Shows
The Med Free Mental Fitness PodcastJourney Through Insomnia: Miranda Levy’s Battle & RecoveryIn this episode of the Med Free Mental Fitness podcast, hosted by Katinka Blackford Newman, we dive deep into the topic of insomnia with special guest Miranda Levy. Miranda, an accomplished journalist and author, shares her harrowing personal journey through severe insomnia following a sudden and traumatic end to her marriage in 2010. Her battle with sleep deprivation led to a prolonged and complicated relationship with various psychotropic drugs, which only exacerbated her condition. Miranda discusses the impact on her personal and professional life, including struggles with anxiety, panic, and a host of prescription medications that altered her everyday reality...
2025-11-1045 minThe Med Free Mental Fitness PodcastMedication-Free Healing: The Legacy of Soteria HouseJoin host Katinka Blackford Newman on The Med Free Mental Fitness Podcast as she dives into the topic of psychosis with Eugene Larkin, author of 'Seeking Soteria.' Eugene shares his experiences at the radical Soteria House project, where individuals with schizophrenia and psychosis were supported without medication. Discover the origins of Soteria Houses, the significant impact of offering presence over medication, and real-life success stories of those who thrived under this compassionate care model. This episode challenges the conventional views on mental illness and explores the potential of non-medicated approaches in mental health treatment.00:00 Introduction to t...
2025-10-1838 min
The Gaslit TruthThe Pill That Steals Lives Katinka Newman's Terrifying Journey to find the Truth about AntidepressantsSend us a textWhat happens when the medication meant to help you becomes the very thing that steals your life? Katinka Blackford Newman's journey from successful documentary filmmaker to psychiatric patient began with something deceptively simple: stress-induced insomnia after learning she would lose her family home during a divorce.When one doctor's visit turned into a prescription for an antidepressant, Newman experienced a nightmare reaction that medical professionals refused to recognize. After just one dose, she developed excruciating akathisia and fell into psychosis, hallucinating that she had harmed her children. Rather than identifying this...
2025-10-0759 minThe Med Free Mental Fitness PodcastGrief Isn’t an Illness: Author Mary Ann Kenny’s Cautionary Tale of Medication and Misunderstanding In this powerful episode, host Katinka Blackford Newman sits down with writer and speaker Mary Ann Kenny to discuss her extraordinary journey through grief, mental health challenges, and recovery and her new book The Episode. After the sudden loss of her husband, Mary Ann faced overwhelming grief that led to the prescription of an antidepressant which resulted in a severe adverse reaction. This led to led to a psychotic episode and a harrowing experience within the mental healthcare system. She candidly shares her story of navigating medication side effects, misdiagnosis, and the struggle to be heard by...
2025-09-3047 minThe Med Free Mental Fitness PodcastBeyond the Jab: The Real Story of Weight Loss and Emotional EatingJoin host Katinka Blackford Newman and guest Philippe Tahon, London-based psychotherapist and author of "Shrink, the Diet for the Mind," for a deep dive into the world of weight loss, emotional eating, and the new wave of weight loss jabs. This episode explores why diets often fail, the emotional roots of overeating, and how to find true freedom with food—without medication.Timecoded Highlights:00:00 – Introduction:Katinka welcomes listeners and introduces the episode’s focus on weight loss, new weight loss jabs, and med-free methods.00:26 – Meet Philippe Tahan:Philippe’s background as a psychotherapist specializing in weight loss and b...
2025-09-1630 minThe Med Free Mental Fitness PodcastPills, Profits & the Untold Story: A conversation with Robert WhitakerThe Hidden Harms of Psychiatric Medications: A Conversation with Robert WhitakerIn this episode of the Med Free Mental Fitness podcast, host Katinka Blackford Newman interviews Robert Whitaker, an award-winning journalist and founder of MAD in America. They discuss the long-term harms of psychiatric medications, particularly antidepressants and ADHD stimulants, and challenge the mainstream narrative that these drugs are universally beneficial. Whitaker shares insights from his groundbreaking book, 'Anatomy of an Epidemic,' and reveals the disturbing lack of long-term efficacy data for these medications. The episode delves into the consequences of the widespread use of psychiatric...
2025-07-0942 min
Healthy Mind, Healthy LifeThe Pill That Steals Lives: Katinka Blackford Newman on the Untold Risks of AntidepressantsIn this gripping episode of Healthy Mind, Healthy Life, host Sana sits down with Katinka Blackford Newman—best-selling author, investigative journalist, and founder of Antidepressantrisks.org. Together, they unpack the pharmaceutical myth of the “chemical imbalance” behind depression and explore how one pill nearly cost Katinka everything. From personal psychosis to global data gaps, Katinka sheds light on the long-term effects, the overlooked risks, and the necessity for informed consent. This isn’t a call to abandon medication—it’s a call to question the status quo.
