Alissa Jerud, PhD | Emotion-Savvy Parenting

More from Mentally Flexible All episodes →

1. 

   E80 · 10 Oct 2025 · 52 min

   A Conversation with Ralph De La Rosa - Shared in Loving Memory

   Today’s episode features Ralph De La Rosa. Ralph was the author of three books, including Outshining Trauma: A New Vision of Radical Compassion (foreword by Richard Schwartz). He was a psychotherapist in private practice and a longtime meditation teacher known for his radically honest and humorous approach. His work was featured in GQ, CNN, NY Post, Tricycle, Mindful Magazine, and beyond. Perhaps most crucial is that Ralph walked the path of outshining trauma alongside the people he worked ...

2. 

   E79 · 22 Sep 2025 · 56 min

   Rikke Kjelgaard | Vulnerability, Scars, and Bringing ACT Into Life

   My guest today is Rikke Kjelgaard. Rikke is a licensed psychologist, peer-reviewed ACT trainer, and author. Rikke is on a mission to help therapists thrive and to be brave and authentic helpers. Trained as a clinical psychologist, she has a 15 year background in the science of human behavior and the practice of behavior change. Rikke is a popular speaker internationally, and she is known to bring both passion and vulnerability to her talks. She transforms the lives of her audience by bringing...

3. 

   E78 · 3 Sep 2025 · 54 min

   Jessica Borushok, PhD | The ACT Therapist

   My guest today is Dr. Jessica Borushok, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist in private practice specializing in anxiety disorders and health-related concerns, including insomnia, chronic pain, and coping with chronic medical conditions. In addition to clinical work, Dr. Borushok provides acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) training and consultation to other mental health professionals. Dr. Borushok is the co-author of numerous books, including her most recent, The Complete Guide to Acceptanc...

4. 

   E77 · 25 Jul 2025 · 53 min

   Dr. Robyn Walser | Presence and Authenticity in the Therapy Room

   My guest today is Dr. Robyn Walser. Robyn is a clinical psychologist, educator, and author of several influential books on ACT for professionals and general readers. She is Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of California, Berkeley, and Director of Research at Bay Area Trauma Recovery Clinical Services. She is also on the staff of the National Center for PTSD at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System. Internationally known for her compassionate, client-centered approach, Dr. Walser h...

5. 

   E76 · 14 Jul 2025 · 1 hr 3 min

   Noelle McWard Aquino, LCSW | Anxiety Unpacked

   My guest today is Noelle McWard Aquino. Noelle is a Chicago-based therapist who specializes in the treatment of anxiety disorders. She is the author of Anxiety Unpacked: Discover Your Type and Recover Your Peace, a bestselling book that helps readers identify and work with the specific patterns driving their anxiety. Her work has been featured in publications including Psychology Today and Psychotherapy Networker. Noelle speaks regularly to both clinical and general audiences, training therap...

6. 

   E74 · 26 May 2025 · 1 hr 2 min

   Holly Yates, LCMHC | Functional Analytic Psychotherapy (FAP)

   My guest today is Holly Yates, LCMHC. Holly has been in private practice in North Carolina since 2004. Her specialty areas are working with adults both individually and in groups as well as couples addressing depression, anxiety, mood disorders and life stressors through clinical intervention and skills training. Holly's practice centers on third wave therapies most specifically Functional Analytic Psychotherapy (FAP) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). She is a founding facilitator ...

7. 

   E73 · 18 Apr 2025 · 54 min

   Dr. Joe Oliver | ACTivate Your Life

   My guest today is Dr. Joe Oliver. Joe is a consultant clinical psychologist, author, and the founder of Contextual Consulting, a leading international training provider that has trained over 60,000 practitioners in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). He also serves as an associate professor and the programme director for the University College London’s postgraduate programme in CBT for Severe Mental Health Problems. Joe is an active member of the Association of Contextual Behavioral Scie...

8. 

   E72 · 30 Mar 2025 · 54 min

   Pepper Stetler | One Mother’s Reckoning with the IQ Test

   My guest today is Pepper Stetler. Pepper is the author of A Measure of Intelligence: One Mother’s Reckoning with the IQ Test, which we discuss in this episode. She is also a professor of art history at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. She has written extensively on issues facing people with intellectual disabilities and their caregivers, in publications such as The New York Times, The Atlantic, and Slate. She lives in Oxford, Ohio. Some of the topics we explore in this episode include: Wha...

9. 

   E71 · 2 Mar 2025 · 1 hr

   Dr. Emily Edlynn | Parenting with Nuance, Flexibility, and Compassion

   My guest today is Dr. Emily Edlynn. Emily is a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in pediatric health psychology who works in private practice with children, teens, and adults. Emily spent almost ten years working in children’s hospitals before pivoting to private practice, which allowed her to start a writing career. Emily’s writing has appeared in the Washington Post, Parents, Scary Mommy, Good Housekeeping, Motherly, Psychology Today, and more. Her first book, Autonomy-Supportive ...

10. 

    E70 · 9 Feb 2025 · 59 min

    Trevor Jones | Bringing the Heart of ACT into Performance

    My guest today is Trevor Jones. Trevor is a Mental Performance Coach with the Aware Performance Group and has spent the last nine years studying and training in ACT and its underlying theories. A former professional golfer, he won a national championship and competed on the European Tour. Now, he works with high-performance clients across various domains, including golf, water polo, baseball, and stock market investing. He is currently co-authoring a book with sports psychiatrist Jorge Aguila...