Mental Illness Happy Hour

By Paul Gilmartin

Personal Journals Society & Culture Sexuality

What's Mental Illness Happy Hour about?

"A perversely safe place in which he and his guests talk about their fears, addictions and traumatic childhoods." - NY Times

"Normalizes what so many others feel but have been too fearful or ashamed to express...remarkable" - Psychology Today

"A vital, compassionate gem that fills a desperate and under-addressed need in our society." - Esquire

"Gilmartin makes a conscious effort to explore stories that aren’t black and white" - Slate Magazine

"Praised by listeners all over the world" - Atlantic Monthly

www.mentalpod.com mentalpod@gmail.com

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4,798 ratings

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LAST EPISODE

448 - Navigating Getting Be...

08.16.2019

The patient advocate discusses experimental treatments, pharmaceuticals vs eastern remedies, navigating the healthcare system, the struggle to get to the "root cause" of health issues and losing her mother to mental illness. WAYS TO HELP THE PODCAST Subscribe! Spread the ...

Mental Illness Happy Hour episodes:

08.16.2019 448 - Navigating Getting Better - Patient Advocate Adrienne Nolan-Smith The patient advocate discusses experimental treatments, pharmaceuticals vs eastern remedies, navigating the healthcare system, the struggle to get to the "root cause" of health issues and losing her mother to mental illness. WAYS TO HELP THE PODCAST Subscribe! Spread the ...
08.15.2019 Introducing We Love You (And So Can You)! Part reality show, part self-love school and the best makeover podcast out there. Hosts Kristen Meinzer and Jolenta Greenberg (from By The Book) draw on their extensive knowledge of self-help to provide guests with a prescription for their next life ...
08.09.2019 447 - Being Mixed Race & Intra-Racism - Daniel Evans Nakamura Dan discusses intra-race racism, growing up mixed-race (Latinx/Japanese/African-American) & sexually fluid with a judgmental and homophobic father, and how he renewed a relationship with his mother after learning self-advocacy. WAYS TO HELP THE PODCAST Subscribe! Spread the word via social ...
08.02.2019 446 - Behind The Laughter - Anthony & Brigitte The comedian (Anthony) & psychologist (Brigitte) open up about losing their 2-year-old daughter to cancer and how they learned to navigate the grief process through faith, love, and humor. They are the authors of Behind the Laughter. WAYS TO HELP ...
07.26.2019 445 - Best Of: Ex-Con "Murph" From the first season (2011). Paul interviews “Murph”, a retired serial felon who opens up about prison, the guilt of his crimes and leaving it all behind. Six years ago you might have labeled him a psychopath. WAYS TO HELP ...
07.19.2019 444 - Best Of: Jen Kirkman From 2011. Jen @JenKirkman (Chelsea Lately, Drunk History) and Paul have an epic “Fear Off” that leaves both of their souls emptied. Jen shares about her panic attacks and what it was like to be in New York on 9/11. ...
07.12.2019 443 - Best Of: Rob Delaney (2011) From 2011 - actor Rob Delaney (Catastrophe) opens up about his hilariously horrifying alcoholic bottom and how he has adapted to live with what might have killed most people. WAYS TO HELP THE PODCAST Subscribe! Spread the word via social ...
07.05.2019 442 - Best Of - Teresa Strasser Listener-Voted #1 episode of 2011 and for good reason. The Emmy-nominated writer/performer brings it. She opens up about her struggles, insecurities and fear of not being cut out to be a mother. WAYS TO HELP THE PODCAST Subscribe! Spread the ...
06.28.2019 441 - Surviving Prison & Gang Life - Bobby Martinez The 53 year-old former gang-member has spent most of his life in prison in solitary confinement. He addresses his shame over the harms he caused, surviving prison, getting sober, going back to school and regaining custody of his kids. WAYS ...
06.21.2019 440 Repressed Memories - Aaron Woodall Repressed sex abuse memories are difficult especially when the perpetrator is a female relative. The comic talks about uncovering his memories, leaving Mormonism & his belief that he deserves bad things to happen to him. WAYS TO HELP THE PODCAST ...
