Schizophrenia: Three Moms in the Trenches

Randye Kaye
  • 4.8 (118)
  • MENTAL HEALTH
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Schizophrenia in the Family. How do we cope? How can we help? We each have adult sons with schizophrenia and have written acclaimed books about it. We say it like it is, to help families, practitioners and those with SMI (serious mental illness) feel less alone...and learn. Randye Kaye, Mindy Greiling, Miriam Feldman...and guests.

  1. Ask the Therapist: Conversations About Psychosis and Hope (Ep. 133)

    6D AGO

    Ask the Therapist: Conversations About Psychosis and Hope (Ep. 133)

    Send a Text to the Moms - please include your contact info if you want a response. thanks! Guest:Deb Bushong, MS, LPC-S  -  a  licensed therapist for over 20 years. "Conversations Therapy is focused on the therapeutic work that helps develop youth and young adults who are in the early parts of their journey of living with Psychosis. I offer supports of various kinds for the clients but also support and psychoeducation for the parents, family members, and support systems. The goal is to move these young people towards living a recovery-oriented, fulfilling life!" We ask questions (and push back a bit on “psychosis can be a gift”) - and share listener questions as well. Conversations Therapy & Supervision (469) 727-TALK {call or text} https://www.conversationstherapy.org https://linktr.ee/deb_bushong NAMI Ask the Expert Webinar:  https://www.nami.org/namis-ask-the-expert/nami-ask-the-expert-roles-in-recovery-part-2-parents/ Randye's substack: https://randyekaye.substack.com/ My daughter thinks we are not her parents, just friends. Is this considered psychosis?Our LO was diagnosed with schizophrenia 2 years ago. He has been so afraid to begin running again for fear the voices will get loud and tell him to stop. Do you have any advice to give him the courage to try the one thing he absolutely loved doing?Advice for a recreation therapist in state hospital. What are the best groups and topics to offer to patients going through the forensic/civil system to prevent readmission/relapse?What to say and not to say to a loved one when they are in psychosis, especially when they cannot recognize that they are having hallucinations.How to help a LO from miles away, while they are in psychosis.-My son laughs a lot and very hearty laughs. But whenever we ask him if he would like to share what the joke is or what’s funny. He says no it’s nothing.Please ask her if she knows if they ever share that information with anyone ? It’s been over 20 years and he still won’t reveal anything.What is the difference between psychosis and delusions? And how long can they last? Untreated… this seems to be a major obstacle to getting treatment.Susan Inman - comment (author of After Her Brain Broke) -An under researched approach is having professionally facilitated, long term, group based psychoeducation about psychotic disorders. My daughter and her friends for the last twenty years had this in a program that no longer exists. I think part of it power was when they saw others in the group who were clearly psychotWant to know more? Join our facebook page Our websites: Randye Kaye Mindy Greiling Miriam (Mimi) Feldman

    58 min
  2. Integrated Behavioral Health Care: What’s Ahead for a Better System? (Ep. 132)

    FEB 3

    Integrated Behavioral Health Care: What’s Ahead for a Better System? (Ep. 132)

    Send a Text to the Moms - please include your contact info if you want a response. thanks! Guest: Dr. Theresa Miskimen Rivera, APA president 2025-2026 In this episode, we’re joined by the current president of the American Psychiatric Association for a timely conversation on what’s broken—and what’s possible—in mental healthcare. We explore the promise of integrated behavioral healthcare, why treating the whole person matters, and how earlier diagnosis can change lives. Just as important, we shine a light on the often-overlooked plight of caregivers supporting loved ones with schizophrenia and other serious mental illnesses—those doing the hardest work with the least support. Link: https://www.psychiatry.org/ Thanks for liking and sharing the podcast!  Mindy and her book: https://mindygreiling.com/ Randye and her book: https://randyekaye.com/ Miriam and her book: https://www.miriam-feldman.com/ Want to know more? Join our facebook page Our websites: Randye Kaye Mindy Greiling Miriam (Mimi) Feldman

    51 min
  3. Collateral Damage: Mental Health Crisis Wake-Up Call (ep.131)

    JAN 28

    Collateral Damage: Mental Health Crisis Wake-Up Call (ep.131)

    Send a Text to the Moms - please include your contact info if you want a response. thanks! What happens when mental illness collides with broken systems—and no one is prepared to respond? In Collateral Damage, criminologist and former law enforcement officer Jesse Treviño exposes the catastrophic cost of ignoring mental illness in America’s public systems. Drawing on his own journey through trauma, PTSD, and crisis work, Treviño delivers an unflinching look at how law enforcement, healthcare, and policy too often fail the very people they claim to protect. We ask about:  The myths that fuel stigma and why they keep people from seeking help.How the criminal justice system became the de facto mental health system—and why it’s failing.Firsthand stories of crisis response, both successful and devastating.The truth about the link between mental illness and violence (it’s not what the media tells you).Practical lessons for police, policymakers, families, and communities.A call to action for compassion, reform, and resilience. Links: Collateral Damage: Mental Illness, Public Systems, and the Catastrophic Price of Doing Nothing  Book: https://a.co/d/3d3vRb1 Website: https://solutionpointplus.com/ Want to know more? Join our facebook page Our websites: Randye Kaye Mindy Greiling Miriam (Mimi) Feldman

    47 min
  4. ALL IN: Mental Health Support for the Family (Ep. 130)

    JAN 21

    ALL IN: Mental Health Support for the Family (Ep. 130)

    Send a Text to the Moms - please include your contact info if you want a response. thanks! The "ALL IN FAMILY" website says:  “When one member of the family is struggling with mental health challenges and/or addiction (dual diagnosis), it impacts every member of the family. At All IN Family, we are here to support you.” What does that mean? Charlotte Armstrong and Kirsten Drybrough are the co-founders of  All In Family, to fill a need: support for the family of those with serious mental illness (whatever family means to you). They are peer support workers and want to share what they do, how they can help  - starting with free resources. What can peer support mean for our loved ones- and for us, in the family? links: https://www.allinfamily.ca/ https://cafetacenter.net/ [https://www.youtube.com/@allinfamilypeersupport] [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwL7P5ESNu6-12kUUJHZl0dDknd8zyfYR]    Want to know more? Join our facebook page Our websites: Randye Kaye Mindy Greiling Miriam (Mimi) Feldman

    50 min
  5. Antipsychotics and Weight Gain: It Doesn’t Have to Happen (Ep. 129)

    JAN 7

    Antipsychotics and Weight Gain: It Doesn’t Have to Happen (Ep. 129)

    Send a Text to the Moms - please include your contact info if you want a response. thanks! Weight gain is one of the most common—and distressing—side effects of antipsychotic medications. For many people, it affects self-esteem, physical health, and even the willingness to stay on treatment. In this episode of Schizophrenia: Three Moms in the Trenches, we talk about why these medications cause weight gain, whether it can be treated or prevented, and what families should understand about metabolism and insulin resistance. We also touch on the growing conversation around the ketogenic diet and its possible role in treatment. What’s evidence-based, what’s still emerging, and how can families advocate wisely?   Guest :  Robert S Laitman, MD, is an internal medicine physician at Bronx Westchester Medical Group in New York.  Book: MEANINGFUL RECOVERY from Schizophrenia and Serious Mental Illness with Clozapine: Hope & Help  BUY THE 5th EDITION - for an extensive update to Dr Laitman's section, An Optimistic Nephrologist. MoreIn depth data about clozapine and the mitigation of side effects for a MEANINGFUL RECOVERY.Published in December 2025. We also touch on the expanding reach of Doromind, so more can benefit from Dr. Laitman’s treatment protocols. https://www.doromind.com/ Keto Diet resources: https://accordmh.com/ Dr. Chris Palmer has written books about it. Want to know more? Join our facebook page Our websites: Randye Kaye Mindy Greiling Miriam (Mimi) Feldman

    42 min
  6. The Reiner Family Tragedy: A Fear Too Many Live With (Ep. 128)

