Podcast appearances and mentions of Courtney E Ackerman

SHOW NOTES: On this show…we are balancing our inner emotions as we decide, which wolf to feed. Ever feel like there's a tug-of-war happening inside you? One part of you wants to lounge on the couch, scrolling endlessly, indulging in snacks, and just existing in cozy bliss. Meanwhile, the other side is nagging at you—reminding you of the gym membership you're paying for, the book you said you'd read, or that goal you promised yourself you'd chase. It's an internal battle, and let's be honest, some days, the lazy wolf wins. But what if I told you that this struggle isn't just about self-discipline or willpower? It's a deeper, universal experience that has been described for generations through the ancient Cherokee story of the two wolves. According to this tale, inside each of us live two wolves: one represents negativity—anger, jealousy, regret, self-doubt—while the other embodies positivity—love, kindness, hope, and gratitude. They are constantly at odds, each vying for dominance over our thoughts, reactions, and ultimately, our lives. The question is: which wolf wins? The answer is simple but powerful—the one you feed. On this show, we're diving deep into this idea, exploring the dangers of leaning too far in either direction and most importantly, how to maintain a healthy balance. Because let's face it, we're all human. Sometimes, the negative wolf gets a few too many scraps, but the good news? We can always make a conscious choice to shift our focus, change our perspective, and start feeding the right wolf again. Let's do a little test to see if you can recognize which wolf is speaking in different situations. I'm going to give you a few common thoughts we all experience, and I want you to guess which wolf is talking—positive or negative. No overthinking, just go with your gut. “I'll never be good at this, so why even try?” “I messed up, but I can learn from this and do better next time.” “Everyone else has it figured out. I'm so far behind.” “I'm proud of how far I've come, even if I'm not where I want to be yet.” “I don't trust people. Every time I let my guard down, I get hurt.” “There are good people in the world. I just have to find the right ones.” How did you do? It's pretty clear once you break it down, right? The negative wolf thrives on absolutes—never, always, no one, everyone—and it feeds on doubt, fear, and comparison. The positive wolf, on the other hand, embraces growth, possibility, and resilience. When the Wolves Wear Disguises Here's where it gets tricky—sometimes, the negative wolf pretends to be the positive wolf to keep its grip on you. Have you ever told yourself: “I just expect the worst so I won't be disappointed.” “I'm not being negative, I'm just being realistic.” “If I don't trust people, they can't hurt me.” These thoughts feel like self-protection, but in reality, they're fear in disguise. The negative wolf doesn't just show up as anger or sadness—it can creep in as cynicism, overthinking, or even perfectionism. Courtney E. Ackerman asks about Positive and Negative Emotions: Do We Need Both? Found at Positive Psychology Ria Bhagwat claims 'Lemonading' Is the Life Strategy That'll Make You Happier (and There's Science to Prove It) found at Real Simple On the Anasazi Foundation's YouTube channel, I found THE LEGEND OF THE TWO WOLVES || Native American Legend CHALLENGE: This week, observe which wolf you're feeding with your thoughts and actions. Make conscious choices to nourish your positive wolf, and watch how your inner landscape transforms. I Know YOU Can Do It!

