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Welcome to the Dr. Jud podcast. I am an addiction psychiatrist and neuroscientist. My lab first at Yale and now at Brown University has been researching how our brains form negative behavior patterns, bad habits and addictions, and the specific techniques needed to create lasting change. My aim with this podcast, is to use every day issues that we all struggle with from anxiety to emotional eating to self judgment to help us understand how our minds work so that we can put them to work for us. I'll show you how you can use your brain to overcome the habits and “everyday addictions” that are holding you back. And along the way, you'll learn how helping yourself can help create a kinder and more compassionate world. Thank you for your interest in learning how to work with your mind.-Dr. Jud Brewer
90 Episodes
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Smartband-Based Smoking Detection and Real-Time Brief Mindfulness Intervention: Findings from a Feasibility Clinical Trial In this episode, Dr. Jud examines the groundbreaking results from a feasibility trial exploring the use of smartbands for smoking cessation. This innovative study showcases how wearable technology can detect smoking events in real time and deliver brief mindfulness interventions to address cravings. Dr. Jud discusses the study's design, key findings, and their implicatio...
Smartband-Based Automatic Smoking Detection and Real-Time Mindfulness Intervention: Protocol for a Feasibility Trial Join Dr. Jud in this episode as he dives into the innovative intersection of wearable technology, mindfulness, and smoking cessation. This episode explores a cutting-edge study protocol designed to evaluate the feasibility of using a smartband and smartphone app for real-time smoking detection and intervention. Learn how mindfulness exercises like "RAIN" are being tailored to ...
Brain Mechanisms of Change in Addiction Treatment: Models, Methods, and Emerging Findings In this episode, Dr. Jud explores groundbreaking insights into the brain mechanisms underlying addiction treatment. Drawing on models, methods, and findings presented at the 2015 Science of Change meeting, this research bridges neuroscience and psychotherapy to identify brain processes driving behavior change. Topics include the role of neuroimaging in understanding addiction treatments like CBT, mindfu...
Mindfulness-Based Treatments for Co-Occurring Depression and Substance Use Disorders: What Can We Learn from the Brain? In this episode, Dr. Jud discusses the intersection of mindfulness, neuroscience, and treatment for individuals struggling with co-occurring depression and substance use disorders (SUDs). This seminal paper explores the shared neurobiological mechanisms underpinning these conditions and how mindfulness training (MT) addresses them. Discover the evidence behind mindfulness a...
HIV Patients’ Perceptions of a Potential Multi-Component Mindfulness-Based Smoking Cessation Smartphone Application Intervention In this episode, Dr. Jud explores a pivotal study on adapting a mindfulness-based smoking cessation app for people living with HIV (PLWH). This research highlights how a multi-component intervention—combining mindfulness training, contingency management, and adherence tracking for antiretroviral therapy—addresses the unique challenges faced by PLWH smokers. Discover...
App-Based Mindfulness Training Predicts Reductions in Smoking Behavior by Engaging Reinforcement Learning Mechanisms: A Preliminary Naturalistic Single-Arm Study In this episode, Dr. Jud Brewer and colleagues explore how mindfulness-based smoking cessation tools can target the brain's reinforcement learning mechanisms to disrupt addictive behaviors. The study highlights the use of the "Craving to Quit" app, which combines mindful awareness practices with real-time feedback on cravings and th...
Can We Agree on What Skilled Mindfulness-Based Teaching Looks Like? Lessons from Studying the MBI:TAC In this episode, Dr. Jud Brewer and Dr. Rebecca Crane explore the Mindfulness-Based Interventions: Teaching Assessment Criteria (MBI:TAC), a widely used tool for assessing the competence of mindfulness-based program (MBP) teachers. As mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) gain popularity in clinical and workplace settings, ensuring teaching integrity and program fidelity becomes increasingl...
Baseline Craving Strength as a Prognostic Marker of Benefit from Smartphone App-Based Mindfulness Training for Smoking Cessation In this episode, Dr. Jud explores cutting-edge research into how baseline craving strength influences the effectiveness of smartphone app-based mindfulness training for smoking cessation. Discover how mindfulness-based programs help smokers reduce their reliance on cigarettes by disrupting the association between cravings and smoking. We discuss the role of craving ...
Mapping Complex Mind States: EEG Neural Substrates of Meditative Unified Compassionate Awareness In this episode, Dr. Jud Brewer and Dr. Poppy Schoenberg explore the neural mechanisms behind advanced meditative states, specifically those linked to non-duality, emptiness, and awakened awareness. Using EEG, this study mapped brain activity during different stages of Indo-Tibetan essence-of-mind meditation, revealing decreased self-referential processing and increased executive control in regio...
