Patti: You don’t need to be perfect to be lovable

Other People’s Problems Introduces: Let’s Not Be Kidding with Gavin Crawford: If laughter really was the best medicine, Gavin Crawford would have cured his mother of Alzheimer’s disease. As a son, his mother’s dementia has been devastating. As a comedian though…it’s been sort of funny. Honestly, how do you respond when your mom confuses you with her teenage crush and wants you to take her to the high-school dance? Well, you laugh. Because it’s the only thing you can do. In this seven-part series, Gavin tells the story of losing his mother — his best friend and the inspiration for a lot of his comedy — to a disease that can be as hilarious as it is heartbreaking. He’s joined by comedian friends who share their experience caring for family members with dementia. The result is a cross between an improv act and a support group. Part memoir, part stand-up, part meditation on grief and loss, Let’s Not Be Kidding is a dose of the very best medicine for anyone dealing with hard times. More epi by Other People's Problems

36 min listen

Guided meditation: The shape of breathing: As we wind down the season, Dr. Hillary McBride invites you to catch your breath and feel yourself in this particular moment. Imagining as you exhale that this breath could support you in the practice of letting go. by Other People's Problems

8 min listen

Kristin: Let yourself be excited about friendship: Kristin recognizes she feels isolated and alone, at least in part because she’s kept people at a distance to protect herself from getting hurt. Dr. Hillary uses her own relationship with Kristin to model friendship and the excitement that can come from deep connection. by Other People's Problems

28 min listen

Vanessa: Surviving the fear that 'everyone leaves': Dr. Hillary needs to tell her longtime client Vanessa that she’s pregnant and that they'll soon need to take a break, when Hillary goes on maternity leave. This is hard to hear for Vanessa, who has been left, physically and emotionally, by important people in her life when she needed them most. Hillary helps Vanessa navigate the pain of feeling abandoned while also assuring her: although their situation will change, their bond is secure. by Other People's Problems

26 min listen

Hannah: Stop pleasing and start trusting connection: Hannah has found a range of ways to earn love and protect herself from getting hurt. In Dr. Hillary McBride’s words, she “has found a way to stay connected to people by figuring out who they want her to be, and then being that.” The two work to help Hannah trust that she can show up as her authentic self, and to believe that she is lovable as she is. by Other People's Problems

27 min listen

Ethan: A deep political rift in the family: Ethan’s parents have become committed to extreme right wing ideologies, which they keep pushing on Ethan. He has tried and failed to explain to them why their views are harmful. Now, in the midst of helping his wife deal with a health crisis, Ethan has decided to step away from his relationship with his parents, despite how much it hurts. Dr. Hillary helps him navigate his grief. by Other People's Problems

21 min listen

Kristin: Sibling loss in early life by Other People's Problems

29 min listen

Julia: Hiding away the hard parts: As someone who has struggled with addiction and a bipolar diagnosis, Julia carefully hides away parts of herself. Dr. Hillary McBride helps her embrace her complexity, and reconcile it with her new identity as mom. “Your identity was never in addiction, was never in illness, your identity has always been something much deeper.” by Other People's Problems

28 min listen

Guided meditation: "Feel life flowing through your feet”: Slow down today and join Dr. Hillary for five minutes of mindfulness. This meditation, which she wrote, is intended to help you feel grounded and more at ease. (If you're too busy today, then you may want to play it twice.) by Other People's Problems

6 min listen

Coming soon: Season 4 of Other People's Problems: What does it mean to come out of isolation? In a year where we’ve needed it, this season is all about reconnecting with ourselves and one another. Dr. Hillary McBride helps her clients talk through a range of issues heightened by these uncertain times. An all new season of Other People’s Problems begins May 18, 2021. by Other People's Problems

2 min listen

Guided meditation: For these uncertain times: A gift to you, our listeners, as we wrap Season 3. We appreciate you so much. Take good care of yourself and each other. (And, hey, if you have feedback or experiences with OPP to share, we’d love to hear from you. Please email producer Jodie Martinson: jodie.martinson@cbc.ca) by Other People's Problems

11 min listen

Lacey: Looking back with accepting eyes, forward to more joy: As we know from the earlier episode with Lacey, she grew up with a mother who neglected her. It has left her with a deep sense she is not good enough. In this episode, Hillary and Lacey travel back to Lacey’s childhood home to witness the situation through the eyes of caring responsible adults who see little Lacey’s suffering and take care of her. by Other People's Problems

42 min listen

Louise: Ready to feel alive: It’s been a few weeks since we released a bonus episode from Louise about being hospitalized for anorexia and contracting COVID-19 in the hospital. Now, she’s home, healing, and determined to take steps toward recovering from her eating disorder and letting her true self shine through. by Other People's Problems

35 min listen

Vanessa: “The life I have isn’t working”: Vanessa’s daily life is difficult. Between coping with the demands of work and raising a daughter with special needs, Vanessa is falling into old patterns of negative thinking and self-silencing. Can she learn to break old patterns and recognize her own feelings of loneliness? by Other People's Problems

31 min listen

Andrew: Unlocking memories of childhood sexual abuse: As a teenager, Andrew was sexually abused by someone he trusted. Even though the perpetrator was an adult, and to an outsider it would be a clear case of child sexual abuse, the experience felt more complex to him at the time. by Other People's Problems

30 min listen

Louise: Surviving an eating disorder and COVID-19 (Plus, a special interview with Hillary): Louise had to be hospitalized because of anorexia. In the hospital, she contracted COVID-19 and has had to be isolated for weeks. She and Hillary speak compassionately to the eating disorder part of Louise for how it has helped her cope with her suffering, and ask it to move aside so that the real Louise, the parts of her that want to live fully, can begin to take over. Plus, we hear a candid interview with Hillary, who has personal experience with an eating disorder. NOTE: This conversation was recorded over video conferencing software over weak hospital wifi, and the audio quality is hard to understand at times. We’ve done our best to improve it but recommend listening in a quiet space with good headphones. by Other People's Problems

35 min listen

Emily: Letting yourself be sad by Other People's Problems

34 min listen

Tom: Riding big waves of emotion: Tom connects with Hillary over Zoom during a lunch break at work. He's been working to understand and experience his emotions, connect with his wife and kids, and compassionately factor in his ADHD. Hillary is amazed at how far Tom has come from their first session to where he is today, taking the time to take care of himself, and model for his kids how to express big feelings appropriately when they come up. by Other People's Problems

30 min listen

Lacey: Healing from a neglectful mother: Growing up, there was a lot of conflict in Lacey’s family. After her parents divorced, the conflict stopped, but Lacey and her sister were often left alone. By connecting with her younger self, Lacey realises what she was missing: being seen and loved just as she is. Now, Lacey is doing her best to let go of the childhood patterns — the shield — that once protected her, in hopes of creating healthier ways of being for herself and her children. by Other People's Problems

29 min listen

Coming soon: new episodes of Other People's Problems: Dr. Hillary McBride is back with a new season of Other People's Problems. Unlike most therapy podcasts that feature sessions between a therapist and a one-off client, Hillary's clients have been working with her for a long time. This is what people sound like when they talk about difficult childhoods, the stress of day-to-day-life and sudden changes to our lives with someone they trust. by Other People's Problems

2 min listen

Andrew: Opening up during lockdown: Andrew has been working on connecting with others. Although he is making great strides, Andrew is finding it hard to connect with his wife. As the corona virus forces him to close his restaurant and isolate at home with his family, Andrew must get vulnerable and ask for what he's been longing for — intimacy. by Other People's Problems

26 min listen

Introducing Food, We Need to Talk: Food, We Need to Talk from WBUR follows one woman's quest to end her war with food. Hosts Juna Gjata and Dr. Eddie Phillips wield solid science, medical knowledge, common sense and an endless supply of dad jokes to teach us how to eat better and feel better about it. by Other People's Problems

4 min listen

Other People's Problems live! "Family Inheritance": Recorded in front of a live theatre audience at the HotDocs Podcast Festival, Hillary McBride discusses how our families shape us for better and for worse by digging deeper into Sloane's story and her own. Featuring special expert panellists Kwame McKenzie and Tina Malti. by Other People's Problems

49 min listen

Maggie: It's okay to feel good: "You don't get rid of shadow, you learn how to use it. There is strength and goodness and power even in the shadow" - Hillary by Other People's Problems

29 min listen

Dave: Shame blocks connection: Shame keeps Dave from connecting with other people. He finds a way to reach toward Hillary. by Other People's Problems

32 min listen

Sloane: Ending it with an abusive mom: As Sloane prepares to welcome her first child, she confronts the painful relationship she has with her own mother and her wish the relationship could end. by Other People's Problems

28 min listen

Franklyn: Carrying old hurt into new love: Franklyn has begun dating again after his divorce. But hurt and fear from the past are making it hard for him to dive in to new love. by Other People's Problems

24 min listen

Lu Ripley: Talking about suicide (Special guest): *Warning: This episode references suicide and may be triggering for some listeners. When someone you love is suicidal, talking about it is daunting. In this podcast extra, host Hillary McBride, producer Jodie Martinson, and expert guest Lu Ripley get real about how to have candid conversations and ask that terrifying question: "Do you want to kill yourself?" by Other People's Problems

22 min listen

Belle: Suicide and parental guilt: *Warning: This episode references suicide and may be triggering for some listeners. Belle is feeling suicidal and like a bad parent. Hillary talks with her about the idea of a "good enough" mom. by Other People's Problems

32 min listen

Ethan: Space for a new baby: Hillary works with Ethan to imagine playing and connecting with his new baby. He's worked for years to process the terrifying experience of almost losing his wife during the birth of their first child. by Other People's Problems

26 min listen

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Patti: You don’t need to be perfect to be lovable

Patti: You don’t need to be perfect to be lovable

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