Season 11 of Healthy Minds with Dr. Jeffrey Borenstein Explores Screen Addiction, Autism, Cannabis, Obesity, School Mental Health, and Suicide Prevention

New season brings leading experts and personal stories to public television stations nationwide and PBS.org

New York, Sept. 15, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Emmy®-nominated public television series Healthy Minds with Dr. Jeffrey Borenstein returns for its 11th season with 12 new half-hour episodes examining timely issues in mental health, including children and screen use, autism, cannabis addiction, the connection between metabolism and mental health, and the expanding role of schools in supporting student mental health.   

The new season will premiere October 1, 2026, and will be available nationally on public television stations (check local listings) and streaming on PBS.org. Local airtimes can be found at https://www.bbrfoundation.org/healthy-minds-tv.

Hosted by series creator Dr. Jeffrey Borenstein, President and CEO of the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation, Healthy Minds brings together leading researchers, clinicians, and people living with psychiatric illness to help viewers better understand mental health conditions, emerging science, and treatment options.

“Over the past decade, Healthy Minds actively aims to reduce stigma surrounding mental illness by sharing personal stories and trusted information about advances in research and care,” said Dr. Borenstein. “As we begin our 11th season, we remain committed to helping viewers understand the issues that affect them and their families, and to showing that with help, there is hope.”

Among the season’s timely topics:

• School-Based Mental Health Support: how elementary and secondary schools can use mental health screenings for anxiety, depression, and substance abuse, along with lifeskills curricula designed to build resilience.
• Screen Addiction and Children: research following 11,000 young people since age 10 and using MRI to study brain changes associated with addiction, amid concerns about heavy use of screens, social media, and video games.
• Suicide Prevention: strategies to reduce suicide risk, including home firearm safety, patient follow-up, fast-acting medication options, the potential benefits of folic acid, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, and smartphone alerts for patient check-ins.
• Parenting an Autistic Teen — Musician Steve Earle: the Grammy Award-winning musician and actor discusses raising his autistic teenage son, building a support network, and advocating for resources.
• Obesity Medications, Metabolism, and Mental Health: the intersection of metabolism and mental health, including ketogenic diets, GLP-1s and other obesity medications, nutrition, and exercise.
• Cannabis Addiction and Treatment: how cannabis misuse or addiction can trigger or worsen mental health symptoms, including depression and schizophrenia, and why cotreatment may be needed.

Other episodes explore psychedelic drugs for psychiatric treatment, the role of stress in illness, resilience after paralysis, pharmacogenetics, and managing bipolar disorder.

Produced by the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation, Healthy Minds has received multiple Telly Awards. The program is presented by Connecticut Public and distributed by the National Educational Telecommunications Association (NETA). Season 11 is made possible with support from the American Psychiatric Association Foundation, the John & Polly Sparks Foundation, and The WoodNext Foundation.
  
SEASON 11 EPISODES

School-Based Mental Health Support 
Exploring how elementary and secondary schools can help students with mental health screenings for anxiety, depression, and substance abuse, and a life skills curriculum to build resilience. Guest: John Constantino, M.D., Chief, Behavioral and Mental Health, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, GA.

Psychedelic Drugs for Psychiatric Treatment 
New versions of psychedelic drugs without hallucinogenic side effects, known as neuroplastogens, have the potential to repair damaged neural circuitry in patients with depression, schizophrenia, dementia, and other illnesses. Guest: David E. Olson, Ph.D., Director, UC Davis Institute for Psychedelics and Neurotherapeutics.

Screen Addiction and Children 
The episode examines concerns about excessive use of screens, social media, and video games by adolescents, as well as research from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study, which follows 11,000 subjects since age 10 and uses MRI to study brain changes associated with addiction. Guest: J. John Mann, M.D., Professor of Translational Neuroscience in Psychiatry and Radiology, Columbia University. 

The Role of Stress in Illness 
Stress and untreated depression can affect the body’s inflammatory response, immunity, and physical healing. The episode also looks at lifestyle changes including exercise, sleep, and diet, and research into monoclonal antibodies for mental illness. Guest: Scott Russo, Ph.D., Professor of Neuroscience and Leon Levy Director of the Brain-Body Research Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

Suicide Prevention 
Strategies to decrease suicide risk include the potential benefits of folic acid, home firearm safety, patient follow-up, fast-acting medication options, the national 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, and smartphone alerts for patient check-ins. Guest: J. John Mann, M.D., Professor of Translational Neuroscience in Psychiatry and Radiology, Columbia University. 

Resilience After Being Paralyzed 
The inspiring story of Yannick Benjamin, paralyzed from the waist down after a car accident, who used the power of optimism, a support group of family and friends, and exercise to not only adapt to his disability but give back to the community with charitable work and a barrier-free restaurant and wine store. Guest: Yannick Benjamin, Sommelier, Co-Founder Beaupierre and Wine on Wheels. 

Pharmacogenetics 
A saliva-swab lab test can reveal how a patient may metabolize different psychiatric medications, helping doctors prescribe more accurately and potentially produce quicker, more predictable outcomes. Guest: James L. Kennedy, M.D., Director, Molecular Sciences, The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Canada; Professor of Psychiatry, University of Toronto.

Voice Processing, Autism, and Children’s Brains
Understanding how autistic children’s brains process voices may help increase social interaction using naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions (NDBI), including approaches focused on areas of personal interest. Guest: Daniel Abrams, Ph.D., Clinical Associate Professor, Stanford Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University.

Obesity Medications, Metabolism, and Mental Health 
Exploring the intersection of metabolism and mental health and the role of nutritional interventions in improving psychiatric symptoms, including a ketogenic diet, GLP-1s and other obesity medications, and exercise. Guest: Shebani Sethi, M.D., Founder and Director of the Metabolic Psychiatry Clinical Program and Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University.

Parenting an Autistic Teen: Musician Steve Earle 
Grammy Award-winning musician and actor Steve Earle talks about raising his autistic teenage son, the importance of a support network, and the need to advocate for resources. Earle also discusses how his own recovery from chemical dependency shaped his approach to his son’s diagnosis and care.

Managing Bipolar Disorder 
Most bipolar patients experience mood instability between depressive and manic episodes, but a combination of dialectical, cognitive behavioral, interpersonal, and family therapy, along with medication and tracking of triggers, can make the shifts smaller. Guest: Sarah Sperry, Ph.D., Richard Tam, Early Career Professor of Translational Bipolar Research, University of Michigan.

Cannabis Addiction and Treatment
Rates of cannabis misuse and addiction have increased since legalization made it more accessible, which can trigger or worsen mental health symptoms, including depression and schizophrenia, requiring co-treatment plans. Guest: Victor M. Tang, M.D., psychiatrist and clinician scientist, The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Canada.  

About the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation 
The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation (BBRF) awards research grants to develop improved treatments, cures, and methods of prevention for mental illness. These illnesses include addiction, ADHD, anxiety, autism, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, depression, eating disorders, OCD, PTSD, and schizophrenia, as well as research on suicide prevention. Since 1987, the Foundation has awarded more than $487 million to fund more than 5,900 leading scientists around the world. 100% of every dollar donated for research is invested in research. BBRF operating expenses are covered by separate foundation grants. BBRF is the producer of the Emmy®-nominated public television series Healthy Minds with Dr. Jeffrey Borenstein, which aims to remove the stigma of mental illness and demonstrate that with help, there is hope.

About Connecticut Public 
Connecticut Public is home to Connecticut Public Television (CPTV) and Connecticut Public Radio (WNPR). Together, Connecticut Public serves more than one million people each week through television, radio, and digital platforms. Its mission is to inform, educate, and inspire the people of Connecticut through high-quality journalism, storytelling, education, and experiences.

About the National Educational Telecommunications Association 
The National Educational Telecommunications Association is a professional association serving public television licensees and educational entities in all 50 states, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. Since 1967, NETA has connected public television people and ideas through programming, educational resources, professional development, management support, and national representation.

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• Healthy Minds Season 11

Myrna Manners
Brain & Behavior Research Foundation
(718) 986-7255
mmanners@mannerspr.com