Behavioral Health Today

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/

Clinicians Series: Children’s Emotional Wellness with Ashley Williams, CEO of Clymb – Episode 255

Emotional intelligence skills in youth are so important because it can predict later life outcomes. A child’s overall wellbeing throughout their critical years of development can lead to better academic and mental health success. Today’s episode is part of our clinicians’ series, where we provide a more practice, more hands-on experiential understanding of the application of various techniques, strategies, and constructs. In this episode, Dr. Graham Taylor speaks with Ashley Williams. Ashley Williams is an educator, emotional wellness advocate, mindfulness expert, and successful CEO of Clymb. Realizing that the development of emotional intelligence skills in youth predicts later life outcomes, Ashley launched Clymb- an interactive emotional wellness software for school-age children. She is the 2022 Culture Builder of the Year for Baltimore, which honors her work to make children’s happiness a policy priority. Ashley has been featured on NPR, the Baltimore Sun, Champions of Wellness, and Technically, among many others. She has received Mayoral Recognition for her advocacy work to advance emotional wellness for Baltimore City youth. She is an alumni of the John Hopkins Social Innovation Lab and was recognized by T. Rowe Price as a Highlighted Moonshot Innovator. With over a decade of experience in the field of emotional wellness, she has dedicated her career to helping individuals and organizations increase their overall happiness and satisfaction in life. Together Graham and Ashley discuss the impact of emotional wellness on developing children, an in-depth guide to the Clymb, the success of program, and how emotional wellness skills ripple into family engagement, schools, and communities.

 

For more information about Clymb, please visit: https://clymbup.io
To connect with Clymb on social media,
@clymb_up on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clymb_up/
@Clymb_Up on Twitter: https://twitter.com/clymb_up
@Clymb on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/clymb

The Harris Project & Co-Occurring Disorders with Stephanie Marquesano– Episode 254

17.9 million Americans meeting the criteria for a clinical diagnosis of co-occurring disorders (COD). Research suggesting that 70% of all of those misusing and/or addicted to substances have co-occurring mental health challenges. These alarming statistics are the reason the Harris Project is determined to bringing co-occurring disorders out of the shadows and into the light. In this episode, Dr. Graham Taylor speaks with Stephanie Marquesano, Founder and President of the Harris Project, the only national non-profit focused on the prevention and treatment of co-occurring disorders in teens and young adults. the Harris Project is named in honor of Stephanie’s son, Harris, who had been diagnosed with COD and died at the age of 19 of an accidental overdose. The Harris Project, started in 2013 at Stephanie’s kitchen table, empowers youth to make positive decisions through an understanding of paths to substance misuse and addiction such as mental health challenges, sports injury, wisdom tooth removal and, supports the creation of best practices in early identification and intervention. the Harris Project’s CODA movement (Co-Occurring Disorders Awareness) is a youth-led effort to create a community culture built on caring and compassion. Together Graham and Stephanie discuss the challenges of co-occurring disorders and the unique ways the Harris Project and the CODA movement are addressing the needs and providing resources for young people in an effort of prevention.

 

For more information about the Harris Project, please visit: https://theharrisproject.org
To contact Stephanie, please email at: stephanie@theharrisproject.org
To call or text, please phone at 914-980—6112.
Connect with the Harris Project on Instagram at theharrisprojectcod, or visit: https://www.instagram.com/theharrisprojectcod/

Connect with Stephanie on Linkedin, please visit: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-marquesano-a7972443

 

Letters to Strangers: Youth-to-Youth Mental Health with Diana Chao– Episode 253

There is a lot of psychological research that shows that there’s so much healing power in a secure relationship where you can speak and share how you feel. In this episode, Dr. Erin Elmore speaks with Diana Chao, founder and Executive Director of Letters to Strangers, a non-profit that seeks to destigmatize mental illness and increase access to affordable, quality mental health treatment for young people. Diana has a really unique story. She grew up with bipolar disorder and complex PTSD. After surviving a series of suicide attempts, Diana found healing from an unexpected source: writing.  In writing letters to strangers, Diana realized she was not alone and later founded the youth-run organization Letters to Strangers. Diana has been honored by two U.S. presidents at the White House, was the winner of the Princess Diana Awards in 2021, was the youngest-ever winner of the Unilever Young Entrepreneurs Award and gave a TEDxTeen speech at the PlayStation Theater in Times Square to a standing ovation. In addition to mental health advocacy, Diana worked for NASA, published a novel at the age of 13, and received recognition from the U.S. Navy for her work on dengue fever. Diana is also an award-winning artist and conceptual photographer. Together Erin and Diana discuss the Letters to Strangers inception, details of the program, and ways for youth to get involved.

