Psychologists Off the Clock

If you’re a parent you’ve likely had your buttons pushed by your toddler in the throes of a tantrum. We know we have! It’s downright difficult to handle your toddler’s distress and maintain your cool when they’re howling about you doing it “all wrong” … for the sixth time today. In this episode Yael speaks with Dr. Schrag Hershberg, a clinical psychologist and author of The Tantrum Survival Guide:...

Your brain is “Velcro for negative experiences and Teflon for positive ones,” according to neuropsychologist Dr. Rick Hanson. What if you could re-wire your brain to be more grateful, loving, and resilient? In today’s episode, Dr. Hanson offers strategies to use self-directed neuroplasticity changing your brain for the good and developing resilience and wellbeing. Dr. Hanson is a senior fellow at...

Women of the world, are you stressed out and worried? Do you find yourself up fretting at 4 a.m.? If so, you’re not alone! In a culture where women are expected to look perfect, juggle relationships and career effortlessly, and “just deal” with the harsh realities of misogyny and gender inequities, is it any wonder we’re also twice as likely to be stressed out, overwhelmed, and anxious? Fortunatel...

Some of us have a harder time managing our emotions. Therefore, we find ourselves engaging in destructive behaviors to cope. Enter Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). Developed by Dr. Marsha Linehan, DBT is proven to help people manage overwhelming emotions. It does so by teaching people specific change-based strategies. Because of this, DBT skills help people regulate their emotions. In this epis...

The holiday season means joy and connection, but it also means an onslaught of stressors. It can be helpful to think about how to manage the challenges more effectively, as well as enhance the positive elements of what the holidays bring. Many of our previous episodes can help us do just that! In this episode, we point you to previous episodes that can help you navigate the holidays. Episodes to h...

Shame, betrayal, guilt, anger. As social animals, humans are wired to have moral emotions that bind us to our groups. When we experience a transgression against our moral values, we might experience Moral Injury. Moral injury is a normal human response to a violation of our strongly held moral beliefs, and it can have a deep impact on people’s lives, making it difficult to move forward. In this ep...

At some point, each and every one of us will lose someone we love. But grief is no cakewalk. And however hard grief is, the pain gets exponentially greater when we are met with the deafening silence and discomfort of others. Join us to create space and a voice for grief with a frank conversation about death, love, and the heartbreaking journey of bearing unbearable loss. In this touching and perso...

Living a values-based life is different from a goal-oriented one. A values-based life encompasses more than trying to “feel good” or get to a final destination. When you direct your life toward what really matters to you, you will feel an increased sense of meaning and vitality, whatever situation you find yourself in. Values-based living has greater depth and staying power than goals and resoluti...

Whether you are planning a holiday dinner, a work conference, or a group therapy session, how you design your gathering has a big impact on its outcome. In this episode, Diana and Debbie use the book The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker to explore strategies to make your groups transformative. Grab a slice of pie, some people you love, and enjoy an episode all about meeting with a purpose! Listen...

Ready to take your mindfulness practice to the next level? What if you could approach life by relaxing back and down into an already awake mind and heart? Join Diana for an inspiring and illuminating discussion with Loch Kelly, seasoned meditator and author of the bestselling book The Way of Effortless Mindfulness: A Revolutionary Guide for Living an Awakened Life about awake awareness, an advance...

Parenting can be joyful, but, let’s be honest, it can also be a rough ride sometimes! We try to be good parents to our children and still discover that we feel we are falling short. Author and clinical expert, Dr. Susan Pollak, joins Yael for a discussion about how self-compassion can help you journey through parenting more effectively, confidently, and happily. Join the conversation to learn: Wha...

You might sometimes wonder if it’s nature or nurture driving the differences between people. For example, why are some of us extroverts and others introverts? Why are some children risk-takers while others are more inhibited? Well, it turns out that both nature and nurture are important! The nature part of the equation is sometimes overlooked, but our biological temperament plays an important role...

The delineation that we like to make between mind and body is really an illusion. It’s one complete circuit. -Dr. Cynthia Li In Brave New Medicine: A Doctor’s Unconventional Path to Healing Her Autoimmune Illness Dr. Cynthia Li, an internal medicine physician by training, writes about how her world came crashing down after developing an autoimmune thyroid condition and how she had to journey beyon...

Caring for a newborn has its challenges, but imagine the challenges of caring for two or more newborns at once! More feedings, diapering, laundry and gear to schlep. We are hardwired to respond to our infants so how do you handle more than one infant crying at once? And when the heck do you sleep? It’s no wonder that parents of multiples experience increased sleep deprivation and mental health iss...

Have your friends or loved ones suggested for you to chill out or relax? If our first podcast episode with Hope Arnold, about excessive self-control, leaves you wondering how to help with this biologically-based personality trait, then keep listening!  Join Debbie for another engaging discussion with Hope Arnold, senior clinician, and trainer in Radically Open Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (RO DB...

Are you good at doing things right, following the rules, and controlling your emotions? Maybe a little too good? Having some degree of self-control, emotional regulation, and willpower can be useful in a lot of ways! But having too much self-control has some downsides. Many people who have an Overcontrolled style of coping look like they have it all together on the outside, but in reality, they do...

Do you have something you want to create, a message you want to share, or a calling you keep ignoring? Tara Mohr has practical wisdom for you to unhook from praise and criticism, find your calling, and step into Playing Big. Psychologists Off The Clock started with Taking A Leap inspired by Tara Mohr’s work. Now Diana has the chance to talk with her directly about why it is so difficult for women...

Dr. Robyn Walser is back on the podcast for an intimate and heartfelt conversation with Debbie about her new book The Heart of ACT: Developing a Flexible, Process-Based, and Client-Centered Practice Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. As a master therapist and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (or ACT) trainer, Robyn reflects on how the interpersonal relationship unfolding in the therapy room...

Self-care is a hot topic these days and many of us feel like we should be doing more of it. Yet, the last thing we need is another “to do” on our list. In this episode, Dr. Robyn Gobin and Diana talk about why self-care is more than just pedicures and bubble baths. Dr. Gobin shares her personal experience with self-care and strategies you can put into practice today. So, practice some real self-ca...

Join us for a journey through the fascinating history of motherhood, media, and medical expertise! Yael interviews professors Bethany Johnson and Margaret Quinlan about the causes and consequences of medicalizing pregnancy and childbirth, and how technology and culture have long created a message that mothers are doing it all wrong. Learn why we need to change that message, and how we can. In this...

If you care about your health, but aren’t the type of person who loves to jump out of bed, hit the gym, and reward your efforts with a kale smoothie, this is the podcast episode for you! We all know what healthy behaviors are, but most of us struggle with how to engage in them, especially when they feel hard and unenjoyable. Join Debbie for an engaging discussion with Dr. Dayna Lee-Baggley, author...

Steven Hayes, a co-founder of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, is back on the show! This one is big. Dr. Hayes shares with Diana about his groundbreaking book, A Liberated Mind. This book has been 11 years in the making and is a comprehensive, accessible, hands-on exploration of ACT. It was a tall order to interview Hayes on such a masterpiece, and we hope we have done it justice. Let us know in...

Addiction is often perceived as a weakness, lack of will power, or a choice. It isn’t. Addiction is a brain disease. It is also a family disease that requires a holistic family approach to treat. Join Yael for an important discussion with the authors of The Complete Family Guide To Addiction: Everything You Need To Know Now To Help Your Loved One And Yourself. This discussion explores the nature o...

We are proud and grateful that we’ve made it to our 100th episode! Take a listen as Debbie, Diana, and Yael share behind-the-scenes bloopers, episode clips, and how Psychologists Off The Clock has changed our lives. The podcast has been a labor of love for all of us. On the journey to our 100th episode, we have learned a lot about the art of podcasting, and about new strategies and science within...

Time is arguably our most valuable resource, and yet we often don’t manage, allocate, or savor it effectively. In this episode, Debbie talks with Laura Vanderkam, author of several books on time management and productivity, about strategies to make time feel more abundant, memorable, and enjoyable. Listen and Learn: Tips for savoring and stretching out pleasure in the passage of time How to best o...