Mental Illness Happy Hour

Andrea Leeb is a writer and advocate who opens up about her experience as an incest survivor and the betrayal of both her father, who abused her, and her mother, who turned the other way. She also shares her path to healing through it all. Look for her acclaimed new memoir, Such A Pretty Picture, out now. More about Andrea Leeb:Website and info about how to buy her book Such A Pretty Picture www.andrealeebauthor.comIG www.instagram.com/andrealisaleebThis episode is sponsored Quince. Go to www.Quince.com/mental for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too.This episode is sponsored by Alma. Search their directory of over 20,000 therapists with different specialities, life experiences, and identities, and 99% of them take insurance. Go to www.HelloAlma.com/happyhourThis episode is sponsored by The Jordan Harbinger Show. Learn more about the world, improve your critical thinking skills and be entertained! Listen or subscribe here: jordanharbinger.com/subscribe Apple Podcasts: jordanharbinger.com/itunesSpotify: jordanharbinger.com/spotifyHere are the two episodes Paul recommended.https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1280-cory-doctorow-why-everything-got-worse-and-what/id1344999619?i=1000747830030Andhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1238-ken-burns-what-if-the-american-revolution-isnt-over/id1344999619?i=1000736232557If you’re interested in seeing or buying the furniture that Paul designs and makes follow his IG @ShapedFurniture or visit the website www.shapedfurniture.comWAYS TO HELP THE MIHH PODCASTSubscribe via Apple Podcasts (or whatever player you use). It costs nothing. It’s extremely helpful to have your subscription set to download all episodes automatically. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/mental-illness-happy-hour/id427377900?mt=2Spread the word via social media.  It costs nothing.Our website is www.mentalpod.com our FB is www.Facebook.com/mentalpod and our Twitter and Instagram are both @Mentalpod  Become a much-needed Patreon monthly-donor (with occasional rewards) for as little as $1/month at www.Patreon.com/mentalpod  Become a one-time or monthly donor via PayPal at https://mentalpod.com/donateYou can also donate via Zelle (make payment to mentalpod@gmail.com) To donate via Venmo make payment to @Mentalpod See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Olga Khazan is an author and staff writer for The Atlantic. Today she talks about the experiments she undertook to change her own personality traits over the course of a year, which inspired her new book, Me, But Better. She also shares her good and bad experiences with anxiety--and why she has an attachment to the condition. More about Olga Khazan: Her Substack writing: https://olgakhazan.substack.com/Her IG. www.Instagram.com/olganatorHer book/website: www.OlgaKhazan.comThis episode is sponsored Quince. Go to www.Quince.com/mental for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too.This episode is sponsored by Alma. Search their directory of over 20,000 therapists with different specialities, life experiences, and identities, and 99% of them take insurance. Go to www.HelloAlma.com/happyhourThis episode is sponsored by The Jordan Harbinger Show. Learn more about the world, improve your critical thinking skills and be entertained! Listen or subscribe here: jordanharbinger.com/subscribe Apple Podcasts: jordanharbinger.com/itunesSpotify: jordanharbinger.com/spotifyHere are the two episodes Paul recommended.https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1280-cory-doctorow-why-everything-got-worse-and-what/id1344999619?i=1000747830030Andhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1238-ken-burns-what-if-the-american-revolution-isnt-over/id1344999619?i=1000736232557If you’re interested in seeing or buying the furniture that Paul designs and makes follow his IG @ShapedFurniture or visit the website www.shapedfurniture.comWAYS TO HELP THE MIHH PODCASTSubscribe via Apple Podcasts (or whatever player you use). It costs nothing. It’s extremely helpful to have your subscription set to download all episodes automatically. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/mental-illness-happy-hour/id427377900?mt=2Spread the word via social media.  It costs nothing.Our website is www.mentalpod.com our FB is www.Facebook.com/mentalpod and our Twitter and Instagram are both @Mentalpod  Become a much-needed Patreon monthly-donor (with occasional rewards) for as little as $1/month at www.Patreon.com/mentalpod  Become a one-time or monthly donor via PayPal at https://mentalpod.com/donateYou can also donate via Zelle (make payment to mentalpod@gmail.com) To donate via Venmo make payment to @Mentalpod See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

