The Honest Psychologist

Dr. Whitney Graff and Dr. Paige Hover

Welcome to The Honest Psychologist podcast, where two licensed clinical psychologists have joined the chat. honestpsychpod.substack.com

  1. Trauma Series Part 2: Where did our ideas about trauma come from?

    16h ago

    Trauma Series Part 2: Where did our ideas about trauma come from?

    This week Dr. Graff takes Dr. Hover on a thrilling ride through history, with brief mentions of: The Odyssey and the ancient Greeks, Victorian psychiatric culture, Freud’s contemporaries, hypnosis and suggestibility, the birth of personal injury lawsuits, and the re-emergence of certain ideas in the 1980’s and 1990’s. Mentioned in this episode: The Memory Hole Podcast hosted by Jana Martin: https://www.memoryholepodcast.com/ Making Minds and Madness by Mikkel Borch-Jacobsen This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit honestpsychpod.substack.com/subscribe

    53 min
  2. Trauma Series Part 1: What is trauma?

    Jun 8

    Trauma Series Part 1: What is trauma?

    Welcome to Part 1 of our much anticipated trauma series! This week the docs breakdown what we (psychologists) mean when we say “trauma,” why it’s important to have a definition of this term, what it really means to have a trauma-related disorder, and what the research shows about trauma recovery and resilience. Stay tuned for Part 2, where we look at the origins of the idea of psychological trauma, and Part 3, a look at how this is presenting in our current culture. Mentioned in this episode: The End of Trauma by George Bonanno This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit honestpsychpod.substack.com/subscribe

    48 min
  3. Does it seem like "trauma" is everywhere?

    May 13

    Does it seem like "trauma" is everywhere?

    We are excited to bring you 3 new episodes, all on the subject of trauma: what the term means and how we define it, how our thinking on trauma has evolved over time, what the current research offers us, and where we see this is media and everyday life. Stay tuned! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit honestpsychpod.substack.com/subscribe

    7 min
  4. Are psychologists judgmental?

    May 1

    Are psychologists judgmental?

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit honestpsychpod.substack.com This week the docs take a look at how we treat each other in the fields of mental health and psychology. We want to know why we can be so accepting towards our patients and so harsh towards our colleagues. We notice that there are vastly different ways of practicing, assumptions underlying our practices, and models for what we do as well as a culture of…

    23 min
  5. Is depression caused by a chemical imbalance?

    Apr 24

    Is depression caused by a chemical imbalance?

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit honestpsychpod.substack.com In this episode, the docs take on the history and research support for the chemical imbalance theory of depression. We review a large-scale research article from 2022 and a book based on that article as well as some responses to those publications. Subscribe to hear the last part of the episode where we get into some personal reflections on depression a…

    47 min
  6. What trends are we seeing in 2026?

    Apr 16

    What trends are we seeing in 2026?

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit honestpsychpod.substack.com This week the docs are on their own and discussing what’s been on their minds lately. We ask why therapists seem desperate for clients if regular people can’t find therapists, how does anyone know what kind of therapy they need, how big is autism right now, how to think about being a sensitive person, and whether you should accommodate or cope with your…

    6 min
  7. WTF - What's the function?

    Apr 10

    WTF - What's the function?

    This week Whitney shares a little preview of an upcoming talk. The docs dig into functional understandings of behavior: the idea that everything we do has a payoff, even when it looks like it's working against us. Understanding what a behavior does for you is the first step to having more choice about it. We examine our own awkwardness to help YOU! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit honestpsychpod.substack.com/subscribe

    25 min
  8. Emotional Support Animals, Psychiatric Service Dogs and more

    Apr 1

    Emotional Support Animals, Psychiatric Service Dogs and more

    Many of us have likely seen the headlines about the vast array of species delineated as Emotional Support Animals (peacocks, snakes, and emus to name a few). Today the docs discuss emotional support animals (ESAs) and the role that mental health providers play, specifically letters of support and evaluations needed for an animal to qualify as an ESA. Since the guidelines about this are currently sparse, Paige found some research reviewing some suggested guidelines and considerations for mental health providers. It turns out there are several ethical and legal issues to consider for something that seems well intentioned and innocuous that clinicians and clients alike should be aware of. Research article: Emotional Support Animal Assessments: Toward a Standard and Comprehensive Model for Mental Health Professionals New Yorker article (this was from a lot further back than we remember!) https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/10/20/pets-allowed Resource for clinicians This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit honestpsychpod.substack.com/subscribe

    43 min
See All (37)

About

Welcome to The Honest Psychologist podcast, where two licensed clinical psychologists have joined the chat. honestpsychpod.substack.com

Information

  • Creator
    Dr. Whitney Graff and Dr. Paige Hover
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    37
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Whitney & Paige
  • Show Website
    The Honest Psychologist

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