Beyond Well With Sheila Hamilton

John Harrison is the General Manager of WebMd Health Services, where he is instrumental in developing the company's vision to empower organizations and their populations to improve well-being. John has more than 25 years of strategic, client, and operational leadership. In this interview, John talks about the critical need for mental health screening, outreach, and education to be a part of every organization's well-being charter.

Dr. R. Pritham Raj is both an internist and a board-certified psychiatrist. In this interview, he talks about the scientific evidence behind transcranial magentic stimulation, or TMS, an FDA approved therapy that is helpful for people with treatment resistant depression. (TMS is covered by most insurance.)

Abby Greenberg and Maggie Saracheck (Abs and Mags) join Sheila in part two of a conversation about managing anxiety, the benefits and realities of medication management and why belonging to a growing community of people who openly live with panic disorders and anxiety helps in every aspect of life. 

Abbie Greenberg and Maggie Saracheck (Abs and Mags) met in college when they struggled with anxiety. Their bond and daily conversations about coping led to a lifelong friendship and a new book-- The Anxiety Sisters Survival Guide, part evidence-based journal, part heart-based memoir. Highly recommended.

Yuvi Zalkow is a writer, novelist, software developer and a man who deals with chronic pain through creativity, setting realistic goals, and loving his interior.  This conversation with Yuvi about his new book, 'I Only Cry With Emoticons" is a perfect release for Valentine's Day, since it is filled with my love for this brilliant Portland-based writer. 

Kimi Culp is a multi-media producer devoted to bringing original ideas and concepts to life online and onscreen. She is also a person who kept her diagnosis of bipolar disorder a secret to all but her closest friends and family. Kimi's experience as a producer for NBC, ABC, and The Oprah Winfrey Show provided the perfect context for a person working with hypomania--until the fast pace of news and storytelling began to extract an incalculable toll.  We talk with Culp about self-stigmatizing, shame, and how living openly with bipolar disorder has changed her perspective on herself and her potential. 

Steven Milanese takes us on an intimate path from addiction to how he eventually elevated his life as a supervisor of alcohol and drug treatment programs at Fora Health. How much does a person share about their past? What conditions are best for a person who wants to live in long-term recovery? From trauma to triumphing over drugs and alcohol, Milanese concludes our focus on #recovery during #DryJanuary. 

Mike Hovey ran a successful drug trade. He luxuriated in money, women, and status. He even made that profile work for him in prison, where he was at the top. Until it all came crashing down and Hovey had to go on a journey of self-exploration, mindfulness and meditation to recover. Every path to recovery is different. But Hovey is on a mission to help others see the benefits of an inner exploration.

Mariah Myton, Naomi Castor, and Connie McDowell share the heartbreaking and potent realities of loving someone with a substance abuse disorder. When one member of a family gets sick, the entire family unit tilts on its axis until that person is in recovery--and sometimes that recovery is not guaranteed. How do we accept our loved ones where they are, and at the same time draw healthy boundaries around our loved one's behaviors and actions. This episode is a must-listen for anyone who loves someone with alcoholism or addiction.

Many people are curious about what would happen if they stopped their drinking habit. Whether it's one glass of wine, or several cocktails a night, Dry January is gaining in popularity as people test the limits of their personal sobriety. What if you made the one biggest mistake of your life while under the influence? How do you rebuild a life without alcohol in a culture built around drinking? Angela Teuscher's story of drinking while parenting is riveting and serves as a cautionary tale for other parents.

There is no more powerful testimony as to the challenges and rewards of sober living than to hear from former addicts turned recovery champions. Monta Knudson describes the difference in the way he interacts with family and clients as he helps others navigate sobriety, and Kelly Stromberg became an Addictions Counselor Supervisor after getting the help she needed to live without substances. Raw, emotional, and uplifting, these interviews are aptly timed for Dry January, when many people are considering cutting back or quitting alcohol and drugs.

People in toxic relationships need help from friends, family, and professionals to commit to change. There is no AA or NA for this. Changing is a process and not simply a decision. In this interview, Dr. Izmirian and Goff discuss the warning signs of a toxic relationships and the important steps partners need to take to heal. (If you are being physically, verbally, or sexually abused in a relationship you need to exit it immediately and seek help.)

Dan Devaney and Taj Dashuan were both incredibly successful college athletes, Dan at the University of Oregon, and Taj at Stony Brook University. But when the rigor, concentration and training of sports went away for Dan and Taj, so did their will to live. Both men struggled with substance abuse and depression. Dan found himself seriously considering suicide.   Through an excruciating journey of self discovery and giving back, both men have found the ability to connect with other former athletes who are struggling with addiction and mental health problems. 

Emotionally Focused Therapy is based on clear, research-based conceptualizations of individual growth, health and dysfunction. It is particularly useful in couples therapy, and as Dr. Izmirian explains, allows clients to explore and change strategies and interventions in a supportive and respectful setting. ETF has been validated by over thirty years of empirical research.

Rabbi Brian Zachary Mayer grew up rational on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Asking the question why led him to rabbinical school. His love of humanity pushed him out of organized religion and to run Religion-Outside-The-Box, an internet-based congregation of 1,000’s. He loves living in Portland, Oregon with his partner and their two children.       

Some people with ADHD have fewer symptoms as they age, but some adults continue to have major symptoms that interfere with daily functioning. In adults, the main features of ADHD may include difficulty paying attention, impulsiveness, and restlessness. Symptoms can range from mild to severe. Many adults with ADHD aren't aware they have it — they just know that everyday tasks can be a challenge. Adults with ADHD may find it difficult to focus and prioritize, leading to missed deadlines and forgotten meetings or social plans. The inability to control impulses can range from impatience waiting in line or driving in traffic to mood swings and outbursts of anger.

Brittani Warrick is a producer and social media strategist behind some of music's biggest names, including her aunt, singer Dionne Warwick. Warrick uses her savvy and power in media to open conversations about mental health, what wellness really looks like, and how maddening it is to navigate the mental health system. An inspiring inter-generational conversation with one of America's most promising young advocates.

Adam Stern was a student at a state medical school before being selected to train as a psychiatry resident at one of the most prestigious programs in the country. His new and initially intimidating classmates were high achievers from the Ivy League and other elite universities around the nation.  In his memoir, Stern pulls back the curtain on the intense and emotionally challenging lessons he and his fellow doctors learned while studying the human condition, and ultimately, the value of connection.  In this interview, Stern combines his clear-eyed concern for the field of psychiatry as well as poignant memories about his residency at Harvard.  A must-listen for anyone considering psychiatry.    

Why is it so hard to set boundaries? Oftentimes, it signifies a deeper value set. If you’re the type that always wants to be there for people you care about, it’s because you value relationships. If you’re the one at work who says yes to every project, it reflects how much you value learning. But when we only say yes, we might be missing chances to invest our time and energy in ways that help us take our values and our goals to new levels.

Dr. Jim Polo talks about somatic disorder; characterized by an extreme focus on physical symptoms— such as pain or fatigue — that causes major emotional distress and problems functioning. You may or may not have another diagnosed medical condition associated with these symptoms, but your reaction to the symptoms is not normal. What to do when the body goes offline due to psychological suffering.