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

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! Despite being among the most common of mental disorders that a clinician is likely to encounter, major depressive disorder presents both the client and therapist with a considerable amount of complexity and nuance to navigate with respect to conceptualization and treatment.  Leading international expert in major depressive disorder, Dr. Keith Dobson, joins us for an in-depth exploration of depression where were cover:  a brief overview of what  depression is and how it affects individualsfeatures of depression to be aware of that do not necessarily fall within the diagnostic framework but that would nonetheless be useful for clinicians to keep in mind when assessing clientshow depression is conceptualized from a cognitive behavioural perspectivethe developmental experiences that might predispose someone towards depressionconsideration of “at-risk” temperaments associated with development of depression the evolutionary origins of depression exploring the concept of complicated grief vs. depression some of Dr. Dobson's reflections on the conceptualization of depression based on his extensive experience in studying depression gender and depressionchallenges related to differential diagnosis discussing medication with client in the context of psychotherapy depression in the context of trauma gold-standard psychotherapy for depression and the integration of stepped care principles Dr. Dobson's is a Professor Emeritus of Clinical Psychology at the University of Calgary, where he has served in roles such as Head of Psychology and Director of the Clinical Psychology program. His research has focused on both cognitive models and mechanisms in depression, and the treatment of depression, particularly using cognitive-behavioural therapies. He is also a Principal Investigator for the Opening Minds program of the Mental Health Commission of Canada, with a focus on stigma reduction related to mental disorders in the workplace. Further, he has written about developments in professional psychology and ethics and has been actively involved in various organizations, having served as President of the Canadian Psychological Association, the Academy of Cognitive Therapy, the International Association for Cognitive Psychotherapy, and the Canadian Association of Cognitive Behavioral Therapies. He has also received numerous prestigious academic awards and was recently named as an Officer of the Order of Canada.

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! Many clinicians pride themselves on practicing within an evidence based framework; however, within psychology the influence of pseudoscience and pop psychology has been at times problematic and even harmful.  Psychologist, professor & author, Dr. Hupp joins us to discuss his recently edited book Investigating Pop Psychology: Pseudoscience, Fringe Science & Controversies.  In this conversation we cover:   why Dr. Hupp wanted to put together this bookthe state of psychology & clinical psychology as a science considering recent challenges around the so-called replication crisisconsideration of potential factors that have contributed to the evolution of pseudoscience in psychology, including human factorsthe quality of the information landscape (news, social media, click bait) at the present time and how this might contribute to the propagation of pseudoscienceexploring the potential impact of "pop psychology" on the current research funding landscapewhen misinformation in the sphere of pop psychology goes from being light entertainment to being potentially harmfulfeatures of human psychology that make us predisposed to fall for pseudoscience, including confirmation biaswhat clinicians should keep in mind with respect to the critical consumption of informationdifferentiating between pseudoscience and when the scientific method is employed in more “fringe” areasadvice for those who want to study within a fringe areareadily recognizing false claims/charlatans/hidden agendas etc.Dr. Hupp's favourite examples from the book that illustrate the principles discussed balancing exploring novel areas of investigation that could yield fascinating results while remaining firmly grounded in scientific principles, critical thinking, testable hypotheses - when it might be worth taking “flyers” on strange or novel ideasStephen Hupp, PhD, is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Professor of Psychology at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. His books include Investigating Pop Psychology (with Richard Wiseman), Investigating Clinical Psychology (with Jonathan Stea), Pseudoscience in Therapy (with Cara Santa Maria), and Dr. Huckleberry’s True or Malarkey? Superhuman Abilities: Game Book for Skeptical Folk. 

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! Dr. Daniel Z. Lieberman returns for an encore discussion on Thoughts on Record to discuss his most recent book Spellbound, which explores the untapped potential of our unconscious minds. In this conversation we cover:defining of our conscious and unconscious mindswhy Dr. Lieberman wanted to write this bookgetting to know what wants, needs & agendas our unconscious mind might haveunpacking the wisdom of fairy tales about the unconsciousshadow work: what the shadow is, the Jungian notion of shadow work and the value it might have through the lens of your bookwhat are archetypes, why do we have/need them and “where” do they reside within the structure of the psyche of the unconscious mind  the notion of the fascination with someone being perhaps, in part, related to our seeing a universal archetype in that personwhy integration such an important process for adults to engage inthe gift and burden of awareness leveraging the desires of the unconscious as a compass with respect to where to take one’s lifeknowing when we have aligned vs misaligned the will of our unconscious and conscious mindDaniel Z. Lieberman, MD is a Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at George Washington University, where he has earned awards for both teaching and research. He studied the Great Books at St. John’s College and attended medical school at New York University. He is the coauthor of the international bestseller The Molecule of More, which has been translated into 20 languages, and the author of the recently published, Spellbound: Modern Science, Ancient Magic, and the Hidden Potential of the Unconscious Mind. Dr. Lieberman has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals and leading psychiatric textbooks, and has provided insight on psychiatric topics for the US Department of Health and Human Services, the US Department of Commerce, and the Office of Drug and Alcohol Policy.https://www.danielzlieberman.com/