06.14.2019 439 - Finding Our Core Emotions - Hilary Jacobs Hendel LCSW The certified psychoanalyst, author of It's Not Always Depression:Working the Change Triangle to Listen to the Body, Discover Core Emotions, and Connect to Your Authentic Self and AEDP psychotherapist opens up about her struggles with perfectionism and equating value with ...
06.07.2019 438 Alec MacDonald aka @AlecWithPen The popular cartoonist @AlecWithPen shares his history with depression, anxiety, failed relationships, a wealthy but distant family, low self-esteem, trying to find his passion & how he finally channeled it into his drawings. WAYS TO HELP THE PODCAST Subscribe! Spread ...
05.31.2019 437 - Aging & Happiness - Dr Andrea Brandt The 77 year-old veteran psychotherapist, teacher and author shares her insights into how we can embrace aging and mortality to deal with feelings of irrelevance and anger and find contentment thru acceptance, mindfulness and purpose. WAYS TO HELP THE PODCAST ...
05.24.2019 436 - Healthy Love - Christina Howard Her lifelong fear of commitment was masked behind an obsession with emotionally available men - Christina shares how she personally changed and healed her pain to be able to recognize and accept healthy love including self-love. WAYS TO HELP THE ...
05.17.2019 435 Anxiety & Humor - Jordan Reid The hilarious blogger/author of Ramshackle Glam &The Big Activity Book For Anxious People shares about her battles with anxiety, & being fired from It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. She & Paul also get into some fun Fears and Loves. WAYS ...
05.10.2019 434 - Depression, Drinking & Fear - Ry Doon The comedian shares about his battles with depression, fear of failure, huge financial and professional setbacks (he had a huge following on Vine before it was retired), having a mother with BiPolar I, and alcohol. WAYS TO HELP THE PODCAST ...
05.03.2019 433 - Janet Varney Returns Paul's former Dinner and a Movie cohost and very first guest on the podcast returns to share about fears, loves, panic attacks, people pleasing, hurt feelings and her battles with personalization displacement syndrome. WAYS TO HELP THE PODCAST Subscribe! Spread ...
04.26.2019 432 - Heartache & Obsession - Elle Huerta Elle talks about obsessions & letting go especially after breakups, shame, isolation, rejection and not being enough, plus the sickness of working to extreme exhaustion and trying to find validation outside of her accomplishments. WAYS TO HELP THE PODCAST Subscribe! ...
04.19.2019 431 - Rich But Sad & Video Games - Keith Kingbay The comedian and podcaster (New Player Has Joined) opens up about his financially privileged but emotionally barren childhood, verbal abuse from youth hockey coaches, and discovering himself thru video games. WAYS TO HELP THE PODCAST Subscribe! Spread the word via ...
04.12.2019 430 - Our Own Worst Enemies - Lori Gottlieb LMFT The licensed therapist shares common issues people deal with in therapy and ways that we are our own worst enemy. Paul shares about adopting a dog, plus great listener descriptions of their food issues anxiety and depression. WAYS TO HELP ...
04.05.2019 429 Trust Issues, Ideation & Food - Leo Flowers The comic, life coach, & ex-athlete shares about his suicidal ideation, struggles with food, abandonment by his dad who fathered him via an affair, learning trust, self-care, conflict resolution and even trying the suicide hotline. WAYS TO HELP THE PODCAST ...
03.29.2019 428 - Trading Sex For Love - Marigny Goodyear The 41 year-old mother reads the open letter she wrote to the men who took advantage of her as a young teen, discussing gray area issues like consent, alcohol, objectification and trading sex for love, attention or to avoid abandonment. ...
03.22.2019 427 Best Of: Adoption & Religious Abuse - Julie J Funny & vulnerable, Julie was born to a teenage mom, was given up for adoption and raised by a stoic military dad and Fundamentalist mom whose obsession with demons comes close to resembling the mother from “Carrie”. From 2013 WAYS ...
