Advertise on podcast: State Of Mind with Maurice Benard

Josh Swickard—an actor who’s starred in films that have reached #1 on Netflix and on General Hospital—opens up about anxiety attacks he didn’t understand until they hit him, and how breathwork helped him reframe the symptoms and take away the fear. The conversation moves through anger, calm, parenting, and faith, landing on a powerful idea: don’t waste the pain—use it to help others keep moving forward. Video Versions of State of Mind available on YouTube! Watch!  Read Maurice’s New York Times Bestselling Book! Nothing General About It: How Love (and Lithium) Saved Me On and Off General Hospital Follow Maurice on Social Media:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mauricebenard/ X: https://twitter.com/mauricebenard Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MauriceBenard/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mbstateofmind/ State Of Mind Merch:https://www.mbstateofmind.com State of Mind Production Team:  Host & Editorial: Maurice Benard  Executive Producer: Paula Benard  Director of Production: Anthony Cammarata Audio/Video/Editorial: Anthony Cammarata Audio Podcast Consultant: Aaron Calafato 

Maurice Bernard sits down with wrestler Medina Ali for a powerful conversation about discipline, mental strength, and resilience. Medina shares how her background in combat sports shaped her mindset, and what happened when she was unexpectedly contacted by WWE and thrown into the world of professional wrestling without prior experience. They talk about bullying, culture, family expectations, fear, and why physical movement has always been her form of therapy. Plus, Maurice opens up about anxiety, hypnosis, and finally getting back on a plane after years of fear. Medina Ali on Instagram!  Video Versions of State of Mind available on YouTube! Watch!  Read Maurice’s New York Times Bestselling Book! Nothing General About It: How Love (and Lithium) Saved Me On and Off General Hospital Follow Maurice on Social Media:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mauricebenard/ X: https://twitter.com/mauricebenard Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MauriceBenard/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mbstateofmind/ State Of Mind Merch:https://www.mbstateofmind.com State of Mind Production Team:  Host & Editorial: Maurice Benard  Executive Producer: Paula Benard  Director of Production: Anthony Cammarata Audio/Video/Editorial: Anthony Cammarata Audio Podcast Consultant: Aaron Calafato 

Retired LAPD veteran Manny Santoo rarely does interviews, but on State of Mind he opens up about a life shaped by the streets—air support helicopters, high-risk nights during the LA Riots, and what police work teaches you about fear, adrenaline, and restraint. The conversation turns deeply personal as Manny shares the story of his daughter Bella, who is autistic and mostly nonverbal, and how his family learned to communicate through letter boards and unwavering patience. Along the way: faith, grief, true-crime fascination, and the moments that change a person’s entire outlook. If you're having thoughts of self-harm or suicide: live chat with Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It's free and confidential. You'll reach someone who is trained to listen and support you. Video Versions of State of Mind available on YouTube! Watch!  Read Maurice’s New York Times Bestselling Book! Nothing General About It: How Love (and Lithium) Saved Me On and Off General Hospital Follow Maurice on Social Media:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mauricebenard/ X: https://twitter.com/mauricebenard Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MauriceBenard/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mbstateofmind/ State Of Mind Merch:https://www.mbstateofmind.com State of Mind Production Team:  Host & Editorial: Maurice Benard  Executive Producer: Paula Benard  Director of Production: Anthony Cammarata Audio/Video/Editorial: Anthony Cammarata Podcast Consultant: Aaron Calafato 

For the first time publicly, Chris McKenna opens up about his bipolar diagnosis and the mental health journey that reshaped his life and career. In this deeply personal episode of State of Mind, the General Hospital actor tells Maurice Benard what it was like living undiagnosed for decades, the breaking point he faced during the pandemic, and the treatment that helped him find stability and clarity. After breaking on State of Mind, Chris McKenna’s story was subsequently featured on The Story Is with Elex Michaelson on CNN, bringing the conversation to an even wider national audience. Video Versions of State of Mind available on YouTube! Watch!  Read Maurice’s New York Times Bestselling Book! Nothing General About It: How Love (and Lithium) Saved Me On and Off General Hospital Follow Maurice on Social Media:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mauricebenard/ X: https://twitter.com/mauricebenard Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MauriceBenard/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mbstateofmind/ State Of Mind Merch:https://www.mbstateofmind.com State of Mind Production Team:  Host & Editorial: Maurice Benard  Executive Producer: Paula Benard  Director of Production: Anthony Cammarata Audio/Video/Editorial: Anthony Cammarata Podcast Consultant: Aaron Calafato 

