Mentally Flexible

My guest today is Jill Stoddard PhD. Jill is the founder and director of The Center for Stress and Anxiety Management in San Diego, CA. She has a PhD in Clinical Psychology specializes in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for anxiety and related issues. Jill cohosts a great podcast called Psychologists Off the Clock which I highly suggest for anyone interested in topics related to ACT. She also is an author and has written two books including The Big Book of ACT Metaphors and Be Mighty: A Woman's Guide to Liberation from Anxiety, Worry, and Stress Using Mindfulness and Acceptance. In this episode we explore:- The role that ACT has played in Jill’s personal life - The inspiration for writing her book “Be Mighty”- Anxiety and anxiety disorders- We discuss the story behind Jill’s recent Ted Talk- And explore the role of Imposter Syndrome in the writing process—————————————————————————Jill’s Wesbite: https://jillstoddard.com/Ted Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efXDYu0LYe4Twitter: https://twitter.com/jill_stoddardFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/jillstoddardphd/?modal=admin_todo_tourInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/jillastoddard/?hl=en—————————————————————————If you want to support the podcast…Please subscribe on iTunes and leave a review :)    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

Welcome to a special episode of Mentally Flexible with one of my favorite songwriters, Jake Klar. Have you ever had a song or album become the soundtrack to an important period of your life? That’s exactly what happened to me with Jake Klar's music. It was 2015 and I had just graduated from college. With no idea of what was to come next in life, I loaded up my bike with some clothes and camping gear and started peddling north from Central CT. 300 miles and several baby wipe showers later, I made it to Burlington, VT. My first stop at then end of the day was usually a local bar with good beer and food which I could consume guiltlessly after burning more calories that day than I did in a typical week of normal life. The place I ended up that night was called Radio Bean, and to my pleasant surprise there was live music. This was different than your average bar performance (I would know because I would consider myself an average bar performer). This guy was something special. The songs instantly connected with me in a deeper place. That musician was Jake Klar, and he is is my guest today. For the remainder of my bike trip up through Canada, Jake’s music became the soundtrack of this transformative life experience. I have since continued to follow Jake’s inspiring development as an artist, and knew that I had to have him on as a guest for the podcast.In this episode we explore a range of topics include:- How music can bring you back into emotions and experiences from the past- Jake’s process of letting go of certain dreams- The role of self-criticism in the artistic process- How suffering can be used to fuel songwriting- The inevitable feeling of Imposter Syndrome that comes as an artist- And how spirituality is connected to trusting our intuition—————————————————————————Intro song: Crescent St. Blues by Jake KlarOutro song: Rosy by Jake KlarFind all of Jake’s music..Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0rcb7huZfHcu9UTeF1uHD6?si=gFwA-PCGQxqyJ-05v6QxZgBandcamp: https://www.jakeklar.com/musicMasquerade EP: https://jakeklar.bandcamp.com/album/masquerade - All proceeds of this EP will be donated to G.L.I.T.S. which is a grassroots organization dedicated to providing care and resources for the LGBTQ+ community on a global scale. The organization is currently using funds to provide housing for Black trans people. Visit their website for more info about what they’ve done and what else they are currently working on.—————————————————————————If you want to support the podcast…Please subscribe on iTunes and leave a review :)    https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mentally-flexible/id1539933988Connect with me on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/Explore the website. https://mentallyflexible.com/

Welcome back to Mentally Flexible! My guest today is Dr. Alysse Loomis. Alysse is an Assistant Professor at the University of Utah in the College of Social Work. She also has experience as a clinician specializing in early childhood trauma. Alysse’s current research explores the impact of early childhood trauma and other adversity. She is interested in identifying mechanisms through which childhood adversity contributes to educational and health disparities as well as understanding how natural systems of care, such as schools, can be leveraged to prevent future adversity exposure and support child well-being.In this episode we explore a range of topics including:- Alysse’s background in researching trauma - The overlap of trauma and attachment disruptions - Alysse’s research in childhood adversity and the education system- The need for greater support for teachers - The consequences of Pre-school expulsions and suspensions- Alysse’s experience having a child and understanding attachment more directly —————————————————————————Learn more about Alysse and her research: https://faculty.utah.edu/u6025588-ALYSSE_M._LOOMIS/research/index.hmlFollow Alysse on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AlysseLoomis—————————————————————————If you want to support the podcast…Please subscribe on iTunes and leave a review :)    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

