Psychopaths, Brain Trauma and Therapy with Dr. Judy Ho

Few people have as much hands-on experience with the many sides of mental health work as today’s guest, Dr. Judy Ho. 

As a triple-board certified clinical and forensic neuropsychologist, Dr. Ho has evaluated maximum security prison inmates, served as an expert witness in criminal trials, works as a tenured associate professor at Pepperdine University – and goes to therapy herself. 

In this episode, Dr. Ho shares about emigrating from Taiwan as a child, the differences between men’s and women’s love styles, why people settle in relationships, and the challenges of working in the criminal justice system as a woman. 

“My supervisors [were] like, ‘Why do you wanna be an expert witness in criminal cases?’ I'm like, ‘Well, I think it's interesting. And I think I can help.’ And one of my supervisors who is a woman was like, ‘Take it from somebody who worked there for five years in the beginning of my career – it is not a walk in the park.’ But it's never a comfortable environment. Sometimes it's a maximum security prison and it's really tough. You have to be escorted everywhere, including to the bathroom. All of your liberties are taken away, at least temporarily. And I'm not saying that that's anywhere near the liberties that [the inmates] lose, but it's like even just that tiny taste of it is [difficult].” – Dr. Ho (20:42) 

Dr. Ho also talks about the benefits of therapy for everybody, and why she receives counseling herself as a mental health practitioner. 

“Some of my clients say, ‘Well, I don't feel like I need therapy. I don't know why I'm here.’ You know what? Everybody needs therapy, probably. It might not be everybody's cup of tea, but I hope that it's not because you feel like there has to be something majorly wrong with you to go to therapy, you know?” – Dr. Ho (37:29)

In This Episode

• (02:05) The education required in order to be triple-board certified
• (05:07) Humor as a healing tool 
• (11:22) Dr. Ho’s experience as an expert witness in the judicial system 
• (17:09) The ups and downs of evaluating maximum security prison inmates 
• (21:24) How the Big Sister Little Sister program shaped Dr. Ho’s passion for psychology
• (23:57) The link between brain trauma, aging and psychology
• (27:43) Emigrating from Taiwan and adapting to the American school system 
• (37:29) Why Dr. Ho goes to therapy as a mental health professional
• (41:49) Why people settle in relationships
• (43:45) The differences between men’s and women’s love styles
• (49:14) Dr. Ho’s experience working with multicultural, same-sex and gender-diverse couples

Our Guest

Dr. Judy Ho is a licensed and triple board-certified clinical and forensic neuropsychologist. She is also a tenured associate professor at Pepperdine University and the author of “Stop Self-Sabotage: Six Steps to Unlock Your True Motivation, Harness Your Willpower and Get Out of Your Own Way.”

Resources & Links

Off The Cuff

• https://www.offthecuff.fm/
• https://www.youtube.com/c/OffTheCuffwithDannyLoPriore
• https://www.instagram.com/1and1otc/
• https://www.instagram.com/dannylopriore/

Dr. Judy Ho 

• https://www.drjudyho.com/
• https://www.instagram.com/drjudyho/?hl=en
• http://www.facebook.com/doctorjudyho
• http://www.twitter.com/drjudyho