The Broken Brain

Part 2 of my discussion with Mariano & Allegra is here! Avid podcasters and pop culture commentators, they share with me their experience and observations about the existence and psychological impact of racial privilege, and why it is often so hard to discuss. Tune in for the next exciting episode of The Broken Brain, and catch Allegra & Mariano on Core Temp Art's official TV commentary show: TV Ate My Brain.

Dave Hart, host of the Pop Culture Case Study Podcast, returns to The Broken Brain to help me talk about the way that mental health diagnosis are presented in movies. With the new M Night Shyamalan picture "Split," I have had a few requests to address this. This episode is one of those. We talk about depictions of therapy, DID (Disassociative Identity Disorder), and the fact that almost all mental health disorders make someone much much LESS likely to be dangerous than the rest of the population. Dave and I are of course pictured in the image of this episode, pondering movies and mental health.

Kathleen returns to help me talk about how to support your loved ones with traumatic experiences. We discuss the are the important Do's and Dont's of working with family and friends with a history of trauma, abuse, or PTSD. Be sure to listen to Kathleen's wonderful Podcast On The Blue Couch for talk about trauma, psychology, The Walking Dead, and much more!

Kevin Byrd is a specialist in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy. He runs a DBT program in Carmel, Indiana. He joined me to talk about his background in therapy, working with symptoms of high emotionality, stigma regarding Personality Disorders, and finding hope in the face of serious mental illness. Check out his website at carmelpsychology.com

Mike returns to talk more about relationships, particularly those colored by estrangement and difficult problems. To do this, we use the Icelandic film "Rams," from the 2016 Sundance Film Festival, available on Netflix. As always, our cover art is up for guesses, which one of these gentlemen is Dwight, and which is Mike?

Mariano & Allegra, fellow Core Temp Podcasters on the CTA network, join me to discuss the dynamics of racism and privilege in the United States. This is part one of a two-part discussion, and a goal of the show to bring you more information in 2017 about equality, inclusivity, and racial matters. Part two will focus more heavily on the dynamic of privilege, and be released in 1-2 weeks. Listen to Allegra & Mariano and their on point cultural commentary on CTA's TV Ate My Brain.

Non rejoins me to discuss Anxiety, something we both deal with, and a key part to mental health. A confirmed Joymonger, Non is the cohost of the Joy Sandwich Podcast, and writes does other stuff at subjectplusverb DOT com. You can follow him on twitter @subjectplusverb.

This is a rerun episode from last year's holiday season. Super special guest Shira Goldberg, host of The Addiction Show on YouTube came on to discuss tips for remaining sober in the holidays. Rerunning this for the 2016 holiday, it's been a rough year, but if staying sober is your goal, please please please stay sober this year. Be safe and don't drink, drug, or drive. Well, you can drive if you don't drink or drug....I guess.

Chris Revill is a swell person, and swell people love Christmas Specials. Sometimes cheesy, often silly, these wonderful moments of holiday recognition have stayed in our hearts and brains, sometimes for decade after decade. Why? That's what we want to figure out. That, and to go on and on about our favorites. This is one of the three Holiday specials The Broken Brain is offering this year, like three gifts from three wisemen, I found three wise guys to host with me. Enjoy. Thanks for listening in 2016, and I hope you have a very Happy Holiday Season.

Lee and Dwight are responding to a listener request this week! We are discussing the holidays and the tricky dynamics that come up with family. We talk about response plans for assertive, passive-aggressive, and just downright aggressive family members. We mention coping skills, some involving Adele, and how to respond to that rascal Uncle Bob.

Returning champion guest Michael Denniston from the War Machine vs War Horse Podcast returns to help me analyze the 2000 film Return to Me, and discuss what it demonstrates about coping with grief and change in life. Mike and I get drippy about romance, loss, dogs, and old men filled with passion in this under-appreciated rom-com about loss, love, and organ donation.

Ecosexuality? What's that? Ecosexuality is the study of sexuality and ecology, of course. A fascinating type of synergy, pioonered by researchers, activists, and artists, Ecosexuality is an approach to inclusion, environmentalism, and a different way to appreciate the world. Pioneers in this field include Stefanie Weiss, author of Eco-Sex: Go Green Between the Sheets, and Elizabeth Stephens & Annie Sprinkle, who you can find at http://sexecology.org. My guest today is Jennifer Reed, PhD candidate for Sociology at UNLV. She has been studying this fascinating field and is currently writing her dissertaion on this subject. She was kind enough to join me and explain what Ecosexuality is and how it impacts Sociology, Culture, and the way we interact with the Earth. Follow her on Twitter @sociojen.

