My guest today is Nathalia Freitas. Nathalia is the creator of Loving My Dots, a space she created to promote connection among diversity. Nathalia was born with Congenital Melanocytic Nevus, which is a non-genetic birthmark that can form on a person’s body. This left a birthmark covering 40% of her face plus moles all over her body. Her case is an example of a giant nevus, which occurs only once in 500,000 births. From ages nine months to 13 years old, Nathalia had many surgeries to remove her facial Nevus.

 In 2018, Nathalia began sharing her story on social media, leading to a number of collaborations with various publications. She was also chosen to be featured in a documentary by the British news agency Barcroft TV. 

The first 10 minutes or so of the episode Nathalia gives an overview of her story

We then shift into exploring more detailed parts of her journey including:

- When Nathalia remembers first becoming aware of her condition 
- The challenges related to looking and feeling different than others 
- Nathalia’s conflicting narratives regarding her surgeries as a child
- How the relationship with her mother played a role throughout this journey
- How Nathalia supports others going through similar situations

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Nathalia’s Website: https://www.lovingmydots.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lovingmydots/

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If you find value in the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It only takes 30 seconds and plays an important role in being able to get new guests. I also love reading them! 

Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Explore the website: https://mentallyflexible.com/

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. Miles Neale, PsyD. Miles is a Buddhist psychotherapist in private practice and founder of the two-year online Contemplative Studies Program. Author of Gradual Awakening, and co-editor of Advances in Contemplative Psychotherapy, Miles is a faculty member of Tibet House (US) and Weill Cornell Medical College. With more than twenty years integrating the mind science and meditative practices of Tibetan Buddhism with psychotherapy, trauma research and neuroscience, Miles is a forerunner in the emerging field of contemplative psychotherapy, and leads pilgrimages around the Buddhist world.

Some of the topics we discuss in this episode include:

- Miles’ contemplative studies program
- The importance of fully integrating fundamentals
- How Miles’s childhood informed his spiritual life
- Using your presence to help another person feel truly safe 
- And how we can bring a deeper sense of consciousness to our therapy work and every day lives

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Dr. Miles Neale’s website: https://www.milesneale.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/milesneale/

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If you find value in the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It only takes 30 seconds and plays an important role in being able to get new guests. I also love reading them! 

Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Explore the website: https://mentallyflexible.com/

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. Patricia Zurita Ona, aka Dr. Z. Dr. Z is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist in California. She has significant experience working with children, adolescents, and adults with OCD, trauma, anxiety, and emotional regulation problems. Dr. Z is the founder of the East Bay Behavior Therapy Center, a boutique therapy practice, where she runs an intensive outpatient program integrating Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Exposure Response Prevention (ERP) to support clients getting stuck from obsessions, figure out what they care about, and do stuff that matters to them.

Some of the topics we explore include:

- Our interviews with Steven Hayes
- How Dr. Z found her way to ACT
- How ACT and Exposure have been useful for Dr. Z personally
- Dr. Z’s early life in Bolivia and how it’s shaped her worldview
- And how ACT can be used to treat OCD

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Dr. Z’s website: https://www.thisisdoctorz.com/

OCD Workbook: https://www.thisisdoctorz.com/act-workbook-for-adults-with-ocd/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/drz_behaviorist

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If you find value in the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It only takes 30 seconds and plays an important role in being able to get new guests. I also love reading them! 

Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Explore the website: https://mentallyflexible.com/

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. Rheeda Walker.  Dr. Walker is a tenured professor  in the department of psychology at the University of Houston. She has published more than fifty scientific papers on African American adult mental health, suicide risk, and resilience. Dr. Walker and her work has been in places like Good Morning America, The Washington Post, and CNN Health. In 2020 she released a new book called, The Unapologetic Guide to Black Mental Health, which we touch on in this episode.

Some of the other topics explored in this episode include:

- The rise in suicide among black children
- The role of protective cultural traditions
- How Dr. Walker works to stay connection to her roots
- The concept of psychological fortitude  
- The stigmatization of mental health in the African-American community
- And navigating racial differences within the therapeutic relationship 

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Dr. Walker’s website: https://www.rheedawalkerphd.com/

Book link: https://www.rheedawalkerphd.com/book

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.rheedawalker/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/rheedawalkerphd?

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If you find value in the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It only takes 30 seconds and plays an important role in being able to get new guests. I also love reading them! 

Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Explore the website: https://mentallyflexible.com/

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

Welcome back to Mentally Flexible! My guests today are Matthew Boone LCSW, Jennifer Gregg PhD, and Lisa Coyne PhD, authors of the book, Stop Avoiding Stuff: 25 Microskills to Face Your Fears and Do It Anyway. This book draws on the model of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, delivering accessible skills to help people face their fears and build a more meaningful life.

In this episode we explore:

- The origin story of their book, “Stop Avoiding Stuff”
- The concept of “you do, you get” to better understand our behaviors 
- They each share personal stories of how the content within the book has played a role in their lives
- And we unpack some of the core skills that you can learn within “Stop Avoiding Stuff”

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Book link: https://www.amazon.com/Stop-Avoiding-Stuff-Microskills-Anyway/dp/1684036054

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If you find value in the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It only takes 30 seconds and plays an important role in being able to get new guests. I also love reading them! 

Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Explore the website: https://mentallyflexible.com/

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

Welcome back to Mentally Flexible! My guest today is Matthias J Barker LMHCA, a psychotherapist from Spokane, WA. He holds a private counseling practice and utilizes evidence-based approaches in his clinical work with adults, children, and couples from all walks of life. Matthias also makes mental health content online and has amassed over a million followers on platforms like TikTok, Instagram and YouTube (@matthiasjbarker). Matthias’ goal is to help the people he works with move towards health and what is meaningful in life amidst hardship.

