Best Michael Gabriel Becker Podcasts (2025)

1
Dr. Chris Taplin - Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation 54:50

24d ago54:50

54:50

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! Dr. Chris Taplin,a psychiatrist and founder of Ottawa’s TMS Life clinic, joins us for a deep dive into one of the most promising frontiers in psychiatric care: Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, or TMS. As clinicians, many of us have encountered the heartbreak of treatment-resistant depression — watching client…

1
Dr. Joe Pierre - Why We Believe What Isn’t True 56:38

1M ago56:38

56:38

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Joe Pierre, psychiatrist and author of False, to explore why people believe things that aren’t true—and why challenging those beliefs is rarely as simple as presenting the facts. Drawing from research in psychiatry, cognitive science, and social psychology, Dr. Pierre unpacks …

1
Dr. Scott Waltman & Kasey Pierce: Stoicism for the Modern Mind 1:01:13

2M ago1:01:13

1:01:13

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Scott Waltman and Kasey Pierce coauthors, along with Trent Codd, Ed.S of The Stoicism Workbook - to explore how ancient Stoic philosophy can offer powerful tools for managing today’s challenges. From emotional resilience and anxiety to self-compassion and values-driven living,…

1
Dr. Betsy Chung - Building Emotional Security Within Relationships 51:44

2M ago51:44

51:44

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! Building emotional security and navigating conflict with intention often defines the success of our closest relationships. Join us for an in-depth discussion with psychologist Dr. Betsy Chung to explore these and other topics explored in her new book The Couple Skills Workbook: Manage Conflict, Increase Trust &…

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Donna Jackson Nakazawa: Healing Adverse Childhood Experiences 56:13

3M ago56:13

56:13

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! In this episode, we sit down with Donna Jakson Nakazawa to explore a topic at the core of many people's therapeutic journeys: recovering from the impact of adverse childhood experiences. Her new book, The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Guided Journal, offers a compassionate, science-backed approach to und…

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Dr. Yona Bouskila - Do We Have Freewill? 58:16

3M ago58:16

58:16

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! Many of us accept freewill as an undeniable truth, assuming that we are the architects of our own decisions and destiny. Yet, a growing body of scientific research challenges this notion, suggesting that our sense of freewill may be more of an illusion than reality. This emerging perspective carries profound im…

1
Dr. Sharon Martin - Better Boundaries 57:28

4M ago57:28

57:28

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! Whether it's in our personal relationships, at work, or even with ourselves, boundaries are essential for our well-being and peace of mind. Yet, many of us - even clinicians I might add - at times struggle with this practice, often feeling overwhelmed, guilty, or unsure of how to start. In this episode, we are …

1
Dr. René Mõttus - Personality Predicts Life Satisfaction 57:57

7M ago57:57

57:57

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! While most of us intuitively believe that our assessment of our lives is largely objective and a direct result of what has been happening to us, it's clear that subjective perceptions of objective events play a significant role in shaping the ultimate emotional experience of those events. This highlights the im…

1
Amanda Petrik-Gardner, LCPC - Excessive Reassurance Seeking 54:14

7M ago54:14

54:14

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! Compulsive reassurance seeking can be a challenging issue for both clients and therapists to manage. Clients are often highly adept—sometimes knowingly, sometimes unknowingly—at eliciting excessive reassurance from therapists and family members. At the same time, resisting the urge to seek reassurance can feel …

1
Dr. Nina Josefowtiz - Behavioural Activation for Depression 1:21:46

8M ago1:21:46

1:21:46

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! Behavioural activation is one of the best, if not the best treatments for depression. Clinical psychologist and author, Dr. Nina Josefowitz joins us for an in-depth discussion of themes contained in her new book The Behavioural Activation Workbook for Depression. In this discussion we cover: The basic premise o…

