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Bear Psychology Podcast

Dr. Anna Baranowskybearpsych.libsyn.com
Dr. Anna Baranowsky is a Canadian Clinical Psychologist, CEO of the Traumatology Institute, Founder and President of the Board at Trauma Practice. She is the author of two books on trauma, numerous courses to help train professionals in trauma mental health and the developer of the Trauma Recovery Program for Self-Guided trauma care. She works with trauma survivors and those with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) on post-traumatic growth and recovery. Through her work she believes that when we share, dialogue and feel supported, it provides a powerful foundation for forward movement in our understanding and the care needed. In her own words "I have found that the most profound changes occur when a person truly feels heard and understood - I like to think of it as deeply BEARING WITNESS to life evolving. We can feel incredibly stuck when we live with our fears, stressors and troubles in isolation." Dr.Baranowsky is the host of the Bear Psychology Show, focusing on bearing witness to Evolving Mood, Mind, Health. Her talks revolve around recovery, relationships, work and life adventures. She is dedicated to assisting organizations and health professionals who help trauma survivors to ensure a trauma informed lens of care can grow in community health networks. With that vision in 1998, the Traumatology Institute Canada (TIC) was established. TIC has trained thousands of individuals nationally and internationally. Dr. Baranowsky serves on the board of directors of the Academy of Traumatology and is a Board Certified Expert in Traumatic Stress through the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress and is recognized by The National Center for Crisis Management. She has published in the area of Post-Traumatic Stress, Compassion Fatigue, and therapeutic relationships (the Silencing Response). Copyright:  Dr. Anna Baranowsky, 2020
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Episodes

Use Movement to Heal Trauma

“Embodied” approaches to healing include expressive movement, guided imagery, ritual, music and creative expressive interventions. This goes beyond static medication and breathing exercises and into more dynamic practices. Pioneer Toni Bergins, brings active movement or “embodiment” into the toolkit offered in her book, “Embody: Feel, Heal, and Transform Your Life Through Movement” Bergins turns the processing of pain and trauma into an expressive art aligned with the most recent research. Her t...

Aug 07, 20251 hr 1 minSeason 7Ep. 7

Navigating Life’s Ups and Downs

In her book, “A Very Narrow Bridge: Reflections of a Psychologist”, Dr. Rickey Miller shares her story guiding readers toward a greater understanding of life and the development of compassion for yourself and others. Her book takes an important look at suffering, resilience and healing. This memoir is a follows the author and her patients through heartbreak, grief, and anxiety toward joy, inspiration, and love. She encourages us to ask questions and truly consider alternative paths to where we a...

Jul 03, 20251 hr 2 minSeason 7Ep. 5

The Relief of Letting Go

Having dedicated her life to helping others through emotional moments, Dr. Bea MacKay knows better than most that there are many things we cannot control in life. In her book, “Let Go of the Outcome and Let Things Fall Together”, she shares strategies for dealing with events we cannot change without feeling defeated. Her approach to mental health, embraces emotional wellbeing. Listen to our conversation with psychologist & author Dr. Bea MacKay as we talk all about her approach to reconnecti...

Jun 06, 20251 hr 1 minSeason 7Ep. 4

Understanding Narcissism

If you have ever struggled with a person in your life that displays behaviors such as: lack of empathy; entitlement; a need to be the center of attention; negative reactions to any critical feedback; a grandiose sense of self; arrogance; manipulation and gaslighting; a need to be in control; demeaning and blaming of others and much more than this conversation will be of interest to you! “Narcissism: A Contemporary Introduction” by Dr. Richard Wood is a well-researched book that provides you with...

Apr 30, 20251 hr 1 minSeason 7Ep. 3

Healing from Wounds No One Sees – From Military to Motorcycles

Dedicating your life to the safety and freedom of your country is a massive sacrifice military veterans across make every day. One of the largest challenges for these heroes is working through the barriers and stigma of PTSD following service and navigating their path of readjustment and recovery. Kurt Grant, author of “Shiny Side Up: On the Road to Recovery”, used a cross-country motorcycle trip to help integrate and calm some of the chaos in his mind following military service as an infantry s...