Welcome back to Mentally Flexible! My guest today is Dr. Menije Boduryan-Turner. Dr. Menije is a clinical psychologist with a private practice in California. While Dr. Menije has experience in a number of different clinical areas, she has made perfectionism a main area focus of her work. Dr. Menije as a beautiful way of using her own life experience to inform her work as a psychologist. In this episode we explore: - Dr. Menije’s immigration to America from Turkey as a teenager- How this led to self stories of inadequacy - Her process of integrating socially and navigating cultural differences- How this shifted family dynamics - We explore how the root of perfectionism and how it manifests in many different ways- How perfectionist thinking gets in the way of goals and New Year’s resolutions- How perfectionism connects to OCD and Imposter Syndrome- The impact of perfectionism on relationships Learn more about Dr. Menije and her course on perfectionism https://embracingyoutherapy.com/course-for-perfectionism/Follow her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.menije/—————————————————————————If you want to support the podcast…Please subscribe on iTunes and leave a review :)    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

Welcome back to Mentally Flexible! My guest today is Kyle Buller. Kyle is a clinical mental health counselor and co-host of the wonderful podcast, Psychedelics Today. Kyle’s interest in exploring non-ordinary states of consciousness began when he was 16-years-old when he had a near-death experience that changed his life - we talk about this more in the episode. Since then, Kyle has earned his B.A. in Transpersonal Psychology, where he studied areas like shamanism, plant medicine, Holotropic Breathwork, and psychedelic psychotherapy.  Kyle completed his M.S. in clinical mental health counseling with an emphasis in somatic psychology. Kyle’s clinical background in mental health consists of working with at-risk teenagers in crisis and with individuals experiencing an early-episode of psychosis.In this episode we explore a range of topics including:- Transpersonal Psychology- Uncertainty, Intuition, and Consciousness - Holotropic Breathwork- Kyle’s near-death experience- His struggles integrating back into the world- And how that experience has since shaped his passions and perspective—————————————————————————If you want to learn more about Kyle and the healing potential of non-ordinary states of consciousness, I suggest checking out his podcast Psychedelics Today: https://psychedelicstoday.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/psychedelicstoday/—————————————————————————If you want to support the podcast…Please subscribe on iTunes and leave a review :)    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

Welcome back to episode 7 of Mentally Flexible! My guest today is Tracy McCubbin. She is author of the book Making Space, Clutter Free and is a regularly featured expert on decluttering in the media, including The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal and Goop. I was interested in speaking with Tracy because there is no doubt that our inner and outer worlds are interconnected, so the way we relate to our homes can teach us a lot about our psychology and mental health. Tracy’s work goes deeper than just simply how to organize your home, she helps people understand what she calls, the emotional clutter blocks that drive our clutter. In this episode we explore:- "emotional clutter blocks"- the 7 types Tracy has identified throughout her career- How emotional clutter blocks relate to values, identify, and shame- The role of intergenerational family dynamics- Understanding the global impact of consumption - The potential for overcorrecting and becoming excessively orderly - How to gauge if your home has become too chaotic Learn more about Tracy and her work: https://dclutterfly.com/https://www.instagram.com/tracy_mccubbin/Follow Mentally Flexible on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/Check out the website: https://mentallyflexible.com/