1
Dr. Lindsay Gibson: Disentangling from Emotionally Immature People 57:28

8M ago57:28

57:28

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! Navigating relationships with emotionally immature parents can evoke very strong reactions, which can be difficult to navigate. In many clinician's experience, when this topic comes up, people tend to react in one of three ways: defending their parents as perfect, blaming them for all their struggles, or questi…

1
Dr. Russell Ramsay - Assessing and Treating Adult ADHD 1:29:12

11M ago1:29:12

1:29:12

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! Assessing & treating adult ADHD can be both very challenging as well as highly rewarding for client and clinician alike. Psychologist & author, Dr. Russell Ramsay joins us for an in-depth discussion of the assessment and treatment of adult ADHD building on themes in his new workbook, The Adult ADHD and Anxiety …

1
Dr. Alec Pollard: When a Loved One Won’t Seek Mental Health Treatment 1:07:14

11M ago1:07:14

1:07:14

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! Many clinicians experience a sense of helplessness around effectively managing calls from loved ones of an individual living with a mental illness who is not willing to engage in treatment. There is frequently an impression that little can be done until the affected individual wants to change. Dr. Alec Pollard …

1
Emma Lauer, LCSW: DBT Skills for Highly Sensitive People 51:53

12M ago51:53

51:53

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! Dialectical behavior therapy or DBT is a wonderful suite of tools that help people to be more effective with respect to managing their emotions and becoming more interpersonally effective. These are challenges that often loom especially large for those who are highly sensitive. Emma Lauer, LCSW joins us for a d…

1
Dr. Stephanie Catella - Building Emotional Intelligence 53:08

1y ago53:08

53:08

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! In addition to being a topic that appears frequently in the realm of pop psychology, emotional intelligence is a subject of serious, rigorous academic inquiry. Clinical psychologist & author, Dr. Stephanie Catella joins for us for a discussion of core-themes in her new book The Emotional Intelligence Skills Wor…

1
Dr. Holly Swartz - Social Rhythm Therapy for Bipolar Disorder 53:45

1y ago53:45

53:45

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! Bipolar disorder is often thought of as a mental disorder that is treated exclusively with medication when in fact there are a number of evidence-based psychotherapeutic techniques that can be used to complement traditional pharmacotherapy. Dr. Holly Swartz joins us for a discussion of the core themes in her ne…

1
Dr. Leslie Becker-Phelps: Insecure in Love 54:41

1y ago54:41

54:41

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! Challenges related to attachment in relationships - especially in the context of romantic relationships - can evoke very strong emotions and behavioral urges that can often backfire, sometimes causing the very thing we fear most; namely, the dissolution of a relationship. Psychologist, author, speaker & teacher…

1
Drs. Matt Browne & Chris Kavanagh - Decoding the Gurus 1:19:14

1y ago1:19:14

1:19:14

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! The last decade has seen the ascendency of a number of "public intellectuals" who have come under increasing scrutiny around allegations of misinformation, conspiracy mongering, grifting & intellectual inconsistency. Importantly, many have achieved "guru" status with millions of followers and devotees on YouTub…

1
Dr. Kiran Vadaga - Mindfulness of Feelings from a Buddhist Psychology Perspective 1:14:35

1y ago1:14:35

1:14:35

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! Mindfulness is an area of clinical and intellectual focus which has grown tremendously in popularity and includes many secular practices such as breath work, body scanning & self-compassion. OICBT psychologist Dr. Kiran Vadaga joins us for an in-depth conversation in which explore observations around the import…

1
Dr. Mark Solms - Understanding Consciousness to Optimize Therapeutic Outcomes 1:30:13

1y ago1:30:13

1:30:13

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! CBT interventions are often favoured for being empirically supported; however, it is not always clear how efficacy of these interventions maps to the actual functioning of the brain. Esteemed neuropsychologist and psychoanalyst, Dr. Mark Solms, joins us for an in-depth discussion of the clinical implications of…

