The Peripheral

When we lose our grip or have a bad mental health day and need to go somewhere, who takes care of us? On today's episode I speak with Sarah who works in a psychiatric facility and takes care of patients who need a little help - ok, sometimes a lot of help, and Sarah and her staff are there to do the job. She takes us through a typical day and through some of the rougher days. I hope you find this conversation educational and as interesting as I did.

In this episode I interview Jenna who talks about same sex parenting and in vitro fertilization. Jenna goes into great detail about the process and gives advice on choosing your doctor. The second interview is Lisa who found herself raising a mixed race child on her own. Growing up in rural America, she knows she has some challenges ahead. In other news, I've hired an editor and will be releasing a bunch of my back logged episodes in quick succession compared to my sporadic releases.

This week is a Patreon request for odd medical conditions. First I speak with Sara who has Turners syndrome. She explains the levels of Turners and what inspires her everyday. http://www.turnersyndrome.org/ Then I speak with Eleanor who has been diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder. She explains her system and busts common myths about DID. https://www.nami.org/Learn-More/Mental-Health-Conditions/Dissociative-Disorders I had to read up on both before interviewing. I found their stories fascinating and inspiring and hope you do too.

This week I discuss sex, dating, and staying safe with Maeve and Jeremy from the Sexland podcast. They are very colorful, upbeat and real when it comes to finding a partner. We recorded in person which changes the dynamic of the conversation. This is less storytelling and more informative for anyone who is single, divorced, or wants to make a change in their sex life.

I'm joined by Steven who does the Is This Adulting Podcast. He shares his struggles with depression and anxiety throughout his life. He talks about his suicide attempt, what led to it, and how it molds his perceptions today. He's a fun-loving guy who doesn't hold back. https://www.facebook.com/IsThisAdulting/ @isthis_adulting

On this episode, I speak with Blue who is a 16-year old transitioning from female to male. I'm sure I ask a lot of questions that may be obvious to most. Blue is very kind and patient as he speaks about his struggles and successes. I learned a lot from Blue and hope you do too.

It is said that the five most stressful life events are divorce, moving, major illness, job loss, and the death of a loved one. We search for answers and understanding in any crisis for closure and justice. The death of a loved one puts our lives in a tailspin where logic is gone and emotion takes over. This episode I speak with Julie about her father and Jolene about her brother. When there isn't a clear answer or reason, unanswered questions can consume our very being.

Jennifer joins me for this week's episode about sexual harassment in the workplace and out in public. It's a topic that is getting more attention in the media with much debate on what is and isn't considered harassment. I feel Jennifer's story embodies the feelings that most women have. We do go off topic a bit but I thought it was informative and needed to be heard. Last thing, I had some audio issues and had to run noise reduction. Please forgive the lower audio quality.

On this week's episode, we dive into near death experiences and learn more about how health facilities treat patients. Jess shares her story about suicide and being revived. Shawn has pancreatitis and put into a medically induced coma. Our final guest Lucy, who host's the podcast S'laughter, talks about her mother-in-law being taken by the state and the madness that ensues.

On average 3 women are murdered every day by their husband or partner. According to the national domestic abuse center, 1 in 4 women are victims of abuse. Please find thehotline.org or call 1-800-799-7233 On this week's episode, we cover domestic abuse. Our guest Megan gives a story arc of her relationship from beginning to end. It starts with little digs her boyfriend would make to alienation from her friends and family. His actions escalate to physical and sexual abuse. Even though Megan stays casual, it's a terrifying story.