SMI Spotlight

About SMI Spotlight

SMI Spotlight shares stories, research, and helpful information relating to severe mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and bipolar disorder. SMI Spotlight is hosted by TAC's Scientific Officer, the renowned clinical psychologist Dr. Xavier Amador, author of "I Am Not Sick, I Don't Need Help!"

Publisher

TAC

Category

health & fitness

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

12 Nov 2024

Latest episode

21 May 2026

Latest episodes

15 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   21 May 2026

   "Gone Before Gone": Coping with Ambiguous Loss to Psychosis

   In today’s episode of SMI Spotlight, host Dr. Xavier Amador (Clinical Psychologist and author of “I Am Not Sick I Don’t Need Help!”) speaks with Jerri Niebaum Clark, author of “Gone Before Gone: When Mental Illness Steals Someone You Love.” Together, they explore the deeply personal and often misunderstood experience of ambiguous loss caused by severe mental illness and psychosis.Jerri shares the story of her son Calvin, offering an intimate look at how bipolar disorder and psychosis impact not only individuals, but entire families. This conversation sheds light on the emotional toll of loving someone who is physically present but psychologically changed—what experts call ambiguous loss.The discussion also takes a critical look at systemic barriers in mental health care, including how current policies often require individuals to be an imminent danger to themselves or others before they can access treatment. Dr. Amador and Jerri examine how these systemic failures contribute to the criminalization of mental illness, leaving families without support until a crisis unfolds.In addition to sharing Calvin’s life and story, Jerri discusses the creation of her book, its self-help structure for caregivers, and the deeply symbolic owl painting on the cover, representing her enduring connection with her son.This episode is essential viewing for family members, caregivers, mental health advocates, clinicians, and anyone interested in severe mental illness (SMI), bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, anosognosia, and mental health reform.Video Sections: (00:00) - Intro (01:18) - Today's guest Jerri (01:44) - Jerri's son Calvin (02:06) - Jerri's Book: Gone Before Gone (02:53) - What does Gone Before Gone mean? (05:40) - What is ambiguous loss? (10:13) - How does the term ambiguous loss help? (11:16) - Jerri's son Calvin's story (15:09) - The challenges of trying to access hospitalization (19:26) - How does the system punish people with severe mental illness? (22:23) - How Jerri's book became structured in a self-help style (24:59) - Calvin's letter at the start of Jerri's book (28:21) - Jerri's poem (33:17) - The story of the owl painting on Jerri's book's cover (34:30) - Jerri's connection with Calvin and owls (35:37) - How Jerri met the book cover artist (36:43) - The full owl painting (37:37) - How to find Jerri's book (38:30) - How Pete Earley, author of "Crazy", wrote the foreword to Jerri's book (42:13) - Thank you!

2. 

   20 Apr 2026

   SMI Spotlight Short: A Music Fundraiser for Mental Health

   Today, SMI Spotlight host Dr. Xavier Amador interviews two special guests who are collaborating to raise money for TAC through the release of a musical album. Jimmy Haslip is an acclaimed Grammy-winning bassist. Julia Gillies is an advocate whose family has been deeply impacted by severe mental illness across generations. Here they share the story of what inspired them to launch this music fundraiser and how they hope it will help others access quality care for mental illness. To donate and support the creation of their album, go to:https://gofund.me/5efbbfc7d

3. 

   11 Mar 2026

   How can Police Effectively De-escalate Mental Health Crises?

   In this episode of SMI Spotlight, Dr. Xavier Amador sits down with Sgt. Robert McKeirnan, a leader in Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training and co-response strategies in Olathe, Kansas. Together, they explore how law enforcement can respond more effectively, compassionately, and safely to individuals experiencing mental health crises. Sgt. McKeirnan offers an insightful look into the realities of crisis response. He discusses how de-escalation begins the moment a call comes in and carries through in the decisions leading to direct interaction. He also covers the barriers that make it difficult to connect people with the right services for mental health treatment instead of criminalization. He shares how CIT units work, why mental-health‑related calls have risen sharply, and the skills officers use to reduce risk and build trust during some of the most difficult moments a family or individual may face. Dr. Amador and Sgt. McKeirnan also give practical tips on how families can prepare for crisis situations. A crisis checklist can be helpful for this. Sgt. McKeirnan shared the checklist that his team provides to families in Olathe. The checklist can be found at this link: https://www.tac.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/911-Checklist-Olathe-Example.jpg Whether you're a family caregiver, mental health professional, law enforcement officer, or simply someone trying to better understand crisis response, this conversation offers invaluable insight, guidance, and hope. (00:00) - Mental Health Crisis Police Response (00:48) - Sgt. Robert McKeirnan (01:35) - Appearing in uniform (02:25) - Associating the police uniform with kindness, respect, and trust (03:06) - CIT Co-response model in Olathe (04:24) - What happens when the team is called? How is safety ensured? (05:32) - Why has the number of mental health calls jumped exponentially? (06:40) - What is de-escalation? (10:18) - The time it takes to de-escalate (10:32) - How much time does de-escalation take? (12:21) - How to reach a CIT team and frame the call (16:08) - How many times are the same people seen? (17:28) - How to respond when someone meets involuntary admission criteria (21:35) - The most common elements of de-escalation. Right vs right for the situation (25:23) - How could crisis response be improved? (27:34) - How can law enforcement change to improve crisis response? (32:33) - Engaging and helping family caregivers (36:29) - Dr Amador's advice for families (37:01) - Importance of early intervention (38:18) - Crisis info cards (39:35) - Cops who care