1
Dr. Georgia Ede - Change your Diet, Change your Mind 1:07:07

1y ago1:07:07

1:07:07

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! There has been increasing discussion of the metabolic basis of mental disorders and the potential benefit a low-carb/ketogenic approach could hold with respect to the treatment of mental disorders. Psychiatrist Dr. Georgia Edes joins us for a discussion of major themes of her new book Change Your Diet, Change Y…

1
Anna Motz - If Love Could Kill: The Myths & Truths of Women Who Commit Violence 1:10:21

1+ y ago1:10:21

1:10:21

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! Female involvement with the criminal justice system can prompt significant internal dissonance as well as challenge conceptualizations around female violence, motherhood, mental illness etc. Forensic psychotherapist Anna Motz joins us for a fascinating discussion of her book “If Love Could Kill: The Myths & Tru…

1
Dr. James Hollis - Living a Life of Meaning 1:02:05

1+ y ago1:02:05

1:02:05

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! Host note: folks, I invite you to pay very close attention to what Dr. Hollis has to say...could change your life. Jungian/Depth psychology provides a wonderful framework for exploring questions related to meaning and the self that can at time fall outside of boundaries of what is typically explored in cognitiv…

1
Dr. Kevin Gary - Coping With Existential Boredom 59:14

1+ y ago59:14

59:14

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! Existential boredom is a challenge for many that can lead to a pathological engagement with shallow amusements (which may only deepen the despair and lead to more boredom). Dr. Kevin Gary joins us for a discussion of some of the core themes covered in his book Why Boredom Matters: Education, Leisure, and the Qu…

1
Dr. Randy Nesse - Depression & the Art of Giving Up 1:04:02

1+ y ago1:04:02

1:04:02

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! Understanding the evolutionary significance of depression can quite helpful in its conceptualization and treatment. Founder in the field of evolutionary medicine, Dr. Randy Nesse, joins us for an encore discussion in which we consider how striving, motivation and desire for control can play into the evolution o…

1
Dr. Marie-Hélène Pelletier - Helping Clinicians to Develop Resilience 1:00:19

1+ y ago1:00:19

1:00:19

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! For many mental health clinicians, crafting resilience is an afterthought to managing the day-to-day demands of their professional life. Psychologist, consultant & author, Dr. Marie-Hélène Pelletier, joins us to discuss some of the themes explored in her new book: The Resilience Plan: A Strategic Approach to Op…

1
Dr. Fiona McAndrew: Music, Peak Experience & Depth Psychology 1:16:55

1+ y ago1:16:55

1:16:55

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! Music is an under-explored tool with respect to the provision of psychotherapy as well as the crafting of peak experiences. Clinical counsellor, performance coach and opera singer, Dr. Fiona McAndrew, joins us for an eclectic, wide-ranging discussion in which explore: Fiona's alternating journey between psychol…

1
Dr. Susan Clayton - Climate Anxiety 53:54

1+ y ago53:54

53:54

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! Mental health professionals have increasingly been seeing clients seeking services related to anxiety and depression stemming from serious, negative changes that have been occurring in our climate. Psychologist and professor, Dr. Susan Clayton, who is one of the world's authorities on how the environment impact…

1
Sheila Rubin, MA & Bret Lyon, PhD: Embracing Shame 1:21:46

1+ y ago1:21:46

1:21:46

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! Shame is among the most powerful of human emotions and can drive a number of both functional and dysfunctional behaviours. Sheila Rubin, MA & Bret Lyon, Ph.D., join us for a comprehensive discussion of many of the themes in their new book Embracing Shame - How to Stop Resisting Shame & Turn it into a Powerful A…

1
Dr. Jeff Perron - The Psychology of Happiness 1:20:00

1+ y ago1:20:00

1:20:00

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! Happiness is an elusive and frequently controversial topic of discussion. Dr. Jeff Perron joins us for an extensive discussion of some of the themes he is exploring in his new substack project: The Psychology of Happiness. In this discussion we cover: working within a workable & reasonable definition of happine…

