The Honest Psychologist

Dr. Whitney Graff and Dr. Paige Hover
  • 5.0 (1)
  • SOCIETY & CULTURE

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

  1. 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
  2. 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
  3. 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
  4. 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
  5. 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
  6. 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
  7. Is "brain-based therapy" helping...or distracting?

    MAR 19

    Is "brain-based therapy" helping...or distracting?

    In this episode, the docs are excited to welcome Dr. Elliott Conklin to unpack a growing trend in mental health: everything getting rebranded as “brain-based.” From polyvagal theory to neuroscience-laced explanations, mental health has become obsessed with the nervous system. But is any of this actually improving care? We dig into what’s driving this shift, where it goes off track, and what gets lost when we focus on mechanisms instead of meaning. We also come back to a simpler question: what actually helps people change? This is a conversation about cutting through the noise, trusting the fundamentals, and returning to the deeper traditions that have guided therapy long before it needed a neural stamp of approval. Elliott Conklin is the CEO of the Kingsbury Wellness & Learning Group, a nonprofit clinical psychology organization located in Silver Spring, MD. He co-founded Kingsbury with his wife and fellow psychologist, Lauren Siegel, to explore new ways to make high quality psychological services affordable for everyone. Dr. Conklin works with adolescents and adults navigating a range of life’s challenges, including periods of anxiety and depression, major transitions, parenting struggles, and burnout. He has a particular interest in men’s psychology and the unique ways men experience and resist psychological suffering. Dr. Conklin writes frequently about what makes psychotherapy effective. Lately he’s been asking uncomfortable questions about some of the new waves of therapy sweeping the profession, and whether they are offering anything useful. Mentioned in this episode: Dr. Conklin’s DC-based practice, The Kingsbury Wellness & Learning Group: https://kingsburywellness.org/team/elliot-l-conklin/ How and Why Some Therapists are Better than Others by Louis Castonguay & Clara Hill Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman 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

    55 min

  8. MAR 11

    How accurate is mental health TikTok? With Dr. Mara Whiteside

    This week the docs are excited to welcome Dr. Mara Whiteside. She is a board-certified pediatric neuropsychologist who recently made a strong impression at the American Psychological Association conference along with two colleagues presenting insights on mental health-related social media content. Did you know that almost three quarters of the top #autism videos on TikTok displayed information that was either inaccurate or represented an overgeneralization of common behaviors? Of the top #trauma videos, only 10% were created by healthcare providers. And over half of the most-viewed #ADHD videos were classified as “misleading.” We talk about what we’re seeing in clinical practice, the factors that exacerbate these trends, the upsides of mental health on social media, how this presentation was received by fellow psychologists, and more. Mara Whiteside Ph.D., ABPdN, NCSP is a board-certified pediatric neuropsychologist with the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. She is a clinical attending associate professor of pediatrics and provides service at Arkansas Children’s Hospital. Her primary clinical work is with children with medical complications, and she specializes in assessment of neurocognitive late effects of childhood cancer. Dr. Whiteside also has a private practice, Northwest Arkansas Neuropsychology, and currently provides self-referred neuropsychological evaluations at PsychologyWorks in Bentonville, AR. She uses her background in school psychology to help parents and families understand their child’s strengths and weaknesses while navigating the educational system. Mentioned in this episode: Deadly by Design from the Center for Countering Digital Hate: https://counterhate.com/research/deadly-by-design/ Dr. Whiteside’s website: www.readlikeapsychologist.com You can actually view a version of Dr. Whiteside’s presentation here: 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

    1h 5m
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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
    35
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Whitney & Paige
  • Show Website
    The Honest Psychologist

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