Psych Bytes

It's the day after our county issued a "Stay at Home" mandate. I'm running along a greenway on a warm March morning when I hear an alarm and a pre-recorded voice blaring near the playground at Freedom Park. The voice is instructing people to leave the playground as it has basically been deemed unsafe by health and safety, in light of the pandemic. How apocalyptic: not dangerous because of faulty, recalled, or broken equipment but because the virus can survive for up to 72 hours on hard shiny surfaces (which you would think would be the antithesis for sustaining life; although viruses are debatably living organisms…). At the tennis courts, I turn around and run back, this time closer to the playground, to catch a glimpse of what is really going on here. The siren and announcement are no longer sounding, but there are police vehicles in the parking lot, and the monkey bars, slides, and swings — which most mornings would be swarming with young healthy bodies — are completely empty. Although I am

Virtual Happy Hours via Zoom, Google Hangouts, or any other online meetup space is too enticing for an extrovert to pass up. It’s everything you’ve been wanting after being cooped up in your home. Cooped up either all by yourself, with a partner who you love, but in recent weeks, have seen waaaaaaay too much of, or with children you’ve been “homeschooling”. I emphasize the quotation marks in “homeschooling”...because some days, I just can’t. I mean, on my most busy work-from-home days, I still manage to become my child’s teacher, cafeteria chef, and physical education coach. After “work hours”, I’m back on duty with dinner, family time, and next day prep. By the end of the day, I’m ready for a hardy spirit. If you’re anything like me: trying to find balance in this new normal or just trying to cope during these uncertain times, I know you’ve had a drink at home more than a couple of nights. (Picture me tilting my head, pursing my lips, and giving you the side-eye.) But that can’t compare

“I can’t believe it is already mid-July.” “[Insert name of child] has gotten so big! How did that happen? When did that happen??” “Today flew by. I feel like I got nothing done. Why does life go so fast?” “I wrote down 2016 instead of 2017 on a document at work today.” “Was college really [amount of years since your graduation] ago?! I don’t believe it.” “Every time I get on Facebook there is a new engagement, wedding, or baby on my feed. When did my friends start growing up?” Is Your Life Moving Too Fast? Have you caught yourself saying or thinking some of these statements in the past 2 weeks? Well, don’t worry because you are not alone. The older I have become the faster I realized that each day and week will go by faster than the previous one. I was once told that there is a ratio for time, which is... This ratio is changing EVERY DAY! For example, when we are one year old, one year probably feels like exactly that- a full, long year. Do you remember wat

Loneliness affects up to 3 out of 5 adults in the United States. For children, one out of every 10 reports having no friends. New research shows the health effects of loneliness are comparable to risk factors such as smoking cigarettes! Loneliness can seriously compromise physical health and quality of life – even leading to an earlier death. The U.K. recognized social isolation as such an issue, they appointed a Minister of Loneliness. Given this clear crisis, The Rabbit Effect author Dr. Kelli Harding concludes, “The data seems crystal clear: It’s time to take socializing as seriously as exercise, diet, and sleep.” Aside from physical health, here are a few other ways loneliness impacts us... Social Media Americans appear to be lonelier than ever, with Gen Z experiencing the most loneliness all of the generations. Despite more ways to connect with others, such as social media, social isolation is increasing. In fact, some research has found that decreasing social media use actually

In this episode of the Psych Bytes podcast, Myque Harris, LPC, and Tarik Sloussi, LPC, discuss the powerful benefits behind meditation. Myque also walks us through a guided meditation exercise that you can use daily to relax your mind, increase your focus, and live mindfully.

The Psychology of Music Why does music resonate so much with the human brain? In this episode of the Psych Bytes podcast, Craig Pohlman, Ph.D., and Jennifer Fights, LPC, discuss the psychology of music.

In this episode of the Psych Bytes podcast, Dr. Craig Pohlman and Jennifer Fights, LPC, talk about gaslighting, narcissism, and The Cluster of F**ks. Don't forget to subscribe to the Psych Bytes podcast so you get notified whenever we drop a new episode! For more information on gaslighting, continue reading our article. What is Gaslighting? Gaslighting is defined as psychologically manipulative behavior used by someone attempting to undermine another person's reality by denying facts, discounting the obvious, and invalidating the other person's feelings. Gaslighters use tactics such as persistent denial, misdirection, and lying to destabilize their victims and delegitimize the victim's beliefs. People often gaslight to stay in control of a situation or avoid truly dealing with the feelings of the other person or conflict they deem uncomfortable. Examples of Gaslighting Now that you understand what gaslighting is, it's time to become masterful at identifying it in real-world interact

Holiday Horror Stories: How to Survive The Holiday Season This time of year, it would be nice to have an episode focused on peace, love, and holiday cheer... But this is NOT that episode. For many people the holidays are not so merry, so we are leaning into that by sharing some grim stories from folks you might expect to be perfectly well-adjusted and strongly connected to family and friends. Yes, these horror stories are shared by mental health professionals! Sure, we are trained to help people through challenging times, including the holidays, but we are humans too and we have baggage! In this episode of the Psych Bytes podcast, Dr. Craig Pohlman and Jennifer Fights, LPC, listen to three different holiday horror stories and share mental health tips to survive the holiday season!

In this episode of the Psych Bytes podcast, we discuss trigger warnings, snowflakes, and safe spaces, specifically in the workplace or education system. Before we jump into the episode, let's discuss some of these terms from a mental health perspective and our feelings/beliefs on these terms. Trigger Warnings, Snowflakes, and Safe Spaces From a mental health perspective, a trigger warning is a psychological stimulus that can very clearly be pointed to a thing (it can be a certain person, place, situation, circumstance, etc.) and how that thing "triggers" an individual's identifiable trauma. Our problem with the term "trigger warning" is that this term and phrase has been watered down. This very important term was (and still is) used as a psychological "cause and effect" for trauma. Nowadays, people use trigger warnings to describe when they are uncomfortable or upset with a particular situation. For an individual actually struggling with a traumatic event, let's say PTSD, this significantl

What is prison really like? In this episode, we are talking about incarceration - mental health implications and issues related to re-entry into society. Craig Pohlman, Ph.D., Jennifer Fights, LPC, will discuss the history of incarceration in the United States. They also have an in-depth discussion with special guest Gemini Boyd (founder of Project Bolt), who was incarcerated for 20 years and is grappling with the challenges of re-entry. Support Gemini Boyd and Project Bolt through the following ways: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ProjectBOLT/Twitter - https://twitter.com/boyd_geminiEmail - jboyd0818@gmail.com Recommended Readings to Learn More About the History of Our Criminal Justice System, Incarceration, and Mental Health Black Codes (United States) - WikipediaSouthern Program Continued Slavery Long After the Civil War - Stephanie BuckDoes An Exception Clause in 13th Amendment Still Permit Slavery? - Becky LittleConvict Lease System - Digital HistoryIt Happened in Flo

Tribalism and Groupthink: Unite for the Right Reasons In this episode of the Psych Bytes podcast, Craig Pohlman, Ph.D., and Jennifer Fights, LPC, are discussing tribalism and groupthink. They explain how and why we divide ourselves along political and cultural fault lines. Tribalism can be a real problem. So, how can we recognize our own tribalism and put an end to this phenomenon? Here are our 8 tips to put an end to tribalism: 8 Ways to Put an End to Tribalism: Ask yourself what makes you an individual. What makes you special? What makes you unique? Remember, you ARE different from others in your "tribe" Embrace a level of skepticism. Be willing to question your own beliefs and consider the beliefs of others. Maybe you're wrong. Maybe the other tribe is wrong. Who knows, you might both be right and you might both be wrong! Be skeptical! Expose yourself to contradictory ideas. There are many different views, ideas, and beliefs in the world. Expose yourself to different viewpoints. Pr

Rest for the Weary: Mental Health Benefits of Downtime How rested do you feel right now? Americans, in particular, are struggling with rest. The United States produces a lot of research on the benefits of downtime, yet our country seems to be the one receiving the least amount of time off. In this episode of the Psych Bytes podcast, Craig Pohlman, Ph.D., and Jennifer Fights, LPC, analyzes a few reasons why Americans are getting less rest. They also share practical tips and tricks on how to ensure that your downtime is spent wisely!

From Chaos to Calm: The Practice of Mindfulness Mindfulness is a popular buzzword these days. It’s written about in blogs, discussed on podcasts, and encouraged at corporate retreats. But what is mindfulness and how should we go about understanding it and incorporating into our daily lives? In this episode of the Psych Bytes Podcast, Craig Pohlman, Ph.D., and Jennifer Fights, LPC, do a deep dive into the history, psychology, and benefits of mindfulness!

Why do we find things funny? In this episode of the Psych Bytes Podcast, Craig Pohlman, Ph.D., and Jennifer Fights, LPC, do a deep dive into the psychology of humor.

Hi everyone! I'm Leia Charnin, a counseling psychologist here at Southeast Psych, and I'm going to be talking to you today about psychology. I know, shocking! When clients come into the office they're often times questioning about different ways of working in therapy and these questions can come up about what different methods of therapy are. For example, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), acceptance commitment therapy (ACT); all these different terms that we throw around within our field. I'm a therapist who does both individual and group therapy and I focus on issues related to anxiety, depression, and trauma. Within those domains, there's a lot of acronyms that we tend to throw around that may confuse people. With that being said, Psych Bytes decided to create a series called “The ABCs of Psychology.” Our goal with this series is to create a more conversational dialogue about the different modalities of therapy so you are more informed and aware. I'm

Is social media good? Is social media bad? How much information is too much information to share with social networks? In this episode of the Psych Bytes podcast, Craig Pohlman, Ph.D., and Jennifer Fights, LPC, discuss both the positive and negative effects of social media.

What does it mean to be a family? Some exclude families to only parents and blood relatives. Others define families as people who you genuinely love, trust, and care about. In this episode of the Psych Bytes Podcast, Craig Pohlman, Ph.D., and Jennifer Fights, LPC, share their thoughts and definitions on the term "family" and share practical tips on how you can overcome challenges and obstacles that many "families" face. How do you define family? In honor of March Madness, we created a "March Family Madness" bracket. Each conference is sorted by "a type" of family, those types being: Animated Families, Sitcom Families, Reality TV Families, and Chosen Families. Make your selections below based on YOUR definition of family. Don't forget to share your results and let us know why you selected your champion family. Note: If you cannot see the bracket below, click on this link. var eventMethod = window.addEventListener ? "addEventListener" : "attachEvent"; var messageEvent = eventMethod

The dating landscape is constantly changing due to societal factors, personal values, and of course, technology. With hundreds of dating apps and websites flooding the market, connecting with likeminded individuals has never been easier! But why do so many helpless romantics struggle with finding true love? In this episode of the Psych Bytes podcast, Craig Pohlman, Ph.D., and Jennifer Fights, LPC, analyze the current dating landscape and share practical tips on how you can level up in the dating game and find true love.