Best Brian Waddell Podcasts (2025)

1
Darrell Herrmann : Straight Talk About Living With A Severe Mental Illness 27:26

2h ago27:26

27:26

Send us a text Darrell Herrmann, a retired US Army captain and former computer programmer, shares his remarkable journey of living with schizophrenia since 1984 and his mission to help others with severe mental illness live better lives. • Former US Army captain specializing in field artillery and nuclear weapons before developing schizophrenia • E…

1
Pete Earley:From Journalist to Advocate 31:09

24h ago31:09

31:09

Send us a text Pete Early shares his journey from Washington Post journalist to mental health advocate after his son developed bipolar disorder, revealing how a broken system forces families into crisis before providing help. • Diagnosis came during his son Kevin's college years with warning signs like "food doesn't taste good" and confusion about …

1
Colleen Scott: One Mother's Journey Through Schizophrenia 29:35

2d ago29:35

29:35

Send us a text A mother shares her 18-year journey supporting a son with schizophrenia through mental health system failures, incarceration, and experimental brain surgery. • Colleen Scott's son started showing signs of schizophrenia at age 17, withdrawing socially and exhibiting erratic behavior • A prosecutor advised having her son arrested "to g…

1
Stephanie Beilin: Mother's Journey Through Mental Illness and Incarceration 26:56

3d ago26:56

26:56

Send us a text A mother and clinical social worker shares her heartbreaking journey navigating the legal system after her high-achieving son developed serious mental illness, revealing how our justice system criminalizes rather than treats mental health conditions. • Licensed independent clinical social worker with 40+ years experience working with…

1
Justin Volpe : How Peer Support Changes Lives 28:20

4d ago28:20

28:20

Send us a text Justin Volpe shares his journey from being diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder and incarcerated to becoming a certified recovery peer specialist who has trained over 3,500 police officers in crisis intervention. His story demonstrates how individuals with lived experience can transform systems and save lives by bridging gaps betw…

1
Jessica Ferguson : Brother in Crisis: A Family's Desperate Fight for Mental Health Support 28:24

5d ago28:24

28:24

Send us a text Jessica Ferguson shares the deeply personal story of her brother's struggle with serious mental illness and how systemic failures led to his incarceration after being accused of a triple homicide when he should have been in psychiatric care. • Her brother had been stable with his mental illness for a decade before showing concerning …

1
Jhilam Biswas Reveals Paths to Mental Health Reform From Forensic Hospitals to Freedom 31:24

6d ago31:24

31:24

Send us a text Dr. Jhilam Biswas, a board-certified adult and forensic psychiatrist, discusses how mental health issues intersect with the criminal justice system and the urgent need for reform. She shares insights from her research and clinical experience working with incarcerated individuals with mental illness, explaining why mental health care …

1
Eric Smith: From Music Prodigy to Mental Health Advocate 30:47

7d ago30:47

30:47

Send us a text Eric Smith shares his remarkable journey from child piano prodigy to mental health advocate after battling psychosis and addiction. His story reveals how finding the right medication after a decade of failed treatments transformed his life from hospitalization and FBI involvement to becoming a Texas Judicial Commissioner on Mental He…

1
Seth Kahan's Journey Transforms Mental Health Advocacy in America 29:37

8d ago29:37

29:37

Send us a text Seth Kahan shares his journey from personal tragedy to leading a national movement against mental health stigma after his mother developed schizophrenia when he was 10 years old. His experience pioneering frameworks for grand challenges led him to launch Stop Stigma Together, a collaborative initiative uniting major mental health org…

1
Sylvia Mignon: When Your Expertise Can't Save Your Child 30:01

9d ago30:01

30:01

Send us a text Sylvia Mignon, licensed clinical social worker and professor of criminal justice, shares her heartbreaking journey navigating the mental health system while trying to secure proper care for her son with schizoaffective disorder. Despite her professional expertise, she's experienced nine years of struggling against bureaucracies that …

1
Jack Wood:: A Father's Fight for Mental Health Reform 27:59

10d ago27:59

27:59

Send us a text Jack Wood shares his son Jonathan's journey through Florida's mental health system, revealing how management failure rather than lack of resources creates catastrophic outcomes for those with severe mental illnesses. • Jonathan's early life included kidney disorder requiring powerful medications including cancer drugs • At 18, Jonath…

1
Justyna Rzewinski : A Whistleblower's Fight for Mental Health in Prisons 28:07

11d ago28:07

28:07

Send us a text Justyna Rzewinski shares her experience as a whistleblower after working at Rikers Island and her ongoing advocacy for criminal justice reform focusing on mental health treatment. • Working with different organizations to close Rikers Island and advocating for better treatment of mentally ill inmates • Fighting for smaller borough-ba…

1
Leslie Carpenter: Breaking the Mental Health Crisis Cycle 29:25

12d ago29:25

29:25

Send us a text Leslie Carpenter, co-founder of Iowa Mental Health Advocacy and Legislative Advocacy Manager at the Treatment Advocacy Center, shares her journey from concerned mother to dedicated mental health advocate after her son was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder 19 years ago. She discusses the barriers families face when seeking help …

1
Joel Corcoran: Welcome, Needed, and Valued: The Clubhouse Approach 29:09

13d ago29:09

29:09

Send us a text Clubhouse International is transforming lives through intentional communities where people with mental illness rebuild their lives after disruption and isolation. Joel Corcoran joins us to tell the Clubhouse story. • Clubhouse International operates 377 clubhouses across 32 countries using a specific 37-standard model • Members volun…

1
Denise Paley: From Crisis to Advocacy 30:09

14d ago30:09

30:09

Send us a text Denise Paley shares the harrowing story of her son's sudden onset schizophrenia at age 18 and his subsequent five-year imprisonment without sentencing, revealing critical failures in how our justice system handles mental illness. • Son Ellis was an honor roll student with a bright future before experiencing first-episode psychosis • …

1
Judge Milton Mack's Mission to Reform Mental Healthcare 27:14

15d ago27:14

27:14

Send us a text Judge Milton Mack shares his mission to reform the mental health system by moving from crisis intervention to early treatment and prevention. His groundbreaking work in Michigan demonstrates how changing laws and procedures can dramatically improve outcomes while reducing costs. • Moving from an inpatient model to an outpatient world…

1
From Diagnosis to Detention: How Schizophrenia Changed Two Lives Forever 24:04

16d ago24:04

24:04

Send us a text Carly, a licensed clinical social worker and mother, shares her 30-year journey navigating her son's schizophrenia diagnosis and the healthcare system's failures that led to his year-long incarceration. • Son diagnosed with schizophrenia at age 17, now 47 years old • Early signs included not wanting to get out of bed, not going to sc…

1
Ashley Smith: from crisis to advocacy 28:57

17d ago28:57

28:57

Send us a text Ashley Smith, an advocate, author, and speaker, shares her powerful journey of recovery from schizophrenia and how she transformed a legal crisis into a platform for mental health advocacy. Through her blog "Overcoming Schizophrenia," seven self-published books, and work with organizations like NAMI and the Curious Foundation, Ashley…

1
Katie R. Dale's Mental Health Story: Living Beyond Crazy 27:29

18d ago27:29

27:29

Send us a text Katie R. Dale shares her journey from hospital patient to mental health author and advocate, offering insights into living with bipolar disorder type 1 with psychotic features and how writing became her path to healing and helping others. • Started blogging in 2014 after hospitalization as self-therapy before expanding into professio…

1
Tim Murphy's Fight for Mental Health Reform 30:22

19d ago30:22

30:22

Send us a text Tim Murphy, former congressman and psychologist, shares his journey advocating for mental health reform through the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act and highlights the systemic failures in America's approach to serious mental illness. • Serious mental illness requires different treatment approaches than general mental hea…

1
Haley Graham : A Conversation on Mental Health, Autism, and Finding Your Way 26:04

20d ago26:04

26:04

Send us a text Psychotherapist Haley Graham shares her journey from pharmacist to mental health advocate after her son's struggle with school led her to found the Bounce Brighter Futures Foundation. Her personal experience with neurodivergence drives her passion for supporting children, parents, and teachers through therapeutic storytelling and com…

1
Patrick Kennedy on Autism,Mental Health, Addiction, and Political Change 33:14

21d ago33:14

33:14

Send us a text Patrick Kennedy shares his journey from Congressman to mental health advocate, revealing how his family history and personal struggles with addiction shaped his mission to transform America's approach to mental health care. • Passed the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act by attaching it to the 2008 bank bailout bill • Advo…

1
Judge Liefman: Breaking the Cycle of Autism and Mental Illness in Criminal Justice 31:40

22d ago31:40

31:40

Send us a text Judge Steven Leifman shares his remarkable journey from witnessing horrific conditions in a state psychiatric hospital as a teenager to becoming a leading judicial advocate for mental health reform. His work in Miami-Dade County has transformed how the criminal justice system handles people with mental illness, saving millions of dol…

1
Christine Vester: Humanity Over Handcuffs: Protecting Autistic Lives in Legal Battles 16:59

23d ago16:59

16:59

Send us a text Christine Vester shares her mission with Humanity Over Handcuffs, a national advocacy movement protecting autistic individuals from being criminalized by the justice system. Her organization supports families, educates legal professionals, and works toward reforming a system that often treats neurological differences as criminal beha…

1
Carol Nesteikis: Autism and the Justice System 25:06

24d ago25:06

25:06

Send us a text Carol Nistakis shares her family's painful journey through the justice system after her autistic son was manipulated into illegal activity by a neighbor. Her decade-long fight for justice led her to cofound D3, an organization helping families navigate the unique challenges autistic individuals face in legal proceedings. • Began advo…

1
Areva Martin: How One Mother Became an Everyday Autism Advocate 27:19

25d ago27:19

27:19

Send us a text CNN contributor and civil rights attorney Areva Martin shares her personal journey of raising an autistic son while becoming a powerful advocate for disability rights and creating systemic change. • Son Marty's autism diagnosis at age two prompted an intensive learning journey • Navigated overwhelming and often inaccurate information…

1
Ruth Johnston: Autism and Schizophrenia: A Mother's Fight for Change 30:54

26d ago30:54

30:54

Send us a text Ruth Johnston shares her harrowing journey as the mother of an autistic son who developed schizophrenia, and how this experience drove her to advocate for Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT) in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania following a family tragedy. • Ruth's son was diagnosed with autism as a teenager, after she had already been h…

1
Angela Calzone's Vision:Integrating disabilities into the workforce 24:53

27d ago24:53

24:53

Send us a text Angela Calzone shares how Inroads to Opportunities supports individuals with disabilities through comprehensive programs designed to facilitate meaningful employment. The organization's business-oriented approach focuses on integration, skills development, and changing employer perceptions about hiring people with both visible and in…

1
Brian Shrader: How Autism is Misunderstood in the Legal System 28:24

28d ago28:24

28:24

Send us a text Brian Shrader, a criminal defense attorney with experience as both prosecutor and defender, exposes how the justice system profoundly fails people with autism and mental health conditions. • Autism often leads to escalation during police encounters rather than directly causing criminal behavior • Mental health training is virtually n…

1
Judge Kim Taylor:A Judge's Journey with Autism 26:30

29d ago26:30

26:30

Send us a text Judge Kim Taylor shares her journey as a pioneering female judge and mother of a son with autism, revealing how personal experience fueled her advocacy for autism awareness in the criminal justice system. Her work began after learning about Sidney Templeton, a young man with autism who died in police custody due to officers' lack of …

