Five Building Blocks of Recovery®
The Five Building Blocks of Recovery is a mental health podcast for people in recovery from one or more mental health conditions, their friends and family, and those in the mental health field who are providing support and treatment.
The podcast will be partly educational and partly conversational; some episodes will focus on one or more aspects of each of the Five Building Blocks, while others will consist of interviews with people in recovery or people with expertise on one or more building blocks.
Ultimately the goal is to leave you with simple ideas and action steps for your mental health recovery journey or for someone you care about.
New episodes typically come out every four weeks on Sunday afternoons at 3PM, Pacific Time.
Peer support group facilitator, peer support specialist, and professional mental health speaker Jared Bendifallah talks about mental health through the lens of his Five Building Blocks of Recovery which can provide a roadmap for recovery – a simple yet profound framework -- for those living with a mental health condition (and inspiration for their loved ones).
Remember, recovery is possible, and hope is real 😊
Disclaimer: The insights and offerings shared by guests reflect their own views and experiences. This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health, clinical, or medical advice. Always use your own judgment when considering any services, programs, or resources mentioned.
For more information about the Five Building Blocks of Recovery and/or to contact Jared, go to Five Building Blocks of Recovery (thefivebuildingblocksofrecovery.com)
Episodes
18 episodes
The Five Tools for Cultivating Indestructible Resilience Along the Mental Health Recovery Journey
When you’re exhausted, scared, or stuck in that loop of “nothing is getting better,” resilience isn’t a personality trait, it’s a set of choices you can practice. In this episode, I share the five tools that you can lean on to build indestructi...
Getting Unstuck: How Obstacles Become The Path To Your Life’s Calling with Ben Hummell
What if the hardest seasons in life and along the mental health recovery journey aren’t detours but doorways? We sit down with depth psychotherapist, coach, and author Ben Hummell to unpack how identity, transitions, and purpose intersect—and w...
Is it Safe to Unmask? The Power of Authenticity and Advocacy to Transform Your Mental Health with Merlot Ghadoushi
In a world that forces many of us to mask, especially those with mental health conditions, what if your real power comes from authenticity and turning authenticity into impact?That question sits at the heart of our conversation with yout...
Actions over Feelings - The Surprising Truth about Overcoming Negative Emotions with Stephen Nawotniak
A non-motorized trek across the East Coast. A hospital stay that reset everything. And a clear, human roadmap for living well with bipolar disorder. I sat down with Steven Nawotniak—occupational therapist, certified psychiatric rehabilitation p...
Season 3 - Announcement of Schedule Change for Podcast
Hard seasons test our values. After losing a home to a wildfire, getting sick, and wrestling with an inconsistent rhythm in 2025, I made a decision that protects my mental health, supports self-care, and honors your time: I'm switching to a mon...
The Missing Elements to the Mental Health Treatment Model with Adam Sholder
It is no secret that the current mental health treatment model, is, to put nicely, flawed and incomplete. In this week’s episode I talk with Adam Sholder, mental health advocate and founder of Insight Enrichment Group, a mental heal...
How to Thrive as a Student with a Mental Health Condition with Ryder Davis
Let’s face it; being a college student can be one of the most fulfilling but also the most stressful periods of a young person’s life.Having to balance both academic and social pressures while being away from home for the first time and...
Oshri Hakak’s Mental Health Journey - How to Transform Your Deepest Wounds into Sources of Meaning and Connection
A surprising dream following tragedy becomes a guiding light for an artist's life mission. After losing his Boy Scout leader to suicide at 16, Oshri Hakak dreamed of a document meant to cure all human illnesses—only to find its pages blank exce...
Season 2 – How to Survive a Crisis and Protect Your Mental Health
After a prolonged absence since December 2024, I'm returning to the podcast following the devastating fires in Los Angeles County that destroyed my home and neighborhood in early January 2025. I share how I've used the Five Building Blocks of R...
Finding Stability and Connection Through Structure - Lessons Learned on the Path to Mental Health Recovery
What role does structure play in mental health recovery, and could it be the missing piece in your journey to well-being? This episode explores the transformative power of adding structure to your life (Building Block #1), drawing from my own "...
Debbie Brazil's Story of Advocacy and Acceptance - What You Really Need to Know About Recovery from a Mental Health Condition
Imagine growing up in a household shadowed by bipolar disorder, only to find yourself struggling with your own mental health challenges as a teenager. That was Debbie Brazil's reality, and she's here to share her deeply personal story of overco...
Francesca Reicherter’s Journey from Cheerleading Pressure to Mental Health Advocate – Breaking the Stigma around Mental Health
Francesca Reicherter shares a deeply personal journey from the pressures of competitive cheerleading to becoming a beacon of hope in mental health advocacy. Her story lays bare the impact of media, social media, and societal pressures on self-w...
Trusting the Process of Recovery - Getting Through the Difficult Parts of the Mental Health Recovery Journey
In this episode I talk about the importance of, and what it means, to trust the process of recovery (Building Block #3) for those living with a mental health condition. I also offer some tips for how to get through the bad days and setbacks alo...
Conversation with Frank King, Mental Health Comedian, Part II - Following Your Intuition and Trusting the Process
In today’s episode, as part of my second conversation with Frank King, we talk more about his journey with comedy and mental health, and the importance of following one’s intuition and what intuition can look like (Building Block 5). We also ta...
The Importance of Having Non-Clinical Support (Friends, Family...) along the Mental Health Recovery Journey
In this episode I talk about why having a support system outside of having a therapist is so essential along the mental health recovery journey. I also share ideas for how you can expand your support system and what it can look lik...
The Importance of Clinical Support along the Mental Health Recovery Journey
In this episode I talk about the importance of accepting and embracing clinical support along the mental health recovery journey and what to look for in a psychiatrist and a therapist. I also share tips on how to find clinical support.*...
Conversation with Frank King, 12x TEDx speaker and "The Mental Health Comedian"
In this episode I talk with Frank King about how he takes care of his mental health through the lens of Building Block 2 (Having a Self-Care Plan) and Building Block 1 (Basic Stability). Frank talks about his five-part self-care plan an...
Introductory Episode - Who Am I? and the "Five Building Blocks of Recovery"
In this episode I share my own story of recovery from dealing with anxiety from a young age, going through a mental health crisis after college, and eventually being able to bounce back and create a new life for myself as a mental health advoca...