Bear Psychology podcast

Across North America, almost half of all marriages will end in divorce or separation. Even though divorce is a complex process that requires legal, psychological and financial considerations, there may be ways to make it just a bit less painful. Nanci Smith’s book “Untangling Your Marriage: A Guide to Collaborative Divorce” attempts to dispel some negative messaging about divorce and show us that divorce can be achieved with dignity, mutual respect, integrity, and compassion. Listen to our conversation with lawyer & author Nanci Smith as we get an introduction to both the mindset and the process of Collaborative Divorce, an interdisciplinary, non-adversarial divorce model. In Collaborative Divorce, Smith how the process provides a guide through emotional issues such as anger, sadness, rage, betrayal, etc. with everyone in the family unit. And, how a neutral financial expert helps to collect, organize, and clearly presents the financial resources of the couple so that there is an even playing field to nego

We may believe that asylums are a thing of the past but practices of enforced psychiatric confinement continue today, much to our surprise. Author Wipond, argues that, now more than ever, North Americans are being forced into treatment and involuntarily committed supposedly "for their own benefit." Rob Wipond’s book “Your Consent Is Not Required” gives us a look into the psychiatric practices of forced interventions still in place today in some private and public mental health facilities. Wipond describes mental health institutions using psychiatric confinement to manage school children; disoriented elderly; quell family conflicts; police the streets; control people in shelters and prisons; “resolve” workplace disagreements; detain protesters; discredit whistleblowers; and shockingly fraudulently increase hospital profits, plus more. Wipond’s book details coercive use of mental health interventions used today in some public and private hospitals, group and long-term care facilities, troubled-teen and resident

In a house full of turmoil, sometimes the person who you hope has your back may become your enemy. Sisters Ronni Tichenor and Jennie Weaver know this better than most. In their book “Healing Begins with Us” they share their journey in overcoming childhood abuse that pitted the two against one another.  In the book they discuss how they healed and strengthened their sibling bond after a tumultuous upbringing. Listen to our conversation with Ronni and Jennie as we navigate their traumatic childhoods, learn how they broke the cycle of intergenerational abuse, and learn how to begin a family healing process. Ronni Tichenor has a Ph.D. in Sociology with a specialization in family dynamics and Jennie Weaver is a board-certified family nurse practitioner with experience in mental health. Their book details the abuse that occurred in their childhood, how they managed to repair their relationship with each other and move forward in life to create their own healthy families. Listen our conversation with Ronni and Jenni

Most of us are stressed these days and don’t know how to manage it. While stress is an inevitable part of life, it doesn’t have to take over our lives. Dr. Doni Wilson’s book “Master Your Stress, Reset Your Health” walks us through identifying our unique type of stress and the best ways to manage it to make stress actually work for us. Listen to our conversation with naturopath & author Dr. Doni Wilson as we learn how to support our body’s needs and chart a path to become resistant to the negative effects of stress. Dr. Doni Wilson is a naturopathic doctor, certified professional midwife, and certified nutrition specialist. After suffering from migraines herself for over 20 years, she has developed a stress recovery protocol that has helped thousands of patients to overcome their health challenges and achieve wellness. Dr. Wilson’s book details five unique types of stress.  She shares with us: how to identify them and create a personalized stress management plan; what happens in our bodies when we're stre

Are you interested in adding mindfulness, meditation or contemplative exercises into your life to help you manage the demands of daily living or better manage stress and anxiety?  If your answer is yes, then this show will prove to be a perfect fit.  I am excited myself.  I have been a bit lazy with my meditation practice lately and looking forward to getting some guidance myself! Carla is a lawyer by training but she made a big pivot to wellness and mindfulness teaching.  In her mindfulness work, she brings her focused and precise mind to a creative and healing modality using a trauma-informed lens. In her teaching she integrates an awareness of science and neurobiology to help explain why what she is doing works so well. Listen to our conversation with the remarkable Carla Weinstein (meditation and contemplative practice guide) as we explore with her meaningful work in delivering Trauma Informed Mindfulness practices. Building on Carla’s extensive training in yoga, meditation and mindfulness-based cognitive

