SuperPsyched with Dr. Adam Dorsay

Dr. Adam Dorsay introduces SuperPsyched and recounts seeing The Head and the Heart live, highlighting Matty Gervais’s unusual audience connection and post-show conversations that led to this interview. Matty describes growing up in Seattle during the grunge era, starting music young, and developing through practice rather than innate talent, embracing a lifelong “artist becoming” mindset. He discusses joining the band as the “new guy,” eventually feeling more integrated around the making of Aperture, and reframing performance as being in service of others through vulnerability. Matty explains how psychological safety supports creativity and how the band uses regular group therapy tools, including saying “I am not equipped to discuss this right now.” He explores nature and bodily sensation as creative grounding, reciprocal energy with audiences, the meaning of “People Need a Melody,” and challenges of touring and parenting while being married to bandmate Charity. He concludes that not taking yourself so seriously would improve life.

00:00 Welcome to SuperPsyched

00:28 Concert Connection Moment

02:29 Meet Matty Gervais

02:52 Seattle Roots and Grunge

04:33 Learning Through Practice

09:30 Everyone Is a Teacher

12:51 Joining the Band

16:16 Finding Your Place Post COVID

19:42 Psychological Safety and Therapy

27:54 Conflict Versus Collaboration

29:46 Feeding Creativity With Awe

31:27 Stage Presence Physics

34:18 Audience Feedback Loop

36:20 Running Into The Crowd

39:49 After Show Conversations

44:49 Bandmates As Spouses

48:27 Fatherhood And Awe

51:23 Coming Down After Shows

53:46 Why People Need Melody

57:54 Not Taking Life Seriously

01:00:43 Closing Thanks And Outro

HELPFUL LINKS:

Head and the Heart Website

Head and the Heart YouTube

The Head and the Heart Instagram

Matty Gervais Instagram

Dr. Adam Dorsay introduces SuperPsyched and interviews Dr. Stan Tatkin, founder of The PACT Institute, about how nonverbal cues and stress shape communication in love relationships. Tatkin explains that subcortical threat detection, negativity bias, and pattern recognition rapidly interpret faces, tone, posture, and proximity, often creating “threat loops” that make partners pro-self rather than pro-relationship. He argues people are poor lie detectors, narratives are biased, and misunderstandings are common because most behavior is automatic and memory is unreliable and state-dependent. Tatkin discusses controversies around Paul Ekman’s universality claims and misuse in forensics, while noting that studying faces can increase empathy. His practical guidance emphasizes fast repair and apology to prevent negative events entering long-term memory, giving partners permission to cue each other’s automatic behaviors, planning for stress, working the problem rather than each other, and building shared purpose and principles so purpose—not feelings—protects the relationship.

00:00 Welcome to SuperPsyched

00:28 Why Body Signals Matter

00:55 Meet Stan Tatkin

02:54 Threat Brain in Love

08:22 Negative Memory Loops

10:32 Myths About Lie Detection

15:59 Truth in Therapy Sessions

18:26 Misunderstanding and Memory

21:17 Reading Faces and Bodies

23:00 Resting Face Misfires

23:32 Mirroring Misreads

24:07 Resting Face Signals

25:58 Stress Makes It Personal

27:51 Cueing Your Partner

30:03 Plan For The Devils

31:21 Strategize As Romance

33:56 Ekman Controversy Check

36:01 Curiosity Under Stress

37:18 Repair Fast Apologize

39:30 Purpose Over Feelings

41:17 Closing Thanks

Helpful Links:

Dr. Stan Tatkin LinkedIn

Dr. Stan Tatkin YouTube

Dr. Stan Tatkin Instagram

Pact Institute

Dr. Adam Dorsay introduces SuperPsyched and interviews New York Times bestselling author Nir Eyal about his book Beyond Belief, co-written with Julie Li, on how beliefs—distinct from facts—shape behavior and outcomes. Eyal explains the book’s origin in reader calls about Indistractable and argues motivation is a triangle of behavior, benefit, and belief, with belief as the keystone. They discuss changing beliefs through evidence, how attention can amplify pain, and research on pain reprocessing, placebo/nocebo effects, and hypnos-sedation, including case studies of surgery without anesthesia and a placebo “overdose.” Eyal warns that labels can become limits, shares how reframing his ADHD-related beliefs reduced shame and anxiety, contrasts Dorsay’s experience of diagnosis as empowering, and highlights internal locus of control as beneficial. Eyal’s “insider skill” is intellectual humility and distinguishing faith, fact, and belief.

