The Elements of Being Podcast

Wellll….In 2020, our will was challenged as well as the habits and routines that defined our lives up to that point. The pandemic, social unrest, and election friction certainly shook the best of our physical, emotional, and mental selves in different ways. Similar to past years, I take January to reflect on the prior 12 months, to adopt new mental software (which are habits, perspectives, and patterns of thinking), and to reboot. As my best friend Craig mentioned this past May, this historic period is what we've been preparing for over the last decade: The steps to improve physical health. The steps to manage stress effectively. The steps to adapt effectively and efficiently. Having been tested, this is truly the best time to reexamine my adaptability and the needed protocol to move forward with my best self. And I challenge you to pledge the same.
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Although the popular approach at this time of year is to list desired behaviors and actions first, the most important step (and the true beginning) is identifying the principles that steer my behavior. In essence, all behaviors and perspectives extend from this moral/ethical/philosophical base. Although I don't expect to live perfectly and follow every principle and intent to a "T," they will certainly steer my conscious and unconscious daily. It is my "business plan" for the new "fiscal year" of my personal life. I encourage you to think about the plan I’m about to share as an example and formulate your own approach within a similar template.

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To learn more about Michael, visit https://www.theelementsofbeing.com/!

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Interested in sponsoring the podcast? Please complete our podcast sponsorship form on https://www.theelementsofbeing.com/.

In today’s episode, I dove into the “mind” with author Ryan A. Bush and discussed his new book Designing the Mind: The Principles of Psychitecture. His book was a complete indulgence to discuss and certainly appropriate for a deep exploration of ourselves at the start of a new year as we recover from the ongoing pandemic, an economic downturn, the rise of social protests, and an enflamed US election. I think most listeners will agree that the true start of this decade should begin on January 1st of 2021 instead….and there’s no better way than to understand our current mental software as we are about to reboot.
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So, what is Ryan’s psycho-philosophical book about? It combines the ancient adage that true happiness comes from within with the modern metaphor of the mind as an operating system. It integrates the wisdom and insights of ancient mystics, practical philosophers, and cognitive scientists into a mindset and method for reprogramming your own psychological software. Basically, it’s a handbook for mastering your behavior, cognition, and emotions, one algorithm at a time. Whether fear prevents you from pursuing your ambitions, jealousy ruins your relationships, distractions rule your life, or you have an inner critic whose expectations you are never able to meet, the psychitectural framework will enable you to understand and rewire the hidden patterns behind your biases, habits, and emotional reactions.
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  If you know me well enough by now, then you probably know I was salivating at the opportunity to discuss these themes in detail…especially in relation to retraining our minds to achieve what we want. We’ll call this episode the prep work for your New Year’s resolutions and intents.
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  In our interview, here’s what we specifically discussed:
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  - Whether or not behaviors and perspectives are predetermined.
  - How our daily lives specifically contribute to the program of the brain.
  - How we can develop the ability to increasingly determine our own subjective experience.
  - The basic foundation of psychitecture.
  - The influences that corrupt our mental operating system.
  - How our default algorithms contribute to many of our psychological problems today.
  - The importance of metacognition when critically thinking about a problem.
  - The consequences of our mental patterns and biases.
  - The false assumptions about exceptional critical thinking skills and self-control.
  - How to beta-test and challenge our belief system.
  - How our emotions weren't built to deal with modern life.
  - The role of unregulated emotion and the underlying influence on brutal dictators, school shooters, and belligerent bigots.

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To learn more about Ryan A. Bush, visit https://designingthemind.org/!

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Interested in sponsoring the podcast? Please complete our podcast sponsorship form: https://www.theelementsofbeing.com/.

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If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/Itunes? It takes less than 60 seconds and other listeners and guests definitely appreciate them!

In today’s episode, I examine our emotional connection to film narrative with Dr. Alexa Weik von Mossner….in particular, we focus on documentaries about veganism. She is a writer and ecocritical cultural studies scholar who works on American literature, film, and digital media. Dr. Weik von Mossner’s scholarly research explores contemporary environmental culture from a cognitive perspective with a particular focus on affect and emotion.
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After working for several years in the German film and television industry, she earned her Ph.D. in Literature and is currently appointed as Associate Professor of American Studies at the University of Klagenfurt in Austria. Currently, Dr. Weik von Mossner is a principal investigator on the research project “Narrative Encounters with Ethnic American Literatures” as well as a researcher on the project “Cinema and Environment: Affective Ecologies in the Anthropocene”. Along with other prominent researchers, she is developing a new interdisciplinary research field in the environmental humanities, Empirical Ecocriticism. Dr. Weik von Mossner’s academic book publications include Cosmopolitan Minds: Literature, Emotion, and the Transnational Imagination and Affective Ecologies: Empathy, Emotion, and Environmental Narrative. She is also the editor of Moving Environments: Affect, Emotion, Ecology, and Film and the co-editor of The Anticipation of Catastrophe: Environmental Risk in North American Literature and Culture.

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During our interview, we discussed:
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-Dr. Weik von Mossner’s experience in German television and her creative writing process.
-The foundation and long-term implications of cognitive ecocritical analysis.
-The depictions and narrativization of food and how they engage audiences.
-How the type of medium can change the imaginary culinary experience.
-Our emotional and neuro reaction to depictions of animal abuse, global warming, and food in general.
-The processes of liberated embodied simulation and how these processes are similar or dissimilar to real-life interactions with physical (edible) objects.
-How the narrative strategies of a documentary, such as Cowspiracy, are mutually reinforcing on the cognitive and affective level.
-The emotionalizing strategies of documentaries on veganism.

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To learn more about Dr. Weik von Mossner, visit https://www.alexaweikvonmossner.com/!

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Interested in sponsoring the podcast? Please complete our podcast sponsorship form: https://www.theelementsofbeing.com/psychology-podcast-contact-us.

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If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/Itunes? It takes less than 60 seconds and other listeners and guests definitely appreciate them!

In today’s episode, I examine the effect of the at-home environment and space on our mental and emotional well-being with the business psychologist, Dr. Camille Preston. A fitting topic as we move into a winter of escalating COVID cases, social restrictions, possible lockdowns, and rampant remote learning and working. Dr. Preston is the founder and CEO of AIM Leadership—an executive leadership firm that works with leaders, teams, and organizations to align and optimize human capital to drive scalable and sustainable results. Since founding AIM Leadership in 2004, Preston has helped hundreds of leaders navigate the challenges of today's disrupted workplace. She also helps teams work together more effectively by discovering how to map priorities, build trust, and optimize systems.
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Beyond her work at AIM Leadership, Preston partners with Blackhorn Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm, and serves as part-time faculty at The Center for Creative Leadership. A recognized thought leader on leadership, virtual effectiveness, and team optimization, Camille is the author of two books, Rewired and Create More Flow, a regular contributor to Forbes, Psychology Today, Fast Company, and Thrive, and a sought-after keynote speaker.
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During our interview, we discussed:

-What sparks the drive of a business psychologist.
-The two questions every child and adult need to ask themselves.
-How to unwire and step back from technology to regain focus and clarity.
-How to reconnect with the spaces around us.
-How to extract the very character of the places you travel to and inject them into your home to provide the same neural stimulation.
-How to create an environment that invokes positive energy, inspiration, and flow states.
-How to minimize the attributes that contribute to our stress and anxiety during this time of uncertainty.
-How we can elevate our influence on the environment.

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To learn more about Dr. Camille Preston, check out http://www.camillepreston.com/ and https://aimleadership.com/!

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Interested in sponsoring the podcast? Please complete our podcast sponsorship form.

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If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/Itunes? It takes less than 60 seconds and other listeners and guests definitely appreciate them!

In the spirit of the 2020 US presidential election, Dr. Jonathan Baron and I discuss moral judgment and individual decision-making in today’s episode. Dr. Baron is the founding editor of the open-access journal Judgment and Decision Making and has been on several other journals' editorial boards. He is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the Association for Psychological Science, and was the President of the Society for Judgment and Decision Making.
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Dr. Baron's work has occurred primarily within the field of judgment and decision making, a multi-disciplinary area that applies psychology to problems in economics, law, business, and public policy. This field began by contrasting human decision behavior to individual decision-making and judgment theories such as probability theory and expected utility. Baron's research has extended the focus of judgment and decision making to social problems of resource allocation and ethical decisions. Among the concepts associated with his work are omission bias (the tendency for people to excuse acts of omission more easily than acts of commission) and protected values (principles on which people are unwilling to accept tradeoffs).

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Dr. Baron is the author of Thinking and Deciding. The text takes a broad-based, introductory-level view of psychological decision theory, and has seen use as a textbook. He has also authored Morality and Rational Choice, Against Bioethics, and Judgment Misguided.
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During our interview, we discussed:
-The trends of political polarization and conspiracy thinking.
-The problems of improving everyday decisions as a result of institutional issues.
-Applying general principles of decision analysis.
-The evolution of a person’s social standards.
-Omission bias in politics.
-The cost-benefit analysis of environmental policies.
-The expression of moral and moralistic values regarding the political issues of gay marriage and abortion.
-The role of empathy in the utilitarian point of view.
-The factors that affect moral judgment.

