The Bama Balance

Well, we’ve come to an end of another successful and memorable season of The Bama Balance, topping out at over 695 listeners this season! Join us as we reminisce on some of our favorite memories and episodes and also as we think through some new ideas for next season. Thank you to all of our listeners who have joined us this season and we look forward to having more of you join us in the Fall. See you in Fall 2026!  

The stress that graduate students encounter is unique to their academic experiences and personal life contexts. In this episode, Mutaz Barnawi (Ph.D. Candidate, Communication & Information Sciences; Graduate Assistant, Division of Student Life) talks with us about the unique challenges that graduate students face and ways to cope.  

In the backdrop of the Masters Tournament, we explore various movies that are meaningful to us and how they speak to different themes of mental health.  

Life at UA can be difficult and stressful and it’s sometimes difficult to adjust to moments of quiet. In this episode, we talk about ways in which the quiet can be difficult to find and how those quiet moments are essential to managing stress. Special thanks and welcome back to Michael Dobbs who joins us on the mic as guest co-host for this episode!  

The SGA’s Capstone Wellness Explorer has been a successful initiative to engage students in programming on the different wellness dimensions on the Alabama Model. Hannah Hurd, outgoing SGA VP for Belonging and Wellness, joins us on this episode to look back on the impact of the Campus Wellness Explorer and issues of mental health on campus. We also welcome back Henry Glover who joins us behind the mic as guest co-host for this episode!  

Spring break can’t get here soon enough! In this episode, we discuss how spring break can be helpful in recovering from stress and restoring emotional resilience as well as some of our memorable spring break moments. Wishing everyone a fun, safe, and restful Spring Break!  

Come join us as Bennett Katz (Student Ambassador, Capstone Men and Women; past IFC Vice President for Judicial Affairs; Jasons Senior Men’s Honor Society) is our guest for this episode. Today, Bennett shares his thoughts and insights on the value of time management, coaches, and mentors on college students’ mental health.  

What are some of those feelings that are difficult to express and that we delay talking about? How does emotional procrastination affect our overall wellbeing and mental health. Join us as we explore emotional procrastination and its effects on mental health and wellbeing.  

Hazing can occur in any group or organization. At UA, IFC has designed an innovative hazing prevention education program that seeks to empower new pledges and to strengthen the community within each chapter. Max Brown (past IFC President, 2026 Recipient of the North American Interfraternity Conference Award for Outstanding IFC President) joins us as our first guest for the spring semester to talk about this new program and its impact on the IFC community at UA.  

Sometimes, you just have to trust the process. On this episode, we go “off the rails” to find out where our conversation takes us and we land in the realm of music. Music can have such a way to express so much more than words can about our experiences and mental health and that’s where the 3 of us find ourselves in this episode. We also just may have a Bama Balance Playlist on Spotify… more to come!  

With the changed focus for our podcast (“Real Stories About College Students’ Mental Health), we invite you to join us again as we start the spring semester by exploring the issue of belonging for students and the impact of belonging on students’ mental health.  

On our last episode for the fall semester, Carter Scott (former SGA Director of Strategic Initiatives, Culverhouse Ambassador, and Past-president of Tau Kappa Epsilon Omicron-Xi Chapter) joins us for an encore visit to provide an update and retrospective look at his mental health journey before his graduation from the Capstone this December. In this episode, Carter opens up about his progress and provides us with his insights and lessons learned from his experience in counseling.  

Join us on this episode as our guest, John Michael Chandash (Shelby Scholar, former SGA Senator), shares his experiences in dealing with body image, weight loss, and his success in finding self-confidence and self-acceptance.  

The not so “dead week” or study week, can be an anxious and stressful moment for many of us. In this episode, we talk about how the stresses of study week can impact mental health and ways to cope and find support for managing anxiety to get ready for finals.  

Gratitude can play a big part in improving emotional and psychological wellbeing. Join us as we talk about the importance of giving thanks, expressing gratitude, and our first-ever Thanksgiving food draft!  

QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) is the most widely taught suicide prevention training in the country, designed to help anyone learn how to recognize the warning signs of suicide, offer hope, and to help save lives. The Bama Balance welcomes Michelle Moss, MSW (Assistant Director of Suicide Prevention, Counseling Center) as our guest on this episode to talk about QPR and the issues focused on college men’s mental health and suicide prevention.  

“Questions from the Hat” is our latest episode is where we each draw a random question from Brooks’ hat to ask each other about our own wellbeing. This is our first try at this experiment, but we think it went pretty well… and it was a lot of fun! If you have questions or topics that you’d like to hear us talk about, let us know by dropping a DM to us here @thebamabalance.  

“On Being a Man” explores the ways in which college men learn about masculinity, being a man, and the implications for college men’s mental health. We are excited to host Cameron Morgan (Shelby Scholar, 2024 NPHC President, 2023 Co-Director Black Leadership Council), as he joins us on the podcast as our guest for this engaging conversation.  

How do we begin to talk about and understand a death by suicide of someone close to us? In this episode, we begin to explore and understand our own experiences of the loss of friends and those close to us by suicide.  

In continuing to explore the nature of anxiety for college men, Henry Glover (VP of Membership and Involvement- Sigma Phi Epsilon, VP of Education – Greek Ambassadors, Lobby Board Director – Student Government Association) joins us for this episode as he shares his mental health journey, providing some key insights and takeaways for college men in the ways that he has been able to successfully address and cope with anxiety.  

