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The central divide in psychiatry, the split between mind and brain, has been holding the field back and preventing people from getting the help they truly since its inception. Dr. Edward Bullmore, psychiatrist and author of The Inflamed Mind and The Divided Mind, has spent 35 years witnessing psychiatry struggle with this false dichotomy. In this conversation, we trace how the trauma of WWII rewrote the diagnostic manual, how antidepressants were discovered by accident and the science was reverse-engineered to justify them, and why the biggest genetic hits in schizophrenia research point not to neurons but to the immune system. If you've ever felt that the current system offers too little too late or that the answers must lie somewhere between biology and biography, this episode is for you. In this episode we discuss: The false brain/mind split that has defined and distorted psychiatry for over a centuryWhy the DSM is rooted in false science and has not held up to recent findingsWhy treatment for schizophrenia hasn't fundamentally changed since the 1980sGenome-wide association studies: what they reveal about schizophrenia, immunity, and shared genetic risk across diagnosesEarly life stressors and epigenetic riskThe case for integrating psychiatry with the rest of medicinePublic health interventions as mental health interventions; why maternal and child health may be the highest-leverage pointHow psychiatry might fundamentally change and what Dr. Bullmore hopes to leave for the next generationBio Ed Bullmore studied medicine at the University of Oxford and St Bartholomew’s Hospital in London, before training as a psychiatrist at the Maudsley Hospital, and completing a PhD in brain MRI analysis at the Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London. He moved to Cambridge as Professor of Psychiatry in 1999 and his research on brain networks and development of severe mental health disorders has since been highly cited. He was Head of the Department of Psychiatry, then Deputy Head of the School of Clinical Medicine in the University of Cambridge from 2014 to 2024.From 2005 to 2019, he also worked half-time for GlaxoSmithKline, focusing on the links between inflammation and depression, as described in his first book, The Inflamed Mind. He has recently published another book, The Divided Mind, about the past, present and future of schizophrenia. His scientific work has been recognised by election to the Royal Society and the Academy of Medical Sciences. In 2025, he returned to King’s College London as the Regius Professor of Psychiatry and Head of the School of Academic Psychiatry. Links: The Guardian: Review of The Divided Mind https://www.theguardian.com/books/2025/dec/17/the-divided-mind-by-edward-bullmore-review-do-we-now-know-what-causes-schizophreniaThe Times Interview: https://www.thetimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/article/psychiatrist-edward-bullmore-divided-mind-schizophrenia-cause-childhood-infection-gm99jzjhm?gaa_at=eafs&gaa_n=AWEtsqfDuktSniOg_lxW5VLwPpLbpeIXNW3mCiER6PIWqRn99oF0SO8llQH-&gaa_ts=69c1a808&gaa_sig=l3rw9dUnzBnRd5S1Q7xd7qTqOE8Kpu63ROoP6N2ANWLN9bJw0cf4d24hJd3JqEhDoXiGaotrTHKgjV0ZMafQKw%3D%3DTelegraph Interview: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/health-fitness/conditions/dementia/prevent-schizophrenia-alzheimers/ Resources: Find videos and bonus episodes: ⁠⁠⁠DEPTHWORK.SUBSTACK.COM⁠⁠⁠Get the book: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Mad Studies Reader: Interdisciplinary Innovations in Mental Health⁠⁠⁠Become a member: ⁠⁠⁠The Institute for the Development of Human Arts⁠⁠⁠Train with us: ⁠⁠⁠Transformative Mental Health Core Curriculum⁠⁠Sessions & Information about the host: ⁠⁠⁠⁠JazmineRussell.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ Disclaimer: The DEPTH Work Podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Any information on this podcast in no way to be construed or substituted as psychological counseling, psychotherapy, mental health counseling, or any other type of therapy or medical advice.

At a time when tools for ‘nervous system regulation’ are everywhere we look, it’s easy to forget that we aren’t meant to always be “regulated.” In this episode, I'm joined by Nkem Ndefo, trauma therapist, nurse-midwife, somatic practitioner, and founder of the Resilience Toolkit. Nkem brings a rare synthesis of biological training, lived experience, social activism, disability and systems thinking to their work. We dig into the limits of nervous system regulation as a panacea, the politics of the word "dysregulation," what birth and midwifery taught Nkem about intergenerational trauma, and why understanding just how interwoven physical and emotional healing are can be life-saving. We also explore the modality of Emotional Transformation Therapy, Internal Family Systems, and we even talk about the healing quality of colors. In this episode we discuss: Nkem's journey from community organizer and needle exchange worker, to nurse-midwife, to trauma therapist and somatic practitionerWhat birth taught her about the “long arms of intergenerational and historical trauma”Why medicine's hyper-specialization keeps people trapped in cycles of sufferingThe link between trauma, autoimmunity, and conditions like mast cell activation and why the "hardest to treat" psychiatric presentations may have an immunological rootWhy Nkem is moving away from the word "dysregulation" and toward the concept of “coherence”Utilizing light, color, and bilateral stimulation for rapid transformationWhat collective healing looks like when systems themselves are treated as organisms Nkem Ndefo is foremost an alchemist and also a disabled Black midwife, facilitator, coach, and strategist. She is the founder of Lumos Transforms and creator of the Resilience Toolkit, vehicles for healing and liberatory change across borders and at all scales. Her work builds embodied capacity to stabilize the impacts of personal and collective trauma and catalyze structural transformation. Nkem has led multi-year initiatives in embodied antiracism, healing justice, and resilience capacity building across the U.S., the UK, and Palestine, and directs several certification and professional training programs internationally. Links: https://lumostransforms.com/https://theresiliencetoolkit.co/Resources: Find videos and bonus episodes: ⁠⁠DEPTHWORK.SUBSTACK.COM⁠⁠Get the book: ⁠⁠⁠Mad Studies Reader: Interdisciplinary Innovations in Mental Health⁠⁠Become a member: ⁠⁠The Institute for the Development of Human Arts⁠⁠Train with us: ⁠⁠Transformative Mental Health Core Curriculum⁠Sessions & Information about the host: ⁠⁠⁠JazmineRussell.com⁠⁠⁠ Disclaimer: The DEPTH Work Podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Any information on this podcast in no way to be construed or substituted as psychological counseling, psychotherapy, mental health counseling, or any other type of therapy or medical advice.

Life gives many of us moments that can crack us open. For Wendy, this was a car accident that led her to seek alternative healing modalities and ultimately open up a healing center: Roslyn Salt Cave. We talk about the ups and downs, keeping faith in your vision, and letting life bring you what you need even when it’s not always what you want. We also talk about the unglamorous in-between stages of the healing journey, the sometimes indignant inner child, why discernment matters more than any single modality, and building a community of healers. We also get personal about gratitude practices, forgiveness rituals, breathwork, and what it means to see your “purpose” as broader than any one action or dream. In this episode we discuss: How a car accident became the catalyst for Wendy's pathThe unglamorous "in-between" phase after crisis"Collecting ingredients" - why seemingly random experiences and detours are often exactly what you needLearning to trust your intuitionThe wellness industry's complicated relationship with science, placebo, and ancestral healing traditionsCreating sacred healing environments — how sight, scent, sound, and curation shape the experience of healingDaily rituals: morning practices, gratitude, forgiveness and bedtime intentionsThe difference between chasing a destination and living the journeyWendy Shulman is a dynamic speaker, life architect, and coach based in Roslyn, New York, renowned for guiding individuals toward profound personal transformation and purpose-drivenlives. Drawing from her own near-fatal car accident that became a pivotal turning point, Wendy rebuilt her world with resilience and vision, ultimately founding a thriving wellness center thathas empowered over 25,000 clients on their journeys to health and fulfillment. As the creator of "Purpose Unleashed: Unlock the Power of Your True Calling," she equips people with simple,powerful tools to shift paradigms, align careers with passion, and monetize their innate gifts—proving that destiny isn't just discovered, it's architected. With a philosophy rooted in energy, joy, and unapologetic self-discovery, Wendy is a beacon for anyone ready to trade survival for sovereignty. Links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/roslynsalt/Website: https://roslynsaltcave.com Resources: Find videos and bonus episodes: ⁠⁠DEPTHWORK.SUBSTACK.COM⁠⁠Get the book: ⁠⁠⁠Mad Studies Reader: Interdisciplinary Innovations in Mental Health⁠⁠Become a member: ⁠⁠The Institute for the Development of Human Arts⁠⁠Train with us: ⁠⁠Transformative Mental Health Core Curriculum⁠ Sessions & Information about the host: ⁠⁠JazmineRussell.com⁠⁠ Disclaimer: The DEPTH Work Podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Any information on this podcast in no way to be construed or substituted as psychological counseling, psychotherapy, mental health counseling, or any other type of therapy or medical advice.

Seasonal depression, often called “seasonal affective disorder”, can make getting through the Wintertime much more difficult. But what’s really happening in our brains and bodies when winter darkness sets in? How do our urban environments, work culture, and economic systems create the worst conditions for winter struggles. Shouldn’t we all be hibernating anyways? In this episode, I explore the links between seasonal depression and Vitamin D, beyond simplistic explanations about light exposure, revealing fascinating connections between our environment, brain chemistry, immune function, and mental health. I’ll tell you a bit about my own experience as living in Berlin, a city with pretty minimal winter sunlight, has given me personal insight into how profoundly seasonal shifts can affect our mental and physical wellbeing. The world needs all of us to be tuned in, feeling resilient, and able to support ourselves, our bodies, and our communities, especially right now, so let’s dive into what we can do. LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE AT: DEPTHWORK.SUBSTACK.COM In this episode: The medicalization of structural problems: how urban environments, work culture, and economic factors set us up for seasonal struggleWhat science actually tells us about vitamin D’s role in brain health, immune function, and mood regulationMy personal experiences with vitamin D testing and its connections to autoimmunity and mental healthPractical strategies for feeling awake and alive during darker months Support Immigrants & Stand Against ICE: https://www.standwithminnesota.com/ https://www.wfmn.org/funds/immigrant-rapid-response/ https://mylegalaid.org/ https://www.freedomforimmigrants.org/volunteer Mutual Aid Resources: https://www.alwaysreadyhq.com/9719/strategies-for-forming-local-mutual-aid-groups/https://wildanarchistvessel.substack.com/p/10-ways-to-start-doing-mutual-aid Resources: Find videos and bonus episodes: ⁠⁠⁠DEPTHWORK.SUBSTACK.COM⁠⁠⁠Get the book: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Mad Studies Reader: Interdisciplinary Innovations in Mental Health⁠⁠⁠Become a member: ⁠⁠⁠The Institute for the Development of Human Arts⁠⁠⁠Train with us: ⁠⁠⁠Transformative Mental Health Core CurriculumDisclaimer: The DEPTH Work Podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Any information on this podcast in no way to be construed or substituted as psychological counseling, psychotherapy, mental health counseling, or any other type of therapy or medical advice.

