The Kelley Kitley Podcast

America's Social Worker Unfiltered
  • 4.6 (8)
  • Mental Health
  • Updated Weekly

Hopeful, Honest, and Deeply Human Conversations kelleykitley.substack.com

  1. 1d ago

    #61 Bridget McGuire: Storyteller, Stand-Up Comedian, Writer

    Bridget McGuire is a storyteller and stand-up comedian based in New York. Her self-deprecating and conversational humor revolves around her life: anxiety, family, and dating - all said in her hot Chicago accent. In addition to being a co-producer of All That Good Stuff, a stand-up comedy show, she works in advertising for Hearst magazines and has written for Women's Health and Prevention about her life with OCD. Ballet Flats for Dinner is an autobiographical solo comedy show written and performed by Bridget McGuire. A mix of stand-up and storytelling, Ballet Flats tells the story of McGuire's life growing up with intrusive thoughts, a form of OCD. From thinking she was pregnant at age 11, to wondering if she killed her friend's boyfriend at 25, to finally getting help at the ripe old age of 38, Ballet Flats will have you laughing the entire time. In honor of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Awareness Month, Bridget is taking her show on the road! You don’t want to miss her in Los Angeles (10/7), DC (10/15), or Dallas (10/30). Follow her on instagram for regular hilarious clips of her life and future shows. In this candid and vulnerable episode, McGuire holds nothing back by sharing her experience, strength, and hope living with OCD, treatment options including Exposure and Response Prevention, medication, and community support. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kelleykitley.substack.com

    #61 Bridget McGuire: Storyteller, Stand-Up Comedian, Writer

  2. Sep 24

    #60 Laura Mayer: Author of Tryhard: A Cautionary Tale of Clocking In and Spinning Out + Podcast Executive

    Laura Mayer is Author of Tryhard: A Cautionary Tale of Clocking In and Spinning Out and a Podcast Executive. She worked as the Executive Producer of Podcast Programming at ABC News while she wrote her memoir. She has worked in “Big Podcasting” for as long as anyone can work in “Big Podcasting.” Laura has developed more than one-hundred podcasts throughout her career. She executive produced ABC News’s wildly-popular slate of true crime shows. She co-created and launched The Dream. She also wrote and hosted her own podcast, Shameless Acquisition Target, which inspired this book. For any type-A, high achiever out there, this is the book that sees you. And provides a cathartic, funny, emotionally charged insight into what drives the perfection-oriented. Laura Mayer was born a girlboss. As a child in suburban Illinois, she played “V.P. of Sales” in her bedroom, dictating important memos to her twin brother and swapping Judy Blume for the buzzy business books of the day. While other kids dreamed of being pop stars or pro athletes, little Laura had a single-minded focus: the corporate ladder. Some thirty years later, from a dizzying perch on that very ladder—as Executive Producer of Podcasts at ABC News, with such blockbuster shows as Revisionist History, Bad Blood, and Happier with Gretchen Rubin to her credit—and with an identity shaped by annual reviews, performance indicators, and “executive presence” (whatever that means) a disillusioned Laura is calling “b******t” on the whole work-is-life thing. Sort of. Tryhard is a gonzo memoir for 9-to-5 devotees who have read every business book and C-suite-or-bust instruction manual yet still find we’re burnt out and unhappy. It is also a deeply personal and poignant examination of why we race at all. Laura detangles this delusional mess of priorities we’ve created, rejects the “boss-at-any-cost” culture, and invites us to laugh at ourselves (and her) along the way. She offers the modern office worker a new path forward through her own revelations, and implores us, for the love of God, to chill out a little bit. This is Laura’s messy, somewhat enlightened, possibly transformative, heart-wrenching and always entertaining story—a one-of-a-kind sightseeing trip on the Great American hamster wheel. In this episode, Kitley talks to Laura on the heels of quitting her job, a six week sabbatical from her computer for some rest and relaxation and starting to explore her own consulting business. They discuss Laura’s lifelong journey as a tryhard, growing up in an alcoholic family, anxiety, finding solace in books, her decision to quit drinking at age twenty-six, cross addiction, making amends, being a mom to five-year-old Joanna, reparenting, and how podcasting has changed from 2008-2026. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kelleykitley.substack.com

    #60 Laura Mayer: Author of Tryhard: A Cautionary Tale of Clocking In and Spinning Out + Podcast Executive

  3. Sep 17

    #59 Kristina Guerrero: Speaker, Podcast Creator of She Believed, Formerly E! News Host, Sober Mom, Breast Cancer Survivor, Latina

