The Broken Brain

Online self-assessment tests are huge online. They can be a great tool in our own health management and improvement, but we have to use them the correct way.

A dive into a few psychological elements of the story "A Christmas Carol." a story that has been popular for 181 years, probably for a reason. To hear history episodes like this every week, along with other bonus materials, consider donating to the Broken Brain Patreon, at www.patreon.com/brokenbrain The charity-of-focus for this month is Prince Edward Island Transgender Network, a nonprofit providing advocacy for Trans individuals in Prince Edward Island & surrounding areas. Follow their work at www.peitn.com

Mark Sullivan MD is an Internal Medical Physician providing individual and family care at the North Virginia Family Practice. He believes in individual empowerment through relationship building and listening to patients. Like me he is dedicated to putting the patient in the driver's seat of their own healthcare. Follow his practice at www.nvafamilypractice.com Our charity-of-focus for December is the PEI Transgender Network, a nonprofit providing support and advocacy to Trans individuals living in Prince Edward Island and the surrounding areas. Go to www.peitn.com to learn more and support their great work. Our charity-of-focus for December is the PEI Transgender Network, a nonprofit providing support and advocacy to Trans individuals living in Prince Edward Island and the surrounding areas. Go to www.peitn.com to learn more and support their great work.

Dr Sui Wong is Neurological Ophthalmologist, direct care specialist in Migraine treatment, and Author. She was kind enough to join me to discuss proactive healthy behavior for the health of the brain, finding hope with neurological disorders, and the use of mindfulness. Go to www.peitn.com to visit our highlighted charity for December. The PEI Transgender Network provides education, fundraising, and advocacy for Trans people in Prince Edward Island & the surrounding area.

What is sobriety? For those working with Compulsion or Addiction, one of the most important elements of health is finding your own goals and measures of success. Developing an individual definition of sobriety is an often overlooked but useful tool in this process.

Marion Stokes was a political & civil rights activist, television professional, librarian, and someone who absolutely followed her passions. From 1976 to 2012 she recorded TV for every waking hour of the day, ending up with 74,000 VHS tapes loaded with history of the evolution of news, entertainment, talk shows, and US culture. Why would she do this, and what has it contributed? To hear full episodes diving into psychological history every Thursday, consider becoming a patron of the show at www.patreon.com/brokenbrain

As the former Director of Content for Sesame Street, Anna Housley Juster knows the psychoeducation and mental health needs of children. As a child & adolescent therapist and author, she has continued to teach children and parents the skills of emotional regulation. She discusses these needs and her new children's book, "How To Train Your Amygdala." Follow her work at www.annahousleyjuster.com Follow her work at www.annahousleyjuster.com

The holidays are upon us! Look out! Traditions & holidays can be a joy, a burden, or even kinda meh. Forging personal traditions can help to deepen joy, reduce burden, or make it less meh and a bit more yeah. Please check out the charity-of-focus for November while there is still some November left. The Because Organization helps people in the Philadelphia area who have survived and emerged from situations of human trafficking, to find jobs, health, and stability. Those who join the Patreon this final week of the month will have half of their monthly donation sent to The Because Organization as long as they are patrons of the show. You can also get involved or donate directly to them at: www.becauseorganization.org

Samantha Skelly is an Master Breathwork Facilitator, Author, and the Founder & CEO of Pause Breathwork. She teaches others how to use breath as a powerful tool for stress management, emotional processing, and trauma recovery. Follow her work at www.pausebreathwork.com Remember to follow and support The Because Organization, this month's highlighted charity, a Philadelphia based nonprofit helping survivors of human trafficking, at www.becauseorganization.org

This week's mental health tip is about Positive Deviancy: an interesting concept and a way to find a solution that already exists, but is flying under the radar. Go to www.becauseorganization.org to support this month's charity-of-focus, helping survivors of human trafficking.

This week we are diving into the history of Solution Focused Brief Therapy, and the tool of The Miracle Question in trying to solve clinical problems. The entire episode can be found through subscribing to the Patreon: www.patreon.com/brokenbrain The highlighted charity this month is the Because Organization, a nonprofit helping survivors of human trafficking to rebuild a healthy & happy life. Follow their work at www.becauseorganization.org

Thomas LaGrave is a Therapist, Social Worker, Author, former Navy SEAL, and expert in mental health treatment for youth. He describes the obstacles to mental health and social development facing modern youth, and the strengths of the young generation. Our charity of focus this month is Because ORganization, helping survivors of Human Trafficking to adjust and build a healthy life. Follow their work at www.becauseorganization.org

Where do we look for hope when we are overwhelmed, anxious, or afraid? Mr Rogers suggested looking for the helpers, those coming to the aid of others at risk. Can we find comfort and survival by looking at all those doing good in the world? I hope so! Visit www.becauseorganization.org to help battle Human Trafficking by helping survivors with their aftercare needs.

