Transforming Minds with Dr. Brian Ragsdale

Send us Fan Mail There's a story told about America's first mental asylum: that Black and white patients once lived under one roof, until the white patients protested that whatever else was wrong with them, they were not that insane. I went looking for the document behind that story. I couldn’t find it. What I found in the record was quieter, and worse. Eastern State Hospital in Williams...

Send us Fan Mail When a couple can't conceive, her body gets the appointments, the blood draws, the procedures. He gets a question nobody asks. Yet in about half of all infertility cases, a male factor is part of the story.  In "The Other Half," psychologist Dr. Brian Ragsdale takes up the half of fertility that goes untested, unasked, and unsupported: the simple test men avoid, the...

Send us Fan Mail https://www.buymeacoffee.com/brianragsd6 People keep telling Dr. Brian Ragsdale, "I don't know how you do it." In this episode, he takes that sentence apart: the compliment on the surface, the lowered expectation underneath it, and what psychology says about the "exception" we make instead of changing the picture. Then he gives the honest answer about how...

Send us Fan Mail Support the podcast If you find this work useful, you can support Transforming Minds by buying me a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/brianragsd6 What happens when health care starts to look like a factory assembly line? In the first episode of this six-part series, Dr. Brian Ragsdale opens by introducing himself and why it matters: a Black gay psychologist with over twenty yea...

Send us Fan Mail What has “being strong” cost you? For many Black people, strength is more than a personal quality. It is a cultural expectation: hold the family together, keep going, remain dependable, and do not let anyone see you break. That strength is real—but it can also carry a psychological and physical cost. In this episode of Transforming Minds , Dr. Brian L. Ragsdale examines the differ...

Send us Fan Mail The Gatekeepers of Sanity, Episode 4: The Psychological Tax of Code-Switching What does it cost to constantly calculate which version of yourself is safe to show? Code-switching originally referred to moving between languages or dialects. Today, the term is also used to describe changing how we speak, behave, dress, or present ourselves depending on the environment. Although nearl...

Send us Fan Mail Who Decides What Counts as Psychological Knowledge? Psychology is a science. But science does not begin with data. It begins with decisions. Someone decides which questions are worth asking, which populations are studied, which measures are considered valid, which research receives funding, and which findings eventually become part of the psychological canon. In Episode 3 of The G...

Send us Fan Mail The Resilience Trap: When Coping Becomes an Institutional Demand We celebrate resilience as a psychological strength. But what happens when resilience becomes something institutions demand from people rather than something people develop for themselves? In Episode 2 of The Gatekeepers of Sanity , Dr. Brian Ragsdale examines how the language of resilience can shift attention away f...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when psychology focuses on the person experiencing distress but pays less attention to the systems producing it? In the first episode of Season 4, The Gatekeepers of Sanity , Dr. Brian Ragsdale examines psychology’s tendency to locate problems within individuals while treating workplaces, institutions, culture, and systems of power as background conditions. He asks a...

Send us Fan Mail I come to you as a multicultural therapist, a womanist/feminist ally, and someone who brings the depth of psychodynamic thinking, the openness of humanistic practice, and the profound questions of existentialism into my work. You know what fascinates me about therapy? The way it's evolving beyond the traditional "lie on a couch and talk about your childhood" model i...

Send us Fan Mail Your support—whether $3 or $8 a month—goes directly to producing each episode, upgrading equipment, and one day compensating guest speakers. And as a thank-you, you’ll receive a personal email from me—and a shoutout in one of the next episode. https://www.buzzsprout.com/2431773/support Welcome to Transforming Minds , I’m Dr. Brian Ragsdale. Today’s episode is for anyone wondering,...

Send us Fan Mail Your support—whether $3 or $8 a month—goes directly to producing each episode, upgrading equipment, and one day compensating guest speakers. And as a thank-you, you’ll receive a personal email from me—and a shoutout in the next episode. https://www.buzzsprout.com/2431773/support Mental health support is not one-size-fits-all. You deserve care that meets you where you are—and who y...

Send us Fan Mail There’s no wrong way to feel. And you don’t have to do anything with your emotions except notice them. There are lots of ways that we can connect ·  Reflect (“Take 1 minute to journal after this episode…”) ·  Engage (“DM me your thoughts or tag me with how this landed.”).  We are on Facebook, search for Transforming Minds with Dr. Brian. Join my YOUTUBE Channel, search BrianRagsda...

Send us Fan Mail  Here are three examples of how fear and self-doubt manifest in life: Career Decisions and Stagnation : Fear of failure or not being “good enough” can prevent someone from pursuing a promotion, starting a new business, or changing careers. This self-doubt often leads to staying in a comfort zone, even if it’s unfulfilling, because the risk of the unknown feels too great. Relations...

Send us Fan Mail In today’s episode, we’re discussing Setting Boundaries to Protect Your Well-Being.    As a psychologist in private practice, my clients and I talk a lot about boundaries, how to set them, why they are important, and I have learned much from my clients as they share their boundary success stories. Boundaries are like the gold mine of our well-being.   Boundaries are essential for...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome back to Transforming Minds . I'm Dr. Brian Ragsdale. Thank you for joining me for Season 2, Episode 7. Today, we're diving into an important, sometimes uncomfortable, but deeply human topic: power struggles in relationships. We'll be pulling from ideas I've shared in earlier episodes about breaking free, boundary setting, and the emotional frameworks of...

Send us Fan Mail Podcast Title: Break Free Originally broadcasted at the start of the podcast.  Back by popular demand, recast. Episode Title: Transforming Minds: Breaking Free from What Holds Us Back Description: Welcome to Transforming Minds , the podcast where we challenge old stories, embrace new possibilities, and inspire meaningful change. Join Dr. Brian Ragsdale as he dives into the habits...

Send us Fan Mail Discovering your purpose is about more than just career goals or accomplishments. It’s about aligning your passions and values to create a life that feels meaningful to you. If you’ve ever felt stuck, lost, or unsure about the path forward, this episode is for you. Today, we’ll explore what purpose means, the barriers that can hold us back, and the steps you can take to uncover yo...

Send us Fan Mail  What comes to mind when you hear the word vulnerability ?  For some when you are able to be vulnerable you are reclaiming your voice.  For many of us, being vulnerable and letting our inner voice out, it stirs up a mix of emotions.   A mix of emotions can deeply influence vulnerability, often making it a complex and multifaceted experience. When we’re vulnerable, we’re opening ou...

Send us Fan Mail For many of us, change feels uncomfortable because it disrupts the familiar. As human beings, we crave stability, routines, and a sense of control. When change comes along, it can feel like the ground beneath us is shifting. Psychologically, our resistance to change is rooted in a few key factors: Fear of the Unknown When we don’t know what’s coming next, our brains naturally defa...

Send us Fan Mail This episode explores the importance of understanding who you are at your core.  Dr. Brian Ragsdale provides practical insights on self-reflection, identifying values, and setting intentions for personal growth.  Support the show "Transforming Minds with Dr. Brian" Hosted by Dr. Brian Ragsdale, Psychologist Blending research, creativity, and education to explore how pers...

Send us Fan Mail Given the buying and selling of art, museums are involved in massive wealth transfers. They are, in a sense, ideological centers that record moments of history and represent societal views. They are repositories that can serve educational purposes, provide visitor enjoyment, and give artists exposure and recognition. Black artists and their work have not been widely recognized by...

Send us Fan Mail The history of loneliness is as complex and evolving as human society itself. While the feeling of loneliness has likely existed since early human communities, our understanding of it—and even the word itself—has a more recent history. According to recent Gallup data in 2021 and 2022, nearly 1 in 4 men aged 18 to 29 report feeling lonely. That’s 24%. And here’s the kicker—this rat...

Send us Fan Mail Staying informed doesn't mean self-abandoning.  Engage when it’s healthy, retreat when needed. It's okay to rest and resist. The intro music at the top of each episode is an original 3-second jazz-funk sting composed for Transforming Minds with the help of artificial intelligence. It was made exclusively for this show; it's royalty-free, and it reflects no employer...

Send us Fan Mail Subtitle: Tracing the Impact of Segregation, Education, and Racial Identity on Black Mental Health In this episode, Dr. Brian, a licensed clinical psychologist and scholar explores the deep roots of Black psychology, the true legacy of Brown v. Board of Education , and the psychological impact of segregation. From the Doll Studies to today's mental health challenges, we refle...