Holiday gatherings can be joyful, but they can also bring stress, anxiety, and complicated family dynamics. This blog shares three practical self-care strategies to help you navigate the season with confidence. With thoughtful preparation, you can create space for connection and joy, even in challenging moments.
Author and professor Clancy Martin tells Dr. Michelle K. Murray about what a lifetime of trying to die feels like, about his own complex family, and how just in the last few years he has managed to finally lose that urge to make the worst decision one can make.
Family gatherings during the holidays are a time of connection and joy. They can also be a cause of anxiety or lead to triggering situations. In this special holiday episode of In This Family, Dr. Michelle K. Murray provides practical tips on thriving or maybe just surviving family events.
Sarah LaBrie reflects on growing up with a mother living with severe mental illness, including psychosis and schizophrenia, and the impact it had on her life. Supported by her grandmother and aunt, Sarah navigated childhood instability, complex family relationships, and the long-term effects of trauma.
Comedian and author Maria Bamford reflects on growing up with loving parents who did their best to support her through bipolar II, OCD, and intrusive thoughts—despite not having the mental health awareness we have today. Maria shares how their compassion, humor, and willingness to adapt shaped her life and continues to influence her work, including the way she lovingly (and hilariously) portrays them in her comedy.
Vivien Lee recalls the first inklings of an existential crisis when she was eight years old. As she grew older, Vivien endured severe trauma. As the oldest of several children in a family that was part of Minnesota’s Hmong community, mental health was not something that was discussed in her family.
For care professionals, providing culturally sensitive, trauma-informed support means taking the time to understand each person’s unique background. By approaching these differences with curiosity rather than judgment, professionals can build trust, foster meaningful connections, and communicate more effectively.
Journalist and podcaster Ana Marie Cox opens up about growing up too soon — taking care of her alcoholic mother, navigating divorce, and facing her own struggles with addiction. In this powerful conversation with Dr. Michelle K. Murray, Ana shares how she turned pain into purpose, finding healing, sobriety, and peace with her past.
Author and artist Moon Zappa opens up about growing up in chaos — with a famous but absent father, a volatile mother, and a childhood marked by pain and people-pleasing. In this candid conversation with Dr. Michelle K. Murray, Moon shares how therapy and self-awareness helped her understand her past and find peace, healing, and growth.