Inside Mental Health

The Me2/Orchestra was co-founded and is conducted by Juilliard graduate Ronald Braunstein, who lives with bipolar disorder. His orchestra is featured in the new documentary, “Orchestrating Change,” that tells the inspiring story of the only orchestra in the world created by and for people living with mental illness, and those who support them. The mission of Me2/ is to erase mental health stigma one concert at a time and create an environment where acceptance and understanding are both an expectation and a priority. Listen as our guest shares how being shunned from conducting for disclosing his mental illness led him to finding a new path forward. The learn more or read the transcript, visit the official episode page here. Guest BioRonald Braunstein, music director of Me2/, received his musical background at The Juilliard School, Salzburg Mozarteum, Fontainbleau, and the Tanglewood Music Center. Immediately following graduation from Juilliard, he won the Gold Medal in the Herbert von Karajan International Conducting Competition and spent the following 4 years mentoring with Mr. Karajan. He’s conducted the San Francisco Symphony, Berlin Philharmonic, Stuttgart Radio Orchestra, Swiss Radio Orchestra, Israel Sinfonietta, Auckland Philharmonia, Kyoto Symphony, Osaka Symphony, Tokyo Symphony, the Residentie Orchestra of The Hague, and the Oslo Philharmonic. Braunstein was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 1985. He launched Me2/ because of his desire to support others who struggle to maintain good mental health. (www.ronaldbraunstein.com)About the Inside Mental Health Podcast HostGabe Howard lives with bipolar disorder and is a nationally recognized speaker and podcast host. He is the author of the book, “Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations”, available from Amazon; signed copies available directly from the author. To learn more about Gabe, please visit gabehoward.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After 25 years, Psych Central has received a makeover. Some things are the same, some are new, and some are different. Now that Psych Central’s founder, Dr. John Grohol, has retired from running the website, for the first time in our history, we have a new Editor in Chief. Join us for today’s show as we learn about the new Psych Central and meet our newly minted — and super cool — Editor in Chief, Faye McCray. Listen Now!To learn more, visit the official podcast episode page here.Guest information Faye McCray is the Editor in Chief of Psych Central, and she is passionate about healing and mental health awareness. She is also a published author and essayist whose work has been featured in many popular publications. Faye is a former health lawyer with degrees from Binghamton University and Howard University School of Law. Faye resides in the DC metro area with her husband and three sons. You can find Faye on Twitter @fayewrites, IG @heyfayemccray, and Facebook at facebook.com/fayewrites.About the Inside Mental Health Podcast HostGabe Howard lives with bipolar disorder and is a nationally recognized speaker and podcast host. He is the author of the book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies available directly from the author. To learn more about Gabe, please visit gabehoward.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do families and friends of an atheist or nonbeliever mourn their passing when the majority of our traditions are religion-based? Additionally, can someone build a community without religion — and is it even important to do so?Today’s guest is a “non-theist chaplain.” Join us as we find out what that means as he explains that atheism and ritual are not mutually exclusive. Listen Now!View the transcript and official episode page here. Guest InformationD.S. Moss is a recently endorsed Chaplain of the Humanist Society. He has spent the past 6 years in pursuit of making meaning of life in service of others and grasping a deeper understanding of mortality. Through the exploration of rituals, ceremonies, and philosophies, Moss formed a practice that offers spiritual support to those without faith in a god. Moss has shared this journey in the form of a podcast series called “The Adventures of Memento Mori (A Cynic’s Guide for Learning to Live by Remembering to Die).”About the Inside Mental Health Podcast HostGabe Howard lives with bipolar disorder and is a nationally recognized speaker and podcast host. He is the author of the book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies available directly from the author. To learn more about Gabe, please visit gabehoward.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most people believe that forensic science is an exact science that can always find the right perpetrator. But is that actually true? Today’s expert explains the reality behind fingerprint analysis, DNA, and other forensic sciences.Professor Brandon L. Garrett shares how a variety of cognitive biases and our basic psychology can cause crime labs to make devastating errors that destroy lives. Not only can innocent people be falsely imprisoned, but the guilty can go free and possibly commit future crimes.For a transcript or to learn more, please visit the official episode page here. About the Guest Brandon L. Garrett is the L. Neil Williams Professor of Law at Duke University School of Law where he directs the Wilson Center for Science and Justice. His most recent book is “Autopsy of a Crime Lab: Exposing the Flaws in Forensics,” available from University of California Press. His previous books include “Convicting the Innocent: Where Criminal Prosecutions Go Wrong,” “Too Big to Jail: How Prosecutors Compromise with Corporations,” and “End of Its Rope: How Killing the Death Penalty Can Revive Criminal Justice.”About the Inside Mental Health Podcast HostGabe Howard lives with bipolar disorder and is a nationally recognized speaker and podcast host. He’s the author of the book, “Mental Illness Is an Asshole and Other Observations,” available from Amazon; signed copies available directly from the author. To learn more about Gabe, please visit gabehoward.