Podcasts about about the hosts

If you ever have the slightest intention to sell your business, understanding its value is crucial. Strategic pre-planning for the sale can enhance your value builder score so you sell at a premium multiple of earnings.   In today's discussion, Danielle delves into one of the eight key drivers to improve profitability: monopoly control. Following that, she will explain ten distinct strategies to attain monopoly control.    Whether you are contemplating an exit from your business now or eons from now, this episode is a must for every entrepreneur   IN THIS EPISODE: [01:21] What is the value of my business, how do I raise profitability, and what is monopoly control [06:24] Danielle shares ten ideas and strategies that will raise your profitability; however, be advised that you won't serve everyone when you are a monopoly of one [10:25] Rule One: Does your technology set you apart [14:27] Rule Two: Customization and personalization [16:07] Rule Three: Providing exceptional customer service [17:16] Rule Four: Package what you offer so that it cannot be price-shopped [20:18] Rule Five: Develop brand identity [21:46] Rule Six: Create a user experience [23:02] Rule Seven: Connecting with other partnerships and collaborations [25:02] Rule Eight: Position your business as the industry authority [27:56] Rule Nine: Use innovative marketing and selling strategies [29:03] Rule Ten: Trial periods and guarantees KEY TAKEAWAYS:  Always be conscious of driving the value of your business, especially when considering exiting the business. “Monopoly Control Strategies” such as education and knowledge sharing, innovative marketing and selling, and "done for you" services can significantly impact the valuation of a business. Achieving “Monopoly Control” is crucial for maximizing the price and margin in your business. Strategies such as branding, storytelling, and offering trial periods and guarantees can help businesses stand out in the market and dictate pricing. Connecting with customers through storytelling, sharing educational content, and offering personalized services. Building a strong brand identity and aligning with customer values can differentiate a business in the market.   Pre-Order ALL IN: How Great Leaders Build Unstoppable Teams https://www.amazon.com/All-Great-Leaders-Build-Unstoppable/dp/0593544501/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=all+in+mike+michalowicz&qid=1700164489&sr=8-1   ABOUT THE HOSTS:   Danielle Mulvey is a former flight attendant-turned-entrepreneur and owns multiple businesses doing $50 million in annual revenue. She is one of the exclusive, select group of Mastery-Certified Profit First Professionals worldwide and the go-to “HOW TO IMPLEMENT” workshop facilitator for Profit First and WSJ Journal best-selling author Mike Michalowicz following his keynote speeches. Danielle is currently running multiple businesses, from start-ups to mature businesses with 10-year plus track records and revenues ranging from $1M to $40 million in annual revenues and is a certified numbers geek about Profit First, leveraging the DIY cash management system for small business to achieve maximum profitability. She can personally guide business owners to achieve maximum profitability based on her 25 years of experience as an entrepreneur who has been there and done that.   Additionally, Danielle authored the book The Rapid Read™ Guide to The 5-Star Employee Rating System™ and is currently collaborating with Wall Street Journal best-selling author Mike Michalowicz on his new book, to be released in Q1 2024, titled ALL IN: How Great Leaders Build Unstoppable Teams. Mike Michalowicz is an entrepreneur and New York Times and Wall Street Journal best-selling author of Profit First, The Pumpkin Plan, SURGE, Toilet Paper Entrepreneur, Clockwork, Fix This Next and Get Different. BusinessWeek called Toilet Paper Entrepreneur, a business cult classic. His books have been translated into ten languages, and Mike has had the privilege to speak on stages worldwide because of his passion for connecting with entrepreneurs.   As the founder of Profit First Professionals, he empowers accountants, bookkeepers, and business coaches with the tools and techniques to maximize client profitability, allowing them to uplevel from being one of the 83% of small businesses operating check-to-check and struggling to be profitable to becoming one of the 17% of thriving and highly valuable businesses with cash in the bank to correlate to profitability. Mike also co-founded the business growth consultancy Provendus Group and has successfully founded, built, and sold two technology service-based companies. He is passionate about sharing his experiences and advice with entrepreneurs and sits on formal and informal advisory boards while maintaining relationships with angel and early-stage investors.   RESOURCES: Danielle Mulvey - Website Danielle Mulvey - Linkedin The All In Company - Website Profit First Nation - Website   Mike Michalowicz - Website Mike Michalowicz - Linkedin Mike Michalowicz - Twitter Profit First Professionals - Website Mike Michalowicz - Books  

In this episode of Profit First Nation, Danielle discusses the importance of the "Switzerland Structure" in your business.  The Switzerland Structure is about avoiding over-dependence on a single customer, employee, or vendor to ensure the long-term success and profitability of your business.  Danielle emphasizes the need for diversification, customer value analysis, employee cross-training, and vendor audits.   IN THIS EPISODE: [00:27] Introduction to the podcast and the topic of the "Switzerland Structure." [02:38] Explanation of why it's crucial not to be overly dependent on one customer, employee, or vendor. [08:14] The Pareto Principle applied to customer diversification. [12:04] Avoiding over-dependence on a single employee by cross-training and ensuring no one is a linchpin. [17:57] Conducting a vendor audit to prevent over-reliance on one supplier and keeping incentives in check. [21:54] Encouragement to submit questions and information on how to connect with certified Profit First professionals.   KEY TAKEAWAYS:  Don't rely too heavily on one customer. Diversify your customer base to ensure steady income and reduce risk. Prevent over-dependence on a single employee by cross-training your team, ensuring others can cover their responsibilities. Regularly review your vendor relationships and consider incentives carefully to maintain a healthy balance between quality and cost.   ABOUT THE HOSTS:   Danielle Mulvey is a former flight attendant-turned-entrepreneur and owns multiple businesses doing $50 million in annual revenue. She is one of the exclusive, select group of Mastery-Certified Profit First Professionals worldwide and the go-to “HOW TO IMPLEMENT” workshop facilitator for Profit First and WSJ Journal best-selling author Mike Michalowicz following his keynote speeches. Danielle is currently running multiple businesses, from start-ups to mature businesses with 10-year plus track records and revenues ranging from $1M to $40 million in annual revenues and is a certified numbers geek about Profit First, leveraging the DIY cash management system for small business to achieve maximum profitability. She can personally guide business owners to achieve maximum profitability based on her 25 years of experience as an entrepreneur who has been there and done that.   Additionally, Danielle authored the book The Rapid Read™ Guide to The 5-Star Employee Rating System™ and is currently collaborating with Wall Street Journal best-selling author Mike Michalowicz on his new book, to be released in Q1 2024, titled ALL IN: How Great Leaders Build Unstoppable Teams. Mike Michalowicz is an entrepreneur and New York Times and Wall Street Journal best-selling author of Profit First, The Pumpkin Plan, SURGE, Toilet Paper Entrepreneur, Clockwork, Fix This Next and Get Different. BusinessWeek called Toilet Paper Entrepreneur, a business cult classic. His books have been translated into ten languages, and Mike has had the privilege to speak on stages worldwide because of his passion for connecting with entrepreneurs.   As the founder of Profit First Professionals, he empowers accountants, bookkeepers, and business coaches with the tools and techniques to maximize client profitability, allowing them to uplevel from being one of the 83% of small businesses operating check-to-check and struggling to be profitable to becoming one of the 17% of thriving and highly valuable businesses with cash in the bank to correlate to profitability. Mike also co-founded the business growth consultancy Provendus Group and has successfully founded, built, and sold two technology service-based companies. He is passionate about sharing his experiences and advice with entrepreneurs and sits on formal and informal advisory boards while maintaining relationships with angel and early-stage investors. RESOURCES: Danielle Mulvey - Website https://www.daniellemulvey.com/ Danielle Mulvey - Linkedin http://linkedin.com/in/danielle-mulvey-66a315 The All In Company - Website http://theallincompany.com Profit First Nation - Website http://profitfirstnation.com   Mike Michalowicz - Website http://mikemichalowicz.com Mike Michalowicz - Linkedin http://linkedin.com/in/mikemichalowicz Mike Michalowicz - Twitter http://mikemichalowicz Profit First Professionals - Website http://profitfirstprofessionals.com Mike Michalowicz - Books http://mikemichalowicz.com/books/

Danielle may hit a nerve or two in this episode when she highlights the RED FLAGS you cannot ignore when it comes to making 5-Star Employee Hires.    For most businesses, PAYROLL is your biggest expense and can be a significant drain on your profitability when you make a hiring mistake.    When your payroll is full of average, ho-hum, or worse employees – you need more labor at more expense to do the work that just one 5-Star Employee can accomplish.    Remember: If 5-Star Employees represent the top 15% of available talent – then statistically speaking, you will need to filter out 6 out of every 7 candidates to get that top 15% candidate.    You have to raise your RED FLAG alert level to max as you take candidates through your hiring gauntlet.     In this episode, Danielle lists multiple warning signs that HR professionals and business owners engaged in the hiring process should embrace.    Take notes to seeing and eliminating candidates based on critical candidate "RED FLAGS.”   IN THIS EPISODE: [00:21]  Danielle goes all in on hiring employees today [04:03] Red Flags- Working less than one year at multiple recent employers and exaggeration of duties and responsibilities [05:38] Red Flags- If their formal education is in an unrelated field from what you are looking for and their resume suggests a double employment history  [07:05] Red Flags- Grammar and punctuation errors and specific fields and industries Danielle would never hire from [10:05] Fields and industries we want to hire from [13:21] Danielle shares case histories [20:19] Danielle compares part-time employees to children and gives more examples of red flags [24:08] Danielle gives a fast overview of today's episode   KEY TAKEAWAYS: In today's market, working long-term in a company can be defined as working two years or more in the same company. There are industries you should avoid when looking to fill a position because they represent fields where there isn't urgency involved in their job. If a person can't correct errors in their resume, they are not the type of person you want to hire.   ABOUT THE HOSTS:   Danielle Mulvey is a former flight attendant-turned-entrepreneur and owns multiple businesses doing $50 million in annual revenue. She is one of the exclusive, select group of Mastery-Certified Profit First Professionals worldwide and the go-to “HOW TO IMPLEMENT” workshop facilitator for Profit First and WSJ Journal best-selling author Mike Michalowicz following his keynote speeches. Danielle is currently running multiple businesses, from start-ups to mature businesses with 10-year plus track records and revenues ranging from $1M to $40 million in annual revenues and is a certified numbers geek about Profit First, leveraging the DIY cash management system for small business to achieve maximum profitability. She can personally guide business owners to achieve maximum profitability based on her 25 years of experience as an entrepreneur who has been there and done that.   Additionally, Danielle authored the book The Rapid Read™ Guide to The 5-Star Employee Rating System™ and is currently collaborating with Wall Street Journal best-selling author Mike Michalowicz on his new book, to be released in Q1 2024, titled ALL IN: How Great Leaders Build Unstoppable Teams. Mike Michalowicz is an entrepreneur and New York Times and Wall Street Journal best-selling author of Profit First, The Pumpkin Plan, SURGE, Toilet Paper Entrepreneur, Clockwork, Fix This Next and Get Different. BusinessWeek called Toilet Paper Entrepreneur, a business cult classic. His books have been translated into ten languages, and Mike has had the privilege to speak on stages worldwide because of his passion for connecting with entrepreneurs.   As the founder of Profit First Professionals, he empowers accountants, bookkeepers, and business coaches with the tools and techniques to maximize client profitability, allowing them to uplevel from being one of the 83% of small businesses operating check-to-check and struggling to be profitable to becoming one of the 17% of thriving and highly valuable businesses with cash in the bank to correlate to profitability. Mike also co-founded the business growth consultancy Provendus Group and has successfully founded, built, and sold two technology service-based companies. He is passionate about sharing his experiences and advice with entrepreneurs and sits on formal and informal advisory boards while maintaining relationships with angel and early-stage investors. RESOURCES: Danielle Mulvey - Website Danielle Mulvey - Linkedin The All In Company - Website Profit First Nation - Website   Mike Michalowicz - Website Mike Michalowicz - Linkedin Mike Michalowicz - Twitter Profit First Professionals - Website Mike Michalowicz - Books  

