Hi! I'm Uma - a neuroscientist, researcher, board-certified Mental Health Peer Specialist, mental health advocate, organizer, community builder, communicator... and most importantly, someone with vast lived experiences with mental health, chronic illness, young-adult cancer, & survivorship. On this show, I bring all of my identities together to bring you honest and unfiltered conversations exploring our true human experiences in their fullest form. We bridge the gap on all things neuroscience, psychology, mental health, lived experience, advocacy, psychedelics, research, & more!
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Données mises à jour le 14/07/2026
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48. Everything You Need to Know About DBS & TMS: Precision Targeting, Biotypes, & the Brain Basis of OCD & Depression with Dr. Martijn Figee
lundi 28 juillet 2025 • Durée 02:09:57
On episode 48 of A Chat with Uma, I sit down with psychiatrist–neuroscientist Dr. Martijn Figee, MD., PhD—director of Mount Sinai’s Interventional Psychiatry Program & a groundbreaking pioneer in neurostimulation (e.g. DBS, TMS) for psychiatric disorders, especially OCD & depression—for a clear, grounded tour of circuit‑based psychiatry. This is the science companion to last week’s episode with Jon Nelson (ep. 47): today's episode builds on Jon's lived experience to explain how & why the brain can change (in minutes!) when the right circuit is engaged. We unpack deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery & transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), what “target selection” actually means, & how phenotyping (motor, cognitive, & negative‑affect circuits) guides targeting.
We also get practical: access & eligibility, what insurers & clinicians look for, when to choose TMS first, & how accelerated TMS paired with ERP can fast‑track change. We bust myths (OCD ≠ “just the amygdala”) & look ahead to biotyping work designed to match people to the right target the first time--a real step toward precision psychiatry. If you want a rigorous, hopeful explainer of why electricity can be medicine & what that means for folks suffering, this episode shares everything you need to know from the world's expert!
Topics Discussed (+ Timestamps):
(00:00:00) Welcome & introduction to Dr. Martijn Figee! (00:11:50) Who is Martijn beyond titles: psychiatrist–scientist mindset & science as the backbone (00:17:00) From Amsterdam to DBS: imaging arrives, early OCD DBS cases, & changes in minutes (00:30:00) Circuit basics: motor–cognitive–limbic loops across OCD, Tourette, depression (00:35:52) Evidence‑based OCD care: ERP + adequate‑dose meds; why misdiagnosis/mistreatment delays recovery (00:45:30) Comorbidity vs. one driver: how untreated OCD breeds depression—& why it changes the treatment plan (00:51:00) From presentation to target: phenotyping (negative affect vs compulsion/motor vs cognitive) to pick a target (01:10:00) TMS before DBS? Standard vs accelerated TMS & pairing every session with ERP; access & insurance (01:21:20) DBS candidacy & access: OCD is FDA‑approved; depression is trial‑only; what insurers & teams look for (01:25:40) Targeting, not guessing: ALIC/internal capsule, STN, BNST & fiber‑map guidance pushing outcomes toward ~80% (01:27:40) Where to go: Sinai, Baylor, UCSF—why experience & proximity matters (01:29:50) Biotyping with in-scan tasks: motor/cognitive/limbic dominance; what scans can (& can’t) diagnose—yet (01:33:50) Who isn’t a fit & plan B: non‑ambulatory severity, hoarding‑only presentations, & the role of lesions (01:35:30) Myth‑busting: OCD ≠ an “amygdala disorder,” & why the amygdala isn’t a sensible target (01:38:10) Depression biotypes: switching off pathological “grief” loops; interview‑driven med algorithms & next steps
47. The Pacemaker in My Brain: Treatment‑Resistant Depression, Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS), & Pulverizing the Stigma with Jon Nelson (ft. Dr. Martijn Figee)
lundi 21 juillet 2025 • Durée 02:23:14
On episode 47 of A Chat with Uma, I sit down with my dear friend Jon Nelson—lived-experience mental health expert & longtime healthcare comms exec—whose decade of treatment-resistant depression nearly killed him before an experimental deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery flipped the circuit & brought instant remission in 2022. Jon shares the unfiltered, brutal reality of suicidal depression & how anger became fuel for advocacy. We trace his decade of every failed treatment—while his wife & kids bore the invisible trauma of caregiving.
He breaks down the difference between sadness & clinical disease, the neurological reality of “choosing life,” & why suicidality is a symptom—not a character flaw. Mid-episode, his psychiatrist Dr. Martijn Figee joins to unpack their shared experience of navigating DBS. Equal parts remission, reclamation, and rebellion—Jon turns survival into a movement to pulverize the stigma of serious mental illness. And come back next week for a solo episode with Dr. Figee, deep-diving into the science of DBS!
Topics Discussed (+ Timestamps):
(00:00:00) Introduction & welcome to Jon!
(00:08:40) Where does Jon come from? Upbringing, background, formative years
(00:18:50) Dislocation at 16 → situational depression, honing empathy; college & NYC healthcare advertising years
(00:30:40) The descent: depression as cellular “poison,” initial denial, & suicidality as symptom—not weakness, drama, or moral failing
46. From Foster Care to Harvard Neuroscientist: The Choice to Live, Maternal Psychedelics, & Post-Viral Chronic Illnesses with Dr. Ya’el Courtney
lundi 30 juin 2025 • Durée 02:11:33
On episode 46 of A Chat with Uma, I speak with Dr. Ya’el Courtney—a neuroscientist whose life traverses extreme circumstances that most only read about. Removed from an abusive, violent, fundamentalist household at 15, she spent her teen years couch-surfing, battling eating disorders & self-harm, working night shifts, & finishing high school coursework as her own teacher. She forged a transcript to escape poverty, later confessed, earned a GED, &—after years of 40-hour workweeks in fast food & bartending—won a full scholarship to Kent State. Ya’el’s love of science carried her to Harvard for a PhD in Neuroscience, where she discovered how serotonin-sensing cells in the fetal brain release “packets” of growth signals—& why activating that pathway with certain drugs (including psychedelics) can derail neurodevelopment.
Today, she is a Jane Coffin Childs postdoctoral fellow at Stanford, studying how infections such as Epstein–Barr, Lyme, & SARS-CoV-2 spark long-term neurological illness. We talk frankly about the cost of doing science while poor, eating disorder recovery, post-viral chronic illnesses, & the quiet solidarity required to push for better funding & fair wages inside elite institutions. Ya’el’s story is a testament to the power of showing up anyway—of choosing truth, carving out possibility where none existed, & daring to build a future no one handed you. Her courage & brilliance make this one of the most unforgettable conversations we’ve had.
Topics Discussed (+ Timestamps):
(00:00:00) Introduction & welcome to Dr. Ya’el Courtney! (00:13:20) State intervention, bouncing between homes, & the decision to stay alive (00:20:30) Shoplifting for food & clothes; straight-A validation at school (00:27:10) Anorexia ➝ bulimia ➝ binge eating: control in chaos (00:33:50) Self-harm as dopamine; reading the DSM & misdiagnosing herself a “psychopath” (00:42:00) Forged transcripts, expulsions, confession, & landing at Kent State (00:49:30) Working 40 h/week while carrying a full course load & unpaid lab hours (00:58:00) Strep + mono, months of cognitive fog, & a commitment to protect sleep(01:05:30) Summer REUs, research productivity, & graduating debt-free(01:12:10) Seven grad school offers—strategy, letters, & the essay that changed everything(01:20:30) Choosing a PhD mentor who defended boundaries & a 50-hour work cap(01:28:40) PhD findings: choroid plexus secretory “balloons,” 5-HT2C signaling, & prenatal drug risk(01:38:10) LSD, psilocybin, & why pregnant or breastfeeding people should avoid them (for now)(01:44:30) COVID’s silver lining: new funding for post-viral brain research(01:49:00) Stanford postdoc: unraveling immune-triggered neurodegeneration in long COVID & Lyme(01:54:00) Making science accessible: “Let the Data Speak”(01:59:20) Closing reflections: turning survival skills into a blueprint for the next generation
45. From Pro Athlete to Peer Support: Surviving a TBI, Men’s Mental Health, & Building Shareapy with Scott Kelsey
lundi 23 juin 2025 • Durée 01:50:34
On episode 45 of A Chat with Uma, I sit down with Scott Kelsey—mental health advocate, former pro-hockey player, fellow One Mind Lived Experience Council member, and founder + CEO of Shareapy, a platform dedicated to transforming mental health support through peer-driven connections. Scott opens up about his decades-long journey with anxiety & depression, unfolding during & after his five-season run in professional hockey during a time when “mental health” wasn’t spoken of. From mislabeling early symptoms as “just post-concussion stuff” to confronting depression, anxiety, panic attacks, and substance use, he shares what it took to finally acknowledge his mental health and start healing.
