Caffeinated Podcast Adventures & Lessons Learned

TGIF, my friends!

I hope that you’re doing well!

As some of you may know, I was super-anxious to record my 1st episode with “Dr. Kat” of the program Mom & Mind. Fortunately, she was so awesome & encouraging that I was able to calm down.

Then last Monday I joined the hosts of Podcast One’s Mind Full program to talk about postpartum bipolar disorder. Mind Full’s Alicia Perkins and Colleen Lindstrom were great and they set me at ease from the get-go.

However, I made a royal brainfart (lovely word, I know!) when I scheduled our talk. I thought our appointment was 4:45 p.m. Pacific Time. I deliberately chose that slot because it’s when I usually get a second wind and take Lucy out for her walk. At the very last minute (i.e. the morning of the recording day) I realized the schedule said Central Time, not Pacific.

Arrgh! Our time wasn’t 4:45 p.m. but at 2:45 p.m. when I was still totally dragging energy-wise. I worried I’d sound like a zombie.

So I broke my “no coffee in the afternoon” rule. I glugged a gallon big cup of Peet’s organic shortly before our recording time.

The lessons I learned were:

1) Be far more careful when scheduling anything!

2) Do not drink coffee before recording a podcast!!!

I’m happy to say that it all worked out despite my jitters. One of my gracious hosts admitted that she had just downed some coffee herself at 5:00 p.m.!

When I find out the air date, I’ll let you know!

 

Meanwhile, I’m always on the lookout for intriguing mental health-themed podcasts, especially ones that have a bipolar focus. Last week I found one called Bipolar Style.

Here’s the promo blurb:

“Bipolar Style™ is a new podcast, hosted by @JohnEmotions, about life from a manic-depressive perspective!”

I encourage you to check out host @JohnEmotions’ heartfelt and entertaining observations from the perspective of one who works a “regular job” with his bipolar on the “DL”/down low – I guarantee you’ll relate to many of the topics he discusses, whether or not you’re working!

He’s seeking podcast guests so if that interests you, give him a shout! I really love the short format of 15 minutes, too.

To listen to the Bipolar Style podcasts go to this link.  Visit BipolarStyle.com for more info. & you can find John Emotions (who loves to network & help promote fellow bp tribe members) on Twitter at @BipolarStyle

Dr. Kat

Also, if you didn’t have a chance to hear my first podcast with “Dr. Kat” you can still do it! Go to this link

To check out Dr. Kat’s 69 other Mom & Mind podcasts please visit here.

That’s all the news that’s fit to blog, but in the next few weeks, I’ll have other things to write about, such as what it feels like to finally have my book published, and what it feels like to receive good reviews…..and not-so-good reviews!!!!

I appreciate your support so much! Thanks for reading this blog and for spreading the word about these worthy podcasts.

Have a good weekend!

Love,

Dyane 

 

Birth of a New Brain – Healing from Postpartum Bipolar Disorder, with a foreword by Dr. Carol Henshaw, will be published by Post Hill Press on October 10th, 2017. Birth of a New Brain is available on Amazon for Kindle and paperback pre-sales.

 

 

 

Cool Mental Health Podcasts Aplenty!

What a striking logo – I love it!

 

Do you listen to podcasts? I’m a relative latecomer to the podcast world, but hey, better late than never, right?

Thanks to Lucy’s daily walk, I’ve turned into quite the podcast connoisseur. We strut our stuff for 20 minutes. At that point my girl gets tired so we head for an empty baseball field. Lucy hangs out on the grass while I walk laps around the dugout. That’s the perfect time to listen to downloaded podcasts on my cell phone’s speaker – some people prefer headphones. You can listen to podcasts in cars, at home, at the gym, standing in line at the market (just kidding – you’d get lots of glares unless you have headphones! 😉 etc.

Once again I must remind you Lucy is so darn cute, and the hound is thirsty after powering out those twenty minutes. Because I love to spoil her rotten, I bring a plastic bowl I fill with a bottle of water. She chillaxes and rehydrates in the great outdoors while I get in my workout!

When freshly bathed, this furry beast appears half her size!

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When I began my podcast exploration, I started out with the best of the best:  Mohr Stories on Podcast One.

Mohr Stories is hosted by actor, comedian, poet, author, and sports enthusiast, Jay Mohr.  Here’s the podcast description: 

“Each week, laugh, be surprised and think deep, as Jay talks to an entertainer, athlete, musician, author or game-changer about showbiz, comedy, and life beyond your typical interview conversation. Guests have included Anthony Bourdain, Perez Hilton, Lou Diamond Phillips, Sugar Ray Leonard, Jay Leno, Reggie Watts and more. Frequent visitors include John DiMaggio, Brad Williams, Jim Jeffries, Adam Carolla, and of course, the occasional Christopher Walken impersonation.”

Last year Jay invited me to be on Mohr Stories but I wanted to wait until after Birth of a New Brain was published in October. When the air date is confirmed, I’ll let you know!

The super-cool hosts Alisha Perkins and Colleen Lindstrom of Mind Full

 

Mind Full is “an open, honest and entertaining discussion about mental & physical health, hosted by author, runner, and baseball wife Alisha Perkins, and MyTalk 107.1 radio personality Colleen Lindstrom.” 

I’m really enjoying reading Alisha’s memoir Running Home: Big-League Wife, Small-Town Story about living with anxiety, long-distance running (which I used to do until I blew out my knee), and glimpses of what it’s like being married to a high-profile baseball player – there’s much more to it than that, of course.

Alsha’s eye-catching cover!

To listen to Mind Full, visit this link.

I’m recording an episode with Alisha and Colleen in late September & I’ll post the air date when I know it! 

Then there’s the popular Mom and Mind podcast with Dr. Katayune Kaeni. “Dr Kat” is an internet friend of mine and she invited me to be a podcast guest a while ago, but I wasn’t ready to do that until now. Here’s the description:

This podcast is for new mothers, new fathers, families and the health care providers who support them. We discuss the things you need to know about your mental health during the transition to motherhood and parenthood. It’s for partners too, who are also going through their own changes. Dr. Kat, a specialist in maternal mental health, interviews moms, dads, experts and advocates about how to cope, manage and recover from perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. We talk about postpartum depression, postpartum anxiety and SO MUCH MORE! We get real. We get honest. We put on our stigma crushing boots and address the realities of the transition to motherhood and parenthood while offering hope, healing, and resources for help. Please find more information at http://www.momandmind.com”

 Mom and Mind is on iTunes – you can visit the link here. 

 

I want to check out the podcast archives at:

The Mental Illness Happy Hour

and

The Hilarious World of Depression 

 

Both of those podcasts have gotten a lot of praise. If I come across a particularly cool episode, I’ll be sure to share it here. And if you have a favorite podcast, please tell me about it in the comments!

Have a good weekend, my friends! Until next week, lots of love! 

Dyane

 

You can read my latest article here: SELF Magazine “We Need to Talk About Postpartum Bipolar Disorder” 

 

Dyane’s memoir Birth of a New Brain – Healing from Postpartum Bipolar Disorder, with a foreword by Dr. Carol Henshaw, will be published by Post Hill Press on October 10th, 2017. Birth of a New Brain is available on Amazon for paperback pre-sales. Kindle pre-sales will be available in early September.

Spiders in the Night Make Me Tired

It’s 10:30 a.m. and I’m tired.

Yesterday evening I received a disturbing email from a relative. It was unsettling because its content indicated that the relative has some signs of Alzheimer’s. (Kitt, I plan on reading your Bipolar and Dementia blog post today!)

Later that night around 2:00 a.m., one of my girls woke me out of a deep-ish sleep (which in itself is extremely rare!) to tell me there was a big black spider by her bed and I needed to send it to Spider Heaven STAT!!!

When I got to her room,  I found not one, but two of the creepy crawlers, plus there were two other spiders in the hallway! (Bipolar on Fire, my fellow arachnophobist, I thought of you!) 

Ahhhhhh!!!  

I do not like spiders!

As Dr. Seuss wrote in Green Eggs and Ham,

“I would not like them
Here or there.
I would not like them
Anywhere.”

Sorry, spiders of the world, it’s nothing personal. 

At least I can look on  the bright side here – at least the spiders weren’t as big as this:

 

 

Did I mention I have poison oak…the second time this summer!  I guess I need to be more aware of those “leaves of three (and) let them be” once and for all!

These are small problems, well, except for the dementia issue, but I’ll be okay. When I take Lucy for her walk later this afternoon, that will give me an attitude adjustment.

As long as I keep away from the poison oak, ticks, and of course, spiders!

 

What is it about Alice Cooper that’s so gosh darn likable? Hmm, maybe I could dress up as him for Halloween this year!

 

Thanks for reading and an extra-big thanks for your encouragement over the past few weeks!!! Have a great weekend!

XOXO,

Dyane

 

 

Dyane’s memoir Birth of a New Brain – Healing from Postpartum Bipolar Disorder, with a foreword by Dr. Carol Henshaw, will be published by Post Hill Press on October 10th, 2017. Birth of a New Brain is available on Amazon for paperback pre-sales. Kindle pre-sales will be available in early September.