Shrinksrap.com was selected for MillionPodcasts’ 2026 Top 100 Psychology Podcasts list.

Dr. Jim Bramson interviews Dr. Larry Cammarata

Life rarely follows our carefully rehearsed script. Apparently, nobody sent life the agenda.

In this episode of ShrinksRap, we welcome Larry Cammarata, PhD, a psychologist specializing in mindfulness-based psychotherapy and mind-body health. Larry leads Coffee with Shrinks for EBMC Psych Inc and the West Coast Mindfulness Institute (WCMI) and serves as Director of Education for Mindfulness Travels. A Tai Chi and Qigong instructor with four decades of meditation experience, he integrates movement, humor, storytelling, and improvisation. Forty years of meditation—and he still agreed to get on a microphone with me.

Together, we explore how mindfulness and improv help us stay present, listen without rehearsing our next brilliant comment, and connect with the person actually standing in front of us. Larry discusses small joy and big joy—and how both can show up when we say “Yes, and” to what life offers. We also explore the courage to look foolish and what happens when our inner critic loses its position as executive producer.

What can “Yes, and” teach us about relationships, uncertainty, and life going off script? Join us for a conversation about loosening up, leaning into possibility, and making room for joy. We don’t have to know our next line to participate.

Credits:

River is High, Ticketless Traveler

Carl Reisman, guitar, singer, and songwriter

Jenny Goodwine, vocals

James Singleton, bass

Johnny Vidocovich, drums

Dave Easley, steel guitar

Produced by Morgan Orion Reisman

for more information, carlreisman@gmail.com

Copyright 2025

WCMI networking group
A networking group for mindfulness-focused clinicians dedicated to learning together & collaborating for more information click here

Shrinksrap.com was selected for MillionPodcasts’ 2026 Top 100 Psychology Podcasts list.

Dr. Jim Bramson interviews Jonathan Packman, MFT

Technology keeps getting smarter—but are workplaces getting more human?

In this episode of ShrinksRap, Dr. Jim Bramson sits down with organizational consultant, executive coach, and MFT, Jonathan Packman, MFT, to explore what helps people feel motivated, connected, and valued at work. They discuss the difference between a healthy culture and good branding, why organizational dysfunction often begins with relationship problems, and how leaders can build trust, welcome disagreement, and communicate more effectively.

The conversation then turns to the modern tech workplace, where AI, layoffs, restructuring, and the pressure to constantly reinvent yourself can leave even talented professionals questioning their future. They look at how the workplaces will change for Generation Z, Alpha, and Beta. Jim and Jonathan explore burnout, perfectionism, imposter syndrome, office politics, and the challenge of staying ambitious without living in fear of becoming obsolete.

A practical conversation for leaders, tech professionals, and anyone who has ever thought, “I love the work—it’s the workplace that’s wearing me out.”

If technology keeps getting smarter, what do human beings need to get better at - - to feel relevant and purposeful?

Credits:

River is High, Ticketless Traveler

Carl Reisman, guitar, singer, and songwriter

Jenny Goodwine, vocals

James Singleton, bass

Johnny Vidocovich, drums

Dave Easley, steel guitar

Produced by Morgan Orion Reisman

for more information, carlreisman@gmail.com

Copyright 2025

WCMI networking group
A networking group for mindfulness-focused clinicians dedicated to learning together & collaborating for more information click here

Shrinksrap.com was selected for MillionPodcasts’ 2026 Top 100 Psychology Podcasts list.

Dr. Jim Bramson interviews Dr. Tracy Baldo-Senstock

What happens when you spit in a tube—and your origin story changes?

In this episode of ShrinksRap, Dr. James Bramson sits down with his former professor and dissertation committee member, Dr. Tracy Baldo-Senstock, to discuss her lived experience of discovering her biological father through genetic testing.

Dr. Baldo-Senstock is a former dean in Walden University’s School of Counseling, emeritus faculty at the University of Northern Colorado, a Purdue University graduate, and recipient of the Robert O. Stripling Award for Excellence in Standards.

Dr. Tracy is not alone. Most of us know someone who has discovered a biological relative through genetic testing. Pew Research found that 27% of Americans who have used mail-in DNA testing discovered close relatives they previously didn’t know about.

Drs. Jim and Tracy explore her origin story—and what happens when DNA collides with family mythology: identity, family secrets, truth, and transparency. They also discuss the power of emboldened vulnerability and what it means to live more fully in truth.

Why do families keep secrets? Sometimes to protect a parent, preserve a reputation, shield a trauma survivor, or hold an established family structure together. That can work…until somebody spits in a tube. For many people, keeping secrets may not be the psychologically healthy choice.

And before deciding what a DNA discovery means—or what to do about it—perhaps there’s a lesson from Star Trek’s Mr. Spock: stay in the fascination. Lead with curiosity, stay heart- centered, gather the data, and then decide whether—and how—to reconnect.

Part psychology, part genealogy, and part family detective story, this episode explores the risks and surprising power of telling the truth—and what “family” means when DNA suddenly rewrites the cast of characters.

Credits:

River is High, Ticketless Traveler

Carl Reisman, guitar, singer, and songwriter

Jenny Goodwine, vocals

James Singleton, bass

Johnny Vidocovich, drums

Dave Easley, steel guitar

Produced by Morgan Orion Reisman

for more information, carlreisman@gmail.com

Copyright 2025

WCMI networking group
A networking group for mindfulness-focused clinicians dedicated to learning together & collaborating for more information click here