Addy Hour

As we continue to emerge from the pandemic, many of us have felt a need to reprioritize and reevaluate what matters most. And yet, it can still be difficult to honestly acknowledge personal challenges along the way, especially when it comes to emotional wellness and mental health. This week, veteran entertainment executive and best-selling author, Tara Schuster, joins for a deeply honest conversation with Dr. Addy, where they discuss self-care, vulnerability, life balance & accountability in their own lives, along with principles that apply to us all.

How do we strike a balance between addressing larger societal issues and meeting our own needs? Is balance even realistic, or is it selfish to focus on personal emotional wellness, when others are suffering and struggling? Additionally, what’s the personal cost of activism when it comes to self-care, mental health and organizational health? This week, March for Our Lives Co-founder, Parkland survivor, and activist David Hogg joins for a candid conversation about these topics and more, in his efforts to end gun violence. Join us as we grapple with the tensions between activism, self-care, and social change, and how to apply helpful practices in our daily lives.

Our faith communities can provide powerful places of sanctuary and safety. But are houses of worship safe spaces when it comes to our mental health? Within our faith communities, are we living with hope or suffering in silence, when it comes to emotional wellness? This week, Pastor Michael Walrond Jr., Dr. Lena Green, and Dr. Warren Kinghorn speak poignantly about their personal and professional journeys with mental health. We also discuss honest truths about mental health approaches in the church and the importance of combining faith and mental health practices to help us thrive individually and as a society.

With recent steps towards accountability mixed with ongoing injustices and lack of accountability, many of us are asking, “Where do we go from here?” This week, we consider how music, neuroscience, and faith can help us move toward personal and societal empathy and healing, amidst these challenges. Hip hop artist & author Lecrae and professor & neuroscientist Amy Arnsten join for a personal, forward facing conversation on stress, activism, social justice, the police and de-escalation. Along the way, we’ll even hear Lecrae talk neuroscience and Professor Arnsten talk music!

The ongoing stress and trauma of the last year deeply affects us as individuals and as a society, impacting our daily lives. For many, these challenges extend far beyond the last year. Two pioneering scientists, Dr. Bianca Jones Marlin and Dr. Kerry Ressler, join for a timely discussion of life experiences and stresses that are passed to future generations through our biology. Along the way, we’ll hear surprising parallels in our guests’ life journeys, talk about resilience, and consider ways we can thrive amidst our ongoing challenges.

In our often polarized society, mental health disparities can be viewed as either underappreciated or overblown. In today’s episode, we consider disparities, the importance of cultural competence, and the fight against stigma in youth and adults alike. Mental health expert Dr. Alfiee Breland-Noble and mental health advocate Doug Middleton join for a discussion on mental health in BIPOC communities, the relationship between faith and therapy, and much more.

Have the stresses of the last year harmed us or helped us build resilience – or both? On this episode of the Addy Hour, NBA legend Allan Houston and Professor and stress expert Rajita Sinha join for an honest and personal conversation on stress, pain, resilience, and community. We’ll consider how our bodies and minds respond to our personal and societal challenges, and the ways we can hold on to hope!

Our goal is wellness and health, which seem ever elusive amid a pandemic, the challenges of racial injustices, and the toxicity of our politics. We yearn to move on and past these strains. In this episode, we’ll instead lean into them. You’ll hear unique perspectives, explore uncomfortable topics and experience the power of truthful dialogue. We’ll move ahead together in a conversation with Dr. Jeff Gardere, psychologist and professor, and Dr. Andra Gillespie, political science professor and public scholar.

Our goal is wellness and health, which seem ever elusive amid a pandemic, the challenges of racial injustices, and the toxicity of our politics. We yearn to move on and past these strains. In this episode, we’ll instead lean into them. You’ll hear unique perspectives, explore uncomfortable topics and experience the power of truthful dialogue. We’ll move ahead together in a conversation with Dr. Jeff Gardere, psychologist and professor, and Dr. Andra Gillespie, political science professor and public scholar.