Inside Mental Health

In today’s Psych Central Podcast, originally a live recording on Facebook, Gabe talks with Okpara Rice, MSW. They tackle all of the tough subjects: white privilege, systemic racism, disparities in education and Black Lives Matter. Tune in for an informative discussion that leaves no stone unturned. For more information and a complete transcript, visit https://psychcentral.com/blog/podcast-the-trau...

What exactly does a therapist do? Is therapy only for people with severe mental illness, like bipolar disorder? In this Psych Central Podcast, we welcome therapist Clay Cockrell, LCSW, who clears up any misunderstandings about therapy and explains why therapy can be good for anyone in mental pain or who simply needs to talk. For more information and a complete transcript, visit https://psychcentra...

“I’m such a loser. I can’t believe I just said that.” Sound familiar? Most of us live with a constant inner critic telling us everything we’ve done wrong. Why is this? And how can we fix it? In today’s show, author Kevin Stacey helps us reign in our brain’s natural negativity bias. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you a victim of stigma? Do you feel like you have less value in society because of your job, income, ethnicity or your mental health diagnosis? In today’s Psych Central Podcast, Gabe talks with anthropologists Alex Brewis and Amber Wutich about the negative impacts of stigma in society. For more information and a complete transcript, visit https://psychcentral.com/blog/podcast-lazy-crazy-and-d...

In 2006, a 19-year-old woman struggling with addiction became friends with a young man who would eventually write about their friendship and post it on Myspace. As a result, the idea for the nonprofit "To Write Love on Her Arms" was born. In today’s Psych Central Podcast, Gabe interviews its founder Jamie Tworkowski, the young man in the story. For more information and a complete transcript, visit...

Research has shown that nature has a profound impact on our mental health and cognition: Being in nature reduces anxiety and stress and increases creativity, attention and overall well-being. Today’s guest, Richard Louv, a journalist, author and co-founder of the nonprofit Children & Nature Network, discusses the science behind nature’s healing powers. For more information and a complete transcrip...

Some of the professionals that work most with helping people with schizophrenia are nurses. There are so many types with different skill sets. Host Rachel Star Withers and Co-host Gabe Howards learn who these often overlooked healthcare workers are. Dr. Tari Dilks, Professor and President of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association, joins with insight on what goes into being a psychiatric nurse...

Are you in pain, or are you depressed? Does one lead to the other? In today’s show, Dr. Jack Stern, a board-certified neurosurgeon, explains how the two are linked. He also discusses why opioids don’t work for chronic pain and how past pain can affect our current pain levels. For more information and a complete transcript, visit https://psychcentral.com/blog/podcast-is-there-a-link-between-physica...

Why are the police often called to handle mental health crises? And what are they trained to do once they get to the scene? In today’s show, Sergeant Matt Harris of the Columbus, Ohio Police Department sheds light on the police officers’ role in the community and explains how they can help when someone is having a mental health emergency. Sgt. Harris also shares how his team tries to de-escalate t...

Got the quarantine blues? Meet Woebot, an on-demand therapy robot who talks you through your problems! Woebot’s advice is based on cognitive-behavioral therapy and can help you identify distorted thinking. He even checks in on you to see if you’re OK. In today’s podcast, we talk with Woebot’s creator, Dr. Alison Darcy, who shares how this phone app came to be and how it works. Learn more about you...

Did you know you have a magic sex number? It’s how much sex you’d prefer to have if you were with your ideal partner, says today’s guest, Marriage and Family Therapist Steven Ing. People can have vastly different numbers, of course -- from 4 times a day to once a month to never. But what happens if your partner’s number is starkly different from your own? Tune into today’s podcast to have an open...

Have you suddenly found yourself working from home during the COVID-19 quarantine? How can you make the most of this situation? On today’s Psych Central Podcast, Gabe interviews Donald M. Rattner, architect and author of "My Creative Space: How to Design Your Home to Stimulate Ideas and Spark Innovation, 48 Science-based Techniques." Donald offers simple tips on setting up a mental-health friendly...

If you’d like to hear an insider’s perspective of psychiatric hospitals by a psychologist who’s worked there for decades -- this is your podcast. Tune in to hear Gabe interview Dr. David Susman, a licensed clinical psychologist with 25 years experience in a public psychiatric hospital. Gabe asks Dr. Susman all of the tough questions surrounding psychiatric inpatient care -- including why so many p...

