The Broken Brain

Latest Episodes:

Monday Mental Tip: Gender Affirming Care Mar 31, 2025

Show notes

What is Gender Affirming Care? It works differently than some people think. Today is Trans Visibility Day, so here is a little rundown of some aspects of this approach that is saving lives and promoting healing at a rate impressive to anyone paying attention.

The highlighted charity this month will be TRANScending Barriers Atlanta. Check out this wonderful nonprofit, specializing in helping Black Transgendered Individuals, at www.transcendingbarriersatl.org.

What Makes A Personality, with Attorney & Author Amber Willingham Mar 30, 2025

Show notes

Amber Willingham writes novels (under the name AL Willingham) focused on the nature of personality, memory, communication, and the illusion of utopia. Her first book, Bliss Creek, tells the story of an amnesiac young women piecing together her life, solving the mystery of who she is. Her latest work, The Petroleum Wars, tells a greater societal story within the same world, looking at how desperation and fighting for resources can bring out problematic choices on a personal and macro level.

Follow her work at www.alwillingham.com.

Remember to check out this month's focus charity, at www.baketheirday.org, a nonprofit bakery in Guam, where they bake birthday cakes for youth in custody.

Will Crouse & The Coder Mar 29, 2025

Show notes

Will Crouse is a filmmaker and the creator of the short film "The Coder," which tells the story of a computer programmer in a high-pressure environment who is also coping with intrusive thoughts.

Go to www.baketheirday.org for this month's highlighted nonprofit.

Motivational Speaking and Coaching as a Therapist with Doug Nielsen Mar 28, 2025

Show notes

Doug Nielsen is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Author, Therapist, Motivational Speaker, and Coach. He is also a good friend, one that I've been meaning to have on the show for a long time. With such an array of roles, Doug tells us how a mental health clinician approaches speaking and coaching, which are related to counseling but have important differences.

Follow Doug's work at www.dougspeaks.com, and check out his book "Take Life By The Helm."

Follow the highlighted charity for March by going to www.baketheirday.org, the website for Bake Their Day, the nonprofit bakery that makes birthday cakes for youth in custody in Guam.

Uncomfortable and Happy vs Comfortable in Misery with Jeff Krasno Mar 25, 2025

Show notes

Returning champion Jeff Krasno! Jeff is a great guest and a great guy. Author of the new book "Good Stress," and host of the Commune with Jeff Krasno Podcast, Jeff shares insights into pushing ourselves to get out of our comfort zone in order to have a healthier body-mind connection and greater emotional satisfaction.

Follow his work at www.goodstress.com, and listen to Commune with Jeff Krasno Podcast (after you finished all the episodes of The Broken Brain of course).

Go to www.baketheirday.org to support this month's featured charity, a nonprofit bakery in Guam that provides birthday cakes to youth in custody.

Monday Mental Tip: Mens Issues Mar 24, 2025

Show notes

How do you tell the difference between an organization that supports and engages with men's issues and one that promotes various forms of toxic masculinity? With psychological health for boys and men frequently being underdiagnosed and untreated, there is a need to have intelligent conversations about how to address these. Too often though these discussions slide into the dengration of women, or paranoia.

Visit www.baketheirday.org to learn more about this month's highlighted charity.

Patreon Sample: Why Aren't Fire Trucks Yellow Except For When They Are? Mar 23, 2025

Show notes

Ever wonder why fire trucks are red? Or how that interacts with the rods and cones in your eyes? and how Henry Ford didn't color up his cars?

No? Well now you can!!!!! In this week's dive into history, we're learning about the ability to see color, what helps and doesn't, and why we continue to do things just because it's what we've done before.

The full episode is available only to the super special patrons, but here is the first 5 minutes of this bonus episode

Michael Caven (Part 2) Mar 21, 2025

Show notes

Michael Caven is a Restauranteur, Advocate, Abuse Survivor, and Writer. He is currently writing his memoir about his experiences of coming out as a Gay man in the 1970s and 80s, suffering sexual and emotional abuse, and healing. Michael co-founded Out On Main in Columbus Ohio, the first LGBTQ themed restaurant in the USA. Follow his work at www.michaelcaven.com

In part 2 of this interview Michael focuses on how he worked on community building and giving back through working as a peer counselor in abuse recovery.

Go to www.baketheirday.org to check out the highlighted charity for this month. Bake Their Day is a nonprofit bakery in Guam, making birthday cakes for youth in custody.

Michael Caven (Part 1) Mar 18, 2025

Show notes

In part 1 of this interview Michael focuses on how he escaped his abuser and beginning of him putting his life together.

Go to www.baketheirday.org to check out the highlighted charity for this month. Bake Their Day is a nonprofit bakery in Guam, making birthday cakes for youth in custody.

Monday Mental Tip: Shrink Your Goals Mar 17, 2025

Show notes

Monday Mental Health Tip: Shrink your goals to help get started in new behavior, habits, Hobbies, or even Hobbits. But don't shrink Hobbits too much...they're already quite small.

www.baketheirday.org is our highlighted charity this month, providing birthday cakes and a humanizing feeling to youth in custody in Guam.