Bear Psychology podcast

Having dedicated her life to helping others through emotional moments, Dr. Bea MacKay knows better than most that there are many things we cannot control in life. In her book, “Let Go of the Outcome and Let Things Fall Together”, she shares strategies for dealing with events we cannot change without feeling defeated. Her approach to mental health, embraces emotional wellbeing. Listen to our conversation with psychologist & author Dr. Bea MacKay as we talk all about her approach to reconnecting with your emotions and yourself. In this book, she walks you through how you can combine rational thought with sensory experience to create new neural pathways that lead to new and varied sensations that are calming, healing, and enjoyable. With a balance of practical information and real world life stories, her book is a great resource for anyone motivated to deal with their emotions head-on. Dr. Bea MacKay is author and Psychologist helping individual, couples, and families for over 30 years. She has a Ph.D. from University of British Columbia. She lives in B.C. with her family enjoying outdoor activities including hiking, biking, and swimming. Dr. MacKay has also written “Two-You Work: How to Work with the Self in Conflict”; “The Power of Connection”; and “Train Your Brain, Sports Psychology” (coming soon). Realizing that traditional therapy is not appropriate for everyone, Dr. MacKay also has an online platform “Bea in Balance” offering blogs, quizzes, and advice to those seeking tools in a more accessible format. Listen to our conversation with Dr. MacKay as we discuss how to live a better, happier, and fuller life working with your emotions and not against them. If you are interested in Dr. Bea Mackay's insights and a new approach to understanding yourself, this Podcast is for you. Links & Resources: Learn more about Dr. MacKay: https://beainbalance.com/about-bea/ Purchase the book visit: https://www.amazon.ca/Let-Outcome-Things-Fall-Together/dp/1738637107?ref_=ast_author_dp Learn more about Dr. MacKay's other books: https://www.amazon.ca/stores/Bea-MacKay/author/B0BMW437QP?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true Materials to Reference: Read Dr. MacKay's blog: https://beainbalance.com/blog/ Sign up for training with Dr. MacKay: https://beainbalance.com/training/ Check out Dr. Bea MacKay's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bea_in_balance/  

If you have ever struggled with a person in your life that displays behaviors such as: lack of empathy; entitlement; a need to be the center of attention; negative reactions to any critical feedback; a grandiose sense of self; arrogance; manipulation and gaslighting; a need to be in control; demeaning and blaming of others and much more than this conversation will be of interest to you! “Narcissism: A Contemporary Introduction” by Dr. Richard Wood is a well-researched book that provides you with a deep understanding of the psychological terrain of the Narcissist. He distinguishes and explains three main types of narcissism: Healthy forms of narcissism that are necessary for effective personal, cultural, and creative development; Severe, pathological narcissism that can cause extreme human suffering; and Malignant Narcissism that is part of the spectrum of narcissistic personality disorder. Listen to our conversation with psychologist & author Dr. Richard Wood as we talk about all the different ways narcissism can show up in today's society. Dr. Richard Wood is a registered psychologist based in Ontario, Canada. He is a founding member of the Canadian Association of Psychologists in Disability Assessment (CAPDA) and the author of A Study of Malignant Narcissism: Personal and Professional Insights (2022) and Psychoanalytic Reflections on Vladimir Putin: The Cost of Malignant Leadership (2024). In addition to being a founding member of CAPDA, Dr. Wood served the Ontario Psychological Association in a variety of functions before becoming its president in 1989 and was an associate professor in the Department of Behavioural Sciences, a department of the University of Toronto Medical School, in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Dr. Wood has been working with clients for over 50 years and provides long and short term psychotherapy for individuals, couples, and families. He is also a member of the Ontario Psychological Association (OPA) and the American Psychological Association (APA). Dr. Wood's book helps psychologists and psychoanalysts learn how to identify, assess, and treat patients with narcissistic personality traits by providing clinical examples throughout. Students looking for a thorough and jargon-free introduction to narcissism will gain insight into this condition through his methodical approach laid out in this book. Listen to our conversation with Dr. Wood as we discuss his insights of the complicated condition known as Narcissism. If you are interested in learning more about narcissism through the psychoanalytic lens, this show is for you. Links & Resources: Learn more about Dr. Wood: https://www.drrichardwood.com/about-dr-wood Purchase his book: https://www.amazon.ca/Narcissism-Contemporary-Introduction-Richard-Wood/dp/1032649518 Contact Dr. Wood: https://www.drrichardwood.com/contact-us Materials to Reference: Learn more about narcissism: https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/basics/narcissism

Dedicating your life to the safety and freedom of your country is a massive sacrifice military veterans across make every day. One of the largest challenges for these heroes is working through the barriers and stigma of PTSD following service and navigating their path of readjustment and recovery. Kurt Grant, author of “Shiny Side Up: On the Road to Recovery”, used a cross-country motorcycle trip to help integrate and calm some of the chaos in his mind following military service as an infantry sergeant. Listen to our conversation with veteran & author Kurt Grant as we talk about his healing journey, what life looks like after service, and the rocky path to recovery. Kurt Grant is a 32 year military veteran of the Canadian Forces and author. Apart from his service as an infantry sergeant with the Canadian Forces, he also worked as a researcher and writer at the Directorate of History and Heritage and was an editor at the Canadian Army Journal. He has published in multiple books and peer reviewed journals. Grant himself was diagnosed with PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) back in 2011 as a result of his military service. This book is a personal memoir of his journey leaving military service after a diagnosis of PTSD. With his motorcycle and a fly-fishing kit in hand, Grant set off on a long cross country-trip.  His healing journey is wonderfully detailed with a deep dive into a healing journey that helped him reconnect with his past and his present. If you are interested in Kurt Grant's story and the realities of life as a military veteran, this podcast is for you. Links & Resources: Book: Shiny Side Up: On the Road to Recovery Amazon.ca : shiny side up, on the road to recovery Book: TRANSITION: Adjusting to Life After the Uniform Amazon.ca : transition, adjusting to life after the uniform To purchase the book visit: https://www.amazon.ca/Shiny-Side-Up-Road-Recovery/dp/1988932068 To learn more about Kurt Grant's other books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B001K8XYT0 Materials to Reference: Learn more about PTSD and related symptoms: https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/ptsd/what-is-ptsd To help support veterans in need of transition services: https://vetscanada.org/ To help support veterans mental health: https://woundedwarriors.ca/ To help support veterans in need of meals: https://www.hearttohomemeals.ca/?remembersite=true

So many of our listeners have pets that they cherish and certainly have shared struggles they might have with these animals.  I am a great animal lover and many of my clients have found solace in their relationships with pets in the home, at times feeling a great emotional boost from the connection.   With this in mind, I wanted to share the work of Denise Mange – who has written about her special approach to building a health relationship with the pets in your life.   A bark is not always just a bark and a bite is not always just a bite. Training a dog (or other animal) involves more than just a handful of techniques from google; it also involves YOU, the pet parent. Common pet behaviors reveal a lot about your lifestyle, job, and other connections in addition to the dynamic you have with your pet. Denise Mange's new book “Translating Your Pet's Behaviour: A Mindful Approach to Dog Training” teaches readers how to train smarter, not harder and help close the gap between canine training and your own personal growth.   Listen to our conversation with animal / dog trainer Denise Mange as discuss tools to unlock a deeper understanding of dog/animal training when paired with a thoughtful approach to pet guardianship.   Denise Mange is a “certified dog trainer” and pet intuitive (we will find out what this mean!). Denise left Madison Avenue to work with pets and their owners after ten years of working at New York City's most prominent advertising firms. She is the founder of Pet Prana, a brand that promotes a mindful pet lifestyle. Denise obtained her bachelor's degree from Boston University, and her accreditation as a dog trainer from Animal Behavior College.   In addition to exploring useful behavior training techniques for dogs, fundamental obedience commands, and activities based on positive reinforcement dog training, Denise's book on dog behavior will teach you how to interpret your pet's on-leash reactivity, separation anxiety, barking, nipping, housebreaking accidents, and more. In order to assist you in bringing about significant and long-lasting change in both your dog's behavior and your own life, Denise Mange has created a tried-and-true methodology that reveals the ways in which our behaviors, attitudes, and routines affect our pets. Her book is an extensive resource ideal for pet training, assisting stray dogs in adjusting to their new homes, comforting elderly pets, or just finding new ways to interact with cherished animals.   Listen to our conversation with Denise Mange as we discuss her insightful approach to dog training that has proven to deliver transformative results.   Links & Resources: More information about Denise Mange: https://petprana.com/about.html#/ Information on the book visit: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/209824741-translating-your-pet-s-behavior?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=V1M5tSYkiR&rank=1  Learn more about Pet Prana: https://petprana.com/index.html#/  

Depression is a type of mood disorder that often results in chronic feelings of profound sadness and disinterest. Referred to as both clinical depression and major depressive disorder, it affects one's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and can result in a range of psychological and medical issues. Sufferers often report difficulty navigating their day-to-day life and thinking life is not worth living. However, it is critical to understand that recovery is possible and that you are not alone in these struggles. Dr. Nina Josefowitz's book “The Behavioral Activation Workbook for Depression: Powerful Strategies to Boost Your Mood and Build a Better Life” has been created for this very purpose and is made to assist you in breaking free from the vicious cycle of dejection, low mood, and lack of motivation that is depression. Listen to our conversation with clinical psychologist & author Dr. Nina Josefowitz as we discuss how to boost your motivation, elevate your attitude, and create a better existence, “one page at a time”. Dr. Nina Josefowitz is an author and Registered Psychologist. She has worked in private practice, University Counselling Centres and as an Associate Professor at the University of Toronto over her many years in the field. Dr. Josefowitz's primary focus is in the area of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) but she has a passion for other modalities (e.g., mindfulness, emotion focused therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy). She is also the author of “CBT Made Simple”, a comprehensive manual to help professionals learn CBT. Dr. Nina Josefowitz's book provides a variety of easy to learn techniques with the goal of boosting motivation, reconnecting with what matters to you; controlling troublesome thoughts and emotions; and living life to the fullest. The cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) exercises in this book are considered to be the gold standard for treating mental health conditions like depression and will assist readers in creating and adhering to a mood-boosting activity plan. The book offers strategies and resources centered on gratitude, self-compassion, and mindfulness to increase optimism and hope. Listen to our conversation with Dr. Nina Josefowitz as she shares her expertise in how to engage in the activities that you enjoy once again, giving you a sense of meaning and purpose in life. Links & Resources: Learn more about Dr. Nina Josefowitz: https://www.drninajosefowitz.com/cbt-made-simple To purchase the Behavioural Activation Workbook for Depression visit: https://www.amazon.ca/Behavioral-Activation-Workbook-Depression-Strategies/dp/1648482465 For more information about Dr. Nina Josefowitz's other books visit: https://www.drninajosefowitz.com/book Materials to Reference: Dr. Nina Josefowitz's Blog: https://www.drninajosefowitz.com/blog Dr. Nina Josefowitz's Relaxation Tapes: https://www.drninajosefowitz.com/relaxation-tapes

In this healing exploration author and therapist Dr. Tamra Sattler reflects on the “Enneagram 4” also referred to as “Borderline-style personality”. These personality styles have a reputation of being difficult for therapists to work with, families to tolerate, and importantly for those struggling to love and accept themselves. In her book, “Too Much and Not Enough: Healing for the Enneagram Four or Borderline-Style Personality”, Sattler describes how people achieve self-discovery and a path forward to belonging, for those with strong emotions. Listen to our conversation with therapist & author Tamra Sattler as we talk about her intimate experience living with this personality type and working with this complicated population. Tamra Sattler, PhD, is a registered Marriage and Family therapist, professor, and author with a private practice based out of Colorado. Dr. Sattler has almost 20 years of experience as a clinician and specializes in the areas of psychological and spiritual development. Her approaches focus heavily on bridging technology and psycho-spirituality and she has an educational background in psychology that is informed by both Western and Eastern philosophies. Tamra Sattler's book is a therapeutic memoir and an observational tale about borderline traits and emotional dysregulation of the Enneagram 4 (a personality structure).  Utilizing an emotionally driven personal narrative and scholarly research, Sattler walks us through the ecstasy and agony that “Fours” experience daily. She details her journey of understanding and recovering from the destructive elements of this Enneagram's psychological tendencies while sharing her discovery of the beautiful aspects of these orientations as well. It is also full of Dr. Sattler's numerous examples of clients working through their particular borderline issues over the years of her career, as well as tools for growth and transformation. Listen to our conversation with Mitchell Consky as we discuss Dr. Sattler's insights and suggestions for those living and working with complicated individuals If you are interested in Dr. Sattler's knowledge and the realities of healing with a Borderline-Style personality, this podcast is for you. Links & Resources: More information about Dr. Sattler: https://www.tamrasattler.net/about/ Book link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/212342067-too-much-and-not-enough?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=cWj2hsHMzj&rank=1 Learn more about Dr. Sattler's services: https://www.tamrasattler.net/services/ Materials to Reference: Take the Enneagram Test yourself here: https://enneagramtest.com/quiz?afid=gdnensca&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI3vK6sbDriAMV0NgWBR1W4jkWEAAYASAAEgJRVfD_BwE Learn more about Borderline Personality Disorder: https://psychcentral.com/disorders/borderline-personality-disorder

Upon receiving a brain tumor diagnosis in 2018, Cynthia Clark's husband expressed his desire to prioritize the quality of his remaining years over the quantity. His desire was to relish his time with his wife and kids, which ultimately led to his decision to utilize MAID when treatment failed eight months later. After starting a blog to update friends and family about the process, Cynthia began to notice that those going through this same process with a loved one often reported feeling alone and unsupported.  This led her to write “The Many Faces of MAID: What to Expect When Someone You Know Chooses Medical Assistance in Dying” with co-author Carol Cram to provide those going through this experience some comfort and support. The proceeds of the book go towards MAID FAMILY SUPPORT SOCIETY. The book is a compilation of 17 stories from those that have experienced the loss of a loved one through a medically assisted death. These stories show the raw and uncensored experiences of the storytellers, express a wide range of emotions, and offer glimpses into some of the intimate moments of their journey. Listen our conversation with author and advocate Cynthia Clark as we take an intimate look into the experiences of people who have supported loved ones through MAID in Canada. Cynthia Clark is an author and graduate of the University of Western Ontario. She is a trained executive coach, has spent time working as a management consultant and continues to advocate for many causes that she is passionate about. She currently is the vice chair of MAID family support, a not-for-profit corporation and charity that focuses on helping individuals who have been through MAID with a loved one. Cynthia herself guided her family through MAID in 2019 when her husband was diagnosed with brain cancer and again when her father chose MAID in 2023. She also volunteers her time at Dying with Dignity Canada and Bridge C-14. Cynthia Clark's book offers readers solace, camaraderie, and acceptance of their own feelings through this tremendously difficult process. The book provides the opportunity to explore the range of emotions you may experience leading up to, during, and following their loved one's MAID. It is made to be read at any time along the MAID journey to help those suffering realize they are not alone. If you are interested in learning about what the MAID experience in Canada, this podcast is for you. Links & Resources: To purchase the book: https://www.amazon.ca/Many-Faces-MAID-Someone-Assistance/dp/B0CHL1FMRK For more information about the MAID Family Support Society: https://maidfamilysupport.ca/ Access 1 on 1 peer support people supporting someone choosing MAID or grieving a MAID loss: https://maidfamilysupport.ca/1-to-1-peer-support/ An interview with Cynthia Clark discussing death and children. https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-ki3d8-1411ad6 Materials to Reference: Learn more about Dying with Dignity Canada: https://www.dyingwithdignity.ca/ Read more MAID stories here: https://maidfamilysupport.ca/maid-stories/

After 20 years in practice, Dr. Jonice Webb noticed the painful struggle of people who grew up in homes where they were emotionally neglected.  She identified this neglect as an "invisible factor" that continued to affect adults often leaving them feeling depleted and dissatisfied or what she described as “Running on Empty”. In Dr. Webb's books “Running on Empty: Overcome Your Childhood Emotional Neglect” and “Running On Empty No More: Transform Your Relationships” she shines a light on this invisible force of CEN.  She discusses how to bring new tools, strategies and self-awareness to grow beyond this limiting life experience and encourages you to grow beyond CEN. Listen to our conversation with psychologist & author Dr. Jonice Webb as we learn about the concept of Emotional Neglect and her tools for helping fix it. Dr. Jonice Webb, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist, bestselling author, and “psychologist expert” according to the Chicago Tribune and CNBC. Dr. Webb has over two decades of experience in the field of psychology with a particular interest in how childhood factors influence us as adults and the effect of Childhood Emotional Neglect (CEN).™ Dr. Webb currently has a private psychotherapy practice where she focuses on the treatment of families and couples. Dr. Webb's books educate readers about the twelve types of parents who inadvertently emotionally neglect their children; ten issues that emotionally neglected children often struggle with as adults; six strategies for overcoming Emotional Neglect, and how to apply all these tools to different types of relationships including marriages, relationships with emotionally neglectful parents, and their even own children. If you are interested in Dr. Webb's insights on recognizing Emotional Neglect and beginning the journey in overcoming the impact of CEN, this podcast is for you. Links & Resources: For more information about Dr. Webb's books visit: https://drjonicewebb.com/the-book/ To purchase the books visit: https://tinyurl.com/27vn66pr For more about Dr. Jonice Webb: https://drjonicewebb.com/about-dr-webb/ Webb's CEN Training Programs: https://drjonicewebb.com/childhood-emotional-neglect-programs/ Therapist Resources for CEN: https://drjonicewebb.com/therapeutic-resources-cen/ Materials to Reference: Take the Childhood Emotional Neglect Questionnaire: https://drjonicewebb.com/cenquestionnaire/ 5 Roadblocks to Dating Caused By Childhood Emotional Neglect: https://drjonicewebb.com/5-roadblocks-to-dating-caused-by-childhood-emotional-neglect/ How Old Feelings From Your Childhood Could Be Controlling You Now: https://drjonicewebb.com/how-old-feelings-from-your-childhood-could-be-controlling-you-now/ 4 Ways You May Be Keeping Yourself Running On Empty: https://drjonicewebb.com/4-ways-you-may-be-keeping-yourself-running-on-empty/

After years of excellent health as an ultra-marathon runner and athlete and a good life in a stable marriage Katie Arnold's life flipped from stable to unrecognizable.  Arnold experienced a significant injury while on a rafting trip that left her with a broken leg and big life changes.  She takes us through her life as an ultra-runner and a “seething but adequate” married woman before the accident. The things she relied on before her accident were ripped away from her leaving her wondering who she really is. After her accident, she sought solace through a Zen meditation practice she experimented with earlier in life.  She immersed herself in a Zen meditation practice in an effort to find healing.  This is the journey she shares in her memoir “Brief Flashings in the Phenomenal World”. Katie Arnold shares her story of exploring wilderness a quest for quiet. Over the course of 2 years, from before her injury, to the uncertain recovery of both her leg and her marriage, it is a personal account of a turbulent period nestled among Zen meditations. Listen to our conversation with Katie Arnold as we unpack her powerful personal narrative of this tumultuous time in her life and how Zen meditations helped guide her through. Katie Arnold is an author, contributing editor at Outside magazine, journalist and athlete. She published her first critically-acclaimed memoir, Running Home, in 2019 and has worked for Outside magazine for the past 12 years creating popular columns about bringing up adventurous children. She has written for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Travel + Leisure, Runner's World, ESPN: The Magazine, Elle, and many others. Arnold is also an ultra-runner having won the 2018 women's Leadville Trail 100 Run. She holds multiple course records and victories at every distance from 5K to 100 miles. Over the course of a decade, Katie went from being a reluctant spiritualist to a Zen meditation practitioner. In her new book, Arnold offers unique company for those seeking nature's exquisite highs, as well as for creatives, spiritualists, and sensualists who want to slow down and explore the possibilities of a well-lived life. Arnold takes readers on a journey of both destruction and healing as she details her struggles to make it to the other side of a life-shattering injury with her body, sanity, and her marriage, intact. If you are interested in learning how to experience these brief moments of enlightenment when they come, and what they mean for our lives, this podcast is for you. Links & Resources: To purchase Arnold's book “Brief Flashings in the Phenomenal World”: https://www.amazon.ca/Brief-Flashings-Phenomenal-World-Arnold/dp/1952692695 To learn more about Katie Arnold: https://katiearnold.net/about For more information about Arnold's other books: https://katiearnold.net/books Materials to Reference: Arnold's other writing pieces:  https://katiearnold.net/writing How to Know if Zen Meditation Is Right for You: https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-zen-meditation-4586721 What is Zen Meditation?: https://mindworks.org/blog/what-is-zen-meditation-benefits-techniques/

Growing up with emotionally immature or self-centered parents can mean that your emotional needs were either disregarded or unmet. As a result, you may struggle with feelings of betrayal, abandonment, rage, or loneliness. Although you may work hard to become the person you want to be, your old wounds might re-ignite at any time, especially if your are reminded of vulnerable childhood feelings. Dr. Gibson, is an CEN expert and the author of “Disentangling from Emotionally Immature People: Avoid Emotional Traps, Stand Up for Your Self, and Transform Your Relationships as an Adult Child of Emotionally Immature Parents”. Dr. Lindsay Gibson explains that adult children of an emotionally immature parents may be particularly vulnerable to other emotionally immature people (EIP) in life. She uses her years of experience to teach us how avoid common EIP traps, build confidence, and stand strong in the face of emotional immaturity. Listen to the conversation with Dr. Lindsay Gibson as we explore how to change your perspective on complex relationships, comprehend how EIPs work, and defend your own rights without feeling guilty, ashamed, or afraid. Dr. Lindsay Gibson is clinical psychologist, author, and assistant professor with a passion for human conflict and helping others develop long-lasting, meaningful relationships. Dr. Gibson has wrote a number of books including the best-selling “Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents: How to Heal from Distant, Rejecting or Self-Involved Parents”. It has sold over 100,000 copies, been translated into 14 languages, and has helped thousands of people reverse their toxic psychological legacy and reclaim their lives. In her new book, Dr. Gibson offers practical advice to help readers handle interactions with anyone who struggles with emotional immaturity in their lives (whether dealing with others or working through one's own behaviors). This hands-on guide includes helpful analyses and insights into the most typical problems that children of emotionally immature individuals encounter, as well as helpful advice on how to create boundaries and build stronger bonds with others. Dr. Gibson explains that establishing a happy life means learning how to manage challenging conversations with EIPs, comprehend their reactions, and improve your connections in the process. If you are interested in more information about how to stop compensating for others' behavior and put your needs first, this podcast is for you. Links & Resources: To purchase Dr. Gibson's book “Disentangling from Emotionally Immature People”: https://www.amazon.ca/Disentangling-Emotionally-Immature-People-Relationships-ebook/dp/B0B6NWDMJ6 For more information about Dr. Gibson: https://catalogue.pesi.com.au/speaker/lindsay-gibson-346187/18 Materials to Reference: 4 signs that a parent is emotionally immature:  https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/mental-wealth/202111/4-signs-parent-is-emotionally-immature Characteristics of the Emotionally Immature: https://care-clinics.com/7-characteristics-of-emotionally-immature-people/ How to Spot Emotional Immaturity: https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/the-pulse-mental-health/202203/spotting-emotional-immaturity-in-high-conflict-personalities  

If you are interested in learning how to assert yourself in the workplace, navigate tumultuous family dynamics, or establish boundaries in romantic relationships, this show is for you.  Boundaries are the invisible lines that define the limits of our emotional and physical space, safeguarding our well-being and preserving our sense of self. Yet, for many, setting and maintaining boundaries can be a daunting task, fraught with uncertainty and discomfort. In her book, "Setting Boundaries That Stick" Juliane Taylor Shore offers a beacon of hope for those seeking to cultivate healthier relationships and reclaim their personal power. Through the lens of neurobiology, Shore illuminates the intricacies of boundary-setting, providing readers with practical tools to rewire their brains and foster a profound sense of safety, connection, and empowerment. Listen to our conversation with therapist & author Juliane Taylor Shore as we discuss how to embark on our own transformative journeys towards greater self-compassion, authenticity, and empowerment. Juliane Taylor Shore is a renowned expert in the fields of psychology and neuroscience, with a passion for empowering individuals to lead fulfilling and authentic lives. As a licensed therapist and educator, Shore brings a wealth of clinical experience and academic insight to her work. With a focus on integrating cutting-edge research with practical strategies, she has become a trusted voice in the realm of mental health and personal development. Juliane Shore's book focuses on guiding readers to rewire brains to establish and maintain healthy boundaries using the latest findings in neuroscience. From understanding the physiological mechanisms underlying boundary violations to implementing effective communication techniques, Shore offers a comprehensive roadmap for transforming relationships and reclaiming agency over one's life. The book contains engaging anecdotes, practical exercises, and even action based advice to empower readers to cultivate greater self-awareness, assertiveness, and emotional resilience. Listen to our conversation with Juliane Taylor Shore as we discuss the importance of honoring our own needs and values in a world where boundaries are often overlooked. Links & Resources: For more information about Shore's book visit: https://www.julianetaylorshore.com/book Learn more about Juliane Taylor Shore: https://www.julianetaylorshore.com/about To purchase the book visit: https://www.amazon.ca/Setting-Boundaries-that-Stick-Neurobiology-ebook/dp/B0BTSC8CRK Materials to Reference: Juliane Shore's Workshops: https://www.julianetaylorshore.com/clear-is-kind Learn more about Shore's training for therapists: https://www.julianetaylorshore.com/trainings-for-therapists

Relationships rule our inner world. Understanding how you feel and think about your relationships helps you become more accepting and then more peaceful. You can develop an appreciation for other people's perspectives and stop assigning blame on others. Dr. Jacqueline Heller's book “Yesterday Never Sleeps: How Integrating Life's Current and Past Connections Improves Our Well-Being” draws upon decades of clinical experience to create a powerful and more positive inner narrative. Her unique combination of neuroscience, memoirs of her life as a child of Holocaust survivors, and patient histories involving a range of psychological ills and trauma help readers to make sense of their own histories and forge a better future. Listen to our conversation with physician & author Dr. Jacqueline Heller as we discuss how to befriend and understand our inner mind, open a pathway to curiosity, improve relationships, empathy, and intimacy. Dr. Jacqueline Heller is a physician, board certified in psychiatry and neurology, psychoanalyst, and bestselling author. She brings a wealth of knowledge of over 40 years of psychiatry practice, assistant clinical professor at the UCLA Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences within the David Geffen School of Medicine. Having recently retired from her medical practice, she now focuses on passing down her knowledge to psychiatrists in training and the general public alike. Dr. Heller's book focuses on the learnable skill of self-reflection and how it helps you link emotions to past events and patterns of behaviour. Her book emphasizes how knowing and understanding the story behind our feelings can help soothe and regulate emotions before you react. She also explains how your miraculous brain – creates new neural connections when you take the time to reflect and this helps you improve emotional health and your thought processes. Listen to our conversation with Dr. Jackie Heller as we discuss lifelong inner talk (i.e., good, bad, and ugly). We will focus on strategies for gaining wisdom, love, and kindness, and helping to break cycle of old trauma in driving your life. If you are interested in learning about how integrate your past to better your future, this podcast is for you. Links & Resources: For more information about Dr. Heller's book visit: https://jacquelineheller.com/books/yesterday-never-sleeps/ Learn more about Dr. Jacqueline Heller: https://jacquelineheller.com/about/ To purchase the book visit: https://www.amazon.com/Yesterday-Never-Sleeps-Integrating-Connections/dp/B0C1MBVKYJ Materials to Reference: Heller's other interviews and talks: https://jacquelineheller.com/talks-interviews/ Heller's Articles: https://jacquelineheller.com/other-writing/

