Noggin Notes aims to educate and enrich your noggin about mental illness and wellness. Conversations range from factual and data-based to theoretical and idea-based. We welcome your input at info@nogginnotes.com or info@zephyrwellness.org. Noggin Notes is not intended as a substitute for professional counseling but we really do hope you can adopt and use some of what we share in order to improve your own life and to seek peace and wellness every day.
In this episode, we welcome Bryan Neihart, an attorney with Alliance Defending Freedom , for an important conversation about the relationship between free speech, mental health, and human dignity. At the heart of every meaningful therapeutic relationship is the freedom to speak openly. But what happens when people begin to censor themselves out of fear of judgment, professional consequences, or…
In this compelling episode, we welcome Natalya Murakhver, documentary filmmaker, writer, and co-founder of Restore Childhood , a nonprofit dedicated to protecting children's education, health, and parental rights. Natalya shares the remarkable story behind her documentary 15 DAYS: The Real Story of America's Pandemic School Closures , a powerful investigation into one of the most significant…
In this thought-provoking episode, we sit down with Douglas Novotny, a clinical psychologist with more than 25 years of clinical experience and over 15 years of teaching and supervising therapists. Together, we explore a deceptively simple question: What do we mean when we say "culture"? Over time, the meaning of culture has shifted dramatically. Once centered around shared values, traditions, and…
In this powerful and deeply human episode, we sit down with Tim McDonald, a Stage IV colorectal cancer survivor, advocate, and author, to hear his extraordinary story of resilience, courage, and self-advocacy. Tim opens up about the emotional, physical, and psychological realities of navigating a life-changing cancer diagnosis—and how learning to advocate for himself became one of the most…
In this episode, we sit down with Jake Freeman — licensed marriage and family therapist, Marine Corps veteran, and organizational development consultant known by many as “The People’s Therapist.” Based in Montana, Jake brings a unique blend of military leadership, systems thinking, and clinical insight into the therapy room. After serving over a decade as a Marine Corps officer in Civil Affairs,…
In this episode, we sit down with Ryan Malphrus, a Licensed Certified Social Worker (Clinical) with over a decade of experience helping adolescents and adults navigate meaningful personal growth—especially men who often feel underserved by traditional mental health care. We begin with a critical and timely topic: why so many boys are labeled with behavioral issues in school—and what might be…
In this important and nuanced episode, we welcome back Adam Coleman III to explore a complex and often overlooked issue within the U.S. supply chain: the realities surrounding undocumented labor in the trucking industry. This conversation goes beyond headlines. It examines the human, economic, and ethical layers behind how goods move across the country—and the people who make it possible.…
In this insightful episode, we sit down with Leslie Elliott Boyce, an independent coach and consultant with a background in clinical mental health counseling, to explore how the counseling profession has evolved—and how graduate education has played a central role in shaping it. Leslie, co-founder of Solid Ground and host of The Radical Center, brings a thoughtful and balanced perspective to the…
In this timely and necessary conversation, we speak with Soad Tabrizi, a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with over 15 years of clinical experience and the founder of Conservative Counselors—a growing directory connecting clients with reality-based therapists who reject ideological capture in mental health. Together, we explore what the term “Conservative Counselors” actually means, why it…
In this returning conversation, we welcome back Ann de Passos, leadership consultant, coach, and facilitator who specializes in nervous system–informed leadership. Drawing on 15+ years across charity, corporate, and social enterprise sectors, Ann guides leaders and teams to operate from clarity, relational intelligence, and embodied resilience. We take a deep dive into the nervous system and…