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! Despite anxiety in social situations being a fairly normative experience, we know that the symptoms and disability associated with social anxiety disorder can be very life-limiting when it comes to important aspects of life such as establishing a romantic relationship, professional advancement and overall quality of life.  Internationally recognized expert on cognitive behavioral therapy for social anxiety disorder, Dr. Richard G. Heimberg, joins us for an in-depth discussion in which we cover:  what social anxiety disorder is and how it affects people  an evolutionary lens on social anxiety disorderthe developmental experiences that might predispose someone towards social anxiety disordertemperament & genetic factors associated with development of social anxiety disorderprevalence rate across gender   features of social anxiety disorder to be aware of that don’t necessarily fall within the diagnostic framework but that would nonetheless be useful for clinicians to keep in mind  challenges related to differential diagnoses including shame/social withdrawal in depression and avoidant personality disordersubtypes of social anxiety disorderbarriers to accessing treatment for clients with social anxiety disorder (e.g., managing the first contact with the clinician)the current gold standard psychotherapeutic treatment for social anxiety disorderindividual vs. group therapy for social anxiety disorder comorbidity with substance use disorders medication in the overall treatment of social anxiety disorder, including specific implementation within the context of psychotherapy  the special concern around "Zoomers" and social anxiety owing to increased screen time, social isolation (especially during COVID)what is cutting edge in the current understanding and treatment of social anxiety disorderRick Heimberg, PhD, is an internationally recognized expert on cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for social anxiety disorder. He is the Thaddeus L. Bolton Professor Emeritus in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at Temple University, where he founded and directed a specialty social anxiety clinic, and he was previously Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University at Albany of the State University of New York. He is past president of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies and the Society for a Science of Clinical Psychology. He is a recipient of Lifetime Achievement Awards from the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, the Academy of Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies, and the Philadelphia Behavior Therapy Association, as well as awards from the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, the American Society for Group Work, Temple University, and from Florida State University (where he earned his doctoral degree in 1977). Together with his colleagues, postdoctoral fellows, and doctoral students, he has published more than 500 articles, chapters, and books on understanding and treating anxiety, including Managing Social Anxiety: A Cognitive-Behavioral Approach, which was released in its third edition in November 2019 (coauthored with Debra Hope and Cynthia Turk). Dr. Heimberg has also been widely recognized for his commitment to the education and training of doctoral students in clinical psychology. He received the Outstanding Mentor Award from the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies and similar awards from the Society of Clinical Psychology, the Society for a Science of Clinical Psychology, and the American Psychological Association of Graduate Students.

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! Diagnostic frameworks like the DSM are often regarded as definitive, having an almost canonical-like quality.  On the other hand, there are many in the field who have become increasingly critical of the DSM and its shortcomings.  That said, the DSM has been quite helpful in a lot of ways with respect to organizing our thinking around mental illness as well as facilitating research.  Professor Dr. Miri Forbes joins us for a discussion of some of her research examining symptom overlap and repetition among DSM diagnoses.  In this discussion we cover:     Dr. Forbes' long-standing interest in symptom level structure of psychopathologygeneral thoughts on the nature of mental illness vs. normal and expected reactions to psychosocial stressthe major concerns that have coalesced around the DSM model of psychopathology a description of HiTOP - a alternative diagnostic frameworkthe phenomenon of diagnostic inflationa review of key questions addressed in recent research by Dr. Forbes and colleagues including:  1) How many distinct symptoms comprise the hundreds of diagnoses defined in DSM-5?  2) What proportion of these symptoms repeat across multiple diagnoses and/or chapters?  3) What patterns are evident in the symptom overlap among diagnoses within and between different chapters? 4) Are some chapters of psychopathology more prone to symptom repetition than others? 5) which symptoms show the greatest non-specificity as indicators of varied manifestations of psychopathology? Conundrums around the search for biomarkers relative to our diagnostic systems and circular reasoning inherent in thisthe primacy of the DSM framework relative to other systems availablethe need for more continuum based perspectives to be integrated into existing  and emergent diagnostic frameworks Miri Forbes is an Associate Professor in the Centre for Emotional Health and School of Psychological Sciences at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia. Dr Forbes was awarded her PhD in Psychology in 2014, and went on to do postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Minnesota and Macquarie University, before receiving back-to-back fellowships to fund her own program of research. She is a member of the Executive Board of the international Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP) Consortium and a member of the Executive Committee of the Centre for Emotional Health. Dr Forbes' current research focuses on improving our understanding of the empirical structure of psychopathology based on the specific patterns in which symptoms of mental disorders tend to co-occur.https://miriamkforbes.academ

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! While many of us regularly use music to enhance our well-being or increase performance, we are often unaware of the underlying science around music as tool to improve our lives.  Reverberation Studio Co-founders, Michael Hermann (CEO) and Anna Gabriel join us for a discussion of Reverberation Studio, an undertaking they have started with legendary recording artist, Peter Gabriel.  Reverberation’s mission is to do everything better with music.  In this discussion we cover:  the ethos of Reverberation Studio & the types of projects that Reverberation plans to undertake  why it has been important to integrate an evidence-based perspective into Reveberation’s framework  why humans have the capacity to create and enjoy music  musical tools that Anna & Michael use in their personal, business and creative lives  the application of music to enhancing athletic performanceapplications of music from a psychotherapeutic perspectivethe impact of systems level changes in the way music is made & distributed (including the potential for AI-generate music) on using music to enhance well-beinghow we can be more intentional about integrating music into our livesReverberation Co-Founder & CEO, Michael Hermann launched Wicked Cow (Reverberation’s managing partner) in 1995 as a TV production company, producing its inaugural project, Reverse Angle, a sports/entertainment show Michael hosted airing on Fox Sports. In the late 1990s into the 2000s, Michael consulted for the CEOs of two of the most pop-culture-shaping brands of their time—FUBU and Maxim Magazine. In 2004, he transformed Wicked Cow into a brand strategy/business development agency spending the next decade helping to oversee culturally iconic brands.  In 2013, Michael co-founded with Derek Jeter, their content and media studio, Jeter Publishing, which featured a two-imprint joint venture with publishing giant, Simon & Schuster, and several best-sellers. Next for Michael was the creation of Wicked Cow Studios, and its children’s book sensation, Lulu Is A Rhinoceros, which it co-created and published. Now, Wicked Cow is engineering a world-class brain brand through its revolutionary neuroscience-driven media company, It’s All In Your Head. Michael was recently appointed to Fast Company’s Impact Council.Reverberation Co-Founder: Born in London, England, Anna Gabriel moved to the US in 1992 to launch her career as a photographer and video director.  Her fine art photography has been exhibited in galleries in Sundance, Boston, New York, and London. She has also worked as a portrait photographer, photographing musicians including Iggy Pop, Moby, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and PM Dawn. Anna has been directing music videos since 1997 and has worked with an array of global music stars including Joseph Arthur, Jesca Hoop, Emmanuel Jal, Adam Masterson, and Shelly Segal. She directed the documentary/live concert films Growing Up on Tour: A Family Portrait, Still Growing Up: Live & Unwrapped and Taking The Pulse: Live in Verona. Anna has also filmed and directed documentary work for non-profit organizations such as Happy Hearts Fund and Delete Blood Cancer. In November 2009, Anna and Hunter Heaney founded the non-profit organization, The Voice Project. More recently, Anna created the multimedia photographic portrait series, EyeD, featuring an unusual and intimate glimpse into the souls of Lou Reed, David Byrne, Brian Eno, Tom Petty, Paul Simon, Eddie Vedder, Susan Sarandon, and Johnny Depp by photographing only their eyes.  It has been featured in the Morrison Galleries in NYC, LA, and at the Alaia Foundation in Paris.Reverberation Studio

