Category: Debra Sloss
Voices of Recovery: Living with Psychotic Symptoms (Remix)
Episode 84: Psychosis is more common than most realize—affecting up to 3 in 100 people in the U.S.—and early treatment not only improves recovery but also reduces negative impacts on the brain and leads to better outcomes. In this remixed episode, host Debra Sloss talks with Dr. Jennifer Davis, psychiatrist, Tim Beveridge and Kenah Roberts about understanding and recovering from psychotic symptoms. This new version also includes a heartfelt “In Your Voice” story contributed by Angela, who shares a powerful personal view of living with psychosis and finding hope in recovery.
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How Stories Shape Our Mental Health
Episode 83: Guest host Youssef Hassanein talks with therapist Lisa Slede and Harvard health communications expert Amanda Yarnell about how personal and cultural narratives can heal, connect, or mislead us. Amanda offers tips for navigating digital misinformation, and storyteller John A. Jacobs reflects on how creative expression has shaped his life. It leaves listeners with the question: What stories guide your life, and how might crafting them more intentionally support your well-being?
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KSQD Host Debra Sloss Named Mental Health Hero
Debra Sloss, Host and Producer of State of Mind Radio and Podcast, has been named a 2025 Mental...
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Facing Death: Living with Terminal Illness
Episode 82: Guest host Patrice Vecchione explores the mental health challenges of living with a terminal illness. Featuring the late Megan Myers’s moving story, insights from palliative care physician Dr. John Hausdorff, and reflections from Kevin Christine Kennedy, who is now nearing the end of her life. Together, they share how people face loss while also finding courage, hope, and meaning at life’s end. Find resources from this episode in the show notes.
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Self-Care in Hard Times: Recipes for Resilience (Remix)
Episode 81: In this episode, we explore how self-care can sustain us through hard times. Host Debra Sloss and psychotherapist Kara Bowman reflect on a series of moving listener-submitted stories that reveal how simple, soulful practices can nourish resilience. From music to movement, these everyday acts offer powerful ways to stay grounded amid adversity. Tune in for wisdom, inspiration, and gentle reminders that self-care is essential.
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Suicide Loss: Living with the Pain and Learning to Heal (Remix)
Episode 80: What happens after a loved one dies by suicide? In this poignant episode, Leslie Nielsen shares the loss of her adult son, while another woman reflects on losing her mother. Former suicide prevention director Carly Memoli offers insight into the unique grief that follows and how healing can begin—a raw and hopeful glimpse into learning to live with unimaginable pain and grief.
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Aging with Resilience: Wisdom for Living Fully at Every Age
Episode 79: Guest host Patrice Vecchione leads a heartfelt conversation with three vibrant elders—Barbara Stark, Alice Tao, and Elliot Ruchowitz-Roberts—about how they’ve embraced aging with purpose and adaptability. Plus senior care specialist Ruth Nickens offers practical insights from her 40-year career. Whether you’re 25 or 95, this rich discussion will reshape how you think about aging.
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Men and Therapy: Breaking the Silence (Remix)
Episode 78: More men are embracing therapy and challenging old stigmas. In this remixed episode, Guest Host Lisa Herendeen, LMFT talks with Joey Fino, Mark Vanderhoof, and psychotherapist Tim Hartnett, PhD about how therapy can transform men’s lives. We’ve also added a powerful “In Your Voice” story, reflecting on how therapy supported Daniel’s journey from adolescence to adulthood. Tune in for a compelling conversation on healing, connection, and emotional growth.
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Harnessing Awe: A Simple Practice That Can Transform Your Life
Episode 77: Awe isn’t just a beautiful emotion—it’s a powerful tool for well-being. Research shows it can reduce stress, ease anxiety, lift mood, and even relieve chronic pain. Host Debra Sloss is joined by Dr. Michael Amster, co-author of The Power of Awe, and Jaime Garcia to explore how awe regulates the nervous system, enhances mental health, and simple ways to cultivate it in just one minute a day.
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Medical Aid in Dying: A Mental Health Perspective
Episode 76: Medical Aid in Dying (MAID) allows terminally ill, mentally capable adults to self-ingest prescribed medication to pass peacefully on their own terms. As the Baby Boomer generation ages, end-of-life choices are more relevant than ever. Psychotherapist and host Debra Sloss is joined by Dr. Lisa Segnitz, a palliative care physician, Kim Stokely, who supported her sister through MAID, and Neil Vargas-Gladen, a chaplain offering spiritual insights. Together, they explore MAID’s ethical, medical, mental health and emotional dimensions.
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