Mindful Things: A Mental Health Podcast
139 episodes - English - Latest episode: 13 days ago - ★★★★★ - 47 ratingsKnowing that mental wellness is a topic that deeply affects each and every one of us, McLean Hospital brings you Mindful Things, a podcast dedicated to real talk about the conditions and situations we face daily yet rarely discuss. In each episode, we sit down with some very special guests, including experts from Harvard Medical School, as well as ordinary people living extraordinary lives, to dig deep into everyday challenges while also exploring their own experiences with conditions such as depression, anxiety, and trauma.
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Episodes
Taking Back Life From Anxiety’s Grip
June 15, 2021 07:00 - 55 minutes - 51.1 MBIn this episode, Dr. Lisa Coyne discusses ways to identify anxiety vs. stress, talks about proven methods to offset our anxieties, and discusses strategies to help our loved ones—and ourselves—navigate having rational and irrational fears. Lisa W. Coyne, PhD, is an assistant professor of psychology in the Department of Psychiatry, part-time, at Harvard Medical School, and is a senior clinical consultant at the Child and Adolescent OCD Institute (OCDI Jr.) at McLean Hospital. RELEVANT CONTEN...
Go From Stressed Worrier to Stress Warrior
June 08, 2021 07:00 - 59 minutes - 54.1 MBIn this episode, Chris Palmer, MD, provides tips on stress management, ways to reshape our stress reactions, explains the impact of stress and anxiety on our lives, and answers related questions from the McLean community. Dr. Palmer is the director of the Department of Postgraduate and Continuing Education at McLean Hospital and specializes in treatment-resistant mental illness and the use of the ketogenic diet in psychiatry. RELEVANT CONTENT: – More about the episode: mclean.link/yxo – Re...
Whatever Happened to Mindful Things?
June 01, 2021 07:00 - 1 minute - 2.6 MBJenn provides an update on what we were up to during 2020 and shares exciting news about what Mindful Things will look like in 2021 and beyond. RELEVANT CONTENT: – Read the episode transcript: mclean.link/ja9 - - - The McLean Hospital podcast Mindful Things is intended to educate about, encourage compassion around, and reduce the stigma related to mental health and wellness. This podcast is not an attempt to practice medicine or to provide specific medical advice. © 2021 McLean Hospital....
What Ever Happened to Mindful Things?
June 01, 2021 07:00 - 1 minute - 2.6 MBJenn provides an update on what we were up to during 2020 and shares exciting news about what Mindful Things will look like in 2021 and beyond. RELEVANT CONTENT: – Read the episode transcript: mclean.link/ja9 - - - The McLean Hospital podcast Mindful Things is intended to educate about, encourage compassion around, and reduce the stigma related to mental health and wellness. This podcast is not an attempt to practice medicine or to provide specific medical advice. © 2021 McLean Hospital....
Forensic Psychiatry and Terrorism
January 21, 2020 20:12 - 37 minutes - 34 MBTrevor talks to Jacob Holzer, MD, a clinical staff associate in McLean’s Geriatric Psychiatry Outpatient Services and a forensic psychiatrist. Forensic psychiatry is a branch of psychiatry that deals with the assessment and treatment of mentally disordered offenders in prisons, secure hospitals, and the community. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: – Dr. Holzer discusses the mental illnesses that can be involved in lone actor terrorism (27:10) – Dr. Holzer discusses the case of Anders Breivik, a far righ...
Adolescents, Adults, and ADHD
January 07, 2020 08:00 - 1 hour - 67.4 MBTrevor talks to Roberto Olivardia, PhD. Dr. Olivardia specializes in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and challenges facing students with learning differences. Dr. Olivardia discusses what ADHD is, myths around the diagnosis, and strategies for managing ADHD. He also shares his own experience of living with ADHD and raising a son with the same condition. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: – Dr. Olivardia discusses that the concept of adult ADHD didn’t exist until the mid-9...
Let's Talk About Steroids
December 24, 2019 19:14 - 48 minutes - 44.6 MBTrevor talks to Harrison G. Pope, MD, MPH, director of McLean’s Biological Psychiatry Laboratory. Dr. Pope talks about men’s misuse of anabolic steroids—drugs which have been used by millions to gain muscle or lose body fat—with potential long-term dangers. Dr. Pope is arguably the leading researcher in the world on the misuse of anabolic steroids. He discusses some of the reasons men use steroids, the dangers of using these drugs, and the relationship to men’s body image. EPISODE HIGHLIGHT...
