The Trauma & Mental Health Report Podcast

In today's episode, Contributing Writer Japneet Kaur speaks with Dr. George Slavich, director of the UCLA laboratory for stress assessment and research and a pioneer in the field of stress science and human social genomics. With him we dive into the conceptualisation of stress, its effects on the human brain, body and immune system, and the future of stress research. Most importantly, Dr. Slavich shares practical, evidence-based strategies for managing everyday stress and minimizing its negative impact on overall well- being.

In today's episode, Contributing Writer Divya Bhupal speaks with Esther Goldstein, a Licensed Clinical Social worker who specializes in trauma, PTSD, anxiety, and relationship issues and is a big proponent of internal family systems (IFS) therapy. With her we dive into what IFS therapy is and how it can help individuals navigate their lives and heal trauma from a place of empathy and understanding. Most importantly, Esther speaks to how IFS therapy not only helps you live a better tomorrow, but a better today.      

In this episode, Trauma and Mental Health Report writer Adrian Parham interviews Dr. Gail Dines, CEO and Founder of Culture Reframed, an Organization that spreads awareness about the harms of Pornography. Having authored several books, written and starred in documentaries, Dr. Dines is a leading anti-pornography scholar and has been for the last 30 years. She discusses how pornography harms societies', especially men's, view of relationships, intimacy, sexuality and masculinity. Treating this as a public health problem, Dr. Dines and her organization, Culture Reframed, aims to educate the masses on this pandemic.       In this episode, Trauma and Mental Health Report writer Adrian Parham interviews Dr.Gail Dines, CEO and Founder of Culture Reframed, an Organization that spreads awareness about the harms of Pornography. Having authored several books, written and starred in documentaries, Dr. Dines is a leading anti-pornography scholar and has been for the last 30 years. She discusses how pornography harms societies', especially men's, view of relationships, intimacy, sexuality and masculinity. Treating this as a public health problem, Dr. Dines and her organization, Culture Reframed, aims to educate the masses on this pandemic.

In this episode as we sit down with Dr. Anita Federici, a leading expert in eating disorders, to unpack one of the most complex and controversial topics in the field: Severe Enduring Eating Disorders (SEEDs) and Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID). Essentially, what to do with the people who don't “improve” after standard interventions. This conversation dives into the dangers of labelling and the importance of cultivating hope as an antidote to the common symptom of suicidality and chronic systemic gaps in care. We tackle difficult questions about balancing patients' rights and autonomy with the duty to provide effective treatment. Reasons to be optimistic about insights derived from more lived-experience practitioners in the field are noted, while acknowledging the ongoing need to counter growing concerns related to our economically based mental health care system.      

In this episode, Trauma and Mental Health Report writer Amanda Fernandes interviews Dr. Debra Pepler, an award winning psychologist and distinguished research professor at York University. Her research on adolescent bullying has largely influenced how we understand and deal with bullying today. We discuss Dr. Pepler's co-creation and implementation of the PREVNet organization, as well as its role in preventing and reducing bullying behaviours using evidenced-based research. Finally, Dr. Pepler explains how healthy relationships can buffer against bullying, with an emphasis on parent-child relationships.

In this episode, we delve into the evolving landscape of mental health discourse on social media platforms, particularly TikTok's burgeoning trend of self-diagnosis. Join us as we sit down with Dr. Ray Christner, PhD, a seasoned clinical psychologist, to explore the complexities, dangers, and potential benefits associated with this cultural phenomenon. We discuss the implications of relying on TikTok for mental health information, the impact on individuals' perceptions of their own well-being, and the importance of seeking professional guidance. Tune in for a nuanced conversation that sheds light on the intersection of social media, mental health, and self-awareness. 

In today's episode, somatic therapist and Executive Director of the Neutral Ground Collective, dix Moore-Broussard, joins The Trauma and Mental Health Report's podcast to discuss the effects of extreme heat on our mental health. According to the World Meteorological Organization, 2023 was, by far, the warmest year on record. This won't be an isolated event. When it comes to heat, much emphasis is made on how it affects our physical health, but how much do we know about how extreme temperatures affect our mental health?      

