State Of Mind with Maurice Benard

General Hospital's Kayden Tokarski sits down with Maurice Benard, and Scout is only the beginning. Behind the credits is a young actress learning when to trust her work and when to let it go. Her Gaslit audition opens up a conversation about second-guessing yourself, and Maurice's own self-tape story makes it clear that even decades on GH don't take the pressure out of performing. There's more to Kayden's ambitions than the next role. As she talks about balancing school with acting and lending her voice to Walk Against Drugs, Maurice gets a fuller picture of the person behind Scout. It's a warm, funny introduction to a young actress finding her way—and the beginning of a two-part conversation that goes beyond her career. Subscribe for Part 2, premiering soon!  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 

General Hospital's Paige Herschell returns with Maurice Benard—and it gets personal. Paige asks the Daytime Emmy-winning host a question that turns the interview around; from there, performance and personal history begin to overlap, until Maurice names what he saw in one scene and Paige leaves GH fans with one last Port Charles question. Part 2 of this conversation goes where State of Mind is supposed to go: into the complicated space where love meets addiction, grief changes old beliefs, and the truths people carry can follow them into their work. Content note: This episode includes discussion of addiction, depression, suicide, impaired driving, sexual assault, grief, and psychiatric medication. 🆘 If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the U.S. and Canada. If you are outside the U.S. or Canada, contact your local emergency number or local crisis support service. Catch up with Part 1: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/state-of-mind-with-maurice-benard/id1623026386 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 

In Part 1 of this conversation, Maurice Benard sits down with General Hospital’s Paige Herschell for a deeply personal conversation about transformation, creativity and grief. Paige Herschell is an actress and producer known for General Hospital, Law & Order: SVU and The Paper. She played Jacinda Bracken on General Hospital.   Paige shares how she went from eating lunch alone in a school bathroom to building a career as an actor and singer. She also opens up about becoming a caregiver to her mother, whose life was shaped by trauma, addiction and bipolar disorder, and losing her to breast cancer just four weeks after her diagnosis. Paige reflects on learning to remember her mother as a whole person, while revealing the love, music and unexpected choices that helped her find her own voice. 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 

Rob Brownstein (Michael, Straight Outta Compton) joins General Hospital's Maurice Benard. On State of Mind, the actor and longtime teacher reflects on working with Al Pacino, the pressure and precision of soap acting, and an idea that has shaped the way he navigates a career built on uncertainty: maybe rejection is the wrong word. If only one actor can get the role, how much of the pain comes from the decision — and how much from the story we tell ourselves about it? That question reaches well beyond Hollywood. Born in Vietnam and raised across continents, Rob grew up fast, carried adult weight early, and eventually turned to therapy and lifelong self-work. What does that history give an actor — and what has to be unlearned? Why did six months on The Bold and the Beautiful change the way he sees soap actors? What does Daniel Day-Lewis reveal about preparation? And after years in the business, why does Rob still believe the work is never finished? 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 

Laura Day and Maurice Benard ask what separates intuition from anxiety—and what pain requires. The New York Times bestselling author argues that a useful signal should lead somewhere, suffering needs tools, and identity can be rebuilt through the choices we make next. Her story gives those ideas their weight. Laura survived a childhood shaped by neglect and devastating suicide loss, while Maurice brings his own experience of bipolar disorder and crippling anxiety into the conversation. Together they challenge easy answers about treatment, ego, resilience, and human potential—and reveal the humor, kindness, and unexpected friendship behind the Demi Moore Laura knows off camera. 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