Mental Note

Kim Offner grew up with a best friend under the same roof — her sister Kristy. The two remained close all the way up into early adulthood when their dynamic took a tragic and confusing shift. Kristy fell into a losing battle with opioid addiction. Her family had no idea where to find the right help.  In today’s episode, we hear the often forgotten story of family members loving someone with substance use disorder. Kim shares about loss and healing, what she wishes she knew about addiction treatment at the time, and how she honors her sister today. Also featuring Linda Lewaniak, Licensed Clinical Social Worker & Certified Advanced Addictions and other Drug Counselor with over 25 years experience. Resources: SAMHSA - www.samhsa.gov Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting - https://bit.ly/3c82oOd Insight Behavioral Health Centers and Eating Recovery Center — (877) 411-9578 for a free consultation  Our website – mentalnotepodcast.com 

Overactive thoughts, cabin fever, and anxiety - oh my! What’s a brain to do when staying at home leaves it frazzled and freaked out? We speak with Ed Kizer - therapist, outdoors enthusiast, yogi, and expert napper - about taking the plunge and beginning a home meditation practice. Spoiler - no need to be a spiritual rockstar to begin. Mindfulness is for everyone! We’ll cover what meditation is, how to do it, and then we’ll practice! Visit our website for more info on Ed, free meditation resources, and past episodes: mentalnotepodcast.com Mental Note is sponsored by Eating Recovery Center and Insight Behavioral Health Centers For a free consultation with a professional therapist, please call 877-411-9578.

Suicide is something most folks just don’t bring up... Yet, the problem is palpable. Statistically, someone completes an attempt every 40 seconds. The good news is that suicide is 100% preventable and that you don't need to be a professional to help. You just need resources. And that brings us to the story of Jonny & Carl - two friends who joined forces to do everything in their power to combat suicide and destigmatize depression and mental health in their community. They teach us how being an agent of healing is easier than you think.  Resources:Hope For the Day: hftd.org Crisis Text Line: text “home” to 741 741 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: (800) 273-8255 mentalnotepodcast.com Eating Recovery Center: eatingrecoverycenter.com Insight Behavioral Health Centers: insightbhc.com Free Consultation with a Therapist: (877) 411-9578

Welcome to QuaranTimes - a special series by Mental Note Podcast about the big worlds we inhabit in our suddenly smaller daily lives. Each episode will give a new perspective on mental health, social distancing, and coping with isolation. Our first episode brings us to the digital stage of our favorite drag queen, Eric Dorsa aka Fonda Koxx. We discover the importance of expression even when the audience is invisible. Mental Note is brought to you by Eating Recovery Center and Insight Behavioral Health Centers. They are available during this unique time - see if treatment is right for you by calling 877-411-9578. mentalnotepodcast.com

Secrets are one of the heaviest burdens we will ever carry. And while their release can feel euphoric, it’s hard not to worry about the fallout from sharing what’s inside. Along our mental health journeys, secrets often play a sinister role in keeping us locked into shame. That’s why today’s storyteller, Frank Warren, launched the global sensation PostSecret. PostSecret offers an anonymous and artful platform to share the deepest hidden knowledge we all keep inside. It’s popularity is unrivaled and exists as the internet’s most visited advertisement-free blog. We can’t wait to share this conversation with you! Who knows? Maybe it will inspire you to share something you’ve been holding inside for far too long. mentalnotepodcast.com postsecret.com

Growing up gay, Christian, and the son of a church pastor in The South, author and podcast creator BT Harman knew how to suppress his own voice in order to fit in. Yet, at what costs? Anxiety, depression, and deep loneliness seemed to follow him at every turn.  We travel with BT as he mines the secret journals of his early life in order to share with the world the liberty of authenticity. His story is relevant to anyone from any background looking to declare freedom from shame and make this the year that they own their truth.  Mental Note Podcast is sponsored by Eating Recovery Center and Insight Behavioral Health Centers.
You can reach a trained therapist to see if treatment is right for you by calling 877-411-9578. Learn more about our storytellers, the music we use, and who we are at mentalnotepodcast.com. We’d also love it if you left us a review on iTunes! Follow BT and discover his amazing stories: btharman.com - Get to know more about B.T.’s life as a speaker, storyteller, and consultant. Catlick.com - B.T.’s latest podcast is a historical true crime saga set in Atlanta in the early 1900s. bluebabiespink.com - B.T.’s original blog/podcast which has been called “the Netflix of blogs” for it’s addictive nature. the54321.com - B.T.’s semi-weekly newsletter designed for kickass millennials.  Social Media: IG & Twitter - @bt_harman FB - facebook.com/bt.harman.writes  Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bt-harman/  

*Please note: When this podcast was recorded, Shay was referenced as a straight male. Since this recording, Shay courageously came out as a transwoman and uses she/her pronouns.* Treatment for mental health issues rarely receives the same level of community support that a more visible struggle, like major surgery, does. But our friend, Shay, is out to change that. A straight male who received treatment for anorexia, Shay experienced push back from some of his closest friends when he made the choice to seek professional help. Yet, his friends were eager to lend sympathy when he fractured an ankle... What gives!? We are all about shifting this conversation along with Shay and cannot wait for you to hear more of his story. ___________________ Learn more about our storytellers and past episodes at mentalnotepodcast.com To speak with a trained therapist about what you're going through, please call 877-411-9578. Mental Note is brought to you by Eating Recovery Center and Insight Behavioral Health Centers. It is Directed by Sam Pike, Edited by Josh Wright, and produced and hosted by Ellie Pike.  

Today’s episode features the trailblazing expert on difficult to treat cases of eating and mood disorders, Dr. Delia Aldridge. We’ll discuss your questions for her about why diets don’t work, how self-harm and eating disorders are connected, what treatment looks like, and the long term complications of restrictive eating - so please pass this along to anyone you know who will benefit from her knowledge! Learn more at mentalnotepodcast.com To speak with a trained therapist about what you're going through, please call 877-411-9578. Mental Note is brought to you by the Eating Recovery Center and Insight Behavioral Health Centers. It is produced by Sam Pike, Edited by Josh Wright and Sam Pike, and hosted by Ellie Pike.

Nicole had big plans from an early age – excel at school, take the Ivy League world by storm, and never stop exploring. But when an eating disorder prompted her to drop out of high school, she was left wondering if she'd ever dream again. Join Mental Note for our inaugural episode as we follow Nicole on a 10 year journey discovering recovery, entrepreneurship, travel, and healed relationships.  Hosted by Ellie Herman, Produced by Sam Pike, Sponsored by Eating Recovery Center and Insight Behavioral Health. Check out Nicole's work at nicolegriswold.com Music by Melodium, Podington Bear, and Jean-Luc Hefferman

Lindsey Hall feels like a giant, eight-year-long black hole devoured her late teens and 20's. Years that should have been spent figuring out who she was and what she cared about were erased by something called "Drunkorexia" - a nonmedical term for the fusion of alcoholism and anorexia. An accomplished writer and authentic voice for recovery, Lindsey brings us along on her journey of discovering how precious life truly is.  You can find Lindsey's work at ihaventshavedinsixweeks.com or on Instagram @lindseyhallwrites.  Our show is sponsored by Eating Recovery Center and Insight Behavioral Health Centers. For a free consultation, please reach out at 877-411-9578.