Dr. George Bonnano is professor of clinical psychology and director of the Loss Trauma, and Emotion lab at Columbia University. In The End of Trauma, Bonanno argues that most of what we think we understand about trauma is wrong. It is not nearly as common as we think, and people are overwhelmingly resilient to adversity. Prepare for a conversation that may overturn everything you thought you know about PTSD and how people respond to hardship

A revisit episode from 2023.

Long before Sheila started the podcast Beyond Well she found herself feeling depressed, lethargic and sluggish during the winter months. Seasonal affective disorder in the Pacific Northwest is a serious challenge. Here, she talks to the host of City Cast about the evidence-based strategies she used to recover.

Enjoy.

Hollywood therapist Dr. Nicki Monti never thought she was worthy of love and led a roller coaster life through
Childhood trauma, addiction, violence, divorce, and widowhood. Then, she did the work of learning to love herself and find her happily even after. Dr. Monti explores the self-esteem issues of kids who have had abusive or neglected childhoods, emotional blackouts, and why opting for hallucinogenic fixes without therapy might be worse than doing anything at all. 

Dr. Eugene Lipov is a physician researcher and board-certified anesthesiologist who specializes in intervention-based pain management in the Chicago area. He is best known for his treatment of PTSD using a technique called stellate ganglion block (SGB).

The God Shot, is the upcoming book from Dr. Eugene Lipov and Lauren Ungeldi. It takes readers inside a medical awakening that’s upending everything we thought we knew about trauma.

John Puls. Violence and young men.

Dr. John Puls returns for an in depth conversation on violence and young men. Dr Puls specializes in the treatment of adolescent and young adult men and speaks to the factors creating more withdrawn, reactive, and explosive young men.

Samantha Rose is an Emmy award winning tv writer, author, and a New York Times bestselling ghostwriter who collaborates with experts, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders.
Her book, bravely honest and inspiring, explores her mother’s suicide and her reflections on grief, resilience, and searching for answers that help heal.

Ross Szabo is the Director of Wellness at the Geffen Center and one of the most sought-after mental health speakers and trainers on college campuses. He offers valuable insights on young adults, male violence, and the state of adolescent mental health.

Should your next therapist be an AI chatbot?Not so fast. Ian Kreitzberg is a Puck News reporter specializing in technology and AI. He recently tried out a new app claiming to be “A Therapist in Your Pocket.”Kreitzberg talks with Sheila about the trend toward AI chatbots dispensing advice, along with its potential risks and benefits: Among the benefits: Greater accessibility, early detection, personalized treatment plans and support for therapists. Among the risks: AI does not replace human empathy, a critical component of the therapeutic relationship.It may provide dangerously inaccurate or harmful recommendations. Privacy and data security: AI is not bound by the same privacy regulations as licensed clinicians.And Algorithmic bias: All models are trained on existing data, which can reflect and amplify societal biases based on race, gender, or socioeconomic status.

Cristi Bundukamara, known as Dr. B, is a passionate mental health professional dedicated to helping others build resilience and take control of their mental well-being.Dr. B’s personal grief is as profound as her career, shaped by the loss of three children and her husband. Cristi’s practice is strengthened by decades as a psychiatric nurse practitioner, helping people overcome their most profound traumas and personal losses. In this interview, Dr. B. talks about spiritual growth from loss, cognitive behavioral therapy, somatic techniques for healing, and the use of ketamine assisted therapy.

Author Kelly Sundberg joins Sheila to talk about her new book, ’The Answer is in the Wound. Sundberg wrote the intimate essay collection after leaving an abusive marriage. She details the lasting effects of trauma and PTSD on survivors in a nonlinear method that relied on scholarship, spirituality, tattoos and journaling. For anyone who has suffered domestic abuse, intimidation or sexual coercion, The Answer is in the Wound, is one woman’s unusual path to survivorship.