Recommendations
Content Warning!
The following podcasts, books, movies and shows are recommendations made by foundation staff, directors, YAC members, volunteers and community members. Some of these recommendation may contain subject matter that may be triggering to some viewers. Please use caution when viewing this content.
Recommended listening
Is the Wellness Industry a Scam? The Dream Thinks It Knows the Answer In Season 2 we look at a world just as shady and mysterious as MLMs, but one whose promises are at times even more bombastic and unfathomable: WELLNESS. What is it? Who sells it? And will it bring you eternal happiness…and, perhaps, eternal life?
Really Good Shares is a recovery podcast – part interview show, part experimental storytelling collaboration. We talk about recovery from all kinds of things: car crashes, identity crises, drugs, alcohol, ego. Each episode features a Share from a guest about how they got by and musical accompaniment from legendary soul singer Swamp Dogg. Even if you’re not in recovery, these stories have something to teach. RGS is based on the recovery newsletter The Small Bow, which host A.J. Daulerio created after he got out of rehab and wanted to hear stories about sobriety, mental health, and spirituality that he couldn’t easily find on the internet. Most people equate recovery with redemption – the part where people who’ve quit drugs or alcohol then tell you how they did it and how good their lives are now – but RGS focuses less on the beginning and ending of rock bottoms, and more about the middle of the journey, making it through the woods. Join A.J. as he speaks with writers, entertainers, social workers, magazine editors, recovering addicts, recovering jerks – people – about how they made it through hard things and got better because of it. Maybe some of this will help you get better too.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) was created by a woman named Marsha Linehan in the 1980s. The skills she created are now taught all over the world. DBT can improve depression, anxiety, borderline personality disorder, and other mental health struggles. We are Kate and Michelle, two mental health therapists in Seattle, WA. We have been teaching DBT groups as a team for years. Whether you've never heard of DBT before or are experienced with DBT skills, this podcast is here to help you use DBT skills in your daily life.
Stupid Funny Addiction & Recovery Stories. Recorded around New York.
You might think you know what it takes to lead a happier life… more money, a better job, or Instagram-worthy vacations. You’re dead wrong. Yale professor Dr. Laurie Santos has studied the science of happiness and found that many of us do the exact opposite of what will truly make our lives better. Based on the psychology course she teaches at Yale -- the most popular class in the university’s 300-year history -- Laurie will take you through the latest scientific research and share some surprising and inspiring stories that will change the way you think about happiness.
A show about clinical depression...with laughs? Well, yeah. Depression is an incredibly common and isolating disease experienced by millions, yet often stigmatized by society. The Hilarious World of Depression is a series of frank, moving, and, yes, funny conversations with top comedians who have dealt with this disease, hosted by veteran humorist and public radio host John Moe. Join guests such as Maria Bamford, Paul F. Tompkins, Andy Richter, and Jen Kirkman to learn how they’ve dealt with depression and managed to laugh along the way. If you have not met the disease personally, it’s almost certain that someone you know has, whether it’s a friend, family member, colleague, or neighbor. Depression is a vicious cycle of solitude and stigma that leaves people miserable and sometimes dead. Frankly, we’re not going to put up with that anymore. The Hilarious World of Depression is not medical treatment and should not be seen as a substitute for therapy or medication. But it is a chance to gain some insight, have a few laughs, and realize that people with depression are not alone and that together, we can all feel a bit better. American Public Media and HealthPartners’ Make It Okay campaign are committed to breaking the stigma around mental health.
This podcast might not actually kill you, but Erin Welsh and Erin Allmann Updyke cover so many things that can. In each episode, they tackle a different topic, teaching listeners about the biology, history, and epidemiology of a different disease or medical mystery. They do the scientific research, so you don’t have to.
