The Dr. Jud Podcast
Dr. Jud Brewer, an addiction psychiatrist and neuroscientist, hosts this podcast to explore how our brains form negative behavior patterns, bad habits, and addictions. He shares research from his labs at Yale and Brown University, offering practical techniques for creating lasting change. Each episode addresses everyday struggles like anxiety, emotional eating, and self-judgment, helping listeners understand and work with their minds. The goal is to overcome habits and everyday addictions while fostering a kinder, more compassionate world.
Episodes
Habit Change Addiction - Can a Smartphone App Help You Eat Mindfully?
Evaluating the Quality of Smartphone Apps for Overeating, Stress, and Craving-Related Eating Using the Mobile Application Rating ScaleIn this episode, Dr. Jud dives into the realm of mobile health apps targeting overeating, stress-related eating, and cravings, based on the paper Evaluating the Quality of Smartphone Apps for Overeating, Stress, and Craving-Related Eating Using the Mobile Applicatio
Habit Change Addiction - HRV as a Predictor of Smoking Cessation Success
Meditation-Induced Changes in High-Frequency Heart Rate Variability Predict Smoking OutcomesDr. Jud explores a pivotal study linking mindfulness meditation and heart rate variability (HRV) to smoking cessation success. This episode delves into how acute changes in high-frequency HRV during meditation correlate with reduced cigarette consumption over time. By examining the physiological underpinnin
Habit Change Addiction - Wearables and Mindfulness: A Smarter Approach to Quitting Smoking
Smartband-Based Smoking Detection and Real-Time Brief Mindfulness Intervention: Findings from a Feasibility Clinical TrialIn this episode, Dr. Jud examines the groundbreaking results from a feasibility trial exploring the use of smartbands for smoking cessation. This innovative study showcases how wearable technology can detect smoking events in real time and deliver brief mindfulness intervention
Habit Change Addiction - Real-Time Mindfulness: The Future of Smoking Cessation
Smartband-Based Automatic Smoking Detection and Real-Time Mindfulness Intervention: Protocol for a Feasibility TrialJoin Dr. Jud in this episode as he dives into the innovative intersection of wearable technology, mindfulness, and smoking cessation. This episode explores a cutting-edge study protocol designed to evaluate the feasibility of using a smartband and smartphone app for real-time smoking
Habit Change Addiction - Rewiring the Brain: Mechanisms of Change in Addiction Treatment
Brain Mechanisms of Change in Addiction Treatment: Models, Methods, and Emerging FindingsIn this episode, Dr. Jud explores groundbreaking insights into the brain mechanisms underlying addiction treatment. Drawing on models, methods, and findings presented at the 2015 Science of Change meeting, this research bridges neuroscience and psychotherapy to identify brain processes driving behavior change.
Habit Change Addiction - Mindfulness and the Brain: Dual Diagnosis Demystified
Mindfulness-Based Treatments for Co-Occurring Depression and Substance Use Disorders: What Can We Learn from the Brain?In this episode, Dr. Jud discusses the intersection of mindfulness, neuroscience, and treatment for individuals struggling with co-occurring depression and substance use disorders (SUDs). This seminal paper explores the shared neurobiological mechanisms underpinning these conditio
Habit Change Addiction - Mindful Solutions: Smoking Cessation for People Living with HIV
HIV Patients’ Perceptions of a Potential Multi-Component Mindfulness-Based Smoking Cessation Smartphone Application InterventionIn this episode, Dr. Jud explores a pivotal study on adapting a mindfulness-based smoking cessation app for people living with HIV (PLWH). This research highlights how a multi-component intervention—combining mindfulness training, contingency management, and adherence tra
Habit Change Addiction - Reinforcement Learning and Addiction: A Digital Mindfulness Solution
App-Based Mindfulness Training Predicts Reductions in Smoking Behavior by Engaging Reinforcement Learning Mechanisms: A Preliminary Naturalistic Single-Arm StudyIn this episode, Dr. Jud Brewer and colleagues explore how mindfulness-based smoking cessation tools can target the brain's reinforcement learning mechanisms to disrupt addictive behaviors. The study highlights the use of the "Cr
Mindfulness and meditation - Defining Mindfulness Teaching: Can We Agree on What Good Looks Like?
