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Australian psychologists Amy & Hunter nerd out about all things psychology, from Star Wars to Social Anxiety. Listen in for an independent pod with great chemistry between therapists working in oncology (Hunter) & child psychology (Amy). Each episode focuses on a psychological issue, therapy or simply provides an outlet to overanalyse our favourite tv & film characters. @twoshrinkspod
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69 - Sexual Assault: How to Respond to a Disclosure
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This episode we’re talking about an unashamedly heavy topic. Given the recent events in Australian Parliament, we wanted to talk about how psychologists, friends and family members of people who have been sexually assaulted can respond. How you can best support someone who’s beginning to share their story, even when you don’t know what to say. If y…
To kick off 2021, two shrinks is getting sinful. Thanks to a suggestion from psychiatrist Dr Jackie Rakov (@psychwrite on twitter), we’re taking a look at the psychology behind the seven deadly sins. Do we find people more attractive when we’re primed with lust? Does envy make us more likely to harm others? Is pride different from straight-up narci…
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67 - Podcasting in a Pandemic: The 2020 Review
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We’re trying something revolutionary this year - a 2020 wrap up episode! Join us as we chat about psychs on film; how to cope with things like bushfires, lockdowns and irritations on the holidays and; the little ways the pod has impacted us this year. Most exciting of all is a return, at about 50 minutes, of the gripe list, with everything from pri…
This episode we’re excited to be responding to a highly relatable listener question. Justin Hensley (@EBMgoneWILD) asked us: “How does one take a compliment? In COVID times we get a lot of “thank you for your service” but even regularly I suck at taking them. Is it an upbringing thing?” So we’re pulling it apart in the two shrinks way with a chat a…
Ever find yourself getting anxious about talking to new people, avoiding speaking in work meetings or overanalysing something you’ve said? Then this episode is for you. We chat about practical ways to start to work on social anxiety - calming yourself, challenging your thoughts and experimenting with new skills. To wrap up the show Amy has a bone t…
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64 - Election Emotions: anxiety, catharsis and hope
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This episode, Amy and Hunter talk shit about the US elections. After a long, stressful week anxiously watching, we chat about how we’ve felt, our top gripes from the past 4 years & why it’s ok to let it all out. We all need to talk, process, feel everything that’s going on right now - hear why it’s important to let loose before we can move on. Art …
For no reason we can think of (COVID, US elections, lockdowns, 2020…), lots of us are struggling with anger at the moment. This episode we take a practical look at anger to help you know when you’re feeling it & what to do when it crops up. We talk about why it’s helpful to understand your anger and some steps to calm down quicker when it does. As …
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62 - Schadenfreude: Is it ok to feel like this?
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This week, in the wake of President Trump being diagnosed with COVID-19, the world has been going through a collective emotional experience. People who ordinarily wouldn’t relish in the misfortunes of others are feeling a pleasurable twinge of schadenfreude. We noticed people talking about how guilty they’ve felt so we wanted to pull apart this com…
Amy and Hunter were excited to be on Peter Wells’ podcast Meta, a podcast about podcasts. If you are a Two Shrinks fan and want to know more about how we go about producing the show, who listens and how we got started then head over to the Meta podcast feed (link below) and tune in to hear Peter grill us and perhaps act as a bit of a therapist towa…
Autism, a fascinating, complex and controversial disorder. Join Amy and Hunter for an overview of Autism, or as it is currently known, Autism Spectrum Disorder. This episode should be a good one stop shop for giving you a) a description of the signs and symptoms of Autism, b) a history of how Autism and Aspergers Syndrome came to be recognised, c) …
Head over to the School of Movies podcast feed to hear Amy and Hunter join Alex and Sharon Shaw discuss and reflect on Adam Elliot’s masterpiece Mary and Max. It is a film about a decades long friendship between an Australian girl Mary living in Melbourne, and adult Max who has Asperger’s and lives in New York. We discuss depression, Asperger’s, lo…
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60 - Diagnosing the Skywalkers: Mental Health in the Star Wars Universe
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Presenting the definitive discussion on the mental health of the Skywalker family. Its our 60th episode and for some fun we turned our minds to analysing the characters from Star Wars. This is an episode for psych nerds and Star Wars fans alike. It is similar to our Harry Potter episode (#41) where we diagnosed the Hogwarts teachers with personalit…
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Teaser: Does Anakin Skywalker have Borderline Personality Disorder?
