News and Happenings

After Zak Williams lost his father, the beloved actor Robin Williams, to suicide, he found that advocating for mental health care and helping others access wellness also charted a path to his own healing. Zak joins Claire to talk about his grieving journey, the mental wellness company he co-founded called PYM and the Lemonada Media podcast Call For Help which examines the new nationwide 988 suicide & crisis lifeline.

Pain. Suffering. Grief. These are all things most people try to avoid. But Rabbi Steve Leder knows his life is more purposeful because it was transformed by the pain he’s experienced in his life. In this beautiful conversation, Claire and Rabbi Leder discuss how he came to that realization, what he does when he gets overwhelmed by the magnitude of the Earth’s chaos and suffering, and what it means to live life like a good ancestor. Plus, Rabbi Leder encourages you to create an ethical will to leave behind for your loved ones.

Are you frequently checking out your ex’s social media accounts? Whether it’s a romantic or platonic ex, Claire gives you some tips on how to stop checking up on people you’ve had a falling out with — and a little insight into why we do it. Plus, she answers a question from a listener who is feeling anxious about returning to “normal” at this stage of the pandemic.

Are you guilty of doomscrolling? Claire gives you some tips on how to cut down on this compulsive habit. Plus, she answers a question from a listener whose husband refuses to get help for his anxiety.

Waking up to the realization that you drunk-dialed someone the night before can be pretty embarrassing. But for Tara Schuster, it was life changing. The night of her 25th birthday, Tara drunk-dialed her therapist pleading for help. The next morning, she decided to find that help she begged for. Tara tells Claire how she realized she needed to re-parent herself, the techniques she initially scoffed at that proved most helpful for her, and what advice she has for people at the beginning of their own healing journey. Plus, she reveals to Claire what celebrity she uses as her stand-in for an ideal parent.

Are you curious about psychedelic therapy? Claire lays out the basics about this increasingly popular therapy technique and gives you some tips for learning more about using substances like ketamine, mushrooms, MDMA, and ayahuasca in a therapeutic setting. Her first and most important tip: consult your medical team before considering this kind of treatment. Plus, she answers a question from a listener who wants their teenage son to take more responsibility for his actions.

Are you looking for guidance as you try and comfort a child who is grieving? Claire gives you some tips on developmentally-appropriate ways to help a grieving child. Plus, she answers a question from a listener who is struggling to forgive herself for her affair.

It’s hard to find someone these days who isn’t experiencing some degree of burnout. Connor Franta hit the proverbial wall after years of sharing parts of his life with his millions of social media followers. But there was one huge part of himself he kept a secret not only from his followers, but also from his friends and family. Connor tells Claire what it meant to find a supportive community online, how it felt to publicly come out on YouTube in 2014, and how he’s adjusted his social media use in order to combat burnout. Plus, Connor reads a poem from his latest book, “House Fires.”

Are you experiencing anxiety alongside your grief? Claire gives you some tips for managing the anxiety that commonly accompanies grieving. Plus, she answers a question from a listener who finds herself intellectualizing her response to her husband’s recent medical diagnosis.

Most people are familiar with PTSD, but may not have heard of C-PTSD — complex post-traumatic stress disorder. Journalist and author Stephanie Foo hadn’t heard of C-PTSD until she was diagnosed with it in 2018. Stephanie chronicles her journey of healing from complex trauma in her book, “What My Bones Know.” Stephanie tells Claire how she found the treatment that finally worked for her, what she learned about intergenerational trauma along the way, and what changes she wants to see in the mental health space to make it more inclusive.