Mentally Flexible

Tamara Hubbard, LCPC | Parenting Through Food Allergy Anxiety with ACT

Fri, 08 May 2026 13:00:00 -0400

Tamara Hubbard, MA, LCPC, is a licensed clinical professional counselor with more than 20 years of clinical experience. IShe specializes in helping parents of children with food allergies find the balance between managing anxiety and living fully. An active allied health member of professional allergy and immunology organizations, Tamara is a national speaker and has created several widely used resources within the allergy community. She is also the author of May Contain Anxiety: Managing the Overwhelm of Parenting Children with Food Allergies.

Some of the topics we explore include:

-Tamara’s own experience parenting a child with food allergies shaped her work as a therapist

-How ACT informs her clinical approach and writing

-Balancing appropriate safety precautions with quality of life, flexibility, and values-based living

-Common clinical challenges families face, including post-diagnosis overwhelm, school transitions, OCD, eating disorders, and more

-How parents can model healthier coping for their children, collaborate effectively with allergy care teams, and help kids build resilience rather than fear-driven identities

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Tamara’s Website: https://www.tamarahubbardlcpc.com/

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Thank you all for checking out the episode! Here are some ways to help support Mentally Flexible:

You can help cover some of the costs of running the podcast by donating a cup of coffee! www.buymeacoffee.com/mentallyflexible

Please subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. It only takes 30 seconds and plays an important role in being able to get new guests.https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mentally-flexible/id1539933988

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tomparkestherapy

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Check out my new album, Holding Space! https://open.spotify.com/album/0iOcjZQhmAhYtjjq3CTpwQ?si=nemiLnELTsGGExjfy8B6iw

Paul Eastwick PhD | Rethinking Attraction: Why Your “Type” Isn’t What You Think

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 16:00:00 -0400

My guest today is Paul Eastwick, a social psychologist and professor at the University of California, Davis, whose research focuses on attraction, romantic relationships, and the gap between what we think we want and what actually unfolds in real life. His latest book, Bonded by Evolution, challenges a lot of common assumptions about dating and compatibility.

In this episode, we explore:

Why many of our inherited “rules” about attraction—like mate value, having a type, or alpha/beta dynamics—don’t hold up in real life
How attraction is far more dynamic and often grows over time rather than appearing instantly
The gap between what people say they want in a partner and who they actually choose
How context (social environments, timing, even a first kiss) plays a powerful role in shaping connection
What dating apps get wrong—and why real-life networks and shared spaces matter more than we think
How loosening rigid expectations allows attraction and relationships to unfold more naturally

Thank you all for checking out the episode! Here are some ways to help support Mentally Flexible:

You can help cover some of the costs of running the podcast by donating a cup of coffee! www.buymeacoffee.com/mentallyflexible

Follow me on Instagram: @tomparkestherapy

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Check out my new album, Holding Space! https://open.spotify.com/album/0iOcjZQhmAhYtjjq3CTpwQ?si=nemiLnELTsGGExjfy8B6iw

Jason Luoma, PhD | ACT & Psychedelic Science

Thu, 05 Mar 2026 14:00:00 -0500

Today’s guest is Jason Luoma, PhD. Jason is a clinical psychologist, researcher, entrepreneur, and psychotherapy trainer based in Portland, Oregon. For over two decades, Jason’s research has focused on shame, stigma, and the interpersonal functions of emotion, with more recent work centered on psychedelic science. He served as Principal Investigator on one of the first MDMA-assisted psychotherapy trials in the Pacific Northwest and has contributed to multiple NIH-funded clinical trials in roles including co-investigator, consultant, therapist, and trainer.

Jason is co-author of the bestselling ACT text Learning Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Values in Therapy, and is currently writing a book on psychedelic-assisted therapy for Guilford Press. A longtime leader in the ACT community, he is a peer-reviewed ACT trainer, former president of the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science, and co-founder of several innovative organizations, including the Portland Psychotherapy Clinic, Research, & Training Center and the Portland Institute for Psychedelic Science.

He also hosts The Research Matters Podcast, where he interviews leading researchers about what makes their work impactful and effective.

Some of the topics we explore in this episode include:

-His early development in Steve Hayes’ lab

-The evolution of ACT and contextual behavioral science

-The need for more experiential learning for clinicians

-psychedelics and their application for healing

-Hopes for the future of psychedelic assisted therapy

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Jason’s Website: https://jasonluoma.com/

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Thank you all for checking out the episode! Here are some ways to help support Mentally Flexible:

You can help cover some of the costs of running the podcast by donating a cup of coffee! www.buymeacoffee.com/mentallyflexible

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Check out my new album, Holding Space! https://open.spotify.com/album/0iOcjZQhmAhYtjjq3CTpwQ?si=nemiLnELTsGGExjfy8B6iw

Jennifer Bohle, LPC | Letting Values Guide the Creative Process

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 18:00:00 -0500

My guest today is Jennifer Bohle, LPC. Jennifer is a trauma-informed therapist, content creator, and high-achieving creative based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. She works with perfectionistic women to build self-trust, confidence, and worthiness while learning to relate to perfectionism as a strength. Through content creation, Jennifer blends humor, education, and real life -- using creativity as a way to make therapy more human and accessible, and to stay connected to the playful, curious part of herself that still feels like a kid at heart.

Some of the topics we explore in this episode include:

-Jennifer’s path into creating online content — what moved her from private work to public sharing

-Working skillfully with jealousy and comparison, and learning how to genuinely support other creators

-The values that anchor and shape her creative process

-The unspoken costs and complexities of growing an audience online

-And Navigating phone use, attention, and intentional consumption in a digital world

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Jennifer’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenniferanncounseling/

Jennifer’s Website: https://www.jenniferanncounseling.com/

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Thank you all for checking out the episode! Here are some ways to help support Mentally Flexible:

You can help cover some of the costs of running the podcast by donating a cup of coffee! www.buymeacoffee.com/mentallyflexible

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Check out my new album, Holding Space! https://open.spotify.com/album/0iOcjZQhmAhYtjjq3CTpwQ?si=nemiLnELTsGGExjfy8B6iw

Erin Jones, LCMHC | Perinatal OCD and Anxiety

Thu, 29 Jan 2026 09:00:00 -0500

My guest today is Erin Jones, LCMHC. Erin is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor providing evidence-based treatment for individuals with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and related diagnoses. She works at Bull City Anxiety and OCD Treatment Center, where she sees individual clients, manages an intensive Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) program, and runs groups. She is the treasurer for OCD North Carolina, local affiliate of the International OCD Foundation. Erin is passionate about perinatal care and int his episode we explore all things perinatal OCD, touching a range of contexts it shows up like infertility, pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.

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Learn more about Erin: https://www.bullcityanxiety.com/erin-jones-lcmhc

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/erintalksocd/

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Thank you all for checking out the episode! Here are some ways to help support Mentally Flexible:

You can help cover some of the costs of running the podcast by donating a cup of coffee! www.buymeacoffee.com/mentallyflexible

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Check out my new album, Holding Space! https://open.spotify.com/album/0iOcjZQhmAhYtjjq3CTpwQ?si=nemiLnELTsGGExjfy8B6iw

Dr. Diana Hill | Focusing Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most

Mon, 22 Dec 2025 14:00:00 -0500

Diana Hill, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist, international trainer, and sought-out speaker on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and compassion. Diana is the host of the podcast Wise Effort and author of The Self-Compassion Daily Journal, The ACT Daily Journal, I Know I Should Exercise But…, and her newest book Wise Effort. Diana works with organizations and individuals to develop psychological flexibility so that they can grow fulfilling and impactful lives.

Some of the topics we explore in this episode include:

Struggles with change and concept of experiential attachment
The intersection of ACT and Buddhism in Diana’s book
How our environment impacts our energy
The our genius can be under or over-utilized
The importance of feedback and honesty

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Diana’s website: https://drdianahill.com/

Wise Effort: https://a.co/d/81mws9E

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Thank you all for checking out the episode! Here are some ways to help support Mentally Flexible:

You can help cover some of the costs of running the podcast by donating a cup of coffee! www.buymeacoffee.com/mentallyflexible

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Check out my new album, Holding Space! https://open.spotify.com/album/0iOcjZQhmAhYtjjq3CTpwQ?si=nemiLnELTsGGExjfy8B6iw

Marisa Mazza, PsyD | Treating OCD and Anxiety with Psychological Flexibility

Fri, 21 Nov 2025 09:00:00 -0500

Dr. Marisa T. Mazza is a clinical psychologist and founder of choicetherapy psychological services, inc. Dr. Mazza is passionate about providing evidence-based therapies, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Exposure and Response Prevention, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Mindful Self-Compassion, to teens and adults struggling with OCD or Anxiety. She enjoys supporting individuals in learning new ways of interacting with thoughts and feelings. Her approach allows individuals to face their fears in a gradual and gentle way so they can get unstuck from thoughts and feelings and live meaningful lives. Dr. Mazza was formerly a board member of OCD SF Bay Area, the International OCD Foundation’s local affiliate, and was the Vice President of the San Francisco Bay Area Association for Contextual Behavioral Science. She is also the author of The ACT Workbook for OCD which we discuss at points throughout this episode.

Some of the topics we explore in this episode include:

-Marisa’s history of anxiety challenges

-How it has helped her grow and be connected to values as a clinician

-The role that shame plays in anxiety and OCD challenges

-Common OCD related challenges faced postpartum

-What lead to Marisa writing The ACT Workbook for OCD

-How to use ACT skills and exposure exercises flexibly in specific contexts

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Marisa’s website: https://www.choicetherapy.net/

The ACT Workbook for OCD: https://a.co/d/4QBveqc

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Thank you all for checking out the episode! Here are some ways to help support Mentally Flexible:

You can help cover some of the costs of running the podcast by donating a cup of coffee! www.buymeacoffee.com/mentallyflexible

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Check out my new album, Holding Space! https://open.spotify.com/album/0iOcjZQhmAhYtjjq3CTpwQ?si=nemiLnELTsGGExjfy8B6iw

Laura Knouse, PhD | ADHD: Expanding the Clinical Lens

Thu, 06 Nov 2025 08:00:00 -0500

My guest today is Laura Knouse, PhD. Laura is a clinical psychologist and professor at the University of Richmond. Her research and clinical expertise focus on the nature, assessment, and treatment of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in adults.. Her recent research aims to better understand the self-regulation and motivation difficulties of college students with ADHD in order to develop effective interventions. Recent collaborative work with faculty in other disciplines focuses on how leaders can most effectively cope with personal crisis and how growth mindsets are related to mental health and coping. She is a coauthor of the new book, Living Well with Adult ADHD, which we discuss throughout the episode.

Some of the topics we explore in this episode include:

Laura’s background and research interests
The evolution of ADHD throughout Laura’s career
The intersecting processes of many mental health diagnoses
How modern environmental factors influence ADHD symptoms
What the research says about medications for ADHD and the potential risks
And the importance of individualizing treatment

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Laura’s website: https://www.lauraknouse.com/

Living Well with Adult ADHD: https://a.co/d/gwB0Ks0

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Thank you all for checking out the episode! Here are some ways to help support Mentally Flexible:

You can help cover some of the costs of running the podcast by donating a cup of coffee! www.buymeacoffee.com/mentallyflexible

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Check out my new album, Holding Space! https://open.spotify.com/album/0iOcjZQhmAhYtjjq3CTpwQ?si=nemiLnELTsGGExjfy8B6iw

A Conversation with Ralph De La Rosa - Shared in Loving Memory

Fri, 10 Oct 2025 09:00:00 -0400

Today’s episode features Ralph De La Rosa. Ralph was the author of three books, including Outshining Trauma: A New Vision of Radical Compassion (foreword by Richard Schwartz). He was a psychotherapist in private practice and a longtime meditation teacher known for his radically honest and humorous approach. His work was featured in GQ, CNN, NY Post, Tricycle, Mindful Magazine, and beyond.

Perhaps most crucial is that Ralph walked the path of outshining trauma alongside the people he worked with. He was a survivor of PTSD, heroin addiction, Borderline Personality Disorder, ADHD, and liver failure. Walking through these matters with the help of profound therapists and mentors became an empowerment no school could have offered. It was simply part of his path to offer back what he had been shown.

Ralph mentored personally with Richard Schwartz, founder of the Internal Family Systems model of psychotherapy, known for its efficacy in healing trauma. He also completed an invite-only advanced teacher training with Jack Kornfield.

He began practicing meditation in 1996 and trained in a spectrum of yogic and healing traditions, including devotional Hinduism and Tibetan Buddhism. Ralph began teaching Buddhist-inspired meditation in 2008. He identified as a practitioner and teacher of human spirituality, offering a highly specialized hybrid of IFS and Buddhism to guide students on a direct path of conscious evolution and self-discovery.

As a therapist, Ralph was a summa cum laude graduate of Fordham University. He spent his earliest days working in NYC’s clinical foster care system where he trained in multiple modalities of trauma-focused therapy. He maintained a small roster of therapy clients for the love of witnessing transformation up close.

Ralph was also an intersectional activist, musician, wannabe acrobat, and outdoor enthusiast, who made his home in Seattle, WA. His teachings and writings continue to inspire and support people navigating trauma and transformation.

Some of the topics we covered in this episode include:

A beginning guided meditation
What drew Ralph to IFS
Overlaps with ACT and IFS
The value of living with an open heart
And Ralph guides me through some experiential IFS work

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Outshining Trauma: https://a.co/d/cQ8kREn

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Thank you all for checking out the episode! Here are some ways to help support Mentally Flexible:

You can help cover some of the costs of running the podcast by donating a cup of coffee! www.buymeacoffee.com/mentallyflexible

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Check out my new album, Holding Space! https://open.spotify.com/album/0iOcjZQhmAhYtjjq3CTpwQ?si=nemiLnELTsGGExjfy8B6iw

Rikke Kjelgaard | Vulnerability, Scars, and Bringing ACT Into Life

Mon, 22 Sep 2025 13:00:00 -0400

My guest today is Rikke Kjelgaard. Rikke is a licensed psychologist, peer-reviewed ACT trainer, and author. Rikke is on a mission to help therapists thrive and to be brave and authentic helpers. Trained as a clinical psychologist, she has a 15 year background in the science of human behavior and the practice of behavior change. Rikke is a popular speaker internationally, and she is known to bring both passion and vulnerability to her talks. She transforms the lives of her audience by bringing evidence based strategies to her listeners in ways that are accessible and impactful.