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! While OCD is a generally a very recognizable form of mental disorder, there are many nuances and complexities with respect to both its treatment and diagnosis. Psychologist, professor & author, Dr. Christine Purdon, joins us for a deep dive on OCD in which we cover:  what OCD is and how it affects the individual and family members how is OCD usually conceptualized from a cognitive behavioural perspectivethe developmental experiences that might predispose someone towards OCDgenetic and temperament based risks associated with OCDthe trajectory of OCD symptoms over the lifespanfeatures of OCD to be aware of that don’t necessarily fall within the diagnostic framework but that would nonetheless be useful for clinicians to keep in mindthe common types of OCDuncertainty as being a key challenge within the context of OCDdifferential diagnoses in the context of OCDOCD as a response to trauma the current gold standard psychotherapeutic treatment for OCD the role medication can and should play in treatmentshortcomings of the CBT ERP modelwhy individuals with OCD are unable/willing to trust their own judgmentassessing and addressing attachment issues that are internalized in the OCD “voice”Dr. Purdon is a Registered Psychologist with the College of Psychologists of Ontario and has expertise in the assessment and treatment of mood and anxiety disorders in adults. She has practiced and taught cognitive-behaviour therapy (CBT) for over 20 years, has over 80 publications on OCD, anxiety & intrusive thoughts and, is certified by the Canadian Association of Cognitive and Behavioural Therapies (CABCT).  She provides psychological services through the University of Waterloo Centre for Mental Health Research and Treatment Unsubsidized Psychological Services stream.  She is also Director of Clinical Training for the Clinical Psychology Program at the University of Waterloo. Dr. Purdon’s research interests include the persistence of anxiety and its cognitive manifestations, such as obsessions, worry, rumination, doubt, and behavioural manifestations, such as compulsions and escape/avoidance behaviours. She is also interested in how anxiety influences attentional and memory and is co-atuhor of the self-help book Overcoming Obsessive Thoughts: How to Gain Control of Your OCD.https://uwaterloo.ca/psychology/people-profiles/christine-purdon

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! Despite typically being scientifically-minded individuals, many clinicians have often wondered about aspects of the human experience that defy rationale explanation, but yet feel profoundly meaningful.  Psychiatrist and author, Dr. Bernard Beitman, joins us for a discussion of many of the core themes in his book Meaningful Coincidences: How & Why Synchronicity and Serendipity Happen.  In this conversation we cover:  what has driven Dr. Beitman's interest in researching coincidencethe necessary and sufficient conditions or characteristics to call an experience a formal coincidencethe challenge and opportunity of determining "meaning" in the context of coincidences given the subjective nature of meaning as well as the observation that meaning that change or emerge over timea framework for determining meaning in the context of synchronicity & coincidenceshow to navigate the challenge of the potential presence of symptoms of psychosis (e.g., delusions of reference, mania) in the context of appropriately evaluating and integrating meaningful coincidences into clinical workhow we can sit with the distress & uncertainty that typically comes with powerful experiences of coincidence and synchronicity Dr. Beitman's response to those who take a purely “actuarial” or statistical approach to coincidencesthe importance of attuning to the emotional valence of an experience to determine it's form, function & meaninghow therapists can help their clients leverage coincidences in their day-to-day lives/therapeutic journeythoughts on the yet undiscovered psychological substrate or plane/dimension of existence (e.g., field of consciousness) that would need to be in place for coincidences to have maximum meaning the potential for psychedelics to be able to expand our capacity to expand our ability to connect seeming unrelated objects or event Dr. Bernard Beitman attended Yale Medical School graduating in 1964. He did his one-year general medicine internship at Mount Zion Medical Center in San Francisco and then completed the three-year psychiatric residency at Stanford in 1974 after working in the U.S Public Health Service Hospital in San Francisco from 1971-1973 as the hospital’s psychiatrist. He then joined the faculty of the department of psychiatry at the University of Washington in Seattle. After ten years there he then joined the faculty at the University of Missouri-Columbia, where he became a world leader in the study of chest pain and panic disorder which led to his becoming chair of the psychiatry department.  Building on his book The Structure of Individual Psychotherapy, he created the book Learning Psychotherapy which was taught to half the psychiatric residency training programs in the United States. In 2006 he started formal research into coincidences and then, in 2009, moved to Charlottesville, Virginia, to join the Division of Perceptual Studies of the University of Virginia, which supported his coincidence work as a non-paid faculty member. As a self-described “recovering academic,” he led the development of The Coincidence Project.https://www.coincider.com

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! At the moment there is no more talked about neurotransmitter than dopamine. Our collective obsession with dopamine has led to a huge amount of content generated around so-called “dopamine fasts”, how to leverage dopamine for motivation, worries about dopamine-driven addiction to devices, pornography, food etc.  In addition, there is a tremendous amount of confusion and misunderstanding around what dopamine actually does within the brain, especially with respect to the experience of pleasure.  Professor, psychiatrist and author, Dr. Daniel Z. Lieberman, joins us for a discussion of the major themes explored in his and Michale E. Long's book, The Molecule of More.  In this conversation we cover:  why Dr. Lieberman wanted to write this bookwhat dopamine is, its function in the brain and the structures that regulate its functiona comparison of the dopamine system with neurotransmitter systems that are thought to be more related to "here and now" psychological experiences (e.g., serotonin, oxytocin, endorphins etc.)the neurobiology & genetics of “dopamine-driven” personalities vs. more “here and now” personalities/temperaments and the benefit of having a diversity of personalities in society, the workplace, a relationship etc. how the information and/or goals pointed to by dopamine can be integrated into one's values to generate actionable wisdom, especially around long-term goals the connection between dopamine and mental disorders with a special focus on ADHD, including the effective treatment of ADHD with compounds that promote the release of dopamine within the brainthe potential for our society to create challenges with attention & concentration given the infinite potential for dopamine-driven distractionhow we can learn to be a responsible steward of our dopamine system in a world where there is increasingly unlimited access to food, sex, pornography, information, news, visual stimulation (YouTube, TikTok etc.)how to create a sense of future & achievement without falling prey to immediate gratificationDr. Lieberman's view of so-called "dopamine fasting" and his own self-compassionate journey with respect to managing various pulls related to dopamine whether “healthy” psychological processes can become addictions through the lens of dopamine (e.g., entrepreneurship, starting companies, forming/beginning relationships)the fascinating relationship between testosterone & dopamine Bio: Daniel Z. Lieberman, MD is a Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at George Washington University, where he has earned awards for both teaching and research. He studied the Great Books at St. John’s College and attended medical school at New York University. He is the coauthor of the international bestseller The Molecule of More, which has been translated into 20 languages, and the author of the recently published, Spellbound: Modern Science, Ancient Magic, and the Hidden Potential of the Unconscious Mind. Dr. Lieberman has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals and leading psychiatric textbooks, and has provided insight on psychiatric topics for the US Department of Health and Human Services, the US Department of Commerce, and the Office of Drug and Alcohol Policy.https://www.danielzlieberman.com

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! Imposter syndrome combined with the somewhat curious & paradoxical phenomenon of over-identification with being a clinician is a familiar combination for many psychotherapists.  Drs. Melissa Tiessen & Karen Dyck of the Intentional Therapist join us for a discussion of these important barriers to clinician well-being.  In this conversation we cover:   imposter syndrome & ill-suited syndromethe rigours of the profession vs. the personal and coping resources the majority of clinicians are able to bring to bear to manage these demandsdangers of unaddressed imposter syndrome in clinicians both related to the delivery of clinical services as well as the management of private practicesinternal and external factors that drive imposter syndrome in cliniciansover-identification with being a clinician - signs, symptoms and copingfinding a balance between the very real competency based demands of being a clinician (e.g., continuing education, requirements of regulatory bodies) and sustainable self-care that does not become avoidance  Host note: We will be offering a 6 week essentials of CBT workshop that I will be facilitating beginning March 24, 2023.  For more information and registration, please visit: https://www.ottawacbt.ca/news Please come join us!Dr. Karen Dyck completed her doctoral degree in clinical psychology at the University of South Dakota and currently works in private practice in Oakbank, Manitoba.  She is also presently the Executive Director of the Manitoba Psychological Society.  Before shifting to private practice, Karen spent the bulk of her career working within the Rural and Northern Psychology Program at the University of Manitoba’s Department of Clinical Health Psychology, and is a former chair of the Rural and Northern Psychology Section of the Canadian Psychological Association.  Dr. Melissa Tiessen completed her doctoral degree in clinical psychology at McGill University and currently works in private practice in Ottawa, Ontario.  Melissa also previously worked in the Rural and Northern Psychology Program at the University of Manitoba, as well as has served as the Education Director for the CPA, overseeing the organization’s accreditation and continuing education activities.  Karen and Melissa both have a longstanding interest in self-care and workplace wellness initiatives.  Recognizing that there are so many female mental health professionals, like themselves, who are trying to balance careers with additional caregiving roles, in 2019 Karen and Melissa co-founded Intentional Therapist.  Their mission is to help female mental health professionals stay healthy and happy through intentional, creative, and playful self-care.  https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/