My guest today is Donna Jackson Nakazawa. Donna is an award-winning science journalist and author of eight books exploring the connections between emotions, trauma, and health, offering you new pathways to healing. Her book, Girls on the Brink: Helping Our Daughters Thrive in an Era of Increased Anxiety, Depression, and Social Media, was named a best book of 2022 by The Washington Post. Her newest book, The Adverse Childhood Experiences Guided Journal (foreword by Nedra Glover Tawwab), offers targeted writing techniques to help readers recognize the effects of childhood adversity and reset their brain's internal stories for neurobiological resilience. Her writing has appeared in Wired, The Boston Globe, Stat, The Washington Post, and Psychotherapy Networker. She has appeared on The Today Show and NPR and is a regular speaker at events, including the Child Mind Institute, Harvard Science, UCLA Health, Rutgers, Johns Hopkins, Children’s Hospitals, and the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine. 

Some of the topics we explore in this episode include:
- How Donna’s background informs her new book
- The unique benefits and processes involved in writing as a modality of healing
- The concept of CUTS (chronic unpredictable toxic stress)
- How unpredictable stress leads to hypervigilance 
- Explicit vs implicit memory
- Increasing awareness and self-compassion to heal from trauma

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Donna’s Website: https://donnajacksonnakazawa.com/

The Adverse Childhood Experiences Guided Journal: https://a.co/d/cy1vJJn

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Thank you all for checking out the episode! Here are some ways to help support Mentally Flexible:

Sign up for PsychFlex through the Mentally Flexible link! PsychFlex.com/MentallyFlexible

You can help cover some of the costs of running the podcast by donating a cup of coffee! www.buymeacoffee.com/mentallyflexible

Please subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. It only takes 30 seconds and plays an important role in being able to get new guests.https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mentally-flexible/id1539933988

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Check out my new album, Holding Space! https://open.spotify.com/album/0iOcjZQhmAhYtjjq3CTpwQ?si=nemiLnELTsGGExjfy8B6iw

My guest today is Jennifer Kemp MPsych. Jennifer Kemp is a clinical psychologist based in Adelaide, Australia. Her neurodiversity-affirming approach is founded on her own experience of being late-diagnosed as Autistic and an ADHDer with the experiences of her clients and the latest research. In her therapeutic practice and when training other therapists, Jennifer recognises and accepts the unique differences and strengths of people with different neurotypes. Building on the social and human rights models of disability, Jennifer weaves together acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) with compassion-focused approaches to help her clients improve their mental health and develop greater self-acceptance, self-compassion, and pride in their neurodivergent identity.

Jennifer is the co-author of “The Neurodivergent Skills Workbook for Autism and ADHD: Cultivate Self-Compassion, Live Authentically, and Be Your Own Advocate” and author of “The ACT Workbook for Perfectionism: Build Your Best (Imperfect) Life Using Powerful Acceptance & Commitment Therapy and Self-Compassion Skills.”

Some of the topics we explore in this episode include:
- How Jennifer’s experience of neurodiversity informs her new book
- The concept of masking and some of the ways Jennifer has personally allowed herself to unmask
- "Spins” or special interests
- How a better understanding of neurodiversity enhances our clinical work
- The importance of context when working with neurodiverse clients
- And how to honor the multiple functions of compulsive behavior

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Jennifer’s website: https://jenniferkemp.com.au/

The Neurodivergence Skills Workbook for Autism and ADHD: https://a.co/d/aMM3bFr

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Thank you all for checking out the episode! Here are some ways to help support Mentally Flexible:

Sign up for PsychFlex through the Mentally Flexible link! PsychFlex.com/MentallyFlexible

You can help cover some of the costs of running the podcast by donating a cup of coffee! www.buymeacoffee.com/mentallyflexible

Please subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. It only takes 30 seconds and plays an important role in being able to get new guests.https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mentally-flexible/id1539933988

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Check out my new album, Holding Space! https://open.spotify.com/album/0iOcjZQhmAhYtjjq3CTpwQ?si=nemiLnELTsGGExjfy8B6iw

My guest today is Professor Ross White. Ross is award-winning clinical psychologist who specializes in supporting the mental health and wellbeing of adults working in high-performance environments. He is also an expert in global mental health and has conducted research in collaborations with the World Health Organization and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees. He is currently Professor of Clinical Psychology at Queen’s University Belfast, and is a director of Strive2Thrive, a training and consultancy organization.

Some of the topics we explore in this episode include:
- How Ross got into ACT and the inspiration for his new book, The Tree That Bends
- The concept of strong intention, light attachment
- The value in developing flexible mindsets
- The “Get, Threat, and Rest” modes we share with trees
- Transcendent emotions of wonderment, gratitude, and compassion
- And how we can amplify the creative process through collaboration

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Ross’s X page: https://x.com/RossGWhite

The Tree That Bends: https://amzn.eu/d/6UEAEqM

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Thank you all for checking out the episode! Here are some ways to help support Mentally Flexible:

Sign up for PsychFlex through the Mentally Flexible link! PsychFlex.com/MentallyFlexible

You can help cover some of the costs of running the podcast by donating a cup of coffee! www.buymeacoffee.com/mentallyflexible

Please subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. It only takes 30 seconds and plays an important role in being able to get new guests.https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mentally-flexible/id1539933988

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Check out my new album, Holding Space! https://open.spotify.com/album/0iOcjZQhmAhYtjjq3CTpwQ?si=nemiLnELTsGGExjfy8B6iw

My guest today is Dr. Charles Schaeffer aka Dr Chuck. Dr. Chuck is a clinical psychologist and author of the new book, When Panic Happens: Short Circuit Anxiety & Fear in the Moment.
 
Dr. Chuck completed his training at New York University and is in private practice in New York City.  He has over 15 years of experience providing strength-focused, evidence-based  therapy to help individuals overcome sleep, mood, and anxiety disorders to thrive at work and at home. He has been an adjunct clinical faculty member at NYU for over a decade supervising  hundreds of counselors and therapists. His research has focused on masculinity and culture among men and women seeking help inside and outside of the workplace. His work has been quoted and featured in a variety of media, including NBC Health, Vice, Psychology Today, and the Huffington Post.

Some of the topics we explore in this episode include:

- How Dr. Chuck got into the field of psychology

- How to work with and around stigma mental health stigma

- The concept of short-circuiting panic 

- Integrating different stances towards anxiety

- Polyvagal Theory and its use for self-regulation

- How people can get stuck in the sympathetic (fight or flight) nervous system

- And the importance of core life patterns like diet and sleep

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Dr. Chuck’s website: https://www.drchuckschaeffer.com/

When Panic Happens: https://a.co/d/eoUwogC

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Thank you all for checking out the episode! Here are some ways to help support Mentally Flexible:

Sign up for PsychFlex through the Mentally Flexible link! PsychFlex.com/MentallyFlexible

You can help cover some of the costs of running the podcast by donating a cup of coffee! www.buymeacoffee.com/mentallyflexible

Please subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. It only takes 30 seconds and plays an important role in being able to get new guests.https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mentally-flexible/id1539933988

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Check out my new album, Holding Space! https://open.spotify.com/album/0iOcjZQhmAhYtjjq3CTpwQ?si=nemiLnELTsGGExjfy8B6iw

My guest today is Cory Richards. Cory is an internationally renowned photographer, filmmaker, and author of new memoir, The Color of Everything. He is the first and only American to climb one of the world’s 8000m peaks in winter. His documentation of the climb and aftermath of the experience was made into the award-winning documentary COLD and appeared on the cover of the 125th anniversary issue of National Geographic. Richards is a National Geographic Adventurer of the Year, Photographer Fellow, and a two-time recipient of an Explorers Grant. He has an active speaking career, in which he speaks about conservation, the future of psychology and mental health, leadership, the tenuous line of risk and reward, and vulnerability.

Some of the topics we explore in this episode include:
- Unique dynamics involved in writing a memoir 
- The spectrum of vulnerability and its various functions
- How we can get stuck in stories about our trauma or diagnoses
- The seduction of fame and success 
- The point of of life arriving in the present moment
- And what it’s like climbing some of the tallest peaks in the world

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Cory’s website Cold (documentary): https://www.coryrichards.com/

The Color of Everything: https://a.co/d/i36wx4Q

Cold (documentary): https://youtu.be/-OBX25ix4eU?si=SrZxheNjMLr7aDue

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Thank you all for checking out the episode! Here are some ways to help support Mentally Flexible:

Sign up for PsychFlex through the Mentally Flexible link! PsychFlex.com/MentallyFlexible

You can help cover some of the costs of running the podcast by donating a cup of coffee! www.buymeacoffee.com/mentallyflexible

Please subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. It only takes 30 seconds and plays an important role in being able to get new guests.https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mentally-flexible/id1539933988

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Check out my new album, Holding Space! https://open.spotify.com/album/0iOcjZQhmAhYtjjq3CTpwQ?si=nemiLnELTsGGExjfy8B6iw

My guest today is Michaeleen Doucleff, PhD. Michaeleen is a global health correspondent for NPR’s Science Desk and the author of the New York Times bestseller Hunt, Gather, Parent: What Ancient Cultures Can Teach Us About the Lost Art of Raising Happy, Helpful Little Humans. Michaeleen has a doctorate in chemistry from the University of Berkeley, California, and a bachelor’s degree in biology from Caltech. For the past decade, Doucleff has reported on disease outbreaks and children’s health for NPR. Before that, Doucleff was an editor at the journal Cell, where she wrote about the science behind pop culture. 

Some of the topics we explore in this episode include:

- Key elements of parenting we have lost in the Western world

- Children’s innate capacity for helpfulness and autonomy

- How the child world and the adult world has been separated

- Ways parent and child interests can be harmoniously integrated

- The value of doing less as a parent

- And the importance of allowing a child’s authentic interests to be expressed 

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Michaeleen’s website: https://michaeleendoucleff.com/

Hunt, Gather, Parent: https://a.co/d/j0KxJg0

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Thank you all for checking out the episode! Here are some ways to help support Mentally Flexible:

Sign up for PsychFlex through the Mentally Flexible link! PsychFlex.com/MentallyFlexible

You can help cover some of the costs of running the podcast by donating a cup of coffee! www.buymeacoffee.com/mentallyflexible

Please subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. It only takes 30 seconds and plays an important role in being able to get new guests.https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mentally-flexible/id1539933988

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

My guest today is Willem Kuyken, PhD. Willem is Professor of Mindfulness and Psychological Science at the University of Oxford, and Director of the Oxford Mindfulness Research Centre. He is an author, scientist and teacher.  His work is focused on preventing depression and promoting human flourishing. He has published more than 150 peer reviewed scientific articles and was named by Web of Science as in the top 1% of the most cited scientists in the world in between 2019 and 2023. He is the author of the new book, Mindfulness for Life, which we discuss in this conversation.

Some of the other topics we explore in this episode include:

- Willem’s background with depression and how eastern wisdom traditions inform his work
- How mindfulness can anchor us through difficulties 
- Ways to reconnect with the body and our full experience
- How to mindfully start and end the day
- Integrating mindfulness through the macro and micro
- And how we can move through life’s transitions with openness and curiosity

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Willem’s Oxford website: https://www.psych.ox.ac.uk/team/willem-kuyken

Mindfulness for Life: https://a.co/d/dxM7khy

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Thank you all for checking out the episode! Here are some ways to help support Mentally Flexible:

Sign up for PsychFlex through the Mentally Flexible link! PsychFlex.com/MentallyFlexible

You can help cover some of the costs of running the podcast by donating a cup of coffee! www.buymeacoffee.com/mentallyflexible

Please subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. It only takes 30 seconds and plays an important role in being able to get new guests.https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mentally-flexible/id1539933988

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

My guest today is Matthieu Villatte, PhD. Matthieu is a psychology trainer and consultant who obtained his doctoral degree in psychology in France, and completed a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Nevada under the mentorship of Steven Hayes, PhD.  Matthieu Villatte is the author of numerous books and chapters on mindfulness, acceptance, experiential therapies, and contextual behavioral science, such as the first manual published in French on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Mastering the Clinical Conversation: Language as Intervention. He is also a peer-reviewed trainer in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy recognized by the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science (ACBS) and has facilitated hundreds of clinical trainings all over the world.