00:00 Welcome to SuperPsyched

00:28 Beliefs Shape Outcomes

02:21 Why Nir Wrote It

04:53 Motivation Needs Belief07:35 Beliefs Are Tools

10:34 Science That Feels Magic

13:16 Pain Without Suffering

16:48 Nocebo and Labels

20:48 ADHD and Identity

25:56 Internal Locus Control

28:04 Final Skill Humility

31:16 Closing Thanks

HELPFUL LINKS:

Nir Eyal

Nir Eyal LinkedIn

Nir Eyal YouTube

Nir Eyal Instagram

Beyond Belief Book

Indistractable Book

Host Dr. Adam Dorsay introduces SuperPsyched and longtime guest Jungian analyst Dr. James “Jim” Hollis for a personal conversation about Hollis’s life and lessons. Hollis says he’d reassure his younger self that an inner compass can guide one’s path, and that denying inner truth shows up externally. He reflects that others’ approval, especially parents’, mattered less than self-trust and leaving “home” psychologically to live one’s own journey. He describes a major mistake of intellectualizing emotions, leading to depression at 35 and retraining in Zurich as a Jungian analyst. He emphasizes permission to own one’s life, discernment amid internal and external “traffic,” and courage in the face of fear and risk. Hollis discusses love as enduring mutual support, parenting without imposing unlived agendas, friendship built on shared values and trust, happiness now and at his children’s births, grieving his son Timothy while continuing relationship through memory and values, and gratitude for taking big risks and for supportive people.

00:00 Welcome to SuperPsyched

00:28 Meeting James Hollis

02:28 What I Wish I Knew

07:23 Leaving Home and Approval

11:46 Self Trust and Permission

18:03 Mistakes and Depression

24:26 Purpose in Hard Times

25:57 Relationships That Matter

29:12 Love Beyond Romance

38:48 Fear Risk and Courage

40:55 Happiness and Mortality

43:14 Grief and Losing a Child

51:39 Wisdom Friendship and Gratitude

57:57 Final Thanks and Farewell

Helpful Links:

Dr. James HollisT

he Middle Passage Book

Other Books

Dr. Adam Dorsay introduces SuperPsyched and interviews Dr. Robert Frantz (“Dr. Robbie”), an emergency physician, former paramedic, and SWAT police officer, about caregiver fatigue, vicarious trauma, and the systemic roots of what is commonly called burnout. Frantz discusses the realism of HBO’s The Pitt, describes burnout as “emotional cancer” from cumulative “emotional radiation exposure,” and argues the problem is often the normalized, abnormal environment rather than individual weakness. He outlines warning signs such as perseverating on cases, sleep disruption, and physiological fight-or-flight reactions, and emphasizes draining “the reservoir” through counseling (“emotional chemotherapy”) and other coping tools, including finding the right therapist. Frantz recounts a malpractice trial loss that triggered an emotional collapse, shares a colleague’s suicide, addresses workplace violence in healthcare, and suggests institutional supports like recognition, peer-to-peer debriefing, team activities, safer policies, and reduced documentation burden. He closes by advocating empathy and being seen and understood as a key human skill.

