SuperPsyched with Dr. Adam Dorsay

I can hardly believe it—we are at episode number 100! And, for this special mile-marker, I thought I would do a solo on a topic I care about deeply: mentorship.  One of the biggest difference makers in my life (and nearly every awesome guest’s life on the SuperPsyched Podcast) has been mentorship.  Nearly everyone I have spoken to has acknowledged a mentor who fundamentally changed their lives and helped them propel to the space they now occupy. What is a mentor? What are the potential benefits of having such a person in your life? How can you find one? And how might you benefit from becoming a mentor? I address these and many other questions in this solo episode… I even share two very personal accounts of my own relationships with mentors. So, please, listen in and perhaps you’ll come to appreciate your mentors more deeply, or start a mentor relationship of your own. (Photo is of Adam and his academic mentor, Dr. Allen Greenberger.  It is in his memory and Martin Doerner's that this episode is dedicated)

Parenting can be tough. To be sure, there are external challenges like when our children behave in ways we don’t like. But there are also internal challenges—like when we beat up on ourselves as we undertake this enormous task. And when we beat up on ourselves, it tends not to be good for our children. What if there was a way to be kinder to ourselves and simultaneously be better parents? Turns out, there is, and my guest is the perfect person to help us unpack the playbook for better parenting through self-compassion.  Dr. Susan Pollak (https://www.drsusanpollak.com/) is a psychologist and the cofounder at the Center for Mindfulness and Compassion at Harvard Medical School/Cambridge Health Alliance.  She is also the author of a book I loved called Self-Compassion for Parents. So, listen in as Susan masterfully explains how to be kinder to ourselves and to our children. Buy the book: https://amzn.to/3X5DAzm This is an affiliate link. It will provide me with a small commission on purchases made through it and help the podcast (but it won’t affect the price you pay).

Our brains cause us to crave many things. It might be material like a new car. It might be an experience like a vacation. It might be advancement like a promotion at work. And, of course, it might be a substance like sugar or alcohol. For too many of us, this craving can lead to addiction and we can begin to feel as though the addiction controls our very lives. Why do we become addicted to things that are bad for us? What do all addictions have in common?  And, how can we get back in the driver’s seat in our lives and regain control over our addictions? Fortunately, I spoke with the right guy to answer these and any other questions you’ll want answered! Dr. Judson Brewer is a world class psychiatrist, neuroscientist, and a bestselling author of several books including one we’ll draw from in this interview called The Craving Mind.  Jud earned a doctorate in medicine as well as a PhD in immunology, and he is a professor at Brown University Medical School.  He gave a TED talk with over 10 million views on how to break a bad habit and he’s developed apps to assist people in gaining control over their craving minds. I’m confident you’ll love learning from Jud as I did on this episode as we talk about our craving minds and how to handle them. Book link: https://amzn.to/3qLHstz This is an affiliate link. It will provide me with a small commission on purchases made through it and help the podcast (but it won’t affect the price you pay).

Anger is a basic human emotion and none of us is immune. Even the most levelheaded of us can lose our cool. We can experience road rage. Anger at injustice. And we can experience it as we grieve. Yet, as natural as it is, anger can be extremely harmful.  It can cause damage to our bodies, hurt our relationships, and it can hijack our brains causing us to act impulsively with potentially disastrous outcomes. But what exactly is anger? Why does it exist? And, given how big the stakes are for this inevitable emotion, what are some tips for dealing with it? These questions—and so many more—will be covered in this interview with internationally recognized anger expert, Dr. Ryan Martin. Ryan is a Professor of Psychology and an Associate Dean at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. He’s also the author of a book I absolutely love called Why We Get Mad.  He also has a well-watched TED talk on the subject and he draws on over 20 years of research and study of this misunderstood emotion. Book link: https://amzn.to/3Cuzc3D This is an affiliate link. It will provide me with a small commission on purchases made through it and help the podcast (but it won’t affect the price you pay).

Throughout the day, we engage in self-talk.  That voice we hear—our own—is normal and at the heart of our thoughts.  Sometimes the voice is kind.  Sometimes it’s neutral.  And sometimes it’s quite mean and we beat up on ourselves.  Some of us may even admit to being quite skilled at beating up on ourselves. Why do we do this?  Is it helpful? Spoiler alert: not so much. Turns out when our self-talk is filled with criticism, we tend not to perform at our best.  It’s as if we go through life with a bunch of haters booing in our ears.  That can bring on feelings of shame, increase anxiety, and make us less loving toward others. Wouldn’t it be cool if we could opt for a gentle, wise, loving voice?  How about the loving, encouraging voice we might use on a friend? And what would happen if we could tune into that encouraging voice and make that the inner voice we listened to more frequently throughout the day? Spoiler alert: lots of good stuff!  The science overwhelmingly supports practicing self-compassion as being good for our minds, bodies, relationships, and our abilities to perform at our best. As you will hear in this interview, self-compassion was hardly studied 20 years ago. Fortunately, in recent years, it has been under the microscope thanks to the pioneering work of two amazing people, one of whom is the guest on this interview.  Dr. Chris Germer (https://chrisgermer.com/) is a psychologist in private practice who also teaches at Harvard Medical School and to audiences worldwide. He has authored several books, including The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion, which Library Journal lauded as one of the Best Consumer Health Books in 2009. In this interview, he generously shares his expertise on how to practice self-compassion and the benefits it will play in your life. So, listen in, as Chris and I talk about why and how to practice the simple, scientifically-supported superpower of speaking kindly to yourself called self-compassion. And, as always, the content on SuperPsyched is for informational purposes only and not intended to diagnose or provide any kind of healthcare treatment. For that, please consult your doctor. Book link: https://amzn.to/3qOiPMU This is an affiliate link. It will provide me with a small commission on purchases made through it and help the podcast (but it won’t affect the price you pay).

I have always wondered what it would be like to be a TV news reporter. I imagine that if you aren't one yourself or don’t have a close relationship with one, you may have wondered as well! Fortunately, I know just the guy to pull back the curtain and share what it’s like. Scott Budman is an Emmy Award-winning news reporter who’s served as a Silicon Valley tech and business reporter as well as anchor for NBC Bay Area since 1995. He has covered an incredible range of news — including some of the most captivating stories, many that you’ll remember — and transmitted them all over the globe. Scott reveals what his day-to-day life is like, the ups and downs, the intensity of the work, and the skills he brings to his job in order to be one of the most respected news reporters in the business. So, listen in as Scott meets with me from inside the NBC studios and talks about the world of a TV news reporter.

Wouldn’t you love to have more energy?  I believe that’s on every living person’s wishlist. Energy can feel like that elusive fountain of youth that we thirst for to hydrate our soul.  But there’s a problem: we seek energy replenishment in the wrong ways. Pursuing energy, we reach for coffee, energy drinks, or food but, even if those methods provide temporary relief, we still come up short after a few hours. What if I told you that in 30 days, you could have more energy? Would you be skeptical?  Would you also be interested? I was very interested and when I learned that a SuperPsyched guest, Dr. Michael Breus, had written a book on the topic, and I invited him back for another interview. Michael is widely considered one of the top sleep experts in the world and in 2020, we met for episode #10, The Science of Sleep.  Recently, he leveraged his knowledge of sleep and restoration and teamed up with Soul Cycle founding instructor, Stacey Griffith, in authoring a book called Energize! Go from Dragging Ass to Kicking It in 30 Days.  The book lays out personalized, scientifically-researched plans to increase our energy and, as it turns out, it’s way easier to obtain than you might think.  I loved the book and have begun implementing the recommendations in my own life as have people like Ariana Huffington who said, “If you're sick of feeling tired and burned out, this is the book for you!” So, join Michael and me as we explore the science behind increasing your energy. And, as always, the content on SuperPsyched is for informational purposes only and not intended to diagnose or provide any kind of healthcare treatment. For that, please consult your doctor. Book link: https://amzn.to/4440vO7 This is an affiliate link. It will provide me with a small commission on purchases made through it and help the podcast (but it won’t affect the price you pay).

There is an exercise practiced in the well-researched field of positive psychology (aka the science of happiness) that consistently yields a huge improvement in mood. It is easy to do, and I wish everyone in the world would write at least one gratitude.  It’s my hope, too, that everyone receives a gratitude letter! In this solo episode, I explain the why, what, and how of gratitude letters. It's short! And that's to save you time as you begin to write your gratitude letter immediately after the episode (wink, wink!).

For the last episode of the year, I decided to do a solo. It's something of a retrospective of 2021 and it's also a tip of the hat to stepping into courage in the face of fear. Fear is a prerequisite to courage. And since courage is a prerequisite to a life well lived, I openly share some things that scared me in 2021, and how I responded. Wishing you a very Happy New Year—one filled with happiness, fun, meaningful connection, and one in which you rock your courage!

Spam calls.  Email account hacking.  Telephone scams. Yeah, while the Internet Age has come with lots of good stuff, it’s also come with real headaches.  How can we protect ourselves against people and organizations who want to exploit us?  And, for those of us in the Sandwich Generation—people sandwiched between two vulnerable groups—our children and aging parents, how can we safeguard our loved ones? To answer these and other questions about shielding ourselves from scams, I spoke with Julie Jones, also known by her former name, Julie Clegg.  Julie is a licensed investigator with over 20 years of experience on the police force in England.  She’s an intelligence expert on the UK reality TV series Hunted and Celebrity Hunted and she’s taught investigative skills and procedures in over 20 countries. She’s also the founder and CEO of Human-i Intelligence Services (https://www.human-i.org/) and the author of a book called How to Become a World Class Investigator. Book link: https://amzn.to/440qp57 This is an affiliate link. It will provide me with a small commission on purchases made through it and help the podcast (but it won’t affect the price you pay).