In this episode of the Depth Work podcast, I speak with clinical psychologist, professor, and author, Phil Yanos about his powerful new book "Exiles in New York City" an exploration of how institutionalization creates barriers of exclusion and banishment in urban landscapes. Phil shares his unique journey growing up on Ward's Island near Manhattan Psychiatric Center, where his father worked as a psychiatrist. Through his research and interviews with current residents, Phil reveals how Ward's Island has become a site of profound contradiction – simultaneously rebranded as a recreational space for privileged New Yorkers while functioning as a place of exile for those deemed too "mad" to belong in mainstream society. In our conversation we explore concrete solutions for transforming Ward's Island into a more just and integrated community, a vision that seems more possible with the recent election of Zohran Mamdani who has emphasized housing justice. We also discuss the wins and losses in mental health advocacy in recent years, what we’ve learned from working with those labeled with “psychosis” or “schizophrenia”, and what clinicians can do better. Bio: Philip T. Yanos is professor of psychology at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and the Graduate Center, City University of New York and Director of Clinical Training for the Ph.D. program in Clinical Psychology at John Jay College. He is the author of "Exiles in New York City: Warehousing the Marginalized on Ward's Island" (2025) and Written Off: Mental Health Stigma and the Loss of Human Potential (2018). During his childhood in the 1970s, Yanos lived on the grounds of Manhattan State Hospital on Ward’s Island, where his father was a psychiatrist. Exiles in New York City: Warehousing the Marginalized on Ward's Island https://cup.columbia.edu/book/exiles-in-new-york-city/9780231212373/ Exiles in the City Podcast https://rss.com/podcasts/exiles-in-the-city/ Resources: Find videos and bonus episodes: ⁠⁠DEPTHWORK.SUBSTACK.COM⁠⁠Get the book: ⁠⁠⁠Mad Studies Reader: Interdisciplinary Innovations in Mental Health⁠⁠Become a member: ⁠⁠The Institute for the Development of Human Arts⁠⁠Train with us: ⁠⁠Transformative Mental Health Core Curriculum

We use frameworks and concepts to protect ourselves from the discomfort of not knowing, but these very concepts, when taken for granted, can prevent us from asking the kinds of questions that will set us free. In this episode, I'm joined by philosophy of mental health scholars, Cristiano Bacchi and Giacomo Piselli Fioroni, co-hosts of the podcast "In Front of the Mirror." Together, we dive into the critical intersection of philosophy and psychiatry, exploring why slowing down to question our fundamental assumptions about mental health is not just academic exercise, but is essential for creating more humane and effective approaches. Cristiano, whose research examines authenticity and agency in mental health experiences, and Giacomo, who investigates the complex interplay between mind, world, and intersubjectivity, bring their interdisciplinary backgrounds to a conversation that challenges the dominant paradigms while remaining unafraid to tackle the big questions. Cristiano Bacchi is a Master’s student in Clinical Psychology at the School of Psychology, University of Padua, Italy.He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy and Psychological Sciences and Techniques from the University of Perugia, Italy, and a Master of Arts in Philosophy and Cognitive Sciences from the Berlin School of Mind and Brain, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin.This background allowed him to become familiar with interdisciplinary approaches to the study of the mind and the person. To put this perspective into practice, during his undergraduate studies he trained as an intern in Amniotic Therapy, a body-based group therapy for persons experiencing psychosis.His current research addresses key questions in the philosophy of mental health, including issues of authenticity and ambiguity in psychiatry, the impact of mental health narratives on the person’s sense of agency, and the role of language and metaphors in representing mental health conditions. Giacomo Piselli Fioroni is finishing his masters at the "Berlin School of Mind and Brain", Humboldt Universität zu Berlin. In his bachelor, he studied "Philosophy and Psychological sciences and techniques" at the University of Perugia, Italy. Currently, he is looking for a doctorate program, striving for realising his dream of becoming a researcher. His current work aims at putting into communication philosophy and mental health-related disciplines. Particularly, his current work focuses on the role of folk psychology both in the theories and practice of clinical sciences, and on the relationship of first-person, second-person and third-person perspectives employed to describe and understand mental health phenomena. Together, in 2024 they organized and taught the Projekttutorium Philosophy of Mental Health at Humboldt University.Since May 2025, they have hosted the podcast In Front of the Mirror, where they continue to explore the dialogue between philosophy and mental health. In Front of the Mirror - the podcast that bridges philosophy and mental health. Links: In Front of the Mirror - the English Podcast In Front of the Mirror - Il Podcast in Italiano Follow us on IG: @mirror_podcast_ Bacchi, C. (2024). Is it me or my delusion? Harnessing authenticity for an agential view of delusionality. Philosophy and the Mind Sciences, 5. https://doi.org/10.33735/phimisci.2024.11474 Resources: Find videos and bonus episodes: ⁠DEPTHWORK.SUBSTACK.COM⁠Get the book: ⁠⁠Mad Studies Reader: Interdisciplinary Innovations in Mental Health⁠Become a member: ⁠The Institute for the Development of Human Arts⁠Train with us: ⁠Transformative Mental Health Core Curriculum

I speak with sociologist Neil Gong about his book: Sons, Daughters, and Sidewalk Psychotics, which explores how mental health care in the U.S. is deeply shaped by class divides. We talk about the legacy of deinstitutionalization, how public systems rely on what he calls “tolerant containment” while elite institutions often impose surveillance and control, and the different ways each system can fail. Neil and I dig into housing-first programs, clinician burnout, and RFK’s vision for therapeutic farms. We also unpack what Neil calls the “Frankenstein monster” created by the uneasy mix of civil libertarian ideals and austerity policies. The conversation ends with reflections on political education, peer-led alternatives, and how we can hold space for complex and even opposing perspectives in the fight for better mental health systems. In this episode we discuss: class comparisons in of Public vs. private mental health care models in Los AngelesHistory and impacts of deinstitutionalizationTolerant containment in public systems vs. surveillance in elite settingsWhat we can do to improve quality of careRFK’s therapeutic farms and proposed health policiesThe need for peer support and user-led initiatives in mental health reformThe “Frankenstein” fusion of civil liberties and austerity politicsInstitutional harm reduction, defunding social programs and its potential backlashTeaching political education Bio Neil Gong is assistant professor of sociology at the University of California, San Diego. He is the author of Sons, Daughters and Sidewalk Psychotics: Mental Illness and Homelessness in Los Angeles. His public commentary has appeared in venues like the Washington Post, the Atlantic, and the Los Angeles Times Links Neil’s Website: https://www.neilgong.com/ Book: Sons, Daughters and Sidewalk Psychotics: https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/S/bo212067953.html Resources: Find videos and bonus episodes: ⁠DEPTHWORK.SUBSTACK.COM⁠Get the book: ⁠⁠Mad Studies Reader: Interdisciplinary Innovations in Mental Health⁠Become a member: ⁠The Institute for the Development of Human Arts⁠Train with us: ⁠Transformative Mental Health Core CurriculumSessions & Information about the host: ⁠⁠JazmineRussell.com⁠⁠ Disclaimer: The DEPTH Work Podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Any information on this podcast in no way to be construed or substituted as psychological counseling, psychotherapy, mental health counseling, or any other type of therapy or medical advice.

“One reason why it can feel so hard to listen to your body is because it is not normalized to move in a variety of ways that you would want to. There are certain ways of moving that are allowed or socially accepted but others are very rare to see. Therefore, it makes a lot of sense that we don't know what our body wants or can't listen to it because we always shut it down.” - David Bantje In this episode, I’m joined by natural movement practitioner, and my loving partner, David Bantje. In this episode, he offers a refreshing, intuitive reframe on how we can shift our relationship to movement for a more liberated , and playful life. Rather than treating movement as a chore, isolated workout, or something we only do in designated spaces, David invites us to see movement as a birthright—something our bodies crave and have evolved to do in diverse, dynamic ways. He discusses how mainstream exercise culture, with its narrow focus and rigid intensity, can leave us disconnected from the deeper intelligence of our bodies. Instead, natural movement emphasizes accessibility, variety, injury prevention, and playfulness, allowing us to reconnect and reclaim our capacity for taking risks, curiosity, and aliveness. This isn’t about perfection or discipline, but about attunement: giving our bodies the space to lead. In this episode we discuss: How chronic pain and injuries "stack up" from habitual postures and sedentary lifestylesWhat natural movement is, and how it helps realign us with what our bodies evolved to doThe limits of conventional fitness culture and why high-intensity, short bursts of exercise can do more harm than goodThe power of movement snacks—simple, frequent movements throughout the day—to support flexibility, awareness, and healingMovement as medicine in the context of illness, disability, and injury (including David’s experience with a herniated disc)Relearning how to listen to your body, even when it doesn’t communicate in languageWhy reclaiming natural movement can be a path not only to health—but to joy, agency, and freedomBio David Bantje is a movement practitioner, teacher, and facilitator based in Potsdam, Germany. His interests span movement disciplines such as natural movement, parkour, dance, somatic movement, running, climbing, and their interconnections. He researches the importance of movement for our individual lives as well as our communities, how our modern societies have affected our movement habits, and ways to reconnect to our physicality and playfulness. In 2019 and 2021 he got certifications as a MovNat Natural Movement Trainer, and has since taught movement classes and workshops on various topics. Currently, he is co-hosting Monday Motion, an open community event for freely exploring movement and dance. He just started to write a Substack called "Movement Invitations". Links David's Substack: https://davidbantje.substack.com/Katie Bowman: https://www.nutritiousmovement.com/Natural Movement Classes: https://movnat.com/ Resources: Get the book: ⁠⁠⁠Mad Studies Reader: Interdisciplinary Innovations in Mental Health⁠⁠ Become a member: ⁠⁠The Institute for the Development of Human Arts⁠⁠ Train with us: ⁠⁠Transformative Mental Health Core Curriculum⁠ Sessions & Information about the host: ⁠⁠⁠JazmineRussell.com⁠⁠⁠ Disclaimer: The DEPTH Work Podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Any information on this podcast in no way to be construed or substituted as psychological counseling, psychotherapy, mental health counseling, or any other type of therapy or medical advice.