In this episode of Wellbeing Science Labs, we embark on a journey of self-discovery and introspection with our host, Lu Ngo, as we delve into the transformative power of self-awareness. Join us for an engaging conversation that promises to equip you with the tools to better understand yourself and enhance your wellbeing. Courtney E. Ackerman, MA is a dedicated mental health policy researcher for the state of California, an active author, and an independent research consultant. With eight self-help books under her belt, she distills positive psychology principles into practical tips and exercises for healthy living. Courtney E. Ackerman, MA's passion lies in making complex research findings accessible and actionable, helping people integrate mindfulness, gratitude, empathy, and self-compassion into their lives. In this insightful episode, Courtney E. Ackerman, MA shares her expert perspective on the critical role of self-awareness in overall wellbeing. She discusses how self-awareness influences our mental health, identifying signs of its absence, and addressing these blind spots. Courtney E. Ackerman, MA also highlights how self-awareness fosters kinder, more compassionate relationships with ourselves. Courtney E. Ackerman, MA also recommends valuable resources, including books and apps, to aid in the journey toward greater self-awareness. She offers practical advice on recognizing and cultivating this essential skill, ensuring listeners leave with actionable steps to enhance their lives. Connect with Courtney E. Ackerman, MA's social media on: LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtney-e-ackerman-0b03a270/   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/courtneyeackerman/   Website: https://positivepsychology.com/team/courtney-ackerman/  Produced by the Wellbeing Science Labs, a division of LMSL, the Life Management Science Labs.  Explore LMSL at https://lifemanagementsciencelabs.com/ and visit http://we.lmsl.net/ for additional information about Wellbeing Science Labs. Follow us on social media to stay updated: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@wellbeingsciencelabs   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wellbeing.science.labs/   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wellbeing.science.labs/   LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/showcase/wellbeing-science-labs   Twitter: https://twitter.com/WeScienceLabs   TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wellbeing.science.labs     Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/wellbeingsciencelabs/   You can also subscribe and listen to our podcasts on your preferred podcasting platforms: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/doing-well-the-wellbeing-science-insights-podcast/id1648515329  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/63Gni7VN4Ca6IicSuttwQL   Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7cd001d1-b7ba-4b22-a0f3-17c1a9c6e818/doing-well-the-wellbeing-science-insights-podcast   iHeart Radio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/338-doing-well-the-wellbeing-s-102890038/   Podbean: https://wellbeingscienceinsights.podbean.com/   PlayerFM: https://player.fm/series/3402363   Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/doing-well-the-wellbeing-scien-4914859  

Welcome back to another audio blog by Your Aha! Life. This time I'm delving into the topic of Identifying Emotional Triggers and Building Resilience with Self-Regulation. For short, it's about learning to manage our emotions so that we can boost our resilience and act in ways that are aligned with our values and how we want to show up in the world. I hope you enjoy it. Description: Emotional triggers are everywhere - during a disagreement with a loved one, the moment you're cut off in traffic, or even while scrolling through social media. These moments test us, but with self-regulation, you have the power to navigate these challenges. It's a skill that takes practice and patience, but mastering it can significantly enhance your happiness and wellbeing. Let's dive into how to turn these triggers in opportunities for growing a positive mindset and building personal resilience - two components of the Aha! Life.  In the article I cited a research-based article, What is Self-Regulation? by Courtney E. Ackerman, MA for PositivePsychology.com. Click here to read it and learn more. I invite you to join the Your Aha! Global Community. Go to my website at https://yourahalife.com to learn more and subscribe today. I look forward to continuing our journeys together. Wishing you more joy, more purpose, and more fulfillment. XO, Tonya --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/yourahalife/message