Mike Michalowicz shares the microphone with Danielle and responds to questions from listeners just like yourself. Listen in to understand his innovative, time-tested approaches to successfully managing a business in the zone of permanent profitability.  Furthermore, Mike delves into the importance of enlisting a Profit First-Certified Accountant, Bookkeeper or Coach.. Stay tuned until the end of this episode for an exciting announcement Mike will share.   IN THIS EPISODE: [00:39] Question One. Should I add a retirement account to my hidden account, and how to set up a retirement account [05:40] Question Two. Can I make an exemption to Profit First [07:35] Question Three. What is the owner's pay? Is it the CEO's salary, and why is the allocation 50% [10:07] Question Four.  Do shareholders of a business all get compensated the same [12:05] Question Five. Can you skip the profit and tax accounts at your primary bank and transfer from income to profit hold and tax hold at my inconvenient bank [15:06] Wild card questions for Mike regarding working with a Profit First Bookkeeper [20:49] Mike celebrates that Profit First is in 28 languages now   KEY TAKEAWAYS:  Over 50% of businesses don't last five years. Profit First Accountants and Coaches are in different towns than the client because they are industry-based, not location-based.  To effectively implement the Profit First System, adhering to each step is crucial. If you find yourself making exceptions, you are not following the Profit First principles.   ABOUT THE HOSTS:   Danielle Mulvey is a former flight attendant-turned-entrepreneur and owns multiple businesses doing $50 million in annual revenue. She is one of the exclusive, select group of Mastery-Certified Profit First Professionals worldwide and the go-to “HOW TO IMPLEMENT” workshop facilitator for Profit First and WSJ Journal best-selling author Mike Michalowicz following his keynote speeches. Danielle is currently running multiple businesses, from start-ups to mature businesses with 10-year plus track records and revenues ranging from $1M to $40 million in annual revenues and is a certified numbers geek about Profit First, leveraging the DIY cash management system for small business to achieve maximum profitability. She can personally guide business owners to achieve maximum profitability based on her 25 years of experience as an entrepreneur who has been there and done that.   Additionally, Danielle authored the book The Rapid Read™ Guide to The 5-Star Employee Rating System™ and is currently collaborating with Wall Street Journal best-selling author Mike Michalowicz on his new book, to be released in Q1 2024, titled ALL IN: How Great Leaders Build Unstoppable Teams. Mike Michalowicz is an entrepreneur and New York Times and Wall Street Journal best-selling author of Profit First, The Pumpkin Plan, SURGE, Toilet Paper Entrepreneur, Clockwork, Fix This Next and Get Different. BusinessWeek called Toilet Paper Entrepreneur, a business cult classic. His books have been translated into twenty-eight languages, and Mike has had the privilege to speak on stages worldwide because of his passion for connecting with entrepreneurs.   As the founder of Profit First Professionals, he empowers accountants, bookkeepers, and business coaches with the tools and techniques to maximize client profitability, allowing them to uplevel from being one of the 83% of small businesses operating check-to-check and struggling to be profitable to becoming one of the 17% of thriving and highly valuable businesses with cash in the bank to correlate to profitability. Mike also co-founded the business growth consultancy Provendus Group and has successfully founded, built, and sold two technology service-based companies. He is passionate about sharing his experiences and advice with entrepreneurs and sits on formal and informal advisory boards while maintaining relationships with angel and early-stage investors. RESOURCES: Danielle Mulvey - Website Danielle Mulvey - Linkedin The All In Company - Website Profit First Nation - Website   Mike Michalowicz - Website Mike Michalowicz - Linkedin Mike Michalowicz - Twitter Profit First Professionals - Website Mike Michalowicz - Books  

Danielle delves into a comprehensive process comprising eight steps for transforming your service or product into a marketable offering.  These steps are universally applicable to a wide array of services or products. By implementing these steps in your business, you'll gain clarity and direction and, most importantly, establish a fresh source of revenue.  Through illustrative examples and explanations, she presents the information in an easily understandable way. Get ready to take notes, as this episode is a must-watch to ensure your business grows as it could.   IN THIS EPISODE: [00:20] Danielle explains Productization and the eight steps to create a new revenue stream [03:49] Step One: Niche down by focusing on a specific audience in 5 different ways [09:20] Step Two: Find your TVR [11:31] Step Three: Defining your quarter-inch hole [12:20] Step Four: Branding is important [13:35] Step Five: List your ingredients [14:51] Step Six: Pre-empt objections [17:14] Step Seven: Pricing Danielle gives examples of pricing [23:15 Step Eight: Manufacture scarcity KEY TAKEAWAYS:  Don't just pick a price out of the air for your service or product. Do research to explore what it is worth.  Speed can be a factor in increasing your pricing. Pricing can also be done on a sliding scale. Don't be afraid to raise your prices. Creating excitement and scarcity creates profits.   ABOUT THE HOSTS:   Danielle Mulvey is a former flight attendant-turned-entrepreneur and owns multiple businesses doing $50 million in annual revenue. She is one of the exclusive, select group of Mastery-Certified Profit First Professionals worldwide and the go-to “HOW TO IMPLEMENT” workshop facilitator for Profit First and WSJ Journal best-selling author Mike Michalowicz following his keynote speeches. Danielle is currently running multiple businesses, from start-ups to mature businesses with 10-year plus track records and revenues ranging from $1M to $40 million in annual revenues and is a certified numbers geek about Profit First, leveraging the DIY cash management system for small business to achieve maximum profitability. She can personally guide business owners to achieve maximum profitability based on her 25 years of experience as an entrepreneur who has been there and done that.   Additionally, Danielle authored the book The Rapid Read™ Guide to The 5-Star Employee Rating System™ and is currently collaborating with Wall Street Journal best-selling author Mike Michalowicz on his new book, to be released in Q1 2024, titled ALL IN: How Great Leaders Build Unstoppable Teams. Mike Michalowicz is an entrepreneur and New York Times and Wall Street Journal best-selling author of Profit First, The Pumpkin Plan, SURGE, Toilet Paper Entrepreneur, Clockwork, Fix This Next and Get Different. BusinessWeek called Toilet Paper Entrepreneur, a business cult classic. His books have been translated into ten languages, and Mike has had the privilege to speak on stages worldwide because of his passion for connecting with entrepreneurs.   As the founder of Profit First Professionals, he empowers accountants, bookkeepers, and business coaches with the tools and techniques to maximize client profitability, allowing them to uplevel from being one of the 83% of small businesses operating check-to-check and struggling to be profitable to becoming one of the 17% of thriving and highly valuable businesses with cash in the bank to correlate to profitability. Mike also co-founded the business growth consultancy Provendus Group and has successfully founded, built, and sold two technology service-based companies. He is passionate about sharing his experiences and advice with entrepreneurs and sits on formal and informal advisory boards while maintaining relationships with angel and early-stage investors. RESOURCES: Danielle Mulvey - Website Danielle Mulvey - Linkedin The All In Company - Website Profit First Nation - Website   Mike Michalowicz - Website Mike Michalowicz - Linkedin Mike Michalowicz - Twitter Profit First Professionals - Website Mike Michalowicz - Books  

In this episode, we dive into Renee Moore's Profit First journey at Canine Craze Performance Center. Discover how she revamped her business by restructuring classes, introducing a membership model, and doubling consulting fees.  Renee's story highlights the power of embracing change, pushing boundaries, and committing to Profit First principles for remarkable improvements in profitability and efficiency. Join us for an inspiring journey of transformation and growth.   IN THIS EPISODE: [00:40] Introduction to Renee Moore, owner of Canine Craze Performance Center in Urbandale, Iowa, and creator of Dog Perfect and Puppy Perfect online training programs [01:42] -Renee shares her motivation for implementing Profit First, highlighting her struggles with managing cash flow in her business [06:38] - Transition to a credit union and how she optimized her automatic payments, saving money [11:17] - Positive effects of the Second Half Strong program, including increased productivity and strategic focus [18:22 ]- Results and Transformations; retooling her business model, offering memberships, and providing accelerated learning opportunities for clients [25:38 ]- Accelerated Learning: Renee emphasized the concept of accelerated learning, benefiting clients and improving profitability KEY TAKEAWAYS: Commitment to Change: Implementing Profit First requires a mindset shift and a commitment to breaking old financial habits. It's not just a technical change; it's a mental one. Streamline Expenses: Review and cut unnecessary expenses to improve profitability. Analyzing and reducing operational costs can have a significant impact on your bottom line. Embrace Change for Growth: Embrace change in your business model and offerings. Be open to exploring new ideas and pushing boundaries to foster growth and profitability.   RESOURCES: Danielle Mulvey - Website https://www.daniellemulvey.com/ Danielle Mulvey - Linkedin http://linkedin.com/in/danielle-mulvey-66a315 The All In Company - Website http://theallincompany.com Profit First Nation - Website http://profitfirstnation.com   ABOUT THE GUEST:   Renee Moore has been professionally training dogs since graduating from Animal Behavior College in 2006. Since then she has exprience competing in obedience, training service dogs, handling and directing dogs that were filmed for PSA's (Public Service Announcements), leading group and private lessons,  as well as, creating successful training programs, including Canine Craze's Train & Play "Private School Program" for dogs and her interactive “Dog Perfect” + “Puppy Perfect” online training programs.   Renee's mission is to help people understand how to teach their dogs how to think and have fun during the learning process. A true innovator, Renees is always looking for new ways to help owners have the best relationship with their pets. Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/renee-moore-2b212921    Website : caninecraze.com   ABOUT THE HOSTS:   Danielle Mulvey is a former flight attendant-turned-entrepreneur and owns multiple businesses doing $50 million in annual revenue. She is one of the exclusive, select group of Mastery-Certified Profit First Professionals worldwide and the go-to “HOW TO IMPLEMENT” workshop facilitator for Profit First and WSJ Journal best-selling author Mike Michalowicz following his keynote speeches. Danielle is currently running multiple businesses, from start-ups to mature businesses with 10-year plus track records and revenues ranging from $1M to $40 million in annual revenues and is a certified numbers geek about Profit First, leveraging the DIY cash management system for small business to achieve maximum profitability. She can personally guide business owners to achieve maximum profitability based on her 25 years of experience as an entrepreneur who has been there and done that.   Additionally, Danielle authored the book The Rapid Read™ Guide to The 5-Star Employee Rating System™ and is currently collaborating with Wall Street Journal best-selling author Mike Michalowicz on his new book, to be released in Q1 2024, titled ALL IN: How Great Leaders Build Unstoppable Teams.    

Danielle presents a significant subject today, which holds importance regardless of the duration of your business. How can you increase the value of your business, ensuring a premium price/offer upon its sale? Business owners typically exit their business for one of three reasons. Begin strategizing for your exit today so your motivations align with your intended plans. In this episode, Danielle will outline four strategies that will amplify your business's profitability.   IN THIS EPISODE: [00:00] Danielle will talk about exiting your business, and the first question to answer regarding leaving your business [06:23] How do you value your business [09:35] The three motivators to selling a business; personal motivation; personal crisis, or the owner believes the business has peaked [14:32] Make a plan now for personal motivation and determine what you want to sell your business for [19:20]  Determine what you will do with your time; if you will stay involved in the business; how you will reward your employees, and the impact of shareholders on the value of the business [26:10] A review of the four areas that can lead to a 30% in the value of the business   KEY TAKEAWAYS:  It's never too soon to begin an exit plan for your business to maximize the sale price. The reason for selling the business does have an impact on the value of your business. Personal crisis is the least favorable motivator to selling a business leaving you with the least profit.   ABOUT THE HOSTS:   Danielle Mulvey is a former flight attendant-turned-entrepreneur and owns multiple businesses doing $50 million in annual revenue. She is one of the exclusive, select group of Mastery-Certified Profit First Professionals worldwide and the go-to “HOW TO IMPLEMENT” workshop facilitator for Profit First and WSJ Journal best-selling author Mike Michalowicz following his keynote speeches. Danielle is currently running multiple businesses, from start-ups to mature businesses with 10-year plus track records and revenues ranging from $1M to $40 million in annual revenues and is a certified numbers geek about Profit First, leveraging the DIY cash management system for small business to achieve maximum profitability. She can personally guide business owners to achieve maximum profitability based on her 25 years of experience as an entrepreneur who has been there and done that.   Additionally, Danielle authored the book The Rapid Read™ Guide to The 5-Star Employee Rating System™ and is currently collaborating with Wall Street Journal best-selling author Mike Michalowicz on his new book, to be released in Q1 2024, titled ALL IN: How Great Leaders Build Unstoppable Teams. Mike Michalowicz is an entrepreneur and New York Times and Wall Street Journal best-selling author of Profit First, The Pumpkin Plan, SURGE, Toilet Paper Entrepreneur, Clockwork, Fix This Next and Get Different. BusinessWeek called Toilet Paper Entrepreneur, a business cult classic. His books have been translated into ten languages, and Mike has had the privilege to speak on stages worldwide because of his passion for connecting with entrepreneurs.   As the founder of Profit First Professionals, he empowers accountants, bookkeepers, and business coaches with the tools and techniques to maximize client profitability, allowing them to uplevel from being one of the 83% of small businesses operating check-to-check and struggling to be profitable to becoming one of the 17% of thriving and highly valuable businesses with cash in the bank to correlate to profitability. Mike also co-founded the business growth consultancy Provendus Group and has successfully founded, built, and sold two technology service-based companies. He is passionate about sharing his experiences and advice with entrepreneurs and sits on formal and informal advisory boards while maintaining relationships with angel and early-stage investors. RESOURCES: Danielle Mulvey - Website Danielle Mulvey - Linkedin The All In Company - Website Profit First Nation - Website   Mike Michalowicz - Website Mike Michalowicz - Linkedin Mike Michalowicz - Twitter Profit First Professionals - Website Mike Michalowicz - Books  

What does intentional growth mean? We're not referring to the physical size of your premises or the number of employees you have.    We're focusing on profitability scaling your business!   In this episode, Danielle leads us through six steps for intentional growth. If you want deliberate expansion and increased profitability, you need to be purposeful in following these six steps.!   IN THIS EPISODE: [00:00] The topic of the day is intentional profitability growth [00:49] No. 1. Committing to growing intentionally starts with the owner's salary. Opt into the resource page on the website to participate in learning about what an owner should be paid. July 12th, 2023,  11:00 AM Pacific Time,  [05:45] No. 2. You need to commit to being intentional about making your business public.  [08:11] No. 3. Identify the areas where you'd like to grow your business. [12:46]  No. 4.  Invest one hour a day in assessing your areas of growth [17:25]  No. 5. Invest one hour weekly in reflection and writing down your learning [25:50] No. 6.  Become intentional about the growth of your business and share with someone KEY TAKEAWAYS:  When money comes into your business, and it's gone in a flash, you must be more profitable. That's letting your business happen to you. Sometimes reducing the size of your audience is best because you can concentrate on what you are doing and do it well. Investing in Profit First is an investment in your business.   ABOUT THE HOSTS:   Danielle Mulvey is a former flight attendant-turned-entrepreneur and owns multiple businesses doing $50 million in annual revenue. She is one of the exclusive, select group of Mastery-Certified Profit First Professionals worldwide and the go-to “HOW TO IMPLEMENT” workshop facilitator for Profit First and WSJ Journal best-selling author Mike Michalowicz following his keynote speeches. Danielle is currently running multiple businesses, from start-ups to mature businesses with 10-year plus track records and revenues ranging from $1M to $40 million in annual revenues and is a certified numbers geek about Profit First, leveraging the DIY cash management system for small business to achieve maximum profitability. She can personally guide business owners to achieve maximum profitability based on her 25 years of experience as an entrepreneur who has been there and done that.   Additionally, Danielle authored the book The Rapid Read™ Guide to The 5-Star Employee Rating System™ and is currently collaborating with Wall Street Journal best-selling author Mike Michalowicz on his new book, to be released in Q1 2024, titled ALL IN: How Great Leaders Build Unstoppable Teams. Mike Michalowicz is an entrepreneur and New York Times and Wall Street Journal best-selling author of Profit First, The Pumpkin Plan, SURGE, Toilet Paper Entrepreneur, Clockwork, Fix This Next and Get Different. BusinessWeek called Toilet Paper Entrepreneur, a business cult classic. His books have been translated into ten languages, and Mike has had the privilege to speak on stages worldwide because of his passion for connecting with entrepreneurs.   As the founder of Profit First Professionals, he empowers accountants, bookkeepers, and business coaches with the tools and techniques to maximize client profitability, allowing them to uplevel from being one of the 83% of small businesses operating check-to-check and struggling to be profitable to becoming one of the 17% of thriving and highly valuable businesses with cash in the bank to correlate to profitability. Mike also co-founded the business growth consultancy Provendus Group and has successfully founded, built, and sold two technology service-based companies. He is passionate about sharing his experiences and advice with entrepreneurs and sits on formal and informal advisory boards while maintaining relationships with angel and early-stage investors. RESOURCES: Danielle Mulvey - Website Danielle Mulvey - Linkedin The All In Company - Website Profit First Nation - Website   Mike Michalowicz - Website Mike Michalowicz - Linkedin Mike Michalowicz - Twitter Profit First Professionals - Website Mike Michalowicz - Books  

In today's episode, Danielle Mulvey guides us through the fundamental process of allocating funds in the Profit First system. Additionally, she highlights the contrast between Profit First and Advanced Profit First. Danielle provides an extensive overview of the three phases and the twelve steps that lead to financial success. It's important to note that Profit First is not a "set-it-and-forget-it" approach. The podcast also includes answers to viewers' questions. Make sure to have a pen and paper handy, as valuable tips are shared in today's episode. IN THIS EPISODE: [02:42] Danielle explains why you should do your allocations twice a month  [04:48] There are five common Profit First accounts, and it's essential these accounts are opened.  [07:48] Danielle answers a viewer's question about the necessity of having a financial accounting system to go along with the banking accounts. [09:31] What is the difference between Profit First and Advanced Profit First, and what other accounts are required [14:25] Danielle answers the viewer's questions about how to add a reserves account to purchase inventory, and she explains the difference between the cost of goods and operating expenses [20:09] Danielle explains how to implement Profit First step by step KEY TAKEAWAYS:  If you don't open the five bank accounts suggested by Profit First, you don't have a business. You have a hobby. Advanced Profit First is strongly advised when you pay sales tax or when you have the cost of goods. Don't overspend on marketing. Only spend what is allocated in the marketing account.     RESOURCES: Danielle Mulvey - Website Danielle Mulvey - Linkedin The All In Company - Website Profit First Nation - Website   Mike Michalowicz - Website Mike Michalowicz - Linkedin Mike Michalowicz - Twitter Profit First Professionals - Website Mike Michalowicz - Books   ABOUT THE HOSTS:   Danielle Mulvey is a former flight attendant-turned-entrepreneur and owns multiple businesses doing $50 million in annual revenue. She is one of the exclusive, select group of Mastery-Certified Profit First Professionals worldwide and the go-to “HOW TO IMPLEMENT” workshop facilitator for Profit First and WSJ Journal best-selling author Mike Michalowicz following his keynote speeches. Danielle is currently running multiple businesses, from start-ups to mature businesses with 10-year plus track records and revenues ranging from $1M to $40 million in annual revenues and is a certified numbers geek about Profit First, leveraging the DIY cash management system for small business to achieve maximum profitability. She can personally guide business owners to achieve maximum profitability based on her 25 years of experience as an entrepreneur who has been there and done that.   Additionally, Danielle authored the book The Rapid Read™ Guide to The 5-Star Employee Rating System™ and is currently collaborating with Wall Street Journal best-selling author Mike Michalowicz on his new book, to be released in Q1 2024, titled ALL IN: How Great Leaders Build Unstoppable Teams. Mike Michalowicz is an entrepreneur and New York Times and Wall Street Journal best-selling author of Profit First, The Pumpkin Plan, SURGE, Toilet Paper Entrepreneur, Clockwork, Fix This Next and Get Different. BusinessWeek called Toilet Paper Entrepreneur, a business cult classic. His books have been translated into ten languages, and Mike has had the privilege to speak on stages worldwide because of his passion for connecting with entrepreneurs.   As the founder of Profit First Professionals, he empowers accountants, bookkeepers, and business coaches with the tools and techniques to maximize client profitability, allowing them to uplevel from being one of the 83% of small businesses operating check-to-check and struggling to be profitable to becoming one of the 17% of thriving and highly valuable businesses with cash in the bank to correlate to profitability. Mike also co-founded the business growth consultancy Provendus Group and has successfully founded, built, and sold two technology service-based companies. He is passionate about sharing his experiences and advice with entrepreneurs and sits on formal and informal advisory boards while maintaining relationships with angel and early-stage investors.    

Today is a dedicated episode for questions and answers, where Danielle addresses the most commonly asked questions in depth. Profit First's guiding principle is "When in doubt, add an account." Therefore, we will discuss essential accounts that every business should have and additional accounts for specific scenarios. We will also tackle inquiries related to actual revenue, compensation for owners, distributions, and how to allocate these funds. Moreover, you will gain insights into evaluating a business you might be interested in acquiring. This episode is filled with valuable information for entrepreneurs, so don't miss it.    IN THIS EPISODE: [01:18] What does real revenue mean [06:32] How many accounts should I have if I operate with goods or subcontractors, et cetera [08:38] What if I receive a paycheck? Does it still go through the owner's pay account [09:34] Do I only do allocations on the 10th and the 25th [12:06] Do you need a profit account and a separate owner's pay account if you take your pay in distributions [13:28] Can I use Profit First to identify which business to buy? Danielle gives an example of what not to do [17:30] Is it ever a good idea to run a profit assessment on a large business representing many services, or how should it be done [21:38] Submit any questions you have to profitfirstnation.com    KEY TAKEAWAYS:  Never purchase a business without first looking at the owner's taxes. There are five accounts a business needs; an income, a profit, the owner's pay, a tax account and the operating expense account.  Self-employed people who receive their income irregularly should make allocations based on when they receive income.   ABOUT THE HOSTS:   Danielle Mulvey is a former flight attendant-turned-entrepreneur and owns multiple businesses doing $50 million in annual revenue. She is one of the exclusive, select group of Mastery-Certified Profit First Professionals worldwide and the go-to “HOW TO IMPLEMENT” workshop facilitator for Profit First and WSJ Journal best-selling author Mike Michalowicz following his keynote speeches. Danielle is currently running multiple businesses, from start-ups to mature businesses with 10-year plus track records and revenues ranging from $1M to $40 million in annual revenues and is a certified numbers geek about Profit First, leveraging the DIY cash management system for small business to achieve maximum profitability. She can personally guide business owners to achieve maximum profitability based on her 25 years of experience as an entrepreneur who has been there and done that.   Additionally, Danielle authored the book The Rapid Read™ Guide to The 5-Star Employee Rating System™ and is currently collaborating with Wall Street Journal best-selling author Mike Michalowicz on his new book, to be released in Q1 2024, titled ALL IN: How Great Leaders Build Unstoppable Teams. Mike Michalowicz is an entrepreneur and New York Times and Wall Street Journal best-selling author of Profit First, The Pumpkin Plan, SURGE, Toilet Paper Entrepreneur, Clockwork, Fix This Next and Get Different. BusinessWeek called Toilet Paper Entrepreneur, a business cult classic. His books have been translated into ten languages, and Mike has had the privilege to speak on stages worldwide because of his passion for connecting with entrepreneurs.   As the founder of Profit First Professionals, he empowers accountants, bookkeepers, and business coaches with the tools and techniques to maximize client profitability, allowing them to uplevel from being one of the 83% of small businesses operating check-to-check and struggling to be profitable to becoming one of the 17% of thriving and highly valuable businesses with cash in the bank to correlate to profitability. Mike also co-founded the business growth consultancy Provendus Group and has successfully founded, built, and sold two technology service-based companies. He is passionate about sharing his experiences and advice with entrepreneurs and sits on formal and informal advisory boards while maintaining relationships with angel and early-stage investors. RESOURCES: Danielle Mulvey - Website Danielle Mulvey - Linkedin The All In Company - Website Profit First Nation - Website Mike Michalowicz - Website Mike Michalowicz - Linkedin Mike Michalowicz - Twitter Profit First Professionals - Website Mike Michalowicz - Books  

We have done this 100 times? Join us for marveling about that, answering listener questions, and some About The Hosts on various topics we never get around to in normal episodes. Also, real thoughts on our goals with this show, FF7, and game careers. And, announcing both a short break (4-6 weeks) and our next game!

The NHL's top developmental league’s season is well underway.This week we hear from Calgary Flames assistant general manager Brad Pascall, who also serves as general manager for the Stockton Heat, on that club’s adjustment to a temporary new home in Alberta.The Chicago Wolves are hungry and continue to devour opponents.We will also circle around the AHL and hear from the Toronto Marlies, Lehigh Valley Phantoms, Syracuse Crunch, and Ontario Reign.We have all that and more on this week's episode of Around The A.About The Hosts:David Foot can be heard on CJBQ 800 in Belleville, the radio home of the Belleville Senators. He is also the voice of the Wellington Dukes and has OHL experience with the Belleville Bulls and the Peterborough Petes. You can find him on Twitter at @FootyOnTheAir.Patrick Williams covers the NHL's top developmental league for NHL.com and EP Rinkside, a division of Elite Prospects, and can be heard regularly on SiriusXM NHL Network Radio. He has nearly a decade of experience at NHL.com, first covering the Winnipeg Jets before shifting to the AHL beat, and also has experience in the ECHL and OHL. You can find him on Twitter at @pwilliamsAHL.

Sadly, this is the end. No, not the end of the world, although it sometimes feels like it. This is the end of the Not Crazy podcast. Why are we checking out? Join us as Gabe and Lisa explain why the podcast has come to a close and also fill you in on new things to come. And as a wise man (Dr. Seuss) once said, “Remember me and smile, for it's better to forget than to remember me and cry.”   About The Hosts   Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from Gabe Howard. To learn more, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Gabe also hosts The Psych Central Podcast available on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/show.    Lisa is the producer of the Psych Central podcast, Not Crazy. She is the recipient of The National Alliance on Mental Illness's “Above and Beyond” award, has worked extensively with the Ohio Peer Supporter Certification program, and is a workplace suicide prevention trainer. Lisa has battled depression her entire life and has worked alongside Gabe in mental health advocacy for over a decade. She lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband; enjoys international travel; and orders 12 pairs of shoes online, picks the best one, and sends the other 11 back.  

As a child, Lisa would daydream about suicide. It wasn’t until her sophomore year in college that she would be diagnosed with major depressive disorder. What was her long journey like? What finally helped her? Join us as Lisa shares her personal story of living with depression and a sleep disorder. She also reveals her personal struggle with taking meds, even though they have helped her tremendously. About The Hosts   Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from Gabe Howard. To learn more, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Gabe also hosts The Psych Central Podcast available on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/show.    Lisa is the producer of the Psych Central podcast, Not Crazy. She is the recipient of The National Alliance on Mental Illness's “Above and Beyond” award, has worked extensively with the Ohio Peer Supporter Certification program, and is a workplace suicide prevention trainer. Lisa has battled depression her entire life and has worked alongside Gabe in mental health advocacy for over a decade. She lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband; enjoys international travel; and orders 12 pairs of shoes online, picks the best one, and sends the other 11 back.  