 

For more information about Letters to Strangers, please visit: https://www.letterstostrangers.org
For more information about the Youth-for-Youth Mental Health Guidebook, please visit: https://www.letterstostrangers.org/product-page/youth-for-youth-mental-health-guidebook

Connect with Letters to Strangers on Instagram at l2smentalhealth, or visit: https://www.instagram.com/l2smentalhealth/

Connect with Letters to Strangers on YouTube at L2SMentalHealth, or visit: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1vFMrA--3_aC_qd9WPnB_A

Life-Enhancing Anxiety with Dr. Kirk J. Schneider – Episode 252

Managing anxiety can be a powerful gateway into awareness and presence. Over time, connecting with the most difficult parts of themselves, so they can reoccupy, explore, and discover life-enhancing opportunities to grow. In this episode, Dr. Graham Taylor speaks with Dr. Kirk Schneider. Kirk is a leading spokesperson for existential-humanistic and existential-integrative psychology. Dr. Schneider is an adjunct faculty member at Saybrook University and Teachers College, Columbia University, and a co-founder and current president of the award-winning Existential-Humanistic Institute. He is also a Fellow of five divisions of the American Psychological Association as well as a frequent speaker at conferences and in the media. Dr. Schneider was a 2022 candidate for president-elect of the American Psychological Association (APA) and is the author/editor of 14 books including his latest book, Life-Enhancing Anxiety: Key to a Sane World.

 

For more information about Dr. Kirk J. Schneider, please visit: https://kirkjschneider.com

For more information about Life-Enhancing Anxiety: Key to a Sane World by Kirk J. Schneider, please visit: https://universityprofessorspress.com/product/life-enhancing-anxiety/

For more information about The Depolarization of America: A Guidebook for Social Healing by Kirk J. Schneider, PhD., please visit: https://universityprofessorspress.com/product/the-depolarizing-of-america/

For more information about The Corps of Depth Healers, please visit: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCv4p3R_LYIo0AeN_JnMOdsQ

Empathy as a Business Concept with Dr. Natalie Petouhoff – Episode 251

It's not that hard to change the work culture, but it does take a conscious effort to do some self-reflecting as a leader to look at the employee environment, ask employees what they'd really like, and make that a daily practice. In this episode, Dr. Graham Taylor speaks with Dr. Natalie Petouhoff. Natalie is a best-selling author and a Customer Experience Strategist and Consultant who works with brands to help them transform their customer and employee experience. Natalie’s career spans many years in technology and customer and employee experience with positions in and consulting at companies including Salesforce, Hulu, Marriott, General Motors, General Electric and many more. Natalie’s current passion is shifting outdated paradigms by juxtaposing current beliefs with seemingly contradictory ones to reveal insights to drive the future of work, customer’s experiences, businesses, and humanity forward. She believes we can imbue technology with our hopes and dreams for a future focused on bettering humanity. We just need to understand what we are optimizing for and why. Together Graham and Natalie discuss the disconnect with the customer experience, the future of the workforce, and her book Empathy in Action.

 

For more information about Dr. Natalie Petouhoff, please visit: https://www.drnatalienews.com

For more information about Empathy in Action: How To Deliver Great Customer Experiences at Scale by Tony Bates & Dr. Natalie Petouhoff, please visit: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1646870433?tag=kirkus-20&linkCode=osi&th=1&psc=1
Connect with Natalie on Linkedin, please visit: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drnataliepetouhoff

 

Unwinding Darkness Therapy & the Essence of Enlightenment with Scott Berman – Episode 250

What if there's an opportunity for you to touch within yourself with what truly matters? A way to experience an authentic awakening through self-inquiry to move beyond all cultural and spiritual overlays and simply rest into what remains to be freed from all distractions. What if this opportunity gave you the experience of bringing you back to love through the simplicity of just being? In this episode, Dr. Graham Taylor speaks with Scott Berman, owner of Sky Cave Retreats, the first darkness retreat in the United States. Scott is a Darkness Therapy Pioneer and, for almost a decade, Scott retreated in complete solitude into the remote wilderness in Mount Shasta, California and Southern Baja, Mexico. From Scott’s experience, a deep desire was born to create a sanctuary for other sincere, self-initiated practioners. Scott completed his first darkness retreat in 2012 and has spent over 70 days in multiple darkness retreats. Over the last few years, he has supported hundreds of people in their dark retreats and has been pioneering the darkness therapy movement at his center in Ashland, Oregon. We’re excited to have Scott with us today to talk about the power of darkness retreats and the darkness experience. The soul grows, not by addition, but by subtraction. And here we are with a practice where it's not about doing, creating, or manifesting. But about taking it all away. So, if we remove everything, all that remains is the heart of what matters.

 

For more information about Sky Cave Retreats, please visit: https://www.skycaveretreats.com
To watch testimonials, please visit Sky Cave Retreats on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLPXxOvnN3OmWWv3CRt5L2Q
Connect on Instagram at skycaveretreats, or visit: https://www.instagram.com/skycaveretreats/