Erik Burns, creator of BloomHarmony.org and expert in hypnotherapy and somatic work, shares his journey of healing and connection. He highlights the transformative power of touch in therapy, discussing how it can convey love where words may fail. Erik introduces his innovative 'hypnosomatic' approach, combining guided imagery with massage. He emphasizes the vital mind-body connection and the importance of emotional expression, advocating for longer sessions to enhance therapeutic outcomes and foster deeper connections.

Matt May, a regular contributor to discussions on therapeutic techniques, joins the hosts to explore several intriguing topics. They dive into the 'One-Minute Drill', a practical method aimed at enhancing communication among couples. Memory Rescripting takes center stage, revealing how it helped a college student tackle her fears of public transportation. The trio also addresses navigating academic frustrations and the necessity of emotional expression in therapeutic journeys, emphasizing the importance of reclaiming one's narrative.

David, Matt, and Rhonda Answer Your Questions! 1. How can I help my depressed son? 2. What can you do on a boring first date? 3. Are depression and anxiety genetic and hopeless? 4. What do scary, intrusive thoughts mean? The answers to this week’s questions were written by David prior to the podcast. The live discussions will add greatly to the comments below. Get consent on first question, or change name. In fact, I’ll just change her name to Henrietta. Henrietta asks how she can help her son who’s been severely depressed for nearly 20 years and rejects all suggestions. Julia asks what to do on a boring first date. Negar asks if anxiety and depression are genetically caused and therefore hopeless . Negar asks about scary intrusive thoughts. 1. Henrietta asks how she can help her son who’s been severely depressed for nearly 20 years and rejects all suggestions. Dear  Dr David I discovered you years ago due to my son’s depression.   I purchased your book for him, but he not reading it.  He thinks he is too far gone for any self help and has been on anti depressants for years. I appreciate all your hard work , the blogs and the app.   I have my hopes up that one day he will listen to you or download the app.   This depression has been going on more than 18 years now. Do you have any ideas on how I could get him to listen to you on You tube?  God bless you and your team.   Keep  up the good work! Best  regards Henrietta David’s reply Hi Henrietta, I’m so sorry he’s struggling. I do have a clear recommendation, clearly spelled out in the podcast of a couple years ago, “How to help. And how NOT to help.” You can easily find it on the list of podcasts on my website. I’m sure that his depression has been heart-breaking for you. But there is a radically different strategy / direction one can pursue when efforts to “help” are 100% rejected. LMK if I can use your question on an Ask David podcast. Then you’ll get input from several of us. Warmly, david 2. Julia asks what to do on a boring first date. Dear David Just saw that you published a podcast about how to give negative feedback, absolutely cannot wait to listen to it. I’m afraid I fall in the category of people who tend omitting opinions and this is going to be of great help! Now to my question: how do I get more excited in dates with guys ? I would like to date more and have a more active sexual life but I find myself getting bored in dates and this affects also my libido. I will have thoughts like: this is boring he is not that attractive I won’t be turned on sex won’t be good I obviously then don’t end up having sex with the guy and try to have a date with someone else. In the date I don’t feel anxious but I’m not excited physically and mentally. The anxiety plays a role before I go to the next scheduled dates, because with time I start thinking this feeling of boredom will never go away. I have tried to work on the thoughts myself with little results and I was wondering if you had any suggestions on how I could be less bored and anxious and enjoy myself. Thanks you for your answer and your amazing work! Best wishes, Julia David’s Reply Great question, and I have an answer. Can we include this in the next Ask David, using your first name or a fake first name? Thanks, Warmly, david You are viewing dating as a shopping expedition, trying to “find” the best item to purchase, and finding your shopping boring, which it is. But you are forcing it to be boring because you are not being open with your feelings. You are foolishly trying to hide your feelings of boredom, whereas they are really the door to fascination and a most interesting and dynamic exchange. Let me show you what I mean. You can, instead, view dating as forming a relationship, being open, and genuine, and a little flirtatious, and seeing