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At last count, there were over 300 mental health-related apps in the app stores. With this many, how do you choose? How do they differ from each other, and do they actually help? Most importantly, how do we know which ones are safe? On today’s episode, we discuss mental health apps with clinical psychologist, Dr. Nathaan Demers, and digital health marketer, Joe Conrad, who created the mental health app Nod. Together, they explain what it takes to make an effective mental health app and how consumers can protect themselves.Listen now!Guest Information for 'Mental Health Apps' Podcast EpisodeDr. Nathaan Demers is passionate about people. This passion has led him to an enriching career as a clinical psychologist, filled with a number of twists and turns working across a variety of settings. Nathaan is an active traveler and athlete — these aspects of his life have inspired him to think beyond the traditional confines of mental healthcare. He strives to find innovative ways to expand the reach of mental health services to improve the lives of others. While Nathaan is fascinated by all areas of psychology, his passion lies within the positive psychology movement working specifically in preventive behavioral health.Joe Conrad is a creative entrepreneur and digital health pioneer. Since 1990, Joe has led the charge at Cactus, a purpose-driven branding and creative agency with the mission of creating sharp ideas for brands and causes that help people thrive. Joe and his team are the creators of Man Therapy, an innovative and award-winning campaign that uses humor to engage working-age men with an immersive, entertaining, digital experience where therapy actually happens. He’s also the founder and CEO at Grit Digital Health –– a team of specialists in behavioral health, wellness, technology, and marketing. In 2016, Grit Digital Health launched YOU at College, a personal and customized well-being portal that helps students navigate life and campus. And this year the team at Grit is launching Nod, an app that combats loneliness by helping college students build more meaningful relationships. Learn more about Nod at heynod.com.About the Inside Mental Health Podcast HostGabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from the author.To learn more about Gabe, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you’re an introvert, can you become a leader? Are quiet people capable of leading at all or is a loud, charismatic personality a requirement of leadership? The author of “Quietly Powerful: How Your Quiet Nature Is Your Hidden Leadership Strength,” Megumi Miki, answers these questions and tells us more about introversion and extroversion. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Many people have heard the phrase “inner child,” but what does that really mean? Today’s guest explains how she has reinterpreted the inner child archetype for the modern reader — delving into how metaphors of the sun child, shadow child, and inner adult will help you improve your life and relationships. Stefanie Stahl is a national board certified psychologist, bestselling author, and one of the most well-known psychotherapists in her home country of Germany. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, life coach Mike Bayer from the Dr. Phil show shares his philosophy on how to live authentically. Can one decision really be the key to a better life? What does living authentically even mean? Coach Mike shares exercises from his new book that he’s used with Dr. Phil, J.Lo, and other celebs. Coach Mike’s first book “Best Self” was a runaway success, hitting the New York Times Bestseller list. His newest book is “ONE DECISION: The First Step to a Better Life.” Listen Now Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When it comes to adoption, our understanding of the mental health needs of those involved seems to take a backseat. Concepts such as abandonment and trust issues, as well as acknowledging trauma, often remain unaddressed. Listen as our guest experts, Debbie B. Riley, LCMFT (Center for Adoption Support and Education) and Rita Soronen (Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption) help us understand mental health needs for children and adults who have been adopted or are currently in foster care. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Police officers are much more likely to die by suicide than they are to be killed in the line of duty. While society works hard to prevent law enforcement fatalities, mental health and suicide often remain overlooked. Constable James Jefferson, a 13-year law enforcement veteran, shares his story of being involved in a fatal shooting and how that experience led him to have untreated PTSD for years. Learn how he believes law enforcement could better protect him and his fellow officers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices