Psych Up Live

In this show, Ken Page, LCSW, psychotherapist and author of the bestseller, Deeper Dating: How to Drop the Games of Seduction and Discover the Power of Intimacy, invites us to consider how gender role stereotypes may be crippling our love lives. Do we set aside our authenticity when we think about meeting an intimate partner? Do we worry about being too strong or independent as a woman or how sensitive we can be as a man can be without losing the so-called alpha male attractiveness? Do we default to stereotypes or presumptions of what we think others want us to be? Ken Page reminds us of the potency of our authentic self and the steps toward finding and using it. Drawing upon many of the strategies and methods of Deeper Dating he discusses and exemplifies -Identifying Gifts from Insecurities, Mapping Your Zones of Intimacy, Using a Learning Partner, Recognizing Attractions of Inspiration and Deprivation, Using Your Gift Circle and much more.

In this episode, Gaea Logan, Executive Director and Founder of the International Center for Mental Health and Human Rights, brings her expertise and experience to Psych Up Live. Drawing upon her training of humanitarian workers across the globe, she invites listeners to build resilience in the face of traumatic life events by strengthening their capacity for self-regulation and building protective internal factors that reduce burnout. She redefines trauma, offers the latest neurobiological findings on trauma’s impact on body, brain and mind and invites us to examine our “ window of tolerance” for stressful life events. Drawing upon her online training, The Portable Calm, she discusses and demonstrates skills to become more self-regulated, mindful, grounded and compassionate. Whether you are a parent, teacher, therapist or friend, Gaea believes that central to your resilience and effectiveness is developing your own capacity to reset, regulate and find calm.

"Almost Sunrise" is a compelling documentary which follows two Iraq veterans, Tom Voss and Anthony Anderson, both tormented by the scars of moral injury and the accompanying anger and depression years after their return home. Close to the edge of suicide, the two embark on an extraordinary journey – a 2,700 mile walk across the country from Wisconsin to California, in order to reflect on their haunting experiences of war and to ultimately, save themselves. In this episode, we are privileged to have Tom Voss as our guest and to have the opportunity to hear his thoughts and perspectives on moral injury, the aspects of his journey that afforded steps toward remembering, feeling, connecting, self-compassion, connection with nature, breathing and forgiving, across miles and modalities. We will also hear what it meant to return home emotionally, where Tom has come and his on-going mission to help other veterans.

In this episode, Co-founders, Colum McCann and Lisa Consiglio introduce us to Narrative 4, a global organization headed up by some of the world's most renowned and influential authors, artists and community leaders who believe language and literature are essential tools for creating a better society. They will share the way in which Narrative 4 has built empathy and bridged tens of thousands around the world in classrooms and communities etc., with the key methodology of the story exchange. Particularly important given a landscape of national and international strife, is Colum and Lisa’s description of this year’s mission of “Empathy Into Action,” a campaign that uses the story exchanges to break open historically intractable issues. They will describe their inaugural event “A Narrative for Gun Awareness” between gun advocates and those who have suffered loss and injury due to gun violence. Listen in and consider the possibilities for radical empathy fostered by Narrative 4.

This episode is about facing a life-threatening illness. It reveals the ups, the downs, the feared, the unexpected and the possibilities for enjoying life. In it, guest Joel Evans draws upon his new book, Surviving Cancer and Embracing Life, (available free), to share his battle with Pancreatic Cancer and the life changes that result. While Joel Evans is a Distinguished Professor with renowned marketing books, translated into many languages, this book is different. In this book and in this show, Joel is your neighbor who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He shares the inside story. He wants you to know what happens, the lessons learned and the efforts to reach for happiness. Personal and powerfully important.

In this show relationship experts Dr. Judith Wright and Dr. Bob Wright discuss their new and interesting book, The Heart of the Fight: A Couple’s Guide to 15 Common Fights, What They Really Mean & How They Can Bring You Closer. Dispelling many of the common myths of what you need to make a relationship work, these experts suggest that conflict is a couple’s secret weapon for coming closer but you need to know how to fight and what to fight for. In a fascinating way they discuss the Art of the Argument: Six Skills for Battling to Bliss and the Fifteen Fights That Make or Break Your Relationship. From a closer look at fights like The Blame Game to You’re Just Like Your Mother/Father, you will rethink the how and why of fighting in relationships. Ultimately this is a show that will expand the potential of your relationship. Don’t miss it.

The Immigration Crisis continues. Undocumented people are deported, thousands of children remain in detention type settings, families have been separated and in general there is fear and contention over immigration issues. In this show we turn to the expertise of Sarah Rogerson, Clinical Professor of Law at Albany Law School, and Director of the Immigration Law Clinic at Albany Law School, whose work has placed her at the intersections of domestic violence, family law, race, gender, international law and immigration law and policy. Professor Rogerson will clarify immigration law, the obstacles to citizenship, the legal situation of detained parents and separated children and options for unaccompanied children. She will clarify Asylum Seeking, the Credible Fear Interview and how and why those seeking help are in need of legal representation. She will also offer a perspective of the impact of the Immigration Crisis on those like herself stepping forward on the frontline.

Is your child playing enough? In this show Dr. Michael Yogman, pediatrician and lead author of, "The Power of Play: A Pediatric Role in Enhancing Development in Young Children," discusses why play with parents and peers, is the singular opportunity for promoting the social-emotional, cognitive, language and self-regulation skills associated with developing executive function and a prosocial brain. When play is missing in a child's life, toxic stress can disrupt brain development. Learning becomes difficult. The opportunity to play in a safe and nurturing relationship is a child's buffer to life's adversity. What Dr. Yogman will share with his interesting research findings and important parent-child play strategies are the very things he offers pediatricians as the reasons for them to promote and write prescriptions for play. Given the cultural imperatives to push academic skills from a child's earliest years, you will find this show enlightening. You'll want to play with your child.

In this show Michael Pipich, MS,LMFT, therapist and national speaker on Bipolar Disorder, draws upon his new book, Owning Bipolar: How Patients and Families Can take Control of Bipolar Disorder to make owning and properly treating Bipolar Disorder a reality. Citing research and clinical examples, Michael Pipich reports that too many patients and their families are frightened, confused and misinformed about bipolar disorder. As such, he offers listeners important information starting with the fact that Bipolar Disorder is no one's fault. It is genetic. Michael discusses the difficulty with diagnosis and offers clinical ways to confront denial and the fear of losing creative potential. He discusses treatments that involve specific medications as well as various therapies for those suffering and family members. An important focus is his Three-Phase Approach to Bipolar Therapy. Michael Pipich's goal is acceptance of Bipolar with less stigma and treatment with more success.

Bullying impacts millions of children, parents, and individuals in our schools and communities. Given that bullying and being bullied can leave life long scars, we need to address the fear, intimidation shame and abuse of power that fuels bullying. In this episode, Connie Palmer LCSW, teacher, counselor and therapist brings us the Bullies To Buddies Program. Drawing upon this model created by school psychologist, Izzy Kalman, Connie Palmer discusses the rationale and a curriculum for empowering victims with tools to verbally respond to bullies. She discusses the role she has played in coaching children from kindergarten on in a way that changes the bullying dynamic and the negativity and victimization in a school culture. She will demonstrate the technique of defusing the bully in role playing exercises with host, Suzanne Phillips and will address questions like: What about physical threats? What can teachers and parents do? How can we help bullies? Can they ever really be buddies?