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Today on Schizophrenia: 3 Moms in the Trenches, we’re joined by Dr. Steve Olson—psychiatrist, longtime advocate for clozapine, and a clinician experienced in using Electroconvulsive Therapy when it can truly help. ECT is often misunderstood, especially in the context of schizophrenia, so today we’re digging into what it is, when it works, and what families should know. Dr. Olson helps us separate myth from reality and explore whether ECT has a place in treatment for our loved ones.

Questions for Dr. Olson

Understanding ECT

1. For families who only know ECT from movies, how do you explain what it actually is today?
   
   
   
2. What symptoms or situations in schizophrenia make you consider ECT as an option?
   
   
   

Effectiveness & Use Cases
 3. How effective can ECT be for schizophrenia, and what outcomes have you seen in practice?
 4. Are there particular subtypes or symptom profiles where ECT is most helpful—or least helpful?
 5. How quickly do patients typically respond, compared to medication changes?

Clozapine Context
 6. You’ve been a strong advocate for clozapine. In what scenarios would you consider ECT in addition to clozapine?
7. For someone who hasn’t responded fully even to clozapine, how do you decide whether ECT could help?

Safety, Stigma, and Practicalities
 8. What are the most common fears or misconceptions families have about ECT, and how do you address them?

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Randye Kaye
Mindy Greiling
Miriam (Mimi) Feldman

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Moms kick off Season Six, with a sneak peek back at the past few months, and a look ahead.

Coming up: ECT, new research, microdosing?

What would you like us to cover?

Contact us on our facebook page, or via any of our websites. 

https://www.randyekaye.com/schizophrenia-three-moms-in-the-trenches

or write [email protected]

Links:

Corey Minor Smith Panel on Homelessness:

https://www.youtube.com/live/PJo8v5orjPk?si=W1Ae9bvw0FVjEI1M

Hosts:

Who:

Randye Kaye - was a morning Radio Personality bringing humor to CT families when her own son was diagnosed with schizophrenia. Now she is still a Broadcaster, Actress, Voice Talent, Speaker, and Author (Ben Behind his Voices, Happier Made Simple)

Miriam Feldman -  is an artist, writer, and the mother of an adult son with schizophrenia. Her book, He Came in With It chronicles her family's story and was released to rave reviews on July 21st, 2020.

Mindy Greiling - Mindy Greiling was a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives for twenty years. She helped found the nation's first state mental health caucus, which successfully lobbied for a significant increase in Minnesota's mental health funding Her acclaimed memoir is Fix What You Can.

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Randye Kaye
Mindy Greiling
Miriam (Mimi) Feldman

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Guests: authors of the new book (same name) - 

Katharine Dougherty PhD, and Lisa Mann, PhD , and Dr. Rocco Marotta-a psychiatrist known for his successful treatment of "hopeless" cases-and practiced with remarkable success by the team he led at The Lodge program at Silver Hill Hospital in New Canaan, Connecticut.

Written for families struggling to navigate the world of neuropsychiatric illness and useful for providers looking for a different approach to the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders

The book can be found at the following sites by putting in the title and authors:   amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, sdppublishingsolutions.com

The Center for the Treatment and Study of Neuropsychiatric Disorders:  silverhillhospital.org/TheCenter  

Why relabel SMI NBD (neuropsychiatric brain disease )?

THEMES:

• Hope and persistence are critical
• No two cases are exactly the same
• Medication and adherence and sobriety are important to sustained stability
• It takes a team and long-term relationships to sustain stability
• Communication among team members is critical
• Taking small risks and succeeding leads to other risks
• Rigid ideology has no place when you are untangling complexity and nuance
• The diagnosis of NBD is often tied to a sense of shame and failure for patients and families
• There are many important layers to the recovery journey
• Constant reevaluation is important and this includes the importance of patient feedback

Poetry from Zachary Sutphin

"White pink blue" 

White pink blue

The pills look like candy 

But taste like defeat.  

They taste like mother’s advice.  