Life is a limited time offer. Are you truly living each day to the fullest? Today’s guest, Kate Manser, pioneer of the movement YOU MIGHT DIE TOMORROW, believes that in order to truly live, we need to incorporate a certain level of “mortality awareness” into our lives. Only when we face our fear of death, do we gain the freedom to truly live. Tune into today’s Psych Central podcast to hear Kate’s...

There’s “nothing to fear but fear itself,” said the late President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Fear keeps us up at night, wears down our immune system and makes some people hoard obscene amounts of toilet paper. In this global COVID-19 pandemic, we’re seeing an unprecedented level of fear, and if we let it, this fear has the power to deteriorate everyone’s mental health. In today’s podcast, our guest D...

Most children encounter death at some point, whether it’s the loss of a grandparent, a pet or even finding a dead bird in the yard. In today’s podcast, Gabe interviews Patrice Karst, author of the children’s book “The Invisible String,” a story that explores the concepts of separation, death and the eternal connection of love. When a child aches for a lost loved one or beloved pet, they can find c...

Men and women experience schizophrenia differently; from the age of onset to symptoms and how society treats those with mental disorders.  Schizophrenic, Rachel Star Withers and co-host Gabe Howard continue the discussion of the differences from the last episode but change the focus to men.  Jason Jepson, an author who has schizophrenia joins for a man’s perspective and Dr. Hayden Finch returns to...

What happens when a rebellious English teacher from a dysfunctional background falls in love and runs away with a South Korean woman from a rich, controlling family? In today’s podcast, you’ll find out, as these were the true life events of author Mark Diehl who documented his experiences in the book "Stealing Cinderella: How I Became an International Fugitive for Love." From daily harassment to u...

Did you know one in six males are sexually assaulted before their 18th birthday? Unfortunately, many victims are afraid to come forward due to cultural conditioning. In this podcast, Gabe speaks with two psychologists about this very common but taboo issue. They tackle the prevalent myths surrounding male sexual assault and discuss why so many victims suffer in secrecy. What can be done? Where can...

Having a baby is a wonderfully happy time, right? For many women, it certainly is, but estimates show that 1 in 5 women who give birth will suffer from perinatal mental illness, including depression, anxiety, OCD or psychosis. In today’s podcast, Dr. Katayune Kaeni, a perinatal mental health psychologist and a sufferer herself, discusses these often confusing and debilitating disorders, particular...

Are you drowning in clutter? In today’s podcast, decluttering expert Tracy McCubbin identifies the 7 emotional clutter blocks that may be lurking in your psyche and offers tips to overcome each one. For example, have you saved every drawing your adult child has ever made? Do you have a basket full of unopened mail? Though both of these take up space, each is rooted in a different emotional block....

Often we don't really consider gender dynamics in treatment or medication. A lot of medications are only tested on men because of the risk of pregnancy, etc. This means there are whole drugs that have made it to market that may not have ever been tested with women. Schizophrenia affects women in many different ways than men. This episode discusses differences in age, symptoms, treatments, lifestyl...

Are you anxious about the new coronavirus? Is it a real threat or mostly hype? In today’s podcast, Dr. John Grohol, founder and editor-in-chief of PsychCentral.com, explains what the disease is, how it compares to the flu and why it seems to hit the panic button in a lot of people. He offers tips to avoid getting sick in general, and importantly, gives advice on how to keep our anxiety levels in c...

As with any relationship, finding the right therapist is extremely important. But how do you know if it’s a good match? In today’s podcast, Jeff Gunther, LPC, founder of TherapyDen.com, takes us through the entire therapist-hunting process. He sheds light on what you should be looking for in a therapist, the difference between those letters after their names, and he gets us thinking about what kin...

When parents have severe mental illness, their children can fall into a caregiving role. What is this like from the child’s point of view? Today’s guest, Michelle E. Dickinson, shares her personal story of caring for a mom with bipolar disorder. She talks with Gabe about her childhood memories, the moment she finally felt safe to tell her friends about her mom’s illness, her own bout with depressi...