Bear Psychology podcast

Happiness is something many of us strive for using all the wrong approaches. We distract ourselves looking for the next big excitement, numb ourselves so we won’t feel emotional pain, seek pleasure in purchases, chase status in position or gaining influence or power and treat ourselves with food that we are not hungry for. Anyone who has achieved fame, fortune, status eventually recognizes that more things and more fame do not create any sense of lasting happiness. So what is happiness and does it make any sense to chase it down? I have certainly had many moments of happiness in life but I notice that “happy” is an elusive state that comes and goes sometimes in unexpected ways. I can never pin down the state of happy but I do notice that I often find calm, content or neutral states frequently present when I let go of expectation or insistence in certain outcomes of achievement. What about you? What do you think happiness is? Can you pin it down? When are you most at peace, content, calm? Is this a more realis

What is Addiction? Did you know that in the United States alone, 40 million people ages 12 and older abuse or are addicted to nicotine, alcohol, or other drugs? The percentage among the Canadian population is similar. Addiction is a disease that’s usually chronic in nature. It affects how the brain and body function, and it’s characterized by compulsive, or uncontrollable, drug seeking and use even in the face of harmful consequences. Addiction causes changes in the brain, which can be long-lasting and lead to harmful behaviours. Drug addiction is also characterised as a relapsing disease where people return to drug use after trying to stop. What are the Symptoms and Causes of Addiction? One of the leading causes of substance abuse stems from an unhealthy way to manage your emotions. Addiction can begin when you acquire the wrong tools to cope with the emotional and/or physical pain that you might feel during a particular moment in your life. Everyone needs to bond and connect, and often it’s a lack of gen

Core Relational Blueprints Are Affected by Traumatic Events Have you noticed that traumatic events, like a physical injury, emotional threat, the loss of a loved one, or a life crisis, can often awaken or enhance your sense of fear, anger, isolation, or helplessness? Dr. Diane Poole Heller, an expert in the field of Adult Attachment Theory and Models, trauma resolution, and integrative healing techniques explained that you develop an attachment style in your earliest years which follows you through life, replaying in your intimate relationships, from your lovers to your children to your work relationships. However, your core relational blueprint can be deeply affected by traumatic events. Often traumatic events cause three styles of insecure attachment—Avoidant, Ambivalent, and Disorganized. But there is an ideal fourth style known as Secure attachment Fortunately, Dr. Poole Heller firmly believes that we’re hardwired to heal. “As we heal and move toward Secure attachment, we become aware of triggers and

Dr. Anna Baranowsky completed an interview with Ande Anderson from Avaiya.com, a company that focuses on personal and spiritual growth. The gifts of your traumatic past interview is part of a program called Healing from Childhood Trauma.

Every day around the world, one suicide attempt is reported every 40 seconds. Sadly, there is a contagious aspect to suicide, especially in the wake of high-profile deaths. For example, the back-to-back deaths of world-renowned celebrities Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain was not only shocking, but also had a trigger affect on others who experience suicidal thoughts. In fact, when a public tragedy takes place—especially a high-profile suicide—the risk for deaths by accidents, suicides, and murders significantly increases in the public along with a rise in depression, anxiety, and aggression. From the outside, it seems as though celebrities like Spade, Bourdain, or even Robin Williams had it all: fame, fortune, success, and love. So when they took their own lives it caused people to stop and think, "If they couldn't handle the world, then why should I?" Their deaths represented the death of a dream and a hopelessness to many who struggle with suicidal depression. In Canada, approximately 4000 Canadians die

This episode discusses a key facet of recovery: self-compassion. Joining Dr. Baranowksy is guest speaker Frank Pasquil who offers practical self-help videos to aid in healing with trauma. For more information on his work or to access these free resources, go to his website: http://www.emotionaltuning.com/ Dr. Anna and Frank have collaborated before with an entertaining video about shaking to release stress, which you can find on our youtube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYAVAA10jjs The best method for building your self-compassion is practice! Whether it is meditation, yoga, inner self-talk or self-inquiry, there is no one method that instantly leads to success. You have to be consistent and open to the changes it could bring to your life. Understanding Self-Compassion Did you know the word compassion means to "suffer with?" When you think about how compassion relates to other people, it can help you to understand how to turn your feelings inward. When you feel compassion for someone, you're

Have you ever felt yourself leaning away from relationships when things are hard? This tendency to pull away from partners, spouses, and friends leads to severe isolation which is a gateway to depression, anxiety and stress. This episode discusses how important it is to lean in towards relationships in life as they are a buffer against mental health issues. It is important to choose better, more meaningful interactions with people and to engage in socialization even when it is a by-product of another activity such as learning to lift weights or attending a yoga class. There is kindness in the community and having real connections with people can lead to further accepting and understanding or own inner reactivity to inputs. This episode also discusses the way in which our childhood experiences with our parents has conditioned our reactions today. What old beliefs are you still carrying? Dr. Jonice Webb has written several books on this topic called 'Running on empty' in which the types of parenting styles impa

What Does Sleep Mean for Your Emotional, Physical, and Overall Well-Being? Forming the right habits around sleep is known as sleep hygiene, and although there is no single “best” routine for sleep hygiene, there are some general principles to follow: Go to sleep and wake up at consistent times, even on weekends. Always follow the same bedtime routine. Limit the number of naps you take in a day. Reduce your screen time. Find ways to relax your mind once you are in bed. If you feel that your sleep deprivation is bordering on insomnia, we recommend reading Quiet Your Mind and Get to Sleep by Rachel Manber and Colleen Carney. This book proposes solutions to those with insomnia-related mental health issues in a step-by-step manner that simulates the experience of seeing a sleep therapist. Another book that is useful for those sleepless nights is 'Sleep Smarter' by Shawn Stevenson. This book provides 21 essential strategies to sleep your way to better health and bigger success. This episode features the TED talk

In this episode Dr. Baranowsky discusses shame, why it is formed and what we can do to overcome it. Shame is a universal experience, where we believe that we are defective or incapable in some way. However, shame can provide the opportunity for growth and evolution in your life. To overcome shame, it's essential to be honest with yourself about who you are and to acknowledge your past. Just because your past may have shaped who you are today doesn't mean it needs to control your future. Trauma Practice provides programming to trauma survivors and their families through group courses. If you want to start up your own group or simply learn more you can find their course materials on this website for free: traumapractice.org/group-program Researchers and Resources: - Joseph Burgo's book: "Shame: Free Yourself, Find Joy, and Build True Self-Esteem" in which four different types of shame are identified to help you dive deeper into the origins of your shame. You can find it here: https://www.amazon.com/Shame-Free

Have you ever felt coerced or threatened at your workplace? Isolated or even mobbed by coworkers? You could be experiencing workplace bullying, and you are not alone. We hear from people everyday from all walks of life who are struggling with the impact of being bullied. Oftentimes you’ll feel ashamed and apply self-blame for negative outcomes, but you must remember that you are not in the wrong for being bullied. If it is happening, make sure you assess your options or seek help before you begin to feel demoralized.  The guest speaker in this episode  Dr. Hannah Scott, (University of Ontario, Institute of Technology, https://bit.ly/2N5fBMR) is a PhD researcher in the field of workplace bullying. She uses the Workplace Power Control Wheel (https://bit.ly/2Gly68Q) as a basis for training workers and employees about the common strategies employed by bullies.  For more resources on bullying in the workplace, please follow this link: https://bit.ly/2toq5hr For additional resources on workplace bullying and haras

Holiday stress can whip us up into a tense frenzy, forcing us to confront demons and leaving us feeling drained and exhausted. Have you experienced this? Did you argue with friends/family or find yourself isolated, over-pleasing and underwhelmed? The key to managing holiday stress is to focus on our relationship with ourselves and listen to that internal dialogue. We have a responsibility to grow and evolve into the people we want to be, and the pressure of the family environment over the holidays is just one of many things we need to adapt to. Dr Anna speaks with Dr. John King author of #dealwithit, speaker and PTSD expert, who has a wealth of experience in dealing with male sexual abuse and human trafficking. He works to raise awareness about these issues, and in this episode he discusses his significant family disturbance along with the ways that he worked through it. For more information on his work you can visit his website here or find his books here. This radio show was aired on Realityradio101.com on

In this episode Dr. Anna Baranowsky spoke with Psychologist, Dr. Robert T. Muller, a well-known clinical psychologist, author and professor. Together Dr. Baranowsky and Dr. Muller will discuss the therapist-client relationship and the tools available to therapists when helping their clients to feel safe and unpack their story. For Dr. Muller's recently published book, you can find it on Amazon: "Trauma and the Struggle to Open Up".  For Dr. Muller's podcasts and interviews you can visit his Youtube Channel. For Dr. Muller's blog on Psychology Today please click the following link: 'Talking About Trauma'. For further reading on the importance for clients to make connections and build their social support, you can see Sebastian Junger's book on Amazon entitled "Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging". To find more information on the impact of childhood emotional abuse and historical trauma, you can visit Dr. Jonice Webb's website.  This radio show was aired on Realityradio101.com on Thursday, November 29th, 2018.