Correct, we grow too see

I take them Because otherwise, 

I might start believing.. believing in things that can't be believed

in minds unlike mine 

They tell me it’s illness.  

But what if it’s clarity?  

What if losing grip 

Was divine sanity

Still, I take them.....

For the full poem, see our "Schizophrenia 3 Moms" Facebook page

Thanks for liking and sharing the podcast! 

Mindy and her book: https://mindygreiling.com/

Randye and her book: https://randyekaye.com/

Miriam and her book: https://www.miriam-feldman.com/

Support the show

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Our websites:
Randye Kaye
Mindy Greiling
Miriam (Mimi) Feldman

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When the loved one with SMI is your peer, your partner, there are some challenges that differ from parenting someone with serious mental illness. Support, Education and new mindsets  can help.

Guests: Jeff Zuckerman, author of Unglued: A Bipolar Love Story - https://www.jeffzuckerman.com/

 and Annie Jaeger, wellness coach and NAMI  Family Support Group facilitator - https://www.anniejaeger.com/

Link to support group:

https://heypeers.com/meetings/44205/details

Scroll down for Lisa Wexler show links

We ask:

1. What do you see as the differences between being married to someone with a serious mental illness compared to the parent of someone with a mental illness.

2. How have your children been affected by your spouse's mental illness, and how do you navigate your role as both spouse and partner in that regard?

3. How do you set boundaries (a whole podcast in itself, no doubt) for yourself without guilt or shame? (Which can be a discussion about self-care.)

4. Since you co-facilitate one of the few support groups for partners of those with a mental illness, tell us about the benefits of support groups.

Lisa Wexler Links

 https://www.instagram.com/lisawexler.radio/

https://www.lisawexler.com/

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/is-trumps-plan-to-help-the-mentally-ill-good/id1063388065?i=1000721737436

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-new-drug-could-revolutionize-treating-mental-health/id1063388065?i=1000718001577

Also LISA on the LAW segments

Thanks for liking and sharing the podcast! 

Mindy and her book: https://mindygreiling.com/

Randye and her book: https://randyekaye.com/

Miriam and her book: https://www.miriam-feldman.com/

Support the show

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Our websites:
Randye Kaye
Mindy Greiling
Miriam (Mimi) Feldman

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Guest: Casie Fariello from Other Parents Like ME

• OPLM is an online platform and virtual community, designed to create a safe space with the access and support parents need as they move from crisis to healing.

Links: https://oplm.com/

Here are the social media links for Other Parents Like Me:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/otherparentslikeme
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/otherparentslikeme
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/other-parents-like-me
• Linktree: https://linktr.ee/oplm

We’ve also created a one-month promo code for your: TRENCHES3

We Ask:

• Your mission and how/why it started
• resources available to parents like "us"
• is this limited to parents of teens with mental health issues, or can parents of older kids - and other relatives - benefit?
• what do you most want people to know?
• Tips for parents, even if they don’t pay the $ to join the community?

Thanks for liking and sharing the podcast! 

Mindy and her book: https://mindygreiling.com/

Randye and her book: https://randyekaye.com/

Miriam and her book: https://www.miriam-feldman.com/

Support the show

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Our websites:
Randye Kaye
Mindy Greiling
Miriam (Mimi) Feldman

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A “Just Us” episode - inspired by listener input

Many listeners have asked us to do an episode about recovery that is “in the middle” - not miraculous, not superstar, but appreciating when “ordinary” is, in itself, a miracle.

Along the way we also talk about President Trump’s Executive Order on Homelessness - On July 24, the White House issued an Executive Order, “Ending Crime and Disorder on America’s Streets,” which directs federal agencies to make it easier to involuntarily treat people with serious mental illnesses as part of a bid to address homelessness across the United States.

