Schizophrenia: Three Moms in the Trenches

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

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

    23H AGO

    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
  2. 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
  3. 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
  4. 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
  5. 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
  6. 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
  7. 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
  8. Lives Reimagined: Changing the Course of Psychotic Illness (Ep. 125)

    09/11/2025

    Lives Reimagined: Changing the Course of Psychotic Illness (Ep. 125)

    Send a Text to the Moms - please include your contact info if you want a response. thanks! Lives Reimagined: Changing the Course of Psychotic Illness   (Ep. 125)Guests: authors of the new book (same name) -  Katharine Dougherty PhD, and Lisa Mann, PhD , and Dr. Rocco Marotta-a psychiatrist known for his successful treatment of "hopeless" cases-and practiced with remarkable success by the team he led at The Lodge program at Silver Hill Hospital in New Canaan, Connecticut. Written for families struggling to navigate the world of neuropsychiatric illness and useful for providers looking for a different approach to the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders The book can be found at the following sites by putting in the title and authors:   amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, sdppublishingsolutions.com The Center for the Treatment and Study of Neuropsychiatric Disorders:  silverhillhospital.org/TheCenter   Why relabel SMI NBD (neuropsychiatric brain disease )? THEMES: Hope and persistence are criticalNo two cases are exactly the sameMedication and adherence and sobriety are important to sustained stabilityIt takes a team and long-term relationships to sustain stabilityCommunication among team members is criticalTaking small risks and succeeding leads to other risksRigid ideology has no place when you are untangling complexity and nuanceThe diagnosis of NBD is often tied to a sense of shame and failure for patients and familiesThere are many important layers to the recovery journeyConstant reevaluation is important and this includes the importance of patient feedback Poetry from Zachary Sutphin "White pink blue"  White pink blue The pills look like candy  But taste like defeat.   They taste like mother’s advice.   Correct, we grow too see I take them Because otherwise,  I might start believing.. believing in things that can't be believed in minds unlike mine  They tell me it’s illness.   But what if it’s clarity?   What if losing grip  Was divine sanity Still, I take them..... For the full poem, see our "Schizophrenia 3 Moms" Facebook page 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

    1 hr
See All (131)

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.

Information

You Might Also Like