The Psychology Podcast

Today we’re excited to have Lori Gottlieb on the podcast. Gottlieb is a psychotherapist and New York Times bestselling author of Maybe You Should Talk to Someone, which is being adapted as a television series with Eva Longoria. In addition to her clinical practice, she writes The Atlantic’s weekly “Dear Therapist” advice column and is the co-host of iHeart’s upcoming “Dear Therapists” podcast, produced by Katie Couric. She is also a TED speaker, a ​member of the Advisory Council for Bring Change to Mind, and advisor to the Aspen Institute. She is a sought-after expert in media such as The Today Show, Good Morning America, The CBS Early Show, CNN, and NPR’s “Fresh Air.” Learn more at LoriGottlieb.com or by following her @LoriGottlieb1 on Twitter. In this episode we discuss: The fundamental themes of human existence Irvin Yalom’s influence on Lori Gottlieb Why we feel isolated in our experiences The loneliness crisis on college campuses How the internet helps us numb How to know when social media has become an addiction Why happiness as a goal is a disaster SBK analyzes Lori Gottlieb Why we are often scared to do things that excite us Why there is no “hierarchy of pain” The hierarchy of pain and the social justice movement Why is it so hard for us to change when we know what to do? Why we don’t let ourselves be happy The importance of self-compassion The most important factor in the success of therapy What makes for a boring patient? Why feelings sometimes don’t care about facts Common myths of therapy “Part of us wants something and there’s another part of us that goes against the thing we want” Why “our feelings need air” How numbness is a state of being overwhelmed by too many feelings The importance of seeing your own agency and the choices you have Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-psychology-podcast/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“The only normal people are the people you don’t know very well.” — Jonathan Mooney Today we have Jonathan Mooney on the podcast. Jonathan is a dyslexic writer and speaker who did not learn to read until 12 years old. He faced a number of low expectations growing up— was told he would flip burgers, be a high school drop out and end up in jail. Needless to say these prophecies didn’t come to pass. Today, he speaks across the nation about neurological and physical diversity, inspiring those who live with differences and advocating for change. Mooney’s work has been featured in outlets such as The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, HBO, NPR, and ABC News, and his books include The Short Bus, Learning Outside the Lines, and most recently, Normal Sucks: How to Live, Learn, and Thrive Outside the Lines.  In this episode we discuss: What is normal? How the creation of special ed was originally an act of inclusion The unintended complications of creating a special education program Jonathan’s story growing up in special ed The twice-exceptional (2e) movement How giftedness comes with a “complicated brew” of assets and challenges The importance of recognizing the 2e within ourselves and sharing that with the world The importance of not hiding the things that make us different, but celebrating those things How Jonathan once took on many personas to hide his differences How the average got conflated with the impossible ideal in society The value judgement that is placed on IQ from a cultural perspective Going from “How smart are you?” to “How are you smart”? Jonathan feeling deficient because he was different How Jonathan went on a journey driving a school bus across the United States and listened to people with atypical brains and bodies The value of human fallibility The Eye to Eye mentoring program How the private sector corporate diversity policies can make difference by including atypical brains and bodies as part of diversity initiatives Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-psychology-podcast/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today it's great to have Paul Bloom on the podcast. Dr. Bloom is the Brooks and Suzanne Ragen Professor of Psychology and Cognitive Science at Yale University. His research explores how children and adults understand the physical and social world, with special focus on morality, religion, fiction, and art. He is past-president of the Society for Philosophy and Psychology, and co-editor of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, one of the major journals in the field. Dr. Bloom is also author or editor of seven books, including Against Empathy: The Case for Rational Compassion  In this wide-ranging and provocative episode we discuss:   Paul's graduate research with Steven Pinker Is language the result of biological evolution or cultural evolution? What "hardwired" really means Why innate mechanisms require environmental input The necessity of bias Some potential downsides of empathy The case for rational compassion  Cognitive empathy vs. affective empathy  Did Hitler have the capacity for empathy?  The joy of suffering  Why do we choose to suffer? The fundamental human need for exploration The human need to overcome challenges Would some people be content watching Netflix and smoking pot all day? The relationship between income and happiness  The importance of spending money well The psychology of expectation and pleasure If someone offer you more money, should you take it? Relief vs. pleasure Does enjoying something depend on how much we think we will enjoy something? Art and authenticity  Art and value judgements Would Tarzan believe in God? Are babies basically good? Why religion is so pervasive Are babies moral? How a powerful moral sense is responsible for an extraordinary amount of evil in the world Is moral grandstanding always bad? Why not everything is virtue signaling Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-psychology-podcast/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-psychology-podcast/supportToday it’s great to have Cory Muscara on the podcast. Cory is an international speaker and teacher on the topics of presence and well-being. He believes that when people are deeply fulfilled, they are a better force in the world for other beings, the environment, and their communities. For several years he taught mindfulness-based leadership at Columbia University and currently serves as an assistant instructor of positive psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. In 2012, Cory spent 6 months in silence living as a monk in Burma, meditating 14+ hours per day, and now aims to bring these teachings to people in a practical and usable way, presenting to schools, organizations and healthcare systems, as well as through workshops and retreats for the general public. Named by Dr. Oz as one of the nation’s leading experts on mindfulness, his meditations have now been heard more than 10 million times in over 100 countries. Cory is host of the popular daily podcast, Practicing Human, and the author of <em>Stop Missing Your Life: How to Be Deeply Present in an Un-Present World.</em> <p>In this episode we discuss:</p> <ul> <li>Cory’s transformation from frat boy to monk</li> <li>Can monks be self-actualizing?</li> <li>The importance of not being enslaved by certain parts of you</li> <li>How to overcame pain through mindfulness</li> <li>The emotional body vs. the sensation body</li> <li>The process of detaching sensations from the labels we put on them</li> <li>Equanimity and allowing life to happen</li> <li>How equanimity is more about our internal experience than our external experience</li> <li>The “pain box”</li> <li>How to soften the “pain wall”</li> <li>Dispelling the myth of the “real you”</li> <li>Barriers to real connection</li> <li>What it means to be fully seen and accepted</li> <li>The importance of radical acceptance</li> <li>How the more parts of you that are brought in and accepted the more you feel as though the wholeness of you is accepted and seen</li> <li>The "scrollercoaster" meditation</li> <li>How we can take control of technology and take back our lives</li> </ul> <p> </p> See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Marc Brackett, founding director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, shares his insights into the importance of emotional skills for personal and societal growth. He discusses his RULER framework, emphasizing how recognizing and regulating emotions can enhance learning and relationships. Brackett reflects on his own journey through trauma, advocating for everyone to become 'emotion scientists.' He calls for an 'emotion revolution' to foster a supportive culture for emotional expression, highlighting the transformative benefits of therapy for personal development.