Disconnected People in positions of power make the world more dangerous for everyone – Bear Psychology Radio hosted by Dr. Anna Baranowsky with guest Dr. Steve Taylor. Disconnected people have the tendency to gravitate toward power.  When Disconnected people rule in positions of power societies trend toward patriarchal, hierarchical and warlike. In contrast, societies with connected leaders trend toward egalitarian, democracy and peace. Although most people have a deep need to be connected, life events/upbringing and trauma exposure can interfere in this profound human characteristic.  A person's “goodness” and capacity for compassion often results from connection, whereas cruelty often originates from a feeling of being cut off from others. Dr. Steve Taylor, author of “DisConnected: The Roots of Human Cruelty and How Connection Can Heal the World”, teaches us about the consequences of disconnection, how connection ultimately shapes us as a society, and how it can even change us as people. Listen to the conversation with Dr. Steve Taylor as we explore the benefits of being interconnected unpack how valuable human connection is to us all in this complex world. Links & Resources: Dr. Taylor's book review: https://tinyurl.com/3b2ewhfs Purchase Dr. Taylor's book: https://tinyurl.com/mvp52h4h Information about Dr. Taylor's Books: https://www.stevenmtaylor.com/books/disconnected/ Materials to Reference: More of Dr. Taylor's Radio Appearances and videos: https://www.stevenmtaylor.com/videos/ Information about Dr. Steve Taylor: https://www.stevenmtaylor.com/about-steve-taylor/ Events with Steve Taylor: https://www.stevenmtaylor.com/events/ Online programs with Steve Taylor: https://www.stevenmtaylor.com/online-courses/

Experiencing stressful or traumatic experiences during childhood leads us to develop certain coping mechanisms to get us through. While these strategies might have helped us feel secure when younger, they often fail us in adulthood. Richard Brouillette's book “Your Coping Skills Aren't Working: How to Break Free from the Habits that Once Helped You But Now Hold You Back” offers an evidence-based guide using multiple therapeutic modalities including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), schema therapy, and attachment theory to help readers leave behind unhelpful coping strategies that keep us stuck in self-sabotaging cycles. Listen to our conversation with social worker & author Richard Brouillette as we discuss how to break free from habits that keep you from realizing your full potential. Also, learn to leave behind damaging childhood experiences and dysfunctional coping mechanisms. Brouillette is a Social Worker and a schema therapist. He focuses on helping creatives, professionals, and business owners who have reached a performance plateau and want to reduce anxiety, find fulfillment, and strengthen bonds with others. He is also a trauma therapist with experience treating survivors of war. Brouillette was involved in a program in New York City aimed at supporting individuals' creativity and motivation while engaged in achieving exciting community goals. “Your Coping Skills Aren't Working” focuses on identifying your unhealthy coping mechanisms acquired earlier in life; understand the reasons behind them; discover how to break negative behavior patterns that prevent you from leading a happy life. Along with learning how to develop clarity, stability, and confidence in oneself, it also teaches the reader effective techniques for giving voice to your unfulfilled preferences, vision and desires. If you are interested in learning about how to not let your past need determine your future, this podcast is for you. Links & Resources: For more information about Brouillette's book visit: https://www.self-talk-therapy.com/book Learn more about Richard Brouillette: https://www.self-talk-therapy.com/about Read book reviews on good reads: https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/61414139 Materials to Reference: Richard Brouillette's Blog: https://www.self-talk-therapy.com/blog Learn more about Schema therapy: https://www.self-talk-therapy.com/18-schemas  

Raheel Raza, a Muslim Canadian born in Pakistan, migrated to Canada in 1988, has a unique perspective on what is happening right now in the Israel-Hamas war and her reflections on misinformation and what Peace would take.  She has visited Israel 13 times in the 16 years. In her National Post Article “I'm a Muslim and I love Israel. Here's why” published in February 2023, Raza details what she has learned about hate and antisemitism, it's prevalence in Arab Muslim countries, her hope for Peace and the struggles of supporting Israel at this time. Listen to our conversation with journalist & author Raheel Raza as we talk about her unique understanding of the current Israel-Hamas conflict, with the perspective as a Muslim Canadian Journalist in Canada. Raheel Raza has publications in major newspapers in Canada and appearances on International media outlets like CNN, BBC, Fox News and CBC. She is considered an activist for human rights, a prolific author, supporter of women's issues and an International public speaker. She also sits on the board of directors for Muslims facing Tomorrow and The Council of Muslims against Antisemitism (CMAA). Raheel Raza has published numerous books including “Their Jihad...Not My Jihad!: A Muslim Canadian Woman Speaks Out” which offers Raza's insight, opinions and solutions to restoring dignity and respect to Muslims living in the West and “How Can You Possibly be a Muslim Feminist?” where Raza utilizes common sense, a dash of humor and the Qur'an itself to combat against the misogynic barbarism in so many Islamic cultures. Listen to our conversation with Raheel Raza as we discuss her opinions on extremism, radicalization, and the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine. If you are interested in learning more about Raheel Raza's story, this podcast is for you. Links & Resources: Review Raza's National Post article:  https://nationalpost.com/opinion/im-a-muslim-and-i-love-israel-heres-why For more information on Raheel Raza: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raheel_Raza Links to Raza's other publications:  https://raheelraza.com/media/ Raheel Raza's Book “Their Jihad, Not My Jihad!”:  https://www.amazon.ca/Their-Jihad-Not-My-Canadian/dp/0973508728/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=raheel+raza&qid=1599398777&sr=8-3 Materials to Reference: Hamas Ideology Explained: https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2023/10/hamas-covenant-israel-attack-war-genocide/675602/ The Decolonization Narrative: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/10/decolonization-narrative-dangerous-and-false/675799/  

What does it mean to lose someone so close to you that your world will never be the same? What if this happens when the whole world is locked down during a global Pandemic, a collective trauma?  How do we navigate terrible loss with great compassion and love?  Journalist Mitchell Consky has something important to share with us about this based on personal experience. During the worst of the COVID pandemic, Consky received distressing news.  His father had been given less than two months to live after being diagnosed with a rare terminal cancer. In his book, “Home Safe: A Memoir of End-of-Life Care During Covid-19”, he describes the challenges he and his family faced with balancing a family-centered approach to end-of-life care with the social distancing demands of the Covid-19 pandemic. Listen our conversation with journalist & author Mitchell Consky as we talk about his family's journey supporting his beloved father die with dignity during a pandemic lockdown. Consky walks us through the experience of home hospice during a lockdown filled with dance parties; episodes of Tiger King, and his father's deadpan humour. Mitchell Consky is an Toronto based author and journalist with works published in the Globe and Mail, the Toronto Star, the Walrus, BNN Bloomberg and CTV News. Consky specializes in long-form feature writing and essays about loss, travel, and adventure. He also holds a Masters degree in Journalism from Toronto Metropolitan University, and a bachelor's degree in English and Film from Wilfrid Laurier University. Mitchell Consky's book utilized his journalistic talents to interview his father daily, documenting the last conversations, heartfelt farewells, and the spontaneous hilarity that marked his father's final days. These interviews provided a platform for fatherly affection, a chance for emotional disclosure during the slowed down of a locked down world, and an illustration of how far a family would go to ensure a dying loved one felt comfortable at home. Listen to our conversation with Mitchell Consky as we discuss his experience with end of life care during a global pandemic and saying goodbye to someone you love. If you are interested in Consky's story and the heartbreaking reality of terminal illness, this podcast is for you. Links & Resources: Mitchell Consky's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mitchconsky/?hl=en For more information about the book visit: https://www.dundurn.com/books_/t22117/a9781459750272-home-safe To purchase the book visit: https://www.amazon.ca/Home-Safe-End-Life-Covid-19/dp/1459750276 Links to Consky's Articles: https://linktr.ee/mitchconsky Camp Erin - a camp to help kids who have lost a parent: https://thewalrus.ca/notes-from-grief-camp/

After 20 years in practice, Dr. Jonice Webb noticed the painful struggle of people who grew up in homes where they were emotionally neglected.  She identified this neglect as an "invisible factor" that continued to affect adults often leaving them feeling depleted and dissatisfied or what she described as “Running on Empty”. In Dr. Webb's books “Running on Empty: Overcome Your Childhood Emotional Neglect” and “Running On Empty No More: Transform Your Relationships” she shines a light on this invisible force of CEN.  She discusses how to bring new tools, strategies and self-awareness to grow beyond this limiting life experience and encourages you to grow beyond CEN. Listen to our conversation with psychologist & author Dr. Jonice Webb as we learn about the concept of Emotional Neglect and her tools for helping fix it. Dr. Jonice Webb, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist, bestselling author, and “psychologist expert” according to the Chicago Tribune and CNBC. Dr. Webb has over two decades of experience in the field of psychology with a particular interest in how childhood factors influence us as adults and the effect of Childhood Emotional Neglect (CEN).™ Dr. Webb currently has a private psychotherapy practice where she focuses on the treatment of families and couples. Dr. Webb's books educate readers about the twelve types of parents who inadvertently emotionally neglect their children; ten issues that emotionally neglected children often struggle with as adults; six strategies for overcoming Emotional Neglect, and how to apply all these tools to different types of relationships including marriages, relationships with emotionally neglectful parents, and their even own children. If you are interested in Dr. Webb's insights on recognizing Emotional Neglect and beginning the journey in overcoming the impact of CEN, this podcast is for you. Links & Resources: For more information about Dr. Webb's books visit: https://drjonicewebb.com/the-book/ To purchase the books visit: https://tinyurl.com/27vn66pr For more about Dr. Jonice Webb: https://drjonicewebb.com/about-dr-webb/ Webb's CEN Training Programs: https://drjonicewebb.com/childhood-emotional-neglect-programs/ Therapist Resources for CEN: https://drjonicewebb.com/therapeutic-resources-cen/ Materials to Reference: Take the Childhood Emotional Neglect Questionnaire: https://drjonicewebb.com/cenquestionnaire/ 5 Roadblocks to Dating Caused By Childhood Emotional Neglect: https://drjonicewebb.com/5-roadblocks-to-dating-caused-by-childhood-emotional-neglect/ How Old Feelings From Your Childhood Could Be Controlling You Now: https://drjonicewebb.com/how-old-feelings-from-your-childhood-could-be-controlling-you-now/ 4 Ways You May Be Keeping Yourself Running On Empty: https://drjonicewebb.com/4-ways-you-may-be-keeping-yourself-running-on-empty/

Recovery from trauma is not simply about healing the mind but about healing the body as well. Often the approach when treating trauma is solely focused on the mental and emotional effects and fails to address the physiological imbalances that trauma leaves behind on our bodies. In Dr. Arielle Schwartz's newest book “Therapeutic Yoga for Trauma Recovery: Applying the Principles of Polyvagal Theory for Self-Discovery, Embodied Healing, and Meaningful Change”, she guides the reader using yoga practices to help release the burdens of trauma and begin the journey of healing the psyche and the body. The book utilizes a variety of principles to provide a deeper understanding of how our bodies and brains react to stress and trauma leaving the reader feeling informed and empowered. Listen to our conversation with psychologist & author Dr. Arielle Schwartz as we learn about the importance of embodied healing in treating and recovering from trauma. Dr. Arielle Schwartz, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist, prolific author, wife and mother with a passion for treating individuals with trauma. Dr. Schwartz runs a private clinic where she treats clients as well as trains other therapists in her Resilience-Informed Therapy approach for helping people recover after experiencing trauma. She has also been teaching therapeutic yoga since 2008 with a specific focus on nervous systems recovery after trauma. Dr. Schwartz's is also the author of “The Complex PTSD Treatment Manual: An Integrative, Mind-Body Approach to Trauma Recovery” which guides clinicians through successfully treating patients who have had prolonged exposure to traumatic situations. The manual focuses on utilizing mindful body awareness to build distress tolerance, cultivate self-compassion, and facilitate trauma recovery drawing from Dr. Schwartz's own years of experience in the field.  She is also the author of “Therapeutic Yoga for Trauma Recovery: Applying the Principles of Polyvagel Theory for Self-Discovery, Embodied Healing and Meaningful Change”. If you are interested in Dr. Schwartz's insights on healing from trauma using both the mind and body, this podcast is for you. Links & Resources: For more information about Dr. Schwartz's books visit: https://drarielleschwartz.com/books-by-dr-schwartz/ To purchase the books visit: https://tinyurl.com/5dbhjk66 For more about Dr. Arielle Schwartz: https://drarielleschwartz.com/dr-arielle-schwartz/ Find Dr. Arielle Schwartz's Blog here: https://drarielleschwartz.com/arielles-blog/ Dr. Schwartz's Trainings and Presentations: https://drarielleschwartz.com/trainingspresentations/ Materials to Reference: Therapeutic Yoga: https://drarielleschwartz.com/therapeutic-yoga-classes-in-boulder/ Learn about Resilience Informed Therapy: https://drarielleschwartz.com/resilience-informed-therapy/ Somatic Therapy for PTSD: https://drarielleschwartz.com/somatic-therapy/ EMDR as a Treatment for PTSD: https://drarielleschwartz.com/emdr-as-a-treatment-for-ptsd/ Play Therapy Principles: https://drarielleschwartz.com/play-therapy/play-therapy-principles/

Every wonder why you make poor food choices? Have you ever tried a new diet just to end up miserable and eating even more than before? Kim Shapira will help us understand how to put an end to disordered eating habits and improving your health and happiness in the process. Shapira recognizes that unhealthy food habits can occur as a result of life stressors and old patterns of self-soothing.  Her work focuses on getting back on track and using food for health. Kim Shapira, author of “This Is What You're Really Hungry For”, teaches us how to develop a healthy relationship with our food free of restriction and the need to constantly eat “healthy”. Her method allows you to lose or maintain your current weight, alleviate blood pressure issues, increase your energy level, reframe any unhelpful beliefs about food, identify foods that are not for you, and manage your emotions in healthy ways. Listen to the conversation with Kim Shapira as we explore Shapira's six simple rules to changing your relationship with food. Shapira is a celebrity dietitian, nutritional therapist, and author who has spent the last 25 years transforming people's relationship with food and helping them lose weight the right way. Shapira has a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from Tulane University and a Master's degree in Human Metabolism and Clinical Nutrition from Boston University. She has practiced her unique approach to keeping weight off in private practice, hospitals, sports clinics, addiction centers and even universities. In her book, Shapira breaks down the science behind getting both your brain and body on board with being healthy; explains why fad diets do not last, and empowers you to be the boss of your own body. If you are interested in learning more about how to start and stay on your health journey, this podcast is for you. Links & Resources: Kim Shapira's Book: https://www.kimshapiramethod.com/thisiswhatyourereallyhungryfor Information about Kim Shapira's Methodology: https://www.kimshapiramethod.com/method Information about Kim: https://www.kimshapiramethod.com/meet-kim Materials to Reference: More of Kim Shapira's Products: https://www.kimshapiramethod.com/shop Kim Shapira's Blog: https://www.kimshapiramethod.com/blog Contact Kim Shapira: https://www.kimshapiramethod.com/contact

I know you are creative and innovative at your core. However, most of us just don't know how to access the deep wealth of creativity that sits inside. Dr. Ronald Alexander's book “Core Creativity: The Mindful Way to Unlock Your Creative Self” guides you through using mindfulness practices to train your mind so that it more easily opens the portal to core creativity: the unconscious mind. I am really excited about this show as it focuses on opening up to a powerful element of our true nature. Listen to our conversation with psychotherapist & author Dr. Ronald Alexander as we learn ways to go beyond ordinary creativity and unlock your creativity. Dr. Ronald Alexander, PhD, is a psychotherapist and international trainer who has spent more than 5 decades guiding and advising both renowned artists and the rest of us regular folks in his effective strategies for opening the portal to core creativity. Dr. Alexander's book uses a number of effective tools including powerful guided visualizations, meditation, insights from highly creative artists, stories of ordinary people who achieved clarity and profound transformation, and more to provide those interested with a practical guide through the creative process. Listen to our conversation with Dr. Ronald Alexander as we move through areas we feel stuck in and grow our confidence in their creative abilities using the mind states of Absorbing Mind, Open Mind, and Generating Mind to access our core creativity. If you are interested in Dr. Alexander's insights on cultivating core creativity and unlocking genuine creative breakthroughs, this show is for you. Links & Resources: Ronald Alexander's Open Mind Training Program: https://ronaldalexander.com/overview/ For more information about the book visit: https://ronaldalexander.com/core-creativity/ To purchase the book visit: https://www.amazon.ca/Core-Creativity-Mindful-Unlock-Creative/dp/1538149567 For more about Dr. Ronald Alexander: https://ronaldalexander.com/about-dr-ronald-a-alexander/ Alexander's Audio Programs: https://ronaldalexander.com/meditation-audio-programs/ Materials to Reference: More of Dr. Alexander's books: https://ronaldalexander.com/wise-mind-open-mind/ Ronald Alexander's Blog: https://ronaldalexander.com/dr-rons-blog/ Learn more about the ingredients for creativity: https://www.inc.com/tanner-christensen/the-six-resources-that-lead-to-creativity-according-to-research.html

Disconnected people have the tendency to gravitate toward power.  When Disconnected people rule in positions of power societies trend toward patriarchal, hierarchical and warlike. In contrast, societies with connected leaders trend toward egalitarian, democracy and peace. Although most people have a deep need to be connected, life events/upbringing and trauma exposure can interfere in this profound human characteristic.  A person's “goodness” and capacity for compassion often results from connection, whereas cruelty often originates from a feeling of being cut off from others. Dr. Steve Taylor, author of “DisConnected: The Roots of Human Cruelty and How Connection Can Heal the World”, teaches us about the consequences of disconnection, how connection ultimately shapes us as a society, and how it can even change us as people. Listen to the conversation with Dr. Steve Taylor as we explore the benefits of being interconnected unpack how valuable human connection is to us all in this complex world. Dr. Taylor is a senior lecturer in psychology at Leeds Beckett University, and the chair of the Transpersonal Psychology section at the British Psychological Society. He is also the bestselling author of The Calm Center, The Leap and the Clear Light. His work has been described by Eckhart Tolle as “an important contribution to the shift in consciousness which is happening on our planet at present.” In his book, Dr. Taylor provides us with unique knowledge of human behaviour, social issues and a new perspective on human nature. If you are interested in learning more about how rediscovering the consciousness of our connection to each other is the only way we can live in harmony with ourselves, with each other, and with the world itself, this podcast is for you. Links & Resources: Dr. Taylor's book review: https://tinyurl.com/3b2ewhfs Purchase Dr. Taylor's book: https://tinyurl.com/mvp52h4h Information about Dr. Taylor's Books: https://www.stevenmtaylor.com/books/disconnected/ Materials to Reference: More of Dr. Taylor's Radio Appearances and videos: https://www.stevenmtaylor.com/videos/ Information about Dr. Steve Taylor: https://www.stevenmtaylor.com/about-steve-taylor/ Events with Steve Taylor: https://www.stevenmtaylor.com/events/ Online programs with Steve Taylor: https://www.stevenmtaylor.com/online-courses/

We all want to feel free to be our true selves and live in a way that feel authentic.  I want to live my life to the fullest and I imagine you do as well.  Despite this, we can get sidetracked by demands and expectations that throw us off our true gifts and passions.  Instead we might follow the preferences and aspirations that society, family, and friends have for us, rather than what we truly want for ourselves. Breaking free from self-doubt and discovering what it is that you truly want from life, demands that you grow beyond the obstacles that undermine personal goals, hopes and dreams. Dr. Lyndsay Gibson, Psychologist and author of “Who You Were Meant to Be: A Guide to Finding or Recovering Your Life's Purpose”.  Dr. Gibson utilizes her years of clinical knowledge to show us what gets in the way of our true unfolding.  We will reflect on how to free ourselves from misguided guilt and misplaced loyalty that confuses loving others with sacrificing ourselves and betraying our true life path. Listen to the conversation with Dr. Lindsay Gibson as we explore ways to reclaim your true path, especially if you have suffered from the effects of emotionally immature parents. We discuss how to uncover your life's purpose and who you were truly meant to be. Dr. Lindsay Gibson is a clinical psychologist, author, and assistant professor with a passion for human conflict and helping others develop long-lasting, meaningful relationships. Dr. Gibson has written several books including her best-selling novel “Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents: How to Heal from Distant, Rejecting or Self-Involved Parents”. It has sold over 100,000 copies, been translated into 14 languages, and has helped thousands of people reverse their toxic psychological legacy and reclaim their lives. In her book, Dr. Gibson provides real life examples from her therapy practice and a variety of methods to get you thinking about what constitutes individual happiness and how to chart a course to get there. Dr. Gibson helps her readers to free themselves from doubt and defeat and find out what you really want to do with your life, utilizing inner guidance to find personal and energizing life purpose. Her book helps address feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, and the common fears that often bring self-actualization to a hault while offering practical advice for those who are reluctant to put themselves first in their own lives. If you are interested in more information about how you can recover from emotionally immature parents, break out of old habits, forge a new path to discover or recover our true purpose in life and become the people we want to be, this talk is for you. Links & Resources: To purchase Dr. Gibson's book “Recovering from Emotionally Immature Parents: https://tinyurl.com/mwf48aur To purchase Dr. Gibson's book “Who You Were Meant to Be: A Guide to Finding or Recovering Your Life's Purpose”: https://www.amazon.ca/Who-You-Were-Meant-Recovering/dp/0882821873 For more information about Dr. Gibson: https://catalogue.pesi.com.au/speaker/lindsay-gibson-346187/18 Materials to Reference: 4 signs that a parent is emotionally immature: https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/mental-wealth/202111/4-signs-parent-is-emotionally-immature Accessing Emotional Immaturity (questionnaires and resources): http://curioushealing.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/ACEIP_exercises.pdf Tips for finding your life's purpose: Accessing Emotional Immaturity (questionnaires and resources): https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/articles/202301/5-ways-to-find-your-purpose

There are times when someone describes in detail a relationship that seems unkind, unhealthy and even dangerous.  Or maybe we have experienced this personally in a relationship with a person we thought would be a wonderful partner to begin with only to realize after falling deeply in love that this person is self-centered, arrogant, attention seeking and lacks basic empathy and consideration for other people. An expert on NPD and psychopaths and the author of “Women Who Love Psychopaths: Inside the Relationships of Inevitable Harm with Psychopaths, Sociopaths & Narcissists”, Sandra L. Brown (author and former psychotherapist) shares her knowledge of Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) and Psychopathy, the complicated nature of Pathological and/or abusive relationships, and how to heal when the relationship ends. Listen to our conversation with Sandra L. Brown as we delve into personality disorders (Borderline, Narcissism, Anti-Social, and Psychopathy), Pathological Love Relationships, and the care of those who have suffered through the ordeal of dangerous relationships. Sandra L. Brown, M.A., is the founder of the Association for NDP/Psychopathy Survivor Treatment and The Institute for Relational Harm Reduction & Public Pathology Education. She is a former psychotherapist in the field of psychopathology and “survivor trauma”.  She is a respected community educator on the intersections of mental illness, personality disorders, violence, and recidivism. She is also a clinical lecturer, TV and radio guest, and author. Brown has written a number of books including How to Spot a Dangerous Man Before You Get Involved; Women Who Love Psychopaths: Inside the Relationships of Inevitable Harm with Psychopaths, Sociopaths & Narcissists, and Counseling Victims of Violence: A Handbook for Helping Professionals. Brown illustrates a novel model of clinical treatment she has brought to this population as well as research and insight into the impact of the survivors' experiences. Her unique treatment approach integrates relational dynamics, personality traits, and trauma/aftermath symptomatology of survivors of NPD/Psychopath partners with the goal of providing professionals with effective tools for treating survivors of NPD/Psychopaths. If you are interested in Sandra Brown's knowledge on Pathological Love Relationships, how to free yourself from them, and healing your trauma caused by psychopathic abuse, this podcast is for you. Links & Resources: Sandra Brown's Books: https://www.amazon.ca/Sandra-L-Brown/e/B01ATIAQKG/ref=aufs_dp_fta_dsk Association for NPD/Psychopathy Survivor Treatment: https://survivortreatment.com/ To purchase her award winning book: https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/0984172807/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i4 For more about Sandra Brown: http://sandralbrownma.com/ Contact Sandra Brown: http://sandralbrownma.com/more-about-sandra/ Materials to Reference: Relevant Research on Psychopathy: https://survivortreatment.com/research/ New Science that has emerged: https://survivortreatment.com/field-development-accomplishments-and-contributions/ Brown's Workshop's for Professionals: https://survivortreatment.com/treating-the-survivor/ https://survivortreatment.com/clinicians-guide/ Relevant Articles on NPD and Psychopathy: https://survivortreatment.com/articles/

Across North America, almost half of all marriages will end in divorce or separation. Even though divorce is a complex process that requires legal, psychological and financial considerations, there may be ways to make it just a bit less painful. Nanci Smith's book “Untangling Your Marriage: A Guide to Collaborative Divorce” attempts to dispel some negative messaging about divorce and show us that divorce can be achieved with dignity, mutual respect, integrity, and compassion. Listen to our conversation with lawyer & author Nanci Smith as we get an introduction to both the mindset and the process of Collaborative Divorce, an interdisciplinary, non-adversarial divorce model. In Collaborative Divorce, Smith how the process provides a guide through emotional issues such as anger, sadness, rage, betrayal, etc. with everyone in the family unit. And, how a neutral financial expert helps to collect, organize, and clearly presents the financial resources of the couple so that there is an even playing field to negotiate the final settlement terms.  The lawyers provide legal advice throughout the process without being adversarial, and making a difficult situation, worse. Nanci Smith is a lawyer and author who began her career in litigation firms focusing on Criminal Litigation and Family Law. She also worked representing victims of domestic violence and people with psychiatric diagnoses in mental health civil proceedings. She is a member of the Vermont Bar Association, is the Chair of the Vermont Bar Association Collaborative Section, and a member of the Collaborative Practice Vermont, an Interdisciplinary Practice Group. Smith has received advanced training in and practices Collaborative Divorce and Collaborative Mediation at her solo practice. Smith's book presents a candid and open view of divorce from the viewpoint of an experienced divorce lawyer who has also through a divorce herself. Smith unlocks a collaborative approach to any divorce advising deep listening, invention, flexibility, and the capacity to pivot away from shame and blame and towards acceptance. She identifies these practices to counteract the volatile and complex issues related to divorce. Listen to our conversation with Nanci Smith as she shows us how to emerge from a divorce, sound and sincere, working through bitterness and resentment. The heart of her approach is to reframe divorce from an act full of shame and blame to a place where divorce is seen as a type of mourning. Links & Resources: For more information about the book visit: https://nancismithlaw.com/book/ To purchase the book visit: https://amzn.to/3yOgFO2 For more about Nanci Smith: https://nancismithlaw.com/about-us/about/ Nanci Smith's Media Appearances: https://nancismithlaw.com/media/ Nanci Smith's Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCU09PQWh0kvj5KLhZWxwGXQ Materials to Reference: To contact Nanci Smith: https://nancismithlaw.com/contact/ Nanci Smith's Blog: https://nancismithlaw.com/blog/ Learn more about potential indicators of divorce: https://bit.ly/3YZPxWK

