Shrink Tank Podcast

WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Joker.

Why Joker is so Polarizing, Explained by Psychology

Joker, the latest film starring Joaquin Phoenix, has been the catalyst of numerous discussions regarding its depiction of mental health, toxic masculinity, and the correlation of mental illness and violence.

In today's podcast episode, therapists Jonathan Hetterly and Frank Gaskill break down the film's mental health depictions, how individuals with mental illness tend to be ostracized by society, as well as why our culture is reacting so strongly to the film.

Listen to 'Why Joker is so Polarizing, Explained by Psychology' here, or anywhere you listen to podcasts.

Being Human

Every week our panel of Shrinks breaks down trending topics of psychology in the news that we call Being Human.

Since Joker has been described as ‘catnip’ for Batman’s toxic masculinity fandom, we wanted to discuss early socialization of negative masculine ideals.

A recent article from the American Psychological Association states that by “looking at the development of aggression throughout childhood, we know that not only do aggressive behaviors can emerge at an early age, they also tend to persist over time, without early prevention intervention."

The socialization of the male characteristics—including such toughness, stoicism, and a lack of emotional sensitivity—also onsets at an early age making it a prime time-period for prevention intervention.

Our panel of Shrinks breaks down their thoughts on these findings.

You can read the study that inspired our discussion here.

Watch us on YouTube!

Great news! We're on another platform. Be sure to check out the video version of this podcast, available on our YouTube channel. You can subscribe to our channel here.

Speak your Mind!

Comment below or send us your thoughts at [email protected]. Your input could even be featured on the next episode of the Shrink Tank Podcast!

Need a longer session with the Shrinks? Check out our last episode here.

Righteous Gemstones & Megachurch Culture

Danny McBride’s latest HBO creation, The Righteous Gemstones, is a satirical take on a Southern megachurch, following the dysfunctional lives of the Gemstone family. 

Megachurches and televangelism can vary in regard to delivering their spiritual messages. While some megachurches give more robust sermons leaning heavy on scripture, others are more feel-good, motivational messages—like spiritual fast food.

So, how does Righteous Gemstones satirize some of the more nuanced elements of televangelism?

Listen to 'Righteous Gemstones & Megachurch Culture' here, or anywhere you listen to podcasts.

Being Human

Every week our panel of Shrinks breaks down trending topics of psychology in the news that we call Being Human.

The Righteous Gemstones follows a megachurch and the dysfunctional family that runs it. While the HBO comedy frequently uses the imbalanced family dynamics as a punchline, another psychological concept it relies on is moral hypocrisy.

The current research aims to test a self-enhancement account for why people often display moral hypocrisy. Self-enhancement is a fundamental human motive to maintain and strengthen a positive view of the self. One of the most prominent manifestations of self-enhancement is that people often consider themselves as superior to others, especially in moral domains.

Our panel of Shrinks breaks down their thoughts on these findings.

You can read the study that inspired our discussion here.

 

Watch us on YouTube!

Great news! We're on another platform. Be sure to check out the video version of this podcast, available on our YouTube channel. You can subscribe to our channel here.

Speak your Mind!

Comment below or send us your thoughts at [email protected]. Your input could even be featured on the next episode of the Shrink Tank Podcast!

Need a longer session with the Shrinks? Check out our last episode here.

The Psychology of Brad Pitt

Brad Pitt’s latest movie, Ad Astra, follows his character on a space mission to remedy a cosmic threat to all human life, as well as to search for his missing father.

Similarly, the famed Hollywood actor has been dealing with some major life changes following his divorce and separation from his ex-wife Angelina Jolie. 

In today’s episode, we’re going to be discussing the psychological makeup of Brad Pitt, including how his real-life impacted his approach to his role in Ad Astra, his life in the public eye, and his creative outlet in acting.

Listen to 'The Psychology of Brad Pitt' here, or anywhere you listen to podcasts.

 

Being Human

Every week our panel of Shrinks breaks down trending topics of psychology in the news that we call Being Human.

