Bear Psychology Podcast

Raheel Raza, a Muslim Canadian born in Pakistan, migrated to Canada in 1988, has a unique perspective on what is happening right now in the Israel-Hamas war and her reflections on misinformation and what Peace would take. She has visited Israel 13 times in the 16 years. In her National Post Article "I'm a Muslim and I love Israel. Here's why" published in February 2023, Raza details what she has learned about hate and antisemitism, it's prevalence in Arab Muslim countries, her hope for Peace and the struggles of supporting Israel at this time.

Listen to our conversation with journalist & author Raheel Raza as we talk about her unique understanding of the current Israel-Hamas conflict, with the perspective as a Muslim Canadian Journalist in Canada.

Raheel Raza has publications in major newspapers in Canada and appearances on International media outlets like CNN, BBC, Fox News and CBC. She is considered an activist for human rights, a prolific author, supporter of women's issues and an International public speaker. She also sits on the board of directors for Muslims facing Tomorrow and The Council of Muslims against Antisemitism (CMAA).

Raheel Raza has published numerous books including "Their Jihad...Not My Jihad!: A Muslim Canadian Woman Speaks Out" which offers Raza's insight, opinions and solutions to restoring dignity and respect to Muslims living in the West and "How Can You Possibly be a Muslim Feminist?" where Raza utilizes common sense, a dash of humor and the Qur'an itself to combat against the misogynic barbarism in so many Islamic cultures.

Listen to our conversation with Raheel Raza as we discuss her opinions on extremism, radicalization, and the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine.

If you are interested in learning more about Raheel Raza's story, this podcast is for you.

• Review Raza's National Post article: https://nationalpost.com/opinion/im-a-muslim-and-i-love-israel-heres-why
• For more information on Raheel Raza: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raheel_Raza
• Links to Raza's other publications: https://raheelraza.com/media/
• Raheel Raza's Book "Their Jihad, Not My Jihad!": https://www.amazon.ca/Their-Jihad-Not-My-Canadian/dp/0973508728/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=raheel+raza&qid=1599398777&sr=8-3

• Hamas Ideology Explained: https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2023/10/hamas-covenant-israel-attack-war-genocide/675602/
• The Decolonization Narrative: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/10/decolonization-narrative-dangerous-and-false/675799/

What does it mean to lose someone so close to you that your world will never be the same? What if this happens when the whole world is locked down during a global Pandemic, a collective trauma? How do we navigate terrible loss with great compassion and love? Journalist Mitchell Consky has something important to share with us about this based on personal experience.

During the worst of the COVID pandemic, Consky received distressing news. His father had been given less than two months to live after being diagnosed with a rare terminal cancer. In his book, "Home Safe: A Memoir of End-of-Life Care During Covid-19", he describes the challenges he and his family faced with balancing a family-centered approach to end-of-life care with the social distancing demands of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Listen our conversation with journalist & author Mitchell Consky as we talk about his family's journey supporting his beloved father die with dignity during a pandemic lockdown. Consky walks us through the experience of home hospice during a lockdown filled with dance parties; episodes of Tiger King, and his father's deadpan humour.

Mitchell Consky is an Toronto based author and journalist with works published in the Globe and Mail, the Toronto Star, the Walrus, BNN Bloomberg and CTV News. Consky specializes in long-form feature writing and essays about loss, travel, and adventure. He also holds a Masters degree in Journalism from Toronto Metropolitan University, and a bachelor's degree in English and Film from Wilfrid Laurier University.

Mitchell Consky's book utilized his journalistic talents to interview his father daily, documenting the last conversations, heartfelt farewells, and the spontaneous hilarity that marked his father's final days. These interviews provided a platform for fatherly affection, a chance for emotional disclosure during the slowed down of a locked down world, and an illustration of how far a family would go to ensure a dying loved one felt comfortable at home.

Listen to our conversation with Mitchell Consky as we discuss his experience with end of life care during a global pandemic and saying goodbye to someone you love.

If you are interested in Consky's story and the heartbreaking reality of terminal illness, this podcast is for you.

