LIFT (verb): to move something to a higher position; to make something more interesting and enjoyable; to make someone happier.  

The weekly LIFT podcast aims to bring perspective and grow resilience through brief mind-body medicine insights and guided mindfulness practices geared for these interesting times.  

Mind-body-spirit medicine, stress reduction, positive psychology,  and Eastern contemplative practices.  

Mindful Psychiatry and the Mind-Body Mental Health Radio 2020©. All Rights Reserved.

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Renowned Sex therapist Dr. Alexandra Katehakis gives a great interview that would serve as a primer to any therapist about sex addiction.  Dr. Alexandra "Alex" Katehakis is a published, award-winning author, licensed psychotherapist, and is recognized as a leader in the field of Integrative sex therapy. Katehakis makes regular contributions to publications like Psychology Today and the Huffington Post, has been interviewed by Rolling Stone, Washington Post and the LA Times, has made several television appearances on programs like Inside Hollywood, Spike TV and CNN, and is frequently featured as a prominent expert panelist at sexuality conferences worldwide alongside the likes of Dan Siegel and Christopher Kennedy Lawford.She is the Clinical Director of Center For Healthy Sex, a treatment center based in Los Angeles. Katehakis holds licensure and certification with several different mental health organizations: Certified Sex Addiction Therapist (CSAT) with the International Institute for Trauma and Addiction Professionals (IITAP), for which she is a clinical supervisor and member of the teaching faculty; Certified Sex Therapist (CST) with the American Association of Sex Educators Counselors and Therapists (AASECT) for which she is also a clinical supervisor; Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT) with the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS), and Senior Fellow at the Meadows inpatient trauma and addiction rehabilitation center in Arizona.

Robin Cooper, MD has been in private practice with a focus on both psychotherapy and medical management throughout her 35 years of practice. She has a clinical appointment of Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at University of California, San Francisco where she has had many different roles in education and supervision. She has always had a parallel interest in treatment and advocacy for services of severely mentally ill, serving on a number of boards including representing the California Psychiatric Association to the state stakeholders’ organization, California Coalition for Mental Health Her interest in issues of climate change impacts on mentally ill derives from her many years of political work on climate change politics specifically working with Citizens’ Climate Lobby, on national legislation on a carbon tax with revenues returned to American families. Her concern for environmental justice ha been has fueled her interest in understanding the differential impacts of climate disruption on poor, underserved communities including the mentally ill. She is a Distinguished Life Fellow of theAmerican Psychiatric Association and co-founder of the Climate Psychiatry Alliance. 

Dr. Lise Van Susteren, a practicing general and forensic psychiatrist in Washington, DC, is an expert on the physical and mental health effects of climate change. In 2011 she co-authored "The Psychological Effects of Climate Warming on the U.S. - Why the US Mental Health System Is Not Prepared". Dr. Van Susteren has served as a Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Georgetown University and has been a consultant to the Executive Branch of the US Government profiling world leaders. After receiving her medical degree from the University of Paris, she practiced medicine in West Africa, at community health centers and homeless shelters in metropolitan Washington DC.  In addition to community organizing on climate issues, Dr. Van Susteren serves on the Advisory Board of the Center for Health and the Global Environment at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Earth Day Network, and is co-founder of "Climate Psychiatry Alliance," a professional group dedicated to promoting awareness and action on climate from a mental health perspective.  She is a frequent contributor on television, radio and in the print media. In 2006 Dr. Van Susteren sought the Democratic nomination for the US Senate from Maryland. Recently she founded "Lucky Planet Foods" - a company providing plant based, low carbon foods. Dr. Van Susteren was among the proud "first 50" to be trained by Vice President Al Gore at the Climate Project In Nashville. 

Originally licensed and in successful private practice in California, Michelle Longino was licensed as an LMFT in Louisiana in 2002, when she moved to NOLA. She has over fifteen years of clinical experience working with individual adults, families, and couples. Her treatment orientation is based on sound research and includes cognitive-behavioral, experiential, mindfulness, and training in couples' work. She enjoys helping clients recognize their strengths and develop healthy skills to cope with life's challenges. She is skilled at treating a variety of issues including: anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, and anger management.  Michelle talks in depth about her approach to family therapy. 

Nicole Young graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2007 and immediately began work on the Obama Presidential Campaign. After 2008, she lived in Washington, DC for four years working at the U.S. Department of Education and the White House Office of Presidential Personnel. Before coming to BECNO, Young served as the Associate Director for Social Justice at the College Board where she worked to evaluate, support, and expand the College Board’s work for students of color. Young received her Master’s Degree in Education Policy at The University of Pennsylvania.

After receiving her doctorate in American Literature at NYU in 2009, Jessie Morgan-Owens served as an Assistant Professor of English at Nanyang Technological University of Singapore. In 2012, Morgan-Owens returned to the US, and joined the Newhouse Center for the Humanities at Wellesley College. Of the thirty recipients of the Dean's Award at NYU, Morgan-Owens was one of two graduate students chosen to join the research community at the Humanities Initiative. Her current book project Another Ida May illuminates the influence of photography in the anti-slavery campaignby focusing on a daguerreotype of one seven-year-old girl. Originally from Louisiana, Morgan-Owens moved to New York in 2000, after earning her BA in Photojournalism at Loyola New Orleans, to begin a career in magazines at Travel + Leisure. She continues to shoot professionally with her team Morgan & Owens.

Chief Executive Officer Else Pedersen has worked for Bridge House / Grace House since 1992. Else is a Licensed Addiction Counselor and holds a Masters of Business Administration. Else became the Chief Executive Officer of Bridge House / Grace House on September 15, 2011. Prior to that date, she was the Executive Director of Bridge House since 2004. Else has extensive knowledge of the inner workings of Bridge House in that she has worked in many departments before becoming the Executive Director, in particular the Clinical Department as a direct provider of services. Else is responsible for the overall management of the organization. Her responsibilities include the development and implementation of all clinical programs and supporting businesses; ensuring clinical program and business objectives are met; and directing and supervising staff.