In the first episode of Dr. Anna Baranowsky's radio show she explains how individuals can become isolated when they experience trauma, and the importance of reaching out to the community as a crucial part of recovery. The example highlighted is the "van attack" in Toronto, Ontario that occurred on April 23rd, 2018, and the community outpour of love and support in North York following that event. 'Traumatic isolation' can undermine our well-being, leading to loneliness, confusion, depression and anxiety. A crucial part of recovery is gentleness with yourself as there is no one quick-fix. Recovery is often a product of every day practices in turning down the volume of stress. Whether that involves exercising, yoga, meditation, - you name it - consistency is key! You also have to be reasonable and allow yourself the time to recover. It is a natural, evolutionary defense mechanism for the body to create a heightened response to incidents and it takes time to settle down. One of the most important buffers to this

Understanding habits is the key to breaking or building them. We can set goals and be aware of the need for change, but how do you go about making that change? This episode discusses how habits are formed in the body and brain, and how to channel the power of habits for good. Emotions form an incredibly important tool at our disposal as long as we sit with them and experience what is happening within ourselves. Keep in mind that lecturing and shaming yourself won’t help you change behaviour. Once a habit is formed, it happens without a lot of thought. You need to explore new behaviours and repeat them deliberately. Embrace the possibility of growth and put in the work! Charles Duhigg has dedicated his work to studying and empowering people to harness their habits. He wrote a book ‘The Power of Habit’ that you can learn about here or purchase here. He also has many resources on his website that you can explore here. Bad habits that you hold over long periods of time are the basis of addictions. Gary Zukav dis

In this episode Dr. Baranowsky engages with guest speakers Dr. Daniel Fisher and Shontelle Prokipcak, proponents of the E-CPR approach to building real, human connections, strong communities, and a broader life.   Emotional-CPR Emotional CPR (“E-CPR”) stands for Connection, emPowering, and Revilatizing. It is a meaningful new approach for dealing with crisis and emotional struggles that was developed by Psychiatrist Dr. Daniel Fisher. Using this approach people can learn how to connect with individuals and help them work through their trauma. Dr. Fisher’s approach comes from the belief that ‘everyday emotions are tiny revelations’ and when listeners are present for those revelations it allows them to build emotional connections and support each other. For more information on the use of this method or Dr. Fisher’s work, please visit www.emotional-CPR.org Dr. Fisher also wrote a book entitled ‘Heartbeats of Hope: The Empowerment Way to Recover’ in which he discusses his personal journey and the profound impac

In the many relationships that you navigate in life, do you find that one is significantly tougher to manage? This could be because a partner, spouse, friend, or co-worker has a personality disorder. There could be times where you are uncertain as to whether their moral compass truly points North. The focus of this episode is a few personality disorders, namely narcissism and anti-social personality disorder (i.e. sociopathy). Narcissists A narcissist is someone who has a pervasive pattern of thriving on/stirring up conflict, showing no empathy and neglecting to validate the experiences or feelings of others. Narcissists can be emotionally explosive, exploitive and abusive when they don’t get the attention that they crave. The first guest speaker is Ingrid from Show Boundaries, who explains the ‘Observe rather than Absorb’ approach to navigating a relationship with a narcissist. This method involves learning about the methods and techniques a narcissist will employ by observing them and my paying attention to

The focus of this episode which aired on June 28th, 2018 is on the stress experienced by First Responders and the tools that one can use to bolster your resilience to that stress. This episode has two guest speakers, Gary and Andrew. Gary is a retired paramedic who shares insights on how he increased his resilience to the inevitable on-the-job stress he experienced. The second guest speaker is Andrew Scollick who is the Director of PDA International, a Psychometric Behavioural Assessment and Consulting firm. This firm applies the DiSC behavioural profile theory in the workplace to understand individuals' underlying behaviours, reactions to stress and risk tolerance. Andrew works with police services and other first response teams, as understanding our tendencies can help us bolster our weaknesses. For more information about PDA International and the DiSC model, visit Andrew's website here. For more information on Dr. Stephanie Conn, first responder turned psychologist, you can watch Dr. Baranowsky's interview

In this episode Dr. Anna Baranowsky discusses the issue of bullying and harassment in the workplace. On a weekly basis 40% of Canadian workers experience bullying - it can happen in any workplace, even yours! Seemingly regular procedures become major dilemmas and erupting events that can leave individuals feeling alienated and in danger, leading to high degrees of stress. The toxic environment that it creates can have a serious impact on your mental and physical health as it propagates severe feelings of anxiety, depression and possibly even suicidal thoughts. Just remember if you have a bully at your workplace and you are being targeted - you are not alone. This episode discusses a clip of Jeff Salkin's interview with Cynthia Kay Stevens about bullying in the workplace. Follow the link to view the full video here. A clip of Dr. Gary Namie also appears in this episode in which he outlines the four main types of workplace bullying tactics. For more information you can see his resource kit here. This episode fe