Advertise on podcast: The Trauma & Mental Health Report Podcast

In this episode, Contributing Writer Dante Lewis-Chan sits down with Dr. Anita Tucker, a Professor of Social Work at the University of New Hampshire, where her work focuses on outdoor and adventure therapy. She is also the co-coordinator of the Outdoor Research Collaborative. Together, we explore how outdoor and adventure therapy works and its effectiveness in treating clients, as well as issues surrounding accessibility, research, and inclusion.

In today’s episode, we will be talking with Dr. Amori Mikami, who is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of British Columbia, a Canada Research Chair in Clinical Child Psychology, and a registered clinical psychologist. Among her research includes the Promoting Relationships in Social Media (or PRISM) project, which has been interested in promoting positive usage of social media to mitigate the negative effects that can stem from excessive usage. Today we will be discussing the impact of social media, and how while the pervasive social media use in today’s culture presents adverse effects, including self-presentation pressures, social comparison, envy, and FOMO, new research indicates using social media mindfully and with intention reduces these effects, while promoting positive outcomes.

In today’s episode, The Trauma and Mental Health Report's contributing writer, Sophie Wagner, speaks with Dr. Lucy Vorobej, a historian and post-doctoral fellow at the Wilson Centre for Education Research, University Health Network and University of Toronto, about the influence of white settler colonialism on healthcare and mental health care system disparities for Indigenous populations. By taking a systems approach to questions about how these disparities came to exist, they address the importance of truth before meaningful reconciliation and listening to Indigenous voices.

In this episode, Assistant Professor at the University of Victoria and Researcher Dr. Alyssa Maryn joins the Trauma and Mental Health Report’s podcast to discuss the experiences of men who once identified as incels. We discuss what draws individuals to incel communities, the struggles and circumstances that sustain this identity, and the factors that help former incels leave.

As social media grows, our connections to the people we see on screens continue to deepen. The term “parasocial relationship” has been spreading through online discourse, but are these relationships inherently negative? In this episode, writer Natalie Joly speaks with Dr. Gayle Stever, an expert in parasocial relationships and author of Parasocial Experiences and The Psychology of Celebrity. They discuss common misconceptions surrounding these nuanced relationships and how the term is often misunderstood and misrepresented.

As AI tools like ChatGPT become part of everyday life, more people are turning to them for advice, comfort, and even therapy. But can artificial intelligence truly take on the role of a mental health provider? In this episode, writer Niemat Yusuf speaks with Dr. William Agnew, a postdoctoral researcher at Carnegie Mellon University, whose work examines the ethics of AI and its impact on marginalized communities. Together, they explore what current research reveals about AI’s potential and its limits in emotional support.

In this episode of the Trauma and Mental Health Report’s podcast, contributing writer Amanda Fernandes interviews Dr. Stephen Lewis, Associate Professor in psychology and Research Leadership Chair at the University of Guelph. His research has focused extensively on lived experiences in mental health, as well as non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) among youth and young adults. Together we delve into his co-authored paper exploring diagnosed and undiagnosed mental health difficulties among school, clinical, and counselling psychologists, and graduate students. Dr. Lewis draws on his own lived experiences and academic expertise to advocate against the stigmas that have prevented applied psychologists from disclosing and addressing their mental health struggles. He provides meaningful insights into the topic of clinician effectiveness given mental health struggles, and poses several avenues of future research and change.

In this episode, Trauma and Mental Health Report writer Adrian Parham interviews Dr. Jeffrey Wardell, associate professor at York University and director of the Behavioural Alcohol and Cannabis Lab. His lab uses clinical, social, cognitive and personality psychology to better understand the behavioural processes of substance use and misuse. The goal of the lab is to support policy makers tailor interventions and harm reduction efforts, by providing scientific data.