In today's episode, Contributing Writer Maria Auxiliadora Sanchez speaks with Christine Grace McMulkin, a Registered Social Worker and a Compassion Focused Therapist who delivers mindful self-compassion programs through the Center for Mindful Self Compassion and the Center for Mindfulness Studies. With her we dive into the meaning of self-compassion and its benefits, the misconceptions around self-compassion, the main challenges that can arise during the practices, and how to solve them. Most importantly, she explains how we can cultivate self-compassion.      

In this episode, Trauma and Mental Health Report writer Lauren Rudolph interviews Dr. Ruth Lanius, MD, PhD, a world-renowned expert on the neurobiology of trauma and integrative approaches to trauma treatment. We will discuss how trauma is stored in the brain and body, how this causes ongoing symptoms and informs individualised trauma treatments, four types of dissociation, and emerging integrative treatments to address the root causes of ongoing trauma symptoms.      

In this episode, Trauma Report writer Vanessa DiPasquale speaks with Caitlin Johnson, a functional medicine dietitian, who helps women who have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) rebuild a positive bond between them and their body. Caitlin herself has PCOS and has faced challenges regarding self-esteem and her mental well being due to the chronic illness. In this podcast we talk about mental health struggles that come along with having PCOS in an attempt to bring awareness to this under-recognized chronic illness.   

Co-founder of the program Resolvve and psychotherapist, Noah Tile, joins The Trauma and Mental Health's podcast to discuss how Resolvee is using an integrative approach to support students' mental health. From high school to university, this program offers low-cost therapy, academic coaching, and guidance counselling available for students with mental illnesses or struggling due to educational pressures. In this episode, we explore student stressors, how the integrative mental health approach may be more helpful for students, and what are the next steps for improving students' mental health through prevention approaches.

In this episode, Trauma and Mental Health Report writer Nikita Baxi speaks with Dr. Chloe Paidoussis-Mitchell, a grief and trauma psychotherapist based in the U.K, about dealing with identity loss during grief. Her new book The Loss Prescription: A practical roadmap to grief recovery, published by HarperCollins, uses her decades of clinical experience to develop recovery tools and exercises not only for identity loss during grief, but for many other aspects of loss as well.

In this episode, Trauma and Mental Health Report writer Taylor Alves speaks with Summer Krause, a licensed professional counsellor and certified alcohol and drug counsellor, who has worked with youth and adults dealing with trauma and addiction. In her work she runs individual and group counselling through Seeking Safety groups which focuses on teaching people safe coping skills. Summer has background in the juvenile justice system and witnessed that trauma is often the missing piece people skim over when talking about addiction. In this podcast we talk about trauma, addiction, and the gaps in treatment.

Join us as we delve into the groundbreaking introduction of Canada's 988 help hotline. We explore its pivotal role in reshaping mental health services, enhancing accessibility, and providing immediate aid to those in need. Expert insights and discussions illuminate the transformative impact of this vital resource on mental health support in Canada.

On today's episode, Jasleen Ghuman of The Trauma and Mental Health Report interviews Paul Scanlon who focuses on mentorship and courses on communication, leadership and personal development. He has committed his life to helping people and organizations not to get stuck in old versions of themselves. He speaks to tens of thousands live annually and many more through his online and social media platforms. We dive into how mentoring has empowered himself and others, the benefits it has had on the individuals who attend, if Paul has ever experienced performance anxiety while being on stage, and how one can overcome performance anxiety.

Mental Health challenges are at an alltime high right now with people still recovering from the Covid-19 pandemic and the risk of a recession due to the economic crisis as a result from the pandemic.  With this comes the need for more available and affordable mental health services and resources. In this interview we speak with mental health advocate for the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), Judy Brunton, for her perspective. In this episode we discuss various challenges, resources, and support for mental health. Judy shares her own story with how she got started, what work she has done, and how events such as the pandemic have impacted mental health supports in general. She also highlights the significant need for mental health stigma to be addressed and for more affordable mental health services. With the economy struggling to recover from the pandemic, the need for mental health supports and fundraisers for affordable programs is needed now more than ever. Check out Judy's Youth Mental Health Fundraiser for CMHA, as well as her Fundraiser Facebook Page.