• Mitchell Consky's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mitchconsky/?hl=en
• For more information about the book visit: https://www.dundurn.com/books_/t22117/a9781459750272-home-safe
• To purchase the book visit: https://www.amazon.ca/Home-Safe-End-Life-Covid-19/dp/1459750276
• Links to Consky's Articles: https://linktr.ee/mitchconsky
• Camp Erin - a camp to help kids who have lost a parent: https://thewalrus.ca/notes-from-grief-camp/

After 20 years in practice, Dr. Jonice Webb noticed the painful struggle of people who grew up in homes where they were emotionally neglected. She identified this neglect as an "invisible factor" that continued to affect adults often leaving them feeling depleted and dissatisfied or what she described as "Running on Empty".

In Dr. Webb's books "Running on Empty: Overcome Your Childhood Emotional Neglect" and "Running On Empty No More: Transform Your Relationships" she shines a light on this invisible force of CEN. She discusses how to bring new tools, strategies and self-awareness to grow beyond this limiting life experience and encourages you to grow beyond CEN.

Listen to our conversation with psychologist & author Dr. Jonice Webb as we learn about the concept of Emotional Neglect and her tools for helping fix it.

Dr. Jonice Webb, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist, bestselling author, and "psychologist expert" according to the Chicago Tribune and CNBC. Dr. Webb has over two decades of experience in the field of psychology with a particular interest in how childhood factors influence us as adults and the effect of Childhood Emotional Neglect (CEN).™ Dr. Webb currently has a private psychotherapy practice where she focuses on the treatment of families and couples.

Dr. Webb's books educate readers about the twelve types of parents who inadvertently emotionally neglect their children; ten issues that emotionally neglected children often struggle with as adults; six strategies for overcoming Emotional Neglect, and how to apply all these tools to different types of relationships including marriages, relationships with emotionally neglectful parents, and their even own children.

If you are interested in Dr. Webb's insights on recognizing Emotional Neglect and beginning the journey in overcoming the impact of CEN, this podcast is for you.

• For more information about Dr. Webb's books visit: https://drjonicewebb.com/the-book/
• To purchase the books visit: https://amzn.to/46MGqiS
• For more about Dr. Jonice Webb: https://drjonicewebb.com/about-dr-webb/
• Webb's CEN Training Programs: https://drjonicewebb.com/childhood-emotional-neglect-programs/
• Therapist Resources for CEN: https://drjonicewebb.com/therapeutic-resources-cen/

• Take the Childhood Emotional Neglect Questionnaire: https://drjonicewebb.com/cenquestionnaire/
• 5 Roadblocks to Dating Caused By Childhood Emotional Neglect: https://drjonicewebb.com/5-roadblocks-to-dating-caused-by-childhood-emotional-neglect/
• How Old Feelings From Your Childhood Could Be Controlling You Now: https://drjonicewebb.com/how-old-feelings-from-your-childhood-could-be-controlling-you-now/
• 4 Ways You May Be Keeping Yourself Running On Empty: https://drjonicewebb.com/4-ways-you-may-be-keeping-yourself-running-on-empty/

Recovery from trauma is not simply about healing the mind but about healing the body as well. Often the approach when treating trauma is solely focused on the mental and emotional effects and fails to address the physiological imbalances that trauma leaves behind on our bodies.

In Dr. Arielle Schwartz's newest book "Therapeutic Yoga for Trauma Recovery: Applying the Principles of Polyvagal Theory for Self-Discovery, Embodied Healing, and Meaningful Change", she guides the reader using yoga practices to help release the burdens of trauma and begin the journey of healing the psyche and the body. The book utilizes a variety of principles to provide a deeper understanding of how our bodies and brains react to stress and trauma leaving the reader feeling informed and empowered.

Listen to our conversation with psychologist & author Dr. Arielle Schwartz as we learn about the importance of embodied healing in treating and recovering from trauma.

