Are you living with bipolar and a single parent or managing a household alone? Have you been told things like sleep hygiene (as an example) is a pillar of stability, but your teenager’s late-night schedule and the on-call pressure of solo parenting make that feel impossible?

In this episode, hosts Gabe Howard (who lives with bipolar) and Dr. Nicole Washington (a board-certified psychiatrist) respond to a raw, honest listener email that challenges the "nuclear family" advice often given to single parents. They dismantle the crushing weight of "Mom Guilt" and the stigma that suggests a mental health diagnosis disqualifies you from raising healthy kids. Is the ship destined to sink, or are you just holding yourself to a standard that doesn't exist?

Listeners will Learn:

Why striving for perfection is a trap that leads to burnout

If you don't prioritize your health, the whole household suffers

How being real with your children can build a stronger foundation for the future

Listen in to hear why Dr. Nicole believes you—the parent—are the undisputed MVP of your household. This episode is an essential look at modeling self-care for your children, setting "Do Not Disturb" boundaries without the guilt, and realizing that your kids don't need a superhero, they just need a healthy you.  

"Bipolar might be wriggling into your brain and attacking something you love -- your skills as a parent -- Don't let it." ~Gabe Howard, Host

Our host, Gabe Howard, is an award-winning podcast host, author, and sought-after suicide prevention and mental health speaker, but he wouldn’t be any of those things today if he hadn’t been committed to a psychiatric hospital in 2003.
Gabe also hosts Healthline's Inside Mental Health podcast has appeared in numerous publications, including Bipolar magazine, WebMD, Newsweek, and the Stanford Online Medical Journal. He has appeared on all four major TV networks, ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX.
Among his many awards, he is the recipient of Mental Health America’s Norman Guitry Award, received two Webby Honoree acknowledgements, and received an official resolution from the Governor of Ohio naming him an “Everyday Hero.”

Gabe wrote the popular book, "Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations," available from Amazon; signed copies are available directly from the author with free swag included! To learn more about Gabe, or to book him for your next event, please visit his website, gabehoward.com.

Our host, Dr. Nicole Washington, is a native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where she attended Southern University and A&M College. After receiving her BS degree, she moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma to enroll in the Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine. She completed a residency in psychiatry at the University of Oklahoma in Tulsa.
Since completing her residency training, Dr. Nicole has spent most of her career caring for and being an advocate for those who are not typically consumers of mental health services, namely underserved communities, those with severe mental health conditions, and high performing professionals. Through her private practice, podcast, speaking, and writing, she seeks to provide education to decrease the stigma associated with psychiatric conditions. Find out more at DrNicolePsych.com.

Thank you for listening. PLEASE LIKE, SHARE, AND SUBSCRIBE!

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"What jobs are suitable for someone living with bipolar disorder?" It’s a question that floods our inbox, and the answer might surprise you: almost every single one. From high-powered criminal defense attorneys to surgeons and CEOs, people are nailing it in the workforce every day while managing a bipolar diagnosis.

In this episode, hosts Gabe Howard (diagnosed with bipolar) and Dr. Nicole Washington (a board-certified psychiatrist) dismantle the "minimum wage myth" to provide a realistic roadmap for re-entering and thriving in the workforce. We explore why your diagnosis isn't a unique disqualifier, but rather a factor to manage -- much like a pilot respects the weather or a surfer respects the ocean.

Listeners Will Learn:

Failing often isn't a symptom of bipolar disorder; it’s just part of the universal human experience. Whether you’re currently unemployed, struggling with "failure to launch," or looking to switch jobs, this episode provides the baby-step protocol you need to launch your next chapter workwise. It’s time to stop letting stigma decide your paycheck and start respecting your own potential.

"If the only reason you believe you can’t do a specific job is because you have bipolar disorder, I say try. I was surprised at how much success I had despite my diagnosis." ~Gabe Howard, Host

Our host, Gabe Howard, is an award-winning podcast host, author, and sought-after suicide prevention and mental health speaker, but he wouldn’t be any of those things today if he hadn’t been committed to a psychiatric hospital in 2003.
Gabe also hosts Healthline's Inside Mental Health podcast has appeared in numerous publications, including Bipolar magazine, WebMD, Newsweek, and the Stanford Online Medical Journal. He has appeared on all four major TV networks, ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX.
Among his many awards, he is the recipient of Mental Health America’s Norman Guitry Award, received two Webby Honoree acknowledgements, and received an official resolution from the Governor of Ohio naming him an “Everyday Hero.”