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Ahead of our 60th episode “Diagnosing the Skywalkers: Mental Health in the Star Wars Universe” we decided to give you some pre-listening (reading?) to get you ready (hey don’t judge, we did do a lot of university study). Hunter covers a series of academic articles that discuss whether Anakin Skywalker has Borderline Personality (links below). This …
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59 - Healthcare workers’ challenges during COVID-19
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How are health care workers coping during COVID? On our final episode of the COVID series, we take a look at the issues facing healthcare workers. For the first time in many workers’ careers, we’re dealing with an issue that impacts everyone, including ourselves. Tune in for a discussion about issues like coping under crisis conditions, providing m…
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58 - Mental health issues during COVID-19: ADHD, OCD, PTSD, Depression, Eating Disorders, Substance Use, Family Issues
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Feeling like your mental health is suffering during COVID-19? Finding that your attention is worse, you’ve started restricting your eating again or are having more compulsions? Then this episode is for you. We chat about first steps to getting back on track when symptoms flare up during COVID including: ADHD, OCD, depression, eating disorders and P…
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57 - COVID-19 anxiety with Dr Sherman Lee
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57 - We’re all worried about COVID-19, but how much worry is unhelpful? Dr Lee and Lucky We have a lively chat with Dr Sherman Lee, an Associate Professor researching COVID-19/Corona virus anxiety at Christopher Newport University in the United States. Sherman tells us about two scales he’s developed measuring 1) Corona anxiety and 2) obsessive tho…
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56 - Coping in the time of COVID-19 (part two)
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56 - Join us as we continue chatting about ways to cope with COVID-19. In this episode, Hunter and Amy talk about coping with information overload, how to self-care in the time of covid, managing expectations of yourself and home schooling. How can we take the pressure off ourselves but still do enough to keep going? We discuss why everyone is feel…
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55 - Coping in the time of COVID-19 (part one)
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55 - In our first episode recorded COVID style, we have a chat about common issues and questions coming up for people. Tune in for ideas on how to manage anxiety, dealing with uncertainty and coping with the flow on effects of COVID. We also talk about how to talk to people in your life who are more or less anxious than you about COVID. To finish u…
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54 - Surviving a bushfire and coping after - with Danielle Graber
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In this episode Hunter & Amy interview Danielle Graber, clinical psychologist based in Melbourne who has been working with people impacted by the bushfires. We recorded this episode a month ago but our chief editor (Hunter) has been unwell so we’ve been delayed with the release. Stay tuned for an episode on COVID and a light one for some distractio…
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53 - Sports psychology and helping athletes perform - with Michael Inglis
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How do you help a professional athlete perform at their best? How do you help them cope with performance anxiety or failure? What is the role of a psychologist in a football club and how can you work with coaching staff to help the whole team? Hunter chats to Michael Inglis about his work as a sports psychologist. Michael is working with Western Un…
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52 - A day in the life of a psychologist working in cancer or paediatrics
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Ever wanted to know what it is like to work as a psychologist who works with cancer patients? Or are you interested in how a psychologist works with children? Continuing on with the relaxed 2SP summer programming Amy and Hunter decided to interview each other and ask questions about the work that they do and expand on discussions that they have tou…
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51 - Psychs on film - the second part
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51 - So Amy and Hunter decided to do another episode of therapists on film and television. In part because they realised that there was an over representation of male therapists in the previous episode and mostly because it is the holidays and they really enjoyed doing something a bit lighter. In this episode they play and talk about clips of thera…
50 - Ever wondered if the therapists you see on TV or film are doing the right thing? Or why they are doing what they do? Then this is the episode for you, Amy and Hunter play eight scenes from television and film of therapists doing what they do and break down what is going on. They go through, Grosse Point Blank, Frasier, Analyze This, Crazy Ex-G…
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49 - When a family member or partner has Borderline Personality Disorder
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What’s it like living with a family member or partner with Borderline Personality Disorder? On this episode, we take a look at the experiences of carers and the supports available to them. We start with the diagnostic criteria for BPD and a discussion of how the dynamic of worry and monitoring can have a negative impact on family members. Hunter th…
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48 - Dissociative Identity Disorder (Multiple Personality Disorder)
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“If you were to look at me you’d see a single person…but when we look in the mirror we see us, fragmented identities living in the same body” Carol Broad (via Caitlyn) This episode Two Shrinks take a look at Dissociative Identity Disorder (Multiple Personality Disorder) and what it can be like living life with a fragmented sense of self. Join us fo…
Head over to the School of Movies podcast feed to hear Amy and Hunter discuss, dissect and devour the psychological themes of control, trauma and attachment in the movie Zombieland. It is a black comedy action film about the Zombie apocalypse and is one of 2SP favs. Amy and Hunter were on the School of Movies earlier this year discussing the Pixar …
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47 - Munchausen’s syndrome (Factitious Disorder) - why some people fake being sick
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47 - Factitious disorder, better known as Munchausen’s syndrome, is when someone fakes being sick for no apparent reason aside from the benefit of assuming the sick role. Factitious disorder imposed on another, or Munchausen’s by proxy, is when a caregiver (usually a mother) claims their child is sick, in many cases causing the child to be sick thr…
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46 - Dark Tetrad of personality - Psychopathy, Narcissism, Machiavellianism & Sadism
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This week on Two Shrinks Pod we’re returning to the darker side of humanity and taking a look at the Dark Tetrad: psychopathy, narcissism, machiavellianism and sadism. We chat through the rationale for adding sadism into the mix and examine the ways it can play out in romantic relationships, responses to grief and online trolling. As always, we wra…
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Inside Out - 2SP on the School of Movies podcast
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Exciting news listeners - Two Shrinks recently guested on the School of Movies podcast where Amy and Hunter were asked to come on and help discuss Pixar’s masterpiece that explores the function of emotions - Inside Out. This is a movie that therapists frequently refer people to watch to help them understand emotions. School of Movies is hosted by t…
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45 - Don't stand so close to me: understanding interpersonal distance
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45 - This ep we are talking about the ins and outs of interpersonal distance - that is how close you like to be to other people. Amy talks about cross-cultural differences and attachment (surprise surprise) whilst Hunter takes us on a journey of age related differences and discusses the impact of psychopathy on interpersonal distance. Spoiler: psyc…
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44 - Men's responses to a miscarriage or still-birth - with Kate Obst
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44 - How do men respond to pregnancy loss? What is their experience? What supports do they need? And is it different to how women respond? This episode Hunter interviews Kate Obst whilst at that APS Health Psychology conference in Adelaide in April 2019 and she talks about men’s responses to a miscarriage or still-birth. This will be of interest to…
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43 - Self-forgiveness as a therapeutic strategy - with Dr Grant Dewar
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43 - This week Hunter brings you an interview whilst on location at the Health Psychology conference in Adelaide. He interviews Dr Grant Dewar who use self-forgiveness as a therapeutic strategy in particular using it to lessen the impacts of adverse traumatic events that have occurred earlier in our lives. His approach has its roots in ACT (accepta…
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42 - What makes us laugh? The psychology of humour
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This week, Two Shrinks tackle humour. Hunter and Amy agree with toddlers that wearing underpants on your head is indeed hilarious, snort over funny words and discuss the role of feedback in enjoyment of cartoons. We also chat about the role of humour in therapy - where can it help and when does it go too far? As always, we wrap up with things we ca…
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41 - Harry Potter & the Pathological Personalities
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41 – Ever wondered what Voldermort’s attachment style is? Does Bellatrix Le Strange meet criteria for Borderline Personality Disorder? What about Snape? Is his behaviour schizoid, obsessive or best explained by complex grief? If you are a fan of Harry Potter then this is the Two Shrinks Pod episode for you. In this episode Amy and Hunter go through…
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40 - You can't ask a psychologist that
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40 - Are you psychologising me right now? Do you think about me when I’m not here? Can I be the only one that sees you next time? Do you think I’m crazy? Why would I come and see if you if you’ve never had this problem? My kid has the problem so why are you telling me I need to change? How do you cope with everything I tell you? Should I leave my p…
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39 - Improving the performance of professional athletes. Sports psychology and mental conditioning with Michael Inglis
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39 - Ever wondered how athletes improve their mental game and stop cracking under pressure? Or would you like to know how you could improve your own performance in sport (or anything else)? Then this is the episode for you. Hunter chats to Michael Inglis, sports psychologist and co-founder of The Mind Room https://themindroom.com.au/ about a mental…
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38 - Social Stigma and Welfare with Dr Timothy Schofield
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For the final interview of psychology week, Amy talks to Dr Timothy Schofield, research fellow at Melbourne University. They chat about Tim’s research into the stigma associated with welfare benefits, what makes a group vulnerable to stigma and the challenges of a research career. We wrap up with a Things We Came Across that soothes Amy’s doubts an…
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37 - Neuroscience of Social Anxiety - with Laura Finlayson-Short
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In our next interview for psychology week, Amy chats with Laura, a PhD candidate who’s researching the parts of our brains that are active in social anxiety. We talk about what happens when we think about ourselves and others at the same time, how they might be skewed in social anxiety and what it’s like being a PhD candidate.…
