Take What Serves. Leave the Rest.

My Experience with Mental Health Medication

This week I’m talking about my experience with medication for mental health. 

There can be a lot of fear, opinions and anxiety around this topic. 

I get it. I’ve been there.

There have been times where I’ve questioned if medication would change who I am. If it would zap my creativity. If it would disconnect me from who I authentically am. I’ve wondered if I was cheating on life, or taking the easy way out. 

As a mental health advocate, I think it’s important for me to share that medication has been very helpful for me. I take it every morning. It’s a piece of my toolkit, along with a number of different things that help me ride the waves of this human experience.

You can resonate with holistic approaches AND take meds. It doesn’t have to be one or the other.

GeneSight test website: https://genesight.com/

Follow me on Instagram: @BryanPiatt

(This podcast is not meant to replace therapy. If you feel you need it, we encourage you to reach out to a licensed mental health professional)

New To Therapy? We’ve Got You Covered

Stepping into therapy can feel overwhelming sometimes. If you're new to the process, we've got you covered in this episode. Bryan explores some of the common questions that come up when beginning therapy and helps you lean in. 

Bryan chats with Dr. Anastasia Ristau & Dr. Anna Bohlinger about what therapy is, how to find a therapist, what they hope people experience when working with them, and much more.

Dr. Ristau is a Psychologist and the Director of Psychotherapeutics at PrairieCare. Dr. Bohlinger is a licensed marriage and family therapist at PrairieCare. 

You can follow Bryan on Instagram: @BryanPiatt

(This podcast is not meant to replace therapy. If you feel you need it, we encourage you to reach out to a licensed mental health professional)

Meditation & Mental Health with Jesse Israel

In this episode, Bryan chats with Jesse Israel about meditation.

Jesse is the Founder of The Big Quiet, which is a mass meditation movement, aimed at gathering people to meditate together. Jesse recently went on tour with Oprah for her Vision 2020 tour. 

Jesse shares his struggles with mental health when he was operating a successful record label in his early 20's, and how meditation helped him find relief. He talks more about what it was like to go on tour with Oprah, and what's happening in our bodies when we meditate. 

Visit TheBigQuiet.com to learn more about his virtual meditation course, and upcoming events. 

You can follow Jesse on Instagram: @jessieisrael.

You can follow Bryan on Instagram: @bryanpiatt.

(This podcast is not meant to replace therapy. If you feel you need it, we encourage you to reach out to a licensed mental health professional)

Real Talk About Intrusive Thoughts

In this episode, Bryan continues his conversation with OCD advocate Chrissie Hodges. They get real about intrusive thoughts that are very common for some people who struggle with obsessive-compulsive disorder. 

Chrissie talks about the type of therapy that is considered the "gold standard" for people who struggle with OCD, and why it's important to start talking to kids about intrusive thoughts. 

You can follow Chrissie on Instagram: @pureochrissie 
You can follow Chrissie on YouTube, too.
Chrissie's website: http://www.chrissiehodges.com/

You can follow Bryan on Instagram: @bryanpiatt

(This podcast is not meant to replace therapy. If you feel you need it, we encourage you to reach out to a licensed mental health professional)

The Invisible Side of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

In this episode Bryan talks to OCD advocate Chrissie Hodges. 

Chrissie shares her experience of living with symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder for over 12 years, and not having any idea what it was. She shares how intrusive thoughts and mental compulsions consumed her life - eventually causing her to attempt suicide. Chrissie is now an absolute force in the world of OCD advocacy. She’s the Founder of OCD Peers & OCD Gamechangers, a peer support specialist, and the author of “Pure OCD: The Invisible Side of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder”.

You can follow Chrissie on Instagram: @pureochrissie 
You can follow Chrissie on YouTube, too.
Chrissie's website: http://www.chrissiehodges.com/

You can follow Bryan on Instagram: @bryanpiatt

(This podcast is not meant to replace therapy. If you feel you need it, we encourage you to reach out to a licensed mental health professional)

Navigating Grief During the Holidays

In this episode, Bryan invites grief therapist Kelly Grosklags on the podcast to talk about navigating grief during the holidays. 

While the holidays can be a time of abundant joy, it can also be a very heavy, challenging time of the year for those experiencing grief. 

Kelly talks about being mindful of our expectations as we step into the holidays, ways to honor the loved ones we’ve lost, and how the pandemic may be adding an extra layer to our grief.

