Call to Mind

06/05/2026

How are climate change, chronic stress, economic instability, and political division impacting our mental health?

We're teaming up with MindSite News for a live conversation exploring the growing mental health impacts of climate change and chronic stress. Drawing from our "Weathering the Storm" and "The Strain of Stress" episodes, this free webinar will examine how climate disruption, economic instability, job insecurity, and political division contribute to rising levels of anxiety, grief, depression, burnout, and emotional overwhelm.

Register here: bit.ly/4ehzSgk

Featuring:

• Gale Sinatra, distinguished professor of psychology and education
• Thomas Doherty, clinical and environmental psychologist (Climate Change and Happiness)
• Jessica Bari, senior producer at Call to Mind

In conversation with Angela Davis MPR of MPR News and Rob Waters, founding editor of MindSite News.

06/03/2026

Over the past decade, police in America have shot and killed 1,939 people who were in the middle of a mental health crisis. That’s 20% of all police killings during that time.

These deaths helped fuel a movement. Now, instead of armed police, more than half of the country’s largest cities send specially trained social workers and EMTs. This new generation of first responders handle 911 calls involving mental illness, substance use disorders or suicidal thoughts.

On "Call to Mind: The Fifth Branch" — a special episode made in partnership with Tradeoffs podcast and hosted by Angela Davis MPR — listeners are taken to Durham, North Carolina to meet the people who have reimagined the city’s crisis-response system.

Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts: bit.ly/4xbWhmU

Experts and Research Featured Include:

- The Marshall Project
- Patrice Andrews, police chief at Durham Police Department
- Ryan Smith, director of Durham Community Safety Department
- Sgt. Dan Leeder of Durham Police Department
- Abena Bediako, clinical manager at Durham Community Safety Department
- David Prater, peer support specialist at Durham Community Safety Department
- Yolanda, Durham resident
- John Warasila, real estate developer and architect at Alliance Architecture
- Bo Ferguson, city manager of Durham

05/27/2026

Migrating to a new country can bring unique mental health challenges, like coping with the traumas that may have caused a person to leave home and the pressure of fitting into a new community. Meanwhile, global conflicts, the COVID-19 pandemic, changes to U.S. immigration policy, and America’s recent deportation crackdown have all amplified the challenges of making a new home in the United States.

On "Immigration and the Challenge to Belong" — a Call to Mind special available both on your local public radio station and wherever you listen to podcasts — Angela Davis MPR talks with experts about the unique mental health challenges facing immigrants in America. Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts: bit.ly/4e70Iro

Experts and Research Featured Include:
- Dr. Amanda C. Venta of University of Houston
- Center for Victims of Torture
- Dr. Helen Hsu of Stanford University
- Greisa Martínez Rosas of United We Dream
- Center for African Immigrants- CAIRO Minnesota

05/20/2026

Every living creature sleeps. It’s an essential need for good health and survival. So why do so many people have trouble doing it?

Nearly one-third of Americans say they sleep poorly or not enough, and while lack of sleep can leave a person groggy, it can also signal a mental illness, make an existing problem worse, and increase the risk of mental health issues.

On "The Reason for Sleep" — a Call to Mind special available both on your local public radio station and wherever you listen to podcasts — Angela Davis MPR talks with experts about the fundamental relationship between sleep and mental health. Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts: bit.ly/4tIA3pt

Experts and Research Featured Include:
- Jennifer Martin of FIU Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine
- Marissa Baker of University of Washington
- World Maritime University - headquarters
- Dr. Sujay Kansagra (aka ThatSleepDoc) of Duke Health
- Dr. Tanner Bommersbach of University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health
- Dr. Bhanu Kolla of Mayo Clinic Center for Sleep Medicine

05/13/2026

We hear concerning news about the costs of climate change every day. Now, a growing area of research shows climate change is both harming our mental health and triggering new disorders.

In "Weathering the Storm," a Call to Mind special, host Angela Davis MPR talks with experts who say climate-related anxiety, depression, and grief are urgent mental health issues. We also feature real-world stories of people coping with a rapidly changing environment — including David Brancaccio of Marketplace Business News, who lost his Altadena home to the Eaton Fire in 2025.

This special is available both on your local public radio station and in your preferred podcast app. Subscribe to Call to Mind in your podcast feed so you don't miss future specials! bit.ly/4eFc2vN

Experts & Research Featured Include:
- Gale Sinatra of University of Southern California
- Susan Clayton of College of Wooster
- Thomas Doherty aka Climate Change and Happiness
- Christie Manning of Macalester College

05/06/2026

It's no surprise Americans are stressed, but what many of us are concerned about seems to have escalated and changed. We still have the usual stressors like money, caretaking, and jobs ... but pressing social challenges like political division and the uncertain economy are reshaping people's mental health.

"The Strain of Stress" is a Call to Mind special — which you can now listen to both on your local public radio station and in your favorite podcast app — that examines stress from all angles. Join host Angela Davis MPR as she talks with experts about the impact of stress on our mental health and how we can manage the strain. We also hear from people about their experiences with stress and why they feel overwhelmed.

Listen wherever you get your podcasts! And be sure to subscribe to Call to Mind in your feed so you don't miss future specials.

Experts & Research Featured Include:
- Dr. Arthur Evans of American Psychological Association
- Elissa Epel, Ph.D., author, of UCSF
- Dr. Joshua Coleman: Parent / Grandparent Estrangement + Alienation
- Dennis P. Stolle, JD, Ph.D. of American Psychological Association

04/30/2026

Exciting news! In honor of , we're back with five new special reports.

Hosted by veteran journalist Angela Davis MPR, each episode will feature sound-rich stories from across the country that amplify the voices of people living with mental health challenges as they journey to live well.

Plus: This year, for the first time ever, we're offering two ways to listen to Call to Mind. In addition to tuning into your local public radio station, you can now also find Call to Mind in your favorite podcast app.

We'll release new episodes weekly in podcast feeds beginning next week on Wednesday, May 6th. You can also check your local station lineup for airing details.

We look forward to sharing this new series with you!

05/16/2025

Mental health challenges are the leading cause of hospitalization for U.S. service members. This Call to Mind special takes a closer look at the mental health needs of active-duty military and veterans.

Tap to listen:

Mental illness is the leading cause of hospitalization for America’s military service members. Anxiety conditions and post-traumatic stress disorders lead the list of diagnoses.

05/15/2025

About 1 in 7 children, ages 3 to 17, live with a diagnosed mental or behavioral condition. This Call to Mind episode explores why early care and support can make all the difference.

Tap to listen:

The phrase “if only” is often used concerning a person’s mental health. If only we'd known they were hurting. If only they’d been diagnosed sooner. Roughly one in seven children ages of 3 through 17 has a diagnosed mental or behavioral health condition.

05/14/2025

Are our screens helping or hurting our mental health? In this Call to Mind episode, we explore the powerful ways technology shapes how we feel — for better and for worse.

Tap to listen:

Technology is ever-present in modern life, from remote work to communities on social media, from dating apps to telemedicine. We live with an ever-expanding array of online options and an ever-growing list of new questions about how healthy it is to spend so much time online with our devices.