Psychiatry & Psychotherapy Podcast
David Puder, M.D.
Join David Puder as he covers different topics on psychiatry and psychotherapy. He will draw from the wisdom of his mentors, research, in-session therapy and psychiatry experience, and his own journey through mental health to discuss topics that affect mental health professionals and popsychology enthusiasts alike. Through interviews, he will dialogue with both medical students, residents and expert psychiatrists and psychotherapists, and even with people who have been through their own mental health journey. This podcast was created to help others in their journey to becoming wise, empathic, genuine and connected in their personal and professional lives.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Mar 21, 2026 • 1h 16min
Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) Explained: Trauma, Neuroscience, Controversies & Recovery
Lauren Lebois, cognitive neuroscientist studying dissociation; Matthew Robinson, trauma program director treating complex trauma; Melissa Kaufman, trauma psychiatrist with lived experience of DID and recovery. They examine DID as a developmental response to repeated childhood maltreatment. They unpack controversies and media myths, review neuroscience contrasting hyperarousal and shutdown, and outline clinical signs, assessment cues, and pathways to recovery.
12 snips
Mar 13, 2026 • 1h 29min
Understanding Delusions Leading to Violence: Types, Assessment, AI Risks & Treatment in Forensic Psychiatry
Dr. Blaire Heath, child psychiatrist with pharmacy and corrections experience, and Dr. Michael Cummings, forensic psychiatrist from a large state hospital, discuss how different delusion types relate to violence. They cover persecutory, Capgras, Cotard, erotomanic, jealous, somatic, and referential delusions. They also explore assessment scales, pharmacologic strategies, CBT timing, and AI risks amplifying false beliefs.
38 snips
Mar 6, 2026 • 1h 26min
What Is Reflective Functioning? Mentalization, Attachment Theory & RF Scoring with Dr. Miriam Steele
Dr. Miriam Steele, researcher, psychotherapist, and psychoanalyst known for early work on reflective functioning and attachment research. She defines reflective functioning and contrasts it with empathy. They cover origins in the London Parent-Child Project, RF’s role in predicting attachment, mentalization-based treatments for BPD and eating disorders, therapist RF’s impact on outcomes, body representations, and smartphone effects on parenting.
Feb 27, 2026 • 1h 55min
Hard Feelings: Daniel Smith on Embracing Shame, Envy, Annoyance, and the Wisdom in Dark Emotions
Daniel Smith, psychotherapist and New York Times bestselling author, offers a candid tour of shame, envy, annoyance and other hard feelings. He reads childhood memories, links shame to freezing and dissociation, and explores annoyance as a temperamental sensitivity. They discuss cultural forces shaping envy, parenting against social-media comparison, and therapy as a way to reclaim connection.
22 snips
Feb 20, 2026 • 1h 16min
Empathy in Therapy: Mastering Empathic Engagement with Dr. Douglas Flemons
Dr. Douglas Flemons, a marriage and family therapist and author, offers decades of clinical and supervisory experience. He reframes empathy as an active skill, contrasts it with sympathy, and debates cognitive versus affective empathy. Conversations cover microexpressions, translating somatic distress into language, handling suicidality and safety, and rituals to prevent vicarious trauma.
61 snips
Feb 6, 2026 • 1h 6min
How to Overcome Guilt: Break Free from Unreasonable Expectations with Jennifer Reid, MD
Jennifer Reid, MD, psychiatrist and author of Guilt Free, specializes in guilt, boundaries, and burnout. She explains why guilt has surged after COVID and how it differs from shame. The conversation covers childhood roots like parentification, professional moral injury, narcissism’s impact on empathy, and practical approaches such as boundary-setting, cognitive reframing, and self-compassion.
60 snips
Jan 30, 2026 • 1h 49min
Schizoid Dynamics Explored: Kafka's Writings, Fear of Engulfment, and Clinical Insights for Better Empathy
Jaron Montgomery (Kafka reader), Jeremiah Stokes (clinician in high-conflict divorce), Ali Riga (psychodynamic interpreter), and Mackenzie Campa (McWilliams commentator) explore Kafka’s writings to illuminate schizoid dynamics. They discuss the inner conflict of yearning for connection versus fear of engulfment, DSM limits, hypersensitivity versus autism, therapeutic pacing, and literary passages that model containment and dissociation.
58 snips
Jan 5, 2026 • 1h 44min
Disavowed Anger and Positive Emotions with Paul Wachtel
In this insightful discussion, Paul Wachtel, a clinical psychologist and influential scholar, dives into the complex world of disavowed anger and positive emotions in psychotherapy. He distinguishes between disavowed feelings and simple repression, revealing how childhood experiences shape our emotional landscapes. Wachtel explores how suppressed anger can lead to explosive outbursts and psychosomatic issues, while emphasizing the importance of integrating these emotions for a healthier self. He encourages therapists to acknowledge both anger and positive needs, highlighting the impact on relationships.
65 snips
Dec 16, 2025 • 1h 46min
Countertransference and Transference with Frank Yeomans, MD
Dr. Frank Yeomans, a renowned psychodynamic psychiatrist and expert in Transference-Focused Psychotherapy, explores deep concepts such as countertransference and projective identification. He illustrates how therapists can utilize their emotional responses to foster empathy, differentiates this from Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and discusses the significance of naming feelings without revealing personal biases. Yeomans shares real clinical examples, including navigating narcissistic devaluation and managing staff emotions, providing listeners with practical insights for effective therapy.
Nov 21, 2025 • 1h 20min
"AI Psychosis": Emerging Cases of Delusion Amplification Associated with ChatGPT and LLM Chatbot Use
In this insightful discussion, psychiatrists Amandeep Jutla and Ragy Girgis from Columbia University delve into alarming cases of AI-induced psychosis. They reveal how extended interactions with chatbots, like ChatGPT, can amplify delusions and suicidal ideation. The duo explains the dangers of AI's sycophantic nature, where these systems mirror user beliefs without challenge. They also address the increasing risks posed to vulnerable individuals and share harm-reduction strategies for clinicians. Prepare for a thought-provoking exploration of AI’s psychological impacts.
