- The Rachels- Why Friendship is the New Marriage and Golden for Mental Health
- My So-Called High School Rank- Documenting Teenage Loneliness and College Admission Pressures through a Musical
- Kevin Hines- Golden Gate Bridge Suicide Jumper Saved by a Sea Lion Becomes Inspirational Storyteller and Filmmaker with Message of Hope and Resilience
- Dr. Ran Anbar- Pediatric Pulmonologist Addresses All Types of Health Challenges with Hypnosis
- The Dear Family, Wellness Graduate School- 100 Podcasts Later- 40 Wellness Universal Truths
- Chris and Erik Ewers- Brothers/Co-Directors on Ken Burns Documentary about the Youth Mental Health Crisis
- Julian Sarafian- Harvard Law-Educated TikToker Redefines Success After his Mental and Physical Breakdowns
- Tembi Locke- Food, Family, and Cooking From Scratch after Loss and Grief
- Dr. Jonathan Goldfinger- Nationally Recognized Pediatrician on the Need For and Right To Mental Health Care
- Jeanette Yoffe- From Foster Care to Adoption to Trauma-Informed Therapist Jeanette-ically Speaking
The Rachels- Why Friendship is the New Marriage and Golden for Mental Health – Rachel Winter and Rachel Steinman are best friends, co-authors, and co-hosts of this special collab between the Dear Family, Podcast with Stay Forever Gold. Rachel Winter is a writer, director, and an Academy Award®-nominated producer for Dallas Buyers Club. She produced LeBron James’ biopic, Shooting Stars, and produced and directed the audio drama, Supreme: The Battle for Roe starring Maya… 
My So-Called High School Rank- Documenting Teenage Loneliness and College Admission Pressures through a Musical – My So-Called High School Rank, premiering on HBO and HBO MAX, is a special documentary that gives an unfiltered view into the private loneliness and pressures of teenage life. This was especially true in March 2020 when students were forced to settle into new realities, feeling isolated and frustrated with so much out of their control. This timely documentary chronicles… 
Kevin Hines- Golden Gate Bridge Suicide Jumper Saved by a Sea Lion Becomes Inspirational Storyteller and Filmmaker with Message of Hope and Resilience – Kevin Hines is a storyteller, best-selling author, global public speaker, and award-winning documentary filmmaker. In the Year 2000, Kevin threw himself off the Golden Gate Bridge in an attempt to end his life. He needed his immense mental pain to end but regretted his decision the moment he jumped. Many factors contributed to his miraculous survival including a sea lion… 
Dr. Ran Anbar- Pediatric Pulmonologist Addresses All Types of Health Challenges with Hypnosis – Dr. Ran Anbar is a pediatrician board certified in pulmonology who offers hypnosis and counseling services in La Jolla, California, and Syracuse, New York. He’s past president, fellow, and approved consultant of the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis. He’s here today to discuss the power of hypnosis, which has long been looked upon with confusion and skepticism. He shines a… 
The Dear Family, Wellness Graduate School- 100 Podcasts Later- 40 Wellness Universal Truths – Three years ago, I was nervous to put myself out so publicly with a brand new mental health podcast about family and secrets. I didn’t know where it would take me or if anyone would listen or even care. All I knew was I wanted to cut generational trauma from family mental illness, I had a story to tell, and… 
Chris and Erik Ewers- Brothers/Co-Directors on Ken Burns Documentary about the Youth Mental Health Crisis – Erik and Chris Ewers are brothers and co-directors on a new Ken Burns PBS documentary, “Hiding in Plain Sight.” The two-part, four-hour film is about the mental health crisis our youth are facing. It follows the journeys of more than 20 young Americans from all over the country and all walks of life. The first-person accounts show the seemingly insurmountable… 
Julian Sarafian- Harvard Law-Educated TikToker Redefines Success After his Mental and Physical Breakdowns – Julian Sarafian was valedictorian and attended UC Berkeley at 17. He got an internship at The White House at 19 and at 20, was accepted at NYU Law before transferring to Harvard Law School. His high achievements and California license allowed him to practice law at what he thought was his dream job, something he’d worked his entire life for.… 
Tembi Locke- Food, Family, and Cooking From Scratch after Loss and Grief – Tembi Locke is an actor, an author, a screenwriter, and a producer who really knows how to connect with her audience. Her New York Times bestselling book, From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Sicily, and Finding Home was Reese Witherspoon’s 2019 Book Club pick. Reese loved it so much, she’s executive producing the adaptation for a Netflix series where Zoe… 
Dr. Jonathan Goldfinger- Nationally Recognized Pediatrician on the Need For and Right To Mental Health Care – Dr. Jonathan Goldfinger is a nationally recognized pediatrician and an advocate for mental health services for children and families, including in minority and low-income communities. His inclusive approach to health equity and policy has transformed countless lives. He joined Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services, an 80-year organization, as the CEO just months after the pandemic began in June 2020. Didi… 
Jeanette Yoffe- From Foster Care to Adoption to Trauma-Informed Therapist Jeanette-ically Speaking – Jeanette Yoffe believes family is so much more than our blood relations. Her strong desire to become a trauma-informed psychotherapist with a special focus on adopted and foster care issues began with her own experiences of moving through the foster care system and being adopted. Jeanette lived with her birth family for the first year of her life until she… 
