Shows
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 240: Why I Decided to Pause the Podcast In this episode I discuss some ongoing health challenges I’ve had, why I decided to pause the podcast for the time being, and why you don’t have to take your struggles so personally. Get full access to Think Act Be with Seth Gillihan at thinkactbe.substack.com/subscribe2024-12-1707 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 239: Doug Holt — How to Find Hope When You Think You Married the Wrong PersonMy guest this week is holistic executive coach Doug Holt. It was Doug’s second time on the podcast (the previous episode is here) and another great discussion. This time we focused on the marriage relationship—especially when you fear that you married the wrong person. Our discussion focused mostly on male-female couples, but many of the things we talked about are relevant for all committed partnerships. Topics we discussed included: What leads people to think they married the wrong person Feeling like one is married to a “roommate with a ring” Blaming one’s partner for marital...2024-11-2047 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 238: Dr. Paul Kesselman — How to Have Great Communication with Your Kids at Any AgeMy guest this week is Dr. Paul Kesselman, a clinical psychologist and close friend of mine. It was Paul’s second time on the podcast (the previous episode is here) and another great discussion. This time we focused on how to keep open lines of communication with our kids. Topics we discussed included: The advantages of keeping open dialogue with our kids Creating a safe environment for our kids to talk with us The downside of coming to our kids with an agenda Talking at, to, or with kids Making sure children are engaged when we’re speaki...2024-10-0944 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 237: Dr. Nadia Colburn — Your Life Is Not a Task to CompleteMy guest this week is Dr. Nadia Colburn, a poet and author of a new book of poetry entitled I Say the Sky (affiliate link). Topics we discussed included: Developing greater interest in poetry later in life Turning to poetry as a spiritual or devotional practice The ability of poetry to express or point to things that are difficult to capture The emotional connection that poetry can inspire Presence that exists outside of traditional narrative Readings from Nadia’s books Wanting to live and yet forgetting we’re alive right here and now Mistaking the world for a t...2024-09-2543 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 236: Dr. Carla Naumburg — How to Handle Tough Emotions Without Freaking OutMy guest this week is Dr. Carla Naumburg, a clinical social worker and author with a brand new book called How to Stop Freaking Out: The Ultimate Guide to Keeping Cool When Life Feels Chaotic. This is an excellent guide for young people who are struggling with overwhelming emotions. Topics we discussed included: The defining features of a freak-out The balance between acknowledging big emotions and controlling freak-outs The difficulty in controlling an active freak-out The role of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) in regulating emotions and behavior Fight, flight, freeze, flip-out, and fix as different manifestations of...2024-09-1127 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 235: Diane Manser — How to Make Peace with the Joys and Pains of Being a TeacherMy guest this week is Diane Manser, a long-time high school teacher with an important message that she shares in her recent book, I Didn’t Sign Up for This: One Classroom Teacher’s Journey Through Emotional Fatigue to Personal Empowerment (affiliate link). Topics we discussed included: What led Diane to become a teacher The best and hardest aspects of teaching The point at which my guest started to wonder what she had signed up for Aspects of teaching that can lead to frustration and burnout Some of the needs and expectations that teachers can bring to the...2024-08-2136 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 234: Dr. Scott Rick — How Tightwads and Spendthrifts Can Build Better Spending HabitsMy guest this week is Dr. Scott Rick, an associate professor of marketing and author of a great book called Tightwads and Spendthrifts: Navigating the Money Minefield in Real Relationships (affiliate link). Topics we discussed included: Why our relationship with money is often complicated, no matter how much we have Where our attitudes toward money and spending come from Mental and emotional tendencies that predispose a person to being a tightwad The tendency to act more like one’s parents as one moves through adulthood My own tightwad tendencies, on the tightwad-spendthrift scale The daily suffering that...2024-08-0746 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 233: Dr. Samir Chopra — How to Find Peace Even When You're AnxiousMy guest this week is philosopher and counselor Dr. Samir Chopra, author of the fascinating new book, Anxiety: A Philosophical Guide (affiliate link). Topics we discussed included: The extent to which we are experiencing unique levels of anxiety in human history Philosophical inquiry that springs from anxiety The unconscious cognitive work we do to make the world sensible and navigable My guest’s loss of both parents fairly early in life and the consequences on his psyche Comparing our experienced misfortunes to the visible misfortunes of others The fear of not making the best use of our lives...2024-07-2451 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 232: Dr. Marla Deibler — Hope for Healing from Hair Pulling, Skin Picking, and Other Body-Focused Repetitive BehaviorsMy guest this week is Dr. Marla Deibler, a clinical psychologist who specializes in treating anxiety. We discussed her excellent new book, The BFRB Recovery Workbook (affiliate link). Check out the publisher’s website where you can download many free worksheets and resources. Topics we discussed included: When a body-focused repetitive behavior becomes a diagnosable disorder Common physical consequences of BFRBs Behaviors associated with the hair-pulling of trichotillomania, a type of BFRB The buildup of hair in the digestive system (trichobezoar) from ingesting hair What makes BFRBs so hard to stop The rewarding feeling that often accompa...2024-07-1034 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 231: Dr. Alissa Jerud — Effective Ways to Manage Anxiety Related to Pregnancy and MiscarriageMy guest this week is Dr. Alissa Jerud, a clinical psychologist who specializes in treating anxiety. Topics we discussed included: The anxiety conditions Alissa treats Anxiety related to pregnancy and fertility The difficulty of experiencing miscarriage My guest’s own experience of two miscarriages The conditioned anxiety after the first loss Pregnancy as a perfect setup for anxiety Dealing with the desire to avoid distressing reminders The benefits of facing certain things that are painful Talking with others about difficult experiences Learning to sit with uncertainty Accepting the possibility that things might not go the way we...2024-06-2641 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 230: Ethan Nichtern — Mindful Awareness 5. A Better Way of Working with the Mind You HaveMy guest this week for part 5 of our series on mindful awareness is Ethan Nichtern, author of a new book called Confidence: Holding Your Seat Through Life’s Eight Worldly Winds (affiliate link). Topics we discussed included: Confidence as trusting we can navigate our own minds Making friends with our inner experience Equanimity as realizing that everything affects you The eight worldly winds or forces: Pleasure/pain Praise/blame Influence/insignificance Success/failure Showing up and working with whatever happens to us Mindfulness leading one to feel more but suffer less The first arrow/second arrow metaph...2024-06-1244 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 229: Amanda Knox — Mindful Awareness 4. What If There Is Nothing Between You and Your Well-Being?My guest this week is Amanda Knox, author of the New York Times bestselling book Waiting to be Heard (affiliate link). Amanda’s name is probably familiar to you because she was in the news a lot over a decade ago when she was tried for murder in Italy. Even though she was convicted, it turned out the charges were completely false, and eventually she was fully exonerated. Topics we discussed