Stay ConnectedThe Think Act Be podcast features conversations about finding happiness, peace, and connection. Clinical psychologist Seth Gillihan talks with his guests about ways to nourish your mind, body, and spirit.
For one-on-one sessions with Seth Gillihan: sethgillihan.com/1-1-sessions
For individual psychotherapy (in CA or DC) with Joel Minden: cbtchico.com
My guest this week is Dr. Regine Galanti, a clinical psychologist and author of the recent book, When Harley Has Anxiety. (As you’ll hear in this episode, I somehow thought the name was “Harlan” instead of “Harley,” but we got that straightened out.) If you’re a parent of an anxious child, or you’re wondering if your child might need to see a therapist, or even if you’re dealing with anxiety yourself, there’s a lot to take from this discussion.
A central message in Regine’s work is that difficult emotions aren’t dangerous—and that bravery is a decision. So a lot of what CBT for anxiety is about is finding techniques that give us more leverage to act bravely. And when we do, we’ll find that difficult emotions either go away, or we get better at tolerating them. So this is a really key lesson to learn at any age. I’ll look forward to your feedback on this episode.
My guest this week is Dr. Judith Ruskay Rabinor, a psychologist who recently wrote a memoir about making peace with her mother. We talked primarily about the mother-daughter relationship, but these are issues that are relevant for all parents, and for both daughters and sons. Judy has a wealth of knowledge and experience that she shares in this episode, including specific techniques for healing our relationships. And she’s confident that it’s never too late to make peace with our mothers.
My guest this week is Dr. Jessica Bodie, a clinical psychologist who specializes in cognitive behavioral therapy. We talked mostly about a topic that sadly is all too familiar for so many people, and that’s childhood sexual abuse. Jessica and I both treat adults who have lived through this form of trauma, and are still dealing with the after effects decades later. So this is a painful topic, and also such an important one.
We talked about the shame and self-blame that sexual abuse survivors often feel, and why it’s easy to be self-critical even though it clearly wasn’t their fault. We also talked about effective treatment, and how and why it works. And even though we can’t go back and change the past, we can come to a new understanding of what that childhood pain meant, and those trauma memories no longer have to haunt us. So this is a very hopeful discussion, and I hope you take a lot from it.
My guest this week is Dr. Katherine Dahlsgaard, a clinical psychologist and specialist in treating kids and teens. We focused in this episode on extremely picky eating in kids, also known as avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID). This was a fascinating topic for me and one I wasn’t that familiar with. But Katherine is extremely knowledgeable and does a great job describing the principles of treating ARFID, so I know you’ll find a lot of interest here.
My guest this week is Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor, author of the new book, Whole Brain Living: The Anatomy of Choice and the Four Characters That Drive Our Life (affiliate link). Jill has quite a story to tell, which you may have heard the beginning of in her bestselling book, My Stroke of Insight. In this conversation she describes how she recovered from a massive stroke, and is now able to share the powerful lessons she learned about the brain, human nature, and ultimately love.
My guest this week is clinical psychologist Dr. Jeffrey Bernstein, bestselling author of The Anxiety, Depression, & Anger Toolbox for Teens (affiliate link). Jeff specializes in treating kids and teens. In this episode we talk about how the pandemic has affected young people, and the warning signs parents can look for that could indicate their child is having a mental health crisis. We also explored how to talk with our children about their mental health, and how Jeff’s powerful blend of mindfulness, cognitive behavioral therapy, and positive psychology can equip kids and teens with the skills they need to navigate any challenge. I think you’ll find a lot in this episode that’s really useful.
My guest this week is clinical psychologist and author Dr. Mitch Abblett. We focused our discussion on Mitch’s recent book called Prizeworthy: How to Meaningfully Connect, Build Character, and Unlock the Potential of Every Child (affiliate link). In this episode you’ll find out exactly what prizing is, what it feels like to be prized, and why it's the cornerstone of everything Mitch does as a therapist and a parent. Mitch also offers many helpful tools for handling the challenges that we all face as parents, or as anyone who wants to bring out the best in young people.
My guest this week is Dr. Daniel Kinderlehrer. Dan is a physician and author of the recent book, Recovery From Lyme Disease: The Integrative Medicine Guide to Diagnosing and Treating Tick-Borne Illness. This was a great discussion about a topic that’s important for a lot of people. Dan is extremely knowledgeable and has a great deal of experience treating Lyme Disease.
Some of his experience is personal, as you’ll hear him describe, since he recovered from Lyme himself. We discuss many of the psychiatric syndromes that Lyme can trigger, including extreme depression and anxiety.
My guest this week is Martin Lee, the primary author of the recent book The Essential Guide to CBD (affiliate link), which offers a solid introduction to the many possible benefits of CBD. Martin and I explored how it is that a single substance can have such wide-ranging effects, and got into specific conditions like anxiety, depression, and sleep. If you're new to CBD, or interested to learn more about the science behind its effects, I think you'll find a lot of good information here.
My guest this week is Shelley Buck, co-author of the recent book Leave Your Light On about her son, Ryder Buck. (Shelley’s co-authors include Kathy Curtis and Ryder.) This is a conversation about love, parenting, holding on, letting go, finding faith, and what happens when we die, among other things. I think you’ll get a lot out of our discussion.
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