Brad Pitt is one celebrity that has been open with his experience seeking professional support for his mental health. In 2017, he spoke in a GQ interview saying that he had to try out two different therapists to find the right fit for his particular needs of care.

With that in mind, we wanted to take a deeper look at the relationship between client and therapist.

Over the last 30 years, psychotherapy research has clearly demonstrated that the quality of the relationship between client and therapist (or what is referred to as the therapeutic alliance) is a much better predictor of whether the therapy works or not.

Our panel of Shrinks breaks down their thoughts on these findings.

You can read the study that inspired our discussion here.

 

Watch us on YouTube!

Great news! We're on another platform. Be sure to check out the video version of this podcast, available on our YouTube channel. You can subscribe to our channel here.

Speak your Mind!

Comment below or send us your thoughts at [email protected]. Your input could even be featured on the next episode of the Shrink Tank Podcast!

Need a longer session with the Shrinks? Check out our last episode here.

The Psychology of Jennifer Lopez

Jennifer Lopez is a modern-day Hollywood icon.

Her latest movie, Hustlers, has been killing it at the box office, so we were inspired to have a discussion about the psychology of Jennifer Lopez, and her long and impressive career in Hollywood.

As wrong as it is, at 50 years old, most Hollywood actresses struggle to find roles, lose relevance, or remain engaged with an ever-changing younger demographic. Not J.Lo.

On today's episode, we're discussing how J.Lo has remained relevant, and how she's remained a Hollywood powerhouse for decades.

Listen to 'The Psychology of Jennifer Lopez' here, or anywhere you listen to podcasts.

 

Being Human

Every week our panel of Shrinks breaks down trending topics of psychology in the news that we call Being Human.

Research shows that as men age they are viewed more valuable and competent in the workplace. Women lose their credibility with every new wrinkle. The double whammy hits as we begin to show any visible signs of aging.

In a study from the National Bureau of Economic Research, the authors suggest two possible reasons why older female job seekers face more age discrimination than males: Age discrimination laws do less to protect older women who may suffer from both age and sex discrimination and, based on earlier research, they say ‘physical appearance matters more for women’ since ‘age detracts more from physical appearance for women than for men.’

Our panel of Shrinks breaks down their thoughts on these findings.

You can read the study that inspired our discussion here.

 

Watch us on YouTube!

Great news! We're on another platform. Be sure to check out the video version of this podcast, available on our YouTube channel. You can subscribe to our channel here.

Speak your Mind!

Comment below or send us your thoughts at [email protected]. Your input could even be featured on the next episode of the Shrink Tank Podcast!

Need a longer session with the Shrinks? Check out our last episode here.

The Psychology of Joaquin Phoenix

Joaquin Phoenix’s portrayal of The Joker in the upcoming film is bringing talks of Oscar buzz. The Joker’s complex characteristics have us wanting to dive deeper into a psychological look at Joaquin Phoenix, including a rocky childhood, his traumatic loss of his brother, and how these events have shaped his acting career and new life of advocacy.

On today's episode, we're discussing how post-traumatic growth and resilience define Joaquin Phoenix.

Listen to 'The Psychology of Joaquin Phoenix' here, or anywhere you listen to podcasts.

 

Being Human

Every week our panel of Shrinks breaks down trending topics of psychology in the news that we call Being Human.

Resilience research has been growing for about four decades. Researchers in the 1970s noticed that some children in tough circumstances seemed to thrive, and they wanted to know why.

Psychologists started by studying kids, but now resilience research has branched out to understand resilience in adults, young and old, and even among whole populations.

Joel Milam, associate professor of research preventive medicine at the Keck School, has been a part of the team studying how people respond to trauma. His foundings include that while PTSD is commonly thought of as a response to trauma, post-traumatic growth and resiliency are the norm.

Our panel of Shrinks breaks down their thoughts on these findings.

You can read the study that inspired our discussion here.

 

Watch us on YouTube!

Great news! We're on another platform. Be sure to check out the video version of this podcast, available on our YouTube channel. You can subscribe to our channel here.

Speak your Mind!