“Your questioning and critiquing is everything that is needed for 2025 and beyond. And if or when it is construed [by the system] as as a deficiency, unprofessionalism, or ineptitude, I hope that by priming people to keep their eyes open for those responses, it can be more of a collective yawn.” - Rupi Legha In this episode I’m joined by Rupi Legha, psychiatrist, educator, and scholar-activist—whose work radically interrogates the role of psychiatry in upholding racial injustice. Together, we explore what it means to be an anti-racist clinician in a field that silences dissent, punishes disclosure, and pathologizes defiance—especially in Black, Brown, and Indigenous folks. We talk about the emotional and ethical toll of navigating psychiatric training while attempting to stay true to liberatory values. We talk about forced restraint, overmedication, and the ways psychiatry can reinforce white supremacist ideology in both overt and covert ways. And we ask the hard questions: What is worth saving in psychiatry? What should be dismantled? What might take its place? Also in this episode: deciding how much to disclose about your own lived experiences with mental health as a clinicianwhat psychiatric residency training is actually likeexperiencing moral injurythe racist and coercive practices deeply rooted in the history of psychiatryadvice for younger cliniciansnavigating family dynamics in child crisis carethe future of psychiatry as a professionanti-racist training for cliniciansBio Dr. Rupinder K. Legha is a double board-certified child, adolescent, and adult psychiatrist, educator, and independent scholar-activist. She is the founder of the Antiracism in Mental Health Fellowship and a nationally recognized leader working at the intersection of structural trauma, racial justice, and youth mental health. Dr. Legha’s clinical and scholarly work challenges how psychiatric systems interpret defiance and distress—especially in Black, Brown, and Indigenous youth—and seeks to transform the profession through person-centered, antiracist, and liberatory care. Links: Rupi’s Website: https://rupileghamd.com/Shield Act: https://rupileghamd.com/shieldactAnti-Racist Fellowship: https://edu.rupileghamd.com/fellowship-sales-pageHistory of ODD Diagnosis video : https://rupileghamd.com/speaking/v/odd Resources: Get the book: ⁠⁠Mad Studies Reader: Interdisciplinary Innovations in Mental Health⁠ Become a member: ⁠The Institute for the Development of Human Arts⁠ Train with us: ⁠Transformative Mental Health Core Curriculum Sessions & Information about the host: ⁠⁠JazmineRussell.com⁠⁠ Disclaimer: The DEPTH Work Podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Any information on this podcast in no way to be construed or substituted as psychological counseling, psychotherapy, mental health counseling, or any other type of therapy or medical advice.

20% of the population is on the hypermobile spectrum and can struggle with chronic pain because of it. At the more extreme end of the spectrum is Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), a genetic disorder that affects not not muscles and joints but the whole body in ongoing feedback loops. Perhaps most significantly, 80% of people with EDS have generalized anxiety. Most doctors or practitioners seeing people with vague symptoms from chronic pain, allergies, SIBO, IBS, brain fog, POTS, autoimmunity, anxiety, and more are often unaware that EDS can be the cause. Even less know about holistic ways to intervene in the cycle of dysregulation. So I spoke with a specialist in EDS, Dr. Derik Andersen to get some answers. In this episode we discuss: what is Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome?the mast cell activation and EDS cyclewhat are the symptoms and how can someone test themselves?why are anxiety and nervous system issues associated with it?research on the Autonomic Nervous System and HRVneurodivergence and EDSholistic treatment approachesfocused shockwave therapynutritional interventionsbreathwork for the nervous sustemwhat practitioners should knowBio Derik S. Anderson, DC, CPT, CSN is the Clinic Director of the Muscle and Joint Clinic in Northern California. He helps his patients be healthier by utilizing his education and personal and professional backgrounds. Dr. Anderson grew up wanting to help people and initially planned to go to business school to work in energy conservation. But, after a good friend’s life was positively changed by chiropractic care, he had a change of heart. His friend spent two years with horrific intestinal problems and saw over a dozen providers, but no one could help her – until she saw a chiropractor. The chiropractor knew that the vertebra and muscles around them affected the nerves that controlled the intestines. After treatment, she was no longer bed-ridden and went back to teaching, traveling and leading an active life. Dr. Anderson realized that health care was his calling and his passion for helping people was channeled into chiropractic. Education: Life Chiropractic College West, Doctor of ChiropracticUniversity of California, Santa Barbara, Bachelor of Arts, EconomicsCompleted more than 1,000 hours of post-doctoral educationSports Nutritionist, CertifiedPersonal Fitness Trainer, CertifiedActive Release Technique, Certified 2011FAKTR, CertifiedMyofascial Decompression, CertifiedIronman® Healthcare ProviderThe Clinic: https://musclejointclinic.com/ Resources: Dr. Jessica Eccles https://www.bsms.ac.uk/about/contact-us/staff/dr-jessica-eccles.aspxhttps://tmsforacure.org/ Links: Find videos and bonus episodes: ⁠DEPTHWORK.SUBSTACK.COM⁠Get the book: ⁠⁠Mad Studies Reader: Interdisciplinary Innovations in Mental Health⁠Become a member: ⁠The Institute for the Development of Human Arts⁠Train with us: ⁠Transformative Mental Health Core CurriculumSessions & Information about the host: ⁠⁠JazmineRussell.com⁠⁠ Disclaimer: The DEPTH Work Podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Any information on this podcast in no way to be construed or substituted as psychological counseling, psychotherapy, mental health counseling, or any other type of therapy or medical advice.