A near-fatal brain injury in 2018 became the turning point that sparked sobriety, therapy, and ultimately, the creation of Shareapy—born from a realization that we all need easier, safer ways to feel truly seen, heard, and supported. What started as a simple experiment in peer connection is now a global community breaking stigma around mental health and wellness. This episode shares Scott’s profound story of transforming the pain of suffering in silence into a purpose rooted in vulnerability, connection, & helping others share their authentic selves.
Scott Kelsey is the Founder & CEO of Shareapy. With over 20 years of leadership experience in the financial and mortgage sectors, he has a strong track record of driving innovation and growth. He is also a passionate advocate for reducing the stigma surrounding mental health. He has served on several nonprofit boards and is actively involved in mentoring emerging leaders. He’s a dedicated volunteer and often participates in initiatives aimed at improving community well-being.
Topics Discussed (+ Timestamps):
(00:00:00) Introduction & welcome to Scott Kelsey!
(00:05:26) Early childhood: Gratitude, reflections, & growing up in the 70's with no mental health awareness
44. MY LIFE IN 2025: Major Updates in Mental Health Research, Advocacy, Science Communication, & Leadership Roles
lundi 16 juin 2025 • Durée 01:17:43
On episode 44 of A Chat with Uma, I'm here for an (unexpected) solo episode to give you a full-length, 360° “State-of-the-Union” of my life for 2025. 2.5 years have flown by since my original intro episodes, and new listeners are still meeting a 2023 snapshot that’s quite outdated. Today I lay out—clearly and in one place—everything I’m doing now and why it matters: my neuroscience research, science communication, lived experience advocacy (plus the intersection of all 3), and my current leadership and service roles.
I trace the through-line from my lived experience to every research question, keynote, grant review, and board seat, and I end with the mission that stitches it all together: shrink the treatment gap, save lives, and make myself obsolete. If you’re new, this is the ground-floor tour; if you’ve been here since episode 1, it’s the missing chapter that connects every choice I’ve made in the past several years!
Topics Discussed (+ Timestamps):
(00:00:00) Introduction and reason for today's episode
(00:07:06) Road-map for this “State-of-the-Union” + core mission statement
(00:15:24) My lived-experience backstory and WHY that drives every decision
43. My Therapist Is Moving Across the World... What Happens To My Recovery?
lundi 9 juin 2025 • Durée 01:11:52
On episode 43 of A Chat with Uma, you have me for a solo episode where I share a huge life update that I'm living through in real time: after two solid years of showing me that recovery is actually possible, my therapist is moving across the world. Cue the whiplash of shock, grief, fear, and every intrusive “I-told-you-so” thought my OCD could cook up. In this episode, I walk you through the journey to and through here:
the graveyard of 22 misdiagnoses and sketchy therapists that led me here
the two-year miracle run that dragged my OCD from extreme to moderate, and finally let me do PTSD treatment for the first time
the absolute terror of starting over when your brain insists your healing is completely dependent on one person
plus the messy, beautiful chance to practice everything I preach about uncertainty, self-trust, and living in the gray area.
If you’ve ever lost a clinician, feared your progress would vanish, or just need someone to hold the gray with you—you're not alone. I’m processing this in real time, and so grateful to move through this with you.
Topics Discussed (+ Timestamps):
(00:00:00) Welcome to today's solo episode and why I'm sharing this today, in the midst of it all unfolding
42. Hell on Earth: Surviving a Cult Exile, OCD, ADHD & Life-Threatening Illnesses with Alie Bernard Garza, LCSW
lundi 2 juin 2025 • Durée 02:37:28
On episode 42, I sit down with my dear friend, Alie Bernard Garza, LCSW—a therapist, advocate, & survivor whose life reads like an impossible novel: childhood autoimmune disease, undiagnosed OCD & ADHD, a high-control evangelical cult, multiple psychiatric hospitalizations, near-death medical crises, & eventually, a 38/40 Y-BOCS spiral that forced her into residential ERP. That would be more than enough for most lifetimes—yet in 2022, she suffered a near-fatal brain aneurysm that turned her worst health-OCD fears into terrifying reality. In this raw, unfiltered, & morbidly hilarious conversation, Alie tells the truth about what it's like to live inside a brain that won’t stop screaming—& how she finally found peace, purpose, & power on the other side.
Alie Bernard Garza, LCSW, is a specialist in the treatment of OCD & anxiety-related disorders based in Denver, Colorado. She holds an MSW, has worked across all levels of care—IOP, PHP, residential, & inpatient, & is deeply committed to neurodivergent-affirming care, particularly for individuals with ADHD & Autism. Alie also specializes in supporting parents, families, adolescents, & young adults as they navigate complex mental health challenges. Through her own lived experience of severe OCD & advocacy, Alie brings both professional expertise & a deeply personal understanding to her work.
Topics Discussed (+ Timestamps):
(00:00:00) Introduction & welcome to Alie!
(00:06:20) Who is Alie? Cackling loudly, caring deeply, and keeping it real
(00:31:35) Health OCD, bent-knee lip-syncing, & OCD invisibility in high school
41. Mapping The Bipolar Brain: Emerging Biomarkers, New Brain Regions, & Lived Experience in Research with Dr. Maya Schumer (pt. 2)
lundi 26 mai 2025 • Durée 02:04:53
On episode 41 of A Chat with Uma, we pick up right where we left off with Dr. Maya Schumer—a psychiatric neuroscientist who studies bipolar disorder, the very illness she lives with. In Part 2, Maya walks us through her PhD and Postdoc research thus far: the largest functional-MRI meta-analysis ever published at the time, 3 independent risk-cohort replications, and analyzing first-episode mania datasets. We dig into the honest reality of doing cutting-edge science while your brain is the very object of study—managing chronic suicidality, navigating disclosure, unlearning internalized (& reinforced) stigma, and redefining resilience beyond survival.
Dr. Maya Schumer is a psychiatric neuroscientist & postdoctoral researcher who studies—& has lived experience with—Bipolar Disorder. Maya received her PhD in neuroscience from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in 2023 mentored by Dr. Mary Phillips, where she used task-based functional neuroimaging & coordinate-based meta-analysis to identify reproducible & replicable neural network markers of bipolar disorder risk. Currently, Maya is a postdoctoral fellow at McLean Hospital, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School. Mentored by Dr. Dost Öngür, Maya examines resting-state functional connectivity patterns & neural network dynamics across different stages & mood states in bipolar disorder, with an overall goal to model its dynamic nature.
Topics Discussed (+ Timestamps):
(00:00:00) Welcome back to Maya! Quick recap of Part 1 & why you need it for context! LISTEN HERE
(00:09:20) How Maya survived a PhD while in hell: mentors, support, and scope-control
(00:11:00) fMRI 101—bold signals, task vs. resting state, and default-mode rumination
40. Why Is My Brain Trying To Kill Me?: Living With Bipolar 1 Disorder & Chronic Suicidality with Dr. Maya Schumer (pt. 1)
lundi 19 mai 2025 • Durée 02:12:31
On episode 40 of A Chat with Uma, I sit down with my dear friend Dr. Maya Schumer—a psychiatric neuroscientist who studies bipolar disorder, the very illness she lives with. She shares her full experience across 3 decades: growing up with a father with bipolar 1 disorder, how her own bipolar 2 diagnosis morphed into bipolar 1, several hospitalizations, her relationship with lithium, chronic suicidality, metabolic psychiatry, IV ketamine, TMS, & redefining "stability." If you've ever struggled with chronic suicidality, felt the weight of stigma in academia, or questioned what makes life worth holding onto—this conversation is for you. Maya’s story is one of survival, honesty, & the power of turning pain into purpose.
Dr. Maya Schumer is a psychiatric neuroscientist & postdoctoral researcher who studies—& has lived experience with—Bipolar Disorder. Maya received her PhD in neuroscience from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in 2023, where she used task-based functional neuroimaging & coordinate-based meta-analysis to identify reproducible & replicable neural network markers of bipolar disorder risk. Currently, Maya is a postdoctoral fellow at McLean Hospital, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School. Mentored by Dr. Dost Öngür, Maya examines resting-state functional connectivity patterns & neural network dynamics across different stages & mood states in bipolar disorder, with an overall goal to model its dynamic nature.
Maya’s passion for research is informed by her own lived experience. In her role as a researcher with lived experience, she aims to address & dismantle the stigma surrounding serious mental illnesses (SMIs), make academia & research environments more inclusive & accommodating for those with disabilities; & advocate for meaningful co-production between individuals with lived experience & scientists.
