Beyond Theory

In this episode of the Beyond Theory podcast, host Dominic Lawson interviews therapist and author Resmaa Menakem about the concept of somatic abolitionism and its crucial relevance to healing racialized trauma and advancing mental health equity. Menakem, drawing on his experience as a trauma specialist, explains how racism and white body supremacy inflict deep psychological and physiological wound...

In this episode of the Beyond Theory podcast, host Dominic Lawson interviews Dr. Jerry Law, the Executive Director of The Meadows, a renowned residential treatment program for addiction and mental health disorders. Dr. Law shares his expertise on intervention strategies, the importance of setting healthy boundaries, and the power of connection in addiction recovery.   The conversation begins with...

In this episode of the Beyond Theory podcast, actress and activist Gabriella Wright shares her journey from personal trauma to becoming a global advocate for mental health and suicide prevention. Wright introduces the concept of "mental hygiene" - practical tools and techniques for self-awareness, thought management, and emotional regulation that can support mental wellbeing in daily life.   Inspi...

Season 3, Episode 10: A marriage & family therapist and sex addiction therapist, Dr. Invia Betjoseph is helping people see that addiction thrives in isolation and is fueled by stress, shame & unresolved trauma. Healing takes a paradigm shift and it means allowing ourselves to slow down in the fast-paced world we have created.

Season 3, Episode 9: Dr. Mel Pohl is a fellow with the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) and the Former Chief Medical Officer of the Las Vegas Recovery Center. A lifetime of experience has taught him about the true nature of pain, and he is challenging the way the medical industry views and diagnoses pain as he works to finding relief for people with chronic pain without the use of opi...

Season 3, Episode 8: Neil Strauss is a bestselling author and award-winning journalist. After telling the stories of countless people living wild lives and wrestling with their demons, Neil found himself facing his own issues. He has written about the topic of relationships in two recent books, and how he sits down with us to talk about how relationships, sex, and trauma are all connected.

Season 3, Episode 7: Tori Farris is a holistic healing specialist who uses expressive arts therapy to unlock and heal brains locked down by trauma. She was profoundly influenced by her own study of yoga, meditation, and mindfulness practices. Centered around symbolism, an accepted part of civilization and a natural process of the human brain, Tori connected the dots and found creative applications...

Season 3, Episode 6: In part two of our conversation with Dr. Tian Dayton, she talks about helping adult children of alcoholics. The assumption used to be that addiction didn't affect the family, It only affected the addict. We now know that unnamed pain leaves a lasting mark on the entire family, and Dr. Dayton seeks to help those affected by addiction unpack their past to create a better future.

Season 3, Episode 5: Dr. Tian Dayton is a clinical psychologist focused on the trauma that is stored in our own bodies. Having grown up with an alcoholic father, she learned firsthand. that we tend to mirror and play out the drunken dynamics we observed in childhood. In part one of this two-part episode, Dr. Dayton explains how the practice of psychodrama can help people get to the core of their a...

Season 3, Episode 3: Clinical Psychologist Erica Sarr takes a sex-positive approach to her work as Clinical Director at Gentle Path, where she helps men dealing with compulsive and disruptive sexual behaviors. With the continuing commercialization of sex in our culture and the "lurid" connotations attached to it in much of society, Dr. Sarr recognizes the power in opening up the conversation in or...

Season 3 Episode 1: Jack Canfield found success through a lifetime of listening, something that fueled his work as the co-creator of the best-selling "Chicken Soup For the Soul" book series. His early life was marked by feelings of inferiority and limiting beliefs, but he learned to take responsibility for his life. He's helping others do the same with his latest book, "The 30-Day Sobriety Solutio...

Beyond Theory presents: In Practice, a new podcast with host David Condos that unravels the pandemic's mental health impact with some of the world's leading experts in psychology, neuroscience, public health, trauma, and recovery. - Episode 1: These Uncertain Times - Guests: Dr. Jud Brewer, Brown University neuroscientist and psychiatrist - Dr. Romie Mushtaq, neurologist and mindfulness trainer -...

Beyond Theory presents: In Practice, a new podcast where host David Condos sets out to unravel the pandemic's mental health impact with some of the world's leading experts in psychology, neuroscience, public health, trauma, and recovery.   Search for In Practice on your podcast app and subscribe now, so you won't miss its new episodes starting August 13th! Learn more at www.inpracticepodcast.org....

Season 2, Episode 14: When Dr. Peter Levine began studying trauma in the 1970s, he noticed that humans react to stress differently than every other mammal. So, how did that discovery inspire his best-selling book Waking the Tiger? And what can learning about an animal's response to trauma teach us about healing the wounds in our own minds?   Dr. Peter Levine is a psychologist, a best-selling autho...

Season 2, Episode 13: Over the past 45 years, Dr. Peter Levine's pioneering work in the study of stress and trauma has shaped the way we understand our minds and our bodies. But what drove him to study psychology and medicine in the first place? And what does he think will be the next breakthrough in healing trauma?   Dr. Peter Levine is a senior fellow with The Meadows who is currently based in S...

Season 2, Episode 12: As Chief Medical Officer with The Meadows, Dr. Jon Caldwell knows how easily anxiety can overwhelm us. This is especially true in a time of uncertainty like the COVID-19 pandemic. But instead of running from fear, what if we lean into it? Can confronting the reality of our own powerlessness actually loosen fear's grip?   Dr. Jon Caldwell is a psychiatrist and clinical researc...

Season 2, Episode 11: After experiencing trauma, it can be challenging to start talking about what happened. But one way to overcome that is to find other ways to express yourself. So as an art therapist, how does Dr. Cathy Malchiodi use color, sound, and movement to help people tell their stories and start to heal?   Dr. Cathy Malchiodi is a psychologist, art therapist, educator and author based...

Season 2, Episode 10: As a marketing strategy consultant and mental health advocate, Nora Snoddy believes in using marketing as a force for good. So, how does she help behavioral health organizations educate and connect with the public in a way that breaks down complex issues and fights the stigma that keeps people from seeking help?   In addition to her work with growth and email marketing, Nora...

Season 2, Episode 9: In Silicon Valley's fast-paced tech industry, the drive to achieve often overrides the need for self-care. So as the director of the Meadows Outpatient Center there, how does Bryan Nguyen help people in his community learn to slow down, take care of themselves and connect with others?   Learn more about Bryan's team and what the Meadows outpatient program offers in Silicon Val...

Season 2, Episode 8: When Dave Smith was dealing with his own addiction, the Buddhist principles of meditation and mindfulness helped him build a new life. So, now as a teacher and author, how does he use what he has learned to help others overcome their trauma and discover emotional intelligence?   Find more resources from Dave and his nonprofit, the Secular Dharma Foundation, at www.davesmithdha...

Season 2, Episode 7: With all the fad diets and complex studies out there, it can be hard to know what to eat. So how does nutritionist Kristin Kirkpatrick use her Fuel Well program to help those recovering from addiction and mental health issues at the Meadows campus in Wickenburg, Arizona? And what can that teach us about how food affects our mood?   Learn more about Kristin's book Skinny Liver,...

Season 2, Episode 6: When Meadows CEO Sean Walsh began his recovery journey in the late 1990s, he could never have imagined where it would take him. So now as he leads Meadows Behavioral Healthcare into the future, how does he hope to change the way we think about addiction, trauma, and mental health... and the relationship those issues have with healthcare?   Learn more about Sean and the rest of...

Season 2, Episode 5: In 2007, Jeff Reid left his hometown in Rhode Island to travel halfway across the world and study martial arts in China's Wudang Mountains. So what did he discover there? And what do those ancient practices offer for those recovering from addiction and mental health issues today?   Learn more about Jeff's practice of Wudang Daoism and wushu on his website at https://wudangdaoi...

Season 2, Episode 4: As a healthcare entrepreneur and advisor, Marcus Whitney gets to use his own experience with technology and mental health to advance the healthcare field. So what does he think will it take to bring forward-thinking innovation and racial equity to behavioral health?   You can find out more about Marcus' endeavors, including Health:Further, Jumpstart Foundry and his podcast Mar...