included: Amanda’s history of being falsely accused of murder The power of the anchoring bias in maintaining false impressions My guest’s feelings toward the prosec...2024-05-2854 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 228: Brett Larkin — Mindful Awareness 3. How Yoga Can Elevate Every Part of Your LifeMy guest this week is Brett Larkin, yoga instructor and author of Yoga Life: : Habits, Poses, and Breathwork to Channel Joy Amidst the Chaos (affiliate link). Topics we discussed included: Practicing yoga with awareness The appeal of yoga for helping us remember that we’re more than our minds and brains Yoga as a “science laboratory” to observe what’s happening internally and how one responds to life The moment my guest discovered what yoga can teach us about ourselves How to distinguish our highest Self from the inner strategist that keeps us in unhelpful patterns Looking fo...2024-05-1552 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 227: Dr. Steve Taylor — Mindful Awareness 2. Cultivating the Conditions for Spiritual AwakeningMy guest this week is psychologist Dr. Steve Taylor, author of the new book, The Adventure: A Practical Guide to Spiritual Awakening (affiliate link). Topics we discussed included: The practical components of “enlightenment” or “spiritual awakening” Commonalities across different spiritual traditions The unease and anxiety created by a sense of separateness from the world and others The fundamental background unease humans tend to feel The hijacking of spiritual awakening by the ego Aligning yourself with the organic impulse toward growth and greater awareness The process of waking up and transforming through intense suffering The naturalness of waking up...2024-05-0138 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 226: Dr. Beth Kurland — Mindful Awareness 1. Finding Peace of Mind When Life Is DifficultMy guest this week is psychologist Dr. Beth Kurland, author of the new book, You Don’t Have to Change to Change Everything: Six Ways to Shift Your Vantage Point, Stop Striving for Happy, and Find True Well-Being (affiliate link). We begin with a calming guided meditation that Beth led. Topics we discussed included: The assumption that not feeling at ease is a personal failure Being with our distress without being swallowed up by it Cultivating well-being in the absence of happiness The role of self-compassion in well-being Recognizing and connecting with a deeper part of oursel...2024-04-1746 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 225: Dr. Peter Levine — The Transformative Power of Healing from TraumaMy guest this week is Dr. Peter Levine, who is well-known for being the developer of Somatic Experiencing. He’s also the author of a new book: An Autobiography of Trauma: A Healing Journey (affiliate link), which we focused on in this very enjoyable and meaningful discussion. Peter shared about how his own wounds from early in life were a big part of what led him into the field of trauma therapy. We explored how the healing continues, even now in Peter’s ninth decade. Topics we discussed included: What Peter means when he descr...2024-04-0355 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 224: Dr. Tim Windsor — Midlife 4. How to Have the Best Possible Second Half of LifeMy guest this week for part 4 of our series on midlife is Dr. Tim Windsor. Tim has done many research studies on adult development and how we change in midlife and older age. I took so much from this conversation as Tim described what we know about how to have a great second half of life. Things we discussed included: My guest’s research in lifespan developmental psychology Optimizing one’s potential to live well in later adulthood How Tim came to this area of research The challenges and opportunities that come with an aging population The...2024-03-2055 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 223: Nick Davies — Midlife 3. Waking Up to the Life That Wants to Be Lived Through YouMy guest this week is Nick Davies, back for his third time on the podcast. This time we focused on issues related to midlife, as this is part 3 of our series on that topic. Things we discussed included: Nick’s personal backstory and his decision to make a big change in his mid-thirties Asking the right questions that can lead us to fulfillment The danger of “normality” that doesn’t serve us well Waiting for life to open up for you vs. creating the life you want Unhelpful beliefs that can lead us to take a passive...2024-03-1338 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 222: Dr. Kieran Setiya — Midlife 2. How to Think More Clearly About What Life Can and Can't OfferMy guest this week is Dr. Kieran Setiya, a philosophy professor at MIT and author of Midlife: A Philosophical Guide (affiliate link). Topics we discussed included: The extent to which midlife is a time of crisis Elliott Jaques’s coining of the term “midlife crisis” in 1965 Data showing that life satisfaction is U-shaped, with a low in middle age Common significant challenges in midlife Past, Present, and Future The feeling of having missed out on other possible lives The tremendous loss we would experience if missing out were not possible The power of philosophy in the self-help...2024-03-0655 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 221: Dr. James Hollis — Midlife 1. Discovering What the Gods Are Asking of You in MidlifeMy guest this week is Dr. James Hollis, a therapist and author of many books, including Finding Meaning in the Second Half of Life: How to Finally, Really Grow Up (affiliate link). Topics we discussed included: Common struggles one tends to experience in midlife The part of our psyche (soul) that knows us better than we know ourselves The agenda of the first and second halves of an average-length life Why certain issues tend to arise at midlife and not sooner The Buddha’s experiences before and after enlightenment Missing out on the opportunity to find a diffe...2024-02-2856 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 220: Dr. Joel Minden — Therapy 4. How Men Can Get the Most Out of PsychotherapyMy guest this week is Dr. Joel Minden, a clinical psychologist, therapist, author of Show Your Anxiety Who’s Boss (affiliate link), and frequent guest on the podcast. This conversation focused on men in therapy. Topics we discussed included: The extent to which men tend to be interested in and open to psychotherapy Fears that men might bring to therapy The significant overlap in the issues men and women deal with and what brings them to therapy The challenge of dealing effectively with anger More frequent externalizing disorders among men, e.g., substance use, aggression Gender diffe...2024-02-1441 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 219: Dr. Michelle Drapkin — Therapy 3. How to Overcome Common Barriers to Behavior ChangeMy guest this week is Dr. Michelle Drapkin, a clinical psychologist, therapist, and author of an excellent new workbook called The Motivational Interviewing Path to Personal Change: The Essential Workbook for Creating the Life You Want (affiliate link). Topics we discussed included: What motivational interviewing (MI) is and why the name is misleading Ambivalence toward change and how it’s addressed with MI Living our values in the midst of our ambivalence Finding different and more productive avenues to pursue our values Prochaska and DiClemente and the Stages of Change model Pre-contemplation Contemplation Preparation Action Maintenance Why ch...2024-02-0744 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 218: Dr. Regine Galanti — Therapy 2. How Anxious Parents Can Help Their Anxious KidsMy guest this week is Dr. Regine Galanti, a licensed psychologist and author of the amazing new book, Parenting Anxious Kids: Understanding Anxiety in Children by Age and Stage (affiliate link). It was Regine’s second time on the podcast and we had another great conversation. Topics we discussed included: Regine’s fantastic new book Less-frequently recognized signs of anxiety in young kids Why anxious parents often have anxious kids The online information for parents that often makes kids’ anxiety worse The issues my guest takes with “gentle parenting” The negative effects on kids of missing school due to...2024-01-3135 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 217: Dr. David Tolin — Therapy 1. What Is the Best Way to Treat Hoarding?My guest this week is Dr. David Tolin, a clinical psychologist, researcher, author, and expert on effective treatments for many psychological conditions. In this conversation we focused on hoarding disorder, and then segued into a more general discussion about cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and other treatment approaches. Topics we discussed included: The continuum of hoarding The diagnostic criteria for when hoarding is considered a disorder Instances of needing to buy a second home due to hoarding The prevalence of hoarding disorder The causes of hoarding How those who are at risk for hoarding disorder...2024-01-2447 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 215: Oren Jay Sofer — How to Find More Peace and Less Suffering in Your LifeMy guest this week is Oren Jay Sofer. Topics we discussed included: Oren’s new book, Your Heart Was Made for This The ways that our minds and hearts are shaped by the world Scarcity Separation Depletion Understanding the roots of suffering and how to relieve suffering Our mistaken belief and wish that consumption will finally provide ultimate fulfillment and satisfaction Oren’s realization at a young age that all of life is in flux Common effects of social media use, and what drives it How becoming a dad while writing his most recent book affected Oren...2024-01-0344 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 214: Dr. Paul Kesselman — Why Healing Is Better Than Curing in PsychotherapyMy guest this week is Dr. Paul Kesselman, a clinical psychologist in private practice in Devon, Pennsylvania. Topics we discussed included: The difference between healing and curing My own experience of illness and curing vs. healing A therapy scene from the Oscar-winning movie “Good Will Hunting” Validating pain and then pivoting to what is productive Show about a wrestler born with no arms (HBO?) Reacting to difficulties in life such as a poor night’s sleep How we react to our mistakes When therapy is over (or paused) Preventing therapist burnout Shifting as a therapist from curing...2023-12-2038 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 213: Dr. Steve O'Brien — Helping Anxious Kids Build Resilience Through Empathic EmpoweringMy guest this week is Dr. Steve O’Brien, author of the excellent new book, The Essential Guide to Treating Child and Adolescent Anxiety (affiliate link). Topics we discussed included: The ongoing epidemic of anxiety among young people Greater anxiety responses to smaller triggers Falling levels of resilience Overstimulation of kids’ bodies and minds The overload of information through social media The critical trio for basic health: sleep, nutrition, exercise Less obvious signs of anxiety in children Recognizing and respecting the challenges that come with parenting Kids’ deep need to feel understood Using a developmental systems lens Why...2023-12-1340 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 212: Rob Bell — The Joy of Discovering That Your Interest and Curiosity Lead to FirdusMy guest this week is Rob Bell. I was so happy that I got to speak with Rob. I’ve been a fan of his work for quite a while now—I listen to his podcast all the time and have read a few of his books, and I’ve just found his work so helpful. I actually had an opportunity to spend a couple of days at the Rodale Institute where Rob was hosting one of his events where about 30 people come and bring an issue, a question, or a stuck point, and one by one we each sit and...2023-11-2950 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 211: Yemado — How to Reduce Stress and Improve Mental Habits Through Mindful Breath and MovementMy guest this week is Yemado. He’s the director of the Boston School of Boabom, and he’s been teaching Boabom for over 20 years. As you’ll hear, Boabom is a Tibetan system of meditation, relaxation, and self-defense, and this was such an interesting discussion. The topics Yemado and I explored were really familiar ones, and they were also in a whole new context. One of the most valuable parts of this conversation for me was his description of “crashing into yourself” when you pursue consistent practice with something like yoga or meditation or Boabom. Eventually you’ll discover inc...2023-11-1551 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 210: Brent Franson — How to Be Kind to Yourself While Making Your Life BetterMy guest this week is Brent Franson, an entrepreneur and founder and CEO of a company called Most Days. I met Brent a while back when he had me on his podcast. I really wanted to talk with him after I listened to an episode of his podcast where he described the things that led him to the work he does now, which is focused on helping people make positive changes in their lives. Brent talked about his history of addiction and what helped him overcome it. We talked about self-compassion, which is built into the Most Days approach...2023-11-0840 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 208: Drs. Kelly Yanek & Michele Kinderman — More Joy and Less Burnout with the Dual Therapist ModelMy guests this week are Drs. Kelly Yanek and Michel Kinderman. I was truly excited to learn more about their dual therapist model where they see each client together—two therapists with a single client. They described how this approach keeps them interested and engaged at work, and makes them look forward to Monday mornings. I think you’ll find this conversation as fascinating as I did. Topics we discussed included: Kelly and Michele’s unique Dual Therapist Model (DTM) of psychotherapy What led my guests to the DTM Burning out as a therapist The advantages of the...2023-10-2539 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 207: Dr. Jill Stoddard — A Better Way to Overcome Self-Doubt When You Feel Like an ImposterMy guest this week is psychologist and author Dr. Jill Stoddard, who recently wrote a book called Imposter No More: Overcome Self-Doubt and Imposterism to Cultivate a Successful Career. Jill and I had a great discussion about feeling like an imposter—why it happens, who’s likely to have the experience, and most important, how to deal with those thoughts and feelings. The solution probably won’t be what you expect because the answer is not to force yourself to think and feel differently. Most of us find that our thoughts and feelings kind of have a mind of their ow...2023-10-1838 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 206: Seth Gillihan — Finding Courage to Move Through Uncertainty and AnxietyI’m all alone for this episode. This week I wanted to talk with you about finding the courage you need to take a bold step forward in your life. It could be anything, from continuing your education to changing jobs or starting to date. Anxiety and uncertainty often hold us back when we know we need to make an important change. But they don’t have to. There are effective ways to move through our hesitation so that nothing stops us from living the life we know is calling us. I hope you get a lo...2023-10-1111 min
Seth J. Gillihan, PhD – Think Act BeEp. 206: Seth Gillihan — Finding Courage to Move Through Uncertainty and Anxiety2023-10-1111 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 205: Seth & Joel — The Best and Worst Therapists in Popular MediaThis week I'm continuing my series with Dr. Joel Minden, and we discussed a fun and interesting topic: psychotherapists in popular media, including film, TV, and comic strips. We explored what these depictions get right, the challenges of presenting therapy accurately, and why therapists so often are portrayed as buffoons. Specific topics we touched on included: Common therapist tropes in movies and TV shows The movie Mumford Richard Dreyfuss as Leo Marvin in the 1991 film What About Bob? The accelerated pace of change in dramatized versions of therapy Therapists pushing their patients to “go deeper” and expl...2023-10-0452 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 204: Seth & Joel — How to Worry Less So You Can Live MoreThis week I'm continuing my series with Dr. Joel Minden, and there's no one I'd rather talk with about how to handle worry. Joel is a true expert on this topic. He offers a compassionate, realistic, and effective set of tools for worrying less so you can redirect your energy toward living well. Specific topics we touched on included: Anxiety vs. worry The implicit goal of anxiety The similarities between obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) Intolerance of uncertainty Worry as a learned behavior that is reinforced (rewarded), making it more likely to continue...2023-09-2758 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 203: Seth & Joel — How Much Can Be Accomplished in One Therapy Session? This week I’m continuing my series with Dr. Joel Minden. This time we discussed how much can be accomplished in a single psychotherapy session. Joel and I explored single-session interventions, one-session treatments for phobias, and sudden gains. Topics we touched on included: Goals for the first therapy session The hope that often follows a first session One as the modal number of therapy sessions Shorter treatment protocols, including single session interventions (SSIs) The work of Dr. Jessica Schleider and her colleagues 2017 meta-analysis 2017 review 2022 randomized clinical trial The value of helping clients develop flexible responses to emotions and str...2023-09-2046 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 202: Seth & Joel — What Gives Psychotherapy the Power to Make Life Better?My guest once again this week is Dr. Joel Minden. This time we discussed psychotherapy, drawing on the years that each of us has been a therapist. Good therapy has the power to improve thinking patterns, relationships, habits, and even personality, so we explored the unique aspects of the therapy relationship that facilitate these changes. This conversation is the second in a series of several episodes with Joel, with more to come. Topics we touched on included: A Washington Post piece that inspired our discussion, “Why I Fired My Therapists” by Foster Kamer Whether it’s produc...2023-09-1349 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 201: Seth & Joel — What If You Don't Need to Fix Yourself?My guest this week is Dr. Joel Minden, a regular on the Think Act Be podcast. This time we switched roles and Joel interviewed me, mostly about my approach to therapy that I describe in my latest book, Mindful Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (affiliate link). This conversation is the first in a series of several episodes with Joel, so stay tuned for more to come. Topics we touched on included: The traditional approach in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) The medical model of therapy My background in mindfulness The book Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior (affiliate link...2023-09-061h 18
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 199: Thomas Moore — How Can Emptiness Make Your Life More Fulfilling?My guest this week is Thomas Moore, a psychotherapist and author of a new book entitled The Eloquence of Silence: Surprising Wisdom in Tales of Emptiness (affiliate link). I was so pleased to have the opportunity to speak with Thomas, since I’ve appreciated his work for about 25 years, going back to Care of the Soul. Topics we discussed included: The role of emptiness in religion and spirituality The possibilities that emerge with emptiness Fostering emptiness as emptiness, not as a space to fill Qualities of emptiness that we often recognize and appreciate in others Dropping the a...2023-08-2357 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 198: Dr. Noam Shpancer — Why Are So Many Young People Struggling, and What Can Be Done?My guest this week is psychologist Dr. Noam Shpancer, author of the novel The Good Psychologist (affiliate link). We explored the ongoing crisis in mental health among young people, and discussed possible ways to address it. I really enjoyed talking with Noam and hearing his insights and nuanced perspective on these issues. Get full access to Think Act Be with Seth Gillihan at thinkactbe.substack.com/subscribe2023-08-0944 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 197: Dr. Steve Hayes 2 — Deliberately Diving into All That Life HoldsMy guest this week is Dr. Steve Hayes, one of the most influential psychologists of our time. The first time I had Steve on the podcast back in 2020 we discussed the fundamentals of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). This time you’ll see what those ideas look like in action. The second half of our discussion is Steve leading me through a series of invitations and explorations. It was a pretty incredible experience that I can’t really capture by trying to describe it, so I’m glad I can share it with you in this episode. Ge...2023-07-191h 21
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 196: Dr. Mark Gregory Karris — How to Overcome Harmful Beliefs About God, Yourself, and the AfterlifeMy guest this week is Dr. Mark Karris, author of the new book, The Diabolical Trinity: Healing Religious Trauma From a Wrathful God, Tormenting Hell, and a Sinful Self. Mark shared about the damaging effects this trio of doctrines can have on people, himself included, and how to heal. Topics we discussed included: How certain religious beliefs themselves can be traumatic, apart from abusive, authoritarian leaders Differing effects of indoctrination in these beliefs early in life vs. later My guest’s own traumatic religious experiences Anxiety related to the belief in hell and “eternal conscious torment” The que...2023-07-0545 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 195: Thomas Sterner — How to Break Free from Unconscious Mental ProgrammingMy guest this week is Thomas Sterner, whose latest book is It’s Just a Thought (affiliate link). As you know, your thoughts aren’t always helpful or true. In this conversation Tom and I talked about how to change your relationship with thoughts, which I think about a lot as CBT therapist. Just knowing that we’re thinking is a huge part of what’s helpful, but awareness alone is usually not enough. We need specific ways to practice new thinking. Tom shares some really interesting techniques for developing more helpful thought patterns. Get full access to...2023-06-2137 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 194: Dr. John Astin — Finding True Freedom in the Mystery of Each Moment My guest this week is Dr. John Astin, author of the excellent book, This Extraordinary Moment (affiliate link). John has a really mind-blowing way of seeing all of reality, as you’ll hear in this great conversation. We talked about familiar concepts from meditation and mindfulness—for example, awareness of reality and finding equanimity—but John expands the frame in a way that’s truly liberating. He shows again and again how the reality we usually take for granted is way more stunning than we can even imagine. The upshot of seeing with new eyes is that our happine...2023-06-0752 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 193: Colin Campbell — Finding Solace After Unfathomable LossMy guest this week is Colin Campbell. He wrote an amazing book called Finding the Words: Working Through Profound Loss with Hope and Purpose (affiliate link), about his experience of incredible grief and loss. I really enjoyed talking with Colin—as you'll hear, he's frank, down-to-earth, compassionate. I know you'll get a lot out of this conversation. Get full access to Think Act Be with Seth Gillihan at thinkactbe.substack.com/subscribe2023-05-2438 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 192: Dr. Mitch Greene — How to Manage Mind Chatter and Win the Mental GameMy guest this week is Dr. Mitch Greene. Mitch is a sport psychologist and this is his third time on the podcast. This time we talked about his great new book, which I enjoyed reading, called Courage Over Confidence: Managing Mind Chatter and Winning the Mental Game (affiliate link). This is a great conversation for any competitive athlete, at any level—from doing weekend 5Ks to Olympic competition. Get full access to Think Act Be with Seth Gillihan at thinkactbe.substack.com/subscribe2023-05-1037 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 191: Dr. Brie Turns-Coe — How to Be the Parent Your Child NeedsMy guest this week is Dr. Brie Turns-Coe, an associate professor of marriage and family therapy and author of the excellent new book, Parent the Child You Have, Not the Child You Were (affiliate link). Get full access to Think Act Be with Seth Gillihan at thinkactbe.substack.com/subscribe2023-05-0342 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 190: Dr. Jonah Paquette — Simple Practices to Build More Happiness in Your LifeMy guest this week is Dr. Jonah Paquette, author