Psychiatry & Psychotherapy Podcast

Dr. Rocio Salas-Whalen, owner of New York Endocrinology and a renowned expert in diabetes and obesity, dives into the evolving understanding of obesity as a chronic disease. She discusses its complex ties to type 2 diabetes and the rising awareness post-COVID-19. The conversation highlights groundbreaking GLP-1 and GIP medications that reshape the weight loss landscape, discussing their benefits and psychological impacts on food cravings. Dr. Salas-Whalen also addresses the challenges posed by insurance companies in treating obesity, pushing for a more proactive medical approach.

Becoming an expert at reducing polypharmacy requires being an expert in not only psychopharmacology, but being a coach that directs a patient toward a holistic path. In this episode, I am joined by Jacob McBride, D.O., a psychiatrist in Pittsburgh, PA. We will be discussing some issues within polypharmacy and encouraging more holistic care for patients.  By listening to this episode, you can earn 1.25 Psychiatry CME Credits. Link to blog. Link to YouTube video.

In this week’s episode of the podcast, I interview Dr. Ragy Girgis, a clinical researcher at Columbia University in New York where he also completed his residency in psychiatry in 2009. He received a T32 (training grant) during this time and now conducts clinical trials and high-risk psychosis research. He practiced privately for a time, but is now a full-time clinical researcher. Although primarily a schizophrenia researcher, his interest led him to research the relationship between schizophrenia and mass shootings, leading to the creation of what may be the largest database on mass murder and mass shootings, studying cases dating all the way back to 1900. By listening to this episode, you can earn 1.25 Psychiatry CME Credits. Link to blog. Link to YouTube video.

Dr. Michael Cummings discusses a new study challenging the idea of depression as a chemical imbalance. The podcast explores the complexities of depression beyond serotonin levels, the effects of antidepressants and ketamine on dendrites, the link between depression and accelerated aging, health issues related to depression, and the impact of psychotherapy and medication. It also covers the role of chronic stress on the brain and how individuals can overcome depression.

In today’s episode of the podcast, I speak with Dr. Mary Jo Peebles, a renowned psychoanalyst, speaker and author, about the significance of psychotherapy from her most recent book, When Psychotherapy Seems Stuck. Dr. Peebles received her Bachelors of Psychology from Wellesley College and her PhD in clinical psychology from Case Western Reserve University. She currently works at her private practice in Bethesda, Maryland. By listening to this episode, you can earn 1.25 Psychiatry CME Credits. Link to blog. Link to YouTube video.

Dr. Mark Solms, author of,  The Hidden Spring, gives us a guided tour of a journey into different aspects of consciousness, how Freud can be updated with the work of Jaak Pankseep and affective neuroscience, as well as some of the more fundamental principles and groundbreaking work in which he comes to the conclusion that the why, how and where of consciousness centers on our “in the moment” experience of emotions and feelings. By listening to this episode, you can earn 1.5 Psychiatry CME Credits. Link to blog. Link to YouTube video.

In this episode of the podcast, we sit down with Dr. Cummings to discuss the benefits, progress, and fears related to electroconvulsive therapy. For years the efficacy of electroconvulsive therapy has been debated, but we’ve learned that it still remains an essential part of psychiatric treatment in patients with severe mental health disorders. By listening to this episode, you can earn 1 Psychiatry CME Credits. Link to blog. Link to YouTube video.  

Dr. Robert Feinstein discusses the cognitive apprenticeship model in psychotherapy training, emphasizing the importance of live supervision and individualized therapy. The significance of common factors in therapy, like therapeutic alliance and understanding patient characteristics, is highlighted. The podcast explores diverse supervision techniques and the impact of the supervisor-trainee relationship on learning and preventing burnout.

In this episode of the podcast, I speak with Dorothy Kaufman, a marriage and family therapist who was married to the late Daniel Wile. We discuss the book that they both co-authored together called, Solving the Moment: A Collaborative Couple Therapy Manual. Dan is a well-known marriage and family therapist, the creator of Collaborative Couple Therapy, and spoken very highly of by Dr. Gottman. By listening to this episode, you can earn 1 Psychiatry CME Credits. Link to blog. Link to YouTube video.

In this episode of the podcast, I will be discussing something near and dear to my heart—a tool I created to measure the connection between physician/student and teacher/medical learner in medical education. It is a tool called the Connection Index and its purpose is to improve the quality of the medical education experience. I wanted to answer the question of how we create better supervisors and mentors as students embark on their own “hero’s journey” to becoming physicians. By listening to this episode, you can earn 0.5 Psychiatry CME Credits. Link to blog.