Mental Illness Happy Hour

The clinical psychologist shares her insight and experience in working with The Ruby Project, helping girls who have been sexually abused and/or involved in sex trafficking heal though group workshops and artistic expression. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The meditation teacher, standup comedian and writer (Samantha Who?) talks about her struggles with alcohol, food, weight, low self-esteem, relationships and what she gets from support groups and meditation.   Recorded live @ LApodfest. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The breast cancer survivor opens up about her lifelong hypochondria, OCD and anxiety. She talks about the emotional toll of infertility, having a miscarriage and the ensuing depression as well as her double mastectomy, having had a hysterectomy (because of the BRCA2 Gene) and the perspectives she gained by going through all of it. Not a downer, I swear! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19...

The 43 year-old comedy writer opens up about his idyllic childhood, and a couple of traumatic events he believes contribute to his isolating and fighting the demons of depression while being single, unemployed and living alone. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The first generation Indian-American comedian opens up about her low self-esteem, perfectionism, depression, anxiety, eating disorder, the trap of becoming the "good child" and the constant struggle to not compare herself to others. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The pansexual Iraqi war veteran talks about his plans to come out to his homophobic family, growing up with a mother who picked terrible men,  his deadbeat dad and meeting a half-brother & doing a joint road trip to confront the father that abandoned them both. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Marriage and Family Therapist Erika Holmes answers listener questions from Facebook and Twitter.  Topics include Eating Disorders, Borderline Personality Disorder, PTSD therapies, Neurofeedback and potential damage caused by parents who are religious zealots. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The comedian/burlesque dancer talks about the power, pitfalls and rush of performing with and without her clothes on, including being a sex worker at a "jack shack" to make ends meet.  She opens up about her low self-esteem, struggles with her dad and the desire for truth no matter how bleak it may be.  She also shares about being attracted to unavailable men who hide their relationship with her from their friends and family.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information...

The former Second City improviser turned drug & alcohol counselor talks about his mother's suicide when he was 12, coming out at 16 (in 1981), getting physically sober but being emotionally toxic and being fired from the prestigious improv company and finally having to change. They talk about Jimmy's breakthrough in doing EMDR and CBT therapy.   Paul also shares some listener emails and surveys around the topic of suicide given the nature of this week's Robin Williams tragedy...

The photographer and activist talks about her bookwormish childhood, coming out in high school, the abusive relationship she couldn't bear to leave and her project which documents the stories of suicide attempt survivors (she is one) Live Through This. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.