 Erin Valente is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist (LMFT) who gives practical advice for managing issues in your marriage, including moving through divorce. She also opens up about her abusive childhood and the work she’s done to heal, as well as the process of her own divorce.For more about Erin: www.erinvalentetherapy.comThis episode is sponsored Quince. Go to www.Quince.com/mental for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too.This episode is sponsored by Alma. Search their directory of over 20,000 therapists with different specialities, life experiences, and identities, and 99% of them take insurance. Go to www.HelloAlma.com/happyhourThis episode is sponsored by The Jordan Harbinger Show. Learn more about the world, improve your critical thinking skills and be entertained! Listen or subscribe here: jordanharbinger.com/subscribe Apple Podcasts: jordanharbinger.com/itunesSpotify: jordanharbinger.com/spotifyHere are the two episodes Paul recommended.https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1280-cory-doctorow-why-everything-got-worse-and-what/id1344999619?i=1000747830030Andhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1238-ken-burns-what-if-the-american-revolution-isnt-over/id1344999619?i=1000736232557If you’re interested in seeing or buying the furniture that Paul designs and makes follow his IG @ShapedFurniture or visit the website www.shapedfurniture.comWAYS TO HELP THE MIHH PODCASTSubscribe via Apple Podcasts (or whatever player you use). It costs nothing. It’s extremely helpful to have your subscription set to download all episodes automatically. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/mental-illness-happy-hour/id427377900?mt=2Spread the word via social media.  It costs nothing.Our website is www.mentalpod.com our FB is www.Facebook.com/mentalpod and our Twitter and Instagram are both @Mentalpod  Become a much-needed Patreon monthly-donor (with occasional rewards) for as little as $1/month at www.Patreon.com/mentalpod  Become a one-time or monthly donor via PayPal at https://mentalpod.com/donateYou can also donate via Zelle (make payment to mentalpod@gmail.com) To donate via Venmo make payment to @Mentalpod See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mike de la Rocha, musician, author, and activist who wrote Sacred Lessons, talks about masculinity, cultural identity, and learning to be vulnerable. He traces Chicano roots, code-switching, and how punk culture created belonging. He explores grief, speaking to his father after death, and launching work that addresses men's loneliness and healing.

Dr. Nicole McNichols, human sexuality professor and author, brings research-based clarity to sexual shame and communication. She discusses self-directed desire, planning intimacy, the pleasure cycle, porn’s influence on learning, kink and consent, and how to replace shame with honest conversation. Short, candid, and practical takes on reconnecting to pleasure and asking for what you want.

A candid conversation about discovering sexuality later in life and the role trauma work played in unlocking self-awareness. They explore love addiction, obsessive relationship patterns, and the sobering rules Marilyn uses to stay sober in intimacy. Childhood shame, family dynamics, and healing through routine caregiving and steady partnership also shape the story.

Dr. Guy Winch, clinical psychologist and bestselling author focused on emotional health. He recounts personal burnout and why grueling training and survival mindsets spark it. He explains core symptoms like exhaustion and disengagement. He explores reclaiming time, finding flow through creative pursuits, active recharging versus passive rest, and strategies for detaching from constant work checking.

Lane Falcon, a writer who lives openly with bipolar disorder, trauma, and recovery. She talks about hypomanic highs and crushing depressions. She shares childhood abuse, codependent relationship patterns, and the decision to choose stability for motherhood. She describes hospital stays, medication struggles, and therapy work toward boundaries and healing.

Zach Brittle, a marriage and family therapist who writes and podcasts about relationships and recovery, shares personal stories about sobriety, anger, and how fear hides under rage. He explores perfectionism, shame, secrecy, and the ways conflict can either destroy or deepen connection. Practical relationship rules, parenting reflections, and managing defensiveness come up in short, candid conversations.

Sophia Laurenzi, a writer and journalist with a focus on family dynamics and death-row defense work, opens up about her father's mental health struggles and suicide. She discusses the impact of family secrets and codependency on her life, revealing how her father's coming out and subsequent challenges shaped her journey. Sophia also reflects on her transition from investigative work to prioritizing self-care and acceptance, intertwining her experiences with compassion for herself and understanding the complexities of human struggles, particularly in prison contexts.