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.

If you are lucky enough to be the parent, teacher, babysitter or grandparent of a “little one”- you must hear this show. In it, psychologist, Dr. Rebecca Schrag Hershberg draws upon her invaluable new book, The Tantrum Survival Guide to clarify, inform deconstruct and offer strategies for managing a toddler or young child’s tantrums. She answers the What, Why and What to do Next about tantrums; considers the magic of “ Love and Limits,” exemplifies the power of Planning and Predictability and underscores the Problem of Inconsistent Limits. Drawing upon clinical material as well as “scenes from her own little ones,” Dr. Hershberg invites us to consider the ABC’s of tantrums and the possibility that we might be causing or re-enforcing them. In his forward of her book, Dan Siegel MD, renowned professor and mindfulness expert, describes Dr. Rebecca Hershberg as a brilliant translator of science and an astute, humble and hilarious observer of human nature. He’s right! Listen in.

In this episode, Dr. Michael Anestis, clinical psychologist, and award winning researcher discusses his powerful book, Guns and Suicide: An American Epidemic. Dr. Anestis is not advocating for or against gun ownership. What he is advocating for is prevention of firearm suicides. Funded by the Department of Defense through a program known as the Military Suicide Research Consortium, Michael Anestis collected and will share findings like the fact that each year the majority of gun deaths in the US are suicide deaths – more than homicide, mass shootings or terrorism. He will address the lethality of a gun when there is suicidal thinking and consider myths and theories of suicide including the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide (ITS) and the Three Step Theory. Central to his goal, Dr. Anestis will define the use of “means safety” for suicide prevention and the importance of taking a public health approach to firearm suicide prevention.

Childhood and teen obesity has grown to epidemic proportions in the US. In this episode, Dr. Maidenberg draws upon her new book “Free Your Child From Overeating: 53 Mind-Body Strategies For Lifelong Health” to offer strategies that begin with the recognition of thoughts and feelings in overeating and draw upon, CBT, Mindfulness and Acceptance therapy to address overeating. Recognizing the dynamics of teens and kids, She exemplifies how to motivate youngsters and inform them by identifying emotional eating with acronyms like HALT-Happy, Angry, Anxious, Lonely or Tired) or using the Mindful Chip Exercise or Mind over Muffin technique to invite useful ways to create a space for mindful eating. She focuses on the importance of family changes and underscores the danger of stigmatizing the overeating child as the one with the problem. Throughout she offers a wealth of resources and tools that makes this an invaluable discussion for parents.

This show is a tribute to all singles who would like to be in a relationship but have not yet found the right person. Guest Sara Eckel, author and well known contributor to the popular New York Times Column ‘Modern Love’ draws upon her poignant, funny and important book, It’s Not You: 27 (Wrong) Reasons You’re Single, to debunk the myths that society advances and singles accept for what is deemed as their failure to be coupled up- “ You’re too picky.” “ You don’t really want a relationship.” “ You don’t know love.” In a culture that insists that you can work at getting what you want – being single for many who want a relationship begs the question, What’s wrong with Me?” Drawing upon her own experience, feedback from readers and those she interviewed, Sara Eckel believes that there is a common experience of blame that many singles experience that transcends gender, race or sexual orientation. Her goal is to push back on societal presumptions to make way for what is right about you!

While the choice of using marijuana is personal and legalization is likely moving forward, Alex Berenson, former New York Times reporter, invites you to consider this question with your children- How dangerous is today’s marijuana? Drawing upon research, he clarifies that unlike the marijuana smoked in the 1970’s with a 2% level of THC, the main psychoactive component of the cannabis plant, today the level of THC is 25%. Underscoring this potency, Berenson untangles the THC in marijuana with the relatively small amount of CBD, the non-intoxicating extract of cannabis, used to treat medical problems. Many assume that recreational marijuana is safe and benign because of the medical association. The findings are quite the contrary. Berenson reports mental illness and violence as possible reactions from smoking marijuana-with increasing use increasing the risk. Whatever your opinion– for the sake of your children, listen in.

In an earlier show on Psych Up Live, Law Professor Sarah Rogerson discussed the legal ramifications of the Immigration Crisis. In this show, Dr. Hawthorne Smith, licensed psychologist and Clinical Director of the Bellevue/NYU Program for Survivors of Torture for over 15 years, discusses the psychological impact of Zero Tolerance on Immigrants. As a clinician providing services for immigrants for many years he knows about the violence they have fled, the impact of detention, the terror of ICE raids, the despair of family separations and the increased perils of today's asylum process. Dr. Smith will share the inside stories that few understand of the impact of increased xenophobia on immigrants. He will also share the clinical group interventions the Bellevue Program has offered that make hope a possibility. The message here is not to open borders – it is to understand the fear and pain of those truly in need of asylum.

There are few people who have been injured or wronged by another who don’t think about and want to mollify their psychic pain with revenge. In this episode, Dr. Steven Berglas, professor, psychotherapist, research scientist and executive coach invites us to consider “ Taking Revenge – A Better Way.” The author of award winning books, 70 articles and journal reports on cures of self-defeating behavior, Dr. Berglas discusses the personal cost of angry retaliation and the power of redirecting the brain’s reaction to danger. With a wealth of professional experience and powerful examples, Dr. Berglas discusses the ways in which revenge seeking fuels rumination, increased anger, isolation, physical and emotional pain. It traps us and intensifies the original assault. Dr. Berglas demonstrates how to cope with the psychic pain that prompts revenge with a shift of mindset to achievement striving, to the possible, to missions that undue atrocity, to healing and to growth.

Few people want to be called a Gossip” but most people can’t resist hearing a juicy story about a friend, celebrity or co-worker. Why? What is it about learning private information about others that is so irresistible? Why have people been gossiping across decades and across cultures? Is gossip good, bad or necessary? Should we think of gossip as a character flaw or a social skill? In this episode, social psychologist, Dr. Frank McAndrew will share the Science of Gossip. In fascinating detail, he will draw upon research to consider everything from the evolutionary need for gossip to successful gossiping, gender differences, celebrity obsession, social skills, destructive possibilities and more. You will understand gossip in a way you have never considered.

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.