This episode originally aired on KUCR in October of 2019. This evening, the gang ventures outside the recording studio to test our mettle inside the Tomas Rivera Library, a reportedly haunted building on UC Riverside’s campus. We whisper spooky stories to each other while skeptically examining each others’ superstitious beliefs.

Hosts: Dr. Parks, Dr. Nguyen, Dr. Ortega, Dr. Poole

Hypnosis played a formative role in the early days of psychoanalysis. Does it have a place in modern clinical practice? Who is more susceptible to being hypnotized? Dr. Ortega shares his story.

Hosts: Dr. Parks, Dr. Yamaguchi, Dr. Ortega

Is a near death experience a neurological event, a life-changing spiritual awakening, or both? We talk about the common themes of NDEs and their large effects even years later.

Hosts: Dr. Parks, Dr. Yamaguchi, Dr. Ortega, and Dr. Poole

During this politically charged season it’s easy to become confused about the best way to support our friends in the trans community. The truth is that there is a lot to keep in mind when thinking about trans issues and this episode is a good place to  start.

Hosts: Dr. Parks, Dr. Yamaguchi, Dr. Ortega, Dr. Atkins

Guest: Jami Woods, DPh, MD

Lying is an accepted form of communication. But sometimes we're not skilled enough to detect when it's happening. And some people are just better at it than others. We talk about some of the research on lying and how to discriminate between truth and fiction. 

Hosts: Dr. Parks, Dr. Yamaguchi, Dr. Ortega, Dr. Atkins

This week we decided to focus on "cancel culture" because it demands to  be discussed. It's quickly generating a great deal of controversy and  opinions on both sides. Is it just political correctness as many claim?  We don't so much as add an exclusively psychological perspective but  talk about what it means and how to evaluate its impact.

Hosts: Dr. Parks, Dr. Yamaguchi, Dr. Atkins

We invite our (psychiatric) resident expert on Nature-Based therapies, Dr. Alan Atkins, for a deeper dive into "Wilderness Therapy." Could it be more helpful for wayward youth than group homes, residential drug rehab, or incarceration?

Hosts: Dr. Parks, Dr. Yamaguchi, Dr. Ortega, Dr. Atkins

What is "Nature-Based Therapy?" Well, we didn't know much about it until we asked our co-host, Dr. Alan Atkins, who is researching it as well as being a strong advocate of it. Are some mental health conditions made worse by our disconnection and estrangement from nature?

Hosts: Dr. Parks, Dr. Yamaguchi, Dr. Atkins

"Homecoming" has drawn attention for its cinematography and directorial style. It also raises very interesting questions about the trauma of veterans returning from war and the treatment of mental health conditions that have often developed. We discuss the story (spoiler alert) and seriously consider the type of treatment playing a key role in the series

Hosts: Dr. Parks, Dr. Yamaguchi, Dr. Ortega, Dr. Poole

Guest: Dr. Alan Atkins

This episode originally aired on KUCR in December of 2019. Dr. Alan Atkins joins us in one of his first episodes as a guest co-host to discuss one of his areas of interest: prison reform. The US prison system is the nation's largest mental health institution. We consider its role in rehabilitation.

Hosts: Dr. Parks, Dr. Yamaguchi, Dr. Ortega

Guest: Dr. Alan Atkins