Dear Ukrainian Grandparents, – When I watch the senseless human suffering in Ukraine with tears in my eyes, it’s as if my dear Jewish-Ukrainian grandparents’ history is being repeated. My family was the lucky ones who were able to escape as is evidenced by me, their granddaughter and great-granddaughter whose Ukrainian blood runs through me and is here today to be able to podcast/write… 
Clancey Cornell- World Traveling Archivist Heals Others through Collective Memory and Art – Clancey Cornell is an artist, mental health professional, memory worker, and advocate for the arts who considers herself a very nostalgic person. She grew up in a family that was very much about expansion and exploration, the daughter of creatives who raised her in Los Angeles before moving her to attend high school in Italy. She’s traveled the world, volunteering… 
Michael and Gayle Zibilich- The Shocking Reality from their Only Child’s Suicide Leads to Life-Saving Conversations with College Students – Michael Zibilich is a commercial real estate executive who resides with his wife, Gayle Zibilich, in Atlanta, Georgia. Michael and Gayle had their only child later in life, an astonishing blessing. Keller was a dream come true and as good a kid as you could imagine- a combination of strength and kindness, very mature, an athlete and expert white water… 
Dr. Raghu Appasani- Psychiatrist and Neuroscientist Bridging the Gap Between Western and Eastern Health Practices Including Microdosing and Nutrition – Dr. Raghu Kiran Appasani is an Integrative Psychiatrist, Neuroscientist, and Social Entrepreneur focused on bridging the gap between western and eastern practices to create a wholesome society by taking a proactive approach to health. He was born and raised in the Boston area, living in rural India with his grandparents for two formative years when he was young. His father,… 
The Best Gift is Self-Love- 24 Ways to Get It – When my daughter was about five years old, she announced, “I love myself the most.” In generations past, her declaration may have been viewed as self-centered, selfish, or self-absorbed but I was beyond thrilled by her exuberant proclamation followed by her proud and genuine smile. The reason for my glee was because at her tender age, falling in love with… 
Jennie Ostendorf- Millennial Orphaned by her Mother’s and Father’s Suicides Months Apart Finds her Life’s Purpose – Jennie Ostendorf refers to herself as a millennial orphan after recently losing her mother and father to suicide. She’s also a friend, a sister to a Buddhist monk, a future therapist, a present therapy client advocating for mental health, and so much more. Born and raised in Los Angeles to two native Angelenos, her childhood was idyllic as she grew… 
Katie Hanus- Homesteader & Homeschooler Attains Comfort & Nourishment Through Hearth Medicine, Herbalism, Ritual, & Ceremony – Katie Hanus is a mother and herbalist who some may say is not meant for our current modern cookie-cutter rushed world. She’s the founder of The Handmade Life which offers herbal traditions, small-batch goods, consultations, and workshops. She shares her wisdom with us all today and on her blog, The Nature Wheel where she discusses her suburban homesteading and her… 
Newborn Adult- From Cradle to College to Care Packages – It’s been said the two hardest days for parents are the first day home with their newborn and the first day home without their newborn adult. My oldest child has just flown the coop, left her nest, and started her own journey. She’s in a new city two thousand miles from home, an independent young adult no longer under my… 
10 Free Mood-Boosters for Mental Health and Happiness – Good mental health does not have to be expensive but ignoring it can be. There’s no denying mental health conditions can require therapy and/or medication but a majority of achievement is within our own hands. Listen to this short-solo podcast on how laughter, dancing, hydration, friendship, exercise, the outdoors, rest, love and more are mood-boosters. The following are 10 of… 
Julie Lythcott-Haims- Former Stanford Dean Pens Groundbreaking Manual- Your Turn- How to Be an Adult – Julie Lythcott- Haims is a Black biracial woman born to an African American man and a White British mother. Because her parents violated rules and policy by daring to love, she’s always questioned norms. She grew up knowing her existence was problematic in the eyes of some, which has stayed with her giving her the superpowers of compassion and kindness.… 
Aubert Bastiat- Stewarding a New Expression of Masculinity and Brotherhood with Men’s Circles and Man Camp – Aubert Bastiat is a father, husband, ceremonialist, and facilitator of sacred masculinity circles. He was born in Taipei to a Taiwanese mother and a White American father who was an English teacher. He was five years old when his parents separated after moving to California to briefly live with his paternal grandfather. When his father left and moved to Japan,… 
Rachel Lily Campbell- Former Self-Proclaimed Malibu Barbie Reclaims Her Wellness to Become the Madam of Mom Fitness – Rachel Lily Campbell, or RLC to her friends, grew up in Los Angeles, an only child with older parents who were in the exclusive art world. Born into a life of affluence, private schools, world travel, and celebrities, what she really yearned for was love and attachment from her parents. Highly gifted and misunderstood, she got into a lot of… 
Carson Tueller- Paralyzed Queer/Disability Advocate Passionate about Giving People Hope – Carson Tueller was raised in a religious Mormon and a military family. He and his five siblings moved from state to state across the U.S. every three years. He eventually established long-term residence in Utah, where he attended college before moving to New York City. Carson’s life took an unexpected turn in 2013. The same year he came out as… 
