Episodes

All of us own a life story that reflects a legacy of events we have received from the generations before us and that we will pass on to future generations. In this episode, Elaine Cooper, LCSW, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and author of LET'S ALL HOLD HANDS AND DROP DEAD: Three Generations - One Story, invites us to understand and identify intergenerational trauma, its impact, how we heal and even change the legacy. Drawing upon experience, established research, clinical and group expertise,...

Have you ever knocked on wood, disliked someone because of his name, or bought an object owned by a famous person? This episode will surprise and inform you. In it, Matthew Hutson, MIT trained science writer, will explain the seven rules of magical thinking and how we use irrational beliefs based upon them to keep us happy, healthy and sane. He will consider the role of superstitions, the Lake Wobegon effect, the fear of being Jinxed, the feeling that things happen for a reason and more. It is a...

There is nothing easy about divorce and despite the statistics, it is a journey that most people don’t want to take. In this episode, Audrey Cade, author of Divorce Matters: Help for Hurting Hearts and Why Divorce is Sometimes the Best Decision, offers a very realistic look at the When, Why and How of Coping with Divorce. With the wisdom of someone who has been through it, this matriarch of a blended family of eight is as clear about the need to take steps to try save your marriage as she is rea...

According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, nearly 20 people per minute in the U.S. are physically abused by an intimate partner. Our guest, Betty Hafner is one of those who suffered. A teacher, counselor, and author, Betty will draw upon her beautiful but terrifying book, Not Exactly Love: A Memoir. She will give us the insider’s view of the dark and complex trap of Domestic Violence. You will hear about bruises on her wedding day, necessary denial, frozen fear, cycles of lov...

In this episode, Tom Matt, author and acclaimed radio host of Bommer’s Rock on six Michigan radio stations, draws upon his own battle with drugs and alcohol and the personal life changes he has made to pass forward the lesson learned -“It is never too late to change!” From young people who feel stuck to Baby Boomers anxious about life after retirement, he discusses roadblocks and well a ways to redefine and revitalize self. In the back and forth with Host Suzanne Phillips, he will draw upon exam...

In this Episode, Dr. John Duffy, the author of the best selling book, The Available Parent: Expert Advice for Raising Successful and Resilient Teens and Tweens, addresses the questions and concerns that parents always ask or are too afraid to ask “Where did we go wrong?” “Why is her goal to torture us?” John Duffy defines and describes the role of an Available Parent in the context of adolescent development. He clarifies the common parent/teen clashes in terms of the physical, social and psychol...

Many aspects of our culture perpetuate the Casanova Myth, the belief that what most young men want is sex with as many women as possible without concern for the women or any goal of commitment. Is it true? Do you believe it? Do young men and women believe it? In this episode, Dr. Andrew Smiler, licensed therapist and expert on boys, men, and masculinity, will draw upon his fascinating book, Challenging Casanova: Beyond The Stereotypes of the Promiscuous Young Male, to consider what young men rea...

In this episode, Ken Page, LCSW, psychotherapist and author of the bestseller, Deeper Dating: How to Drop the Games of Seduction and Discover the Power of Intimacy invites you to give up the need to be marketable or perfect and to instead identify and embrace your core gifts. He offers the steps from embracing an authentic self to recognizing the difference between attractions of deprivation and attractions of inspiration. Drawing upon his own life and many vivid examples, Ken Page guides you th...

In this episode, Dr. Suniya Luthar reports on the findings of a survey study of 2.247 well-educated mothers whose children ranged in age from infants to early adults. Dr. Luthar and her colleague, Dr. Ciciolla wondered if the mothers’ adjustment and wellbeing changed over the course of their child’s development. Their findings are surprising. They find that the moms of children in middle school are the most stressed and report feeling lonely, empty and dissatisfied in their parenting role. Liste...

What does Compulsive Shopping have to do with a trip to Africa to help teens prevent HIV? Quite a bit, as you’ll hear. In this show, Dr. Benson, nationally known expert in the study and treatment of compulsive buying disorder, first helps us recognize and address the compulsive shopping patterns that persist long after holiday shopping is finished. She describes the rationalizations to buy, the warning signs, as well as strategies and treatment programs for change. Dr. Benson then invites us int...

In this episode Dr. Craig Haen and Dr. Seth Aronson, psychologists, child and adolescent experts and Fellows of the American Group Psychotherapy Association draw upon their clinical experience and their new edited book, The Handbook of Child and Adolescent Group Therapy to offer an understanding of the power of groups for helping and healing children and adolescents. They address the developmental needs that groups offer any child and the curative factors of different therapeutic group models fo...

In this episode Dr. Gillihan will discuss his new book, Retrain the Brain: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in 7 weeks. Dr. Gillihan will clarify the way in which thoughts, feelings and behaviors interact to play a role in actually increasing anxiety and depression; but, how people suffering from mild to moderate anxiety and depression can take steps to bring about changes. Be it panic attacks, fear of flying, or self-defeating procrastination, he will point out examples from this 7 week program tha...

