Local psychiatrist Anne Hallward hosts a half hour talk show, interviewing experts on vulnerable subjects that people feel ashamed to ask about. The tone of this show is therapeutic and educational in nature; designed to help listeners understand and accept parts of themselves that they may never have shared with others. Because people tend to want to hide things that they feel ashamed about, radio is an ideal medium to discuss such subjects. Radio allows people to express themselves emotionally without having to be seen. It also allows people to learn more about a subject they deeply care about, from the privacy of their own car, or living room.
The subject matter for this show will range considerably, from mental illness, addictions, and fears, to difficult conversations about race and torture. Guests bring both a personal and professional interest in the subject. These are people who know the experience from the inside, who have lived it and struggled with shame or avoidance themselves. They have learned how to name what is uncomfortable in a way that makes it more accessible. One example is an interview with psychologist, Dr Robert Childs about adoption. An adoptee himself, he eloquently describes the difficulty that adopted children may encounter in talking about and asking about their biological families, and the sense of divided loyalties that results.
Another interview with Layne Gregory, the executive director of Boys To Men, is about talking to your children about sexuality. She openly, and humorously describes her own experiences not learning about sexuality from her parents, and her attempts to talk about the subject with her sons. She offers guidelines for how to communicate about sex to your kids in a way that is protective, without using shame or fear.
Given the current economic and political climate, I would like to take the show in the direction of exploring how people cope with fear. Inspired by Roosevelt's "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself," I anticipate interviewing people who have struggled deeply with fear at many levels, and have found a way to move past it. Examples might include women living with the fear of breast cancer recurrence, soldiers in Iraq fearing roadside bombs, fears of losing your job and of poverty...
As a psychiatrist I am deeply interested in lessening the stigma and confusion about mental illnesses in their many forms. I will interview people who suffer from panic disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, depression, and bi-polar disorder among others.
Most shows will end with a list of resources, websites or books that you can find to learn more about the subject. If you would like to listen to a former show, click
here. If you want to listen to the show live, outside of greater Portland, go to http://www.wmpg.org and click on "listen." You may need to download realplayer (for free).
If you would like to be in contact with Dr. Anne to request a topic for a future show, you can reach her at 651-6412 or at Dr.Annewmpg@gmail.com.