    12/17/2025

    The Reiner Family Tragedy: A Fear Too Many Live With (Ep. 128)

    Send a Text to the Moms - please include your contact info if you want a response. thanks! Two days after the tragic murders of Rob and Michele Reiner, allegedly at the hands of their middle son, Nick, we three moms comment on the system, the families who try everything to help someone they love, the fears many of us live with. We also vent about system failures, and the unforgivable response from Donald Trump. Want to know more? Join our facebook page Our websites: Randye Kaye Mindy Greiling Miriam (Mimi) Feldman

    36 min
  7. ECT and Schizophrenia: Can it Help? (Ep. 127)

    11/19/2025

    ECT and Schizophrenia: Can it Help? (Ep. 127)

    Send a Text to the Moms - please include your contact info if you want a response. thanks! Today on Schizophrenia: 3 Moms in the Trenches, we’re joined by Dr. Steve Olson—psychiatrist, longtime advocate for clozapine, and a clinician experienced in using Electroconvulsive Therapy when it can truly help. ECT is often misunderstood, especially in the context of schizophrenia, so today we’re digging into what it is, when it works, and what families should know. Dr. Olson helps us separate myth from reality and explore whether ECT has a place in treatment for our loved ones. Questions for Dr. Olson Understanding ECT For families who only know ECT from movies, how do you explain what it actually is today? What symptoms or situations in schizophrenia make you consider ECT as an option? Effectiveness & Use Cases  3. How effective can ECT be for schizophrenia, and what outcomes have you seen in practice?  4. Are there particular subtypes or symptom profiles where ECT is most helpful—or least helpful?  5. How quickly do patients typically respond, compared to medication changes? Clozapine Context  6. You’ve been a strong advocate for clozapine. In what scenarios would you consider ECT in addition to clozapine? 7. For someone who hasn’t responded fully even to clozapine, how do you decide whether ECT could help? Safety, Stigma, and Practicalities  8. What are the most common fears or misconceptions families have about ECT, and how do you address them? Want to know more? Join our facebook page Our websites: Randye Kaye Mindy Greiling Miriam (Mimi) Feldman

    42 min
  8. New Challenges, New Hopes, Some Advice: Season Six Peek - (Ep. 126)

    11/12/2025

    New Challenges, New Hopes, Some Advice: Season Six Peek - (Ep. 126)

    Send a Text to the Moms - please include your contact info if you want a response. thanks! Moms kick off Season Six, with a sneak peek back at the past few months, and a look ahead. Coming up: ECT, new research, microdosing? What would you like us to cover? Contact us on our facebook page, or via any of our websites.  https://www.randyekaye.com/schizophrenia-three-moms-in-the-trenches or write randye@randyekaye.com Links: Corey Minor Smith Panel on Homelessness: https://www.youtube.com/live/PJo8v5orjPk?si=W1Ae9bvw0FVjEI1M Hosts: Who: Randye Kaye - was a morning Radio Personality bringing humor to CT families when her own son was diagnosed with schizophrenia. Now she is still a Broadcaster, Actress, Voice Talent, Speaker, and Author (Ben Behind his Voices, Happier Made Simple) Miriam Feldman -  is an artist, writer, and the mother of an adult son with schizophrenia. Her book, He Came in With It chronicles her family's story and was released to rave reviews on July 21st, 2020. Mindy Greiling - Mindy Greiling was a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives for twenty years. She helped found the nation's first state mental health caucus, which successfully lobbied for a significant increase in Minnesota's mental health funding Her acclaimed memoir is Fix What You Can. Want to know more? Join our facebook page Our websites: Randye Kaye Mindy Greiling Miriam (Mimi) Feldman

    34 min
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4.8
out of 5
118 Ratings

About

Schizophrenia in the Family. How do we cope? How can we help? We each have adult sons with schizophrenia and have written acclaimed books about it. We say it like it is, to help families, practitioners and those with SMI (serious mental illness) feel less alone...and learn. Randye Kaye, Mindy Greiling, Miriam Feldman...and guests.

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