Gabe wrote the popular book, "Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations," available from Amazon; signed copies are available directly from the author with free swag included! To learn more about Gabe, or to book him for your next event, please visit his website, gabehoward.com.

Our host, Dr. Nicole Washington, is a native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where she attended Southern University and A&M College. After receiving her BS degree, she moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma to enroll in the Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine. She completed a residency in psychiatry at the University of Oklahoma in Tulsa.
Since completing her residency training, Dr. Nicole has spent most of her career caring for and being an advocate for those who are not typically consumers of mental health services, namely underserved communities, those with severe mental health conditions, and high performing professionals. Through her private practice, podcast, speaking, and writing, she seeks to provide education to decrease the stigma associated with psychiatric conditions. Find out more at DrNicolePsych.com.

Please like and subscribe -- and share the show with everyone you know so we can grow! Thank you.

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Studies suggest people with bipolar disorder die 25 years younger than the general population. It’s a statistic that hits like a "thump to the chest," but is it a death sentence or a wake-up call — and is it even true?

In this episode, host Gabe Howard (who lives with bipolar) and Dr. Nicole Washington (a board certified psychiatrist) peel back the curtain on the physical toll of living with a serious mental illness. While we spend so much energy managing our minds, we often neglect the “vessel” carrying us through life. From the 50% increased risk of sleep apnea to the increased risk of weight gain and diabetes, the risks are real, but they aren’t inevitable.

We dive deep into why “bipolar adjacent” issues like diet, smoking, and sedentary lifestyles are the true drivers of the shortened lifespan statistic, and how building a rock-solid relationship with a primary care doctor can literally save your life.

Listeners will learn:

Stop treating your physical health as an afterthought. Whether it’s vitamin deficiencies mimicking depression or sleep apnea driving mood changes, it’s time to recognize that you have far more control over your outcome than the statistics suggest.

Our host, Gabe Howard, is an award-winning podcast host, author, and sought-after suicide prevention and mental health speaker, but he wouldn’t be any of those things today if he hadn’t been committed to a psychiatric hospital in 2003.
Gabe also hosts Healthline's Inside Mental Health podcast has appeared in numerous publications, including Bipolar magazine, WebMD, Newsweek, and the Stanford Online Medical Journal. He has appeared on all four major TV networks, ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX.
Among his many awards, he is the recipient of Mental Health America’s Norman Guitry Award, received two Webby Honoree acknowledgements, and received an official resolution from the Governor of Ohio naming him an “Everyday Hero.”

Gabe wrote the popular book, "Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations," available from Amazon; signed copies are available directly from the author with free swag included! To learn more about Gabe, or to book him for your next event, please visit his website, gabehoward.com.

Our host, Dr. Nicole Washington, is a native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where she attended Southern University and A&M College. After receiving her BS degree, she moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma to enroll in the Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine. She completed a residency in psychiatry at the University of Oklahoma in Tulsa.
Since completing her residency training, Dr. Nicole has spent most of her career caring for and being an advocate for those who are not typically consumers of mental health services, namely underserved communities, those with severe mental health conditions, and high performing professionals. Through her private practice, podcast, speaking, and writing, she seeks to provide education to decrease the stigma associated with psychiatric conditions. Find out more at DrNicolePsych.com.

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If everything you do is labeled a symptom of bipolar disorder, do you ever get to be yourself? In this episode, Gabe Howard (who lives with bipolar) and board certified psychiatrist Dr. Nicole Washington tackle one of the most frustrating — and rarely discussed — realities of living with bipolar disorder: when regular human behavior gets pathologized by friends, family, and even well-meaning supporters.
Want to watch TV the whole weekend? Suddenly it’s “depression.”
Excited about a new idea or passion? You’re being “grandiose.”
Stumble over your words or get animated in conversation? Sounds like “mania.”
Gabe shares deeply personal stories about having his ideas dismissed, his ambitions questioned, and his successes doubted, not by strangers, but by the people who loved him most. Dr. Nicole explains why loved ones become hypervigilant, how fear and trauma shape their reactions, and where concern crosses the line into harm.

Listen and Learn:

This episode isn’t about denying bipolar symptoms; it’s about reclaiming your identity beyond the diagnosis. Because people with bipolar disorder deserve full lives, real dreams, and the freedom to be annoying, excited, ambitious, and human — just like everyone else.

