State Of Mind with Maurice Benard

General Hospital’s Chris McKenna Reveals Bipolar Disorder & Mental Health | State of Mind (A Seen on CNN)

For the first time publicly, Chris McKenna opens up about his bipolar diagnosis and the mental health journey that reshaped his life and career. In this deeply personal episode of State of Mind, the General Hospital actor tells Maurice Benard what it was like living undiagnosed for decades, the breaking point he faced during the pandemic, and the treatment that helped him find stability and clarity.
After breaking on State of Mind, Chris McKenna’s story was subsequently featured on The Story Is with Elex Michaelson on CNN, bringing the conversation to an even wider national audience.
Video Versions of State of Mind available on YouTube! Watch! 
Read Maurice’s New York Times Bestselling Book!Nothing General About It: How Love (and Lithium) Saved Me On and Off General Hospital
Follow Maurice on Social Media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mauricebenard/
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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mbstateofmind/ State Of Mind Merch:https://www.mbstateofmind.comState of Mind Production Team: Host & Editorial: Maurice Benard Executive Producer: Paula Benard Director of Production: Anthony CammarataAudio/Video/Editorial: Anthony CammarataPodcast Consultant: Aaron Calafato 

Fritz Coleman on Retirement, Identity, and Why Staying Engaged Saved His Life

In this episode of State of Mind, legendary broadcaster and comedian Fritz Coleman reflects on retirement, identity, and the fear of losing purpose after a long career. He shares how staying engaged through creativity, sobriety, and meaningful work helped him avoid the emotional collapse he once witnessed in his own family. It is an honest conversation about aging, self-doubt, and what it really takes to stay alive inside.
Video Versions of State of Mind available on YouTube! Watch! 
Read Maurice’s New York Times Bestselling Book!Nothing General About It: How Love (and Lithium) Saved Me On and Off General Hospital
Follow Maurice on Social Media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mauricebenard/
X: https://twitter.com/mauricebenard
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MauriceBenard/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mbstateofmind/ State Of Mind Merch:https://www.mbstateofmind.comState of Mind Production Team: Host & Editorial: Maurice Benard Executive Producer: Paula Benard Director of Production: Anthony CammarataAudio/Video/Editorial: Anthony CammarataPodcast Consultant: Aaron Calafato 

Sharon Case: Bipolar Storylines, Real-Life Resilience, and the Truth Behind Young & Restless

On this episode of State of Mind, Maurice sits down with Emmy-winning actress Sharon Case—known to millions as Sharon Newman from The Young and the Restless—for an unfiltered conversation about mental health, acting, and the real emotional truth behind portraying bipolar disorder on screen. Sharon opens up about her early life, unexpected path into daytime TV, her work with complex storylines, and the rising awareness around depression and suicide since the pandemic. This is an honest, surprising, deeply human conversation that fans of both daytime drama and mental-health advocacy will not forget.
Video Versions of State of Mind available on YouTube! Watch! 
Read Maurice’s New York Times Bestselling Book!Nothing General About It: How Love (and Lithium) Saved Me On and Off General Hospital
Follow Maurice on Social Media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mauricebenard/
X: https://twitter.com/mauricebenard
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MauriceBenard/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mbstateofmind/ State Of Mind Merch:https://www.mbstateofmind.comState of Mind Production Team: Host & Editorial: Maurice Benard Executive Producer: Paula Benard Director of Production: Anthony CammarataAudio/Video/Editorial: Anthony CammarataPodcast Consultant: Aaron Calafato 

Scarlett Spears from Wicked: For Good and General Hospital on Childhood, Fear, and Finding Her Voice

In this State of Mind conversation, Maurice sits down with young actress Scarlet Spears, who plays Young Glinda in Wicked: For Good and portrays Donna Corinthos on General Hospital. What begins as a light conversation about acting, family, and childhood opens into an unexpected moment about fear, loneliness, and mental health that only an eight year old could express with such clarity. Scarlet’s insight, humor, and kindness make this episode a reminder of how much we can learn when we truly listen.
Video Versions of State of Mind available on YouTube! Watch! 
Read Maurice’s New York Times Bestselling Book!Nothing General About It: How Love (and Lithium) Saved Me On and Off General Hospital
Follow Maurice on Social Media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mauricebenard/
X: https://twitter.com/mauricebenard
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MauriceBenard/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mbstateofmind/ State Of Mind Merch:https://www.mbstateofmind.comState of Mind Production Team: Host & Editorial: Maurice Benard Executive Producer: Paula Benard Director of Production: Anthony CammarataAudio/Video/Editorial: Anthony CammarataPodcast Consultant: Aaron Calafato 

Dorothy Lucey on Anxiety, Panic Attacks, Faith, and Finding Peace

Maurice welcomes longtime TV journalist Dorothy Lucey for a deep, vulnerable conversation about crippling nerves, panic attacks, and the unseen emotional cost of decades in the spotlight. Dorothy opens up about faith, anxiety, marriage, grief, joy, and the daily work of stopping a spiral before it starts. Together they explore how trauma sits in the body, how peace is rebuilt step by step, and why none of us are ever as “normal” as we seem.
Video Versions of State of Mind available on YouTube! Watch! 
Read Maurice’s New York Times Bestselling Book!Nothing General About It: How Love (and Lithium) Saved Me On and Off General Hospital
Follow Maurice on Social Media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mauricebenard/
X: https://twitter.com/mauricebenard
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MauriceBenard/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mbstateofmind/ State Of Mind Merch:https://www.mbstateofmind.comState of Mind Production Team: Host & Editorial: Maurice Benard Executive Producer: Paula Benard Director of Production: Anthony CammarataAudio/Video/Editorial: Anthony CammarataPodcast Consultant: Aaron Calafato 