Chrissy Blumenthal- Modern Warrior Glam-Ma with 5 Biological Kids (2 from her Egg Donation) Creates Chords2Cure to Battle Son’s & Others’ Pediatric Cancer – Chrissy Blumenthal grew up in Arvada, Colorado. She describes her childhood as pretty normal and uneventful until her parents divorced when she was nine years old. Her mother struggled to make ends meet and tried to provide the best she could for Chrissy and her older brother Gary. After high school, Chrissy took on a number of odd jobs to… 
Taun Hall- Call for Help During her Son, Miles Hall’s Mental Health Crisis Turns Into a Tragic Police Shooting – The day Taun Hall’s son Miles was shot and killed by the Walnut Creek Police, she stepped into her life’s work: creating change to protect families from a system that failed her son. On June 2nd, 2019, Miles Hall was having a mental health crisis because of his schizoaffective disorder. Because our mental health system is deeply flawed and doesn’t… 
Jessica Lahey- The Addiction Inoculation- Raising Healthy Kids in a Culture of Dependence and the Gift of Failure – Jessica Lahey is a mom who believes every substance abuse story begins at home but can be prevented with an addiction inoculation. She uses her Bachelor’s in comparative literature and her law school degree in juvenile education as a teacher and a writer. For over twenty years, she’s taught every grade from sixth to twelfth in both public and private… 
Dear Friends, You’re Like Family- What a Group Chat Taught Me about the Importance of Friendship on Our Health and Happiness – Are you ready for some really great news? Getting together with a friend is not only fun, but it’s also great for your health and happiness. We all know how important our Dear Family, is but our friends might prove to be even more important, especially as we age. Research published in the journal Personal Relationships studied more than 270,000… 
Jaycee Gossett- Dancing Around the World and Creating a Mental and Emotional Toolbox – Jaycee Gossett is a dancer, model, teacher, podcaster, and a wanderlust who believes the limitations we experience, whether physical, emotional, or spiritual are tied together- a true mind/body connection. Jaycee shines a light on how movement connects us and brings us so much joy bringing her years of competitive Latin ballroom dancing into schools, to wedding couples, and in her… 
Christine Koh- Music and Brain Scientist Turned Multimedia Creative on Enjoying Life by Doing Less – Christine Koh thinks we should all enjoy life by doing less- and this comes from a woman with many businesses and kids who are still at home. She’s a music and brain scientist turned multimedia creative who spent a decade in academia and was awarded prestigious fellowships at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and MIT. On the verge of… 
Celebrating and Owning my 50th Birthday- Just Like Oprah Did- Only During a Worldwide Pandemic – Seventeen years ago, I was 33 and the year was 2004. A highlight of my day was watching the Oprah Winfrey Show. Sitting cross-legged on my couch, I’d give my full attention to my hero on the small screen. Oprah was my teacher who loved teachers and I was a teacher. She made me think, feel inspired, consider possibilities, smile,… 
Susannah Cahalan- Reporter’s Brain on Fire with Extreme Psychiatric Conditions from Medical Causes Uncovers Great Pretender Story – Susannah Cahalan tells the astonishing true story of her descent into madness, her family’s inspiring faith in her, and the lifesaving diagnosis that nearly didn’t happen. Her New York Times bestselling book “Brain on Fire” was adapted for a movie starring Chloe Grace Moretz as her. It’s an unforgettable exploration of memory and identity, faith and love, and a profoundly… 
Jay Jay and Antoine Patton- Father/Daughter Duo- Connecting Kids to their Incarcerated Parents with Photopatch & Teaching the World to Code – With over 5 million children in the U.S. with an incarcerated parent, Antoine Patton came up with a vital tech business while going to college behind bars. His daughter, Jay Jay was just three-years-old when he went to jail six hours away for gun possession. Jay Jay’s mom became a single parent raising two children on her own and couldn’t… 
The Time My Mental Health Advocacy Backfired – I was excited to give my first mental wellness presentation Zoom lesson to middle schoolers since the pandemic started. I’d presented to high schoolers, parents, teachers, and staff virtually before, but this was different. My new audience was made up of a classroom of impressionable 8th graders joining me during their health class period. Thirty-two students from a charter school… 
Dani Klein Modisett- Laughter as Medicine- Laughter On Call for a Mother with Alzheimer’s Becomes a Global Business – Dani Klein Modisett is a comic who could not make her mom who had Alzheimer’s laugh so she hired a professional to do it. It worked so well and changed her mom’s life in such remarkable ways that she decided to launch Laughter on Call, a company that now helps people all around the globe. Her business also does corporate… 
What 2020 Taught Us- And 18 Lessons to Bring Into 2021 – Last year, as we celebrated not just a new year but a new decade, we never could have predicted just how tumultuous and life-changing 2020 would be. We never could have conceived or truly understood what we were about to be in for: A once in a century black swan event in the form of an airborne novel Coronavirus that… 
Twinpowerment- Nell & Tish- Identical Twin Trauma Specialists, Writers, & Crafters on Empowerment to Heal Your Body, Mind, & Spirit – Nell Dardie and Tish Granville are Twinpowerment- identical twin sisters who empower others to get past trauma. They’re both licensed professional clinical counselors in the state of Ohio where they practice. They specialize in the treatment of most clinical disorders mainly focusing on trauma and inner child wounds. They treat depression, anxiety, eating disorders, substance abuse, anger. They discuss how… 
