Mentally Flexible

My guest today is Brenton. Brenton is a Cardiac Surgery Intensive Care Nurse who served 9 years in the US Army as a Combat Medic. He is now an advocate for the needs of the transgender community.  Brenton is a personal friend going back to Elementary school and was graciously willing to share his story of understanding his identity and navigating the transitioning process. In this episode we explore: -When issues of identity first became conscious in elementary and middle school-How this led to significant life stressors throughout development-Brenton’s experiences first receiving mental health treatment-The early stages of understanding being transgender  -How this intersected with his involvement in the military-And we unpack many of the dynamics involved in Brenton’s internal and external transitioning process—————————————————————————Follow Brenton’s transition journey on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bren_plus_t/?hl=en—————————————————————————If you find value in the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It only takes 30 seconds and plays an important role in being able to get new guests. I also love reading them! Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/Explore the website: https://mentallyflexible.com/Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

My guest today is Jessica Lahey. Jessica is the author of the New York Times bestselling book, The Gift of Failure: How the Best Parents Learn to Let Go So Their Children Can Succeed and The Addiction Inoculation: Raising Healthy Kids in a Culture of Dependence. Over twenty years, Jess has taught every grade from sixth to twelfth in both public and private schools, and spent five years teaching in a drug and alcohol rehab for adolescents in Vermont. She currently serves as a recovery coach at Sana at Stowe, a medical detox and recovery center in Stowe, Vermont, where 100% of her salary goes to a scholarship fund for young adults. She writes about education, parenting, and child welfare for The Washington Post, New York Times, and The Atlantic, is a book critic for Air Mail, and wrote the educational curriculum for Amazon Kids’ award-winning The Stinky and Dirty Show. She co-hosts the #AmWriting podcast with bestselling authors K.J. Dell’Antonia and Sarina Bowen from her house in Vermont, where she lives with her husband, two sons and a lot of dogs.In this episode we explore:- Jessica’s new book, The Addiction Inoculation- The complexity of whether adolescents develop substance use issues- Jessica’s personal experiences later in life with addiction - The role that AA has played in her recovery - The missing gaps in our education system for preventing substance use disorders- What it means to live in a culture of dependence—————————————————————————Jessica’s website: https://www.jessicalahey.com/Her books: https://www.jessicalahey.com/books#AmWriting Podcast: https://amwriting.substack.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jplaheyTwitter: https://twitter.com/jesslahey—————————————————————————If you find value in the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It only takes 30 seconds and plays an important role in being able to get new guests. I also love reading them! Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/Explore the website: https://mentallyflexible.com/Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

My guest today is Dr. Jud Brewer. Dr. Jud is a New York Times best-selling author, neuroscientist, addiction psychiatrist, and thought leader in the field of habit change. He is the Director of Research and Innovation at Brown University’s Mindfulness Center, where he also serves as an associate professor. He is the executive medical director of behavioral health at Sharecare Inc. and a research affiliate at MIT. Dr. Jud has developed and tested novel mindfulness programs for habit change, including treatments for smoking, emotional eating, and anxiety. His new book is called “Unwinding Anxiety: New Science Shows How to Break the Cycles of Worry and Fear to Heal Your Mind” In this episode we explore a range of topics:-Dr. Jud’s early experiences with meditation and mindfulness-The dance between being the experiencer versus the researcher of mindfulness -How Dr. Jud has been able to integrate of science and spiritual traditions-How awareness can shift addictive patterns-Dr. Jud’s thoughts on psychedelic-assisted therapy-The story behind his new book, “Unwinding Anxiety” -The nature of consciousness -Dr. Jud’s thoughts on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy—————————————————————————Dr. Jud Brewer’s website Follow Dr. Jud Brewer on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter Unwinding Anxiety (app) Eat Right Now (app) Craving To Quit! (app)—————————————————————————If you find value in the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It only takes 30 seconds and plays an important role in being able to get new guests. I also love reading them! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mentally-flexible/id1539933988Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/Explore the website: https://mentallyflexible.com/Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

My guest today is Debbie Sorensen, PhD. Debbie is a psychologist in private practice in Denver, Colorado, and a part-time Clinical Research Psychologist at the Rocky Mountain VA MIRECC for Suicide Prevention. She co-created and co-hosts the popular psychology podcast Psychologists Off the Clock. Further, she is a co-author of the book ACT Daily Journal: Get Unstuck and Live Fully with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (Along with Diana Hill PhD who was also on the podcast). Debbie has presented her work nationally and internationally at ACBS World Conferences and has served as a lecturer in the psychology department at Harvard University. In this episode we explore:- How Debbie found her way to ACT- The value of emotional openness and present moment awareness- Debbie’s reflections on collaboration - Challenges associated with having a public voice- Debbie’s clinical work with those impacted by burnout- Being a therapist when we are dealing with our own life stressors—————————————————————————Debbie’s Website: https://www.drdebbiesorensen.com/Psychologists Off The Clock: https://offtheclockpsych.com/—————————————————————————If you find value in the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It only takes 30 seconds and plays an important role in being able to get new guests. I also love reading them! Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/Explore the website: https://mentallyflexible.com/Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

My guest today is Robyn D. Walser, Ph.D. is the Director of TL Consultation Services, Associate Director at the National Center for PTSD and is Associate Clinical Professor at the University of California, Berkeley. As a licensed 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 3 books on ACT including Learning ACT, The Mindful Couple and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for the Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. She also has expertise in traumatic stress and substance abuse and has authored a number of articles and chapters and books on these topics.In this episode we explore a range of topics including:-Robyn’s first ACT workshop with Steve Hayes-Creating a space for growth through our own presence as therapists -What makes working with individuals with a trauma history unique-The concept of Moral Injury and how it relates to shame-How Robyn stays connected to her work as a therapist—————————————————————————Robyn’s Wesbite: http://www.tlconsultationservices.com/—————————————————————————If you find value in the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It only takes 30 seconds and plays an important role in being able to get new guests. I also love reading them! Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/Explore the website: https://mentallyflexible.com/Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