Cold Open Transcript:

Gabe Howard: I don't think we're allowed to have these thoughts. Let's say that I was a person that did not live with bipolar disorder. And I came up with the pie-in-the-sky idea. The conversation is negative, but it also sort of moves forward. People with bipolar disorder don't get that. We just get shut down immediately, told that this is a symptom of our illness and that we need to cease this line of communication. And so they withdraw all that help, they withdraw all that information, and they leave us to fend for ourselves. Which actually puts us in a worse position.

Our host, Gabe Howard, is an award-winning podcast host, author, and sought-after suicide prevention and mental health speaker, but he wouldn’t be any of those things today if he hadn’t been committed to a psychiatric hospital in 2003.
Gabe also hosts Healthline's Inside Mental Health podcast has appeared in numerous publications, including Bipolar magazine, WebMD, Newsweek, and the Stanford Online Medical Journal. He has appeared on all four major TV networks, ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX.
Among his many awards, he is the recipient of Mental Health America’s Norman Guitry Award, received two Webby Honoree acknowledgements, and received an official resolution from the Governor of Ohio naming him an “Everyday Hero.”

Gabe wrote the popular book, "Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations," available from Amazon; signed copies are available directly from the author with free swag included! To learn more about Gabe, or to book him for your next event, please visit his website, gabehoward.com.

Our host, Dr. Nicole Washington, is a native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where she attended Southern University and A&M College. After receiving her BS degree, she moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma to enroll in the Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine. She completed a residency in psychiatry at the University of Oklahoma in Tulsa.
Since completing her residency training, Dr. Nicole has spent most of her career caring for and being an advocate for those who are not typically consumers of mental health services, namely underserved communities, those with severe mental health conditions, and high performing professionals. Through her private practice, podcast, speaking, and writing, she seeks to provide education to decrease the stigma associated with psychiatric conditions. Find out more at DrNicolePsych.com.

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Paranoia is one of the most misunderstood symptoms in bipolar disorder — and using the wrong word can delay the right treatment. Using real-life examples, this episode explains how psychosis in bipolar disorder is typically tied to mood episodes, how paranoid delusions form, and why people experiencing them often don’t report symptoms.

In this episode, Gabe Howard (who lives with bipolar disorder) and Dr. Nicole Washington (a board certified psychiatrist) break down what paranoia actually is, when it’s actually anxiety or hypervigilance, and when it crosses into psychosis and delusional thinking. They explain why “being paranoid” isn’t a diagnosis and how paranoid delusions fit under the psychosis umbrella.

We answer common questions like:

If you’ve ever wondered whether paranoia is a typical worry, a trauma response, or something more serious, this episode brings clarity to a topic that’s often confusing — and rarely explained well.

Our host, Gabe Howard, is an award-winning podcast host, author, and sought-after suicide prevention and mental health speaker, but he wouldn’t be any of those things today if he hadn’t been committed to a psychiatric hospital in 2003.
Gabe also hosts Healthline's Inside Mental Health podcast has appeared in numerous publications, including Bipolar magazine, WebMD, Newsweek, and the Stanford Online Medical Journal. He has appeared on all four major TV networks, ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX.
Among his many awards, he is the recipient of Mental Health America’s Norman Guitry Award, received two Webby Honoree acknowledgements, and received an official resolution from the Governor of Ohio naming him an “Everyday Hero.”

Gabe wrote the popular book, "Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations," available from Amazon; signed copies are available directly from the author with free swag included! To learn more about Gabe, or to book him for your next event, please visit his website, gabehoward.com.

Our host, Dr. Nicole Washington, is a native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where she attended Southern University and A&M College. After receiving her BS degree, she moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma to enroll in the Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine. She completed a residency in psychiatry at the University of Oklahoma in Tulsa.
Since completing her residency training, Dr. Nicole has spent most of her career caring for and being an advocate for those who are not typically consumers of mental health services, namely underserved communities, those with severe mental health conditions, and high performing professionals. Through her private practice, podcast, speaking, and writing, she seeks to provide education to decrease the stigma associated with psychiatric conditions. Find out more at DrNicolePsych.com.

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This episode was never supposed to exist. Mental health “rules” say patients and psychiatrists shouldn’t share power, shouldn’t speak publicly as equals, and definitely shouldn’t build a show together. Yet here we are — over 100 episodes in, winning awards, and recording our first-ever in-person episode.