"Neuroplasticity knows no bounds; it is a lifelong journey of growth, learning, and personal transformation." – Dr. Andrew Huberman whose quote we ended our last EPISODE on a “Deeper Diver into Neuroplasticity.” On today's episode we will review: ✔ Tips for regrowing our brain cells (neurogenesis) ✔ A reminder of what prevents neurogenesis and hurts our brain and what we can do to help increase neurogenesis in our brain. ✔ What's the Difference Between Neuroplasticity and Neurogenesis? ✔ What's the Controversy with Neurogenesis? What's the difference between Neuroplasticity, that we covered on EPISODE #302[i] (that knows no bounds) that's defined as “the ability of the brain to form new connections and pathways and change how it's circuits are wired; (as shown so well in the Sentis YouTube video that gives us a representation of these pathways visually, and what they look like in our brain when we create NEW pathways).[ii] This we KNOW we can do throughout our lifetime, (while) neurogenesis is the even more amazing ability for the brain to grow new neurons (Bergland, 2017).[iii]  And on today's episode #303, we will take a closer look at “What Exactly IS Neurogenesis and Why is it Controversial Among Neuroscientists.”[iv] Welcome back to The Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast, where we connect the science-based evidence behind social and emotional learning (that's finally being taught in our schools today) and emotional intelligence training (used in our modern workplaces) for improved well-being, achievement, productivity and results—using what I saw as the missing link (since we weren't taught this when we were growing up in school), the application of practical neuroscience. I'm Andrea Samadi, an author, and an educator with a passion for learning and launched this podcast 5 years ago with the goal of bringing ALL the leading experts together (in one place) to uncover the most current research that would back up how the brain learns best, taking us ALL to new, and often unimaginable heights.    For today's episode #303, and in keeping with our Season Theme of Going Back to the Basics, to take our learning to new heights, I'm going back to EPISODE #141[v] on “Neurogenesis: What Helps or Hurts our Brain Cells” because it became clear to me that while researching for our last episode that Neuroplasticity and Neurogenesis are closely connected, but the former is widely accepted, while the latter holds some controversy. In our first episode on neurogenesis, we looked at: ✔ Tips for regrowing our brain cells (neurogenesis) ✔ A reminder of what prevents neurogenesis and hurts our brain and what we can do to help increase neurogenesis in our brain. Dr. Andrew Huberman on Neurogenesis While researching Dr. Huberman's work last week on neuroplasticity, he mentioned that there was “bad news” with “neurogenesis” and that many people think that they can exercise and add “new neurons” in the brain and “that after age 14, the human nervous system adds few new neurons.”[vi] He said that “in rodents neurogenesis could occur but in humans it was less obvious” and “that while we can't add new neurons, we can change our nervous system”[vii] and dives deeper into the definition of neuroplasticity and why this holds no bounds. Now I'm starting to see the controversy in this topic, as I went back to my first look at Neurogenesis. Dr. David Perlmutter (a board-certified neurologist) on Neurogenesis and Dr. John Ratey, the author of Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain To open up EP 141 from June 2021, I quoted Dr. David Perlmutter, a board-certified neurologist and six-time New York Times bestselling author who said “the best way to increase neurogenesis (regrow your brain cells) is “when your body produces more BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor” (Dr. David Perlmutter) and we covered this topic deeply on EP 274[viii] “What New With BDNF: Building a Faster, Stronger and More Resilient Brain.” I even remember Dr. John Ratey[ix] the author of the book Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain said that BDNF was like “Miracle-Gro for the brain” (you can't forget some of the things some people say over the years and he cites a paper where he talked about how brain cells “do grow back in the hippocampus (and that in the study he sited), they saw while looking at the brains of terminally ill patients who had donated their body to science (Cancer patients who had been injected with a dye that shows up in proliferating cells so that the spread of the disease could be tracked) found their hippocampi were packed with dye marker, proof that the neurons were dividing and propagating—a process called neurogenesis.”[x] (Page 48, Spark) Dr. Ratey's book Spark, talks about “how to kick-start neurogenesis” and where the research began, causing me to think back to Dr. Perlmutter's website where he mentioned that BDNF causes neurogenesis or new cells to form in our brain. He cites the studies that show how “exercise training increases the size of the hippocampus and improves memory” exactly what Dr. Ratey saw that made such a huge difference with those students he worked with at Naperville High School. Dr. Perlmutter's video talks about the study that showed that after 1 year of aerobic exercise, “exercisers had a marked increase in BDNF, and they showed substantial improvement in memory function.”[xi]    Then I found another video I watched in our last episode from Sandrine Thuret called “It's Possible to Grow New Brain Cells” where she said that “we produce 700 new neurons a day in the hippocampus”[xii] Sandrine Thuret's TED TALK lists many ways you can grow new brain cells (the highlighted words) with intermittent fasting, flavonoids (found in dark chocolate) and caffeine being a few evidence-based strategies. Conversely, she mentions a diet high in saturated fat, sugar or ethanol, will have a negative impact on neurogenesis. She even showed a study (from Praag, Kepermann and Gage) where rats who were runners shows an increase in neurogenesis vs the control group who were non-runners that Dr. Ratey talks about in his book Spark. What Does This All Mean? Where's the Controversy? Neuroplasticity vs Neurogenesis To review and conclude this episode on “Diving Deeper into Neuroplasticity and Neurogenesis” I think we've got a clear picture of how neuroplasticity works from our last episode, (by making a conscious effort to build new neural pathways in our brain when we learn something new) but the topic of how we can grow new neurons seems to be where the controversy exists. It seems like this is only possible in the hippocampus but I still do wonder why a neurologist like Dr. Perlmutter says neurogenesis is possible through exercise[xiii], while another respected neuroscientist's stance is that “in humans this is less obvious.”[xiv]  This is where the deep learning comes into our study, and being open to what we might uncover here. If we aren't continually questioning what we are learning, then we aren't thinking at all. Mark Waldman's AHA Moment: What Neuroplasticity Is and Isn't While thinking about why neurogenesis is “less obvious” in humans, as it might be in rodents, like Sandrine Thuret's TED TALK covered, and even Dr. Ratey took the same rodent study and made a comparison to the students at Naperville whose test scores improved after running. Then I remembered my mentor Mark Waldman made me think deeply about this when he wrote about “What Neuroplasticity Is and Isn't”[xv] where he explained an article “Adult Neurogenesis in Humans”[xvi] that ended up being my AHA Moment of learning here. He said to “imagine the brain as a city map, and instead of there being 214 streets in Manhattan, imagine that it had a million streets! No room for buildings, just streets winding and weaving east to west, north to south, up and down and diagonal, all woven together like a giant hairball. Each city is a brain function – vision, movement, memory, imagination, feelings, etc. – and the entire state of New York would have cities upon cities woven together on top and alongside each other. Those billions of roads have trillions of cul-de-sacs which are the synapses. Can you visualize that? Below is an actual slice of a thousandth of a millimeter of mouse brain: Everything is jam packed but you the traveler can decide which road or neural pathway to take in order to reach a specific destination to help you perform some action of achieve a particular goal. The fastest your brain can process information is about 60 bits per second, and he guesses that any cognitive function would be traveling around 2,000 miles per hour down those roadways in your brain! Now we can ACCURATELY visualize what plasticity looks like in the adult human brain a bit deeper than what we first looked at the Sentis YouTube with the connections in our brain this way. This was my FIRST look at neuroplasticity, and this video came out 10 years ago. Look at the difference with this image that came from the research paper Mark Waldman read on “Adult Neurogenesis in Humans” that changed his thinking about neuroplasticity and neurogenesis. He said “the roads/neurons don't change but the tiny exits that lead you to another neuron can slowly move to a different synapse, similar to how switch-ways work on a railroad track. That's where synaptic plasticity takes place and that's what happens when you learn something new: You're beginning to find new pathways that create different decisions and behaviors. Waldman went on to point out some main take-aways from this Paper on Neuroplasticity but the ones I want to mention are that   “This kind of plasticity does not add or replace neurons.” “the exception is a process called “adult neurogenesis” conferred by active stem cell niches…in restricted regions [olfactory bulb & hippocampus]” (Confirmed by Dr. Huberman's research)[xvii] “After 60 years of intense research and more than 10,000 peer-reviewed publications, we still do not know if our brain maintains such capability.” Synaptic changes are very slow, involved with learning and brain repair. Stem cell-driven “adult neurogenesis” is still far in the future. ------------ La Rosa C, Parolisi R, Bonfanti L. Brain Structural Plasticity: From Adult Neurogenesis to Immature Neurons. Front Neurosci. 