Mind Dive

Every therapist has faced that moment: a young client struggles with discrimination, but you're unsure how to help them name and navigate what they're experiencing. Dr. Ryan DeLapp has created a roadmap for this crucial work through his Racial, Ethnic and Cultural Healing (REACH) Program and his groundbreaking workbook, "Empower Yourself Against Racial and Cultural Stress."   What began as an undergraduate term paper on health disparities evolved into Dr. DeLapp's lifelong mission to address the psychological impact of discrimination. Here he shares insights into his approach such as:  • Using inclusive terminology to create space for education rather than defensiveness  • Following character stories to help young people identify patterns of cultural stress in their own lives  • Customizing coping strategies based on individual values, goals, and specific impacts  • Building an "identity filtration system" to maintain self-worth despite encountering bias  • Navigating generational differences in how families approach discrimination  • Balancing validation of parents' lived experiences with their children's current needs  • Incorporating simple screening questions in clinical settings to open conversations about cultural stress  • Preparing clinicians through personal growth and comfortable exploration of these topics  • Moving beyond acknowledging pain to fostering empowerment and self-love   Whether you're a therapist seeking to better serve diverse clients, a parent trying to understand your child's experiences, or someone navigating these waters personally, this episode offers invaluable insights into fostering self-love and resilience in the face of discrimination.   Listen to Mind Dive podcast wherever you get your podcasts and visit menningerclinic.org for more episodes. Follow The Menninger Clinic [https://www.menningerclinic.org/staff/kerry-horrell] on Twitter [https://twitter.com/MenningerClinic], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/MenningerClinic], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/themenningerclinic/] and LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-menninger-clinic/] to stay up to date on new Mind Dive episodes. To submit a topic for discussion, email podcast@menninger.edu [podcast@menninger.edu]. If you are a new or regular listener, please leave us a review on your favorite listening platform! Visit The Menninger Clinic [https://www.MenningerClinic.org] website to learn more about The Menninger Clinic’s research and leadership role in mental health.

Dr. Meredith Gansner discusses the complex relationship between teen depression and social media, drawing from her groundbreaking research and clinical experience as a child psychiatrist at Boston Children's Hospital. Far from offering simplistic condemnations of digital technology, she presents a nuanced view of how social media both helps and harms vulnerable young people. The conversation reveals how depressed teens often turn to social media as a coping mechanism—finding temporary relief from symptoms through distraction, connection, and validation online. Yet this same engagement can paradoxically intensify isolation, disrupt healthy behaviors like sleep and exercise, and expose teens to potentially harmful content about depression and suicide that doesn't follow safe messaging guidelines. Rather than advocating for rigid restrictions, she encourages a family-based approach to screen time, urging parents to model healthy digital habits and prioritize teaching digital literacy over relying solely on parental control tools. Dr. Gansner emphasizes the importance of open, ongoing conversations about digital media, steering away from abstinence-only mindsets. For more insights on supporting teens in the digital age, listeners are encouraged to check out her book, Teen Depression Gone Viral.  For clinicians, educators, and parents struggling to support depressed teens in our digital age, this conversation offers practical wisdom and a balanced perspective that acknowledges both the genuine benefits and serious risks of social media in young lives. Follow The Menninger Clinic [https://www.menningerclinic.org/staff/kerry-horrell] on Twitter [https://twitter.com/MenningerClinic], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/MenningerClinic], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/themenningerclinic/] and LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-menninger-clinic/] to stay up to date on new Mind Dive episodes. To submit a topic for discussion, email podcast@menninger.edu [podcast@menninger.edu]. If you are a new or regular listener, please leave us a review on your favorite listening platform! Visit The Menninger Clinic [https://www.MenningerClinic.org] website to learn more about The Menninger Clinic’s research and leadership role in mental health.

What happens when neurodiverse children transition to adulthood without crucial life skills? Kristen Lombardi and Dr. Christine Drew tackle this pressing question in their groundbreaking book "Spectrum of Independence." Drawing from decades of professional experience, they reveal how many children with autism and intellectual disabilities "graduate to the couch" after school ends, lacking the fundamental skills needed for meaningful independence. The conversation unpacks their innovative approach to teaching daily living skills, starting with task analysis—breaking seemingly simple routines like toothbrushing into manageable components. This method transforms overwhelming challenges into achievable goals, allowing parents to pinpoint exactly where their child struggles instead of giving up entirely. "It's not that they can't brush their teeth," Lombardi explains, "it's that they can't complete specific steps within that process." Perhaps most remarkable is their emphasis on starting early. While many parents focus on academics, waiting until adolescence to address independence creates missed opportunities. Teaching a seven-year-old to shower independently provides years of practice before the pressures of adulthood arrive. As Dr. Drew powerfully notes, "People with disabilities' worlds get really small, really fast if we're not careful"—highlighting how limited independence restricts future options for housing, employment, and community involvement. The authors balance practical advice with compassionate realism, acknowledging that independence exists on a spectrum. Their message resonates with profound hope: regardless of where a child falls on that spectrum, progress is possible with the right teaching approach. "We can always teach one more skill," Dr. Drew reminds listeners, offering a lifeline to parents navigating the challenging journey of raising neurodiverse children. Ready to transform your approach to teaching independence? Check out "Spectrum of Independence" and discover practical strategies to expand your child's capabilities and future possibilities. Follow The Menninger Clinic [https://www.menningerclinic.org/staff/kerry-horrell] on Twitter [https://twitter.com/MenningerClinic], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/MenningerClinic], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/themenningerclinic/] and LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-menninger-clinic/] to stay up to date on new Mind Dive episodes. To submit a topic for discussion, email podcast@menninger.edu [podcast@menninger.edu]. If you are a new or regular listener, please leave us a review on your favorite listening platform! Visit The Menninger Clinic [https://www.MenningerClinic.org] website to learn more about The Menninger Clinic’s research and leadership role in mental health.

