Dr. Alison Jane Martingano is a social psychologist at the University of Wisconsin–Green Bay, where she leads the Social Research Lab dedicated to investigating empathy and perspective-taking. She has published her research in leading academic journals such as the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Social Psychological and Personality Science, and Popular Media.

Alison hosts the fortnightly Psychology & Stuff podcast, chatting with psychologists and Green Bay locals about topics ranging from sports to false confessions. In addition, she blogs for Psychology Today, translating cutting-edge psychology research into clear, relatable insights.

As an immigrant and military wife, Alison appreciates the difficulties and opportunities that communicating with those dissimilar from ourselves can bring. She is a passionate educator and TEDx speaker and hopes to inspire her students, and others, to nurture empathy in a changing world.

Learn more and subscribe at flourishfmpodcast.com

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Links:

• Website
• Academic webpage
• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• Google Scholar
• Psychology Today blog
• Psychology and Stuff podcast
• TEDx Talk: “How to train your empathy muscles”

Timestamps:

00:01:51 - Defining Empathy and Perspective Taking 00:03:08 - Types of Empathy and Research Disagreements 00:07:07 - Negative Effects of Mirroring Negative Emotions 00:11:01 - Empathy Without Negative Emotional Mirroring 00:15:10 - Is Empathy Always Good? 00:17:47 - The Paradox of Empathy and Helping Behavior 00:18:42 - Compassion as a Buffer Against Burnout 00:20:41 - The Warm Glow of Helping Others 00:25:25 - Chosen Suffering and Antifragility 00:26:15 - The Upper Limit of Compassion 00:27:21 - Empathy and Burnout: Positive and Negative Connections 00:30:27 - Practical Strategies for Developing Empathy 00:32:29 - Recommended Books for Building Empathy 00:34:06 - Summary of Empathy Types and Benefits 00:35:03 - Practical Strategies to Avoid Burnout While Building Empathy 00:35:36 - Controversial Tip: Eavesdropping to Build Empathy 00:36:46 - Children Learning Empathy Through Observation 00:37:14 - Safe Settings for Practicing Perspective Taking 00:42:09 - Role-Playing and Social Networks in Empathy Development 00:42:55 - “Toxic Empathy”: Misunderstandings and Clarifications

We’re delighted to host two guests on today’s show, both of whom are expert psychotherapists and counselling psychologists: Dr. Ritika Suk Birah – AKA “Dr. Ritz” – and Dr. Victoria Uwannah.

Ritz is a counselling psychologist specializing in guiding high-performing individuals toward profound self-awareness and transformative growth. She studied neuroscience and psychology at King’s College London and has a Ph.D. in psychotherapeutic and counselling psychology. With over 12 years experience in the clinical field, she delivers sought-after mental health and well-being programs rooted in neuroscience.

Ritz balances her time between individual therapy, giving keynote talks, delivering workshops and developing bespoke programs for workplaces. Her work focuses on mental health, resilience, and the power of reflection, delivering actionable strategies that inspire and motivate.​

Ritz co-hosts the Therapy Floor podcast with our second guest, Dr. Victoria Uwannah.

Victoria is a Chartered Counselling Psychologist with a Ph.D. in psychotherapeutic and counselling psychology. She’s been working in mental health for over 15 years, including for the UK’s National Health Service and in education, providing therapeutic and consultation services.

Victoria is trained in several therapy modalities, including cognitive behavioral therapy, psychodynamic therapy, mentalization-based therapy and dialectical behavioral therapy. Her experience has covered working with individuals at all stages of life, as well as more specialist areas such as group therapy, relational work with couples and families, schools and corporate environments. Her aim across all these individuals and groups is the same: to bring clarity, compassion and understanding to people to propel them towards change and help them lead fulfilling lives.

Learn more and subscribe at flourishfmpodcast.com

Follow us:

YouTube @flourishfmcast

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Ritz links:

• Website
• Reflect with Dr. Ritz
• Podcast: The Therapy Floor
• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• TikTok
• YouTube
• Facebook

Victoria links:

• Website
• Podcast: The Therapy Floor
• Instagram
• LinkedIn

Timestamps:

00:01:22 - Welcoming Dr. Ritz and Dr. Victoria 00:01:57 - Main Struggles Preventing Flourishing 00:04:18 - The Role of Authenticity in Flourishing 00:07:03 - The Dark Side of Constantly Striving to Flourish 00:08:32 - Understanding Authenticity 00:10:31 - The Importance of Somatic Awareness 00:12:57 - The Role of Intuition 00:14:21 - Practical Strategies 00:17:04 - Cultivating Trust in Yourself and the Process 00:23:44 - Strategies for Building Resilience and Emotional Regulation 00:34:16 - The Bi-Directional Nature of Emotion Regulation 00:40:47 - Acceptance and Distress Tolerance 00:44:49 - Final Thoughts on Flourishing

Dr. Satchin Panda is a world-leading expert in circadian rhythm research. He’s an Associate Professor at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, a Pew Scholar, and a recipient of the Dana Foundation Award in brain and immune system imaging.

Satchin is the author of two best-selling books, The Circadian Code and The Circadian Diabetes Code.

Learn more and subscribe at flourishfmpodcast.com

Follow us:

YouTube @flourishfmcast

Instagram @flourishfmpodcast

LinkedIn @flourishfmpodcast

Twitter @flourishfmcast

Facebook @flourishfmcast

Links:

• Website
• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• Book: The Circadian Code: Supercharge Your Energy and Sleep Well Every Night (2018)
• On Time Health

Timestamps:

[00:06:29] Circadian rhythms and health.

[00:09:35] Circadian rhythm disruption examples.

[00:18:01] Shift work and health risks.

[00:27:49] Circadian rhythm and body clocks.

[00:34:36] Eating timing and sleep quality.

[00:39:05] Balancing social and physical health.

[00:45:31] Sleep-wake cycle and caffeine.

[00:50:49] Sleep's impact on daily function.

[00:54:31] Circadian rhythms and diabetes.