
Going There with Dr. Mike
Sound Mind Live and Consequence of Sound present Going There. Hosted by licensed clinical psychologist Dr. Mike, the weekly series aims to create a safe space for musicians to have honest, healthy conversations about mental health. Each episode covers the experience of artists and creatives as it pertains to specific issues, be it depression, anxiety, addiction, whatever they bring to the table. In the end, the goal is to de-stigmatize these topics and learn from each other. So, join us at the crossroads where music and mental health meet.
Latest episodes

Jul 1, 2025 • 56min
Jordan Miller of The Beaches: From "Last Girls At The Party" to Confronting Anxiety
Singer-songwriter and frontperson of The Beaches, Jordan Miller, joins host Dr. Mike Friedman on Going There with Dr. Mike to explore the often-overlooked but significant mental health challenge of boredom. Dr. Mike welcomes Jordan to discuss her personal journey with the highs and lows of being a professional musician, where intense moments on stage are contrasted with long, isolating periods of waiting. The conversation centers on how this boredom can become a gateway to anxiety, depression, and unhealthy coping mechanisms. The Beaches' album, No Hard Feelings, provides a raw and honest backdrop to the discussion, which delves into how we can manage difficult emotions when the glamour of life fades away.The conversation delves into Jordan’s candid experience with navigating her own mental health, from using alcohol and seeking "chaotic" experiences to combat feelings of emptiness, to the struggle of balancing a "bad girl" rockstar persona with a healthy, stable life. Jordan openly shares the specifics of her anxiety, including her unique coping strategies, and the process of learning to validate her feelings without letting them spiral. The episode explores the fine line between fun and self-destruction, the cathartic power of songwriting after a devastating heartbreak, and the universal challenge of finding healthy ways to manage the quiet, difficult moments in our lives.Listen to Jordan Miller of The Beaches talk with Dr. Mike about boredom, anxiety, and more. Then, make sure to follow Going There with Dr. Mike via your favorite podcast provider to hear all the new episodes from Season 5. You can also follow the Consequence Podcast Network for updates on all our shows.Season 6 of Going There with Dr. Mike is brought to you by Johnson & Johnson who believes that health is everything. Their strength in healthcare innovation empowers them to build a world where complex diseases are prevented, treated, and cured, where treatments are smarter and less invasive, and solutions are personal. Through their expertise in Innovative Medicine and MedTech, they are uniquely positioned to innovate across the full spectrum of healthcare solutions today to deliver the breakthroughs of tomorrow, and profoundly impact health for humanity. Learn more at www.jnj.com, on the JanssenUS and JNJInnovMed on X.If you are struggling or thinking about harming yourself, please seek help by contacting the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988. For help with substance abuse and mental health, please call the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357.

Jun 24, 2025 • 57min
Mindful Rewind: Killswitch Engage's Jesse Leach
On this archival episode of Going There with Dr. Mike, Dr. Mike revists a talk with Singer Jesse Leach of Killswitch Engage to discuss his struggle with anxiety and depression.Also a member of Times of Grace, the musician explains that while he faces depression, anxiety is the “beast” with which he most struggles. Despite years of success, Leach says he often experiences “impostor syndrome,” which both contributes to and worsens his anxiety.The “Far from Heavenless” singer talks about how he sees building his mental health as an ongoing process, and how he's put in so much time and effort that he can no say, "OK, I can do this. This does get better.” And for many of us, just being able to hang on for a bit longer, working at our mental health just a little more, will give us that opportunity to get to the other side and feel like we can do this. We can live, we can cope, we can feel better.This episode kicks off National Suicide Prevention Week. Sound Mind’s partners at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention also have a number of events throughout the week aimed at helping you start the conversation about mental health. So check out #RealConvo to follow those events and discussions. And for more information and resources, head to AFSP's National Suicide Prevention Week website.Listen to them chat about all of this and more in the new episode of Going There with Dr. Mike. Then make sure to like, review, and subscribe to the show, presented by the Consequence Podcast Network and Sound Mind Live, wherever you get your podcasts.Season 6 of Going There with Dr. Mike is brought to you by Johnson & Johnson who believes that health is everything. Their strength in healthcare innovation empowers them to build a world where complex diseases are prevented, treated, and cured, where treatments are smarter and less invasive, and solutions are personal. Through their expertise in Innovative Medicine and MedTech, they are uniquely positioned to innovate across the full spectrum of healthcare solutions today to deliver the breakthroughs of tomorrow, and profoundly impact health for humanity. Learn more at www.jnj.com, on the JanssenUS and JNJInnovMed on X.Read less