My guest today is Nathalia Freitas. Nathalia is the creator of Loving My Dots, a space she created to promote connection among diversity. Nathalia was born with Congenital Melanocytic Nevus, which is a non-genetic birthmark that can form on a person’s body. This left a birthmark covering 40% of her face plus moles all over her body. Her case is an example of a giant nevus, which occurs only once in 500,000 births. From ages nine months to 13 years old, Nathalia had many surgeries to remove her facial Nevus. In 2018, Nathalia began sharing her story on social media, leading to a number of collaborations with various publications. She was also chosen to be featured in a documentary by the British news agency Barcroft TV. The first 10 minutes or so of the episode Nathalia gives an overview of her storyWe then shift into exploring more detailed parts of her journey including:- When Nathalia remembers first becoming aware of her condition - The challenges related to looking and feeling different than others - Nathalia’s conflicting narratives regarding her surgeries as a child- How the relationship with her mother played a role throughout this journey- How Nathalia supports others going through similar situations—————————————————————————Nathalia’s Website: https://www.lovingmydots.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lovingmydots/—————————————————————————If you find value in the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It only takes 30 seconds and plays an important role in being able to get new guests. I also love reading them! Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/Explore the website: https://mentallyflexible.com/Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

My guest today is Dr. Miles Neale, PsyD. Miles is a Buddhist psychotherapist in private practice and founder of the two-year online Contemplative Studies Program. Author of Gradual Awakening, and co-editor of Advances in Contemplative Psychotherapy, Miles is a faculty member of Tibet House (US) and Weill Cornell Medical College. With more than twenty years integrating the mind science and meditative practices of Tibetan Buddhism with psychotherapy, trauma research and neuroscience, Miles is a forerunner in the emerging field of contemplative psychotherapy, and leads pilgrimages around the Buddhist world.Some of the topics we discuss in this episode include:- Miles’ contemplative studies program- The importance of fully integrating fundamentals- How Miles’s childhood informed his spiritual life- Using your presence to help another person feel truly safe - And how we can bring a deeper sense of consciousness to our therapy work and every day lives—————————————————————————Dr. Miles Neale’s website: https://www.milesneale.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/milesneale/—————————————————————————If you find value in the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It only takes 30 seconds and plays an important role in being able to get new guests. I also love reading them! Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/Explore the website: https://mentallyflexible.com/Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

My guest today is Dr. Patricia Zurita Ona, aka Dr. Z. Dr. Z is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist in California. She has significant experience working with children, adolescents, and adults with OCD, trauma, anxiety, and emotional regulation problems. Dr. Z is the founder of the East Bay Behavior Therapy Center, a boutique therapy practice, where she runs an intensive outpatient program integrating Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Exposure Response Prevention (ERP) to support clients getting stuck from obsessions, figure out what they care about, and do stuff that matters to them.Some of the topics we explore include:- Our interviews with Steven Hayes- How Dr. Z found her way to ACT- How ACT and Exposure have been useful for Dr. Z personally- Dr. Z’s early life in Bolivia and how it’s shaped her worldview- And how ACT can be used to treat OCD—————————————————————————Dr. Z’s website: https://www.thisisdoctorz.com/OCD Workbook: https://www.thisisdoctorz.com/act-workbook-for-adults-with-ocd/Twitter: https://twitter.com/drz_behaviorist—————————————————————————If you find value in the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It only takes 30 seconds and plays an important role in being able to get new guests. I also love reading them! Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/Explore the website: https://mentallyflexible.com/Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

My guest today is Dr. Rheeda Walker.  Dr. Walker is a tenured professor  in the department of psychology at the University of Houston. She has published more than fifty scientific papers on African American adult mental health, suicide risk, and resilience. Dr. Walker and her work has been in places like Good Morning America, The Washington Post, and CNN Health. In 2020 she released a new book called, The Unapologetic Guide to Black Mental Health, which we touch on in this episode.Some of the other topics explored in this episode include:- The rise in suicide among black children- The role of protective cultural traditions- How Dr. Walker works to stay connection to her roots- The concept of psychological fortitude  - The stigmatization of mental health in the African-American community- And navigating racial differences within the therapeutic relationship —————————————————————————Dr. Walker’s website: https://www.rheedawalkerphd.com/Book link: https://www.rheedawalkerphd.com/bookInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.rheedawalker/Twitter: https://twitter.com/rheedawalkerphd?—————————————————————————If you find value in the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It only takes 30 seconds and plays an important role in being able to get new guests. I also love reading them! Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/Explore the website: https://mentallyflexible.com/Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Welcome back to Mentally Flexible! My guests today are Matthew Boone LCSW, Jennifer Gregg PhD, and Lisa Coyne PhD, authors of the book, Stop Avoiding Stuff: 25 Microskills to Face Your Fears and Do It Anyway. This book draws on the model of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, delivering accessible skills to help people face their fears and build a more meaningful life.In this episode we explore:- The origin story of their book, “Stop Avoiding Stuff”- The concept of “you do, you get” to better understand our behaviors - They each share personal stories of how the content within the book has played a role in their lives- And we unpack some of the core skills that you can learn within “Stop Avoiding Stuff”—————————————————————————Book link: https://www.amazon.com/Stop-Avoiding-Stuff-Microskills-Anyway/dp/1684036054—————————————————————————If you find value in the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It only takes 30 seconds and plays an important role in being able to get new guests. I also love reading them! Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/Explore the website: https://mentallyflexible.com/Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth