Mind Tricks Radio

I enjoyed an engaging interview with Dr. Albert "Skip" Rizzo, a pioneer and leader in the development and use of Virtual Reality in psychotherapy and other medical applications.  We discussed the history of Virtual Reality Therapy (VRT), and current uses for treating everything from anxiety disorders to autism spectrum disorders. Dr. Rizzo really blew my mind with his newest innovative VRT project -- integrating VRT with psychedelic assisted psychotherapy.

Dr. Rizzo is Director for Medical Virtual Reality at the Institute for Creative Technologies, and Research Professor at USC Davis School of Gerontology and USC Keck School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences.

He conducts research on the design, development and evaluation of virtual reality (VR) systems targeting the areas of clinical assessment, treatment rehabilitation and resilience. This work spans the domains of psychological, cognitive and motor functioning in both healthy and clinical populations. Dr. Rizzo received the American Psychological Association’s 2010 Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Treatment of Trauma. Rizzo is working with a team that is creating artificially intelligent virtual patients that clinicians can use to practice skills required for challenging clinical interviews and diagnostic assessments. His cognitive work has addressed the use of VR applications to test and train attention, memory, visuospatial abilities and executive function. In the motor domain, he has developed VR game systems to address physical rehabilitation post stroke and traumatic brain injury and for prosthetic use training. He is currently designing VR scenarios to address social and vocational interaction in persons with autistic spectrum disorder. Rizzo is currently examining the use of VR applications for training emotional coping skills with the aim of preparing service members for the stresses of combat.

At 8:07 am Hawaii Standard Time, on Saturday, January 13, 2018, the residents of Hawaii were alerted via the Emergency Alert System and Wireless Emergency Alert System by television, radio, and cellphones that an incoming ballistic missile was on its way to the islands. Text messages on cell phones read: “Ballistic missile threat inbound to Hawaii. Seek Immediate Shelter. This not a drill.”  What followed was 38 minutes of confusion, terror, and disbelief, as residents struggled to make sense of what was happening.  Then, after 38 minutes, the State released a new message: There is no missile threat or danger to the State of Hawaii. Repeat. False Alarm.”

I had the pleasure of interviewing Rob and Keiko Feldman, who co-directed the award-winning documentary This Is Not A Drill: 38 Minutes That Changed Lives.  Rob and Keiko reflected upon the experiences of the individuals they interviewed for their film.  The stories were heartwarming and moving, as Rob and Keiko learned how people coped with the terrifying event while it was happening, and how they found personal meaning in the aftermath of the incident after the "false alarm" message was sent.

For more information about This Is Not A Drill, check out the film's official website at https://www.thisisnotadrillmovie.com

The film is currently not available for public viewing, but a distribution deal is in the works, so stay tuned!

Shari Brown met with me today to discuss the complicated and nuanced topic of multiple minority identities, in particular, the intersection of racial/ethnic identity with gender/sexual identity.  Shari is an advanced doctoral student in Clinical Psychology at University of Hawaii at Manoa, whose clinical, research and mentorship experiences are focused on LGBTQ+ and BIPOC populations. Shari is originally from Jamaica and identifies as a Black Queer immigrant. These identities inform their interest in and perspectives on these topics.

Today I interviewed Dr. Zeal Okogeri, who spoke with me about kindness, compassion, and generosity which he illustrates in his four published books. His most recent book, You Can Never Go Wrong By Being Kind, is an anthology of real life stories on the transformative potential of kindness and compassion.

Dr. Okogeri spoke with me about his colorful and happy childhood growing up in a small village in Nigeria, which was interrupted for three years by a brutal civil war.  Though tragic on an epic human level, Dr. Okogeri saw examples of kindness and compassion everywhere he went.

As an adult, Dr. Okogeri has been a teacher and author in the fields of self-development and spiritual growth for more than 25 years. Through his writings, teachings and storytelling, he inspires awareness. Dr. Okogeri has also served as a doctor of chiropractic medicine for 20 years, during which time he treated thousands of patients from all cultural backgrounds and walks of life.

Dr. Okogeri leads weekly classes on kindness storytelling and meditation, during which participants share stories about how they were transformed by unexpected kindness from people, especially strangers; and how their gifts of kindness transformed others.  

He is currently raising funds for Support Kindness, a non-profit organization aimed at promoting kindness and compassion throughout the world. Learn more about Support Kindness though Dr. Okogeri's GoFundME campaign: https://gofund.me/53982600

In Episode 16, I interview Dr. Rebecca Gladding, author of the book, You Are Not Your Brain, The 4-Step Solution for Changing Bad Habits, Ending Unhealthy Thinking, and Taking Control of Your Life co-written with Dr. Jeffrey Schwartz. Dr. Gladding served as a clinical instructor and attending psychiatrist at UCLA and was featured in A&E's critically acclaimed series Obsessed. She is Founder & Medical Director of Mindful Wellness Maui. She is an expert in anxiety, depression, mindfulness and the Four Steps. 

Dr. Gladding speaks with me about Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, or OCD and her work in treating the disorder through methods she’s developed and are highlighted in You Are Not Your Brain.

After a nearly one year hiatus from Mind Tricks, I've started a new series of episodes with lively and informative guests on topics related to psychology.

Episode 15 is particularly tasty, as I interview Ethnobotanist and Chocolatier, Dr. Nat Bletter, who discusses his love for medicinal plants, and in particular, the psychoactive properties of plants.  Dr. Bletter talks about chemical complexities of chocolate and his Hawaii based company Madre Chocolate.  He then discussed psychoactive properties of other plants that are commonly used as mood enhancers, anxiolytics, and cognitive boosters.

As an experienced gardener, grower, grafter along with his enthusiasm for enjoying the outdoors, exploring exotic fruits, and cultivating local food to enjoy all the flavors of life, this has led him to start Natty by Nature (http://www.nattybynature.net) for edible landscaping, foraging, and cooking on O’ahu and his YouTube channel on medicinal and edible plants.

Interview with Dr. Tyler Ralston, a Clinical Psychologist in Private Practice in Honolulu, Hawaii. Dr. Ralston returned to speak with me about how to identify red flags in abusive relationships, and how to avoid starting a relationship with an abusive partner. Dr. Ralston is a co-author of Treating PTSD in Battered Women, a step-by-step manual for therapists and counselors.

A conversation with Dr. Adam Dorsay, Clinical Psychologist in San Jose, California.  We talked about Positive Psychology, and the concepts of Learned Helplessness, Optimism, and Pessimism and how they may affect a person's ability to grow and find fulfillment in his or her life.

Interview with Dr. Kyla Wahlstrom, a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Minnesota.  Dr. Wahlstrom has researched teens and sleep for 23 years, and has generated overwhelming findings on the profound health benefits of later school start times for teenagers. Based on Dr. Wahlstrom's work, the need for later school start times has been endorsed by organizations such as the American Pediatric Association, the American Medical Association, and the American Psychological association. As a result, hundreds of school districts around the country, and internationally, have changed their start times for teenagers.

Interview with Dr. Liza Wacker, Clinical Psychologist in Hawaii.  Dr. Wacker spoke with me about Perfectionism -- how to identify perfectionism and understand how it gets in the way of achieving happiness and fulfillment. She gives great examples of ways to shift perfectionistic thinking and engage in behaviors that promote healthy striving.