PTSD and Beyond

Never. What comes to mind when reading or even saying this word...never.

When we say the word "never," depending on the context, it can have all or nothing thinking and that type of thinking can have a negative impact on mental health, relationships, goals, __________.

Is there a positive side to the word never?

Give a listen...you'll never know unless you do!

Dr. Dan Siegel (Twitter: @DrDanSiegel) is a clinical professor of psychiatry at the UCLA School of Medicine and the founding co-director of the Mindful Awareness Research Center at UCLA. Dr. Siegel is also the Executive Director of the Mindsight Institute, an educational organization which focuses on how the development of mindsight in individuals, families, and communities can be enhanced by examining the interface of human relationships and basic biological processes.

Dr. Siegel's is a published author for the professional audiences as well as has five New York Times bestselling books. His most recent release, Becoming Aware: A 21-Day Mindfulness Program for Reducing Anxiety and Cultivating Calm, is now available at Barnes and Noble.

In this episode, we discuss:

~ What is awareness?

~ How does a still developing brain at ages 18-22 affect PTSD with combat vets?

~ The integration of the Wheel of Awareness

~ Focal and non-focal attention

~ Brain remodeling and an integrated brain

~ Building inner resilience

~ How becoming aware is an active agent of change

Show sponsor:

PTSD unplugged

What is awareness? Got 10 seconds? Good! Take the next 10 seconds and take notice. What do you become aware of? What did you notice now that you didn't before?

 

This episode of PTSD and Beyond, Dr. Deb talks about becoming aware, awareness, and how those are linked to our upcoming PTSD and Beyond Global Twitter Chat as well as next week's podcast guest, Dr. Dan Siegel and his new book, Becoming Aware.

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For more about PTSD and Beyond, Join us every MONDAY @ 8pm ET on Twitter for our global peer-lead community >> follow the hashtag #PTSDandBeyond

Connect with us at: ptsdandbeyond.org and [email protected]

"Finances are hard. Financial life is hard. It's possible to get ahead of the stress,"

Dr. Galen Buckwalter

Approaching a 2 year mark since the World Health Organization declared Coronavirus/COVID-19 a public health emergency, people around the world continue to feel the effects of the pandemic. One effect is the increased concern about money and finances. Financial stress is a major problem and causing people to experience PTSD-like symptoms ranging from fear, hypervigilance around money, anxiety, avoidance of financial tasks, nightmares, and physical and mental ailments.

This week's PTSD and Beyond podcast guest is world-renowned psychological research scientist, academician, former Chief Science Officer at eHarmony and Payoff,  and President of PsyML, a financial consulting company is  Dr. Galen Buckwalter. For over 25 years, Dr. Buckwalter's research studies on PTSD at the University of Southern California along with financial research showed 23 percent of adults and 36 percent of millennials experience financial stress at levels that qualify as a diagnosis of PTSD. 

"We need to help take the edge-off and help people learn about emotional patterns linked to money and finances...to have a better control of emotional responses. It's all about the person," says Dr. Buckwalter.

To connect with Dr. Buckwater find him at:

Twitter: @JGBuckwalter

Web: PsyML.co

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Who takes care of the healthcare workers when the healthcare workers are taking care of everyone? Healthcare workers are facing burnout at alarming rates and this is leading to mental health challenges. "Normalizing talking about mental health is so no one needs to suffer quietly," says Dr. Imani McElroy, MD, resident physician at Massachusetts General Hospital.

In this PTSD and Beyond Podcast episode, Dr. McElroy talks about the emotional strain and outcomes facing healthcare workers. The extraneous hours associated with the pandemic are dangerous and the need to normalize mental health is a rescue to those who rescue us.

Dr. McElroy points out the importance of peer-support, mentors, and the need to reach out. Give a listen.  Share with others and folks in healthcare.

To connect with Dr. McElroy, reach out here:

Web: LinkTree

Twitter: @IEMcElroy

"Don't accept 'no' when people are suffering, "

John Feal, 9/11 Survivor and Advocate

On the 20th Anniversary of 9/11, we are honored to have John Feal join as guest on this week's PTSD and Beyond Podcast. John shares his story, journey, and mission to advocate for 9/11 survivors including addressing the need for lobbying members of the U.S. Congress and Senate to provide additional funding to 9/11 responders.

The founder of the Feal Good Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to advocating for first responder rights and educating elected officials and private entities on the serious challenges first responders face in their everyday lives.

"You die one time...You live every day," John Feal

Give a listen to this very moving and emotional episode. Share. Download and be reach out to John at:

FealGood Foundation

Twitter: @JohnFeal2

What is it about questions that makes us wonder? How is it that curiosity can support mental health? What questions can increase mental health?

Today's PTSD and Beyond Podcast guest is Twitter Question Creator Extraordinaire George Styles! George talks with us about how questions are a way to understand and a way of knowing.

"Mental health is everything. Asking the question, 'why do it that way?' We can get lost vs. knowing here we're going with things," George Styles

When we seek to understand from a place of curiosity, questions can arise that supports mental health as well as validates, creates resilience, and is the first thing we want to do and the last thing we want to do each day.

Connect with George Styles at:

Twitter: @GeoStyleGeo

Web: The Styles G

Modern day mental health services typically involves 2 primary modes of treatment:

~ 10-20 minute assessment

~ Prescription

~ Psychotherapy

 

I can attest, that was my lived-experience. The staggering number of prescriptions being written from GP's to Psychiatrist has dramatically increased in the past 25 years. However, if effective then wouldn't most people receiving mental health services feel better and live better lives?

"The drugs create more disability and misdiagnosis. For some a lifetime of impairment," Dr. McFillin

Today's PTSD and Beyond Podcast guest is Dr. Roger McFillin, Psy.D., ABPP who's conversations, advocacy, and private practice champions the voice of talking about clinical trials, ethics, and exposure of the realities of those he treats and some facing a lifetime of impairment due to drugs.

 

To learn more about Dr. McFillin, follow him:

Twitter: @DrMcFillin_PsyD

Web: Center for Integrated Behavioral Health

Instagram: Center for IBH

 

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Hospital workers are on the front-lines caring for patients and saving lives while at the same time experiencing brutal attacks.

 

PTSD and Beyond talks with Dr. Ryan Marino to cover this story, bring light to the current climate, and have a conversation on how society as well as hospital administration can support healthcare workers who already under great stress and are leaving in record rates.

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Become a Patreon Member and support the PTSD and Beyond Podcast as well as our aspiring non-profit! Check it out >>> Patreon.com/PTSDandBeyond

 

Today's guest is Dr. Pamela Hall, author of PTSD Unplugged and forensic clinical psychologist working with the Veteran's Administration and Qualified Medical Examiner for the State of California.

 

Dr. Hall shares with listeners her experiences helping Vets deactivate trauma memories and what happens when trauma memories are activated. She puts things in a language that makes sense and is anchoring in the 5 senses. Dr. Hall says, "With Stigma, people don't get better and people can be and get to a better place - you're in charge of the effort."

Listen. Download. Share. Subscribe and connect with Dr. Hall at:

Web: LAForensicPsychologist

Twitter: @PamelaHallPhD

Instagram: @PamelaHallPhD