Behavioral Health Today

No Weigh: A Whole-Person Approach to Weigh Loss with Dr. Valerie Evans – Episode 270

No Weigh is a whole-person approach that treats weight loss as one part of a person’s life, interconnected with everything else that person values, In this episode, Dr. Graham Taylor speaks with Valerie Evans, BCBA. Valerie is a licensed and board-certified Behavior Analyst and founder of No Weigh, an app that leverages behavioral psychology and applied behavioral analysis to help users lose weight, ensure healthy habits, and build a healthier life. Valerie is a mom of three children and, after having her third child, turned to diet programs to help her feel like herself again. Valerie decided to make a new way for individuals to feel empowered in their wellness journey and created the No Weigh whole-person approach. We’re excited to have Valerie with us today to discuss a new approach to weight loss and her app No Weigh.

 

For more information about No Weight, please visit: http://noweigh.com
To get the No Weigh app on your phone, please visit: http://noweigh.com/app
To connect with No Weigh App on Facebook, please visit: http://www.facebook.com/no_weigh_app
To connect with No Weigh App on Twitter/X, please visit: http://www.twitter.com/no_weigh_app
To connect with Dr. Valerie Evans on LinkedIn, please visit: https://www.linkedin.com/in/valerie-evans-a77990b/

Cutting-Edge & Tailored Life-Skills-Training for Individuals with Disabilities with Molly Oshinski & Morgan Marquez – Episode 269

Visualization is a powerful teaching tool. In this episode, Dr. Graham Taylor speaks with Molly Oshinski and Morgan Marquez. Molly and Morgan are the founders of Pickle System, a hands-off resource for BCBAs, special educators, and parents of individuals with disabilities providing animated video-models for a variety of living skills. Molly is the CEO of Pickle System and a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst and Licensed Behavior Analyst. She is currently pursuing her PhD at The University of Texas at Austin in the special education department. Her research has focused on teaching intimate hygiene skills using video-models. Morgan is the COO and the Data & Analytics Program Manager at Pickle System. Morgan received her M.S. in Data Analytics from Rockhurst University and her B.B.A. in Marketing and Economics from Kansas State University.

 

For more information about Pickle System, please visit: https://www.picklesystem.com
To contact Pickle System, please email at admin@picklesystem.com.

OCD, Anxiety, & Immersion Therapy with Dr. Sarah Olivo – Episode 268

Anxiety is a safety strategy, it’s an early warning system at best. There’s a perception of a threat and the perception is that I’m not going to be able to handle the threat. The key word being “perception”. In this episode, Dr. Graham Taylor speaks with Dr. Sarah Olivo. Sarah is a licensed clinical psychologist with over two decades of experience. Sarah is the head of Lumate Academy, the training and education arm of Lumate Health, and co-hosts the "College Is Fine, Everything's Fine" podcast that aims to empower college students with essential CBT skills. Together Graham and Sarah discuss OCD, anxiety, exposure therapy, and tips for parents on what to look out for.

 

For more information about Lumate Health, please visit: https://lumatehealth.com
For more information about College Is Fine, Everything Is Fine Podcast, please visit: https://www.collegeisfinepodcast.com

BHT Special: Superpowers of Social Workers with Sharlee Dixon our Newest Host – Episode 267

Today marks a particularly special episode where we get to introduce our newest host to our show, Sharlee R. Dixon, LMSW. At Behavioral Health Today, our commitment is to present a diverse range of perspectives and voices, both from our guests and our dedicated hosts. In this episode, Dr. Graham Taylor has the privilege to welcome Sharlee Dixon and give you our listeners a unique opportunity to discover more about her and welcome our new member to the BHT team. Sharlee Dixon is an accomplished social worker with extensive experience in the field. As a licensed LMSW, she currently serves as a school social worker at a North Carolina high school. Sharlee received her Masters of Social Work from The University of South Carolina, and her expertise has been recognized on a national level as she has been invited to present at the prestigious National School Social Work Conference on multiple occasions. She also earned a second Masters degree in Education with an emphasis on Trauma-Informed Care.  Sharlee has worked as an Adjunct Professor in the Education Department at Benedict College and also develops social work courses and study material for Triad as a Content Creator. Together Graham and Sharlee discuss the challenges facing communities and the unique qualifications of Social Workers to meet those needs and help their clients grow. Social Workers have a superpower of helping without necessarily you having to ask for that help.

 

For more information about Sharlee R. Dixon, connect on Linkedin at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharlee-dixon-lmsw-med-328748123
For more information about the University of South Carolina College of Social Work, please visit: https://sc.edu/study/colleges_schools/socialwork/index.php

PeopleUSA & Peer-led Innovation in Mental Health with Steve Miccio – Episode 266

Our expectations should be that people can live a better life if they're given the right supports. In this episode, Dr. Graham Taylor speaks with Steve Miccio. Steve is the Chief Executive Officer of PeopleUSA, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping families and people with behavioral health challenges. Steve is an innovator in crisis response and mental health services. For over two decades, he has introduced groundbreaking models and approaches that reduce hospital utilization, incarceration rates, and healthcare spending. Steve was the first in the United States to embed peers in hospital psychiatric ERs. He also created the Rose House model of peer-operated crisis respites, the Transitional Care Wellness Team Model, and developed unique training programs for hospitals, local government units, and behavioral health organizations across the U.S. Recovery is an expectation. You will recover and you will thrive. And there will be ways that you're going to be able to reach your ceiling. Let's go see what it is.

 

For more information about PeopleUSA, please visit: https://people-usa.org/
Support PeopleUSA with a donation, please visit: https://people-usa.org/donate/
Connect with PeopleUSA on Instagram at peopleusanow, or visit: https://www.instagram.com/peopleusanow/
Connect with PeopleUSA on Facebook, please visit: https://www.facebook.com/peopleusanow
Connect with PeopleUSA on Linkedin, please visit: https://www.linkedin.com/company/people-usa

Emotional Resolution & Visceral Somatic Quieting with Cedric Bertelli – Episode 265

The brain keeps the score, but the body is a score card. Every time we feel an emotional difficulty, we control either what we feel, or we control our environment. So, we shut down the emotion, and that’s the problem. We never let the prediction play out until the end, maintaining the loop or the belief that the situation we are in today holds some kind of danger. In this episode, Dr. Graham Taylor speaks with Cedric Bertelli. Cedric is the founder of the Emotional Health Institute, a non-profit organization that aims to create communities where individuals, children, and families are thriving emotionally, free from the otherwise long-lasting effects of fear and trauma. Cedric is of French origin and has lived in the San Francisco Bay Area for over twenty years. He began his training in Emotional Resolution in 2009 in France and has continued this work in the United States since 2011. In addition to working with clients individually, Cedric trains mental health professionals and educators across the United States on Emotional Resolution. We’re excited to have Cedric with us today to discuss emotional resolution and his work with the Emotional Health Institute.

 

For more information about Emotional Resolution and the Emotional Health Institute, please visit: https://www.emotionalhealthinstitute.org
For more information about Cedric Bertelli, please visit: https://www.cedricbertelli.com
Connect on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/@emotionalresolution4843
Connect on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/theemotionalresolutioneffect
Connec on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/emotionalresolution/

High-Performer Challenges, Sports Injury, & End of Career Transitions with Jon Steele, LMFT – Episode 264

In athletics, and high-performance positions, you are constantly critiqued. Outcomes are often measured by stats or performance based. But we can’t always control performance-based outcomes. We can, however, control our effort-based actions. By rightsizing our reality, and focusing on our effort-based goals, we get to control the direction in how to show up in those moments and can transition into something more resilient. In this episode, Dr. Graham Taylor speaks with Jon Steele, LMFT. Jon is a licensed marriage and family therapist who has focused his private practice on treating high performance clients including athletes and professionals. With personal experience as a former collegiate athlete, Jon combines the complexities of the athlete experience with the performance of professional life. His specialties include treating anxiety, trauma, grief, addiction, and building mental fitness. Whether working with athletes or high-achieving professionals, he helps his clients combat shame, build healthy coping strategies, and increase self-compassion amidst high pressure environments. Together Graham and Jon discuss working with athletics injury, recovery trauma, and transition out of sports. There are many seasons of an athlete's life. And at some point, one's identity through the athletic lens must change. And we can grow through these moments if we choose to learn how and focus on that.

