Keith Kurlander, MA, LPC

Dr. Will Van Derveer

Defining Optimal Mental Health and How to Achieve It – Keith Kurlander & Dr. Will Van Derveer- HPP 67

There is still a lot to learn about the mind and how it works. It’s the core of how we process things in our surroundings, experiences, relationships and gives us specific instructions on how we conduct and behave ourselves in certain situations both physically and emotionally.

Needless to say, the mind is such an awesome engine that has helped us to survive and evolve as a species for over thousands of years. Knowing how to sustain our mental well-being is such an important task that we must all carry out and possibly improve upon.

But how does one go about achieving an optimally healthy mental state? And what exactly incorporates a healthy mind? Are there any factors that affect the mind significantly in terms of an existing pathology, lifestyle and diet? These are merely some of the many questions that we bring up and try to answer. Today, we discuss these topics with our co-hosts Keith Kurlander, MA, LPC and Dr. Will Van Derveer, and together dive deep into this interesting conversation on how to achieve an optimal mental health.

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Dr. Diane Poole Heller

How to Cope With Attachment Injuries During a Pandemic – Dr. Diane Poole Heller – HPP 66

Living in a world knowing the real threat of a global virus that has claimed thousands of lives is horrifying. The amount and the sheer number of people suffering from trauma because of the effects of the pandemic has been alarming and is still on the rise to this day.

With this threat in our midst, the issue of racism and oppression going around for hundreds of years have added more and more people to suffer under trauma causing severe attachment injuries. Is there hope that we, as providers, can help provide solutions for these ongoing chain of problems? How can we help our clients who are suffering from this cope and how does that affect a couple’s relationship struggling with trauma?

In today’s episode, we are truly honored to be joined by an influential researcher, an established expert in the field of Adult Attachment Theory and Models, trauma resolution, and integrative healing techniques, Dr. Diane Poole Heller. We’ll be heading deep into conversation around the negative impacts that attachment injuries bring and why it goes hand in hand with trauma, and a whole lot more.

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Resmaa Menakem

The Traumatic Roots of White Body Supremacy and Racism in America – Resmaa Menakem – HPP 65

The oppression of people of color is a thread that runs deep through our society. It is embedded in many of our institutions, in the structures that govern our country, and unconsciously in our every day actions. Many believe that trauma passed down through generations is at the root of many of these problems.

In today’s episode, we are honored to have Resmaa Menakem on the show who is a deeply respected healer, author and a trauma specialist. Join us as we delve deep into conversation around white body supremacy; how it underlies many issues surrounding racism, and what we can do to start down the path of living in an anti-racist society.

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Pat Ogden, PhD

Why The Body Is Essential In Psychological Healing – Dr. Pat Ogden – HPP 64

For centuries, millions of people have suffered tremendously with trauma and its negative effects and will continue to do so until we crack the secret on how to effectively rid ourselves of this illness. With the ongoing threat of COVID as well as the worsening political upheavals in society, we continue to see this happening to a lot of people.

Trauma has certainly damaged countless lives both physically and psychologically. But what if there is hope for healing, not just in the short term but permanently? What if there was a revolutionary approach to combat trauma through body therapy and mindfulness practices?

In today’s episode, we’ll be tackling just that. We are extremely delighted to be joined by a celebrated author, co-founder of the Hakomi Institute and the founder of the Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Institute (SPI), Dr. Pat Ogden. Join us as we discuss how trauma finds its way into our bodies causing us to show its ugly effects in society collectively and how we can effectively heal ourselves through interesting habits that we can do at home and much more.

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Tirzah Firestone, PhD

The Unique Perspective of a Spiritual Leader on Racism, COVID, and Political Upheaval – Dr. Tirzah Firestone – HPP 63

Do we really understand the devastating effects that trauma brings? How do we know that we are suffering from trauma if it happened in the distant past, in our parents, grandparents, or even our ancestor’s time? Is trauma intergenerational? And if it is, does it directly affect our genes with the possibility to have it passed down to our children and grandchildren?

The reality is, most of us are completely unaware of how trauma hides itself in us. Living in today’s modern world, trauma may have already buried its roots deep in all of us that may have caused multiple societal issues. We almost always see or hear stories of civil unrest and suffering from groups and minorities because of political upheavals or injustices due to racism, add the fact that the existence of a global virus has significantly impacted all of us.

Today, these are only some of the many questions that we discuss and find answers to. We are honored to be joined by a respected spiritual leader, author and Rabbi, Dr. Tirzah Firestone and head deep into the conversation of how trauma can destroy not just the individual Self, but also our lineage, how it causes harm to those around us and how it has affected our society in a major way.

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Rick Doblin, PhD

A Dive with the Maestro behind MDMA Psychotherapy Research – Rick Doblin – HPP 62

Finding the best method of treatment for battling mental illness has always kept researchers and scientists on their toes. It is wonderful that we have all sorts of medicines specifically developed to target certain illnesses. However, these treatments are not always effective in the long term.

A new treatment possibility, most providers over the years have largely ignored, is psychedelics. MDMA-assisted psychotherapy could very well be the future. It could be a new treatment option for our patients who have been struggling and suffering for years with PTSD and other related illnesses.

Today, we are extremely honored to be joined by a very well respected researcher and scientist who has been at the forefront of psychedelic research for decades, fighting to legalize the use of psychedelics for future clinical practice. He is the founder of the multidisciplinary association for psychedelic studies (MAPS), Dr. Rick Doblin. We will be discussing all the interesting data that he and his team of researchers have gathered over the course of their research and we’ll learn the possibilities of when this treatment option will be available for the public, its cost and impact, the spiritual links of using psychedelics, and many more interesting topics.

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William Richards, PhD

Learning About Psychedelics from One of the First Pioneers – Dr. Bill Richards – HPP 61

In our modern world, especially with the threat of COVID, there’s no question that the amount of people experiencing trauma and other related mental illnesses are exponentially rising. In treating these illnesses, prescribing specially developed medicines have been extremely helpful. However, not all have a lasting effect that we so desire in our patients.

In this challenging field, opening new ways of treatment towards achieving full healing is something that is always accommodated. With this mindset, the question is what if there was an option for a new treatment with possible lasting effect? What if there was something that we could use in treating our patients that has always been there with ample research to back up its possible use?

In today’s exciting episode, we are deeply honored to be joined by one of the first pioneers in the study and use of psychedelics. We welcome Dr. Bill Richards. Join us as together we head deep into the topic of the psychedelic experience and the advantages of employing psychedelics in treating mental disorders.

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James M. Greenblatt, MD

Nutritional Deficiencies That Can Cause Eating Disorders – Dr. James Greenblatt – HPP 60

In today’s modern culture it’s no surprise that what we consume is largely influenced by what we see around us either in the media, internet or within the workplace. There are hundreds, if not, thousands of factors that affect our mental well-being and having a deficiency in nutrition can massively impact our capacity to think and make sound decisions that can ultimately multiply other factors that help worsen a fragile mental state.

In today’s episode, we discuss the lack of a push and awareness on the importance of nutrition and why providers should look more into incorporating this idea in their day to day practice. We discuss the role that the media plays on how it influences us and our children around nutrition and eating disorders.

We are very excited to be joined today by Dr. James Greenblatt, a revolutionary mind and expert on the treatment of eating disorders. Join us as we dive deep into issues involving imbalanced nutrition and how we can apply effective strategies and solutions to help avoid or combat existing symptoms of an eating disorder that you or someone you may know is experiencing.

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