Some of the topics we explore in this episode include:

- Rikke’s background being on stage and how that informs her training style

- Her early experiences being trained by the ACT founders

- The difference between wounds and scars regarding self disclosure

- Cultivating willingness to sit in the darkness with others

- Bringing ACT skills beyond the therapy room and into our personal relationships

- And we discuss topics like, self-forgiveness, people pleasing, and being truly helpful

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Rikke’s website: https://www.rikkekjelgaard.com

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Thank you all for checking out the episode! Here are some ways to help support Mentally Flexible:

You can help cover some of the costs of running the podcast by donating a cup of coffee! www.buymeacoffee.com/mentallyflexible

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Check out my new album, Holding Space! https://open.spotify.com/album/0iOcjZQhmAhYtjjq3CTpwQ?si=nemiLnELTsGGExjfy8B6iw

Jessica Borushok, PhD | The ACT Therapist

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 15:00:00 -0400

My guest today is Dr. Jessica Borushok, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist in private practice specializing in anxiety disorders and health-related concerns, including insomnia, chronic pain, and coping with chronic medical conditions. In addition to clinical work, Dr. Borushok provides acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) training and consultation to other mental health professionals. Dr. Borushok is the co-author of numerous books, including her most recent, The Complete Guide to Acceptance & Commitment Therapy: An Interactive Skills Manual for Clinicians to Learn and Practice ACT. In an effort to bring evidence-based resources to the public, Jessica also runs a Youtube channel called The ACT Therapist.

Some of the topics we explore in this episode include:

What led Jessica into the psychology field
How she found her authentic voice and style within ACT
Creative and flexible ways of training others in ACT
Jessica’s new book
And trusting ourselves to take risks in session

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Jessica’s website: https://www.theacttherapist.com/

The Complete Guide to ACT: https://a.co/d/aJTFqHXh

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Thank you all for checking out the episode! Here are some ways to help support Mentally Flexible:

You can help cover some of the costs of running the podcast by donating a cup of coffee! www.buymeacoffee.com/mentallyflexible

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Check out my new album, Holding Space! https://open.spotify.com/album/0iOcjZQhmAhYtjjq3CTpwQ?si=nemiLnELTsGGExjfy8B6iw

Dr. Robyn Walser | Presence and Authenticity in the Therapy Room

Fri, 25 Jul 2025 15:00:00 -0400

My guest today is Dr. Robyn Walser. Robyn is a clinical psychologist, educator, and author of several influential books on ACT for professionals and general readers. She is Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of California, Berkeley, and Director of Research at Bay Area Trauma Recovery Clinical Services. She is also on the staff of the National Center for PTSD at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System. Internationally known for her compassionate, client-centered approach, Dr. Walser has been working in the field of trauma and conducting the ACT training internationally since the 1990s.

Some of the topics we explore in this episode include:

The here and now unfolding of ACT in the therapy room
How Robyn pays attention to function throughout a session
Undermining therapist “rules”
The potential downsides of bringing AI into the therapy process
We discuss Robyn’s new book You Are Not Your Trauma
Creative ways Robyn helps therapists cultivate their practice

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Robyn’s Website: https://robynwalser.com/

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Thank you all for checking out the episode! Here are some ways to help support Mentally Flexible:

You can help cover some of the costs of running the podcast by donating a cup of coffee! www.buymeacoffee.com/mentallyflexible

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Check out my new album, Holding Space! https://open.spotify.com/album/0iOcjZQhmAhYtjjq3CTpwQ?si=nemiLnELTsGGExjfy8B6iw

Noelle McWard Aquino, LCSW | Anxiety Unpacked

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 09:00:00 -0400

My guest today is Noelle McWard Aquino. Noelle is a Chicago-based therapist who specializes in the treatment of anxiety disorders. She is the author of Anxiety Unpacked: Discover Your Type and Recover Your Peace, a bestselling book that helps readers identify and work with the specific patterns driving their anxiety. Her work has been featured in publications including Psychology Today and Psychotherapy Networker. Noelle speaks regularly to both clinical and general audiences, training therapists in her framework for understanding anxiety and helping individuals develop more effective, compassionate responses to it.

Some of the topics we explore in this episode include:

- How Noelle’s relationship with her son helped inform her new book

- The biological processes involved in anxiety

- The difference between anxiety and intuition

- Recurring root patterns of anxiety

- The role of values when navigating anxiety challenges

- The pitfalls of control and unhelpful beliefs

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Noelle’s Website: https://noellemcwardaquino.com/

Anxiety Unpacked: https://a.co/d/dJ41mEK

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Thank you all for checking out the episode! Here are some ways to help support Mentally Flexible:

You can help cover some of the costs of running the podcast by donating a cup of coffee! www.buymeacoffee.com/mentallyflexible

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Check out my new album, Holding Space! https://open.spotify.com/album/0iOcjZQhmAhYtjjq3CTpwQ?si=nemiLnELTsGGExjfy8B6iw

Alissa Jerud, PhD | Emotion-Savvy Parenting

Fri, 20 Jun 2025 14:00:00 -0400

My guest today is Alissa Jerud, PhD. Alissa is a licensed clinical psychologist working in private practice and a clinical assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania. In her private practice, Dr. Jerud specializes in exposure-based treatment of anxiety-related disorders and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills training. She particularly enjoys helping other parents learn to accept, regulate, and tolerate their emotions, as well as their children's. Alissa is the author of a new book, Emotion-Savvy Parenting: A Shame-Free Guide to Navigating Emotional Storms and Deepening Connection.

Some of the topics we explore in this episode include:

What led Alissa into the field of psychology
The inspiration for her new book, Emotion-Savvy Parenting
Science-backed strategies for dealing with difficult emotions
A deeper dive on the skills of accepting, regulating, and tolerating
How attempts to control our children can backfire
The role of personal vulnerabilities in activating emotions
And we explore the different ingredients that go into our emotional experience

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Thank you all for checking out the episode! Here are some ways to help support Mentally Flexible:

You can help cover some of the costs of running the podcast by donating a cup of coffee! www.buymeacoffee.com/mentallyflexible

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Check out my new album, Holding Space! https://open.spotify.com/album/0iOcjZQhmAhYtjjq3CTpwQ?si=nemiLnELTsGGExjfy8B6iw

Holly Yates, LCMHC | Functional Analytic Psychotherapy (FAP)

Mon, 26 May 2025 10:00:00 -0400

My guest today is Holly Yates, LCMHC. Holly has been in private practice in North Carolina since 2004. Her specialty areas are working with adults both individually and in groups as well as couples addressing depression, anxiety, mood disorders and life stressors through clinical intervention and skills training. Holly's practice centers on third wave therapies most specifically Functional Analytic Psychotherapy (FAP) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). She is a founding facilitator of the online ACT Peer Intervision Network sponsored through ACBS and a Certified FAP Trainer through University of Washington. Holly presents FAP and ACT workshops locally and around the world. Holly is Co-founder of North Wake Counseling Partners in Raleigh NC.

Some of the topics we explore in this episode include:

- Holly’s background with ACT and how it led to learning about FAP

- The importance of the therapeutic relationship

- Clinically relevant behaviors for connection building in the therapy room

- The importance of encouraging authentic relationships outside of therapy

- The courage and vulnerability involved in intentional self-disclosure

- How ACT and FAP naturally blend together

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Thank you all for checking out the episode! Here are some ways to help support Mentally Flexible:

You can help cover some of the costs of running the podcast by donating a cup of coffee! www.buymeacoffee.com/mentallyflexible

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Check out my new album, Holding Space! https://open.spotify.com/album/0iOcjZQhmAhYtjjq3CTpwQ?si=nemiLnELTsGGExjfy8B6iw

Dr. Joe Oliver | ACTivate Your Life

Fri, 18 Apr 2025 11:00:00 -0400

My guest today is Dr. Joe Oliver. Joe is a consultant clinical psychologist, author, and the founder of Contextual Consulting, a leading international training provider that has trained over 60,000 practitioners in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). He also serves as an associate professor and the programme director for the University College London’s postgraduate programme in CBT for Severe Mental Health Problems. Joe is an active member of the Association of Contextual Behavioral Science (ACBS) and a peer-reviewed ACT trainer

He is also the author of six ACT books, including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy & Mindfulness for Psychosis and most recently, ACTivate Your Life. His extensive contributions to the field also include several textbooks, such as Acceptance and Commitment Coaching, ACT: 100 Key Points and Techniques, and The Mindfulness and Acceptance Workbook for Self-Esteem.

Some of the topics we explore in this episode include:

- How ACT first came into Joe’s life

- His work on using ACT to support psychosis

- Fusion to aspects of the self and identity

- Relational frame theory and its early influences in childhood development

- And Joe’s new book, ACTivate Your Life

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Contextual Consulting: https://contextualconsulting.co.uk/

ACTivate Your Life: https://contextualconsulting.co.uk/resources/activate-your-life

Joe’s Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXyoggevWPfFjvhbYlM3x8A

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Thank you all for checking out the episode! Here are some ways to help support Mentally Flexible:

You can help cover some of the costs of running the podcast by donating a cup of coffee! www.buymeacoffee.com/mentallyflexible

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Check out my new album, Holding Space! https://open.spotify.com/album/0iOcjZQhmAhYtjjq3CTpwQ?si=nemiLnELTsGGExjfy8B6iw

Pepper Stetler | One Mother’s Reckoning with the IQ Test

Sun, 30 Mar 2025 09:00:00 -0400

My guest today is Pepper Stetler. Pepper is the author of A Measure of Intelligence: One Mother’s Reckoning with the IQ Test, which we discuss in this episode. She is also a professor of art history at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. She has written extensively on issues facing people with intellectual disabilities and their caregivers, in publications such as The New York Times, The Atlantic, and Slate. She lives in Oxford, Ohio.

Some of the topics we explore in this episode include:

What inspired Pepper to write this book
What Pepper learned through having a daughter with Down’s Syndrome
Unhelpful assumptions about learning and intelligence
The history of IQ testing
The relative recency of the concept “normal”
Pepper’s vision for change

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Pepper’s Website: https://www.pepperstetler.com/

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Thank you all for checking out the episode! Here are some ways to help support Mentally Flexible:

You can help cover some of the costs of running the podcast by donating a cup of coffee! www.buymeacoffee.com/mentallyflexible

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Check out my new album, Holding Space! https://open.spotify.com/album/0iOcjZQhmAhYtjjq3CTpwQ?si=nemiLnELTsGGExjfy8B6iw

Dr. Emily Edlynn | Parenting with Nuance, Flexibility, and Compassion

Sun, 02 Mar 2025 10:00:00 -0500

My guest today is Dr. Emily Edlynn. Emily is a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in pediatric health psychology who works in private practice with children, teens, and adults. Emily spent almost ten years working in children’s hospitals before pivoting to private practice, which allowed her to start a writing career. Emily’s writing has appeared in the Washington Post, Parents, Scary Mommy, Good Housekeeping, Motherly, Psychology Today, and more. Her first book, Autonomy-Supportive Parenting: Reduce Parental Burnout and Raise Competent Confident Children earned an Indies Foreword award for a best book in 2023. She also writes about modern parenting in her Substack newsletter and co-hosts the popular Psychologists Off the Clock podcast.

Some of the topics we explore in this episode include:

- Emily’s reflections on first becoming a parent

- How misguided parenting advice inspired Emily’s writing

- The importance of the repair process in relationships

- The trap of overcorrecting from our childhood experiences

- The value of being authentic as a parent

- Autonomy-supportive parenting vs controlling parenting

- And tapping into a child’s intrinsic motivation

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Dr. Edlynn’s website: https://www.emilyedlynnphd.com/

Autonomy Supportive Parenting: https://a.co/d/ja3ahmq

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Thank you all for checking out the episode! Here are some ways to help support Mentally Flexible:

You can help cover some of the costs of running the podcast by donating a cup of coffee! www.buymeacoffee.com/mentallyflexible

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Check out my new album, Holding Space! https://open.spotify.com/album/0iOcjZQhmAhYtjjq3CTpwQ?si=nemiLnELTsGGExjfy8B6iw

Trevor Jones | Bringing the Heart of ACT into Performance

Sun, 09 Feb 2025 13:00:00 -0500

My guest today is Trevor Jones. Trevor is a Mental Performance Coach with the Aware Performance Group and has spent the last nine years studying and training in ACT and its underlying theories. A former professional golfer, he won a national championship and competed on the European Tour.

Now, he works with high-performance clients across various domains, including golf, water polo, baseball, and stock market investing. He is currently co-authoring a book with sports psychiatrist Jorge Aguilar, MD, on one of sports’ biggest performance barriers—the yips—set for publication later this year.

Trevor lives in the UK with his two sons and two dogs, where they enjoy climbing a mountain or three.

Some of the topics we explore in this episode include:

Trevor’s background with performance and ACT
“Socially Transmitted Dogmas” in sports
The “6 Breaths” experiential exercise
The Yips
Self as context
And The connection between pain and values

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Aware Performance Group: https://www.awareperformancegroup.com/

Trevor’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trevorjones_aware/

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Thank you all for checking out the episode! Here are some ways to help support Mentally Flexible:

You can help cover some of the costs of running the podcast by donating a cup of coffee! www.buymeacoffee.com/mentallyflexible

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Check out my new album, Holding Space! https://open.spotify.com/album/0iOcjZQhmAhYtjjq3CTpwQ?si=nemiLnELTsGGExjfy8B6iw

Lou Lasprugato, MFT | Yearnings and Vulnerabilities in Relationships

Sun, 12 Jan 2025 10:00:00 -0500

My guest today is Lou Lasprugato, MFT. Lou is an internationally recognized trainer and behavioral health provider. He’s a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, with private practices in both California and Virginia (United States), and Peer-Reviewed Trainer in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) with the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science, for which he also serves as chair of the Training Committee. Lou has taught mindfulness meditation to health care practitioners and facilitated dozens of training events on ACT and Relational Frame Theory (RFT), as well as co-created courses on nutritional psychology and integrative mental health.

Some of the topics we explore in this episode include:

Reflections on parenting
Lou’s clinical background and how he first discovered ACT
How Lou uniquely applies ACT within couples work
Core yearnings and vulnerabilities in intimate relationships
How these apply to the therapeutic relationship
And balancing the content and process levels in a therapy session

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Lou’s website: https://www.loulasprugato.com/

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Thank you all for checking out the episode! Here are some ways to help support Mentally Flexible:

You can help cover some of the costs of running the podcast by donating a cup of coffee! www.buymeacoffee.com/mentallyflexible

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Check out my new album, Holding Space! https://open.spotify.com/album/0iOcjZQhmAhYtjjq3CTpwQ?si=nemiLnELTsGGExjfy8B6iw

Dr. Russ Harris | ACT: Misconceptions & Innovations

Sun, 29 Dec 2024 17:00:00 -0500

My guest today is Dr. Russ Harris. Russ is a world-renowned trainer of Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) and author of the international best-selling self-help book The Happiness Trap.

Since 2005, Russ has run over 700 two-day workshops and provided ACT training for almost 50,000 health professionals. He has authored four ACT textbooks (ACT Made Simple, Trauma Focused ACT, Getting Unstuck in ACT, ACT Questions & Answers), and four ACT-based self-help books (The Happiness Trap, The Reality Slap, The Confidence Gap and ACT with Love). His best-known book, The Happiness Trap, has sold over one million copies worldwide, with translations into more than 30 languages.

Some of the topics we explore in this episode include:
- Perfectionism and productive procrastination
- How the Hexaflex can potentially create unhelpful limitations in ACT
- Broadening acceptance and defusion into emotional and cognitive flexibility
- How all of the “B” in CBT fits nicely into ACT
- “Flexible selfing” as an alternative to self-as-context
- ACT supervision
- And misunderstanding the difference between thoughts and thinking

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Russ’s website: https://www.actmindfully.com.au/

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Thank you all for checking out the episode! Here are some ways to help support Mentally Flexible:

You can help cover some of the costs of running the podcast by donating a cup of coffee! www.buymeacoffee.com/mentallyflexible

Follow the show on Instagram: instagram.com/tomparkeslcsw

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Check out my new album, Holding Space! https://open.spotify.com/album/0iOcjZQhmAhYtjjq3CTpwQ?si=nemiLnELTsGGExjfy8B6iw

Dr. Ronald Asiimwe | Emotionally Focused Healing in a Cross-Cultural Context

Sun, 15 Dec 2024 10:00:00 -0500

My guest today is Dr. Ronald Asiimwe. Dr. Ron is an Assistant Professor at the University of Minnesota in the College of Education and Human Development. He has research and clinical experience in both the U.S. and in his home country of Uganda. His research integrates multicultural perspectives to understand and explore the mental and relational health needs of African families and communities. Driven by his passion for cross-cultural exchange knowledge of evidence-based interventions, Dr. Ron pioneered trainings in emotionally focused therapy (EFT) in Uganda and Kenya. He is currently conducting research to explore the cultural acceptability and applicability of the EFT model in these African settings.

Some of the topics we explore in this episode include:

- The way witnessing violence during childhood in Uganda shaped Dr. Ron’s future
- What it’s like going back to Uganda to train professionals
- What Dr. Ron finds most valuable about Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)
- Unique perspectives on community and connection living in Uganda and the US
- Ethical dynamics of cross cultural work
- And the traumatic impact of colonialism in Africa

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Learn more about Dr. Ron: https://fsos.umn.edu/ronald-asiimwe

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Thank you all for checking out the episode! Here are some ways to help support Mentally Flexible:

You can help cover some of the costs of running the podcast by donating a cup of coffee! www.buymeacoffee.com/mentallyflexible

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Check out my new album, Holding Space! https://open.spotify.com/album/0iOcjZQhmAhYtjjq3CTpwQ?si=nemiLnELTsGGExjfy8B6iw

Donna Jackson Nakazawa | Neuroscience-Based Practices for Trauma

Sun, 01 Dec 2024 08:00:00 -0500

My guest today is Donna Jackson Nakazawa. Donna is an award-winning science journalist and author of eight books exploring the connections between emotions, trauma, and health, offering you new pathways to healing. Her book, Girls on the Brink: Helping Our Daughters Thrive in an Era of Increased Anxiety, Depression, and Social Media, was named a best book of 2022 by The Washington Post. Her newest book, The Adverse Childhood Experiences Guided Journal (foreword by Nedra Glover Tawwab), offers targeted writing techniques to help readers recognize the effects of childhood adversity and reset their brain's internal stories for neurobiological resilience. Her writing has appeared in Wired, The Boston Globe, Stat, The Washington Post, and Psychotherapy Networker. She has appeared on The Today Show and NPR and is a regular speaker at events, including the Child Mind Institute, Harvard Science, UCLA Health, Rutgers, Johns Hopkins, Children’s Hospitals, and the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine.

Some of the topics we explore in this episode include:
- How Donna’s background informs her new book
- The unique benefits and processes involved in writing as a modality of healing
- The concept of CUTS (chronic unpredictable toxic stress)
- How unpredictable stress leads to hypervigilance
- Explicit vs implicit memory
- Increasing awareness and self-compassion to heal from trauma

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Donna’s Website: https://donnajacksonnakazawa.com/

The Adverse Childhood Experiences Guided Journal: https://a.co/d/cy1vJJn

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Thank you all for checking out the episode! Here are some ways to help support Mentally Flexible:

You can help cover some of the costs of running the podcast by donating a cup of coffee! www.buymeacoffee.com/mentallyflexible

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Check out my new album, Holding Space! https://open.spotify.com/album/0iOcjZQhmAhYtjjq3CTpwQ?si=nemiLnELTsGGExjfy8B6iw

Jennifer Kemp, MPsych | Understanding Neurodiversity & Living Authentically

Sun, 17 Nov 2024 12:00:00 -0500

My guest today is Jennifer Kemp MPsych. Jennifer Kemp is a clinical psychologist based in Adelaide, Australia. Her neurodiversity-affirming approach is founded on her own experience of being late-diagnosed as Autistic and an ADHDer with the experiences of her clients and the latest research. In her therapeutic practice and when training other therapists, Jennifer recognises and accepts the unique differences and strengths of people with different neurotypes. Building on the social and human rights models of disability, Jennifer weaves together acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) with compassion-focused approaches to help her clients improve their mental health and develop greater self-acceptance, self-compassion, and pride in their neurodivergent identity.

Jennifer is the co-author of “The Neurodivergent Skills Workbook for Autism and ADHD: Cultivate Self-Compassion, Live Authentically, and Be Your Own Advocate” and author of “The ACT Workbook for Perfectionism: Build Your Best (Imperfect) Life Using Powerful Acceptance & Commitment Therapy and Self-Compassion Skills.”

Some of the topics we explore in this episode include:
- How Jennifer’s experience of neurodiversity informs her new book
- The concept of masking and some of the ways Jennifer has personally allowed herself to unmask
- "Spins” or special interests
- How a better understanding of neurodiversity enhances our clinical work
- The importance of context when working with neurodiverse clients
- And how to honor the multiple functions of compulsive behavior

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Jennifer’s website: https://jenniferkemp.com.au/

The Neurodivergence Skills Workbook for Autism and ADHD: https://a.co/d/aMM3bFr

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Thank you all for checking out the episode! Here are some ways to help support Mentally Flexible:

You can help cover some of the costs of running the podcast by donating a cup of coffee! www.buymeacoffee.com/mentallyflexible

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Check out my new album, Holding Space! https://open.spotify.com/album/0iOcjZQhmAhYtjjq3CTpwQ?si=nemiLnELTsGGExjfy8B6iw

Professor Ross White | How A Flexible Mind Can Help You Thrive

Sun, 03 Nov 2024 12:00:00 -0500

My guest today is Professor Ross White. Ross is award-winning clinical psychologist who specializes in supporting the mental health and wellbeing of adults working in high-performance environments. He is also an expert in global mental health and has conducted research in collaborations with the World Health Organization and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees. He is currently Professor of Clinical Psychology at Queen’s University Belfast, and is a director of Strive2Thrive, a training and consultancy organization.

Some of the topics we explore in this episode include:
- How Ross got into ACT and the inspiration for his new book, The Tree That Bends
- The concept of strong intention, light attachment
- The value in developing flexible mindsets
- The “Get, Threat, and Rest” modes we share with trees
- Transcendent emotions of wonderment, gratitude, and compassion
- And how we can amplify the creative process through collaboration

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Ross’s X page: https://x.com/RossGWhite

The Tree That Bends: https://amzn.eu/d/6UEAEqM

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Thank you all for checking out the episode! Here are some ways to help support Mentally Flexible:

You can help cover some of the costs of running the podcast by donating a cup of coffee! www.buymeacoffee.com/mentallyflexible

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Check out my new album, Holding Space! https://open.spotify.com/album/0iOcjZQhmAhYtjjq3CTpwQ?si=nemiLnELTsGGExjfy8B6iw

Dr. Charles Schaeffer | When Panic Happens

Sun, 20 Oct 2024 17:00:00 -0400

My guest today is Dr. Charles Schaeffer aka Dr Chuck. Dr. Chuck is a clinical psychologist and author of the new book, When Panic Happens: Short Circuit Anxiety & Fear in the Moment.

Dr. Chuck completed his training at New York University and is in private practice in New York City. He has over 15 years of experience providing strength-focused, evidence-based therapy to help individuals overcome sleep, mood, and anxiety disorders to thrive at work and at home. He has been an adjunct clinical faculty member at NYU for over a decade supervising hundreds of counselors and therapists. His research has focused on masculinity and culture among men and women seeking help inside and outside of the workplace. His work has been quoted and featured in a variety of media, including NBC Health, Vice, Psychology Today, and the Huffington Post.

Some of the topics we explore in this episode include:

- How Dr. Chuck got into the field of psychology

- How to work with and around stigma mental health stigma

- The concept of short-circuiting panic

- Integrating different stances towards anxiety

- Polyvagal Theory and its use for self-regulation

- How people can get stuck in the sympathetic (fight or flight) nervous system

- And the importance of core life patterns like diet and sleep

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Dr. Chuck’s website: https://www.drchuckschaeffer.com/

When Panic Happens: https://a.co/d/eoUwogC

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Thank you all for checking out the episode! Here are some ways to help support Mentally Flexible:

You can help cover some of the costs of running the podcast by donating a cup of coffee! www.buymeacoffee.com/mentallyflexible

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Check out my new album, Holding Space! https://open.spotify.com/album/0iOcjZQhmAhYtjjq3CTpwQ?si=nemiLnELTsGGExjfy8B6iw

Cory Richards | From Climbing Mountains to Consciously Healing

Sun, 06 Oct 2024 12:00:00 -0400

My guest today is Cory Richards. Cory is an internationally renowned photographer, filmmaker, and author of new memoir, The Color of Everything. He is the first and only American to climb one of the world’s 8000m peaks in winter. His documentation of the climb and aftermath of the experience was made into the award-winning documentary COLD and appeared on the cover of the 125th anniversary issue of National Geographic. Richards is a National Geographic Adventurer of the Year, Photographer Fellow, and a two-time recipient of an Explorers Grant. He has an active speaking career, in which he speaks about conservation, the future of psychology and mental health, leadership, the tenuous line of risk and reward, and vulnerability.

Some of the topics we explore in this episode include:
- Unique dynamics involved in writing a memoir
- The spectrum of vulnerability and its various functions
- How we can get stuck in stories about our trauma or diagnoses
- The seduction of fame and success
- The point of of life arriving in the present moment
- And what it’s like climbing some of the tallest peaks in the world

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Cory’s website Cold (documentary): https://www.coryrichards.com/

The Color of Everything: https://a.co/d/i36wx4Q

Cold (documentary): https://youtu.be/-OBX25ix4eU?si=SrZxheNjMLr7aDue

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Thank you all for checking out the episode! Here are some ways to help support Mentally Flexible:

You can help cover some of the costs of running the podcast by donating a cup of coffee! www.buymeacoffee.com/mentallyflexible

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Check out my new album, Holding Space! https://open.spotify.com/album/0iOcjZQhmAhYtjjq3CTpwQ?si=nemiLnELTsGGExjfy8B6iw

Michaeleen Doucleff, PhD | Hunt, Gather, Parent

Sun, 22 Sep 2024 15:00:00 -0400

My guest today is Michaeleen Doucleff, PhD. Michaeleen is a global health correspondent for NPR’s Science Desk and the author of the New York Times bestseller Hunt, Gather, Parent: What Ancient Cultures Can Teach Us About the Lost Art of Raising Happy, Helpful Little Humans. Michaeleen has a doctorate in chemistry from the University of Berkeley, California, and a bachelor’s degree in biology from Caltech. For the past decade, Doucleff has reported on disease outbreaks and children’s health for NPR. Before that, Doucleff was an editor at the journal Cell, where she wrote about the science behind pop culture.

Some of the topics we explore in this episode include:

- Key elements of parenting we have lost in the Western world

- Children’s innate capacity for helpfulness and autonomy

- How the child world and the adult world has been separated

- Ways parent and child interests can be harmoniously integrated

- The value of doing less as a parent

- And the importance of allowing a child’s authentic interests to be expressed

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Michaeleen’s website: https://michaeleendoucleff.com/

Hunt, Gather, Parent: https://a.co/d/j0KxJg0

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Thank you all for checking out the episode! Here are some ways to help support Mentally Flexible:

You can help cover some of the costs of running the podcast by donating a cup of coffee! www.buymeacoffee.com/mentallyflexible

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Willem Kuyken, PhD | Mindfulness for Life

Sun, 08 Sep 2024 09:00:00 -0400

My guest today is Willem Kuyken, PhD. Willem is Professor of Mindfulness and Psychological Science at the University of Oxford, and Director of the Oxford Mindfulness Research Centre. He is an author, scientist and teacher. His work is focused on preventing depression and promoting human flourishing. He has published more than 150 peer reviewed scientific articles and was named by Web of Science as in the top 1% of the most cited scientists in the world in between 2019 and 2023. He is the author of the new book, Mindfulness for Life, which we discuss in this conversation.

Some of the other topics we explore in this episode include:

- Willem’s background with depression and how eastern wisdom traditions inform his work
- How mindfulness can anchor us through difficulties
- Ways to reconnect with the body and our full experience
- How to mindfully start and end the day
- Integrating mindfulness through the macro and micro
- And how we can move through life’s transitions with openness and curiosity

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Willem’s Oxford website: https://www.psych.ox.ac.uk/team/willem-kuyken

Mindfulness for Life: https://a.co/d/dxM7khy

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Thank you all for checking out the episode! Here are some ways to help support Mentally Flexible:

You can help cover some of the costs of running the podcast by donating a cup of coffee! www.buymeacoffee.com/mentallyflexible

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Matthieu Villatte, PhD | Relational Frame Theory (RFT) & Consciousness

Sun, 25 Aug 2024 11:00:00 -0400

My guest today is Matthieu Villatte, PhD. Matthieu is a psychology trainer and consultant who obtained his doctoral degree in psychology in France, and completed a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Nevada under the mentorship of Steven Hayes, PhD. Matthieu Villatte is the author of numerous books and chapters on mindfulness, acceptance, experiential therapies, and contextual behavioral science, such as the first manual published in French on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Mastering the Clinical Conversation: Language as Intervention. He is also a peer-reviewed trainer in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy recognized by the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science (ACBS) and has facilitated hundreds of clinical trainings all over the world.