In today's episode, Trauma report writer Emma Puric speaks with Elma Linz Kanefield, a renowned performer, psychotherapist and life-coach who founded The Juilliard School's Counseling Service in 1986. Elma has over thirty five years of experience in counselling dancers, actors, musicians, and more. In her book Hamlet's Mirror, Elma explores the challenges and promises of performance culture, as well as four performing personality types she has identified through her work.

On this episode Trauma and Mental Health writer Jasleen Ghuman talks with Babette Rothschild and Vanessa Bear, to discuss the topic of trauma and recovery and their new workbook “8 Keys to Safe Trauma Recovery”. We talk about the resources that are available for recovery, the importance of recovery and creating individualized recovery plans for trauma survivors.

Debates continue to be had regarding MAiD for mental illness in Canada, however, most of the information is not easily accessible. As conversations continue to be had regarding this topic, it's important understand how MAiD for mental illness impacts people and our society and our local community. In this episode, Trauma and Mental Health Report writer Abigail Ramos speaks with Sherry Moran, a retired lawyer and federal government executive who has served on a number of charitable and non-profit boards of directors over the past 25 years, including that of Dying with Dignity Canada.  Moran is an active voice within the national mental illness advisory group in addition to her role at Dying with Dignity Ottawa Chapter's advocacy committee. The conversation focuses on an overview of what MAiD for mental illness is, the good it can provide, possible drawbacks, and shedding some light on key issues that have been discussed regarding MAiD for mental illness.  

In today's episode, Trauma report writer Emma Puric speaks with psychoanalyst, psychotherapist, writer, and social critic Dr. Susie Orbach. Dr. Orbach joins us to discuss how feminist theory and psychoanalysis informed her thinking about women's body-image, the internalization of unrealistic beauty standards via mass marketing, the impossible message behind anti-aging campaigns, and how women can come together to create a visual culture which appreciates and reflects the diverse nature of beauty and bodies.

The recent surge of psychedelic research has sparked a growing interest in psychedelic-assisted therapy using psilocybin to treat various mental health conditions including addiction. In this episode, Trauma Report writer Michelle Kim discusses this approach in detail with Dr. Albert Garcia-Romeu from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine at the Center for Psychedelic & Consciousness Research. Dr. Garcia-Romeu works in the Behavioral Pharmacology Research Unit at the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and is also a Guest Researcher at the National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Neuroimaging. Tune into our podcast to learn more about the therapeutic potential of psilocybin for addiction treatment.

Amidst the current uprising in Iran, led by its courageous and resilient women, many other human rights related concerns have also begun to be brought to light. In this episode, a Trauma Report writer sat down with Arsham Parsi, an Iranian-Canadian LGBTQ rights activist, to discuss the dire lack of rights faced by members of the LGBTQ community in Iran. Parsi provides insight on what an average day can look like for an Iranian LGBTQ citizen, common misinterpretations we often hear about the conditions of human rights in Iran, and the power that unity holds to help Iranian youth battle through the revolution.

In this conversation, Temple Grandin shares insight on how parents, teachers, and doctors can help autistic youth flourish by focusing on activities that work around their strengths. Temple emphasizes the importance of gaining work experience and skills that challenge an autistic child just enough so that they gain important life skills which apply to other areas. The importance of trades and practical courses in school is discussed, as exposure to a variety of activities can inspire a future career. Finding meaning in work is discussed as well, along with the different types of minds that are seen in autism.

In this episode, Trauma Report writer Daniel Sanchez Morales speaks with Lauren Shannan, Immigration consultant; Bonny Gajjar, International Student; and Sebastian Vasquez, International Student; about the mental health challenges of being an international student. Through this podcast episode, participants explore the major challenges that they have faced while studying abroad and how this has impacted their vision of mental health resources within post-secondary institutions. Additionally, Lauren provides with an immigration and legal outlook about international students coming to Canada.

