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The Hardcore Self Help Podcast with Duff the Psych

This is a podcast dedicated to answering your questions about mental health, anxiety, depression, relationships, sex, and life WITHOUT psychobabble BS. I am Dr. Robert Duff, a psychologist from Southern California, but I'm also a regular dude who legitimately wants to help out. I wrote the best selling books Hardcore Self Help: F**k Depression and Hardcore Self Help: F**K Anxiety. Those are available at http://hardcoreselfhelp.com
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The Hardcore Self Help Podcast with Duff the Psych
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Now displaying: 2018
Jun 28, 2018

This episode is a little different. It's basically a deep-dive episode, but it's a little more off-the-cuff than usual. Given the multitude of troubling events in the US news today, I wanted to give some thoughts and advice about dealing with the news and the state of the world. It can be exceptionally hard for someone with mental health issues to know what to do when the state of the world becomes overwhelming. I hope the thoughts that I present here help.

Here are a few tips:

1. Realize that no matter WHEN you hear about news or how much you worry about the event... those have absolutely no bearing on the fact that the event happened. In other words, the events are happening whether or not you already know about them. 

2. Regulate your flow of information. Consider waiting to "plug in" to the world until you've gotten ready for the day and consider unplugging for at least an hour before you go to sleep. 

3. Fight back against the false sense of immediacy that anxiety gives you.

4. Remember that you are allowed to feel, but not taking care of yourself may limit your ability to help or make a difference.

5. Taking good care of yourself allows you to funnel energy into action, which can make you feel less helpless. 

Quick update: HUGE giveaway going on right now at duffthepsych.com/giveaway

 

Thanks!

Jun 21, 2018

Why hello there! This is a regular question and answer episode. Couple updates first: 

1. The audiobook for Hardcore Self Help: F**k Anxiety has been updated and is WAY better. Check it out here: https://www.audible.com/pd/Self-Development/Hardcore-Self-Help-F-k-Anxiety-Audiobook/B00S8U7PKW

2. There are three free lessons from my course that you can check out without any signups required at http://kickanxietycourse.com

Here are the questions covered in this episode:

  • What can I do about my intense anxiety and stomach pain when I have to go to school?
  • How can I go about telling my new romantic partner about my mental health issues?
  • When is the right time to stop therapy?

As always you can send me questions to duffthepsych@gmail.com

Jun 14, 2018

Hello, friends!

This is a straightforward question and answer episode. First a couple updates:

I changed the free preview content that is available on http://kickanxietycourse.com. Now you can get three free lessons that cover defining anxiety, breathing strategies, and thinking traps. Good stuff.

The audiobook for F**k Anxiety will also be new and improved probably near the end of next week. I'll update again when the changes are processed.

Here are this week's questions:

  • My husband and I want to explore polyamory, but how can I get over my anxiety about him liking someone else more than me?
  • How can I get my family to stop abandoning me due to my bipolar?
  • What can I do now that my disability prevents me from doing the things that I used to love?

As always you can send me your questions to duffthepsych@gmail.com

Jun 7, 2018

In this episode, I do something a little different. This is a highly requested deep dive episode into the topic of ASMR, or autonomous sensory meridian response. You know, those videos where people tap things and whisper on youtube? I used to make those videos. For almost 6 years, in fact. 

I talk about what ASMR is and give examples from different videos. At the end, I even give you a bonus ASMR audio sample recorded by yours truly. Enjoy! 

Here are the videos that I used samples from:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVyPFXdn0ME ASMR 1H OF TAPPING NO TALKING! more than 1 hour! by Chiara ASMR

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9h94cOlXFRc ASMR 1 Hour Tapping | No Talking by ASMR Glow

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOfN9ZOGXcA ASMR Purely Close Up Whispers | Ear to Ear by
LauraLemurex ASMR

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6-vAoDz008 ASMR Dmitri Talks about a Dream - Soft Spoken Voice by Massage ASMR

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrKbOF3vHo8 Cranial Nerve Test with Pat LaFontaine & Dr. James Kelly by brainline

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgzmbwRNfmA Asheville Mall Manicure Nail Buff, Great Gift by Ask Asheville

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDZuaQ05Xso OLD ~ Cranial Nerve Examination Roleplay by Cutebunny992

Binaural Dual Trigger Sounds ASMR by me

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEyR5dCQs60 [ASMR] Hearing Test Nurse (Soft Spoken) by GIBI ASMR

May 31, 2018

Hey, friends. This was a really good episode thanks to the awesome questions that I was sent in. In fact, I think this episode would be a really great one to share with your friends if you wanted to give them an example of my podcast ;).

