Navigating Life’s Ups and Downs
Bear Psychology Podcast
In her book, “A Very Narrow Bridge: Reflections of a Psychologist”, Dr. Rickey Miller shares her story guiding readers toward a greater understanding of life and the development of compassion for yourself and others. Her book takes an important look at suffering, resilience and healing. This memoir is a follows the author and her patients through heartbreak, grief, and anxiety toward joy, inspiration, and love. She encourages us to ask questions and truly consider alternative paths to where we are stuck. She suggests that we fail to ask ourselves if a...
info_outline
The Relief of Letting Go
Bear Psychology Podcast
Having dedicated her life to helping others through emotional moments, Dr. Bea MacKay knows better than most that there are many things we cannot control in life. In her book, “Let Go of the Outcome and Let Things Fall Together”, she shares strategies for dealing with events we cannot change without feeling defeated. Her approach to mental health, embraces emotional wellbeing. Listen to our conversation with psychologist & author Dr. Bea MacKay as we talk all about her approach to reconnecting with your emotions and yourself. In this book, she walks you through how you can combine...
info_outline
Understanding Narcissism
Bear Psychology Podcast
If you have ever struggled with a person in your life that displays behaviors such as: lack of empathy; entitlement; a need to be the center of attention; negative reactions to any critical feedback; a grandiose sense of self; arrogance; manipulation and gaslighting; a need to be in control; demeaning and blaming of others and much more than this conversation will be of interest to you! “Narcissism: A Contemporary Introduction” by Dr. Richard Wood is a well-researched book that provides you with a deep understanding of the psychological terrain of the Narcissist. He distinguishes and...
info_outline
Healing from Wounds No One Sees – From Military to Motorcycles
Bear Psychology Podcast
Dedicating your life to the safety and freedom of your country is a massive sacrifice military veterans across make every day. One of the largest challenges for these heroes is working through the barriers and stigma of PTSD following service and navigating their path of readjustment and recovery. Kurt Grant, author of “Shiny Side Up: On the Road to Recovery”, used a cross-country motorcycle trip to help integrate and calm some of the chaos in his mind following military service as an infantry sergeant. Listen to our conversation with veteran & author Kurt Grant as we talk about...
info_outline
Our Emotional Connection to Pets and how it impact our lives
Bear Psychology Podcast
So many of our listeners have pets that they cherish and certainly have shared struggles they might have with these animals. I am a great animal lover and many of my clients have found solace in their relationships with pets in the home, at times feeling a great emotional boost from the connection. With this in mind, I wanted to share the work of Denise Mange – who has written about her special approach to building a health relationship with the pets in your life. A bark is not always just a bark and a bite is not always just a bite. Training a dog (or other animal)...
info_outline
Overcoming Depression with Activation Strategies
Bear Psychology Podcast
Depression is a type of mood disorder that often results in chronic feelings of profound sadness and disinterest. Referred to as both clinical depression and major depressive disorder, it affects one's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and can result in a range of psychological and medical issues. Sufferers often report difficulty navigating their day-to-day life and thinking life is not worth living. However, it is critical to understand that recovery is possible and that you are not alone in these struggles. Dr. Nina Josefowitz’s book “The Behavioral Activation Workbook for...
info_outline
Healing Emotional Dysregulation
Bear Psychology Podcast
In this healing exploration author and therapist Dr. Tamra Sattler reflects on the “Enneagram 4” also referred to as “Borderline-style personality”. These personality styles have a reputation of being difficult for therapists to work with, families to tolerate, and importantly for those struggling to love and accept themselves. In her book, “Too Much and Not Enough: Healing for the Enneagram Four or Borderline-Style Personality”, Sattler describes how people achieve self-discovery and a path forward to belonging, for those with strong emotions. Listen to our conversation with...
info_outline
Medical Assistance in Dying – loving someone through the process
Bear Psychology Podcast
Upon receiving a brain tumor diagnosis in 2018, Cynthia Clark’s husband expressed his desire to prioritize the quality of his remaining years over the quantity. His desire was to relish his time with his wife and kids, which ultimately led to his decision to utilize MAID when treatment failed eight months later. After starting a blog to update friends and family about the process, Cynthia began to notice that those going through this same process with a loved one often reported feeling alone and unsupported. This led her to write “The Many Faces of MAID: What to Expect When Someone...
