The Broken Brain

WARNING: This episode contains a true story of child abuse, murder, and suicide, told by a member of the family within which it happened. Please listen with caution and awareness of your own mental health needs. Brianna Benjamin is no stranger to The Broken Brain Podcast. Bri & Chris Revill frequently help out with live events, guest on episodes, and are my behind-the-scenes partners in all things podcasting. More than that Bri is a great friend and a strong mental health advocate. This episode is an honor for me to record, and for you to hear. Bri has never told this story publicly, and today she offers us her vulnerability and courage to tell us the tragic story of the death of her siblings. Bri grew up in an abusive home. During her childhood her brother murdered their sister and then killed himself. Bri shared the details and events of that time, about life immediately afterwards, and of her mental health and trauma recovery work. Listen to hear how she survived and built the wonderful life and family that she has today. She is a true example of hope and courage.

This week's quick mental health tip is all about the word normal, a tricky word to say, to ourselves and others, due to its tricky set of definitions. A look into the power of terminology on our psychological health.

A sample of this week's Patrons-Only feature, looking at the psychology of humor and jokes, and also the history of why Slipping on a Banana Peel is so super funny...or once was?

Jason Shier is a Psychotherapist who specializes in somatic technique and internal emotional processes. He uses individually focused treatment, moving away from pathology or problem-based healthcare. Join us for our discussion of inner healing, modern therapy, and the pros and cons of diagnostic labels and programmatic approaches. The Charity of Focus this month is Munchausen Syndrome, a nonprofit focused on education of medical child abuse. 1/2 of your donation will go to this organization each month if you join Patreon within July, and will continue as long as you are a supporter of the show. You can also go to www.munchausensyndrome.com to learn more or donate directly.

The Monday Mental Tip this week is focused on the use of gratitude to improve relationships and psychological health.

Writing a Trauma Narrative is an important part of Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. It is also something that is not a part of many modern trauma therapies. When did the Trauma Narrative become a thing, and why is it considered by some to be old-fashioned? What are the pros and cons of writing a narrative, or CBT for Trauma? Learn the answers to these questions on this month's Thursday Thistory, available to all, and get weekly dives into history by subscribing to the Broken Brain's Patreon feed, at www.patreon.com/brokenbrain

Medical Child Abuse is defined as a caregiver purposefully making falsified or exaggerated claims of symptoms in their child, resulting in harmful or inappropriate medical treatment. Often referred to as Munchausen By Proxy Syndrome, this abuse is underreported and extremely dangerous to the child. Andrea Dunlop is the host of the podcast "Nobody Should Believe Me," where she profiles cases of Medical Child Abuse and shares information about the effects of this terrible problem. She is also the co-founder of Munchausen Support (www.munchausensupport.com)a nonprofit organization providing education & support to those dealing with this complicated issue. She joins the program today to share the experiences and insights she has gained through this work. Please plan to view or Join The Broken Brain's third annual Live Stream for Opioid Overdose Awareness & Addiction, streaming on August 29th. Go to www.dwighthurst.com/live for more information about how you can view or join the event.

Monday Mental Tip: Standing up for things we believe in is a form of self-care!

Albert Ellis was a pioneer in the field of therapy, genius, and frankly kind of a weirdo. His techniques live on in modern therapy, mostly in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, even though his philosophy was considered somewhat of an alternative approach to CBT when he developed them. He was also a blunt, direct, often abrasive man who struggled interpersonally throughout his life. This is the first 5 minutes of this week's dive into mental health available to Show patrons. Check out www.patreon.com/brokenbrain to join up and gain access to bonus materials. AND check out www.outnebraska.org, this month's charity of focus, to help support Queer individuals living in Nebraska.

Andy Hogan is an Author, Counselor, Advocate, and Musician specializing in Bipolar Disorder. He recently released a musical album related to his most recent book "Love For Mental Illness: How To REACH, Help, and Heal." As 2 guys with Bipolar Disorder, Andy and I had a good time talking about his approach and his music to break down this serious health condition. This month The Broken Brain is highlighting the charity www.OutNebraska.org, a Nebraska based charity that educates and advocates for Queer individuals in their state.