Avsnitt
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Tyler Whitmer is an Assistant Athletic Director of Olympic Sports Performance at Boise State University. Tyler was a high school athlete who became intensely interested in sports performance when he had a unique opportunity to train at the Denver Broncos training center. As he transitioned to college, he discovered that he could have a career in this area and eventually accepted a graduate assistantship at the University of Kansas. Tyler discussed how his experiences at KU and at several small universities helped him grow as a person and coach. We discussed how athletics provides a range of experiences that can be both beneficial and potentially harmful for men, depending on the culture and what is modeled for men by coaches and mentors. Tyler mentioned a personal and professional shift that occurred for him during COVID that led him to develop a program called Get Reps. Get Reps is a group focused on helping male athletes consider what it means to be a good man and targeting some skills deficits that he has noticed in the athletes he works with. Finally, we discuss how helping men helps the entire community and some resources for those interested in the intersection between masculinities and athletics.
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Dr. Ronald Levant is a Professor Emeritus at the University of Akron and a former president of the American Psychological Association and the APA’s Division 51. Ron discussed his challenges as an adolescent and that his pathway was not one that would have necessarily led him to college and graduate training at some of the world’s most prestigious universities. He discussed challenges as an adolescent in school and in his family, including being expelled from one high school. A small circumstance resulted in Ron taking a college admission test and then attending UC Berkeley and later Harvard. Ron discussed some of his contributions, such as his work on normative male alexithymia and his research on fathers. He provided some context for how he developed the idea for the normative male alexithymia hypothesis. Finally, Ron discussed some ideas about how we can move the field forward by addressing several areas, such as men’s self-compassion and sense of shame.
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Saknas det avsnitt?
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Jeff Matsushita is the director of the Engaging Men Project at Boise State University. We initially discussed the origins of Jeff’s interest in working with men, which occurred after watching the film Tough Guise as an undergraduate student. He became increasingly interested in men and masculinity and formal work with groups of men. He eventually took a position with the Idaho Coalition Against Domestic Violence, which was quite formative for him. He also has worked with the national group A Call to Men, which similarly works to decrease rates of gender-based violence by engaging men directly. Jeff reflects on mentors who have helped him grow in his work and personally and how his professional work on engaging men has impacted him personally. At the end of the conversation, Jeff provides some helpful guidance on resources for those further interested in the work he discussed of engaging boys in men to decrease gender-based violence.
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In this episode Eric interviews Mona Xu from Idaho State University in Pocatello, ID. Our discussion covers various topics, from mentoring graduate students and the meaningful relationships formed to navigating higher education's political and social climate. Mona shares her journey of coming out as queer and non-binary and the importance of self-care and community care within academia. The conversation also delves into the challenges and future of higher education amid political tensions and demographic shifts.
[Note. Portions of the show notes were generated by Descript AI.]
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In this holiday message, PsychSessions co-host Garth Neufeld invites listeners to consider support of the podcast by making an end-of-the-year tax-deductible donation at www.psychsessions.org/donations.
PsychSessions provides free professional development to psychology instructors all over the world!
Thanks for listening!
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In this episode Eric interviews Karenna Malavanti from Baylor University in Waco, TX. Karenna discusses issues faced by non-tenure track faculty and her recent presentation with Melissa Maffeo on supporting teaching-focused faculty in higher education. This wide-ranging interview touches on topics such as roles in higher ed, the advocacy needed for non-tenure track positions, Karenna's contributions to Psi Chi, and her background and teaching experiences. This episode delves into the importance of aligning professional work with personal values and the support needed from tenured colleagues to advocate for non-tenure track faculty members.
[Note. Portions of the show notes were generated by Descript AI.]
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In this episode Eric interviews Ashley Waggoner Denton from the University of Toronto in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. We discuss Ashley's session on what psychology majors do after graduation, her career course, and teaching challenges with large student groups. Ashley shares her experience as an international student in the U.S. and her work in various service roles, including her involvement with APA's Committee for Associate and Baccalaureate Education (CABE). They also touch on issues related to budget constraints in higher education and the camaraderie within the psychology teaching community.
[Note. Portions of the show notes were generated by Descript AI.]
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In this episode Garth and Eric spend some time together discussing the current state of the podcast. They discuss future endeavors, including upcoming workshops and an innovative AI series. They delve into the importance of high-quality audio for teaching and accessibility and leveraging AI tools like Suno and Gamma for education. The duo also underscores the value of providing students diverse ways of expressing their knowledge. Throughout the conversation, they reflect on the journey of PsychSessions and how their venture has expanded to highlight other educators' voices in psychology.
[Note. Portions of the show notes were generated by Descript AI.]
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In this episode Eric interviews Deb Briihl from Valdosta State University in Valdosta, GA. They discuss Deb’s longstanding career since 1994, roles at Valdosta State, and her path from coordinating the undergraduate psychology program to teaching various subjects, including a recent flip of her History of Psychology class. Deb shares personal insights about career challenges, the bittersweet aspects of change, and her and her husband's considerations about retirement. They delve into exploring new hobbies, with Deb describing her interest in barbecuing and brewing. The episode closes with a personal anecdote about Deb’s “train kiss” tattoo, symbolizing a tender moment with her husband.
[Note. Portions of the show notes were generated by Descript AI.]
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On October 14, 2024, Philip Zimbardo passed away at his home in San Francisco, CA, at the age of 91. He was an emeritus faculty member at Stanford University. We pay tribute here at PsychSessions by re-releasing his interview with Garth, originally released as Episode 050 on January 8, 2019.
Original show notes:
In this episode Garth interviews Philip Zimbardo from Stanford University (emeritus) in Stanford, CA. It's a treat to hear Phil discuss how he became such a passionate teacher, with his upbringing, family values about education, and undergraduate/graduate years (Brooklyn College/Yale University). The interplay of his teaching leading to research (think: shyness work) is fascinating, and just wait until you hear about the grade he earned in introductory psychology, and as always, so much more.
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In this episode Garth interviews Wind Goodfriend from Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, IA.
Discussing her personal challenges, such as undiagnosed mental health issues and her keen interest in social justice from an early age, Wind reveals how these experiences shaped her career path. She talks about her contributions to psychology education, including designing courses on the psychology of cults and co-authoring textbooks emphasizing mental health stigma and other socially relevant topics. She also highlights her innovative classroom strategies and views on current educational dynamics. They also touch on her upcoming projects, including a documentary series on cults and a book on the psychology of 'The Handmaid's Tale.' This episode offers insights into the intersections of personal narrative, psychology education, and social change.
[Note. Portions of the show notes were generated by Descript AI.]
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Dr. Krista Fisher is a Young Men’s Health Research Fellow with the newly founded Movember Institute of Men’s Health. We initially discussed Krista’s journey to men’s mental health research, which came after a pivot from doing cancer research. She was motivated to work in men’s mental health after attending a panel by some of the world’s experts in the area, Drs. Zac Seidler and Simon Rice. Since embarking on her doctoral work, Krista has taken a deep dive into the experiences of men’s anxiety. She mentioned becoming interested in this after noticing that the work on men’s depression had grown substantially, but fairly little was understood about men’s anxiety. Her work has resulted in the development of the Resisting, Reckoning, Responding model of men’s anxiety. We also chatted about how her work on the profiles of men experiencing anxiety who interacted with emergency services has implications for how we intervene with men in acute distress.
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Dr. Simon Rice is the Global Director of the Movember Men’s Health Institute and the founder of the Young Men’s Mental Health Research Program and the Elite Athlete Mental Health Research Program at Orygen, the Center for Youth Mental Health in Melbourne, Australia. He is also a Professor and Dame Kate Campbell Fellow in the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Science at the University of Melbourne.
Simon has significantly influenced the men’s mental health field, beginning with his foundational research on measuring depression in men. We discussed some of his origins, and I discovered that some serendipitous but pivotal moments influenced the trajectory of his career from high school teacher to eventual leader of a global research institute. I loved learning about some of these what Simon called “sliding door” moments. We also discussed his curious approach to his work and how being curious has allowed Simon to study and research a range of different topics, including his work on athlete mental health. Finally, Simon provides some thoughts on some issues that he believes will be important for the field of men’s mental health to address in order to help boys and men.