4. 

   21 Jan 2026

   Effective Talk Therapy for Schizophrenia and Psychosis

   In this SMI Spotlight episode, Dr. Xavier Amador - clinical psychologist and author of I Am Not Sick, I Don’t Need Help! - sits down with Dr. Aaron Brinen, author of Living Well With Psychosis and a leading expert in Recovery‑Oriented Cognitive Therapy (CT-R).Together, they explore how CT-R helps people living with severe mental illness (SMI) build hope, strengthen personal agency, and move toward meaningful, self‑directed recovery.Dr. Brinen shares insights from his clinical work, the science behind CT-R, and the powerful role that goals and adaptive motivation play in helping individuals with psychosis move forward. He also offers practical guidance for clinicians, ACT teams, families, and anyone seeking effective recovery‑focused strategies.If you’re a family member seeking tools to support a loved one, a clinician wanting to learn more about CT-R, or someone with lived experience looking for hope-oriented approaches you’ll find this conversation invaluable.Video chapters: (00:00) - Intro (02:23) - Dr Brinen's background (04:17) - The connections between treatment of psychosis and anxiety disorders (05:07) - Recovery oriented cognitive therapy - meaningful recovery (07:59) - Tapping into personal, motivating dreams and goals to serve recovery. (09:02) - What's a typical opening question in this type of therapy? (10:44) - How does recovery oriented CBT help with symptoms of SMI? (14:49) - What's the time investment by a clinician to get this intervention to work? (15:50) - Training ACT teams in CT-R and how widespread is CT-R? (19:28) - CT-R with Anosognosia - lack of insight (21:23) - How CT-R bypasses the "need" to have insight into one's diagnosis (24:45) - Hope, identity, and personal agency (28:02) - Activating the adaptive mode in CT-R (30:33) - How to find a CT-R therapist (31:16) - 3 actionable steps for families to help a loved one with SMI (35:14) - A key priority for policymakers to help people with SMI

5. 

   19 Nov 2025

   The nurses leading mental illness outreach in NYC subways

   Dr. Xavier Amador interviews nurses from New York City’s SCOUT program about their outreach to individuals with severe mental illness in the subway system, emphasizing compassionate care and building trust.

6. 

   14 Oct 2025

   A sister's story: actor Michele Hicks on her brother's schizophrenia

   Actor Michele Hicks shares her brother's schizophrenia diagnosis and journey as a family caregiver, including interactions with police and providers, anosognosia, HIPAA limitations, and caregiver burnout, in an interview with Dr. Xavier Amador.

7. 

   18 Sept 2025

   When full recovery from schizophrenia isn't possible

   Dr. Xavier Amador interviews Leslie Carpenter, a mental health advocate, about anosognosia and the difficulties of establishing comprehensive care for individuals managing severe mental illness.

8. 

   12 Aug 2025

   Ask Dr. Amador: Severe Mental Illness, Substances, and HIPAA

   Dr. Xavier Amador, founder of the LEAP approach, interviews with listeners about managing severe mental illness, substance use, and HIPAA.

9. 

   15 Jul 2025

   Ask Dr. Amador: Top Anosognosia Questions Answered

   Clinical psychologist Dr. Xavier Amador addresses critical questions about anosognosia, exploring its impact on insight, memory, and treatment adherence in this interview episode.

10. 

    3 Jun 2025

    CEO of the APA on Decriminalizing Mental Illness

    Dr. Marketa Wills, CEO of the APA, shares with Dr. Xavier Amador her vision to decriminalize mental illness by advocating for more treatment tools and addressing the psychiatrist shortage in this interview.