A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Psychosocial Interventions for Persons with Comorbid Anxiety and Substance Use Disorders In this episode, Dr. Jud dives into the comprehensive findings of a meta-analysis on psychosocial interventions for individuals facing the dual challenge of anxiety and substance use disorders. This research sheds light on the efficacy of treatments like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), motivational interviewing, and integrated care in addressing anxiety, alcoh...
A Computational Account of Borderline Personality Disorder: Impaired Predictive Learning About Self and Others Through Bodily Simulation In this episode, Dr. Jud Brewer, Dr. Sarah Fineberg, and Dr. Philip Corlett explore an innovative computational psychiatry model of borderline personality disorder (BPD). Social dysfunction is a core feature of BPD, and this study proposes that individuals with BPD struggle with predictive learning about self and others due to deficits in embodied simulatio...
Mindfulness Training and Stress Reactivity in Substance Abuse: Results from a Randomized, Controlled Stage I Pilot Study In this episode, Dr. Jud delves into groundbreaking research comparing mindfulness training (MT) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for individuals with substance use disorders. This pilot study investigates the role of mindfulness in managing stress and addiction, highlighting its potential to reduce psychological and physiological stress responses. Learn how MT could...
Mindfulness and Cardiovascular Disease Risk: State of the Evidence, Plausible Mechanisms, and Theoretical Framework In this episode, Dr. Jud Brewer and Dr. Eric Loucks explore the growing body of research on mindfulness and its potential role in reducing cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. With CVD remaining the leading cause of mortality worldwide, this integrative review examines how mindfulness may impact key risk factors such as smoking, diet, physical activity, obesity, blood pressure, a...
Awareness, Affect, and Craving During Smoking Cessation: An Experience Sampling Study In this episode of the Dr. Jud podcast, we explore the groundbreaking study on how mindfulness impacts smoking cessation. Researchers examined the role of awareness, positive and negative affect, and craving through an experience sampling method. With real-time data from smokers using a mindfulness-based app, the study reveals fascinating insights into how awareness can influence craving, mood, and smoking ...
Contemplating Mindfulness at Work: An Integrative Review In this episode, Dr. Jud Brewer and his colleagues explore the growing impact of mindfulness in the workplace. As organizations like Google, Aetna, and the U.S. Army integrate mindfulness programs, research is uncovering how mindfulness enhances attention, emotional regulation, decision-making, and resilience. This study presents a comprehensive framework linking mindfulness to key workplace outcomes, including performance, leadership,...
Feasibility of a Smartphone App with Mindfulness Training for Adolescent Smoking Cessation: Craving to Quit (C2Q)-Teen In this episode, Dr. Jud highlights a groundbreaking pilot study that examines the feasibility of a mindfulness-based smoking cessation app tailored for teenagers. Based on the paper Feasibility of a Smartphone App with Mindfulness Training for Adolescent Smoking Cessation: Craving to Quit (C2Q)-Teen by Lori Pbert et al., the episode delves into how mindfulness helps teens r...
What Defines Mindfulness-Based Programs? The Warp and the Weft explores the essential and flexible elements of mindfulness-based programs (MBPs) such as Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT). In this episode, Dr. Jud Brewer and colleagues discuss their framework for defining MBPs, distinguishing between core components (the “warp”) and adaptable elements (the “weft”). The paper outlines the key characteristics of MBPs, including their scienti...
Craving to Quit: A Randomized Controlled Trial of Smartphone App–Based Mindfulness Training for Smoking Cessation In this episode, Dr. Jud discusses the results of a pioneering randomized controlled trial on the efficacy of the Craving to Quit app for mindfulness-based smoking cessation. Drawing from the paper Craving to Quit: A Randomized Controlled Trial of Smartphone App–Based Mindfulness Training for Smoking Cessation, by Kathleen Garrison et al., the episode unpacks the impact of app-ba...
Meditation is Associated with Increased Brain Network Integration explores how mindfulness meditation enhances brain connectivity. In this episode, Dr. Jud Brewer and his colleagues discuss their EEG-based study comparing novice and experienced meditators. Their findings reveal that experienced meditators exhibit significantly higher brain network integration in the alpha frequency band, suggesting improved information exchange between brain regions. These results provide key insights ...
Craving to Quit: Psychological Models and Neurobiological Mechanisms of Mindfulness Training as Treatment for Addictions In this episode, Dr. Jud explores the intricate relationship between psychological models, neurobiological mechanisms, and mindfulness training in treating addictions, as detailed in the paper Craving to Quit: Psychological Models and Neurobiological Mechanisms of Mindfulness Training as Treatment for Addictions by Judson A. Brewer, Hani M. Elwafi, and Jake H. Davis. Learn...
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