A life of mental wellbeing is possible without psychiatry… but how?

Social prescribing is simple, yet a promising answer to healing and living healthy psychologically. Nick Fortino and journalist, Julia Hotz discuss these evidence-based, harmless, effective interventions that drug hyper-prescribing psychiatrists so blatantly overlook.

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Dr. Josef shares surprising truths he's uncovered while working in the field of psychiatry.

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Psychiatrist Henry Emmons joins psychologist Nick Fortino in conversation on the 52nd of the Psychology Is Podcast. This is a refreshing dialogue between thoughtful professionals with different backgrounds. We discuss psychiatric drug treatment, the basics of mental health, mindfulness, and how to deal with anxious thinking. To hear more from Dr. Emmons, listen to the Joy Lab Podcast: https://www.naturalmentalhealth.com/podcasts/joy-lab-podcast

The Psychiatric Survivors Movement has been growing for decades. There are multitudinous people who have been harmed by interventions irresponsibly conducted/prescribed by psychiatrists. Author and educator Ann Bracken is one such survivor. In the 51st episode of the Psychology Is Podcast, she tells her story about being depressed and overmedicated, then overcoming her depression and recovering from the harmful effects of the drugs she had been prescribed. Ann Bracken detailed her experience in her memoir, Crash: A Memoir of Overmedication and Recovery. To learn more about Ann, check out her website: https://annbrackenauthor.com/ This podcast is not meant to provide medical advice. Discontinuing psychiatric drugs, just like discontinuing illicit addictive psychoactive substances, is a decision that must be made carefully and a process that requires significant support and professional supervision.

Study referenced at 17:15 - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21300943/

Stanford psychiatrist and Medical Director Anna Lembke joins Nick Fortino on the 49th episode of the Psychology Is Podcast for an important conversation about a profound problem in our culture: many doctors, and especially psychiatrists, have become drug dealers. A health care system thoroughly contaminated by financial interests, a disempowering and erroneous cultural paradigm about the nature of mental health, and addictive drugs masqueraded as medication are just some of the factors that have given rise to a horrible disaster that is harming so many people. The complete overhaul of the mental health care system is inevitable, but the longer it takes, the more people will be harmed and misled. The profession will not change itself, despite influential people at prestigious institutions speaking out. The change will come when the populace is sufficiently educated. This conversation attempts to serve this purpose, to educate. We also talk about the role of dopamine in the brain, and how to wisely engage in dopamine-releasing behaviors.

"Psychiatry's most fundamental characteristic is its ignorance,"  wrote Raymond Dolan in his recent review of psychiatric literature. In this episode, UCLA professor Dr. David Cohen shares an excerpt from this study and others. He also describes the big picture, bringing to light the many elements that constitute the modern day mental health so-called care. In sum, psychiatry is scientifically empty. The field is comprised of psychiatrists, who primarily act as drug prescribers, who justify their practices on the basis of "silly theories that are continually refuted," as Dr. Cohen puts it.

Dr. Kendra Campbell is bold, brilliant, and honest. A traditionally trained psychiatrist, Dr. Campbell recognized the irreconcilable flaws at the core of modern psychiatry--the invalidity of its diagnoses, its bogus chemical imbalance theory, and the harmful nature of its treatments--and changed her ways. In the most admirable fashion, she takes responsibility for misleading patients about the nature of their conditions, and for prescribing the wrong treatment. Dr. Campbell now offers a multi-faceted, whole-person based treatment protocol that does not include drugs. She also specializes in guiding people through the process of drug withdrawal. Find Dr. Campbell at Free Range Psychiatry: https://freerange.org/

Dr. Sami Timimi is a practicing child psychiatrist in the UK, but his practice is in direct contrast to the dominant ideology in psychiatry. This insane and horribly problematic ideology is exactly what Dr. Nick and Dr. Sami deconstruct in this important conversation. Dr. Sami’s recent book is entitled Insane Medicine.

Clinical psychologist Dr. Bruce Levine joins Nick for a conversation about historical and modern practices in the field of psychiatry. The conversation is based on Dr. Levine's new book, A Profession Without Reason: The Crisis of Contemporary Psychiatry Untangled and Solved by Spinoza, Freethinking, and Radical Enlightenment.

This is one of the most important conversations we have ever had on the Psychology Is Podcast. Listen to this in-depth conversation with Aaron Stark, a man who almost carried out a school shooting before being redirected by the love, kindness, acknowledgement, and friendship. Aaron's story is intense. It's fraught with trauma. But what shines through his story is the power of friendship, the power of kindness, and the potential for radical healing and transformation. Aaron has emerged a wise, happily normal, loving father with crucial insight into how we can reduce or eliminate the incidence of mass shootings.

In relationship, you want to maintain individual autonomy, and you also want security. Many people believe you can't have both, but you can. Dr. Jerry Duberstein has been a couples therapist for over 40 years. He and his wife co-wrote the book, Relationship Transformation: A Practical Guide for Couples Who Want to be Free and Connected. In this conversation, Jerry shares his insight into how to feel free and connected in intimate relationships.

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Dr. Hassan is the world’s foremost expert on mind control and the psychology of cults and we have a fascinating conversation based on his seminal book, Combatting Cult Mind Control. We are all vulnerable to mind control because we are all vulnerable to the situational factors that make an individual vulnerable to mind control.

Learn more about Dr. Hassan's work here: freedomofmind.com

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Nick sits down with author Beverley Thomson for a conversation about antidepressant drugs. What are the desirable effects of these drugs? What are the adverse effects? Beverley examined this topic extensively to write her book Antidepressed. She shares her knowledge and insight here.

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The video game industry has grown rapidly since the 1980's. Almost instantly they caused many to question the dangers of exposing our kids to extreme violence found in first-person shooters like Call of Duty or mature subject matter found in games like Grand Theft Auto. Chris Ferguson set out to find the truth. Are violent games actually harmful? Is gaming increasing mental issues in children? Listen as he sits with Nick Fortino to share his hot take.

The Psychology Is Podcast has featured authors, journalists, psychologists, and psychiatrists about the problems inherent in modern psychiatry. In this episode, we hear a personal story of a man who endured unnecessarily pathologizing diagnoses and damaging, ongoing drug prescriptions, and how he was able to free himself from the harm of modern psychiatric practices.

Indiana University Psychology Professor Dr. Joel Wong joins Nick Fortino on the 39th episode of the Psychology Is Podcast for a conversation about the psychology of masculinity.

Dr. Kirk Schneider is a licensed clinical psychologist and author of many books, including The Psychology of Existence and The Paradoxical Self. Dr. Scheider is also a leading spokesperson for contemporary existential-integrative psychology. In this conversation, we discuss existential integrative therapy, the power of presence and how to be present, the sense of awe, and more.

Dr. Kelly Brogan performed a very unique human feat; she changed her mind. She was trained as an MD and psychiatrist at prestigious institutions including Cornell and NYU. Upon completing her training and practicing psychiatry for some time, Dr. Brogan recognized the limitations and harms of standard psychiatric treatment. She has moved past relying on drug treatment to help people and went on to write the New York Times best seller, A Mind of Your Own: The Truth About Depression and How Women Can Heal Their Bodies to Reclaim Their Lives. Her new book is called Own Your Self, which we discuss in this conversation.

Dr. Rose McDermott joins Nick on the 36th episode of the Psychology Is Podcast for an important conversation about Covid, politics, perception, violence, nuclear war, world peace, and heroism. Our world is tumultuous and beautiful and terrible and awesome. Let's talk about it.

Medical Doctor Anoop Kumar joins Nick Fortino on the 35th episode of the Psychology Is Podcast for a conversation about human nature, and how a more complete understanding of the human body will enhance our capacity to practice medicine effectively.

Dr. Tania Israel, author of Beyond Your Bubble and expert in how to dialogue with people with differing political views joins Nick for the 34th episode of the Psychology Is Podcast.

Dr. Nick Haslam coined the term 'concept creep', which refers to the way that concepts related to harm and pathology are expanding to include phenomena of different kinds and less extreme degrees. What are the implications of this? Drs. Nick and Nick take a deep dive into this in the 33rd episode of the Psychology Is Podcast.