Is there a correct way to grieve? What if you lose an estranged family member with whom you have unresolved differences? In today’s show, Lisa discusses the death of her grandfather, whom she wasn’t close to, and how she has mentally and emotionally processed the loss. Join us for a closer look at the grieving process and how there is no one way to handle death. For More Information and a complete transcript, visit Podcast: Grieving and Radical Honesty. Find More Episodes of Not Crazy online at psychcentral.com/notcrazy About The Hosts   Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from Gabe Howard. To learn more, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Gabe also hosts The Psych Central Podcast available on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/show.    Lisa is the producer of the Psych Central podcast, Not Crazy. She is the recipient of The National Alliance on Mental Illness's “Above and Beyond” award, has worked extensively with the Ohio Peer Supporter Certification program, and is a workplace suicide prevention trainer. Lisa has battled depression her entire life and has worked alongside Gabe in mental health advocacy for over a decade. She lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband; enjoys international travel; and orders 12 pairs of shoes online, picks the best one, and sends the other 11 back.  

What’s it like growing up with a sibling with mental illness? In today’s show, we hear it straight from Gabe’s little sister Debbie, who shares what it was like living with Gabe well before anyone knew he had bipolar disorder.  Join us for a great discussion on mental health issues in families. While it’s always hard, there is often a silver lining.  For More Information and a complete transcript, visit Podcast: Family Perspective on Mental Illness. Find More Episodes of Not Crazy online at psychcentral.com/notcrazy About The Hosts   Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from Gabe Howard. To learn more, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Gabe also hosts The Psych Central Podcast available on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/show.    Lisa is the producer of the Psych Central podcast, Not Crazy. She is the recipient of The National Alliance on Mental Illness's “Above and Beyond” award, has worked extensively with the Ohio Peer Supporter Certification program, and is a workplace suicide prevention trainer. Lisa has battled depression her entire life and has worked alongside Gabe in mental health advocacy for over a decade. She lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband; enjoys international travel; and orders 12 pairs of shoes online, picks the best one, and sends the other 11 back.  

It’s that time of year again! That’s right -- Gabe’s Annual Birthday Blog. Each year, Gabe looks back on the important events and lessons he’s encountered during the previous 12 months. But what events can he talk about when COVID came and stole the show?  Join Gabe and Lisa as they discuss the Year of Coronavirus and the good and bad that came with it. For More Information and a complete transcript, visit Podcast: Birthdays, COVID, and Reframing (Oh My!) Find More Episodes of Not Crazy online at psychcentral.com/notcrazy About The Hosts   Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from Gabe Howard. To learn more, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Gabe also hosts The Psych Central Podcast available on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/show.    Lisa is the producer of the Psych Central podcast, Not Crazy. She is the recipient of The National Alliance on Mental Illness's “Above and Beyond” award, has worked extensively with the Ohio Peer Supporter Certification program, and is a workplace suicide prevention trainer. Lisa has battled depression her entire life and has worked alongside Gabe in mental health advocacy for over a decade. She lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband; enjoys international travel; and orders 12 pairs of shoes online, picks the best one, and sends the other 11 back.    

Is your family bad for your mental health? If so, how do you handle the holidays? In today’s show Gabe and Lisa reminisce about their family holidays together -- the good and the horrible -- and discuss how they currently curb controversial topics at the table. Join us for a walk down memory lane which leads to a whole lot of bickering and laughter. For More Information and a complete transcript, visit Podcast: Families and Holiday Survival. Find More Episodes of Not Crazy online at psychcentral.com/notcrazy About The Hosts   Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from Gabe Howard. To learn more, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Gabe also hosts The Psych Central Podcast available on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/show.    Lisa is the producer of the Psych Central podcast, Not Crazy. She is the recipient of The National Alliance on Mental Illness's “Above and Beyond” award, has worked extensively with the Ohio Peer Supporter Certification program, and is a workplace suicide prevention trainer. Lisa has battled depression her entire life and has worked alongside Gabe in mental health advocacy for over a decade. She lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband; enjoys international travel; and orders 12 pairs of shoes online, picks the best one, and sends the other 11 back.    

Have you seen the Netflix series Ratched? In today’s Not Crazy podcast, we discuss whether the show gives an accurate portrayal of 1940's mental illness treatments. And to help us out, we welcome Rachel Star Withers, the podcast host of Inside Schizophrenia and a person who lives with schizophrenia, to discuss her views of the show.  Are the lobotomies and hydrotherapy treatments portrayed in the show realistic? Did doctors really do lobotomies on children? Join us as we take a deeper look into this popular miniseries. For More Information and a complete transcript, visit Podcast: Reviewing Netflix's Ratched. Find us online at: https://psychcentral.com/blog/notcrazy/ Guest Information for 'Rachel Star Withers- Reviewing Ratched' Podcast Episode Rachel Star Withers is an entertainer, speaker, video producer, and schizophrenic. She has appeared on TV shows including MTV’s “Ridiculousness,” “TruTV,” “America’s Got Talent” and is the host of “Insanity with Rachel Star” on Amazon Prime. She grew up seeing monsters, hearing people in the walls, and intense urges to hurt herself. Rachel creates videos documenting her schizophrenia, ways to manage and let others like her know they are not alone and can still live an amazing life. She has written Lil Broken Star: Understanding Schizophrenia for Kids and a tool for schizophrenics, To See in the Dark: Hallucination and Delusion Journal. Fun Fact: She has wrestled alligators. About The Hosts   Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from Gabe Howard. To learn more, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Gabe also hosts The Psych Central Podcast available on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/show.    Lisa is the producer of the Psych Central podcast, Not Crazy. She is the recipient of The National Alliance on Mental Illness's “Above and Beyond” award, has worked extensively with the Ohio Peer Supporter Certification program, and is a workplace suicide prevention trainer. Lisa has battled depression her entire life and has worked alongside Gabe in mental health advocacy for over a decade. She lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband; enjoys international travel; and orders 12 pairs of shoes online, picks the best one, and sends the other 11 back.      

Openly sharing our personal mental health stories can help others know they’re not alone, especially when it’s a rarely-discussed or taboo subject. In today’s Not Crazy podcast, our guest Rachel Steinman, a podcaster, writer and mental health advocate, discusses what it’s like to host a podcast where she shares her family’s mental health secrets.  By talking openly about her family’s four suicides, mental illness, substance abuse, family affairs, and more, Rachel is changing the narrative and replacing it with love, compassion, and understanding.  For More Information and a complete transcript, visit Podcast: Value of Personal Mental Illness Stories. Find us online at: https://psychcentral.com/blog/notcrazy/ Guest Information for 'Rachel Steinman- Value Mental Illness Stories' Podcast Episode Rachel Steinman is a Los Angeles native who received her Masters in Education and has taught every elementary school grade, K-6. She’s even been the school librarian, a job she adored. Rachel never set out to become a writer, a podcaster, or a mental health advocate but that is exactly what she proudly calls herself after discovering her beloved grandfather’s unfinished memoir 24 years after he jumped from his high rise. Rachel is sharing her family’s story to rid the shame and stigma that come with family secrets and generations of mental illness. By talking openly about her family’s stories of four suicides, bipolar, depression, substance abuse, family affairs, and more, she’s changing the narrative and replacing it with love, compassion, and understanding. She’s also cutting generational trauma so she doesn’t pass it onto her precious daughters and to inspire others to share their stories openly. Rachel is a lead presenter for NAMI speaking about ending the silence to discuss mental health warning signs and offer resources and hope to middle and high schoolers as well as their parents. Rachel hosts and produces the Dear Family, Podcast celebrating our complicated families and overcoming obstacles to find mental wellness. She lives in Studio City with her husband of 20 years, two beautiful, bright, and musical teenage daughters, and her adorable rescue puppy.    About The Hosts   Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from Gabe Howard. To learn more, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Gabe also hosts The Psych Central Podcast available on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/show.    Lisa is the producer of the Psych Central podcast, Not Crazy. She is the recipient of The National Alliance on Mental Illness's “Above and Beyond” award, has worked extensively with the Ohio Peer Supporter Certification program, and is a workplace suicide prevention trainer. Lisa has battled depression her entire life and has worked alongside Gabe in mental health advocacy for over a decade. She lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband; enjoys international travel; and orders 12 pairs of shoes online, picks the best one, and sends the other 11 back.      

In today’s show, Gabe discusses what he could have done differently as a newly diagnosed bipolar patient that may have made his life a little easier. He and Lisa also discuss some common pitfalls a new patient may run into. For example, what’s the problem when patients are told they need to be med-compliant at all costs? Should you be open at work about your illness? Join us to hear Gabe's experiences and learn from his rookie mistakes (which actually ended up working out in the end anyway). For More Information and a complete transcript, visit Podcast: Dear Newly Diagnosed- What We Wish We Knew. Find More Episodes of Not Crazy online at psychcentral.com/notcrazy About The Hosts   Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from Gabe Howard. To learn more, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Gabe also hosts The Psych Central Podcast available on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/show.    Lisa is the producer of the Psych Central podcast, Not Crazy. She is the recipient of The National Alliance on Mental Illness's “Above and Beyond” award, has worked extensively with the Ohio Peer Supporter Certification program, and is a workplace suicide prevention trainer. Lisa has battled depression her entire life and has worked alongside Gabe in mental health advocacy for over a decade. She lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband; enjoys international travel; and orders 12 pairs of shoes online, picks the best one, and sends the other 11 back.    

Let’s discuss the nuances of dysfunctional parenting. In today’s Not Crazy podcast, Gabe recalls the relationship he had with his parents when he was young. As a teen, he thought his parents were being overly harsh, but now he sees they were trying to punish symptoms of his undiagnosed bipolar disorder -- and were doing the best they could. Join us for a great discussion on how the parent-child dynamic can go wrong when undiagnosed mental illness is involved. For More Information and a complete transcript, visit Podcast: Understanding a Dysfunctional Childhood. Find More Episodes of Not Crazy online at psychcentral.com/notcrazy About The Hosts   Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from Gabe Howard. To learn more, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Gabe also hosts The Psych Central Podcast available on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/show.    Lisa is the producer of the Psych Central podcast, Not Crazy. She is the recipient of The National Alliance on Mental Illness's “Above and Beyond” award, has worked extensively with the Ohio Peer Supporter Certification program, and is a workplace suicide prevention trainer. Lisa has battled depression her entire life and has worked alongside Gabe in mental health advocacy for over a decade. She lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband; enjoys international travel; and orders 12 pairs of shoes online, picks the best one, and sends the other 11 back.    

Are you sad? Just be happy! Does this irritate you? In today’s show, Gabe and Lisa ponder whether happiness really is a choice -- especially for people who struggle with mental illness. How do we measure happiness? And what is happiness inflation? Join us for an in-depth conversation on whether or not people can actually choose happiness. For More Information and a complete transcript, visit Podcast: Is Happiness a Choice? Find More Episodes of Not Crazy online at psychcentral.com/notcrazy About The Hosts   Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from Gabe Howard. To learn more, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Gabe also hosts The Psych Central Podcast available on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/show.    Lisa is the producer of the Psych Central podcast, Not Crazy. She is the recipient of The National Alliance on Mental Illness's “Above and Beyond” award, has worked extensively with the Ohio Peer Supporter Certification program, and is a workplace suicide prevention trainer. Lisa has battled depression her entire life and has worked alongside Gabe in mental health advocacy for over a decade. She lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband; enjoys international travel; and orders 12 pairs of shoes online, picks the best one, and sends the other 11 back.    

Who do you think understands more about bipolar disorder: a psychiatrist or a patient with the illness? In this Not Crazy podcast, we discuss whether a patient can be considered a mental health expert without all the credentials after their name. Today we invite writer and bipolar advocate Natasha Tracy -- who also has bipolar disorder -- to the show to give her opinion. Would you seek advice from a patient? Join us for an in-depth discussion on mental health patients as experts. For More Information and a complete transcript, visit Can Mental Patients Also Be Experts? Find us online at: https://psychcentral.com/blog/notcrazy/ Guest Information for 'Natasha Tracy- Patients as Experts' Podcast Episode Natasha Tracy is an award-winning writer, speaker and social media consultant from the Pacific Northwest. She works to bring high-quality, insightful and trusted information on bipolar disorder and related illnesses to the public while engaging with the mental health community. Natasha has written, literally, thousands of pages on mental health-related matters. She currently writes two award-winning blogs: Breaking Bipolar and Bipolar Burble,  which has been named a top 10 health blog by Healthista, Health.com, Healthline, Medical News Today and others.  Natasha has also been featured on the Huffington Post, BPHope, Healthline, PsychCentral, Sharecare and many others. About The Hosts   Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from Gabe Howard. To learn more, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Gabe also hosts The Psych Central Podcast available on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/show.    Lisa is the producer of the Psych Central podcast, Not Crazy. She is the recipient of The National Alliance on Mental Illness's “Above and Beyond” award, has worked extensively with the Ohio Peer Supporter Certification program, and is a workplace suicide prevention trainer. Lisa has battled depression her entire life and has worked alongside Gabe in mental health advocacy for over a decade. She lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband; enjoys international travel; and orders 12 pairs of shoes online, picks the best one, and sends the other 11 back.      