In this episode, Trauma Report writer Chiara Gianvito speaks with Amy Camilleri Zahra, a Maltese disability and women's rights activist, academic, and public speaker. Their conversation centers around Camilleri Zahra's research on counsellors' understanding and perceptions of disability that has revealed a need for greater training and accessibility. Camilleri Zahra also shares her lived experiences that have led her to drive social change in these areas.  Follow along or read the transcribed audio here.

It is understandably difficult to imagine how something as light as humour can be useful in dealing with something as heavy as depression, anxiety or trauma. However, The Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humour has made it their mission to help people understand how humour can be an effective therapeutic tool to help individuals struggling with mental health challenges. Trauma Report writer Hannah Mugford sat down with Steven Sultanoff, a clinical psychologist and one of The Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humour's past presidents, to learn more about therapeutic humour and how it can have a positive impact on mental health and well-being. Check out The Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humour's website!

We all like to think that we are capable of perfect reason and making decisions purely from a logical perspective. What many of us fail to recognize is that our reasoning is always linked to our physical feelings. If you ever wondered why judges are more likely to be lenient after lunch or why we may react differently to the same message delivered by people we feel differently about, listen to this episode, where Trauma Report writer Jenna Zorik interviews the cognitive scientist, Professor Vinod Goel, about his new book, “Reason and Less: Pursuing Food, Sex, and Politics.” Tune in as Professor Goel discusses how our feelings and sensations affect our reasoning ranging from inability to control what we eat to refusing to get vaccinated. 

Trauma Report writer Elizabeth Liu speaks with clinical psychology Dr. Sally Chung in this episode exploring the concept of intergenerational wealth not just as physical assets, but as knowledge and wisdom on how to navigate systems integral to society. Understanding the barriers that immigrant families face is important, as the lack of knowledge in educational, economic, and power systems can hold great disadvantage across generations. In addition, individuals who encounter these barriers often grow up facing the additional challenge of integrating multiple cultural identities. Dr. Chung explains how we can bridge these gaps through community, awareness, and providing accessible services.

 In this episode, Trauma Report writer Fatmah Jahim speaks with Dr. Craig Malkin, clinical psychologist, lecturer at Harvard and  author of “Rethinking Narcissism: The Secret to Recognizing & Coping with Narcissists”. He has over 20 years of experience in helping families, couples and individuals heal and overcome difficult emotions. His unique and practical approach to helping people break out of painful experiences in addition to his research based work makes him an integrationist: he uses different techniques and schools of thought to help individuals. Moreover, he is an expert on narcissism and has developed The Narcissism Test, derived from his Narcissism Spectrum Model which offers individuals a sense of where individuals may fall in the narcissism spectrum. Dr. Malkins also shares important parts of his book with the audience and further explains the term he coined “echoism”.

In this episode, Trauma Report writer Daniel Sanchez Morales speaks with Amanda Coombs, clinical psychologist and instructor of the First Aid for Mental Health training at the Mental Health Commission of Canada. As a Black single mother, Amanda provides an overview of the training and how she has been able to support BIPOC folks in acquiring skills to respond to mental health crises. Coombs touches on the importance of taking into account folks' backgrounds when sharing this knowledge, as well as how the program encourages sentiments of unity and trust in her community.   Subscribe to our channel on iTunes and Spotify!

In our second installment of our two-part interview, Trauma Report writer Samantha Mason talks with the Honourable Mr. Justice Richard D. Schneider, B.Sc., M.A., Ph.D., LL.B., LL.M., C.Psych. to discuss the process of decriminalizing the mentally ill and how we can move forward using what we have learned in the mental health courts to provide those who are accused with a more supportive justice system.  Listen to Part 1 of our interview here.

There is growing concern regarding the dissemination of misinformation online. Many believe that the driving force behind this “infodemic” are social media platforms, which are rife with anti-science sentiment and misleading information. The health sciences have become a particular target for this misinformation, psychology and mental health included. Thankfully, there is a growing group of people, professional and otherwise, who dedicate their time and effort to combat the deceptions and misunderstandings. One of these people is YouTuber and therapist/social worker Mickey Atkins. Trauma Report writer Hannah Mugford sat down with Mickey to discuss the general topic of psychology and mental health misinformation, along with her experience confronting it through her online presence.