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To learn more about Dr. Jonathan Baron, check out https://www.sas.upenn.edu/~baron/!

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Interested in sponsoring the podcast? Please complete our podcast sponsorship form.

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If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/Itunes? It takes less than 60 seconds and other listeners and guests definitely appreciate them!

Welcome to “The Elements of Being” podcast, where I dissect and explore the minds and habits of psychologists, filmmakers, writers, and industry icons. Essentially, we examine the mental and emotional narratives and processes that steer the social stream of consciousness….Truly a chance to geek out over the psychology behind human behavior. Each episode is a glimpse into the trends and patterns of human behavior and the underlying influences that navigate us into different directions. Whether we primarily focus on nutrition or the unconscious, guests share insights, thought-provoking lessons, the nuances of creativity, and the elements of being….us.

If you are a vegan, vegetarian, or whole food plant-based person, today’s guest won’t really need much introduction. I interview the passionate physician and nutrition expert, Dr. John McDougall. He has been studying, writing, and speaking out about the effects of plant-based nutrition on disease for over 50 years and contributed to the ground-shaking documentary "Forks Over Knives." His program not only promotes a broad range of dramatic and lasting health benefits but, most importantly, can also reverse serious illnesses including high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and others….all without the use of drugs.

A graduate of Michigan State University’s College of Human Medicine, Dr. McDougall performed his internship at Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu, Hawaii, and his medical residency at the University of Hawaii. He is certified as an internist by the Board of Internal Medicine and the National Board of Medical Examiners. Dr. McDougall is also the author of 13 national best-selling books, including The Starch Solution, Dr. McDougall's Digestive Tune-Up, and The McDougall Program, and hosted the nationally syndicated television show “McDougall, MD” several years ago. In his quote/unquote retirement, Dr. McDougall is focusing his efforts on legislation, healthcare systems, and research projects (of which we dig into). To be honest, I don’t believe this man ever rests. In his youthful 70’s, he is still an electric advocate of the plant-based approach (and you’ll feel his energy today).

During our interview, we discussed:

-How a massive stroke and temporary paralysis for 2 weeks at the age of 18 led to a lifetime in the field of medicine.
-Dr. McDougall’s role in protecting breast cancer patient’s rights and the consequences of that fight.
-The struggles of fighting the medical industry and insurance companies.
-The challenges of nutrition-based medical therapy in a profit-driven medical industry.
-The social obstacles patients face as they approach optimal health.
-Treating illnesses and diseases with food-as-medicine.
-The connection between our diet and the immune system.
-The foundation of a starch diet and the long-term environmental and health benefits of this approach.
-The silver lining of the current COVID-19 pandemic.

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To learn more about Dr. McDougall, check out his nutrition website, or say hello on Twitter or Facebook!

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Interested in sponsoring the podcast? Please complete our podcast sponsorship form.

***

If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/Itunes? It takes less than 60 seconds and other listeners and guests definitely appreciate them!

Welcome to “The Elements of Being” podcast, where I dissect and explore the minds and habits of psychologists, filmmakers, writers, and industry icons. Essentially, we learn what makes them flip the switch to achieve great feats, goals, and milestones…and a chance to geek out over the psychology behind human behavior.

Specifically, I examine the mental and emotional narratives and processes that have steered intriguing professionals and people from all walks of life. Each episode is also a glimpse into the trends and patterns of human behavior and the underlying influences that navigate us into different directions. Whether we primarily focus on the environment or the unconscious, guests share insights, thought-provoking lessons, the nuances of creativity, and the elements of being….us (and the very factors that who we are).

Today’s focus is global warming and the consequences on our health and communities. I interview the Vice President of Operations & Engagement at Project Drawdown, Crystal Chissell. She draws on her deep experience and interdisciplinary background in local and state government, law, business, and social equity to build effective systems and operating infrastructure. Crystal also leads the cultivation of strategic partnerships and networks the foster public engagement to move the world toward climate solutions. She speaks publicly about climate solutions and serves as an expert resource for news media, interest groups, and advocacy organizations.

Prior to Project Drawdown, Crystal was a practicing attorney, advising the City of Baltimore and the Maryland Environmental Service. She served as Mayor of the Town of Highland Beach, Maryland.

