Psychodrama

The past two years have been marked by among many social factors, the “great resignation.”  This phenomenon has extended to academia and it is a surprise because many refer to it as “the best job in the world.” An occupation that allowed individuals to pursue their own interests, and provided significant autonomy, and for those in tenure track, the possibility of a very stable, protected employment virtually unavailable in any other industry or setting. However, the great resignation has arrived to academia as well.  In the next 2-3 episodes we are attempting to do a brief series that captures various voices of individuals leaving academia for other pursuits. Given our expertise, our guests are psychologists. We are aware that this may seem to narrow the topic significantly. However, we hope that the diverse background of our guests and the fact that they are psychologists, may help provide a special insight into their own motivations and a unique view into the great resignation as they explain why they decided to leave “the best job in the world.” Our first guest in our “Leaving las Academia” series is Dr. Nelson Zounlome who actually posted his resignation from a counseling psychology position at the University of Kentucky on twitter, and that is how we first contacted him.  As you will hear, Dr. Zounlome is a first-generation college student, child of immigrants, and native of South Bend, IN. He earned Bachelor's degrees in Psychology & Sociology, and a Master's degree in Learning Science-Educational Psychology Track, and a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from Indiana University. He is a former McNair Scholar, Ford Foundation Fellow, Herman B. Wells Graduate Fellow, and until recently an assistant professor in the counseling psychology department at the university of Kentucky. He published the book “Letters to My Sisters & Brothers: Practical Advice to Successfully Navigate Academia as a Student of Color” and he has channeled his passion for studying “academic persistence and mental wellness to promote holistic healing among Black, Indigenous, and People of Color” in his new enterprise, Liberate the Block or LTB as he calls it to in his words “help BIPOC communities liberate themselves and achieve their wildest dreams.” We hope you enjoy listening to this episode as much as we did recording it.

For this episode, we are very pleased to have Dr. Hal Herzog back to our show to talk to us about his research area in human-animal interactions(anthrozoology).  Hal has published a second edition of his fascinating book “Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat- Why It's So Hard to Think Straight About Animals.”  His research has been published in journals such as Science, The American Psychologist, The Journal of the Royal Society, The American Scholar, New Scientist, Anthrozoös, BioScience, The Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, and Animal Behavior. His work has been covered by Newsweek, Slate, Salon, National Public Radio, Scientific American, USA Today, The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, The Chicago Tribune and many other newspapers.  In 2013, he was given the Distinguished Scholar Award by the International Society for Anthrozoology. In this episode, we focused on “The Pet Effect” -the idea that pets improve the well-being of humans.  Hal goes over the data in this regard, and discusses how the “pet effect” may be at least overstated, if not  non-existent, and the reasons why this perception of “animals as miracle workers” remains.  Including how much he loves his cat Tilly, and how he thinks Tilly helps his well-being despite her bird-icidal ways and countless examples of people whose lives are decidedly worse or made more difficult by pets. We delve deeper in the topic by examining the effectiveness of  animals in animal assisted therapy (AAT), for example the use of dogs for the treatment of PTSD with veterans, and question whether the investment required to train the dogs (up to $35,000 per dog) is worth the small effect and the very mixed (at best) data on it.   We conclude by talking about the ethics and morality of keeping animals as pets, and draw some interesting parallels between meat-eating and pet-ownership. Hal also talks about whether it is better to not spay and neuter pets (the answer may surprise you!) and how his daughter Katie Herzog, a journalist, arrived at the decision for her dog “Moose” by digging into the data.  We finished by talking about the issue of personhood for animals including upcoming court cases in the US, like the one of “Happy” the elephant at the Bronx zoo, arguing that some animals may be considered persons, and thus, may not be kept in captivity.  A very fun, interesting episode, and thought provoking episode. We hope you enjoy it! (This episode was NOT brought to you by Purina because boy, they may not like what we have to say). Research and Articles in Episode: Link to Hal's Website and Book National Academy of Sciences review of VA study on potential therapeutic effect of emotional support dogs on Veterans with PTSD Happy is an Elephant. Is He Also a Person? Jill Lepore, The Atlantic Magazine. Moose Nuggets: A journey through one dog's testicles. By Katie Herzog. Substack Dogs are born with ears and tails. They should get to keep them. By Karin Brulliard. Washington Post. 

