Sometimes you have the opportunity to meet someone whose life and work is beyond what you can imagine. It exemplifies the extraordinary capacity to survive and to live a life that passes forward understanding, brilliant care and extraordinary compassion. Today our guest is one of those people. Dr. Alfred Garwood. Dr. Garwood is a child survivor of the Holocaust, a Physician, psychiatrist, writer and recent 2025 recipient of the Medal of Honor from Prince William for his tireless work with Holocaust Survivors. You will hear of his journey from violence to healing. Listen in.

Alfred Garwood MD- Alfred Garwood was born in a Nazi ghetto, imprisoned in Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp, and later put on a train destined for Terezin Concentration Camp, when he and his family were liberated by the Red Army. Alfred spent the rest of his childhood in Britain and grew up in the centre of a community of Holocaust survivors. He has since written extensively on the psychological implications of trauma relating to genocide whilst also working as a General Practitioner.

There are few people who have been injured or wronged by another who don’t think about and want to mollify their psychic pain with revenge. In this episode, Dr. Steven Berglas, professor, psychotherapist, research scientist and executive coach invites us to consider “ Taking Revenge – A Better Way.” The author of award winning books, 70 articles and journal reports on cures of self-defeating behavior, Dr. Berglas discusses the personal cost of angry retaliation and the power of redirecting the brain’s reaction to danger. With a wealth of professional experience and powerful examples, Dr. Berglas discusses the ways in which revenge seeking fuels rumination, increased anger, isolation, physical and emotional pain. It traps us and intensifies the original assault. Dr. Berglas demonstrates how to cope with the psychic pain that prompts revenge with a shift of mindset to achievement striving, to the possible, to missions that undue atrocity, to healing and to growth.

No matter where you live, and regardless of your political perspective, there is a fairly good chance that you have experienced the impact of Climate Change- be it hurricanes, severe storms, flooding, or wildfires. In this show you will hear an insider’s perspective from Dr. Deana Hence, a Climate Scientist. You will hear the reasons for her work, her concerns and her suggestions. Joining Dr. Hence, is Richard Beck, Past President of the International Association for Group Psychotherapy and Group Process, a psychotherapist in New York City who has worked in the aftermath of trauma including Climate Disasters. Richard Beck was the group leader in a documentary about climate change “ Climate in Therapy” which included Dr. Deana Hence and other Climate Scientists. The documentary just won first place in the “ Hot Docs Best Mid-Length documentary.” Listen in

Dr. Deanna Hence PhD is an Associate Professor in the Department of Climate, Meteorology and Atmospheric sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She holds a BS in Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Science from the University of Michigan and an MS and PhD in Atmospheric Science from the University of Washington.

Richard Beck, LCSW,BCD,CGP, AGPA-F is the Past President of the International Association for Group Psychotherapy and Group Process. He has experience in trauma and responding in the aftermath of Climate Events. He is a psychotherapist in New York City with faculty appointments at both Columbia and Cornell Universities.

In this show relationship experts Dr. Judith Wright and Dr. Bob Wright discuss their new and interesting book, The Heart of the Fight: A Couple’s Guide to 15 Common Fights, What They Really Mean & How They Can Bring You Closer. Dispelling many of the common myths of what you need to make a relationship work, these experts suggest that conflict is a couple’s secret weapon for coming closer but you need to know how to fight and what to fight for. In a fascinating way they discuss the Art of the Argument: Six Skills for Battling to Bliss and the Fifteen Fights That Make or Break Your Relationship. From a closer look at fights like The Blame Game to You’re Just Like Your Mother/Father, you will rethink the how and why of fighting in relationships. Ultimately this is a show that will expand the potential of your relationship.

In this episode Dr. Deborah Serani, psychologist and author discusses the reality of depression as a mood disorder in later life. Drawing upon her new and comprehensive book “ Depression in Later Life: An Essential Guide,” she underscores that depression is too often overlooked by those suffering, their families and even at times by their physicians. In the back and forth with host Suzanne Phillips, Dr. Serani provides crucial information and illuminating examples that will be as valuable for health-care professionals as for seniors who don’t understand why they are suffering. She will answer questions like: What Is Geriatric Depression? Isn’t Depression a normal part of aging? Why is it so often missed or dismissed? What are the steps for proper assessment? What are the treatment options? Are depressed seniors a suicide risk? Adding to this, Dr. Serani considers the power of “conscious aging” as an asset to physical and emotional well-being. This is an important show for all.

Whether you are someone who loves city living or would love the chance to go back to living in nature on a farm overlooking fields, you will be enthralled with Tamara Dean’s telling of her re-location to the Driftless Area of Wisconsin. Together with her partner David, she shares the challenges, wonders and strenuous daily work of a life embedded in nature. From building their own farmhouse, hunting for water, to burning a hayfield to recreate a prairie you will be in awe of the challenges they face. You will also hear of the bonds with neighbors that are clearly different when dealing with fires, floods, beavers and tornadoes. A fiction writer, Tamara in this book shares the reality of pain and power of nature in a way most of us have never experienced. Listen in.

Guest: Tamara Dean

Tamara Dean is a writer whose essays and stories have been published in The American Scholar, The Georgia Review, The Guardian, One Story, Orion and The Progressive. She is also the author of an earlier book, The Human- Powered Home: Choosing Muscles over Motors. Tamara has been camping, fishing, hiking and gathering foods from an early age led by parents who grew up on farms in Wisconsin and had the opportunity to go to college and move to a small city. Her understanding and love of nature is a part of who she is.

Anorexia Nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by self-starvation. Both professionally and in the public eye, this disorder has been associated with females. In reality, 25% of those suffering are males; but as a group, they have been overlooked, misdiagnosed or misinformed. In this episode, Dr. Tom Wooldridge, Psychologist, Eating Disorder Expert, Clinician and author discusses his groundbreaking book, Understanding Anorexia Nervosa in Males. In the discussion with host, Suzanne Phillips, Dr. Wooldridge addresses the symptoms, causes and unique issues particular to males who control their eating with dangerous consequences. He considers the impact of media on male body image, the role of bullying, and the anxiety about relationships and sexuality. In his discussion of causes and treatment, Dr. Wooldridge offers professionals, parents and males an integrative model that accounts for bio-behavioral, family system, medical, psychodynamic and spiritual factors.

In this show, Dr. Frank McAndrew returns to Psych Up Live to answer the question, “Why Do We Fall For Conspiracy Theories? In addressing this question he also addresses the issue of why we hang on to conspiracy theories once we believe them. In his interesting response, Dr. Mc Andrew considers whether certain factors make us more susceptible to embracing conspiracy theories. He proposes that in reality most of us can fall for the “ right” conspiracy theory due to certain biases in how we all process information. Once we believe a conspiracy theory, Dr. McAndrew discusses why these beliefs are very difficult to undo. He discusses the impact of many forms of media in often providing a “ false consensus” and “ Exposure Effect” that fuels conspiracy theories. Dr. Mc Andrews describes why conspiracy theories flourish in atmospheres of fear and the consequences of conspiracy theories. You will be intrigued and informed. Listen in.