Psych With Mike

Attachment and bonding are essential to the health of our relationships and play a vital role in the development of emotional regulation. To find out more, check out this episode. 

As psychotherapists, Brett and I have had literally thousands of conversations with clients about guilt. It is one of the most common issues that people deal with. But what do you know about guilt and its cousin, remorse? In this episode, Brett and I will break =down the difference between guilt and remorse and common sense ways to cope with both.

It is now universally accepted that trauma (both acute and chronic) has real biological impacts on the brain. Today Brett and I discuss how to treat and even heal trauma.

Rollo May (1909-1994) is one of the true greats in the annals of psychology. Even though he was integral in the evolution of existential and humanistic psychology, he remain a grounded and modest man. This may be why his name is so well known but his achievements may not be. He routinely brushed shoulders with men like Maslow, Rogers, and Frankl, true legends of psychology. His writings, especiall...

In therapy, clients often disclose significant/important information just as a session is ending. Today we discuss why this happens and what therapists must know to handle these situations appropriately/therapeutically.

In Kohut's Self Psychology, mirroring is an important concept integral to developing self-esteem and emotional regulation. Mirroring is also important in the therapeutic relationship. Listen to find out more.

Rumination, or feeding thoughts (usually negative) back on themselves in a vicious loop, is something all of us have experienced in our lives. Sometimes, rumination can become a stumbling block, and when that happens, people may need help getting out of that rut.

Because of the way the human brain is designed, it feeds resources to the most basic functions first. This is for survival, so our autonomic functions (breathing, heartbeat) are first. Emotions and survival instincts are second. Finally, last is our cortex and rational thinking.  

While writing the book we are working on, Brett and I often use terms familiar to those who work in psychology but may not be familiar to others. The Parental Introject is an example of one such term. In this episode, we discuss the parental introject and provide answers about how to correct/change introjects that may be problematic or harmful.

Big boys don't _____________. Fear is a sign of _______________. If you know the answers to these questions, then you know that the way our culture conditions men and women to process their emotions is different.

What are emotions? Brett and I delve into the biology of how emotions work in the human body.

Do you know what an emotion is? Well listen to the next two Psych with Mike and Brett episodes and see if your definition changes. 

According to the Census Bureau, this year (2024) the largest proportion of the baby boomer generation will turn 65. By 2030 all baby boomers will be 65 or older. This means that in 2030 the 65 and older population will comprise 20% of the total population in the US. This is the largest percentage of elderly persons in the US population in the country's history. This has profound implications for t...

We usually think that all stress is bad, but that is actually not true!

This is the most listened-to Psych with Mike that Brett and I did. The episode is all about Transactional Analysis. When reviewing the numbers it was not even close. Enjoy!

This was the first Psych with Mike that Brett and I ever did. The audio is horrible and there was no video but the conversation was great!

With Brett no longer on the show, I am looking for the path forward for the show!   https://www.merriam-webster. com/dictionary/acceptance   https://www.psychologytoday. com/us/blog/click-here- happiness/202108/how-practice- acceptance   https://www.verywellmind.com/ what-is-closure-in-a- relationship-5224411   https://theconversation.com/ the-psychology-of-closure-and- why-some-need-it-more-than-...

It is often very difficult to say goodbye. Whether the result of life passing, ending a relationship, or, moving far away, there is a period of our lives that are ending. On the other hand, there is a new period of life that is beginning. As for my friend, Brett Newcomb, I will forever be grateful for the contributions he made to the show and for being my friend!   https://www.apa.org/pubs/highlig...

You make the decision to go to therapy. Good on you! Now make sure you are ready to make it a useful and rewarding experience! https://psychcentral.com/lib/therapists-spill-tips-for-making-the-most-of-therapy   https://www.healthline.com/health/what-to-talk-about-in-therapy  

This is a revisit of one of the most downloaded episodes of Psych with Mike. This is a topic close to my heart since I believe that emotional regulation is the central issue is all psychotherapy. 

The Surgeon General of the US recently released a report on loneliness. In it, the physiological effects of loneliness were found to be equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day. These kinds of physiological findings just affirm what all of us already know, loneliness hurts! It hurts us both psychologically and physically.  Surgeon General's Report   https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2023/05/03/new-s...

Many people find it harder to forgive themselves than they do to forgive others. We may feel like we do not deserve forgiveness or that if we forgive ourselves then we were never truly sorry for the behavior. Whatever the reason, when we do not forgive ourselves we remain in perpetual psychological bondage.    https://psyche.co/guides/how-to-forgive-yourself-and-move-past-a-hurtful-mistake?utm_sou...

What is nihilism and what does it have to do with psychology? Most of us have heard of the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche and some know that he is credited with promoting the ideas of nihilism. But how many actually know what nihilism is and how it plays a role in psychology? https://psyche.co/ideas/for-nietzsche-nihilism-goes-deeper-than-life-is-pointless?utm_source=Aeon+Newsletter&utm_campaign=...

Does our personality change and evolve over the lifespan? Or does personality remain consistent and static from adolescence?   https://psyche.co/ideas/theres-a-reason-some-of-us-find-it-easier-to-change-than-others?utm_source=Aeon+Newsletter&utm_campaign=8e4e0f2ec4-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2023_03_10&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-b1f49aa884-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D  

The term "Brain Fog" has been around for a long time but has gained increased significance during the pandemic. What IS brain fog and can we do anything about it?    https://www.cnbc.com/2023/01/31/neuroscientist-how-to-avoid-brain-fog.html