The Finding My Psych Podcast

Today I spend some time reflecting on my experience using Ai coaching using the Whoop and Bevel applications.  Over the past six months I have tested these tools off and on.  Testing also included using the basics of the Apple Watch and my Garmin Epix Pro with Garmin Connect Plus.  What I learned surprised me - What at first felt exciting and enticing, later left me feeling empty and I input endle...

Is your health tanking?  Are there behaviours contributing to your downward wellness spiral?  Today I talk about replacing maladaptive behaviours with incongruent behaviours, purposefully consistent with positive health outcomes.  Finally, we discuss the power of consistency and how to shut off the argumentative chatter in your brain getting in the way of you achieving consistency.

Today I celebrate the person and podcaster, Rich Roll.  You will know well the Rich Roll Podcast sometimes referenced in this show.  You will also know that Rich has made significant changes to his approach in how he connects with his audience over the past couple of months.  I review my own reactions and the overarching impact his work has had on my life and content.  I also take some time to sin...

Today I spend time talking about my own learning pre and post injury as a long distance runner.  I promote the idea that Gurus are ruining our wellness experience promoting their own financial gain.  I also talk about how easily we are taken in by contradictory content on YouTube, designed to create anxiety and purchasing.  In the end, there are no hacks to wellness - We simply must put in the wor...

Today I share my own experience with Strava and what led me to quitting this social media platform built for athletes.  We are all learning to manage the social signals competing for our attention and compelling our behaviour.  The Strava, "kudos" and comments after each activity, promotes engagement on the platform, and in the end, is a very shallow form of motivation.  I review the difference be...

Today I celebrate my return to the Finding My Psych Podcast after more than two years away with injury and navigating major life changes.  I share what kept me away and things I have learned since I connected with you last.  Finally, I leave you with ideas for future content and a brief discussion on the, "three why's" when you are feeling stuck.

In today's episode, I share research and anecdotal evidence of my own experience in managing a perceived decline in motivation as I step into my early 50s. While there are popularized and straight forward cognitive explanations that point to a decline in motivation with age, changes in motivation and the, "get up and go" approach to activation, are caused by an array of contributing factors.

I am currently using the Watch OS 10 and iOS 17 Developer Beta. We are now able to test the new Apple Health integration, "State of Mind," intended to help you track your mood throughout the day. In today's podcast episode, I share my reaction after a month of sharing my mood with Apple.

There is no greater feeling that adhering to a goal, no matter the challenge. Today is a significant landmark in my, 'dry' journey. I am proud to be celebrating both Canada Day, 2024, and 300 days of sobriety. I choose sobriety and I am not an alcoholic.

There are some things in my 20s and 30s that I wish I knew. Hindsight might be 20/20, but surely wisdom from later in life would have helped, right? In today's episode, I provide 10 (plus a bonus) nuggets that I have gained over the years, advice that would have saved me some growing pains and heartache.

Unsure about your next step in your career development? Every path is different. In today's episode, I share my own experience working in healthcare for the past 27 years since completing graduate school. I also provide advice on the importance of going through a post-secondary program, how to navigate the realities of your first job, and core strategies for developing yourself as a professional.

What we eat has the power to contribute to chronic disease processes (i.e., autoimmune disease, diabetes, cardiovascular disease) via the promotion of chronic inflammation. This is not to be confused with acute inflammatory states designed to heal localized injury via capillary dilation and leukocyte infiltration.

The three pillars for health optimization are Diet, Exercise, and Sleep. If any one element is out of alignment, the others suffer. Optimized wellness means engaging in habits that predict both longevity and well ness throughout the lifespan. Some have called this, "health span". In today's podcast episode, I share my own experience as I improve focus on what I eat, physical activity through long...

We become what we do, at least according to the Behavioural Psychologists. In today's episode, I provide a brief primer covering critical need-to-know concepts from the field. This includes a discussion on Classical Conditioning, Operant Conditioning, Intentional Personal Reinforcement, and Modelling.

I discovered today that I have a great deal of shame about identifying myself as, "sober". Johnny and I have been sober since September after a serous health scare. I choose not to drink in support of Johnny who lives with an addiction to alcohol. Since, we have started giving away our alcohol paraphernalia (wine op eners, glasses, etc.).

I had no idea how difficult quitting caffeine was going to be. I have been a coffee drinker since I was eighteen years old. No doubt that I started my caffeine addiction well before that drinking Coca Cola, Pepsi, and Jolt back in the day. The ubiquitous nature of caffeine addiction made my time away from the substa nce (albeit brief) a very interesting experiment.

In some ways, 2022 has been a year of reckoning. This was the year that denial lost her grip. Alcohol was destroying both of us in its own way and chipping away at the foundation of our marriage. Following a significant health scare, as a couple we committed to becoming a sober family.

Methamphetamine is the most destructive non-pharmaceutical substance impacting every sector of society. It results in both violent and non-violent crime in every community it impacts. This is evidenced by the work done by the Montana Meth Project. In today's episode, we discuss the anecdotal increase in use on the s treets in Vancouver, BC, and the increased presentations observed in the healthcar...

Liz recently completed the Eversource Hardford Marathon on October 8th. Liz comes back on the show to describe her training strategy and approach to completing the marathon distance. For the plant-based curious, Liz also describes her approach to nutrition while training and on race day.

Our success is defined by those who helped get us here. As we develop into better individuals, parents, and professionals, it is critical that we take the time to acknowledge those who have made that development possible. The best expression comes in the form of gratitude for the individuals who cared enough to offer a helping hand, kind word, or advice, ultimately taking us to the next level in o...

In today's episode, I reveal our commitment to recovery as a family of two. COVID provided a gift - Issues became magnified as they were impossible to conceal due to proximity. My husband has struggled over the years, a coping strategy discovered to be effective against the impacts of childhood trauma.

Orthorexia, a lesser known eating disorder not yet approved by the American Psychiatric Association, is characterized as an obsession with eating, 'clean' food. Individuals typically categorize food in terms of, 'good vs. bad' and are often concerned with putting, 'poison' in their body, going to great lengths to cont rol the food they eat and how it is prepared by others.

Frustrated with those extra pounds that hang on no matter how hard you workout? Let's face it, exercise alone rarely results in sustainable weight loss. In fact, if you want to lose weight, a surgical approach focusing on diet just might be the key.

I love data. However, as someone who grew up as a member of the Gen-X generation, I have the advantage of remembering what it was like not to have a computer, cell phone, or wearable tracking your every move. While I obsess over the information coming at me, especially as a runner, I also recognize the darker side of data, especially as it relates to anxiety and mood.

Oh my God...where has the last 20, even 30 years gone? In today's episode, I review what turning 50 means to me, what feels different, and outline what I want the next few decades to look like. I also share my findings of what others say they have experienced entering the 5th decade of their life.