2020 Feb 4;14:75. Review and Conclusion: Neuroplasticity vs Neurogenesis: Uncovering the Controversy So now I've opened up a bit more as to “WHY” this topic holds controversy among neuroscientists, and I think while this is a good start at explaining how Neuroplasticity is different than Neurogenesis, I do want to leave this topic open, to come back to at a later date, and see what else we can add to our understanding In the meantime, I'll continue to read, learn and think of how this learning can apply to our daily life.  While researching this topic, I found an article I like called What is Neuroplasticity[xviii] written just this past April 2023. It explains neuroplasticity thoroughly, and how it applies to learning, a growth mindset, and how it changes as we age. It covers neuroplasticity and how it can help with anxiety, which made me think back to when we changed our brain with Dr. Caroline Leaf's 5 Step Process for Cleaning Up Our Mental Mess on EP #299.[xix] It even covers neuroplasticity exercises for treating chronic pain that took me back to our interview with Ashok Gupta[xx] a well-known brain-training neuroplasticity expert who taught us how to use our brain and mind to manage chronic pain and illness. At the end of this article there are YouTube videos from many of the experts we've covered on this podcast like Dr. Daniel Amen, Dr. Joe Dispenza, and books from Dr. Caroline Leaf, and Norman Doidge. But what was missing, was more about Neurogenesis and how we can change actually change our brain, not just re-wire the pathways in it, there were a bunch of quotes at the end of this article but they were all about neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity Quotes Among other things, neuroplasticity means that emotions such as happiness and compassion can be cultivated in much the same way that a person can learn through repetition to play golf and basketball or master a musical instrument, and that such practice changes the activity and physical aspects of specific brain areas.--Andrew Weil Because of the power of neuroplasticity, you can, in fact, reframe your world and rewire your brain so that you are more objective. You have the power to see things as they are so that you can respond thoughtfully, deliberately, and effectively to everything you experience.--Elizabeth Thornton Any man could, if he were so inclined, be the sculptor of his own brain.--Santiago Ramón y Cajal Meditation invokes that which is known in neuroscience as neuroplasticity; which is the loosening of the old nerve cells or hardwiring in the brain, to make space for the new to emerge.--Craig Krishna Everything having to do with human training and education has to be re-examined in light of neuroplasticity.--Norman Doidge Neurons that fire together wire together.--Donald O. Hebb (Dr. Huberman would say this came from Carla Shatz) Brains are tricky and adaptable organs. For all the ‘neuroplasticity' allowing our brains to reconfigure themselves to the biases of our computers, we are just as neuroplastic in our ability to eventually recover and adapt.--Douglas Rushkoff Our brains renew themselves throughout life to an extent previously thought not possible.--Michael S. Gazzaniga Our minds have the incredible capacity to both alter the strength of connections among neurons, essentially rewiring them, and create entirely new pathways. (It makes a computer, which cannot create new hardware when its system crashes, seem fixed and helpless).--Susannah Cahalan Where are the quotes for Neurogenesis? Like the quote I found from Dr. Perlmutter who said “We can regrow brain cells and retain this ability throughout our entire lifetime.” Is this only possible in our hippocampus? Or will science someday reveal that adult neurogenesis is possible like what Mark Walman mentioned with stem-cell adult neurogenesis that he thinks is far in the future? Until we know for sure, I'm going to stick with doing what I know helps my brain according to Dr. Perlmutter's work, and Sandrine Thuret's TEDTALK where she says by doing certain things like the words she's highlighted in her graphic, we can create neurogenesis that's important for learning and memory, and I'll avoid the non-highlighted words that she says prevents neurogenesis. And I'll come back to this episode at a future date to see what else we can add to accelerate our understanding of “Neuroplasticity vs Neurogenesis.” With that thought, I hope this episode has made you think deeper about your brain, especially when it comes to making choices that we know can improve our ability to build a stronger, more resilient brain by doing what helps it (and our brain cells) instead of what hurts it, and I'll see you next week.   REFERENCES:   [i] https://andreasamadi.podbean.com/e/brain-fact-friday-and-a-deeper-dive-into-applying-neuroplasticity-to-learn-something-new/ [ii] Neuroplasticity Published on YouTube November 6, 2012  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELpfYCZa87g [iii] What is Neuroplasticity: A Psychologist Explains [14+ Tools] by Courtney E Ackerman, MA, Published July 25, 2018, Scientifically reviewed by Melissa Madeson, Ph.D. https://positivepsychology.com/neuroplasticity/#google_vignette [iv] Adult Neurogenesis in Human: A Review of Basic Concepts, History, Current Research, and Clinical Implications Published May 1, 2019 by Ashutosh Kumar, MD. et al.  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6659986/ [v] https://andreasamadi.podbean.com/e/brain-fact-friday-on-neurogenesis-what-hurts-or-helps-your-brain-cells/ [vi] Dr. Andrew Huberman Lab Podcast EPISODE #6 “How to Focus to Change Your Brain” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LG53Vxum0as [vii] IBID [viii] https://andreasamadi.podbean.com/e/brain-fact-friday-what-s-new-with-bdnf-building-a-faster-stronger-more-resilient-brain/ [ix] Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast EPISODE#116 with Dr. John Ratey on “The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain”  https://andreasamadi.podbean.com/e/best-selling-author-john-j-ratey-md-on-the-revolutionary-new-science-of-exercise-and-the-brain/ [x] Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain by John J. Ratey, MD (January 10, 2008) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D7GQ887/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1 [xi] https://www.drperlmutter.com/neurogenesis-re-grow-new-brain-cells-exercise/ [xii]Is It Possible to Grow New Brain Cells by Sandrine Thuret published Dec. 8th, 2017  https://capture.dropbox.com/W0af55YnE3LhDb0M [xiii] https://www.drperlmutter.com/neurogenesis-re-grow-new-brain-cells-exercise/ [xiv] Dr. Andrew Huberman Lab Podcast EPISODE #6 “How to Focus to Change Your Brain” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LG53Vxum0as [xv] Mark Waldman “What Neuroplasticity is and isn't” Published on Facebook Nov. 10, 2020 https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1300824310263746&set=a.112516002427922 [xvi] Adult Neurogenesis in Human: A Review of Basic Concepts, History, Current Research, and Clinical Implications Published May 1, 2019 by Ashutosh Kumar, MD. et al.  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6659986/ [xvii] Dr. Andrew Huberman Lab Podcast EPISODE #6 “How to Focus to Change Your Brain” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LG53Vxum0as [xviii] What is Neuroplasticity: A Psychologist Explains [14+ Tools] by Courtney E Ackerman, MA, Published July 25, 2018, Scientifically reviewed by Melissa Madeson, Ph.D. https://positivepsychology.com/neuroplasticity/#google_vignette [xix] https://andreasamadi.podbean.com/e/brain-fact-friday-on-a-deep-dive-into-dr-carolyn-leaf-s-5-scientifically-proven-steps-to-clean-up-our-mental-mess-so-we-can-help-our-children/ [xx] https://andreasamadi.podbean.com/e/ashok-gupta-on-heath-and-happiness-getting-to-the-root-of-chronic-pain-and-illness-long-covid-fibromyalgia-chronic-fatigue-and-others/  

