When East Meets West

As we continue to experience this global pandemic, isolation from others remains a consistent consequence. In this episode, Dr. Pete and Dr. Rubin discuss the impact of isolation on mental health and well-being, and identify how eastern and western psychological approaches conceptualize and address this experience. Coping skills listeners may try while managing isolation and/or quarantine are pres...

As we end another cycle of a U.S. election, we are all feeling like we’ve had enough. The split between the country during this election cycle was palpable. In this episode, Dr. Rubin and Dr. Pete define and compare the values of individualism (dominant in the U.S.) and collectivism (often dominant in eastern cultures and traditions). They discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each value, an...

In this episode, Dr. Pete and Dr. Rubin discuss what has been called “election stress disorder.” While technically not a real psychological disorder, you’re unlikely to find someone who hasn’t experienced distress and uncertainty related to the 2020 American election. Tune in to learn about how to navigate election stress from November 3rd on.

We have all met someone who told us to “look on the bright side” while we were in the midst of a painful or difficult experience. While this suggestion may be well intentioned, this type of positive lens may also be invalidating, and make you feel like there is something wrong with you for having a hard time. In this episode, Dr. Rubin and Dr. Pete define toxic positivity, discuss how it can actua...

We have all encountered someone who does not have the same respect for the rules as others, or who believes that the rules simply do not apply to them at all! In this episode, Dr. Rubin and Dr. Pete discuss entitlement, and how entitled behavior suggests that someone has difficulty taking the perspective of others. The impact of entitlement, as well as how mindfulness can begin to improve perspect...

Stress is something that everyone experiences, especially in 2020. Although it's common, stress can have a negative effect on our overall well-being and physical health without proper awareness and coping skills. Dr. Rubin and Dr. Pete discuss the impact of stress, and offer ways to manage it using behavioral tools and mindfulness practices.

In this special extra episode, our first guest Dr. Robyn Walser joined Dr. Rubin and Dr. Pete for a conversation on existentialism within behaviorism. Dr. Walser is a scholar and practitioner in the field of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and has authored many books and research articles. Her books are titled: The Heart of ACT: Developing a Flexible and Process-Based Practice Using Accept...

Today the docs discuss one of Dr. Rubin's favorite things in psychology: dialectics! In this episode Dr. Rubin and Dr. Pete break down the effects of polarization on our social relationships, describe how polarization is a common consequence of our brain's wiring, and how dialectics can help (don't worry, they'll define it). Tune in to learn how to manage polarization and hopef...

2020 has been identified as a year to remember; global pandemic, wild fires, racial tensions at an all time high, earthquakes, and political unrest. In this episode, Dr. Pete and Dr. Rubin address the science of social inequities, as well as identify how the Buddhist concept of equanimity may help us understand how to begin to address these problems in small ways. In this episode Dr. Rubin and Dr....

Has anyone ever called you controlling? On this episode, Dr. Pete and Dr. Rubin discuss what it means to be controlling from a western psychological lens (emphasizing the role of rigidity), in addition to highlighting principles related to mindfulness and how these may have an impact on control. Listen to this episode to learn strategies to manage an urge to control outcomes.

Dr. Rubin worked in women's reproductive behavioral health during her time on the east coast, and continues to treat these struggles on the west coast. In this episode, Dr. Pete and Dr. Rubin discuss the many challenges women may face postpartum, specifically with regards to symptoms on the anxiety spectrum given that these have generally received less public attention than depressive symptom...

How is your screen time? Check it out before you listen to this episode, because in this episode Dr. Rubin and Dr. Pete address the advantages and disadvantages of social media in our lives and our mental well-being. Dr. Rubin shares her views and beliefs for not using social media and, in contrast, Dr. Pete has an active Instagram account (find him @officialdrpete). Tune in to learn what kind of...

Dr. Pete and Dr. Rubin discuss the difference between religion and spirituality, and how spirituality is often misconstrued, misunderstood, or judged. This episode focuses on the eastern practice of mindfulness and how this may blend with the western aim to seek meaning in life. Dr. Pete and Dr. Rubin also discuss how they came to connect with their own experiences of spirituality, while encouragi...

Does it ever seem as though life feels too uncertain at times? In this episode, Dr. Rubin and Dr. Pete address the science behind uncertainty, and why evolution selected for brains to assume that not knowing something is equivalent to danger. They explore how western behavioral science and eastern spirituality both help humans to accept what we don't know (even when we inaccurately believe th...

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted many of our routines and experiences, including those in the world of sports. Dr. Pete and Dr. Rubin discuss the suspension of fall 2020 sports in the NCAA, and the tremendous impact this has on student-athletes, coaches, staff, administration, and fans. Given that American culture is often defined by sport-identity, sport psychology has become more important th...

What is gratitude exactly? Being thankful or appreciative, or something more? Dr. Pete and Dr. Rubin discuss how gratitude can be a part of a Buddhist practice, the psychological benefits of gratitude, and the behaviors that help us to practice this value. Tune in to learn about the many ways we can connect with gratitude in our lives. 

All of us have a self-critic inside, whether we like it or not. Dr. Rubin and Dr. Pete use sarcasm and humor as they talk about the role of the brain's "inner critic." They discuss how mindfulness and Buddhism address self-criticism, and identify the role the inner critic plays in psychological suffering. Dr. Rubin and Dr. Pete also discuss how behaviorism understands the self-criti...

Do you want to feel calm? Buddhism and Western psychology both aim to cultivate a sense of calm, but often in different ways than we might expect. Dr. Pete and Dr. Rubin discuss how a state of calm can impact performance and your daily life, as well as clarify how chasing a state of calm gets us into trouble. They even mentioned Yerkes Dodson performance curve. Check it out!

Anxiety is a natural emotion that all humans and most, if not all, living beings experience. In this episode, Dr. Rubin leads the conversation on evolution and how anxiety is adaptive for the 40,000 year old part of our brains. Dr. Rubin and Dr. Pete talk about building a more effective relationship with anxiety when it inevitably shows up. 

If you are addicted to listening to WEMW, you have heard Dr. Pete and Dr. Rubin say "be present, be brave" at the sign off of each episode. Tune into this episode to learn why the docs chose this tag line and what it represents in the world of Eastern spirituality and Western behavioral science.

In this episode, the docs take a deep dive into how righteousness and rigid thinking affect behavior and interpersonal relationships. Dr. Rubin and Dr. Pete reflect on personal examples where they struggle to let go of wanting to be right, and identify how they are able to choose being effective instead. Mindfulness-based concepts and behavioral tools to address the tempting desire to be right are...

Have you tried to talk to someone who does not share your world views, like wearing a mask or not? In this episode, Dr. Pete and Dr. Rubin discuss ways to communicate effectively with loved ones who you disagree with in some way. We often avoid these tough conversations because they’re uncomfortable—the WEMW docs talk about why it’s important to consider choosing to start them any way. Tune in to...

Have you tried to live with compassion? Dr. Pete and Dr. Rubin talk about compassion as a clinical intervention and as a way of life; of course, they address how compassion fits into behavioral science within the third wave CBT world. Listen in to see how you can practice compassion in your life, and how it can help you!

Brene Brown became a household sensation after a famous TED talk about her research on vulnerability as a professor of social work in Texas. In this episode, Dr. Rubin and Dr. Pete talk about their personal experiences with practicing vulnerability, how people can benefit from being vulnerable, and how vulnerability can help us learn to connect with and act aligned with our values.

Do you consider yourself to be a perfectionist? Dr. Rubin and Dr. Pete reframe the idea of what being a perfectionist is, and discuss whether or not every human is actually a perfectionist in some way. Tune in to learn how they redefine perfectionism--get ready, they even offer a new definition (linear-ness).