Here are the questions that are covered in this episode:

  • Are repressed memories real and what should you do about them?
  • How do I know that I've fully processed recent losses in my family?
  • How can I get help when I'm 15, depressed, and embarrassed?

As always you can send me your questions to duffthepsych@gmail.com

And be sure to check out my new online anxiety course at http://kickanxietycourse.com

 

May 24, 2018

This episode is kind of a hybrid. It's not quite an interview. More of a collaborative question and answer session. I sat down with my friend Skye Stifel, a school psychologist that I went to grad school with, to answer your questions about kids and adolescents. Good stuff!

Please head over to http://kickanxietycourse.com to learn more about my 10-week intensive anxiety bootcamp! 

As always, please send me your questions for future episodes to duffthepsych@gmail.com

 

May 17, 2018

Hello, friends!! Today's episode is a question and answer session. I think it turned out pretty well despite some annoying flooding that happened in my office this week, which I talk about in the episode. 

Hey, if you are interested in taking your anxiety from a 9 to a 3 and taking back control of your life, be sure to follow me on twitter at http://twitter.com/duffthepsych and on facebook at http://facebook.com/duffthepsych because I will VERY soon be opening up pre-orders for my 10-week online course, Kick Anxiety's Ass. Stay tuned.

Here are the questions covered in this episode:

  • What can I do about my step-mother who does not support me being in therapy?
  • How can I make friends in college?
  • How can I build a thicker skin in the face of rejection?

If you have questions for a future episode, please send them on over to duffthepsych@gmail.com 

May 10, 2018

Hi, friends! Thanks for tuning in again. As always, I really appreciate your support and participation in this podcast. In this episode, I am interviewing Quinn Gee. She is a therapist, business owner, and all around badass. We talk about how she got into therapy, her own identity development, what it's like being a therapist, and some concepts related to black mental health. It was a great talk. 

Next week should be a regular question and answer episode, so send your questions to duffthepsych@gmail.com

Be sure to show Quinn some love at:

http://twitter.com/cuntrycounselor

https://www.magnoliamhealth.com/

 

May 3, 2018

In this episode, I talk about options for depression that just does not seem subside despite your best efforts. If you have tried therapy, medication, and all of the other things that we are supposed to do to tackle depression, but you still can't put a dent in it, you may have "treatment resistant depression". It can be extremely frustrating to fall into this category, but I want to reassure you that there is still hope. In this podcast, I talk about different options and techniques that can be used to move past resistant depression.

Apr 26, 2018

Today's episode is a very interesting interview with "The Muslim Hippy" herself, Sakinah. I love this interview for several reasons. First off, we covered some great topics and Sakinah was totally open and real about her struggles with severe mental illness. It was also a very authentic picture of how you can persist and do cool things like a podcast interview in the context of your mental illness. Sakinah second guessed whether the interview was good quality because she was just coming off of an episode and felt that her thoughts were scattered. Regardless of this, I think that she did an amazing job and serves a a great model of having mental health issues AND kicking ass. Enjoy!

If you have any suggestions for topics or potential guests, send them over to me at duffthepsych@gmail.com

Apr 19, 2018

Hey all! This is a deep dive episode that was prompted by an email question that I got. In this episode, I talk about the different types of therapy that are available. Of course, I don't cover every single one, but I describe some of the types of therapy that you are most likely to encounter including:

  • Psychoanalysis and psychodynamic therapy
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
  • Dialectical Behavior Therapy
  • EMDR
  • Family Systems Therapy
  • Integrative or Eclectic Therapy

Therapy is effective. Many people don't understand how talking with someone can help, but it does. The research is good on therapy outcomes, which is why insurance companies continue to cover it.

Please continue sending me your questions to duffthepsych@gmail.com, especially questions about kids for my upcoming episode with a school psychologist. 

Apr 12, 2018

Hello! This is a special episode. I got the chance to interview Dr. Andrea Letamendi. She is a clinical psychologist and the host of the Arkham Sessions podcast. She uses comics, nerdom, and pop culture as a vehicle to explain psychological concepts. We had a broad conversation about these topics, her background, and the field of psychology in general. I hope you enjoy!

Please send me your questions about children for an upcoming episode where I will enlist the help of a school psychologist to answer questions about kiddos. You can send them (and other questions) to duffthepsych@gmail.com

Please show Dr. Letamendi some love on twitter at http://twitter.com/arkhamasylumdoc and visit her website at http://underthemaskonline.com

 

 

Apr 5, 2018

Hello, friends! This is another question and answer episode. Next week will be an interview with the amazing Dr. Andrea Letamendi all about comic books, pop culture, and mental health. 

I would really appreciate it if you would rate the show on iTunes OR share the show with your friends this week. 

Here are the questions covered in this episode:

  • How to I get over traumatic flashbacks when it has been over a year?
  • Do I have borderline personality disorder or bipolar?
  • Should I feel pressured to have sex?

As always you can send me your questions to duffthepsych@gmail.com

Mar 29, 2018

Today I have an interview with an amazing guest. Dr. Ron Holt is a psychiatrist who stepped away from direct clinical practice to focus directly on advocacy work related to LGBTQ issues. As a proud gay man, he describes his experience growing up and a variety of other topics such as tips for coming out safely. 

Please check out Ron's work at http://twitter.com/drronholt and at http://drronholt.com

Next week will be another question and answer episode, so be sure to send your questions to duffthepsych@gmail.com

Mar 22, 2018

Hello, everybody! We are back to the normal question and answer format this week. I really enjoyed episode 100, in which my friend Dan Fields interviewed me as a guest. If you haven't checked that one out yet, I suggest it! Next week will be another interview as well with an awesome guest. Here are the questions that I tackle this week:

  • What should I do to have a better work-life balance when my colleagues work all weekend?
  • Why do I have a great memory for school, but a terrible memory for social information?
  • Is stimming a valid coping strategy for fatigue and burnout as a person with autism?

If you have a question for the podcast, shoot me an email to duffthepsych@gmail.com or go to http://duffthepsych.com/contact

Mar 15, 2018

Hello, friends! This is episode 100 of the podcast and as such I wanted to do something a little different. I invited my friend Dan Fields from the Save It For The Show podcast on to interview ME as a guest. We had a really interesting conversation about all kinds of stuff. Honestly, I wish we had another 2 hours to talk. Let me know if you'd like to hear a part 2 in the future. Super huge thanks to Dan for volunteering his time to this episode.

I also just wanted to say THANK YOU. This has been a really special project and I'm proud of what we've created here. I can't believe it's been 100 episodes. I am so honored and thankful for your support.

Mar 8, 2018

Episode 99, guys! Next week is big 100. I'll be doing something a bit different for that episode, so make sure you tune in for that one. This week is my first interview of the year. In this episode, I talk to Erez Shek about his experiences with bullying, bipolar, being a gay man, hospitalization, and social media. It was a great conversation! 

Please show Erez some love on twitter at: http://twitter.com/erezsheck and check out his website at: https://www.theshekcheck.com/

Do you have a guest that you would love to hear me interview? Let me know! Shoot me an email to duffthepsych@gmail.com

This episode was brought to you by Sudio. Check out http://sudio.com for some awesome Swedish-designed bluetooth headphones. Use the offer code SELFHELP for 15% off! 