how things unfold. So, or example, you might say something along these lines, “You seem like a really neat and interesting person, but I notice that our conversation is not very open, or vulnerable, and that makes it way less interesting. Have you notice that, too? Tell me how you’re feeling.” If you express this, things will instantly get very interesting! You are not trying to hurt their feelings, but rather open up a conversation about feelings, by encouraging them to be real. They may also be feeling bored, or anxious, or whatever. As a psychiatrist, I find that when I explore the feelings and insecurities of my patients, it is always interesting. And when there is tension, including boredom, I acknowledge it to find out what’s up, and how is my patient experiencing the session and our interaction, and that is interesting 100% of the time, without exception. Warmly, david Dear David, Thank you for such an amazing answer! I have listened to the podcasts so many times and I am familiar with the concept of sharing the tensed feelings like boredom, to not force the other person to be boring. However I had never thought to apply it to dating!! It is such a foreign concept to how all my friends approach dating, that I will need first to experiment with it. I’m curious to see if I’m going to be brave enough to take this leap! Cannot wait to hear the podcast! All the best, Giulia 3. Negar asks if anxiety and depression are genetically caused and therefore hopeless . Hello, my kind father🦋💙, I hope you are well💝. I have a question. Many people I see who suffer from panic attacks and experience anxiety and major depression believe that they have a family and genetic background. That is why they do not have much hope that psychotherapy can help them and believe that the defective gene for causeless anxiety and panic is turned on in the nucleus of their cells. What do you think? Is it possible to deactivate these defective genes with psychotherapy sessions, meditation, etc.?!🥲 David’s Reply There is evidence that anxiety is inherited, and my mother had fear of heights, for example. I also got fear of heights and more than a dozen other forms of anxiety: fear of blood, dogs, vomiting, social situations, public speaking, cameras, panic attack once, and much more. But I have found that the techniques I use in therapy have helped greatly. I got over my fear of blood, for example, in twenty minutes working in the emergency room of a hospital and treating a severe trauma patient covered in blood. Everything about humans is genetic. We are born unable to speak a language, and yet we learn. So, to me, the argument is kind of silly and naïve. Just because something is influenced by genetics, and everything is, how does it follow that we cannot grow and learn? The whole notion seems to me to be ridiculous. Now, there are some genetic things that cannot be changed. For example, how tall you are, or the color of your hair (of course you can dye your hair if you want.) So everything has limits. The belief that you cannot change the way you feel will act as a self-fulfilling prophecy, since you won’t try, but that doesn’t make it true! Here’s something that IS true: Your feelings constantly are changing, at every minute of every day from the moment of birth. So anyone who argues that feelings CANNOT change is just wrapped up in a complete delusion! But people are welcome to believe whatever they want, of course. I believe strongly in freedom of thought. I also believe that people have the RIGHT to be WRONG! Best, david Will use as another excellent Ask David question if okay. Thanks for the great photo. Do you want me to include it in the show notes for that podcast episode? PS I will soon publish a video on my YouTube channel showing a 5 ½ minute cure for a woman with ten years of extreme panic attacks every week. Panic is probably the easiest thing to treat. 4. Negar asks about scary intrusive thoughts. Hello my kind father I hope you are in a good mood and continue to be full of energy as always I had a question I see in some people that they say that we have scary and useless thoughts This case is interesting for me too, because sometimes I have absurd and meaningless thoughts But since I meditate and do mindfulness exercises, I came to the conclusion that these are just thoughts. Did you have such an experience?😉 David’s Reply Yes, I have treated many people with frightening, intrusive thoughts and images, common in OCD / intense anxiety. Often, something is happening in that person’s life that is bothering them, but they are not dealing with itself, instead they sweep their feelings, of anger or whatever, under the rug and try to avoid them. Result = obsessions. There’s a whole section on this in my book, When Panic Attacks, and you can look up my podcasts on the Hidden Emotion Technique. Best, david