Some of the topics we explore in this episode include:
- The impact of Mastering the Clinical Conversation
- What is was like working in Steven Hayes’ lab
- Relational Frame Theory (RFT)
- Our innate capacity for language at birth
- The implications of RFT on human suffering
- The inseparable nature of language and consciousness
- And how the complexities of clinical work can become more fluid with experience

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Matthieu’s website: https://matthieuvillatte.com/

Mastering the Clinical Conversation: https://a.co/d/iWduMiA

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Thank you all for checking out the episode! Here are some ways to help support Mentally Flexible:

You can help cover some of the costs of running the podcast by donating a cup of coffee! www.buymeacoffee.com/mentallyflexible

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Dr. William Miller | Charting a Path Through Uncertain Times

Sun, 11 Aug 2024 10:00:00 -0400

My guest today is Dr. William Miller - Emeritus Distinguished Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry at the University of New Mexico. Dr. Miller is a codeveloper of Motivational Interviewing (MI) which has been implemented and researched in an array of settings over the past 4 decades. Dr. Miller’s research has focused particularly on the treatment and prevention of addictions and more broadly on the psychology of change. He is a recipient of two career achievement awards from the American Psychological Association and has published 65 books and over 400 articles and chapters. Dr. Miller’s new book is called 8 Ways to Hope: Charting a Path through Uncertain Times, which we discuss in this episode.

Some of the topics we explore in this episode include:
- A bit of Tom’s background with Motivational Interviewing
- The many facets of hope
- Trust, optimism, and false hope
- Some of Dr. Miller’s personal story
- Addiction, trauma, and psychedelic-assisted therapy
- And the role of meaning and purpose in hope

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Dr. Miller’s website: https://williamrmiller.net/

8 Ways To Hope: https://a.co/d/cJm9A2E

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Thank you all for checking out the episode! Here are some ways to help support Mentally Flexible:

You can help cover some of the costs of running the podcast by donating a cup of coffee! www.buymeacoffee.com/mentallyflexible

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Alec Pollard, PhD | When a Loved One Won't Seek Mental Health Treatment

Sun, 21 Jul 2024 15:00:00 -0400

My guest today is Alec Pollard, PhD. Alec is founding director of the Center for OCD & Anxiety-Related Disorders at Saint Louis Behavioral Medicine Institute, and professor emeritus of family and community medicine at Saint Louis University School of Medicine. He is a licensed psychologist with a special interest in the study and treatment of individuals with anxiety and emotional disorders who refuse or otherwise fail to benefit from evidence-based treatment. Alec has authored or coauthored more than one hundred publications and leads the Family Consultation Team at Saint Louis Behavioral Medicine Institute.

Some of the topics we explore in this episode include:

- The story behind writing When a Loved One Won’t Seek Mental Health Treatment

- Different types of recovery avoidance

- Creating an intentional action plan for crisis

- Versions of accommodation that can arise within family dynamics

- The importance of staying connected to valued activity

- What it looks like to create a family recovery plan

- And how to effectively help loved ones move towards recovery

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Saint Louis Behavioral Medicine Institute: https://slbmi.com/

When a Loved One Won’t Seek Mental Health Treatment: https://a.co/d/cDFJtBu

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Thank you all for checking out the episode! Here are some ways to help support Mentally Flexible:

You can help cover some of the costs of running the podcast by donating a cup of coffee! www.buymeacoffee.com/mentallyflexible

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Stephanie Catella, PsyD | Cultivating Emotional Intelligence

Sun, 07 Jul 2024 10:00:00 -0400

My guest today is Stephanie Catella, PsyD. Steph is a clinical psychologist with expertise in transdiagnostic cognitive behavioral therapy for trauma, anxiety, and building emotional intelligence. After completing fellowships at the San Francisco VA and University of California San Francisco, she codirected the Berkeley Cognitive Behavioral Therapy clinic. In addition to her private practice, she is the author of an FDA approved prescription digital therapeutic for Fibromyalgia, and is a consultant and content creator for innovative mental health and tech companies. Dr. Catella is a coauthor of The Emotional Intelligence Skills Workbook which we explore in this episode.

Some of the topics we explore in this episode include:

- How Steph got into the field of psychology and mental health
- The difference between emotional intelligence and intellectual intelligence
- How emotional skills can be hindered in childhood
- Tolerating, coping, and accepting emotions
- How emotional intelligence impacts our relationships
- The importance of emotional intelligence for the therapeutic relationship
- People pleasing and passive-aggressive behavior
- The concept of “Kid Jobs” within our family dynamics

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Dr. Catella’s website: https://drstephcatella.com/

Emotional Intelligence Skills Workbook: https://a.co/d/05G2iF0q

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Thank you all for checking out the episode! Here are some ways to help support Mentally Flexible:

You can help cover some of the costs of running the podcast by donating a cup of coffee! www.buymeacoffee.com/mentallyflexible

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Adam Alter | Getting Unstuck When It Matters Most

Sun, 23 Jun 2024 11:00:00 -0400

Adam Alter is a Professor of Marketing at New York University’s Stern School of Business with an affiliated appointment in the NYU’s Psychology Department. Adam is the New York Times bestselling author of two books: Irresistible (March, 2017), which considers why so many people today are addicted to so many behaviors, from incessant smart phone and internet use to video game playing and online shopping, and Drunk Tank Pink (2013), which investigates how hidden forces in the world around us shape our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. His latest book, Anatomy of Breakthrough, explores how people get stuck in life and ways to free themselves to thrive. Adam has also written for places like the New York Times, New Yorker, Washington Post, and The Atlantic.

Some of the topics we explore in this episode include:
- Adam’s background and how it led to his research interests
- How vulnerability creates shared bonds
- The different types of “stuckness” and their ubiquitous nature
- The heart, head, and habit levels of getting unstuck
- The concept of “lifequakes”
- Stuckness in our professional lives
- The value in holding things lightly and making space for silence
- And the trap of “more is better”

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Adam’s website: https://adamalterauthor.com/

Anatomy of a Breakthrough: https://a.co/d/0e0yJYXt

Irresistible: https://a.co/d/07Yf02Q6

Drunk Tank Pink: https://a.co/d/05zQPeok

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Thank you all for checking out the episode! Here are some ways to help support Mentally Flexible:

You can help cover some of the costs of running the podcast by donating a cup of coffee! www.buymeacoffee.com/mentallyflexible

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Dr. Frank Anderson | Authenticity, Trauma, and Healing

Mon, 03 Jun 2024 13:00:00 -0400

My guest today is Dr. Frank Anderson, MD. Frank is a Harvard Medical School school trained psychiatrist, therapist, speaker, author, and trauma specialist. He has spent the past three decades studying neuroscience and trauma treatment, serving as a leader within the Internal Family Systems therapy model. His latest book is an incredible memoir called, To Be Loved: A Story of Truth, Trauma, and Transformation.

Some of the topics we explore in this episode include:

- How truth and authenticity guided the writing of Frank’s memoir
- How shame can be an indicator of our level of healing
- How working on ourselves enriches our ability to support others
- The need to unite and integrate the different models of therapy and healing
- The transition from being mentored to mentoring others
- Frank’s thoughts on the use of social media for teaching and healing
- What it means to truly heal a wound
- The Three R’s: repeating, repressing, or repairing

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Dr. Anderson’s website: https://www.frankandersonmd.com/

To Be Loved: https://a.co/d/7jWLggv

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Thank you all for checking out the episode! Here are some ways to help support Mentally Flexible:

You can help cover some of the costs of running the podcast by donating a cup of coffee! www.buymeacoffee.com/mentallyflexible

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Dr. Mark Shrime, MD | The Transformative Power of Purpose

Mon, 20 May 2024 11:00:00 -0400

My guest today is Dr. Mark G. Shrime, MD. Dr. Mark is the International Chief Medical Officer at Mercy Ships and a Lecturer in Global Health and Social Medicine at the Harvard Medical School. He is the author of Solving for Why: A Surgeon's Journey to Discover the Transformative Power of Purpose (Hachette 2022).

He has spoken at the United Nations, WHO, Harvard, Princeton, and around the world addressing issues of healthcare inequity, moral injury in the healthcare workforce, and the non-health outcomes of health policies. In 2018, he was awarded the Arnold P. Gold Humanism in Medicine Award by the American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery.

Some of the topics we explore in this episode include:
- Moving to the US from Lebanon as a child
- What it was like growing up within an immigrant family context
- Pressures faced to go into medicine
- Dr. Mark’s process of finding his purpose
- How fear and uncertainty keep us from making changes in life
- And how embracing failure can be a catalyst for growth

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Dr. Shrime’s website: https://www.markshrime.com/

Solving for Why: https://a.co/d/7jWLggv

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Thank you all for checking out the episode! Here are some ways to help support Mentally Flexible:

You can help cover some of the costs of running the podcast by donating a cup of coffee! www.buymeacoffee.com/mentallyflexible

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Dr. Carrie Hayward | The Being Human Collection

Sun, 28 Apr 2024 11:00:00 -0400

My guest today is Dr. Carrie Hayward. Carrie is a clinical psychologist and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) specialist from Australia dedicated to helping individuals lead more meaningful lives. Carrie is also an author and has recently published the amazing Being Human series, a collection of four narratives that delve into the complexities of our shared human experience. The Being Human series seeks to equip readers with the psychological resilience and flexibility needed to live meaningful lives even through difficulty. The four books each focus on a different aspect of the human condition, providing teachings and practical processes for readers to implement.

Some of the topics we explore in this episode include:
- How Carrie first got into ACT
- What it was like training with Russ Harris
- The inspiration for the Being Human collection
- How focusing on the process versus outcomes changes the nature of our experiences
- Ways validating seeking can be seen from many different levels
- And we end with Carrie walking us through the Being Human Method

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Dr. Hayward’s website: https://www.carriehayward.com/

The Being Human Collection: https://a.co/d/2zampofd

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Thank you all for checking out the episode! Here are some ways to help support Mentally Flexible:

You can help cover some of the costs of running the podcast by donating a cup of coffee! www.buymeacoffee.com/mentallyflexible

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Dr. Brian Thompson & Dr. Brian Pilecki | ACT-Informed Exposure

Sun, 14 Apr 2024 09:00:00 -0400

My guests today are Brian Thompson, PhD and Brian Pilecki, PhD, two of the authors of ACT-Informed Exposure for Anxiety

Brian L. Thompson, PhD, is a licensed psychologist; and director of the anxiety clinic at Portland Psychotherapy in Portland, OR. He specializes in working with anxiety and obsessive-compulsive and related disorders, and has published research in these areas.

Brian C. Pilecki, PhD, is a clinical psychologist at Portland Psychotherapy who specializes in the treatment of anxiety disorders, trauma, and matters related to the use of psychedelics. Brian also has extensive experience in the areas of mindfulness and meditation, and incorporates them into his therapy with clients. He is an active researcher and has published on topics such as anxiety disorders, mindfulness, and psychedelic-assisted therapy.

Some of the topics we explore include:
- How both Brians were first introduced to ACT
- What inspired writing ACT Informed Exposure for Anxiety
- The importance of willingness in exposure work
- The types of challenges people face where exposure may be helpful
- How exposure can be fluidly integrated into a much broader scope of clinical challenges
- Helpful and unhelpful ways to consider values in exposure work
- Exposure Hierarchies vs Menus
- Overlaps and differences between traditional habituation and ACT approaches to exposure

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Portland Psychotherapy: https://portlandpsychotherapy.com/

ACT-Informed Exposure for Anxiety: https://a.co/d/5qAh5O7

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Thank you all for checking out the episode! Here are some ways to help support Mentally Flexible:

You can help cover some of the costs of running the podcast by donating a cup of coffee! www.buymeacoffee.com/mentallyflexible

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Dr. Marina Rosenthal | High Conflict Couples

Sun, 31 Mar 2024 11:00:00 -0400

My guest today is Dr. Marina Rosenthal. Marina is a licensed psychologist dedicated to serving high-conflict couples. She earned a PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of Oregon, where she received extensive hands’ on supervision and further honed her skills in the VA system working with veterans and their partners with concurrent and complex struggles. Marina now runs a private practice and is thoroughly trained in Integrative Behavioral Couple Therapy (IBCT), an empirically supported treatment which has many similarities to ACT.

Some of the topics we explore include:
- How Marina got into working with high-conflict couples
- The tendency to pathologize partners in order explain relationship issues
- Finding a balance between acceptance and change
- How individual therapy can sometimes sabotage a relationship
- The difference between high-conflict and abusive relationships
- Ways to build awareness and understand function in conflict patterns
- Some common relationship myths
- Working through the decision to stay together or split up
- And some examples of how high-conflict couples can successfully grow and heal

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Marina’s website: https://www.drmarinarosenthal.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drmarinarosenthal/

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Thank you all for checking out the episode! Here are some ways to help support Mentally Flexible:

You can help cover some of the costs of running the podcast by donating a cup of coffee! www.buymeacoffee.com/mentallyflexible

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Dr. Diana Hill | Self-Compassion for Wise Effort

Sun, 10 Mar 2024 15:00:00 -0400

My guest today is Diana Hill, PhD. Diana is a clinical psychologist, international trainer, and sought-out speaker on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and compassion. Host of the podcast Wise Effort with Dr. Diana Hill and author of The Self-Compassion Daily Journal, The ACT Daily Journal, and the upcoming book Wise Effort, Diana works with organizations and individuals to develop psychological flexibility so that they can grow fulfilling and impactful lives.

Some of the topics we explore include:
- The value in stretching outside of our comfort zone
- Ways to help carry the heaviness in life
- Fears related to being more self-compassionat
- Diana’s process of releasing a new book while also navigating personal challenges
- How we can minimize our difficulties and struggle to ask for help
- Dealing with the pain of past regrets and forgiving ourselves

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Diana’s website: https://drdianahill.com/

The Self-Compassion Daily Journal: https://a.co/d/aBwmnIM

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Thank you all for checking out the episode! Here are some ways to help support Mentally Flexible:

You can help cover some of the costs of running the podcast by donating a cup of coffee! www.buymeacoffee.com/mentallyflexible

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Dr. Steven C Hayes | Moving Beyond the DSM

Sun, 25 Feb 2024 13:00:00 -0500

My guest today is Dr. Steven C. Hayes. Steven Hayes is an Emeritus Professor of Psychology at the University of Nevada, Reno and President of the Institute for Better Health, a 45-year old charitable organization dedicated to better mental and behavioral health. With 47 books and nearly 700 scientific articles published, Dr. Hayes is one of the most cited psychologists in the world as he continues to innovate in the field of psychology. He is the developer of Relational Frame Theory (RFT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).