Here’s what we discussed:

-The initiatives of Project Drawdown.
-How Project Drawdown fairly evaluates scientific research to determine whether or not findings are significant signals.
-The relationship between global warming and climate change.
-The contributing factors to the rise in greenhouse gases and global warming.
-How local, state, and federal governments can have a sustainable environmental impact.
-The long-term effects of global warming and the short-term costs of aggressive environmental initiatives.
-How the standard American diet contributes to global warming.
-How communities can collaborate to steer a refreshed social and cultural ecological consciousness.

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To learn more about Crystal Chissell, visit https://drawdown.org/ or their Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages. To find climate solution resources, also visit https://drawdown.org/drawdown-review.

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Interested in sponsoring the podcast or being a guest? Please visit https://www.theelementsofbeing.com/psychology-podcast-contact-us.

***

If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/Itunes? It takes less than 60 seconds and other listeners and guests definitely appreciate them!

Welcome to “The Elements of Being” podcast, where I dissect and explore the minds and habits of psychologists, filmmakers, writers, and industry icons. Essentially, we learn what makes them flip the switch to achieve great feats, goals, and milestones…and a chance to geek out over the psychology behind human behavior.

Specifically, I examine the mental and emotional narratives and processes that have steered intriguing professionals and people from all walks of life. Each episode is also a glimpse into the trends and patterns of human behavior and the underlying influences that navigate us into different directions. Whether we primarily focus on nutrition or the unconscious, guests share insights, thought-provoking lessons, the nuances of creativity, and the elements of being….us.

In today’s episode, I dive into the world of regenerative organic farming with Dr. Ron Weiss. He is dual board-certified in internal medicine and lifestyle medicine. As a primary care physician in New Jersey, Dr. Weiss serves as the executive director of Ethos Primary Care and as Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. He is not only a physician but also a botanist and farmer, and he offers an evidence-based, food-as-medicine approach to healing chronic illness and optimizing wellness. Dr. Weiss has been featured in top media, including The New York Times, The New York Post, The Today Show, New Jersey Monthly, and the feature-length documentary, "Eating You Alive."

A vegan-friendly plant-based doctor in New Jersey, Dr. Weiss prescribes the Ethos Diet – an all-organic, ecologically-sustainable, and Whole Food Plant-Based (WFPB) diet – as the cornerstone of his work with patients. He is not your typical doctor. His primary care practice resides on 342 acres of farm in Long Valley, New Jersey, where he grows "beyond organic" produce for his patients. Otherwise known as the farm doctor, Dr. Weiss believes that food-is-medicine and in a Farm-Based Health Care System. He additionally holds a dual baccalaureate degree in botany and music from Rutgers University….which we explore in great depths.

Here’s what we discussed:

-How Dr. Weiss’ passions have intersected.
-Dr. Weiss’ lifelong connection to botany and agriculture.
-The evolution of his medical practice to a regenerative organic farm.
-The effects of chemicals and current farming practices on the soil and the environment.
-The distinction between "beyond organic" and typical organic certifications.
-The foundation of regenerative organic farming and the Farm Ethos Project.
-The debate about the best regenerative practices.
-The recommendations for those farmers with the same connection to the history and cultivation of the land but who haven't pivoted to sustainable, environmentally-mindful practices.
-How we can connect our kids to agriculture in urban settings with a new sustainable organic perspective and the guidance they need to become stewards of the environment.
-The Rockefeller Food System Vision 2050 and Young Farmers Incubator Program.

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To learn more about Dr. Ron Weiss, visit https://www.myethoshealth.com or his Facebook and Instagram pages.

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Interested in sponsoring the podcast or being a guest? Please visit https://www.theelementsofbeing.com/psychology-podcast-contact-us.

***

If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/Itunes? It takes less than 60 seconds and other listeners and guests definitely appreciate them!

Welcome to “The Elements of Being” podcast, where I dissect and explore the minds and habits of psychologists, filmmakers, writers, and industry icons. Essentially, we learn what makes them flip the switch to achieve great feats, goals, and milestones…and a chance to geek out over the psychology behind human behavior.

So, what is this podcast specifically about? I examine the mental and emotional narratives and processes that have steered writers, filmmakers, psychologists, and industry icons down their paths in life. Each episode is also a glimpse into the trends and patterns of human behavior and the underlying influences that navigate us into different directions. Whether we primarily focus on nutrition or the unconscious, guests share insights, thought-provoking lessons, the nuances of creativity, and the elements of being….us.