Can We Agree on What Skilled Mindfulness-Based Teaching Looks Like? Lessons from Studying the MBI:TACIn this episode, Dr. Jud Brewer and Dr. Rebecca Crane explore the Mindfulness-Based Interventions: Teaching Assessment Criteria (MBI:TAC), a widely used tool for assessing the competence of mindfulness-based program (MBP) teachers. As mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) gain popularity in clinic
Habit Change Addiction - Craving Control: The Role of Mindfulness in Smoking Cessation
Baseline Craving Strength as a Prognostic Marker of Benefit from Smartphone App-Based Mindfulness Training for Smoking CessationIn this episode, Dr. Jud explores cutting-edge research into how baseline craving strength influences the effectiveness of smartphone app-based mindfulness training for smoking cessation. Discover how mindfulness-based programs help smokers reduce their reliance on cigare
Mindfulness and meditation - The Neuroscience of Awakening: Mapping Meditative States
Mapping Complex Mind States: EEG Neural Substrates of Meditative Unified Compassionate AwarenessIn this episode, Dr. Jud Brewer and Dr. Poppy Schoenberg explore the neural mechanisms behind advanced meditative states, specifically those linked to non-duality, emptiness, and awakened awareness. Using EEG, this study mapped brain activity during different stages of Indo-Tibetan essence-of-mind medit
Habit Change Addiction - Integrated Care for Anxiety and Substance Use: A Game-Changer
A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Psychosocial Interventions for Persons with Comorbid Anxiety and Substance Use DisordersIn this episode, Dr. Jud dives into the comprehensive findings of a meta-analysis on psychosocial interventions for individuals facing the dual challenge of anxiety and substance use disorders. This research sheds light on the efficacy of treatments like cognitive behavi
Mindfulness and meditation - Borderline Personality Disorder and the Brain: A Computational Perspective
A Computational Account of Borderline Personality Disorder: Impaired Predictive Learning About Self and Others Through Bodily SimulationIn this episode, Dr. Jud Brewer, Dr. Sarah Fineberg, and Dr. Philip Corlett explore an innovative computational psychiatry model of borderline personality disorder (BPD). Social dysfunction is a core feature of BPD, and this study proposes that individuals with BP
Habit Change Addiction - Mindfulness Training in Addiction Recovery: Insights from a Pilot Study
Mindfulness Training and Stress Reactivity in Substance Abuse: Results from a Randomized, Controlled Stage I Pilot StudyIn this episode, Dr. Jud delves into groundbreaking research comparing mindfulness training (MT) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for individuals with substance use disorders. This pilot study investigates the role of mindfulness in managing stress and addiction, highlighti
Mindfulness and meditation - The Mind-Heart Connection: Can Mindfulness Improve Cardiovascular Health?
Mindfulness and Cardiovascular Disease Risk: State of the Evidence, Plausible Mechanisms, and Theoretical FrameworkIn this episode, Dr. Jud Brewer and Dr. Eric Loucks explore the growing body of research on mindfulness and its potential role in reducing cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. With CVD remaining the leading cause of mortality worldwide, this integrative review examines how mindfulness m
Habit Change Addiction - Awareness as a Game-Changer for Smoking Cessation
Awareness, Affect, and Craving During Smoking Cessation: An Experience Sampling StudyIn this episode of the Dr. Jud podcast, we explore the groundbreaking study on how mindfulness impacts smoking cessation. Researchers examined the role of awareness, positive and negative affect, and craving through an experience sampling method. With real-time data from smokers using a mindfulness-based app, the
Mindfulness and meditation - Mindfulness at Work: A Game Changer for Performance and Well-Being
Contemplating Mindfulness at Work: An Integrative ReviewIn this episode, Dr. Jud Brewer and his colleagues explore the growing impact of mindfulness in the workplace. As organizations like Google, Aetna, and the U.S. Army integrate mindfulness programs, research is uncovering how mindfulness enhances attention, emotional regulation, decision-making, and resilience. This study presents a comprehens
Habit Change Addiction - How Mindfulness Apps Help Teens Kick the Habit
Feasibility of a Smartphone App with Mindfulness Training for Adolescent Smoking Cessation: Craving to Quit (C2Q)-TeenIn this episode, Dr. Jud highlights a groundbreaking pilot study that examines the feasibility of a mindfulness-based smoking cessation app tailored for teenagers. Based on the paper Feasibility of a Smartphone App with Mindfulness Training for Adolescent Smoking Cessation: Craving
Mindfulness and meditation - Mindfulness-Based Programs: What Works and Why?
