Bear Psychology podcast

CBT is one of the most common interventions and tends to deal with every day struggles that you might have in dealing with life events.  A CBT approach might help you deal with negative thinking and adapt your behavior so you are more engaged and less impacted by fearful beliefs.  The book is full of well-structured and organized resources.  The book is supported by video exercises and templates on the publisher's website (NewHarbinger.com). Our guest is Dr. Nina Josefowitz, renowned psychologist and co-author of 'CBT Made Simple; A Clinicians Guide to Practicing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. CBT or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is an evidence-based intervention for addressing the impact of mental health struggles.  The CBT approach is one of the most well researched psychological interventions and has demonstrated efficacy.  This structured and often goal oriented approach can lay a strong foundation for early career mental health professionals beginning to work with clients, as well as for individuals who ar

Transpersonal Psychology is the section of psychological study that addresses spiritual or transcendent elements of personal experience.  The idea of our transpersonal lives is that which encompasses or goes beyond our typical and practical daily lives and into wider or unexplained aspects of what we may encounter in life.  This may include peak or mystical experiences, spiritual crisis (in which typical elements of life are no longer sufficient to establish a sense of meaning) and expanded perceptions of life (i.e., who or what we are). Transpersonal psychology addresses our highest potential or evolutionary states of being that may transcend the ego drivers and ordinary states of consciousness. We hope you will join us as we explore this fascinating topic with our special guest Steven Taylor! He is a Transpersonal Psychologist University professor and author who has written 13 books on the topic of spiritual growth and emergence.  His extraordinary depth of understanding of this topic and many years of expe

Let's talk about why we fail to see the emotional pain that men live with every day.  Beliefs can tie us in knots and render us blind to the struggles of others when we fail to look more closely with an open mind and heart.  Documentary film-maker Cassie Jaye's most notable film "The Red Pill" forced her to re-examine her beliefs about the Men's Rights Movements.  She started her journey with one notion in her mind only to discover the very real pain and suffering that men experience when they are abused and mistreated, directed into dangerous work, or facing violent circumstances. The statistics around the dangers of life for men show that: 1 in 6 are sexually assaulted, they are more likely to experience violent assaults, are 93% more likely to die on the job than women, account for 73% of suicides, and are given longer prison terms for same/similar crimes than women. It seems that these real issues are overlooked and under-reported.  Men are told to "suck it up", "get over it", "stop whining" and are s

Traumatology Institute recently made available a new Audio Self Help Series. The Accelerated Recovery Program for Compassion Fatigue: A Self-Guided Resiliency & Recovery Series Dr. Anna B. Baranowsky & J. Eric Gentry, M.A. Copyright: 2021 Compassion Fatigue what is it? Crucible of Transformation Retirement Party Intro to NLP: Reflect & Process Memories NLP Reflect & Process Exercise Circle of Support Conclusion Music Sampler Diane Kistner The Traumatology Institute offers training programs for professional and personal development. As a Clinical Psychologist, Dr. Baranowsky works every day with Mental Health Issues with a specialization in Post Trauma Stress. She trains therapists to help trauma survivors and resolve professional compassion fatigue.

Let's talk about what led to the storming the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.  From my point of view, this includes the lure of relevancy or a fear of loss of power; a fire hose of lies within a bubble of misinformation; isolation during COVID; a longing to belong; fear of a changing world; a psychosis of delusion and an acute sense of entitlement.  There are other elements to this, however,  given the confusion, fear and uncertainty that this event provoked... it is a timely conversation. On January 6, 2021, I watched with great sadness as the U.S. Capitol was stormed by Trump supporters encouraged by a president who would not accept election results unless he was the victor.  His supporters were primarily white and unwilling to allow anything to stand between them and their sense of entitlement to power at all cost. There are those who stormed the capitol that are now paying the price of possible prison time, job loss, injury and even loss of life. Why would so many be willing to lose so much? Who would s