Lessons Learned - One Family’s Experience With Depression, a Suicide Attempt, and Recovery
December 10, 2019 08:05 - 1 hour - 90.4 MBTrevor talks to Ana about how hiding her intense depression, social anxiety, and eating disorder led to fear and despair, ultimately resulting in a suicide attempt during her first semester at college. Ana is joined by her parents Rafael and Patty, who candidly discuss the warning signs they missed, what they wish they had done differently, and how their family has used their own experience to help other families better understand adolescent mental health. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: – Rafael, Ana...
Lessons Learned – One Family’s Experience With Depression, a Suicide Attempt, and Recovery
December 10, 2019 08:05 - 1 hour - 90.4 MBTrevor talks to Ana about how hiding her intense depression, social anxiety, and eating disorder led to fear and despair, ultimately resulting in a suicide attempt during her first semester at college. Ana is joined by her parents Rafael and Patty, who candidly discuss the warning signs they missed, what they wish they had done differently, and how their family has used their own experience to help other families better understand adolescent mental health. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: – Rafael, Ana...
The Vahia Legacy – One Man’s Drive to Change Mental Health in India
November 26, 2019 18:01 - 42 minutes - 38.7 MBTrevor is joined by Dr. Vihang Vahia, a psychiatrist in Mumbai, India, and founder of the N.S Vahia Foundation. Vihang discusses mental health and psychiatry in India and the stigma that exists in the country. Vihang also discusses the collaboration between McLean and the N.S Vahia Foundation as well as his future hopes for the partnership. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: – Vihang discusses his mother’s recent passing (01:52) – According to Vihang, work is the best way to combat grief (03:18) – Vihang...
Why Is India the Most Depressed Country in the World?
November 26, 2019 18:01 - 42 minutes - 38.7 MBTrevor is joined by Dr. Vihang Vahia, a psychiatrist in Mumbai, India, and founder of the N.S Vahia Foundation. Vihang discusses mental health and psychiatry in India and the stigma that exists in the country. Vihang also discusses the collaboration between McLean and the N.S Vahia Foundation as well as his future hopes for the partnership. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: – Vihang discusses his mother’s recent passing (01:52) – According to Vihang, work is the best way to combat grief (03:18) – Vihang...
Being Me With OCD With Nathaniel Van Kirk
November 12, 2019 21:09 - 1 hour - 74.1 MBTrevor is joined by Nathaniel Van Kirk, PhD, coordinator of clinical assessment at McLean’s OCD Institute. He talks about his personal journey with obsessive compulsive disorder and how he has used his own experience and recovery path to become one of the top clinicians/advocates in the United States. Dr. Van Kirk also talks about why he volunteered for the Deconstructing Stigma campaign and why he thinks it’s valuable for clinicians to be open about their own mental health challenges. EPIS...
Getting Back to Brain Basics With Rick Wolthusen
October 29, 2019 19:18 - 1 hour - 64.5 MBIn this episode, Trevor is joined by Rick Wolthusen, MD, founder and co-director of On the Move e.V. This non-governmental organization is focused on building mental health infrastructure in communities where it often does not exist. Rick shares with us how mental health is misunderstood in Africa. Misconceptions surrounding mental health in Sub-Saharan Africa include that witchcraft is thought, more commonly than most would anticipate, to be the cause of brain-based illnesses. EPISODE HIGH...
Living a Life of Empathy and Experience
October 17, 2019 19:43 - 1 hour - 72.5 MBOn today’s episode, Trevor discusses his perception of self and feeling that he is useless. He is joined by Sophia Maurasse, medical director of McLean’s 3East Girls Intensive and Step Down Programs. Sophia discusses her difficult childhood experience fleeing from war-torn Liberia and how she uses her past experiences to help girls with borderline personality disorder. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: – Sophia details her role at the 3East program (14:09) – Sophia describes the specific skills needed to...
The Sum of Her Parts With Olga Trujillo
October 01, 2019 19:27 - 1 hour - 78.2 MBIn this episode, Trevor talks with internationally renowned speaker and author Olga Trujillo. Olga bravely shares her story, including the physical, sexual, and emotional abuse she endured as a child, significant events which led to the development of dissociative identity disorder. Olga explains how she retreated within her own mind each time she experienced trauma and discusses her dedication to helping others who are struggling. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: – Olga shares the way she retreated wi...
