The Psych Central Podcast: Psychology Made Simple

Are you drowning in clutter? In today’s podcast, decluttering expert Tracy McCubbin identifies the 7 emotional clutter blocks that may be lurking in your psyche and offers tips to overcome each one. For example, have you saved every drawing your adult child has ever made? Do you have a basket full of unopened mail? Though both of these take up space, each is rooted in a different emotional block. Tune in to see if you can relate to one of the 7 emotional clutter blocks and learn how to prevail.

Often we don't really consider gender dynamics in treatment or medication. A lot of medications are only tested on men because of the risk of pregnancy, etc. This means there are whole drugs that have made it to market that may not have ever been tested with women. Schizophrenia affects women in many different ways than men. This episode discusses differences in age, symptoms, treatments, lifestyle, parenthood in the genders as they experience schizophrenia.

Are you anxious about the new coronavirus? Is it a real threat or mostly hype? In today’s podcast, Dr. John Grohol, founder and editor-in-chief of PsychCentral.com, explains what the disease is, how it compares to the flu and why it seems to hit the panic button in a lot of people. He offers tips to avoid getting sick in general, and importantly, gives advice on how to keep our anxiety levels in check when it comes to new disease outbreaks, especially in how we seek information from the media.

As with any relationship, finding the right therapist is extremely important. But how do you know if it’s a good match? In today’s podcast, Jeff Gunther, LPC, founder of TherapyDen.com, takes us through the entire therapist-hunting process. He sheds light on what you should be looking for in a therapist, the difference between those letters after their names, and he gets us thinking about what kind of person we’d feel comfortable sharing our problems with. Tune in to hear an in-depth discussion.

When parents have severe mental illness, their children can fall into a caregiving role. What is this like from the child’s point of view? Today’s guest, Michelle E. Dickinson, shares her personal story of caring for a mom with bipolar disorder. She talks with Gabe about her childhood memories, the moment she finally felt safe to tell her friends about her mom’s illness, her own bout with depression, and how these experiences shaped who she is and led to her work as a mental health advocate.

Sex is everywhere in our digital culture. But while ads and films easily capture the lust of sex, there is very little conversation around intimacy and how sex actually works in a real relationship. In fact, many people think there is something wrong with them because their sex life doesn’t look like it does in the movies. In today’s podcast, sex therapist Laurie Watson shares what actually goes on in her office and how she helps people become more comfortable with their own sexuality.

Comorbidity is the presence of one or more additional conditions co-occurring with a primary condition. In this episode, host schizophrenic Rachel Star Withers with her cohost Gabe Howard will be discussing comorbidity with schizophrenia. Comorbidity is associated with worse health outcomes, more complex clinical management and increased health care costs. Occupational therapist Brock Cook will be joining us to discuss ways that he works with people with schizophrenia to manage multiple health issues. 

Touch is powerful. From the time we’re born, and throughout our lives, we all need touch to thrive and develop properly. Sadly, many people experience a profound lack of affectionate, platonic touch. Today’s guest, Rev. Edie Weinstein, has a remedy for this. She is the founder of Hug Mobsters Armed With Love, which offers FREE HUGS events for the public. Tune in to discover how Edie got started in the hug “business” and how she manages to navigate our culture’s wariness of inappropriate touch.

Trauma is a part of life. Whether it’s acute trauma, like war or childhood abuse, or more “common” experiences like divorce or the death of elderly parents, we all face trauma at some point. Today’s guest, Dr. James Gordon, offers a more hopeful and empowering view of our traumatic experiences. He explains how trauma is the soil in which both wisdom and compassion can grow. Join us as he shares specific tips on how to alleviate the fear and pain of trauma and turn it around for our own good.

Do you feel stuck? Whether it’s your living situation, career or an emotional state, we all yearn for growth and change -- but sometimes moving out of a stagnant place feels like climbing Mt. Everest. We just don’t know where or how to start. Join us as today’s guest, Shira Gura, creator of the unSTUCK method, shares specific tips on how you can step out of the mud and onto solid ground toward the life you desire.

Have you heard of dopamine fasting? It’s the trendy idea that if you restrict your enjoyable activities, like drinking, gaming, checking social media, sex, or eating cookies for a day or two, that it will reset the neurochemical makeup in your brain. But is there any truth to this? Is this practice helpful? Is it harmful? In today’s episode, Dr. John Grohol, Psych Central founder and editor-in-chief explains the real science behind dopamine and whether this practice has any effect on it.

Do you feel stuck in life? Would you like to learn how to take back your power in a big way? According to today’s guest, best-selling author and radio host Ken D. Foster, changing your life begins with small daily habits. And these begin with courage. When we have the courage to change our thinking, it can change our lives and get us moving forward again.

Medication, Therapy, Hospitalization, Electroconvulsive Therapy- what are the treatment strategies for schizophrenia? How do you convince someone they need help? What if someone refuses treatment? Schizophrenic Rachel Star Withers with co-host Gabe Howard reveal different treatments they have undergone over the years with various outcomes. Guest Barbara Thompson, with the National Alliance on Mental Illness, shares support options for people with schizophrenia and their family in the community.

Do you receive Medicaid? Are you age 55 or older -- or will you be soon? Today’s guest, Rachel Corbett, author of the article “Medicaid's Dark Secret” in the October 2019 issue of The Atlantic, has some shocking news: The government may seek to pay itself back for your healthcare costs after you die. This could mean seizing any assets you hope to leave behind for your children, including your home. Tune in to hear the details of this little-known fact nestled in the application’s fine print.

The holidays are here! A time we set aside to focus on loved ones, blessings and joy. But we all know these weeks can be some of the most stressful of the year, especially if you are planning a get-together with difficult relatives. So how can we make the holidays run more smoothly? In today’s episode, PsychCentral.com’s founder, Dr. John Grohol, shares tips on planning ahead, dealing with a difficult family member and handling common holiday issues such as overeating and overdrinking.