#791 Couple Issues - Erin Valente

#791 Couple Issues - Erin Valente

Author: Paul Gilmartin March 13, 2026 Duration: 1:37:00
 Erin Valente is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist (LMFT) who gives practical advice for managing issues in your marriage, including moving through divorce. She also opens up about her abusive childhood and the work she’s done to heal, as well as the process of her own divorce.For more about Erin: www.erinvalentetherapy.comThis episode is sponsored Quince. Go to www.Quince.com/mental for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too.This episode is sponsored by Alma. Search their directory of over 20,000 therapists with different specialities, life experiences, and identities, and 99% of them take insurance. Go to www.HelloAlma.com/happyhourThis episode is sponsored by The Jordan Harbinger Show. Learn more about the world, improve your critical thinking skills and be entertained! Listen or subscribe here: jordanharbinger.com/subscribe Apple Podcasts: jordanharbinger.com/itunesSpotify: jordanharbinger.com/spotifyHere are the two episodes Paul recommended.https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1280-cory-doctorow-why-everything-got-worse-and-what/id1344999619?i=1000747830030Andhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1238-ken-burns-what-if-the-american-revolution-isnt-over/id1344999619?i=1000736232557If you’re interested in seeing or buying the furniture that Paul designs and makes follow his IG @ShapedFurniture or visit the website www.shapedfurniture.comWAYS TO HELP THE MIHH PODCASTSubscribe via Apple Podcasts (or whatever player you use). It costs nothing. It’s extremely helpful to have your subscription set to download all episodes automatically. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/mental-illness-happy-hour/id427377900?mt=2Spread the word via social media.  It costs nothing.Our website is www.mentalpod.com our FB is www.Facebook.com/mentalpod and our Twitter and Instagram are both @Mentalpod  Become a much-needed Patreon monthly-donor (with occasional rewards) for as little as $1/month at www.Patreon.com/mentalpod  Become a one-time or monthly donor via PayPal at https://mentalpod.com/donateYou can also donate via Zelle (make payment to mentalpod@gmail.com) To donate via Venmo make payment to @Mentalpod  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hosted by comedian Paul Gilmartin, Mental Illness Happy Hour has become a unique and essential space for conversations many shy away from. This isn't a clinical program, but rather a series of raw, honest dialogues where Gilmartin and his guests share their personal experiences with mental health struggles, addiction, fear, and the lasting impacts of childhood trauma. The atmosphere is intentionally crafted to be a perversely safe place, a description noted by The New York Times, where vulnerability is met with compassion rather than judgment. Listeners will find a podcast that deliberately explores the grey areas of human experience, with Slate Magazine highlighting Gilmartin's conscious effort to share stories that aren't simply black and white. It’s this approach that has led publications like Psychology Today to call it "remarkable" and Esquire to deem it a vital gem addressing a deep need. Tuning in, you'll hear a blend of personal narrative, dark humor, and profound connection that has earned the show a global audience and recognition as a top health podcast. Each episode serves as a reminder that you're not alone in your struggles, creating a sense of community through shared, often unvarnished truth.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Mental Illness Happy Hour
Podcast Episodes
#810 Cults, Shootings & PTSD - Best Of - Matthew Walden [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:04:55
Originally aired as our 148th episode, this Best Of replay is a riveting one. Although the writer/producer grew up in Hawaii, his childhood was far from paradise; enduring a cornucopia of PTSD, leaving him wondering what…
#809 Weinstein Survivor Turned Therapist - Kaja Sokola [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:29
Kaja Sokola is a model-turned-psychologist and therapist–and one of Poland’s first public figures in mental health. She opens up about her battles with eating disorders, the work she’s done to overcome the psychological…
#808 Perfectly Hidden Depression - Dr Margaret Rutherford [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:07:39
Dr. Margaret Rutherford is a clinical psychologist, author, and TEDx speaker. Throughout the course of her work, she noticed something that she calls Perfectly Hidden Depression, emotional pain camouflaged by achievement…
#807 Sex Esteem®️ & Therapy - Sari Cooper [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:09:03
Sari Cooper is the founder and Director of the Center for Love and Sex. A professional dancer turned sex therapist, Sari opens up about her path to this profession, including her own family history of mental illness. She…
#806 - Best Of: Being An Outsider - Rama [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:04:29
A powerful and intimate conversation and one of Paul’s favorites (and the origin of the "Herbert's Butthole" riff). Originally aired in 2015, the then 28 year-old Syrian opens up about always being the minority wherever…
#805 Eating Disorders & Males -Retired Boxer Danny O'Connor [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:44
Danny O’Connor is an elite professional boxer and former member of the U.S. Olympic Boxing Team. He’s also the author of the book Weight Class: A Fighter's Life-or-Death Battle with an Eating Disorder. He opens up about…
#803 Treating Predators & Infidelity - Dr. Monique Thompson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:44:04
Dr. Monique Thompson is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) who helps couples heal from infidelity. She also has significant experience with treating predatory sexual behavior. She offers her insights on how people c…
#802 Bipolar, Vices & Psych Wards - Emily LoMenzo Washcovick [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:39:11
Fellow Midwesterner opens up to Paul about her battles with BiPolar including a hospitalization, and her struggles with vices. More about Emily:Her show - Success, Rewritten can be found on any podcast platform + YouTube…
#801 Rewiring Negative Self-Talk - Thais Gibson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:47:50
Thais Gibson is a best-selling author, counselor, and the founder of Personal Development School, an online collection of courses to guide you in your emotional growth journey. She opens up about overcoming opioid addict…