In this episode we explore a ton of topics, some of these include:

- Matthias’ rising popularity through his social media content
- Our shared interests in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy 
- What caused Matthias to reevaluate personal values 
- The process of deconstructing spiritual beliefs 
- Matthias’ experience preparing for fatherhood
- Letting go of outcomes and trusting values-based living
- And Matthias ends by sharing his thoughts on the meaning of love

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Matthias’ website: https://www.matthiasjbarker.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matthiasjbarker

Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@matthiasjbarker

Twitter: https://twitter.com/matthiasjbarker

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If you find value in the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It plays an important role in being able to get new guests. I also love reading them! 

Connect with me on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Explore the website. https://mentallyflexible.com/

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

Welcome back to Mentally Flexible! My guest today is Diana Hill, Ph.D. Diana is a clinical psychologist and co-author of ACT Daily Journal: Get unstuck and live fully with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. She is also a co-host of the popular podcast, Psychologists Off the Clock where she has interviewed leaders in the field of psychology, mindfulness, and wellness. 

Through her online teachings, executive coaching, clinical supervision, and private therapy practice Diana encourages clients to build psychological flexibility so that they can live more meaningful and fulfilling lives. 

Diana has a knack for unpacking complex, science-based concepts and making them applicable to daily life in work, parenting, relationships and health. She completed a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at CU Boulder where she researched mindfulness and acceptance based approaches for eating disorders. 

In this episode we explore a range of topics including:

- How certain self stories shaped Diana’s spiritual life 
- The universality of pain and suffering
- The origins of Psychologists Off The Clock and her new book ACT Daily Journal 
- The value of connecting to a more collective identity
- And allowing space to “tune up” your values in life

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Diana’s website: https://drdianahill.com/

ACT Daily Journal: https://drdianahill.com/book/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drdianahill/

Psychologists Off The Clock: https://offtheclockpsych.com/

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If you find value in the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It plays an important role in being able to get new guests. I also love reading them! 

Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Explore the website: https://mentallyflexible.com/

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

Welcome back to Mentally Flexible! My guest today is Dr. Mariel Buquè. Dr. Buquè is a Columbia University-trained licensed psychologist, holistic mental health expert, and sound bath meditation healer. Her work centers on helping people heal their whole selves through holistic mental wellness practices and on healing wounds of intergenerational trauma.

In this episode we explore a range of topics including: 

- Books that have influenced Dr. Buquè throughout her life 
- What first sparked Dr. Buquè interest in intergenerational trauma 
- We dive deeper into both the nature and nature parts of ancestral wounds
- Dr. Buquè shares how these areas have touched her life personally
- We unpack the approaches to healing intergenerational trauma
- We end by discussing the healing power of sound and perform an impromptu sound meditation together 

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Dr. Buquè’s website: https://www.drmarielbuque.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.marielbuque/

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If you want to support the podcast…

Please subscribe on iTunes and leave a review :)    https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mentally-flexible/id1539933988

Connect with me on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Explore the website. https://mentallyflexible.com/

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 Cory Allen. Cory is an author, podcast host, meditation teacher and audio engineer from Austin, Texas.

His podcast, The Astral Hustle, where he discusses mindfulness, neuroscience, and philosophy has been featured by the New York Times. He has written a book called Now is the Way which explores an unconventional approach to modern mindfulness.  Cory has also created an amazing meditation course called Release Into Now - I was first introduced to Cory when  I took his course several years ago.

We explore a range of topics in this episode including: 
- Following your own curiosity in podcasting
- Cory’s process of figuring out what success means for him personally
- Cory picks Tom’s brain on holding space for others 
- Setting boundaries with love
- Validating emotional wounds from childhood
- And how to find peace by embracing the impermanence of life 

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Cory’s website:  http://www.cory-allen.com/

The Astral Hustle: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-astral-hustle-with-cory-allen/id1033011814

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heycoryallen/?hl=en

Cory’s book, Now Is The Way: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0525538046

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If you want to support the podcast…

Please subscribe on iTunes and leave a review :)    https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mentally-flexible/id1539933988

Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Explore the website: https://mentallyflexible.com/

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

Welcome back to Mentally Flexible! My guest today is Dr. David Puder. Dr. Puder is a board certified psychiatrist and host of the amazing Psychiatry & Psychotherapy Podcast. If you are a mental health professional, I highly suggest this podcast. Each episode is so well researched and presented that it is like going to a training each time you listen. Dr. Puder was most recently on faculty at Loma Linda University where he was the medical director of a partial program and intensive outpatient program. Towards the end of the episode, we talk about his recent relocation across country and how he’s using this time as an opportunity to connect with values. Dr. Puder is an incredibly fascinating and thoughtful person whom I’ve learned so much from both in this conversation and through his podcast. 

In this episode we explore a range of topics including: 

- What sparked David's interest in philosophy and understanding suffering at a young age
- The importance of doing our own inner work as mental health professionals
- The historical roots of helpers doing their own inner work
- The difference between therapy modalities
- The importance of feedback in life; David’s personal mentors
- The framework of the hero’s journey
- The trauma of confronting malevolence within others or ourselves
- Understanding and integrating our own shadow 
- How we can use ourselves a barometer for a client’s experience 
- David's current transition stage of life

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Psychiatry and Psychotherapy Podcast:  https://www.psychiatrypodcast.com/

Instagram: @Dr.DavidPuder

Twitter: @DavidPuder 

Facebook: @DrDavidPuder 

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If you want to support the podcast…

Please subscribe on iTunes and leave a review :)    https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mentally-flexible/id1539933988

Connect with me on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Explore the website. https://mentallyflexible.com/

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