Not everyone has a picture-perfect childhood. In fact, some of us grow up in homes where our parents need parenting or we have to parent ourselves.  Dr. Lindsay Gibson’s book “Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents” helps you overcome the crushing role of catering to parents who were (for whatever reasons) not up to the job of parenting. Dr. Lindsay Gibson is clinical psychologist, author, and assistant professor with a passion for human conflict and helping others develop long-lasting, meaningful relationships. Dr. Gibson’s book helps you to understand how "immature parents" function; learn to resolve guilt or shame when you stop over-helping them; and start to listen to your own needs so you avoid being emotionally drained in the future. Listen our conversation with Dr. Lindsay Gibson as we explore the effects of emotionally immature parents and how you can recover from the devastating impact of growing up in a  neglectful and/or toxic home environment. Dr. Gibson explains the effect these relations

If you have ever fallen into negative patterns of action or thoughts that fail you often AND you identify as male (or know a man you want to better understand) then this self-help guide provides humorous and relevant instruction.  David and Corey write this book together as a patient & therapist duo with insight into the pitfalls and possible strategies to deal with 4 primary destructive patterns that might be getting you or someone you know into trouble.  Listen to our conversation with therapist & co-authors David Coates & Corey Kilpack as we travel with them on their adventure to "Be less Dickish".  Coates is a therapist on a mission to help men figure things out so they are more successful in their relational and life endeavours. Kilpack is a client who sought therapy to better understand his pitfalls and figure out a roadmap for a way out. Together this duo have identified the following "douchebag" quadrants (their descriptor not mine!) that undermine one's best act in life.  I have used thei

Surviving a violent or abusive relationship can leave us broken hearted and in need of healing.  Dr. Amelia Kelley & Kendall Ann Combs’ book “What I Wish I Knew: Surviving and Thriving after an Abusive Relationship” offers strength, guidance and clarity on this difficult life experience. The book covers how a dangerous relationship can look like a fairy tale at the beginning only to unravel into an abusive and devastating situation that is difficult to leave and hard to rebuild from in the aftermath.  Kelley and Combs provide a deep dive into how you got there and how to get out and trust again. Listen to our conversation with Dr. Amelia Kelley and Kendall Ann Combs as we explore the dangers of an abusive personal relationship and how to free ourselves and heal from this dangerous life path. Dr. Kelley and Ms. Combs identify various forms of relationship abuse (i.e., physical, emotional, sexual, verbal) and identify strategies for leaving an abusive relationship (i.e., asking for help, seeking support, pr

If you have struggled with a serious depression or PTSD that does not resolve, even after trying everything, then you might have considered Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapy.  This might involve a plant medicine like Ayahuasca, Psilocybin or maybe MDMA or Ketamine therapy.  Whichever approach you might have investigated you probably have noticed that there are huge costs, very little professional oversight, and possibly the requirement of travelling long distances to remote locations to acquire these treatments.  In other words, it is a treatment path that is not easily accessible, and for some, too scary to consider. Yet, there is gathering evidence that these approaches can be remarkably beneficial for those with treatment resistant mental health symptoms.  Jonathan Sabbagh is the founder and CEO of Journey Clinical.  The company was founded with his wife Myriam Barthes to address the needs of mental health consumers seeking unique treatments like Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy within a safe and supervise

It seems clear to me, that if we are constantly striving to experience only pleasure we will certainly land in a hurting world of pain. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter (or chemical messenger, which the brain produces) that plays a big role in the experience of pleasure. Instant hits of pleasure can keep us hooked into a cycle of gratification that results in an escalating need for reward, but instead leads to anxiety and a thirst for satisfaction that is never fulfilled. Our brains produce chemical jolts that can be evoked by emoji text messages; Facebook “likes”; shopping excursions we cannot afford; as well as drugs, alcohol and sex. Many of these reward pathways are more accessible than ever, often keeping us constantly seeking more, without a lasting satiety. Listen to our conversation with Dr. Anna Lembke, M.D., Psychiatrist, Professor, Author.  She is Chief of the Stanford Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic.  She is also the author of bestseller “Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indul

Dr. Taylor is a senior lecturer in psychology at Leeds Beckett University, and the chair of the Transpersonal Psychology section at the British Psychological Society. He is also the bestselling author of The Calm Center, The Leap and the Clear Light. His work has been described by Eckhart Tolle as “an important contribution to the shift in consciousness which is happening on our planet at present.” His new book “Extraordinary Awakenings: When Trauma Leads to Transformation” is perfectly timed for the entrance into a new year with all the potential for hope, growth and self-reflection. The stories in this book explore how the worst experiences in life can open a person up to their most profound growth and life transformation. If you have pain symptoms that do not resolve easily and are not explained by a recent injury, accident or illness, listen to this conversation. If you have ever experienced an extreme or life-shattering event you may have also experienced what Steve Taylor describes as “transformation th

Writing can be used as a powerful tool for self-healing.  We all have a unique journey as we grow and evolve.  The beauty of the practice of writing is that it is available to help us anytime and anywhere. Albert Flynn DeSilver is a gifted writer and author coach.  He provides online programmes for exactly this type of experience and opens the door to honest dialogue for healing in his work. His profound book, “Writing as a Path to Awakening” opens the reader up to self-examination and the use of the written word as a courageous personal growth strategy. n Albert’s memoir “Beamish Boy,” he shares his own personal journey of going from suicidal alcoholic to widely published author and spiritual teacher, showing how writing can be central to a healing path.  The book is filled with moments of life challenges that awaken us to remember how our life stories are also our pathway to healing and self-understanding.  He inspires the reader to become more compassionate with themselves, as they reflect on their own tro

Dr. Cammy Froude has a very unique perspective on the cross-section between medical and mental health and trauma recovery. She was a Postdoctoral fellow in Medical Family Therapy (University of Colorado) and has a Ph.D. in Human Development and family studies, with a specialization in trauma and health. This is a particularly important combination, as at any time we may find ourselves needing to address our own physical health, which may be further impacted with related trauma that may come with a sudden illness/injury/surgery/medical error, etc. Dr. Cammy understands the importance of working deeply in ways that go beyond a supportive or strictly cognitive behavioral interventions and leans in to the somatic or physically experienced layers of pain (emotional and physical) She uses multiple mind-body or Somatic strategies (including EMDR) to address the expression of emotional/medial trauma. Dr. Cammy brings a fresh and energetic approach to helping those at her clinic.  She also recognizes that we can have

Every moment is an opportunity to learn something valuable about ourselves. Let’s be honest though, it can also be hard to be focused on the little moments in life, and instead, we may often take life for granted. We may tune out and waste precious experiences focusing instead on negative, unproductive thoughts.  I know I am guilty of this at times. So how do we capture what is really meaningful and get the most out of life? Mindfulness keeps us present and aware. Daily Mindfulness practice allows us to show up and experience all the moments of our lives as present, accepting, and aware. I hope you will join us for our next radio show with our guest Ora Nadrich, as we dive into Mindfulness and the ways it can help us navigate challenging thoughts and emotions, while embracing all the little but meaningful moments in life. Ora Nadrich is founder and president of the Institute for Transformational Thinking, and author of Live True: A Mindfulness Guide to Authenticity. Ms. Nadrich provides a compelling invitatio

Chronic pain is a multi-factorial event that can leave the sufferer facing terrible pain alone, without solutions, and sometimes not even believed by others. Did you know that 1 in 5 suffer with chronic pain? Wait times to see a pain specialist can take up to a year or longer and risk of suicide doubles for those suffering with chronic pain. With costs spiralling to over $60 billion + annually, it is startling that the seriousness of this situation is not given more focus. We discuss the difficulty in dealing with chronic pain as well as some strategies that are proving useful for some people. Approaches include: Meditcations and Injections Physical Therapies and Laser therapies Exercise Mind-Body Approaches – like Dr. Sarno’s (TMS) Meditation or other self-reflection exercises Psychotherapy One of the big problems with chronic pain is that it is invisible and your struggle might not be taken seriously by medical professionals. You may be left without solutions or a treatment plan to address your needs. Chr

