Inside Mental Health
by Healthline Media
Award-winning weekly podcast that approaches psychology and mental health in an accessible way. Listen as our host Gabe Howard speaks candidly with experts, celebrities, and other notables to break down complex topics into simpler terms. Listen now and share widely.
Episodes
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New Underwear to Ease Anxiety? How Small Changes Garner Big Results
What if improving your mental health isn’t about making big life changes, but about making small changes that add up to a big difference? What if something as simple as organizing your junk drawer, or keeping an extra phone charger nearby could make your days a little better? It sounds…
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The Interplay of Hormones and Hope: How Menopause Impacts Mental Health
Are menopause and mental health issues related? For some, the transition can bring significant changes in mood, anxiety, sleep, cognition, and overall mental well-being. But how can you tell what’s menopause, what’s a mental health condition, and when it’s time to seek help? In this episode, Gabe...
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Bravo TV's Kari Wells on Managing PTSD and Trauma
What happens after the traumatic event is over, but your brain and body still don't feel safe? Kari Wells, known for Bravo's Married to Medicine, opens up about the severe PTSD she experienced after surviving a violent armed robbery. For months, she struggled to feel safe in everyday places like...
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Beyond ‘I’m Fine’: Navigating the Invisible Weight of Women’s Anxiety and Depression
“I’m fine” can be one of the most convincing ways to hide that something is wrong. For many women, anxiety and depression can remain invisible behind careers, relationships, family responsibilities, and the expectation to simply keep going. In this episode, host Gabe Howard talks with…
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When “Perfect” Is Actually Depression
What if the person everyone thinks has it all together is actually struggling with depression, and they don’t even know how to express it? What if that person is you? Clinical psychologist Dr. Margaret Rutherford joins host Gabe Howard to explore perfectly hidden depression, a pattern in which...
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Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy for Mental Health
Psychedelics are having a moment in mental health care. Research is showing promising results for conditions including depression, treatment-resistant depression, anxiety, and PTSD. But how much do we actually know — and how much is hype? ADAA member expert and licensed psychologist Jonathan...
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Is the World Making Us Sick? Why Mental Health Isn’t Just Self-Care
What if some of the anxiety, depression, and mental health issues we experience aren't simply problems inside us? What if they're actually signals telling us something about the world around us? Psychiatrist and author Dr. Joanna Cheek joins the show to challenge the way we think about mental...
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The Invisible Crisis: Reaching Men During Suicide Prevention Month
Men die by suicide at dramatically higher rates than women, accounting for nearly 80% of suicide deaths. Yet many men who are struggling never seek mental health support — and the consequences can be deadly. On this episode, host Gabe Howard talks with psychiatrist Dr. Sanjay Mathew, board...
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TOMS Shoes Founder on Why There’s No ‘Magic Pill’ for Mental Health Recovery
What happens when you seemingly have everything — and still don't feel OK? TOMS Shoes founder Blake Mycoskie opens up about the severe depression that followed his departure from the company he built. What initially felt like a mild depression gradually became a years-long struggle marked by...
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Living with Health Anxiety: How to Stop Worrying About Every Symptom
If you've ever convinced yourself a headache was a brain tumor or spent hours Googling symptoms only to feel even more anxious, you're not alone. In this episode, our host sits down with former Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) president Dr. Karen Lynn Cassiday to unpack the...
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After Infidelity, Can Love & Relationships Survive?
Can a relationship survive infidelity? It is possible, but recovery isn't as simple as forgiving a cheating partner, staying together, or deciding to walk away. In this episode, host Gabe Howard talks with licensed professional counselor Dr. Monique Thompson, author of The Infidelity Recovery...
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Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment
Everyone worries. Bills. Family. Health. Work. The future. Anxiety is a normal part of being human—but when does ordinary worry become something more? Something that needs professional intervention? More specifically, when does “everyday anxiety” become Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)? In this...
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What ‘The Pitt’ Gets Right About Caregiver Burnout
Millions of people care for loved ones every day — but who takes care of the caregiver? In this episode, Host Gabe Howard sits down with actress Cathryn Dylan Ortiz, whose powerful portrayal of Brenda in HBO Max's hit medical drama “The Pitt” sparked widespread conversations about caregiver...