Kelly Grosklags is a licensed psychotherapist who specializes in grief and loss. She is the founder of “Conversations with Kelly”, which is an online platform and healing community bringing people together regardless of what they’re struggling with. Kelly is also the author of “A Comforted Heart” and the host of the Conversations with Kelly Podcast. 

Follow Kelly on Facebook here.
Kelly's Instagram: @cwkheals

You can follow Bryan on Instagram: @bryanpiatt 

(This podcast is not meant to replace work with a therapist. If you feel you need it, we encourage you to reach out to a licensed mental health professional.)

BONUS EPISODE: Guided Breathwork Meditation

To go alongside the episode about breathwork, Bryan has released this guided breathwork meditation for you to try, if the practice is speaking to you. 

Find a comfortable place to lay down, cover yourself with a blanket - and breathe.

It might feel nice to put an eye/sleep mask on to block out the light. It's best to lay your head directly on the ground, without using a pillow. We like to keep your throat open throughout the process. 

IMPORTANT: If you have any medical conditions it is your responsibility to consult with your doctor before doing breathwork. I do not provide medical advice or grant permission for what is safe for your body. If at any time you feel unsafe moving forward with this meditation you can stop, breathe through your nose, and open your eyes. Affirm your safety. If you have a history of trauma and prefer to do this work in person or live virtually you can contact me or another practitioner for a 1:1 session.

My email: BryanMPiatt@gmail.com

Meeting Ourselves Gently Through Breathwork

In this episode, Bryan explores the world of Breathwork.

Breathwork is a powerful tool to help guide us from our minds, into our bodies. Beyond just bringing awareness to our breath, Breathwork is an active breathing practice that has the power to help us release emotions that we carry within - and meet ourselves more gently.

Bryan is joined by George Ramsay, who is a breathwork facilitator living in Venice, California. George shares how he discovered the practice - and how it’s helped cultivate more self love after growing up gay in North Carolina.

Bryan also talks with Samantha Collins, who’s a breathwork facilitator in the Twin Cities. Samantha describes what Breathwork means to her and what the practice feels like in her body.

Be sure to check out the guided breathwork session Bryan released along with this episode, so you can experience the practice yourself. 

George’s website: https://bit.ly/3ECjyT9
George teaches breathwork with the online platform “Open”: https://o-p-e-n.com/
*Use the promo code “GEORGE30” for a free month with Open. 
Follow George on Instagram: @thebreathworks 

Follow Samantha on Instagram: @samanthaconnected 

(This podcast is not meant to replace work with a therapist. If you feel you need it, please reach out to a licensed mental health professional.)

Feeling Unreal: What Is Depersonalization & Derealization?

In this episode, Bryan talks about depersonalization & derealization. 

Depersonalization is often described as feeling detached from oneself, and derealization is described as feeling detached from one’s surroundings. Both can leave someone feeling like they are living in a dream-like state, which can be incredibly scary.

Bryan shares how he started experiencing it when he was in middle school and lived several years having no idea what was going on. He shares what eventually helped him find out that he wasn’t the only one feeling this, and the tools that have helped him maneuver it. 

If you are experiencing depersonalization or derealization, we hope this episode is a soft place to land, and a reminder that you are not alone. 

Check out Kimberley Quinlan on Instagram: @kimberleyquinlan 

You can find Bryan on Instagram, too: @BryanPiatt 

This is the YouTube video that Bryan referenced: https://bit.ly/3lmS2BL

This is the book about depersonalization Bryan mentioned: https://amzn.to/3roFvRZ.

(This podcast is not meant to replace work with a therapist. If you feel you need it, we encourage you to reach out to a licensed professional)

It‘s OK If You Don‘t Feel Grateful This Thanksgiving

In this episode, Bryan talks about being mindful of our expectations this Thanksgiving. 

We're bombarded with messages that we're "supposed" to feel gratitude and joy around the holidays. Bryan reminds us that there's also room for anxiety, depression, shame, doubt & grief when it arises, too. It doesn't mean you're doing it wrong. It means you're human.

Bryan shares what helps many of you manage your mental health this time of the year.

As always - take what serves you, and leave the rest. 

Follow Bryan:
Instagram: @BryanPiatt
On Facebook here.

(This podcast is not meant to replace work with a therapist. If you feel you need it, please reach out to a licensed professional.)