In this conversation, Nick interviews Dr. Patrick Hahn--author of multiple books, including Obedience Pills--about the nature of an ADHD diagnosis, the way that the public has been misled about it, and the problems with the most common treatments for it. Nick boldly asserts that the way that ADHD diagnoses halt the search for an actual condition explaining inattentiveness and impulsivity, and the quick prescriptions of stimulant drugs for children is a crime against humanity that we will look back upon shamefully.

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Psychologist Chris Ferguson joins Nick for the 32nd episode of the Psychology Is Podcast for a conversation about the reasons that insane people become leaders, and the impact this has on societies.

Political and moral psychologist Cory Clark joins Nick Fortino on the 31st episode of the Psychology Is Podcast for a conversation about psychology in politics. Why is there so often a lack of nuance in political positions? Why are our views so persistent? What effect does your political identity have on your political views? If tribalism here to stay? How can we minimize conflict between tribes? What are the psychological mechanisms that lead to political polarization? The conversation also ventures into the topic of free will, responsibility, and moral accountability.

Clinical Psychologist Roger McFillin joins Nick Fortino on the 30th episode of the Psychology Is Podcast for a conversation about the current state of the mental health field. What are we doing wrong? What are we doing right? How can we course correct?

Trauma therapist, and Las Vegas shooting survivor Shiva Ghaed offers tools to help process and heal from trauma and mass violence.

Route 91 festival mass shooting survivor shares her story. Shiva Ghaed is a clinical psychologist with a focus on helping trauma victims. On this episode Shiva explains how she physically and mentally escaped the traumatic incident in Las Vegas.

Dr. Marilyn Schlitz is a professor, researcher, and author of several books including Living Deeply: The Art and Science of Transformation in Everyday Life. She graces the PI Podcast with her presence and expertise for a conversation about the psychology of transformation.

What is boredom? What causes boredom? What do people do when they're bored? How can we regulate and utilize boredom? These are some of the questions explored in this intriguing conversation! Dr. Erin Westgate joins Nick in the 27th episode of the Psychology Is Podcast for a very interesting conversation about boredom!

Dr. Lasana Harris joins us on the 26th episode of the Psychology Is Podcast for a conversation about social cognition, the flexible use of social cognition, and the psychology of dehumanization. 

Dr. Kent Berridge is one of the most impactful scholars in psychology. He is a professor of psychology and neuroscience at the University of Michigan. He has an incredible h-index of 108. In the 25th episode of the Psychology Is Podcast, Dr. Berridge shares his expertise about the neuropsychology of addiction and emotion. We discuss his idea of incentive salience as applied to addiction, and the difference between liking something and wanting something. We also discuss affective valence, and the neurological correlates of high and low valence brain states. Enjoy the conversation!

On the 24th episode of the Psychology Is Podcast with Nick Fortino, we have the special opportunity to talk to the prolific author, Donna Freitas, for an in depth conversation about sexual consent, and consent in general. Dr. Freitas is a sought after expert on this topic, so it was an honor to have her on the podcast. I hope this conversation is enjoyable and thought-provoking. 

Psychiatric survivor's candid story. Kent openly shares with Nick the details of what led him to see a psychiatrist, and the misdiagnoses, and overprescribing that ensued.

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What motivates a serial killer? What factors conspire to make a serial killer? Dr. Sasha Reid joins Nick in conversation to share the insight she has gleaned from her research.

Elliot Aronson is one of the most influential psychologists of all time. It was with tremendous gratitude and excitement that I hosted Dr. Aronson in conversation on the 22nd episode of the Psychology Is Podcast. We discuss his incredible life, and also cognitive dissonance, self justification, psychology in politics, the jigsaw classroom, censorship on college campuses, and more. Enjoy the conversation.

Dr. Caspar Addyman is a developmental psychologist, director of the InfantLab at Goldsmiths, University of London, and author of the book, The Laughing Baby: The Extraordinary Science Behind What Makes Babies Happy. He joins Nick Fortino on the 21st episode of the Psychology Is podcast for a conversation about what makes babies happy, what makes babies laugh, how we can connect with babies, baby psychology in general, and his path to becoming a baby psychologist!

