It’s Not Therapy!

INT ep 66 - Creativity + Depression: friends or foes?

Vincent Van Gogh created many of his greatest masterpieces while in a psychiatric hospital. Beach Boys founder Brian Wilson wrote classic hits while dealing with mental illness. The list goes on. Some believe that the creative impulse and mental health challenges often go hand in hand. In this episode Liana talks with James 'Grim' Desborough (https://post-mort.com/), UK tabletop game writer and artist, about how he manages the relationship between his depression and his creative work.

INT Ep 65 - Autism - It’s Not A Disease!

The first thing to understand about Autism - there is no one-size-fits-all way to understand Autism. It's called a 'spectrum' for a reason.  Though those on the spectrum are all different, Liana and her guest Ingrid, who has Autism,  offer some primers to help you understand your neurodivergent friends, family and colleagues. 

INT ep 64 - Break the Ice! How to Start Meaningful Conversations

"What if I F up?" It's a fear that stops conversations before they start. Beginning a conversation can stir up multiple "What if?" anxieties - but relax! Breaking the ice is easier than you think! Liana and Kevin Bennet, PhD, professor of social-personality psychology, talk about how you can overcome the pre-conversation jitters.

INT epside 63 - New Strategies For Dealing With Anxiety

"So what?" Those two words have the power to free us from the anxiety, fear and dread which keep our lives stuck in a bad place.  Author and psychotherapist Richard Joelson joins Liana to relate how he helps his clients cope with and overcome obstacles and live happy, fulfilling lives.

INT ep 62 - Teamwork! What Elite Athletes Can Teach Us About Mental Health

Performance psychologists coach elite athletes to win championships by working as a team. Alex Auerbach, performance psychologist for the Toronto Raptors, joins Liana to talk about how he approaches high level well being, resilience, and teamwork in a highly competitive environment! Plus: why Liana utterly hated group work in school.

INT ep 61 - What It’s Really Like To Have OCD

If your understanding of OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) comes through how it's presented in the media, then you don't really understand OCD. Liana talks with Sophia Florence, a comedian with OCD, about how it impacts her daily life and the strategies she's developed to deal with it.

INT ep 60 - The Problems With Personality Tests

Personality tests claim that they can assess and predict our characters, and that some things are unlikely to change. But is this true? Are our personalities anchored in our past or can they evolve..and if so, what factors will contribute to the evolution? Liana talks to Glenn Geher, Ph.D.,  a professor of psychology and director of the Evolutionary Studies program at the State University of New York at New Paltz, about the influences that affect our personality development and the pros and cons of 'personality tests'.  

INT ep 59 - Religion and Critical Thinking! (Why Smart People Do Dumb Things Part 4)

Religion can deepen our understanding of the human condition and of ourselves - except when it dissuades the critical thinking and education required to achieve it.  Liana speaks to Rabbi Michael Harvey (www.rabbimichaelharvey.com) about how blind religious faith can lead to misconceptions that prove harmful to ourselves and others.

INT ep 58 - Impostor Syndrome (Why Smart People Do Dumb Things Part 3)

The series on why smart people do stupid things continues! Ever feel like a phony? That you're not nearly as good as people think you are - and any day now, you're going to be exposed? If so, you're not alone - Imposter Syndrome can get to anyone. Liana talks to impostor syndrome expert Dr. Wendy Boring-Bray (https://wendyboringbray.com/) about how we can break free of this mental trap.

INT ep 57: (Male) EGO! Why Smart People Do Dumb Things Part 2

We all have to fake it until we make it sometimes, but the things we pretend to be to cover up our insecurities can get out of control. Men's issues expert Jeff Perera of HigherUnlearning.com joins Liana to talk about why some men's egos control their lives, with sometimes disastrous results.