Practical for Your Practice

In this episode, hosts Dr. Jenna Ermold and Dr. Kevin Holloway tackle a critical "blind spot" in military mental health with Dr. Shane Kraus, Director of the Behavioral Addictions Lab at UNLV. While we often screen for alcohol and PTSD, there is a "hidden" addiction quietly devastating the lives and careers of Service members and Veterans. From the high-tech lure of AI-driven sports betting apps to the surprising presence of slot machines on overseas bases, gambling disorder is a rapidly growing crisis that often goes undetected until it’s too late.

Dr. Kraus joins us to explain the "banana analogy" and the dangerous neurobiology of the "near miss" that keeps the brain hooked. We discuss why military culture might make this addiction so difficult to spot, the staggering link between "chasing losses" and Veteran suicide, and the simple questions you aren't asking that could save a life. If you’ve ever wondered why a patient with stable PTSD suddenly spirals into a crisis, this conversation on the first-ever recognized behavioral addiction is a must-listen.

Shane W. Kraus is a licensed clinical psychologist and expert in psychopathology, substance use disorders, gambling disorders, and compulsive sexual behavior disorder (CSBD). He is an associate professor of psychology who has published over 250 scholarly works on substance use disorders/behavioral addictions (e.g., gambling), psychopathology, compulsive sexual behavior, and trauma. Dr. Kraus received his PhD in clinical psychology from Bowling Green State University in 2013. He completed his addiction fellowship at the VA Connecticut Healthcare System and Yale School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry in 2015.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• National Council on Problem Gambling: ncpgambling.org
• UNLV Behavioral Addictions Lab: Reach out for validated screening tools and research. https://ba.sites.unlv.edu/
• State Councils on Problem Gambling: Check your local state chapter for clinician training and toolkits.

Calls-to-action:

• Ask about financial stress and obtain additional training on gambling disorder
• Share your impactful moment via email ([email protected]) or via https://www.speakpipe.com/cdpp4p
• Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast
• Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

Your hosts are back for season 8 of P4P! This season we’ll have more conversations with experts in the field of evidence-based practice. But we want to get back to the personal stories behind their professional accomplishments. This season we’ll highlight the “impactful moments” that shaped them and keep them engaged in this difficult work. We’re kicking off the season by sharing our own impactful moments. Listen in as we discuss the unexpected interactions that uncovered our own biases and changed our perspectives about clinical practice.

Calls-to-action:

• Notice your own “impactful moments” and call on them when the work gets hard
• Notice when you might be catastrophizing and use those impactful moments to recalibrate
• Share your impactful moment in the comments or via https://www.speakpipe.com/cdpp4p
• Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast
• Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

After 11 episodes of talking about the “sins” of evidence-based practice, we’re wrapping up season 7 by finding out “what’s in the box?” Our guests this season have covered a wide range of topics related to EBPs, including reducing suicide risk, and working with maternal mental health, OCD, and nightmare disorders. While the individual topics may have spanned the broad field of clinical practice, there was a surprising amount of overlap in the “sins” that our guests have encountered. On our final episode of season 7, your P4P hosts notice the common themes between these sins and which ones we’d invite to our own private awards show. Tune in to find out who the nominees are!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Provider Self-Assessment Checklist (PSAC): A checklist your hosts created based on the “sins” discussed this season. It’s a quick way to check in on your own knowledge and comfort in broad areas of evidence-based practice.

Calls-to-action:

• Use the Provider Self-Assessment Checklist to assess your own vulnerability to EBP “sins”
• Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast
• Submit your comments or questions on our social media pages or via https://www.speakpipe.com/cdpp4p
• Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

The world feels a bit cray-cray right now and your hosts are feeling fatigued, on edge, and crispy. We took a moment to ask, “how are you really doing?”, and didn’t allow each other to answer “fine.” It’s a challenge for many of us in the helping professions to acknowledge our own distress, make time for self-care, and accept help from others. On this episode, we practice what we preach by acknowledging how stress is affecting our personal and professional lives. We explore what gets in the way of good self-care and how we’ve tried to be authentically and imperfectly present with ourselves, each other, and the people we help.

