About Debbie Sorensen

Debbie Sorenson is a psychologist in Denver and the host of the excellent podcast Psychologists Off the Clock.

NBN Episodes hosted by Debbie:

Daniel Simons and Christopher Chabris, "Nobody's Fool: Why We Get Taken in and What We Can Do about It" (Basic Books, 2023)

July 16, 2023

Nobody's Fool

Daniel Simons and Christopher Chabris
Hosted by Debbie Sorensen

From phishing scams to Ponzi schemes, fraudulent science to fake art, chess cheaters to crypto hucksters, and marketers to magicians, our world brims …

Scott Sonenshein, "Stretch: Unlock the Power of Less and Achieve More Than You Ever Imagined" (HarperCollins, 2017)

May 19, 2021

Stretch

Scott Sonenshein
Hosted by Debbie Sorensen

We often think the key to success and satisfaction is to get more: more money, time, and possessions; bigger budgets, job titles, and teams; and addit…

Marc Brackett, "Permission to Feel: Unlocking the Power of Emotions to Help Our Kids, Ourselves, and Our Society Thrive" (Celadon, 2019)

May 18, 2021

Permission to Feel

Marc Brackett
Hosted by Debbie Sorensen

Marc Brackett is a professor in Yale University's Child Study Center and founding director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence. In his 25 ye…

Monnica T. Williams, "Managing Microaggressions: Addressing Everyday Racism in Therapeutic Spaces" (Oxford UP, 2020)

April 5, 2021

Managing Microaggressions

Monnica T. Williams
Hosted by Debbie Sorensen

Microaggressions have been identified as a common and troubling cause of low retention and poor psychotherapy outcomes for people of color. All therap…

Jill A. Stoddard, "Be Mighty: A Woman's Guide to Liberation from Anxiety, Worry, and Stress Using Mindfulness and Acceptance" (New Harbinger, 2020)

April 2, 2021

Be Mighty

Jill A. Stoddard
Hosted by Debbie Sorensen

In a culture where women are still paid less for doing the same jobs, expected to juggle family and career effortlessly, and faced with the harsh real…

Taylor Pendergrass, "Six by Ten: Stories from Solitary" (Haymarket Books, 2018)

December 18, 2019

Six by Ten

Taylor Pendergrass
Hosted by Debbie Sorensen

Long-term solitary confinement meets the legal definition of torture, and yet solitary confinement is used in every state in the United States. People…

Louise Hayes, "The Thriving Adolescent" (Context Press, 2015)

June 28, 2019

The Thriving Adolescent

Louise Hayes
Hosted by Debbie Sorensen

Adolescence is a unique developmental period of life, during which we face the challenges and pressures of moving from childhood into independent adul…

Lara Fielding, "Mastering Adulthood: Go Beyond Adulting to Become an Emotional Grown-Up" (New Harbinger Publications, 2019)

April 26, 2019

Mastering Adulthood

Lara Fielding
Hosted by Debbie Sorensen

Whether graduating from college, starting a career, trying to gain financial independence, or creating meaningful relationships—entering into the worl…

A. Curtin and M. Skinta, "Mindfulness and Acceptance for Gender and Sexual Minorities: A Clinician's Guide" (Context Press, 2016)

March 29, 2019

Mindfulness and Acceptance for Gender and Sexual Minorities

Aisling Curtin and Dr. Matthew D. Skinta, eds.
Hosted by Debbie Sorensen

Gender and sexual minorities face unique concerns and, according to research, are actually more likely to want and seek therapeutic help due to greate…

Emily K. Sandoz, "Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Eating Disorders" (New Harbinger, 2011)

December 24, 2018

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Eating Disorders

Emily K. Sandoz
Hosted by Debbie Sorensen

Most of us can be self-critical about our bodies sometimes. At the extreme, painful thoughts and emotions about body image can lead to emotional suffe…

Matthieu Villatte, "Mastering the Clinical Conversation: Language as Intervention" (Guilford Press, 2015)

November 13, 2018

Mastering the Clinical Conversation

Matthieu Villatte, Jennifer Villatte, and Steven Hayes
Hosted by Debbie Sorensen

Humans are the only animals that can use language processes to create abstract, symbolic thoughts. This is both a blessing and a curse. Although symbo…

S. Hayes and D. S. Wilson, "Evolution and Contextual Behavioral Science: An Integrated Framework for Understanding, Predicting, and Influencing Human Behavior" (Context Press, 2018)

September 27, 2018

Evolution and Contextual Behavioral Science

Steven C. Hayes and David Sloan Wilson
Hosted by Debbie Sorensen

Evolution science and behavioral science both have strong theories that can help us understand humans in context, and yet, until now, the two fields h…

Veronica Raggi, "Exposure Therapy for Treating Anxiety in Children and Adolescents: A Comprehensive Guide" (New Harbinger, 2018)

August 30, 2018

Exposure Therapy for Treating Anxiety in Children and Adolescents

Veronica Raggi
Hosted by Debbie Sorensen

While most children experience some fear and anxiety, some develop more extreme forms of anxiety that can impair their daily functioning. In this epis…

Feather Berkower and Sandy Wurtele, "Off Limits: A Parents Guide to Keeping Kids Safe from Sexual Abuse" (Safer Society Press, 2010)

April 5, 2017

Off Limits

Feather Berkower and Sandy Wurtele
Hosted by Debbie Sorensen

April is "Child Abuse Prevention Month," and parents and child professionals may be curious to know what they can do to help keep their children safe …

Jerome Kagan, "The Human Spark: The Science of Human Development" (Basic Books, 2013)

September 2, 2013

The Human Spark

Jerome Kagan
Hosted by Debbie Sorensen

On the day you were born, you arrived with your own unique biology and into your own unique social and cultural context. It would have been impossible…

Hannah S. Decker, "The Making of DSM-III: A Diagnostic Manual's Conquest of American Psychiatry" (Oxford UP, 2013)

August 23, 2013

The Making of DSM-III

Hannah S. Decker
Hosted by Debbie Sorensen

Like it or not, the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) has an enormous influence in deciding what qualifies as…

Kelly McGonigal, "The Willpower Instinct: How Self-Control Works, Why It Matters, and What You Can Do to Get More of It" (Avery, 2011)

July 31, 2013

The Willpower Instinct

Kelly McGonigal
Hosted by Debbie Sorensen

Get more exercise, clean out the garage, quit smoking, put down the pint of ice cream... Most of us have behaviors wewant to change, projects we keep …

Nancy Segal, "Born Together-Reared Apart: The Landmark Minnesota Twin Study" (Harvard UP, 2012)

June 28, 2013

Born Together-Reared Apart

Nancy Segal
Hosted by Debbie Sorensen

Identical twins, separated at birth, raised in different families, and reunited in adulthood. In 1979, psychology researchers in Minnesota found some …

Suzanne Corkin, "Permanent Present Tense: The Unforgettable Life of the Amnesia Patient, H.M." (Basic Books, 2013)

May 31, 2013

Permanent Present Tense

Suzanne Corkin
Hosted by Debbie Sorensen

If you have studied neuroscience, memory, or even basic psychology, it is likely that you have heard of the famous amnesic patient Henry Molaison, or …

Sam Sommers, "Situations Matter: Understanding How Context Transforms Your World" (Riverhead Books, 2011)

May 7, 2013

Situations Matter

Sam Sommers
Hosted by Debbie Sorensen

Human behavior is notoriously complex and difficult to predict. For decades, social psychologists have been exploring situational variables and how th…

Sandra Aamodt and Sam Wang, "Welcome to Your Child's Brain: How the Mind Grows from Conception to College" (Bloomsbury, 2011)

November 30, 2012

Welcome to Your Child's Brain

Sandra Aamodt and Sam Wang
Hosted by Debbie Sorensen

Many parents are interested in learning about how their children develop, and pretty much all parents want to do a good job with their kids. So, often…

David Linen, "The Compass of Pleasure: How Our Brains Make Fatty Foods, Orgasm, Exercise, Marijuana, Generosity, Vodka, Learning, and Gambling Feel So Good" (Viking, 2011)

June 26, 2012

The Compass of Pleasure

David Linden
Hosted by Debbie Sorensen

What happens in our brains when we do things that feel good, such as drinking a glass of wine, exercising, or gambling? How and why do we become addic…

Christopher Chabris and Daniel Simons, "The Invisible Gorilla: How Our Intuitions Deceive Us" (Broadway, 2009)

April 16, 2012

The Invisible Gorilla

Christopher Chabris and Daniel Simons
Hosted by Debbie Sorensen

You might think that if you were watching a basketball game and a person in a gorilla suit walked through the game, you would notice. Or that if you w…

Shelley Carson, "Your Creative Brain: Seven Steps to Maximize Imagination, Productivity, and Innovation in Your Life" (Harvard Health/Jossey-Bass, 2010)

March 26, 2012

Your Creative Brain

Shelley Carson
Hosted by Debbie Sorensen

The creative ability of human beings is remarkable. Evidence of this can be seen in beautiful and unique works of art and music, innovations in archit…