03.15.2019 426 Grief Support Mistakes - Megan DeVine LPC The licensed therapist shares about the well-meaning but misguided "cult of positivity" after tragedies, emotional dissonance, grief support, having difficult conversations and how she dealt with the sudden death of her partner. WAYS TO HELP THE PODCAST Subscribe! Spread the ...
03.08.2019 #425 Remembering Jenn Golick Weeks after recording this episode last year, therapist Dr. Jennifer Golick was killed by a combat veteran with PTSD whom she was helping. She talks about her work with vets, covert incest and codependence. WAYS TO HELP THE PODCAST Subscribe! ...
03.01.2019 424 Remembering Brody Stevens One of the most unique voices in comedy ended his life last week. Paul shares some thoughts on it, reads a listener email and replays episode 100, an interview with Brody from Feb 2013, in its entirety. WAYS TO HELP ...
02.22.2019 #423 Catholic Black Sheep - Joe Bill Paul's longtime friend and improv teacher talk about his violent ex-Notre Dame football player dad, his mentally unstable and sexually abusive mother and how he found his voice in creativity but still struggles with shame, codependency and self-love. Fill out ...
02.15.2019 #422 Religious & Sexual Orientation OCD - Kimberley Quinlan LMFT The LMFT returns to talk about two types of OCD; Scrupulosity - a fear of sinning or having sinned, and Sexual Orientation OCD - an obsession about one's present or future orientation. She and Paul share their own anxieties. Kimberley ...
02.08.2019 #421 Amy G - Male Attention & Feeling Safe Paul's support group friend opens up about being addicted to male attention while also fearing them, feeling unsafe, love addiction, growing up without her bio dad (without explanation) and the power of vulnerability in healing. WAYS TO HELP THE PODCAST ...
02.01.2019 #420 Psychiatrist/Writer Dr Paul Puri The psychiatrist and tv writer (Chicago Med) shares about his childhood, why some of his peers overprescribe medications, the importance of talk therapy, some info on hypnosis and Paul opens up about his health fears especially around meds and long-term ...
01.25.2019 Feeling Like An Outsider - Glenn Lutz The author (Go F*%#, I Mean Find Yourself) opens up about being mixed race and battling depression and feeling like an outsider as far back as childhood. He and Paul share things they're grateful for and read inspirational quotes from ...
01.23.2019 BONUS: Introducing First Day Back Ep Description: First Day Back is a podcast about people facing and trying to overcome life’s most challenging moments. This season is a new story about a comedian who died on stage and was revived by a member of the ...
01.21.2019 #419b Bonus ep - Listener Struggles/Secrets Some "Shame and Secrets" surveys and some "Awfulsome" and "Happy Moments" surveys as well.
01.18.2019 #418 Fears & Loves w/Nora McInerney Live The author (It's OK to Laugh and No Happy Endings) and host of the podcast Terrible Thanks For Asking returns in front of live audience in Minneapolis. She, Paul and the audience share their fears and loves and answer some ...
01.15.2019 Bonus Ep - Maternal Incest - Daniel M After hearing mens' stories about experiencing incest (overtly or covertly) by their mothers, Daniel reached out to Paul with his story and has come to share it (with his girlfriend for support as well.) This episode is sponsored by StitchFix ...
01.11.2019 Our Inner Critic - Cartoonist Lucy Bellwood The cartoonist (100 Demon Dialogues) delves into her struggles with the mean/critical voice in her head and how she is confronting the lies it tells her about herself. She also shares about her dad, the author of The Highlander, and ...
01.04.2019 Facing Her Fears - Courtenay Hameister The writer/performer opens up about her anxiety, panic attacks, OCD, shame and body issues. She also reads excerpts from Okay Fine Whatever: The Year I Went From Being Afraid Of Everything to Being Afraid Of Most Things, her hilarious new ...
