Psych Talk

In today's episode of Psych Talk, I discuss cognitive distortions. Cognitive distortions are errors in our thinking. They are exaggerated patterns of thought that are not based on facts and can lead you to consequently view things more negatively than they really are.  In this episode I discuss various different types of cognitive distortions including All or Nothing Thinking, Catastrophizing, Mental Filters, Jumping to Conclusions, and Labeling. I discuss ways to challenge cognitive distortions, both broadly and specifically based on type. Additionally, I remind listeners that although cognitive distortions are seen in disorders such as depression and anxiety, engaging in them is something we all do. 

Ways to Work With Me:
Mind Over Matter
LGBTQ+ Affirming Masterclass
Be a guest on my podcast

Resources:
Anti-Racism Resources
LGBTQ+ Affirming Resources
The Helping Professional's Guide to Boundary Setting

Connect with Me:
Follow me on IG @jessicaleighphd
Follow the podcast on IG @psych.talk.podcast
Follow me on TikTok @jessicaleighphd
Join my Facebook community: Grow Through What You Go Through

Sponsors & Collaborations:
BetterHelp

Intro/Outro Music:
Life of Riley by Kevin MacLeod
Music License

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

In today's episode of Psych Talk, I speak with Shari Foos, MA, MFT about The Narrative Method. The Narrative Method is a California 501 c3 non-profit organization all about making human connections through the process of sharing stories. Shari shares with listeners about The Narrative Method and what inspired her to create it. We discussed why human connection is so important and why sharing stories is a means to form those connections. Shari shares some of the skills that she believes are key to developing meaningful connections and how individuals can start developing those skills. We also discuss relational mindfulness and radical gratitude, along with how we, as individuals, can combat the negative messages that we hear from the media and culture and how will doing so help us be more connected to one another and ourselves.

Connect with Shari:
Website: www.thenarrativemethod.org
Facebook: The Narrative Method
Instagram: @thenarrativemethod
Twitter: @narrativemethod

Ways to Work With Me:
Mind Over Matter
LGBTQ+ Affirming Masterclass
Be a guest on my podcast

Resources:
Anti-Racism Resources
LGBTQ+ Affirming Resources
The Helping Professional's Guide to Boundary Setting

Connect with Me:
Follow me on IG @jessicaleighphd
Follow the podcast on IG @psych.talk.podcast
Follow me on TikTok @jessicaleighphd
Join my Facebook community: Grow Through What You Go Through

Sponsors & Collaborations:
BetterHelp

Intro/Outro Music:
Life of Riley by Kevin MacLeod
Music License

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

In today's episode of Psych Talk, I speak with Brittany Raj about her journey of being diagnosed with ADHD as an adult. Brittany shares her journey with ADHD as an undiagnosed child looking back on her life and the long process it took to get an ADHD diagnosis as an adult. She shares her experiences with trying out different therapists, initially denying the idea that she had ADHD, advocating for herself to get the correct diagnosis, and even using her diagnosis as an excuse for some of her behaviors. As ADHD can appear different for different people, Brittany shares how ADHD shows up for her and all the various aspects of life it impacts as an adult. Brittany does an amazing job of not only identifying the ways it negatively impacts her life but the strengths that come from having ADHD; referring to it as a "superpower". Brittany also offers advice, words of encouragement, and resources for any adults who are struggling with ADHD.

Connect with Brittany:
Instagram: @brittanyriesenberg

Resources Mentioned in this Episode:
Journey 2 ADHD
Faster than Normal
PLAYDHD

Ways to Work With Me:
Mind Over Matter
LGBTQ+ Affirming Masterclass
Be a guest on my podcast

Resources:
Anti-Racism Resources
LGBTQ+ Affirming Resources
The Helping Professional's Guide to Boundary Setting

Connect with Me:
Follow me on IG @jessicaleighphd
Follow the podcast on IG @psych.talk.podcast
Follow me on TikTok @jessicaleighphd
Join my Facebook community: Grow Through What You Go Through

Sponsors & Collaborations:
BetterHelp

Intro/Outro Music:
Life of Riley by Kevin MacLeod
Music License

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

In today's episode of Psych Talk, I discuss the field of Positive Psychology -  the scientific study of the strengths that enable individuals and communities to thrive.  I give a brief overview of what positive psychology is, a brief overview of the literature, and Martin Seligman's PERMA model of wellbeing. I then go into a variety of positive psychological constructs such as flow, hope, optimism, and resilience, giving a brief overview of what each one is, their impact on overall wellbeing, and practical tools on how listeners can enhance each of these constructs in their lives. Additionally, I talk about the current criticisms of the field. 

Positive Psychology Resources:
Martin Seligman's Website
positivepsychology.com

Ways to Work With Me:
Mind Over Matter
LGBTQ+ Affirming Masterclass
Be a guest on my podcast

Resources:
Anti-Racism Resources
LGBTQ+ Affirming Resources
The Helping Professional's Guide to Boundary Setting

Connect with Me:
Follow me on IG @jessicaleighphd
Follow the podcast on IG @psych.talk.podcast
Follow me on TikTok @jessicaleighphd
Join my Facebook community: Grow Through What You Go Through

Sponsors & Collaborations:
BetterHelp

Intro/Outro Music:
Life of Riley by Kevin MacLeod
Music License

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

In today's episode of Psych Talk I chat with Carmen Schutz, a Registered Clinical Counselor in Canada. Carmen has a passion for helping those struggling with addiction and we have an honest discussion about the role trauma plays in addiction. Carmen discusses the opioid crisis that we are currently facing in North America, as well as how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted addiction. Carmen also shares her experiences with her clinical work and as a first responder and how those experiences have shared her outlook. Outside of trauma and addiction, Carmen has an interest in frontline burnout; thus, we discuss the burnout frontline workers are currently facing due to the pandemic.

In this episode we discuss addiction and trauma. Please be advised when listening to this episode and stop listening or reach out to someone you trust if topics discussed in this episode are difficult for you to listen to.

Connect with Carmen:
Instagram: @the.transforming.mind
Facebook: The Transforming Mind

Ways to Work With Me:
Mind Over Matter
LGBTQ+ Affirming Masterclass
Be a guest on my podcast

Resources:
Anti-Racism Resources
LGBTQ+ Affirming Resources
The Helping Professional's Guide to Boundary Setting

Connect with Me:
Follow me on IG @jessicaleighphd
Follow the podcast on IG @psych.talk.podcast
Follow me on TikTok @jessicaleighphd
Join my Facebook community: Grow Through What You Go Through

Sponsors & Collaborations:
BetterHelp

Intro/Outro Music:
Life of Riley by Kevin MacLeod
Music License

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

In today's episode of Psych Talk, I speak with Julia Cowley, retired FBI agent, profiler in the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU), and former forensic scientist and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. Julia shares her journey to becoming an FBI agent and ultimately ending up in the Behavioral Analysis Unit as a profiler and what the training was like to get there. She describes what the BAU does and how it differs from what is shown on television. Julia talks about the psychology of criminals,  namely common characteristics she has observed in her many years of experience. We then go into discuss the Joe D'Angelo (The Golden State Killer) case, which Julia was one of the lead profilers on. She gives a brief overview of the case for listeners, discusses some of the patterns of behavior she observed, and what she learned from that case.

The Joe D'Angelo case includes information about rape, murder, and ransacking. Listener discretion is advised.

Connect with Julia:
Twitter: jcow1969
Podcast: The Consult
Website: True Crime Consult

Resources Mentioned in this Episode:
www.fbijobs.gov

Ways to Work With Me:
Mind Over Matter
LGBTQ+ Affirming Masterclass
Be a guest on my podcast

Resources:
Anti-Racism Resources
LGBTQ+ Affirming Resources
The Helping Professional's Guide to Boundary Setting

Connect with Me:
Follow me on IG @jessicaleighphd
Follow the podcast on IG @psych.talk.podcast
Follow me on TikTok @jessicaleighphd
Join my Facebook community: Grow Through What You Go Through

Sponsors & Collaborations:
BetterHelp

Intro/Outro Music:
Life of Riley by Kevin MacLeod
Music License

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

In 2021, 21 states in total introduced bills to deny gender-affirming medical care to transgender youth. More recently, in Texas, Greg Abbott wrote a letter to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services stating that gender-affirming care to minors constitutes as child abuse and that "DFPS to investigate the parents of a child who is subjected to these abusive gender-transitioning procedures, and on other state agencies to investigate licensed facilities where such procedures may occur". As someone who regularly works with transgender and gender diverse youth, I wanted today's episode of Psych Talk to be about gender affirming care - what it is and the misconceptions about it. Many people are under the false impression that gender-affirming care is simply hormones and surgery,  but gender-affirming care encompasses so much more than that. In this episode, I dive into what gender-affirming care is, the interventions that fall under gender-affirming care, what the research says about gender affirming care, and common misconceptions I hear about gender-affirming care and transgender/gender diverse youth in general.

My goal of this episode is to be educational, not political, despite bringing up the politics that inspired this episode. My hope is that after listening to this episode, listeners have more knowledge on what gender-affirming care is, the research behind it, and clarification on misconceptions, so that they can make more informed decisions when it comes to their beliefs about the topic. I also acknowledge that I am a cisgender female without lived experience in this realm, both with being transgender/gender diverse and receiving gender affirming care, thus, although I consider myself knowledgable on this topic, I also recognize there are limits to my knowledge, I will never have all the knowledge, and I continue to learn and grow.  