Polyvagal Trauma Theory, pioneered by Stephen Porges, is a powerful approach to trauma recovery that takes into account ways that the body stores traumatic emotional experiences. Brittany Varney, Stacy McKenzie, and Kristal James join us today to conduct a training on this theory and how it applies to trauma recovery. This episode is a CEU training for the Aspire Group Therapy Practice in Northern Utah.

YouTube Phenom Kelsey Nimbly rejoins the show to help me discuss some of the psychology behind why we done be hatin' on each other all election long. We also discuss Tribalism, One-Shot Learning, and Confirmation Bias, and how to repair election-traumatized relationships. Happy Election Day America! Whoever wins, let's try to play nice!

Craig Pomranz has been an entertainer since he was 12. He recently wrote the children's book "Made by Raffi," in which he tells the story of his Godson's experience learning to knit. The reactions, support, and questions brought up by this young boy's new hobby lead to an important and charming story about gender roles, personal identity, self-confidence, and acceptance. We discuss these things and more, including childhood development, parenting, and the fact that Craig is a delightful person. Buy "Made by Raffi," and check out Craig's website by clicking HERE. Also listen to his Song "Different," on YouTube. This episode in being simelcast for this week's episodes of The Broken Brain and Amygdala Magazine Podcasts.

Happy International Podcast Day Braniacs! A little bit from Dwight today about this wonderful new holiday, and the chance it gives us to take stock of our own passions, hobbies, and interests. Hear 3 (or 4 maybe?) tips for embracing your passions for your mental health, stuff that I have picked up through years of counseling. You should read Maisha Johnson's article "KEEP JOY ALIVE: PUSUING MY PASSION FOR MY MENTAL HEALTH," and Kelsey (from wearthelabel.com)'s "HOW MY PASSIONS HAVE HELPED MY MENTAL HEALTH," as your new IPD tradition. The Broken Brain is looking for more listener questions as well for our next #AskATherapist segment, coming soon. email me at [email protected] or tweet @breakabrain if you gots any.

Rachel Grant joins me today to discuss her program for recovery from sexual abuse. A survivor and thriver of her own abuse experience, Rachel has trained and worked to become a highly educated and qualified recovery coach. She opens up with me about her experience, recovery, and the techniques she uses to help people work through the recovery process. Check out Rachel's program online at: rachelgrantcoaching.com, or click on rachelgrantcoaching.com/checklist to get her free instructions for recovery.

Namaste and Aloha, Candice is back! Candice Christiansen from Namaste Center for Healing returns to the Broken Brain to discuss Accountability, and the role it plays in addiction and mental health recovery. Hey! Candice also wrote an article about this topic recently, CLICK HERE or go to:https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/woe-you-embracing-accountability-your-recovery-candice-christiansen?trk=prof-post to read it.

Anyone who knows Michael Denniston knows he is a born romantic, helpless in the face of any emotionally laden romantic fiction...well maybe... Whether or not that is true, he did get Married last week! Congrats to Mike and Brittany on their nuptials. To celebrate this The Broken Brain is releasing this episode we recorded earlier this year, all about relationship dynamics as depicted in the 2011 film "Crazy Stupid Love." We talk about relationships, fidelity, love, masculinity, a little about childhood development, and a whole lot about RyRy Gosling. When he isn't honeymooning, Michael hosts his own podcasts about movies (War Machine vs War Horse, and Original Remake) and is lord and master of the Following Films Podcasting Network. By the way the picture attached to this episode is of course me and Michael. Vote which one you think is which @breakabrain, #whichiswhich

Kelsey Nimbly joins me to discuss Trust, the dynamics of how it is earned, what it represents, and how to get it back once it is lost. Kelsey is an active YouTuber and a behavioral specialist focused on the use of Brain Science to help with day to day problems. Her channels: "Nimblylife" for adults and "AsPrettyDoes," for teens, host weekly (sometimes daily, holy cow!) YouTube updates teaching skills to help her viewers with self-confidence, addiction, relationships, and more.

You know what's hard? Managing your weight, fitness, and physical health is hard. Whether you need to loose weight, get yourself to eat healthier, or have a dangerous eating disorder, finding a solution isn't easy. Virtually all weight management plans (by themselves) have been demonstrated to be ineffective. Using principles of psychology, addiction recovery, and cognitive-behavioral therapy can help with weight and eating related problems, because these approaches look at the underlying causes of the problems. Kwentin Kemp is a licensed professional counselor and the founder of The Greater U, a program dedicated to effective physical and mental treatment of weight related health problems. He and Chris Tittle join me today to discuss this tricky problem through the lens of mental health. Also, check out Charles Duhigg's book that we talk about in the discussion, if you want to...