Adrian Alvarado: Flipping My Script on Loss, Identity, Survival, and Healing

Actor and author Adrian Alvarado sits down with Maurice to talk about his memoir Flipping My Script—a powerful story of losing his mother at fourteen, growing up without a father, and fighting through generational trauma to rebuild his identity. Adrian opens up about domestic violence, grief, art as therapy, and the long road toward healing and forgiveness. This is a raw, honest conversation that will stay with anyone who has ever rebuilt themselves from the ground up.
Video Versions of State of Mind available on YouTube! Watch! 
Read Maurice’s New York Times Bestselling Book!Nothing General About It: How Love (and Lithium) Saved Me On and Off General Hospital
Follow Maurice on Social Media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mauricebenard/
X: https://twitter.com/mauricebenard
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MauriceBenard/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mbstateofmind/ State Of Mind Merch:https://www.mbstateofmind.comState of Mind Production Team: Host & Editorial: Maurice Benard Executive Producer: Paula Benard Director of Production: Anthony CammarataAudio/Video/Editorial: Anthony CammarataPodcast Consultant: Aaron Calafato 

Raven Bowens: Resilience, Mental Health, and Finding Purpose

Actress Raven Bowens joins Maurice for a powerful, wide-ranging conversation about resilience, mental health, and the unexpected turns that shape a life. Raven opens up about a childhood spent moving from city to city, the grief of losing her first love, and the struggle to find stability while chasing her dream. She also shares how her acting journey led her to Days of Our Lives and why her greatest fulfillment now comes from rebuilding a school in Nigeria. A raw, honest, and deeply hopeful episode that reminds us why purpose and connection matter.
Video Versions of State of Mind available on YouTube! Watch! 
Read Maurice’s New York Times Bestselling Book!Nothing General About It: How Love (and Lithium) Saved Me On and Off General Hospital
Follow Maurice on Social Media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mauricebenard/
X: https://twitter.com/mauricebenard
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MauriceBenard/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mbstateofmind/ State Of Mind Merch:https://www.mbstateofmind.comState of Mind Production Team: Host & Editorial: Maurice Benard Executive Producer: Paula Benard Director of Production: Anthony CammarataAudio/Video/Editorial: Anthony CammarataPodcast Consultant: Aaron Calafato 

Larry Romano: From Donnie Brasco to King of Queens and the Breakthroughs That Saved Him

Maurice sits down with actor and musician Larry Romano (Donnie Brasco, King of Queens, The Thin Red Line, Sleepers) for a raw, wide-ranging conversation about creativity, identity, and the inner battles most people never see. Larry opens up about studying under Al Pacino’s acting coach, navigating depression, rebuilding after setbacks, and how family, music, and discipline shaped his resilience. It’s an honest, emotional, and unexpectedly inspiring look at artistry, mental health, and what it really takes to survive the industry — and yourself.
Video Versions of State of Mind available on YouTube! Watch! 
Read Maurice’s New York Times Bestselling Book!Nothing General About It: How Love (and Lithium) Saved Me On and Off General Hospital
Follow Maurice on Social Media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mauricebenard/
X: https://twitter.com/mauricebenard
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MauriceBenard/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mbstateofmind/ State Of Mind Merch:https://www.mbstateofmind.comState of Mind Production Team: Host & Editorial: Maurice Benard Executive Producer: Paula Benard Director of Production: Anthony CammarataAudio/Video/Editorial: Anthony CammarataPodcast Consultant: Aaron Calafato 

Genie Francis & Jonathan Frakes: Panic, Patience, and the Truth About Love

In Part 2 of their conversation on State of Mind, Genie Francis (General Hospital) and Jonathan Frakes (Star Trek: The Next Generation) open up about the hidden side of their 40-year relationship: social anxiety, deep lows, the “riverbank” metaphor that changed everything, and the small decisions that saved their marriage. Maurice creates space for a rare, honest look at survival, compassion, and what it means to stay when things get hard. Powerful, vulnerable, and unforgettable.
Video Versions of State of Mind available on YouTube! Watch! 
Read Maurice’s New York Times Bestselling Book!Nothing General About It: How Love (and Lithium) Saved Me On and Off General Hospital
Follow Maurice on Social Media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mauricebenard/
X: https://twitter.com/mauricebenard
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MauriceBenard/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mbstateofmind/ State Of Mind Merch:https://www.mbstateofmind.comState of Mind Production Team: Host & Editorial: Maurice Benard Executive Producer: Paula Benard Director of Production: Anthony CammarataAudio/Video/Editorial: Anthony CammarataPodcast Consultant: Aaron Calafato 

Jeffrey Vincent Parise: GH Villainy, Reinvention, and the Fight for Inner Peace

General Hospital favorite Jeffrey Vincent Parise opens up about the real story behind his life—far beyond Carlos, the villains, and the unforgettable on-screen moments GH fans remember him for. He and Maurice dig into Parise’s battles with anxiety, the dark seasons that reshaped him, and the practices that helped him rebuild from the inside out, including yoga, meditation, and deep shadow-work. This conversation blends nostalgia, vulnerability, and the kind of mental-health honesty that reminds fans why State of Mind exists in the first place.
Video Versions of State of Mind available on YouTube! Watch! 
Read Maurice’s New York Times Bestselling Book!Nothing General About It: How Love (and Lithium) Saved Me On and Off General Hospital
Follow Maurice on Social Media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mauricebenard/
X: https://twitter.com/mauricebenard
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MauriceBenard/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mbstateofmind/ State Of Mind Merch:https://www.mbstateofmind.comState of Mind Production Team: Host & Editorial: Maurice Benard Executive Producer: Paula Benard Director of Production: Anthony CammarataAudio/Video/Editorial: Anthony CammarataPodcast Consultant: Aaron Calafato