Some of the topics we explore in this episode include:
- The impact of Mastering the Clinical Conversation
- What is was like working in Steven Hayes’ lab
- Relational Frame Theory (RFT)
- Our innate capacity for language at birth
- The implications of RFT on human suffering
- The inseparable nature of language and consciousness
- And how the complexities of clinical work can become more fluid with experience

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Matthieu’s website: https://matthieuvillatte.com/

Mastering the Clinical Conversation: https://a.co/d/iWduMiA

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Thank you all for checking out the episode! Here are some ways to help support Mentally Flexible:

Sign up for PsychFlex through the Mentally Flexible link! PsychFlex.com/MentallyFlexible

You can help cover some of the costs of running the podcast by donating a cup of coffee! www.buymeacoffee.com/mentallyflexible

Please subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. It only takes 30 seconds and plays an important role in being able to get new guests.https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mentally-flexible/id1539933988

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

My guest today is Dr. William Miller - Emeritus Distinguished Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry at the University of New Mexico. Dr. Miller is a codeveloper of Motivational Interviewing (MI) which has been implemented and researched in an array of settings over the past 4 decades. Dr. Miller’s research has focused particularly on the treatment and prevention of addictions and more broadly on the psychology of change. He is a recipient of two career achievement awards from the American Psychological Association and has published 65 books and over 400 articles and chapters. Dr. Miller’s new book is called 8 Ways to Hope: Charting a Path through Uncertain Times, which we discuss in this episode.

Some of the topics we explore in this episode include:
- A bit of Tom’s background with Motivational Interviewing
- The many facets of hope
- Trust, optimism, and false hope 
- Some of Dr. Miller’s personal story
- Addiction, trauma, and psychedelic-assisted therapy
- And the role of meaning and purpose in hope

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Dr. Miller’s website: https://williamrmiller.net/

8 Ways To Hope: https://a.co/d/cJm9A2E

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Thank you all for checking out the episode! Here are some ways to help support Mentally Flexible:

Sign up for PsychFlex through the Mentally Flexible link! PsychFlex.com/MentallyFlexible

You can help cover some of the costs of running the podcast by donating a cup of coffee! www.buymeacoffee.com/mentallyflexible

Please subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. It only takes 30 seconds and plays an important role in being able to get new guests.https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mentally-flexible/id1539933988

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

My guest today is Alec Pollard, PhD. Alec is founding director of the Center for OCD & Anxiety-Related Disorders at Saint Louis Behavioral Medicine Institute, and professor emeritus of family and community medicine at Saint Louis University School of Medicine. He is a licensed psychologist with a special interest in the study and treatment of individuals with anxiety and emotional disorders who refuse or otherwise fail to benefit from evidence-based treatment. Alec has authored or coauthored more than one hundred publications and leads the Family Consultation Team at Saint Louis Behavioral Medicine Institute.

Some of the topics we explore in this episode include:

- The story behind writing When a Loved One Won’t Seek Mental Health Treatment

- Different types of recovery avoidance

- Creating an intentional action plan for crisis 

- Versions of accommodation that can arise within family dynamics

- The importance of staying connected to valued activity

- What it looks like to create a family recovery plan

- And how to effectively help loved ones move towards recovery 

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Saint Louis Behavioral Medicine Institute: https://slbmi.com/

When a Loved One Won’t Seek Mental Health Treatment: https://a.co/d/cDFJtBu 

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Thank you all for checking out the episode! Here are some ways to help support Mentally Flexible:

You can help cover some of the costs of running the podcast by donating a cup of coffee! www.buymeacoffee.com/mentallyflexible

Please subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. It only takes 30 seconds and plays an important role in being able to get new guests.https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mentally-flexible/id1539933988

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth