TNT Open Mind Insights - Mental Health Interview Series

Ethical Narrative Storytelling Agency
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TNT Open Mind Insights - Mental Health Interview Series

  1. 3d ago

    Managing Pain, Monitoring Addiction with Jocelyn Nato Ligayo

    What happens when the provider handing out the prescriptions is the one who starts to question them?Jocelyn Ligayo spent years watching strong pain medication get prescribed for the simplest cases, first as a bedside nurse and then as a nurse practitioner in pain management. A patient who threatened her life over a refill became the turning point that moved her into primary care, where she now serves unhoused patients through Hope Christian Health Center's outreach program in Las Vegas.In this conversation, Jocelyn talks with Yami Reyes-Lima about facing her own assumptions — about prescribing, about addiction, and about the people she once believed had simply made bad choices. She gets honest about the stigma she carried into the work, why she says it's often the soul that's in pain and not the body, and what she thinks every provider owes the patient in front of them.Whether you work in healthcare, prescribe for pain, or care about how we treat people living with addiction, this conversation is for you.Chapters:0:00 – Introduction1:38 – Why she became a nurse and chose pain management4:21 – The reality check: what she believed about prescribing5:52 – When addiction hit close to home6:11 – The turning point: a patient's threat7:41 – Moving into primary care and outreach8:00 – Facing her own stigma about homelessness11:13 – What the patients' stories revealed12:43 – The biggest barrier to care13:26 – "It's the soul that's in pain, not the body"14:09 – Caseloads vs. the time to show up15:06 – Why her director urged her toward the TNT Fellowship15:57 – Months-long waits for psychiatric care in Nevada17:14 – Sending patients in crisis to the ER17:56 – Her hopes for the fellowship and the ripple effect22:18 – Solutions: kindness and communication26:57 – What lawmakers should know29:08 – Family, faith, and staying grounded31:00 – A message to other providers36:25 – Closing thoughts and how to helpInterview Recorded On: March 20, 2026🔔 Subscribe for more conversations with providers rethinking how we treat addiction and mental health.🔗 Watch more interviews in the series: www.tntopenmind.orgnurse practitioner, substance use disorder, addiction, pain management, opioid prescribing, controlled substances, provider stigma, homelessness, unhoused, mental health, behavioral health, primary care, harm reduction, addiction medicine, compassionate care, provider responsibility, Nevada healthcare, Las Vegas, underserved communities, TNT Primary Care Fellowship, TNT Open Mind Insights Subscribe to TNT Open Mind Insights - Mental Health Interview Series on Soundwise

    Managing Pain, Monitoring Addiction with Jocelyn Nato Ligayo

  2. Jul 14

    Chronic, Not Crisis: Rethinking Behavioral Health Systems with Luke Bergmann

    What if the fix for America's mental health crisis isn't more funding or more infrastructure, but common sense?Dr. Luke Bergmann has spent 15+ years leading behavioral health systems in New York and California — most recently as San Diego County's Director of Behavioral Health, now a Principal at Health Management Associates. In this conversation, he pulls back the curtain on why our system so often fails the people who need it most: institutions incentivized to keep beds full instead of keeping people well, a billing policy that split his own stepfather's care in two, and a federal policy landscape he calls "whiplashy."This hits close to home for Bergmann. He shares the story of his stepfather, whose final year was shaped by a system that couldn't treat him as a whole person, and how that experience now drives his work bringing county behavioral health and community clinics to the same table.Whether you work in healthcare, advocate for mental health reform, or are simply trying to understand a system that touches almost every family, this conversation offers a clear-eyed, hopeful case for change.🔔 Subscribe for more conversations at the intersection of mental health and policy. 🔗 Watch more interviews in the series: [tntopenmind.org] Interview recorded on Jan 16, 202600:00 – Introduction00:45 – Why Dr. Bergmann dedicated his career to behavioral health02:59 – Staying hopeful amid policy "whiplash" ($2B in grants cut, then restored)04:38 – A personal story of common sense abandoned09:04 – The billing policy that split his stepfather's care in two11:38 – Current work: bridging county behavioral health & community clinics14:00 – Fixing the community clinic problem that took his stepdad16:09 – HR1 and the threat to Medicaid enrollment18:11 – Twin crises: community clinics and county behavioral health21:31 – Fixing the same-day billing policy — low-hanging fruit22:03 – Why county behavioral health is often the most resistant to change24:12 – What behavioral health can learn from primary care25:43 – Why behavioral health is "obsessed" with the word crisis28:04 – Renaming crisis as chronic illness — and the pushback he got29:56 – Inpatient psych beds: the "motel chain" business model32:08 – Training primary care doctors in psychiatry: a real-world example from NYC34:18 – De-stigmatizing care by integrating it into primary care34:53 – Final thoughts: common sense, hope, and getting in touchTags: behavioral health, mental health, mental health policy, mental health advocacy, healthcare reform, integrated care, psychiatry, mental illness, substance use disorder, addiction recovery, community health, primary care, Medicaid, healthcare policy, mental health crisis, health equity, public health, healthcare leadership, San Diego County, Health Management Associates, HR1, FQHC, crisis care, chronic illness, mental health awareness Subscribe to TNT Open Mind Insights - Mental Health Interview Series on Soundwise

    Chronic, Not Crisis: Rethinking Behavioral Health Systems with Luke Bergmann

  3. Jun 24

    The Pediatrician Who Became a Child Psychiatrist with Dr. Bruce Leewiwatanakul

    Most parents, and plenty of providers, assume mental health "treatment" means medication. A triple-boarded child psychiatrist explains what it actually looks like for kids.Dr. Bruce Leewiwatanakul is a pediatrician and child psychiatrist. He now runs integrated and collaborative care, the model built to reach kids with mild-to-moderate mental health needs before those needs turn into a crisis.In this conversation with Dr. Sarah Arshad, Dr. Leewiwatanakul breaks down how collaborative care actually works in a pediatric setting, why so much of effective treatment has nothing to do with a prescription, and what early screening is already getting right. He's candid about where the model strains under a teen's schedule and a parent's, what it would take to expand past anxiety and depression into behavior management, and the investment kids' mental health still isn't getting.In this episode:In this episode:Why a pediatrics background changes how you diagnose and treat in psychiatryWhat the Post-Pediatric Portal Program is, and why most people have never heard of itHow collaborative care manages a whole population of kids proactivelyWhy "treatment" usually starts with sleep, screens, and behavioral activation, not medicationWhat's working: earlier screening and catching kids before things get worseWhere the model breaks down for teens, and what real investment would unlockHis plea to stakeholders, families, and government on kids' mental healthInterview recorded on: Jan 16, 2026Learn more about TNT Open Mind Insights: www.tntopenmind.orgIf you're a pediatrician, primary care provider, NP, PA, fellow, or anyone building behavioral health into a pediatric practice, this conversation is for you.0:00 Introduction — meet Dr. Bruce Leewiwatanakul0:47 Why medicine, and a mother's advice to do something worthwhile1:43 The detour into teaching near UCLA2:29 What drew him to kids and family systems5:59 Finding psychiatry by listening to kids at midnight7:10 The gap pediatrics alone couldn't fill8:12 What the Post-Pediatric Portal Program is9:47 Pediatrician or child psychiatrist? Holding both10:26 How a pediatrics brain changes his psychiatry12:40 Prevention and anticipatory guidance in mental health13:01 Why he joined the TNT Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship14:36 Collaborative care and integrated care, explained16:30 What's working: screening and catching kids early17:40 What "treatment" actually means19:15 Why therapy for kids looks nothing like the movies22:54 The magic-wand question: investing in collaborative care25:07 A plea to stakeholders, families, and government26:30 What keeps him doing the workchild psychiatry, pediatric mental health, collaborative care, integrated care, behavioral health, child and adolescent psychiatry, primary care psychiatry, post pediatric portal program, Bruce Leewiwatanakul, OHSU, Doernbecher Childrens Hospital, behavioral health care manager, anticipatory guidance, early intervention, youth mental health, behavioral activation, TNT Open Mind Insights, pediatrician to psychiatrist, kids mental health Subscribe to TNT Open Mind Insights - Mental Health Interview Series on Soundwise

