Is it possible to use psychoactive substances in a clinical setting for anxiety or depression related to a terminal illness, or to treat Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)?
Psilocybin (active ingredient in “magic mushrooms”) is a powerful medicine that is being researched in therapeutic settings. Researches caution against recreational use of psilocybin because of potential adverse psychological reactions. New research suggests it has great potential as a treatment for severe anxiety caused by a serious illness, or terminal diagnosis. Other psychoactive substances are being researched for PTSD, depression, and drug abuse.
Guests:
Adam Strauss is a writer and performer based in New York City. His show, TheMushroom Cure, is playing at the Marsh Theatre in San Francisco for its West Coast Premiere. His show is inspired by a scientific study showing that hallucinogenic mushrooms may cure obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Adam won the Leffe Craft Your Character Storytelling Competition and the New York Fringe Festival’s Overall Excellence Award for Solo Performance. He is also a stand-up comedian who performs throughout the US and the UK. Adam received his BA in psychology from Brown University. For more information about the show go to https://themarsh.org
Alicia Danforth, Ph.D. has worked in clinical research with psychedelic medicines since 2004 at the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at the Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. She has collaborated with Dr. Charles Grob on pilot studies of psilocybin-assisted therapy for existential anxiety reactive to late-stage cancer and MDMA-assisted therapy for social anxiety in autistic adults. She currently is a licensed psychologist in private practice in the Silicon Valley and is beginning new research on psilocybin-assisted therapy for long-term survivors of HIV in San Francisco. Alicia co-taught the first graduate course for clinicians and researchers in training, entitled, “Psychedelics: Theory, Research, and Clinical Applications.”
More than 3.5 million Americans live with an autism spectrum disorder. In 2014, the Centers for Disease Control identified 1 in 68 children as having autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
“Autism is a general term used to describe a group of complex developmental brain disorders – autism spectrum disorders – caused by a combination of genes and environmental influences. These disorders are characterized, in varying degrees, by communication difficulties, social and behavioral challenges, and repetitive behaviors.” —Autism Speaks
You can listen now to the show we did on 4/24/17 on About Health, KPFA.org 94.1FM
“Who do you think made the first stone spears? The Asperger guy. If you were to get rid of all the autism genetics, there would be no more Silicon Valley.”
—Temple Grandin
Guests:
Jill Escher is president of the nonprofit, Autism Society San Francisco Bay Area, working to build a strong Bay Area autism community and focusing on the growing crisis in adult care, services and housing. Jill is an autism philanthropist, real estate investor, former lawyer, and mother of two children with nonverbal autism. Through the Escher Fund for Autism, Jill partners with major research organizations to spearhead pioneering autism causation research. She is also an active volunteer in the Bay Area’s autism community, including organizations such as Morgan Autism Centerand Autism Fun Bay Area. She is a graduate of Stanford University and the UC Berkeley School of Law and can be reached at .
Zack Oelerich is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who has lived and practiced in the Bay Area for over 20 years. He specializes in the comprehensive treatment of Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Zack’s philosophy builds on the unique strengths and sensitivities of his clients. In his psychotherapy practice, he helps teens and adults understand more about their Neurodiversity and how it impacts their lives. Zack also consults with technology professionals in the public and private sectors, assisting organizations in better understanding the nuances and complex group dynamics of their creative and sensitive coworkers. You can reach Zack at
Approximately 50 million Americans are affected by autoimmune diseases, such as Graves disease, Type 1 Diabetes, and Rheumatoid arthritis. There are more than 80 different types of autoimmune diseases.
When the immune system functions normally, it protects us against harmful substances like cancerous cells, bacteria, and parasites. Autoimmune diseases occurs when a person’s immune system gets out of whack, and targets its own cells, tissues, or organs.
Most conventional doctors treat the symptoms of autoimmune diseases, but may not look to find the root cause. There are other practitioners who try to uncover the cause of inflammation, and suggest dietary and life style changes to help people heal.
Guest:
Harry McIlroy, MD, is an integrative physician certified with the Institute for Functional Medicine. Before medical school and completion of residency at Contra Costa Regional Medical Center, Harry had a background in nutrition
and obtained a Master’s in acupuncture and Chinese medicine. He strives to provide patients with health tools that empower them to improve their well being.
Do you and family members have a healthy media diet? If so, how do you set limits?
My guests, Jason Brand and Caroline Knorr discussed how digital technology impacts our relationships with family members and friends.
Is it possible to find balance and health while being connected to our phones, computers, and electronic games?
And, you can hear Jason and Nurse Rona’s podcasts called Digital Diaries at https://www.nurserona.com/?s=digital+diaries. Keep in mind they were done in 2011, so there are many new things since then.
Guests:
Jason Brand, LCSW, is a family therapist in Berkeley. He specializes in providing support to families in a rapidly changing world where digital technologies are transforming our lives. His work takes place in schools and with organizations where he leads workshops about the entanglements of families, culture and technology. His book, “1 to 1 at Home: A Parent’s Guide to School-Issued Laptops and Tablets” is a practical guide to integrating new technologies into family life. In his private practice, Jason counsels families with children and adolescents. https://www.jasonbrand.com/
Caroline Knorr is a senior parenting editor at Common Sense Media where she helps parents make sense of what’s going on in their kids’ media lives. From games to cell phones to movies and more, if you’re wondering “what’s the right age for…?” Caroline can help you make the decision that works best for your family. She has more than 20 years of editorial and creative marketing writing experience. She specializes in translating complex information into bite-sized chunks to help families make informed choices about what their kids watch, play, read, and do. And she’s the proud mom of a teenage son whose media passions include Star Wars, StarCraft, graphic novels, and the radio program This American Life.