In this special behind-the-scenes conversation, we pull back the curtain on “Inside Bipolar”: why so many doctors refused to participate, why patient-led advocacy makes professionals uncomfortable, and why influencer culture both helps and harms people living with bipolar disorder. We talk candidly about distrust of psychiatry, accusations of selling out, the rise of misinformation, and why scared people cling to loud voices over evidence. We also go somewhere rarely discussed in mental health media: self-doubt, self-deprecation, and the reality that success with bipolar disorder often looks painfully ordinary.

Listener takeaways

No toxic positivity. No “inspiration porn.” No pretending recovery is a mountaintop moment. Just two people — one with lived experience, one with medical expertise — talking honestly about what actually helps, what doesn’t, and why this unlikely partnership changed how both of us see mental illness, advocacy, and each other.

Cold Open Transcript:

Dr. Nicole: Which one is the real Gabe? You put yourself down, actually, quite a bit. Do you really have a low opinion of yourself? Like, are you fundamentally like this guy who really thinks, like, I suck, and I just get up every day and put one foot in front of the other one and do the best I can? Or do you have a lot of confidence because you, almost at the same time, have to have a ton of confidence to get in front of the camera and do the speaking and do all the things.

Our host, Gabe Howard, is an award-winning podcast host, author, and sought-after suicide prevention and mental health speaker, but he wouldn’t be any of those things today if he hadn’t been committed to a psychiatric hospital in 2003.
Gabe also hosts Healthline's Inside Mental Health podcast has appeared in numerous publications, including Bipolar magazine, WebMD, Newsweek, and the Stanford Online Medical Journal. He has appeared on all four major TV networks, ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX.
Among his many awards, he is the recipient of Mental Health America’s Norman Guitry Award, received two Webby Honoree acknowledgements, and received an official resolution from the Governor of Ohio naming him an “Everyday Hero.”

Gabe wrote the popular book, "Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations," available from Amazon; signed copies are available directly from the author with free swag included! To learn more about Gabe, or to book him for your next event, please visit his website, gabehoward.com.

Our host, Dr. Nicole Washington, is a native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where she attended Southern University and A&M College. After receiving her BS degree, she moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma to enroll in the Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine. She completed a residency in psychiatry at the University of Oklahoma in Tulsa.
Since completing her residency training, Dr. Nicole has spent most of her career caring for and being an advocate for those who are not typically consumers of mental health services, namely underserved communities, those with severe mental health conditions, and high performing professionals. Through her private practice, podcast, speaking, and writing, she seeks to provide education to decrease the stigma associated with psychiatric conditions. Find out more at DrNicolePsych.com.

PLEASE Share the show with everyone you know as it's how our community will grow. Happy Listening! :)

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Advocacy isn’t yelling, protesting, or going viral — and for people with bipolar disorder, doing it the wrong way can actually make things worse. In this episode, we break down what real, effective advocacy actually looks like, starting where the stakes are highest: your everyday life and expanding to social and political activism — covering everything in between.

From setting boundaries with family members who won’t stop asking about your mental health to advocating calmly (and safely) with doctors, insurance companies, and healthcare systems to presenting in front of politicians, this episode tackles the uncomfortable truth: how you advocate matters just as much as what you’re advocating for.

Listener takeaways

Gabe Howard, who lives with bipolar disorder, shares hard-earned lessons from decades of lived experience, including how passion can be misread as aggression, why “made-for-TV” advocacy fails in real life, and how preparation beats confrontation every time. Dr. Nicole Washington brings the clinician’s perspective, explaining how advocacy can unintentionally become antagonistic — and how to communicate your needs without risking your care or personal relationships.

If you’ve ever wanted to stand up for yourself — or for the bipolar community — but didn’t know how to do it without backlash, this episode gives you a roadmap.

“If you want to be an advocate, you need to develop a thick skin. Because if every time somebody criticizes a point of view, a part of your life, you lose control? Unfortunately, you're not just somebody who got angry during a debate. No, you're a mentally ill person who doesn't know how to behave in public. . .” ~Gabe Howard, Host

Our host, Gabe Howard, is an award-winning podcast host, author, and sought-after suicide prevention and mental health speaker, but he wouldn’t be any of those things today if he hadn’t been committed to a psychiatric hospital in 2003.
Gabe also hosts Healthline's Inside Mental Health podcast has appeared in numerous publications, including Bipolar magazine, WebMD, Newsweek, and the Stanford Online Medical Journal. He has appeared on all four major TV networks, ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX.
Among his many awards, he is the recipient of Mental Health America’s Norman Guitry Award, received two Webby Honoree acknowledgements, and received an official resolution from the Governor of Ohio naming him an “Everyday Hero.”