Topics Discussed (+ Timestamps):
(00:00:00) Introduction & welcome to Maya! (00:14:00) Artist → neuroscientist plot-twist (00:17:46) Creativity, bipolar, & the Kaye Redfield Jamison spark (00:20:26) How & why we met on X/Twitter, defying the norms of academia, & building a movement together(00:26:30) Ableism in research spaces & how we fight back(00:31:34) Childhood in bipolar’s shadow: therapy at three & “casserole syndrome”(00:38:42) Stigma lessons, dignity, & mourning a living ghost(00:43:02) College crash: color-coding moods → diagnosis at 20(00:46:30) Types I & II, mixed states, spectrum—& living every corner of it(00:53:00) Compliance ≠ acceptance: owning the illness vs. just taking meds(01:05:52) Losing sleep, losing friendships, & the 24/7 second job of self-monitoring(01:17:46) Seasonal mood whiplash & March-mania defenses(01:22:54) Keto, & lithium 2.0(01:34:12) Daily IV ketamine infusions, accelerated TMS, & embracing pluralism(01:44:30) A brutally honest & necessary conversation about chronic suicidality + harm reduction(01:52:00) Redefining stability, building lived-experience science, & preview to part 2
39. What If I’m A Murderer?: 29 Hospitalizations, Taboo OCD Themes, & the Recovery Lifestyle with Tracie Ibrahim, LMFT, CST
lundi 12 mai 2025 • Durée 02:17:51
On episode 39 of A Chat with Uma, I invite my dear friend Tracie Ibrahim, LMFT, CST to tell her full survivorship story of 29 psychiatric hospitalizations, misdiagnoses of schizophrenia & homicidality, childhood abuse, & a mental-health system that nearly killed her—until she learned the name of the monster (OCD) & fought back with exposure & response prevention. Tracie’s journey, like her, is messy, punk-rock, & heartbreakingly human, all at once: sneaking out of locked wards, filing her own writ of habeas corpus at 15, raising three kids while “raw-dogging” her mental health, & finally transforming the shame of harm, suicidal, & contamination OCD into a career as NOCD’s Chief Compliance Officer & the Instagram beacon “@TabooTracie." If you’ve ever felt defective, dangerous, or beyond help, this episode is a hug, a battle cry, & a masterclass in radical self-acceptance.
Tracie Ibrahim, LMFT, CST, has 20+ years of experience in providing mental health services. Her specialization is treating OCD, anxiety & related disorders & depression, alongside a spectrum of issues affecting the LGBTQIA+ community, & issues with sexual health & functioning. Her expertise has been utilized to create high-quality programs addressing the increasing need for evidence-based counseling interventions. Currently serving as NOCD's Chief Compliance Officer, Tracie focuses on creating & implementing evidence-based treatment & compliance programs. Her passion for OCD treatment & advocacy work stems from managing her own OCD for 40+ years & raising children with OCD, anxiety, depression & neurodiversity.
Topics Discussed (+ Timestamps):
(00:00:00) Introduction & welcome to Tracie!
(00:10:06) “Who is Tracie behind the titles?”—hover-mom, punk soul, universal acceptor
(00:15:00) The first cracks: magical-thinking OCD at age 4, nightmares, divorce
(01:34:00) Switch flipped: activation, instant remission, and the shock of neutral daily life
(01:37:10) Relief & righteous anger: gratitude colliding with a decade of preventable suffering
(01:41:00) Dr. Martijn Figee, Jon's psychiatrist: translating “poison” affect into subcallosal cingulate circuit target
(01:48:10) Phenotype → target: differentiating negative affect circuitry from OCD loops, guiding lead (or TMS coil) placement
(01:52:30) Toward precision psychiatry: circuit diagnostics over trial‑and‑error pharmacology
(01:55:00) Pulverize The Stigma: public truth‑telling, rejecting “difficult to treat,” anger as disciplined fuel
(00:20:48) PhD Research Update: An overview of my OCD (+ bipolar & schizophrenia!) research projects–genes, neurobiology, signaling pathways, psychedelics, & more
(00:38:06) Science communication: closing the researcher–lived experience gap
(00:43:42) Mental health advocacy: using my story to raise large-scale awareness in the public and within research populations
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