Psychologist Nick Fortino speaks with award winning author of Anatomy of an Epidemic and journalist Robert Whitaker about mental disorders and psychiatric drugs. They discuss the dramatic discrepancy between evidence and practice in psychiatry, and what role these drugs have in the effort to improve mental health in society.

Why are people so intrigued by serial killers? They're disturbing and terrifying, yet we can't seem to look away. Shows and movies about serial killers are extremely successful, and media outlets reporting serial killer activity capture the attention of the masses. Dr. Scott Bonn's expertise on the topic combined with his experience as a media executive make him uniquely qualified to help us understand why we're so intrigued by these savages.

It's very difficult to look squarely into the face of the worst of human behavior, but it's crucial to do so, because in order to minimize and prevent it, we have to understand it. That's exactly what evolutionary psychologist Dr. David Buss has done in his new book, When Men Behave Badly: The Hidden Roots of Sexual Deception, Harassment, and Abuse. Dr. Buss graces the Psychology Is podcast with his presence for an in-depth conversation about the insight in this book. It's a special experience to hear Dr. Buss himself discuss the psychology of all this. Enjoy the conversation!

Author Dan Millman joins Nick Fortino in conversation about happiness, purpose, adversity, and being a peaceful warrior. Dan has written many books, including the famous Way of the Peaceful Warrior. We hope you enjoy the conversation!

One of the most distinguished practitioners of behavioral genetics, Dr. Robert Plomin, joins us on the 17th episode of the Psychology Is Podcast. We discuss some of the insights in his new book, Blueprint: How DNA Makes Us Who We Are. Dr. Plomin shares his expertise on the methods for developing our understanding of the role of genetics in psychology and what we have learned about the role of genetics in psychology.

In the 16th episode of the Psychology Is Podcast, Social Worker and Yoga Teacher Nicole Steward joins us in conversation about how to avoid burnout and enhance performance in work and in life. This is a common topic of conversation, but Nicole has developed a systematic approach to self care that is extremely valuable. We're happy to bring you this conversation and trust you will hear valuable, applicable principles of self-care.

Health is more than the mere absence of illness. In the 15th episode of the Psychology Is podcast, eminent scholar Roger Walsh joins Nick Fortino for a conversation about enhanced well-being and how to cultivate it. Dr. Walsh opens up about his inspiring marriage with his late wife, the brilliant Frances Vaughan.

Can someone recover from brain injury? Is football safe enough for kids to play? What is Alexithymia? All these questions and more are answered as Nick Fortino sits with brain rehabilitation specialist, Dawn Neumann.

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Created by Nick Fortino & Robert Daluz

Dr. Steve Hsu, a physicist, professor at MSU, and founder of Genomic Prediction. We discuss the newest innovations related to genetic testing and editing, including Genomic Predictions and CRISPR. We also discuss what these innovations may make possible (for better or worse), and how we can proceed carefully as we learn to harness this new power.

Dr. Peter Gøtzsche joins psychologist Nick Fortino on the 13th episode of the Psychology Is Podcast. This conversation focuses on the problems with current practices in psychiatry, the terribly adverse effects of psychiatric drugs, how to withdraw from these drugs, the death of the chemical imbalance hypothesis, and the paradigm shift we need to more accurately understand emotional pain.   Learn more about Dr. Gøtzsche's work here: https://www.scientificfreedom.dk/

In the 12th episode of the Psychology Is podcast, professor Nick Fortino speaks with therapist and forensic psychologist, Dr. Stephanie Williams about overcoming anxiety and depression. Many factors influence the well being of an individual, including the biological, psychological, and social dimensions of the individual's life. This is a conversation about overcoming anxiety and depression from this biopsychosocial perspective.

ADHD is one of the most commonly diagnosed conditions in kids and drug treatment is the most common treatment for kids diagnosed with ADHD. In episode 11 of the Psychology Is podcast, we welcome author and therapist Dr. Marilyn Wedge to discuss how ADHD is diagnosed, the legitimacy of the ADHD construct, and whether ADHD is diagnosed and treated carefully enough in our culture. Dr. Wedge also shares her insight on effective non-drug treatments for ADHD.