Mental Health News Radio

  Taking your power back after the trauma of being in any kind of a relationship with a toxic abuser is an arduous journey. There are strong voices out there, however, offering the guidance and hope we all need in order to heal. Evelyn Ryan is one of the people leading the charge empowering victims of abuse to own their power, understand the pain that keeps them involved in abusive relationships, and break free for good.  Enjoy the full blog article HERE With a special focus on how people with extraordinary gifts of empathy are, in fact, targeted by people with narcissistic personality disorder (sociopathology, psychopathy), we delve into why many have walked through their lives with what feels like a target on their back.  Please join us for a frank discussion with Evelyn about her book, her advocacy work, coaching with survivors, and how she came to be one of the authorities on working with the pain addiction of abuse survivors in order for true healing to begin. You started out in a total different industry. How and why did you branch out to helping others heal from narcissistic abuse? What is theme of the book? So you discuss empaths and how narcissists target them in the book?  How did you discover this? What did you discover? What is an empath? And what did the McGregor studies show? Why do narcissists, bullies, and psychopaths target empaths? This seems so depraved and evil. Where do the narcissists develop these skills? What can empaths do?  

Darlene Lancer, JD, LMFT has been interviewed before on our show. Her new book focuses on Narcissism, Darlene is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and expert on relationships and codependency. Enjoy the full blog article HERE. What is the myth about Narcissus? What is the continuum of narcissism? What are the causes of narcissism? What’s the relationship between codependency and narcissism? What attracts a person to a narcissistic partner? What type of person usually gets involved with a narcissist romantically? What makes narcissists so defensive and difficult to communicate with? What are positive and negative indicators that a narcissist will change? What are the necessary steps to deal with them? There is much debate about whether narcissists can truly be healed?  What is your belief about this subject? Another debated topic is around whether or not there is such a thing as healthy narcissism.  Many believe all narcissism is unhealthy.  Where do you stand in this debate? The very word narcissism is being thrown around quite casually these days. How do we carefully advocate for victims of this abuse while not making blanket statements about this disorder that may be applied to wounded people that are actually capable of evolving? Not everyone is ready or able to completely disconnect from their narcissistic partner.  They have to learn tools about how to cope which is what some of your book is about.  How do they keep their strength up when the very nature of this disorder is that it toxically infects those close to the narcissist?  

On our quest to find revenue cycle management firms that uphold the ethical standards, fiscal responsibility, mature leadership, and seasoned personnel we at everythingEHR are grateful to have met the team at Genesis Assist and Genesis Counseling Center. As we work with the best in class Behavioral Health EHR vendors, it became imperative to also find billing and practice management firms that compliment our other recommended service providers.  It is our pleasure today to interview Dr. Trina Young Greer who is the founder of a multi-site and thriving behavioral health agency in Virginia. She is also one of the founders of Genesis Assist: a practice management and revenue cycle management organization.  Please enjoy the full blog article HERE. Tell our listeners how Genesis Counseling got its start. What is your background in behavioral health? Why is behavioral health the sector of healthcare you choose to serve? What was the impetus for starting Genesis Assist?GenesisAssistQuote2 What are some of the common "gotchas" when it comes to behavioral health providers in terms of running their practices? How do you stay on top of the needs of your own practice while also guiding other agencies? You offer workshops at multiple conferences, tell us about the topics that are covered? How do you see Genesis Assist expanding their service offerings in the future?

An often under appreciated area of Behavioral Health is the grant writing process. Many of the agencies we work with are not-for-profit and always looking for help maintaining their existing grants as well as obtaining funding from new sources. We met Karen Celedonia through our colleague Theresa Wray. Working on projects together to support mental health agencies, we knew we needed to interview Karen and introduce her work to our providers.  Please read the full blog article HERE. What prompted you to start your own business specializing in research and grant writing services? Doesn’t research take place in a lab? What experience do you have in the field? How do you apply a participatory approach to your work with your clients? What have you learned about mental health service delivery through your work in the community? What has been your most rewarding experience in the field? Who can benefit from the services that you offer? How is writing–particularly grant writing–relevant to non-research-oriented mental health professionals and organizations? What tips do you have for someone who is new to grant writing? What projects do you have on the horizon?  

Kim Saeed is someone I've followed online for over a year. Her blog articles are amongst the top searches for all things related to healing from narcissistic abuse. She is unique in her approach because she focuses so much on the healing process which is considerable. Experts say it takes more time to recover from a breakup with a narcissist (be that a friendship, colleague, family member, partner, or spouse) because you have to grieve twice. You grieve first for the person the narcissist pretended to be (your most loyal friend, soulmate, perfect boss) and then you grieve yet again about the horror of who they actually are: your worst nightmare.  Exactly like drug addiction you are high from the intensity during the initial stages of the relationship. You spend the rest of the entire relationship wanting to get back to that initial high that never comes. Being in a relationship with a narcissist is akin to being addicted to heroin. It will slowly kill you. Every time you leave and are wooed back it is worse which is why the term "No Contact" is the crucial point of Kim's practice.  Please read her full blog article here. What if he/she isn't a narcissist and I'm giving up too soon? What if I'm the narcissist? Is there a possibility the Narcissist can change? I've been in therapy for years, but I still don't seem to be healing.  Is this my fault?  It feels like no one is interested in me. Maybe the narcissist was right about me.  How important is it to learn how to modulate/regulate emotions in the first step in healing? How is the term 'grey rock' helpful and why it should only be used in cases of shared custody/shared employer.

Our newest guest was researched and found by our Mental Health News Radio co-host Melanie Vann. This is a subject near and dear to her heart so it was important to interview one of the leading experts on Sensory Processing Disorder. Autism, and ADHD.  Read the full BLOG article HERE. Maria Rickert Hong is an author, speaker, and practitioner working with parents and children all over the United States. Through her own experiences as a parent of a child with Sensory Processing Disorder, Maria discusses her journey aiding her family to wellness. With personal stories as well as examples of her work with parents and children, she answers our pointed questions, offers guidance, and hope. What is Sensory Processing Disorder? Why do you call it “Almost Autism”? How did you become a health coach that helps parents recover their kids from neurodevelopmental disorders such as Sensory Processing Disorder, almost autism, autism and ADHD? Tell us about your book “Almost Autism: Recovering Children from Sensory Processing Disorder, A Reference for Parents and Practitioners”. Why does my child with a neurodevelopmental disorder also have allergies, asthma, constipation or diarrhea, dark circles under his eyes, acid reflux, anxiety and/or red cheeks or ears after eating? Why don’t most parents and practitioners know that recovery is possible from these disorders? What about genetics – isn’t Autism Speaks looking for the genetic cause of autism? Aren’t there more kids with autism just because doctors are diagnosing it more? How do I go about recovering my child? Tell us about your role at Epidemic Answers.

Passionate people in the healthcare field are often hard to come by. We find it impossible to simply go through the motions when it comes to our lives and our work. Thankfully we at Mental Health News Radio are infectious. We meet incredible people like Theresa Wray who then introduce us to more incredible people like our guest Tom Dahlborg. Enjoy our conversation about where healthcare is going. And, where Tom is leading necessary change towards a more compassionate and thoughtful patient experience. Read the full blog article HERE. What is relationship centered care to you? What is the difference between patient centered care and relationship centered care? I also understand you recently wrote an article specific to “non-compliant patients”. Please tell me more about this article and your thoughts when you hear the term “non-compliant patient”. You write for several different industry blogs, but I understand that you are undertaking a more courageous venture-writing a book.  Are you able to share any details about the book at this time? You have a blog series that you are currently writing “The Big Kid and Basketball”; again this comes from a very personal place, but not just you this time-your son as well.  It is obvious in reading this blog it is a heartfelt story-why the need to write this? I want to congratulate you on the start of The Dahlborg Healthcare Leadership Group.  Can you share with my audience your work experience and how your new venture came to be? I understand that you have a poem that will be featured in, Laura Probert’s radio show “Warrior Soul”.  Where did that come from?

Sexual abuse is, thankfully, no longer a taboo subject. Mary Ellen Mann, author, speaker, and counselor joins us to discuss her book and healing from sexual trauma. Read her full BLOG article HERE. In your private practice as a licensed clinical social worker, you specialize in trauma recovery. Talk to us about the trauma of sexual abuse and the devastating impact it can have on a person’s life. From Pain to Power is a recovery manual for anyone who is struggling to overcome the trauma of sexual violation. How did your personal experiences drive the conception and inspiration for this book? Sexual violation often carries with it, a stigma of guilt and shame. Explain how the title “Princess Warrior” encapsulates your perspective on the true identity of survivors of sexual abuse and assault. What is LastBattle.org and how are you using the digital community to provide a safe, supportive place for Princess Warriors? What role can the prayers and meditations play in leading someone through recovery? Why is it so crucial? What are some of the signs women can look for to determine if a man is likely to be a predator? What are some key indicators that it might be time to seek professional counseling? How someone can get help if they have faced or are currently facing sexual abuse? What advice would you give to someone who knows a friend or a family member who has been sexually abused? How can that person provide support and encouragement? How early should parents start talking to their kids about the dangers of sexual predators? How can they educate their children on appropriate versus inappropriate behavior? Where can we learn more about you and From Pain to Power?

Elizabeth Kapstein is a clinician that specializes in working with clients where stuttering is part of their lives. While she has many specialities, today we focus on stuttering and as Elizabeth is a stutterer herself, she brings that unique perspective to her experience as a trained and licensed behavioral health provider. Read the full article HERE. What is stuttering? What does Stuttering sound like? What Causes Stuttering? Who Stutters? Myths and Beliefs I will outgrow my stuttering.  I am alone.  I stutter because I am a nervous person.  Stuttering is my fault.  I cause it. I am just not trying hard enough.  I need to hide my stuttering.  Just breathe, slow down and it will go away. I must speak without stuttering to be successful and accepted in life. I shouldn’t talk about stuttering. It’s embarrassing. Stuttering will hold me back in life.  What to do when someone stutters: Stuttering is misunderstood. Sometimes the listener feels anxious and doesn’t know what to do.  What are the different types of therapies for people who stutter?  

You hear through the grapevine about great people doing incredible work in Behavioral Health. People with civic-minded spirit and determined to make invaluable contributions to this sector of healthcare. People like Lisette Wright. We were introduced to Lisette by her colleague Dr. Marlene Maheu and honored to be introduced. Of course we had to interview her for Mental Health News Radio! It was refreshing and affirming to talk to a true collaborator. We know who to bring in that will get into the specifics of ICD-10, Meaningful Use, PQRS, and large scale EHR implementations.  Join us for an informative discussion about what Behavioral Health providers and agencies are NOT taking seriously and should.  Questions we asked Lisette on the show are listed below.  Enjoy the full blog article HERE. What is Behavioral Health Solutions? How did you get into this work and why? What are the main activities of BHS? What types of clients have you worked with and can you describe some of your projects to date? Why do you think change is so hard for some of your customers? What does health care reform have to do with your approach to organizations? Do you do anything for fun? How did the Kisangaji Project come about? Do you fundraise for Kisangaji? What is important to know about you or BHS?

everythingEHR is always on the hunt for innovative technology that aids our Behavioral Health providers.  Our article on Spiritually Integrated Therapy was found by Next Step Solutions, Inc. After reading our other articles on why we care so much about this sector of healthcare, Next Step picked up the phone and made a connection with our CEO, Kristin Walker.   A visit to their corporate office in Michigan last year was yet another stop on our 2014 journey across the United States visiting EHR vendors and Behavioral Health practices.  Kristin had the opportunity to meet everyone on the team and see what a software organization does that is heavy on development and light on marketing agendas.  It was certainly a pleasure.   NextStep™ has developed a digital pen system and embedded artificial intelligence into their EHR.  Sounds unbelievable right?  A science fiction movie, maybe?  We saw it action at their office and while we visited several of their clients.  NextStep™ has clients across the United States using their award-winning software for behavioral health private practices, research clinics, residential programs, outpatient agencies and state hospitals.  It was a pleasure to sit down with Dr. Darrin Hanna and David Ballenberger, MSW to discuss their product, their organization, and what the future holds for behavioral health technology.  Click here to read the full blog article.

