SuperPsyched with Dr. Adam Dorsay

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).

Ever since I was a child, I have been fascinated by airplanes and pilots. How in the world do those massive chunks of metal called airplanes fly? And what’s it like to fly one? Fortunately, I know just the guy to talk about all things involving being a commercial pilot. Dan Jacobson has spent his career as a pilot and has flown for many years as a captain with United Airlines. As you’ll hear, he loves his work and is able to speak candidly about what it's like to fly millions of miles in the cockpit with the joys as well as challenges including flying after 9/11. So, join Dan and me as we explore the life of a commercial pilot.

Have you ever wondered what it takes to write a great work of fiction? To create a world of characters never before seen or heard, perhaps in a place that doesn’t even exist except in the mind of the author? Recently, I read such a book and found myself asking, “How in the world did the author do that?” Fortunately, that same author, Max Gross, agreed to be on the podcast. His book, The Lost Shtetl, was published last year and is an immersive, unputdownable book about an imaginary Jewish town called Kreskol. In the year 2020 Kreskol had survived the Holocaust and World War II without being discovered and, as if it had been hermetically sealed, was unchanged and unaffected by the passage of time for centuries. It is simultaneously hilarious, heartbreaking, and because it was so well thought out, Max made it entirely believable. It received rave reviews from media outlets as diverse as USA Today, Vogue, and Kirkus Reviews. It was also widely loved by my book club and has become one of my favorite novels. So, join Max and me as we explore the world of a fiction writer and how an entirely new world emerges from the writer’s mind. Book link: https://amzn.to/43Bhw2a 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 remember being in 8th grade science class. The teacher asked me to go home, close my eyes, and listen deeply for two minutes, and then to write down everything I heard. Have you ever done that? If not, I recommend you give it a try. What shows up is utterly mind-blowing and reminds me of an idea from Ferris Bueller, who noted that “life moves pretty fast and if we don’t pay attention, we might miss it.” As it turns out, if you want to feel more alive, it’s important to listen. And if you want to be heard, the answer is the same: we must listen, according to my expert guest. Bestselling author, Julian Treasure (https://www.juliantreasure.com/) has given 5 TED talks about listening and being heard that have been viewed over 100 million times. His messages clearly resonate with people and for good reason: he’s brilliant. As you’ll hear in this interview, Julian has an unusual ability to notice important things that most of us overlook but need to pay attention to. His book called “How to Be Heard” is one of the finest communication books I have encountered, and I am not alone. Dozens of luminaries have endorsed it including audio expert, Bernie Krause who said it is “clear, powerful, and fun,” and “the go-to resource for learning how to listen and express ourselves in ways that can only enrich our lives.” Book link: https://amzn.to/3Xa1ObN 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).