Some of the topics we explore include:
- The launching of the PsychFlex and Mindgrapher apps
- How this opens the potential for 24/7 integration of treatment
- The ways we can better attend to often ignored client issues
- The limitations of the DSM and its history
- Moving away from a one size fits all approach to treatment
- The current development of new data sets and statistical methods
- Hope for the future of behavioral health and helping people

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Dr. Steven Hayes’ Website: https://stevenchayes.com/

PsychFlex: https://psychflex.com/signup/

A Liberated Mind: https://a.co/d/aGBpF8S

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Thank you all for checking out the episode! Here are some ways to help support Mentally Flexible:

You can help cover some of the costs of running the podcast by donating a cup of coffee! www.buymeacoffee.com/mentallyflexible

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Anna Lembke, MD | Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence

Sun, 11 Feb 2024 12:00:00 -0500

My guest today is Anna Lembke, MD. Dr. Lembke is a professor of psychiatry at Stanford University School of Medicine and chief of the Stanford Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic. A clinician scholar, she has published more than a hundred peer-reviewed papers, book chapters, and commentaries. She sits on the board of several state and national addiction-focused organizations, has testified before various committees in the United States House of Representatives and Senate, keeps an active speaking calendar, and maintains a thriving clinical practice.

Her new book, Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence was an instant New York Times Bestseller, and explores how to moderate compulsive overconsumption in a dopamine-overloaded world.

Some of the topics we explore include:
- Dr. Lembke’s path through medical school and psychiatry training
- Early lessons learned about substance use and addiction
- The neurobiological overlap between addictive and compulsive behavior
- How Dr. Lembke navigates some of the highly stimulating parts of the modern world
- Childhood development and technology
- The way compulsive overconsumption can lead to a dopamine deficit state
- What it’s like having Dopamine Nation be so well known
- What matters most to Dr. Lembke in her life today

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Dr. Lembke’s Website: https://www.annalembke.com/

Dopamine Nation: https://a.co/d/5VQODAp

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Thank you all for checking out the episode! Here are some ways to help support Mentally Flexible:

You can help cover some of the costs of running the podcast by donating a cup of coffee! www.buymeacoffee.com/mentallyflexible

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Dr. Jud Brewer | Why We Eat When We're Not Hungry

Sun, 28 Jan 2024 12:00:00 -0500

My guest today is Dr. Jud Brewer. Dr. Jud is a New York Times best-selling author, neuroscientist, addiction psychiatrist, and thought leader in the field of habit change. He is the Director of Research and Innovation at Brown University’s Mindfulness Center, where he also serves as an associate professor. He is the executive medical director of behavioral health at Sharecare Inc. and a research affiliate at MIT. Dr. Jud has developed and tested novel mindfulness programs for habit change, including treatments for smoking, emotional eating, and anxiety. His new book is called The Hunger Habit: Why We Eat When We're Not Hungry and How to Stop, which we discuss in the episode.

Some of the topics we explore include:
- How all urges converge in one place in the brain
- How our biological drives around food cause challenges in the modern context
- The way we use food to numb ourselves from difficult emotions
- The healing potential of curiosity
- Challenges with mindless eating
- The difference between hunger and craving

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Dr. Jud’s Website: https://drjud.com/

The Hunger Habit: https://a.co/d/5VQODAp

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Thank you all for checking out the episode! Here are some ways to help support Mentally Flexible:

You can help cover some of the costs of running the podcast by donating a cup of coffee! www.buymeacoffee.com/mentallyflexible

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Dr. Sarah Pegrum | ACT, Loss, and Body Image Struggles

Sun, 14 Jan 2024 13:00:00 -0500

My guest today is Dr. Sarah Pegrum. Sarah is a Clinical Psychologist and ACT Peer-Reviewed Trainer who has been working in the field of body image, weight stigma, and eating disorders for over 15 years. Dr. Pegrum is the outgoing president of the Atlantic Canada Chapter of ACBS. She is also the author of the new book, Break the Binds of Weight Stigma: Free Yourself from Body Image Struggles Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Some of the topics we explore include:

- Dr. Pegrum's move from Australia to Canada
- How she was first introduced to ACT
- How ACT helped Sarah moved through loss and grief
- Challenges people face related to body image and weight stigma
- Some of the unhelpful messages we receive about our bodies
- And how seeing our bodies as problems can keep us from what is most important

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Dr. Pegrum's Website: https://drsarahpegrum.com/

Break the Binds of Weight Stigma: https://a.co/d/9jq1A5L

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Thank you all for checking out the episode! Here are some ways to help support Mentally Flexible:

You can help cover some of the costs of running the podcast by donating a cup of coffee! www.buymeacoffee.com/mentallyflexible

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Steve Haberlin, PhD | Meditation in the College Classroom

Mon, 01 Jan 2024 14:00:00 -0500

My guest today is Steve Haberlin, PhD. Steve is a researcher and academic who has studied mindfulness and meditation in higher education settings for the past decade. As an assistant professor in the College of Community Innovation & Education at the University of Central Florida, he currently researches meditation practices with undergraduates. Steve’s most recent book is called Meditation in the College Classroom, which we discuss in this episode.

Some of the topics we explore include:
- How Steve first got into meditation and mindfulness
- The benefits of meditation on unhelpful mind wandering
- Why only a small percentage of people regularly meditate
- Some nuances using meditation in a clinical setting
- What led Steve to research meditation in the college classroom
- The need for education systems to focus on the development of a whole person
- And how teachers to start integrating meditation into the classroom

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Steve’s Website: https://www.stevehaberlin.com/

Meditation in the College Classroom: https://a.co/d/2jwzVMr

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Thank you all for checking out the episode! Here are some ways to help support Mentally Flexible:

You can help cover some of the costs of running the podcast by donating a cup of coffee! www.buymeacoffee.com/mentallyflexible

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Oliver Burkeman | Time Management for Mortals

Sun, 10 Dec 2023 16:00:00 -0500

My guest today is Oliver Burkeman. Oliver is the author of the New York Times bestseller Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals, which is about embracing the finite nature of life and finally getting around to what matters most. He is also the author of The Antidote: Happiness for People Who Can't Stand Positive Thinking and Help!: How to Be Slightly Happier, Slightly More Successful and Get a Bit More Done. For many years Oliver wrote a popular column on psychology for The Guardian called, This Column Will Change Your Life. He currently writes a newsletter called, The Imperfectionist, where he discusses productivity, mortality, and building a meaningful life in an age of distraction. Oliver is also a contributor to Sam Harris’ meditation app, Waking Up.

Some of the topics we explore in this episode include:
- How Oliver’s work overlaps with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Oliver’s background and how it helped him understand what doesn’t work regarding time management
- The idea of paying yourself first with time
- Making our peace with not being able to do everything that matters
- The importance of finding value in experiences themselves
- How our limitations are connected to distraction and impatience
- Oliver’s new book that he is currently writing

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Oliver’s website: https://www.oliverburkeman.com/

4000 Weeks: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9780374159122

Twitter: https://twitter.com/oliverburkeman

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Thank you all for checking out the episode! Here are some ways to help support Mentally Flexible:

You can help cover some of the costs of running the podcast by donating a cup of coffee! www.buymeacoffee.com/mentallyflexible

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman | Security, Growth, and Transcendence

Sun, 26 Nov 2023 13:00:00 -0500

My guest today is Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman. Scott is a cognitive scientist and humanistic psychologist He is among the top 1% most cited scientists in the world for his groundbreaking research on intelligence, creativity, and human potential. He is the founder and director of the Center for Human Potential and the author of several books, including “Transcend: The New Science of Self-Actualization.” Scott is also the host of The Psychology Podcast, which frequently ranks as the #1 psychology podcast and has over 30 million downloads.

Some of the topics we explore in this episode include:
- The influence of individuals like Alan Watts and Abraham Maslow
- Scott’s latest book “Transcend” and his sailboat metaphor to understand the hierarchy of needs
- How the full vitality of life requires discomfort
- Areas of Scott’s personal growth
- Vulnerable Narcissism
- What it’s been like doing The Psychology Podcast for almost 10 years
- The difference between being-love and deficiency-love
- And the connection between transcendence and spirituality

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Scott’s website: https://scottbarrykaufman.com/

Transcend: https://a.co/d/79Lrh83

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scottbarrykaufman/?hl=en

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Thank you all for checking out the episode! Here are some ways to help support Mentally Flexible:

You can help cover some of the costs of running the podcast by donating a cup of coffee! www.buymeacoffee.com/mentallyflexible

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Ben Eckstein, LCSW | Worrying Is Optional

Sun, 12 Nov 2023 15:00:00 -0500

My guest today is Ben Eckstein, LCSW. Ben is a therapist specializing in the treatment of OCD, Anxiety, and OC-Spectrum Disorders. He is the owner and director of Bull City Anxiety & OCD Treatment Center in Durham, North Carolina. In addition to his clinical work, Ben is also an accomplished speaker, trainer, and is the author of the new book, Worrying is Optional: Break the Cycle of Anxiety and Rumination That Keeps You Stuck. He also serves on the board of OCD North Carolina, the state affiliate of the International OCD Foundation.

Some of the topics we explore in this episode include:
- How Ben ended up writing Worrying is Optional
- The overlap between Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
- How worrying can get in the way of other areas of life that are more important
- Understanding the habitual nature of worry
- The power of choosing what not to do
- The role of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) in addressing worry and rumination
- Ben’s background working in residential treatment for OCD

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Worrying Is Optional: https://a.co/d/aE4FjqK

Ben’s practice: https://www.bullcityanxiety.com/

Instagram: @bullcityanxiety

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Thank you all for checking out the episode! Here are some ways to help support Mentally Flexible:

You can help cover some of the costs of running the podcast by donating a cup of coffee! www.buymeacoffee.com/mentallyflexible

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Jill Stoddard PhD | Imposter No More

Sun, 29 Oct 2023 18:00:00 -0400

My guest today Jill Stoddard, PhD. Jill is a psychologist, writer, TEDx speaker, award-winning teacher, peer-reviewed ACT trainer, and co-host of the popular Psychologists Off the Clock podcast. She is the author of three books: The Big Book of ACT Metaphors, Be Mighty, and Imposter No More: Overcome Self-doubt and Imposterism to Cultivate a Successful Career. Jill’s writing has appeared in places like The Washington Post and Psychology Today, and she regularly appears on podcasts and other media outlets.

Some of the topics we explore include:
- Jill’s new book, Imposter No More
- How and why she opens up about her own struggles in the book
- Learning that can come from our fears coming true
- The history of “Imposter Syndrome” and why it makes sense
- The different strategies people use to try to cover up their imposter thoughts and feelings
- The challenge and value of being vulnerable in a public way
- Skills and exercises to help work on imposter related challenges
- And the importance of learning how to accept discomfort

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Jill’s Website: https://jillstoddard.com/

Imposter No More: https://a.co/d/iDJsikJ

Jill’s Instagram: www.instagram.com/jillastoddard

Psychologists Off The Clock: https://offtheclockpsych.com/

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If you find value in the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It only takes 30 seconds and plays an important role in being able to get new guests. I also love reading them!

Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Dr. Patricia Zurita Ona | Living Flexibly, Fearing Failure & Connecting To A Deeper Self

Mon, 04 Sep 2023 12:00:00 -0400

My guest today is Dr. Patricia Zurita Ona, or 'Dr Z' as she is commonly known. She a clinical psychologist specializing in children, adolescents, and adults struggling with OCD, anxiety, and emotion regulation problems. Dr Z is the founder of East Bay Behavior Therapy Center, a therapy practice, where she runs an intensive outpatient program integrating Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Exposure Response Prevention (ERP). She is the creator of “ACT beyond OCD,” an online class for people that want to augment their ACT and ERP skills for tackling OCD. In addition to her clinical work, Dr Zurita Ona supervises and teaches doctoral students at The Wright Institute, a private graduate school for psychology. She has also authored several books and workbooks which I can leave links for below

Some of the topics we explore include:
- The importance of behavioral flexibility in the face of adversity
- The difference between harmonious passions and obsessive behaviors
- How perfectionism can show up in a range of life areas
- Common challenges related to decision making, regret, and the fear of failure
- How a connection to a deeper awareness can help us move through difficulty
- The role of psychedelic-assisted therapy in cultivating an observer self

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Dr. Z’s website: https://www.thisisdoctorz.com/

OCD Workbook: https://www.thisisdoctorz.com/act-workbook-for-adults-with-ocd/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/drz_behaviorist

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Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Leidy Klotz | The Untapped Science of Less

Sun, 28 May 2023 10:00:00 -0400

My guest today is Leidy Klotz. Leidy is a Professor at the University of Virginia, with appointments in Engineering, Architecture, and Business. He studies the science of design: how we transform things from how they are to how we want them to be. He has secured over $10 million in competitive funding to support this new area of research. To share research insights with those who can use them, he has written more than 80 articles and two books. His most recent book is called Subtract: The Untapped Science of Less.

Some of the topics we explore include:
- The research and insights that led to writing his book Subtract
-How neglecting to consider subtraction can create challenges in our lives
-The role that our environmental spaces can play in wellbeing
-The similarities and difference between subtracting and minimalism
-How Leidy works to integrate these ideas work into his own life
- How subtraction can be useful in places like therapy, music, and relationships

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Leidy website: https://www.leidyklotz.com/

Subtract: The Untapped Science of Less: https://a.co/d/hzbeMBg

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If you find value in the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It plays an important role in being able to get new guests. I also love reading them!

Connect with me on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode. https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Yael Schonbrun PhD | Work, Parent, Thrive

Sat, 25 Mar 2023 15:00:00 -0400

My guest today is Yael Schonbrun, PhD. Yael is a clinical psychologist, assistant professor at Brown University, and co-host of Psychologists Off the Clock. Yael’s academic research explores the interaction between relationship problems and mental health conditions. She has authored chapters in several books and has written dozens of scientific articles. In her private practice, writing, and podcasting, Yael uses evidence-based science to help individuals and couples learn to manage work, parenting, and marriage in more effective and fulfilling ways. She draws upon treatments that integrate ancient Eastern philosophy with scientifically backed practices. Yael’s writing on work, parenting, and relationships has appeared in places the New York Times and Wall Street Journal. Her new book is Work, Parent, Thrive: 12 Science-Backed Strategies to Ditch Guilt, Manage Overwhelm, and Grow Connection (When Everything Feels Like too Much).

Some of the topics we explore include:
- What is was like for Yael to bring her own life experience into Work, Parent, Thrive
- The difference between approaching problems “inside out” vs “outside in”
- The challenges associated with balancing multiple important life roles
- The books, ideas, and people that influenced Yeal’s new book
- The importance of removing things from our lives instead of exclusively adding
- How ACT is integrated into Yael’s clinical work with couples
- We end by exploring both of our experiences podcasting

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Yael’s website: https://yaelschonbrun.com/

Work, Parent, Thrive: https://www.shambhala.com/work-parent-thrive.html

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If you find value in the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It plays an important role in being able to get new guests. I also love reading them!

Connect with me on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode. https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

David Juncos & Elvire de Paiva e Pona | ACT for Musicians

Sun, 29 Jan 2023 10:00:00 -0500

My guests today are David Juncos and Elvire de Paiva e Pona.

