Psych Up Live

Anti-bullying sites report that bullying has become an epidemic. One in 7 students K – 12, bully or are a victim of bullying. 75% of school shootings are linked to bullying and there is a strong link between bullying and suicide. Against this backdrop, Alan Eisenberg, Founder of Bully Recovery, Coach, and author of A Ladder In The Dark: My Journey From Bullying To Self-Acceptance and Crossing the Line, shares his childhood experience of bullying, his years of suffering with Complex PTSD and the path to recovery. What Alan offers is the story behind the statistics that few share and too few adults hear. Alan reveals the daily terror, shame, and self-blame that the bullied child or teen faces alone. He reports the loss of the authentic self, the need to fit in and his own misuse of violence. Bringing us to his adult story, Alan shares how his suffering continues until he seeks professional help and begins the steps and strategies that support bully recovery. His story offers answers.

Most people have faced unexpected stressful situations. There are even times, often in midlife, when it seems like the challenges just won’t stop. In this episode, psychologist and author, Dr. Pete Stebbins, using surfing as a metaphor, draws upon his clinical and personal experience to offer strategies for coping and proceeding effectively with life. Whether facing the stress of divorce, illness, bereavement, wedding plans or debt, we are guided to consider how to appraise the problem, understand our personal stress reactions, manage mindset, regulate emotions, and re-set lifestyle and purpose. Dr. Stebbins invites us to develop the skills to successfully surf the waves of life and ride out the Tsunamis.

The Divorce rate in the US among middle-aged and older adults has doubled over the past two decades. This rise is significant given that half of the married population is aged 50 and older. On today's show we are going to consider the impact of this trend toward later life divorce on children be they teens or adults. Our guest experts are Dr. Carol Hughes and Bruce Fredenburg, LMFT who will be discussing their important new book HOME WILL NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN: A Guide for Adult Children of Gray Divorce. The book is as informative as it is emotionally stirring. It draws upon years of clinical work to consider how parents and children deal with the good, the bad and the emotionally complicated impact of The Graying of Divorce.

This Show offers a powerful and eye-opening consideration of medical care for marginalized people. Whether from a patient's perspective or the perspective of those who serve as medical caregivers, you will find Dr. Dean David Schillinger's TELLTALE HEARTS to be an extraordinary book and Dr. Schillinger to be an extraordinary person. What Dr. Schillinger offers is the gift of his own story in tandem with the unexpected, tragic, impressive and heart-breaking stories of his patients. Both sets of stories offer a glimpse of how industrialized medical systems can be dangerous for patients who are misunderstood, stereotyped and overlooked and for doctors who are struggling with burn-out, bias and at times frustration and despair. What Dr. Schillinger believes, and shares is the power of the patient's narrative. He exemplifies that when a patient is invited to be known, to tell their story, to be seen and respected– treatment and healing often become possible. Dr. Schillinger's description of his journey and his relationship with patients who dare to share and be known is medically and socially invaluable.

Dr. Kristin Neff is the recognized pioneer in the field of Self Compassion research and the author of the important book, Self-Compassion-The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself. As individuals, families and communities we need to find a way to cope with the stress, fear and uncertainty we face. As you listen to Kristen Neff, you will hear something unexpected and important – the reasons and the research that reveal Self-Compassion as a powerful personal resource for coping and maintaining sustainability in difficult times. Kristin Neff will draw upon examples to share why self-compassion is different than self-pity or self-esteem. She will answer the paradox of why embracing our negative feelings with kindness actually empowers us, why self-compassion expands our comfort with mistakes, and fosters self-esteem as a by-product of functioning despite roadblocks. She will exemplify the use of self-compassion and Mindful Self-Compassion. We need Self-Compassion.

In this show Carol Novello, founder of Mutual Rescue and author of Mutual Rescue, returns to Psych UP Live with an exciting and expansive focus on the power of people-pet rescue and connection. She discusses options for people who cannot actually adopt a pet but want to share in the experience of loving homeless furry friends. Discussing the stories captured in a new set of award winning mini films, Carol considers how mutual rescue addresses trauma, pain, othering, bias, and loneliness. She discusses the neurophysiology of the pet-person connection. With powerful stories she shares an animal’s ability to show us unfiltered affection and loyalty despite the heartbreaks and loss of everyday life and teach us about the courage to embrace any moment of connection. You will love this show.

Violence against women is a global health issue. The threats women face today are unapparelled and more dangerous than ever before. When you add the toxic cocktail of technology and social media the danger increases. In this show, former Deputy Sheriff, Joy Farrow and Tech Engineer and trauma survivor Laura Frombach will discuss how women can avoid being victims of violence on many levels. They will discuss and exemplify how women can develop “A Safety Intuition for Defensive Living”, become “ Persuasion Proof,” “ Take a safe walk or a run,” Be aware of “Online Dating – Red Flags,” Travel “Solo and Safe,” handle “The SOS Situation,” and more. What you hear may increase your anxiety but it will empower you in many ways. Women and everyone who loves them should hear this show.

Many of us know transgender men and women or have become aware through the media of the transitions made by transgender men and women. The increased media coverage has invited both compassion and support by some and discrimination and even violence by others. This episode will clarify myths and give you an insider’s experience of the transgender journey. Guest Kristin Collier will share her personal story of being a young mother with a toddler and infant son who learns that the husband she loves can no longer carry the secret of his gender identification as a woman. She will bring you into the emotional steps of her husband’s transition while facing you with the day-to-day details of her own necessary transformation. If your husband is a woman- Who are you? Can you love and support the woman he becomes? What do you tell your little boys? How do you meet your needs? Kristin Collier’s story of strength, compassion and unexpected answers is one you won't forget.

The amount of stress worldwide is at an all-time high. Self-Care and understanding alternative ways of easing pain are important. This show takes a close look at the varied forms of Alternative Medicine from Energy Medicine, Acupuncture, Chiropractic to religious belief, embraced by millions seeking relief for chronic pain, digestive disorders, fibromyalgia etc. Our guest author, Melanie Warner draws upon her important new book, The Magic Feather Effect: The Science of Alternative Medicine and the Surprising Power of Belief, to invite us into a personal research journey which involves her meeting with clinicians, scientists, and healers world-wide, to answer questions like- Why have these Alternative Medicines become so popular? Why do some people report dramatic relief while others don’t? Can the results be subject to scientific proof? Is it the placebo effect? Do we need to recognize and use the surprising system of self-healing that belongs to us.

In this episode Dr. Scott Small, esteemed neurologist and neuroscientist known for his work in Alzheimer’s disease, discusses his important new book, Forgetting: The Benefits of Not Remembering. In a culture inundated with information and worried about aging and forgetting, this is an extraordinary contribution. In a conversational style, Dr. Small offers the neuroscience of forgetting in a way that is as informative as it is startling. Drawing upon fascinating examples and personal history, he illuminates the reasons that we need “to forget” in order to think flexibly, prioritize, make decisions, be creative, address traumatic memories and remember what is needed. Toward this end he will consider: Why don’t I want a photographic memory? What part of the brain turns up or turns down memory and forgetting? What is the role of sleep in forgetting? What role does forgetting play in addressing trauma and PTSD? What is the difference between cognitive aging and Alzheimer’s disease? Listen in to an extraordinary guest.