Dr. Arielle Schwartz, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist, prolific author, wife and mother with a passion for treating individuals with trauma. Dr. Schwartz runs a private clinic where she treats clients as well as trains other therapists in her Resilience-Informed Therapy approach for helping people recover after experiencing trauma. She has also been teaching therapeutic yoga since 2008 with a specific focus on nervous systems recovery after trauma.

Dr. Schwartz's is also the author of "The Complex PTSD Treatment Manual: An Integrative, Mind-Body Approach to Trauma Recovery" which guides clinicians through successfully treating patients who have had prolonged exposure to traumatic situations. The manual focuses on utilizing mindful body awareness to build distress tolerance, cultivate self-compassion, and facilitate trauma recovery drawing from Dr. Schwartz's own years of experience in the field. She is also the author of "Therapeutic Yoga for Trauma Recovery: Applying the Principles of Polyvagel Theory for Self-Discovery, Embodied Healing and Meaningful Change".

If you are interested in Dr. Schwartz's insights on healing from trauma using both the mind and body, this podcast is for you.

• For more information about Dr. Schwartz's books visit: https://drarielleschwartz.com/books-by-dr-schwartz/
• To purchase the books visit: https://amzn.to/4trvpgR
• For more about Dr. Arielle Schwartz: https://drarielleschwartz.com/dr-arielle-schwartz/
• Find Dr. Arielle Schwartz's Blog here: https://drarielleschwartz.com/arielles-blog/
• Dr. Schwartz's Trainings and Presentations: https://drarielleschwartz.com/trainingspresentations/

• Therapeutic Yoga: https://drarielleschwartz.com/therapeutic-yoga-classes-in-boulder/
• Learn about Resilience Informed Therapy: https://drarielleschwartz.com/resilience-informed-therapy/
• Somatic Therapy for PTSD: https://drarielleschwartz.com/somatic-therapy/
• EMDR as a Treatment for PTSD: https://drarielleschwartz.com/emdr-as-a-treatment-for-ptsd/
• Play Therapy Principles: https://drarielleschwartz.com/play-therapy/play-therapy-principles/

Every wonder why you make poor food choices? Have you ever tried a new diet just to end up miserable and eating even more than before? Kim Shapira will help us understand how to put an end to disordered eating habits and improving your health and happiness in the process. Shapira recognizes that unhealthy food habits can occur as a result of life stressors and old patterns of self-soothing. Her work focuses on getting back on track and using food for health.

Kim Shapira, author of "This Is What You're Really Hungry For", teaches us how to develop a healthy relationship with our food free of restriction and the need to constantly eat "healthy". Her method allows you to lose or maintain your current weight, alleviate blood pressure issues, increase your energy level, reframe any unhelpful beliefs about food, identify foods that are not for you, and manage your emotions in healthy ways.

Listen to the conversation with Kim Shapira as we explore Shapira's six simple rules to changing your relationship with food.

Shapira is a celebrity dietitian, nutritional therapist, and author who has spent the last 25 years transforming people's relationship with food and helping them lose weight the right way. Shapira has a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from Tulane University and a Master's degree in Human Metabolism and Clinical Nutrition from Boston University. She has practiced her unique approach to keeping weight off in private practice, hospitals, sports clinics, addiction centers and even universities.

In her book, Shapira breaks down the science behind getting both your brain and body on board with being healthy; explains why fad diets do not last, and empowers you to be the boss of your own body.

If you are interested in learning more about how to start and stay on your health journey, this podcast is for you.

• Kim Shapira's Book: https://link.amazon/B0eSb97eQ
• Information about Kim Shapira's Methodology: https://www.kimshapiramethod.com/method
• Information about Kim: https://www.kimshapiramethod.com/meet-kim

• More of Kim Shapira's Products: https://www.kimshapiramethod.com/shop
• Kim Shapira's Blog: https://www.kimshapiramethod.com/blog
• Contact Kim Shapira: https://www.kimshapiramethod.com/contact

I know you are creative and innovative at your core. However, most of us just don't know how to access the deep wealth of creativity that sits inside. Dr. Ronald Alexander's book "Core Creativity: The Mindful Way to Unlock Your Creative Self" guides you through using mindfulness practices to train your mind so that it more easily opens the portal to core creativity: the unconscious mind.

I am really excited about this show as it focuses on opening up to a powerful element of our true nature.

Listen to our conversation with psychotherapist & author Dr. Ronald Alexander as we learn ways to go beyond ordinary creativity and unlock your creativity.

Dr. Ronald Alexander, PhD, is a psychotherapist and international trainer who has spent more than 5 decades guiding and advising both renowned artists and the rest of us regular folks in his effective strategies for opening the portal to core creativity.

Dr. Alexander's book uses a number of effective tools including powerful guided visualizations, meditation, insights from highly creative artists, stories of ordinary people who achieved clarity and profound transformation, and more to provide those interested with a practical guide through the creative process.

Listen to our conversation with Dr. Ronald Alexander as we move through areas we feel stuck in and grow our confidence in their creative abilities using the mind states of Absorbing Mind, Open Mind, and Generating Mind to access our core creativity.

If you are interested in Dr. Alexander's insights on cultivating core creativity and unlocking genuine creative breakthroughs, this show is for you.

• Ronald Alexander's Open Mind Training Program: https://ronaldalexander.com/overview/
• For more information about the book visit: https://ronaldalexander.com/core-creativity/
• To purchase the book visit: https://amzn.to/4tzEd4i
• For more about Dr. Ronald Alexander: https://ronaldalexander.com/about-dr-ronald-a-alexander/
• Alexander's Audio Programs: https://ronaldalexander.com/meditation-audio-programs/

• More of Dr. Alexander's books: https://ronaldalexander.com/wise-mind-open-mind/
• Ronald Alexander's Blog: https://ronaldalexander.com/dr-rons-blog/
• Learn more about the ingredients for creativity: https://www.inc.com/tanner-christensen/the-six-resources-that-lead-to-creativity-according-to-research.html

Disconnected people have the tendency to gravitate toward power. When Disconnected people rule in positions of power societies trend toward patriarchal, hierarchical and warlike. In contrast, societies with connected leaders trend toward egalitarian, democracy and peace.

Although most people have a deep need to be connected, life events/upbringing and trauma exposure can interfere in this profound human characteristic. A person's "goodness" and capacity for compassion often results from connection, whereas cruelty often originates from a feeling of being cut off from others.

Dr. Steve Taylor, author of "DisConnected: The Roots of Human Cruelty and How Connection Can Heal the World", teaches us about the consequences of disconnection, how connection ultimately shapes us as a society, and how it can even change us as people.

Listen to the conversation with Dr. Steve Taylor as we explore the benefits of being interconnected unpack how valuable human connection is to us all in this complex world.

Dr. Taylor is a senior lecturer in psychology at Leeds Beckett University, and the chair of the Transpersonal Psychology section at the British Psychological Society. He is also the bestselling author of The Calm Center, The Leap and the Clear Light. His work has been described by Eckhart Tolle as "an important contribution to the shift in consciousness which is happening on our planet at present."

In his book, Dr. Taylor provides us with unique knowledge of human behaviour, social issues and a new perspective on human nature.

If you are interested in learning more about how rediscovering the consciousness of our connection to each other is the only way we can live in harmony with ourselves, with each other, and with the world itself, this podcast is for you.

• Dr. Taylor's book review: https://tinyurl.com/3b2ewhfs
• Purchase Dr. Taylor's book: https://amzn.to/4bOfHpH
• Information about Dr. Taylor's Books: https://www.stevenmtaylor.com/books/disconnected/

• More of Dr. Taylor's Radio Appearances and videos: https://www.stevenmtaylor.com/videos/
• Information about Dr. Steve Taylor: https://www.stevenmtaylor.com/about-steve-taylor/
• Events with Steve Taylor: https://www.stevenmtaylor.com/events/
• Online programs with Steve Taylor: https://www.stevenmtaylor.com/online-courses/

We all want to feel free to be our true selves and live in a way that feel authentic. I want to live my life to the fullest and I imagine you do as well. Despite this, we can get sidetracked by demands and expectations that throw us off our true gifts and passions. Instead we might follow the preferences and aspirations that society, family, and friends have for us, rather than what we truly want for ourselves. Breaking free from self-doubt and discovering what it is that you truly want from life, demands that you grow beyond the obstacles that undermine personal goals, hopes and dreams.

