Miriam Liss, Ph.D.: Strengthening Mental Health with Flexibility & Compassion| Work in Progress #74

The complex topic of psychological flexibility may seem daunting, but in this episode, a focus on self-compassion helps to guide us through how psychological flexibility can lead us toward a more fulfilling life.

Joining us to share her expert knowledge is Dr. Miriam Liss, professor and chair of the department of psychological science at the University of Mary Washington (UMW), and is a member of UMW’s interdisciplinary women, gender, and sexuality studies program. She is a clinical psychologist and received her Ph.D. from the University of Connecticut in 2001. Among her long list of accolades are over 60 articles on an extensive range of topics, as well as co-authoring Psychology of Women and Gender published by Norton, currently in its second edition, and Balancing the Big Stuff: Finding Happiness in Work, Family, and Life published by Rowman and Littlefield. 

Dr. Miriam Liss shares metaphors that can help us better understand the role our own thoughts play in our lives, and centers self-compassion as different to self esteem, encouraging speaking to oneself as one would a friend. She also shares her groundbreaking research on the gendered world of mental load. 

Together, Sarah and Dr. Miriam Liss frequent the phrase ‘do it scared’, which has circulated online, and how this pertains to the idea of standing above the unhelpful thoughts, and not letting them control your actions.

This enlightening episode is perfect for those who love metaphors, gender studies, and learning about the complex world of the brain. 

Follow Dr. Miriam Liss’s via the following link, and find her published works: https://psychologyofwomenandgender.com/ 

Resources mentioned in this episode:
On how self compassion protects against the negative effects of self-objectification:
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2015.02.006  
On the psychological benefits of psychological flexibility: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcbs.2019.09.007 
On the impact of mindfulness regarding adverse childhood experiences: 
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/S12144-021-02003-Z 

Produced by the Personal Productivity Science Labs, a division of LMSL, the Life Management Science Labs. 

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