12.28.2018 2018 Year Ender - Awfulsome Traditions No guests, just some of Paul's thoughts on traditions and holidays; how we hide our feelings and some great, very honest (and one very dark) listener surveys including the best holiday Awfulsome moment yet.
12.21.2018 Struggles With Moderation, Identify & Survivor's Guilt - Akshay Nanavati Born in India, raised in Texas, 33 year-old Iraq War veteran, ultra-runner and global philanthropist talks about his lifelong struggles with moderation, getting his identify from his accomplishments or dangerous/crazy/extreme behavior, feeling unworthy and battling survivors guilt after losing a ...
12.14.2018 Dating Anxiety & Reproductive Issues - Becky Feldman Coming from an anxious family, coupled with not fitting in, being bullied by her ballet teacher (and having red hair), then as a young teen, developing vaginismus, Becky spent her 20s resigned to never dating or having a partner. Surgery, ...
12.07.2018 Back in My Parents' F-ing Basement - Live in MN w/Kjell Bjorgen Recorded live in Minneapolis at Sisyphus Brewing, Paul and Kjell reunite and share stories of bombing onstage, panic attacks, depression, meds, feeling lazy, future tripping, anger at partners, living in parents' basements, self-doubt, dead-end jobs and self-sabotage. Older episodes can ...
11.30.2018 Cartoons & Murder - Tonya McKenzie One of her first memories is seeing her mother's boyfriend shot dead in front of her at four years-old. The mother she adored was fiercely protective of her except when it interfered with her dangerous lifestyle. A great chat about ...
11.23.2018 LeeAnn Kreischer - Rural Southern Generational Trauma The former screenwriter, mother and podcaster shares about her relationship with her "party-animal" husband Bert Kreischer and her tumultuous childhood split between a mentally-ill narcissistic mother, a lovesick broken father, and a grandfather with severe combat PTSD from being the ...
11.16.2018 FOMO, Shame & People Pleasing - Mary Holland The improviser/actor (UCB's Wild Horses) opens up about her struggles with feeling like a fraud, people pleasing, shame, FOMO, feeling undeserving or that her authentic self is just too much for people. Older episodes can be found ad-free exclusively at ...
11.09.2018 Chris Mancini - A Buffet of Anxiety The filmmaker (Earbuds) podcaster (Comedy Film Nerds and Conversations From the Abyss) writer (Pacified: A Handbook For the New Freaked-Out Dad) and comedian sits down to talk about anxiety, depression, parental stress/anxiety and feeling career disappointment/frustration/doubt. He also talks about ...
11.02.2018 Sofiya Alexandra - Mania, Communism, Surviving Cancer & #MeToo The writer (Danger & Eggs) standup (Comedy Central: This is Not Happening) & podcaster (Reality Bytes) shares about her childhood under communism in the Ukraine, her battles with bipolar (loving the mania), surviving cancer and how to help or talk ...
10.26.2018 Lazy, Dumb, Hyper, Scattered - Jessica McCabe & ADHD labels "Bored", "lazy", "scattered" "hyper"; Are these fair or accurate labels? Is there anything we can do to help our brains or motivation? Jessica shares about her past struggles with these labels and how we can find what our brain likes ...
10.19.2018 It's OK To Be Weird & Anxious - May Wilkerson The standup & cohost of the "Crazy in Bed" podcast opens up about being an only child & a "weird kid" who couldn't appreciate her uniqueness and desire to belong until college. She shares about her battles with social anxiety, ...
10.12.2018 Adam Cayton-Holland: OCD, Social Conscience and Loss The standup, actor and author shares about familial loss, his lifelong OCD rituals, and growing up in a home where the harsh and often brutal realities of the world were discussed with the kids, helping them empathize but also took ...
10.05.2018 Mariel Hemingway - Generational Dysfunction & Art The actress, author (Out Came the Sun) and granddaughter of writer Ernest Hemingway shares about the him, her family, acting, generational trauma, mental illness, addiction/alcoholism and dysfunction and how she has learned to deal with her anxiety, codependence, depression and ...

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