"Remarkable" - Psychology Today "A vital, compassionate gem that fills a desperate and under-addressed need in our society." - Esquire "A perversely safe place in which he and his guests talk about their fears, addictions and traumatic childhoods." - NY Times "Gilmartin makes a conscious effort to explore stories that aren’t black and white" - Slate Magazine "Praised by listeners all over the world" - Atlantic Monthly
I’ve spent over 20 years studying the emotions and experiences that bring meaning and purpose to our lives, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned it’s this: We are hardwired for connection, and connecting requires courage, vulnerability, and conversation. I want this to be a podcast that’s real, unpolished, honest, and reflects both the magic and the messiness of what it means to be human. Episodes will include conversations with the people who are teaching me, challenging me, confusing me, or maybe even ticking me off a little. I'll also have direct conversations with you about what I’m learning from new research, and we'll do some episodes dedicated to answering your questions.
It's a question we ask (and get asked) all the time: “How are you?” And normally we just respond with “Fine!” even if we’re totally dying inside, so everyone can go about their day. But it’s not always all that fine, is it? “Terrible, Thanks For Asking” is a show by author Nora McInerny that lets real people get real honest about how they’re really doing. It’s sometimes sad, sometimes funny, and almost always both. A production of Feelings & Co.
Recovery Happy Hour shares inspiring recovery stories of alcohol addiction and what kind of life lies beyond the bottle.
Michael Hobbes and Aubrey Gordon debunk the junk science behind health and wellness fads.
Hell Has an Exit Podcast is the most listened to podcast for struggling and recovering addicts, hosted by Teddy Tarantino, a recovering addict addict himself. The podcast features intense, raw and vulnerable interviews with individuals who have battled similar demons, highlighting the resilience of the human spirit. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll feel, you’ll think. Teddy's personal journey fuels his desire to help others find their own paths to recovery. Having carved a niche as an entrepreneur in the healthcare industry, he’s now focusing on pursuing a career in adult entertainment —acting and producing adult films. This audacious decision only intensifies the edgy and unapologetic tone of the podcast, adding a unique layer of authenticity. Go to @hellhasanexit on Instagram if you wanna talk about it.
The Addicted Mind Podcast is about understanding addiction from a research and treatment perspective. We will dive into what drives the addictive process, explore the latest research on addiction, and talk about the latest addiction treatment options. We will also explore what recovery from addiction looks like from a variety of different people. If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction then The Addicted Mind Podcast can help.
Inside Schizophrenia is a captivating monthly podcast that offers a distinctive glimpse into life through the eyes of individuals grappling with schizophrenia and psychosis.
Join Gabe Howard, who lives with bipolar disorder, and Dr. Nicole Washington, a board-certified psychiatrist, as they explore the spectrum of this misunderstood illness. They tackle bipolar using real world examples, the latest research, and just enough funny to keep you intrigued.
Inside Mental Health is an award-winning weekly podcast that approaches psychology and mental health in an accessible way. Listen as our host Gabe Howard speaks candidly with experts, celebrities, and other notables to break down complex topics into simpler terms.
Recommended watching
WE ARE INFINITE. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 1991. High school freshman Charlie is a wallflower, always watching life from the sidelines, until two senior students, Sam and her stepbrother Patrick, become his mentors, helping him discover the joys of friendship, music and love…
A mother helps her daughter work through four crucial days of recovery from substance abuse.
A woman with a tragic past decides to start her new life by hiking for one thousand miles on the Pacific Crest Trail.
Soft White Underbelly interviews and portraits of the human condition by photographer, Mark Laita.
HARD WORK, LOW PAY, AND A MOTHER’S WILL TO SURVIVE. After fleeing an abusive relationship, a young mother finds a job cleaning houses and fights to provide a better future for her child.
*DO NOT USE AS DIRECTED The causes and consequences of America’s opioid epidemic unfold in this drama following its perpetrators, victims and an investigator seeking the truth.
THIS IS THE STORY OF A LIFETIME The tender, heartbreaking story of a young man’s struggle to find himself, told across three defining chapters in his life as he experiences the ecstasy, pain, and beauty of falling in love, while grappling with his own sexuality.
After he and his first wife separate, journalist David Sheff struggles to help their teenage son, who goes from experimenting with drugs to becoming devastatingly addicted to methamphetamine.
WATCH FOR THE SIGNS After spending eight months in a mental institution, a former teacher moves back in with his parents and tries to reconcile with his ex-wife.
FORGIVENESS IS A BITTER PILL TO SWALLOW. After having visions of a member of her support group who killed herself, a woman who also suffers with chronic pain seeks out the widower of the suicide.
In a Kentucky orphanage in the 1950s, a young girl discovers an astonishing talent for chess while struggling with addiction.
BoJack Horseman was the star of the hit television show "Horsin' Around" in the '80s and '90s, but now he's washed up, living in Hollywood, complaining about everything, and wearing colorful sweaters.
A documentary series following young adults on the autism spectrum as they explore the unpredictable world of love, dating and relationships.
SOMETIMES WE FIND HOPE WHERE WE LEAST EXPECT IT. Allison’s life falls apart following her involvement in a fatal accident. The unlikely relationship she forms with her would-be father-in-law helps her live a life worth living.
SONS. BROTHERS. CHAMPIONS. The true story of the inseparable Von Erich brothers, who made history in the intensely competitive world of professional wrestling in the early 1980s. Through tragedy and triumph, under the shadow of their domineering father and coach, the brothers seek larger-than-life immortality on the biggest stage in sports.
BASED ON THE MOST AWKWARD YEAR OF YOUR LIFE Thirteen-year-old Kayla endures the tidal wave of contemporary suburban adolescence as she makes her way through the last week of middle school — the end of her thus far disastrous eighth grade year — before she begins high school.
A young girl is raised in a dysfunctional family constantly on the run from the FBI. Living in poverty, she comes of age guided by her drunkard, ingenious father who distracts her with magical stories to keep her mind off the family’s dire state, and her selfish, nonconformist mother who has no intention of raising a family, along with her younger brother and sister, and her other older sister. Together, they fend for each other as they mature in an unorthodox journey that is their family life.
Recommended Reading
At twenty-two, Cheryl Strayed thought she had lost everything. In the wake of her mother’s death, her family scattered and her own marriage was soon destroyed. Four years later, with nothing more to lose, she made the most impulsive decision of her life. With no experience or training, driven only by blind will, she would hike more than a thousand miles of the Pacific Crest Trail from the Mojave Desert through California and Oregon to Washington State — and she would do it alone.
A heartbreaking and hilarious memoir by iCarly and Sam & Cat star Jennette McCurdy about her struggles as a former child actor—including eating disorders, addiction, and a complicated relationship with her overbearing mother—and how she retook control of her life.
In this revolutionary book, renowned physician Gabor Maté eloquently dissects how in Western countries that pride themselves on their healthcare systems, chronic illness and general ill health are on the rise. Nearly 70 percent of Americans are on at least one prescription drug; more than half take two. In Canada, every fifth person has high blood pressure. In Europe, hypertension is diagnosed in more than 30 percent of the population. And everywhere, adolescent mental illness is on the rise. So what is really “normal” when it comes to health?
Researcher and thought leader Dr. Brené Brown offers a powerful new vision that encourages us to dare greatly: to embrace vulnerability and imperfection, to live wholeheartedly, and to courageously engage in our lives.
Set over one school year in 1986, Eleanor & Park is the story of two star-crossed misfits—smart enough to know first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try.
Hermione Winters has been a flyer. She’s been captain of her cheerleading team. The envied girlfriend and the undisputed queen of her school. Now it’s her last year and those days and those labels are fading fast. In a few months she’ll be a different person. She thinks she’s ready for whatever comes next. But then someone puts something in her drink at a party, and in an instant she finds herself wearing new labels m ones she never imagined: Victim. Survivor. That raped girl.
Educated is an account of the struggle for self-invention. It is a tale of fierce family loyalty and of the grief that comes with severing the closest of ties. With the acute insight that distinguishes all great writers, Westover has crafted a universal coming-of-age story that gets to the heart of what an education is and what it offers: the perspective to see one's life through new eyes and the will to change it.
Through Charlie, Stephen Chbosky has created a deeply affecting coming-of-age story, a powerful novel that will spirit you back to those wild and poignant roller coaster days known as growing up.