Dr. Lyndsay Gibson, Psychologist and author of "Who You Were Meant to Be: A Guide to Finding or Recovering Your Life's Purpose". Dr. Gibson utilizes her years of clinical knowledge to show us what gets in the way of our true unfolding. We will reflect on how to free ourselves from misguided guilt and misplaced loyalty that confuses loving others with sacrificing ourselves and betraying our true life path.

Listen to the conversation with Dr. Lindsay Gibson as we explore ways to reclaim your true path, especially if you have suffered from the effects of emotionally immature parents. We discuss how to uncover your life's purpose and who you were truly meant to be.

Dr. Lindsay Gibson is a clinical psychologist, author, and assistant professor with a passion for human conflict and helping others develop long-lasting, meaningful relationships. Dr. Gibson has written several books including her best-selling novel "Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents: How to Heal from Distant, Rejecting or Self-Involved Parents". It has sold over 100,000 copies, been translated into 14 languages, and has helped thousands of people reverse their toxic psychological legacy and reclaim their lives.

In her book, Dr. Gibson provides real life examples from her therapy practice and a variety of methods to get you thinking about what constitutes individual happiness and how to chart a course to get there. Dr. Gibson helps her readers to free themselves from doubt and defeat and find out what you really want to do with your life, utilizing inner guidance to find personal and energizing life purpose. Her book helps address feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, and the common fears that often bring self-actualization to a hault while offering practical advice for those who are reluctant to put themselves first in their own lives.

If you are interested in more information about how you can recover from emotionally immature parents, break out of old habits, forge a new path to discover or recover our true purpose in life and become the people we want to be, this talk is for you.

• To purchase Dr. Gibson's book "Recovering from Emotionally Immature Parents: https://amzn.to/3Zz0Nwe
• To purchase Dr. Gibson's book "Who You Were Meant to Be: A Guide to Finding or Recovering Your Life's Purpose": https://amzn.to/3ZyWUr2
• For more information about Dr. Gibson: https://catalogue.pesi.com.au/speaker/lindsay-gibson-346187/18

• 4 signs that a parent is emotionally immature: https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/mental-wealth/202111/4-signs-parent-is-emotionally-immature
• Accessing Emotional Immaturity (questionnaires and resources): http://curioushealing.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/ACEIP_exercises.pdf
• Tips for finding your life's purpose: Accessing Emotional Immaturity (questionnaires and resources): https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/articles/202301/5-ways-to-find-your-purpose

There are times when someone describes in detail a relationship that seems unkind, unhealthy and even dangerous. Or maybe we have experienced this personally in a relationship with a person we thought would be a wonderful partner to begin with only to realize after falling deeply in love that this person is self-centered, arrogant, attention seeking and lacks basic empathy and consideration for other people.

An expert on NPD and psychopaths and the author of "Women Who Love Psychopaths: Inside the Relationships of Inevitable Harm with Psychopaths, Sociopaths & Narcissists", Sandra L. Brown (author and former psychotherapist) shares her knowledge of Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) and Psychopathy, the complicated nature of Pathological and/or abusive relationships, and how to heal when the relationship ends.

Listen to our conversation with Sandra L. Brown as we delve into personality disorders (Borderline, Narcissism, Anti-Social, and Psychopathy), Pathological Love Relationships, and the care of those who have suffered through the ordeal of dangerous relationships.

Sandra L. Brown, M.A., is the founder of the Association for NDP/Psychopathy Survivor Treatment and The Institute for Relational Harm Reduction & Public Pathology Education. She is a former psychotherapist in the field of psychopathology and "survivor trauma". She is a respected community educator on the intersections of mental illness, personality disorders, violence, and recidivism. She is also a clinical lecturer, TV and radio guest, and author.