    Kristina Guerrero is a speaker, storyteller, and former national television host with more than 20 years of experience in front of and behind the camera. She was the first Latina host and correspondent for E! Entertainment’s E! News and The Daily 10, later hosting the nationally syndicated lifestyle show The List. Over the course of her career, she has worked as a host, writer, producer, and creative storyteller across television, film, and digital media. Kristina is also the creator and host of She Believed, a podcast centered around resilience, identity, and rebuilding when life doesn’t go according to plan. She directed the short documentary Walking Through Molasses about her breast cancer journey and is 3 years sober. In this episode Guerrero shares her experience, strength, and hope as a sober mom, breast cancer survivor, and career pivot after her nationally syndicated show was cancelled. This woman is a resilient warrior who has gone from struggle to perseverance on repeat. Her positivity is contagious! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kelleykitley.substack.com

    #59 Kristina Guerrero: Speaker, Podcast Creator of She Believed, Formerly E! News Host, Sober Mom, Breast Cancer Survivor, Latina

  4. Sep 5

    #58 Bradley Rompza: Bar and Restaurant Owner, Chicago Native, 10 years in Recovery

    Bradley Rompza is Owner of the legendary The Burwood Tap, the oldest bar in Lincoln Park and the fifth oldest bar in Chicago. Established in 1933, formerly owned by his grandfather and his father. He is also TEN years sober! This is the first time Bradley is sharing his story publicly in hopes it might help someone else who is struggling with substance use. He’s the second oldest child of five siblings and Kelley’s younger brother. He grew up in the restaurant and bar business and by the age of fifteen, he was helping his dad manage two restaurants and a bar while also attending high school. Out of curiosity, he had his first drink at the age of thirteen by himself, in the basement of the bar. He was immediately hooked and continued drinking heavily, which progressed into drug use. At the age of thirty-five, Bradley had a near death experience that resulted in a multiple day hospital stay and surgery. Once discharged, his family had an intervention and he made the decision to stop using substances. He describes his experience of being sick and tired of being sick and tired. Brad refers to his first three years of sobriety as “white knuckling” (gripping something so hard out of fear, stress, or tension that your knuckles turn white, or trying to survive a difficult situation through pure willpower without real relief) with little support. He eventually chose to deepen his recovery by attending twelve-step meetings, connecting with others in recovery, and created a more supportive environment. Rompza is a true miracle! In this episode, he shares experience, strength, and hope as a man in recovery, his path to deep spirituality, owning a bar business as a sober person, dating in sobriety, and his twenty-one year old dog Johnny, who’s his spirit animal. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kelleykitley.substack.com

    #58 Bradley Rompza: Bar and Restaurant Owner, Chicago Native, 10 years in Recovery

  5. Sep 1

    #57 Paula Devine: Founder of Happiest Hour, Concierge Sobriety Private and Group Coaching, Podcast Host, Mom in Recovery

    September is National Recovery Month! All month, we’ll be celebrating the lives of people in recovery. Paula Devine founded Happiest Hour, born out of her own journey toward freedom. Happiest Hour offers compassionate, judgement-free support for women who are questioning their relationship with alcohol and seeking more out of life. Through personalized coaching, resources, and a supportive community, she empowers women to reclaim their time, energy, and sense of self, so they can live fully, authentically, and with purpose. Devine offers private sessions and a signature 6-week group coaching program (next one starts 9/17!) called the "Happiest Hour Experience" focused on community connection, practical tools, and self-reflection. She hosts Happiest Hour with Paula Devine, a podcast that features honest conversations about midlife, parenting, and navigating life after alcohol. Paula just celebrated her first year in business and hosts local events and online spaces centered around women supporting women in an alcohol-free lifestyle. In this episode Paula shares her experience, strength, and hope as a woman in recovery, the normalization of mom drinking culture and wine as a “reward” for parenting, the ripple effect of hearing other women’s stories (Devine heard Kitley’s on TODAY), starting a business to help women step out of the drinking cycle, and spirituality. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kelleykitley.substack.com

    #57 Paula Devine: Founder of Happiest Hour, Concierge Sobriety Private and Group Coaching, Podcast Host, Mom in Recovery

  6. Aug 24

    #56 James Longman: Award Winning Journalist, Foreign Correspondent ABC News, Author of The Inherited Mind

    James Longman is Chief International Correspondent for ABC News. It’s a job that has taken him to more than 60 countries, reporting on major world events. He’s long taken an interest in mental health, and his book The Inherited Mind looks at the genetics of mental illness, inter-generational trauma and the science of epigenetics. James Longman was a preteen in boarding school when his dad, who was diagnosed with depression and schizophrenia, died by suicide. As he got older, James’s own bouts of depression spurred him to examine how his father’s mental health might have affected his own. He engaged with experts to uncover the science behind what is inherited, how much environmental factors can impact genetic traits, and how one can overcome a familial history of mental illness and trauma.Longman invites readers to reflect on their own stories as he shares his quest to better understand himself and his family. Through speaking to mental health experts, to those who have had similar familial experiences, and about his own life stories, James shows us, with heart and humor, how much our bodies can empower and inform us about our own personal mental health histories. In this episode, James shares his personal experience with depression, how he takes care of his mental health, the importance of finding a supportive environment and community, owning our story, and Guardian Angels, sprinkled throughout his life. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kelleykitley.substack.com

