Behavioral Health Today

Triad

Welcome to Behavioral Health Today, a podcast by Triad, where we tackle trending topics in behavioral and mental health. The Behavioral Health Today podcast shares unique and relevant topics occurring within our world and communities with a mental health professional perspective.

  1. 4 DAYS AGO

    The Gift & the Gap: Rewiring the Disconnected Brain with Dr. Robert Melillo – Episode 430

    Most developmental struggles aren't caused by a "broken" brain, but by a functional disconnect, a gap between a child’s extraordinary gifts and their maturing systems. In this episode, Sharlee Dixon sits down with Dr. Robert Melillo, a world-renowned expert in childhood neurological disorders, to challenge the "broken brain" narrative and introduce a revolutionary look at brain imbalances. Dr. Melillo explains that most developmental struggles, from ADHD and autism to dyslexia, aren’t caused by injury or pathology, but by a functional disconnection between different brain networks that creates a gap between a person’s extraordinary gifts and their daily challenges. Drawing on 30 years of clinical success and his best-selling work in “Disconnected Kids”, Dr. Melillo explores how specific windows of development, movement, and nutrition influence brain maturation, and why the brain’s incredible plasticity means it is never too late to bridge that gap. Whether you are a parent or an adult seeking answers, this conversation provides a practical roadmap for identifying root causes and using directed repetition to transform neurological function at any age.   For more information about Dr. Melillo and the Melillo Method, please visit: https://www.drrobertmelillo.com For more information about “Disconnected Kids” by Dr. Robert Melillo, please visit: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0593713419 For more information about vitamins and supplements recommended by Dr. Robert Melillo, please visit: https://dr-robert-melillo.myshopify.com/collections/supplements-vitamins For more information about courses for clinicians and parents, please visit: https://www.drrobertmelillo.com/courses/ For more information about the Write Brain podcast with Ellis Melillo and Dr. Robert Melillo, please visit: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-write-brain/id1781732884 Connect with Dr. Melillo on social media: On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/DrRobertMelillo On Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-melillo-a287b618b/ On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrRobertMelillo/ On Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/DrRobertMelillo On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@drrobertmelillo On X: https://twitter.com/DrRobMelillo On Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/robert-melillo-dc-phd-c-new-york?osq=robert+melillo

    46 min
  2. 6 DAYS AGO

    Every Day I Am Brave: Learning to Live with Fear, Not Against It with Renee Zukin – Episode 429

    Resilience isn’t made of heroic leaps forward, it’s built from the small, everyday choice to keep going, even when the path ahead isn’t clear. In this episode, host Peter Fenger sits down with Renee Zukin, educator, writer, and mental health advocate with over 20 years of experience using the written word as a tool for self-transformation and empowerment. Renee is a contributing author to “Navigating the Clickety-Clack: How to Live a Peace-filled Life in a Seemingly Toxic World”, and her newly released memoir, “Every Day, I’m Brave: Cultivating Resilience to Gain Freedom from Fear”, explores how compassion, courage, and resilience can loosen fear’s grip on our lives. Passionate about creating safe spaces for growth and healing, Renee helps others find clarity, connection, and bravery in the ordinary moments of life. Together, Peter and Renee explore the journey behind “Every Day I Am Brave”, how journaling and self-compassion support us through uncertainty, and the everyday practices that help us move beyond fear and toward deeper courage and connection.   For more information about “Every Day, I’m Brave: Cultivating Resilience to Gain Freedom from Fear” by Renee Zukin, please visit: https://www.reneezukin.com/brave-book To download journal prompts and free resources, please visit: https://www.reneezukin.com/resources For more information about the Every Day, I’m Brave Facebook Group, please visit: https://www.facebook.com/groups/everydayimbrave Connect with Renee Zukin on Social media: On Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/reneezukin/ On Linkedin at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rzukin/ On YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51PgkA1Q-Hw On TikTok at: https://www.tiktok.com/zukin1 On Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/zukin1

    37 min
  3. 5 FEB

    Teens, Trust, & Transformation: How Peer Support Builds Mental Wellness with Dr. Cara McNulty – Episode 428

    When communities lead, care works: culturally grounded support, early intervention, and multiple doors to emotional wellness. In this episode, host Sharlee Dixon sits down with Dr. Cara McNulty, CEO of Vibrant Emotional Health, the national organization behind the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, serving more than five million people each year. A population health scientist and nationally recognized leader, Cara is committed to breaking down stigma and democratizing access to mental health care across the country. Before joining Vibrant, she served as President of Behavioral Health and Mental Well-being at CVS Health, where she launched bold, data-driven initiatives, including a strategy to reduce suicide attempts by 20% among Aetna members, and helped spearhead Minnesota’s transformational population health legislation. With a doctorate in public administration and decades of experience translating evidence-based science into scalable solutions, Cara is passionate about building a society where emotional wellness is accessible to all. Together, Sharlee and Cara explore how community-driven peer support, led by people with lived experience, is reshaping youth mental health. They discuss how families can better navigate complex systems, access culturally competent care, recognize early warning signs, and create identity-affirming spaces where teens feel seen, supported, and empowered to thrive. The conversation also looks at the systemic changes needed to ensure emotional wellness isn’t a privilege, but a possibility for every young person.   For more information about Vibrant Emotional Health, please visit: https://www.vibrant.org/ For more information about Vibrant Emotional Health’s Community Programs, please visit: https://www.vibrant.org/what-we-do/community-programs/ For more information about 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, please visit: https://988lifeline.org If you’re interested in supporting Vibrant Emotional Health through donation, please visit: https://www.vibrant.org/donate/ Connect with Vibrant Emotional Health on social media: on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vibrantforall/ on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vibrantforall/ on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vibrantforall on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/VibrantForAll on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@vibrantforall on X: https://x.com/vibrantforall

