A Mind of Her Own Podcast Por Jennifer Reid MD arte de portada

A Mind of Her Own

A Mind of Her Own

De: Jennifer Reid MD
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I'm Dr. Jennifer Reid, a board-certified psychiatrist, author of Guilt Free: Reclaiming Your Life From Unreasonable Expectations, and host of A Mind of Her Own. My mission is speaking out to counter misinformation about mental health, one science-backed topic at a time. I'm so glad you're here!

amindofherown.substack.comA Mind of Her Own Desarrollo Personal Higiene y Vida Saludable Psicología Psicología y Salud Mental Éxito Personal
Episodios
  • The Brilliant Postpartum Brain

    The Brilliant Postpartum Brain
    Apr 13 2026
    “The postpartum brain is brilliant, and we want to nurture that process versus hinder it.” -Dr. Nikki Pensak, PhD, PMH-CIn this episode of A Mind of Her Own, Dr. Jennifer Reid, host and author of Guilt Free, sits down with Dr. Nikki Pensak, clinical psychologist, perinatal mental health specialist, and author of Rattled: How to Calm New Mom Anxiety with the Power of the Postpartum Brain (Paperback arrives April 14th!) Together they explore the science behind how a woman’s brain radically transforms during pregnancy and the postpartum period, why this developmental phase has a name (matrescence), and why virtually no one is talking about it.Dr. Pensak shares her own deeply personal story of experiencing postpartum depression twice, including a severe episode with symptoms of OCD during COVID while her son was in the NICU, and how hitting rock bottom as a mental health expert motivated her to write the book she wished had existed. This episode is a must-listen for anyone who is pregnant, postpartum, or supporting a new mother.Dr. Pensak’s Three Moves to Matrescence1. Plan ItFrom the moment you find out you’re pregnant, establish care with a mental health provider or prescriber who specializes in perinatal mental health. Get a baseline assessment, understand your unique risk factors, and have your support system in place before the baby arrives, not after.2. Name ItUnderstand that what you’re going through is matrescence, a recognized, science-backed developmental phase. Name the identity changes, the emotional upheaval, the relationship stress. Knowing it has a name, and that it is expected, is itself therapeutic.3. Use ItOnce mental health is stabilized, harness the brain’s remarkable neuroplasticity. Rise to challenges, pursue positive emotional experiences, and lean into post-traumatic growth. Your brain is primed for new learning. It’s time to use that superpower.Resources MentionedRattled: How to Calm New Mom Anxiety with the Power of the Postpartum Brain by Nicole Pensak, PhD, PMH-C. Available in hardcover, paperback (new cover, releasing April 14), audiobook, and Kindle.Connect with Dr. Pensak: @drnikkipensak on all platformsGuilt Free: Reclaiming Your Life From Unreasonable Expectations by Jennifer Reid, MD. Available now, including audiobook (read by the author) and e-book.*Consider leaving a book review — it makes a huge difference for authors!• Postpartum Support International (PSI) — free support groups for new mothers, fathers, anxiety, depression, and more. Also maintains a searchable database of certified perinatal mental health providers by state. https://www.postpartum.netThanks for reading A Mind of Her Own! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.Dr. Nicki Pensak is a clinical psychologist who specializes in treating postpartum mental health conditions, anxiety, OCD, depression, sexual dysfunction, and symptoms and side effects associated with medical issues (such as cancer and chronic medical conditions). Dr. Pensak received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from University of Rhode Island and completed her APA accredited internship and specialty training in behavioral medicine at Yale School of Medicine. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital/ Harvard Medical School in psychiatric oncology and an NIH T32 fellowship at the University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Center in Aging and Palliative Care. She currently serves on the Expert Review Board of Parents Magazine and is the author of RATTLED, How to Calm New Mom Anxiety with the Power of the Postpartum Brain. Dr. Pensak provides in-person therapy in Monmouth County, NJ and telehealth therapy in 40 states, nationwide.Reminder: Both the host and guest are healthcare professionals, but they are not your healthcare professionals. Please consult your own providers with any personal medical or mental health questions.Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical or psychological advice. If you are experiencing symptoms of postpartum mental health conditions, please reach out to a qualified healthcare provider or contact Postpartum Support International at postpartum.net. You can also contact the mental health helpline by dialing 988. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amindofherown.substack.com
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    37 m
  • The Real Madness of March: Gambling Disorder, Recovery & Public Health