“Any movement that aspires to be critical must be self-critical. There is value in approaching 'critical' not as an identity, a label, or a dividing line, but rather as a mode of engagement, as a virtue of philosophical and scientific thought. Critical psychiatry, if it is to embody this virtue, can only do so by insisting that it is a 'theory in the making' and by demonstrating continuous self-criticism, questioning, re-examination, and exploration of new possibilities.” - Awais Aftab, Conversations in Critical Psychiatry To move beyond binaries in mental health, we must complicate questions such as: ‘to medicalize or not to medicalize?’ or ‘is it a biological or a psychological problem?’ Since psychiatrists get almost exclusively medical training, Dr. Aftab advocates for what he calls “conceptual competency,” problematizing basic assumptions about the mind and brain that can prevent clinicians from truly supporting people and safeguarding their agency. In this episode, we explore the tensions between orthodox psychiatry and its critics, the future of psychiatric diagnostics, and how learning from philosophy and neuroscience can bring fresh perspectives. In this episode we discuss: conceptual competency and challenging underlying assumptions in psychiatry ways in which critical psychiatry/psychology could benefit from being self-critical how modern neuroscience can help break down old binaries how to decide where to intervene across bio, psycho, social factors ADHD as an example of complex causal factors childhood trauma and brain/biological changes why issues in broader medical disciplines apply to psychiatry pluralism and how can disciplines can come together future of diagnostics beyond the DSM eraBio Dr. Awais Aftab is clinical assistant professor of psychiatry at Case Western Reserve University and practices as a psychiatrist in Cleveland, OH, USA. His academic, educational, and public-facing work focuses on conceptual and critical issues in psychiatry. He led the interview series “Conversations in Critical Psychiatry” for Psychiatric Times, and a book adaptation has been published by Oxford University Press. He is a senior editor for the journal “Philosophy, Psychiatry, & Psychology.” He peer-reviewed work has been published in top psychiatric journals, he has written for the New York Times, and has been quoted in publications such as the LA Times, VICE News, and the Rolling Stones Magazine. He blogs online at his Substack newsletter Psychiatry at the Margins, which has more than 10,000 subscribers from 120 countries.(https://psychiatrymargins.com/). Links Awais’ Substack Conversations in Critical Psychiatry book (mentioned) The Entangled Brain by Luiz Pessoa Resources: Get the book: ⁠⁠Mad Studies Reader: Interdisciplinary Innovations in Mental Health⁠ Become a member: ⁠The Institute for the Development of Human Arts⁠ Train with us: ⁠Transformative Mental Health Core Curriculum Sessions & Information about the host: ⁠⁠JazmineRussell.com⁠⁠ Disclaimer: The DEPTH Work Podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Any information on this podcast in no way to be construed or substituted as psychological counseling, psychotherapy, mental health counseling, or any other type of therapy or medical advice.