Mar 06, 20251 hr 1 minSeason 7Ep. 2

Our Emotional Connection to Pets and how it impact our lives

So many of our listeners have pets that they cherish and certainly have shared struggles they might have with these animals. I am a great animal lover and many of my clients have found solace in their relationships with pets in the home, at times feeling a great emotional boost from the connection. With this in mind, I wanted to share the work of Denise Mange – who has written about her special approach to building a health relationship with the pets in your life. A bark is not always just a bar...

Jan 31, 20251 hr 1 minSeason 7Ep. 1

Overcoming Depression with Activation Strategies

Depression is a type of mood disorder that often results in chronic feelings of profound sadness and disinterest. Referred to as both clinical depression and major depressive disorder, it affects one's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and can result in a range of psychological and medical issues. Sufferers often report difficulty navigating their day-to-day life and thinking life is not worth living. However, it is critical to understand that recovery is possible and that you are not alone in t...

Nov 29, 20241 hr 1 minSeason 6Ep. 10

Healing Emotional Dysregulation

In this healing exploration author and therapist Dr. Tamra Sattler reflects on the “Enneagram 4” also referred to as “Borderline-style personality”. These personality styles have a reputation of being difficult for therapists to work with, families to tolerate, and importantly for those struggling to love and accept themselves. In her book, “Too Much and Not Enough: Healing for the Enneagram Four or Borderline-Style Personality”, Sattler describes how people achieve self-discovery and a path for...

Oct 31, 20241 hr 2 minSeason 6Ep. 9

Medical Assistance in Dying – loving someone through the process

Upon receiving a brain tumor diagnosis in 2018, Cynthia Clark’s husband expressed his desire to prioritize the quality of his remaining years over the quantity. His desire was to relish his time with his wife and kids, which ultimately led to his decision to utilize MAID when treatment failed eight months later. After starting a blog to update friends and family about the process, Cynthia began to notice that those going through this same process with a loved one often reported feeling alone and...

Oct 03, 20241 hr 2 minSeason 6Ep. 8

Childhood Emotional Neglect (CEN) impacts your life today

After 20 years in practice, Dr. Jonice Webb noticed the painful struggle of people who grew up in homes where they were emotionally neglected. She identified this neglect as an "invisible factor" that continued to affect adults often leaving them feeling depleted and dissatisfied or what she described as “Running on Empty”. In Dr. Webb’s books “Running on Empty: Overcome Your Childhood Emotional Neglect” and “Running On Empty No More: Transform Your Relationships” she shines a light on this invi...

Aug 01, 202457 minSeason 6Ep. 7

Meditation after Injury and Loss

After years of excellent health as an ultra-marathon runner and athlete and a good life in a stable marriage Katie Arnold’s life flipped from stable to unrecognizable. Arnold experienced a significant injury while on a rafting trip that left her with a broken leg and big life changes. She takes us through her life as an ultra-runner and a “seething but adequate” married woman before the accident. The things she relied on before her accident were ripped away from her leaving her wondering who she...

Jul 03, 20241 hr 3 minSeason 6Ep. 6

Untangle from Toxic People

Growing up with emotionally immature or self-centered parents can mean that your emotional needs were either disregarded or unmet. As a result, you may struggle with feelings of betrayal, abandonment, rage, or loneliness. Although you may work hard to become the person you want to be, your old wounds might re-ignite at any time, especially if your are reminded of vulnerable childhood feelings. Dr. Gibson, is an CEN expert and the author of “Disentangling from Emotionally Immature People: Avoid E...

May 31, 20241 hr 2 minSeason 6Ep. 5

Creating Better Relationship Boundaries

If you are interested in learning how to assert yourself in the workplace, navigate tumultuous family dynamics, or establish boundaries in romantic relationships, this show is for you. Boundaries are the invisible lines that define the limits of our emotional and physical space, safeguarding our well-being and preserving our sense of self. Yet, for many, setting and maintaining boundaries can be a daunting task, fraught with uncertainty and discomfort. In her book, "Setting Boundaries That Stick...

May 10, 20241 hr 2 minSeason 6Ep. 4

How your past hurts you today

Relationships rule our inner world. Understanding how you feel and think about your relationships helps you become more accepting and then more peaceful. You can develop an appreciation for other people's perspectives and stop assigning blame on others. Dr. Jacqueline Heller’s book “Yesterday Never Sleeps: How Integrating Life's Current and Past Connections Improves Our Well-Being” draws upon decades of clinical experience to create a powerful and more positive inner narrative. Her unique combin...