    The Pediatrician Who Became a Child Psychiatrist with Dr. Bruce Leewiwatanakul

  4. Jun 19

    Perinatal Recovery & Shame-Free Care With Amber Williams

    What does it look like when a patient becomes the CEO?Amber Williams walked into Janus of Santa Cruz suffering with substance use disorder as a teen mom with a newborn son and no insurance coverage left. Twenty years later, she runs it — and this September, Janus opens its first major infrastructure project: a 25-bed perinatal facility built so mothers in recovery won't have to be separated from their babies.In this conversation, Amber talks with Autumn Payne about what it takes to put clients at the center of every decision — from building environments that raise expectations, to asking providers to check their biases before they walk into a patient room. She also gets personal about the moment her own bias crept into her clinical work, and what she did about it.If you work in healthcare, treat patients with substance use disorder, or care about what recovery looks like for families — this conversation is for you.In this episode:Why environment is a clinical tool, not an amenityThe three barriers keeping providers from treating substance use disorderWhat happens when you recognize your own bias before it reaches a patientWhy perinatal-specific facilities are so rare — and what's at stake without themThe aging population being left behind on medsurg floorsWhere a bottomless well of hope comes fromChapters0:00 Introduction 1:20 How Amber first came to Janus as a patient 4:00 The decision that changed everything 5:30 Putting clients at the center of every decision 7:00 Why environment is a clinical tool 9:00 The new 25-bed perinatal facility 11:30 Why perinatal facilities are so rare 13:45 Three barriers providers face with SUD patients 18:00 Checking your own bias — a personal story 21:30 What to do when you can't check it at the door 23:00 Self-care for clinicians in high-intensity settings 25:00 Warm handoffs in a 15-minute appointment 28:00 Resources: 988 and the ED Bridge program 29:30 The California SUD landscape 33:00 The aging population left behind on med surg floors 36:00 Where Amber finds hopeInterview Recorded On: March 20. 2026TNT Open Mind Insights is a video series linking personal stories to solutions in mental healthcare. Sponsored by UC Irvine's Train New Trainers Primary Care Psychiatry Fellowship and produced by Ethical Narrative Storytelling Agency. 🔗 Hear more insights: [tntopenmind.org] Connect with Amber: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amber-williams-laadc-98779b111/ Connect with Janus of Santa Cruz: https://janussc.org#SubstanceUseDisorder #AddictionRecovery #PeriNatalCare #BehavioralHealth #MentalHealth #HealthcareProviders #TNTOpenMindInsights #HealthcarePolicy #StigmaFreeRecoveryTags: substance use disorder, addiction recovery, perinatal care, behavioral health, mental health, healthcare providers, stigma, recovery, Janus Santa Cruz, TNT Open Mind Insights, healthcare policy, maternal health, addiction medicine, California healthcare, substance abuse treatment, harm reduction Subscribe to TNT Open Mind Insights - Mental Health Interview Series on Soundwise

    Perinatal Recovery & Shame-Free Care With Amber Williams

  5. Jun 5

    When Diabetes Meets Depression - Lessons from the Bronx with Dr. Alyson Myers

    What happens when you treat diabetes without addressing depression? Or prescribe insulin to a patient with no refrigerator? Dr. Alyson Myers has spent her career answering questions like these — and her answers challenge how most clinicians were trained to think.Triple board-certified in internal medicine, psychiatry, and endocrinology, Dr. Myers practices in the Bronx, where the gap between clinical guidelines and patients' lived reality is impossible to ignore. In this conversation, she breaks down the bidirectional relationship between metabolic and mental health, reframes what "non-compliant" actually means, and shares how a five-year chart review revealing a 44% amputation rate led her to co-found a multidisciplinary limb preservation clinic.This is whole-patient care in practice — not as a concept, but as a necessity.In this episode:Why treating diabetes without addressing mental health guarantees worse outcomes for bothThe real meaning of "non-compliant" in underserved communitiesHow inaction violates the oath to do no harmA data-driven response to a 44% amputation rate in the BronxThe cost of diabetic foot ulcers to patients, families, and the healthcare systemWhat telehealth rollbacks mean for urban populationsHow Dr. Myers protects her own mental health while carrying the weight of this work⏱ Chapters 0:00 Introduction 1:01 Why diabetes became personal — and professional 3:20 Listening as a clinical tool 4:27 The whole-patient model: why silos fail 5:38 Food insecurity and glycemic control 6:49 No refrigerator? Getting creative with insulin storage 8:02 Reframing "do no harm" — inaction is harm too 8:47 Diabetes and depression: the bidirectional relationship 12:39 Med-psych training and what most physicians are missing 14:02 Women's health, menopause, and the data gaps 15:05 Social drivers of health and what "non-compliant" really means 17:48 Telehealth rollbacks and the CMS policy gap 18:28 Health equity, DEIB, and the Albert Einstein legacy 20:55 A 44% amputation rate and the clinic built to change it 23:50 The true cost of diabetic foot ulcers 26:06 Physician wellness: how Dr. Myers stays grounded 28:36 Reasons for hope 32:26 Connect with Dr. Myers🔗 Hear more insightful interviews :🌐 tntopenmind.org 📸 Follow Dr. Myers on Instagram: @dr.savalimbTags: diabetes and mental health, health equity, behavioral health, integrated care, diabetic foot ulcer, limb preservation, Bronx healthcare, health disparities, endocrinology, diabetes depression, social determinants of health, whole patient care, telehealth policy, physician wellness, TNT Open Mind Insights, healthcare leadership, diabetes care, underserved communities, non-compliant patients, biopsychosocial model Subscribe to TNT Open Mind Insights - Mental Health Interview Series on Soundwise

