The Mental Society

Why Couldn’t it Have Been a Car Accident?

On this episode of The Mental Society, I am joined by Allison Frye.
We discuss suicide, how it impacts families and mental health advocacy.
Allison is a mental health advocate and host of the mental health podcast “Allison in Wonderland,” she is turning her "empty nest" into an opportunity to focus on her advocacy. 
This journey began with the loss of Allison's brother (2007) and mother (2010) due to suicide and has become a lifelong obsession for mental health awareness. 
Allison lives, breathes, and preaches mental health awareness and suicide prevention in all aspects of her life. She is passionate about these causes and will discuss them with anyone who listens. 
You can find more about Allison and her mental health first aid kit on her website https://allisoninwonderland.com.
Check us out at www.thementalsociety.com. You can find more resources, old episodes, blog posts, and more there.
Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter
https://www.facebook.com/thementalsociety
https://www.instagram.com/thementalsocietypodcast/
https://twitter.com/mentalsocieties

We Take That Time: Trena and Nora

This is the last of a three-part series where we dive into the impact of mental illness on relationships and how this couple works together to find health and happiness. 
On this last episode, Trena and Nora share their joint mental health journey and show us the power of taking time to check in each day, consistent support, and open communication. 
Check us out at www.thementalsociety.com. You can find more resources, old episodes, blog posts, and more there.
Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter
https://www.facebook.com/thementalsociety
https://www.instagram.com/thementalsocietypodcast/
https://twitter.com/mentalsocieties
 

IsThis Next One Going to be THE One: Nora Dye

This is the second of a three-part series where we dive into the impact of mental illness on relationships and how this couple works together to find health and happiness. 
On this episode, Nora shares her story and how she and her wife, Trena, navigate their mental health together.
Check us out at www.thementalsociety.com. You can find more resources, old episodes, blog posts, and more there.
Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter
https://www.facebook.com/thementalsociety
https://www.instagram.com/thementalsocietypodcast/
https://twitter.com/mentalsocieties

Fabulously Flawed and Perfectly Imperfect: Trena Dye

This is the first of a three-part series where we dive into the impact mental illness can have on relationships and how this couple works together to find health and happiness. 
On this episode, Trena shares her story and how she and her wife, Nora, navigate their mental health together.
Check us out at www.thementalsociety.com. You can find more resources, old episodes, blog posts, and more there.
Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter
https://www.facebook.com/thementalsociety
https://www.instagram.com/thementalsocietypodcast/
https://twitter.com/mentalsocieties

We do it Because It Works: Dr. Rebecca Allen

On this episode of The Mental Society, I am joined by Dr. Rebecca Allen.
Listen as Dr. Allen shares more about treatment options for individuals who need more than medication to treat their mental illness effectively. Learn about “shock therapy” and how it really works. Spoiler alert, it’s probably not what you think it is.
Dr. Allen has authored papers and researched everything from sleep, memory consolidation, and quality of life in multiple sclerosis.
She authored a sleep and sleep disorders chapter for the Harvard textbook Neuropsychiatry and Behavioral Neurology: Principles and Practice (2020). 
Her main clinical interest is neuropsychiatry: she is trained in the neurobiological bases and treatment of cognitive and behavioral manifestations of neurodegenerative diseases (dementia), multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, stroke, brain tumors, developmental disorders, traumatic brain injury, and other disorders.
Check us out at www.thementalsociety.com. You can find more resources, old episodes, blog posts, and more there.
Find us:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thementalsoc...
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thementalso...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mentalsocieties

My Goal is to Win the Game: Trent Brock

Join in and hear Trent's incredible story of survival and perseverance.
He has had cancer 3x - hip bone cancer left him crippled, lung cancer, and then pancreatic cancer. The doctors told him he only had a 5% chance of survival.
Trent changed his outlook and trained his mind to believe he could beat cancer even though five specialists said there was no chance. Now 18 months cancer free and undergoing a 3-part surgery project never done before, he is here to share some of the tools he learned and help people along the way.
Check us out at www.thementalsociety.com. You can find more resources, old episodes, blog posts, and more there.
Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter
https://www.facebook.com/thementalsociety
https://www.instagram.com/thementalsocietypodcast/
https://twitter.com/mentalsocieties

What Happens When We Ban Books? Lee Wind

On this episode of The Mental Society, I am joined by Lee Wind.
Lee writes stories to empower kids and teens to be their authentic selves and change the world – the same books that would have changed his life as a young gay, Jewish kid.
Lee and I talk about history, banned books, growing up, and the people you never knew were Queer.
His debut picture book, RED AND GREEN AND BLUE AND WHITE was illustrated by Caldecott Medalist Paul O. Zelinsky, received five-starred trade reviews, and The New York Times praised it as “Beautiful… It’s a message the world can use, throughout the year.” He is the author of the nonfiction book NO WAY; THEY WERE GAY? HIDDEN LIVES AND SECRET LOVES and the novel QUEER AS A FIVE-DOLLAR BILL.
He also runs the popular blog I’m Here. I’m Queer. What the Hell Do I Read? He’s the official blogger for the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators and the Queer Kid Lit Creators community organizer.
Lee lives in Los Angeles with his husband of more than 25 years, and they have a grown daughter. You can find out more about Lee, the books he writes, and the work he does by checking out his website, www.leewind.org
Check us out at www.thementalsociety.com. You can find more resources, old episodes, blog posts, and more there.
Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter
https://www.facebook.com/thementalsociety
https://www.instagram.com/thementalsocietypodcast/
https://twitter.com/mentalsocieties
#mentalillness #mentalhealth #mentalsociety #society #mental #queer #queerlit #leewind #noway #theyaregay #banned #books #author #bannedbooks #lgbtqia #lgbt #history #safety

Habits and Mindset for a High Level of Success: Amy Ballantyne

On this episode of The Mental Society, I am joined by Amy Ballantyne. We discuss well-being and how small steps can lead to big changes!
 