We may believe that asylums are a thing of the past but practices of enforced psychiatric confinement continue today, much to our surprise. Author Wipond, argues that, now more than ever, North Americans are being forced into treatment and involuntarily committed supposedly "for their own benefit." Rob Wipond's book “Your Consent Is Not Required” gives us a look into the psychiatric practices of forced interventions still in place today in some private and public mental health facilities. Wipond describes mental health institutions using psychiatric confinement to manage school children; disoriented elderly; quell family conflicts; police the streets; control people in shelters and prisons; “resolve” workplace disagreements; detain protesters; discredit whistleblowers; and shockingly fraudulently increase hospital profits, plus more. Wipond's book details coercive use of mental health interventions used today in some public and private hospitals, group and long-term care facilities, troubled-teen and residential treatment centers, and even individual's own homes under outpatient commitment orders. He found that these interventions often include surveillance against will, indefinite detention, and powerful tranquilizing drugs, restraints, seclusion, and even electroshock. Listen to our conversation with investigative journalist & author Rob Wipond as we unpack the common misconception that only “dangerous” individuals get committed and dive into some of the traumatic practices supposedly used to “help” those struggling with mental health complexities. We explore Rob Wipond findings and research full of alarming true stories and hard data from both the US and Canada's mental health systems. Links & Resources: For more information about the book visit: https://robwipond.com/your-consent-is-not-required To purchase the book visit: https://www.amazon.ca/Your-Consent-Not-Required-Guardianships/dp/1637741480 For more about Rob Wipond: https://robwipond.com/about Rob Wipond's Articles: https://robwipond.com/articles Materials to Reference: Rob Wipond's Blog: https://robwipond.com/news Contact Rob Wipond: https://robwipond.com/contact

In a house full of turmoil, sometimes the person who you hope has your back may become your enemy. Sisters Ronni Tichenor and Jennie Weaver know this better than most. In their book “Healing Begins with Us” they share their journey in overcoming childhood abuse that pitted the two against one another.  In the book they discuss how they healed and strengthened their sibling bond after a tumultuous upbringing. Listen to our conversation with Ronni and Jennie as we navigate their traumatic childhoods, learn how they broke the cycle of intergenerational abuse, and learn how to begin a family healing process. Ronni Tichenor has a Ph.D. in Sociology with a specialization in family dynamics and Jennie Weaver is a board-certified family nurse practitioner with experience in mental health. Their book details the abuse that occurred in their childhood, how they managed to repair their relationship with each other and move forward in life to create their own healthy families. Listen our conversation with Ronni and Jennie as we discuss how toxic environments can change sibling connections, helpful insight and advice on how to heal from your own painful upbringing, and how to heal tumultuous sibling relationships. If you are interested in more information about healing family connections after trauma, this podcast is for you. Links & Resources: For information about the book or authors visit: www.ronnitichenor.com/ To purchase a book visit: https://tinyurl.com/2ba9mmhp For more about Ronni Tichenor:  www.ronnitichenor.com/about-ronni Breaking the Cycles of Trauma and Abuse, Silence and Shame (Ronni Tichenor & Jennie Weaver's Podcast): open.spotify.com/show/0CSnLlxETeMYsAd6UXnraH Materials to Reference: Trauma Resources and Support: www.ontarioshores.ca/resources-support/self-help-resources/trauma-resources-and-support More of Ronni Tichenor's Content: www.ronnitichenor.com/free-content Book a session with Ronni: www.ronnitichenor.com/book-a-session-1 Childhood Trauma and Adult Life Relational Issues: www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/love-and-sex-in-the-digital-age/202107/childhood-trauma-and-adult-life-relational-issues

Most of us are stressed these days and don't know how to manage it. While stress is an inevitable part of life, it doesn't have to take over our lives. Dr. Doni Wilson's book “Master Your Stress, Reset Your Health” walks us through identifying our unique type of stress and the best ways to manage it to make stress actually work for us. Listen to our conversation with naturopath & author Dr. Doni Wilson as we learn how to support our body's needs and chart a path to become resistant to the negative effects of stress. Dr. Doni Wilson is a naturopathic doctor, certified professional midwife, and certified nutrition specialist. After suffering from migraines herself for over 20 years, she has developed a stress recovery protocol that has helped thousands of patients to overcome their health challenges and achieve wellness. Dr. Wilson's book details five unique types of stress.  She shares with us: how to identify them and create a personalized stress management plan; what happens in our bodies when we're stressed; her trademark three-part stress recovery protocol; how to truly disconnect and take care of yourself; and how to give your body the support it needs to heal from a number of different stress induced ailments (i.e., anxiety, depression, fatigue, insomnia, brain fog, headaches, chronic pain, weight gain, and digestive issues). Dr. Doni Wilson explores her customizable C.A.R.E. program including Clean eating, Adequate sleep, Recovery, and Exercise and how they can help you resolve underlying causes of stress and free the body from its harmful effects. Dr. Wilson shares with us lessons and strategies from her own personal journey of recovering from the effects of stress and effective ways she has found to get more energy, feel refreshed, recover from over-indulging during the holidays and generally feel better and more balanced. If you are interested in Dr. Wilson's tips and tricks on overcoming stress, beating burnout, and getting back to a healthier you, this is for you. Links & Resources: Dr. Doni Wilson's – 7 Day STRESS RESET (For free with this link!) doctordoni.com/ddpp/stress-reset/ Dr. Don's - Stress Type Quiz doctordoni.com/quiz/stress-quiz/ For more information about the book visit: doctordoni.com/master-your-stress/ To purchase the book visit:  benbellabooks.com/shop/master-your-stress-reset-your-health/ For more about Dr. Wilson: doctordoni.com/ How Humans Heal (Dr. Wilson's Podcast): doctordoni.com/blog/podcasts/ Materials to Reference: More of Dr. Wilson's books: drdonistore.com/Books_c_69.html Dr. Wilson's Blog: doctordoni.com/blog/ Stress Management Tools: hr.umich.edu/benefits-wellness/health-well-being/mental-emotional-health/learn-more-about-mental-emotional-health/thrive-stress-management-program/stress-management-tools-resources

Are you interested in adding mindfulness, meditation or contemplative exercises into your life to help you manage the demands of daily living or better manage stress and anxiety?  If your answer is yes, then this show will prove to be a perfect fit.  I am excited myself.  I have been a bit lazy with my meditation practice lately and looking forward to getting some guidance myself! Carla is a lawyer by training but she made a big pivot to wellness and mindfulness teaching.  In her mindfulness work, she brings her focused and precise mind to a creative and healing modality using a trauma-informed lens. In her teaching she integrates an awareness of science and neurobiology to help explain why what she is doing works so well. Listen to our conversation with the remarkable Carla Weinstein (meditation and contemplative practice guide) as we explore with her meaningful work in delivering Trauma Informed Mindfulness practices. Building on Carla's extensive training in yoga, meditation and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, she has been offering programs through the TraumaPractice.org charity for community-based groups since 2020.  Her group programs are the most highly ranked and attended among the charity's participants.  We follow up with her today to ask, what has made her approach to trauma informed meditation so useful for those attending her programs? Carla will broadly cover some of the topics addressed in her course, to help us better understand her approach: The Power of Mindfulness: Awareness The Impact of Trauma and the Brain and Body + Meditation Through the Trauma Lens The Neuroscience of Meditation + The Power of Attention Emotional Awareness + Turning Toward Aversion, Avoidance, Resistance + The Suffering Equation Developing a Healing Attention Cognitive Hindrances, Mental Chatter, and Values Self Compassion, Resilience and Equanimity Weinstein shares lessons on how we can each enrich our lives by building a meditation/contemplative practice and what she has learned herself from the work she provides through TraumaPractice.org Links & Resources: For information about Carla Weinstein and her mindfulness work visit: www.thedropinproject.com/about-2 What is mindfulness:  www.thedropinproject.com/mindfulness Offerings from Carla:  www.thedropinproject.com/offerings Materials to Reference: Trauma Informed Meditation practices explained. Brother Phap Linh shares how to recognize trauma in ourselves and those around us (plum village): youtu.be/TOutCopkf3E Dr. Jeff Terrant, psychologist discusses trauma informed meditation practices and what it means to be trauma informed: youtu.be/qTYTciz3bM4 Yoga with Adrienne provides a yoga practice for PTSD: youtu.be/TqVSwY8y3UY Dr. Bessel van der Kolk discusses 6 approaches to heal from trauma without medication:  youtu.be/ZoZT8-HqI64  

Not everyone has a picture-perfect childhood. In fact, some of us grow up in homes where our parents need parenting or we have to parent ourselves.  Dr. Lindsay Gibson's book “Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents” helps you overcome the crushing role of catering to parents who were (for whatever reasons) not up to the job of parenting. Dr. Lindsay Gibson is clinical psychologist, author, and assistant professor with a passion for human conflict and helping others develop long-lasting, meaningful relationships. Dr. Gibson's book helps you to understand how "immature parents" function; learn to resolve guilt or shame when you stop over-helping them; and start to listen to your own needs so you avoid being emotionally drained in the future. Listen our conversation with Dr. Lindsay Gibson as we explore the effects of emotionally immature parents and how you can recover from the devastating impact of growing up in a  neglectful and/or toxic home environment. Dr. Gibson explains the effect these relationships can have on your emotional autonomy in future relationships including: your ability to identify and express your thoughts and feelings; struggles with setting limits and boundaries with others; as well as the ability to establish rewarding relationships as an adult. She also explains ways to combat these effects so you can develop enhanced connections and relationships with others. If you are interested in more information about emotionally immature parents, combating the effects of their toxicity, and how to grow meaningful relationships, this show is for you. For information about the book visit:  http://www.drlindsaygibson.com/books.html Links & Resources: To purchase a book visit:  https://www.amazon.ca/Adult-Children-Emotionally-Immature-Parents/dp/1626251703 For more about Dr. Gibson:  http://www.drlindsaygibson.com/about.html Freeing Yourself (Dr. Lindsay Gibson's Online Blog): http://www.drlindsaygibson.com/blog Materials to Reference: 4 signs that a parent is emotionally immature:  https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/mental-wealth/202111/4-signs-parent-is-emotionally-immature More of Dr. Gibson's books: http://www.drlindsaygibson.com/books.html Gibson answers your questions: http://www.drlindsaygibson.com/readersquestions Accessing Emotional Immaturity (questionnaires and resources): http://curioushealing.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/ACEIP_exercises.pdf

If you have ever fallen into negative patterns of action or thoughts that fail you often AND you identify as male (or know a man you want to better understand) then this self-help guide provides humorous and relevant instruction.  David and Corey write this book together as a patient & therapist duo with insight into the pitfalls and possible strategies to deal with 4 primary destructive patterns that might be getting you or someone you know into trouble.  Listen to our conversation with therapist & co-authors David Coates & Corey Kilpack as we travel with them on their adventure to "Be less Dickish".  Coates is a therapist on a mission to help men figure things out so they are more successful in their relational and life endeavours. Kilpack is a client who sought therapy to better understand his pitfalls and figure out a roadmap for a way out. Together this duo have identified the following "douchebag" quadrants (their descriptor not mine!) that undermine one's best act in life.  I have used their subtitles which provide more information to help the listener recognize the struggle: Aggression / Assertiveness (A-Hole) Imitation / Service (Douchebag) Victimization / Self-Care (Dick) Submission / Surrender ("Pussy) And in special cases "Piece of S..t" Adding a touch of humor to each story, the authors describe crass, destructive and non-productive strategies that change overtime to reveal that growth can happen with insight, understanding and new behaviour approaches.  We all have something to learn from their reflection on how these 4 (or is it really 5) characters who become triggered and learn to use the TRACE approach (Trigger, Reaction, Awareness, Curiosity and Experimentation) to increase self-awareness and behave more effectively, as a result. Links & Resources: To purchase your copy visit:  https://www.amazon.com/Be-Less-Dickish-These-Archetypes/dp/B08L47S3YG Be less Dickish - audiobook: https://www.audible.ca/pd/Be-Less-Dickish-Audiobook/B09CF74X47 The meaning behind the insulting language in Be Less Dickish: https://youtu.be/GZTi1cHP_KY Materials to Reference: Tips for men who want to improve:  https://medium.com/hello-love/5-tips-for-men-on-improving-their-relationships-51f6043ec1b9 What men really want: https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/articles/201203/what-do-men-really-want & https://hbr.org/1993/11/what-do-men-want Man's search for Meaning (1946) Viktor Frankl: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man%27s_Search_for_Meaning  

Surviving a violent or abusive relationship can leave us broken hearted and in need of healing.  Dr. Amelia Kelley & Kendall Ann Combs' book “What I Wish I Knew: Surviving and Thriving after an Abusive Relationship” offers strength, guidance and clarity on this difficult life experience. The book covers how a dangerous relationship can look like a fairy tale at the beginning only to unravel into an abusive and devastating situation that is difficult to leave and hard to rebuild from in the aftermath.  Kelley and Combs provide a deep dive into how you got there and how to get out and trust again. Listen to our conversation with Dr. Amelia Kelley and Kendall Ann Combs as we explore the dangers of an abusive personal relationship and how to free ourselves and heal from this dangerous life path. Dr. Kelley and Ms. Combs identify various forms of relationship abuse (i.e., physical, emotional, sexual, verbal) and identify strategies for leaving an abusive relationship (i.e., asking for help, seeking support, pre-planning; creating a safety strategy and exiting). They also unpack how to deal with the aftermath of an abusive relationship and learn to thrive after the pain. Kendall Ann Combs is an author, activist and podcaster.  She is a survivor of Intimate Partner Violence herself and recognizes what it takes to get to safety. Dr. Amelia Kelley, Ph.D. is a Trauma and Crisis Counseling Professor, a trauma-informed therapist, Yoga instructor and author, with a focus on helping others leave unhealthy relationships. If you are interested in more information about domestic violence, escaping a relationship with intimidation, gaslighting, or control, this talk is for you. For information about the book visit:  https://www.ameliakelley.com/books/ Links & Resources: More about Dr. Kelley: https://www.ameliakelley.com/about/ More about Kendall Ann Combs: https://kendallanncombs.com/ High Heels and Heartache (Kendall Ann Combs Podcast about relationship issues): http://highheelsandheartache.com/