In this episode of Practical for Your Practice, hosts Jenna Ermold and Carin Lefkowitz sit down with Dr. Randy Martin, Clinical Director of the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for the New York Presbyterian Hospital System. Despite being a fixture in most large organizations, EAPs often remain "under the radar" for many behavioral health providers. Dr. Martin demystifies the "ABC of EAPs," explaining how these programs serve as the "mental health equivalent of a primary care physician" by providing short-term counseling, assessment, and organizational support.

The conversation explores the parallels between EAP work and military mental health, the importance of proactive outreach during life transitions, and how providers can partner with EAPs to expand their own practices.

Dr. Randy Martin is a highly accomplished licensed psychologist and Clinical Director of the New York Presbyterian Hospital System’s Employee Assistance Program. As a dynamic thought leader, executive, and training specialist, he has impacted the productivity and profitability of Fortune 1000 companies, educational institutions, and healthcare systems through psychoeducational webinars, seminars, and on-site crisis management interventions. A frequent media contributor seen on CNN Radio and in the Wall Street Journal, Randy is a recognized expert in short-term counseling, assessment, and organizational wellness. His career is defined by a passion for mentoring professionals and improving client well-being, earning him the Caron Foundation’s EAP Award.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Employee Assistance Professionals Association (EAPA): Link to EAPA Website

Calls-to-action:

• Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast
• Submit your comments or questions on our social media pages or via https://www.speakpipe.com/cdpp4p
• Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

In this episode, hosts Jenna Ermold and Carin Lefkowitz welcome Adrienne Griffen, an "accidental advocate" and Executive Director of the Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance (MMHLA). A Naval Academy graduate and former intelligence officer, Adrienne shares her powerful personal journey of navigating postpartum depression while holding high-level security clearances – and why it took six months to finally get the help she needed.

The conversation dives deep into the unique "triple threat" of stigma facing military women: the pressure of the warrior ethos, the upheaval of the military lifestyle, and the vulnerabilities of the perinatal period. Adrienne adds to our collection of EBP “sins” and provides practical actionable intel and valuable resources. Whether you are a civilian or military provider, this episode offers a roadmap for moving beyond "baby blues" to provide comprehensive, life-saving support for military-connected families.

Adrienne Griffen, MPP, is an advocate and nationally-recognized expert in the field of maternal mental health. She is a sought-after speaker and educator, using her lived experience to engage audiences on issues surrounding the mental health and wellbeing of our nation’s mothers.

Adrienne is the Executive Director of Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance (mmhla.org), a nonprofit organization leading efforts to improve maternal mental health in the United States. She graduated from the United States Naval Academy and has a Masters in Public Policy from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• National Maternal Mental Health Hotline: 1-833-TLC-MAMA (24/7 voice and text support in English and Spanish).
• Postpartum Support International (PSI): postpartum.net – Includes specialized support groups for military families.
• Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance (MMHLA): mmhla.org – Advocacy and policy for maternal mental health.

Calls-to-action:

• Review the information provided on mmhla.org especially the MOMs Act
• Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast
• Submit your comments or questions on our social media pages or via Speakpipe
• Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is common, disabling and frequently misunderstood in clinical practice. In this episode of Practical for Your Practice, hosts Dr. Jenna Ermold and Kevin Holloway are joined by Dr. Elizabeth McIngvale and Dr. Lauren Wadsworth, two nationally recognized leaders in OCD treatment and training, for a deep dive into Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), the gold-standard treatment for OCD.

Together, they unpack why OCD is so often misdiagnosed, mistreated, or unintentionally reinforced, even by well-intentioned clinicians, and how ERP works to interrupt the obsession–compulsion cycle by targeting avoidance, ritualizing, and intolerance of uncertainty.