of Happily Even After (affiliate link), who is back for the fourth time on the podcast. Jonah is the happiness guru I turn to for exploring the science of well-being and flourishing. This time we focused on how to cultivate happiness more consistently in our lives—and why we tend to wait till we're seriously unhappy before using the practices that build positive emotions. As always it was a great discussion. Get full access to Think Act Be with Seth Gillihan at thinkactbe.substack.com/subscribe2023-04-2641 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 189: Dr. Willa Blythe Baker — Easing into the Natural Wakefulness of the Physical BodyMy guest this week is Dr. Willa Blythe Baker, author of an excellent book called The Wakeful Body (affiliate link). Willa and I had a great conversation about how the body draws us into connection with ourselves and with this moment. She had recently arrived in Hawaii, and you can hear the sounds of birds singing in the background! Get full access to Think Act Be with Seth Gillihan at thinkactbe.substack.com/subscribe2023-04-1239 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 188: Acharya Shunya — How to Find Your True Identity and Voice in the Divine FeminineMy guest this week is Acharya Shunya, author of the recent book, Roar Like a Goddess: Every Woman’s Guide to Becoming Unapologetically Powerful, Prosperous, and Peaceful (affiliate link). We had a great conversation about the divine feminine, finding your authentic voice, and living wholeheartedly and without apology. Get full access to Think Act Be with Seth Gillihan at thinkactbe.substack.com/subscribe2023-03-2238 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 187: Seth Gillihan — 16 Signs You Grew Up with a Lot of CriticismGrowing up with a highly critical parent can have long-lasting effects. In this week's episode I discuss 16 signs that you were raised with a lot of criticism. Toward the end of the episode I offer reason to hope, because these tendencies aren’t written in stone. With attention and practice you can learn new patterns. With that in mind, I describe a simple 3-step practice to learn a new way of relating to yourself. This exercise is adapted from my latest book, Mindful Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Get full access to Think Act Be with Seth Gillihan at t...2023-03-0825 minSeth J. Gillihan, PhD – Think Act BeEp. 187: Seth Gillihan — 16 Signs You Grew Up with a Lot of Criticism2023-03-0825 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 186: Amanda Gilbert 2 — How to Establish a Consistent Meditation PracticeMy guest this week is Amanda Gilbert, a meditation teacher, speaker, and author of a book called Kindness Now: A 28-Day Guide to Living with Authenticity, Intention, and Compassion (affiliate link). This was Amanda’s second time on the podcast and it was great to catch up with her. This time we focused our discussion around how to develop a consistent meditation practice. If you’ve felt drawn to meditation but have struggled to do it regularly, this conversation is for you. Get full access to Think Act Be with Seth Gillihan at thinkactbe.substack.com/subscri2023-03-011h 00
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 185: Dr. Joel Minden 8 — How to Stop Taking Things PersonallyMy guest this week is Dr. Joel Minden, a regular on the Think Act Be podcast. This time we focused on taking things less personally, whether we’re assuming people are upset with us when they’re not, or we’re blaming ourselves when things don’t work out, or anything else. We also talked about thinking errors, or cognitive distortions, that lead us to take things too personally. Toward the end we explored why we don’t have to see our own faults and limitations as personal failings. I think you’ll take a lot from this conversation. G...2023-02-1538 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 184: Dr. Jonah Paquette — How to Find Happiness by Cultivating Gratitude in Your Everyday LifeMy guest this week is Dr. Jonah Paquette, back for his third time on the podcast. As always it was great to speak with Jonah. This time we focused on his new book, Happily Even After (affiliate link), and especially on how gratitude contributes to happiness. I don’t know about you but I often feel like gratitude is an obligation—something that we’re supposed to do. So Jonah and I explored how to practice gratitude that’s freely given. I think you’ll take a lot from this discussion. Get full access to Think Act Be with S...2023-02-0149 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 183: Dr. Carla Naumburg — Parenting 4. How to Be OK in the ChaosMy guest this week is Dr. Carla Naumburg, whose new book is called You Are Not a Sh*tty Parent (affiliate link). We talked about how rare it is for parents to practice self-compassion, which can be a transformative experience. We also explored the difficulty with finding room for self-care, and how to make peace with the chaos that is parenting. Get full access to Think Act Be with Seth Gillihan at thinkactbe.substack.com/subscribe2023-01-1831 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 182: Dr. Seth Gillihan — 3 Simple Ways to Lower Daily Stress and Find RestStress is unavoidable, but we don’t have to be overwhelmed by it. In this week’s episode I offer three simple techniques for managing stress and finding true rest. These tools come from Mindful Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: A Simple Path to Healing, Hope, and Peace (affiliate link). I hope you find them useful! Get full access to Think Act Be with Seth Gillihan at thinkactbe.substack.com/subscribe2023-01-0418 minSeth J. Gillihan, PhD – Think Act BeEp. 182: Dr. Seth Gillihan — 3 Simple Ways to Lower Daily Stress and Find Rest2023-01-0418 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 181: Dr. Ilyse Dobrow DiMarco - Parenting 3. How to Let Go of Unrealistic ExpectationsMy guest this week is Dr. Ilyse Dobrow DiMarco. She’s a clinical psychologist and author of Mom Brain: Proven Strategies to Fight the Anxiety, Guilt, and Overwhelming Emotions of Motherhood—And Relax Into Your New Self (affiliate link). Ilyse specializes in helping parents, moms in particular, navigate the challenge and adventure of parenting. I love how she adapts the tools of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for parents. Ilyse obviously gets parenting from the inside, and offers recommendations that you can use in your own life. As always she shares super relatable wisdom in this episode. Get fu...2022-12-2138 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 180: Dr. Yael Schonbrun — Parenting 2. How to Thrive as a Working ParentMy guest this week is Dr. Yael Schonbrun, a clinical psychologist with an excellent new book entitled Work, Parent, Thrive: 12 Science-Backed Strategies to Ditch Guilt, Manage Overwhelm, and Grow Connection (When Everything Feels Like Too Much). This episode is part 2 in a 4-part series on parenting. As you’ll hear in our discussion, Yael has a gift for both/and thinking. She acknowledges the conflict between our roles as parents and people who work for pay, and also underscores the ways that these roles can be mutually enriching. Get full access to Think Act Be with Set...2022-12-0749 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 179: Dr. Rebecca Schrag Hershberg — Parenting 1. How to Parent More EffectivelyMy guest this week is Dr. Rebecca Schrag Hershberg, author of the excellent book for parents, The Tantrum Survival Guide (affiliate link). Rebecca shared some of her top tips for being a more effective parent, which starts with the simple recognition that we all struggle at times in our relationships with our kids. One of the biggest takeaways is about being present with our kids and finding ways to pause when emotions are high so that we can make better choices. (Which sounds a lot like what we try to help our kids with as parents!) Ge...2022-12-0138 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 178: Dr. Seth Gillihan — The Best Ways to Manage Excessive WorryThis week I’m flying solo on the podcast. It’s great to be back with you and I have a few updates since the last episode. I’ll also tell you more about my new book, Mindful Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which will be released on Dec. 6, 2022, and I read a passage from the first chapter. In the rest of the episode I share