    52 min
  4. 3 FEB

    The Art of Chaos: Motherhood, Trauma, and Finding Gold Within with Dr. Nicole Dolan – Episode 427

    When life falls apart, the real work isn’t out there … it’s learning how to come home to your nervous system. In this episode, Sharlee Dixon sits down with Dr. Nicole Dolan — writer, former clinician, and intuitive coach, whose work bridges depth psychology, spirituality, and lived experience as a mother. Nicole’s forthcoming book, “The Art of Chaos”, traces what happens when the life you planned unravels and invites you into something far more meaningful. Through her journey of trauma, motherhood, and raising a neurodivergent child, Nicole explores how breakdown can become initiation. Drawing from her background as a clinical director and her transition into holistic family coaching, she helps parents and families recognize nervous system patterns, heal generational wounds, and cultivate resilience through conscious parenting. Together, Sharlee and Nicole dive into nervous system regulation, ancestral healing, and the powerful reframe of “child as teacher.” Nicole shares how the sacred isn’t found outside of us, but within the body, and how peace becomes possible even when life feels messy, overwhelming, and uncertain. This episode is a reminder that meaning isn’t created after the chaos, it’s discovered inside of it.   For more information about Dr. Nicole Dolan, please visit: https://drnicoledolan.com For more information about Sacred Path Holistic Therapy (sliding-scale therapists), please visit: https://sacredpathholistictherapy.com Connect with Dr. Nicole Dolan on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/drnicoledolan/ Connect with Dr. Nicole Dolan on Linkedin at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-dolan-phd-lmft-338771b1/

    39 min
  5. 27 JAN

    BHT Bytes – From Hustle to Health: Burnout, Boundaries, and the Future of Work – Episode 426

    What happened to the idea of staying at one job for 30 years and retiring with a gold watch? In this episode of BHT Bytes, host Sharlee Dixon is joined by Peter Fenger to unpack the rise of quiet quitting and what it really says about today’s workforce. Is it laziness and declining work ethic, or a rational response to an economy shaped by recessions, pandemics, inflation, and shrinking retirement security? We explore how generational shifts, stagnant wages, soaring healthcare and childcare costs, and a “yo-yo” labor market have changed the way people relate to work. From defining what quiet quitting actually looks like, doing your job without sacrificing your personal life, to examining emotional burnout and “economic PTSD,” this conversation looks at why many professionals are setting firmer boundaries instead of constantly going above and beyond. We also compare the loyalty of past generations with today’s job-hopping reality and ask whether long-term tenure was truly commitment, or simply the result of fewer options. Finally, we zoom out to the future of work and retirement. If career-long jobs are disappearing and success no longer means staying in one place forever, what does a healthy, sustainable career really look like? Maybe quiet quitting isn’t about quitting at all, it’s about reclaiming energy for family, health, and purpose in a system that no longer guarantees stability in return for sacrifice.   Follow Behavioral Health Today on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/behavioralhealthtoday/ Follow us on TikTok at: https://www.tiktok.com/@behavioralhealthtoday Follow us on Threads at: https://www.threads.net/@behavioralhealthtoday Or watch us live on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvOeCMGsF7B2gNBHuWxt-fQ

    33 min
  6. 20 JAN

    Dawn Dusk: Turning Grief Into Art, Light, and Resilience with Chelli Look, Blue Gerber & Jason Gerber – Episode 425