Beyond a Troubled Child – One Family’s Experience With Adolescent Mental Health
September 17, 2019 19:11 - 1 hour - 55.1 MBTrevor discusses bullying and abuse and how both can often be swept under the rug in families. Then we hear from Kate M. and Ralph Buonopane, PhD, program director of the McLean-Franciscan Child and Adolescent Inpatient Program. Kate details her experience raising two children with mental health issues and discusses her struggle to find the right help and fight the isolation she and her children experienced in their community. Ralph, having treated Kate’s son, offers his perspective and als...
Riding to Remember With Mac Dorris
September 03, 2019 20:55 - 58 minutes - 53.2 MBTrevor discusses the negative ways in which mental illness is portrayed by the media before he is joined by Mac Dorris, founder of the Ride for Mental Health. Mac started this charity bike ride in honor of his son, Eric, who struggled with borderline personality disorder and depression. Eric passed away in 2016 and Mac raises funds to end mental health stigma and keep his son’s memory alive. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: – Mac discusses how and when the idea for the Ride for Mental Health came to hi...
The Road To Research
August 20, 2019 20:39 - 1 hour - 56.7 MBOn today’s episode, Trevor discusses the importance of being mindful and breathing. He’s then joined by Laura Germine, PhD, technical director of the McLean Institute for Technology in Psychiatry, who talks about her non-traditional career path. A type 1 diabetes diagnosis in graduate school led Laura to change her career focus to research. She was recently awarded one of the largest grants in McLean’s history to study type 1 diabetes and mental health. She also discusses use of technology i...
McLean, Meet Ecuador; Ecuador, Meet McLean
August 07, 2019 18:14 - 1 hour - 56.1 MBOn today’s episode, Trevor talks about his struggle to go with the flow. Then Mariel Paz y Mino, PhD, (04:24), head of the Psychology Department at the Universidad de San Francisco Quito (USFQ) in Ecuador joins us. Mariel shares how she discovered her passion for mental health, public education, and improving mental health resources in Ecuador, as well as the challenges that come with this. She touches on the lack of mental health resources and efforts to destigmatize mental health among th...
Let’s Talk About Aging With Dr. Brent Forester
July 25, 2019 17:19 - 1 hour - 66 MBOn today’s episode, Trevor shares the new way that he incorporates exercise into his daily routine. Then Dr. Brent Forester, chief of McLean’s Division of Geriatric Psychiatry (15:24), joins us to discuss the need to get people talking about the Alzheimer’s epidemic. He also talks about addressing behavioral complications in older adults. Brent shares a bit about his groundbreaking research project on the effects of ECT on people with dementia. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: – McLean Hospital is the l...
Boys Have Borderline Personality Disorder Too
July 10, 2019 17:06 - 54 minutes - 49.4 MBToday, Trevor is joined by Alan E. Fruzzetti, PhD, director of McLean’s 3East Boys Intensive Program, to discuss gender as it relates to borderline personality disorder (BPD). Alan talks about the differences in how BPD presents itself in men vs. women. He also notes that there is work to do in the clinical community to guide thinking about the occurrence of BPD in young men. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: – Trevor and Alan discuss the creation of the boys dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) program (0...
LGBTQ+ Pride Month - He/She/They
June 26, 2019 16:09 - 1 hour - 71.8 MBOn today’s episode, Trevor recalls a particularly difficult time when outside circumstances forced a good friend to come out to her parents. Then Lauren Wadsworth, PhD, (12:15), a post-doctoral fellow at McLean, talks with Trevor about nonbinary gender pronouns and why they matter. Lauren urges folks to become more flexible when thinking about gender and to be OK with making mistakes when trying to use these pronouns properly. She also discusses the importance of incorporating these pronou...
Changing Course - A Life-Saving Decision
June 12, 2019 18:10 - 59 minutes - 54 MBToday, Trevor talks about being self-aware and the need to constantly remind himself that he is a work in progress. Then we chat with Lindsay Kalter (06:20), a former reporter who bravely shared her experience with mental illness on the cover of The Boston Herald. Lindsay talks about the difficulty of being a writer with OCD and her struggles with depression. She also discusses relationships, family, and her decision to write about her depression and her treatment and the internal battle sh...
