Psychologists Off the Clock

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) can be paralyzing and severely affect one’s life. Successfully diagnosing and treating OCD in the teen years gives young people their lives back by helping them meaningfully re-engage with friends, school, and life in general rather than losing hours a day to awful and unwanted thoughts. In this episode, Jill talks with OCD expert and clinical psychologist Dr. Patricia Zurita Ona, author of The ACT Workbook for Teens with OCD: Unhook Yourself and Live Life to the Full by Patricia Zurita Ona, Psy.D.about this new resource that combines the best of Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to successfully treat teens who struggle with OCD. Listen and Learn: What is Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)?Why combine ERP and ACT for teens with OCD?Fun exercises like Scrambling and Singing Your Obsessions to engage teens Why this OCD expert adds “choice points” to every exposure session About Dr. Patricia Zurita Ona Dr. Patricia E. Zurita Dr. Patricia Zurita Ona, or “Dr. Z.,” is a licensed clinical psychologist, founder of the East Bay Therapy Center in Walnut Creek, California, and author The ACT Workbook for Teens with OCD. She is also a faculty member at The Wright Institute in Berkeley, California and has authored Escaping the Emotional Roller Coaster: ACT for the Emotionally Sensitive and coauthored Parenting a Troubled Teen: Manage Conflict and Deal with Intense Emotions with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Dr. Zurita Ona specializes in treating obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), trauma, anxiety and emotion regulation issues and works with children, teens, and adults. She is passionate about helping her clients unhook from fear to live the lives they were meant to live. Dr. Zurita Ona was born and raised in Bolivia and received her Psy.D. from the Wright Institute. Resources actbeyondOCD.com: Dr. Patricia Zurita Ona’s online class for people struggling with OCDThe ACT Workbook for Teens with OCD: Unhook Yourself and Live Life to the Full by Patricia Zurita Ona, Psy.D.Living Beyond OCD: An Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Workbook for OCD by Patricia Zurita Ona Psy.D. (published in October 2020)Parenting a Troubled Teen: Manage Conflict and Deal with Intense Emotions with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy by Patricia Zurita Ona Psy.D., Matthew McKay, Ph.D., and Kirk Stroshal, Ph.D.Escaping the Emotional Roller Coaster: ACT for the Emotionally Sensitive by Patricia Zurita Ona Psy.D. 108. Is Your Self-Control Out of Control? with Hope Arnold (Part 1)79. Helping Adolescents Thrive with Dr. Louise Hayes78. The Self-Driven Child with Dr. William Stixrud54. Anxiety in Children and Adolescents with Dr. Veronica Raggi Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Trying to drag people to change doesn’t work. Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a collaborative approach that increases people’s inner motivation and commitment to positive change. Motivational Interviewing is used across numerous settings including weight loss, exercise, smoking, substance use, teaching, coaching and supports people in making change for themselves. In this episode, Diana interviews the co-founder of Motivational Interviewing, Dr. Stephen Rollnick. He discusses the power of empathy and open-ended questions as he demonstrates the spirit of Motivational Interviewing. He offers communication strategies you can use as a parent, teacher, coach, health care worker, partner or friend. “The more we try to persuade people to change, tell them why it was a good idea, tell them how to go about it, the harder they seem to kick back.”Stephen Rollnick Listen and Learn How to use empathy to respond to ambivalence and resistanceHow you can speak with somebody to get the best out of themWhy being a problem solver isn’t always helpfulWhy affirmation is more powerful than praise when it comes to changeHow Motivational Interviewing is used in health care, pediatric AIDS and with athletesWhy being an expert can backfireHow even the co-founder of Motivational Interviewing falls into traps of pushing for change About Stephen Rollnick Dr. Stephen Rollnick Dr. Stephen Rollnick is a co-founder of Motivational Interviewing.  He an Honorary Distinguished Professor in the School of Medicine in Cardiff University, Wales, UK with a research record focused on good practice in efforts to promote change and behavior change among patients, clients and the practitioners who serve them. His work has included support to programs for pregnant teens, children with HIV-AIDS in Africa and medication adherence in different areas.  He is a co-founder of PATA (Paediatric Aids Treatment for Africa) and the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT), an international network for trainers.  He is the co-author of Motivational Interviewing: Helping People Change (Miller and Rollnick, 1991; 2001 & 2012), Health Behaviour Change: A Guide for Practitioners (Rollnick, Mason & Butler, 1999) and Motivational Interviewing in Health Care (Rollnick, Miller & Butler, 2008), Motivational Interviewing in Schools (2016) and Coaching Athletes to Be Their Best: Motivational Interviewing in Sports (2020). Resources for Motivational Interviewing Motivational Interviewing: Helping People Change by Willaim Miller and Stephen RollnickMotivational Interviewing in Health Care by Stephen Rollnick, William Miller, and Christopher ButlerCoaching Athletes to Be Their Best: Motivational Interviewing in Sports by Stephen Rollnick, Johnathan Fader, and Jeff Breckon 101. The Complete Family Guide to Addiction with Thomas Harrison and Dr. Hilary Connery66. Helping People Change Using Motivational Interviewing With Dr. Nadine Mastroleo72. Committed Action with Dr. DJ Moran3. The Science of Self-Compassion Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We are facing an unprecedented challenge of how to work, parent, homeschool, and partner in the time of the Coronavirus Pandemic. During this tragedy, many of us have felt overwhelmed by the nuts and bolts of maintaining our most important life roles. In this episode, Yael and Diana draw from psychology research, personal experience, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). We discuss strategies to keep our heads above water in each of our life roles while keeping an eye towards finding slivers of possibility to support our work, parenting, and relationships during this quarantine. Listen and learn: How to soothe your nervous system when stressed-outStrategies to engage self-compassion and psychological flexibility How to take breaks, find meaning, and explore the possibilityPerspective shifting so that you can manage expectations, mistakes, and challengesTo look for opportunities for growth and joy in our parenting, work, and relationshipsWays to make room for complex emotions How to support positive connections between work, parenting, and relationships while quarantined Resources: Blessings of a Skinned Knee: Raising Self-Reliant Children, by Wendy Mogel Learn more about self-compassion and resilience: 75. Mindful Self-Compassion with Christopher Germer22. Taking in the Good with Rick Hanson Ideas for Parenting Effectively and Compassionately: 78. The Self-Driven Child with Dr. William Stixrud113. Self-Compassion for Parents with Dr. Susan Pollak Ideas for Managing Work Under Difficult Circumstances 42. Strategies To Increase Focus And Work More Effectively58. Balancing the Big Stuff with Drs. Miriam Liss and Holly Schiffrin73. Essentialism With Greg McKeown83. The Tao of Work and Family Balance130. Working Less with Dr. Alex Pang Ideas for Maintaining Healthy Partnerships 21. Fostering A Connected Partnership61. Becoming Our Best Relationship Selves By Identifying Core Values And Schemas With Dr. Avigail Lev92. Marriage in Midlife: The Rough Patch with Dr. Daphne de Marneffe Learn about Values and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): 116. Building a Meaningful, Values-based Life with Dr. Jenna LeJeune121. Be Mighty: An Episode for Stressed Out, Worried Women with Dr. Jill Stoddard Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, Robyn Walser, a frequent guest of the podcast, and Debbie explore how we can be our “better angels” in the midst of these extreme challenges. We can do this by making values-based decisions, while still caring for ourselves and our loved ones. Dr. Walser discusses strategies for effectively caring for one’s mental health in this current moment of extreme trauma and stress, and beyond. We talk about mental health factors like anxiety, alcohol/substance abuse, and sleep. Then we explore how we can come together collectively to find meaning and hope during these difficult times with the new coronavirus, COVID-19. During this time of global crisis with COVID-19, many of us are experiencing fear, sadness, anger, and anxiety. We are all impacted by this pandemic, directly or indirectly, and many are experiencing a high level of stress. Therefore, it is a time when caring for both physical and mental wellness, is more important than ever. About Robyn Walser Dr. Robyn Walser Dr. Walser is staff at the National Center for PTSD, co-director of the Bay Area Trauma Recovery Center and is an Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of California, Berkeley. As a licensed clinical psychologist, she maintains an international training, consulting and therapy practice. Dr. Walser is an expert in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and has co-authored 5 books on ACT including Learning ACT, 2nd Edition, The Mindful Couple, ACT for Clergy and Pastoral Counselors: Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to Bridge Psychological and Spiritual Care, and The Heart of ACT: Developing a Flexible, Process-Based, and