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 Jared Byas, author of the new book, Love Matters More: How Fighting to Be Right Keeps Us From Loving Like Jesus. This was a great conversation, as Jared and I found a many points of connection. The book focuses on matters of faith, but the principles apply to anything we can have strong beliefs and opinions about, including of course, politics. We talked specifically about how we might emphasize love in our discussions with those who hold different political beliefs, and also the relevance of these ideas in our closest relationships. I love to imagine how we could change, and how we could change our world, by putting love first in every interaction. I hope you take a lot from our discussion.
My guest this week is Dr. Scott Kellogg, a therapist in private practice in New York. He’s the author of a book called Transformational Chairwork, and we focused on what chairwork is and why it can be so powerful. It was a great discussion about how we’re all made of different parts, and we can give voice to all of these facets of ourselves in a way that promotes integration and growth. One thing I hadn’t expected in this discussion was the demonstration I did with Scott, where he led me through an experiential exercise in therapeutic chairwork. It was a timely topic—we focused on some of the feelings I was having about the 2020 presidential election. I’m guessing a lot of people will be able to relate to some of the thoughts and fears and emotions that came up. I’ll look forward to hearing what you think.
My guest this week is Anita Friday, creator of an organization called Open Hearts: A Path for Racial Healing. Anita and I talked about her experiences as a Black woman and mother, and the things that those of us who are White can take for granted. We also explored the distinction between racism and related concepts, how to make a difference right where we live, and the love and faith that motivate Anita’s work. I also wanted to let you know that you’ll hear the N-word in this episode. It’s a sober discussion, and also a very hopeful one.
I’ve got a very special guest for you this week. Professor Peter Enns, author of books that include The Sin of Certainty and How the Bible Actually Works (affiliate links), joins me for a discussion about the Bible, Christianity, love, trust, and the evolving nature of faith.
I grew up with a very fundamentalist understanding of the Bible, and can relate to so many of the things that Pete writes and talks about, including the fear of getting our facts wrong and offending God. As Pete points out, that’s a pretty limiting view of God—that God can’t tolerate our honest efforts to interpret the Bible as best we can in light of our experience.
Our discussion focuses on Christianity, but I think many of the issues apply across different religious traditions. I look forward to hearing your reactions.
My guest this week is Alison McKleroy, a psychotherapist who just wrote a book called Essential Strategies for Social Anxiety: Practical Techniques to Face Your Fears, Overcome Self-Doubt, and Thrive (affiliate link). This is episode 109 and I believe my first focusing specifically on social anxiety, so this is long overdue. Alison had a lot to share about the essentials of evidence-based cognitive behavioral therapy for social anxiety, including many of the big ideas from her book.
Toward the end we got into a really important topic of how to overcome social anxiety even when people are actually critical toward us. Most of us, myself included, deal with some degree of social anxiety, so I’m guessing you’ll find a lot of these ideas really helpful.
My guest this week is none other than the creator of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (or ACT), Dr. Steve Hayes. I was excited for the opportunity to talk with Steve, and he certainly did not disappoint.
We got into some really fascinating territory together, starting with the crucial importance of psychological flexibility. From there we ranged into comparisons of ACT and traditional cognitive behavioral therapy, and some of the potential pitfalls of a cognitive approach.
Many of the ideas we talked about are described in his most recent book, A Liberated Mind, which is excellent. Toward the end of our discussion we explored Steve’s take on religion and spirituality, and how ACT fits with these deeply human areas. The beauty of ACT principles, as Steve says so clearly, is how widely they apply, really to all areas of human activity.
So whether you’re dealing with overwhelming anxiety or panic, or your mind is constantly feeding you self-hating thoughts, or you want to live a fuller and richer life with less strain, I think there’s a lot you’ll find useful in this conversation.
My guest this week is psychologist Dr. Benjamin Hardy. Ben recently wrote an excellent book called Personality Isn’t Permanent: Break Free From Self-Limiting Beliefs and Rewrite Your Story. This conversation is all about overcoming self-imposed limitations so your past doesn’t have to define your future. I find Ben’s message very uplifting, with his focus on the choice that each of us has in determining our path and our identity, and the freedom we can find as we decide who our future self will be. I really enjoyed talking with Ben and getting to know him. I expect you'll get a lot from our discussion.
My guest this week is fellow clinical psychologist and CBT therapist Dr. Paul Greene. We talked about our experiences with mindfulness, both in our own lives and in our clinical practice. We also explored the effectiveness of CBT for treating trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and our thoughts on combining these treatment programs with some of the body-focused treatments (like those I discussed in a recent episode with Ilene Smith). Paul and I also got into some of the personal benefit we find in meditation practices, and the kinds of practices we tend to be drawn to.
My guest this week is psychologist Dr. Jonah Paquette. We focused on his new book, Awestruck: How Embracing Wonder Can Make You Happier, Healthier, and More Connected. Jonah and I explored what awe is and what causes it, and how we can cultivate more experiences of awe in our everyday lives, even in situations that seem anything but awe-inspiring. These experiences have everything to do with attention, and with waking up to what it means to have what we call an “ordinary life.”
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