
Sign up to save your podcasts
Or


By State Of Mind
State of Mind with Maurice Benard is a leading mental health podcast dedicated to open conversations about emotional wellness and resilience. Hosted by Emm
... more4.8
259259 ratings
The podcast currently has 137 episodes available.
The most played episodes among Podcast App listeners.

In Part 1 of this conversation, Maurice Benard sits down with General Hospital’s Paige Herschell for a deeply personal conversation about transformation, creativity and grief. Paige Herschell is an actress and producer known for General Hospital, Law & Order: SVU and The Paper. She played Jacinda Bracken on General Hospital. Paige shares how she went from eating lunch alone in a school bathroom to building a career as an actor and singer. She also opens up about becoming a caregiver to her mother, whose life was shaped by trauma, addiction and bipolar disorder, and losing her to breast cancer just four weeks after her diagnosis. Paige reflects on learning to remember her mother as a whole person, while revealing the love, music and unexpected choices that helped her find her own voice. Disclaimer: This program is intended strictly for informational, educational, and entertainment purposes. It does not constitute formal medical advice, clinical diagnosis, or mental health treatment protocols. Support Resources: 🆘 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call, text, or chat 988 for 24/7 free, confidential support. Follow SOM, tap 5 stars, & share this episode with someone who needs it. Video Versions of State of Mind available on YouTube! Watch! Buy Maurice’s New York Times Bestselling Book! Nothing General About It: How Love (and Lithium) Saved Me On and Off General Hospital Follow Maurice on Social Media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mauricebenard/ X: https://twitter.com/mauricebenard Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MauriceBenard/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mbstateofmind/ State Of Mind Merch: https://www.mbstateofmind.com State of Mind Production Team: Host & Editorial: Maurice Benard Executive Producer: Paula Benard Director of Production & Video: Anthony Cammarata Podcast Strategy Consultant: Aaron Calafato

Rob Brownstein (Michael, Straight Outta Compton) joins General Hospital's Maurice Benard. On State of Mind, the actor and longtime teacher reflects on working with Al Pacino, the pressure and precision of soap acting, and an idea that has shaped the way he navigates a career built on uncertainty: maybe rejection is the wrong word. If only one actor can get the role, how much of the pain comes from the decision — and how much from the story we tell ourselves about it? That question reaches well beyond Hollywood. Born in Vietnam and raised across continents, Rob grew up fast, carried adult weight early, and eventually turned to therapy and lifelong self-work. What does that history give an actor — and what has to be unlearned? Why did six months on The Bold and the Beautiful change the way he sees soap actors? What does Daniel Day-Lewis reveal about preparation? And after years in the business, why does Rob still believe the work is never finished? Disclaimer: This program is intended strictly for informational, educational, and entertainment purposes. It does not constitute formal medical advice, clinical diagnosis, or mental health treatment protocols. Support Resources: 🆘 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call, text, or chat 988 for 24/7 free, confidential support. Follow SOM, tap 5 stars, & share this episode with someone who needs it. Video Versions of State of Mind available on YouTube! Watch! Buy Maurice’s New York Times Bestselling Book! Nothing General About It: How Love (and Lithium) Saved Me On and Off General Hospital Follow Maurice on Social Media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mauricebenard/ X: https://twitter.com/mauricebenard Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MauriceBenard/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mbstateofmind/ State Of Mind Merch:https://www.mbstateofmind.com State of Mind Production Team: Host & Editorial: Maurice Benard Executive Producer: Paula Benard Director of Production & Video: Anthony Cammarata Podcast Strategy Consultant: Aaron Calafato

