Sanity Optional
Claim This Podcastby Speakeasy Studios
Podcast Overview
<p><span>Sanity Optional is a podcast about the parts of mental health we usually keep to ourselves.<br />It’s for the moments when your life looks fine on the outside but feels messy underneath. When you’re tired of being told to “do the work.” When you secretly wonder if you’re the only one struggling with something that feels too taboo to say out loud.<br />Hosted by therapist and founder of Rowan Healing, Alexis Ely, this show was created for people who feel like they’re in the other club. The ones who don’t fit the timeline. The ones who have been to the edge of their own mind and made it back.<br />Alexis shares her story, from early trauma and suicidal depression to the perfectionism and addiction that followed, and ultimately the kind of peace she once believed was impossible. She brings clinical experience and lived experience into the same room, without turning healing into a performance or a checklist.<br />This isn’t about becoming a better version of yourself. It’s about feeling at home in your own mind.<br />Welcome to the rabbit hole.<br /><br />Sanity is optional.</span></p>
Language
🇺🇲
Publishing Since
3/4/2026
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Recent Episodes
July 1, 2026
Who Are You Really? Identity, Ego, and Coming Home to Yourself | Sanity Optional | Episode 14
In this episode, Alexis digs into one of the most disorienting questions you can ask yourself: who are you, actually? She breaks down the difference between identity and ego, why so many people are living out a version of themselves built around earning love or staying safe, and what it feels like when you finally stop performing and start just being.Alexis gets into the nervous system roots of people-pleasing and overachieving, why reinventing yourself is healthy and not a crisis, and how rigid family systems quietly shape the way we see ourselves for decades. She also gets into ego death, the shadow self, and why coming home to your identity isn't a destination so much as a practice. Timestamps00:00 Identity vs. Ego02:37 Healthy vs. Unhealthy Ego06:32 Defining Self: Who Am I?09:42 Fluidity of Identity12:51 Chosen vs. Inherited Identity16:03 Authenticity and Relationships19:50 Self-Love and Validation22:32 Human Nature and Shadow Self26:17 Reinvention and Growth29:43 Exiting the Matrix of Fear33:04 The Power of Authenticity36:17 Outgrowing Family Identity39:10 The Pitfalls of Labels43:33 Online vs. Authentic Self47:25 AI, Brands, and Purpose51:17 Embracing Life’s Waves ABOUT SANITY OPTIONALSanity Optional is a podcast about the parts of mental health we usually keep to ourselves.It’s for the moments when your life looks fine on the outside but feels messy underneath. When you’re tired of being told to “do the work.” When you secretly wonder if you’re the only one struggling with something that feels too taboo to say out loud.Hosted by therapist and founder of Rowan Healing, Alexis Ely, this show was created for people who feel like they’re in the other club. The ones who don’t fit the timeline. The ones who have been to the edge of their own mind and made it back.Alexis shares her story, from early trauma and suicidal depression to the perfectionism and addiction that followed, and ultimately the kind of peace she once believed was impossible. She brings clinical experience and lived experience into the same room, without turning healing into a performance or a checklist.This isn’t about becoming a better version of yourself. It’s about feeling at home in your own mind.Welcome to the rabbit hole. Show LinksRowan Healing: https://www.rowanhealing.com/
May 27, 2026
The History of Mental Health: How We Got Here and Why It Matters | Sanity Optional | Episode 13
In this episode, Alexis gets into something she has been wanting to cover for a while: the history of mental health. And it is not a comfortable story. From spinning chairs and ice pick lobotomies to forced sterilizations funded by Rockefeller and Carnegie, she walks through how we got here and why so many people still carry a deep fear of mental institutions and psychiatric care. She also gets into the moments when humanity actually got it right, the Quakers, and what happened every single time kindness and community proved more effective than medication and control. Spoiler: it got shut down. Timestamps00:00 Introduction to Mental Health History03:13 Early Mental Health Treatments09:27 Humanitarian Reforms & Setbacks14:02 Eugenics Movement in Mental Health16:47 Brutal 20th Century ‘Treatments’20:03 Lobotomy and Chemical Lobotomy33:26 Reflecting on Mental Health History ABOUT SANITY OPTIONALSanity Optional is a podcast about the parts of mental health we usually keep to ourselves.It’s