Sometimes running away from your problems is a good thing. Processing all my grief, from losing my mentor to not having kids, through training for another half marathon has been exhausting but special. I never understood how running was supposed to be good for your mental health. Running sounds terrible quite frankly. But the benefits of running with my grief have become clearer and dare I say, I love running now? For anyone looking for a way to navigate living with grief, this episode is for you.

TW: Discussion of suicidal thoughts and suicide.

My biggest fear in life isn't dying, its how I die. I've dealt with suicidal thoughts probably since I was around 14. This is a difficult and very stigmatized topic, but May is Mental Health Awareness Month so I'm talking about it today. We'll talk about the several factors that make people more likely to have these thoughts, how I push through them, and I have one ask for help from you at the end.

For anyone who struggles with their thoughts, know you're not alone. You are wanted in this world.

If you need to talk, the 988 Lifeline is there to call, text, or chat. Learn more about what these thoughts are at my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/suicidal-ideation.

What if your life drastically changed 25 years from now? For today's guest, Katrina Willis, that's exactly what happened. She realized later in her life, after marriage and four kids, that she was actually gay. But how does one come to that conclusion after already having a whole life established? Katrina shares her story of self-discovery and wonderful advice for others that may still feel like they haven't fully become who they're meant to be.

To hear Katrina's full story, check out her memoir Hurricane Lessons, also released as an audiobook narrated by herself.

TW: mention of suicide

Picture it, November 1991, a young nonverbal T.J. Rose is diagnosed with Autism. Fast forward to February 2026, he just won a speech contest! April is Autism Awareness Month and today's returning guest T.J. Rose shares his diagnosis story and life lessons of living with Autism. For anyone who knows and loves someone with Autism, T.J. has some great advice at the end on how you can best support them.

This episode is for the new parents, new job starters, new partners, and anyone feeling like they're failing or behind. Although you may feel like you're failing (your feelings are totes valid), we need to look at the facts. The matter of the fact is you're doing better than you give yourself credit for. This is just a season, not forever.

If you'd rather get a root canal than a compliment, then this episode is for you. There's something about getting praise, whether it's about an outfit or completing a project, that makes me want to immediately run away. But I'm the first person that will tell a stranger her shoes are cute. It's messed up. Today we're breaking down why receiving praise and compliments can be a struggle, and how we're going to break that cycle. Because we deserve better. We deserve to be celebrated. We deserve to be showered with the love we so freely give to others too.

Sometimes you gotta tell that little voice in your head to shut the f*ck up. Self-hatred can be an intense, persistent negative view of yourself, which can lead to self-criticism, shame, and low self-worth. Yesterday my self-hate talk was loud and constant. In this episode I chat about what can cause self-hate talk, what we can do about it, and most importantly, why we deserve better.

For those who fight with self-hate talk, we can challenge those thoughts and seek support to get through. The key is to keep fighting and keep going. Because we deserve better.
TW: mention of suicidal thoughts

Surviving chronic, long-term trauma? Then you need to hear this story. Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD) is a mental health condition that includes standard PTSD symptoms like flashbacks, avoidance, hypervigilance, but can also cause profound emotional dysregulation, chronic shame, worthlessness, and severe relationship struggles. Sound familiar? Today Lala shares her journey from getting diagnosed to trying endless types of treatments until she found something that worked for her. Her story and words of encouragement truly require tissues be on stand by!

Know you're not alone and living with CPTSD is not a failure or your fault.

Learn more about CPTSD from Cleveland Clinic.