Mentioned in this Episode:
WPATH Standards of Care

Ways to Work With Me:
Mind Over Matter
LGBTQ+ Affirming Masterclass
Be a guest on my podcast

Resources:
Anti-Racism Resources
LGBTQ+ Affirming Resources
The Helping Professional's Guide to Boundary Setting

Connect with Me:
Follow me on IG @jessicaleighphd
Follow the podcast on IG @psych.talk.podcast
Follow me on TikTok @jessicaleighphd
Join my Facebook community: Grow Through What You Go Through

Sponsors & Collaborations:

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

In today's episode of Psych Talk, I speak with JP Padda, MD a psychiatrist in Canada specializing in addiction, specifically opioid addiction. JP shares about his journey to becoming a psychiatrist, as well as how he got interested in specializing in the addiction field. JP defines for listeners what addiction is from a psychological perspective, emphasizing the impact it has on a person's functioning. We discuss common misconceptions about addiction, how psychiatrists treat addiction, both from a client-centered and prescription perspective, and the risks and benefits of treating addiction with medication. JP shares some of the challenges he and his patients have experienced since COVID with regard to mental health care access and increase of overdoses. JP also shares what prescribers can do to lessen the risk for prescription medication abuse. Oh, and did I mention JP is also an actor?

In this episode we discuss addiction and trauma. Please be advised when listening to this episode and stop listening or reach out to someone you trust if topics discussed in this episode are difficult for you to listen to.

Connect with JP:
Instagram: @jppaddanotmorgan

Ways to Work With Me:
Mind Over Matter
LGBTQ+ Affirming Masterclass
Be a guest on my podcast

Resources:
Anti-Racism Resources
LGBTQ+ Affirming Resources
The Helping Professional's Guide to Boundary Setting

Connect with Me:
Follow me on IG @jessicaleighphd
Follow the podcast on IG @psych.talk.podcast
Follow me on TikTok @jessicaleighphd
Join my Facebook community: Grow Through What You Go Through

Sponsors & Collaborations:
BetterHelp

Intro/Outro Music:
Life of Riley by Kevin MacLeod
Music License

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

In today's episode of Psych Talk I chat with Eleanor Clark, a licensed mental health counselor associate who's clinical work focuses on individuals with eating disorders. Eleanor defines body neutrality for listeners and describes how it is different from the body positivity movement. Eleanor shares why, in her perspective, body neutrality is advantageous over the body positivity movement and the faults or shortcomings of the body positivity movement, while also acknowledging all the good it has done. Eleanor provides listeners with some tips to start moving towards body neutrality, as well as body neutral affirmations. We also discuss Eleanor's book Body Neutrality which comes out December 2022.

Connect with Eleanor:
Instagram: @eleanorclark_lmhca

Resources Mentioned in this episode:
More Than A Body by Lindsay and Lexie Kite

Ways to Work With Me:
Mind Over Matter
LGBTQ+ Affirming Masterclass
Be a guest on my podcast

Resources:
Anti-Racism Resources
LGBTQ+ Affirming Resources
The Helping Professional's Guide to Boundary Setting

Connect with Me:
Follow me on IG @jessicaleighphd
Follow the podcast on IG @psych.talk.podcast
Follow me on TikTok @jessicaleighphd
Join my Facebook community: Grow Through What You Go Through

Sponsors & Collaborations:
BetterHelp

Intro/Outro Music:
Life of Riley by Kevin MacLeod
Music License

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

In today's episode of Psych Talk, I discuss the topic of religious trauma. Religious trauma can be defined as "pervasive psychological damage resulting from religious messages, beliefs, and experiences." Although religion and spirituality can have beneficial effects on individuals' mental health, for many religion is not a positive experience and can be extremely harmful. In this episode, I discuss what religious trauma is and describe various areas in which individuals have experienced religious trauma including sexism, purity culture, mental health, and messages about the LGBTQ+ community. I discuss the impact and outcomes of religious trauma, as well as ways individuals can start healing from their trauma. 

This episode touches on many things that may be difficult for individuals to hear, whether it is due to their personal experiences or challenging beliefs that they previously held. I also acknowledge that much of the information shared in this episode may appear one sided, only focusing on the negative aspects of religion. This is intentional, as the focus of this episode is on aspects of religion that many may find traumatic, or at minimum, harmful.

Ways to Work With Me:
Mind Over Matter
LGBTQ+ Affirming Masterclass
Be a guest on my podcast

Resources:
Anti-Racism Resources
LGBTQ+ Affirming Resources
The Helping Professional's Guide to Boundary Setting

Connect with Me:
Follow me on IG @jessicaleighphd
Follow the podcast on IG @psych.talk.podcast
Follow me on TikTok @jessicaleighphd
Join my Facebook community: Grow Through What You Go Through

Sponsors & Collaborations:
BetterHelp

Intro/Outro Music:
Life of Riley by Kevin MacLeod
Music License

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify