Libsyn Directory

Miscarriages, Breast Cancer, & Choosing to Talk About it (feat. Dr. Jessica Zucker) | #16

Release Date: 04/22/2025

School Shooting Survivor: Trauma, EMDR & Redemption feat. Ellie Wyse | Harder to Breathe Podcast

The Harder to Breathe Podcast

On May 7, 2019, Ellie Wyse was a high school freshman with an hour left in her day when a routine drill turned into an active shooter situation. In this powerful and essential conversation, Ellie bravely recounts her experience surviving the STEM School Highlands Ranch shooting and the complex realization that one of the perpetrators was a peer. She shares the aftermath of the trauma, the unexpected loneliness of the subsequent COVID-19 lockdown (which she says was harder to process than the shooting itself), and her path to healing through EMDR therapy. Now a psychology major, Ellie is...

AI & Loneliness: How to Find REAL Connection in the Algorithm Age | Harder to Breathe Podcast

The Harder to Breathe Podcast

This is not a conspiracy theory; it’s a mental health crisis. Returning guest Hillary Spiritos joins the hosts for a crucial discussion on the challenges facing young people in the age of AI and pervasive social media. We explore the profound effects of the algorithm—a system so isolating it mirrors the environment of a cult or a totalitarian state—and how it’s fueling a loneliness epidemic and widespread cynicism. Hillary offers guidance on how parents and peers can foster critical thinking and authentic connection to help young people push back against the constant...

Musician Davis Rowan: Rehab, Ultra-Marathons, & Finding Purpose | Harder to Breathe Podcast

The Harder to Breathe Podcast

This is an unvarnished look at the path to recovery. Ryan reconnects with his old friend, musician Davis Rowan, whom he met at the Betty Ford Center. Davis shares his powerful story of how alcohol, which once felt like a "solution" to social anxiety, became a destructive force, culminating in a terrifying diagnosis of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) during a severe bender. This conversation goes beyond mere sobriety to explore the deeper rewards of recovery: finding genuine community, cultivating new passions (like ultra-marathoning), and using lived experience to fuel a new purpose as a music...

Porn Addiction: Sobriety vs. Recovery, Shame, Suicide Prev. w/ C. Morley | Harder to Breathe Podcast

The Harder to Breathe Podcast

This episode goes beyond the surface to the heart of addiction. We sit down with former tech entrepreneur Curtis Morley, whose life's purpose shifted after the tragic loss of his best friend to suicide. Curtis believes his friend didn't understand the difference between sobriety and recovery, a lesson Curtis now uses to help men combat the epidemic of pornography addiction. Curtis bravely shares his own experience and the core principles of his "Counterfeit Emotions" program, arguing that most men aren't addicted to porn—they're addicted to shame. Key Takeaways from the Conversation: ...

Toxic Masculinity & Stillness: Finding Balance with Steve Braun | Harder to Breathe Podcast

The Harder to Breathe Podcast

In this vital episode, we sit down with Steve Braun, a master mental performance coach and communication consultant (and co-founder of BGB Studios). Drawing on his martial arts discipleship, Steve explains that the core of our modern mental health and societal conflict is a deep imbalance between masculine (Yang) and feminine (Yin) energies. This conversation offers a profound perspective on how to achieve peak performance and inner peace not through action, but through stillness and radical self-acceptance. Key Takeaways from the Conversation: The Power of Stillness (Yin):...

The Fear, the Freedom, and the Mid-Life Career Change | Harder to Breathe Podcast

The Harder to Breathe Podcast

"How do you make a total left turn from the music industry to the mental health field?" Ryan Dusick often fields this question, but the reality is that starting over is rarely a clean break—it’s usually a long, messy process of grief and self-discovery. In this one-on-one episode, Ryan and Duck dive into the core challenges of major life transitions, from leaving a band at the peak of success to finding new purpose in your 40s. Ryan shares his journey from losing his identity as a musician to embracing his calling as a therapist, explaining that his change was driven by a commitment to...

Perfectionism vs. Excellence: How to Stop Stagnating and Start Growing |Harder to Breathe Podcast

The Harder to Breathe Podcast

This week, hosts Ryan Dusick and Brian “Duck” Maillard tackle the ultimate double-edged sword: perfectionism. Ryan shares his incredibly vulnerable journey of realizing that his quest for perfection ultimately led to stagnation—a "rock bottom" in his professional life after leaving Maroon 5. Perfectionism, often mistaken for a strength, is revealed as a self-defeating mindset that blocks progress by holding you to an unattainable ideal. The solution? A crucial shift to the pursuit of excellence, which accepts the necessity of setbacks, learning, and growth as part of the process. This...

"Put the Shovel Down": Helping a Loved One with Addiction w/ Amber Hollingsworth | Harder to Breathe

The Harder to Breathe Podcast

Your natural instinct is to fix it, but what if your efforts are making the problem worse? We sit down with Addiction Expert Amber Hollingsworth, founder of the huge "Put the Shovel Down" community, who offers a revolutionary approach to family addiction recovery. Amber specializes in teaching family members how to stop enabling and break the cycle of blame that fuels addiction. This is essential listening for anyone who loves someone struggling with substance abuse. In this powerful episode, you'll learn: The "Villain" Role: Why the person with addiction often needs a family member to play...

Surviving Suicide: Sarah Gilman on Self-Harm, Healing & Hope | Harder to Breathe Podcast

The Harder to Breathe Podcast

In one of our most powerful episodes yet, actress and mental health advocate Sarah Gilman opens up about her deeply personal journey—self-harm, a suicide attempt in college, and the remarkable path that led her to become a voice for suicide prevention. She explains why suicide isn’t about wanting to die, but about wanting to escape an intolerable pain. This is a raw and honest conversation that will leave you feeling seen, understood, and inspired. Here’s what you’ll learn: ✨ The misunderstood functions of self-harm — Sarah shares the three core reasons people self-harm: as a...

Mental Health Is Sexy: Trauma, Humor & Healing w/ Aleksei Archer | Harder to Breathe Podcast

The Harder to Breathe Podcast

This episode is for anyone who has ever felt alone in their struggle. We sit down with the incredible Aleksei Archer—comedian, actor, and mental health advocate—who has transformed personal tragedy into a powerful force for healing. Aleksei shares her deeply personal story of losing her father to suicide, and how she uses humor and radical honesty to create safe spaces for grief, connection, and resilience. 💡 In this raw and vulnerable conversation, you’ll discover: The unexpected power of community: Why finding your "tribe" can be the most critical step in overcoming trauma and...

More Episodes

On today’s episode of “Harder to Breathe'', host, founding drummer of “Maroon 5”, and licensed therapist, Ryan Dusick is joined by co-host and actor Brian “Duck” Maillard for a conversation with LA based psychologist and author, Dr. Jessica Zucker.

Dr. Zucker has been a womens’ health advocate for years, choosing to become a clinical psychologist in order to give women a voice for their pain, both physically and mentally. All too often women feel that they are unable to comfortably speak out about the health issues they are facing in society– an issue that Dr. Zucker faced firsthand when she experienced a miscarriage of her own, followed by a Breast Cancer diagnosis several years later.

In an effort to make these topics less “taboo”, Dr. Zucker is speaking out. Her first book and the accompanying social media campaign “I Had a Miscarriage” were designed to directly give women a chance to speak about, and mourn, their miscarriages in an open and honest way. Now, with her second book, “Normalize It”, she is taking it a step further to discuss multiple issues that women face including girlhood, body image, motherhood, reproductive choice, sexual trauma, menopause, and more.

Dr. Zucker, Ryan, and Duck share a fantastic and candid conversation about the unique challenges that women face, and Dr. Zucker’s new book is a great way to dive deeper into the topic. It’s relevant for everyone, men and women alike, and aims to change the way we view womens’ health as a society. It’s a much needed conversation, and another fantastic and open conversation on the “Harder to Breathe” Podcast.

0:00:36 Introduction & Seasonal Affective Disorder

0:03:55 Today’s Guest: Dr. Jessica Zucker

0:07:48 Betty Ford’s Immense Impact

0:12:55 Dr. Zucker joins the Podcast & Shares Her Backstory

0:15:29 International Health Projects

0:16:42 Becoming a Clinical Psychologist & Experiencing a Miscarriage

0:21:08 Breast Cancer Diagnosis

0:22:46 Dr. Zucker’s New Book

0:27:48 Mixed Messages for Women in Society

0:33:46 Changing the Narrative on an Individual Basis

0:38:55 Public Platforms vs. Personal Connection

0:43:29 Journaling and Self-Expression