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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 Développement personnel Hygiène et vie saine Psychologie Psychologie et psychiatrie Réussite personnelle
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  • Held Together: Weaving Women's Stories of Motherhood, Loss, and Finding Each Other

    Held Together: Weaving Women's Stories of Motherhood, Loss, and Finding Each Other
    Apr 23 2026
    “I don’t think we move past challenging experiences. I think we integrate them into our identities and into the wisdom we carry forward.” -Dr. Rebecca ThompsonIn Held Together: A Shared Memoir of Motherhood, Medicine, and Imperfect Love, Dr. Rebecca Thompson, family medicine and public health physician, weaves her personal story of life-threatening pregnancy complications into the stories of twenty-one patients, friends, and medical colleagues. Through profoundly honest and emotionally raw accounts, the book creates a space for connection, offering comfort to anyone touched by challenges in building or sustaining families. At its heart, Held Together aims to expand the understanding of motherhood’s true diversity, while advocating for empathy, inclusion, and improved support for all women and families.Storytelling as healing Several of Dr. Thompson’s collaborators shared that working on the book was the first time they had ever told their story in a coherent, cohesive way, and that the process allowed them to integrate the experience rather than feel stuck in it. Dr. Thompson draws a distinction between “moving past” challenges and carrying them forward with purpose.Building community, one relationship at a time Near the close of the episode, Dr. Thompson reflects on what it takes to build real community: patience, persistence, and the willingness to start small. Most of Held Together was written in 20-minute windows, in parking lots, between appointments, in the in-between moments of a full life. The book itself is proof that small, consistent actions can accumulate into something meaningful.References & ResourcesBook: Held Together: A Shared Memoir of Motherhood, Medicine, and Imperfect Love by Rebecca N. Thompson, MD Available through affiliate links on Dr. Thompson’s website (a portion of proceeds benefits Postpartum Support International), through your local independent bookstore, or your library.Postpartum Support International — an organization supporting maternal and family mental health: postpartum.netKintsugi — the Japanese art of repairing broken ceramics with gold lacquer, referenced in the book as a metaphor for post-traumatic growth and finding beauty in imperfection.Connect with Dr. ThompsonRebecca N. Thompson, MD, is a family medicine and public health physician from Portland, Oregon, who specializes in women’s and children’s health. She is the author of Held Together: A Shared Memoir of Motherhood, Medicine, and Imperfect Love, a collaborative project more than a decade in the making.🌐 Website: www.rebeccanthompson.com (Note: The N is important, there are other authors named Rebecca Thompson! Look for the middle initial.)📘 Facebook: facebook.com/rebecca.thompson.354831 📸 Instagram: @rebecca.n.thompson 🧵 Threads: @rebecca.n.thompson 💼 LinkedIn: Rebecca N. Thompson, MDConnect with Your Host, Dr. Jennifer ReidDr. Jennifer Reid is a physician, the host of A Mind of Her Own, and the author of Guilt Free: Reclaiming Your Life from Unreasonable Expectations — available at major retailers.🌐 Website: jenniferreidmd.com 📸 Instagram: @JenReidMD 🧵 Threads: @JenReidMDFeeling inspired by this conversation? Start your own Guilt-Free Group at jenniferreidmd.com/guilt-free-groups or download a book club guide at jenniferreidmd.com/book-clubs.If you enjoyed this episode, please follow A Mind of Her Own and leave a rating or review on Apple Podcasts — it makes a huge difference in helping other people find the show! 🎙️A Note for Educators & Helping ProfessionalsDr. Thompson is actively expanding her work into medical and health professions training. She welcomes outreach from educators working with medical students, residents, nurses, doulas, midwives, social workers, and psychologists, or anyone who wants to help the next generation of caregivers better understand their patients’ full context. Virtual presentations are available. Reach out through the Connect page on her website.Please remember: your hosts are physicians, but we are not your physicians. For any personal healthcare concerns, please reach out to your own provider. You can also contact the mental health helpline by dialing 988. All opinions are the host’s and guest’s alone. 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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    46 min
  • 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 min
  • 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 min
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