Heather Vickery- Success Coach on Intentional Bravery- Everything You Want is on the Other Side of Uncomfortable – Heather Vickery grew up with very conservative Republican parents. When she came out of the closet after a decade-long marriage, she became a single mom with four daughters. She also unearthed her authentic self and began a transformational journey to create the life she always wanted by being brave. Heather took her award-winning Chicago-based event-planning business and her global leadership… 
Gabe Howard- Bipolar Writer and Speaker on Why Mental Illness is an Asshole – Gabe Howard refers to himself as a literal red-headed step-child because he was adopted by his mom’s second husband after his father abandoned him when he was just a baby. His childhood was fraught with depression, anxiety, mood swings, and suicidal ideation because of his yet-to-be diagnosed mental illness. In 2003, when Gabe was committed to the psychiatric hospital at… 
Nina Cudney- Real Talk with Certified Sex Coach Shining a Light on Taboo Subjects with Humor Including her Inappropriate OCD Thoughts – Nina Cudney is a certified sex coach, speaker, and writer on mental health and sexuality. She also writes erotica and sex toy reviews. She’s unfiltered, unashamed, and willing to show how completely imperfect she is which allows her clients to open up and have the important uncomfortable conversations surrounding sex and sexuality. The shame and guilt that can come from… 
Dr. David Steinman- Just Relax- In a Sea of Worry an All-Natural Stress Relief Life Preserver – Dr. David Steinman is here to offer a life-preserver to anyone drowning in an ocean of worry and stress using all-natural methods. After studying psychology at UC Berkeley he got his Ph.D. in clinical psychology at The University of Texas at Austin. He went on to practice clinical neuropsychology. He directed the biofeedback program at Austin Neurological Clinic in Austin… 
Feeling Political Fatigue and Pandemic Burnout? The Antidotes are Hope, Action, and Gratitude. – *A short solo minisode- The most important election of our lifetime is happening during a once in a century worldwide public health crisis. Scarlett red, electric blue, or a shade of purple in between, one thing we can all agree on is the value of HOPE, ACTION, and GRATITUDE in moving us forward in the right direction. For four years… 
Yasmin Irfani- Pakistani-Muslim-American Speaks Up about Mental Health in her South Asian Community that Doesn’t Value Expressing Emotions – Yasmin Irfani is a Pakistani-Muslim-American woman who is passionate about speaking up about mental health awareness in her community. Growing up, she was told she was too emotional and sensitive which led her to believe she was broken. After all, South Asian girls like her did not speak up or express their emotions. Whether directly or indirectly she was taught… 
Jason Schneidman- Venice Beach’s The Mens Groomer to the Stars and the Homeless on Sobriety and How a Haircut Can Literally Change Someone’s Life – Jason Schneidman grew up on the beaches of Southern California surfing and seeking the fun, care-free lifestyle it offered. His partying continued into his thirties until his life unraveled completely when he found himself homeless and addicted to crack cocaine. Sixteen years ago, he knew he had to do something otherwise he’d end up in jail or dead and so… 
Lisa Klein- Granddaughter, Daughter, and Sister of Suicide Makes Touching Documentary about the Taboo Subject- The S Word – Lisa Klein grew up in Michigan. When she was in college she got a call to come home because she was told her dad died from heart failure. Months later, her brother would take his life in the car in the garage and die by suicide which eventually she’d find out was the same way her dad and her grandmother… 
John Lehr- Geico Caveman’s Cold Sober Comedy and the Fine Line Between Pain and Humor – John Lehr is a comedic performer, writer, and producer who works in television, film, and theater. He grew up in Kansas and made his way to Chicago for college. He began to substitute teach while moonlighting as an improvisational comic all the while abusing drugs and alcohol. He made his way to Los Angeles and got roles on TV shows… 
X. Ari- Performing Artist with Anxiety, Depression, PTSD, Psychosis, Sleep Paralysis, Bipolar, and ADHD Turns Pain Into Power – X. ARI is a singer-songwriter-artist and mental health advocate from Toronto currently living in Los Angeles. X. ARI comes from a family who has substance abuse and mental health issues. She herself has dealt with anxiety, depression, PTSD from psychosis, insomnia, sleep paralysis (a very interesting disorder which she will explain in this episode), bipolar, ADHD, and even anorexia when… 
Adam Frankel- Obama’s Speechwriter on Identity Crises, Family Secrets, Intergenerational Trauma and Healing – Adam Frankel’s maternal grandparents survived the Holocaust and built new lives, with new names, in Connecticut. Although they tried to leave the horrors of their past behind, the pain they suffered crossed generational lines- a fact most apparent in the mental health of Adam’s mother. When Adam sat down with her to examine their family history in detail, he learned… 
Terri Cheney- Lawyer to the Stars-Turned Best-Selling Author’s Adventures with Mental Illness- An Owner’s Manual for Modern Madness – Terri Cheney was a successful entertainment lawyer who represented some of the biggest names in the business, like Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones. All the while, she hid her mental illness and the slash marks on her wrist from a suicide attempt. She bravely started writing about her experience living with bipolar disorder after several horrific suicide attempts, encounters with… 
Dani Shapiro- Best-Selling Memoirist on Uncovering Family Secrets, Inheritance, Genealogy, Paternity, and Love – Dani Shapiro is a national treasure and to anyone who loves memoir, she reigns supreme. Dani has a way with words and a way of moving you to stop everything and consider what it is that makes you who you are. I can honestly say she has been a guiding light for me when it comes to writing and… 
