For this special Suicide Prevention Month episode of Road to Resilience, host Stephen Calabria speaks with Dr. Igor Galynker, psychiatrist, researcher, and director of Mount Sinai’s Suicide Research and Prevention Laboratory, about one of the most urgent and misunderstood public health challenges of our time. Drawing on decades of clinical experience and research, Dr. Galynker explains why suicide risk is often far more complex than depression alone and discusses the limitations of trad...

As the world approaches the 25th anniversary of September 11th, 2001, our show examines what happened that day, and the psychological impact that followed—along with the lessons we’ve learned about trauma, recovery, and resilience. We’re joined on this episode by Dr. Craig Katz, a psychiatrist at Mount Sinai whose work has put him on ther front lines of disaster relief. He helped organize New York City’s psychiatric response following 9/11, through an organization he co-founded called D...

Every day, emergency departments see people on some of the hardest days of their lives. In this episode of Road to Resilience, host Stephen Calabria speaks with Dr. Nicholas Gavin, an emergency physician at Mount Sinai, about what it really means to work in the emergency department. Dr. Gavin offers a simple but powerful perspective on resilience: it is a muscle that can be strengthened. By looking back at how we have navigated adversity before, we can draw on those experiences to face ...

Depression is often mistaken for ordinary sadness, but clinically it is something profoundly different: a medical illness that can alter the way the brain processes emotion, motivation, and even hope itself. In this episode of Road to Resilience, host Stephen Calabria speaks with James Murrough, MD, PhD, to discuss how groundbreaking neuroimaging research explains why depression may leave the brain "entrapped" in inefficient patterns of activity, The conversation explores the difference...

Resilience isn't just a personality trait—it's something the brain actively builds. In this episode of Road to Resilience, host Stephen Calabria speaks with Eric J. Nestler, MD, PhD, one of the world's foremost neuroscientists, about the remarkable capacity of the brain to adapt in the face of adversity. Drawing on decades of groundbreaking research into depression, addiction, and stress, Dr. Nestler explains why trauma doesn't affect everyone the same way, how resilience is shap...

When Jacqueline Mills noticed a new mole on her face, she trusted her instincts—even after her concerns were initially dismissed. Her persistence led to an early melanoma diagnosis and became a powerful reminder of how speaking up and seeking a second opinion can make all the difference. In this episode of Road to Resilience, Jacqueline shares her story; she is followed by the Mount Sinai dermatologist who discovered her melanoma, Dr. Jesse Lewin, who expands the conversation to what everyone...

Childhood trauma can leave lasting marks on the brain, body, and sense of safety—but it does not define a person’s future. In this episode of Road to Resilience, host Stephen Calabria speaks with Frank W. Putnam, MD, one of the country’s leading researchers on childhood trauma and maltreatment. Drawing on decades of clinical work and a landmark longitudinal study that followed abused girls from childhood into adulthood, Dr. Putnam explains how early maltreatment can shape mental health,...

Women's health is often associated with pregnancy and reproductive care—but that’s only part of the story. In this episode of Road to Resilience, host Stephen Calabria sits down with two leaders at the forefront of a new era in women's healthcare: Dr. Joanne Stone, Chair of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Science at Mount Sinai, and Dr. Anna Barbieri, gynecologist, menopause specialist, and clinical strategy leader for the Carolyn Rowan Center for Women’s Health and Wellness. Together...

When Lucy Foote suffered her first seizure during a stressful work presentation in 2020, she had no idea it would begin a six-year battle with epilepsy that would eventually lead to brain surgery. In this deeply personal episode of Road to Resilience, Lucy shares what it was like to navigate fear, uncertainty, and the invisible emotional burden of chronic illness while trying to maintain her independence in New York City. She discusses the role of family support, faith, and radical lifes...

Why do some people feel trapped in sadness, while others lose their sense of motivation and purpose? In this episode of Road to Resilience, host Stephen Calabria speaks with Dr. Martijn Figee about the brain science behind depression, resilience, and emotional recovery. A leader in the study of deep brain stimulation and psychiatric neuromodulation, Dr. Figee explains how different brain circuits govern mood, reward, stress, and motivation—and how understanding those systems may reshape...