Comorbidity is the presence of one or more additional conditions co-occurring with a primary condition. In this episode, host schizophrenic Rachel Star Withers with her cohost Gabe Howard will be discussing comorbidity with schizophrenia. Comorbidity is associated with worse health outcomes, more complex clinical management and increased health care costs.
Occupational therapist Brock Cook will be joining us to discuss ways that he works with people with schizophrenia to manage multiple health issues. 
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bonus Content: Comorbidity with Schizophrenia

Award-winning weekly podcast that approaches psychology and mental health in an accessible way. Listen as our host Gabe Howard speaks candidly with experts, celebrities, and other notables to break down complex topics into simpler terms.

Society & Culture

Personal Journals

History

Philosophy

Places & Travel

Social Sciences

Science & Medicine

Science

Health & Fitness

Documentary

Mental Health

Dr. Raghu Kiran Appasani and author Brooke Siem join us for a nuanced discussion about the complexities of prescribing psychiatric medications to children. They explore the importance of informed consent, the inadequacies of the current mental health system, and the societal shift toward over-medicalizing everyday life challenges. 
Both Brooke, as an advocate with personal experience, and Dr. Raghu, from a medical perspective, agree on the need for a multifaceted approach to mental health treatment, moving beyond reliance on medication alone. However, they disagree on the best path forward and share their perspectives.
To learn more -- or read the transcript -- please visit the official episode page.

“When people come to me and they ask me these questions, they are never thriving, which is another piece of anecdata for me, that just shows that these drugs don't really work long term. I mean, I honestly have not met one single person who has been medicated for, let's say, more than 2 to 3 years for depression, who says they're thriving. I hear them say they're coping. They're, you know, they're okay. They're fine. That's kind of the best it gets. They're never living their best life. And so I think we just really attribute a lot of that to just like, oh, it's just being an adult, you know, life's hard and then you die type of attitude.” ~Brooke Siem

Our guest, Brooke Siem (@brookesiem), is both a chef to professional athletes and the surprising face of psychiatric drug withdrawal awareness and advocacy. Her book, “May Cause Side Effects,” won the 2023 BIBA Prize for memoir and was named as one of “Good Morning America's” most anticipated reads. Her work on antidepressant withdrawal has also appeared in The Washington Post, New York Post, Psychology Today, and more. She is a Food Network "Chopped" Champion, founder of the newsletter Happiness Is A Skill, and creator of the F**it Bucket™. 

Our guest, Dr. Raghu Kiran Appasani, is an integrative & addiction psychiatrist, neuroscientist, and social entrepreneur focused on bridging the gap between Western and Eastern practices to create a wholesome society by taking a proactive approach to health. He recently completed his Addiction Psychiatry Fellowship at the University of California-San Francisco (June 2023). His interests lie at the intersection of psychodynamic psychotherapy, integrative/nutritional psychiatry, mental health literacy, advocacy, wellness, entrepreneurship, and psychedelics. His alter ego's life goal is to become a chef integrating farm-to-table experiences in stunning landscapes around the world.
For his contributions, he has been recognized as a World Economic Forum Global Shaper, One Young World Delegate Ambassador, StartingBloc Fellow, Nexus Global Delegate, EchoingGreen, MassChallenge, and Kellogg Innovation Network Delegate. Through his extensive scientific research, he has published more than 35 peer-reviewed articles and edited 5 books. He has given more than 120 talks on mental health, entrepreneurship, global health, and consciousness in parallel with authorship and features on CNN, Vogue, The Boston Globe, ThriveGlobal, The Better India, The Zoe Report, and The Huffington Post.

Our host, Gabe Howard, is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, "Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations," available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from the author.
Gabe makes his home in the suburbs of Columbus, Ohio. He lives with his supportive wife, Kendall, and a Miniature Schnauzer dog that he never wanted, but now can’t imagine life without.
To book Gabe for your next event or learn more about him, please visit gabehoward.com.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kids and Psychiatric Medications: Navigating the Maze

Krista St-Germain shares her journey with grief following the death of her husband by a drunken driver. She explains how the commonly referenced five stages of grief are inadequate – if not outright inaccurate – for many people's experiences. She discusses alternative grief theories, such as the dual process model, and introduces the concepts of “grief plateau” and “grief fog,” highlighting the complexity and uniqueness of each person's experience of grief.
In her work as a grief expert, Krista advocates for a more individualized approach to grief, emphasizing the process of integration and post-traumatic growth rather than just “moving on” or reaching acceptance. She is a master certified life coach, a post-traumatic growth and grief expert, widow, mom, and the host of “The Widowed Mom Podcast.”
To learn more -- or read the transcript -- please visit the episode page.

