The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast

In this episode, I engage in a profound discussion with Allie Marie Smith, a life coach, author, and CEO of Wonderfully Made, a nonprofit dedicated to helping girls and women embrace their identity and worth in God. We explore the alarming mental health crisis affecting our youth, particularly young women. Statistics reveal that one in three teenage girls in the U.S. is contemplating suicide, while over one-third of adult women have been diagnosed with depression. This crisis is compounded by the pervasive influence of social media, which has escalated feelings of loneliness, anxiety, and depression among its users. Allie's own journey through depression and suicidal ideation led her to recognize the detrimental impact of social media on mental health. Drawing from her personal experiences, she has written a new book, "Social Media Reset," which offers a guided 30-day journey designed to help individuals unplug and reconnect with God, themselves, and their loved ones. You'll learn the surprising ways that social media algorithms deliberately provoke comparison and self-doubt, fostering an addiction that detracts from the fulfillment and joy that God offers. The discussion highlights Allie's practical strategies for confronting this issue. She encourages listeners to take a “social media reset,” suggesting a 30-day break from social platforms to allow their minds and hearts to heal. As our conversation unfolds, we address the spiritual implications of social media use, emphasizing that it’s not just about reducing screen time but about reorienting one's life toward God's abundant plans. The insights shared not only resonate with women but are applicable to everyone grappling with the pressures of modern life. We challenge the design of social media that keeps users engaged but ultimately unfulfilled, calling for a shift towards a more empathetic and life-giving connection with ourselves and our communities.In essence, our dialogue serves as a clarion call for anyone feeling overwhelmed by the noise of social media to pause, reflect, and take active steps towards living a healthier and more joyful life. Allie’s message is one of hope and restoration, urging us to reclaim our God-given purpose and identity amidst the chaos. Click here for the transcript Resources and Links Allie's new book, Social Media Reset Allie's first book, Wonderfully Made Allie's website My book, 2021 ECPA Memoir/Biography of the Year, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠I've Seen the End of You⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Be sure to check out my latest book, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hope Is the First Dose⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Sign up for my weekly ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Self-Brain Surgery Newsletter here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! (Get my free Thought Biopsy Worksheet when you subscribe!)

In this episode, I welcome back Max Lucado, a celebrated pastor and bestselling author, to discuss his new book, Tame Your Thoughts. Our conversation highlights the crucial need for managing our thinking in today's world, marked by anxiety and negativity. Max shares personal experiences and insights from his pastoral journey, emphasizing faith and community in overcoming life's challenges. He introduces three practical tools for thought management: "Practice Picky Thinking," which encourages discernment in our thought engagement; "UFOs," or untruths that distort reality; and "Uprooting and Replanting," focusing on replacing negative thoughts with Biblical truths. We explore the transformative potential of neuroplasticity and how our minds can be renewed through faith. Max's message empowers listeners to take control of their thought lives, aligning them with God's peace. Click here for the transcript Resources and Links Max's website Max's new book, Tame Your Thoughts My book, 2021 ECPA Memoir/Biography of the Year, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠I've Seen the End of You⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Be sure to check out my latest book, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hope Is the First Dose⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Sign up for my weekly ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Self-Brain Surgery Newsletter here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! (Get my free Thought Biopsy Worksheet when you subscribe!)

Discover the intriguing concept of 'approach drift,' where good intentions often fade under the weight of distractions and old habits. Learn how self-assessment and focus are critical in maintaining progress towards personal goals. The discussion draws parallels between advancements in neurosurgery and personal transformation, highlighting the importance of mindset. Strategies for recognizing and overcoming regression are shared, emphasizing that with dedication and a commitment to change, we can reshape our thoughts and actions for a healthier future.

(Make sure to listen to the first three parts in this series if you missed them!) In neurosurgery, we change our approach to a case if the plan we had isn't producing the outcome we want. Good surgeons look objectively at their outcomes, and we're willing to change our approach to do the best thing for our patient. In self-brain surgery, you are both the patient AND the surgeon, so being unwilling to change approaches is a form of self-malpractice. And that violates our first commandment: "I must relentlessly refuse to participate in my own demise." Life inevitably brings trauma and hardships that create mental blocks. I've been studying these challenges for years, and I've discovered that understanding how to actively engage with our minds can significantly alter our life trajectories. A principal takeaway is that negative experiences do not define us- our responses to those experiences do. The concept of self-brain surgery revolves around this transformative idea of harnessing our thoughts to influence real changes in our lives, promoting resilience, hope, and deeper connections with ourselves and others. Today, we learn one more, final approach for dealing with whatever life throws at us. How you approach these things makes all the difference in whether you thrive or crumble when things get hard. ⁠Click here for the transcript⁠ Resources and Links My book, 2021 ECPA Memoir/Biography of the Year, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠I've Seen the End of You⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Be sure to check out my latest book, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hope Is the First Dose⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Sign up for my weekly ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Self-Brain Surgery Newsletter here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! (Get my free Thought Biopsy Worksheet when you subscribe!)

In this episode, we explore the complex relationship between personal responsibility and trauma in response to a listener's inquiry. While we can't control the traumatic events we face, we can choose how to respond to them. Drawing on personal experiences and insights from neuroscience and scripture, I discuss actionable steps for healing, including seeking help and managing our mindset through self-brain surgery. Click here for the transcript Resources and Links My book, 2021 ECPA Memoir/Biography of the Year, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠I've Seen the End of You⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Be sure to check out my latest book, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hope Is the First Dose⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Sign up for my weekly ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Self-Brain Surgery Newsletter here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! (Get my free Thought Biopsy Worksheet when you subscribe!)

(Make sure to listen to the first two parts in this series if you missed them!) In neurosurgery, we change our approach to a case if the plan we had isn't producing the outcome we want. Good surgeons look objectively at their outcomes, and we're willing to change our approach to do the best thing for our patient. In self-brain surgery, you are both the patient AND the surgeon, so being unwilling to change approaches is a form of self-malpractice. And that violates our first commandment: "I must relentlessly refuse to participate in my own demise." Life inevitably brings trauma and hardships that create mental blocks. I've been studying these challenges for years, and I've discovered that understanding how to actively engage with our minds can significantly alter our life trajectories. A principal takeaway is that negative experiences do not define us- our responses to those experiences do. The concept of self-brain surgery revolves around this transformative idea of harnessing our thoughts to influence real changes in our lives, promoting resilience, hope, and deeper connections with ourselves and others. Today, we learn another approach for dealing with whatever life throws at us. How you approach these things makes all the difference in whether you thrive or crumble when things get hard. ⁠Click here for the transcript⁠ Resources and Links My book, 2021 ECPA Memoir/Biography of the Year, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠I've Seen the End of You⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Be sure to check out my latest book, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hope Is the First Dose⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Sign up for my weekly ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Self-Brain Surgery Newsletter here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! (Get my free Thought Biopsy Worksheet when you subscribe!)

Introducing a new, recurring series of episodes, The Brain Surgeon and The Therapist," where I connect with therapist Gina Birkemeier to explore the intersection of mental health, wellness, and resilience. We discuss the concept of self-brain surgery to help listeners rethink their mental processes for a healthier life. Key themes include resilience, purpose, and navigating challenges such as chronic illness and trauma, as well as the complexities of grief in light of recent events. We address listener questions and offer practical strategies for healing, emphasizing the emotional-physical pain connection. This conversation sets the stage for future episodes where we will dive deeper into personal growth and healing. Click here for the transcript (note: computer-generated transcripts are not perfect. They consistently misspell names, for example!) Resources and Links Gina's website Gina's book, Generations Deep Generations Deep Journal Gina's first appearance on the podcast My book, 2021 ECPA Memoir/Biography of the Year, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠I've Seen the End of You⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Be sure to check out my latest book, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hope Is the First Dose⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Sign up for my weekly ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Self-Brain Surgery Newsletter here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! (Get my free Thought Biopsy Worksheet when you subscribe!)