Oona Hanson-Educator and Parent Coach on Diet Culture and her Common Sense Camp to Teach Kids Practical Life Skills – Oona Hanson is a parent coach who has been in education for over twenty years and supports parents of teens and tweens going through the rough stuff and challenges of life after her child dealt with an eating disorder. Passionate about helping parents raise kids who have a healthy relationship with food and their body, Oona writes and gives talks… 
Priscilla Molina- Daughter of Guatemalan Immigrants is Inspired to Become a Psychiatrist so Underserved Communities Receive Culturally Sensitive Care – Priscilla Molina is the voice of a new and diverse generation, someone we all need to pay attention to. Growing up, she frequently went to work with her parents who immigrated from Guatemala, doing homework while her mom cleaned houses or her father fixed someone’s leaky pipes. While some may have seen her parents as laborers, she saw leaders, inspiring… 
24 Ways to Be the Happiest and Greatest Parent-A Counterintuitive List – Parenting is a 24-hour gig you don’t get paid for but at least it’s priceless!!! This solo-podcast is sure to boost your happiness and create a more blissful family life. We discuss things like: *Putting yourself first and being selfish *Being an open-book role model *Letting your kids be a little bit naughty *Discussing sad and tragic stories *Encouraging them… 
Tracy Hargen- When Your Son Asks, “Mom, Can We Talk?” Stop & Listen- Helping Your Child Get Out of the Darkness of Depression & Feel the Light Again – Tracy Hargen is a born and bred Southern girl. Even though she did a stint in New York and New Jersey after meeting her Yankee husband, she currently lives in Georgia. She finds it hilarious when her gigantic Harlequin Great Dane and her tiny black and white Chinese Crested run through her office when she’s on an important client call. … 
Barbara, Dedan, and Ella Bruner- One Family/Three Generations on Healthy and Loving Single Parenting and Co-Parenting and the Beauty of Diversity – Today we have three generations of one amazing family, Barbara Bruner, a mother and grandmother, Dedan Bruner, a father and son, and Ella Bruner, a daughter and granddaughter. The Bruner’s are here today to discuss healthy single parenting and co-parenting and to dispel any myths about Black parenting while shining a light on the power and positivity of diversity. Ella… 
Laurie Kallen Schwent- My Creative and Eccentric Bipolar Mother Whose Parents Both Died By Suicide on Why Life is Worth Living in Color – Imagine eavesdropping on a mother and daughter’s most intimate, honest, and raw therapy session where they hash out the past and share family secrets in hopes of coming to a life-changing understanding. Also, imagine laughing at some truly wild and unbelievable stories. Imagine no further because this 50th Dear Family, podcast episode is all of that and more! Laurie Kallen… 
Janice Hayes Kyser- Biracial Writer Navigates the Mental Health & Special Education System for her Adopted Black Son – Janice Hayes Kyser is a biracial woman who grew up with a front-row view of race relations. Born to a Black Alabaman father and to a White British mother, she saw firsthand how her mother’s White allyship educated others in the 60s and how her father was not treated as an equal in both the air force and in life… 
George Floyd Summoned All Mothers When He Called for His Mama – “Mama!” we heard George Floyd call to a woman who died two years earlier, a sacred invocation, like a prayer invoking God’s presence because mothers are our first protectors. When George called for his Mama, he called on me too. After our newborn wails after inhaling its first breath, we exhale with relief. We instantly begin to consider their safety… 
Gregg Garfield & Anneliese Johnson- COVID Patient Zero Medical Miracle Survives 64 Days in the Hospital with Support from his Village – Gregg Garfield is the owner of CardConnect E.V. and Chip In, a credit card processing company. His girlfriend, Anneliese Johnson (AJ) is a mother of two teenage daughters and a wealth manager. Gregg and AJ heartedly support the peaceful protests for Black Lives Matter, but they’re concerned about the spread of coronavirus as large groups stand elbow to elbow with… 
Pirie Jones Grossman- It’s Never too Late to Own Your Own Throne, Find Love from Within, & Heal a Community from Suicide – Pirie Jones Grossman was born and raised in South Texas. She grew up with a bipolar and schizophrenic mother who struggled with drugs and alcohol. When Pirie was just five years old, her mother put a gun to her head and was later institutionalized. Pirie developed a depth of self-loathing and a need to be loved that would follow her… 
“Condom With a Conversation”- Sex & Consent Teen-Owned Business with Luca Wheeler, Charlotte Sedaka & Jed Siegel – Under state law, teenagers aren’t legally old enough to have sex, but that didn’t stop three teens, Luca Wheeler, Charlotte Sedaka, and Jed Siegel from forming a condom company and consent initiative called Condom With a Conversation. This amazing trio sourced a 100% FDA-approved condom and designed a package that includes questions encouraging a couple to make sure both parties… 
Wally Lamb- “I Know This Much Is True” Author & Executive Producer of the HBO Limited Series about Paranoid Schizophrenia, Forgiveness, & the Power of Storytelling to Heal – Wally Lamb is the author of not one, but six New York Times best-selling novels that speak to generations of readers who recognize their own struggles within his characters. He was twice selected for Oprah’s Book Club with She’s Come Undone and I Know This Much Is True, a current HBO limited series starring Mark Ruffalo as identical twin brothers,… 