David Juncos is a clinical psychologist based in Philadelphia, PA. He works with individuals on clinical issues ranging from anxiety to mood and substance use disorders He is also on faculty with the Voice Study Centre in the UK, where he lectures on topics such as peak performance and statistics/research design, and trains music teachers in using ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) principles to address performance anxiety and enhance music performance.

Based in Vienna, Elvire de Paiva e Pona is a classically trained singer who performs internationally. With degrees in vocal pedagogy and psychology in addition to vocal performance, she is also a dedicated educator and teaches individual and group singing lessons and facilitates music classes for young children.

We explore a range of topics including:
- The story behind Dave and Elvire collaboration for their new book. ACT for Musicians
-How ACT can support musicians in both formal clinical approaches as well as music lessons
-How Elvire’s direct experience as a professional musician has played an important role in this work
-Some of the barriers within music education to integrate mental and emotional components
-Some of the common challenges musicians face including:
- Performance anxiety
- Perfectionism
- Shame and self-critical thinking
- Hopes for the future of ACT within music

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ACT for Musicians: https://www.amazon.com/ACT-Musicians-Acceptance-Commitment-Performance/dp/1627343814

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If you find value in the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It plays an important role in being able to get new guests. I also love reading them!

Connect with me on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode. https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Tamar Black, PhD | ACT for Treating Children

Sun, 18 Dec 2022 15:00:00 -0500

My guest today is Tamar Black, Ph.D. Tamar is an educational and developmental psychologist in Melbourne, Australia. She has over 20 years of experience working with children, adolescents and parents. Tamar has extensive experience providing clinical supervision to early career and highly experienced psychologists. She also provides training in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to clinicians and teacher. Tamar is the author of ACT for Treating Children, which we will be discussing today.

Some of the topics we explore include:
- How Acceptance and Commitment Therapy first came into her life
- The important roles Russ Harris and Louise Hayes played in Tamar’s ACT development
- The process behind her new book ACT for Treating Children
- Some of the core differences when working with children in therapy
- Looking at the hexaflex through Tamar’s adapted “ACT Kidflex” model
- And how to use our own experience and psychological flexibility as an agent of change

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Tamar’s website: https://tamarblack.com.au/

ACT for Treating Children: https://www.amazon.com/ACT-Treating-Children-Acceptance-Commitment/dp/1684039762

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If you find value in the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It plays an important role in being able to get new guests. I also love reading them!

Connect with me on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode. https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Dr. Steven C Hayes Returns! | Death, Meaning, and Dispelling "Normal"

Mon, 26 Sep 2022 10:00:00 -0400

My guest today is Dr. Steven C. Hayes. Steven Hayes is a Nevada Foundation Professor of Psychology at the University of Nevada. An author of 47 books and nearly 670 scientific articles, his career has focused on an analysis of the nature of human language and cognition and the application of this to the understanding and alleviation of human suffering. He is the developer of Relational Frame Theory and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), He is also a co-developer of Process-Based Therapy (PBT), a new approach to evidence-based therapies more generally, which we discuss in this episode.

Some of the topics we explore include
- Death and dying young
- Aging and how Steve views his own process
-Challenging meaninglessness to make space for conscious meaning making
- We go deep on all things Process-Based Therapy
- Self-compassion and how it is not helpful for some people
- Making psychological flexibility more inclusive from a process-based approach
- The problems with current diagnostic, syndrome based treatment
- How racism and classism has been built into the traditional statistical methods
- And how the concept of “ being normal” played a role in atrocities in Nazi Germany

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Dr. Steven Hayes’ website: https://stevenchayes.com/about/
Learning PBT Book: https://www.newharbinger.com/9781684037551/learning-process-based-therapy/

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If you find value in the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It plays an important role in being able to get new guests. I also love reading them!

Connect with me on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode. https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Dr. Ron Siegel | The Extraordinary Gift of Being Ordinary

Tue, 02 Aug 2022 18:00:00 -0400

My guest today is Dr. Ron Siegel. Ron is an author and Assistant Professor of Psychology at Harvard Medical School, where he has taught for over 35 years. He is a long time student of mindfulness meditation and serves on the Board of Directors and faculty of the Institute for Meditation and Psychotherapy. He teaches internationally about the application of mindfulness practice in psychotherapy and other fields, and maintains a private clinical practice in Lincoln, Massachusetts

Some of the topics we explore include:

-What process behind Dr. Siegel’s new book, The Extraordinary Gift of Being Ordinary
-The science behind our pursuit of specialness and comparison
-How to focus on making connections, not am impressions with others
-How social media can amplify our suffering
-How stressful early life experiences or trauma intersects with these processes
-The potential healing power of psychedelic-assisted therapy
-The connection between psychopathology and self preoccupation
-And we end by discussing some practical tips to shift unhelpful evaluative processes

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Dr. Siegel’s website: https://drronsiegel.com/

The Extraordinary Gift of Being Ordinary: https://www.amazon.com/Extraordinary-Gift-Being-Ordinary-Happiness/dp/1462548547

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If you find value in the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It plays an important role in being able to get new guests. I also love reading them!

Connect with me on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode. https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Jennifer Kemp, MPsych | ACT for Perfectionism

Tue, 24 May 2022 08:00:00 -0400

My guest today is Jennifer Kemp, MPsych. Jennifer is a clinical psychologist who works with adults and adolescents on issues such as perfectionism, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder (ODC), eating disorders, and chronic illness. Jennifer uses acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) to help people notice their experiences, make conscious choices “in the moment,” and move toward a fulfilling life.

Some of the topics we explore include:-
- How Jennifer’s own story informs her new book, The ACT Workbook for Perfectionism
- The underlying processes of perfectionism and how metaphor can be used to understand them
- The role of self-compassion
- How exposure techniques can develop greater flexibility
- The intersection of perfectionism and OCD
- And we explore the impact of perfectionism on relationships and our professional lives

** PS I had an audio issue during the recording process, so I apologize in advance for my mic quality not being as strong as usual - apt for the episode on perfectionism :) **

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Jennifer’s website: https://jenniferkemp.com.au/

The ACT Workbook for Perfectionism: https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin=B08WJ5YK19&preview=newtab&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_YTDG6CNKNNN4ARND7R7P

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If you find value in the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It plays an important role in being able to get new guests. I also love reading them!

Connect with me on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode. https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Dr. Diana Hill Returns! | Living in Process

Sun, 06 Mar 2022 17:00:00 -0500

My guest today is Diana Hill, Ph.D. Diana is a clinical psychologist and co-author of ACT Daily Journal: Get unstuck and live fully with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. She is also the host of the podcast Your Life in Process, and she offers regular teachings in compassion and ACT through Insight LA and Mindful Heart Programs and Instagram.

Through her online teachings, executive coaching, clinical supervision, and private therapy practice, she encourages clients to build psychological flexibility so that they can live more meaningful and fulfilling lives. She completed her undergraduate work at UC Santa Barbara, majoring in Biopsychology, and earned her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at CU Boulder where she researched mindfulness and acceptance-based approaches for eating disorders.

Some of the topics we explore in this episode include :

- Diana’s recent shift away from Psychologists off the Clock and into her new podcast, Your Life in Process
-Being able to hold different perspectives on the world and others
-The pitfalls of constantly striving
-How technology can get in the way of being present in our lives
-Common processes that promote human flourishing
-The value and challenges of humility
-And Diana helps me explore how to navigate opening up publicly

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Diana’s website: https://drdianahill.com/

ACT Daily Journal: https://drdianahill.com/book/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drdianahill/

Diana’s new podcast: https://drdianahill.com/your-life-in-process/

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If you find value in the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It plays an important role in being able to get new guests. I also love reading them!

Connect with me on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode. https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Billy Ryan | ACT in Sport

Sun, 16 Jan 2022 16:00:00 -0500

My guest today is Billy Ryan. Billy is a performance psychology consultant located in Savannah, GA who works with the military, sports teams, and individuals at the highschool/club, NCAA, NAIA, and the professional level. He specializes in applying ACT and behavior science to increase meaning and performance in a given context.

Some of the topics we explore in this episode include:
- How Billy first got into using ACT for sport performance
- The importance of language and messaging in sports
- The use of ACT Matrix in Billy’s work with athletes
- The role of attentional flexibility and holding outcomes lightly
- The current influence of mental and emotional well-being in sports
- And Billy’s hopes for the future of ACT in the world of sport

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Billy’s website: https://www.awareperformancegroup.com/

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Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Dr. Russ Harris | ACT: Past, Present, and Future

Sun, 21 Nov 2021 17:00:00 -0500

My guest today is Dr. Russ Harris, author of the international best-selling self-help book ‘The Happiness Trap’, and a world-renowned trainer of Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT). Russ’s background is in medicine and now works in two different, yet complementary roles – as a therapist and as a coach. We discuss this life shift more in the episode.

Some of the areas we explore in this episode include:
- Russ’s early career in medicine and how his own suffering was the catalyst for change
-Some of the books and ideas that were influential during this transition
-Russ’s first introduction to ACT and how it led to writing ‘The Happiness Trap’
-His work with the WHO developing an ACT protocol for individuals in refugee camps
-We discuss how pain can be used for growth, the nature of trauma, and the danger of toxic positivity
-And we end by exploring some of Russ’s future goals within ACT and in other areas of life

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Russ’s website: https://www.actmindfully.com.au/

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If you find value in the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It only takes 30 seconds and plays an important role in being able to get new guests. I also love reading them!

Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Louise Hayes PhD | ACT, Spirituality, and DNA-v

Sun, 03 Oct 2021 18:00:00 -0400

My guest today is Louise Hayes PhD. Louise is a clinical psychologist, author, speaker and active humanitarian. She is the Past President of ACBS, and a peer-reviewed Acceptance and Commitment Therapy(ACT) trainer, and codeveloped of the evidence-based DNA-v model. She is the co-author of the best-selling books: Get Out of Your Mind and into your Life for Teenagers, The Thriving Adolescent, and Your Life Your Way. Louise is a clinician, working with adults and adolescents in private practice. Louise is also active community member, taking mental health professionals into the Himalaya to develop their mindfulness skills and raise funds for children in remote Nepal.

In this episode we explore a range of topics including:
- How Louise found ACT and the impact it had on her personally and professionally
-Louise’s interest in eastern spiritual traditions
-How these practices can integrate with a more clinical perspective
-How imagination can play a role in both our wellbeing and our suffering
-What gives Louise meaning and purpose in life
-And we unpack the 4 core abilities contained within the DNA-v model

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Louise’s website: https://www.louisehayes.com.au/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/_Louise_Hayes

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Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Explore the website: https://mentallyflexible.com/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Brenton | A Journey of Transitioning

Sun, 12 Sep 2021 18:00:00 -0400

My guest today is Brenton. Brenton is a Cardiac Surgery Intensive Care Nurse who served 9 years in the US Army as a Combat Medic. He is now an advocate for the needs of the transgender community. Brenton is a personal friend going back to Elementary school and was graciously willing to share his story of understanding his identity and navigating the transitioning process.

In this episode we explore:

-When issues of identity first became conscious in elementary and middle school
-How this led to significant life stressors throughout development
-Brenton’s experiences first receiving mental health treatment
-The early stages of understanding being transgender
-How this intersected with his involvement in the military
-And we unpack many of the dynamics involved in Brenton’s internal and external transitioning process

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Follow Brenton’s transition journey on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bren_plus_t/?hl=en

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Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Explore the website: https://mentallyflexible.com/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Jessica Lahey | The Addiction Inoculation

Sun, 22 Aug 2021 18:00:00 -0400

My guest today is Jessica Lahey. Jessica is the author of the New York Times bestselling book, The Gift of Failure: How the Best Parents Learn to Let Go So Their Children Can Succeed and The Addiction Inoculation: Raising Healthy Kids in a Culture of Dependence. Over twenty years, Jess has taught every grade from sixth to twelfth in both public and private schools, and spent five years teaching in a drug and alcohol rehab for adolescents in Vermont. She currently serves as a recovery coach at Sana at Stowe, a medical detox and recovery center in Stowe, Vermont, where 100% of her salary goes to a scholarship fund for young adults. She writes about education, parenting, and child welfare for The Washington Post, New York Times, and The Atlantic, is a book critic for Air Mail, and wrote the educational curriculum for Amazon Kids’ award-winning The Stinky and Dirty Show. She co-hosts the #AmWriting podcast with bestselling authors K.J. Dell’Antonia and Sarina Bowen from her house in Vermont, where she lives with her husband, two sons and a lot of dogs.

In this episode we explore:
- Jessica’s new book, The Addiction Inoculation
- The complexity of whether adolescents develop substance use issues
- Jessica’s personal experiences later in life with addiction
- The role that AA has played in her recovery
- The missing gaps in our education system for preventing substance use disorders
- What it means to live in a culture of dependence

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Jessica’s website: https://www.jessicalahey.com/

Her books: https://www.jessicalahey.com/books

#AmWriting Podcast: https://amwriting.substack.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jplahey

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jesslahey

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Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Explore the website: https://mentallyflexible.com/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Dr. Jud Brewer | Cultivating an Open Awareness

Sun, 25 Jul 2021 18:00:00 -0400

My guest today is Dr. Jud Brewer. Dr. Jud is a New York Times best-selling author, neuroscientist, addiction psychiatrist, and thought leader in the field of habit change. He is the Director of Research and Innovation at Brown University’s Mindfulness Center, where he also serves as an associate professor. He is the executive medical director of behavioral health at Sharecare Inc. and a research affiliate at MIT. Dr. Jud has developed and tested novel mindfulness programs for habit change, including treatments for smoking, emotional eating, and anxiety. His new book is called “Unwinding Anxiety: New Science Shows How to Break the Cycles of Worry and Fear to Heal Your Mind”

In this episode we explore a range of topics:

-Dr. Jud’s early experiences with meditation and mindfulness
-The dance between being the experiencer versus the researcher of mindfulness
-How Dr. Jud has been able to integrate of science and spiritual traditions
-How awareness can shift addictive patterns
-Dr. Jud’s thoughts on psychedelic-assisted therapy
-The story behind his new book, “Unwinding Anxiety”
-The nature of consciousness
-Dr. Jud’s thoughts on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

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Dr. Jud Brewer’s website
Follow Dr. Jud Brewer on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter
Unwinding Anxiety (app)
Eat Right Now (app)
Craving To Quit! (app)

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Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Explore the website: https://mentallyflexible.com/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Debbie Sorensen PhD | Mindfulness, Vulnerability, and Burnout

Sun, 11 Jul 2021 18:00:00 -0400

My guest today is Debbie Sorensen, PhD. Debbie is a psychologist in private practice in Denver, Colorado, and a part-time Clinical Research Psychologist at the Rocky Mountain VA MIRECC for Suicide Prevention. She co-created and co-hosts the popular psychology podcast Psychologists Off the Clock. Further, she is a co-author of the book ACT Daily Journal: Get Unstuck and Live Fully with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (Along with Diana Hill PhD who was also on the podcast). Debbie has presented her work nationally and internationally at ACBS World Conferences and has served as a lecturer in the psychology department at Harvard University.