1
Dr. Katharine Phillips - Body Dysmorphic Disorder 54:05

1+ y ago54:05

54:05

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! For many clinicians body dysmorphic disorder or BDD is shrouded in mystery and can be an intimidating and tricky presentation to try and conceptualize and treat. Physician, scientist, educator, and author, Dr. Katharine Phillips, who has spent her career caring for patients, mentoring/teaching, and conducting g…

1
Summer Break! 2:25

2y ago2:25

2:25

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! Hello everyone - hope you are well! We just wanted to quickly let you know that we’ll be taking a scheduled break for the rest of the summer and will be back with new episodes in the early fall. It’s been a real joy recording and putting out the podcast - we’re so grateful to each and every guest for their cont…

1
Silken Laumann - Strength in Vulnerability & the Power of Storytelling 56:57

2y ago56:57

56:57

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! Strength in vulnerability combined with an internal sense of safety are among the most powerful psychological tools that one can curate to promote wellness and healthy boundaries. Four-time Olympian, speaker & author, Silken Laumann, joins us for a very special discussion where we cover: a brief overview of Sil…

1
Dr. Keith Dobson: Major Depressive Disorder 1:02:47

2y ago1:02:47

1:02:47

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! Despite being among the most common of mental disorders that a clinician is likely to encounter, major depressive disorder presents both the client and therapist with a considerable amount of complexity and nuance to navigate with respect to conceptualization and treatment. Leading international expert in major…

1
Dr. Stephen Hupp - Pop Psychology & Pseudoscience 1:00:38

2y ago1:00:38

1:00:38

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! Many clinicians pride themselves on practicing within an evidence based framework; however, within psychology the influence of pseudoscience and pop psychology has been at times problematic and even harmful. Psychologist, professor & author, Dr. Hupp joins us to discuss his recently edited book Investigating Po…

1
Dr. Daniel Z. Lieberman: Hidden Potential of the Unconscious Mind 59:10

2y ago59:10

59:10

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! Dr. Daniel Z. Lieberman returns for an encore discussion on Thoughts on Record to discuss his most recent book Spellbound, which explores the untapped potential of our unconscious minds. In this conversation we cover: defining of our conscious and unconscious minds why Dr. Lieberman wanted to write this book ge…

1
Dr. Richard G. Heimberg: Social Anxiety Disorder 1:10:31

2y ago1:10:31

1:10:31

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! Despite anxiety in social situations being a fairly normative experience, we know that the symptoms and disability associated with social anxiety disorder can be very life-limiting when it comes to important aspects of life such as establishing a romantic relationship, professional advancement and overall quali…

1
Dr. Miri Forbes: Symptom Overlap & Repetition in the DSM-5 Framework 54:58

2y ago54:58

54:58

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! Diagnostic frameworks like the DSM are often regarded as definitive, having an almost canonical-like quality. On the other hand, there are many in the field who have become increasingly critical of the DSM and its shortcomings. That said, the DSM has been quite helpful in a lot of ways with respect to organizin…

1
Anna Gabriel & Michael Hermann: Do Everything Better With Music 57:05

2y ago57:05

57:05

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! While many of us regularly use music to enhance our well-being or increase performance, we are often unaware of the underlying science around music as tool to improve our lives. Reverberation Studio Co-founders, Michael Hermann (CEO) and Anna Gabriel join us for a discussion of Reverberation Studio, an undertak…

1
Dr. Christine Purdon: A Deep Dive on OCD 1:31:41

2y ago1:31:41

1:31:41

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! While OCD is a generally a very recognizable form of mental disorder, there are many nuances and complexities with respect to both its treatment and diagnosis. Psychologist, professor & author, Dr. Christine Purdon, joins us for a deep dive on OCD in which we cover: what OCD is and how it affects the individual…

