It’s natural for us to have feelings of anger as we navigate the obstacles of life, but if left unaddressed, they can easily consume us and negatively impact our lives in more ways than one. Forgiveness, on the other hand, can help us let go of anger, improve our mental health, and maintain healthier relationships. 

To explore these closely connected topics, we are thrilled to welcome back therapist Robyn Walser, who co-authored The Act Workbook for Anger alongside Manuela O'Connell. Through Robyn’s pool of expertise and her own learning history with anger, we discuss the significance of identifying the root cause of anger, in addition to how social messages, context, and cultural influences can contribute to the way we perceive and manage it. Robyn also shows us how to react to and express anger in ways that are more effective and aligned with our core values, and how, through forgiveness, we can restore relationships and pave the way to deeper healing. Join us to glean wisdom for Robyn and embark on a journey of self-discovery and a more fulfilling life!

Robyn D. Walser, PhD, works as a consultant, workshop presenter, and therapist in her private business, TLConsultation Services. She received her doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of Nevada, Reno. During her graduate studies, she developed expertise in traumatic stress, substance abuse, and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). She has been doing ACT workshop trainings, both nationally and internationally, since 1998, training in multiple formats and for multiple client problems.

She is the author of several books, including The ACT Workbook for Anger, Learning ACT, The Heart of ACT, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for the Treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Trauma-Related Problems. 

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We all want to raise our children to be self-sufficient and to explore their own identities, but it can be difficult to strike a balance between control and support. For this episode, we enlisted the guidance of Clinical Psychologist Emily Edlynn, who, through her book ‘Autonomy-Supportive Parenting’, provides parental strategies that encourage your kids to have autonomy while also establishing boundaries. 

We love how Emily’s compassionate, very non-judgmental approach alleviates some of the responsibilities that parents take on. You'll get so many helpful on-the-ground tools for instilling independence in your children and fostering motivation without imposing control. She also touches on questions about giving children allowances, navigating privacy, and how to reward your children in a positive way. Listen in to find out more about Emily's powerful parenting framework!

Emily Edlynn, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist in private practice with specialized training in pediatric health psychology. She's the author of parenting blog The Art and Science of Mom, as well as the upcoming book Autonomy-Supportive Parenting: Reduce Parental Burnout and Raise Competent, Confident Children.

Dr. Edlynn has worked as a pediatric health psychologist in two large urban hospitals and was previously an assistant professor at University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine. She's currently the Director of Pediatric Behavioral Medicine at a private practice in Oak Park, Illinois. Dr. Edlynn writes a parenting blog, The Art and Science of Mom, and has penned the advice column, Ask Your Mom, for Parents since 2019. Dr. Edlynn has been featured as a parenting expert across national outlets and is the author of Autonomy-Supportive Parenting: Reduce Parental Burnout and Raise Competent, Confident Children.

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If you are struggling to make positive changes in your life, our interview with Dr. Michelle Drapkin is full of inspiration on prioritizing and being compassionate with yourself, even when facing setbacks. 

As we dig into research-proven strategies from Michelle’s new self-help book, The Motivational Interviewing Path to Personal Change, you’ll learn how motivational interviewing works and helps you move in the direction of what's important to you and your values. If you feel stuck or unsure about where to start, Michelle's tips on identifying targets for change and how to get unstuck using change talk will help you gain clarity and momentum. Tune in to learn how to harness your intrinsic motivation so that you can understand the "Why" behind your journey and make changes that last!

Dr. Michelle Drapkin has been working in the area of behavior change for over 20 years. She is the Owner/Director of the CBT Center and previously held roles as a Senior Behavioral Scientist at BetterUp, where she worked to advance the science and practice of evidence-based coaching in the workplace, and at Johnson and Johnson where she led the development and deployment of behavior change interventions, including an intervention for wellbeing and mindfulness. She held a national position at the Department of Veterans Affairs and was on faculty at the University of Pennsylvania. She is a board-certified Clinical Psychologist who sees patients in her private practice, consults with healthcare tech startups, and delivers trainings and workshops on communication, motivation, health, and well-being at work and in life. She is the author of The Motivational Interviewing Path to Personal Change: The Essential Workbook for Creating the Life You Want.

