Psych Up Live

Regardless, of gender, age, or political persuasion, we all fall for fake news. Not You? Listen in as MIT trained science writer, Matthew Hutson, discusses how and why we are all increasingly susceptible to believing misinformation. Drawing upon his recent article in Psychology Today, “How Memory Became Weaponized,” Matthew Hutson discusses the flaws of human memory, our evolutionary tendency to believe what we see, and the attack on our memories with algorithms used by marketers, trolls, or anyone with an agenda they want believed. He discusses the many ways that our memories are assaulted by factors like the speed of information dissemination, the purposeful mixing of fake news with real news, or the repetition of false headlines or images which capitalize on our tendency to believe what we see and remember what we believe. Importantly, he shares strategies to “fend off fakery.” Frightening and fascinating. Listen in and Call in.

Many of us personally 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.

As we consider how to open the workplace with possible hybrid options, one reality that has received too little attention is the increase in Workplace Harassment during the pandemic year. In this show, Kalpana Kotagal, partner at Cohen Milstein in the Civil Rights and Employment group, will consider recent findings from two surveys which reveal a significant rise of virtual harassment of many people working from home. Ms. Kotagal will consider whether the pandemic played a role in increasing existing harassment in the workplace or added new dangers and demands on employees working remotely. She will discuss the challenges of virtual work, the targets of virtual harassment (women, people of color, LGBTQ and older employees) and what happens when there is no witness and no bystander. Importantly she will offer her expertise in terms of the need for Employers and Human Resource Professionals to consider the ongoing issues of workplace harassment that compromise the safety, equality, mental and physical health of all employees in the office and the virtual workplace.

Are you a sensation seeker? Have you ever wondered why people climb Everest, jump out of planes or ski dangerous unmarked trails? Is eagerness to experience the impact of any street drug or gambling away life savings driven by thrill seeking? In this show Dr. Ken Carter, Emory Psychologist and researcher of sensation thinking, considers these questions and more. He discusses the general components of sensation-seeking including thrill and adventure seeking, experience seeking, boredom susceptibility, and disinhibition. He looks at gender differences, changes across the lifespan and clarifies the neuroscience behind sensation seeking. Considering the advantages and disadvantages of being a thrill seeker, he will even tell you about an online test to determine how much of a sensation seeker you are. Listen in--You will be intrigued.

In this episode, Dr. Bella DePaulo, social psychologist and author will first draw upon her well recognized book, Singled Out: How Singles Are Stereotyped, Stigmatized, and Ignored, and Still Live Happily Ever After to consider the cultural myths, negative presumptions and even financial discrimination against people who choose to live alone. Considering that more than half of adult Americans are single, Dr. DePaulo’s goal of raising consciousness regarding “Singlism” and awareness of the actual happiness of many singles is an important one. In this episode, Dr. De Paulo will also discuss her fascinating new book, How We Live Now: Redefining Home and Family in the 21st Century, which considers the creative and often non-nuclear ways that people are finding to live. The message of this show is thinking beyond cultural constraints to notice the different ways, spaces and places that people can choose to live happy lives.

In this show, our guest Boaz Feldman will be calling in from Geneva Switzerland with great interest in connecting to our listeners. Much as the title suggests, Boaz Feldman's passion is the integration of knowledge from many sources for personal growth, humanitarian outreach, clinical training and intervention across borders. He will speak about his experience as a Buddhist Monk and what contemplative practice brings to humanitarian work and clinical work. He will discuss his development of NeuroSystemics which recognizes the integration of body-mind regulation, healthy relational attachment and embodied community processes. He will consider the role of compassion training for couples, reasons and remedies for unrecognized burnout, self-development through selfless service and his integration of many of these dimensions in the Care Training Program he offers. Listen in. It will be a special experience.

In this show Dr. Elisha Goldstein returns to Psych Up Live to describe, discuss and exemplify aspects of his important new program “ Uncover the Power Within”. Dr. Elisha Goldstein will share the personal journey that brings him to his tireless work of empowering people to understand the causes of depression, anxiety and unhappiness. In this episode he uncovers the battle between surviving and really living. He shares the ingredients that help us adapt practices to relax the nervous system, combat distraction, and heal self-image. He offers an understanding of the power of connection between people to enhance the use of mindfulness, the gift of self-compassion and much more. If you find Elisha very easy to hear and understand, it is because his message is both informative and always underscored with kindness and compassion. Listen in.

In this show, Dr. Frank McAndrew, social psychologist and the Cornelia H. Dudley Professor of Psychology at Knox College, takes on the questions many of us have pondered-Why do we pay to be scared by horror movies? Why do stories of Hunted Houses persist and intrigue us? What makes clowns loveable to some and terrifying to others? Are some people more likely to see ghosts than others? As someone who has studied and researched aspects of creepiness and horror, Dr. McAndrew offers a perspective you are not likely to find anywhere else. You will learn about the psychological mechanisms behind “creeped out” the “agent detection mechanism” tripped by haunted houses, the factors that might account for the “ sensed presence” of another and other paranormal experiences. Buckle up and listen in to a fascinating show.

The journey that a transgender teen takes from confusion and fear to acceptance and consolidation of gender identity is often a difficult one for them and their parents. It is one for which understanding and support are invaluable. What information is most helpful for teens? What do parents need to know? What type of parental support is considered by teens to be most valuable? In this show, Dr. Tandy Aye, professor of pediatrics at Stanford Medicine, and a pediatric endocrinologist at the Stanford Children's Health Pediatric and Adolescent Gender Clinic, joins us to discuss the findings of her important Stanford Study, "Perceptions of Support Among Transgender and Gender-Expansive Adolescents and their Parents." The study identifies the type of family support transgender adolescents report as most helpful in their journey. Drawing upon her clinical experience Dr. Aye, sets the stage by clarifying gender identity and the common experiences of a youngster who comes to identify as transgender. She then discusses the rationale for her research, the approach she used and her important findings for both teens and parents. Whether you are a teen, a parent, a grandparent, a professional who works with teens or someone who loves them – listen in.

If you are someone who struggles with falling asleep or staying asleep – you are not alone. An estimated 164 million Americans (68%) reported struggling with sleep at least once per week. In this show, Dr.Courtney Bancroft, Yale-trained, licensed psychologist specializing in all-natural, evidence-based insomnia treatment, offers some answers. Dr. Bancroft clarifies the nature and patterns of sleep, discusses the reality and myths associated with insomnia, and helps us to examine factors that may keep us from sleeping. She offers strategies for improved sleep hygiene and exemplifies the use of Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) with a case example. If you or someone you know suffers with insomnia or sleep difficulties– Listen in.