Inside Mental Health

Negative self-talk isn’t just annoying — it can quietly shape our decisions, confidence, and impact our mental health. But what if silencing that inner critic isn’t about positive affirmations, gratitude journals, or pretending everything is fine?In this episode, host Gabe Howard sits down with former NBC and CNN Headline News anchor and author Lynn Smith to unpack what negative self-talk really is, why our brains cling to it, and how to reframe it without slipping into toxic positivity. Lynn explains how the brain is wired to protect us through fear-based thinking, why perfectionism and “being realistic” often mask self-sabotage, and how resilience, not positivity, is the skill we actually need.

Listener takeaways

why negative self-talk is rooted in brain wiring, not personal failure

the difference between realistic problem-solving and self-sabotaging thoughts

why toxic positivity often backfires

what “just keep going” looks like during truly hard moments

Together, Gabe and Lynn challenge common mental health clichés, discuss why we should teach resilience earlier in life, and explore what “just keep going” really means when you’re trying to get through the next hour — not the next 5 years.

If you’ve ever felt stuck between brutal self-criticism and empty optimism, this conversation offers a realistic, compassionate path forward.“Anyone that might be thinking, I'm just not going to go for the thing because it's easier to stay safe. If you don't raise your hand, if you don't unmute, if you don’t turn your video on, all of those things are a lot safer. So to you, I would say, imagine your life five years from now and it looks exactly the same. Five years from now you're stuck in that same place…”~Lynn Smith, Former CNN Headline News anchor

Our guest, Lynn Smith, is a media and communication expert who helps high-level leaders turn pressure into presence. A former anchor for NBC News, MSNBC, and CNN Headline News, she now coaches Fortune 500 executives, thought leaders, and entrepreneurs to become magnetic communicators. As founder of Lynn Smith Media & Communications, she helps leaders ditch robotic scripts and deliver messages that move people to action. Her signature framework, The Magnetic CODE, builds trust, clarity, and influence. Lynn is also a keynote speaker, host of the award-winning podcast Strollercoaster, and author of the upcoming children’s book Just Keep Going.

Our host, 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 the author. Gabe is also the host of the "Inside Bipolar" podcast with Dr. Nicole Washington.

Gabe makes his home in the suburbs of Columbus, Ohio. He lives with his supportive wife, Kendall, and a Miniature Schnauzer dog that he never wanted, but now can’t imagine life without. To book Gabe for your next event or learn more about him, please visit gabehoward.com.

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For many people, religion is a source of comfort — but what happens when it becomes a source of fear, shame, or lifelong anxiety? In this episode, author Cassandra Brandt shares her deeply personal journey through religious indoctrination, purity culture, and the hidden mental health consequences that followed her into adulthood.Cassandra unpacks the emotional toll of being raised in an evangelical Christian environment: fearing the end times as a child, internalizing guilt as a spiritual obligation, and believing mental illness was a sign of demonic influence. She explains how these messages shaped her anxiety, self-worth, relationships, and even her sense of identity.Listener takeaways

The mental health impact of purity culture on girls and women

why religious trauma is often dismissed — and why that’s dangerous

how religious indoctrination can create lifelong anxiety, guilt, and shame

Through honesty and courage, Cassandra highlights the often ignored reality of religious trauma — what it looks like, why it’s misunderstood, and why so many people struggle to talk about it without being dismissed as “anti-religion.” She also shares how therapy, education, and new philosophies helped her rebuild her life, develop healthier relationships, and raise her daughter without fear-based teachings.Whether you’ve experienced religious trauma or want to understand someone who has, this candid conversation sheds light on an uncomfortable but essential mental health topic.“Millions of people find peace in religion. I'm not trying to throw the baby out with the bathwater. But fundamentalist evangelical theology can truly and genuinely hurt people emotionally and intellectually when it's done in this fire and brimstone sort of way, especially toward children. You can tell a child a thousand sweet stories about Jesus, but the one that's going to stick out in their head is the one that you tell them about the hell that they're going to if they don't believe. Some children won't experience sleepless nights and terror about eternal damnation. Some adults won't experience trauma later. But others will.” ~Cassandra Brandt, religious trauma survivor

Our guest, Cassandra Brandt is an author, advocate, and aspiring Stoic based in rural Arizona. A steelworker prior to a spinal cord injury in 2015, Cassandra now writes full time, blogging for disability publications and writing for literary magazines. Her multiple books are available on Amazon. Cassandra speaks against ableism and for equity, and believes in the rights of animals and our obligation to the Earth. She writes about deconstruction from religion, utilizing philosophy and what it means to be human.

