Mentally Flexible

My guest today is Jennifer Kemp, MPsych. Jennifer is a clinical psychologist who works with adults and adolescents on issues such as perfectionism, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder (ODC), eating disorders, and chronic illness. Jennifer uses acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) to help people notice their experiences, make conscious choices “in the moment,” and move toward a fulfilling life.Some of the topics we explore include:-- How Jennifer’s own story informs her new book, The ACT Workbook for Perfectionism- The underlying processes of perfectionism and how metaphor can be used to understand them- The role of self-compassion- How exposure techniques can develop greater flexibility - The intersection of perfectionism and OCD- And we explore the impact of perfectionism on relationships and our professional lives** PS I had an audio issue during the recording process, so I apologize in advance for my mic quality not being as strong as usual - apt for the episode on perfectionism :) **—————————————————————————Jennifer’s website: https://jenniferkemp.com.au/The ACT Workbook for Perfectionism: https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin=B08WJ5YK19&preview=newtab&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_YTDG6CNKNNN4ARND7R7P—————————————————————————If you find value in the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It 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/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 Diana Hill, Ph.D. Diana is a clinical psychologist and co-author of ACT Daily Journal: Get unstuck and live fully with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. She is also the host of the podcast Your Life in Process, and she offers regular teachings in compassion and ACT through Insight LA and Mindful Heart Programs and Instagram.Through her online teachings, executive coaching, clinical supervision, and private therapy practice, she encourages clients to build psychological flexibility so that they can live more meaningful and fulfilling lives. She completed her undergraduate work at UC Santa Barbara, majoring in Biopsychology, and earned her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at CU Boulder where she researched mindfulness and acceptance-based approaches for eating disorders.Some of the topics we explore in this episode include :- Diana’s recent shift away from Psychologists off the Clock and into her new podcast, Your Life in Process-Being able to hold different perspectives on the world and others-The pitfalls of constantly striving -How technology can get in the way of being present in our lives-Common processes that promote human flourishing-The value and challenges of humility-And Diana helps me explore how to navigate opening up publicly —————————————————————————Diana’s website: https://drdianahill.com/ACT Daily Journal: https://drdianahill.com/book/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drdianahill/Diana’s new podcast: https://drdianahill.com/your-life-in-process/—————————————————————————If you find value in the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It 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/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 Billy Ryan. Billy is a performance psychology consultant located in Savannah, GA who works with the military, sports teams, and individuals at the highschool/club, NCAA, NAIA, and the professional level. He specializes in applying ACT and behavior science to increase meaning and performance in a given context.Some of the topics we explore in this episode include:- How Billy first got into using ACT for sport performance- The importance of language and messaging in sports - The use of ACT Matrix in Billy’s work with athletes- The role of  attentional flexibility and holding outcomes lightly- The current influence of mental and emotional well-being in sports- And Billy’s hopes for the future of ACT in the world of sport—————————————————————————Billy’s website: https://www.awareperformancegroup.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/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

Dr. Russ Harris, author of 'The Happiness Trap', shares his journey from medicine to therapy and his work in Acceptance & Commitment Therapy. Topics include using pain for growth, dangers of toxic positivity, trauma-focused interventions in refugee camps, and future goals in ACT and beyond.

My guest today is Louise Hayes PhD. Louise is a clinical psychologist, author, speaker and active humanitarian. She is the Past President of ACBS, and a peer-reviewed Acceptance and Commitment Therapy(ACT) trainer, and codeveloped of the evidence-based DNA-v model. She is the co-author of the best-selling books: Get Out of Your Mind and into your Life for Teenagers, The Thriving Adolescent, and Your Life Your Way. Louise is a clinician, working with adults and adolescents in private practice. Louise is also active community member, taking mental health professionals into the Himalaya to develop their mindfulness skills and raise funds for children in remote Nepal. In this episode we explore a range of topics including:- How Louise found ACT and the impact it had on her personally and professionally-Louise’s interest in eastern spiritual traditions-How these practices can integrate with a more clinical perspective-How imagination can play a role in both our wellbeing and our suffering -What gives Louise meaning and purpose in life-And we unpack the 4 core abilities contained within the DNA-v model—————————————————————————Louise’s website: https://www.louisehayes.com.au/Twitter: https://twitter.com/_Louise_Hayes—————————————————————————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 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