Mayim Bialik wants to help people heal with her mental health podcast, 'Mayim Bialik's Breakdown'

As you may have heard, Mayim Bialik is starring in a brand new comedy, produced by Big Bang boyfriend Jim Parsons, Call Me Kat (Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on CTV). While she says she's "super thrilled" that she gets to continue working with Parsons and loves her new character, she's also got another new gig that's close to her heart—a podcast all about mental health and healing.

On the new series, the 45-year-old actress plays Kat, who is a 39-year-old imperfect woman who sinks all the money her parents put aside for her wedding into a cat café in Louisville, Kentucky. Bialik says it's a different experience than working on The Big Bang Theory (watch on CTV.ca now), but one of her co-stars, Leslie Jordan, is already a close personal friend and her second guest on Mayim Bialik's Breakdown.

While speaking with etalk's Chloe Wilde, the pair gushed over Jordan. "He's absolutely delightful. Everything he says you could put on a mug or a t-shirt. That's just how he talks," Mayim said of working together with the Instagram icon. She also said that they get to hear more of his "Southern sass" off-camera. Explaining why she had to have him on the pod, Mayim revealed:  “He has so many stories about his sobriety. He’s a fascinating person, and he’s absolutely adorable."

What you can expect from Mayim Bialik's Breakdown

The Big Bang Theory actress/real-life neuroscientist shared some details about her podcast called Mayim Bialik’s Breakdown. “We have a website called BialikBreakdown.com and there’s actually a really beautiful Canaidn tie-in. My partner and the person I started this with is Canadian, and he’s from Toronto,” she shared, adding that the podcast is something they both have been passionate about independently and decided to do something about it. 

With the unpredictable year of 2020, Mayim says that many people's mental health has suffered and continues to. “We’re going to see the mental health impact of what’s been going on in the world for quite some time. The idea is for me as a scientist to breakdown the science behind a lot of things that we may not know about, about mental health or why do people keep telling me to meditate? Is there any science to that?” She said the podcast also features experts in their fields and people who are experts in their own struggles.

Other guest stars you can look forward to hearing on Breakdown is another Call Me Kat co-star Cheyenne Jackson, actor Will Wheaton, a specialist in the treatment of PTSD with MDMA, Kelly Clarkson, Jaleel White, and Big Bang Theory co-creator Bill Prady.

How it differs from other celebrity podcasts

There are so many celebrity podcasts out there already but Mayim wants you to know that her podcast isn't here to tell you all the answers. She's here to work with you and learn along the way.

“The idea is not to have celebrities tell you what they figured out with their trainer and their chef and their expensive therapy," Mayim quipped. "The idea is to talk to people who are still struggling, meaning we’re all still struggling and anyone who tells you they’re not is probably not being honest with you or themselves. We’re all kind of in it and what’s going on in particular in this country and the city I live in, it’s extremely anxiety-provoking."

“It’s been a heck of a year here. Between the global pandemic, Black Lives Matter really bringing the country to it’s knees and an election process that has confused really everyone. It’s a scary time and it’s a scary time to not feel good in your body, which is what happens when we don’t feel good in our head a lot," she added.

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She said her podcast differs from those of other celebrities because she’s not saying she’s found an answer or telling her listeners what to do (looking at you, GOOP). “We’re still figuring it out, and let's figure it out together,” she said of her and her audience. “I share a lot of my own journey, and it’s a very vulnerable place. It’s very hard in particular for my mother to hear me talk about this stuff, but I think she’ll be OK.”

Mayim’s podcast is filled with information and realness. She lets people share their own stories and brings the scientific facts—after all, she has that Ph.D in neuroscience (ah, that takes us back to Big Bang). She said the podcast's goal is to destigmatize the issues surrounding mental health and define things for people. “It’s a human right to have access to mental health information, so me and my Canadian are doing our part.”

Why start a mental health podcast now?

The actress said that she decided to start the podcast now because of the lack of trust people have in their government and the fact that many people don’t know where to get their information about mental health. “It’s very confusing. I thought we could trust the CDC [The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention], but then they would have a conversation with the White House and changed their mind about something that sounded like it made sense,” she explained.

She also has a YouTube channel where she’s been talking about mental health for many years, and she’s built trust with her almost 1 million followers. “I hope that people trust that I’m not a person who says 'Here are all the answers, and I’m going to fix everything.' But I’m really trying to start a conversation because I think that’s where true democracy lies.”

Mayim isn’t here to tell you that there is a simple cure or which steps to take in your mental health journey, but she is here to help explain your options. “I don’t advocate for one particular way of treating mental health challenges. Some people take medication, some people don’t but here’s what medication does in case you didn’t know. That’s kind of the way that we’re talking about it. It is a very old fashion notion that we should talk about things.”

With the launch of her podcast, Mayim says people have already reached out to tell her that until listening, they hadn’t connected what was actually going on in their head and their heart. She said if people have those moments of realization, it’s already something she’s ecstatic about.

Her podcast is full of CanCon

She said that there are things she’s passionate about in life and mental health falls into the big three for her. “I didn’t know how really to go about it. It took a spunky Canadian to say 'I can picture this, and I can visualize what we can do.' It’s been a really, really wonderful journey, and it is a lot of work. You don’t start a podcast to get spontaneously rich. That’s not our motivation. This is an act of love and devotion because I’m learning. With everyone we speak to, I’m learning.”

Mayim's producer/co-host/partner Jonathan Cohen isn't the only Canadian aspect of her podcast. Mayim revealed that her podcast 's theme song is also Canadian-made. “That was written by a Canadian. It’s Ed Roberston from Barenaked Ladies, another Canadian shout out," she said as she held up a minature Canadian flag.

Advice for those working on their mental health

Bialik offerred some advice for those who want to take baby steps toward taking care of their mental health. “I’m not a mental health expert. I worked in neuropsychiatry as part of my thesis training and I’m a person who struggles all the time. I’m a firm believer in therapy. It has become just something that I’ve accepted needs to be part of my self care.” She also uses free meditation apps and she tries to set aside 10 minutes a day where she turns off her phone and listens to guided meditation, which she has found has taken away her heartburn and lowered her baseline anxiety. 

“We need to be gentle with ourselves right now. Any notion of doing anything perfectly will really only frustrate everyone more," she added.

Mayim also noted that going for walks and getting fresh air helps everyone's mental health. Now is the perfect time to take a stroll around your neighbourhood while listening to Mayim Bialik's Breakdown.

When it comes to mental health, every action counts! Join the conversation on Bell Let’s Talk Day, January 28, and help create positive change for those living with mental health issues. For every text message, mobile or long-distance call made by Bell, Bell Aliant and Bell MTS customers, Bell will donate five cents to Canadian mental health initiatives. The same goes for every tweet or TikTok video with the hashtag #BellLetsTalk, watching the Bell Let’s Talk Day video on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Snapchat or TikTok, or using the Bell Let’s Talk Facebook frame or Snapchat filter. But that’s just the first step: Visit letstalk.bell.ca for more ways you can effect change and build awareness around mental health.