The Broken Brain

Today's episode covers avoiding burnout, creativity and creative writing, emotional and legal issues related to immigration, and how doing for others helps us to develop ourselves more effectively than trying to improve for ourselves.  Ivan Infante is an Immigration Lawyer who specializes in helping people to obtain legal permission to remain in the USA and remain together as families and pursue t...

Today's episode covers avoiding burnout, creativity and creative writing, emotional and legal issues related to immigration, and how doing for others helps us to develop ourselves more effectively than trying to improve for ourselves.  Ivan Infante is an Immigration Lawyer who specializes in helping people to obtain legal permission to remain in the USA and remain together as families and pursue t...

Dr Jesse Wright is a college professor, researcher, therapist, and psychopharmacologist. He has been a pioneer in the field of technological innovation in the field of mental health treatment, especially with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. He joins the show to discuss the history of computer assisted therapy (going back to the 1960s) and how research has been used to refine and design technological...

Josh Wood is the Business Manager for the nonprofit Improving Lives, and The Broken Brain's official correspondent for Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG3 4QA. In this episode we discuss some of the psychological & emotional effects of the COVID pandemic, including recent relaxation of mandatory health regulations in the UK and US, and the reactions people are having too difficult economic times. Abo...

In the 1970s a couple of psychologists (Dr Pauline Rose Clance & Dr Suzanne Imes) coined the term Imposter Syndrome. Then in 2021 Marvel Studios created the TV series Hawkeye .  Many things actually happened between those 2 events. Imposter Syndrome, which is the persistent belief that you are less competent than others perceive you to be. This persistent belief is based on emotions rather than ob...

Abi Perez returns to the podcast to discuss the cultural and psychological lessons learned form the Disney film Encanto, which Dwight cannot watch or without crying. We discuss how each character addresses an element of PTSD, how relationships can be complicated by fear and misunderstanding, and how actions we take with others can become twisted even when love is the underlying drive.  Listen to A...

Sharon Blady, MCU expert, former Health Minister, and Superhero of the Broken Brain, joins me yet again. This time we are talking some more nuts-and-bolts treatment planning for how to reframe your mental health symptoms into a superpower-weakness framework. You are not broken, just burdened with glorious purpose...I couldn't help it. If you know you know.  Sharon tells us how she developed this p...

What we eat influences our psychological health, even more than we previously thought. Dr Chris Aiken joined me to discuss how certain diets help with the symptoms of Bipolar Disorder and other Mood Disorders.  Listen to the intro to learn how to win a copy of "You Next: Reflections in Black Barbershops."  (this is a replay of an episode from 3 years ago) 

International podcast law requires all shows to do an episode on the new SpiderMan movie, and now it's our turn! Sharon Blady, mental health advocate and super hero, is here for it. We talk trauma, healing, and why everyone loves SpiderMan's tendency to try to save everyone, even the villains.  SPOILERS for Spider Man No Way Home abound in this episode. 

For those who marked the beginning of the New Year last week, this is a time for goal setting and getting a jump on organization and self-improvement. So naturally I put off editing and releasing this episode.  Hannah Boone, host & creator of Disordered, is here to discuss some of the dangers of productivity obsession. This episode deals with self-judgement, shame, hope, comparison, and the import...

Writing and directing duo Ian and Eshom Nelms are brothers who tell stories through writing and directing movies.   Their 2020 film " Fatman ," tells the story of what it might be like if Santa Claus had to live in the reality of the world, surviving and transcending some of it's less-jolly aspects while maintaining his position as a shaper and teacher of children. IT is a story of redemption, fea...

THE NEW CHRISTMAS EPISODE!!! Finally 2021 has culminated in our first NEW holiday episode.  Chris Revil joined me to discuss The Muppets and Christmas, in particular looking at the 1992 classic Christmas Film The Muppet's Christmas Carol. We talk about relationships, loneliness, hurt and (no surprise) trauma. Mostly we are focused on the inherent healing portrayed in this wonderful edition of this...