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What Are Prescription Digital Therapeutics (PDTs)?
Can your smartphone become part of your mental health treatment? Prescription digital therapeutics (PDTs) promise to do exactly that — but what are they, and do they actually work? In this episode, host Gabe Howard is joined by ADAA member experts John Torous, MD, MBI, a digital psychiatry…
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Does Race & Culture Impact Mental Health Treatment?
Does mental health treatment work the same for everyone? The answer is more complicated than many people realize. In this episode, host Gabe Howard is joined by Stephanie Robertson, J.D., Director of Mental Health Equity at NAMI, and Dr. Nicole Washington, psychiatrist and President-Elect of the...
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Bipolar Disorder in Spouses, Family, and Loved Ones
Many people know the term “bipolar disorder,” but few understand what mania actually looks like, how depression presents, or why recognizing the warning signs can be so difficult. In this episode, host Gabe Howard sits down with ADAA (Anxiety and Depression Association of America) Member expert...
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Gambling Addiction: Why Some People Can't Just Stop Betting
Most people can buy a lottery ticket, join an office March Madness pool, or place an occasional sports bet without it becoming a problem. So why do some people lose their savings, relationships, careers, and even homes because they can't stop gambling? In this episode, host Gabe Howard sits down...
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Tardive Dyskinesia: A Personal Story for Caregivers and People Living with TD
Tardive dyskinesia (TD) is often misunderstood, misdiagnosed, or simply ignored — leaving many people feeling isolated, frustrated, and afraid to speak up. In this episode, we share the deeply personal story of Sherland Peterson, a woman living with tardive dyskinesia, while exploring the…
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Pop Legend Carnie Wilson on Shame, Stigma, and Tardive Dyskinesia
Grammy-nominated singer, actress, and mental health advocate Carnie Wilson joins Gabe Howard to discuss one of the most misunderstood conditions in mental health: tardive dyskinesia (TD). In this candid conversation, Wilson opens up about her own experiences with depression, postpartum…
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Emetophobia: Understanding the Fear of Vomiting
No one likes to throw up. But for some, the mere thought of vomiting is a Level 12 emergency that halts life in its tracks. Imagine avoiding bars, concerts, and even the grocery store because a stranger might look "pale." This is the reality of emetophobia—a debilitating fear of vomiting that…
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Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD): A New Treatment Beyond DBT
While many people have heard of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) fewer know about Mentalization-Based Treatment (MBT), an evidence-based therapy that is producing remarkable results for people living with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). In this episode, host Gabe Howard sits down with...
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Want to Be a Mental Health Worker? Realities of the Front Lines
Think working in mental health is just sitting and listening? The reality is a chaotic, high volume front line where workers face severe psychological crises every single day. In this episode, our host sits down with the author of “So You Want To Work in Mental Health?: The Good, the Bad, and the...
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Kids These Days: Reimagining Youth Mental Healthcare
Is our mental health system helping children or simply getting better at labeling them? With some reports suggesting that 70% of adolescents are struggling with mental health issues, host Gabe Howard asks the tough question: Is it possible that the majority of teenagers are truly "sick" or is…
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Defining ‘Normal’: Overdiagnosing — Are We Pathologizing the Human Condition?
In this thought-provoking episode, host Gabe Howard sits down with child psychiatrist and author Dr. Sami Timimi to challenge some of the most widely accepted ideas in modern mental health care. Drawing from his latest book, “Searching for Normal: A New Approach to Understanding Mental Health,...
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Injustice as Trauma: Tackling Systemic Bias in Mental Health Care
Members of marginalized communities are often told to be "resilient," but how do you bounce back when the system itself is the weight on your shoulders? When policy is the source of the trauma, the burden of healing shouldn't rest solely on the individual. Joining us for this episode is a...