In this episode, Trauma and Mental Health Report writer Sierrah Hamilton interviews Dr. Mirisse Foroughe, the Research Institute Director at Emotion Transformation Institute, the Clinical Director at Family Psychology Centre, and the developer of Emotion Focused Therapy for Youth. She is also the author of two published books on Emotion Focused Family Therapy (EFFT) and Emotion Focused Therapy for Youth (EFT-Y), and she hosts workshops where she teaches these tools to caregivers and clinicians internationally. Today, we will dive into her most recent work, using Emotion Focused Therapy for Youth and Caregiver-Youth dyads, and how you can think about and use some of these techniques within your own family.

In this episode, Trauma and Mental Health Report writer Shontae Cameron sits down with JaeRan Kim, Ph.D., an associate professor at the University of Washington, Tacoma, in the School of Social Work and Criminal Justice. As a writer, blogger, and scholar, Dr. Kim’s work focuses on adoption, foster care, and child welfare. Together, we explore ambiguous loss—a form of disenfranchised grief that deeply affects individuals with adoption and foster-care experiences. From the emotional complexities of non-death losses to their lasting psychological impact, Dr. Kim shares her expertise, insights, and personal experience in this compelling discussion.

In today’s episode, contributing writer Japneet Kaur speaks with Dr. Norman Farb, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Toronto, and co-author of Better in Every Sense with Dr. Zindel Segal. With him, we dive into the science behind why we get emotionally stuck in mental loops, overthinking, and overwhelm. Dr. Farb introduces Sense Foraging, a science-backed practice that helps disrupt these cycles by reconnecting us with our senses, offering a powerful pathway to emotional reset and wellbeing. Whether you're feeling disconnected, overwhelmed, or simply in need of a reset, this episode will reveal how this simple yet transformative practice can help you break free from rigid patterns of thinking and being, while helping you feel more grounded and emotionally resilient.

In this episode, we sit down with Justin Michel, CEO of Building Bridges Psychotherapy and Affordable Therapy Ontario, a passionate advocate for accessible mental health care. Justin believes that financial barriers should never stand between individuals and the support they need. We'll explore the critical issue of affordability in trauma recovery, discussing how private and public systems can be leveraged to provide low-cost mental health support. Join us as we delve into Justin's work and his vision for a future where healing is within everyone's reach.

In this episode of the Trauma and Mental Health podcast series, we are joined by contributing writer Suliana Beraki and Dr. Kenneth Widanaralalage, a lecturer in forensic psychology at King’s College London. Dr. Widanaralalage discusses his article, “I Didn't Feel Like a Victim,” providing valuable insights into the challenges faced by individuals who have experienced sexual violations. We explore the concept of rape myths, examining how they are socially constructed and the various factors that make it difficult for some male survivors to recognize, confront, and cope with their experiences.  Join us as we delve into topics such as secondary victimization, interactions with law enforcement, and societal perceptions of masculinity. Dr. Widanaralalage also shares perspectives on how we can move forward—offering some ideas for peers, mental health professionals, and law enforcement on challenging harmful stereotypes and fostering safer, more supportive spaces for male survivors and others with similar experiences.

In today’s episode, Contributing Writer Ruby Kagan speaks with James Downs, a lived experience mental health research expert in eating disorders, looking at the label of SEEDs “Severe and Enduring Eating Disorders” (SEEDs) and the recent approach of emphasizing “Harm Reduction” in eating disorder treatment. We discuss the systemic gaps in eating disorder treatments currently, including considering the ethical debate around harm reduction methods for eating disorders  and common definitions and labels like SEEDs.

In today’s episode, Contributing Writer Japneet Kaur speaks with Dr. George Slavich, director of the UCLA laboratory for stress assessment and research and a pioneer in the field of stress science and human social genomics. With him we dive into the conceptualisation of stress, its effects on the human brain, body and immune system, and the future of stress research. Most importantly, Dr. Slavich shares practical, evidence-based strategies for managing everyday stress and minimizing its negative impact on overall well- being.