SHOW NOTES: On this show…we are putting aside self-doubt, silencing our internal nay-sayers, and leaning into the truth as we start believing in our own worth. Don't you wish you could see yourself as your best friend sees you, like your Mom sees you, or your favorite aunt? Why do you let their praises fall on deaf ears, choosing to shut out the good and easily accept the negative self-talk that rattles around in your head even when nothing is wrong? Don't you wish you could be your own champion? Worth is defined as the level at which someone or something deserves to be valued or rated. Are you selling yourself short?  I titled this show Believing in Your Worth because the key here is to believe. We are all valuable. You are valuable! But do you believe it? Do you believe it when you hear it from others or when you force yourself to spit out a mantra like “you are enough”? We all know positive self-talk is important and a way to lift our spirits and increase or sense of well-being but it isn't so easy to believe.  Even so, we aren't accepting this and moving on to another subject. Let's dive in, audit our current sense of value, and find strategies to increase our worth. Courtney E. Ackerman, defines What is Self-Worth & How Do We Build it? Found at positivepsychology.com  Michael Stanwyck shares 10 Thought Habits of People with High Self-Worth found at wholelifechallenge.com On Eddie Pinero youtube channel I found a motivational message that will get you pumped: Believe in Yourself  CHALLENGE: quiet self-talk that doesn't lift, encourage, inspire, or motivate. Practice self-forgiveness by forgiving others first. Believe that your worth is highly valued. I Know YOU Can Do It!

