The Dark Place: Conversations About Mental Health | Depression | Anxiety

Todd and Vanessa are the founders of Komuso Design, which sells jewelry engineered to help quiet the mind. They talk about how living a career-driven lifestyle led to stress, anxiety, and eventually a new life goal of spreading mindfulness and conscious living.

Camille Lowman is the founder of Yellow Project, a mental wellness subscription box. Topics include talking to kids about emotions, recovering from chronic pain, and getting in touch with your own self-care needs. Follow Camille: https://www.instagram.com/camille_lowman/ Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. We are not doctors. For questions about your own health, please consult a medical professional.

The clinical therapist talks about recovering from the trauma and abuse of her childhood, healing herself through art, and practicing patience and gratitude.

The writer, life coach, and former youth pastor talks about recovering from being the victim of childhood sexual abuse, his suicide attempt, and his experience with how mental illness is viewed within Christianity. Steve's website: iamsteveaustin.com

Kevin Hines is one of only 36 people to survive a suicide attempt by leaping off the Golden Gate Bridge. In the past 17 years, he has now become an advocate for those with mental illness. He talked with me about managing his bipolar disorder, how to ask for help, and his work preventing veteran suicides. Plus, Joel reads Listener Dark Places.   In this episode, Kevin talked about these resources: SAVE.org National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 (+1 for active duty military and veterans) Crisis Text Line: Text CNQR to 741741   The Movember Foundation - "Unmute - Ask Him": https://us.movember.com/news/11507/    This episode is sponsored by Talkspace, an online therapy company that allows you to send messages with a licensed therapist via text, audio, or video. Visit talkspace.com/DARK and enter the promo code "DARK" to get $30 off youtr first month.

The 23-year-old journalist from Austin, Texas talks about living with anxiety, the experience of having a panic attack, and why "it's better to cry outside than it is to cry inside."   Laura runs the newsletter Mental Health Day, which can be found at tinyletter.com/mentalhealthday. She is on twitter @laura__thomp (two underscores).   This episode is sponsored by Talkspace, an online therapy company that allows you to send messages with a licensed therapist via text, audio, or video. Visit talkspace.com/DARK and enter the promo code "DARK" to get $30 off your first month.

The co-founder of mental health storytelling organization This Is My Brave joins to talk about her experience with bipolar disorder, postpartum psychosis, hospitalization, and helping others share their own stories. In the episode, Jennifer mentions a guest-post on her blog about a friend who visited her in the hospital. Here is the link: http://bipolarmomlife.com/just-ask-friend-can-make-difference/    Twitter: @BipolarMomLife Website/Blog: http://bipolarmomlife.com/  This Is My Brave: https://thisismybrave.org/ 

The 30-year-old talks about helping himself and others through depression and suicidal thoughts. Plus, he gives us a taste of what it would sound like if depression was an unwanted guest at a frat party.

January 1st, 2017: The 29-year-old comedian (America's Got Talent) talks about the loneliness of living life on the road, searching for connection in his life, and his mental health awareness campaign called "Say It Anyway." Adam Grabowski Website: http://www.adamgrabowski.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/adamgrabowskicomedy Twitter: https://twitter.com/AdamGrabowski Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adamgrabowski/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AGComedy   The Dark Place Website: http://darkplace.joelkutz.com Twitter: http://twitter.com/darkplacepod

Joel is joined by Katie Habib to read listener-submitted stories for World Suicide Prevention Day. Topics include OCD, sexual abuse, and hospital visits.

Ranjan Subbiah is a 31-year-old living in Toronto. Topics include the ins and outs of medication, using comedy to frame mental illness, and explaining his condition to his family. Ranjan Subbiah Website: http://www.roominateless.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/roominateless The Dark Place Website: http://darkplace.joelkutz.com Twitter: http://twitter.com/darkplacepod

Miranda Yaver is a 29-year-old in academia. Topics include the recent loss of her friend to suicide, how her university has responded to her own mental illness, and the unrealistic standard of perfection put on people in prestigious careers. Miranda YaverWebsite: http://www.mirandayaver.com/Twitter: https://twitter.com/mirandayaver The Dark PlaceWebsite: http://darkplace.joelkutz.comTwitter: http://twitter.com/darkplacepod  

20-year-old Dan tells us his story. Topics include his contentious relationship with his father, feeling like a burden, and finding his agnosticism.   Dan on Twitter: https://twitter.com/danfromtheweb   The Dark Place Website: http://darkplace.joelkutz.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/darkplacepod

Armando Flores, who goes by the stage name "Social Anxiety", is an alternative hip-hop and spoken word artist. He discusses living with paranoid schizophrenia and depression, and how he has used his music to create a larger discussion about mental health.This episode also includes the premiere of his new song, "Mary Todd Lincoln". Social Anxiety Bandcamp: https://social-anxiety.bandcamp.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/deathtosocialanxiety/ Twitter: http://twitter.com/asocialanxiety   The Dark Place Website: http://darkplace.joelkutz.com Twitter: http://twitter.com/darkplacepod

Hannah Mansfield is Joel's guest. She's a teacher and recent college grad, trying to figure out the best way to manage a recent bipolar diagnosis. At the time of this conversation, she just had to go on medical leave from her job. Hannah writes a blog about her mental illness. You can follow it at https://mentalhealthspeaks.wordpress.com/

October 8, 2015: Joel talks with Amanda Rosenberg. She's a comedy writer, and she reminds us how healing it is to laugh. (Yay suicide humor!) She also talks about feeling numb, being falsely diagnosed, wanting friends to just listen, and drawing pictures of the staff while in Stanford psychiatric hospital. We mention a few articles Amanda wrote for Medium. Here's one of them: http://bit.ly/AR_Medium It's also Mental Health Awareness Week. Though shouldn't that be every week?  

Michele Rosenthal was just 13 when she suffered from a rare allergic reaction that left her a full-body burn victim. For over two decades she suffered from PTSD symptoms before finally self-diagnosing her condition and getting help. She talks to me about the lows—self-blame, anorexia, recurring nightmares—then the high of recovery. Michele is the founder of HealMyPTSD.com. Her new book is titled Heal Your PTSD: Dynamic Strategies That Work.

Joel chats with 31-year-old Cara Santa Maria, host of the podcast "Talk Nerdy." In this episode, hear how Cara has fought through depression to build a career as a host and correspondent for networks including Al Jazeera America, Pivot, The Weather Channel, and Nat Geo. She helps us understand the chemical side of mental illness, then helps us understand how it's changed her own life.   Website: http://CaraSantaMaria.com Twitter: @CaraSantaMaria

At just 20 years old, Jessie is a badass filmmaker turning her Crohn’s disease diagnosis into a platform for compassion. For this hour she lets herself be vulnerable. Topics include being chronically ill, feeling isolated, dealing with the emotions around sex, and medication that makes you forget an entire month of your life.   Jessie's short film: http://bit.ly/Jessie_Film Kickstarter for Jessie's documentary: http://bit.ly/Jessie_Doc

Emily is a motivational speaker. Today, she takes a break from baring her deepest insecurities and fears in front of large crowds to bare her deepest insecurities and fears to us on the podcast. Yet she's not afraid—she's empowered. She talks about growing up and never fitting in, discovering a worldwide community of mental illness survivors, and learning to comfort her inner child. You can't see it, but she's wearing a lot of lime green.   More about Emily: https://about.me/LuvMily Twitter: https://twitter.com/emilywspeaks

Joel talks with Lucy, who's 28 years old. Lucy talks about her flight anxiety, about how her dad would use drugs in front of her when she was 12, and then about her dad's death when she was in college. At some points, Joel feels like he's going to cry. Lucy does cry. Then they talk about how much they both love to cry. Lucy is a role model.

The 23-year-old talks about the panic attack that prompted him to lose 150 pounds, being by someone's side during their final moments, and the reason we go through life distracting ourselves.

A compilation of four previously-aired conversations, covering bullying, self-harm, death, and emerging from the dark place.

In an episode very relatable to those even without mental illness, the 24-year-old radio host and comedian shares his struggles with everyday life. These include self-doubt, trying to relax, and losing himself in a relationship, plus the anxiety-inducing path of seeking success in entertainment.   Listen to Joel guest on The Cameron Louis Show: http://bit.ly/JKonCameronLouis Follow Cameron: @TheOnlyCamshaft

Joel and Julia share personal stories submitted by listeners. To share your dark place, visit darkplace.joelkutz.com and click "Tell Your Story."

The 27-year-old talks about identifying as transgender and genderqueer, the bullying and abuse they experienced growing up, feeling suicidal in foster care, and forgiving their father before his death.

The 31-year-old tells her first-hand account of her brother's suicide 11 years ago, the unrelenting flashbacks she experienced, feeling suicidal herself, good and bad therapy, and how her current career helps to manage those feelings.

Do you ever feel alone and wish you had someone who could provide a safe space and a listening ear? Chris Angel Murphy from Teen Line discusses the resource that allows teens to connect with trained peer listeners and get the help they need.

The 23-year-old talks about the back-to-back shocking deaths of two important people in her life, the depression that followed, and the impact the loss has had on her feelings about love, hope, and the future.

The 38-year-old discusses her lifelong emotional relationship with food, how she's been shaped by having an alcoholic father, and how she has redirected her depression and anxiety to help others. Guest co-host: Julia

The 21-year-old student talks about using success as a mask for her depression, admitting herself into psychiatric hold, and her recent experience of emerging from the darkness of suicidal thoughts.

The 24-year-old talks about the dangers of his own perfectionism, the pattern of negative thinking that led to his suicide attempt, and how he now works to reduce the stigma around mental health through his organization Free Minds United.

The 22-year-old comedian talks about struggling with body image as an in-shape male, feeling like he can't connect to others, reconciling a lack of meaning in the universe, and challenging audiences by talking about his depression.

The 23-year-old talks about her always-present underlying fear of her parents' death, going on anti-depressants when she wasn't depressed, and “that time in my formative years when a guy brought a gun to my Sunday school class.”

The 25-year-old talks about living with an addictive pattern of self-harm, realizing what happened to her as a child was sexual abuse, and getting to the point of being able to seek therapy. Plus, an email from listener "Boone."

The 23-year-old aspiring writer talks about finding out her mom had cancer on September 11, 2001, what it’s like to explain anxiety to classmates in high school, and going from not being able to sleep over at friends houses to moving across the country.

The 19-year-old comedian and USC screenwriting student talks about being bullied and socially isolated, how his past has influenced his anxiety and depression, and why everyone battling mental illness should seek treatment. Plus, why comedy is so important to him as self-expression.

The 24-year-old producer and creator of the blog givememora.com discusses being honest about her anxiety in the Persian Jewish community and how a career in entertainment can be harmful to mental health. Plus, she goes over things not to say to someone with anxiety.

The 23-year-old radio producer and many-time game show contestant talks about the panic attacks that began when he believed he ate a toxic piece of blowfish, living with anxiety, and how to help support someone through a crisis.

In the first episode of The Dark Place, the 22-year-old USC Fine Arts student talks about living with depression and suicidal thoughts, coming out as gay, finding the right therapist, and techniques that he uses to manage his mental health.