    When words fail, creativity carries what the heart still needs to say. In this episode, Peter Fenger sits down with three powerful storytellers: Chelli Look and filmmaking duo Blue Gerber and Jason Gerber. Chelli is a fashion artisan, creative collaborator, and storyteller whose work is rooted in emotional depth and intentional design. After years in luxury retail and leading her own leather goods brand, she transformed her craft into a healing practice following the devastating loss of her sister to domestic violence. Her journey has carried her from retail floors to artisan studios in Florence, and now into partnerships with brands that use design to tell meaningful human stories. Joining her are Blue Gerber and Jason Gerber, a husband-and-wife directing team based in Los Angeles. Known for their award-winning film “Otis’ Dream” shared by Oprah and recognized by President Obama, the pair specialize in emotionally resonant storytelling across film and commercial work. Their latest documentary, “Dawn Dusk”, captures Chelli’s personal journey with care, beauty, and deep respect for the healing power of art. Together, we explore how grief can be transformed through creativity, how art becomes a vessel for meaning, and how “Dawn Dusk” emerged as both a portrait of loss and a celebration of light, memory, and resilience.   For more information about “Dawn Dusk” documentary directed by Blue & Jason Gerber, please visit: https://www.dawnduskfilm.com For more information about WINGS, victims of domestic violence program, please visit: https://wingsprogram.com  For more information about Blue & Jason Gerber, please visit: https://www.jasonandblue.com For more information about CHC leather bags, please visit: https://shopchc.com For more information about Chelli Look, please visit: https://www.chellilook.com Connect with Dawn Dusk film on social media: On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dawnduskfilm/ On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dawnduskfilm On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dawnduskfilm On TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dawndusk_film On Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/film/dawn-dusk/ On IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt30988883/

    51 min
  7. 15 JAN

    Fear in the Body, Power in the Mind: Reclaiming Agency in an Anxious World with Dr. Vadim Dekhtyar – Episode 424

    Fear isn’t the enemy, it’s a messenger. And when we learn how to listen, we reclaim our power. In this episode, Sharlee Dixon sits down with Dr. Vadim Dekhtyar, a psychotherapist, hypnotherapist, and licensed NLP trainer with decades of experience helping individuals and organizations navigate fear, stress, and meaningful transformation. Dr. Vadim is the founder and director of the NLP Academy and has worked internationally, from advising Lithuanian government officials and state television to consulting U.S. companies on personal and organizational wellness. He is the author of several books, including his latest, “Conquering Fear: The Path of Inner Strength”, which weaves together neuroscience, psychology, and holistic practices to offer practical, science-backed tools for overcoming anxiety and reclaiming agency. His work is grounded in a simple but powerful idea: deep emotional change should be both accessible and actionable. Together, Sharlee and Dr. Vadim explore how fear and anxiety affect both the mind and the body, why fear has become a cultural experience in our modern world, and how we can use awareness, physiology, and imagination to transform emotional pain into inner strength, resilience, and healing.   For more information about “Conquering Fear: The Path of Inner Strength” by Dr. Vadim Dekhtyar, please visit: https://www.amazon.com/Conquering-Fear-Path-Inner-Strength/dp/B0D7JR7Q11 For more information about Life Balance Clinic, please visit: https://lifebalanceclinic.com Connect with Academy NLP on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/AcademyNLP/ Connect with Vadim on Linked in at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vadim-dekhtyar-95528037/?profileId=ACoAAAexVVEBZ2ajOIMeCKpmkSLfIKJkzPzZAHA

    55 min
  8. 13 JAN

    The Moment of Release: Rehabilitating Substance Use Disorder After Incarceration with Dr. Joshua Hall, FAOAAM – Episode 423

    Release is not recovery, unless we build a bridge. In this episode, Sharlee Dixon is joined by Dr. Joshua Hall, FAOAAM, to examine what it truly takes to rehabilitate substance use disorder at the moment people leave incarceration, when the risk of overdose and recidivism is highest. Dr. Hall is the Medical Director and Senior Quality Officer at Crossroads Treatment Center and Chief Medical Officer at The Phoenix Center in South Carolina. Dual board-certified in Family Medicine and Addiction Medicine, he has dedicated his career to advancing compassionate, evidence-based care for individuals with substance use disorders, particularly those involved in the criminal justice system. Drawing from his clinical experience and personal journey, Dr. Hall shares insights into South Carolina’s innovative soft re-entry model, a program that begins engagement during incarceration and continues seamlessly after release. The approach combines medication-assisted treatment, peer support, and continuity of care to intercept relapse, reduce recidivism, and support long-term stability. Together, Sharlee and Dr. Hall explore why the weeks following release are the most dangerous, and the most powerful, window for change, and how treating addiction as a medical condition, not a moral failure, can transform lives, families, and communities.   For more information about Crossroads Treatment Center, please visit: https://www.crossroadstreatmentcenters.com Learn more about the Soft Re-entry Program, please visit: https://www.crossroadstreatmentcenters.com/soft-re-entry-program/ For more information about the Crossroads Annual Outcomes report, please visit: https://www.crossroadstreatmentcenters.com/2024-annual-outcomes-report/ If you would like to refer someone, call 877-848-9294 or visit: https://www.crossroadstreatmentcenters.com/refer-someone-now/ If you are an individual looking for support, please call  855-694-8288 Connect with Crossroads on Linkedin at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/crossroadscenters Connect with Crossroads on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/crossroadscenters/ Connect with Crossroads on TikTok at: https://www.tiktok.com/@crossroadscenters Connect with Crossroads on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/CrossroadsCenters

    39 min

About

Welcome to Behavioral Health Today, a podcast by Triad, where we tackle trending topics in behavioral and mental health. The Behavioral Health Today podcast shares unique and relevant topics occurring within our world and communities with a mental health professional perspective.