Comment below or send us your thoughts at [email protected]. Your input could even be featured on the next episode of the Shrink Tank Podcast!

Need a longer session with the Shrinks? Check out our last episode here.

Are Emotional Support Animals Encouraging Dependent Behavior?

Pets can do wonders for our mental health, so it's no surprise that emotional support animals are growing in popularity. In increasingly stressful times, the increased use of emotional support animals says a lot about our culture's coping skills and techniques.

On today's episode, we're discussing how emotional support animals highlight the psychological concept of attachment, coping, resilience, and more.

Listen to 'Are Emotional Support Animals Encouraging Dependent Behavior?' here, or anywhere you listen to podcasts.

 

Being Human

Every week our panel of Shrinks breaks down trending topics of psychology in the news that we call Being Human.

Researchers who focus on positive emotions have amassed evidence suggesting that we are more likely to find more meaning in our lives on days when we experience positive emotions. In contrast, researchers taking a meaning-making perspective tend to focus on meaning in the context of adjustment to stressful events.

These two areas of research are often treated separately from each other, making it difficult to answer the question about which valence of our emotional life-- positive or negative-- is most likely to be meaningful.

Our panel of Shrinks breaks down their thoughts on these findings.

You can read the study that inspired our discussion here.

 

Watch us on YouTube!

Great news! We're on another platform. Be sure to check out the video version of this podcast, available on our YouTube channel. You can subscribe to our channel here.

Speak your Mind!

Comment below or send us your thoughts at [email protected]. Your input could even be featured on the next episode of the Shrink Tank Podcast!

Need a longer session with the Shrinks? Check out our last episode here.

Why don't we learn from history?

Early in the month of August, an explosion at a Russian missile testing site last week killed at least seven people and caused widespread fears of a radiation leak. This fear is completely sensible, considering the national tragedy of Chernobyl.

On today's episode, we're discussing the psychology of history repeating itself, why changing behavior is so difficult, and what this says about our culture.

Listen to 'History Repeats Itself: The Psychology of Why We Never Learn' here, or anywhere you listen to podcasts.

You may know the lessons of history, but you're still going to be motivated by your base human nature.

— Dr. Frank Gaskill

 

Being Human

Every week our panel of Shrinks breaks down trending topics of psychology in the news that we call Being Human.

A large majority of adults in the United States are stressed by mass shootings, and a third of U.S. adults say that fear of mass shootings stops them from going to certain places and events, according to a new survey on stress and mass shootings by the American Psychological Association.

Our panel of Shrinks breaks down their thoughts on these findings.

You can read the study that inspired our discussion here.

 

Watch us on YouTube!

Great news! We're on another platform. Be sure to check out the video version of this podcast, available on our YouTube channel. You can subscribe to our channel here.

Speak your Mind!

Comment below or send us your thoughts at [email protected]. Your input could even be featured on the next episode of the Shrink Tank Podcast!

Need a longer session with the Shrinks? Check out our last episode here.

Jeffrey Epstein's Deviant Behavior, Analyzed by Therapists

The recent scandal and death of Jeffrey Epstein has brought an onslaught of public speculation.

On today's episode, we're discussing the psychological structure of Jeffrey Epstein, the numerous conspiracy theories related to the death of Jeffrey Epstein, the correlations of power and money, and more...

Listen to 'Jeffrey Epstein's Deviant Behavior, Analyzed by Therapists' here, or anywhere you listen to podcasts.

Jeffrey Epstein seemed like somebody who was very driven by satisfying cravings and urges.

— Dr. Emma Kate Wright

 

Being Human

Every week our panel of Shrinks breaks down trending topics of psychology in the news that we call Being Human.

Countless studies have all reached the same conclusion: robots are poised to steal jobs from a lot of humans.

But according to yet another automation-focused study, this one by researchers at Technical University of Munich, most people would prefer that scenario to the alternative: losing their job to another human.

For the study, published in the journal Nature Human Behaviour on Monday, the Munich researchers asked 300 people if they’d rather lose their job to a robot or a human — and just 37 percent of the respondents chose the human.

Our panel of Shrinks breaks down their thoughts on these findings.