Client-Centered Practice Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Resources Former podcast guest and ACT co-founder Steve Hayes’s blog post on How to be a Corona Virus Hero.Self-care guide in the time of COVID-19 by Dr. Andrea Birnbaum Tips from our former podcast guest Tara Mohr on Handling Tensions While Stuck at Home Together Centers for Disease Control and Prevention websiteCOVID Coach: Free mobile app from the National Center for PTSD designed to help EVERYONE in the community cope with feelings of stress and anxiety in response to the COVID-19 pandemicOnline course, Treating Trauma with ACT, with Dr. Robyn Walser Books by Pema Chodron Supporting Mental Health The Wisdom of No Escape: and the Path of Loving-Kindness Start Where You Are: A Guide to Compassionate LivingWhen Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times Comfortable with Uncertainty: 108 Teachings on Cultivating Fearlessness and Compassion 44. Anxiety Happens with Dr. John Forsyth49. Empowering Women with Dr. Robyn Walser102. A Liberated Mind with Dr. Steven Hayes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We all know we “should” move our bodies but some of us struggle with wanting to or get caught up in complicated, negative and rule-bound messages about how to move our bodies. Join Jill for an uplifting and motivating discussion with Dr. McGonigal, author of The Joy of Movement: How Exercise Helps Us Find Happiness, Hope, Connection, and Courage about the intrinsic power of movement for everybody, and ways to change your relationship with physical exercise so your brain comes to actually like, want, and need it! Listen and Learn: Tips to train your brain to find joy in movementThe surprising upside of lactic acidHow exercise improves and enhances social connection/communityThe power of moving in synchrony. About Dr. Kelly McGonigal: Kelly McGonigal, Ph.D. is a health psychologist, a lecturer at Stanford University, and best-selling author of The Upside of Stress and The Willpower Instinct. She also helped design the Stanford Compassion Cultivation Training, a course originally developed for the Stanford Center for Compassion and Altruism, that is now offered worldwide to help individuals cultivate greater empathy, compassion, and social connection. Dr. McGonigal has spent decades researching and steeping herself in neuroscience, health psychology, and movement practices and is deeply committed to translating the latest research from these fields to help others experience improved health, happiness, and wellbeing. Dr. McGonigal received her Ph.D. in psychology from Stanford University and a B.A. in psychology and B.S. in Communications from Boston University. Resources: Kellymcgonigal.comThe Joy of Movement: How Exercise Helps Us Find Happiness, Hope, Connection, and Courage by Kelly McGonigal, PhD The Upside of Stress: Why Stress is Good for You and How to Get Good at It by Kelly McGonigal, PhDThe Willpower Instinct: How Self Control Works, Why It Matters, and What You Can Do to Get More of It by Kelly McGonigal, PhDYoga for Pain Relief: Simple Practices to Calm Your Mind and Heal Your Body by Kelly McGonigal, PhD 43. Willpower With Dr. Kelly McGonigal124. Nutritious Movement and Why it Matters with Katy Bowman, M.S.129. Yoga for All and Body Kindness with Dr. Jennifer Webb Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Join Diana in a short Pranayama or yogic breathing meditation. Take 10 minutes to savor the present moment and your breath! Related Psychologists Off The Clock Episodes 81. A Gift For You: 10 Min Breathing Meditation70. A Gift For You: Loving-Kindness Meditation122. Taking in the Good with Dr. Rick Hanson114. The Way of Effortless Mindfulness with Loch Kelly Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Stress and anxiety levels are high right now due to the spread of the COVID-19 virus. In this episode, Dr. Stephen Porges offers us a model of our physiology of threat and strategies to boost feelings of safeness, especially with COVID-19 anxiety. Through the lens of Polyvagal theory, Dr. Porges and Diana explore what it means to be human in the face of infectious disease, trauma, and global uncertainty. “To be able to be supportive to those who are around us if they're feeling anxious or uncomfortable, we can't just say to them, ‘forget it, it's not important.’ Polyvagal Theory says our goal, our responsibility, is to support those around us so that they feel safer.”Dr. Stephen Porges Listen and Learn: How Debbie and Diana are responding to current their own COVID-19 anxiety.What “prosocial distancing” is, and how you can participate.Debbie and Diana’s tips for refocusing on values, improving mental health, and maintaining social connection.How the Vagus Nerve regulates our response to stress.The heart-face connection and its role in feeling safe.Why your eyes and voice matter in co-regulating others. How the Polyvagal Theory informs our current understanding of trauma and treatment.The benefits of chanting, singing, and breathing together! Stephen Porges About Dr. Stephen Porges Stephen W. Porges, Ph.D. is a Distinguished University Scientist at Indiana University where he is the founding director of the Traumatic Stress Research Consortium. He is Professor of Psychiatry at the University of North Carolina, and Professor Emeritus at both the University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Maryland.  