“One thing that I want people to understand is that if you live in America, you live in a business and you are a customer in that business.” - Thabiso Mthimkhulu I’m really exited to have Thabiso Mthimkhulu back on the podcast for a follow up conversation. Our discussion on “Redefining Crazy” and how we think about mental health was one of the most popular episodes on Depth Work to date. In this episode, Thabiso and I talk about the roles of metaphor and symbol in the mind-body relationship in sickness and indigenous views of learning to let the body speak. He also opens up about his thoughts on the United States and his home country Eswatini. His piercing insight into the causes of division, violence, and systemic oppression in the US is a call to “remember where you come from” and your own ancestral lineages. In this episode we discuss: the role of symbol and metaphor in understanding sickness letting the body speak America’s exploitative systems and societal division Reclaiming your roots Bio: Gogo Ndlondlo (whose given birth name is Thabiso Mthimkhulu) is an Indigenous Zulu and Swazi sangoma, from the lineage of Khuzalingezwa Emzini Wamadoda— born and raised in Hlathikhulu, Swaziland. Gogo Ndlondo was raised in a family of healers who hold a great body of knowledge and wisdom of traditional African herbal and ancestral medicine. Gogo Ndlondo experienced his calling illness, ukuthwasa, as a young child — seeing spirits, hearing voices, time traveling, having visions, and prophetizing about the future. Gogo Ndlondo’s access to other realities and ancestral realms was affirmed within his cultural worldview, where his family and community recognized his soul calling as a sangoma— to continue practicing and carrying out this lineage of important healing medicine. Gogo Ndlondlo spent his life in training, and is formally engaged in a multi-year apprenticeship process, under the brilliant guidance and mentorship of Gogo Dabulamandzi in the lineage of Khuzalingezwa Emzini Wamadoda — in Barberton, South Africa. Links @thabisoheals on IG https://www.thabisoheals.com/ Resources: Get videos and bonus episodes: ⁠⁠DEPTHWORK.SUBSTACK.COM⁠⁠ Get the book: ⁠⁠⁠Mad Studies Reader: Interdisciplinary Innovations in Mental Health⁠⁠ Become a member: ⁠⁠The Institute for the Development of Human Arts⁠⁠ Train with us: ⁠⁠Transformative Mental Health Core Curriculum Sessions & Information about the host: ⁠⁠JazmineRussell.com⁠⁠ Disclaimer: The DEPTH Work Podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Any information on this podcast in no way to be construed or substituted as psychological counseling, psychotherapy, mental health counseling, or any other type of therapy or medical advice.

Building visions towards a liberatory future will take creative power, vulnerability, radical imagination, and the capacity to honor difference in all its beauty. Lyo-Demi exemplifies this courage and power in their writing and poetry: “My diagnosis of “bipolar disorder,” in my opinion, is both a sensitivity towards and reaction to traumas (both personal and systemic) that yields strength, creativity, and passion, and my diagnosis of “gender dysphoria”…well that just makes me fabulous.” (From essay: Not Confused, Not Crazy) As we ‘reinvent the world,’ many of us have to wade through the nuances of adopting or rejecting labels, and find ways to support ourselves and each other, both within and outside systems. In this episode, Lyo-Demi and I talk about DSM categories, the generative and difficult aspects of mental health concerns, and the gift and power of creativity. In this episode we discuss: the power of mutual aid and peer support reframing and depathologizing mental health diagnoses generative aspects of what gets labeled bipolar and mania honoring difference at the intersection of neurodiversity and gender queerness using creativity, graphic novels and stories to build visions toward liberation Bio Lyo-Demi Green (they/them) is a queer and non-binary writer, graphic novelist and tenured community college professor living in the San Francisco Bay Area on Ohlone Land. They have been published on Salon, The Body is Not an Apology, Foglifter, and elsewhere. They have been featured at dozens of reading series, slams, showcases, and workshops in schools, colleges, and open mics locally and across the country. They co-edited We've Been Too Patient: Voices from Radical Mental Health with Kelechi Ubozoh, published by North Atlantic Books and distributed by Penguin Random House in 2019. They authored Phoenix Song, published by Black Lawrence Press in 2022. They received a BA from Vassar College and have an MFA in Creative Writing from Mills College. LD has attended the Association of Writers and Writing Programs, was a Lambda Emerging Writers Fellow, and was selected for Tin House and Stowe Story Labs. LD’s queer and trans rom-com fantasy screenplay Journey to the Enchanted Inkwell was a finalist in several national contests. With the help of the Sequential Artists’ Workshop, they adapted this project into a YA graphic novel script. They met their collaborating artist Jamie Kiemle through the online community Kids Comics Unite. LD is a decades-long fan of graphic novels, and they have taught them for over a decade at places like the San Francisco Art Institute and others. They are represented by literary agent Jennifer Newens of Martin Literary and Media Management. Links @leoninetales on IG and Threads www.ldgreen.org http://www.ldgreen.org/graphic-novel.html https://blacklawrencepress.com/books/phoenix-song/ Not Confused, Not Crazy Essay Resources: Get videos and bonus episodes: ⁠⁠DEPTHWORK.SUBSTACK.COM⁠⁠ Get the book: ⁠⁠⁠Mad Studies Reader: Interdisciplinary Innovations in Mental Health⁠⁠ Become a member: ⁠⁠The Institute for the Development of Human Arts⁠⁠ Train with us: ⁠⁠Transformative Mental Health Core Curriculum Sessions & Information about the host: ⁠⁠JazmineRussell.com⁠⁠ Disclaimer: The DEPTH Work Podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Any information on this podcast in no way to be construed or substituted as psychological counseling, psychotherapy, mental health counseling, or any other type of therapy or medical advice.