First of all...I'm not dead, I am very much still alive and a-podcastin'. This mini episode will explain the brief break in the program (the last 2 weeks) and let you know what to expect in the upcoming episodes of The Broken Brain Podcast. BTW, the show is now a proud member of the Core Temp Arts family of podcasts, check out the website or the FaceBook Group to learn more about this network. See you soon with more cool mental health based programming!

Social Media is a part of our life. We all life at least a little bit online these days. Karly Beaumont and Cynthia Torres host the Podcast That Pop This Life, a look at Life, Pop Culture, and the Ridiculousness of it all. They talk weekly about internet crazes, modern cultural trends, and how to be a good internet citizen. Make sure to be a good citizen yourself by listening and sharing this episode today!

Kathleen Brennan lives and practices psychotherapy in Chicago. She is an expert in trauma, a survivor of the nonprofit world, and an excellent podcaster, with her show On The Blue Couch. Kathleen speaks with me today about the dynamic of Vicarious Trauma, the multiple ways that we can become traumatized through our own or other's exposure. The ACA has defined Vicarious Trauma as "compassion fatigue," or "the cost of caring," and although therapists are primed for this problem, it affects all of us in some way. Give our conversation a listen to learn some of those ways, and what to do about it. Make sure to subscribe and listen to Kathleen's show as well!

Non Wells is a writer, podcaster, and a confirmed Joymonger. He loves Joy, there are no two ways about it. He even does a podcast where he and his wife talk about Joy. However, he is no stranger to all emotions, joyful or non-joyful. Non is a well known enthusiast of knowing & accepting yourself for who you are. that's why its no surprise that he is here today to join me in a discussion about Mindfulness. Mindfulness is a great therapeutic tool to reduce stress, manage expectations, and embrace feelings as you make your way through this dreary-weary world of ours. A big part of modern therapy, especially Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Mindfulness is a deep well from which Non and I drink deeply, hold it in our cheeks like chipmunks, and then spew the results into your ears through this podcast.

Mike Denniston returns to the show (from the podcast War Machine vs War Horse) to watch and review a classic tale of family dysfunction, the funny and surprisingly touching Sundance Film Festival winner "Little Miss Sunshine." We use this as a backdrop to discuss triangulation, depression, hopes, fears, and insecurity, all within the family dynamic.

Joel Manwill is a member of the Aspire Group of Mental Health Professionals, the Group Practice that I am also a part of. He is also a highly experienced Pediatric Occupational Therapist, working with sensory processing disorder, autistic spectrum disorders, and other health concerns related to sensory processing. This is a training Joel did for our team of therapists, in which he discusses over and under sensitive disorders, sensory seeking and sensory avoidant behavior.

What did you do this weekend? Laura Murthum fought against human trafficking...Yeah, I know. I cleaned out my garage. Laura works for the nonprofit group Trucker's Against Traficking (TAT) an organization dedicated to providing training to on-the-road Truckers to help them in the fight against human trafficking. CLICK HERE to check out their website and learn what red flags to look for when you are out in the community as well. Laura is a dedicated human service professional and a great human person as well, lot's of fun to talk to. Enjoy this interview, and should you want to get involved with stopping problems related to human trafficking, contact the National Human Trafficking Resource Center at: 1 (888) 373-7888

Jeri Young Returns to tell us more about Imposter Syndrome! Jeri talked about Imposter Phenomenon on a recent episode of The Broken Brain, this is a recording of her providing more information to a team of therapists, in the Aspire Network. Although she touches on a lot of the same areas, she also goes into how to decrease the anxiety and depression associated with this dynamic, and tells us a bunch of helpful things about self-care. Watch for her next upcoming episode about Mind-Body techniques to defeat Imposter Syndrome! Links: Second Wave Feminism video (Jeri opens with this) About Women by Lisa Alther & Francoise Gilot Beyond Happiness: The Upside of Feeling Down (January 2016 issue of Psychology Today by Matthew Hutson)

Happy Father's Day from the Broken Brain! Dave Hart from Pop Culture Case Study returns to talk with me about being a dude. We discuss the complex psychological issues inherent to being a man in our culture, and our impressions of the psychological impact of the documentary "The Mask You Live In." by the Representation Project. Check out the documentary on Netflix or Amazon, and follow their Facebook page for ongoing discussion about this important topic. Follow Dave on Twitter, and listen to his podcast people!

Bernadette & Andrew Peirce are a wonderful couple who do a movie podcast (the AB Film Review), and are just fun and cool people. We got together to discuss the dynamic of psychological burnout, a condition that affects physical and mental health, as well as the economy. Andrew has worked in the Veterinary Nursing industry, and Bernie has provided addiction recovery and crisis stabilization services within Mental Health Treatment facilities. They are both acutely aware of the reality of mental health and burnout needs upon individuals and society. We discuss stigma of mental health treatment, acceptance of self, finding an outlet, and avoiding falling off the cliff of burnout.

Dave from Pop Culture Case Study rejoins the show to talk addiction recovery, a specialty of his. We tackle the difficult but vital issue of building (or rebuilding) social support in sobriety maintenance. Addiction has many costs, but a big one is the damage it does to our family and friendship relations. And few things are as helpful to recovery from addiction than a healthy support system. We talk about experiments with RATS, finding new friends, repairing existing relationships, and allowing for a damaged sense of delayed gratification. Quick links from our talk: check out Refuge Recovery, the HAMS network, and Meetup.com (or any of the social meet-up sites). Make sure to check out Dave's show, especially his latest few episodes about The Nice Guys, and X-Men movies.

My friend Jeri joins the podcast to discuss Imposter Phenomenon, and the genesis of that term within psychotherapy. Imposter Phenomenon has been used since the 1970s and is a name for a specific type of anxiety and intellectual self-doubt. Jeri Young is a friend, a colleague, and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who specializes in Mind-Body Bridging, Chronic Pain management, and a bunch of other cool stuff. ALSO, you should totes click on this sentence to READ this cool paper about Imposter Phenomenon by Clance & Imes.

Arianna Jeret (author and relationship expert) & David Hart (Podcaster, Addiction Therapist, and Doctoral Candidate) join me to answer some of the listener's questions. We talk about online articles that "diagnose" celebrities, watching out for online experts without training (and how to spot real professionals), and getting medical advice for psychological conditions. Specifically we are glad to see questions from the online group Podcast Party addressed in this episode. Keep your questions coming! Tweet them @breakabrain or with the hashtag #AskATherapist, or email me directly at [email protected]

Joe Capozzi is an actor, and is the writer & producer of the short film "Confession," directed by his wife, Angelique Letizia-Capozzi. Confession is a 15 minute film telling the story of Joe's experience beginning his recovery from persistent sexual molestation from a Catholic Priest. Joe shares his full story and the story of how he used his artistic skills as a therapeutic outlet and a method of raising awareness of abuse and recovery. Joe's film is a gripping and realistic depiction of anxiety, PTSD and invasive suicidal thoughts. Confession does an effective and tasteful job of depicting the abuse process, from grooming to the terrible aftermath. His experience in therapy and with his family is a great example for survivors of abuse everywhere. Big thanks to Joe,and to Chris Revill of the Lets Chat! with Revill and Friends Podcast for introducing us, and making this interview possible.

Buck Black is the Trucker's Therapist, or at least that is one of his specialties. Buck is a LCSW who provides online and in-person therapy with on-the-road truckers who might otherwise never get to see their therapist. He is also a certified sex therapist and a general practitioner in the community of Lafayette, Indiana. Lucky for me, and you (the listeners), he is also a spirited, energetic, and delightful human being. Being delightful, Buck is also involved as a volunteer with a host of community organizations, including St Christopher's Fund (a medical and support fund for truckers and their families) and the group Women in Trucking.

Raney Mills Keiley rejoins us after her long sabbatical to field your questions. Mike and I assist by making dumb jokes as she answers your questions about tricky family communication with a needy or controlling parent, and whether or not therapists are emotionally bulletproof enough that we are impervious to freaking out. Plus we fondly recall the time she made us make tinfoil statues of ourselves in an Art Therapy group. Make sure to ask your questions for our panels of therapists at #askatherapist on twitter, or tweet at me @breakabrain, or just shoot me an email at [email protected].

Dr. Calli Estes, the Addictions Coach, is the founder of the Addiction Academy and a friend of the show. She joined me today to talk about the news regarding the death of cultural icon and rock star Prince. We discuss addiction, the risk of overdose, and how shame, indulgence, and denial of the problem risk people's lives.

Michael Denniston (of the War Machine vs War Horse Podcast) has joined us before and will join us again, but never before has he joined us to discuss M Night Shyamalan and how everyone pretends they didn't love all his movies once upon a time. The emotion of Fear plays a large role in the lives of everyone. In the movie Signs, we are shown a story of an alien invasion, in which the real villain seems to be fear and an ongoing loss of faith by the main character. We discuss, riff, joke, and ponder the implications of this story as it relates to fear, narration, and the logical survival mechanism of hitting an alien with a baseball bat.