Elsa Mora- Cuban-born Artist, Curator, & Paper Sculptor- Our Most Precious Possession is Our Mind & Creativity Can Solve Any Problem – Elsa Mora is an artist and curator born and raised in Cuba. In her culture, mental illness is not a secret and she would know because she grew up surrounded by family members who had bipolar, depression, schizophrenia, autism, and alcoholism. Elsa moved to Los Angeles to pursue art in 2001 and then to Upstate New York with her husband… 
Robert Kolker- “Hidden Valley Road” Author & Oprah’s Book Club Pick about The Most Mentally Ill Family in America – ROBERT KOLKER’s book Hidden Valley Road is currently Oprah’s Book Club pick and already at the top of the New York Times Best Sellers list. He’s also the bestselling author of Lost Girls, now a Netflix movie and named one of the New York Times 100 Notable Books and one of Publishers Weekly’s Top Ten Books of 2013. As a… 
Dr. Sam Fink & Sarrica Fink, RN- Father/Daughter Duo Giving Factual and Realistic Answers about the Current Situation of Covid-19 – Dr. Sam Fink is an internal medicine specialist in private practice in Tarzana, California. He’s currently treating patients with coronavirus and has been on the frontline of educating the public on COVID-19 on KTLA, CNN, FOX, and more. Dr. Fink’s daughter, Sarrica Fink is a registered nurse who practiced at Cedar Sinai Medical Center in LA. She’s currently working at… 
I’m a Failure and Proud of It- And Why #40 is so Meaningful! – Because this episode is about owning our failures, I’m celebrating my 40th Dear Family, podcast episode, something a year ago I thought impossible. We’ll discuss why #40 is meaningful in history, science, religion, & pop culture & why you should fail and fail often. Let’s look at our failures the way the Japanese look at broken pottery. In Kintsugi pottery,… 
Dwana White- Professional Funny Girl and Storyteller on Wellness and Mental Health in the Black Community – Dwana White is dangerously provocative, loves dinner parties, is a fan of the dialectic, and is a professional funny girl who believes in the mind-body connection. She’s here today to discuss systemic racism, white privilege, and how in the black community, mental health is not always discussed because of stigma. Dwana grew up in Austin and San Antonio. She began modeling… 
Family Together Apart- 50 Silver Linings & New Perspectives – Sheltering at home for the better good of mankind is shifting our perspectives to focus on what is most precious in life- our health and our family. Family support is more critical now than ever and yet we’re being asked to celebrate Easter, Passover, or Ramadan together but apart. These spring holidays remind us of rebirth and growth, like the… 
Jen Gotch- The Upside of Being Down – How her Mental Health Struggles Led to her Greatest Successes in Work & LIfe Jen Gotch is co-founder and chief creative officer of the multi-million dollar business ban.do. The brand’s goal is to make you feel better with their bright, optimistic products. Her 250K Instagram followers love her mental health advocacy as she bears her heart with a lot of… 
A Pandemic Pep Talk We All Need – Managing Stress & Finding Silver Linings to Stay Positive & Healthy During a Pandemic Yes, we need to stay informed with facts about this novel virus. Yes, we need to social distance and stay home. Yes, we need to flatten the curve to keep our health care workers safe and supplied. But we also need to stay positive and mentally… 
David Katz- First Responder at the Kobe Helicopter Crash- Attorney by Day/Hero After Hours – How to deal with Grief, Trauma, Stress, and PTSD David Katz is a mergers and acquisitions lawyer by day and an unassuming hero by night and on the weekends. For the last 30 years, he’s been a first responder search and rescuer who has been awarded multiple valor awards, including one for taking the Robert Blake trial shooter down with… 
15 Strategies to Manage Anxiety During the Coronavirus Pandemic – The word pandemic in of itself sounds scary, maybe because it has the word panic in it. Now that the coronavirus pandemic has been declared a national emergency across the nation, this once remote virus no longer feels like someone else’s problem. We’ve all been put on high alert so it’s no wonder we’re feeling anxious about protecting ourselves and… 
What Do You Value Most in Life? – What do you value most in life? I posed this profound and open-ended question to my Dear Family Members private Facebook group as a crowdsourcing experiment. Unsurprisingly to me, the top answers were FAMILY and HEALTH. Listen to this short solo-podcast to hear why we are so deserving of being in alignment with our universal values to find love and… 
Lisa Heffernan- Grown and Flown- How to Stay Close as a Family and Raise Independent Adults – Lisa Heffernan has an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management. She is a New York Times bestselling author who has worked as a financial trader and as former vice-president at Goldman Sachs. When her son went off to college she burst into tears in the produce aisle and came to the conclusion there was very little support for… 
Bipolar Rocket Mothership- The Earth is Bipolar and so is my Mom – A Short Solo Podcast Spoken Poem A short solo podcast and a moving spoken poem about my mom and my hero about polar extremes. The earth is bipolar and so is my mom. Warning- This is a highly emotional and sensitive topic that may trigger some, so please listen with caution and care. “Bipolar is a family affair…a celestial radiance… 
Terry & Rachel Winter- (Part 2) Award Winning Master Storytellers Share their Real-Life Marriage Story – Terry and Rachel Winter aren’t just my Dearest Friends turned Dearest Family members, they’re also the second married couple in history to ever be nominated for Academy Awards during the same year but with different movies. Terry was nominated for writing The Wolf of Wall Street and Rachel for producing Dallas Buyers Club. Terry loves to tell a good story… 