Amy is an accredited Mental Well-Being Coach, speaker, and author. As a coach, she supports clients who struggle with anxiety, overwhelm, and high stress and want to experience clarity and connection. She provides compassionate accountability while guiding clients to shift limiting beliefs, improve wellness habits, and create the life they truly desire. 
Amy hosts Power To The People Pleasers, a podcast to empower individuals who often put themselves last. This show can be found on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and iHeartRadio. She has spoken on international stages, summits, and workplace wellness webinars across Canada.
As a speaker, she brings her energy, passion, and knowledge to every webinar or stage to help the audience connect with the information so that they feel inspired, informed, and primed to take action! She has shared wellness webinars for companies across Canada, including Ernst & Young, Hazelview, Schlegel Villages, Star Metroland Media, Vidyard, SunLife, Manulife, and more.
As an author, Amy is a recent Amazon Best Seller as a co-author for the compilation book Business Life & the Universe Volume 6. She has also published Mr. Poop Knows Poop (a digestive health book for parents and kids) and a youth empowerment series for girls called Diary of a Softball Girl.
Wellness is so much more than eating and exercise. Taking a holistic approach to well-being is how Amy supports her clients.
You can find more about Amy at her website http://amyballantyne.com.
Check out her podcast POWER TO THE PEOPLE PLEASERS
Schedule a Free Call with Amy!
BUST THE CYCLE OF OVERWHELM - FREE PDF DOWNLOAD
Find her on Social Media:
Instagram  Facebook  Twitter
Check out all of her books using the links below:
Diary of a Softball Girl:  Book 1 | Book 2 | Season Journal
Mr Poop Knows Poop
Best Selling Author in BLU TALKS: Business Life Universe Volume 6 
Check us out at www.thementalsociety.com. You can find more resources, old episodes, blog posts, and more there.
Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter
https://www.facebook.com/thementalsociety
https://www.instagram.com/thementalsocietypodcast/
https://twitter.com/mentalsocieties
#mentalillness #mentalhealth #mentalsociety #society #mental #well-being #holistic #physicalhealth #peoplepleaser #sayno #poop #guthealth #softballgirl #mrpoop #empowerment #empower

I Prefer a Woman of Strength: Kisha Woods

On this episode of The Mental Society, I am joined by Sunita Alves.
She is the daughter of Indo-Caribbean-Canadian immigrants who spent her formative years testing limits and pushing boundaries. Sunita dreamed of a life without limitations, becoming the first woman in her family to become an engineer. The pinnacle was achieving her dream job, a blend of teaching mindfulness, training coaches, and heading up a project to improve educational outcomes for Indigenous youth in Canada. She had it all. Then, she experienced workplace stressors that eventually impacted her mental health and ability to work. Literally and figuratively heartbroken, she found a path to healing and finding peace.
Sunita and I discuss how her physical and mental health were significantly impacted by work stress and her belief that she could do it all. She shares how she uses her experiences to help others avoid the same fate and find joy and contentment in their lives.
Sunita shares her journey in her book, Breakthrough: A Memoir of Toxic Work, Mindfulness, and Inner Peace. You can find where to purchase her book and more about Sunita by visiting her website https://sunitaalves.com
Find more about the 13 workplace factors that impact mental health here:  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1N4vMp-B7lw4URugBpGCCsVhVXlSJxUpe/view?usp=sharing
Check us out at www.thementalsociety.com. You can find more resources, old episodes, blog posts, and more there.
Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter
https://www.facebook.com/thementalsociety
https://www.instagram.com/thementalsocietypodcast/
https://twitter.com/mentalsocieties
#mentalillness #mentalhealth #mentalsociety #society #work #workplace #stress #peoplepleaser #everything #selfcare #sayno #boundaries #toxicwork #mindfulness #peace #mental

Using Comedy to Work Out Your Issues? Neil Berliner

On this episode of The Mental Society, I am joined by comedian and psychiatrist Dr. Neil Berliner.
Dr. Berliner is an American comedy writer, standup comedian, comedy producer, and instructor. Neil is one of the most requested joke-writing instructors in the United States. In 2022, Neil was named the first Comedy-Writer-in-Residence for The Comedy Cures Foundation.  Neil is also a practicing medical doctor and is the Medical Director of a large mental health agency in Brooklyn.
Listen in as Neil, and I talk about comedy, connection, community, and chairs. We, yet again, hear about how important connection, community, and collaboration lead to improved mental health and adherence to medical treatment plans.
You can find out more about Dr. Berliner by visiting his website https://neilberlinercomedy.com/ and be sure to check out his new book Ha Ha History full of history and comedy.  
Check out The Comedy Cures Foundation and see how you can get involved.
Check us out at www.thementalsociety.com. You can find more resources, old episodes, blog posts, and more there.
Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter
https://www.facebook.com/thementalsociety
https://www.instagram.com/thementalsocietypodcast/
https://twitter.com/mentalsocieties
#mentalillness #mentalhealth #mentalsociety #society #mental #comedy #hahahistory #laugh #issues #healing #community #collaborate