Dr. Blaise Aguirre Gets Real about Teen Suicide and "13 Reasons Why"
May 29, 2019 18:33 - 1 hour - 60.8 MBToday Trevor talks about his fear of confrontation and how being consumed by unnecessary anger can prevent us from enjoying things and being in the present moment. Then we are joined by Dr. Blaise Aguirre (10:53), medical director of the 3East adolescent DBT programs at McLean. Blaise and Trevor discuss the Netflix series “13 Reasons Why” and its impact on adolescents. From the constant distractions of the world we live in to problems identifying one’s sense of self, Blaise and Trevor discus...
Mental Illness, Divorce, and Raising a Family with Amy
April 30, 2019 21:07 - 1 hour - 71.1 MBToday Trevor shares an update on his progress over the last few weeks and talks about the discomfort of being open and vulnerable. Then we talk to Amy (13:02), one of the first participants in our Deconstructing Stigma public awareness campaign. Amy explains how her job as a librarian gave her a sense of control at work when things felt so out of control at home. Amy then talks candidly and emotionally about being married to a man with treatment-resistant depression and the toll that her rol...
OCD and Hoarding With Jeff Szymanski
April 17, 2019 05:38 - 1 hour - 75 MBIn this week’s episode, Trevor talks openly about how his problems staying mindful and present have led to some significant changes in his medication regimen and recalls a particularly difficult time in his life when a certain med he was taking led to some serious physical issues and an embarrassing emergency room visit. Then we talk to Jeff Szymanski, executive director of the International OCD Foundation (12:48) as he takes a deep dive into OCD, hoarding, and the underlying anxieties that ...
OCD and Hoarding with Jeff Szymanski
April 17, 2019 05:38 - 1 hour - 75 MBIn this week’s episode, Trevor talks openly about how his problems staying mindful and present have led to some significant changes in his medication regimen and recalls a particularly difficult time in his life when a certain med he was taking led to some serious physical issues and an embarrassing emergency room visit. Then we talk to Jeff Szymanski, executive director of the International OCD Foundation (12:48) as he takes a deep dive into OCD, hoarding, and the underlying anxieties that ...
From Coma to Captain With Wayne Torres
April 03, 2019 14:38 - 41 minutes - 37.9 MBTo Wayne Torres (8:00), who will celebrate his fifth year of sobriety this November, it always seemed normal to him to use alcohol to celebrate special events, to cope with stress, and just because. To help manage the difficulty of his job as a lieutenant at a correctional facility, Wayne would drink for 4-5 hours a day. Drinking wasn’t a pleasure for Wayne, it was a necessity. After branding himself ‘a fat drunk who hated life,’ Wayne went through a horrific detox that landed him in a coma....
From Coma to Captain with Wayne Torres
April 03, 2019 14:38 - 41 minutes - 37.9 MBTo Wayne Torres (8:00), who will celebrate his fifth year of sobriety this November, it always seemed normal to him to use alcohol to celebrate special events, to cope with stress, and just because. To help manage the difficulty of his job as a lieutenant at a correctional facility, Wayne would drink for 4-5 hours a day. Drinking wasn’t a pleasure for Wayne, it was a necessity. After branding himself ‘a fat drunk who hated life,’ Wayne went through a horrific detox that landed him in a coma....
Dissociative Identity Disorder With Robert Oxnam
March 20, 2019 03:05 - 1 hour - 67.3 MBFrom the outside, Robert Oxnam (19:51) had it all. He was successful in high school and college, earned a PhD, had a thriving career, and was married with two children. What was completely hidden from everyone was the inner torment he was experiencing. In 1990, Robert was diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder (DID), a condition associated with post-traumatic stress due to severe physical, sexual, or emotional abuse during early childhood. Robert and Trevor discuss his initial denial...
Trauma, Resiliency, and Moving Forward with Randall Liberty
March 05, 2019 18:00 - 1 hour - 58.5 MBToday’s podcast is a particularly emotional one. Trevor talks with Randall Liberty (02:14), commissioner of the Maine Department of Corrections and a participant in McLean’s Deconstructing Stigma campaign. Randall is no stranger to trauma. As a child, he watched his mother experience frequent bouts of domestic violence from his alcoholic father. As an adult, he has been witness to the scene of more than 30 suicides and 35 fatal accidents during his years in law enforcement. He has also pulle...
