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 psychologist Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman, author of the brand new book, Transcend: The New Science of Self-Actualization (affiliate link). We spent a good bit of time thinking together about how the ideas from his terrific book apply to ongoing coronavirus crisis and the social distancing that’s affecting our lives in so many ways. (One effect is that our family members are home all the time, so you may hear some kid sounds during the episode.)
Scott and I also talked about the intimate relationship between the sacred and the commonplace, and how self-actualization is not the least bit selfish. We touched on posttraumatic growth, the value in embracing our reality as fully as possible, and why therapists like me struggle with challenges just like everyone else does. I really like talking with Scott and am so glad to have gotten to know him in recent months. I hope you enjoy our conversation.
In these anxious times we need ways to come back to center, as stress and uncertainty can lead to being wound up, scattered, out of our bodies and stuck in our minds. So this week I have a simple centering practice for you, called Fourteen Breaths.
This meditation actually comes from a new course I've created called Balance: Mindfulness-Centered Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Anxiety, Stress, & Worry. This is a paid 4-week course with one lesson per week, but it's available to all regardless of financial means. Visit the show notes to learn more.
My guest this week is Linda Carroll, author of the recent book, Love Skills: The Keys to Unlocking Lasting, Wholehearted Love (affiliate link). This is an important conversation for any time, and it may be especially important now as so many of us are social distancing on the one hand but are also with our partners 24/7. This can be great, and also presents challenges, and opportunities to work together toward a stronger union.
Linda and I discussed things like how our adult relationships can trigger painful experiences from childhood, and whether happy couples generally resolve all their issues (spoiler alert: they don’t, but they do figure out more effective ways to talk about them). Maybe the most important thing from this episode is the power in recognizing the stories we tell ourselves when we’re upset with our partner, and how questioning those stories puts us in a much stronger position to have a harmonious relationship.
I have two guests for you this week—psychologists Dr. Paul Napper and Dr. Anthony Rao, authors of the recent book, The Power of Agency: The 7 Principles to Conquer Obstacles, Make Effective Decisions, and Create a Life on Your Own Terms. The three of us explored ways to reclaim greater control over our lives, from engaging more with the physical world to releasing fear and honoring our intuition. We also discussed the benefits of psychodynamic therapy, and how it can complement a cognitive behavioral approach.
My guest this week is Denise Wiesner, author of the recent book, Conceiving With Love. We discussed many issues that arise when a couple starts trying to get pregnant, especially when they have difficulty conceiving. It’s easy for passion and intimacy to go out the window when you’re trying to have a baby, and my guest offers many insights and practices to help couples stay close through the process.
My guest this week is spine specialist and neurosurgeon Dr. Jack Stern, author of the recent book, Ending Back Pain: 5 Powerful Steps to Diagnose, Understand, and Treat Your Ailing Back (affiliate link). If you or someone you love struggles with back pain at times, which unfortunately is likely to be the case, I think you’ll find this conversation really useful.
I was very interested to hear from Dr. Stern about the psychological and emotional dimension of pain, and how cognitive behavioral therapy can be helpful. We also discussed the value of a multimodal approach to treating back pain, the importance of movement, and when to seek a second opinion.
My guest this week is Beth Ruggiero York, author of a memoir called Flying Alone. Beth and I talked about her passion for flying airplanes, the dangers she faced as she climbed the ranks to become a commercial airline pilot, and the challenges she moved through along the way. We also talked about the chronic illness that Beth has dealt with for several decades now. I think you’ll be able to relate to a lot of Beth’s experience, like the difficulty of leaving bad relationships, and the strength she found within herself.
I’ve got something different for you this week—a guided meditation. I’ve been busy finishing the first class in the Think Act Be online school. Today's meditation is actually taken from the course. It's a brief guided 3-part meditation, which takes about three minutes. This kind of practice can be a really effective way to let go of anxious thoughts or worries and to calm the nervous system, just by coming into contact with your actual experience. Once you’ve gotten the feel for it, you can practice it whenever you like, without the recording. I hope you find it helpful to ground into your experience.
My guest this week is Laura McKowen, author of the memoir, We Are the Luckiest: The Surprising Magic of a Sober Life. This was great discussion not just about the pervasiveness of alcohol in our culture and the challenge of leaving behind alcohol addiction, but about the urge we all have to escape in some way. As someone who gave up alcohol myself about three years ago, I can say from experience that a sober life has many advantages, even if you don't consider yourself a "problem drinker."
My guest this week is psychiatrist Dr. Stuart Eisendrath, who specializes in mindfulness-based treatment of depression. We discussed his new book, When Antidepressants Aren’t Enough: Harnessing the Power of Mindfulness to Alleviate Depression (affiliate link), in which he describes the need for more effective depression treatments. Unfortunately millions of people find that medication alone fails to provide adequate relief from depression. In this episode you'll hear Dr. Eisendrath describe the power of mindful awareness in the treatment of depression, and what led him and his team to adapt mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for the treatment of active depression.
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