Mental Note: Journeys Of Health And Recovery

Researching anxiety and mood disorders can be daunting - and deciding who is credible and what research holds up under scrutiny is even harder. That’s why we made today’s episode! Welcome to our little one-stop-shop-overview of the basics for anxiety and mood disorders. We’ll spend this episode asking an expert in the field the most common questions about anxiety disorders, mood disorders, the treatment experience, and treatment methods. Sound good? Dr. Howard Weeks will be our gracious question answerer. He is the Chief Medical Officer at Pathlight Mood & Anxiety Center. Most importantly, he has a special way of communicating complex information that brings clarity rather than getting lost in the weeds. Since this episode is a little longer than our typical show, we’ve included time stamps for different subjects below. Subjects Timestamps Anxiety 2:20 -15:00 Types - 6:00  Generalized Anxiety Disorder Phobias OCD PTSD Panic Attacks Getting help - 10:30  Treatment Options Is Recovery Possible?

Four years ago Jayne Mattingly discovered something was seriously wrong with her health. Not only was she starting to see a loss of mobility, but physicians told her these physical limitations would only progress for the rest of her life. For this former dancer and self-described “doer,” losing mobility was devastating news. Jayne leaned heavily on the wisdom she'd cultivated earlier in life when recovering from anorexia to cope with her uncertain future. Today, we’ll talk with Jayne about shifting the relationship with her body. From feelings of anger and betrayal to a place where gratitude can exist alongside grief. She’ll reveal a few of her best strategies for living a values-centered life while also grappling with her own ableism and chronic illness. 
 We'll also chat with Eating Recovery Center Nutrition Director Kathryn Johnson about mindful movement for different ability levels. ________________________________ Mental Note Podcast is brought to you by Pathlight Mood and Anxiety Center and Eating Recov

Lor Sabourin knows a thing or two about resilience and the power of thoughtfully approaching a relationship - be it with a sport or gender. A professional rock climber who grew up in Detroit, they spent years figuring out how to not hide their queer identity in a very male, heteronormative, and competitive world. Lor now works to spread the wisdom they’ve gathered by creating affirming spaces in outdoor communities and also training other climbers on mental stability. They are also the subject of a recent documentary film put out by Patagonia called They/Them.  We invited Lor  to talk about their personal journey, creating inclusive spaces, and how to simply find more Joy in the lives we choose. We also hear from Sand Chang, PhD (They/Them) about the relationship between our society and mental health trends in the Queer Community.  RESOURCES: Our Website:  www.mentalnotepodcast.com Free mental health assessment: (877) 850-7199 Trans Lifeline: A crisis hotline staffed by all-trans operators (877) 565-8860

Growing up, Carrie Zhang - the founder of The Asian Mental Health Project - felt as though she had no right to talk about her mounting struggles with sadness and anxiety. 
You see, her parents - two immigrants from China and Taiwan - could simply not understand why their child might be unhappy. After all, they had sacrificed so much in order to give her a chance at prosperity and success. As a result, Carrie did not find help processing trauma, depression, and anxiety until much later when her university offered mental healthcare services. She now spends her time aiding other Asian Americans to overcome cultural and systemic barriers to mental health through the Asian Mental Health Project.  In this episode, we talk with Carrie about her personal awakening to mental health hygiene, the cultural stigmas & institutional bias preventing the Asian Pacific Islander Desi American community - APIDA for short - from receiving the help they need, and finally what we all can do about it. 
 Resources: Our Website:

At the beginning of 2020 Mackenzie Carmichael flew to Eating Recovery Center in Denver, Colorado determined to finally overcome a persistent eating disorder. The plan was to slowly step down from residential treatment to an outpatient program where she would commute to therapy and meals several times a week as her healing progressed.  However, the growing pandemic soon placed extra restrictions on that traditional outpatient model. So, her treatment team pivoted and instead recommended attending ERC & Pathlight’s Virtual Intensive Outpatient Program (VIOP).  In today’s episode, we’ll explore Mackenzie’s experience doing treatment from her family’s home and discover how VIOP impacted her recovery. We’ll also speak with Kaila Peak-Rishel, the Director of Eating Recovery Center’s virtual treatment program to better understand what goes into the patient experience.  ________________________________ Mental Note Podcast is brought to you by Pathlight Mood and Anxiety Center and Eating Recovery Center. If you’d

Trigger Warning: This episode discusses suicide On March 11, 2005, Kevin Berthia became famous…For all the wrong reasons.