    When Diabetes Meets Depression - Lessons from the Bronx with Dr. Alyson Myers

  6. May 9

    Bilingual Providers: Building Trust With Kids with Marcos Cota

    What happens when a provider speaks your language?Bilingual pediatric physician assistant Marcos Cota knows firsthand. Growing up in a Spanish-speaking household in Truckee, California, he watched families struggle to be heard in a system that wasn't built for them. Now practicing at Community Health Alliance in Reno, Nevada, Marcos is doing something about it.In this conversation, Marcos shares what it really takes to build trust with Latino families, why kids should never have to translate for their own healthcare, and the very real gaps in pediatric mental health access that are leaving families with nowhere to turn. As a TNT Fellow training in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at UC Irvine, he's expanding what's possible for the communities he serves.If you work in healthcare, advocate for mental health access, or care about equitable care for kids — this conversation is for you.Chapters: 00:00 — Introduction: Meet Marcos Cota, PA-C01:26 — From Family Medicine to Pediatrics 02:20 — Why Language Barriers Fall on Kids 03:43 — Culture, Trust, and Better Patient Outcomes 06:01 — The Limits of Interpreters 07:20 — Marcos's Personal Connection to the Work 09:08 — Community Health Alliance: Filling the Gaps 10:38 — Barriers Facing Underserved Families 12:51 — Why Marcos Joined the TNT PC-CAP Fellowship 14:41 — Seeing the Whole Patient: A Pattern of Purpose 17:07 — Pilates, Wellness, and the Mind-Body Connection 20:55 — The Real Barriers to Wellness Recommendations 22:19 — Magic Wand: What Pediatric Care in Reno Really Needs 24:20 — What Gives Marcos Hope 25:25 — How to Connect with Community Health AllianceInterview Recorded On: Jan 17, 2026🔔 Subscribe for more conversations on mental health, equity, and the people closing the gaps in care. 🔗 Watch more interviews in the series: www.tntopenmind.orgbilingual healthcare, pediatric mental health, language access, mental health equity, bilingual providers, Latino health, child adolescent psychiatry, pediatric care, community health, TNT fellowship, health equity, Spanish speaking provider, underserved communities, mental health advocacy, cultural competency, physician assistant, bilingual PA, kids mental health, healthcare access, Community Health Alliance, Reno Nevada healthcare, pediatric psychiatry, language barriers healthcare, Latino families, behavioral health Subscribe to TNT Open Mind Insights - Mental Health Interview Series on Soundwise

