Wisdom for Wellbeing: Mind-Body Psychology and Somatic Skills for Healing and Growth

NeLi Martin, is an Australian psychologist who practices and teaches Buddhist Dharma, mindfulness, yoga and dance. In this episode NeLi discusses how Buddhist practices and yoga teachings fit philosophically with new evidence-based psychological therapies, such as Acceptance & Commitment Training/Therapy (ACT). If you have ever been interested in how to integrating psychotherapeutic principles with your yoga or Buddhist meditation practice, then this episode is for you!

Shownotes: www.drkaitin.com

Dr. Emily K. Sandoz, an author, Professor and Clinical Psychologist, discusses body-related difficulties and how cultivating 'psychological flexibility' can support you making peace with your body.This episode is incredibly important given the high likelihood that you will identify with the experience of being dissatisfied with your body at some point in your life. Further, an increasing number of both women and men do then go on to develop eating disorders. Alongside this, you have no doubt heard of the #bodypositive movement - it is growing - but, Dr. Sandoz talks through the reasons why this may actually be more harmful than helpful.

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Dr. Steven C. Hayes, co-founder of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), shares the 3 pillars of psychological flexibility. This is particularly important given the increase in stress, depression, anxiety and suicide we are seeing in this modern world. In fact, Dr. Hayes' book A Liberated Mind, was recently released sharing his wisdom on how you can cultivate psychological flexibility to overcome emotional pain and live a thriving life - on purpose. For excample, Dr. Hayes shares how you can 'flip' your pain to find your purpose, and how yoga can be used as a perspective taking skill.

Shownotes: www.drkaitin.com

What does 'yoga' mean to you?

Dr. Jay is a registered psychologist and yoga teacher. In this episode she shares how you can use yoga as a life practice, beyond what happens on the mat. She talks about the neurology and physiology involved in yoga and trauma, and how yoga can support the development of interception, which is, ultimately noticing what is going on internally for one's self. Dr Jay provides an Insight Meditation to explore your purpose and cultivate gratitude.

Shownotes: www.drkaitlin.com

Have you ever experienced stress, overwhelm or anxiety recently?

Dr. Jill Stoddard discusses how you can lead a 'mighty' life – even with the experience of painful emotions. She explores the 'suit of [emotional] armour' that you wear and your 'I'm not good enough story'. Fnally, she supports you to reflect on your 'sweet' moments so that you can create a meaningful life and consciously embody the person you want to be.

Tiffany is a researcher and founder of the Village Foundation. She shares about motherhood challenges including IVF, postpartum depression, cultivating community, and balancing work and family pressures.Tiffany shares sociological reflections, which offer a useful framework from which to understand the all-to-common experience of postpartum stress and isolation, and highlights the importance of clarifying your values and matching your lifestyle to support them.

Shownotes: www.drkaitlin.com

Dr. Davidson is a Psychologist, a Certified Daring Way™ Facilitator, and a Yoga Teacher. In this episode she shares about her experience using love as a compass and living life as a #lovewarrior. She discusses the importance of 'lifelines', common humanity and saying 'yes' to support. Dr. Davidson also shares about how both personal therapy and yoga can support emotional fortitude and a sense of wholeness.

Shownotes: www.drkaitlin.com

David Allen, productivity guru, shares his 5-step system Getting Things Done® (GTD) methodology. This system is designed to free you from the “ambient angst” associated with not being sure of your tasks and the stress that something will slip through the cracks. David talks about how 'cleaning up' allows you to be more creative and present, as well as how to actually action each step of the GTD system.

Shownotes: www.drkaitin.com

Dr. Jessica takes the concepts of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT for short), and makes them accessible and actionable – so that even with the pains of being human, you can still create a life that is rich and meaningful. She discusses tools to connect with the present moment, including using yoga can be as a strategy for accessing Pure Awareness and Whole Health.

Shownotes: www.drkaitin.com

Welcome to the second episode of the Wisdom for Wellbeing Podcast. On this episode I interview Dr. John Arden, a brilliant author and leader in the field of integrative psychotherapy. On this episode I interview Dr. John Arden, a brilliant author and leader in the field of integrative psychotherapy.

This episode is particularly special for me, as I have been following Dr. Arden’s work for many years, since I first read Rewire Your Brain Think Your Way to a Better Life. As you will see in the episode, Dr. Arden is able to take complex concepts from psychotherapy, neuropsychology, epigenetics, psychoneuroimmunology, and nutritional neuroscience and present them in an easily accessible manner. This means that you will have the knowledge to implement these evidence-based practices to cultivate more calmness and connection in your life.

What is covered in this episode:

>> The SEEDS approach to good health: Social, Exercise, Education, Diet, and Sleep

>> Social: Early experiences, such as your attachment, can impact brain development and your epigenome, and how later life experiences, including therapy can also have an epigenetic effect.

>> Exercise: This is the “most powerful” of all the components. Dr. Arden describes how he has implemented a cardiovascular boost “minimal dose” by structuring his environment, and how exercise supports you to get energy (even if you’re tired!) and is the best antidepressant and anxiolytic! (That means, it decreases symptoms of depression and anxiety.)

>> Education: Why learning new things is important for brain health and how it supports your adaptivity (i.e., mental flexibility).

>> Diet: How what you eat affects your neurochemistry, and what the best diets are to support your mental health and gut bacteria. Dr. Arden also shares that there is more DNA in your gut that is not you, than is in your cells! He also shares concerns around the most consumed vegetable in the USA.

>> Sleep: What makes for quality sleep, and how this impacts different components of your health.

>> The FEED approach to learning: Focus, Effort, Effortlessness (stay on behaviour long enough to make it effortless), and Determination

Links Discussed

Head to www.drkaitin.com/ww2 for show notes, free resources and courses that support you a heartfelt life alongside peak performance. 

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