You can read the study that inspired our discussion here.

 

Watch us on YouTube!

Great news! We're on another platform. Be sure to check out the video version of this podcast, available on our YouTube channel. You can subscribe to our channel here.

Speak your Mind!

Comment below or send us your thoughts at [email protected]. Your input could even be featured on the next episode of the Shrink Tank Podcast!

Need a longer session with the Shrinks? Check out our last episode here.

Why Does Everyone Love - Or Love To Hate - Taylor Swift?

In light of the new Taylor Swift album Lover, our panel of Shrinks tackles the country-pop crossover star.

On today's episode, our panel of Shrinks will be discussing transformations which are represented in the new Taylor Swift album Lover, her newly public motives behind LGBTQ+ advocacy, as well as her evolution in music and in Hollywood.

What are your thoughts on Taylor Swift's Lover? Let us know in the comment section below! Listen to the episode here, or anywhere you listen to podcasts.

The amount of hooks and melodies that she's been able to craft...at her age is remarkable.

— Jonathan Hetterly, LPC

 

Being Human

Every week our panel of Shrinks breaks down trending topics of psychology in the news that we call Being Human.

When it comes to who is happier, people with kids or those without, most research points to the latter. But a new study suggests that parents are happier than non-parents later in life, when their children move out and become sources of social enjoyment rather than stress.

Most surveys of parental happiness have focused on those whose children still live at home. These tend to show that people with kids are less happy than their child-free peers because they have less free time, sleep and money.

Our panel of Shrinks breaks down their thoughts on these findings.

You can read the study that inspired our discussion here.

 

Watch us on YouTube!

Great news! We're on another platform. Be sure to check out the video version of this podcast, available on our YouTube channel. You can subscribe to our channel here.

Speak your Mind!

Comment below or send us your thoughts at [email protected]. Your input could even be featured on the next episode of the Shrink Tank Podcast!

Need a longer session with the Shrinks? Check out our last episode here.

Do You Take Astrology Seriously?

Whether you believe in astrology or not, chances are that you’ve read your horoscope at least once before in your life. So, do you take astrology seriously? Let us know in the comments below!

Our panel of Shrinks welcomes special guest and producer of the Shrink Tank Podcast, Mariel Butler.

On today's episode, we're discussing how some people believe in astrology while others don’t, the psychology behind that belief, and why astrology is slowly becoming a new-age method of understanding yourself and others.

If you'd like to find out your astrological sign and read your daily horoscopes, astrology guru Mariel Butler recommends the website Astro-Seek!

Listen to the episode here, or anywhere you listen to podcasts.

Astrology is not meant to be concrete, it is simply a tool.

— Dr. Emma Kate Wright

 

Being Human: Oregon Students and Mental Health Days

Every week our panel of Shrinks breaks down trending topics of psychology in the news that we call Being Human.

A new bill allows Oregon students to take 'mental health days.'

Mental health experts say it is one of the first state laws to explicitly instruct schools to treat mental health and physical health equally, and it comes at a time educators are increasingly considering the emotional health of students.

But don't call it coddling. The students behind the measure say it's meant to change the stigma around mental health in a state that has some of the nation’s highest suicide rates.

The state of Oregon has a suicide rate 40% higher than the national average – and the national suicide rate has been on the rise – it recently hit a 50-year high.

Our panel of Shrinks breaks down their thoughts on these findings.

You can read the study that inspired our discussion here.

 

Watch us on YouTube!

Great news! We're on another platform. Be sure to check out the video version of this podcast, available on our YouTube channel. You can subscribe to our channel here.

Speak your Mind!

Comment below or send us your thoughts at [email protected]. Your input could even be featured on the next episode of the Shrink Tank Podcast!

Need a longer session with the Shrinks? Check out our last episode here.

 

Study our Birth Charts

To look at Dr. Dave Verhaagen's birth chart, click here.

To look at Dr. Frank Gaskill's birth chart, click here.

To look at Dr. Emma Kate Wright's birth chart, click here.

To look at Mariel Butler's birth chart, click here.