Richard J. Davidson is the William James and Vilas Research Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry, Director of the W.M. Keck Laboratory for Functional Brain Imaging and Behavior, the Laboratory for Affective Neuroscience and the Center for Investigating Healthy Minds, Waisman Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He received his Ph.D. from Harvard University in Psychology and has been at Wisconsin since 1984. He has published more than 250 articles, many chapters and reviews and edited 13 books. He has been a member of the Mind and Life Institute’s Board of Directors since 1991. He is the recipient of numerous awards for his research including a National Institute of Mental Health Research Scientist Award, a MERIT Award from NIMH, an Established Investigator Award from the National Alliance for Research in Schizophrenia and Affective Disorders (NARSAD), a Distinguished Investigator Award from NARSAD, the William James Fellow Award from the American Psychological Society, and the Hilldale Award from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Read More »
Dr. Bernie Siegel is a well-known proponent of alternative approaches to healing that heal not just the body, but the mind and soul as well. His 2005 book, 101 Exercises For The Soul has just been released in paperback. Bernie, as his friends and patients call him, studied medicine at Colgate University and Cornell University Medical College. His surgical training took place at Yale New Haven Hospital, West Haven Veteran’s Hospital, and the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. In 1978 Bernie pioneered a new approach to group and individual cancer therapy called ECaP (Exceptional Cancer Patients). His innovative methods used patients’ drawings,dreams, and feelings, and broke new ground in facilitating important lifestyle changes while engaging patients in the healing process. Read More »
Jerry M. Ruhl, Ph.D., is a Jungian therapist and the executive director of the Houston Jung Center. With Robert Johnson, Jerry is the co-author of three books on psychology and spirituality, including Living Your Unlived Life: Coping with Unrealized Dreams and Fulfilling Your Purpose in the Second Half of Life. Read More »
John Schinnerer, Ph.D. is in private practice helping individuals learn happiness by mitigating destructive emotions and fostering constructive emotions. Using positive psychology, he helps clients achieve happy, thriving, meaningful lives. Read More »
Dr. Rick Johnson has a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from New Mexico State University as well as masters and post-masters training in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Pennsylvania and the Philadelphia Child Guidance Clinic. He is currently associate professor and department chair of Counselor Education at Portland State University. Previously, he was an assistant/associate professor at Montana State University. Rick’s research and scholarly agenda focuses on family systems theory and the effects of family experiences on psychosocial development in adolescence and adulthood as well as the integration of psychological and spiritual health. His research has led to over 20 published articles in professional journals. He recently published a book, Reclaiming Your Real Self: A Psychological and Spiritual Integration (2009). To purchase the book, visit amazon.com and search “Reclaiming Your Real Self.” Read More »
Jane Teresa Anderson is the author of six books including Dream Alchemy and 101 Dream Interpretation Tips, a regular guest on Australian television, and an accomplished radio dream talk-back expert, interpreting callers’ dreams on more than 1,500 shows. She also hosts her own weekly podcast series, The Dream Show. Read More »
Sara W. Lazar, PhD is a neuroscientist in the Psychiatry Department at Massachusetts General Hospital and an Instructor in Psychology at Harvard Medical School. The focus of her research is to elucidate the neural mechanisms underlying meditation, both in clinical settings and to promote and preserve health and well-being in healthy individuals. One main focus of her work is determining how yoga and meditation influence brain structure, and how these changes influence behavior. She has been practicing yoga and mindfulness meditation since 1994, and is a Board member of the Institute for Meditation and Psychotherapy.
J. Robert (“J.R.”) Harris is one of my market research colleagues who is also an adventurer and explorer. His resume includes more than 40 wilderness expeditions over the past 30 years to remote places such as Alaska, Tasmania, Iceland, Patagonia, Lapland, the Australian Outback, Greenland and Tanzania. Many of these treks were solo. In recognition of his experience, he was elected into the Explorers Club in 1993. He is interviewed here by another one of my market research colleagues, Dr. Sharon Livingston, who I interviewed on Shrink Rap Radio episodes #190 and #11 and who interviewed me on episode #13.
J.R. has written a number of articles and stories about his exploits and experiences, and he uses these topics as a motivational speaker at inner-city high schools in New York City. Read More »
Years after a motorcycle accident left him with one leg, Bob Kull traveled to a remote island in the Patagonia wilderness with supplies to live completely alone for a year. He sought to explore the effects of deep solitude on the body and mind and to find answers to the spiritual questions that had plagued him his entire life. With only a cat and his thoughts as companions, he wrestled with inner storms while the wild forces of nature raged around him. The physical challenges were immense, but the struggles of mind and spirit pushed him to the limits of human endurance. Read More »
Ronald A. Alexander, Ph.D., is author of the 2009 book Wise Mind Open Mind: Finding Purpose and Meaning in Times of Crisis, Loss & Change. Dr. Alexander practices mind/body psychotherapy and leadership coaching in Santa Monica, CA, and specializes in the practice of somatic psychology, creativity and leadership training. He teaches clinical training groups for professionals in Somatic Psychotherapy and Ericksonian-Mind/Body healing therapies and the Art of Mindfulness meditation. He leads workshops at growth centers throughout the U.S. and abroad. He was also a guest on Shrink Rap Radio #29 back in 2006 when I interviewed him on “Mindful Leadership, Mindful Living.” Many years ago, he was one of my M.A. students at Sonoma State University and now I regard him as both colleague and teacher. Read More »
Having lost his only son Tariq to a gang-related murder, Azim N. Khamisa is a rare individual who not only speaks of powerful and life-changing concepts, but also walks his talk having created a foundation in his son’s name, the Tariq Khamisa Foundation, which is dedicated to breaking the cycle of youth violence by empowering children, saving lives, and teaching peace. Azim is also the author of three best selling books, Azim’s Bardo – From Murder To Forgiveness – A Father’s Journey, From Forgiveness to Fulfillment, and The Secrets of the Bulletproof Spirit. Read More »
Leslie Davenport, M.A., MFT is a pioneer in the role of guided imagery in psychotherapy and integrative medicine, and is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with Master’s Degrees in both the arts and psychology. Leslie is also an ordained minister in an interfaith Sufi tradition. Her unique background and creative work has been influential in a health-care revolution that recognizes the role of meaning and the spiritual dimensions of life as an integral part of health and healing. Read More »
Rodger Kamenetz, Ph.D. is an award-winning poet and author of nine books, including the landmark international bestseller The Jew in the Lotus and the National Jewish Book Award-winning Stalking Elijah. His latest book, The History of Last Night’s Dream:Discovering The Hidden Path to The Soul, was featured on Oprah Winfrey’s Soul Series. Read More »
Victor Daniels, Ph.D. is Professor of Psychology at Sonoma State University and co-author, along with his wife Kooch Daniels, M.A. of the 2009 book, Matrix Meditations: A 16-Week Program For Developing the Mind-Heart Connection. Victor was the first director of its India Studies program and is a past Chair of the Psychology Department. Zen Master Jakusho Kwong-Roshi, abbot of Sonoma Mountain Zen Center, has been his meditation teacher and a role model for several decades. Read More »
Dacher Keltner, Ph.D. received his BA in Psychology and Sociology from UC Santa Barbara in 1984 and his PhD in Social Psychology from Stanford University in 1989. After a post-doc at UCSF with Paul Ekman, in 1992 he took his first academic job, at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and then returned to Berkeley’s Psychology Department in 1996, where he is now a full professor. Read More »
Michael Meade has studied myth, anthropology, history of religion, and cross-cultural rituals for over 35 years. His hypnotic and fiery storytelling, street savvy perceptiveness, and spellbinding interpretations of ancient myths and symbols are highly relevant to current culture. He has an unusual ability to distill and synthesize these disciplines, tapping into ancestral sources of wisdom, while connecting them to the stories of people today. Read More »
G. Kwame Scruggs, Ph.D. is the founder and executive director of Alchemy, Inc., a tax-exempt nonprofit organization based in Akron, Ohio, that he established in 2003 to assist urban male youth to develop a sense of personal purpose in life, while utilizing strategies to successfully function as members of a family, school, community and the world-at-large. He came up with the idea to create Alchemy several years ago when he was working as a counselor with high school dropouts. Read More »
Ann Weiser Cornell, Ph.D., for more than 30 years, has been refining an approach to personal change that she calls “Inner Relationship Focusing.”
Ann was getting her PhD in Linguistics at the University of Chicago when she met and worked with Dr. Eugene Gendlin, the originator of Focusing, as one of his earliest students. After teaching Linguistics at Purdue University, Ann returned to Chicago to assist Gendlin with his Focusing workshops and eventually, with Gendlin’s blessing, created her own approach to Focusing. Read More »
Ted Zeff, Ph.D., is the author of two books on the highly-sensitive person: The Highly Sensitive Person’s Survival Guide and a workbook titled, The Highly Sensitive Person’s Companion. He is currently working on a third book: The Highly Sensitive Boy-Helping Your Son Become a Strong, Confident, Emotionally-Healthy Man. Read More »
Marc Bregman and Christa Lancaster are co-directors of The Center for Archetypal Dreamwork.
Marc Bregman founded Archetypal Dreamwork in 1973 and is the Co-Founder and Co-Director of North of Eden and The Center for Archetypal Dreamwork. Marc is a master Archetypal Dreamwork Therapist, in practice since 1973, a teacher and a trainer of teachers. Read More »
Matt Atkinson, LCSW is a licensed clinical social worker and therapist who works with trauma survivors. He’s also author of the book Resurrection After Rape: A Guide to Transforming From Victim to Survivor. He has worked in crisis services as a staff director with the YWCA in prevention of domestic and sexual violence, where he developed and implemented programs with women’s prisons, university sports teams, churches, and Indian tribes. Read More »
John C. Valentino is Chief Executive Officer of Psyleron. Psyleron was founded by scientists and associates of the Princeton Engineering Anomalies Research laboratory (PEAR) at Princeton University. Read More »
Elaine Leeder, MSW, MPH, PhD is Professor of Sociology and Dean of the School of Social Sciences. She holds an M.S.W. from the Wurzweiler School of Social Work of Yeshiva University, a Masters of Public Health from the University of California at Berkeley, and a Ph.D. from Cornell University. She was a practicing psychotherapist from 1967 to 1992. Read More »
William R. Emerson, Ph.D., is a renowned workshop leader, writer, lecturer, and pioneer in the field of pre and perinatal psychology. He is among the first in the world to develop prenatal and perinatal treatment methods for infants and children, is an expert in treatment methods for adults, and is recognized world-wide for his contributions. He is also co-president of APPPAH, the Association for Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology and Health, and has been on the Board of Directors for twenty years. He is the author of six books, five self-published, the co-author of Remembering Our Home , and the author of 15 published chapters and journal articles in the field of pre and perinatal psychology. Read More »