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Why I Miss My Hallucinations with Kit Wallis aka SchizoKitzo
Most people think "hearing voices" would be a nightmare symptom of mental illness, but for some, it feels more like a friendship. In the medical world, hallucinations and delusions are symptoms to be eliminated. But for Kit Wallis, the reality of living with schizoaffective disorder is far more...
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Rock Bottom to a Netflix Documentary: The Philly Captain Shares His Bipolar Journey
In 2012, Jon McCann was sitting in a car weeping and preparing to end his life. He was struggling with a failing marriage, alcoholism, and a recent bipolar diagnosis that he feared was a "death sentence." Fast forward to today, and Jon—better known as "The Philly Captain"—is the subject of the…
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Mental Health Isn’t a Movie: Olivia Nash on Changing Hollywood’s Narrative
Most movies treat mental health like a plot twist—something dramatic, visible, and easily explained. But real depression and anxiety don’t work that way, and filmmaker Olivia Nash is determined to flip the script and show a more realistic portrayal. In this episode, host Gabe Howard sits down…
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Does ‘Therapy Speak’ Hurt Relationships?
As therapy language floods social media, more people are associating friends, partners, and co-workers with mental health disorders, spotting “red flags” everywhere, and labeling regular human flaws as psychological abuse. In this episode, host Gabe Howard is joined by psychologist and author Dr....
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Rethinking Narcissism: What Social Media Gets Wrong
Narcissism has become one of the most misused words in mental health — and social media hasn’t helped. In this episode, host Gabe Howard is joined by licensed marriage and family therapist Kati Morton to separate clinical reality from internet myth. Together, they break down what narcissistic...
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New Year’s Resolutions Fail Because We Set Them Wrong
New Year’s resolutions promise hope, but for many people, they quietly deliver shame, stress, and self-blame instead. If resolutions leave you feeling worse about yourself every January, this episode explains why — and what actually works. Host Gabe Howard is joined by returning favorite Jodi...
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Why Negative Self-Talk Feels True (And How to Stop Believing It)
Negative self-talk isn’t just annoying — it can quietly shape our decisions, confidence, and impact our mental health. But what if silencing that inner critic isn’t about positive affirmations, gratitude journals, or pretending everything is fine?In this episode, host Gabe Howard sits down with...
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When Faith Hurts: Religion, Trauma, and Mental Health
For many people, religion is a source of comfort — but what happens when it becomes a source of fear, shame, or lifelong anxiety? In this episode, author Cassandra Brandt shares her deeply personal journey through religious indoctrination, purity culture, and the hidden mental health consequences...
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Medication & Schizophrenia: Why “Just Be Med Compliant” Fails
Medication nonadherence in schizophrenia is often framed as defiance — but that narrative misses the truth and harms the very people it claims to help. Guest host Rachel Star Withers (who lives with schizophrenia) unpacks why up to 70% of people with schizophrenia have trouble taking medication…
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Early Indicators of Schizophrenia
Most people imagine schizophrenia beginning with dramatic hallucinations or sudden breaks from reality—but the truth is far more subtle, far more complicated, and far easier to miss. In this special featured episode from Inside Schizophrenia, host Rachel Star Withers, who lives openly with...
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Inside Schizophrenia: What Hallucinations Really Feel Like
Hallucinations are the most recognized—and most misunderstood—symptom of schizophrenia. Movies depict them as dramatic, terrifying commands or cinematic visions, but the lived reality is far more complex. In this episode we unravel what hallucinations actually are, why they happen, and how people...
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Chasing Happiness: Why Success Never Feels Like Enough
Why does happiness always feel one step away? In this episode, we welcome back positive psychology expert Jodi Wellman to explore why so many of us keep “moving the goalposts” on our own success, and learn why accomplishments that once thrilled us eventually feel ordinary. Jodi breaks down why we...
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How Racial Trauma Shapes Mental Health
Can a single conversation help rewrite centuries of racial trauma? In this episode, host Gabe Howard sits down with award-winning podcaster Dominic Lawson to explore how America’s racial wounds continue to shape our collective mental health — and what it takes to begin healing. From the...
