Yes Bill W. is his real name and he has been helping Paul for 19 years; inspiring him, helping him, making him laugh and giving him the truth when he needs to hear it. They talk about surrendering to things we're powerless over, developing good habits -especially human connection- to battle our demons and his lingering "shoulda-coulda-wouldas" on a professional baseball career that was cut short. Oh and of course a little talk about staying up for 3 nights doing cocaine. Support Our Sponsors!  This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp online counseling. To get 10% off your fi ..read more

Kathleen Hammond is a mother who lost her child. She sits down with Paul to talk about childhood bullying, a parent’s perspective on losing a child to suicide, and how she manages to survive after this immense loss.  Connect to Kathleen on FB https://www.facebook.com/kathleen.pelaez?mibextid=LQQJ4d Support Our Sponsors!  This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp online counseling. To get 10% off your first month go to www.BetterHelp.com/mental Must be 18. For those under 18 you will be redirected to or can go directly to TeenCounseling at www.tee ..read more

Dr. Alex Wills is a psychiatrist & therapist who focuses on the importance of ‘radical emotional acceptance’. He discusses how we can accept our emotions and what happens when we ignore them. Be sure to check out his new book Give a Fuck, Actually. More About Dr. Wills YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/@alexwillsmd Spotify:  https://open.spotify.com/show/1wb68UBEqXoZsAQe86jwZI  Apple:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/give-a-f-actually-with-dr-alex-wills/id1664423790 Castos:  https://give-a-f-actually-with-dr-alex-willis.castos.com Psychiatry Website www.Perma ..read more

Dr. Robert Waldinger is a psychiatrist & a professor at Harvard Medical School who worked on an 85-year long study on what it takes to have a good life. His new book The Good Life expands on the results of that study and the science of relationships.  More About Dr. Waldinger To watch his TED Talk, click here (https://www.ted.com/talks/robert_waldinger_what_makes_a_good_life_lessons_from_the_longest_study_on_happiness?language=en). This is a link to buy his upcoming book (https://www.amazon.com/Good-Life-Lessons-Scientific-Happiness/dp/198216669X). Support Our Sponsors!  This ..read more

Paul’s friend (@Evan_Schad) shares about being the black sheep of the family (and having a “perfect” sibling) and eventually being sent to boarding school where he began to dissociate. He talks about bottoming out with a felony DUI and a trip to jail before finally asking for help. He also shares about learning to overcome his numbness, identify his emotions and eventually express them, especially in group therapy. Follow Evan on IG @Evan_Schad Support Our Sponsors!  This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp online counseling. To get 10% off your first month&nb ..read more

Originally recorded in 2011, the critically-acclaimed author of 6 books (most recently The Problem With Everything), columnist and blogger (@Meghan_Daum) talks with Paul about growing up and later rebelling in a household where music and academia were everything. She talks about the pressure of starting a writing career in Manhattan and living a real-life Devil Wears Prada nightmare, where the idea of even living in a rundown building in a bohemian neighborhood became unattainable. They talk about the epiphany of realizing her dreams were shallow, materialistic and unattainable, her ..read more

Originally recorded in 2012 and voted a listener favorite, Kerri (@KerriKenneySilver @KerriKenney) is a comedian/actor/musician. She opens up about her childhood, the impact of her parents’ divorce, her obsessive worrying, her aborted engagement to a crack addict and what she learned about herself. People know Kerri from Reno 911, MTV’s The State, Bob’s Burgers, and the indie rock band Cake Like. Support Our Sponsors!  This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp online counseling. To get 10% off your first month go to www.BetterHelp.com/mental Must be 1 ..read more

Originally recorded and aired in 2011 Nadereh’s story is sadly all too timely today. Nadereh (@NaderehShe) is a former Marxist revolutionary who fled her native Iran (while 6 months pregnant) after the capture and execution of her husband in the 1988 prisoner massacre where over 5000 were killed regardless of time served. Nadereh and her husband were the first wave of the killing, oppression and displacement that continues to this day in Iran by the same government that is in power today killing those battling for basic women's rights. She eventually settled in San Francisco and became a nurse ..read more

Paul's support group friend is a 44-year-old single mom whose meds stopped working and before finding another one that worked, spiraled into a depressive episode that had her fearing for her life while also feeling unmotivated to change things or reach out for help. Liz also shares about her family's history of enmeshment, addiction, a dad with creepy boundaries and breaking her lifelong pattern of always needing one or more men to date for conquest and validation. Support Our Sponsors!  This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp online counseling. To get 10% off your first mo ..read more

Paul reads listener's surveys describing their demons, dreams, failures, accomplishments, resentments and loves. Support Our Sponsors!  This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp online counseling. To get 10% off your first month go to www.BetterHelp.com/mental Must be 18. For those under 18 you will be redirected to or can go directly to TeenCounseling at www.teencounseling.com   WAYS TO HELP THE PODCAST Subscribe via iTunes and leave a review. It costs nothing. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/mental-illness-happy-hour/id42737 ..read more