Terry & Rachel Winter- (Part 1) Award Winning Master Storytellers Share their Real-Life Marriage Story – Terry and Rachel Winter aren’t just my Dearest Friends turned Dearest Family members, they’re also the second married couple in history to ever be nominated for Academy Awards during the same year but with different movies. Terry was nominated for writing The Wolf of Wall Street and Rachel for producing Dallas Buyers Club. Terry loves to tell a good story… 
#GirlDad- A LOVE Story about Kobe Bryant, Fathers and Daughters, and Girls Sports – This is a very personal and touching episode about the love of the game of basketball, of Kobe, of our daughters, and of the importance of girls sports. Kobe’s intense drive, work ethic, athleticism, and Mamba Mentality made him our hero. His pure love for his daughters made him human and relatable. After Kobe and his beloved Gigi’s tragic passing,… 
Tim & Ryder Davis- Father & Son- Different Generations, Perspectives & Challenges but Same Mental Health Advocacy – Today we are doing something different, but perfectly aligned with Dear Family’s mission. We are having a father and son together as Dear Family, guests. Tim Davis was just 11 when he lost his mother. Never properly dealing with the trauma, he ended up struggling with substance abuse throughout high school and got into a lot of trouble. But high… 
Is Creativity Linked to Mental Illness? – My Beautiful and Creative Mom, Laurie Schwent If you knew your baby would inherit bipolar disorder would you gene edit or consider abortion? It’s a tough ethical question. We could risk making the world a blander, more homogenized place if we get rid of the genes for manic-depressive illness. I’m the daughter and granddaughter of creative bipolars. My grandparents… 
Brit Bronson-Out of My Mind & Sick & Tired of Being Sick & Tired – Brit Bronson, the oldest of three sisters, was just eight years old when her mother died suddenly while on vacation in Mexico. Brit developed an eating disorder as a means to cope. At nineteen years old she was diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Bipolar 1. Brit was extremely lost because her illnesses felt like a death sentence. She never… 
Prince Harry and Princess Meghan’s Royal Family Split- It’s Complicated & All About Mental Health – This Epic Royal Modern Day Family Feud Is Really About Protecting Mental Health Let’s face it, we love stories of epic family feuds and family dramas. Just think of Romeo and Juliet, The Sopranos, Greek tragedies, The Godfather, Cain vs. Abel, Dynasty, Succession, and the list can go on and on. By now, you are likely aware Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex… 
Catherine McCord- Keeping Our Families Healthy & Happy with Delicious & Nutritious Meals & Smoothies – Model/Actress/Influential Food Blogger/Entrepreneur/TV Personality/Author Happy New Year! Catherine McCord is here to inspire and motivate us to get and stay healthy and happy all year long. Catherine has the Midas touch. She’s a successful entrepreneur, food blogger, writer, TV personality, wife, and mother to three. On top of all of that, she’s beautiful and one of the nicest people you… 
2020 Vision for Inner Peace in 2020- and 20 Resolutions to Get You There – Inner Peace is the New Rich Forget the empty promises of the get rich and skinny resolutions of the past. The goal for this new decade is to strive for inner peace, a most worthy objective and the new definition of happiness and success. At the end of every year and after enjoying and indulging in all the holiday parties… 
Jonathan Leeper- Homeless Drug Addict Becomes a Beacon of Hope Helping the Homeless – Homelessness- The Greatest Social Problem of Our Time Jonathan Leeper’s life story is extraordinary because he’s overcome major obstacles to become one of the most compassionate, strong and inspiring people you will ever meet. Jonathan was born in Yokota, Japan as a result of being a military brat before moving to Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. He spent 8 years in the navy,… 
Dear Family, I Used to Dread Holiday Celebrations – A Podcast and Poem about our Complicated, Dysfunctional, and Amazing Families It’s the holiday season, a time some of us look forward to celebrating with our families, whereas others, and I used to be in this camp, dread it. Even during the best of circumstances, there are expectations, longings, guilt, people keeping score, and past hurt feelings to get in… 
Stephen Hinshaw- Award-Winning Author and Psychology Professor’s Very Personal Journey through the Stigma and Hope of Mental Illness – Dr. Stephen Hinshaw grew up in Columbus, Ohio with Quaker roots. He went on to attend Harvard and UCLA, becoming a professor of Psychology and the Department Chair at UC Berkeley, in addition to becoming a professor at UC San Francisco and the Vice-Chair. Professor Steve is an international presence in clinical psychology and mental health whose work focuses on… 
Rachel Steinman Discusses Sharenting- When a Child has to Teach their Parent About Consent and the Implications of a Digital Footprint She Didn’t Create – Sharenting (or oversharenting)- noun- When parents overshare photos and other data of their children on social media. Sharenting is the overuse of social media by parents sharing content based on their children, such as baby pictures or details of their children’s activities. It’s related to the concept of TMI, or “Too Much Information.” Pediatricians are starting to consider how sharenting… 
Tracy McCubbin- Decluttering and Ridding Our Dirty Laundry to Make Space for What Matters – Making Space, Clutter Free One-click ordering, free delivery, storage units, sentimental stashing, hand-me-down furniture…Our families are dealing with a clutter crisis. Enter Tracy McCubbin to the rescue, as she jokes, “You can’t scare me with your junk. I throw away dead people’s sex toys.” Tracy grew up with family members who hoarded and knows firsthand the effects of living amongst… 
