State Of Mind with Maurice Benard

Tarek Tohme joins Maurice Benard to discuss grief, mental health, Michael Jackson, and MMA. In this full episode of State of Mind, the filmmaker, actor, producer, and writer reflects on growing up shy and emotionally guarded, the emotional education many young people never receive, and the pressure he encountered in Hollywood. Tarek also opens up about losing two close friends, shares personal memories of Michael Jackson and the media attention his family experienced after Jackson’s death, and explains why stepping into the cage became a grounding practice in his own life.

The conversation also returns to Hold On, the film that brought Maurice and Tarek together, as Maurice describes acting through anxiety and Tarek reflects on compassionate leadership on high-pressure sets. From the childhood metaphor of being “a lock” to the contrast between a career roadmap and an emotional roadmap, the episode centers self-expression, resilience, grief, and the discipline that helped Tarek feel grounded.

Disclaimer: This program is intended strictly for informational, educational, and entertainment purposes. It does not constitute formal medical advice, clinical diagnosis, or mental health treatment protocols.

Support Resources:

🆘 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call, text, or chat 988 for 24/7 free, confidential support.

Follow SOM, tap 5 stars, & share this episode with someone who needs it.

Video Versions of State of Mind available on YouTube!
Watch! 

Buy Maurice’s New York Times Bestselling Book!
Nothing General About It: How Love (and Lithium) Saved Me On and Off General Hospital

Follow Maurice on Social Media: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mauricebenard/

X: https://twitter.com/mauricebenard

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MauriceBenard/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mbstateofmind/

State Of Mind Merch:https://www.mbstateofmind.com

State of Mind Production Team: 
Host & Editorial: Maurice Benard 
Executive Producer: Paula Benard 
Director of Production & Video: Anthony Cammarata
Podcast Strategy Consultant: Aaron Calafato 
Audio Consultant: Ken Wendt

Trauma surgeon Jeremy Heffner tells Maurice Benard what emotional control cost him. After years of managing chaos and carrying other people’s worst moments, Jeremy says he became so skilled at locking away emotion that he could no longer cry. He called it a “black hole in my heart.” In this deeply personal State of Mind conversation, Jeremy and Maurice go inside PTSD, moral injury, doctor burnout, residential treatment, faith, EMDR, COVID, men and emotion, and what happens when the people expected to handle everyone else’s crisis have nowhere to put their own. Maurice connects Jeremy’s story to his own lived experience with bipolar disorder, severe depression during COVID, faith, and why State of Mind exists. 

Content note: This episode includes discussions of suicidal ideation, severe depression, trauma exposure, residential treatment, PTSD, and alcohol-related harm. 

Disclaimer: This program is intended strictly for informational, educational, and entertainment purposes. It does not constitute formal medical advice, clinical diagnosis, or mental health treatment protocols.

Support Resources:

🆘 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call, text, or chat 988 for 24/7 free, confidential support.

Follow SOM, tap 5 stars, & share this episode with someone who needs it.

Video Versions of State of Mind available on YouTube!
Watch! 

Buy Maurice’s New York Times Bestselling Book!
Nothing General About It: How Love (and Lithium) Saved Me On and Off General Hospital

Follow Maurice on Social Media: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mauricebenard/

X: https://twitter.com/mauricebenard

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MauriceBenard/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mbstateofmind/

State Of Mind Merch:https://www.mbstateofmind.com

State of Mind Production Team: 
Host & Editorial: Maurice Benard 
Executive Producer: Paula Benard 
Director of Production & Video: Anthony Cammarata
Podcast Strategy Consultant: Aaron Calafato 
Audio Consultant: Ken Wendt

In this episode from the SOM archives, General Hospital's Rena Sofer opens up about breaking family cycles, B&B, and becoming Lois. In this powerful conversation with Maurice Benard, the daytime legend reflects on the father who protected her, the family trauma she worked to break, and why she refuses to diagnose a family member. She explores how iconic characters like Lois Cerullo and Quinn Fuller came alive, the real-life relationship that had to end before it could be rebuilt, and why she eventually chose to walk away and follow her own dreams.

(Disclaimer: This program is intended strictly for informational, educational, and entertainment purposes. It does not constitute formal medical advice, clinical diagnosis, or mental health treatment protocols.)

