Exposure therapy sounds like something you might get arrested for. Rather, it is a legitimate method of reducing anxiety. Many people come to therapy saying they practice coping skills to manage anxiety, but find they do not help. This is because people often approach anxiety by trying to minimize the uncomfortable feelings rather than confront those feelings. Exposure therapy aims to put this philosophy into practice – and it works for a lot of people. In today’s show, John and Ingo discuss what exposure therapy is, its history, and applications. 00:00Intro 02:30What is Exposure therapy? 12:38History of Exposure therapy 24:32Exposure vs. Just Talking About Anxiety 27:43Examples of Exposures 53:49Guilty Leisures & Outro Check out our previous episode What is Operant Conditioning? to find out more about other forms of behavior therapy. Send us questions or comments to [email protected] We love hearing what you have to say! The purpose of this podcast is to promote broad understanding and knowledge of various topics. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have seen or heard on this show.

Today the guys review an article from the CDC and answer a listener question asking “How Do I Manage Bipolar Disorder Without Medication?” . The Center for Disease Control recently published an article on the impacts of COVID-19 on youth mental health, which doesn’t look good. The study shows mental health issues are on the rise, in addition to self-reported abuse rates towards children. Ingo and John discuss why they think this is happening and speculate about the future. During the listener question, the guys discuss what you can do to manage bipolar disorder if you don’t want to take medication. This depends greatly on the type of bipolar disorder you may have (type I or II) and how intense the symptoms may be. Here Ingo and John will review what they have found to be helpful. 00:00Intro And Checking In 04:00CDC Article Review 08:58Social Anxiety and COVID 15:50School Connectedness 21:20Listener Question 23:17Bipolar I vs Bipolar II 29:48Suggestions for Bipolar Disorder 41:58Guilty Leisure Send us questions or comments to [email protected] We love hearing what you have to say! The purpose of this podcast is to promote broad understanding and knowledge of various topics. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have seen or heard on this show.

All individuals carry baggage from how they were raised. Oftentimes these are subjects addressed in therapy. There are times in therapy when the client projects their feelings and thoughts from past relationships onto the therapist; this is called transference. When the therapist projects their thoughts and feelings onto the client, the therapist is committing countertransference. Sigmund Freud believed transference was natural and unconscious, and therapists use transference as a tool to assist in building insight. In this episode, Ingo and John talk about transference/countertransference and its history. 00:00Intro & Daylight Savings Talk 05:15What is Transference? 14:08Confronting Your Therapist 22:02Countertransference and Supervision 32:00Boundaries 40:30Transference and Attachment 42:13Projection vs. Transference Send us questions or comments to [email protected] The purpose of this podcast is to promote broad understanding and knowledge of various topics. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have seen or heard on this show.

In today’s show the guys answer the question “How Do I Get My Partner Into Therapy?” and review an article from Well + Good asking, if when you are listening to others, you are being empathic or a people pleaser. Ingo and John discuss their views on empathy, problems with empathy, how it is used in therapy, and why it is important. People pleasing is less helpful than being empathic while listening. John and Ingo share their views on how anxious people tend to be more people pleasers. Empathy and active listening will often make others feel heard and appreciated, while people pleasing can feel like the other person is trying to change how that person feels. In the second half of the show, the guys respond to a listener’s question about getting their partner into therapy when they don’t want to go. Is it possible to make someone go to therapy? Does therapy work if you force someone to go? John and Ingo discuss how to try to cope with someone who doesn’t want to address their mental health issues and how you can use Operant Conditioning to encourage positive behaviors in your partner. 00:00 Intro and Differing Views on Empathy 11:58Article Review on Empathy 16:52People Pleasing and Anxiety 20:50People Pleasing and Controlling Others 29:20Listener Question 33:16Needs in Relationships and Creating Boundaries Send us questions or comments to [email protected] The purpose of this podcast is to promote broad understanding and knowledge of various topics. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have seen or heard on this show.

In today’s show, the guys answer the burning question “What is Operant Conditioning ?”. As a part of behavioral psychology, it is often used in clinical psychology, but not as often discussed as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Behavioral psychologists aim to change behaviors rather than feelings or thoughts. Operant conditioning is using reinforcements and punishments as a way of changing behaviors. A reinforcement increases behaviors and a punishment decreases behaviors. Ingo and John talk about how to combine reinforcements and punishments, both positively and negatively, as well as other factors to consider when trying to implement operant conditioning. Why do humans do what they do? How do we change those behaviors? If I change my behaviors, how will that help my mental health? Listen to find out. 00:00Introduction 01:25What is Operant Conditioning? 07:29Definitions and Example 21:29Reinforcement Schedules 28:55Extinction Burst 34:00Token Economy Send us questions or comments to [email protected] The purpose of this podcast is to promote broad understanding and knowledge of various topics. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have seen or heard on this show.