What is the nature of friendships for college men and what role do best friends play in supporting college men’s mental health? In this episode, we reflect on the nature of friendships and the special role of close friends in supporting our mental health.  

Michael Dobbs, founder of the Greek Mental Health Ambassadors Program, joins us as our guest to talk about his efforts to establish this initiative to engage and educate others in an effort to address issues of mental health within the Greek community.  

What role does spirituality and faith have in college men’s mental health? In this episode, we begin to scratch the surface as we start to look into the spiritual wellbeing of college men and its impact on college men’s mental health.  

As exams start to pile-up this week, are you feeling overwhelmed and overloaded with stress? In this episode, we look at the nature of stress during the first round of semester exams and keys to finding your way to coping and developing resilience.  

Dr. Greg Vander Wal, Executive Director of the Counseling Center and Executive Director of Collegiate Recovery and Intervention Services joins us to talk about his perspectives on college men’s mental health and campus resources that are available.  

Finding your True North – your purpose and meaning in life – is an important and foundational journey to take for your mental health. Having a sense of purpose and meaning can help dissipate anxiety and insecurity and provide confidence and self-assurance in times of doubt. Following up on Season 1, “Finding Your True North,” in this episode we take a guided journey to explore the 3 questions that are critical to defining your True North.  

The Bama Balance kicks off its 2nd season with 2 new co-hosts, Brooks Barbaree and Edward Fountain, welcoming students back to UA and the different ways that new students can begin to engage on campus and find their community.  

As this inaugural season of “The Bama Balance” draws to a close, we take time to reminisce on highlights and memorable moments over the past 15 episodes as Nick and Johnny prepare to graduate and wrap-up their undergraduate years at UA. We also welcome and introduce our new co-hosts for the fall semester, Brooks Barbaree and Edward Fountain and get their take on stepping into their new roles. Thanks to everyone who has supported this podcast from the start and we look forward to having you join us as we return with our second season and a new set of […]

Join us as we look at the highs and lows of dead week and exam week and ways to manage the stress and balance your wellbeing.  

Carter Scott joins us as our guest for this episode as he talks about his mental health experiences. In this episode, Carter and Nick share their experiences facing mental health challenges in college, their openness to engaging in counseling, and their learnings along the way.  

Grief is hard and painful. It can also be difficult for college men to know how to share their grief and find the words to truly express the depth of their feelings around loss. This episode explores the nature of grief for college men, the role of socialized expectations, and how men can find their language to express their grief in healthy and healing ways.  

How much do your achievements define you and your self-worth? Are your achievements and involvement in organizations consistent with your values? In this episode, we follow-up on our previous episode on “The Hustle Culture at UA” as we further explore the role that achievements and involvement in organizations have on feelings of self-worth and defining your “True North.”  

Tyler Le (VP, Culverhouse College of Business Student Ambassadors; Executive VP, UA Interfraternity Council) joins this episode as our first guest co-host as we talk about the allure of hustle culture for some men on campus and its connection to aspects of competition and college men’s feelings of self-worth.  

Sheena Gregg, MS, RD, LDN, is Director of the Department of Health Promotion and Wellness at UA and co-host of the show, Fit2BTide, broadcast on WVUA-FM, The Capstone. On this episode, Ms. Gregg joins us to share her experience and expertise in examining the role that diet and nutrition play in college men’s mental health.  

Body image for college men plays an important role in their self-esteem and psychological wellbeing. However for some college men, factors that might impact developing a healthy body image may lead to developing less healthy strategies that affect men physically and psychologically. This episode raises awareness about issues related to college men’s body image and ways to better understand it and to help others.  

Many college men can feel ambivalent about seeking help for their mental health concerns. Dr. Perez, Nick, and Johnny discuss some of the perspectives that college men may have when it comes to reaching out for mental health support, the strength that comes from reaching out for support, and how college men can support each other on their mental health journey.  

Anxiety is a major concern for many college students and the top reason for which students seek out counseling. In this episode, we examine the nature of anxiety for college men, explore the underlying reasons for some anxieties, as well as some ways to cope and manage.  

How can Valentine’s Day be thought of in a different way? Dr. Perez, Nick, and Johnny explore the notion of “Valentineusall” and the meaning of intentional friendships.  

Luke Dille, a graduate student in the Manderson School of Business, shares some of his experiences and insights on mental health challenges as a graduate student and some of the usefu approaches he has used to be successful in graduate school.  

Nick and Johnny discuss the undergraduate experience and ways that different factors can impact the mental health of underclass students. Information on campus resources are also provided.  

How do we think about mental health? What is the difference between mental health and mental illness? The hosts discuss their experiences, the meaning of mental health from a holistic perspective, and how to consider mental health as a part of men’s all-around health and wellbeing.  

Initially intended to welcome UA students back to campus for the New Year, the hosts talk about the New Year’s Eve events in New Orleans and its impact on everyone’s mental health and ways to come to terms with the event and ways to cope.  

Welcome to “The Bama Balance,” a new podcast focusing on college men’s mental health. Dr. Toti Perez, Nick Smith, and Johnny Foster introduce the podcast and talk about their “whys” for this new project and hopes for the future.