Our guest, Krista St-Germain, is a Master Certified Life Coach, Post-Traumatic Growth and grief expert, widow, mom and host of The Widowed Mom Podcast. When her husband was killed by a drunk driver in 2016, Krista’s life was completely and unexpectedly flipped upside down. After therapy helped her uncurl from the fetal position, Krista discovered Life Coaching, Post Traumatic Growth and learned the tools she needed to move forward and create a future she could get excited about. Now she coaches and teaches other widows so they can love life again, too. Krista has been featured online and in print in Psychology Today, Medium, Thrive Global, Bustle, Psych Central, and Parents Magazine and on select podcasts such as The SelfWork Podcast, Seek The Joy, Life Check Yourself, and You Need A Budget to name a few. 

Our host, Gabe Howard, is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, "Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations," available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from the author.
Gabe makes his home in the suburbs of Columbus, Ohio. He lives with his supportive wife, Kendall, and a Miniature Schnauzer dog that he never wanted, but now can’t imagine life without.
To book Gabe for your next event or learn more about him, please visit gabehoward.com.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Beyond Five Stages: Rethinking Grief with Krista St-Germain

Michael Caparrelli spent 100 hours with David Berkowitz, once known as the “Son of Sam” killer. In today’s episode, they discuss Berkowitz's transformation from a serial killer into the remorseful, service-oriented individual and born-again Christian he is today. All of this suggests that during his time in prison, he became a different person, indicating that profound rehabilitation is possible even for those who have committed heinous acts.
Dr. Caparrelli explains that through his pastoral and academic experience, he aims to humanize individuals like Berkowitz to understand the factors leading to such violence and possibly prevent future crimes. He is the author of "Monster Mirror: 100 Hours with David Berkowitz, Once Known as Son of Sam," about his extensive interviews with the infamous serial killer, focusing on the psychological and humanitarian aspects rather than the crimes themselves.

Our guest, Michael Caparrelli, was a pastor for 16 years who shepherded an inner-city church in Rhode Island that served as a hospital for the mentally ill. His church offered a variety of support groups for people with depression, anxiety, addictions, and grief. He also worked within three prisons as an advocate and counselor for inmates.
He now has a PhD in Advanced Studies in Human Behavior and continues his passion through lectures on mental health from a faith-based perspective. 
He authored 5 books on mental health and travels the nation speaking on this subject within churches, rehabilitation centers, prisons, and schools. He has traveled 18 states and 3 nations over the past few years.
He is a professor of behavioral science at two colleges — Northpoint in Haverhill, Massachusetts, and Manchester Community College in New Hampshire. 
Most recently, he conducted a 100-hour case study on David Berkowitz, once known as the “Son of Sam.” He met with David for 34 sessions to explore the mental health factors behind violence as well as his life of sobriety in prison now. This case study was recently published in a book, “Monster Mirror,” which ranked No. 1 New Release in True Crime on Amazon in October.

Our host, Gabe Howard, is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, "Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations," available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from the author.
Gabe makes his home in the suburbs of Columbus, Ohio. He lives with his supportive wife, Kendall, and a Miniature Schnauzer dog that he never wanted, but now can’t imagine life without.
To book Gabe for your next event or learn more about him, please visit gabehoward.com.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Humanizing Evil: Into the Mind of 'Son of Sam' Killer, David Berkowitz

Today’s guest is a “happiness explorer,” and she discusses her realization of the need to strip back negativity in life through her experiences on the hit CBS reality series "Survivor." She highlights how the show's contestants revealed their true potential and capabilities only when faced with extreme challenges. She emphasizes that happiness is a choice backed by intentional, consistent action and shares insights from her book, which provides practical activities like photography and journaling prompts to help readers explore and enhance their happiness.
Tune in as Emmy Award-winning TV producer Maria Baltazzi, author of "Take a Shot at Happiness: How to Write, Direct and Produce the Life You Want,” shares a lifetime's worth of knowledge about finding happiness framed around “Survivor” stories.
“And I think positive thinking has also taken on a bit of a negative connotation. I don't really prescribe to positive thinking. I prescribe to constructive thinking. What is going to serve you? What is going to serve the greater good? And what makes you a happier human being?” ~Maria Baltazzi, PhD, MFA
To learn more -- or read the transcript -- please visit the official page. 