Drugs, Trauma, and Acceptance with Charles King
February 19, 2019 21:40 - 1 hour - 100 MBToday, Trevor shares how depression manifests itself physically in his body. Then we talk to Charles King (09:20), a participant in McLean’s Deconstructing Stigma campaign whose story was too compelling not to share. Charles bravely shares his struggles with alcoholism, drug addiction, suicidal thoughts, bipolar disorder, depression, and anxiety. As the son of drug-addicted parents, Charles began running drugs for local dealers at just 5 years old and regularly had to provide clean urine sam...
Relationships and Mental Health with Kirsten Bolton
February 13, 2019 17:00 - 1 hour - 67.7 MBAs Valentine’s Day draws near, love is in the air and on our minds. Today, Trevor talks candidly about the difficulty his mental illnesses can cause in his dating life. Then we talk to Kirsten Bolton, LICSW, program director of McLean OnTrack (8:01), who discusses romantic and familial relationships and how mental illness diagnoses can affect them. She also recalls a patient struggling with the thought of sharing their mental illness diagnosis with a romantic partner. Later we are joined by...
The Keto Diet and Mental Health with Dr. Chris Palmer
January 24, 2019 22:14 - 58 minutes - 53.3 MBWhen it comes to our bodies, there are many seemingly unrelated things that can actually affect our mental health and our general feeling of well-being. From the foods we put into our body to the amount of exercise we get each day, there is a clear link between our physical health and our mental well-being. In this episode, Trevor discusses how depression can sneak up on us at any time and the false sense of security that we create in our minds when we’ve had a series of consecutive good day...
Adolescents and Anxiety with Dr. Kathryn D. Boger
January 08, 2019 21:26 - 57 minutes - 52.3 MBOur thoughts and perceptions can shape how we react to situations. Before today’s interview, our trusty host talks about attempting to move past a bout of severe depression. Trevor then sits down with Dr. Kathryn Boger, program director of the McLean Anxiety Mastery Program (8:45), who shares her thoughts on ways to retrain our brains to realize things are not as bad as we initially think. Dr. Boger also discusses child and adolescent mental health, particularly the importance of early dete...
New Year's Resolutions with Dr. Philip Levendusky
December 28, 2018 21:33 - 40 minutes - 36.6 MBThis New Year’s Eve, millions of Americans will resolve to lose weight, give up smoking, or find a new job. Chances are, they made the same resolution last year and the year before and have yet to succeed. In fact, more than 90% of people won’t meet their goals. In this episode, Dr. Philip Levendusky, director of McLean’s Psychology Department, tells us that it’s easier than you think to start making changes in your life. He wants to help you stick to your resolutions by encouraging you to s...
Holiday Stress with Mark Longsjo
December 18, 2018 00:45 - 1 hour - 115 MBLife often includes many stressful moments, but stress around the holidays can be overwhelming for many people. From feelings of fatigue and isolation to financial stress and unrealistic expectations, it can be difficult to prepare ourselves for the increased stresses the holidays can often bring. In this episode, Trevor talks about his struggles with emotional regulation and what helps ground him. Then we are joined by McLean’s Mark Longsjo, LICSW, who helps remind us that we have more cont...
Anxiety and Careers with Dr. Leonard Su
November 27, 2018 07:00 - 32 minutes - 73.4 MBLeonard Su is a fully trained, fully licensed, fully retired vascular surgeon. After 4 years of college at Yale University, 4 years at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, 3 years of laboratory research, 7 years of residency at the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Washington, AND 10 years of clinical practice, he hung up his scalpel and picked up a keyboard. He traded OR lights for stage lights. His clinical career was cut short by mental illness, but he remain...
Animal Therapy with Jeff Fink
November 06, 2018 19:14 - 55 minutes - 126 MBThrough this podcast, you will meet our host Trevor, who in addition to working at McLean, also knows a thing or two about living with mental health challenges. With Trevor as our moderator, he will guide us through up close and personal conversations with clinicians, advocates, celebrities, and ordinary people who have extraordinary stories to share. Along the way, you’ll also get to know Trevor, as he opens up about his own experiences with mental illness, growing up in a Native American h...