Gabe wrote the popular book, "Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations," available from Amazon; signed copies are available directly from the author with free swag included! To learn more about Gabe, or to book him for your next event, please visit his website, gabehoward.com.

Our host, Dr. Nicole Washington, is a native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where she attended Southern University and A&M College. After receiving her BS degree, she moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma to enroll in the Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine. She completed a residency in psychiatry at the University of Oklahoma in Tulsa.
Since completing her residency training, Dr. Nicole has spent most of her career caring for and being an advocate for those who are not typically consumers of mental health services, namely underserved communities, those with severe mental health conditions, and high performing professionals. Through her private practice, podcast, speaking, and writing, she seeks to provide education to decrease the stigma associated with psychiatric conditions. Find out more at DrNicolePsych.com.

Share the show with the people you know so that this free resource can continue to thrive and grow! Thank you in advance.

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Being told to “calm down” has never calmed anyone down — especially if you are experiencing symptoms of bipolar disorder. In this surprisingly funny episode, Gabe Howard (who lives with bipolar disorder) and Dr. Nicole Washington break down why the world’s most common advice backfires… and what truly helps instead.

Whether you’re spiraling at 2 a.m., overwhelmed in your car, or suddenly flooded with anxiety for no clear reason, the ability to de-escalate yourself is a core skill for managing bipolar disorder. But knowing how to calm down — without shame, judgment, or dismissive clichés — isn’t something most of us were ever taught.

Listener takeaways

So, take a listen as our hosts share practical, stigma-free tools you can start using immediately, from deceptively simple breathing exercises to naming emotions, reframing intrusive thoughts, and building a personalized “calm-down buffet” of strategies that actually work for you.

“And here's another pro tip that shouldn't be as earth-shattering as it is, but: admit it. Just admit that you need to calm down. Admit that you're anxious, agitated, overwhelmed, angry, elevated, whatever. Just admit it. Don't judge it. Practice some radical honesty with yourself and admit that you need to take a beat and that you need a moment. Don't try to deny it. And also don’t assume that it's because you live with bipolar disorder. You're a human with real emotions, but you still need to manage this.” ~Gabe Howard, Host

Our host, Gabe Howard, is an award-winning podcast host, author, and sought-after suicide prevention and mental health speaker, but he wouldn’t be any of those things today if he hadn’t been committed to a psychiatric hospital in 2003.
Gabe also hosts Healthline's Inside Mental Health podcast has appeared in numerous publications, including Bipolar magazine, WebMD, Newsweek, and the Stanford Online Medical Journal. He has appeared on all four major TV networks, ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX.
Among his many awards, he is the recipient of Mental Health America’s Norman Guitry Award, received two Webby Honoree acknowledgements, and received an official resolution from the Governor of Ohio naming him an “Everyday Hero.”

Gabe wrote the popular book, "Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations," available from Amazon; signed copies are available directly from the author with free swag included! To learn more about Gabe, or to book him for your next event, please visit his website, gabehoward.com.

Our host, Dr. Nicole Washington, is a native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where she attended Southern University and A&M College. After receiving her BS degree, she moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma to enroll in the Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine. She completed a residency in psychiatry at the University of Oklahoma in Tulsa.
Since completing her residency training, Dr. Nicole has spent most of her career caring for and being an advocate for those who are not typically consumers of mental health services, namely underserved communities, those with severe mental health conditions, and high performing professionals. Through her private practice, podcast, speaking, and writing, she seeks to provide education to decrease the stigma associated with psychiatric conditions. Find out more at DrNicolePsych.com.

Please follow, subscribe, and share! It's all absolutely free. Help us spread the word. Thank you!

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Traveling is supposed to be fun — but when you live with bipolar disorder, even a short trip can disrupt sleep, routines, and stability. In this episode, Gabe Howard (who lives with bipolar) and Dr. Nicole Washington get honest about why vacations can feel overwhelming, how to plan without fear, and the exact safeguards that make travel not just possible, but enjoyable.
From jet lag to family expectations, from “what if I’m not stable in 6 months?” to navigating early recovery setbacks, this conversation gives you practical, nonjudgmental guidance you can use immediately. Whether you’re planning your first overnight away or a bucket list vacation, you’ll walk away with tools to travel confidently, all without sacrificing stability.

Listener takeaways

If you’ve ever wondered, Can I actually travel with bipolar disorder? the answer is yes. And this episode shows you how.