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In this age of technology, our children are more exposed than ever before. As parents, it falls upon us to educate and mentor them in responsibly navigating boundaries, identity, privacy, and reputation. 

For this episode, we bring you Devorah Heitner, who, in her most recent book titled Growing Up in Public: Coming of Age in the Digital World, touches on many important strategies for guiding our children to live in a digital world where privacy is nonexistent and judgment is unavoidable. 

Devorah's book could not have come at a better time and is a tremendously valuable resource for parents, kids, and community members to draw from because she offers so much advice on having meaningful conversations with your kids that foster trust and create connectedness. 

Dr. Devorah Heitner is an author who specializes in helping kids navigate tech using practical, research-informed approaches. She has a Ph.D. in Media/Technology & Society from Northwestern University and has taught at DePaul and Northwestern. Her work on mentoring kids in a connected world has appeared in the New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, and CNN Opinion. She is a mother of a teenager of her own and the author of Screenwise: Helping Kids Thrive (and Survive) in Their Digital World and Growing Up in Public: Coming of Age in a Digital World which we are here to discuss today. 

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Addiction is a frightening disorder with complex root causes, affecting a staggering one in every five people over the age of 14. To explore the intricate nature of addiction, we invited Dr. Judith Grisel, a renowned psychology professor at Bucknell University and the author of Never Enough: The Neuroscience and Experience of Addiction, to the conversation. 

What makes this conversation so powerful is not only Dr. Grisels wealth of knowledge but also her ability to explain complicated ideas in such a relatable way. And what’s even more remarkable is her own history with substance abuse and how, with effective treatment and understanding, she embarked on her own thirty-plus-year road to recovery.  

Combining science-based understanding with learned experience, Judith explains how addiction affects the brain, the social, psychological, and genetic factors that play a part, as well as the value of de-stigmatization, support, and early treatment. Whether you or someone you love has been impacted by addiction, her insights, and transformational story are sure to provide guidance and hope.

Dr. Judith Grisel is a behavioral neuroscientist with a particular interest in addiction. Her research attempts to identify psychological and genetic factors that lead some people to develop drug addictions while others in similar circumstances do not. Grisel’s work is inspired by her own personal experience with addiction, a struggle she chronicled in her book Never Enough: The Neuroscience and Experience of Addiction. The work, which appeared on the New York Times bestseller list for science books, established Grisel as a leading expert on the science of substance abuse. That reputation earned her an invitation to speak on addiction panels at the 2020 World Economic Forum.

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It’s time to talk about menopause. Despite being such a pivotal stage in a woman's development, it does not always receive the acknowledgment it deserves. And with half of the population affected by menopause, it’s about time we started talking about it loud and proud!

Helping us unpack the whirlwind of physical and emotional changes women experience as they go through this transition is Jancee Dunn, columnist, perimenopause warrior, and author of Hot and Bothered, who shares her insightful thoughts. 

As we laugh and learn about the ups and downs of menopause, you’ll hear about the 30+ symptoms (yep, you read that right!), and we've got you covered with intimacy tips, the best treatments to ease the discomfort, and even some surprising positives about this stage of life. No matter your gender identity, we welcome everyone to join us for this refreshingly hilarious and eye-opening journey!

Jancee Dunn is the New York Times bestselling author of nine books, including a memoir and a biography of Cyndi Lauper. Her essay collection Why Is My Mother Getting a Tattoo? was a finalist for the Thurber Prize for American Humor. Her last book, How Not To Hate Your Husband After Kids, was published in twelve languages. She is a frequent contributor to The New York Times, Vogue, and Health. She was a sex columnist at GQ and had a column that addressed ethical dilemmas in O, The Oprah Magazine. She lives in New Jersey with her husband, the author Tom Vanderbilt, and their daughter.

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If you enjoyed our most recent episode, Episode 314, Munchausen by proxy with Andrea Dunlop and Marc Feldman on Munchausen by Proxy syndrome, you won’t want to miss Andrea’s podcast, Nobody Should Believe Me. 

