295. Buyer Beware: Pseudoscience and the Wellness Industry, featuring Pooja Lakshmin - a podcast by Diana Hill, Debbie Sorensen, Yael Schonbrun & Jill Stoddard

When it comes to self-help, it's important to be cautious of information that seems too good to be true. Especially, in today's world of digital wellness influencers where there is a lot of misinformation out there that could cause you more harm than good. Subsequently, it's essential to thoroughly research products and services before making any decisions or commitments. 

To raise awareness about this issue, we (Debbie, Jill, and Yael) got together to co-host an episode dedicated to this very important conversation. We also invited Pooja Lakshmin, a board-certified psychiatrist and author of the book ‘Real Self-Care: A Transformative Program for Redefining Wellness’ to discuss the nuances of pseudoscience and what it means to practice real self-care. Expect evidence-based self-care methods, in addition to tips on how to do your due diligence as a consumer. Listen and Learn:

What led Pooja to make some pretty drastic decisions in her own quest for self-careThe differentiators between faux self-care and real self-care

The idea of using ‘pauses’ when making decisions and boundary setting Pseudoscience and the challenges it poses to the field of psychology

Examples of scientists behaving badly Red flags for identifying faux self-care

Suggestibility: we can be easily influenced in ways that are problematicResources: 
GuestLearn more about Pooja and her work as a psychiatrist, author, founder, and speaker: https://www.poojalakshmin.com


Order your copy of Real Self-Care: A Transformative Program for Redefining Wellness (Crystals, Cleanses, and Bubble Baths Not Included): https://bookshop.org/a/30734/9780593489727Articles
Controversy Over Ego Depletion/Decision-FatigueBooks

Quick Fix: Why Fad Psychology Can’t Cure Our Social Ills by Jesse SingalGospel of Wellness: Gyms, Gurus, Goops, and the False Promise of Self-Care by Rina Raphael


American Detox: The Myth ofWellness and How We Can Truly Heal by Kerri Kelly 


Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know by Adam GrantAgainst Empathy: The Case for Rational Compassion by Paul Bloom


PodcastsMaintenance Phase 

ConspiritualityThe Daily: Women Have Been Misled About Menopause



About Pooja LakshminPooja Lakshmin is a psychiatrist, New York Times contributor, an assistant professor at George Washington University, and a leading voice at the intersection of mental health and gender with a focus on helping individuals escape the tyranny of self-care. In 2020, she founded Gemma, a physician-led women’s mental health platform centering on impact and equity. She also maintains a private practice where she treats women struggling with burnout and perfectionism, as well as clinical conditions like depression and anxiety. Her new book which we are here to discuss, Real Self-Care: A Transformative Program for Redefining Wellness (Crystals, Cleanses, and Bubble Baths not Included) is out now.

Related Episodes:65. Self-Care, Kindness, and Living Well with Kelly Wilson

105. The Self-Care Prescription with Robyn Gobin113. Self-Compassion for Parents with Susan Pollak

201. Fierce Compassion with Kristin Neff262. Hope and Values in Dark Times with Us


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Further episodes of Psychologists Off the Clock

Further podcasts by Diana Hill, Debbie Sorensen, Yael Schonbrun & Jill Stoddard

Website of Diana Hill, Debbie Sorensen, Yael Schonbrun & Jill Stoddard