 

For more information about Jon Steele and his private practice, please visit: https://www.jonsteeletherapy.com
To learn more about sports, grief, and loss, please read Jon’s blog by visiting: https://www.jonsteeletherapy.com/blog
Connect with Jon Steele on LinkedIn, please visit: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jon-steele-169061a6
Or connect with Jon on Facebook at Jon Steele, LMFT ,or visit: https://www.facebook.com/jonsteelelmftsports/

Devotion & Strengthening Wellness Through Fitness with Ben Smith – Episode 263

Devotion is life giving. It creates momentum. Dedication to this practice, that by having focus of the things you want and by executing now, your ideal future self will be better off. In this episode, Dr. Graham Taylor speaks with Ben Smith. Ben Smith is a fitness and nutrition coach, entrepreneur, Army Veteran, and mental health advocate based in Los Angeles. With more than a decade working in health and fitness, he has led programming at respected strength training gyms in LA, developed online training for high performing individuals all over the world, and currently travels the globe as performance coach for clients in the music industry. Ben leverages his platform to promote holistic mind body wellness by candidly sharing his own experience along the way. We’re excited to have Ben with us to discuss devotion, momentum, and strengthening wellness through fitness and movement. Movement begets momentum, and momentum beats motivation every time.

 

For more information about Ben Smith and his training app Train With Ben, please visit: https://trainwithben.app

To connect with Ben on Instagram @benveesmith, or visit: https://www.instagram.com/benveesmith/

For all other links, please visit Ben’s Linktree at: https://linktr.ee/benveesmith

The Challenges of Access & Effectiveness of Treatment with Linda Rosenberg, MSW – Episode 262

Currently, there is more opportunity for practitioners and more interest from the public. So now the question is, can we get care for the people that want it, and is the care delivered effective? In this episode, Dr. Graham Taylor speaks with Linda Rosenberg, MSW. Linda is on the faculty of Columbia University’s Department of Psychiatry where she focuses on public and private sector partnerships that elevate, expand, and refine mental health and addictions care. Prior to joining Columbia, Linda was President and CEO of the National Council for Behavioral Health from 2004 until 2019. Under her leadership the National Council became the nation’s largest mental health and addiction education and advocacy association with 3300 plus member organizations serving over 10 million Americans. Linda was New York State’s Senior Deputy Commission for Mental Health until 2004, and during her tenure, she opened New York’s first Mental Health Court. In addition to serving on Columbia’s faculty, Linda consults with nonprofits, foundations, and private sector companies on the design and delivery of mental health and addiction services. We’re excited to have Linda with us to discuss the challenges of access to services and effectiveness of treatment.

 

For more information about Certified Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs), please visit: https://www.thenationalcouncil.org/our-work/ccbhc/

To learn more about the Columbia Psychiatry program ENGAGE, please visit: https://www.columbiapsychiatry.org/education-and-training/engage

To contact Linda regarding the ENGAGE program, please email: lr2992@cumc.columbia.edu

Working with Creative & Artistic Clients with Rachel Moore, LMFT – Episode 261

In the words of Julia Cameron, “if you want to work on your art, work on your life.” In this episode, Dr. Graham Taylor speaks with Rachel Moore, LMFT. Prior to Rachel’s career as a Marriage and Family Therapist, Rachel earned a bachelor’s degree in creative writing and enjoyed a 14-year career as a newspaper copy editor, winning a Pulitzer Prize in 2006 along with the staff of the San Diego Union-Tribune. She left newspapers in 2010 to study for her master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. During that time, she started a creativity coaching business and facilitated workshops based on the book “The Artist’s Way” by Julia Cameron.Currently, she sees therapy clients at her private practice in San Diego, where her focus is on helping writers, artists, singers, and musicians. Rachel is an active singer and has performed on several stages around San Diego. She is currently a member of the San Diego Master Chorale. And she is the creative force behind her podcast, Beyond the Artist’s Block, which explores mental health and creativity, bringing interviews and insights to working with creative people. We’re excited to have Rachel with us today as we lean into her creativity and the art of working with creative clients.

 

For more information about Rachel Moore, LMFT, please visit: https://www.rachelmoorecounseling.com/

For more information about Rachel’s podcast Beyond The Artists Block, please visit: https://www.beyondartistsblock.com/

For more information about the San Diego Master Chorale and their upcoming events, please visit: https://www.sdmasterchorale.org

Resiliency: From Hopelessness to CEO with Dennis Miller – Episode 260

We embody the sum of our past experiences, yet our potential isn't confined to the limitations of those events. Oftentimes, a version of ourselves becomes ensnared by these experiences, constraining our true identity. Through introspective efforts and inner work, we can liberate ourselves from these constraints, allowing our genuine identity to unfurl and flourish. In this episode, Dr. Graham Taylor speaks with Dennis Miller. Dennis is the Founder and Chairman of DCM Associates, Inc. He is a nationally recognized strategic leadership coach, author, motivational speaker, retreat facilitator, and executive search consultant with over 35 years of experience leading, connecting with, and inspiring organizations in the nonprofit and medical industries.Dennis is the author of five books on nonprofit organization success. His most recent, Moppin’ Floors to CEO: From Hopelessness and Failure to Happiness and Success, Dennis mixes the right ingredients for an engaging, illuminating, and compelling autobiography. Dennis’s story shows how anyone can overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles, make it to the top and live a happy and fulfilling life. We’re excited to have Dennis with us to share his story of resiliency and his journey from hopeless to CEO. Don’t lose faith in yourself.

 

For more information about Dennis Miller, please visit: https://denniscmiller.com

Contact Dennis by email at dennis@dcm-associates.com
For more information about

Moppin' Floors to CEO: From Hopelessness and Failure to Happiness and Success

by Dennis C. Miller, please visit: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/moppin-floors-to-ceo-dennis-c-miller/1123452683

Connect with Dennis on Linkedin at https://www.linkedin.com/in/denniscmiller

A New Directory Connecting Clinical Supervisors with Seekers with Dr. Amy Parks – Episode 259

Supervision is the way to help the next generation of clinicians become ready for the exponentially growing mental health emergency that we have experienced over the last several years. In this episode, Dr. Graham Taylor speaks with Dr. Amy Parks. Dr. Parks is the Founder and CEO for the Clinical Supervision Directory, connecting clinical supervisors with supervision-seekers and providing ongoing support to the mental health field with education in supervision and ethics. Amy holds a doctorate in educational psychology, is also the executive director of wise mind solutions, a Northern Virginia based group psychotherapy practice. She's got over 30 years of experience focused on children, teens, and families. We're excited to have Amy with us today to discuss clinical supervision and her new project, the Clinical Supervision Directory.

 

For more information about The Clinical Supervision Directory, please visit: https://clinicalsupervisiondirectory.com

To join the CSD as a supervision seeker or as a supervisor, please visit: https://clinicalsupervisiondirectory.com/sign-up-page/

If you would like to stay connected, join the CSD mailing list here: https://clinicalsupervisiondirectory.com/stay-connected/

For more information about Dr. Amy Parks, please visit: https://www.thewisefamily.com/about-us/about-dr-amy/

CBRT & Addressing a Broken System of Social Identities with Dr. Dana Crawford – Episode 258

Racism, prejudice, and bias forms a barrier to people’s true humanity. How could your biases prevent you from behaving in ways that are in line with your values? In this episode, Dr. Graham Taylor speaks with Dr. Dana Crawford. Dana is a pediatric and clinical psychologist who developed the Crawford Bias Reduction Theory & Training (CBRT), a systematic approach to reducing bias, prejudice, and racism. Dana is a graduate of Howard, Temple, and Miami Universities and has degrees in counseling, African American studies, psychology, and the arts She has certifications in practical nursing, medical hypnosis, and biofeedback. She has worked in numerous settings. In recent years, she's worked with the National Black Caucus to create legislation for black maternal health. Dana is currently a scholar in residence at Columbia University in the Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute and has a thriving private practice that she maintains in Manhattan. We're excited to have Dana with us today as we discuss the bias reduction theory, social identities, the shortcuts we use to decide how resources are distributed, and how this resource distribution system of social identity is broken.

 

For more information about Dr. Dana Crawford and CBRT, please visit: https://www.drdanacrawford.com
If you would like to join Dr. Dana Crawford’s newsletter, please sign up here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KSYFRY9
Connect on YouTube and watch more interviews with Dr. Dana Crawford: https://www.youtube.com/@cbrtforeveryone

Building Resilience for Individuals through Trauma Education with Dr. Anthony Salerno – Episode 257

If we can recognize that our training and systems shape our lens, and how our lens shapes us and our clients, we can correctively develop a lens that can get us closer to reality. Rather than the diagnoses of mental illness, we can recognize that folks have a lot more resilience in themselves than they oftentimes see. In this episode, Dr. Graham Taylor speaks with Dr. Anthony Salerno. Tony is a New York State-licensed psychologist with over 30 years of public mental health experience in adult inpatient and outpatient clinical and administrative roles. Furthermore, Tony has been a leader in systems change efforts to promote the adoption of Evidence-Based Practices with the New York State Office of Mental Health. In addition to direct individual and group treatment services to clients, Dr. Salerno has developed programs designed to support psychiatric rehabilitation, heath self-management, family consultations models, group facilitation approaches and curriculum-based interventions such as Wellness Self-Management. Wellness Self-Management was designed for adults with serious mental illness which received the SAMHSA Science to Service Award in 2010. Most recently, Dr. Salerno has created a resiliency building and trauma informed psycho-education curriculum called BRITE which stands for Building Resilient Individuals Through Empowerment. Together Graham and Tony discuss the power of a strengths-based perspective, how our own perception is a filtered version of reality that creates the lens we see the world, and how recognizing resiliency and mirroring can help clients see they are more capable than they thought they were. With corrective lenses we see things as they are rather than as we are.

 

For more information about BRITE Resources, please visit: https://www.briteresources.com/

To view the BRITE sample lessons, please visit: https://www.briteresources.com/sample-lessons/

Somatic Therapy & Enlisting Your Body as an Ally in Healing with Maira Holzmann – Episode 256

Learning how to befriend your nervous system, your body, and the important information that it’s communicating to your mind, is one of the most holistic and sustainable ways to heal. In this episode, Dr. Graham Taylor speaks with Maira Holzmann. Maira is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and somatic therapist who specializes in helping people heal from the impacts of childhood trauma. Maira completed her undergraduate degree in psychology at the University of Michigan in 1993, her Masters of Science in Social Work at the University of Texas at Austin in 2004, and has been a licensed clinical social worker since 2006.  In the ten years between earning her undergraduate and graduate degrees, Maira traveled around the world and taught mountaineering courses for Outward Bound schools. Maira is the founder and owner of a group psychotherapy practice called Somatic Therapy Partners (STP) whose focus is on healing the nervous system, nurturing resilience, and increasing a client’s healthy connection with their body. Together Graham and Maira discuss the strategies and techniques of Somatic Therapy, the intricacies of co-regulating touch, and the benefits seen in clients. The healing journey is about how compassionately you can meet every experience that arises in your life, as you move forward.

 

For more information about Somatic Therapy Partners, please visit: https://somatictherapypartners.com
For more information about Radiant Resilience: A 9-Week, Trauma-Informed Yoga, Meditation, and Sound Healing Journey for Nervous System, please visit: https://somatictherapypartners.com/product/radiant-resilience/
Take the Resiliency Quiz, please visit: https://somatictherapypartners.com/quiz/resiliency-quiz-2/