He served as president of the Society for Psychophysiological Research and the Federation of Associations in Behavioral & Brain Sciences and is a former recipient of a National Institute of Mental Health Research Scientist Development Award. He has published more than 300 peer-reviewed papers across several disciplines including anesthesiology, biomedical engineering, critical care medicine, ergonomics, exercise physiology, gerontology, neurology, neuroscience, obstetrics, pediatrics, psychiatry, psychology, psychometrics, space medicine, and substance abuse. In 1994 he proposed the Polyvagal Theory, a theory that links the evolution of the mammalian autonomic nervous system to social behavior and emphasizes the importance of the physiological state in the expression of behavioral problems and psychiatric disorders. The theory is leading to innovative treatments based on insights into the mechanisms mediating symptoms observed in several behavioral, psychiatric, and physical disorders. He is the author of The Polyvagal Theory: Neurophysiological foundations of Emotions, Attachment, Communication, and Self-regulation (Norton, 2011), The Pocket Guide to the Polyvagal Theory: The Transformative Power of Feeling Safe, (Norton, 2017) and co-editor of Clinical Applications of the Polyvagal Theory: The Emergence of Polyvagal-Informed Therapies (Norton, 2018).  He is the creator of a music-based intervention, the Safe and Sound Protocol ™, which currently is used by more than 1400 therapists to improve spontaneous social engagement, to reduce hearing sensitivities, and to improve language processing, state regulation, and spontaneous social engagement. Resources: The Safe and Sound Protocol by Stephen PorgesMore information about Stephen Porges Polyvagal Theory: Neurophysiological foundations of Emotions, Attachment, Communication, and Self-regulation by Stephen PorgesThe Pocket Guide to the Polyvagal Theory: The Transformative Power of Feeling Safe by Stephen PorgesSanta Barbara Song Circles Facebook group: Community Singing Network of the Central CoastWorldwide Song Circles: singworldwide.org Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, Dr. Alex Pang is back on the podcast to discuss his new book, Shorter: Work Better, Smarter, and Less - Here's How. Last time he came on the show (Episode 45. Rest with Dr. Alex Pang), Alex told our listeners about the surprising benefits of deliberate rest on productivity and creativity. In his new book, he takes his ideas to a new level by exploring how organizations can help prevent burnout and dissatisfaction, and even increase profits, by shifting to shorter workweeks. In an era where overworking has been the norm, many of us feel we have to put in long hours at the office, and then go home to work even more. With modern technology, many feel the pressure to be working constantly. But a culture of overworking can be costly to individuals, leading to burnout and dissatisfaction. For organizations, a culture of overwork can lead to high turnover and employees who are less productive and creative than they could be. By taking a fresh perspective on how we structure our work into shorter workweeks, Dr. Pang offers a hopeful alternative, backed up by research and successful examples, of a new workplace culture that supports a better work-life balance for all. Listen and Learn: How shorter workweeks can lead to…Increased retention More creative and focused workSustained productivity and profitabilityReduced office stigma About Dr. Alex Pang Dr. Alex Pang is the author of four books, including Shorter: Work Better, Smarter, and Less - Here's How, and Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less. He is the founder of Strategy and Rest, a consultancy devoted to helping companies and individuals harness the power of rest to shorten our workdays while staying focused and productive. He has given talks and workshops around the world about the 4-day week and the future of work, and how deliberate rest makes creative careers more productive and sustainable. Related Psychologists Off The Clock Episodes: Episode 45. Rest with Dr. Alex Pang Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

