On the Mind with The Weill Cornell Medicine Department of Psychiatry

Weill Cornell Medicine

Featured in the New York Times as one of 8 wellness podcasts to add to your queue, On the Mind is the official podcast from the Weill Cornell Medicine Department of Psychiatry. Each episode, hosted by Daniel Knoepflmacher, M.D., Vice Chair of Education and Training Director of the general psychiatry residency program, features engaging discussions with renowned professors, leading researchers, and expert practitioners as they discuss the brain, mental health, and important questions on the mind.

  1. Jul 28

    On Our Evolving Understanding of Personalty: A Clinical Guide to Assessment

    In this episode of On the Mind, host Dr. Daniel Knoepflmacher speaks with Dr. Frank Yeomans, a clinical professor of psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medicine and Director of Training at the Personality Disorders Institute, about how to assess personality in a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation. Dr. Yeomans traces the shift from the DSM-5’s traditional categorical model of personality disorders to its dimensional alternative model, which identifies difficulties in one’s sense of self and relationships with others as the core features underlying all personality pathology. Drawing on decades of clinical experience, he walks through six key dimensions clinicians can assess in any patient: identity, defenses, aggression, reality testing, interpersonal relationships, and moral functioning, illustrating each with vivid case examples. The conversation also addresses how to sensitively discuss a personality disorder diagnosis with patients, the key distinctions between borderline and narcissistic personality disorder, and why understanding personality pathology as existing on a spectrum we all share can reduce stigma in clinical practice.

  2. Jun 23

    On AI and Mental Health: It's Already Here. Are We Ready?

    In this episode of On the Mind, host Dr. Daniel Knoepflmacher speaks with Dr. Dhruv Khullar, a hospitalist and Associate Professor of Population Health Policy and Economics at Weill Cornell Medicine and a contributing writer for The New Yorker, about the promise and peril of artificial intelligence in mental health care. Their conversation explores the rapid expansion of AI into clinical documentation, diagnostic reasoning, and patient navigation, as well as the risks of cognitive de-skilling, sycophantic chatbots, and profit-driven apps that cloak commercial motives in the language of clinical care. They also discuss how AI's simulation of empathy and relational interaction is hacking the fundamental human bonds of attachment, trust, and genuine connection that lie at the core of effective psychotherapy and healthy human development. Dr. Khullar shares his thinking on the regulatory frameworks and research infrastructure needed to help ensure these technologies serve patients rather than exploit them.

  3. Jun 8

    On Perinatal Mental Health: Navigating Pregnancy and Postpartum

    In this episode of On the Mind, host Dr. Daniel Knoepflmacher speaks with Dr. Alyson Gorun, a reproductive psychiatrist and Acting Director of the Aaron Stern, M.D., Ph.D. Program in Psychodynamic Psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medicine, about mental health during the perinatal period. Dr. Gorun discusses the psychiatric conditions most commonly associated with pregnancy and the postpartum months, how pre-existing diagnoses can be destabilized by hormonal and psychosocial changes, and the complex risk-benefit considerations that guide medication decisions. She also addresses the psychological weight of new parenthood, structural disparities in perinatal care, and evidence-based approaches to both pharmacological and psychotherapeutic treatment.

  4. Apr 27

    On Delirium: A Life-Threatening Diagnosis Too Often Missed

    In this episode of On the Mind, host Dr. Daniel Knoepflmacher speaks with Dr. Jeff Ha, Associate Program Director of Weill Cornell Medicine's Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry Fellowship Program, about the diagnosis and treatment of delirium. Their discussion covers the diagnostic criteria for delirium, its clinical presentations across the hyperactive, hypoactive, and mixed subtypes, and the underlying neurobiological mechanisms that produce its characteristic waxing and waning course. Listeners will learn about the significant morbidity and mortality associated with delirium, with particular attention to the underrecognized danger of hypoactive delirium, the often prolonged and incomplete trajectory of recovery, and the demographic and cultural factors that shape both risk and diagnosis. The episode also explores the full spectrum of treatment as well as the psychological sequelae that can persist long after the acute episode resolves, including Post-Intensive Care Syndrome. Dr. Ha reflects on the therapeutic value of family presence and the importance of psychoeducation for both patients and caregivers. This episode provides a comprehensive and clinically grounded guide to one of the most common and consequential conditions seen by psychiatrists in medical settings.