Our host, 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 the author. Gabe is also the host of the "Inside Bipolar" podcast with Dr. Nicole Washington.

Gabe makes his home in the suburbs of Columbus, Ohio. He lives with his supportive wife, Kendall, and a Miniature Schnauzer dog that he never wanted, but now can’t imagine life without. To book Gabe for your next event or learn more about him, please visit gabehoward.com.

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Medication nonadherence in schizophrenia is often framed as defiance — but that narrative misses the truth and harms the very people it claims to help.

Guest host Rachel Star Withers (who lives with schizophrenia) unpacks why up to 70% of people with schizophrenia have trouble taking medication as prescribed — and why the reasons are far more complex than “noncompliance.” From severe side effects and cognitive symptoms to stigma, trauma, access issues, and being dismissed by providers, this conversation exposes the real barriers standing in the way of effective treatment.

Rachel shares deeply personal experiences of both intentional and unintentional nonadherence, including how side effects like extreme fatigue and tardive dyskinesia shaped her decisions — and how lack of education nearly cost her years of quality of life. The episode also explores how medication refusal can be weaponized, stripping people with schizophrenia of autonomy under the guise of “lack of insight.”

Later, Rachel sits down with board certified toxicologist and psychopharmacologist Dr. Alberto Augsten, who brings clarity, hope, and science to the discussion. Together, they explore long-acting injectable antipsychotics (LAIs), new treatment advances, realistic expectations, and how education — not force — improves outcomes.

If you’ve ever wondered why medication adherence is so difficult in schizophrenia — and what actually helps — this episode delivers answers rooted in empathy, evidence, and lived experience.

Our guest, Dr. Alberto Augsten, is a board certified toxicologist and psychopharmacologist. He is a consultant and expert witness specializing in psychopharmacology and clinical toxicology. Offering professional, impactful, and strategic consulting services, Dr. Augsten caters to legal, healthcare, and clinical practice development. His expertise encompasses many areas, ensuring clients receive top-notch guidance and insights.

Dr. Augsten specializes in providing tailored consulting services to assist in the development and optimization of clinical practice standards. His expertise covers many areas crucial for clinic development, allowing for standard of care reviews concerning those matters.

Dr. Augsten's influence extends beyond his clinical practice. He offers consultation and education services to pharmaceutical companies, contributing to the advancement of pharmaceutical knowledge and practices. Through his contributions, he is helping to improve patient outcomes and ensure the highest quality of care.

Our guest host, Rachel Star Withers, creates videos documenting her schizophrenia, ways to manage, and let others like her know they’re 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.” Learn more at RachelStarLive.com.

Fun Fact: She has wrestled alligators.

Our host, 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 the author. Gabe is also the host of the "Inside Bipolar" podcast with Dr. Nicole Washington.

Gabe makes his home in the suburbs of Columbus, Ohio. He lives with his supportive wife, Kendall, and a Miniature Schnauzer dog that he never wanted, but now can’t imagine life without. To book Gabe for your next event or learn more about him, please visit gabehoward.com.
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Most people imagine schizophrenia beginning with dramatic hallucinations or sudden breaks from reality—but the truth is far more subtle, far more complicated, and far easier to miss. In this special featured episode from Inside Schizophrenia, host Rachel Star Withers, who lives openly with schizophrenia, joins co-host Gabe Howard to unpack the quiet red flags that often go unnoticed for months—or even years.

You’ll hear how early symptoms differ across children, teens, and adults, why up to 80% of people with schizophrenia don’t realize they’re experiencing warning signs, and how everyday stressors can mask the earliest hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized thinking. Psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner Carlos Larrauri, who also lives with schizophrenia, joins the conversation to explain what current research is uncovering about prodromal stages and early detection efforts.