11. 

    13 May 2025

    A Mother's Story of Love and Loss to Schizophrenia

    In today's episode of SMI Spotlight, Maria Sutherland joins Dr. Xavier Amador to discuss the systemic failures that led to the loss of her son Michael, following complications of his schizophrenia diagnosis. Their discussion touches on the need for supportive housing, dedicated behavioral health crisis response teams, extended family guardianship, increased access to long-acting injectables, and widespread understanding of anosognosia - the lack of insight preventing many with SMI from engaging in treatment. Sections: (00:00) - Intro (01:32) - Maria Sutherland (02:25) - Michael and his diagnosis (05:46) - First episode of psychosis (06:58) - Vulnerable brains (07:44) - Seeking and denying treatment (08:51) - Learning not to take things personally (10:44) - Stabilization through incarceration (12:35) Michael's decline post-incarceration (14:56) - The need for supportive housing (18:22) - Thoughts on intervention teams (21:28) - Thoughts on wellness checks (23:11) - Building trust through relationships (24:08) - Limitations of wellness checks (25:23) - Lengthening guardianship rights (26:33) - Anosognosia in depth (29:29) - Empathy and SMI (31:31) - Injections as treatment (33:47) - Brain scans aren't for diagnosis (34:36) - Efficacy of long-acting injectables (36:30) - Nutrition and gut-brain connection (38:02) - Supporting people with SMI, like other disabilities (39:34) - Self-care#schizophrenia #smi #xavieramador #anosognosia

12. 

    15 Apr 2025

    How Collaborative Care Improves Mental Health Treatment

    In this episode of SMI Spotlight, Dr. Xavier Amador sits down with Dr. Roshni Koli, Chief Medical Officer at the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute, to explore the Collaborative Care Model — an evidence-based approach integrating mental health care into primary care settings.Dr. Koli explains how this model:-Increases access to early mental health intervention-Supports primary care doctors with psychiatric consultation-Reduces stigma and improves follow-through on care-Addresses the urgent workforce shortage in mental healthThey also discuss how collaborative care impacts those with serious mental illness (SMI) and what it means for improving equity in rural and underserved communities.⏱ With evidence from over 90 clinical trials, collaborative care is proven to be more effective than standard care — and it’s the only integrated healthcare model with its own billing codes for care coordination.Whether you're a clinician, policymaker, caregiver, or someone seeking better access to care, this conversation offers a blueprint for a better, more integrated system.Video Sections: (00:00) - Intro (01:01) - Welcome! (03:22) - What is the Collaborative Care Model (CoCM)? (04:52) - Why CoCM? (05:56) - How CoCM works in practice (06:46) - CoCM and stigma (07:50) - Engaging caregivers in CoCM (09:44) - CoCM for people with anosognosia (11:25) - Financial benefits of CoCM (13:28) - CoCM for children and adolescent populations (13:48) - Results from studies of the CoCM (14:29) - How CoCM applies to children (15:40) - Measurement-informed care (16:54) - Back to pediatric CoCM (19:14) - Finding a CoCM physician (19:45) - Process for CoCM Implementation (20:39) - Cost effectiveness of CoCM (21:54) - Behavioral Care Manager training (24:39) - Behavioral Care Manager role (26:59) - Asking for CoCM (28:43) - MMHPI Resources (29:07) - CoCM and mental healthcare reform #xavieramador #collaborativecare #carecoordination #smi

13. 

