What Psychologists Know: Two Resources for Self-Improvement

Therapists are flooded with information, challenging them to “keep up” with recent developments in their profession. It should be no surprise, then, if clients often come unprepared to aid themselves or a loved one in a pressured moment.

Here are some free and helpful resources. The National Register of Health Service Psychologists offers podcasts on various treatment issues. The programs run for about 15 — 40 minutes.

Among the topics available thus far are:

• reducing chronic pain
• the impact of stress about climate change
  
• racism in therapy
• treating gambling disorder
• anorexia
• male clients in counseling
• psychological services for firefighters
• transitioning from in-person to telepsychology
• autism spectrum disorders
• weight management
  

You can find links to these and more topics here:

Podcasts

While the programs are intended for professionals in the field, my sampling of the recordings suggests they have something to offer to intelligent listeners outside of it.

One such example is Dr. Beth Darnall’s podcast on “The Role of Psychology in Treating Chronic Pain.” The Professor includes a discussion of a new treatment not requiring medication.

“Empowered Relief” is a brief approach for the approximately 50 million Americans with this condition.

A second series of podcasts features the work of famous Yale Professor Laurie Santos and The Happiness Lab/

Consider this more like an informal, practical talk with your favorite teacher and guests.

Dr. Santos takes “you through the latest scientific research and shares some surprising and inspiring stories that will forever alter the way you think about happiness,” according to the website.

Podcast topics include:

• improving your relationship to anger
• forgiveness
• avoiding burnout
• embracing sadness in the pursuit of happiness
• guilt
• reducing anxiety
• grieving
• feed yourself like you’d feed a loved one
• working your way to happiness
• a happier Christmas

I hope you find these helpful.

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The top image is A Helping Hand (Sunset Along the California Coast) by Damian Gadal. It is sourced from Wikimedia.org/