for the moments when your life looks fine on the outside but feels messy underneath. When you’re tired of being told to “do the work.” When you secretly wonder if you’re the only one struggling with something that feels too taboo to say out loud.Hosted by therapist and founder of Rowan Healing, Alexis Ely, this show was created for people who feel like they’re in the other club. The ones who don’t fit the timeline. The ones who have been to the edge of their own mind and made it back.Alexis shares her story, from early trauma and suicidal depression to the perfectionism and addiction that followed, and ultimately the kind of peace she once believed was impossible. She brings clinical experience and lived experience into the same room, without turning healing into a performance or a checklist.This isn’t about becoming a better version of yourself. It’s about feeling at home in your own mind.Welcome to the rabbit hole. Show LinksRowan Healing: https://www.rowanhealing.com/
May 20, 2026
Hypnosis, Hope, and Importance of Kindness | Sanity Optional | Episode 12
This episode does not have a tidy theme and Alexis is the first to admit it. She starts with some genuinely good news, talks about quitting vaping through hypnosis after two years of trying everything else, and then goes somewhere bigger. She gets into why everyone has become so mean online, why we have lost the ability to have fun, and why the loneliness epidemic is not going to be solved by anyone at the top of the room. She also gets into hope, excitement, community, and why the small choices we make every single day matter more than we think. Timestamps 00:00 Quitting Nicotine: A Personal Journey03:00 Hypnosis: The Breakthrough Solution06:40 The Rise of Judgment and Fear09:50 Social Media’s Impact and Loneliness13:00 Embracing Imperfection and Connection17:28 Prioritizing Real-Life Interaction19:38 Economic Disparity and Lack of Empathy24:52 Rekindling Hope, Excitement, and Community29:50 Workplace Fun and Kindness32:40 The Power of Small Choices and Kindness ABOUT SANITY OPTIONALSanity Optional is a podcast about the parts of mental health we usually keep to ourselves.It’s for the moments when your life looks fine on the outside but feels messy underneath. When you’re tired of being told to “do the work.” When you secretly wonder if you’re the only one struggling with something that feels too taboo to say out loud.Hosted by therapist and founder of Rowan Healing, Alexis Ely, this show was created for people who feel like they’re in the other club. The ones who don’t fit the timeline. The ones who have been to the edge of their own mind and made it back.Alexis shares her story, from early trauma and suicidal depression to the perfectionism and addiction that followed, and ultimately the kind of peace she once believed was impossible. She brings clinical experience and lived experience into the same room, without turning healing into a performance or a checklist.This isn’t about becoming a better version of yourself. It’s about feeling at home in your own mind.Welcome to the rabbit hole. Show LinksRowan Healing: https://www.rowanhealing.com/
14 total episodes available
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Frequently asked questions
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- What is Sanity Optional?
<p><span>Sanity Optional is a podcast about the parts of mental health we usually keep to ourselves.<br />It’s for the moments when your life looks fine on the outside but feels messy underneath. When you’re tired of being told to “do the work.” When you secretly wonder if you’re the only one struggling with something that feels too taboo to say out loud.<br />Hosted by therapist and founder of Rowan Healing, Alexis Ely, this show was created for people who feel like they’re in the other club. The ones who don’t fit the timeline. The ones who have been to the edge of their own mind and made it back.<br />Alexis shares her story, from early trauma and suicidal depression to the perfectionism and addiction that followed, and ultimately the kind of peace she once believed was impossible. She brings clinical experience and lived experience into the same room, without turning healing into a performance or a checklist.<br />This isn’t about becoming a better version of yourself. It’s about feeling at home in your own mind.<br />Welcome to the rabbit hole.<br /><br />Sanity is optional.</span></p> - How often does this podcast release new episodes?
This podcast updates daily.
- Where can I listen to this podcast?
This podcast is available on 4 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
- Does this podcast accept guests?
No, this podcast does not typically feature guests.
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