PsychedAbout

Erin and Sepi dive deep into clinical psychology through World War II. They explore the psychology’s roots of prejudice and optimism as the Western world began to their understandings of psychotherapy as a more familiar field. This is the second of a multi-part series on the development of clinical psychology from the late 1800s through today.

References

Summary

Erin and Sepi dive deep into clinical psychology at the turn of the 19th century until the beginning of World War II. They explore the psychology’s roots of prejudice and optimism as the Western world began to interpret and define the human psyche and experience for the first time. This is the first of a multi-part series on the development of clinical psychology from the late 1800s through today.

References

Erin and Sepi review Bronfenbrenner's Bioecological Systems Theory and get heady with complexity and critiques.

Initially criticized for neglecting biological, cognitive processes and focusing solely on the environment, the theory evolved over time to encompass biology's role in human development. The key components of the theory include Microsystem (direct interactions), Mesosystem (interactions between microsystems), Exosystem (indirect influences), Macrosystem (broader societal influences), and Chronosystem (time and historical context).

Erin argues that Bronfenbrenner's work highlights the significance of individual psychology, emphasizing that behavior is influenced by perception rather than objective reality.

She suggests that the evolution of the theory should create a subsystem within the Microsystem that includes the individual as a system unto itself.

Complexity theory, as discussed in an interview published on the Mindscape podcast with Dr. Sean Carroll and Dr. David Krakaur is applied to the Bioecological Systems Theory and used to illustrate how to conceptualize systems-thinking in therapeutic relationships.

Show Notes

An in-depth interview with Professor Nooshin Saraeipour, LMFT, about narrative therapy.

Professor Nooshin Saraeipour, LMFT, holds a Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis on Marriage and Family therapy from Pepperdine University. She earned her Bachelor of Sciences in Agricultural Engineering in Iran, emphasizing food science and technology. She is currently working as an LMFT in her own private practice. She is also an adjunct professor at Pepperdine University’s on-campus program and online division.

Throughout her journey as a therapist, she has gained valuable experience working with individuals, children, adolescents, and families in various settings such as private practice, nonprofit organizations, community clinics, and county-contracted outpatient agencies. Her passion and focus is working with issues unique to women experiencing difficulties in life stages, including marriage, intimate partner and relationship issues, self-image, pregnancy, motherhood, infertility, and immigration and acculturation issues.

In other words, “empowering women” opens her heart and lifts her soul.

Her therapeutic approach is grounded in postmodern and strengths-based therapy practices. She wholeheartedly believes in coming alongside her clients in their sacred healing path while recognizing each client's unique experience through a collaborative, curious, respectful, and empathic lens. She longs to help her clients give voice to their stories, articulate their challenges, and identify their strengths, knowledge, and new possibilities that are often overshadowed by problem stories so they can reclaim their preferred way of living. She connects to her curious and joyful spirit through travel, especially to the motherland, yoga, and quality time with her beloved son, friends, and family.

Contact for Professor Nooshin Saraeipour, LMFT

Email

Nooshin.Saraeipour@peppeprdine.edu

Psychology Today

Erin and Sepi talk to Dr. Jaz Robbins about health psychology and the framing of healing through a biopsychosocial perspective. Topics of brain health and mental health, and scientific integrity in psychology are also discussed.

Dr. Jaz Robbins is a therapist, nutritionist, author, public speaker, poet, and stage performer. She was also Erin's ethics professor at Pepperdine University.  In addition to being a professor, Dr. Jaz Robbins is a trauma therapist with extensive training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Cognitive Processing Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Multicultural Psychology, Person-Centered Therapy, and Psychodynamic Theory.

Dr. Jaz places client culture, identity, and individuality at the center of her work. For her, the goal of therapy is to help individuals recenter, regain their focus, and reclaim their joy. Dr. Jaz utilizes an integrative approach in her practice, encouraging clients to play an active role in their healing. One integrative approach she takes is integrating nutrition into her practice. We were overjoyed to have her speak about this intersection of these interests in this interview. 

Dr. Jaz Robbin's Private Practice Website

This is the last of a 3-part conversation with certified Death Doula, Chauncey O'Dell, about what a death doula is and how we can support the dying process as future therapists.

Resources

Death Doula Trainings

This is the second of a 3-part conversation with certified Death Doula, Chauncey O'Dell, about what a death doula is and how we can support the dying process as future therapists.

Resources

Death Doula Trainings

This is the first of a 3-part conversation with certified Death Doula, Chauncey O'Dell, about what a death doula is and how we can support the dying process as future therapists.  

Resources

Death Doula Trainings

Sepi and Erin continue to dive into defense processes as defined by Nancy McWilliams in her book "Psychoanalytic Diagnosis." Topics covered include the secondary defense processes of repression, regression, isolation of affect, intellectualization, rationalization, moralization, compartmentalization, undoing, turning against the self, displacement, reaction formation, reversal, identification, sublimation, and humor. 

Show Notes

Sepi and Erin continue to dive into defense processes as defined by Nancy McWilliams in her book "Psychoanalytic Diagnosis." Topics covered included splitting of the ego, somatization, acting out, sexualization, and extreme dissociation. 

Show Notes

Sepi and Erin start to dive into defense processes as defined by Nancy McWilliams in her book "Psychoanalytic Diagnosis." Topics covered included extreme withdrawal, denial, omnipotent control, extreme idealization and devaluation, projection, introjection, and projective identification. 

Show Notes

Erin and Sepi discuss Internal Family Systems (IFS) as a therapeutic model after attending a workshop hosted by the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapy (CAMFT) with Sayun Scotton, M.A., LMFT, on September 16, 2022.

Apple Podcasts:

Sepi and Erin reflect on the Clearly Clinical podcast, “Light up the Couch”, where the host Elizabeth Irias, LMFT, interviews Cynthia Mulder, LCSW, about shame in the therapy room. Topics covered include the difference between embarrassment, humiliation, guilt, and shame and how to support resilience to shame in the therapy room. 

Show Notes

Sepi and Erin talk to Professor Bergen about cultivating authentic communication in the therapy room. He provides practical tools and frameworks to understand the essential components of communication. Kevin Bergen is a licensed therapist, author, and professor at Pepperdine University. He is also a director and therapist at the Center for Counseling, Recovery, & Growth and a coach at Courageous Decisions Coaching.  He specializes in helping men through the transition from feeling unappreciated, misunderstood, disrespected, and powerless to feeling recognized, heard, respected, and empowered.

Show Notes:

The Communication Diagram™

Sepi shares what she learned from a recent training on Existential Theory. Erin and Sepi then reflect on the implications of acceptance, grief, transitions, and what it means to be an individual and member of a family, and community who is living in the here and now.

Resource: