Brain Trash: Psychiatry from DSM to Dumpster Fire
Welcome to Brain Trash, where we rip off the sugar-coated filter and talk about the raw, messy, and frustrating realities of psychiatry. Hosted by psychiatric nurse practitioners who know the system inside and out, this podcast is for clinicians tired of textbook psychiatry BS and everyday people trying to make sense of their mental health.
đ Overdiagnosis. Self-diagnosis. Medications that help. Medications that ruin lives. The DSM. The WTFs of mental health. If youâve ever side-eyed a diagnosis, questioned your meds, or felt like the system was failing youâyou're not alone.
No gatekeeping. No corporate-sanitized psychiatry. Just honest, unfiltered conversations about neurodivergence, trauma, the cracks in the system, and what we need to do differently.
đĽ If youâve ever felt dismissed by a mental health provider or questioned the way we do thisâhit subscribe. Letâs rethink psychiatry together.
đď¸ Listen now & join the conversation:
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đ§ Mental health care: https://www.paperflowerpsychiatry.com/
đ Education for providers & patients: https://www.paperflowerinstitute.com/
đ¸ Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paperflowerpsychiatry
đĽ YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@paperflowerinstitute
⪠TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.mariaingalla
Episodes
20 episodes
Why Getting an Autism Diagnosis Is Harder Than It Should Be
This episode dives into one of the most frustrating realities facing the neurodivergent community: getting an autism diagnosis is harder than it should be â and that's not an accident.We explore the flaws of the ADOS assessment, the fina...
ADHD, HRT and Menopause: When Hormones Hijack Mental Health
In this episode of Brain Trash, Maria and Tabitha unpack how hormones hijack mental health, especially for people with ADHD navigating birth control, perimenopause, menopause, and hormone replacement therapy (HRT).They explore how...
Postpartum Isnât Just âBaby Bluesâ: The Neurodivergent Edition
In this episode of Brain Trash, Maria and Tabitha unpack the hormonal chaos of pregnancy and postpartum through a neurodivergent lens. They explore what happens to neurotransmitters during pregnancy, why postpartum can feel like a neur...
Hormones Are Doing Side Quests: Understanding Your Cycle & Your Brain
Your hormones arenât just background noise â theyâre out here running monthly side quests that impact mood, focus, energy, and mental health.In this episode, Maria and Tabitha dig into how the menstrual cycle actually works, why...
Psychedelics in Psychiatry: Promise vs. Proof
Are psychedelics the future of psychiatryâor just another wave of hype? In this episode, Maria and Tabitha sit down with John Greeley to break down what the research really says about psychedelics like psilocybin, MDMA, and keta...
The Wild West of Ketamine: Ethics, Insights, and Integration
Ketamine has been called a breakthrough treatment for depression, PTSD, and anxiety. But behind the hype lies a complex reality. In this episode of Brain Trash, Maria Ingalla, Tabitha Arey, and John Greeley take on the promises and pitfa...
Dispensary Roulette: Why Cannabis Isnât One-Size-Fits-All
Buying cannabis shouldnât feel like gambling with your mental healthâbut often it does. From high-THC strains that increase risk of negative outcomes to poorly regulated CBD products for kids, cannabis is far from simple.In this episode ...
âI Want to Rip My Skin Offâ: Sensory Hell and Sex
"I Want To Rip My Skin Off": Sensory Hell and SexWhat does sex feel like when sensory input is overwhelming or painful? In this episode of Brain Trash, we explore the intense (and often unspoken) connection between sen...
The Safe Word is "Consent": The Psychology of Autism and Sex
The Safe Word is âConsentâ: The Psychology of Autism and SexWhat do kink, structure, and sensory regulation have in common? For many autistic individuals, BDSM isnât just about pleasureâitâs about safety, identity, and
Autism and Sex: Myths, Consent and Neurodivergent Intimacy
WELCOME TO THE SECOND SEASON OF BRAIN TRASH!Autism and Sex: Myths, Consent, and Neurodivergent IntimacyThis episode of Brain Trash takes a bold step into a rarely discussed space: the intersection of auti...
Bedtime Battles: Autistic Sleep Demystified
Why Autistic Brains Struggle with Sleep | Brain Trash PodcastIn this episode of Brain Trash, Maria Ingalla and Tabitha Arey unpack the science and lived experiences behind sleep struggles in autistic individuals. From mel...
ICD, DSM, WTF: Decoding the Chaos of Mental Health Diagnoses
In this episode of Brain Trash, hosts Maria Ingalla and Tabitha Arey take a brutally honest look at what psychiatric diagnosis actually means in 2025. From rushed 15-minute appointments to diagnosis codes written for insurance companiesânot car...
A Professional Deep Dive on the Autism Registry
RFK's proposed Autism Registry isnât about public healthâitâs about power.This week on Brain Trash, we dive into the controversial Autism Registry plan and what it means for neurodivergent communities. We discuss how data collec...
From Clumsy to Misdiagnosed: The Reality of Dyspraxia
Is it clumsiness â or is it dyspraxia?In this episode of Brain Trash, Maria Ingalla and Tabitha Arey break down what developmental coordination disorder (dyspraxia) actually looks like â and why so many neurodivergent p...
When National Child Abuse Prevention Month is Actually Increasing Suicide Among Kids
In this conversation, Maria Ingalla and Tabitha discuss the implications of a new executive order related to child abuse prevention, focusing on the controversial topic of gender ideology and its perceived threat to children. They explore the r...
Psych Meds: Yearbook Edition
SummaryPsychiatric meds but make it a high school yearbook superlative. đ In this episode of Brain Trash, Maria and Tabitha dive into the chaotic world of mental health medicationsâwhoâs the MVP, whoâs most likely to ruin yo...
Are Your Medications Safe? The Reality of Make America Healthy Again
Episode Summary: Mental health is under fireâagain. In this episode, Maria and Tabitha break down the âMake America Healthy Againâ executive order and its dangerous implications for people with autism, ADHD, and ment...
Linking Ehlers Danlos and POTS to Neurodivergence
SummaryIn this episode, Maria and Tabitha explore the intricate connections between neurodivergence and connective tissue disorders, particularly focusing on Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and POTS. They discuss the prevalence of these condi...
Diagnosing Autism in Psychiatry: Itâs Giving âYou Donât Look Autistic'
Autism has long been boxed into a narrow stereotypeâwhite, male, socially awkward, obsessed with trains. But what about the autistic people who donât fit that mold? The girl who made it to adulthood without a diagnosis because she was âjust shy...
TikTok vs. Psychiatry: Whoâs Really Getting Neurodivergence Right?
Is TikTok actually helping people understand neurodivergence, or is it just fueling a wave of self-diagnoses? In this no-BS, unfiltered first episode of Brain Trash, weâre tackling the big debate about social media and self-diagnosis.<...
