Dead Inside & Board Certified

In this episode of Dead Inside & Board Certified, we unpack what autism actually is, and what it isn't. We discuss why autism screening matters, how autism presents across the spectrum, common signs and symptoms, the differences between autism and other mental health conditions, and why early identification can be life-changing.
We also dive into the rise of social media self-diagnosis, why autism has become a trending topic online, and how to distinguish relatable personality traits from a true neurodevelopmental disorder. Finally, we explore evidence-based treatments, common misconceptions, and answer the question everyone seems to be asking: "Is it autism?"
Whether you're a parent, healthcare provider, educator, or simply curious, this episode offers an evidence-based, judgment-free look at one of the most misunderstood diagnoses in mental health.

Welcome to Breaking Point - the newest segment of Dead Inside & Board Certified, where true crime meets mental health.
For our first episode, we're covering The Lindsay Clancy Case.
We'll walk through Lindsay's background, the weeks leading up to the deaths of her three children, her repeated cries for help, and the legal battle that followed. We'll also explore postpartum depression, postpartum anxiety, postpartum psychosis, intrusive thoughts, and why this case has sparked so much debate among mental health professionals and the public alike.
Content Warning: This episode discusses child death, suicide, and severe maternal mental illness. Listener discretion is strongly advised.

"OMG, I'm so bipolar." We've all heard it—or maybe even said it. Dyed your hair at 2 a.m.? Changed your outfit three times? Bought something impulsive? Stayed up late cleaning the house? Social media has turned the word bipolar into a catchphrase, but that's not what bipolar disorder actually is.+6
In this episode of Dead Inside & Board Certified, we're breaking down the myths and explaining what bipolar disorder really looks like. We discuss the difference between mania, hypomania, and everyday mood swings, why normal emotional ups and downs don't equal a psychiatric diagnosis, and how TikTok and pop culture have helped blur the lines between mental health awareness and misinformation.
We'll also dive into why these misconceptions matter, how bipolar disorder is commonly confused with ADHD, borderline personality disorder, trauma, and depression, and why an accurate diagnosis is so important. 
Whether you're curious, concerned about yourself or a loved one, or just tired of hearing every impulsive decision labeled as "manic," this episode is for you.
Because dyeing your hair isn't mania, mood swings are part of being human, and bipolar disorder is far more than a stereotype. 

Have antidepressants really been causing violence? Are SSRIs harder to quit than heroin? Or are fear and misinformation drowning out the science?
In this episode of Dead Inside & Board Certified, we take a deep dive into the headlines surrounding SSRIs and the recent public claims that have left many patients questioning their treatment. Rather than defending pharmaceutical companies, or dismissing legitimate concerns, we examine what the evidence actually says.
We discuss:
What SSRIs are and how they work
Why antidepressant use has increased over the years
Whether SSRIs are being overprescribed
The truth about addiction versus withdrawal
What the research says about violence and mass shootings
Where criticism of psychiatry is valid—and where it goes too far
Why informed consent, therapy, and individualized care matter
If you've found yourself wondering whether your medication is helping you, hurting you, or if you've been misled by sensational headlines, this episode is for you.

What happens when the person you love tells you they are transgender and want to transition?
In this episode of Dead Inside & Board Certified, we sit down with a woman whose partner came out as wanting to transition during their relationship. Together, we explore the complex emotions that can arise for partners navigating this life-changing experience, including grief, confusion, love, guilt, identity shifts, relationship changes, and the pressure to support someone while trying to understand your own feelings.
This conversation is firmly rooted in affirming transgender identities and the importance of living authentically. At the same time, we discuss a perspective that is often overlooked: the mental health needs of the partner. Too often, partners feel they must suppress their own emotions out of fear of being judged, misunderstood, or perceived as unsupportive.
This episode is not about choosing sides. It's about recognizing that multiple truths can exist at once: a transgender person deserves affirmation and support, and their partner deserves space to process their own emotional journey.
Because supporting one person's authenticity should never require another person to suffer in silence.
Content Warning: Discussion of relationship loss, grief, identity changes, anxiety, depression, and emotional distress related to major life transitions.

