Going Mental Podcast
Hosted by Going Mental
Host Eileen Kelly interviews authors, experts, and media figures about mental health, informed by her own public journey with Borderline Personality Disorder.
A long-form interview podcast where the host's personal, and public, mental health journey serves as the foundation for conversations. Kelly interviews authors, clinical experts, and cultural figures, using her own diagnosis and treatment as a bridge to explore topics like BPD, eating disorders, and the societal factors impacting mental wellness. It mixes vulnerable solo episodes with deeply researched guest conversations.
“The host's raw vulnerability and her specific, public experience with a BPD diagnosis and inpatient treatment at McLean Hospital give the show a rare authenticity. This allows her to engage with experts and celebrities on a uniquely personal level, moving beyond typical interview dynamics.”
Who hosts this show
Eileen Kelly is a writer and sex educator who first gained prominence with her blog, "Killer and a Sweet Thang." After a two-year hiatus and a five-month stay at McLean Hospital where she was diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder, Kelly resurrected her podcast with a new focus. Now titled "Going Mental," the show features candid conversations about mental health, drawing directly from her own experiences to connect with guests and listeners.
Credentials & credits
- Founder of sex and relationship blog "Killer and a Sweet Thang"
- Author of the book "Pull Out"
- Writer and sex educator
- Nominee, 10th Shorty Awards (Activism)
- Studied at The New School
Other ventures
- Killer and a Sweet Thang (blog and production company)
- "In Bed with Eileen" (Snapchat show)
- Public speaking on mental and sexual health
What kind of podcast
- Country
- United States
- Region
- usa
When new episodes drop
- 01Rekindling Old Flames (Solo) | Going Mental PodcastJun 13, 2024 · 44 min
- 02
- 03Disordered Eating by Design with Author Emmeline Clein | Going Mental PodcastMay 16, 2024 · 1h 10m
- 04
- 05Holly Madison: From Alaska to Playboy & Disney Adulting | Going Mental PodcastApr 4, 2024 · 1h 04m
- 06
- 07Dialectical Behavioral Therapy or DBT EXPLAINED | Going Mental PodcastJul 3, 2023 · 1h 15m
- 08Why Do People Commit Suicide? Director of Suicide Prevention at Mount SinaiJul 3, 2023 · 57 min
Notable episodes
- 01The Youth Mental Health Crisis & Biomarkers with Psychiatrist Dr. Francis Lee
A scientific deep-dive into the adolescent mental health epidemic, linking it to social media and explaining the neuroscience in an accessible way.
- 02Disordered Eating by Design with Author Emmeline Clein
A cultural analysis of eating disorders, tracing their history through media and societal pressures, based on the guest's book 'Dead Weight'.
- 03Rekindling Old Flames (Solo)
A raw, solo episode where the host discusses her personal life, including her relationship and move to LA, while navigating her BPD diagnosis.
What you'll be asked on this show
Kelly typically opens by asking the guest to introduce themselves in their own words, giving them control of their initial framing. She then builds rapport by asking about their personal background and origin story before transitioning into their area of expertise. She frequently makes the conversation more accessible by asking guests to clarify technical terms (e.g., "Can you explain what the amygdala is for my listeners?") and connects with their points by referencing her own experiences or specific cultural moments.
The show alternates between solo episodes, where Kelly provides personal life updates, and long-form interviews. Interviews begin with a thoroughly researched, multi-minute introduction of the guest's credentials. Kelly's style is that of an active, empathetic listener who guides the conversation without dominating it.
Questions Going Mental keeps coming back to
8 cataloguedIf you're going on this show as a guest, expect some version of each of these. Each note explains when Going Mental reaches for it.
origin
2- Q.01
“Would you mind introducing yourself for my listeners?”
This is her standard opening question, used to see how the guest chooses to frame their own identity and work.
- Q.02
“What made you want to write about this topic in the first place?”
A key question for author guests to uncover the genesis and personal motivation behind their work.
personal
2- Q.01
“Can you tell me about your life growing up and your family's relationship to mental health?”
Asked early on to establish a personal backstory and understand the guest's foundational experiences with the topic.
- Q.02
“Did your personal experience with failure give you an additional perspective in your work?”
She asks this to connect a guest's personal struggles directly to their professional empathy and insight.
controversy
1- Q.01
“Why do you think anxiety and depression are increasing in adolescents?”
Used to pivot the conversation toward broader societal trends and the central themes of the episode.
process
3- Q.01
“Can you explain what [technical term] is for my listeners?”
She uses this frequently to ensure complex, scientific topics remain accessible to a general audience.
- Q.02
“Why is the pre-teen age the 'perfect storm' for an eating disorder to develop?”
A targeted follow-up question that drills down into a specific point the guest has made.
- Q.03
“Is there a genetic component to the rise in mental illness, or is it more social?”
This question explores the nature vs. nurture debate within the context of the guest's expertise.
Signature segments
- · Solo life-update episodes
- · Detailed, formal guest introductions
- · Personal testimonial ad reads
Topics covered repeatedly
Who gets booked here
Guests are typically authors with new books on mental health, clinical experts like psychiatrists and therapists, or media figures with a public story related to mental illness, trauma, or cultural phenomena.
- Dr. Francis Leeon The Youth Mental Health Crisis & Biomarkers with Psychiatrist Dr. Francis Lee | Going Mental Podcast
- Emmeline Cleinon Disordered Eating by Design with Author Emmeline Clein | Going Mental Podcast
- Annie Hamiltonon Annie Hamilton: Coming to Terms with Being the Unhinged Girl Online | Going Mental Podcast
- Holly Madisonon Holly Madison: From Alaska to Playboy & Disney Adulting | Going Mental Podcast
- Melissa Broderon Author Melissa Broder on Grief, Finding Humor in Tragedy, and Internal Peace | Going Mental Podcast
Where to find this show
Audience & reach
Sponsors are primarily direct-to-consumer brands, with a notable focus on mental health services like BetterHelp and lifestyle products. Ad reads are often delivered as personal testimonials, with the host sharing her own experiences with the product or service.
Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.
Pitch Going Mental
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People also ask
- What is the podcast about?
- It features candid conversations about mental health with experts, authors, and media figures, hosted by Eileen Kelly who draws from her own journey with BPD.
- Who is the host?
- Eileen Kelly, a writer and sex educator known for her blog 'Killer and a Sweet Thang,' who has become a mental health advocate.
- What is the show's format?
- The show is primarily long-form interviews, with occasional solo episodes where the host shares personal updates.
- Is the podcast still running?
- Yes, after a hiatus for mental health treatment, the podcast returned and releases new episodes regularly.
- What makes this podcast different?
- The host's openness about her own diagnosis with Borderline Personality Disorder and her five-month stay in a psychiatric hospital informs the show's unique, vulnerable perspective.
- Where can I listen to the podcast?
- Going Mental is available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other major podcast platforms.
Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.
Sources & how this page was built
This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · high confidence
- [01]Eileen Kelly - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
- [02]Going Mental with Eileen Kelly - Official 'About' Pagekillerandasweetthang.com
- [03]Going Mental with Eileen Kelly - Apple Podcastspodcasts.apple.com
- [04]Going Mental with Eileen Kelly - The Shorty Awardsshortyawards.com
- [05]Eileen Kelly Biography - All American Speakersallamericanspeakers.com
- [06]Going Mental with Eileen Kelly (Podcast) - Podchaserpodchaser.com
- [07]Meet Eileen Kelly, The Millennial Sex Expert On Instagram - NYLONnylon.com
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