with you some of the most effective ways to manage constant and uncontrollable worry. Get full access to Think Act Be with Seth Gillihan at thinkactbe.substack.com/subscribe2022-11-2339 minSeth J. Gillihan, PhD – Think Act BeEp. 178: Dr. Seth Gillihan — The Best Ways to Manage Excessive Worry2022-11-2339 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 177: Dr. Rachel Turow — Stress 4: How to Practice Being a Better Friend to YourselfMy guest this week is Dr. Rachel Turow, author of the forthcoming book, The Self-Talk Workout: Six Science-Backed Strategies to Dissolve Self-Criticism and Transform the Voice in Your Head (affiliate link). In this final part of our series on managing stress, we explored how the way we talk to ourselves is closely tied to our stress levels. Rachel shared some powerful exercises for practicing self-kindness, including a guided exercise you can take part in. Toward the end she described ways to combine techniques to get the most out of them. Get full access to Think Act Be...2022-08-1736 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 176: Rebecca Ward — Stress 3. Tame Stress and Find Peace by Connecting with Your Deepest SelfMy guest this week is Rebecca Ward, author of the book The Paper Tiger Syndrome: How to Liberate Yourself from the Illusion of Fear (affiliate link). Rebecca has a lot of expertise in effective stress management, and we explored the somatic-based approach she uses to help people regulate their body in order to manage stress. We also discussed the vagus nerve, which plays a central role in how we deal with stress, and it's of special interest to me based on some of my own health challenges. Toward the end of the conversation we talked about ways to develop mo...2022-08-0336 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 175: Dr. Alice Boyes — Stress 2. How to Increase Your Productivity While Protecting Your HumanityMy guest this week is Dr. Alice Boyes, back on the podcast for the third time for our series on managing stress. I wanted to talk with Alice because she has a phenomenal new book called Stress-Free Productivity (affiliate link), and she shares lots of great advice for how to get things done without stressing yourself out. We also talked about how trauma can affect our stress reactions, and how to be more self-compassionate toward ourselves when we’re struggling. Alice is a good friend and a real expert in her field, so I’m happy to share her latest...2022-07-2041 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 174: Dr. Melissa Hunt — Stress 1. How to Reduce Stress and Relieve IBS with Cognitive Behavioral TherapyMy guest this week for Part 1 in our series on managing stress is clinical psychologist Dr. Melissa Hunt. We discussed her work on treating irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which is common, poorly understood, and rarely treated effectively. As Melissa described so well, unmanaged IBS can be incredibly distressing and debilitating. Fortunately there is effective treatment, including a protocol that Melissa developed based in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). She does a great job describing the big principles that this approach is based on, and why it’s so helpful. As we explored, stress is intimately connected to IBS, and finding more...2022-07-0642 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 173: Dr. Daisy Singla — Depression 4. Finding New Ways to Bring Effective Treatment to Those Who Need ItMy guest this week is clinical psychologist Dr. Daisy Singla. We talked about the exciting research that Daisy is doing, both in North America and throughout the world. I think what I love most about her work is that she’s finding truly innovative ways to address the global mental health care crisis. There are just too many of us in need of help to be able to meet these needs with the current model of long, expensive therapy with a highly trained specialist. Much of our conversation focused on interventions for perinatal depression, but the techniques that work in...2022-06-1526 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 172: Dr. Willem Kuyken — Depression 3. How Mindfulness Can Ease Depression and Make Life More FulfillingMy guest this week for part three of this series on depression is Dr. Willem Kuyken. He knows all about depression, both from his personal experience since early in life as well as from his extensive research. In this episode you’ll hear about mindfulness for depression, which Willem explains so clearly, and why it’s so helpful. The benefits of being mindful extend not just to managing depression but to all of life, including helping us to deal with life’s pain and disappointments that all of us will experience at times. Toward the end he shares one of his...2022-06-0835 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 171: Dr. Carissa Gustafson — Depression 2. How to Make Peace with Painful Feelings—and Still Find HopeMy guest this week is therapist and author Dr. Carissa Gustafson, who wrote an excellent book called Reclaim Your Life: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in 7 Weeks (affiliate link). We focused on using ACT to treat depression, since this is the second installment of our series on effective ways to manage depression. As you’ll hear, ACT is a form of cognitive behavioral therapy or CBT, but it has a really different emphasis, especially in how we deal with the negative thoughts that are so common and distressing in depression. Instead of working to change the thoughts themselves, we focus on...2022-06-0134 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 170: Dr. Steven Hollon — Depression 1. Surprising Insights about the Best Ways to Treat DepressionThis is the first part of a four-part series on depression, and my first guest in the series is Dr. Steven Hollon. As you’ll hear, Steve is extremely knowledgeable about the current state of depression research, and he shares some mind-blowing findings that go against some of the core assumptions about depression, like that it’s caused by low serotonin. We also talk about how well medication and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) work to treat depression, and why therapy is so much better at preventing the return of depression once treatment ends. Steve clearly knows his science, and he a...2022-05-2542 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 169: Dr. Joel Minden — 4. How to Apply Powerful Techniques for Reducing AnxietyMy guest this week is Dr. Joel Minden. He’s back for our series finale in this 4-part series on effective ways to manage anxiety. This time we applied his 3-step program from his book Show Your Anxiety Who’s Boss (affiliate link) to managing fear and anxiety in OCD, panic, and worry, including examples from my own life in these areas. As I try to make clear in our discussion, many people experience more severe versions of what I describe, and there’s no quick and easy fix for overwhelming anxiety. At the same time, the same typ...2022-05-1147 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 168: Dr. Joel Minden — 3. How to Accept and Redirect When Anxiety Runs HighMy guest this week is Dr. Joel Minden. He’s back for the third part of our four-part series on effective ways to manage anxiety, based on his book, Show Your Anxiety Who’s Boss (affiliate link). So if you’re dealing with a lot of anxiety, and are even feeling overwhelmed by anxiety, you’ll find a lot of guidance in this discussion for how you can find relief. We even talk some about how we can use humor to diffuse anxiety, and how Joel does that in his own life. As always I had a great talk with my fr...2022-05-0437 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 167: Dr. Joel Minden — 2. How to Overcome Anxiety and Avoidance by Moving Through Our FearsMy guest this week is Dr. Joel Minden. He’s back for part 2 of our 4-part series on finding peace when we’re overwhelmed by anxiety. We’re talking again about the approach he describes in his excellent book, Show Your Anxiety Who’s Boss. This time we focus on effective ways to face our fears to move through anxiety and conquer the anxious avoidance that can really shrink our lives. As always, Joel offers super helpful insights for conquering your anxiety. I’m especially a fan of his “do it anyway” mantra that we talk about in the second half. I...2022-04-2740 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 166: Dr. Joel Minden — 1. How to Deal More Effectively with Anxious ThoughtsMy guest this week is Dr. Joel Minden, back for his fourth time on the podcast and the first of a four-part series on anxiety. All the techniques we discuss are drawn from Joel’s fantastic book, Show Your Anxiety Who’s Boss (affiliate link). In this conversation we focus on effective ways to deal with anxious thoughts. As you’ll hear, Joel has some really helpful ways to get out of the anxious mental ruts we often find ourselves in. If you enjoy this conversation, be sure to check out the other three episodes in this series. 