Happy Pride Month.
In this episode of Dead Inside & Board Certified, Morgan sits down with the owner of FemmeCare for an honest conversation about Pride, mental health, healthcare, and the importance of creating spaces where people feel safe to be themselves.
Too often, conversations about LGBTQ+ issues become reduced to politics, headlines, and social media debates. But behind those conversations are real people navigating relationships, family dynamics, healthcare systems, identity, and mental wellness.
Together, we explore why Pride still matters, the unique mental health challenges faced by LGBTQ+ individuals, and how stigma, rejection, discrimination, and minority stress can impact emotional well-being. We also discuss what affirming healthcare actually looks like, common mistakes providers make, and practical ways clinicians can create safer, more welcoming environments for their patients.
Most importantly, this episode isn't just about struggle. It's about resilience, community, authenticity, chosen family, hope, and the joy that comes from living openly and being seen.
Whether you're part of the LGBTQ+ community, love someone who is, work in healthcare, or simply want to better understand experiences different from your own, this conversation offers insight, compassion, and perspective.
Because mental health belongs to everyone.
Content Note: Discussion includes mental health challenges, discrimination, family rejection, religious trauma, and healthcare barriers experienced by LGBTQ+ individuals.

What happens when the person everyone turns to for help finally gets a chance to speak?
In this episode of Dead Inside & Board Certified, we sit down with a licensed therapist for an honest, unfiltered conversation about the realities of mental health work. Beyond the therapy office and professional boundaries are stories of compassion, burnout, heartbreak, hope, and the emotional weight of carrying other people's pain every day.
We discuss the misconceptions about therapy, the challenges therapists face behind the scenes, what clients often don't realize, and the moments that remind clinicians why they continue doing this work despite the difficulties.
Whether you're a mental health professional, someone considering therapy, or simply curious about what it's like on the other side of the couch, this episode offers a rare glimpse into the human being behind the therapist title.
Topics include:
Therapist burnout and compassion fatigue
Boundaries in mental health care
The emotional impact of client stories
Common misconceptions about therapy
What therapists wish people understood
Finding meaning in difficult work
Because therapists are human, too. And sometimes their stories deserve to be heard. 🎙️🖤
#DeadInsideAndBoardCertified #MentalHealth #Therapy #Psychology #TherapistLife #MentalHealthAwareness #HealthcareWorkers #Burnout #Psychiatry #Counseling

For Mental Health Awareness Month, Dead Inside & Board Certified is having one of the conversations people avoid most: maternal mental health after stillbirth.
In this deeply personal episode, we sit down with a mother willing to share the reality of losing her baby, navigating postpartum recovery without a child, and surviving the psychological aftermath that follows. Together, we discuss grief, trauma, PTSD, isolation, identity loss, relationship strain, and the silence that often surrounds pregnancy loss.
This episode is raw, honest, and emotionally heavy — not for shock value, but because these stories deserve to be heard.
Maternal mental health is more than postpartum depression. It also includes the mother's carrying grief.
Content warning: discussion of stillbirth, pregnancy loss, trauma, postpartum mental health, and suicidality.

What happens after the phone call no one ever expects?
In this episode of Dead Inside & Board Certified, we sit down with someone who lost a loved one to suicide and speak honestly about the reality of surviving that kind of grief. We discuss the silence that can exist before suicide, the warning signs people wish they had seen, and the painful truth that sometimes there are none at all.
We also explore survivor’s guilt, unanswered questions, anger, stigma, and what it looks like to keep living after unimaginable loss. Most importantly, we talk about hope — not the kind that magically fixes grief, but the kind that helps people survive it one day at a time.
This episode is raw, vulnerable, and deeply human. If you’ve ever lost someone to suicide, worried about someone you love, or blamed yourself for not “doing more,” this conversation is for you.

In this episode of Dead Inside & Board Certified, we talk about the reality of treating suicidality, beyond the checklists, liability fears, and textbook answers. From passive thoughts of “I just don’t want to wake up” to high-risk crisis situations, we break down what suicide assessment and treatment actually look like in the real world of psychiatry, emergency medicine, and outpatient care.
We discuss the warning signs clinicians can miss, the difference between suicidal ideation and intent, when hospitalization helps (and when it doesn’t), safety planning, provider burnout, and the emotional weight of sitting with patients who are struggling to stay alive. We also talk honestly about the uncomfortable reality that not every suicidal patient “looks suicidal.”
This episode is raw, educational, darkly honest, and grounded in real clinical experience from providers working on the front lines of mental health care.
Whether you’re a clinician, student, patient, or someone trying to better understand suicidality, this is a conversation worth having.
⚠️ Content Warning: This episode contains discussions of suicide, suicidal ideation, self-harm, psychiatric hospitalization, and mental health crises.