Don’t Call Me Ma’am – I had a Mental Breakdown – Episode 26
This week on Don’t Call Me Ma’am, host Jodi Miller welcomes her longtime friend, comedian, and podcast host Ilana Cohn for an honest conversation about mental health, motherhood, and the complexities of healing. Ilana opens up about her transformative and harrowing experience with ayahuasca, detailing how it triggered a psychotic break and led to a frightening stint in a Costa Rican hospital. Together, they explore how trauma, anxiety, and societal expectations—especially for women and mothers—impact emotional well-being, and how alternative therapies like psychedelics, MDMA, and ketamine have played a role in their personal healing journeys.
As they swap stories of grief, anxiety, and childhood trauma, Jodi and Ilana also highlight the importance of therapy, community, and listening to one’s inner voice. Despite the heavy topics, the episode is filled with warmth, humor, and insight, emphasizing that there is no one-size-fits-all path to healing. Whether you’re a parent navigating anxiety, someone struggling with depression, or just tired of being told to “age gracefully,” this conversation offers a candid and compassionate look at the messy, beautiful reality of living—and growing—on your own terms.