In this episode of State of Mind, legendary broadcaster and comedian Fritz Coleman reflects on retirement, identity, and the fear of losing purpose after a long career. He shares how staying engaged through creativity, sobriety, and meaningful work helped him avoid the emotional collapse he once witnessed in his own family. It is an honest conversation about aging, self-doubt, and what it really takes to stay alive inside. Video Versions of State of Mind available on YouTube! Watch!  Read Maurice’s New York Times Bestselling Book! Nothing General About It: How Love (and Lithium) Saved Me On and Off General Hospital Follow Maurice on Social Media:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mauricebenard/ X: https://twitter.com/mauricebenard Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MauriceBenard/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mbstateofmind/ State Of Mind Merch:https://www.mbstateofmind.com State of Mind Production Team:  Host & Editorial: Maurice Benard  Executive Producer: Paula Benard  Director of Production: Anthony Cammarata Audio/Video/Editorial: Anthony Cammarata Podcast Consultant: Aaron Calafato 

On this episode of State of Mind, Maurice sits down with Emmy-winning actress Sharon Case—known to millions as Sharon Newman from The Young and the Restless—for an unfiltered conversation about mental health, acting, and the real emotional truth behind portraying bipolar disorder on screen. Sharon opens up about her early life, unexpected path into daytime TV, her work with complex storylines, and the rising awareness around depression and suicide since the pandemic. This is an honest, surprising, deeply human conversation that fans of both daytime drama and mental-health advocacy will not forget. Video Versions of State of Mind available on YouTube! Watch!  Read Maurice’s New York Times Bestselling Book! Nothing General About It: How Love (and Lithium) Saved Me On and Off General Hospital Follow Maurice on Social Media:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mauricebenard/ X: https://twitter.com/mauricebenard Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MauriceBenard/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mbstateofmind/ State Of Mind Merch:https://www.mbstateofmind.com State of Mind Production Team:  Host & Editorial: Maurice Benard  Executive Producer: Paula Benard  Director of Production: Anthony Cammarata Audio/Video/Editorial: Anthony Cammarata Podcast Consultant: Aaron Calafato 

In this State of Mind conversation, Maurice sits down with young actress Scarlet Spears, who plays Young Glinda in Wicked: For Good and portrays Donna Corinthos on General Hospital. What begins as a light conversation about acting, family, and childhood opens into an unexpected moment about fear, loneliness, and mental health that only an eight year old could express with such clarity. Scarlet’s insight, humor, and kindness make this episode a reminder of how much we can learn when we truly listen. Video Versions of State of Mind available on YouTube! Watch!  Read Maurice’s New York Times Bestselling Book! Nothing General About It: How Love (and Lithium) Saved Me On and Off General Hospital Follow Maurice on Social Media:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mauricebenard/ X: https://twitter.com/mauricebenard Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MauriceBenard/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mbstateofmind/ State Of Mind Merch:https://www.mbstateofmind.com State of Mind Production Team:  Host & Editorial: Maurice Benard  Executive Producer: Paula Benard  Director of Production: Anthony Cammarata Audio/Video/Editorial: Anthony Cammarata Podcast Consultant: Aaron Calafato 

Maurice welcomes longtime TV journalist Dorothy Lucey for a deep, vulnerable conversation about crippling nerves, panic attacks, and the unseen emotional cost of decades in the spotlight. Dorothy opens up about faith, anxiety, marriage, grief, joy, and the daily work of stopping a spiral before it starts. Together they explore how trauma sits in the body, how peace is rebuilt step by step, and why none of us are ever as “normal” as we seem. Video Versions of State of Mind available on YouTube! Watch!  Read Maurice’s New York Times Bestselling Book! Nothing General About It: How Love (and Lithium) Saved Me On and Off General Hospital Follow Maurice on Social Media:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mauricebenard/ X: https://twitter.com/mauricebenard Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MauriceBenard/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mbstateofmind/ State Of Mind Merch:https://www.mbstateofmind.com State of Mind Production Team:  Host & Editorial: Maurice Benard  Executive Producer: Paula Benard  Director of Production: Anthony Cammarata Audio/Video/Editorial: Anthony Cammarata Podcast Consultant: Aaron Calafato 

