Grief Revisited

Grief Revisited

One year ago this week, host John Shaw’s life changed permanently when his 22-year-old son, Andrew, lost his battle with cancer. In this deeply personal yet scientifically rigorous episode, John takes us back into the trenches of long-term grief to explore what happens under the hood of a "grief brain" as the milestones pass. Why do overwhelming waves of loss suddenly blindside us years after a tragedy, turning a beautiful day into complete darkness? John introduces a powerful concept he coined himself—ictalgia—to map the literal, neural pain of these sudden bursts. Moving far beyond the outdated linear "stages of grief," this episode breaks down modern clinical frameworks, including Dr. Therese Rando’s STUG framework , the Dual Process Model of Coping , and Continuing Bonds Theory. Discover the biological reality of "brain fog" as a state of cognitive overhead , explore how a stuck neurological reward system can lead to Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD) , and walk away with an evidence-based biological resilience kit—grounded in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)—to help your mind update its internal map. Your mind is not broken; it is simply doing the hardest remodeling work it will ever face. Grab a cup of coffee and settle in. CONNECT WITH US We love hearing from our listeners. Whether you want to share your own story of integration or suggest a future topic, reach out to us: * Website: yourmindonpodcast.com [https://yourmindonpodcast.com/] * Email: hello@yourmindonpodcast.com * Instagram: @yourmindonpodcast EPISODE RESOURCES & REFERENCES The peer-reviewed studies and clinical frameworks discussed in today's episode include: * The STUG Framework (Sudden Temporary Upsurges of Grief) – Dr. Therese Rando. * The Dual Process Model of Coping – Margaret Stroebe & Henk Schut. * Continuing Bonds Theory – Dr. Dennis Klass et al. * Longitudinal Grief Risk Studies – University of Pittsburgh & the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ISTSS). MUSIC CREDITS * Intro & Outro Theme: More Now Than Ever by North Sphere * Additional Background Music: End of Rain by Beyza ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Mindfulness Monday 14

Where is your focus living right now? As we step into a brand new week, it is incredibly easy to feel like your mind has a dozen different browser tabs open all at once. For some of us, our focus is trapped entirely inward—looping through schedules, planning for problems, and managing anticipatory stress. For others, our attention is constantly fragmented and pulled outward by demanding notifications, unread emails, and urgent requests. When we let our environment or our anxieties dictate where our focus goes, we burn through precious cognitive energy. In this 10-minute Mindfulness Monday session, we explore a powerful psychological practice called Attention Training. By introducing the "Sensory Compass," we will guide your mind through a structured, deliberate sequence that alternates between internal somatic awareness and external environmental inputs. Instead of trying to force your mind to go completely blank, you will train your brain to become agile, flexible, and capable of choosing exactly where your attention belongs on your most complex days. IN THIS SESSION, WE’LL COVER: * An introduction to the mechanics of Attention Training and metacognitive awareness. * A guided, rapid-shifting sequence alternating between internal signals (like heart rhythm) and external data (like distant audio mapping). * How to shatter exhausting mental loops and cognitive "hyper-focus." * A portable mental framework—your Sensory Compass—to help you reclaim clarity whenever you feel overwhelmed by a frantic workday. Take ten minutes right now to step out of the loop and choose your focus. CONNECT WITH US: We’d love to hear where your compass pointed you this morning! * Website: yourmindonpodcast.com [https://yourmindonpodcast.com] * Instagram: @yourmindonpodcast [https://www.google.com/search?q=https://www.instagram.com/yourmindonpodcast] * Email: hello@yourmindonpodcast.com [https://www.google.com/search?q=mailto%3Ahello%40yourmindonpodcast.com] THE SOUNDS OF MINDFULNESS MONDAY: To help you cultivate flexible focus, today’s episode featured: * Intro: Spent a Whole Day in My Head by Rebecca Mardal * The Exercise: ebb by bomull * Outro: Finetuned Fiesta by Dusty Decks Music provided by Epidemic Sound. New "Mindfulness Monday" micro-sessions drop every Monday morning to help you transition into your week. Our full-length clinical and psychological deep dives return every Thursday. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Procrastination

