Mental Illness and Me

My mom has one son and three daughters. I gave birth to my first biological son nine months ago. My sister, Christina, has three sons ages two to eight years old. Our younger sister, Anna, is seven months pregnant with her first child, also a son. To help prepare our mom-to-be for what’s ahead, we sat down together to discuss some of the unique challenges the postpartum period presents mentally and emotionally. We also shared some of the funny and heartwarming experiences we had along the way.

Studies have shown that anxiety disorders are often genetic, as evidenced by my older brother joe and me. Joe has dealt with generalized anxiety disorder his entire life, and now sees similar traits in his own daughter. The anxiety my brother and I both experience was exacerbated as young children when we were sexually abused by an extended family member. Joe fought to achieve his dreams in spite of the crippling anxiety he experiences.

This episode features the cohosts of Sharing Her Journey, a podcast for women to share their unique stories. Kirsten and Alexis discuss issues from their perspective that women face mentally and emotionally and ways they’ve learned to face these challenges. Kirsten Brockner is an interior designer who helps her clients find their unique style and then bring it to life within the spaces of their home. Her 23 years in the interior design industry gives her a wealth of knowledge and networks to utilize in transforming her client’s homes. Her passion project has been co-hosting a podcast ‘Sharing Her Journey’ where they interview women who share their stories, triumphs, and struggles to foster connection and not feel alone on their journey. Kirsten lives in Meridian, Idaho with her husband and two teenagers. Alexis is a life-long learner, which led her to recently complete a master’s in Adult/Organizational Learning and Leadership from the University of Idaho. She is a communication coach, educator, speaker, and consultant. She enjoys co-hosting the podcast Sharing Her Journey, volunteering within her community, and writing articles for her website. Her husband, Clinton, and their four children enjoy spending time outdoors, traveling to experience the beauty of the world, and cooking and eating delicious food…especially during the holidays.

This episode is part 2 of an interview with Dr. Kevin Theriot, a therapist for more than 40 years. He discusses his best advice for teenagers and parents from a the perspective of a mental health professional.

Dr. Kevin Theriot received his doctoral degree in social work from Arizona State University. He spent the majority of his 40 year career working in family services for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in addition to maintaining a private counseling practice. On this episode, Dr. Theriot offers valuable insights on how to recognize when mental health counseling would be beneficial and how to choose a mental health specialist. This episode is part one of a two part interview with Dr. Theriot.

Barbara Lally, author of The Trichster Diaries, has Trichotillomania. For the past 20 years, she has been compulsively pulling out her body hair. She shares her experiences to help others suffering know there is hope for a happy, shame free life despite the struggles associated with the disorder.

The picking me foundation is a non-profit organization devoted to helping people with excoriation, also know as Dermatillomania or Skin Picking Disorder. On their website, picking me.org, they state that dermotillomania is currently classified as an “Obsessive-Compulsive and related disorder” and became diagnosable as a mental illness in 2013. Jo struggled to cope with difficult emotions, and found herself going from one toxic relationship to another. She picked her skin as a way to relieve the stress and anxiety she was feeling. She has since learned to take back her life and decrease the hold dermotillomania has over her.

After more than 8 years of marriage, Alex finally shared a secret with his wife that he kept from everyone in his life for 30 years: he was dealing with major manic and depressive episodes, hearing voices in his head, and seeing images no one else could see. In the five years since his diagnosis with Schizoaffective Disorder, Megan and Alex have learned a lot as they’ve faced this challenge together.

After 10 years of battling an obsessive skin picking, Jason read a Facebook post by someone who faced a similar struggle and learned what a Body Focused Repetitive Behavior was. Now, he runs a podcast entitled Fidget with the author of that Facebook post. They interview other people with BFRB’s and hope to help listeners find courage to share their own struggles with family and friends.

Clinical psychologist Dr. Scott Anderson discusses how parents can best support their kids with mental health disorders. Scott R. Anderson, Ph.D., received his Ph.D. in Psychology (clinical track) from Virginia Tech. Dr. Anderson completed his predoctoral internship with the United States Air Force in San Antonio, Texas. For three years he worked with military children and families stationed in the United Kingdom before completing a postdoctoral fellowship in integrated primary care at Geisinger Health System in 2017. Dr. Anderson has had extensive training in and experience with behavioral interventions, parent management strategies, and consultation with schools and medical providers. He specializes in using evidence-based treatments and evidence-informed strategies in addressing a variety of behavioral health concerns, including Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), high-functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders, sleep problems, disruptive behaviors, and anxiety disorders. Dr. Anderson joined the Developmental–Behavioral Pediatrics Program at Rochester Regional Health in 2017, where he is currently a part-time staff psychologist. In 2018, Dr. Anderson started a part-time private practice in Bath, NY. The intention was for this to be a small “side-hustle” to keep him from getting bored, but this practice has expanded to the point that it is now his primary focus!