info_outline
Childhood Emotional Neglect (CEN) impacts your life today
Bear Psychology Podcast
After 20 years in practice, Dr. Jonice Webb noticed the painful struggle of people who grew up in homes where they were emotionally neglected. She identified this neglect as an "invisible factor" that continued to affect adults often leaving them feeling depleted and dissatisfied or what she described as “Running on Empty”. In Dr. Webb’s books “Running on Empty: Overcome Your Childhood Emotional Neglect” and “Running On Empty No More: Transform Your Relationships” she shines a light on this invisible force of CEN. She discusses how to bring new tools, strategies and...
info_outline
Meditation after Injury and Loss
Bear Psychology Podcast
After years of excellent health as an ultra-marathon runner and athlete and a good life in a stable marriage Katie Arnold’s life flipped from stable to unrecognizable. Arnold experienced a significant injury while on a rafting trip that left her with a broken leg and big life changes. She takes us through her life as an ultra-runner and a “seething but adequate” married woman before the accident. The things she relied on before her accident were ripped away from her leaving her wondering who she really is. After her accident, she sought solace through a Zen meditation...
info_outlineThis episode discusses a key facet of recovery: self-compassion. Joining Dr. Baranowksy is guest speaker Frank Pasquil who offers practical self-help videos to aid in healing with trauma. For more information on his work or to access these free resources, go to his website: http://www.emotionaltuning.com/ Dr. Anna and Frank have collaborated before with an entertaining video about shaking to release stress, which you can find on our youtube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYAVAA10jjs
The best method for building your self-compassion is practice! Whether it is meditation, yoga, inner self-talk or self-inquiry, there is no one method that instantly leads to success. You have to be consistent and open to the changes it could bring to your life.
Understanding Self-Compassion
Did you know the word compassion means to "suffer with?"
When you think about how compassion relates to other people, it can help you to understand how to turn your feelings inward. When you feel compassion for someone, you're understanding and kind to them regardless of if they've failed or made mistakes. You don't judge them harshly.
When you feel compassion for another, it means that you understand how suffering, failure, and imperfection are all part of the shared human experience. Self-compassion works the same way. It means acting with understanding and acceptance towards yourself. Instead of judging yourself harshly or ignoring your pain, practicing self-compassion means recognizing that it's a tough time and asking yourself how you can comfort and care for yourself in this moment.
Here are the three elements of self-compassion according to Dr Kristin Neff, an Associate Professor of Human Development and Culture, who has pioneered research in this field.
- Self-Kindness Not Self-Judgment
When you suffer, fail, or feel inadequate you can practice self-compassion by being warm and understanding toward yourself instead of ignoring your pain or criticising yourself. Self-compassion means you understand that life is about making mistakes and failing and that sometimes life will fall short of your expectations. The key to not getting caught up in self-judgment is in accepting your reality with sympathy and kindness, thereby allowing yourself to experience greater emotional equanimity.
- Shared Human Experience Not Isolation
Have you ever felt frustrated when things don't go exactly as planned? This is often accompanied by an irrational but pervasive feeling of isolation. It feels as if you're the only one suffering or making mistakes. But, of course, the very definition of being "human" means we're all vulnerable and imperfect. So, practicing self-compassion means recognizing that suffering and personal inadequacy are part of the collective human experience.
- Mindfulness Not Over-Identification
Being self-compassionate doesn't mean suppressing your negative feelings or exaggerating them. Self-compassion is a balanced approach that comes from the willingness to observe your negative thoughts and emotions with openness and clarity so that you're mindfully aware. It is important that you're not "over-identifying" with thoughts and feelings; don't get caught up and swept away by negative reactivity.
Follow this link to learn more about Kristin Neff: https://self-compassion.org/
To check out the line of self-healing audiobooks through Sounds True, follow this link: https://www.soundstrue.com/store/
This radio show was aired on Realityradio101.com on Thursday, May 30th, 2019 at 1 pm EDT