Road to Resilience

When Lucy Foote suffered her first seizure during a stressful work presentation in 2020, she had no idea it would begin a six-year battle with epilepsy that would eventually lead to brain surgery.

In this deeply personal episode of Road to Resilience, Lucy shares what it was like to navigate fear, uncertainty, and the invisible emotional burden of chronic illness while trying to maintain her independence in New York City. She d...

Why do some people feel trapped in sadness, while others lose their sense of motivation and purpose? In this episode of Road to Resilience, host Stephen Calabria speaks with Dr. Martijn Figee about the brain science behind depression, resilience, and emotional recovery. 

A leader in the study of deep brain stimulation and psychiatric neuromodulation, Dr. Figee explains how different brain circuits govern mood, reward, stress, a...

Jeremy Boal, MD, spent years caring for patients with late-stage ALS—known as Lou Gehrig's disease, it's a neurological disease that typically comes with a life expectancy of 2-5 years from diagnosis. Then he was diagnosed with that very condition. 

In this podcast, Dr. Boal reflects on his medical and personal trajectory with new insights. He discusses the importance of addressing anger and dread, the role of family and ...

You may think that resilience is a quality that people are born with, but that's often untrue—resilience can be cultivated and honed. 

In this podcast, Dr. Jon Depierro, Professor of Psychiatry at Mount Sinai and Associate Director of Mount Sinai's Center for Stress, Resilience, and Personal Growth, talks to Dr. Sherry Hamby, Distinguished Research Professor of Psychology at the University of the South, and author of Stro...

When Susan Baum was diagnosed with Age-Related Macular Degeneration, the news landed with unusual force: She had already watched the disease reshape the lives of close family members, narrowing mobility, independence, and daily confidence. 

Instead of accepting her relatives’ fate, Baum pushed deeper into research until she found a promising path forward: red light treatment newly introduced through New York Eye and Ear I...

Heart failure and heart transplant patients face change and uncertainty. Cardiologist Dr. Anu Lala emphasizes the value of gratitude, mindful language, and affirmations to help. She invites patients to meet life as it is, rather than ruminate on what they wish it was. 

Visit https://www.mountsinai.org/clinical-trials to see if you're eligible to enroll in a clinical trial with the Mount Sinai Health System.

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Caregiving can carry a heavy emotional, physical, and financial toll. Dr. Allison Applebaum, director of the Steven S. Elbaum Family Center for Caregiving, discusses the importance of supporting those who care for others.

Visit https://www.mountsinai.org/clinical-trials to see if you're eligible to enroll in a clinical trial with the Mount Sinai Health System.

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Diagnosed with severe and debilitating Crohn’s disease, Catherine Rodgers, a child life specialist at Kravis Children’s Hospital, drew inspiration from her patients—and entered the NYC Marathon to support them. 

Visit https://www.mountsinai.org/clinical-trials to see if you're eligible to enroll in a clinical trial with the Mount Sinai Health System.

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One of the challenges of social anxiety is that it feels like you’re the only one experiencing it. But that’s not true. In fact, rates of social anxiety are high and growing in the United States. But Dr. Charissa Chamorro, clinical psychologist and Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, explains that there are things you can do to feel better.

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Daniel Nicastri, MD, a former Navy doctor and current Mount Sinai thoracic surgeon, interviews Lou Guerra, former Green Beret and current student at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Guerra shares his journey from running a successful pizza restaurant to the battlefield to the classroom, and how the lessons he learned in Afghanistan and Ukraine helped him meet the academic challenges on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.

T...

After having a stillborn baby, it can be difficult to know how to continue. In this special episode of Road to Resilience, recorded in honor of Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, guest host Dr. Joanne Stone, director of Mount Sinai’s Rainbow Clinic, speaks with Stephanie Lee, a former patient who lost her baby, Elodie, at 8 months. 

Stephanie shares her journey through unimaginable grief, her path toward healing, ...

Adolescence can be difficult for everyone. But when you’re battling depression, loneliness, and addiction, you really need a helping hand. In this episode of Road to Resilience, Dr. Shilpa Taufique, psychiatrist and Director of the Comprehensive Adolescent Rehabilitation and Education Service (CARES) at the Mount Sinai Health System, interviews Ronelle Pelissier, former patient, student, and current intake coordinator at CARE...

When even a little bit of powdered milk in a bowl of ice cream can cause an extreme reaction, navigating your child’s food allergies becomes challenging—and highly fraught. In this episode, Holly Esteves describes the challenges of keeping her son safe in the face of his allergies. She explains how faith, diligence, and lots of medical advice help her keep her son safe.

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Studying the brain after death can give us valuable clues about treating—and perhaps curing—dementia and other neurological diseases, says Stephanie McQuillan, Clinical Research Manager at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

Visit https://www.mountsinai.org/clinical-trials to see if you're eligible to enroll in a clinical trial with the Mount Sinai Health System.

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Dr. Raja Flores, Chair of Thoracic Surgery at Mount Sinai, discusses his groundbreaking work treating lung and esophageal cancers. He shares powerful stories of resilience from patients and families, explains the realities of cancer care, and highlights the importance of trust, compassion, and experience in facing some of life’s toughest diagnoses. 

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When 46-year-old Mack Godbee’s heart, kidneys, and liver all began to fail, doctors at Mount Sinai faced the extraordinary challenge of performing the first-ever triple organ transplant in New York State. In this episode, surgeons Drs. Ani Anyanwu and Sandy Fuhrman recount the historic procedure, the teamwork that made it possible, and the resilience of a patient who beat the odds.

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Postpartum psychosis affects one to two women out of every thousand births. It can arrive suddenly—within days of delivery—and present with hallucinations, delusions, mania, or suicidal thoughts. Despite the severity, it's one of the most overlooked and stigmatized perinatal mental health conditions. In this powerful and eye-opening episode of Road to Resilience, Mount Sinai psychiatrist Dr. Veerle Bergink, and computat...

Karen Rochester developed a very dangerous heart condition—at one point, she was told she might not survive the ambulance ride to the hospital. But a heart transplant, coupled with a tremendous support system and a positive attitude, the former nurse made it through. Now she likes to tell her story, extolling the importance of community and resilience.

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Godsfavour Guillet knows that healing goes both ways. As a nurse leader and caregiver, she’s helped innumerable patients and families, but also fellow nurses who needed support. Her story is deeply human and relatable, reminding us that resilience doesn’t mean shouldering it all alone.

Visit https://www.mountsinai.org/clinical-trials to see if you're eligible to enroll in a clinical trial with the Mount Sinai Health Syst...