Do you have a constant feeling of self doubt or fraudulence despite evidence to the contrary? You may have a very common condition: Imposter syndrome. In today’s Not Crazy podcast, we discuss what this syndrome is and why so many people feel like they are swindling others with their personal success. What is the difference between imposter syndrome and negative self-talk? And how can we start thinking more positively about ourselves? Join us for a great discussion on imposter syndrome. For More Information and a complete transcript, visit Do You Have Imposter Syndrome? Find More Episodes of Not Crazy online at psychcentral.com/notcrazy About The Hosts   Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from Gabe Howard. To learn more, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Gabe also hosts The Psych Central Podcast available on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/show.    Lisa is the producer of the Psych Central podcast, Not Crazy. She is the recipient of The National Alliance on Mental Illness's “Above and Beyond” award, has worked extensively with the Ohio Peer Supporter Certification program, and is a workplace suicide prevention trainer. Lisa has battled depression her entire life and has worked alongside Gabe in mental health advocacy for over a decade. She lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband; enjoys international travel; and orders 12 pairs of shoes online, picks the best one, and sends the other 11 back.    

Does the thought of surgery throw you into a panic attack? Let’s discuss how to mentally prepare yourself for invasive medical procedures, especially if you already struggle with anxiety on a daily basis. Today’s show was recorded a day after our host Gabe’s surgery, so the anxiety and experience was still fresh in his mind. Gabe and Lisa also reminisce about Gabe’s decades-old surgery -- and his extreme anxiety around it -- before he knew he had bipolar disorder.   For More Information and a complete transcript, visit Medical Procedures and Anxiety Disorders. Find More Episodes of Not Crazy online at psychcentral.com/notcrazy About The Hosts   Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from Gabe Howard. To learn more, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Gabe also hosts The Psych Central Podcast available on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/show.    Lisa is the producer of the Psych Central podcast, Not Crazy. She is the recipient of The National Alliance on Mental Illness's “Above and Beyond” award, has worked extensively with the Ohio Peer Supporter Certification program, and is a workplace suicide prevention trainer. Lisa has battled depression her entire life and has worked alongside Gabe in mental health advocacy for over a decade. She lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband; enjoys international travel; and orders 12 pairs of shoes online, picks the best one, and sends the other 11 back.    

Our host Gabe may have signed up to be a spokesperson for mental illness, but do you sometimes feel like an involuntary spokesperson simply for having mental illness? It’s kind of like being the only person of a certain ethnicity or sexual orientation in your social group -- you often become a representative, whether you want to or not. So what happens when your symptoms act up when you represent “everyone” with your illness? In today’s podcast, Gabe and Lisa discuss how it feels to be a representative of your illness -- voluntary or not -- and the pressures that come with it. For More Information and a complete transcript, visit Involuntary Spokesperson for Mental Illness. Find More Episodes of Not Crazy online at psychcentral.com/notcrazy About The Hosts   Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from Gabe Howard. To learn more, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Gabe also hosts The Psych Central Podcast available on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/show.    Lisa is the producer of the Psych Central podcast, Not Crazy. She is the recipient of The National Alliance on Mental Illness's “Above and Beyond” award, has worked extensively with the Ohio Peer Supporter Certification program, and is a workplace suicide prevention trainer. Lisa has battled depression her entire life and has worked alongside Gabe in mental health advocacy for over a decade. She lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband; enjoys international travel; and orders 12 pairs of shoes online, picks the best one, and sends the other 11 back.    

Self care is vital for people with mental illness. But what exactly is self care? Many of us think of a long bubble bath with a glass of wine. But how about maxing out your credit cards in the name of “retail therapy?” It feels good, right? How does self care differ from self-detriment? In today’s show, Gabe and Lisa dig deep into the concept of self care, what it means, and how we can take it too far. Is it still self care if it feels good in the moment but is bad in the long term (like eating 20 cookies)? Or is it self care if it feels bad in the moment but is good long term (like exercise)?  Find us online at: https://psychcentral.com/blog/notcrazy/ About The Hosts   Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from Gabe Howard. To learn more, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Gabe also hosts The Psych Central Podcast available on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/show.    Lisa is the producer of the Psych Central podcast, Not Crazy. She is the recipient of The National Alliance on Mental Illness's “Above and Beyond” award, has worked extensively with the Ohio Peer Supporter Certification program, and is a workplace suicide prevention trainer. Lisa has battled depression her entire life and has worked alongside Gabe in mental health advocacy for over a decade. She lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband; enjoys international travel; and orders 12 pairs of shoes online, picks the best one, and sends the other 11 back.    

A mentally ill man is standing in your yard yelling at the mailbox. What do you do? You call the police, right? Not so fast, according to today’s guest, mental health advocate Gabriel Nathan. There is a better way to do things. Gabriel believes that rather than training police officers to de-escalate people in mental health crises, the police shouldn’t be called at all in these situations. Our host Gabe has a different take on things, as he is an advocate for training police officers in crisis intervention practices. Join us for an enlightening and nuanced discussion regarding the role of the police when it comes to mental health crises. For More Information and a complete transcript, visit Is Police (CIT) Crises Training Needed? Find us online at: https://psychcentral.com/blog/notcrazy/ About The Hosts   Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from Gabe Howard. To learn more, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Gabe also hosts The Psych Central Podcast available on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/show.    Lisa is the producer of the Psych Central podcast, Not Crazy. She is the recipient of The National Alliance on Mental Illness's “Above and Beyond” award, has worked extensively with the Ohio Peer Supporter Certification program, and is a workplace suicide prevention trainer. Lisa has battled depression her entire life and has worked alongside Gabe in mental health advocacy for over a decade. She lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband; enjoys international travel; and orders 12 pairs of shoes online, picks the best one, and sends the other 11 back.    

From lobotomies to pharmaceutical advertising to forced treatment, let’s discuss some of the more taboo topics in the history of psychiatry. While some of these approaches are obviously terrible (especially in hindsight) others are in the gray area. Should pharmaceutical companies be able to advertise directly to the patient? Is it OK to force psychiatric treatment in certain cases? What do you think? Tune in to today’s Not Crazy episode for a great discussion on the more controversial topics in the field of psychiatry. For More Information and a complete transcript, visit Podcast: Medical Model Errors and Omissions in Treating Mental Illness. Find us online at: https://psychcentral.com/blog/notcrazy/ About The Hosts   Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from Gabe Howard. To learn more, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Gabe also hosts The Psych Central Podcast available on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/show.    Lisa is the producer of the Psych Central podcast, Not Crazy. She is the recipient of The National Alliance on Mental Illness's “Above and Beyond” award, has worked extensively with the Ohio Peer Supporter Certification program, and is a workplace suicide prevention trainer. Lisa has battled depression her entire life and has worked alongside Gabe in mental health advocacy for over a decade. She lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband; enjoys international travel; and orders 12 pairs of shoes online, picks the best one, and sends the other 11 back.    

“You’re so stupid. That was the dumbest thing anyone has ever done.” You probably wouldn’t ever say this to a loved one -- but would you say it to yourself? What’s your self-talk like?  And why does it matter? In today’s Not Crazy podcast, Gabe and Lisa break down their own experiences with negative self-talk and why they do it. And while Gabe believes in reframing his thoughts to be more positive, Lisa thinks there may be some benefits to not always looking for the silver lining. What do you think? For More Information and a complete transcript, visit Podcast: Negative Self-Talk and Pessimism. Find us online at: https://psychcentral.com/blog/notcrazy/ About The Hosts   Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from Gabe Howard. To learn more, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Gabe also hosts The Psych Central Podcast available on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/show.    Lisa is the producer of the Psych Central podcast, Not Crazy. She is the recipient of The National Alliance on Mental Illness's “Above and Beyond” award, has worked extensively with the Ohio Peer Supporter Certification program, and is a workplace suicide prevention trainer. Lisa has battled depression her entire life and has worked alongside Gabe in mental health advocacy for over a decade. She lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband; enjoys international travel; and orders 12 pairs of shoes online, picks the best one, and sends the other 11 back.    

What does psychosis feel like? What’s the difference between a delusion that demons exist and a religious belief of the same? In today’s show, Gabe and Lisa recall Gabe’s real-life psychotic episodes and discuss all the pain and stress surrounding psychosis. Join us as Gabe shares how it felt when there were demons under his bed and when the window washers were watching his every move.  For More Information and a complete transcript, visit Podcast: My Husband Has Psychosis. Find us online at: https://psychcentral.com/blog/notcrazy/ About The Hosts   Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from Gabe Howard. To learn more, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Gabe also hosts The Psych Central Podcast available on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/show.    Lisa is the producer of the Psych Central podcast, Not Crazy. She is the recipient of The National Alliance on Mental Illness's “Above and Beyond” award, has worked extensively with the Ohio Peer Supporter Certification program, and is a workplace suicide prevention trainer. Lisa has battled depression her entire life and has worked alongside Gabe in mental health advocacy for over a decade. She lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband; enjoys international travel; and orders 12 pairs of shoes online, picks the best one, and sends the other 11 back.    

Take the bull by the horns! Pick yourself up by your bootstraps! Are these cliches condescending for people with mental illness? Or is there a grain of truth to them? Today, Gabe and Lisa debate the pros and cons of the all too common “taking your life back” advice we all get from well-meaning people. Gabe shares his personal story of gaining back control of his life a day at a time while healing from depression. When you struggle with mental illness, how much of your behavior, thoughts and emotions do you actually have control over? Is it helpful to feel in control of your life, even when it screws you over?  For More Information and a complete transcript, visit Podcast: Self-Help Cliches Have a Peculiar Value. Find us online at: https://psychcentral.com/blog/notcrazy/ About The Hosts   Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from Gabe Howard. To learn more, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Gabe also hosts The Psych Central Podcast available on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/show.    Lisa is the producer of the Psych Central podcast, Not Crazy. She is the recipient of The National Alliance on Mental Illness's “Above and Beyond” award, has worked extensively with the Ohio Peer Supporter Certification program, and is a workplace suicide prevention trainer. Lisa has battled depression her entire life and has worked alongside Gabe in mental health advocacy for over a decade. She lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband; enjoys international travel; and orders 12 pairs of shoes online, picks the best one, and sends the other 11 back.    

At one point, Gabe weighed more than 550 pounds. Today, he and Lisa remember and discuss the extreme pain and slow healing process of living with binge-eating disorder. Gabe shares his shame in being so overweight, his intense relationship with food, the story of his gastric bypass and the difficult process of learning new coping mechanisms. How did Gabe’s bipolar and panic attacks tie in with his binge eating? And, importantly, how is he managing the illness now? Join us for an open and honest discussion on living with an eating disorder. For More Information and a complete transcript, visit Podcast: Life With Binge Eating Disorder. Find us online at: https://psychcentral.com/blog/notcrazy/ About The Hosts   Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from Gabe Howard. To learn more, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Gabe also hosts The Psych Central Podcast available on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/show.    Lisa is the producer of the Psych Central podcast, Not Crazy. She is the recipient of The National Alliance on Mental Illness's “Above and Beyond” award, has worked extensively with the Ohio Peer Supporter Certification program, and is a workplace suicide prevention trainer. Lisa has battled depression her entire life and has worked alongside Gabe in mental health advocacy for over a decade. She lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband; enjoys international travel; and orders 12 pairs of shoes online, picks the best one, and sends the other 11 back.    

What is the “anti-psychiatry” movement? In today’s Not Crazy podcast, Gabe and Lisa get to the bottom of this mentality and debate the reasons and end-goals of people who are explicitly against medicalizing mental illness.  What is behind their passion? What is their end-game? Is it a dangerous group? Join us for an enlightening debate on this growing movement. For More Information and a complete transcript, visit Podcast: Debating 'Anti-Psychiatry' Advocacy. Find us online at: https://psychcentral.com/blog/notcrazy/ About The Hosts   Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from Gabe Howard. To learn more, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Gabe also hosts The Psych Central Podcast available on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/show.    Lisa is the producer of the Psych Central podcast, Not Crazy. She is the recipient of The National Alliance on Mental Illness's “Above and Beyond” award, has worked extensively with the Ohio Peer Supporter Certification program, and is a workplace suicide prevention trainer. Lisa has battled depression her entire life and has worked alongside Gabe in mental health advocacy for over a decade. She lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband; enjoys international travel; and orders 12 pairs of shoes online, picks the best one, and sends the other 11 back.    

Does religion help or harm people with severe mental illness? In today’s Not Crazy podcast, Gabe and Lisa welcome Rachel Star Wither, host of the Inside Schizophrenia podcast, to discuss religion’s role (or lack thereof) in treating those struggling with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Rachel relates her personal experiences of mixing religion with her illness and shares how she currently manages to believe in God while keeping her faith “separate” from her symptoms. Tune in for a deep discussion on religion and severe mental illness, including Rachel's 3-day exorcism experience at age 17. For More Information and a complete transcript, visit Podcast: Religion's Role in Mental Illness Treatment. Find us online at: https://psychcentral.com/blog/notcrazy/ Guest Information for 'Rachel Star Wither- Religion Mental Illness' Podcast Episode Rachel Star Withers is the host of the Inside Schizophrenia podcast, and a mental health advocate who lives with schizophrenia. She creates comedic and mental health videos and has appeared in numerous TV shows.     About The Hosts   Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from Gabe Howard. To learn more, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Gabe also hosts The Psych Central Podcast available on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/show.    Lisa is the producer of the Psych Central podcast, Not Crazy. She is the recipient of The National Alliance on Mental Illness's “Above and Beyond” award, has worked extensively with the Ohio Peer Supporter Certification program, and is a workplace suicide prevention trainer. Lisa has battled depression her entire life and has worked alongside Gabe in mental health advocacy for over a decade. She lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband; enjoys international travel; and orders 12 pairs of shoes online, picks the best one, and sends the other 11 back.      

What is resting b**ch face? In today’s Not Crazy podcast, Gabe and Lisa discuss the resting b**ch face concept and why it’s even a thing. Lisa shares how she’s been accused of it and how she's been prodded by men to smile more.  What do you think? Is resting b**ch face an unconscious bias against women to always look pretty for men? Or is how you are perceived by others just a regular part of life? Join us for a nuanced discussion on the psychology of resting b**ch face. For More Information and a complete transcript, visit Podcast: Studying "Resting B**ch Face." Find us online at: https://psychcentral.com/blog/notcrazy/ About The Hosts   Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from Gabe Howard. To learn more, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Gabe also hosts The Psych Central Podcast available on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/show.    Lisa is the producer of the Psych Central podcast, Not Crazy. She is the recipient of The National Alliance on Mental Illness's “Above and Beyond” award, has worked extensively with the Ohio Peer Supporter Certification program, and is a workplace suicide prevention trainer. Lisa has battled depression her entire life and has worked alongside Gabe in mental health advocacy for over a decade. She lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband; enjoys international travel; and orders 12 pairs of shoes online, picks the best one, and sends the other 11 back.    

What is the link between addiction and mental illness? Is addiction a choice? In today’s Not Crazy podcast, Gabe and Lisa discuss whether addiction should be classified as a disease and whether or not it should require medical treatment. Gabe also shares his personal story of addiction and how it tied in with his bipolar disorder. What's your take? Tune in for an in-depth discussion which covers every angle of this often controversial topic. For More Information and a complete transcript, visit Podcast: Is Addiction a Disease? Find us online at: https://psychcentral.com/blog/notcrazy/ About The Hosts   Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from Gabe Howard. To learn more, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Gabe also hosts The Psych Central Podcast available on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/show.    Lisa is the producer of the Psych Central podcast, Not Crazy. She is the recipient of The National Alliance on Mental Illness's “Above and Beyond” award, has worked extensively with the Ohio Peer Supporter Certification program, and is a workplace suicide prevention trainer. Lisa has battled depression her entire life and has worked alongside Gabe in mental health advocacy for over a decade. She lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband; enjoys international travel; and orders 12 pairs of shoes online, picks the best one, and sends the other 11 back.    

Can a relationship work when one person has severe mental illness? In today’s Not Crazy podcast, Gabe and Lisa discuss dating with bipolar disorder. They share their own story of dating, marrying and divorcing under the umbrella of Gabe’s bipolar diagnosis and discuss the ups and downs from both perspectives. What are some positive signs that the relationship can last? And what are the clues that you might need to call it quits? Tune in for a heartfelt discussion on living and dating with severe mental illness. For More Information and a complete transcript, visit Podcast: Should I Date Someone with Bipolar Disorder? Find us online at: https://psychcentral.com/blog/notcrazy/ About The Hosts   Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from Gabe Howard. To learn more, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Gabe also hosts The Psych Central Podcast available on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/show.    Lisa is the producer of the Psych Central podcast, Not Crazy. She is the recipient of The National Alliance on Mental Illness's “Above and Beyond” award, has worked extensively with the Ohio Peer Supporter Certification program, and is a workplace suicide prevention trainer. Lisa has battled depression her entire life and has worked alongside Gabe in mental health advocacy for over a decade. She lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband; enjoys international travel; and orders 12 pairs of shoes online, picks the best one, and sends the other 11 back.    

Is it ever OK to joke about mental illness or suicide? In today’s Not Crazy podcast, Gabe and Lisa welcome Frank King, a comedian who’s turned his struggles with major depression and suicidal thinking into comedic material.   What do you think? Is joking about suicide too heavy? Or is humor a good coping mechanism? Join us for an in-depth discussion on gallows humor. For More Information and a complete transcript, visit Podcast: Joking About Suicide- Is It Ever Okay? Find us online at: https://psychcentral.com/blog/notcrazy/ Guest Information for 'Frank King- Joking and Suicide' Podcast Episode Frank King, Suicide Prevention speaker and Trainer was a writer for The Tonight Show for 20 years. Depression and suicide run in his family. He’s thought about killing himself more times than he can count. He’s fought a lifetime battle with Major Depressive Disorder and Chronic Suicidality, turning that long dark journey of the soul into five TEDx Talks and sharing his lifesaving insights on Mental Health Awareness with associations, corporations, and colleges. A Motivational Public Speaker who uses his life lessons to start the conversation giving people permission to give voice to their feelings and experiences surrounding depression and suicide. And doing it by coming out, as it were, and standing in his truth, and doing it with humor. He believes that where there is humor there is hope, where there is laughter there is life, nobody dies laughing. The right person, at the right time, with the right information, can save a life. About The Hosts   Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from Gabe Howard. To learn more, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Gabe also hosts The Psych Central Podcast available on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/show.    Lisa is the producer of the Psych Central podcast, Not Crazy. She is the recipient of The National Alliance on Mental Illness's “Above and Beyond” award, has worked extensively with the Ohio Peer Supporter Certification program, and is a workplace suicide prevention trainer. Lisa has battled depression her entire life and has worked alongside Gabe in mental health advocacy for over a decade. She lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband; enjoys international travel; and orders 12 pairs of shoes online, picks the best one, and sends the other 11 back.      

At the thought of losing a job or missing a mortgage payment, Gabe is an anxious discombobulated mess, while Lisa is cool as a cucumber. In today’s Not Crazy podcast, Gabe and Lisa ponder: Why do people have such vastly different ways of reacting to the world? They also discuss -- with the special flare that only a divorced couple has -- the good old days when Gabe would have full-blown panic attacks and Lisa had to get them through it.  How did they handle these scary moments? Is it ever OK to feel anger toward the panicky person? And what if the panicky person accidentally causes harm -- should they have to apologize? Join us as Gabe and Lisa recount their personal experiences. For More Information and a complete transcript, visit Podcast: Hiding Panic Attacks in the Bathroom. Find us online at: https://psychcentral.com/blog/notcrazy/ About The Hosts   Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from Gabe Howard. To learn more, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Gabe also hosts The Psych Central Podcast available on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/show.    Lisa is the producer of the Psych Central podcast, Not Crazy. She is the recipient of The National Alliance on Mental Illness's “Above and Beyond” award, has worked extensively with the Ohio Peer Supporter Certification program, and is a workplace suicide prevention trainer. Lisa has battled depression her entire life and has worked alongside Gabe in mental health advocacy for over a decade. She lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband; enjoys international travel; and orders 12 pairs of shoes online, picks the best one, and sends the other 11 back.    

Should people with mental illness have children? In today’s Not Crazy Podcast, Gabe and Lisa discuss their own reasons for not having kids, while also giving a platform to Amy Barnabi, a mother of two with bipolar disorder. Amy discusses her decision to have children and shares her experiences, joys and challenges thus far. What if you can’t be a good parent when your illness flares up? What if the child inherits your diagnosis? If you are a parent with mental illness, you’ve likely heard these questions. Tune in to hear these topics discussed (and much more!) on today’s podcast. For More Information and a complete transcript, visit Podcast: Parenting and Bipolar Disorder. Find us online at: https://psychcentral.com/blog/notcrazy/ Guest Information for 'Parenting and Bipolar' Podcast Episode Amy Barnabi is from northeast Ohio. She received her BA in Elementary Education from the University of Akron, where she attended on a Division 1 basketball scholarship, and has a BS from Full Sail University in Educational Media Design and Technology. She has been a teacher for over 18 years. In 2011 she was the Claymont District Teacher of the Year. Amy is also a published author (Randy Howe’s, “One Size Does Not Fit All.”). You can follow Amy’s journey on her Facebook page: My So-Called Manic Life. She is married to her husband, Mike, and they have two sons, Ryan and Nate.  About The Hosts   Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from Gabe Howard. To learn more, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Gabe also hosts The Psych Central Podcast available on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/show.    Lisa is the producer of the Psych Central podcast, Not Crazy. She is the recipient of The National Alliance on Mental Illness's “Above and Beyond” award, has worked extensively with the Ohio Peer Supporter Certification program, and is a workplace suicide prevention trainer. Lisa has battled depression her entire life and has worked alongside Gabe in mental health advocacy for over a decade. She lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband; enjoys international travel; and orders 12 pairs of shoes online, picks the best one, and sends the other 11 back.      

It’s Mental Health Awareness Month! But what does that mean, exactly? Who are we raising awareness for? Is “mental health” the same as “mental illness?” In this Not Crazy Podcast, Gabe and Lisa ponder the meaning of this decades-old campaign and discuss the pros and cons of the movement.  What do you think? Is Mental Health Awareness Month a necessary outreach that sheds light on mental health, or is it a flimsy substitute for actual help? Tune in for an in-depth discussion that entails several different perspectives.  For More Information and a complete transcript, visit Podcast: Deconstructing Mental Health Month. Find us online at: https://psychcentral.com/blog/notcrazy/ About The Hosts   Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from Gabe Howard. To learn more, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Gabe also hosts The Psych Central Podcast available on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/show.    Lisa is the producer of the Psych Central podcast, Not Crazy. She is the recipient of The National Alliance on Mental Illness's “Above and Beyond” award, has worked extensively with the Ohio Peer Supporter Certification program, and is a workplace suicide prevention trainer. Lisa has battled depression her entire life and has worked alongside Gabe in mental health advocacy for over a decade. She lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband; enjoys international travel; and orders 12 pairs of shoes online, picks the best one, and sends the other 11 back.      

What if a divorced couple decided to make a podcast about mental health? What would it be like? Well, wonder no more, because here it is. Grab a cup of hot tea and tune in to the first episode of the totally revamped Not Crazy Podcast with Gabe and Lisa, a couple of divorcees who didn’t like each other’s cats.  What was their marriage like? Why do they want to talk about mental health? And what happened to the cats? Find out the answers to these questions and much more on today’s show. For More Information and a complete transcript, visit Podcast: Divorced Couple Hosting a Mental Health Podcast. Find us online at: https://psychcentral.com/blog/notcrazy/ About The Hosts   Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from Gabe Howard. To learn more, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Gabe also hosts The Psych Central Podcast available on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/show.    Lisa is the producer of the Psych Central podcast, Not Crazy. She is the recipient of The National Alliance on Mental Illness's “Above and Beyond” award, has worked extensively with the Ohio Peer Supporter Certification program, and is a workplace suicide prevention trainer. Lisa has battled depression her entire life and has worked alongside Gabe in mental health advocacy for over a decade. She lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband; enjoys international travel; and orders 12 pairs of shoes online, picks the best one, and sends the other 11 back.      

All good things must come to an end. And today is one of those days. In this episode of The Not Crazy Podcast, we say a sad farewell to our amazing cohost, Jackie Zimmerman. Tune in, as Jackie and Gabe reminisce about the good old days, ponder the fate of podcasts, and discuss Jackie’s decision to leave. They also introduce you to Gabe’s new cohost, Lisa, who just happens to be his ex-wife. Yep! You heard that right! Will this divorced duo be an absolute train wreck (as most divorced cohosts would be) or an inspiration to all? You’ll have to stick around to find out. Join us for a sweet farewell to Jackie and a warm welcome to Lisa. We also give instructions on how you can sign up to hear the new show on the new feed! For More Information and a complete transcript, visit It’s See You Later, Not Goodbye.   Find us online at: https://psychcentral.com/blog/notcrazy/ About The Hosts   Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from Gabe Howard. To learn more, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Gabe also hosts The Psych Central Podcast available on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/show.    Jackie Zimmerman has been in the patient advocacy game for over a decade and has established herself as an authority on chronic illness, patient-centric healthcare, and patient community building. She lives with multiple sclerosis, ulcerative colitis, and depression. You can find her online at JackieZimmerman.co,  Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.    

