So, this is an “in the moment” episode that i recorded at the beginning of April after having several bouts of severe travel anxiety (the very same type of anxiety that i naively thought i had previously overcome). Knowing that so many of us travel over the summer and also struggle with this kind of anxiety, I thought this would be the perfect time to put it out into the world. If the thought of travel excites you, but also simultaneously paralyzes you with fear, this one's for you.

So this is an episode about perfection . . . and imperfection. The pressure and anxiety we all feel to be perfect and the idea in our head that perfection is actually a real thing, that can be achieved.  It’s not. I’ll be honest, I’m gonna cry a little during the episode. But that’s me.  That’s all of us. And if you struggle with feelings of imperfection and not being enough this episode will have value for you.

My first job was as a waitress at an old-age home serving primarily, you guessed it, buttermilk. In this episode I’m taking you on the journey through my twisting, turning career path so you can see how you don’t have to figure out what you want to do for the rest of your life at 18, 28—or really, ever. Career paths don’t have to be linear, and horrible jobs sometimes lead to really amazing ones. Oh, and I wrote a song about the whole thing, which promises to be the song of the summer. Dance...

Hi! Hi!  As it turns out, creating and subsequently launching a podcast is hard, especially when you have tendencies towards self doubt.  I spend this episode exploring the origins of my own self doubt (hi mom, hi dad), discussing my self doubt triggers, and offering up some potential solutions for those who suffer from it as well (maybe 95% of all of us?).  Here's hoping that by hearing me talk about it you will see that you are not alone—and that self doubt does not mean that you can't face...

Welcome to my Emotional Rating System. It’s an adaptable, numerical rating system my mom and i created to help me identify and easily communicate my mood. It also helped me and my doctors accurately diagnose my bipolar. This system is an easy way to get in touch with and convey how you are feeling at any given moment—and it's easily adaptable to other mental health issues as well. Plus, Dr. Jamie and The Amazing Saerina are back this week rating their own moods and talking about why this tool...

Hi. I’m back! In this episode, I chronicle my struggles with mental illness from a young age up through my early thirties when I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. This episode will be especially valuable to you if you are dealing with depression, bipolar, or anxiety—or if you suspect you might be, but haven’t received a diagnosis, or if you know someone else who is struggling with it. And as always, the hope is that in sharing my personal experiences I can help you build emotional...

I'm Jen Gotch and, yes, I'm actually typing this. Welcome to the intro episode of my new mental health podcast where you hear my voice and decide if you like it.  Hear my parents’ voices, decide if you like them and hear the truth behind the origins of the pod, the intention behind it and why it will have value for you.  Oh, and my parents describe the time they had sex and made me. Listen, judge for yourself and then share it with friends to see if they feel the same way.

"Jen Gotch is OK...Sometimes" launches May 29th,