Mayim Bialik's Breakdown

Melissa Rauch (The Big Bang Theory, Night Court, True Blood) joins us for a TBBT reunion! She and Mayim reminisce about the series, from their bond at joining the cast together at the same time and the origins of Melissa’s Bernadette voice to their favorite on-set memories. Melissa opens up about the awkwardness that ensued when she tried to confess her deep love of Blossom to Mayim and what it was like to come of age in their acting careers just as social media was taking off. She discusses her comedy influences, what she likes about writing for herself, and demonstrates her formerly thick New Jersey accent. Melissa also describes her tendencies to beat herself up internally and the positives and negatives about how celebrity is looked at in our society. NOTE: This episode was recorded before the SAG-AFTRA strike. BialikBreakdown.com YouTube.com/mayimbialik Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

18 Jul 202354min

We're revisiting another episode from the MBB vault! Wil Wheaton helps us break down the importance of setting boundaries, getting to the root of emotional pain instead of self-medicating, and the beauty of becoming the parent you never had.  He opens up about his tumultuous relationship with his parents, his lifelong battle with depression, anxiety, & addiction, and his breakdown at the airport that led him to seek help. We also hear how sobriety and therapy became his “escape hatch” and his explanation for why “naming the thing” can cause it to lose its power over you. Enjoy the best moments of Wil Wheaton, and tune in on Tuesday for a brand new full episode of MAYIM BIALIK’S BREAKDOWN. Check out our full episode with Wil Wheaton: https://mayim.simplecast.com/episodes/wil-wheaton-on-trauma-depression-self-discovery BialikBreakdown.com YouTube.com/mayimbialik Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

13 Jul 202327min

R.K. Russell (former professional NFL football player, author, advocate) breaks down what it was like to be the first active NFL player to come out of the closet, the complexity around bisexuality, and compartmentalization as a survival mechanism. He reflects on his football beginnings, his close relationship with his single mother, and his struggles with internalizing society’s flaws and feeling “othered.” Russ opens up about his watershed moment when he first realized he was bisexual and his internal battle that ensued, juggling both his masculine and feminine tendencies, and how society’s incorrect views about sexuality impacted the conversation around his own within the football world. He explains why he strives to debunk myths around bisexuality, the intersectionality of being a queer person and a person of color, curation vs creation, and the importance of representation and inclusivity in sports. Russ reveals why he finally decided to make himself and his happiness a priority over football and his advice to those holding big secrets. R.K. Russell's book, The Yards Between Us: https://books.disney.com/book/the-yards-between-us/ BialikBreakdown.com YouTube.com/mayimbialik Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

11 Jul 20231h 16min

It’s another episode of Ask Mayim Anything! Mayim answers your questions about her ear piercings, the dangers of self-diagnosis, why we overshare with strangers, advice for sending your adult children into the world, and ways to navigate a relationship with a parent who won’t acknowledge their abuse. She breaks down Highly Sensitive People, Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria, and the “Gifted” label. Mayim shares tips for combating feelings of worthlessness, managing a highly active brain, coping with change, calming test-taking nerves, and enhancing your focus. Stay tuned until the end for a mini Yiddish Word of the Day! Choosing a Jewish Life by Anita Diamant: https://a.co/d/bgPbYgR BialikBreakdown.com YouTube.com/mayimbialik Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

6 Jul 202353min

Joel McHale (Community, The Soup, Animal Control) joins us in studio to discuss his struggles with dyslexia, ADHD, and imposter syndrome. He shares his experiences working on The Soup and Community, opens up about what it was like to work with Chevy Chase, and his fears about never being taken seriously as an actor. Joel recalls how his challenges with dyslexia impacted him in school and his ability to perform, how he was able to channel his imposter syndrome into positive motivation, and how his kids handle his fame. Joel McHale's Book, Thanks for the Money: http://joelmchale.com/thanks-for-the-money/ BialikBreakdown.com YouTube.com/mayimbialik Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

4 Jul 202357min

Dr. Neil Theise (professor of pathology at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine) joins us to discuss how his adult stem cell and interstitium research led him to his "theory of everything", how complexity actually helps simplify our understanding of the universe, the illusion that humans are separate individual beings, and the scientific explanation of mysticism. He explains why philosophy, religion, and quantum mechanics fall short without incorporating intuition and human experience, how low-level randomness allows for adaptation, and why we can’t live forever no matter what we do. Dr. Theise opens up about his mother’s metaphysical experience with talking to dead people, his depression that stemmed from coming to terms with his sexuality, the impact of being a child of Holocaust survivors, and where his personal faith comes into play within his scientific work. He also breaks down healers and shamanism, chaos and information theories, the real definition of compassion, and the function and importance of microbiomes. Dr. Neil Theise' Book, NOTES ON COMPLEXITY: https://a.co/d/aByhTg5 BialikBreakdown.com YouTube.com/mayimbialik Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

27 Jun 20231h 50min

Eric Hutchinson (singer/songwriter), one of Mayim’s favorite musicians, stops by for an impromptu jam session with Mayim! He discusses harnessing depression to influence his musical creativity, the effects of his father’s muscular dystrophy on his family, and what he admires about the younger generations’ attitude toward mental health. Mayim opens up about what Eric’s music has meant to her and they reflect on their struggles in high school. They also consider how the eldest sibling can set the tone of the household, how much of our difficult emotions we should share with our children, and Mayim’s process of "boring herself to sleep." Eric talks about his musical influences, the origins of his own musicality, the rollercoaster turn of events after being signed to Madonna’s record label, and who his songs are actually about. He explains why he chooses to lean into his depression in order to connect with his fans, his focus on staying present, and his emotional outlets apart from music. Mayim and Eric wrap the episode with a spontaneous jam session where they perform one of Eric’s songs together! Eric Hutchinson's "Sounds Like This" 15th Anniversary Tour: https://www.erichutchinson.com/#tour BialikBreakdown.com YouTube.com/mayimbialik Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

20 Jun 20231h 26min

Drs. Alona Pulde & Matthew Lederman (WeHeal Co-Founders) break down practical ways to combine eastern & western medicine, lifestyle medicine, and nonviolent communication into a holistic approach to improve mental and overall wellness. They take us through their personal evolution toward incorporating self-care, play, and connection into wellness regimens, the importance of checking in with yourself, and what’s not working in the conventional model of primary care. Matthew and Alona explain how to cultivate nonviolent communication to live authentically and benefit your physical health. They also discuss the importance of providing kids with the vocabulary to express their needs and ways to balance your needs with your child’s. Drs. Alona Pulde & Matthew Lederman's new book, Wellness to Wonderful:  https://weheal.health/wellness-to-wonderful/ BialikBreakdown.com YouTube.com/mayimbialik Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

15 Jun 202358min