We talked to Dr. David Ley, a world-renowned clinical psychologist who has written prolifically in both academic and popular culture outlets about sexuality and mental health. He is a member of the board of the Sexual Health Alliance and is recognized as an international expert on issues related to psychology, pornography, and sexuality. Dr. Ley is regularly interviewed for television (e.g., Anderson Cooper, Katie Couric, Dr. Phil) and by the press (e.g., the New York Times, the Washington Post) and is exceptional at sharing scientific research and clinical expertise with the public in an accessible manner. He is the author of three books: Insatiable Wives: Women Who Stray and the Men Who Love Them, The Myth of Sex Addiction, and Ethical Porn for Dicks. We talked to Dr. Ley about how partners can increase sexual satisfaction through communication, sociocultural factors that influence attitudes toward sexuality, his books and research, the importance of competence in these areas for mental health professionals, and more. For additional information about his important contributions to the field, check out Dr. Ley's website and follow him on Twitter. Links Mentioned in the Episode: Professional Organizations & Resources Sexual Health Alliance American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers APA Division 44 Consensual Non-Monogamy Task Force Dr. Ley's Psychology Today Blog 3 Ways to Meet Your Partner's Sexual Ideals and Why You Should Dr. Ley's YouTube Channel On Katie Couric's Show Other Research & Books Magnificent Sex: Lessons from Extraordinary Lovers by Kleinplatz & Menard Tell Me What You Want: The Science of Sexual Desire and How It Can Help Improve Your Sex Life by Lehmiller Sexual Addiction 25 Years On: A Systematic and Methodological Review of Empirical Literature and an Agenda for Future Research by Grubbs et al. The Prevalence of Paraphilic Interests and Behaviors in the General Population: A Provincial Survey by Joyal & Carpentier Concordance and Discordance between Paraphilic Interests and Behaviors: A Follow-Up Study by Joyal & Carpentier Moral Incongruence and Pornography Use: A Critical Review & Integration by Grubbs & Perry Past Psychodrama Podcast episode with Dr. Joshua Grubbs (Will Pandemic Porn Use Lead to Addiction?)

Transgender and gender diverse people appear to be at higher risk for suicidal thoughts and behaviors than cisgender people. In this episode, Dr. Raymond Tucker shared what he has learned about this topic from his research with transgender and gender diverse veterans and civilians.  Importantly, he highlighted the limitations of the current literature by pointing to methodological challenges in the field. Dr. Tucker shared the psychological mediation framework to describe how external stressors (e.g., discrimination) influence internal experiences (e.g., shame) to impact mental health. He also described factors that seem to protect against suicide risk (e.g., chosen family, social support, equitable policies) and a transgender-affirming cognitive behavioral therapy adaptation for clinicians. We learned a lot from Dr. Tucker, and we hope you enjoy the episode. Thanks for listening!   Dr. Raymond Tucker is a licensed clinical psychologist and assistant professor of psychology at Louisiana State University. His research and clinical work focus on the prevention of suicide, particularly in underserved communities. For more information about his important contributions to the field, check out his lab website and follow him on Twitter.   Links Mentioned in the Episode: Trans Lifeline National Center for Transgender Equality World Professional Association for Transgender Health American Psychological Association Guidelines for Psychological Practice with Transgender and Gender         Nonconforming People Suicide Prevention Information & Resources Fact-Checking 5 Suicide-Related Statements from a Viral Ben Shapiro Video The Suicidal Thoughts Workbook 10 Tips for Writing

We are back!  And we are very happy to bring this very interesting season 3 episode with Dr. Laura Edwards-Leeper.   Dr. Edwards-Leeper was the founding psychologist in the first youth transgender clinic in the United States — the first one to prescribe puberty blockers to transgender youth. Dr. Edwards-Leeper is Professor Emerita at Pacific University and is currently the chair of the Child and Adolescent Committee for the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH). She is heavily involved in the revision of the WPATH Standards of Care and served on the American Psychological Association subcommittee that developed guidelines for working with transgender individuals and on a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) committee that created a consensus statement about the harm in using conversion therapy for LGBT youth. She has a private practice outside of Portland, OR where she works with transgender and gender diverse children, adolescents, and adults for therapy and assessment. She also provides consultation and training to providers and clinics around the country and internationally. She has multiple publications is often a go-to source for media outlets, including The New York Times, The Atlantic, the Washington Post, the BBC, and most recently, 60 Minutes.   OTHER ARTICLES MENTIONED IN SHOW Individuals Treated for Gender Dysphoria with Medical and/or Surgical Transition Who Subsequently Detransitioned: A Survey of 100 Detransitioners. Littman L. (2021). Archives of Sexual Behavior. [link to paper]. The Use of Methodologies in Littman (2018) Is Consistent with the Use of Methodologies in Other Studies Contributing to the Field of Gender Dysphoria Research: Response to Restar (2019). Littman L. (2020). Archives of Sexual Behavior. [link to paper] Restar A. J. (2020). Methodological Critique of Littman's (2018) Parental-Respondents Accounts of "Rapid-Onset Gender Dysphoria". Archives of sexual behavior, 49(1), 61–66. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-019-1453-2 [link to paper] Correction: Parent reports of adolescents and young adults perceived to show signs of a rapid onset of gender dysphoria. Littman L. (2019). PLOS ONE. [link to paper] Parent reports of adolescents and young adults perceived to show signs of a rapid onset of gender dysphoria. Littman L. (2018). PLOS ONE. [link to paper]

We interviewed an expert guest, Dr. Sarah Victor, about the important topic of lived mental illness experience in the fields of clinical, counseling, and school psychology. Dr. Victor and her collaborators found that 82% of clinical, counseling, and school psychology faculty and trainees in their sample reported having lifetime mental health difficulties, while 48% reported that they had been formally diagnosed with a mental health condition in their lifetime. The empirical study was accompanied by a commentary paper that points to the importance of improving inclusivity in these fields through specific recommendations for change. Our discussion focused on barriers and reasons that stigma and prejudice persist even in fields that are supposed to know and do better. We concluded with Dr. Victor's hopes for future directions in the field with regard to recognition and acceptance of lived mental illness experiences in clinical, counseling, and school psychology. About Our Expert Guest Dr. Sarah Victor (she/her) is an Assistant Professor of Psychological Sciences at Texas Tech University. Dr. Victor completed her undergraduate training in psychology at Stanford University (BA 2008) and her doctoral training in clinical psychology at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver (MA 2010, PhD 2017). Dr. Victor completed her doctoral internship and postdoctoral training in psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine (Western Psychiatric Hospital) prior to her faculty position. Dr. Victor is a clinical psychologist whose research and clinical work is focused on understanding and addressing non-suicidal self-injury and suicide. In her research, she uses ecological momentary assessment to examine real world predictors of self-injurious thoughts and behaviors as they occur in daily life. Her work is particularly focused on understanding these experiences in high-risk and marginalized groups, such as people leaving inpatient psychiatric treatment and transgender and gender diverse individuals. In addition, she conducts research and advocacy on psychologists and trainees with mental health difficulties, in the hopes of creating a more inclusive field with respect to these common and often stigmatized experiences. Links Follow Dr. Victor on Twitter and check out her website! The papers we discussed are: 1) Only Human: Mental Health Difficulties among Clinical, Counseling, and School Psychology Faculty and Trainees 2) Leveraging the Strengths of Psychologists with Lived Experience of Mental Illness Mental Health Resources Expert on Mental Illness Reveals Her Own Fight

I'm excited to share that my book, The Suicidal Thoughts Workbook: Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Skills to Reduce Emotional Pain, Increase Hope, and Prevent Suicide, was officially published on July 1, 2021! I'm honored that my former graduate school mentor, Dr. Thomas Joiner, wrote the foreword. One of my driving passions is sharing science-guided, helpful mental health information directly with the people who most need it. I took what I learned from years of research, therapy, and other life experiences and channeled all of that into the creation of The Suicidal Thoughts Workbook. My deepest hope is that readers will feel supported and empowered with strategies for coping with suicidal thoughts. I also hope that the workbook will help people to better understand how to support loved ones who struggle with suicidal thoughts. For therapists and crisis workers, I hope that the workbook will strengthen your confidence and expand your tools for helping people with suicidal thoughts. The book chapters were structured around a leading theory of suicide that was developed by Dr. David Klonsky (the Three-Step Theory). I was also thrilled to collaborate with a brilliant artist, Alyse Ruriani, MAATC, to create two illustrations for the book (stickers and other items with these illustrations are available here). You can order The Suicidal Thoughts Workbook wherever books are sold (e.g., Amazon, BookShop, and Book Depository for free international shipping), and the first chapter is previewed on Amazon. If you're thinking about ordering my book or already have, thank you so much for the support! If you find my book useful, please consider leaving a review on Amazon or Goodreads and telling your friends about it. For books like this, word-of-mouth recommendations and social media posts about the book make a big impact! Thank you for listening to info about my book! With gratitude and wishes for good mental health, Katie

Multiple reality TV shows like “Fear Factor” and “Survivor” have become enduring franchises based on a simple premise: Disgusting participants and audience alike by subjecting participants to challenges involving unusual foods, or slimy, and creepy crawly creatures. Despite their revulsive nature, millions of people tune in week after week. Moreover, for some people, “gross” things are not only appealing but fascinating, and can even become an object of desire. In addition, for humans, disgust is such an important, organizing emotion that some prominent researchers have proposed it underlies our sense of morality. To help us answer what is so intensely compelling about the repulsive, and give us insight into the role of disgust in human behavior, we have invited Dr. Thomas Armstrong to Psychodrama. Tom is an associate professor of psychology at Whitman College in Walla Walla, WA. He is the director of the Palouse Emotion and Experimental Psychopathology (PEEP) Laboratory [http://www.peep-lab.org/]. He completed his PhD at Vanderbilt University in Clinical Psychology, and his research focuses on improving the measurement and treatment of disgust in anxiety-related disorders, and more recently, sexual dysfunctions. Professor Armstrong is also interested in making eye tracking methodology more accessible, and he recently co-created an online alternative to eye tracking: MouseView.js [https://mouseview-docs.netlify.app/].  We had a lot of fun and learned a lot in our free ranging discussion with Tom about the things we find disgusting (frogs for Katie, and very little for Leo), and what these individual differences may mean for various aspects of life. Yet another episode in which we surely lost more potential endorsements. Nutella, we hardly knew ye.  LISTENER WARNING: As may be expected, the episode discusses explicitly topics related to disgusting stimuli and ranges from phobic stimuli (like the feared tree frogs and octopus!) to the taboo incest and very unusual paraphilias.  Listener discretion is very much advised. Enjoy!

Dear Psychodrama Listeners: We hope that this Spring 2021 is treating you all well. As we slowly emerge from the pandemic and aspects of normal life gradually return, unfortunately, in the USA, this means an increase in the number of mass shootings that had decreased in 2020 as the country went into lockdown. Indeed, on the weekend we recorded this episode, there was a mass shooting in Boulder, Colorado that left 7 people dead including the shooter who killed himself during the incident. That shooting marked the 13th mass killing in the US and the second one in Colorado for 2021.  Noting the relationship between suicidal behavior among many mass shooters, in this episode we decided to delve into the the relationship between suicide and mass shootings as we capitalize in our respective expertise areas. Katie discusses her blog post from Psychology Today noting a decrease in reported suicides in 2020, despite increased gun sales and suicidal ideation in the past year. We contextualize these paradoxical data within Thomas Joiner’s Interpersonal Theory of Suicide. Then, we talk about a review that Leo conducted of the very interesting book “The Myth of Martyrdom” by Adam Lankford which discusses the role of psychological disorders on suicidal terrorism and we draw parallels to mass murder-suicide in the US. Then, Katie discusses Joiner’s book, “The Perversion of Virtue” which further explores the topic of murder-suicide, and we highlight the need to better understand what separates individual suicide, murder-suicide of people the perpetrator knows (e.g., family members), and mass-murder suicide of people unknown to the perpetrator. We then talk about the suicide contagion effect and how its opposite, the Papageno effect may also be harnessed to reduce mass-suicide shootings in the US as summarized in this proposal by Leo. This is an especially complex, multifaceted phenomenon that, understandably, elicits strong, emotional and intellectual responses.  We could have talked about it for much longer and tried to do our best to give it the nuanced treatment it deserves in the limited time for the podcast.  We will likely revisit parts of it, especially as Katie’s book: The Suicidal Thoughts Workbook: CBT Skills to Reduce Emotional Pain, Increase Hope, and Prevent Suicide comes out in July 1st and we’ll have our live Psychodrama-o-Rama talking about it. We hope you find it interesting and look forward to your comments. If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts, there is hope and help available. Please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255, or the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741   Links National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 Mass Shootings in Public Spaces Had Become Less Frequent During the Pandemic Why Did U.S. Suicides Decrease in 2020? The Interpersonal Theory of Suicide The Perversion of Virtue: Understanding Murder-Suicide by Thomas Joiner The Myth of Martyrdom: What Really Drives Suicide Bombers, Rampage Shooters, and Other Self-Destructive Killers by Adam Lankford Changing Media Reporting Practices to Mass Shootings in the U.S. by Leonardo Bobadilla The Suicidal Thoughts Workbook by Katie Gordon Dangerous Words? An Experimental Investigation of the Impact of Detailed Reporting about Suicide Risk American Association of Suicidology Media Reporting Recommendations Treating Mental Illness Won’t Prevent Mass Shootings Newspaper Adherence to Media Reporting Guidelines for the Suicide Deaths of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain Association between Suicide Reporting in the Media and Suicide: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Was There a Suicide Epidemic After Goethe’s Werther?

We enjoyed this fascinating interview with Dr. Jonathan Stea about the nuance needed in discussions about addiction and drug decriminalization. He shared his pathway into clinical psychology and then debunked some misconceptions about addiction. Drawing on his expertise, clinical experience, and data, Dr. Stea talked about his views on effective strategies for curtailing the opioid epidemic. He highlighted conditions under which cannabis use could potentially harm mental health and his science communication through efforts such as #ScienceUpFirst. We concluded by hearing Dr. Stea's helpful tips for managing internet trolls and online harassment. We enjoyed making this episode and hope you enjoy listening to it!   Expert Guest Bio:  Jonathan N. Stea, Ph.D., R. Psych., is a registered and practicing clinical psychologist and Adjunct Assistant Professor. Clinically, he works in a tertiary care outpatient clinic that specializes in the assessment and treatment of concurrent addictive and psychiatric disorders. He is interested in topics related to science communication and health misinformation in popular media, especially with respect to addiction and mental health. He is a coalition member of #ScienceUpFirst (www.ScienceUpFirst.com), which is a Canadian-wide awareness and engagement initiative that creates, distributes and amplifies best-in-class, science-informed content surrounding COVID-19 and the COVID-19 vaccine. Links: Follow Dr. Stea and #ScienceUpFirst on Twitter. Read Dr. Stea's work in Psychology Today and Scientific American. Drug Addiction vs. Drug Dependence Is Cannabis Helpful or Harmful for Mental Health? When Promoting Knowledge Makes You a Target The Potential Fatal Flaw in Andrew Yang's Opioid Policy The Psychology of Online Trolling -- If you like our show, please leave a review and rating on Apple Podcasts, so more people can find us! Thank you for listening!

