The Psych Central Podcast: Psychology Made Simple

Research has shown that nature has a profound impact on our mental health and cognition: Being in nature reduces anxiety and stress and increases creativity, attention and overall well-being. Today’s guest, Richard Louv, a journalist, author and co-founder of the nonprofit Children & Nature Network, discusses the science behind nature’s healing powers. For more information and a complete transcript, visit https://psychcentral.com/blog/podcast-using-nature-and-animals-to-manage-anxiety.

Some of the professionals that work most with helping people with schizophrenia are nurses. There are so many types with different skill sets. Host Rachel Star Withers and Co-host Gabe Howards learn who these often overlooked healthcare workers are. Dr. Tari Dilks, Professor and President of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association, joins with insight on what goes into being a psychiatric nurse. 

Are you in pain, or are you depressed? Does one lead to the other? In today’s show, Dr. Jack Stern, a board-certified neurosurgeon, explains how the two are linked. He also discusses why opioids don’t work for chronic pain and how past pain can affect our current pain levels. For more information and a complete transcript, visit https://psychcentral.com/blog/podcast-is-there-a-link-between-physical-and-mental-health.

Why are the police often called to handle mental health crises? And what are they trained to do once they get to the scene? In today’s show, Sergeant Matt Harris of the Columbus, Ohio Police Department sheds light on the police officers’ role in the community and explains how they can help when someone is having a mental health emergency. Sgt. Harris also shares how his team tries to de-escalate the situation and what happens when de-escalation attempts fail.

Got the quarantine blues? Meet Woebot, an on-demand therapy robot who talks you through your problems! Woebot’s advice is based on cognitive-behavioral therapy and can help you identify distorted thinking. He even checks in on you to see if you’re OK. In today’s podcast, we talk with Woebot’s creator, Dr. Alison Darcy, who shares how this phone app came to be and how it works.

Did you know you have a magic sex number? It’s how much sex you’d prefer to have if you were with your ideal partner, says today’s guest, Marriage and Family Therapist Steven Ing. People can have vastly different numbers, of course -- from 4 times a day to once a month to never. But what happens if your partner’s number is starkly different from your own? Tune into today’s podcast to have an open discussion on how to have a sexually-healthy relationship.

Have you suddenly found yourself working from home during the COVID-19 quarantine? How can you make the most of this situation? On today’s Psych Central Podcast, Gabe interviews Donald M. Rattner, architect and author of "My Creative Space: How to Design Your Home to Stimulate Ideas and Spark Innovation, 48 Science-based Techniques." Donald offers simple tips on setting up a mental-health friendly workspace that maximizes creativity and productivity.

If you’d like to hear an insider’s perspective of psychiatric hospitals by a psychologist who’s worked there for decades -- this is your podcast. Tune in to hear Gabe interview Dr. David Susman, a licensed clinical psychologist with 25 years experience in a public psychiatric hospital. Gabe asks Dr. Susman all of the tough questions surrounding psychiatric inpatient care -- including why so many patients feel traumatized during their visit -- and he gets honest, compassionate answers.

Life is a limited time offer. Are you truly living each day to the fullest? Today’s guest, Kate Manser, pioneer of the movement YOU MIGHT DIE TOMORROW, believes that in order to truly live, we need to incorporate a certain level of “mortality awareness” into our lives. Only when we face our fear of death, do we gain the freedom to truly live. Tune into today’s Psych Central podcast to hear Kate’s personal journey and her recipe for a fulfilling life.

There’s “nothing to fear but fear itself,” said the late President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Fear keeps us up at night, wears down our immune system and makes some people hoard obscene amounts of toilet paper. In this global COVID-19 pandemic, we’re seeing an unprecedented level of fear, and if we let it, this fear has the power to deteriorate everyone’s mental health. In today’s podcast, our guest Dr. David Batman shares how we can protect our wellbeing in the midst of the chaos.

Most children encounter death at some point, whether it’s the loss of a grandparent, a pet or even finding a dead bird in the yard. In today’s podcast, Gabe interviews Patrice Karst, author of the children’s book “The Invisible String,” a story that explores the concepts of separation, death and the eternal connection of love. When a child aches for a lost loved one or beloved pet, they can find comfort in knowing there is an invisible string still connecting them together.

Men and women experience schizophrenia differently; from the age of onset to symptoms and how society treats those with mental disorders.  Schizophrenic, Rachel Star Withers and co-host Gabe Howard continue the discussion of the differences from the last episode but change the focus to men.  Jason Jepson, an author who has schizophrenia joins for a man’s perspective and Dr. Hayden Finch returns to explain the clinical side of the issues.

What happens when a rebellious English teacher from a dysfunctional background falls in love and runs away with a South Korean woman from a rich, controlling family? In today’s podcast, you’ll find out, as these were the true life events of author Mark Diehl who documented his experiences in the book "Stealing Cinderella: How I Became an International Fugitive for Love." From daily harassment to ultimately running for their lives, his true life story is more cliffhanging than fiction.

Did you know one in six males are sexually assaulted before their 18th birthday? Unfortunately, many victims are afraid to come forward due to cultural conditioning. In this podcast, Gabe speaks with two psychologists about this very common but taboo issue. They tackle the prevalent myths surrounding male sexual assault and discuss why so many victims suffer in secrecy. What can be done? Where can survivors seek help? Join us for an in-depth talk on this very important and under-discussed topic.

Having a baby is a wonderfully happy time, right? For many women, it certainly is, but estimates show that 1 in 5 women who give birth will suffer from perinatal mental illness, including depression, anxiety, OCD or psychosis. In today’s podcast, Dr. Katayune Kaeni, a perinatal mental health psychologist and a sufferer herself, discusses these often confusing and debilitating disorders, particularly postpartum psychosis, one of the more severe forms.