Mar 1, 2018

This episode is actually ripped from a long video that I recorded. I have been thinking a lot about exposure for anxiety lately for multiple reasons. For one, I'm in the middle of creating my online course for anxiety and recently wrote the content for the module on exposure. I have also been frustrated by people that I see in my clinical practice who have gone through years of therapy for their anxiety, but never engaged in exposure treatment for their anxiety.

Research indicates that exposure is a vital component of successful anxiety treatment. It's about facing your anxiety head on and teaching your body to stop reacting so strongly to it. 

In this episode, I talk about exposure in general and then break down two methods for gaining exposure and increasing your tolerance for anxiety.

If you'd like to submit a question for a future episode, send it over to duffthepsych@gmail.com

Feb 22, 2018

Today's episode is sponsored by Sudio headphones. To see some seriously stylish headphones with great functionality check out https://goo.gl/Q5excs and use the code SELFHELP for 15% off of your purchase. 

This episode is a normal Q & A. My voice progressively died as I recorded the episode, so you get croaky Robert again. Great variety of questions this time including:

  • How can I find a positive male role model for my boys since their father died?
  • Should I talk about my trauma in therapy even though I haven't spoken about it for 30 years?
  • Has my history of hydrocephalus affected my speed of thinking? How can I improve?

As always you can send me your questions to duffthepsych@gmail.com

Thanks!

Feb 15, 2018

Hello, friends! I'm back from my paternity leave. Thank you for the support, the great feedback, and the patience during my absence. Excited to be back at it. Some exciting stuff coming up in the coming months including some really awesome guests. Look forward to that.

This episode is a question and answer episode with questions from my private Hardcore Self Help facebook group. If you aren't a member yet, go to http://facebook.com/groups/hardcoreselfhelp and request access!

Here are the questions:

  • How can I prepare for a big life change?
  • How can I get over my relationship insecurity?
  • Is procrastination related to anxiety?

If you have questions that you would like me to answer, please send them to duffthepsych@gmail.com

Feb 8, 2018

Heyoooo! This is one more mini-episode where I am answering a single question rather than 3. If all goes according to plan, this will be the last episode of my paternity leave and I'll be back to normal next week. Thanks for your patience!

Keep sending me your amazing questions to duffthepsych@gmail.com

 

Feb 1, 2018

Hello, everyone! 

Today is a mini-episode. I'm still on my paternity leave, so I'm coming at you with a single question and answer, rather than my typical 3 per episode. I hope you enjoy this quick bite of information and I also hope that you're taking great care of yourself.

If you want to send me a question, please do so at duffthepsych@gmail.com

Jan 25, 2018

Hey, friends!

I'm currently off on paternity leave, so my friend and fellow psychologist, Amber Baker, Ph.D., is stepping in to answer your questions today. The episode is very similar to my normal question and answer episodes, just with a different host. I think she knocked it out of the park. Be sure to stop by the following links to show her some love and say thanks for doing such a great job.

https://twitter.com/DrBakerPhD

http://www.gofriendyourselfdoc.com/

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/go-friend-your-self-with-dr-baker/id1266870594?mt=2

Please keep sending me your questions to duffthepsych@gmail.com. I'll be doing mini episodes for the next two weeks and then I should be back at it with normal episodes. 

Jan 18, 2018

Hello, friends! It's only been like 3 episodes since I've done a Q&A, but it feels like it has been forever. Super happy to be back here answering your mental health questions. The next 3 episodes will be a bit different due to my paternity leave, which I explain at the top of the episode. Here are the questions for this week:

  • How can someone with anxiety/depression prevent burnout?
  • Is it possible to overcome anxiety without medication, especially with vertigo?
  • I've been burned before, but I want to date again. What are the signs that I'm dating a healthy/good guy?

As always, you can send me your questions to duffthepsych@gmail.com 

Thanks!

Jan 11, 2018

My wife, Joelle is back on the podcast today. We talk about lots of stuff including anxiety and pregnancy, our plans for the new baby, communication within our relationship, and we also answer some listener questions. Enjoy! 

Next week will probably be a normal episode, but after that there will be some mini-episodes and guest spots, as I go on paternity leave.

Definitely keep sending me your awesome questions to duffthepsych@gmail.com

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