The war in Ukraine, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the ongoing stresses
of everyday life are making this a time of worry and anxiety for
many people. There is an urgent need for open discussions about how
to safeguard our mental health.
Season 7 of the public television series Healthy Minds with Dr.
Jeffrey Borenstein, launching nationally on PBS in May during
Mental Health Awareness month, features inspiring personal stories
from people who have experienced mental health issues, as well as
the latest information from experts on new approaches to the
diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental illness.
“One in five people are affected by a mental illness, and we are
seeing increases in depression and anxiety during these unsettling
times,” says Jeffrey Borenstein, M.D., President and CEO of the
Brain & Behavior Research Foundation, the nation’s largest
private funder of mental health research grants. Dr.
Borenstein, who developed the series and serves as its host and
executive producer, adds, “The goal of Healthy Minds is to inspire
conversations about mental illness, provide understandable
information and resources for viewers and demonstrate that with
help, there is hope.”
Emmy Award-winning actor Maurice Benard sits down with Dr.
Borenstein to discuss his experience living with bipolar disorder
and his work as an advocate to help raise awareness and remove
stigma around the illness. To bring greater awareness to the
public, the writers and Mr. Bernard chose to include having his
character on the soap opera General Hospital live with bipolar
disorder.
Another episode includes an interview with Dr. David Miklowitz,
distinguished professor of psychiatry at UCLA Semel Institute, who
offers vital information to help families recognize the warning
signs of bipolar disorder in adolescents and young adults.
Dr. Maura Boldrini, associate professor of psychiatry at
Columbia Medical College, talks with Dr. Borenstein about research
that is discovering how COVID-19 affects the brain in the short and
long term, including brain fog, depression, anxiety, and increased
risk of suicide.
The nationwide rollout of the “9-8-8” mental health crisis
emergency number in July 2022 will provide a much-needed
alternative response mechanism for mental health-related crises.
Dr. William Carson, chairman of the Sozosei Foundation, explains
how mental health and suicide prevention services will serve as the
telephone help line to respond to crises that 9-1-1 calls are not
able to handle.
The Director of the National Institute of Mental Health, Dr.
Joshua Gordon, discusses an update on promising new mental health
research currently underway.
The intersection of faith and mental health is explored with Dr.
W. Daniel Hale, a psychologist who lost his daughter to suicide and
has become a leading voice of support for others. He shares how his
faith, clinical training, and his own depression have impacted his
experience.
Additional episodes will focus on new treatments for depression,
insights on the latest cutting-edge therapies for one of the most
common mental illnesses, and innovative research being conducted to
better understand the brain.
Season 7 is available nationally on PBS.org starting May 1.
Viewers can also see if it is airing in their area by looking up
Healthy Minds with Dr. Jeffrey Borenstein on their local PBS
station or visiting:
https://www.bbrfoundation.org/healthy-minds-tv
The Emmy nominated series is produced by the Brain &
Behavior Research Foundation, presented by Connecticut Public
Television (CPTV), and distributed by the National Educational
Telecommunications Association (NETA). Funding is provided by the
American Psychiatric Association Foundation, the Bank of America
Charitable Gift Fund, and the John & Polly Sparks
Foundation.
Episode Details
701 – How COVID-19 Affects the Brain Researchers are
discovering how COVID-19 affects the brain in the short and long
term, including brain fog, depression, anxiety, and increased risk
of suicide. Maura Boldrini, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor of
Psychiatry at Columbia Medical College, and Director of the Human
Brain Biology Institute (Brain QUANT) at Columbia University Irving
Medical Center discusses the latest developments including the
difference vaccination makes in decreasing the risk of brain
impact.
702 – National Institute of Mental Health: An Update on
Promising Research Joshua A. Gordon, M.D., Ph.D. the
Director of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the
lead federal agency for research on mental disorders, gives an
update on promising new research currently underway.
703 – Rapid-Acting Transcranial Magnetic
Stimulation The new rapid-acting Transcranial Magnetic
Stimulation therapy for treatment-resistant depression works in
days instead of weeks and may have implications for use in other
mental disorders. Nolan Williams, M.D., Assistant Professor,
Director, Interventional Psychiatry Clinical Research and Director,
Brain Stimulation Laboratory at the Department of Psychiatry and
Behavioral Sciences Stanford University Medical Center explains how
this non-invasive treatment works.
704 – Optogenetics with Karl Deisseroth, M.D., Ph.D. – Part
One A technique that uses light to control brain cells
enables researchers to turn behaviors on and off in lab mice to
better understand the human brain and disorders including autism,
depression, eating disorders, and more. Karl Deisseroth, M.D.,
Ph.D, professor of Bioengineering, Psychiatry and Behavioral
Sciences at Stanford University's Howard Hughes Medical Institute,
developed optogenetics and explains his research and how his
findings impact what he sees clinically working with human
patients.