    11 Mar 2025

    Ask Dr. Amador - Navigating Severe Mental Illness

    In today's SMI Spotlight episode, Dr. Xavier Amador, clinical psychologist, author of I Am Not Sick, I Don’t Need Help!, and creator of the LEAP (Listen, Empathize, Agree, Partner) method, answers listener questions about severe mental illness (SMI), including schizophrenia, anosognosia, family communication, and advocacy.🔹 Topics Covered in This Episode:✔️ How to respond to delusions and paranoid thinking in loved ones✔️ Tips for families dealing with anosognosia (lack of insight)✔️ Using LEAP communication techniques to build trust and encourage treatment✔️ Supporting a loved one in jail or the legal system while maintaining boundaries✔️ Finding and maintaining hope despite societal challenges✔️ How to plan for long-term care as aging caregivers✔️ Breaking the cycle of hospitalization, incarceration, and homelessness📢 About Dr. Xavier Amador:Dr. Amador is a world-renowned psychologist, mental health advocate, and founder of the LEAP Institute. His work has been featured in major media outlets, and his expertise helps families, clinicians, and law enforcement better understand how to communicate with individuals who struggle with insight into their illness.Episode Sections: (00:00) - Intro (00:59) - Welcome! (01:58) - Question 1 - How to respond to different content of delusions (04:35) - Minimizing the emotional pain from delusional accusations (05:51) - Different types of delusional content (06:30) - Ask questions to determine potential risk (07:44) - Question 2 - How to stop the revolving door of hospitalization, incarceration, and homelessness (09:21) - How for a loved one specifically (11:46) - Recognizing small victories (13:32) - Question 3 - How to maintain hope in a broken system (13:48) - Seeking out success stories (15:31) - Lisa's sister's success (16:59) - A marathon not a sprint (17:46) - Question 4 - How can aging care partners prepare for when they will no longer be able to provide full support? (18:17) - Talk to an estate attorney, engage other family (20:44) - Living independently with supports (22:29) - Question 5 - How to use LEAP in difficult situations (24:22) - Example where Dr. Amador used LEAP (26:52) - How to handle the repetition of the same topics over and over (29:32) - Navigating conflict when people aren't ready to listen (30:41) - Managing emotions as a family member (33:29) - Dr. Amador and his son (34:40) - How to contact us!🎙️ Have a question for Dr. Amador? Submit your questions in the comments, call and leave a message at 703-294-6005, or contact us via email at PER@tac.org🔔 Subscribe and turn on notifications to never miss an episode of SMI Spotlight and Ask Dr. Amador!#XavierAmador #LEAPMethod #SevereMentalIllness #MentalHealth #Schizophrenia #Anosognosia #Psychology #MentalHealthAdvocate #FamilySupport #MentalHealthAwareness #AskDrAmador #SMISpotlight

14. 

    11 Feb 2025

    Anosognosia: What TV Gets Wrong About Schizophrenia

    Sections: 00:00 Anosognosia: key schizophrenia symptom often overlooked 00:56 Introducing Lindsay and Dr. Xavier Amador 04:12 Myth of the Schizophrenogenic mother 05:44 Med compliance 06:40 "Died by" vs. "committed" suicide 07:21 What helped her brothers stay in treatment? 09:18 Why in treatment even with anosognosia? 10:19 Conflict over taking medication 11:21 Telling someone to stop hallucinating 12:02 Getting help herself 12:27 Sexual abuse and SMI 14:58 Distancing family from psychosis 16:24 Not knowing about anosognosia 18:15 Why even professionals may not have heard of anosognosia 19:49 The difference anosognosia makes in schizophrenia outcomes 20:56 How understanding anosognosia would have made a difference in Lindsay's family 23:18 Anger at the individual with SMI 24:01 Anosognosia in SMI vs. in Alzheimer's 24:54 The wide variety of schizophrenia symptoms 27:07 Clozapine 28:50 Average time from onset of SMI to treatment 29:49 Viewing anosognosia as one possible symptom 30:33 Peter's death from long-term high-dosage of medication for SMI 34:37 Is med treatment enough? Importance of therapy36:23 Wave of support from families who have experienced SMI 37:02 Reflecting on the documentary series 38:44 Separating SMI from other mental health and substance use diagnoses 40:16 Housing for people with SMI 41:28 The difficulty in accessing appropriate care - Clozapine example 42:32 Peter's experience with criminalization 45:14 For profit prisons and the defunding of psych hospitals 46:21 The current lack of enforcement of parity laws 47:56 Arizona Mad Moms 48:49 More compassion for people with SMI 50:50 How awareness of anosognosia changes people's view of SMI 53:04 Lindsay's website54:18 Involving family in the care of people with SMI 55:32 How Lindsay's advocacy for her brother's care was crucial for his heart treatment 56:37 Getting around HIPAA with power of attorney 57:18 Contact us!Lindsay’s website! https://lindsaymarygalvinrauch.com/Schizophrenia is one of the most misunderstood mental illnesses, but few people know about one of its most devastating symptoms—anosognosia. This neurological condition prevents individuals from recognizing that they have an illness, leading to treatment refusal, medication noncompliance, and a cycle of hospitalization, homelessness, and incarceration.In this powerful conversation, we hear firsthand how anosognosia shaped one family’s experience, affecting six siblings diagnosed with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder. Their story sheds light on the mental health crisis, the failures of the psychiatric system, and the urgent need for better education, treatment, and compassion.Every year, millions of people struggle with untreated schizophrenia due to anosognosia. Families are left feeling helpless as their loved ones cycle through hospitals, jails, and homelessness. We must educate the public, improve psychiatric training, and advocate for better policies to ensure people with serious mental illness receive compassionate, effective care. Important Topics Discussed:🔹 Why anosognosia is NOT denial—it's a brain disorder.🔹 How the criminal justice system fails people with schizophrenia.🔹 The urgent need for housing, medical care, and psychiatric support.🔹 Why blaming parents for schizophrenia is outdated and harmful.🔹 How mental health parity laws need better enforcement.🔹 The need to separate serious mental illness from general mental health discussions.🚨 Serious mental illness is a public health crisis. It's time to change the conversation. #Anosognosia #Schizophrenia #MentalHealth #SeriousMentalIllness #SchizoaffectiveDisorder #BipolarDisorder #Clozapine #MentalHealthAwareness #Psychiatry #BrainDisorder #SchizophreniaAwareness #LEAPMethod #DrXavierAmador #EndTheStigma #MentalHealthMatters #SeriousMentalIllnessAwareness #Clozaril #MentalHealthAdvocacy #Psychosis #PsychiatricCare #HIPAA #MentalHealthCrisis

