Mental Health News Radio

Dr. Paul Meier, psychiatrist, best selling author, and founder of The Meier Clinics joins Melanie Vann and Kristin Sunanta Walker to discuss Learned Helplessness.  Learned helplessness is behavior typical of a human or an animal and occurs where the subject endures repeatedly painful or otherwise aversive stimuli which it is unable to escape or avoid. After such experience, the organism often fails to learn or accept "escape" or "avoidance" in new situations where such behavior would likely be effective. In other words, the organism learned that it is helpless in situations where there is a presence of aversive stimuli, has accepted that it has lost control, and thus gives up trying. Such an organism is said to have acquired learned helplessness. Learned helplessness theory is the view that clinical depression and related mental illnesses may result from such real or perceived absence of control over the outcome of a situation. www.meierclinics.com

K. Thor Jensen is a writer and cartoonist living in the Pacific Northwest. He has contributed to dozens of prestigious outlets, including PCMag, Tested, Clickhole, and Game Informer. He is currently finishing his second graphic novel, Cloud Stories, which will be released in 2015. Follow him on Twitter @kthorjensen. He joins Melanie Vann to discuss caregiver burnout, diabetes, and his journey with mental health struggles.  

During a visit to Florence Italy we met with a local psychotherapist, Dr. Paolo Molino.  We became friends and get to catch up on this show over several years later. Paolo is fluent in English, French, and Italian which allows him to work with travelers, expats, and students.   Please enjoy the blog article here. Dr. Paolo Molino Via Antonio Scialoja 68 Tel: +39 3311064726 E-mail: paolomolino@gmail.com web: www.paolomolino.com

Dr. Paul Meier of www.meierclinics.com joins us for our weekly round table discussion with Kristin Walker and Melanie Vann on mental health burnout.  Dr. Meier is a practicing psychiatrist, best-selling author, and the founder of Meier Clinics not for profit mental health agencies across the United States. Melanie Vann is the Program Director of Mental Health News Radio Network. She has her masters degree of counseling in psychology.  Kristin Sunanta Walker is the CEO of Mental Health News Radio Network and everythingEHR. www.mhnrnetwork.com

Dr. Dan L. Edmunds is an Internationally Certified Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor, Psychotherapist, and Psychological Evaluator(working under superivision). Dr. Edmunds completed undergraduate studies at the University of Florida and received a Master of Arts in Theology from the University of Scranton, a Jesuit institution. Dr. Edmunds completed post graduate coursework in Dispute Resolution at Nova Southeastern University. Dr. Edmunds earned a Doctorate of Education in Pastoral Community Counseling from Argosy University of Sarasota. He is a Diplomate of the American Psychotherapy Association and a member of the American Psychological Association, Catholic Psychotherapy Association, The Calix Society, The Latin Mass Society of England and Wales and the Pioneer Association for Total Abstinence (Ireland). Dr. Edmunds is a columnist for CATHOLIC STAND and is a 2nd degree member of the Knights of Columbus and a member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians. Dr. Edmunds work has focused on autistic empowerment, relational approaches to extreme states of mind and addiction recovery. His work has been featured at Psychology Today online, Autism File, Autism Radio, CCHR International,  Autism Parenting Magazine, Recovery Radio (Rhode Island), Talk Recovery (Vancouver, BC, Canada), Autism World, Chronogram Magazine, Psychology Tomorrow, InRecovery Magazine, Pioneer Magazine, CNN Philadelphia and radio programs in Des Moines, Iowa; Hartford, CT; Providence, RI; Phoenix, AZ; Los Angeles, CA; Daytona Beach, FL; Tampa, FL; Melbourne, FL; Oakland University; and Providence, RI. http://www.selfgrowth.com/experts/dan-l-edmunds-edd