Un-package how Gratitude, Appreciation and Kindness can help us all navigate this complex and challenging holiday season of 2020. 2020 is an unprecedented holiday season. COVID-19 has taken over the world landscape and changed lives forever. I just put up a 12 x 14 Canvas wall tent in my backyard. I filled it will pillows, blankets and heaters.  It is freezing here, but the tent will make a few visits with those in our pod possible during the winter months. The tent has two large mesh doors and two mesh windows on the sides.  There is enough room, fresh air and secure measures in place to have a select few visit to share this space safely with us.  I am grateful that we have a strategy for when the COVID lock-down lifts again, allowing for safe connection. We are now hovering around 2,500 to 3,000 live listeners for each show and I am grateful for your interest in our conversations and willingness to participate.  I love your questions, comments and feedback.  It has been a wonderful gift. One gift back t

Traumatology Institute recently made available a new Audio Self Help Series. "Recovery Now TRAUMA" is the first in the series and addresses the needs of trauma survivors who are seeking self-help guidance to support their recovery. "Learn about the impact of trauma and the importance of self care. Engage in guided trauma recovery exercises." Copyright: 2020 Introduction What is Post-Traumatic Stress? Our Approach to Trauma Care Phase I: Safety & Stabilization Diaphragmatic Breathing 3-6 Breathing Relaxation Autogenics Grounding & Containment 5-4-3-2-1 Titration Trigger List Phase II: Trauma Memory Processing Layering NLP Anchoring Story Telling Phase III: Reconnection Connections with Others In Closing The Traumatology Institute offers training programs for professional and personal development. As a Clinical Psychologist, Dr. Baranowsky works every day with Mental Health Issues with a specialization in Post Trauma Stress. She trains therapists to help trauma survivors and resolve professional compa

Christine Arylo is an entrepreneur and author of "Overwhelmed & Over it". She focuses on shifting from overworking and giving too much to empowering yourself to achieve what matters most to you, receive what you need, and breathe. Do you tend to overdo and over-give?  Then join the conversation, and figure out what your drivers are for this behavior, so you can free yourself up to do what truly matters! On Christine's website she asks "Are You Over giving in Ways That Aren't Really Necessary?" Select the link below to complete the "Overwhelmed & Over It, Self-Care Quiz" & Find Out How You may be Adding to Your Own Overwhelm, Burnout & Self-Sacrifice. https://christinearylo.com/overwhelmed-and-over-it-quiz/ Our topic today is perfectly timed for the holiday season (Nov 26 is American Thanksgiving). Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or Diwali; if you are an over-giver then any time may be a time of over-doing!  Do you want to break the cycle of over-giving and overwhelming

We need Friends... So why are they so tough to develop and maintain? Join  our Conversation with Friendship Expert Shasta Nelson Shasta Nelson is an award winning speaker and author of books "Frientimacy: How to Deepen Friendships for Lifelong Health and Happiness", "Friendships Don't just happen!" and her business book "The Business of Friendship".  She has developed robust strategies for connecting, developing and maintaining friendships and even how to end a friendship well. I have to admit that I am not the best friendship maintainer, even though I have a wide friendship circle of connections I have held for many years.  I think part of my success is choosing amazing, kind hearted people who tolerate my "busyness", lack of consistency and obsessions with eclectic interests.  In other words, I think I might have already failed at Shasta's recommendations, but I think we all have something to learn about the work required to develop engaged friendships for a lifetime. This is a great opportunity fo

SEX ADDICTION? Should you be Concerned? An in-depth conversation with experts Alex St. John & Natalie Cournoyea The numbers are in: 6% of population in the U.S. identify as having a Sexual Addiction. 27,000 people search Google for "sexual addiction" every day. This is a huge number, yet it is still an issue that we don't talk about or understand in the general population or within the therapeutic community.  Unfortunately, at this time there is no significant research on this topic in Canada and experts in the field are few in number. According to our expert panel, virtually all people struggling with a sexual addiction also have a noteworthy trauma history.  These interweave to further undermine recovery and frequently re-ignite the traumatic past. Alex St. John an M.A. in Counselling Psychology says that sexual addiction is a "...problematic behavior that you engage in NOT because of a primary desire but because of deep drives imbedded in shame or self-blame that reverberate after the act, le

