Josh Santana is a musician and music instructor in the Boston area. He spoke to NAMI Chief Medical Officer Ken Duckworth about his experiences growing up as an exceptionally bright student but also a kid who dealt with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and bipolar disorder. He talks about his journey to better mental health, how his dog helped him immeasurably and his work with the ME2 Orchestra, a musical organization for people dealing with mental illness and the people who love them. This conversation was part of Dr. Duckworth’s research for the book, You Are Not Alone: The NAMI Guide to Navigating Mental Health–With Advice from Experts and Wisdom from Real People and Families. Hear more episodes of this and other podcasts and nami.org/podcast.

Anxiety disorders are quite common among children and adolescents. While there are effective treatments available, studies show that 40% of children still experience significant symptoms even after treatment. That’s why we need alternative therapeutic approaches. One promising method is emotion-focused parental interventions, which have been found to address children’s internalizing difficulties effectively. However, there is

A study by a Brown researcher found mindfulness training reduces blood pressure, which can prevent cardiovascular disease. A Vanderbilt scientist showed meditation, like sleep, helps the glymphatic system get rid of metabolic waste from our brains, a key to brain health. One study at the University of California, San Francisco, found mindfulness can lead to