Johann Hari is a New York Times best-selling author. His book ‘Chasing the Scream: the First and Last Days of the War on Drugs’ has been translated into 15 languages and is currently being adapted into a major Hollywood film, and into a non-fiction documentary series. He is one of the most-viewed TED talkers of all time: his talk, ‘Everything You Think You Know About Addiction is Wrong’, has (along with the animation based on it) been viewed more than 20 million times. He has written over the past seven years for some of the world’s leading newspapers and magazines, including the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, the Guardian, the Spectator, Le Monde Diplomatique, the Melbourne Age, and Politico. He has also appeared on leading TV shows, including HBO’s Realtime With Bill Maher. He was twice named ‘National Newspaper Journalist of the Year’ by Amnesty International. He has also been named ‘Cultural Commentator of the Year’ and ‘Environmental Commentator of the Year’ at the Comment Awards. He lives half the year in London, and spends the other half of the year traveling to research his books. www.thelostconnections.com

Dr. Paul Meier - Author, Speaker, Psychiatrist, and founder of www.meierclinics.com joins Melanie Vann and Kristin Walker for an important discussion about aging and mental health. It's a difficult road for many adult children as they see their parents memory lapses become more prevalent. If Alzheimer's disease and dementia are the known cause of other family members deaths, this is of greater concern for both the aging parents and their children. There is much to be understood. Some family members become hostile, angry, and difficult to help as they struggle with mental health complications due to aging and genetics.  Dr. Meier, Melanie, and Kristin take this show to a deeper level discussing mental health at any age. Join us for an inspiring conversation about death, aging, and honoring the process.

Jill Queen is the Regional Quality Manager for Cardinal Innovations Healthcare Solutions and President of North Carolina Training, Instruction, Development and Education (NC TIDE), one of North Carolina’s premier training organizations for the behavioral healthcare industry.  She is also an avid animal assisted therapy advocate.   Listen in as we discuss Jill's passion as a mental health provider, educator, and voice for the benefits of animal assisted therapy. Jill Queen's bio and blog article can be found on our website.

Daniel S. Lobel, PhD, is assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and has given classes at both State University of New York (SUNY) at Purchase and the State University of New York College of Optometry. He has written chapters in many textbooks and contributes frequently as a guest blogger on the Psychology Today website. Lobel is a psychologist with a private practice. He resides in Katonah, NY. www.mysideofthecouch.com

Dr. Michael Gurian is the New York Times bestselling author of twenty eight books published in twenty two languages. He provides counseling services in private practice.  The Gurian Institute, which he co-founded, conducts research internationally, launches pilot programs and trains professionals.  Michael has been called “the people’s philosopher” for his ability to bring together people’s ordinary lives and scientific ideas. He has pioneered efforts to bring neuro-biology and brain research into homes, schools, corporations, and public policy. A number of his books have sparked national debate, including THE WONDER OF GIRLS, THE WONDER OF BOYS, BOYS AND GIRLS LEARN DIFFERENTLY!, THE MINDS OF BOYS and LEADERSHIP AND THE SEXES.  Michael has spoken for the United Nations on violence against women; provided information on boys’ and girls’ educational needs to the White House; and briefed Members of the 114th Congress on the boy crisis in America. In the 1990s, Michael and his colleagues at the University of Missouri-Kansas City completed a two year pilot study that established best practices for educating boys and girls.  These strategies and Michael’s nature-based gender theory are now used in schools and communities worldwide. Amazon Author Page www.michaelgurian.com  

Steven Welch is a seasoned psychotherapist with over 27 years of experience in the areas of addiction, HIV, LGBT, adult and adolescent care. As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor (CASAC), he is able to adapt his clinical knowledge to support clients in a wide spectrum of life stressors. Some topics of discussion on the show are below and the full blog article can be found here. Why do men avoid therapy/counseling? How does imagery impact African- American male identity/wellness? What are some themes of African-American men that are barriers to seeking help? What are some environmental factors to consider? Why physical wellness can be a gateway to a conversation? Why do you think trauma is at the root of many African American male well-being issues? What is COLORISM and is this an issues impacting African American (AA) wellness? What are some factors AA men face when coming to terms with same sex attraction? How do I create a safe space as a clinician? Why are you a therapist and why this topic? Steven P. Welch LCSW-R, ACSW, CASAC Psychotherapist  

