CHECK YOUR HEAD: Mental Help for Musicians

Mari Fong interviews Jared Watson of Dirty Heads and Dave Schools of and the Neal Casal Foundation and Widespread Panic. Jared Watson shares how his hard partying ways with Dirty Heads ("Lay Me Down," "Stand Tall") descended into alcohol and drug abuse. He recollects his wake up call when rushed to the hospital, barely able to move from his tour bunk bed. Depression and anxiety followed, with his road to recover...

Mari Fong interviews singer-songwriter Amos Lee and Dr. Melissa Boudin, psychologist and Clinical Director of Choosing Therapy. Amos Lee spent his life coping with anxiety and panic attacks which led him to be agoraphobic at the tender age of 10 years-old.  Lee shares his panic attack recovery tools, and also how to best support someone with mood disorders.  We'll also play a clip of his single, "Worry No More" from ...

Mari Fong interviews Matt Brandyberry of From Ashes to New and Eva Marie AKA Amanda Lyberg, psychotherapist and lead singer of Eva Under Fire.  Matt Brandyberry shares his story what led to his personal breakdown which triggered panic attacks, anxiety and depression. The pros and cons of competitiveness. From Ashes to New's single and latest album "Panic" is an insight to these moods along with 3 EPs dropped in 2021 ...

Mari Fong interviews contemporary classical pianist RIOPY and Dr. Benjamin Miller, PsyD and President of Well Being Trust.  Pianist and composer Jean-Philippe Rio-Py (RIOPY), who wrote the score for award-winning films The Shape of Water and The Danish Girl, grew up in a cult where he was physically and emotionally abused until his escape. As a child, he survived by escaping to the piano, where he could quiet his mind from his OCD,...

Mari Fong interviews Nina Ljeti and Jacob Loeb of Kills Birds, and Johanna Kandel of the National Alliance For Eating Disorders.  Nina and Jacob of the band Kills Birds share their  pandemic challenges, depression solutions, Nina's toxic relationship recovery, and the story behind Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters inviting the band to record their latest album, "Married," at his studio and as an opening act for the Foos...

Mari Fong interviews Wesley Schultz of The Lumineers with Kerri Abernathy, Marriage & Family Therapist and Addiction Specialist.  Schultz shares how a family member's severe alcoholism and  mood disorders affect him and his wife and the lives of other family members. The muse for The Lumineers's song "Gloria," this woman was sent to the ER 99 times in one year due to her alcoholism. Finding help with an addi...

Mari Fong is interviewed by musician Kat Jensen on living with depression and hormone balance recovery with Dr. Gary Donovitz, founder of BioTE, a customize bioidentical hormone replacement therapy.  We begin the 3rd season of the CHECK YOUR HEAD Podcast with your host Mari Fong sharing how hormone imbalance and stress were triggers for bouts of depression and anxiety throughout her life.  After finding the right antidepressant and...

Mari Fong interviews Lindsey Stirling, singer-songwriter, violinist, and dancer, and Dr. Christina Wierenga, Professor of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuropsychologist at UC San Diego’s Eating Disorders Center for Treatment and Research. 

Lindsey Stirling shares her story of anorexia nervosa and the depression and anxiety that came along with it. Lindsey’s anorexia started in college and she takes us on her journey to recovery and maint...

Mari Fong interviews Katelyn Tarver, singer-songwriter and actress, and Dr. Adi Jaffe, psychologist, addiction specialist, and author of The Abstinence Myth.  Katelyn Tarver shares her story and solutions for living with anxiety and self-doubt. Katelyn released 6 EPs of her own music before winning NBC's "Songland" in 2019.  Her song, "You Don't Know" captures the feeling when you're not okay, and...

Mari Fong interviews singer-songwriter James Arthur and Dr. Adi Jaffe, mental health and addiction specialist, author of The Abstinence Myth: A New Approach For Overcoming Addiction Without Shame, Judgment, Or Rules.
 