Every year on September 10th, individuals and organizations in over 50 countries connect and work together to prevent suicide, by supporting those who are struggling and to help those who are grieving. This year we will address this topic with Barbara Rubel the author of the fictional novel "But I Didn't Say Goodbye – Helping Families after a Suicide".  In her reader-friendly and well researched book, she addresses the loss of her father through suicide in a meaningful and thought provoking read, and discusses WHAT she learned in the process of grieving and healing. Barbara will share her unique approach to suicide prevention and post-vention, on how can develop personal resiliency and reclaim hope after loss in this month's "Bear Psychology radio show" on Realityradio101.com program. Whether you know someone who has attempted or completed suicide, or felt so much despair that you have considered it yourself ... we want to open up the dialogue today about this important topic. Let's start by clarifying t

Feeling TIRED during the COVID-19 Pandemic?  Well, there are good reasons why you feel this way. We will start by acknowledging what is happening, learn about reasons why COVID Tired is occurring for so many of us and include ideas of how to deal with the fatigue in meaningful ways. From parents working full-time while educating, cleaning, cooking and entertaining a family; medical professionals who spend time donning PPE to keep themselves and staff safe; or grocery store staff left with the task of ensuring carts are wiped down and shoppers wear masks...we are all feeling more TIRED during this COVID-19 Pandemic. Let's also remember how exhausting it is emotionally to deal with the uncertainty of health, jobs and finances right now. Are you frustrated with having to continuously wash your hands, wear masks, wash down groceries, use hand-sanitizer until your hands are raw?  Well, you are not alone and have joined a growing number of people feeling this way in what is now recognized as "Caution Fatigue

In this episode we pay attention to the deep and traumatic roots of Black Lives Matter and unpack the layers of how to respond effectively as individuals and within communities. I dialogue with mental health professional, Ornge trauma team lead and anti-racism trainer, Tom Walker. After the murder of George Floyd the public outcry continues to be a powerful voice that is awakening the world to the injustice of systemic racism that so many have turned their backs on for too long.   At this critical moment while witnessing continued acts of social injustice and violence against Persons of Color – it is important that we take pause to understand what it means to Bear Witness while engaging in right action moving toward meaningful solutions. I am personally in awe of the continued courage and persistence of those directly participating in the Black Lives Matter protests happening in the U.S. and around the world. Those who are putting their voices and actions forward, are speaking out clearly about what has

"The most terrifying thing is to accept yourself fully" – Carl Jung We'll start by recognizing that we are much more than the surface image we present to others while at the same time exploring why for many, we guard our interior world so very carefully, in fear that others will see us for who we really are. It begs the question – Who and what are we really guarding from others, and why? We will discuss what happens when these facades break down, and what we can see more clearly. By breaking down barriers within ourselves we can give permission to see our vulnerabilities, our strong emotions, our deep desires and our drives. When these deeper drivers create problems in our lives, it can create a cycle where we feel an instant dread or hate towards what lies deep inside ourselves.  What kinds of relationships do we create if we see something in others that we despise only to discover it within ourselves? This is your Shadow. You are MORE than these barriers to YOU... Recognizing the deeper layers of who you a

We have all lied at some point, and have likely been hurt by others lying to us. Wonder why do we all do it? Why do some people lie compulsively? Have you ever felt a need to lie to pretend things are better than they are or even to gain power or protection? Have you ever felt ashamed of believing a liar or have been badly injured as a result? We have all been there! Let's talk about this complex issue and explore the Pain, Power and Purposes of Lies. We will discuss the motivation and consequences of lying; how to spot a liar; types of liars; and when lying seems like the right thing to do. Let's take the time to chat about how we make sense of the issues of lying and even learn to spot when we are using lying ourselves (perhaps it's automatic; a response to when we feel uncomfortable or want someone's approval). We will also explore the concept of "Firehosing" , that involves huge amounts of lies being pushed out, and making it difficult to see the truth beyond the misinformation. It's primarily used