The issue with many current BPD treatments is that they are focused squarely on the individual – these therapies (like DBT or CBT) primarily focus on coping skills – which are helpful, no doubt – but these same therapeutic modalities fail to get “under the hood.” Skills alone can't help us get to the *true* heart of the matter: the systemic components of what we view as a society as “disordered behavior.” Many individuals who identify with the symptoms of BPD or have a formal diagnosis find themselves still feeling empty and without a sense of identity, even after completing full DBT programs. In today's episode, we'll explore a form of therapy that targets the root cause of many of the most painful symptoms of BPD: narrative therapy. After listening, you'll learn how to begin to incorporate some of the core concepts of narrative therapy into your life today so that you can start to transform the way you view yourself and the way you move through the world.  

I wanna be FREEEEEEE! Live off my CRE AY TIV UH TEEEEEE! So, I guess I'm an entrepreneur (in some sense...) but thing is... this mindset is WHEW! I know I can do it. You know you can do it.. until you don't feel you can. Then what? Let's talk about this self-efficacy and the entrepreneurial mindset. We're transitioning to the ENTREPRENEURIAL MINDSET series! We have to change our minds to be successful. Success starts here. Join me! https://positivepsychology.com/self-efficacy/by Courtney E. Ackerman, MA.Wanna show me some love? :) NO PRESSURE! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/tofadreamerJournals/notebooks are for sale on Amazon! There is only a handful, but there are more to come! Check out the link for my amazon shop! STARTING MORE SOON!!! OMG. I'm ALMOST finished with my website! :) I know it may be random, but if you need some great recipes FROM SCRATCH... check out my YouTube page for my bakery Southern Drizzle! Be sure to subscribe! WEBSITE COMING SUPER SOON! :D RATE the PODCAST! SUBSCRIBE!! Leave comments! I'd LOVE to hear from you! Thank you to all the new followers on my Facebook page! Yall are awesome! :) Facebook: @toadreamerTwitter: @toa_dreamerIG: @toa_dreamer tiktok: @tofa_dreamerFor Business Inquiries:  tofadreamer@gmail.com 