Abandoned by both parents, abused, forgotten and diagnosed and to never amount to anything of value – this was the foundation of Wesley Chapman’s self-worth. Join Wes and our host and CEO, Kristin Sunanta Walker, as they talk about depression, resilience, some shared experiences from their early beginnings, and how to turn those into advocacy inspiring people around the world. www.wesleydchapman.com www.ahumanproject.com  

Helaina Hovitz is an editor, journalist, author, storyteller, creative strategist and native New Yorker who has always had the unreasonable notion that she can help change the world! Her greatest passion is writing inspiring stories about charities, social good,nonprofits, social issues, animal rescue, mental health, and recovery, though I also write about the lighter things in life, like food, wellness, and culture. She is the author of the memior After 9/11: One Girl’s Journey Through Darkness to a New Beginning Her continuing bylines can be found in over 50 publications including: The New York Times,  Salon,  Glamour,  The New York Observer,  BuzzFeed, VICE,  Women’s Health,  Teen Vogue, Newsday,  Forbes,  Thrillist,  HEALTH,  Gothamist,   Huffington Post,  Bustle,  Newsweek,  xoJane,  Prevention,  Reader’s Digest,  Nationswell, The Daily Meal, Workit Health,  SELF,  TODAY.COM,  The Week,  Fox News Health,  PsychCentral, Recovery.Org,  Brooklyn Magazine,  Downtown Magazine, The Fix,  The Advocate,  Impact Hub, The Los Angeles Times, Fast Company, Edible, Tasting Table, and more. www.helainahovtiz.com

What do highly sensitive, intuitive, and empathic men think? How do they behave in the world? Why are they sometimes overlooked and misunderstood? What a great way to introduce Adam Clark who is joining our podcast network in 2018 with his own show Animals on the Mind! We do talk about animals but the topic here is what a conversation is like with a deeply caring, high emotional I.Q., and communicative male. It's refreshing but can also be unchartered territory for some people.  We talk about it all: romantic relationships, the current headlines around sexual harrassment, "friend zoning", friendships - no stone left unturned! Adam Clark, LCSW, AASW is a published writer, educator, and adjunct professor at the University of Denver’s Graduate School of Social Work. Adam focuses his work on the psychology behind the human-animal bond, specializing in endings and transitions. He is passionate about reducing the cultural stigma associated with pet loss, supporting pet owners, and educating veterinary professionals. Additional information on Adam and his current projects can be found at www.lovelosstransition.com. Adam is also a very popular writer for Psychology Today.  

Alex Katehakis is a licensed Marriage, Family Therapist, Certified Sex Addiction Therapist and Certified Sex Therapist in Los Angeles. She has extensive experience in working with a full spectrum of sexuality from sexual addiction to sex therapy, and problems of sexual desire and sexual dysfunction for individuals and couples. Alex has successfully facilitated the recovery of many sexually addicted individuals and assisted couples in revitalizing their sex lives. Dr. Katehakis is the Founder and Clinical Director of the Center for Healthy Sex in West Los Angeles, CA. She has lectured for the U.S. Journal Training Conference series, the Society for the Advancement of Sexual Health, the UCLA Annual Attachment Conference, the Psychotherapy Networker Annual Conference, Women’s Association of Addiction Treatment, Mt. Sinai Medical School, AIDS Project LA, Eastern Group Psychotherapy Society, Phillips Graduate Institute and Pepperdine University. Dr. Katehakis earned her PhD from the Institute for Advanced Study of Human Sexuality in 2017. She is the author of Sex Addiction as Affect Dysregulation: A Neurobiologically Informed Holistic Treatment (2016), Erotic Intelligence: Igniting Hot Healthy Sex after Recovery From Sex Addiction (2010), the co-author of Mirror of Intimacy: Daily Reflections on Emotional and Erotic Intelligence (2014) and a contributing author to Making Advances: A Comprehensive Guide for Treating Female Sex and Love Addicts (2012) — all available on Amazon. www.centerforhealthysex.com