Our guest, Maria Baltazzi, is a Happiness Explorer. Her experience as an Emmy-winning TV producer, well-being teacher, world traveler, and luxury travel designer specializing in transformative adventures has given her a unique lens into conscious living. Maria has developed and produced shows around the world. She was one of the original supervising producers of the mega TV hit Survivor. She is a member of both the Producers and Directors Guilds of America, a Fellow National Member of The Explorers Club, and an Advisor for the Transformational Travel Council. Maria holds an MFA in film from ArtCenter College of Design and a PhD in Conscious-Centered Living from the University of Sedona. Additional studies include Mindfulness Meditation Teaching Training with Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach, Primordial Sound Meditation Teacher Training from The Chopra Center, Happiness Studies with Tal Ben-Shahar, Positive Neuroplasticity Training with Rick Hanson, Spiritual Psychology with Ron and Mary Hulnick at the University of Santa Monica, Positive Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, the Science of Happiness at the University of Berkley, and an Inner MBA from MindfulNYU.

Our host, Gabe Howard, is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, "Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations," available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from the author.
Gabe makes his home in the suburbs of Columbus, Ohio. He lives with his supportive wife, Kendall, and a Miniature Schnauzer dog that he never wanted, but now can’t imagine life without.
To book Gabe for your next event or learn more about him, please visit gabehoward.com.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Unexpected Hope: Insights from CBS' Survivor with Producer Maria Baltazzi

From the streets of San Francisco to the depths of human struggle, Dr. Robert L. Okin, MD, shares the deeply personal narratives of people he spoke with experiencing homelessness during his two-year journey living among and listening to the stories of homeless individuals with mental illness.
Reflecting on the vulnerability and resilience of the individuals he met, Dr. Okin challenges societal perceptions and sheds light on the systemic failures that perpetuate homelessness. Through candid conversations and intimate observations, this episode confronts the stigma surrounding homelessness and mental illness, highlighting the shared humanity that binds us all. Join the conversation as Gabe and Dr. Okin uncover the untold stories and advocate for meaningful change in our communities.
Join host Gabe Howard as he delves into the raw realities of homelessness and mental illness in today's society. Our guest, Dr. Okin, is the recipient of the American Psychiatric Association's Human Rights Award and author of "Silent Voices: People with Mental Disorders on the Street."
“I also expected them to blame their homelessness on bad luck, or on society on something outside of themselves. In fact, they tended to blame themselves wrongly, in my opinion. I met people who were interesting and emotionally connected to me, and I felt energized. Other days, I heard so much sadness and so much pain that I went home with a lump in my throat, and I wasn't sure I could make it out the next day.” ~Robert L. Okin, MD
To learn more, please visit the official episode page.

Out guest, Robert L. Okin, MD, is a world-recognized expert on human rights for the mentally disabled. He served as chief of service of the San Francisco General Hospital Department of Psychiatry, where he oversaw the development of crucial services for patients with acute and chronic mental illness. He was also professor and vice chair of the UC San Francisco School of Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry. In 2009, he received the American Psychiatric Association’s prestigious Human Rights Award for his work in developing countries. He is the author of “Silent Voices: People with Mental Disorders on the Street” (2nd edition, August 2023).

Our host, Gabe Howard, is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, "Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations," available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from the author.
Gabe makes his home in the suburbs of Columbus, Ohio. He lives with his supportive wife, Kendall, and a Miniature Schnauzer dog that he never wanted, but now can’t imagine life without.
To book Gabe for your next event or learn more about him, please visit gabehoward.com.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bonus Content: Comorbidity with Schizophrenia

Download our free app to listen on your phone