“Approximately 50 percent of all pregnancies in the United States are unplanned, and of these, 43 percent will end in abortion.” —Dr. Adrienne D. Bonham
How can women get the advice and care they need? What forms of contraception are available? And where do families go for help in planning when they will have children and how to stay healthy in the process.
Guests:
—Dr. Lealah Pollock is a family physician at the University of California, San Francisco. As an assistant professor of Family and Community Medicine, Dr. Pollock works and teaches both at UCSF and Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital. She specializes in comprehensive care for women living with HIV and their families and family planning for people of all genders. She directs the reproductive health core curriculum for family medicine residents at UCSF.
—Amanda Giordano is the Director of Quality Management and Nursing for Planned Parenthood Mar Monte. Amanda oversees the processes that ensure the patients are receiving the highest quality of care at all 34 health centers. Additionally, she manages the Registered Nurses at the centers and works directly with patients, as an RN, at various locations. She has a Masters in Health Policy with a Minor in Global Health from the UCSF School of Nursing. Throughout her career Amanda has worked with the underserved population specifically through her involvement with the Rotacare Free Clinic, the Junior League, and as a nurse for a summer camp for low-income kids. Her passion has always been to ensure all patients have access to the high quality health care.
—Guadalupe (Lupe) Rodríguez is the Director of Public Affairs at Planned Parenthood Mar Monte, the largest Planned Parenthood affiliate in the country. Lupe served on the board of directors of Essential Access Health and now chairs the board of ACCESS Women’s Health Justice, and is the treasurer of the board of California Latinas for Reproductive Justice. She is serving her third term as the Chair of the Santa Clara County Commission on the Status of Women. She has a BA in neurobiology from Harvard University.
We discussed the factors of hoarding: excessive acquiring, difficulty discarding, living in cluttered spaces, and having distress or impairment. Compulsive hoarding is a common, serious, and treatable behavior, that can have significant negative effects on people who struggle with it and their families.
Guests:
Michael A. Tompkins, PhD, ABPP, is a licensed psychologist and board certified in Behavioral and Cognitive Psychology. He is co-director of the San Francisco Bay Area Center for Cognitive Therapy and Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of California, Berkeley. He is the author or co-author of numerous articles and chapters on cognitive-behavior therapy and related topics, as well as seven books, including Digging Out: Helping Your Loved One Manage Cutter, Hoarding, and Compulsive Acquiring (with Tamara L. Hartl). His most recent book on the topic of hoarding is Clinician’s Guide to Severe Hoarding: A Harm Reduction Approach. The Mental Health Association of San Francisco awarded him the 2013 Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to the understanding of hoarding and cluttering.
David Bain is a Peer Facilitator with the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute Team at the Mental Health Association of San Francisco. He has a background in technology, education, and psychology. He leads groups teaching Cognitive Behavioral Therapy techniques to individuals dealing with hoarding behaviors as a part of a joint study with University of California San Francisco. He speaks at conferences, develops and presents courses, and presents information to community groups. He has a Masters degree in Education.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)?
rancisco for its West Coast Premiere. His show is inspired by a scientific study showing that hallucinogenic mushrooms may cure obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Adam won the Leffe Craft Your Character Storytelling Competition and the New York Fringe Festival’s Overall Excellence Award for Solo Performance. He is also a stand-up comedian who performs throughout the US and the UK. Adam received his BA in psychology from Brown University. For more information about the show go to 
Jason Brand, LCSW, is a family therapist in Berkeley. He specializes in providing support to families in a rapidly changing world where digital technologies are transforming our lives. His work takes place in schools and with organizations where he leads workshops about the entanglements of families, culture and technology. His book, “1 to 1 at Home: A Parent’s Guide to School-Issued Laptops and Tablets” is a practical guide to integrating new technologies into family life. In his private practice, Jason counsels families with children and adolescents. https://www.jasonbrand.com/
senior parenting editor at Common Sense Media where she helps parents make sense of what’s going on in their kids’ media lives. From games to cell phones to movies and more, if you’re wondering “what’s the right age for…?” Caroline can help you make the decision that works best for your family. She has more than 20 years of editorial and creative marketing writing experience. She specializes in translating complex information into bite-sized chunks to help families make informed choices about what their kids watch, play, read, and do. And she’s the proud mom of a teenage son whose media passions include Star Wars, StarCraft, graphic novels, and the radio program This American Life.
Michael A. Tompkins, PhD, ABPP, is a licensed psychologist and board certified in Behavioral and Cognitive Psychology. He is co-director of the San Francisco Bay Area Center for Cognitive Therapy and Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of California, Berkeley. He is the author or co-author of numerous articles and chapters on cognitive-behavior therapy and related topics, as well as seven books, including Digging Out: Helping Your Loved One Manage Cutter, Hoarding, and Compulsive Acquiring (with Tamara L. Hartl). His most recent book on the topic of hoarding is Clinician’s Guide to Severe Hoarding: A Harm Reduction Approach. The Mental Health Association of San Francisco awarded him the 2013 Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to the understanding of hoarding and cluttering.