“I wish somebody had presented these ideas that what we call mental disorders, they're not like diabetes. They're not like cancer. They're more like fever or pain. They're meaningful responses to something going on in your life. And they are part of your inner self trying to tell you to look more closely.” - Justin Garson If you’ve ever felt as though there may be a purpose or function to the experiences that get labeled as a ‘mental illness’, you’re not alone. Justin Garson spent his career advocating for the idea that madness should not be seen as purely dysfunctional, but rather that it can be an evolved signal or feature with a purpose in our lives. Rather than being a sign of a ‘broken brain’, madness may play an important protective or illuminating role in our lives. In this episode we discuss: The 1980s prozac revolution & changing landscape of mental health Why viewing madness as a dysfunction is so ubiquitous How depression or other mental health concerns can be an evolved signal or designed response to a life crisis Who gets to decide what’s functional or dysfunctional? The importance of alternative frameworks Meaningful pluralism Bio Justin is Professor of Philosophy at Hunter College and The Graduate Center, City University of New York, and a contributor for PsychologyToday.com, Aeon, and MadInAmerica.com. He writes on the philosophy of madness, evolution of the mind, and purpose in nature. He is the author of The Madness Pill: The Quest to Create Insanity and One Doctor’s Discovery that Transformed Psychiatry (St. Martin’s Press, forthcoming). He also has two recent books: Madness: A Philosophical Exploration (Oxford University Press, 2022) and The Biological Mind: A Philosophical Introduction, 2nd ed. (Routledge, 2022). Links: Website: www.justingarson.com Twitter: https://x.com/justin_garson Recent Book: Madness: A Philosophical Exploration Madness-as-Strategy as an Alternative to Psychiatry’s Dysfunction-Centered Model Resources: Get videos and bonus episodes: ⁠DEPTHWORK.SUBSTACK.COM⁠ Get the book: ⁠⁠Mad Studies Reader: Interdisciplinary Innovations in Mental Health⁠ Become a member: ⁠The Institute for the Development of Human Arts⁠ Train with us: ⁠Transformative Mental Health Core Curriculum Sessions & Information about the host: ⁠⁠JazmineRussell.com⁠⁠ Disclaimer: The DEPTH Work Podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Any information on this podcast in no way to be construed or substituted as psychological counseling, psychotherapy, mental health counseling, or any other type of therapy or medical advice.

Have you ever felt frustrated by the narrow, rigid ways we’re encouraged to think about mental health and experiences considered ‘madness’? Whether you are a person with mental health experiences and feel discouraged by the lack of options or support, a family member or clinician concerned by the way people are treated, a scholar who wants to think outside the box, or an activist combatting discrimination, you may be excited to hear about a field of study. In this very special episode, Dr. Alisha Ali, Dr. Bradley Lewis, and I discuss the emerging field of Mad Studies and the way it challenges conventional mental health narratives. IDHA is hosting an online event December 8th from 12-6pm EST for those who want to dive into this field, get tickets here: https://www.idha-nyc.org/mad-studies-symposium In this episode we discuss: what is mad studies and how is it different from anti-psychiatry and critical psychiatry/psychology? our cultural unquestioning reverence for science and how it deters important scholarship how specialization in academia can lead to reductive research and scholarship The power of language to shape how we think about madness and what’s ‘normal’ connections between activism and academia biologizing ‘normal’, the hyperfocus on the brain, and neurodiversity movements the struggle against sanism across social movements Alisha Ali is an Associate Professor in the Department of Applied Psychology at New York University where she heads the Advocacy and Community-Based Trauma Studies (ACTS) Lab. Her research examines the mental health effects of various forms of oppression... including racism and poverty. She is co-editor (with Bradley Lewis and Jazmine Russell) of the upcoming book “The Mad Studies Reader” (Routledge Press). Her current projects are investigating the effects of empowerment-based interventions for domestic violence survivors and low-income high school students, and the impact of an arts-based intervention to treat the effects of traumatic stress in military veterans. Alisha received her PhD in Applied Cognitive Science from the University of Toronto and completed her postdoctoral fellowship training in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto Bradley Lewis is a psychotherapist/psychiatrist in private practice and a humanities professor at New York University. He is devoted to enriching everyday life and clinical practice through integration with the arts, humanities, and cultural/political/religious study. In addition to co-editing the Mad Studies Reader, his books include Experiencing Epiphanies in Literature and Cinema; Narrative Psychiatry; and Moving Beyond Prozac, DSM, and the New Psychiatry: Birth of Postpsychiatry Jazmine Russell is the co-founder of the Institute for the Development of Human Arts, a transformative mental health educator, trauma survivor, and host of "Depth Work: A Holistic Mental Health Podcast." She is an interdisciplinary scholar of Mad Studies, Critical Psychology, and Neuroscience, and a postgraduate student at the Berlin School of Mind and Brain. Jazmine has worked in the mental health system as a crisis counselor and later as a peer counselor specializing in working with those experiencing 'psychosis.' Becoming disillusioned with the system, she became a grassroots mental health organizer and holistic counselor across many modalities since 2015. JOIN US FOR THE MAD STUDIES SYMPOSIUM ONLINE DECEMBER 8th  Links The Mad Studies Reader - https://www.routledge.com/Mad-Studies-Reader-Interdisciplinary-Innovations-in-Mental-Health/Lewis-Ali-Russell/p/book/9780367709082  https://imsj.org/what-is-mad-studies/ Sessions & Information about the host: ⁠⁠JazmineRussell.com⁠⁠ Disclaimer: The DEPTH Work Podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Any information on this podcast in no way to be construed or substituted as psychological counseling, psychotherapy, mental health counseling, or any other type of therapy or medical advice.