Jun 17, 2025 • 1h 1min
Bishop Briggs on Grief, Loss, and Finding a New Normal
Singer-songwriter Bishop Briggs joins host Dr. Mike Friedman on Going There with Dr. Mike to explore the profound and transformative nature of grief. Dr. Mike welcomes Bishop to discuss her personal journey following the loss of her sister, Kate, to ovarian cancer in 2021. The conversation centers on the societal pressure to “return to normal” after a life-altering event and challenges the idea that healing is a linear process. Bishop’s album, Tell My Therapist I’m Fine, provides a raw and honest backdrop to the discussion, which delves into how we can cope with unimaginable loss and find a new way to live when everything has changed.The conversation delves into Bishop’s path through the isolating nuances of mourning, from feeling disconnected and numb to the complex process of finding meaning without resorting to toxic positivity. Bishop openly shares her experience with suicidal ideation and the pivotal conversation that helped pull her from the depths, as well as her decision to start a low-dose antidepressant to help her through the darkest moments. She also introduces the powerful analogy of grief as “glitter”—something that never truly goes away but remains a part of you forever. The episode explores the unique parallels between the pressures of performing on stage and the emotional labor of performing “normalcy” for others while navigating intense personal pain.Listen to Bishop Briggs talk with Dr. Mike about grief, mental health, and more. Then, make sure to follow Going There with Dr. Mike via your favorite podcast provider to hear all the new episodes from Season 5. You can also follow the Consequence Podcast Network for updates on all our shows.Season 6 of Going There with Dr. Mike is brought to you by Johnson & Johnson who believes that health is everything. Their strength in healthcare innovation empowers them to build a world where complex diseases are prevented, treated, and cured, where treatments are smarter and less invasive, and solutions are personal. Through their expertise in Innovative Medicine and MedTech, they are uniquely positioned to innovate across the full spectrum of healthcare solutions today to deliver the breakthroughs of tomorrow, and profoundly impact health for humanity. Learn more at www.jnj.com, on the JanssenUS and JNJInnovMed on X.If you are struggling or thinking about harming yourself, please seek help by contacting the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988. For help with substance abuse and mental health, please call the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357.

Jun 10, 2025 • 41min
Mindful Rewind: Gerard Way, Julien Baker, and DeathbyRomy (Live at Unwound and Unplugged)
On this archival episode of Going There with Dr. Mike, Dr. Mike revists a panel that featured Gerard Way of My Chemical Romance, Julien Baker, and DeathbyRomy, who shared stories of their own mental health battles, dealing with isolation, and how meaningful social connections are more important than ever during the pandemic. Listen to them chat about all of this and more in the new episode of Going There with Dr. Mike. Then make sure to like, review, and subscribe to the show, presented by the Consequence Podcast Network and Sound Mind Live, wherever you get your podcasts.Season 6 of Going There with Dr. Mike is brought to you by Johnson & Johnson who believes that health is everything. Their strength in healthcare innovation empowers them to build a world where complex diseases are prevented, treated, and cured, where treatments are smarter and less invasive, and solutions are personal. Through their expertise in Innovative Medicine and MedTech, they are uniquely positioned to innovate across the full spectrum of healthcare solutions today to deliver the breakthroughs of tomorrow, and profoundly impact health for humanity. Learn more at www.jnj.com, on the JanssenUS and JNJInnovMed on X.

Jun 3, 2025 • 34min
ROSIE on Sensitivity, Songwriting, and Finding Strength in a "Big Heart" (Live at Sound Mind Festival)
Singer-songwriter ROSIE and Maddie Friedman of Backline join host Dr. Mike Friedman on Going There with Dr. Mikefor its first-ever live episode, recorded at the Sound Mind Mental Health Music Festival, to explore the often-misunderstood concept of sensitivity. Dr. Mike welcomes ROSIE to discuss her personal and musical journey with sensitivity, from it feeling like a childhood burden to becoming a "superpower" in her songwriting, and how this theme resonates in her song "Big Heart" from the album What Scares Me The Most. This special episode, kicking off Season 6, delves into reframing sensitivity as a vital tool for self-understanding and connection, with ROSIE also having a new single, "Mr. Blue Jeans," available for listeners to check out.The conversation delves into ROSIE's path of using songwriting as an outlet for her mental health struggles since age 12, her experiences with being labeled "too sensitive," and her realization that even "bad days" and seemingly "empty memories" can offer profound lessons. ROSIE also openly shares her journey through therapy, including finding effective help for PTSD with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and exposure therapy. Maddie Friedman from Backline enriches the discussion by highlighting the unique mental health stressors faced by music industry professionals and how Backline provides crucial resources and support to help "turn the volume down" on these pressures.Listen to ROSIE and Maddie Friedman talk with Dr. Mike about sensitivity, mental health in the music industry, and more. Then, make sure to follow Going There with Dr. Mike via your favorite podcast provider to hear all the new episodes from Season 5. You can also follow the Consequence Podcast Network for updates on all our shows.Season 6 of Going There with Dr. Mike is brought to you by Johnson & Johnson who believes that health is everything. Their strength in healthcare innovation empowers them to build a world where complex diseases are prevented, treated, and cured, where treatments are smarter and less invasive, and solutions are personal. Through their expertise in Innovative Medicine and MedTech, they are uniquely positioned to innovate across the full spectrum of healthcare solutions today to deliver the breakthroughs of tomorrow, and profoundly impact health for humanity. Learn more at www.jnj.com, on the JanssenUS and JNJInnovMed on X.

May 27, 2025 • 42min
Mindful Rewind: Kenzie
On this archival episode of Going There with Dr. Mike, singer and actor Mackenzie Ziegler, otherwise known as Kenzie, opens up about her personal mental health journey. Listen to Kenzie talk about the importance of managing relationships and the trap of people-pleasing.Kenzie dives into how growing up in the spotlight ultimately informed the ways she began to understand her mental health. The artist discusses putting such experiences and emotions into her art before dissecting behavioral patterns she's recognized in herself she believes inhibits self-care, like overly people-pleasing.In particular, she reveals how addressing her strained relationship with her father in therapy led to Kenzie writing the song "anatomy."Listen to Kenzie chat about all of this and more in the new episode of Going There with Dr. Mike. Then make sure to like, review, and subscribe to the show, presented by the Consequence Podcast Network and Sound Mind Live, wherever you get your podcasts.Season 6 of Going There with Dr. Mike is brought to you by Johnson & Johnson who believes that health is everything. Their strength in healthcare innovation empowers them to build a world where complex diseases are prevented, treated, and cured, where treatments are smarter and less invasive, and solutions are personal. Through their expertise in Innovative Medicine and MedTech, they are uniquely positioned to innovate across the full spectrum of healthcare solutions today to deliver the breakthroughs of tomorrow, and profoundly impact health for humanity. Learn more at www.jnj.com, on the JanssenUS and JNJInnovMed on X.

