Podcast Episodes

Laura House (Live @ LAPodfest)

The meditation teacher, standup comedian and writer (Samantha Who?) talks about her struggles with alcohol, food, weight, low self-esteem, relationships and what she gets from support groups and meditation. Recorded live @ LAPodfest. To watch this episode and all the other podcasts (lots of great ones) from LAPodfest go to www.lapodfest.com/live and use offer code Gilmartin to get $5 off ($25 is full price). The episodes are available to view until Oct 17th.

And by the way, this is a picture of her bitter old granny.

Cheryl Klein

The breast cancer survivor opens up about her lifelong battle with hypochondria, OCD and anxiety. She talks about the emotional toll of infertility, having a miscarriage and the ensuing depression as well as her double mastectomy and hysterectomy (she has the BRCA 2 Gene) and the perspectives she gained by having gone through all of it. Not a downer, I swear!

Matt Oswalt (voted #8 ep of 2014)

The 43 year-old comedy writer/director opens up about his idyllic childhood, and a couple of traumatic events he believes contribute to his isolating and fighting the demons of depression while being single, unemployed and living alone.

Follow Matt on Twitter @Puddinstrip

To purchase the live video stream of the upcoming LAPodfest recording on 9/26 at 7pm Pacific time go to www.lapodfest.com/live and use offer code “Gilmartin” You’ll get $5 off the $25 price which includes access to the dozens of other podcasts recording there. The show will stream live and be available to watch for three weeks afterwards.

This episode is sponsored by Bulubox. Visit www.bulubox.com, click on the microphone in the upper left-hand corner and enter the promo code “HappyHour”

This episode is sponsored by SquareSpace. For 10% off your first purchase and to show support for this podcast go to www.squarespace.com and use offer code “Mental“.

Aparna Nancherla (voted #10 ep of 2014)

The first generation Indian-American comedian opens up about her low self-esteem, perfectionism, depression, anxiety, eating disorder, the trap of becoming the “good child” and the constant struggle to not compare herself to others.

Follow Aparna on Twitter @Aparnapkin or visit her website www.aparnacomedy.com

This episode is sponsored by Bulubox. Visit www.bulubox.com, click on the microphone in the upper left-hand corner and enter the promo code “HappyHour”

Lance L

The pansexual Iraqi war veteran talks about his plans to come out to his homophobic family, growing up with a mother who picked terrible men, his deadbeat dad and meeting a half-brother & doing a joint road trip to confront the father that abandoned them both. This episode is sponsored by GoDaddy. For 30% off your purchase go to www.GoDaddy.com and use offer code Mental199 This episode is sponsored by Harry’s shaving products. To get $5 off your first purchase go to www.Harrys.com and use the offer code Mentalpod

Ask Erika Holmes MFT

Marriage and Family Therapist Erika Holmes answers listener questions from Facebook and Twitter. Topics include Eating Disorders, Borderline Personality Disorder, PTSD therapies, Neurofeedback and damage caused by parents who are religious zealots. Erika can be followed on Twitter @ErikaHolmesMFT and her website is www.erikamft.com

PillPack sponsors this show. To check it out (and to help the podcast) go to Pillpack.com/happyhour.

Susanna Lee

The comedian/burlesque dancer (she goes by the name Lucky DeLuxe) talks about the power, pitfalls and rush of performing with and without her clothes on, including being a sex worker at a “jack shack” to make ends meet. She opens up about her low self-esteem, fear of the future, struggles with her dad and desire for truth no matter how bleak it may be. She also opens up about being attracted to unavailable men who often hide their relationship with her from friends and family.

Jimmy Doyle

The former Second City improviser turned drug & alcohol counselor talks about his mother’s suicide when he was 12, coming out at 16 (in 1981), getting physically sober but being emotionally toxic and being fired from the prestigious improv company. They talk about the breakthroughs felt in doing EMDR (and CBT). Paul also reads some surveys and emails on the topic of suicide given the nature of this week’s news about Robin Williams. On the surface this may seem like a very dark episode and while it has its moments, it is ultimately not a downer.

Dese’Rae L Stage

The photographer and activist talks about her bookwormish childhood, coming out in high school, the abusive relationship she couldn’t bear to leave and her project which documents the stories of suicide attempt survivors (she is one) Live Through This. To check out Dese’Rae’s website go to www.livethroughthis.org and follow her on Twitter at @DeseraeStage This episode is sponsored by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. To participate or support their Out of the Darkness Walk which takes place on Sept. 20th in Chicago, go to www.chicagowalk.org This episode is sponsored by Bulu Box. To learn more and get a MIHH listener discount go to www.bulubox.com click on the microphone in the upper left hand corner and use the offer code “happyhour”.