    Bilingual Providers: Building Trust With Kids with Marcos Cota

  7. Apr 25

    Educating Providers - The Key to Perinatal Mental Health with Kelly O'Connor

    The biggest challenge in perinatal mental health is that providers aren't trained to recognize it.Kelly O'Connor, Executive Director of Maternal Mental Health NOW, shares how one mother's dismissed symptoms sparked an 18-year mission to transform perinatal mental healthcare. From training OB-GYNs to children's librarians, the organization has worked to close the provider knowledge gap that leaves too many families struggling in silence.Topics Covered: Why "postpartum depression" is actually a range of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. How provider training changes outcomes for entire families. California's groundbreaking legislation requiring provider education. Why a simple "How are you doing?" can be life-changing.Founded in 2007, Maternal Mental Health NOW transforms perinatal mental healthcare by training providers, supporting families, and advocating for policy change across Los Angeles County. Their mission is to ensure all new and expectant parents have access to culturally responsive mental health support. Learn more at https://maternalmentalhealthnow.org/The Impact: Untreated perinatal mental health conditions don't just affect parents— they impact bonding, child development, family stability, and multi-generational outcomes. But when providers are equipped to recognize and respond, early intervention becomes possible.Chapters: 0:00 - Introduction2:58 - The Founding Story: When Care Failed4:36 - Lack of Informed Providers: The Number One Barrier6:28 - Kelly's Personal Journey into This Work8:43 - Misconceptions About Perinatal Mental Health9:13 - Beyond "Postpartum Depression": Understanding the Full Spectrum10:14 - How Common Is It Really? The 1 in 5 Statistic10:45 - Why the Stigma Exists: Social Media vs. Reality11:19 - Provider Fear and Lack of Resources17:24 - The Training Work: From OB-GYNs to Librarians19:09 - Integrating Care into Primary Settings20:50 - Home Visitors vs. Clinical Settings: Screening Rate Comparison24:03 - Whose Responsibility Is Screening?25:00 - The Power of "How Are You Doing?"26:09 - A Pediatrician's Question That Changed Everything26:38 - Advice for Providers Watching This26:59 - California's Groundbreaking Legislation (AB 2193 & AB 3032)29:15 - The Accountability Gap in Current Laws31:15 - Multi-Generational Impact of Untreated Conditions33:45 - Social Media's Role in Unrealistic Expectations37:27 - Success Story: The Power of Storytelling41:01 - How to Support This WorkInterview Recorded On: March 20, 2026🔔 Subscribe for more conversations at the intersection of mental health and policy. 🔗 Watch more interviews in the series: [tntopenmind.org] YouTube Tags (under 500 characters):perinatal mental health, postpartum depression, provider education, maternal mental health, healthcare training, OB-GYN training, perinatal anxiety, mental health advocacy, postpartum support, pregnancy mental health, provider screening, community health, California healthcare, maternal health policy, perinatal care, mental health stigma, healthcare professionals, clinical training, home visiting programs Subscribe to TNT Open Mind Insights - Mental Health Interview Series on Soundwise

    Educating Providers - The Key to Perinatal Mental Health with Kelly O'Connor

  8. Apr 11

    Foster Youth & Mental Health Access - With Angelina Medina

    Providers often see a foster youth who survived and think they're resilient, strong, and got-it-handled. But surviving doesn't always mean thriving. And having one’s basic needs met doesn't mean all their needs are met.Angelina Medina, Regional Lead at iFoster, discusses the critical gap between survival and healing for foster youth. Resources exist, but young people often don't learn about them until adulthood when they're struggling. Now, Angelina is working to change that.What You'll Learn: Why the "basic needs checklist" fails foster youth’s mental health. Concrete practices to build trust: go slow, ask permission, don't assume resilience. How lived experience creates peer connections traditional models miss. Why mental health is a policy issue and what providers can do now.Guest Bio: Angelina Medina is a Regional Lead at iFoster, where she provides support to current and former foster youth and leads groups of foster youth as they gain employment skills. Having entered the foster care system at age six, Angelina completed iFoster's internship program and is committed to utilizing her lived experience to aid others navigating similar challenges. She graduated from California State University, Northridge with a degree in environmental occupational health and has been advocating for foster youth since joining iFoster at age 21. Her lived experience informs her work connecting foster youth with the resources they need, from mental health and wellness support to education and employment opportunities. About iFoster: iFoster is a national nonprofit employing former foster youth to bridge the resource gap. Medical professionals, caregivers, and anyone supporting foster youth can access their free resources at iFoster.orgMental health is a policy issue. Who gets resources and what those resources are shapes whether foster youth can heal or just get by.Chapters: 0:00 Introduction0:55 Angelina's Background & iFoster's Mission3:17 What is iFoster? Services & Resources5:58 The Gap: When Basic Needs Aren't Enough7:28 Policy Changes Needed for Mental Health Access9:34 The Power of Peer Support & Lived Experience12:29 Technology & Housing Resources for Foster Youth15:59 iFoster Jobs Program: Training Peer Specialists19:28 Enhanced Care Management & Social Determinants22:06 Advocacy & Hope for Current Foster Youth25:29 Advice for Healthcare Providers: Go Slow & Ask Permission27:11 Don't Assume Resilience28:44 The Importance of Consistency in Care31:19 Mental Health is a Policy Issue32:26 How to Connect with iFosterInterview Recorded On: Jan 17, 2026🔔 Subscribe for more conversations at the intersection of mental health and policy. 🔗 Watch more interviews in the series: www.tntopenmind.org YouTube Tags: trauma informed care, peer support, foster youth, mental health policy, social determinants of health, iFoster, behavioral health, youth advocacy, child welfare, pediatric care, health equity, lived experience, community mental health, child psychiatry, social work, case management, transition age youth Subscribe to TNT Open Mind Insights - Mental Health Interview Series on Soundwise

    Foster Youth & Mental Health Access - With Angelina Medina
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