In this special bonus episode, we are bringing our listeners the very first episode of Nobody Should Believe Me. Andrea shares how she first became captivated by the story of Hope Ybarra–who spent ten years in prison for Munchausen by Proxy–and begins to unpack the many similarities between Hope’s case and Andrea’s own family story.

Andrea Dunlop is the host and creator of NOBODY SHOULD BELIEVE ME, an investigative true crime podcast that is consistently in the top 20 on the Apple True Crime charts. Andrea is the founder of Munchausen Support, an online resource and non-profit that supports survivors and families. She is a member of the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children’s Munchausen by proxy committee where she serves alongside some of the country’s foremost experts. Andrea is the author of four novels: Losing the Light (Atria; 2016), She Regrets Nothing (Atria: 2018), We Came Here to Forget (Atria; 2019), and Women Are the Fiercest Creatures (Zibby Books; 2023) Her work has been featured in places like Vanity Fair, People, Entertainment Weekly, ABC News Live, and elsewhere. She is currently working on a non-fiction book based on the podcast, co-authored with Detective Mike Weber that is forthcoming from St. Martin’s Press in 2024.

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Munchausen by Proxy Syndrome (MBPS) is a psychological disorder that you may have heard whispers about in the media in which a person, usually a parent, fakes or induces a medical condition in another person to gain attention. In most cases, it is the mother of a child who pretends or even causes medical symptoms the child does not actually have.

To shed light on this highly complex topic, we brought in the expertise of Andrea Dunlop, founder of Munchausen Support, and Marc Feldman, a renowned specialist in factitious disorder, Munchausen syndrome, and Munchausen by proxy. Through personal experiences, real-life cases, and scientific research, they educate us on the underlying motivations behind this behavior, including the desire for attention and emotional gratification.

The conversation also touches on the range of behaviors associated with Munchausen by Proxy, from subtle forms of overmedicalization to extreme cases involving active induction of illness. Andrea and Marc stress the need to acknowledge and address these behaviors, as well as provide support and resources for survivors and their families. Find out how we can support people affected by these complex disorders by tuning in.

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In the treatment of anxiety, panic disorder, and OCD, exposure therapy has long been recognized as the gold standard. But what if there was an even more powerful approach to confronting your fears or trauma?

For this episode, we welcome two esteemed guests, Dr. Brian Thompson and Dr. Brian Pilecki to uncover the transformative impact of blending traditional exposure therapy with the principles of ACT.

Through practical examples from their groundbreaking book, ACT-Informed Exposure for Anxiety, we learn about the significance of acceptance, values, and how clinicians can incorporate ACT concepts into exposure sessions, emphasizing the power of creativity and psychological flexibility in the therapeutic process. This is a must-listen for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of cutting-edge anxiety interventions. Tune in for an experience that could radically change your relationship with anxiety forever!

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Have you ever considered that, while being super focused can be a positive quality, it may also have its drawbacks? Think about it: when you channel your attention so intensely on one thing, you could be neglecting a whole realm of valuable information and stimuli out there.

Embark on a journey with us into the mysterious world of illusions! Piggy-backing off of the previous episode on the science of deception, we are taking you back in time to revisit an eleven-year-old conversation between Debbie and Christopher Chabris for the New Books Network about, "The Invisible Gorilla: How Our Intuitions Deceive Us ". 

Through this captivating book, you’ll discover how to view the world through the lens of illusions and how our perceptions can be deceived. From the illusion of attention, flashbulb memory, and The Mozart Effect to the illusions of confidence and knowledge, challenge your assumptions and gain insight into how our brains can be tricked and our decision-making influenced.

Dr. Christopher Chabris is a cognitive scientist who has taught at Union College and Harvard University and is a Fellow of the Association for Psychological Science. His research focuses on decision-making, attention, intelligence, and behavior genetics. Chris received his Ph.D. in psychology and A.B. in computer science from Harvard University. He is a chess master, poker amateur, and games enthusiast; for three years he wrote the “Game On” column in The Wall Street.

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