Is your mind constantly preoccupied with the past or the future? What if you could train your brain to just BE in the present moment? This is the essence of mindfulness -- simply being in the here-and-now (not worrying about that stupid thing you said last week), and gently noticing your surroundings and thoughts without judgment. In today’s podcast, Jackie enlightens a skeptical Gabe of the value of practicing mindfulness and how it can be a very useful tool in his mental health tool box. And she’s armed with scientific facts to break him down. When was the last time you truly listened to the rain, enjoyed a cup of coffee… or stopped to smell the roses? Tune in to hear how mindfulness can help you get rid of the mental static that causes so much anxiety. Find us online at: https://psychcentral.com/blog/notcrazy/ About The Hosts   Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from Gabe Howard. To learn more, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Gabe also hosts The Psych Central Podcast available on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/show.    Jackie Zimmerman has been in the patient advocacy game for over a decade and has established herself as an authority on chronic illness, patient-centric healthcare, and patient community building. She lives with multiple sclerosis, ulcerative colitis, and depression. You can find her online at JackieZimmerman.co,  Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.    

Does your anxiety take over when it’s time to leave the house -- making you stay home more often than not? Do you cancel plans at the last minute due to that feeling of dread in the pit of your stomach? Or maybe YOU are the friend that keeps getting canceled on. In today’s podcast, Gabe and Jackie discuss why this happens and how both parties -- the chronic canceler and the chronically disappointed friend -- can navigate this awkward scenario.  Tune in to today’s Not Crazy podcast to get specific tips on how you can feel more in control so you can cancel less. Find us online at: https://psychcentral.com/blog/notcrazy/ About The Hosts   Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from Gabe Howard. To learn more, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Gabe also hosts The Psych Central Podcast available on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/show.    Jackie Zimmerman has been in the patient advocacy game for over a decade and has established herself as an authority on chronic illness, patient-centric healthcare, and patient community building. She lives with multiple sclerosis, ulcerative colitis, and depression. You can find her online at JackieZimmerman.co,  Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.    

Do you have difficult -- or even toxic -- family members? How does one go about setting boundaries with them ? And is it OK to cut them off? In today’s Not Crazy podcast, Jackie and Gabe tackle these tough questions with Sonya Mastick, a mental health advocate and fellow podcaster of a show called “What Won’t She Say?” Sonya shares her personal story of how she handled her toxic mom and demonstrates how it’s OK, and sometimes even necessary, to set strong boundaries with family members who hurt you. It’s also OK if those boundaries shift and evolve with time. Tune in for an honest discussion about protecting your mental health from harmful family members. Find us online at: https://psychcentral.com/blog/notcrazy/ About The Hosts   Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from Gabe Howard. To learn more, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Gabe also hosts The Psych Central Podcast available on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/show.    Jackie Zimmerman has been in the patient advocacy game for over a decade and has established herself as an authority on chronic illness, patient-centric healthcare, and patient community building. She lives with multiple sclerosis, ulcerative colitis, and depression. You can find her online at JackieZimmerman.co,  Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.    

Day 1,364 of the COVID-19 quarantine (well, at least it feels like it). How are you holding up? If you’re like most people, you’re not having much fun. But if you already struggle with anxiety, depression or another mental health issue, these days of isolation and uncertainty can feel like absolute torture. In today’s Not Crazy episode, Gabe laments the loss of his routine -- those regular activities he clung to religiously to keep his mental health in check.  Now what is he supposed to do? Tune in for a special quarantine episode. Together, we will grieve our old routines and discuss how to start new ones. Find us online at: https://psychcentral.com/blog/notcrazy/ About The Hosts   Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from Gabe Howard. To learn more, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Gabe also hosts The Psych Central Podcast available on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/show.    Jackie Zimmerman has been in the patient advocacy game for over a decade and has established herself as an authority on chronic illness, patient-centric healthcare, and patient community building. She lives with multiple sclerosis, ulcerative colitis, and depression. You can find her online at JackieZimmerman.co,  Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.    

Cannabis, weed, marijuana, pot. It goes by several names, but we all know what it smells like. As weed becomes more mainstream, we on the Not Crazy podcast want to know: Is marijuana really an effective treatment for anxiety? Is it just a coping mechanism? Or a vice? In today’s podcast, Gabe and Jackie look at the research and weigh out the evidence. They also interview Eileen Davidson, a rheumatoid arthritis patient who regularly uses marijuana as a medicine to see what she has to say. What’s your take? Tune in for an open-minded discussion about weed. Find us online at: https://psychcentral.com/blog/notcrazy/ About The Hosts   Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from Gabe Howard. To learn more, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Gabe also hosts The Psych Central Podcast available on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/show.    Jackie Zimmerman has been in the patient advocacy game for over a decade and has established herself as an authority on chronic illness, patient-centric healthcare, and patient community building. She lives with multiple sclerosis, ulcerative colitis, and depression. You can find her online at JackieZimmerman.co,  Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.    

How are you handling the coronavirus pandemic? Most people are struggling right now, but for those of us with mental illness, these days can feel truly overwhelming. Fear, depression, isolation and loss of routine are just a few of the difficulties many of us are facing. In today’s podcast, Gabe and Jackie discuss what we can do right now to make things just a little better, and they share their personal hopes and fears for humanity once this pandemic subsides. You’re not alone -- we’re all in this together. Join us for an important discussion on how we can handle this time of fear and uncertainty. Find us online at: https://psychcentral.com/blog/notcrazy/ About The Hosts   Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from Gabe Howard. To learn more, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Gabe also hosts The Psych Central Podcast available on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/show.    Jackie Zimmerman has been in the patient advocacy game for over a decade and has established herself as an authority on chronic illness, patient-centric healthcare, and patient community building. She lives with multiple sclerosis, ulcerative colitis, and depression. You can find her online at JackieZimmerman.co,  Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.    

Do you struggle with abandonment fears? Do you worry your partner will suddenly ditch you even though there’s no real reason to feel this way? In today’s Not Crazy podcast, Gabe opens up about his own deep-rooted fear that his wife will decide she doesn’t want him anymore. After all, he concludes, what does he have to offer her? I mean, surely she can do better. And even though he knows these fears are unfounded and irrational, he feels helpless in stopping them.  How can Gabe get these thoughts under control? Tune in to hear Jackie give some great advice to her dear friend, and for anyone dealing with abandonment issues. Find us online at: https://psychcentral.com/blog/notcrazy/ About The Hosts   Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from Gabe Howard. To learn more, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Gabe also hosts The Psych Central Podcast available on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/show.    Jackie Zimmerman has been in the patient advocacy game for over a decade and has established herself as an authority on chronic illness, patient-centric healthcare, and patient community building. She lives with multiple sclerosis, ulcerative colitis, and depression. You can find her online at JackieZimmerman.co,  Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.    

Are people with mental illness more creative? Jackie believes there may be a link between the two ideas, while Gabe thinks it’s just a bunch of hoopla. Get ready -- they’ve both done their research and are ready to back their claims. Tune in to hear a lively (and friendly) debate on whether the science is valid, the difference between inspiration and creativity, as well as their own opinions and experiences on mental illness and creativity. What’s your take? Join Gabe and Jackie on this Not Crazy podcast to see whose side you’re on, or if you’re somewhere in the middle. Find us online at: https://psychcentral.com/blog/notcrazy/ About The Hosts   Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from Gabe Howard. To learn more, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Gabe also hosts The Psych Central Podcast available on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/show.    Jackie Zimmerman has been in the patient advocacy game for over a decade and has established herself as an authority on chronic illness, patient-centric healthcare, and patient community building. She lives with multiple sclerosis, ulcerative colitis, and depression. You can find her online at JackieZimmerman.co,  Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.    

Do you live in constant fear of losing your job because of your illness? What are your options? In this podcast, Jackie and Gabe tackle this complex topic with real answers. They discuss the exact actions you can take in various scenarios, including who to contact for help. They also share their own stories of being fired when their employers deemed them too sick to be productive. When should you contact human resources? The ADA? A lawyer? If you struggle with mental illness and job insecurity, tune in for an informative discussion on the ins and outs of getting the complicated, and often unfair, American system to work for you. Find us online at: https://psychcentral.com/blog/notcrazy/ About The Hosts   Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from Gabe Howard. To learn more, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Gabe also hosts The Psych Central Podcast available on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/show.    Jackie Zimmerman has been in the patient advocacy game for over a decade and has established herself as an authority on chronic illness, patient-centric healthcare, and patient community building. She lives with multiple sclerosis, ulcerative colitis, and depression. You can find her online at JackieZimmerman.co,  Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.    

The rent is due tomorrow; but then you’ll be left with only $10 for the week's groceries. What do you do? Many people panic over money (or the lack of it), but for those of us with mental illness, it can feel like a life or death situation: It can trigger an even greater anxiety attack and/or depression. Or it may mean not being able to afford the medication that keeps you well enough to work. What can be done? In this Not Crazy episode, Gabe and Jackie discuss how you can gain a sense of control in these situations, and Jackie shares her own big money scare. Find us online at: https://psychcentral.com/blog/notcrazy/ About The Hosts   Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from Gabe Howard. To learn more, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Gabe also hosts The Psych Central Podcast available on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/show.    Jackie Zimmerman has been in the patient advocacy game for over a decade and has established herself as an authority on chronic illness, patient-centric healthcare, and patient community building. She lives with multiple sclerosis, ulcerative colitis, and depression. You can find her online at JackieZimmerman.co,  Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.    

Do you struggle with anger? Did you know that some of our most hot-headed moments are actually rooted in anxiety? In today’s podcast, Jackie openly shares her own fuse-blowing moment when her husband’s keys were (gasp!) missing from the hook, and now she must face being late for therapy and perhaps even lie dying on the side of the road. How did she handle this catastrophic situation her mind so graciously forewarned her about?   Does this sound familiar? Join us as we discuss anxiety-driven anger and explore ways to minimize and possibly even prevent it.  Find us online at: https://psychcentral.com/blog/notcrazy/ About The Hosts   Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from Gabe Howard. To learn more, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Gabe also hosts The Psych Central Podcast available on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/show.    Jackie Zimmerman has been in the patient advocacy game for over a decade and has established herself as an authority on chronic illness, patient-centric healthcare, and patient community building. She lives with multiple sclerosis, ulcerative colitis, and depression. You can find her online at JackieZimmerman.co,  Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.    

What’s it like being the spouse of someone with mental illness? In today’s podcast, our hosts Gabe and Jackie invite their beloved spouses, Kendall and Adam, to share what marriage with mental illness is like from their point of view. What issues have the couples run into so far and how did they resolve them? Do they have a safety plan if something goes awry? Is a strong partnership with mental illness even doable?  Tune in to get a glimpse of married life with mental illness and see how both couples support each other through it all. Find us online at: https://psychcentral.com/blog/notcrazy/ About The Hosts   Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from Gabe Howard. To learn more, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Gabe also hosts The Psych Central Podcast available on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/show.    Jackie Zimmerman has been in the patient advocacy game for over a decade and has established herself as an authority on chronic illness, patient-centric healthcare, and patient community building. She lives with multiple sclerosis, ulcerative colitis, and depression. You can find her online at JackieZimmerman.co,  Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.    

America is facing a loneliness epidemic, according to research. But what exactly is loneliness? Is it social isolation? A lack of intimacy? And importantly -- is loneliness a choice? In today’s podcast, Gabe and Jackie tackle these difficult questions and share their own thoughts on loneliness and how it relates to mental health. Gabe also unveils the 7 different types of loneliness -- one of these being “no-animal loneliness.” But is there really such a thing? Jackie is doubtful. Tune in to hear a thoughtful and nuanced discussion of what it means to be lonely, and see if you can relate to one or more of the 7 types. Find us online at: https://psychcentral.com/blog/notcrazy/ About The Hosts   Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from Gabe Howard. To learn more, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Gabe also hosts The Psych Central Podcast available on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/show.    Jackie Zimmerman has been in the patient advocacy game for over a decade and has established herself as an authority on chronic illness, patient-centric healthcare, and patient community building. She lives with multiple sclerosis, ulcerative colitis, and depression. You can find her online at JackieZimmerman.co,  Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.    

Rich celebrity on TV: “Have you ever been sad? You might have depression.” If scenarios like this make you want to throw a rock at a window, you aren’t alone. In today’s episode, Gabe expresses his distaste for celebrities posing as the “face” of mental illness. He feels further validated after watching a satirical episode of BoJack Horseman, in which Mr. Peanutbutter, a cheerful canine celebrity, becomes the new face of depression -- first as a “sad dog” meme and then as a depression spokesperson. What do you think? Tune in to hear Jackie and Gabe get into a thoughtful discussion on whether celebrities acting as the “face” of mental illness is a good or bad thing. Find us online at: https://psychcentral.com/blog/notcrazy/ About The Hosts   Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from Gabe Howard. To learn more, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Gabe also hosts The Psych Central Podcast available on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/show.    Jackie Zimmerman has been in the patient advocacy game for over a decade and has established herself as an authority on chronic illness, patient-centric healthcare, and patient community building. She lives with multiple sclerosis, ulcerative colitis, and depression. You can find her online at JackieZimmerman.co,  Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.    

