Thoughts on Record: Podcast of the Ottawa Institute of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! The formation & maintenance of friendships as well as the emotional turmoil related to the rupture of friendships are common sources of clinical discussion in psychotherapy.  Award-winning science journalist, author and speaker Lydia Denworth joins us for a discussion of major themes explored in her latest book Friendship: The Evolution, Biology, and Extraordinary Power of Life’s Fundamental Bond.  In this discussion we cover: the definition of friendshiprelevant findings from animal, neuroscience & genetic research findings that speak to our evolved  “social brain” and why we may be so predisposed to friendship  the impact of social impoverishment and loneliness on health the stability of friendships across the lifespan and barriers to reconnection when a friendship has faded"digital" friendships and the benefits of in-person contact with those we care about potential perceptions around the value of friendships post the COVID-19 pandemicfactors that predict robust, mutually rewarding friendshipsa brief description of the major friendship styles: acquisitive, independent & discerningthe importance of various forms of vulnerability in forming & maintaining friendshipsa critical consideration of conventional wisdom around how male and female friendships differ e.g., men activity-based vs. women support-basedLydia addresses the age old question of whether men and women can truly be friends self-awareness as a tool to enhance the quality of our contribution to friendshipsLydia Denworth is an award-winning science journalist and speaker. She is a contributing editor at Scientific American and the author of Friendship: The Evolution, Biology, and Extraordinary Power of Life’s Fundamental Bond. Among other accolades, Adam Grant called Friendship one of the 20 best leadership books of 2020 and Booklist said it represented “the best of science writing.” The book’s message about the importance of connection was more relevant than ever during our pandemic year of disconnection. Lydia has also written two other books of popular science, I Can Hear You Whisper and Toxic Truth, and her work has appeared in The Atlantic, New York Times, Salon, and many other publications.https://lydiadenworth.com

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! The emotional perils of dating - in particular online dating - frequently rank near the top of psychosocial stressors that are discussed in psychotherapy.  Award-winning magazine writer, Fortune contributor, and author of Date-onomics: How Dating Became a Lopsided Numbers Game, Jon Birger, joins host Dr. Pete Kelly, C.Psych for a discussion of his new book Make Your Move: The New Science of Dating and Why Women Are in Charge.  In this discussion they cover:  Jon's journey from writing about the stock & oil market to the dating market including a brief summary of some of the major conclusions of his previous book on this topic, Date-onomicsthe macro-scale dynamics that are facing men and women dating at the moment (i.e., disproportionately more college educated women etc.)the core self-defeating perceptions that men & women have been labouring under with respect to datingthe “suitor’s advantage” and why it is suggested that being assertive in picking a partner (rather than waiting to be picked) is the best strategyan in-depth description of common complaints around online datinga discussion of the data around the effectiveness of online dating platforms  the opportunities and risks of dating at the office, including reflections on the cultural evolution of dating within the workplacesome of the ways in which progressive companies have struck a balance between the reality of large groups of humans of all sexual orientations working together but also respecting that for many, they simply want the workplace to be a workplace and not have to navigate being solicited for datingJon's thoughts on prioritizing a career vs a relationship a guide for critical thinking around common dating stereotypes (e.g., men should generally date younger women, women should not date men less educated than them, women shouldn’t propose to men)application of the principles discussed to LGBTQ singles.  Host note: the book that I  was struggling to reference at about the 13 minute mark was The Game by Neil StraussJon Birger is an award-winning magazine writer, Fortune contributor, and author of Date-onomics: How Dating Became a Lopsided Numbers Game.  A former senior writer at Fortune and Money, Jon was named to AlwaysOn Network’s list of “Power Players in Technology Business Media”.  His work has also appeared in Barron’s, Bloomberg Businessweek, New York Magazine, Time, the Daily Mail, the New York Post and the Washington Post.  Jon is a familiar face and voice on television and radio, having made guest appearances on ABC’s Good Morning America, BBC World Service, CNBC, CNN, MSNBC, National Public Radio, and Fox News – discussing a wide range of topics from the dating market to the stock market to the oil market.  A graduate of Brown University, Jon lives with his family in Larchmont, New York.https://jonbirger.com/

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! While we all have a voice in our head, we may not often stop to consider the implications - both positive and negative - of these ongoing conversations with ourselves.  Psychologist and author of the book Chatter: The Voice in Our Head, Why it Matters & How to Harness It, Dr. Ethan Kross, joins us for an illuminating discussion around:   the nature and function of our inner voicehow and when this inner voice can become negative/dysfunctional and begin to impact our mood, social connections and performance (i.e., "chatter")how attention and focus is directed with respect to our inner voicea brief consideration of the nature and function of worry and rumination the reasons we gravitate towards worry and rumination, despite these strategies predicting negative outcomes for mood and functioning the evolutionary significance of, and utility of our proclivity for negative thoughtsthe paradoxical outcomes associated with "positive self-talk" the mechanism behind why thought suppression backfires  the impact of social media on our inner voice and how to conceptualize social media constructivelya review of some of Ethan's top strategies for managing "chatter"the role that green spaces can play in managing our inner voiceEthan Kross, PhD, is one of the world’s leading experts on controlling the conscious mind. An award-winning professor in the University of Michigan’s top ranked Psychology Department and its Ross School of Business, he is the director of the Emotion & Self Control Laboratory. He has participated in policy discussion at the White House, and has been interviewed about his work on CBS Evening News, Good Morning America, and NPR’s Morning Edition. His pioneering research has been featured in The New York Times, The New Yorker, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New England Journal of Medicine and Science.https://www.ethankross.com/Host note: Voices Inside My Head is copyright The Police from their 1980 album Zenyatta Mondatta (Sting, if you object to me using this song, I would be happy to have you on the podcast to discuss further)

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! Combining MDMA with commonly employed, evidence-based cognitive behavioural therapies for trauma is an area of increasing clinical investigation.  Founder of Remedy and clinical investigator Dr. Anne Wagner, C.Psych,  joins us for a discussion of psychedelic assisted psychotherapy including a  MAPS funded trial of Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) for PTSD + MDMA that she is currently leading.  In this discussion we cover:    the origin of Anne's interest in exploring MDMA augment psychotherapy  a brief history of the combining of psychoactive compounds with psychotherapy to improve clinical outcomes   the features of trauma work that make it amenable to this paradigm and potential applicability to depression, anxiety & couples work.  a brief description of the psychopharmacology of MDMA consideration of the factors contributing to MDMA not being more broadly adopted as a therapeutic agent   the typical subjective experience of someone who has taken MDMA within a clinical settinga brief overview of the MDMA + CBT protocola brief summary of available data around the effectiveness of the combination of MDMA + CBTconsideration of which clients are most likely to benefit from MDMA assisted psychotherapydiscussion of the commodification of psychedelic assisted psychotherapy   Dr. Anne Wagner, C.Psych  is the Founder of Remedy, a centre for mental health innovation. Anne’s work focuses on the treatment and prevention of posttraumatic stress disorder, with a particular interest in novel combination interventions such as CBCT + MDMA and CPT + MDMA, as well as understanding and delivering trauma-competent care. She has done significant work with communities affected by HIV, and is particularly interested in the needs of women and interpersonal relationships.Anne is an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Psychology and an Associate Member of the Yeates School of Graduate Studies at Ryerson, and is a trainer in CBCT and consultant for CPT.www.remedycentre.ca

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! Ongoing engagement in values-driven activities through personal projects reflects among the most powerful ways to foster a sense of meaning, achievement and confidence as well as ward off low motivation, lethargy and low mood.  Graeme Jenvey, owner of the YouTube channel Woodness Goodness  which chronicles the technical and psychological journey around many of Graeme's ongoing projects, joins host Dr. Pete Kelly, C.Psych for an epic chat in which they touch a number of topics including:    a brief overview of Graeme's personal and professional backgroundfinding a balance between preparation & action when taking on a project the psychological journey around growing his Woodness Goodness YouTube channel (e.g., public-facing persona, managing success, reflexes around "people pleasing", handling negative feedback)reflections on why vulnerability and authenticity are critical to resonating with an audience balancing novelty with contentedness when pursuing projectsmanaging internal expectations to stay grounded while respecting one's ambitionsthe importance of saying "no" to foster new growth and the evolution of new life chaptersthe healing potential for projects via principles of behavioural activation (i.e., mastery, pleasure) Graeme's personal experience with anxiety and depression and the preventative coping formula that he has developed the power of being "still" in order to build awareness of one's inner experiencethe necessity of tolerating uncertainty & failure in the service of realizing longer term goals & personal growthleveraging a routine and schedule to enhance motivation and mood regulation  leveraging music & visual arts for enhancing creative pursuits and regulating moodcurating self-awareness to effectively self-edit creative pursuitsreflections on sustainability of modern lifestyle to human happiness a brief discussion around fatherhood - lessons learned & shifts in perspectiveBased in Virginia, Graeme Jenvey is a multidisciplinary filmmaker, directing, shooting, producing and editing commercials and work for nonprofits. He specializes in automotive content but is also driven by good people, nature, and stories yet to be told.  Originally from Canada's British Columbia, Graeme has both traveled and lived throughout North America. His passion for exploration is evident in his visual storytelling.  Graeme's creative spark was ignited at an early age—building tree forts and making videos for fun. Fast forward 20 years, he now enjoys house projects, woodwork, and telling stories through film. Graeme’s YouTube Channel, Woodness Goodness, features a number of Graeme’s projects, has nearly 100k subscribers and over 8 million views.Woodness Goodnesshttps://www.instagram.com/instagreyum/

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! Tolerating uncertainty, unpredictability and other forms of psychological discomfort is frequently a requirement for being  able to pursue longer-term, values driven goals and activities - especially in the context of challenges related to mental health.   Freelance science journalist & author of the Los Angeles Times bestseller and one of NPR's Best Books of the Year for 2020, The Wax Pack, Brad Balukjian, Ph.D., joins host Dr. Pete Kelly, C.Psych for a wide ranging discussion around:  an overview of the origin of his idea for The Wax Pack and why he adopts such a personal tone in the book, including his personal journey with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)Brad's reflections on the impact that symptoms of OCD have had on him at various stages of life as well as his experience with cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), and in particular, exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP)the gifts that can be obtained through tolerating uncertainty, impermanence, uncontrollability and unpredictability, both in the context of OCD as well as life more generally the role of mindfulness and awareness of one's values in helping to cope with uncertainty & uncontrollabilityBrad's creative process, how he managed adversity and rejection in trying to bring The Wax Pack to life and the importance of sticking to one's values/creative integrity, even in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles  an overview of the The Wax Pack itself, including insights from the process of putting together the book, conversations with the former major league baseball players interviewed, managing impostor syndrome & the importance of vulnerability in building trust    managing his own internal expectations for future projects based on the success of The Wax Pack Brad Balukjian, Ph.D. is a freelance science journalist and has published over 100 articles in National Geographic, Discover, Rolling Stone, and several others.  His first book, The Wax Pack, reached #7 on the Los Angeles Times bestseller list and was named one of NPR's Best Books of the Year for 2020.  He has a bachelor’s degree in island biogeography from Duke University and a Ph.D. in entomology from UC Berkeley. In addition to teaching at Merritt College in Oakland, California, Brad is the developer and director of Merritt College’s Natural History and Sustainability Program.  https://bradbalukjian.com/https://waxpackbook.com/

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! Treatment resistance/non-response in psychotherapy is a major contributor of disability and loss of functioning among clients as well as a considerable source of  burnout in mental health clinicians.  Renowned psychiatrist and psychotherapist Dr. Allan Abbass joins us for a discussion of treatment resistance/non-response in psychotherapy which includes: how treatment resistance is definedthe prevalence of treatment resistance in psychotherapystructural factors (i.e., the dose of therapy available in public/private settings) that may contribute to treatment resistancethe biological & social factors that predict treatment resistance  clues that treatment resistance may be attributable to an underlying medical condition how psychosocial overlay to prescribing practices could influence treatment resistance the special challenge that adverse early life events pose with respect to creating non-response to treatmentconceptualization of non-responding clients from a psychological perspective common maladpative therapist responses to treatment resistance in the context of the treating relationship burnout in the context of treatment resistance clients and what can be done to avoid thisthe active ingredients in Intensive Short Term Dynamic Therapy (ISTDP) that help to address some of the unique challenges experienced by non-responding clientsanalogs in CBT to ISTDP that could be leveraged to address treatment resistancegeneral tips/perspectives for clinicians relating to treatment resistance in their clientsDr. Allan Abbass is a psychiatrist, teacher, and researcher. He is a professor of psychiatry and psychology and the founding director of the Centre for Emotions and Health at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Canada. Dr. Abbass has consulted widely with governments, universities, and health agencies on the cost-effectiveness and applicability of short-term psychotherapy.  He has provided over 300 invited presentations around the world as well as ongoing video-recording-based training to professionals in several countries. In addition, he has been awarded many research grants and has over 200 publications.  He is also the author of Reaching Through Resistance: Advanced Psychotherapy Techniques as well as co-author on numerous other books.  Dr. Abbass has been a consultant to the American Psychological Association on the Unified Psychotherapy Project and to the American Psychoanalytic Association, where he serves on the Scientific Committee. He was a board member of the International Experiential Dynamic Therapy Association. He has been an editorial board member for the American Psychological Association journal Psychotherapy. Dr. Abbass is proud to be the David Malan Professor of Psychotherapy at the Tavistock, London, UK.http://reachingthroughresistance.comhttps://twitter.com/ISTDPhttps://www.facebook.com/allan.abbass.7