In today’s show, Ingo and John start by reviewing an article on how to beat the winter blues. They talk about what they have found helped them and their clients with winter blues, including exercise, cognitive behavioral conditioning, light therapy, cold therapy, and other interventions. The guys also discuss the difference between winter blues and seasonal depression? What is “seasonal affective disorder?” John and Ingo also answer a listener’s question about having limited social interactions. How do you increase socialization when your job requires you to work from home? What have the guys suggested to help? Listen to find out. Click to listen to a past episode if you are wondering “How do I know if I am Depressed?” 00:00Intro 02:08Article Review: Winter Blues 11:25Light Therapy 16:42Seasonal depression vs. Winter Blues vs. Seasonal Affective Disorder 22:35Other Tips for Winter Blues 27:27Listener Question: Lacking Social Engagement with COVID-19 32:15Keeping Routines and Changing Clothes 40:00Why is In-Person So Much Better Than Virtual Meetings? Send us questions or comments to [email protected] The purpose of this podcast is to promote broad understanding and knowledge of various topics. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have seen or heard on this show.

Today the guys talk about Person Centered Therapy (PCT), also known as Client Centered Therapy or Rogerian Therapy. At this point, most people see counseling itself as ubiquitous with PCT without even knowing it. That is, the ideas that Carl Rogers founded, such as emphasizing empathy and unconditional positive regard, are now considered basic for practicing clinicians. Ingo and John discuss the core components of PCT, including the six factors necessary to psychological (according to Rogers). They are: * Two people agree to meet in a counseling relationship.* The client is experiencing incongruence.* The counselor is congruent.* The counselor provides unconditional positive regard for the client.* The counselor provides accurate empathy for the client’s experiences.* The client accepts the counselor’s empathy. Carl Rogers believed these conditions were “necessary and sufficient.” What do Ingo and John think? Is active listening, congruence, unconditional positive regard, and empathy all that is needed for a therapist to help someone? Listen to find out. 00:00Intro and History 09:43Six Factors for Change 18:00Challenges in Person Centered Therapy 32:30Being “Non-Directive” in Counseling 38:00Interventions 43:00Suggestions for Listeners 45:50Our Histories with PCT The purpose of this podcast is to promote broad understanding and knowledge of various topics. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have seen or heard on this show.

In today’s episode, Ingo and John ask the question, “Should taxpayers pay for prisoner’s mental health care? If so, who?” Certainly some prisoners would benefit from therapy, but who wouldn’t? What if therapists are manipulated by their clients in the prison system? Are there “bad” people out there? We share possible answers to these questions. The guys also respond to a question from a listener asking “How to Make New Years Resolutions?” for mental health. Or they kinda respond to the question and share their views on problems with resolutions, but also how to make them more realistic using SMART goals and how to find perseverance. 00:00Intro 02:26Inmates and Mental Health 22:00Should Therapists Call Their Clients Sluts? 28:51Listener Question and New Years Resolutions 37:30Actual New Years Resolution Advice Send questions to [email protected] The purpose of this podcast is to promote broad understanding and knowledge of various topics. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have seen or heard on this show.

When most people learn about psychology, they usually start with Sigmund Freud and Psychoanalysis. People often wonder about the difference between a therapist and friend and how therapists use theories to help people. One of those theoretical approaches is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). In today’s show, we talk about CBT, including its history, philosophy, and pros and cons. CBT is based on the Stoic belief that people are not affected by things, but on the views they take of those things. Taking to its logical conclusion, therapists can apply this to help people. How does a person’s perception of themselves or others change the way they feel? In CBT, it is assumed that if we can change our beliefs, we can change how we feel. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy focuses on identifying beliefs and behaviors that can be changed to help with conditions such as depression and anxiety. Stick with us as we talk more about CBT and how therapists use it. 00:00Introduction 04:25History of CBT 08:43Theories in Counseling 18:00Definitions 23:42“Think Positive” 27:16CBT and Research 33:00 Cognitive Triangle 38:00CBT and Mindfulness Send questions to [email protected] The purpose of this podcast is to promote broad understanding and knowledge of various topics. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have seen or heard on this show.

While many try to find gratitude during Thanksgiving, Ingo and John talk about gratitude and other skills to improve happiness. The study of how people become happy is called “positive psychology,” and is growing in research every year. The guys also talk about the importance of mindfulness meditation, including personal experiences and why it can be so difficult to start a regular meditation practice. For many regular meditation can be chore in an already busy day, but research continues to show the benefits to mindfulness practice. We also answer a listener question – “How do I know if I am depressed or sad?” John and Ingo talk about their experiences with depression in men often looking like anger, as well as review the symptom criteria for Major Depressive Disorder. 00:00Intro and Article Review 07:32Mindfulness Meditation 11:45Positive Psychology and Clinical Issues 20:15Listener Question – Am I Depressed or Sad? 24:20Depression Between Different Sexes 29:04Reviewing Symptoms of Major Depressive Disorder Send questions to [email protected] The purpose of this podcast is to promote broad understanding and knowledge of various topics. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have seen or heard on this show.