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In this episode Garth interviews Steven Fein from Williams College in Williamstown, MA. Steve discusses his journey into psychology, his passion for teaching, and his ground-breaking research on audience reactions during presidential debates, as well as stereotypes and prejudice. They also discuss social psychology experiments related to unconscious biases, societal implications of political polarization, and modern research on changing conservative views regarding same-sex marriage and gun control. The importance of social science in public health crises, such as COVID-19, is also highlighted, demonstrating how education and social norms can influence prejudice and public opinion.
[Note. Descript AI generated portions of the show notes.]
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In this episode Garth interviews Ellen Carpenter from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA. The conversation explores various facets of Ellen's professional journey, teaching philosophy, and active role within the STP community. Alongside discussing her career pivot from coaching to academia, Ellen shares insights into innovative teaching methods, the use of AI in education, and the significance of mentorship programs. The episode also delves into her passion for student engagement, administrative roles, and essential psychology curriculum components. Listeners are treated to personal anecdotes, professional achievements, and valuable teaching strategies.
[Portions of the show notes were generated by Descript AI.]
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In this sidebar, Danae Hudson, vice president for membership of the Society for the Teaching of Psychology (STP), outlines the benefits of STP membership and highlights the mentoring program. This program aims to provide career-related assistance to enhance job performance and satisfaction for members at any career stage. The program director, Amy Hunter matches mentees with experienced mentors based on application responses. Members are encouraged to apply by September 16th through the STP website.
[Note. Descript AI generated portions of the show notes.]
Music:
Life of Riley Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License -
In this episode Eric interviews Mary Pritchard from Boise State University in Boise, Idaho. They discuss their long-standing friendship, Mary's career journey, and her dedication to teaching and researching body image and eating disorders. She shares her experiences, from her early struggles with parental expectations to her transition from studying jury deliberation to focusing on body image issues. She also touches on her current responsibilities as Associate Chair, future projects, and the personal fulfillment she finds in her work. The episode wraps up with Mary's reflections on the importance of growth through challenges and the potential future steps in her career.
[Note. Portions of these show notes were generated with Descript AI.]
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Akash Asif is the director of operations and strategy for the Centre for Suicide Prevention (CSP) in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Akash’s journey into suicide prevention work began when he suddenly lost a colleague to suicide. This experience opened his eyes to the number of people in his life experiencing mental health concerns, especially suicidality.
Akash was intimately involved in the development of CSP’s Buddy Up campaign. Buddy Up is a program specifically designed to help men have genuine conversations about their lives which then allows them to connect and provide support for each other. Our conversation was a great opportunity to “look under the hood” of Buddy Up by allowing Akash to help us understand the development of the title Buddy Up, the decisions around the artwork that is core to the program, and why they integrated certain tools (air fresheners and hard hat stickers) into Buddy Up. We also talked about help-seeking versus help-giving and why these terms are important when thinking about designing an intervention for certain guys.
Akash also described some current developments in Buddy Up and why he is excited about the future of the program.
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Dr. Aaron Rochlen is a Clinical Professor and Chair in the Counseling Psychology Program at the University of Texas at Austin. We discussed Aaron’s journey to psychology and men’s mental health, and I found it interesting that he perceived himself as an average graduate student until he really found his passion. His passion came when he read a paper that proposed some challenges on engaging men in therapy: men are in “double jeopardy.”
We also discussed how his highest impact work came from being curious about some simple questions that came in his research. The first question was why are men’s suicide rates so much higher if their rates of depression are considerably lower, when compared with women. The second question was related to some findings that demonstrated women were increasingly earning more than their male partners. Aaron was curious about the impact of this on men and fathers.
We also chatted about Aaron’s ideas on what we should really call a unique men’s depression (masked, masculine, male?) and the challenges on naming interventions designed for men who might be hesitant to engage in help-seeking. We did find some time to talk about his stay-at-home father research, which was cutting edge at the time. In fact it was so cutting edge and applicable to real life that it landed Aaron on NBC’s Today Show.
Aaron also teaches a popular course on movies and mental health at UT, so we discussed a few movies and shows that demonstrate depression, including depression in men. In 2007, I saw Aaron give a talk on depression in men with illustrations from the Sopranos pilot episode that was fantastic, so it was great to connect with him on this topic one-on-one. We wrap up with Aaron describing how he indeed “practices what he preaches” via his small practice with men called Walk Therapy Austin. He finds that a therapy that is outdoors and movement-oriented helps men engage in talk therapy.
- Visa fler