James Arthur shares how living with depression and panic attacks along with a troublesome childhood led him to a life of partying out of bounds. Winning the X Factor UK in 2012 and his hit single, “Say You Wo...

Mari Fong interviews Sal Rodriguez of WAR and Jeff Duke, Founder of Christ Powered Recovery.  Sal Rodriguez shares how music, drinking alcohol and parties were part of his lifestyle growing up which led to an addiction to cocaine and selling LSD as a teen. His obsessive-compulsive behaviors made it hard to stop using but eventually found his solutions through Christ Powered Recovery and the 12 steps. Multi-platinum selling band WAR...

Mari Fong interviews Michael Murphy, lead singer of Written By Wolves, and musician health expert Kat Jensen. Michael Murphy shares his story and solutions for anxiety and depression, where his goal to always be “the best” started to have a negative affect on him and his family. Michael explains why songwriting is easier than traditional therapy, and how making lists has worked wonders for him. We play a clip of “Help Me Through th...

Mari Fong interviews country singer-songwriter Chase Bryant and Sweet Relief Musicians Fund Executive Vice President of Development & Artist Relations, Aric Steinberg. Chase Bryant shares his solutions for anxiety, depression and imposter syndrome recovery. After skyrocketing to fame, Chase Bryant found himself quickly playing with country superstars like Tim McGraw where the stress of fame took his toll and led him to a suicid...

Mari Fong interviews singer-songwriter Cap Carter and USC's Director of Belonging and Loneliness Expert, Cat Moore. Cap Carter shares his solutions for depression and addiction recovery having experienced a painful childhood and the difficult divorce of his parents. Cap’s single “Relapse,” started out as an exit song but became the song that saved his life.  Addiction recovery with the 12-step program helped resolved connectio...

Mari Fong interviews Anna Gevorkian and Shaunt Sulahian of Satellite Citi on OCD and PMDD with Chris Trondsen, M.S., AMFT, APCC, OCD Specialist & Therapist.

Satellite Citi share solutions for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder or  OCD and Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder or PMDD. Shaunt Sulahian talks about his late OCD diagnosis and the havoc it wreaked on his life along with the ERP therapy that turned his life around. Ann...

Mari Fong interviews David Shaw of The Revivalists and solo artist, and Farid Hashemi, Wim Hof Certified Instructor. David Shaw shares his story of growing up with fears, insecurities and “not feeling good enough” which led to anxiety and drug and alcohol addiction. One long night of drinking led to a fateful night that shocked and scared the hell out of David, making him decide on getting clean and sober. Hear David’s solutions fo...

Mari Fong interviews musical guest Jesse Leach of Killswitch Engage, Times of Grace and The Weapon, and suicide prevention expert Dr. Dan Reidenberg of SAVE.org. Jesse Leach talks about how a toxic relationship triggered his anxiety and depression, how he came to realize the abuse, and what it took  for him to finally break away. 

Jesse talks about his mental health solutions which include therapy, micro-dosing, and power of nature....

Mari Fong interviews singer-songwriter Winona Oak and Richard "Wolfie" Wolf, meditation expert and author of In Tune: Music as a Bridge to Mindfulness. 

Swedish songstress Winona Oak was a 12-year-old when her panic attacks and anxiety began, triggered by her hormonal cycle (PMDD or Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder). Winona  eventually became agoraphobic but help from loved ones along with mediation and other solutions, she...

Mari Fong interviews Brian Wheat of Tesla and expert Karl Shallowhorn, mental health educator, speaker, coach and author of “Leadership Through the Lens of the 12 Steps.” Brian Wheat of Tesla shares how he overcame bulimia, addictions, and lives successfully with panic attacks, depression.

Brian Wheat’s autobiography entitled, Son of a Milkman: My Crazy Life with Tesla, tells how he survived and thrived through 39 years recording an...