Being a father now, it’s amazing what you can learn from your child. My 3-year-old son, Preston, has taught me how to manage stress more effectively without knowing it! What a smart little man!

The ego of a typical adult human may exclaim: Babies teach us nothing! They are little animals trying to survive in nature. What do they know!!!

But the truth is that giving birth to a child will change your life forever…and their lessons are endless. As a parent, you’ll always need to think about others, be mindful of your risk-taking behavior, plan ahead, focus on meaningful interaction, and show empathy and sympathy. Just sharing this list reminds me that we should be doing this anyway (with or without a child)!

In all honesty, my wife, Sammy, and I haven’t felt the drastic change in life that most people claim. The responsibilities and day-to-day specific approach may have been reshaped, but the principles are the same. Although this is true, Preston has inspired new approaches to managing stress. He unknowingly prepared a Stress 101 curriculum for me, his dad: A model of human instinctual behavior. Without a doubt, it made me rethink my needs and how I structured my life to minimize stress.

Here’s what I specifically discussed:

-Recognizing our primary (survival) needs before pursuing any secondary tasks/projects (and how we cognitively overrule our survival nudges).
-Establishing consistent eating and sleeping routines (and why the human body depends on it).
-Maintaining a consistent reading habit (and the benefits we usually ignore).

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To learn more about Michael Moody, check out his book "Redefine Yourself” or say hello on Instagram (@wholeplantpersonaltrainer)!

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Interested in sponsoring the podcast or being a guest? Please visit https://www.theelementsofbeing.com/psychology-podcast-contact-us.

***

If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/Itunes? It takes less than 60 seconds and other listeners and guests definitely appreciate them!

Welcome to “The Elements of Being” podcast, where I dissect and explore the minds and habits of psychologists, filmmakers, writers, and industry icons. Essentially, we learn what makes them flip the switch to achieve great feats, goals, and milestones…and a chance to geek out over the psychology behind human behavior.

So, what is this podcast specifically about? I examine the mental and emotional narratives and processes that have steered writers, filmmakers, psychologists, and industry icons down their paths in life. Each episode is also a glimpse into the trends and patterns of human behavior and the underlying influences that navigate us into different directions. Whether we primarily focus on nutrition or the unconscious, guests share insights, thought-provoking lessons, the nuances of creativity, and the elements of being….us.

Considering our current COVID-19 pandemic, I felt it was an appropriate time to explore the individual and collective experiences of trauma with psychologist Dr. Jennifer Bakalar. In my lifetime, the horrific events of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the United States left an incredible imprint. No doubt, it was a traumatic experience for the many friends, families, and colleagues who were personally connected to the lives lost. Nearly 20 years later, we are now experiencing another collective experience as a society.

Dr. Bakalar is a licensed psychologist in Washington, DC, where she provides psychotherapy to adults. Her clinical focus centers on the impact of stress, trauma, transition, and loss on psychological and physical health. She uses an integrative approach, which is grounded in contemporary relational, interpersonal, and psychodynamic theories. Dr. Bakalar’s passion for this work stems from her belief in the transformative potential of relationships along with the meaning she finds in supporting her clients to understand themselves more deeply and enrich their connections with others.

In our interview, we explored everything from the individual to the collective experience of trauma, and here’s what we specifically discussed:

-If some personalities or mindsets are more susceptible to experiencing trauma.
-Whether or not there is an evolutionary benefit to remembering trauma.
-The foundation of trauma-focused treatment within a stage-based model.
-How a person processes traumatic memory and integrates it into their, his, or her broader life story.
-The foundation of collective trauma, and historical examples outside of the current COVID-19 pandemic.
-The point that a crisis evolves into collective memory.
-The difference between the collective and individual memory of trauma.
-The reasons to keep trauma alive in the collective consciousness.
-The often-need to construct the meaning of a crisis collectively.
-The typical long-term consequences of different forms of collective victimization.
-The variables of collective trauma that affect one's experience.
-How collective trauma can serve as a sense of continuity between past, present, and future members of a group and how to be sure it doesn't contribute to a more significant social dysfunction.

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To learn more about Dr. Bakalar, visit https://www.dchealthpsychology.com/our-team or her professional page, https://www.jenniferbakalarphd.com/.

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Interested in sponsoring the podcast or being a guest? Please visit https://www.theelementsofbeing.com/psychology-podcast-contact-us.

***

If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/Itunes? It takes less than 60 seconds and other listeners and guests definitely appreciate them!