15. 

    12 Nov 2024

    What People Get Wrong About Anosognosia - Dr. Xavier Amador

    Anosognosia, also called lack of insight, is a biological condition that prevents some people with severe mental illness (SMI) from knowing that they are experiencing symptoms of a brain disorder. Anosognosia is thought to be the most common reason for not seeking or maintaining treatment for people with severe mental illness. In the first episode of SMI Spotlight, TAC's executive director Lisa Dailey discusses anosognosia with Dr. Xavier Amador. The interview covers Dr. Amador's journey supporting his brother with schizophrenia, studying anosognosia as a clinical psychologist, and developing the LEAP method to help connect with people and encourage them to seek treatment even if they don't believe they have a mental illness. Dr. Xavier Amador is an internationally renowned clinical psychologist and leading expert on anosognosia. As TAC’s Scientific Officer, Amador brings decades of clinical research, worldwide speaking tours, and extensive work in schizophrenia, bipolar, and other disorders to audiences through written blog posts, podcasts, and social media. Amador is the founder of the LEAP Institute, CEO of the Henry Amador Center on Anosognosia, author of many popular books on topics related to SMI, and has previously served as faculty at Columbia University and other institutions. Dr. Amador is passionate about making information about SMI easier to understand and widely available. As TAC's Executive Director, Lisa Dailey leads an energetic team dedicated to improving the lives of families affected by severe mental illness with a focus on only this population through the lenses of advocacy, research, public education, and movement-building. Dailey brings many years of nonprofit policy and advocacy experience as well as a diverse background as an attorney that includes trial work, representation of asylum-seekers, and legal scholarship in the area of human rights and civil liberties. Dailey read for a master’s degree in international human rights from the University of Oxford after earning a juris doctor from Hamline Mitchell School of Law and bachelor’s degrees in psychology and English from Macalester College. Video Chapters: 00:00-Introduction 01:07-Dr Amador's Connection to Severe Mental Illness 04:28-Connecting Anosognosia with SMI 06:22-Difficulty with Mental Health Professionals' Acceptance of Anosognosia 08:30-The Impact of Thinking of Anosognosia as Denial 11:32-Don't try to talk someone out of a delusion 12:24-Is Anosognosia like a light switch? 13:20-Why Dr Amador's Brother Took Medications Despite Having Anosognosia 14:08-The Importance of Listening (The L in LEAP) 16:08-What is LEAP? 19:10-Respectfully Disagreeing with Delusions 21:13-How Dr Amador met Dr E. Fuller Torrey (Founder of TAC) 23:57-How a focus on Anosognosia aligns with TAC's Mission 25:19-The Value of Focusing on the Relationship 26:20-What Advice can be hard to find? 28:20-Recent Developments in SMI Treatment 29:57-Why Focus on Helping People with Anosognosia? 32:36-What Topics does Dr Amador want to Cover? 35:18-The gaps in Available SMI Information 36:44-The Importance of Understanding the Science Behind SMI 38:31-Voluntary Treatment vs Waiting for rock Bottom 41:36-The need for Connection 43:28-The Difference that Families make 45:50-Contact us!

Who has been a guest on SMI Spotlight

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• nurses from New York City’s SCOUT program
• Michele Hicks
• Leslie Carpenter
• Dr Marketa Wills

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

280,217

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.8 / 5

17 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 43 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

38

Social presence

0

YouTube

86

Engagement

32

Contact SMI Spotlight

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.