1
Dr. Bernard Beitman: Meaningful Coincidences - Synchronicity & Serendipity 57:52

2y ago57:52

57:52

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! Despite typically being scientifically-minded individuals, many clinicians have often wondered about aspects of the human experience that defy rationale explanation, but yet feel profoundly meaningful. Psychiatrist and author, Dr. Bernard Beitman, joins us for a discussion of many of the core themes in his book…

1
Dr. Daniel Z. Lieberman - Dopamine: The Molecule of More 1:08:49

2y ago1:08:49

1:08:49

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! At the moment there is no more talked about neurotransmitter than dopamine. Our collective obsession with dopamine has led to a huge amount of content generated around so-called “dopamine fasts”, how to leverage dopamine for motivation, worries about dopamine-driven addiction to devices, pornography, food etc. …

1
Drs. Melissa Tiessen & Karen Dyck: Imposter Syndrome in Clinicians 1:04:53

2y ago1:04:53

1:04:53

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! Imposter syndrome combined with the somewhat curious & paradoxical phenomenon of over-identification with being a clinician is a familiar combination for many psychotherapists. Drs. Melissa Tiessen & Karen Dyck of the Intentional Therapist join us for a discussion of these important barriers to clinician well-b…

1
Dr. Chris Palmer: A Novel Metabolic Theory of Mental Disorders 1:01:59

2+ y ago1:01:59

1:01:59

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! Given that mental health treatment outcomes have not improved dramatically over time despite a wealth of research, novel psychotherapies and pharmaceutical compounds, it is important that new theories around mental disorders continue to be identified and explored. Harvard psychiatrist & researcher, Dr. Chris Pa…

1
Kent Bassett & Dr. Lilia Graue: Exploring Psychological Models of Chronic Pain 1:29:33

2+ y ago1:29:33

1:29:33

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! Evidence-based, psychological models & treatments for chronic pain are an exciting development in the understanding and management of non-structural chronic pain. Director of the documentary This Might Hurt, Kent Bassett, and Dr. Lilia (Lily) Graue join us for a discussion of the psychological treatment of chro…

1
Luke Burgis - Wanting - The Power of Mimetic Desire in Everyday Life 58:37

2+ y ago58:37

58:37

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! Psychological suffering appears to be greatly facilitated by unfavourable comparisons that we make between ourselves and others in many domains of life. However, there are surprising dynamics (and even upsides) to these comparisons or modelling depending on the context. Entrepreneur & author, Mr. Luke Burgis, j…

1
Truth, Control & Coping: A Fireside Chat With Dr. Pete Kelly, C.Psych 19:18

2+ y ago19:18

19:18

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! Effective coping almost always hinges on an accurate appraisal of the stressful event that is being navigated, particularly with respect to what can be controlled versus not. In this 3rd annual Fireside Chat, the host of Thoughts on Record, Dr. Pete Kelly, C.Psych, shares some observations on the relationship b…

1
Dr. Melisa Robichaud: A Masterclass in Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) 1:21:59

2+ y ago1:21:59

1:21:59

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) can at times be difficult to differentiate from the anxious distress that can accompany depression, health anxiety, some presentations of OCD and even social anxiety. As well GAD, is often treated as a “catch-all” diagnosis that is applied to any client expressing distress. On…

1
Dr. Tom Murray: Let's Talk About Sex (but only on Saturdays, using proper anatomical terms & with the lights off) 1:08:58

2+ y ago1:08:58

1:08:58

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! As is the case in many areas of life, for those who are perfectionistic, sex and sexual expression can be areas where emotional over-control & cognitive/behavioural inflexibility can impair pleasure, erode intimacy and create anxiety. International trainer, educator, couples and sex therapist & author, Dr. Tom …

1
Dr. Susan Rogers: The Neuroscience & Psychology of Music 59:54

2+ y ago59:54

59:54

Comments or feedback? Send us a text! Music has a unique ability to evoke emotion and articulate a feeling or sentiment where words can fail. Moreover, much like a romantic attachment, many of us form an intense connection to a specific song, genre or band but are never really sure why or where our specific attraction or pull comes from. Professor,…

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