Life inevitably brings trauma and hardships that create mental blocks. I've been studying these challenges for years, and I've discovered that understanding how to actively engage with our minds can significantly alter our life trajectories. A principal takeaway is that negative experiences do not define us, our responses to those experiences do. The concept of self-brain surgery revolves around this transformative idea of harnessing our thoughts to influence real changes in our lives, promoting resilience, hope, and deeper connections with ourselves and others. Today, we learn two approaches for dealing with whatever life throws at us. How you approach these things makes all the difference in whether you thrive or crumble when things get hard. ⁠Click here for the transcript Resources and Links My book, 2021 ECPA Memoir/Biography of the Year, ⁠⁠⁠⁠I've Seen the End of You⁠⁠⁠⁠ Be sure to check out my latest book, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Hope Is the First Dose⁠⁠⁠⁠! Sign up for my weekly ⁠⁠⁠⁠Self-Brain Surgery Newsletter here⁠⁠⁠⁠! (Get my free Thought Biopsy Worksheet when you subscribe!)

Join me for a conversation with world-renowned psychiatrist and neuroscience pioneer, Dr. Jeffrey Schwartz. We discuss the mind-brain relationship, the stunning amount of control that people have over their thoughts, particularly in managing obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Schwartz challenges materialistic neuroscience views with his book You Are Not Your Brain, advocating for mindfulness and metacognition as tools for personal agency. He introduces the "Four Steps" method to help control intrusive thoughts. We also talk about handling grief and hardship, with Dr. Schwartz highlighting the importance of healthy mourning, taking a holistic approach to mental health that combines scientific insights with spiritual wisdom, and encouraging transformation through self-awareness. Chapters Introduction to Self-Brain Surgery The Power of Mindfulness Jeffrey Schwartz's Journey The Intersection of Mind and Brain Mindfulness and Its Misinterpretations The Role of the Wise Advocate Understanding Grief and Mourning Practical Applications for Everyday Life The Four Steps Explained Embracing the Soul and Mind Connection Conclusion and Call to Action Click here for the transcript Want more tools for rewiring your brain and renewing your mind? Dr. Schwartz's book, Brain Lock Dr. Schwartz's book, The Mind and the Brain Dr. Schwartz's book, You Are Not Your Brain 🎙️ Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Self-Brain Surgery with Dr. Lee Warren Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠for weekly strategies to change your brain—and your life. 📖 Grab my book ⁠⁠⁠⁠Hope Is the First Dose⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠for a roadmap to recovery and transformation. 📘 And stay tuned for The Life-Changing Art of Self-Brain Surgery—coming February 2026!

This episode provides a re-introduction for new listeners into the transformative concept of self-brain surgery, a revolutionary approach that combines neuroscience with faith to empower individuals to reshape their mental health and life experiences. If you've been listening for a while, this will remind you of where we start on our journey to change our minds and change our lives. I reflect on how our conversations on the podcast over the past year contributed to the development of my upcoming book, The Life-Changing Art of Self-Brain Surgery, which is set for release in February. While navigating the complexities of life, I also share my journey of connecting with the audience during the book-writing process, where I used our podcast as a platform to explore ideas and refine the messages intended for the book.I introduce new listeners to the principles behind self-brain surgery and the significance of engaging in an ongoing journey of self-awareness and improvement. Click here for the transcript Resources and Links My book, 2021 ECPA Memoir/Biography of the Year, ⁠⁠⁠I've Seen the End of You⁠⁠⁠ Be sure to check out my latest book, ⁠⁠⁠Hope Is the First Dose⁠⁠⁠! Sign up for my weekly ⁠⁠⁠Self-Brain Surgery Newsletter here⁠⁠⁠! (Get my free Thought Biopsy Worksheet when you subscribe!)