May 20, 2025 • 57min
The Head and The Heart on Addiction, Band Chemistry, and Welcoming Energy
Charity Rose Thielen and Kenny Hensley of The Head and The Heart join Going There with Dr. Mike as Consequence Podcast Network and Sound Mind Live kick off Season 6. The artists – known for hit singles like "Rivers and Roads," "Another Story," and "Lost in My Mind," and their new album Aperture featuring the single "Time With My Sins" – dive deep into the complex relationship between creative collaboration, the music industry, and mental health.Speaking with Dr. Mike, Charity and Kenny explore their personal and collective journeys, including the supportive "welcoming energy" of the Seattle music scene that fostered their start, the delicate chemistry within a band, and the intense pressures of touring. They discuss former member Josiah Johnson's struggle with addiction and Kenny shares his own battle with addiction to alcohol and prescription medication, detailing his path to recovery and the importance of being open to the changing function of coping mechanisms. They share coping strategies such as group therapy for the band, finding new hobbies and creative outlets outside of their primary musical work, and turning to different forms of music (classical, film scores, nostalgic songs) for comfort and catharsis.Listen to Yungblud talk about his mental health journey, and make sure you like, review, and subscribe to Going There with Dr. Mike via your favorite podcast provider to hear all the new episodes from Season 5. You can also follow the Consequence Podcast Network for updates on all our shows.Season 6 of Going There with Dr. Mike is brought to you by Johnson & Johnson who believes that health is everything. Their strength in healthcare innovation empowers them to build a world where complex diseases are prevented, treated, and cured, where treatments are smarter and less invasive, and solutions are personal. Through their expertise in Innovative Medicine and MedTech, they are uniquely positioned to innovate across the full spectrum of healthcare solutions today to deliver the breakthroughs of tomorrow, and profoundly impact health for humanity. Learn more at www.jnj.com, on the JanssenUS and JNJInnovMed on X.

May 13, 2025 • 59min
Mindful Rewind: YUNGBLUD
Going There with Dr. Mike from Consequence Podcast Network and Sound Mind Live returns May 20th! But, before that, we are dropping an archival episode to revisit one of our favorite conversations with Yungblud.Going There's return perfectly coincides with Sound Mind Live's 7th Annual Music Festival for Mental Health on Sunday, May 18th! This free Brooklyn street festival celebrates Mental Health Awareness Month, and this year, we'll feature a live taping of Going There with ROSIE and additional artists! Don't miss out – snag your free tickets now at Sound Mind Live's website.Find out more at the Sound Mind Live website. Those in need of mental health assistance can check out the Sound Mind Live resources page for a list of helplines, community programs, therapy links, and more. On this archival episode, Yungblud joins Going There with Dr. Mike to help Consequence Podcast Network and Sound Mind Live kicking off Season 5. The artists aka Dominic Richard Harrison - known for hit singles like "Parents," "Lowlife," and "The Funeral" - dives deep into the complex relationship between identity and mental health.Speaking with Dr. Mike, Yungblud explores his personal struggles with depression, anxiety, and insomnia, and how he approaches his mental health in a way that allows him to feel better while staying true to himself. He shares coping mechanisms like creative expression, exercise, focused breathing, and reaching out for social support. The episode emphasizes the ongoing journey of finding a balance between feeling better and staying connected to your core identity.Listen to Yungblud talk about his mental health journey, and make sure you like, review, and subscribe to Going There with Dr. Mike via your favorite podcast provider to hear all the new episodes from Season 5. You can also follow the Consequence Podcast Network for updates on all our shows.Season 6 of Going There with Dr. Mike is brought to you by Johnson & Johnson who believes that health is everything. Their strength in healthcare innovation empowers them to build a world where complex diseases are prevented, treated, and cured, where treatments are smarter and less invasive, and solutions are personal. Through their expertise in Innovative Medicine and MedTech, they are uniquely positioned to innovate across the full spectrum of healthcare solutions today to deliver the breakthroughs of tomorrow, and profoundly impact health for humanity. Learn more at www.jnj.com, on the JanssenUS and JNJInnovMed on X.

May 12, 2025 • 1min
Going There with Dr. Mike is Back for an All-New Season 6!
Just in time for Mental Health Awareness Month, the acclaimed podcast Going There with Dr. Mike from Consequence Podcast Network and Sound Mind Live returns for its much-anticipated sixth season!Kicking off May 20th, Season 6 of Going There finds licensed clinical psychologist Dr. Mike Friedman as he once again goes there with an incredible lineup of musicians, bravely sharing their stories so we can move the mental health conversation forward. Early guests including The Head and The Heart, Bishop Briggs, ROSIE, and The Beaches, and more fostering profound connections and offering relatable hope to listeners navigating their own mental health.Going There's return perfectly coincides with Sound Mind Live's 7th Annual Music Festival for Mental Health on Sunday, May 18th! Taking place at Brooklyn Paramount in Brooklyn, NY, the festival will be headlined by BØRNS, American Authors, and Milck, with Jordan Carlos serving as emcee and a special immersive experience with Gaia Music Collection. Plus, this year will see the first-ever live taping of Going There, as ROSIE will join Dr. Mike live on stage! Don't miss out – snag tickets by making a donation at Sound Mind Live's website and use code SOUNDMINDFRIENDS for $10 off!For Season 6, we're continuing our weekly release schedule, meaning Dr. Mike and his guests will be with listeners for even more of the year. Stay tuned as more guests are announced for upcoming episodes and for our bi-weekly Mindful Rewind archival episodes. Make sure to subscribe to Going There with Dr. Mike wherever you get your podcasts to stay up-to-date on all the latest conversations. Find out more at the Sound Mind Live website. Those in need of mental health assistance can check out the Sound Mind Live resources page for a list of helplines, community programs, therapy links, and more. Season 6 of Going There with Dr. Mike is brought to you by Johnson & Johnson who believes that health is everything. Their strength in healthcare innovation empowers them to build a world where complex diseases are prevented, treated, and cured, where treatments are smarter and less invasive, and solutions are personal. Through their expertise in Innovative Medicine and MedTech, they are uniquely positioned to innovate across the full spectrum of healthcare solutions today to deliver the breakthroughs of tomorrow, and profoundly impact health for humanity. Learn more at www.jnj.com, on the JanssenUS and JNJInnovMed on X.

Sep 3, 2024 • 1h 16min
Mindful Rewind: Shamir on Living with Bipolar Disorder
On this archival and finale episode of the Going There podcast, Shamir joins Dr. Mike Friedman on the series premiere of Going There to discuss his journey living and coping with bipolar disorder. The Las Vegas artist digresses on how bipolar often feels like he's trapped in his moods, thoughts, and behaviorisms, likening the condition to a method actor who can’t get out of character.The Accidental Popstar Records founder and owner shares how being limited creatively triggered an episode of depression and revisits a manic episode so intense that he needed to be hospitalized. Later in the discussion, Shamir explains how he copes on a daily basis by surrounding himself with the utmost supportive people.Listen to Shamir talk about all of this, and make sure to like, review, and subscribe to the show, presented by the Consequence Podcast Network and Sound Mind Live, wherever you get your podcasts.Season 5 of Going There with Dr. Mike is brought to you by Johnson & Johnson who believes that health is everything. Their strength in healthcare innovation empowers them to build a world where complex diseases are prevented, treated, and cured, where treatments are smarter and less invasive, and solutions are personal. Through their expertise in Innovative Medicine and MedTech, they are uniquely positioned to innovate across the full spectrum of healthcare solutions today to deliver the breakthroughs of tomorrow, and profoundly impact health for humanity. Learn more at www.jnj.com @JanssenUS and @JNJInnovMed on Twitter.This season is also brought to you by AbbVie, who is driving the pursuit of better mental health. Over the last 30 years, AbbVie’s scientists and clinicians have worked to tackle the complexity of mental illness and today offer a portfolio of medicines and a pipeline of innovation that spans depression, anxiety, bipolar 1 disorder, and schizophrenia. To learn more about AbbVie’s work to support individuals throughout their mental health journey, please visit www.AbbVie.com or follow at AbbVie on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.