What does it mean to truly support someone you love without trying to fix them?

Neil Adams joins Francesca to share the extraordinary story of his longtime friend Michael Dorian—a gay man living with HIV who became a first responder on 9/11 and spent 24 hours on the pile helping firefighters.

Michael’s life was filled with challenges, but Neil remembers him most for his joy, resilience, humor, and determination to experience as much of life as possible.

In this conversation, we explore grief, friendship, boundaries, hope, supporting someone through illness, and what happens when telling someone else’s story becomes part of your own healing.

Neil also shares how setting a boundary temporarily changed their friendship, how he learned to let himself grieve while writing Michael’s biography, and the lessons Michael left behind.

A conversation about loss—but ultimately, a conversation about how to live.

Connect with Neil Adams (guest): https://www.readneiladams.com/

Connect with Francesca Reicherter (host): francescareicherter.com

What happens when you tell your therapist you’re having suicidal thoughts?

For many people, the fear of the answer is enough to keep them quiet. In this episode, therapist Kirsten Davidson and I talk about what actually happens when suicidal ideation enters the therapy room—from the difference between passive and active ideation to confidentiality, safety planning, family involvement, and what therapists are really assessing.

I also share my own experience with suicidal thoughts, self-harm, and the fear that being honest would mean losing my autonomy.

Most importantly, we talk about how you can begin the conversation even when you’re scared to have it.

Because you don’t have to understand everything you’re feeling before you ask for help.

Connect with Kirsten Davidson (guest): https://mindthegaps.co/

Connect with Francesca Reicherter (host): francescareicherter.com

What if the goal isn’t to stop having difficult thoughts, but to change what we do with them?

In this episode, Francesca Reicherter talks with Lauren Rosen, an OCD and anxiety specialist, about why we get stuck in thought cycles and why trying to control our thoughts can sometimes make things worse.

They explore rumination, intrusive thoughts, anxiety, uncertainty, mindfulness, and the difference between having a thought and actively engaging with it. Lauren also shares a simple practice for when you catch yourself spiraling: notice, drop, and shift your attention.

This conversation is a reminder that you don’t have to solve every thought, eliminate every uncomfortable feeling, or achieve certainty before you can move forward.

Sometimes, you can feel the anxiety, and still live your life.

Connect with Lauren Rosen (guest): https://theobsessivemind.com/

Connect with Francesca Reicherter (host): francescareicherter.com

What role does nutrition play in brain health?

In this episode, Francesca Reicherter speaks with researcher Dr. John Lewis about Alzheimer’s disease, inflammation, immune function, and decades of research exploring polysaccharides found in plants. Together they discuss current findings, healthy lifestyle habits, and practical ways to think about protecting cognitive health as we age.

Francesca also shares why this topic is deeply personal as someone with a grandmother living with Alzheimer’s.

Whether you’re caring for a loved one, interested in healthy aging, or simply curious about the science of nutrition and the brain, this episode offers an accessible overview of current research.

Connect with Dr. Lewis: https://drlewisnutrition.com/pages/about

Connect with Francesca Reicherter (host): francescareicherter.com

Disclaimer: This episode discusses published research and one researcher’s perspective. It is intended for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before making changes to your treatment or supplement routine.

What if your worth has never depended on your achievements?

From a young age, we’re taught to chase grades, promotions, titles, and milestones. Somewhere along the way, many of us begin believing that who we are is defined by what we accomplish.

In this episode of Normalize the Conversation, Francesca Reicherter is joined by leadership coach and author Becca Pearce for a conversation about breaking free from perfectionism, redefining success, and learning that you don’t have to earn love through achievement.

Becca shares how losing her CEO position and later facing a brain tumor forced her to question everything she believed about success, identity, and self-worth. Together, they explore identity shifts after college, changing friendships, people-pleasing, the importance of community, and practical tools for challenging the stories our minds create.

Whether you’re navigating a life transition, questioning your career, or simply feeling like you’re never doing enough, this episode offers hope, perspective, and the reminder that your value has never depended on your productivity.

Connect with Becca Pearce: https://morebeccapearce.com/

Connect with Francesca Reicherter (host): francescareicherter.com

What happens when the person you see in the mirror suddenly feels like a stranger?

After brain surgery left John Kippen with permanent facial paralysis, he spent more than a decade hiding from the world. In this episode, he shares the moment that changed everything, how he rebuilt his confidence, and why embracing what makes us different can become our greatest strength.

Together, we explore self-acceptance, overcoming shame, finding joy after adversity, the power of vulnerability, and how one simple act of reaching out can change someone’s life.

If you’ve ever struggled with confidence, felt defined by your past, or wondered if you’ll ever feel comfortable being fully yourself, this conversation is for you.

Connect with John Kippen: https://kippen.coach/

Connect with Francesca Reicherter (host): francescareicherter.com

What if you aren’t behind? What if you’re becoming exactly who you’re meant to be?

In this episode of Normalize the Conversation, Francesca Reicherter and Susy Markoe Schieffelin explore the realities of healing, anxiety, recovery, and self-worth. Together, they discuss why growth isn’t linear, how shame keeps us stuck, and what it means to support your nervous system instead of fighting it.

Susy shares her journey from rock bottom to recovery, the practices that helped her heal, and why choosing hope is often a series of small decisions—not one life-changing moment.

Whether you’re navigating anxiety, feeling stuck, or simply need a reminder to be kinder to yourself, this conversation offers hope, practical wisdom, and the reassurance that healing is possible.

Because maybe you’re not behind. You’re becoming.

Connect with Susy Markoe Schieffelin: https://thecoppervessel.com/about

Connect with Francesca Reicherter (host): francescareicherter.com

When someone says they’re struggling, most of us instinctively ask, “Why?” But what if that’s the wrong question?

In this episode, Francesca Reicherter sits down with parenting coach and emotional intelligence expert Nadim Saad to explore a better way to support children, teens, and adults through difficult emotions.

Together, they discuss emotional intelligence, self-compassion, negative thoughts, loneliness, social media, parenting, and practical communication tools that help people feel heard instead of judged.

Whether you’re a parent, teacher, friend, or simply trying to understand yourself better, this episode will change the way you approach conversations about mental health.

Connect with Nadim Saad: https://www.happyconfident.com/

Connect with Francesca Reicherter (host): francescareicherter.com