Join child psychiatrist Jacob Towery, a protégé of David Burns, and psychiatric resident Michael Luo as they discuss their transformative 'Finding Humans Less Scary' workshop. They tackle social anxiety head-on, promising engaging activities that help participants embrace vulnerability and build genuine connections. With humor and heartfelt stories, they explore acceptance, specific thinking, and the importance of recognizing our shared humanity. Their mission? To empower you to step out of your comfort zone and foster a more joyful, connected life!

Overcome Your Screen Addictions! Featuring Dr. Brandon Vance Today we interview Dr. Brandon Vance, the Founder of the wildly popular Feeling Great Book Clubs and many other psychoeducational groups for the general public as well as shrinks. Today, he tells us about his latest group designed for people with the newly named "screen addiction." Dr. Vance formed this group because of many recent research studies suggesting a link between the time spent with social media sites and increased feelings of loneliness and depression in teens and adults. Although correlational studies do not prove causality, many of these studies are compatibles with the hypothesis that excessive time on social media may reduce the quality of moods as well as personal relationships, to say nothing of the potential negative impact on work and productivity. On the podcast he gave examples of how technology has been built into our lives, and how eqsy it is to pick up your cell phone, even in the company of others. However, screen addiction can also involve tlevision binge-watching, video games, and more. We demonstrated an example of the Devil's Advocate Technique, one of many techniques help combat positive thoughts that suck us into screen addictions. For example, Rhonda loves and frequently gets tempted to binge-watch a show on wedding dresses (Say YES to the DRESS), because she tell herself things like this: This is really fun. Would i like that dress? Would it look good on me? Maybe my wedding dress wasn't as pretty. I'll only watch for a minute. I need to relax. This is not hurting anyone. My husband won't mind that I'm gone. I can talk about the dresses to some of my friends. I work night and day and deserve to watch. in the live role-play, 'Rhonda was able to defeat these tempting thoughts "huge." If you think this might describe you, or benefit you, or just be fun and educational, here's the coop about the Screen Addiction Group, as well as his next Feeling Great Book Club and his Five Secrets Deep Practice Group. Free Yourself from Mindless Tech Use (Jan22-Feb26, $180 for 6 hour-long sessions).  Do you get on your phone every time you have a spare second?  Do you think social media will make you happier and yet you feel more lonely or stressed?  Do you stay up late fighting video game zombies and then turn into a zombie the next day because you're so tired? This 6-week online class will teach you powerful Cognitive Behavioral Therapy techniques (such as Self-Monitoring, Triple Paradox and Devil's Advocate) led by Brandon Vance, MD, all within the accountability and support of a group of peers to Free Yourself from Mindless Technology Use. The Feeling Great Book Club (two groups: Feb 24 - May 12 and Feb 26 - May14. $168 for 12 80-minute sessions, sliding scale).  Join together with people all over the world in this popular online class in a book club format, to read the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy book Feeling Great by David Burns, MD, and learn and practice tools to break through depression and anxiety to live a more joyful and relaxed life.  See live expert demos and join smaller breakout groups to practice what you learn in this sliding scale weekly online group. 5 Secrets Deep Practice (Jan 15 - Feb 19th and Mar 5 - Apr 9, $180-480 sliding scale, 6 90-minute sessions).  David Burns, MD laid out 5 key ingredients that make communication highly successful to get closer to each other, even in conflict situations.  Learn to use these 5 Secrets in your own life with expert demos and instruction and 1-1 practice in this 6-week online group. Rhonda and I strongly recommend these groups because active practice is the real key to learning and personal growth The support of others in the group can also lift morale and enhance accountability. If you want to change your life, this is a great option. Dr. Vance is not only a tremendous visionary and teacher, but he also has a huge heart. You'll find that these groups are ridiculously cheep but incredible treasures, and you can also contact him if any group looks appealing but you currently have limited means. Thank you for joining us today! Warmly, Rhonda, Brandon, and David

Jeremy Karmel, CEO of Feeling Great Corporation, and Diane Spangler, former professor and researcher, dive into groundbreaking findings about the Feeling Great app's effectiveness in reducing negative feelings. They explore whether negative thoughts truly cause depression or if the relationship is more complex. Their exciting research suggests that the app could expedite emotional improvement faster than traditional therapies. Tune in as they challenge longstanding mental health paradigms with innovative insights and evidence-based optimism!

In this enlightening discussion, Matthew May, a TEAM-CBT expert, shares his insights on various mental health topics. The duo explores the effectiveness of daily mood logs, even when completed imperfectly, and how TEAM can aid those with somatic complaints or chronic pain. They also delve into passive aggression, unraveling the cognitive distortions behind it. Listeners gain practical strategies for handling emotions and behaviors, all rooted in the principles of cognitive behavioral therapy.

Tahn Pamutto, a former soldier turned ordained Buddhist monk, shares his fascinating journey of self-discovery and spiritual awakening. He discusses the contrast between materialism and true happiness, emphasizing that inner understanding leads to genuine joy. Tahn reflects on the significance of acceptance and mentorship in navigating life post-military. He explores how meditation on mortality shapes authentic living and invites listeners to embrace compassion and integrity. His insights blend psychological healing with spiritual growth, offering a holistic approach to happiness.

Joshua Gibson, host of the Philosophical Weightlifting podcast, joins for a candid exploration of self-esteem. He shares personal experiences, including an awkward restaurant encounter, revealing deep-seated fears of inadequacy and rejection. They discuss common self-defeating beliefs and employ live TEAM-CBT techniques to challenge these thoughts. The conversation emphasizes the importance of embracing negative emotions for personal growth and the journey toward self-acceptance, ultimately showcasing vulnerability as a pathway to stronger connections and enhanced confidence.

Joshua Gibson, a PhD candidate and powerlifting coach, chats with David about his incredible journey in mental health research. They delve into 'philosophical weightlifting,' exploring how fitness and philosophy intersect to enhance mental well-being. David shares insights from his experiences at prestigious institutions, discussing innovative techniques in TEAM-CBT and the importance of measuring therapeutic progress. The conversation also highlights the role of empathy in therapy and the development of an app designed to make mental health support more accessible.