Brown has written a number of books including How to Spot a Dangerous Man Before You Get Involved; Women Who Love Psychopaths: Inside the Relationships of Inevitable Harm with Psychopaths, Sociopaths & Narcissists, and Counseling Victims of Violence: A Handbook for Helping Professionals.

Brown illustrates a novel model of clinical treatment she has brought to this population as well as research and insight into the impact of the survivors' experiences. Her unique treatment approach integrates relational dynamics, personality traits, and trauma/aftermath symptomatology of survivors of NPD/Psychopath partners with the goal of providing professionals with effective tools for treating survivors of NPD/Psychopaths.

If you are interested in Sandra Brown's knowledge on Pathological Love Relationships, how to free yourself from them, and healing your trauma caused by psychopathic abuse, this podcast is for you.

• Sandra Brown's Books: https://amzn.to/4qwRuaY
• Association for NPD/Psychopathy Survivor Treatment: https://survivortreatment.com/
• To purchase her award-winning book: https://amzn.to/4afYkgm
• For more about Sandra Brown: http://sandralbrownma.com/
• Contact Sandra Brown: http://sandralbrownma.com/more-about-sandra/

• Relevant Research on Psychopathy: https://survivortreatment.com/research/
• New Science that has emerged: https://survivortreatment.com/field-development-accomplishments-and-contributions/
• Brown's Workshop's for Professionals: https://survivortreatment.com/treating-the-survivor/
  • https://survivortreatment.com/clinicians-guide/
• Relevant Articles on NPD and Psychopathy: https://survivortreatment.com/articles/

Across North America, almost half of all marriages will end in divorce or separation. Even though divorce is a complex process that requires legal, psychological and financial considerations, there may be ways to make it just a bit less painful. Nanci Smith's book "Untangling Your Marriage: A Guide to Collaborative Divorce" attempts to dispel some negative messaging about divorce and show us that divorce can be achieved with dignity, mutual respect, integrity, and compassion.

Listen to our conversation with lawyer & author Nanci Smith as we get an introduction to both the mindset and the process of Collaborative Divorce, an interdisciplinary, non-adversarial divorce model. In Collaborative Divorce, Smith how the process provides a guide through emotional issues such as anger, sadness, rage, betrayal, etc. with everyone in the family unit. And, how a neutral financial expert helps to collect, organize, and clearly presents the financial resources of the couple so that there is an even playing field to negotiate the final settlement terms. The lawyers provide legal advice throughout the process without being adversarial, and making a difficult situation, worse.

Nanci Smith is a lawyer and author who began her career in litigation firms focusing on Criminal Litigation and Family Law. She also worked representing victims of domestic violence and people with psychiatric diagnoses in mental health civil proceedings. She is a member of the Vermont Bar Association, is the Chair of the Vermont Bar Association Collaborative Section, and a member of the Collaborative Practice Vermont, an Interdisciplinary Practice Group. Smith has received advanced training in and practices Collaborative Divorce and Collaborative Mediation at her solo practice.

Smith's book presents a candid and open view of divorce from the viewpoint of an experienced divorce lawyer who has also through a divorce herself. Smith unlocks a collaborative approach to any divorce advising deep listening, invention, flexibility, and the capacity to pivot away from shame and blame and towards acceptance. She identifies these practices to counteract the volatile and complex issues related to divorce.

Listen to our conversation with Nanci Smith as she shows us how to emerge from a divorce, sound and sincere, working through bitterness and resentment. The heart of her approach is to reframe divorce from an act full of shame and blame to a place where divorce is seen as a type of mourning.

• For more information about the book visit: https://nancismithlaw.com/book/
• To purchase the book visit: https://amzn.to/4rflGZt
• For more about Nanci Smith: https://nancismithlaw.com/about-us/about/
• Nanci Smith's Media Appearances: https://nancismithlaw.com/media/
• Nanci Smith's Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCU09PQWh0kvj5KLhZWxwGXQ

• To contact Nanci Smith: https://nancismithlaw.com/contact/
• Nanci Smith's Blog: https://nancismithlaw.com/blog/
• Learn more about potential indicators of divorce: https://bit.ly/3YZPxWK