1
Understanding Autism Through Music: An Acoustic Evening for a Cause 15:47

30d ago15:47

15:47

Send us a text We broadcast live from the Nashville Palace for a special remote podcast supporting "An Acoustic Evening for Autism," bringing together musicians who share their personal connections to autism awareness. • Jamie O'Neill describes how having a cousin with autism inspired her participation in the benefit concert • Jamie emphasizes the …

1
Rita Williams: How One Woman Transformed Personal Trauma into Criminal Justice Reform 27:28

1M ago27:28

27:28

Send us a text Rita Williams turned personal tragedy into powerful advocacy when her spouse was unexpectedly sentenced to 10-20 years in prison, revealing deep flaws in the criminal justice system and sparking her mission to expose judicial misconduct and support others facing similar challenges. • Former federal employee who pursued a master's in …

1
Leigh Anne McKingsley: Creating Pathways to Justice for the Developmentally Disabled 28:49

1M ago28:49

28:49

Send us a text Leigh Anne McKingsley shares her journey as Senior Director of Disability and Justice Initiatives for the ARC, where she oversees the National Center on Criminal Justice and Disability to address the invisibility and injustices faced by people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the justice system. • The ARC began as …

1
Judge David Fleisher: When Judges Choose Compassion Over Punishment? 28:20

1M ago28:20

28:20

Send us a text Judge David Fleischer, who presides over Harris County Criminal Court in Houston, Texas, shares his groundbreaking approaches to criminal justice reform with a focus on mental health and autism awareness. • Reforming the bail system to prevent wealth-based discrimination in courts • Dropping conviction rates from 60% to 25% through b…

1
Bridget Hampstead's Journey: Autism, Community, and Radical Love 25:20

1M ago25:20

25:20

Send us a text Bridget Hampstead shares her journey from discovering her own neurodivergence to founding Fish in a Tree, a virtual community center supporting neurodivergent adults. Her work combines community building, political advocacy, and neuroaffirming practices to create spaces where late-diagnosed autistic individuals can find acceptance an…

1
John Puls : Autism, Justice, and Understanding: Navigating the Criminal System 24:26

1M ago24:26

24:26

Send us a text John Puls, a psychotherapist specializing in forensic work, shares critical insights on navigating the intersection of autism, mental health, and the criminal justice system. He draws on his extensive experience working with individuals in crisis to offer practical guidance for families and caregivers. • Working as a psychotherapist …

1
Trish Ieraci:Understanding Autism Saves Lives: One Trainer's Mission to Transform Police Interactions 26:00

1M ago26:00

26:00

Send us a text Trish Ieraci, founder of Teaching Individuals About Autism (TIA), takes us deep into the critical gap between law enforcement training and successful interactions with the autism community. With powerful clarity, she dismantles the narrow stereotype that autism only affects severely impaired children, explaining how this misconceptio…

1
Country Music Meets Compassion: How Artists Are Making a Difference for Autism 16:07

1M ago16:07

16:07

Send us a text Tony Mantor hosts a special remote podcast from Nashville Palace supporting "An Acoustic Evening for Autism." Country music artists Daryl Worley and Dillon Massengale share their personal connections to autism awareness and how music has become a platform for making a difference. • Daryl Worley explains how friends with an autistic c…

1
Joan Lipinski : Battles for Her Autistic Daughter's Freedom 27:26

1M ago27:26

27:26

Send us a text Joan Lipinski shares her deeply personal journey fighting for her daughter with Asperger's syndrome who received a 63-month federal prison sentence after being manipulated into bringing contraband into a facility where she worked. Through multiple prison transfers, denied medical care following back surgery, and judicial misunderstan…

1
Doug Passon: Breaking Down Barriers, How Understanding Autism Changes Legal Outcomes 29:28

1M ago29:28

29:28

Send us a text Doug Passon shares his journey as a criminal defense lawyer and filmmaker advocating for autistic individuals in the legal system, drawing from both his professional experience and personal connection as a parent of an autistic son. • Criminal defense lawyer who uses documentary filmmaking to humanize clients at sentencing • Pioneere…

