America and Theresa explore the traits that make good friends.  They both ask each other whether they feel they are a good friends and why. They discuss examples of behaviors that make bad friends, like being selfish and monopolizing conversations, and why it's about the quality vs. quantity of friends. To take a mental health screen, or to find mental health information and resources, visit mhascreening.org To submit questions, comments or ideas about future topics on the podcast, contact  podcast@mhanational.org

In the Open

What Makes A Good Friend?

America and Theresa talk about the positives and negatives of holding grudges. America recognizes she holds grudges and she explains how she sees it as a strength but also how it could be a problem. They talk about how holding grudges can be a form of control, why intentions matter and why Theresa feels she needs to protect herself more. To take a mental health screen, or to find mental health information and resources, visit mhascreening.org To submit questions, comments or ideas about future topics on the podcast, contact  podcast@mhanational.org

I Hold Grudges

Theresa and America talk about feeling awkward. They share instances when they’ve been awkward around people and they try to get to the bottom of why they can be awkward. They discuss social anxiety, moments that exacerbate awkwardness and just accepting who you are. To take a mental health screen, or to find mental health information and resources, visit mhascreening.org To submit questions, comments or ideas about future topics on the podcast, contact  podcast@mhanational.org

I Feel Awkward

A lot of the world is starting to open back up after the pandemic and America and Theresa explore the mindset of people who don’t want to go back to normal quite yet. America shares how she went to a work conference and had to remember how to communicate with people in-person again. They talk about how everyone feels overwhelmed, feelings of social anxiety and they liken social interaction to getting into a swimming pool. To take a mental health screen, or to find mental health information and resources, visit mhascreening.org To submit questions, comments or ideas about future topics on the podcast, contact  podcast@mhanational.org

I'm Not Ready To Go Back To Normal

Theresa is joined by Cyn Gómez to talk about being queer and Latino. Cyn identifies as non-binary and bisexual so they share their personal journey and how they came to terms with who they are. They speak on topics of mental health, coming out to family and friends, religion and traditionalism and exploring what a welcoming environment looks like. To take a mental health screen, or to find mental health information and resources, visit mhascreening.org To submit questions, comments or ideas about future topics on the podcast, contact  podcast@mhanational.org

Being Queer and Latino featuring Cyn Gómez

America and Theresa are joined by Kevin Seldon to discuss depression in fathers. Kevin shares his feelings of depression and how it became harder when him and his wife struggled to get pregnant. Kevin talks about creating a safe space for men to express their feelings, trying to lead with vulnerability when attempting to connect with new friends and how acknowledgement is powerful. To listen to the DILF Podcast visit dadidliketofriend.com   To take a mental health screen, or to find mental health information and resources, visit mhascreening.org   To submit questions, comments or ideas about future topics on the podcast, contact  podcast@mhanational.org

Depression in Fathers

Theresa and America share times in which they questioned what they were doing with their lives. They talk about the feelings that come after big changes, big transitions and big losses. America explains how she felt a little lost in the last year, Theresa used meet-up groups to help her not feel so alone when she had these feelings and they discuss trying to find some direction, meaning and purpose. To take a mental health screen, or to find mental health information and resources, visit mhascreening.org To submit questions, comments or ideas about future topics on the podcast, contact  podcast@mhanational.org

I’m Not Doing Anything In My Life

Melanie submitted a topic to the podcast about how to deal with being ghosted. America has dealt with a lot of ambiguous loss and this topic brings up some emotions about rejection for Theresa. They share their personal experiences with being ghosted, trying to understand why someone would ghost you and eventually trying to find a way to get to acceptance. To take a mental health screen, or to find mental health information and resources, visit mhascreening.org   To submit questions, comments or ideas about future topics on the podcast, contact  podcast@mhanational.org

How To Deal With Being Ghosted

Emily Pope, the Director of Marketing at Tempest, joins America and Theresa to talk about when alcohol negatively impacts your life. Emily became sober at 23 and she shares her story about her family history with drinking and when she decided to stop. They talk about the red flags when drinking can become unhealthy and why it's important to personally reflect on your relationship with alcohol. To take a mental health screen, or to find mental health information and resources, visit mhascreening.org

Should I Stop Drinking? featuring Emily Pope

Theresa and America remember the times where they broke up with toxic people. There is a discussion about all the different types of relationships that can be toxic and some examples of traits that can make a person toxic. They talk about the big and small break-ups, how they’ve felt a sense of losing themselves in toxic relationships and how to plan a safe exit. To take a mental health screen, or to find mental health information and resources, visit mhascreening.org

Breaking Up With A Toxic Person

Theresa and America discuss how they try to control their anger. They have a conversation about times they’ve tried to justify their anger and some places where they picked up some of their bad habits around anger. They talk about recognizing their cues before they lash out in anger, attempting to have empathy for the other person and learning when to just walk away during a heated argument. To take a mental health screen, or to find mental health information and resources, visit mhascreening.org

Controlling Anger

Theresa and America recall how they’ve dealt with the trauma in their lives. There is a discussion about how everyone experiences trauma differently and how some go straight to avoidance. They talk about the aftermath of trauma, common thinking traps around trauma and Theresa's traumatic association with George Floyd. To take a mental health screen, or to find mental health information and resources, visit mhascreening.org

How To Deal With Trauma

Theresa and America were reluctant about the concept of radical acceptance at first, but they give the definition of what it means and how they feel about it now. There is a conversation about how to grieve the things that should not have happened. They talk about where they need to practice radical acceptance in their lives, letting go of control and how much of it is about personal responsibility. To take a mental health screen, or to find mental health information and resources, visit mhascreening.org

What Is Radical Acceptance?

What makes something normal? America and Theresa talk about their personal relationships with the meaning of “normal.”  They talk about some of the people they trust in their lives to bounce their “normal/not normal” ideas off of to gauge how they feel. They discuss the societal pressures of fitting in and some of their personal behaviors some might categorize as “not normal.” To take a mental health screen, or to find mental health information and resources, visit mhascreening.org

Is It Normal or Not Normal?

Why is it that we lash out and say hurtful things? Theresa and America revisit some hurtful things they’ve said in the past and they dive into how they feel when they are on the receiving end of some hurtful comments. They unpack their past experiences that influence the way in which they communicate today, the difference between being reactive vs. responsive and why they lay out some soft and hard boundaries when communicating. To take a mental health screen, or to find mental health information and resources, visit mhascreening.org

Why Do People Say Hurtful Things?

Join Mental Health America as we have open conversations about mental health. We're a group of people who want to change the way our communities talk about mental health. On this podcast, we share our lives, fight in the open, and work together to just figure things out.