Anorexia Nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by self-starvation. Both professionally and in the public eye, this disorder has been associated with females. In reality, 25% of those suffering are males; but as a group, they have been overlooked, misdiagnosed or misinformed. In this episode, Dr. Tom Wooldridge, Psychologist, Eating Disorder Expert, Clinician and author discusses his groundbreaking book, Understanding Anorexia Nervosa in Males. In the discussion with host, Suzanne Phillips,...

The idea for this episode comes from the work of Robyn D’Angelo who is the creator of the recent series “How to Love your Partner-- Mastering the Messiness of Couplehood Together.” In that series, Robyn filmed interviews with herself and 22 love experts on everything from the misunderstood partner to the angry partner. Host Suzanne Phillips was one of those experts. In this Psych Up Live episode, Robyn and two of her experts, Heather Sequin and John Harrison join host Suzanne Phillips to share v...

In this podcast, Filmmaker Susan Sipprelle of “Set for Life” and “ Over 50 and Out of Work” discusses her important documentary, “ Soldier On: Life After Deployment.” This feature length documentary chronicles with honesty and humor the challenges that three post-9/11 female veterans face readjusting to civilian life after their deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. Susan Sipprelle is joined on the show by one of the female veterans featured in the film, Natasha Young. In the back and forth with ...

In this episode, Dr. Andrew Smiler, licensed therapist and an expert on boys, men, and masculinity, will discuss his new and important book, Dating and Sex: A Guide for the 21st Century Teen Boy. In a culture of easy access to porn, sexual violence on campus and the condemnation of sexual predators, there is both mystification and intimidation for male teens about sexuality and dating. As such, Dr. Smiler addresses the topics and the questions that too often go unanswered: What is sexual consent...

Have you ever been dismissed because you were considered too young, or ignored because you were deemed too old? If so, you have experienced Ageism, stereotyping and discrimination based on age. In this show, author activist, Ashton Applewhite will raise our consciousness about age discrimination with research, humor and personal references. Drawing upon her acclaimed book, This Chair Rocks: A Manifesto Against Ageism, her powerful discussion and examples will make it clear “that chronological ag...

In this episode, Dr. Ken Carter returns to Psych Up Live to look closer at risk taking and sensation seeking. Is the person who will take a risk in business similar to the person who loves extreme sports? Are risk taking and sensation or thrill seeking different personality traits? Are they inter-related? Do men and women differ in these traits? Are they genetic traits or family fostered dynamics? Is our neurophysiology different when we put ourselves in danger for the thrill of it as opposed to...

We are often told to reach for our dreams and that the only real risk in life is never trying. This is the story of MJ Marggraff, a woman who decided to reach for her dream. In midlife, this wife and mother of two young children decided to take flying lessons. Her story of becoming a pilot is a story of fear, excitement, guilt, harassment, challenge and joy. It is a story that reveals how reaching for your dream impacts everyone you know and love in different ways. Whether you are a pilot, you l...

We hear a great deal in the media about narcissism. If you have ever wondered if the person you work for, the man you are dating or the friend who knows everything is a narcissist, listen in. On this show Dr. Joseph Burgo, psychologist and author of the book, The Narcissist You Know: Defending Yourself Against Extreme Narcissists in an All-About Me Age, will draw upon his clinical experience and fascinating examples to discuss the Narcissist. He will make clear the tell tale signs of narcissism,...

We are the story we tell ourselves about ourselves. Our stories directly impact how we feel, our behavior and how we treat ourselves and others. Often we relive painful events and add more pain and drama to the story we tell ourselves and others. In this episode, Bruce Van Horn, bestselling author, speaker, leadership coach and cancer conqueror offers us a mini version of his important program, “Re-Story You!” Listen in to the back and forth with Bruce Van Horn and host, Suzanne Phillips to re-c...

As we approach the 15th Anniversary of 9-11, we are reminded of the countless children who have faced life-threatening circumstances from war, terrorist attack, natural disasters and refugee crisis. In this episode Sue Badeau, nationally known speaker, writer and consultant for traumatized children brings her perspective as a mother of 22 children and years of expertise with child welfare, the juvenile justice systems, the Council on Adoptable Children and the National Child Traumatic Stress Net...

This episode is special because it is part of a double show. In this show, Host Suzanne Phillips welcomes Sandra Reich, “Host of Straight Talk with Sandra Reich on Voice America” as her guest on Psych Up Live to discuss issues related to Sandra’s bestselling book, Once upon a Time-How Cinderella Grew Up and Became a Happy Empowered Woman, co-authored with Matte Gomez. Later that evening, Dr. Suzanne Phillips appears as the guest on Sandra Reich’s show to continue the conversation with a twist, '...

How do you get along with your adult siblings? Are you like friends? Have you stopped talking or connecting with siblings? No matter what the relationship, you are not alone. In this episode, Dr. Geoffrey Greif, professor and author, returns to Psych Up Live with his new co-authored book, Adult Sibling Relationships.In the show, Dr. Greif draws upon his personal interviews with people over 45 and people's responses to The Lifespan Sibling Relationship Scale to share the stories and reasons peopl...