Episodes

In ancient times, the prevailing belief was that madness and creativity were sublime gifts from the gods. Who knew the opposite would prove to be true today? Creativity and art are reliant on mental health, mental health is reliant on creativity and art. In this exciting episode, Valerie and Helen r...

Who knew grit and determination could be so essential to the pursuit and achievement of recovery from mental health issues? Valerie and Helen begin with a brilliant book, "Grit," by Angela Duckworth, and go on to explore the impact of grit on mental health. They begin with the basic definition: "Gri...

If you're searching for inspiration and uplift, look no further. Valerie and Helen will provide you with an escape from the doldrums needed by all of us after a long, hot summer. In this episode, two extraordinary guests, Kimberly and Stacy, tell their powerful stories of recovery from mental health...

Join Valerie and Helen as they delve into the second half of their examination of depression. While Depression Part 1 presented an in-depth look at the many facets of the illness and its profound impact on the individual and society, Part 2 focuses on the expanding potential for recovery. Through tr...

Valerie and Helen take a deep dive into the formidable depths of the mental health disorder depression—an illness so fierce and powerful it will strike one in six Americans at least once in a lifetime. In the first episode of this two-part series, they explain the different types of depression, and ...

Finding gratitude in the midst of a mental health crisis can seem impossible. Valerie and Helen experienced this struggle during their own crises, and have since discovered the profound impact of gratitude. This episode will take you on a surprising and heartening journey into the practice, science ...

Join Valerie and Helen for a far-reaching conversation with Karen Casey, legendary leader in the global recovery movement for 40 years. Karen is the author of the ground-breaking book, Each Day a New Beginning: Daily Meditations for Women, her first of 31 books. One of the first recovery books writt...

Valerie and Helen have been profoundly empowered by their volunteer experience, and volunteering has expanded their recovery. Storytelling has been the fundamental aspect of their volunteer work over ten years. Join them for this episode as they share how both telling and hearing the story of fighti...

Helen and Valerie devote a second episode to the challenges and complexities of bipolar disorder. In Episode 24, a remarkable discussion with Dr. Stephen Strakowski, a national leader in bipolar disorder treatment and research, addressed many topics that merited further examination. Join Helen and V...