Mental Health Episodes

We're in the midst of the fall MS conference season, and while all the conferences are virtual, there's still lots of news to share. This week, we're talking with EJ Levy, the Founder and President of MS Hope for a Cure, about Big October 2020. We're also talking about MS rehabilitation science with Dr. Kathy Zackowski, the Senior Director of Patient Management, Care, & Rehabilitation Research at the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Our wide-ranging conversation includes updates from the 10...

A lot of us may have to think back to a time before the pandemic to remember what it felt like to get a good night's sleep. But if you're someone living with MS, you might have to think back even further. Research tells us that more than half the people living with MS report significant disruptions in their sleep and difficulty maintaining a consistent sleep schedule. And that can lead to additional health issues along with an overall decline in quality of life and wellbeing. My guest is Dr. Ka...

Of all the people living with MS, you might assume that people living with progressive MS have experienced the highest levels of anxiety and depression related to the threat of COVID-19. A research team found themselves at the right place at the right time -- conducting a different progressive MS study. They quickly pivoted to investigate the emotional impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on people living with progressive MS. My guest is Dr. Anthony Feinstein, a professor of psychiatry at the Univer...

You can't control the weather, but you can learn to dance in the rain. And developing resilience teaches you how to dance in the rain. My guest is Dr. Dawn Ehde, a clinical psychologist and professor of rehabilitation medicine at University of Washington Medicine. Dr. Ehde is an expert in understanding resilience, and she's joining us to explain why having resilience is central to improving the well-being of people affected by MS, and how to go about building your resilience -- even in the midst...

Whether you call it brain fog, cog-fog, or you don't happen to have a name for it, cognitive dysfunction affects more than half of all the people with MS. Joining me once again is Dr. Meghan Beier, a Rehabilitation Neuropsychologist and Assistant Professor of Physical Medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Dr. Beier specializes in cognitive rehabilitation and neuropsychological assessment and intervention and she's back to answer more of our questions about managing the co...

Cognitive decline and depression are two of the more common invisible symptoms of multiple sclerosis, impacting at least half of all the people living with MS. My guest is Dr. Meghan Beier, an Assistant Professor of Physical Medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and a Rehabilitation Neuropsychologist. Dr. Beier specializes in cognitive rehabilitation and neuropsychological assessment and intervention, and she's going to share some specific strategies that you can use to b...

My guest this week is Dr. Amy Sullivan, a Clinical Health Psychologist and the Director of Behavioral Medicine at the Mellen Center for MS Treatment and Research at the Cleveland Clinic. We're talking about fighting feelings of isolation, building resiliency, caregiver emotional wellness, and how we should be thinking about living in a "new normal" world. Massachusetts General Hospital and iConquer MS surveyed more than 1,000 people living with MS about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on th...

This week, and for the foreseeable future, we're committed to sharing the most updated and reliable information on COVID-19 and MS. Joining me as my guest is Dr. Kevin Alschuler, a Rehabilitation Psychologist with appointments as an Associate Professor in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine and Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Neurology at the University of Washington. Dr. Alschuler also serves as the Psychology Director for the UW Medicine Multiple Sclerosis Center. Dr. ...

We're exploring the healing power of adventure. My guest is Brad Ludden, the founder of First Descents, a non-profit organization that, since 2001, has taken over 10,000 young adult oncology patients on more than 1,000 outdoor adventures that feature activities like rock-climbing, kayaking, and surfing. Last year, First Descents expanded their programming to include outdoor adventures designed for young adults living with MS. And every one of these adventures is offered at no cost to the partici...

This episode is sponsored by Celgene and the MS MindShift Initiative, which aims to educate about the important role the brain plays in MS. My guest is Cathy Chester, who is a paid spokesperson for the MS MindShift. Cathy has lived with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis since 1986 and knows that although she has MS, MS does not have her. Today, Cathy hopes to empower, educate and inspire others to live a rich, full life despite living with a disability. We'll be talking to Cathy about how...