What Defines Mindfulness-Based Programs? The Warp and the Weft explores the essential and flexible elements of mindfulness-based programs (MBPs) such as Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT). In this episode, Dr. Jud Brewer and colleagues discuss their framework for defining MBPs, distinguishing between core components (the “warp”) and adaptable e
Habit Change Addiction - Mindfulness on the Go: The Craving to Quit App for Smokers
Craving to Quit: A Randomized Controlled Trial of Smartphone App–Based Mindfulness Training for Smoking CessationIn this episode, Dr. Jud discusses the results of a pioneering randomized controlled trial on the efficacy of the Craving to Quit app for mindfulness-based smoking cessation. Drawing from the paper Craving to Quit: A Randomized Controlled Trial of Smartphone App–Based Mindfulness Traini
Mindfulness and meditation - Meditation and Brain Connectivity: A Path to Mental Clarity
Meditation is Associated with Increased Brain Network Integration explores how mindfulness meditation enhances brain connectivity. In this episode, Dr. Jud Brewer and his colleagues discuss their EEG-based study comparing novice and experienced meditators. Their findings reveal that experienced meditators exhibit significantly higher brain network integration in the alpha frequency band, suggestin
Habit Change Addiction - Craving to Quit: The Science of Breaking Addictive Loops
Craving to Quit: Psychological Models and Neurobiological Mechanisms of Mindfulness Training as Treatment for AddictionsIn this episode, Dr. Jud explores the intricate relationship between psychological models, neurobiological mechanisms, and mindfulness training in treating addictions, as detailed in the paper Craving to Quit: Psychological Models and Neurobiological Mechanisms of Mindfulness Tra
Mindfulness and meditation - Mindfulness and Behavior Change: The Neuroscience of Lasting Habits
Mindfulness and Behavior Change explores how mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) support sustainable health behavior change. In this episode, Dr. Jud Brewer and colleagues examine the neuroscience behind mindfulness, emphasizing motivation, learning, self-regulation, and habit formation. The study presents an integrative model that links mindfulness with neural mechanisms governing cognitive co
Habit Change Addiction - How Ancient Wisdom and Modern Science Converge on Self and Habits
Feeling is Believing: The Convergence of Buddhist Theory and Modern Scientific Evidence Supporting How Self is Formed and Perpetuated Through Feeling Tone (Vedanā)In this episode, Dr. Jud dives into the convergence of ancient Buddhist psychology and modern neuroscience, as explored in the paper Feeling is Believing: The Convergence of Buddhist Theory and Modern Scientific Evidence Supporting How S
Mindfulness and meditation - Music as Meditation: Unlocking Flow and Focus
The Psychological Benefits of Reconceptualizing Music-Making as Mindfulness PracticeIn this episode, Dr. Jud Brewer and Dr. Matthew Steinfeld explore the deep connection between mindfulness and music-making. Drawing on psychology, neuroscience, and contemplative traditions, this study argues that playing music can serve as a mindfulness practice, fostering presence, flow states, and emotional resi
Habit change Neuroscience - Cognitive Control and Cocaine: How the Brain Guides Treatment Success
Pretreatment Brain Activation During Stroop Task Is Associated with Outcomes in Cocaine-Dependent PatientsIn this episode, Dr. Jud Brewer explores the relationship between brain activity and treatment outcomes for cocaine addiction. The discussion highlights a groundbreaking study that used functional MRI to measure brain activation during a cognitive control task, the Stroop test, prior to treatm
Mindfulness and meditation - Beyond the Big Five: A New Approach to Understanding Personality
Development and Validation of the Behavioral Tendencies QuestionnaireIn this episode, Dr. Jud Brewer and Dr. Nicholas Van Dam discuss the creation of the Behavioral Tendencies Questionnaire (BTQ), a novel tool for assessing personality traits based on behavioral approach, avoidance, and equivocation. Rooted in both contemporary psychology and ancient Buddhist typologies, the BTQ categorizes indivi
Habit Change Addiction - Mindfulness Meets Addiction: A New Path to Recovery
Mindfulness: An Emerging Treatment for Smoking and Other Addictions?In this episode, Dr. Jud unpacks the groundbreaking insights from the paper Mindfulness: An Emerging Treatment for Smoking and Other Addictions? by Judson Brewer and Lori Pbert. Discover how mindfulness leverages ancient practices to combat modern addictions by targeting the neurological reward-based habit loops. Learn how this ap
Mindfulness and meditation - Beyond Mindfulness: The Next Frontier in Meditation Science
The Science of Advanced Meditation: Transforming Mental Health and ConsciousnessIn this episode, Dr. Jud Brewer and Dr. Matthew Sacchet explore the cutting edge of meditation research, revealing how advanced meditation practices can fundamentally reshape the brain, enhance well-being, and provide deep psychological transformation. As meditation science enters a new phase, researchers are uncoverin
Habit Change Addiction - Overcoming Cravings: How Mindfulness Helps Smokers Quit for Good
Mindfulness Training for Smoking Cessation: Moderation of the Relationship Between Craving and Cigarette UseIn this episode, Dr. Jud Brewer and colleagues discuss a randomized clinical trial evaluating mindfulness training (MT) as a smoking cessation intervention. The study demonstrates how mindfulness decouples the link between craving and cigarette use by disrupting the addictive loop reinforced
Mindfulness and meditation - Taming the Wandering Mind: Meditation and the Default Mode Network
Meditation Leads to Reduced Default Mode Network Activity Beyond an Active TaskIn this episode, Dr. Jud Brewer and Dr. Kathleen Garrison explore how meditation alters brain activity, specifically within the default mode network (DMN), a system associated with self-referential thinking and mind-wandering. This study uniquely compares meditation not just to resting states but also to an active cogni
Habit Change Addiction - From Craving to Control: Disrupting Addiction with Mindfulness Training
Mindfulness Training for Smoking Cessation: Results from a Randomized Controlled TrialIn this episode, Dr. Jud Brewer and colleagues present findings from a groundbreaking randomized controlled trial comparing mindfulness training (MT) to a standard smoking cessation program (Freedom From Smoking, FFS). The study demonstrates that MT not only reduced cigarette consumption more effectively during t
Mindfulness and meditation - The Science of Effortless Awareness: EEG Neurofeedback and Meditation
Source-Space EEG Neurofeedback Links Subjective Experience with Brain Activity During Effortless Awareness MeditationIn this episode, Dr. Jud Brewer and Dr. Remko van Lutterveld explore the latest advances in neurofeedback and meditation. This study used high-density EEG to provide real-time neurofeedback from the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), a key region in self-referential processing and mi
Habit Chanage Addiction - Craving to Quit: The Neuroscience of Mindfulness for Addictions
Craving to Quit: Psychological Models and Neurobiological Mechanisms of Mindfulness Training as Treatment for AddictionsIn this episode, Dr. Jud Brewer and colleagues explore the transformative role of mindfulness training in treating addictions. Drawing from both modern psychological frameworks and ancient Buddhist models of suffering, this discussion highlights how mindfulness targets core eleme
Mindfulness and meditation - Real-Time Mindfulness: How Neurofeedback Guides Meditation
Neurofeedback from the Posterior Cingulate Cortex as a Mental Mirror for MeditationIn this episode, Dr. Jud Brewer and Dr. Remko van Lutterveld explore how real-time neurofeedback from the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) can serve as a "mental mirror" to enhance meditation practice. Meditation is known for its benefits, but learning how to meditate effectively can be challenging due to
Habit Change Addiction - Breaking Habits the Buddhist Way: Ancient Wisdom Meets Modern Science
Bested by the Buddha: Does Ancient Theory Outperform Modern-Day Psychology for Habit Change and Addiction Treatment?In this episode, Dr. Jud Brewer explores the intersection of ancient Buddhist teachings and modern psychology to tackle habits and addictions. Drawing on his personal journey and clinical research, Dr. Brewer illustrates how mindfulness targets reinforcement learning, disrupting addi
Mindfulness and meditation - The Mind on Love: Brain Connectivity and the Power of Kindness
BOLD Signal and Functional Connectivity Associated with Loving-Kindness MeditationIn this episode, Dr. Jud Brewer and his team explore the neuroscience behind loving-kindness meditation (Metta) and its impact on brain function. Using fMRI, this study compared experienced meditators and novices, uncovering key differences in brain activity and connectivity during the practice. The findings reveal t
Habit Change Addiction - From Triggers to Triumph: Reducing Anxiety and Smoking with Awareness
Analyzing the Impact of Mobile App Engagement on Mental Health Outcomes: Secondary Analysis of the Unwinding Anxiety ProgramIn this episode, Dr. Jud Brewer and colleagues explore how engagement with specific app features impacts mental health outcomes in the context of anxiety treatment. Through secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial, the study demonstrates that higher engagement with
Mindfulness and meditation - The Mind’s Mirror: What fMRI Reveals About Meditation
Real-Time fMRI Links Subjective Experience with Brain Activity During Focused AttentionIn this episode, Dr. Jud Brewer explores groundbreaking research on real-time fMRI neurofeedback, revealing how brain activity and subjective experience interact during focused attention. This study bridges the gap between objective neuroscience and first-person introspection by using experienced meditators who
Habbit Change Anxiety - The Future of Physician Wellness: Mindfulness in Your Pocket
Digital Mindfulness Training for Burnout Reduction in Physicians: Clinician-Driven ApproachIn this episode, Dr. Jud Brewer and Dr. Lia Antico dive into their groundbreaking research on digital mindfulness as a tool for combating physician burnout. Burnout is an epidemic among healthcare professionals, impacting well-being, patient care, and healthcare systems. This study, the first to incorporate
Habit Change Eating - Can Awareness Transform Our Eating Habits? Insights from the PASE Study
Practical Awareness-Based Strategies for Eating (PASE): A Pilot and Feasibility Randomized Trial examines the effectiveness of a mobile mindfulness-based intervention, Eat Right Now (ERN), targeting reward-related eating to promote weight loss. This episode delves into the groundbreaking findings of Dr. Judson Brewer and his collaborators, who conducted a six-month randomized trial on adults with
Mindfulness and meditation - Real-Time Neurofeedback: A Window Into the Meditating Mind
Effortless Awareness: Using Real-Time Neurofeedback to Investigate Correlates of Posterior Cingulate Cortex Activity in Meditators' Self-Report explores how real-time fMRI neurofeedback can link meditation experience to brain activity. In this episode, Dr. Jud Brewer and his collaborators discuss their groundbreaking study, which analyzed first-person reports of experienced meditators and rea
Habit Change Anxiety - Unwinding Anxiety: The Role of Engagement in Digital Mental Health
Analyzing the Impact of Mobile App Engagement on Mental Health Outcomes: Secondary Analysis of the Unwinding Anxiety ProgramIn this episode, Dr. Jud Brewer and colleagues explore how engagement with specific app features impacts mental health outcomes in the context of anxiety treatment. Through secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial, the study demonstrates that higher engagement with
Habit Change Eating - The Mindful Connection to Obesity and Central Adiposity
Associations of Dispositional Mindfulness with Obesity and Central Adiposity: The New England Family StudyIn this episode, Dr. Jud Brewer and colleagues examine how dispositional mindfulness—the ability to nonjudgmentally attend to one’s mental and physical experiences—relates to obesity and central adiposity. Drawing on findings from the New England Family Study, they explore associations between
Mindfulness and meditation - Getting Caught Up: How the Brain Processes Self and Craving
What About the "Self" Is Processed in the Posterior Cingulate Cortex? investigates the role of the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) in self-referential processing. This fascinating study by Dr. Jud Brewer, Kathleen Garrison, and Susan Whitfield-Gabrieli explores how the PCC is activated during experiences of being "caught up in" mental content, such as self-judgment, social cog
Habit Change Anxiety - Personalizing Anxiety Treatment: The Science of Psychological Phenotyping
Cluster-Based Psychological Phenotyping and Differences in Anxiety Treatment OutcomesIn this episode, Dr. Jud Brewer and colleagues explore how machine learning and psychological phenotyping can optimize treatment for anxiety disorders. Through a groundbreaking study involving app-based mindfulness training, participants were grouped into three psychological phenotypes: "severely anxious with
Habit Change Eating - From Shame to Self-Care: Women’s Transformations Through Mindful Eating
Women’s Experiences with a Mindful Eating Program for Binge and Emotional Eating: A Qualitative Investigation into the Process of ChangeIn this episode, Dr. Jud Brewer and colleagues unpack the transformative power of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) in addressing binge and emotional eating. Drawing on a qualitative study, they explore how mindfulness fosters attitudinal and behavioral chang
Mindfulness and meditation - Breaking the Habit Cycle: How Mindfulness Transforms Attention
"Why Is It So Hard to Pay Attention, or Is It? Mindfulness, the Factors of Awakening and Reward-Based Learning" dives into the intricate connections between mindfulness, attention, and habit formation. Dr. Jud Brewer, alongside co-authors Jake H. Davis and Joseph Goldstein, explores how reward-based learning shapes our ability to pay attention and sustain mindfulness practice. This episo
Habit Change Anxiety - Better Sleep Through Mindfulness: Tackling Anxiety with Technology
Targeting Anxiety to Improve Sleep Disturbance: A Randomized Clinical Trial of App-Based Mindfulness TrainingIn this episode, Dr. Jud Brewer and colleagues discuss a novel randomized clinical trial examining the impact of the Unwinding Anxiety app on improving sleep disturbances caused by anxiety and worry. The study demonstrates that app-based mindfulness training significantly reduces worry-rela
Habit Change Eating - Mindful Eating Tools: Using Technology to Curb Cravings and Lose Weight
Testing a Mobile Mindful Eating Intervention Targeting Craving-Related Eating: Feasibility and Proof of ConceptIn this episode, Dr. Jud Brewer and colleagues discuss the results of a groundbreaking study testing a smartphone-based mindful eating intervention. Designed to target craving-related eating through mindfulness and operant conditioning principles, the intervention demonstrated significant
Mindfulness and meditation - The Neuroscience of Mindfulness: Redefining the Default Mode of the Brain
Meditation Experience Is Associated with Differences in Default Mode Network Activity and Connectivity explores how mindfulness meditation impacts brain function. In this episode, Dr. Jud Brewer and his colleagues reveal groundbreaking research using fMRI to compare experienced meditators and meditation-naïve controls. The study identifies reduced activity in the brain's default mode network
Habit Change Anxiety - Unwinding Anxiety: Revolutionizing Physician Wellness Through Apps
Physician Anxiety and Burnout: Symptom Correlates and a Prospective Pilot Study of App-Delivered Mindfulness TrainingIn this episode, Dr. Jud Brewer and colleagues delve into the alarming rise of physician burnout and its strong correlation with anxiety. This pilot study examines the efficacy of an app-based mindfulness training program, Unwinding Anxiety, designed specifically for busy physicians
Habit Change Eating - Rewiring Cravings: Mindfulness and the Science of Eating Behavior
Awareness Drives Changes in Reward Value Which Predict Eating Behavior Change: Probing Reinforcement Learning Using Experience Sampling from Mobile Mindfulness Training for Maladaptive EatingIn this episode, Dr. Jud Brewer and colleagues explore how mindfulness-based interventions can reshape maladaptive eating behaviors through changes in reward value. Leveraging reinforcement learning theory, th
Habit Change Anxiety - Breaking the Anxiety Habit: A Digital Approach to Mental Health
Clinical Efficacy and Psychological Mechanisms of an App-Based Digital Therapeutic for Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Randomized Controlled TrialIn this episode, Dr. Jud Brewer and Alexandra Roy discuss a pioneering randomized controlled trial evaluating the clinical efficacy and mechanisms of the Unwinding Anxiety app for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). The app integrates mindfulness training
Habit Change Eating - Self-Regulation Without Force: The Role of Mindfulness and Reward
Self-Regulation Without Force: Can Awareness Leverage Reward to Drive Behavior ChangeIn this episode, Dr. Jud Brewer and colleagues introduce a groundbreaking approach to sustainable behavior change that moves beyond willpower-based strategies. By combining insights from reinforcement learning, self-determination theory, and mindfulness, they explore how bringing present-moment awareness to habits
Habit Change Anxiety - From Habit Loops to Healing: Redefining Anxiety Treatment
Can Approaching Anxiety Like a Habit Lead to Novel Treatments?In this episode, Dr. Jud Brewer and Alexandra Roy explore how anxiety, a growing mental health epidemic, may be approached through the lens of habit formation. This groundbreaking review delves into worry-driven habit loops, the mechanics of reinforcement learning, and how mindfulness-based training offers a promising, scalable solution
Habit Change Eating - Breaking the Cycle: How Mindfulness Helps Overcome Emotional Eating
Can Mindfulness Address Maladaptive Eating Behaviors? Why Traditional Diet Plans Fail and How New Mechanistic Insights May Lead to Novel InterventionsIn this episode, Dr. Jud Brewer and colleagues explore the limitations of traditional diet plans and reveal how mindfulness training offers a new, mechanistic approach to addressing maladaptive eating behaviors. They discuss how reward-based learning
Habit change Neuroscience - The Brain on Meditation: Decoding the Posterior Cingulate Cortex
The Posterior Cingulate Cortex as a Plausible Mechanistic Target of Meditation: Findings from NeuroimagingJoin Dr. Jud Brewer and Kathleen A. Garrison as they explore the neurobiological underpinnings of mindfulness and meditation. This episode delves into how the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), a key node in the brain's default mode network, plays a pivotal role in self-referential thinkin
Habit change Neuroscience - Breaking Cravings: How Mindfulness Changes the Smoking Brain
Quitting Starts in the Brain: A Randomized Controlled Trial of App-Based Mindfulness Shows Decreases in Neural Responses to Smoking Cues That Predict Reductions in SmokingIn this episode, Dr. Jud Brewer and his team dive into groundbreaking research on mindfulness and its impact on smoking cessation. Discover how app-based mindfulness training influences the brain’s default mode network, specifica
Habit Change: Neuroscience - Mindfulness and Addictions: A Neuroscience Brain Hack?
