“God will not have his work made manifest by cowards”  Ralph Waldo Emerson.   Join us for this delightful conversation with Dr. Beth Rom Rymer and Neill Clark on the topic of risk taking in our lives.  We contemplate ideas by Machiavelli, Goethe, Lincoln and George Washington.    We discuss psychological and moral risks - courageous action for things aligned with our values and even better, for principles greater than ourselves.   As this episode is being recorded and released, Dr. Beth Rom Rymer is running for President Elect of the American Psychological Assoc ..read more

In this episode I share  1) What research has found about the impact of family meals 2)  Tips on how to get started again for those who have gotten away from the practice  3) My own practice with our family dinners, including three conversation starters that we have used for years.  These conversation starters are helpful in other contexts, including for divorced parents and their children  when they do “phone time” when away from one another.    Enjoy!   Support the Show. This show was created with love on my volunteer time. One small gift you can giv ..read more

I consider agape love to be the highest form of love and I’m so excited to share this topic with you.  On this show Dr. Robert Enright, PhD, and I discuss the following and more:  What is the definition of agape love and how is it different than other forms of love, such as Eros (romantic love) or love among family?   Are feelings of love necessary to practice agape love?   How does agape love fit in with justice and fairness?   How does agape love fit in with other virtues defined by psychology and religion?   Dr. Robert Enright is the 2022 recipient of the Gol ..read more

Affairs, which soared during COVID,  are addictive and can cause harm all around.  In this episode psychologist guests Dr. Sharon Ryan Montgomery, Dr. Marcy Pasternak and Dr. Tamsen Thorpe share their expertise on the different types of affairs, how affairs impact children, the personality types of those who are more likely to have affairs, steps to take to heal from an affair and more.    In my practice I find that affairs can be painful and debilitating not only for the injured party but for individuals trying to get out of one.   Learn about how there are emotional ..read more

This episode’s guest is Dr. Sean Sullivan, psychologist and the author of The Mind Master’s Silent Journey and Be Your Purpose:  10 Science Based Steps to Feeling and Performing Your Best.  Dr. Sullivan has been featured in The New York Times, Forbes, and the Huffington Post. During the pandemic, the University of California approved piloting a mode of therapy that Dr. Sullivan developed called “Shift Therapy” at the Santa Cruz campus (UCSC). After two years of successful pilots, UCSC’s Health Center subscribed their entire 20,000+ member community to receive Shift Therapy in 2023.&n ..read more

This is the last of a 17 part series of super brief, stand alone podcasts (5 - 10 minutes each) on the topic of forgiveness.  In each show, I will ask just one question of Dr. Robert Enright, PhD, internationally renowned expert on the science and psychology of forgiveness.   This episode answers the question: What are the physical and emotional risks of not forgiving?   The following is a complete list of episodes in this series:   What is the definition of forgiveness?   What are the benefits of forgiveness? What are the two paradoxes of forgiveness? Is forgiveness ..read more

This is the 16th of a 17 part series of super brief, stand alone podcasts (5 - 10 minutes each) on the topic of forgiveness.  In each show, I will ask just one question of Dr. Robert Enright, PhD, internationally renowned expert on the science and psychology of forgiveness. This episode answers the question: Can forgiveness and justice happen together?    Dr. Enright brings in Aristotle in his answer . . .  The following is a complete list of episodes in this series, which can be found at the Psychology America with Dr. Alexandra podcast:  What is the definition of fo ..read more

This is the 15th of a 17 part series of super brief, stand alone podcasts (5 - 10 minutes each) on the topic of forgiveness.  In each show, I will ask just one question of Dr. Robert Enright, PhD, internationally renowned expert on the science and psychology of forgiveness. This episode answers the question:  How often should one forgive?   The following is a list of the other episodes in the series:   What is the definition of forgiveness?   What are the benefits of forgiveness? What are the two paradoxes of forgiveness? Is forgiveness just about religion?  What ..read more

This is the 14th of a 17 part series of super brief, stand alone podcasts (5 - 10 minutes each) on the topic of forgiveness.  In each show, I will ask just one question of Dr. Robert Enright, PhD, internationally renowned expert on the science and psychology of forgiveness.    This episode answers the question:  How long does it take to get emotional relief after forgiving, if at all?     Stay tuned for the 15th episode:  How often should one forgive?   Dr. Robert Enright is the 2022 recipient of the Gold Medal Award for Impact in Psychology by the ..read more

This is the 14th of a 17 part series of super brief, stand alone podcasts (5 - 10 minutes each) on the topic of forgiveness.  In each show, I will ask just one question of Dr. Robert Enright, PhD, internationally renowned expert on the science and psychology of forgiveness.  This episode answers the question:  How long does it take to get emotional relief after forgiving, if at all?   Stay tuned for the 15th episode:  How often should one forgive?   Dr. Robert Enright is the 2022 recipient of the Gold Medal Award for Impact in Psychology by the American Psychologi ..read more