I explore what it means to be a good father with my dad. Whether you’re navigating the path of parenthood, reflecting on your relationship with your own parents, or just looking to gain some insight into the father-son dynamic, this episode has something for everyone. 

We tackle the anxiety and uncertainty so many are feeling about the state of today’s world. We discuss why everything feels so overwhelming right now, and how we can stay grounded and maintain a sense of connection with others.

We explore how to harness perfectionism’s strengths without getting captured by its vulnerabilities with therapist and author Katherine Morgan Schafler. We talk about perfectionism’s bad branding, and how our relationship with perfectionism can lead to it being either a superpower or a stumbling block.

Dr. Rick and I explore one of the most interesting concepts in psychology: Carl Jung’s concept of the shadow. Facing those parts can be difficult, but becoming aware of the shadow, accepting it, and integrating it allows us to embrace all of who we are. 

We tackle the tricky topic of dealing with other people’s psychological defenses. Topics include effective communication skills, moving from criticism toward values, managing frustration, and helping other people become more self-aware.

Dr. Rick and I explore what we can do if we feel like we’re “too self-aware”. We identify some of the issues that can arise with self-awareness, highlight how conflict between different parts can stop us from becoming who we want to be, and discuss how developing ego strength can help us become more authentic and free in our behavior.

Dr. Rick and I talk about what causes depression, introduce the biopsychosocial model, and identify an overall framework for most depressive episodes. Rick and I then explain the vicious cycle of depressed mood before focusing on what a person can do practically to break the cycle.

Dr. Rick and I explore why this happens, and what we can do about it. Rick shares a simple framework we can approach change through before I dig into the six key factors that prevent us from changing. We then discuss working with fears, becoming courageous, and leaning into a more authentic version of who we are.

Dr. Rick and I open the mailbag and answer questions focused on strengthening our relationships, how we’ve handled repair in our parent/child relationship, and what we can do to manage anxieties about the future.

Dr. Rick and I explore how we can become more disciplined. We talk about whether discipline came naturally to Rick, how to make even frustrating tasks rewarding, how to identify key wants, needs, and aspirations, and learning to feel good when we do good.

From denial and repression to projection and rationalization, Dr. Rick and I explore how our psychological defenses shape our actions, influence our relationships, and affect our overall well-being.

Dr. Rick and I finish our series on the stress responses with the fawn response - an appeasement strategy, where we try to manage stressful situations by giving others what they want.

Somatic trauma therapist Elizabeth Ferreira joins me to explore how we can create more secure relationships. We talk about the lessons we’ve learned from our relationship, the impact of trauma and prior relationship wounds, and how very different people can make things work.

In this episode we open the mailbag to answer listener questions.

We explore “manifesting:” the idea that our thoughts impact the world around us, and by changing those thoughts we can change our lives. We debate some of the issues with manifesting and the law of attraction before focusing on how to apply key psychological principles to create the life you want.

Dr. Rick and I discuss the “flight” response to stress, which includes feelings of anxiety and fear, avoidant behavior, and an underlying sense of insecurity. We share some practical tools to help you change your self-concept, safely apply principles from graduated exposure, and feel safer from the inside-out.

Dr. Rick and I continue our series on the stress responses with the “fight” response to stress. We explore anger, repression, and the balance of self-expression and self-regulation.

Dr. Rick and I explore everything you need to know about therapy - how you can get more from it, finding the approach (and the therapist) that’s right for you, some perspectives on why therapy is so expensive, and how to maximize your results.

Somatic psychology legend Dr. Peter Levine joins Dr. Rick and I to explore how we can use body-based approaches to recover from traumatic experiences.

Dr. Rick and I explore what we can do to recover from a difficult childhood as an adult. We discuss how to release repressed emotions, claim agency where we can, and change what we emphasize in the story of our lives.