How often do you find yourself relating to your body as a physical being rather than a physical object? Celebrating what it can do for you instead of fixating on how it looks in the mirror? If you’re like most people, not often! All too often we find ourselves comparing how our body looks to narrowly-defined cultural ideals that are unhealthy, unsustainable, and just plain inaccessible!  In this episode, Dr. Jennifer Webb, associate professor at UNC Charlotte, and Yael discuss strategies for responding to the cultural messages that we receive in ways that cultivate body kindness and inclusivity. Listen and Learn: How looking at our body as process is more useful than looking at our body as an objectHow body shaming de-motivates healthy behaviors How to integrate an acceptance and commitment therapy take on “body flexibility”Specific practices to cultivate body flexibility and kindness About Dr. Webb: Jennifer Webb, Ph.D., is a clinical health psychologist and Associate Professor in the Department of Psychological Sciences at the University of North Carolina (UNC) in Charlotte, North Carolina. Dr. Webb is also the Director of the MIND-BATCH Lab at UNC Charlotte, which is dedicated to furthering research about positive psychology, mindfulness, body acceptance, culture, and health. Her research is informed by multiculturally inclusive values and Dr. Webb is specifically interested in the experience of young ethnic minority women as well as the effects of weight-related body shaming and the mind-body connection on appetite, metabolism, and weight. Dr. Webb received her bachelor’s degree in Cognitive Neuroscience from Harvard University and her Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Southern California. Resources: To learn more about Jennifer’s research, follow these links: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jennifer_Webb2https://www.researchgate.net/lab/MIND-BATCH-Lab-Jennifer-B-WebbRealizing Yoga’s All-Access Pass: A Social Justice Critique of Westernized Yoga and Inclusive MovementIs “Yoga Bod” the New Skinny?: A Comparative Content Analysis of Mainstream of Yoga Lifestyle Magazine CoversThe interview with Jennifer on the Body Kindness podcast To learn more about yoga inclusivity resources, check out the following: Yoga and Body Image CoalitionAccessible YogaDecolonizing YogaBody Positive YogaCurvy YogaJessamyn StanleyDianne BondyYes! Yoga Has Curves Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

According to Dr. Rhonda Merwin, individuals with anorexia and low weight are, “doing exactly what society has told them makes sense to be a good person.” At the same time, having anorexia and being over-controlled with food narrows your life, increases preoccupation with weight, and has negative health consequences. ACT offers a novel approach to treating eating disorders. By stepping back from eating disorder thoughts, identifying values and increasing acceptance and willingness, men and women can gain headway in recovery from one of the most difficult mental health issues. In this episode, Diana talks with Dr. Rhonda Merwin, Associate Professor at Duke University Medical Center and lead author of ACT for Anorexia Nervosa: A Guide for Clinicians about ways to apply ACT to find freedom from anorexia and restrictive eating.   In honor of National Eating Disorder Awareness Week, this episode is dedicated to all who are seeking recovery in their relationship with food and weight. May you find peace. #NEDAwareness #ComeAsYouAre Listen and Learn The power of appreciating the benefits of an eating disorderWhy some people at higher risk for anorexia or restrictive eatingWhy ACT is especially effective for anorexia and disordered eatingWhat functional analysis is and how to use it to assess and treat disordered eatingWhat it means to be “emotion phobic” and how it relates to restrictive eatingWhy over-working, people-pleasing, and being compliant are often linked to anorexiaHow to create a more flexible sense of self that is not coupled with the eating disorderThe role that self-parenting plays in recovery from an eating disorderWhat is it really like to have ACT co-founder Kelly Wilson as your mentor? About Dr. Rhonda Merwin Rhonda Merwin, Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist and Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Duke Medical Center. She conducts research on the mechanisms and treatment of eating disorders, specifically restrictive eating disorders and eating disorders in the context of Type 1 Diabetes. Dr. Merwin is also a Peer-Reviewed ACT Trainer, the Director of the ACT at Duke University Clinical and Training Program, and lead author of ACT for Anorexia Nervosa: A Guide for Clinicians. Resources ACT for Anorexia Nervosa: A Guide for Clinicians, by Rhonda Merwin, Ph.D., Nancy Zucker, Ph.D., and Kelley Wilson, PhDACT at Duke.org for further information about Dr. Merwin’s research and educational and clinical activitiesAppetite Awareness Training with Dr. Linda Craighead, Psychologists Off the Clock Episode #18Self Care, Kindness and Living Well with Dr. Kelly Wilson, Psychologists Off the Clock Episode #65 Diana with Dr. Rhonda Merwin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.