Practicing Self-Care: The Season Finale
Coming Back Better
In the season finale for Coming Back Better, Marjorie Morrison and Paul Deger explore self-care. The pandemic forced everyone to pause and reflect. We learned that prioritizing our physical and mental health is crucial, and doing so prepares us for the challenges life throws our way. “Anytime that we have a moment of pause, we are really thinking about what is meaningful to us. Who matters to us? What do we really want to be doing?...Really thinking about what is meaningful, what do we like to do, how do we allow ourselves to have down time.” - Dr. Deborah Cabaniss Taking all the...
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How To Make Telehealth Work for You!
Coming Back Better
During the pandemic, care delivery had to adapt quickly to lockdowns as demand for services increased. This shift required providers and patients alike to make an unexpected pivot to telehealth. Now, three years into COVID, telehealth is here to stay. What have we learned about this new way to access and meet our healthcare needs? And how can we make it work better for us all? “Just because you are not seeing the person in-person, you should still feel empowered to try to get a situation that makes you feel as comfortable as you can be. And if you don’t feel comfortable, you are...
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Got My Money On My Mind
Coming Back Better
Why does talking about finances seem like such a taboo topic? Maybe now more than ever before, it’s time to learn to have these conversations. It seems like everyone faced financial stress during the pandemic and even today, people are still trying to get their footing in an ever changing economic landscape. “All of these actions and lack of actions can lead to financial stress, sleep disorders or depression. It's so important for you to remember that every financial situation is unique and that you are in control of your relationships. Almost everything around money is fixable...
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The Myth of Introversion and Extroversion
Coming Back Better
“Are you an introvert or an extrovert?” You’ve heard the question before. And you’ve probably heard that the pandemic affected each group differently. But how accurate are these labels? And do any of us actually fall into only one category? “Be aware of labels and the expectations we have for ourselves to be a certain way. There will be different things in our lives that change us and we don’t have to fit into this box” - Amy Pearlman We are complex and multifaceted beings. How we engage and derive energy from the world around us is unique to each individual. How do you...
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Rise of the Machines: Mental Health and Tech
Coming Back Better
Can AI become a part of our mental health journeys? Recently, we’ve seen rapid development in this space, with the creation of apps, an increase of use in Virtual Reality for exposure therapy and even virtual therapists. How do we leverage these powerful technologies and keep the human in mental health care? “You could say that AI never tires, it is always available, it has encyclopedic knowledge of all clinical practice and all clinical conditions, and it remembers everything. But… there's something about interacting with a human that expresses empathy, shows that they understand your...
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Anti-Racism: What Comes Next?
Coming Back Better
Events of the past few years have driven more conversations about systemic racism, diversity and inclusion. The pandemic exposed the racial disparities in the healthcare system. During the lockdown, we also had the shared experience of watching the murders, violence and hate crimes towards individuals from the BIPOC community on the news and in our social media feeds.. Following the lead of our youth, people of all ages and backgrounds have come to realize that the conversation needs to change and action needs to be taken to move us forward towards an inclusive and equitable future....
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Meditation: The Power of Presence
Coming Back Better
With the constant chaos of everyday living, it can be hard to be present. Meditation is one evidence-based way to access our inner peace and wisdom and better connect with ourselves and those around us. That said, meditation takes effort and practice. This episode can help you at any stage of your meditation journey, especially if you’re just thinking about getting started. “It has been shown that when people practice mindfulness meditation, people tend to become more empathetic. The capacity to connect with others is more enhanced.” - Dr. Eric López Join Paul Deger and...
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Loneliness: Let's Talk About It
Coming Back Better
During the height of the pandemic, many of us were cut off from our usual contact with friends and family, missing out on celebrations at our homes or maybe just meeting at the corner coffee shop to catch up.. Overnight, we went from warm hugs to distant waves to a 2D image on a screen. This isolation led many of us to experience new levels of loneliness. Unfortunately, as we move past the pandemic, we are still seeing increased feelings of loneliness worldwide. “Let’s get comfortable being uncomfortable. One of the things that makes it worse when you are feeling lonely is you don’t know...
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Putting Relationships Back Together
Coming Back Better
Isolation during the pandemic impacted all types of relationships. Friendships were put to the test, dating relied on technology more than ever, and couples had to navigate abrupt shifts in work and home life. Join Marjorie Morrison and Paul Deger on this episode as they explore the impact the pandemic had on our relationships. “I think we really have to revisit our relationship with work to balance the other things–and have an expectation that it is equally, if not more important, for my family to be healthy, for my relationships to be healthy, for me to be in a healthy communion with...
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Why Are We All Burned Out?
Coming Back Better
Often, we hear the term “burnout” when COVID-19 and its impacts on the workforce is mentioned, but burnout has been around since long before the pandemic. Burnout can look different depending on the person and phase, but typically includes emotional exhaustion and loss of meaning and purpose in the workplace. How did the rapid and lingering changes of COVID impact this workplace phenomenon and perhaps offer us the opportunity for some long-overdue changes? Join our hosts as they talk with experts about what burnout is, what are its symptoms and drivers and how to address it as...
info_outlineThe pandemic created a pause in business as usual and invited many of us to reflect on our world. For many younger people who were already experiencing climate distress, this reflection led to a call to action on climate issues. This reflection and action unfolded within a period of polarization that cracked open even further with COVID-19, with no end in sight.
On this episode of Coming Back Better, Paul Deger is joined by Executive Producer Jacob Morrison and several esteemed guests to discuss how to understand and manage climate distress in a world reaching levels of polarization not seen in our lifetimes. We also explore how community can resolve this distress and resolve rifts.
“The fact that you're feeling that distress and despair is a good sign. It's a sign that you care. It's only when we care, that we want to repair.” - Dr. Wendy Greenspun
Meet the Co-host and Experts:
Jacob Morrison is the Executive Producer of this series, and directed the award-winning feature-length documentary “River’s End: California’s Latest Water War” which can be viewed on streaming platforms and premieres around the country on PBS in April. To read more, click here.
Erika Kessler is a doctoral candidate at the Teachers College in Columbia University with a focus on climate change education.
Dr. Wendy Greenspun, PhD is a New York State licensed clinical psychologist and certified psychoanalyst who works in Climate Psychology. In addition to teaching and training mental health professionals in climate-informed practices, she became part of the board and steering committee of the Climate Psychology Alliance- North America, where she provides workshops, training, and leadership to support climate-aware therapists and those facilitating climate cafes. To read more, click here.
Dr. Peter T. Coleman, PhD is a professor of Psychology and Education at Columbia University where he holds a joint-appointment at Teachers College and The Earth Institute. Dr. Coleman is a renowned expert on constructive conflict resolution and sustainable peace. His current research focuses on conflict intelligence and systemic wisdom as meta-competencies for navigating conflict constructively across all levels. To read more, click here.
Coming Back Better is brought to you by Psych Hub and HCA Healthcare in collaboration with Columbia University’s Department of Psychiatry. Coming Back Better is a Psych Hub Podcast and is for educational purposes only. Visit https://psychhub.com to dig deeper and access the world’s most comprehensive platform for behavioral health education.
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