In this episode we explore:
- How Debbie found her way to ACT
- The value of emotional openness and present moment awareness
- Debbie’s reflections on collaboration
- Challenges associated with having a public voice
- Debbie’s clinical work with those impacted by burnout
- Being a therapist when we are dealing with our own life stressors

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Debbie’s Website: https://www.drdebbiesorensen.com/

Psychologists Off The Clock: https://offtheclockpsych.com/

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Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Explore the website: https://mentallyflexible.com/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Robyn Walser PhD | Holding Presence Through Pain

Mon, 07 Jun 2021 09:00:00 -0400

My guest today is Robyn D. Walser, Ph.D. is the Director of TL Consultation Services, Associate Director at the National Center for PTSD and is Associate Clinical Professor at the University of California, Berkeley. As a licensed psychologist, she maintains an international training, consulting and therapy practice.

Dr. Walser is an expert in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and has co-authored 3 books on ACT including Learning ACT, The Mindful Couple and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for the Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. She also has expertise in traumatic stress and substance abuse and has authored a number of articles and chapters and books on these topics.

In this episode we explore a range of topics including:

-Robyn’s first ACT workshop with Steve Hayes
-Creating a space for growth through our own presence as therapists
-What makes working with individuals with a trauma history unique
-The concept of Moral Injury and how it relates to shame
-How Robyn stays connected to her work as a therapist

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Robyn’s Wesbite: http://www.tlconsultationservices.com/

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Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Explore the website: https://mentallyflexible.com/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Nathalia Freitas | Healing Through Self-Acceptance and Authenticity

Sun, 23 May 2021 19:00:00 -0400

My guest today is Nathalia Freitas. Nathalia is the creator of Loving My Dots, a space she created to promote connection among diversity. Nathalia was born with Congenital Melanocytic Nevus, which is a non-genetic birthmark that can form on a person’s body. This left a birthmark covering 40% of her face plus moles all over her body. Her case is an example of a giant nevus, which occurs only once in 500,000 births. From ages nine months to 13 years old, Nathalia had many surgeries to remove her facial Nevus.

In 2018, Nathalia began sharing her story on social media, leading to a number of collaborations with various publications. She was also chosen to be featured in a documentary by the British news agency Barcroft TV.

The first 10 minutes or so of the episode Nathalia gives an overview of her story

We then shift into exploring more detailed parts of her journey including:

- When Nathalia remembers first becoming aware of her condition
- The challenges related to looking and feeling different than others
- Nathalia’s conflicting narratives regarding her surgeries as a child
- How the relationship with her mother played a role throughout this journey
- How Nathalia supports others going through similar situations

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Nathalia’s Website: https://www.lovingmydots.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lovingmydots/

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Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Explore the website: https://mentallyflexible.com/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Dr. Miles Neale | Contemplative Psychology in a Modern Context

Sun, 09 May 2021 19:00:00 -0400

My guest today is Dr. Miles Neale, PsyD. Miles is a Buddhist psychotherapist in private practice and founder of the two-year online Contemplative Studies Program. Author of Gradual Awakening, and co-editor of Advances in Contemplative Psychotherapy, Miles is a faculty member of Tibet House (US) and Weill Cornell Medical College. With more than twenty years integrating the mind science and meditative practices of Tibetan Buddhism with psychotherapy, trauma research and neuroscience, Miles is a forerunner in the emerging field of contemplative psychotherapy, and leads pilgrimages around the Buddhist world.

Some of the topics we discuss in this episode include:

- Miles’ contemplative studies program
- The importance of fully integrating fundamentals
- How Miles’s childhood informed his spiritual life
- Using your presence to help another person feel truly safe
- And how we can bring a deeper sense of consciousness to our therapy work and every day lives

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Dr. Miles Neale’s website: https://www.milesneale.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/milesneale/

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Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Explore the website: https://mentallyflexible.com/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Dr. Patricia Zurita Ona | ACT Beyond Your Fears

Sun, 25 Apr 2021 19:00:00 -0400

My guest today is Dr. Patricia Zurita Ona, aka Dr. Z. Dr. Z is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist in California. She has significant experience working with children, adolescents, and adults with OCD, trauma, anxiety, and emotional regulation problems. Dr. Z is the founder of the East Bay Behavior Therapy Center, a boutique therapy practice, where she runs an intensive outpatient program integrating Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Exposure Response Prevention (ERP) to support clients getting stuck from obsessions, figure out what they care about, and do stuff that matters to them.

Some of the topics we explore include:

- Our interviews with Steven Hayes
- How Dr. Z found her way to ACT
- How ACT and Exposure have been useful for Dr. Z personally
- Dr. Z’s early life in Bolivia and how it’s shaped her worldview
- And how ACT can be used to treat OCD

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Dr. Z’s website: https://www.thisisdoctorz.com/

OCD Workbook: https://www.thisisdoctorz.com/act-workbook-for-adults-with-ocd/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/drz_behaviorist

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Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Explore the website: https://mentallyflexible.com/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Dr. Rheeda Walker | The Unapologetic Guide To Black Mental Health

Mon, 19 Apr 2021 07:00:00 -0400

My guest today is Dr. Rheeda Walker. Dr. Walker is a tenured professor in the department of psychology at the University of Houston. She has published more than fifty scientific papers on African American adult mental health, suicide risk, and resilience. Dr. Walker and her work has been in places like Good Morning America, The Washington Post, and CNN Health. In 2020 she released a new book called, The Unapologetic Guide to Black Mental Health, which we touch on in this episode.

Some of the other topics explored in this episode include:

- The rise in suicide among black children
- The role of protective cultural traditions
- How Dr. Walker works to stay connection to her roots
- The concept of psychological fortitude
- The stigmatization of mental health in the African-American community
- And navigating racial differences within the therapeutic relationship

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Dr. Walker’s website: https://www.rheedawalkerphd.com/

Book link: https://www.rheedawalkerphd.com/book

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.rheedawalker/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/rheedawalkerphd?

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Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Explore the website: https://mentallyflexible.com/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Matthew Boone LCSW, Jennifer Gregg PhD, and Lisa Coyne PhD | The ACT Bathroom Book

Mon, 05 Apr 2021 07:00:00 -0400

Welcome back to Mentally Flexible! My guests today are Matthew Boone LCSW, Jennifer Gregg PhD, and Lisa Coyne PhD, authors of the book, Stop Avoiding Stuff: 25 Microskills to Face Your Fears and Do It Anyway. This book draws on the model of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, delivering accessible skills to help people face their fears and build a more meaningful life.

In this episode we explore:

- The origin story of their book, “Stop Avoiding Stuff”
- The concept of “you do, you get” to better understand our behaviors
- They each share personal stories of how the content within the book has played a role in their lives
- And we unpack some of the core skills that you can learn within “Stop Avoiding Stuff”

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Book link: https://www.amazon.com/Stop-Avoiding-Stuff-Microskills-Anyway/dp/1684036054

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Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Explore the website: https://mentallyflexible.com/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Matthias J Barker | Deconstructing Values, Faith, and Love

Mon, 22 Mar 2021 07:00:00 -0400

Welcome back to Mentally Flexible! My guest today is Matthias J Barker LMHCA, a psychotherapist from Spokane, WA. He holds a private counseling practice and utilizes evidence-based approaches in his clinical work with adults, children, and couples from all walks of life. Matthias also makes mental health content online and has amassed over a million followers on platforms like TikTok, Instagram and YouTube (@matthiasjbarker). Matthias’ goal is to help the people he works with move towards health and what is meaningful in life amidst hardship.

In this episode we explore a ton of topics, some of these include:

- Matthias’ rising popularity through his social media content
- Our shared interests in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
- What caused Matthias to reevaluate personal values
- The process of deconstructing spiritual beliefs
- Matthias’ experience preparing for fatherhood
- Letting go of outcomes and trusting values-based living
- And Matthias ends by sharing his thoughts on the meaning of love

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Matthias’ website: https://www.matthiasjbarker.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matthiasjbarker

Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@matthiasjbarker

Twitter: https://twitter.com/matthiasjbarker

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If you find value in the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It plays an important role in being able to get new guests. I also love reading them!

Connect with me on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Explore the website. https://mentallyflexible.com/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode. https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Diana Hill, PhD | Cultivating a Psychologically Flexible Life

Mon, 15 Mar 2021 07:00:00 -0400

Welcome back to Mentally Flexible! My guest today is Diana Hill, Ph.D. Diana is a clinical psychologist and co-author of ACT Daily Journal: Get unstuck and live fully with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. She is also a co-host of the popular podcast, Psychologists Off the Clock where she has interviewed leaders in the field of psychology, mindfulness, and wellness.

Through her online teachings, executive coaching, clinical supervision, and private therapy practice Diana encourages clients to build psychological flexibility so that they can live more meaningful and fulfilling lives.

Diana has a knack for unpacking complex, science-based concepts and making them applicable to daily life in work, parenting, relationships and health. She completed a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at CU Boulder where she researched mindfulness and acceptance based approaches for eating disorders.

In this episode we explore a range of topics including:

- How certain self stories shaped Diana’s spiritual life
- The universality of pain and suffering
- The origins of Psychologists Off The Clock and her new book ACT Daily Journal
- The value of connecting to a more collective identity
- And allowing space to “tune up” your values in life

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Diana’s website: https://drdianahill.com/

ACT Daily Journal: https://drdianahill.com/book/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drdianahill/

Psychologists Off The Clock: https://offtheclockpsych.com/

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If you find value in the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It plays an important role in being able to get new guests. I also love reading them!

Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Explore the website: https://mentallyflexible.com/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Dr. Mariel Buquè | Healing Intergenerational Wounds

Mon, 01 Mar 2021 08:00:00 -0500

Welcome back to Mentally Flexible! My guest today is Dr. Mariel Buquè. Dr. Buquè is a Columbia University-trained licensed psychologist, holistic mental health expert, and sound bath meditation healer. Her work centers on helping people heal their whole selves through holistic mental wellness practices and on healing wounds of intergenerational trauma.

In this episode we explore a range of topics including:

- Books that have influenced Dr. Buquè throughout her life
- What first sparked Dr. Buquè interest in intergenerational trauma
- We dive deeper into both the nature and nature parts of ancestral wounds
- Dr. Buquè shares how these areas have touched her life personally
- We unpack the approaches to healing intergenerational trauma
- We end by discussing the healing power of sound and perform an impromptu sound meditation together

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Dr. Buquè’s website: https://www.drmarielbuque.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.marielbuque/

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If you want to support the podcast…

Please subscribe on iTunes and leave a review :) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mentally-flexible/id1539933988

Connect with me on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Explore the website. https://mentallyflexible.com/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode. https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Cory Allen | Spiritual Wisdom for Daily Life

Mon, 22 Feb 2021 08:00:00 -0500

My guest today is Cory Allen. Cory is an author, podcast host, meditation teacher and audio engineer from Austin, Texas.

His podcast, The Astral Hustle, where he discusses mindfulness, neuroscience, and philosophy has been featured by the New York Times. He has written a book called Now is the Way which explores an unconventional approach to modern mindfulness. Cory has also created an amazing meditation course called Release Into Now - I was first introduced to Cory when I took his course several years ago.

We explore a range of topics in this episode including:
- Following your own curiosity in podcasting
- Cory’s process of figuring out what success means for him personally
- Cory picks Tom’s brain on holding space for others
- Setting boundaries with love
- Validating emotional wounds from childhood
- And how to find peace by embracing the impermanence of life

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Cory’s website: http://www.cory-allen.com/

The Astral Hustle: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-astral-hustle-with-cory-allen/id1033011814

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heycoryallen/?hl=en

Cory’s book, Now Is The Way: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0525538046

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If you want to support the podcast…

Please subscribe on iTunes and leave a review :) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mentally-flexible/id1539933988

Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Explore the website: https://mentallyflexible.com/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Dr. David Puder MD | The Hero's Journey & The Unconscious

Mon, 08 Feb 2021 07:00:00 -0500

Welcome back to Mentally Flexible! My guest today is Dr. David Puder. Dr. Puder is a board certified psychiatrist and host of the amazing Psychiatry & Psychotherapy Podcast. If you are a mental health professional, I highly suggest this podcast. Each episode is so well researched and presented that it is like going to a training each time you listen. Dr. Puder was most recently on faculty at Loma Linda University where he was the medical director of a partial program and intensive outpatient program. Towards the end of the episode, we talk about his recent relocation across country and how he’s using this time as an opportunity to connect with values. Dr. Puder is an incredibly fascinating and thoughtful person whom I’ve learned so much from both in this conversation and through his podcast.

In this episode we explore a range of topics including:

- What sparked David's interest in philosophy and understanding suffering at a young age
- The importance of doing our own inner work as mental health professionals
- The historical roots of helpers doing their own inner work
- The difference between therapy modalities
- The importance of feedback in life; David’s personal mentors
- The framework of the hero’s journey
- The trauma of confronting malevolence within others or ourselves
- Understanding and integrating our own shadow
- How we can use ourselves a barometer for a client’s experience
- David's current transition stage of life

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Psychiatry and Psychotherapy Podcast: https://www.psychiatrypodcast.com/

Instagram: @Dr.DavidPuder

Twitter: @DavidPuder

Facebook: @DrDavidPuder

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If you want to support the podcast…

Please subscribe on iTunes and leave a review :) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mentally-flexible/id1539933988

Connect with me on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Explore the website. https://mentallyflexible.com/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode. https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Jill Stoddard PhD | Being Mighty and Values-Driven

Mon, 01 Feb 2021 07:00:00 -0500

My guest today is Jill Stoddard PhD. Jill is the founder and director of The Center for Stress and Anxiety Management in San Diego, CA. She has a PhD in Clinical Psychology specializes in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for anxiety and related issues. Jill cohosts a great podcast called Psychologists Off the Clock which I highly suggest for anyone interested in topics related to ACT. She also is an author and has written two books including The Big Book of ACT Metaphors and Be Mighty: A Woman's Guide to Liberation from Anxiety, Worry, and Stress Using Mindfulness and Acceptance.