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! Dreams have long been a source of fascination, mystery & intrigue, yet there is now an abundance of scientific evidence to shed light on the origins, nature, and purpose of this captivating aspect of the human experience.  Leading sleep & dream scientists Drs. Antonio Zadra & Robert Stickgold join host Dr. Pete Kelly, C.Psych for an in-depth consideration of many of the themes explored in their new book When Brains Dream.  In this discussion they cover:       the experiences that led Drs. Zadra & Stickgold to become interested in studying dreamsa brief primer on the basic architecture of sleepthe science around why we dream including an elaborated description of their NEXTUP model (Network Exploration To Understand Possibilities). the surprising importance of daydreaming the origin and neurological basis of hypnogogic hallucinations potential science-based frameworks for dream interpretationthe neurobiology of why emotions and events in dreams can feel so incredibly powerful and significantan in-depth consideration of lucid dreaming sleep & dream disturbance in the context of mental illnessDrs. Zadra & Stickgold's view on the utility of sleep studiesexploration of the notion of "epic dreams"a brief discussion around the biggest unanswered questions around the science of dreamingAntonio Zadra, PhD, is a sleep and dream scientist at the Hôpital du Sacré-Coeur's Center for Advanced Research in Sleep Medicine and professor of psychology at the Université de Montréal. In addition to numerous publications on sleep, dreams, and dream-related disorders, Dr. Zadra is the co-author of When Brains Dream: Exploring the Science and Mystery of Sleep and the author of The Dreamkeepers, a suspense novel blending sleep science with dream mythology. He lives in Montreal, Canada. Robert Stickgold is a professor of psychiatry at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School. He has published over 100 scientific publications, including papers in Science, Nature, and Nature Neuroscience. His work has been written up in Time, Newsweek, The New York Times, The Boston Globe Magazine, and Seed Magazine, and he has been a guest on The Newshour with Jim Leher and NPR’s Science Friday with Ira Flato several times, extolling the importance of sleep. He has spoken at the Boston Museum of Science, the American Museum of Natural History in New York, and NEMO, the Amsterdam museum of science. His current work looks at the nature and function of sleep and dreams from a cognitive neuroscience perspective, with an emphasis on the role of sleep and dreams in memory consolidation and integration. In addition to studying the normal functioning of sleep, he is currently investigating alterations in sleep-dependent memory consolidation in patients with schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorder, and PTSD. His work is currently funded by NIMH.https://antoniozadra.comhttps://brain.harvard.edu/?people=robert-stickgold

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! It is no secret that working within the mental health care system while rewarding, can at times present significant challenges with respect to the provision of optimum client care as well as the well-being of mental health clinicians themselves.  In this wide-ranging discussion, Dr. Connie Dalton, C.Psych, Co-Founder & Executive Director of the Ottawa Institute of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy joins host & colleague Dr. Pete Kelly, C. Psych to reflect not only on the challenges within the mental health care system, but also opportunities for innovation.  In this episode they touch on: consideration of the current situation for therapists in public and private settings with respect to demand for services, community resources available, ability to refer clients to speciality or intensive services etc.factors contributing to mental health being the “orphan" of the health care system with disproportionately less resources devoted to mental health despite being a major cause of disabilitycandid personal reflections on the emotional experience of working in the mental health systemidentification of, and ideas around navigating competing tensions and values with respect to providing health care within a fee-for-service environment such as private practice potentially self-defeating emotional and behavioural responses of clinicians to constrained resources and feelings of burnoutthe role of, and opportunities for innovation in psychotherapy with an emphasis on a stepped care model of service deliverythe emergence of iCBT and its role (and limitations) in the innovation landscape  reflections on building a private practice that is suited for 2021 and beyondDr. Connie Dalton is Clinical Director of the Ottawa Institute of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and a Clinical Professor in the School of Psychology at the University of Ottawa.  She also served at the regional clinical lead for the Ontario Structured Psychotherapy Program at the Royal Ottawa Hospital from 2018 to 2020. Over the past 15 years, Dr. Dalton has delivered numerous CBT workshops and training seminars in CBT and has actively involved in the supervision and consultation of mental health professionals in CBT including physicians, nurses, social workers, and psychologists at various stages of training.  She has expertise in the treatment of mood and anxiety disorders and has helped to develop and establish CBT programming at the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre. Dr. Dalton is currently involved in the development of innovative methods for the delivery of CBT within the community, including home and community-based services, group therapy programs, virtual reality therapy and intensive day treatment programs for mood and  anxiety disorders, OCD and PTSD.https://www.ottawacbt.ca/dr-connie-dalton

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! The emergence and research of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy has yielded a number of  insights with respect to potential mechanisms of change in psychotherapy.  The experience of "love" (including perceiving the love of others, self-love or even being love) has been identified as a particularly powerful element in some forms of psychedelic assisted psychotherapy.  In this episode, clinical psychologist, research scientist and author Dr. Adele Lafrance and host Dr. Pete Kelly explore the role of love in psychotherapy including:  the personal and professional origins of Dr. Lafrance's interest in psychedelic-assisted psychotherapya brief consideration of the kinds of mental experiences reported by clients during psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, including love from others, self-love or being loveimportant caveats around safety & potential disruption in psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy the difficulty in discussing "love" in psychotherapy both among professionals as well as with clients, with an important focus on what is meant by the term "love" in the context of psychotherapy (i.e., not romantic love), professional boundaries,  client perceptions, working with vulnerable populations etc.love as a form of truth & relationship to ideas around consciousness   the critical importance of self-love in psychotherapy how clinicians can foster self-love as a way of bolstering self-careAn important disclaimer: today’s episode is for general information only.  Although we are discussing insights gained from formal scientific research of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, it needs to be underscored that psychedelic compounds are powerful psychoactive chemicals that can carry significant risk of harm for certain vulnerable individuals, especially those with active symptoms of psychosis or bipolar disorder or a clinical or a family history of psychosis or bipolar disorder.  Use of these compounds outside of research settings is also currently illegal in many jurisdictions. As such, in the discussion of psychedelic assisted psychotherapy we are in no way endorsing or encouraging the use of psychedelic compounds for any particular individual. If you are interested in further information around psychedelic assisted psychotherapy please see below for suggestions around sources of reputable information around ongoing research trials in this area.  Dr. Adele Lafrance is a clinical psychologist, research scientist, author and co-developer of emotion-focused treatment modalities, including Emotion-Focused Family Therapy.  A frequent keynote speaker at professional conferences, Adele has published extensively in the field of emotion and health, including a clinical manual on EFFT published by the American Psychological Association. She is passionate about helping parents to support their kids in a way that is informed by the latest developments in neuroscience. The knowledge and tips in her book, What to Say to Kids When Nothing Seems to Work is an effort to do just that.  With colleagues, she also makes a wealth of caregiving resources available at no cost at Mental Health Foundations. Adele is also a leader in the research and practice of psychedelic medicine, with a focus on ayahuasca, MDMA, psilocybin and ketamine. Currently, she is a collaborator/clinical supervisor on the Imperial College study for psilocybin and anorexia nervosa. She is a founding member of the Love Project.  Adele has a particular interest in mechanisms and models of healing, including emotion processing, spirituality and family-based psychedelic psychotherapy. She is a frequent contributor in the media relating to emotion, health and the science of psychedelics.https://dradelelafrance.comhtt