Ranch Hands Rescue has a reputation for being a place of refuge for victims who have survived horrific circumstances.  This makes Ranch Hands Rescue a very special place.  Landon Dickeson, Clinical Director & Bill Williams, CEO of Ranch Hands, will be joining us today to share with us the meaningful work they perform with both abused and neglected animals, and the traumatized people that they bring together. Ranch Hands focuses on the 1-10% of trauma survivors that do not respond well to traditional counselling services.  This includes those struggling with treatment resistant PTSD, including sexually abused children and adults, sex trafficking victims and veterans.  The animal sanctuary houses horses, llamas, goats, sheep and other farm animals where the therapy between human and animals begin to reclaim life, hope and healing. Let’s spend some time with Bob Williams to better understand how the Ranch integrates this approach to make a difference in the lives of both the people and the animals that they

Have you ever wondered why you said, “yes” when you meant “no” or became enraged by something you recognized later was no big deal?  Does your anger flare up quickly in your relationships or do you ever feel like the world is against when something minor occurs?  This likely means your inner “demons”,  also referred to as unresolved inner beliefs or YOUR SHADOW, is ruling your life. We are joined by Shadow Work expert Dr. Robert Masters to discuss what the shadow is, how to work with your unconscious motivators, and how to challenge a spiritual by-pass (when you don’t want to face the difficult stuff in life). In addition to this, we also explore why this work is so important for your growth and how it leads to inner peace. There is a huge cost to responding like a hurt 7 year old to a work colleague or becoming explosively jealous when you see your spouse/partner enjoying a conversation with someone else.  Great inner growth and peace evolves when you can reflect on why you become triggered/hurt, and become

What does it mean to "Heal the Moral Wound"?  Have you experienced life-changing events that you have not been able to get over? Our guest today is Dr. J. Eric Gentry, renowned psychologist, author and speaker. His recent book Forward-Facing Trauma Therapy provides steps for reclaiming a life "filled with dignity, meaning and purpose".  Eric is more than my guest today.  He is a friend and co-author of our book The Trauma Practice: Tools for Stabilization & Recovery.  I have known Eric since we worked together in 1997 with Dr. Charles Figley, one of the committee members who helped to set the foundational DSM criterion for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.  We grappled in those early days with approaches that fit the trauma clients we were working with at the Stress Research Lab that Charles ran.  This was the beginning of Trauma Practice.  Eric has focused his career on working with trauma survivors and training 1000's of professionals on how to help trauma survivors.  The crucial part of his Forward Facin

Ahh, deep restorative sleep! What relief!  We all know how much better we feel after a good night's sleep.  But what happens when we are woken up throughout the night by disturbing nightmares and unsettling dreams?  Are we prepared with strategies for getting back to sleep or for addressing upsetting dream content when it surfaces?  What about repetitive nightmares that keep coming back?  How are we to deal with them?  Well, today's show looks at sleep interventions, as well as dream and nightmare strategies. I love this topic as it gives you the skills for looking closely at what surfaces through the dream content and what makes it so interesting and meaningful in your own healing journey. Whether it is tigers chasing you or workplace incidents, repeating the content is often symbolic or representative of what needs addressing, rather than reflective of the actual problems in your life.  For example, if in your life you are not getting along with a specific friend ... your dream content might show you in a b

Kristi Hugstad's book gives practical strategies for facing real life hardships.  Ms. Hugstad lost her husband to suicide 8 years ago and has been grappling with the loss ever since.  She described her life prior to the suicide in glowing terms.  She faced social rejection, extreme grief, guilt and the devastating loss of her loving spouse. She described a loveable, popular husband who was a successful gym owner.  They sold the business with the plan of retiring early.  This was the beginning of his unexpected spiral into depression and eventual suicide. Her book outlines how she faced this loss and details the kinds of real life strategies a person can employ to face struggles.  The book outlines simple, straightforward approaches – like journaling, mindfulness, healthy sleep, exercise and sound nutrition to face life struggles.  The conversation gets into the real impact of life losses and the importance of recognizing mental health struggles as we grow and change. Although the book is focused on youth, it