Be sure to listen in and remember, we want to hear from you! Have thoughts about this episode? A “clinical sin” you’ve encountered? Ideas for future topics or guests?

Leave us a voicemail via SpeakPipe https://www.speakpipe.com/cdpp4p Or send us an email [email protected] . We love hearing from our listeners.

As always, until next time, stay curious, and mind your EBPs.

Elizabeth McIngvale, Ph.D., LCSW, is the Director of the OCD Institute of Texas, Co-Founder of MHNTI, and faculty at Baylor College of Medicine. A renowned OCD expert, she has published 35+ peer-reviewed works and delivered 250+ lectures. She founded the Peace of Mind Foundation and OCDChallenge.org, now part of the IOCDF, where she serves as a Board Member and former national spokesperson. Diagnosed with OCD at age 12, Dr. McIngvale brings a unique dual perspective as both a clinician and advocate. She has advised NIH and SAMHSA and serves as a faculty instructor for the Behavioral Therapy Training Institute. She remains dedicated to advancing research and expanding access to high-quality care for OCD and anxiety disorders.

Dr. Lauren Wadsworth is a board-certified clinical psychologist and Clinical Senior Instructor at the University of Rochester Medical Center. She is the founding director of Genesee Valley Psychology (GVP), providing accessible evidence-based care in Western NY, and Meridian Psychology Practice, serving NY, MA, and GA. As a leader in mental health education, she co-founded the Mental Health National Training Institute (MHNTI) and Twin Stars Diversity Trainers. An expert in diversity and inclusion, she co-authored Did That Just Happen?! Beyond "Diversity" — Creating Sustainable and Inclusive Organizations. Dr. Wadsworth is dedicated to expanding access to evidence-based treatment and fostering inclusive environments through app-based training and organizational consultation.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Mental Health Network & Training Institute (MHNTI) Evidence-based training and consultation for OCD and related disorders https://mhnti.com
• International OCD Foundation (IOCDF) Clinician training, resources, and treatment referrals https://iocdf.org

Calls-to-action:

• Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast
• Submit your comments or questions on our social media pages or via Speakpipe
• Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

Terminations in therapy should be expected, but they often catch us – patients and providers – off-guard. What is the best way to talk about termination? What if it’s unexpected? Is “termination” even the right word? This episode finds your hosts inspired by two listeners, one of whom asked us to muse on the topic of ending the therapy relationship. And what better way to terminate 2025 than by exploring this topic? Thanks, Jane!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• CDP’s consultation services: https://deploymentpsych.org/resources/consultation-services

Calls-to-action:

• Make use of consultation when facing a challenging termination
• Consider using a psychotherapy plan to articulate the treatment and termination process from the beginning
• Incorporate ongoing assessment throughout to inform treatment and termination
• Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast
• Submit your comments or questions on our social media pages or via Speakpipe
• Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

Stop dodging those complex questions about AI and mental health! Join Drs. Kevin Holloway and Jenna Ermold as they engage with the brilliant Dr. April Foreman, Director of Technology and Innovation at the Veterans Crisis Line, for a conversation that proves tech is no longer optional—it's essential. Dr. Foreman pulls back the curtain on the sobering reality: the demand for evidence-based suicide prevention care is simply too vast for traditional methods to meet. Discover the shocking "sin" of EBP practice we might all be committing, learn how simple AI tools (like automated scribing) can boost your clinical fidelity, and find out what happens when a clinical expert "red-teams" popular chatbots for suicidality. Get the insights you need to confidently apply your ethical framework to the future of care and conquer your fear of the algorithmic boogeyman!