The myth of Pandora's Box: is it a story of punishment, troubles, or hope? Or maybe all of that. This week's Thursday History lesson is the open episode for November, available to regular listeners as well as Patreon Subscribers. Goto becauseorganization.org to follow this month's highlighted charity, focused on rebuilding the lives of survivors of Human Trafficking.

Cedric Bertelli is a psychotherapist who helps people heal from trauma through somatic and movement based techniques. Somatic therapy is a huge part of modern trauma treatment, and Cedric shares how these techniques can help to impact the unconscious choices that impact our behavior. The charity of focus for November is the Because Organization, helping support survivors of human trafficking in the Philadelphia area. Follow their work at www.becauseorganization.org

Anxiety around making or receiving voice calls on the phone is quite common nowadays. Many suffer from the anxiety caused by feeling out of control, put on the spot, or otherwise stressed about the process. Here are a few tips for mitigating and facing that anxiety. The charity of focus for this month is Because Organization, a nonprofit that provides support for survivors of human trafficking, addressing the often forgotten aftercare. Follow their work and help out at www.becauseorganization.org

Why do we prank at Halloween? Especially tossing rolls of toilet paper all over the land? Let's chat about it, this week on Thursday Thistory! This one is for everyone! Not just Patrons this week!

Second Halloween Episode! AND it's is one of the ongoing episodes to feature Role Playing Games and their usefulness in therapy. The storyline of this game is a team of Vampire Couriers helping a Vampire to relocate safely. Each player has selected strengths and weaknesses of the characters. In a Therapy RPG group these characters and attributes would tie with previously set goals, individually and by the group. Situations are pre-written for emotional experience and a processing time would be held after play session. To learn more about RPGs as group therapy technique, stay tuned for the making-of episode and go to: www.dwighthurst.com/rpg

You can spend a lot of time and energy searching for mindfulness. Sometimes there are opportunities all around us that we don't see. Here are 2 examples of stumbling into mindfulness by accident.

Marcia Holt is the Founder and CEO of Because Organization, dedicated to providing support to survivors of Human Trafficking. They help survivors to find housing, healthcare, employment, therapy, legal aid, and much more. Marcia is here to help us to define what trafficking is, and how to identify and combat it in ways that provide real help. In a world with such frequent misunderstanding of this issue, Because Organization provides true help to a very complex problem. Follow and support their work at www.becauseorganization.org Remember to visit www.stigmafree.art to support this month's focus charity: Mental Health Awareness Creative Arts Gallery.

Jessica Morgan & Christopher Carter joined me to talk about their indie horror film "Night of the Harvest," a slasher type Halloween film that plays around with the traditional tropes and roles within that type of story. They shared deep reflections on their approach to storytelling, horror, and what it's like to step into the mindset of the movie's characters. Follow their work at www.carterinkfilms.com This is the Halloween episode of The Broken Brain for 2024. Be sure to have a happy, safe, and spooky holiday! Go to stigmafree.art to learn more about Mental Health Awareness and Creative Arts Gallery, this month's charity-of-focus

What makes a thought healthy? Cognitive Psychologists say there are 2 important elements, both must be present for things to be healthy upstairs. What are they, how do we define them, and most importantly what do we do about it after labeling them? Remember to go to www.stigmafree.art to support our charity-of-focus this month: Mental Health Awareness Creative Arts Gallery.

Dynamic Difficulty Adjustment (DDA) in video games is the automatic adjustment of difficulty levels within a game intended to keep a player in Flow State. What does that mean? Funny you should ask...that's what this week's Thistory episode is all about! Enjoy the first 6 or 7 minutes of this one for all listeners. If you would like to hear the entire episodes of the weekly dive into psychological history, consider joining the Patreon at www.patreon.com/brokenbrain

Fabian Stumm is the writer, director, and star of the movie "Sad Jokes," a wholesome & sincere film showcasing the roles played by sadness and humor in trying to balance a modern life.