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36 - Psychological treatment of chronic pain - with Dr Kathleen Leach
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36 - for the second psychology week 2018 interview Hunter talks to Dr Kathleen Leach about chronic pain and the role psychologists play in the treatment and management of chronic pain. Kathleen has extensive experience working with patients who have chronic pain. Our usual experience of pain is that pain means damage but this is not the case in chr…
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35 - How to get better sleep - with Dr Lyndel Shand
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35 - Want to know how to get better sleep? Then have a listen to this episode which is our first in the series of interviews for psychology week 2018. Hunter talks to Dr Lyndel Shand on how to get better sleep, they talk the ins and outs of sleep hygiene, why it is important to understand sleep cycles and stages of sleep if you are to improve sleep…
Psychology Week 2018 and 2SP is having a podathon! We have conducted four interviews and we will release one each day this week. Topics: How to get better sleep - with Dr Lyndel Shand. Hunter and Lyndel talk about understanding sleep cycles and then discuss several case examples (trouble getting to sleep, trouble getting back to sleep etc) to illus…
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34 - Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder - Ordered, Controlled, Anally Retentive
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Know someone who likes to have things neat and tidy, sticks rigidly to the rules and appears tightly wound? This week we’re talking about the characteristics of Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder. In the last of our personality disorders series, we cover diagnosis, theory and treatment of this PD. We attempt to avoid self-diagnosis (Hunter),…
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33 - Dependent Personality Disorder - "Please look after me"
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Pod 33 - The penultimate episode of our personality disorder series takes a look at Dependent Personality Disorder - when someone has an excessive need to be taken care of, is submissive, clingy and fears separation. Whilst it is a rare PD (<1%) all of us have dependent elements and Amy and Hunter also compare it to some of the other personality di…
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32 - Avoidant Personality Disorder - Sensitive, Vigilant and Socially Anxious
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This week, Two Shrinks is leaving behind cluster B personality disorders and launching into cluster C, taking a long look at Avoidant Personality Disorder. We’ll chat about the people who seem shy, quiet and invisible, hanging out on the the fringes of social interactions. Continuing our PD series, we’ll take you through diagnosis, theories and tre…
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31 - Forensic psychology with Liz Daff : working in prisons, working with anti-social personality disorder and psychopathy.
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31 - Finishing up our mini-series on Anti-Social Personality Disorder and psychopaths we thought we’d talk to our colleague Liz Daff about working as a forensic psychologist. That is, a psychologist who works in prisons or forensic settings with people convicted of crimes or about to go to trial. This interview was so interesting and gripping. It i…
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30 - More about psychopaths. Children with psychopathic traits, successful people who have psychopathic traits, & treatment of psychopathy
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This episode we decided to continue on from pod 29 and chat more about psychopathy. Amy takes us through a discussion of how psychopathy does and does not manifest itself in children and adolescent. Spoiler – it does and doesn’t. Hunter then talks (at length) about ‘successful’ or non-incarcerated psychopaths, think nasty politicians, corporate CEO…
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29 - Anti-Social Personality Disorder, Psychopaths and Sociopaths - description and theory
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This week on Two Shrinks Pod we're looking at the darker side of human nature. Hunter & Amy chat about the diagnosis of Anti-Social Personality Disorder, psychopaths and sociopaths. Lump Hannibal Lector and The Grinch (pre-heart growth) into the same camp and get nerdy over theory. We lighten things up at the end with a chat about the (perfectly no…
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28 - Schema therapy for Narcissistic Personality Disorder - with Chris Hayes
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In this week's pod we chat with Chris Hayes, clinical psychologist and advanced schema therapist. Chris talks us through common schemas and modes in Narcissistic Personality Disorder, therapeutic approaches and the challenges of this work. He also answers our varied questions about schema therapy for personality issues. As always, we finish up with…
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27 - Narcissistic Personality Disorder - His Majesty, The Baby
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This week we take a look at Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) and answer our own burning questions: What is it like interacting with someone with NPD? How can you tell the difference between traits and diagnosable NPD? What are the theories about how it develops? And of course, which politicians meet criteria and what are the ethics of labell…
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26 - Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Borderline Personality Disorder
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We're back after a short break with a discussion about DBT for BPD. Hunter takes us through the key components of Dialectical Behavior Therapy which is used to treat Borderline Personality Disorder and we chat about the processes and challenges of this work. The pod goes into the weeds of this treatment so to speak - it is a long conversation but s…