Listener Takeaways

Why early schizophrenia symptoms are so subtle that most people overlook them

Key differences in warning signs across children, teens, and adults

Why families often miss early red flags—and why that’s understandable

What researchers are doing to identify schizophrenia sooner

From shadow people to slipping grades, from forgotten appointments to unexplained sensory sensitivity, this episode pulls back the curtain on the earliest—and most misunderstood—phase of schizophrenia.

Whether you’re a parent, partner, friend, clinician, or simply curious, this episode offers the clarity, compassion, and insight needed to recognize when something deeper may be happening long before a crisis appears.

Our guest, Carlos A. Larrauri, MSN, is co-chair of the Accelerating Medicines Partnership® Schizophrenia (AMP® SCZ) and has formerly served on the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and NAMI Miami-Dade County Board of Directors. Diagnosed with schizophrenia at 23 years old, access to quality mental health care, community-based treatment, and early intervention afforded him the best opportunity for recovery.

Mr. Larrauri is pursuing a law degree at the University of Michigan Law School and a concurrent master in public administration at the Harvard Kennedy School, where he was Zuckerman Fellow at Harvard’s Center for Public Leadership. He’s board certified as a family nurse practitioner and psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner and formerly lectured at the University of Miami and Miami Dade College.

Mr. Larrauri aspires to interface advocacy and research to reduce health inequities for people living with mental illness. To learn more about Carlos and his work, visit his website or his LinkedIn.

Our guest host, Rachel Star Withers, creates videos documenting her schizophrenia, ways to manage, and let others like her know they’re 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.” Learn more at RachelStarLive.com.

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Hallucinations are the most recognized—and most misunderstood—symptom of schizophrenia. Movies depict them as dramatic, terrifying commands or cinematic visions, but the lived reality is far more complex. In this episode we unravel what hallucinations actually are, why they happen, and how people learn to live with them.

This episode is a special feature from our sister show Inside Schizophrenia. Hosted by Rachel Star Withers (who lives with schizophrenia), with Gabe Howard as co-host. (Don’t worry, new Inside Mental Health episodes return in 2026.)

In this episode, Rachel shares her own experiences, from everyday “simple” hallucinations like sounds or shifting faces, to more intense, emotion-laden complex hallucinations. She challenges the assumption that hallucinations are always violent or dangerous—and breaks down the critical differences between hallucinations and sensory disturbances.

Expert guest Dr. Paul Fitzgerald joins the conversation to explain how the brain creates these perceptual misfires, why hallucinations in schizophrenia differ from those caused by grief, sleep deprivation, or drugs, and what current research reveals about how universal these experiences are across different cultures and countries.

Listener Takeaways

The difference between simple vs. complex hallucinations

Why hallucinations in schizophrenia feel different from drug- or grief-based ones

Why reducing—not eliminating—hallucinations is often the realistic recovery goal

How CBT and coping strategies help reduce fear and regain control

Whether you live with schizophrenia, love someone who does, or are simply curious about how the brain works, this episode offers clarity, compassion, and surprising insights you won’t forget.

Guest, Professor Paul Fitzgerald, completed his medical degree at Monash University and subsequently a Master of Psychological Medicine whilst completing psychiatric training. He then undertook a Clinical and Research Fellowship at the University of Toronto and The Clarke Institute of Psychiatry, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. On returning to Melbourne, he worked as a psychiatrist and completed a PhD in transcranial magnetic stimulation in schizophrenia. Since completing this PhD, he has developed a substantial research program including a team of over 25 psychiatrists, registrars, postdoctoral researchers, research assistants, research nurses, and students.

Professor Fitzgerald runs a research program across both MAPrc and Epworth Clinic using brain stimulation and neuroimaging techniques including transcranial magnetic stimulation, functional and structural MRI, EEG, and near infrared spectroscopy.  The primary focus of this program is on the development of new brain stimulation-based treatments for psychiatric disorders.

Guest host, Rachel Star Withers, creates videos documenting her schizophrenia, ways to manage, and let others like her know they’re 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.” Learn more at RachelStarLive.com.

Our host, 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 the author. Gabe is also the host of the "Inside Bipolar" podcast with Dr. Nicole Washington.

Gabe makes his home in the suburbs of Columbus, Ohio. He lives with his supportive wife, Kendall, and a Miniature Schnauzer dog that he never wanted, but now can’t imagine life without. To book Gabe for your next event or learn more about him, please visit gabehoward.com.
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