In this podcast, Dr. Mathis mixes music history and trivia with hints on attempting to intervene with persons who obviously need assistance, but may be unaware and/or unwilling to accept help or even to give any credence to the advice proposed by a concerned party. While some of the suggestions are similar with friends and family members, there are a few subtle differences that will be pointed out when trying to assist persons who might be reluctant (if not outright hostile) towards accepting assistance from well-intentioned friends and/or family members.
Posted in Podcasts | Tagged Acquaitance, Al DiMeola, Blind Faith, Boundaries, Chris Wood, Communication Skills, Conflict Management, Cream, Danny Gatton, Dave Mason, Eric Clapton, Family, Flea, Friends, Gibson ES Guitars, Gibson Firebird, Gibson Thunderbird, Helping Resistant Persons, Howlin' Wolf, Intimacy, Jaco Pastorius, Jim Capaldi, Johnny Winter, Life-Limiting Issues, Nikki Sixx, Nonjudgmental, Operational Terms, Paco deLucia, Perception vs. Reality, Proper Boundaries, Proper Timing, responsibility, Return to Forever, Siblings, Significant Issues, Significant Other, Stanley Clarke, Steve Winwood, Traffic | Comments Off on Helping the Reluctant
The issue that Dr. Mathis tackles on this podcast is the issue of individuality and/or being a “unique person” living in a world that may or may not understand, appreciate, or sanction the difference. Whether the individual is a person who chooses to be different for whatever reason(s) versus someone who is born different, that person has to often make choices as to if, when, and how much that individual is willing to compromise beliefs, behaviors, etc. in order to “fit in” and/or be accepted by mainstream society (or even a subsection of mainstream society). These issues, as well as topics related to this concern, will be discussed. Suggestions as to possible avenues for increased satisfaction with one’s self, regardless of which choices a person makes concerning that person’s “self”, will also be made in this podcast.
Posted in Podcasts | Tagged "If Only" Becomes "Even Though", Acquaintances, Being True to One's Self, Boundaries, Choices, Do Unto Others..., Existentialism, Expectations, Expectations of Others, Finding Your Place, Friends, Honesty, Individuality, Isolation vs. Intimacy With Others, Limits, Maximizing Potentials, Norming Group, Personal Limits, personal power, Personal vs. Group Norms, Self-Awareness, Self-Identity, Self-Knowledge, Social Rules | Comments Off on Individuality
In this podcast, Dr. Mathis will be discussing various aspects of relationships. The most important relationship that anyone can have (i.e., the relationship with his/her “inner self”) is also considered, with suggestions as to how to discover the “inner you” within yourself. In addition to some of the positive results that can be experienced when one does a successful self-exploration, Dr. Mathis points out some of the potential dangers of engaging in relationships with others without first successfully accomplishing this all-important task of getting to know one’s self first.
Posted in Podcasts | Tagged "Comfort Food" As An Escape/Avoidant Tactic, Drugs As Escape/Avoidant Mechanisms, Escape/Avoidant Tactics, Immediate Gratification, Inner Self, Persona, personal responsibility, Relationships, Relationships As "Escape/Avoidant" Mechanisms, Santayana, Self-Exploation, Self-Knowledge, Socrates, The Real "You", The Self, The Whole is Greater Than the Sum of the Parts, Work As An "Escape/Avoidant" Mechanism | Comments Off on Relationships & The Self
In this podcast, Dr. Mathis will be venting his ire on several topics. These will include medications for disorders (versus more holistic and/or creative methods), praising people after their dearth (despite the fact that the same persons were despised in life), overvaluing particular traits in some people (while ignoring their faults, just because they have become popular “heroes”) and devaluing other people (because they have habits or behaviors that are currently out of favor with modern society), and potentially reorganizing one’s priorities (while rejecting more traditional societally prescribed values) in order to life a happier, more satisfied life. Potential ways to accomplish more peace and continuity in one’s life are also suggested.
Posted in Podcasts | Tagged ADHD, Consistency, Creative Use of Personal Pathology, Devaluing, drugs, Happiness, Healthy Lifestyle, Holistic Treatment, Life Lessons, medical treatment, OCPD, Overvaluing, personal power, Pharmacology, Psychological Disorders, Role Models, Societal Values, Societal vs. Personal Values, spirituality, teenagers | Comments Off on Rants About Role Models, Disorders, & Happiness
Most people nowadays think that they are victims of some external force, doomed to a life less fulfilled and/or happy. William Glasser and other cognitive-based therapists argue that mental health, with few exceptions, is a choice that each of us makes. As such, we and we alone have the power to change how we think and, therefore, how we feel and what we do about it. Dr. Mathis will be exploring this idea further on this podcast, along with some suggestions as to how to get out of this self-defeating cycle.