Title:Mindfulness Training for Addictions: Has Neuroscience Revealed a Brain Hack by Which Awareness Subverts the Addictive Process?Description:Can mindfulness offer a revolutionary approach to overcoming addictions? In this episode, we dive into Dr. Jud Brewer’s 2019 review article exploring how mindfulness-based interventions target reward-based learning mechanisms to interrupt addictive behavio
Healthcare provider course - Module 1. Feeling the pain: empathy and action
Being empathetic with patients is important for their recovery but it has its limits.In this podcast, you will learn:- How empathy fatigue can lead to burnout. - How to recognize coping behavior strategies employed by clinicians to protect from patients’ suffering that become habits and contribute to exhaustion.- How to name the core elements of the process of reinforcement learning in habit loops
Healthcare provider course - Module 2. Compassion, the new empathy? Taking the “me” out of empathy
Compassion is a way to feel patients’ suffering without being emotionally exhausted by it. In this podcast, you will learn:- How to differentiate between empathy and compassion.- How to stay with patients’ suffering without being consumed by it. A way to feel patients’ suffering and not be consumed by it is to not take it personally, by removing the “me” element: not getting stuck in
Healthcare provider course - Module 3. How life gets in the way
Intrusive thoughts are distracting and can cause great distress. In this podcast, you will learn:- How our minds deal with intrusive thoughts.- To apply skills to manage intrusive thoughts in clinical settings and private life.We have no control over our thoughts. One thought can lead to another until we are overwhelmed by a train of thoughts. The harder we try to stop these thoughts
Healthcare provider course - Module 4. The habit of judging ourselves and others
Self-judgement gets in the way of doing our own tasks and interacting with patients and it contributes to exhaustion. In this podcast, you will learn:-How to name the core elements of the habit loop of self-judgment.-New strategies to step out of habit loop of self-judgment.-How to practice kindness toward oneself and others.Self-judgment gets in the way of being grounded in the present moment, be
Healthcare provider course - Module 5. Working with stress and anxiety
Our brain does not like uncertainty and this causes stress and anxiety.In this podcast, you will learn:- How the brain works with uncertainty.- How to reduce stress and anxiety for uncertaintyInformation is like food for our brain. Uncertainty is like that hunger signal telling us that we don’t have enough information, and need to gather it. Uncertainty can cause stress an
Healthcare provider course - Module 6. Spreading curiosity
Emotional contagion is unconscious and can be toxic when we interact with other people. In this podcast, you will learn:- How emotional contagion impacts on the interactions with patients and colleagues.- How to use curiosity against the maladaptive effects of emotional contagion. Emotions can be unconsciously spread from one person to another through facial expression, tone of v
Healthcare provider course - Module 7. The obstacle is the way
Pain is subjective and several factors influenced the diagnosis and treatment of pain in patients.In this podcast, you will learn:- The complexities involved in diagnosing and treating pain.- How to recognize and deal with our own biases in the diagnosis and treatment of pain. Diagnosing and treating pain are not straightforward because pain is a complex and subjective experienc
Healthcare provider course - Module 8. Summary
In this podcast, you will listen to the summary of all we have explored in the course.To ask questions or suggest future topics, please comment below or connect with me on Twitter @judbrewerClick here to subscribe to my Youtube Channelhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi6bQu-Df7Wh2x3gFT5a8awBuild your body awareness using mindfulness practices, like those in the free "Breathe by Dr. Jud"
5 mental habits to build during uncertain times (Coronavirus Anxiety Daily Update 6)
During this time of panic and uncertainty, it's critical to build good mental habits and practice mental hygiene.In this podcast, you'll learn:-What to do whenever you notice stress or anxiety, and how to nip it in the bud. All you need is your breath and your awareness.-How to respond to urges to check social media or to call someone-The power of this question: "What do I need righ
Understanding Coronavirus Anxiety (Coronavirus Anxiety Daily Update 1)
In today’s episode, you’ll learn the following:-Why people have been buying what seems like a decade’s worth of the toilet paper in the grocery store, and why when you see them, you suddenly feel the urge to buy toilet paper yourself.-The mechanics of reward based learning, which underpins all of our anxious thinking and behavior.-The role of the neocortex in anxiety. The neocortex is the part of