In this episode we discuss the recent article: "Racial Justice Requires Ending the War on Drugs" (Earp, Lewis, Hart, & Bioethicists and Allied Professionals for Drug Policy Reform, 2021). The article highlights ways in which the war on drugs in the US has perpetuated racism, exemplified by the recent, heartbreaking killing of Breonna Taylor during a botched drug raid in 2020. Informed by history and data, the article argues for decriminalizing drugs as a necessary step for racial justice in the US and globally, given that the drug war has impacted sociopolicy across continents for decades. The topic is near and dear to Katie and Leo for a variety of personal and professional reasons. As we discuss the article we weave Leo's experiences growing up in Colombia during the height of the drug war, and Oregon becoming the first U.S. state to decriminalize the possession and personal use of all drugs. We also discuss the benefits of treating substance use-related problems through a public health policy following Portugal's approach rather than through criminal justice system which has not borne desired results, as rates of drug use remain stable or have increased in past few years in particular for opioids and stimulants. We also touch on obstacles in the current system for people seeking help, the DARE program, and the role that pharmaceutical companies have played in overprescription of these drugs. In our next episode we will include an expert guest and focus on mental health implications and treatment and hopefully some data on legalization trends across the world. As usual, we lighten the mood here and there by discussing delicious Portuguese octopus dishes and Katie's experiences with the DARE program in 5th grade. We are probably not going to get any pharmaceutical company sponsorships after this one.   Thanks for listening! We are looking into re-broadcasting these episodes in Spanish please let us know what you think of the idea. If you enjoy our podcast, please rate and review us on Apple/iTunes so other people can find us. You can find us on Twitter: @_psychodrama_. Thank you so much!

In light of the insurrectionist riot on January 6th in Washington DC, which among many other things, brought images of the confederate flag carried by the insurrectionists at the U.S. Capitol, we were excited to have Dr. Chris Cooper from Western Carolina University as a guest on Psychodrama. Chris is the Robert Lee Madison Distinguished Professor and Department Head of Political Science and Public Affairs at WCU. He is also the co-author of the book, “The Resilience of Southern Identity: Why the South Still Matters in the Minds of its People” and is co-editor of The New Politics of North Carolina. His political psychology research into Southern identities and politics provided a unique perspective to the events of the last 4 years and we had a very stimulating conversation with him. We also sprinkled some levity into the conversation about eating one of Iceland’s gastronomical delicacies: hákarl.  We hope you enjoy this episode and find as interesting, if not disquieting, as we did.  Readings mentioned in the episode: ArticlesWhat Trump Shares With the Lost Cause of the Confederacy- Karen L. Cox, NYTimes opinion. Political Sectarianism in America-Finke et al., (2020)- Science Books:The Resilience of Southern Identity: Why the South Still Matters in the Minds of Its People Chris Cooper and Gibbs Knot The Long Southern Strategy: How Chasing White Voters in the South Changed American Politics- Angie Maxwell and Todd Shields The Rise of the Latino Vote-Benjamin Francis-Fallon Deep Roots: How Slavery Still Shapes Southern Politics- Avidit Acharya; Matthew Blackwell & Maya Sen. Learning from Loss: The Democrats, 2016–2020- Seth Masket

Note: This episode contains some discussion of cults and sexual abuse.For our first episode of season 2 we are extremely happy and honored to have Dr. Janja Lalich who is a leading world authority in cults and extremist groups. Dr. Lalich is a former Fulbright scholar, Professor Emerita of Sociology at California State University, Chico, and author of multiple articles and the books in the topic including “Take Back Your Life: Recovering from Cults and Abusive Relationships” and “Bounded Choice: True Believers and Charismatic Cults.” She has been featured in multiple national and international journalistic outlets including NPR, Meet the Press and the BBC to talk about prominent cults including Heaven’s Gate and recently the NXIVM cult. We spoke with Dr. Lalich about her own experience in a political cult earlier in her life and how it influenced her later research.  We could have spent all day speaking with Dr. Lalich about her insights and research about why people stay in cults, parallels between cults and abusive relationships, and differentiating extremist religious and political factions from cults. We concluded with some excellent advice for family and loved ones who may find themselves in a cult. We are very happy to bring you this episode and hope you enjoy listening to it as much as we did recording it.  LinksNew York Times article about the NXIVM cultDr. Janja Lalich’s website & resources