Sleep takes up nearly a third of a patient’s life, yet its importance to mental health outcomes has been drastically understated in therapeutic conversations. Dr. Myrtle Jeroudi, a neurologist at The Menninger Clinic, weighs in on how deeply intertwined sleep disruption is to mental health disorders and why asking the right questions regarding sleep is a crucial step in clinical assessments. A patient’s disrupted sleep habits often signal deeper disturbances and, if left untreated, can lead to worsening symptoms. Early sleep intervention in treatment can lead to better sleep hygiene and habits, potentially eliminating the need for medication-based intervention. As more and more individuals seeking mental health care report sleep issues nationwide, Dr. Jeroudi stresses the need for clinicians to perform robust sleep assessments for better therapeutic outcomes and improved long-term health.   “When you don't sleep well, your mood is going to be impacted, but the way we've understood this relationship has changed to be bi-directional, where one affects the other,” notes Dr. Jeroudi. “So, if you have depression or anxiety, you're not getting good sleep. And when you have those bad nights of sleep or poor quality of sleep, it's going to impact how severe your mood disorder is too.”   Dr. Myrtle Jeroudi, MD, is a staff neurologist with the Menninger Clinic's Sleep Medicine Service [https://www.menningerclinic.org/treatment/treatment-for-adults/outpatient-programs/sleep-medicine-service] and is an assistant professor in the Menninger Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at Baylor College of Medicine [https://www.bcm.edu/departments/psychiatry-and-behavioral-sciences]. She is board certified in neurology, clinical neurophysiology and sleep medicine. Her research has been published in peer-reviewed journals that include the Journal of Neurotrauma [https://home.liebertpub.com/publications/journal-of-neurotrauma/39/overview] and Epilepsia and Seizure: European Journal of Epilepsy [https://www.seizure-journal.com/]. Dr. Jeroudi earned her bachelor’s degrees in biology and medicine and society from Washington University [https://washu.edu/] in St. Louis and her medical degree from UT Southwestern Medical School [https://www.utsouthwestern.edu/education/medical-school/].  Follow The Menninger Clinic [https://www.menningerclinic.org/staff/kerry-horrell] on Twitter [https://twitter.com/MenningerClinic], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/MenningerClinic], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/themenningerclinic/] and LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-menninger-clinic/] to stay up to date on new Mind Dive episodes. To submit a topic for discussion, email podcast@menninger.edu [podcast@menninger.edu]. If you are a new or regular listener, please leave us a review on your favorite listening platform! Visit The Menninger Clinic [https://www.MenningerClinic.org] website to learn more about The Menninger Clinic’s research and leadership role in mental health.

Burnout in health care settings is an all-too-common struggle for healthcare professionals. This month Dr. Jessi Gold explores the toll of the pandemic on health care workers and how these workers can overcome the emotional and psychological exhaustion that accompanies such a demanding field. The dangers of allowing burnout to fester can be catastrophic, not just for the individual, but for health systems as a whole, as the silent suffering of their workers can lead to inefficiencies in care and loss of public trust.  She discusses her framework for confronting burnout and shares her approach of being vulnerable as a therapist with these patients to help encourage them to open up since they are so used to hiding their suffering.  Dr. Jessi Gold, M.D., [https://drjessigold.com/about-jessica-jessi-gold-md-ms/] serves as the inaugural Chief Wellness Officer for the University of Tennessee System [https://news.tennessee.edu/2023/11/29/nationally-recognized-psychiatrist-and-mental-health-advocate-named-to-inaugural-ut-system-ut-health-science-center-post/] and as an associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. Dr. Gold graduated from the Yale School of Medicine and has received numerous awards and accolades [https://drjessigold.com/home/dr-jessi-gold-academic-honors/] for her contributions in mental health and psychiatry, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her first book, “HOW DO YOU FEEL?: One Doctor’s Search for Humanity in Medicine [https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/How-Do-You-Feel/Jessi-Gold/9781982199777],” is available now and explores the personal tolls of a career spent healing others.   “We’ve long believed that somehow if we just tried harder, this really hard thing that we do, where we listen to people’s traumas and problems, that if we just became numb to it, that it won’t affect us,” notes  Dr. Gold. “Thinking like that never made sense to me. Of course, it affects us and, while it’s not a weakness, it is something that we have to prepare for and factor into our approach.”  Follow The Menninger Clinic [https://www.menningerclinic.org/staff/kerry-horrell] on Twitter [https://twitter.com/MenningerClinic], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/MenningerClinic], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/themenningerclinic/] and LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-menninger-clinic/] to stay up to date on new Mind Dive episodes. To submit a topic for discussion, email podcast@menninger.edu [podcast@menninger.edu]. If you are a new or regular listener, please leave us a review on your favorite listening platform! Visit The Menninger Clinic [https://www.MenningerClinic.org] website to learn more about The Menninger Clinic’s research and leadership role in mental health.