In this episode of the EZ Conversations podcast, I sit down with Dr. Shannon Sauer-Zavala, a clinical psychologist with 15 years of experience, and talk about her research on mental health treatment, specifically Anxiety, Depression, and personality disorders. Dr. Sauer-Zavala discusses the effectiveness of cognitive behavioural Therapy (CBT) for anxiety and the role of personality traits in mental health. We explore the ‘Big Five’ personality model, the limitations of online personality tests, and the impact of temperament. Dr. Sauer-Zavala also shares her methods for increasing therapy accessibility, including modifying symptom-based treatments to target personality traits and using science-based indicators for ending therapy. We address the issues and potential of unlicensed ‘life coaches’ within the industry, emphasizing the importance of proper vetting and public Education on effective treatment. The episode concludes with a discussion on the static nature of intelligence compared to the fluidity of personality and ways to contact Shannon for more information.

Dr. Sauer-Zavala is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist with over 15 years of experience working with people struggling with anxiety and depression. She is also an Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Kentucky (UK). She develops new treatments for common mental health conditions and tests them in rigorous clinical trials. Dr. Sauer-Zavala is the lead developer of a short-term intervention for personality difficulties to address common mental health problems – COMPASS (a loose acronym for cognitive behavioural modules for personality symptoms). Dr. Sauer-Zavala is also the Founder and Director of Compass Mental Health Training & Consulting.

Dr. Sauer-Zavala received her doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the UK in 2011; she completed her predoctoral residency at Duke University Medical Center and her postdoctoral fellowship at Boston University. Dr. Sauer-Zavala is well-regarded in her field. She has co-authored over 120 peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, and an academic book on personality. Her research has been supported by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the Canadian Institute of Health Research, and the Templeton Foundation. Her work is internationally respected – in 2023 alone, Dr. Sauer-Zavala was invited to give keynote talks at mental health conferences in Sydney, Australia and Cambridge, UK. She has also worked closely with the Canadian government to develop a mental health prevention program for cadets training to become Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome

00:30 Guest Background and Research Focus

01:17 Understanding Anxiety and Effective Treatments

03:50 Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Insights

05:59 Personality Traits and Mental Health

23:49 Challenges in Mental Health Accessibility

38:50 The Role of Intelligence in Therapy

43:16 Conclusion and Contact Information

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• Plunge: https://plunge.com/ez
• Mint Mobile: ⁠https://trymintmobile.com/ez10⁠ for 15$ for an unlimited cell phone plan
• Mental: ⁠https://getmental.com/ez

Or find Furkhan’s Book, Pursuit of Self Love: 30 Uplifting Messages and Reflections. The Kindle version is available on Amazon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.amazon.ca/Pursuit-Self-Love-Uplifting-Messages-Reflections-ebook/dp/B0C4D1XYL1⁠⁠⁠

Subscribe to the EZ Reflections Newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ez-reflections-newsletter.beehiiv.com

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Furkhan Dandia Therapist and Coach

I am a men's coach, therapist, group facilitator, podcaster and author. My journey began five years ago when I was going through a separation. I found myself alone and in a shame spiral that our culture and society covertly exert on people due to the perceived "failure" of a marriage. Unfortunately, I personalized that message which led me to fall deeper into a hole, causing me to surround myself with people that did not serve me and engage in substance abuse. While seeking therapy, I was not making the wholesale changes I needed.

As part of my experience with therapy, I realized that I am not alone in the challenges men my age experience (I separated at the age of 34/35). I realized I could be a voice for men like myself and offer support in this space. In the middle of the pandemic, I applied for a Master's degree in Psychology to become a therapist. This change was a significant shift for me as I worked in the corporate world as an engineer. Once I leaned into the space of supporting other men, I also started a podcast to normalize these difficult conversations and started a men's group a year later with the support of a friend.

I thought I was giving something back when I started the men's group. However, I quickly realized I was getting substantially more from the connections I built than I initially anticipated. It was also something I needed because I was going through another breakup.

At that point, I also realized that I had not taken the time to heal, and I was outsourcing my healing through romantic relationships, substances, material acquisitions and superficial relationships. I decided to step away from the outgoing lifestyle and started to focus on my healing which was another phase of evolution for me on my journey. Over the last year and a half, I have become mindful of the people I spend my time with. I have cleaned my lifestyle of substances, toxic environments and behaviours. I have focused on my sleep, my health and my knowledge. I have improved my spiritual relationship with myself, which was lacking the most over the past five years. This is the best I have felt.

As part of my solitude journey and to find myself again, I also released a book encapsulating my journey, which I hope to share with others. My book is titled: The Pursuit of Self-Love.