    The Real Madness of March: Gambling Disorder, Recovery & Public Health
    Mar 24 2026
    “There’s no such thing as responsible gambling. Remember when we were told to smoke responsibly, and that opiate pain pills aren’t addictive? -Kavita Fischer, MDSeveral years ago, when Dr. Kavita Fischer downloaded an online betting app, she was just looking for something fun to do with her free time. However, within months she found herself so consumed by online gambling that she was taking out loans, chasing losses, and unable to stop, even after a big win that could have cleared her debt.Now, she has become a leading advocate for the change in what she describes as a “predatory” industry, sharing her story of gambling disorder and relapse. As she points out, gambling disorder is among the most stigmatized of all addictions, and silence protects the industry, not the patients. In this essential episode, she and Dr. Reid discuss the conflicted interests of those who are supposed to provide regulations to the industry, the broken treatment landscape, and what real public health reform would look like.*Please note that this episode mentions suicide and non-suicidal self-injury.“Responsible Gambling” Is a MythThis phrase places all blame on the individual, mirroring the tobacco and opioid playbooks. Consumer protection messaging, not personal responsibility tropes, is what’s needed. After all, responsible gambling campaigns are estimated to be up to 90% funded by the gambling industry itself, creating an obvious conflict of interest.“It smells like, looks like something uncomfortably familiar: normalizing a product, denying the harm, blaming the user. That’s exactly what we saw with tobacco and opioids.” -Kavita Fischer, MDThe Product Is Engineered for AddictionOnline gambling moved the casino from a destination to your pocket. Research shows proximity to a casino increases gambling disorder risk, and now everyone is living with a casino in their pocket. These apps are designed to keep you clicking and loop you back in when you try to leave. Unlike alcohol, the industry actively sends promotions and re-engagement offers to people who are trying to quit.“No one’s leaving alcohol at your doorstep. No industry is sending coupons for alcohol to prevent you from getting treatment. That’s exactly what this industry does.”-Kavita Fischer, MDThe Business Model Requires Addicted Gamblers70–90% of industry profits come from problem gamblers. States that have partnered with gambling operators are essentially acting as the bookie, collecting tax revenue with little meaningful regulation protecting citizens. Additionally, this tax revenue may not be going toward the programs we expect it to.The Highest Suicide Rate of Any Addiction• 1 in 2 people with gambling disorder have thought about suicide• 1 in 5 have attempted itPer Dr. Fischer, a recent study found financial debt (not concurrent mental illness or substance use) is the single most powerful independent risk factor for suicide in this population.The LIE/BET Screener: Two Questions That Open DoorsOnly 8–10% of people with gambling disorder seek treatment on their own. Dr. Fischer advocates for universal screening using this validated two-question tool:1. Have you ever had to lie to people important to you about how much you gambled?2. Have you ever felt the need to bet more and more money?Treatment Options Are Limited but ExistThere is no FDA-approved medication for gambling disorder. The gold standard is CBT + Motivational Interviewing, delivered by ICGC-certified counselors. Support groups (Gamblers Anonymous, Gam-Anon for families) and state gambling board referral lists are the most accessible entry points.Children Are Especially VulnerableAbout 50% of adolescents have gambled in some form, mostly online. In-game mechanics like loot boxes, lucky wheels, and virtual currencies introduce gambling behavior through gaming. Dr. Fischer recommends parental controls, open conversations, and legislative pressure to enforce age restrictions.Resources & LinksCrisis & Helplines• National Problem Gambling Helpline: 1-800-MY-RESET (new number — crisis screening and local referrals)• Gamblers Anonymous Hotline: 855-222-5542Support Groups• Gamblers Anonymous — in-person, virtual, and telephone meetings• Gam-Anon — for family members and loved onesAdvocacy• Stop Predatory Gambling — nonprofit exposing industry harms and pushing for policy reformTreatment & Screening• International Problem Gambling and Gaming Certification Organization (IPGGC) find certified CBT/MI counselors.• LIE/BET Screener — two-question tool, appropriate for any clinical intakeGambling-Blocking Apps• Gamban — blocks tens of thousands of gambling sites across all devices• BetBlocker — free, available on iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, and LinuxDr. Fischer’s Writing• “The Real Madness of March” — psychiatric journal article on why all clinicians should screen for gambling disorder• The House Always Wins: Learning to Overcome ...
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    36 m
  • Women Burdened by Invisible Work