1
Brian Kelmar:Breaking Down Barriers: One Father's Fight to Reform Legal Treatment of Autism 27:15

1M ago27:15

27:15

Send us a text Brian Kelmar shares his inspiring journey of creating Decriminalize Developmental Disabilities (D3), an organization helping families whose autistic loved ones become entangled in the criminal justice system. His personal experience with his teenage son's case revealed a shocking truth: many states fail to recognize developmental dis…

1
Steven Waddell: Rocks, Rails, and Revelations: A Model's Autism Story 27:30

1M ago27:30

27:30

Send us a text Stephen Waddell takes us on a powerful journey of self-discovery as he shares how he uncovered his autism in adulthood after building a successful modeling career. Despite being naturally introverted and struggling with social interactions, Stephen found himself thrust into a profession that demanded social fluency – forcing him to s…

1
Mark Mahoney: Fighting for Autism Justice 30:59

1M ago30:59

30:59

Send us a text Mark Mahoney reveals his groundbreaking work as possibly the only attorney in North America exclusively dedicated to defending individuals with autism spectrum disorder who face criminal charges. Through years of specialized practice, he shares crucial insights about how the criminal justice system fundamentally misunderstands autism…

1
Bart Barta: Training First Responders for Autism Encounters 30:59

1M ago30:59

30:59

Send us a text When autism intersects with law enforcement, the results can be harmful or even catastrophic without proper training and understanding. Retired law enforcement commander Bart Barta shares his journey of creating specialized training for first responders after his son's autism diagnosis. • Started Autism Safety 101 after 31 years in l…

1
Country Music Unites for Autism Awareness 16:49

1M ago16:49

16:49

Send us a text Country music and autism awareness come together at Nashville Palace for "An Acoustic Evening for Autism," where artists use their platform to support families affected by autism through the newly formed Country Music Autism Awareness Foundation. • Doug Mathis explains how his song about an autistic boy named Jack led to creating an …

1
Dennis Debbaudt : reveals how proper training can prevent tragic misunderstandings between autism and law enforcement. 24:26

2M ago24:26

24:26

Send us a text Dennis Debbaudt shares his 30-year journey addressing autism-related police interactions and developing training programs for law enforcement nationwide. His pioneering work bridges the gap between public safety professionals and the autistic community through educational materials, videos, and hands-on training that helps prevent tr…

1
Elizabeth Kelley:Autism in the Legal System: A Defense Attorney's Perspective 29:35

2M ago29:35

29:35

Send us a text Criminal defense attorney Elizabeth Kelley shares her expertise on representing individuals with autism spectrum disorder and mental health conditions in the justice system, revealing how these clients are often misunderstood and how proper legal representation can change outcomes. • Started career representing a client with intellec…

1
Jerry Turning: From Officer to Advocate: One Dad's Mission to Bridge the Gap 29:46

2M ago29:46

29:46

Send us a text Jerry Turning shares his journey from veteran police officer to autism advocate after his son's diagnosis, creating Blue Bridge Autism Training to educate first responders about autism. His unique perspective bridges the gap between law enforcement and the autism community, helping prevent dangerous misunderstandings during crisis si…

1
Meet Dr. Theresa Haskins: The Mom Who Rewrote the Rulebook on Autism 30:21

2M ago30:21

30:21

Send us a text Dr. Theresa Haskins shares her journey from a mother seeking answers for her autistic son to becoming an educator and researcher dedicated to creating more inclusive systems for neurodivergent individuals. Her experiences navigating medical dismissals, educational barriers, and workplace challenges illuminate how society needs to fun…

1
Judge Soonhee(Sunny) Bailey: Breaking the Cycle and Creating America's First Autism Court Program 28:03

2M ago28:03

28:03

Send us a text Judge Sonny Bailey shares how she created the nation's only court dedicated to helping autistic youth stay out of the criminal justice system. What began in 2018 as a quieter courtroom for one overwhelmed teen has evolved into an innovative program with a 90% success rate, recently recognized through Nevada legislation as the country…

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