Have you ever been so pissed off, in a state of absolute rage, and said or done something you completely regret later? Many people living with bipolar disorder understand this feeling all too well: At the time, you feel so righteous, so fueled with this powerful Hercules-like energy, so ready to take on your enemy (or the world), only to think later... What in the world was that all about? Yep, in these moments, the angry response tends to far outweigh the initial trigger. In this episode, Gabe and Jackie discuss the blind rage that many people have experienced. They talk about how to deal with it and how it’s OK for you to move on from one of these episodes and not identify with your past. Gabe even shares his own blind rage moment and how he managed to put it behind him (after a mega-apology, of course). Have you had a blind rage moment? Or know someone who has? Tune in to peek into the mind of a person with an uncontrollable temper. Find us online at: https://psychcentral.com/blog/notcrazy/ About The Hosts   Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from Gabe Howard. To learn more, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Gabe also hosts The Psych Central Podcast available on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/show.    Jackie Zimmerman has been in the patient advocacy game for over a decade and has established herself as an authority on chronic illness, patient-centric healthcare, and patient community building. She lives with multiple sclerosis, ulcerative colitis, and depression. You can find her online at JackieZimmerman.co,  Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.    

Sex addict. Nympho. You’ve likely heard these words used for a person with hypersexuality, but what exactly is this condition? Is hypersexuality really a symptom of a mental disorder or is it just a super high libido? Where does one draw the line between liking (or loving) sex and being hypersexual? Is it similar to a drug addiction? Or a binge eating disorder?  Join Gabe and Jackie as they tackle this often misunderstood topic and hear Gabe’s own personal experiences with hypersexuality as a debilitating symptom of his bipolar disorder. Find us online at: https://psychcentral.com/blog/notcrazy/ About The Hosts   Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from Gabe Howard. To learn more, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Gabe also hosts The Psych Central Podcast available on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/show.      Jackie Zimmerman has been in the patient advocacy game for over a decade and has established herself as an authority on chronic illness, patient-centric healthcare, and patient community building. She lives with multiple sclerosis, ulcerative colitis, and depression. You can find her online at JackieZimmerman.co,  Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.    

Incontinence While Sleeping -- or "pooping" the bed -- isn’t as uncommon as you may think. While this unexpected night time activity may be embarrassing, it doesn’t have to completely derail your mental health.  There can be many causes for sleeping incontinence but you'll never discover what they are if you're unable to move past the psychological trauma. This week we’re sharing honest, personal experiences discussing how to cope without dying of embarrassment. Listen Now! Find us online at: https://psychcentral.com/blog/notcrazy/ About The Hosts   Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from Gabe Howard. To learn more, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Gabe also hosts The Psych Central Podcast available on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/show.      Jackie Zimmerman has been in the patient advocacy game for over a decade and has established herself as an authority on chronic illness, patient-centric healthcare, and patient community building. She lives with multiple sclerosis, ulcerative colitis, and depression. You can find her online at JackieZimmerman.co,  Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.    

Should we be talking so plainly about suicidal ideation? What are the benefits of assessing our thought patterns over a period of time? Join us as we discuss the Columbia-Suicide Severity Scale screening tool. We tackle this sensitive topic after Jackie was surprised by a suicide assessment at a physician’s office. Rare trigger warning this week for a tough subject, as we explore talking openly about suicidal ideation.   Find us online at: https://psychcentral.com/blog/notcrazy/ About The Hosts   Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from Gabe Howard. To learn more, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Gabe also hosts The Psych Central Podcast available on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/show.      Jackie Zimmerman has been in the patient advocacy game for over a decade and has established herself as an authority on chronic illness, patient-centric healthcare, and patient community building. She lives with multiple sclerosis, ulcerative colitis, and depression. You can find her online at JackieZimmerman.co,  Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.    

Medication for your brain - whether you’re newly diagnosed or have been in treatment for years, you may have doubts if drugs are right for you. You’re not alone. Jackie and Gabe get real about reasons people want to quit psych meds and why our brains convince us to quit despite the benefits of taking medication. They discuss consequences you may not be aware of from just stopping your meds and why you should always involve your doctors, no matter what your decision, when it comes to medication.   Find us online at: https://psychcentral.com/blog/notcrazy/ About The Hosts   Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from Gabe Howard. To learn more, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Gabe also hosts The Psych Central Podcast available on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/show.      Jackie Zimmerman has been in the patient advocacy game for over a decade and has established herself as an authority on chronic illness, patient-centric healthcare, and patient community building. She lives with multiple sclerosis, ulcerative colitis, and depression. You can find her online at JackieZimmerman.co,  Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.    

You’ve just been diagnosed with bipolar disorder… now what? The week we interview a young woman named Emma, a twenty-something who is fresh off a bipolar diagnosis and working hard to navigate her way through finding the right medications, a treatment plan that works, and navigating tough family conversations.    Find us online at: https://psychcentral.com/blog/notcrazy/ About The Hosts   Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from Gabe Howard. To learn more, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Gabe also hosts The Psych Central Podcast available on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/show.      Jackie Zimmerman has been in the patient advocacy game for over a decade and has established herself as an authority on chronic illness, patient-centric healthcare, and patient community building. She lives with multiple sclerosis, ulcerative colitis, and depression. You can find her online at JackieZimmerman.co,  Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.    

There is no time more joyous and stressful as the end of year holidays. As we fast approach the holidays this year it’s time to start thinking about how you’ll navigate family parties and other familial obligations. In this episode, we give our best tips for making holiday parties less stressful and how to decide if not going is the best option for you.    It’s rough out there, but we care about you and we wish you a happy, healthy holiday season. Find us online at: https://psychcentral.com/blog/notcrazy/ About The Hosts   Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from Gabe Howard. To learn more, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Gabe also hosts The Psych Central Podcast available on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/show.      Jackie Zimmerman has been in the patient advocacy game for over a decade and has established herself as an authority on chronic illness, patient-centric healthcare, and patient community building. She lives with multiple sclerosis, ulcerative colitis, and depression. You can find her online at JackieZimmerman.co,  Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.    

After receiving two chronic illness diagnosis by the age of 24, it really was no surprise that host Jackie Zimmerman also started to experience depression. Unable to tackle both, Jackie chose to focus on her physical health, letting her mental health deteriorate quickly -- and dangerously. In this episode, we discuss the mind-body connection and how when your body is sick, your mind can quickly follow. Find us online at: https://psychcentral.com/blog/notcrazy/ About The Hosts   Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from Gabe Howard. To learn more, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Gabe also hosts The Psych Central Podcast available on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/show.      Jackie Zimmerman has been in the patient advocacy game for over a decade and has established herself as an authority on chronic illness, patient-centric healthcare, and patient community building. She lives with multiple sclerosis, ulcerative colitis, and depression. You can find her online at JackieZimmerman.co,  Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.    

In part two of this series, we go into more detail about Gabe’s inpatient hospital stay and focus on what he was thinking while he was hospitalized and what he learned after he was discharged.  We talked about what to do if you feel like you need to be hospitalized, the steps you need to take in order to be admitted and the obstacles involved with getting the help you may need.   Find us online at: https://psychcentral.com/blog/notcrazy/ About The Hosts   Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from Gabe Howard. To learn more, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Gabe also hosts The Psych Central Podcast available on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/show.      Jackie Zimmerman has been in the patient advocacy game for over a decade and has established herself as an authority on chronic illness, patient-centric healthcare, and patient community building. She lives with multiple sclerosis, ulcerative colitis, and depression. You can find her online at JackieZimmerman.co,  Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.    

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be an inpatient in a psych ward? In this two-part series, we go into detail about Gabe’s inpatient stay starting with the events that lead him to be an inpatient, and what his days were like after he was admitted. We talk about common misconceptions that you may have around what happens while you’re admitted, what your day looks like and who you’d spend time with. Find us online at: https://psychcentral.com/blog/notcrazy/ About The Hosts   Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from Gabe Howard. To learn more, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Gabe also hosts The Psych Central Podcast available on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/show.      Jackie Zimmerman has been in the patient advocacy game for over a decade and has established herself as an authority on chronic illness, patient-centric healthcare, and patient community building. She lives with multiple sclerosis, ulcerative colitis, and depression. You can find her online at JackieZimmerman.co,  Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.    

The feeling of abandonment can span through all types of relationships and in this episode, we focus on friendships. Have you ever had a close friend abandon you or have you ever exited a friendship without notice? The emotions and actions surrounding the abandonment of friends can be complex and hurtful, but they are very real and can hurt deeply.   In this episode, Jackie recounts friendships that were very important to her and how she’s handling the loss of them.   Find us online at: https://psychcentral.com/blog/notcrazy/ About The Hosts   Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from Gabe Howard. To learn more, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Gabe also hosts The Psych Central Podcast available on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/show.      Jackie Zimmerman has been in the patient advocacy game for over a decade and has established herself as an authority on chronic illness, patient-centric healthcare, and patient community building. She lives with multiple sclerosis, ulcerative colitis, and depression. You can find her online at JackieZimmerman.co,  Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.    

While therapy is often used as one method of treatment for mental illness, it still has a large cloud of mystery around it. Due to its portrayal in movies and television shows, there are a lot of misconceptions about what it means to go to therapy, what a session looks like and what the benefits to therapy can be.     In this episode, we talk about some of the common myths surrounding therapy, touch on the different types of therapy and why Jackie loves therapy so much.    Find us online at: https://psychcentral.com/blog/notcrazy/ About The Hosts   Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from Gabe Howard. To learn more, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Gabe also hosts The Psych Central Podcast available on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/show.      Jackie Zimmerman has been in the patient advocacy game for over a decade and has established herself as an authority on chronic illness, patient-centric healthcare, and patient community building. She lives with multiple sclerosis, ulcerative colitis, and depression. You can find her online at JackieZimmerman.co,  Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.    

Each Halloween we encounter the same debate: are haunted asylums stigmatizing or are they simply entertainment? While some may think haunted asylums are tasteless at worst, they don’t feel like they’re an actual detriment to the mental illness community. In this episode, we look at this argument from both sides and really dig into what happens when we use mental illness as a theme for entertainment.  While Jackie and Gabe both make great arguments, we toss this question back to you.  Are you offended by haunted asylums and do you feel like they harm our community? Listen now!    Find us online at: https://psychcentral.com/blog/notcrazy/ About The Hosts   Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from Gabe Howard. To learn more, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Gabe also hosts The Psych Central Podcast available on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/show.      Jackie Zimmerman has been in the patient advocacy game for over a decade and has established herself as an authority on chronic illness, patient-centric healthcare, and patient community building. She lives with multiple sclerosis, ulcerative colitis, and depression. You can find her online at JackieZimmerman.co,  Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.    

Psychiatric medications are the religion and politics of the mental health advocacy world -- don't bring them up unless you want a fight to break out. Luckily, here at Not Crazy, we don't shy away from confrontation.  In this episode, we cover the good, the bad, and the ugly surrounding medications. Like whether or not you should take them. We tackle side effects like feeling numb and sexual dysfunction and share our personal histories with medication therapy. Listen now!   Find us online at: https://psychcentral.com/blog/notcrazy/ About The Hosts   Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from Gabe Howard. To learn more, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Gabe also hosts The Psych Central Podcast available on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/show.      Jackie Zimmerman has been in the patient advocacy game for over a decade and has established herself as an authority on chronic illness, patient-centric healthcare, and patient community building. She lives with multiple sclerosis, ulcerative colitis, and depression. You can find her online at JackieZimmerman.co,  Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.    

Did the movie Joker portray mental illness correctly and does it matter? We passionately go over the movie Joker from the lense of people living with mental illness and discuss whether or not there are implications of making a movie like this. Does it help us or hurt us? What if it does both? Listen in to hear Gabe’s freakishly good recollection of scenes from the movie as Jackie struggles to separate entertainment from reality.  Spoiler Alert: You don’t need to see Joker to appreciate this conversation but we do go over the plot and reveal some important scenes from the movie.   Find us online at: https://psychcentral.com/blog/notcrazy/ About The Hosts   Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from Gabe Howard. To learn more, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Gabe also hosts The Psych Central Podcast available on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/show.      Jackie Zimmerman has been in the patient advocacy game for over a decade and has established herself as an authority on chronic illness, patient-centric healthcare, and patient community building. She lives with multiple sclerosis, ulcerative colitis, and depression. You can find her online at JackieZimmerman.co,  Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.    

Are you so happy that you can’t understand depression? Not us! While Gabe and Jackie can't relate to that level of positivity, there are lots of people in the world who simply can’t fathom what depression feels like. Despite their best efforts, naturally happy people can have a hard time understanding depression and in Episode 2, we discuss how to explain depression to happy people, including both of our spouses who are, to be honest, annoyingly peppy. We give tips on how to approach the topic and share our own personal experiences of having this hard-to-understand conversation. Find us online at: https://psychcentral.com/blog/notcrazy/ About The Hosts   Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from Gabe Howard. To learn more, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. Gabe also hosts The Psych Central Podcast available on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/show.      Jackie Zimmerman has been in the patient advocacy game for over a decade and has established herself as an authority on chronic illness, patient-centric healthcare and patient community building. You can find her online at JackieZimmerman.co,  Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.