| Shrink Speak Shorts
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Jails As Asylums
Jails Are Now America's Biggest Mental Hospitals – A Psychiatrist Explains
September 2026
The largest psychiatric facility in America isn't a hospital – it's a jail. Dr. James McKnight explains how decades of deinstitutionalization left people with serious mental illness cycling through the criminal justice system instead of getting care.
The Case of Postpartum Psychosis
Lindsay Clancy Killed Her Children. Is She Actually Guilty?
August 2026
Dr. Lieberman offers his insight on the Lindsay Clancy trial as it enters the final stage with the jury deliberating before rendering a verdict. Now, there's no question that she did kill her children. The question is whether she should be held personally responsible for it and punished as a consequence.
A Psychiatrist on Postpartum Psychosis
Lindsay Clancy & The System That Failed Her
August 2026
As Lindsay Clancy's trial nears its end, Dr. Lieberman offers a psychiatric perspective on postpartum psychosis, the medical failures that preceded the tragedy, and why a verdict won't bring closure.
The Child Psychiatrist Shortage
Why Families Wait Months for Care
August 2026
The demand for child and adolescent psychiatrists is climbing, but the workforce isn't growing fast enough to meet it. In this Shrink Short, Dr. James McKnight explains the key factors driving this gap and the hurdles that many families face when seeking mental health care for their children.
The Mental Health Gap for People of Color (Part 2)
Mental Health Stigma in Communities of Color : Barriers to Care Access
July 2026
The second barrier to mental health care for people of color is more personal than the first, and it lives inside communities themselves: Stigma. In part two of this Shrink Short topic, Dr. McKnight examines how it keeps people from seeking care — and why it can't be solved on its own.
The Mental Health Gap for People of Color (Part 1)
Mental Health & People of Color : Who Delivers Care
July 2026
Across the country, people of color are more likely to face mental health challenges – and far less likely to receive treatment for them. Why? In this Shrink Short we introduce Dr. James McKnight, who will examine the first (of two) barriers to care: Who is actually in the room providing it.
The War on Psychiatry : Unholy Alliance
How MAHA Threatens Mental Health Reform
June 2026
There's no question that our mental health care system needs reform. But pulling the rug out from under the science is not the right answer. And unfortunately, that's the strategy with which our current Secretary of Health & Human Services, RFK Jr., is toying.
World Bipolar Day (Part 2)
Treatments & Challenges
June 2026
Bipolar Disorder affects approximately 37 million people worldwide, or 0.5% of the population. For much of history, effective treatment remained frustratingly out of reach for those suffering from this debilitating disease. The landscape today has changed considerably – yet challenges to successful treatment persist.
America Burning
Why Mass Violence Is Increasing
May 2026
What is “personal deviant violence” — and why does it appear to be rising in America? Distorted thinking, emotional dysregulation, magnified grievance, and the erosion of internal and external restraints can contribute to acts of personal violence.
Bravo, Joe Rogan
But His Opinion Shouldn't Determine America's Drug Policy
April 2026
Should a text message be enough to reshape FDA drug policy? The latest Shrink Short breaks down the recent executive order directing federal agencies to fast-track psychedelic drug review — an order reportedly prompted by a text from podcaster Joe Rogan to the president.
World Bipolar Day (Part 1)
A Disorder Well-Known and Misunderstood
April 2026
In recognition of World Bipolar Day, we’re taking a closer look at Bipolar Disorder – what it is, how it affects those who suffer from it, and, despite its romantic notoriety, why confusion and misinformation still surround it.
March Madness
The Importance Of College Mental Health Services
April 2026
Why you should consider mental health services when choosing a college: Access to meaningful mental health support can make the difference between a student thriving or struggling to stay afloat in the most vulnerable years of their young adulthood.
The Cannabis Chronicles
When Legalization Outpaces The Science
April 2026
As the United States loosens restrictions on cannabis, marijuana enthusiasts and those who have criticized the harsh penalties tied to possession applaud long-overdue reforms. Yet the shift from prohibition to widespread medical and recreational use has not come without consequences.
Black History Month And Mental Health
Psychiatry's Failures And The Path Forward
March 2026
Black History Month provides an opportunity to reflect on how psychiatry and mental health care have sometimes failed Black Americans. Dr. Lieberman discusses how bias and prejudice influenced flawed research and distorted diagnoses — and why acknowledging this history is essential to building a more rigorous, fair, and effective mental health system.
Mental Wellbeing At The Winter Olympics
Performance, Pressure, And The Mind
March 2026
The 2026 Winter Olympics offered a vivid example of how essential mental wellbeing is to peak performance. Dr. Lieberman explores how mental resilience, pressure, and the ability to quiet internal “chatter” can shape whether athletes rise to the occasion or struggle under the intensity of global competition.
Introducing Shrink Speak Shorts
Dr. Jeffrey Lieberman On The Brain, Mind, And Mental Illness
March 2026
After decades of clinical practice and leadership in psychiatry, Dr. Jeffrey Lieberman introduces Shrink Speak Shorts, a new video series dedicated to explaining the brain, the mind, and mental illness — and addressing some of the most important questions facing mental health today.
Jeffrey A. Lieberman, M.D., is a Columbia psychiatry professor and president of ARETÉ Science, advancing mental health through science, social awareness, and policy. In SHRINK SPEAK, he provides commentary around America’s dysfunctional mental health system. If you would like more content from Shrink Speak by Dr. Lieberman, visit the substack.