In this episode, which originally aired in January of 2025, General Hospital's Finn Carr (Rocco) and Maurice Benard (Sonny) sit down for a deeply honest conversation about acting pressure, anxiety, depression, and finding your voice. Moving beyond the heavy storylines of Port Charles, the two GH actors dive into the realities of growing up in the industry, from Finn’s early days acting alongside Betty White to the brutal, fast-paced reality of soap opera production. Opening up about his mental health journey, Finn details what panic attacks feel like, his experience navigating seasonal depression, and why Zoom therapy presented unique challenges during the pandemic. Maurice reflects on the cost of method acting, his own nervous breakdowns, and why opening up about mental health is the most important step a young man can take. The duo also share the specific routines—from cold water swimming to rock climbing—that help them stay grounded and keep depression at bay. *Photo Courtesy of Disney/Ricky Middlesworth (Disclaimer: This program is intended strictly for informational, educational, and entertainment purposes. It does not constitute formal medical advice, clinical diagnosis, or mental health treatment protocols.) Support Resources: 🆘 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call, text, or chat 988 for 24/7 free, confidential support. 📘 "Nothing General About It" Autobiography: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0062973371 Follow SOM, tap 5 stars, & share this episode with someone who needs it. Video Versions of State of Mind available on YouTube! Watch! Read Maurice’s New York Times Bestselling Book! Nothing General About It: How Love (and Lithium) Saved Me On and Off General Hospital Follow Maurice on Social Media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mauricebenard/ X: https://twitter.com/mauricebenard Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MauriceBenard/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mbstateofmind/ State Of Mind Merch:https://www.mbstateofmind.com State of Mind Production Team: Host & Editorial: Maurice Benard Executive Producer: Paula Benard Director of Production & Video: Anthony Cammarata Podcast Strategy Consultant: Aaron Calafato Audio Consultant: Ken Wendt

In this episode originally recorded in 2022, Maurice is joined by Mark Teschner. Mark has been the Casting Director at General Hospital since 1989 and has won ten Emmy Awards for Casting. Mark has unique ability to communicate with actors, encouraging them to deliver their best performances and he shares insight in his casting of Vanessa Marcil, Steve Burton and Michael Sutton. Disclaimer: This program is intended strictly for informational, educational, and entertainment purposes. It does not constitute formal medical advice, clinical diagnosis, or mental health treatment protocols. Support Resources: 🆘 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call, text, or chat 988 for 24/7 free, confidential support. Follow SOM, tap 5 stars, & share this episode with someone who needs it. Video Versions of State of Mind available on YouTube! Watch! Buy Maurice’s New York Times Bestselling Book! Nothing General About It: How Love (and Lithium) Saved Me On and Off General Hospital Follow Maurice on Social Media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mauricebenard/ X: https://twitter.com/mauricebenard Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MauriceBenard/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mbstateofmind/ State Of Mind Merch:https://www.mbstateofmind.com State of Mind Production Team: Host & Editorial: Maurice Benard Executive Producer: Paula Benard Director of Production & Video: Anthony Cammarata Podcast Strategy Consultant: Aaron Calafato

Laura Day and Maurice Benard ask what separates intuition from anxiety—and what pain requires. The New York Times bestselling author argues that a useful signal should lead somewhere, suffering needs tools, and identity can be rebuilt through the choices we make next. Her story gives those ideas their weight. Laura survived a childhood shaped by neglect and devastating suicide loss, while Maurice brings his own experience of bipolar disorder and crippling anxiety into the conversation. Together they challenge easy answers about treatment, ego, resilience, and human potential—and reveal the humor, kindness, and unexpected friendship behind the Demi Moore Laura knows off camera. Disclaimer: This program is intended strictly for informational, educational, and entertainment purposes. It does not constitute formal medical advice, clinical diagnosis, or mental health treatment protocols. Support Resources: 🆘 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call, text, or chat 988 for 24/7 free, confidential support. Follow SOM, tap 5 stars, & share this episode with someone who needs it. Video Versions of State of Mind available on YouTube! Watch! Buy Maurice’s New York Times Bestselling Book! Nothing General About It: How Love (and Lithium) Saved Me On and Off General Hospital Follow Maurice on Social Media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mauricebenard/ X: https://twitter.com/mauricebenard Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MauriceBenard/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mbstateofmind/ State Of Mind Merch:https://www.mbstateofmind.com State of Mind Production Team: Host & Editorial: Maurice Benard Executive Producer: Paula Benard Director of Production & Video: Anthony Cammarata Podcast Strategy Consultant: Aaron Calafato
The podcast currently has 137 episodes available.

14,139 Listeners

2,397 Listeners

8,489 Listeners

15,103 Listeners

10,130 Listeners

12,468 Listeners

3,254 Listeners

1,789 Listeners

2,887 Listeners

3,923 Listeners

932 Listeners

1,353 Listeners

3,203 Listeners

1,635 Listeners

10,204 Listeners