We addressed the impact on first responders/front line workers everywhere with two experts Dr. Brad Lindell of NC-CM and AAETS ( http://www.nc-cm.org/biobradlindell.htm ) and Daniel McGuire of CISM Perspectives (https://www.cismperspectives.com/).   These include emergency room staff, doctors, nurses, clinicians, mental health practitioners, pharmacy staff, grocery staff, those still serving food/drinks, maintenance people, construction workers, and all the people out there showing up to help us continue to function, live, and deal with the demands of this world right now. This is an incredibly demanding time, those on the front line are seeing things and experiencing struggles that cannot be compared with anything that has come before. There are strong feelings of fear, uncertainty, anger, frustration, grief, confusion and more. I realize that the struggles will continue beyond the end of the Pandemic for those who remain distressed over what they have witnessed, experienced, lost and fought during this ti

How are you managing in this new COVID World? "the hope that something good can come out of this collective state of "together, apart."– Elena Nicolaou, Mar 19, 2020 Things have changed so rapidly that everyday life seems like "a surreal life". I walk to work and the streets are empty, I enter my building and no one is in the elevator. I arrive at my floor, open my file cabinet and begin to see clients – although now, every interaction I have is online or by phone. I cancelled all my social plans and now I have Video Zoom dinner parties, visit with friends and family by phone and email, text and chat through WhatsApp. I just realized that if my efforts for creating a social network were not strong before this, I would be truly suffering as I am a social being and I need to feel close to others. These ways of connecting are not the same as the warm hugs and direct smiles I might be used to but they do make a difference. They keep me feeling connected somewhat.   Dealing with COVID stress There are so many

What is loneliness: Why is it so bad now? In the age of technology, we are more connected than ever, so why do many people still struggle with loneliness? First, let’s define loneliness. Loneliness is need of human connection but not being able to have it. It is a subjective experience and is not the consequence of being physically alone. If you feel lonely, you are lonely. Loneliness occurs when someone perceives their relationships as not fulfilling their social needs. Dr. Andrew Wister from Simon Fraser University believes social media may be partly fueling loneliness by creating a false sense of multiple connections. The list of friends you turn to for social needs is much smaller than your friends list on social media. What are the negative results of loneliness?   Chronic loneliness is not only emotionally draining; it is a physical health risk. Researchers have likened loneliness to being as detrimental to health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Interestingly, brain imaging studies show that social re

Setting Yourself Up for Success “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit” – Will Durant The year 2020 is upon us and it marks the end of the decade. Millions of New Year’s resolutions will be made; however, the 8% success rate shows we just don’t know how to stick with them. We want to share with you the psychology behind starting new habits, changing old habits, and staying motivated. Think of this as your toolkit for setting yourself up for success – not just in January, but every day! Making behavioral changes: Habits are conditioned responses, and so to create new habits or change old ones, we must identify our cue that stimulates undesired behavior, and then change our response. Charles Duhigg, author of The Power of Habit states simply we must pick a small action, pair a new habit with an existing habit, and make it relatively easy to do, at least in the first week. Here is a short video clip about identifying the habit and changing your response. Story-editing: Another

Holidays can be a stressful time of year. There is pressure to make the perfect dinner, give a great gift, spend time with family members you don’t see frequently, and plan fun family festivities. All of this can leave you feeling stressed, depressed, lonely, fatigued, and underappreciated. The holiday blues is a term that accurately describes the mixture of unpleasant emotions one feels over the course of a seemingly joyous time. Not only can the holidays leave you feeling depleted, you may also be left with an depleted bank account. All too often families feel the need to impress one another with fancy gifts and dinners. Another reality is that people may not have much to offer to begin with and are splurging on each other at this time of year out of guilt. You are not alone: Holiday blues and overspending polls: Although the majority of people surveyed reported feeling happy and in good spirits over the holiday season, however, feelings of sadness, stress, and fatigue still come up. “38% of people surveyed