Daisy is a girl coming of age in L.A. in the late sixties, sneaking into clubs on the Sunset Strip, sleeping with rock stars, and dreaming of singing at the Whisky a Go Go. The sex and drugs are thrilling, but it’s the rock ’n’ roll she loves most. By the time she’s twenty, her voice is getting noticed, and she has the kind of heedless beauty that makes people do crazy things.
Tiny Beautiful Things brings the best of Dear Sugar in one place and includes never-before-published columns and a new introduction by Steve Almond. Rich with humor, insight, compassion - and absolute honesty - this book is a balm for everything life throws our way.
In 1967, after a session with a psychiatrist she'd never seen before, eighteen-year-old Susanna Kaysen was put in a taxi and sent to McLean Hospital. She spent most of the next two years on the ward for teenage girls in a psychiatric hospital as renowned for its famous clientele--Sylvia Plath, Robert Lowell, James Taylor, and Ray Charles--as for its progressive methods of treating those who could afford its sanctuary.
Sharing never-before-heard stories ranging from their struggles with depression, eating disorders, and addiction, Karen and Georgia irreverently recount their biggest mistakes and deepest fears, reflecting on the formative life events that shaped them into two of the most followed voices in the nation. In Stay Sexy & Don’t Get Murdered, Karen and Georgia focus on the importance of self-advocating and valuing personal safety over being ‘nice’ or ‘helpful.’ They delve into their own pasts, true crime stories, and beyond to discuss meaningful cultural and societal issues with fierce empathy and unapologetic frankness.
Most people want to avoid thinking about death, but Caitlin Doughty—a twenty-something with a degree in medieval history and a flair for the macabre—took a job at a crematory, turning morbid curiosity into her life’s work. Thrown into a profession of gallows humor and vivid characters (both living and very dead), Caitlin learned to navigate the secretive culture of those who care for the deceased.
Nic Sheff was drunk for the first time at age eleven. In the years that followed, he would regularly smoke pot, do cocaine and Ecstasy, and develop addictions to crystal meth and heroin. Even so, he felt like he would always be able to quit and put his life together whenever he needed to. It took a violent relapse one summer in California to convince him otherwise. In a voice that is raw and honest, Nic spares no detail in telling us the compelling, heartbreaking, and true story of his relapse and the road to recovery. As we watch Nic plunge into the mental and physical depths of drug addiction, he paints a picture for us of a person at odds with his past, with his family, with his substances, and with himself. It's a harrowing portrait—but not one without hope.
The Glass Castle is a remarkable memoir of resilience and redemption, and a revelatory look into a family at once deeply dysfunctional and uniquely vibrant. When sober, Jeannette's brilliant and charismatic father captured his children's imagination, teaching them physics, geology, and how to embrace life fearlessly. But when he drank, he was dishonest and destructive. Her mother was a free spirit who abhorred the idea of domesticity and didn't want the responsibility of raising a family.
Craig's suicidal episode gets him checked into a mental hospital, where his new neighbors include a transsexual sex addict, a girl who has scarred her own face with scissors, and the self-elected President Armelio. There, Craig is finally able to confront the sources of his anxiety. Ned Vizzini, who himself spent time in a psychiatric hospital, has created a remarkably moving tale about the sometimes unexpected road to happiness.
In Laurie Halse Anderson's powerful novel, an utterly believable heroine with a bitterly ironic voice delivers a blow to the hypocritical world of high school. She speaks for many a disenfranchised teenager while demonstrating the importance of speaking up for oneself.
Throughout this strikingly powerful novel there is the relentless drumbeat of the millions of other stories that, taken as a whole, describe a city, a culture, and an age. A dazzling tour de force, Bright Shiny Morning illuminates the joys, horrors, and unexpected fortunes of life and death in Los Angeles.
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Our recommendations are always changing and evolving. Send us a message if you know of a book, podcast, movie, show, or anything you think may be helpful or inspiring to somebody who may be struggling or want to learn more.