Brick by Brick

Your path to hardcore humanism

Michael Friedman Ph.D.

The Evolution of Iggor Cavalera

Achieving the fame and success you dreamed of as an artist may have unintended consequences. Musician Iggor Cavalera discusses how he finds balance.

How to Cope When People Let You Down

How do we cope when we feel let down by someone we trust? Here are a few suggestions as inspired by Dr. Mike's conversation with the artist Jewel.

How Ann Wilson Groks the Abyss

Ann Wilson of the band Heart talks about coping with feelings of emptiness and loneliness by embracing the pain through music.

Why Jewel Knows That We Are Never Broken

While negative emotions and anxiety may make us feel "broken," the artist, Jewel, shares how viewing them as our allies can show just how whole we are.

Why The Go Go's Drummer Gina Schock Is a Chip Off the Old Block

Gina Schock, drummer of The Go-Go's, recounts the joys and struggles of caring for her elderly parents who suffered from Alzheimer's disease. 

Confronting Existential Dread With Dani Filth

Many of us have experienced the panic of existential dread. Dani Filth shares how music helps him explore this fear, find purpose and embrace living.

How Lit Taught Us That It’s Okay to Be Our Own Worst Enemy

Are we our own worst enemies or are our "gut instincts" trying to tell us something? Ajay Prokoff of the band Lit shares his insights with Dr. Mike.

Finding Home With Lena Scissorhands

Where is home? Is it the physical space where you live, or is it a mental state that you can nurture and that lives within you?

Frank Bello and the Powerful Invisibility of Abandonment

Frank Bello of Anthrax shares how music helped and continues to help him cope with being abandoned by his father as a child.

Contemplating Regret With Carl Bell

Regret can haunt us because we will not know the results of our choices perhaps until the end of our lives. But here are ways we can cope with our fear of regret.

Slugging It Out in the Dark With Jerry Cantrell

Jerry Cantrell of Alice In Chains talks about overcoming obstacles and pursuing our purpose by finding a community of like-minded individuals that share in our dreams.

The Aggressive Vulnerability of Rick Allen and Lauren Monroe

Raven Drum Foundation co-founders share their compassionate approach to healing.

Rain Phoenix and the Ferocity of Militant Love

Rain Phoenix shares how grieving her brother River's death was a 25-year experience and how "militant love" helps her maintain compassion.

How Ed Robertson Stopped Feeling Like “The Spare”

Not connecting with our parents can impact our well-being. Ed Robertson of Barenaked Ladies shares how he found the safety that he lacked as a child.

Turn Worry Into Your Superpower

Feeling paralyzed by worry? There are steps we can take to use the energy and focus behind worrying to improve our problem-solving and move forward.

The Screaming Subconscious of Joe Mulherin

When we think of connection, many of us think of connecting with others. For Joe Mulherin, aka nothing, nowhere, it's important to connect to oneself first.

Finding Our Purpose In Kindness

While it is often easier to hate than love, finding purpose in loving yields greater rewards. Here are steps you can take to build a loving culture around yourself.

John Joseph Uses Discipline to Get Up From Under the Rocks

Discipline helps us not only achieve success but also rebound from failure. Ironman triathlete, musician, author, and life coach John Joseph talks about discipline and mentorship.

The Artistic Gift in the Heart of Rick Allen

Rick Allen, the drummer for Def Leppard, shares his story of how the drive to pursue his passion in music helped him to overcome the trauma of losing his arm.

Let’s Get Over Telling People to “Get Over It”

The more we try to "get over" painful emotions before we are ready, the more we end up suffering. Here are steps we can take to give ourselves and others the time we need to heal.

Why Amy Lee Knows That Broken Pieces Shine

While we may wish we could just get past or ignore our painful feelings, here's how facing and expressing them makes our darker emotions more manageable.

Why We Fear Our Own Power

Is being powerful beyond measure our deepest fear? By digging deeper into why that may be, we can overcome this fear and embrace our strength.

How Linda Perry Steps Into Her Power

A true leader is someone who not only empowers themselves but others as well. Linda Perry shares what her past struggles have taught her about leadership, empowerment and empathy.

How George Clinton Dances Underwater Without Getting Wet

What does it take to create a phenomenon? George Clinton of Parliament Funkadelic shares how his obsession shaped his creativity.

Why People Need to Stop Calling Each Other "Crazy"

When we dismiss someone as being crazy, we are hurting ourselves as well as hurting them.

Why Musicians Make Powerful Mental Health Advocates

When more artists like Tim Booth step up and challenge the stigma of mental illness and support people who suffer, it is a huge step towards tackling the mental health crisis.

How Tim Booth Faces His Shadow

What is the best way to cope with the fear of death? Tim Booth shares how he's overcome his existential dread and why he sees death as a form of birth.

A Conversation About Existential Angst with Tim Booth

Many of us have grappled with a fear of death. Tim Booth of the band James shares how he embraces his life to cope with his fears.

Helping Our Children Feel Stable in an Unstable World

The pandemic, along with other recent devastating events, is leaving an imprint on our children's mental health. Here are steps we can take to help them feel more safe and secure.

The Agency of Tim McIlrath

Rise Against singer Tim McIlrath talks about how we are a combination of our agency and the structures around us and that we must address both to overcome societal disparities.

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