Mar 28, 20241 hr 1 minSeason 6Ep. 3

Dangerous People in Powerful places

Disconnected People in positions of power make the world more dangerous for everyone – Bear Psychology Radio hosted by Dr. Anna Baranowsky with guest Dr. Steve Taylor. Disconnected people have the tendency to gravitate toward power. When Disconnected people rule in positions of power societies trend toward patriarchal, hierarchical and warlike. In contrast, societies with connected leaders trend toward egalitarian, democracy and peace. Although most people have a deep need to be connected, life ...

Mar 28, 20241 hr 2 minSeason 6Ep. 2

Why your coping skills stop working

Experiencing stressful or traumatic experiences during childhood leads us to develop certain coping mechanisms to get us through. While these strategies might have helped us feel secure when younger, they often fail us in adulthood. Richard Brouillette’s book “Your Coping Skills Aren't Working: How to Break Free from the Habits that Once Helped You But Now Hold You Back” offers an evidence-based guide using multiple therapeutic modalities including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), schema ther...

Jan 25, 20241 hr 2 minSeason 6Ep. 1

Muslim Loving Peace and looking to a better future

Raheel Raza, a Muslim Canadian born in Pakistan, migrated to Canada in 1988, has a unique perspective on what is happening right now in the Israel-Hamas war and her reflections on misinformation and what Peace would take. She has visited Israel 13 times in the 16 years. In her National Post Article “I'm a Muslim and I love Israel. Here's why” published in February 2023, Raza details what she has learned about hate and antisemitism, it’s prevalence in Arab Muslim countries, her hope for Peace and...

Dec 20, 20231 hr 1 minSeason 5Ep. 12

Collective & Personal Trauma: one family’s graceful end-of-life story

What does it mean to lose someone so close to you that your world will never be the same? What if this happens when the whole world is locked down during a global Pandemic, a collective trauma? How do we navigate terrible loss with great compassion and love? Journalist Mitchell Consky has something important to share with us about this based on personal experience. During the worst of the COVID pandemic, Consky received distressing news. His father had been given less than two months to live aft...

Dec 01, 202359 minSeason 5Ep. 11

Childhood Emotional Neglect impacts your life today

After 20 years in practice, Dr. Jonice Webb noticed the painful struggle of people who grew up in homes where they were emotionally neglected. She identified this neglect as an "invisible factor" that continued to affect adults often leaving them feeling depleted and dissatisfied or what she described as “Running on Empty”. In Dr. Webb’s books “Running on Empty: Overcome Your Childhood Emotional Neglect” and “Running On Empty No More: Transform Your Relationships” she shines a light on this invi...

Nov 01, 202357 minSeason 5Ep. 10

Mind, Body and Yoga for Healing Trauma

Recovery from trauma is not simply about healing the mind but about healing the body as well. Often the approach when treating trauma is solely focused on the mental and emotional effects and fails to address the physiological imbalances that trauma leaves behind on our bodies. In Dr. Arielle Schwartz’s newest book “Therapeutic Yoga for Trauma Recovery: Applying the Principles of Polyvagal Theory for Self-Discovery, Embodied Healing, and Meaningful Change”, she guides the reader using yoga pract...

Oct 30, 20231 hr 1 minSeason 5Ep. 10

Healing from Emotional Eating

Every wonder why you make poor food choices? Have you ever tried a new diet just to end up miserable and eating even more than before? Kim Shapira will help us understand how to put an end to disordered eating habits and improving your health and happiness in the process. Shapira recognizes that unhealthy food habits can occur as a result of life stressors and old patterns of self-soothing. Her work focuses on getting back on track and using food for health. Kim Shapira, author of “This Is What ...

Sep 01, 20231 hr 2 minSeason 5Ep. 8

Cultivating Core Creativity

I know you are creative and innovative at your core. However, most of us just don’t know how to access the deep wealth of creativity that sits inside. Dr. Ronald Alexander’s book “Core Creativity: The Mindful Way to Unlock Your Creative Self” guides you through using mindfulness practices to train your mind so that it more easily opens the portal to core creativity: the unconscious mind. I am really excited about this show as it focuses on opening up to a powerful element of our true nature. Lis...