00:00 Welcome to SuperPsyched

00:28 Burnout on the Front Lines

00:57 Meet Dr Robbie Frantz

03:26 The Pitt Realism Check

04:19 Emotional Cancer Framework

06:59 Why It’s the Cost of Caring

08:51 Signs of Vicarious Trauma

11:58 Coping Before the Dam Breaks

16:41 Malpractice Trial Breaking Point

21:34 Getting Help When You’re the Helper

24:04 Finding the Right Therapist

26:01 Fear Versus Growth

27:15 Workplace Violence Reality

31:07 Building Safer Hospitals

36:15 Peer Support and Bonding

38:16 Relationships Under Pressure

45:18 Empathy as a Superpower

47:00 Closing Thanks and Wrap

Helpful Links:

Robert Frantz, MD

The Cost of Caring Book

Dr. Adam Dorsay introduces SuperPsyched and interviews thought leadership strategist Peter Winick, co-author of The Thought Leadership Handbook, about what defines a thought leader and how people earn that reputation. Winick argues thought leadership is bestowed by others and requires adding a distinct perspective to a field, sharing ideas publicly through writing, speaking, and research, and having the courage to risk criticism without resorting to reckless attention-seeking. They discuss negativity bias, handling trolls, and why thought leaders shouldn’t aim to please everyone but should be authentic and memorable. Winick advises elite speakers to prepare by learning audience language and needs, continually improving, and treating keynotes as the start of broader business relationships and scalable IP beyond time-for-money practices. They also cover using AI as a verified pattern-finding tool, experimenting with content, and cultivating curiosity through cross-training and new experiences.

00:00 Welcome to SuperPsyched

00:28 What Is Thought Leadership

03:09 Earning the Title

03:59 Courage vs Recklessness

05:17 Handling Trolls and Negativity

07:48 Authenticity and Standing Out

11:17 Crushing the Keynote

14:17 Pre Show Rituals

16:20 Monetizing Intellectual Property

18:23 AI as a Thought Tool

22:46 Tiny Experiments That Work

24:46 Curiosity as the Superpower

25:43 Curiosity Habits You Can Try

26:48 Closing Thanks and Subscribe

Helpful Links:

Peter Winick

Peter Winick LinkedIn

The Thought Leadership Handbook

Leveraging Thought Leadership Podcast

Dr. Adam Dorsay introduces SuperPsyched and interviews Tom Rath about his book, "What’s the Point?: Turning Purpose into Your Daily Superpower." Rath shares how a rare genetic condition and decades-long cancer battle shaped his focus on using each hour intentionally, prioritizing creating/initiating over passive consumption, and front-loading meaningful work and relationships early in the day. They discuss how phones and constant inputs can produce a false sense of productivity, why carving out thinking time and protecting sleep helps restore agency, and how purpose is built by planting small “seeds” throughout the day rather than finding one big calling. Rath argues purpose and happiness increase when attention shifts outward to serving others’ needs, and he emphasizes expanding career exposure so people don’t commit to paths after seeing only a narrow slice of options, especially amid AI-driven automation.

00:00 Welcome to SuperPsyched

01:29 Meet Tom Rath

02:28 A Life With Memento Mori

05:02 Consumer Versus Creator

08:04 Take Back Intentionality

10:15 Initiator Blueprint

14:48 Make Time to Think

21:13 Questions That Shape Life

24:34 Beyond Happiness to Purpose

30:13 Expand Career Exposure

35:15 Magic Wand Listening

38:24 Closing Thanks and Subscribe

Helpful Links:

Tom Rath

Tom Rath LinkedIn

Tom Rath “What’s the Point” Book

Tom Rath "StrengthsFinder 2.0” Book

Dr. Adam Dorsay introduces SuperPsyched and interviews Dr. Holly Richmond about healing sexual trauma and her book Reclaiming Pleasure. They note prevalence statistics and emphasize that sexual trauma is violating even when not violent, making accurate naming (e.g., sexual abuse vs assault vs rape) central to healing because “words inform our experience.” Richmond outlines a sequence of awareness, understanding, and behavior change, integrating somatic, trauma, and sex-therapy interventions, and uses grounding practices such as “that was then, this is now” and present-moment sensory orientation. She defines sex positivity as sex that is consensual and pleasurable, discusses eros as life force linking sexuality and overall wellbeing, and explains fantasy as a safe bridge to desire, including consensual non-consent themes distinct from real-life consent. Richmond previews a forthcoming book on sex after kids and names attunement and giving the benefit of the doubt as key skills for relationships.

00:00 Welcome and Content Warning

01:44 Meet Holly Richmond

03:58 Couples After Trauma

04:33 Awareness to Change

07:11 Power of Naming

09:19 Defining Abuse Assault Rape

12:19 Thoughts Feelings Sensations

15:27 Sex Positivity Framework

18:29 Pleasure Beyond Sex

20:00 Control and Nervous System Scale

22:06 That Was Then This Is Now

24:03 Grounding With Mantras

24:56 Visual Tethers And Boundaries

26:56 Real Versus True Pain

28:57 Sex And A Better World

32:01 Why Fantasy Matters

35:19 Consensual Non Consent

37:06 Fantasy Versus Reality

40:45 Porn Jealousy And Honesty

41:46 Sex After Kids Book

43:22 Attunement And Benefit Of Doubt

46:04 Closing Thanks And Subscribe

Helpful Links:

Dr. Holly Richmond

Reclaiming Sexual Pleasure Book

Dr. Holly Richmond Instagram

Dr. Holly Richmond Facebook

Dr. Holly Richmond LinkedIn

Dr. Adam Dorsay, host of the SuperPsyched podcast, shares a solo story about an April father–son trip to Death Valley with his 17-year-old, Bren. Driving home, they off-roaded onto what looked like the dry bed of Owens Lake and got their four-wheel-drive vehicle stuck in mud amid 40–50 mph winds and flying debris. AAA wouldn’t help because they were more than 100 feet off the road, so they hired an expensive private tow that kept delaying and increasing the price. He highlights lessons learned: stress impairs logical thinking, regret and catastrophizing don’t help, and focusing on solutions, laughter, support from loved ones, and distraction helped them cope; being prepared with water, snacks, and warm clothes mattered. After six hours, a driver in a small Ford Fiesta used shoveling, boards, ropes, and a winch to free them, and they arrived home after 1 AM with a lasting bonding story.00:00 Welcome to SuperPsyched00:28 Why This Solo Story00:48 Father Son Death Valley Trip01:23 Off Roading at Owens Lake02:22 Stuck in the Mud02:45 Six Hour Survival Mode03:20 Mindset Lessons Under Stress05:18 Calling for a Private Tow06:16 The Ford Fiesta Rescue07:31 Worth It and Takeaways08:24 Travel Wisdom and Goodbye

Host Dr. Adam Dorsay introduces SuperPsyched and discusses grief as a personal, normal response to loss, then interviews Dr. Adam Kimowitz, a New Jersey dentist whose younger brother David was murdered in 2019. Kimowitz describes their close, laughter-filled bond, David’s work in comedy and real estate, and the traumatic aftermath of the murder, including shock, hypervigilance, and struggling with basic tasks. He explains what helped: not being alone, relying on therapy and safe people, focusing on “micro wins,” learning from grief and resilience thinkers, and using humor appropriately to break tension. He shares guidance on supporting the bereaved—saying “I have no words, but I’m here,” offering presence and hugs, avoiding comparisons, and inviting stories about the person. He also covers parenting through grief with honesty, communication, professional help, and modeling that it’s okay not to be okay, plus how his marriage provided mutual support. Kimowitz keeps David’s memory alive through journaling, music, traditions with David’s daughters, and living by a “Dave test,” and emphasizes empathy, self-grace, and asking for help to reconnect.

00:00 Welcome to SuperPsyched

00:29 Grief Is Personal

00:50 Meet Adam and David

03:57 From Corporate to Dentistry

05:55 The Night Everything Changed

08:05 Goldfish and Micro Wins

10:54 Learning Through Trauma

13:03 What Helped in Shock

15:20 David and the Power of Laughter

18:59 Humor as Support

24:58 What to Say to Grievers

28:50 Humor Inside Grief

30:00 Why Death Feels Taboo

31:52 Talking to Kids About Loss

36:24 Self Care for High Achievers

41:41 Marriage as an Anchor

47:53 Keeping Dave Alive

51:30 Resilience and Asking Help

52:46 Empathy Over Judgment

55:25 Music Montage Farewell

Helpful Links:

Dr. Adam Kimowitz