Hi Psychodrama listeners! First, we hope that you and your loved ones are doing well through these first days of November which continue to be challenging and have definitely been filled with more than our fair share of well, drama!  We also would like to thank you all for your continued listening and support.  It has been great fun and very rewarding to put together this podcast for you and as we have mentioned, it is an integral part of our self-care during this intense 2020 and we could not do it without you, our listeners. As we have completed season 1 we are hard at work planning Season 2 (Part Deux: "The Seasoning").  We already have at least 3 episodes planned so be on the lookout for more interesting interviews and stories about the intersection between psychology and societal issues and controversies including Sex Cults! Why some White academics are faking their ethnic identities! And, the decriminalization and legalization of drugs as part of criminal justice reform.  So, be on the lookout for those a week after Thanksgiving!  Thanks, and talk soon! Katie and Leo

After having the past few weeks marked by very grave serious national news that added to our already maxed-out pandemic related stress,  forest fires in the Western United States, the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Trump’s taxes being released, a chaotic presidential debate, the death of prominent psychologist Dr. Scott Lilienfeld, and then Trump predictably contracting COVID - we decided to do a fairly lighthearted show this time around.  We talk about Cobra Kai and examine its characters from a psychological perspective. There are a bunch of spoilers but surely you all have binged on it already so there is nothing to spoil. And if you have not seen Cobra Kai, go watch it; it is great. And still listen to this episode because psychological science shows that “Story Spoilers Don’t Spoil Stories”and in fact it may actually improve them. We had a blast making this episode as we discussed all the rumbles we were involved in as teenagers as well as Bananarama, both the band and the pancakes. This past summer was a cruel, cruel, summer indeed, enjoy this respite before November because it looks like 2020 is showing NO MERCY!”-----More about Dr. Scott Lilienfeld and his contributions to psychology:Remembering Dr. Lilienfeld50 Great Myths of Popular PsychologyPsychological Treatments that Cause HarmThe Dodo Bird verdict: Status in 2014---Follow us on Twitter: @_psychodrama and Instagram: @psychodramapodcast.If you like our podcast, please rate and review us on iTunes, so other people can find us. Thanks so much for listening! 

We were thrilled to have expert guest, Dr. Helen Hsu, join us for an episode about the important topic of college mental health! We discussed controversy surrounding college re-opening plans and enforcement of physical distancing policies--including what we think we would do if we were college students in 2020. Dr. Hsu shared her observations about how mental health concerns among students have changed both across generations and pre- vs. post-pandemic. She also shared what she thinks is driving those changes. We talked about coping strategies during the pandemic including anti-all-or-nothing-thinking, taking nonjudgmental attitudes towards ourselves, safe socializing, creating a sense of purpose, and learning radical acceptance. We enjoyed making this episode and hope you enjoy listening to it! Thanks so much!--Links:You can follow Dr. Helen Hsu on Twitter and Instagram.Read her moving article for McSweeney's here: Pixels of Empathy.Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers VideoRadical Acceptance Video 1Radical Acceptance Video 2

We were very lucky to have Dr. Bedford Palmer join us this week for a fascinating discussion! First, we talked about a mental wellness virtual town hall featuring Barack Obama, John Lewis, and activists from My Brother's Keeper. Then, we talked about obstacles faced by Black men seeking therapy--including a need for more culturally competent therapists and misperceptions about disinterest in therapy. Dr. Palmer explained what strength-based, culturally competent therapy means and the upsides and downsides of training barbers as paraprofessionals to address gaps in mental health care. We concluded by discussing the inspiration for Dr. Palmer's beautiful children's book, "Daddy Why Am I Brown?" We really enjoyed making this episode and hope you enjoy listening! Check out episode 11 for the first part of our discussion with Dr. Palmer. Links:Dr. Palmer’s websiteDr. Palmer’s Children’s Book: “Daddy Why Am I Brown?”Follow Dr. Palmer on Instagram and TwitterDr. Palmer’s podcast, Naming It—Follow Psychodrama on Instagram and Twitter.If you like our show, please rate and review us on Apple. Thank you!