705 – Optogenetics with Karl Deisseroth, M.D., Ph.D. – Part
Two Dr. Borenstein continues his conversation with Karl
Deisseroth, M.D., Ph.D, professor of Bioengineering, Psychiatry and
Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University's Howard Hughes Medical
Institute, about his revolutionary optogenetics research of
behavior in mice that can help doctors better understand the human
brain and disorders.
706 – Deep Brain Stimulation – Treatment-Resistant
Depression A treatment originally used for Parkinson's
Disease may have the potential to help patients with depression who
have not responded to multiple treatments including medications,
psychotherapy, and electroconvulsive therapy. Helen Mayberg, M.D,
Professor of Neurology, Neurosurgery, Psychiatry, and Neuroscience
Icahn School of Medicine Mount Sinai and Director, Center for
Advanced Circuit Therapeutics, Icahn School of Medicine Mount
Sinai, discusses the next generation of deep brain stimulation
(DBS).
707 – Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy and Post-Traumatic
Stress New uses for psychedelic drugs offer potential
breakthroughs for patients with post-traumatic stress, working with
trained therapists to guide the experience and open perspectives
into a patient's state of mind. Rachel Yehuda, Ph.D., Professor of
Psychiatry and Neuroscience / Icahn School of Medicine in Mount
Sinai and Director, Center for Psychedelic Psychotherapy and Trauma
Research has been at the forefront of trauma research for three
decades and discusses this new development.
708 – Bipolar Disorder, What You and Your Family Need to
Know Exploring the symptoms, warning signs, and early
treatment options for adolescents and young adults with bipolar
disorder. David J. Miklowitz, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of
Psychiatry at UCLA Semel Institute, takes families through the
vital information they may need.
709 – Living with Bipolar: A Conversation with Maurice
BenardEmmy Award-winning actor Maurice Benard shares his
experience living with bipolar disorder, and his work as an
advocate for awareness to remove stigma, which included his
character Sonny Corinthos on the soap opera General Hospital
sharing his disorder.
710 – Managing a Mental Health Crisis and the New #
988 The nationwide rollout of the "9-8-8" mental health
crisis emergency number in July 2022 provides an alternative
response chain for mental health-related crises. William H. Carson,
M.D., Chairman of the Sozosei Foundation explains how mental health
and suicide prevention services will be responded to in ways that
9-1-1 calls aren't able to handle.
711 – Depression – Intersection of Faith and Mental
Health A psychologist who lost his daughter to suicide has
become a leading voice of support for others, sharing how his
faith, clinical training, and his own depression impacted his
experience. W. Daniel Hale, Ph.D., Special Advisor to the President
of Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, offers insight for
families to try to help them prevent their own tragedy.
About Brain & Behavior Research Foundation:Now
celebrating its 35th year, The Brain & Behavior Research
Foundation awards research grants to develop improved treatments,
cures, and methods of prevention for mental illness. These
illnesses include addiction, ADHD, anxiety, autism, bipolar
disorder, borderline personality disorder, depression, eating
disorders, OCD, PTSD, and schizophrenia, as well as research on
suicide prevention. Since 1987, the Foundation has awarded more
than $430 million to fund more than 5,100 leading scientists around
the world, which has led to over $4 billion in additional funding
for these scientists. 100% of every dollar donated for research is
invested in research. BBRF operating expenses are covered by
separate foundation grants.
About Connecticut Public Broadcasting Network:The
Connecticut Public Broadcasting Network (CPBN) is home to CPTV,
WNPR, and the Learning Lab. CPTV is a locally and nationally
recognized producer and presenter of quality public television
programming, including original documentaries, public affairs, and
educational programming. WNPR is an affiliate of National Public
Radio, Public Radio International, and American Public Media. The
Learning Lab serves high school seniors through a partnership with
Hartford Public Schools and the Journalism and Media Academy Magnet
School. It is also home to the Institute for Advanced Media, a
program that provides the men and women of our armed forces and
adult learners an opportunity to learn skills necessary for the
21st century digital media workplace. For more information,
visit cpbn.org.About the National Educational
Telecommunications Association:The National Educational
Telecommunications Association is a professional association that
serves public television licensees and educational entities in all
50 states, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. Since 1967,
the Association’s reason for existing has been to connect public
television people and ideas, by providing quality programming,
educational resources, professional development, management
support, and national representation.
- Healthy Minds Host and Executive Producer
- Healthy Minds Season 7
Myrna Manners
Brain & Behavior Research Foundation
(718) 986-7255
mmanners@mannersdotson.com