Actor and author Adrian Alvarado sits down with Maurice to talk about his memoir Flipping My Script—a powerful story of losing his mother at fourteen, growing up without a father, and fighting through generational trauma to rebuild his identity. Adrian opens up about domestic violence, grief, art as therapy, and the long road toward healing and forgiveness. This is a raw, honest conversation that will stay with anyone who has ever rebuilt themselves from the ground up. Video Versions of State of Mind available on YouTube! Watch!  Read Maurice’s New York Times Bestselling Book! Nothing General About It: How Love (and Lithium) Saved Me On and Off General Hospital Follow Maurice on Social Media:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mauricebenard/ X: https://twitter.com/mauricebenard Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MauriceBenard/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mbstateofmind/ State Of Mind Merch:https://www.mbstateofmind.com State of Mind Production Team:  Host & Editorial: Maurice Benard  Executive Producer: Paula Benard  Director of Production: Anthony Cammarata Audio/Video/Editorial: Anthony Cammarata Podcast Consultant: Aaron Calafato 

Actress Raven Bowens joins Maurice for a powerful, wide-ranging conversation about resilience, mental health, and the unexpected turns that shape a life. Raven opens up about a childhood spent moving from city to city, the grief of losing her first love, and the struggle to find stability while chasing her dream. She also shares how her acting journey led her to Days of Our Lives and why her greatest fulfillment now comes from rebuilding a school in Nigeria. A raw, honest, and deeply hopeful episode that reminds us why purpose and connection matter. Video Versions of State of Mind available on YouTube! Watch!  Read Maurice’s New York Times Bestselling Book! Nothing General About It: How Love (and Lithium) Saved Me On and Off General Hospital Follow Maurice on Social Media:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mauricebenard/ X: https://twitter.com/mauricebenard Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MauriceBenard/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mbstateofmind/ State Of Mind Merch:https://www.mbstateofmind.com State of Mind Production Team:  Host & Editorial: Maurice Benard  Executive Producer: Paula Benard  Director of Production: Anthony Cammarata Audio/Video/Editorial: Anthony Cammarata Podcast Consultant: Aaron Calafato 

Maurice sits down with actor and musician Larry Romano (Donnie Brasco, King of Queens, The Thin Red Line, Sleepers) for a raw, wide-ranging conversation about creativity, identity, and the inner battles most people never see. Larry opens up about studying under Al Pacino’s acting coach, navigating depression, rebuilding after setbacks, and how family, music, and discipline shaped his resilience. It’s an honest, emotional, and unexpectedly inspiring look at artistry, mental health, and what it really takes to survive the industry — and yourself. Video Versions of State of Mind available on YouTube! Watch!  Read Maurice’s New York Times Bestselling Book! Nothing General About It: How Love (and Lithium) Saved Me On and Off General Hospital Follow Maurice on Social Media:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mauricebenard/ X: https://twitter.com/mauricebenard Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MauriceBenard/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mbstateofmind/ State Of Mind Merch:https://www.mbstateofmind.com State of Mind Production Team:  Host & Editorial: Maurice Benard  Executive Producer: Paula Benard  Director of Production: Anthony Cammarata Audio/Video/Editorial: Anthony Cammarata Podcast Consultant: Aaron Calafato 