Turning The Tables: Rachel Is Interviewed & Shares Her Family’s Secrets Of Mental Illness, Suicide, Addiction & More – Rachel Steinman- Host Becomes the Guest Rachel Steinman, the host of Dear Family, becomes the guest as her Dear Friend, Benjamin King flips the tables to interview her about her family’s legacy of mental illness, suicide, addiction, and more. Rachel was a psychology major who received her Masters in Education and multiple subject teaching credential from UCLA. She’s taught every… 
How a Family Dog Became the Ultimate Therapist and Master Teacher- Story by Rachel Steinman – “A Furry Master Teacher” We consider pets part of our Dear Family. This is a story about how a family dog became the ultimate therapist, the wisest master-teacher, and the best birthday present I thought I never wanted. I’m doing something different this episode by sharing the very first essay I ever published publicly. A year and a quarter later… 
Ross Szabo- From Class President & Varsity Basketball Player- to Being Called Psycho after Ending Up in the Mental Hospital- to Pioneering the Youth Mental Health Movement – Ross Szabo was his high school student body president, played varsity basketball, and volunteered for the Special Olympics and Students Against Drunk Driving. On the outside, he looked picture-perfect. Ross didn’t dare tell anyone he was diagnosed as bipolar with anger and psychotic features at 16 years old out of shame and pride because he was a scholar-athlete. But on… 
Rachel Steinman- If You Don’t Come From a Healthy Family, Make Sure a Healthy Family Comes From You. – Rachel is here to let you know regardless if you grew up in a family shrouded in secrets or if you or a loved one experiences mental health conditions, you are not alone and there is real hope. Rachel shares her thoughts on how podcasting and writing about her family secrets saved her and her mother, and how she was… 
Tami Strzelecki- From Savior in the ER to Letting her Patients Go- How Hospice Nursing Saved her Own Life – Tamara Strzelecki, aka Nurse Tami, is a blue-haired mama, wife, nurse, and creative entrepreneur. She’s worked in the ER, NICU, Pediatrics, HEDIS (stands for Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set) and long term care. Currently, the fierce and awesome Nurse Tami is a hospice nurse. Tami survived postpartum depression, bullying, nursing burnout, disordered eating, early-onset osteoporosis with multiple rib fractures, depression and anxiety. She utilizes her… 
Rachel Steinman’s First Solo Musings- Real Talk about Mental Wellness – When someone says generational trauma runs in the family, you say, “It runs out here.” Dear Family and Friends, This is Rachel Steinman and in less than three months we will be in a new decade- The Roaring 20’s. So let’s seize the day and make bold resolutions. One of my resolutions is to connect with you. It’s why I’ll… 
Rena Sofer- A Bold and Beautiful Actress Survives Her Mother’s Abandonment and Falls in Love with Her Ex-Husband In Real Life – Rena Sofer is a brilliant, bold, and beautiful actress, best known for her striking blue eyes. She was born in Arcadia, California. Her mother was a housewife who walked out on her family when she was just two years old. Her father picked up the reigns of being both parents to her and her older brother, David. Rena was discovered… 
Zack McDermott- Gorilla and the Bird- A Mother’s Unconditional Love for her Bipolar Son Whose Psychotic Belief He’s the Star in His Own TV Show Lands Him in Bellevue Hospital – “Regaining sanity in a mental hospital is like treating a migraine at a rave.” Zack McDermott is the author of Gorilla and the Bird. His witty, intimate and personal memoir is the tale of a mother’s unconditional love for her bipolar son. Zack grew up working-class, hovering above the poverty line and witnessing crime in Wichita, Kansas. His mother was… 
Devorah Heitner- Screen Time Confinement or Liberation- Growing Up with Digital Media, Porn, and Video Games – Devorah Heitner is not just another mom concerned about raising a digital native. She uses her Ph.D. in Technology to research, teach, write, and lecture about how families everyday lives are affected by digital media, smartphones, and video games. She’s the author of Screenwise: Helping Kids Thrive (and Survive) in Their Digital World. And her work has appeared in the… 
Millennial Musician Writes a New Love Song – S. Wills is a millennial musician and songwriter who runs a successful music entertainment business booking bands for big events. In his adolescence, he felt coerced into participating in what he describes as a vitriolic divorce that lasted years and followed him into his college days. The divorce shaped his experience of love, his values, his ambitions, and his analytic… 
Jessica Goldklang- How Becoming her Authentic- Self Freed her from Anxiety and Shame – Jessica Berman Goldklang has a zest for life and has always found joy in gathering with people for meals. It’s why she’s the perfect special event planner. However, Jessica has struggled most of her life with anxiety, having had her first panic attack shortly after her parents divorced when she was 13. Nobody discussed panic attacks thirty years ago,… 
Andy Behrman- Electroboy Bipolar Sensory Overload- Chewing on Sidewalks and Swallowing Sunlight Until Electroconvulsive Therapy – Andy Behrman is a larger-than-life personality, a nonfiction writer, and a national speaker. Andy was the subject of a New York media scandal for counterfeiting the Modern Art of Mark Kotsabi, the same art he once sold, putting him in federal prison for five months. Andy spent numerous sleepless nights fueled by drugs, had anonymous sex, traveled aimlessly, went on… Subscribe to the Dear Family, Podcast