About the Guest:Katinka Blackford Newman is an award-winning filmmaker, j...
2025-07-0131 minHealthy Mind, Healthy LifeThe Pill That Steals Lives: Katinka Blackford Newman on the Untold Risks of AntidepressantsIn this gripping episode of Healthy Mind, Healthy Life, host Sana sits down with Katinka Blackford Newman—best-selling author, investigative journalist, and founder of Antidepressantrisks.org. Together, they unpack the pharmaceutical myth of the “chemical imbalance” behind depression and explore how one pill nearly cost Katinka everything. From personal psychosis to global data gaps, Katinka sheds light on the long-term effects, the overlooked risks, and the necessity for informed consent. This isn’t a call to abandon medication—it’s a call to question the status quo.
About the Guest:Katinka Blackford Newman is an award-winning filmmaker, j...
2025-07-0131 minThe Med Free Mental Fitness PodcastThe ADHD Drug DilemmaIn this episode of The Med Free Mental Fitness Podcast, we expose the potential harms of ADHD medication and challenge the surge in ADHD diagnoses. Host Katinka Blackford Newman interviews Joseph Pack, founder of Drug-Free ADHD (https://drugfreeadhd.org/) who shares his personal journey with ADHD diagnosis and his decision to manage it without drugs. They discuss the long-term risks associated with ADHD medications, the impact of Big Pharma, and alternative management techniques such as breathing exercises, meditation, and cold exposure. Jo also questions the validity of the ADHD label and emphasises the importance of looking for empowering rather...
2025-06-1540 minThe Med Free Mental Fitness PodcastThe Truth About Depression and Brain ChemistryIn this episode, host Katinka Blackford Newman explores the causes of depression and the myth of the chemical imbalance. Her guest is psychiatrist Professor Joanna Moncrieff, author of a groundbreaking new book 'Chemically Imbalanced' which has caused waves in the media. Her book exposes how we have all been sold a lie: that mental illness, particularly depression has been proved to be caused by a chemical imbalance that medication can cure. They explore the alternative explanations for the causes of depression and the consequences of prolonged antidepressant usage. Key topics include emotional blunting, sexual dysfunction...
2025-05-2834 minThe Med Free Mental Fitness PodcastMedication, Mental Illness and Murder: Unravelling the Crespi TragedyMedication, Mental Illness, and Murder: Unraveling the Crespi TragedyIn this episode, Katinka Blackford Newman interviews Ed Jones, the author of a compelling new book, 'Medication, Mental Illness, and Murder: What Killed the Crespi Twins.' The discussion delves into the tragic story of David Crespi, who murdered his twin daughters while under the influence of the antidepressant Prozac, which can have rare but severe side effects, including psychosis and violence. Jones shares his personal connection to the Crespi family and the investigative journey he undertook to uncover the truth behind the medication's impact. The episode explores...
2025-05-0528 minThe Med Free Mental Fitness PodcastThe Diagnosis Trap, Laura DelanoUnmasking Mental Health: Laura Delano's Journey through Misdiagnosis and Recovery. In this thought-provoking episode of The Med Free Mental Fitness Podcast, life coach, journalist, and author Katinka Blackford Newman engages in a deep conversation with Laura Delano, author of 'Unshrunk? How the Mental Health Industry Took Over My Life and My Fight to Get it Back.'Laura shares her harrowing experience of being diagnosed with bipolar disorder at 14, enduring 14 years of psychiatric treatments, and taking 19 different medications, only to question the validity and impact of her diagnosis and treatments years later. Now 15 years drug...
2025-04-1641 minThe Med Free Mental Fitness PodcastMental Fitness tools for parentingNavigating Mental Health Challenges: A Conversation with Rachel KellyIn this episode of the Med free Mental Fitness Podcast, host Katinka Blackford Newman speaks with bestselling author and mental health ambassador Rachel Kelly. Rachel shares her personal experiences with severe depression, the impact it had on her family, and her struggles with various medications. She discusses her journey to recovery, the importance of feeling empowered, and her skepticism toward the chemical imbalance narrative. They also explore Rachel's new book 'The Gift of Teenagers', which focuses on positive parenting and mental health strategies for young people. Rachel emphasizes...