    Women Burdened by Invisible Work
    Mar 12 2026
    “Most of the couples that I spoke with wanted to distance themselves from old-school gender norms, and yet very few were able to achieve balance when it came to the division of this mental work.”— Dr. Allison DamingerIf you’ve ever lain awake mentally running through tomorrow’s logistics while your partner sleeps soundly beside you, this episode is for you. Dr. Allison Daminger, sociologist and author of What’s on Her Mind?, has spent nearly a decade studying something most families feel but few can name: the invisible cognitive labor that keeps a household running. It’s not the cooking or the carpooling, it’s the anticipating, the researching, the deciding, and the endless following up. In this conversation, Dr. Daminger unpacks why this mental work falls so disproportionately on women—even in couples who are genuinely trying for something more equal, what makes it so stubbornly hard to redistribute, and what it would actually take, in our homes and in our culture, to change it.Website: allisondaminger.com · Substack: The Daminger DispatchWhat Is Mental Workload?Dr. Daminger describes mental workload as “project management for the household” — a set of cognitive processes geared toward figuring out what a family needs and ensuring those needs get fulfilled. It breaks down into four key steps:* Anticipation — scanning ahead for upcoming needs, problems, or opportunities* Identifying options — brainstorming or researching possible solutions* Decision-making — choosing the best course of action for the family* Monitoring — following up to make sure the solution actually workedUnlike physical housework, this labor is largely invisible, often not recognized as “work” even by the person doing it.“This is a set of mental processes that are geared toward figuring out what your family needs, what you owe to other people, and then how to ensure that those needs and obligations get fulfilled.”— Dr. Allison DamingerKey Research FindingsThe Gender Gap Is StarkIn Dr. Daminger’s study of different-gender couples, 4 out of 5 were “woman-led,” meaning she was effectively the “cognitive laborer in chief.” While couples were closer to 50-50 on physical housework (cooking, cleaning, driving), the mental work remained deeply unequal.Earning More Doesn’t Level the Playing Field, Not for WomenWhen men earned more or worked more hours, they almost always did less cognitive labor. But the same did not hold true in reverse: women who were the primary earners still shouldered a disproportionate share of mental work. The breadwinner pass applied to men, not women.“In cases where she was doing more hours or earning more money, a lot of the time she was still doing more of the cognitive labor.”— Dr. Allison DamingerWhy Does This Persist?Accountability StructuresOne of Dr. Daminger’s core explanations is “accountability structures,” which is the fact that men and women are held responsible for different outcomes. Men feel guilt around financial failure; women feel guilt when household or parenting management slips. This asymmetry shapes who pays attention and who steps in.“If the kid comes to school missing their clarinet on band day, or guests come over and there’s dog hair on the floor, these are outcomes that usually are going to be blamed on women.”— Dr. Allison DamingerThe Stickiness ProblemCognitive labor is deeply embedded in knowledge, relationships, and practice, making it hard to hand off. A partner who has attended every pediatrician appointment holds context the other doesn’t have. Many women conclude it’s simply easier to keep doing it than to train someone else. This keeps the division of labor frozen even when both partners want change.“You can teach someone to change a diaper pretty quickly. But a lot of cognitive work is embedded in knowledge and relationships that are hard to just hand over.”— Dr. Allison DamingerWhat Balanced Couples Do Differently“If you can lead from the place of: I’m suffering, this is not working for me, that will activate a form of compassion that is harder to access when it’s framed as criticism.”— Dr. Allison DamingerTransfer Ownership, Not Just TasksThe “just tell me what to do” dynamic is a common trap. If she’s still the one generating the list, she still owns the domain. Dr. Daminger’s advice: transfer full vertical ownership of a category, not just execution of individual tasks.“All things laundry, that’s now you. Not just one piece, but making sure there’s detergent, making sure the kids have clean clothes on time, making sure the washer and dryer are functioning. If you can give someone up-and-down vertical ownership of the whole project, that’s often more effective than one-off task delegations.”— Dr. Allison DamingerStart Small and Give It Time• Pick lower-stakes domains first — tasks you won’t catastrophize if done differently• Set a grace period (e.g., two ...
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    45 m
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