3 steps to move from a fixed to growth mindset (Why some flourish in uncertainty and others fail) (Coronavirus Anxiety Daily Update 24)
Did you know that your mindset has a big impact on how you deal with uncertainty, and may be affecting your reaction to not just the current crisis, but any life challenge you’re going to face? Resources: 1. Subscribe to the Dr. Jud channel (click the red SUBSCRIBE button) to be notified of future daily updates, and join a free weekly "office hours" anxiety Q&A session on Mondays at
3 steps to go from anxiety to curiosity using your eyes (Coronavirus Anxiety Daily Update 23)
Did you know that your eyes really are the window into your soul? Or at least, a window into your current emotional state? By understanding how your eyes connect to your emotions, you can learn to tap into curiosity to help you let go of anxiety and fear.Resources: 1. Subscribe to the Dr. Jud channel (click the red SUBSCRIBE button) to be notified of future daily updates, and join a free weekly &q
How to Overcome Fear Using Curiosity (Coronavirus Anxiety Daily Update 22)
Ever wonder why tightness in your jaw and shoulder are linked to stress? Did you know that you can use curiosity to change your relationship to anxiety and fear? The Irish novelist and poet James Stephen’s wrote, “curiosity will conquer fear even more than bravery will.” Learn how to do this today.Resources: 1. Subscribe to the Dr. Jud channel (click the red SUBSCRIBE button) to be notified of fut
How to use curiosity to change habits and feel better (There are 2 types) (Daily Update 21)
Do you ever wonder why it’s so hard to stop scrolling Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter? That restless itch to see what’s next? Struggling with wanting to get all of the information you need? That itch is curiosity. But not all curiosity is created equal, and by understanding how curiosity works, you can use it to change habits and feel better — at any time. Resources: 1. Subscribe to the Dr. Jud ch
How to avoid a news-driven fear and anxiety spiral (Daily Update 20)
When you read the news, do you find yourself getting more afraid? Do you tend to read the headlines and articles that confirm your worst fears? Our brains are not set up to think critically in an environment of uncertainty, but there are ways to keep our rational brain in charge and think more clearly about the world around us… even during a crisis. Links to articles I mentioned in the episode:ht
5 finger breathing: Reboot your brain, calm down and be in the moment (Daily Update 19)
When you’re anxious, one of the best things to do is to slow down and focus on your breath. But what about when you’re so anxious or stressed that regular breathing exercises don’t seem to work? In today’s episode, I’ll teach you a simple but effective exercise that brings in more of your senses to help cut through the anxiety so you can be calm and focused in the present moment. Resources: 1. Sub
Help our kids (and ourselves) work with uncertainty and express emotions (Daily Update 18)
Stress, anxiety and other emotions are running high for many people right now. But if you’re a parent with kids at home, trying to juggle work, homeschooling, and the overall uncertainty, your house may feel like an emotional minefield. Your kids are also trying to make sense of everything, and may not be reacting in “normal” ways. And even if you don’t have kids at home, your inner child probably
How healthcare workers can fight anxiety and build resilience using mindfulness (Daily Update 17)
Have you ever seen a doctor in a movie or on television taking a break from the emergency room to go to the bathroom? I haven’t. Even before the coronavirus pandemic, there was a growing epidemic of burnout and anxiety among doctors, nurses, and other health care professionals. It’s only going to get worse with the new demands on our health care system. But there is hope based on new research that
Are you overeating, or so stressed that you forget to eat? (how to fix it) (Daily Update 16)
Emotions are running high these days, and that can lead to all sorts of negative habits, especially around food. Are you eating more than usual? Or maybe so worried that you’re forgetting to eat? Stress affects our appetite in major ways, but there is a simple approach to identify and change these behaviors so you can stay healthy and less anxious while dealing with the current crisis.Resources:
How to avoid spiraling into guilt and shame (Daily Update 15)
Are you feeling stuck at home, unable to do anything but watch the current crisis from the sidelines? Maybe even feeling guilty or ashamed that there are doctors, nurses, and other first responders on the front lines of the battle while you’re safely at home? What you’re feeling is totally normal, but there are ways to keep from spiraling into negative emotions and recognize that we’re all doing
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