2025-03-2734 min
Becoming More HumanKatinka Blackford Newman on the pill that nearly took her lifeThis week Francesca is joined by Katinka Blackford Newman, she is an award-winning documentary film director and writer with countless hours of high-end broadcast TV to her name. She has worked in television for over 25 years and has made films for major international broadcasters and streamers including Discovery, National Geographic, HBO Max, BBC TV, ITV, and Channel 4. In 2016 she applied her investigative and story-telling skills to writing a best-selling book. ‘The Pill That Steals Lives’ (John Blake Publishing), is a personal memoir and investigation based on her own experience. In 2012 an adverse reaction to a prescription drug led...
2023-03-281h 34
Breaking It Down – Frank MacKayCarly Roland, Josh Gates, Katinka Newman Blackford, & Leland Holt VittertActress Carly Roland is Host & Producer of New Podcast Series “Marginalized Murder: The Case of the 51”, Exploring Largest Active Serial Murder Mystery in the CountryDiscovery Channel has turned over their Wednesday nights to explorer & show presenter, Josh Gates. The shows “EXPEDITION UNKNOWN” at 8:00pmET and “EXPEDITION X” at 9:00pmET and “JOSH GATES TONIGHT” at 10PM ET make up the stations midweek prime time schedule.Katinka Newman Blackford Is the director of “Girls Gone Wild Exposed.” This episode of the docu-series uncovers the truth behind former Hollywood “It” boy Joe Francis who is curre...
2022-06-2339 min
Real-Time CrimeRTC Gone WildThere's wild and there's disturbing...and the latter is where we are headed as Leah and Demetri are joined by award-winning documentary film director and writer Katinka Blackford Newman. In this episode they discuss the mind blowing details of Katinka's latest docufilm "Girls Gone Wild Exposed" which digs deep into the darkness of Joe Francis and his Girls Gone Wild franchise.All that plus the hot topics: A woman's twisted revenge on her cheating boyfriend, a chilling home discovery and what would you do if you found a large sum of money in a couch you got from Craigslist?
2022-06-101h 00
Reality Life with Kate CaseyEp. - 475 - DIRECTOR OF GIRLS GONE WILD EXPOSED REAL WORLD HOMECOMING NEW ORLEANS WITH DANNY ROBERTS, MELISSA BECK, AND KELLEY WOLFKatinka Blackford Newman, Director of Girls Gone Wild Exposed, which looks at the dark side of the "Girls Gone Wild" franchise, including Joe Francis' downward spiral, an audio recording of a verbal altercation between Francis and his estranged wife, and interviews with women who say their lives were ruined. The documentary is the first story in TNT's original true-crime anthology series 'Rich & Shameless. Danny Roberts, Melissa Beck, and Kelley Wolf discuss reuniting twenty years later for Real World Homecoming: New Orleans, now available on Paramount TV. Reality Life with Kat...
2022-04-221h 19
the tara bixby podcast74. Katinka Blackford Newman: The Pill That Steals LivesKatinka Blackford Newman is an award-winning documentary film director, journalist, and author. While going through a divorce, Katinka took an antidepressant. Not unusual – except that things didn't turn out quite as she expected. She went into a four-day toxic psychosis with violent hallucinations, imagining she had killed her children, and in fact attacking herself with a knife. Caught up in a real-life nightmare when doctors didn't realize she was suffering side effects of more pills, she went into a year-long decline. Soon she was wandering around in an old dressing gown, unable to care for herself, and dr...
2021-09-2859 min
Crazy MakingThe pill that steals livesIn this episode, I speak with Katinka Blackford Newman about her experience with being on psychiatric medications, and the havoc they wreaked on her life, causing a black hole of misery, pain, and loss. She has subsequently come off the medications, regained control of her life, and fully recovered. Recovered from the medications, that is. Katinka is an award-winning documentary film-maker, journalist and author. She is inspired by extraordinary stories about ordinary people and is passionate about exposing miscarriages of justice. Trained at the BBC, Katinka has made films for all the UK terrestrial channels and in the US fo...
2021-06-1525 min
Property Hub - Investment Insights & InspirationGet Invested: Rob Newman on choices and decisionsIn uncertain times it is important to remain calm, separate facts from fear and fiction, make clear committed choices and take action – not wait for something to happen. And today’s guest is a great example of exactly this thinking and approach during times of threat. Rob Newman has stared death squarely in the eye in life threatening situations and near death experiences on a number of occasions and lived to tell the tale and go on to survive and thrive. Today you will find out exactly what happened, how he did it and t...
2020-03-211h 35