Support Resources:

🆘 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call, text, or chat 988 for 24/7 free, confidential support.

📘 "Nothing General About It" Autobiography: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0062973371

Follow SOM, tap 5 stars, & share this episode with someone who needs it.

Video Versions of State of Mind available on YouTube!
Watch! 

Read Maurice’s New York Times Bestselling Book!
Nothing General About It: How Love (and Lithium) Saved Me On and Off General Hospital

Follow Maurice on Social Media: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mauricebenard/

X: https://twitter.com/mauricebenard

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MauriceBenard/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mbstateofmind/

State Of Mind Merch:https://www.mbstateofmind.com

State of Mind Production Team: 
Host & Editorial: Maurice Benard 
Executive Producer: Paula Benard 
Director of Production & Video: Anthony Cammarata
Podcast Strategy Consultant: Aaron Calafato 
Audio Consultant: Ken Wendt

In this episode, which originally aired in January of 2025, General Hospital's Finn Carr (Rocco) and Maurice Benard (Sonny) sit down for a deeply honest conversation about acting pressure, anxiety, depression, and finding your voice. Moving beyond the heavy storylines of Port Charles, the two GH actors dive into the realities of growing up in the industry, from Finn’s early days acting alongside Betty White to the brutal, fast-paced reality of soap opera production. Opening up about his mental health journey, Finn details what panic attacks feel like, his experience navigating seasonal depression, and why Zoom therapy presented unique challenges during the pandemic. Maurice reflects on the cost of method acting, his own nervous breakdowns, and why opening up about mental health is the most important step a young man can take. The duo also share the specific routines—from cold water swimming to rock climbing—that help them stay grounded and keep depression at bay.

*Photo Courtesy of Disney/Ricky Middlesworth

(Disclaimer: This program is intended strictly for informational, educational, and entertainment purposes. It does not constitute formal medical advice, clinical diagnosis, or mental health treatment protocols.)

Support Resources:

🆘 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call, text, or chat 988 for 24/7 free, confidential support.

📘 "Nothing General About It" Autobiography: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0062973371

Follow SOM, tap 5 stars, & share this episode with someone who needs it.

Video Versions of State of Mind available on YouTube!
Watch! 

Read Maurice’s New York Times Bestselling Book!
Nothing General About It: How Love (and Lithium) Saved Me On and Off General Hospital

Follow Maurice on Social Media: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mauricebenard/

X: https://twitter.com/mauricebenard

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MauriceBenard/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mbstateofmind/

State Of Mind Merch:https://www.mbstateofmind.com

State of Mind Production Team: 
Host & Editorial: Maurice Benard 
Executive Producer: Paula Benard 
Director of Production & Video: Anthony Cammarata
Podcast Strategy Consultant: Aaron Calafato 
Audio Consultant: Ken Wendt

First responder Matty Fiorenza joins Maurice Benard for an unflinching conversation about firefighter PTSD, complex trauma, moral injury and recovery. After a 22-year career marked by devastating emergency calls, physical injuries and unresolved childhood wounds, Matty describes how addiction and isolation brought him to a life-threatening crisis. He also shares the daily practices, faith, service and community of men that helped him rebuild his life and now allow him to support other first responders who are struggling.

(Disclaimer: This program is intended strictly for informational, educational, and entertainment purposes. It does not constitute formal medical advice, clinical diagnosis, or mental health treatment protocols.)

Support Resources:

🆘 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call, text, or chat 988 for 24/7 free, confidential support.

📘 "Nothing General About It" Autobiography: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0062973371

Follow SOM, tap 5 stars, & share this episode with someone who needs it.

Video Versions of State of Mind available on YouTube!
Watch! 

Read Maurice’s New York Times Bestselling Book!
Nothing General About It: How Love (and Lithium) Saved Me On and Off General Hospital

Follow Maurice on Social Media: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mauricebenard/

X: https://twitter.com/mauricebenard

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MauriceBenard/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mbstateofmind/

State Of Mind Merch:https://www.mbstateofmind.com

State of Mind Production Team: 
Host & Editorial: Maurice Benard 
Executive Producer: Paula Benard 
Director of Production & Video: Anthony Cammarata
Podcast Strategy Consultant: Aaron Calafato 
Audio Consultant: Ken Wendt