Mequell and Adam are joined by Fitness and Wellness Management expert Cheri Johnson of the Six Pack Dad Tribe who also happens to live with OCD. Along with an excellent discussion around OCD and her experience Cheri also shares principles of good habits, nutrition and exercise that have helped her cope.

Mequell and Adam respond to a listener question of how to handle things when the situation is reversed and the husband (and sometimes primary provider) is the one who struggles with mental illness. There are a whole different range of feelings, challenges and hurdles when figuring out how to provide for and support your family in all the ways when traditional roles might need to be reexamined. They are joined by Laura, a beloved listener,  who graciously shares her own experience with her husband who deals with mental illness and the difficult journey that has brought them to the happy place they are now. Laura is oh so wise and inspirational!

Mequell and Adam discuss the pros (and cons) of having an emotional support animal (our cavapoo Leonora) along with some research and studies that have been done about the benefits. Pros: lick licks and puppy cuddles Cons: lady pants and extra responsibility when you're down

Would we recommend? Still yes 

Mequell and Adam respond to a question several listeners have posed recently which is "How do I help my struggling child?" These kids are in  situations where their parents are afraid for their safety and trying to keep them alive but the question becomes "How do I balance expectations in helping my child progress while still ensuring their safety?" Obviously a complicated question which requires the professional help of great psychiatrists and psychologists. Mequell and Adam discuss things that helped them navigate this time period with Sam in particular and how they relied heavily on the guidance of Sams psychiatrist which was to set all expectations aside just for a minute and give Sam a chance to stabilize. This advice was exactly opposite of all the parenting advice they got from everywhere else but when dealing with mental illness and teens sometimes traditionally great parenting advice ends up actually being the worst advice. Bonus info: Sam shared tips from his own perspective on how parents can help their teens most effectively. (Go back and listen to Episodes 9 and 10 for more background on Sams situation and why his current advice is actually quite brilliant!) 

Mequell and Adam discuss the reality that there are no ready made heroes who come to the table with all of the tools in place to be an amazing  cheerleader to the mental illness warriors. Everybody starts off as a remedial hero and learns through both education and proper tools and also from stepping in it along the way. All it takes to become a great support person though is a desire to do so and a willingness to learn. Here are 3 simple things to do today to become a better cheerleader for your warrior. xoxoxo

Mequell and Adam are joined by Sam Stapley (the lovely Eliza's husband from a few episodes back) as he shares his experience, wisdom and knowledge gained by his exposure to mental illness. He shares how invaluable the tools and communication learned through therapy have been for both of them. We say all the time how mental illness has made both our marriage and our lives better and Sam confirms that he and Eliza have had the same experience. Having mental illness is a hard thing in a relationship it's true but Sam shares that not only is their marriage much stronger but he is a better human being after going through this experience with Eliza. Get yourself a man like Sam! (or a man like Adam, you're great too babe ;)

Mequell and Adam are joined by Eliza Stapley a young married BYU student to talk about her own experience with mental illness and how it affected dating her now husband Sam, going through pregnancy and ultimately losing her babies. Even though the experiences have been heartbreaking Eliza shares a message of hope about how learning to live with her mental illness prepared her in a way to deal with the grief of loss. She's a gem that Eliza!

Mequell and Adam discuss the top five reasons people stop treatment citing the NAMI study. Yeah figuring out the right treatment is hard. Yeah it takes time. Yeah there will be course corrections along the way. But yeah it's also worth it when you finally feel good again.

Mequell and Adam are joined by Spencer Holt PhD. Spencer is corporate business leader and executive coach who teaches and trains CEOs and business executives around the world in ways to be more effective both as leaders and as people. Spencer has developed part of his coaching to address anxiety and guide corporate leaders on how to effectively deal with it in the workplace. He draws on valuable insight from his own career and experiences and brings that insight to the table for both leaders and those of us who deal with anxiety on a day to day level.