2022-04-2037 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 165: Nick Davies - How to Take Responsibility and Live a Better LifeMy guest this week is Nick Davies, a professional coach with twenty years of experience in the corporate world. Nick and I spoke before on the podcast, back in 2020. This time we focused on the importance of awareness and goals if we want to make real changes in our life. Toward the end, Nick shared some really great insights about how to find the right path if you’re not sure how to get started. Get full access to Think Act Be with Seth Gillihan at thinkactbe.substack.com/subscribe2022-02-2339 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 164: Shane Claiborne — What Does It Really Mean to Follow Jesus?My guest this week is Shane Claiborne, a sought-after speaker, beloved activist, and best-selling author. I had such a meaningful time talking with Shane and hearing his passion for connecting with other people and seeing through the false divisions that alienate us from each other, and really caring deeply for the most vulnerable among us. This conversation is for you if you’re a Christian, or you used to be, or you love someone who’s a Christian, or you hate Christianity, and especially if you’ve ever wondered if there’s more to being a Christian than just saying y...2022-02-0948 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 163: Janine Kwoh — How to Offer Yourself the Freedom to GrieveMy guest this week is Janine Kwoh, who has a new book called Welcome to the Grief Club. As you’ll hear, Janine has her own experience with heartbreaking grief that became the basis for this book. This conversation is for you if you’re dealing with your own loss of someone you loved, or if you want to learn more effective ways to help someone you love who’s hurting. I know there’s so much fear around saying the wrong thing, which can get in the way of really showing up for someone. Janine and I talk about how...2022-02-0246 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 162: Caroline Wright — How to Infuse Your Cooking with the Power to HealMy guest this week (for the second time) is Caroline Wright. Caroline has written a phenomenal book called Soup Club (affiliate link), and we talk in this episode about how food is so much more than calories and nutrients. It also feeds our spirits, and that may be especially true for soup. You’ll hear in our discussion how Caroline came up with the idea of an actual soup club, and why the recipes in her book are so successful, which I can vouch for personally. I think you’ll really enjoy our conversation. Get full acces...2022-01-2643 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 161: Dr. Jennifer Reid — How to Get the Best SleepMy guest this week is psychiatrist Dr. Jennifer Reid. We focused on how to fix insomnia, which Jenna and I both treat in our clinical practices. I’ve also been through years of poor sleep due to my health struggles, so I know firsthand what a drag it is when you just want to sleep but aren’t able to. Jenna and I discussed the best ways to get good sleep, and the downsides of many of the common sleep medications. The great news is that most people get a lot of benefit pretty quickly from a sleep treatment call...2022-01-1249 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 160: Dr. Stephen Schueller — How to Choose the Best Mental Health AppMy guest this week is Dr. Stephen Schueller, who’s been working in the field of digital interventions for the past fifteen years. I’ve been really interested in this area because of my own work with a mental health app called Bloom, so I was excited to talk with Stephen about his experience and perspective. One of the coolest things from our conversation was thinking about how to really get the most out of digital interventions—not just trying to recreate the standard therapy experience through a phone, but taking advantage of the unique possibilities that come with the di...2022-01-0549 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 159: Signe Myers Hovem — What Does It Mean to Be a True Empath?My guest this week is empath and author Signe Myers Hovem, who recently wrote The Space in Between: An Empath’s Field Guide (affiliate link). I was familiar with what it meant to be an empath before this conversation, but Signe does a lot to explain what the experience is actually like. Interestingly there are many people who don’t realize that they have empathic sensitivities, as well as people who think they’re empaths but really haven’t developed those abilities. We also discussed how to distinguish empathic intuition from other things like projection, anxiety, or bias. Toward the end of...2021-12-2251 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 158: Gary Pilarchik — Growing Your Physical and Mental Health in Your Modern Homestead GardenMy guest this week is Gary Pilarchik, author of the excellent new book The Modern Homestead Garden (affiliate link). Gary hosts The Rusted Garden channel on YouTube which guides viewers through all the steps in growing your own food. I love Gary’s no-nonsense, low-stress approach to gardening, and wasn’t surprised to learn that he had a background as a mental health therapist. His understanding of human psychology really comes across in his gardening videos, and in our discussion. I know you’ll get a lot out of it. Get full access to Think Act Be with...2021-12-1556 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 157: Dr. Ilia Delio — Discover the Fire of Divine Love in Everything You KnowMy guest this week is Dr. Ilia Delio. We had a great conversation based around her fascinating new book, The Hours of the Universe: Reflections on God, Science, and the Human Journey (affiliate link). Ilia has such an interesting background as both a scientist and a theologian, and she’s integrating these disciplines in ways that can breathe new life into issues of both science and faith. As you’ll hear, this is much deeper than trying to “reconcile” science and religion. I loved this discussion and I know you’ll get a lot out of it. Get full...2021-12-0847 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 156: Dr. Alice Boyes — How to Make Your Self-Care Practices More EffectiveMy guest this week is Dr. Alice Boyes, author of the forthcoming book Stress-Free Productivity (affiliate link; available March 2022). Alice was a guest on the podcast all the way back in episode 11, and as always she shares some great ways to improve your life. Alice has a powerful way of bringing together things that we might think of as opposites—especially self-care and productivity. She shares a lot of the practices that she finds most helpful herself, and she also explains why self-compassion is so important for motivation and self-improvement. Get full access to Think Act Be...2021-12-0149 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 155: Jennifer Shannon — How to Let Go of Your Impossibly High Standards of PerfectionismMy guest this week is Jennifer Shannon, author of the new book, The Monkey Mind Workout for Perfectionism (affiliate link). Jennifer and I explored what perfectionism is, which may be different from what you think. It includes all the ways we rigidly hold ourselves to unrealistic standards. Jennifer offers many simple and effective ways to let go of perfectionism, which you’ll hear about in this episode. When we’re able to let go of our perfectionistic impulses, we can experience less stress and anxiety, which is the natural result of treating ourselves more kindly. Get full ac...2021-11-1744 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 154: Pamela Seelig — How to Bathe Your Mind and Body in the Chemistry of RelaxationMy guest this week is Pamela Seelig, author of the recent book Threads of Yoga: Themes, Reflections, & Meditations to Weave into Your Practice (affiliate link). Pam and I talked a lot about the healing and stress relief we can find through yoga, and also about the deeper spiritual elements that are available through the practice. I appreciated thinking with her about the intersections between yoga and religion, especially the Christianity I grew up in. We also discussed why savasana, or the corpse pose we usually do at the end of a yoga session, is the most important pose. 2021-11-0349 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 153: Shelly Tygielski — How to Make the Powerful Shift from"What If?" to "Why Not?"My guest this week is Shelly Tygielski, author of the recent book, Sit Down to Rise Up: How Radical Self-Care Can Change the World. Shelly is doing some really remarkable things, though she insists that anyone can do the things she does if we’re just willing to show up as ourselves and take some risks. What she’s doing is even more remarkable when you hear about the illness that she’s had to deal with for the past twenty years or so. But then again, our struggles often make us who we are, and lead us to places w...2021-10-2755 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 152: Dr. Kristin Kobes Du Mez — God, the Flag, and Sex Manuals in White Evangelical ChristianityMy guest this week is Dr. Kristin Kobes Du Mez, author of a recent book called Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation. We explored the definition of an “evangelical,” which apparently I was for the first half of my life (without realizing it), and themes of a patriarchal, male-centered, even toxic masculinity that pervades many evangelical circles. We also considered how it is that evangelical Christianity became so wrapped up in notions of patriotism, military strength, and other things that don’t necessarily come from the life and message of Jesus Christ...2021-10-131h 15
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 151: Amanda Gilbert — How to Find Deep Peace and Contentment Here and NowMy guest this week is Amanda Gilbert, author of the recent book, Kindness Now: A 28-Day Guide to Living with Authenticity, Intention, and Compassion. As Amanda and I discussed, we could all do with a little more kindness right now—for ourselves, for others, for the world. She introduces the traditional Buddhist heart practices known as the brahma-viharas: loving-kindness, compassion, appreciative joy, and equanimity. The practices she offers will help you to be more resilient in the face of common stressors and triggers in everyday life, including anxiety, feelings of depression, imposter syndrome, and social media comparison effects—and can inspire...2021-10-061h 05
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 150: Kristen Manieri — Trading Safety and Comfort for Being Fully AliveMy guest this week is Kristen Manieri, author of the new book Better Daily Mindfulness Habits: Simple Changes with Lifelong Impact. This was a really interesting conversation that went some directions I hadn’t expected—especially on the topic of mindfulness—that I found really clarifying. One intriguing question we considered together: Should it be relaxing to practice mindfulness and meditation? As Kristen described, it’s not necessarily a comfortable or safe process to fully wake up, and yet it’s the only way to be fully alive. We also explored the importance of connecting with ourselves and our bodies, and...2021-09-2953 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 149: Dr. Ilyse Dobrow DiMarco — How to Deal with Mom Brain and the Overwhelming Emotions of MotherhoodMy guest this week is Dr. Ilyse Dobrow DiMarco. She’s a clinical psychologist and she has a new book called Mom Brain: Proven Strategies to Fight the Anxiety, Guilt, and Overwhelming Emotions of Motherhood—And Relax Into Your New Self. We talked about what mom brain actually is—which is very different from the pop culture ideas about it. She also shares about how to deal with the resentment that many moms feel about all the invisible work they do for the family, and how to manage the common thought processes that contribute to mothers’ stress and anxiety. Ilyse do...2021-09-221h 03
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 148: Dr. Karen Saporito — How to Find Help for ADHD That Doesn't Fit the StereotypesMy guest this week is clinical psychologist Dr. Karen Saporito. Karen has a particular interest and specialty in diagnosing and treating kids and adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, and autism spectrum disorder. We focused in this conversation on ADHD. I know from my own clinical work that this is a really important topic that doesn’t get enough attention. There are so many people who are struggling to finish assignments in school, or organize their home lives, or meet the deadlines and demands of work, or get places on time, and they don’t real...2021-09-1548 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 147: Dr. Carmen McLean — How Does Effective Trauma Treatment Heal the Body and Brain?My guest this week is Dr. Carmen McLean, who specializes in treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder or PTSD. She recently co-authored a book called Retraining the Brain: Applied Neuroscience in Exposure Therapy for PTSD. It was great to get Carmen’s take on how effective treatment works and how we can support the body and brain’s natural ability to heal following a trauma. I shared some about my own experience recovering from a traumatic assault, and we explored how powerful it can be to face our trauma-related fears and memories systematically, as we do in cognitive behavioral therapy. Towa...2021-09-0859 min
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 123: Malachi Gillihan — How to Let Life Live Through You After TraumaMy guest this week is my brother, Malachi Gillihan. He’s currently doing graduate work in east-west psychology, studying the intersection of trauma and spirituality. So we talked a lot about that connection (which builds on my conversation with Jonah Paquette in last week’s episode). We also got into issues like Steve Porges’s polyvagal theory, the harsh self-judgments we often make after trauma, and what it means to say yes to all of life. It hope you find our discussion to be helpful. Get full access to Think Act Be with Seth Gillihan at thinka...2021-02-031h 08
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 116: What Does Love Look Like When Our Politics Clash?I have a different kind of discussion for you this week. My guests are my brother, Timothy Gillihan, and my mom, Carolyn Gillihan. I invited them on to talk about their political differences, which came up recently in the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election. I want to do what I can to promote civil dialogue, and this conversation is one step in that direction. For full disclosure in where I stand, I’m registered as an Independent and I voted for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, though I’m a neutral third party in this discussion. Get...2020-12-091h 18Seth J. Gillihan, PhD – Think Act BeEp. 116: Tim Gillihan & Carolyn Gillihan — What Does Love Look Like When Our Politics Clash?2020-12-091h 18
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 55: Dr. Yonder Gillihan — What Is There to Love About the Bible?My guest this week is Dr. Yonder Gillihan, a professor of Theology with special expertise in the Dead Seas Scrolls. He's also my older brother, so our discussion included some of our personal history with religion and the Bible, and what it was like growing up as preacher's kids in a fundamentalist Christian home. Yonder describes how his relationship with the Bible has changed over the past four decades, and how he not only made peace with the Bible but even made friends with it. Get full access to Think Act Be with Seth Gillihan at...2019-08-141h 10
Think Act Be PodcastEp. 36: Charlie Gillihan — How to Survive the Challenges of Medical TrainingMy guest this week is my brother Charlie Gillihan, who will graduate from medical school soon. We explored the slow evolution of medical training in the US, what it takes to become a doctor, the high rates of burnout and suicide among physicians, and what to look for in a great primary care doctor. Get full access to Think Act Be with Seth Gillihan at thinkactbe.substack.com/subscribe2019-04-031h 42