If you have struggled with a serious depression or PTSD that does not resolve, even after trying everything, then you might have considered Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapy.  This might involve a plant medicine like Ayahuasca, Psilocybin or maybe MDMA or Ketamine therapy.  Whichever approach you might have investigated you probably have noticed that there are huge costs, very little professional oversight, and possibly the requirement of travelling long distances to remote locations to acquire these treatments.  In other words, it is a treatment path that is not easily accessible, and for some, too scary to consider. Yet, there is gathering evidence that these approaches can be remarkably beneficial for those with treatment resistant mental health symptoms.  Jonathan Sabbagh is the founder and CEO of Journey Clinical.  The company was founded with his wife Myriam Barthes to address the needs of mental health consumers seeking unique treatments like Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy within a safe and supervised environment, even with your own mental health practitioners.  Journey Clinical makes it possible for your practitioner to provide care before, during and after a KAP intervention. So what is Ketamine/Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapy, what are the benefits and what can you expect if you chose this approach?  We will cover this and more in this radio show. If you are interested in more information about psychedelic assisted psychotherapy or want to find a trained therapist who is able to help, this show is for you. For more information about Journey Clinical:  Journey Clinical is a turnkey platform that makes it possible for licensed mental health professionals in private practice to deliver Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) safely and effectively. They act as the therapist's in-house doctor, treatment partner and one-stop-shop for all KAP needs, providing KAP education, new patient referrals, peer consultation groups, marketing support, a robust library of resources and more.  https://www.journeyclinical.com/ Links & Resources: More about Journey Clinical: https://www.journeyclinical.com The Psychedelics Podcast: https://psychedelicstoday.com/2022/01/14/pt284/ How Psychedelics Changed my Life – Jonathan Sabbagh: https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/psychedelics-ketamine-psychotherapy-mental-health-b1928289.html

It seems clear to me, that if we are constantly striving to experience only pleasure we will certainly land in a hurting world of pain. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter (or chemical messenger, which the brain produces) that plays a big role in the experience of pleasure. Instant hits of pleasure can keep us hooked into a cycle of gratification that results in an escalating need for reward, but instead leads to anxiety and a thirst for satisfaction that is never fulfilled. Our brains produce chemical jolts that can be evoked by emoji text messages; Facebook “likes”; shopping excursions we cannot afford; as well as drugs, alcohol and sex. Many of these reward pathways are more accessible than ever, often keeping us constantly seeking more, without a lasting satiety. Listen to our conversation with Dr. Anna Lembke, M.D., Psychiatrist, Professor, Author.  She is Chief of the Stanford Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic.  She is also the author of bestseller “Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence” as well as “Drug Dealer, MD, How Doctors were Duped, Patients Got Hooked, and Why It's So Hard to Stop”. Dr. Lembke's books help us to understand that brain chemicals are involved in a potentially dangerous reward pathway, especially where there is ease of access to ever intensifying stimulants/drugs and other activities that reinforce the pleasure cycle.  She explores meaningful strategies for withdrawing from pleasure, bringing balance through pain, or the capacity to tolerate discomfort. In her book “Dopamine Nation” she shares her own experience of getting hooked into reading paranormal vampire novels which took her down a pathway of ever intensifying reading content.  She is a beacon of hope in understanding the complicated and deep struggles of those ensnared in the path of addiction, whatever the brand. In her Ted Talk on the opioid epidemic and the connection to pain management, she is able to expose some of the drivers to over prescribing opioids, and the dangers related to this. She also goes over some socio-medico alternatives to more opioid prescribing. She offers insight into the pleasure-pain mechanism and how it is wired into our brains.  She also brings recognition towards the fact that in an overabundant world, where we are encouraged to incessantly seek pleasures; we reduce our capacity to remain quiet, content or peaceful within ourselves.  She explains that the richest countries in the world have the highest rates of addiction, suicide, and pain. Her book covers many examples of those struggling with addictions of various kinds and the dangers of avoiding pain of any kind.  She describes dopamine fasting and how profoundly beneficial this can be in resetting an overstimulated system to a greater place of balance. Links & Resources: Anna Lembke, MD: https://www.annalembke.com/ Ted Stanford University – Dr. Anna Lembke: https://tedx.stanford.edu/lineup/anna-lembke The Psychology of An Addict Explained by Dr. Anna Lembke: https://youtu.be/2-mWbVNpBMg The Social Dilabout:blankemma: https://www.netflix.com/ca/title/81254224 Rich Roll: The Neuroscience of Addiction: https://www.richroll.com/podcast/anna-lembke-623/ Anna Lembke – Wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anna_Lembke Daily Motivation – The richest countries have the most misery: https://youtu.be/9Zd9qvJUr-o Materials to Reference: Resetting pleasure/pain balance through Dopamine Fasting Dr. Lembke: https://youtu.be/9Zd9qvJUr-o The Social Dilemma – Reclaim your screen time:  https://www.thesocialdilemma.com/reclaim-your-screen-time/ Andrew Huberman interviews Dr. Lembke:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3JLaF_4Tz8

Dr. Taylor is a senior lecturer in psychology at Leeds Beckett University, and the chair of the Transpersonal Psychology section at the British Psychological Society. He is also the bestselling author of The Calm Center, The Leap and the Clear Light. His work has been described by Eckhart Tolle as “an important contribution to the shift in consciousness which is happening on our planet at present.” His new book “Extraordinary Awakenings: When Trauma Leads to Transformation” is perfectly timed for the entrance into a new year with all the potential for hope, growth and self-reflection. The stories in this book explore how the worst experiences in life can open a person up to their most profound growth and life transformation. If you have pain symptoms that do not resolve easily and are not explained by a recent injury, accident or illness, listen to this conversation. If you have ever experienced an extreme or life-shattering event you may have also experienced what Steve Taylor describes as “transformation through turmoil”, or “shifters”, who evolve in their lives in remarkable ways following terrible events. Links & Resources: Extraordinary Awakenings: https://www.stevenmtaylor.com/books/extraordinary-awakenings/ Events with Steve Taylor: https://www.stevenmtaylor.com/events/ Online programs with Steve Taylor: https://www.stevenmtaylor.com/online-courses/ Spiritual Growth after Trauma: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10943-020-00980-2#:~:text=(2009)%20found%20that%20trauma%20often,(Park%20and%20Folkman%201997). Wikipedia on Post-Traumatic Growth: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-traumatic_growt

Writing can be used as a powerful tool for self-healing.  We all have a unique journey as we grow and evolve.  The beauty of the practice of writing is that it is available to help us anytime and anywhere. Albert Flynn DeSilver is a gifted writer and author coach.  He provides online programmes for exactly this type of experience and opens the door to honest dialogue for healing in his work. His profound book, “Writing as a Path to Awakening” opens the reader up to self-examination and the use of the written word as a courageous personal growth strategy. n Albert's memoir “Beamish Boy,” he shares his own personal journey of going from suicidal alcoholic to widely published author and spiritual teacher, showing how writing can be central to a healing path.  The book is filled with moments of life challenges that awaken us to remember how our life stories are also our pathway to healing and self-understanding.  He inspires the reader to become more compassionate with themselves, as they reflect on their own troubling experiences, and reminds us how to integrate the suffering through writing and embodied presence. This is the practice of truth-telling through writing; in which writing (telling) the story helps to let go of the story—until one day we find ourselves reconnected to life, waking up to the freedom and love that is our very nature. Albert has worked with numerous international bestselling authors like Cheryl Strayed, Dani Shapiro, and Elizabeth Gilbert, among others. These authors have been an inspiration for millions and an opportunity for individuals to better understand how unpackaging your life story can lead to personal growth. Albert offers a creative writing program online that features a mindful approach to increase inspiration, transformation and celebration from the inside out.  For information:  https://www.albertflynndesilver.com/program Links & Resources: More about Albert Flynn DeSilver: https://albertflynndesilver.com/ The Mindful Authors Accelerator Program: https://albertflynndesilver.com/program DeSilver on Youtube:  https://www.youtube.com/c/AlbertFlynnDeSilver Writing as a Path to Awakening – Intro:  https://youtu.be/LFpwW4NN_uA FREE 30 minute coaching listeners - first 30 people:  https://calendly.com/asisowl/30min?month=2022-04 Materials to Reference: Using Expressive Writing to Heal Trauma - Dr James Pennebaker, PhD:  https://youtu.be/CjEr0xiXqio Shadow Work and Healing Journal Prompts:  https://youtu.be/Khau5RpZUrQ The Healing Power of Writing | Kerstin Pilz | TEDxTownsville: https://youtu.be/btxVXcRDhqY What the best Memoirs have in Common:  https://youtu.be/nzMrNDxuct0

Dr. Cammy Froude has a very unique perspective on the cross-section between medical and mental health and trauma recovery. She was a Postdoctoral fellow in Medical Family Therapy (University of Colorado) and has a Ph.D. in Human Development and family studies, with a specialization in trauma and health. This is a particularly important combination, as at any time we may find ourselves needing to address our own physical health, which may be further impacted with related trauma that may come with a sudden illness/injury/surgery/medical error, etc. Dr. Cammy understands the importance of working deeply in ways that go beyond a supportive or strictly cognitive behavioral interventions and leans in to the somatic or physically experienced layers of pain (emotional and physical) She uses multiple mind-body or Somatic strategies (including EMDR) to address the expression of emotional/medial trauma. Dr. Cammy brings a fresh and energetic approach to helping those at her clinic.  She also recognizes that we can have “Medically Unexplained Physical Symptoms”, or MUPS, that can become exacerbated in times of strain. Recognizing the roots to these symptoms can free us up to live more fully and understand the core of our triggers and the subsequent symptoms. MUPS include physical struggles such as: Chronic Fatigue Non-Epileptic Seizures Stomach Pain Pelvic Pain Medical Trauma Iatrogenic Effects If you have thought that there may be a link to emotional struggles/trauma and a distressing medical symptom, then this show will open up some new options for you. Links & Resources: Contact Dr. Cammy Froude: https://www.drcammytherapy.com/ Cammy on youtube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCekyT0v0Pj0kE5woAzhTQdA?view_as=subscriber What is Somatic Therapy and how can it help you?  https://www.drcammy.com/blog-3/w1w7vns8502eacypqkahaengpofgia What is an Iatrogenic Event?  https://www.verywellhealth.com/what-is-iatrogenic-2615180 Somatic Interventions:  https://integrativepsych.co/new-blog/somatic-therapy-explained-methods

Every moment is an opportunity to learn something valuable about ourselves. Let's be honest though, it can also be hard to be focused on the little moments in life, and instead, we may often take life for granted. We may tune out and waste precious experiences focusing instead on negative, unproductive thoughts.  I know I am guilty of this at times. So how do we capture what is really meaningful and get the most out of life? Mindfulness keeps us present and aware. Daily Mindfulness practice allows us to show up and experience all the moments of our lives as present, accepting, and aware. I hope you will join us for our next radio show with our guest Ora Nadrich, as we dive into Mindfulness and the ways it can help us navigate challenging thoughts and emotions, while embracing all the little but meaningful moments in life. Ora Nadrich is founder and president of the Institute for Transformational Thinking, and author of Live True: A Mindfulness Guide to Authenticity. Ms. Nadrich provides a compelling invitation to navigate the territory of the self in order to gently tend to our personal and collective sorrow. Ora will help us understand: Why it's important to stop the day's busy-ness and allow for interludes of present moment awareness How focusing on breath keeps you fully present Why asking the simple yet profound question, "Who am I?" leads you to self-discovery How to embark on a "raise your consciousness challenge" How one's own awakening and shift in consciousness leads to an awakening in others Ora Nadrich is the author of, Live True: A Mindfulness Guide to Authenticity. A certified life coach and mindfulness teacher, she specializes in transformational thinking, self-discovery, and mentoring new coaches as they develop their careers. Learn more at theiftt.org and OraNadrich.com. Links & Resources: Live True: A Mindfulness Guide to Authenticity Institute for Transformational Thinking Audible Link: https://www.audible.com/author/Ora-Nadrich/B011WAFLK0 About Ora Nadrich: OraNadrich.com

Chronic pain is a multi-factorial event that can leave the sufferer facing terrible pain alone, without solutions, and sometimes not even believed by others. Did you know that 1 in 5 suffer with chronic pain? Wait times to see a pain specialist can take up to a year or longer and risk of suicide doubles for those suffering with chronic pain. With costs spiralling to over $60 billion + annually, it is startling that the seriousness of this situation is not given more focus. We discuss the difficulty in dealing with chronic pain as well as some strategies that are proving useful for some people. Approaches include: Meditcations and Injections Physical Therapies and Laser therapies Exercise Mind-Body Approaches – like Dr. Sarno's (TMS) Meditation or other self-reflection exercises Psychotherapy One of the big problems with chronic pain is that it is invisible and your struggle might not be taken seriously by medical professionals. You may be left without solutions or a treatment plan to address your needs. Chronic pain is complex and one solution does not fit all. In most cases, there is a need for approaches that include medicine, physical therapies, mind-body (biopsychosocial) counselling and rehabilitation. Not everyone has the resources for all these therapies and yet without them the outcome may leave the pain sufferer with insufficient relief and ongoing pain. Links & Resources: The Problem with Chronic Pain: https://youtu.be/xfl1Q5hG5Pc?t=40 Lynn Cooper past president of the Canadian Pain Coalition: https://theprovince.com/opinion/lynn-cooper-relief-needed-chronic-pain-is-a-complex-disease-and-should-be-treated-as-such Canadian Pain Task Force Report: June 2019:  https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/corporate/about-health-canada/public-engagement/external-advisory-bodies/canadian-pain-task-force/report-2019.html The Mind-Body Prescription – physical reactions are connected to emotions: https://youtu.be/pHM45IXkXeM Canadian Pain Society: https://www.canadianpainsociety.ca/ Suffering from Confounding Symptoms: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/26/books/review/the-deep-places-ross-douthat.html The Deep Places: https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/57341765-the-deep-places Treating Chronic Pain takes a Team: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/09/well/live/chronic-pain-treatment.html Psychologist help with Chronic Pain: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/09/well/mind/psychologists-chronic-pain-therapy.html