Aug 04, 20231 hr 2 minSeason 5Ep. 7

Healing the World through Human Connection

Disconnected people have the tendency to gravitate toward power. When Disconnected people rule in positions of power societies trend toward patriarchal, hierarchical and warlike. In contrast, societies with connected leaders trend toward egalitarian, democracy and peace. Although most people have a deep need to be connected, life events/upbringing and trauma exposure can interfere in this profound human characteristic. A person’s “goodness” and capacity for compassion often results from connecti...

Jun 30, 20231 hr 2 minSeason 5Ep. 6

Finding the courage to truly be yourself

We all want to feel free to be our true selves and live in a way that feel authentic. I want to live my life to the fullest and I imagine you do as well. Despite this, we can get sidetracked by demands and expectations that throw us off our true gifts and passions. Instead we might follow the preferences and aspirations that society, family, and friends have for us, rather than what we truly want for ourselves. Breaking free from self-doubt and discovering what it is that you truly want from lif...

May 25, 20231 hr 2 minSeason 5Ep. 5

The Dangerous Relationship… loving a Narcissistic, Sociopath or Psychopathic

There are times when someone describes in detail a relationship that seems unkind, unhealthy and even dangerous. Or maybe we have experienced this personally in a relationship with a person we thought would be a wonderful partner to begin with only to realize after falling deeply in love that this person is self-centered, arrogant, attention seeking and lacks basic empathy and consideration for other people. An expert on NPD and psychopaths and the author of “Women Who Love Psychopaths: Inside t...

May 01, 20231 hr 2 minSeason 5Ep. 4

Untangling your Marriage

Across North America, almost half of all marriages will end in divorce or separation. Even though divorce is a complex process that requires legal, psychological and financial considerations, there may be ways to make it just a bit less painful. Nanci Smith’s book “Untangling Your Marriage: A Guide to Collaborative Divorce” attempts to dispel some negative messaging about divorce and show us that divorce can be achieved with dignity, mutual respect, integrity, and compassion. Listen to our conve...

Mar 31, 20231 hr 2 minSeason 5Ep. 3

Forced psychiatric confinement – Who is at risk?

We may believe that asylums are a thing of the past but practices of enforced psychiatric confinement continue today, much to our surprise. Author Wipond, argues that, now more than ever, North Americans are being forced into treatment and involuntarily committed supposedly "for their own benefit." Rob Wipond’s book “Your Consent Is Not Required” gives us a look into the psychiatric practices of forced interventions still in place today in some private and public mental health facilities. Wipond...

Feb 24, 20231 hr 2 minSeason 5Ep. 2

Healing Family Connections

In a house full of turmoil, sometimes the person who you hope has your back may become your enemy. Sisters Ronni Tichenor and Jennie Weaver know this better than most. In their book “Healing Begins with Us” they share their journey in overcoming childhood abuse that pitted the two against one another. In the book they discuss how they healed and strengthened their sibling bond after a tumultuous upbringing. Listen to our conversation with Ronni and Jennie as we navigate their traumatic childhood...

Jan 26, 20231 hr 2 minSeason 5Ep. 1

New Year’s Stress Reset

Most of us are stressed these days and don’t know how to manage it. While stress is an inevitable part of life, it doesn’t have to take over our lives. Dr. Doni Wilson’s book “Master Your Stress, Reset Your Health” walks us through identifying our unique type of stress and the best ways to manage it to make stress actually work for us. Listen to our conversation with naturopath & author Dr. Doni Wilson as we learn how to support our body’s needs and chart a path to become resistant to the ne...

Jan 09, 202355 minSeason 4Ep. 11

Wellness through Mindfulness Practices

Are you interested in adding mindfulness, meditation or contemplative exercises into your life to help you manage the demands of daily living or better manage stress and anxiety? If your answer is yes, then this show will prove to be a perfect fit. I am excited myself. I have been a bit lazy with my meditation practice lately and looking forward to getting some guidance myself! Carla is a lawyer by training but she made a big pivot to wellness and mindfulness teaching. In her mindfulness work, s...

Nov 30, 20221 hr 2 minSeason 4Ep. 10
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