Episodes
This is a snow day episode (meaning I was able to record it since school was cancelled due to inclement weather).  In this episode, I discuss pros and cons of diagnosing yourself with a mental health condition (while also introspectively exploring whether I should self-diagnose with autism).  Please let me know your thoughts!
Published 01/17/24
Published 01/17/24
In this shocking episode, I discuss the history and treatment applications of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).  I also respond to a mailbag email about borderline personality disorder. 
Published 12/28/23
Special from Washington, D.C., in this episode, we delve into the difference between service animals and emotional support animals (while addressing some common questions related to both)
Published 11/07/23
Let's get controversial in this episode and discuss Sensory Processing Disorder (also known as Sensory Modulation Disorder-- and a host of other names) 
Published 10/16/23
This episode revisits reading and dyslexia and discusses controversial topics-- like the Reading Wars and Visual Processing Disorder-- along the way 
Published 09/21/23
It's back to school time, and many people are feeling anxious, stressed, and a bit depressed.  I decided to dedicate this episode to the "back to school blues" and their close cousin, the "Sunday scaries."   
Published 08/18/23
This episode is comprised of stories documenting my encounters with animals as a psychologist.  Critters encountered clinically include dogs, geckos, spiders, and all sorts of fauna that graduate student definitely didn't prepare me for. 
Published 07/27/23
In this episode, I discuss the somewhat ill-defined topic of executive functioning and how it can be assessed.  We then talk about executive dysfunction and how it can be tied to ADHD.  My own executive dysfunction is on display throughout the episode. 
Published 07/12/23
This episode covers the concept of grit.  It is loosely a book review of Angela Duckworth's Grit: The Power of Perseverance.  Resilience, perseverance, and learned helplessness are also discussed.  
Published 06/09/23
This episode comes as a mailbag request following the Nashville Covenant School shootings which caused confusion and even persecution against sexual minorities.  This episode explores common mental health concerns among individuals in LGBTQ+ communities and also highlights the availability of resources and the importance of future research. 
Published 05/17/23
This episode will introduce ABA, its applications, and its history.  We'll walk through why ABA isn't rocket science and why it's sometimes controversial.  We'll also try to wade through the alphabet soup associated with ABA. 
Published 04/06/23
This episode discusses parenting styles. We'll see if I can weave in psychologist Diana Baumrind with Frank Gallagher from Shameless.  We'll also discuss grandparenting styles. 
Published 03/09/23
This episode is bound to cause some controversy as it discusses what does and does not cause autism (spoiler: the MMR vaccine is not a cause).  We'll explore whether Tylenol usage in pregnancy, high-fructose corn syrup, living near a highway, and advanced parental age are linked to ASD.  We'll also talk about possible neuroanatomical causes of autism.  
Published 02/11/23
I can't believe I haven't published an episode on sleep so far.  This episode will cover sleep related disorders-- and over the course of 30 minutes, I'll discuss a wide variety of topics including sexsomnia and sleep walking.  I'll also work in references to the movies Water Boy and Stepbrothers. 
Published 02/01/23
Happy 2023!  This episode discusses the psychology of New Year's Resolutions and how to make them SMART 
Published 01/02/23
This episode discusses another impulse control disorder, kleptomania, which involves compulsive stealing.  I'll discuss kleptomania-- and also my daughter's own stealing tendencies.
Published 12/01/22
This episode discusses pyromania and arson.  It also touches upon psychogenic vomiting and features a cameo from my dogs. 
Published 11/10/22
Happy Halloween!  This is a special spooky season episode that discusses a wide-range of psychologically relevant Halloween topics-- including fall fetishism, clinical lycanthropy, trick-or-treating, the Salem Witch Trials, and beliefs in ghosts and demons. 
Published 10/10/22
This episode discusses how, Dr. John Fryer, under the pseudonym of Dr. H. Anonymous and with the help of a Halloween mask and a voice modulator, was able to convince the American Psychiatric Association to depathologize homosexuality. 
Published 09/27/22
This episode discusses misophonia-- or when people experience emotions like anxiety, disgust, or rage that is triggered by certain sounds. 
Published 09/05/22
Ever wonder what the definition of insanity is?  No, it's not doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.  This episode discusses insanity and some legal history behind the term. 
Published 08/12/22
This episode discusses morbid jealousy-- or the preoccupation that your significant other is unfaithful to you.  
Published 07/19/22
This episode discusses parentification (when children are put into caretaking roles) and its negative and positive associations.  I also introduce a new piece to the podcast-- a trivia segment!  Finally, I discuss 2 books I would recommend to any aspiring psychologist. 
Published 07/05/22
This episode discusses the roll-out of the 988 National Mental Health Hotline in July 2022-- and why I foresee challenges with the debut of the hotline. 
Published 06/11/22