Mike Fitch & Lee Messersmith, the OG Broken Brain Gang join for an ask a therapist segment, with newcomer and therapist intern Chris Tittle! We talk about more than just Lee's new guitar, which is made out of an oilcan. We answer listener questions about relationships, incompatible sex drives, and some parenting stuff. Get your questions to our AskATherapist segment through twitter @breakabrain, email [email protected], or tweet #AskATherapist and we will assemble our panel. Listeners like this sort of thing so we plan to do an AskATherapist panel once per month on the show.

Guy Macpherson is the founder of the Trauma Therapist Project a fellow podcaster, and an expert on early childhood mental illness, trauma, and somatic sensory psychotherapy. He joins me today to discuss pointers for therapists learning to deal with trauma, the prevalence of trauma within mental illness, and treatment techniques. I can already tell Guy will be a good friend of the show, hear his first Broken Brain interview right here, right now. Also give him a listen on his podcast, The Trauma Therapist Podcast, and check out his website and FaceBook Group.

It's our addiction look, at the top of this wonderful month of April. What better way to start it than by reading an article by author, psychologist, and relationship expert Jenev Caddell! In her article "Busting 5 Common Mythes About Addiction," Dr. Caddell captures some dangerous and important misnomers about substance use, abuse, and dependance. I review 3 out of the 5 myths (go read the rest yourself lazybones) and add my own thoughts and insights for your education and enjoyment. Have a good start to April!

Clay Cockrell of the Online Counseling Podcast and Walk and Talk Therapy return to our show to discuss his new search database for online therapists. In creating this new service and hosting his own podcast Clay has done a TON of research into Online Psychotherapy, the newer type of telehealth in the mental health industry. Clay is the founder of Walk and Talk practice, a form of outdoor counseling he practices in Central Park, NY. He is also a pioneer in the field of online counseling. He is offering a discount for therapists who are listeners of The Broken Brain Podcast and wish to list themselves in his Online Therapist Database. Give this episode a listen for the special sale code.

Arianna Jeret, relationship expert, frequent guest and friend of the show, returns to discuss the idea of "rebuilding," a life following divorce. We discuss whether or not the concept of rebuilding is accurate or helpful, the components to emotional pain following a break up, flexibility vs rigidity in communication, and many other parts of relationships, marriage, and divorce. Follow Ariana on YourTango or The Good Men Project!

We have been focusedon self confidence a LOT lately on the Broken Brain, and I found this recording of Mike Fitch and I discussing the clinical elements of confidence, what role it plays, and how mental illness can impact it. We discuss the differences between self-esteem, self-worth, and other forms of self-lovin' (self-loving for oyu search engines out there).

Talking to Candice at Namaste Center for Healing, we were planning to do some nonsense throw away discussion about another topic, but we landed on talking about treatment for individuals with sexual offenses, pedophiliac desires, and compulsive sexual thoughts. Candice operates a preventative treatment program for those with invasive, unwanted sexual desires towards children. This is a difficult and controversial topic within the world of treatment, so give us a listen as we take a stab at it.

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy addresses increasing emotional stability, and the PLEASE skill is a viable part of increasing yours! This podcast mini episode comes from the audio to the YouTube Video on The BrokenBrain Podcast channel on YouTube.

Happy International Women's Day! Check out Google's video about living our dreams and empowering women all over the world. Listeners to the Broken Brain will be familiar with my ideal for equal rights for all people and my feminist philosophy, but I wanted to spend a few minutes plugging this international empowerment day and to encourage you to spend at least some time today reading tweets under the hashtag: #somedayiwill on Twitter.

I am privileged this episode to have been able to have a conversation with Ana-Maria Leonte, who plays Dasha Promenti in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Ana-Maria talks about this role and her life as an actress, model, and tech expert. She also discusses her passion for advocacy and humanitarianism, working with charities dedicated to equality and world peace, such as Generation Success and Peace One Day. If you are anything like me you will find her own story as compelling as any part of the new Star Wars movie. Make sure to check out Generation Success for their event on March 8th. Big thanks to Chris Revill of the Lets Chat with Revill and Friends Podcast for helping me to get into contact with Ana-Maria Leonte, and of course super-Star-Wars-Expanded-Universe sized thanks to Ms. Leonte for the generous contribution of her time to speak with me today.

Chris Revill of the Let's Chat with Revill and Friends Podcast returns to the show to vent and talk about the scandal that recently affected Brain Training giant Lumosity. We use this as a springboard to chat about pop neurology, brain training, our mutual dislike of positive affirmations, cure-alls in mental health, feeling your feelings, and of course (with us) an overdose of tangents and pop culture references...although I think we avoid any super hero references this time...