The Honest Psychologist

Trauma Series Part 1: What is trauma?

Welcome to Part 1 of our much anticipated trauma series! This week the docs breakdown what we (psychologists) mean when we say “trauma,” why it’s important to have a definition of this term, what it really means to have a trauma-related disorder, and what the research shows about trauma recovery and resilience. Stay tuned for Part 2, where we look at the origins of the idea of psychological trauma, and Part 3, a look at how this is presenting in our current culture. Mentioned in this episode: The End of Trauma by George Bonanno [https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/george-a-bonanno/the-end-of-trauma/9781541674387/] This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit honestpsychpod.substack.com/subscribe [https://honestpsychpod.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

Does it seem like "trauma" is everywhere?

We are excited to bring you 3 new episodes, all on the subject of trauma: what the term means and how we define it, how our thinking on trauma has evolved over time, what the current research offers us, and where we see this is media and everyday life. Stay tuned! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit honestpsychpod.substack.com/subscribe [https://honestpsychpod.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

Are psychologists judgmental?

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit honestpsychpod.substack.com [https://honestpsychpod.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_7] This week the docs take a look at how we treat each other in the fields of mental health and psychology. We want to know why we can be so accepting towards our patients and so harsh towards our colleagues. We notice that there are vastly different ways of practicing, assumptions underlying our practices, and models for what we do as well as a culture of…

Is depression caused by a chemical imbalance?

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit honestpsychpod.substack.com [https://honestpsychpod.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_7] In this episode, the docs take on the history and research support for the chemical imbalance theory of depression. We review a large-scale research article from 2022 and a book based on that article as well as some responses to those publications. Subscribe to hear the last part of the episode where we get into some personal reflections on depression a…

What trends are we seeing in 2026?

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit honestpsychpod.substack.com [https://honestpsychpod.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_7] This week the docs are on their own and discussing what’s been on their minds lately. We ask why therapists seem desperate for clients if regular people can’t find therapists, how does anyone know what kind of therapy they need, how big is autism right now, how to think about being a sensitive person, and whether you should accommodate or cope with your…