Gratitude is supes healthy, and one way to experience it is in sharing something you love with others. Heres some tups about how to do that in a way that will maximize its effectiveness and help your mental health. Oh yeah, and HAPPY COLOMBO DAY for all of you detectives out there. Check out www.stigmafree.art to support this month's charity of focus: Mental Health Awareness Creative Art Gallery.

Gratitude is supes healthy, and one way to experience it is in sharing something you love with others. Heres some tups about how to do that in a way that will maximize its effectiveness and help your mental health. Oh yeah, and HAPPY COLOMBO DAY for all of you detectives out there. Check out www.stigmafree.art to support this month's charity of focus: Mental Health Awareness Creative Art Gallery.

James P Gannon & Matt Ferrin are creating a feature film, and decided to turn their research into a short documentary about the psychology & culture of Demolition Derby. A cool creative move by 2 creative souls, they ended up with a short film debuting at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) This episode is a part of my coverage of TIFF, looking at the psychological elements of indie films, all of which are available on the Patreon feed as well as here. The highlighted charity for this month is the Mental Health Awareness and Creative Arts Gallery Inc, of Hudson NY, providing free arts classes and using art to help people with addiction and mental health problems.

3 minute sample of this week's patrons-only episode: How do Astronauts prepare themselves psychologically? What are the mental health risks for Space Travel? This week we dive a bit into the history, experience, and research associated with the rigors of being an Astronaut.

Julia Baird is a journalist, author, and broadcaster. In her new book, "Bright Shining: How Grace Changes Everything," she shares ways that people use Grace to make sense of the world, heal from suffering, and (when necessary) challenge the status quo. Far from passive, she discusses how Grace is a motivation to action. Remember to check out www.stigmafree.art to get involved with our highlighted charity this month, bringing art instruction and creativity to those struggling with mental health and addiction.

The use of our senses for meed management and immediate stress-reduction is a quick and effective technique. Today the focus is on our sense of smell, how to use it, and why the future smells rosy...especially when you're smelling roses.

A live play session of a one-shot RPG called "Cage Fight," where the players adopt the powers of Nicolas Cage characters to defeat aliens and save the world. This episode is another exploration into how RPGs can be used for fun, social skills, and building a sense of community. Check out www.dwighthurst.com/rpg to see how I am applying TTRPG play to mental health.

The American Society for Addiction Medicine (ASAM) is the largest organization of addiction professionals in the world, and has developed a model for assessment and treatment planning. This is a look at where it came from, how it has changed, and the 6 areas for assessment that they recommend. Go to www.stigmafree.art to view and participate with Mental Health Awareness & Creative Arts Gallery, this month's highlighted charity

Do you struggle with burnout, waver in self-acceptance? Would you like to get into the head of a mental health clinician? And for professionals, how much of yourself do you bring into session? Dr Jessi Gold is a psychiatrist and author who is here to share her story in treating healthcare professionals, and her journey through addressing her own mental health needs. Her book "How Do You Feel: One Doctor's Search for Humanity in Medicine," is a look into the trends of modern medicine, Personalism vs Professionalism, and how being yourself can moderate burnout and help others. You can order a signed copy of her book at: https://www.novelmemphis.com/pre-order-signed-copy-how-do-you-feel-jessi-gold Our Charity of focus this month is Mentla Health Awareness Creative Arts Gallery, in Hudson NY, where they provide free Art Education and those with Psychological Illness to showcase their healing through Art. Follow their work at www.stigmafree.art. If you join the Patreon this month and half your donation will go to them each month.

This week's Mental Health Tip is all about counting & celebrating things going well, especially when anxiety or depression get in the way. Today is the last day to join Patreon and have 50% of your monthly donation go to Horses of Hope, Puerto Rico each month. Tomorrow we start our October challenged

Darryl Mansel, AKA Seed, joins to talk about "Batman: White Knight vol 1," an alternate storyline where Batman must confront his own demons when The Joker is (possibly) cured from his mental health problems and organizes a citizen's drive against him. Happy Batman Anniversary Day 2024!

Ian Bawa is a filmmaker who joins to discuss his Short Film "The Best," which is currently being shown at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). His short "Strong Son," premiered at TIFF in 2020. Both films showcase father-son relationships and complexities of masculine identity. He is currently working on a feature film that further explores these topics. Ian joins to discuss storytelling and integrating his own experiences through film. Follow his work at www.ianbawa.com The Broken Brain's highlighted charity this month is www.horsesofhopepr.org bringing equine therapy to adults and children with disabilities and trauma.

If you've been in or around therapy before you are probably familiar with the concept of journaling your thoughts & feelings. Many find this to be a difficult task, and some get overwhelmed by it completely. As always, I am a fan of individualization and empowerment. You should make journaling work for you, not the other way around. Here are a few tips to help personalize and adjust the goal of journaling.

This is the first 7 minutes of a 37 minute bonus episode for Patrons. This week we will be looking into the way Token Economy systems are formed, mostly for residential and inpatient healthcare units, although they occur naturally in any structured environment. Also a look into the history of Behavioral Psychology, and the first time a Token Economy was used to help shape behavior. Subscribe to the Patreon to hear weekly dives into mental health history! www.patreon.com/brokenbrain

Dr Mary E. Anderson is a Clinical Psychologist and author of the new book "The Happy High Achiever," in which she outlines her approach to bringing goals of personal health & happiness into your definition of success. Noticing that highly motivated people often experience self-doubt & dissatisfaction, she developed tools to help people to prioritize excellence in emotional health over perfectionistic focus on external wins. This month's charity of focus is Horses of Hope, a nonprofit organization in Isabella, Puerto Rico, providing Equine Therapy for Trauma Recovery in young people. Go to www.horsesofhopepr.org to learn more

This weeks Mental Health Tip is the concept of addition and subtraction, in behavioral health terms, and how to apply them towards making changes. Go to www.horsesofhopepr.org to check out this month's charity-of-focus. Horses of Hope is an organization that makes equine therapy available to individuals with Trauma or Disabilities.

In 1952 the Documentary "A 2 Year Old Goes To Hospital" was released as a collaboration between 3 of the founders of our understanding of Attachment Theory: John Bowlby, James Robertson, and Joyce Robertson This film changed policies that prevented visitors, including parents, to see their child during a hospital stay. It played a pivotal role in the modern understanding of psychological development and the importance of attachment patterns.

Brian Belt is a Peer Specialist, Mental Health Advocate, and Artist. He is the Founder & Director of Mental Health Awareness and Mental Health Gallery, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting artists with mental health issues, and providing free art education for anyone in the Community. Brian talks with us about his own journey through mental health and addiction treatment, and the pivotal role that Art and Mental Health Services have played in his life and the lives of those he helps. Learn more at www.stigmafree.art And check out the charity of the month, Horses of Hope, providing Equine Therapy for youth in Isabella, Puerto Rico, at www.horsesofhopepr.org

This week's tip is 3 ideas to try to interrupt or change gears from mindlessly scrolling on those wonderful little screens we are always carrying around. Remember to check out www.horsesofhopepr.org for this month's highlighted charity: Horses of Hope.

Patreon Sample (first 5 minutes) of this week's history chat, looking at the history and use of the Empty Chair in therapy. This includes some history about Gestalt Therapy, Psychoanalysis, trauma, and group therapy. This episode is brought to the Patrons of the show exclusively, if you would like to hear weekly dives into psychological history, go to www.patreon.com/brokenbrain to subscribe for bonus materials.

These are the final hours of the replay of the 5 hour live stream for Opioid Overdose Awareness Day, 8/29, broken into small bite size elements.

This is Hour 3 of the replay of the 5 hour live stream for Opioid Overdose Awareness Day, 8/29, broken into small bite size elements.

This is Hour 2 of the replay of the 5 hour live stream for Opioid Overdose Awareness Day, 8/29, broken into small bite size elements.

This is a replay of the 5 hour live stream for Opioid Overdose Awareness Day, 8/29, broken into small bite size elements.

Dr JJ Pursell, Naturopathic Physician, educator, and author joins the podcast to discuss her experience using Psilocybin to treat trauma, mental health, and end-of-life care. She shares the process of screening & treatment planning in the medical use of psychedelics. Dr Pursell is an expert in the history, neurology, and current research of of psychedelic assisted therapies. Her latest book is "Psilocybin Therapy: How to Use Nature's Psychedelics for Mental Health." Follow her work at www.drjjpursell.com This Thursday (8/29) go to www.dwighthurst.com/live to watch or JOIN the 3rd annual Live Stream for Overdose Awareness!

This week's Monday Mental Tip is a nod to my friend, and sometimes guest of the show, Sam Led. Those of us with ADHD often experience intrusive or impulsive thoughts. We feel like we have to DO something, but today I'll talk about a different goal: Leaning in, Observing, and watching for our brain to Reboot. (BTW, you may want to check out Sam's book: Beyond ADHD)