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Why They Drank the Kool-Aid: Psychology of Cults
Most of us think we’d never fall for a cult. We imagine the followers of Jim Jones as naïve, brainwashed, or broken people who “drank the Kool-Aid.” But what if that’s not the truth at all?In this eye-opening episode, host Gabe Howard speaks with the award-winning author of “Death in the Jungle:...
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Rock & Roll, ADHD, and Anxiety with Musician Harley Olivia
What happens when a neurodivergent flight attendant trades jet lag for guitar riffs and finds better mental health in the process? In this inspiring and wildly relatable episode, Canadian alt-rock singer-songwriter Harley Olivia joins Gabe Howard to share how embracing her creativity helped her...
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Race, Madness & the Complex History of a Jim Crow Asylum
What can the history of a Jim Crow–era mental asylum teach us about race and mental health today? MSNBC journalist Antonia Hylton joins Gabe Howard to discuss her powerful book “Madness: Race and Insanity in a Jim Crow Asylum,” a deeply researched look at Crownsville Hospital, once known as The...
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Anosognosia in Schizophrenia: Understanding ‘A Lack of Insight’ with Guest Host Rachel Star Withers
Imagine everyone around you — family, friends, even your doctors — insisting you have a serious mental illness, yet you’re certain they’re wrong. This isn’t denial — it’s a symptom called anosognosia, a lack of awareness that can make treatment nearly impossible. In this episode, guest host…
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Perinatal and Postpartum OCD: When Parenting Anxiety Becomes More
Intrusive thoughts are common for new parents — but when do they cross the line into something more serious? In this episode, you’ll learn how obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) latches onto what matters most — in this case, the safety and well-being of the baby — and how evidence-based…
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Hollywood Often Gets OCD Wrong: Actor & Director Speak Out
Hollywood has never shied away from portraying obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) — but it often gets it wrong. Typically, OCD is reduced to a punchline, a quirky habit, or a stereotype about neatness and handwashing. In this episode, TV & movie actor Rachel Alig and award-winning filmmaker Sam...
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Punk Rock Meets Therapy: Understanding Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
How are punk rock and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) related? More than you think. In this episode, clinical psychologist and bestselling author Dr. J.J. Kelly — the “punk rock doc” — joins the conversation to break down DBT with raw honesty, humor, and zero fluff. Far from a gimmick, DBT is…
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Governor John Kasich on Youth Mental Health Crisis
The youth mental health crisis is one of the most urgent challenges facing families today — but what can be done at a policy level to create lasting change? In this episode, former Ohio Governor John Kasich joins host Gabe Howard to share his work with the Bipartisan Policy Center and their...
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Olympic Gold Medalist on Alcoholism, Recovery, and Redemption
How exactly does a three-time Olympic gold medalist end up with alcohol use disorder? At just 16, Carrie Bates stood on the Olympic podium with a gold medal around her neck. To the world, she had it all — talent, drive, and glory. But behind the scenes, Carrie was fighting a growing battle with...
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Antisocial Myth: The Case for Leaving Early
Have you ever found yourself halfway through a concert, dinner party, or even a family gathering and thought, “OK, I’m ready to go now,” even though you’re having a good time? You’re not alone, and it doesn’t mean you’re antisocial or ungrateful. In this episode, host Gabe Howard sits down with...
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Schizophrenia Hallucinations, Explained by Those Who Live It
For individuals living with schizophrenia, the world can be populated by voices, visions, or other sensory experiences that are intensely real yet imperceptible to others. These hallucinations, which are a defining feature of schizophrenia, are not mere figments of imagination but rather vivid,...
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Treatment-Resistant Depression Is Treatable — What You May Be Missing
What happens when therapy and medication don’t work? Treatment-resistant depression can feel like a dead end — but it’s not. In this episode, clinical psychologist and ADAA member expert Dr. Jill Emanuele unpacks the nuanced differences between sadness, grief, and major depressive disorder — and...
About this show
Award-winning weekly podcast that approaches psychology and mental health in an accessible way. Listen as our host Gabe Howard speaks candidly with experts, celebrities, and other notables to break down complex topics into simpler terms. Listen now and share widely.
Hosted by
Healthline Media