Mental Health Moment

Yay for recording the podcast while broadcasting on Facebook Live! This week we talk comorbidity, which despite how it looks is just a fancy word for having multiple chronic conditions, which in this case would be multiple mental health disorders that commonly accompany ADHD. Listen in about what it looks like when someone with ADHD also has anxiety, depression, or sensory processing disorder. Finally, check out the live recording of this episode on our Facebook page to see all the juicy, scandalous details we edit out of the episodes (like we would ever say those kind of things

We have another special guest with us this week! While visiting sunny San Diego we recorded an episode with our friend Becca Harris. We talk kids (and a little about adults) with Sensory Processing Disorder or SPD. Listen in as we discuss both forms of SPD, both sensory seeking and sensory defensive, what to look for if you suspect someone might be affected by SPD, and what resources are available to help you attend to someone with SPD.

This week we–oh look a squirrel! But seriously we talk ADHD, and more specifically adult ADHD; how to recognize the signs of ADHD and diagnose yourself better than WebMD ever could. We also discuss the stigmas and myths behind ADHD and how you can be functional and even super successful living with it.

On a very special episode of Mental Health Moment we are joined by Emily's sister Jenny (also a social worker) and Felix Salazar. Felix tells his story of his wife who completed suicide about 5 years ago. Felix recounts the pain and emotions of the suicide of a family member and what he learned in his grieving process. Learn how everyone has their own way of grieving and there's no perfect recipe to the emotional rollercoaster of suicide. Felix helps us all understand how family members of those who have died by suicide deal with the grief by embracing the grief.

This week we tackle the important subject of eating disorders and body image with special guests Heather Litster and Camille Kennard. Heather tells her story of her emotions and fears in struggling with an eating disorder while Camille, a licensed therapist, shares her tips for creating a positive self image.

It's part two of our discussion about feelings. Now that you know the purpose of feelings, learn about what to do with them. We talk finding the right time and place to stop and reconcile your emotions, what to do when your outward appearance doesn't match your inner feelings, and increasing your emotional vocabulary.

What is the point of feelings? Wouldn't it be better if we didn't feel feelings at all? Sometimes the answer may seem like "yes" but feelings play an important role in what makes us human. This week we talk the purpose of feelings and why processing what you feel is a healthier alternative than avoiding them.

More about what makes a good therapist. While most therapists are good at what they do, that doesn't necessarily mean they are all created equal. We talk about what working with a good therapist feels like and why a therapist that was a good fit for someone else might not be the right therapist for you.

This episode is all about sleep hygiene. We discuss feeling your feelings, avoiding screen time, and having a nighttime routine so you get to sleep when you need to and avoid worrying about earthquakes at all hours of the night.

This week Emily's husband Ben is our guest co-host as we discuss the mental health challenges associated with being the parent of a special needs child. Plus strategies for preparing and dealing with high-stress life situations.

We talk PANDAS, not panda bears, but pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections (say that 3 times fast). Our guest Raquel Salazar talks with us about her son with PANDAS, her journey understanding the disorder, and the frustration in trying to get proper treatment.

On this episode we delve further into what's going on in the brain when dealing with anxiety. Plus we talk about a variety of skills to alleviate anxiety and why having a broad range of mindfulness activities in your "toolbox" is a good idea.

We talk about recognizing and dealing with one of the most common mental health problems: anxiety. And why your loved ones probably aren't dead in a ditch.

Emily and Laura discuss the question "When do you need therapy?"