We were very lucky to have Dr. Bedford Palmer join us this week for a fascinating discussion! First, we chatted about Dr. Palmer’s pathway to his Ph.D. and becoming a licensed psychologist and professor. Then, we talked about living in what the American Psychological Association president labeled a racism pandemic. We concluded by asking about Dr. Palmer's thoughts on Kanye West's music, mental health, and political aspirations. We really enjoyed making this episode and hope you enjoy listening! Check out episode 12 for the second part of our discussion with Dr. Palmer. Links:Dr. Palmer’s websiteDr. Palmer’s Children's Book: “Daddy Why Am I Brown?”Follow Dr. Palmer on Instagram and TwitterDr. Palmer's podcast, Naming It--Follow Psychodrama on Instagram and Twitter.If you like our show, please rate and review us on Apple. Thank you!  

Note: All opinions expressed on this podcast are our own and do not reflect the views of our employers. With the release of “Too Much and Never Enough” by Mary L. Trump (a clinical psychologist and Trump's niece), the debate about diagnosing Donald Trump was thrust into the limelight again. We were very excited to have Dr. Josh Miller, an authority on narcissism and psychopathy and co-author of an article examining the ethics of the Goldwater rule, on this episode to share his expertise. We talked about what motivated Dr. Miller and his coauthors to write the article, whether Trump indeed meets criteria for narcissistic (or other) personality disorders, and about his work examining narcissistic and psychopathic traits in U.S. presidents. We had a great time chatting with Dr. Miller, considering whether these traits are becoming permanent fixtures of the modern political landscape, and fretting about whether we'll get much pushback for this episode. PRESIDENTIAL NARCISSISM BONUS: Check out this awesome cartoonification of the actual recording of a call between President Lyndon B. Johnson (who had several grandiose narcissist traits) to the Haggar clothing company to order pants. Enjoy! This is the CBC article featuring Dr. Miller that we mentioned in the episode. The opening clip is from this Fox News interview with Trump by Chris Wallace. Our music is by Frankum. You can follow us on Twitter and Instagram! Thanks for listening!

Given the importance of the Black Lives Matter movement, we were very lucky and excited to have Dr. Apryl Alexander, Associate Professor at the University of Denver and activist with Black Lives Matter, Chapter 5280 join us as an expert guest. We had a very stimulating conversation with Dr. Alexander about her path in forensic psychology, her involvement in Black Lives Matter activism, and social justice policy-making. We delved on the varied meanings of “defund the police," her approach to discussing these issues with her students, and the need for a sustained, multi-mission approach to justice similar to the one pursued by BLM5280. As a bonus, we also discussed Joe Biden discussing police reform with Trevor Noah, Dave Chappelle’s 8:46 special, and considered the role of celebrities in social activism. As extra, extra, bonus, we finished the episode with Dr. Alexander telling us about an integral part of her self-care and activism team: Her adorable schnorky pup, Jax!  We hope you enjoy and learn from the episode as much as we did.

In May, Nancy Pelosi referred to Donald Trump as “morbidly obese” on CNN and this led to a viral tweet celebrating her insult. Back in January, physical trainer Jillian Michaels said that Lizzo’s music should be celebrated, but not her body weight, which led to a backlash from some of her fans. Is fat-shaming okay when we don’t like the target? Or does it contribute to weight bias and discrimination? We take a look at the psychological research and talk about some pop culture representations of overweight characters. Tune in for that or just to hear Katie struggle to pronounce “hydroxychloroquine,” “pseudonymous,” and “anathematized” and Leo’s timely references to weight-based comedy on the Johnny Carson Show! Mental Health Resources Mentioned in the EpisodeAPA Condemns Police Brutality, Calls for Dialogue to Ease Civil UnrestThe Unapologetic Guide to Black Mental Health by Dr. Rheeda WalkerThe Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation COVID-19 Free Virtual Therapy Support Tweets, Articles, & Websites Mentioned in the EpisodeTweets from Joyce Carol Oates and Alice from Queens‘I think she’s a waste of time’: Trump dismisses Nancy Pelosi calling him ‘morbidly obese’Joint International Consensus Statement for Ending Stigma of ObesityEverything You Know About Obesity Is WrongThere’s No Excuse for Fat-Shaming Donald TrumpThis American Life: Tell Me I’m FatAcademy for Eating Disorders: Collaborative Letter to Michelle Obama Protesting Appearance on the Biggest LoserHealth at Every SizeEpisode 2: More Than A Joke: Does Prejudicial Humor Lead to Prejudicial Behavior? With Dr. Tom FordWhat celeb trainer Jillian Michaels got wrong about Lizzo and body positivityWhat Fullness IsSelf-care has to be rooted in self-preservation, not just mimosas and spa days by Lizzo

Self-care is a bit of a buzzword these days. At its best, it encourages people to have balance in their lives and to tend to their health needs. However, the self-care movement seems to have been picked up as a way to market things to people, placing greater importance on indulging themselves with products or experiences. And for some, the idea that prioritizing self-care will improve mental health can backfire, because they believe their persistent emotional distress is due to an inability to commit to activities or products rather than other factors (e.g. difficulty accessing mental health treatment).We invited Dr. Joel Minden on the show because we think that the approach in his book, Show Your Anxiety Who’s Boss, is an excellent way to think about self-care. Joel acknowledges the value of self-care activities to promote health and manage stress, but he argues that self-care is not the answer for every concern. He makes the case for flexibly responding to emotional and practical challenges with realistic and useful thinking, solution-focused action, and responding to difficult emotions with greater acceptance and warmth. For anxiety, specifically, he talks about the risk of acting impulsively on anxiety and avoidance urges, and how this approach can make anxiety even more difficult to manage in the long run. Instead, he encourages responses to anxiety that prioritize long-term values, so that you can direct your attention to living with meaning and purpose. Joel’s approach involves relating to anxiety objectively, as an inevitable part of life, rather than something to get rid of. As much as self-care has its place, it’s important to consider opportunities for change and acceptance to help you respond to life’s challenges and the difficult thoughts and feelings that go with them, with strategies that boost personal control and life satisfaction. --More about our guest:Joel Minden, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist, director of the Chico Center for Cognitive Behavior Therapy, diplomate of The Academy of Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies, and adjunct professor at California State University, Chico. He is also the author of the self-help book, Show Your Anxiety Who’s Boss and the Psychology Today blog, CBT and Me.

 According to Pornhub, people are watching a lot more porn since the pandemic started. Some worry that this will lead to a permanent jump in post-pandemic porn use, while others expect that porn use will return to pre-pandemic levels after all of this is over. Can people be addicted to porn? Are there psychological benefits of porn use? What treatment approaches are used with people concerned about their porn use? Dr. Joshua Grubbs, who is a professor, researcher, and a clinical psychologist, gives us fascinating answers in this episode! Check out Dr. Grubbs' interesting, science-based article here: Porn Use Is Up, Thanks To The Pandemic.Also, check out his website and definitely follow him on Twitter! ---------- Project Parachute works to connect frontline COVID-19 healthcare workers and licensed therapists for free therapy sessions. With over 500 therapists across the country, they work to find personalized support for every frontliner who is looking for emotional support and stress relief. If you are a licensed therapist who wants to donate time to the front line or if you are a COVID frontliner who needs services, visit http://Project-Parachute.org and sign up today! 

In this second Tiger King episode, we are very excited to talk to Dr. Hal Herzog!  Hal is a world-renowned anthrozoologist and professor emeritus at Western Carolina University. He wrote a great book on the complex relationships between humans and animals called “Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat,” and he maintains a blog on Psychology Today called Animals and Us. We had a lot of fun talking about anthrozoology, the one time that Hal got to hang out with a chimp at Doc Antle’s farm (yes, THAT Doc Antle), his research on ethical issues of human and animals, like whether it is ethical to keep animals as pets. After all, if you consider your pet a part of your family, would you neuter a member of your family? We probably are not going to get any pet food endorsements for Psychodrama after this episode, but that is ok. We had so much fun making it that this is a virtually unedited version. So, please, enjoy this extra long episode of Psychodrama to help with the tedium of quarantine.

Alright! On this episode of Psychodrama, we jump on the Tiger King bandwagon and try to inject clinical psychological science to help (perhaps) explain some of the “colorful” behavior prominently displayed by the main characters of the series. From Joe’s gun-totin’- devil-may-care, pathological attention-seeking to Carole (killed her husband?) Baskin’s single-minded crusade to be the one-and-only tiger queen and savior to Doc’s Antle’s Svengali-like influence on his feline followers. Listen to this first episode of a 2-part series as we try to humanize the main characters but also admit that it would be pretty sweet to commute to work riding your own elephant (or at least jet-ski).

Note: This episode discusses sexual misconduct. After Louis CK's sexual misconduct became public, his career was put on hold. Now he's touring again, and some people say it's too soon. How should situations like Louis CK's be handled? In this episode, we discuss possible pathways through a restorative justice lens, and include Dan Harmon's apology to Megan Ganz for sexual harassment as an example.

What does psychological science have to say about the effects of humor on prejudice? Can humor be harmful? Can offensive, dark, or gallows humor ever be helpful? Our special guest, Dr. Tom Ford, discusses his research on humor and prejudice to inform the debate.

In this inaugural episode, we set the mood for our show by dipping our toes in the “culture wars” and the parallels of “cancel culture” in comedy and academia. We discuss controversies surrounding Dave Chappelle and Professor Ron Sullivan Jr. Finally, we wonder: should we have higher standards for Harvard or for an open mic night at the HaHa hole?

Welcome to our new podcast, Psychodrama! We're two psychologists discussing clinical practice, science, and societal controversies in stand-up comedy, academia, and more. We'll talk about serious and silly issues through a clinical psychology lens, and we hope you enjoy listening!