In this episode we explore:

- The role that ACT has played in Jill’s personal life
- The inspiration for writing her book “Be Mighty”
- Anxiety and anxiety disorders
- We discuss the story behind Jill’s recent Ted Talk
- And explore the role of Imposter Syndrome in the writing process

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Jill’s Wesbite: https://jillstoddard.com/
Ted Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efXDYu0LYe4
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jill_stoddard
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jillstoddardphd/?modal=admin_todo_tour
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jillastoddard/?hl=en

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If you want to support the podcast…

Please subscribe on iTunes and leave a review :) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mentally-flexible/id1539933988

Connect with me on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Explore the website. https://mentallyflexible.com/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode. https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Jake Klar | Songwriting, Self-Criticism, and Intuition

Mon, 25 Jan 2021 07:00:00 -0500

Welcome to a special episode of Mentally Flexible with one of my favorite songwriters, Jake Klar.

Have you ever had a song or album become the soundtrack to an important period of your life? That’s exactly what happened to me with Jake Klar's music. It was 2015 and I had just graduated from college. With no idea of what was to come next in life, I loaded up my bike with some clothes and camping gear and started peddling north from Central CT. 300 miles and several baby wipe showers later, I made it to Burlington, VT. My first stop at then end of the day was usually a local bar with good beer and food which I could consume guiltlessly after burning more calories that day than I did in a typical week of normal life. The place I ended up that night was called Radio Bean, and to my pleasant surprise there was live music. This was different than your average bar performance (I would know because I would consider myself an average bar performer). This guy was something special. The songs instantly connected with me in a deeper place. That musician was Jake Klar, and he is is my guest today. For the remainder of my bike trip up through Canada, Jake’s music became the soundtrack of this transformative life experience. I have since continued to follow Jake’s inspiring development as an artist, and knew that I had to have him on as a guest for the podcast.

In this episode we explore a range of topics include:

- How music can bring you back into emotions and experiences from the past
- Jake’s process of letting go of certain dreams
- The role of self-criticism in the artistic process
- How suffering can be used to fuel songwriting
- The inevitable feeling of Imposter Syndrome that comes as an artist
- And how spirituality is connected to trusting our intuition

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Intro song: Crescent St. Blues by Jake Klar

Outro song: Rosy by Jake Klar

Find all of Jake’s music..

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0rcb7huZfHcu9UTeF1uHD6?si=gFwA-PCGQxqyJ-05v6QxZg

Bandcamp: https://www.jakeklar.com/music

Masquerade EP: https://jakeklar.bandcamp.com/album/masquerade - All proceeds of this EP will be donated to G.L.I.T.S. which is a grassroots organization dedicated to providing care and resources for the LGBTQ+ community on a global scale. The organization is currently using funds to provide housing for Black trans people. Visit their website for more info about what they’ve done and what else they are currently working on.

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If you want to support the podcast…

Please subscribe on iTunes and leave a review :) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mentally-flexible/id1539933988

Connect with me on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Explore the website. https://mentallyflexible.com/

Alysse Loomis PhD, LCSW | Early Childhood Trauma and the Education System

Mon, 18 Jan 2021 07:00:00 -0500

Welcome back to Mentally Flexible! My guest today is Dr. Alysse Loomis. Alysse is an Assistant Professor at the University of Utah in the College of Social Work. She also has experience as a clinician specializing in early childhood trauma. Alysse’s current research explores the impact of early childhood trauma and other adversity. She is interested in identifying mechanisms through which childhood adversity contributes to educational and health disparities as well as understanding how natural systems of care, such as schools, can be leveraged to prevent future adversity exposure and support child well-being.

In this episode we explore a range of topics including:

- Alysse’s background in researching trauma
- The overlap of trauma and attachment disruptions
- Alysse’s research in childhood adversity and the education system
- The need for greater support for teachers
- The consequences of Pre-school expulsions and suspensions
- Alysse’s experience having a child and understanding attachment more directly

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Learn more about Alysse and her research: https://faculty.utah.edu/u6025588-ALYSSE_M._LOOMIS/research/index.hml

Follow Alysse on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AlysseLoomis

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If you want to support the podcast…

Please subscribe on iTunes and leave a review :) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mentally-flexible/id1539933988

Connect with me on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Explore the website. https://mentallyflexible.com/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode. https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Dr. Menije Boduryan | Biculturalism, Self-Narratives, and Perfectionism

Mon, 11 Jan 2021 08:00:00 -0500

Welcome back to Mentally Flexible! My guest today is Dr. Menije Boduryan-Turner. Dr. Menije is a clinical psychologist with a private practice in California. While Dr. Menije has experience in a number of different clinical areas, she has made perfectionism a main area focus of her work. Dr. Menije as a beautiful way of using her own life experience to inform her work as a psychologist.

In this episode we explore:

- Dr. Menije’s immigration to America from Turkey as a teenager
- How this led to self stories of inadequacy
- Her process of integrating socially and navigating cultural differences
- How this shifted family dynamics
- We explore how the root of perfectionism and how it manifests in many different ways
- How perfectionist thinking gets in the way of goals and New Year’s resolutions
- How perfectionism connects to OCD and Imposter Syndrome
- The impact of perfectionism on relationships

Learn more about Dr. Menije and her course on perfectionism https://embracingyoutherapy.com/course-for-perfectionism/

Follow her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.menije/

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If you want to support the podcast…

Please subscribe on iTunes and leave a review :) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mentally-flexible/id1539933988

Connect with me on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Explore the website. https://mentallyflexible.com/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode. https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Kyle Buller | The Transpersonal Experience

Mon, 04 Jan 2021 07:00:00 -0500

Welcome back to Mentally Flexible! My guest today is Kyle Buller. Kyle is a clinical mental health counselor and co-host of the wonderful podcast, Psychedelics Today. Kyle’s interest in exploring non-ordinary states of consciousness began when he was 16-years-old when he had a near-death experience that changed his life - we talk about this more in the episode.

Since then, Kyle has earned his B.A. in Transpersonal Psychology, where he studied areas like shamanism, plant medicine, Holotropic Breathwork, and psychedelic psychotherapy. Kyle completed his M.S. in clinical mental health counseling with an emphasis in somatic psychology. Kyle’s clinical background in mental health consists of working with at-risk teenagers in crisis and with individuals experiencing an early-episode of psychosis.

In this episode we explore a range of topics including:

- Transpersonal Psychology
- Uncertainty, Intuition, and Consciousness
- Holotropic Breathwork
- Kyle’s near-death experience
- His struggles integrating back into the world
- And how that experience has since shaped his passions and perspective

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If you want to learn more about Kyle and the healing potential of non-ordinary states of consciousness, I suggest checking out his podcast Psychedelics Today: https://psychedelicstoday.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/psychedelicstoday/

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If you want to support the podcast…

Please subscribe on iTunes and leave a review :) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mentally-flexible/id1539933988

Connect with me on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Explore the website. https://mentallyflexible.com/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode. https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Tracy McCubbin | External Clutter, Internal Blocks

Mon, 21 Dec 2020 07:00:00 -0500

Welcome back to episode 7 of Mentally Flexible! My guest today is Tracy McCubbin. She is author of the book Making Space, Clutter Free and is a regularly featured expert on decluttering in the media, including The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal and Goop. I was interested in speaking with Tracy because there is no doubt that our inner and outer worlds are interconnected, so the way we relate to our homes can teach us a lot about our psychology and mental health. Tracy’s work goes deeper than just simply how to organize your home, she helps people understand what she calls, the emotional clutter blocks that drive our clutter.

In this episode we explore:

- "emotional clutter blocks"
- the 7 types Tracy has identified throughout her career
- How emotional clutter blocks relate to values, identify, and shame
- The role of intergenerational family dynamics
- Understanding the global impact of consumption
- The potential for overcorrecting and becoming excessively orderly
- How to gauge if your home has become too chaotic

Learn more about Tracy and her work: https://dclutterfly.com/
https://www.instagram.com/tracy_mccubbin/

Follow Mentally Flexible on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/
Check out the website: https://mentallyflexible.com/

Dr. Dennis Tirch | Eastern Wisdom, Western Mind

Mon, 14 Dec 2020 08:00:00 -0500

Welcome back to Mentally Flexible! My guest today is Dr. Dennis Tirch. He is a clinical psychologist and Founding Director The Center for Compassion Focused Therapy. He has been described as one of the country's foremost leaders in compassion training in evidence-based psychotherapy.

Dr. Tirch is an author of 6 books and numerous peer reviewed articles on mindfulness, acceptance and compassion. He also has a rich personal history of spiritual practice that we dive into in this podcast. I was so happy to discover Dennis and his work as he has such a beautiful way of integrating eastern wisdom with western science.

In this episode we explore:

- The development of Dennis’ spiritual interests and practices
- How he navigated intense transformative experiences
- Integrating spirituality into his clinical psychology endeavors
- The difference between challenges and agony
- How to live in the world while being spiritually awake
-Staying compassionate in the face of immense suffering of strangers
- The value in compassionately recognizing our own hypocrisy
- Starting your inner work from where you rather than where you think you should be
- We end with Dennis leading a guided compassion focused meditation

Learn more about Dr. Tirch and the Center for Compassion Focused Therapy: http://www.mindfulcompassion.com/

Follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DennisTirchPhD
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drdennistirch/

Follow me on Instagram for bonus content: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/
Dive deeper into Mentally Flexible: mentallyflexible.com

James Fox | Prison Yoga Project

Mon, 07 Dec 2020 08:00:00 -0500

Welcome back to Mentally Flexible! My guest today is James Fox, Founding Director of Prison Yoga Project. I met James several years ago when I attended one of his trainings to learn more about trauma-informed yoga and how it can be implemented in prisons. James is a pioneer in this area as he began teaching yoga to incarcerated individuals in San Quentin Prison in 2002 and ultimately founding the Prison Yoga Project. Since then James has trained thousands of teachers who have replicated PYP's methodology in 28 states and many other countries. He is also the author of Yoga: a Path for Healing and Recovery, which is available free of charge to any prisoner who requests a copy. It has now been sent to over 33,000 people.

In this episode we explore:
- The early years of Prison Yoga Project
- How James works with racial and cultural differences
- How you can make yoga trauma-informed
- How to be a witness to another's suffering
- The path of Karma Yoga
- The difference between being a helper and being of service
- James' vision for the future of prison reform

Learn more about Prison Yoga Project at https://prisonyoga.org/

If this work resonates with you, please consider donating to the cause - https://prisonyoga.org/inside-that-yoga-room/

Follow PYP on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prisonyogaproject/

Learn more about me and the podcast at https://mentallyflexible.com/

Follow me on Instagram to get bonus content: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

The song used in this podcast is called Glimpse at Truth, off of my second EP Nowhere to Stand. Check out the full song below!
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/0Jjw7UEztBD8rTxIZFzsUe
Bandcamp: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Paul Gilmartin | Trauma, Boundaries, and Comedy

Mon, 30 Nov 2020 08:00:00 -0500

Welcome back to Mentally Flexible! My guest today is Paul Gilmartin. Paul is a stand-up comedian, television personality, and podcast host. He was the long time host of the TV show, Dinner and a Movie, on TBS. As a comedian he has a Comedy Central Presents special, performed on the Late Show with Craig Ferguson, and is a frequent guest on the Adam Carolla show. Paul is the host and executive producer of the very popular podcast, The Mental Illness Happy Hour - which is one of my favorite podcasts. Paul has a very powerful story of experiencing childhood trauma which manifested in depression and addiction later in life. He is now sober and has become an incredibly important voice in the mental health world through sharing his story and creating a space for others to do the same on his podcast.

In this episode we dive into:
- The relationship between humor and pain
- Paul's early experiences in therapy
- How he has processed his childhood trauma
- Going no contact with his mother
- Paul's experiences in comedy and television
- The connection between spirituality, meaning, and purpose

Learn more about Paul and The Mental Illness Happy Hour
https://mentalpod.com/
Twitter: @mentalpod
Instagram: @mentalpod

Learn more about me and Mentally Flexible
https://mentallyflexible.com/
https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Kimberley Quinlan LMFT | OCD and Self-Compassion

Mon, 23 Nov 2020 09:00:00 -0500

Welcome back to Mentally Flexible! In this episode I speak with Marriage and Family Therapist, Kimberley Quinlan. Kimberley specializes in the treatment of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and other related disorders. She has previously served as the Clinical Director of the OCD Center of Los Angeles and currently runs a private practice.

Kimberley has been featured in many world known media outlets, such as LA Times, Wall Street Journal, and many of my favorite podcasts. She is the host of her own podcast, Your Anxiety Toolkit and has an amazing instagram page full of resources that I suggest you check out.

We explore a range of topics including:

- OCD and some common misunderstandings
- A few of the subtypes of OCD
- What treatment generally looks like
- The role of self-compassion and values
- Kimberley’s Eating Disorder history
- What recovery looks like for her today
- What we value most about being therapists

Learn more about Kimberley and get a ton of great free resources:

Website: https://www.cbtschool.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kimberleyquinlan/?

Follow me on instagram to stay up to date on episode releases and get bonus content! https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/?hl=en
You can also check out the podcast website: mentallyflexible.com

Dr. Kelly Wilson | Suffering and Meaning

Wed, 18 Nov 2020 09:00:00 -0500

Welcome to episode 2 of Mentally Flexible! My guest today is Dr. Kelly Wilson. He is a Professor Emeritus at the University of Mississippi in the department of psychology. He is the author of 11 books and more than 100 articles and chapters. He is also cofounder of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy or ACT. If you listened to episode 1, you got to know the other cofounder of ACT, Dr. Steven Hayes.

In this conversation we dive into a range of topics including:

- the ubiquitous nature of suffering
- the cost of concealing our pain
- Kelly’s personal history of suffering
- what brings Kelly the most meaning in life today
- the connection between values and vulnerabilities

Kelly is someone who inspires me immensely and I was honored to get to have this conversation.

If you enjoy this podcast, please subscribe and leave a review. This would mean a lot to me!

Follow me on instagram @mentallyflexible

Learn more about Kelly: http://onelifellc.com/

Dr. Steven C Hayes | Transcendence, Belonging, and Psychological Flexibility

Wed, 11 Nov 2020 10:00:00 -0500

Welcome to episode 1 of Mentally Flexible! On this episode I speak with Dr. Steven C Hayes and I couldn’t be more excited! Steven Hayes is a Foundation Professor at the University of Nevada. He is pioneer in the psychology field and has had a tremendous impact in the domain of psychotherapy. He is the author 46 books and nearly 650 scientific articles. He is a cofounder of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) which is the form of therapy I use with my clients. He is absolutely one of the people who inspires me most in the world and I could not be more grateful for this opportunity to speak with him.

In this free flowing conversation we cover a range of topics including:

– the value of psychological flexibility
– flow states
– psychedelics
– transcendence
– the promises and pitfalls of spiritual experiences
– our core yearning for belonging
– lying and the trap of pretense
– connecting to our inner child

To learn more about Steve Hayes you can check out his website: https://stevenchayes.com/

I also recommend checking out his popular Ted Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o79_gmO5ppg&t=815s

If you enjoy this podcast, please subscribe, rate, and review - thanks for listening!