    #56 James Longman: Award Winning Journalist, Foreign Correspondent ABC News, Author of The Inherited Mind

  7. Aug 19

    #55: Kelley Kitley, LCSW America’s Social Worker, Author of MY self, Mom of 4, Woman in Long-Term Recovery

    In 2015, I was a consulting therapist for the writers room on the show Nashville to educate about postpartum depression. Hayden Panettiere’s character, Juliette Barnes was struggling with mental health issues and alcohol abuse after having a baby. After years of working one on one with women in a clinical setting and educating the public about women’s mental health, this was an exciting opportunity to have a large impact. The writers of the show even wrote me into the script as “Dr. Kitley.” Later, I came to find out Hayden was struggling in her personal life simultaneously as her character was with postpartum depression and substance use disorder. She took a leave from the show to engage in treatment. Over the years, as she started to share about her experience, strength, and hope I was drawn to her authenticity and vulnerability. As a licensed clinical social worker and media expert, I’ve observed and experienced the power of sharing our story. We normalize feelings for others and give people permission to say me too. It helps others feel less alone and provides hope. When a celebrity uses their platform, it has a huge reach and changes the conversation for the general public. For the last couple of years, I was communicating with Hayden’s publicist. I was eager to have her as a guest on my podcast and/or collaborate on a project for women’s mental health. In January, she informed me Hayden was publishing a memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning. I could not wait! When Hayden released the book on May 19, 2026 she was going to be in the Chicagoland area on book tour the next day. I wanted to introduce myself, thank her for her important work, get a signed copy of her book, and give her mine. Exactly three months ago tomorrow, two women in recovery met. I felt an automatic genuine connection. We hugged, laughed, cried, and she thanked me for my work. I had a strong feeling we would meet again. Summer has been extraordinarily busy. We just returned from South Carolina, dropping our two oldest off at college, then went to the Jersey Shore for my 26th summer, for a little R & R. It was just what we all needed! Refreshed and ready to get back to work, Monday morning I was driving home and made my first pit stop to fill the car with gas. I opened my phone and my social media feed was saturated with news that Hayden Panettiere died of a potential overdose at the age of 36. I thought it was fake news. Then a gut punch, scrolling for credible information, reminded once again that mental health and addiction is a matter of life and death. The recovery community is mourning. Women saw theirselves in her story. Moms could relate. Millennials grew up with her. This story is so tragic, devastating, and multi-layered, as the news continues to unfold. However, Hayden’s bright light will continue to shine. People in recovery aren’t “recovered.” It’s a daily practice to stay grounded. Say something if someone seems “off.” We have no idea what’s going on in someone’s head. If you’re concerned about who someone is socializing with, tell them. Please check in on one another. I will continue fighting for all of us! Stay tuned for more on this topic as August 31st is International Overdose Awareness Day and September is National Recovery Month. Resources: MY self: An Autobiography of Survival, Recovery, & Empowerment She Recovers Women for Sobriety Alcoholics Anonymous This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kelleykitley.substack.com

    #55: Kelley Kitley, LCSW America’s Social Worker, Author of MY self, Mom of 4, Woman in Long-Term Recovery

  8. Aug 11

    #54 Connor Kitley: Junior at University of South Carolina, Majoring in Psychology, Minoring in Business, Ultimate Frisbee Player

    Connor Kitley is a junior at the University of South Carolina majoring in Psychology with a minor in Business Administration. He plans to pursue a career in psychotherapy, where he can apply his understanding of human behavior to help clients improve their well-being, while also using his business background to open his own private practice. His experience in the service industry has strengthened his interpersonal and communication skills, which will be valuable in working with clients. It has also taught him adaptability, stress management, and teamwork—skills he applies daily as a student and professional. He’s always eager to learn more and get involved in opportunities related to psychology and mental health. In this episode Connor offers his experience transitioning to college and tools that helped him navigate what can sometimes feel overwhelming. Connor is Kelley’s oldest of four and they discuss the change in family dynamics, his younger sister entering freshman year at the same school, how parents can support their young adults, and the importance of building community. He encourages his peers to use all the resources college has to offer and to never be afraid to ask for help! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kelleykitley.substack.com

    #54 Connor Kitley: Junior at University of South Carolina, Majoring in Psychology, Minoring in Business, Ultimate Frisbee Player
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4.6
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About

Hopeful, Honest, and Deeply Human Conversations kelleykitley.substack.com

Information

  • Creator
    America's Social Worker Unfiltered
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    62
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Kelley Kitley
  • Show Website
    The Kelley Kitley Podcast

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