 As he stood on an exposed pipe - with only the wind holding him up from plunging into the waters below San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge - a photographer captured Kevin discussing his desire to attempt suicide with Sergeant Briggs of the California Highway Patrol. That photo landed on the front page of the San Francisco Chronicle the very next day.  Today, Kevin's perspective is much different than 17 years ago. Rather than contemplating the end of his life, he now speaks up for mental health and suicide prevention with a message that has made it around the world. We sit down with Kevin to take a wild ride through his story and the serendipitous events that lead to becoming a nationally renowned storyteller. Along the way, we’ll also chat with Dr. Thomas Joiner of Florida State University about depression, suicidal thoughts, and available tools to get help today.  If you or a loved one

So perhaps your child - or even you or another adult - is really particular about food and refuses to eat but you just cannot understand why. You can tell their mealtime anxiety is not normal but how do you know if it adds up to a full-blown eating disorder?  That's why we made today's episode. It's an introduction to one of the least understood eating disorders - ARFID (Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder). ARFID remains underdiagnosed and can even be dismissed as simple picky eating. But ignoring it can have deadly consequences. So join us as we cover the basics about ARFID and the next steps needed for getting help: taking action, talking to doctors, and understanding different approaches to treatment. ________________________________ Mental Note Podcast is brought to you by Pathlight Mood and Anxiety Center and Eating Recovery Center. If you’d like to talk to a trained therapist or learn more about their programs and free support groups, please call them at (877) 850-7199 or visit our website mental

Picture this: a warm July breeze stirs my hair as I sit on the back porch. My toddler, illuminated by moonlight and the twinkle of fireflies, gently spins in circles, hands waving in the air as she moves to the strumming of a guitar mixed with the call of cicadas in the trees. It’s the sort of moment that feels infinitely removed from the typical noise of daily life. Here, there are no email alerts, traffic jams, or checklists. Only laughter and contentment. So, at the start of this new year, I’m asking, “how do I get more of these moments and less of the hamster wheel? How can I stop living on other people’s terms and tune in to my inner voice?” To explore these questions, I can think of no one better than the strummer of the guitar from that moonlit summer night - my friend and 71-year-old neighbor - Vollie McKenzie. Vollie is a man of many outlets. He spent over 40 years as a mental health professional, plays tennis daily, and is a known performer in the Southeast. He also has a recovery journey of his own

What do you do when prayer is not helping your depression but actually making it worse?  For author and speaker Abraham Sculley, answering this question and finding lasting freedom from his mental illness meant rethinking and challenging a lot of the ideas he grew up believing. But this son of Jamaican immigrants knows how to persevere. Join us as we explore Abraham’s transformation into the person he is today — a mental health advocate with a special passion for showing how accessing mental health care doesn’t mean going against your faith. ______ Also, be sure to check out Abraham’s book and podcast! Links are in the resources list below. Mental Note Podcast is brought to you by Pathlight Mood and Anxiety Center. If you’d like to talk to a trained therapist or learn more about their specialty track for OCD, depression and trauma, please call them at (877) 850-7199. Resources: Our Website: www.mentalnotepodcast.com Pathlight Mood and Anxiety Center: www.pathlightbh.com  Abraham Sculley’s Website: www.abraha