The Biological Battle Within: Redefining Procrastination Ever find yourself sitting at your desk, staring at a blinking cursor, fully aware of a looming deadline, yet somehow your hand moves toward your phone as if guided by an invisible wire? Before you know it, you’re twenty minutes deep into a social media rabbit hole or clean-sweeping a kitchen drawer that hasn't bothered you in years. For generations, the cultural narrative has been unwavering: procrastination is a moral failure. We’ve been told it’s a symptom of laziness, apathy, or a total lack of discipline. We treat our minds like a courtroom where we stand trial, the evidence of our undone work is laid bare, and the internal verdict is always "guilty as charged." But in this episode, we are stepping out of the courtroom of personal conscience and walking into the laboratory of the mind. Pulling back the layers of neuroscience, behavioral economics, and evolutionary psychology, we uncover a liberating yet challenging truth: procrastination is not a time-management problem. It is a biological battle fought deep within the architecture of the human brain. We unpack the high-stakes civil war between your ancient survival engine (the limbic system) and your modern executive computer (the prefrontal cortex), explore why your brain neurologically treats your "Future Self" like a total stranger, and reveal the terrifying physical toll that chronic avoidance takes on the human body. Most importantly, we move past the useless weapon of self-blame and provide four practical, biological "software patches" you can install today to bypass the amygdala hijack and finally take that first, ridiculous step forward. Connect With the Show: * Website: yourmindonpodcast.com [https://yourmindonpodcast.com] * Instagram: @yourmindonpodcast [https://www.google.com/search?q=https://www.instagram.com/yourmindonpodcast] * Email: hello@yourmindonpodcast.com Episode Credits: * Intro/Outro Music: More Now Than Ever by North Sphere ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Mindfulness Monday 13

Are you missing the moment because you're too focused on the outcome? As we step up to the starting line of a brand new week, our attention is almost instantly pulled to our "targets"—the deadlines we have to hit, the numbers we need to reach, and the results we are desperate to control. In psychology, this can trap us in a state of hyper-intention, where we try so hard to force a specific outcome that the resulting mental and physical tension actually gets in the way of our true capabilities. In this longer Mindfulness Monday episode, we journey into a remote mountain range to explore a timeless Zen narrative of an ambitious young warrior and an old master archer. Through a slippery log, a roaring chasm, and a single arrow, we unlock a powerful truth about performance: true mastery doesn’t come from obsessing over the target or fearing the fall, but from pulling your focus entirely back into your own center. IN THIS SESSION, WE’LL COVER: * A grounding entry to identify where hyper-intention and performance anxiety are causing you to brace for the week. * The story of the master bowman and the lesson of the divided mind. * How to shift your focus from external outcomes to your immediate internal state. * A mental checkpoint for the week to help you focus on your stance, your breath, and your process. Take ten minutes to let go of the outcome and steady your stance today. CONNECT WITH US: We’d love to hear how you are shifting your focus to the process this week! * Website: yourmindonpodcast.com [https://yourmindonpodcast.com] * Instagram: @yourmindonpodcast [https://www.google.com/search?q=https://www.instagram.com/yourmindonpodcast] * Email: hello@yourmindonpodcast.com THE SOUNDS OF MINDFULNESS MONDAY: To help you find your center, today’s episode featured: * Intro: Spent a Whole Day in My Head by Rebecca Mardal * The Story: alma by bomull * Outro: Finetuned Fiesta by Dusty Decks Music provided by Epidemic Sound. New "Mindfulness Monday" episodes drop every Monday morning. Our full-length deep dives continue every Thursday. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Humor

Take a quick mental scan of your week so far. If you're carrying a heavy workload, navigating a major life transition, or just trying to keep your head above water, you know exactly what emotional exhaustion feels like. Usually, we think the solution to mental strain is quiet, stoic reflection—but this week, we are opening the windows, letting in some fresh air, and looking at the brain's absolute favorite emergency escape hatch: a good, loud, unfiltered laugh. To wrap up Mental Health Awareness Month, host John Shaw takes a deep dive into the fascinating neuroscience and evolutionary architecture behind a punchline. Why does our brain chemistry shift before a joke is even fully told? How does a genuine belly laugh raise our physical pain threshold and mimic the psychological effects of close social bonding? We will explore the evolutionary "false alarm" theory of nervous laughter, look at why a dark sense of humor is actually a sign of high verbal intelligence and emotional stability, and examine the vital role of "gallows humor" as a cognitive shield for professionals on the frontlines of crisis and trauma. Finally, we balance the scales by mapping out the "Maladaptive Line"—the ethical gulf between using wit to survive the darkness ("whistling through the graveyard") and using it to harm the vulnerable ("kicking over the gravestones"). Humor isn't a distraction from the serious work of mental health; it is the work. Tune in to explore the cognitive safety valve built right into your DNA. Connect With The Show: * Email: hello@yourmindonpodcast.com * Website: yourmindonpodcast.com [https://yourmindonpodcast.com] (Stream past episodes, check out the blog, and visit our merch store!) * Instagram: @yourmindonpodcast Episode Music Credits: * Intro & Outro Theme: More Now Than Ever by North Sphere. If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcast platform, and share it with someone who might need a reminder that it's okay to find the absurdity in the mess. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.