“I firmly believe there is no person, no group, no behavior, no thing that is objectively evil. Perhaps evil only really exists in our fears.” -- Julia Shaw Today it’s great to have Dr. Julia Shaw on the podcast. Dr. Shaw is a psychological scientist at UCL. She is best known for her work in the areas of memory and criminal psychology. In 2017 Dr. Shaw co-founded the memory science and artificial intelligence start-up Spot. Spot helps employees report workplace harassment and discrimination, and empowers organizations to build a more inclusive and respectful work environment. In 2016 she published her bestselling debut book "The Memory Illusion", which has appeared in 20 languages and in 2019 she published her second international bestseller "Evil: The Science Behind Humanity's Dark Side". Note: This episode goes down a lot of taboo alleys. The dark side of human nature  is a fascinating topic, but there may be some issues that you'd rather not hear about. Please review the list of topics before listening to this episode. In this episode we discuss: How Julia got into criminal psychology How we all do “reality crafting” The depths of human hypocrisy Why we don’t always act in accord with our own morality Julia Shaw’s criticism of the label “evil” The neuroscience of “evil” and Hitler’s brain Your brain on porn How kink is stigmatized in our society Can you be a feminist and engage in BDSM? The “deviant sexual interests” scale The prevalence of rape fantasies Pedophiles vs. ephebophiles Why “curiosity shaming” limits discussion and understanding The science of beastiality and what makes one animal sexier than another animal Why we shame vegans Rape culture and how systems fail and lead to harm What we can do to reduce sexual violence in society The bright side of your dark side How we can use the dark side to be a hero (the heroic imagination) Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-psychology-podcast/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Rex Jung, Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery, and Clinical Neuropsychologist discusses the neuroscience of intelligence, neuroplasticity, and creativity. Topics include limitations of IQ tests, genetics of intelligence, the default network of mental simulation, and the fascinating procedure of awake cranialities.

Today it’s great to have Dr. Steven Hayes on the podcast. Dr. Hayes is a professor of psychology at the University of Nevada, Reno. The author of forty-three books and more than six hundred scientific articles, he has served as president of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapy and the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science, and is one of the most cited psychologists in the world. Dr. Hayes initiated the development of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and of Relational Frame Theory (RFT), the approach to cognition on which ACT is based. His research has been cited widely by major media, including: Time magazine, The New Yorker, The New York Times, Men's Health, Self, The Wall Street Journal, Psychology Today, O, The Oprah Magazine, and Salon.com. In this episode we discuss: Steven Haye’s journey to studying the science of liberation The lessons you can learn from your own pain and suffering How you can apply psychology to human prosperity Some limitations of the CBT approach (“CBT gone bad”) How we all have a “dictator within” Scott and Steven roleplay an ACT session How to apply ACT principles to dieting How Steven defines values The definition and importance of “psychological flexibility” How to get out of the “anxiety trap” How to pivot to what you really want How consciousness connects us to the infinite The 6 things that get in the way of pivoting The social/environmental side of ACT “What does it gain us to give up on people?” ACT and social transformation What is love? Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-psychology-podcast/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Elaine Aron, a pioneering researcher on the highly sensitive person, discusses the traits affecting roughly 20% of the population. She delves into how high sensitivity intertwines with self-esteem, gender roles, and personal relationships. Aron highlights the strength of sensitivity in men and its distinction from neuroticism. The conversation explores sensitivity's links to personality traits and the dynamics of love between highly sensitive and non-sensitive partners, offering insights to foster deeper connections.

A leader in the psychology of human mating, and an expert on both the cultural and biological foundations of love, Helen Fisher shares science-backed information on attraction, mate selection, infidelity, the neuroscience of love and the effects of culture on our biology. There’s a wealth of interesting facts here and some surprising insight into humanity’s quest for romance. We LOVED this episode! Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-psychology-podcast/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.