Here's the thing about sleep - one in three American adults simply do not get the sleep they require on a regular basis. That's not ok! Sleep deprivation kicks off a cascading series of consequences for our physical health, relationships, sense of self, and emotional stability. But finding our way to a better night's sleep is no easy task - that's why we created this episode. We speak with two people about reigning in sleepless nights. First, we meet paramedic Sydney Fitzgibbons who finally recovered from chronic insomnia. Second, we sit down with Dr. Karima Clayton - a professor at NYU and sleep expert who works with veterans in New York to overcome sleep disorders. Through Dr. Clayton, we'll learn the 8 steps of sleep hygiene and why getting better sleep is crucial to a well-rounded life.  Sponsor:Mental Note Podcast is brought to you by Eating Recovery Center and Pathlight mood and anxiety center. If you’d like to talk to a trained therapist to see if treatment is right for you, please call them at (877) 8

Kim Gould Fry is on a mission to help restore your relationship with your body and introduce you to intuitive movement - no big deal, right? Her approach focuses on both physical and mental health through training and partnering with fat and large-bodied instructors, offering counseling that connects mind and body, and creating resources like the free “Essential Guide to Enjoying Exercise” We sat down with her and one of her favorite barre instructors, Natalie Sanders, to talk about what it takes to enjoy body movement outside of diet culture. Sponsor: Mental Note Podcast is a creation of Eating Recovery Center and Pathlight mood and Anxiety Center. Reach a trained therapist at (877) 850-7199 Resources: Website: www.autonomytherapyatx.com Autonomy Resource Page:  https://autonomytherapyatx.com/favorite-reads Intuitive Movement Masterclass e-course: https://courses-autonomymovement.teachable.com/p/debunking-movement-myths24 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/autonomytherapyatx/ Facebook: https://www.face

At first, Mimi Cole couldn’t understand why she was so terrified of going to hell. She did all the right things, prayed often, and continually confessed sins but her fears only got worse. Pretty soon, she also began obsessing about accidentally running someone over with her car - what was going on?! Just as she started to feel crushed by cascading illogical behaviors, she received a diagnosis - OCD - and began working with a treatment team to get her life back. Now, this North Carolina grad student has taken her experiences and used them to spread mental health awareness as a social media influencer and clinician in training. We talk with Mimi about her journey and also hear from Dr. Charles Brady about what happens to someone with OCD and what treatment options are available to help people find recovery. Sponsor: Mental Note Podcast is a creation of Eating Recovery Center and Pathlight mood and Anxiety Center. Reach a trained therapist at (877) 850-7199 Register for their online annual conference: www.pathl

With infection rates falling and vaccination rates rising in the United States, it seems like the summer has almost returned to normal. But maybe it’s easier said than done… What are ways that prolonged loneliness and isolation may affect us? What self-knowledge can we glean from the worst pandemic in 100 years? Dr. Zach Rawlings will guide us in taking a deeper look at the various ways people respond to loneliness + solitude and how those responses influence our post-pandemic mental health. Sponsor: Mental Note Podcast is a creation of Eating Recovery Center and Pathlight mood and Anxiety Center. Reach a trained therapist at (877) 850-7199 Register for their online annual conference: www.pathlightbh.com/event/pbh-conference Resources: Website: www.zachrawlings.com

Have you ever felt the need to hide your true self? Shame, fear, and self-hatred are powerful forces, and breaking free from them is worthy of the grandest party you can imagine. In celebration of pride month and the joy of self-expression, we’re sitting down with choreographer and recovery advocate Ryan Walker Page to share his story of coming out, shedding shame, and finding recovery. Along the way, Ryan invites us to reconsider the parts of ourselves we are the most ashamed to reveal. In fact, he counts those "imperfections" as the precious source of wisdom that catapulted his successful career into working with people like Lil Nas X, Renee Zellweger, Samuel L Jackson, and many many more. In Ryan’s world, coming out isn’t just a singular event, but a beautiful lifelong unfolding. Sponsor: Mental Note Podcast is a creation of Eating Recovery Center and Pathlight mood and Anxiety Center. Reach a trained therapist at (877) 850-7199 Register for their online annual conference: www.pathlightbh.com/event/pbh-co

