Mental Health Rewritten
"Mental Health Rewritten" is a groundbreaking podcast that delves into the most pressing and often stigmatized topics in mental and behavioral health. Hosted by the acclaimed Dominic Lawson—recipient of 33 podcasting awards, including multiple honors in the mental health space—this show offers a fresh perspective on issues ranging from sex addiction and substance abuse to eating disorders and racial trauma. Each season is thoughtfully structured into themed mini-series, allowing for an in-depth exploration of complex subjects. Guided by the DSM-5 and ICD-11, episodes feature candid conversations with experts and individuals with lived experiences, providing listeners with both clinical insights and personal narratives. Join us biweekly as we challenge societal norms, break down barriers, and rewrite the narrative surrounding mental health. Whether you're a mental health professional, someone with personal experience, or simply interested in understanding the intricacies of the human mind, "Mental Health Rewritten" offers valuable insights and fosters a community of empathy and support. Subscribe now to embark on a journey of discovery and transformation.
Episodes
When Tamika talks about becoming a mother, you can hear how it rewrote her sense of identity. But when her daughter Allegra was later diagnosed with severe depression and psychosis, that identity began to unravel—and reveal something much deeper. Behind the scenes of her family's history was an untreated illness that had already shaped the shoreline: schizoa...
In this Mental Margins segment, we share bonus content and confront a critical question with Jack Register from episode 106: Why do we treat mental health crises differently than physical ones?
If someone has a diabetic episode behind the wheel, we rush in with the jaws of life, pull them from the wreckage, and never question t...
A breakdown of episode 106
In this episode, we explore the aftermath of mental health crises through personal stories and expert insight. Featuring voices of Tamika Christy, Jack Register, and Ashley Holder, the discussion delves into grief after suicide loss, the challenges within mental health systems, and the emotional toll on caregivers and first responders. We also examine how trauma ripples through communities and the ...
The call from the sheriff's office. The Netflix notification from Baja. The 3 a.m. plea for a room. Each detail reads like a breadcrumb trail—fragile, almost surreal—marking the chaos of a loved one's unraveling. What happens when systems meant to protect instead withhold? When family becomes both the lifeline and the witness to an impending collapse?
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This Mental Margins bonus segment expands on Episode 105: Rewriting the Conversation Around Suicide.
In the full episode, we heard Ashley-Lauren Elrod's powerful story of surviving prolonged suicidal ideation. Here, Tina Aggarwal offers additional commentary that did not make it into the main...
In this segement of Mental Margins, we share two perspectives on the hidden weight of high-functioning pain.
First, trauma therapist Denise D. Moore shares a testimonial and reflects on dismantling the "strong Black woman" stereotype—reminding us that while not every story ends with a cure, every story can still carry meani...
In this week's Mental Margin, we step back from the noise and dig deep into Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)—not just as a diagnosis, but as a lived experience. With over 700,000 lives lost to suicide annually, understanding MDD isn't just clinical—it's critical.
We explore how Major Depressive Disorder manifests beyond sadness...
In this episode of Mental Health Rewritten, we tackle the subject of suicidal ideation with care, nuance, and urgency. Through a combination of real survivor stories, fictionalized scenes, clinical insight, and historical framing, host Dominic Lawson guides listeners through what it means to live on the edge of despa...
In this segment from episode Starting The Conversation Around Sexual Anorexia, we begin with what looks like a familiar path—trauma responses—but quickly uncover a deeper, more insidious truth: how intimacy, when distorted by early harm, can turn into a war zone. Janet's story isn't just about survival. It's about expectation, submission, and the silent cultural scripts many women are forced to internalize about marriage, sex, and ...
In this deeply personal bonus segment from Episode 104 Starting The Conversation About Sexual Anorexia, we hear more from Janet Bentley, a woman navigating the silent emotional toll of sexual anorexia within her marriage. What begins as a quiet irritation toward her partner, Simon, unravels into a poignant reflection on internalized shame, intimacy avoidance, and the emotional impact on those who ...
In this segment, Janet reflects on her lifelong struggle with intimacy and the emotional walls built from trauma, exploring the complex relationship between Female Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder (FSIAD) and sexual anorexia—two conditions often conflated but profoundly distinct.
Perfectionism as Protection: Janet shares how...
Kyle sits awake at 2 AM, the glow of his laptop revealing a single word in the search bar: "avoidance." He scrolls past harsh phrases like fear of intimacy and sexual withdrawal that feel like accusations. Then one term stops him—"sexual anorexia." For the first time, he wonders: What if I'm not broken, but scared? And what if scared has a name?
This episode of Mental Health Rewritten explores the little-discussed realm of sexual a...
In this special reflection episode of Mental Health Rewritten, host Dominic Lawson celebrates 40 days of the podcast's journey with over 1,000 subscribers and nearly 13,000 downloads. Dominic shares heartfelt gratitude for listeners' impactful messages, highlighting how powerful storytelling can transform conversations about mental health.
In this segment from episode 103, Rewriting The Conversation Around Sexual Assault, psychotherapist Havi Kang explores how societal perceptions around trauma, sexual assault, and mental health are evolving, highlighting the influence of movements like #MeToo and increased online dialogue.
Dr. Justin Dodson joins the conversation to discuss the significant impacts when education about sexual health and trauma is suppressed, illustr...
In this segment, host Dominic Lawson pauses the narrative to ground the discussion in clinical reality. With the term "trauma" now widely used in cultural and digital discourse, this segment brings clarity to its true clinical definitions, as outlined in the DSM-5 and ICD-11. The conversation reframes trauma not just as catastrophic events but also as chronic, cumulative experiences—what clinicians call "small t trauma.
In this segment of Episode 103, "Rewriting the Conversation Around Sexual Assault," Mental Health Rewritten explores the often-overlooked experiences of men who have survived sexual violence. With poignant insight from Havi Kang and Dan Woerheide, the episode challenges pervasive myths that silence male survivors and...
In this segment, hosts Dominic Lawson and Dan Woerheide explore the enduring psychological toll of sexual assault, turning their focus to Complex PTSD (C-PTSD).
Dan reflects on the harrowing process of forensic exams for survivors—a clinical necessity that often reactivates trauma. Despite the compassion of SANE (Sexual Ass...
In this powerful and necessary episode of Mental Health Rewritten, we open with a deceptively simple question: "Is this sexual assault?" From that moment forward, we begin a journey that challenges long-held beliefs about consent, trauma, and silence, especially when the abuse doesn't look the way we expect it to.
In this excerpt from Episode 101: Rewriting the Conversation Around Sex Addiction, Havi Kang joins host Dominic Lawson to explore the evolving understanding of compulsive sexual behavior. The episode introduces CSBD (Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder) as recognized by the ICD-11, highlighting its absence from the DSM-5 and what that reveals about ongoing clinic...
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