Mind Tricks Blog
Aloha and welcome to Mind Tricks Blog! I hope to share with you a random assortment of interesting and engaging material that falls within the inner and outer limits of psychology. These Blog entries will include:
- Thought provoking research I’ve encountered in the field of psychology and how it may apply to understanding ourselves and the world around us.
- Q & A sessions I’ve conducted with psychologists and professionals in the field with really interesting things to say.
- Reactions to recent MIND TRICKS podcast episodes I’ve recorded.
- Random musings on psychological topics – really just whatever I find to be interesting and at least tangentially related to the psychological realm.
I hope this Blog provides interesting, informative, and entertaining material for your educational enrichment, and an occasional laugh.
When Earth Blinked (a novel) cover announcement!
I’m excited to announce that the book cover survey for my upcoming debut novel, When Earth Blinked, is officially complete! Huge thanks to everyone who took the time to vote and share feedback. Your input genuinely mattered, and it was exciting to see such strong...
Critical Thinking — Beyond Basics, a conversation with Dr. Christopher Dwyer
In a recent MindTricks Radio conversation with critical thinking researcher Dr. Christopher Dwyer, we kept returning to a deceptively simple question: what does it actually mean to know something? His new book title, Knowledge Doesn’t Exist, is intentionally...
AI and the Future of Psychotherapy
Artificial intelligence is pushing deeper into the mental health world, and it is forcing all of us to reconsider what therapy actually is. Tools like Woebot and Wysa are already helping people regulate anxiety and depression at any hour of the day. They are...
Understanding and Supporting Children Who Grieve
Few experiences are more difficult to witness than a grieving child. Adults often feel helpless, uncertain of what to say or how to provide comfort. Yet, as clinician and grief expert Cynthia White has shown through decades of work with bereaved children, grief in...
Untangling PTSD: Understanding Trauma and What It Isn’t
When people hear “PTSD,” they often picture combat veterans or first responders — those who’ve faced life-threatening situations and come home with invisible scars. But as Dr. Tyler Ralston and I explored in our recent Mind Tricks Radio conversation, Post-Traumatic...
How Exposure to Different Cultures Expands the Mind, A Conversation with Neuroscientist Dr. Aditi Subramaniam
What actually happens in your brain when you step outside your cultural comfort zone? In this episode of Mind Tricks Radio, I sit down with neuroscientist and science writer Dr. Aditi Subramaniam to explore how immersing yourself in different cultures can literally...
Ten Core Principles for Psychological Well-Being
Noam Shpancer’s Mental Fitness: 101 Principles for Psychological Well-Being is a straight-talking guide to building a healthier mind. He boils human motivation down to two core drives: the need to belong (connection, love, community) and the need to be (agency,...
The Banality of Obedience: A Conversation with Stanley Milgram
In times like ours—marked by political polarization, rising authoritarian movements, and the subtle power of algorithms—the question of why people obey authority feels more urgent than ever. As a follow-up to my recent AI-generated interview with Stanley Milgram on...
Taming the Amygdala: Managing Fear and anxiety. A Conversation with Dr. Catherine Pittman
Have you ever wondered why your body seems to panic before your mind has time to catch up? That sudden jolt of fear, the racing heart, or even the freeze response is all thanks to the amygdala. In this episode of Mind Tricks Radio, I sit down with Dr. Catherine...
The Weaponizing of Therapy Speak
I sat down with Dr. Isabel Morley—clinical psychologist, EFT-certified couples therapist, and author of They’re Not Gaslighting You. We unpacked how “therapy speak” has exploded into everyday conversation. The upside: people are finally talking about mental health....