Jen Ponton possesses seemingly boundless energy:  Most known as the fiercely feminist fat activist 'Rubi' on AMC's critical darling Dietland, she is an award-winning actress and body liberation activist. With a television resume that includes 30 Rock, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Orange is the New Black, Law and Order: SVU, The Blacklist, and Blue Bloods, she also starred in the late Ash Christian's body-positive romantic comedy, Love On the Run. In 2020, she delivered the TEDx Talk "Hollywood's Fatphobia Problem." She also hosts All the Fucks, a storytelling podcast about caring too much. On top of all that - she's simply wonderful to spend time with. With quick wit and relatable storytelling, she has the rare ability to communicate hard truths while also not taking herself too seriously. She sits down with host Ellie Pike to discuss Fatphobia, activism, Hollywood, and practical ways to push back against the marginalization of fat people.  Links: www.jenponton.com www.mentalnotepodcast.com __________________

It’s no secret that a lot of us are uncomfortable with the shape and size of our bodies -thanks in no small part to the $72 billion dollar a year weight loss industry devoted to the thin ideal. Even most health care providers will ask patients to drop weight if their BMI is above "average." But why? The Health at Every Size movement - HAES for short - invites us to reconsider our obsession with weight and instead focus on health behaviors. HAES principles seek to advance social justice, create an inclusive and respectful community, and support people of all sizes in finding compassionate ways to take care of themselves. But what do those principles look like in daily life?  To cut through a lot of the misinformation out there, we’ve invited Meredith Nisbet, L.M.F.T., C.E.D.S. to answer some of our most common questions when it comes to body size. HAES Resources: HAES Website Database of HAES aligned businesses and medical providers Social Media Accounts: @thenutritiontea @bodyimagewithbri @colleenmwerner @t

In our last episode, Dr. Charlynn Small and Dr. Mazella Fuller took us through some of the history and impact of the mental health profession’s relationship with the black community. While that episode helped set the context for today’s conversation, you can also listen to this episode as a stand-alone podcast. Today is all about exploring practical tools for becoming more inclusive and equitable in supporting mental health. We hope it gives you some ideas for growth! Sources: mentalnotepodcast.com Dr. Mazella Fuller Bio Dr. Charlynn Small Bio Treating Black Women With Eating Disorders: A Clinician’s Guide Treatment Assessment Hotline: (877) 850-7199

How does the history of race impact your mental health? To get a better idea, we’re spending the next two episodes with Dr. Mazella Fuller and Dr. Charlynn Small - two leading thinkers on Black mental health. Today’s show is all about the history and definitions of Black mental health. Part 2 will focus on how to make change happen - whether you’re part of the Black community or not. It will feature practical tools to evolve the mental health community by making it more equitable and inclusive. Sources: mentalnotepodcast.com Dr. Mazella Fuller Bio Dr. Charlynn Small Bio Treating Black Women With Eating Disorders: A Clinician’s Guide Historical Sources “Historical Attitudes on Black Mental Health” Virtual Presentation for Virginia’s Department of Behavioral Health & Developmental Services (DBHDS) Karen Sherry, Ph.D. Curator of Museum Collections, Virginia Museum of History & Culture (VMHC) ksherry@virginiahistory.org

Rachael Steil formed an early and joyful bond with running - she loved the movement, competition, and exhilaration it gave her. Yet, within a decade, her drive for perfection demolished that love and replaced it with isolation, an eating disorder, anxiety, and health issues.  Now - as a running coach, author, and speaker - Rachael runs towards being an "imperfectionist". This new practice has transformed her relationship with both herself and the up-and-coming athletes she now coaches. 

Before Colorado Public Radio's Vic Vela launched his own podcast about overcoming adversity, he faced a crippling substance use disorder that threatened to end his career, relationships, and even his own life.   But Vic found a way out and he's here to walk us through the journey. We are also joined by clinician Leah Young to show us how finding recovery is attainable for anyone open to professional help.  _______ To find more Mental Note Podcast episodes, visit our website: mentalnotepodcast.com Vic's Back From Broken Podcast can be found here. Our show is sponsored by Eating Recovery Center and Pathlight Mood and Anxiety Center. To receive a free assessment from a trained therapist, call 877-411-9578.