Behavioral Banter

This is a special Father's Day episode for all the listeners out there. David Clark has a long history of working in the education field and is an advocate for teachers and students of all walks of life. He was a history teacher back in the 1970s (far out dude), president of the teachers union, and before retiring he worked alongside the superintendent improving performance evaluations for educators. During this episode we discuss the complexity of teacher evaluations, the ambiguity behind standardized tests, the burdens absorbed by modern educators, a little bit of Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones, and future outcomes for the field of education. Also discussed is a wonderful website for book geeks like me! Check out Allisonsucamele.com for some hidden gems for avid readers. Lastly, I briefly sum up some experimental research being done on psilocybin as a means to address depression and addiction. Featured music includes Lee Rosevere with "Maximum Relax," Komiku with "A Good Bass for Gambling," and Lobo Loco with "Hoh Hey."

I dropped in at the Veteran's hospital in Columbia, South Carolina to drink some coffee with Dr. Jay Ginsberg, a clinical psychologist, neuropsychologist, and a leading researcher. Dr. Ginsberg was kind enough to discuss his research with me regarding autonomic self-regulation. He has been employing investigative studies on self-regulation therapy while working closely with combat veterans who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Throughout this conversation we learn how this treatment modality can improve symptoms of PTSD, stress, anxiety, and other forms of disorders. We discuss some surprising findings for the participants such as improvements in sleep, and alleviation of chronic pain symptoms in patients with cancer and musculoskeletal disorders. Also briefly discussed are the potential benefits of various forms of non-hallucinogenic mushrooms in your coffee or tea, their impact on memory, and what this could mean for Alzheimer's disease.  Featured music includes Lee Rosevere with "Maximum Relax," Alexander Nakarada with "Ambient Bongos," Komiku with "A Good Bass for Gambling," and Lobo Loco with "Hoh Hey."

We all get inundated with stress trying to manage our careers, raise a family, and support our loved ones. Yet perhaps our greatest oversight is that we don’t take enough care of ourselves. Philip transformed his life after finding a passion for massage therapy, or “body work” as he prefers to call it. However, his practice evolved over time as he abandoned the traditional method of therapy, and began leaning towards an esoteric approach with his clients, offering a unique emphasis on communication. This communication, as he will tell you, leads to mindfulness, vulnerability, and ultimately higher quality outcomes. In this episode Philip and I discuss how practicing self-care can help you achieve centeredness with yourself and connectedness with others, as well as how vulnerability can take you in surprising directions. Philip is also a professional photographer and draws fascinating parallels between massage therapy and photography. You may be able to convince him to join you for a trail run and a craft beer afterwards. Also discussed are two studies that provide a brief overview on the gender differences between men and women when it comes to jealousy, as well as how stress can be harmful to your body. Philip's massage therapy website:www.thegoodhurt.com Philip's photography website:www.goodhurtstudios.com   Featured music includes KieLoBot with "Tanzen," Lee Rosevere with "Maximum Relax," and Lobo Loco with "Hoh Hey."

Remember when there was that one goal you couldn't master, so you threw your hands in the air and couldn't figure out why? Maybe your child or your student is stuck in a rut in the classroom? I know it sounds too good to be true, but precision teaching can offer potential solutions. Precision teaching focuses on the fluency and efficiency of component skills needed to achieve growth towards longer term objectives. Sometimes you need to change your instruction to focus on underlying skills before you get the results you need.  Dr. Andrew Bulla is a gifted professor who teaches applied behavior analysis at Georgia Southern University. His passion for the subject of precision teaching is evident in the success he has helped others achieve through this unique, and often overlooked approach. Check out this cool episode and think about how you can use precision teaching to make your life more "groovy," as Dr. Bulla might say. We also discuss the validity of learning styles. Are learning styles real or made up? Also discussed is how music might affect your dog's brain, and a couple of cool ideas to reduce technostress. Featured music includes KieLoBot with "Tanzen," Lee Rosevere with "Maximum Relax," and Lobo Loco with "Hoh Hey."

What is dyslexia? What effects does dyslexia have on behaviors, learning, executive functioning, and cognition? How might tracing your hand on a piece of paper help you determine the five factors that lead to a dyslexia diagnosis? Our guest today is Susan Riener, a dyslexia practitioner, and she has all the answers. Susan implements the multi-sensory Orton-Gillingham approach to treat individuals diagnosed with this disability. Susan makes technical information incredibly accessible for all listeners, and there is much to learn about this topic! Additionally, Susan is a singer and plays several instruments. Did you know she can play the flute alongside a heavy metal guitarist?  She also enjoys putting me on the spot and making me practice my phonetics...Also discussed in the beginning of the episode is the Dunning-Kruger effect, how it influences cognitive bias, and how individuals can underestimate or overestimate their abilities on a task. Yikes! Contact Susan Riener (Reading Rescue) for additional questions regarding dyslexia treatment at SRIENER@uscupstate.edu Featured music includes KieLoBot with "Tanzen," Lee Rosevere with "Maximum Relax," and Lobo Loco with "Hoh Hey."

We need to talk about the elephant in the room. Being married can be challenging at times, right? This can especially be the case when you have children with a disability. How do you hold your family together? How do you keep intimacy alive with your spouse? Can you hold your spouse accountable? How do you respond when strangers gawk at you and your child like you don't belong in public? How do you communicate with your husband or wife? How do you fulfill the roles in your family without falling apart? Dr. Trey Kuhne has been helping couples respond to these questions for many years, and he has offered to give away a few secrets. Dr. Kuhne is a Licensed Marriage and Family Counselor, and serves as the clinical director of Pathways Pastoral Counseling in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Whether you are married, single, without kids, planning on having kids, a parent of a neurotypical child, or a parent of a child with a disability, anyone can come to appreciate what Dr. Kuhne has to offer. Before you meet Dr. Kuhne I briefly discuss a link between ADHD diagnosis and the month of August. Featured music includes Flex Vector with "Funky," Lee Rosevere with "Maximum Relax," and Lobo Loco with "Hoh Hey."

Adam Weatherford's thirst for adventure has carried him far and wide. His passion for helping others lead to him becoming a certified yoga instructor. He now helps others achieve peace of mind and body through the practice of yoga. Today we discuss potential benefits of the intersection of yoga and autism. Adam's knowledge is proportional to the length of his beard! He is down to earth, and very passionate about his current trajectory in helping his community share a common goal of understanding and awareness of ourselves and others. Adam has great recommendations for parents who may be hesitant about themselves or their children trying something outside of their comfort zone. Before you meet Adam I briefly discuss current research on CBD oils and autism. Enjoy this conversation as we "Chaturanga" our way through the nuances of yoga practice and working with those who have special needs.Follow Adam on IG or Facebook @blufftonyogiAdam Featured music includes Flex Vector with "Funky," Lee Rosevere with "Maximum Relax," and Lobo Loco with "Hoh Hey."

Sophia Townes is the mother of three sons, two of which have been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. She is now taking on autism with sweet, southern charm! Sophia has created shortcuts for other parents in her shoes to more readily access care for themselves and their children. She is the Lowcountry Autism Program Coordinator, a devoted mother, wife, and someone with a warm personality. Also discussed is research on social media and the use of avatars in the workplace.Featured music includes Flex Vecor with "Funky," and Lobo Loco with "Hoh Hey."