In this episode, Trauma Report writer Samantha Mason sits down with the Honourable Mr. Justice Richard D. Schneider, B.Sc., M.A., Ph.D., LL.B., LL.M., C.Psych. They discuss the innovation of the Mental Health Courts of Toronto, Canada., Schneider's book "Death of a Butterfly", and explore some memorable cases that appeared before him.

Trauma Report writer Sharon Bae speaks with Carleigh Sailon, program manager of the Criminal Justice Services at the Mental Health Centre of Denver, who helped develop the Denver Support Team Assisted Response (STAR). The Denver STAR is an alternative to 911 calls that removes police presence entirely, meeting the demand to change, reduce, or remove the role of law enforcement in responding to emergencies in the community, especially when mental health is involved.

In this episode, Trauma Report writer Alyssa Reddi speaks with Lindsey Hall, an eating disorder advocate and award-winning blogger. Having recovered from an eating disorder herself, Lindsay uses her experience to write about the realities of treatment and recovery. Tune in to hear her story and how she uses her online platforms to inform and encourage others in their own recovery journey.

Trauma Report writer Lotus Huyen Vu speaks to David Lukoff, Professor Emeritus of Psychology at Sofia University in Palo Alto, CA and a licensed psychologist in California. He has been an active researcher and proponent of spiritual competency in the field of psychology and authored 80 articles and chapters on spiritual issues and mental health, co-authored the DSM-IV category Religious or Spiritual Problem, and has been an active workshop presenter internationally on spiritual competency, loss and grief, death and illness, spiritual problems and emergencies. He has been actively involved with the mental health consumer movement for 30 years.

Control over one's reproductive destiny continues to be under attack. Most recently, Texas' new legislation has further restricted access to abortion care. In this episode, Trauma Report writer Chiara Gianvito speaks with Ashley Brodeur, a registered psychotherapist (qualifying) who has also been trained as an abortion doula. Their conversation centers around supporting the mental health of individuals accessing abortion services as factors such as stigma can make the process more difficult. Links to resources mentioned in the episode: DOPO SisterSong IPAS Abortion Stigma Toolkit Choice Connect Birthmark Abortion Support Resources Compiled by Birthmark Planned Parenthood Connect & Breathe Abortion, With Love Podcast

Feeling bored can be uncomfortable, often something we prefer to avoid. However, boredom, like any other feeling, has a message for us if we listen carefully. In this episode, Trauma Report writer Azin Dastpak interviews Dr. John Eastwood about boredom. Dr. John Eastwood is a clinical psychologist and associate professor and runs the Boredom Lab at York University. He recently published a book titled “Out of My Skull” about the psychology of boredom. Tune in and listen to Dr. Eastwood as he unravels the cause of boredom and the important messages it communicates to us about our inner and outer environments.

Jennifer Thomson is a registered psychotherapist who specializes working with the LGBTQ+ community. In today's episode Llewellyn and Jennifer discuss how to be an ally for transgender individuals in your everyday life and why it is important. Tune into this week's podcast to hear about how you can help normalize the experiences of these marginalized communities. For resources mentioned in the podcast, you can click here to access them.

Wendy Shama, a social worker in the immunology clinic Sick Kids Hospital, discusses how patients/families respond to how the practice of social work has changed due to COVID-19. Tune into this week's podcast to hear about how social workers are adapting to these unprecedented times, and the progress the community is seeing. 

In this episode, Trauma Report writer Alyssa Reddi speaks with Meghan Young, the executive director of the Ontario Aboriginal HIV/AIDS Strategy. An Anishinaabe woman, Meghan is a tireless advocate for Indigenous people across Canada and has worked with Indigenous community engagement and social services. Check out this week's podcast to hear how all Canadians can become more involved in Indigenous reconciliation, and the role that self-awareness plays in accomplishing this respectfully.

In this episode, Trauma Report writer Azin Dastpak interviews Emma Goude, an award winning filmmaker and author of the book “My Beautiful Psychosis: Making Sense of Madness”.  Having been admitted to psychiatric care seven times as a result of psychosis, Emma has written her book to change the perception of psychosis as a stigmatizing illness. Emma has a passion for dancing tango and is currently living in Buenos Aires where she has a weekly Vlog.

In this episode, Trauma and Mental Health Report writer Alexandra Vesia interviews psychotherapist Loren Harssar from Harssar's Holistics to learn about effective tools for communication and conflict resolution. A significant topic considered throughout this interview is how communicating our needs to others can strengthen our current relationships and help create healthier relationships in our lives. One factor for managing conflict when it comes to effective communication includes having a sense of compassion and a drive for understanding. Listen to Loren speak about some key skills for communication. 

What are some signs that you might have a narcissistic parent? In today's episode, Trauma Report Writer Promise Busulwa sat down with narcissism expert Dr. Ramani Durvasula to learn about some signs that your parent may be narcissistic, as well as ways to cope with and heal from narcissistic parenting. This engaging conversation will take you on a journey from childhood to adulthood and unpack the story of how the narcissistic dynamic develops.

In this episode, Trauma Report writer Fatmah Jahim speaks with Dr. Pat Ogden, a pioneer in Somatic Psychology and a leading expert in working through the body to resolve trauma. She is also the founder of Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Institute, an internationally recognized school specializing in somatic-cognitive approaches for PTSD. Dr. Ogden explains the purpose of Sensorimotor therapy and ways to recognize psychological and physical unconscious behaviours and habits which may arise due to traumatic experiences.

In this episode, Trauma Report writer Eleni Neofytou speaks with renowned speaker and author Dr. Gabor Mate about his new book The Myth of Normal: Illness and Health in an Insane Culture, and his thoughts on the human experience. Dr. Mate explains the importance of looking at the big picture in questions of mental health, including the connection between physiology and relationships, and the effect that our society has on individual well-being.

In this episode Trauma Report writer Lotus Huyen Vu interviews Deb Dana, a Clinical Social Worker and the creator of the Rhythm of Regulation therapy program.  Sometimes called the Pied Piper of the Polyvagal Theory, Dana adapted the theory into a system for clinical practice.  She is the author of three books on The Polyvagal Theory clinical applications, including “The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy: Engaging the Rhythm of Regulation”. The polyvagal theory was founded by Stephen Porges, a researcher on physiology who uses the theory to establish the psychological foundation for the understanding of trauma. This comprehensive theory establishes a scientific basis for the understanding of trauma in human physiology.

Did you know that the trillions of bacteria in the human gut have a surprisingly big impact on our mental health? This week, Trauma Report writer Sharon Bae speaks with Dr. Ted Dinan - University College Cork professor, psychiatrist, co-author of The Psychobiotic Revolution, and lead investigator at the APC Microbiome Ireland Research Centre. They discuss the microbiome-gut-brain axis, its relationship with mental health, and what the gut-brain connection means for the future of mental health intervention. 

In this episode, Trauma Report writer Llewellyn Boggs interviews Wendy Shama, a social worker in the immunology clinic at Sick Kids Hospital. Shama discusses how patients and families are responding to changes in social work practice due to COVID-19. Tune in to find out how social workers are adapting to these unprecedented times, and the progress the community is making despite the challenges.

Our methods of relating to others have shifted as we manage the new norms of a world in the midst of a global pandemic. In episode two of the COVID-19 and relationships series, Trauma Report writer Chiara Gianvito interviews Eliza Boquin, a licensed psychotherapist and sex therapist based in Houston, Texas. Tune into this interesting conversation to gain an understanding of the importance of our connections with others.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, many of our lives have been altered or changed in some capacity.  So have our relationships with loved ones.  In this episode, Trauma Report writer Chiara Gianvito interviews Liz Earnshaw, a practicing licensed marriage and family therapist and complex grief therapist. The discussion provides insight into different ways in which families have been managing pandemic related stressors.