anxiety - and not even knowing it! Relatable, witty and uncensored, we discuss her story, the importance of advocating for yourself, IFS (Internal Family Systems) and the village that is needed not just for the baby, but for the mot...

In this episode, I am joined by one of my best friends whom I met through our postpartum experience. We have a candid conversation about Postpartum OCD and how not to lose yourself in unrelenting hamster wheel that is parenthood!

In Episode 21, I discuss some major life changes I'm going through at the moment, Adjustment Disorder, and not letting fear get in the way of fulfillment. And I wouldn't be a podcaster in today's zeitgeist if I didn't discuss Scandoval!

This episode was recorded on Easter Sunday and focuses on my gratitude for feeling better lately, and the coping mechanisms that have worked for me vs. those that have not. Overall I am thankful for the peace I am finally feeling on an ongoing basis but aware my anxiety can return at any time.

My former Fox colleague and I discuss being Type A, ambitious career women in the corporate world while having anxiety. We discuss Performance Anxiety, Imposter Syndrome, crying it out (at home or in the car), and all the other coping skills we have used to get through and be successful. 

Postpartum OCD can be a scary thing, especially when it's a certain type of illness called Harm OCD where you have intrusive thoughts about harming yourself or others (your baby). This topic is not one that is well publicized because of the shame and guild its sufferers feel, leading them not to talk about it. Harm OCD does not just affect moms in Postpartum. It can come at any point in a person's...

In this first episode of 2023, I talk about the battle to be well and stay well. It takes an arsenal of coping skills, the support of your loved ones, an adept care team, and the Anxiety Warrior within you. Learning to be well again is a journey, just like living with daily anxiety is. There is an Anxiety Warrior in all of us prepared to fight. Also, I am excited to introduce my revamped website:...

One had children in her 20's and again in her 40's, and the other had them back-to-back in her 30's. We all experienced some form of Postpartum. We discuss it, as well as how we balance motherhood, jobs, toddlers and maintaining our sweet sanity. 

Mental Health expert, entrepreneur, mother of two and survivor of Postpartum Depression twice, Angelle Ofili tells us about her struggle with Postpartum and her determination to get through the second without medication. Candid, real and inspiring, Angelle does not hold back telling us about her experience and how she's making it through. 

Having a baby isn't just about preparing for the baby. Mothers have to prepare themselves and the 5 S's as well (learn what they are in this episode). New Mom Coach Kallista Andersen acknowledges how scary and shocking having a baby can be. Hear from her on how best to prepare and get through the Postpartum season.