Twice a month "The Broken Brain" joins "Let's Chat with Chris Revill" to create the Patreon-only show: "The Broken Chat!" This is a free sample of what you may be missing in the patron feed. In addition to The Broken Chat show there is also extended interviews, follow-ups with guests, and other special projects. Check out www.patreon.com/brokenbrain to learn more and to subscribe.  In this Fifth e...

Rerun of a Holiday Episode from 2015 where Clinical Social Worker Lee Messersmith joins the podcast to discuss skillful navigation of family and other relationships during the holidays. 

RERUN where you can win a PRIZE. Chris Revill and I got together in 2015 and talked about TV Christmas Specials and our experiences with them. Respond to the question in the intro in order to win a prize!

RERUN of my episode focused on the 1946 Frank Capra classic film "It's a Wonderful Life." Michael Denniston, host of 99 for 99, True Bromance Podcast, and War Machine vs War Horse, joins me. 

Over the next week you will be hearing RERUNS and NEW STUFF. There are 2 NEW Holiday themed episodes that will drop close to Traditional Christmas Day (in the US at least), December 25th. Before that there will be a RERUN episode each day brimming with the Glories of Christmases Long Long Ago...or at least past holiday episodes of The Broken Brain.  This brief announcement will lay out that plan A...

Sam Led, Intuitive Coach, Trauma Survivor, and SNG (Super Nice Guy) returns to the show. Go back and listen to our first discussion if you missed that one. Today we talk about why Sam is not a fan of technique, and how to practice his way of moving through life and problems.   Find out more about Sam's practice at www.samledconsulting.com , and listen to his podcast The Fearless Now. 

Rosie Allen & Josh Woods are two members of Improving Lives, a UK based nonprofit helping people to access Mental Health services. They join the show to discuss ways to approach people who may feel burned out after having been through the healthcare system, and how to build trust and hope. We also discuss some of the differences and similarities in counselor training between the USA and the UK.  S...

It's US Thanksgiving, and in Broken Brain Tradition we are busting out an episode on the use and effects of gratitude on psychological health. We discover some deeper insights into what gratitude means, how to access it, circumvent our own defensiveness, and what it has to do with acceptance. This is a Broken Brain Round-Up Panel Discussion with former guests. Everyone on our panel is also neuro-d...

The Loki series from Marvel Studios is pretty fantastic, but what can two mental health nerds discover hidden within its storyline? Turns out it is quite a bit. We discuss redemption, narcissism, self-loathing, healing, dysfunctional relationships, fear, and probably some other stuff.  Friend of the show Sharon Blady is here to talk about insights into these psychological elements of Loki. Follow...

This is a re-play of an episode recorded about a year-and-a-half ago with Dr. Hayes. Great guy, great conversation. Our recent episode on neurodiversity reminded me of this chat. Enjoy! Dr. Stephen Hayes is the creator of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, a discipline founded in Cognitive Psychology that includes powerful methods for dealing with depression, anxiety, and trauma. He's also a fun-s...

Sydney Aronin is an entertainer, actor, screenwriter, and an individual who has been diagnosed with Autism & ADHD. She is starting the "How (Neuro)Typical" podcast, where she and a NeuroTypical (NT) individual will be talking, joking, and educating about the differences in the way they view the world. Follow her on Instagram @sydsvery.   She joined me to discuss Autism, neurodiversity, the depicti...

Replay of my interview with Chris Revill, who has just placed the LEt's Chat podcast on temporary hiatus. Chris still joins me for The Broken Chat, a regular Patreon only show about pop culture recommendations, career goals, and podcasting.  Chris joins me today to discuss his powerful experience with PTSD following the near-death of his wife Victoria at the birth of their daughter. His journey th...

Happy Halloween 2021 Braniacs! Darryl Mansel, The Seed himself, stopped by from Poprika Reviews to introduce us to his favorite scary-times movie: John Carpenter's The Thing from 1982. You may recognize it as the classic horror movie that you felt vaguely reminded of when you first played Among Us.  Check out Darryl's movie reviews and more at the Poprika Reviews podcast feed in your podcatcher of...