At the request of our global listening audience we began our search for an attorney that would be willing to join Mental Health News Radio to discuss the topic of narcissism. Many of our listeners are attempting to divorce their narcissistic partner only to find themselves in a maze of legalese they do not understand and often working with an attorney that is not well-versed in cases of narcissistic abuse.  Robert Farzad practices marriage and family law in Orange County, California.  Enjoy the full blog article HERE. Some of the questions he answers for us are listed below: What is the narcissist’s tool in a divorce case? What is an ineffective mindset of a person divorcing a narcissist? What is the better mindset when divorcing a narcissist? What are the tools that will help bring the calm, fact focused and logical thought process? Is there hope when divorcing a narcissist? Mr. Farzad’s comments and blog article on Mental Health News Radio are related only to California matters because he is licensed to practice law in California only. Nothing he has said is legal advice or any other type of advice nor is it intended for any particular case or situation. These are his general thoughts on the subject. If you have questions about your specific legal matter, please consult with an attorney in your State or jurisdiction.

Today we interview business owner, clinician, and consultant Theresa Wray of Synergy Consulting Services. A rare and exciting connection for us because of one major factor: Theresa loves finding needles in haystacks. In fact, she excels at it. All of the necessary yet hair pulling work that counselors and Behavioral Health organizations dread to do are actually fun for Theresa.  Things like reading your Managed Care contracts, auditing your charts, reviewing compliance plans, and verifying state regulations.  Enjoy getting to know her during our interview on Mental Health News Radio.  More importantly, enjoy getting to know what she can do for your Behavioral Health organization. What made you start your consulting firm? Why the name ‘Synergy’? What exactly does that mean? You “officially” launched earlier this year. How are things going? So who do you typically work with? How so? What types of services do you provide? Managed care, particularly around Compliance/Fraud, Waste, and Abuse, documentation, state-specific regulations, as well around some of the business-related issues that we weren’t taught about in grad school. For example, NPIs, CAQH, taxonomy codes, coming on board with managed care organizations, developing paperwork.  What would you say sets you and Synergy apart from many of the other coaches and consultants who are available to providers? What advice would you give to someone considering opening their own practice or expanding their services? How can people find out more about working with you? Please enjoy the full blog article HERE.

Our guest today is Dr. Marc Feldman who is the leading international expert on Factitious Disorder, Munchausen Syndrome, Munchausen by Proxy, and Malingering.  After a personal experience with a young mother afflicted with this disorder and the aftermath on her child, the quest to interview an expert was important to our CEO, Kristin Walker.  Join she, our co-host Melanie Vann, and Dr. Marc Feldman as they discuss the nature of these mental illnesses, his work in this field, and why he was compelled to make these particular syndromes his field of expertise. What is factitious disorder? What is Munchausen syndrome? Why are so many people aware of the term “Munchausen syndrome”, even if they don’t know precisely what it means? What are examples of the manipulations in which FD patients engage? Occasionally my partner or child will feign a mild illness to avoid a stressor such as work or school for a couple of days. Does this mean that they have FD? How common is FD? What are some of the factors predisposing people to develop FD? What is “Munchausen by Internet”? Are individuals with FD truly “patients”? After all, their behavior is willful and volitional. How did you become so interested in FD, Munchausen syndrome, malingering, and similar diagnoses? Read the full BLOG article HERE.

Randi G. Fine is an Empath and Life Issues Counselor who has compassionately guided thousands of people, both nationally and internationally, in their life journeys. A professional writer, her highly regarded blog Love Your Life is translated and read in 180 countries worldwide. She is also Professional Speaker and Radio Show Host of the acclaimed Blog Talk Radio Podcast: A Fine Time for Healing. She is the author of three books: the memoir Fine…ly, the inspiring self-growth book Awaken from Life and her upcoming book about Pathological Narcissism. Join us as we discuss the differences between Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) and Narcissism. As always these shows are very personal, intimate, and include information for victims and survivors of NPD abuse. Is Narcissistic Personality Disorder the same as Narcissism? What is a personality disorder? What causes someone to have Narcissistic Personality Disorder? Are those who have Narcissistic Personality Disorder dangerous to be around? How can we identify people who have this disorder? What is the difference between a Covert Narcissist and an Overt Narcissist, and is one more damaging than the other? Do people with Narcissistic Personality Disorder see anything wrong with the abusive way they treat other people? Do people with Narcissistic Personality Disorder ever get treatment? Can they ever change? What can survivors of this kind of abuse do to heal from it? Read the full blog article here.