  5. Mar 25

    On Gambling Disorder: A Hidden Crisis in the Age of Online Betting

    In this episode of On the Mind, host Dr. Daniel Knoepflmacher speaks with Dr. Jonathan Avery, Vice Chair for Addiction Psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medicine, about gambling disorder — a condition that is far more prevalent than most people recognize, yet frequently overlooked and misunderstood. Dr. Avery traces the history of gambling disorder as a diagnosis and explains the neurobiology behind why gambling can become addictive, including how it activates the brain’s reward pathways in ways that parallel substance use disorders. Their conversation explores how the explosive growth of online and sports betting has expanded the reach of problematic gambling, particularly among younger adults. Dr. Avery also discusses the warning signs clinicians and loved ones should watch for, the shame and secrecy that often delay help-seeking, and the full range of evidence-based treatments available, including psychotherapy, 12-step programs, and medications such as naltrexone and GLP-1 agonists. This episode offers a clinically grounded and compassionate look at a disorder that is hiding in plain sight.

  6. Feb 25

    On Eating Disorders: A Comprehensive Overview

    In this episode of On the Mind, host Dr. Daniel Knoepflmacher speaks with Dr. Evelyn Attia, Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medicine and Director of the NewYork-Presbyterian Center for Eating Disorders, and Suzanne Straebler, Clinical Director of the Center for Eating Disorders outpatient programs, about the diagnosis and treatment of eating disorders. Drawing on deep clinical and research expertise, they trace the history of eating disorders from ancient accounts of self-starvation to their recognition as distinct psychiatric diagnoses and contemporary cultural impact. Their discussion covers what is known about the prevalence of these conditions and the genetic, neurobiological and sociocultural factors that shape them. Listeners will learn the defining features of anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, and other related diagnoses--with a focus on health disparities across underserved communities, the elevated mortality and suicide risk associated with these illnesses, and the multimodal treatment landscape, spanning medical stabilization, psychopharmacology and evidence-based psychotherapies. This episode provides a comprehensive, up-to-date guide to eating disorders from two clinicians at the forefront of the field. Additional resources for further learning: https://www.nyp.org/psychiatry/center-for-eating-disorders https://Prepared.nyspi.org https://feast-ed.org/  https://fedupcollective.org/

  7. Feb 10

    On Workplace Mental Health: Understanding Employee Assistance Programs

    In this episode of On the Mind, host Dr. Daniel Knoepflmacher speaks with Dr. Randy Martin about mental healthcare in the workplace. Together, they explore how employee assistance programs (EAPs) have evolved over the past few decades to meet changing demands through innovation. Their discussion covers how EAPs serve two distinct clients (employees and employers) and the ways they help foster psychological safety, improve wellness and navigate inherent conflicts of interest. Dr. Martin also discusses his role leading CopeNYP, the internal EAP at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, which is available to thousands of employees across multiple locations.  Learn more about Randall Martin, PhD

  8. Jan 13

    On Youth Psychiatric Emergencies: Police Involvement and Pathways to Better Care

    In this episode of On the Mind, host Dr. Daniel Knoepflmacher speaks with Dr. Wilfred Farquharson about police involvement during youth mental health crises. Dr. Farquharson describes his research on the factors associated with police bringing children into psychiatry emergency rooms. Their discussion covers the social, psychological, and clinical implications of law enforcement intervention and shares solution-oriented recommendations for helping the families, schools, providers, and children involved in these challenging emergencies. Dr. Farquharson also speaks about his role leading the NewYork-Presbyterian Center for Childhood and Adolescent Behavioral Health, which is meeting the challenge of escalating youth mental health needs in the community.

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4.4
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About

Featured in the New York Times as one of 8 wellness podcasts to add to your queue, On the Mind is the official podcast from the Weill Cornell Medicine Department of Psychiatry. Each episode, hosted by Daniel Knoepflmacher, M.D., Vice Chair of Education and Training Director of the general psychiatry residency program, features engaging discussions with renowned professors, leading researchers, and expert practitioners as they discuss the brain, mental health, and important questions on the mind.

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