Welcome back to Mentally Flexible! My guest today is Dr. Dennis Tirch. He is a clinical psychologist and Founding Director The Center for Compassion Focused Therapy. He has been described as one of the country's foremost leaders in compassion training in evidence-based psychotherapy.Dr. Tirch is an author of 6 books and numerous peer reviewed articles on mindfulness, acceptance and compassion. He also has a rich personal history of spiritual practice that we dive into in this podcast. I was so happy to discover Dennis and his work as he has such a beautiful way of integrating eastern wisdom with western science.In this episode we explore:- The development of Dennis’ spiritual interests and practices- How he navigated intense transformative experiences- Integrating spirituality into his clinical psychology endeavors - The difference between challenges and agony- How to live in the world while being spiritually awake -Staying compassionate in the face of immense suffering of strangers- The value in compassionately recognizing our own hypocrisy- Starting your inner work from where you rather than where you think you should be- We end with Dennis leading a guided compassion focused meditationLearn more about Dr. Tirch and the Center for Compassion Focused Therapy: http://www.mindfulcompassion.com/Follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DennisTirchPhDInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/drdennistirch/Follow me on Instagram for bonus content: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/Dive deeper into Mentally Flexible: mentallyflexible.com

Welcome back to Mentally Flexible! My guest today is James Fox, Founding Director of Prison Yoga Project. I met James several years ago when I attended one of his trainings to learn more about trauma-informed yoga and how it can be implemented in prisons. James is a pioneer in this area as he began teaching yoga to incarcerated individuals in San Quentin Prison in 2002 and ultimately founding the Prison Yoga Project. Since then James has trained thousands of teachers who have replicated PYP's methodology in 28 states and many other countries. He is also the author of Yoga: a Path for Healing and Recovery, which is available free of charge to any prisoner who requests a copy. It has now been sent to over 33,000 people.In this episode we explore:- The early years of Prison Yoga Project- How James works with racial and cultural differences- How you can make yoga trauma-informed- How to be a witness to another's suffering- The path of Karma Yoga- The difference between being a helper and being of service- James' vision for the future of prison reformLearn more about Prison Yoga Project at https://prisonyoga.org/If this work resonates with you, please consider donating to the cause - https://prisonyoga.org/inside-that-yoga-room/Follow PYP on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prisonyogaproject/Learn more about me and the podcast at https://mentallyflexible.com/Follow me on Instagram to get bonus content: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/The song used in this podcast is called Glimpse at Truth, off of my second EP Nowhere to Stand. Check out the full song below!Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/0Jjw7UEztBD8rTxIZFzsUeBandcamp: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truth

Welcome back to Mentally Flexible! My guest today is Paul Gilmartin. Paul is a stand-up comedian, television personality, and podcast host. He was the long time host of the TV show, Dinner and a Movie, on TBS. As a comedian he has a Comedy Central Presents special, performed on the Late Show with Craig Ferguson, and is a frequent guest on the Adam Carolla show. Paul is the host and executive producer of the very popular podcast, The Mental Illness Happy Hour - which is one of my favorite podcasts. Paul has a very powerful story of experiencing childhood trauma which manifested in depression and addiction later in life. He is now sober and has become an incredibly important voice in the mental health world through sharing his story and creating a space for others to do the same on his podcast.In this episode we dive into:- The relationship between humor and pain- Paul's early experiences in therapy- How he has processed his childhood trauma- Going no contact with his mother- Paul's experiences in comedy and television- The connection between spirituality, meaning, and purposeLearn more about Paul and The Mental Illness Happy Hourhttps://mentalpod.com/Twitter: @mentalpodInstagram: @mentalpodLearn more about me and Mentally Flexiblehttps://mentallyflexible.com/https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/

Welcome back to Mentally Flexible! In this episode I speak with Marriage and Family Therapist, Kimberley Quinlan. Kimberley specializes in the treatment of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and other related disorders. She has previously served as the Clinical Director of the OCD Center of Los Angeles and currently runs a private practice.Kimberley has been featured in many world known media outlets, such as LA Times, Wall Street Journal, and many of my favorite podcasts.  She is the host of her own podcast, Your Anxiety Toolkit and has an amazing instagram page full of resources that I suggest you check out.   We explore a range of topics including:  - OCD and some common misunderstandings -  A few of the subtypes of OCD  - What treatment generally looks like - The role of self-compassion and values - Kimberley’s Eating Disorder history - What recovery looks like for her today - What we value most about being therapists   Learn more about Kimberley and get a ton of great free resources:Website: https://www.cbtschool.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kimberleyquinlan/? Follow me on instagram to stay up to date on episode releases and get bonus content! https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/?hl=en You can also check out the podcast website: mentallyflexible.com