Ranch Hands Rescue has a reputation for being a place of refuge for victims who have survived horrific circumstances.  This makes Ranch Hands Rescue a very special place.  Landon Dickeson, Clinical Director & Bill Williams, CEO of Ranch Hands, will be joining us today to share with us the meaningful work they perform with both abused and neglected animals, and the traumatized people that they bring together. Ranch Hands focuses on the 1-10% of trauma survivors that do not respond well to traditional counselling services.  This includes those struggling with treatment resistant PTSD, including sexually abused children and adults, sex trafficking victims and veterans.  The animal sanctuary houses horses, llamas, goats, sheep and other farm animals where the therapy between human and animals begin to reclaim life, hope and healing. Let's spend some time with Bob Williams to better understand how the Ranch integrates this approach to make a difference in the lives of both the people and the animals that they provide care for. Bob's House of Hope is the newest program, and the first safe house in America for young men who have been sex trafficked.  This project is a big win for those in need. We learn about the Ranch Hands Rescue approaches to helping at-risk people who bond closely with the animals they encounter, finding solace and healing. Links & Resources: Information about Ranch Hands is available at: https://www.ranchhandsrescue.com Listen to Bob Williams on Youtube.com at Ranch Hands Rescue - YouTube Get involved at Donate Now - Ranch Hands Rescue (gifttool.com) Bob's House of Hope for male victim's of Sex Trafficking

Have you ever wondered why you said, “yes” when you meant “no” or became enraged by something you recognized later was no big deal?  Does your anger flare up quickly in your relationships or do you ever feel like the world is against when something minor occurs?  This likely means your inner “demons”,  also referred to as unresolved inner beliefs or YOUR SHADOW, is ruling your life. We are joined by Shadow Work expert Dr. Robert Masters to discuss what the shadow is, how to work with your unconscious motivators, and how to challenge a spiritual by-pass (when you don't want to face the difficult stuff in life). In addition to this, we also explore why this work is so important for your growth and how it leads to inner peace. There is a huge cost to responding like a hurt 7 year old to a work colleague or becoming explosively jealous when you see your spouse/partner enjoying a conversation with someone else.  Great inner growth and peace evolves when you can reflect on why you become triggered/hurt, and become aware of the inner drivers that lead you to feel so bad or become so reactive. Dr. Robert Masters is an expert in Shadow Work.  He has written and taught extensively on the unconscious drivers that lead to behaviors, attitudes and events that do not serve us. In his 2018 book “Bringing your Shadow out of the Dark: Breaking free from the hidden forces that drive you”, Master's explains that “Our Shadow … is our internal storehouse for the parts of us that we've disowned or rejected, or are otherwise keeping in the dark”. Dr. Masters is a therapist and “Psychospiritual guide” with a deep understanding of the “neglected shadow domains of ourselves”. Let's enjoy this conversation with Dr. Robert Augustus Masters and reflect on the deepest places of self-reflection and inner growth, the Shadow. Links & Resources: Dr. Robert A. Masters book Bringing your Shadow Out of the Dark is available: https://bit.ly/3sx7VYt Listen to him speak about Shadow Work: https://www.robertmasters.com/interviews/ For information about Dr. Master's courses, books and work: https://www.robertmasters.com/

What does it mean to "Heal the Moral Wound"?  Have you experienced life-changing events that you have not been able to get over? Our guest today is Dr. J. Eric Gentry, renowned psychologist, author and speaker. His recent book Forward-Facing Trauma Therapy provides steps for reclaiming a life "filled with dignity, meaning and purpose".  Eric is more than my guest today.  He is a friend and co-author of our book The Trauma Practice: Tools for Stabilization & Recovery.  I have known Eric since we worked together in 1997 with Dr. Charles Figley, one of the committee members who helped to set the foundational DSM criterion for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.  We grappled in those early days with approaches that fit the trauma clients we were working with at the Stress Research Lab that Charles ran.  This was the beginning of Trauma Practice.  Eric has focused his career on working with trauma survivors and training 1000's of professionals on how to help trauma survivors.  The crucial part of his Forward Facing work is that it provides an approach that goes beyond identifying and managing triggers and integrating past trauma to "Aligning behavior with values".  This creates an intentional anchor that allows action to follow values and meaning rather than simply reacting to life events.  This means you can choose to follow your own life purpose and beliefs instead of the triggers from the past.  Dr. Rhoton describes the FFTT approach as "a compelling case that stress reduction and symptom alleviation are only the first steps in the healing process and that our ultimate goal must be to ... achieve a congruent life based on integrity and choice. " We will learn about Dr. Gentry's approaches to helping you Identify Triggers, Establish a Healthy Lifestyle; Practice Self-Regulation; Develop a Mission and Code of Honor and hold true to your core of Intentional Living. While Dr. Charles Figley states that FFTT has the potential to "substantially increase the effectiveness of psychotherapy for the traumatized with a one-two punch: (1) Direct exposure to the root of the traumatic memories paired with  (2) resilience-building self-care practices that promote principle-based living ... while rapidly optimizing ... quality of life." So let's spend some time with Dr. J. Eric Gentry to better understand how he integrates "Intentional Living" to create meaningful, principle-based lives into the core of his pivotal work. If you read through Dr. Gentry's work and watch his videos, you will see an earnest dedication to the work of healing and recovery.  So let's enjoy our dialogue with Dr. Gentry and understand the Forward Facing Trauma Therapy approach. Links & Resources: Dr. Gentry's book Forward Facing Trauma Therapy is available at:  https://amzn.to/2U9gAUg Listen to him speak about Forward Facing Trauma Therapy: https://youtu.be/F8GiWzbfFhc In the next video Dr. Gentry addresses Self-Regulation: https://youtu.be/k0BYt2rPB9c Contact Dr. Gentry at Forward Facing: https://www.forward-facing.com/ 

Ahh, deep restorative sleep! What relief!  We all know how much better we feel after a good night's sleep.  But what happens when we are woken up throughout the night by disturbing nightmares and unsettling dreams?  Are we prepared with strategies for getting back to sleep or for addressing upsetting dream content when it surfaces?  What about repetitive nightmares that keep coming back?  How are we to deal with them?  Well, today's show looks at sleep interventions, as well as dream and nightmare strategies. I love this topic as it gives you the skills for looking closely at what surfaces through the dream content and what makes it so interesting and meaningful in your own healing journey. Whether it is tigers chasing you or workplace incidents, repeating the content is often symbolic or representative of what needs addressing, rather than reflective of the actual problems in your life.  For example, if in your life you are not getting along with a specific friend ... your dream content might show you in a boat floating away from shore into murky water and away from a house that represents your connections and safety.  You can see an array of animals growling on the shoreline as well as one cartoon character happily waving at you from one of the windows of the house.  You don't need to live close to water or even in a house in order for the dream to have meaning for you or to relate to the argument you are having with your friend. Nothing needs to be an exact replica if you look at the content through the lens of "everything is an aspect of you". In the example above, you are all elements.  You are the murky water, the house you are leaving behind, you are the boat and the feelings you have being on the boat.  You are all characters that you see.  Given time and introspection, you can begin to notice how each element relates to you and your life themes and events. Treatment for nightmares includes medications such as Prazosin, CBT therapy such as Image Rehearsal Therapy (or changing the ending) and dream journaling.  Deep breathing, relaxation practices and embedding the positive rather than fighting to get to sleep. Other approaches include: Sleep Hygiene Dream Journaling using a light pen Decoding Bad Dreams using Imagery Rehearsal Therapy Making Peace with your Sleep – do not fight to get back to sleep ... instead rest and breathe deeply Improve sleep with deep relaxation and embedding positive messages Using Guided Body Scan and Progressive Body Relaxation We also recognize that having a trauma history makes a person much more susceptible to bad dreams/nightmares.  This can be thematic such as dreams that reflect a certain type of experience (i.e., loss of an important person, violence against you or those you love, etc).  These thematic nightmares do not necessarily present an exact replica of what occurred in your life but can have features representative of a type of loss or trauma that still needs attention or healing in your life. Research indicates that trauma has been increasingly identified as a potential precursor to clinical insomnia (Sinha, 2016). Sleep quality disruption is one of many ways that trauma can have a significant and prolonged impact on health and well-being, and this is largely because of the ways in which trauma can sensitize the central nervous system to become more hyper-aroused. However, there are ways to mitigate this, improve sleep quality, and regulate the body's sleeping patterns again after trauma. An excellent article by Havens et al. (2019) outlines this research, and has informed some of the exercise guidelines below. Links & Resources: Sleep Hygiene: https://youtu.be/YvqeWcPwd2o?t=59 Tame & Decode Bad Dreams: https://youtu.be/Oi72TXnkEy4?t=17 Make Peace with Your Sleep: https://youtu.be/5HjzyLMsygM?t=38 Improve sleep by relaxing deeply and embedding positive messages: https://youtu.be/ZQmfCEtzvEE Sleep relaxation (the Honest Guys): https://youtu.be/8TDcGYmEgyM Guided Body-Scan Meditation for Sleep: https://youtu.be/8TDcGYmEgyM Imagery Rehearsal Therapy (IRT): https://www.verywellmind.com/imagery-rehearsal-therapy-2797304 Reduce Nightmare Frequency with IRT: https://youtu.be/CLsmRs6RXYM

Kristi Hugstad's book gives practical strategies for facing real life hardships.  Ms. Hugstad lost her husband to suicide 8 years ago and has been grappling with the loss ever since.  She described her life prior to the suicide in glowing terms.  She faced social rejection, extreme grief, guilt and the devastating loss of her loving spouse. She described a loveable, popular husband who was a successful gym owner.  They sold the business with the plan of retiring early.  This was the beginning of his unexpected spiral into depression and eventual suicide. Her book outlines how she faced this loss and details the kinds of real life strategies a person can employ to face struggles.  The book outlines simple, straightforward approaches – like journaling, mindfulness, healthy sleep, exercise and sound nutrition to face life struggles.  The conversation gets into the real impact of life losses and the importance of recognizing mental health struggles as we grow and change. Although the book is focused on youth, it applies broadly to people needing some practical tools to face the demands of life.  Even before COVID, mental health challenges were significant.  COVID-19 isolation, lockdowns, losses and restrictions have affected everyone in unexpected ways, leaving more people vulnerable and needing support. Links & Resources: The Grief Girl: https://www.thegriefgirl.com/#/ Life after Loss Blog: https://www.thegriefgirl.com/life-after-loss---a-blog#/

CBT is one of the most common interventions and tends to deal with every day struggles that you might have in dealing with life events.  A CBT approach might help you deal with negative thinking and adapt your behavior so you are more engaged and less impacted by fearful beliefs.  The book is full of well-structured and organized resources.  The book is supported by video exercises and templates on the publisher's website (NewHarbinger.com). Our guest is Dr. Nina Josefowitz, renowned psychologist and co-author of 'CBT Made Simple; A Clinicians Guide to Practicing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. CBT or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is an evidence-based intervention for addressing the impact of mental health struggles.  The CBT approach is one of the most well researched psychological interventions and has demonstrated efficacy.  This structured and often goal oriented approach can lay a strong foundation for early career mental health professionals beginning to work with clients, as well as for individuals who are struggling with emotional disturbances and learning to reclaim their lives.  The CBT approach provides excellent step-by-step guidance moving toward self-understanding and a balanced mechanism for stabilization. The research on CBT has demonstrated it as a power-house of intervention (Asnaani, Vonk, Sawyer and Fang, 2012) for depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, substance abuse, schizophrenia, eating disorders, insomnia, personality disorders, anger management, stress disorders and chronic pain. In Nina's book, she focuses on the importance of both teaching and practicing the skill, to ensure the intervention can be both understood and used when needed. She focuses on Behavioral Activation as a crucial step toward recovery and encourages strategies for self-reflection on current daily activities as a starting point.  In her work, she breaks down exercises using templates that give the user a deep dive into their own behaviors and a clearer sense of ownership over what is working and what is leading to emotional and mental health struggles. If you read through some of her exercises and watch her videos, you will see a clinician with a deep sense of care and compassion for her clients. Links & Resources: Dr. Nina Josefowitz, CPsych, Psychologist, Toronto, ON, M6G https://www.drninajosefowitz.com/ CBT Made Simple – preview: https://bit.ly/3uQnUkh CBT Made Simple – videos / templates:  https://www.newharbinger.com/9781684034550/#nh-book-accessories

Transpersonal Psychology is the section of psychological study that addresses spiritual or transcendent elements of personal experience.  The idea of our transpersonal lives is that which encompasses or goes beyond our typical and practical daily lives and into wider or unexplained aspects of what we may encounter in life.  This may include peak or mystical experiences, spiritual crisis (in which typical elements of life are no longer sufficient to establish a sense of meaning) and expanded perceptions of life (i.e., who or what we are). Transpersonal psychology addresses our highest potential or evolutionary states of being that may transcend the ego drivers and ordinary states of consciousness. We hope you will join us as we explore this fascinating topic with our special guest Steven Taylor! He is a Transpersonal Psychologist University professor and author who has written 13 books on the topic of spiritual growth and emergence.  His extraordinary depth of understanding of this topic and many years of experience delving into this topic have formed a body of work that helps to elevate and inspire.  His work goes beyond what we buy, our education, even specific religious backgrounds, and rather into how we profoundly connect to each other and our planet. https://www.stevenmtaylor.com/books/   His work shines hope on a time that has led many to feel destabilized and unsatisfied. His most recent book The Clear Light is an exploration of Spiritual Reflections and Meditations illustrating our ultimate connection with each other and the world around us, and beyond.  His book Spiritual Science addresses the importance of our spiritual growth in making sense of the larger world around us, and is grounded in science.  My favorite is The Leap, which covers stories of individuals unfolding in their own spiritual growth, revealing the mystery that weaves us together as beings on this complicated life journey. Certainly, when it comes to serious life events and trauma, a well-developed spiritual life can help us navigate the darkest of times.  Dr. Emma Bragdon, author and "spiritual emergence" coach has her own heart wrenching and traumatic life experiences.  She used spiritual practices including meditation to face the suicide of her mother, followed within a year by her father, the end of her marriage and suicide of her employer.  She explained that "without meditation and my connection to a meaningful spiritual community ... I likely would have shipwrecked and fallen into the deeps ... a very human response to total overwhelm."  https://www.emmabragdon.com/about One of the earliest Transpersonal Psychologists was William James (1842 to 1910) who described the experience of oneness!  James said "a great many people think they are thinking when they are merely rearranging their prejudices".  He captured the struggle of our beliefs with realizations that remain important today.  He also recognized that "The world we see that seems so insane is the result of a belief system that is not working.  To perceive the world differently, we must be willing to change our belief system, let the past slip away, expand our sense of now, and dissolve the fear in our minds."  This idea that we are more than our beliefs is good medicine even today, more than 100 years after his death. So let's dive into this discussion to better understand what Transpersonal Psychology is and how your Spiritual Emergence can be a time of healing and integration. Links & Resources: Dr. Steve Taylor:  https://www.stevenmtaylor.com/about-steve-taylor/ Dr. Emma Bragdon: https://www.amazon.ca/Call-Spiritual-Emergency-Personal-Transformation/dp/1456611429 Leo Matos provides an early explanation of Transpersonal Psychology 1982: https://youtu.be/FiCOazoizjU Dr. William James on human consciousness:  https://www.brainpickings.org/2018/06/04/william-james-varieties-consciousness/ The Science of Consciousness:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Science_of_Consciousness

Let's talk about why we fail to see the emotional pain that men live with every day.  Beliefs can tie us in knots and render us blind to the struggles of others when we fail to look more closely with an open mind and heart.  Documentary film-maker Cassie Jaye's most notable film "The Red Pill" forced her to re-examine her beliefs about the Men's Rights Movements.  She started her journey with one notion in her mind only to discover the very real pain and suffering that men experience when they are abused and mistreated, directed into dangerous work, or facing violent circumstances. The statistics around the dangers of life for men show that: 1 in 6 are sexually assaulted, they are more likely to experience violent assaults, are 93% more likely to die on the job than women, account for 73% of suicides, and are given longer prison terms for same/similar crimes than women. It seems that these real issues are overlooked and under-reported.  Men are told to "suck it up", "get over it", "stop whining" and are shamed into tolerating violence even in their own intimate relationships. I wonder about these frightening numbers and how they are impacting the men in our lives. I wonder about the fathers, brothers, siblings, spouses and friends who are struggling.  I wonder why these statistics are not better known. Toronto Psychologist, Dr. Yaacov Lefcoe brings a deep understanding of these issues from his readings, reflections, and clinical practice.  He will help us to navigate these concepts and learn about what the drivers of involvement are for the men who join these groups. Dr. Lefcoe will also help us to understand the motivations that lead men to become Men's Rights Activists, PUAs (Pickup artists), Game and Inner Game Theorists (closest to PUAs) and MGTOWs (Men go their own way) of which Incels (involuntary celibates) is a part of.  All of these individuals are said to have "taken" the Red Pill, which our guest Dr. Lefcoe will help us understand. We will try to gather information and be thoughtful as we try to figure out what is happening to the men in our society who are struggling, feeling hurt, alienated and distressed.  Without this, we fail men who are struggling with their identity and this can lead to further failures at building healthy and meaningful relationships. On April 23, 2018, 25 year old Alek MInassian drove a rented van down Yonge Street in North York, Ontario killing 10 people and injuring 16 in a deadly vehicular attack.  Upon apprehension by police, Minassian began demanding that the officer shoot him "in the head!"  This did not occur and instead he was taken into custody by a level-headed officer on the scene.  Following the attack a Facebook post revealed that he identified himself as an "incel" or involuntary celibate.  His anger during the attack was largely focused on female pedestrians, who he perceived had rejected him and other "incel" men. This type of event leaves victims, survivors and community devastated and further disenfranchises men who are legitimately having difficulty fitting in and trying to establish themselves in a satisfying way in their lives, communities, relationships. We need to better understand these issues and develop healthier and more promising roads for men to take while they develop and mature into the best they can become.   Links & Resources: Dr. Yaacov Lefcoe, CPsych, Psychologist, Toronto, ON https://www.yaacovlefcoe.com/ Cassie Jaye's Ted Talk on learning about the Men's Rights Movement: https://youtu.be/3WMuzhQXJoY Toronto Van Attack – April 23, 2018  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toronto_van_attack#Suspect The Red Pill – A Cassie Jaye Documentary: http://theredpillmovie.com/

Traumatology Institute recently made available a new Audio Self Help Series. The Accelerated Recovery Program for Compassion Fatigue: A Self-Guided Resiliency & Recovery Series Dr. Anna B. Baranowsky & J. Eric Gentry, M.A. Copyright: 2021 Compassion Fatigue what is it? Crucible of Transformation Retirement Party Intro to NLP: Reflect & Process Memories NLP Reflect & Process Exercise Circle of Support Conclusion Music Sampler Diane Kistner The Traumatology Institute offers training programs for professional and personal development. As a Clinical Psychologist, Dr. Baranowsky works every day with Mental Health Issues with a specialization in Post Trauma Stress. She trains therapists to help trauma survivors and resolve professional compassion fatigue.

Let's talk about what led to the storming the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.  From my point of view, this includes the lure of relevancy or a fear of loss of power; a fire hose of lies within a bubble of misinformation; isolation during COVID; a longing to belong; fear of a changing world; a psychosis of delusion and an acute sense of entitlement.  There are other elements to this, however,  given the confusion, fear and uncertainty that this event provoked... it is a timely conversation. On January 6, 2021, I watched with great sadness as the U.S. Capitol was stormed by Trump supporters encouraged by a president who would not accept election results unless he was the victor.  His supporters were primarily white and unwilling to allow anything to stand between them and their sense of entitlement to power at all cost. There are those who stormed the capitol that are now paying the price of possible prison time, job loss, injury and even loss of life. Why would so many be willing to lose so much? Who would sign-up for such an event with so much at stake? What type of people attended and why? Christopher Buckley of LaFayette, Georgia, is an Afghanistan war veteran. He is a former White supremacist. He says he needed to "fit in". He launched the organization Life after Hate to help people leave White Supremacist groups. Let's discuss the meaning of this event, how it impacted you, and what you hope for going forward. I do have to say that my U.S. friends, colleagues and friends were a source of inspiration to me in their courage and conviction to guide the world to a better place.  One friend told me he was nervous about going outside for anything and choosing to stay as close to home as possible.  He admitted that it is just not safe for him to go out. I want to give a special shout out some (but not all) of my heroes who helped me make sense of these events, and those of a wild 2020. Stacey Abrams Raphael Warnock Joh Ossoff Michael Moore Steven Colbert Samantha Bee And Amanda Gorman who stuns with her magnificent heart lifting poem that she read at the pivotal inauguration of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. https://youtu.be/whZqA0z61jY The list above is a short one.  Are there people who inspired you while you were facing fearful moments or wondering whether democracy would survive? Links & Resources: The 'Shared Psychosis' of Donald Trump and His Loyalists – Scientific American The psychology of American racism and how to work against it (apa.org) Seduced by Temporal Power: 'We are seduced by temporal power': Gloria Purvis on racism, pro-life politics and the lure of the devil | America Magazine White Supremacists are the biggest threat:  Former White supremacist: This is how to tackle hate and bigotry (Opinion) – CNN Life after Hate – helps former White Supremacists leave the movement: Life After Hate  

Un-package how Gratitude, Appreciation and Kindness can help us all navigate this complex and challenging holiday season of 2020. 2020 is an unprecedented holiday season. COVID-19 has taken over the world landscape and changed lives forever. I just put up a 12 x 14 Canvas wall tent in my backyard. I filled it will pillows, blankets and heaters.  It is freezing here, but the tent will make a few visits with those in our pod possible during the winter months. The tent has two large mesh doors and two mesh windows on the sides.  There is enough room, fresh air and secure measures in place to have a select few visit to share this space safely with us.  I am grateful that we have a strategy for when the COVID lock-down lifts again, allowing for safe connection. We are now hovering around 2,500 to 3,000 live listeners for each show and I am grateful for your interest in our conversations and willingness to participate.  I love your questions, comments and feedback.  It has been a wonderful gift. One gift back to our community is FREE access to the complete "Trauma Recovery NOW!" audio program.  Find at: Bear Psychology Podcast on Apple Podcasts Bear Psychology Podcast Blog & Radio Show – Trauma Practice What Is PTSD – YouTube The remarkable Brother David Steindl-Rast (Author, Interfaith Monk) explains in his Ted Talk that, "we all know people who have lots of misfortune, misfortune that we ourselves would not want to have, and they are deeply happy.  They radiate happiness ... because they are grateful".  David explains that, "it is not happiness that makes us grateful.  It's gratefulness that makes us happy".  He goes on to help us recognize what gratefulness is and how it works.  He explains that when something truly meaningful is given without expectation that "then gratefulness spontaneously rises in my heart, happiness spontaneously rises in my heart.  That's how gratefulness happens." Brother David, beautifully explains "Grateful living" (https://bit.ly/3oG3qI8 at minutes 3:23). Brother David's teachings can be found at: https://gratefulness.org/ https://www.drjohnaking.com/shop/
code s2s for 20% discount Dr. Robert A. Emmons (University of California) is a leading scientific expert on gratitude. His work focuses on research and practices for establishing this important skill. His book "Thanks! How the New Science of Gratitude can Make you Happier" and "Gratitude Works! A 21-day program for creating emotional prosperity" are resources we want to consider during these challenging times. Dr. Emmons book "Thanks!" Is the first major study of gratitude that illustrates how "wanting what we have" can measurably change peoples lives. In Emmons work, he explains both how gratitude can help us function better in work and life as well as myths related to gratitude (including the myth that gratitude is not possible when facing adversity).   His talk on gratitude is both uplifting and surprising. https://youtu.be/Cl5i1skE3vg?t=20 Connected with the idea of gratitude for what is freely given (based on Brother David's work) is those that are willing to be kind in their giving to others.  The research on kindness, demonstrates a sense of well-being that springs from kindness to others, particularly rich in spontaneous acts (i.e., helping someone up in a moment of need, driving an injured friend to hospital, dropping off a meal to a neighbor, helping someone who is lost safely find their way). https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2020/09/doing-good-boosts-health Links & Resources: Leasing your comfort Zone from Positive Psychology: https://bit.ly/3qJmZRo Gratefulness as the route to Happiness with Brother David Steindl-Rast:  https://bit.ly/3oG3qI8 Gratefulness Journal: https://gratefulness.org/practice/private-gratitude-journal/ Dr. Robert Emmons, leading scientific expert on Gratitude: https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/profile/Robert_Emmons Thanks! How Practicing Gratitude can make you Happier by Dr. Emmons: https://amzn.to/3gx6R0R Dr. Emmons video on The Challenges to Gratitude: https://youtu.be/Cl5i1skE3vg

Traumatology Institute recently made available a new Audio Self Help Series. "Recovery Now TRAUMA" is the first in the series and addresses the needs of trauma survivors who are seeking self-help guidance to support their recovery. "Learn about the impact of trauma and the importance of self care. Engage in guided trauma recovery exercises." Copyright: 2020 Introduction What is Post-Traumatic Stress? Our Approach to Trauma Care Phase I: Safety & Stabilization Diaphragmatic Breathing 3-6 Breathing Relaxation Autogenics Grounding & Containment 5-4-3-2-1 Titration Trigger List Phase II: Trauma Memory Processing Layering NLP Anchoring Story Telling Phase III: Reconnection Connections with Others In Closing The Traumatology Institute offers training programs for professional and personal development. As a Clinical Psychologist, Dr. Baranowsky works every day with Mental Health Issues with a specialization in Post Trauma Stress. She trains therapists to help trauma survivors and resolve professional compassion fatigue.

Christine Arylo is an entrepreneur and author of "Overwhelmed & Over it". She focuses on shifting from overworking and giving too much to empowering yourself to achieve what matters most to you, receive what you need, and breathe. Do you tend to overdo and over-give?  Then join the conversation, and figure out what your drivers are for this behavior, so you can free yourself up to do what truly matters! On Christine's website she asks "Are You Over giving in Ways That Aren't Really Necessary?" Select the link below to complete the "Overwhelmed & Over It, Self-Care Quiz" & Find Out How You may be Adding to Your Own Overwhelm, Burnout & Self-Sacrifice. https://christinearylo.com/overwhelmed-and-over-it-quiz/ Our topic today is perfectly timed for the holiday season (Nov 26 is American Thanksgiving). Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or Diwali; if you are an over-giver then any time may be a time of over-doing!  Do you want to break the cycle of over-giving and overwhelming yourself?  Join us as we challenge this old habit. Do you chronically over-give and then feel resentful, frustrated and exhausted?  If you answered yes, then our topic will give you a chance to reflect on how and why this happens.  Even better, we will discuss ways to challenge this tendency, and provide tools to help you navigate life demands without burning out. I also have to be careful with over-give and over-doing. I juggle a-lot-of-balls and sometimes, instead of asking for help, I just do the task.  I know I need to share the demands but sometimes it just seems easier to do the task myself. This is especially true, if I don't want to bother someone else who is also busy.  This tendency is quite common and it is worth having the conversation with someone completely immersed in this question like our guest Christine Arylo. Links & Resources: For more information about Christine Arylo and her book: https://christinearylo.com/overwhelmed-and-over-it-book/ Christine's podcast:  https://christinearylo.com/podcast/ Overwhelmed and Over it Quiz: https://christinearylo.com/overwhelmed-and-over-it-quiz/ Ted Talks for when you feel totally overworked: https://www.ted.com/playlists/245/talks_for_when_you_feel_totall