April C. Foreman, Ph.D., is a Licensed Psychologist serving Veterans as Director of Technology and Innovations for the Veterans Crisis Line. She is a member of the team that launched OurDataHelps.org, a recognized innovation in data donation for ground-breaking suicide research. She is passionate about helping people with severe (sometimes lethal) emotional pain, and in particular advocates for people with Borderline Personality Disorder, which has one of the highest mortality rates of all mental illnesses. She is known for her work at the intersection of technology, social media, and mental health, with nationally recognized implementations of innovations in the use of technology and mood tracking. She is the 2015 recipient of the Roger J. Tierney Award for her work as a founder and moderator of the first sponsored regular mental health chat on Twitter, the weekly Suicide Prevention Social Media chat (#SPSM, sponsored by the American Association of Suicidology, AAS). Her dream is to use her unique skills and vision to build a mental health system effectively and elegantly designed to serve the people who need it.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• CDP’s 2025 EBP Conference Archive including presentations by Dr. April Foreman, Dr. Vaile Wright, Dr. Matt Price, and Drs. Vaile Write and David Cooper’s PMI.
• Therapists in Tech: therapistsintech.com
• 988 (press 1) Veteran’s Crisis Line
• veteranscrisisline.net - Call, text, or chat for 24/7 confidential crisis support for Veterans and their loved ones

Calls-to-action:

• Spend time with new technology–learn about it experientially
• Get involved! Be part of the solution with emerging technologies rather than willfully avoiding them.
• Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast
• Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email
• Leave us a question or comment on Speakpipe

Dr. Robin Brody is back to tackle a critical gap in clinical training: narcissism and its devastating impact. We cut straight to the core, defining narcissism by its signature trait, entitlement, and exploring the clinical distinctions between grandiose, vulnerable, and malignant subtypes. The episode then dives into the flip side: narcissistic abuse. Learn to spot the confusing dynamics clients face, including performative empathy, denial of reality (often called gaslighting), trauma bonding through intermittent reinforcement, and the predictable cycle of idealization, devaluing, discard, and hoovering. Most crucially, we discuss the "sin" of inadequate provider training and the risk of how applying standard components of evidence-based treatment, like assertiveness skills, can tragically fail or even place survivors in danger.

Dr. Robin Brody is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry (Voluntary) at Weill Cornell Medicine and the founder of Dr. Robin Brody Psychological Services, a private practice specializing in the treatment of occupational trauma, PTSD, and couples therapy, and gender and sexually diverse individuals. Her work is driven by a deep commitment to helping trauma survivors, particularly those facing PTSD and moral injury.

Her expertise and demonstrated passion center on treating trauma survivors, particularly those with PTSD and moral injury. In doing so, Dr. Brody has worked with diverse populations of civilians, veterans of all branches and eras, first responders, healthcare workers, and 9/11 survivors and responders across the diagnostic and demographic spectrum. Dr. Brody started and ran an EBP for PTSD program within the World Trade Center Mental Health Program, where she trained and supervised providers in PE and CPT. Before joining Mount Sinai's World Trade Center Mental Health Program, Dr. Brody served on the faculty at Weill Cornell Medicine. In that capacity, Dr. Brody oversaw Weill Cornell's Military Families Wellness Center and worked within the Program for Anxiety and Traumatic Stress Studies (PATSS), where she was a co-investigator on numerous clinical research studies involving the treatment of PTSD, particularly among frontline healthcare workers amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. In all her efforts, Dr. Brody is committed to increasing access to, and training, in evidence-based treatments, especially for PTSD. Dr. Brody's research interests include PTSD treatment innovation and the role of shame, stigma, and identity in trauma recovery.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• DSM-5 Alternative Model of Personality Disorders
• It’s Not You, Dr. Ramani Durvasula

Calls-to-action:

• Utilize Diagnostic Frameworks: Look into the DSM-5 Alternative Model of Personality Disorders as a useful framework for understanding healthy personality functioning and personality disorders, including narcissism.
• Obtain additional training on NPD and narcissistic abuse
• Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast
• Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email
• Leave us a question or comment on Speakpipe