Posted in Podcasts | Tagged Aaron Beck, Albert Ellis, Alfred Adler, Anxiety, Attitudes, Bad Drugs, Beliefs, Choice Theory, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Cream, depression, Good Drugs, Histrionics, Masochistic Selfishness, Narcissistic Selfishness, Neural Pathways, Neurochemicals, Other-Esteem, Reality Therapy, Self-Actualization, Self-Enhanced Selfishness, self-esteem, Self-Knowledge, Self-Talk, Skip James, Trauma, Victim, Victimization, William Glasser | Comments Off on Good Mental Health As A Choice
With the many changes coming up in health care insurance as of January 2014, Dr. Mathis talks about how this might impact your health care coverage for both physical and psychological issues. To give the accurate “low down” on the ins and outs of this reform, as well as what to do and not to do, Don Sepulveda is the guest speaker. Being a long-time insurance broker and having been recognized nationally for his business acumen, Mr. Sepulveda educates listeners to various crucial aspects of the so-called “Obama Care”, including what listeners should (and should not) do to ensure they get the best coverage possible for themselves and their loved ones.
Posted in Podcasts | Tagged Benefits, Coverage, Gov.Com, Insurance 2014, Insurance Brokers, Obama Care | Comments Off on Insurance 2014: Changes, Pitfalls, & Opportunities
In his usual idiosyncratic fashion, Dr. Mathis is giving his take on the concept of honesty and it’s implications for one’s existence in the modern world. Interspersed with this discussion are some rock trivia factoids concerning Telecaster guitars, Marshall cabinets, Orange amplifiers, and some of the “roots” guitarists (James Burton, Jimmy Page, Terry Kath, Black Sabbath) who play them.
Posted in Podcasts | Tagged Black Sabbath, Buffalo Springfield, Chicago Transit Authority, Dr. Robin Hanson, Elvis Costello, Elvis Presley, Emmylou Harris, Honesty, Hypocrisy, James Burton, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, Keith Richards, Marshall, Master of the Telecaster, Orange, Ricky Nelson, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Self-Knowledge, Stratocaster, Sun Records, Telecaster, Terry Kath, Truth | Comments Off on Honesty
For too long and for far too many mental disorders, the public has been led to believe that they have a “chemical imbalance” that must be addressed by some form of lifelong psychotropic medication that will “cure” their condition or, at least, will “fix” them. Nothing could be further from the truth. While some form of biochemical assistance is needed for some psychological disorders, it does not preclude the need for persons to engage in some form of on-going counseling or psychotherapy to help with the “real issues”. This podcast will address this “overmedicated” issue and propose some possible solutions to deal with the actual underlying issues that cause problems in peoples’ lives.
Posted in Podcasts | Tagged addictions, ADHD, Anger, Anxiety, Chemical Imbalance, Counseling, depression, Emotions, Food as Medicine, Genetic Predisposition, Holistic Alternatives, Negative Habits, Neural Pathways, Neurochemicals, Nutrients, Nutrition, Omega 3 Fish Oils, Paxil, personal responsibility, Proactive Lifestyle, Prozac, Psychotherapy, Psychotropic Medications, self-esteem, Vitamins | Comments Off on Chemical Imbalance-Fact or Fiction
In another combination of music trivia and serious discussion, Dr. Mathis talks about the issue of personal boundaries and how these impact individuals throughout the lifespan. Ways to develop and keep appropriate boundaries in tact are discussed, as are things to do with those who don’t seem to respect the boundaries that people have set up for themselves.
Posted in Podcasts | Tagged "Cookie Monster" vocals, Arthur Brown, Asia, Atomic Rooster, Buggles, Carl Palmer, Communication, ELP, Foreigner, Geoff Downes, Greg Lake, Ian McDonald, Intimacy, Jack Bruce, John Wetton, Keith Emerson, King Crimson, Paul Rodgers, Personal Boundaries, Peter Sinfield, Prog Rock, Steve Howe, Tenor vocals, The Nice, Vincent Crane, Yes | Comments Off on Personal Boundaries & Trivia
Once again, Dr. Mathis pontificates on a variety of his personal “pet peeve” topics (i.r., gun control, personal responsibility, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, boundaries) while giving some interesting rock trivia facts about various instruments, amplifiers, artists, and songs.
Posted in Podcasts | Tagged 65 Amps, Ampeg, Amplifiers, Basses, BC Rich, Blackstone, Blues, Carole King, Cat Stevens, Cream, Dan Boul, Deep Purple, Eric Clapton, ES, Explorer, Fender, Firebird, Gibson, Goodsell Amps, Gordon Lightfoot, Government Control, Guitars, Gun Control, Gus G, Hand Wired, Hard Rock, heavy metal, Jack Bruce, Joan Baez, Jon Lord, Joni MItchell, Kingsley, Les Paul, Marshall, Personal Boundaries, Peter Stroud, responsibility, Richard Goodsell, rock, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Rock Trivia, Sheryl Crow, Slash, Strat, Tele, Warwick | Comments Off on Rock Trivia & Rants