Addressing Homelessness and Mental Illness

The group discussed President Trump's executive order on addressing homelessness and mental illness, with Randye, Mindy, and Mimi expressing concerns about the approach. They agreed that while affordable housing is important, it alone is not enough to solve homelessness, and that involuntary treatment must be accompanied by a robust mental health system. Mindy highlighted the need for both conservative and liberal support to create a comprehensive continuum of care, while the group criticized the lack of funding for mental health services under the current administration. They shared personal stories of individuals with mental illness who were unable to access appropriate treatment due to system failures, emphasizing the urgent need for a balanced approach that combines housing, treatment, and support services.

Challenges of Schizophrenia Recovery

The group discussed the challenges faced by individuals with mental illness, particularly focusing on those who are not in active psychosis but still experience significant negative symptoms. The Moms explained that recovery does not mean complete recovery but rather being in a process of improvement, and highlighted the eight principal negative symptoms of schizophrenia, including apathy, blunted emotions, social withdrawal, and anhedonia. The group explored how negative symptoms affect daily life and recovery for their sons.

Challenges of Schizophrenia's Negative Symptoms

The group discussed the challenges of managing schizophrenia, particularly focusing on negative symptoms and their impact on daily life. 

Mindy shared her experience with her son Jim, who struggles with negative symptoms such as lack of initiative and social withdrawal, leading to isolation and difficulty engaging in activities. 

 Mimi shared her positive experience at Dr. Laitman's barbecue event with her son, emphasizing the value of community and understanding among families facing similar challenges. 

The hosts also mentioned President Trump's executive order on homelessness and encouraged listeners to create local support groups for individuals with mental health issues.

Randye described her son's journey with schizophrenia, including periods of improvement followed by setbacks, and highlighted the importance of structure, community, and purpose and treatment in managing the condition. Both women emphasized the difficulty of explaining negative symptoms to others and the need for more support and understanding for individuals with schizophrenia.

The conversation concluded with agreement on the need for better treatment systems, increased peer support, and the importance of families sharing their experiences to help others navigate the complexities of schizophrenia recovery.

Thanks for liking and sharing the podcast! 

Mindy and her book: https://mindygreiling.com/

Randye and her book: 

Support the show

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Randye Kaye
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Guests: Stephanie Greer (DoroMind), Xavier Amador(LEAP)

Ever wish you had a communication coach in your back pocket to guide you through a conversation with your LO (loved One) with SMI (Serious Mental Illness)?

DoroMind and the LEAP Institute are working on it - want to try it out?

“At Doro Mind and the LEAP Institute, we've been weaving AI into our clinical operations to improve the experience for the families we support, the care teams we employ, and to make what we offer more financially accessible and sustainable. We'd appreciate the opportunity to highlight some of the work we've done at the intersection of SMI and AI - and also highlight some of the new AI work underway with Xavier Amador and the LEAP Institute.”

In this episode, hear what happens when Randye and Mindy try out this LEAP approach on current challenging situations- with on-the spot AI coaching.

In the Summer of 2025, you can try it yourself! 

Dr. Amador, author of I Am Not Sick, I Don’t Need Help, was our guest on episode 27 (one of our most popular).  We had a guest from Doromind on Episode 107, along with Dr. Rob Laitman.

Links:

https://www.doromind.com/

https://leapinstitute.org/

To use the free 3-day Trial

1. Download the Doro Mind app in the app store on your phone
2. Open the Practice tab (this is a tab at the bottom of the screen)
3. Tap ‘start’ to access your free 3-day preview. After you click the start button you will have 3 days to test out the AI coach.

Thanks for liking and sharing the podcast! 

Mindy and her book: https://mindygreiling.com/

Randye and her book: https://randyekaye.com/

Miriam and her book: https://www.miriam-feldman.com/

Support the show

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Our websites:
Randye Kaye
Mindy Greiling
Miriam (Mimi) Feldman

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Guests Wyatt Forte, and his mom Denise Forte

Those Not So Little Voices offers a unique narrative as it is authored over the course of three and a half years --- from the age of fourteen to almost eighteen --- by a teenager struggling to make sense of psychotic symptoms that he experienced since he was six years old.

Wyatt’s journey is an amazing story, filled with heart-wrenching moments and major setbacks, but most importantly, it's an uplifting story that shows the power of love, support and resiliency.

Link: the book on Amazon - 

https://a.co/d/4i3kVkU

Thanks for liking and sharing the podcast! 

Mindy and her book: https://mindygreiling.com/

Randye and her book: https://randyekaye.com/

Miriam and her book: https://www.miriam-feldman.com/

Support the show

Please share and support the podcast so we can reach more people who need the info and support.

Want to know more?
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Our websites:
Randye Kaye
Mindy Greiling
Miriam (Mimi) Feldman

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Guests: Rakesh Jain, MD, and Sherland Peterson, who has experience living with TD

More than 14 million Americans have a serious mental illness, such as bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder or schizophrenia – conditions that can be treated with antipsychotic medicines. Use of these medicines has increased 22% in recent years, particularly within the last 10 years, in turn increasing the risk of a debilitating chronic movement condition called tardive dyskinesia (TD), which can cause uncontrollable and repetitive movements that make eating, drinking and walking difficult.

While TD can be treated, integrating new medicines into existing treatment plans can be difficult, and people living with schizophrenia may worry that treating TD could cause regression in their mental illness. A one-pill, once-daily treatment option exists that can be integrated into existing mental health treatment plans, helping people manage their mental health and TD in tandem.

We Ask:

Dr. Jain:

·       What is tardive dyskinesia and what are the common signs and symptoms of this condition?

·       What is the connection between tardive dyskinesia and the use of antipsychotics, and what are the primary challenges that patients and doctors face when treating this condition?

·       What is this one pill, once-daily treatment option and why is it an important option to consider?

·       Where can people go to learn more?

Sherland:

·       Can you share your personal story of living with tardive dyskinesia?

·       What impact has tardive dyskinesia had on your life, from daily activities, to your mental health and social events?

·       What do you wish more people knew about tardive dyskinesia?

Thanks for liking and sharing the podcast! 

Mindy and her book: https://mindygreiling.com/

Randye and her book: https://randyekaye.com/

Miriam and her book: https://www.miriam-feldman.com/

Support the show

Please share and support the podcast so we can reach more people who need the info and support.

Want to know more?
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Our websites:
Randye Kaye
Mindy Greiling
Miriam (Mimi) Feldman

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Guest: Laura M . Brancato, Esq. - Elder Law And Vulnerable Client Specialist

“As an attorney and an advocate, my mission is to provide specialized legal advice and support to families with vulnerable loved ones. With a focus on mental health, special needs, elder law, substance abuse disorders and related matters, I am dedicated to helping clients navigate complex legal landscapes and achieve the best possible outcomes for their families.”

TEXT re HIPAA and patient privacy  (link below):

Even when the patient is not present or it is impracticable because of emergency circumstances or the patient’s incapacity for the covered entity to ask the patient about discussing her care or payment with a family member or other person, a covered entity may share this information with the person when, in exercising professional judgment, it determines that doing so would be in the best interest of the patient.

Past Episodes: Conservatorship, ep. 6

Judge Lisa Wexler on Mental Health and Legal Matters, ep. 12 and 13

SSDI: Ep. 50

Laura on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-m-brancato-67728814/

Video on Silver Hill website:

https://silverhillhospital.org/community/video/families-in-a-double-bind-the-need-for-legal-advice-in-navigating-the-psychiatric-health-system-by-laura-brancato-esq/

HHS and HIPAA:

https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/faq/488/does-hipaa-permit-a-doctor-to-discuss-a-patients-health-status-with-the-patients-family-and-friends/index.html

Thanks for liking and sharing the podcast! 

Mindy and her book: https://mindygreiling.com/

Randye and her book: https://randyekaye.com/

Miriam and her book: https://www.miriam-feldman.com/

Support the show

Please share and support the podcast so we can reach more people who need the info and support.

Want to know more?
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Our websites:
Randye Kaye
Mindy Greiling
Miriam (Mimi) Feldman