In Part 2 of their conversation on State of Mind, Genie Francis (General Hospital) and Jonathan Frakes (Star Trek: The Next Generation) open up about the hidden side of their 40-year relationship: social anxiety, deep lows, the “riverbank” metaphor that changed everything, and the small decisions that saved their marriage. Maurice creates space for a rare, honest look at survival, compassion, and what it means to stay when things get hard. Powerful, vulnerable, and unforgettable. Video Versions of State of Mind available on YouTube! Watch!  Read Maurice’s New York Times Bestselling Book! Nothing General About It: How Love (and Lithium) Saved Me On and Off General Hospital Follow Maurice on Social Media:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mauricebenard/ X: https://twitter.com/mauricebenard Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MauriceBenard/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mbstateofmind/ State Of Mind Merch:https://www.mbstateofmind.com State of Mind Production Team:  Host & Editorial: Maurice Benard  Executive Producer: Paula Benard  Director of Production: Anthony Cammarata Audio/Video/Editorial: Anthony Cammarata Podcast Consultant: Aaron Calafato 

General Hospital favorite Jeffrey Vincent Parise opens up about the real story behind his life—far beyond Carlos, the villains, and the unforgettable on-screen moments GH fans remember him for. He and Maurice dig into Parise’s battles with anxiety, the dark seasons that reshaped him, and the practices that helped him rebuild from the inside out, including yoga, meditation, and deep shadow-work. This conversation blends nostalgia, vulnerability, and the kind of mental-health honesty that reminds fans why State of Mind exists in the first place. Video Versions of State of Mind available on YouTube! Watch!  Read Maurice’s New York Times Bestselling Book! Nothing General About It: How Love (and Lithium) Saved Me On and Off General Hospital Follow Maurice on Social Media:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mauricebenard/ X: https://twitter.com/mauricebenard Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MauriceBenard/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mbstateofmind/ State Of Mind Merch:https://www.mbstateofmind.com State of Mind Production Team:  Host & Editorial: Maurice Benard  Executive Producer: Paula Benard  Director of Production: Anthony Cammarata Audio/Video/Editorial: Anthony Cammarata Podcast Consultant: Aaron Calafato 

This episode is Part 1 of Maurice Benard’s deeply personal conversation with Genie Francis. Together, they go back to the beginning: Genie’s early rise as a fourteen-year-old on General Hospital, the whirlwind fame of Laura Spencer, and the emotional toll of growing up on television. Genie opens up about isolation, arrested development, perfectionism, and the generational anxiety that shaped her life long before she understood it. Maurice reflects on how her experiences intersect with his own mental-health journey, creating one of the most honest and revealing dialogues ever shared on State of Mind. Part 1 covers Genie’s early career, the pressures of live TV, the explosive Luke & Laura years, and the hidden struggles behind her iconic performances.  Part 2 drops November 23, when Genie is joined by her husband, Jonathan Frakes, for an intimate and powerful follow-up conversation. Video Versions of State of Mind available on YouTube! Watch!  Read Maurice’s New York Times Bestselling Book! Nothing General About It: How Love (and Lithium) Saved Me On and Off General Hospital Follow Maurice on Social Media:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mauricebenard/ X: https://twitter.com/mauricebenard Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MauriceBenard/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mbstateofmind/ State Of Mind Merch:https://www.mbstateofmind.com State of Mind Production Team:  Host & Editorial: Maurice Benard  Executive Producer: Paula Benard  Director of Production: Anthony Cammarata Audio/Video/Editorial: Anthony Cammarata Podcast Consultant: Aaron Calafato 

Founder of Cliffside Malibu and Carrera Treatment, Richard Taite joins me to unpack addiction, the fentanyl crisis, and why most centers fail patients. We dig into his “love call” philosophy, what great treatment actually looks like, and how homelessness and veteran care intersect with mental health. It’s raw, practical, and full of takeaways for families seeking real help. Listen to Maurice's recent appearance on Richard Taite's Podcast: We're Out of Time  Video Versions of State of Mind available on YouTube! Watch!  Read Maurice’s New York Times Bestselling Book! Nothing General About It: How Love (and Lithium) Saved Me On and Off General Hospital Follow Maurice on Social Media:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mauricebenard/ X: https://twitter.com/mauricebenard Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MauriceBenard/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mbstateofmind/ State Of Mind Merch:https://www.mbstateofmind.com State of Mind Production Team:  Host & Editorial: Maurice Benard  Executive Producer: Paula Benard  Director of Production: Anthony Cammarata Audio/Video/Editorial: Anthony Cammarata Podcast Consultant: Aaron Calafato