On today's episode of The Elegant Warrior podcast, I invite special guest author and researcher Courtney Ackerman on to the show to talk about her new book, ‘The Book of Patience'. Courtney has compiled 250 tips, tricks and thought-provoking ideas to help us to become more patient, which is something that is so relevant and necessary as we all wait for COVID-19 restrictions to stop dominating our lives.  I love her book as her advice is so intuitive and it's the kind of book that encourages you to flick through it over and over again. Courtney's approach is to give different kinds of advice and to illustrate her point in several ways so that you can find the parts that resonate with you the most. She emphasizes that patience is a choice that we have to make - perhaps we can't change the situation that we're in, but we can work on our mindset to change how we feel about it. When we apply this technique, our patience will grow over time, like a muscle.  Listen in to find out how to embrace the downtime and how practicing the art of patience will help you to reconnect with the world around you and feel like you're a small part of a whole. Once you make room for patience in your life, you'd be surprised what other positive changes come along too!  To learn more about Courtney, click on the links below: The Book of Patience Courtney's Instagram Simonandschuster.com To learn more about my services and to stay connected, visit me at: Website: Advocate to Win Instagram: @imheatherhansen Don't forget to Subscribe to the Advocate with Elegance private podcast here. 

This week Skye & Amanda read a Positive Psychology article titled “Cognitive Distortions: When Your Brain Lies to You” by Courtney E. Ackerman, MA and discuss the ways that we all tend to have errors in our thinking, that can impact the way we see ourselves, those around us and the world. The two define cognitive distortion and its tie to our survival instincts, as well as coping mechanisms. They then run down the line of the 16 types of cognitive distortion and how they see themselves and others in each. The ladies discuss everything from how black and white thinking impacts our habit building to how overgeneralization gets in the way of finding love to feelings around hearing feedback during performance reviews at work. Find out who is dealing with the aftermath of gaslighting and questioning cognitive distortion vs reality and who sees how cognitive distortion has led to being controlling with loved ones. Listen in to learn the ways that jumping to conclusions gets in our way and is a bigger deal than many of us realize. This week's ‘Bout That Action! highlight is: Support for Hurricane Ida Victims: Imagine Water Works Another Gulf is PossibleSouthern Solidarity Cajun Navy Relief                              Check out what Skye & Amanda have been loving this week: Nine Perfect Strangers on Hulu Cleo Sol's new album, MotherBlack Girl Songbook Podcast Frères Branchiaux Candles Support Long Story Short and Local Bookstores: Libro.FM - get two audiobooks for the price of one when you use the code LSSPODCAST when signing up for your first month of membership. Long Story Short Hotline: (646) 543-6232Follow us online:Instagram: @LongStoryShortPodTwitter: @LSSpodcastFacebook: @LongStoryShortPodEmail: info.longstoryshortpod@gmail.com*Purchasing books through Bookshop.org earns Long Story Short a small commission.

Renelle Briggs is a confidence mentor, digital creator, and founder of the Confidence Club and the host of the Confidence Club Podcast. She teaches people to show up confidently in their life and create financial freedom. On this week's episode Renelle and I talk about being true to yourself, how to change the stories we tell yourself about money and why mindset is so important when building up your confidence. Connect with Renelle Briggs: Instagram: @renellebriggs Confidence Club Podcast with Renelle Briggs Clubhouse: @renellebriggs and The Confidence Crew room Resources: What is Self-Confidence + 9 Ways to Improve It by Courtney E. Ackerman, M.A. Why Self-Confidence is More Important Than You Think by Barbara Parkway Ph.D How Generation Z is Altering the Face of Entrepreneurship for Good by Chidike Samuelson Gen Z Entrepreneurs are Thriving During the Pandemic by Ian Fox Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill Your Are a Badass by Jen Sincero You Are a Badass at Making Money by Jen Sincero The Four Agreements by Miguel Ruiz Humans ‘R' Us Episode 7: Garrett Philbin - Financial Coach and Founder of Be Awesome Not Broke Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss out on any upcoming episodes. And, if you enjoyed this episode, please tell a friend about it. Let's grow the Humans ‘R' Us Community!

Midnight Meditations: Calm Your Thoughts, Still Your Body, and Return to Sleep by Courtney E. Ackerman Stop chasing sleep and start welcoming rest with these 150 peaceful, nighttime meditations to make falling back to sleep easier than ever. There’s nothing worse than waking up in the middle of the night and being unable to fall back asleep. Now with Midnight Meditations, you can be gently guided back to sleep faster than ever. These 150 peaceful, soothing meditations help you welcome and embrace the rest, relaxation, and restorative sleep every night has to offer. With these simple, guided meditations you can tune out distractions that hinder your rest and tap into the tranquility of the night. In Midnight Meditations, you will discover how to calm your racing thoughts, stop chasing sleep, and start receiving an undisturbed night’s rest so you can make the most of your days.

In this episode we explore the connections between challenges, confidence, self-efficacy, and perseverance. Guests Dan Greaves Tracy Hamm Adam Krikorian Andy Smith Dr. Ted Leland WHAT IS SELF-EFFICACY THEORY IN PSYCHOLOGY? https://positivepsychology.com/self-efficacy/ Courtney E. Ackerman, MSc., Albert Bandura October 19, 2020 Sponser: Barrel Brothers Brewing Company https://www.barrelbrothersbrewing.com/ Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/deep_dive_cwc/ https://www.instagram.com/lucas2blue/ https://www.patreon.com/lucas2blue Music By Ian Carpenter A Lucas2Blue Network Production Patrons: Peter McCormick Kirsten Carpenter Charlene Lombardi Paul McCormick Donkey D. Dylan --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/deepdivecwc/support

In this podcast episode, we talk about how to be in the present moment with tangible actions in our COVID-19 normal. Links to resources/articles referenced in the episode:How to Live in the Present Moment: 35 Exercises and Tools (+ Quotes) - Courtney E. Ackerman - April 26, 2020 - Positive Psychology.com10 Tips to Start Living in the Present Moment - Joshua Becker - Becoming Minimalist.comHow to Live in the Present Moment - A Conscious Rethink.comSound credits:10 Second Applause Sound - Mike Koenig - Soundbible.comSlap Sound - Public Domain - Soundbible.comFOLLOW SALLY:BLOG: https://sallyinthezen.com/FINDING ZEN on MEDIUM: https://medium.com/finding-zenMEDIUM: https://medium.com/@sallyinthezenINSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/sallyinthezenPINTEREST: https://www.pinterest.com/sallyinthezen/If you have any questions or comments or if you would like to hear more of something in future episodes, just leave a comment on the Contacts page on my blog SallyintheZen.com.

Lets face it, sometimes you could use a bit of positivity and bliss in your life. Topic: The question is, where do you find it? We’ll talk to Courtney Ackerman, author of “5-Minute Bliss”. She has discovered more than 200 happiness-boosting activities to find a more joyful, connected and fulfilled you. And you can do it in just 5 minutes a day!

It can be hard to maintain a positive attitude--especially today, when the news and our social media feeds seem to be saturated in negativity and tragedy. But with the book My Pocket Positivity: Anytime Exercises That Boost Optimism, Confidence, and Possibility, written by today's special guest Courtney Ackerman, you will find the good in any moment, and maintain an upbeat attitude through the day, no matter what life throws your way. My Pocket Positivity is full of uplifting thoughts to brighten your day and inspire hope Through 140 quick and easy exercises, you will learn how to boodt and strengthen feelings of confidence, resiliency, gratitude, and serenity. What's more, you will feel empowered to take positive action in your own life and the world around you to pay the feeling forward. Courtney has put together quick and effective exercises to help people uplift your thoughts, and face any challenge with optimism, such as “take the helicopter view,” “write in your future diary,” and “quit making uneven comparisons.” Plus, it is the perfect, pocket-size to take anywhere. Courtney E. Ackerman has lived in various places around the US, as well as spending a year in the UK as a child. These experiences spurred the development of a curiosity about people that never abated, and she indulged her interests by majoring in psychology with a focus on cognitive science and statistics. Courtney continued her love affair with learning through Claremont Graduate University in California, where she earned her master's degree in Positive Organizational Psychology and Evaluation. Courtney is currently working as a researcher and growing her recently established freelancing business.