"I have so many stories of me losing my mind out in public and needing to be calmed down and, you know, given water. I have so many stories of getting ready to go to the show, the concert, the play, the, the event, the whatever, and then refusing to leave and ruining it for everybody else. So I don't want anybody to think that this just came naturally. . ." ~Gabe Howard, Host

Our host, Gabe Howard, is an award-winning podcast host, author, and sought-after suicide prevention and mental health speaker, but he wouldn’t be any of those things today if he hadn’t been committed to a psychiatric hospital in 2003.
Gabe also hosts Healthline's Inside Mental Health podcast has appeared in numerous publications, including Bipolar magazine, WebMD, Newsweek, and the Stanford Online Medical Journal. He has appeared on all four major TV networks, ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX.
Among his many awards, he is the recipient of Mental Health America’s Norman Guitry Award, received two Webby Honoree acknowledgements, and received an official resolution from the Governor of Ohio naming him an “Everyday Hero.”

Gabe wrote the popular book, "Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations," available from Amazon; signed copies are available directly from the author with free swag included! To learn more about Gabe, or to book him for your next event, please visit his website, gabehoward.com.

Our host, Dr. Nicole Washington, is a native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where she attended Southern University and A&M College. After receiving her BS degree, she moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma to enroll in the Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine. She completed a residency in psychiatry at the University of Oklahoma in Tulsa.
Since completing her residency training, Dr. Nicole has spent most of her career caring for and being an advocate for those who are not typically consumers of mental health services, namely underserved communities, those with severe mental health conditions, and high performing professionals. Through her private practice, podcast, speaking, and writing, she seeks to provide education to decrease the stigma associated with psychiatric conditions. Find out more at DrNicolePsych.com.

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The mental health system didn’t start out fair — and in many ways, it still isn’t. In this powerful episode, Dr. Nicole Washington sits down with fellow psychiatrist Dr. Leesha Ellis-Cox to unpack the long, painful history that continues to shape the experiences of Black Americans seeking mental health care. From the horrifying “diagnosis” of drapetomania in the 1800s to the Tuskegee Syphilis Study, they trace how mistrust, stigma, and systemic bias became woven into the Black community’s relationship with psychiatry.
But they don’t stop there. Dr. Nicole and Dr. Leesha explore the research showing that Black and Hispanic people are 3 to 4 times more likely to be misdiagnosed with schizophrenia instead of bipolar disorder — a mistake that can derail treatment, worsen symptoms, and put lives at risk.
Listener takeaways

Most importantly, they offer real, actionable advice: how to find culturally affirming care, how to navigate bias in the system, and how Black and other communities of color can break generational silence around mental health. This conversation is validating, eye-opening, and deeply empowering. Listen now!  

Our guest, Dr. Leesha Ellis-Cox, affectionately known as Dr. Leesha, is a double board certified child, adolescent, and adult psychiatrist. She earned both her Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Medicine degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and completed her general psychiatry residency training, child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship, and community mental health/public psychiatry fellowship at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta. Since 2009, she has lived and worked in Alabama and is the medical director at Central Alabama Wellness, a community mental health center located in metro Birmingham.

Our host, Dr. Nicole Washington, is a native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where she attended Southern University and A&M College. After receiving her BS degree, she moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma to enroll in the Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine. She completed a residency in psychiatry at the University of Oklahoma in Tulsa.
Since completing her residency training, Dr. Nicole has spent most of her career caring for and being an advocate for those who are not typically consumers of mental health services, namely underserved communities, those with severe mental health conditions, and high performing professionals. Through her private practice, podcast, speaking, and writing, she seeks to provide education to decrease the stigma associated with psychiatric conditions. Find out more at DrNicolePsych.com.

Our host, ⁠Gabe Howard⁠, is an award-winning podcast host, author, and sought-after suicide prevention and mental health speaker, but he wouldn’t be any of those things today if he hadn’t been committed to a psychiatric hospital in 2003.Gabe also hosts Healthline's ⁠Inside Mental Health⁠ podcast has appeared in numerous publications, including Bipolar magazine, WebMD, Newsweek, and the Stanford Online Medical Journal. He has appeared on all four major TV networks, ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX. Among his many awards, he is the recipient of Mental Health America’s Norman Guitry Award, received two Webby Honoree acknowledgements, and received an official resolution from the Governor of Ohio naming him an “Everyday Hero.”

Gabe wrote the popular book, "⁠Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations⁠," available from Amazon; signed copies are available ⁠directly from the author⁠ with free swag included! To learn more about Gabe, or to book him for your next event, please visit his website, ⁠gabehoward.com⁠.

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